Welcome to another week of school/work/travel/life. This past weekend I checked out the Dirty Bourbon Blues Band – a local group that was pretty damn fun, and went pretty well with all the beer I drank. If you’re around the Rochester/Finger Lakes area and you get a chance to check them out, you certainly should.
Here are the next couple of tracks in my 1000 Minutes list. If you have no idea what that means, catch yourself up over here.
113. Iron & Wine – The Trapeze Swinger (mp3) from Around The Well
There is an easy melancholy that runs through all of Sam Beam’s songs; it’s especially true for this one. It unfolds slowly, deliberately, retelling the story of a couple – from the stupid adventures of two children to the eventual growing apart. It’s a pretty obvious narrative that entangles the story with visions of the afterlife.
With the commercialization of music, it’s often easy to forget that it’s an art form. Lots of people can try to create it, very few are actually good at it, but the ones who are good have the ability to render the listener speechless. If this track catches me at the right time, it’s difficult not to cry. And while I find plenty of songs good, fewer great, there are less than ten that have that power.
114. James Morrison – You Give Me Something (mp3) from Undiscovered
Thematically, this track is the complete opposite of the previous one. Lyrically, it examines the uncertainty surrounding the beginning of a new relationship; both parties are still getting their bearings, still figuring out exactly what it is they are doing. It’s relatable; everyone has felt that spark, experienced that trial period of a new relationship. And James Morrison puts it into song form pretty damn well.
I don’t remember when I finally got myself around to purchasing Iron & Wine’s The Shepherd’s Dog, but I remember being disappointed in myself for having waited so long to do so. Whenever I get around to purchasing Mr. Beam’s most recent release – the b-sides/rarities compilation from earlier this year entitled 
It’s a pretty good week for new music. There’s a wide range – from Dane Cook to Kenny Chesney, and everything in between. The 
Happy Sunday.
