Sunday, June 29, 2008

Except, roll down the window and let the wind blow back your hair

This is the summer of my discontent, gravelly voiced, working class songsmiths weaving melodies from the lower registers-

endless amounts of Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Bruce Springsteen... Stephen Merritt, the National.

My womb music was bruce springsteen, I was possibly conceived during the Born in the USA tour, 1985. I don't know if that makes the space he takes up in my soul any less cliche, but I will draw upon the wisdom of Sabina Carlson to justify my shameless devotion to the garden state, springsteen love and all--

...Grow Wings from Your Wounds...We're all stellar, our friends, because we've had to claw ourselves out of the suburbs and onward to the stars--- through that brick red dirt of South Jersey and the apathy weighing ankles like boots coated in clay...
I am in love with New Jersey... and if you've never photographed broken glass in an abandoned casino in Asbury Park with a bohemian princess... if you've never seen the electric factories glow like angels on I-95...if you've never wished on a streetlamp when you couldn't see shooting stars... don't tell me New Jersey isn't beautiful...

Film comment--
My Winnipeg. My Winnipeg. My Winnipeg. So sentimental and bitingly nostalgic and genuine, in the best way possible for an ambivalent, experimental film about a mixed bag hometown, and escape, without answers.

4 comments:

The Minute Waltz said...

It has its moments.

Speaking of Tom Waits, does Miss Ghost World do him justice? Ought I invest?

caitlinmae said...

I'm the wrong person to ask, Tom.
I went gay for Scarlett Johansson, and never looked back.
Personally I think it's an okay covers album, but maybe steal it from the internet rather than pay $$

riese said...

I was just about to tell you to get that album. I actually really like it. For different reasons than I like Tom Waits, but I still like it.

caitlinmae said...

Riese-
That's a great recommendation. Mutual exclusion's a terrible policy on music.
I still don't have $$$ to spend on music I could acquire illicitly.
Also, you reading me/googlereadersharing me is like the most flattering thing that's happened this month.