40 - Better Lock It In Your Pocket

Some songs just strike me a certain way.  This song has nothing to do with Halloween.  But the first time I heard it a few years ago, in the spring, that is the feeling it conjured up in me.  I found this duo through another band that will be featured in the near future.  They sang in tandem with the lead singer and it made for an interesting tune.  So, I looked them up, and liked what I heard.

This sister team has an interesting combination of vocals and sounds.  Today's song features a harpsichord and accordion (I think...I don't know what else sounds like the instruments featured, if you do...let me know!)  It's those instruments, or their sound and way they are played in this song, that make me think of this spooky day.

Song 40
        "Secret" from The Pierces on their album, "Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge"

There is this creepy, haunting spider like movement suggested in the instruments.  It slowly builds at the end of the song into a eerie rush to the final notes.  The girls vocals are equally chilling as they almost whisper out the lyrics in smoky voices full of, well, secrets.

I get this imagery of someone walking through an old house, or even haunted house.  Full of groady old pink toile wallpaper.  (Trust me, those are words, you might be surprised I knew what the 2nd one was.)  The song is about keeping secrets and borrows from the old saying of ol' Benji Franklin:

Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead.

Which, in itself makes me think of pirates, another staple image of the day.  In the song, the lyrics are: two can keep a secret, if one of them is dead.  This ties into the sister's bond and how that sometimes they can't even trust each other. Or at least that's what I'm taking from it.  This is painted out in a little dialogue they have in the last third of the song.

So, if you enjoy Halloween...well, enjoy it.  If not, enjoy the day for what it is, the last day of the best month of the year!  I can't believe were only 5 days away from the middle of Autumn!  It's going too fast.

grace, peace + hope
-Jesse

39 - The Nights are Hot and Black as Ink

I'm not one of those people who has an issue with classic songs being covered by current artists.  Especially if they do an amazing job with it.  This is one of those songs.  For me, I didn't know the original.  So this cover version introduced me to it.  And, to date, I don't know if I have ever checked out the original.  Mainly because this version just does it for me.

And, I have to respect a musician who doesn't just agree to do it because it'd be cool.  I read that the singer made sure to get approval from the original artist before agreeing to do it.  That's a level of class and respect you don't often hear about.  At least I don't.

The song appeared at the end credits of the movie for which it was recorded, and named after.  The movie, stars Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle.  It's a moving story about a man, Sandler, who lost his family in the 9/11 attack on New York, as he reconnects with his old college roommate, Cheadle.

The performances are chilling and gut wrenching.  There is humor, but the movie is a drama and has a heavy story.  Sandler is captivating and Cheadle plays a great everyman.  It's not a movie I can watch repeatedly.  But it is powerful and worth the watch.  The movie is:  Reign Over Me.

Not a film for kids.  It has an R rating for language and sexual references.

Song 39
        "Love Reign O'er Me" from The Who, as covered by Pearl Jam from the movie sound track, Reign Over Me.

The Autumnness of the song comes from the driving tone of the song that starts out much simpler.  Like many songs on this list, it's the dramatic build up that takes me into this season I love so much.  There is a passionate chill in Vedder's voice as he belts out the lyrics in this song.  He doesn't hold anything back.  For someone just hearing this song, I wouldn't have known it was a cover.  His energy behind his singing made me think this was something coming right out of his soul.

Only love Can bring the rain
That falls like tears
From on high

Love, reign o'er me
Reign o'er me, oh rain on me
Love, reign o'er me, rain on me
Rain on me

The imagery of love falling like rain, and having reign takes me to thoughts of God and what He has done in my life.  Like the cold wet rain drenching the East Coast from Sandy, (or any other rain) we can either accept that we will get wet, or run and hide like it is going to ruin our day.

It's rain.  Water.  Aside from violent storms like Sandy, rain is a healing, healthy thing.  It restores life to dry lands.  So in the latter aspect of, love raining, it is a refreshing of love to heal the land or soul that is dry and barren of love.  Be it that they no longer feel it, or it is not shown to them.

As for the reigning thought...well, what greater cause is there to live for besides love?  I don't just mean the romantic chocolates and flowers kind of love, but real, deep blue hero stuff.  The kind of love that sends a father rushing to the side of their child at the thought of danger.  The kind of love that spurs on the single mother to get up every day to take care of her family.

That kind of love that is instantaneous and also a deliberate daily choice.  We could all stand to have some more of that in our lives.  Rained down upon us, and reigned over us as a law of life.

So go rain a little love on someone today.

grace, peace + hope-Jesse

38 - Thanks for nothing, you useless reptile.

I knew I'd get here eventually.  Not this particular choice, but instrumental soundtrack songs.

I won't over share what this one makes me think of.  It's quite nailed into the movie it comes from.  The movie ties into that whole magical adventure theme, so works fantastic in Autumn.

Song 38
        "Test Drive" from the How to Train Your Dragon Motion Picture Soundtrack, by John Powell.

This song is just a lot of fun.  And it is wonderful for the scene it goes to.  Some movies the music makes sense etc...this one makes the scene for me.  It captures and presents the right emotions and atmosphere to the action.

If you haven't seen this movie, no matter how old you are, do it.  It's a lot of fun and has a lot to offer.  It's not just a clever kids movie.  It has fantastic heart and soul.

Enjoy!

grace, peace, + hope
-Jesse

37 - Here's the Hitch, Your Horse is Leaving

Some artists, like stories/movies, have a very Autumnal nature to them.  Their music just exudes the season.  From tone, sound, content, imagery etc.  At least for me.  One such musician brings us today's song.

I have no idea when I first heard this song.  But I do know that it was us who scorched the sky.  Wait, no...that's the Matrix.  But really, it was at some point in college.  Say what you will.   Most people I know either love them, or hate them.  But I really like this song, and many others by this band.

Song 37
   "Don't Drink the Water" from the album Before These Crowded Streets, by Dave Matthews Band.

There is just something haunting and captivating by this song.  I'm not really sure what it's about.  It gives me the impression of the European conquest of the New World.  Or even specifically the American treatment of the Native Americans.

I'm not getting into that topic here.  Even with that in mind I still like this song.  The progression of the instruments and vocals, as it rises into this heart wrenching climax at the end of the song.  It just stirs my soul.  To what I don't rightly know.  But it does.  It sends me into dizzying heights of old trees and along the wind paths that carrion crows follow.

This song also includes one of my all time favorite artists, Alanis Morrisette.  There is no one who sings like she does.  Her awkward emphasis and pronunciations, and her visceral voice.  It just grabs me.  And even though she's back up vocals on this song, it's powerful and chilling.  The way she wails like someone in violent mourning, as Dave growls out the final portions of the song.

It's a chilly, almost barren of leaves, wood in some twilight hour.  You're there alone quite, until you realize that there is something/someone else there.  A twig snaps and the pursuit begins.  Cold from the air, but heating up from the exertion of the run.  That's where this song takes me.

I hope you find it enjoyable too.

grace, peace + hope
-Jesse

36 - I'm A Million Different People

I don't remember the exact first hearing of this song.  It had to be in the first few years of my life that I call - College -  Since the song didn't come out until March '98 in the US, I'd say it was probably Sophomore year, 98-99.

If you remember from a few posts back I was talking about my Golden Year, the hanging out with friends, the apartment and all of that.  This song probably hit circulation a good bit during our relaxing nights just listening to music.  I know I certainly heard it while living of the best floor ever at Evangel, S1N.  And that's about all my school spirit, spent.

This song was suggested by my friend Vagle.  Well, that's her last name.  Was her last name.  Tiphany mentioned this one, and I agreed that it is an excellent choice for the 90 Songs of Autumn.

Song 36
        "Bittersweet Symphony" - from The Verve off their album Urban Hymns.

It's a great slow building song.  The video was great.  Just the singer walking through town, and bumping into people.  Not in the, "Hey how are you?" way.   In the, sorry, didn't see you...but with out the stopping to be nice about it.  It fits really well with the song.  It's just a driving, constant push forward.

Kind of like revving up to push something heavy up an incline.  Autumn has some flavors of that I think.

Well, I suppose I should get ready for "Frankenstorm."  And by get ready, I mean go to work and not think about it.

Enjoy!

grace, peace + hope
-Jesse

34/35 - ... / In the Blur of Fast Forward I Falter Again

Double Duty again.  What we have here is a little group I stumbled on thanks to the now delayed G.I. Joe - Retaliation trailer.  That trailer had a pretty happening remix of the White Stripes song, Seven Nation Army.  Like many posts before...I looked up the trailer, found the artist, and downloaded the song.  Then I went back for more.

Song 34
       "A Dream Within a Dream" from The Glitch Mob off their album, Drink the Sea.

First off, I love the name of this band.  I would realize after downloading their stuff, that I already had one song from the Tron Legacy: Reconfigured album.  Soon I had everything of theirs I could get my digital mittens on.  This may not seem like the type of music that brings Autumn to mind, but this particular track really does it for me.

When I hear this song I can't help but imagine a movie trailer for my, as yet incomplete, fantasy epic book series.  And that story always makes me think of Autumn.  Again, fantasy-adventure-magic all feel better experienced in Autumn.  The music in this track just go to a bunch of different levels, and take me into a lot of aspects of this story I'm creating.

In fact, it has even helped me with some plot and pacing.  So take a listen.  Let it take you on your own adventure.

---

The next tune is kinda happy yet haunting.  I'm not sure when I came across this person as a musical artist.  Well, she was in this little movie in 2004 called Phantom of the Opera.  She played Christine, and sang her own parts.  I was captivated.

So, I knew she could sing.  I didn't know that she recorded an album in 2007.  I just remember hearing this song, maybe she was on a late show, and being quite impressed.

Song 35
        "Slow Me Down" from Emmy Rossum on her album Inside Out.

The cool thing about this song, is that all the sounds were made by her.  There is no instrumentation on this song at all.  It is all her voice.  150 different parts and harmonies.  As stated before, I'm not in the know about what makes music work...but this song is impressive, and just ethereal.

The song talks about slowing down in life.  To stop rushing from one thing to the next.  To just stop and smell the roses kind of thinking.  The lyrics come across as a plea from Rossum to help her.  That she wants to stop the rat race, but needs someone to teach her how.

The obvious season connection is that things, at least nature, seems to slow down this time of year.  And this song just kind of takes me to a grey Sunday afternoon, and the sun just keeps peeking out from behind the massive storm clouds that never really let the rain out.

Well, that's what I see.

Alright people, that's it for today.  Go.  Listen.  Enjoy.  Slow down, and love life.

grace, peace + hope
-Jesse

33 - We Have the Answer to All Your Fears

It really gets to me, in a good way, when a movie picks a song that just fits the emotion of a scene.  It may or may not lyrically fit, (bonus points if it does) but the sound and feel can be exactly what that moment of story needed.  Especially if it can convey the bulk of what is being felt/shared when there is no dialogue between characters.

A few days ago Just Breathe from Pearl Jam was such a song.  It was great, and was what really sold that whole movie for me.  The song for today comes in a movie series not known for using "modern" music at all.  The majority of it's 8 film run is all original score.  I got to see this movie with a couple that loves these stories as much as I do.  It was a great time in St. Louis that weekend in November 2010.

This post is for Josh and Milta Little

Song 33
        "O Children" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds on their dual album Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus.

It was used in the penultimate movie in the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hallows - Part I.  I had never heard of the Australian band before the movie.  Honestly, I haven't taken the time to look up more of their music since I got this song.  Something I should definitely do something about. 

The placement of this song in the movie is quit poignant.  Without giving too much away, if you haven't read the books or seen the movies, the emotion of the song and the scene is important for carrying a huge amount of information.  There are two characters who are almost always part of a trio together alone.  A guy and a girl.  Now the third party, another bloke, has abandoned them.  He and the girl have an obvious but not really spoken about romantic relationship.  Which now seems unbearably strained if not over.

So the scene is the remaining two have been loyal and steadfast friends.  There has never been hints of romance between them.  The guy, knows the girl is feeling low.  Possibly lower than he has ever seen her.  Not just because of what just happened in her guy splitting, but with all the problems they are dealing with.  They have a little radio in their tent (it's a magic tent, so it's quite spacious inside) when O Children comes in on a station.  It's mid song, and the guy looks over to the girl who is huddled in a corner, walks over and gives her his hand.  She takes it, almost as if a drone, as he leads her into an open area.  He slowly starts to mover her arms to the music and they begin dancing.

This song was a fantastic choice.  The tone is haunting and stirring at the same time.  We see a little life and happiness burst into each character.  You know that their bond of friendship is deeper than ever, and that they will always be there for each other.  From trying to end the reign of evil, to just cheering up a friend.

I've gone on quite long enough, but I'll say this as to why I feel it fits Autumn.  First of all, the movie came out in November 2010, so I heard the song in Autumn.  Secondly, Autumn is for fantasy and imagination.   Third, this song just has that deliberate, slow, lumbering pace of the seasonal change and that we're moving from the heat and light of Summer into the cold darker days of Winter ahead.

It chills me and inspires me.  Take a listen.  Maybe you'll explore more of their music before me, if so, let me know what you like!

-Jesse

32 - A Darkness Comes at Dawn

One day in early 2010, while browsing that wonderful site, IMDb, I came across a trailer for a movie that was coming out soon.  At first the movie premise sounded quite silly.  Then I watched the trailer.  It captivated me.  A few weeks later I was seeing How to Train Your Dragon, and the aforementioned trailer played on the massive screen in 3D.  Seeing that, with today's song...blew me away.  There was a huge leap from watching the trailer on-line, to seeing it in full 3D on a big screen.

The song made the movie look epic, heroic, and compelling.  I was hooked.  The movie was Legend of Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole.  I quickly discovered it was based on a series of children's books.  I promptly went out and began collecting all 15 volumes.  Fantastic reads.  Way better literature than that series on sparketastic vampires and brooding hair gel.

Song 32
       from the band 30 Seconds to Mars on their This Is War album, the song is: "Kings and Queens"

While I neither discovered the song in Autumn, not initially listened to it in that season, a lot of the songs take me there.  This song in particular.  After reading up on the album a little bit I learned that lead singer, Jared Leto, began writing this song before heading to write in South Africa.  I was preparing to go to Africa for the first time, South Africa no less, later that Summer.  This song bonded to me even more after learning that.

There is an epic grandiose-ness to the song that starts off with that haunting eagle's cry at the beginning.  It builds in that gentle intro before the drums and mass crowd vocalization kicks in.  Sheesh, I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about this.

I don't know exactly why this makes me think of Autumn.  Perhaps it's the title and it makes me think a little bit about The Chronicles of Narnia.  It also brings up images and thoughts of the TV show Lost, and the show/movie Firefly/Serenity.  All which make me think of Autumn.  Narnia because I think fantasy stories fit best in this season.  Lost because the show started in Autumn for the first 3 seasons, and having just started it last Fall with some friends.  Firefly/Serenity because the show just has a lot of Autumnish hues and colors, which makes me feel Autumnal.

This song makes me want to soar into the sky and overcome any obstacle.  It has such an tone of inspiration, courage and bravery to it.

So go out and find your wings, be it to this song, or something else.  Enjoy the season!

-Jesse

31 - Waste Another Mile Now

We're one month into the season already!  Time is flying.  I cannot believe it is almost November.  Let us mix things up a bit today.  Do let's.

I first came across this song when it was used by Apple in their all to clever TV ads.  While I didn't purchase the item being marketed, iPod Touch, I did go to iTunes and download this song. 
We're taking things a bit international today, straight out of Copenhagen.

Song/Day 31
        "Around the Bend" by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour from their debut, Fruit.

I can't quite put a solid finger on why this makes me think of Autumn.  I would have first heard it on TV in December of '08, could have still been in the Autumn portion of the month.  The full album didn't come out until September of '09, but I know I was quite into this song by then and had waited ages for the full album.

What I've come up with is this: the voice and look of front woman Mette Lindberg, makes me think of the 60's-70's.  The 60's-70's tend to make me think of the Fall.  Must be all the brown and orange in clothing and counter tops from then.

But this song, much like Clint Eastwood, just makes me happy when I hear it.  I'm not really sure what the song is about.  It might be kinda racy, it might be kinda random.  I'm not sure.  But like many songs, it's not the lyrics that get me.  The overall feel of the music and vocals just seems into my brain.  I hear this and I just want to strut through town smiling and point at people and give them a thumbs up.

In Autumn.

Browns, golden yellows, and burnt oranges for everyone.  And of course I have some groovy sideburns and handle bar mustache that doesn't look creepy.  Maybe my gang of friends forms up behind me and we all just jaunt through the little town making everybody's day better, maybe more awkward, but better.

Smiles and thumbs up.  Like a super cheesy, over-the-top, Fonzy style thumbs up.

So, take it or leave it...I'm sticking to it.  (If you can find the single version, I prefer that one over the link I'm providing!)

Song 31
        "Around the Bend" by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour from their debut, Fruit.

random fun fact...this song was also used in Chuck, this time like the Head and the Heart, I knew the song in advance of hearing it on the show.

-Jesse

29/30 - Catch a Cannon Ball/In a Room Full of Emptiness

Another double post.  Should be back on track for Monday.
 
This first song, I don't remember when I first heard it or where.  It's from before my time.  I'm sure it was in a movie, but I don't know which one.  Regardless it takes me to Autumn.  The lazy guitar intro and gentle gait of the song.  It's a nice relaxing tune.  One I could have really used yesterday, perhaps that is why it came to mind for the post.

Song 29
    "The Weight" from the band, The Band, on their debut album, Music from Big Pink.

For me this song is more about the feeling the music generates, than it is about the lyrics.  When I read a little about what the song was about, it makes for an interesting concept.  I'll spare a recounting of what I read.  Just go to wikipedia and read the comments from the writer himself.  It is a song that helped me appreciate music from an era before me.  So, that stands for something.  Right?

Like I said, the gentle pace of the song makes for a nice relaxing atmosphere.  It makes me want to put on a light sweater, grab a good book and sit on the porch at my folks house while watching the leaves turn and fall.  It's just a laid back soak up the beautiful day, it's sunny, but with a chill in the air.

So, if you can today, or in the near future, just take a listen to this tune, and relax in the beauty of Autumn!
-----

The next song is a little more involved.  It was a few years after that "golden year" I've mentioned a few times.  It wasn't the best of times for me.  Mainly because of choices I had made.  I was far away from friends and family, and pushing myself further.  I was especially far away from one of the most important relationships in my life, Jesus.  Yeah, that Jesus.  I know now that he was always right there, but I wasn't looking.

Then one day I hear this song on the radio.  Back in those days I didn't have an iPod to block out the radio yet, and my discman wasn't always as reliable as one would want.  So I'm driving to work, and this song comes over the airwaves.  And it captivates me.  Mainly because I recognize the voice.  Chirs Cornell.

Song 30
    "Like a Stone" from the incredibly Audioslave on their freshman, self-titled album, Audioslave.

I would soon remember that I had really liked an earlier song from this album, Cochise, and found myself in a music store purchasing a copy.  I really love a good rock album and having the band from Rage Against the Machine with the vocals from Soundgarden team up...GOLDEN!

Like a Stone really struck a chord in my heart that day in the car.  The lyrics might be a bit cryptic, but some things really hit me:

In your house I long to be;
Room by room patiently,
I'll wait for you there, like a stone.
I'll wait for you there, Alone.

For me, in that feeling of distance from God, this song spoke volumes.  I'm not saying that's what the song is about.  But that is what I felt in it.  It felt as if the lyrics were my soul uttering what I didn't want to admit to myself.  And on an Autumn day like this, (gorgeous, sunny, chilly) I get reflective.  Not just on those days, but reflective in general.  And this song does a lot to encourage that mind set of reflection and remembrance.

So, with all this to ponder and think about, I leave another day.  And one behind. 

Enjoy!
-Jesse

27/28 - Lions Sleep/As We Sit Alone

Yesterday I wanted to post about a song from a great band that is still new to me.  I was introduced to them by an amazing, wonderful, brilliant, lovely friend in Jan/Feb of this year.  This band has a great sound and message."

Song 27
        "When Death Dies" from the album Ghosts Upon the  Earth by Gungor.

The guitar picking at the beginning of the track brings to mind cold rain falling on windows and puddles in late Autumn.  There is a chill in the song, but it is not without hope.  The lyrics are just captivating and convey a simple message, that in death there is life.

Where death dies all things live
Where it comes poor men feast
Kings fall down to their knees
When death dies all things live

It seems a contradiction but it's about the end of death.  When death dies...all things live.  There is new beginning and rebirth.  Just like the season.  I posted about Autumn being the conception of Spring a few songs ago.  This song captures that, and more, in this song.  Because it doesn't just describe the season, but life.  And if you know me you know what I'm talking about.  If you don't know me that well...hey, send me an email and ask me what I'm going on about.


Song 28/Day 28
        "Just Breathe" from the album Backspacer by Pearl Jam.

I came across this song while watching the hilarious, yet moving comedy, "Life As We Know It."  It's a cheesy, yet heartwarming tale about two completely opposite people coming together for a kid.  The song itself is amazing.  It's simple yet profound in it's content.  About appreciating what you have, and learning to 'just breathe.' 

I'm not doing either band or song justice today.  So check them out for yourselves.  You will not be disappointed!

-Jesse

Under the Weather

Sorry, no post today...

Will have a double song post tomorrow!


(cough, cough)
-Jesse

26 - They Say There's Linings Made of Silver

Poetry is another thing that I feel fits best in Autumn.  When I think of Robert Frost's, The Road Not Taken, I always see it set in mid Autumn.  Maybe a little further in.  There is still color, but many leaves are already down.

Poems just seem to have a greater voice in this season.  Just like mystery novels, fantasy books/movies, and horror stories.  I know there is poetry about all the seasons, and fit well in them, but Autumn seems to evoke the best.  But hey, I am probably biased.

There is a simple poetry in the selection for today.  I came across this song after hearing the artist on that lovely website Pandora.  I don't remember which "station" I had created that she popped up in...(I'm thinking The Civil Wars)...but I kept hearing her voice and really liked it.  So, I picked up the album that had the songs I was hearing most of, and came across this gem:


Song 26/Day 26
        "Are We There Yet" from the album Everybody from Ingrid Michaelson.

I really like the bare-bones music aspect of this song, how it really relies on her voice to carry the emotion and focus of the song.  And she has such a great voice.  I really enjoyed this album as a whole, and look forward to getting more.

This is the song that stuck out above all the others.  Despite hearing it in late Winter/very early Spring, it immediately took me to Fall.  It has that same soft, driving sound, but unlike a lot of the other songs this list has featured thus far, it doesn't really build to a big rise toward the end.

The lyrics feel like they take me into the thoughts of this girl.  Whether it's Michaelson herself, or just the "voice" of the song I don't know.  But it seems like this is what she'd say in her journal, or what she is thinking to the person the song is focused at.  Maybe she'd never outright say these things, but they are heavy on her heart.

I can almost feel these words as tangible things.

I really like the lyrics in the third verse:

They say you're really not somebody,
until somebody else loves you.
Well, I am waiting to make,
somebody, somebody soon.

There's a sadness to this song, a sense of indecisiveness.  But there is hope.  And if you know me at all, that should be one thing that is kind of on my sleeve.  Hope is my heartbeat.  You could call me a hopeless hopeful.

So, a poetic song that makes me think of Autumn, and deals with love, wonder, and hope...how could I not love this song.  The only thing missing is a chilly rainstorm (but we got one of those Monday and it was fantastic!)

So for now, follow the link and find out if you're there yet...

Ingrid Michaelson's "Are We There Yet" from the album Everybody.

-Jesse

25 - Oh Simple Thing, Where Have you Gone?

Due to not feeling well, today's post is late, and quite short.  Tomorrows should be back, up to snuff, as they say.

Does any one really say that any more?

Well, if they don't, I'm taking it back.  So for now, our 25th Song of Autumn...


Song 25/Day 25
        "Somewhere Only We Know" from the album Somewhere Only We Know by Keane.

I don't remember when I first came across this song.  I think it was in circulation on MTV, or VH1 or something that showed videos.  I remember thinking it was a bit mellow...and I liked it.  The piano was a nice touch with the other instruments.  Once again, it's another band that I've not explored much at all.

The reason it makes me think of Autumn, is that it still has a vibrancy and life to it, but it's a slower spirited song.  The visuals built into the lyrics are fantastic.  They go right along with many of the other songs I've posted already.  A traveler seeing the land around him.  I really like these lines:

I came across a fallen tree
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Of course the whole tie to love and dreams (haven't touched too much on dreams yet...) but they really evoke the spirit of this season for me.

So, I'll leave today's quick post at that.  Check the link in the album listing up above.

-Jesse

24 - I'm a Rattlesnake, Babe

In honor of the New Moon tonight, and I mean the actual New Moon, not that kool-aid dipping book.  This song is another one of the many I gleaned from Chuck.  Once again, after listening to the song, and seeing the scene/character they are attaching it too...it fits brilliantly.

It was used in Season 2's episode: Chuck vs. the DeLorean.  Yes, it's what you think it is.  At first listen I was confused by the lyrics.  Then I really paid attention and found them to be quite good and, maybe not profound, but not superficial.  I haven't given the rest of the album a listen, yet.  I'm sure there are at least a few more good track if not all of them.

Song 24/Day 24
        "Furr" from the album Furr by Blitzen Trapper.

The song tells a tale, in first person, of a young man who becomes a werewolf (now you get the moon reference?) until he meets a girl.  At least that's what it appears to be about.  There is a deeper meaning here.  He sings about running off with the pack and howling at the dawn.  Then he sings:

And I lost the taste for judging right from wrong
For my flesh had turned to fur
Yeah, and my thoughts they surely were
Turned to instinct and obedience to God

He's not really singing about becoming a werewolf.  He's talking about giving into a reckless life style.  Living wild, "as God intended."  He didn't have to judge what was right or wrong, because if he felt like doing it, it was right, and if he didn't it was wrong.  The instinct and obedience to God is an attempt to justify a "made this way," mentality.

But he clearly knows he is different from what he was.  If he is comparing this lifestyle to that of being a werewolf.  Not something most people would find to be a good transition.

But then he sees a girl wandering into the pack's territory, just like he had been years before.  He then leaves the pack to be with her:

So I took her by the arm
We settled down upon a farm
And raised our children up as gently as you please

He's growing up.  He says he enters a world he doesn't know.  Because he's dealing with not just fending for himself, between being a parent and husband.  It's a song about growing up and leaving the wild childish ways behind.

That makes me think of Autumn because of all the changes going on in nature, and what we do as a society.  The Summer is over and we start slowing down as we prepare for Winter.  Transition.  Change.  Time to move from carefree fun to harvest, and survival.  Well...in the olden days.

I feel like I'm at a stage in life like this.  Preparing for what is to come next, I need to start letting go of old ways and get ready.  To grow up a little bit (but I'm never going to get old!)

That's where this song takes me.  So enjoy it, and the New Moon-no moon night!  Try to see as many stars as you can!

  "Furr" from the album Furr by Blitzen Trapper.

-Jesse

23 - Never Look Back, Walk Tall, Act Fine

There is quite a gap between hearing this song in a movie and listening to the full song.  A group of college friends struck out on our usual Friday adventure to the theater in the Spring of 2001.  We were going to see the medieval adventure comedy, "A Knight's Tale," starring the then up-and-coming Heath Ledger.

We had no idea what a treat we were in for.  That movie may not be a pivotal, or life changing story, but it came at to us in that, pardon the soon to be relevant pun, golden year.  There a few "never forget" moment from the viewing in theaters.  One is my buddy Mark shouting, "That's so true!" at the screen when the leading lady kept changing her mind about weather the hero should win or loose.

One of the cool things about this movie is that it didn't take itself too seriously.  They used music from the 70's and even designed costumes inspired by The Rolling Stones '72 tour.  One such song is our focus for today.  Like I said, it was years later that I got the song, but it would always bounce in my mind come Fall.

Song 23/Day 23
        "Golden Years" from David Bowie's album Golden Years.

The main reason this song sticks to me in the Fall is because of when I got the DVD.  It was late September, a Monday night.  A group of friends were hanging out at the apartment when I announced that I was going to the local Wal-Mart to pick up the movie at midnight.  Several of them said they'd go with, and come back and watch the movie after.  So we scooted out to the store, they didn't have it yet.

So we went to another store.  They didn't have it...so we called ahead and found one and went and got it.  By the time we go back to the apartment it was after 1:00 AM and we attempted to watch, but I think we all fell asleep within minutes of the start.

Like I said, that was a great year.  And this was one more example of why that year sticks out so much for me.

The song itself, lyrically, isn't really that fall-ish, but one could argue it I suppose.  It certainly makes me nostalgic and smile remembering days gone by.  So cheers to all my friends from those days, I'd list you by name but I don't want to forget anyone.  Long live those golden years!

"Golden Years" from David Bowie's, Station to Station

-Jesse

22 - I Got Sunshine, In a Bag

I never looked up the lyrics to this song until today.  It's a bit of a turn from the last few.  It was the Fall of 2000 and I was living in my first apartment.  My roommates were Mark and Wes.  And I'm not going to lie, we had the pad.

It was the place for our college friends to come hang out.  And hang out we did.  If we weren't on campus for class or working at ECTV, or out at a movie we were chilling at our place.  One thing we frequently did there was just put on some CDs and just relax.  We had the place decked out in black-lights and all the Marvel superheroes Mark could find in black-light poster form.

So there we would be, the roommates and guests, just comfy in the living room enjoying tunes.  Those were happy days.  Well, despite the whole 9/11 attack.  But as far as college students and college life went, it was good times.  We had a good group of friends, many who we are still quite close with today, even if we don't get to see each other often.

One tune we would listen to on the mixes was:  (be aware, there is a naughty word in this one, my version is 'clean')

Song 22/Day 22
        "Clint Eastwood" off of the album Gorillaz by  Gorillaz

It would later named "Jesse's Happy Song."  I would hear it and just get a soft smile and start bobbing my head to the beat.  Like I said, I never really looked the lyrics up, and I'm still not sure what the song is about.  But that isn't the important thing.

It embodies that Fall.  Life got a lot more "real" after that.  It was, in a way, my last childhood Autumn.  Yes, I know I was a 21 year old adult at that point.  But, it's my memory and that's how I'm viewing it!

Fun with friends in the Fall, that's where this song takes me.  Not an elaborate or detailed post today, but there it is.


"Clint Eastwood" from Gorillaz on their self-titled album.

-Jesse

21 - It's So Hot Inside My Soul

A different flavor today.  I don't remember where I first heard this song.  I just know it felt like it was a blade right through my heart.

It still feels that way.

It's a small simple song, but has deep currents and emotions.

Song 21/Day 21
        "Hold Me Jesus" off of the album Songs by  Rich Mullins.

There is a large part of me that feels this could have come right from my own heart.  Not claiming that I'm as talented or gifted as the late Rich Mullins, but he doesn't over complicate the sentiment and intent of this song.

It ties me to Autumn for a few reasons.  The first being the line, "cause I'm shaking like a leaf."  There is a vulnerability in that line, and it echos the season.

I'm particularly fond of and struck by these words:

Surrender don't come natural to me I'd rather fight you for somethingI don't really wantThan to take what you give that I need

The rest is just the music itself.  It just has this sound that brings me to a large opening under huge tress in a wood.  The sky is fading to twilight, and there is a strong chill in the air.  I want to fall on me knees in the middle of this clearing, under the boughs above.  To just slough off all the wrongs and guilt.  To let it just melt away, and feel the arms of Jesus wrap around me in the embrace of creation.

That's what this song does for me.

Hold Me Jesus from Rich Mullins on the album, Songs.

Enjoy!

-Jesse

20 - You're Not the Girl I Used to Know.

Another day another song.  Once again I return to Chuck.  (Told you there would be a lot of songs taken from that show!)  This song is quite a contrast to yesterdays more uplifting and hopeful tune.  It feels very Fallish, however.

Song 20/Day 20

"Goshen" off of the album The Rip Tide by the band Beirut.

I had never heard of this band before seeing the ultimate episode of Chuck.  And by ultimate I mean in the sense of final episode.  Which, I suppose I could have just said that, but I wanted to say ultimate.  So there.  =P

Yes.  I just stuck my digital tongue out at you.

Golly I'm sassy today.

So the song, used in that last episode of what has become one of my favorite shows.  It is quite the melancholy tune.  Like most of the music in chuck, it fits emotionally with the story of that episode.  Even the lyrics, while not 'exactly' what the show was about, have a resonance to some of the things happening.  Particularly these lines:

You're the face in stone, through the land I own.
You never found it home.
You're not the girl I used to know.

How sad is that?  For me, that is saying that in this guys world, this girl is his world.  The face in stone, seems like he's dedicated his life to her, as if she were depicted in sculpture all over his life.  Not in a creepy, 'I love you so much I'm going to sculpt you all the time," but that he shaped his world around her, put her first.  But she never felt at home there.  And now she is no longer the girl he used to know.

I want to know what happened!  What pushed this girl away from this guy?  What is that story?

As it relates to Chuck, it makes perfect sense.  I won't divulge any spoilers, but it's quite fitting and spot on for how Chuck Bartowski would be feeling for his wife/spy partner/best friend, Sarah.

Now, for me, it feels like Fall because of the drums.  The drums feel like rain.  And I love rain.  Even more so in the Fall.  It's cold, and has a bit of bite to it.  The grey skies just amplify the colors of turning trees.

Separate from Chuck, the visuals I get for this song are a guy and girl having an argument/breaking up while driving through a rainy town.  Not a huge city.  But one of those "Main Street USA" places that grew up a little bit.  Spread out, have a few buildings over 3 stories tall.  Lots of parks and nature still about.  The whole time, the girl is distant.  Cold.  Like a part of her is missing.

Like I said, sad.  But not all stories end with, "happily ever after."  It kind of makes me think of the line from the movie "Devil's Own," when Brad Pitt's character Rory says,

Don't look for a happy ending. It's not an American story. It's an Irish one.

 More recently, it reminds me of a perfect backing track for the graphic novel, "12 Reasons Why I Love Her."  Written by Jamie S. Rich and illustrated by Joëlle Jones.  I stumbled across this book at my comic shop one evening.  It was the best random buy I've made in ages. 

Jones' art is captivating, and Rich's storytelling is great.  It's 12 little vignettes into the life of a young couple.  But it's out of sequence, so you don't know where the relationship is at the end of the book.  And Jones' changes up her style a bit between the chapters.  Great stuff, if you can get your hands on it, buy it, download it, or at least check it out of a library or something.


So, go on and check out the book and more importantly, the song!

"Goshen" by Beirut from the album, The Rip Tide.


-Jesse

19 - And I'll be Satisfied Not to Read in Between the Lines

Another day, another awesome song.  Another song brought to my attention because of a movie.  This time, not a trailer song, an actual song from the movie.  It has a really strong connection to the characters and I can see why.

The song is playing the first time they meet.  So it becomes "their song."  I have got to say, I love their first meeting, that is teased out across the whole movie, and the use of this song in it.  The movie I'm speaking (typing?) of is The Five Year Engagement.

I do not recommend this movie for everyone.  It is rated R, so if you feel the urge to watch it, know that it carries a bit of language and sexual innuendos/scenes (no nudity...I think.)  Despite some of the baser elements, the story is quite touching and frustrating.  It struck me more deeply than I anticipated when viewing the trailer.  So after hearing the song in the movie, I went home and downloaded...

Song 19/Day 19

"Sweet Thing" off of the album Astral Weeks by Van Morrison.

Nothing about the movie makes me think of Autumn.  But the song does.  I had heard of Van Morrison for years but never explored the music.  I still haven't ventured beyond this song as of yet...but I will in time.

But there is so much in this song to occupy the mind.  The lyrics are just beautiful poetry.  To me it tells the story about a guy returning to his girl.  For whatever reason they have been apart he's coming to her.  I imagine it's something he's done that has pushed her away.  But she's giving him another chance, and he's happy with that.  Some of the lyrics paint the image that he was read in to things too much, or was suspicious.  When he sings:

Just to dig it all an not to wonder
That's just fine
And I'll be satisfied
Not to read in between the lines

A lot of times you hear it said that "Love is in the air," in the Spring.  For me there's something more romantic in the Autumn.  There's a lot of mystery and wonder.  And isn't that one of the great things about romance?  Sure it can be frustrating, but learning things about each other and discovering what's around that corner of a mind or the next.

That's Fall for me.  In the broader sense of "romantic" more than the former.  There is just something about Autumn that makes me want to take off on an adventure.  This song kind of inspires that too.  It's just a great hopeful song about choosing to be content and loving the moment for what it is.

Take a listen, enjoy, share.

"Sweet Thing" by Van Morrison on the album Astral Weeks

-Jesse

18 - You Better Look Out Below!

Once again the featured song comes from a movie trailer.  The movie itself debuted almost exactly 3 years ago.  Well, a week shy.  So right off there is my Autumnal connection.  The movie was a little flick called, "Where the Wild Things Are."  Also, about a week or so before the movie came out, I was invited to a one day conference called, "Story."

It was an interesting day/event.  It was aimed at Christian writers/pastors/or just in general.  I remember it being focused on moving away from programs and models of teaching, and relying more on story.  I'm not going to be able to give that whole thing justice in this post, but let's just say it moved me.

I mention it because at the beginning of the event, a band took the stage and began playing today's song.  On the screen behind them were incredible photos of nature.  Woods, mountains and on and on.  It felt quite epic and inspirational.

Song 18/Day 18

"Wake Up" from Arcade Fire's album Funeral.

I had never heard of the band before.  But I loved this track, and sampled the rest of the album...before downloading all of it.  I probably haven't given it the attention I should have, that's changing.  The song itself fit well with the movie trailer, setting up this grand adventure that Max goes on, but leaving us with an upbeat closing.

What I mean is the song shifts about 2/3's of the way through.  The awesome drawn out vocals and music changes speed and pace and feels less explorational (I know I'm making up words here,) and more running with friends.

It's great to have this song pop up on a one of those Autumn days that starts out brisk and chilly, but the sun peaks out in the later hours of the morning and shows off all the colors on the trees.

The lyrics are kind of intense.  Seems to be talking about being made to grow up to fast, or to be stoic.  "Rub some dirt in it," mentality.  Which leads to temper tantrum (and lightning bolt) throwing adults.  Some of the ones I like best are:

Somethin’ filled upmy heart with nothin’,someone told me not to cry.

But now that I’m older,my heart’s colder,and I can see that it’s a lie.

It's a great song, and great band.  Now excuse me while I go reacquaint myself with the rest of the album.

"Wake Up" from Arcade Fire on the album Funeral.  Go find something new!

-Jesse

17 - I Can't Forget You, But I Can't Remember

It is October 8th.  My favorite day of the year.  Mainly because October is my favorite month, and 8 is my favorite number.  So in tribute to all my favorites, today's song is one of my all time favorite songs.  Period.

It is a song that struck me the very first time I heard it.  I don't remember where exactly that was, but it was the summer of '99.  A really odd song to stick with me in the year of things such as, The Matrix, Phantom Menace, and Disney's Tarzan.  But it's true.  In a summer full of action and adventure, a mellow alternative track captures my attention.

It would be a year later that it really took root in my mind.  It was the inspiration for an entire novel.  It was to be a grand love story, with tragic twists and turns.  Thinking about that plot now, over 10 years later, I'm glad it's just a file with a few random pages of notes.  It was not going to be very good.  It was full of angst.  Well, I guess I might have been able to make that work had I introduced sparkly vampires.

Song 17/Day17

"Turn My Head," by LĪVE on the album, Secret Samadhi.

It's a gut wrenching song.  I'm not quite sure what it's really about.  The lyrics don't really match up to the visuals in my head.  But that's okay.  Songs can mean different things to everybody.  The story I was writing was to be titled, "Beyond October."  Hence my strong association to this song and Autumn.

I'll just let this song speak for itself.

"Turn My Head" by LĪVE on their album, Secret Samadhi.

Enjoy!
-Jesse

16 - Which Bridge Do You Cross and Which Do You Burn?

There is deep reflectiveness in the selection for today.  A good friend played it for me while we were driving at night.  I'll be honest, I want to know more from the artist, but I haven't gone back to explore more than this one song.  By all creative tones and sounds, I should have.  And I'm sure I will soon.  Especially after listening to it on repeat while writing this.

I was going to do a different song today, but after listening to it, I realized it was a great fit for the final entry.  So, you'll just have to wait 74 more days for that one.

Song 16/Day16

"Drag the Hills," from Ben Weaver on the album, Mirepoix and Smoke.

There is something chilling and exciting about the simple banjo and vocals on this song.  It keeps a steady pace from beginning to end, only adding slight percussion (an occasional beat on a bass drum, or some other deep hollow device) on the last third of the tune.

The lyrics are very poetic and the chorus conveys an age old ideal, to live with the scars of the choice you make, or hide from life and stay safe.  It's something that struck me deeply.  As I keep making plans and dreams for things down the road but never really made any progress on them.  I won't say this song alone made that change...but it certainly got me thinking.

The Autumn tie in for me goes along with the weather I'm experiencing this morning.  It's chilly and damp.  I'm surrounded by the same woods as yesterday, and there is a haunting stillness to them, aside from an occasional bird flitting by or chirruping deep into the trees.

This song conjures up images of a young man sitting in an old log cabin deep in the woods.  He's at some turning point in his life, and either by choice or circumstance, found himself in the elder dwelling with no modernity.  He tends the fire for warmth and to cook his meals.  It is a mean place, not much in the way of luxury, but there is a certain coziness to it.  Simple.

He spends the days wandering the wood or stream.  Just taking in the nature.   Experiencing the feel of tree bark under his fingers, the cold water on his feet.  The smell of the moldering leaves on the forest floor.  He has a choice to make.  And he's learning about himself here.  Searching.  Exploring his soul as much as his surroundings.

Then he comes across an ancient tree.  It is huge.  Branches scraping the heavens.  But it has a giant scar across it's trunk.  It blemishes yet enhances the tree.  He stops in awe and just looks at the tree in front of him.  Despite having this damage ruin it's life, the tree grew and flourished anyway.

He spends some time taking it in.  Then, he heads back to the cabin, packs the few things he has and returns to his life.  Deciding that he'd:

rather have scars from the life I've lived
than have none from the one I missed

So today, don't just enjoy some music, but confront whatever it is you're afraid will scar you...and if you have to, take the scar.  It seems in today's society we all want to stay perfect and clean, at least in America.  Or do work that doesn't involve a danger.  Many of us, including myself, would rather be safe and secure and know what was coming instead of living life free and wild.

I made my mind up that I too would rather have the scars of life, than none from hiding.

"Drag the Hills," by Ben Weaver from the album, "Mirepoix and Smoke."

-Jesse

15 - The Truth Has a Habbit of Falling Out of Your Mouth

Melancholy.  Powerful.  Passionate.  That is today's song.

I was introduced to this song by way of a mentor when he shared the movie it is from with me.  The film fits every one of those descriptions equally.  It's also an Irish movie...so that didn't hurt my opinions of it.  Now, the entire soundtrack is full of amazing songs.  Anyone of them could have easily made it on this list.  Some still may.  But this song is just so gripping.

Song 15/Day15

"Leave," from Glen Hansard on the Academy Award Winning* motion picture soundtrack, Once.

* the Oscar was for the song, Falling Slowly

One of the things I love about this song is how raw Hansard sings it.  The words are brutally honest and blunt.  He doesn't pull any punches.  It is full of heartache and struggle.  But he sings with such strength and heart.

Music is a powerful thing.  There is something cathartic about being able to vent frustrations out in a song like this.  Not that they have to deal with heart break, but to put your voice (even if not on key, and whilst driving) into momentum of this song...is cleansing.

Today I'm sitting with an incredible view of the edge of a wood.  The leaves are rustling in the chill wind.  Many are beginning to turn.  Lots of yellow.  The windows are open and I'm half tempted to go for a hike, or exploratory stroll through the trees.  This song, among others, would be a fantastic background track for such a hike.  But on such walks I usually leave the iPod at home and just enjoy the nature sounds, or company of whoever is with me.

Some of my favorite lyrics are in the first verse into the chours:

And you won't disappoint me
I can do that myself
But I'm glad that you've come
Now if you don't mind

Leave, leave,
And free yourself at the same time
Leave, leave,
I don't understand, you've already gone

Such pain and sadness.  It's moving stuff.


So enjoy today's song and the rest of the album!

"Leave" by Glen Hansard.


-Jesse

14 - You Must Pay for Your Crimes Against the Earth

Last day for this part...The Concept:  Feature a song a day for every day of the most magnificent season of Autumn.  The songs are ones that capture the thoughts/ideas/images/feelings of the season for me. 

It's my "Autumnal Playlist" if you will.

Okay, so.  Today's song is another one of those, "heard it in a movie trailer," songs.  This particular song is quite epic.  And after looking up the lyrics and knowing the plot, having read the book the movie was based on, it fit like a glass slipper on a chore laboring beauty.  The band, was one I was vaguely aware of...but never explored.  Like Elbow...once I started sampling...I got everything.  Then I kept hearing their stuff in movies and trailers.  I'm speaking about the epic British band...Muse.  The movie trailer, was Watchmen.

Song 14/Day14

"Take a Bow," as covered by Muse from the album, Black Holes and Revelations.

This song takes me to a different type of Autumn.  A darker one where evil must be triumphed over.  It's in my head of course.  I think it's mainly because they use the word 'hex' in the song...and that makes me think of two things.  Pennsylvania Dutch Barns and Halloween.  Oddly...both make me think of Fall.  So all thoughts lead to Fall.

The intro to the song just paints the images of swirling leaves and grey skies.  The evil leader of the enemy forces surveying his troops.  Haughty and cocksure.  Then, the people riot.  They revolt.  They fight back to take back their land and lives.  It's chaos and confusion.  In the end...the enemy leader is on trial...with a certain outcome.

Like I said, it's a darker Autumn.

I really like the lyric

And our freedom's consuming itself
What we become is contrary to what we want
Take a bow

Muse does a lot of massive epic storytelling with their albums.  It's not for everyone, but I think it's worth the exploration. 

Really short post today.  Sorry folks.  Sleep has been elusive and sickness threatens.  So it's off to bed before today actually starts.

"Take a Bow" from Muse...seriously, check 'em out if you don't know what you're missing.

-Jesse

13 - All the Same 'ole Cliches

The Concept:  Feature a song a day for every day of the most magnificent season of Autumn.  The songs are ones that capture the thoughts/ideas/images/feelings of the season for me. 

It's my "Autumnal Playlist" if you will.

It was November 1998 when I heard this song.  Once again, Evangel days.  I could be found hanging out with my good friends of Sc1N.  Erik, Josh, Brendan, Nate, and Stu.  Good guys.  I had listened to some of this band's music in high school, but had given it up for what would be a long and dis-interesting story for this post.  Suffice it to say, I was well acquainted with the band when I heard this tune.  But this track had a slightly different feel to it.  Possibly because it was a cover.  And to this day, I don't recall ever listening to the original straight through.

I remember going to Best Buy and picking up this intense two-disc set.  Yes, there was no downloading with this song.  Well, not for me.  Much to the band's chagrin there has been lots of downloading...back in those days...thanks to places like Napster.

Song 13/Day13

"Turn the Page," as covered by Metallica from their album, Garage Inc.

Like a lot of the songs in this series, it too has a slow mournful beginning with a steady intense build up the breaking of the song.  Say what you will about Metallica, until St. Anger, they knew how to put an album together.  Garage Inc. has several songs like this cover of Bob Seger's classic, and Lynyrd Skynyrd's, Tuesday's Gone.

While I can't give them the recognition for the lyrics, I do love the delivery of them.  There isn't a voice in metal/hard rock that growls as good as James Hetfield.  Even when I first heard it I knew it was a cover (that was the point of this album,) but it felt like a personal song for him.  As it's about life on the road for touring musicians...it's easy to translate that empathy/sympathy between just about any act.  Well, maybe not Disney Pop acts.

This song works great for the Fall because of the "road" feel of it.  I can visualize a band traveling during the verses and bridge.  The slow times at a lonely hotel in the middle of nowhere.  Bad weather.  Maybe one of the band is leaning over some spiral notebook jotting down lyrics in the tour bus.  The choruses, with the change in music, fits well with images of them performing, giving everything they've got into their music.  Wanting to make a connection with their fans.

That's what I see.

And as stated in previous posts, Autumn really stirs up my wanderlust.  It's difficult to hold it back sometimes, this year in particular, but it's always there.  Waiting for some great tunes, and a road to strike out on.  I really dig these lyrics (the whole 2nd verse):

You walk into a restaurant, strung out from the road
And you feel the eyes upon you, as you're shaking off the cold
You pretend it doesn't bother you, but you just want to explode
And most times you can't hear 'em talk, other times you can
All the same 'ole cliches: is it woman? Is it man?
And you always seem outnumbered, you dare not make a stand, make your stand.

Also, the whole concept of 'turning a page' for whatever reason, conjures up images and feelings of Fall.  It's my favorite time of year to read.  Reading and Road Trips.  Maybe that's a blog series for next year...

But curling up with a good book as the weather starts to cool, the night comes on quicker...imagination gets to run a little freer.  At least mine does...and it's rarely on the leash anyway.  While many people think of Spring as the beginning of new life and all that pastel nonsense, for me it's Autumn.  Yes, the leaves and grass die.  But they are the incubators of the new to come.  If Spring is birth, Autumn is conception.


So, if you're planning any long road trips (maybe we can still catch New England before the leaves are done?) take a listen to Turn the Page.

Here's the link to "Turn the Page" from Metallica.

enjoy!
-Jesse

12 - The Shadows On My Wall Don't Sleep

The Concept:  Feature a song a day for every day of the most magnificent season of Autumn.  The songs are ones that capture the thoughts/ideas/images/feelings of the season for me. 

It's my "Autumnal Playlist" if you will.

New music is often a challenge for me to come by.  I'm not complaining.  I won't listen to the radio, Pandora rarely gets pulled up anymore.  And I don't enjoy browsing music stores for samples (do they even do that anymore?)  Occasionally I'll see something on iTunes that catches my attention at the store's home page. 

So it's exciting for me to hear a bit of music I really want to know more of in a trailer for a movie or scene in a TV show.  Today's song is an example...well...sort of.  Back in the Spring I saw a trailer for an upcoming movie titled, The Words, starring Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana.  There was a bit of music at the end (that I will probably feature later in this series) that really got my attention.  After seeing the movie, the music choice was great when comparing the lyrics to the plot of the movie.

After seeing the preview I instantly searched for what the song was, and went to iTunes.  The only thing available at the time was an EP.  So I got it.  The full album came out not to long ago, and it's great.  The full album included today's featured song.

Song 12/Day12

"Nothing Left to Say / Rocks," by Imagine Dragons from their debut album, Night Visions.

Overall the album is quite upbeat, even the lyrically "heavier" tracks there is a sense of weight and foreboding, with out desperation or fear.  Nothing Left to Say seems to be one of the heaviest of the album, but it balances it out with the incredibly hopeful and upbeat Rocks addition at the end.  The song seems to be mainly about someone giving up, (no real solid concept of what he is giving up on) and that there is surprisingly, nothing left to say about the issue.

There's nothing left to say now...
I'm giving up, giving up, hey hey, giving up now...

There is some great imagery with the lyrics, like those of the title of this post.  Then after the main song ends and fades out, there is a pause before the upbeat follow up comes in.  It starts off with the light and hopeful question:

Where do we go from here?

And then moves on to a swinging drum beat and and another question:

Why can't I see, what's right in front of me?

Now, the first part of the song is what really feels Autumnal to me.  The opening synth reminds me of the theme from The Neverending Story.  That was a movie I remember seeing in the Fall.  Possibly the first movie I ever watched, "on tape."  It was quite a memorable experience.  I remember being really freaked out by it as I was quite young, and it started to rain about the same time it was raining in the movie.  And the Nothing had me shaking for many nights after.  I don't know if I understood the concept of oblivion or whatever it represented...but trying to think about "nothing" as a state of existence or non-existence as a kid about 5...mind melting.

I loved it.

So, this song brings back all of that and more.  There is, to me, a sense of challenge in vocalist Dan Reynolds' voice.  As if he's saying, "there's nothing left to say now...but maybe you'll think of something I haven't."

There is also a sense of his place and that he doesn't have it all together.  He's not deluded that he's young and got all the answers.  It's refreshing and a bit humbling.  I also really like the line:

I'm drowning in the waters of my soul

It's a great song to blast in your car while you can still have your windows down, even if it brings on a slight chill.

Enjoy Imagine Dragons (and that name is just awesome) and their album Night Visions, featuring "Nothing Left to Say/Rocks."

-Jesse

11 - They Won't Dare Bring Our Names Up Again

The Concept:  Feature a song a day for every day of the most magnificent season of Autumn.  The songs are ones that capture the thoughts/ideas/images/feelings of the season for me. 

It's my "Autumnal Playlist" if you will.

This is another song from Chuck.  Well, it was from the artist first, but I heard it on Chuck.  It's played over a brutally heart breaking scene.  Surprisingly, I don't only associate this song with that scene.  Probably because it was just a bit of the song.  Saw the episode for the first time over Memorial Day weekend this year.  From Chuck - Season Five.

This tune, like many on this list, have mellow beginnings an build to something bigger and more driving.

Song 11/Day11

Today's Song:  "She Tows the Line," by Crooked Fingers on the album, Breaks in the Armor.
The only thing I don't like about this song, is the spelling of the title, and therefor miss use of the idiom.  I'm sure it was intentional.  But it bugs me.  However, the change in the spelling of Toe to Tow, works powerfully with the scene in Chuck that the song is used in.

Why I picked it?  This song takes me to the coast of New England in the Fall.  Now, I've never really been there, but I've seen enough pictures/movies/shows etc that I get an idea.  When listening to this song I feel the drumming of the steel grey/blue waves on the beach.  The white sand and dying tall grasses at the crest of the hill leading down to the shore.  There is a playful sarcasm carried through it.

I imagine a group of friends at a beach house, exploring the shoreline by day, having fun and laughing.  While night falls they light up a bonfire on the beach and have hot dogs and S'mores and all that campfirey goodness.

I guess that's what this song makes me want to do.  Anyone up for it?

The lyrics feel a bit ambiguous to me.  They seem to have significance to the singer, but it kinda feels like he's giving directions and using landmarks that out-of-towners wouldn't know.  But I still like it.  Especially these:

see it so clear in her eyes
she won't be bringing it up again
so she rises and goes
so they'd never know
that she even came here at all

Enjoy the tune.  I've not gotten around to exploring more from the artist...but would like to someday.  Perhaps when I go on that trip to New England shores in the Fall.

"She Tows the Line," by Crooked Fingers.  Toe or Tow the line.  There is a difference!

-Jesse

10 - A Bass Vibrating and a Fiddle Crying

The Concept:  Feature a song a day for every day of the most magnificent season of Autumn.  The songs are ones that capture the thoughts/ideas/images/feelings of the season for me. 

It's my "Autumnal Playlist" if you will.

This song I came upon while living at Evangel University.  It was my first summer not coming back to PA.  I was on my own for the first time.  The year was 2000.  Gladiator had just come out in theaters.  I was house sitting for the summer while also working at EU's very on TV Station, ECTV.

But the route to this song started the previous year.  On a random night in October some friends and I went to see the latest Tim Burton movie, "Sleepy Hollow."  There was a trailer on that for another movie that was out called, "The Messenger."  It was the story of Joan of Arc.

I of course went to the theater (I think by myself) the very next night to see it.  I was blown away by that movie.  To fully explain that would take another blog.  Needless to say it stuck with me.  So did the lead actress, Milla Jovovich.

So, I was very much surprised when (the following summer) I learned the Ukrainian model, turned actress, turned musician had released an album.  I liked many of the songs but the one that stuck with me the most.

Song 10/Day10

Today's Song:  "In A Glade," from Milla Jovovich's album, The Divine Comedy.

The coolest thing about this song...is that it is sung in Ukrainian.  It is a traditional song from the Ukraine.  While I don't know the origin or history of the song, Milla captures such a haunting beauty in her voice and pacing of the song.   The title of this post is a translation of some of the lyrics, which I never looked up until today, over 12 years later.

This song pulls me strongly into the Fall.  I'm not sure if that's a harpsichord or what playing but the notes just feel like the stems of leaves popping off the trees while the harp fills my mind with images of the red, orange, yellow stars floating down to the dark, damp, brown soil.

And it is almost oppressive, the beauty of this forest of falling leaves.  All that can be seen is the somber hues of Autumn and the dark bark of the trees.  The boughs and branches are too tightly woven over head and still too full of leaves, all the while they are falling and filling the air dancing among the dark wood, until they land and carpet the soil, hiding the patches of green grass.

Her voice beckoning the listener deeper and deeper into the woods until they come across the titular glade.  Here, I see a scene described in my all time favorite book, The Black Cauldron, by Lloyd Alexander.  The lead character Taran, a teenage boy, in ancient Prydain (Briton) has a dream.  This dream shows him element representing his primary companions resting on a wet rock.  One item is a harp, that stands for the character of Fflewdder Fflam, a bard.  The harp ties into the music of the song...and we've come full circle.

I love the melancholy overtones.  But there is a flicker of hope tied into her voice.  So enjoy something from another culture, and let it take you somewhere otherworldly.

Check out "In A Glade" from Milla Jovovich's album The Divine Comedy.

-Jesse