Defining Albums ::: Paul Simon's "The Rhythm Of The Saints"

Today I'd like to share with you a defining album of my musical history: Paul Simon's "The Rhythm Of The Saints". Released on October 16th, 1990 "The Rhythm Of The Saints" is the eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Comprised of mainly Latin American and Brazilian musicians, including the incredible percussion group Olodum, Paul Simon crafted, in my opinion, a venerable masterpiece of world and pop music. Whether it be the familiar or exotic, Simon brings a wonderful marriage of beautiful heart-tugging songwriting with deep musical adventure. For me, this album was indeed a vital beginning of a love for world music and all things syncopated. 

My first memories of "The Rhythm Of The Saints" would be in my family's kitchen where my father would play this album over and over while making us meals. It was literally the soundtrack of us coming together. My father being a trumpet player was drawn to the huge horn sections and pulsating rhythms. It was intoxicating for my young musical mind, soaking up anything exotic and rare. If it wasn't enough to have these rare sounds and tempos I'd never heard before at the time --- but to also have the sweet, soft and friendly timber of Simon's voice and style of songwriting available at every inch of nostalgia --- I was hooked.

The opener, The Obvious Child with it's enormous war cry of a percussion section (provided by Olodum) has this sort of handshake with Western and World music. It pulls you right into Simon's journey into the familiar and exotic. It's almost like a taste tester for the adventure you're about to embark on. That, and the incredible songwriting of Simon that always has this yearning quality to it's choices; It's movement grows with you as you press on. With so many parallels in the experience for me: The window into the story of a young man's growth in the song, my growth as a young man listening to the track back in 1990, and of course the growth in the song itself - how it busts wide open with the melodic hook at the end... it's hard to compete with that kind of completion. It's yin/yang and everything in between.

Songs like Can't Run But and Proof really showcase the rhythmic potential (no pun intended!) of the album and the reach of the production by Simon and his border-less band. There are some deep grooves here, syncopated and rich, almost as if they surround and float above you. Can't Run But, being part allegory and part literalism, is an impressionistic tale of the Chernobyl Incident and the rigors of navigating the then-current music industry. Proof is an extremely strong and buoyant track chock full of spicy rhythmic syncopation. Some of the best clean guitar tones are had on this album and Proof is a shining example. Tightly plucked and muted melodic lines flow throughout the length of the track, pushing and pulling the feel. Proof is one of my favorite songs on the album, as it taught me to feel the "in-between" in a song. I would listen to the different musical instruments playing what seemed to be completely different things, but when put together they made this majestic wide spectrum of sound I hadn't heard before. I would sit for hours and just take in that feel, let it sink in until I could start feeling the rhythms in the space. It's a technique that I consistently use as a musician, and I'm forever grateful for it; It could, in fact, be the lesson that is responsible for my adaptable sense of time and feel.

Further to Fly and The Cool, Cool River are two examples of the type of meditative flow that Simon achieves on "The Rhythm Of The Saints". There's this beautiful circular element to the structure of the song, the instruments and the production. It lends this otherworldly feel that if you let the music take you there, you'll find yourself in a familiar contemplative space. These two tracks really open up that space for me, with the jazz influenced slow ebb and flow of Further to Fly with a mysterious rhythm that chases you as you attempt to chase it, to the percussive heart beat of The Cool, Cool River. There's something that Simon does a fair amount that's really showcased here on The Cool, Cool River. It's this pulling away from the time of the song, ripping away any percussion or drums, that just lets a sort of free-time flow with an incredibly nostalgic melodic moment. Each chorus yields this beautiful technique of pulling away the time, allowing the listener to have this feeling --- ultimately leading up to a stampede of a horn section nearing the end of the track, bringing us into a new light. The Cool, Cool River returns to it's original form almost as if how a stream would flow into a river, once again part of something larger than itself.

I'll leave you with my favorite excerpt (though written in 1990, seems contemporary in every way) from The Cool, Cool River:

And I believe in the future
We shall suffer no more
Maybe not in my lifetime
But in yours, I feel sure
Song dogs barking at the break of dawn
Lightning pushes the edges of a thunderstorm
And these streets
Quiet as a sleeping army
Send their battered dreams to heaven, to heaven
For the mother’s restless son
Who is a witness to, who is a warrior
Who denies his urge to break and run
Who says, “Hard times?
I’m used to them
The speeding planet burns
I’m used to that
My life’s so common it disappears”
And sometimes even music
Cannot substitute for tears

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tinkercity Playlist ::: Volume Two ::: Four Play

Hello friends! Today I thought I'd share another Tinkercity Playlist with you. While nothing hot off the presses, these are songs that have held the test of time and remain true in my heart and ears. I hope they do the same for you!

Lovechild // Daniel Lanois

"Lovechild" is a beautiful and slow starter from Lanois' 2007 record, Here Is What Is (also a remarkable documentary film that I highly suggest for anyone who loves music, and the making of art in any form). "Lovechild" eases into the atmosphere like the slow smoldering smoke of a hazy long-gone campfire in the morning's hue. Garth Hudson's (The Band) remarkable piano contribution to the introduction of "Lovechild" is nothing short of it's own beautiful universe within another. Hudson roams the wide landscape of dark and deep classical prose all the way to Dave Brubeck musings. Hudson's piece is as inviting is as the song itself.

Daniel Lanois has a talent for all things vibe. He is insistent on creating a mood that is as deep as one could be. His pedal steel guitar flows in after the introduction inviting an incredible groove between drummer Brian Blade and the rest of the band. Echoes of sound fall on further echoes of what could be the future of the song. Nothing in Lanois' production is over the top in any way -- as if the pure musicality of beauty could be rain falling down upon the listener. It sparkles with warmth and class --- "Lovechild" and Here Is What Is, in my opinion, is some of the finest work Lanois has done. It's certainly one of my favorite pieces from his catalog.

 

Good Intentions Paving Co. // Joanna Newsom

Have you ever listened to a piece of music and were instantly transported to somewhere else? Maybe it's a part of your past, a memory that is sweet and kind, yet somehow transcends time and place? That was the very experience I felt when I first heard "Good Intentions Paving Co." from Joanna Newsom. Newsom, who burst onto the scene as a freak-folk meets Americana harpist, has a unique voice musically and literally in the best of ways. "Good Intentions Paving Co." was released in 2010 on Newsom's record Have One On Me. It's the kind of song that begs you to take a walk through it's green and tall fields, the type of material that reminds you of how good music can be if "it's allowed" to just be itself!

There's a sweet cowpoke yearning in this song, pushed ever along by Newsom's unique vocal vibrato. Major soul exists within the pieces of this track, tugging at every inch of my heart. It's a simple and beautiful adventure into a literal and metaphorical universe. There are many levels to "Good Intentions Paving Co.", down to the satirical title itself --- it's the type of song that pulls you back again and again. 

Pretty Pimpin // Kurt Vile

"Pretty Pimpin" is the first cut and single off Kurt Vile's 2015 B'lieve I'm Goin Down, a critically well received and fan favorite piece of sardonic indie-rock. Vile, while no stranger to crafting interesting music, was a former member of the band The War On Drugs and has 6 solo records under his belt dating back to 2008. Vile invokes this incredibly musical slacker/genius vibe throughout the whole record and "Pretty Pimpin" is a prime example of that essence.

"Pretty Pimpin's" main lyrical content that cycles throughout the entirety of the song, showcases Vile's self awareness and longing to be someone other than the perception of himself. It's the tale of yearning to find one's truest portrait when in actuality, the truth is right there in front of us --- in the mirror. Vile creates the perfect element of storytelling in metaphor, all with the simple stroke of understated power. "Pretty Pimpin" is an anthem for the modern world of individualism and the stresses of trying to attain such clarity.

I woke up this morning
Didn’t recognize the man in the mirror
Then I laughed and I said, “Oh silly me, that’s just me”
Then I proceeded to brush some stranger’s teeth
But they were my teeth, and I was weightless
Just quivering like some leaf come in the window of a restroom

I couldn’t tell you what the hell it was supposed to mean
But it was a Monday, no a Tuesday, no Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
Then Saturday came around and I said "Who’s this stupid clown blocking the bathroom sink?"

All he ever wanted was to be someone in life that was just like
All I want is to just have fun
Live my life like a son of a gun
I could be one thousand miles away but still mean what I say

Losers // The Belle Brigade

Taking one step further into the world of all things anthemic would certainly leave you at the footsteps of the barn burning simple "Losers" from the Los Angeles natives The Belle Brigade. Contained on their self titled record released in 2011, Losers is the epitome of the fight song of the underdog. It's the kind of moment that makes you want to pull up your bootstraps, join in on the battle and take shit from no man --- it's the voice of every person who's had enough of the pain in trying to fit in with popular culture. It's the realization that happiness and freedom is only unattainable when we choose not to take it. When you've had enough and decide to take action -- this is the kind of song you want on repeat... I certainly do.

There will always be someone better than you
Even if you're the best
So let's stop the competition now
Or we will both be losers

And I'm ashamed I ever tried to be higher than the rest
But brother I am not alone
We've all tried to be on top of the world somehow
'Cause we have all been losers

I don't wanna be laid down
No I don't wanna die knowing
That I spent so much time when I was young
Just trying to be the winner

So I wanna make it clear now
I wanna make it known
That I don't care about any of that shit no more

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
No, no more, no

There will always be someone worse than you
Sister don't let it get to your head
'Cause you won't be on top of the world so long
In constant competition

This ain't about no one in particular
But I could list a few
I'm removing myself from the queue

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser

Don't care about being a winner
Or being smooth with women
Or going out on Fridays
Being the life of parties
Don't care about being harder
Or being Daddy's favorite
Or if you think I'm a mimic
Or if I am a loser

No, no more
No more
No more
No more
No more
No more

 

 

 

Brian Blade ::: Mama Rosa

Today's Weekly Update is a calming and harmonious entry in the form of the incomparable Brian Blade --- session drummer to the stars, jazz pioneer and songwriter. If you are not familiar with Brian Blade or his career as a drummer, I urge you to check out anything he's done either with his groundbreaking Jazz ensemble, the Fellowship Band, or his work as a session musician on either stage or in studio. Blade has worked with amazing artists such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois and Norah Jones - just to name a few. Often called to work with musician and producer Daniel Lanois, Blade offers up a very unique and powerful rhythm section to everything he touches. His work with Lanois' band Black Dub, is a perfect entry for anyone who's not familiar with the style, class or raw power of Mr. Blade.

Aside from merging genre in song and form, Blade is an incredible songwriter both with his Fellowship band and his solo work. "Mama Rosa" is simply an intimate and tender portrait into Blade's songwriting. It sits somewhere between the airy 70's folk sound and darker tonal qualities that he's become accustomed to, with working with Lanois. Beautiful songs are present here. Rich and full acoustic-meets-raw guitar tones, all merging together in this beautiful kind of way. You can literally hear the music being made as you listen to the record flow. "Mama Rosa" could easily be dismissed as a quiet piece of work, but it's much more than that. It's a rich and warm record that calls for a warm beverage on a cold morning, opening up your eyes as much as it does your heart.

In "Mama Rosa" I hear many of the signature sounds of the people Blade has worked with. The song structures, while are not dead ringers of anything, Joni Mitchell would write. I can hear that intention of brooding and slow folk, harkening the breezy 70's free flow in the melody and harmony. Lanois lends his talents on "Mama Rosa" in roughly half of the material, providing a gorgeous and dark landscape for Blade to float upon. Make no mistake, this record is chock full of amazing guitar production. Other guests such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Rocco Deluca, and Greg Leisz round out a sort of dream team of session players.

Songs like After The Revival, Mercy Angel and Her Song are wonderful examples of beauty emerging, growing into a larger flourish. There's this quality about the songwriting here; almost as if an old friend is back in town sharing their stories of family, love and life. Nothing is forced with the material. Every musical moment is allowed the chance to become something. This mentality is incredibly interesting to me, especially in a world where calculation is in the front seat in our modern musical climate. 

Centerline, You'll Always Be My Baby and Struggling With That are some of my other favorite selections from "Mama Rosa". Darker in nature with the hazy line that's often created by the production of Lanois, these songs just ooze vibe. As a guitarist, I'm drawn to the raw and beautiful layers. There's just a beautiful power that comes from this place, where intention feeds production. Lush tremolo, vibrato and echo all spin together in this gorgeous brew --- dripping with soul.

Material like "Mama Rosa" comes up through the depths only so often, it's important to hold pieces of work like this dear and close to you. I hope you might take a listen and feel some of that same emotion and share it with someone as I have done for you. With respect to Joni Mitchell and Blades work with her, I can see this line from Free Man In Paris offering up a simple answer to why I feel records like "Mama Rosa" are just so important....

I was a free man in Paris
I felt unfettered and alive
Nobody was calling me up for favors
No one's future to decide
You know I'd go back there tomorrow

But for the work I've taken on
Stoking the star maker machinery
Behind the popular song.

 

Perfume Genius ::: No Shape

Every once in a while a record comes along my path and I'm instantly guided inward, like the gravitational pull of a dark star. "No Shape" from the inspired Perfume Genius is exactly that sort of magic. I'm admittedly not too familiar with the back catalog or history of Mike Hadreas, better known as the Seattle based artist Perfume Genius, but nonetheless ecstatic and available to accept the joy that his most recent record "No Shape" brings to the table. 

It seems as though almost by some swift twist of fate that I'm constantly attracted to the world of Blake Mills. I am a huge fan of Mills' production elements as well as his own craft of song and tones. He's an incredible guitar player and multi-instrumentalist. Put plainly, I often seek out anything he does in an effort to further a love affair with the fragile pieces he puts together on his own, or with another artist. Finding "No Shape" however was not of that typical musical hunt -- I had no idea that Blake Mills co-produced this record with Hadreas until I started listening. In a world where we almost always know everything before stepping forward, I'm extra pleased at this experience. Simply put, the record is an immense joy, filled with the familiar and ground breaking.

"No Shape" opens with the stark piano of "Otherside" and then within a moment, like being in the middle of a star being born, explosions of light and melody take form. A brilliant way to embrace the beginnings of a beautiful journey through this melodic adventure.

Songs like "Slip Away" and "Valley" sit within a familiar vein of post-Elliot Smith craft, adding that tactile emotion of having the song right in front of you while being completely unsure of where it might take you. 

The pulsing tones of "Wreath" or the sparse rhythmic (yet incredibly forward moving) production of "Sides" and "Die 4 You" really show the deepness of this record. There is a sonic through line but nothing is as expected. It's as toothsome as it gets here, within every song is a well crafted emotional and gripping listen. There's that yin and yang of the deep groove matched with the most delicate vocal melody or instrumental interlude.

Two of my personal favorites on "No Shape" are as I am often attracted to, conflicted and not similar in voice or tone. "Choir" is a very dark and brooding piece, complete with otherworldly orchestral movements and Madreas' spoken word as though he's speaking to you from the far reaches of his own darkness. "Run Me Through" however is a fat and juicy, vintage, slow-paced and soul-groove, walled in with tremolo Rhodes piano and percussion. It's something you could see playing in your mind's eye (or rather ear) whilst walking down a sunlit and dusted road. It's mean man, and it's not trying to be --- it just is and that's what makes it so damn good.

All in all The Perfume Genius' "No Shape" is in my opinion an early classic. A record I didn't expect to come down my pike and I couldn't be more elated that it did. It reaffirms my personal belief system that I must continue to hold my ear to the ground and to the wide open spaces that new music flows through. My musical mantra is that "I eat music for breakfast" and quite honestly, "No Shape" is not only that breakfast, but also lunch, dinner, and the icing on the cake. A landmark piece of work that has opened my doors to yet another incredible artist I'll have the joy of learning much, much more about. 

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