The first album I ever bought was the Robin Hood Prince of Thieves soundtrack. I was 12 years old. I'm not sure whether I used the album as a soundtrack to my loneliness- singing along with Bryan Adams softly as the 12 year old girls passed me by uncomfortably; or a soundtrack to the personally scripted robin hood re-enactments I was staging in my basement (a practice that may help explain the aforementioned loneliness.) Both propositions are damning so I haven't really sought any historical clarification. This much I do know, sometime that year I found, in the basement (or, as I may or may not have been calling it privately, "Nottingham"), a box with my parents records. Within an hour I had heard, for the first time, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. Shortly thereafter, Tad Henderson requested Tyler and I take a break from writing letters to Pittsburgh Pirate center fielder Andy Van Slyke asking for his autograph and come upstairs for dinner. There he played us Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, again on vinyl. And almost in an instant, Bryan Adams became "my youthful mistake."
Had I never found those records I may not have cared that the videographer put Butterfly Kisses on my wedding video without my consent.
Or that the U2 version of Unchained Melody was used at some dance in high school instead of the Righteous Brothers (though both are quite good.)
Or that Cha Cha told Dan that Jeff Buckley wrote Hallelujah.
Or that Paul Jacobsen released a stellar album this month.
Had I never found those records this might all be meaningless to me. (And I may still be referring to myself as "Locksley.") As it is though, I have the sleeve of Nebraska, a recent Christmas gift from Tad, framed and hanging on my wall.
And I have listened to Paul's new album all week.
Six days before the end of the month, I am officially declaring Paul Jacobsen and the Madison Arm September's Album of the Month.
Paul is a great songwriter, and this is an album full of great songs. The collection comes together, for me, as a celebration of all that makes us human. It is a testament to the quality of the writing that an album whose characters seem to be consistently longing for something they can't reach can leave it's listener feeling so hopeful. These songs find the beauty not only in the divine but the desperate. Try "You're the Song," "Western Skies" and "At That Day."
No matter which side you come down on in the Bryan Adams debate, this is a really great album and we think you should own it. We think this so strongly, in fact, that we bought it for you. We've got five of them. Tell us if you want one. (you want one.) You can also get the album at cdbaby.com (http://cdbaby.com/cd/pauljacobsen2
If you are in Utah, Paul will be having a seriously stacked bill CD release concert on Saturday night at the Fort Douglass Theatre near the University of Utah. This is a really great venue for those of you who have never been there. Dominic Moore (sooo cool) and Sara Sample will open. Show starts at 7:00 and 10 bucks gets you a ticket and a cd. Come with us. I'll buy you a soda.
Click on the "John is listening to" image to hear more from or about Paul Jacobsen.
17 comments:
Well, I'll be the first to say it, I'd LOVE a Paul Jacobsen and the Madison Arm cd! And if we lived in town, we would make it. As it is, I will just have try to get you to buy me a diet coke when we are actually in town.
john- i do have to say that i loved brayn adams "everything i do- i do it for you" way back when. i would wait by the radio with cassette in hand waiting for the dj to play it so i could record it.
that also being said- some of the best music of my childhood came to me from paul via nicole. so you can thank paul that i am not still listening to bryan adams.
pauls cd is awesome and so is paul.
ps- brandi a cd shall find its way to you!
I want one...and, I want to go.
And come one John - The Robin Hood Gig must've helped somewhat, at least in the romance department, because you snagged yourself a pretty nice looking wife.
Ash, I too waited and waited for that song with my cassette in hand. I even called the DJ's and begged for them to play it.
It can still bring me back to 7th grade at Heather Armstrongs' Halloween party.
Oh the memories.
Wish I lived closer - Id come pick one up and go hear them play too! I have to say I love reading your posts about music. We miss you guys! Ash - hope you are feeling OK. How are the kids. Wish we could see you more often!
Wedding songs are so memorable. I remeber when our wedding DJ began playing "Tale as Old as Time..." I nearly took out my guests in my effort to reach the DJ to insist that he stick to the playlist. Butterfly Kisses would have been equally deplorable.
Ahh Sgt. Peppers...so daring, bold and brilliant. Still sounds amazing all those years later (I just listened to it the other day). As I currently type, I am listening to The White Album and just had the realization that While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Happiness Is A Warm Gun might be the best back-to-back combo in the Beatles catalog. Each is so different, yet so stunning, and placed next to each other their contrast and individual greatness really stand out.
Ok, that was tangential. So, is this the official album of the month discussion for September? I've got a few selections here if that's the case. And I would love to hear Paul's album, though I'm not sure how to get my hands on it.
What a laugh you gave me. The concert sounds like fun! Count us in . . . that is if Shane returns from Colorado in time. Oh, and I like diet coke with extra ice and a hint of lime.
I talked with a shop owner today that wants to hire you to sing at an event, but remember Dec 5th is booked . . . that is if you aren't at the hospital.
I wanted to throw in too that in 8th grade for Christmas I got a cd player and my first three cds: Robin Hood Soundtrack, Michael Bolton and Mariah Carey. It was AWESOME!! It took awhile for me to branch out, but I had my parents pushing Belinda Carlisle and Journey, so I had an uphill struggle. My dad still lives for the top 40.
Jenny H.- we brought the cd to the softball game tonight in case you were there. No luck. Let us know if you guys want to come on Sat.
Liz- we will mail you a cd.
Tatiana- we will walk the cd up to you.
Heudu- we will mail you a cd. This is, indeed, our choice for September. The Okkervil River album was very good- but still- Paul wins.
And, what about "why don't we do it in the road" followed by "i will?"
jeni- we will bring a lime and perhaps a small box with sand...not sure about the venue's policy on sand, but anything to make it easier for you guys.
brandi-
my first cd's:
michael bolton
amy grant
and ub40 labor of love 1 & 2
janet jackson rhythm nation 1814
love love love the michael bolton... that just cracked me up.
My dad bought Jane and I tickets to see Janet Jackson on the rythym nation tour. She got sick and stopped singing, so we came home early and settled with pushing ourselves in shopping carts down Kingston road.
We did see her...later though. She was good.
It would have been tough to catch me at the game, by they got slaughtered and run ruled in like 30 secs.
(ok, actually I was home watching Greys)
I am bummed though, I look forward to it.
We will be up at the U for the football game, so we want to come over around 8:00. Would that be too late? I hope not.
that is funny you mentioned Paul, my best friend from BYY dated him and most of the songs on his first album are about her!
Funny you should mention that combo, JC, because as I was listening to that album yesterday, one of my very thoughts was that I don't get the love for "why don't we do it in the road." Other than the fact that it seems like an idea any male would be willing to try, I'm not sure why everyone thinks it's so great. There are a ton of better songs on that album. Oh well.
Now, on to the glorious month that was September. There were so many releases this month that I wanted to hear I felt like I could barely keep up. New Cold War Kids (solid), Kings of Leon (disappointed to hear their sound headed in this direction, but still some a couple great tunes), Okkervil River (fantastic as per usual, if not a slightly below last year's standout), Girl Talk (great one to get the party started), Damon Albarn's audacious and daring Monkey: Journey to the West (I love all things Damon Albarn and this is forward looking in its exploration of Oriental sound), and Deerhoof (decent though probably not as good as last year's record). And I still haven't heard the new Mettalica, Mt. Eerie, Jenny Lewis, Blitzen Trapper or Of Montreal albums. Geez, what a month! But, of all the records I heard this month, my choice pick for album of the month and new contender for album of the year goes to...Dear Science by TV On the Radio. Damn, what a record.
Hendu-
what's not to love about "do it in the road?" Simple classic blues riff, simple sentiment. Written in 10 seconds I bet. Plus, it is fun to sing as an answer to so many questions. I'm happy to hear it gets so much love- it probably deserves it.
And "I Will" is so nice.
What really is the best 1-2 punch in the Beatles catalog? That is a question for an entire post. I don't know. You could argue for so many.
I would take a long pause before I gave one of the two to George Harisson though. Still, "While My Guitar..." is a classic. One of big Dave's favorites and thus, one of mine. And the Clapton guitar is nice.
haven't listened to the new TV on the Radio. Lots of good buzz of course.
Still have to figure out the Aug. album too.
A long pause before including a Harrison song? That's crazy talk. While My Guitar is top ten Beatles stuff regardless of who wrote it.
So I listened to the questioned songs on my run yesterday. 10 seconds to write Do It In the Road? That sounds about right. For some reason that song just sounds half done to me. I mean, come on, two lines in the whole song?!?!
I Will, however, is a fantastic song. If you want to package that with another song situated next to it in the tracklisting, I would say you are much better off with Julia. Not only is that a better individual song that Do It, it was also famously the inspiration for many a Kurt Cobain melody while he was writing Nevermind. You can't beat that.
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