The Halfway Point: Inventory, Reflections, So on and So Forth
Welp, we’re officially halfway through this year of ours. I don’t exactly know where I am at, especially with the recent developments I alluded to in the flavor text of my last round-up post. I’m certainly alive – which hasn’t always felt like the case. This is certainly in part to the fact I feel like I can perceive and digest and communicate art more than I was willing to allow myself prior. Like even watching a movie of my own volition was something I haven’t done is literal years it seems. Doing chronological deep dives is another thing that makes everything feel young and new if only for a few days. Whether or not that is all some consumptive coping mechanism or part of the grand scheme of things when you age, I can only find out by going through it. I wasn’t expecting that this new space (both digitally and literally) would’ve come with so many goodbyes, yet the road of life is so much vaster than my wilting headlights can see at one time.
Speaking of digesting culture, my albums of the year so far aren’t all too surprising knowing my affinity for wandering souls articulating being lost or bruised.
Click for full-sized chart.
Having Foxwarren seemingly come out of nowhere (I only found out about its release the day before) and hook me so deeply was unexpected joy in that way experiencing truly moving art leaves you feeling both changed for the better yet a little bit hollow once its all over the for the first time. While I did purchase All the Artists in a reflexive urge to support and enjoy Kozelek’s endeavors (he is also going down the limited release route), buying FW 2 will feel different not only because it’ll be on vinyl vs a CD but there isn’t some lingering since of obligation. I love Andy Shauf but I don’t own everything by him – I was fully surprised and swept off my feet. Which I feel like any artist would want because it is not some blanket subscription to identity but a feeling that the art created is so good it transcends the utility and patronage models we must digest all things creatively produced.
To spare retreading of albums I’ve discussed previously, the only new album added to this roster of 15 is a live field recording release from the one and only Sublime Frequency. Tsapiky! Modern Music From Southwest Madagascar absolutely jolts you awake from the first guitar tone and is relentless with its cathartic optimism. Unlike the cultural anthropologists at the label that can better dictate the contextual history of the music itself, for us ignorant laymen Americans listening through our ears first one can say it’s like a severely coked out version Vampire Weekend’s Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa but triple the length and extra sweaty. I say all this not to demean the passion but to try and get anyone who is on the fence about listening to extremely foreign music the push necessary to jump headfirst into the viscera.
So what’s around the corner for me? Professionally speaking it could be a new job, maybe at least a continued part-time gig selling books if not a greater riff on being a record store clerk again. Personally speaking I still owe myself one full on and explicitly stated date, tough I understand it takes two to tango for such an occurrence and as far as I know my feet are as bad as my ears/neck are. Last but not least culturally I’ve got to read less than 50 more books so I should really make them count (which is very much the case given my book club is only partially out of my control outside of my current pick of Pynchon’s Vineland) and the musical horizon is looking quiet great with albums by Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts, Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, Gelli Haha, and Black Moth Super Rainbow on the immediate vicinity. And that’s only within the next month or so!
As always only the sovereign powers of time have a grasp of what’s to come and I’m just grateful the grip isn’t giving me an Indian burn for the time being.
