catapult magazine

this is so much fun. i read CINO with one browser. the other browser has the edmonton public library search engine open. somebody mentions a cd or a movie, i find it in the library system and have it delivered straight to my local branch. i love socialism.

Did anyone see the Grammy’s? If you’re under 18, you were in the minority. There were 40% less kids watching this year. I’d like to think they were boycotting the show because Buddy Guy’s newest record wasn’t nominated for album of the year. The children sure missed a grand Dylan performance, though. The newest Dylan, Scary Dylan, is one of my favorites. I like the High on Helium Dylan from Nashville Skyline too. Maybe some of the children will find an mp3 Dylan that they will enjoy.

just for the record, i’ve seen mr. dylan live in concert. and i’m still reeling from the experience. that man has simply made an amazing contribution to american culture in the last forty years, it’s just unbelievable. and i like to refer to his nashville skyline era as the kermit the frog dylan.

i agree, buddy guy should have been nominated for album of the year. “sweat tea” is a smokin’ record.

Oh, this is the Dylan discussion. I plugged Love and Theft in the Axis of evil discussion. anyhow. Dylan on the grammies was pretty cool. Second year in a row he performed a song. Oh wait, that was at the Oscars last year that he did that song. Nevermind. and while his performance wasn’t necessarily technically perfect, he is just too damn cool. I too saw him in concert a few months ago, and i got to tell you, he was great.

So, which Dylan albums have you been diggin lately? For me, it has been Blood on the Tracks and Freewheeling for the last little while, and Love and Theft. Anyone else?

blood on tracks is in my cd player in my apartment at this moment. nashville skyline is in my car. the first song with johnny cash never ceases to make me giggle. in a non-girl-like way, of course.

Anybody heard Jeff buckley? Who is this guy? I’m hearing his album Grace for the first time right now.

i actually own his posthumous “sketches for my sweetheart the drunk”…got it based on listening to him for 5 minutes in my cousin’s car in minneapolis in 1997. unfortunately, i got it and have rarely listened to it. some of that has to do with being considerate to college roommates who might not “appreciate” the raw form of the music-the rawness due to jeff’s mother, as executor of his estate, not letting any “posthumous overdubbing” take place. okay, okay, that’s a terribly lame excuse. i’ll listen to it on the way to work tomorrow, then i’ll make grant listen to it and tell you what an actual musician thinks of the music. okay, grant?

p.s. in response to “who is this guy?”…from the liner notes…“jeff was not some fragile flower. he was quick, clever, musically ambitious, open to adventure, and he loved life. he did funny voices and wicked impressions, he made dumb jokes, he could turn himself into a lip-licking, eye-popping cartoon worlf. a lot of the time jeff was a combination of dennis the menace and huck finn. it was right in character for him to suddenly jump in the river with his boots on and go for a swim {which is how he died}. he was a beautiful musician and his loss is a genuine tragedy-but jeff would have hated for his death to be romanticized. he hated the morbid fascination with artists who die young, and mocked it every chance he got.” i’ll let you read the liner notes for the rest.

so, whatever i was thinking about jeff buckley sounding raw…i think i had my head up my butt. the music is sometimes smooth, sometimes haunting, sometimes sensual, and passionate. kudos.

well, i was going to let kirstin talk about jeff buckley, but she hasn’t taken the opportunity yet. she was introduced to his music a few years ago and, though it took a long time, i have gotten to know his stuff as well.

the best song on grace is his cover version of leonard cohen’s “hallelujah,” which is absolutely amazing. his voice carries the emotion of the song so well.

hey ryan,

i recently bought Freewheelin’ somewhere in NY. some of those songs are too good for a 21-year old. i think the Northern Girl one is so beautiful. he sings with such a longing voice. and his poetry is so haunting. after reading the lyrics i did my research and found out that dylan thomas was bob dylan’s favorite poet, and promptly visited the library for dylan thomas poetry. i also checked out leonard cohen, byron and blake. i’m a huge nick drake fan too (anyone?) and his whole persona fascinates me quite a bit. the whole idea of a 20th century tormented troubadour… i read that drake read blake and byron.

yeah, nick drake is absolutely amazing. i just love five leaves left and pink moon. he’s just the ultimate in melancholy.

i read an interesting story about him delivering the pink moon tapes to the label. i guess he dropped them off with the receptionist and didn’t really say anything to her. a week later somebody figured out that the tapes on her desk were nick drake’s newest album.