Mighty Tom Enjoyed His Bath!

Volume 7

Testing the Waters

To begin, I really love this collection. I really like the cover and the concept: a cautious dip of a toe, an exploratory wade, and a submission to abandonment. Ooohs, ahhhhs, and the splash. Great colors. I also liked the bit of art on the CD itself.

Amazing! The picture on the cover of a 52-year-old Pat Mixdorf swimming at a Holiday Inn pool somewhere in Georgia! Why Georgia? Because, later that evening, Mixdorf will be leading a small group of friends to a Sufjian Stevens concert. Hee hee.

I thought it appropriate for Mixdorf to address the club formally at this time and I enjoyed his assessments. I chuckled at yet another near-denouncement of his Vol. 1. But here we are, as in the opening of the first Planet of the Apes movie…from space to water…

Sam Phillips

First, I like to refer to her as Sammy. I like the story about how you were immediately struck by her voice and how it inspired you to quickly purchase the album. These moments can never be planned and are always sweet as honey cakes. I like her voice and the vocal delivery keeps your attention. I like the arrangements, instrumentation, and agree that she doesn’t appear too jaded or dragged down – someone who probably has a good, healthy outlook on life.


1. How to Quit

I’ve never heard of Sammy before, but I did have a copy of ‘How to Quit,’ though I didn’t know what the song was or whom it was by until the arrival of Volume 7. You gotta like the line, “Faith is running toward the sound of water.” Perhaps there is some deeper personal meaning for you – which is awesome, however, not knowing what that might be I can only form the following explanation. Perhaps it was a Pat Mixdorf Plumbing Escapade gone awry that caused Faith to go… running toward the sound of water (hee hee).

I really like ‘How to Quit.’ It’s an excellent song that incorporates good lyrics and a fresh vocal delivery in the perfect amount of time, meaning the length of the song struck me as being perfect. Very often, especially when listening to new music, the length of a song can work for or against it, to extremes. If I am loving a song, let it go on and on as I’m loving it more and more and more. If I am not loving it, the longer it goes on the more I dislike it. ‘How to Quit’ is a rare instance of a new song (to me) that occupies the perfect amount of time. Nice going Sammy.






2. Red Silk Five

A very intriguing song and intrigue is the word. I’ll get back to that in a second. This song has all the qualities that I liked in ‘How to Quit’ – as to which one do I like better? I’m going to pretend I didn’t ask myself that question. Oh I could go back, highlight, delete – you know, a little light editing, maybe some tea, but what a bother. No matter. These two songs by Sammy along with Mixdorf’s comments indicate a solid album. I would definitely like to have a listen.

Back to intrigue. I do not know exactly what this song is about. I believe it is a James Bondy heavy drama spy movie. The movie is called ‘Red Silk Five’ and the song would open up the movie against Russian urban landscapes. ‘Red Silk Five’ is the 007, a Russian agent suffering from a broken romance. Left to do his or her spy duties but with ZERO conscience. He or she would be very good, smooth, dangerous, but without any sign of a conscience. A life destroyed by lost love. Starring Owen Wilson as…Red Silk Five!

Oh, and the beginning of the song is definitely a take on the Bond theme.


The Decemberists

Where are they from? I think Dan said Montana? Whoa! I am really interested in this band. I have previously heard the three songs included here. I love them all. I really really love the Decemberists. I love the words and song craft. It is impressive the way they can sustain an energy throughout their songs, especially ‘The Mariner’s Revenge Song.’ Odd, I could see them doing a version of ‘Come On Ilene.’ Probably a great version. Daughters and mothers and oceans and rivers and revenge and love.




3. We Both Go Down Together

Maybe a little Romeo and Juliet as well. A classic theme that always bears repeating (a little Stripes for ya). I wonder if the real twist here is that it is written from the point of view of a woman, which it might be. Great song.

I really like the orchestration and the bridge leading up to the final ‘exit.’ Nicely expressed.

Mirandas and Verandas. I can’t help but be reminded of another classic in which a lovely Mexican woman propositions Dusty Bottoms for a kiss.

Dusty replies, “What, now, here?”

The woman: “Oh we can take a walk and you could kiss me on the veranda.”

Dusty, with a considering look: “Lips would be fine.”




4. Eli, The Barrow Boy

‘Eli, the Barrow Boy’ is a funny title if you consider a barrow from TLOTRs. A lost chapter of Tolkien – Eli – the Barrow Boy. Some poor sap to clean up wight crap after the dirty, filthy residents of the barrow have dined. But, from the excellent picture on the cover (or other album art) – obviously a WHEELbarrow. Not to mention the lyrics. Love the lyrics.

The ignored people. The people that do not, could not play any game to get ahead in life. Some we call mentally challenged, but mostly they just don’t go for playing the game. They have no expectation. They feel entitled to nothing. They will get ripped off. They will not argue. They buy coffee for their masters. They pay taxes so scumbags can supposedly better themselves for free. They do not even ask for respect. They will drink a soda alone around noon and enjoy it more fully than any of us could ever hope to enjoy anything, ever. A higher call they have. Be it to push a barrow or to fill it with wight crap.



5. The Mariner’s Revenge Song

My favorite song from the Decemberists and possibly my favorite song on the entire CD and one of my favorites from the club as a whole. I love the distant connections to Bungalow Bill. There is a great energy in this song and it is downright exciting. A fantastic story told marvelously through song. Revenge and love on several levels. The language written here is exquisite and the music perfectly captures the mood. This song has been performed in the courts of princes to the delight of artists and lovers for thousands of years. With Volume Seven, we have now become the privileged. The juggernaut crashes down his fist of approval on this one.






Sufjian Stevens

The newest music to me on this collection. Except for hearing about the 50 album for 50 states idea, I have never heard of Sufjian Stevens. By the way, what was the first state that he tackled? Very interesting. Musically, lyrically, and of course, thematically. 50 albums for 50 states by one artist may be a bit much, but I could certainly see 10 or 12. I will echo Mixdorf’s ‘beauty and quality’ when considering these songs. Very new.

Wow – sign of the times, first hearing music via a podcast partially engineered by Adam Curry. 2006 meets 1982! An album inspired by and partly about my western neighbor, Illinois, fascinating.

Sufjian Succotash!



6. Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland Illinois

I love the intro, the unexpected flute roll ups are beautiful, and tasty too! I like the airy feel, attributed to his voice, flute, and piano tappings. The piano reminds me slightly of extremely slowed down Pete Townshend piano/keyboard riffs.

I wonder if this song was based on an actual report? Do the liner notes indicate that this was based on something that actually happened? By the way, Highland and Lebanon are both south of 70 and quite close to St. Louis.

“How many stars DO YOU SEE!” asked the wrinkly-faced alien.

“There are THREE STARS!” responded the tough, but roughed up leader of men.




7. John Wayne Gacy Jr.

Whoa – what a song! Holy crap, talk about something new. What can you say? Maybe I’ll throw in a Gee Wiz.

Interesting use of harmony, I like the way they well up in just the right spots. Disturbing end, his confession to having secrets is one thing, but a confession about having secrets in a song about John Wayne Gacy Jr. Gee Wiz! What a dark ending, the breathing, scary stuff.

So are we to infer that getting hit in the head with a swing set caused him to go evil? And was it the entire swing set, perhaps still in the packaging, or just part of the swing set? I want to make sure I can warn people. “Get your head away from that teeter-totter – shit!”

The “Are you One of them” as it was in ‘Within You, Without You’ is alarming in how involving it is when used in song.

You obviously feel for the victims and those that knew the victims, but you also feel for the mom. I can’t imagine anybody claiming this as his or her favorite song and I’d be interested in going to a dinner party where this song is in the rotation, or maybe I wouldn’t. Good song? Evil Song? Yes.




8. Decatur, or, Round of Applause For Your Stepmother

I’ve never been to Decatur, but I have seen signs.
It resides on the great prime meridian of Illinois, Highway 39.

A funny song with a gentle bounce.




9. The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is out to Get Us

I love this song, my favorite of the Sufjian songs. I love the monster wasp sound at the end. The whole song compares a wasp to growing up and forming bonds. From cursive, to buzzing independence, to Sting. The pains and delights and rewards of friendship.

An extremely poignant song. It could be about a brother or a friend viewed as a brother. Nothing is more epic than themes of friendship and family.

Finally to the NW of Illinois we go where landscapes might be a little more familiar to us Iowans – probably.

I love the musical explosion that begins with “Oh great sights…”

I think we can all connect to this song. This one stabs me in the heart with a thorny flower.



10. The Seer’s Tower

Could this be the same tower mentioned in ‘Wasp?” Or a more general, biblical tower? Definitely sounds like a closing song. To steal a description, the chorus that ends the song is haunting

Seer’s or Sears. Retail as the undercurrent that splits humanity. Possibly. Comparing the Sears Tower to the Tower of Babel. Possibly. The Sears tower as a statement about man’s presence here on Earth – quite possibly. Why Sears – they may be struggling a bit of late, but it is the tallest tower in Illinois and I believe the man on the cover is staring right at it, bubbling with pride at the symbol of man on Earth. Row for a Buck all the way.

This song could be about any state, country, continent, or even the world as a whole, which is the way I heard it. I really like this as a closing song to Vol. 7.


Closing Comment

Great installment to our club. I loved the format and really enjoyed listening to and thinking about these songs. The order of artists corresponds very nicely with your concept of progressing into water. Loved it – thank you!


My BS of the collection

‘The Mariner’s Revenge Song’ wins. ‘The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is out to Get Us’ was a close runner-up. While the ‘Wasp’ affected me on a deeper level, I simply could not resist the rollicking good fun of ‘The Mariner’s Revenge Song.’


SIWHI

‘The Infanta’ by The Decemberists. A rolling good song, also from Picaresque.