Slipping Through Our Fingers

 

    

"What is called music today is all too often only a disguise for the monologue of power. However, and this is the supreme irony of it all, never before have musicians tried so hard to communicate with their audience, and never before has that communication been so deceiving. Music now seems hardly more than a somewhat clumsy excuse for the self-glorification of musicians and the growth of a new industrial sector."   Quoted by Jacques Attali in Classic Essays on Twentieth-Century Music, ed. Richard Kostelanetz and Joseph Darby (Wadsworth, 1996, ISBN 0-028-64581-2)

He is referring to the mainstream music industry that was inaccessible to the independent musicians of the time. The music industry has changed so much in a short amount of time with advent of the internet and websites like soundcloud, bandcamp, cdbaby and people like Ari Herstand that share a wealth of knowledge about how to promote yourself as an artist. I, myself never, having been a part of the money making machine, know that it still exists, but choose to focus on indie music I care about, that speaks to me and making my own music. 

You can’t knock out all the mom and pops and think that more mom and pops will spring up. If we knock them out, it’s just chains." James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem (Billboard Charts) 

We have to support the independent musicians that we love or there may be nothing else left of them, especially after these unstable times. The great thing about music is that it is a product of the zeitgeist, that's the fun of listening to old music. It can be a history lesson. And music in general can be an uplifting healing experience. Art decorates a space, music decorates time.

Right now, as we are focusing on isolating, as musicians we are also focusing on getting outside of the ever-present comfort zone. Those two things seem contradictory, but they don't have to be. Musicians are innovating, performing from home, creating more online content and discovering new ways to take ownership and control of their music so they can hopefully, generate financial stability over the long haul. 

Check out these artists and remember to support your favs!!

 Frida Sundemo - Nothing Can Hurt Me

Elephant Talk - Heartache of the Season

Georgia Lines - Never Had Love

Magnificent Music

Magnificent Music

There is a lot to be learned from Black Music if we listen. This is simply a list of some of my current personal favorites. Click on the links and the videos to watch/listen and find out more about these talented artists!

Toulouse - Magnificent

                                          

Zubi, anatu - Sugar

video - Only One

                                            

Terry Blade

                                            

ifʎʎello - wrong

video - Nicer Than You

                                            

Black Lives are Precious

Black Lives more than matter they are priceless and it is more than time to acknowledge this.  Where do we go from here? What does it mean? Being a part of Black Lives Matters means 

we’ve committed to struggling together and to imagining and creating a world free of anti-Blackness, where every Black person has the social, economic, and political power to thrive.  

White people and all people around the world have to be a part of this.  It is not about who we exclude, but about who we include. If we refuse to be a part of the solution then we will remain a part of the problem.  I know you've heard it before, it sounds cliched, but I'm going to say it again, just in case you haven't... silence IS violence. Love steps up and says something, it speaks for those whose voices are not being heard for whatever reason. Maybe listening is the best thing we can do right now.

    I previously thought in my younger years that racism would 'die out' as the older generations passed away. I now see that is definitely not the case. There is a younger generation saturated by learned racism that is just as strong, if not more so. The internet has been a breeding ground for people of like minds to multiply their racism exponentially.  My husband and I have both had grandparents who shunned black members of our family, they refused to be a part of their black grandchildrens' lives. It makes me so sad to think about all they missed out on. We are all flesh and blood, we are all the same and we all want the same things (i.e. Maslow's hierarchy of needs).

I've tried to make sense of hate, but that is just the thing, hate doesn't make sense. You can't be in your right mind and hate someone else. It is literally insane. Until Black Lives Matter all lives cannot. 

Music For: Comfort

     These are troubling times for everyone. Friends, family and loved ones are being lost, many people are losing their jobs. A tsunami ripple effect is occurring and everyone is sure to feel it eventually.  Among those being affected are musicians, they're having to cancel shows, cancel flights, refund tickets, losing out on merchandise sold and income they needed to keep their heads above water.  Support them if you are able.
   
    To those needing to be on ventilators, speaking from the perspective of someone who has had to be intubated before because of allergy and chronic asthma, I can't imagine having gone through that experience without my family by my side and that is what so many people are having to go through right now. The medical community is doing their best to provide care and relief to those suffering.  Nurses are our heroes! Thank you! You are incredible human beings. And to those experiencing this disease we are praying for you and thinking about you. So many of us feel helpless in quarantine wanting to do something, but we are, in fact, helping by doing absolutely nothing, by staying home to help mitigate the disease and flattening the curve.
     And on the brighter side of things, even though we are self-isolating we are coming together digitally. We're making contributions the best way we know how, donating to charities that are taking care of the collective community. This situation is proving something that many of us knew to be true and that is that we are all connected, maybe more closely than we ever comprehended to be true.
   
Music has comforted me over and over in my life, brought me through very difficult times; health issues and loss of loved ones.  It has given me a renewed zest for life. I hope that this music can do that for you right now. I hope it will give you a sense of peace and hope and comfort.  My heart goes out to you.

The W Lovers CD Release

I recently went to The W Lovers CD release show also featuring Rust on the Rails at the Sunset. It was a full intimate show.  I have come to love small venues so much.  Getting to see artists performing up close and occasionally getting to meet and and have a convo after the show is a lot of fun.  The W Lovers are a husband and wife team.  They both sing, she (Fleur Wood) plays guitar and he (Wesley Wood) plays mandolin, backed up by Eric Van Allen on stand-up bass and Chris Lucier on snare and a brilliant new pedal steel addition to the group, Patrick McHenry.  They had all the puzzle pieces there to make a great sounding Americana group.  During the show I was lucky to talk to Lance Wells, my former co-worker, and The W Lovers' videographer.  He made their most recent video Canyon Wind during a trip to and from Yakima to play a series of successful winery shows.  The video turned out great so there is no question as to why Lance has made making videos his full-time job now.

I can't finish this blog post without talking about Rust on the Rails which also includes Chris Lucier on drums.  What a terrific group they were!!! They put on an exciting up beat show that included great vocals and guitar playing from Cody Beebe, as well as an amazing performance on the didgeridoo and guitar from Blake Noble. Check out their Facebook here. So great!!

Purchase on itunes

www.thewlovers.com

www.twitter.com/wloversmusic

www.instagram.com/thewlovers/

Maiah Manser

Photo by Nathan Dziewiontkoski

  

  Having gone to see a variety of different artists I'm more and more convinced of the kind of artist I want to be and what it means to be an independent artist today.  Art is a representation of our culture, my goal is to be the change and to leave an impression of the change I want to see in the world. And to me art is a practice of stepping outside my comfort zone to make a regular connection with people I wouldn't otherwise meet.
  Man, was I impressed by Maiah Manser (for some reason I want to spell it Manswer, like answer) and I can't wait until she comes out with more solo artist material because I know it will be amazing.  Us Lights, from Oregon, was awesome and Wye Oak was incredible as always. Both of those bands are amazing, as well, but we were there to see Maiah perform.  I think my friend Oscar said it best when he said, "I hope I didn't leave mess because she blew my mind."  Her graceful use of electronic effects, including vocal effects and loops; she built the song in front of our eyes/ears? She successfully fuses the digital and the organic.  Spiraling stacked vocal harmonies and intelligent lyrics that resonate. A Seattle artist to keep your eyes on.


https://uslightsmusic.bandcamp.com
https://wyeoak.bandcamp.com

http://www.maiahmanser.com

Mary Lambert Part 2

Well, it was really easy to think of a follow up title.  I'm trying to think of a word to describe how the show left me feeling.  I think I felt the full gamut of emotions.  Damn, this girl is talented! It's good to know if for some reason she ever lost her singing voice (knock on wood) she's got a career in comedy.  I was immediately captivated by the music and forgot to take pictures like I planned.  Mary was so open and vulnerable on stage as she performed some "New shit" as as its called in the poetry world and it was so real and so great.  She also told us about a secret surprise she was planning in Everett and we're not supposed to tell.  Very hush hush. And Oh my God, when she hit that note, you know the one, it was magic.  There was romance, a standing ovation a couple of times and for the encore song everyone was dancing.  She's so comfortable on stage, you know that's where she belongs.  It's no surprise why she has an enormous following and I will be one of those following the life of her career.