Musical History of my House

I recently completed a two-year renovation of my little house. Because I have sort of a sonic mind and a sonic memory, I wanted to document the music that I listened to during distinct periods in the process. When I here these musics, it takes me back to those specific times and I can remember smells, feelings, and weather.....

Moving in Summer 2005

"Twin Cinema" by The New Pornographers had just come out. I remember the feeling of adventure that that record has and that we had at that time.




Demolition of the Front Rooms Fall 2005

I was hooked on Jay Farrar's first solo record, "Sebastopol". Sort of rediscovering it and I was just reeling at how genius it was. A funny coincidence was I was also hooked on the Flaming Lips' "The Soft Bulletin" at the same time. This is a coincidence because the Flaming Lips' keyboardist Steve Drozd (famous for using vintage synths and 70's string machines like the Arp) was enlisted by Jay Farrar to trick out his countryfied sound with crazy Flaming Lips keyboards. Glad he did.

Building Kitchen/Demoing Master Bed/Bath Winter 2005-06
Listened to a lot on Sun Kil Moon's "Tiny Cities" and a lot of Magnolia Electric Company's "Hard to Love a Man" EP. Dark cold days and nights. Making coffee in the bathroom. Stepping on nails with bare feet doesn't hurt when your toes are numb. That sentence I just made pretty much sums up those to records.

Finishing Interior Spring 2006
"Bring it Back" by Mates of State was the hopeful, upbeat kick in the pants we needed to finish the interior. That and the other Mates albums were on constant rotation exclusively per Jill's request.




Fences Summer 2006
During this time, I listened to Ryan Adams and the Cardinals' "Jacksonville City Nights" continuously. It has that golden-age-of-country feel. I could pretty much sing the entire album along with it... and did- loudly and proudly, probably to the surprise of neighbors and passersby who only heard my clunky voice and not what I was hearing in my earphones. There is a lot of pain in those songs and this was when I blew out my hands while making shiplap grooves in each fence board, I couldn't play the guitar and wondered if I would ever play again.

Stripping and Painting the Exterior Winter 2006-07
Townes Van Zandt's "Legend" double disc anthology
Midlake's "The Trials of Van Ocupanther"
This was a lonely time of being outside in the cold on a ladder. Doing stupid stuff like painting in the rain standing on the "Caution! Not a Step!" step of the ladder just to get something done before dark. With my headphones on, of course. These two albums provided a perfect soundtrack and matched the coldness and solitude I felt. Van Zandt's signature singer/songwriter folk is offset by his other-worldy lyrics about things like mythical Viking quests ("Silver Ships of Andilar"), ghostly space cowboys who purchase the souls of young women ("St. John the Gambler"), and building a houseboat in heaven ("Heavenly Houseboat Blues"). Midlake's dreamworld of magic was like a wintery, woodsy dose of musical LSD and I was truly transported (as my faithful readership well knows).

Baby's Room Spring/Summer 2007

I think I was on a Brandon Butler kick. I know I arready blogged about this. I think that, subconsciously I was reaching back into my musical past and I think it had something to do with becoming a father and what that means. Butler's new solo record had just come out and I listened to that and his other solo record and his records fronting the band, Canyon. And his records fronting the band, the Farewell Bend. And his records fronting the band, Boy's Life. Brandon is a musician I've adored since graduating highschool. Rediscovering/reappreciating his entire catalog and full volume was a treat.