Eddie Vedder - Can't Keep

Music videos don't get much better than this...Pearl Jam music, ukulele's and Hawai'i.

Talib Kweli - Joy

[Talib Kweli]
Wooaahh! yeah
on top of the world
Yeah, that's how my seeds got me feeling' right now
on top of the world
Yeah, you ever felt like you could do anything, (Yeah)
on top of the world
I'ma hold y'all down for real, (Gotcha!)

[Talib Kweli]
It was 1996, 4th of July, looking off in the sky
dealing with thoughts inside, when something caught my eye
It was a silhoutte of a beautiful woman, bright with life
carrying my first seed, looking like she gone bear fruit tonight
We at the African street festival, and she walking around
talking about the midwife said, that bring the baby down
I'm about to be a father, the sights and sounds, seem brighter around me
and for starters, I know I'ma work harder, word
We got home at three in the morning, I was beat
them contractions started coming as soon as I fell asleep
3:05, like every five minutes, then the water broke
we on the go, yelling at the cabbie, cause he's sort of slow
You know them hospitals all trying to get paid, no questions
hear come the doctor's with they drugs, trying to do c-sections
But my baby stay's strong, in labor for yay long
eight-pound baby boy, to carry my name on, joy!

[Chorus: Mos Def + (Talib Kweli)]
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
See my brother, I know how you feel, Kweli, I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
So when you, have a seed, come in the world, say dog that shit's real
(That's the sound of joy, y'all)
Huh, Kweli, yo I know how you feel, Kweli, yo I know how you feel

My baby girl

[Talib Kweli]
June 10th, 1999, I been on the grind
since the birth of my son, it's been about, way more then rhymes
Baby on the way, my lady glowing today, at least
that's what the midwife said, on the phone
Anyway, the music got me going away
Like everyday, but it's a blessing, so I gotta have patience
and she got pregnant on a Jamaican vacation
So it's all good, this time well have the baby in a house
I went the hospital route, I know what they all about (Never again)
So I'm out on tour, in Baltimore
get the call around four, when the water hit the floor (Damn!)
I gotta rock my show, but I gotta go
got second thoughts about her not going, to the hospital
I left the show early, Mos held me down, good looking (No doubt)
call the car service, like, take me straight to Brooklyn (Uh huh)
Got the news in the car, stayed sorta calm
but I cried tears of joy, when they put my daughter in my arms, how precious!

[Chorus: Mos Def + (Talib Kweli)]
Huh, huh
Said I know how you feel, uh, said I know how you feel when you
(My precious joy)
Said I know how you feel, uh, Kwe I know how you feel
(I know you do, huh, my precious joy y'all)
Huh, uh, said I know how you feel (yeah), said I know how you feel
(My precious joy)
Huh, man I know how you feel (yeah), said I know how you feel

[Talib Kweli]
I do it for the seeds y'all, in they formative years when they need y'all
we gotta believe, in what we conceive y'all, it's deep y'all
I give them the truth, so they approach the situation, with ammunition
I keep nothing away, they hear everything, cause they know how to listen
Teach them the game, so they know they position, so they can grow
and make decisions, that change the world, and break old tradition
They put kids in jail, for a life they ain't even get to start
that's murder too, and it's breaking my heart, it's breaking our nation apart
We gave the youth all the anger, it's just
we ain't taught them, how to express it, and so it's dangerous
You can't talk to them
Unless your language is relating to what they going through
so busy ignoring them, you can't see what they showing you
And you wonder, why we called baby-daddy's and baby-momma's
when we grow up, we can't act like adult mothers and fathers, yo
I'm so blessed to have a boy and a girl, everyday they bring joy to my world

[Chorus: Mos Def + (Talib Kweli)]
Huh, yeah
I know how you feel, Kweli I know how you feel
(That's the sound of joy)
Brother Kwe', I know how you feel, Brother Kwe', I know how you feel
(Baby girl, my precious joy)
Kweli, I know how you feel, say bro' I know how you feel
(Fela, be my joy, yo)
Huh, if you know how the people feel, let me really know how you...yo

I do it for the seeds y'all [Repeat 5x]

Bobby Ray (aka B.o.B.)

For Mother's Day, I gave Jen a CD of B.o.B's mixtape that was released for free on the internet. B.o.B. recently released his first commercial album, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard pop charts. Last year before he was famous, Jen and I saw him open for Q-Tip at a free concert, and both of us were amazed at how talented he was. Jen was sad he didn't give a longer concert, even though she loved Q-Tip's work in A Tribe Called Quest for several years.

What was cool about that hip-hop concert was we took two neighbor kids, and had some wild adventures learning not to give Mt. Dew to minors. This is seriously the kind of parents we are going to be.

Anyway, here is one of her favorite songs from the mixtape:

Party in My Tummy

Since Jen and I discovered this video last year, we seriously sing this song at every meal. When we have kids, we are totally going to watch shows like this with them. We can't wait.

R.I.P. Hank Jones

Hank Jones, a famous jazz pianist, passed away two days ago at age 91. Here is probably my favorite song he contributed to, "Love For Sale", with Cannonball Adderly, Miles Davis, and Art Blakey (all of whom are among the best jazz musicians in history).

Valleys of Neptune

I love Jimi Hendrix’s music. His creative approach to playing the guitar forever changed rock ‘n roll for the better.

A new Hendrix album came out a few weeks ago called Valleys of Neptune. Comprised of previously unreleased music, simply put, it’s awesome. I can’t stop listening to it!

Here’s a music video to accompany the new album:

Plastic Beach

Tomorrow the new Gorillaz album Plastic Beach comes out, which I’m really excited for. Gorillaz creator, Damon Albarn, from the British band Blur (most famous for Song #2 or “Wahoo!”), originally came up with the concept of an virtual rock band in response to his disgust with modern music. At the height of the consolidation of the radio/music industry and the bland bubblegum reigns of Brittney Spears and N’Sync, Albarn wanted to make an album showing just how creative music should be.

The animated video for Clint Eastwood was a huge hit, for good reason. Blending hip-hop and alternative rock, it was a breath of fresh, independent air.

 

The other songs from their debut album, Gorillaz,  featured a diverse blend of styles and lyrics in English, Spanish and Japanese. One of my other favorite videos from the album was for 19-2000:

 

The Grammy award winning second album, Demon Days, was produced by Dangermouse, also famous for the Beatles/Jay-Z mashup “The Grey Album” and Gnarls Barkley. The album was a huge success, and the track “Feel Good Inc.” featuring De La Soul became synonymous with Apple’s iPod through extensive advertising.

By the way, Dangermouse’s video for Encore with Ringo scratching and John Lennon break dancing is simply fantastic. 

 

Gorillaz’s newest video Stylo, features Mos Def, Bobby Womack, and Bruce Willis.

Kid A

Rolling Stone Magazine recently listed their top 100 picks for best albums of the decade 2000-2009 (do we have an official name for this decade yet? I always get confused what to call it other than “This Decade”). #1 on the list was one of my favorite albums, Kid A by Radiohead. I remember first listening to album the summer after I graduated from high school, about a year after it came out. This was during the height of my super artsy period, where I would listen to Pink Floyd, the Beatles and Pearl Jam all of the time, and required all of my music to be varied and creative.

I drove my poor family crazy with this album after I bought it. I would always insist on listening to it, but it was always too weird and wild for my family.

I heard once that this album was inspired after the band heard the Icelandic band Sigur Ros’s album, Agaetis Byrjun. Both album has an almost otherworldly feel to it, with orchestration and subdued guitar effects. Nothing else sounds remotely like it.
Compare the Sigur Ros song Svefn-G-Englar with How to Disappear Completely:





Another major influence on the album was the jazz music of Charlie Mingus. Mingus had some pretty wild and crazy songs. Better Get in Your Soul is one of my favorites:



Compare that to the end of The National Anthem for example sounds like a train wreck of brass instruments. Wild, crazy, and simply awesome.



Here’s one of my favorite songs on the album, Optimistic:

Arnold Layne

The other day a creep broke into my sister-in-law’s home in the middle of the night, rustled through her dresser, and fell asleep in her bedroom. She discovered him around 4:30 when she heard breathing in the room with her and tripped over him when she got up to turn on the light. She was really lucky because all he ran away after that and only stole her bra. Apparently the same guy has broken into three other homes in recent months. You can read and watch more about it here, here and here.

This reminds me of the early Pink Floyd single “Arnold Layne” about an underwear thief who goes to jail. Check out this really awesome and crazy music video from 1967.

Arnold Layne had a strange hobby
Collecting clothes
Moonshine washing line
They suit him fine

On the wall hung a tall mirror
Distorted view, see through baby blue
He dug it
Oh, Arnold Layne
It's not the same, takes two to know
Two to know, two to know, two to know
Why can't you see?

Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne

Now he's caught - a nasty sort of person.
They gave him time
Doors bang - chain gang - he hates it

Oh, Arnold Layne
It's not the same, takes two to know
two to know, two to know, two to know,
Why can't you see?

Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne, Arnold Layne
Don't do it again.

I hope the police are able to catch my sister-in-law’s “Arnold Layne.” And he’d better not do it again.

Pearl Jam - Just Breathe

This is one of my new favorite songs. Enjoy!

The Fixer

As previously reported, I am a big Pearl Jam fan. On their most recent album, Backspacer, one of my favorite new songs is called The Fixer:

When somethings dark
Lemme shed a little light on it

When somethings cold
Lemme put a little fire on it

If somethings old
I wanna put a little shine on it

When somethings gone
I wanna fight to get it back again.

When somethings broke
I wanna put a little fixing on it

If somethings bored
I wanna put a little exciting on it

When somethings low
I wanna put a little high on it

When somethings lost
I wanna fight to get it back again

When signals cross
I wanna put a little straight on it

If there’s no love
I’m gonna try to love again

I’ll say your prayers
I’ll take your side
I’ll find us a way to make light
I’ll dig your grave
We’ll dance & sing.
Who knows, could be our last lifetime!

I really like this song because I want to be a Fixer. When things are wrong, I want to help make them right again. I think this is one reason why I love being in law school because I'm learning skills about how to really be able to help people with serious problems.

In the past few days, I've been amazed at the frequency at how often I'm asked for legal advice from those I come in contact with. Their problems are varied, and some are more serious than others, but through them all is a pattern in which someone has been taken advantage of by another. I love being able to give them advice to protect these people from others seeking power over them. I feel satisfaction with my studies when I'm automatically able to turn around and apply them to fixing problems around me.

On another note, the new Backspacer album is awesome. There are a number of really great songs with wonderful lyrics. Songs like "Just Breathe" make me cry tears of joy and want to hold Jen. During the SLC Pearl Jam concert a few weeks ago, a man proposed to his wife on stage, and then the lead singer, Eddie Vedder, performed this for them. "By the power invested in me...I'm gonna play you a song." Jen and I held each other and it was a beautiful, romantic moment. Here's a fan video of the event:

Pearl Jam/Ben Harper Concert - 9-28-2009

On Monday, I fulfilled a lifelong dream to go to a Pearl Jam and Ben Harper concert. Both artists are eclectic and do a great job mixing things up. Each artist always impresses me with their growth and songwriting abilities on each new album.

Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam (PJ) is one of my favorite bands. I have been a big fan for about ten years now, knowing all of their songs and I own all of their albums. Their first album "Ten" was my teenage angst album, and I would listen to it after every bad date I ever went on while living in Provo. I also felt a kinship with the band because they were in Denmark the same day I was deported from Finland to that country. That night some fans were killed when a riot broke out at their concert, and they canceled their performance. They were extremely upset at this tragedy, and dedicated their next album, "Riot Act" to their memory. Pearl Jam is well known for being good to their fans.

Ben Harper

I got into Ben Harper (Ben) a year and a half ago, and holy cow, I can't get enough of his music. His most eclectic and diverse album is Diamonds on the Inside, with everything from reggae, rock to gospel music being played. One song from that album, "With My Own Two Hands", is my theme song:

I can change the world
With my own two hands
Make a better place
With my own two hands
Make a kinder place
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands
I can make peace on earth
With my own two hands
I can clean up the earth
With my own two hands
I can reach out to you
With my own two hands
With my own
With my own two hands

Im gonna make it a brighter place
Im gonna make it a safer place
Im gonna help the human race
With my own
With my own two hands

Despite my love for these musicians, both groups have proven difficult for me to go to their concerts. PJ hasn't come to Utah for 11 years, and I would always be busy/on vacation every time they would tour in neighboring states. In moving to Washington last year, I hoped I would have more luck in seeing them perform, but ended up moving a month before they were in the area. I thought my PJ concert curse would never end.

So when PJ anounced they were going on tour again this fall with Ben, I told Jen we had to do everything within our power to go. We quickly got tickets to a concert in San Diego right after they went on sale, thinking we would go on a mini vacation for my fall break next month.

That's when just under a month ago Dave Adamusko sent me a text asking me if we wanted to go to a PJ concert. That's when we found out that PJ and Ben had just announced a concert date in Salt Lake City. I went ballistic, and luckily was able to trade my San Diego tickets for SLC (as evil as the Ticketmaster-Live Nation monopoly is, they were kind enough to let me exchange tickets).

So last Monday (Yom Kippur), Jen, Dave, James Welch and I went to the E-Center for the concert. They played a Here are some photos and videos from the concert:

Soo excited. I'm wearing a shirt from the Experience Music Project from Seattle.

Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 performing "Up To You Now"

Jen and Brian rocking out during Pearl Jam!

Jen, Brian and James

Pearl Jam performing "The Fixer", my new theme song. It's a song about a guy who goes around trying to make the world a better place.


"Amongst the Wave", one of my new favorite songs.


I thought "Even Flow" was the coolest song in the world when I was 17.

Ben Harper joined them for "Red Mosquito". This song cracks me up because it's about a time when their singer Eddie was really sick.

Pearl Jam performing one of my favorite songs, "Alive".

Jen headbanging to "Yellow Ledbetter".

Return to Provo

I returned to Provo, UT last week. It is really strange for me to be here again. Just under a year ago, I left Provo without any intention to ever return. I left to begin law school in Washington, but also because I felt my eternal progression would not continue if I did not leave.

For one thing, I was burned out by the Utah dating scene. I had tried to develop knowledge, wisdom, kindness, charity and other talents to better myself, but felt unsuccessful in finding the lasting meaningful relationships I was really looking for. At the time, I had the impression that I would never get married if I stayed in Utah. And so under intense pressure from many of my friends to not leave, I packed up my car and went off into the unknown, trusting that God would lead me to where I needed to be to find the fulfillment I was seeking.

My theme for leaving was "Gone" by Pearl Jam:

No more upset mornings
No more trying evenings
This American Dream I am disbelieving
When the gas in my tank feels like money in the bank
Gonna blow it all this time, take me one last ride
For the lights of this city, they only look good when I'm speeding
I wanna leave em all behind me cause this time I'm gone
Long gone,
This time I'm letting go of it all
So long,
This time I'm gone

In the far off distance
As my taillights fade
No one thinks to witness but they will someday
Feel like a question is forming
And the answer's far
I will be what I could be
Once I get out of this town

For the lights of this city
They have lost all feeling
Gonna leave em all behind me cause this time I'm gone
Long gone,
This time I'm letting go of it all
So long,
Long gone, I'm letting go of it all
Yeah, This time I'm gone

If nothing is everything
If nothing is everything I'll have it all
If nothing is everything then I will have it all

This song really resonated with me, and I felt that I really could be all that I could be once I left Provo. My thought at the time was that I would go to Washington and rock whatever ward I ended up in. I wanted a new start, to show them what the folks in Provo were going to miss.

But then something miraculous happened. On the way to Washington, I had one of the greatest adventures of my life with my best friend, Jennifer, and suddenly I discovered everything that was missing in my life. Hidden reservoirs of joy, happiness, laughter, excitement, love, etc. all appeared to me. The day I left Utah, I became a new person; a better person. My prompting to leave immediately provided what I was missing. And as the months unfolded, I found more than I could ever imagine finding.


It is strange to be back in Provo because I am not the same person I was before. Everything is the same, yet it is not. Many of the same people are still here. The buildings on BYU campus are exactly the same as when I left. Traffic is still crazy. The Honor Code still rules the student body.

Yet I am very different than the person who left a year ago. I truly feel that I became more like the man I want to be while living in Washington. I am an engaged to be married in three weeks to the most beautiful girl in the world. I completed my first year of law school. I had an important calling working with members of the stake presidency, high councilmen, and multiple bishoprics. Any one of these would be enough to spur major changes in anyone, yet here I had all of them combined in the space of a few short months.

I feel deja vous from the time I returned from my mission. I feel like a superhero in disguise, just another face in the congregation/crowd. Yet I think this time I'm not doing a very good job to hide my secret identity.

While it is bittersweet to leave Washington and the many wonderful missionaries, law students and Marshallese people I met there, it is wonderful being reunited with Jen, and hopefully to stay. I am trying to transfer down here to BYU or the U so we can be together in the fall. Regardless of where we end up, I know that God will use us to create good around us.

I feel great and exciting things are coming our way, and I am excited to face these adventures with my best friend.