MY LIST - December 2012

December’s artist: Ryan Montbleau Band

For this edition and rebirth of "Music You’ll Like Instantly, SomeTimes" I’ve chosen to focus on a lesser known artist, at least here in the mid-Atlantic. I’ve known about Ryan and his band for some time now, although he’s been at it for quite a while. His musical style and tastes are as varied as his band. Hailing from Massachusetts, he has gathered quite a large following all around the Northeast. Unfortunately, that has not spread to the sub-DC region as of yet. Fortunately, that leaves the few shows he does in and round this area as quaint and connective soirees that still bring the enthusiasm and pitch perfect sound of any one of their show you are blessed to catch.

The music is difficult to categorize into one genre but it clearly begins with Ryan’s finger-picking guitar style and Tracy Chatman-esque vocals (just checked his website - www.ryanmontbleauband.com - after I wrote this line, and low and behold, he’s covering “Fast Car,” I’ll share in a follow up post). In most songs you will find creative plucking melodies, either on acoustic or electric guitar, combined with a range of a-rhythmic lyrics that flow from spoken-word to larynx straining high-ends, sometimes within the same song. To round out, and often transform the musical style of many of Ryan’s songs, he is backed by a wealth of musical talent. Matty can transition from stand-up to electric bass as the song needs. James handles the drums, typically on a scaled down kit yet can do a whole lot with very little. His brother, Jason, is one of the best keys players I’ve seen live and probably add the most to the additional sounds of the band’s songs. On additional percussions is Yahuba who joins the band from time to time on the road and it is usually apparent when he is not there – not that it takes away from the experience, but he does bring an added depth to the live show that is found in the studio recordings. Early in the band’s formation, they had a violinist who left the band for reasons not known to me, but he left a indelible make on the music that I heard when discovering the band – and seeing them live. About a year ago, they introduced Lyle on lead/electric guitar who brings an element missing from the early incarnation of RMB – a flair of rock, jazz, and jams that compliments the talents of the other members. It is clear in their live shows that the band has progressed and matured, but they have not produced an album with their current line up, one I look forward to hearing.

Musically, the band fuses, melds, transitions from a variety of influences – jazz, ska, calypso, folk, bluegrass, pop, call-and-response. Lyrically, Ryan often weaves stories of life on the road, light-hearted life experiences, and serious relationship ballads. They are often literal, comical, introspective, and observational.

I would be remiss not to mention the fact that the Ryan Montbleau Band has embraced the modern technological age and stream all their live shows @ www.rmblive.com so check it out. I’ve seen him live several times and every show is unique and outstanding. In addition, I’ve listened to a few solo shows that are equally enjoyable and intimate. As a band, they can handle coffee house shows, club shows, bars, listening rooms, and party cruises- their music transcends pigeon-holing so my guess is that you’ll find at least one song you’ll like. And here’s a few to start with:

Songs that will change your life: Stretch, 75 and Sunny, Grain of Sand

Other songs that you must listen to: Variety, The Boat Song, Maybe Today, I Can’t Wait, Slippery Road, Draw the Line, Here et Al.

Hidden Tracks: Just Perfect, Eggs, Straw in the Wind, Quickie

Ryan Montbleau Band - Straw In The Wind

How It's Changed

…And welcome back, I hope you enjoyed that brief commercial smell sensation, didn't that smell delicious? We are happy to be back, beaming directly into your cerebral cortex dnd do we have an exciting uplink for you today. In this segment we are going to delve into the world of ancient technological change. You see, back in homo sapiens sapien period, what they might call the late 20^th century, life was a bit “backwards” for our standards. Imagine a world where you had to use a handheld device to communicate with friends and family?!? And communication with their domesticated pets wasn’t even fathomable for them…haven’t times changed? Now let us examine some of the technology these early humans used in their daily lives…feel free to virtually manipulate these objects to really give you a feel for the clumsiness of their archaic lives. Just don’t do it while transporting as this may cause a fluctuation in your brainwaves resulting in distortion upon re-apparition. We do not want to see any transportation fatalities because of our distractive content. W8 & Concentr8

(cue cheesy 'musac' and warming voice-over)

Here we see one of the devices that “revolutionized” communication…if they only knew, right? They called this a Cellular Telephone, after a previous form, yet similar technology of wired communication. The “Cell Phone” as it became to be known as allowed humans to walk around freely in public whilst continuously communicating directly with an unknown individual on the other end…often times making said individual look like a huge douche-bag to anyone overhearing their very annoying and irrelevant conversations.

Next, let us mentally navigate to this rather large, cubed device, popular amongst these early humans for entertainment and distraction. They called it the “television,” and it operated in a most rudimentary way. The front panel of this cube would emit a patter of colors creating a two-dimensional image of dramatized tele-plays that this “civilization” would then watch for enjoyment. Yes, only two-dimensions! Imagine how much we are amused at only five dimensions, our ten must not have even been found in their futuristic fictional ‘tele-plays’…it is hard to fathom what life must have been like for these depraved souls. Our two-legged ancestors would sit for star-rotations on end, watching semi-humorous, vaguely scripted situational comedies, dramas, or athletic competitions to escape from their mundane, labor intensive sun-rotations.

Now, can you imagine leaving your domicile, and your means of travel is a four-wheeled vehicle that used naturally created, but limited supplied, combustible liquid which propelled gears to create acceleration? If they only knew, right? Maybe hundreds of thousands of these early humans could have lived instead of perishing in the final great war and this, mankind, could have survived the last great technological feat that ultimately lead to their doom…

the “gaming console.” Records show that the first and widely popular gaming device, one that allowed for interchangeable games, was known as the Atari. Later advances found better visual graphics and more comprehensive game play. In addition, any advancement resulted in the increase in average weight, laziness, and academic failure rates which we all know led to the eventual extinction of this once proud race of beings. It truly is an amazement how these gaming consoles, in conjunction with their two-dimensional displaying devices completely engrossed pre-adolescent, adolescent, and ultimately post-adolescent humans in interactive game-play, using such themes as war, auto-racing, mythical warriors, sports, and ironically, futuristic, post-apocalyptic hell-scapes.

How fortunate are we to live in a modern time of collective consciousness, a free existence, and a reality that is devoid of any need of a virtual state. Now be well my fellow siblings and remember to never forget the foibles of our ancestors, least we dare not repeat them.

Not So Deep Thoughts IV

Just a few things that have been on my mind lately…when I’ve been consciences enough to think (which might explain why these aren’t really all that coherent)

-          We should create literal objects that are used in figurative speech…like timetable, put a clock in a table. The rat race, make rat racing popular by showing it on ESPN2. We'll do this just to mess with people so they can’t figure out which one we are talking about.

-          Hey, Stephen A. Smith, the louder you scream does not make you more right.

-          I’m sure someone has said this before but, people who start a sentence with “I don’t mean to be rude, but…” or “I don’t mean to interrupt, but…” are about the say or do exactly what they don’t mean to say or do. It is even worse than just saying or doing what you don’t mean to say or do because you are acknowledging the fact you are about to say or do exactly what you don’t mean to do. I’d rather you just tell me I have a face that looks like Chris Christie’s ball sack and not know you are being rude.

-          I often wonder if I’m that friend in the group that is the one that everyone else thinks is just a huge dork and is trying way too hard, like Andre from “The League” or Cliff from “Cheers” or Cricket from “It’s Always Sunny…” Oh well, guess I’ll go back to wearing my fedora hat spouting random trivia and fawning over Dee (also, see first thought, that should explain a lot)

-          Where is the reality TV show about the making of a movie about reality TV shows?

-          My headphones are lying on the floor in the shape of a brontosaurus head (sorry, Apatosaurus)…no kidding, it’s a little scary. I just hope it doesn’t sneeze on me (right, Adriana Richards?)

-          I’m a little worried that I cannot remember ANYTHING past 1998, curse you on-demand information. I can list for you my childhood phone number, every player by position on the 1990 world champion Cincinnati Reds team (even Hal Morris who came in as a defensive sub at 1^st base to catch the Rickey Henderson pop-out to win the decisive game 4 sweep!), the cast members of the Breakfast Club, the afternoon line-up of cartoons on fox, and can describe for you my elementary school Christmas play in great detail, I, of course, was a dashing toy soldier. Ask me to name 2/3^rd of the cast of the Avengers and I’d blankly stare at your face.

-          I’m pretty sure that 60% of the time you’ll find me wearing two different socks, because I get dressed in the dark, which probably says a lot.

-          I’m sure if Superman had known what Margot Kidder was to become, he would have never spun the earth in the opposite direction and turned back time to save her from that earthquake. Speaking of which, how much reality do you have to suspend to believe that that could actually happen, if anything, the Earth would have been really fucked up and all out of wack.

-          I’m not sure that my students are thinking the same thing as me when I mention “fiscal cliff.”

-          At what age does it become embarrassing to play with LEGOs? And why is it less acceptable than building a model “Helm’s Deep?”

-          I’m just waiting for 1980s fashion to come back so I can stop laughing at old pictures (of myself) and start laughing at actual people. 1980s comedies are comical for a whole different reason now-a-days. Sorry, Cory Haim, R.I.P.

-          Flat tires blow!

-          When Bigfoot gets lonely, she shaves and does a movie under the name Mickey Rourke

-          If we didn’t have daylight savings, would everything just go dark?

-          I say we just get rid of leap day and let things just play out, see if we can really adjust to subtle changes, you know, to help us prepare for global warming.

Comment-ary

(the following is a blog about why I don’t blog about myself. All of these commenters are factious, and any resemblance to actually people is merely coincidental, enjoy!)

“Hey, Rick D., long time reader, first time commenter. I see you do not write about yourself very much. What’s up with that?” – Nosey in New Brunswick

Haha, well, Nosey, first, thank you for your comments, and to answer you question, one I might add that I’m sure are on many of the readers’ minds, is that I don’t think many of you would find my life all that much interesting. Don’t get me wrong, I am very happy with my life - A very loving and beautiful wife, a quaint house in a nice neighborhood, away from the noise but close enough to the see to not be considered the suburbs. But, honestly, who really wants to read about that? But if you are interested, let me know.

“I see from your blogs that you are an average, middle-age, white guy who teaches high school history and watches a lot of TV. What makes you so special and knowledgeable to rant on anything?” – condescending in Caroline

Nice deduction, condescending, you are spot on. If you go back through my blogs, I actually reveal a lot about myself: I don’t plan ahead, I write as I think, I can be witty but lack refinement, I use a lot of self-deprecating humor, I rarely revise mistakes because I do not re-read my writings, I’m not an English major but pretend to be, and know a little about a lot of things but not a lot about a few things.

“Sundreched, first time reader, long time commenter. I find it very difficult to follow your posts so I just don’t read them. Why are you even doing this?” – annoyed in Alexandria

Oh boy, tough crowded out there today, are you annoyed because of the traffic up there, or what? Well, I do this more for my own enjoyment, really. I have no pretense that anyone actually reads this thing, even you guys, my devote commenters, mainly because I made you up and since no one actually comments I never actually know if anyone does read this (shameless plea). I find this medium to be a good outlet for rants, ideas, and removing the mental garbage that piles up in my head during those momentary periods of silence over the course of a day. I’ve never been one to keep a journal and in times of going back and reading my own posts, it is more like reading someone else’s thoughts, because I rarely remember thinking of them the first time around. And lastly, I think it’s a good primary source of my own thoughts and a reflection of the things happening at that time…which sometimes makes it difficult to get some of the references in old posts, but whatever.

“Your writing does not follow a singular train of thought; do you have A.D.D or something?” – random in Roanoke

Yes. Wait, what were we talking about? So, yeah, if you don’t have A.D.D. and want to know the mental processes that occur with in the mind of someone who has been clinically diagnosed with A.D.D (I will never be mistaken for someone who is hyperactive so just leave the ‘H’ at the door), then feel free to peruse some of my earlier posts, or just sit through one of my classes…good thing most of my students don’t pay attention or they would be completely lost listening to me. I tend to go on tangents…I did enjoy math in high school, that could explain my appeal for problem solving and geometry, things like tangents and hypotenuses. I am must more of a spatial learner than auditory. Wait, what was I talking about? One of my co-workers actually recommended that I take a drug to help me out with that. ‘nough said.

“Are you like this in real life?” – admirer from Albemarle

Why yes, yes I am, only less articulate, and less wordy, and less vocal, and less forthcoming with my thoughts. So no, no I am not. The ability (and you might find this hard to believe) to contemplate your thoughts prior to expressing them is a big bonus for me. I’m witty, but not quick of tongue. I’m like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, give me some time and I’ll e-mail you a witty retort (but not nearly as smart, but maybe just as equally socially awkward). In a group, I probably talk the least (my students would find this hard to believe). I might even say things inappropriate for the level of acquaintance (see ‘Acquaintances’ post). But, all-in-all, I’m just as random and observant, and randomly observant as my posts.

Thank you for joining us today on “The Readers Write”, join us next time when we’ll have dead silence so I’ll just make up more imaginary readers, just like my childhood when I had the best imaginary backyard basketball team. Good night!

Youth Running

I found an unfinished blog from Sept of ’07, prior to getting opportunities to coach at the high school level. I thought I’d share it with you and I’ll probably follow up with some rant on modern athletes and athletics…

As I have mentioned before, I grew up running. There are pictures of me at age 7 holding a trophy for some run I did around a block. I actually remember bits of that day, and if you know me and my memory skills, that’s impressive. I can’t remember names of people I just met 3 seconds after they told me. Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, running. Recently I had a brief conversation about running at such a young age, what I use to wear, how involved were my parents, etc. And watching young children run today makes me shiver about what it must have been like for me. Granted, I recall never being pushed by my Dad to do anything I didn’t gravitate toward; I guess I was just a naturally good runner and enjoyed being good at something (I think most kids feel that way). But when I see kids coming out to summer track meets wearing Underarmour shirts and Nike spikes (seriously? At age 8?) I wonder about how much of a say they had in that decision. We have High School kids breaking 4 minutes in the mile and sprinting faster then at any point in history and you wonder why many athletes are turning to performance enhancing drugs. Is the pressure too great in High School sports? Kids are getting started younger and younger and parents are demanding more and more. It makes me reconsider going into the coaching profession all together. I remember my running career as being rather enjoyable (until I got to college); interacting with teammates and coaches, running at races, long-slow runs spent throwing rocks at power lines. I honestly believe that sports must be enjoyable for young athletes, particularly if you want them to continue in the sport beyond middle school. Success certainly makes sports more enjoyable but what does success cost? Sports are institutions that foster positive environments for the young and old, but when sports are driven by results, success, winning, then the environment turns to pressure, frustration, cheating, and money…just ask O.J., McGuire, Sosa, (Lance Armstrong) and an endless number of athletes that didn’t even find wealth and popularity but suffered the ill effects. Sports have become an economic beast but does that need to trickle down to 6, 7, 8 year olds? Running provided me an outlet of stress, an inlet of sportsmanship, life long friendships, and a perspective on the world that most miss. It paid for my education at a top University but once it became a necessity and not a desire, it became a burden. 

And here's proof (aren't I adorable?)

A Third-Life Crisis

So I like to think that I’m a third through my life, if all goes according to the plan I hope fate has laid out for me (ok, maybe more than a third). I’ve been catching myself having these thoughts about the situations I've been finding myself in lately. Kind of those existential thoughts like: am I really having brunch as a couple with a couple? Are we really considering playing “family feud” - husbands against wives? Am I really having this conversation about how lovely the cheese spread is at this co-worker holiday function?

I feel like I’m sometime living out an episode of Seinfield or How I Met Your Mother. “You guys should come over for dinner, we can even open a bottle of wine and play charades.” “Hey, shmoopie.” “No, you hang up…no you…no you.” I’ve never been accused of, nor have I ever felt that I have acted my age. I physically look younger than my chronological years, and I’m pretty sure you would not accuse me of being overly mature for my age if you spent more than 5 minutes around me. I like to think I just got a late start on life – starting my ‘career a mere 5 years ago, recently married, and purchased a home about a year ago. I’m not complaining mind you, I will never be mistaken for someone who likes to rush into things. But I think I draw the line at stereotypical. My whole life and every essence of my physical being is stereotypical – white, male, middle-class, college-educated (I’m finding that less typical than I once believed), about 6’ tall, average American kid of divorced parents and enjoyed playing sports growing up.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy spending time with others…sometimes, you know, hanging out, having a drink, watching a game, or even just a nice conversation. But I just don’t think that I’m “that guy.” You know, the one who is the husband of the friend of a friend that you approach at a wedding/neighbor/holiday party and strikes up a conversation about how do you know so-and-so? What line of work are you in? Hey, we should get together sometime and discuss trying to get you into a new Lexus, then hands you his card – Sales Representative, Toyota/Lexus/Scion Dealer. I guess that’s why I’m not in sales, hey, more power to them.

As I experience this, and many more situations like these to come, I worry that my mind will betray me and I’ll be unable to control my inner-dialog – which typically leaves me fighting off laughter. This might be an early sign of a serious psychological disorder. (deep breath) Serenity now.