Thinking Of A Dream I Had, vol. I

Might as well go all-out here: Thinking Of A Dream I Had is another brand-new feature I've come up with, another easy weekend post and another fun exercise. Without further ado:

My friend had an away message up: "catching fish for dinner." I saw this right before going to bed, and it must have manifested itself in my dream. I was on a lake, probably my grandparents', desperately and enthusiastically trying to convince someone to fish with me. Desperately, because we probably had to catch our next meal. Enthusiastically because I really like fishing. It's not something I've done much, but I love the idea. What "fishing" entails: waiting, relaxing, bonding, and (with any luck) shots of excitement and pride. The idyllic scene of a boy on a dock with a stick for a rod, straw hat and overalls - that's basically what I wish my life consisted of.

M. Ward - Fishing Boat Song [mp3]

A young M. Ward with an electric guitar, singing of finding Jesus in Kansas. "If I build you a fishing boat/ Would you leave everyone you know?" he is asked. Sometimes, I might.

Radar Bros. - Rock Of The Lake [mp3]

This song sounds like my memories of Lake Nascimiento. Dry, dry, dry, California heat and dirt. It's languid, like those days were, a keyboard whistles the sun through the sky. A gorgeous melody, too, strummed on crystalline strings, floating up like the visible heat off summer roads.

I was going to share Sufjan's "Pickeral Lake," my favorite, but couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm sorry. It felt like giving up my only son to the wilderness. Which isn't fair, because you aren't wolves, don't get me wrong. And I don't have a son. That's a strange analogue. Anyway, if you don't have it, go to iTunes, where you can find it with the Michigan outtakes.

Visit M. Ward online, buy Duet For Guitars #2 here (though you can probably find it cheaper elsewhere).

Visit Radar Bros. online, buy And The Surrounding Mountains here. Highly recommended.