R.O.T.K.

Tino, take it down. Take it all down. I'm back.

A momentous and scrambling couple of weeks it's been, as I've traveled and returned and packed and moved back to California, for good. I can't tell you how much I'll miss, am already missing, Edinburgh. It's always nice when you can confirm one of those old, seemingly hyperbolic sayings, in this case study abroad being the best thing I've ever done. I mean, isn't that sweet?

It was also nice to get in some "real world" ("non-blog") time, as it turns out a lot happens when I'm not even really thinking of music, or staying on the ball, or computers, or even archery. Which isn't to say that I didn't miss this, because I did. Although I largely abstained from any new music, I thoroughly enjoyed soundtracking this last half-month (but it seems like so much more!) with the most awesome, appropriate music. Of course, I'll have to share it with you.

I suppose this starts with the trip to Europe. Brussels, our first stop, was a strange, intriguing city. It came off initially as suffering from a complete identity crisis - French? Dutch? Both? Both. The more we explored, though, the more we warmed to it, until we decided we wanted more time. More discovery, more waffles, more beer, more amusing nightclubs and more Brussels Jazz Marathon. The city offerred a surprising amount to do (although, to be fair, our expectations were based entirely on speculation), and all the activity was wonderfully jovial, good-spirited. Healthy, like. Being in Belgium also afforded me the unique chance to play some special songs, in this case the Mounain Goats' unstoppable duo of "Letter from Belgium" and "Your Belgian Things," which I first listened to solely for the enjoyment of coincidence. But then began my Mountain Goats kick (still running strong), and I started to listen to We Shall All Be Healed in a new light.

I guess I need to explain some things, quickly. I am a big Mountain Goats fan. Of course, that is not a challenge, and I know some of you are Big Mountain Goats Fans. You win. But I enjoy the entirety of Darnielle's catalog, and by all accounts, I'm still learning. What may make you question me, though, is my preference of his latest albums. I was introduced to the band in a way that led me to believe they were gimmicky: all acoustic, lo-fi to the end, unbelievably prolific. The literacy and the heartbreak and the humor, that came later. But I began to really listen at the time Tallahassee came out, and that album particularly moved me. Over the course of the next two albums, I became hooked, and tended to listen to them over his back catalog. We Shall All Be Healed, though, never revealed itself to me, until now. Before, it was a hit-or-miss album, with songs I loved and songs I couldn't stand. Now, after having really give it a chance, it shines. Even the song that annoyed the hell out of me, "The Young Thousands," doesn't seem so bad. It makes sense now, somehow, that the album stands between Tallahassee and The Sunset Tree, in every sense, and it's when I stopped listening for one or the other that I could appreciate it on its own terms.

The Mountain Goats - Letter From Belgium [mp3]

The Mountain Goats - Your Belgian Things [mp3]

Next was Amsterdam. Not exactly my kind of place, but, my God, it's got some singularly gorgeous parts. And tacky parts, that are by turns fun, funny, and sad. We were only there for a night and a day, and I didn't really have time to listen to anything other than the reggae in the hostel. Is it possible that something can be so shamelessly clichéd, that it's actually fine? As if this birthed the cliché, and in some sense that makes it okay. Anyway, like you, and every other person on the planet Earth, I like Bob Marley. And because it's an established fact that we all own Legend, here's a different take:

Johnny Cash with Joe Strummer - Redemption Song [mp3]

Off to Paris now, where we'll see all we can in our three days, and despite this many stones remain unturned. I was delighted, though, with what we did manage, and saw that the city was just as special as it's made out to be. And the baguettes! Oh, the baguettes. And what did I listen to? The National, of course, because they're big in France, although I must admit that the music I heard when I was there was nothing like the National, but something more like OMD's "How Bizarre." How bizarre.

The National - Lit Up (Parisian Party Version) [mp3]

Finally, we went to Angers, a city west of Paris, where I met a friend and we stayed, relaxing, for four days. The sun made its debut and there was much lounging, I even worked up a little burn! And it perfectly matched the song "Provence" by Pet Politics. "Sunny days with picnics in the park . . . The river and the open fields and the smell in the streets from the boulangeries, yeah," it's all there, all true. Oh, and there was a music festival going on, and all those godless Angerite kids came out at night to rock out to some of the worst music I've ever heard. The final act one night? Rapping puppets. I mean, that sounds funny and perhaps cool, right? But when there's a big stage and big lights and it's late and electric, a big box with puppet hands coming out the top is an absolute clunker. To be fair, I couldn't get enough to drink that night.

Pet Politics - Provence [mp3]

And back to Scotland in time to be kicked out of my flat and say the hardest good-bye I've ever had to. Had to: it's such a merciless phrase. What it felt like:

The Mountain Goats - Going To Scotland [mp3]

"We watched the sun go down on Scotland/ And I watched the moon come up over you . . . I took your hips in my hands and I threw you down/ To the new-found rich brown deep wet ground/ had a vision of you burning on my mind," and so it went, just like that. A heartbreaker if there ever was one.

Planes and planes later, I'm home to my first home, the original home. And yeah, I'm pretty happy.

Visit the Mountain Goats online, and buy their albums here. I just got my Moops Music order of the Babylon Springs EP and a couple 7" singles. I'm excited! Also, I'm seeing them in a week or two, for the first time.

Visit Johnny Cash online, and buy Unearthed here.

Visit the National online, and buy all kindsa bonus goodies on iTunes!

Visit Pet Politics online (the In My Head EP is sold out, but new stuff seems to be on the way).

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I like this Stylus feature on the Mountain Goats.

I'm adding things to the blogroll soon, as soon as Tino fixes my template. And all the stuff I've been sent: I'm on it. Sorry it's taken so long.