I got a call from the passport people. They were very pleasant and informed me that I will be receiving my passport sometime in 2030. Actually, September or October. I’m glad I only need it for identification purposes and don’t actually have somewhere to be.

Anyway.

I want to say I forgot what a great album White Light Rock & Roll Review was but I never really connected with it when I bought it, so I didn’t forget–I just didn’t know. What an ignorant slut I am! Anyway, I didn’t listen to it very closely and when I wasn’t immediately grabbed by the songs (damn this age of instant gratification) I kind of set it aside and hit Beautiful Midnight and ABBA’s Greatest Hits and that was that.

Now, something like two years later, I’m discovering how fantastic and underrated an album it really is and feeling stupid about how long it took me to do it. It started with Blue Skies Over Bad Lands. That song goes with ANYTHING, just so you know. Tonight I was listening to it in the car and the crickets were chirping and the birds were singing and I actually thought it was part of the CD. And then there was this music video of it on youtube and it had a background sound of rain falling and I thought that was part of the CD too. Tomorrow a crackling fire or something will be in the background when I listen to it and I’ll make the same mistake of thinking it’s on the CD because I just never learn. But I digress. So anyway, it started with Blue Skies Over Bad Lands. That song swept me away. It was so warily optimistic, or something. I don’t know. The lyrics are optimistic and gentle but the music is wary and the contrast makes me want to write novels and that’s always a good thing. It’s a cinematic as 99% of his songs usually are. Here is a live version:

The more you listen to the album, the more you realise there’s not one misstep along the way. Okay, that’s just my opinion but whatevers, I’m usually right about everything so you can trust it. Even the three supposedly ‘passable’ add-on songs are pretty stellar (I am playing a lot of Buffalo Seven lately) and even better, they all complement each other perfectly. Matt Good’s done songs I can take or leave and they get the skip when I’m making iTunes playlists or listening to them in the car but everything on White Light Rock & Roll Review feels right where it should be. I’m glad every song is there for me to listen to and I’ve been listening to every song. Over and over. Driving people crazy. It’s really amazing. Everyone go buy it!

Right now, I think I like it better than Avalanche. Actually, I must.

Because you don’t see me writin’ no blog entries about Avalanche.

Oh, and the notes from the artist for Underdogs kill me! I can’t believe people thought the Apparitions video was that much of a risk. I was like, 12 when it came out. So much of that damn thing went over my head at the time and I concede I may have been a stupid 12-year-old but I was smart enough to know it was something special. It’s the first music video I remember really being WOW about because where was it going? Where would it end up? Most importantly, was the Janitor happy? Oh, how I wanted a sign that Janitor was going to be happy and okay after the last frame when I was 12. When his cart got overturned it devastated me and made me want to cry every time. I was a bit sensitive, possibly.

Here, I will post the music video for that as well. Watch it!

Seriously. I used to plant myself in front of the TV and watch MuchMusic for hours, waiting for it to come on. Man. Hey, remember when MuchMusic was much music??

Me neither.

In other news–and this is so mean–but I can’t wait until I can start hearing the sound of the buses passing my window again, making their way to school. It makes me SO HAPPY BECAUSE I DON’T HAVE TO GO. Okay, I haven’t had to go in like, 7 years but yeah, that’s right bus. You pass my house. You just keep on driving. Aaah, I’m smiling just thinking of it.

Beautiful.