Steve Bannon, Trump's evil brain ("He thinks Darkness is Good"), was in my dream last night... not a good man... made me think of this...
Donny: Are these the Nazis, Walter?
Walter Sobchak: No, Donny, these men are nihilists. There's nothing to be afraid of.
Trump's first week and his favorability ratings are at 36%. He's dropped 8 points in 7 days. You do wonder about those 36% folks. What's wrong with those people? If Trump could somehow keep up this kind of performance, in 2 months or so, he will be looked upon about as favorably as the Ebola Virus! Although, I suppose that isn't likely, there is a core of "true believers" (see previous post), who think that naked, unsound, egomaniac is just perfect.
So what's changed? Everything. We no longer listen to the radio. We used to listen to NPR, we'd have the radio on every morning, late afternoon, early evening. Ever since the election, no more. We don't want to hear the things we don't want to hear, and we especially don't want to hear that mad, unsound, ill (in mind & body) person who now occupies the White House speaking gibberish.
I'd rather read the transcripts, and watch Alec Baldwin's impersonation.
So instead, we listen to music. Lately in the Jazz category: Chet Baker, Miles Davis. I love all eras of both of these towering musical geniuses. Chet with teeth, or without. Miles in his cool jazz era or his wild fusion experiments. Thrilling. Pure love.
Also we just scored a bunch of new CD's... we still listen to that great format, love to pore over the little booklets, admire the cover art, read the lyrics and production notes. My latest thing is to play an album over and over. Just let the music wash over me. These are the records on our "hot list" at the moment:
1. Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago" (2007) - Justin Vernon has an incredibly beautiful voice. This is the famous "remote hunting cabin" album. One man, alone in a cabin, singing his soul. Amazing. Beautiful. I just love to hear the man's voice.
2. Sturgill Simpson "A Sailor's Guide to Earth" (2016) - I thought, based on Sturgill's 1st record, that he was sort of an "Outlaw Country" guy. A cosmic cowboy. A voice like Waylon Jennings, a head filled with hallucinogenics. But this album is a kick-ass R&B record. The Dap Kings horn section joins him. Tight, loose. Sturgill has a lot on his mind. Explains it all to his newborn son. A stunner.
3. D'Angelo - "Black Messiah" ( 2014) & "Voodoo" (2000) - I think "Black Messiah" might be one of my all time, all time favorite records. We've had it for awhile. I have listened to it over and over and over. It just gets better. Sexy, slippery, slinky, funky, silvery, cool, hard to hold, easily works it's way into your head, your heart, your soul. Features the best drum/bass combo in the known Universe: Questlove and Pino Palladino. I would call this music "avant garde" R&B/Funk/Soul. Nothing quite like it. "Voodoo" may be just as good, still working thru it. Certainly both records are truly extraordinary.
Listening to these albums is a healing. Good for the soul, good for the head. Good medicine to chase away the blues, and all that bad JuJu in the air. A necessary antidote to the poison.
