Take Those Old Records from the Shelf…

So. I think I’m getting old. Tonight the winner of “Rockstar: Supernova” was crowned and my only comments about the winner are that he screams everything and I can’t understand a word he says. So. I’ve officially turned into my mother.

The older I get, the more I appreciate good lyrics, thoughtful melodies, emotional performances. Not screaming, Mohawks, piercings and tattoos. Could it be I’ve outgrown traditional rock and roll? I don’t like Nickelback and half a dozen other bands that are popular right now. I am in love with indie music. Specifically Death Cab for Cutie. Let’s use a GPS and zero in even further and say more specifically, their lead singer and songwriter, Ben Gibbard.

Let’s review, shall we? Here are the lyrics to a song that will be released by Supernova, which is fronted by none other than Tommy Lee:

“Hey Hey Hey. Ho Ho Ho.
Don’t know where else to go
There’s a really fine line between what’s yours and what’s mine.
This time I don’t want to know. You know.
I’m sick of being haunted by everything changing I know.”

Uh. Ok. Yeah.

And now a few songs written by Ben Gibbard:

From “Passenger Seat”
“I roll the window down
and then begin to breathe in
the darkest country road
and the strong scent of evergreen
from the passenger seat as you are driving me home.

Then looking upwards
I strain my eyes and try
to tell the difference between shooting stars and satellites
from the passenger seat as you are driving me home.

"do they collide?"
I ask and you smile.
with my feet on the dash
the world doesn't matter.

when you feel embarrassed then I'll be your pride
when you need directions then I'll be the guide
for all time.
for all time.”

From “Brand New Colony" (see video below for performance)
I'll be the grapes fermented, bottled and
served with the table set in my finest suit
like a perfect gentleman.

I'll be the fire escape that's bolted to the
ancient brick where you will sit
and contemplate your day.

I'll be the waterwings that save you if you
start drowning in an open tab when your
judgement's on the brink.

I'll be the phonograph that plays your favorite
albums back as you're lying there, drifting off
to sleep... drifting off to sleep...

I'll be the platform shoes; undo what heredity's done to you:
you won't have to strain to look into my eyes.
I'll be your winter coat buttoned and zipped
straight to the throat with the collar up so
you won't catch a cold.

I want to take you far from the cynics in this town
and kiss you on the mouth.
We'll cut our bodies free from the tethers of
this scene, start a brand new colony.
Where everything will change, we'll give
ourselves new names. Identities erased.
The sun will heat the ground, under our bare
feet in this brand new colony.
This Brand new colony...



From “Such Great Heights”
“I am thinking it's a sign
that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images
and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned

And I have to speculate
that God himself did make
us into corresponding shapes
like puzzle pieces from the clay”

Ok. So, there’s no comparison. Ben is brilliant, gifted and I love the way he puts his thoughts together. He is the king of metaphor and just listening to his writing inspires me to be a better writer. And there’s nothing more attractive than a man that knows how to express himself.

He scores additional points in the following categories:

1) He named the band Death Cab for Cutie after a song from The Beatles “Magical Mystery Tour”
2) He released a cover of John Lennon’s “Grow Old With Me”
3) He released a cover of Phil Collin’s “Against all Odds”
4) When he plays the electric guitar his stance is exactly like John Lennon's
5) He uses a Mac.

I think he might be the perfect man.

Anyway, so my musical tastes are changing. My iPod is filled with Death Cab for Cutie, Youth Group, Augustana, the Fray, Snow Patrol, Nada Surf, Beulah, Joshua Radin, Matt Pond PA and more bands that are popular with indie teens. I have to give kids credit these days…they are listening to more thoughtful music than I did at their age. When I was in high school I thought REO Speedwagon was the best band in the world. So, I think kids are a bit most sophisticated today and like things that are a bit “deeper” than “I’m going to keep on loving you, cos it’s the only thing I wanna do.”

Hey Hey Hey. Ho Ho Ho.

Long live Death Cab.