12,005 Feet (or 2.3 Miles) Above Sea Level

Stand on top of a mountain and gain a new perspective, or at least a more clear, defined one - not just a jumble of thoughts and misgivings.

The family and I are in Colorado for a few days, driving through the Rockies, visiting old childhood hotspots (like my preschool), and meeting my parents’ old college friends. I was born in Boulder, which lies right along the base of the mountains. It’s a beautiful beautiful place, and it’s even more significant when you wash away the sea level troubles, breathe the thin air, and take it all for what it’s worth. And it’s worth a lot. I’ll make sure to get pictures up soon. But this vacation – disregarding how bored I was last night at the dinner party – is a nice journey. I’m even getting work done. I know, I know, I’m supposed to be relaxing. But I can’t work when my head is a melting pot of mixed anxieties, and there is nothing better to detox the brain than a cross-country trip above the tree-line.

My ears are popping like popcorn. Cigarettes are harder to smoke because the air is like wispy wafers. It’s 91 degrees with no humidity, and there are small patches of snow sprinkling the peaks. Apparently, there was more snow when we used to live here (I moved when I was five), but global warming has left the frozen tundra a pathetic spotted attempt.

If you could only see what I’m seeing.

Okkervil River, The Stage Names is a scenic gem. “John Allyn Smith Sails” is a lyrical heart spasm and insightful with a cup of dark roast. It might me ”Unless It’s Kicks” and “A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene” that really does me in. Oh, The Story’s album is sounding better than I thought it would be, but I’m thinking that had a lot to do with Paul Leavitt and all those shiny knobs. But don’t they say that a band is only as good as their producer? And I’ve been listening to Matt Pond PA in gluttonous amounts, especially Emblems. His new album drops in the fall (October, I think). And if all goes well, I hope to top-ten it.

I was young and at home in bed
And I was hanging on the words some poem said
And thirty-one
I was impressionable
I was upsettable

There's some cool stuff on Pitchfork right now. I know, I know - Pitchfork gives you nasty, belittling glares as you walk up it's scruff indie coffee shop counter, but where else can you read an interview with Iggy Pop and Patton Oswalt on the same website.

And everyone should give The Appreciation Post a run-through. Their Brighter Sides EP is a fruitful goodness of synth and dark guitar pop. I’m hoping to get two b-sides up on AP as an Unsigned Showcase soon.

Oh, the wireless sucks here, by the way. Oh wait, two bars! How extravagant!