For the past week-plus I have been driving short little errands around town in the family mini van. Since this isn't my normal ride I was not prepared music-wise, and I like to have some tunes going when I'm driving.
I looked through the wife's visor of cd's and put in Jack Johnson's Sleep Through the Static. Wow. I've been listening to this album non-stop every minute I've been in the family truckster and I'm pretty well convinced that if everyone had this mellow vibe going we would see a lot less angry, impatient, "you're #1" waving drivers.
The wife made the claim that Mr. Johnson is our generation's James Taylor and I'm ready to agree with her. Except--sacrilege!--I think he's even better. Buy this album and put it in during rush-hour traffic and see if it doesn't help.
From track #14, "Losing Keys":
The world has its ways
to quiet us down...
Yes it does Mr. Johnson and you're one of them. I thank you.
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6 comments:
I never knew what a family truckster was. Thanks for expanding my vocabulary! I'm going to use that phrase regularly.
good job listening to the wifey. you should always do that...
Pablo, my friend. You are the man. I realized how much I miss being around you after reading your blog. Thanks for always sharing what's on your heart. Amen to Sundays off and "Sleep Through The Static." Congrats on the new addition to your family.
Andy, you should also incorporate the moniker
"egg timer" in reference to anyone who is driving WAY too slow in front of you. As in, "Let me get around this egg timer and then we'll be at the gas 'n sip in a jiffy."
It's from the beloved Mr. Chase in Christmas Vacation.
JJ is very good, but JT? Really? I will give you the fact that jack can really mellow anyone out, it mu=ight just be the contact buzz.
BTW- I think that The two are different in a denim vs cords kind of way. Plus ahve you heard Taylors newer stuff, it is actually pretty good. Elaina and I spent valentines day listening to JT with some friends Greatest Hits like 4 times in a row. It really added to the evening
Pete, I take nothing away from James Taylor and, no, I haven't heard his newer stuff, so I'm probably writing out of ignorance somewhat.
But Jack Johnson is good. One can appreciate both but "emerging generations" are going to be drawn to the new and JJ is the new.
And this isn't a bad thing. Too often we get caught up thinking the old or the original is always better and has to be defended, at the expense of whatever "new" has come along.
I heard an acquaintance fairly early on in the Harry Potter series disparage it as trivial and say something like, "Give me Lord of the Rings any day over that!"
It doesn't have to be an either or. I would argue that in some ways the Harry Potter series is superior to LOTR AND (again, sacrilege) The Chronicles.
But we don't have to compare them, we can just enjoy them. Same is true with Jack Johnson and James Taylor. Both are good wines from excellent years.
Drink up.
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