95 North. . . The Newspaper

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. . .is the greatest Christmas song? I remember seeing it performed by a choral group at Storrs Congregational Church when I was a student at Uconn, and quite frankly, it blew me away. The melody to the song reaches deep into the heart- it is wistful, hopeful, and melancholy in equal parts. It acknowledges the importance of community while simultaneously recognizing that life is short, and that we're often not in control of how and when it happens: "through the years we'll always be together/ if the fates allow". So have yourself a merry little Christmas- no need for anything "big". As the short story writer Raymond Carver once put it, there's nothing wrong with a small, good thing . Happy holidays. PS: here is a fun song to listen to as you roll back home after Christmas:

In light of the  recent attack on internet freedom and net neutrality, I'd like to provide the text of a speech gave by the former chairman of the FCC Michael Powell. Powell, a Republican appointed to the chairmanship by George W. Bush, presents a strong case for keeping the internet an open and free- retaining its place as a dynamic source of information, social connections, and knowledge.  The recent repeal of net neutrality , spearheaded by the current chair Ajit Pai, means that internet providers can now limit access to certain websites, which could usher in an era of tiered payment systems for use of different websites, much like cable television packages. However, the chief danger is not one of money and payment (although important) but of censorship & information control.  Case in point: Imagine Verizon is your internet provider. Verizon does not have to provide you with a neutral, open portal to the world of information. It can limit what...

I am currently reading Omar El Akkad's excellent debut novel- American War . The novel is a piece of futurism, as it imagines a future civil war in the United States over oil. Southern states revolted over a blue state law that banned its use. Chemical weapons are used in South Carolina. "Birds" are mini-drones. The ocean overtakes New York City, Washington D.C., and most of Flordia. In the midst of this horrifying story, a young girl, Sara (known as "Sarah-T") emerges a force for justice- or is she being manipulated? Part thriller, part-warning shot- this book makes for a great read. Highly recommended! Quotes: "My favorite postcards are from the 2020's and 2030's. . . a reminder of when America as it existed in the first half of the 21st century: soaring, roaring, oblivious ". "But still she sensed in her brother a kind of insecurity, as though trying to scare her was not some cruel way to pass time, but a vital means of prov...

The Book of Hours: I, 59 God speaks to each of us as we are made then walks with us silently out of the night. These are the words, the numinous words, we hear before we begin: You, called forth by your senses, Reach to the edge of your Longing; Become my body. Grow like a fire behind things so their shadows spread and cover me completely Let everything into you: Beauty and Terror. Keep going: remember, no feeling is forever. Don't lose touch with me. Nearby is the land they call Life. You will recognize it by its intensity. Give me your hand.

With the recent release of this  video  posted by a mom in Tennessee, featuring her son crying in the car over incessant bullying at school, many have asked the same question that 11-year-old Keaton Jones asked: why do they bully?  A recent song entitled "Pray for Me" by rapper Brother Ali helps provides an answer: they bully because you're "different". They bully because they've been bullied or experienced trauma. And, yes, they bully because teachers let them. And parents don't know how to deal with it, despite their best intentions.  In "Pray for Me," Brother Ali documents the pain he still feels today over the bullying he experienced as a child due to his albinism.  Here, over a gospel-groovy hook and a jumpy beat full of slow steppin' vitality, Ali relives the pain he felt as a child along with an explanation of what the journey has been like for him as he's progressed through life.  He is certainly reflective- and make...

In the beginning, the Beatles perfected the art of the bar band- peppy tunes that played off Chuck Berry, doo-wop groups, and rock n' roll blues in equal parts. These were the four young lads that got the youth clapping their hands, screaming at the Ed Sullivan show, and packing out Shea Stadium. The thing is, these boys grew. Aided by Dylan, dreams, and the social upheaval of the 1960's, the Beatles dipped deeper into musical experimentation- dropping albums that possessed a moody spirit like Revolver , simulated a wild, carnivalesque rock show like Sgt. Pepper , and wandering full-on studio experiments like the Magical Mystery Tour . Sure, the band rewrote what pop music could be. Their decade (almost) long transition from self-assured bar band to folk rock tune-smiths, to sitar-spinning psychedelic masters and beyond led them to a familiar resting spot: back to where they started. The Beatles final album was 1970's underrated classic Let it Be , which featured, ju...

Last night, the voters of Alabama admirably  rejected the toxic Judge Roy Moore in their special Senate election. The recent media focus on Alabama and the general political environment of the deep south reminded me of a song-"Three Great Alabama Icons" by the Drive By Truckers. After carefully considering the song, one finds that there are deep contradictions running through Alabama- compassionate impulses rest right on the shelf next to ignorance, anger, and unreason. Fortunately, last night ignorance and unreason did not win. Our historians-the Truckers-will never let their audience forget that they are Alabama natives, and their 2001 album entitled Southern Rock Opera adds cultural, historical, and political context to contemporary analysis on the deeply red state. The Truckers cast a critical eye towards their home state- a critical eye that throws on a pair of compassionate and understanding glasses. In "Three Great Alabama Icons", lead singer Patte...

Should an American political party have a truly democratic nominating process? Or should party insiders and bosses select candidates? It seems to be not only fairly obvious that a democratic nominating practice not only produces a strong candidate in a general election, but would be the ethically sound, democratic, and fair thing to do. But some dark forces are arguing otherwise. Somehow,  this piece  in the New York Times argues that the process should become less democratic because "party bosses have more knowledge" of who is and isn't capable of potentially holding office.  The authors of this NYT piece claim that part of our problem is the "insistence that parties be run democratically" and that there is "real danger" in holding fair elections. Excuse me while I vomit in disgust. It's true- the Republican party has a more democratic nominating process. Reading this piece by less than admirable Democratic party members makes it clear th...

"Light snow falling/ on the muffler shops and lumber yards". James McMurty, you got me. The folk master somehow describes my neighborhood in Middletown, CT perfectly in his winter-scene setting tune "Outskirts". I live in the place where the residential zone and industrial zone meet- with an old Remington factory, a tow truck stop, the town dump, a freight train line, a working class neighborhood, and the Coginchaug and Mattabesset rivers all converging within a stones throw of my dwelling place. It's perfectly New England, with the spunky downtown, industrial decay, and Dunkin Donuts all living together as one. McMurty's from Texas, but it doesn't matter. He documents a the emotional landscape of a New England winters day with as much precision as Robert Frost (sorry about the hyperbole). Here, a steady acoustic guitar along with a full band of drums and bass follow the story of a winters day, of muffled heat inside and wet snow out, as the landscape...

Uncle Tupelo What do you value more in music- the sound music itself or the lyrics?  Of course, the answer is somewhere in between. Or maybe somewhere else. It's all about tone, spirit, and meaning. A sense of life. The following instrumental track from alt-country friends  Uncle Tupelo fits the bill. This acoustic jam finds its joy mixed in with a touch of aching sadness, a tone that reminds us that life is short, and it is to be lived purposefully. Somehow, Uncle T was able to communicate that truth by just playing instruments- the acoustic guitar, the banjo, the bass and the drums. As Bob Dylan ironically sings in "Standing in the Doorway" there's "nothing to be gained by any explanation/ no words need to be said". Sometimes the music just has the right inflection. The right motion to give you just what you need. Take from it what you will- this one's a giver.  " Living is not a contest of duration, but a pageant of meaning. . . ...

I was lucky enough to catch the Blind Boys of Alabama with my old man on Saturday night. I'll include some pictures and video I was able to take at the show below. A bit of history: The Blind Boys originated in the late 1930s at an institute for the blind in Alabama, and have been cranking out beautiful gospel songs ever since. There are two surviving members: Clarence Fountain and Jimmy Carter (not the president, but he's cool too). The Blind Boys put on a heck of a show, and possess a remarkable amount of energy for fellas their age. It's amazing to think that Fountain and Carter have been singing together since the onset of World War II. They've seen America change. They only thing that hasn't changed in their sense of humor, deep spirituality, and their uncanny ability to put on an amazing live performance. When the curtains were pulled back and the Blind Boys took the stage, Carter stood up, took hold of the mic, and belted out a heart wrenching rendition ...

the pale blue dot The musician Chan Marshall (Cat Power's the stage name) once said that "there is a grain of truth in every song". In these songs below, there's at least enough grains of sand to make a beach. Without further ado, here are the songs-they're in no particular order. I'd like to think that together, these songs represent a collage of human experiences in 2017. Each of these tunes is worth a close listen- enjoy! We'll start things off with " Tell Me" by the late Sharon King . Ms. King sadly passed from cancer this year. The former choir leader and Atlanta native made joyful music right up into the end. I love this song. It's celebratory nature is infectious. R.I.P, Ms. King. Thank you for your commitment to music and bravery.  Rapper Sho Baraka splices this woke tune (" Pendantic ") with audio clips from Denzel Washington-" If don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the news...

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" (Matthew 5: 6-7).  Every single one of us could us Mary Gauthier is a Catholic who was born in Lousiana. She's had troubles with alcohol and been sober since her late 20s. She founded and cooked for a restaurant in Boston called the Dixie Kitchen. She wrote her first song at age 35. Speaking of those songs-some say she's written the saddest one of all time- a song called "Mercy Now". Maybe it's because I don't mind what is usually considered sad music, but I don't think "Mercy Now" is the harbinger of doom and gloom. Yes, there are broad brushstrokes of painful introspection, but ultimately, "Mercy Now" has a tender heart. Here, Gauthier reflects on her family and friends before zooming out and surveying the funk, pain, and name of the human condition as a whole. We cou...

November: skies darken, snow might make an appearance, the leaves have fallen, and winter comes callin'.If you happen to visit New York City this month or the next, you'll see all the lights, all the action, the big grey buildings, the cold grey sea and the statue of liberty. There is a palpable sense of possibility as you poke your head out of the underground train at Grand Central from sleepy Connecticut- the world is ready for you. You've got to hustle to take part it in it. To see what it has to offer. If anything, the song "New York Morning" is about this feeling. Importantly, "New York Morning" is a song in disguise. It was originally penned by the relatively unknown songwriter Peter Illeyni. In its present form below, it is featured as the standout track on Lang Lang's 2011 album New York Rhapsody . Lang is a composer, classically trained musician, and pianist. Here, he brings these skills to the masses, uplifting the grey building...

The Simpsons at the Thanksgiving Table George My favorite Beatle? George Harrison. George's 1973 "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) represents the best of everything that was George: a warm acoustic undercurrent, melodic lead guitar licks that slide around with joy, and a steady piano topped off with George's earnest, simple, and spiritual vocals. This song, paired with Guided By Voices "Hold On Hope" (here, the 90s alt group offers sharp acoustic guitars, piano, and organic lyrical takes on the concept of hope) offer two positive jams for Thanksgiving. "Hold on Hope" has also been beautifully covered by Glenn Campbell. Anyways, thanks for reading! Enjoy your Thanksgiving.

Last winter, central CT finished with 49 inches of snow, according to my measurements. The last snowfall occurred on March 14th, and is documented  here . This year, we experienced our first frost on October 17th and the first snowfall on November 20th.  10/17/17 FROST The first frost in the midst of a mild fall. Low 36 degrees 11/20/17 DUSTING A dusting of snow from some snow showers that fell overnight. Here's a song that may resonate with those who don't agree with the winter months. It comes by way of the late Chris Cornell.