...Christ Climbed Down...

I happened upon this poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (from his book, A Coney Island of the Mind) today, and it expresses many of the thoughts that have been running through my mind this Christmas season. We sell this time of year short, as well as lessen the potency of the Messianic story, when we lose the anticipation of its promise of Divine Incarnation- both individual and universal.


CHRIST CLIMBED DOWN

Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
there were no rootless Christmas trees
hung with candycanes and breakable stars

Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
there were no gilded Christmas trees
and no tinsel Christmas trees
and no tinfoil Christmas trees
and no pink plastic Christmas trees
and no gold Christmas trees
and no black Christmas trees
and no powderblue Christmas trees
hung with electric candles
and encircled by tin electric trains
and clever cornball relatives

Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no intrepid Bible salesmen
covered the territory
in two-tone cadillacs
and where no Sears Roebuck crèches
complete with plastic babe in manger
arrived by parcel post
the babe by special delivery
and where no televised Wise Men
praised the Lord Calvert Whiskey

Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no fat handshaking stranger
in a red flannel suit
and a fake white beard
went around passing himself off
as some sort of North Pole saint
crossing the desert to Bethlehem
Pennsylvania
in a Volkswagen sled
drawn by rollicking Adirondack reindeer
with German names
and bearing sacks of Humble Gifts
from Saks Fifth Avenue
for everybody’s imagined Christ child

Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and ran away to where
no Bing Crosby carolers
groaned of a tight Christmas
and where no Radio City angels
iceskated wingless
thru a winter wonderland
into a jinglebell heaven
daily at 8:30
with Midnight Mass matinees

Christ climbed down
from His bare Tree
this year
and softly stole away into
some anonymous Mary’s womb again
where in the darkest night
of everybody’s anonymous soul
He awaits again
an unimaginable
and impossibly
Immaculate Reconception
the very craziest
of Second Comings

...MerryChristmas!!!HappyNewYear...

God is Present!!!

...A Mix Of BlackForrestry: Merry Christmas Party 2011...

Hey guys, sorry that it's been so long since my last post...time has been pretty scarce for me when it pertains to the blog. In fact, I was hoping to get this up a little sooner, so you could listen to it for a little longer, but I guess better late than never is true in this case. I hope that you get several chances to play this before the big day and that it helps to cheer your season. Merry Christmas!!!! (put this mix on and throw a party!!!!)(push play under the picture to stream the mix or find the mediafire link in the comments to download the whole thing broken up)

"A Mix of BlackForrestry:Merry Christmas Party 2011:single track"

01 Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas 0:32

02 The Stridells- I Remember Christmas 2:38

03 The Meditation Singers- What The World Wants For Christmas 3:02

04 Count Sidney And His Dukes- Soul Christmas 2:12

05 The Galaxies- Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer 2:29

06 Santo And Johnny- Twistin' Bells 2:10

07 Blues Magoos- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 1:19

08 Chuck Berry- Merry Christmas Baby 3:09

09 Booker T & The MGs- We Wish You A Merry Christmas 2:15

10 The Gems- Love For Christmas 2:31

11 The Playboys- Night Before Christmas 2:34

12 The Flirtations- Christmas Time Is Here Again 3:29

13 Ronnie Cole Trio- Winter Wonderland 2:14

14 The Baskerville Hounds- Christmas Is Here 3:44

15 Tommy Wills- What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? 1:04

16 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles- I'll Be Home For Christmas 2:17

17 The Gaylads- We Three Kings 3:05

18 The Emotion- Black Christmas Instrumental 2:31

19 Paul Revere & The Raiders- Christmas Spirit 1:57

20 The Galaxies- Christmas Eve 4:01

21 The Salem Travelers- Merry Christmas To You 2:55

22 Mother Waddles- Interlude 1:05

23 Duke Ellington- Sugar Rum Cherry 2:45

24 Soulful Strings- Jingle Bells 2:52

25 The Staple Singers- Silent Night 2:08

26 Freddie King- Christmas Tears 2:36

27 The Galaxies- Please Come Home For Christmas 2:59

28 Ray Charles- Christmas Time 4:16

29 Booker T & The MGs- Blue Christmas 3:13

...IndianHead...

"IndianHead: Indian Red"

...Damien Jurado: Saint Bartlett...

This album came out back in May of 2010 and somehow, I missed it. I guess it's a case of better late than never. This album has so many great songs on it, many of which stay in the vein of Jurado and Richard Swift's collaborative collection of cover songs that they put up for free last year, entitled "Other People's Songs Volume 1". In fact, Swift is on board with this album as well, adding backing vocals and instrumentation. This is Damien at his "sunniest", if you could call it that. Check out the live version of "Cloudy Shoes" below. This record would have definitely been my favorite of last year if I hadn't slept on it. I hope that this is a foreshadow of things to come. Enjoy.

..."The Watchers/Commune In The Clouds" Prints...

...HEX...

...Watchers & GWNYNM...

Here are a couple of drawings that I started a long time ago, and finally finished within the past couple of days....soon I hope to turn them into screen prints.
"Lungfish: God's Will"

...A Mix of BlackForrestry: The Pittsburgher...

It's been a long time since I've posted a music mix on here, so I thought that it was high time I got my act together and put one up. This one is from a while ago, March actually. I made it for a trip that I took to Pittsburgh. So, here it finally is. Press play to give the mix a listen in its entirety, or click on the mediafire link to download it with individual tracks and take it on your own trip to somewhere...enjoy...

"A Mix of BlackForrestry: The Pittsburgher"

01. Parsley Sound
02. Monster Rally
03. The Psychedelic Schafferson Jetplane
04. Charles Bradley
05. Deerhunter
06. Kassim Slamat & The Swallows
07. Shuggie Otis
08. Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra
09. Benny Soebardja & Lizard
10. Erkin Koray
11. Summerhill
12. Francois De Roubaix
13. Amanaz
14. Shanti
15. Skip Spence
16. The Animated Egg
17. Margo Guryan
18. The Nirvana Sitar & String Group
19. Truck
20. Kim Jung Mi
21. Twink
22. Shin Jung Hyun & The Men feat. Jang Hyun
23. Whitefield Brothers

http://www.mediafire.com/?4w8obu9czjmco70

...Photos and a Poem...

Sorry that it's been soooo long. A lot of stuff has been going on here in our neck of the woods. Here are a bunch of photos that I've been meaning to post. Some are from earlier in the year and some are a little more recent. The drawing is something that I drew up yesterday, and the poem is something that was wandering around in my ol' noggin about a month or so. We had our super friends, the Condons, stay with us at the beginning of the month. The yellow t-shirt that Tim is sporting is my latest shirt design. Hopefully, I'll have more screen prints to display in the near future. I hope you enjoy the pics!!!!
(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

...VULTURES...

===================================================================

10 or more ominous, circling kites-

Holy vultures, gliding in windy, airway slipstreams.

My hope?-

That they've sensed my dying flesh,

And have come to feast,

On the carcass of-

This DEATH to mySELF.
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

{(natural cathedral)}-{(a mixtape)}

dougie fresh here & you know that i know that it's been a long ol' time. please pay it no mind. here's to hopin' that everyone's havin' a stellar summer & that the following mixtape works your hazy, sunshine groove - may it seal the golden deal!
---------------------------------
made up name - black eagle child
dreamboat - ryan trott
when i awake - die jungen
true blue - dirty beaches
weather - velvet davenport
honeybee - emily reo
magic fiesta - mpala garoo
too blue - it is rain in my face
the wedding song - deekie
memory pools - foxes in fiction
satin skies - triptides
stockholm - wet wings
we went wild - lord huron
surface - teen daze
nothing nowhere - sad souls
broken finger blues - richard swift
if the sun stops shinin' (chubby checker) - damien jurado & richard swift
back where i began - pure x
lonely time - the brazda brothers
vision - mountainman
mind drips (neon indian) - jesse woods
bloody boat - colossal gospel
forget - mathemagic
----------------------

Thank You

I just want to take the time to say thank you to Josh and Doug for letting me be a part of this blog. It has been a lot of fun. I've learned a lot. I tend to take a hiatus from internet use every now and then and I'm feeling like now is the time. I've been working on my project, The Preeminence, since last June. I have written 65 poems, 21 songs and have almost finished my first art pieace for the book (1 of 14) since I started. Please pray for me. I feel that this is the best offering I can give at this point in my life to God and humanity. I am looking to see just how far this will go. Josh has my email address in case anyone is curious about what's going on from here on out. Again, I want to say thank you for letting me put my pen to the page and for being "far-away" friends. Blessings.

James Blake

So I've been jamming to James Blake's album all weekend and the song "Unluck" is definitely my favorite. I fell for it the moment I heard it. But I've been going over the lyrics in my mind and I wanted to see what some of you all thought. I have some thoughts of my own but I was curious to hear what you guys think. Here they go:

Treated walls
care for me
When crossings call out
one of three

Only child take good care
I wouldn't like you
playing, falling there

...Mix Worthy Songs...

I really enjoy making music mixes, but as of late, I have been too busy to. This may clue you into why I've been posting so much about artists that I've been listening to as opposed to putting up my own artwork . As I listen to albums, I'm constantly coming across songs that make me think, "This would sound great on a mix". Here are a few of those kind of songs.

"Donovan: Get Thy Bearings"
This song is off Donovan's Hurdy Gurdy album. I picked this record up at a library booksale a couple of weeks back, and this song really stood out to me.

"Led Zepplin: Bron y aur Stomp"
I'm impressed with how this song sounds separated from the rest of its album. This track is from Led Zepplin III, of course, but I have a new found appreciation for it thanks to a fashion show video that used this song as part of its music selection. I found the video after checking out some Turquoise Wisdom mixes and then peeping Rodarte, a fashion design group that TW often collaborates with. This song has new life to me.

"Pink Floyd: Fearless"
This song was also in the Rodarte fashion show video. You don't hear Pink Floyd stuff
like this that often. In fact, this is really the only song on their Meddle album that sounds anything like this. Really nice tune.

...A Few New...

These are a few songs/albums that I've been groovin on lately.

(((((((((((The Peoples Temple))))))))))))
))))))))))))))))))))))))(((((((((((((((((((((

I just found out about these guys through Insound's mp3 of the day. This album, "Sons of Stone", is full of great sounds. There's stuff that ranges from sounding like the Rolling Stones to early psychedelic garage, all with a lo-fi feel reminiscent of Ty Segall. Just some good tunes to jam out to. I love this stuff!!!!

"The Peoples Temple: Where You Gonna Go"


((((((((((((((Luke Roberts))))))))))))))))
)))))))))))))))))))(((((((((((((((((((((

This album came out in April of 2010, but somehow I missed it until just the other day when I was browsing around Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace Records + Tapes. I really like the sound that Mr. Roberts has on this album- nice and laid back. Give it an ear and check out the video for another one of his songs, below.

"Luke Roberts: Somewhere To Run"

"Luke Roberts: Unspotted Clothes"

(((((((((((((((My Morning Jacket))))))))))))))))))
))))))))))))))))))))))))))((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

It's been a long time since My Morning Jacket has put out something that I've been interested in hearing, but after reading a few reviews of their forthcoming album, Circuital, and after hearing the two songs below, there may be hope for them yet. I enjoy the mellow sound of these tunes, but I have also heard some other numbers from this album which have not impressed me quite as much. Either way, check out the tracks and make your own decision, and then listen to the whole album when it comes out on the 31st.

"My Morning Jacket: Movin Away"

"My Morning Jacket: Wonderful (The Way I Feel)"

...Malvina Reynolds/ Connie Converse...

For one reason or another, springtime always injects me with a craving for whimsical and melancholy, vintage folk songs. In fact, even though I'm beginning to despise the rain, one of my most enjoyable times this season was last week when I put on some records, laid on the living room floor with my children, stared out the large window, and watched the rain drip off the eaves and the verdant green leaves. It felt pretty magical. So, quite a bit of my listening time has been consumed with music by Vashti Bunyan, Sibylle Baier, Marianne Faithfull, Nico, and others.




Two other artists that I have been listening to are Malvina Reynolds and Connie Converse.
Let's first start with a double dose of Malvina.

"Malvina Reynolds: The Worlds Gone Beautiful"
I recently picked up this self titled record over at Angry Mom Records. The album was recorded in 1970, when Reynolds was 70 years of age. The thing that caught my eye was that the Byrds and the Dillards (as well as others) make up her backing band. Anytime members of the Byrds and the Dillards got together, magic was made (reference the Dillard and Clark post over at Aquarium Drunkard). This album is not my favorite of hers, but it definitely has some shining moments on it. Simple and sometimes childish, the record is redeemed by the backing band.

"Malvina Reynolds: Singing Jesus"
"Malvina Reynolds: God Bless The Grass"
This is an earlier record of hers, and my favorite. Recorded in 1967, "Malvina Reynolds Sings The Truth" has one of the songwriter's most recognized compositions on it- "Little Boxes". These are still some simple, yet beautiful, songs focusing on Reynolds' activist views and they remain a little more "bare-bones" than her later recordings.

Next up, is Connie Converse.

"Connie Converse: Talkin Like You (Two Tall Mountains)"
"Connie Converse: How Sad, How Lovely"
Connie Converse's record "How Sad, How Lovely" is actually comprised of recordings that she taped in the kitchen of recording engineer Gene Deitch back in the mid 50s. It's very interesting stuff. What is even more curious is her intentional disappearance in 1974. After writing letters to her friends and family of a desire to anonymously have a new start, Elizabeth Eaton "Connie" Converse packed up her VW Beetle and disappeared forever. If this mysterious story intrigues you, then you should definitely listen to this radio program that WNYC out of New York put together. Very interesting listen with some commentary from family and various recordings of Connie.