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The media’s latest “flavor of the month” is the supposed “war on Christmas”. Apparently, heathen, atheistic liberals have removed all vestiges of Jesus from a holiday that had long ago been divested of its higher meaning.
Like the misreporting on the war in Iraq, particularly in the early days of fighting, the inability of the press to hold President Bush to standards of journalism applied to other presidents, and recently, the bogus “red state/blue state” divide in America, the media in all its traditional functions keeps missing the real stories.
Christians have taken up the torch and are once more playing a role that they seem most comfortable in—that of the poor, persecuted believer.
The last time I drove around, I didn’t see any lack of Christmas lights, nativity scenes, and other symbols and decorations specific to Christmas.
While I have nothing against anyone celebrating Christmas, I also recognize that not everyone is a Christian in America, and that others may celebrate this holiday in ways that don’t include Jesus.
This entire faux battle about the religious importance of Christmas isn’t new to me. I remember in 1982, I had just left the University of Maine and was back in my hometown looking for a car. I stopped by a gas station on Lisbon Street where the proprietor had used one of those spray cans that dispense white lettering for windows; in great big letters, he had the following message—“Jesus is the reason for the season”. The owner felt it was his duty to talk about Jesus with everyone who entered his business. I stopped in and had to listen to his spiel about the secularization of Christmas until I couldn’t take it any longer and left. The issue wasn’t big news at the time, because the media hadn’t seized upon the issue. For years, many Christians have claimed Christmas as their domain. While I don’t begrudge their right to celebrate, unfortunately, they are often played by religious leaders and others as pawns in this ongoing culture war that is a myth.
America is a diverse and multicultural nation, despite what the pundits and hate talkers ridiculously assert. Because of this, the holiday season, beginning from Thanksgiving through New Years, isn’t the property solely of the religious right and others who revel in the need to create pitched battles that benefit their bottom line. All this does is keep America divided at a time when we need to begin pulling together against our real enemies.
I close by saying that the Baumer household does celebrate Christmas, albeit in a very un-American, non-consumer sort of way. We buy hardly any gifts, other than the occasional item of clothing for family members in need.
Last year, we decided on creating our own traditions as a self-contained unit of three, due primarily to the unpredictable holiday celebrations of our extended families. As a result, my wife and I hold an open house Christmas Eve, which we have jokingly dubbed, "the misfits Christmas Eve celebration". We extend invitations to family (who usually don't come), friends, and others who might be looking for a place to get a meal, a cup of grog, and experience a festive celebration that is similar to what I remember the holidays being when I was a kid—a time when family and friends came together and enjoyed one another’s company. I think we need a whole lot more of this type of Christmas, or holdiday spirit, don't you?
To all my readers, I want to take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very festive and happy holiday in whatever way you choose to celebrate it.
Friday, December 24, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Best of 2004
I’m not a big fan of “best of” lists, although like any sucker, I find myself reading through most of the ones I come face to face with.
Deciding to jump on the bandwagon, yet differ from others, I give you my best of list that falls short of the usual ten items. These selections are the best of what I’ve listened to in 2004 and represent the personal tastes and predilections of the author.
Neil Young’s Greendale disc was actually released in the fall of 2003, but for my purposes, it was a 2004 release, particularly since I saw the movie on a cold Saturday in April, driving to Waterville to catch the showing at Railroad Square.
Without any further provocation, here’s my best in 2004:
Steve Earle-The Revolution Starts Now
Populist troubadour Steve Earle followed 2002’s excellent Jerusalem with another solid effort. When Earle wished for the return of Woody Guthrie, back in ’97, many music fans could identify. Not to be iconic, but with the combination of his music, outspokenness concerning the war and politics in general, as well as his efforts as a writer and host of a weekly radio show, Earle might be the closest thing that music has to a modern-day Woody Guthrie.
Spouse-Are You Gonna Kiss or Wave Goodbye
Spouse’s latest release shows growth from a band that gets better every time out. Representing indie rock’s best elements, Are You Gonna Kiss has pensive tunes like the title cut, interspersed with uptempo rockers like Army Song, with it’s dead on take about what it means to join the military. Spouse eschews the "louder is better" approach to write songs that both rock and don't insult the listener.
Spouse is one of those “secret” bands that fans like to keep to themselves, as some type of badge of honor. Don’t! Spouse is a band deserving of a wider following, so blast the new record and do it loud and do it proud.
Neil Young-Greendale
What’s there to say about Young that hasn’t already been said? Young is an American rock icon as much as any artist alive today. With that status, it would be understandable for a 57 year old rocker to put it on cruise control and dial it in, but that’s never been Young’s style and he’s not about to start now. The latest effort from Young and mates shows a display of some vintage song-smithing, guitar work, all the while pushing boundaries with his latest concept album.
Greendale is a musical novel as much as anything. Chronicling the goings-on of a mythical town and three generations of the fictional Green family, the movie and subsequent soundtrack, hearkens back to a simpler time.
The stories, represented by the songs, represents a rural America where old-time values and ethics still existed—a place where deals were signed with a handshake and a person could still make a successful life with hard work and an honest effort.
As we all know, those days are gone and not coming back anytime soon.
Social Distortion-Sex, Love, and Rock and Roll
After doing his best to channel the spirit of outlaw country artists like Hank Williams, George Jones and Johnny Cash, Mike Ness is back with a new Social Distortion effort and it kicks fans right in the teeth with its classic punk-tinged rock and roll.
His foray into traditional country and American roots music was a welcome respite for Ness. He showed his abilities to do something other than rage above the roar of his Les Paul. It’s when Ness is rocking however, that he’s at his best and most comfortable. Like prior SD efforts, this one has Ness belting out lyrics filled with despair, anger, yet surprisingly offering some hope also.
It’s been a tough stretch for Ness, as he lost long-time bandmate and musical collaborator, Dennis Canell, in 2003. It’s obvious that Ness has spent some time thinking about life, loss and why are we here. The pain and questions are apparent in the lyrics, particularly the fast and furious opening track, “Reach for the Sky”.
Other solid tracks are the nostalgic “Highway 101” and the signature SD slower track offering redemption, the reflective “Angel Wings”.
Mike Ness has never shied away from wearing his heart and emotions on his sleeve and the latest outing with the boys is no departure from that style.
Matt Newberg and the Hurricane-Buffalo
Local singer/songwriter Newberg teams up with his band, the roots-rocking Hurricane to produce their strongest effort to date. Mixing in music that has a very “lived in” quality in tunes such as “Cover Me” and “Turn Black”, to the more rock and roll title cut, Buffalo shows a band ready to break out of the regional category they currently reside in to a larger national audience.
Pick up the latest disc and take the opportunity to go out and catch Matt and the boys when they come to a town near you.
The Speaking Canaries-Get Out Alive: The Last Type Story
Pittsburgh’s The Speaking Canaries are rock and rolls best-kept secret. Like hundreds of other talented and underappreciated bands everywhere, TSC continue to put out solid record after solid record to the collective ignorance of the musical marketplace.
Sporting songs that hearken back to the best of 70’s rock and roll, with song structures that afford the musicians room to move, their songs are too long for modern-rock radio. Guitarist Damon Che channels Eddie Van Halen in an indie rock sort of way. Songs like “Menopause Diaries” combines strong songwriting, a melodic arrangement, and Che’s signature axe grinding. “The Last Side of Town” has a prog-rock vibe in parts, but then crashes back into driving rock tempo. It represents the kind of seven minute workout that those of us old enough to have experienced the 70’s can appreciate.
You can listen to the two above-mentioned songs via MP3 at the great Scat website. Do your part to support truly-independent music and pick up a couple of Scat releases before the end of the year.
Robyn Hitchcock-Spooked
The prolific Brit released his 23rd solo record in the last 23 years. If adjectives are necessary, he could wear the tired “prolific” as a crown. On this latest offering, Hitchcock teams with Americans David Rawlings and Gillian Welch, and this lends an interesting Americana vibe to the usual quirkiness of a Hitchcock release.
With an ode to his TV on “Television”, to the somber “Creeped Out”, this disc is an interesting departure for Hitchcock. Older fans will enjoy, new fans of his singer/songwriter efforts might enjoy the addition of Welch on vocals.
There are a handful of artists that when you find out they have a new disc, you rush out to pick it up. The above-mentioned Neil Young comes to mind, as does Dylan, and I’d add Hitchcock to my list.
Black Forest/Black Sea-Forcefields & Constellations
2004 began my foray into post-rock, a broad category that allows rock musicians the opportunity to embrace elements that go beyond the standard rock structures. There is no definitive “sound” in this category and it is the perfect vehicle for the debris-strewn, postmodern, cultural wasteland we inhabit.
BF/BS are a perfect interjection of beauty and sparseness in an age of information overload and screaming talk show hosts. At times stark and hypnotic, at other times melodic and percussive in an ambient sort of way, BF/BS are a great addition to your music catalog, tailor-made for those snowy winter days, curled up with a book in front of the fire. The song “Tangent Universe” comes to mind here.
Without becoming too hyperbolic, BF/BS has become a soundtrack of hope for me in an otherwise ugly and hopeless world.
Ray Charles LaMontagne-Trouble
This guy’s bio is the stuff of legends-shoe shop worker who wakes up one morning to Stephen Stills’ “Tree Top Flyer” on clock radio; calls in sick from work because he needs to find out who the song is by and that he feels called to a life of music; quits job, builds cabin in the woods without electricity and begins teaching himself guitar and writing songs; word gets out about his music and he is flown to Los Angeles where he’s signed to record deal.
If you’ve never heard LaMontagne’s music, run right out and get the record before he becomes a household name. Singing about gritty, slice-of-life vignettes about society’s lesser lights, LaMontagne has one of those immediately recognizable voices.
Trouble is the real deal with cuts like “Jolene” and “Narrow Escape” giving you lyrics you can experience and almost sense the smells and see the spilled blood of lives gone into the ditch.
Deciding to jump on the bandwagon, yet differ from others, I give you my best of list that falls short of the usual ten items. These selections are the best of what I’ve listened to in 2004 and represent the personal tastes and predilections of the author.
Neil Young’s Greendale disc was actually released in the fall of 2003, but for my purposes, it was a 2004 release, particularly since I saw the movie on a cold Saturday in April, driving to Waterville to catch the showing at Railroad Square.
Without any further provocation, here’s my best in 2004:
Steve Earle-The Revolution Starts Now
Populist troubadour Steve Earle followed 2002’s excellent Jerusalem with another solid effort. When Earle wished for the return of Woody Guthrie, back in ’97, many music fans could identify. Not to be iconic, but with the combination of his music, outspokenness concerning the war and politics in general, as well as his efforts as a writer and host of a weekly radio show, Earle might be the closest thing that music has to a modern-day Woody Guthrie.
Spouse-Are You Gonna Kiss or Wave Goodbye
Spouse’s latest release shows growth from a band that gets better every time out. Representing indie rock’s best elements, Are You Gonna Kiss has pensive tunes like the title cut, interspersed with uptempo rockers like Army Song, with it’s dead on take about what it means to join the military. Spouse eschews the "louder is better" approach to write songs that both rock and don't insult the listener.
Spouse is one of those “secret” bands that fans like to keep to themselves, as some type of badge of honor. Don’t! Spouse is a band deserving of a wider following, so blast the new record and do it loud and do it proud.
Neil Young-Greendale
What’s there to say about Young that hasn’t already been said? Young is an American rock icon as much as any artist alive today. With that status, it would be understandable for a 57 year old rocker to put it on cruise control and dial it in, but that’s never been Young’s style and he’s not about to start now. The latest effort from Young and mates shows a display of some vintage song-smithing, guitar work, all the while pushing boundaries with his latest concept album.
Greendale is a musical novel as much as anything. Chronicling the goings-on of a mythical town and three generations of the fictional Green family, the movie and subsequent soundtrack, hearkens back to a simpler time.
The stories, represented by the songs, represents a rural America where old-time values and ethics still existed—a place where deals were signed with a handshake and a person could still make a successful life with hard work and an honest effort.
As we all know, those days are gone and not coming back anytime soon.
Social Distortion-Sex, Love, and Rock and Roll
After doing his best to channel the spirit of outlaw country artists like Hank Williams, George Jones and Johnny Cash, Mike Ness is back with a new Social Distortion effort and it kicks fans right in the teeth with its classic punk-tinged rock and roll.
His foray into traditional country and American roots music was a welcome respite for Ness. He showed his abilities to do something other than rage above the roar of his Les Paul. It’s when Ness is rocking however, that he’s at his best and most comfortable. Like prior SD efforts, this one has Ness belting out lyrics filled with despair, anger, yet surprisingly offering some hope also.
It’s been a tough stretch for Ness, as he lost long-time bandmate and musical collaborator, Dennis Canell, in 2003. It’s obvious that Ness has spent some time thinking about life, loss and why are we here. The pain and questions are apparent in the lyrics, particularly the fast and furious opening track, “Reach for the Sky”.
Other solid tracks are the nostalgic “Highway 101” and the signature SD slower track offering redemption, the reflective “Angel Wings”.
Mike Ness has never shied away from wearing his heart and emotions on his sleeve and the latest outing with the boys is no departure from that style.
Matt Newberg and the Hurricane-Buffalo
Local singer/songwriter Newberg teams up with his band, the roots-rocking Hurricane to produce their strongest effort to date. Mixing in music that has a very “lived in” quality in tunes such as “Cover Me” and “Turn Black”, to the more rock and roll title cut, Buffalo shows a band ready to break out of the regional category they currently reside in to a larger national audience.
Pick up the latest disc and take the opportunity to go out and catch Matt and the boys when they come to a town near you.
The Speaking Canaries-Get Out Alive: The Last Type Story
Pittsburgh’s The Speaking Canaries are rock and rolls best-kept secret. Like hundreds of other talented and underappreciated bands everywhere, TSC continue to put out solid record after solid record to the collective ignorance of the musical marketplace.
Sporting songs that hearken back to the best of 70’s rock and roll, with song structures that afford the musicians room to move, their songs are too long for modern-rock radio. Guitarist Damon Che channels Eddie Van Halen in an indie rock sort of way. Songs like “Menopause Diaries” combines strong songwriting, a melodic arrangement, and Che’s signature axe grinding. “The Last Side of Town” has a prog-rock vibe in parts, but then crashes back into driving rock tempo. It represents the kind of seven minute workout that those of us old enough to have experienced the 70’s can appreciate.
You can listen to the two above-mentioned songs via MP3 at the great Scat website. Do your part to support truly-independent music and pick up a couple of Scat releases before the end of the year.
Robyn Hitchcock-Spooked
The prolific Brit released his 23rd solo record in the last 23 years. If adjectives are necessary, he could wear the tired “prolific” as a crown. On this latest offering, Hitchcock teams with Americans David Rawlings and Gillian Welch, and this lends an interesting Americana vibe to the usual quirkiness of a Hitchcock release.
With an ode to his TV on “Television”, to the somber “Creeped Out”, this disc is an interesting departure for Hitchcock. Older fans will enjoy, new fans of his singer/songwriter efforts might enjoy the addition of Welch on vocals.
There are a handful of artists that when you find out they have a new disc, you rush out to pick it up. The above-mentioned Neil Young comes to mind, as does Dylan, and I’d add Hitchcock to my list.
Black Forest/Black Sea-Forcefields & Constellations
2004 began my foray into post-rock, a broad category that allows rock musicians the opportunity to embrace elements that go beyond the standard rock structures. There is no definitive “sound” in this category and it is the perfect vehicle for the debris-strewn, postmodern, cultural wasteland we inhabit.
BF/BS are a perfect interjection of beauty and sparseness in an age of information overload and screaming talk show hosts. At times stark and hypnotic, at other times melodic and percussive in an ambient sort of way, BF/BS are a great addition to your music catalog, tailor-made for those snowy winter days, curled up with a book in front of the fire. The song “Tangent Universe” comes to mind here.
Without becoming too hyperbolic, BF/BS has become a soundtrack of hope for me in an otherwise ugly and hopeless world.
Ray Charles LaMontagne-Trouble
This guy’s bio is the stuff of legends-shoe shop worker who wakes up one morning to Stephen Stills’ “Tree Top Flyer” on clock radio; calls in sick from work because he needs to find out who the song is by and that he feels called to a life of music; quits job, builds cabin in the woods without electricity and begins teaching himself guitar and writing songs; word gets out about his music and he is flown to Los Angeles where he’s signed to record deal.
If you’ve never heard LaMontagne’s music, run right out and get the record before he becomes a household name. Singing about gritty, slice-of-life vignettes about society’s lesser lights, LaMontagne has one of those immediately recognizable voices.
Trouble is the real deal with cuts like “Jolene” and “Narrow Escape” giving you lyrics you can experience and almost sense the smells and see the spilled blood of lives gone into the ditch.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
The toughest of competition
Since we are on the topic of Time’s choice for person of the year, here were some of Herr Bush’s competitors:
Nancy and Ron Reagan: Oh, how precious—Nancy and Ronnie—together again; In all seriousness, I do respect Mrs. Reagan for her outspoken support for stem-cell research, it’s just hard for me to overlook the fact that she was married to our worst President prior to our current one.
Martha Stewart: Now here’s a person that’s hard to overlook when one is nominationg movers and shakers who changed their world. I mean, where would we be without her award-winning tips on “How to Spruce up That Ugly Jail Cell”, “Ways to Add Pep and Zing to That Bland Prison Diet”, as well as the essential “Warding Off Your Cellmate’s Amorous Advances Without Hurting Her Feelings”?
Rick Warren: Since 2004 seems to be “The Year of Jesus”, what list of influential people would be complete without a preacher man? Warren brings new meaning to the term, “religious hucksterism” with his shallow, but bestselling “The Profit-Driven Life”. Like most modern day religious leaders, Warren manages to take the teachings of Jesus concerning self-sacrifice, concern for the poor, and humility, and turn them into a screed for free-market capitalism.
Desperate Housewives: All I have to say about this entry is, WTF!! These bimbos make my argument against television so much more striking.
Nancy and Ron Reagan: Oh, how precious—Nancy and Ronnie—together again; In all seriousness, I do respect Mrs. Reagan for her outspoken support for stem-cell research, it’s just hard for me to overlook the fact that she was married to our worst President prior to our current one.
Martha Stewart: Now here’s a person that’s hard to overlook when one is nominationg movers and shakers who changed their world. I mean, where would we be without her award-winning tips on “How to Spruce up That Ugly Jail Cell”, “Ways to Add Pep and Zing to That Bland Prison Diet”, as well as the essential “Warding Off Your Cellmate’s Amorous Advances Without Hurting Her Feelings”?
Rick Warren: Since 2004 seems to be “The Year of Jesus”, what list of influential people would be complete without a preacher man? Warren brings new meaning to the term, “religious hucksterism” with his shallow, but bestselling “The Profit-Driven Life”. Like most modern day religious leaders, Warren manages to take the teachings of Jesus concerning self-sacrifice, concern for the poor, and humility, and turn them into a screed for free-market capitalism.
Desperate Housewives: All I have to say about this entry is, WTF!! These bimbos make my argument against television so much more striking.
A meaningful award
So many of the awards being presented on the world’s stage mean little or nothing to the rest of us who work, sweat, and toil each and every day. One that quickly comes to mind is Time’s meaningless and superficial “Person of the Year” being awarded to an international war criminal such as George Bush.
Occasionally however, someone is recognized with an award, by a recognizing body, that is worthy and deserved—a person who truly has done something significant and exemplary—and we should all sit up and take notice.
Wangari Matthai is Kenya’s vice minister of the environment. The 64-year-old biologist has been a grassroots activist for environmental causes most of her life. Matthai heads up Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, which pays poor Kenyan women to plant three trees per year. Since it’s inception in the late-1970’s, over 30 million trees have been planted.
Through its program, Green Belt provides a small amount of compensation to these poor women after the tree has received the important nurturance and protection it needs to survive. In addition, education about birth control is a component of the program, which addresses issues of overpopulation. As a result of this program, previously ravished forests are replenished, as well as the inherent global environmental benefits brought about through photosynthesis, with the trees absorbing carbon dioxide, and off-setting greenhouse gas emissions from rich industrial nations like the United States.
For her efforts at building sustainable communities of change, Wangari was honored with the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
Here’s to more meaningful awards being given to women like Wangari, who represent a new paradigm of hope and change for our world, versus men like Bush, who wallow in a paradigm from the old world, giving us death, disease, and destruction.
Occasionally however, someone is recognized with an award, by a recognizing body, that is worthy and deserved—a person who truly has done something significant and exemplary—and we should all sit up and take notice.
Wangari Matthai is Kenya’s vice minister of the environment. The 64-year-old biologist has been a grassroots activist for environmental causes most of her life. Matthai heads up Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, which pays poor Kenyan women to plant three trees per year. Since it’s inception in the late-1970’s, over 30 million trees have been planted.
Through its program, Green Belt provides a small amount of compensation to these poor women after the tree has received the important nurturance and protection it needs to survive. In addition, education about birth control is a component of the program, which addresses issues of overpopulation. As a result of this program, previously ravished forests are replenished, as well as the inherent global environmental benefits brought about through photosynthesis, with the trees absorbing carbon dioxide, and off-setting greenhouse gas emissions from rich industrial nations like the United States.
For her efforts at building sustainable communities of change, Wangari was honored with the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
Here’s to more meaningful awards being given to women like Wangari, who represent a new paradigm of hope and change for our world, versus men like Bush, who wallow in a paradigm from the old world, giving us death, disease, and destruction.
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Giving them cartoons
I sense that my attempts to promote reading and last night's sermonette on Advent were not widely (or even wildly) received.
I'm somewhat frustrated today (as I have been for the past week) by the grind of writing and the the holidays, as well as the book. Sometimes it all seems bigger than I'm capable of.
While I don't think I'm the world's greatest writer, I feel that I've written some solid content for much of the past year. A couple of articles that I've written have been excellent. Despite that, I continue to wallow in relative obscurity.
One particular article I was especially proud of is my article, In Hadlock's Shadow that I wrote for The Portland Pigeon (sorry, no website) back in July. Unfortunately, few people saw this investigative piece, although it did become the springboard for my book. Meanwhile, I struggle with maintaining any consistency on the freelancing side. Most of the dailies "throw me a bone" from time to time, allowing me a feature story, but those are few and far between. Face Magazine, which I've been writing for and enjoying for the past couple of months, has seen its editor Paul Woodfin leave the magazine after five years. Woodfin, a classy guy and appreciative of writing talent, has decided to pursue something else. Now I have to prove myself afresh to a new editor who doesn't seem particularly receptive to my writing.
I've received responses from a handful of readers and for them, I'm grateful. Overall however, I'm feeling terribly obscure and neglected.
Well, enough wallowing in my own self-pity for today. Since I don't feel like writing anything requiring much thought, I'll leave you with cartoons.
Oh, and I also love Boondocks!
I'm somewhat frustrated today (as I have been for the past week) by the grind of writing and the the holidays, as well as the book. Sometimes it all seems bigger than I'm capable of.
While I don't think I'm the world's greatest writer, I feel that I've written some solid content for much of the past year. A couple of articles that I've written have been excellent. Despite that, I continue to wallow in relative obscurity.
One particular article I was especially proud of is my article, In Hadlock's Shadow that I wrote for The Portland Pigeon (sorry, no website) back in July. Unfortunately, few people saw this investigative piece, although it did become the springboard for my book. Meanwhile, I struggle with maintaining any consistency on the freelancing side. Most of the dailies "throw me a bone" from time to time, allowing me a feature story, but those are few and far between. Face Magazine, which I've been writing for and enjoying for the past couple of months, has seen its editor Paul Woodfin leave the magazine after five years. Woodfin, a classy guy and appreciative of writing talent, has decided to pursue something else. Now I have to prove myself afresh to a new editor who doesn't seem particularly receptive to my writing.
I've received responses from a handful of readers and for them, I'm grateful. Overall however, I'm feeling terribly obscure and neglected.
Well, enough wallowing in my own self-pity for today. Since I don't feel like writing anything requiring much thought, I'll leave you with cartoons.
Oh, and I also love Boondocks!
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