I Blog Blaum!

Uh Huh Her

2007-10-03T19:49:00.001-07:00

PJ Harvey scares me; her voice sends shivers down my spine like no other vocalist. When I hear her sing, I feel her haunted visions play out inside my head. When I picked up her latest album, White Chalk, even the cover art gave me the creeps, and could possibly give me nightmares for the next few weeks. But Harvey is not here to scare us, she is here to guide us through the darkness that troubles this beautiful enchantress.

White Chalk is PJ Harvey's eight studio album, and her most ambitious effort by far. Gone are the dizzying pulse and fractured grind of her previous albums, instead Harvey is relying on her voice. This album is a departure from her previous works, it is more reticent, soothing, and truthful. From the opening track The Devil, where her voice patiently explodes fluently with the piano, to the melancholy desperation in The Mountain, Harvey bares her soul with tantalizing results. In the song Dear Darkness, she whispers "Dear Darkness, won't you cover me, cover me again, I've been your friend for many years", we are quick understand her pangs, and yearn to comfort her. White Chalk is more than just a sad and depressing record, it is an exploration into the deepest corners of the heart's abyss. The rage that was prevalent in her earlier work is no longer there, instead Harvey has learned to trust her voice and poetics to effectively carry her songs.

This album is beautiful, brilliant, elegant, powerful, and haunting. After a few listens it has quickly become one of my favorite albums of 2007. Harvey's music has often been described as punk, goth, blues-rock, and art-rock, White Chalk dispels all those labels. Some fans may find this album too depressing and soft, or perhaps too much of a departure from her musical style; but this is the album that Harvey has been slowly evolving toward since she released Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea and Uh Huh Her. And this is the album we've been waiting for.

Can Superman Save Burning Man?

2007-09-25T14:39:00.001-07:00

Can Superman Save Burning Man?
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous

Apparently not...

praise of love

2007-07-26T16:31:00.001-07:00

...And After All You're My Wonderwall
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous

and so then
the first moment
do you remember names
or adjectives
no, no
perhaps nothing was said
the end of indifference
and then you smile
like the sun
skyscrapers
swallowing us
in a tender
embrace.

composition

2007-07-11T22:56:00.001-07:00

infinite sadness
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous

composition.
mostly composed of nouns/verbs/adjectives.
a compose of letter that become words.
i am left in anxiety
counting numbers instead
days, hours, minutes, seconds,
at 11AM those are what matters most
when you anticipate.
sitting in a room,
too empty for solace,
waiting to the grasp your skin one more
time.
a composition starts with a premise,
but this one will start with a dream
through a rabbithole.

a dream about icicles forming on my ceiling
on the hottest of nights,
watching it a ferment,
and swirl in circles
creating fingers that fan out
like a blooming flower.

these are my dreams,
since i left her cozy world.
Merely dreams to keep me
distracted until those numbers
become zeros.

To The Dogs

2007-07-10T09:16:00.000-07:00

When the dogs bark, I taste July.
I fall into circulation.
I crave faux fur.
I miss the taste of pineapple.
I miss my toys.
I gulp liquid anti-freeze.

When the dogs bark, I drown in tears.
I get ravenous for onions.
I want to fly to distant lands.
I change my name to Jean-Paul.
I change my name to Leona.
My name changes itself to Buster.

When the dogs bark, the road crackles like a frying pan.
The verses disappear into the pavement.
The dictionary smokes meaning into nothing.
I stare at the blank wall.
I taste serendipity.
I see myself totally naked.
I am vulnerable.

When the dogs bark, eagles swoops over the house.
The stereo gets a panic attack.
The oven trembles for fear.
The trees pull out their roots for freedom.
I translate ancient texts into pornography.
I rip the windows open to let the lightning
and madness inside.
The cat sings lullabies.
I don't have a cat.

Barking dogs!

And I remind myself...
The moon is a hanging white poppy!
The moon is a hanging white poppy!
The moon is a hanging white poppy!
The moon is a...

Jersey Joe's RV

2007-07-09T22:39:00.001-07:00

Jersey Joe's RV
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous

Sometimes you can go crazy on your RV.

Sans Lumiere

2007-06-26T10:25:00.001-07:00

Sans Lumiere
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous

NYC and DC in 3 weeks. I'm left speechless and uncomposed.

Follow Your Heart

2007-05-21T23:35:00.001-07:00

Follow Your Heart
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous.

Say No More

2007-05-14T11:10:00.001-07:00

Say No More
Originally uploaded by aqui-ali.

Sometimes a Q-tip is just not enough.

Family Affair

2007-05-06T21:08:00.001-07:00

Family Affair
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous.

Who knew raising money for charities would be so fun?

Stick To Your Guns

2007-05-02T15:01:00.001-07:00

stick to your guns
Originally uploaded by Lush.i.ous.

A Holiday By the Bay

2007-02-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

Sunrise at Center Camp

2006-09-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

The Sprawl

2006-09-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

The Sprawl
Originally uploaded by LU$H.

Campers of The Sprawl. Thank you for the love, hospitality, and community. It was an amazing burn...

OFF TO BURNING MAN

2006-08-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

OFF TO BURNING MAN

Fire!!

2006-08-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

DSC00256.JPG
Originally uploaded by Thrakazog.

Three more days until Burning Man! Let the fire begin!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK!

2006-08-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHUCK

Today is Charles Bukowski's birthday. Happy Birthday Chuck! I'll be drinking one for you tonight.

THE ALIENS
from The Last Night Of The Earth Poems

you may not believe it
but there are people
who go through life with
very little
friction of distress.
they dress well, sleep well.
they are contented with
their family
life.
they are undisturbed
and often feel
very good.
and when they die
it is an easy death, usually in their
sleep.

you may not believe
it
but such people do
exist.

but i am not one of
them.
oh no, I am not one of them,
I am not even near
to being
one of
them.
but they
are there

and I am
here.

THE RESURRECTION OF LUSH

2006-08-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

THE RESURRECTION OF LUSH
Lush is dead. Long live Lush! Burning man is a couple of weeks away, and although I have been reluctant in going to Burning Man, I'm finally feeling inspired to go back to the playa. My life has been a rollercoaster since I stepped off the playa two years ago. And it is time for me to take another journey to my soul. I really don't know what I'm looking, and I'm a little afraid of what I might find. But Burning Man is a sort of journey to the Heart of Lightness for me. I need to learn to love. I need to capture the essence of my inspiration and purpose, things that I'm afraid to admit have been lost and compromised by pain, fear, and lack of courage.

It's time to face the desert. It's time to dust off all the dirt from the default world, and it's time to explore. Wherever that might take me.

Towers Of Perception

2006-08-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

Towers Of Perception
Originally uploaded by Ryanicus.

Went to Venice Beach on Sunday and came out with a ton of wonderful pictures. Venice Beach is one of the few places in the world where people, culture, race, and faith collide beneath a beautiful sun and gorgeous beach.

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

2006-08-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

This is the best music video I have seen in a long time. The song isn't too good, but the video is just hilarious. The band is OK Go!, and the song is A Million Ways.

THE VOICE OF THE ANCIENT BARD

2006-07-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

Dood
Originally uploaded by Tsjeu.

Youth of delight! come hither
And see the opening morn,
Image of Truth new-born.
Doubt is fled, and clouds of reason,
Dark disputes and artful teazing.
Folly is an endless maze;
Tangled roots perplex her ways;
How many have fallen there!
They stumble all night over bones of the dead;
And feel--they know not what but care;
And wish to lead others, when they should be led.

- William Blake

Joys of Youth

2006-07-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

Joys of Youth
Originally uploaded by Ryanicus.

Oh the simplicity and charm of youth. I can so relate to the feeling of my nephew receiving a toy. That is the essence of a child's heart right there...

from the passenger seat

2006-07-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

from the passenger seat
Originally uploaded by ultraviolett.

Wow! I didn't take this picture, but I sure wish I did. It's pictures like these that make me want to be a photographer. I love how beautiful all the converging lines are on this reflection. It is perfectly balanced, if this isn't art, I don't know what is. It's just brilliant!!!

2006-07-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

42 YEARS AGO

2006-07-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

My Father
Originally uploaded by Ryanicus.

I found this picture of my dad taken on August 1964. I am not sure where it is was taken. He was 28 years old when this was taken. Twelve years before I was born. He looks young and fit. It's kinda scary how I look so much like him. He had such great hair, how come I don't have any hair. Now that's a tragedy...