| Issue
#34
Feb. ‘02
February: A time of year in New England that
lends itself to cold
evenings spent by the fire immersing ones self into the perfect escape
as that of a good
book will give in an evening of read, or being swept away lost in the
spectacle of an epic
movie. And even when a fire is not available, the warmth and comfort of
a favorite
sweatshirt and a well used couch is all that is really required to sink
your ears into a
musical sojourn which captures your attention and whisks you off for an
evening where the
artistic mind can be absorbed by your senses.
The Runes bring
us a novel that is layered throughout with sub themes
that match, but do not over shadow the main plot, and it is all
presented with an even
more layered musical accompaniment than that which can be found on many
overproduced LPs
(if there’s one thing this disc cries for; it is a bigger
budget so that the
production could further enhance the Artistic vision).
Dancing with Ghosts
opens with Town of Song.
An autobiographical account of Runes founder and writer Matt Kjeldsen
(vocals, guitars,
percussion) helped by band mates Brian Collins (electric, acoustic, and
lap steel
guitars), Carrie Miller (cello, violin), Jimmy Holloway (drums,
percussion), and Julie
Carlton (bass and fretless bass) explaining why he feels that after a
lifetime of writing
songs - because that’s what he does - he’s about to
move on, to stop writing
songs (perhaps get a real job, that provides security in monetary
terms, but at what
price? That of the joy, and peace that the very thing he loves the most
– music,
brings to him no matter what else happens to him in his life and how he
or any other
– be it family, friends, or acquaintances may view it), but
this thought is quickly
banished especially when considering that there are a lot of other,
savvier, younger
musicians that are now providing “a simple groove
with a lighting
tongue / the words are slung and never sung.” All
the while The Runes are
pumping out a simple groove throughout until our aging rock musician
lays his life crisis
on our shoulders; After asking: “how can a simple
song like this compete?”
the song screams out as the proverbial slap in the face is applied and
it is firmly stated
that he isn’t going anywhere, not while he can still derive
pleasure out of the song
writing experience. It’s not even in question whether or not
it is ever to be heard
by anyone else in this world, for this joy is his life and this pure
bliss can be
uncovered and enjoyed even if it is to be his own private Shangri-la,
even if “no
one hears the words I sigh.”
Chapter/song #1 has laid the foundation.
Now, Matt & The Runes take us chapter and
verse to places far away but close at heart, the musical territory
traversed through the
rest of the LP is familiar and vital to the fulfillment of the escape. When
You Were Real carries us off into a dreamlike
state that sounds eerily like
Tommy James and the Shondells on too many ‘ludes swooning to
better days with a
former lover. Hell On My Mind
finishes the opening trio of Life,
Love, and Ethics with an ELO inspired drama questioning the unassigned
weight of the world
and the accounting for the fate of the world in each of our own ways
while trying to deal
with our own lives (Hell) and their toll on our soul (& Mind).
But the heart of this Audio book comes on Rolling
the Dice. Combining the opening
three themes and rolling them through
the life crisis of an Artist who does what he does to a point where he
must question; why
does he do it? Especially when it doesn’t seem to be
important to anyone else. But he
answers himself with the realization that what you do in life to
provide the eternal peace
we all search for in this world, the answer is not what provides the
meaning of life, but
the journey itself is what gives “meaning in the
footsteps and the tears”.
With that The Runes decide to engross us for
the remainder of the LP with an array of
musical bliss layered and layered over a lifetime; What would you say
to a song that
sounds like George Harrison actually got Lennon & McCartney to
write a song WITH him?
(Days Go
By). An Arena Rock God
Anthem type ballad that wouldn’t surprise anybody to be
tweaked and freaked by
Page/Plant & Jones wailing out over a subdued Bonham and could
have been used on the
soundtrack to “Rock Star” (In
Paradox), A bohemian
muted- Eleanor Rigby styled psychedelic trip that brings to mind
It’s A Beautiful Day
and Quicksilver Messenger Service (Let It Go).
Not to mention a
low-fi/emo Beach Boys styled tune (Somewhere
Else) that brought
a smile to this fan of musical artistry and craftsmanship.
Craftsmanship that reaches a pinnacle in Darkest
Dreams, a
love song of obsession type proportions delivered unrequited to an
unknowing lover. The
narrator’s undying love, devotion, and submission which would
be unwanted if known,
is punctuated by the acoustic strumming of both guitar and cello
lending forth the ominous
tone that helps define the line between Good Love and Evil Love.
And that parlays itself back into the
central plot running through this novel of self
exploration: The self doubt and questioning of the
“Good” of Love and the
“Evil” of Love that each of us must endure in our
lifetime. And how we act/react
and are forever altered by the choices and sacrifices we are forced to
make in the face of
both Good and Evil for the sake of love and life. In the end we can
only hope to be as
satisfied with the choices and sacrifices we make that either highlight
the good or the
evil for us to the point where life and the paths we’ve
chosen were worth Dancing
down. And sometimes the right Artist can show us that the Ghosts of our
past, while
sometimes painful, can be just as pleasing to Dance with. Or for that
matter, curled up on
a cold evening and immersed into.
The Runes
- Dancing with Ghosts
is available now for: $7.98 +s/h*
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