Spinnerette

Lately I’ve been overwhelmed with how happy I’ve been lately. I have a home that fits (most of) my few worldly possessions, I have a husband who loves me, makes me laugh and works hard, and two cats who love me very much. I have my many hobbies (drawing, painting, knitting, spinning, dyeing, analyzing music at length and then writing about it), and I have two jobs that I love. I make banners and copy write/edit for television and radio station websites in the area, and I work full time at a music store with the best boss I’ve ever had. I’m also constantly making lists and looking forward to what I’m going to do next to further myself in this or that arena.

Life is pretty good for me lately, because I try to make the days better for myself. Winter is dreary and we all know that, so today I’m wearing a dress and some lipstick while I bounce around the house doing laundry and working. Simple pleasures, I think, are the key to being happy in whatever circumstance you’re in.

As for you lovely LSG folk, I’m thankful for all that you do, for helping me personally and for raising over $45,000 (at the time of this posting) for disaster relief in Haiti. I’m amazed and heartened by such a great movement of hearts and resources toward the tragedy.

The Antlers – Hospice
Self-Released March 3rd, 2009

Opening with the otherworldly, grainy keyboard and delicately raised voices Hospice quickly narrows into a dreamy, quietly whispered confession. Coming into the full grit of the album – the dynamics will shock you awake and surround you with the heaven I’m sure the angels who lent their voices to Silberman strive to convey in his falsetto. Released March 3rd, 2009, having taken nearly  two years to come to fruition, Hospice has been well worth its long gestation. The deeply personal nature of the material hints that perhaps the recording process had more to it than just getting it out in as few takes as possible.

Lachrymose and heavy-hearted, yet always pressing onward, the lyrics are meaty and hard to swallow. While blogging about the process of writing the album, Peter Silberman posted drawings and photographs of Sylvia Plath. Upon further reading, the songs “Sylvia” and “Atrophy” go further in depth about her two attempts at suicide from the point of view of a bystander reaching out to her, perhaps her husband Ted Hughes, before they separated a year before she died.

Puncturing to the heart of our feelings about death, sacrifice and letting go, the themes transcend all circumstances, lending themselves to each individual. Each glorious, epic outpouring of devotion and each hushed admittance of guilt carry you along on the way, preparing you for the build and release of the next track.

Mournful, ghostly wails and paired with compelling progressions and dusty static bust beyond the bereavement and lullaby-like lamentation into the exhilarating, heartening splendour of the full band and the acceptance that comes with grief. A well-balanced, beautiful release, Hospice is one not to be missed.

A video from my personal favourite track on the album, “Two”.