Los Angeles

We play to these empty rooms
To the few people who don’t care
I just want to connect with someone
I just want to connect with you
Every word I sing, every note we bring
Is nothing more than the word PLEASE
Resounding over and over, endlessly into the void.
Into the emptiness of those rank, beer-soaked floors,
Into the emptiness of those eyes
That stare and judge
Without even truly judging
Even worse: they don’t see anything at all.
And we keep screaming against distant mountains
Too far removed even to reward us with the echo
Of our own voices

-- kg

In Rainbows

HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT!!!!!

I downloaded the new Radiohead album 'In Rainbows' last night and immediately got into bed with the headphones on. HOLY SHIT is all I can say. I was not even thinking about a new Radiohead album until they popped up with their industry-changing offer: download the album directly from us (no record label) and pay us WHATEVER YOU WANT. Since that announcement, it's as if the tide that was straining to change just rushed in all at once. This is the tipping point for the industry, the sea change, whatever you want to call it. Once again, Radiohead prove themselves to be not only ahead of the curve, but pavers of the road itself. And then there's the music on the album. It sounds like they are paying back Phil Selway for all those years of drum machines. Live drums and tasty percussion mixed in with the bleeps and blips to create an incredibly rich 3-D sound. Super heavy hitters with awesome riffs, traditionally spooky Radiohead 'quiet' songs.....all of them bear the undeniable stamp of a band that has NEVER BEEN MORE SURE OF ITSELF. We can argue about how it stacks up in the Radiohead canon, but I can tell you that they have not sounded so totally in control of their vision since 'OKC'. And I for one am enthralled by this vision. There is such a deep sense of humanity on this one, so much warmer than the cold paranoia of the last few records (especially Thom's solo album). The vocals are sad, resigned, strong, seductive, soothing, heartbreaking. Radiohead is now playing the blues. (And the greens, and the yellows, and the oranges, and the reds........)

I am alternately daunted and inspired by how much more advanced their songcraft is than most anything out there. More inspired than daunted, however, as this raising of the bar is a call to step up our game with the songs we are writing right now. I want to get into that game. I want Costa Nova to be considered with our heroes when all is said and done. Thank God that the only way to get there is to play as much music as possible!!!!!!!

love and inspiration,
kg