November 16

We listened to each of these tracks twice, the first time to listen to lyrics or the "first layer" of music, which is what ever you instinctively listen to. The second time through we focused on listening to the way the arrangements are layered and built to support the song. There were definitely some really interesting and strong opinions, some "I never need to hear that agains" while others loved that same track and the feelings switched.

However these tracks make you feel, dig into why, try to figure out what is about them that you do or do not enjoy. Lean into the discomfort.

The first track is Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas - Calliope Meets Frank

The Second Track is Hozier - Run
listen through following the lyrics the first time:

Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run until you feel your lungs bleeding


Oh but the farrow know
Her hungry eye, her ancient soul
It's carried by the sneering menagerie
Know what it is to grow
Beneath her sky, her punishing cold
To slowly learn of her ancient misery
To be twisted by something
A shame without a sin
Like how she twisted the bog man
After she married him


Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run until you feel your lungs bleeding


But in all the world
There is one lover worthy of her
With as many souls claimed as she
But for all he's worth
He still shatters always on her earth
The cause of every tear she'd ever weep
Rushing to shore to meet her
Foaming with loneliness
White hands to fondle and beat her
Give her his onliness


Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run until you feel your lungs bleeding


Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run until you feel your lungs bleeding
Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run until you feel your lungs bleeding

Bros Landreth - Greenhouse

You're a cold day in August
You're a stream too shallow
You're a heart shaped box with no letter inside
You're a seed unplanted
You're a field run fallow
Your heart's used up
You're feeling cast aside
I'm sorry that I left so soon
I left you standing at the gallows
You were all strung out
The hangman waiting for the sign
Come see me at the greenhouse
In the back yard
Come see me at the oak tree
With our names carved in the bark
Come see me at the train tracks
Bring some pennies for old time's sake
Even though I'm gone
There's some memories that you need to take
You're working up the courage
Just to get yourself through that doorway
A big world out there
You're afraid of what you'll find
Now you're leaning on friends
Finding comfort and laughter
You're patching up your heart
And finding some piece of mind
I'm sorry that I left so soon
You're stepping down from the gallows
You were all strung up
The hangman waiting for a sign
Come see me at the greenhouse
In the back yard
Come see me at the oak tree
With our names carved in the bark
Come see me at the train tracks
Bring some pennies for old time's sake
Even though I'm gone
There's some memories that you need to take
Mmmm...
You found a new lover
You went and got yourself married
You're doing all the things we never got to do
You had yourself a baby she's beautiful and happy
Oh lord how I wish I could have given that to you
But I left you too soon
I was standing at the gallows
I was all strung up
I gave the hangman the sign
You don't need me in the greenhouse
In the backyard
You don't need me at the oak tree
With our names carved in the bark
Don't make it to the train tracks
Bringing pennies for old times sake
There's new memories that you need to make
It's time for me to fade away
I'm going home
​

Josh Ritter - Best is for the Best

Once I knew a girl in the hard hard times 
She made me a shirt out of fives and dimes 
Now she's gone but when I wear it she crosses my mind 
And if the best is for the best then the best is unkind


I realized that Illinois was more than I could stand 
They say working's best cause poverty is hell on a man 
Now I ride a lazy river through the Mississippi fan 
And if the best is for the best then the best can be damned


I spent a few years on the Queen of Spain 
She was a leaky little boat that went up in flames 
When the boiler blew some people started naming names 
But if the best is for the best I guess the best is to blame


I spent a few more as the Cairo Crown 
A heavyweight wrestler in the Midwest towns 
But I was lonesome for a girl who could pin me down 
They say the best is for the best but that's not what I've found


Now I listen to my sweetheart and I listen to my thirst 
I don't spend time listening to other people's words 
Sometimes they're right most times the reverse 
They say the best is for the best when the best?s for the worse


Once I knew a girl in the hard hard times 
She made me a shirt out of fives and dimes 
Now she's gone but when I wear it she crosses my mind 
And if the best is for the best then the best is unkind