Darko and Listener

If you read this blog with any sense of slight consistency, you may have noticed I have an abiding endearment for a wee little band called The Chariot. I've seen them 3 times already, and I have plans to see them 3 more times this year.

At least.

Anyways, on their last full length, they had a delightful ditty entitled David De La Hoz, which featured a rather exquisite guest spot from some dude named Dan Smith. or thedancemyth, if you wanted to get twichnical.

Dan is part of a talk-music band called Listener.

I heard that Listener would be playing a house show in Toronto.

I like house shows.

I liked the one bit Dan did in David De La Hoz.

So I went.

So worth it.

I'm only posting one video, in which he performs aforementioned soliloquy from David, because these lines:

we can be on fire again you and i

say what you want

say what you mean

are constantly taking on new meaning to me every few weeks.

And on a totally unrelated note, introduced a friend to the bizarrity of Donnie Darko today, and the post movie conversation ended up on worship, in which I had the brilliant metaphorical moment that went along these lines:

Life is like a fish entrée, and the fish should be the way we live (and therefore worship) and worship music should be the little citrus wedges that compliment it. However, a lot of people get them mixed up, and treat the lemon (worship music) like the main course (main act of worship), and ignore the fish. So, while they may not get scurvy (I haven't developed this enough to determine what scurvy should be... any ideas?), they're missing out on the point of the entire thing: presenting their bodies as living testaments of what they believe.

The Chariot-Long Live

Every review I've read online about this album starts with some comment of how the album starts with feedback, so I'm starting mine with a comment about how all the reviews start with feedback.

Positive feedback I might add, from both the album and the reviewers. The reviewers give it because they have good taste, and The Chariot gives it because they're The bloody Chariot, and as such they can do as they bloody well please.

Rather than give a break down of each song (see what I did there?), I shall summarize each song with a single syllable: "guh."

This album is just "guh." Now, that really isn't the best way to describe the album, but it is the easiest. It's just so multi-faceted, with so many 'candy' bits (awesome/catchy/high replay value) and bone crunching delivery of shark solid lyrics.

Excerpt:

I saved my money, but it can't save me

Oh how I love it.

The vocalist has expanded his vocal range, and the screaming seems like it has more of a southern drawl in it, a bit like Twelve Gauge Valentine or MATSOD. Only far superior to either.

The two biggest highlights of the album are the songs David De La Hoz and The Heavens, the latter's opening is just brilliant, and the former of which features an awesome guest vocalist with shiver inducing lyrics:

And we can be on fire again, you and I, you want this

Well say what you want, say what you mean

But even picking a 'highlight' feels a tad bizarre, because this entire album is just glowing with ingenuity and raw rawness.

Of course, all that being said, The Chariot is completely insane and probably won't attract everyone. They walk that line of amazingness where their pure power can either be a deterrent or an attraction.

Clearly, I'm attracted, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Disappointed? I KNOW YOU ARE

Long Live The Chariot

I went and saw The Chariot last night. Again. I wish it could be a weekly experience, but sadly, today is there last leg of the tour, and I'm working.

drat.

I tried capturing some video on my nano, but I missed the best parts because I was too busy being blown away to remember that I should record it. This is a more whimsical moment from the night:

"Oh, my mic cord is stuck? I'll just pirouette while our merch guy untangles it."

(Sorry it's sideways.)

Another reason to love them: They're incredibly friendly and modest. They introduce themselves, hug, ask questions, show interest. Very Georgian.

I picked up 2 of their CD's, so a review of one or both should be coming... Once I review Underoath... and A Day To Remember.

hmmm...

On the plus side, excellent friends are home this weekend!

This Week In Review

Last Thursday I had an existential freakout and deactivated my facebook, then decided to take it a step further and just turn off my computer for the week.

I got so much done.

I started reading the Bible again, which was the main reason behind the whole fast, but I also cleaned my room, finished House Of Leaves ('Wow' is all I have to say), got my G2, saw the most amazing live performance ever (also "Wow"), got stood up for the first time, took a potentially epic friendship into stages of actual adventure and a host of other joyous activities. Obviously, not all of these things were dependent on me not having electronic interference in my life, but I found it odd to have so much 'free' time. As though the things I do on the computer were actually important.

I realized the issue is I would sit down to accomplish a worthy task, like blogging or writing a letter, but I would continually be distracted by mostly pointless things.

So, my facebook is staying deactivated for now. All I really miss is scrabble. And the thousands of pictures of my nephews.

As shown by that list above, quite a bit has happened over the last week. Each could really be a blog post in and of itself, but the thing I will focus on is the performance I saw on Tuesday: the almighty The Chariot:

There was supposed to be a picture here of the band playing, a picture that captured their indescribable intensity and passion, but, as I suspected, no such can exist. It would be like a tornado, a hurricane and a forest fire all encapsulated in Coke bottle.

I've tried to describe to people over the last few days how mind blo

wingly amazing this band was, but no one seems to get it. Not that it's a fault on their end. Putting into words the glory that transpired is tough.

Oh, and Lights was there. She tweeted this photo:

This would be Josh Scogin, the frontman for The Chariot, being his wonderful entertaining self.

Another sign of how excellent this band is: I bought one of their band T's. I have a personal philosophy of not wearing graphic T's in general, esp. ones that advertise things I don't get paid to advertise.

There are only 4 bands on this planet that I would wear their merchandise, and The Chariot is one.

Also, had epic talk with one of my closest friends the ride there, and the ride back.

Oh, and earlier that day I had my first mentorship meeting. Then I got my G2.

I would say that was the best Tuesday of the week, by far.

Well, she is waking up

And she is finding out she has no pulse

Just like her "God" that she is trying to sell

But she ain't bought

Her lion is scared

Because he is finding out

She's waking up and he can't stop breaking down

And fading out as she gets up

Well, she looks around, Ariel

You have no pulse

Much like your religion, but it's fine

Just fake it

The wrath of God's grace is but an ocean to a child