Usually fairly modest, I don’t claim to know much of anything. In my twenty-some odd trips around the sun, I’ve really only discovered one thing: I at least am pretty sure what I like. When it comes to music anyway. Somewhat reluctantly, I met with a few friends at the big Peoria Pizza Works in the Heights for a show including three regionally local groups. Don’t get me wrong, the place is okay, I’ve just kind of lost taste for it.
To be honest, I barely remember the first and third band. The second on the other hand… It’s been some time since I’ve attended a show and -immediately- took to the music. In fact, fell in love with it. Like mounting a photo in the foreground of a watercolour painting and drizzling water over it from above, this is exactly the flush of feeling that washed over me. As with the painting, it only took a few seconds for everything in the background, the crowd, pool tables and poorly-patched wooden plank floor, to completely blend together; washing away from memory as if they weren’t or hadn’t ever been there. All that’s left is the music and it’s profound effect on the listener. I can’t seem to recall the last time that this happened in person. What an introduction and first impression, as I didn’t even know of their existence before the very first chord.
What happens when one takes a dash of The Cranberries, the angelic harmonies of Azure Ray, a few sprinkles of U2’s crunchy chords, a dab of Depeche Mode, and maybe even a bit of The Cure, throw in an equal amount of talent and creativity and let simmer overnight?
You end up with the incredibly unique sounds of Scale Model.
The four-piece armed (at least this night) with fantastically conservative equipment, has a huge sound. Brilliantly graceful and uplifting. Elegant, with a notion of concern, but no particular urgency. Nonetheless, enough to fill your soul. Listening to them this moment, in fact makes it difficult to concentrate on this. Actually, it is probably best that I end for now so that I can focus on Scale Model and the beautiful world that they have created.
Here’s a sample clip. Enjoy.
And I didn’t even really want to go.
His fingers nudge the small, white earpieces so that they hold by their own force within his ear. The backpack he always carries is shoved beneath the seat in front of him. It doesn’t quite fit, but they let him pass anyway. It’s never been a problem. He reaches into his lap where the device attached to that white cord dangling from his head lies. He fumbles with the controls for a bit, searching for just the right sounds for the moment. Deciding on what might suite this situation best, he clicks the button. Slowly, they are moving and come to a stop. A few moments pass. The ambiance of this instant is set. Just then, he’s pulled deep into his seat as speed is gained. Then, the feeling of the earth leaving him below washes over him. He barely notices.
It’s a beautiful, calm day. That was soon to change. It’s late in the year and now anything is possible; especially while traveling through the Midwest. The aircraft is rocked to one side, then the other. The captain announces that the flight may be a little rough. This, of course, a sure sign that the flight will indeed be a bit rough.
He notices a tension in the young girl next to him. She seems a bit flustered, though not openly. Her eyes flick to him every now and then. He pretends to not notice. She hadn’t boarded with anyone else, and she seemed very young whether she looked it or not. She clutched the dark-green bag until her very dark knuckles were white.
The plane violently rocked to the left, then the right. The sinking feeling of suddenly losing several hundred feet of altitude preoccupied the passengers. All were just a bit concerned, whether -they- showed it or not.
Several times he noticed her glinting look pass his way. He did nothing. In fact, he didn’t even acknowledge her desperate hints. He looked ahead, listening to the world within that he had created. Guilty? Maybe a bit. If what he considered real danger was to be upon them, certainly he would do something. But not now. Not right now. Inside himself though, he almost hoped for that chance. The chance to help, in any way that he could. To help someone else in a situation where he could help. Or at least comfort. Something that he couldn’t do forhimself in almost any situation.
Looking below, he could see dark spots scattered across the terrain in all directions. He knew that the flight must have been redirected, and had an idea where, but so fast?
It then became obvious that he was about to land where he had suspected. So many lakes could only be one place. The thin aluminum of the plane creaked and groaned as hundreds of feet were lost in a very limited amount of time.
Here, the weather outside looked fantastic. Very few clouds; no precipitation whatsoever. Inbound they were.
The gear dropped for an extended amount of time; no one sure what the holdup might be. After this seemingly short trip, it could be anything. None aboard seemed to give it a second thought. All were just thankful to be headed toward a safe landing.
The squeal of the landing gear on a previously rain-soaked runway marked their landing.
Have I ever mentioned that sigur rós is probably the most influential group of musicians in my life? I’m sure that I have. If they’re not that for you, well then maybe you should click here. Especially around the 6.25 mark, and then the 9.30 mark.
Wow.
