Been one of those nights I’ve been trying to decompress a little. Students are getting a little on my nerves. The end of the year is approaching and their behavior is bordering on rude and disrespectful. It’s not intentional. They are just making their transition mentally to high school. They just don’t realize they are still trapped in middle school bodies and mindsets. This is nothing different from what I’d tell them. At the end of the day, I do enjoy being around them and when the year is over, I’ll miss them. But don’t tell them I said that. It would SO go to their heads.
They mean well. But man, they are testing. And when you test me, you’ve really pushed the envelope. I don’t rile easily in the classroom. But the last couple of days they’ve pushed the limits of my patience. So instead of yell and scream, like that would do any good, I decompress.
My form of stress relief generally involves music. When I need to really relax, I pull out the classics. In my book that involves Joy Division, New Order, Bauhaus, The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen. So I tend to go to one of the best 80′s music blogs, Slicing Up Eyeballs. Thankfully, I did! Just found out Ian McCulloch from Echo and the Bunnymen fame, just released a “solo” album Holy Ghosts. It features some tunes from his Bunnymen days, with an orchestra accompanying him. It also has his fan-funded solo album, Pro Patria Mori. I’m listening to it on Spotify before I decide if I want to drop $20 on the 2 CD release. Yep, that’s a bit rich for my tastes.
Pro Patria Mori
I also found some videos of New Order at Coachella and on Jimmy Kimmel Live. While I love (I mean LOVE) New Order, the “modern-day version are a bit painful to watch. Between Bernie Sumner’s prancing/dancing and the fact that bassist Peter Hook is no longer in the band, watching them is a tad painful.
Perfect Kiss with Peter Hook
Bizarre Love Triangle without Hooky
Bizarre Love Triangle with Hooky
Without Hooky, the band lacks energy. And Hook can just flat-out play the bass. But Sumner and Hook are too busy blowing smoke up each other’s butt and being angry with each other. We’ll never see the combination back together. It’s too bad because they are so good together.
And then I ran across a not-so-old band that I nearly forgot about, Dead Confederate. They’ve been busy releasing an EP at the end of 2012, Peyote People, and a brand new album, In the Marrow, yesterday. I’ve been so out of the loop. Again, the lead singer’s voice is so gritty and soulful. He sings with such passion. Here are a couple of songs from their 2010 cd Sugar.
Giving it All Away
Run From the Gun
Grace In Movement
19.99 or Gumby Oil Salesman
Until Next Time,
Peace!
