I was at a party yesterday (actually, a baby shower) and one of the people I met there told me we live in a very emotional landscape. I am not sure if ‘emotional’ is the right word, or the word I would have chosen, but I think I know what she means. It’s not flat here. We have hills and valleys and  rocks and water and beaches, and mountains not far away.

I once lived in an African country that was also emotional. Mountains and beaches, even an active volcano. The emotions there were sometimes stagnant (the long drought season) and sometimes violent (the rainy season and afterwards, when the mountains were an electric, neon green bursting up into the blue sky).

Houses and Mountains in an African Country--after the first rain

I am a bit tired of my practice run. The course is too flat, and I am a mountain goat at heart. So today I drove out to the state park about 20 minutes from our house. I have been to 16 different countries and 25 states, and this state park is my favorite place on earth. The lakes that make up the park were formed as glacial plunge pools. I love going to this park no matter what time of year, and I have never been to this park when it has not been beautiful.

One of the glacial lakes at my favorite place

Even the paths around the lakes are emotional–ridges formed from rains and indents in the earth from the pressure of cross-country skis pushing into the ice and snow during the winter. Small slopes and gravel and rivulets and rocks and leaves and twigs. We usually run at this park once a week, but have gotten out of our routine over the summer, so it has been some time since I visited. Mother Nature joined forces with the park rangers and developed a path around the lakes that is exactly three miles, which is what I ran today. I listened to Kris Delmhorst on my iPod Nano while I ran.

Me after the three mile run around the glacial lakes

Last night, following a delightful afternoon of Harry Potter and wandering around, I saw Kris Delmhorst—an amazing artist with indie-folk-bluegrass roots, and one of my very favorite musicians—at Mission with my friends Angela and Nate. Kris plus the intimacy of Mission, their delicious food, and awesome company was a perfect combination.

The title of this post comes from her song “Early Everlasting,” from Horses Swimming (the title is a reference to how her fingers look playing the guitar), which I could listen to (and do) over and over again. Her mellifluous voice is enchanting, and her songs speak to the range of life—bittersweetness and just plain sweetness, yearning, journeys, connection, and all sorts more.

Some songs I love that she played last night: Early Everlasting, Mean Old Wind, Words Fail You, Open Road.
Would love to hear next time: Made of Time, Moscow Song, Weatherman, Red Herring, Yellow Brick Road, Strange Conversation.

Angela and I couldn’t resist chatting her up a bit after the show and posing for a grainy and slightly out-of-focus photo.

Angela, Kris Delmhorst, and Me

Big props to Mission for hosting her. They’re up to a lot of great stuff, including the upcoming WordXWord festival that I’m excited to check out (already have my poetry pass purchased).

Jeffrey Foucault

On February 17th, Jeffrey Foucault will release an album of songs by one of his musical heroes, the great singer-songwriter John Prine. The collection entitled Shoot the Moon Right Between the Eyes: Jeffrey Foucault Sings The Songs Of John Prine features 13 Prine originals from all stages of his long career, including a number of lesser-known songs. The supporting cast includes Mark Erelli, David Goodrich, Eric Heywood and Kris Delmhorst. This release won’t be sold in stores and will be available only from selected websites and as a digital download.

Submitted by Signature Sounds

Kris Delmhorst – If Not For Love

It’s slightly reminiscent of Portishead, but this is a Sunday song if I’ve ever heard one. Simple, sultry and effective, it’ll have you lost lounging in a daydream in no time. Kris Delmhorst has been releasing music for ten years now and her latest, Shotgun Singer, came out in April on Signature Sounds.

Official site

Label

MySpace

Photo by simplicissimus

I’m hopping on a plane in a few hours to check out a few shows at Noise Pop in San Francisco, but for those singer-songwriter fans still in San Diego, I’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to see Kris Delmhorst at Lestat’s on Sunday night. Her voice has a touch of the smokiness of Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power), and I love that shit. Check it out for yourself:

MP3: Heavens Hold the Sun

If you’re interested, email me at natkardos AT gmail DOT com with “Kris Delmhorst” in the subject line and your full name in the body of the email. You will be put on the list with a plus one if you win.

I have had this song for a while, I first downloaded it when I was still living in London and yet it’s had regular playback ever since. I found it by googling “just like smoke” lyrics — I’d never even heard of it but loved the lyrics so downloaded the song — and loved it even more.

What I originally liked was the whole “I could get stuck on you… I think I won’t” aspect. I do tend to get caught up in dudes and then get all upset about them. I admired Kris’s stance: I won’t stick to you like glue, I’ll drift by you just like smoke, I’ll leave you nothing but some dirty laundry… – and here comes the kicker – nothing but a little catch, in your throat.

I’ve been doing it more or less successfully ever since. Except in some cases, where I’ve been failing abysmally to move on (I do tend to go back and try and repeat good things when they came to an end a loong, loooong time ago… bad move, destroys the little catch in the throat!). It’s a song that always cheers me up and gives me perspective when I’m getting a little too caught up in a dude.

But today I like it for different reasons, a different set of lyrics which I’m singing to myself this week. I’m now pretty much unemployed and in a sort of rut, except that I like my rut.
So maybe last month’s paycheck is
just a jingle in my pocket
Maybe last night’s love is all a pack of lies
Maybe last year’s questions still got no answers
But I still look down when I want to see the sky
I’ve been out every day, every night, seeing people, doing things, being happy to just… be me. Spending money, not recklessly, but drinking isn’t free. Giving money to buskers. Watching bands play (some really, really good bands too). Dancing like crazy all night in tiny clubs, with random people I meet on the street.

I have no work, but I have no fear, I have no answers but… it’s ok. Gravity don’t work on me. Ground can’t hold me down.

Gravity don’t work on me
Ground don’t pull me down
I can jump anything I come to
I do not need to come down

Gravity don’t work on me