The Salty Air

  I let my sweat drip down, torrents of droplets splashing down on the ground. The air tasted so, so salty. It was like being near the ocean, but without the birds circling overhead, nor the waves crashing into the shore. My muscles were sore from running. My tongue was swelling from panting in the heat. I musta been slowly getting dehydration, my vision was going a little fuzzed at the edges, like a drunk-man's impressionist painting of the world. The glaring sun wasn't helping none either.

   I started thinking back to those nights at sea. That everlasting blueness that just sank into your soul with each day. Back when it took so many weeks before Morgan finally got her sea-legs. Until she did find her legs, I'd find her either on the starboard deck, green in the face leaning on the railing, or below-decks clutching a book for dear life. At that point, I always wondered why she signed on in the first place, it seemed like she was just making herself miserable and she was getting in the way at times. Once she learned to walk at sea, well, it was as if she'd been born at sea, born a sailor.  She'd be up in the crow's nest, checking the map against our surroundings. Nimbly she would climb down the ropes back to deck, swifter than any galley-rat on the seven seas.

   Man, I miss Morgan...I miss her and I miss the sea, I'm so sick of this never ending desert! Maybe I've only been running in circles, that cactus looks like one I saw earlier. I always thought mirages were just jokes, men seeing things that weren't there in the baking sun, but that looks a hell of a lot like my old ship rising through the haze in the horizon. What a cruel trick for my brain to play, especially as I run out of energy next to be that very same cactus...ahh, no this one has two arms, not three, my mistake.....

Cryptic Sentiments

Sometimes talking to you
feels more like pulling teeth,
and there's never any Novocaine.
Every question I throw
is only met by one or two
words
in reply
None of your cryptic sentiments
are ever explained
without
One Hundred Questioning Spades,
To dig meaning from your lips

The Shins

  The Shins are coming out with a new album called Port of Morrow this year. A few weeks ago the new single entitled "Simple Song" from the album was released.  I listened to the single on repeat for awhile, both entralled with the new energy that the band exhibited and intrigued by the direction they were taking now. It was a slight departure from past material, more bombastic, definitely less low-key.  This change in form makes sense to an extent since The Shins changed almost the entirety of their lineup since their last album, Wincing the Night Away, with the exception of front-man, James Mercer. I was on the fence whether or not I liked the new sound: yes, it is an infectious song that is clearly catchy with the old melancholy of past albums toned down considerably, but was that acceptable within the realm of the same band? I couldn't decide. I was leaning towards yes, if the song is enjoyable then it is enjoyable.

   My intuition was reinforced upon seeing the music video for their single. The video is fantastic, in my opinion. It is comedic, nostalgic, shows great editing, and looks pretty good. The combination of the video and song together erased past doubts in my mind over whether I liked Simple Song, I do. I hope you too will enjoy.

The Shins
Simple Song


oh and happy March!