Gray or blue?

Someone asked about the lyrics to this song by Jaymay, 'Gray or Blue', earlier this afternoon. As it happens it is a favorite of mine too and one of the less complicated ones as luck would have it: this is currently the best I can do.


Gray or Blue
I feel so helpless now
my guitar is not around
And I'm struggling with the xylophone
to make these feelings sound.
And I'm remembering you singing
And bringing you to life 
And it's rainin' out the window
And today it looks like night.
You haven't written to me in a week
I wonder why that is.
Are you too nervous to be lovers?
Friendship's through with just one kiss?
I watched you very closely
and I saw you look away.
Your eyes are either gray or blue
I'm never close enough to say.
But your sweatshirt says it all
With the hood over your face
And I can't keep staring at you mouth
Without wondering how it tastes.
And I'm with another boy
He's asleep; I'm wide awake.
He's tried to win my heart
But it's taking time...
I know the shape of your hands
Because I watch them when you talk
I know the shape of your body
Because I watch it when you walk.
And I want to know it all
But I'm giving you the lead
So go on, go on and take it
Don't fake it - SHOOT.
It hurts me. Are your eyes gray or blue?
Make a move. I will not make a move.
If you don't then I'll not make a move
And if that's so we will both surely lose.
Don't second guess your feelings
you were right from the start.
And I noticed she's your lover
but she's nowhere near your heart.
This city is for strangers
like the sky is for the stars.
I think it's very dangerous
if we do not take what's ours.
I'm winning you with words
Because I have no other way.
I'd love to look into your face
Without your eyes turning away.
And last night I watched you sing
Because a person has to try
And I walked home in the rain
As a person cannot lie.


To be honest track #6 'You'd Rather Run' would, despite its rather simple sounding guitar accompaniment, be a far greater challenge. Consider this: 'Gray or Blue' is just 3:25 and manages to include all the lyrics above and 'You'd Rather Run' is 9:50 in length.
I believe that Jaymay is currently scoring a film and it's hard to think that it will be anything other than art-house but none the less worthwhile for that...   It might not be easy, indeed the album Autumn Fallin' is not, but if you like a challenge it is a near-as-perfect example of New York creative intensity. In many ways the strange ambiguity of the album title says a great deal.

It is supposed to be summer... Virtual Festival 3

This has to do with festivals both real and imaginary. On the real side, the latest Latitude 2008 update shows that a "special guest" will play on the Obelisk arena at midday Sunday. I can think of several that would be fit for purpose. There is however one, amongst them, that I would have deemed the most improbable...

...and that is Joanna Newsom.

She is often pigeon-holed as freak folk, which may or may not be a good call, but one thing is certainly true --- there are few artists, in this or any other genre, for whom the instrument of choice is a double-stringed acoustic harp.

One thing that I totally failed to predict for 2008 is just what an influence American music would have on me. Some of it I have mentioned already but, if more examples were needed, here are another couple of albums on my 'Want To Listen To' list.

She sings while also playing upright bass at the same time.

This is yet another, from New York, that has come to my notice in the last couple of days.

Perhaps the most wonderful thing about it is that these three albums have all been released on North American independent record labels. Three different ones as it happens and artists and labels such as these deserve our support.