ChaseMacri.com » john brittingham

Nicole Krauss

Chase — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 04:26:21 +0000

Caitlin, Katie, and Kate, you might be excited about this (assuming, Kate, that you’ve finally read The History of Love.) John Brit, I don’t know if you’ve read this book yet or not, but you should. Either way, you’ll be excited about the bit I put in bold. From New York Magazine Book Review:

“Krauss’s novel is emotionally wrenching yet intellectually rigorous, idea-driven but with indelible characters and true suspense. It draws a career arc that may very soon surpass her husband’s, in book clubs (it’s a Today Show pick) as well as Hollywood. (Foer’s Everything Is Illuminated comes out this fall, and Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón—of Y Tu Mamá También [And Children of Men]—is already laboring on The History of Love.)”

I’m stoked. Alfonso Cuaron is one of three new Spanish directors who I like very much. The other two are Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel) and Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth.) I don’t know about Guillermo yet though. I hear PL is good, and it one a bunch of Oscars. But this guy also did Hellboy…

Friends

Chase — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:39:55 +0000

I want you all to know, beyond the way I seem, or the way you perceive, I am completely open to you all. I want to be vulnerable because these transactions we have been keeping lately have boiled down to simply the state of affairs. What are you thinking? What are you feeling? Are you okay? Would you tell me (us) if you weren’t?

- John, I called you today to say that I’ve been feeling fake in our conversations and I want to be real with you. Why only twenty minutes? Do we not have more to share, to reveal?
- Katie, I called you today because I wanted to know if I would get to see you again before you go to Kansas.
- Matt, I called you today too because I wanted to know if you thought Paris was beautiful or only dirty.
- Ian and Bekah, I wanted to call you today but didn’t because I thought I’d wait until a post-9PM hour to use the free minutes, as I’ve been watching how much regular minutes I’ve been using (April went over…) Sorry, maybe this weekend. I feel a closeness to you two, an openness may be a better word, that I don’t share with the rest. I expect harder questions from you, and thrive on them. I’m always grateful to have been able to talk to you when we do.
- Kate, I thought of calling you too.

Others, you’re on my mind. Have we drifted too far? What are we doing to row closer to shore? Anything?

- Justin, I don’t know if you know this, but I’m sorry about pushing you away Junior year. I was a bastard, and I think entirely behind your back. I feel shameful about it, especially because I love you and Becky Jo very much and wish I could’ve seen more of you in the time since then.
- Chester, I pray for you often. That you’ll find a job you love, but that you’ll enjoy the time of rest you have currently.
- Sean, when will I see you again?

A commune takes community and I don’t expect it to happen if it isn’t happening now. Do you have any thoughts?

New Wilco, for real this time

Chase — Sun, 20 May 2007 04:48:43 +0000

The new Wilco album Sky Blue Sky which was released this past Tuesday, March 15th features a band growing older, growing more comfortable with themselves, and with each other. Wilco’s last two releases 2002′s epic, landmark album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and 2004′s A Ghost is Born is, as John Brit could describe, Wilco perfecting the art of deconstructing the folk song. Wilco began there career as an alt/country band with a folk frontman with rock tendencies and with each album the band added more weird sounds, textures, ambiance, noise, which took them from straight alt-country to something else entirely. Wilco is a band that understands the rock ethos, the working man, the Midwest, alienation, longing and regret, and can say so tongue in cheek (“Radio Cure”) or with painful honesty (“Elt”).

While the band has alternated members with seemingly every album, this line up has been the same since slightly after A Ghost is Born‘s release, on last years live album Kicking Television, and now on Sky Blue Sky.
The record was culled from a collection of live performances recorded in a circle at Wilco’s loft in Chicago, where they also recorded Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. But the two albums approach the recording process from two entirely different angles, and achieve two completely different sounds, both emotionally and sonically.

Sky Blue Sky is a mature, aged Tweedy and Co. just simply playing songs. In a interview Jeff Tweedy spoke of the band feeling that it was “more brave” to say what’s really on his mind in the lyrics and just play songs amidst the turmoil in the world today. The result is a feeling that we the listeners are sitting on the couch next to Jeff and the band, telling us stories, feelings, and thoughts that are candid rather than cryptic. It’s as if we are invited inside Wilco’s house and asked to listen to what’s on their hearts, rather than trying to figure it out between the lines. Consequentially the album feels very open, even light, and refreshing. This is the magic of Jeff Tweedy. He can overwhelm you with sheer power, layers, and poetry as well as in simplicity.

Sonically, the album sounds like a completely different band if you’ve only ever heard Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or A Ghost is Born. No deconstruction of the folk song, no insane density; the opposite of the “destroy to recreate” songwriting method previously employed (good thing or bad thing? I’m not sure on this release.) Minimum of overdubs lends a very live, what-you-see-is-what-you-get feel (including slight mistakes, like a note or two in Cline’s solo during “Impossible Germany”), but the band still manages to rock and hard on several of the tracks like “Shake It Off” and “Walken.” My only complaint is Jeff’s vocal should’ve been nudged down and Glen kit should’ve been nudged up in some parts, especially the softer parts, ’cause it sounds like the band is too far away from Jeff’s voice at times.
Overall, I like this new offering from these slightly older, slight more content Chicago-based boys very much. It’s soft, and sweet, but still rocks and still makes me scratch my head. And, oh, the plus-DVD version has 8 sweet live versions of the songs in the loft with comments from Jeff and the band in between about the album. Very nice.

Particularly favorite track: On and On and On
Overall rating:

Sometimes I feel stupid

Chase — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:40:01 +0000

Remember when we were all in school, pursing studies, reading books, discussing ideas and all that?

I do, I miss it so much. I feel so dumb sometimes. Especially reading things I felt like I understood a year ago that I now scratch my head over. And when I write. I try to write in a more down to earth, filled with inflections and even sometimes visceral style but is that simply because I cannot use very many big words? If so, good excuse, but lame nevertheless.

Sometimes I really miss John. And that makes me miss Sean. And the other way around. Then, in a way Explosions in the Sky put it so apt, all the sudden I miss everyone.

I’ve been thinking hard about grad school lately, and that makes me feel dumb too. Reading some of the course descriptions and requirements makes me feel very, very unprepared. I think I want to do something in Cultural studies as it relates to sub-culture and punk/hardcore/metalcore music. Kind of that progression of 20 or 30 years. But I’ve read maybe three books on culture of any type be it mass, pop, sub, whatever. Am I prepared for grad school?

Other times I think I only want to pursue that avenue because my friends are, and I want the prestige of having a masters degree. To one up my parents (not for pride of being the first to do so but also for that reason. If that makes sense or works somehow.) I do see myself teaching someday. But I still don’t know if that’s where I need to go right now.

I also want to get back into recording. I need money to buy equipment to simply start doing it again. I have bills, and debt, and it all takes such a long time to save (welcome to life, Chase!) Builds to frustration so often. And I kind of hate my job sometimes. I mostly don’t like it because it isn’t beneficial to anyone, doesn’t matter, and isn’t what I was created to do. But I’m working on being content and happy no matter the circumstance and that has actually been a really good thing.

I’m jealous too. Of Ian, and Matt, and Justin, and Joe Bubenik here, and of Ian McDermott and all you other people who are married or about to be ’cause every day I want that more and more. Caitlin and I have a good idea, nearly a plan to make it all work, but it’s all dependent and is hinged to circumstance and choices. All of which take time, and I’ve been trying to patient for so long.

This “graduate and move away from those you love” is lame. We need to make the commune work. I miss those I love very much. To see you, and hug you, and laugh all together. I’m glad a lot of talk often. We need that more than we think we do.

Track 3 on ( ) is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard in my life. God is telling me to be patient still.

I’ve been feeling…

Chase — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 04:45:04 +0000

…like I want to move so bad this past week or two. I’ve run so many possibilities through my head. They include:

- Nashville, with M. Good. Well, near M. Good. And eventually the Futures.
- Hampton, back home, which is where I will be some day.
- Atlanta, internship with M. Goldman.
- Chicago, internship with Chicago Recording Company (I have an interview for the position as “intern” in March)
- PA., with J. Brit. I forget what city he lives in, but I was more thinking when he goes to grad school, we could get an apartment, and I’ll be his roomy.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about this communal living thing. I want it to happen, but it seems like most of us want to let life live us rather than the other way around, sort of. I think we need to make it happen. It’s just unrealistic without some grinding of gears, and teeth.

I feel like this band is going nowhere.

I’ve been praying a lot about healing, I want to see it happen so bad.

walk the line

Chase — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 03:28:40 +0000

Everyone should go see Walk the Line. It’s very, very good.

On another note, I love my friends. All my “old” friends whom I’ve had since freshman year are fantastic. They will always hold a special place in my heart. But I’m especially thankful for my new friends, and the “new” friends I’ve started hanging out with again. Matt, John, Kate, Katie, Bekah, Josh, Danny, etc… the list goes on and on and on. I appreciate all of you so much.

Caitlin and Zach, you two are awesome. It’s been great hanging out with both of you this semester.

It makes me sad that it’ll be over after next semester, and I hope we don’t lose touch. That’d be very sad.

On another note, apparently there is at least one person in Greenville who has wanted to “get to know me” since last year. And to anyone else who feels the same way, well, you have slightly more than a semester to do it! I’m approachable. Come say hi to me in Dubach, ask me to hang out, e-mail me or whatever. Don’t hold back, I probably wouldn’t mind getting to know you as well.

Anyway, that’s all. Go see Walk the Line.