Album of the Year?

Alopecia might be my choice. Certainly if you asked me this very moment. It's a three-man race for yours truly thus far:

1) The aformentioned album by Cincinnati native Yoni Wolf's quartet "Why?" who are essentially genre-less. Seriously. Abstract hip hop? Indie rock? Psychedelic pop? I'm not sure what you'd coin these guys. Wolf's chops remind me of Beck ("I tried to sing it funny like Beck/but it's bringin' me down") when he's rhyming, but lyrically he's a little more dark (honest?). I'd liken him to Will Sheff of Okkervil River...but that doesn't work either, unless--again--you're just talking lyrics.

I haven't been this excited about an album for a long time.

Well that might be a lie, I was when I first heard...

2) Fleet Foxes self-titled album. Their follow-up to the E.P. Sun Giant, which is also incredible.

3) Then there's Beach House's second full-length Devotion which is an album I seem to come crawling back to time and time again.

Here's a sample from Why?'s Alopecia: a track called "Songs of the Sad Assassin."

update 11/28/08:
"because I only played chess once in my life and I lost..."

Cornfields (Revisited)

Residence: Tiffin, OH (8/03 - 12/07)



Residence: Augusta, GA (1/08 - 8/08)



Residence: Defiance, OH (8/08 - present)


Goodbye to...

the palmettos. The spanish moss. The red clay. The brick roads surrounding Forest Hills. The insane heat. And humidity. Foggy runs down the AC. Laurel Lane. The Green Jackets. The watering hole--waterfall, slick rocks and all--that made for one hell of a post-run soak. The dark orange rays of a setting sun reflecting off the Savannah River and sneaking through the treelines of the canal path. Friendly, waving passerby's on boat tours.

It's bittersweet leaving Augusta.--in terms of location more than anything. I suppose you could title the southern chapter of my life "My Time In Exile."

I say that, but maybe it was a healthy thing in retrospect. Life takes you down many paths. This was one I'll certainly never forget. I guess I'll just leave it at that.

Hello to...

familiarity. Crisp air (even in August it was detectable, and I welcomed it). Maple trees. Yankee dialect.

I was surprised my shakey '97 Cirrus made the 10-hour drive to Youngstown. My brief stay back home in northeast Ohio was cut a little bit short as I was asked to move into Defiance a little earlier than the expected date of August 11th.



No worries. It was a great first night as I met my boss--Head Coach John Hartpence--for the first time in the flesh over a three-hour game of poker where many of the athletic administration were present (he was the host). I met three of our athletic trainers, the head volleyball and soccer coaches as well as two second-year graduate assistants I believe (that might be a mistake).

Already I feel welcome and have had a conversation with the athletic director, something that--believe it or not--never occurred during my seven month stay at ASU. I'm not even sure he knew I existed.

The area reminds me so much of Tiffin (albeit, a bit of an upgrade since it includes a Buffalo Wild Wings, amongst other goodies the Tiffin conservatives would never allow). It's eerie, yet at the same time, comforting. There's a crisp, cool feeling to the air--something I've missed. After living in Georgia the last half-year, it feels like fall right now, and I'm not complaining, that just so happens to be my favorite time of year.

Looking forward to this:



...it would have been my first fall on this planet without those colors. Not sure I could've stomached that. Not sure I'll ever want to.

I'm greatful for this opportunity and a fresh start. God knows I needed it. I feel alive again, and I'm doing what I love. More updates soon to come, I'm sure.



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