My favorite musical moment of the year comes two minutes and forty-two seconds into Everything Absent or Distorted's "The Exit Parade," from their novella The Soft Civil War. Just as the song lulls listeners into a soothing but knowing round of "And we love you..." its promise is interrupted by a Salvation Army brass line. For a split second the horns threaten to scatter the tranquility, but instead they bolster the mantra and allow the song to ride out on a wave of hope.
Were it not for a friend of a friend I might never have known EAoD. Since that fateful April night ("Change instruments!") I've discovered a band that:
...makes you wanna dress in pink to meet friends and strangers at a cemetery to flail about wildly whilst toting balloons while contemplating exactly whose grave it is you dance upon.
...makes you wanna dance with friends and strangers into the wee hours of the night even if the band has requested the deejay spin "The Final Countdown."
...makes you wanna leave your house on a weeknight to pogo like its 1995 and shake pompoms if kind strangers happen to provide them.
...makes you accept the women's XL t-shirt (that doesn't fit anyway) when what you really wanted was a men's medium.
...makes you feel like a moderately decent pool player.
...makes you finally get around to self-publishing that little book.
At their record release party in August the band invited everyone out for an evening of music and dancing and flowers, and yes, "The Final Countdown." For that night audience and artists happily commingled. As I shuffled out of the Hi-Dive with the rest of the faithful, it was with a feeling one wishes to make greater acquaintance of; hope.
Thanks guys.
PS I have not asked permission to post most of these pictures. I would be happy to pull/credit any photos upon request.
