This is my first Summer in Harrisonburg and everything they've told me is true: As soon as the students leave, the heavens open up to dump buckets and the traffic is practically nonexistent! As of 2008, the population of the 'burg is about 44,000, and 40% of those residents are JMU students, either graduate or undergrad. I suppose when a campus of 18,000 students disappears and only about 1,000 remain for Maymester or other reasons, the ghost town switch is inevitable. Personally, I like it. I can get from the mall to the parking deck on S. Main in 8 minutes. EIGHT MINUTES! My enthusiasm for the lighter traffic is undeniable and completely understandable after the hell of Port Republic on the Friday of exam week. I have a feeling that I'm going to resent the returning students in August.

Quick Question:
Do you know of any really good songs that could be turned into jazzy ballads? If so, please comment and let me know! I'm trying to start playing shows at a local Italian restaurant and I found an accompanist who will help me out with a dress-and-a-piano type of gig. Now, we just need music! Some of the songs already on the list are:

Nancy Sinatra - Bang Bang
Carly Simon - You're So Vain
Phil Collins - True Colors
Stockard Channing - There Are Worse Things I Could Do (from Grease)

...you get the idea. Do you know any more songs that go along these lines? Or would you happen to know some restaurants that might like to have a smoother live music performance as people eat and converse? Any insight you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Band of the Week:
Let me brag: I saw an amazing show last Tuesday in Richmond at The National. I fell in love with this band about 6 months ago when I found 5 random songs by them on my iTunes playlist. Porcupine Tree (wicked name, right?) is a band from Australia that focuses on the actual musicianship side of composition. Tons of great bands of history have been wonderful musicians, but they write for the radio. What does that even mean, write for the radio? Well, most successful bands try to write songs that a majority of the population will like. That way, their songs get played on the radio, even more people hear the songs and love the band, and record sales are all but guaranteed. Steve Wilson rejects that process entirely, calling modern radio music "muzak," which is just a nice way to say "meaningless elevator music." Instead, this revolutionary musician writes songs that are aesthetically pleasing to the band and that hold a deep meaning among the writers. Wilson and the other band members use crazy ideas like multiple time signature use in one song (which is more rare than you'd think) cryptic lyrics, and the regular creation of concept albums (an album designed to be heard as a whole unit, not as individual songs). Basically, this music is just plain WEIRD sometimes. Don't get me wrong - if you're a true musician, I don't see how you can dislike the band, unless you generally dislike the acoustic/electric/bass/synth/keyboard/percussion combo. They have put out 10 full-length albums and 4 EPs since 1991 and the show I saw Tuesday was a complete performance of the newest concept album, "The Incident." Talk about being moved. I can't remember ever seeing a more flawless, seamless performance.... and that's saying a lot because I'm a concert junkie.

Here are a couple of my all-time faves:

"Time Flies", the climax piece of the newest concept album

"Lazarus", a song I heard for the first time in the snow (which was perfect)

"Piano Lessons", just a great song

DISCLAIMER: If you're not well versed in time signatures, I humbly advise that you refrain from trying to keep rhythm with head nods or foot taps. This is not because I believe you are incapable, simply because I would rather you focus on the actual music than be distracted and potentially frustrated with trying to understand the timing of the song. Just push play and go with whatever comes at you. I promise, you will love this band if you let yourself get into them. I dare you to buy "The Incident" and listen to it from start to finish. Let the music move you. After all, that's what we're all about, right?