Tuesday, June 11, 2013

A Calling of the Waters: Scotland/Ireland Mix



According to the ever-reliable Wikipedia, Jerusalem Syndrome is "a group of mental phenomena involving the presence of either religiously themed obsessive ideas, delusions or other psychosis-like experiences that are triggered by a visit to the city of Jerusalem."  Normal people touch down in the Holy Land and start telling people they're John the Baptist.

In just a few days, Ilana and I are headed to Scotland and Ireland, a ten-day trip centering on the wedding of our friends Becky and Niall.  I'm not sure how my Scotland Syndrome will present itself, but I think there's a decent chance I will speak only in bursts of gorgeous melancholy, intricate harmonies and swirling guitar reverb.  (Or I might just start telling people I'm the second coming of Stuart Murdoch - who knows?)  Seriously, do you guys realize how much incredible music comes from Scotland?  (And, I guess, Ireland ... you guys remember B*Witched, right?)  Putting this mix together was an eye-opening experience.

With that as a preface, it's pretty funny that our one Scotland concert experience is going to be Bruce Springsteen.  (Though we will be making a CHVRCHES-related pilgrimage to Glasgow's hallowed Nice N Sleazy rock club.)  Still, this mix should be a decent approximation of what I hope our trip sounds like.

(And, in fairness to Ireland, while your music apparently lags pretty far behind Scotland, your novelists are of course second to none and I'm excited to re-read Flann O'Brien's At Swim-Two-Birds on the trip, and branch out into The Third Policeman).

2 comments:

  1. Pretty much everything awesome originated in Scotland. Tarmac, adhesive postage stamps, scotch, television, Jamieson Pfeifer.

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  2. Just found your blog. When you mentioned Scottish bands the first one that came to my mind was Teenage Fanclub. I'm glad to see you've included one of their songs on your playlist, but if you haven't listened to some of their earlier albums, go back to "Thirteen" or "Songs from Northern Britain" - two of my favorite. Thanks for all of your playlist suggestions. Another oldy I love is from the Pretenders "Don't Get me Wrong". It always get's me going starting out. Melaka - Houston, TX

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