Music Review: U2's "No Line on the Horizon"

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on April 2, 2009)


No Line On The Horizon: if you haven't heard this phrase recently, you are probably living under a rock. For some time before the release of the new U2 album, this phrase- which is its name- has been literally everywhere. Now that the album has been released, what's it like?

Some pre-release reviews described it as Achtung Baby on steroids. That is a pretty fair approximation. At first, I was a little disappointed. But as I continued listening, I started hearing things in the music that weren't readily apparent. This album is densely layered musically. I recommend a good stereo with subwoofers, and patience to concentrate on it through several rotations before rendering judgement.

On the whole, it is incredibly uplifting and positive musically. It draws heavily on the North African influence that is Fez, Morocco as did Achtung Baby. The difference is that these influences are a little less restrained than was so on the now legendary 1991 release. Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois were brought in again as producers, as well as Steve Lillywhite for the polishing up. U2 formally recognised this ongoing partnership with Eno and Lanois by giving them co-writer credits this time around. Larry Mullen, Jr. brought in a brand new electronic drum set that he learned to play during recording sessions (interesting stories there: often there could only be one take because he wasn't sure what he did and couldn't recreate a sound) and the Edge applied a new technology to produce a different sound with his guitar. Adam Clayton is playing some of the best bass lines of his career here. It could be that he has finally learned to play his instrument (will he admit it?). Bono is stretching his voice and exploring vocal ranges and keys he has never tried before. This is U2's most experimental work since Pop, hands down.

Bono has said that Moroccan drummers were brought into studio and Eno hinted that other North African/Arabic musicians were brought in as well. In the end, most of their contributions were thrown out because it was feared that the end result would seem too self-consciously worldly. Both Bono and Eno have said that this material was probably the best to come out of the studio work in Fez and that it is a shame it couldn't be used. But it did serve as inspiration. Some of the drumming remains on the finished album as underbeats (listen closely) and the rhythms that permeate No Line On The Horizon are, for the most part, U2 and Eno/Lanois' interpretation of the North African sound. The result is exhilerating at times.

The densely layered positive effect of the music is balanced by subject matter. These are the darkest songs of U2's career. In the title song we are introduced to a girl who has walked the dark side and has come out all the more determined to capture the good side. Moment of Surrender is about a soldier who returned from Somalia as a broken man. Unable to reintegrate into civilian society, he turns to drugs. Then he introduces his wife to the substances. The song picks up his story at the point where he breaks down, begging God to forgive her since in his mind it's not her fault. Unknown Caller documents a man's descent into insanity. He finds himself in a hotel room and recognises he needs help, so he tries to call someone, but has no signal. As his final break with reality takes place his cell phone begins texting him instructions. White As Snow is the thoughts of a dying soldier. In Cedars of Lebanon, Bono takes on the voice of a war correspondent missing home and yet completely removed from it as well.

Cedars of Lebanon represents what may be the most striking departure of the album. U2 habitually end their albums with often short, melodic, overwhelmingly positive pieces. They have at times went to great pains to ensure this as when they wrote and recorded 40 in about ten minutes to close out War. Cedars of Lebanon, on the other hand, is anything but short or melodic. And it is anything but positive. The song is half-spoken cadences of meditative, pensive loneliness and ends with this rueful admonition: "Choose your enemies carefully cos they will define you, make them interesting cos in some ways they will mind you. They're not there in the beginning but when your story ends, gonna last with you longer than your friends." This is certainly the first time U2 have ended an album so abruptly and the effect is unnerving. It leaves one feeling the need to meditate on one's own life and story.

Despite the gravity of the lyrics, Bono claims that the over-all theme of the album is positive. The title signifies reaching for the future and disappearing in it, seeing no end to it, becoming it. In the book that accompanies one release version of No Line On The Horizon, Bono explains that the songs are all about the longing to go back and find that lost love- usually one's first love- that unforgettable person that one has left for whatever reason and still loves. This album is about the search in hopes of a reunion and a chance to have a relationship with that person again- a second chance.

This is the most meditative poetic work U2 has done since The Unforgettable Fire and Achtung Baby. The fusing of musical cultures is in itself worth it to me. While it has much in common with Achtung Baby, it differs in that more of the songs are fast-paced than was the case with its predecessor. I have debated for some time on which is the over-all better work between these two albums- which is serious enough in its connatations on its own since I have always considered Achtung Baby as being the best album in history. In the end, I must conclude they are equal, each being worthy for different reasons.

The boys (as their fans affectionately call them) have done it again. They have proved themselves every bit the equal of the Beatles. Rock on, boys!

Last Chance for "Alice In Wonderland"!

"Alice In Wonderland" at the ACT Theatre in Elkhorn City, KY. USA is wrapping up its run of this original production that is true to Lewis Carroll's classic tale of absurdity this weekend. There are only two shows left: Friday, October 24, 2014 at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 3:00pm. There will be no showing on Saturday, October 25th because of the local high school's homecoming dance. Get your tickets before the dream is over for the last time!

Down The Rabbit Hole

The award-winning ACT Theatre in Elkhorn City, KY., U.S.A. is putting on an original adaptation of Lewis Carroll's "Alice In Wonderland", sponsored by Raging Rapid Art Gallery, until October 26, 2014. This is "Alice" like you've never seen her - more fantasy than Disney - weird and wonderful. A perfect satire of British society in Carroll's day, it is still deeply relevant in today's global xenophobic, holier-than-thou atmosphere (for those who must have meaning). For those willing to let the imagination play, it is summed up nicely by the King of Hearts who declares: "Well, if it has no meaning, so much the better, as it saves us the trouble of finding any!" The production is a colourful parade, true to Carroll's intention. A delightful night out for children and adults alike. Shows are Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm EDT and Sunday matinees at 3 pm EDT. Tickets are $9 USD.

For full disclosure: I am playing the role of the Pigeon.

Buy tickets

The Reader Will Find Themselves Moved

Sabotage Reviewshas published a review of "Marrow". Matthew Halliday writes in behalf of Sabotage Reviews and describes it as: "Raw material glibly described. The reader will find themselves moved by reading the pamphlet, but not really by the poetry."

Talking with Lia Parisyan

Lia Parisyan wears many artistic hats as a Google search will confirm. She is lovely and highly talented. Today, we talk to her about her poetry.

S.R. You seem to be various in your approach to writing and other arts. What is it that draws you to poetry in particular?

L.P. I have always been drawn to sound and imagery. I like painting a picture for readers and listeners. Poetry has been an outlet for me to express my joy, grief, doubts- it’s very therapeutic, and it appeals to me because the page is more a witness than a judge.

S.R. How would you describe your writing style and what influences you?

 L.P. Eclectic. I consider myself a Symbolist. I am influenced by color, the spirit world, and my day-to-day surroundings.
 

S.R. Do you recall the first poem you read? Please, share the experience.
 

L.P. The first poem I ever read was in Armenian. It was set to music, and it was about a famous battle. The imagery was so vivid, and made a lasting impression on me because I felt like I was in midst of it.
 

S.R. In your blog, you hint at being well-traveled. Where are all the places you've travelled to?

L.P. I have lived in Santa Catarina, Brazil, and Yerevan, Armenia. I have travelled to Mexico, Turkey, Turks & Caicos, most of the United States’ East coast, Canada, NKR, and Holland. I hope to travel more. My next destination will be Thailand.

S.R. How have these impacted your writing?
 

L.P. Brazil and Armenia had a profound impact on my writing as I was introduced to new words, ideologies, colors, and traditions. The sea, the moon, jewels, and remnants of the Old World often appear in my poems and prose.
 

S.R. Armenia seems to have a special something for you due to being part of your ancestry. What is your relationship to it and how did visiting there help you to grow as a poet?
 

L.P. I have always wanted to experience Armenia. I am part Armenian, part Syrian, and part mélange. My family on my mother’s side is from Syria, and are part Armenian and part Arab, and my father’s side is from Turkey. I am a child of the diaspora, and the culture I experienced was a mix of French colonialism, Arab Modernism fused with American suburbianism. It was difficult growing up because there was never a sense of belonging; I had a fragmented identity, and going to Armenia helped me realize how unique the culture is in Yerevan and other cities, and how the “Armenian” culture I experienced was so different from what I experienced abroad. It helped me reassess my values, helped me explore new themes, and helped me realize that I didn’t have to belong, and could create my own space and identity. Many of these ideas are making their way into my newer poems, and it’s an infant theme that I would like to develop further.
 

S.R. What projects are you working toward?

L.P. I am working on an Art Collaborative in the Bronx, and I hope to link writers, artists, poets, photographers, etc.,  to have them explore themes together, create new discourses, and give them the opportunity to have physical spaces for expression and exhibitions. 

S.R. Who would you like to work with in the future and why?
 

L.P. Honestly... Eminem. He was the person who made me think about words and really want to write. I watched an interview with Eminem and Anderson Cooper a while back, and saw that he too had a box of scribbles, and writes on everything from matchbooks to receipts to hotel stationary. It was nice to know there was another compulsive writer out there. I also have a love of euphony, and he’s a genius when it comes to playing with sounds and extended metaphors.
 

S.R. Where do you see yourself in 10 years poetically?
 

L.P. I would like to publish a book of photographs and poems. I see myself traveling, and creating Photo-Poem/Prose books that aim to capture an image and the essence of a moment.
 

S.R. What advice would you give to an aspiring poet?
 

L.P. Write every day. Don’t judge yourself too harshly. Sit and observe a place and person, write down your observations. Look at recurring themes and images, see how you can develop those further.
 

Learn more about Lia Parisyan on Facebook

The Virtual Blog Tour , I'm a Joining

I've been asked to join the "Virtual Blog Tour" by answering the following questions.

 1. What are you currently working on?

My poetry manuscript "Linger To Look" is currently in production stage. I'm trying to get it ironed out for eventual publication. I would like to have it released in time for the 2015 Spring book buying season, but, if not, I'll aim for the 2016 Spring season (I'll keep everyone updated). "Linger To Look" is my most experimental poetry yet. It draws heavily on Middle Eastern history and influences and blends them with Appalachia.

 I'm also finishing a songwriting collaboration with Kevin Mallory. The song will be called "Solitary One". I am reading four books for review. I'm also meant to interview Lia Parisyan for this space - watch for that. A local ACT Theatre has recruited my colleagues and I to design and build the set and costumes for its upcoming production of "Alice in Wonderland". It is up to me to find a visiting artist for the annual main event at Raging Rapid Art Gallery. I am also preparing to take a Modern and Contemporary poetry class starting in September. My plate is full!

2. How does your work differ from others of its genre?

I attempt to honour the Appalachian tradition while updating it with the contemporary and influences from around the world with a touch of the experimental. Appalachia is a land of great change right now. I try to reflect that in my writing. Therefore, it isn't what you would expect of an Appalachian poet by any means. My work falls firmly within the school, if you will, of the Appalachian Renaissance, but is still its own.

3. Why do you write what you do?

Firstly, because I love words in a sensual way. The way each one sounds, feels in the mouth, echoes off surfaces, and the shades of meaning and connotation. I love what I do. Secondly, to shatter stereotypes: Appalachian stereotypes obviously, but also others. I love to erase boundaries and strive for the supranational. All cultures are my culture and my culture is all cultures. The variety and colors that make up mankind is more beautiful and infinite than all the variety of flowers. Why not celebrate it for what it is: when harmonious, the most glorious creation of all God's creations. It is no surprise, therefore, that love tends to be a dominant theme.

4. How does your writing process work?

Every work comes about differently and I generally let them grow as individuals - like children. But a method that has been successful more than once is to write one phrase or stanza at a time and later organise it, so that the final poem is a collage, a patchwork quilt greater than the sum of its parts. It can be a very long process. Patience is vital. And humility. I have to get out of the poem's way. My job is to jostle the words around until they tell me where they need to be. That's all. The best work emerges when you take yourself out of it.

The key to this blog tour is to keep it going, so here are the three writers I'm tagging:

Michael O'Dea, a poet who draws from rural Ireland, County Roscommon mostly, for simple but profound and beautiful verses.
Christodoulos Makris, a very busy poet currently practicing in Ireland and the U.K. His work is heavily experimental, opening up exciting new avenues for the poetry of the area. He even made a poem that continually updates itself via Twitter!
Artemis Blithe, a poet who excels at spoken word and performance and who is also bringing Appalachian poetry to the 21st century.

There Are Sparks of Amazement

The latest review of "Marrow" is in. I am floored that the reviews have all been positive so far! The blog NirvanicM says: "There are instances in your life, when you stumble upon amazing things and they form a part of your life. In a similar way, I came across this Art book ... The book is graciously simple, with a minimalistic layout ... There are sparks of amazement ... may not go well with the faint-hearted, but reality cannot be cushioned. ... Everyone should read this."

Read the full review.

Tattoo Arts Festival

I will have a table set up with copies of both my books - "Following Hope" and "Marrow" - available for sale, as well as selected sketches of the "Salome Series".

See Goodreads for more info. ***UPDATE 8/23/2014: Event has been cancelled***

SIFF: Seattle International Film Festival 2011- Two Movies

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on June 23, 2011. Links within this article were extracted then)

The SIFF, or Seattle International Film Festival, is the largest film festival in the United States and has the catchy and appropriate motto of "See Interesting Films First". The 2011 festival ran from May 19 - June 12 at venues, cinemas, and theatres across the entire Seattle area.

I arrived in Seattle towards the end of the SIFF and generally too late to enjoy premieres or celebrity appearences, or even meet and greets with directors, producers, and the like. So I'm sorry to have to tell you there will be none of that in this article. It will focus on venues and primarily on the films themselves. The original plan was to watch four films, but jetlag and other circumstances whittled it down to two. These two films were "The Hunter" and "The White Meadows". WARNING: This article contains spoilers!

"The Hunter" (2010) screened at the Egyptian Theatre on Capitol Hill on June 3, 2011 at 4:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time. Originally built in 1915, the Egyptian Theatre has a theatre stage with a cinema screen. The room is curtained on the sides with red curtains and boasts a slightly cheesy (or whimsical, if you prefer) Egyptian decor. In a corner to the left when seated in the theatre/cinema was a sign that read "Aladdin's Magic Lamp". As you can perceive from that fact, the aim in decorating the theatre was not accuracy, but a fanciful Westernized version of Egyptian decor. Still, the antique nature of the place favors that, and it was pleasant surroundings. The Egyptian has been home to the SIFF since the 1980s.

"The Hunter" was introduced by SIFF Programmer Justine Barnum who gathers films for presentation at the festival from mainly North Africa and the Middle East. This information was greeted with applause by some. We were told about the new SIFF Film Center that was opening soon and would provide similar films and services year round instead of just at the festival proper. There would be an opportunity following the screening to linger and mull over various meditations and opinions regarding this and other films at the SIFF Lounge at The Noodle. We were also informed that our ticket to that night's showing would gain us discounts on tickets to see other Iranian films, such as "The White Meadows" and "Circumstance".

"The Hunter" falls under the genre of thriller. It is an Iranian/German film by director Rafi Pitts who also plays the lead role. I was under the impression that the movie was in the Farsi language, but further research online reveals that it is Persian, with English subtitles. The soundtrack is sparse, but effective. It allows the everyday noises of Tehran to dominate the soundscape. In fact, for the first half, the viewer hears mostly traffic, and, for the second half, mostly rain. The story centers on a very quiet, meditative ex-con Ali Alavi. In the midst of the Iranian elections of 2009, he struggles to reintegrate into free society and shows every likelihood of becoming a reasonably obedient citizen. He earnestly tries to spend as much time as possible with his beloved wife Sara and six-year-old daughter Saba. But one day, Sara is killed in the crossfire during a clash between police and insurgents and Saba goes missing. We follow Ali in his desperate quest to find his daughter and get answers from the police. But, in the same way that he fails to receive any real information from the police, so he fails to locate his daughter. Eventually, she is found, having been beaten to death. This is where Ali's efforts to reintegrate end. His profound grief turns into resentment against the police that he believes murdered his family, so in a sniper-like fashion in broad daylight he shoots two policemen, leaving them dead on the road. It isn't long before he is chased down. Here begins the second half. Now in a forest nearby to Tehran where Ali used to take hunting excursions, he is arrested. But the two policemen who have him in custody are not familiar with the woods and all three are soon lost. The clear line between hunter and hunted then blurs as the policemen decide to take justice in their own hands and the viewer is confronted with outright corruption in the system. The startling last scene, in which Ali dies, leaves the question: who is right and who is wrong when everybody are criminals? The applause following was short and sparse. Perhaps the audience was still processing what they had just seen.

Trailer for "The Hunter".

The next day, June 4, 2011, "The White Meadows" (2009) enjoyed one of its final screenings for the SIFF at The Kirkland Performance Center at 6:00 PM Pacific Daylight Time. The Kirkland Performance Center also had a theatre stage with a somewhat larger cinema screen. The decor was more modern with stadium seating, blush colored seats (the bottom six rows nearest the stage were red), and a gray and black stage that clearly was meant to disappear and focus attention fully on whatever was happening on it rather than the stage itself.

"The White Meadows" is a drama by director Mohammad Rasoulof, for which he and its producer Jafar Panahi were jailed. While Rasoulof has been released, as of the date of this screening, Panahi had not. The film itself has been banned in Iran. It was introduced by SIFF Programmer Clinton McClum who was eager to update the audience on the current status of the director and producer as it was known. Judging by the general conversation of fellow viewers, this movie was a real hit at the festival. The film is in the Persian language, with English subtitles.

"The White Meadows" follows the long tradition of allegory in Middle Eastern literature. In artfully beautiful shots, a world of fable is created using Lake Daryacheh (or Lake Urmia) in North Iran as the setting. It is a stark world of salt islands (called "salt marshes" in the film) in a lake as calm as glass where everything is a sparkling, maddening white. Rahmat, played by Hassan Pourshirazi, paddles through this dream-like world on a small boat and does not interfere in anything that he witnesses, except to collect the tears of the mourning, the oppressed, and the suffering. He patiently listens to complaints, sins, burdens, cares, grief, and woes. In this way, he gives comfort and a measure of relief to the people he searches out. He silently watches their various rituals, superstitions, customs, and punishments. For most of the movie, the audience is awe-struck as they follow his long and arduous journey. This film has the feel of both Homer's "The Odyssey" and the classic collection of tales "The Thousand and One Nights", commonly known as the Arabian Nights, for it has both the element of the epic journey by sea of Homer and the grandiose, mythical events of the Arabian Nights. It is not until the final scene that the viewer is shocked with the sight of green, the sound of birds, and an odd conclusion that plays upon several elements encountered in the journey in a symbolic, meaningful way. This movie is both powerful myth and a thoughtful meditation on human suffering and oppression. The overall effect is that one is transported into a fairy tale realm with anything but a happy-ever-after ending that holds a merciless mirror up to the human condition into which the viewers are not forced, but rather tricked into being willing, to gaze at and the serious questions asked cannot be denied. As the credits rolled, the Center was filled with a dead silence for all of two minutes as the audience stared- absolutely stunned by the heart-wrenching import of the film. When the applause finally broke out, it was heartfelt and prolonged. "The White Meadows" is a movie through which one feels changed a little- almost imperceptively- but permanently.

Trailer for "The White Meadows".

The Story Behind U2's Song "Miracle Drug"

(Originally published on Yahoo! Voices on July 29, 2011. The link in this article was extracted then)

U2 are famous, among other reasons, for the surprisingly touching and often pregnant with meaning inspirations for their songs. One of their songs that has been most discussed for its meaning is "Miracle Drug" from the studio album "How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", copyright 2004 U2 Limited. Although never officially released as a single from the album, "Miracle Drug" has quite a devoted following among the band's fan base, and even outside it. Here is the remarkable story that inspired it.

Cerebral Palsy is an "umbrella term" that covers a number of neurological disorders of varying severity and symptoms caused by lesions, and sometimes tumors, in the brain. Therefore, there are various types of CP as diagnosed, and it is not uncommon for an individual to have multiple types of varying degrees in the same case. Because CP is so variable, very little is known about it. There is no cure. And treatment consists wholly of attempts to correct growth anomalies and minimise symptoms and long-term complications. Even this is very hit-and-miss, more experimentation than anything. Researchers and doctors are not able to even agree on what causes the lesions and damage to the brain that results in CP (though oxygen deprivation is the undisputed cause of a small percentage of cases).

Christopher Nolan (September 6, 1965-February 20, 2009) was born with severe Cerebral Palsy. His was a very complicated birth. He was breached and, in order to save the life of both mother and child, a C-section was performed. A second surgery was also required on his mother. He himself was deprived of oxygen for approximately two hours, but somehow he managed to survive. His condition has often been described as paralytic, but that is inaccurate. As he himself wrote in his memoir "Under The Eye Of The Clock" he rarely ever stopped moving. The trouble was that he had almost no control over those movements. He humourously describes his embarrassment when stress and tenseness caused his limbs to fly about unbidden and he punched someone in the face or worse. His spasms were so severe that when he commanded his body to move a certain way it often froze and refused to move at all. Even his ability to speak was affected: his words came out only as moans and shouts. He was placed under the care of the Central Remedial Clinic in Clontarf, Dublin, and when he reached school age his family moved into Clontarf so that he could attend at the school sponsored by the clinic. His family, friends, and school staff communicated with him through a system of meaningful eye movements. After the medication Lioresal became available, he was able to control his head just enough to type using a "unicorn" device attached to his forehead. He immediately began writing letters, short stories, plays, and poems heavy with alliteration. Soon, he decided he wanted to attend school with the able-bodied. He tested as having above average intelligence, but a school could not be found that agreed to take him.

Mount Temple is a secondary school in Clontarf, Dublin which was established in 1972. It was an experimental school for its time. It was the first public school in Ireland to be nondenominational and one of the first to enroll both sexes. The faculty employed a very liberal, tolerant attitude toward the behavior of their students and in the teaching methods they used. (Interestingly, it also has the distinction of having the most star-studded alumni in its period of Irish history, the most recent of which being actress Eve Hewson, Bono's daughter.) It was thus the school to which to send children who didn't fit anywhere else. After a brief interview with Nolan, they agreed to take him on. He was the first disabled child to be taught there. For the first week, he attended half-days in order to build up his stamina for the full-day schedule, to give him time to become relaxed in the public school setting, and to give his able-bodied student helpers time to adjust as well. In time, he adjusted very well to the format of Mount Temple despite the great fatigue that the long days gave him and he had a large body of friends there. When he was fifteen, his collection "Dam-Burst Of Dreams" was published which established him as a school legend to this day. Eventually, he went on to Trinity College, Dublin and published two more books: "Under The Eye Of The Clock" (a reference to Mount Temple Comprehensive) and the novel "The Banyan Tree". He died after choking when he was 43 years old.

The boys that became U2 also attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School. They were also put out of other schools because of being children of bi-national and/or bi-religious parents and/or having behavioral issues. Fourteen-year-old Larry Mullin, Jr. posted a sign up there for auditions in his family's kitchen. Seven boys answered the post and the Feedback was born. Mount Temple allowed the boys to use a classroom there to practice in. In time, the lineup was whittled down to its four current members and the name was changed to the Hype and, finally, to U2. It was by winning a talent contest at Mount Temple that the "baby band", as fans now affectionately call that stage (originally coined by U2's manager Paul McGuinness), was able to cut its first EP with CBS Records: the now very rare and sought after "U2 3". All of which is now the stuff of legend.

It was just as U2 were enjoying their last year of school that Nolan arrived. He must have left a mighty impression on the boys of this band, for there you have the possible roots of Bono's least discussed and longest held cause: disability advocacy in Ireland, particulary for those with CP. And the inspiration for "Miracle Drug" which is written as if from the view point of Nolan's mother.

"Miracle Drug" by U2 ("How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb", 2004)

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=RNm7P2lY9DA