The Return of eLf ideas

ideas of an eLven being in Canada

Sunday, July 17, 2005

Such Great Heights

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Welcoming the platypus from its short hiatus is the music video of "Such Great Heights" by the American band The Postal Service.

The Postal Service began as a collaborative project of Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) and Jimmy Tamborello (of Dntel and Figurine) with Chris Walla (also of Death Cab for Cutie). The success of their first full-length album, Give Up, prompted the collaborators to legitimize the outfit alongside their respective, equally successful bands.

.................The Postal Service: Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello

Fans of New Wave / Synthpop music will certainly feel the same great heights I felt in listening to the music of The Postal Service, which reminds me of my classic favorites Pet Shops Boys, The Lightning Seeds, and I Start Counting. (Compare "Such Great Heights" with I Start Counting's "Letters to a Friend" and "You and I.")

"Such Great Heights"
by The Postal Service
(Give Up, 2003)

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
In our eyes are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned

And I have to speculate that God himself
Did make us into corresponding shapes like
Puzzle pieces from the clay

And true, it may seem like a stretch, but
Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled
Head when you're away when I am missing you to death

When you are out there on the road for
Several weeks of shows and when you scan
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great heights
"Come down now," they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
"Come down now," but we'll stay

I tried my best to leave this
All on your machine
But the persistent beat it sounded thin upon listening

And that frankly will not fly
You will hear the shrillest highs and lowest lows
With the windows down when this is guiding you home

They will see us waving from such great heights
"Come down now," they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away
"Come down now," but we'll stay

%%%
Listening to "We Will Become Silhouettes," another song from The Postal Service, inspired me to write the short poems below.

I pledge to you, my Demure,
A promise as grand as Rome.
As soon as I return home,
We'll become one silhouette.
In the meantime, however,
We remain for each other
Courageous, strong, and pure.

>>>

Inaalay ko sa 'yo
Ang pangako kong ito—
Sa aking pagbabalik,
Tayo'y pag-iisahin.
Habang antay natin 'yan,
Puso ko'y laging sabik,
Tapat sa 'ting mithiin.

By listening to music and reading a book every day, I remain in touch with the bard in me.

2 Comments:

  • At Monday, July 18, 2005 3:53:00 AM, Blogger Randy P. Valiente said…

    whoah! elf! di ko akalain na nakikinig ka rin pala ng postal service. they are actualay one of my favoritee group na na-discover ko lang sa download.com wala pa akong masyadong alam na info tungkol sa kanila pero na-download ko na yata lahat ng songs nila sa limewire. they're f***ng great!!!!! ewan ko, di ako nagsasawa sa music nila, especially itong tumutugtog s site mo. gulat talaga ako, really. bigla na lang kasing tumugtog dito ung such great heights, tapos pag scroll ko pababa, may entry ka pala tungkol sa kanila. well, meron pala akong ayaw sa tugtog nila, ung revival nila ng 'against all odds'

     
  • At Tuesday, July 19, 2005 2:33:00 PM, Blogger eLf ideas said…

    Dear Randy,
    You surprised me as well, especially that The Postal Service, I think, is among an obscure lot of contemporary artists.

    I, too, have the penchant to taste-test a particular artist way before their popularity or before even listening to their music.

    I like The Postal Service obviously because of their New Wave sensibilities, a characteristic which has always been my ears' guiding sound in finding new artists.

    If you fell for TPS, you'll certainly get hooked too with the music of these relatively new bands: Rilo Kiley ("Portions of Foxes"), Camera Obscura ("Eighties Fan"), The Killers ("Smile like You Mean It"), Bravery ("Honest Mistakes"), and The Arcade Fire ("Rebellion [Lies]").

    In case you missed these classic New Wave songs, check them out too (they were from among those who pioneered the sound TPS is making right now): "Letters to a Friend" and "You and I" by I Start Counting, "Home and Dry" by Pet Shop Boys, and "Wrong Heaven" by Eggstone. Also, try some tracks from the Swedish band Popsicle ("Histrionics," "Please Don't Ask," "Good with Us," and "Use My Name."

     

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