North of Dixie

October 14, 2006... After going through a period this spring where I stopped posting, I really enjoyed getting back into the swing of things in the summer and early autumn. But, as you may have noticed, I've disappeared over the past two weeks. In truth, I've been scarce ever since mid-September. I was able to continue posting for a while, but stopped reading and listening to what other bloggers were posting.

Quite simply, I am overextended. Between a frequently stressful, but occasionally rewarding full-time job, regular meditation practice, helping to organize and playing for a 0-and-4 hockey team, serving on the Board of an organization that is in a desperate fight to save its most high-profile program, weekly meetings of the cryptic crossword mafia, and caring for various crusty ingrates, I haven't had much time left lately to explore the blogosphere or to add my pollution to it.

With that in mind, I'm gonna keep the description and background research related to today's record to a minimum. This may or may not become the pattern in the future.

Datura Seeds was an Indianapolis-based group featuring Paul Mahern, ex of the Zero Boys, on vocals and guitar. The band's 1989 LP, Who Do You Want It to Be?, is power-pop at its most powerful.

Particularly inneresting are the lyrics on "S & P '69," which is listed as "Salt & Pepper '69" on other Datura Seeds releases. Really though, the lyrics are thoughtful throughout. You can take the Boy out of punk, I guess, but not the punk out of the Boy.

Datura Seeds - S & P '69

Datura Seeds - Dale Carnegie

Datura Seeds - Sideswalk

The songs on Who Do You Want It to Be? are varied and thought-filled and there is nary a weak one among them. Some have a vaguely "southern" feel to them, in the way that every REM song of the time had a vaguely "southern" feel to it. Dixie creeps well north of the Mason-Dixon line in the midwest, to these ears. Then again, to these ears, a guy from Nottingham sounds like a guy from Yorkshire ... so don't be a-scared by my perception of Datura Seed's "southerness."

Shockingly, Who Do You Want It to Be? is still available, on vinyl, from Toxic Shock, the label that released it 17 years ago. You'd better hurry up and place your order, though, because unless I read the website wrong, there's only one copy left.

*****

P.S. For those of you, both of you, who found the story of my troubles with "Iris" interesting, here's an update: it's a bummer working with someone who is jealous of your modest successes and actively wants you to fail, who would rather revel in your discomfort than try to help you solve a problem. 'Nuff said about that.

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