Saturday, October 18, 2008

"Home Is Where You Get Across" (Chris Whitley)

Mainlining black coffee and listening to Chris Whitley's awesome "Live At Martyrs'." iTunes' album review mentions his "...heated passion, raw intensity and an indescribable urge toward both the sacred and profane."  (And as descriptions of strong black coffee go, it's not a bad review either.)


And there's that sound...an antique guitar, never meant to be electrified.  An equally ancient tube amp driven beyond all comprehension.  And I have no idea from where he wrenches those vocals unless maybe he's foretelling his own death from lung cancer a few short years later.

But it's in the customer reviews that I found this oddly affecting homage to Whitley and the power of music:

"I've never heard this recording.  I was at one of those shows though.  Unfortunately, I didn't have the money to get in so I stood outside trying to hear what I could.  Times were hard for me personally then but from what little I could hear I had a companion on the stage.  Chris Whitley showed me that music can be that vital.  So important because it can make a single human feel less outside, more inside.  I'm buying this record now.  I have hopes that listening to it will help me get into the room." (From x-ray delta one.)

Welcome to the room, baby.

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