Keaton Simons 'Can You Hear Me' Album Review by An 8th Grader

Keaton Simons – Future Famous

By An 8th Grader Who Writes Better Than Most Rolling Stone Writers

Keaton Simons will be famous some day. I see it in his future because his music is really good. When I first was handed it by Mr. Fersch, I was very reluctant and was thinking to myself what did I just get myself into. I went home and listened to the whole album 'Can You Hear Me' (which I have done 5 times at this point) and let out a sigh of relief. This guy was actually pretty good. He reminded me of John Mayer, who I like very much. I was happy that I got to broaden my musical horizon with Keaton Simons.

Keaton has had a rough past. Not only having a problem getting his music out there, he was on four different drugs. Pot, acid, mushrooms, and heroin. Then his mother was giving out his music on a disc after his record label told him they weren’t going to publish or give his music back to him. He says this was his mother’s worst idea yet. He built his way up by writing songs for movies and TV. He even appeared on “The Tonight Show”. In July 2007, Keaton signed a contract with CBS records and in June 2008, 'Can You Hear Me' dropped.

My favorite songs on 'Can You Here Me' are probably “Good Things Get Better”, “Misfits”, “Currently”, and “Nobody Knows.” I like that in his songs he tells a story or stories. In “Misfits”, he tells a story of two people and how they relate to each other. He also like most artists tells a story about his life.

While listening to his album, I felt very mellow and happy. It was different for me because I normally listen to more upbeat stuff. I think if you ever want to relax or just have kind of peaceful music playing in the background, he’s your guy.

I actually enjoy Keaton Simons and I think some people in this grade will too. I suggest if you are interested, you should definitely check him out. If you like John Mayer and soft rock, he should be in your CD players/iPods right now. I give him a better rating than I ever thought I would. Like the adage says, never judge a book by its cover.

Being a teenager is...

I had all of my students write about what it is that makes them a teenager and these were three of the huge number of wonderful poems that I received. What a terrific group of young people!

Poem Number One

Being a teenager means going to school
It’s controlling yourself and not acting like a fool
It’s getting older – a little too old
And shutting your mouth to do what you’re told
Being a teenager isn’t cool

It’s getting to school even if it’s by mule
And not pulling your iPod out to listen to Paula Abdul
It’s keeping your hood off even if it’s cold
Being a teenager isn’t cool

It’s not closing your eyes to fall asleep in class and drool
And learning to treat others in a way that’s not cruel
It’s being honest, responsible, brave, and bold
It’s not putting your life on hold
It’s not skipping the day to go chill at the pool
Being a teenager isn’t cool

Poem Number Two

Living as a teenager, it isn’t a very easy thing to be
But often it is a fascinating thing to me
More privileges, advantages, and better things to do
Movies with him, shopping with her, it’s a dream come true
I finally turned 10 plus ½ plus 3

But it’s not always a blast as you will see
I’m always in a scandal, never very free
I have to empty my pockets on stuff that is new
I finally turned 10 plus ½ plus 3

But it’s actually amusing, I must agree
Only there are issues and every problem has its own key
Like the gross mushy gushy lovey goo
Some days we’re friends and others I hate you
A lot of times I’m living a stress spree
I finally turned 10 plus ½ plus 3

Poem Number Three

Growing up was the best of times for me
Most of my friends would probably agree
There was no homework to be done
And with my burger, I’d eat only the bun
But it was too bad I had to go to bed so early

Every day of the summer it was so sunny
I loved to chase after the big bumble bees
And I was no match for the bees with my slow run
But it was too bad I had to go to bed so early

When my mom would take me to Hampton Beach I felt so free
As I ran through the hot sand towards the sea
Building sand castles with my brother was fun
Although I disliked the burns given by the sun
And then we’d go home, my mom would pull out her key
But it was too bad I had to go to bed so early

The quicksand represents the travails of life. The hand sticking out of it is so you know it’s quicksand and not just a dirty spot on the flag.

Another enjoyable prompt that I did with my students was in response to;

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2008/05/19/080519sh_shouts_handey

Every student had to write a poem about the symbols that they would put on their flag with explanations for each of them. Who says the New Yorker is too pretentious to use in an 8th grade classroom? This is mine...I would love to read yours!

My Flag

By Andrew Fersch

My flag has many symbols

no single one more valuable than the next

A box of Kleenex

emotions are alright, go ahead and let them out

A multi-colored slinky

be flexible (and look cool while doing it)

A cold pizza being put into a microwave

don’t be wasteful, especially when it comes to pizza

A hippopotamus

even things that seem harmless totally want to eat you sometimes

A broken down car

don’t rely on technology (too much)

A rack of ribs

ribs are delicious and I had them for dinner last night

An astronaut’s helmet

Explore the world, there’s some neat stuff out there

There were more -

But I went exploring in Africa

A hippo charged me and knocked some of the symbols off my flag

That’s when I added him to it

So maybe that is more valuable than the rest.

How do adults directly influence your life?

This is a recent prompt I had my students do, figured I would answer it as well!

Well although by most standards I would be considered an adult (age, career, apartment, etc.) I mostly consider myself a child still due to my behavior and point of view about life. As such there are many ways that adults influence or affect my life. First off there is work. At work I am expected by adults to dress the way I do. At first I was upset about this because I am not always that excited about dressing nicely but it has grown on me and I feel very comfortable now. I certainly would never wear a tie though if it wasn’t requested of me. In addition I find myself acting in what is considered a “childish” way – which really means carefree, fun loving, and adventurous and for some reason this actually seems to bother some adults (mainly ones who have forgotten how to have fun). I have met adults who have tried to tell me that I should not be acting in that manner. My father and mother were more like Atticus Finch though and so unless I was doing something wrong they pretty much just let me be my own person when I was growing up which I think helped me become the person I am today.

Adults also influence my life with their attitudes. There are many adults who I know outside of school who act as if they are superior to children or feel that they are smarter than children and I think that is absolute nonsense. They influence me to be more positive and to share my positive opinions more often – which is a good thing since I believe that I am right and that children ARE very intelligent and ARE very imaginative.

Although I am by many standards an adult I feel that there are still adults who influence and affect my life on a daily basis.

Noah and the Whale "Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down" Album Review

Well it was completely arbitrary that I ended up hearing this album. No one gave it to me to review but I was doing some searching on YouTube for a video and ended up on this page (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFpwEF-KrVg) which is delightful and happens to have a song from this album as the soundtrack of it.

Starting out with that song, "5 Years Time" it was a safe assumption that the band would be all happy go lucky, indie rock, smiles abound sort of stuff - and a lot of it is. My first thought upon hearing the song was that it belonged in an iPod commercial. Being as that I never watch TV anymore I didn't realize that it was in fact in a Saturn commercial. Upbeat, catchy, smile on your face sort of music. If you listen to this and you don't smile you are trying too hard not to. It's just fun, fun, fun. This isn't the only song that makes me want to dance around my room (and for those of you who know me, dancing around my room isn't one of my normal hobbies). The first song on the album, "2 Atoms in a Molecule", should have been in Juno (whether that is a good or bad thing to you is another issue). "Shape Of My Heart" is equally adorable, as is "Rocks and Daggers". Lyrically though it isn't just all sunshine and puppy dogs. There is pain here and there is joy - and there is plenty of both.

It is the songs on the album that are not so upbeat of catchy though that make this an album truly worth getting. "Give A Little Love" and "Do What You Do" both utilize beautiful violins and some orchestral percussion. They are sweet, heartfelt, deep yet simple. "Mary" is supposedly about his life's love and is incredibly bittersweet - the sort of song that speaks to anyone who has has a heart. The choice to end the album with "Hold My Hand As I'm Lowered" is so fitting. The song is half beautiful, half heartbreaking - like the rest of the album.

Just a great album altogether - really recommend this one.

Interview with the Friday Night Boys

You are about to go on a large tour with some Fueled By Ramen (FBR) label mates, is this your first major tour? How will it differ from other tours that you have gone on?

Andrew: Our upcoming tour with Sing It Loud will be our first national tour. We’ve done a fair amount of touring already but the furthest west we’ve gone is Nebraska. We’re really excited to play some shows on the left coast and see what it has to offer.

You share a roster with some of the biggest bands out there for the teen crowd (Paramore, Cobra Starship, Panic at the Disco), do you think there is an overabundance of bands appealing to this demographic?

Andrew. Not at all. I feel like there are other more mainstream genres that appeal to the same crowd, especially with bands like the Jonas Brothers that have that whole Disney circuit. I think there is a large void of music that has the ability to cross over from the independent pop punk genre into that top 40 mainstream and that is what we’re trying to do.

How do you feel your ages affect your ability to relate to your fans?

Andrew: We’re not very much older than most of our fans. We’ve all been through very similar types of relationships and situations that a lot of our fans have been in and so we can relate well to them as a result. Because we’ve had those life experiences already, we can sometimes offer a little maturity and insight to issues our fans are dealing with at the present time. But really, when you’re dealing with topics like heartbreak, no matter how old you are, it still applies.

If you were to choose three bands that are not on FBR to tour/record with, who would you choose? Why?

Mike: All American Rejects, Jack’s Mannequin and Jimmy Eat World. Because they’re three bands that we all love and it would be an amazing experience to share the stage with bands that we respect and have grown up listening to.

There are some clear influences in your music but there is also a uniqueness to some of your guitar lines and melodies, how does the songwriting process go in your band? How long do you take working on various songs?

Andrew: I write most of the music and lyrics. Sometimes mike will help me with the lyrics as we go along. Usually I’ll usually be kicking around a melody in my head and then arrange the music to that. Then once the music and melody is pretty set mike and I will bounce lyrics off each other until we fill the song out. In terms of writing time, it really depends on inspiration. Sometimes I’ll just have a few snippets of ideas and then piece them together over a few weeks. Other times I’ll knock out an entire song in a matter of a few hours. It just really depends on the flow.

What has been the best show you have played in the last year? Why?

Andrew: The absolute craziest show was this past November when we played with our friends All Time Low. We played a sold out show at the Starland Ballroom in New Jersey and just had an absolute blast. Kids really enjoyed us and we really enjoyed them. It was one of the first times that kids were singing just as loud as I was with the microphone. It just gives you chills.

What is the wildest thing that you have ever been sent by a fan?

Andrew: We don’t really get wild or crazy stuff so much as really sweet things. This one girl brought us a box of cookies and painted the cover of our old EP on the box. It was really obvious that it took a long time to do. We ate the cookies but we still have the box at our apartment.

“That’s What She Said” is your first single from the new album, how was that song chosen over the other songs on the album?

Andrew: It was the song that we all agreed we liked the most. we got the biggest fan reaction from that song.

I am a teacher as well as a writer, and you are a band that speaks to my students, what advice would each of you give to teenagers about life if you could impart one piece of wisdom?

Andrew: Don’t get caught up in the small stuff. Have fun.
Mike: Nothing is really as big of a deal as you think it is. Don’t take everything so seriously.

Interview with Krishna Das

Recently Krishna Das was kind enough to take some time to answer a few questions via e-mail for me. Who would have guessed he would not only be awesome, but a riot as well. He's on tour right now, check it out at www.krishnadas.com.

You are not one of the biggest names in the yoga world, you are the biggest name in it – without question in the United States at least. When you began this journey did you ever imagine this would happen? What did you expect would?

I started singing to save my ass!!! I had nothing in my head about a career. I had been very depressed and destructive since my Guru had died and I finally realized that if I didn't start singing with people, I would never be able to clean the dark corners of my heart.

Your musical career began after your spiritual journey and the two are so intertwined, how has your spiritual life begun since your musical journey began?

Chanting is not music. The music is the syrup that the medicine of the Name is hidden in. Music makes you feel good for a while, but the Name has the ability to actually change your life completely and bring you to Self Realization.

After studying in India with Maharaj-ji you have said you felt the need to return to the states and that you told him that you would serve him through music, how did you know this was the right answer?

I felt no need to return. He sent me back, telling me I had attachment there and needed to go back. It felt miserable to me, but if he said it, it was right.

Since your return over twenty five years ago what has your relationship with him been? What has been your relationship to your practice of yoga? And how does your music relate to these two?

My relationship with him has gotten deeper everyday as there is less of my shit and more of His love.

If you mean Asana practice, I have gone in and out periods of more and less intense practicing. It is good for the body and if the body feels good then it can't distract us from the inner work. As I said, for me, music in and of itself is not YOGA. Unless ones motivation is very deep and committed, music can be a place to hide, instead of be found.

Your music is so incredibly spiritual, what sort of humanitarian efforts are you involved in? How do you decide in a world where there are so many people in need?

I do what comes before me to do as best I can. First of all, my main offering is to chant. If that inspires others feel confidence in themselves, to work on themselves and to serve others, then that is good. I am a one trick pony. It's either chant or pump gas. Where I can help, I help, where I can't I can't.

If you could impart one piece of wisdom upon everyone you come into contact with, what would it be?

DON'T GIVE UP YOUR DREAM OF BEING COMPLETELY TOTALLY MADLY IN LOVE ALL THE TIME FOREVER!!! It's totally attainable.

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

So I received this e-mail from Beth Bathory and she was nice enough to say I could publish it up here - how much more eloquent is she than I! The point she makes is huge though, and it really made me think about what I am trying to accomplish at school - and it shouldn't be to change anyone, it should be to create those experiences that teach them they can change themselves. Thank you so much Beth.

"In response to your blog post, because I think about this all the time:

"How much does the past truly impact the present?" Immensely, I think, because it is the amalgamation of our past experiences that informs how we think, feel, and act on the present. In that sense, I don't think we can "remove" ourselves from the past, but we can change, at any moment, how we think, feel, and act in relationship to our past, which in turn changes who or how we are in the present. This is tricky, though, because I don't think we really have the ability to do that without having or seeking experiences that make us think, feel, or act differently than we have in the past. If we are going to change, we need some level of recognition of both something we are changing from that is less than ideal and something we are changing to that's shown promise of working better.

But, as far as I can tell, if we have learned biologically, psychologically, and socially since infancy that ourselves and our world operate in certain ways, and we've become habituated to functioning to accommodate those experiences and beliefs, we need really good reasons to change. And to complicate that, when we're stressed, we're far more likely to react in line with past experiences than to act differently, which reinforces the illusion that "who we are" and "how the world works" are static and unchangeable. I think results are also similar when changes we make are not reinforced or recognized by our environment.

Regarding the difference between "successfully moved on" versus "pretending," I think the distinction lies in whether, in addition to changing our actions, our thoughts and feelings have also changed in ways that justify and reinforce our actions. I think people fall all across that spectrum with respect to their pasts. But since all of those things are related, truly changing one does affect the others. I also think there is a lot of truth to the Gandhi quote, "Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony."

Something I really admire about you is your ability to make thoughtful, conscious changes largely through internal motivation. That is what makes an effective teacher: someone who is honestly invested in the things they are trying to teach.

But there is a contradiction in what you're saying. On one hand, you want to believe that you have enough control to overcome the sum of your past experiences in order to make changes in your own life; on the other hand, you want to believe you have enough control to enact changes in other people's lives (i.e. creating for them a past that does impact their future). The reality is probably that change is wholly intersubjective, but the only aspect of it that we control is ourselves. You can't change people, but you can create experiences that are different from their past and make them aware of their potential for change...and you can change yourself in ways that make those experiences more effective. It really isn't anything remotely approaching enough, and that fact is utterly horrifying and unforgivable, but I really don't know what else can be done, and you do it daily."

Am I Fooling Myself? I certainly hope not.

How much does the past truly impact the present? I would like to think from my personal experiences that it is possible to truly remove oneself from their past in ways that were detrimental to their growth as a human being. As the years pass, and they pass quicker than I ever thought they would, I can't help but notice how many people do not seem to be able to get over their past. From students to friends, girlfriends to family members, so many people hold on to things that were an old them - a them that is no longer really them, yet a them that they still hold onto for some peculiar reason.

It is not that I do not understand. There are things about my past that I could glorify or even just justify in any number of ways. Things that I would be able to look back upon and say, "Wow, those were the days." They weren't though. These are the days. Every day of my life is the day, the only day, that really matters. I worry regularly as to whether or not my words and actions really impact those people. If I have moved on successfully and act in such a manner does that mean that everyone else who acts in such a manner has also successfully moved on or have they just mastered the idea of pretending?

I want to believe that I can make a difference, I want to believe that nothing is set in stone. I want to believe that I can make the world better, that I can make a real impact on at least a small handful of people in the world. I'm not always sure though.

I hope that my existence makes at least someone realize in this world that it is possible to make your life what you want it while striving to make the lives of those around you brighter and more beautiful. Then and only then will I know that I am not fooling myself into believing that I, as one single solitary man, can make a difference.

By the way, Noah and the Whale are just wonderful, and so are these fellas;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFpwEF-KrVg

I don't know that word.

So I used to be really into Family Guy and since I got rid of cable I haven't watched it, actually I haven't watched it in some time so when I randomly hopped on over to TMZ.com to see if anything hilarious had happened recently I wasn't all that thrilled to see that a clip from this Sunday's Family Guy was up and that it was 'unedited'. Much to my delight though it turned out to be pretty freakin' sweet. I'm not sure where the Christian Bale commentary is from - it is some delightful proof that he is completely out of control though. Thank you Peter Griffin for putting a smile on my face yet again. You are a nice guy, whether you feel like it or not.

Although I believe Valentine's to be more of a Hallmark Holiday than anything else and that if you truly care about someone you will let them know every day, I hope you all had a wonderful day and took this opportunity to let loved ones know how much you care about them.

On Grading And Evaluating A Human Being.

As a teacher you are expected to do X number of gradings per year (in my case that would be four). As a teacher you are expected to be evaluated X number of times per year (which in my case happens to be two). As a human being I do not deserve the right to evaluate someone so righteously as if I were superior to them in any discernible way nor do I deserve to be evaluated based on two arbitrary days in the course of a year. As with everything I say - I am right and I am wrong.

I am right for several reasons;

1. I am a human being and as such (if I am honest with myself) I am quite flawed. How can I justify judging someone else for what they are doing properly or improperly? On the same token, how can I be judged for what might end up being the two worst days of my teaching career as a result of so many factors?
2. I am a student of so many things, I am still learning, I am hardly a master of anything, regardless of what my certifications tell me I am.
3. I do not view myself as better than a single one of my amazing students - they truly are my equals and where does any one human being get the idea that they have the right to judge any other human being for their skills/perceived inadequacies?

I am wrong for one reason;

1. I have lived much longer than my students and by default of not being a complete tool I have lived and learned more than they have till now.

So am I being overly sensitive about the idea of putting a numerical value on their learning and their abilities? No. No I am not. If I graded on a one to one hundred scale every single one of these young men and women would be a one hundred because they are all amazing in their own way. I am just grateful that they are in my life. I only hope that if they were to grade me that they would give me a four for how much I care about them, how much I respect them, and how useful I have been as a mentor in their lives.

P.O.S "Never Better" Album Review

It's time to get up on the jock of one big ol' P.O.S. Unfortunately this is just one more example of misrepresentation in labeling in our culture of commerce. Although I disagree with some other outfits labeling the new P.O.S album as one of the best hip-hop albums of 2009 this early, only longevity (and comparative listening) can really decide that, it is not a stretch at all to say that it is one of the most innovative and original hip-hop albums that has ever hit my cars CD player.

At this point it isn't likely to hear a Rhymesayers release and be disappointed but this album is so different than anything else I've heard from the label that it was a very welcomed departure from the expected. Old time punk rocker P.O.S has put together a punk rock album as much as he did a rap album.

"Let it roll" starts the album off slowly but the next few songs would blow the mind of any mohawked fifteen year old or thirty year old Atmosphere fan. The first song, "Drumroll" is straight up bad ass. A non-stop drum roll backs a song with guitars and the half yell half rap on a clever piece of songwriting. The next two songs though are the true highlights of the album. "Savion Glover" pulls no punches about his beliefs, his style, or his personal taste. Throwing out rhymes about Savion Glover, Fugazi, and (ex) President Bush, P.O.S showcases his clever lyrical style which leads so wonderfully into what is certainly one of the best songs of the year. "Purexed" starts off slow, lyrically more punk than anything else, it breaks into a powerful guitar backed, drum roll having, sing along chorus rocking beauty. There is no question that lyrically P.O.S may not sound as clever as some other artists but what he has to say is light years beyond many others. Even if you don't find the beauty in his face, or the beauty in the bass line, there is no way you can avoid seeing the beauty in this album.

Alela Diane "To Be Still" Album Review

From the first notes on "To Be Still" it is hard to pigeonhole Alela Diane as any particular genre. Steel guitars, wood blocks, acoustic guitar, banjos, violins, it could be any given singer-songwriter trying something a little more innovative than the same old same old but her voice tells a story that isn't quite country and isn't quite indie and is certainly unique in many ways. Her follow up to 2006's "The Pirate Gospel", Alela opts for simplicity in delivery and complexity in songwriting. Utilizing what used to be primarily country and bluegrass instruments, Diane manages to not fall into the trap of letting the music try to carry her voice - instead her voice carries the music as a beautiful backdrop carried by her voice.

This is exhibited few places as well as on "The Alder Trees" where the banjo remains understated, the guitar follows her voice more than the other way around, and she floats vocally over the music as if the two were written separately and just happened to fit beautifully together. "White as diamonds", the first song released from the album, might never make it onto commercial radio yet is showcases her voice and range better than any other song on the album. Although quite listenable, this is far from the highlight of the album. "Take us back" takes you back with its simple southern sound and "Lady Divine" almost feels like a slowed down Southern classic rock song that would close out an epic set, calming everyone down and bringing back the love. Very pleasant, very Sunday inside on a rainy day baking cookies, and very beautiful.

Zac Brown "The Foundation" Album Review

Good country to me can also tend to be incredibly cheesy - never bothered me after I started listening to country regularly but I could completely see how an observer could hear a song and just be sickened at the simplicity of the message, lyrics, and content. "Chicken Fried" is most certainly one of those songs. Zac Brown's pro-America for reasons Russians liked us back in the early 80's is embarrassing at best but catchy as hell. Sure, my jeans wearing, loud radio listening, beer drinking self loves hearing this song when I'm out and although it doesn't bring a tinge of American pride to me, I could see how Johnny America could feel good hearing it. Plus, there are some good lyrics hidden in the song and you can't hate him for that. After getting his new album I would be lying if I said I didn't put it in with some trepidation as to the content of the rest of the album.

Starting off with "Toes", his ode to loving his Mexican vacation, just not as much as he loves having his "ass in a lawn chair, toes in the clay, a PBR on the way," Brown sets the stage for an album that is half novelty, half comic genius, and overall really quite listenable. "Where the boat leaves from" is another old Alan Jackson/Kenny Chesney ditty about sitting on the beach drinking beer, the difference is that Brown's music is actually much more pleasant to listen to in general. "Mary" on the other hand is more bluegrass than anything else. "It's Not Okay" is a faux Johnny Cash-ish (or the rare funny Charlie Daniels) style song which just puts a smile on your face. The interesting choice of covering Ray LaMontagne's "Jolene" is intriguing but pales in comparison to the original.

The highlight to the album though is most definitely the love (and cheese) filled "Whatever it is". Definitely the sweetest love song that was put out last year, "Whatever it is" showcases his voice as well as his heartfelt songwriting. Although I may not be able to say I love this entire album, these few songs alone make it a worthwhile purchase and as long as he doesn't go the way of novelty act, Zac Brown could really end up releasing a good amount of great music in his career.