one fast move or I'm gone

         the fact that any kind of music involving Ben Gibbard turns out to be a wonder is common knowledge by now. we've all seen it with Death Cab for Cutie and with The Postal Service project, and now he did it again, with the 2009 collaboration with alternative country singer, Jay Farrar (frontman of Son Volt). they first met while working on the soundtrack for the documentary One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur, but then decided to do a full length album for the film.

          this time, the lyrics are not the work of Ben Gibbard, but are taken from writer and poet Jack Kerouac's novel, Big Sur (1962).

          the album combines the two musical styles of both artists creating a new musical pattern with clear influences from each. the instrumental simplicity with a predominant acoustic feel and touches of alt-country, combined with the intense lyrics, create an overwhelming melancholic mood.

         I personally haven't read the book (yet), but from what I have heard, the music on this album and the lyrics are representative and illustrate in a very explicit way the general character of the novel.

ONE FAST MOVE OR I'M GONE: KEROUAC'S BIG SUR (2009)

by JAY FARRAR (since 1984) and BEN GIBBARD (since 1994)

> laura recommends:

1. California zephyr

2. San Francisco

3. one fast move or I'm gone

4. breathe our iodine

          these tracks are representative for the album illustrating the multitude of feels which can be induced by it.

          California zephyr is a short narrative track with one guitar and the voice of Gibbard transposing into a simple track various emotions of Jack Kerouac. this is yet another track out there having "California" as a main theme.

          this theme is also present in the next song, San Francisco, also an acoustic piece with vocals from Jay Farrar, and with a sighing harmonica to complete the bluesy melancholic feel. there is a video for this track, and yhou can watch it here.

          one fast move or I'm gone has Death Cab written all over it, from the rhythm to the vocal performance of Gibbard.

          last but not least, breathe our iodine, with its addictive guitar riffs and haunting keyboard, keeps you hooked on the repetitive patterns, while the deep voice of Farrar, with backing vocals from Gibbard, quicly goes through the lyrics, keeping up with the instrumentals.

this selection of tracks was very difficult to make, because the whole album abounds in great tracks and I suggest you listen to it all!