Track of the Day: Zero 7 Featuring José González, 'Futures,' (2006, Atlantic Records, from the LP The Garden)

Ever had one of those 'perfect moments' in music, when mood, weather, season, life events, music history, and one particular song converge in a kind of magical confluence of the aural senses?

When something like that happens, I just have to fire up a post. Today, I had one of those 'perfect moments,' And this is that post.

Early this morning, October 9th, I was contemplating my next post, and was sifting through artists. Lately, I've been hanging out in the 'Zs.' My Zs are a relatively short list, containing not more than a half dozen or so artists. Suffice to say I know exactly who the cast of characters are. Having recently blogged about Zuco 103, I knew the Z list had grown even shorter. I began listening to my Z peeps as background music, and started my day. 

Headed outside just before lunchtime, I noticed a distinct chill in the air I hadn't felt since last October. The temp had dropped considerably from just two days ago, when it felt as if summer had no intention of leaving anytime soon. Ominous cloud formations hinted at the distinct possiblity of--Yes, Southern California, brace yourselves--RAIN! 

It wasn't til mid-afternoon that the rain actually began falling. Just a light to moderate rain, and in fact by late afternoon the clouds had broken and the sun had peeked out. Still chilly, but definitely one of those brighter autumn moments bathed in amber sunlight where the fall colors are starting to become visible. Sure, it's no New England foliage, but there are some faint colors to be seen here if you look hard enough! 

I suspected that would be all we see of the day's rain. However, to my surprise, dark clouds began reforming by early evening. Around that time, I remembered that today's date, October 9th, was one of mega-significance in my musical world. It was the birthday of none other than John Lennon, my greatest musical muse, and to whom I've been forever tied since that fateful day back in 1980 (more about that in a later post). Lennon would have been 73 today, and it's been nearly 33 years since the promising second act of his life was wasted on a cold day of horror and madness in December. Needless to say, my mood began molding more closely to this day of crappy weather.

As I write this post, it's late evening and the rain is torrentially pouring down. But I am not sad. Melancholic, yes. But things are not all glum, bleak, or grim. After all, it's a time of rebirth--of a new season. It's the first rain of the season, and Fall is my favorite season. I think of John Lennon as the musical beacon he still is and will always be, lyrically, vocally, compositionally, and philosophically. It's a time of endless possibilities. It's a time to reflect. To create. And to move forward towards a great new beginning, one that Mr. Lennon never had the opportunity to enjoy. I'm in no way, shape, or form insinuating I have attained or will attain any such level of achievement or notoriety in my life that he did, but I will at least carry on the spirit and the essence of the best of what he stood for as a musician and as an activist. Whoa, this post is turning into quite the personal confessional!

So, I've reached that moment in today's post when we celebrate one of those great songs from one of the 'Z artists' I have been listening to today. They're a bit more well known than the typical artists I cover, but the track is just perfectly in sync with today's vibe. It just so happens that in the course of listening to downtempo/trip-hop/ambient/chill-tronica mavens Zero 7's (Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker) catalog today, the track 'Futures' (from 2006's LP The Garden) really encapsulated the mood and feel of this day. 

'Futures' is a Zero 7 collaboration with the very talented Swedish artist José González, who plays guitar and lends his gentle, intimate, melancholic vocal and lyrical touches. The track is filled with late 1960s/early 1970s-esque harmonies that are amazingly close to Crosby, Stills, and Nash-level virtuosity, while the instrumentals contain spooky, rich basslines, and swirling, moody, 70's-era Moog-y prog-rock synths, which build during the cathartic outro. There are also sparse piano fills, crescendo-ing metronome clicks, and you can essentially hear the wind churning and the clouds colliding through the synth effects. Even the lyrics themselves are a double-entendre play on 'The Fall:'

Futures
Zero 7, Featuring José González (2006, Atlantic Records, from the LP The Garden)

Made A Note Of It

Did You Write It On Your Hand?

Put A Name On It 

To Help You Understand.

What Do You See?

The Futures Holiday Out For Me

Just Let Me Know

Where We Go

After The Fall.

Like the Sound of It

Gonna Hang It On Your Wall

Turn And Run With It

For the Sake Of One And All

Where You Go, Nobody Knows.

What Do You See?

The Futures Holiday Out For Me

Just Let Me Know

Where To Go

Where You Go

After The Fall.

Happy Autumn, everyone. It's really here! Enjoy the foliage! Celebrate the Harvest! Raise a glass to Oktoberfest! The Great Pumpkin and Thanksgiving Day are not far off!