Space Made Vacant by Changes

By Stephen Mejias • Posted: Nov 7, 2005

A few days ago, I removed my Nintendo Entertainment System — the one I've owned since I was a young boy — from my Walmart television stand — the one I've owned for five years — and placed it on my Target bookcase. I then unplugged the Sony DVD player, wrapped up its wires, and placed it in my bedroom closet.

There won't be room for it now. Alone, I rarely watch DVDs anyhow. And, as for the NES: I never use it at all. It's simply a hit during parties.

In the new space made vacant by these changes, I placed the Arcam Solo, more than a little bit afraid that the cheap Walmart stand would not hold its weight. I tested it, carefully; applied some pressure, slid the unit back and forth, lifted it up and down.

This will do. This will have to do.

I plugged the Solo's power cord into a simple surge protector and fell immediately into a gentle blue glow.

Because I have no speakers, I've simply been allowing the Solo to warm up. I suppose. I took the longest playing disc from the floor before me — Devendra Banhart's latest, Cripple Crow — and placed it in the tray. It's been there ever since.

Singing silence. Spinning quiet. I kind of like it.

So far, I like it a lot.

***

Sorry about all the poetry, guys. I have nothing yet to report on the Arcam Solo. John DeVore had some car trouble yesterday, so he couldn't make it out to Jersey City. However, tonight, we will meet.

Comments

Submitted by tris mccall on November 7, 2005 - 10:00pm.

i'm having some trouble with *cripple crow*. it sounds like he ran the tape, sat down on a stool, and discharged all of the songs in order, making up rhymes about wiping his nose as he went along. there's a little too much long haired child and in x i have chinese children/in y i have chinese children for me. also, he is relying on simple blues figures much more frequently than he did on *rejoicing* and *nino rojo*. i sense a pervasive laziness masquerading as casual magic. we'll see if i change my mind...

Submitted by Stephen Mejias on November 7, 2005 - 10:00pm.

>i sense a pervasive laziness masquerading as casual magic. we'll see if i change my mind...I am totally with you on this, and I think I've already given up (at least for now) on changing my mind. There are really only two tracks on this album that I like; Track 3, I think (the one about him hearing that the war is over), and the last one, which somehow reminds me of Tom Waits'Johnsburg, Illinois, as it's a quick little repetitive piano figure with a short, but complete, sentiment. So much of the remainder seems incomplete, not fully realized, or, maybe a better way of putting it is as you say: lazy. Listening through it, I find myself wishing that he'd cut the album in half, and actually finished the songs.

Submitted by James on November 7, 2005 - 10:00pm.

Me given up too. Sounds too derivative of my favs from the 60s-70s (Marc Bolin, Donovan, etc) but doesn't measure up - so I end up wanting to hear the older originals instead.

All Headphones Ship Free!
Shop a Huge Selection of Top Quality
Headphones at Great Prices!
www.Headphones.com