Happiness will only come in if you let it

Way back when, there was a little group in Austin fronted by a guy named David (it’s Dah-veed ) Garza with clever lyrics, tight arrangements, and the ability to drive drunk Texas co-eds crazy.

Their songs can be found here

Unfortunately, the band broke up over artistic differences, leading to other terrible changes in Austin such as the crash in affordable housing, the closing of marginally safe but time-tested venues such as Liberty Lunch.

Emotional rundown of Me So Twangy

1. Always Give Your Love Away Nothing particularly poignant, but as good of a song to open an album as ever.

2. Nicotine Queen This song is responsible for almost every cigarette I bummed first year at TU

3. Blue Silly as it sounds, this song had much to do with Missy and I sticking together for the first year of the last - no crap - thirteen. Both of us went into the relationship knowing that with it being college and all, and both of us having an average to above-average fondness for music, booze, and general carousing (Me at the above-average to high end), the chances of us lasting more than a few months were slim-to-none. So we wooed with things like “As sure as the sky is blue, I will never understand you”, Patsy Cline, and Red Hot and Blue . Cynical? Sure. But guess what - honesty has paid off. “As deep as the National Debt, I’m sure someday I’ll regret that you can’t see me, you can’t hold me…”

4. Amnesty Another good relationship song - “Still we’re victims of our own complacency…” Quality, clever lyrics, catchy bridge, and “I sleep so well when my dear love, I hold her, I sleep so well when her chin’s on my shoulder.” Works well for horny co-eds.

5. My Wish Typical prototypical protest song, but great work on the snare drum, minimalism from David and the bassist. “The more we irrigate, the less we have to wait for world freedom.” Whatever the hell that means.

6. While My Hair Grows Long I like to think that the bassist and the drummer left over songs like this, but I do have an extremely low tolerance for slow sappy songs. Only song I can think of about a dead hamster.

7. My Emaciated Heart Catchy hook. More three-syllable words.

8. Fishsticks “I’m not going anywhere, at least, at least not yet…” Doesn’t have the same appeal 13 years down the road, but it’s also missing a half a case of beer, and 300 drunk college kids yelling “Fishsticks” while bouncing up and down to the tune.

9. Heaven Sent Another slower song. This one, though, I can tolerate. It takes a lot from old swing, and it gives up none of the craftsmanship in lyrics and melody. “She’s like an old sweet melody, she sings in my head.” I think all of us have had a (gender)friend that springs to mind with this song. The “Whissshhhh” is endearing as well.

10. Quiet Another slow song, but tolerable. Good melody, reminds me a whole lot of Poi Dog Pondering.

11. “It’s No Secret” Twang takes the metaphor one step too far. But it’s clever, and has a shoutable chorus.

12. Bigstick Like Moby Dick , ‘cept with monkey references. He likes peanut butter, and trunky trees. I used to play my suitemate’s bongos while we listened to this. He was much, much more alternative and cooler than I.

That’s it for the trip down memory lane. I like the album much more than I think it comes across. But much of my previous like was likely beer and testosterone fueled. Although, the album holds up much better than others I liked from that same period. Can’t come up with an example right away, but I’m sure y’all can help out with that.

Bright Orange Folder apparently will rotate through different material from time to time. And it’s not love letters.

Posted by jank at January 13, 2004 10:49 PM