Reflecting on 2004, the year that is almost gone.

So, technically it's New Year's Eve right now, and that prompts me for some reflection on 2004. It's been an astonishingly quick year, by far the fastest of my life. I feel almost like time is breaking down, because I can remember so many moments from this year like they just happened. This year, I feel like not that much actually happened. A bunch of issues from earlier sort of came to head, and were discussed this year, but overall, it's been more of a year of reflection than a year of creation. I don't remember too many really big events from this year that were great, more moments and feelings from times.

If I had to pick out one event from this year as my favorite, it would probably be seeing The Polyphonic Spree live. Who are The Polyphonic Spree, you ask? Well, here's a couple thousand words:





They are a 25 piece rock band, with trumpets, harp, flute, timpani, nine part chorus, keyboard, sax, trombone, guitar and more. Both their albums are brilliant, especially their most recent, Together We're Heavy, but nothing can prepare you for the wall of sound coming from 25 musicians all wearing robes and all completely into the music. It was so loud you could actually feel the music moving through you, and it was just overwhelming to hear not only the 25 people in the band singing, but also the couple hundred people in the audience singing the lyrics back at them. Seriously, check out their music. They do the sort of stuff that can make even the most cynial person break out into a smile upon observing the sheer joy of their music. I'm hoping they'll be back in New York soon, because it seriously is the best concert I've ever been to.

I went to a couple of other concerts that were pretty awesome as well. I saw Aimee Mann and Morrissey. Obviously, they were not quite as joyous about life as The Spree, but both were great live, and they were really good shows. Next year, I'm hoping to get to U2, Doves and maybe some other people. I'd really like to see something that isn't a rock band, but is more techno club stuff, like Daft Punk, Air or Moby. I like to go to a bunch of different type of concerts. Back in high school, I only went to Ska punk concerts, and while they were good, it gets boring after a while. Like, I'd love to see a rap show, or a hard techno type thing, just to mix things up. I guess if you really like the music, it's no problem going to similar things, but if I'm only a casual fan, I like to mix it up. Like, I bet there's not that many people who went to both The Spree and Morrissey.

What else happend in '04? I saw the Buffy musical, which is one of the greatest things ever made. The whole sixth season is brilliant, and this is really the center of it. The songs are great, but more importantly, it fits perfectly into the whole. I've seen it eight times or so, all this year. I've probably seen that more than any other piece of fiction this year.

I'm trying to think of something I did that doesn't involve just watching something else, but it's tough. We made the movie, Tabula Rasa, which I really liked. It was fun to make, and came out well. Was it up to what I originally imagined? Not quite, but nothing's ever going to be, and now, with some distance, I can enjoy it for what it is.

I've said it before, but I'll say it again, this year felt like the Amnesiac to 2003's Kid A, or the Zooropa to 2003's Achtung Baby. It had its merits, but it feels more like what came before than a complete reinvention. It was more a remix than a new song. I really need to do some new stuff, I'm not sure what, but something.

I feel like I've got the routine of college down, in the same way that around junior year, I got the routine of high school down, and this is comforting, because I know what to expect, but it's also distressing because out of chaos can come redefinition. But, when you're in the chaos, it's not good. People always choose the stable, safe route, rather than taking a risk that could pay off, but could also lead to disaster.

Related Posts
Reflecting on 2004: Ammendum (12/31/2004)
So This is the New Year (And I Don't Feel Any Different (1/1/2005)