If you watched TV last night, and I am assuming you did, You saw many commercials in between short bursts of violence. Some of these commercials entertained, some tried to guilt you into their product, and some… well. But there was one, in the midst of them, that really got at me.
It was a commercial for two products; first the website sandbox Squarespace (which I have used, and enjoyed), and then for a new album that has been quietly released, created by renowned auteur Jeff Bridges. For integrtiy’s sake, I must express my bias for Mr. Bridges and everything His Dudeness does. I find his flavor of non-anxious presence to be one of the few that I am not actually hurdled into anxiety by. His personally developed mysticism seems rich with joy, and is well beyond the color spectrum that I experience. His work on screen as well as in music are inspiring. His giftedness is a wide as it is deep.
And so, it is because of all of this that I quickly went to the site in question to download this new album (yes, I did donate $10 to the charity to download it – yes, you should too if you’re going to download it, don’t be that person). YET LO, be ye warned. The site, though lovely, does not take you directly to the download page. It is, after all, still a promotion for a website company.
But once you get to the album itself… oh, the tracks. Whether you listen to them right on the site, or you download them, prepare thyself for a counter-rhythmic trail ride into existentialism riding your giraffe, Transcendental Meditation. Monsieur Bridges will be your sherpa, and you will begin your ascent into a different type of lullaby than you have ever experienced before.
As I am no music theorist, I can only speak as one who consume music. I like you, use music to enhance and embolden a variety of moments in my life. a room with out music in it feels deeply void of life to me. Silence has its place, but rarely for me, and only in the most intentional of disciplines. That preface so gently laid out, I feel much more comfortable sharing the following.
What you will find in these tracks are intentionally off-centered and human. The droning sounds mixed with the gruff insistence of Bridges calming tones mix for a mind trick that you are compelled to focus on. The imbalance of the two push the stress of the day to the background, as your breathing pattern matches the sound rhythms and your mind curls around Bridges semi-purposeful meandering. Somewhere in the midst of the tracks, he becomes the sweet nature, eccentric grandfather you never had as he speaks with children, hikes canyons, and surprises his nonplussed wife with a morning recording session.
This album is out of sync with traditional 4/4 music that you probably heard during half time last night. But, thats the whole point. That which we are used to hearing, experiencing is that which is easily ignored. We know it, our minds are familiar with it, so we can nonchalantly move over it. Sleeping Tapes demands attention, focus. Intentionally choosing to fall asleep can be a daunting task for many who work to much, or who are participants in the various rodent themed races of live. Guru Bridges offers a unique opportunity for, “some cool sleepin’, some cool dreamin’ and some cool wakin’ up”.
Download it. Enjoy it.
Score: 7.5/10 Avocados from Mexico
**Insert your preferred The Big Lebowski quote here**
A Consummate Confessional 