AA Bondy - American Hearts

[hoot]

Salt of the earth.We saw him at a couple shows this year, it's funny cause he wasn't on the list both of the times that we saw him. Like he'd play this really short, melancholy set in between the bigger acts. He'd come on, looking like cigarettes and liquor, as if his face was carved in granite, and sing songs that are pretty much about the same."Vice Rag"Sweet, sweet cocaineWon't you be all mineHeart'll pound, my hands will shakeI'm doin' mighty fineSweet, sweet heroinWon't you be all mineI don't wanna feel a thingWant nothin' on my mindSweet, sweet whiskeyWon't you be all mineIf you were to fill the oceanI would drink it drySweet, sweet devilWon't you be all mineSet this tired land aflameIt ain't worth a dimeSweet, sweet JesusWon't you be all mineIf you take my sinner's handWe'll walk down the lineI doubt you read the whole thing, but its a sweet track. When he'd hum the melody during the bridge his entire face would vibrate with this uninhibited honesty. Its just so tender, maybe I'm just too down right now so I really appreciate that little soul sad musical whatever, but its "working" on me. I mean give "Theres a Reason" a listen, a lot say it sounds like Ryan Adams, I wouldn't know, its real slow and "throws" the word love around, but honestly I don't give a shit, I mean we're all influenced by Neil Young.I suppose its a way to stray away from the supposedly pretentious direction music has taken, I sometimes love that direction, but people like Bondy just don't need it."Rapture (Sweet Rapture)"I don't want to talk about Jesus, I just wanna see his face.Really you can interpret that in so many ways, sure its taken out of the lyrical context with the rest of the song, but not many people take the entire song into consideration, not until you've heard a song thirty or so times and all the pieces fall together (or maybe I'm a little dumb). I just see it as he doesn't care who the almighty benevolent force is behind the workings of the universe, he just wants to be enlightened. This kind of natural curiosity thats almost child like. Ion't know, its just nice innit?Really thats what I get from him, these simply arranged love/god/drug songs that are devoid of pretension. It's almost like he was born in the wrong decade, I mean I wanna smoke and drink with him on his front porch!Its funny, I remember the second time we saw him, he was behind the stage lighting up a cigarette, we were up in the front row waiting for some band or another, I yelled out "BONDY", he looked up and gave this huge, genuine smile, maybe a thumbs up, I don't remember too much detail really, just thats he's just a really fucking swell guy.Edit: Was just informed of his past band, where he had dyed his hair and was rocking out, so it may very well be a facade I've fallen for, but I don't know really. I'll stick with my story for now, his music is good enough.