I’m No Optimist

Allowing the sounds of the Gulag Orkestar to lift my mood

Although it’s probably not the most sensible way to look at life, and certainly not the happiest, I tend to take a very pessimistic approach to things. It’s not something I do voluntarily - obviously - but just the way I was born. As well as explaining why I so often launch into these worrisome ramblings, it proves a bit of a problem when I find myself in a situation such as the one I’m in right now.

I’ll not go into too much detail but when I meet up with my usual group of friends this weekend to have a bit of fun playing our instruments there are going to be two extra people; two people I am told are extremely good musicians. Now, my worry comes from the fact that the instrument I’ll be required to play is the one I’ve only very recently taken up playing; the good ol’ bass guitar. I haven’t minded playing that in front of some of the others too much as there were only a few of them and they all knew I’d just begun but, me being me, I’ve really over-exaggerated what could happen and am constantly worrying about being made to look ridiculously crap on Saturday. Oh well, I suppose I’ll just have to go with it.

Anyway, aside from that, which I just felt like writing for no particular reason, I’ll mention one of the newest albums to be added to my collection; Beirut’s marvelous ‘Gulag Orkestar’. I realise that his newest album, ‘The Flying Club Cup’ was released earlier this month but I thought it’d be best to start at the beginning, and so have gone and got myself Beirut’s 2006 debut album. It’ s really quite special and something that works in a different way to most other modern albums but in a way that a truly special album should work. ‘Gulag Orkestar’ stands strong as a single, solid piece of music. Rather than 11 different songs, its just one long piece of music, played by a folky, eastern european, marching band with several different parts to it, making up something that you can really loose yourself in.

Maybe the cure to my worries about the coming weekend could be solved by just a couple more listens to ‘Gulag Orkestar’. I’ve only been through it a few times so far and am already finding that it’s lifted my mood considerably. Or, on the other hand, maybe a good shopping trip tomorrow will clear my head.