Do you have ten minutes and thirty-three seconds to spare today? If you do (and I hope you do) please sit quietly and listen to these two lovely songs by The Microphones: I Want Wind to Blow and The Glow Pt.2.
Just sit and listen.
The Glow Pt.2, released back in 2001, is perfect for people who still love to make an event of listening to an album with little to no interruptions. This lo-fi psych pop epic, written and engineered by Phil Elvrum, (you can find more of his music under the moniker Mount Eerie) will take you on a journey filled with beautiful, singing-in-the-room-with-you vocals, dense, fuzzed-out noise, and intimate guitars. Whenever I hear The Glow Pt.2, it evokes tall trees and mountainous peaks; a desolate paradise all my own. It may be a bit lonesome at times, but it is always beautiful and always welcoming. The songs seamlessly melt into one another, which makes it a shame to listen to the album cut into pieces on YouTube. If you have the chance, (I think you should make the chance) buy this record. Sit and listen to it in its entirety. Before you know it, the whole sixty-six minutes of this recording has past you by. And that time is never enough; it feels like there is always so much more to listen to, so many more roads to venture down accompanied by the distorted drums, creeping organs, and xylophone flourishes. Even after all the years of hearing this on repeat, I swear there is always something new to marvel at with each listen. The only way you could enjoy this more is with a good set of headphones, a nice cup of something warm, and a furry, four-legged companion to curl up under your arm. Sit in your favorite chair or lay on your bed. Let the outside world melt away. Be still for just one moment and listen.
