Spring Awakening

When I go outside and see people actually looking up as they walk, people jogging that seem to be confused about the proper motions, and less clothes all around, I know it can only mean one thing: Spring is coming! But the arrival of spring does not just mean more sunshine and the opening of baseball stadiums, it involves an allout "Spring Awakening," complete with all the accompanying connotations.

In the words of Zack Braff, "Spring Awakening," a musical based on Frank Wedekind's controversial 1891 play, is like ""Dead Poet's Society" on ecstasy set to music. It is quite simply a masterpiece." Unfortunately I haven't had the chance to see it live, though I am planning a trip to do just that. Still, the soundtrack is full of catchy, even heartfelt, songs of teenage discovery, loneliness, pain, and of course, sex.

The album can be very generally divided into two types of songs: (1) Clever anthems a la Rent's "La Vie Boheme" in the context of early Everclear, and (2) slower, more "serious," songs about the unavoidable frustrations of human relationships--often with shared melodies between male and female voices. In category 1, we have the quasi-single of the show, "The Bitch of Living." Check out a video here! The video of the all-male song takes place in Latin class, each student rocking his own microphone and a snazzy woolen uniform. The video gives an idea of the basic format of the show, along with a glimpse of the exciting choreography. Check out the mp3's, pick up the record if you like them, and if you can, see the show!

the fences sway
the porches swing
the sky begins to thunder
crickets wander, murmuring
("The song of purple summer")

Ahh, Springtime is just around the corner...the other corner

"The Bitch of Living"
"Those You've Known"

Patrick