It all started with The Mountain Goats' "Song For Dennis Brown." John Darnielle is one of the best lyricists song has ever known, and "Dennis Brown" features lines like this: on the day that Dennis Brown's habits caught up with him school children sang in choirs and out behind the Chinese resturants guys were jumping into dumpsters and the stench was overbearing but they were past the point of caring Yeah, bleak I know, but amazingly detailed and vivid. A slap in the face to start the day, which was quickly soothed by Paul McCatney and Stevie Wonder's "Ebony and Ivory," a melty slab of velveeta if there ever was one, and I admittedly skipped it as soon as it came on, but something made me go back. Nostalgia? Memories of the roller rink in 1982? More likely, it was the simple desire to see if the song could stand a reassessment. Well, here it is: The lyrics are facile and embarrassing, based only on one clever observation (ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony side by side on my piano keyboard oh lord why don’t we?), which begs the questions “is this a come-on? Paul suggesting to Stevie that they live together?”, and “Why is there no piano in a song about pianos?” But, what grabbed me about the song, through the lush production, were the vocals. Stevie’s high, clear tenor is surprising in its youthfulness and sweetness. It has none of the grit of 70s Stevie, and less vibrato than the “I Just Called To Say I Love You” which he foisted on us not long after. But the real revelation are those Paul and Linda backup vocals. That wash of ahhhs that just scream WIIINNNGGGS. They came in, and I felt a wave of warmth, imagining what fun they had, with their mullets, singing ahhh at each other across the Neumann U87 or whatever. It made me feel good. Like I wanted some more. But what did I get? “Return to Yesterday” by the Lilac Time, who are reuniting for two shows in the UK next month, their first in years, and I may just have to get myself over there to see these gigs. Then, the indie-rock (feel free to correct my taxonomy) trifecta of Casiotone For the Painfully Alone’s “The Only Way To Cry”, Bright Eyes’ “First Day of My Life,” and The good old Mountain Goats again, this time with “Riches and Wonders,” a gorgeous bittersweet love song which includes the lyrics you find shelter somewhere in me I find great comfort in you and I keep you safe from harm you hold me in your arms and I want to go home but I am home It was a good day for the ipod

The Jackson-Triggs shows are done, and they were great.  Saturday moreso than Friday, I thought, but both were good.  Saturday seemed to have more diehard fans in the audience, and I was certainly more relaxed, but, in both shows, they got better as they went along.  I think sometimes it just takes me a while to get my sealegs.  Sealegs, of course, meaning 1) an imitation crabmeat made from pollock, also known as surimi, or 2) a healthy serving of the delicious wines from Jackson-Triggs.

The setlists were long and varied, and featured some new songs, some Vanity Project songs, some BNL hits and some rarities.  Performances ranged from Friday's spectacular butchering of Everything Old Is New Again to the two-points-for-bravery version of Powder Blue both nights, and, the crowd singalong in the Chorus Girl, one of my personal favourite moments.   The audience's applause signifying either approval or forgiveness, and possibly both, truly made me feel great.  As in 2005, it was a truly special night.  Thanks to those of you who made the trek and we'll see you there again soon!