the burden of dreaming.

i've recently began recording some older songs and found new songs inside them...does that make any sense at all? it all began when i was asked to perform as a part of Cynthiana's first art walk. i jumped at the opportunity to have my original compositions heard by others, plus as a part of the show we were asked to explain where the song came from, who or what it was about. as i said before at first i thought this was to be a momentous occasion. i had always wanted to be able to do this...sorta...

then i freaked o

ut.

i had never really thought about who or why for the most part. i just write. then i thought "shit" my songs suck. they're not good enough, or they're too short..people are going to think i'm a loser or depressing.. and on and on and on..i was nervous, i had never really performed without a bunch of other guys around me. and it

had been years since i've played originals. i was really nervous, scared even..

i played. i had fun. i survived.

i'd like to think people were surprised by my depth and originality. ha ha..sold a couple cd's and went and drank lots of booze to chill out.

i can't wait to hit the road.

you can check out the songs at my facebook page....www.facebook.com/theburdenofdreaming

also i guess i should suggest a good band.

Good Old War

"only way to be alone"

super awesome band, very cool

also nate from the format started a new project that i just fou

nd out about their already on tour and the album comes out in september i think anyway the band is called Fun. find em on youtube check it out...

couldn't get a pic of the band so here's a fun pic of the swedish chef..

check em out at www.myspace.com/fun

much love.

bradley

the new music weekend.

After an incredible weekend filled with new musical inpsirations, i have to tell you about some bands that i've found to be entertaining.

oh and of course we saw the great Ray LaMontagne this weekend and it was everything i had hoped..so so solid..he definitely brought his "A" game to a packed theater. aside from the very expensive double vodkas we partook in, not a hitch.

so check these people out.

Jessica Lea Mayfield

a very cool alt country singer/songwriter...beautiful voice, beautiful girl..

she opened up for Ray and honestly i haven't stopped listening to this record yet..its changed me.

Camera Obscura just released a new album entitled "My Maudlin Career" and the reviews are in...i for one take this album as a huge throwback to when music was made to sound full, lush...this album could've been released 50 years ago and still have done very well. of course my favorite track so far is "French Navy", very hopelessly romantic...

Great Lake Swimmers, very chilled out album full of wonderful songwriting...

i dropped way too much money on new music this weekend but then again....i have no other worthy obsessions...

check em out, tune em in, whatever you kids call it these days....

bradley

all quiet on the north central front....

can't say that as of lately i've been listening to anything new...it seems that my musical moods have been wanting to take a stroll down memory lane so i've been downloading albums that help me to remember happier times...music does that for me, it can instantly take me back to specific scenarios in my lifetime whether they be good or bad....these for the most part are the albums that take me back to the happy moments in the early 2000's when i was playing drums for a band called "The Mad Shadows", three or four nights a week, working full time in the days and enjoying life at night...



Sparta's first album "Wiretap Scars" i would have to say is on my top 30 most influential albums list most definitely...the insightful lyrics and pop/rock sensibility takes me back to the very first night i saw the band perform on David Letterman after drinking one too many rum and cokes and jumping off of the couch to dance and kick and pump my fists.

i remember sitting on my back porch blasting the small stereo speakers that i had at the little house on Clays Mill. Planning and plotting my escape....

my absolute favorite track on the record is called "Collapse" and the lyrics are as follows....

"Collapse"
The host of the show comes down
to collapse on the ground
and the crime scene revisits me
this body shut down in Bordeaux
and the shores of gold coast
on the balcony I search for sleep
the future has fallen short
when the sun sets north
and the clouds fall from the mirrored walls

Words speak and choose
make sense and lose
capsize the tall tale, but always fail
words speak and choose,
make sense and lose
forfeit the tall tale, I always will

The host had his mouth sewn shut
all in the name of trust
when the blood goes thin, he's given in
you can spare us the formal toast
the drunken anecdotes
from this day on... goes on and on...
You know when he falls apart
he listens in the dark
to records turn I'll never learn

To set it down
you'll set it down
you'll set it down


if you haven't listened to this record at least give it a shot...i do believe it will suprise you.

and i think the next post will have to be the top 30 list, but its gonna take some serious deliberation to see who makes the cut....
farewell, take care of each other. we're all that we've got.

bradley

quick and to the point.

a quick post about a band that i was introduced to today. the only album i could find was made in '03 so its a bit old but still probably one of the coolest i have heard in a while. very much reminds me of Brian Wilson's lost Smile tapes to an extent. maybe if he had more technology at his disposal. oh i haven't even told you the name of the band have i...... check them out.

The Books- the lemon of pink

it was the only one i could find on itunes but have discovered they have several records out. i can't get over this sound it is too cool.

the Mr.

so in the coming months, April to be specific, GH and i will head to the Taft Theater in Cincy to see one of our lyrical heroes. he has got to be one of the most honest and earnest singer songwriters i have ever come across and i have to once again thank my musical compadre for introducing us.

Mr. Ray LaMontagne has got to be one of my favorite songwriters of the generation. honestly i thought i would be able to describe better what the music evokes in me but i can't seem to fathom the perfect words. my only hope is that one day, some day, i will have the ability to be as honest and upright, and beautiful in my songwriting. if you have never heard any of these songs please go check them out. "I still care for you", "Empty", "Can i stay", and "Jolene" seem to be my favorite thus far, but that doesn't mean that listening to the albums over and over doesn't bring new favorites to mind.

if you need a night of relaxing music that may bring old memories to mind or help to create new memories, please i urge you to listen to the words of Ray LaMontagne. oh and i promise to keep you posted as to the concert, and hopefully get some good pics while we're there.

so for now i just thought i would pass this word along. i hope life finds you well on this sunny day, and that you find new music everyday.

bradley

clearest of heads, warmest of hearts....

in order to first explain a little, this is a mutual project between myself and my musical compadre GH Furnish. our task in this blog is to simply share our love of music with the masses. and to hopefully have that sharing come back at us two fold. through several different situational meetings we have sat for hours on end discussing music, politics, women, booze, etc...the conversation always begins and ends with music though. you see we not only love and obsess over music but recently have begun the process of sending our very own music into the cosmos, and although its been a long process, it is a process that we are committed to finishing. you see the only thing holding us back to the best of my beliefs is the fact that we are very overcritical of our art. you see we are surrounded by so many great artists, so many great singer-songwriters, we too want to be considered among the elite. at least thats my desire within the project, the most serious of tasks putting your songs out there. you have to learn to break down the walls that you build around yourself and let the world in, then i think your songwriting gets even better.





so hopefully through this blog we can share our musical influences with you the reader, or at the very least we can pass it along to each other to bridge the distance that our lives have put between all of us. does this make sense?











so maybe i should share some of my latest musical musings that i'm obsessing over. or the newest rather, even though most everything i hear is in some way "new" everytime i listen to it.







Ra Ra Riot check em out....because as of last tuesday i haven't stopped playing the song "Can You Tell" although i guess i have cause right now i'm listening to Rachmaninov, go figure. that's what i'm talking about though. so random yet so entertaining.

keep yourself close by cause i can already tell that this will be rants of epic proportions.

oh and if you don't know who this guy is, do some research cause he's probably one of my biggest influences.


sincerely,
bradley

Mum's the word

"My son calls another man daddy."  Hank Williams said that.  "Gonna start me a blog with Brad Burden."  I said that.

Future posts will include: stolen lyrics for personal use, reconsiderations, live experiences,

tie-ins, world music appreciation (and a lil translation. Hopefully), more, and more.

As a teaser, and to give you an idea of my flavors and fancies, the following is an example post:

I've been on a soul kick today.  Al Green,  Otis Redding, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Stevie Wonder, and Mayfield.  Al Green's "Let's stay together" is currently spinning on my record player.   "It ain't no fun to me" is about to finish up side two and I decided 2 secs ago that I'm gonna flip it again and replay side one.  

Some say R&B, some say Blues.  I personally don't care much for type and categories but I know these singers had/have soul.  Their voices make me curious as to how such is possible.  Makes me think I have soul and then I belt out "THE MAKINGSS OF YOUUU" and realize how much sexier my inner voice is.  But, that's why I love music.  It makes you think, dream, fall asleep happy, wake up ready. I can recite "aint nuttin but a G thang" if I want.  I may only do it alone in my car but I'm gangster, if only for a brief, road-raging moment.

GHFURNISH