America is Waiting

"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America." These words by President Barack Obama make me believe that we're now living in a new era. Bush and Cheney had made my living in America unbearable. Their wrong doings will take some time to undo, but the new president seems to be very willing to do this. How much he's able to do is still to be seen, of course.

I am very impressed by Amnesty International's campaign for Obama's first 100 days. I like it so much that I'm adding it to my blog. It replaces the Backwards Bush counter, which now thankfully reads: 0 DAYS 0 Hrs 0 Min 00.0 Sec left in office. Thank god almighty we're free at last! There's no real reason to believe otherwise. With President Obama, it's impossible to say a change hasn't already come. I have high hopes for more change but I'm realistic about how much the new president can really do. Not just because of the bureaucratic jungle he now inhabits but also because he really isn't as radical as some people believe he is. He is still very much part of the establishment. Thankfully he is a fairly liberal voice within the establishment and presumably a very strong voice too.

Sing the Changes

Change has come...or so it would seem. Hopes are high, and so they should be. Things are looking up, but when things have looked down for so long it's just about time that things start looking up. I don't want to sound cynical and I hate to be as much of a realist as Ralph Nader. Barak Obama will help make the world a better place. He will also inevitably disappoint many who now believe that he holds the key to all the ills of this world. Change and good vibrations on a global scale are now in the air. This can only be good.

On a more personal note, I feel much better now than I've done in quite some time. Things are looking up. It's getting better all the time. Since things are looking up I guess I should just enjoy the upward sensation and ride the wave while it lasts. Something always goes against all hope but with some luck things will still continue to get better.

OK, enough of this belly button gazing philosophical mambo jumbo. On to this week's Mużika Mod Ieħor podcast, which is a real corker. How else would you describe a podcast that starts with a brand new track from The Rifffs? Magic of the Sun is another track they recorded this past summer towards their long-awaited album, which will be out on the 13th of February. I'm glad they're not rushing it. We've waited decades for this album, so a few more months will certainly pass before we know it.

Chasing Pandora will be releasing their third EP on the 17th of November. This is the second EP from Mel and Keith this year. I wonder why they didn't put all eight songs together into one album instead. Perhaps this is a sign that the album as we've known it for the last fifty odd years is on the way out. You hear about the death of the single and the demise of the album all the time if you try to follow industry pundits. Whatever it is, Wide Eyed Beauty is another great offering from Chasing Pandora and the song Anywhere But Here is the one I've picked to play on today's podcast.

The new one from the Rifffs and the upcoming EP from Chasing Pandora will be added to the list of nominations for the 2008 MMI Listeners' Picks poll, which will be opened up for voting within the next week or two. The rest of the material feature on this week's podcast will also be added to the list of nominations. First among these are the new recordings by Adolf, mostly recorded this past summer. Calmly should go down well with both anyone who knows Adolf's songs and those who will be discovering them for the first time. This singer-songwriter is one of the most underrated Maltese musicians. Something tells me he likes it that way; after all, it's all about the songs and little else really matters.

A few weeks ago, I included a track from British band Airstrip One, featuring Andrew Hill, who is half Maltese. Adrian Hill is Andrew's brother, so he too is half Maltese. He plays in a London-based trio called The Greenland Choir. Their songs are quite delightful. I've picked one called You Can See to bring this week's podcast to a peaceful close, until the next one.

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