MrNorth - Lifesize

So there I was, at Amoeba Music in San Francisco. I really wasn't looking for anything in particular, just looking for stuff that I couldn't get in Detroit. In addition to finding some amazing stuff, I have a new gold standard that all record stores I go to will be judged by.

One of the CDs that I found was by a then unknown band called MrNorth. It was in the clearance section, but as near as I could tell, this hadn't been out that long. In my old order, the clearance section is typically reserved for stuff that had been out forever that wasn't otherwise going to move, or an album that was excessively overhyped that landed with a thud. I'm not sure how this was marketed in California, but here in Michigan, I had never heard of this band before.

My favorites songs here were "Let Me In," a song imploring a would-be lover to give life a chance; "Start From A" although I can't put my finger on it. My favorite track is the title track, which to me makes me think about the difference between the life we imagined as a child, the life we feel that's punishing us when we're down, and the life we actually have when we see clearly, and how reality is usually in the middle of our idealistic and pessimistic peaks and valleys.

If you live in New York, MrNorth is currently performing every Saturday at a place called Tailor's Hall. If you can make it, be sure to tell me how they're doing.