Arizona Skies - A Raving Playlist

This playlist was created one exceptionally clear and striking day three years ago in Southeast Arizona. It's difficult to describe Arizona to those who've never been there, especially the parts of Arizona that many have never visited - like the high Sonoran desert. Despite the decade-long drought there, the high desert with its many mountain ranges is more green than many might imagine - with mesquite trees at lower elevations and pine trees that climb up the peaks. Once you drive out of the high desert headed to towards Tuscon you'll begin to see the massive Saguaro cactus that Arizona is famed for. As you turn North from Tuscon headed towards Phoenix you'll see Joshua Trees - countless of them between those desert cities.

The view from the Huachuca mountains in the Sonoran high desert

Arizona impressed U2 as well back during the early 1980's - so much so that they titled one of their Albums "Under the Joshua Tree" and opened that tour in Phoenix (they then filmed Rattle & Hum in Arizona as well). Anyone who has lived in Arizona will instantly be able to visualize Where the Streets have no Name and Red Hill Mining Town from personal experience. So what is Arizona like? Well, imagine a place where you can see 20, 30 or more miles in the distance. Imagine a place where Earth tones paint the landscape in all directions. Imagine being surrounded by mountains on all sides yet not feeling bounded by them. Imagine a place where Roadrunners are real - and a host of other remarkable desert wildlife is just around the corner.

This is a place that inspires, evokes a mood and we choose the following music in an attempt to capture that feeling. As usual this playlist is available on Spotify as well...

Quite possibly, the best album ever recorded...

Arizona Skies

U2 – Where The Streets Have No Name
Collective Soul – Gel
The B-52's – Roam [Edit]
Genesis – In Too Deep - 2007 Remastered Album Version
U2 – Red Hill Mining Town
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Yer So Bad
Alan Parsons – Mr Time
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Suzie Q
Stone Temple Pilots – Vasoline
Vangelis – Blade Runner (End Titles)
U2 – Elevation
Kings Of Leon – Arizona
Counting Crows – Hanginaround
Counting Crows – Mrs. Potters Lullaby
Vangelis – The Tao Of Love
Sting – Desert Rose
The Marshall Tucker Band – Can't You See
Joe Walsh – Rocky Mountain Way
Rascal Flatts – Life is a Highway
U2 – City Of Blinding Lights
Counting Crows – Accidentally In Love
10,000 Maniacs – The Painted Desert
Counting Crows – Speedway
Vangelis – Rachel's Song
Sting – If I Ever Lose My Faith In You
U2 – Desire
Kings Of Leon – Cold Desert
Violent Femmes – Blister In The Sun
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers – Runnin' Down A Dream
Counting Crows – Mr. Jones
Sting – We'll Be Together - 2011 Remix
U2 – Desert Of Our Love
The Fixx – Red Skies - Original Version
Stone Temple Pilots – Plush
U2 – Window In The Skies
Los Lonely Boys – Whatever Gets You Thru The Night
Barenaked Ladies – It's All Been Done
Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane
Joe Cocker – Unchain My Heart
Eric Clapton – It's In The Way That You Use It
ZZ Top – Viva Las Vegas - Remastered LP Version
Chris Cornell – You Know My Name
The Alan Parsons Project – Eye In The Sky
Don Henley – The Heart Of The Matter
Collective Soul – Under Heaven's Skies - Acoustic Version
Kansas – Dust In The Wind
Barenaked Ladies – One Week
The Marshall Tucker Band – Desert Skies
The Jayhawks – Waiting For The Sun
Don Henley – The Last Worthless Evening
Talking Heads – And She Was
Nirvana – Come As You Are
Toad The Wet Sprocket – Something's Always Wrong
U2 – Wild Honey
ZZ Top – Cheap Sunglasses
Vangelis – Love Theme From Bladerunner
Joe Cocker – You Are So Beautiful
Steve Winwood – The Finer Things
Eric Clapton – It's In The Way That You Use It
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen The Rain?
U2 – Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
3 Doors Down – Away From The Sun
U2 – One Tree Hill
Better Than Ezra – At The Stars
Alan Parsons – Dreamscape
Eric Clapton – Forever Man
Chicago – Wishing You Were Here
Joe Walsh – Ordinary Average Guy
Toad The Wet Sprocket – All I Want
U2 – Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Joe Cocker – Shelter Me (Single Edit)
3 Doors Down – Your Arms Feel Like home
Bruce Springsteen – Girls In Their Summer Clothes
Bruce Hornsby – Fields Of Gray - Remastered 2003
The Moody Blues – Your Wildest Dreams
Third Eye Blind – How's It Going To Be
Counting Crows – Four Days
Linkin Park – Burning In The Skies
U2 – Bullet The Blue Sky
George Michael – Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
Lit – My Own Worst Enemy
The Beatles Tribute Band – Here Comes The Sun
War – The Cisco Kid
U2 – Beautiful Day

Cover art from U2's Actung Baby

Copyright 2012 - Raving Reviews - All Rights Reserved

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Negative Ads have become Political Dialog

Just when people thought politics couldn't get much worse, the 2012 presidential election managed to pump $6 billion dollars worth of negative ads across television, radio, print and the Internet. Some estimates claim that more than 80% of all political ads this year were negative nature. Worse than this though, the downward spiral of political discourse is taking the rest of the media with it - tarnishing the image and credibility of everyone involved.

If you don't have anything nice to say...

Perhaps it is to be expected that with the dual influences of the campaign spending explosion triggered by the Supreme Court "Citizen's United" Campaign Finance decision and the still sluggish economy that the election advertisements would be overwhelmingly negative. Even with those rationalizations though, it was still hard to watch. One wonders if any election these days can elevate itself beyond the level of mutual character assassination. Even more to the point though is whether any meaningful political dialog can occur in these types of environments.

Does this seem silly, well, don't the other negative ads seem goofy as well?

First we need to make a distinction regarding negative ads and let's say attack ads. Perhaps such a distinction is not formally recognized but for the sake of argument let's contrast these two types of combative ads:

1. The Traditional Negative Ad - It is first and foremost a personal assault. The personality of the candidate is under fire; the types of charges leveled can include ideology but the main thrust of the strategy is to tarnish the character of the candidate. These ads are part of the main dialog between the candidates - in fact this year - nearly all of the dialog has been negative.
2. The Proxy Attack - The proxy attack is something that's been around for a long while but has now taken on new dimensions given the virtually unlimited influx of cash and special interests participation. The proxy attack allows a much wider variety of attacks and all sorts of related propaganda. Since these ads are not officially linked to the campaigns there is little or no restraint or responsibility shown. 

Both types of ads have been around since political advertising began. The problem of course is not the existence of these types of ads but rather our increasing reliance on them to convey the majority of our national political dialog (at least during election cycles). Neither of these types of ads is concerned with or does a good job of actually establishing a dialog. The Voters have a right to know what the differences are between those who would represent them.

Ads like this are quite simply embarrassing the nation...

What seems clear is that the Negative Ad is gaining momentum and is becoming the primary form of all political advertising and perhaps the primary form of all political dialog. Positive advertising is relatively rare as candidates seem hesitant t talk about what if anything they intend to do if elected. So, why do politicians seem to be moving en masse to the least civilized of the available options? Well - they think Negative Ads (personal assaults) work. Do they, really?

It's hard to quantify that answer given that other factors are usually involved. Someone who outspends their opponent 3 to 1 and uses negative advertising and wins could point to the money, the ads or both as the keys to victory. What does seem clear is that negative advertising turns people off - first towards the candidate being targeted, next towards the candidate making the attack and lastly towards the entire unpleasant process. Eventually these people become turned off altogether and stop voting or participating in politics at all. And that in itself may be a victory for someone.

This parody managed to capture most of this campaigns core themes - that kinda of scary...

Copyright 2012 - Raving Reviews - All Rights Reserved

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