An Ode to Jason Mraz
My love for Jason Mraz knows no bounds right now. I tell it to my friends this way: when I say I love Jason Mraz, I don't mean it in music appreciation sort of way - I mean it in a sort of stalker fan kind of way. I refer to him jokingly as 'my husband.' (winks.)
My first introduction to him was of course, via radio. I was on my way to Calgary (a doomed trip at best,) with my mom and the announcer had said "Stick around, there's a new one from Lisa Marie Presley coming up." And then he played "The Remedy," and I thought to myself that if that was Lisa Marie, she was bloody damned talented! (Editor's note, it wasn't and well, she's not really.) A few weeks later an acquaintance in Calgary happened to catch Jason as an opening act for Chantal Kreviazuk and she just gushed about him afterwards. "He uses his voice like a musical instrument!" I then caught him on a local Calgary entertainment tv show. He was moderately cocky and most definitely not entirely media trained. And I thought he kind of looked like an artier version of an ex-boyfriend I had. Like Sh___ would look if he flopped his ball cap to the side instead of putting it on backwards. After my doomed trip to Calgary forced me quietly back home to Ontario - where I belong! - I remember sitting on a friend's balcony and she put on a CD. I listened to the voice and right from the first song, I piped up and asked "Is that Jason Mraz?" She was so impressed that I could tell who it was without hearing the one song of his that they were kicking the snot out of on the radio and proceeded to absolutely gush over him. "He uses the word 'lugubrious' in a song! I had to look it up in the dictionary!" Apparently, this Jason has a knack for making girls gush.
And so it is my turn to gush. The buzz about this boy was too large to ignore. My friend bought me his studio CD and I have been in love with him ever since. He has been steadily creeping up my fluid Top 5 Celebrities I would love to, well, ahem, take advantage of, for over two years now, and I can confidently place him deservedly atop that list now. Numero uno. Congratulations Jason, you have usurped the place I had long reserved for Matt Damon and his beautiful smile!
And here's why. He doesn't hide behind his guitar like so many male singers do. I mean, I love John Mayer, but the guy doesn't really sing all that well. And he's good at the whole writing thing, as well. As stated above, he used the word 'lugubrious' in a song, a pretty amazing feat only equalled by See Spot Run's use of the word "acetaminophen" in their ditty 'Weightless.' I love the fact that Jason keeps an online journal, and I strive in my own writing to capture that focused rambling style that he has gotten down pat. His online journal entries are a sweet surprise to my days at work. When I check his site and find a new journal entry posted, it's as sweet as finding five dollars I never knew I had in my pocket. I love the way his songs make me think about all the loves and likes and prospects in my life, but never fully attaches themselves to one person in particular in my life. This is a good thing when things go sour between myself and said love/like/prospect. I was kicking the snot out of Jason's "Sleeping to Dream" song a few months back because it reminded me of my own life. When that little situation no longer conjured up happy little lullabyes, I could still turn on my Mraz and enjoy. Sa___ caught me bopping to my MD on the subway platform the next day and asked what I was listening to. "Jason," I replied. "Really?" she seemed surprised. "Well, yeah, I'm not mad at Jason!" I laughed.
He scats and jokes and flirts with the audience onstage, and by the time I have left one of his live performances, I am in the mood for writing some silly, insipid prose of my own. Dear lord, I am hooked.
My first introduction to him was of course, via radio. I was on my way to Calgary (a doomed trip at best,) with my mom and the announcer had said "Stick around, there's a new one from Lisa Marie Presley coming up." And then he played "The Remedy," and I thought to myself that if that was Lisa Marie, she was bloody damned talented! (Editor's note, it wasn't and well, she's not really.) A few weeks later an acquaintance in Calgary happened to catch Jason as an opening act for Chantal Kreviazuk and she just gushed about him afterwards. "He uses his voice like a musical instrument!" I then caught him on a local Calgary entertainment tv show. He was moderately cocky and most definitely not entirely media trained. And I thought he kind of looked like an artier version of an ex-boyfriend I had. Like Sh___ would look if he flopped his ball cap to the side instead of putting it on backwards. After my doomed trip to Calgary forced me quietly back home to Ontario - where I belong! - I remember sitting on a friend's balcony and she put on a CD. I listened to the voice and right from the first song, I piped up and asked "Is that Jason Mraz?" She was so impressed that I could tell who it was without hearing the one song of his that they were kicking the snot out of on the radio and proceeded to absolutely gush over him. "He uses the word 'lugubrious' in a song! I had to look it up in the dictionary!" Apparently, this Jason has a knack for making girls gush.
And so it is my turn to gush. The buzz about this boy was too large to ignore. My friend bought me his studio CD and I have been in love with him ever since. He has been steadily creeping up my fluid Top 5 Celebrities I would love to, well, ahem, take advantage of, for over two years now, and I can confidently place him deservedly atop that list now. Numero uno. Congratulations Jason, you have usurped the place I had long reserved for Matt Damon and his beautiful smile!
And here's why. He doesn't hide behind his guitar like so many male singers do. I mean, I love John Mayer, but the guy doesn't really sing all that well. And he's good at the whole writing thing, as well. As stated above, he used the word 'lugubrious' in a song, a pretty amazing feat only equalled by See Spot Run's use of the word "acetaminophen" in their ditty 'Weightless.' I love the fact that Jason keeps an online journal, and I strive in my own writing to capture that focused rambling style that he has gotten down pat. His online journal entries are a sweet surprise to my days at work. When I check his site and find a new journal entry posted, it's as sweet as finding five dollars I never knew I had in my pocket. I love the way his songs make me think about all the loves and likes and prospects in my life, but never fully attaches themselves to one person in particular in my life. This is a good thing when things go sour between myself and said love/like/prospect. I was kicking the snot out of Jason's "Sleeping to Dream" song a few months back because it reminded me of my own life. When that little situation no longer conjured up happy little lullabyes, I could still turn on my Mraz and enjoy. Sa___ caught me bopping to my MD on the subway platform the next day and asked what I was listening to. "Jason," I replied. "Really?" she seemed surprised. "Well, yeah, I'm not mad at Jason!" I laughed.
He scats and jokes and flirts with the audience onstage, and by the time I have left one of his live performances, I am in the mood for writing some silly, insipid prose of my own. Dear lord, I am hooked.
posted by nerdifer at 10:08 a.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home