I've probably been reading the news too much recently, and I am weary. I followed the pro-democracy demonstrations in the Middle East, mourned the martyrs, rejoiced at victories and shared with everyone the uncertainty of the days to come.

I've read about the battles in Washinton over the budget and the continuing resolution, the reckless cuts being proposed and the threat of shutting down the government if the cuts do not pass the Senate and get signed by the President. I've read about the battle in Wisconsin about whether or not public employees should have the same rights of collective bargaining as everyone else. All of the unrest leaves me weary.

So, as I thumbed through the SonicBids submissions to the Orient Lodge Music Review, I tried to find sometime matching the times.

Kevin Masch's describes himself as "a classic, American Roots musician in a proud tradition that goes back to before Woody Guthrie"

Seems like we need a little Woody Guthrie now, and Steve Earle's words echo in my ears:

So come back Woody Guthrie
Come back to us now
Tear your eyes from paradise
And rise again somehow

I don't suspect Kevin has "This Machine Kills Fascists" inscribed on his guitar. Kevin has a different sort of sound. Yet Kevin, like many of the great roots musicians get back to the basics of life, love, death, traveling, trying to find home.

The commentary about one of his songs on YouTube starts:

Kevin's music is perfect for the music lover or the background music lover. Just try this, play this video, open up another tag (no music or audio needed to go to other site), and surf the internet... before you know it you will feel as if you are in your own movie with a sound track playing while you blog or are reading about everyday life

Yeah. I've got that song playing as I write this blog post, it does take me back to everyday life. The life of people struggling to get by, to find their way home.

Unfortunately, Youtube says that the embedding the video has been disabled at the user's request, so I can't share it here. Instead, go to Kevin's website, poke around, and see what you can find.

Instead, I'll end off with Christmas Time in Washington: