José Gonzalez - Cycling Trivialities

Artist: José Gonzalez

Song: Cycling Trivialities

Album: In Our Nature (2007)

Names like Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, and Tim Buckley are often used together, not necessarily to describe one exact sonic style of singer, but more as incredibly passionate verbs, to identify the strong emotions evoked when listening to these late legends' sparse melodies. Swedish-based Argentinian musician José González is likely to hear those classic names a lot in his future. González received critical underground love from his 2003 debut disc Veneer, but garnered more widespread attention as a guest vocalist for downtempo group Zero 7. The singer's gentle vocals and Spanish-meets-classical guitar style make a quietly compelling match, especially so on his sophomore CD In Our Nature, easily the best work--either as a solo or contributing vocalist--that he has released to date. The track that may well attract the most new eardrums is his sparse, whisper-soft cover of Massive Attack's "Teardrop" (a.k.a., the theme song to the TV show House), but many of his own tunes are equally endearing. War and world leaders were clearly on his mind when writing this disc, from opener "How Low"--in which González sings "Invasion after invasion/This means war/Someday you'll be up to your knees/in the shit you seek"--to the flamenco-affected track, "Killing for Love." All of these poignant--and at times pointed--lyrics are surrounded in lush, yet sparse melodies that make for music that is truly praise-worthy, bordering on timeless. --Denise Sheppard

Some opinions about “Cycling Trivialities” (from last.fm):

This song is so amazing,it's hard to describe. So sad,so true...You got to love it.

Anyone else get goosebumps listening to this?

Amazing song.. cant never get enough of his voice & guitar.

Like a quiet earth quake. Like a silent tornado.

He's the only songwriter that makes me temporary forget Elliott Smith. And this song a perfect end for “In our nature”.

…and "Cycling Trivialities", the latter ends the album on a poignant yet sincerely depressing vibe, attacking the ultimately trivial and futile self-centred nature in himself and those around him- "So, where's this leaving me? Recycling trivialities". This culmination sees a solution to the building tensions and problems depicted throughout the album. It may be a dark and ultimately depressing solution, but in a strange way it gives a wonderful sense of completion, of almost peace within the dark resolve.

review ...closer "Cycling Trivialities" shows González at his most vulnerable, with a stream of plangent notes bubbling out from an unaccompanied guitar, and while the song's sense of futility-- capping off an album heavy with the stuff-- gets pretty powerful, an extended outro and the awkward title phrase itself find González in a rare moment of unwarranted excess.

music

video

Too blind to know your best.
Hurrying through the forks without regrets.
Different now, every step feels like a mile.
All the lights seem to flash and pass you by.

So how's it gonna be.
When it all comes down you're cycling trivialities.

Don't know which way to turn.
Every trifle becoming big concerns.
All this time you were chasing dreams,
without knowing what you wanted them to mean.

So how's it gonna be.
When it all comes down you're cycling trivialities.
So how's it gonna be.
When it all comes down you're cycling trivialities.

Who cares in a hundred years from now.
All the small steps, all your shitty clouds.
Who cares in a hundred years from now.
Who'll remember all the players.
Who'll remember all the clowns.

So how's it gonna be.
When it all comes down you're cycling trivialities.

So what does this really mean.
When it all comes down you're cycling trivialities.
Cycling trivialities.
Cycling trivialitiesre cycling trivialities. Cycling trivialities. aliti