HAYDEN

About a decade ago, I wrote a review for an obscure little CD called EVERYTHING I LONG FOR. It had a rather elaborate intro (the review, not the CD) (perchance I was transfixed by drink)...

"Everybody knows HAYDEN. Hayden's our neighbor. Hayden takes in our papers, walks our dogs, and waters our lawns when we're away on vacation. Every time we drive by Hayden's, Hayden waves.

But Hayden harbors a heavy heart. Hayden gets angry. Hayden plots complicated, petty revenges that will never see the light of day.

Because Hayden is lazy. Hayden is so beholden to inertia he can barely be bothered to breathe, let alone carry out complicated, petty revenges. Hayden lacks the courage of his convictions. Hayden lacks the convictions to begin with.

And Hayden is horny. Late at night, Hayden downloads Danish porn and watches through binoculars as our underage daughters undress for bed.

But Hayden is harmless. Takes in our papers. Walks. Waters. Waves. Like Norman Bates. Or John Wayne Gacy.

Yes, everybody knows Hayden. Hayden's our neighbor. And sometimes, let's face it: Hayden is us.

*********************************************************

Hayden is Hayden Desser, a twentysomething Canadian whose self-produced debut plants him firmly in the freakish family-tree between VIC CHESNUTT's bastard-slacker stepson and BECK's heavily-medicated second-cousin."

After that, miracle of miracles, I actually wrote for a while about Hayden's music. Which was stripped and insular. Deep, deep, man-child voice singing intimately of dating futility & Denny's breakfasts. But that was ten years ago. Hayden is thirtysomething now and has surely moved out of his parents' basement to bigger & better things. He tends to sing a little less low; his arrangements sometimes feature more than an instrument or two. But he still has issues. He is actively working on his issues. The music helps him with his issues. Almost always, he would rather sing to you than shoot you in the face.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Love, Hayden.

From the LP IN FIELD & TOWN, 2008 >>>
[MP3] "Worthy of Your Esteem"
[MP3] "Lonely Security Guard"

From the LP ELK-LAKE SERENADE, 2004 >>>
[MP3] "Home By Saturday"
[MP3] "Hollywood Ending"

From the LP SKYSCRAPER NATIONAL PARK, 2001 >>>
[MP3] "Carried Away"
[MP3] "I Should Have Been Watching You"

From the LP THE CLOSER I GET, 1998 >>>
[MP3] "I'll Tell Him Tonight"

From the EP MOVING CAREFUL, 1997 >>>
[MP3] "Middle of July"

From the LP EVERYTHING I LONG FOR, 1996 >>>
[MP3] "Tragedy"