Week 175: “Four Feathers Few” by Orla Wren

On Orla Wren’s Soundcloud page, he is listed as being “nomadic”. I’m not sure if that means he’s a perpetual couch surfer, a permanent camper, or if he follows the migrating buffalo for food, but his music certainly evokes a wandering, meandering, carefree feeling.

It makes me think of Canadian nomad/blogger Jeremy Goodwin. In 2009, Goodwin sold most of his belongings, moved into his van, and roamed the country, documenting his experiences. His blog is an interesting look into the idea of being homeless by choice, and the stigma associated with the word “homeless”. According to his most recent updates he’s still at it, though he now splits his time between Vancouver (where he does occasional social work) and Halifax (where he’s at school, studying…wait for it… architecture). And if the idea of a nomad designing houses isn’t awesome enough for you, Goodwin has also applied for the Mars One project.

If you’re not familiar, the Mars One project is a Dutch not-for-profit foundation that hopes to beat NASA in the race for a manned mission to Mars. Although they lack the resources of NASA, their advantage is that they don’t have to worry about bringing people back; the trip is one-way. So in other words, in applying to take part, Jeremy Goodwin is taking nomadism to the next level.

I wish him luck. But I do so from the comfort of my own home. While I have the utmost respect for the freedom that nomads like Goodwin and Orla Wren have decided to pursue, I don’t think it’s for me. Although it might not hurt if I purged a few belongings myself; the more I count my possessions, the heavier they look.

What makes this a beautiful song:

1. The video, as you’ve probably already realized, is gorgeous. Created by Joey Bania, the video, with its suspended figures, gives the paradoxical effect of moving and staying still all at once.

2. The piano, right up front in the mix.

3. The cello, way back in the mix. Somehow, the spatial separation between the song’s two main instruments gives a wide-open feeling that almost makes me want to get on the road with no plan. Almost.

Recommended listening activity:

Spinning a globe and stopping it with your index finger.

Buy it here.