“Can’t Go Home” by The Juliana Theory, Saturday, January 16, 2021

 

Thomas Wolfe is most famous for his novel You Can't Go Home Again which is a tome that I haven't read. However, I did read his first novel, Look Homeward, Angel, which deals with similar themes. I picked up the book in the middle of a semester from hell and an existential crisis. I found Wolfe's descriptions of Southern life--the people in town and family members, the scenery, and the food--so comforting. The mostly autobiographical novel is nostalgic, but the protagonist, Eugene's academic pursuits push him to see the world outside of the isolated mountain town of Altamont (Asheville).

DEFER TOMORROW. These days lots of bands are getting back together. Some are doing 10, 15, 20 year anniversary tours (or live streams). The age of COVID has been pretty kind to old music, but not so much to new music. The music of my teenage life is now the music of today, but I'm not sure if they can get the kids on board. After finishing Look Homeward Angel, the semester ended. My grades were what they were. I fortified myself with friends who could look out for me and had a keen eye on the future. And then I graduated from college and came back to rural North Carolina for six months with the intention to get my paperwork together and go to Korea. Living with my parents was not bad because there was end in sight. However, I've been to my parents' home from Korea for extended times, and I feel like I will go crazy. Not having a car is tough.

THE ONLY THING I KNOW IS WE CAN’T GO BACK HOME. Today I heard this song on Lead Singer Syndrome. I was struck by how simultaneously modern and classic this song sounds. Opening with a camp-fire sing along hook places this song on the radio between Imagine Dragons or The Killers (if they're still on the radio).  But then the production gets super interesting--drum beats catching up, lazy vocals sliding to find the note--it sounds bad, but it's actually pretty awesome. Lyrically it seems to be taking a jab at the band's Tooth and Nail, not-quite-Christian Rock days "No god is the new religion." The Juliana Theory, along with Further Seems Forever, helped to write the rule book for Hardcore bands transitioning to pop music; however, with many innovators, their first iteration of the band was improved upon by bands like Acceptance and Anberlin. But listening to this song makes me wonder if I should dust off their old LPs in my digital library.

NO GOD IS THE NEW RELIGION. My final thoughts about this song turn to the future. What if life never normalizes like before the pandemic? What if we don't see concerts in person ever again? What if classes remain online? What if we're all confined to our own spaces? What if air travel never normalizes? Can I ever go back to America? I was thinking about Little House on the Prairie the other day. My mom used to read my sisters and me those stories and we watched the 70s TV series. I was thinking about how Charles dragged his wife across the country. We know very little about Laura Ingalls Wilder's grandparents, but at some point, Charles and Caroline had to say goodbye to their families. Did they realize they would never see them again? We live in a time much different. We can stay in touch on social media. Except for death or a bitter fight, we typically don't say goodbye forever. Just a thought.

Lyrics: https://genius.com/The-juliana-theory-cant-go-home-lyrics