Ten years ago, Deas Vail released their self-titled album, and with the exception of a Christmas EP, For Shepherds & Kings, and a B-sides album, this has been their last full-length project. Composed of husband and wife Wesley and Laura Blaylock and three other musicians, Deas Vail is Latin and Old French, meaning "humble servant of God." As a lighter indie rock band they gained momentum in the Christian Rock and Warped Tour scenes before stopping touring and ultimately disappearing from the scene. Their final, self-titled album is a beautiful collection of songs, produced by Relient K guitarist and self-proclaimed minimalist, Matt Hoopes. Minimalism seems to be a consideration as there is nothing particularly florid in the album or packaging, from the lyrics that don't stick out at first, to the cover art, to the subdued tones throughout the album. Listening to Deas Vail reminds me that it's not the grand days that make a lifetime great, but the cumulated moments of sunny afternoon walks.
I'M CROSSING FINGERS AND HOPING LIFE WORKS OUT. This album was particularly impactful to me in the springs of 2013 and 2014. I was living in Chuncheon at the time and walked everywhere. I learned the city that way. It took me 45 minutes to walk (in the opposite direction) to HomePlus or Emart, Korean department stores similar to Walmart or Target. It would be something I'd do on a Sunday or after work when I needed something. As I walked, I listened to music on my Galaxy S3. Winter, spring, summer, and fall I walked. In the winter I just bundled up and trudged over the snow-covered sidewalks. In the spring I dressed in layers, taking them off as I got hotter, my sweaty hoodie taking up space in my backpack. I'd even walk home with my groceries, my hands so full, I must have looked crazy. The weather only became miserable in late July into August. So a few drippy trips later, I realized that I needed to keep my dignity and started taking the bus. Other times, I figured if I really needed to, at any point, I could catch a bus or a taxi, but I rarely did. I wanted to save money if I could and live as frugally as possible.
Lotus Lantern Parade in Seoul. Source: YeonDeungHoe on Flickr.
I'M CROSSING RIVERS, AND HOPING I DON'T DROWN. This album also reminds me of Saturday afternoon trips to Seoul. After church, I'd often go home and rest, but if I wanted something good to eat or to hang out with someone, I'd take 3 or 4 pm train to Seoul. Chuncheon had a regular subway line which took about an hour and a half to the outskirts or a fast train that took a little over an hour to go to the city center. If you didn't purchase the tickets in advance, you might be standing, though. This album was a soundtrack to the weekend I attended the Lotus Lantern Parade, a Buddhist festival held on one of the main streets of Seoul a week before Buddha's birthday as celebrated in South Korea. The two years that I attended this parade, I felt so overwhelmed with a spirit of tranquility. Late April, when the parade is held, has some of the most perfect weather in Korea. Nights are warm and usually it's not raining at that point. The streets are calm; Seoul is usually sprawling on a Saturday night with people out enjoying their nightlife. As the sun is setting, the parade begins, simple at first with men, woman, and children--many of them with connection to a Buddhist temple--marching and holding up messages and symbols of their religion. The parade has a constant wooden drum and chant that lulls the audience into a peaceful trancelike state. As the parade continues, people start carrying lanterns symbolizing Buddhist traditions and teachings. More and more elaborate lanterns appear as the parade continues. The floats at the end are quite spectacular. After the parade, I caught the train back to Chuncheon, listening again to Deas Vail. The beauty that I saw that day, from the warm afternoon sunlight to the beautiful lanterns shine in my memory and make me contemplate how can I, "alone in a stranger's bad dream," become a person who reflects peace on this earth.
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