House Greyjoy

ISSUE #51

The sea is very big, and also the scariest thing in the world. If I were to speak into it, I would spew nothing but bubbles, and I'd have to come up for air after accomplishing nothing, which is a bit like tweeting. This is perhaps why the Ironborn are so violent and miserable. It's like they're constantly online with nobody listening. That, and the earth can be quite unforgiving, and sometimes whole cultures have to adjust to salt in their eyes and rocks between their toes. It's fun to imagine them listening to "Royals."

I used this week as an excuse to share with you "The Sinking of the Titanic," the last song on the playlist. In it, the British minimalist composer Gavin Bryars recreates Autumn, the hymn that the band was playing as the Titanic went under. They played until the very end; it's the part of the movie that will always make me cry. At first, it just seems like a nice mournful piece that doubles as a historical reenactment. Then the sounds shift. Eventually, Bryars decides to follow the band beneath the waves. With a bit of production magic, it sounds as if you're hearing the whole thing from underwater. It sounds like eternity, and it feels like what is dead never dies. It's been giving me goosebumps all week. I've never heard anything like it.