Red Mosquito

Kevin Davis wrote:Great matchup here -- I stuck with "Nothingman," which at the end of the day I just feel like is the stronger composition. "Release" is many things -- a catharsis, an experience, an incantation, a series of beautiful, powerful moments. I love it, and I love its place in the catalog. But "Nothingman" is all of that for me too, but also has sturdy songwriting bones that I don't think "Release" necessarily does.

I swear I remember a Guitar World (or some other guitar magazine) interview with Stone circa 2002 or so where the interviewer asked him to name his favorite PJ song, and he immediately jumped to "Nothingman," citing it as an instance where everything about the writing and recording just came together. It feels that way to me too -- a song of natural ease and beauty, shining all the brighter considering how tense those sessions were reported to be otherwise.

I'd love to find that interview -- if memory serves he was asked to list some of his favorite songs by other artists as well, and he named Tom Waits's "Come On Up to the House."