No matter where you are right now, you’re probably cold or you were cold just moments ago before you wrapped yourself in a blanket and threw a muffler around your neck. There’s always been a considerably strong thawing power associated with The Presidents of the United States of America’s music, as if it were sending out millions of microwave rays, turning ice into puddles of water at the world’s feet. I’m not sure what the sunny day was like before we had brilliant songs like “Lump” and “Peaches” to frolic with, but they weren’t as bright. What should have been done a LONG time ago and should still be done sometime in the future is the construction and unveiling of a PUSA theme park. It would make Six Flags feel amateurish. There would be bumper dune buggies, monkeys all over the place, fresh fruit, active volcanoes, a version of Mount Rushmore (where the band once played a memorable show on President’s Day one year, delivering a memorable version of “Feel Like Makin’ Love”: “Mount Rushmore, when I’m lookin’ up attcha, I’m lookin’ up at love…”) tailored with their busts and maybe a fourth of Beeker from the Muppet Show or something, rides that incorporate every kind of domesticated animal, there would be a petting zoo and there would be interactive learning stations. It would be stupendous. Adults and children alike would come in droves. Each of the songs on every one of the band’s four albums is constructed around a different world, but all of them are tied into the very exuberance that youth has in copious amounts. They are a band that allows youths to be all ages. There’s a lot of their debut record that still feels like it’s softcore porn in sheep’s clothing (every bit of lyric in “Peaches,” “kitty at my foot and I want to touch it”..). It straddles that fine line and there’s always been a strong sense that the wink and the perceived novelty of the glittery gold Doc Martins that Ballew wore as a staple as well as the minimalistic instruments that lacked in strings were just the cover for a really great band. Everything about that self-titled debut makes it a modern classic. The band returned in 2004 with an album entitled Love Everybody, and it was bursting with more than enough bouncy, sunshiny pop to see it as an alternative energy source. Forget hydro-electricity. If everyone played the PUSA catalog in its entirety every day, we’d no longer be dependent on foreign oil. We would be able to catch electricity in nets, like butterflies (we could fill our tanks with it) and going anywhere without shades on would be retinal suicide. Things would be bright. Teeth would have that sparkle to their enamel and the hills would be alive with frenzied laughter. I once compared Ballew to Jim Henson for all of the chickens and bears and frogs that he works with lyrically. I stand by that. He’s a zookeeper.

The Presidents of the United States of America’s Chris Ballew checks in. His week:
1. Painting my new house on the inside and setting up the furniture and studio. It has been a long time coming and a rocky road to hoe, but I am in my own place and out of the purgatory of apartment land for good!...woo…My daughter chose the colors and they are very tasteful…paper white and deep blue…good work Josie!
2. Sitting around the fire in my backyard with my son Augie endlessly poking the embers and seeing how wood breaks when it’s all burned up. Being able to be home and outside at the same time…Not available for the last year in the apartment…
3. Watching RUSHMORE for the 400th time and seeing new things. I want my life to be produced like that movie. Maybe anyone’s life would look extraordinary if it was presented with such style. Do you ever feel that you life isn’t happening unless someone is watching you?
4. Brussels sprouts. I have rediscovered the glorious brussels sprout, steamed and served with broiled steak and fried polenta for dinner. Drizzle a little olive oil on ‘em and a pinch of salt for a simple rooty, heart like candy treat. After too much fried stuff I got back to the greens last week.
5. Writing and rehearsing new songs with the band. It’s been such a long time coming and so much wondering what it would be like with Andrew on guitar. It’s extremely fun and satisfying to work at songwriting and get results of feeling joy after playing a new ditty.

The Presidents of the United States of America Official Site