A Lifetime of Music

Why waste money on psychotherapy when you can listen to the B Minor Mass?  ~Michael Torke

Ever watched a tearjerker without sound? No matter how powerful the imagery is, it’s usually the accompanying soundtrack that triggers the emotional response. Music's mysterious and latent effects can play a major role in influencing our hearts. Some believe music can heal. And it can even directly influence our intelligence.

I couldn't imagine life without the gift of music. I can think back on the events of my life and contrive a definitive soundtrack of songs and artists that inspired and enhanced the joy and pain that ensued.
When I was a baby, I listened to classical radio non-stop. I had to have "Wildcat Radio" playing to do anything and everything, even to sleep. As I grew a little older, I fell in love with the early to mid 90s pop and soft-rock tunes that flowed from my mothers radio.

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
"I love you always forever" by Donna Lewis
"Am I wrong" by Love Spit Love
"One of Us" by Joan Osbourne
"Kokomo" by The Beach Boys
"Ill be Missing You" Puff Daddy
"As I lay me down" by Sophie B. Hawkins
Albums by Bryan Adams and Celine Dion

Next, I was introduced to Bruce Springsteen and Creedence Clearwater Revival while shooting pool with my dad. I remember finding something authentic about the occasional crackle from playing the Born in the USA album or the mysterious track Bad Moon Rising from the Green River album on an old record player. There was nothing like the first time I actually understood the meaning of My Hometown. I also gained my love for a few Eddie Rabbit tracks in those days.

Almost simultaneously I became enthralled with country artists, like: Kenny Chesney, Sons of the Desert, Steve Azar and The Great Divide. Since my discovery of Chesney, it was almost like I grew along with his music. I loved Chesney but I never realized that his music would hit a totally higher plain after the release of No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems. My love for the ocean grew, just as Chesney's style evolved. I remember being astounded by hearing Chesney cover Springsteens song One Step Up.
I remember hearing the complete Change album by Sons of the Desert at 1 am in the morning while listening to headphones. It was then that I realized the beauty of an album as a whole. The concession of the tracks and way the songs fit together so neatly intrigued my mind. Still today, I esteem change as a masterpiece.
Steve Azar's album Waitin' on Joe introduced me to the blues and the beauty of the Mississippi delta. I could travel to a whole different place and time when I played those tracks.

Springsteen changed my life once again with an album titled The Rising. Just after 9-11 the Boss released and album that displayed various religions and their outlook on the world. The Rising is by far in my top 3 favorite albums of all time. The timing of the album was too perfect. I finally understood the importance of politics and religion by listening to songs like Lonesome Day, Empty Sky and My City of Ruins.

Then I was introduced to Christian Rock, which i no longer acknowledge other than a few artists like: Jars of Clay, Switchfoot, Thousand Foot Krutch, John Reuben and Derek Webb. These artists had something that the bland, redundant majority didn't have: not just talent but creativity.
Jars of Clay had a diverse and unique sound that no other band had captured. They were truthful and honest in their lyrics. Jars of Clay always progressed with each release and blew minds in the process. Jars of Clay displayed such raw emotion through music that I had never seen before, that was until I heard Brand New.

Once Christian Rock died off, I had a longing for more substance lyrically. I went back to late 90s artists like Matchbox 20, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Alanis Morissette, Nirvana, and the Goo Goo Dolls. I asked myself many times, how did I miss out on such great artists? Whenever I had a bad day, I could listen to Matchbox CDs and feel less alone in my problems and Alanis taught me what it meant to be culturally and religiously tolerant. The Goo Goo Dolls displayed beauty and perfection through their song Iris. There is something unexplainable about the lyrics and emotion fused with violins in a soft rock tune: a pure masterpiece.

Once I ran out of great 90s tunes to look back on, I had to dig deep as the music industry had been filled with meaningless garbage. My music choices became more organic and stripped down, artists like: Jack Johnson, Tristan Prettyman, Brett Dennen and Jason Mraz offered sanity. Meanwhile, John Mayer also provided unbelievable guitar sounds. And The White Stripes were the most unique and mesmerizing band that I had ever come across.

Now days, My absolute favorite band is Brand New. In fact, I consider Brand New, Manchester Orchestra and Kevine Devine to be the Godhead of music. The chiefs of great songwriting and pure emotion. Kevin Devine has taught me what it means to be a liberal and how you must wear it and share it proudly in the midst of a blind world. Cage the Elephant, Bright Eyes, Iron and Wine, MGMT, Modest Mouse, Cat Stevens, Smoke City, and Wilco also deserve a mention. In today's music world, you have to dig deep to find true talent among the only 5 songs on rotation at your local radio stations. Rap music and autotune has murdered music and true talent (with an exception of rap geniuses Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Jay Z).

The other day, I stumbled across my favorite band Brand New covering Love Spit Love's "Am I Wrong?" and I remembered loving that song when I was a child. I had totally forgotten about the millions of times I heard that song played on my mothers favorite radio station. When I was 8 years old I didn't understand the song like I do today, but to hear my favorite band sing it was enlightening. It was like the music circle in my life had been connected from end to end. music seems to be so much bigger and more important than a lot of people give it credit.

The content of "Am I Wrong?" is very similar to a song that Manchester Orchestra just released titled "Simple Math." Both songs seem to correlate closely with my current questions of faith. That is what brought about this blog and I will leave you with the song "Am I Wrong?" as covered by Brand New.

Now, I encourage you to think back on your own life and create a playlist of those songs and artists that stamped your life.