Before tonight I didn’t fully understand what the saying “core memory” meant; and although I’ve been listening to this song since 2002…tonight just made sense. Life gets tumultuous and during the chaos times a song like this can let me feel “ok”.
I can’t fully explain it…but it feels good to know that this song…is one that calms me down. I’m currently and always will be in love with the idea of romanticism. It’s a curse and gift and listening to this song helps me remind me that the lyrics and vibe of this song is what makes sense.
Enjoy everything. I’m always here to understand the music that has become my heartbeat.
I had meant to write about this song for a while but I’m easily distracted some days. Today is Sunday and after this morning’s jog…whether it be the beautiful morning, the smooth vibes, or good memories (or a joggers high), I fell in love with this jam again.
It’s hard to believe this song was released in 2002; but to this day the crisp smooth vocals of Adam Levine and the bands jazzy song structure are a perfect combination of listening pleasure on a Sunday morning.
“And I would gladly hit the road, get up and go if I knew, that someday it would lead me back to you”.
Has always been my favorite lyric in this song’s arrangement. Much respect goes to Adam Levine’s lyrical smoothness and the Matt Wallace production.
If you want to jump onto this good mood vibe on this Sunday…or any day. Start your day with this jam.
Looking at the charts this year: 1957 was a good year for music…Elvis conquered the charts as is expected. But also, Buddy Holly released his version of “Peggy Sue”; Little Richard released “Lucille” and Fats Domino released the emotional single “I’m Walkin”. I only mentioned these songs to remind everyone reading about the hits released in 1957 (rarely talked about).
Back on the current topic…Elvis Presleys “Blue Christmas” cemented this song and the feeling its story tells…forever. I don’t think the expression “blue Christmas” wouldn’t feel the same if the 1957 song hadn’t changed the entire gauge of seasons landscape.
Such a beautiful expression of unrequited love that, I’ve honestly felt every season for years. Alas, I love the holidays and the feeling I get when I see the downtowns and malls whip out the Christmas decorations after thanksgiving. I always spend it with my closest family and although I hope and often think the day when I’m not entirely solo on those days…I’ll always love the time I spend with family, because we don’t live forever. But more importantly for a lonely soul like me…songs like this classic always keep me company. New holiday series starts now! Follow along!
I rarely write about recent rap…although I’ve always respected Trippie Redd and everything he speaks about…because he’s talented and emotional. He’ll always be a guy I can lose an entire night drinking with (based on experience). But, I’m writing about his release from last week, his album “Saint Michael” and a single from a BANKS feature, I’ve respected and loved her since I first were introduced to her back in 2013’s “Waiting Game” single…back then I was hooked and I applaud Trippie for using a Banks feature. If you haven’t heard Trippie’s latest album, check it out. And check out Banks “Holding Back”. Another solid single.
I will say this…this is the first film I’ve been asked to write about and this one, is so surreal and is just about current cancel culture as it is about the dark side of synchronicity. (If there is a such thing).
I watched this brilliant film after sent an advance copy to write about…I watched three times over the past couple days between regular work and life’s nonsense. I understood the message from the first watch, but I wanted to write about this film without giving spoilers. Which, that alone showed to be difficult.
This film starts with college professor Paul Matthews who is played by the always fantastic Nicholas Cage. And I must say the depth and awkwardness he played in this character is memorable. Essentially the film starts with a few others outside of Matthews life having dreams about him and it starts to gain traction (viral attention, if you will). And throughout the journey things become more darker and difficult…as it does these days with the pros and cons of anything going major internet viral.
The movie follows the opportunistic consumerism (in part thanks to Michael Cera’s character as a marketing agent) and real life backlash of being apart of these types of scenarios.
It was very overwhelming watching this film and trying to find the fantasy of it because based on how the world works these days and how it seems synchronicity does exist and is more visible recent.
Watching the dream that starts so unbelievable and fantastically perfect, slowly drive into a nightmare happens quick and really happens without much of real “truth” from our main character. I grew close to Cage’s character throughout the film…he really is a good hearted, good man and really didn’t have much say over the events though-out the movie.
Towards the last watch I found myself trying to find the heart of this film and I did towards the end…the REAL heart, when the protagonist (Matthews) is trying to connect with his newly separated wife, via technology. Without getting too deep (giving spoilers) into what that means it just showed me that…we all are in the same boat. The comedy in this movie has a unique way of showing the dark comedy in the world today. It reminded me of the surreal set we are walking into each and every day and how important it is to stay grounded into the REAL world around us. I can’t be one of the only ones whose dreams have been more surreal recent…whether that’s based on the information highway being so available & accessible or other means is yet to see.
Just remember, dreams are an escape but reality is where we live and die. Even in the dark days…I think life can be funny, goofy, and unpredictable…which what I saw watching this film.
“Dream Scenario” is currently on limited release and releases wide on November 22nd in theaters! And streaming next month.
Today’ blog entry is short and sweet. The importance of this song in music and my life is phenomenal…it gives me strength on my darkest days. I’ve loved this band over half my life, ever since their help with reviving garage and indie rock in the early 2000’s…thanks to this album. But, this song particularly just deepened my love of NYC and everything this single made me feel.
This song was the soundtrack to my life years ago…when I was young and decided to pick up my life and move to New York City…I had never even been on a plane…let alone a city of this of size. But I dived in and immediately drowned in overwhelming situations but loved every minute.
That city changed my life and so did this song…and after each listen of it, I’m reminded of the inspiration I got from it when I was unsure of where I was going. But I’m glad The Strokes were there to help as the city ate me alive and spit me out…only to make me stronger. It’s a big reason I’m the way I am today.
It took years of being absolutely in love with this song before I realized this perfectly captures the feeling of yearning. Honestly when I first discovered that, it terrified me to death….I could finally put a word to the feeling I’ve felt over the years when I was late night listening this song on repeat.
It will always make me feel as if I’m not alone when I’m feeling absolutely lonely. Knowing that Mayer captured the feeling perfectly…makes me feel better. It’s just written beautifully and delivers the message with poise. The bridge alone is worth a mention.
I remember buying this album the first day it came out and immediately going on a road trip…loving this track the most. Although I listened to the message, but didn’t fully understand it til years later…it hooked me. Possibly foreshadowing the tumultuous times that were awaited me ahead.
I started writing and playing music in large part because of John Mayer…from the lyrical proficiency and the melodies that never left my head. He will always be the reason I embraced my ability to express anything that happens in my life into musical/poetry language.
So for me, “Dammit” was my theme song when I went to high school parties (when I was younger)…only because of the third act of the movie, “Can’t Hardly Wait”…and also because…it’s a rad song. I will fill you in about the third act of this movie; chaos explodes after an entire night of legendary late 90s teen movie stories…when a house party gets busted…and a clepto steals a cop car. #iykyk
If you haven’t seen “Can’t Hardly Yet”…where have you been?!? It’s a timeless classic and I have to give the props to my parents who, when I went to talk to them this evening were watching it. (Thanks again, for the inspiration!)
In the future I’ll make a whole series about the importance of Blink-182 and the music that affected us around the early 00’s as we grew up into the people we became today. But for now, the fact that this movie was playing reminded me of ALL of us growing up around the time this song was released. It’s a sharp contrast to the awkward homebody I’ve became and love these days. Ahh…nostalgia, the drug that never wears out!
I’ve been friends with Danny…and Danny from 888 since they played in the crazy Drop Dead, Gorgeous days til now and I’ve always been impressed in every project they’ve been apart of. Cooper’s drum skills are terrifyingly good. (See, “Worse than a Fairy Tale”). And Stillman has always delivered in the emotional lyrics department.
I could talk about their projects for days but I’d rattle on too much…google them for more info about them.
Although upbeat, this song from “888”, lyrically at least felt about growing older in a relationship when your significant is cheating or roaming and knowing how every scene in this situation is going to go. And finally being fed up with it…but still being attracted to them, although they’ve failed you.
The way the beat and lyrics work together to make this situation…something to move your head to…is fantastic and the production together with that make a song that I’ll hold in my forever head playlist. Check it out…their whole EP and everything they’ve ever been apart of it, its worth a listen.
(The Early November – The Mountain Range In my Living Room)
I will first say that the The Early November’s album, “The Rooms Too Cold” is one of my favorite albums of all time. From the first song “Ever So Sweet” from this album and til the end…it’s flows together seamlessly, lyrically and musically.
Ace Enders has a way of telling a story that has kept me in deep thought over the past two decades, with every listen.
In my odd opinion, I thing this whole album and this song especially…is about the way the world in your own home gets too much of a mountain to climb over; and at the end of the day…it’s easier to sweep it up under the rug, but in the end DOES effect you in a way. It blows my mind that Ace understood that situation being such an early age but…I love it.
For me, The Early November felt a proper fit tonight (since it’s the early of November). But more realistically this album and this band always brings me the emotional feelings I had all those years ago when I first heard it (during this season)…no matter how many times I’ve listened. Dig deep “The Early November” and “Ace Enders” discography this month. You won’t be disappointed.
The year was 2003, before streaming…growing up in Nebraska, we were pretty sheltered to the outside music scenes (delayed essentially). Luckily, I had a pretty rad group of friends that introduced me to this music, emo, the scene, everything I ended up loving til this day.
I was given a burned cd with this song and that’s all it took to add it to my lifetime favorite playlist.
I never dated in high school…I was still in that awkward/weird phase and, I still am…but i make it work towards my advantage now. I had many friends, but didn’t mail the dating scene in high school…so this song always kept me company on many winter nights; singing this as loud as I could in my Pontiac.
For me…those were the good days, when a burned emo CD and a long drive could solve everything, since life was far simpler then.
To say I was obsessed with this song when it was first released in the fall of 2018, would be an understatement. I was a fan of Joji since back in the “Filthy Frank & Pink Guy” days (See: Harlem Shake…if you know you know).
When I first heard the synth and melody, I was hooked and immediately in an emotional mood I hadn’t felt before. The production alone is impressive and Joji belting out the chorus still, to this day…puts me in the same mood I was in, when I first heard it.
For me, this song’s narrative is about a man deciding…reluctantly maybe, to not stay in a relationship when he’s fighting to keep it alive and finally wants to stop fronting and just ask where they’re actually going. It paralleled my life around that time and it’s possibly why I connected so deeply.
Joji has blown up since this song first released and I’d recommend check his discography and see the progress he’s became as a musician.
I’m know what I felt when I first heard this song. I’ve known 3OH!3 since I first came out to Denver/Boulder in 2006. This isn’t their most popular song but the lyrics and vibe of the song…connected to me when I was going thru my divorce…and all my breakups…I’ve always loved it. And it always reminded me of Colorado
Sean and Nat from 3OH!3 aren’t dumb…they’re intelligent songwriters & people and they understand this feeling and when I first heard “Stay Around”…I understood what they were saying. Clearly it was years ago before they grew and eventually settled in their lives.
But the message still resonates to me. I’m still confused in life and want everything to make sense, but…it’s okay. 3OH!3 will always hold a close connection to my heart and life and I’ll miss the time…when we were younger…when life was still up in the air.
I’m still living in the the “devil town” and although I don’t want anyone to burn it down…I get the feeling, I’m alone and I’m still around…I always will. I appreciate the words and any advice I was given from these guys.
Newdrivehome 