A World Filled With the Language of Music

What makes us choose the music we choose? What makes something truly resonate, and what makes us pass by something else, quickly?

Way back in another universe, in another time, on another blog, I used to do a weekly segment I called ”This Week’s Picks,” in which I’d share five songs/tunes that somehow ”sent me,” for various reasons. This was circa 2002-05, as a point of reference.

I think I did it primarily for myself; a sort of ”scream into the void” of wanting to be heard in a world that seemed mundane and filled with vapid top-40 sounds and an obsession with ”oldies” that had already been played to death on the radio. Remember radio?

My musical odyssey started on the radio; the long defunct Radio Luxembourg, back when I was still in Europe... "pirate radio" at its best... I'm still not sure why The Fixx never became more appreciated...

When I was at University I gradually learned ”not to bother” with sharing music with my peers because it felt like none of them were into what I listened to, and I wasn’t into what they listened to.

I once read an article about what makes music ”popular,” and realized that part of my feeling of alienation from the mainstream arose from the fact that I didn’t even relate to the criteria laid out as the core elements to make ”hit” music…

But let's jump forward:

Does it speak to my soul, and do I feel transported? Does it feel evocative? Do I float away on it?

Tony Anderson has long been one of those musicians who has an unparalleled talent for evoking a a mood, and inspiring people to feel their feelings. He wrote this as a tribute to his mom, after she passed from cancer:

Those are not criteria of ”popular” music… which walks hand in hand with why I also tend to prefer obscure art films and quirky rom-coms over blockbuster movies.

Of course, music is much like art… there’s no accounting for taste, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

My musical "coming of age" was the 1980's... but to be honest, the current "Retro Wave" respray of the era often encapsulates the sound better than the originals:

Perhaps it’s all just a reminder that not only are we all very different, but most of the time people are not comfortable living within anything more than the happy surface layers of their existence.

And I suppose that certainly has its virtues… because it’s typically the approach that leads to more mainstream definitions of success and happiness. Which, typically, also don’t serve me very well.

Life is a little different, out on the fringes…

And sometimes it goes far... The Midnight started off as mostly a studio production but has grown into a major touring band on both sides of the Atlantic... this a favorite; one of the greatest examples of that nostalgic 80's sound, reloaded:

The most rewarding thing about doing ”This Week’s Picks” was the occasional email/message from someone who had felt ”touched” by the music.

Most memorable: One woman who wrote to say ”your music choices feel like one long and continuous love song for the universe.”

Wow.

There’s an interesting tendency there: Most ostensible fringe dwellers are exceptionally passionate about the rare connections with someone else who ”sees” them. In my adult life, I have come across more than a handful such ”connections” who ended up pairing off and (likely, I hope) living happily ever after.

We don’t all have the same criteria for what makes us feel ”seen,” and ”connected” to another!

Maybe it’s simply the bane of hopeless romantics… eternal longing for something most will insist is ”unrealistic and impossible, which leads to mighty lows punctuated by a few euphoric highs.

Perhaps this is for all those dreamers... pondering "what if:"

But I digress.

As I have written previously, there has always been music living at the periphery of almost all the significant ”moments” of my adult life, going back all the way to me teenage years. Songs serve as triggers that almost instantly recreate a feeling and a mood that left a permanent imprint on my soul and memories. As human beings, our aural memory tends to be very strong.

I think back on various moments… and sometimes I’ll hear a song again, and think to myself ”that sounds just like…” and feel instantly transported.

I'll leave you with this... always had a soft spot for Arielle Maren's rather ethereal and angelic vocal stylings:

And that's where I'm going to stop this rather self-indulgent little journey... thanks for stopping by, and I hope some of this touched you, as well.

You know who you are...

How about you? How important is music in YOUR life? Is it just "pleasant sounds" or does it touch your soul? Are you a musician, yourself? Leave a comment if you feel so inclined — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 2024.08.04 01:14PDT
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