life in definitions

It is always a great day when I stumble across an amazing new song or artist that I fall completely head over heels for. It’s not very often that I find a new song that I want to listen to on repeat, but when I do it is amazingly thrilling. Love me some new music.

Fortunately this week has been very kind to me, in more ways than one, but it has definitely be rewarding on the music front. So, here are my new discoveries this week and my current obsessions. And when I saw obsession, I mean it. If my Spotify activity wasn’t private, people might thing I was crazy!

Enjoy and Happy Friday!

1. ZZ Ward : Put the Gun Down

2. Empire of the Sun : Walking On A Dream

3. Miike Snow : Animal

4. Shwayze & Cisco : Drunk Off Your Love (Because who doesn’t love some Shwayze)

5. Melanie Amaro : Don’t Fail Me Now

According to Urban Dictionary the definition of Shit Kickers is, “actually, they are ass-kicking boots.”

Since fall is now completely in full swing, all my shit kickers have made there appearance. They have risen from there summer storage boxes and they are ready to kick lots of ass. BUT, what are a good pair of ass kicking shoes without some ass kicking songs. These five songs definitely make me want to stomp my boots on the floor and kick some ass. 

Enjoy and happy ass kicking!

1. G. Love : Fixin’ To Die

2. Hugo : 99 Problems

3. The Civil Wars : Barton Hollow

4. The Dead Weather : Hang You From The Heavens

5. Queen : Fat Bottomed Girls

***Apologies for the delay. I had a very busy Friday and weekend. Better late than never!

So, there you are, driving in your car, windows down and sunroof open, jamming to that new Taylor Swift song and BAM! You are suddenly hit by a truck of emotions when a new song comes on and takes you back to a certain place and time.

Isn’t it strange how it seems that a certain someone or situation holds onto a song. It’s like you can’t shake them every time it comes on. Whether it is six years ago picking out “your” song together, sneaking into Neyland Stadium, riding in the middle of that truck or even jamming like a boss with your hommies on the beach in Miami. No matter what you are doing or who you are with it seems as though certain songs become soundtracks for times in our lives and the people we’ve met and spent time with. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it is the most torturous thing ever because that song is taken. It is taken by someone who is no longer in your life and you will never be able to get it back.

The LiveScience describes this in an article about music memory and the prefrontal cortex (whatever that is). They write, “what seems to happen is that a piece of familiar music serves as a soundtrack for a mental movie that starts playing in your head”. I would have to agree with this. While I have absolutely no clue what the “prefrontal cortex” of my brain is, the article educates me. So, apparently this is area of our brains is, “a music-processing and music-memories region.”

So basically every time I am dragged back into a memory it is because of my brain. Now if I can just turn it off for certain songs and moments.

Not sure if this is a real quote or not, but I like it and believe it, so here it is. Frank Ocean said;

“When you’re happy, you enjoy the music butwhen you’re sad, youunderstand the lyrics.”

For today’s songs I decided to include five songs that take me back to a certain time and place or person. I’m not going to tell a story with each, as they are my stories and I don’t want them to taint your perspective of the songs.

Happy Friday!

1. Elton John : Tiny Dancer

2. Jake Owen : Heaven

3. Chris Brown : Look At Me Now

4. Neil Young : Old King

5. Dawes : When My Time Comes

I meant to post this on Friday, but the weekend got ahead of me, but it is a fitting post for today as I write from 30,000 feet in the air on my way to Vegas…so, here it goes.

I’ve been working on a post about my travels in the past month or so. I’ve had the privilege to go see and experience a lot of amazing things, but I didn’t travel them all alone. Yes, I traveled with people, but I’m talking about the music. I traveled with some of my favorites. I’m not sure there is anything sweeter or more memorable than flying high above the clouds at sunset (or sunrise) and an amazingly approproate tune comes on.

These were some of my traveling buddies from the past month, and they served me well and filled my soul full of wonderful thoughts, sounds and memories.

1. Cherub : Hold Me (Let me say, this is one of the best songs to break the rules of turning off all eletronic devices while flying. This is a GREAT take off or landing song.)

2. Hoodie Allen : No Faith In Brooklyn

3. Trampled By Turtles : Alone

4. Trent Dabbs : Leave to See

5. The Naked And Famous : Girls Like You

Apologies for not posting this on Friday. I meant to, but somehow the time slipped away from me and I blinked and it was Sunday. 

On Saturday I had the privilege of seeing the wonderfully amazing Mumford & Sons. This was one of the best concerts I think I have ever been to. Not only was Mumford & Sons there, but they brought along some of their favorite bands for this Gentlemen of the Road tour. I am going to write more about the concert later because I have a ton of thoughts on it, but before that I figured I’d share five of my favorite songs from all the bands that played yesterday.

Happy listening.

1. Apache Relay : Lost Kid

2. Justin Townes Earle : One More Night in Brooklyn

3. Dawes : When My Times Come

4. Mumford & Sons : Little Lion Man

5. Mumford & Sons : The Cave