It's All Around Me!

Through the writing of this blog I've just begun to realize how much my life is full of music. Its everywhere, and now I find myself paying closer attention to it. How music affects my moods especially is crazy. I know I talked earlier about how music can set the tone for a movie scene or TV show but how about how it sets the tune for your own life.
As it gets sunny here in usually-not-sunny western New York I'm loving my country music. Its funny how much of winter people play louder angry music or stuff thats sad and depressing....thats what I hear around our hallways anyhow. And as the sun comes out music gets happier and more exciting. In my case....more country. Kenny Chesney's Summertime is a perfect example of the beauty thats been escaping my iHome speakers recently.
Our campus enjoys the same theme as we kicked off spring with a Hoedown this past Saturday night. The quad was full of people dancing in squares and lines. Though not everyone could keep up with the moves everybody enjoyed the upbeat music under the stars. It doesnt matter how not into music you are....music can totally affect your mood. The hoedown was a perfect example, I dont think we've had this many people laughing and having a great time in a while.
I transitioned from upbeat gospel music (from our gospel choir concert) outside to the quad and couldn't stop smiling. My country beats have not ceased....
So as I go into summer and escape the radio-wave-free zone that is Houghton College, I listen to the music thats around me every day and realize how happy (or sad) it can make me. Right now I'm loving the sun....so bring on the country!

Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover

I've done a number of activities somewhat recently that involve meeting new people and getting to know people differently than I normally would. These situations involve camp, class and housing. And in all three circumstances one of the first questions people have asked is "what kind of music do you listen to?"
I find this kind of surprising...how much does what one listens to really describe them? Can we be judged by the genre or artists we listen to? What do different artists say about different personalities?
I for one, love country music and that seems to be a big turn off for a lot of people. Friends have found out I listen to Keith Urban or Rascal Flatts and they walk the other way. In a few instances though I've actually been able to convert people to country loving:)
My roommate and I have lived together for almost two years, we will be again next year and we have complete opposite tastes in music. She loves stuff thats more hardcore, the kind of music where you can't distinguish chords or voices. The Keith Urban fan in me says that hers isnt real music...and her hardcore side says the same thing about my country. But we still manage to get along...
This just proves that music does not determine personality clashing....or not clashing. :)
Punks and country bumpkins can co-exist. AND get along....So don't judge a person by their band posters....you may be sacrificing a friend.
Happy Listening!

Expanding the Range

This past week was a week off from school. I love being able to get away from campus and out into the real world again every so often. One of the best things about being home I find is seeing my friends and what they have been doing, movies they've seen or new music they are listening to. Being here in Houghton the radio doesn't get any reception and I don't spend a whole lot of time searching for music online. Most of the new stuff I hear comes from friends.
When I was home over this last break, not only did I listen to the radio and hear new music on TV, I got music from friends. One of the artists I discovered over break is Missy Higgins. An Aussie artist who is absolutley incredible. Her style is really laid back and her lyrics are amazingly deep and life applicable.
I love the lyrics that I hear and go...."wow, I wish I had written that." Not all of her music falls under that category, but some of it is great. Very poetic. If you like laid back, acoustic amazing-ness. Check out Missy Higgins
http://www.missyhiggins.com

The World of Shows

Well...I really hoped that today I would be reviewing the concert of one of my favourite bands that I've been waiting for years to see. Since probably grade eight I've been a huge fan of Lifehouse. They've come out with new CDs but I've been unable to go see any of their shows. Finally they're in Toronto when I'm home on break from school and Jason Wade (their lead singer for those of you who are not informed) has come down with the flu, has no voice and cancelled all their Canadian dates. gah!
I found out not 35 seconds before I got in my car to drive an hour and a half to downtown. Nice timing, unforunate news....

So all I can do today is share how incredible this band is and how incredibly dissapointed I am to have not seen their show last night....
C'est la vie...

The Strongest _______ Tied to Memory

I know most people say that scent is the strongest sense tied to memory and I would agree to an extenctl but I know the strongest thing for me that ties to memory is music. Different songs tie in my life back to memories of people or places or events. Either there was a song playing during a certain event, a friend and I shared 'our' song, or a specific place always played the same music. Maybe its just me......I'll share a few examples

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang makes me think of my high school lab partner because he used to sing it all the time.

dcTalk's Coloured People reminds me of the summer of 1998 when my cousins and I made a music video to that song in the basement of my house.

Days Go By by Keith Urban makes me think of wakeboarding or summers at camp.

All these are quite fond memories I have of people and places and things, maybe if I identified smells to people (which may be unfortunate for some) then scent would be the strongest thing for me tied to memory. But my head and the soundtrack that runs through it would have to differ. And for that reason I have to say that music is the strongest thing tied to memory.

"days go by, I can feel them flying like a hand out the window in the wind..."
-Keith Urban

Makes Me Think...

We were meant to live for so much more.
Have we lost ourselves? Somewhere we live inside...

We want more than this world’s got to offer...
We want more than the wars of our fathers...
And everything inside screams for second life.


These are lyrics from a song by a band called Switchfoot that always make me think. I enjoy music that sends a specific message or makes me think about something in particular; inspirational I guess. This song specifically makes me wonder what I'm living for. What does this world offer me that's of value?
I wish more things made me think this way, for the amount of time I listen to this song (which isn't all that often) I contemplate life a little bit more. This is just one of those 'in your face' prompts that tends to get me thinking. What is it exactly that I want out of life. What does it mean to live for more?
Is the more found in relationships, success, money, fame, beauty? I dont know. But whatever the more is I want to find it. I challenge you all to find the more in your life to work towards. So you can actually live life to the fullest.

Freedom of Tune

I'm spending the week in Florida with family and, as always, I pay attention to the soundtrack of life that plays around me. I find myself paying closer attention these days to all the music that plays in the background of restaurants, in malls and outside at all the touristy spots.
One thing in particular I've noticed this week is the variety of music that's being played around here. I don't know if it's because people are happier on vacation so they don't raise ruckus or if it's just because people don't care....but the variety of music that's played is incredible. I'm not talking genre, I'm talking religion.
I've heard at two places so far this week, at a mini golf course and at Target, Christian music playing. This isn't just Christian bands that I know, but outright worship music. The other day playing at the golf course was "Word of God Speak" and today at Target was a song by Mark Schultz. I was pleased but shocked. Rarely will you hear Christian music played in a public place....somebody is always offended. Today's political correctness and 'religious freedom' stand in the way of expressing religious views in schools and most other public places. What is it about Florida?
Regardless of the reason, I'm pleased and impressed to hear this music being played in high traffic public places. Kudos to Target and lame mini golf course.