Tuesday, January 5, 2010

2009 - A year to reflect on why I love music

I am a creature of habit. When I get scared, sad or uncertain, I tend to run to the things that I know will make me feel safe, happy or reassured. That’s why with all the change that I experienced in 2009, I didn’t seek out the next best new artist, I let them either come to me or I stuck with what I knew. That is why for my end of 2009 list, I am going to reflect on those that helped me end the year with a little Sanity and Peace towards the upcoming new year.

Listen Here

Syd - Have you ever been so addicted to someone’s music that no matter what, you can’t seem to turn it off? That is the way I feel about Syd. He has also been a huge inspiration in our life and some of the decision to finally change certain things in it. But when he released his 5 song EP, “Upswing”, in 2009...a whole new level of admiration began for me. His newer sound was upbeat and it pumped happiness into my veins. It put that urge to dance and sing back in my life. Jeff and I also helped promote his remix contest this year for his song “The Pattern”. Between the contest and it being my 2 year old nieces’ favorite song, I probably heard that song close to 200 times. But if it shuffled through my mp3 player right now, I would still listen and you would probably see me dancing like no one was watching.. isn’t that what life is all about anyway?

Lisa Piccirillo – My husband will tell you that the first time he heard ‘You Never Say’ it brought tears to his eyes. And if you listen to the song the way you are meant to listen to music, I can assure you it will do the same for you. Lisa’s voice will draw you into a hypnotic state where you forget your past, your present, where you are, where you are going…It will put you in a drug-induced trance, with serenity being the drug; the best kind. Her song “Momentum” hit new levels for me when I caught it playing through my ear buds as hundreds of people were being laid off at place of employment. I had put both of my ear buds in and cranked up the music so loud and pounded away at the keyboard as I had done several time before. When the shuffled selection of song had finished playing, I took out my earbuds and looked around. It was quiet all around, and I felt Peace for a second.. I had hoped that those that were laid off felt the same Peace also, because now there was no more waiting it out for them.

Brian Bergeron – I found Brian through a chance click on myspace a few years ago. Back then it was just him and his guitar, something that had been very common during those times. People were getting tired of the John Mayer want-to-be’s, even if they sounded nothing like John Mayer. There was something different about Brian though, but I couldn’t place my finger on it then. It wasn’t until I heard his first full length release “We’ve Got to Find an Easier Way” that I was able to put into words the way I saw Brian’s talent. I had found a true up and coming artist. I was bursting with pride when the tracks first came through my MP3 player. He had evolved so much and come so far in such a short time. He had found his sound and we were there listening and promoting while he was doing it. It was an amazing feeling.

Taylor Davis – “ I wish I was better, I wish I had it all figured out, I little bit skinnier with more money in the bank, maybe everything would work out. I’m too hard on myself, it’s impossible to live up to everyone else.” Taylor will tell you he wrote that song during one of his low points when he was staying on his friends couch in New York. So it would seem fitting that I would use it to help me through some of my darkest times. Taylor is different than anyone else on our list. He is the first local artist that we have ever supported. There is a different sense of Pride that comes from watching someone from your own area make it musically. You understand first hand how big of a deal it is when they play at certain venues and when you hear them on the radio, its awesome to know that you might have helped with that a little. Its also nice to be able to go see his shows just about whenever we want to…and to have him come to several of our house parties puts the icing on the cake.

Rogue Wave – If you love something, set it free... If it comes back, it's yours, If it doesn't, it never was yours.... That is how I feel about Rogue Wave, well sorta, in a less creepy way. Rogue Wave decided to take a break from touring and music back in 2007 when their drummer, Pat Spurgeon underwent a kidney transplant (d-tour - a documentary about this ) and their lead singer, Zach Rogue, injured his back. But that time really helped me reflect on their music and how different it was from anything else I had ever heard. It’s like another melancholy sound that pumps energy through you and you can’t help but move. And if you are one of the lucky ones to have seen them live, then all you have to do is close your eyes and you can envision the energy that the guys project to the audience. We have never missed a Texas show. I even caught an earlier flight from a business meeting in Detroit to get back to a show in Denton. I.LOVE.THIS.BAND. I will promote them until I can’t speak anymore, until I am no longer able to type and far after people stop listening to me in hopes to find that one person who is willing to listen to them with new ears… because Rogue Wave worked hard for it, because they earned it… and they deserve it.

Chad Perrone – Chad wrote a song that will forever be a staple in my life during 2009. “Like Riding a Bike” shuffled through my MP3 player when I was trying to decide what was worth fighting for in my current life. What was really important and what was just weighing me down and keeping me from moving up to my next level. What was my next step going to be and was it going to get me to my ultimate goals/dreams or was it just going to take me down another dead end road. I still cry every time I hear the song, and am crying right now just writing about it. It was, and still is, a very powerful song for me. Even though I don’t like where we are currently in our lives, I know we are on the right path. I know that a lot of credit is given to a few words that started on a piece of paper, but to know that those words came from someone else’s hard time in their life is what I think I about. Knowing that we are not alone in making tough decisions, starting over, working hard to get to your dreams…that is what I hear when I listen to that song. And for that I am so thankful.

Plushgun - I remember exactly what I was doing the first time I heard Plushgun. I was sitting on my floor getting ready to pack up and go to a friends wedding in California. They were hosting subterranean on MTV2. We were clearing out our TIVO and Jeff was fast forwarding through it to see if there was anything good on there before it was deleted. Then he pushed play and said, "hey, look who it is!"…it was one of Syd's drummers, Matt Bogdanow, who was now playing drums with Plushgun. Their song "Just Impolite" was on and as I listened to it, I felt that I could actually like this band…but we left for the wedding and nothing was said about it again. 2 months later, they were coming to town and we were going to see their show, so I decided to pick up their CD and give it another listen. It only took that one time and I was addicted. Then I saw them live and everything really clicked. I had wondered how they were going to get their punk-alternative-electric sound to compare to the sound from the CD, but they did... and they did it even better. As Matt's robotic hands motioned out the drum parts to an unbelievable fast paced electronic keyboard melody, Dan jumped around the stage and sang his little heart out not missing a beat to even breath. Taylor was right there beside Dan filling in the guitar parts where needed and making sure the whole stage had been touched. The crowd had been infected and were all jumping in one marching beat. It was amazing…THEY are amazing! Plushgun became the band that I put on repeat on my MP3 player, put both earbuds in and just let it blare as the world around me went silent. Taping my foot, head bobbing and other involuntary "moves" projected from my body as their music played over and over and over in my ears. When I was sad, I played them and they made me happy.

Patrick Thomas – Patrick is a new artist to me. I was introduced to him and Lisa through the CO-OP music label. Patrick wrote a song that he simply labeled “Track Ten”. Jeff fell in love with the song first and then suggested I really listen to it. Over the last few years, with the help of the news, I had started to become a little paranoid and frightful of living in this world. When I heard this song, I felt like chanting it in the streets: “Yeah, I’ve got to start living, got to start giving a shit…” It wasn’t a protest song, but maybe a wake up call to enough people to start paying attention to things around them and making the simple changes in their life and stop being so selfish. That is really all we need to make this world a better place. I would like to see this philosophy posted on billboards and written as graffiti on walls or with people marching down the street with these lyrics posted on their protest signs. I challenge you all to listen to this song and not want to make a change in their life…I double dare you.

Guster – I saved the most important one for last. This blog would not exist if it weren’t for Guster. They truly helped us find our love for music. They were the common ground for my husband and me when we couldn’t find it anywhere else. They have always been a starting point when we have lost our way. They have countless songs that play through my head for inspiration to keep going when I feel I have met the end of line. “Come Downstairs and Say Hello” gives me hope that at any point my life can change direction. “Hang On” keeps my eyes focused ahead for that light at then end of the tunnel. “Window” reminds me that sometimes you do need someone’s help for you to see the good out of life…someone to follow right behind and help push you along…or someone to just walk beside you and hold your hand through it all. But the song that started it all, the song that hangs on the wall of my cubical that I reference SEVERAL times a day is “Happy Frappy”. It reminds me that everything I could ever need, I already have.