My Music Will Say More About Me Than My Mouth Ever Will

I thought that for my 3rd post, I should discuss something with a little more depth.  While I do love being snarky and witty, I have many layers and I should probably express those too.  Besides, if nobody reads this anyway, I can do whatever I want, right? ;^)  So, I’ve decided to discuss something close to my heart: music.  I LOVE music!!  It’s the soundtrack to my soul.  Music gets me through everything, and as the title says, my music will say so much more about me than I might ever say, well until now.

My musical tastes, at times, cover many genres and sounds.  If it’s good, I’ll probably like it.  And if it sounds fun to sing, I’ll probably try to sing it.  But I definitely have a musical comfort zone, which I generally attribute to my sign.

I am a hardcore, very proud and very obvious Gemini.  So, I tend to assign my musical likes to the twins (well, I tend to attribute a lot of my often opposite personality traits to each twin, but today we’ll stick to music).  The Good Twin likes happy, peppy pop music.  She’s the twin that you’ll find bopping along to Katy Perry, Ke$ha, or, egad, even the occasional One Direction song.  In the late 90’s, early ‘00’s, she pretty ruled the radio with all those peppy boy bands.  The Bad twin, on the other hand, pretty much loves music that screams.  A lot!  On a Bad Twin day, I’ll probably be rocking out to some metal or some loud, angry post hardcore.  She’s the one that loves to sing along to In This Moment (OMG, Maria Brink is fabulous!) and has just recently been introduced to Crown the Empire.

But the thing about twins is, you often have to find a way to please both, because it would be unfair to let one rule the roost for too long.  That is probably why I love pop punk so much.  It’s got the peppy fun for the Good Twin, and the loud energy for the Bad Twin.  And my favorite band of all time is the most awesome of all the pop punk bands: New Found Glory!  Woot!!

I believe fate brought NFG and me together.  It was early 2002, and I was all but fed up with all of the boy bands (the Bad Twin was going crazy, I bet).  I had literally told myself I need to find something else to listen to. It may have been that day, or a most a couple days later, when I heard My Friends Over You on TRL.  (For those too young or old to get it, TRL was a show on MTV every afternoon that counted down music videos, you know, back when MTV actually played those).  I swear I was hooked right from the beginning.  I thought, “This is what I should be listening to.”  I immediately went out and bought Sticks and Stones, and soon the rest of their back catalog.  And I have been hooked ever since.  I just love their energy, and how there are few, if any, slow songs.  It’s just a lot of rockin’.  And their music is just a lot of fun, even with the more serious song topics.  Plus, they haven’t gotten worn down with age.  Their most recent full album, Radiosurgery, is quite possibly now my favorite!  Not to mention, the title track to the album was the theme song to my most recent crush disaster. If only there was a surgery you could use to get someone’s face out of your head.  Sign me up! 

My second favorite band, Motion City Soundtrack, could also be remained My Soundtrack because I relate to so many of the songs.  Plus, they sing my all time favorite song, The Future Freaks Me Out.  Actually, just the title could be the title to my life, since everything about the future freaks me out.  And, this song is has a great catchiness that’s fun, with an undercurrent that reminds me of my own self-doubt and anxiety about life.  I particularly love how the bridge build up tension, and then Justin’s all “ah, f*** it” and we’re right back into the chorus.  What I love about MCS so much is a great mixture of nerdiness (they have a song about Legend of Zelda after all), catchy tunes, and a lot of self-reflection.  There was a time their song Modern Chemistry was my theme to life, since it synced up so well with how I was trying to deal with myself.  Did I mention that one of my fav song be them, Her Words Destroyed My Planet, mentions Veronica Mars?  Anyone who loves V. Mars is awesome.  And I cannot mention MCS without expressing my extreme love of the song Let’s Get F***ed Up and Die.  There are so many lines of that song I relate to, and would make great Facebook quotes for various days that I have.

Now I think it is time to discuss some of my favorite songs.  I actually have, and continually update, a playlist on iTunes with my Top 100 favorite songs.  Don’t worry, I won’t discuss them all, especially as the list changes as I get new music, and get tired of some songs.  But some songs are just so close to my heart that getting to know about them is getting to know about me.

As I am in the process of updating my Top 100, I find it appropriate to mention two of my new favorite songs.  The 1st is Somewhere in Neverland by All Time Low, which I am pretty sure could have been written about me.  I definitely have also loved Peter Pan, and I am pretty sure I never want to grow up.  Plus, the lyrics about transitioning into adulthood from school and about not wanting to make my parents mistake really hit home for me.  I wouldn’t mind a lost boy sweeping me off to Neverland, if only metaphorically speaking.  The 2nd is Empty Space by The Story So Far.  I think this song has crawled its way into my soul and taken root there.  I have probably listened to this song at least 30 times in the last few days.  I’d like to thank Alternative Press for introducing me to this amazing band.  Fun fact, both of these bands took their band names from song on New Found Glory’s Sticks and Stone album.  It seems only fitting that I like both of these bands too.

I absolutely love covers.  It’s like two great songs in one, because you have the original song that’s great and then you get to hear a band you love cover the song in a genre you love.  I have a playlist just of all my favorite punk rock covers (the best kinds of covers).  One of my favorites is Boys of Summer by The Ataris.  This one actually got some radio time when it came out.  Plus, you get cool points if you appreciate them changing the sticker on the Cadillac to Black Flag.  Probably my most favorite cover is Over My Head (Cable Car) by A Day to Remember.  I remember the 1st time I heard the original song I loved it, which is rare for me.  So, when I heard the cover, I was a goner.  Sometimes when listening to it in my car, I don’t know what’s going to blow first, my car speakers or my eardrums.

Some of my favorite songs you may never have heard of (ok, fine, that may be most of them), but I find I have a very personal connection with them, that they could be the best song ever, or terrible, or just so-so, but because of something in my life, they’ve etched themselves into my soul.  One such song is Up With Me by Boys Night Out.  Honestly, most times I listen to this song, it makes me teary-eyed, not because the songs sad or anything, but because it reminds me of where I’ve been and how it’s been to get to where I am now.  I relate to having your mistakes keep you company, but recognizing that you’ve changed over time.

On a cheerier note, I adore love songs.  Granted, I have a special idea of what makes a great love song, but I promise, it’s nothing weird.  My absolute favorite love song is actually pretty well known (well, at least if you’ve seen some old seasons of American Idol).  It’s I’ll Be by Edwin McCain.  That song is so beautiful, and it’s fun to sing.  I have this longtime fantasy with some great (unknown) guy, this song in the background, and passionate kisses in the rain. * Sigh * Another favorite love song is Stolen by Dashboard Confessional.  I wouldn’t mind someone stealing my heart (you know, on purpose).  I also love the song Mine (the Glee version).  When I listen to that song, I either want to belt it out or bawl like a baby.  Ok, there is one weird one.  I do think Ohio Is For Lovers is a beautiful love song.  What can I say? I have my emo moments.  But alphabetically by artist on the list, right after this, is Find Something to Do by Hellogoodbye, which I find to be one of the sweetest songs I’ve ever heard.  Isn’t that what love should be, being willing to follow someone along as you find things to do together?  Plus, it’s catchy and bouncy.  Another great love song, which I only know because of my parents, is Bus Stop by The Hollies.  It’s sweet to think a bus stop and an umbrella could lead to true love.

Well, look at that.  It seems that I have rambled on quite a bit.  I can’t help it; when it comes to music, I could talk forever.  And I would like to think I put a little bit of myself out there for the world to know, if the world is willing to listen.  Whatever!  It’s my creative release, and I do what I want.  If you made it to the end, thank you.  If you actually took the time to Youtube some of these songs, I am glad to know you took this journey with me, and know me a little bit better.  If you skipped to the end, shame on you! Until the next musical journey (because I promise I have more to say on the subject) farewell!