Those awful events in Connecticut occurred less than twenty-four hours ago. I read about it, followed the news for a bit, then went to work. And at work I couldn't stop thinking about the children. I couldn't stop. I have a child. I have another one on the way. They are the most valuable things I have. They are more valuable than myself. I would give everything. And I was thinking of my children and those children and the frustrating senselessness of it all. I didn't want to think about big stupid Flo Rida or my dumb inconsequential list of other people's music.
But music is therapeutic, and music is comforting, and music is an outlet and a channel. Writing is also all of these things. And I know I'm not writing "War And Peace" here, but I've got feelings, and they've got to go somewhere constructive, even if it's towards a project that is merely, ultimately, a fun little distraction.
So while I am still deeply troubled at what happened, more troubled than I've ever been at anything, I do feel better. Not happy -- I don't feel like I have that right yet -- but, yes, better.
In a surprising turn, it is Flo Rida who gives us the most appropriate lyrics for this situation. We are all, one way or another, human beings on complicated journeys. Life is a tumultuous, precious, REAL thing. I gave my daughter extra hugs before I left for work. I'll give her some more when we wake up in the morning.
Here are some songs I like. They helped me a little bit. I hope they can help you too. If not, that's okay. I hope your own jams help you through in your own way.
40) Flo Rida - Wild Ones
So... Flo Rida. I know. I KNOW. Shut up. First of all, "Good Feeling," despite being overplayed and appearing in every TV commercial and promo, is pretty much a perfect song. It could be the power of Etta James, but Flo Rida appropriates her into his own jam flawlessly. Secondly, I like Flo Rida's flow. He bounces those rhymes so smoothly, yet so rhythmically. And he spits those words faster than I can mentally process them. I don't know what he's saying because I can't think that fast. Thirdly, whistling. And fourthly, and most importantly, Wild Ones is not a boring album. These are perfectly crafted pop songs, and they don't screw around. They have one purpose, and that's to get your head a-bobbin'.
39) David Byrne & St. Vincent - Love This Giant
Man, this is an odd collaboration, and it is sorta supposed to be. Odd, but at the same time it makes a little bit of sense, and it's sorta supposed to be that way too. I don't know. Love This Giant is full of these serendipitous contradictions. This could be a David Byrne album as much as it could be a St. Vincent album, but somehow this doesn't sound at all like a David Byrne or St. Vincent album. Are you confused? GOOD, because even though these songs are weird, they are still completely accessible. And even though you'll be scratching your head, you'll also be groovin' your sweet groove-maker.
38) Bloc Party - Four
The Party is back! And they're getting back to their raw roots. Angular guitars! Intensity! Rock 'n' Roll! This -- this -- is the band we used to love, and they've dropped whatever fluff they've accumulated over the years. Kele Okereke still remains one of my favorite vocalists and here he delivers the goods. Four is right in your face and would make a great soundtrack to an urban English heist film. I would totally watch that film.
"Coliseum"
37) Ellie Goulding - Halcyon
Ellie Goulding may not have the big voice, but she knows how to make big songs.
She still has a tremendous vocal range, but rather than belting it out
from her gut, she measures her voice out just so, using it to dot the
i's, cross the t's, and accent the ñ's. It's angelic. These songs are angelic.
And these angelically voiced angelic songs, they're about love and
broken love and vague poetic interpretations of personal things, and
they soar and they fall and they hush themselves to silence and then
they soar straight up again.
36) Rosie Thomas - With Love
It always takes me a couple tries to connect with Rosie's albums. The first time around I'm always a little bored, but it's because I'm not really paying attention. I'm tryin' on the pants but I'm not zippin' up the zipper. But all at once I'll find I'm listening -- like, really listening, like I'm in a good conversation. And she'll say something that resonates with me, and I'll nod my head because I'll understand what she's trying to say, and I'll nod my head because this is also music. And she has the most beautiful voice in the history of music, and somehow it's both fragile and bold, and I have to be careful which songs I listen to because I get right devastated. Anyway, With Love is disarmingly sweet and honest and soft. Listen closely for Sam Beam, extra closely for David Bazan, and probably Sufjan Stevens too because he's always somewhere in these things.
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