Coldplay

You should know right off the bat that Coldplay is my favorite band. I know some people think they are overdramatic or not remotely in tune, but I disagree. I love their music, their message, their style. The high notes in "Up in Flames" send shivers down my spine. Coldplay songs cause me to think about myself and evaluate how I am living my life, something no other music has compelled me to do before.
I went to Dallas for their concert (I got tickets for my birthday, by far the best present I have received) and it truly was a great experience. The reason I know Coldplay is my favorite band is because my seats weren't first or fourth or tenth row. I wasn't even on the floor. I was in the middle section, back on the right side of the stage, a little far up, and loved every second. It was as if I had been close enough to reach out and touch Chris Martin.
What I love the most about their music is the real messages they convey through the lyrics. Chris sings about soaring love, soul-crushing loss, and wanting to help so badly but not knowing how. I know every word to every song and just embrace the way the music is so applicable to my life. When I'm sad or happy or confused or concerned or stressed-on-the-verge-of-a-mental-breakdown, I turn on Coldplay. "Fix You" has made me cry multiple times, "Parachutes" is a mere 45 second song that is arguably my favorite, and "Green Eyes" remains one of the prettiest songs I have ever heard.
I introduced them to my best friend last year and brought her to the concert with me, and this really showed me something about myself. I started to become so protective of Coldplay, as if they were my own personal iPod that people had to ask permission to use. It was strange, and a bit unhealthy, but I had to control myself before I could enjoy myself. Besides, sharing my favorite music with the world brings me more joy in the end, right?

"The King"

In class we discuss Rock and Roll of the 1950s, and the artist I was most familiar with was Elvis. For some reason, whenever someone mentions Elvis I think of this documentary we watched last year in IB History that discussed the effects of his music on American culture of the period. I remember thinking how extraordinary it was that a single person could create such a movement in the adolescents of America, a nationwide phenomenon. He is always deemed the "King," and while I know he is not Mr. A's personal king of rock, the effect he had on the citizens of America was pretty incredible. From his haircut to his dance moves to the increasing demand for radios in homes, he really had a lasting impact on our society. It's nice to think that one person could create such a movement that unified the teenagers of their time. The world today is so broken, today's culture is so scattered among different groups that it's hard to imagine a unified country. Political parties constantly clawing at each other's throats don't really provide the most peaceful environment for progress. Elvis' music created a way for teens to express their desires in a way that brought them together. Now because we constantly judge each other based on music taste or clothing or hair or makeup or friends (the list goes on) that reaching that common ground seems virtually impossible. I know that there is not one artist that every student at Anderson can agree is the greatest, but considering the fact that America at one point had a similar idol ignites a feeble flame of hope that one day we can go back to that same sense of unity that Elvis gave our country.

Music in My Life

Music plays a very dynamic role in my life. It offers a shoulder to lean on, a hand to take, a form of expression. I love bonding with my friends over new artists, singing along to blaring music in car rides, screaming at concerts downtown. Music wakes me up in the morning and puts me to sleep at night, it helps me focus while writing an essay, it helps me connect with my sister and father, it helps me pass the time. Most of all, it offers me an alternate reality of some sorts. Sometimes I like to sit on my couch with my headphones in, watching the leaves fall and the world pass by. It sounds cheesy but sometimes music is the perfect remedy for a bad school day or stressful week. Music, while we can technically live without it, gets me through the day. Silent car rides to school or soccer would never suffice. Music brings the people I love together, and that's something I would never trade the world for.

Recently, I have been listening to The Neighbourhood, a sort of alternative band I suppose. But their music is very teen-angst to say the least, and while I like to think that I am above that sort of "teenager music," I can't say that I am... I'm going to their concert on September 27th at Emo's East and am so excited!

When thinking of bands we discussed in class, the one I remember is Beck. Beck is, in a word, awesome. His sound is so unique and raw that I can't help but feel like he sits in the studio saying "yeah, this is my music. If you like it, great. If you don't, too bad." I'd love to have a conversation with the man. But anyway, I've been listening to him with my dad for as long as I can remember, along with bands like Wilco, Spoon, Jack Johnson, and Pearl Jam.