I’m not sure if you’ve heard the news yet, but earlier this week Mates and I spent a morning listening to MAGDALENE together, and it was quite magical. We were completing each other’s sentences, and just all around vibing. We talked about our favorite tracks, as well as one track that we felt may have belonged on another project. It was a pretty good way for me to start my day and for Mates to finish his. These are the moments of connection that keep me going.
Then the weirdest thing happened… As the album came to completion, my monitor flickered and the wind outside began to howl. I reach out to take a sip of water, but mysteriously my water bottle is now a room temperature Dairy Queen Blizzard… Is that MVP 05 on the screen? How has my career already made it to the year 2045?!
Oh my god. It can’t be.
On the wall, there’s now a Yu Darvish poster right next to a framed copy of some aggressively sexual Rent themed fan fiction. I’ve grown a thick and powerful mustache and I’m wearing a t-shirt from a band that you have absolutely not heard of.
It’s happened… After years of friendship, Mates and I have finally soul bonded. We will be forever linked. From now on when Mates sees anything green he will uncontrollably shriek “GO WHITE”. Whenever someone talks about a liberal arts school I will say, dismissively, “I mean it’s no Chapman, but whatever.”
Honestly, I’m fine with it. Take it or leave it I guess.
I decided to do what Mates, I mean me, or we… whatever… do best. Find new music. I looked on a couple label websites that have been pretty active recently and after going through a few I ended back at ol’ trusty, Domino Records. There I discovered that Middle Kids has come out with a new single “Stacking Chairs” a few days ago.
There is a gem on the EP called “Cellophane (Brain)”. I was immediately hooked. So, I’m coming in this week throwing together an article even though, technically, Cellophane was released far more than a week ago. It’s two months in and we are off the rails, people.
Cellophane is a powerful, genuine, and catchy track that builds until I’m ready to get some impressively off-beat and aggressive dance moves. There are a couple lines in this song that resonate with me alot.
“Moving up the coastline, Making deals, Selling houses” I don’t know why I love this line so much. It just sounds really cool, and makes me think that this song is performed in a power suit, which I like.
“Nothing more sad than a man who cries, In his car in the driveway” This one is actually personally pretty poignant for me. Oof going get real vulnerable for a moment. This’ll go great…
Oftentimes when I have tough days at work, where something out of my control is happening with a student, I feel very defeated. It sucks. When this happens I have such a predictable reaction that I’m somehow never ready for. I get home, I park, and then I’m stuck in my idle car for anywhere from 10 minutes to a half-hour. I’m not doing anything during that time, just sitting. Blank mind, my gaze is completely unfocussed. I’ve been told that this is a time where my mind essentially is letting itself turn off after running a hundred miles a second. Hearing this line immediately made me feel less alone.
Great music has the ability to make us feel something. This song makes me feel comfort and makes me feel understood by someone I’ve never met. That’s pretty cool if you ask me. Thanks for reading and enjoy the week. I’ll be looking for new music 🙂