I’m not one to spend much money on a lot of “things” for myself. I will spend on experiences – meals, drinks, travel, shows, music, books. For my birthday I treated myself to some Memphis BBQ and I bought the new Glass Animals album, Dreamland. I had heard one or two of the songs on the album already, and I liked them. They weren’t hitting me the way some of their other songs had, so I was a little skeptical about whether I’d like the album or not. I’ve been listening to it on repeat for the last two days. It has a good mix of nostalgia and upbeat pop, sexy grooves and list-making lyrics. One or two of the songs have a driving beat that makes me want to bob my head from side to side a bit. There are also snippets of home video/audio that, for me, are evocative. They feature a mom talking to a toddler / young child. There is something sweet and innocent that is immediately recognizable in the voice. The laughter, the happiness, the child’s voice – all comes across as pure. As I’ve been listening, I’ve read the lyrics and the band’s commentary on the songs – which has, I think, added layers of meaning and enjoyment. A lot of the music I enjoy is a complicated mix of letting go and holding on – this album feels a bit more like letting go or if holding on, measuring from the proper perspective. And some of the songs have none of that and are just ass-shaking good. Right now, this is the song that I’m digging the most:
Yesterday morning I felt the post-birthday come down. It’s a feeling of superficiality in recognizing I won’t hear from many of these people until it’s their birthday or next year when it’s mine again. I made it a point to thank every person (there weren’t that many of them) and mention something that would let them know that I see them and the life they’re choosing to share. It felt good to hold each person in my mind for a few minutes. Facebook might be a superficial experience, but internally, we can try to make it more meaningful. The process of remembering and appreciating is something a lot of us are doing these days. We’re stuck in a place where the opportunities to make new memories and relationships and connections are limited. In this space, it’s easy, or easier, to rewind. This sentiment comes through in Dreamland. I found myself thinking about the woman who introduced me to Glass Animals and feeling thankful for that. I found myself thinking about my friend who is having some relationship problems. She’s a warm and sweet person and she taught me a lot about vulnerability and just being a messy human being. I heard from a number of former co-workers – the more recent ones telling me that they miss having me on the team.
I left the apartment this morning with a little extra swagger. Some days it feels like maybe the world is rising up to meet my footsteps. This is the the power of music. I’m nervous about not getting the job out in WA – I’ve been building myself up for the move and the position, so a rejection now would sting a bit, but I wasn’t feeling deterred this morning. As I walked down Main St. I came across some chalk drawings on the brick walkway. Like the audio of the mother and child, there’s a purity in a chalk drawing of a happy butterfly. About a block later, a guy stopped at the corner next to me, his 11 week old black lab was excited to meet me and was all wriggles as I stooped down to pet him. It was a good way to start the day – come what may of the rest of it.
