My niece introduced me to this wonderful, wonderful album called Vessel by twenty/one/pilots. The whole effect is kind of what you might get if you mixed Jason Mraz with Weezer and threw in a much gentler and more soulful Eminem. The cover art perfectly captures the surprisingly delightful "what to make of it" elements.

"Migraine" and "Screen" are my absolute favorites, with the latter having an awesome, awesome beat and joyous sounds, even while the lyrics are sad in perfect counterpoint:

I'm standing in front of you

I'm standing in front of you
I'm trying to be so cool
Everything together trying to be so cool

^^^

At this point in the song, everything is swirling together and the earnestness and vulnerability of the singer being in front of someone he likes is almost more than the listener can bear. Your heart rises and falls at the same time.

Later, lead singer Tyler Joseph raps in a touching but tough confessional:

My flow's not great, okay, I conversate with people
Who know if I flow on a song I'll get no radio play
While you're doing fine, there's some people and I
Who have a really tough time getting through this life
So excuse us while we sing to the sky.

I know this is going to be an album I'll wear out listening to over and over again. :)

Ever since I first heard "Chasing Cars" years ago I have been completely and most biasedly in love with Snow Patrol's sound. It can be uplifting to the human spirit and devastatingly sad for the soul at the same time. I pretty much cannot be trusted when it comes to reviewing anything by Snow Patrol because they could just sing the phone book and I'd be right there, ready to listen.

"Lifening" is my favorite from Fallen Empires (how can your breath not catch when Gary Lightbody sings: 'To share what I've been given/Some kids eventually/And be for them what I've had/A father like my dad'?) His voice is magical, perfect poetry.

And just as they have on previous albums, they make your heart break pretty much throughout every song. The closest thing to dance they've probably ever done is "Called Out In The Dark." But just because their mood rarely wavers doesn't mean they repeat the same old thing over and over. There's "The Garden Rules" sad (which is pretty darn sad) and then there's mellow sad ("Those Distant Bells.") The subtle sounds of electronica that appear on such likable tracks as "The Symphony" are kind of new for them, if I'm not mistaken.

The title track sounds different than anything Snow Patrol's done before and "The Symphony" (it's kind of sensual,almost something you softly can groove to) and "The President" are two other stand-out tracks. I love everything here, but you can't really take my word on that, can you? :) You have to listen for yourself.

Maybe some lines from Snow Patrol sum it up best: "A record plays/A song that you've not heard/It is perfect/It is home."

If not for music, I'm pretty sure I would have lost my mind a long time ago. Lots of people turn to music for comfort and peace, no doubt, maybe even therapy. I know I have. Music also is a reflection of what's in your heart, especially when it comes to other people.

Trying to not feel for someone is rather difficult and sometimes it seems like you can no more force yourself to stop caring for someone than you can make that person care back. Obviously, you can't make someone like you back. And you shouldn't. 

But once you accept that and know your feelings aren't going to leave any faster if you try and force them away, there's an odd loveliness to silently embracing it all and knowing just what you'd say to them if you could (and you know they wouldn't mind.)

In two different music magazines within the past two years, Tears For Fears'

The Hurting was mentioned as one of the best albums of not just 1983, but the 80s themselves. I never realized before how much the idea of
primal scream therapy (and emotional distress) played into the concept of it all.

Their version of "Mad World" preceded Gary Jules' (which appeared on the Donnie Darko soundtrack) and is totally different, though equally full of yearning.





Mojo music magazine started and ended 2013 with Stevie Nicks-related issues. If you can get a hold of the January issue, you'll find a terrific tribute album that takes on every song from Rumours. Of particular note: Pure Bathing Culture's hypnotic cover of "Dreams" and The Staves' gloriously beautiful "Songbird." Some bookstores are still selling the December 2013 issue since it came in special packaging and its info will never expire. In that issue you can catch an interview with Stevie Nicks. I never realized that Prince played synth on her solo hit "Stand Back."