The Day the Music Was Reborn

Don't get me wrong Don McLean. I think we definitely suffered from the loss of Holly, Valens and The Big Bopper but music has suffered death once again. Now into my 4th decade of music and listening to music from my dad's generation I got to say we have suffered through a dark season recently. Suddenly everything is auto-tuned and digitalized. The Billboard charts lost their soul and sold out to commercialism and formulas. All we get is LadyMileyBeiberSpears shoved down our throats and told it is good for us. Soulless music deprived of anything artful, meaningful and just plain good. Country music just became rock with a fiddle. Rap just became about girls, making money and being awesome. Rock all but disappeared and I desperately await its return.

Don't get me wrong. There is still a jewel or two floating around out there. Reminders of what music once was. But good music had been dead and buried. Ladies and gentlemen let me tell you music has been resurrected. It has been resurrected in the form of modern folk music...yes...modern folk music.

My iTunes account is full of names like The Cave Singers, The Civil Wars, Mumford & Sons, First Aid Kit, Josh Garrels, The Mountain Goats, The Decemberists...and on it goes. That is barely scratching the surface. Music is rising again. Real music. Music that has passion, purity, heart and is really good to listen to. What a breath of fresh air. As I write this I am listening to Mumford's new album Babel. So good.

I do truly believe that these other genre's of music will find life again. One day. But I'm not waiting on them. I will go where there is life. I love old country, and the soul of rap music...and pretty much no pop music. Not since the 80's anyways.

OK I take music way too seriously. Maybe. Maybe not. I think music should tell us a story. It should tell us about the artist or the authors perception of the world. Just like painting, sculpting, composing or writing it should compel us and move us...not just ask us "what we gonna do with all that junk?" Good grief. lol.

Anyways. Check out Mumford & Sons if you never have before. Start with "Sigh No More" and move on to  "Babel". I haven't met anyone who has been disappointed. Peace.