This Music Thing

Him and I have become really close these past couple of years. From writing raps in the kitchen with my best friend Julian, to learning how to produce those beats and alter samples, to DJing parties...all the way to discovering this voice and using it as a weapon of mass destruction; I cannot deny that I have been best friends with music for so freaking long. And I've crossed so many different genres. It's pretty cool looking back on all of it. I'm surprised I'm not even a little cocky about it. I don't really boast about my love for music. I guess I leave that for all the music majors to do. Lately, I've been experimenting with a number of different things. To the common ear I suppose it sounds the same, but I see the subtle changes in my ideas and I want to start trying new directions in every song that I do.

So I stumbled upon a band called Mute Math a couple of months ago. It's funny because I actually found out about them from word of mouth and I usually never give people's suggestions a chance. I have this little guy on my shoulder who yearns to be the black sheep and do the complete opposite of what everyone else does. It's a blurse: a blessing and a curse. First, I got an email from my friend Darren about them. He said they were experimental and also Christian. I was like "Oh, cool." *Delete* When I got back to college, one by one in casual conversations, each of my friends would bring up Mute Math and say how sweet they are. I didn't listen to them until I had to make a slide show and I wanted to use their Transformers Theme remix for it. I downloaded the CD and instantly fell in love! They are everything that I love in music. They're evenly electronic and organic music, with lyrics that are filled with a soul and purpose pointed upwards. In their interviews and off-stage appearances, they're not really much of "The Light," but I mean whatever. I'm not gonna judge a musician's character. I do always wonder what the artist is like personally. It's their soul we feel in their music. One might as well continue digging, right?

At any rate, the reason why I was so taken away by them and even titled them as my favorite band is because they have a direction that I'm really trying to head down in terms of samples, circuit-bending experimentation, ambient sounds, and instrumentals. I will still always be about lyrics and their character, but I hear so many good things in music that I want to warp and turn into a playground of new creations. I always loved it. I guess the big question is can i make it work. I was once in an "Experimental" band that tried to cross so many genres at once. It was so terrible. So terrible. So terrible. I'll most definitely never do that again. I guess when I meet up with Matt I can try the different samples there are. I've made a few.

I feel so weird working in a band. It's a lot different from Luther and David. Well maybe not, but we definitely do have a lot of music-literate heads clashing together with different genres and stuff. I love Matt, Nate, and Brad. I especially love Keithe, she is just down for whatever! I guess I'm nervous? I've always been a private, sensitive guy. I won't even share this blog with people! I love the music we're making right now. Sometimes I get overexcited about what's next or what's to come and nothing gets out right. I want to be patient and take it slow. In a way I want to play it safe, but I also want to let loose. I want to be free from the type of self-conciousness that paralyzes me from ever doing anything new. Sometimes I get all worried if the people will like this or if the band-mate will like this. I keep forgetting that I don't have to do this. This is a gift, a pleasure, and a hobby. I'll be taking it more serious as it comes but at this point in time I can continue this slow, broken up pace. I'm giddy to record at the same time as well. I want to just play and relax. Love the music God has put in my head. I want to call out to his name. I can't sing for anyone else really. Anything else would be a lie for me. I love this music!

I still have an odd unsettled feeling in my stomach but it's okay. I'm free. And I feel a song coming on.

Just kidding. I thought I could write about freedom but I can't think of any words whatsoever. I really need God. I've been feeling sorta uneasy today. maybe I just need to go home-home to my church. I've been without church and praise for a while. I think I'll play some praise songs on the piano.