Never Give Up Hope

Sometimes I’m very frustrated. I get frustrated with the scene I’m trying to cover, with the music I’m trying to make, with the music I’m listening to- sometimes I just get fed up with music in general. I was having one of those slumps earlier this month. Everything I listened to felt boring- even my most powerful ‘pick-me-up’ CDs. I know I’m in trouble when listening to August and Everything After by Counting Crows doesn’t so much as make me hum. And that’s where I was- tired of everything. I didn’t know what to do.

Thus, I did nothing. In fancy terms, we say that I went on a ‘sabbatical’- I listened to nothing for a couple of days. I still didn’t feel any need for music- I was busy, the Independent Clauses wasn’t in a time of the month where it needed my attention. I felt completely empty.

I’d like to say that it all came rushing back as a result of a concert (it didn’t) or a new CD (quite the opposite- the new CD I listened to set me back on sabbatical). I just kept pressing on. I got a song stuck in my head one day, and I listened to it a couple times. I got back into Coldplay albums. I played music that I could read to- not really listening to it, but just hearing it. Just whatever.

Why am I writing this? It’s not because I think that everyone goes on tirades where they hate music. I’m so in love with music that lovers’ quarrels are necessary. No, it’s the fact that maybe this little concept can be applied to our lives. Don’t give up so quickly- there’s always hope. It may be a relationship. It may be a band member who’s not cooperating. It may be a friend who always finds fault in you. Don’t give up too quickly- if you throw up your hands you’ll never get to experience the joy that comes in reconciliation to that which you loved.

I saw Angeles Drake perform live- a concert review will come next month. In short, it was bliss. They put the final nail in the casket of apathy- with a sound so fresh, so emotional, so powerful, how can you not love it? I loved music once for a reason, and I love it again for the same reason. If you loved it once, you’ll love it again- hopefully you won’t be staring across the bridge you burned when you decide you love it again. Never give up hope.

-Stephen Carradini

Independentclauses@hotmail.com