Review: Jupiter

I should probably start this post off with apologizing because I am about to give you another Sleeping At Last post, but, in fact, I am not really sorry. ;) I think Sleeping At Last is brilliant! I absolutely love his lyrics and really just his philosophy behind why he does what he does.  Here is a little excerpt from his website that, in my opinion, sums up why he is so amazing: Ryan O’Neal, "pursues this challenge relentlessly through his commitment to musical integrity in his songwriting, and in this way nurtures a unique and personal relationship with his listeners. He has remained true to the things that brought him to music in the first place: his love of melody and the power of words. His music and lyrics emerge from a place that is honest and raw, asking every question that occurs and promising no fast, sure answers, but somehow always offering hope as the consistent, overarching theme." And I really can't say it any better myself. Please go to his website (linked above) and check out what he does, and why he does it.

 

So, this song in particular, Jupiter, is one of my favorites right now! I really love the lyrics, "Make my messes matter. Make this chaos count." And I'm pretty sure the reason I am loving these lyrics right now has a lot to do with how chaotic my life feels. There is a quote one of my friends shared with me recently that pretty sums up my life for the last five-six years, "Life has a way of testing a persons will, either by having nothing happen at all or by having everything happen at once" (Paulo Coelho). The "nothing happening" part felt true of my life prior to the last two years. The last two years, in particular  the last year, have been so full of changes. Some of these changes have been a long time coming and I am SO grateful for them, even though they can be super uncomfortable and vulnerable, and the other changes are definitely unexpected. I suppose most changes in life can be uncomfortable, but my hope and desire through it all are that "my messes matter," and that this chaos will count. This song has really given me a hope that even the scariest, darkest, most uncomfortable and the most vulnerable of times can really mean something, and that they can create a beauty inside of me that is worth far more than the temporal pain or discomfort. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this song as much as I do. Cheers!

Song: Jupiter

Artist: Sleeping At Last

Album: Atlas: Space 2 - EP

Year Released: 2013

Artist's song explanation:
"I wrote this song from the perspective of Galileo Galilei, who discovered Jupiter’s 4 Moons, which are consequently named the “Gailelean Moons.” The song is divided into 4 parts, representing each of the moon’s Mr. Galileo discovered. If you listen close, you’ll hear some radio static that NASA recorded of Jupiter’s unique storm systems. Because Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system, it’s an awful lot of planet to explore – so as I wrote this song, I tried to have it constantly progressing into new territory."

Lyrics: 

I wrote it down in the winter of 1610.

Just a secret under lock and key until then.
While collecting the stars, I connected the dots.
I don’t know who I am, but now I know who I’m not.
I’m just a curious speck that got caught up in orbit, in orbit.
Like a magnet it beckoned my metals toward it, toward it.

Make my messes matter.
Make this chaos count.
Let every little fracture in me shatter out loud.

Make my messes matter.
Make this chaos count.
Let every little fracture in me shatter out loud.  

 

 

 

 

 

My Thoughts on the Grammys

So, I do not usually watch the Grammys. I watched them this year because one of my really good friends wanted to watch them. I know next to nil about popular culture music - this may be partially due to my sheer ignorance about pop culture in general, but part of it also has to do with my intentional dislike for most popular music. And the Grammys this year really did not do much to instill hope for the future of pop music; the Grammys did not do much, but I must say that Lorde did. I am not a huge Lorde fan, but I LOVED her performance on The Grammys! It is refreshing to see an artist's performance be about their art, rather than then their body or their sexual image. Yep, there you go my main reason I do not like pop music. I feel like most pop artists are more concerned with making some ridiculously flashy or sexual statement instead of just being true to themselves and their art. Some may argue that their "uniqueness" or their eccentricities are being true to themselves, but I would submit that those eccentricities that they have become famous for were probably founded to draw attention to themselves to get noticed in the first place. PLUS, if you have to use external means of captivating your audience, I would submit that says something about your talent, or lack their of. I think it also says something about us and our culture, BUT I am digressing quickly. I will definitely do another more in depth post about this topic some other time. Anyway, I found it quite entertaining that Lorde's performance followed Beyoncé and Jay Z's performance, what a stark contrast and a perfect example of what I am talking about. The fact that the Grammys were inundated with songs like Get Lucky, Blurred Lines & Drunk in Love, I feel like Lorde's Royals performance was a huge punch in the face to the popular culture music scene, and really to all those in attendance. I know Lorde is still a relatively young artist, but after her Grammy performance I wanted to give her a high-five and a "hell yeah!" I am definitely looking forward to how she grows as an artist and I am hoping and praying that she can still channel that raw truth in reality through her music. Lorde, you have restored some hope for the future of popular culture music. Thanks for being true to yourself and not selling yourself to sell more albums and congratulations on your wins!

 

 

 

 

Let me know your thoughts on this year's Grammys by posting a comment. Cheers!