Alli's Articles
INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS, CULTURE PIECES, MUSICAL RAMBLINGS.
Everyone has one. That one album by a certain band that brings you back to your best time period when you press play. I find it fascinating that a certain song could transport you to a happy time, wether it was playing at the time or just was a constant in your library during the time period of said time. Listening to it is a dangerous game, though. You either feel extremely relaxed or extremely upset with a yearning for the good ol' days. I have a lot of albums that fit this category, but the one I've been into lately was Strangers to Ourselves by Modest Mouse. I'm sure I've reflected on it briefly before, but this album, as new as it was then, was a pivotal soundtrack form my transition to a new chapter in my life: high school. Gifted to me by my wonderful aunt, STO was a constant at my graduation party. I threw it on my Christmas-present record player, and let it play as the little brothers of all my friends sat around my tiny flatscreen playing Minecraft. There was a tap-dancing contest to "The Ground Walks, With Time in a Box." Deep conversations were held to "The Best Room." The thing is about these moments is, the music wasn't noticeable. I'm assuming that no one else at this party would be able to remember these scenes as pristine as I do. That's the reason why this album is MY nostalgia album. I am the one who remembers the weirdly specific quirks from this chapter of the party because it connected two things I loved; Those people and that album. Later on, as the summer was coming to an end and I was trudging down the abandoned streets of Silver Beach, New Jersey, I stumbled upon a hanging object on a stop sign. I curiously unhooked it and saw that it was a brass bracelet with the words "Be Brave" accompanied by charm of a heart reflecting off of the setting sun. I automatically made the connection: Be Brave. The 11th song on Strangers to Ourselves. The simple message Isaac Brock screams out as the chorus. The two words I needed to hear and remember, as a nervous and, truthfully, socially unprepared incoming high school freshman. I kept that bracelet for as long as I needed it. It eventually disappeared somewhere, kind of like the anxiety I had. Looking back now as an almost high school senior, I have completely changed. Despite this belief, as I listen to this album again, I feel like the same 14 year old I just described. I've experienced things that have caused me to relate to parts of these songs in way I never thought I'd relate to. This album's reflection on the importance of being young but aware of your own immaturity and surroundings at the same time causes me to do a reality check: Am I really as different as I thought I was? And that's it. That's the nostalgia talking. That dirty criminal has the power to make you miss any sort of event, even if it was horrible. It's optimistic; You could see the goodness in any situation when you look through the nostalgic glass. The summer before freshman year was enjoyable, but I didn't have three-quarters of the friends I have today. Hell, I didn't even meet Liah yet! But somehow, listening to "Lampshades on Fire" drags out the desire in me to go back, just for one day. When the album's over, I snap back to sanity, but hey, that crazy feeling is somewhat relaxing once in a while when you need to escape reality. With that said, I'm curious to see what everyone else's "Nostalgia Album" is. It's a serious question! What album brings you back to a pivotal moment in your life and never seems to leave you? Is there anyone out there with strange stories, like with me and the bracelet? Let me know in the comments, or email it to us! I may be growing up quicker by the day, but albums like these will keep me in the state of mind I need to be in to feel this young forever.
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Life-changing things happen to us in pop-up shops in Manhattan here at Twilight Collective. That's a known fact. Unfortunately, when Arctic Monkeys announced they were having one to promote their new album Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino in the city this Friday and Saturday, Liah couldn't come with me, and I wasn't looking to make any more best friends that day. Still, I had my fair deal of adventures alone. Spotify playlists can tell you a lot about a person. Looking at the titles, the lyrics of the songs, the descriptions of all of my friend's mixes is an adventure that I will always be willing to go on. I advertise my Spotify account a lot. I post links all the time on my Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter. I mean, it's for good reason! I don't care if I sound braggy, because my beautifully crafted playlists are something that should be bragged about.
I make a lot of random mixes in my spare time, and I get asked sometimes.."WHY?" No, not why did I put the band WHY? on one of my playlists, why did i choose this certain mixture of songs and what do all of these songs mean since they are put together? I'm ready to answer those questions now. So buckle up, follow my account, and join me for the ride. |