music should first be reviewed in the car

turn up the music and drive.

The other day I went to Los Angeles Amoeba Records. Amoeba is the mecca of music. I bought four CD's, badly drawn boy, hem, jesse baylin and the bridges. A couple which I had wanted for a while and almost bought them full price last time I went to Amoeba. There is this lovely section that is known as the clearance section, buy three get the fourth free. I spent $9 dollars. Knowing this you get some dud CD's every so often, but if you find one winner then it makes it completely worth it.

I knew I would love Hem because of this song called Half Acre that I used to be obsessed with. I knew I liked a song from Badly Drawn Boy and the other two were a lottery. Overall, when listening to them in my room I thought I picked mainly bad music. I was fairly disappointed.

Which leads me to what I strongly believe and encourage.

Music drives us, influences our mood, it is a powerful resource.

With that being said, some of my most memorable times can be connected back to the music I was listening to.

A couple years back, I went through this strange state of not being able to get out of bed, no desire to face the world, yet wanted to change it. The only song I could listen to was "Keep Breathing" from Ingrid Michaelson. I remember listening to it on repeat, journaling and painting. I remember it so vividly.

Another couple years back, I was on this epic roadtrip to Oregon with six friends and we were camping up the PCH. We were hiking with Sequoia trees covering us, then we found this place called Fort Ross that was this hidden fort located on a Cliff with beautiful Calla Lillies overlooking the ocean, it was bliss. As a group we were listening to "Trolleywood" from Eisley. Forever that song is ingrained in the back of my mind and makes me smile. I just remember all six of us singing it in the car over and over and over and whenever we would embark on a new location, we for sure would have to listen to the song. It still happens.

OR whenever I listen to praise and worship music, I'm more likely to speed. I always get lost or pass my exit because I'm so focused on the music rather than my driving.

I decided to give my new CD's a try driving in the car. Success. I felt so much more at peace with my purchase after listening to them in the car. I'm in my own world just soaking up the fact that I'm alone and can sing as loud as I want, do whatever. The car is where I do a lot of evaluating of my life, so it makes sense that music would be the same way. The best epiphanies happen hear

What music do you like listening to when driving?