Once again, this is not a music review. But it’s some thoughts I’ve be toying around with in my head regarding music appreciation, so it seemed fitting here.

The past few nights as I have been getting to sleep, I have been putting on Radiohead’s “Kid A” album as I go to bed. For some reason, between my half-awake ponderings and the off-center sounds of Thom Yorke and company, I have come to realize the lack of appreciation I have for music.

At this point, some of you say, “You?! Unappreciative of music??? Yeah right!” and a very select few of you wholeheartedly agree. It is with that second group of people that I choose to agree with.

Sure, I have a huge appreciation for certain types of music, but my spectrum is not nearly as wide as many perceive it to be. But my lack of appreciation for styles of music such as hip-hop (as seen in my admittedly near-racist-sounding, stereotypical comments about hip hop in my Saul Williams review a few weeks back) and classical music is overwhelming.

What sparked this whole thought process was, as I said, listening to Radiohead. When I was first introduced to Radiohead almost four years ago, I was still in my Creed-and-P.O.D.-rule-the-world phase, so I was not used to the songs that had such lack of structure and seeming spotaneity as is commonplace in the world of Radiohead. In fact, the only song of theirs I could stomach repeatedly was “The Tourist.” But, having heard so many different sources give such praise to a band, I realized I’d have to keep listening until I figured out what it was everyone saw in them. And now I can play their entire collection from start to finish and enjoy every minute of it, and put into words what it is that I enjoy about every song.

The only other big example I can give as far as growing to appreciate a particular style of music goes is that of Norma Jean. I happened to pick up Norma Jean’s “Bless The Martyr And Kiss The Child” for free at work soon after its release and, after listening to it a time or two and having not heard of the band or any of the praises I would hear later, I made the stupid decision to get rid of the CD. I have since come to not only appreciate but love the music of Norma Jean and all of the hardcore/metalcore stuff around them, mostly through forcing myself to listen to them and their contemporaries such as The Dillinger Escape Plan (who I may review soon), The Chariot and others. They are truly amazing musicians and masters of their art, but that’s a completely different essay, so I’ll get back to the point.

So in my thinking I realized that the intricacies of other styles of music, such as the hip hop and classical I already mentioned, are ones that I fail to notice and appreciate for what they are, while I’ve managed to pick up on the finer points of the uncategorizable Radiohead and all forms of hardcore such as Norma Jean, among several other areas of the music world.

Along the same lines, there are several often-praised bands specifically within my spectrum that I have refused to be patient and grow to enjoy, such as At The Drive-In (who I am actually listening to as I write this, in hopes of some sort of conversion), Sparta, Interpol, Belle And Sebastian, Hatebreed and Poison The Well (who I am now listening to as I go back and edit this before submitting it). Yet, I do have recent conversions from dislike to great enjoyment as well, such as Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Blindside.

My point is that we need to avoid turning ourselves off to a particular artist or style of music because we find it hard to enjoy upon first listen. It is true in more than music that often times the things that take time to appreciate are the ones we come to appreciate the most if we choose to give them more than just one chance. If I had only given one chance to as many bands as I’ve had the opportunity to over the years, I would be stuck in a world of candy-coated pop anthems and radio-friendly corporate rock that would leave me unsatisfied with music in general, and much less appreciative and open to the musical preferences of others. There is no doubt in my mind that music has changed my life in countless ways, and having an open mind about music has had a lot to do with that.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go do some research on classical composers of the 17th century so that I can learn to appreciate grand orchestrals as much as I do my modern subcultural rock and roll. I can already think of at least two people within my own family that I’ll be able to relate to better if I succeed at this.

Please let me know your thoughts on that idea, if I can be helpful in stretching your own appreciation of the wide world of music around you or if you would like to help me stretch mine.

OK, so it’s not a review or anything, but it’s funny and I figure I should be posting something here occasionally if for no other reason than to remind myself that I should be posting here more often…

Here are some tips for any of you that are in pursuit of a career in the “Blues”:

1. Most blues begin with “Woke up this mornin’…” This is to differentiate blues musicians from most other musicians, who sleep past noon.
2. The nice thing about the blues is that once you’ve written the first line, you’re pretty much done with the second line, too.
3. Chevys and Cadillacs are blues cars. Other acceptable blues modes of transportation are as follows:
   1. Greyhound bus
   2. southbound train
   3. walkin’
4. You can have the blues in New York City, but not in Vail, or any town whose name ends in “Beach.” St. Louis, Chicago and Kansas City are other good towns for the blues.

   5. Shot in the back by a jealous lover is a blues way to die. So is the electric chair. It is not a blues death if you die during liposuction treatment.

5. You have the right to sing the blues if:
   1. you’re blind
   2. you shot a man in Memphis
   3. you can’t be satisfied
6. But not if:
   1. you shot an 85 at golf
   2. your Dad left you a trust fund
7. Good places for the blues:
   1. a highway
   2. a jailhouse
   3. an empty bed
   4. a freight train

   Bad places for the blues:

   1. Yellowstone National Park
   2. The country club
   3. gallery openings
   4. The Hamptons
8. If you ask for water and yo ‘baby’ give you gasoline, that’s the blues.
9. Blues beverages do not include:
   1. any drink with an umbrella
   2. Yoo Hoo (all flavors)
   3. Jello shots
10. Picking a blues name:
    1. start with an infirmity (Blind, Li’l, Fat, Lame, Clubfoot)
    2. add Willie, Johnny or Joe
    3. Pick a U.S. President (Washington, Johnson, Fillmore, or Roosevelt)

    Persons with names like Ashley, Chad, Kimberly, McKenzie, Brad or Tyler may not sing the blues, no matter how many men they shoot in Memphis.

I’ll post an album review or something real soon, I promise!