Monday, March 2, 2020

Oh baby, let me love it gone.

I'm sitting here thinking how much I'm missing concerts. Last time I saw a good rock show was last year June 20th when I saw Def Leppard and Whitesnake in Milano. Then of course Cher on my birthday and lastly a more or not local band which is a Beatles tribute band on December 7th. But really I'm missing the ''thrill and the action''. How do people live not going to shows at all is beyond me. I miss it so much. But concerts these days are just crazy expensive (what the actual fuck ticketmaster?!) and also the bands I want so bad (except GN'R) not touring EU properly (I'm looking at you All time low and My chemical romance). Funny concerts were my ultimate happy place, the only good things in my life. And then when I put the darkness aside I can actually see that there are other happy parts of my life still. Little rays of sunshine in a sky that seems permanently dark.

A lot has happened in the past two weeks. Well actually these past two months. It's been a rough start of the year in many views. But actually, it's been a very good start of the year in many other views. There were a lot of small personal victories that may seem completely unimportant or ''no big deal'' to outsiders but honestly, for me? They mean the world. I'm too bothered by the society and what it thinks is important and a milestone and blah blah blah. And that gets in the way of me enjoying what really matters. To me anyways. To be fair some days even getting out of bed can be an achievement on its own.

Distancing yourself from the ''normal'' and what you ''should be'' and ''should do'' is probably the only way to be happy. I lived my life in the past two years only going three steps forward and two steps back. Nothing really worked out right. And to be fair I think my negative energy and approach contributed to it. I think it really is true that you attract what you give out. Anyway point of this is that last week something I was so afraid of was happening. I was dead scared of failure and this time I literally gave myself a stern talking to, ''you got this'' ''there's no reason to be afraid''. Which is both true and also false. I had a lot to be afraid of. But then, looking at it back now, what the hell was I so afraid of in the first place? Failure? Yeah it sucks but you pick yourself up and you try again, and again, untill you make it. Fear will pass, meet it head on and get the fuck over it. It's hard I know, believe me I do. But, the things we're most afraid of end up being the best things in our lives.

Fear almost stopped me from doing a lot of things in my life and looking back now I am so glad it didn't. So glad that I was brave, so glad that I pushed through because it really paid off. It wasn't easy but it was worth it. And you're gonna think I'm either drunk or crazy or suffered a severe brain injury when I share this with you. In moments like these, fear, anxiety, tension, it's actually not hard rock or heavy metal what I ''run to''. It's different kind of music. Easy, simple, fun…I can just repeat my friends horrofied words ''who ruined you'' I guess living in the country side for so long ruined me and being stuck in the city makes me appreciate things I miss now a lot more.

I guess you figured out what kinda music I have in mind by now but in case you don't. Country music. Looking it up online you see the definition of it being ''western'' or ''hillbily music''. But did you know that it actually originated from folk music and blues in the early 1920's in the southern USA. It's actually the kinda music that consists of ballads and dancy songs with simple lyrics mostly about trucks, dogs, girls, beer which trust me is better than Anaconda and Yummy every day of the week (seriously Justin Bieber? What the fuck was that?). But seriously today, the genre evolved so much that it doesn't even sound country anymore, more like easy rock, easy pop. I mean you got Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton (all amazing artists) and you got new artists like Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Brantley Gilbert, who sound nothing like them and yet amazing in their own way.

I have a lot of country artists I love, some even more than rock musicians (enter horrofied gasps). My best friend used to say that country music can teach women how their men should treat them. True story. Southern gentlemen type. And to this day I still believe that every bad day can be fixed by getting out of the city, driving down country roads, windows down, country music up and there's that. Nothing more I need.





So here we are for one of such cowboy angels with a beautiful voice, whos CD was quite overplayed in my car. I really like this album as a whole. It's Luke Bryan's fifth studio album and it's all about working hard, playing hard, loving hard, drinking hard and I love it. The album wasn't overly popular with the critics, I mean I keep saying they're assholes don't I? But really that's how it is with country music, you either love it or hate it no gray area in between.

The album starts with ''Kick the dust up'' which was a huge hit, his 2015 tour was called ''Kick the dust up tour'' and actually it produced rave reviews from the fans and three sold out shows in NH. It's such a fun song, catchy, and it does make you want to dance. Possibly dance with Luke, y'all seen him dance? No joke strippers and pole dancers should take notes. Hot.

Album goes on with ''Kill the lights'' which is both kinky and romantic and it's hard to actually strike that perfect combo and make a song that can be both and this one is, you know, a boy and a girl and a truck parked on a country road or a farmers field, and you ''Kill the lights'' and you know how it goes from that point on…I got to say it brings out quite a lot of memories, fun ones, in trucks and dirt roads after dark.  ''We can feel all the way through, let me just hold on to you, baby trust my hands, live it up while we still can.''

The mood continiues with ''Strip it down''. I'm seeing a pattern here, stripping, sexy dancing, making out in cars,…Luke you bad boy! Hah. but well I wouldn't mind him stripping for me. Possibly with some sexy dancing, on the hood of that pickup. Shut up and let a fan girl dream will you? I actually love the video as well, just naughty enough and creative.


Y'all know which of the two would win with me don't you? Hah.

''Home alone tonight'' is a duet with Karen Fairchild, great song, parts of it really show that he's not just some ''hillbilly singer'' but has some serious vocals, strong, powerfull and yet a ballad can melt your heart. Lyrics are a cliche sorta, breakup, drowning misery in booze and meeting someone new while doing so. We've all been there weren't we? Hell, I was drowning a breakup, met someone while doing that and caused myself another heartbreak years later. Funny how life changes huh?  But this has a happier ending, two people meet and nobody goes home alone. And really, their voices compliment eachother so nice, which makes this a great song.

''Razor blade'' is my song. '' You're blindfolded walking south down the whiskey tracks,…''. Yeah. I get a Bruce Springsteen vibe with this song. The story telling, the walking into a dark part of the town. It's obviously a song with strong emotion written and preformed very emotionally, that's probably why people can relate. Why I can relate.

How about ''Fast'' though? Life goes by too fast kinda thing. Yes, it does. The good things you're looking forward to, counting down to, they end up too fast. You're hating every day of high school and then bam it's over with a blink of an eye. We all find ourselves wishing we'd be back in Bruce's ''Glory days'', back when things were simple and easy and fun. This song was written by Luke, because you know, he doesn't write all his music himself, but it's songs like this one that show that he could, should, write all his music.

I also love ''Move'' even if the video was disappointing. I mean Luke, if you can dance like THAT, then why on earth are you such a good boy in the video? I mean sure the lyrics aren't too deep, just a guy probably staring a girls while she's dancing, but you know what? I get it, I get a bit lost watching him dance too, so really, it's a fun song, I enjoy over playing it, dancing along to it. Actually there was an occassion when I danced to it and clothes were coming off. Uh oh.

And then there's ''Love it gone'' which may be one of my favourite songs by Luke. He didn't write it though but you know it still screams Luke. We all know how amazing his marriage is and I can just imagine that things this song sings about play a part in it. I know he is like that. I often say it's all I want. What this song is about. There's not much more a woman wants from her man, so boys pay attention, play the song, and learn a thing or two. Ladies do the same but maybe with ''Strip it down'' instead. Hah. Seriously though if this song doesn't just make you melt into a puddle of unicorn glitter then please move to Jötunheimr because that's where your cold heart belongs.

Other songs on this album are ''Just over'', ''Way way back'', ''To the moon and back'' and ''Huntin', Fishin', and Lovin' every day''. I love all except that last one. Cons of loving country music, it's creators are usually hunters and we all know how I feel about that. But you know, I'm not a raging vegan I respect other peoples way of life even if it goes against everything I believe in.

Album closes with ''Scarecrow''. OH! Like MCR. Kinda. Hah. Another very typical song, small towns, country life, dirt roads, no matter where you go, your heart will always belong home kinda thing you know? And I get that, I miss that too. I miss long warm summer nights out in the bed of my daddys truck, watching the stars with no place to go. I miss that ''freedom'' we had, I miss sneaking out booze and bonfires. I miss the music, the laughter, the happiness. It feels so far away when you're stuck in a cold, dark city. Which is perhaps why I love this album, it's a mix of everything the good and the bad, the happy and the sad. It can make you dance and it can make you bleed on the inside. I loved every single moment of listening to it for the first time and still enjoy it now.

Won't tell you to play it because you'll love it this time, we know how it goes right. You either love it or you don't hah. So if you're into this type of music then you already know this album and love it as much as I do. And if you're not, then, seriously, what the hell are you still doing here?

Alright, here's to new small victories, hope you all manage to overcome a fear or two, believe me it feels amazing and one day when you look back, you'll laugh at how silly being afraid was in the first place.

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