Around, Around (Crescendo)

Kieffer and I were headed to IKEA and he put in a mixed CD he made. I hate to admit that there are things that I don't like to be taught. One of them is hearing about new music from other people. Especially Kieffer. Mainly because I'm ridiculously competitive about irrelevant things. One of which is hearing about the newest music from Kieffer, that also turns out to be really good music.


I like to surprise people with new music and I like the feeling of sharing great songs or sweet melodies with fantastic lyrics to people I love. I like to see their reactions, especially if they like it too. And I love it when people are able to feel the emotions and experience the music in its fullness--music has a way of reaching into souls. It is something that is such a strange but beautiful phenomenon. You can hear a song and within a few notes remember some of the worst moments of your life. Or hear the beginnings of a tune and taste the first cotton candy you had as a child; hear the 'i like you too' from your first crush; the smell of rotten eggs from the last day of school egg fights; or relive the first dance at your first dance that no adults were at. All of our senses are stirred and come alive at the stirring sounds of music.


I love that music provides this to everyone. And so that's why I feel like I'm in friendly competition with Keiffer when it comes to new music. He likes to one-up me every chance he can, and I find great fun in doing the same.


That's why I was pleasantly surprised when he popped in his CD and pressed play. I was overwhelmed with what I heard. What I heard is the song to the right, K'Jon singing 'On The Ocean.' Take a listen.

(Pause)


K'Jon is a Detroit native who's songs and style can be characterized as Soul/Hip-Hop/R&B. The song to the right transported me to a point of my trip when I was in Hawaii in September. Where the Sand met the Ocean, and the Ocean ended in the Horizon. This song doesn't take me to an exact spot on the islands, though. Moreso, it transports me to a time in my mind that I haven't been to, but sounds familiar. Hearing the melody and allowing the blending of the percussions and his voice wash over me, this song makes me feel - resolute. Yep, resolute is how I feel. I honestly didn't know the right word to describe the emotion that this song gave me, but I realize the more I hear it, I feel 'convinced, satisfied'. The way the song ebbs and flows easily and the way the crescendo of the cymbals punctuates the high-notes, creates a mood that is oh, so wonderful.

As we were driving, I told him that if I died..err..when I died, (i'm not a pessimist, i'm a realist), i'd really like to have this song be my 'swan song'. It'd be a perfect ending to a not so perfect life. but it would be a song that would leave my loved ones with something hopeful. In my eyes and what I believe, this life is the ocean meeting the horizon--you may not see what's beyond, but surely you must know that there is something beyond the horizon. I believe that beyond my horizon , where the ocean meets the sun, so will I. And that gives me hope, which is why I am filled with so much hope listening to this song.

I hope you enjoy it.