It's hard to find a rhyme or reason to my musical preferences. They change over time, too. I wondered today what I've had against indie music in general. I wondered this as I listened to the capital album "Under Skies" by Hark the Herons. I noted the handclap in some songs. The indie handclap. And I thought, "but this is wonderful music, not deserving of my anti-indie prejudices!" Then I thought, "What is it I have against indie music, anyway?" I liked it well enough in college. Maybe that's part of it; for some reason I don't care to reminisce about college. I remember college in terms of relationships; the good ones are still with me, the poor ones are left behind. there. And the college has changed so so much. It's hardly the same school.

As I got into downhere's music after colllege, I took on a brand new appreciation for everything not-indie. The music industry, the recording/production process of music. Quality over quantity.

A couple weeks ago at work, everyone in the lab voted to switch to country radio. Just today I figured out what radio stations mean when they say "the best variety." I've always thought, "That is a straight up lie. You're playing the exact same stuff you played yesterday." But I guess what they mean is stylistic variety. And in that, I admit, pop radio does have a lot of variety. Not many songs sound alike. And admittedly on this country station, it all sounds like country. And I'm finding I like it. The songs that I don't like as well are generally at least amusing. The songs that may qualify as depressing are a sad sort of blues depressing, not a vengeful hatred or cubicle wall-building. Country music often has an attitude of wanting to take away walls. And the music is more relaxing, (at any rate, I find pop music non-relaxing), making work hours pass more quickly.

Maybe my leanings toward country/blues/folk/open sounding music are why I like downhere's indie album so very well. The sound is plain and clear. They've got really sweet blue harmonies. The songs paint pictures and stories and colors. Occasional burrs in the making-of give the music character.



I think I'm coming around the mountain: I respect the music industry, but I don't think it should be the goal of every talented musician to get in. Many people would accomplish more with their music by sharing it freely with those around them. But there's the dream of making a living at it. I don't know what to say. Some do succeed. Clearly it's not an easy business. If the 99% who will never make it could enjoy making music for its own sake, maybe we'd be in a different world, eh?

Why is it there can be such beauty in an old soul with a harmonica, but someone else straining away at an electric guitar misses the mark? While I would say as a rule I prefer electric guitar. There's no rhyme or reason. I can't put my finger on it, and beauty's subjectivity is a further reason not to be influenced easily by the opinions of others (such as myself).