At the center of every album is a musical thesis. Bright Eye's "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" hit me like a ton of bricks. In every song and melody, a depression hangs in the air. The singer seems moments away from breaking into tears. Listening to this album in its entirety after losing someone I loved dearly, I found myself in the same position. The album is also full of what I call, "Hey, look at me" moments. Not since The Smiths or The Cure, have I come across an artist who so masterfully puts their pain to music. There are moments you feel ashamed to continue staring, but much like most car crashes, you can't look away. Finally, we often think of our mental health as one of those simple things that can be fixed by just changing our attitude. If we are honest, we all know this isn't true. To hear music, where this false belief is confronted was a breath of fresh air. So, what's the take away? Be honest with yourself. Name the things that hurt you. Confront them if you can. If you can't, find a support system.
Thanks for entering my world,
-Nathan