We’re capable of so much more than the statistics on the news…

Newton Faulkner – I’m Not Giving Up Yet

Hope. It’s a word that kind of seems to lose its meaning a lot nowadays. People stumble through, slowly becoming statistics, collecting labels and never really exploring the full potential of what they could be.

So many things hurt in life – things are broken, moments pass by, people leave and so often there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Being aware of that fact, don’t we owe it to ourselves to be excellent? Shouldn’t we be more determined than ever to search for the things that keep us going and maintain that quest for the beautiful things? Some really unpleasant things happened to me this weekend…but surprisingly enough, one thing that made me feel substantially better was just a couple of words from a friend. A friend who a few months ago, ironically, was the one major thing bringing me down. What i’m trying to say is, when we write people of as “lost causes”, when we decide that the pain is too great to try again, who are we really damaging?

Mistakes can be learnt from; not having the courage to make mistakes – well that just leaves regret. Faulkner makes a valid point in a beautiful way; it’s always up to us to choose. It’s all about knowing that life is still worth it and living that way. Even though I’m not a great fan of the album Rebuilt by Robots (Hand Built by Robots was far superior), at the end of the day, I still know I want to be able to read the poem by SLP Martin and smile at the last line of “yes, but can you feel the rain?”

Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nRXwa1F2UI

Here’s to never giving up…

I’m gonna be okay, but it doesn’t seem that way, no love not today…

Eisley – Ambulance

This song grabbed me from the very first note. It’s a fantastic blend where influences like Snow Patrol meet Regina Spektor and culminate to create this beautiful ode from a broken heart to a heart-breaker.

It’s a universal predicament; hearts are broken every day. But don’t we usually feel like we “took the worst of the blow”? I guess it’s a tale of healing, a testament to the test of time…I mean, it never stays bad forever, does it? Maybe the song is right, maybe we are made to brave the pain. I’ve seen it happen, God knows i’ve done it myself – but there’s nothing quite like hearing it put down in music.

Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ci0RDeKkc

A beautiful song for a not so beautiful feeling…

Every word you say I think I should write down; don’t wanna forget come daylight…

Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk – Paperweight

There’s a level of purity that a male-female acoustic duo can achieve that doesn’t come into any other type of music. It’s the balance of two sides of a story, two ends of a scale, two levels of a melody.

I haven’t been much of a Joshua Radin fan recently – I was beginning to feel like his music had become a little too commercialised and lost some of its raw charm. But this track restored my faith. The lyrics are sweet and the music is perfect.

I wasn’t keen on the film Dear John, but two things redeemed it in my mind. One was the amount of topless screen time they gave Channing Tatum 😉 The other was the stunning soundtrack, of which this track was definitely a highlight.

Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PSAxJfN1D4

Dedicate it to someone special 🙂

Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold…

Lynyrd Skynyrd – Simple Man

There’s nothing quite like a great piece of classic rock with a bluesy bass guitar rolling in the background and a powerful vocalist preaching simplicity over the top. I don’t think there’s anyone who could dispute this song’s status as a masterpiece. It’s the kind of song you just sink into and for those five minutes nothing exists but you and the music.

The lyrics are profound and yet so far from pretentious that anyone listening is just drawn in. One finds themselves thinking “no, this isn’t my story, but I identify and I believe…”

After all, the message of the song is true and pure. The fact that it’s musical genius – just a lovely bonus.

Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqp1U6RoQaw

Here’s to the simple joys in life…