There’s a certain quality to a style of music that is removed from its time. It matters to me, at least, because it offers a musical soundscape and lens into another world that no longer exists today. That world continues on in the listeners hearts, in another universe perhaps, but not in the present day. The concept of time and its overlaps comes to mind, once again, and then I’m left thinking about music’s remarkable transcendance. The ability that it has to not only continue another universe of music, but to bring us into that universe if we weren’t present for its birth.
It’s not that this song necessarily has an ’80s quality to it, because musically, it feels very today. I think it’s Jean Noir’s vocals that ground me in the ’80s. And I can’t really explain why. It’s the faith that I’m given from the beginning of the song, that that voice will not falter, no matter how high it goes. It’s a chest-y voice, with a head-y quality, do you know what I mean? The singers will understand.
I find myself not only paying close attention to the transcendance of this sound, but to where I’m going because of this vibe. It’s not a coincidence that I’m listening to this song on the final day of 2012. I feel the movement of time all around me.
The trouble with trouble is, it comes in so many different forms. You’ve met a troubled person, while facing your own troubles. You are in trouble. You are the trouble that parents don’t want their kids to associate with. You don’t know what the trouble seems to be. And now I’ve said trouble so many times that it doesn’t seem like a word anymore. But I’m left thinking about all of these different uses of the word, and all of the ways that this word has related to periods of my life. I’ve been troubled, I think I’m always a little bit troubled. But this song “takes the color out of everything,” and grounds me. Strip it down, we’re all the same with our ups and downs, highs and lows.
What troubles you
Troubles me
And I’ll take the edge away
The edge away from everything.”
That chorus takes you to another place, if only for a moment. And then, you’ll remember that it is 2013. Kiss the sky and praise the universe, for we certainly made it, troubles and all.