There are very few things in this life that hold such incredible significance to me than music. I always knew music would have a place in my life but never did I think I would be a musician. It wasn’t until my senior year of high school when injury sunk my certain opportunity at a full athletic scholarship to an ivy league State college of my choosing (insert significant sarcasm… I wasn’t much of an athlete) , that I humbly turned to music. At that point , it was an escape from the depression of not being the athlete I dreamed of being or thought I was supposed to be.
Fast Forward a couple decades and I find myself in a car traveling six hours from Peterborough Ontario to Detroit Michigan to hear a band that has claimed significant space on my iPod, CD player, Spotify account and even on rotation at the clinic. MuteMath became a staple in my collection from the moment I heard their
first album back in 2006. But with some more recent events in my life over the past few years, their last couple of albums (Vitals -2015 & Play Dead -2017) have been on heavy rotation. Through depression and anxiety I have clung to their music as an escape -a chance to breath – a moment to connect with someone who has written lyrics that seem to express what I couldn’t.
With music such a dominant entity in my existence, it carries a huge weight. Songs can immediately transport my mind back to the first time I heard it, or can conjure emotions that can motivate, energize or bring me to tears. There is something so powerful about seeing the band live that has held space in my emotional journey as of late. As I stood in the tiny venue downtown Detroit, in amazement at the talent and musicianship of those four gentlemen on stage, I experienced more emotion then I was prepared for. Overwhelmed would be an understatement.
This really isn’t a blog with a deep life lesson to be learned, maybe more of an observation into the depth of how powerful certain mediums can be. Music is something that is in our everyday, our very being is rhythmic; from the beating of our heart to the breath we take. Music is everywhere and I consider myself extremely fortunate to be blessed with a talent to play and dive deep into the musicianship of a song. From the first note to the final downbeat.
-to Paul, Hutch, John & Todd, you may never read this, but thank you! You have forever etched a place in the musical discography of my mind. Whenever I hear a MuteMath song, I will always be grateful for your vulnerability, your inspiration and your contribution to this season in my life.