The Midwest: Revisited

I almost always play music through iTunes on shuffle, so last night when Karate "This Day Next Year" came on (a song I hadn't heard in forever), I was transported back to the first time I heard it all over again, in my bedroom the very first time I moved away from home. It was a very small room, which thankfully meant there wasn't room for half the crap I accumulated by the time I left Illinois, with nothing much on the walls, and a small desk with a laptop. The best part about this room was the access to the roof. At night on a cool autumn evening I'd leave the window open, let the curtains blow, and go out on the roof to smoke cigs, sit and talk with friends or just watch what was going on outside... you know, typical stuff people do when they have great roof access. Wow I miss those days. Anyhow... my dear friend Sam would come over quite a bit and we'd always play music and he'd introduce me to some new and wonderful things or we'd revisit old classics together, while I smoked entirely too many of his smokes (if you're reading this, thanks again Sammers). Karate was one of those bands he introduced me to, and I thank him (thanks!) for it a thousand times over because he is right when he says they really are one of the most perfect bands. Before I start a discourse on that, let me get to where I was going...

So this random play made me think about songs I love that make me think of great Midwest nights or just my time there in general. While I can't cover all bases, here are some of the more widely known songs (forgive me, some of these videos were not really all that available on youtube, so I'm working with what I've got), in no discernible order:



Braid - Never Will Come for Us



Getting to see the first night of Braid's reunion tour in Urbana was a huge highlight in music for me even if the show did sort of stink and none of them looked happy to be together again. This song brings out a nostalgia in me but also makes me feel hopeful of something good to come. It just always puts me in a good, go getter, whimsical mood. It reminds me of drives on 74, porch/roof parties, or just sitting in my friend Eric's bedroom as he'd randomly "DJ" and fill the entire house with sometimes not always welcome music.




Karate - This Day Next Year



I already kind of went into this, and forgive me this is not the full song, but it's probably one of the most evocative songs I've ever heard. There is something about this incredibly perfect solo that always makes me feel a little melancholy but comforted. I can almost smell Autumn when I hear it and am sent back to my old bedroom on Main Street. Everything is just so well put together and played... it's beautiful, really.




Mineral - Love Letter Typewriter and Palisade







While they are two separate songs, I always lump them together because the transition between the two (not as apparent here) is so flawless and wonderful and well done that I can't hear one without the other. I spent many, many, many hours listening to this album with Eric and various other friends and it always takes me back. Singing it with the windows down, playing it at home on the beach when I'd come back during the summer to ease my "homesickness", and hours spent hunting for any and all Mineral vinyl on ebay (which I now own most of, save one that I've been too lazy about). Chris Simpson really knew what was up... there's a powerful loneliness in his voice at times yet a strength through the guitars. Eric would usually start this song out and within the first few notes ask "How bad?" or screaming "KABOOM!" in regards to feeling bummed. Simpler times, man.




The Get Up Kids - Central Standard Time



While I don't really like Matt Pryor's solo version of this song, I absolutely love the song itself. The minute I begin to play this song I get flashbacks of going to Tanner's Orchard with friends or being at a show at the VFW on Western in my With Honor hoodie, trying to dodge some shifty scene going on or scam. Much like with Karate, I can smell the Autumn air and even get a picture of orangey yellow leaves and parties and porches and walks home from class. This song just makes me think of my love of the Midwest... it is my love of the Midwest. That's corny, but it would comfort me a lot while I was away or sometimes feed my anxiety about returning, wondering if things were still the same or not and would I be alright when I came back. Lyrically, it's a big one for me.




Modern Life is War - The Outsiders (aka Hell is for Heroes pt I)




I can't really think of the Midwest without thinking of Modern Life is War. Their energy, Jeff's lyrics (no adjective can do them justice)... I'm not going to even go any further because I'm going to gush. In fact... I'm feeling verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves. [...] It passed. Anyway, BEST BAND.


HONORABLE MENTIONS (I don't like lists consisting of non-listy type numbers ie: 5 or 10):


Fall Out Boy - Sophmore Slump or Comeback of the Year? (and all of Under the Cork Tree)




I think I have sang this album with essentially almost every person I've met in my Midwestern lifetime. I've got nothing but fond memories of summer, friends, car sing-a-longs and long drives (short ones even) with some of the best people I've met to date. This record will always make me think of all those good times with all those GREAT people (love yoooou). Little more needs to be said. Totally feel good record.




R. Kelly - Ignition (remix)



I can't talk about my adventures in the Midwest without mentioning this song. This takes me back to Lindsey's POS, two door blue/green car and riding around to the mall with her and Boomer or having a billion people crammed in there on the way back from Gabe's or trips to shows and the QC etc etc etc. This was a great sing-a-long song that the three of us used to love and it still takes me back to spring drives around P-town, evaluating what exactly R Kelly is talking about in various lines, and things happening in a car (of the non-dirty variety) that were probably not supposed to happen in one. Maybe one day Boomer will sing the "cristal poppin'" line for me again and make me giggle, but for now I'll just have to rely on my memory for laughs.


Cheers, dudes. Thanks for all the good times and memories centered around these songs.