Alive Inside

This is an excerpt from a recently released documentary, "Alive Inside." This film beautiful captures the awakening of Alzheimer's patients through music. The neuroscience of music and the therapeutic aspects of sound are incredible human experiences. Music can break through the walls of disease and disability to reach people who have been considered unreachable. Familiar music triggers autobiographical memories in Alzheimer's patients and enhances their identity. When we listen to music, we form an emotional connection to it. The strength of our emotional connection determines how well we remember a specific song. Emotions, music, and memories are linked together in the music-memory and music-emotion hub of the brain. (Also known as the medial prefrontal cortex for all you technical people) This area of the brain is one of the last regions to deteriorate over the course of Alzheimer's disease. This explains why patients who suffer from rapidly increasing memory loss, can still recall familiar songs from their distant past. In other words, familiar music actually triggers a mental movie of memories and plays them over in your mind's eye. Music can mentally transport people to a different time and place and improve their quality of life.

K.Flay Eyes Shut

I know I have been slacking lately with posting music, and by slacking I mean I completely dropped the ball for about two months. My bad, my bad. I recently started grad school and I have the attention span of a ferret on crystal meth. (I'm assuming a ferret on crystal meth would have a very difficult time paying attention to anything) Anyways, I digress. Change topics. Do yourself a favor and listen to K.Flay's Eyes Shut EP because it is fantastically amazing. All I have to say is holy shit, I think this might be one of my favorite things to rock out to. Channeling my unspoken brain waves and shiittt. You can also download the Eyes Shut Ep here. Get on it people, it's a breath of fresh air for your ears!

Late For The Sky

The track Late For The Sky - Evidence featuring Slug & Aesop Rock on Evidence's most recent album Cats & Dogs, is hands down my new favorite song...

Willie Nelson - The Scientist

Willie Nelson covering Coldplay's "The Scientist"..........absolute greatness!

Do You Believe In Life After Thugs?

I have been on an Astronautalis kick lately. 'Do You Believe In Life After Thugs' is off of his album 'DANCEHALL HORNSOUND!!!!', which you can purchase HERE!!!! .  Recently, Astronautalis released his new album, 'This Is Our Science", which you can purchase on i-tunes. 'This Is Our Science' was even better than I expected. Astronautalis is an extremely creative and intelligent artist who has the ability to successfully switch-up his sound from track to track. Enjoy!

Dirty Heads - Believe

I loveee me some Dirty Heads! The Dirty Heads are one of my goto music groups when I can't figure out what I want to listen to. It's always the perfect occasion to rock out to some feel good music! Here's their track 'Believe', which is a song about their musical journey and their love for music, enjoy!

Life Is Cinema

I have been going through a serious Macklemore phase recently. He is incredibly talented and I have formed a deep connection to his lyrics. He has an amazing way of putting once indescribable feelings into words - basically, he has the gift to shine light on the dark corners of your mind. I thoroughly enjoy all of his songs but, there are a few that I absolutely love. 'Life Is Cinema' is one of my all time favorite jams by Macklemore!

".....And I'm the only one with the hammer to break this shell I'm in
It's gonna take me crackin' this mirror to finally be myself again
Met my potential a long time ago and I'm not stopping til I resemble him."

Grieves - Against The Bottom

'Against The Bottom' is currently one of my jammmsss. I randomly go through phases where I listen to a shit ton of Grieves. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy Grieves' music all of the time. However, there are certain times when his lyrics hit a little harder and it makes you give a little less of a fuck about the current situation. On that note...
I'm over tryin to make this home, so just go
and leave me in the place that we'll always know

Prolyphic & Reanimator - Born Alone

A few days ago, I was listening to my itunes while I attempted to be productive around the house. I wasn't really paying attention to what was playing; it lost my interest and turned into background noise. Sometime later, 'Born Alone' by Prolyphic and Reanimator started playing and it stopped me in my tracks. The unique, raw, symphony of sounds and words came out of the speakers and grabbed my attention. I was absolutely blown away by the depth of Prolyphic's lyrics! I listened to Born Alone about 40 times in a row, constantly rewinding Prolyphic's verses in order to break it down and take it in. One of my favorite lines is
"I tuck my soul in my socks and hide my heart in my pockets."
 I love songs that can put my indescribable thoughts and emotions into words. I think humans have an inherent defense mechanism to tuck away issues, hide their thoughts, and cover up their feelings, in an attempt to avoid themselves. However, this defense mechanism only harms oneself because you can't let something go until you deal with it. Music is a higher revelation and every listener finds comfort in the space between the notes. Listeners establish an emotional connection when they can identify themselves through a particular song. Through this revelation, cloudy emotions become clear thoughts, and clear thoughts become solid words. Music allows people to lose themselves and find themselves at the exact same moment!

Prof - Yeah Buddy!

This song, 'Yeah Buddy', is from Prof's new album King Gampo. You can download the album for free HERE !!! I recently had the pleasure of seeing Prof on the Family Vacation Tour, where he opened up for Atmosphere. Prof absolutely murdered his performance and I immediately became a fan. I have not taken the King Gampo album out of my car CD player since its release date because it puts me in a fanfuckingtastic mood. I love Prof's unique approach to music and the feel good beats. I'm definitely excited to see what the future has in store for Prof!