Music: What I Listen to When the Wiggles Aren't On

As I've mentioned in a previous entry (Mommy vs. Me: Music, Television, and the Divided Parent), I love music. I'm listening to music all the time. I'm listening to Barney sing "Icey Creamy Ice Cream" currently, but that's not my choice.

I've got a few bands in my IPOD right now that I can't get enough of. I love Evanescence, although it's been an eternity since I've heard from them. They put out a live album/DVD, which was nice, but mostly of course it's just live versions of the same songs that I've listened to 30,000 times. My sources on the Internet say that the new Ev album is coming out in August. They've had huge problems, filing a lawsuit against their manager for sexual harassment and one guitarist had a stroke (supposedly he's recovering well). I'm looking forward to hearing from them again.

Evanescence has moved up onto my short list of long-term favorite bands. I've been a Pearl Jam fan for more than 12 years. PJ is the one band that my husband and I both like, and we've spent a couple of anniversaries at PJ concerts. I'm actually a member of the Pearl Jam fan club, which sounds hugely dorky (and maybe it is) but it gives me access to the best tickets for their concerts without having to spend heaps of cash on ebay or sleep out at a Ticketmaster. Unfortunately I've really not been listening to much PJ lately. I should update the IPOD. I'm really into music I can sing along to right now, and even when I can understand lead singer Eddie Vedder, he rarely sings in my key.

Tori Amos is also an artist that inspires my loyalty. Her first three or so albums are just earth-shatteringly good. The piano is breath-taking, the lyrics are shocking, honest, and wonderful, and her vocals are beautiful and full of emotion. While I own every Tori album, musically we started parting ways on the "Orbiting" portion of "To Venus and Back." She was doing lots of experimental stuff there, which is great for her, I guess, but it meant that only a few songs on that disc were my cup of tea. Unfortunately since that album I've found that her music doesn't have that lasting quality for me. It's also morphed from alt rock to adult contemporary, which I guess is understandable but also isn't my thing. I'll probably never leave the Tori fold, and I'm sure I'll still attend her concerts when she comes my way, if only to be wowed by her amazing piano-playing skills and beautiful voice. I'll still hope for a sign of her previous spark - the one that hooked me forever.

Other bands that are passing through my fancy include Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, and Flyleaf. Maroon 5 just have some seriously catchy stuff out there. I like how the singer/song writer weaves in adult themes without (generally) having the song be entirely about them. Just like in life, sex colors his songs but doesn't define them. Classy stuff. Kelly Clarkson just kicked out an awesome, danceable album as well. I've almost played it out, which happens for me with most music eventually (except Evanescence). But it's still really, really good.

Flyleaf is a little-known band which combines a hard alt-rock sound with unusual lyrics. While still addressing the pain, mourning, and love-lost type of lyrics that are the staple of alternative rock music, Flyleaf subtly weaves in a Christian outlook. They don't smack you over the head with Jesus, they just let you know how their life is influenced by him. In most cases, it's well done.

I like my music to have passion and enthusiasm, and I like the content of the lyrics to be reflected by the music. You may not be able to understand Eddie Vedder, but you can feel the emotion of the song from the delivery of the lyrics and the music. In my opinion, that's what music should be about.