Songs Make The Album

As we all know - there are many awesome benefits with today's technology (the list is long, right).  On the other hand, there are also unfortunate downsides with today's technology (the list is pretty long there, as well).

In other words ... today's mixed bag of pros/cons, yin/yang, salty/sweet smorgasbord of technological breakthroughs ... has us drinking from a glass simultaneously half full and half empty.  Deep, hun!?

One of the most evident examples of this technological split personality syndrome is digital music.  Moreover, the ability to download any song. Any time. Anywhere.  As fantastically terrific as this is - especially when we want that one super duper song that's gonna get us movin', groovin', or chillin' - it also has its downside in that most songs, are part of an album; an album with other songs.  In other words, they're a team. A unit. A family.    

Think about it: if we only listen to that one particular, stand-alone song (and think that songs the artists' overall "sound"), well then, we miss out on the accompaniment of its fellow songs.  Even if those other songs aren't as good as that one song that we want more than the others, they are still part of a package; a package that might have been incredibly important to the musicians who made that songs(s) and moreover, that album.  It's art, after all.

While not a musician myself, I do know that most (good) musicians want us to listen to the whole album.  Repeat: the whole album.  Because more often than not - each and every song is part of the album's overall "tapestry" of music; an interconnected weaving of different songs with a common purpose.  When we only listen to that one song, and ignore the others, then we are selling the artist and ourselves short.  We both deserve more credit.

The same logic can be said for us, as people.  You see, when we only enjoy and/or diss someone's "individual song" and don't take in their "complete album" - than we are missing out on the art of being human.  And art, after all, is subject to big-time subjective interpretation.  That said, none of us are one hit wonders, and God only knows, our "songs" are not always at their best or in tune.

In music - as in life - we all have good songs, and we have not so good songs: it's a both/and, not an either/or deal.  That's why we need to embrace our whole album, as our true representation.

If we can't accept that wonderful reality about ourselves and each other - than life's soundtrack is going to played off key.  Not cool.

Albums are Good.