Music

There's just something interesting, bewildering, about music. Somehow, it just takes your mind off the current situation you're in, and takes you to another world, which most of the time is imaginary. Music isn't always good. Some music makes you calm, happy and relaxed; Others, makes you sad, angered and more depressed. It basically depends on the genre of music that you're listening to. Oh and more importantly, the memories tagged along to them.

I find it weird how we tagged a certain memory with the song. Based on experience, the image I have in my head while hearing the song, usually tags with what I saw when hearing the song for the first time. For example, I first heard most of Soda Green's songs during the concert. Thus when I hear those song, I remember that concert atmosphere and his lame jokes, and that's how I just smile and laugh to myself. Sometimes, the lyrics of the song is just too relatable that we become happy.

On other occasions, when hearing a song, you tag a person, instead of an image, to it. I don't like it when it happens. It's not fair to ruin a perfectly good, and favourite, song, just because of a sudden hatred towards the person tagged along with it. Take my advice, try to block this tendency as far as possible. I can't believe I stopped listening to Westlife.

Rock genre. Who actually listens to it? Wait let me correct that. Who actually appreciates rock? Alternative rock is pretty acceptable to most, maybe because there are melodies that are easy to follow. Metal rock is all the way at the other end with people screaming. Rise Against is pretty much the only Punk Rock band I hear. In some songs, you can sense their rebellious tendencies in their music. This might sound weird, but when I listen to rock music, it just calms me down. That's when I thought I finally understood rock.

I actually prefer rock towards pop. Pop songs are easy to follow and likable, but most don't have a meaning to their lyrics, or they're just simply "I'm deep in love" or "I can't get over him/her" kind of songs. Punk rock bands like Rise Against have much deeper meaning that they convey through their songs. They wrote songs about stopping bullying (Make It Stop), how messed up the world is (Life Less Frightening), being hopeful with life (Swing Life Away), refugees (Prayer of the Refugee, one of my favourite :)), the world's messed up lifestyle (Re-Education), and war (Hero Of War, another favourite :)). They are good people too. Labelled as the "political punks", they are also human and animal rights activists, and activists in anti-bullying projects.

Vino Alan from X Factor USA 2012 is another example. By judging him by his cover, with the tattoos all over his body, he gives the impression of a messed up, rebellious adult. His story says so much more. On Thanksgiving week of the competition, he dedicated the song "God Bless The USA" to the U.S. military. His family has connections with the military, and he plays music for them to lift their spirits. His singing was sincere and touching. I've always admired people in the military, and anyone working in the civil service.

In short, music is powerful. They mess with your emotions and feelings in ways you can never understand or comprehend. Treat it with caution.

Music can make you sad, or happy. And in some funny moments, make you feel both.