Jesus, Jocks, and the Jukebox

As you grow up, you are bound to see significant changes in what you listen to, and also how you listen to it.

For example, somewhere between when I was ten and today, my taste of music has evolved from Backstreet Boys to Jay-Z.

This type of evolution is expected, but lately I've acquired an appreciation for something that I used to hate as a kid: the instrumental.

When I was younger I would always get so frustrated when songs would have long instrumentals. It wasn't that I thought it didn't take any talent to produce it, but it was more about me wanting a musician to get back to the action. I guess I just really didn't get why it was there.

But the more I listen to music the more I see their purpose. To a degree it is about displaying the talent of those on the instruments, but artistically I feel these instrumentals are for us to reflect.

When people make music, there's always a message they are trying to portray, and the instrumental allows us to reflect on that message, and most importantly, how that message applies to our lives.

So when you hear a long crescendoing instrumental, try to take some time to reflect. We live a life of busyness, and instrumentals give us a chance to stop and just think about it.

This Bill Withers remake by The Roots and John Legend is what made me think about this post. It's an incredible song. I'll admit it's a long one, but if you don't remember the last time you've just stopped to think, then maybe you should give it a listen.