The Nod Factor

No, this is not an ode to Skillz's 804-area classic first single from the golden era of hip-hop. I am obviously a true music lover, not to be confused with many who say they love music and dont (which is way too common and almost offends me) or people who like music a lot. See, to hear music, listen to it and feel it are three different things. You can hear music without really listening and you can listen to a song but not really "hear it." There is nothing like feeling music though, which brings me to this: One of my favorite things about music is when people are feeling a song and head-nod in unison! I love it!

In retrospect, I guess I have always felt this way but never really thought to make a mention of it. I've always been one to nod my head to the music regardless of what type of music it is and where I am when listening. I know many who are the same way to where riding in the car can feel like being at a live concert when we're together. In the studio last week, the host played an infectious instrumental and the nod factor naturally took over for all four of us guys to where we were partly subconsciously grooving and couldnt stop if we wanted to. The energy was so ill! Given some of the music situations I've been in, I'm here to tell you that if synchronized head-bopping was an Olympic sport, Michael Phelps would be nothing to talk about.

Everyone from the 5 year-old kid to 65 year-old grandparent and each of us in between is, in my opinion, instantly cool in the moment of nodding to a groove. Not bouncing, not snapping...HEAD-NODDING! On the flipside though, there are many who couldnt be more wrong in thinking they are too cool to feel music and fight the feeling. Lame. Give me a person with no rhythm zoning out on their own accord over anybody who resists the nod factor. So the next time you find yourself on the couch, in the car, at a show or wherever you may be bobbing your head to something that feels as good as it sounds, think of me because I'm probably doing the exact same thing wherever I am.

No Comps (The Most Gratifying)

With the ALLMANACT album afloat for a bit now, I am proud to have contributed to creating the project and extremely pleased with the feedback. The reception has been great thus far. The group angle was unexpected and the packaging of the album has been a pleasant surprise per many. Lots of people have expressed an appreciation for the relatable content and the lack of explicit, vulgar lyrics. Tastemakers, loyal fans and casual listeners alike all have their favorites. There is one understated compliment that has been the most gratifying to me though.

For one online retailer that carries our project along with other indie albums, we were required to select three established/major groups who have a comparable sound. After a short deliberation, we were stumped. I then figured it would be best to ask listeners who had given the album several listens by that time. It was a string of "uhhhh," "hmmmm," "good question," "I gotta think about it," and "I dont know"'s. Outside of two or three people throwing out names and discrediting their own answer seconds later with "Thats not a good one, but thats all I could think of," it dawned on me that our sound couldnt really be accurately boxed in with other notable groups out there. Granted, I get the whole "Nothing is new under the sun" thing and I know we are not the first rappers/singer combo group. The originality is there though on some level and I feel good about that as much as anything else surrounding the album. It means a lot to know that we are not a carbon copy conceptually, sonically or content-wise and I'm thankful for that affirmation.