Some Random Matt Thoughts—A Matt Musing

These past few days, I have been listening to two albums, both of which, years ago, were much loved albums of mine. REM’s “Eponymous” and Radiohead’s “The Bends.” From the last thirty years, both acts are considered hallmarks of independent rock; of that, there is no question. Moreover, “The Bends” has always been a darling of critics. Nevertheless, sometimes it takes going into one’s library and putting those CDs in the car, thereby putting them back in rotation.

Of course, “Eponymous” was a Greatest Hits of REM’s IRS Records work, prior to their becoming a Warner Bros. act. I am noting both of these things due to the fact that realizations sometimes come in the oddest of places, like driving to work. Driving to work today, I found myself repeating “Driver 8.” I used to play “Driver 8” over and over again when I was in the seventh or eighth grade.

The human experience never ceases to amaze me, in the same way that I’ve always found the Smiths lyric interesting, not until recently have I realized my love for the band was driven by the work of Johnny Marr—his composition. For me, the same could be said for R.E.M. While Stipe is an entertaining front-man for the band, both colorful in style and personality, my adoration of their music has been the result of Mike Mills and Peter Buck.

I don’t know if this is significant, other than it seems to remind me this thematic component of this year, I am getting older. Instead of thinking of the lead singer, without being a musician, we have that tendency; I am now noticing and appreciating the scope of bands’ work. I know that sounds altruistic and a bit dopey—also intuitive, but it’s one of those bits of consciousness that never ceases to amaze me. These are those bits, the likes of which leaves us thinking, “it’s odd; it seems so logical now, I am surprised I’ve not before now noticed this.”