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Hello! This is my first blog, so I'm going to start with a safe, blanket statement. Music affects each of our lives in ways that few other arts can. We remember that song that was playing when we were broken up with. We know the song that pumps us up for a run or a workout. We have a playlist that fills our ears as we commute to work. There are songs that remind us of the people we've loved and lost. There are songs that remind us of specific moments. Whether we know it or not, we soundtrack our lives... using songs as bookmarks to call back and forth in time.

My first book, There You Feel Free is at least in part about the impact music has on us. Sometimes we seek refuge in it, hoping that the song will wash away the gloom and bullshit, or at least replace the existing gloom and bullshit with a new, more beautiful kind. Other times, we let music teach us lessons about faith, courage, perseverance, optimism, pessimism, or resistance.

Each of the protagonists in There You Feel Free experience music in their own way. Music is also a spiritual touchstone within the poem portion of the book ("The(se) Waste(d) Land(ings)"). In short, this book is deeply about music, deeply influenced by music, and powerful driven by music. So, it makes perfect sense to me (and hopefully to you) to present a playlist featuring the songs and artists mentioned in the book.

It's not common for a book to have a soundtrack, but since this book is about life, and life is soundtracked by the tunes we love... well, that's Intro to Logic stuff right there.

I'm calling the playlist HEAR You Feel Free because I love me a good pun. You can find it on Spotify and Grooveshark at the links the below.





You'll be treated to a spectrum of songs from Arcade Fire to Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beirut to ELO, Bowie to Ted Leo and the Pharmacists.

I hope you'll check it out.

Dig,

Nate