Not long ago I devoted a
blog entry to raving about The Airborne Toxic Event.
Their debut album's everything I would've hoped and
even now that it's in my possession I can't stop watching
the video clip of this haunting extended acoustic version
of Innocence
on a daily basis. It's completely mesmirizing in its
passion and anguish. Damn it breaks my heart each
and every time and I keep going back for more.
This is the power of music—emotionally it can take
you to an entirely different place than you were the
moment before a given song started.
At the Toronto film festival last week
one of the director's, during a Q &;A, referred
to film as “the most powerful medium we have at
the moment” but I'm not so sure that's true. Every
time I hear Working Class Hero I want to rail
against the stupidity of our culture, a society that
we allow to keep us “doped with religion, sex and
TV.” Listening to Neil Young's Heart of Gold
plugs me instantly in to a feeling of bottomless longing.
Nina Simone's Ain't Got No/I Got Life sparks
my lust for life and Billy Bragg's A Lover Sings
floods me with all the awed sensations of first love.
Maybe I'm out shopping, sitting on a crowded
subway car or in front of my computer in my pajamas—it
doesn't matter, if the song works I go where it leads
me. Many of us live our lives to music in a way we don't
to other art forms. Three minutes and we're worlds
away. Music is so much a part of our society that it
would seem strange to me, as a writer, not to reference
that. This is the reason I like to have playlists for
my books. Some of the songs I may not even personally
like—and the character may not like either, but
they're part of his/her world.
The entire playlist for I Know It's Over
can be found here
but with the book coming out next Tuesday I thought
I'd feature some of the songs that I either associate
with the book or refer to during it.
This is the song that inspired I Know
It's Over. I found it both emotionally affecting and
intriguing and wanted to know how the story unfolded
after he'd heard about the pregnancy. This is still
a story we haven't heard from the male point of view
as often.
2. Feel It in The Air (Beanie Sigel)
Nick blares Beanie Sigel after he hears
the news from Sasha, wanting to escape the reality of
the moment. But the song itself is filled with expectation,
a feeling of impending change.
3. There She Goes (The La's)
So, yeah, we've all heard this song's
about heroin but it still sounds like a song about that
person who blows your mind too, the girl/guy you're
amazed by although you maybe don't even know them that
well yet.
6. The Scientist (Coldplay)
“Nobody said it was easy/No one ever
said it would be so hard.” This strikes me as a
hopeful, sweet and sad song all at the same time. Things
aren't where you want them to be with the relationship...but
maybe they could be.
9. Get The Party Started (Pink)
Nick isn't exactly thrilled about the
idea of going to Lindsay's Halloween party— and
not too impressed by the music when he gets there, but
it does offer other bonuses.
13. Lose Yourself (Eminem)
This is a total powerhouse song, and maybe
not the best thing to listen to if your emotions are
already on a rampage.
18. Sometimes Wanna Die (Joydrop)
This song is the one I associate most
strongly with the book. A lot of the lyrics seem to
echo exactly what Nick is feeling throughout I Know
It's Over. I originally heard this song long before
I ever thought of writing I Know It's Over but now I
can't hear it without thinking about Nick. This song
just aches. Aches and rocks. Personally,
I love it.
20. Landslide ( The Dixie Chicks)
I'm a big fan of both renditions of this bittersweet song—the Stevie Nicks original and the Dixie Chicks cover. Wisdom and
change, wistfully delivered in each version.
I Know It's Over aside, If you haven't had a look at that Innocence video clip yet I can't recommend it highly enough—and keep your eyes on Airborne Toxic Event's lead singer/guitarist Mikel Jollett. The guy has his guts wrapped around this song in a way I haven't seen in I don't know how long. Believe me, this is an album you want in your collection.
