As 2020 is fading away like the end of a terrifying horror film, I still continue to process all of the chaos and strain out all of the nuggets of positivity. Like a chef with his colander or a 49er with his sifter pan, I come armed with music.
Over the course of the year, I have received quite a few uplifting albums of music that were able to put me in my happy place. A band like aliensdontringdoorbells, with their unusual band name and genre-bending sound, put out an album called Arrival that will always be a therapeutic pop/rock getaway for me.
Another record that made me smile was from The Lickerish Quartet. They put out a song called “Snollygoster Goon.” That song title alone made me a giggling fool, which was a great thing to be in 2020.
I even discovered a happy-go-lucky Canadian artist by the name of Harkness, who put more than a few smiles on my face.
One thing that weighed heavily on my mind, and still does, is the music education that’s being lost for our youth. Grammy-winning bassist for Megadeth, David Ellefson, has really stepped up in response to this issue. His Ellefson Youth Music Foundation has been raising money and giving free online classes to music students during this difficult time. MusiCares is another charity that has been a beacon of hope for those suffering with the shutdown of the entertainment industry. Between people like David and organizations like MusiCares, and all of the artists that lift us up with their music, I’m going to be able to see 2021 come in with a hopeful smile on my face.
Ellefson Youth Music Foundation:
ellefsonyouthmusicfoundation.org
MusiCares:
www.grammy.com/musicares
aliensdontringdoorbells:
aliensdontringdoorbells.com
The Lickerish Quartet:
thelickerishquartet.com
Harkness:
harknessmusic.com
