I’ve been thinking a lot about Music to Grieve To and and about what kind of playlist I want it to be. The idea is solid - both for the audience - in that listening to sad music is good for you - and for artists because hell, if you can’t write a sad song - then - maybe this game isn’t for you!
But here’s the thing - after three years - I’m burned out - and it’s not anything to do with the songs - it’s just that it’s too fucking emotionally draining. You see - I have a rather specific process: I listen to a lot of songs until one resonates with me - either with a sad memory or a grief related perspective - and then I write - as honestly and authentically as I can - using the track as an inspiration.
The intent here is that - in a world of infinite music and ever present marketing - it’s the authentic writing that’s going to draw you in and get you to listen to the music.
There’s currently 125 tracks on the Music to Grieve To playlist and every one has a considered write up - and sure - while some might be kinda lame and maybe I phoned in one or two - I’m still super glad I wrote every one.
There’s a million tracks I haven’t listened to and some that I have that are a great fit for the list - I’m not saying that I won’t post new tracks in the coming months - but what I am doing, is turning off the constant inflow of new music. I won’t quite be “archiving” the list, but I will be turning off the track submission form for a while.
I reckon the list can stand on its own for a bit - I’ll add new tracks when I feel like it with an intent to come back in the future and pick up the weekly publishing cycle. If you’ve read this far and you have a track that you just know I’m going to dig, I’m pretty sure you can find me online - just please, be really considered - don’t spam me - I hate that shit…
And on that note - because I wouldn’t have been able to write this without the music of the amazing Mr. Jon Worthy - here’s the track submission that got me to write this:
'To Love' is a bittersweet song covering all the stages of grief and longing. "Here I am, I am broken" ... "So I wait to say I've found a way to love."
It is more than just a simple song about loss and heartbreak; it is a coming of age story in two minutes. It is unclear if the singer (Jon Worthy) is telling us that he has finally found love through pain and loss, or if he will forever wait to one day find inner peace.
It is this openness of the lyrics that makes this song special: different people can have different reactions. Art is meant to be subjective, and 'To Love' is just that.
'To Love' is the 9th track off of 'Something's Gotta Give,' the 3rd full length album from Jon Worthy & the Bends. Recorded at Studio 4115 in Nashville, TN, the album features instrumentation previously unfamiliar to the band including violin, cello, accordion, and xylophone. The album is a total change up in sound for the band as they explored a more indie americana folk acoustic sound. The album revolves heavily around heartbreak and the difficulty of chasing one's dreams.
I’ve been grooving on it all week and it’s brilliant!
Jon Worthy is also on the following playlists:
You can learn more about Jon Worthy & The Bends here:
About the Curator - Andrew McCluskey
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to be creative and brilliant without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As the founder of musicto I’m on a mission to inspire a global audience of music lovers and artists through the development of people powered playlists.