Music Review: Real Estate-Days

I like finding new music. It's one of my favorite things to do. I found a lot of bands and musicians that I really like this year (see F*cked Up, Youth Lagoon, Girls, Atlas Sound and Ty Segall.) However none compare to my 2011 finding of "Real Estate." 

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Coming off their self-titled debut album, "Days" was nowhere near the sophomore slump I had anticipated. In fact, it's a piece of music I don't think I could live without. 
 Much like their original album, "Days" sounds as if The Beach Boys had evolved their style to accompany a less lyric-based version of the indie-surf genre. Songs like Kinder Bluman are best enjoyed on a warm summer's morning while basking in the sun, which is pretty unique coming from a band that originated in New Jersey.
 This is a summer album, but I will listen to it at any time. In fact, I can't go much more than a week without listening to "It's real" or "Wonder years." 
  I, like most people, use music to process my own emotions. However, only a few albums can help me time travel. When I listen to 808's and heartbreak, I travel back to the winter of 8th grade. When Arcade Fire's The Suburbs comes on, I think about the first girl I ever loved.  All of the great experiences I had this summer, all of the people I met, and all of the places I went will be forever connected to this album. I know that people won't have the same experience with "Days" that I had, but it makes me so happy to listen to, and I highly recommend it.

Alone

 I was going to write about the difficulties of being an only child, and living in a neighborhood far away from most of my friends. I was going to write how those experiences often leave me bitter, but my time alone will benefit me in the long run.

 But then that shooting in Connecticut happened, and I got to thinking. I am far, far from alone. I am close with my parents, I am close with the friends that I have, and I have never lost anyone to gun violence, despite the fact that statistics say I should have by now. I do not know loneliness, for I have not experienced irreplaceable loss. Those people will never be able to truly relate to anybody ever again. 

 I am not a parent who has to close off a room to my house. I am not an ex-brother or an ex-sister. I am not going to have to take away christmas presents from under the tree. Tonight, I will say goodnight to my parents and go to sleep safe and warm. And for that, I am extraordinarily lucky, and cannot classify myself as alone.