As human beings, we are inclined to experience some not-so-pleasant things throughout our lifetimes. The sources of the pain we feel are not always the same, but easily the most unpleasant one is Loss.
Loss pays us all a visit at some point in our time here. Some more often than others, for reasons far beyond my comprehension. A mysterious thief, he'll come knocking on your door, sometimes when you least expect it--to take things from you against your will. Parents, relationships, jobs, pets, wallets, car keys, favorite sweatshirts and worst of all, lives.
Sometimes you get a warning, a heads up that he'll be coming soon. Other times it's just an unwanted surprise that you have no choice but to eventually accept and go on with your life without whatever it is he took away.
People have different ways of coping with this kind of pain. With something minor, it can be easy to continue living the same way you always had. But in extreme cases, it's hard to fight feelings of hopelessness, anger and despair. Of course, these feelings are only natural, so you shouldn't fight them. I agree with all the psychiatrists that say it's necessary to feel in order to acknowledge reality and repair any damages to your heart.
The thing about it is, we all have different ways in which we do so. Some people grieve in silence and appear unaffected. Some are optimists and able to find good in the bad. Others self-destruct.
The list goes on and on, but for me, it's always been music that I turn to for comfort and recovery when I feel like the world is coming to an end.
Like millions of teenagers, I hit a few rock walls in high school. Something that stands out to me is my sophomore year. I was a 15-year-old victim of--you guessed it--a divorce, at a new school in a new town, feeling like life couldn't, but knowing deep down it could, be worse. I lost interest in things I once loved, turned into a quitter and let my nonexistent efforts to make progress with a boy I liked frustrate me on a daily basis.
And then I found Coldplay, aka my "light at the end of the tunnel". Cheesy as that sounds, it's a great way to put it because that's exactly what it was like. Ironically, listening to their music made me feel so sad. It sounded like crying, depression and pleas of sorrow. Deep and melancholy, it reflected everything happening inside of my body at the time. Even though my pain felt magnified while I listened to Coldplay's music, it did help to eventually iron the kinks out and I let myself be happy again.
Recently, I've discovered another sound with this kind of emotional power. Except this time, it's not a forum for a juvenile depression or deep sadness. While Coldplay's songs never made me forget about my problems, they reminded me of them so I could feel both sad and comforted simultaneously. The new music I have so luckily stumbled upon has the same effect Coldplay had on me, only unconditionally.
Listening to Matt Hartke (pronounced heart*key), the feeling is one-of-a-kind. His soft and gentle melodies project a kind of purity that pacify and protect, making me feel devoid of any outside complications or responsibilities. As if I'm practicing a meditation, I am able to forget the negative things in my life and slip into a state of authentic satisfaction that I've never experienced listening to anything else.
You could say Matt's "easy listening" and acoustic style is similar to that of Jack Johnson, Coldplay, O.A.R, and the like, but really, he's in a category of his own, and on a level that can't really be categorized.
Rarely do I come across a new musician these days that I feel is 100% real. It seems like many of them have been so willing to compromise their identities for fame and recognition. A true artist, Matt's unique sound and words are honest and come straight from the heart. His music is a mirror of his deep spirituality, and there is no denying the passion and authenticity behind his work.
Joy, harmony, stability, comfort, love...
Hear it for yourself: http://www.myspace.com/matthartke
(Listening to: If I Go Home - Matt Hartke)SHW.
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