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🎶 The National – Weird Goodbyes

The National feat. Bon Iver – Weird Goodbyes 
Matt Berninger is on some Leonard Cohen shit, and it's really working.

A Week in Oregon

Year 1

A steady flow of magnesium over the last 24 hours had dulled her. Her vision was blurry, and she became increasingly tired.

The sense of panic that filled the room was so swift it was difficult to comprehend. I was handed scrubs but had trouble putting them – I was completely disoriented. 

🎶 The Killers – Boy

The Killers – Boy

This was the first song written after we had to cancel the Imploding the Mirage tour due to the pandemic. I had recently moved back to Utah and started to make trips to Nephi, where I grew up. I found that the place I had wanted to get away from so desperately at 16 was now a place that I couldn’t stop returning to. I have a son approaching the age I was at that time in my life. With “Boy,” I want to reach out and tell myself—and my sons—to not overthink it. And to look for the “white arrows” in their lives. For me now, white arrows are my wife, children, my songs and the stage.
- Brandon Flowers 

72 Hours in LA

A Motion Picture Soundtrack

🎶 A Motion Picture Soundtrack (Spotify playlist)

If my life were a movie, this would be the soundtrack. I had intended to give a detailed account of every song and the meaning behind each, but it just became too much. I annoyed myself writing it, so I can only imagine how bad it would be to read it. Regardless, here are some notes/memories about some song selections.

The Strokes
I remember working at Sam Goody in high school and getting to listen to the advance of The Strokes' first album, IS THIS IT. It wasn't like anything I had ever heard. At the time, we were in this dark time for music. It seemed like only two types of music were being made – you had pop music like N'Sync, Britney, and Backstreet... OR this absolutely twisted Rap/Metal genre like Limp Bizkit, Korn, Linkin Park, etc. I think The Strokes helped us escape that darkness, and they've been one of my favorite bands ever since.

The Killers 
The Killers have a lot of real estate on this soundtrack. The acoustic version of Sam's Town is very good. You can feel all the energy and angst of escaping the small town. The Killers' 2nd album is one of my favorite albums of all time. It doesn't get the credit it deserves. It was such a departure from their first album. Flowers and the band completely redefined themselves – they were just coming off of Mr. Brightside fame – which was catchy and super radio friendly. Sam's Town was an entirely different album – it felt like a love letter to America, Bruce Springsteen, and arena rock. 

Runaway Horses is from their latest album and is a super special song to me. We spent nearly a week in the hospital when Sonny was born. Time stopped. It was the scariest time of my life. When we came out, the entire world had changed for us. There was a lot of trauma, but we were so grateful. This song was released that week and felt like it was written for us. I cried the first time I heard it. The lyrics hit really hard on so many levels. I had just had this painting of these wild horses framed – it was my Grandfathers painting, and my parents surprised me with it just a few weeks before we had Sonny. The picture meant so much to me – it's the most vivid memory of growing up and visiting my grandparents, and now it was hanging in my son's room. Watching over him.

Arcade Fire – Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
I remember buying the first Arcade Fire album at Circuit City for $6.99. It was so different than anything else out at the time. It's hard to describe why this song resonates so deeply with me – I've never been able to – it feels like some sort of ancient truth is being expressed in these lyrics. It's so big and beautiful. A religious experience in a song. Purified color. Purified my mind! 

Radiohead 
My first concert was Radiohead. I've included 3 of my favorite Radiohead songs on this soundtrack.

Sigur Ros – Staraflur
I played this for Sonny most nights when he was still in the womb. 

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Little Shadow
This is another song for Sonny.

Jenny Lewis – Acid Tongue
If it's a soundtrack to my movie, it's as much about Steph as it is about me. We've seen her 4 or 5 times live. There is something really beautiful about how she narrates and reflects on her life (all in under 4 minutes).

The Wallflowers – Sleepwalker
Breach is one of my favorite albums of all time. I don't think The Wallflowers get enough praise for this masterpiece. I remember picking this album up with a paycheck from my first job. I was 16 at the time and making pizza at Papa Murphy's. 

Morrissey – Everyday is Sunday
I was driving to work, listening to this specific song. Driving through traffic. The weather was terrible, and I was just admiring how the music reflected my mood and commute. Then, I got slammed into by the car behind me. I laughed as the chorus played because it was perfect. This song has to make the soundtrack. Has to be in the movie.

Pulp – Disco 2000
Pulp is required on this soundtrack. This would be the perfect song to play during the trailer's montage.

Apple is Cooked

Apple Ends Consulting Agreement With Jony Ive, Its Former Design
This coming three years after Tim Cook promises to work "long into the future" with Ive. Tim Cook is fatally uncool.

📡 Signals: Pressure

When you are uncomfortable, super self-conscious, and full of doubt... you are growing.

Pressure is good.

Anxiety is good.

It's all part of it.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Documenting all the changes and travel that has occurred in the last 30-days. Rapid-fire. No structure. Run-on sentences, poor grammar and half-thoughts(!) – see below:

🇲🇽 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
Went to Mexico to celebrate our 10-year anniversary. Every year is better. 

🤵‍♂️ WEDDING!
My brother and all-time best friend got married over the 4th of July weekend. We flew home to Oregon for the event and spent the long weekend with family. Weddings, especially when they are your family members are such a time of reflection. I don't spend much time looking backward or going through memories from the past. As the best man, I had an opportunity to look back and think about all the things I love most about my brother, our relationship, and what he means to me. It was super special and it was a reminder of how lucky I am to have a best friend like him.

🏡 SOLD!
It's wild how you can become so emotionally attached to a structure. Sad to see the bungalow go, but very thankful for all the memories we were able to make there.  

🌲 OREGON!
Not touching on this too much. But we had to leave Sonny with family in Oregon so that Steph could have a procedure here in Denver. Everything went well and she is recovering now. But we will need help for the next 6-weeks and so we'll be splitting time in Portland and Denver. Steph is so strong. Being apart from Sonny has been difficult. A feeling of incompleteness is really the only way to describe it. Every part of my day feels off. Steph flies back to Oregon tomorrow to spend the week. I'll be here. 

If anything, the past month has made me realize how nice it is to be around our families. We've been in Colorado for almost 6-years and autonomy and independence are something we both value – but the support and love we've felt the past month have made us realize how much we miss the west coast. There is also something about seeing Sonny with his family that makes us feel more home.