Managing Expectations

     Most folks who know me would say I’m a pessimist. Even as a small boy I displayed an almost compulsive need to manage expectations. I figured out young that it is better to be pleasantly surprised then brutally disappointed.

     For the most part this philosophy has served me pretty well; bad service doesn’t faze me, mean spirited comments roll of my back and crappy movies don’t piss me off, because I kind of expect all of these things.         

(Except for this. You broke my heart, George)

            My father, who knows me a bit better then most, claims I am not, in  fact a pessimist.

           “You’re a romantic,” he told me a few years back. “Unfortunately you can’t reconcile what you think the world should be with what you see every day.”

            “What’s your point?” ask the only three readers who aren’t related to me and there for aren’t legally obligated to put up with my crap. “Why are you subjecting us, your loyal following of three, to this self indulgent navel gazing drivel?”

            To make a point about music of course!

            For years the only expectations I refused to manage were my feelings on the upcoming releases of my favorite artists.

            In middle school and High School I eagerly awaited the chance to listen to the follow ups to albums like the Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever Say I Am That’s What I’m Not, Green Day’s Warning and though I am a little ashamed to admit it now, Stained’s 14 Shades of Grey. (For the record I spent 15 minutes tracking down the most weirdest most emo video I could possibly find for this last link, its worth watching for the cringe factor alone.) 

            Each of these groups chased these shots of top shelf  sonic tequila with what I can only describe as the flattest, most watered down musical O’Dules. I’m not going to share links to each of these bands’ follow up albums, because I didn’t like them and neither should you.  

I think the poor kids from The Arctic Monkeys just got a case of the sophomore blues with Favourite Worst Nightmare, because they are still one of my FAVORITE bands; Green Day decided to get all political and rock operay with American Idiot, and I figure if your first album is called Dookie, you are not allowed to write rock operas or comment on politics (Side note: If you disagree, please leave a comment I’ve wanted to start this fight ever since I started blogging) and Stained came out with… well honestly I don’t know because after high school I never listened to stained again.

            These, and a myriad of other mediocre showings by bands I liked (I’m looking at you Audioslave and System of a Down) rammed into the blind spot music once occupied in my armored car of cynicism.

            I still enjoy new music of course, but as I’ve grown older I’ve learned to approach it with much more caution. That way, when The Strokes release an 80s dance album I can just shake my head and rant about it on the internet instead of throwing things at my friends, family and coworkers.

            On the other hand, my cynicism has robbed me of that anticipation I used to feel when a new album comes out. When Jack White put out Blunderbuss last year I approached the whole affair very seriously. I sat in my room and listened to it, analyzing each song for its merits and shortcomings as if I wrote for Rollingstone or AP Press or Spin.

            It took me 4 listens before I decided that I liked the album. How freaking sad is that?

            Even if I do one day write about music for a living (i.e. if everyone who reads this shares it with every friend they have and force them to share it with their friends and so on) I never, ever want to stop being a fan.

If loving music ever becomes difficult; becomes work, you should probably take off the headphones go into the bathroom look deeply into your own eyes in the mirror and say, “I will not be a pretentious douchebag,” 5 times. Turn that into your daily mantra, until you start feeling feelings again. I started my own pretention recovery about a year ago when I started this blog. I’m taking it “one day at a time” as they say and my outlook is a bit brighter

   Queens of the Stone Age have a new album out. From what I’ve seen on YouTube it’s pretty incredible, but due to my current work situation I have not been able to pick up a copy. Thankfully I have good friends who send me care packages and I will be able to listen to it all the way through soon.

I’m pretty excited about it, which for me is kind of a big deal.