When I’m writing, I like to listen to music.
Groundbreaking, huh?1
I realize this isn’t exactly an innovative practice. Nevertheless, I tend to prefer instrumental music when I write, since music with lyrics—especially music you haven’t heard before—can sometimes be distracting as my brain tries to process what it is I’m listening to. I’m partial to soundtracks, too, particularly those that strike a defined mood.
Here us a taste of what I’ve been listening to lately as I write Uneasy Citizenship and prepare some other projects:
Soundtrack from The Social Network (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross)
Currents (Tame Impala)
Soundtrack from Arrival (Johann Johannsson)
The Blue Notebooks (Max Richter)
Soundtrack from The Mission (Ennio Morricone)
The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place (Explosions in the Sky)
Finally, I’ve had this song stuck in my head since it aired last week during one of the final episodes of maybe my favorite television show ever, Better Call Saul. It’s from Mike Nesmith of The Monkees, although this version is apparently an early demo recording that isn’t even available on Spotify. Here’s hoping that changes soon.
This whole setup reminded me of one of my favorite articles from The Onion, where it roasted the pretentious music criticism publication Pitchfork: “Pitchfork Gives Music 6.8”