One thing that goes hand-in-hand with a road trip, though, and that I enjoyed getting a chance to do almost as much as all the things listed above, is simply the act of driving and listening to music. Rocking out behind the wheel of an automobile is something everyone enjoys at least every once in a while, and doing it for an extended period of time is something I look forward to every time I schedule a vacation for myself - cramped legs, sore neck, and high gas prices be damned. Even if you're not on a big road trip, it's still exhilarating - whether you're cruising around town at 30mph with the windows down or setting the cruise control for 75 and barreling down the interstate, the sheer act of movement combines with the energy of what you're listening to and really gives you a rush, if you're doing it right.
Of course, you can't play just anything to get this effect - you have to make sure you have the right tunes for driving. Just like anything involving musical taste, this is vastly different for any given human being. What gives one person that adrenaline rush of combined music and momentum may very well bore or annoy the next person. So, with that caveat in mind, here's a breakdown of my favorite road music and why I love it:
- Catchy, melodic alternative rock/indie rock. Ideally, the best of this stuff combines an energetic, driving instrumental factor with great vocal melodies and good lyrical work - making it perfect to sing along to. This is great for getting weird looks from other drivers. Examples: Silversun Pickups - There's No Secrets This Year; The Airborne Toxic Event - Sometime Around Midnight
- Heavy - and I do mean heavy - metal. For similar reasons to the first genre mentioned, but instead of technical proficiency (or, in many cases, in addition to it), the driveability comes from sheer heaviness. Detuned guitar riffs, double-bass drumming, screamy/growly vocals (as long as they're performed with some degree of talent) . . . there's nothing like headbanging behind the wheel to a great metal band. Examples: Lamb Of God - Contractor; Opeth - Ghost Of Perdition
- Relatively ambient, mood-inducing music. Let's face it, sometimes you're not in the mood for headbanding or sing-alongs; on a rainy or cloudy morning, something more subdued will make your drive just as enjoyable. All kinds of genres fit the bill here, from trip-hop to post-rock - the most important factor is the vibe it sets. (Of course, you have to be careful here - you don't want to put in anything so chilled-out that you fall asleep at the wheel.) Examples: Massive Attack - Everywhen; Explosions In The Sky - It's Natural To Be Afraid
Well... I think I fit in the "Catchy, melodic alternative rock" and "relatively ambient, mood-inducing music" categories. :)
ReplyDeleteI listen to it all, minus very heavy metal and rap. However, I enjoy listening to classical a lot while I'm driving. During one road trip, I listened to the entire Ninth Symphony by Beethoven, and it was incredible to listen to the whole thing straight through instead of jumping to the 4th movement that EVERYONE knows (the "Ode to Joy"). If I'm going to listen to classical, it usually has to be more intense, loud, and fast-paced - i.e. Allegro or Presto movements from Shostakovich's symphonies, Mahler, and insanely difficult piano works by Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin.
However, if I get sleepy from classical, I'll switch CDs or change the songs on my MP3 in the car or listen to the radio. I once listened to a CD of some a cappella choral works by Eric Whitacre, and although I love his music, it almost put me to sleep behind the wheel!