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Top 10 Best Star Trek: The Next Generation Episodes, Part 1: #10-6

The recent passing of the 30th anniversary of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s premiere got me thinking about which episodes of this terrific series are, simply, the best. Now, TNG had 178 episodes (as did DS9 and VOY), so this list took a bit of research to pull together, though I was surprised at how many of these top 10 I could easily recall without any digging whatsoever. Disclosure: I am well known to go back and watch these episodes quasi-regularly because I like them so much.

What makes a “best” episode? Any number of factors that I cannot easily parlay into an explanatory paragraph. Instead, I hope to provide adequate explanation in the description for each entry.

Without further adjustments to the warp core, let’s…

ENGAGE

  1. Cause and Effect (Season 5, Episode 15)

Let’s kick things off with some time travel, shall we? “Cause and Effect” is, of course, the episode notable for starting out like this:

To start the show with the utter destruction of the Enterprise creates such a wonderful number of questions, which the show handles marvelously by simply dumping us into a normal day of operations an instant later. Time travel gets used a lot on the various Trek shows, but often isn’t used all that well.

I am something of a stickler for time travel in science fiction: if you’re going to use it either use it responsibly with solid rules or just don’t use it at all. This episode is one of the best uses of time travel in all of Trek because it creates a simple problem: you are trapped in a loop reliving the day leading up to a mortal catastrophe over and over again. How do you break free? How do you even recognize that there’s a loop?

The iterative changes to the same day occurring repeatedly build suspense until, along with Data, you recognize the answer to the problem at the same moment. It’s suspenseful but also just a good science fiction story. There are a lot of great episodes that didn’t make it on this list in favor of this one―episodes with better stories or more impactful allusions―but “Cause and Effect” makes it on the list for simply being one of the most fun episodes in TNG’s library.

Deal with it.

  1. Yesterday’s Enterprise (Season 3, Episode 15)

Otherwise known as “that episode with the shiny belts” or “the one where Tasha comes back,” “Yesterday’s Enterprise” is another good time travel piece built around the idea of what would change if a single important block was removed from the Jenga tower of history.

Many people would have this episode in their top 5 (even their #1!), but I’ve never been quite as crazy about it as them. Sorry! That said, it is one of the greatest TNG episodes by virtue of good storytelling, good acting (Picard’s “things are going very poorly for us” speech), and simultaneously sending off Denise Crosby (Tasha) properly while also introducing a shocking plot point later in the show’s run.

Additionally, it does something all good history-shuffling time travel scifi should do and shows us the perils of heroes gone missing. The galaxy without the Enterprise C’s sacrifice at Narendra III is one of war and horror. Making the sacrifices necessary to amend time and believing that things could truly be better are great messages of hope.

Finally, fun fact: this episode was originally going to be WAY MORE GRAPHIC. They were gonna decapitate Wesley! Fry Data! Show Riker dying brutally! All at WORF’S HANDS!

WHAT.

  1. All Good Things (Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26)

AKA: “the one with old everybody,” “the one with Q’s perfect delivery of the word ‘goo,’” “the one where the Enterprise gets a death cannon.”

The finale of TNG had to make this list. I’m quite picky about show finales, as they bear massive weight for the longevity of the show in question. Sure, a great show with a bad finale is still a great show, but the crap finale will always stick with you because it’s where the characters have been left. It’s the moment that determines what hope you have for them going forward (if any).

“All Good Things” does TNG justice as a finale.

Another time travel episode in its own way, “All Good Things” allows us to see where TNG started, where it currently is, and where it’s characters are going. Q returns with some terrific dialogue and scene-chewing, bookending the series marvelously.

The best part, however, is at the very end of the episode when Picard sits down to play poker with the rest of the senior staff. You feel the camaraderie between the actors, you feel the significance of the 7 years that have come before, and you believe in the hope that these individuals will make better choices than those that led them to the broken future seen earlier in the episode.

Which is exactly what happens 🙂

  1. Chain of Command (Season 6, Episodes 10 & 11)

AKA:

Sometimes (or maybe often), the best episodes of a show aren’t the ones that are the most fun. Sometimes they’re the episodes that most challenge our preconceptions, ideas, and beliefs, forcing us to reevaluate our position on an issue or issues. “Chain of Command” is such an episode. Sent on a secret mission, Picard is captured and tortured by Cardassians seeking to gain military intelligence from him. Over the course of this two-parter, we witness what happens to the Enterprise crew when a different captain is in command, and we see a man we’ve come to respect for his strength (among other things) be brought low and nearly broken.

What sticks with me though, past Picard’s defiance in the face of torture, is the little conversation he has with Troi at the very end. She’s discussing how very difficult it will be for him to process what he’s been through, and he reveals that, in the end, he really did see five lights though there were only four. The torture had truly harmed him and damaged his psyche; only his sheer willpower gave him the ability to remain defiant. As a proud supporter of Amnesty International, Patrick Stewart put a large amount of research and effort into this episode’s portrayal of torture.

It shows.

  1. Sins of the Father (Season 3, Episode 17)

While it still lived largely in the world of “every episode returns to the status quo,” TNG did have a number of series-arching plot threads that would pave the way for shows like DS9, where basically the last 4 seasons were one overarching plot thread. Perhaps the best of these threads follows the Klingons as they rise from the “black hat” of The Original Series to become a relatively complex culture in TNG. “Sins of the Father” is the episode that launches all of those threads, not to mention the massive Klingon plotlines of DS9’s later seasons (which are also GREAT).

Worf learns that he has a brother―after thinking his entire family died when he was a child―but more than that, he learns that his father has been accused of treason leading to the death of thousands (plus his own). What follows over the next hour is a conspiracy that sought to place the blame on Worf’s family because he lived among humans in lieu of placing the true blame on a family so powerful that accusing it of treason would tear the Klingon Empire apart.

More importantly than that, however, this episode provides the first major inroads for Worf as a character that would go on to be the most appearing character in ALL of Star Trek, not to mention the biggest building block to the deep friendship he and Picard come to have.

It’s good scifi, redeems the Klingon race from TOS, and gives us terrific character plotlines for seasons to come.

Conclusion

Well, if you’ve read this far, congratulations! You now know way more about my Star Trek thoughts than most. In any event, we’ve come to the end of this list, with the Top 5 to be a separate post next week. Make sure to bookmark this blog, follow me on Twitter (@Dreamertide) or Twitch (BastianGrim), and come back next time for more talk of writing, science fiction, and random musings!

For more content right now, check out the main page HERE.

Thanks for reading!

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Top 10 Lyrics, Part 2: #5-1

And I’m back with the second half of my list of the Top 10 Best Lyrics!

Last time, I kicked things off with lyrics from songs all over the emotional spectrum, and today won’t be any different. To recap, here’s the songs lyrics were pulled from last week:

  • “Stressed Out” – Twenty One Pilots
  • “The Temptation of Adam” – Josh Ritter
  • “Pluto” – Sleeping At Last
  • “Who Do You Say I Am” – Pas Neos
  • “Leave The Light On” – Chris Smither

Song: “Audience of One”

Artist: Rise Against

Lyrics:

“I brought down the sky for you, but all you did was shrug”

Rise Against is one of those groups that continually please me with the poetry of their lyrics. I could easily put together a list of lyrics I really enjoy just from their songs alone, but this is not that list. In any event, think about this line. In the context of the song, it drives forward the overall narrative. What I really want to discuss, though, is the potency of the line by itself.

Taken out of context, these words are such a damning description of a relationship in which one party has given their everything only to be met by the indifference of the other. Frustration and anger may be there, but sadness remains the primary emotion I feel when I hear this part of the song. I would love a character in a novel to be the subject of this type of description.

Song: “The Sound of Silence”

Artist: Simon & Garfunkel

Lyrics:

“And the people bowed and prayed // to the neon god they made”

“The Sound of Silence” is one of the best written indictments of modern society’s failings in recent history. The entire song is a masterclass of excellent wordplay and imagery (“words of the prophets are written on the subway walls”), but this pair of lines takes the prize.

I love allegory, symbolism, and works in the style of Paradise Lost or Dante’s Inferno. In fact, I wrote an epic poem of my own as a modern take on that style. The phrasing and frustration of these words aligns with that of my own work and others like it from long, long ago. In its own way, I hold this song thematically in the same mental category as works like those I’ve mentioned. These lyrics are the major reason why.

Song: “The River, the Woods”

Artist: Astronautalis

Lyrics:

“A sinking ship is still a ship, no captain spoke the obit
Till the crew is flew, crow’s nest slips silent beneath the ocean.
We set sail without an anchor, we count upon that never stop
An anchor’s just a coffin nail, waiting for that hammer drop”

I found Astronautalis by accident when I was a teenager and didn’t really like it. Then I started truly listening to the lyrics and found brilliance in several of the tracks. While there’s still a lot by this artist that I’m not fond of, this song is amazing. In four lines, he conveys a stunning attitude of defiance and encouragement. These words urge you to keep going, keep striving, keep pushing against the tide. They want you to fight against the desire to stop and stagnate. And likening an anchor to a coffin nail “waiting for that hammer drop” with the rhyme structure?

Gorgeous.

Song: “The Hounds”

Artist: The Protomen

Lyrics:

“What kind of man builds a machine to kill a girl?
No he did not use his hands
Like a smart man, he used a tool,
But just the same,
How can you question who’s to blame?
(Investigators:) What was her name?
It doesn’t matter”

Alright, you’ve probably never heard this song or heard of this band, and for that I am so so sorry. The Protomen are terrific. Go look them up. Right now.

“The Hounds” is one of the best villain songs ever written and terrifically performed. Set in a driving swing beat, it refers to the police coming at the call of the story’s villain who has just killed a man’s wife, framing on that man in the process. This chunk from the second verse, is brilliantly cold and confident, displaying the personality of a person who would do such an evil thing for his own gain. He spins a web of convincing lies and when confronted with a real question (What’s the name of the woman that died?), he brushes it immediately aside as irrelevant. It’s incredible and awesome and brilliant because it’s terrifying.

HONORABLE MENTION:

“When I say he was a monster,
When I set fire to his name,
It does not matter where you hear it from―
Whether truth or lies,
It gets said all the same”

An honorable mention entry from the same track (which is incredible and you should listen to it), this one gets right to the heart of why “fake news” is so dangerous, though it came out years before the term. Regardless of whether or not it’s true, the fact that it is being said and heard carries SO MUCH POWER. This entire song is built on the back of that power and stands as a horrific testament to what a person can do when they utilize the most potent force in existence―language―to serve evil.

Song: “Lift the Curse”

Artist: Astronautalis

Lyrics:

“There ain’t no magic in materials
The magic’s in our words
That we whisper in each other’s ears
To make diamonds out of dirt”

Find me better lyrics to convey the vitality and onus put on us as writers. Bet you can’t. This phrase carries both the incredible privilege and incredible danger of what we do. Through our command of language, we can take the mundane, average, and awful to turn it into something beautiful: literally making something good out of nothing or less. But within that ability also rests the power to destroy by using the gift to lie, cheat, and steal.

Both versions of this gift have made enormous impacts on this world. These lyrics remind me to only use this power for good.

But seriously though.

Well, that’s the list! Hop into the comments below or tell me on Twitter whether I included some of your choices (and if not, tell me what your favorite lyrics are!)

For more Top 10s and thoughts on writing, check out the main page HERE.

Thanks for reading, and see you next week!

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Top 10 Lyrics, Part 1: #10-6

There are many kinds of writing in the general consciousness, with novels, screenplays, and non-screen plays generally taking the limelight. That said, many songs bear writing of equal or superior caliber to their non-musically inclined brethren. Since I started out with a deep dive into poetry writing before I got into novels, I’ve always had a soft spot for lyrics that transcend the musical form to simply become poetry. The best examples reverberate with or without backing tracks, instrumentals, and the notes they were crafted to fit. Or they’re just clever. Or moving. You get the idea.

Side note, except where specified, I am not referring to the lyrics of an ENTIRE SONG. Just a snippet that nails it entirely.

Here are my Top 10 Lyrics, #10-6:


Song: “Stressed Out”
Artist: Twenty One Pilots

 

Lyrics:
“Out of student loans and tree-house homes we all would take the latter”

Honestly, this one makes the list for being true and clever. I am a sucker for great wordplay, and this little riff toward the end of “Stressed Out” scratches the itch. As a young professional working to get a career, money, life things, etc., I empathize with the idealistic dreams of my younger self. I remember every hope and wish that seem so far-fetched now, in an adult world full of challenges and difficulties. Of course, I would take the childhood dreams―the “tree-house homes”―over that.

But the best part? How do you get into a tree house? A ladder.

Man I love wordplay.

Song: “The Temptation of Adam”
Artist: Josh Ritter

Lyrics:
“We could hold each other close and stay up every night
Looking up into the dark like it’s the night sky
And pretend this giant missile is an old oak tree instead
And carve our name in hearts into the warhead.”

I love all of this song. Josh Ritter has an incredible gift for telling a gripping love story about characters in unusual situations with a single song (see this or the also amazing “The Curse”). While many of the lyrics in this track are sublime, this stanza takes the cake. A character trying to convince his love to stay in the missile silo describes a beautiful scene they could make together: an adaptation and riff on the classic romcom scene of laying together and looking at the stars. The circumstances and details, though, make a WORLD of difference.

You can feel the character’s hope and desire to make the best of the lot they’ve cast. And, moreover, when I hear these words, I see it. I can see a couple lying on the metal catwalk surrounding a nuclear missile, staring into the unlit dark behind which lies a world at war. As the camera pans up and out from them, it spins to show a heart crudely scratched into the nuclear missile’s plating bearing their names.

Feels achieved.

Song: “Pluto”
Artist: Sleeping At Last

Lyrics:
“Still I’m pinned under the weight
Of what I believed would keep me safe.
Show me where my armor ends,
Show me where my skin begins”

Sleeping At Last writes beautiful tracks that drive toward our emotional and spiritual heart. This track, from the lovely album Atlas: Space, conveys the difficulty of living with anxiety and depression better than any other track I’ve heard. We often do things to “help” ourselves that only do more harm because we’re afraid of being hurt or hurt more. Eventually, those choices can pile up and bury us, making things so much worse than they otherwise would have been. In the battle to be “happy” and avoid suffering, we can wind up becoming so focused on the fight, that we lose track of who we really are in the process.

This album came out when I was working through personal challenges, and when I heard these lyrics, I broke down and wept. Because it got me. Straight through the heart. I had buried myself under things that were supposed to save me. For that, I will always adore these words.

Song: “Who Do You Say I Am”
Artist: Pas Neos

Lyrics:
“It’s not like we hadn’t thought it before.
It’s not like the signs had escaped us;
every day was a wonder and a question to be answered for.
It’s not like we hadn’t had the long conversations when He went off to pray―
It just became clear, just became clear,
It struck us all in turn
When the answer appeared and our spirits burned.”

I like to consider how people reacted to circumstances that we’ve only ever thought of from one perspective. In this track, Pas Neos goes through the thought process of the disciples of Jesus Christ as they grapple with the revelation that He is the Son of God. The tight rhyming pattern allows the words to flow rapidly when read or performed, driving the feeling of anxiety, surprise, and shock.

What really pushes me over the edge with these lyrics, though, is the final line. Up until then, it’s a group of people admitting that they had been questioning, wondering, trying to deduce what was true. The finale, however, describes in a flash the moment of realization and how that instant felt. I love the perspective, the focus on tight wording, and the rhythm. But that feeling described―“our spirits burned”―lingers in my imagination.

Song: “Leave The Light On”
Artist: Chris Smither

Lyrics:
“These races that we’ve run were not for glory―
No moral to this story―
We run for peace of mind
But the race we’re running now is never-ending―
Since space and time are bending
And there’s no finish line”

Let’s just get out of the way that this song is full of terrific wordplay and you should listen to it. Go on, click the link below. I’ll wait.

Welcome back! This song follows the life of a 67-year-old man, and his observations are poignant, funny, and fascinating. This stanza, though, ponders a wider question that I find interesting: why do we do what we’re doing? Why do we fight, strive, love, live, die?

Maybe it’s just for peace of mind. Or maybe something more. Either way, I love the way this song gets me to ponder those concepts.

 

That’s the first half of the list! Come back next week for my favorite lyrics of all time! Some of them are classics and some of them I hope you’ve never heard before. After all, little is more fun that discovering something good and new.

Before you go, make sure to let me know in the comments what your favorite lyrics are and share this with anyone that loves great wordplay in music. I’d love to hear their thoughts, too.

For more content, head back to the main page HERE.

Thanks for reading and see you next week!

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The Best Music Covers (According to Me) Part 2: (#5-1)

Welcome back! Picking up from last week, let’s talk about my five favorite cover songs! I shared 10-6 last week and will recap them here:

10. Walking on a Dream – Artist: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Album: Spotify Singles – Cover Of: Empire of the Sun
9.   I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – Artist: Sleeping At Last – Album: Covers, Vol. 1 – Cover Of: The Proclaimers
8.   Land of Confusion – Artist: Disturbed – Album: Ten Thousand Fists – Cover of: Genesis
7.   Time After Time – Artist: Quietdrive – Album: When All That’s Left Is You – Cover of: Cyndi Lauper
6.   What Is Love – Artist: Kiesza – Album: Sound of a Woman – Cover Of: Haddaway

For the most part, I enjoy finding covers that are somewhat outside of the “mainstream.” Nonetheless, some are simply so astoundingly wonderful that they needed be on this list. Most of this top 5 qualifies. Let’s get into it!

  1. Say Something – Artist: Pentatonix – Single – Cover Of: A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera

Ah, Pentatonix. I watched every season of NBC’s The Sing-Off, and Pentatonix was easily the best group to compete within those auspices. I’ve also had the opportunity to see them live, and they’re every bit as good as their studio recordings. The quality of their harmonies, the passion they bring to each performance, and their arrangements are top notch. Ultimately, however, some of their arrangements are much better than others. This one is the best. It makes wonderful use of each vocalist and truly carries the emotional angst of the lyrics through the performance. The only Pentatonix song that I would even consider as better arranged is their rendition of “Dog Days Are Over” from The Sing-Off. But I like this one more.

  1. The Sound of Silence – Artist: Disturbed – Album: Immortalized – Cover Of: Simon & Garfunkel

Alright, so this is the second time that Disturbed has shown up in this list. In all honesty, I am barely familiar with the band, being able to name one original song (the ubiquitous “Down With the Sickness”) outside of these two covers. But here’s the thing. “The Sound of Silence” is a brilliant and brutal condemnation of a society losing its way. Sound at all familiar? What surprised me the first time I listened to this cover, and honestly gives me chills, is how singer David Draiman uses grunge/metal-inspired inflection to amplify the eeriest lyrics. Seriously, listen to this track and tell me you don’t feel something when he sings the words “And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made.” I bet you can’t honestly. That’s kudos to the original songwriters (much kudos) and kudos to David’s performance.

  1. Kids – Artist: Lady Danville – Single – Cover Of: MGMT

Some of these songs I found by specifically looking for covers of songs I was not otherwise fond of. This is not one of those. While it’s not a favorite, the original track by MGMT is uniquely enjoyable, and the lyrics are terrific. When I found this cover featuring acoustic guitar, piano, and harmonizing vocals…well, just listen to it. Yes, I like it more than the original.

  1. Little Lion Man – Artist: Tonight Alive – Album: Punk Goes Pop 4 – Cover Of: Mumford & Sons

I know, I know. Number 2 on the list is from one of those compilation albums they sell at Kohl’s. But have you listened to this song?! I cannot even convey how blown away I was the first time I heard this. I was chewing through all of the cover compilation albums I could find while curating my Covers playlist, generally listening to the first 30-45 seconds and moving on. And then I hit this track 4 albums in. I don’t even. I LOVE the intersection of her voice with the heavy instrumentation. I love the way they mimic banjo and mandolin plucking with electric guitar squeedilies (technical term).

I adore this track. It somehow utterly re-envisions the original and remains true to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCyxbf85SXY

  1. Hurt – Artist: Johnny Cash – Album: Unearthed – Cover Of: Nine Inch Nails

No other song could be at the top of this list or any other list of the best cover songs. There is no other. I would challenge you to find a better cover, but you can’t. This is it. The pain, emotion, and regret that made the song so poignant for songwriter Trent Reznor reaches an unbelievable new level when taken up by Johnny Cash. Yeah, I put a Spotify link, but watch the Youtube video if you can. Watch Johnny’s eyes. Watch his wife’s. This is the best cover ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt1Pwfnh5pc

Conclusion

Well, this list got a little intense at the end, there. But you appear to have survived whatever feels may have rolled your way. Make sure to tell me if you agree or disagree with my rankings here! And if you disagree, you HAVE to tell me what you would put where. It’s a rule. Look it up.

For the first half of this list, in case you missed it, check HERE.

For more posts about, well, everything, check HERE.

For my full Covers playlist (30+ tracks), click HERE.

And, as always, thanks for reading!

 

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The Best Music Covers (According to Me) Part 1: (#10-6)

Welcome to another Top 10 List! I really enjoyed putting together the last one, so I thought I would do another. I did learn several things, though, such as splitting the post in half so that it isn’t the longest thing ever conceived. Thus, I give you today’s post on:

Christopher’s Top 10 Music Covers (#10-6)

Covers. When executed poorly, you’re back in high school watching that terrible band (you know the one) playing Red Hot Chili Peppers songs with too much energy and too little talent. When executed well, however, you have a piece of art being reinterpreted by another artist to amplify some part of the composition. As a crazy person that enjoys endlessly curating music playlists, I have spent many hours listening to covers. I once spent three hours listening to the first 45 seconds of every “Chandelier” (by Sia) cover I could find, hoping to discover one (JUST ONE) person who could do her chorus justice. And I eventually did! My point is that I have listened to a lot of covers in the search for ones that are truly good (and that does not mean that the originals are bad).

What does good mean in this case? A few possibilities:

  • First, it must be a musically sound composition and arrangement.
  • Second, it must be transformative. The best covers—in my mind—are those that display the artistic intent and talent of the creator by adapting the original piece into something else. Countless folks do exact covers (or as close as they can get), but these rarely move me. I can be impressed with your ability to play and/or sing, but what I really want to hear is how the song would have been had you written it. This list takes that into consideration.
  • Third, it must be fun. Fun can mean three things in this usage that I will quickly set out.
    • A: Make the song more beautiful/impactful
    • B: Make the true meaning of the song clearer, more distinct, or more poetic
    • C: Make the song more entertaining or amusing

That all said (thanks for trucking through), I give you one final caveat: these are full lyrical covers. There are TONS of terrific instrumental covers of songs, but this list isn’t for them. If there’s enough interest, I can do a separate list to cover my Top 10 Instrumental Covers. Just throw that in the comments or on Twitter.

Alright, let’s go!

  1. Walking on a Dream – Artist: Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness – Album: Spotify Singles – Cover Of: Empire of the Sun

There are a few songs on this list that I honestly had never truly listened to until I heard the cover, and this is one of them. I am a softy: a hopeless romantic, a shipper, a lover of love. The lyrics and heart of this song are wonderful, but the original never really conveyed them to me meaningfully. I kid you not: I never understood the lyrics until I came across this cover. Those who read my Top 10 Songs to Write To have likely deduced that I love piano, which this version satisfies in spades. It remains referential to the original melodically but gives better emphasis on the heart of the song: its lyrics. Also, I just enjoy Andrew McMahon’s style (“Dark Blue” by Jack’s Mannequin is an old favorite of mine).

  1. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – Artist: Sleeping At Last – Album: Covers, Vol. 1 – Cover Of: The Proclaimers

Sleeping At Last, if you aren’t familiar with him, is a terrific artist with a gift for considering the heart of a song and getting right to it. Everyone has heard the original version of this song. Everyone. The funny thing is that upon hearing this cover for the first time, I did not recognize it at all. Not because the instrumentation had changed so dramatically (though it had) but because I could not believe the original was so sweet of a song. Stripping out the over produced synth of the ‘80s, we get a quiet, emphatic declaration of love and dedication. Still can’t believe this is what that song was always about.

  1. Land of Confusion – Artist: Disturbed – Album: Ten Thousand Fists – Cover of: Genesis

I’ve known about this cover for a long time but still can’t get over it. Honestly, I think “Land of Confusion” was written to be a metal song. It’s so perfect. Replacing the ‘80s synth with heavy electric guitar, using metal drum rhythms instead of an electro-drum kit, and slightly retooling to fit the vocal style Disturbed utilizes could not have worked out better. Given what this song is about (and how it’s suddenly become incredibly appropriate again), the metal edge helps to push its indignant, righteous anger and message forward. Also, it’s simply fun to listen to.

  1. Time After Time – Artist: Quietdrive – Album: When All That’s Left Is You – Cover of: Cyndi Lauper

While I am not what anyone would call a metal fan, I definitely enjoy the style from time to time (heh). I, like many people,

really enjoy this song. Taking it in more of a punk metal direction gives me the opportunity to crank the volume and feel like the song is all around me, a sensation I adore. It’s a fairly straight cover otherwise, but the instrumentation changes make it unique enough to be transformative. Plus it’s executed well, which is always good.

  1. What Is Love – Artist: Kiesza – Album: Sound of a Woman – Cover Of: Haddaway

I love that this exists. The original, a seminal one-hit-wonder, thrummed with synth and bass, driving SO MANY DANCE FLOORS YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW. And, actually, neither do I since I was 4 when this song released. I actually prefer one of the later Haddaway remixes to the original, and I prefer this cover to that. Imagine grabbing a song that we, as a culture, have made into a joke

and taking it really, really seriously. What if, instead of a recursive dance motivator, the question was asked honestly? What if synths became strings and echoed male vocals transmuted to a pensive woman’s crooning? You get this song, that’s what.

—

And there we have the first half of my Top 10 Music Covers. If you liked these, make sure to check back next week for the second half! Leave your favorite covers in the comments below, and see if you can guess my Top 5!

For more of my thoughts on music (or just more Top 10 lists), check out my Top 10 Songs to Write To! For other posts about everything else, check out the main page HERE.

Thanks for reading!

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Life Needs a Soundtrack (and so do my stories)

The Internet loves “Top 10 Lists,” and depending on the topic, so do I. Given this state of affairs, I thought I would make some of my own and share them here from time to time. Thus, without further ado, I give you…

Christopher’s Top 10 Songs to Write To!
(At Least Right Now)

I adore music.

I listen to loads of it everyday, create tons of playlists, and curate them weekly (if not daily). Moreover, I’ve been a percussionist since I was 11—I’ve been a concert snare drummer, a drumline leader, and part of a band for years. While drumming, my nickname is Animal, in case you were curious.

My point is that I always have music on my mind. It’s a vital element of my creative process, and though I can go without if I’m really in flow, music often brings out my best.

With my love of curating music, it was only natural that I would start building tons of playlists full of songs to write to. (Thanks for fueling an addiction, Spotify.) Inevitably, those initial lists lead to more refined versions of songs I really like to write to, and then I finally burn off the chaff to get the songs I really like to write to. Naturally, these change over time; I have yet to meet someone who has had the same favorite song for their entire life. (If you are that person, please comment what song it is and why! I would truly love to know.) For right now, here are my Top 10 Favorite Songs to Write To and, just so you know going in, all 10 songs are instrumental:

(Note: If a Spotify play button isn’t working, try closing your Spotify and then clicking the button again. Seems to fix it! If you don’t have Spotify, I put in Youtube links where possible 🙂 )

  1. Interstellar Space – Artist: Adam Young – Album: Voyager 1
    Yes, this is the Adam Young also known as Owl City. Each month in 2016, Adam put out a soundtrack inspired by a major historical event. Naturally, as the title would suggest, this one commemorates the launch of the Voyager 1 satellite, which is neat in and of itself. That said, as a science fiction writer, I love the way this song makes me think of deep space through synthesizers, soaring melodies, and the ebb and flow of discovery. Consider each lull the gap between systems or cosmic objects, and each burst of strings the horizon of a new world.

  1. To Me – Artist: Jizue – Album: Story

I’ve only recently discovered Jizue, a Japanese quartet whose style ranges from jazz to experimental to post-rock to math-rock to electronica. It took about 8 seconds for me to become enamored with them. Like a good story (What an aptly named album!), the song builds layers into an ever more beautiful whole. My favorite Jizue tracks have a complex piano melody at their core, and “To Me” is no exception. Also, resonant piano bass lines just make me happy.

  1. CSM-LM Docking – Artist: Adam Young – Album: Apollo 11

Adam Young is back! Apollo 11 is actually the first historical soundtrack that he composed, and this track is the first I discovered. While the entire album does a remarkable job at conveying each step of the Apollo 11 mission, this track remains my favorite. A steady, recurring bass line drives forward the importance of the effort while overarching bells, guitar, and strings build the excitement as a technological marvel takes place. I particularly like listening on loop while writing about a character trying to handle some intense task.

  1. Sister – Artist: Jizue – Album: Bookshelf

I swear this list is not just songs by Adam Young and Jizue! They just so happen to be the first four. And also, they are really good, so you have no reason to be upset. Another terrific track from another awesomely named album. A beautiful piano melody frolics through the core of this song with jazz percussion building throughout. When the long crescendo finally peaks, the resulting melodies intertwine into something captivating. If you close your eyes to listen, you can make out the silhouette of two characters that have overcome much and look now upon the future laid out before them. Well, at least that’s what I see.

  1. Believe in the Kingdom – Artist: King Arthur – Album: Believe in the Kingdom

A strong piano riff starts this one off as further layers are added to elevate the composition into something hopeful. You could play this song as Aragorn recognizes Gandalf at the top of the ridge in Helm’s Deep, flanked by Éomer and his men. It’s that cool of a song.

  1. To Take …To Hold – Artist: Yanni – Album: Love Songs (Also 4 or 5 others)

Fun Fact: When I was a wee lad, my mom showed me a video of Yanni performing live at the Acropolis with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. I had never been exposed to music of that type and composition before, and I became obsessed with it. I decided then and there to take up playing an instrument, which led to me becoming a percussionist (Thanks, Charlie Adams!) and teaching myself to play piano as well. Though I hold many Yanni songs in high esteem, this one will always be my favorite. I like to put it on while I work on close emotional scenes between characters, especially in affectionate moments. The soft melody conveys care and love to me, better inspiring me to write such feeling into my creations.

  1. Old Story – Artist: Jizue – Album: Story

Alright, this is the last song by Jizue in this list, I swear. Also from Story (Have I mentioned how great an album this is?), this track has everything. It builds out of two interconnected piano melodies with terrific percussion amplifying the ebb and flow. As the song hits each crescendo, cymbals and toms come to the fore, driving things forward. And then, halfway through, everything drops. Just piano remains. From this point of quiet, the song rebuilds itself, gorgeously, into soaring melodies and harmonies with guitar, percussion, and piano each vital in holding it all aloft. I adore this song, and love writing to it. Especially when I’m drafting scenes of redemption. Finally, starting at around 5:45 there is a small piano run that gives me goosebumps with how perfectly it breaks from and meshes into everything else.

  1. Song for Bob – Artist: Nick Cave, Warren Ellis – Album: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

I listen to a lot of movie soundtracks (Feel free to ask if you ever want suggestions for good ones!), to find songs like this. “Song for Bob” has been in my “Favorite Songs to Write To” lists since I started writing novels. It is mournful, pained, and lovely. As it grows, I feel emotion transitioning from solely defeat or loss into introspection and, eventually, hope. Ironically, I’ve never watched the film this is from, but I almost feel like that’s better. The song isn’t connected to a specific character in my mind, though I assume something unfortunate befell poor Bob, and so I put this on whenever I want to dive into difficult emotional scenes where characters are grappling with themselves. Several of the most intense moments of Conduit were written to this track on repeat.

  1. Captain Edward Smith – Artist: Adam Young – Album: RMS Titanic

And here we have the last Adam Young entry on this list. Named for the captain of the most fateful voyage ever, this track comes before any hardships and, through sound alone, introduces the dignity, experience, and intensity of its titular individual. When the piano comes in after a few seconds, it always soothes me. “Captain Edward Smith” speaks to me of honor, patience, and reserved dignity. I can see someone looking out over the bow of a historic ship, with only clear waters ahead. That sentiment has wound its way into several of my works over time, and I am glad for it. Fair warning, however: unlike the other Adam Young albums mentioned in this list, RMS Titanic gets predictably intense. I would not recommend its entirety for writing or relaxing purposes. Icebergs, you know?

  1. Lotus Land – Artist: Philter – Album: The Legend of Iya (Original Game Score)

I could listen to this song forever. Seriously. While it is not my favorite song of all time, it has been my favorite song for writing over the entirety of Conduit’s drafting. The melodic piano intro that breaks into deep, resonant strings speaks of mystery and exploration. Harmonizing vocals use the voice as an instrument without words; conveying that sensation of the unknown and titillating the senses. More than once have I listened to this 3-minute track on repeat for over an hour while drafting. It seamlessly helps me slide into flow, where I lose myself completely in the world and characters I’m creating. Philter, well done. This song is superb, and if I ever put together a list that represents Conduit, I want this track on it.



So there you go! My Top 10 Favorite Songs To Write To (right now)! As times change, I’ll update this list in new articles, so you can see where I’m going, musically speaking. If you’d like to hear all of these songs and a few others that I particularly enjoy for writing purposes, check out the Power Writing list on my Spotify here:

Definitely leave your thoughts and your favorite songs to write to in the comments here or tweet them to me using @Dreamertide. I want to know what gets you into the flow of writing!

Finally, for more articles about writing, the world, and my take on them, you can head back to this site’s homepage HERE.

Thanks for reading, and good listening to you!