My brother Brad is currently spending a year-long retreat in Colorado as part of seminary. As a result, I have been sending him a bunch of snail-mail letters. This week, I’m honoring seven songs that remind me of him. My reflections will be in epistolary form, and I’ll actually print them out and mail them.

Dear Brad,

I don’t even know where you found all these songs. You, Will, and Patrick would dig up these songs like once a month, each one better than the last. “I Don’t Love You Anymore” by Bomb the Music Industry. “Welcome to New York” by Scott Klopfenstein. Etc.

One of my favorites is “13.4 Miles” by Homeocming Queens. It’s slower than most ska, giving a contemplative vibe perfect for Sunday ruminating and a cup of tea. The horn line that builds to the chorus is powerful and gorgeous, one of my favorites. I love the way it hops to a higher octave. The vocals sounds more like Sinatra crooning than anything in a ska or punk subgenre.

It blends together to form a beautiful little song, one I’ve found myself revisiting frequently. It always reminds me of those two years between graduation and marriage, when I was blasting it once a week. I had started a career but was relatively carefree. Still in my early twenties! In many ways I miss how free I was during those years. I wouldn’t trade my current life back for that one, but I still treasure my memory of it.

Yours in bridges,

Dan

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