The Best of Earn This: Colton’s Picks

When I was first invited to submit content to Earn This, I saw it as an opportunity to express some of my worldview and to attack personal hotbutton issues in the context of discussions about arts and entertainment, specifically music.  My eagerness led me to kick things off with two didactic soapbox stands in a row.  These truly represented my most ardent beliefs at the time and still do so.

First, I spelt out as best as I could my understanding of what biases are most important for the sake of interpreting critical reviews.  Again, my focus is on music, but I have a hunch that a similar argument could be made in other areas of aesthetics.

Jupiter Sunrise, Band X, and the Wooden Beam in Your Eye (8/27/09)

Next, I attempted to express just how broad the span of “music” is.  By using frequent examples as stepping stones, I hoped to encourage readers to investigate something outside of their ken.  Adventuresome music inspires me personally but often garners little fame since it lies outside the mainstream, which naturally consists of those musical forms thoroughly practiced until they occupy the most favorable and deepest ruts.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.  Still, I would be listening to rock radio for the rest of my life if nobody had ever shown me the extreme variety available elsewhere, so I give importance to the task of exposing others to the same.

The Borders and Frontiers of Music Itself (9/4/09)

Beyond those lectures, my best discussions have all sprung from captured moments of surprise.  I can point you to three particular instances of my mind expanding.  These are the exciting discoveries in life that keep me seeking new adventures in music.

Aurally, my favorite experience was the pre-concert demonstration of instruments and methods invented and modified by NiCad, a squad of curious European virtuosos.

NiCad: In Search of Sound (9/9/09)

Visually, my first Goo Goo Dolls concert takes the cake.  Only after writing the review did I allow myself to read up on the band’s history, members, and discography.  That led to more hilarity for me, because, as knowledgeable readers will recognize, some of my assumptions about the group were… a little misplaced.

The Goo Goo Dolls Experience (4/22/10)

Finally, defying categorization was my reception of the new, old, or forthcoming album May the Box Burn Down Around You.  I would call that day unforgettable except that it’s not even a memory yet: as of today, the whole thing still has not been explained and there have been no enlightening updates via Jupiter Sunrise’s (shockingly active) Twitter feed.

Jupiter Sunrise: Comeback from the Future (2/4/10)

Here’s hoping the future is full of discovery!


Dan and Brian from Earn This now have a film review site and podcast:

The Goods: Film Reviews

The Goods: A Film Podcast

Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and more.

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