the start of something

the name of this blog stems from the voxtrot song of the same title, the first song i ever heard by the band, and the only truly perfect pop song that i will probably ever hear.  my relationship with voxtrot is kind of complicated and complex; it occasionally stirs up incredibly nostalgic memories and causes me to become really, really sad, but i credit them for my love and appreciation of the entire indie-pop genre.

i was three weeks shy of my eighteenth birthday and less than a week away from graduating high school when i agreed to play an impromptu basement show in appleton that wound up being the most fun i’ve ever had playing music.  i think we went on second, right after hunger strike riot, and a pipe burst during our cover of “bad kids,” but no one really gave a fuck.  anyways, my friend and frontman of the band told me that voxtrot was playing a concert literally right down the street at lawrence university.  i’d heard of the group by name and knew what they were about, but i’d never actually listened to one of their songs.  by the time our show was over, i was too tired and apathetic to stick around to hear more music; i just decided to drive home instead.  that decision is one of only four that i regret making in my life.  on a whim, i googled the band before i went to bed that night, and a youtube link for “the start of something” came up near the top.  i was hooked, and, after learning voxtrot’s stop in appleton was part of their farewell tour, i was devastated.

reconciling with myself took awhile, but after that i began stockpiling every available recording the band ever made.  their two eps; their full-length album; their singles.  even though it’s only twenty-something tracks, it’s enough.  the lyrics transcend poetry; it’s almost like reading a novel accompanied by music.  each song is a sliver of ramesh srivastava’s personal life and dark secrets, and once you can sift through the alliterations, it’s easy to identify with.  voxtrot’s discography soon became my soundtrack to the summer of 2010: the only time of my year-long relationship with my ex-girlfriend that was actually enjoyable; the summer before i went away to college and left all of my friends behind.

by the same token though, all of those songs embody more than just my experience with a rough transitional phase of my life.  they’re eternal pop gems, songs that i draw from for inspiration when i write.  they cheer me up by making me think of summer, albeit a trying one, when i listen in the winter.  they can be used as conversation starters, background noise, or songs that make girls want to dance with you.  no discussion can be completed with the phrase “i like this song”; it has to be explained in detail, and then time must be allotted to marvel over the musical genius.

most of all, voxtrot helps me cope with the past by reminding me of it, and how much better my life is now that certain people are no longer around.  ”the start of something” is the perfect companion to a budding romance, one of which i am finding to be truly rewarding.  i’m erasing memories and retaining new ones with the help of a little indie band no one’s ever heard of, and i’m hoping that they’ll always remind me of how much i enjoyed the summer of 2012.

welcome to the start of something.