Sometimes I find myself listening to the radio or a CD, and it will make my mind wander to a book. It brings back memories of the characters and their stories just like songs bring back my own memories. So here are some of the songs and books that go together in my mind.
The Maximum Ride series = Some Nights by fun.
Reasoning: Just listen to the title song “Some Nights”…I dare you not to roll down the windows and pretend you’re flying with a drum beat like that. I can almost picture Max and her flock of genetically mutated bird-kids (they’re 98% human, 2% bird) flying through their forrest house or swooping through the skyscrapers in NYC. The whole CD itself has a playfulness to it but also a sense of perseverance that I always attribute to Max’s do-whatever-is-necessary attitude.
The Wingfeather Saga = Where Eyes Don’t Go by The Gray Havens
Reasoning: I can see the entire six track CD fitting perfectly with the themes from Andrew Peterson’s novel collection. The Wingfeather Saga is all about redemption and trying to do what is right for the people you love (Set in the fantasy land of Aerwiar, the Igiby children are trying to escape from the Fangs of Dang while trying to figure out their own confusing history). The song “Where It Goes” is like Janner’s longing to find out who his father was. “Silver” sings about a sailing adventure which I can see the Igiby family sailing over the Dark Sea of Darkness to lands unknown. Even “Train Station” delivers a message of redemption and sacrifice that is clearly shown in the novels. It’s almost like they were made together.
PS: I Like You = Only the Lonely by Colony House
Reasoning: Colony House’s CD has an eclectic mix of sounds, just like Kasie West’s quirky main character Lily. Their track “Cannot Do This Alone” talks about having someone who knows you and will keep you true, which is what Lily finds in her mysterious friend (she doodles a note on her desk and an unknown person responds, sparking a note-passing anonymous friendship). The tension in the song “You & I” is similar to the tension between Lily and her school nemesis Cade. The upbeat mix fits well with this YA read.
The Beauty that Remains = The Click by AJR
Reasoning: This CD has depth. There are drums, guitar, synthesizers, strings, piano, multiple overlaid vocals…there’s a lot of layers going on, which is exactly like the characters from this novel. Autumn, Logan, and Shay have all lost someone close to them and are going through the grieving process. Some songs pull at your heartstrings, like “Turning Out”, and make you feel the ache for something lost. Some are more upbeat. The one that I feel just captures the essence of the novel is “Sober Up.” The sound blends well, the strings accompaniment is simple yet pulsing, and the words are about longing to be known and pulled back into the world, to “want to feel something again,” which is the whole point of the story.
Carry On = Dream Your Life Away by Vance Joy
Okay, okay, okay…so I know what you’re thinking. How can an alt-rock/folky sounding album fit with a gay magical romance story. I didn’t get it at first either, but the last time I read Carry On, I started hearing Vance Joy in my head and it just worked. It just sounds so longing and hopeful, from the starter track “Winds of Change” all the way through “Straight Into Your Arms,” which is how I feel the main characters felt with their unrequited love. Especially the song “Mess Is Mine,” which is my personal favorite song from this album. I just feel like it is just so Baz, “this mess was yours, now your mess is mine,” a perfectly beautiful combination.
Honestly, I’ll probably try to do this again because I loved writing this and expressing reasonings behind the songs. You just never know what combinations will occur! And I love that.
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