Okay, so this has nothing to do with dentistry.
I recently gave presentations to dental students at the American Student Dental Association Central Regional Meeting and the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health Leadership Retreat. ASDA is thriving! I know the future of our profession is in great hands.
To spice up the lectures, I included some recommendations of bands I’ve been enjoying. I was thrilled to receive multiple e-mails from attendees sharing their love of music. For those of you who have seen me lecture, you know that art and music are near and dear to my heart.
So I thought it would be fun to share those musical selections with all of you since they seem to generate as much interest as my musings on practice management and leadership development. Each band is totally different from the next. I hope that you’ll find at least one to inspire you. Lets do this!
(1) Interpol
This is the band that got me through dental school. Their first album, “Turn On the Bright Lights” came out in 2002, a few months after I began my studies in dentistry in 2001. I listened to that perfect album over and over again. And then I listened some more.
As a proud New Yorker, I will attest that they embody the spirit of modern post-punk New York indie rock. Yet they still have their own unique style. Hyper guitars are mellowed out by somber vocals and lyrics. And, just to make it weird, the bass guitar is pure funk. What? Oh, just listen…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkBAUqp6NKg[/youtube]
(2) Washed Out
The 1980’s are alive and well. Ernest Greene is a one man band, fueled by a love affair with synthesizers and sampling. He is a pioneer of the Chillwave movement, which blends New-Wave 1980’s awesomeness with a chill, relaxed vibe. He’s made two albums, released in 2010 and 2011, but you’ll swear they were made in 1983. Dig in…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqP2-w6AWS4[/youtube]
(3) Fleet Foxes
Beauty. Peace. Melody.
This Seattle-based band is, without doubt, a center piece of the Neo-Folk movement. They recall the harmonies of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, but with a modern sensibility. Open a bottle of wine and listen to your new favorite song…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT-dxG4WWf4[/youtube]
(4) Local Natives
Rally the troops, this band should be noticed! You’ll find heart-aching harmonies, but this is definitely not Neo-Folk; it’s something else. They are sometimes compared to Vampire Weekend, the African-inspired pop band that replicated the works of Paul Simon so darn well. Okay, I guess I can see that. Whatever it is, prepare to stomp your feet…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r39d5d4MYsY&feature=related[/youtube]
(5) Morphine
Let me blow your mind. In the 90’s, there was a great three-piece band called Morphine: a lead singer/bassist, a drummer, and a saxophone player. And they did beautiful things together.
Morphine cannot be placed into a category. They are jazz. They are Rockabilly. They are beat poetry. They are cool.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSY-SBY8mew&feature=related[/youtube]
(6) Cat Power
Adele is all the rage these days and there is no denying her talent for singing Soul. But there’s an American girl named Chan Marshall who is the real deal. Chan has had a rough life and you can hear the truth in her pipes. Listen to this alone…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tAZz4b5A2s&feature=related[/youtube]