Thank you for the music

By Nick LaRosa
November 22, 2010

Almost everyone can agree that food, clothing and shelter are three necessities everyone needs to survive.  But have you ever considered a group of musicians to be a part of your everyday routine?

I’m sure we all have favorite bands and musicians and consider music to be a big part of our lives.  For me though, my favorite band is so much more than that.

Nearly four years ago, I discovered the Doylestown, Pa., alternative rock group Circa Survive.  To say they have changed my life would be an understatement.

I can still vividly remember the day I purchased their first album, “Juturna,” and spent the afternoon listening to it from beginning to end, reading the lyrics to each song along the way.  To this day, I can still not conjure up a word to describe that experience.

That should give you an idea as to how powerful and inspirational this band has become for me – to the point that their songs and lyrics leave me speechless.

As talented as this band is musically, perhaps the reason I am drawn to this band so much is because of their lyrics.  Composed mainly by vocalist Anthony Green, whom I idolize for his writing ability and impeccable voice, every song has at least one line that I can relate to my own life at any given time.

For example, if I’m under stress, “locked myself up in a room without a window, just to see if it was any easier to breathe” from the song “Get Out” plays through my head, instantly giving me the peace of mind that I need.

Then there are the songs with lyrics that really make you ponder their meaning, lyrics like “it starts out like a season in reverse, a way to set your mind above and over words” from the track “Living Together.”

Going back to the food, shelter and clothing analogy for a second, the name Circa Survive literally means “about survival.”  Seeing as how this band is such an important part of my life, how perfect is that translation?

To say that I am obsessed with Circa Survive would probably be a fair judgment.  I just feel like they are a truly unique musical group, one that if everyone knew about could change what music is meant to be.

Even though I have never met any of the band members or attended one of their concerts, it is clear how fortunate they are to be musicians and how they put themselves on the same page as their fans.

“We’re not higher up than you [the fans].  We’re not better than you,” guitarist Colin Frangicetto said in an interview with WatchMojo.com.  “We’re just doing what we love to do and we want you to do that too.”

This is exactly why I feel Circa Survive is more than just a group of musicians.  They care about their fans; they make the effort to get to know the audience before and after the shows.

To me personally, this band has given me a lifetime’s worth of inspiration through their music.  I consider myself to be a writer at heart, and the band’s passionate lyrics only add to my creativity.

This band has inspired me to write nearly everyday for the past four years, no matter what my workload is or how I am feeling on any given day.

Circa Survive has become something for me to fall back on when things aren’t going my way.  Their music brightens my mood and makes me wonder what perception of music would be like if I never discovered this band.

I wouldn’t enjoy music to the same extent that I do today without the influence of this band, that’s for sure.

As if you couldn’t have guessed, I had the bands latest album, “Blue Sky Noise,” blaring through my headphones as I wrote this piece.  On this particular day, the song of choice happens to be “Imaginary Enemy,” also known as the song with the highest play count in my iTunes library.

I only wish that there were a word in the English language that could describe the connection that I have with this band, but the only words I can think of are these: thank you.

Thank you for the gift of your music.  Thank you for being such a significant part of my life.  Thank you for all of the inspiration that you have given me, and will continue to give me for years to come.

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Nick LaRosa

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