Before you read this, make sure you’re sitting down, take a deep breath, expand your mind, and be open to some fresh thoughts. Feel free to take a few minutes to pray, meditate, or grab a shot of espresso and come back when you’re ready......Ok, I’m assuming you're ready.... Let’s do this....In music, there is no such thing as absolute truth. Meaning, there is no universal truth or an unalterable, permanent fact. What’s “good” music to me isn’t always “good” music to you. The same goes for the opposite. Who’s to say what’s good music and what’s bad? What’s “catchy” music and what’s not? Yes, I understand there’s a difference between talented artists and untalented artists, but beyond that, there is no absolute truth. Let me try to explain. 

Let’s take music trends for example.We had the boy band trend, ska trend, emo trend, screamo trend, folk trend, and yes, even the current dub step trend. No one could have ever predicted these trends, or even predict how long they would last, or if people would even actually enjoy listening to them. Maybe you’re the kind of person who enjoyed every single one of these music trends. You owned every single NSYNC album, went to every single Five Iron Frenzy concert, and cried along with Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional) after your high school sweetheart broke up with you after two hours of dating (and yes, I’m sure you were “in love” and were meant to live “happily ever after” together). Or maybe you were the total opposite, you threw the radio out the window every time a Backstreet Boys song came on, mocked all those who “skanked” (a type of ska dancing) to a song by The Aquabats, and yelled  “PANZY!!!” to every guy wearing tight girl jeans, long bangs, carrying a guitar on his back (doesn’t matter if he knew how to play it or not, it just made him look cool). Whether you enjoyed these music trends or not, they still existed. But just because they existed and were considered “trends” doesn’t mean you enjoyed them. And you know what, that’s fine! There is no right or wrong answer to a trend. You’re not wrong for hating certain trends, or right for loving them, even if you are a grown *** man, driving your red BMW convertible with the top down, your hair blowing in the wind, singing your heart out to California Girls by Katy Perry. (If that is you, I apologize in advance. You might need to see a shrink about that. One word “CREEPER!!”. But hey, I don’t judge). 

All that being said, there is no absolute truth about good or bad music. Whether it be a super popular internet publication devoted to music, (*cough*Pitchfork*cough*), or a trendy hipster indie music magazine, a review is just a fancy word for an opinion. There’s no right or wrong answer to it. Yes, there are facts and deep thoughts that are poured into it, but just like Dr. Seuss said, an opinion is an opinion no matter which way you look at it (maybe that wasn’t the exact quote). You can agree with the reviews or disagree with them 100%. Either way, it doesn’t make you right or wrong. That’s the beauty of being your own person with your own mind, interests, and talents, you have every right to your opinion, it’s your opinion and no one can take that from you. Sure some may try to sway your opinions or beliefs with quotes, facts, and statistics. But when all is said and done, it’s your call! You have the right to an opinion, and in music, there is no right or wrong answer. In music, there is a certain type of creative freedom, and I LOVE it! All that being said, these reviews are my opinions, my thoughts, and my joys, and to be honest, they just might be a biased opinion, but hey, I’m ok with that. So to you I say... to each his own.