Devin LaRue

So I’ve narcissistically listened to my own music a few dozen times at different times of day, in different situations, on different speakers, trying to figure out if it’s any good or not. Like any style of music, there are plenty of unfitting times to listen to it, and preferable times when it comes to life. So, in recognizing the absurdity of what I’m about to present, I facetiously offer you this handy guide for listening to my music at the best times, and avoiding bad times to listen to this music.

Let’s do the bad list first.

Times that are bad for listening to Devin LaRue’s Music:

• Driving in rush hour traffic. You really don’t want dramatic, dynamic, emotional music going on while trying to avoid dying on the road.
• At a party. It will be a brutal buzz kill. I know that I am having an album release “party”. I will play other, more fun, music when we’re not specifically listening to my music.
• While the kids are awake. They’re going to yell, fight, and demand your attention. My music is also very attention-demanding because it’s musically busy. Sorry. You will be overwhelmed, frustrated, and not feel any magic. I love kids though.
• DJ’ing a public event. Unless you’re doing an art show or something, most people are going to question your DJ’ing ability.
• Pumping iron, or exercising intensely. There’s one song called “Running” which you could run to for like 3 minutes. But really, most of the music is going to drain your physical energy. It’s not going to get you pumped. There are much better choices in the world.
• If you are prone to depression and can’t listen to the full hour of the album. I am actually serious on this one. The first half of this album goes down a dark path and by the end of the 7th track (Side B) it’s at its lowest and darkest point emotionally. After that, it starts to come back up and is in a happy place by the end of Track 9. The rest of the album is uplifting which completes the story and won’t leave you sad. If you’re in a tough place in life or easily affected by emotional music, but only get through track 7, you’ll probably find yourself with a cloud over your head for a short while.

Good times to listen to Devin LaRue’s music:

• On a scenic, easy drive. Maybe a road trip sans noisy children. Some place with nice views and hills, farms, mountains, sunsets. You know, scenic stuff. The music was made with landscapes in mind, so experiencing nice views while listening will add a dimension to the experience.
• At the end of the day. Your chores are done, tomorrow is planned, the dishes are put away, and if you have kids, they’re asleep. Ideal time for vinyl spinning. Or sitting on the back patio with a pair of nice headphones could be a good hour spent. *Opt add bourbon and pipe for increased enjoyment.
• On an outdoor walk, hike, or slow biking on a trail. Throughout the album I make a lot of use trying to convert things like wind, water, leaves moving in the wind, cold, warmth, darkness, and light into musical effects. This vibe will really come to life when you’re close to nature. This is probably the most magical way to listen to it.
• Laying in bed falling asleep. The album is fairly low energy and easy to fall asleep to. There are a few loud moments, but overall the tensions release quite nicely.
• Meditating or Journaling. The album does follow an arc of moving away from God or community, and then coming back. The purpose is to walk you through life’s frustrations and guide you back to peace. It’s a full hour though, so… I think that’s longer than I’ve ever really meditated. It could be a useful tool to guide your thoughts. Or maybe while doing yoga.
• While playing Zelda video games. Really. I’ve played Zelda multiple times while listening to this. It’s awesome. Zelda has had an influence on my musical ideas from a young age, and the way they illustrate their scenes in music isn’t far from what I’m doing. I’m sure there are other nature-centric exploration games that would also work. Maybe Skyrim or something.

Alrighty! Thank you for letting me micromanage your music listening choices. Have a good day.