Miles Away

Dependent upon a dizzying array of variables, I'll spend anywhere from 7 to 20 hours a week listening to music. Much too often, this is confined to the commutes to and from work. And not only am I unable to consistently focus on the music when I'm at the wheel, but my car's also undeniably lacking in quality audio equipment. So, depending on what I'm listening to, this can and does sometimes have a substantial impact on the experience.

Last night, after dinner, I had the itch to jump into bed and listen to some tunes. I had intended to watch the DVD that came with Wilco's latest output, Sky Blue Sky, only, as the DVD player was making strange noises, I was forced to surf my CD selection for an alternative.

All too often I forget how great my headphones are. I have a pair of Sennheiser PX-100's which, according to my father the audiophile, are the best phones out there for under $50. While they probably don't hold a candle to his Sennheiser 550’s, I'll make no apologies here. These bad boys are far too underutilized. And they're still superior to any of the other systems in my apartment and car.

So I grabbed Bitches' Brew, and I swear to you, my head almost exploded. I've listened to it before. Countless times actually. But I've never heard it like this. Found myself laying there in the dark mouthing, "holy shit", over and over again, between bouts of goose bumps.