Just now getting around to even wanting to think about the state of Stranger Things and the resurgence of peeps interested in 80s metal or progressive pop. And that’s not written with snark, I have genuinely enjoyed people getting excited about Kate Bush and the pseudo-satanic kid saving his friend thru riffing Master of Puppets in a scene that endearingly made my nerd heart leap. Sometimes I just get insanely sick of social media binging on something great and subsequently puking it all over me until only dry heaves remain.

I’ve slept on my Vecna playlist or whatever Spotify’s algorithm created for its listeners. One thing I’ve always loved is a good mix tape, burned CD, or sign of the times, playlist on major streaming service. Mixing the random with poignant, silly, strange, eclectic, big mood. Level up when the title is some sort of kitsch irony.

There’s intimacy in sharing music, “I hear you when this spins.” The interception of sound, lyrics, happenstance are all beautiful concepts. Talk about love language-type shit, especially if it’s reciprocated. Or, is paralyzingly devastating to know how something as simple as a song list can create cosmic meaning while someone you care about moves on, waves crashing on a beach, no less, and…man, never mind. Vecna himself consumes you and you’re elevated, eyes glazed, just wanting him to break all your limbs so you’re numb. Music subsequently heals.

To me, the show is indeed special. I don’t typically watch a ton of TV, though I’ve watched ST since its genesis, and god…the nostalgia of my hood rat friends growing up is real. All we did was ride bikes with banana seats, trade cards, and play roller hockey in the street with nothing but taped-up sticks, tennis balls, and recycling bins. Pump boombox jams. Short of having to conquer a demon swallowing their sleepy Midwest existence, these kids lived a lot of my social experience at that age.

Overall, the playlist that makes me run up that hill, making deals with god-all the feelings, thoughts, and people which swim in the ocean between my ears intersecting with the visions and sounds of my experiences. Riley Green is what may rescue me. What’s saving you?

@siliconeandvinyl