Musical Memories

I've been listening to a lot of Pandora Radio ever since college (the undergrad years), and it's definitely gotten better over the years (complete with fewer commercials). My favorite station is the one I created based on the band She & Him; they end up playing a lot of Belle & Sebastian, Phoenix, Billie Holiday, Kate Nash, and a whole lot of Rilo Kiley. Today I've been hearing a good deal of Death Cab for Cutie: a band I haven't listened to for a few years. I loved them to pieces a few years ago, but then I got tired of the same songs playing over and over again through my ipod headphones.

But even after years of abstaining from Death Cab, whenever I hear certain songs of theirs, I am automatically transported to a strong memory. Sometimes this memory is just me walking home from work, feeling excited because I was going out with someone or a couple someones. Other times I suddenly remember being on a long train ride (probably to Altoona) on on a bus from Reno to Lake Tahoe. And I think how funny it is that one song can bring you back to that moment and the person that you were when you first heard those opening lyrics.