If you’re anything like me, you probably started the day by recognizing that the start of a new work week had indeed arrived and then immediately began shaking your fists at the sky in anger. Monday is rarely anyone’s favorite day, and from what I have seen firsthand it feels safe to say it’s the one day of the week some people outright hate. I guess to them the arrival of the work week symbolizes the end of their quote/unquote freedom, and as a result they head into the office/factory/restaurant/store with a negative outlook already on their mind. This leads to bad attitudes, which only makes the experience of being at work worse, and for some reason it also seems to make time slow to a crawl. We’re not about that life, and we hope this post can do the same you that the song contained within it did for us.
Every year we are blessed with one or two records that offer us a sign of where things may be headed in the best possible way. You know the kind of release I’m talking about and the types of bands capable of creating such releases. These are the artists who find a way to make a large number of people feel as if their life was somehow incomplete before their music came into existence, and they often encapsulate very specific periods in our life. They may manage to do it again and again with future releases, but none of that matters because this release is good in that way you wish everything were good, and I have a feeling you’ll be feeling this way about the new record from Waterparks when it arrives this Friday.
If I have learned anything about the difference between artists destined for stardom and those almost certain to fail it’s that those who eventually find success tend to have studied those who came before them. A lot of things change in this industry, but just as many stay the same. The key to making your mark as an artist or professional is to build on what has worked for others while simultaneously giving things your own personal spin. Waterparks borrow ideas and maybe one or two chord progressions from their pop-punk heroes to create an immediately infectious take on hopeless romantic rock songs that simply do not know how to quit. Just give their album opener a spin and see if you don’t understand what I am trying to express:
“I was bitter, but I’m fine now” might as well be the motto of the current generation of teens and twenty-somethings currently searching for their place in the world. We all like to think the world is out to get us, but even when we realize that is not true the path to happiness is one riddled with pitfalls that can catch anyone off guard. The only way to keep sane in this crazy thing called reality is to express yourself and align your journey with others you believe to share a similar perspective on life. Maybe your connection lasts a night or a lifetime, but regardless of its longevity at least you can experience the power of two passionate hearts coming together in hopes of finding a little peace amidst the chaos of day-to-day life. That is the kind of thing the music of Waterparks personifies, and it plays like a jolt of pure energy to your system when their work hits your ears.
Positive progression for a genre or business is rarely the work of one person. Progress is something that happens very slowly at first and then all at once, switching just as the numerous contributions from all the creative people working to better their own corner of the music go from being unique ideas to industry standards. I don’t know when the culture will shift so that the ideas and themes of Waterparks’ music become something every band in their genre attempts to emulate, but when you listen to the band’s new album you get the feeling that change is not far away. With a little luck and a lot of support from their dedicated followers, Waterparks could easily be the next big thing by the time next year, if not sooner.
With this in mind, I want to urge you to head into this week looking for an opportunity to make your mark on whatever it is you do to keep a roof over your head and food in your stomach. Even if your current career or job is not something you want for the rest of your life, find a way to change the day-to-day workflow for the better and set to sharing your solution with those around you. Some may think your crazy at first, and you may even feel a little push back from peers who are set in their ways, but if you can find a way to make people feel their lives are somehow better or easier because of your creativity you will see your professional life boom in the months ahead. All it takes is one idea. One simple, perhaps already obvious change could be your ticket to the career and success you know you were meant to achieve, and the only thing preventing you from getting their is yourself. Shake off your fears and try something new. If you fail, oh well, but if you succeed life may never be the same.
James Shotwell is the Digital Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the Film Editor for Substream Magazine and 10-year music writing veteran. You should follow him on Twitter.
