Blind Melon – Car Seat (God’s Presents)
There’s a lot to be said about nostalgia. It can be a tricky thing, & more than any other human emotion serves most often as a hologram: that which seems certain & important is only a trick of the light; that which is memory is merely personal. Having said that, Blind Melon may forever be the band that defines my personal memories, & I return to their three albums frequently if only to sit down & determine where the line is between my sweet nostalgia & sturdy musical merit. In my opinion, “Car Seat” is that line: my favorite song in middle school – & one I felt a burning connection to – & at the same moment a song that proves everything I’ve always liked about this band is truly praise-worthy. Here are the painfully human lyrics, the experimentation with alternative instruments, the unabashed bravery in shifting directions right when a song is getting really interesting. Blind Melon was always a band that kept you on your feet, & there aren’t many semi-popular alt-rock bands from the early nineties that could say that; they will always hold a special place in my life, but more than that they will be looked back upon as one of the more unappreciated one hit wonders of an era not remembered with enough fondness.
