"Your Hand in Mine" by Explosions in the Sky

It has been too long since I have had time to post a SOTD blog.  There has been a lot of good music in the last few weeks though, and I'm looking forward to picking up "The Union" by Elton John and Leon Russel later today.

Last week I spent some time talking with my friend and intern Jesse on the way to watch a high school football game.  Jesse was a high school football player, and he had just got done talking with a guy who played in his last game and had that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach because he would never walk on the field again with his friends.  Jesse talked to me about the pain of that feeling, and I remember watching Jesse experience that as a high school senior when his team made it to the W.P.I.A.L championships and lost at Heinz field. I also remember my brother going through a lot of those same emotions a few years ago. Whether you are a sports fan or not, imagine being a part of a team with guys you grew up your entire life, and playing your last game with them... and maybe your last game ever.

While I was talking with Jesse about the emotions involved in sports, I started thinking about the movie "Friday Night Lights."  Again, whether you are a sports fan or not i think that this movie gives you a lot of insight into what it feels like to be a high school athlete.  It helps you to understand the kind of things that they deal with, and helps you to see the way these people are shaped through their experiences as a part of that team.  I loved the movie, and one of the best parts about the movie is the excellent soundtrack provided by Explosions in the Sky.

Explosions in the Sky is a band from Austin, Texas that formed in the late 90's. They have a really unique sound and primarily play with three electric guitars and a drum kit.  The band classifies themselves as post-rock, not that genres mean anything, and they write instrumental music.  The band does an awesome job at building their songs into these epic ballads without ever singing a single word.

If you need inspired, and don't we all, give Explosions in the Sky a chance.