To me, one of the best parts (and biggest novelties) of living in New York is that I never have to drive. On the flip side, one of the most tedious parts is spending a huge chunk of every day in transit, especially if you happen to live in Harlem when (ahem) almost everyone seems to have defected to Brooklyn. Finding ways to stay both awake and entertained has become something of an everyday struggle.
Thankfully, some of my more technologically and musically-savvy friends talked me into a pair of Sony MDR-V500 Professional Headphones right before I moved, and I’ve been addicted ever since. So far these have been sturdy enough to survive getting thrown around in my bag every day, helped me avoid unnecessary conversations on the train, and actually doubled perfectly as earmuffs in the winter. More importantly though, when I listen to music on these I notice aspects of production I’d never pay attention to otherwise and have learned a lot about music I thought I knew inside out.
Of course, great headphones aren’t much use without something great to listen to, and for that I’ve been completely enamored with Janelle Monae’s latest album. A P. Diddy and Outkast protege, Monae has really come into her own on the ArchAndroid, which is both a sci-fi concept album and a motown-influenced throwback. Incidentally, her songs have the kind of elaborate production that can only be done justice with a pair of good headphones. Production aside, though, the whole album is catchy enough that it actually might turn me into that person, the one awkwardly dancing to themselves on the train. And it would be worth it.
