Broken Instrument: Album Review

This album is the happiest thing that I’ve heard all week. All the petty guns were drawn out and pointed in my direction. I had a complete meltdown and had to pull all of my shit together and quickly. Music has and forever will be my go to.

So I go to iTunes on Friday hunting for new artists just to, perhaps discover new music that hasn’t hit the mainstream crowd yet. And that’s how I discovered the artist Victory.

Let’s start with the album art! I was sold!

But when I actually downloaded that album!!!!!!!!!

You know I had to give my two cents on some of my favs.

Against the Wind

This song made me want to get up from my desk, walk to my car, roll all the windows down and just drive…….without stopping……to the beach. I literally visualized it!

Everyday I’m moving on upwards

But there’s still so much ground I’ve not covered

I can’t see the top from here

But I know that I can’t stop before I make it there

This verse served as a reminder that throughout my current frustrations, I’ve got to keep on going. Experiencing your journey and trusting your process is so difficult but necessary. And that’s even with words of encouragement.

Weatherman

I have no idea why my cry baby ass listened to this song at my desk first. I lost it. Right there at the desk. The song was so positive man.

The first chorus goes

You’ve gotta learn how to shine

Cause the days get cold and dark sometimes

And you’re gonna need the sun to survive

And if that didn’t hit home, another verse did.

I wear a smile that’s fake cause I’m too proud to cry

Pretend the weather’s great cause it’s easier to lie

I felt that on a spiritual level!

And if it couldn’t get any better, she took it to yet another level with

I’ve gotta learn how to shine

Cause I don’t know when the storm will pass by

Or by then if I’ll even have a sound mind

This just gave me further confirmation that one of my affirmations is properly aligned with what my spirit needs. That affirmation is: I am my own light in dark spaces.

Broken Instrument

Initially I wondered why Broken Instrument is featured three times on the album but I fully understand why.

Part one begins the story of a used and broken instrument that finds itself in the landfill. It reflects on its life of performance prior to being broken and discarded. The instrument has high hopes of getting back to an instrument maker to be repaired.

If miracles are real

I’d like a way out of this landfill

But there’s no hope that I can see

There’s no answer to the plate that I repeat

Part two is a conversation that the instrument has with itself about the depression, despair and hopelessness that it feels.

In part three, the instrument is found by what it thinks is a “bum” but it turns out to be an instrument maker that it’s longed for. The maker sees the value and beauty still left within the instrument and takes it from the landfill and fixes it up.

So let my sound forever be a testament

Of how the maker can restore value to the life of a broken instrument

That by far was one of the most impactful lyrics that I’ve ever heard. No bullshit. It’s likely because I connected to it way more than I probably should have. At times I’ve felt like that very instrument. The moral that I got from the story was that the condition of the instrument never changes it’s purpose.