Leif Erikson-Get Free

Mood Monday

Honestly, I have been in a funk lately. My vacation happened so early in the summer, that I now cringe as I stumble upon and witness the glorious traveling Instagram feed of all of my friends and loved ones.

Phooey.

I relish the lazy days of a summer weekend, but at the same time, long for constant adventure and exploration. I have picked up books to read and put them back down due to boredom. I have made plans to accomplish goals and somehow the time gets away from me. I often fall down the tragic hole of social media and app games to discover an hour has been whisked out of my life. Don’t even get me started on my crazy list of Googled thoughts, questions, and explorations. Then, there is Pinterest…

The national news flips and changes almost hourly. Has it contributed to my attention being awkward and lost? Distractions are everywhere… I have to pay bills, catch up on e-mails, follow the latest news, run errands, etc. So, the weekend zips away and is gone before I know it.

I blame my inability to plan on the unpredictable rain, the heat and humidity, and the never ending construction next door to me. But to be honest, it may be my own inability to focus and my clever procrastination techniques. I don’t seem to be valuing my time and planning out my quiet days of summer.

Am I alone in this struggle?

I need to flex my executive functioning ability by making an effort to ignore some things and focus on those with a more important value. Experts say a child’s ability to do this happens around age 4, but that it also peaks around age 30. Okay great, I am doomed for sure. Hoping to find some answers, I Googled it. So, what did they recommend? Adding aerobic exercise helps because it can strengthen and sustain the ability to focus. So, would the skies please clear up next weekend? I am long overdue for my 40 mile bike ride, a long hike outside of the city, or a cooling swim day at a lake.

Thank heaven for my close friends who arrange fun gatherings. And a special thanks to all of the music which flows to me like an uncontrollable fire hose.  Without those, I might wither up and sink into oblivion.

Today, as I pondered my funky mood knowing the weekend was over, I was struck by a natural connection to this new song. The band, Leif Erikson from the UK, seems to be expressing a need to “Get Free” and I can totally relate.

Leif Erikson-Get Free

“Do you ever feel like your losing control
Somebody else knows more than you know
Do you ever feel like a puppet on a string
They’re giving you a voice, but they won’t let you sing

I’ve been living in a cage for the last six months
Just trying to break free
But the cage is in a world that’s losing touch
Crazy things going on all, all around me

Big sedition, real fake news
Can’t work out who’s the moth or the flame
And I can’t escape this feeling like I’ve got to get away
cause I’m tired of playing this stupid game”

Leif Erikson is a five piece band from the UK. For the past year or so they have been slowly leaking song after song on the internet. Recently picked up by Arts and Crafts Records, they have a self-titled album out on August 14th.

The members of Leif Erikson have been friends from school since the age of 13. As their band name suggests, they were exploring the world of music together and honing their craft. The song, “Get Free”, suggests their pull to a simpler, more innocent time. The lead singer, Sam explains…

“It’s a direct personal response to the way the political and media landscape has developed over the past year or so. A song like this is a chance for me to try and make sense of and communicate some pretty real fears and emotions I have about the future. It’s not meant to be all doom and gloom though, the music has a strong uplifting energy.”

With the song’s swirling start and strong beat, it is easy to get caught up in their free flowing melodies. The lead singer relays an honesty and socially conscious viewpoint which compliments their reinvigorated rock. As the song develops, I can’t help but be utterly satisfied by the riffs which take place for the last third of the song. “Get Free” finishes in a fulfilling return to the swirls of the beginning, creating a calming, full circle effect.

You can explore a few of their songs included on their mini-album with Spotify before the full mini-album comes out in August.

Track list-Leif Erikson

Green Leaves
Concrete And Steel
Jungle Television
Get Free
Real Stuff
Looking For Signs
Flying High
Never Get You Out Of My Mind

It may be only the beginning of the week, but their new music has me psyched and has handily lifted my mood. I stayed away from Instagram for a good long while…success for now!