For those who look for deeper meaning within the music they listen to, each track they encounter is a careful balance between the tone of the production and the overall takeaway from the track–what it leaves you with, how it leaves you feeling. While you may not leave every track with some greatly altered view of the world, there are some songs that give you a look into the world of the artist's creation. This form of songwriting is robustly found within the music of Arizona native, singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin. Similarly to his track "Death of a Hero," which depicts the lighthearted nature of childhood depleting after seeing a hero make some less than exemplary decisions, his latest release "1994" gradually showcases the hazy line between childhood bliss and the harsh realities of growing up.
"1994" has been around for quite a while already as a deeper, more acoustic track. Benjamin indeed said in a tweet about its 2016 release that it was written four years prior. The production in the version of "1994" released today is more lively than before, but with the same heavy weight brought upon by the singer's relatable and engaging storytelling. The track features stark references to the effects of the 2001 September 11th attacks on the impressionable minds of the young, as well as the pressures of growing up and becoming the person others expect you to be. These aren't topics that very many people spend time sitting down to ponder over, as they aren't the most alluring thoughts to engage with, but they are important reflections. Through his songwriting and storytelling, Benjamin allows listeners to take careful steps into a viewpoint many of them share, whether they're actively aware of it or not.
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