I’m in Treble

Now that I have a three-year-old son whose education I want to be able to pay for some day, assuming college is still a thing in 2030, I’ve been trying to save some loot. Ergo, I’m still driving the same car I bought in 2005... and still rockin’ the FM while rolling around town.

I stream Pandora, listen to iTunes and play with Spotify - except in my car, where it’s all about the radio. The car also has a CD player, but my discs are collecting dust in the basement, and I’ve heard enough Lenny Kravitz to last a lifetime, anyway.

So, while Lex and I are ridin’ dirty (dirty diapers, that is), he likes to sing along with the radio from his baby seat. I moved the fader to the front so as not to blow out his new set of ears, which is great for him, but means the sound is trebly... and I can’t ever seem to shake Meghan Trainor.

“All about that bass. No trouble!”

That’s how Lex sings it: “No trouble!” Maybe not for him, but I’m the one soaking in it in the front seat.

Sure, I flip around my presets in hopes of finding a classic, something with a little more staying power, like a Rolling Stones tune (so cool that they’re playing Petco Park in May; see Face the Music), but Lex is all about that bass.

And Bruno Mars.

“Up-down fun, go give it to me!”

It’s cute when he gets the words wrong, but that song makes me want to spackle my ears shut. I liked it the first few thousand times, but, well, you know...

Ed Sheeran makes him smile. NPR makes him cry. He claps when Taylor Swift comes on. Where does he learn to like to this stuff? Must be in Mom’s car.

Sometimes, I turn off the music and tell Lex the radio’s broken.

“Come on, Daddy. I like it!”

So I turn it back on, turn it up and dream of getting a new car before this kid goes to college.

Please enjoy this music issue of PacificSD. America’s Finest music scene is heating up,
and incredible sounds are everywhere - except in my car.