The best way to "zone out" when traveling

By Brandon Audain
Columnist

Let’s get one thing straight, riding the bus is no fun. I do believe the very first time I rode the bus was the second day of school, in kindergarten.

On my first day of school I was taken by my mother, so I was pretty disappointed to have to ride the giant yellow bus to school.

Between the ages of five and 19, everywhere I went by myself, was on the bus, whether it be the city bus or the school bus. When I was 19, I received my current car, and I haven’t touched the bus since, and with good reason.

When I think about the bus, not many positives come to mind, but the negatives sure do stand out.

You know, like the smell, the noise factor, not being able to sit down, being late and actually missing the bus… there are too many to name.

However, as with all setbacks, one must find a way to cope with their situation, and I did just that.

In sixth grade, my bus experience completely changed when I got my first CD player. It was then that I learned the power of music, and how it seemed to change many situations. With those headphones covering my ears, the minor incontinences of the bus no longer seemed to matter, because frankly, I no longer noticed them. With my music taking control of my attention, riding the bus was no longer a pain.

As I would soon find out, there is different music for different situations. There’s music to drive to, music to sing to, relaxing music, etc.

There is also music that takes you away from your current position and places you in another; something I call “zone out” music. “Zone out” music is perfect for the bus for that very reason.
One example of such music is the first album by Kelis, “Kaleidoscope.”

The music on this record is so organic, so out-there, and so funky, that it’s almost perfect for long rides on the bus. The lyrics may not captivate you, but the production surely will. Released in 1999, acclaimed producers, The Neptunes, show no mercy on the production forefront. 13 of the 14 songs on the record are just about incredible and will take your mind for a spin.
I cannot recommend this album enough for the young adult sitting on the bus in frustration. “Kaleidoscope” is a journey that everyone should take.

My next example is from the rap group Mobb Deep, and their second album, “The Infamous.”
With its top-notch production and stellar lyrics, this could, once again, be the perfect album for this situation. The lyrics on this album are so unbelievable, they almost force the listener to imagine and visualize what’s being said.

You seriously will not believe the stuff being said on this album, which is far too gangster to be printed in this publication, but when you listen to songs like “Temperature’s Rising,” and “Trife Life,” you will fully understand where I’m coming from.

Once you start mentally seeing the lyrics, you will quickly be hooked by the production (which I would argue is the second best on any rap album, ever), and will have hopefully “zoned out.”
My final suggestion for this “zone out” time is from rapper Raekwon, and his debut classic, “Only Built for Cuban Linx…”

This album is basically a movie in CD form as it starts with two men, Ghostface and Raekwon, talking about how they would rather sell drugs for the rest of their lives and ends with one man’s revelation about life. This is by far, the greatest rap album ever produced and the easiest album to “zone out” to, and it should hook you on the first listen.

Similar to “The Infamous,” this album will have your mind visualizing images of the gritty New York streets, while trapping you with the production. It’s indeed a formula for success.
Before I learned the power of music, when I was riding the bus, the only place I wanted to be was “anywhere but here.” Music effectively allowed me to travel to different times and places at a very low cost.

Only through music can I travel back in time to 1995 to take my mind off of the present.
I want you to learn of this power as well, and if you already have it, pass it on.
Everybody on the bus is super miserable as it is; the least we can do is help.