Ever turn on the radio, hear a song, and feel like you were transported back in time? It is like the current moment has faded, and a silly smile comes on your face as you remember a distinct memory or how happy you were in a specific moment.

Sometimes, there can be one musician or band that makes you feel that way. For me, it’s a group of musicians who go by the name A Moment’s Worth. Seven years of my life have been spent listening to and falling in love with their music.

At the age of 14, I attended my first underground show in the Bronx, NY. It was at a venue called the First Lutheran Church, or locally known as FLC for short. At the time, I had no idea that this experience would be the spark to a long-term interest.

My early teenage years were typified by a love for all things Blink 182 and Eminem. My mid to late teenage years became more about Dalys Gone Wrong, A Moment’s Worth and Patent Pending. These bands were all underground, and I tried to be at every show they played.

In my black band t-shirt, pyramid studded belt, tattered jeans, and converse, I thought that I was the coolest kid ever, (who didn’t think that at the awkward ages of 14-16?) . Wherever I went, my iPod and A Moment’s Worth came with me. I was obsessed, knew all the words to their songs, and sang them loudly at every show.

On their first album, “Ironic Last Words,” there are songs that my friends and I continue to listen to when together.  The “Jumpoff Summer” is an anthem that brings me back to the days where I beat my checkered Vans into the ground, and snuck out in the early hours of the morning to see my friends.

Then there is “Bottlecap,” where singer Alex Bondarev softly croons fears about growing older, “And the future scares me, in ways it never has before. What am I doing all this for?”  Each time I listen to ‘Bottlecap,’ I remember the days where I was afraid to move on and leave high school behind.

Of course, fan favorite “Cross my Heart”brings me back to the years of teenage rebellion, and the thought of living life with the most amount of passion possible. “And I’m not afraid to die, because I’m not afraid to live while I’m alive.”

As I have grown up, A Moment’s Worth has too.  Their current album, “Start Where You Are,” boosts a more mature sound and lyric content. True to the band, the lyrics engage their aging fanbase. Yet the themes of love, loss, uncertainty, hope, and life remain.

Opening with a catchy tune, the song “Dedicate” is home to lyrics that resonate deeply with me.  The future is uncertain, but I know that I don’t want to fall into the beaten path and end up doing something I do not love. “You are here right now, but you want to be somewhere else. You were there before, but wanted to be where you’re not. Oh you sought after happiness. Did you ever finally find it?”

Then, there is the short and sweet “*Golden Blue.” “It’s a glimpse glimpse glimpse of a sunset, on a warm golden blue coast. It’s the feeling of the peace that we’re all after.”  The words combined with Bondarev’s passionate singing make me think about what exactly I am looking for in life each time I listen to it.

This is not a shameless promotion of my favorite band, but rather a reflection upon the years I have all spent on this earth. I track my personal and emotional development through each memory that I have tied to their songs.

Music is not for everyone, but as far as I am concerned – these guys have indirectly been there for me throughout the years. The lyrics have made me realize that I am not alone in my frustrations and feelings. It has made me realize that sometimes you need to hit that lowest low in order to live again.

While I realize music isn’t everything, A Moment’s Worth has made me realize that it matters a whole lot to the musicians and the fans. So I thank them for the years of hard-work, dedication, sweat and tears. All the fans appreciate it more than they could ever know.

To contact the Ionian’s Heather Nannery e-mail her at [email protected]