This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You - Harmony or Dissonance?

Music has always been a large part of my life - I grew up with my family playing their favorite Indian songs on long road trips and singing karaoke songs late at night on vacation. As I developed my likes and interests, I found that my music taste differed from others in my family. I enjoy hip-hop but also love mainstream pop artists like Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. Like I am, my sister is also fond of pop but prefers a more indie sound than I do. While I care about lyrics and want to connect to songs on a deeper level, my parents always say that the song's melody matters much more. Knowing that my family members have different personalities, I was always curious about how one's music taste reveals about their personality; when I saw the book "This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You" at a small, quaint bookstore during my trip to India, written by the legendary sound engineer, record producer for Prince, and psychologist Susan Rogers, I was thrilled to find something that could potentially answer my questions.

This book was not what I was expecting, but there were a few things that I truly enjoyed about it. The main thing that stood out for me was its interactivity. The book mentions many songs, from the old rock songs of the 80s to new, contemporary pop, and encourages readers to listen to them to acknowledge the Rogers's points in her writing. For example, she explained boldness in music by giving the examples of three songs: Gillian Welch's "My First Lover," the pop classic "Don't Start Now" by Dua Lipa, and more adventurous tracks like "Crumbling Castle" by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizzard. Instead of solely giving information, Roger makes it easy to understand by using engaging and interactive examples, making the book more of an unforgettable experience. As I stated before, I love experimenting with my music taste and listening to various genres, so this feature was perfect for me and anyone who loves music. The book was well-structured and divided into sections exploring multiple aspects of musical taste, such as authenticity, novelty, and lyrical significance. Each chapter was informative and engaging, supplemented by "liner notes'' providing intriguing facts about the neuroscience of music. Again, although the book didn't meet my initial expectations, I still felt like I learned something new about how my mind is engaged when I listen to my favorite tunes.

Unfortunately, the novel left me feeling disappointed and unfulfilled in many ways. The main problem was that the book's content could have been more relevant to what the title claimed it would be. It was more of an explanation of the qualities of music that engage people's brains than how they contrast between people based on their personalities. Though I found the neuroscience behind the music absorbing and fascinating, I also wanted to learn more about myself and find music that connects to me personally. The book was repetitive, saying the same thing multiple times in each chapter. For example, in the chapter about realism in music, Rogers talks about how abstract records allow for more engagement in the music. She writes,

"Abstract records thus foster a more personalized form of engagement because they offer the listener more room to fill in the blanks."

This statement is valid and makes sense. However, she states the same thing only a few pages later, explaining,

"Abstract records invite you to create your own personal world and invent your own imagery, unbounded by consensual reality."

In both sentences, she discusses how abstract records allow the listener's mind to run free; though the statements are not the exact same, she details them similarly. The book had similar examples and situations, making it very redundant. I understand if Rogers wanted to reiterate her points to make the reader grasp what she is trying to say, but there was too much information in the book to be effective.

While 'This is What It Sounds Like' may not be the best choice for casual music lovers uninterested in neuroscience, it could be a valuable read for those intrigued by the reasons behind music genre preferences. I recommend this book to those curious about how our brains interpret melodies and why certain songs resonate deeply. However, if you're not particularly interested in these aspects of music, you might find more fulfillment in exploring music on your own rather than delving into this specific novel.