Book Review: Reverberation

Music is a universal human experience that’s been with us since the dawn of time. You’ve listened to music all your life . . . but have you ever wondered why?

It turns out music isn’t just about entertainment—it’s a deeply embedded, subtly powerful means of communication. Songs resonate with your brain wave patterns and drive changes in your brain: creating your moods, consolidating your memories, strengthening your habits (the good ones and the bad ones alike) . . . even making you fall in or out of love. Your music is molding you, at a subconscious level, all day long. And now, for the first time ever, you can take charge.

From executive editor Peter Gabriel and the minds behind It’s All in Your Head (the ultimate user’s guide for your brain), Reverberation unlocks a world where you can actively leverage the power of music to improve and enhance every aspect of your life. You’ll learn specific songs and techniques to help you sleep better, induce creative breakthroughs, be more productive, have better sex, and a whole lot more. You’ll discover the amazing work happening at the intersection of music, science, technology, and medicine. The authors spoke to dozens of neuroscientists making exciting breakthroughs, as well as top recording artists like David Byrne, Branford Marsalis, Hans Zimmer, Mick Fleetwood, and Sheila E. to gain the music maker’s perspective. And you’ll learn how music is already being strategically applied to break addiction and reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s, build more productive and creative teams, develop intuitive personalized technology, and is otherwise changing . . . well, everything.

Reverberation: Do Everything Better with Music comes out on October 25, 2022. Abrams Image books provided an early galley for review.

Everyone who knows me knows that I have a deep love of music. My library spans hundreds of albums over the course of sixty plus years and many different genres. I like variety. I also listen to music every night when I am falling asleep. So, a book about understanding how music can positively affect my life was a definite read for me.

First off, I learned a lot from author Keith Blanchard. He opens with how our brains work and how different wave levels interact with our system. He then gives a quick rundown on how our ears function with our brains, taking vibrations and translating them to familiar sounds and songs. We have some really amazing equipment that we carry around with us every day. The book also includes a summary of terms at the end - a fantastic quick reference.

From there, he explains in detail how music can help us to relax, to focus, to love, to connect, to escape, to create, to feel and more. Along the way, he calls upon many famous folks from the field of music to help support his discussion. I always find the insights of musicians to be very enlightening. It sometimes shows us how the sauce is made and why.

I also like Blanchard's writing style. It is relaxed and approachable. He often uses little lyrical phrases in subsection titles or within the discussion text as well. These are instantly recongizable to those who have experienced a broad song catalog. Every time I hit one, I find myself singing them in my head. Thus is the power of music.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone for whom music plays a part (small or large) in their life.