This month I’m recommending a book called This Is Your Brain On Music by Daniel J. Leviton. If you love music and have any interest in learning more about why and how we listen to music I think you’ll find it interesting.

The coolest thing about this book is how Leviton’s experience in the music world (a former musician/ producer turned cognitive psychologist/ neuroscientist) gives him an arsenal of pop culture references to help explain what might be otherwise some tedious concepts. This is not to say that it’s full of fluff. I found the book to be as comprehensive as it was engaging. From the various terms and theories for making music, to the science and physics of how it behaves in the world, Leviton’s approach makes the book accessible to all levels of listeners.

He even manages to touch upon some pretty cutting edge research about how music affects the brain and its role in processing things like time, memories and even basic survival functions. So, if you love music and you have any interest in learning about how it affects our brains or even just how it works, I think you might enjoy this book. Cheers!

Below is a playlist of songs that have resonated with me in the past month. I hope it brings more joy and flow to your life. – Thanks for listening, MMM

Included are songs by Boa Morte, This Heat, Adrian Younge, Ali Shaheed, Muhammad, Roy Ayers, Molchot Doma, Kamaal Willimas, Henry Wu, Thee Oh Sees, Peter Broderick, Pylon, Black County New Road, Kikagaku Moyo, Mile Davis, The Notwist, The War On Drugs, Teenage Fanclub, Neil Young

(Subscribe to get a new playlist every 1st Monday of the month. Click on my user link or search: Major Matt’s 1st Monday on Spotify to cruise past playlists and discover more music.)