Sounds Like Flying & Feels Like Waterfalls

Sure, we've all gotten the goosebumps from a special, personally-significant song. But when you tune into Umphrey's McGee's "Soaring Uplifting Jam," that special 'song' is redefined. Sounds mimic the likeness of flying, and grooves become nothing short of drinking a futuristic, waterfall-flavored Gatorade. It's music at it's best. And it's improvised. It's a jam. So, as far as over-descriptive, unnecessary analogies go, I like to relate "Soaring Uplifting Jam" to the following:

1. Listen: Umphrey's McGee: Soaring Uplifting Jam, 4.2.11

https://soundcloud.com/hidden-track/umphreys-mcgee-soaring

2. Trickling stream, anyone?

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Everyone likes a trickling stream, or a babbling brook (as some prefer), right? Right. Well, the first 50-seconds of Umphrey's "Soaring" is nothing short of exactly that: a trickling stream; one that's prepped to launch into absolute music-absurdity (good & exciting absurdity, though, trust me).

3. Your first-ever time lapse experience...

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Yeah, that feeling when you said to yourself, "oh, this is going to be nice." Umphrey's takes that feeling, bottles it up, and spills it into your ears at the one minute mark with rhythmic piano, bass, and melodic guitar licks that you've likely never heard before.

4. Remember Jessica Biel in "Summer Catch?"

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Good flick, right? Sure. More importantly, remember the moment she steps out of that pool? Enough said. "Soaring's" 2:40 mark sets that same tone. At this point, it's no longer a, "This song's pretty good," it's more of a point of no return. At the 2:40 mark, there's no way your tuning out of this jam, just like there's no way you'll ever turn the channel on "Summer Catch."

5. Think about the last time that you truly smiled.

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Meet Caine. He's 9. He's a simple kid; loves games, prizes, and building things. Well, Caine created his very own arcade. Only, no one showed up to play. So, one day, a nice fellow decided to help him out, and surprised Caine with a crowd of good people that wanted to have some fun in his arcade. They made Caine's day. Caine truly smiled, just like you will during "Soaring's" 3:36 mark. Its inevitable.

6. Can you imagine running across America?

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Forrest Gump did it. And with a little help from the 4:50 mark of "Soaring," I'm pretty sure that we all can.

7. Lastly, a successful & thankful fist pump.

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Judd Nelson owns what could quite honestly be looked at as one of the greatest concluding fist pumps of all-time. The fist pump is a staple of success, a sign of approval, a way of saying, "thanks." At the 6:45 mark in Umphrey's "Soaring Uplifting Jam," I like to think that we're all pumping our fists. Thank you, Umphrey's McGee.