Someone famously said that "writing about music is like dancing about architecture", so don't take this post too seriously. But after listening to the album over the last few weeks, I thought I'd share some thoughts about my understanding of the album and would love to hear how others are interpreting it.

To me, Going, Going, Gone is an exploration on the theme of the fleeting pleasures of life. When listening to this album, I find myself thinking about the hedonic treadmill, the idea that regardless of what improvements we make in life, humans will always return to some average baseline level of happiness. I think Alex finds joy in being on the leading edge of new experiences and discoveries, but also sees that we are entirely trapped in this constant pursuit of new highs. In fact, the feeling I get after listening to this album is that not only are we doomed to eternally chase new and different experiences for the rest of our life, but that this drive is innately destructive of the things that pleased us in the past.

This feels especially poignant for artists like Alex, who constantly deal with the opposing pressures of creating new things, but also making more of the same (since that's what got them fans in the first place). Indeed, almost every take I've seen on this album so far has related it to the previous MHC albums. Alex seems very aware of this as each album he has made has made very large strides from the previous one. I think Jazz music itself relays this theme as well - Jazz tends to be about bucking current trends in music and even previous forms of itself.

Some evidence from the songs and lyrics

Dionysian State

• "Without a shadow of a doubt... Bye bye, I'll be checking out... On to the next sensation"

Trash Heap

• ironically if one chases the dionysian state too hard (substances, gambling, etc.), they can end up being hangover in a trashy casino, playing slots and eating nachos

Taste Tomorrow

• idk about you guys but this song feels sort of like being depressed and wondering if you'll ever be happy again

I don't mind the wait

• in time, you will even grow apart from the people you love

Waving

• Cool double metaphor:

• Waves in the ocean are often related to being perfectly in the moment (surfing too far forward or backward and you'll fall off the wave)

• Waving, as in waving goodbye - in the process of pursuing those new and better experiences, you have to say goodbye to all the other ones

Me Myself and Dollar Hell

• America seems like a society built on this endless pursuit of more and more

• His sarcastic cries of "I'm with Jesus" and "I'm with Reason" sort of critiques the idea that these are any different - we are all doomed to the hedonic pursuit, even if we approach it in different ways (religion, philosophy, etc.)

Let me know what you guys think. Happy listening, and thanks Alex for a great album