I work at a restaurant

It's 2:00pm and I'm sweaty, tired, furiously working, and supposed to be at a 50th wedding anniversary in one hour. I've been at work since 8:00pm and we've had a slow day, but regardless, every Sunday shift ends with a long bout of cleaning as we get the kitchen spotless. Every inch of stainless steel surface needs to be scrubbed with kitchen cleaner and wiped down with a clean towel, of which there are very few by Sunday.

I run out to my car through the front door, forgetting to take off my apron over my chef's jacket, and I probably look like I've killed something because I rubbed pork juice all over it when I was prepping. I reach into my center console and grab the first CD that I think will pump me up for the end-of-shift cleaning spree.

Common Grackle is in my hands, then in the stereo. Their album, The Great Depression, is a work of genius that came out about a year ago, a collaboration between Canadian pop musician Gregory Pepper and prolific producer Factor.

The first song on the album, Thank God it's Monday, featuring the legendary Kool Keith, pumps through the room, bouncing off the walls and into everybody's ears. If there are still customers out there, I'm too busy to care, I've gotta be out of here in half an hour and this music has blasted me into work mode.

I scrub furiously, the perfect marriage of hip hop production, post-pop guitar riffs and superbly layered vocals allowing me to not care that sweat is dripping off the end of my nose and I'm going to be late no matter what I do at this point. Common Grackle keeps me going.

The music is a stroke of genius. We in the back of the house thank you guys for making music we can tune into. The kind of music that allows us to tune out the endless drone of the hood pulling air out of the kitchen, the clatter of dishes being flung around the scullery, the wait staff in and out of the swinging doors bringing the french presses and teapots and whatnot to the back. It puts me in the zone, in a mood to work quickly and efficiently. Who cares if I'm late, for now I'm groovin' through the motions.

And damn, this album is fresh.