Ten hours. It takes ten hours to go from Auburn Hills, Mich. to Houghton. Ten grueling, boring, yet scenic hours. When someone goes from the metro-Detroit area all the way to the Copper Country they have time to think.

Thoughts constantly cloud the mind of those who make this journey — especially if they are packing up their whole life and moving to Houghton.

“Am I making the right decision? What if I do not like the weather? Will I make any friends?” The non-stop cacophony of jumbled feelings are relentless and ever-present.

However, sometimes all of the misgivings go quiet and the boredom sets back in. So, how do you pass the time between the towns and destinations?

Listening to music has helped me a great deal with this problem. I moved to Houghton in mid- February and those ten hours were spent with a couple of great albums and a variety of amazing songs.

Here are some of them. All of these I would highly recommend.

Modest Mouse — “Good News for People Who Love Bad News.”

Released in April of 2004, Modest Mouse’s fifth LP takes the listener on a journey through sixteen tracks that build a reliable and catchy sound throughout its runtime. “Good News for People Who Love Bad News” is one of my favorite records of all time, not only due to its ability to get stuck in your head, but because it stays there. If you were around in the mid-2000s you have most likely heard of Modest Mouse’s most popular song, “Float On,” which resides on the third track of “Good News.” “Float On” is a monumental display of what makes a good mid-2000s pop song.

This particular record enticed me as someone who has packed up her life and moved to Houghton, because of how upbeat and hopeful it is. There are a plethora of moments on this record that have given me hope, even as I drove through snowstorms and over black ice.

Kamasi Washington — “Fearless Movement”

Jazz has always been an eclectic music genre I have had the pleasure to call one of my favorites. The rhythmic grooves are great for chugging along westbound M-28 along Lake Superior. “Fearless Movement” by the modern jazz-genius, Kamasi Washington, in particular feels like an odyssey of sound. It is not Washington’s longest project, but it might be one of his most impressive.

Gospel-chant vocals, plucky bass lines, sporadic piano and saxophone playing — it all comes together on the majority of the tracks here. My favorites from this record, and the ones I found to pass time the best are “Asha the First” and “Prologue.”

Mongolia Electric Co. — “Trials & Errors”

Recorded in 2003, this live album by Jason Molina and his alt-country crew explores grief, loneliness and hope. Many of the tracks on this LP are lifted from other Molina projects like Magnolia Electric Co. and Songs: Ohia. There are a myriad of different critics and casual listeners of Jason Molina, frontman of Magnolia Electric Co., who have compared him to folk and country legend, Neil Young.

For the most part, these are apt comparisons. The depressive and longing lyrics, as well as the dusty folk rock instrumentation compliment these musical connections.

These songs are not for the casual listener though. They are long and sonically dense, often spanning over seven minutes. They are definitely worth the effort, as this is one of my favorite country records of all time.

TOOL — “10,000 Days”

The last record that I will discuss is another mid-2000s classic — this time in the metal genre. While not TOOL’s most impressive work, “10,000 Days” is my favorite of theirs. “10,000 Days” explores the lead singer, Maynard James Keenan, and his relationship with his late mother, who was paralyzed after a stroke for 10,000 days. This heavy topic reflects with the theming of the record and explores the several avenues in which people cope with loss.

This is best demonstrated with songs such as “The Pot,” “Jambi” and “10,000 Days (Wings Pt 2). To me, “10,000 Days” is a masterclass of introspection and is best enjoyed not singing or screaming along to, but by thinking about the lyrics and how one could relate to them.

TOOL has always been a band about the human experience and how everyone will always have a different story to tell. My story started in Auburn Hills, Mich., where I grew up, and will continue in Houghton.

I am thrilled to call Houghton my new home and the cliche saying of “life is a journey, not a destination,” is a statement that holds true — even after ten hours on the cold Michigan roads.