I Remember That Book My Understandings by Of Mice & Men
From the band's second studio album, The Flood, My Understandings is kind of a roller coaster, but it maintains a cohesiveness despite its ups and downs.
The intro is a soothing and repetitive two-note pattern that blooms slowly into a multi-layered amalgamation of sounds. Even if you focus on the original two notes, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when they fade out of the mess of guitar and bass and background vocals. One minute the pattern is there, and the next it's gone.
When the main vocal line enters, the background noise gives way completely, and there's no accompaniment except some unobtrusive strumming.
The next section includes everything at once - drums and guitars and passionate singing and a huge increase in energy.
And then suddenly we're back to distant echoes and a sense of peace. Resolution maybe.
The construction of this song is interesting to me because it's basically made up of four sections: Intro - Chill Section - Intense Section - Outro. The intro and outro parallel each other, forming bookends around the meat of the track. The relaxed section with a cappella vibes introduces every lyric in the whole song, and the whole thing is repeated verbatim during the second part, just louder.
It took me a couple to listens to realize that the lyrics were repeated because they just sound so different the second time around. It's pretty cool. Overview: Genre:
Metalcore Favorite Lyrics: I don't mind if you're overrated.
Verdict:
Softer than I expected from a band with the word "metal" in the primary genre
Yes, THAT Niall Horan. As in, 1/5 and later 1/4 of One Direction.
This precious little number picks up not too far from where the boy band left off, both in sound and content. Worlds away from where they started with What Makes You Beautiful, One Direction's fifth album was mellow and nostalgic and intimate.
The similarity makes sense, as he collaborated with some of the same minds as 1D, including Jamie Scott who wrote on some of the softest (in a good way) songs on Made in the A.M. (x).
But let's be fair to this new solo artist and talk about him.
This Town is a folksy ballad that puts the spotlight directly on Niall Horan. He sings, gentle and sweet, and accompanies himself on the acoustic guitar. It's lovely and casual, and it reminds me a bit of Ed Sheeran in the sincerity of the delivery.
(Even the video above is reminiscent of the music video for Little Things, a track written by Ed Sheeran for One Direction's second album. That black and white aesthetic, you know.)
The story is a melancholy little thing about, perhaps, a childhood sweetheart. It's full of love for this person, for this old town, for old times...and despite the sadness, and the assertion that it's wrong that I can't move on, it still leaves you with a warm feeling inside.
Keep a lookout for Horan's debut album as a solo artist, which he told Ryan Seacrest will be out sometime in 2017 (x). Until then, enjoy this sneak peak :))) Overview: Genre:
Folk Pop
Favorite Lyrics: You still make me nervous when you walk in the room. Them butterflies, they come alive when I'm next to you. Verdict:
Let's face it - there's nothing this kid could release that I wouldn't fall in love with. That said, this track is actually the sweetest thing.
Good Times Running Errands with My Mom by Jeremy Shada, Shauna Case, & Annie Sertich
Recommended by Bert
You may recognize Jeremy Shada as the voice of Finn from Adventure Time, but this song is from a different Cartoon Network show: Incredible Crew.
I don't really know what to say - I mean, this little creation is very lighthearted and entertaining and definitely doesn't need any kind of in-depth analysis. Thought I'd share it anyway.
Reminds me of that Mark Ronson (ft. Bruno Mars) parody of Uptown Funk.
(Suburban Funk)
Overview: Genre:
Uh...rap?
Favorite Lyrics: Yo, you mad trippin' Linda; Your shoes don't match your purse! Verdict:
pretty funny
Happy Atlanta Night Life: The Biggest Troll by Childish Gambino
(Not an official video, obviously - music starts at like 0:23)
Life: The Biggest Troll is a track from Childish Gambino's Grammy-nominated album, Because the Internet (2013) (x). The title for the album comes from a line in this song: Because the Internet, mistakes are forever.
Explaining the album title, Donald Glover said:
Because the internet I'm here, because of the internet we're all here. It's the language of earth. Everyone keeps saying by this or that year, Mandarin or Spanish will be the most dominant language, but the internet is already a language we are all connected to; even my dad can understand the meme format. But the thing is, there are no rules, which is also the awesome thing. (source)
I appreciate this insight and agree with it.
Childish Gambino has no chill with the Internet theme, even using an animated .GIF as the cover of his album. The physical version uses lenticular printing (that thing where the image changes when you look it from a different angle) to mimic the effect (x). Life: The Biggest Troll takes a look at Internet culture with the same level of depth.
Musically, the track is easy to listen to. Childish Gambino raps free-flowing lines with a mellow voice. The background noise sounds like something Tame Impala would put out.
Lyrically, the track is - as CMJ calls it - "self-awarely annoying."
But, hey, I don't think it's possible to write about the Internet without accruing some second-hand embarrassment.
In addition to mentioning serious topics like gun control and the racist asshole hacker Andrew Aurnheimer, the track also references Rick Rollingand quotes Mean Girls. But, hey, that's the Internet for you.
Overview: Genre:
Hip Hop / Rap Favorite Lyrics: Funny, the day you're born, that's really your death sentence. Verdict:
clever, very 2013
Okay But Is There A Study Guide Learn to Love by W. Darling
Recommended by Grace
"My ears could not stop thanking me for this song. The lyrics are so beautiful and the production is just an added bonus. Her voice is gentle enough to perfectly express the feeling the song wants to capture." I did another W. Darling song a while back, Hunting Happiness, and it was very similar to this one. That makes sense, as both tracks come from not only the same artist but also the same album, Lost Girls: Chapter 1. They share the same vibe because of the sweetness of the vocals as well as the themes of the lyrics. Learn to Love: You can win every fight that you start, never caring who you rip apart. Hunting Happiness: It's easier chasing a fantasy than trusting your heart won't rip mine apart. I'm thinking both pieces were about the same relationship, but Hunting Happiness was a personal, reflective piece; whereas Learn to Love is directed at the other person in the relationship. W. Darling has said that she writes about relationships so often because part of her writing style involves using the creative process as a way to make sense of emotional situations, and that sincerity comes through in both the lyrics and their delivery.
I guess I hope that it’s just people who are going through a hard time or relationships that make them feel confused or overpowered. I’ve always been fascinated by love and hard love, or tragic love, I’d hope that a kid sitting at home sobbing and unable to sleep would find some shared space with me. (source)
As precious as W. Darling's voice. Overview: Genre: Indie Folk Pop Favorite Lyrics: You can't really win if you've nothing to lose. Verdict: kind of reminds me of Celtic Woman
Swipe Right Dawn, composed by Dario Marianelli and performed by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet
from the soundtrack to Pride and Prejudice (2005)
(the one with Keira Knightley) "The visual and audio of this movie can convert anyone into a romantic that is made breathless by a sunrise and would cringe at the thought of online dating." I have to push back a bit against that dig at online dating, just because I can 100% imagine myself sitting cross-legged on a cushioned throne, sipping wine from a crystal goblet with my left hand and passing judgment on my many suitors by swiping left with my right. But I get your meaning. I'm overjoyed that you recommended this song, actually. This soundtrack is stunning and widely acclaimed. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Achievement for Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score, and it won a European Film Award and two World Soundtrack Awards. Including the accolades listed above, the composer Marianelli has been nominated for three Academy Awards and two Golden Globes, winning one of each. The soundtrack to this film brings back memories for me because I was very much into Pride and Prejudice during high school. I remember watching the thing countless times, and what stuck with me more than Jane Austen's dramatic characters was the soundtrack. I ended up going out and buying the sheet music so I could try to recreate it, be like Mary. One of my favorite things about the music in this movie is that it transitioned seamlessly between diegetic and non-diegetic presentations. That is, sometimes the music would be played on-screen by, say, Mary, with the characters all very aware of the source; and other times, it would be what we come to expect from "background" music, with no in-universe source. This particular track is a lovely piano piece that Elizabeth Bennett herself plays, rather reluctantly, on the pianoforte at the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh: here. I've always liked the song's simplicity. I like the slow start that builds to something louder and faster and somewhat more complex, like a rose unfolding or the sun rising. And I like the ending which always leaves me with a perfect sense of calm. Guess I have to go watch the movie now. Overivew: Genre: Soundtrack / Instrumental Verdict: peaceful, elegant
Do You Say "Data" or "Data"? Dangerous ft. Joywave by Big Data
Recommended by Tim
First of all, I can't believe the artist "Big Data" released a song about how dangerous big data has become. Did they write the song and then choose a band name later? Are all of Big Data's songs about the dangers of big data?
Dangerous is specifically about how "voyeurism on the internet is unsettling" (x).
You may be wondering what kind of person would compose music on something as not-poetic as big data, and I have the answer: Alan Wilkis. The guy, in his 30s, graduated from Harvard with an English major (x). Kind of makes sense.
"Social media is just how things are. I hope that Dangerous can make social media a positive thing," he says (x). Even though Dangerous definitely makes social media sound creepy more than anything. The topics have earned this track the title of Most Paranoid Song of the Summer in some books. Luckily, the average listener isn't going to dig deeper than the romance-oriented chorus that kind of makes the Orwellian concepts sound like you're just trying to find yourself a place to be alone with your lover when y'all are staying in a crowded house. Plus, it's hard to get past the infectious electropop sound. I'd rather engage with that bass line than any kind of big data conspiracy theory. Which is probably what They want you to do. Don't think too hard, or you'll start noticing things. Illuminati confirmed.
Overview: Genre:
Indie Rock Favorite Lyrics: Nobody's listening, and we're alone. Verdict:
Sound - 2013
Lyrics - 1984
Don't Let Your Dreams Be Dreams Better Together by Jack Johnson Recommended by Uncle Manny "Jack Johnson's songs always seem to get my attention. His voice just oozes chill... Sherry and I were just sitting in the living room relaxing and listening to Amazon Music playlists and this song came on. As per usual, his voice caught my attention and so I started listening to the lyrics more closely and this song just describes Sherry and me to a tee. I began to tear up as the song went on, and felt the need to share it with you. I hope you like it..." This song put me in such a good mood! I'm glad you decided to share it. Finding love like the one depicted in this song - like the one you and Aunt Sherry have - is all we can really ask for. As you said, his voice "oozes chill," but the relaxed vibe carries over into the instrumentals as well. He plays nothing but the acoustic guitar and a bit of harmonica. In the guitar line, you can hear hints of the song Heart and Soul, the classic which is often heard as a beginner piano duet, which he samples conservatively (x).
(I love that he uses that song. It's a kind of musical allusion, since the 1938 Hoagie Carmichael song Heart and Soul touches on the same themes of deep, long-lasting love and adoration.) There's an endearing simplicity in his voice, his songwriting style, his name, and his lyrics. (Johnson was born and raised in Hawaii, where he had a short stint as a pro surfer, which probably contributes to that laid-back persona. x) I say the lyrics are "chill" in that they're delivered conversationally, but they're by no means lazily constructed. There are millions of love songs out there, but not all of them are able to craft such a palpable, warm atmosphere around them. Our dreams, they are made out of real things...I'm sure there are ways of writing without personal experience, but it makes me happy to know that Johnson has been married to his college sweetheart, with whom he has 3 children, for 16 years and counting (x). Overview: Genre: Acoustic Rock Favorite Lyrics: Love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. Verdict: the dream
Simple and Clean We're Going to Be Friends by White Stripes
This is the most wholesome song.
You may recognize it from the opening credits of Napoleon Dynamite or possibly the ending credits of House (it was just one episode).
Here we have a guy with an acoustic guitar singing about the simpler times of childhood, back when the biggest worries were going to school and making friends. The simplicity is reflected not only in the subject matter of the lyrics but also the instrumentation.
The lyrics deliver the story of "a day in the life" for a young kid in a very straightforward manner, but you get emotional anyway. There's no way to present a topic like this without crushing nostalgia.
We've all been there.
It's actually a pretty impressive show of storytelling. Close your eyes. It paints the scenes beautifully, and it really captures the essence of that time, built around the perspective of this small main character.
Fun fact: The girl mentioned in the line walk with me, Suzy Lee is a recurring character throughout White Stripes' discography.
Overview: Genre:
Folk Rock
Favorite Lyrics: We don't notice any time pass. We don't notice anything. Verdict:
so pure
Favorite thing: the "obscure tropical percussion" (x).
Immediately, I was drawn in by that hollow, wooden, fingers-snapping, bubbles-popping mix of noises that runs just below the surface of this track.
Apparently it's not just this song. Lead vocalist, composer and producer Dave Bayley spread the jungle timbres and wild ambiance throughout the album. Background noises were created using a variety of methods including deep stuff like recording natural sounds in Bayley's backyard as well as using unusual instruments, such as cooking utensils and children's toys (x).
Bayley also explains the vocal line:
To me, ‘Hazey’ is about a parental character who has abandoned those values and eventually becomes wracked by regret. That character speaks in the choruses in the falsetto voice. The verses are spoken by that character’s child in full voice. This boy has matured quickly to pick up the pieces dropped by his parent. It was his attitude that I thought was summed up by the bone breakers. (source)
The song kind of sounds sad and haunted, so I'm not surprised by the dramatic meaning of the lyrics. That said, I'm going to ignore them.
The power of this song is in the musicality, not the lyrics. I'm transported to the middle of the Amazon by the sounds of the jungle, and I don't have time to deal with the memory of struggles endured in childhood.
Overview: Genre:
Indietronica / Psychadelic Pop Favorite Lyrics: Just you say the reason why I can calm you. Verdict:
a really enjoyable song to listen to if you ignore the lyrics
Gotta Love Kiwis Blue Ain't Your Color by Keith Urban
Brought to My Attention by Kim C.
I never understood how this New Zealand-born Australian ended up singing country music, but you can hear that he's got a knack for it. The first place he moved to in the U.S. was Nashville, so...(x)
This track was actually written by Steven Lee Olsen, Hillary Lindsey and Clint Lagerberg. Urban chose the track because he fell in love with "the lyric...the melody, the feel" (x), but he managed to get his fingerprints on it.
I didn't want it to feel like a waltz, you know? So, when we recorded the song at Starstruck Studios here in Nashville, we kept it a little more robotic sounding, so it wasn't a straight band. It was a little more machinery, rhythmically, and I think it kept, hopefully for me at least, it kept it in a unique place that allowed the story to have a lot of space. (source)
It was a "waltz with a doo-wop feel" that Urban tailored to fit the "minimalist vocal that [he] wanted to feature" (x).
Just for clarification, it's not really a waltz, right? It's in common time; they've just subdivided each of the four beats per measure into three counts.
But anyway, those triplets still give it a waltzy vibe, and the lyrics are certainly romantic enough to warrant the label. Whether it's a true waltz or not, it's certainly worthy of a late-night slow dance at your favorite locale.
It seemed counter-intuitive to me that Urban was going for simplicity and decided the best way to achieve this sound was through something "more robotic sounding," but I think it works. The instrumentals bounce softly behind a heartfelt performance by Urban, referring to both his vocals and his immense talent on the guitar (listen to him go after the second repetition of the chorus).
I must say it's a bit presumptuous to see a girl alone at the bar and assume chances are you're sittin' here in this bar 'cause he ain't gonna treat you right, and it's much more so to go over and tell her she ought to leave this imagined guy...
...But Urban croons about how he's not tryna be another "just pick you up" kinda guy, and you can't help but believe him.
He admits it's not his place, but maybe after being successfully married for a decade, he feels qualified to offer a word of advice to this struggling young woman. I, for one, would be receptive to anything Keith Urban wants to tell me, as long as he sings it like this.
And let me tell you, anyone would leave the bar feeling better after hearing this honeyed tune.
This is such a wholesome track, and I'm happy someone's out here performing country music like this.
Overview: Genre:
Country Favorite Lyrics: But I just don't understand how another man could take your sun and turn it ice cold. Verdict:
comforting; kind of an "oldies" vibe;
sounds weirdly like a country Bruno Mars
I'm surprised I haven't suggested a song by this band before, since I've seen these dudes live five times over the past year.
Plus, Hey Violet has been growing in popularity recently.
Compared to their previous release - the I Can Feel It EP - this one uses more synth and has a funkier vibe all-around. Lead vocalist Rena Lovelis calls it "a bit '80s style...really fat and big with a groove" (x). It's just, like, really cool.
Hey Violet has been working with some big names for this EP, and I think it shows.
That's not a dig at the band's talent - they all still participate heavily in the creation of their music - but it can't hurt to collaborate with the seasoned professionals.
One co-writer and producer on this track was Julian Bunetta (x), who has worked extensively with One Direction. He's behind such hits as Best Song Ever, Fireproof, Night Changes, Steal My Girl, Perfect, and Drag Me Down.
So, basically, he's credited on all of their biggest hits since 2014.
But I digress.
Hey Violet have been working with some big names behind the scenes, but they're also connected with big names on stage. They opened for 5 Seconds of Summer in both of the groups most recent world tours, including the time they played at Madison Square Garden.
All that experience has paid off, I'd say, as their live performances have improved markedly between the first time I saw them in August 2015 and the most recent time I saw them - last Saturday.
Plus, as I mentioned earlier, their songs have improved.
I can get down to all of their music, but nothing from the last EP was quite as fun or catchy or good as this. They're finally growing into their true potential, and their sound is maturing. Plus, speaking of mature, the lyrics are a more than a little suggestive.
The first and second verses are almost identical, lyrically, but you almost don't recognize it because they're delivered so differently.
The song opens with just a hint of the funkiness to come. Bass is bumpin', but the vocals comes in slow and sultry.
But then you get to the chorus, and it's kickin'. The second verse is designed to keep that momentum going. Lovelis sings basically the same lines as the first verse, but it has double the energy and goes by about twice as quickly.
And that's when I realized I was hooked.
Overview: Genre:
alt pop Favorite Lyrics: I'm the lock, and you're the key. Won't you come and open me? Verdict:
honestly such a bop
I mean, it did back in high school. I haven't listened to it in like four years, so thanks to whoever submitted this throwback.
My friends actually gave me a lot of crap for liking Owl City back in the day, but I refused to let go of it. Their hatred only fueled my passion, and I ended up downloading the rest of the album (Ocean Eyes) purely out of spite.
It should be noted that Fireflies spent two weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 which, while it doesn't say anything about the song's value as art, provides inarguable proof that a bunch of other people liked it just as much as I did. (x)
To be fair, it may also be noted that the music video premiered exclusively on MySpace (x).
Anyway, if my friends' taunts didn't keep me from liking this song, then nothing could.
Usually, when I set a song as my alarm, it ruins it completely, but Fireflies survived. I think it's because it opens with the softest of synth riffs, which eases you out of slumber ever-so-gently.
The track opens with a line that sounds like bubbles popping, if bubbles had pitch. It's some soothing, underwater type stuff that prepares your ears for the most comfortable and inoffensive series of tones they will ever experience.
That might not work for you if you're a heavy sleeper, but I like it better than harsh alarm noises.
...Oddly enough, I not only woke up to this song, but I also fell asleep to it.
Writer Adam Young called Fireflies "a little song about bugs and not being able to fall asleep at night" (x). There's nothing like a track about insomnia to help you overcome it.
Overview: Genre:
Electronica Favorite Lyrics: It's hard to say I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep. Verdict:
Soothing...the whimsical lyrics provide vivid imagery of dancing lightning bugs, and it feels like a bedtime story...in a good way
Voila la Carmencita Habanera from Carmen by Georges Bizet
It occurred to me that I haven't put any Carmen on this blog, which is ridiculous because I listen to this music almost once a week - it helps me study.
I always just throw on the full performance, which is almost, like, three hours of music without me having to find a new song or put together a playlist or listen to Spotify ads. Plus, it's in French, so I don't get distracted by the lyrics.
Because I always listen to the full opera, though, I wasn't sure which piece to choose for this blog.
Do I go for the cliche Toreador's Song? Do I try to touch on everything for a moment with the Overture? Do I introduce something less popular that people might not have heard before?
Obviously, I went for the more typical route. If you've heard anything from Carmen, then you've heard Habanera.
In fact, if you've heard anything from any opera, there's a good chance that you've heard Habanera.
This aria, technically called L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Love is a rebellious bird), is basically a character song for Carmen, revealing her personality through a thorough discussion of her feelings about love.
She sings about how love is fickle, comparing it to a rebellious bird that no one can tame and a gypsy child who has never known the law.
The music itself is really neat, too. You can hear that the role of Carmen is for a mezzo-soprano rather than a soprano, so it's not quite as high or - forgive me - shrill as one might expect. Misconception or not, I expect arias to sound like this aria by Micaela.
The melody, based on the descending chromatic scale, is something special. I didn't know it was possible for a melody to be sultry, but this one is. It's not even the voice or the delivery, but those tiny steps down the scale are just so flirtatious. Even before Carmen comes in, those strings are starting something passionate.
Another of my favorite things about this piece: the chorus.
I love how they repeat Carmen's advice about love right back at her. It's like she has her own fan club, which would be so like her.
If you like this at all, I suggest watching the whole thing. It's a good time.
Overview: Genre:
Opera / Aria Favorite Lyrics: Si je t'aime, prends garde à toi. Verdict:
classic and lovely
The song was part of a pre-roll advertisement, and I couldn't get this one line out of my head: And when the lights start flashing like a photo booth...
You know how it is when you have just a single line of a song stuck in your head. It's distracting and annoying and the only way to get rid of it is to listen to the full song.
I thought that it was an Apple commercial, but I haven't been able to find it again since I first came across it a few weeks ago. Now I'm thinking maybe it wasn't for Apple. I don't know. If anyone hears Youth in an ad, send me the link.
(Don't send me the Sweet Tarts or the YouTube ads because I've already seen them and they're not the ones I'm looking for.)
Anyway, some ad brought me to this song, and I'm so glad because I love it now.
It's easy to get into because it starts out with several repetitions of that what if, what if, what if - which is not only an easy phrase to remember, but it also gets me immediately interested in the content.
I don't know, Troye Sivan. What if - ?
And of course he never really answers it, but you never really expected him to.
I think the answer is that...if you run away, left today, etc....then you would have FUN.
This is one of my favorites out of all the songs that share this message - the message being, I guess... love deeply, seize the day, live while you're young (via One Direction), and mess up while you can.
Sivan himself made a nice comment on the meaning of this song (love when that happens):
Youth is a song about the joy in naivety and being lost. It's about dropping everything, running away, making mistakes, and loving too hard, and how that's okay. (source)
Well said <3
More than anything, I just genuinely enjoy listening to this song. It puts me in a good mood, from the lyrics to the beat to the melody. Even if it's wistful in that we know youth doesn't last forever, it's a happy song.
Overview: Genre:
Electropop Favorite Lyrics: Cross your fingers, here we go. Verdict:
Apparently I'm really into electropop now, so I dig it; and the message is timeless, always going to speak to young people of any generation.
Like the '80s rock song from yesterday, tonight's '60s blues track uses a simple, repetitive melody to deliver an easy-to-grasp message in under 3 minutes.
Music critic Bill Janovitz says the track includes "brutal, powerful Wolf bellowing in his raspy style. There are few recordings that equal the powerful force of 'Spoonful'" (x). However, the true star for me is not Wolf's gritty vocals but rather that twangy guitar. The songwriting technique here is kind of interesting in that it attaches the title word Spoonful to that two-note pattern on the guitar, the one that plays after every line of the chorus. The lyrics go: Men have lied about little Some of them cried about little Some of them died about little The two-note pattern is employed after each occurrence of the word little and serves as a proxy for spoonful. You can attach a syllable of the word to each note. I don't know. I thought it was cool. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed the track as one of the "500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll," Rolling Stone calls it 219 out of the"500 Greatest Songs of All Time," and the Blues Foundation inducted it into the "Classics of Blues Recordings" Hall of Fame (x).
Overview: Genre:
Blues Favorite Lyrics: Just a little spoon of your precious love satisfy my soul. Verdict:
very feel-good
Banana in a Pajama Canary in a Coalmine by The Police
This track was written by Sting, clearly calling out people (or maybe a specific person?) who refuse to go with the flow.
We all know someone(s) like this.
You just want to shake them and yell, "Why does it matter!?" and inject the essence of A Chill Pill straight into their bloodstream.
Send them this song. No context, just text it to them. Or post it on their wall.
Trust me, it's a great idea.
Anyway, this is a nice jam. The lyrics craft a very specific message and repeat it over and over again which a) drives home the point and b) makes it really easy to sing along. The melody is catchy and simple, and the guitar is funky fresh.
What more can I say? '80s rock is just so much fun, man. Overview: Genre:
New Wave / Rock Favorite Lyrics: You get so dizzy even walking in a straight line. Verdict:
good reminder to be flexible
"The hype is real. I haven't been this excited for an album drop in a while. Comin' to y'all September 30th!"
The first official release for Bon Iver's most recently announced album, 33 "God" is a wild ride.
Highsnobietycommented that it sounds more like Bon Iver's collab work with Kanye than his old stuff, and I'm on board. I think it still has that far-away sound that I associate with Bon Iver, both in the instrumentation and the vocals, but it also has an experimental vibe that I've come to associate with Kanye.
Not that I'm super well-versed in the repertoire of either artist.
Anyway, you can hear a wide array of instruments and noises if you focus, but they all blend together so it's not distracting if you want to look at it as a whole. It's like...aural Monet.
I don't know.
Also I never really know how to address Bon Iver's lyrics, but they interest me enough that I always feel I should discuss them. I found a really great quote that Pitchfork took from John Ashbery, who was originally writing about Gertrude Stein:
Her lines were "annoying or brilliant or tedious." Stein was prone to stopping short in the middle of a sentence to wander the waking world. Her lines kept you at arm's length. (source)
And that's how I feel about Bon Iver lyrics. Especially the "annoying or brilliant or tedious." Which is it? Does it matter? I mean, many songs literally create verses out of the same words like oh, yeah, baby, na na na.
Maybe Bon Iver was like, "If I'm going to be saying nothing, I might as well say it with bigger words."
Or maybe it's personal poetry that I'm not grasping from an arm's length away.
The lyric video certainly looks like modern poetry, the text flowing in a form suited to print and paper with seemingly random capitalization and italics and enjambment. It's kind of fun to look at it like that. Man, I love lyric videos.
Overview: Genre:
Alternative Favorite Lyrics: I'd be happy as hell if you stayed for tea. Verdict:
homework music
These guys might already be familiar to you...and if they aren't, they likely will be sometime soon.
A quick Google search of the band's name turns up results saying "Will Overman may be the busiest man in Americana music" (x) and predicting "the imminent rise of the Will Overman Band" (x).
Not to be dramatic, but that sounds promising.
I just covered another of their songs last month, and both that single (Son) and this one have received some solid airplay.
All I Say is one of those songs that sounds more happy than sad until the second or third listen when you realize that the lyrics are talking about the end of a relationship, from the time it starts falling apart all the way to the time where you're walking away. "It’s like The Smiths’ approach," says Overman about various tracks on the album, "where you put really grim lyrics over a happy melody" (x). That said, the vocalists don't shy away from emoting. Overman sounds as sad as the lyrics when the music slows down - that falsetto on I wish I had known is nothing short of heartbreaking - and Brittney Wagner's voice always stirs something in me when it joins in with those pleasant harmonies.
For reviews of the full album: x / x Overview: Genre:
Folk-Rock / Americana Favorite Lyrics: You know that you're wrong, but your ego says hold strong. Verdict: "showcases the band’s myriad talents and combines an upbeat tempo that belies the regret-tinged lyrics" (x)
What Has This Blog Become I Think I Love You by Partridge Family
"Hilarious!!! Timeless and fun."
Originally composed by Tony Romeo in 1970, this track was the debut single for The Partridge Family (the pop group from a musical sitcom of the same name). Their recording made it to number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 (x).
The popularity of this song is surprising to me since it came from a television show. It would be like if the original songs from Glee became number one hits.
But I can roll with it. I Think I Love You is catchy, and the lyrics are relatable. I mean, how many times have I woken up with this feeling I didn't know how to deal with?
Almost every morning.
Anyway, the whole thing is pretty quirky. Those opening ba ba bas give me a "polka" vibe, and the choppy melody sort of keeps that up, and I'm really just tickled by the whole thing. I wish it was a number 1 Billboard hit right now because I would love for this to be on the radio.
Can you imagine this song being as ubiquitous as Justin Beiber was after he released Purpose?
If I was around in 1970, that intro would be the bane of my existence. Like Adele's Hello.
Like, you're just driving around in your car, and then baaa ba baa baa, babaa ba baa ba.
You're at the store and suddenly baaa ba baa baa, babaa ba baa ba.
You're in class and the person next to you is singing baaa ba baa baa, babaa ba baa ba.
Kills me.
But yeah, I like the song. It's fun, and the lyrics are actually pretty meaningful if you're into that kind of thing.
Overview: Genre:
Pop Favorite Lyrics: I think I love you. Isn't that what life is made of? Verdict:
me all day tomorrow: baaa ba baa baa, babaa ba baa ba
I was immediately hooked when I heard this song for the first time.
Billboard magazine called this track "salvation for the ears" which sounds dramatic but is actually 100% accurate (x).
The track opens with a cool guitar riff and then an extended whoa sung in the perfectly balanced harmony for which the band is known. You can't help but appreciate the rich texture created by multiple human voices.
(Or maybe I'm biased because I was in choir for so long.)
This track was actually supposed to be solely for touring, but the fans protested until it was released on an EP (Sun Giant)...which ended up being named #1 album of the year by Pitchfork in 2008 (x).
P.S. If you dig the harmonies as much as I do, make sure you check out their first single from back in 2008, White Winter Hymnal.
Overview:
Genre:
"interesting mix of baroque pop, classic rock, and British folk" (songfacts)
Favorite Lyrics:
You go wherever you go today.
Verdict:
video, which the band describes as "playful...and a little creepy" (x), is almost as beautiful as the song
"Was watching South Park and this sweet song came on. Also, was background to finale of Scrubs. Plus, Peter Gabriel's one of my all-time favorites with his very specific vocals that can capture everything I'm feeling, have felt or want to feel."
Originally by The Magnetic Fields (quirky sound), The Book of Love has more covers than the average novel.
Popular versions include this one by Gavin James, which sounds like you've heard it on the radio...
...and this one by 2Cellos, which is an amazing instrumental arrangement that I would definitely throw on at my wedding. The cello is a beautiful instrument.
Peter Gabriel originally covered the song in 2004 for the movie Shall We Dance, after he had already performed it live with The Magnetic Fields back in 2001. He then did another version for his own album in 2010 (x).
The fact that he did a cover of the same song 6 years apart is proof enough that he, shall we say, knows The Book of Love cover to cover.
Overview: Genre:
Indie Rock / Indie Pop Favorite Lyrics: The book of love has music in it, In fact that's where music comes from. Verdict:
book emoji + 2 small pink hearts emoji
Bonus: The original version by The Magnetic Fields -
I swear I have loved every song that I've heard by this band, but I cannot stand listening to this guy's voice. The lyrics somehow fit his strange low speech-like vocals, especially when he uses plain-speak like No one can lift the damn thing and Some of it is really dumb.
Speaking of the lyrics, they're actually pretty sweet. <3
Honestly, this track here is a little deceptive. The title and the general vibe belie its true nature, which is really pretty positive. The full line with the title drop is But that doesn't mean you can break my soul.
This Welsh group has been making music together ever since I was born back in 1995. Yet they still sound like they've been keeping up with the times. Impressive.
In fact, they are considered pioneers of the electronic genre (x).
The album from which we get Break My Soul, Disappear Here, was actually completed in 2008, but it wasn't released until 2010 because they decided to completely revamp the production to keep it aligned with their electronic style. (It had originally been kind of indie rock.) (x)
Mad dedication.
Commit to the E.
(Electronica)
Break My Soul has a very cinematographic feel to it. First, that driving beat played out by the keyboard sounds very much like a heartbeat. Once the vocals enter, the keyboard launches into a suspenseful riff that is eventually taken over by what sounds like a full orchestra. Drama.
Then, you find yourself in the midst of a quiet section that barely sounds like the same song. Sure, the melody is familiar, but the drums are gone. The riff gives way to a quiet humming.
You don't need to listen to the lyrics to hear a very clear story.
I was definitely not surprised to hear that Hybrid have written for movie scores and video game soundtracks.
Perhaps you've heard their work in X-Men Origins: Wolverine or CSI: NY or SSX Tricky.
In addition, they've released four critically-acclaimed studio albums of original songs, and they've created over 100 remixes for over 40 artists. Clearly a lot of talent here.
Overview: Genre:
Electronic Favorite Lyrics: I'm not drowning in your sea. Believing in you will not be the death of me. Verdict:
electronic but not too electronic, you know?
"It's an old song that was one of my sisters favorites. Now on Suicide Squad soundtrack, and Bella introduced it to me. I like this version a lot." This track was originally written by John Madara and David White and recorded for the first time all the way back in 1963 by Lesley Gore (x). That version actually has a pretty modern vibe, in my opinion. It has a sort of...horror film feel to it? And that makes it sound like its a 21st century attempt at recreating the '60s style when in reality it's legitimate '60s music. Gore was quite young when she recorded it, but she had a good grasp on her "indelibly defiant" spirit:
My take on the song was: I'm 17, what a wonderful thing, to stand up on a stage and shake your finger at people and sing you don't own me. (source)
Apparently this song, which was #2 behind The Beatles' I Wanna Hold Your Hand for three consecutive weeks, was so popular and empowering among young women at the time that the lyrics "are sometimes cited as a factor in second wave feminist movement" (x).
In a somewhat strange series of events, Grace's version of this song was released precisely one month after Lesley Gore's death in 2015.
That's either very sad (if Gore knew about Grace's plans and died before they could come to fruition) or very impressive (if Grace decided to pay homage to Gore by creating her own arrangement, collaborating with G-Eazy, and recording the track in just one month).
I think it's a very fair adaptation that is true to the original both in sound and in spirit.
Grace's version keeps the haunting atmosphere of Gore's recording, but it adds some electronic noises and, most notably, introduces rap sections. It effectively modernizes the track, and it maintains the message that girls rule.
Overview: Genre:
Hip-Hop / Soul / R&B Favorite Lyrics: So just let me be myself, that's all I ask of you. Verdict:
love the music and the lyrics - amazing
"instant mood booster. cute weird bubbly love song. also a throwback to Apple's iPod nano commercial in rainbow colors."
Okay, honestly, I should just do a series on Apple ads because they pick the greatest music. I'm pretty sure I've done at least 3 songs from Apple commercials.
I mean, this was for the iPod Nano, so naturally it came out like 7 years ago...but it's still good.
The Dallas Observer calls the track "distinctly dreamy" and "utterly damaging," and I agree with both in different areas (x).
The second phrase is a fair description of this track, lyrically. It's about a woman who tries to do handstands for her lover, in an apt metaphor for putting everything into a relationship with someone who takes you for granted.
The first phrase better describe the sound of the track, musically.
My favorite part of this track is the intro. The bass line is incredibly enthusiastic and energetic, and I love it. The vibe of the song is 100% settled before the vocal line comes in, and I think that's rare.
I don't love the vocals (neither the man nor the woman) on this track, but they're soft enough that I don't find them particularly abrasive. They deliver the lyrics, which are always important, and they sound pretty okay over the "distinctly dreamy" instrumentals (x).
Anyway, I see why Apple chose the track for its 4th generation Apple music. It sounds like creativity and it has a bit of a spark.
Overview: Genre:
Indie Synthpop Favorite Lyrics: I tried to do handstands for you, but every time, I fell for you. Verdict:
cute and quirky
"I love how much history this song has! So many great artists have sung their unique renditions of this originally French piece: singers from Diana Ross and Barbra Streisand to Lea Michele and Regina Spektor. But last month, I was on a Billie Holiday kick, and I really do like her version best."
Okay, wow.
I wish the lyrical content of this song wasn't so upsetting - she's in love with an abusive man who sees other women - but music is allowed to tackle tough topics.
Anyway, this performance is breathtaking.
The tempo is almost painfully slow, but it wouldn't work any other way. It keeps it interesting, since the track is pretty minimalist with just Billie Holiday's voice and a piano - albeit a rather complex piano part.
I wonder how often Holiday practiced with her accompanist because I can't imagine that they could be so in sync on a whim. The phrasing is just so.
Let's also talk about Holiday's vocals, incredible despite lack of any real training (x). She bends almost every note, stretching them way off-pitch, yet it still somehow works. Talent.
Can't you just imagine sitting in a speakeasy, almost exactly a century ago (this song was written in France in 1916, just four years before prohibition took effect in the U.S.), listening to a jazz singer perform this piece? Nothing but her and her pianist claiming the attention of everyone in the bar?
The mood is just so thoroughly set.
It's hard to imagine that people actually listened casually to this kind of music, because it makes me think immediately of men in Gatsby-style panama hats smoking cigars and drinking moonshine.
Oh, and since you mentioned Diana Ross doing a cover of the track, I think it's worth noting that Ross recorded My Man "for the film Lady Sings the Blues, in which she portrayed Billie Holiday" (x).
Overview: Genre:
Jazz / Blues
Favorite Lyrics: When he takes me in his arms, the world is bright, alright. Verdict:
the epitome of classy bar music
P.S. This is basically the same thing in musical style as well as lyrical content:
More Like McSorrow We Don't Eat by James Vincent McMorrow
"There's something alive in this song, and it's gently growing. It's a lovely song, but it leaves me with a feeling of melancholy or nostalgia." This is a really beautiful song. McMorrow writes about figuring out who he is...and figuring out who He is. That is to say, he speaks eloquently about his struggles with his faith as he finds his way in the world. On the one hand, he's rather be working for something than praying for the rain. But on the other hand, he always remembers his mother's assertions that God is the one we can turn to for everything. The Biblical allusions are subtle but powerful. In the chorus, mother's list is about saying grace before meals, when prayer thanks the Father and turns the devil to dust. Then she reminds him that man can never love the way God can, so all you can do is trust in Him (x). The 2000 years references the time since Jesus walked the Earth.
I'm sure there are other hints nestled in the poetry of these lyrics, but my knowledge of the Bible doesn't run that deep.
I love this description of the song: "gently growing."
The piano intro is delicate and lovely. Then we get into the chord progressions that makeup a majority of the background instrumentals throughout the song. Then strings are introduced. And then a slight reverb is added to the vocal line. Every step builds upon the previous until we have a very full sound.
It's a musical journey that mirrors the way the speaker questions and eventually regains his faith.
The biggest build is here, after the bridge. He has questioned himself long enough, and it's time to accept that he's leading a good life, or at least that he's doing the best he can.
When we get to the final rendition of the chorus, it's clearly the climax, and it's brimming with confidence and more than a bit of trust.
Overview: Genre:
Folk Favorite Lyrics: I'd rather be working for something than praying for the rain. Verdict:
expansive but warm...like God, I guess
If There Were Water and No Rock; If There Were Rock and Also Water Addict with a Pen by twenty one pilots
Recommended by Catie
"twenty one pilots is my life I'm sorry :'D"
I like this track.
The juxtaposition of sand and water, the desert and drought, reminded me instantly of Numbers 20. That's the one where Moses draws water from the rock for the Israelites and their livestock.
I also decided to jump to a Biblical reading of these lyrics because they mention that they haven't been the best of sons, which could be a reference to Jesus or the speaker himself, since we're all God's children.
Later we hear You hear me screaming, "Father," and I'm lying here just crying, so wash me with your water. If that's not a reference to prayer and purification, then I don't know what is.
I like the musical juxtapositions as well.
Piano-led with a smattering of electronic sounds in the B section. Slow phrases and sustained notes in the A section followed by a quick rap section.
This sound, which many find difficult to categorize into a single genre, has really been working for them. Twenty One Pilots recently became the third rock act (after Elvis and The Beatles) to have two singles in the Top 5 of the Hot 100 at the same time (x).
(The two singles are Heathens from the Suicide Squad soundtrack and Ride from their own album, Blurryface.)
Thanks for the rec :)
Overview: Genre:
Indie Pop + Alt Hip Hop Favorite Lyrics: As I hold the water in the palm of my hand. Verdict:
you are getting verrrrrrry sleeeeeeepy
New (School) Year, New Me New Person Same Old Mistakes by Tame Impala
Recommended by Tim
Tame Impala is interesting because it is an Australian group that consists of Kevin Parker, Jay Watson, Dominic Simper, Cam Avery, and Julien Barbagallo...but Parker writes, records, performs, and produces the music (x).
The band members other than Parker are around for live performances.
Watson and Simper have been featured on previous studio recordings, but it was all Parker for the most recent album.
Parker seems to be a cool, modern dude. He talks about the changing music industry here:
Right now, doing another album doesn’t excite me. There’s something narrow-minded about thinking an album is the only way you can put out music, especially in the world we’re in at the moment. Anything is possible. There’s so many people doing interesting things with the internet and technology, there could be so many ways of making music and listening to it ... you can make music anywhere ... There are so many possibilities, my brain is overloading on them all. I just need to wait, think about things a bit more. Then I’ll know what to do next. (source)
But, as we know, he did end up creating a new album in July 2015: Currents, which "marks a shift to more dance-oriented music" (x). That's the album where today's song recommendation comes from.
Currents won Best Rock Album and Album of the Year at the 2015 ARIA Awards (x).
Parker describes the album as "minimal...instead of a supreme pizza, where you just throw everything on...less rock again, and more electronic" (x). The electronica certainly rings true with New Person Same Old Mistakes, though I'm a bit suspect of the "minimal" description.
You've got synth on synth on synth, vocals filtered to the high heavens with a dreamy overlay, and whatever the hell this interlude is.
We're really vibin' and I dig it, but I don't know if it sounds like "only us[ing] what's needed." I relate it more to an earlier quote by Parker about writing "the kind of music that is the result of one person constructing an awesome symphony of sound. You can layer your own voice 700 times for half a second if you want, and I just love that kind of music" (x).
But hey, what do I know about producing music?
If you've never heard of Tame Impala, but this song sounds familiar, then maybe it's because you've heard Rihanna's cover of the track on her wildly popular album ANTI.
Parker and co. were reportedly "really happy" with the cover, and I understand why. It's honestly so true to the original that the only difference I really hear is that Same Ol' Mistakes features Rihanna's vocals instead of Parker's. I can't imagine anyone having anything to complain about except maybe that it's too similar.
Compare this to yesterday's post on California Dreamin' where there were many, many more covers of the song, but almost every artist brought something of their own style to the song.
But, hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Maybe Rihanna wanted to broaden her own horizons.
In any case, she does a good cover of a really funky and fresh track, and I daresay she introduced the song to a wider audience than Tame Impala could have hoped to reach.
Overview: Genre:
Psychadelic Pop Favorite Lyrics: But maybe your story ain't so different from the rest. Verdict:
Started from MySpace, now we're here.
Originally recorded by Barry McGuire, California Dreamin' is best known as a 1965 single by The Mamas & the Papas, the group which actually sang backup on the original McGuire recording.
Then, because he apparently still hadn't gotten his fill of this song, a vocalist from The Mamas & The Papas (John Phillips) recorded the track again, separately from his band (x).
I know, it's wild.
Barry McGuire
The Mamas & the Papas
Both versions include the balanced harmonies of The Mamas & The Papas, but only the first includes McGuire singing the lead vocals.
I don't hate McGuire's voice, but I prefer the choral sound achieved by the exclusion of a single prominent lead.
The version by The Mamas & the Papas is a softer version all around, from the pillowy texture of multiple voices blending beautifully to the replacement of this harmonica (?) section with a lovely woodwind interlude.
Rolling Stones placed this track in the #89 spot out of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, which is not too shabby.
I guess a bunch of people agreed that it's a pretty tight track, because it's been covered like a million times. Pick your poison: R.E.M., The Beach Boys (of course), The Carpenters (sounds like a lullaby), Queen Latifah, Diana Krall (instrumentals alternate between jazzy and Disney af), Sia (very dramatic), Freischwimmer (dance-pop remix, kinda sounds like you should be doing the "cups" rhythm thing along with it), and even Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Some of those are actually really worth giving a listen. I suggest Ms. Krall's.
Do not recommend the Chipmunks.
Anyway, Skye and Bella suggested these versions:
Amason
I was instantly taken in by the silvery music-box-style intro, and Amanda Bergman's voice does nothing but draw me closer. Further into the song, there's a sound effect that sounds almost like bubbles in a tank of water, and then I swear there are sleigh bells, and I'm convinced they created this track with the dreamin' part of the title very clear in their minds.
Bobby Womack
This version is funky fresh. Listen to what he does with the rhythm and the ad libs. The phrasing is often bizarre, and it changes the song completely...and I'm kind of into it. Favorite Lyrics: If I didn't tell her, I could leave today. Verdict:
How could I possibly choose? What do you think?
