I've been reading all sorts of comments about the performance by Bruce Springsteen during the Superbowl half-time show last night. I sort of watched it live while at a party, and initially thought he did a good job. After reading the criticism aimed at The Boss this morning, I watched it again (I DVR'd it at my house), and really have to laugh at people who more easily criticize something to make themselves feel good instead of finding any merit in it. The latter can be more difficult as it is ALWAYS easier to just simply dump on something rather than look for positive attributes....for some wacky reason, finding fault in others makes us feel better about ourselves, doesn't it? So, to those who want to criticize Bruce for doing his thing yesterday, I just want to say, "Be quiet, you ninny. You didn't get it. You are really, really irritating."
I am not a huge Bruce fan, but I like him and most of his music. I've seen him live three times and enjoy his shows. I think Devils and Dust is an amazing, haunting and beautiful record. But, I could easily never hear "Glory Days" again and live a normal life, too.
So, to recap last night, Bruce played for 12-minutes: "Tenth Avenue Freezeout," "Born to Run," "Workin' on a Dream," "Glory Days." Bruce likes to be funny, goofy, and understands the spectacle of show business. He is a showman who often sings songs about heavy hitting topics ("Radio Nowhere," perhaps) just as easily he can throw down a stereotypical rock anthem ("Born to Run"). He's got a quirky sense of humor and creates a "show" around his show. Hence, the referee last night, his banter with Little Steven, the call to put down our chicken fingers and join the fun, etc. AND, what better spectacle to let it all hang out than the friggin' Superbowl. I have no complaints with his stage antics at all. If you do, lighten up.
And, no, I was not suprised nor disappointed that he didn't play "Born in the U.S.A." My opinion of the event would have changed significantly if he had, actually. At the party I attended last night, most people said they thought he would play it, should play it, and expressed dissatisfaction because he didn't. While I think that Bruce's songs--in general--and his continued alliance with the workin' man absolutely contain political overtones, I think many of us miss the dark irony in "Born," a song that is very CRITICAL of America in a sarcastic manner. It is not a cheerleading anthem to our greatness....and the fact that Ronald Reagan thought so and used it in his campaign (which Bruce protested) STILL cracks me up. Anyway, if Bruce had sung that last night, I would have been convinced right now that he really HAD lost it after all. Since he didn't, I am more confident that Bruce is a smart showman who understands his role as a musician much more than most of us can (I will say, however, that I am confused by the Wal-Mart thing. Very contradictory. I think he'll try to get out of it. But, AC/DC did it too and survived without a scratch.). Next.
Another criticism stems from the number of people he had on stage. Yes, it was a lot. SO WHAT? It was a party up there. Like it was everywhere. Next.
He had a gospel choir up there for two minutes, another factor that one blogger called "a sin." Ummm, the original/recorded version of that song HAS A GOSPEL CHOIR IN IT. Oh, and the fact that he slid that same song into the mix, "Workin' On a Dream" (which is the first track of his new record) was called "cheesy." Let me get this straight....according to some critics, a musical artist who has a new record out and is hired to perform on the biggest entertainment event of the winter CANNOT promote his new record? What the fuck?!?!?! Give me one good reason WHY NOT!!! Oh, and I guess he can't make it sound like it really does (gospel choir) for fear of being called "overblown"? It's the goddamn Superbowl. It must be overblown. Next.
I guess why I'm so cranky today is that lately, when I read criticism about music or even what kind of news about music makes the national news (thinking of Jessica Simpson here..."weight-gain controversy"...um, really?!?!?!) I feel that critics and fans do not actually talk about the music. So, I will....
The E Street Band sounded great. All cylindars firing. Tight, organized, comfortable, confident. Having fun. Smiling. Switched gears from song to song like a well-oiled machine. So, good.
"Tenth Avenue Freezeout" suprised me as the show starter, and it's not my favorite tune, by far. But, its lazy, bluesy, romping rhythm was perfect for Bruce to interact with the crowd and warm them up. He didn't play guitar on that song and ran around the stage like a 22-year old. Awesome. So, good.
"Born to Run" is a classic and reaches all audiences and demographics. In fact, with all this snow around me and cabin fever surging through my veins, I would freely run along side Bruce to wherever he suggested. RIGHT NOW. So, good.
Closing with "Glory Days" makes a lot of sense. That game WAS the glory day for the whole damn football season, and it WILL be talked about over and over and over and over at small bars around the country for ever and ever and ever. And changing the lyrics to be more football-friendly (deemed "cheesy" by Bob the Blogger) was certainly better than singing about baseball at a FRIGGIN' FOOTBALL GAME. So, good.
The harmonies between the singers were balanced, even as they changed every song. Little Steven sounded like Little Steven, Patty like Patty and so on. Clarence Clemmens still manages to extract the most, um, unique honking out of this sax like he always has and that's what keeps the whole thing "real." Those musicians last night WERE the E Street Band in every way and did their thing. So, good.
So, to the critics who will speak up loudly so they can talk trash about Bruce Springsteen need to realize that Bruce will always be more famous, successful and admired than they ever will, no matter how snarky, clever or nifty their criticism can be. Music critics (many of them, anyway) often suffer from "never-gonna-be-a-rockstar-so-I'll-be-a-voyeur-instead" syndrome and love to tear down what they know they will never have. It's too bad and sad really.
Ahhhhh, ok. I'm done. I'm not usually this aggravated in my blogging, but whatever. These things happen. Bruce will be 60 this year. Good for him. Good for all of us. Next...
Monday, February 2, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
sick day/Music Appreciation
Nothing pains me more, for real, than a sick child. I have been blessed with a healthy little guy, and know that there are other parents dealing with much larger and more severe sicknesses in their children....it's too much to think about sometimes....but here in The Buff, 'tis the cold and flu season, and there is no reason to think such germs would simply skip my son this year.
So, at 4am, I jumped out of bed because of "strange sounds" coming from "somewhere" (I was sleeping like the dead and had been up til 1am anyway....I got home from work at 10pm, sort of wired, not tired, etc.) and since then, I have watched my 9-year's body rid itself of all bothersome elements in all sorts of creative ways......and his mood is bummin' even though he gets to have a day off (today was gym....he loves gym). So, it's been 2 hours since the last lil' incident, and hopefully it will taper off and move to other locales. And, hopefully, one such trajectory is not MY body. That would make this week EXTREMELY difficult.
Last night's class was great. Seems like a good group and a few more have added. NOW, today, I have to prep a new class, "Music Appreciation," a 100-level intro to western art, "classical" music. The enrollment is 115. Most are freshman. Gulp.
I taught this course years ago in Denver, and always like it. It's a different animal than the upper-classmen Pop class. The course is a CCC (core course, something required early on in the college career that gives students "breadth" in their education). Many students who enroll have some previous musical experience in highschool or just "love music," and so on. There will be those who added it only because it was open (it's now closed, and I'm not budging the enrollment number), and I'm guessing a group of seniors whose advisor suddenly said, "You missed a CCC credit! You can't graduate this spring unless you take one." And, voila! I will meet them all tomorrow.
It's 15 weeks and 1500 years of music. I'm going to lop off much of the early Medieval stuff, or at least breeze through it. There is a lot of music for a class that meets once a week. So, for the rest of today, I'm going to get this party started.
While I LOVE LOVE LOVE exploring such a diverse body of music literature, the organization of this class is the kicker...grading, attendance (or not), administering tests, learning their names (I'm sort of a stickler about that, and I have a good memory, but 115 students once a week??? Oy.), making sure they actually enjoy the lecture (sometimes big rooms can kill any kind of charisma I may muster), and so on.
Little B just fell asleep, so I'm going to get going and try to be ready for tomorrow night. Work on the Diss has stalled a bit this week, but if I get this done today and my son goes to school tomorrow, then Thurs and Fri are Diss days.
Onward toward health and musical happines!
So, at 4am, I jumped out of bed because of "strange sounds" coming from "somewhere" (I was sleeping like the dead and had been up til 1am anyway....I got home from work at 10pm, sort of wired, not tired, etc.) and since then, I have watched my 9-year's body rid itself of all bothersome elements in all sorts of creative ways......and his mood is bummin' even though he gets to have a day off (today was gym....he loves gym). So, it's been 2 hours since the last lil' incident, and hopefully it will taper off and move to other locales. And, hopefully, one such trajectory is not MY body. That would make this week EXTREMELY difficult.
Last night's class was great. Seems like a good group and a few more have added. NOW, today, I have to prep a new class, "Music Appreciation," a 100-level intro to western art, "classical" music. The enrollment is 115. Most are freshman. Gulp.
I taught this course years ago in Denver, and always like it. It's a different animal than the upper-classmen Pop class. The course is a CCC (core course, something required early on in the college career that gives students "breadth" in their education). Many students who enroll have some previous musical experience in highschool or just "love music," and so on. There will be those who added it only because it was open (it's now closed, and I'm not budging the enrollment number), and I'm guessing a group of seniors whose advisor suddenly said, "You missed a CCC credit! You can't graduate this spring unless you take one." And, voila! I will meet them all tomorrow.
It's 15 weeks and 1500 years of music. I'm going to lop off much of the early Medieval stuff, or at least breeze through it. There is a lot of music for a class that meets once a week. So, for the rest of today, I'm going to get this party started.
While I LOVE LOVE LOVE exploring such a diverse body of music literature, the organization of this class is the kicker...grading, attendance (or not), administering tests, learning their names (I'm sort of a stickler about that, and I have a good memory, but 115 students once a week??? Oy.), making sure they actually enjoy the lecture (sometimes big rooms can kill any kind of charisma I may muster), and so on.
Little B just fell asleep, so I'm going to get going and try to be ready for tomorrow night. Work on the Diss has stalled a bit this week, but if I get this done today and my son goes to school tomorrow, then Thurs and Fri are Diss days.
Onward toward health and musical happines!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Donning the Professor hat, once again
Today I go back to teaching after six weeks off. Six weeks!!!! It's the longest winter break EVER, me thinks. I gave my last final on Tuesday, December 16, and tonight I begin a new section of "Popular Music in America." I love this course. Our music history, in all its swirly mayhem, fascinates me.
I've taught this class in previous semesters, and it always draws a mix of performance majors, music business majors (I think it's a requirement for them) and random seniors who need an upper-division humanities elective credit. I first took a class like this while in school in Denver. I went back to music school as an undergraduate (with a Bachelor's already in hand....) so that I could beef up my music theory and history skills so THEN I could go into a Master's program in musicology. Although I played the piano all of my life, I needed some refresher courses on music history in order to successfully jump ship from teaching high school English to, well, doing whatever the hell I do now. All that money, time and delirium so I could blog from my home on a frozen January day, huh? (ha ha.....I'd do it again in a heartbeat). But, I loved this course and it set me on the path to being an "Americanist" in musicology. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses waiting in long lines for concert tickets, and I will gleefully join the pack.
Anyway, I safely conclude that the students who enroll in my course because they see "Popular Music" in the coursebook and figure it will be a breeze ("dude, I know ALL ABOUT popular music, dude") are always shocked. And, the worker bees and students who are generally interested in our nation's history (or who have enrolled in other classes of mine) excel and make the class interesting. Here's why:
The historian in me sees the term "popular music" from a philosophical/ideological point of view. The word changes meaning like a chameleon, filing neatly in line with whatever musical product fulfills its parameters for that moment/era/trend. And, the Popular recognizes and rejoices in its rebellion.....it clearly delineates "the masses" from "the cultivated" or "the elite," the latter two terms being messy ones for what I'm trying to say, but are thrown around enough in musicology circles to be adequate inadequacies for now, I suppose. From 1776, those seeking to make America look and behave like lovely ol' England were shocked (even dismayed?) by the rugrats running through this new territory: drinking, dancing, partying it up with just a fiddle, a "drum," some racy lyrics, and no singing skills. Good stuff!!! And still going strong after 200 years, in my opinion.... :)
So, we start at 1800. We start with Buffalo (so I can at least use my dissertation research for SOMETHING...ha ha) and life in the "frontier." We move forward through the 19th-century and outward into our growing nation as the rich become richer and the poor keep working for them....wow, why does that scenario sound so familiar?????
ANYWAY, the notion of popular comes 'round and 'round...tons of topics and people from minstrel shows to Tin Pan Alley to ragtime to jazz (yes, jazz was once popular music!), to blues to early country and then.....Elvis. This takes about two-thirds of the semester to reach music that my students sort of recognize. Then we plow through rock, hippies, rap, alternative, blahblabhblah and I am always stunned by students who don't recognize "Stairway to Heaven" or can't name a song by The Who.......*sigh*. This crop may have been born in 1988. Holy canoli, batman.
I always enjoy this class but worry how little they (for the most part....I have had some crazysmart students along the way) know about our nation's history when it seems the perfect time to use that knowledge to, um, keep it going? And musically, in their recall of music from another era, they defer to "oldies" from their parents, which,......is often music of the 1980s!!!! I am the age of some of their parents!!!!! HOLY SHIT, batman! Really!?!?!?
So, tonight we will start by creating a consensus definition of "popular," discussing ideals and parameters of American "pioneers" and "citizens" (a polarization of stereotypes that I created to at least prep them for "idealists" and "egalitarians"), and discuss the three "streams" of influences romping through our country early on (a concept used in their textbook---European, Latin American, African American). And I'll play a bunch of snippets of tunes and they'll leave, hopefully to come back next week ready to rock and roll (in 1820, that is....)
The class still has a few open seats if you'd like to join....now where is that hat?!?!
I've taught this class in previous semesters, and it always draws a mix of performance majors, music business majors (I think it's a requirement for them) and random seniors who need an upper-division humanities elective credit. I first took a class like this while in school in Denver. I went back to music school as an undergraduate (with a Bachelor's already in hand....) so that I could beef up my music theory and history skills so THEN I could go into a Master's program in musicology. Although I played the piano all of my life, I needed some refresher courses on music history in order to successfully jump ship from teaching high school English to, well, doing whatever the hell I do now. All that money, time and delirium so I could blog from my home on a frozen January day, huh? (ha ha.....I'd do it again in a heartbeat). But, I loved this course and it set me on the path to being an "Americanist" in musicology. Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses waiting in long lines for concert tickets, and I will gleefully join the pack.
Anyway, I safely conclude that the students who enroll in my course because they see "Popular Music" in the coursebook and figure it will be a breeze ("dude, I know ALL ABOUT popular music, dude") are always shocked. And, the worker bees and students who are generally interested in our nation's history (or who have enrolled in other classes of mine) excel and make the class interesting. Here's why:
The historian in me sees the term "popular music" from a philosophical/ideological point of view. The word changes meaning like a chameleon, filing neatly in line with whatever musical product fulfills its parameters for that moment/era/trend. And, the Popular recognizes and rejoices in its rebellion.....it clearly delineates "the masses" from "the cultivated" or "the elite," the latter two terms being messy ones for what I'm trying to say, but are thrown around enough in musicology circles to be adequate inadequacies for now, I suppose. From 1776, those seeking to make America look and behave like lovely ol' England were shocked (even dismayed?) by the rugrats running through this new territory: drinking, dancing, partying it up with just a fiddle, a "drum," some racy lyrics, and no singing skills. Good stuff!!! And still going strong after 200 years, in my opinion.... :)
So, we start at 1800. We start with Buffalo (so I can at least use my dissertation research for SOMETHING...ha ha) and life in the "frontier." We move forward through the 19th-century and outward into our growing nation as the rich become richer and the poor keep working for them....wow, why does that scenario sound so familiar?????
ANYWAY, the notion of popular comes 'round and 'round...tons of topics and people from minstrel shows to Tin Pan Alley to ragtime to jazz (yes, jazz was once popular music!), to blues to early country and then.....Elvis. This takes about two-thirds of the semester to reach music that my students sort of recognize. Then we plow through rock, hippies, rap, alternative, blahblabhblah and I am always stunned by students who don't recognize "Stairway to Heaven" or can't name a song by The Who.......*sigh*. This crop may have been born in 1988. Holy canoli, batman.
I always enjoy this class but worry how little they (for the most part....I have had some crazysmart students along the way) know about our nation's history when it seems the perfect time to use that knowledge to, um, keep it going? And musically, in their recall of music from another era, they defer to "oldies" from their parents, which,......is often music of the 1980s!!!! I am the age of some of their parents!!!!! HOLY SHIT, batman! Really!?!?!?
So, tonight we will start by creating a consensus definition of "popular," discussing ideals and parameters of American "pioneers" and "citizens" (a polarization of stereotypes that I created to at least prep them for "idealists" and "egalitarians"), and discuss the three "streams" of influences romping through our country early on (a concept used in their textbook---European, Latin American, African American). And I'll play a bunch of snippets of tunes and they'll leave, hopefully to come back next week ready to rock and roll (in 1820, that is....)
The class still has a few open seats if you'd like to join....now where is that hat?!?!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Kings of Leon
I listen to all kinds of music, and feel a special affinity for many, many, many artists, performers, composers and songwriters. I am not toooooo negative about the state of pop music because I understand that the music business exists AS a business and always has. Good stuff happens, bad stuff happens. And, of course, there is the matter of personal and collective "taste." As I tell my Pop Music students, artists who think they made a "great" record that will occupy the masses are delusional to a certain degree; there is no predictability or consensus in the marketplace of popular music. Prediction of success is a bigger gamble than facing a roulette wheel with your last chips, in my honest opinion.
So, today while I work from home, stay out of the snow and watch the swirl of events in D.C., I am also happy that I stumbled upon the band Kings of Leon. Every once in a while, an unfamiliar song will catch me off guard and I am actually INTRIGUED rather than just pacified. On these occasions, I don't rationalize why the song sounds like it does---another "hit" from a band whose recycled mediocrity will never change (Nickelback), an attempt at experiment from a bored artist (Gwen Stefani), the familiar sound of an oldie-but-goodie in the 21st century (AC/DC), and so on. Sometimes, a band will throw a song out there and I catch it. And then I must know more.
That's what happened while driving in my car about 3 weeks ago when a Canadian station played "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon. I had no idea who this band could be (new sound, unfamiliar vocals, great things going on) and no context to evaluate the music (from above paragraph). When the DJ identified the band, my verbal reaction was "NO WAY!!!?!?" Now HERE was something I could work with. And here's why:
--I saw a rangy and nervous Kings of Leon perform on a small side stage at Bonnaroo in 2004. No one was on the big stage, and I was wondering around Roo Village looking for something that sounded interesting and in the shade (oooooh, Tennessee in June.....look out!). I liked them. Young, sort of raw and powerful, definitely passionate and Southern Rock-ish. My Morning Jacket performed that day, too, and while I didn't know at the time that both bands were from Tennessee, I liked KoL's sound, hutspah, and intensity and somehow connected them to my pleasure with MMJ. Hmmmm. And maybe the Allman Brothers (love them!) Then I had a few more beers, wandered to a new stage, and sort of forgot about KoL for four more years. Ooops.
--Kings of Leon are from Nashville but are decidedly a rock band. I like that already. I really had no idea they kept making records, and as a viewer from the sidelines at Bonnaroo, that festival throws a mishmash of music together, and again, who knows what happens after. So, I'm glad they kept making records.
--lead singer, Caleb Hollowill, has a unique but crazylovely voice. Even when I saw him on stage at his golden age of 22, he had some power, youth and ingenuity. That comes through on the records, too.
--all the band members are related. Three Hollowill brothers and a first cousin. As an only child, I am very intrigued by siblings....how they look a like (or not), how they are friends (or not), how they display elements of being in the same family (or not), etc. I'm offering an analysis that these four dudes increase the intensity and focus of the band because they are related. Why not? Serious commitment, similar focus, being able to work things out, not fighting and adding silly drama to the music (Oasis, Black Crowes), live, laugh, love sort of stuff. I like that part of their biography.
--the name is a tribute to their father and grandfather, both "Leons." The father is/was some sort of preacher Tennessee. So now there is a deep religious vibe going on, some kind of spiritual juju that guys this young have probably not reconciled yet. A connection with their past. Does it come through in the music? Yes it does. Nicely, though. Not preachy. Searching and discovering. Good stuff. And, what a gesture....the "Kings of Leon." A tribute to their roots or something. Sentimental. But not sappy. Sexy and grounded.
--now on to the sound of the band....I used to write press releases and band bios for local and national bands in Denver. This is NOT easy. Describing a band's sound as a publicist is much more difficult than a critic. Publicists have to stay positive and come up with 42 different adjectives that can reach a reader so as to make him or her "hear" the "unique" sound of whatever band is the focus of the article. Sheesh. As a critic, the opinions flow easily.....
For Kings of Leon, I've already used rangy, raw, Southern rock, crazylovely, passionate, tight and probably a few more just in this short blog post. I can add spatial, meaning the production has depth. Caleb Hollowill sounds like he's standing 5 feet from the mic and just bellowing at times, yet it isn't over done (similar to the work of early Eddie Vedder, "Alive" for instance). Yummy. The guitars are there, too, but not "in your face/in your ears," at a distance but clear. So, great production, balance, and layering in the songwriting. The lead guitar is always crisp but fluid and full, like a big tube of blue neon....see what I mean? What am I talking about??? Anyway, the drummer plays tastefully, and the only term I can come up with is from my days as a classical pianist: con fuoco. Italian for "with vigor and speed" derived from the Latin "fire." Like Beethoven. That sums up the drummer. For sure. And one final thing, I love love love the lead singer's crazy voice. Raspy, haunting, full, wide. Like a surging river, with rapids, cliffs and deep calm pools.
--subject matter--there may be some issues haunting these young guys. There is some anguish, catharsis, pain, ecstasy, beauty, grace, sometimes in the same song (or not). The only track on the new record that I tend to skip over is "17." Other than that, I'm hooked. Line and sinker. And as I absorb the past records, I'm almost giddy.
So, that's that. See/hear for yourself if interested. Challenge my musings if needed. And as always, embrace new music at all costs!!!
So, today while I work from home, stay out of the snow and watch the swirl of events in D.C., I am also happy that I stumbled upon the band Kings of Leon. Every once in a while, an unfamiliar song will catch me off guard and I am actually INTRIGUED rather than just pacified. On these occasions, I don't rationalize why the song sounds like it does---another "hit" from a band whose recycled mediocrity will never change (Nickelback), an attempt at experiment from a bored artist (Gwen Stefani), the familiar sound of an oldie-but-goodie in the 21st century (AC/DC), and so on. Sometimes, a band will throw a song out there and I catch it. And then I must know more.
That's what happened while driving in my car about 3 weeks ago when a Canadian station played "Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon. I had no idea who this band could be (new sound, unfamiliar vocals, great things going on) and no context to evaluate the music (from above paragraph). When the DJ identified the band, my verbal reaction was "NO WAY!!!?!?" Now HERE was something I could work with. And here's why:
--I saw a rangy and nervous Kings of Leon perform on a small side stage at Bonnaroo in 2004. No one was on the big stage, and I was wondering around Roo Village looking for something that sounded interesting and in the shade (oooooh, Tennessee in June.....look out!). I liked them. Young, sort of raw and powerful, definitely passionate and Southern Rock-ish. My Morning Jacket performed that day, too, and while I didn't know at the time that both bands were from Tennessee, I liked KoL's sound, hutspah, and intensity and somehow connected them to my pleasure with MMJ. Hmmmm. And maybe the Allman Brothers (love them!) Then I had a few more beers, wandered to a new stage, and sort of forgot about KoL for four more years. Ooops.
--Kings of Leon are from Nashville but are decidedly a rock band. I like that already. I really had no idea they kept making records, and as a viewer from the sidelines at Bonnaroo, that festival throws a mishmash of music together, and again, who knows what happens after. So, I'm glad they kept making records.
--lead singer, Caleb Hollowill, has a unique but crazylovely voice. Even when I saw him on stage at his golden age of 22, he had some power, youth and ingenuity. That comes through on the records, too.
--all the band members are related. Three Hollowill brothers and a first cousin. As an only child, I am very intrigued by siblings....how they look a like (or not), how they are friends (or not), how they display elements of being in the same family (or not), etc. I'm offering an analysis that these four dudes increase the intensity and focus of the band because they are related. Why not? Serious commitment, similar focus, being able to work things out, not fighting and adding silly drama to the music (Oasis, Black Crowes), live, laugh, love sort of stuff. I like that part of their biography.
--the name is a tribute to their father and grandfather, both "Leons." The father is/was some sort of preacher Tennessee. So now there is a deep religious vibe going on, some kind of spiritual juju that guys this young have probably not reconciled yet. A connection with their past. Does it come through in the music? Yes it does. Nicely, though. Not preachy. Searching and discovering. Good stuff. And, what a gesture....the "Kings of Leon." A tribute to their roots or something. Sentimental. But not sappy. Sexy and grounded.
--now on to the sound of the band....I used to write press releases and band bios for local and national bands in Denver. This is NOT easy. Describing a band's sound as a publicist is much more difficult than a critic. Publicists have to stay positive and come up with 42 different adjectives that can reach a reader so as to make him or her "hear" the "unique" sound of whatever band is the focus of the article. Sheesh. As a critic, the opinions flow easily.....
For Kings of Leon, I've already used rangy, raw, Southern rock, crazylovely, passionate, tight and probably a few more just in this short blog post. I can add spatial, meaning the production has depth. Caleb Hollowill sounds like he's standing 5 feet from the mic and just bellowing at times, yet it isn't over done (similar to the work of early Eddie Vedder, "Alive" for instance). Yummy. The guitars are there, too, but not "in your face/in your ears," at a distance but clear. So, great production, balance, and layering in the songwriting. The lead guitar is always crisp but fluid and full, like a big tube of blue neon....see what I mean? What am I talking about??? Anyway, the drummer plays tastefully, and the only term I can come up with is from my days as a classical pianist: con fuoco. Italian for "with vigor and speed" derived from the Latin "fire." Like Beethoven. That sums up the drummer. For sure. And one final thing, I love love love the lead singer's crazy voice. Raspy, haunting, full, wide. Like a surging river, with rapids, cliffs and deep calm pools.
--subject matter--there may be some issues haunting these young guys. There is some anguish, catharsis, pain, ecstasy, beauty, grace, sometimes in the same song (or not). The only track on the new record that I tend to skip over is "17." Other than that, I'm hooked. Line and sinker. And as I absorb the past records, I'm almost giddy.
So, that's that. See/hear for yourself if interested. Challenge my musings if needed. And as always, embrace new music at all costs!!!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
semantics by the seashore
I've been back in The Buff for a few days since a great week in SoFla (my term for southern Florida), but I can't get this one thought out of my head....Saturday was our last day at the beach, and it was a doozy of a gorgeous day--80 degrees, no clouds, no wind. Perfect. After collecting some seashells at the tide line for a while, we decided to swim into the waves and have some fun. The water was beautiful and the salt felt good on my skin.
Well, after a bit of wave jumping, a big surge came into shore, and I very suddenly and surprisingly got tossed around in the undertow like an elbow noodle on a boiling stove. (I am a very good swimmer, by the way). Holy crap. It was definitely scary, and my ankle bone hit some rock or big shell or something at some point. It started to bleed, the salt stung, fun over.
As I climbed back onto shore, I was sputtering and out of breath (I really got knocked around, actually), and bruised and astounded. But slightly exhilarated...I made my way back to the towel, dumped some fresh water on my face, took a swig, and sat down to regroup, tend to the ankle, and view the water from the sidelines.
Immediately, my little voice started singing, "I can hear the ocean's roar" from Led Zeppelin's "The Ocean." That's exactly how I felt. Like this giant, salty animal had very clearly stated that no skinny, pasty girl from The Buff could be a match for even the slightest gesture in lowtide. Well, ok then.
Next, as I sat singing the entire song "The Ocean" under my breath, I realized that I wasn't sure about the context of my little tagline from above. Was it choice #1: "I can hear the ocean's roar" or choice #2: "I can hear the oceans roar." Small little apostrophe asserts big semantic consequences. And, of course, I was at the beach, no Internet in sight. So I pondered this all damn afternoon. And I'm just now getting it on paper (as if that would help clarify).
Did I hear THIS particular part of the ocean (choice 1), the section of beachfront at Lake Worth swirling around my flailing arms and legs? Or did this represent THE ENTIRE body of ocean energy, broken into many by landmass but always roaring as one, and I was able to experience an individual and momentary connection to it?
I've checked lyric websites (which I've found to be sadly, sadly, riddled with errors to begin with) and there is a 50/50 split on the presence of the apostrophe. Hmphf.
I remember how I felt, and will defer to the meaning of Choice #2. I heard the oceans roar. One voice spoke for many as saltwater, shells, seaweed, etc, crashed into my body. Roar! Indeed!!!! I may be tough and certainly crazy, but The Ocean is no joke, and I am humbled. Had I the breath and the wits to do it, I would have roared back as I sat on my blanket, staring out at the waves. I think I chose wisely to sit quietly and sing to it, instead.
Roar!
Well, after a bit of wave jumping, a big surge came into shore, and I very suddenly and surprisingly got tossed around in the undertow like an elbow noodle on a boiling stove. (I am a very good swimmer, by the way). Holy crap. It was definitely scary, and my ankle bone hit some rock or big shell or something at some point. It started to bleed, the salt stung, fun over.
As I climbed back onto shore, I was sputtering and out of breath (I really got knocked around, actually), and bruised and astounded. But slightly exhilarated...I made my way back to the towel, dumped some fresh water on my face, took a swig, and sat down to regroup, tend to the ankle, and view the water from the sidelines.
Immediately, my little voice started singing, "I can hear the ocean's roar" from Led Zeppelin's "The Ocean." That's exactly how I felt. Like this giant, salty animal had very clearly stated that no skinny, pasty girl from The Buff could be a match for even the slightest gesture in lowtide. Well, ok then.
Next, as I sat singing the entire song "The Ocean" under my breath, I realized that I wasn't sure about the context of my little tagline from above. Was it choice #1: "I can hear the ocean's roar" or choice #2: "I can hear the oceans roar." Small little apostrophe asserts big semantic consequences. And, of course, I was at the beach, no Internet in sight. So I pondered this all damn afternoon. And I'm just now getting it on paper (as if that would help clarify).
Did I hear THIS particular part of the ocean (choice 1), the section of beachfront at Lake Worth swirling around my flailing arms and legs? Or did this represent THE ENTIRE body of ocean energy, broken into many by landmass but always roaring as one, and I was able to experience an individual and momentary connection to it?
I've checked lyric websites (which I've found to be sadly, sadly, riddled with errors to begin with) and there is a 50/50 split on the presence of the apostrophe. Hmphf.
I remember how I felt, and will defer to the meaning of Choice #2. I heard the oceans roar. One voice spoke for many as saltwater, shells, seaweed, etc, crashed into my body. Roar! Indeed!!!! I may be tough and certainly crazy, but The Ocean is no joke, and I am humbled. Had I the breath and the wits to do it, I would have roared back as I sat on my blanket, staring out at the waves. I think I chose wisely to sit quietly and sing to it, instead.
Roar!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Great Moments of 2008
Although it has been WONDERFUL to have some time in southern Florida to hang in the sun, read fluff books, and sleep a lot, I am buoyed by the thought of returning to The Buff, seeing my son, and getting back to normal. And, with these thoughts come some reflection--sitting by the ocean and listening to real waves hit the beach (instead of my CD of "beach sounds" that wakes me every morning) greatly encourages such things. *Sigh*
So, a list of some of my greatest moments of 2008, in no particular order. They come as they come. Feel free to send me yours!
--presenting a paper at Columbia University/being in NYC
--swimming in my pool with my son
--enjoying the news of births of two girls to two girlfriends (and their spouses)
--seeing the piano movers arrive in my driveway with the recently purchased Baby Grand (BG)
--leading my church congregation in singing traditional Christmas hymns
--learning a Shostokovich prelude on the ol' BG
--flashing my "Researcher" card at the National Archives
--realizing moments of clarity and confidence in my Diss writing
--pajama/movie days with my son
--hosting a baby shower/making goulash/carving pumpkin bowls
--seeing my friend Cara in Erie
--rocking out to the Foo Fighters in Rochester
--tasting salt water on my lips after swimming in the ocean in FL
--getting a homemade Valentine's card from my little guy
--visiting old friends in Madison
--successfully teaching a wonderful bunch of piano students
--singing "Love Can Build a Bridge" at church for my parents' anniversary (my mom's favorite song)
--finding my Nano/iPod/Shuffle, and keeping track of them!
--watching Obama's acceptance speech
--starting a garden (and successfully reaping edible food!)
--"Girls Weekend" in Lake Meade
--rediscovering my love for the music of Shostokovich and Brahms
--having an early Christmas with my family at my house/making chili for first time (and having it taste pretty damn good)
--watching my son play the piano
--happy hours with Raquel
--joining FaceBook
--having long, breezy chats with my mom from time to time
I'm sure there are more and many more to come.....Happy New Year!!!
--feeling the now-familiar satisfaction of being in The Buff
So, a list of some of my greatest moments of 2008, in no particular order. They come as they come. Feel free to send me yours!
--presenting a paper at Columbia University/being in NYC
--swimming in my pool with my son
--enjoying the news of births of two girls to two girlfriends (and their spouses)
--seeing the piano movers arrive in my driveway with the recently purchased Baby Grand (BG)
--leading my church congregation in singing traditional Christmas hymns
--learning a Shostokovich prelude on the ol' BG
--flashing my "Researcher" card at the National Archives
--realizing moments of clarity and confidence in my Diss writing
--pajama/movie days with my son
--hosting a baby shower/making goulash/carving pumpkin bowls
--seeing my friend Cara in Erie
--rocking out to the Foo Fighters in Rochester
--tasting salt water on my lips after swimming in the ocean in FL
--getting a homemade Valentine's card from my little guy
--visiting old friends in Madison
--successfully teaching a wonderful bunch of piano students
--singing "Love Can Build a Bridge" at church for my parents' anniversary (my mom's favorite song)
--finding my Nano/iPod/Shuffle, and keeping track of them!
--watching Obama's acceptance speech
--starting a garden (and successfully reaping edible food!)
--"Girls Weekend" in Lake Meade
--rediscovering my love for the music of Shostokovich and Brahms
--having an early Christmas with my family at my house/making chili for first time (and having it taste pretty damn good)
--watching my son play the piano
--happy hours with Raquel
--joining FaceBook
--having long, breezy chats with my mom from time to time
I'm sure there are more and many more to come.....Happy New Year!!!
--feeling the now-familiar satisfaction of being in The Buff
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Grading and "Girl Talk"
Tonight I will be swamped with research papers, final exams, journals, and all-what-else as I wrap up another sweet semester as part-time Prof. For some crazy reason, my final exam is scheduled for 8:30 PM this evening....my students are not happy. Neither am I, but it does give me all of today to do many things which are fun while, I'm sure, my students are scrambling to complete assignments. Such is life in mid-December...
So, I'm creating the syllabus for my Pop class for next semester because it is a very easy and satisfying task. Cut and paste the current into a new Doc, edit the calendar, tweak various sna-fus that popped up throughout the fall, and yahoo! Done. Print. Copy. File 'til January.
I am horrible at keeping track of grades in an official/professional manner. I write them down on sheets of paper that contain a high risk of getting lost (but never have) all the while knowing that Excel spread sheets exist for my convenience. So at this moment on this crisp sunny morn, I'm Excell-ing and organizing my gradebook. What makes this so much fun is that I have the house to myself and am BLASTING the music of Girl Talk.
Who? you say. The name is misleading. "Girl Talk" is a young and savvy tech-y guy exactly a decade younger than myself who specializes in mash-ups. What? you say. I understand. I know the term "mash-up"--taking various tracks of two or more songs, piling them on top of each other and *poof*--new song. Fun stuff. But, I had know idea who this "person" was until a Pop student brought him into class last week (see blog from 12/10) as an example of music from 2008. And I'm so glad he did! I'm having the time of my life right now...entering little numbers into even littler boxes, tabbing, calculating, and listening to Greg Gillis/Girl Talk weave his way through the history of pop music. Whoo-hoo. How? you say. Here it is:
From what I can speculate, Gillis/"GT" has more command of his computer's music making functions that 99% of us (well, definitely me, at least) while ALSO displaying an absolutely astonishing and keen awareness of pop music form, content and history. I have a smattering of his work rolling through my iTunes today, and below are the contents of one particular song and the pieces that I can identify:
"Play Your Part" length: 4 mins, 45 seconds
--drum intro--2 seconds...ARgghhh. sounds like the intro to Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" but faster
--bass line--"Gimmie Some Lovin'"--Traffic
--vocals, no idea
--hand-claps--damn....taken from something familiar....grrr..... can't identify
--new vocal loop--no idea (i'm beginning to feel inferior by now.....)
--new rhythm track--i've got nothing
--new melodic/harmonic track. YES! "Let My Love Open the Door" slow remix, Pete Townshend
--new-"We're Not Gonna Take It"--Twisted Sister with unidentified female vocals
--new--"Hunger Strike"--Temple of the Dog
--new--can't get the harmonic track, new vocals, didn't get that either
--handclaps--same as earlier sample
--new--Sinead O'Connor "NOthing Compares 2 U" sped up
--last sample--can't get it.
Song over.
So, I would certainly lose at "name that tune" if this was the selection, although, I usually kick-ass at that. I could lose hours of my life due to Girl Talk....
OK, one more...this is the one my student brought in called "Like This:"
--opening--a mash of stuff. I can get the early low track as something from early 90s hip hop. Then it's "Back to Life" by Soul II Soul,
--snippet of LL Cool J's "don't call it a comeback" song
--"body movin"--can't get the artist
--bass line--nothing
--"Rock and Roll Hoochie-Coo"--guitar riff
--organ track--remake of "Superstar"
--Diana Ross, "Upside Down"
--Janet Jackson rhythm track...what song, dammit?!?! something early. "Rhythm Nation"?
--The Carpenters are in there somewhere
--Metallica--"One"
--can't get the rapper
--song over.
Shoo.
I'm am exhausted yet exhilarated. How in the hell would I do a mash-up of my own? The time! The meticulous matching/mashing/mixing.....mon Dieu! But the potential that exists to create and re-create is endless. I'm actually glad that I DON'T know how to do this with any efficiency. My Diss would NEVER get done.
OK, back to my mid-morning mash-up...grades, music, coffee, snacks. Not as interesting as "Girl Talk," me thinks......
So, I'm creating the syllabus for my Pop class for next semester because it is a very easy and satisfying task. Cut and paste the current into a new Doc, edit the calendar, tweak various sna-fus that popped up throughout the fall, and yahoo! Done. Print. Copy. File 'til January.
I am horrible at keeping track of grades in an official/professional manner. I write them down on sheets of paper that contain a high risk of getting lost (but never have) all the while knowing that Excel spread sheets exist for my convenience. So at this moment on this crisp sunny morn, I'm Excell-ing and organizing my gradebook. What makes this so much fun is that I have the house to myself and am BLASTING the music of Girl Talk.
Who? you say. The name is misleading. "Girl Talk" is a young and savvy tech-y guy exactly a decade younger than myself who specializes in mash-ups. What? you say. I understand. I know the term "mash-up"--taking various tracks of two or more songs, piling them on top of each other and *poof*--new song. Fun stuff. But, I had know idea who this "person" was until a Pop student brought him into class last week (see blog from 12/10) as an example of music from 2008. And I'm so glad he did! I'm having the time of my life right now...entering little numbers into even littler boxes, tabbing, calculating, and listening to Greg Gillis/Girl Talk weave his way through the history of pop music. Whoo-hoo. How? you say. Here it is:
From what I can speculate, Gillis/"GT" has more command of his computer's music making functions that 99% of us (well, definitely me, at least) while ALSO displaying an absolutely astonishing and keen awareness of pop music form, content and history. I have a smattering of his work rolling through my iTunes today, and below are the contents of one particular song and the pieces that I can identify:
"Play Your Part" length: 4 mins, 45 seconds
--drum intro--2 seconds...ARgghhh. sounds like the intro to Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" but faster
--bass line--"Gimmie Some Lovin'"--Traffic
--vocals, no idea
--hand-claps--damn....taken from something familiar....grrr..... can't identify
--new vocal loop--no idea (i'm beginning to feel inferior by now.....)
--new rhythm track--i've got nothing
--new melodic/harmonic track. YES! "Let My Love Open the Door" slow remix, Pete Townshend
--new-"We're Not Gonna Take It"--Twisted Sister with unidentified female vocals
--new--"Hunger Strike"--Temple of the Dog
--new--can't get the harmonic track, new vocals, didn't get that either
--handclaps--same as earlier sample
--new--Sinead O'Connor "NOthing Compares 2 U" sped up
--last sample--can't get it.
Song over.
So, I would certainly lose at "name that tune" if this was the selection, although, I usually kick-ass at that. I could lose hours of my life due to Girl Talk....
OK, one more...this is the one my student brought in called "Like This:"
--opening--a mash of stuff. I can get the early low track as something from early 90s hip hop. Then it's "Back to Life" by Soul II Soul,
--snippet of LL Cool J's "don't call it a comeback" song
--"body movin"--can't get the artist
--bass line--nothing
--"Rock and Roll Hoochie-Coo"--guitar riff
--organ track--remake of "Superstar"
--Diana Ross, "Upside Down"
--Janet Jackson rhythm track...what song, dammit?!?! something early. "Rhythm Nation"?
--The Carpenters are in there somewhere
--Metallica--"One"
--can't get the rapper
--song over.
Shoo.
I'm am exhausted yet exhilarated. How in the hell would I do a mash-up of my own? The time! The meticulous matching/mashing/mixing.....mon Dieu! But the potential that exists to create and re-create is endless. I'm actually glad that I DON'T know how to do this with any efficiency. My Diss would NEVER get done.
OK, back to my mid-morning mash-up...grades, music, coffee, snacks. Not as interesting as "Girl Talk," me thinks......
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