A Variety of Different Music

          I mostly like to hear songs that are in Spanish because I love the Latin rhythm and how it makes me feel jumpy and how loud they are which makes me imagine about being in a country in South America and tasting the zesty flavors of Latin dishes and smelling the heavenly aroma of many more foods. Nevertheless, I love to listen to songs that are in different languages rather than just Spanish, mostly Japanese, and even some Arabic songs for even though I can’t understand what the singers are saying, I still love the beat of the songs, just like poems— some may be hard to interpret, but I can enjoy reading them. I definitely recommend these songs to the class for there is one that is like a ballad, another made me picture I was at the beach and actually smelling the salty air, and the others are more upbeat and will make anyone feel excited and forget about any problems.

          Classical compositions have a beautiful sound once played by many talented composers, transporting you to somewhere new and knocking your senses out. Opera is very loud yet magnificent at the same time to hear the voices of singers reaching high notes and getting a sensational feeling inside of you whenever the high notes come up. I love listening to classical music and only a few operas for whenever I listen, I imagine myself somewhere else.

What's your favorite Disney song(s)?

It may sound weird but my favorite thing to listen to would have to be Disney songs. I don't know what it is but I guess it would be the fact that they're just nostalgic and uplifting sometimes. It's become a ritual of mine now to be listening to the Disney radio on Pandora whenever I drive to school on Fridays and now I start listening to it when I study. I just can't seem to get enough of it! I've always been a huge Disney lover, ever since I was small. Nowadays I just can't stand listening to the radio because they always play the same music over and over again like clockwork. With the Disney radio it's always a surprise, bringing in new songs that might have even been a little bit older than my generation that I would have never even heard of. The song that I love the most from the entire Disney set the reprise of "One Jump Ahead" in Aladdin. The way Aladdin is portrayed for most of the movie as some poor boy who doesn't really have a home, he's a social outcast that leads to mischief for the attention he lacks since he has no parents (Spoiler, his dad is still alive). But even though he does bring chaos all along Agrabah, at the end of the day he understands that there's so much more to him than just some peasant who lives in the slums of the street but people never give him a second glance. In the entirety of less than a minute this song just speaks millions upon billions of words to me. We've all felt like we belonged some place but weren't accepted due to some stereotype or some prejudice when all we want is to be accepted. I can never get enough of this song and if you ever see me jamming out in my car then don't be a stranger and jam along if you know the song (:

I'm Talking About The Rap God

Now, as some of you may know, Eminem released his new album not too long ago, and I think it's safe to say that he is the true G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time). I don't care what you have to say to argue my point, the fact of the matter is that Eminem is a lyrical genius. Just take a moment to search for a YouTube video of one of his songs with lyrics and you'll see exactly where I'm coming from. The man writes poetry with a beat to go along with it. He includes metaphors and similes, passion and angst, even humor if you look closely enough. You don't have to take my word for it though, go look for yourself. May I recommend, "Rap God" or "Legacy" are two amazing songs, a great way to start.

My Guilty Pleasure: BANGERZ

I'm almost embarrassed to admit that a new album I can't get enough of is Miley Cyrus' Bangerz. Don't get me wrong, I recognize that she is no lyrical or musical genius but every song is just so damn catchy! Some of them even funny and clever! Although she does seem to be trying a little too hard, the more I listen to this album the more I like it. I'll give it to her that there's great variation between every song, which I didn't expect. Some songs like My Darlin' and Drive actually have some beautiful verses and notes, while some songs like #GETITRIGHT and 4x4 are impossible to get out of your head. I'm not saying all her music is great but you should definitely give this album a try.

Hype

I can't help it but to just dance and get energized, when i'm listening to music. Music is one of the only thing that can make you get over something or someone  , change you mood or just get you relaxed from a stressful moment .  There are only a few genre of music I listen to , but my favorite has to be reggae  especially some Busy Signal. He is one of those artist that has different songs for his various listeners male, female , young and even old but when it comes down to it his music is just enjoyable and can't help but to dance to it . Listening to reggae and dancing is something that goes hand in hand . In Jamaican culture my generation dance in a way many people would say they are just having sex. NO. The way we dance is just close and very inventive , from the steps to what happens.  Reggae is that thing I can listen and get hyped or just getting me in the mood to get focus . Don't take my word for it just hit up a Jamaican party and you will see .

Guilty pleasures? Not a chance.

I always find it funny when people look through my iPod and by the time they reach the “O” on my artists they look up at me, with a look of pure disbelief, and say, “I don’t understand how you listen to such great artists and then have One Direction on here.” I never really know what to respond to that, because in my opinion One Direction is a group of great artists as well. All I can really do is shrug and say, “Different strokes for different folks, I guess!” I’m totally aware that most people scoff at every boy-band, and deem them unworthy of being called “great” simply because they’re products of pop music. It’s not like I would compare boy-bands and their music to the likes of Arctic Monkeys or Vampire Weekend, I know pop music isn’t at the same level as these bands, and I don’t dispute the fact that pop music lyrics aren’t as poetic as indie or rock lyrics. However, that doesn’t mean that pop music isn’t worthwhile; music made by boy-bands, like One Direction, is fun, it’s meant to pump the adrenaline in the body and release endorphins. One Direction make “feel good” music, and there is no reason to make someone feel like less of a person simply because they listen to music that makes them happy. Whether it’s a boy-band, or a pop princess, it’s time to stop calling this music “guilty pleasures” because there’s  nothing wrong with listening to songs that make people happy, why should that be a reason for guilt?

There is a song for every mood, and perhaps the folk-y sounds of a banjo and the crooning of Marcus Mumford isn’t going to cut it in order to capture the feeling of finally kissing someone after finding out feelings harbored for days were mutual; perhaps a pop song captures that moment perfectly, “Wish I could freeze this moment in a frame and stay like this, I’ll put this day back on replay and keep reliving it.” Now I’m not saying there isn’t a song that can be considered “indie” that’s about the same kind of happy moment, I’m sure there are hundreds. What I’m trying to explain is that while someone may stick to just one genre of music and one style of artists, there are others who like to delve into all sorts of styles and enjoy music by artists that may be completely out of their usual range, and that doesn’t disqualify their music taste.  One of the worst things a person can be is a music snob and say, “I’ve lost respect for you because you listen to so and so.” There is nothing more pretentious than placing a person beneath another simply because of their likes and dislikes. Music is subjective and to look down upon people simply because their taste is different than others is simply ridiculous.

I could jam out one night to The 1975’s groovy sound on “Settle Down,” bop along to it in a small and personal venue, sweaty bodies pulsing to the same bass rhythm, and be close enough to Matt Healy that I can see his neck veins strain as he hits the notes on “You’re losing your words, we’re speaking in bodies, avoiding me and talking about you. You’re cold and I burn, I guess I’ll never learn, guess I’ll stay another hour or two.” Then the next night I can be in a sold out stadium, straining to see the five boys of One Direction jump across the stage, and scream my lungs out as I match their voices singing, “I would carry you over fire and water for your love, and I will hold you closer, hope your heart is strong enough. When the night is coming down on you, we will find our way ‘Through the Dark.’” At the end of the day I wouldn’t feel ashamed or guilty about either night, because I would have had the time of my life for both concerts. 

Christian Music

          When I was growing up most of the music I would listen to was Christian contemporary or Christian rock. I would hear this kind of music during chapel at the Christian school I went to, and out of all the music I was exposed to, it was the only kind that didn’t make me fall asleep, (like my parents music) or terrify me, (like my brothers’ music would). Though I no longer listen to the same music I grew up with, I would be lying if I said it didn’t influence my present taste in music.

          I have a tendency to listen to songs that are simple and catchy, like the music from my childhood. The only real difference is quality. Christian rock has a horrible reputation for being dull, and I can’t really argue with that most of the time. As I grew older and listened to other music genres, Christian rock just didn't hold up well; the music actually became a little annoying. I do not believe every single song in the genre is bad though. There are a few gems in the genre, such as Entertaining Angels by Newsboys, Give Me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath, Sneakin’ Into Heaven by Chris Rice, and Walking Her Home by Mark Schultz are all songs that for me at least are worth listening too. 

My Music Spectrum

There’s this amazing thing about cheesy music. There are those that will argue that artists like One Direction and Miley Cyrus are less than those like Paul Simon and Bob Dylan and maybe they have a point, but temporal things can also hold importance. The Harry Styles fad will pass, but it still happened. Identifying it as unimportant because it’s over isn’t fair. Like pretending a lost love didn’t matter just because it’s over. It was at one point part of my experience of youth. My youth is important. Cheesy music is important. It’s a backdrop for so many of us. It is the center of American culture. It’s for blasting in convertibles with your best girlfriends, for forgetting, for dancing and for fun. I believe it’s the greatest accessory life has afforded us. Simon and Dylan won’t fade because they are not accessories. They are understanders of humanity who can perfectly capture that moment you were in the convertible with your best friends listening to Miley Cyrus and talking about boys.  I’d like to suggest though that the music spectrum not be from “bad” to “good” or vice versa, but from “living” to “life.” For, Miley Cyrus is what I listen to when I’m living and Dylan when I’m reflecting on life and longing to feel understood. 

Tom Waits performs Chocolate Jesus

To anyone and everyone with ears and eyes I recommend watching this video of Tom Waits performing “Chocolate Jesus.” I’m not sure where the line can be drawn between “music performance” and “performance art.” Perhaps there is no line, but there must be a spectrum. There must be a spectrum because this is a performance of music, but this is also performance art. There is a difference because people like Tom Waits create the difference. He walks up onto the stage, introduces himself in his trademark husky voice – PICKS UP A MEGAPHONE – puts it to his mouth, and starts belting out the lyrics into that megaphone. Watching it feels like the first time I heard “A Day in the Life” by The Beatles. The transition between John Lennon’s perception of everyday life to Paul McCartney’s was at first startling. It’s a teardown and a rebuilding. I love music, but it rarely makes me feel the way visual art often does. Tom Waits reminds me though that it can. He gets up on that stage, points his megaphone at the microphone, and when he does, he obliterates our idea of music, our idea of art. We aren’t listening or watching because it’s a catchy tune, we’re listening and watching because the man behind the microphone just tore down our barriers of what music should and can be and that in itself is visual poetry. 

Here's a link to the performance...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wfamPW3Eaw

A Universal Language

          In our generation, a common way to communicate with others is through music.  Whether it’s through singing, humming, or playing an instrument, through music people understand each other.  Music is a way to show and express yourself and the type of mood you are in.  A famous quote by Frank Ocean reads, “When we’re happy, we enjoy the music.  But when we’re sad we understand the lyrics.”  Also, the style of music we listen to conveys the kind of person we are. 

Some of us play music as a way to escape ourselves from the world we live in.  Some people play it and listen to it just for the entertainment of it.  And others listen to music because of the artists that play it.  Music has many different meanings to many different people.  To me music is sort of a way to relax but at the same time it helps me concentrate on doing other things such as homework. 

I don’t play any instruments but however I listen to a wide variety of music.  From Country to Rap to Latin music, I enjoy listening to it all.  Music is a universal language throughout the world and has a strong effect on people.  

Suicidal Thoughts

My Music: Notorious B.I.G.- Suicidal Thoughts

    Rap is hardly my favorite genre. That isn’t to say that I don’t like rap, or that I don’t listen to it. In fact, I do listen to a fair bit of rap, but I’m aware of its limitations as far as artistic merit, for the most part. Too many rappers focus on their own wealth, their own sexual exploits, and their alleged position in “the rap game”  to honestly strike a chord with me. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t rap songs that deal with pressing social issues or even reveal a true portion of human nature. Songs like Eminem’s “Stan” or Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools” exemplify this, but I will instead focus on an older track, Notorious B.I.G.’s “Suicidal Thoughts.”

    Rappers seldom journey into the realm of self loathing, but I’ve found that when they do they often make something great of it. Never is this truer than in Christopher Wallace’s suicidal ramblings. Set up as a phone call to a friend in the middle of the night, this song delivers with an excellent flow and an even greater foray into the mind of a man who, on some level, hates himself. With lyrics like “I know my mother wished she got a [expletive] abortion”, Biggie is not portraying himself as the rich superstar that he was. Instead, he is utterly human, admitting a fear of disappointment so great it drove him to suicidal thoughts. It is not like rappers, particularly those of this day and age, to show such fear and to portray themselves as humble beings who have disappointed their mothers, but this is effective because we have all felt that very fear.

    Another equally powerful lyric “I wonder if I died, would tears come to her eyes,” further separates this song from the genre. Rappers generally consider themselves a big deal, but there is nothing more fundamentally human than wondering what will be left of us when we die. Wallace accurately sums up the feeling of uncertainty, wondering if he’ll be missed when he dies just as so many of us have. These are only small snippets of an excellent piece, but I feel that this song is great for two major reasons. The song is itself an excellent study of the human condition, specifically its darker elements. Furthermore, the song serves as a beacon of light in a genre that is overly commercial and often trite. If such great works of art exist in the rap genre, than others must surely exist as well, and they certainly do.

The Police- Wrapped Around Your Finger

My Music- Wrapped Around Your Finger (The Police)

The Police are one of my favorite bands of all time, and I don't think it's to hard to see why. Their works aren't too numerous, but what they lack in quantity they make up for in sheer quality. Their music is, above all, great to listen to. With a unique sound, excellent choruses and ingenious instrument work (Not to mention the great vocal of Sting, a polarizing figure), the Police set themselves apart as a band. Their songs deal with a great deal of topics but seldom, if ever, foray into the political scene- for better or worse. I feel this makes their music all the more attractive, which isn't to say I don't enjoy a good protest song or a band that deals in social issues. I had initially intended to write about “Don't Stand So Close to Me,” one of this group's most recognizable hits, but “Wrapped Around Your Finger” is a more satisfying song in my view.

The song tells of a young man and an older woman, a story which immediately intrigued me, and how she has control over him. The two are romantically involved, though it seems the older woman is in it for her own gain, the young man being a sexual puppet for her. Soon, the man finds he has the power, as illustrated by the line “When you find your servant is your master.” At this point, the chorus shifts from “Wrapped around your finger” to “Wrapped around my finger.” I found this song so enjoyable because a person with little power in a relationship is revealed to truly possess the power, a concept I found promising when I was younger. If nothing else, the song is a great ballad for any who feels abused and dreams of being in power, and happens to contain some of the best instrumental sections of any of The Police's songs.

Sad Songs

There's something particular about 'sad' music. Somewhere between the slow rhythms and low notes, I lose myself because of the honesty that can be found in songs like these. The songs I'm talking about are those that when you hear them, you can instantly picture the musician held up in a run-down little motel sitting on the floor pouring his heart out about his latest heartbreak. It's the intensity of the musician's voice that one truly feels the emotion that the musician wanted to portray in his/her music. In my opinion, sadness is one of the strongest emotions, if not the strongest, so for an artist to incorporate it into their music just makes their music that much better. Moreover, sadness is something that everyone has experienced and can relate to, so regardless what genre the song is considered to be in, everyone can understand what the artist is trying to portray. For example, Slow Dancing In A Burning Room by John Mayer, Collide by Howie Day, Skinny Love by Bon Iver, or Broken by Seether are all songs that many people enjoy and look forward in their times of need. It's something about the rawness found in 'sad' songs that just makes them so much more attractive to me and, in my opinion, higher quality in the emotional sense than other songs.

One of the Best Albums of the Year

In just a few months this year is coming to a close. So many amazing albums have come out including Arctic Monkey's AM, Lana Del Rey's Unreleased, and MGMT's self titled album. Although my favorite album of the year, so far, would have to be Mosquito by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. With fame, most artists' fourth record end up being bubble gum and shallow but the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have always done a fantastic job of keeping their music fresh yet not losing their iconic indie rock/garage punk sound. Because they may be an acquired taste to some, if you are not a fan yet I would encourage you to listen to their Fever to Tell album and then jump into Mosquito, starting with Always and Sacrilege. In no time you'll be jamming to the album's new electro dub sound while still being able to appreciate their quirky early spirit. Mosquito is definitely a must have record.