Music Appreciation Thread
Just a few minutes ago I thought it would be cool to make a thread where we post music and explain why we like it, so that others can get an insight into how we approach music. Personally I am really picky about music, so I'm curious about why other people like what they like. Then I saw that Blob posted some music for comment in the Youtube thread, and I knew it was destiny. So! Let's post some music and explain why we like it so much! I hope to learn much about my fellow OrangeBeltians through this endeavor. Blob, you could maybe post your videos here - I know I'd listen to them and comment since I'd like to see this thread go places. I'll start.
Opeth - Ghost of Perdition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaNOT2sQ0ew&feature=related
Overall, I love this song because it wonderfully combines blasting hardness and soothing softness. It goes back and forth unexpectedly and uses thru-composition style, so you only get a few glimpses of parts throughout, and then they're gone.
1:15 - First slow part. The funny thing is, I generally do not like death metal vocals, but because he breaks it up, I really love it.. the pure aggression of the previous part is smoothed out by the clean vocals. I love aggression in music, but I also like feeling and softer emotion. This song (this band, really) does both for me.
2:05 - Return to the blasting screams. Holdiiiing her DOWN. It's so brutal, but the subject matter of the song softens it... it's part of a concept album in which the main character has just accidentally killed his mother.. he's raging and calming himself and raging again. Plus he's a great screamer.. there's a lot of emotion behind his voice, unlike most death metal vocalists.
2:35 - Here we come to the REALLY soft acoustic part, which is great not only for the contrast, but because it's so pretty! I love Mikael's voice.
3:51 - This is probably my FAVORITE part of the song... the long wailing note with which Akesson starts his solo is just PHENOMENAL. It really tugs on my heartstrings every time I hear it. I don't even know why... it's just a single note! But it seems so full of emotion that it's ready to burst.
The rest of the solo, up til 4:11, is also wonderful. It's not overly technical like I know he's capable of, it's just so soulful. I love solos, and this one has character.
4:13 - I'm not an expert on drumming, so I might just be uneducated swine in saying this, but I enjoy the juxtaposition of the guitar's steady pitch and rhythm and the drummer's variety in this section.
4:58 - We get a nice little instrumental section. Sometimes I do just want to sit back and listen to them play without hearing the vocals and let the music flow over me.
5:33 - Cool drumming! Each major instrument takes its turn to shine. (They don't do bass solos, unfortunately... but I feel like that might be too much outside of their realm. Who knows?)
6:30 - Awesome double-bass part that really ups the ferocity of the song in preparation for another screaming part.
7:12 - They keep it interesting by adding a new instrument to calm things down for another acoustic part. Synthesizer, maybe?
7:45 - I feel different during this part than the rest of the song. The beginning is really aggressive, then the soft parts are very calm, but this section makes me feel elated.
8:02 - Tasty solo! The first solo was really emotional, and so is this one, but it's a bit more technical and gets me excited.
9:30 - A small soft spot... then BAM! The soft spot remains structurally similar but becomes much more energetic.
10:15 - The song comes into its final triumphant stretch.
Ahh, pure listening glory.This song spans so many moods, and I can listen to it again and again.
Opeth - Ghost of Perdition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaNOT2sQ0ew&feature=related
Overall, I love this song because it wonderfully combines blasting hardness and soothing softness. It goes back and forth unexpectedly and uses thru-composition style, so you only get a few glimpses of parts throughout, and then they're gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaNOT2sQ0ew1:15 - First slow part. The funny thing is, I generally do not like death metal vocals, but because he breaks it up, I really love it.. the pure aggression of the previous part is smoothed out by the clean vocals. I love aggression in music, but I also like feeling and softer emotion. This song (this band, really) does both for me.
2:05 - Return to the blasting screams. Holdiiiing her DOWN. It's so brutal, but the subject matter of the song softens it... it's part of a concept album in which the main character has just accidentally killed his mother.. he's raging and calming himself and raging again. Plus he's a great screamer.. there's a lot of emotion behind his voice, unlike most death metal vocalists.
2:35 - Here we come to the REALLY soft acoustic part, which is great not only for the contrast, but because it's so pretty! I love Mikael's voice.
3:51 - This is probably my FAVORITE part of the song... the long wailing note with which Akesson starts his solo is just PHENOMENAL. It really tugs on my heartstrings every time I hear it. I don't even know why... it's just a single note! But it seems so full of emotion that it's ready to burst.
The rest of the solo, up til 4:11, is also wonderful. It's not overly technical like I know he's capable of, it's just so soulful. I love solos, and this one has character.
4:13 - I'm not an expert on drumming, so I might just be uneducated swine in saying this, but I enjoy the juxtaposition of the guitar's steady pitch and rhythm and the drummer's variety in this section.
4:58 - We get a nice little instrumental section. Sometimes I do just want to sit back and listen to them play without hearing the vocals and let the music flow over me.
5:33 - Cool drumming! Each major instrument takes its turn to shine. (They don't do bass solos, unfortunately... but I feel like that might be too much outside of their realm. Who knows?)
6:30 - Awesome double-bass part that really ups the ferocity of the song in preparation for another screaming part.
7:12 - They keep it interesting by adding a new instrument to calm things down for another acoustic part. Synthesizer, maybe?
7:45 - I feel different during this part than the rest of the song. The beginning is really aggressive, then the soft parts are very calm, but this section makes me feel elated.
8:02 - Tasty solo! The first solo was really emotional, and so is this one, but it's a bit more technical and gets me excited.
9:30 - A small soft spot... then BAM! The soft spot remains structurally similar but becomes much more energetic.
10:15 - The song comes into its final triumphant stretch.
Ahh, pure listening glory.This song spans so many moods, and I can listen to it again and again.
Comments
They've let me down...
;_;
0:01 through the end: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Drum solo: OH YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing!
(As a bonus, I had no idea they made a kickass music video for this song, so I'm glad this thread gave me the opportunity to find it)
I absolutely adore this song! It starts with an unexpectedly slow build (you don't really get a sense of the song's true tempo and feel until almost a minute in), which has had two profound effects on me: the first time I heard the song, I was taken completely by surprise to find that it was in fact an upbeat danceable tune, and in subsequent listens, I get really excited to hear the slow part since I know what's coming. There are a few songs where you hear a unique intro and get pumped in advance, and this is definitely one of them for me.
The majority of the song is carried by a steady fast kick drum beat and some great guitars. But when I sit down and try to analyze what I like so much about this song, I think it's the glockenspiel. It's such an unexpected instrument to hear in this context, and it really helps to set the song apart and add a lighthearted vibe. The whole thing comes off as very whimsical.
Wikipedia tells me the song is about an indie disco in Cardiff. Okay! All I know is the lead vocalist expertly keeps up the frenetic pace throughout.
I'm hoping you guys give it a listen! The song is part of a great EP, "Sticking Fingers Into Sockets" (iTunes URL), which serves as a wonderful introduction to the band ("We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives" is another fun tune from the EP). I've picked up both of their albums released post-EP, and I'm really excited about this band. I'm a little proud to say that I found out about them before John Allison told me they were cool. ^__^ Check 'em out!
I really like music like this. It is very multi-layered, quite like an orchestra. I happen to enjoy music that have very musical melodies and are otherwise walls of sound. It's gypsy music inspired.
I posted this earlier in the YouTubin' thread, put in this "52cYoyCTtB8," at the top and look in related to see other songs from the album.
Queen are now forgiven.
Mario: Groovy
NoLonger shank'd: Meh, not my thing.
"Weird Al" Yankovic - My Bologna.
It's recorded in a college rest room! Rock'N!
...and now I have fast-paced, 1980s Christmas songs stuck in my head.
Mario: I have a hard time with songs like this. I know they're supposed to be fun, but I don't get much of an emotional register from them. The vocalist's voice has this edge of goofiness that turns me off. Of course, I feel like that's the point of the song; I sometimes envy people who can just listen to music to have fun. But alas, I cannot. Also, the lyrics don't really do anything for me; I don't have much to do with dancing or clubs. But I did really enjoy their slow increase in tempo in the beginning of the song, you're right--it really does lead up to the start of the fast part.
NoLonger: I feel like this should accompany something, like it shouldn't just be standing on its own. Maybe it needs some sort of tribal dance? I keep envisioning Cosmo Canyon for some reason when I listen to it. Maybe it's because it seems so... backgroundy. Hmm. I also personally have a harder time with music that doesn't change the pace or tempo. I get ADD sometimes with my music (as I'll probably display a bit later with another addition).
Blob: There's a special place in my heart for Weird Al. He was the first artist I really listened to of my own volition. For some reason, I'm just fine with having fun to his music.. maybe because I know he's just doing it to have a good time? I don't know. My Bologna certainly isn't one of my favorites, but Weird Al's music all functions similarly for me.
Thanks for your contributions, fellas, let's keep it rolling!
Here's the other (more controversial) favorite of mine:
Paris - "The Devil Made Me Do it"
This was banned off MTV in 1990
The main reason I like Apocalyptica is because I am a cello player myself. But, beyond that I think it is really cool how they show how versatile interments can be and I like how their overall music sounds. Right now I only have one of their albums “Cult” which this song happens to be on.
I am also a big fan of Daft Punk
I really like the beat to this song and how they overall combination of the music and lyrics. I have seen that there is a lot of people who like them and a lot of people who don’t, I just happen to be someone who likes them.
Might add some other music latter
I really like Big Pimpin, by Jay-Z. Because at first, he's like Big Pimpin, spending G's, but then later he changes it up to spending cheese! And his constant use of acronyms keeps my white ass guessing as to what he's really talking about!
He's truly a modern artist and rap revolutionary.
PS. Please put the title of the song up, because my wii recently stoped prosessing embed videos, and I need to have the title so I can google video it. A link is even nicer
Serephel: No.
Let me begin by saying that I'm not really into indie music or whatever you could possibly catalog this band as. However, I listened to a friend of mine sing and play this on the guitar at a little party on the beach two or three weekends ago, and he just made it feel so sincere, that I had to download this and the whole album.
I like the whole whimsical tone of it, the goofy instruments played and all. I especially love the way the lyrics develop, and how it's easy to feel the hurt that the singer is experiencing. I also love the fast-pace singing used. Above all, I think I like it because it's so different than the stuff I usually listen to.
Also like mario, I had no idea that there was a music video of this song.
I must combat with panther rap!
This is the best copy of the video I could find.
MY College rest room!
I just felt like pointing that out. Weird Al went to my school. That makes me cooler than you.
Were that true, the rockatude would cause your socks to be knocked off at random intervals, spread throughout the day.
PS. I'm looking forward to the US release of Polka Band.
Beirut - Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)
More of the same band, I really like the way they use the vocalists.
Their music is repetitive but I find it very relaxing.
I like Beirut, it's like circus music with violin and vocals layered on top, in a good way.
Although that Polka Band game setup makes no sense. Your hand would have to be constantly ascending up the board to play it. Anyone else here know how to play piano?
Always wanted to, but I don't have the room or the money for one :[
I doo! I just started taking lessons again. I can actually read music now and I can play just about every Muse song in existance! (Except Butterflies and Hurricanes...damm you piano solo!)
I got introduced this band by somebody in college. I think it was one of my ex-girlfriends, or maybe Andrew, or maybe both of them, I don't remember. They're a Finnish gothic metal band, Nightwish. Their music videos are kind of dumb, hence me selecting a live video instead, but I absolutely love the main vocalist, Tarja Turunen. Her voice is so freaking beautiful to me.
In this song, I really like the gradual chord crescendo from 3:18 all the way to 3:59, followed by the rapid decrescendo of the instrumentals to accent her voice. It gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.
Edit: I have no idea why, but my youtube always redirects to Japan's youtube. I can't figure out why, and I can't reset it to default to the US's. All the videos seem to be up anyway, but still.
If you like them, Might I suggest another? Tristania, great band, very...how should I put it...graceful? But also pretty brutal, I love 'em
Official Website
Plus, their frontwoman Mariangela Demurtas is a total babe.