Happy Saturday everyone. I am sitting here doing my incredibly dry sociology reading, and a thought just popped into my head, so I'm running with it (similar to the way I'm continuing this run-on sentence).
I'm the type of person who always listens to music when working because it helps me focus. When my homework consists of reading I tend to listen to instrumental bands because the lack of words keeps me from getting distracted from what I am reading. Some personal favorites include Mogwai, Explosions In the Sky, Russian Circles and Mono.
Today, as I was doing just this I realized that a powerful tactic that bands like these tend to employ is to sample a voice, often from a movie or TV broadcast, that can further add context to the song. This is one of the more interesting recurrences of the genre because it can create an image that one would not have seen before. I'm not quite sure how to analyze this and I also have a lot of work to do, but here are a few of my favorite examples.
"Have You Passed Through This Night" - Explosions In the Sky
"Sleep" - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
"Tracy" - Mogwai
February 26, 2011
February 21, 2011
Classic Rock
Here at Circular Narrative headquarters we're experiencing an odd phenomenon. From behind every door one can hear not the typical soothing sounds of Mozart or M.O.P. No, we are hearkening back to a time before we were born. The time when mullets were not ironic (just ugly) and Wal-Mart didn't sell Pantera t-shirts.
Yes, we've been listening to classic rock.
Why the resurgence you may ask. Well, no one knows for sure how cultural phenomenons resurface in modern times but it's probably because some of us are kind of hipsters.
Without further ado, here's the short list of which songs we've been bumping lately and why.
Gene:
"Under Pressure" - Queen feat. David Bowie
The final montage in the absolutely mediocre cult movie "World's Greatest Dad" reminded me how awesome this song is. Queen we're always kickin' out the jams back in their hey-day and this one is a bona-fide classic. Funky bass line + epic sweeping chorus? Fuckin' smart. Plus there's some uber-introspective lyrics in this one, so if you're into sitting back and thinking, pump up the volume and consider "the terror of knowing what life is about". It can't touch "Bohemian Rhapsody" for best Queen song but hey, even Joe Montana had to retire, and he was named after a state.
"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" - Journey
The chorus on this song kills it. So much more of a jam than "Don't Stop Believing", Especially cause Glee hasn't ruined this one. Plus the synth intro is hella tight, feel me? If possible the music video adds even more swag points. Yeah that keyboard is vertical, why do you ask?
DH:
"Take Me Home Tonight" - Eddie Money
There are all sorts of jams. Chill hip-hop jams. Old school jams. Banger jams. And then there’s Eddie Money’s smash hit “Take Me Home Tonight”. It has all the ingredients: lame verse, great pre-chorus, and an orgasmic chorus. With the upcoming feature film, also entitled “Take Me Home Tonight,” haters may accuse Mr. Money of selling out (or “losing integrity” if you will). Well, fuck ‘em. If you can’t enjoy this song for what it is, then you clearly listen to Kenny G.
“Take Me Home Tonight” will only continue to remain the staple of every 80s night party in the continental United States, and with the emersion of the Topmodelz’s house remix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu1YB-2j-g0) we can only hope that it will, like a salmon during spring, once again work its way into the mainstream.
Yes, we've been listening to classic rock.
Why the resurgence you may ask. Well, no one knows for sure how cultural phenomenons resurface in modern times but it's probably because some of us are kind of hipsters.
Without further ado, here's the short list of which songs we've been bumping lately and why.
Gene:
"Under Pressure" - Queen feat. David Bowie
The final montage in the absolutely mediocre cult movie "World's Greatest Dad" reminded me how awesome this song is. Queen we're always kickin' out the jams back in their hey-day and this one is a bona-fide classic. Funky bass line + epic sweeping chorus? Fuckin' smart. Plus there's some uber-introspective lyrics in this one, so if you're into sitting back and thinking, pump up the volume and consider "the terror of knowing what life is about". It can't touch "Bohemian Rhapsody" for best Queen song but hey, even Joe Montana had to retire, and he was named after a state.
"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" - Journey
The chorus on this song kills it. So much more of a jam than "Don't Stop Believing", Especially cause Glee hasn't ruined this one. Plus the synth intro is hella tight, feel me? If possible the music video adds even more swag points. Yeah that keyboard is vertical, why do you ask?
DH:
"Take Me Home Tonight" - Eddie Money
There are all sorts of jams. Chill hip-hop jams. Old school jams. Banger jams. And then there’s Eddie Money’s smash hit “Take Me Home Tonight”. It has all the ingredients: lame verse, great pre-chorus, and an orgasmic chorus. With the upcoming feature film, also entitled “Take Me Home Tonight,” haters may accuse Mr. Money of selling out (or “losing integrity” if you will). Well, fuck ‘em. If you can’t enjoy this song for what it is, then you clearly listen to Kenny G.
“Take Me Home Tonight” will only continue to remain the staple of every 80s night party in the continental United States, and with the emersion of the Topmodelz’s house remix (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu1YB-2j-g0) we can only hope that it will, like a salmon during spring, once again work its way into the mainstream.
Other jams that we didn't feel like writing about:
February 5, 2011
Things You Should Listen To: Algorithms
Gene:
I'm not necessarily a mashup connoisseur but I know when I hear something that's above the Mendoza line. This thing is in an entirely different league. The whole things plays like one big mixtape and it just keeps killin' it, time and time again. Justin Bieber + 3OH!3? Absolutely I will. Throw in some Arcade Fire? Indubitably.
Get this now.
DH:
The phrase “best mashup of all-time” gets thrown around a lot. I consider myself a mashup connoisseur of sorts, and as I have become more acquainted with the genre, I have found myself rarely impressed with current DJs’ works. Even Girls Talk’s “All Day” was a huge disappointment for me, so you can imagine my own surprise in being blown away by a little DJ by the name of “Milkman”. I had listened to his earlier stuff a year and a half ago after a drunken suggestion by a random girl who I had invited into my room, and had – for the most part – been unimpressed.
“Algorithms” hits on all the cylinders that “All Day” did not. It manages to discover undercover bangers and put them together with well-established banger (see “Right Now”). “Algorithms” also avoids my biggest mashup pet peeve: blending two songs of the same genre/era. All of his mashups span at least 10 years and encompass the entire spectrum of pop music.
“Algorithms” is easily the mashup album of the year, and certainly up there with the top albums of the year, regardless of genre. Do yourself a favor and grab it fo’ free right now.
It can be aquired right here:
http://www.milkmanmusic.net/fr_home.cfm
It can be aquired right here:
http://www.milkmanmusic.net/fr_home.cfm
Oh hey.
I just downloaded:
The King Is Dead by The Decemberists
and
Harcore Will Never Die, But You Will by Mogwai
That's what I'll be listening to this week. I highly recommend both of them.
- Gene
The King Is Dead by The Decemberists
and
Harcore Will Never Die, But You Will by Mogwai
That's what I'll be listening to this week. I highly recommend both of them.
- Gene
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