Never the Same Song Twice, For 100 Days

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Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:01:01 -0400

Wagner's Ring Cycle

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:13:00 -0500

Despite the fact that the 100 days are over and I can repeat music, I find that I haven’t actually been doing so that much.

Example: Recently I decided to listen to all of Wagner’s Ring Cycle.

Before Lord of the Rings marathons, there was Der Ring des Nibelungen, a cycle of four operas going over 20 hours long over 4 days, telling the story of a couple of giants, Norse-ish gods, the river Rhine, and of course a magic ring. Oh, and I’m pretty sure there was a dragon.

While you can listen to the whole thing on Spotti-fy, only humorless pedants do that.

I do, however, highly recommend Anna Russell’s treatment of the Ring, which is much shorter.

“It’s the only opera on Earth that comes in the giant economy package.”

It has taken half my life – 15 years – to build this collection but I decided to listen to them all in one go.

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 01:08:36 -0500

It has taken half my life – 15 years – to build this collection but I decided to listen to them all in one go.

Using music to affect your brain for fun and profit [Lifehacker]

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:21:30 -0500

Using music to affect your brain for fun and profit [Lifehacker]

Pitchfork Gives Music 6.8

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:06:00 -0500

Pitchfork Gives Music 6.8

More music

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:23:25 -0500

Other stuff I tagged on first (and last) listen as being music to revisit. Some of it will probably hold up to time, some of it won’t!

100 Days 2 by Chris Pips on Grooveshark

Questions

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:11:05 -0500

Some questions I thought up:

Did you miss playing any songs more than once?

A little bit, but not really.

What was the hardest part?

Honestly, near the end, tracking all my music became an annoyance. I’m happy to listen to only new songs, but I don’t want to be forced to scrobble every single clip I listen to on Youtube or every MP3 from some random site.

When Pandora stopped scrobbling after the upgrade, I had to quit them entirely. After this I plan to use them a lot (and take a long vacation from Last.FM!)

Did you discover any new music?

Nothing that groundbreaking. I heard some new artists, but most of them fall comfortably into a genre that I had already been listening to.

What was the biggest thing you gained?

Perhaps an appreciation for really taking a single artist and trying to digest them musically. I listen to a lot of music by style/genre, because of how online radio stations work, but I don’t listen to whole albums and soak in a musical style.

Most of the time I listen to music as background, so perhaps it’s fitting that I found many artists who don’t seem to transcend genre. Pearls before swine…

I also found that all my friends have pretty much entirely independent tastes in music. Not one person I got a recommendation from mentioned the same bands.

Song Log - November 22, 2011

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:11:00 -0500

Day 100!

In a somewhat anticlimactic finish I didn’t get to listen to much today, as I was travelling.

I’ll try and post some more thoughts on this Tumblr in the future.

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Crucifixus (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Et incarnatus est (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Et in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum (Duetto)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Credo in unum Deum (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Cum Sancto Spiritu (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Quoniam tu solus Sanctus (Aria)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Qui sedes ad dextram Patris (Aria)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Qui tollis peccata mundi (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Domine Deus (Duetto)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Gratias agimus tibi (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Laudamus te (Aria)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Et in terra pax (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Gloria in excelsis (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Kyrie eleison (Coro)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Christe eleison (Duetto)

Johann Sebastian Bach – Mass in B Minor - Kyrie elieson (Coro)

Song Log - November 21, 2011

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:10:00 -0500

Day 99

Elton John & Leon Russell – The Best Part Of The Day

Bee Gees – Tragedy

Billy Joel – My Life

Elton John – Levon

Elton John – Benny and the Jets

Nas – 2nd Childhood - Explicit Album Version

Nas – Rewind

Nas – You’re Da Man

Nas – Smokin’

Nas – Ether

Supreme Beings Of Leisure – Get Away

Tosca – Doris Dub

Flunk – On My Balcony

Röyksopp – The Drug

Mozez – Spinning Top

James Blunt – No Bravery

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – The Good Rebel

The Kooks – One Last Time

Kings of Leon – Revelry

Franz Ferdinand – 40’

Mumford & Sons – I Gave You All

Editors – Bones

Kings of Convenience – Misread

The Strokes – Electricityscape

Radiohead – Karma Police

The Fray – Dead Wrong

White Lies – The Power & The Glory

Keane – Better Than This

Maroon 5 – Makes Me Wonder

Snow Patrol – Open Your Eyes

OneRepublic – Secrets

Brandon Flowers – Swallow It

The Script – Breakeven

Kings of Leon – 17

Kasabian – Fire

Florence + The Machine – What The Water Gave Me

Adele – One And Only

Travis – Sing

I am Harlequin – The King’s Daughter

Chicago – If You Leave Me Now

Billy Joel – Piano Man

Van Halen – Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love

Mötley Crüe – Wild Side

Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City

Alice Cooper – I’m Eighteen

Kiss – Rock And Roll All Nite

Bon Jovi – Always

Aerosmith – Angel

Song Log - November 20, 2011

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:03:00 -0500

Day 98

While I was planning to listen to a bunch of songs I’ve been holding out on, I don’t really seem to be that interested.

Foster The People – Helena Beat

The Wombats – Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)

Rubylux – Hold Fire

The Rapture – How Deep Is Your Love?

Darker My Love – A Lovely Game

A Silent Film – You Will Leave A Mark

Ximena Sariñana – Different

Johann Sebastian Bach – Toccata in D minor

Robert Schumann – No. 6: O Freund, mein Schirm, mein Schutz

Arctic Monkeys – My Propeller

The Management – Hello My Baby

The Killers – When You Were Young

Wavves – Linus Spacehead

Foster The People – Life on the Nickel

Kasabian – U Boat

Late of the Pier – The Bears Are Coming

The Drums – If He Likes It Let Him Do It

Klaxons – Future Memories

The Flaming Lips – Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell

The Horrors – Death at the Chapel

Albert Hammond, Jr. – G Up

Empire Of The Sun – Walking On A Dream

Kav – Shake It Like You Hate It - Jesse Rogg Golden Touch Remix

Devendra Banhart – Santa Maria da Feira

MGMT – Time To Pretend

Helmut Lachenmann – Kontrakadenz

Luc Ferrari – Visage V

Iannis Xenakis – Diamorphoses

Edgard Varèse – Poème Électronique

Karlheinz Stockhausen – Kontakte, Struktur I

Giacinto Scelsi – Elohim

Morton Feldman – Why Patterns?

Olivier Messiaen – Abime des oiseaux

Iannis Xenakis – Hibiki-Hana-Ma

Arnold Schönberg – Waldemar “So tanzen die Engel vor Gottes Thron nicht”

Denis Rollet – Stanbulatatrukultiserevelde - Pièce radiophonique pour “Radio Lilidod”/Turquie 1999

Karlheinz Stockhausen – 60’-15’

Song Log - November 18, 2011

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 00:01:05 -0500

Day 96 - 5 more days!

Gareth Emery – More Than Everything

Chris Lake – If you Knew (Feed Me Remix)

Nadia Ali, Starkillers & Alex Kenji – Pressure (Alesso Remix)

Colette – Think You Want It

Nadia Ali – Rapture (Avicii New Generation Extended Mix)

Dada Life – The Perfect Itch

Porter Robinson – Say My Name

Kings Of Tomorrow – Make Believe

Morgan Page – Strange Condition

Cabin Crew – Star To Fall (Uniting Nations Remix)

Chris Lake – Changes (Dirty South Remix)

Colette – Like The Sun

Morgan Page – Back to Life

Late Night Alumni – I Knew You When (Kaskade Mix)

Keyrah Kaskade – Back On You

Arctic Monkeys – You Probably Couldn’t See for the Lights but You Were Looking Straight at Me

Arctic Monkeys – Dancing Shoes

Arctic Monkeys – I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor

Arctic Monkeys – The View From the Afternoon

Vaughn Monroe – Ballerina

Francis Craig – Near You

Tex Williams – Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)

Perry Como – Chi-Baba, Chi-Baba (My Bambino Go To Sleep)

Harmonicats – Peg O’ My Heart

Art Lund – Mam’selle

Ted Weems & his Orchestra – Heartaches

Freddy Martin – Managua, Nicaragua

Count Basie – Open The Door Richard

Nat King Cole Trio – I Love You For Sentimental Reasons

Joy Division – Interzone

Arctic Monkeys – From the Ritz to the Rubble

Miles Kane – Come Closer

Peter Bjorn and John – Breaker Breaker

Interpol – The Lighthouse

Phoenix – Girlfriend

The Drums – Let’s Go Surfing

What Glorious Things – Fail-safe Solution (DJ ShreddA Remix)

Tame Impala – Desire Be Desire Go

MGMT – Siberian Breaks

Song Log - November 17, 2011

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:01:00 -0500

Day 95

Ended on a slightly odd note

Zero 7 – Passing By

Zero 7 – Over Our Heads

Zero 7 – Somersault

Zero 7 – Home

Zero 7 – Warm Sound

The Decemberists – Cuyahoga (REM Cover)

R.E.M. – Crazy

R.E.M. – Untitled

R.E.M. – I Remember California

R.E.M. – Hairshirt

R.E.M. – Turn You Inside Out

R.E.M. – Orange Crush

R.E.M. – The Wrong Child

R.E.M. – World Leader Pretend

R.E.M. – Stand

R.E.M. – You Are The Everything

R.E.M. – Get Up

R.E.M. – Pop Song 89

The Decemberists – Dear Avery

The Decemberists – June Hymn

The Decemberists – All Arise!

The Decemberists – January Hymn

The Decemberists – Rise To Me

The Decemberists – Calamity Song

The Decemberists – Don’t Carry It All

The Kooks – Shine On

The Last Shadow Puppets – In My Room

The Horrors – Gil Sleeping

Two Door Cinema Club – This Is The Life

Foster The People – Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)

Foals – Like Swimming

Crystal Castles – Not In Love

Julian Casablancas – Glass

Arctic Monkeys – Teddy Picker

Nas – N.Y. State of Mind

Bizarre – Life Styles (skit)

Ludacris – Rollout (My Business)

Yelawolf – Trunk Muzik

Chamillionaire – On Yo Azz

Ca$his – Pistol Poppin’

2Pac – Dear Mama

G-Unit – Beg For Mercy

Benzino – Got No Weed

Xzibit – Release Date

Proof – Trapped (Album Version (Explicit))

DMX – Who We Be

Royce da 5’9” – Boom

Obie Trice – Bad Bitch

Damien Rice – Delicate

Yann Tiersen – Dishes

Interference – Nowhere

Joshua Radin – Nowhere to Go

Jeff Buckley – So Real

Joe Purdy – I Love the Rain the Most

Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová – When Your Mind’s Made Up

Snow Patrol – Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking

James Blunt – Cry

Angus & Julia Stone – And the Boys

Sigur Rós – Avalon

Bon Iver – The Wolves (Act I and II)

William Fitzsimmons – Funeral Dress

Lisa Hannigan – Keep It all

Big K.R.I.T. – Just Touched Down

Lupe Fiasco – The Cool

Eric Clapton – Running On Faith

Nazareth – Woke Up This Morning

Slash’s Snakepit – Neither Can I

Mr. Big – To Be With You

Guns N’ Roses – So Fine

Van Halen – Humans Being

Rainbow – Eyes Of The World

Def Leppard – Excitable

Kiss – Detroit Rock City

Jon Bon Jovi – Ugly

Aerosmith – Janie’s Got A Gun

Sharon Van Etten – Holding Out

Sharon Van Etten – It’s Not Like

Sharon Van Etten – Keep

Sharon Van Etten – Same Dream

Sharon Van Etten – Much More Than That

Sharon Van Etten – Tornado

Sharon Van Etten – Have You Seen

Sharon Van Etten – I Fold

Sharon Van Etten – For You

Sharon Van Etten – Consolation Prize

Sharon Van Etten – I Wish I Knew

Chelsea Crowell – Memories of You

Murray Perahia – Concerto No. 1 in F Major for Piano and Orchestra, K. 37: III. Allegro

Murray Perahia – Concerto No. 1 in F Major for Piano and Orchestra, K. 37: II. Andante

Murray Perahia – Concerto No. 1 in F Major for Piano and Orchestra, K. 37: I. Allegro

Song Log - November 16, 2011

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 12:48:00 -0500

Day 94

I knew I was missing a genre.

Teoman – Bugün

Udo Lindenberg – Was hat die Zeit mit uns gemacht

Ночные Снайперы – Your desire

Operation Ivy – Jaded

Ramones – Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World

My Chemical Romance – The Sharpest Lives

blink-182 – Feeling This

AFI – Beautiful Thieves

zebrahead – Falling Apart

NOFX – Stickin In My Eye

Pinhead Gunpowder – Cabot Gal (Album Version)

Weezer – I Don’t Want To Let You Go

Fall Out Boy – Disloyal Order Of Water Buffaloes

Green Day – Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

Ramones – Commando

Pinhead Gunpowder – My Boot In Your Face Is What Keeps Me Alive (Album Version)

(-1; yes. I wasn’t paying attention at all)

Sugarcult – Los Angeles

Panic! At The Disco – Nine In The Afternoon

Pinhead Gunpowder – My Boot In Your Face Is What Keeps Me Alive (Album Version)

3 Doors Down – Smack

Sum 41 – Fat Lip

Rise Against – Behind Closed Doors

Foo Fighters – Doll

beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109: Tema: Molto cantabile ed espressivo; Variazioni I-VI

beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109: Prestissimo

beethoven – Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109: Vivace ma non troppo; Adagio espressivo

Stephen Kovacevich – Beethoven: Sonata No. 32 op. 111

Billy Talent – Pins and Needles

New Found Glory – Boy Crazy

Alkaline Trio – Time To Waste

+44 – When Your Heart Stops Beating

Nickelback – Far Away

Green Day – Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)

My Chemical Romance – I’m Not Okay (I Promise)

Foxboro Hot Tubs – Dark Side of Night

Fall Out Boy – West Coast Smoker

Pencey Prep – 10 Rings

The Living End – Riot on Broadway

Good Charlotte – The Chronicles of Life and Death

Ramones – Sheena Is a Punk Rocker

Anti-Flag – Stars And Stripes

Anti-Flag – The Press Corpse

Sum 41 – With Me

The Living End – I Want a Day

The Network – Right Hand-a-rama

(?) Cinderella – Hot And Bothered

The Offspring – She’s Got Issues

Red Hot Chili Peppers – My Friends

Bryan Adams – Summer Of ‘69

Black Sabbath – Cornucopia

Izzy Stradlin – Underground

Accept – Shake Your Heads

Big Sean – High

Kid Cudi – We Aite (Wake Your Mind Up)

Chiddy Bang – Opposite of Adults

The Roots – Pass The Popcorn

Wale – Roof (DJ Ayres Remix)

Frank Ocean – Swim Good

Drake – Successful

B.o.B – I’ll Be In The Sky

The Game – Intro

Kanye West – Love Lockdown

Kendrick Lamar – Hol’ Up

Jon Bon Jovi – Billy Get Your Guns

Mötley Crüe – God Bless The Children of the Beast

Alice Cooper – Poison

Warrant – I Saw Red

Steven Tyler – (It) Feels So Good

Winger – Seventeen

Black Label Society – Suffering Overdue

Quiet Riot – Metal Health (Bang Your Head)

Cinderella – Through The Rain

Deep Purple – Bloodsucker

L.A. Guns – Rip And Tear

William Shatner – Bohemian Rhapsody

Aerosmith – Walk This Way

Van Halen – Runnin’ With the Devil

Deep Purple – Maybe I’m A Leo

Alice Cooper – Lost In America

ZZ Top – La Grange

Poison – Every Rose Has Its Thorn

Whitesnake – Is This Love

Alice Cooper – Trash

Skid Row – Youth Gone Wild

Jon Bon Jovi – Staring At Your Window With A Suitcase In My Hand

James Morrison – Undiscovered

Lady Gaga – Alejandro

Sara Bareilles – Uncharted

Adele – Rolling In The Deep

Song Log - November 15, 2011

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 00:06:06 -0500

Day 93

Akron/Family – Part of Corey

Dosh – If You Want To, You Have To

Bon Iver – Re: Stacks

The Tallest Man on Earth – This Wind

The Antlers – The Universe Is Going To Catch You

Horse Feathers – Hardwood Pews

Great Lake Swimmers – New Light

Grizzly Bear – Owner of a Lonely Heart

TV on the Radio – Caffeinated Consciousness

Beirut – In the Mausoleum

My Morning Jacket – Lay Low

Wilco – I’m a Wheel

Massive Attack – Angel

Thirteen Senses – Into The Fire

Arctic Monkeys – No Buses

The Script – Nothing

Keane – Sunshine

Damien Rice – 9 Crimes (Demo)

The Killers – Everything Will Be Alright

Ras Kass – Caution

Nas – One Love

Capone-N-Noreaga – Talk To Me Big Time

Big Punisher – You Ain’t A Killer

The Bens – Bruised

Harvey Danger – Flagpole Sitta

The Presidents Of The United States Of America – Peaches

Guster – All the Way Up to Heaven

The Bens – Stop!

Sondre Lerche – Mr. Bassman

Better Than Ezra – Beautiful Mistake

Moxy Früvous – Laika

The Decemberists – Prelude

William Shatner – Ideal Woman

The Decemberists – Down By The Water

Ben Lee – Catch My Disease

Ben Folds – Fired

Department of Eagles – Noam Chomsky Spring Break 2002

The New Pornographers – Sing Me Spanish Techno

The Antlers – I Don’t Want Love

Delta Spirit – Salt in the Wound

Blind Pilot – I Buried A Bone

Menomena – TAOS

Islands – Volcanoes

Sufjan Stevens – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Sweetbread Jim’s – Nobody’s Son

Wilco – Less Than You Think

Andrew Bird – Action/Adventure

Song Log - November 14, 2011

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:23:00 -0500

Day 92

Mos Def – Twilite Speedball

Eric B. & Rakim – As The Rhyme Goes On

Q-Tip – You

Gang Starr – Step In The Arena

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)

Nas – Made You Look

Mobb Deep – More Trife Life

A Tribe Called Quest – Luck of Lucien

Black Star – Brown Skin Lady

Wu-Tang Clan – Can It Be All So Simple/Intermission

Ghostface Killah – Wildflower

KRS-One – I Can’t Wake Up

The Foreign Exchange – Nic’s Groove

Dilated Peoples – You Can’t Hide, You Can’t Run

Little Brother – The Way You Do It

Erykah Badu – Rimshot (Outro)

The Roots – Guns Are Drawn

Jay-Z – Friend Or Foe

J Dilla – Time: The Donut of the Heart

EPMD – Rampage

Slum Village – Fantastic 2

Gang Starr – Just To Get A Rep

Talib Kweli – Work It Out

Black Star – K.O.S. (Determination)

John Legend & The Roots – Humanity (Love the Way It Should Be)

A Tribe Called Quest – Hot Sex

DeVotchka – New World

M. Ward – For Beginners

The Shins – So Says I

Sufjan Stevens – The Dress Looks Nice on You

The Decemberists – The Infanta

St. Vincent – Heathens

Great Lake Swimmers – Palmistry

Wilco – Kamera

The Tallest Man on Earth – I Won’t Be Found

Dead Prez – Police State

Masta Ace – Fats Belvedere

Guru – The Jazz Style (feat. Omar)

Clipse – Zen

The Pharcyde – Drop

Method Man – What The Blood Clot

Black Milk – Insane

D’Angelo – Greatdayndamornin’/Booty

A Tribe Called Quest – 8 Million Stories

Nas – Watch Dem Niggas

Jurassic 5 – How We Get Along

Blu – Peace

Talib Kweli – Gutter Rainbows

Q-Tip – Move

Elzhi – Checkmate (Prod. J Dilla)

The Roots – What They Do

Ghostface Killah – 260

Masta Ace – Style Wars

Raekwon – Fat Lady Sings

Pete Rock – Collector’s Item (Instrumental)

Erykah Badu – Certainly

Madlib – The String (Heavy Jones)

A Tribe Called Quest – Excursions

Slum Village – I Don’t Know

De La Soul – Me Myself and I

Mos Def – Life In Marvelous Times

Hi-Tek – Tek (intro)

Jurassic 5 – Break

Little Brother – Whatever You Say

CunninLynguists – Never Come Down (the Brownie Song)

Nas – Got Ur Self A…

J Dilla – The New

Beirut – Rhineland (Heartland)

St. Vincent – U Call This Love

Fleet Foxes – Bedouin Dress

Iron & Wine – Flightless Bird, American Mouth

Sufjan Stevens – We Won’t Need Legs to Stand

The Dodos – Joe’s Waltz

Suzanne Vega – It Makes Me Wonder

Nobuo Uematsu – Eternal Wind -.333 mix-

Nobuo Uematsu – Ending Theme -3-

Nobuo Uematsu – Ending Theme -2-

Nobuo Uematsu – Ending Theme -1-

Nobuo Uematsu – Last Battle -3-

Nobuo Uematsu – Last Battle -1-

Nobuo Uematsu – Dark Crystal

Nobuo Uematsu – Crystal Tower

Nobuo Uematsu – Forbidden Land Eureka

Nobuo Uematsu – Huge Battleship Invincible

Nobuo Uematsu – Noah’s Lute

Nobuo Uematsu – Pavilion of Dorga and Une

Nobuo Uematsu – Underwater Temple

Nobuo Uematsu – Submarine Nautilus

Nobuo Uematsu – Megalopolis Salonia

Nobuo Uematsu – Covert Village Falgabard

Nobuo Uematsu – Four Old Men’s Theme

Nobuo Uematsu – Swift Twist

Nobuo Uematsu – Town of Alm

Nobuo Uematsu – Elia, the Maiden of Water

Nobuo Uematsu – The Boundless Ocean

Nobuo Uematsu – The Enterprise Soars in the Sky

Nobuo Uematsu – Requiem

Nobuo Uematsu – Battle 2

Nobuo Uematsu – Hazardous Short Music 2

Nobuo Uematsu – Hazardous Short Music 1

Nobuo Uematsu – Castle Of Hain

Nobuo Uematsu – Gysahl Greens

Nobuo Uematsu – Tower Of Owen

Nobuo Uematsu – Fat Chocobo Discovered

Nobuo Uematsu – Chocobo Theme

Nobuo Uematsu – Ancient’s Village

Nobuo Uematsu – Living Forest

Nobuo Uematsu – The Enterprise Goes into the Sea

Nobuo Uematsu – Nept Temple

Nobuo Uematsu – Tozas

Nobuo Uematsu – The Road to the Mountain Top

Nobuo Uematsu – Return of the Warrior

Nobuo Uematsu – Dungeon

Nobuo Uematsu – Jinn’s Curse

Nobuo Uematsu – Eternal Wind

Nobuo Uematsu – Hometown of Ur

Nobuo Uematsu – Opening Theme

Nobuo Uematsu – Crystal Room

Nobuo Uematsu – Victory Fanfare

Nobuo Uematsu – battle 1

Nobuo Uematsu – Into the Crystal Cave

Nobuo Uematsu – Prelude

Nobuo Uematsu – Memory of the Wind ~Legend of the Eternal Wind~

Don't have time to read album reviews? Review entire genres!

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 12:10:05 -0500

Rap:

Rap is pretty new. If rapping as a musical style was a person, it might still be alive today. While it’s grown pretty quickly, new rap would be somewhat recognizable to people who grew up in the old school - pretty much all the rap I hear still rhymes, so it’s not like anyone’s gone Schoenberg on us.

Rap in 1979

The sound:

Rap has as much to do with its beats as its lyrics. The fact that rap is “spoken” makes people focus more on the lyrics, and if you listen to a lot of rap you’ll notice some rappers are lyric snobs, but to properly enjoy rap, you really have to enjoy the sound of the words as much as what they say. Or to put it another way, if Jimi Hendrix writes some meaningless lyrics, but it sounds good, it’s not the end of the world.*

*This does not apply to all rappers. If Bob Dylan writes some cliche lyrics, for example, we’re all going to be very disappointed.

What’s to like:

Rap’s always been good at making people dance, move, or at least nod their heads. The rhythm goes down into some part at the core of your brain and embeds itself there.

If I were giving a motivational speech and had to do it in a musical genre, it probably wouldn’t be trance.

Lose Yourself by Eminem on Grooveshark

(The obvious example)

If you’re looking for your music to be socially conscious, rap’s a good ticket. There are few genres of music that expose injustice in everyday life as vividly as some rap does. Heck, few that even mention it.

Mathematics by Mos Def on Grooveshark

What’s not so great:

Most rap is pretty unconscious. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but when the unconsciousness is accompanied by assumptions like “drug dealing is something to be proud of” and “women are property,” it’s probably not a good sign. This has gotten plenty of attention in the media, and there are plenty of rappers who are aware of it, so not a new subject, but one you might want to know if you’re from 1000 years in the future.

Rap often devolves into mindless rhythmic party music. This is fine, to the extent that sometimes we need to party, but musically, it can get incredibly boring to hear the umpteenth person rap in a way that’s indistinguishable from everyone else. (It’s especially sad when they try and pass their drug dealing/trying to get signed off like it’s not cliche.)

Other thoughts:

Rap is a spoken word art, and so it demands our attention. It’s hard to have a conversation or do written work if there’s rap in the background.

If you don’t like hip hop or rap, given the breadth of artistry out there, you may have just gotten a bad batch. The built-in “this music is not for your mother” edge gives the genre some energy, but not every artist takes advantage of that, and there is some very stale rap out there, to go with the very fresh.

Arbitrary rating of nothing in particular: 8/10

Stan by Eminem on Grooveshark

Song Log: November 12, 2011

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 23:59:05 -0500

Day 90

Coming soon: I review the entire genre of rap

Franz Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1

Franz Liszt – Spanish Rhapsody

Franz Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsody, No. 13 (Abridged)

Franz Liszt – The Transcendental Etudes, S. 139: No. 5 in B-Flat Major - “Feux Follets”

Franz Liszt – Hungarian Rhapsody, No. 12

Franz Liszt – Les Preludes

(same track as the other one? -1)

Franz Liszt – concerto

Franz Liszt – Consolations, S. 172, No. 3

Franz Liszt – Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major: I. Allegro maestoso

Franz Liszt – The Six Grand Etudes After Paganini: No. 3, La Campanella

Franz Liszt – Liebestraum no. 3 in A-flat major

Eminem – Stan (feat. Dido)

Mos Def – Mathematics

Lil Wayne – John

Rakim – When I B On Tha Mic

The Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight (Short Version)

The World’s Ugliest Music I can’t help but feel that...

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:32:00 -0500

The World’s Ugliest Music

I can’t help but feel that a performer who knows a lot about music would unintentionally make this sound better. (I kind of liked it.)

Song Log: November 11, 2011

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:01:00 -0500

Day 89

Heather Nova – Ride

Joni Mitchell – All I Want

10,000 Maniacs – Planned Obsolescence

Annie Lennox – Money Can’t Buy It

Tori Amos – Winter

Beth Orton – Conceived

Aimee Mann – Freeway

Sarah McLachlan – Stupid

Suzanne Vega – Songs In Red and Gray

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – The Birds Suite (Prelude)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – The Birds Suite (L’Usignuolo)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – The Birds Suite (La Columba)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – The Birds Suite (Il Cuccu)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – The Birds Suite (La Gallina)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Siciliana (From Ancient Airs and Dances Suite 3)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Pines at the Villa Borghese

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Pines Near a Catacomb

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Pines of the Appian Way

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Passacaglia (From Ancient Airs and Dances Suite 3)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Italiana (From Ancient Airs and Dances Suite 3)

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Villa Medici Fountain

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Triton Fountain

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Trevi Fountain

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Epiphany Festival

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Circenses Festival

Apollo Symphony Orchestra – Arie Di Corte (From Ancient Airs and Dances Suite 3)

Marvin Gaye – Ain’t That Peculiar

Calmsound – Rain - Just Natural, Relaxing Rain Sounds

Calmsound – Country Garden - Beautiful Birdsong, Nature, and Wildlife Sounds

Jim Fassett – Symphony of the Birds

Never the Same Song Twice, For 100 Days

Follow my new tumblr!

Wagner's Ring Cycle

It has taken half my life – 15 years – to build this collection but I decided to listen to them all in one go.

Using music to affect your brain for fun and profit [Lifehacker]

Pitchfork Gives Music 6.8

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More questions

Questions

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Song Log: November 11, 2011