Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Though I do love the holidays and everything that comes along with them, there is one thing that really gets on my nerve. Christmas music. It can be so cheesy and groany and it really gets annoying. They are all about the same thing... Gathering under the mistletoe, seeing family, opening presents, gathering around the fire... By the 900th song, I think I get the point that the holidays are all about celebrating. I don't need to hear it 'round the clock until my ears bleed. But there is one band/orchestra that will make me drool. The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is one of the best creations/musical groups/orchestras ever created. They are the one Christmas group that I will blast when they come on the radio. The idea is so creative and original. It brings life to old Christmas tunes that have become boring and drab. I don't care if you are Jewish or Hindu or Islamic or aethist or whatever religion you follow. This band is super talented and you have to listen to a least one of their songs. And maybe it won't be as meaningful to you as it is to someone who would recognize the tunes, you can still appreciate the amount of talent that goes into making these master pieces of art.

My favorite song they play is definently Christmas Canon. I know I was saying how I like how this orchestra brings a newer look on songs and they do on most of the other ones, but this one just is truly a classic. It is so elegant and and the simplicity of it makes it incredible.

No doubt it is an incredible song. The vocal ability of these children is just mind-blowing and they perform the song very well.

Here is Wizards in Winter: This is my FAVORITE of their upbeat songs.



Here is the song again, just with a really neat twist

Here are some other great hits:

Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24

A Mad Russian's Christmas

This band is a great addition to music, even if they are religion specific. I really recommend that you check out all of their songs.

Led Zeppelin

I will admit, I was pleasantly suprised when I listened to Led Zeppelin. I thought they were a cliche screaming band that is talentless and obnoxious. To my suprise, they were actually decent. I think they are still are a bit too over-the-top for me at times - I am still adjusting to the new era of rock 'n' roll, where people do a lot more screaming. As Mr. A said, they are absolutely TALENTLESS when it comes to writing lyrics. It's funny if you think about it. They are really talented musically, especially when it comes to playing instruments. But then they just SUCK at songwriting. It makes me wonder if they are the kind of people who use the right side of their brain more, making them very creative. And then it seems as if they have no ability what-so-ever to activate their left side of their brain to think logically.

Squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg.
Squeeze it so hard I fall right outta bed.
You gotta...Squeeeeze my lemon...till the juice runs down my leg
(I-wonder-if-you-know-what-I'm-talkin-about)
Oh the way you squeeze it gal - I know I'll all right outta bed

I mean seriously? Is it really that hard? Even The Band, who had an obsurd way of coming up with lyrics wrote songs that were ten times better than this.

One thing that is a negative is all of their songs blur together in my mind. I remember hearing parts of songs that I really liked and I would have liked to link them down below, but I honestly have no clue as to which songs they were. Plus the fact that the songs are so long. Even if I try and listen to them, I just end up tuning out by the 4th minute.

Overall, I think they are a band I will keep an eye out for as we continue to move on into the 70's. They have good songs and have some killer instrumentalists. They aren't a bad that I think I will ever love, but I can see some potential and hopefully they will continue to improve their lyrics.

Florence + the Machine

I am in love with this women. Her vocals are so good she makes me want to cry. Her voice is so motivating and powerful, it makes me want to get up and run a marathon. Before I say anymore, I really want you to listen to this song:

If you haven't fallen in love with that voice, I am sorry that you are missing out on a such an incredible talent. The way she starts with that powerful intro really sets a great mood for the song. I love it when artists make statements like that. From the very beginning, they give it all they have rather than just slowly climbing to their climax.

Florence + The Machine are a British indie, rock band that consists of Florence Welch and Isabella Summers and a variety of artists are used as their back up music. Her recent album, Ceremonials, is a really emotional and empowering album with tribals sounds and a variety of music influences. In some songs, I see influences from maybe African tribes and in others, I see influences from Egypt and the Middle East. Florence Welch has the same classy sound as Kate Nash, but Nash's sound is much softer, while Welch's is full of energy and anger, which really brings life into her music.

This song is a very good example of how she incorperates different sounds into her songs. What I love about her songs is when the song begins, I feel like it has a set path. Rather than bouncing everywhere and being jumbled, it is very organized and together, building at the right times and softening at others.

Here are some other songs of Florence that I love:

No Light, No Light

Bedroom Hymns

Heartlines

Strangeness and Charm

If you have time, I really urge you to listen to as many of her songs as possible. She is a really talented and inspiring artist and I feel like she has a lot to offer in the world of music!



Woodstock Festival

It is quite a shame, but before this class, I never knew what Woodstock was. It was mentioned from time to time, but I had no clue what it was. Little did I know it was one of the most important musical events in history. It is estimated that 500,000 people (or some call them hippies) showed up for the festival. They only prepared for 50,000, a mere 450,000 less.

As we were watching the documentary on Woodstock, the thing that effected me the most wasn't the acts that were playing; it was the scenery and culture of everyone and everything. I have never seen a documentary that shows the culture during this time period and I thought this movie was really eye-opening. For instance, you can't even compare the way they dress to our fashions today. The way Janice Joplin dressed is just something you don't see everyday.

Plus everyone has this really chill look about them. I realize they were probably all super high and in completely different worlds, but it is good to be shown and exposed to how some people really did live. I am also aware of the fact that these 500,000 people represent a small population of the millions of Americans during this time period. Meaning that just because they dressed this way doesn't mean others did. I just think it looks like a really happy time. It is as if everyone left their cares and worries outside of the fences of Woodstock. Thats not saying I would want to be there. It seemed like a drug crazy, no limits, sex everyday kinda festival. But I do think it shaped our music today. I think it brought new ideas to the world, like the idea of having a multi-day music festival with a large lineup, so that your audience had a variety of artists to hear. It would draw in more crowds, creating large amounts of revenue and it would be advertisment for your city. It is also more appealing for the audience and spectators because instead of paying $50 (more or less) per concert, they could pay $300 (again more or less) to listen to 30+ artists. It was a brilliant idea. Also labor costs would somewhat decrease (maybe) because instead of unsetting and setting the stages everytime a band would perform maybe every other week or something, you could just leave the stage up all the time because there would always be someone playing. Sure you would have to pay for managers and sound people and many more, but I think the revenue brought in would cover that.

Woodstock was a reveloutionary event, that I think has influenced music in a very postive way and it gave a new light to rising and hopeful artists, as well as the experienced well-known ones.

The Band

So funny story. We were listening to "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down" on youtube and I read the title of the music video and it read The Last Waltz - The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. So I thought that there was a band called The Last Waltz and that they had covered The Band's song. I really enjoyed this so-called "cover" and I thought it was even better then the original... But when I typed it into iTunes and allmusic.com, all that came up was an album made by The Band. I was super confused, until I then realized the "cover" we watched was actually The Band singing THEIR song. I was kind of disappointed because I really liked the sound of this so-called "band," The Last Waltz. But it just means like The Bands sound.

One thing I really enjoy about The Band is I feel like their music isn't as harsh sounding as some rock artists during this time. I am a fan of rock, but when it gets too hard, it begins to sound like a jumble of loud music and I don't like it. My favorite song, by far is "The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down."

This is such a stellar performance made by The Band. It is very well rehearsed and everyone compliments each others sounds, creating great harmonies. That is one area I feel that The Band is really strong in. Their harmonies are on par with The Beatles' harmonies. It is as if these guys were made to sing together.

My one complaint is sometimes the lead vocalist sounds like he is straining to get that note out. Almost as if he is groaning, which isn't the most pleasant to listen to. But in some songs, where the notes don't go as high, it works out fine. The song I really noticed it in was "Jemima Surrender." He really has to push to get those words out.

On a good note, The Band has a nice little piece of country twang in it. I usually don't like country music, and I know Mr. A will hate that I don't like that genre because all music is related, but it just doesn't float my boat. Maybe it is because the only country I have heard is the new stuff that is all about love, getting drunk and trucks. They have really put a heavy accent on every single word and it is so annoying. But I do like the little hint that The Band puts into their songs. It adds a nice touch. Overall I do like The Band, and I think their songs are really well put together. AND I LOVE THEIR METHOD OF GETTING LYRICS! I think there should be a challenge among celebrity bands (or any band) to try producing lyrics this way. I think it would be really neat to see how they compare!

Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey is your typical American beauty queen - She has thick red hair, a good body, has American pride, she is gorgeous... The only difference is she can actually sing. Lana Del Rey's music has an alternative/pop sound with aspects that were seen in music around the 50's and 60's. She is like many other artists in the sense that she basically sings about whatever she wants, regardless if it is offensive, innapropriate, or down right disgusting. But she gets away with it and she does it well. Her voice is very smokey, though it isn't as harsh sounding as Adele's. She has a very vintage sound, different from most of the artists today. With every song, there is a different motive or idea - She never keeps things the same, which is part of the reason she keeps people's attention. One song might be about heartbreak and the next is about doing "things." As for her image, she comes off as a very strong and independent women, and unlike Janice Joplin, she doesn't need to scream all of her songs to prove it.

Her first major single was "Video Games," which was released in 2011.

My favorite song off her album Born to Die would probably be the song Born to Die. It has a great theme and the sound is irresistible. 

I also am in love with "Radio" off of this album.

Just earlier this November, Lana Del Rey released her new album called Paradise.

Ride is a great track off of her album.

American is also one of my favorites.

In one of her new songs off of Paradise, the song Body Electric had some really creative lyrics that I really enjoyed.



Elvis is my daddy,

Marilyn’s my mother,

Jesus is my bestest friend.

               ...

Whitman is my daddy,

Monaco’s my mother,

Diamonds are my bestest friend.

Heaven is my baby, suicide’s her father,

Opulence is the end.

I honestlly would recommend listening to all of her songs. She was the first artist who actually got my attention and kept it throughout the whole album. She is really talented and I can't wait to see what she does next.

Read more: LANA DEL REY - BODY ELECTRIC LYRICS

The White Album

I am really mad that the one day I was gone, we listened to The White Album by The Beatles. We had been listening to Cream and Jimi Hendrix and I thought we were going to continue listening to them, so I wasn't too mad that I had missed class. But when I found out I missed The White Album, I was really mad. I have waited for this album for so long. So many songs on it are so memorable and inspiring and I couldn't believe that I had missed it. I think this is the first album where they are actually somewhat normal again, at least John is. He really was the only one who was weird ever, but anyways. I feel like there is a lot of variety in the album, so it keeps you drawn in the whole time. I also love how long the album is. You can NEVER have to much of The Beatles.

They added more of George Harrison's songs onto this album than any other so far, which is good. At first, I didn't think I liked him, but I had never really heard him sing before. He was a killer guarist, but this was the first album that I really heard him sing and I really love him! My favorite of him is the song is "While my Guitar Gently Weeps." I think the song really captures his personality and talent really well.

Now that I think about it, the content of their songs have really changed. I know Mr. A has said this before, that once they met Bob Dylan, they really varied what their songs were about. They went from lover-boys to talking about things that affected the world, like the controversies between the whites and the negroes.

I don't know if John got off of drugs for this album or what, but he seems much more mature and adultish. He has slower songs, rather than the upbeat, cheery songs he usually has, but I feel like these sad, slower songs are much more meaningful. Like the one to his mother, "Julia." It is such a touching song and I really admire him for dedicating it to her.

The songs of this album relate to controversial issues all around the world. They are indirectly sending messages to the listeners and giving them views on the issues. If someone can write a song about a blackbird, but the actual meaning of the song be about the tensions arising between whites and negroes, they truly are talented.

The final song of the album, "Good Night," is a really touching song to me, even though it is very simple. Originally written as a lullaby for John's son Julian, it is the perfect closing for this album. It is very angelic-like with the various orchestrial instruments. The violin really adds to the songs dreaminess. I had no clue Ringo sang it, although I should have known. It is really great that they incorporated the whole band onto the album. It always feels a little empty whenever they don't have George or Ringo sing, even if they aren't as talented as John and Paul. They still put a lot into the band's success and I am glad to see that they got their own spotlight.

Overall this album was really a success. They incorperated a variety of things into their album, making it musically and culturally diverse. It isn't as wild as some of their other albums, but it accomplishes so much more by bringing important matters to the table.

Cream: There is not much I have to say

There is not much I want to say about Cream.

I don't like them as a band.

Why? Because the give off a feeling of deadness, like nobody in the band is alive. I swear I could go to sleep listening to their songs.The songs are boring, and lack originality. Most of their lyrics are pointless and don't make sense. In half the songs, the lead singer sounds like he is crying. And the guitar is always the same-- at least to me. And no one in the band particularly stands out as really talented or out of the box. They just seem generic.

Just like in their song "Blue Condition":

...No Variation

They just don't cut it for me. Sorry if you are a cream fan. I will give it to them that they improved from their first album to their second album.

Oh and one more thing. The song "Mother's Lament" is probably the best song on the album and that I have heard from Cream so far. I like it because it is different and it does make you perk up your ears, rather than drone the sound out.

Awolnation

        Awolnation is a band mostly known for their song, "Sail". It is an electronic-alternative song that incorperates synthetic instruments with natural and original instruments. Awolnation is an electronic-rock band consisting of five guys.
        When I first heard "Sail", I thought it was alright, definently catchy, but it wasn't my favorite. After a few more times, I fell in love with it. The intensity of the beginning really starts the song off on a good note. It keeps a heavy feeling throughout the whole song, but I don't think it is a bad thing. It is one of those
stress-reliever songs that you listen to driving home from a rough day at work. Or you could listen to it trying to get pumped up. I will tell you, I ride horses and for horse shows, we have to get up at four am and drive to the barn. This is the only song that really gets me awake and pumped for the show. For some reason, it is really motivating and it makes you (or just me) want to win and knock everyone out of my way.

       
        So back to my point, when I first heard it, I was so excited for their next album/single. But when it came, I was definently on the more disappointed side. The next song I heard from them was "Not Your Fault". The beginning is okay, not too impressive. But the chorus killed it for me. I really did not like it. It just sounded like they were half screaming/half talking with some autotune. I was so disappointed in it because "Sail" was so good. But after probably two months of hearing it, it started growing on me to a point where I actually don't mind it. There is one part I really love in this song. I think if they had revolved the song around the sound right at this moment it would be better.

This love found us
now I see it.
This love up down.
Please believe.

          So after hearing "Not Your Fault", I wasn't really into Awolnation anymore. Until I heard "Kill Your Heroes." When I first heard this song, I had no clue who it was. Then one day on iTunes, I was trying to find some new alternative songs I liked, and when I saw a song by Awolnation, I clicked on it. To my amazement, it was a song I had previously heard and really loved. The song has a really great flow and I love how they did the chorus. It was really suttle, the opposite of "Not Your Fault."

       
        So once again, Awolnation has my attention and I do look forward to some more of their songs. Whether they are good or bad, we will have to find out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/not_your_fault_lyrics_awolnation.html
All about Awolnation: http://www.musictory.com/music/Awolnation

"Your specimen has been processed."

Okay, I know I briefly talked about this in my previous "I am the Walrus" blog, but now that I rediscovered it, I can't stop listening to it. The song is "The Device has been Modified."

It is a really techno sounding song, which is something I really love. I have always loved songs that get you pumped up, but I feel like a lot of those songs these days contain dubstep, so it is nice that this one has no dubstep. It is super creepy, especially because it is a robot that says most of the lyrics. And I'm sure we have all had that idea or dream that one day robots/technology would take over the world--or maybe that is just me. Not to mention the lyrics are weird:

Please proceed into android hell.

What does that even mean? But that is what I like about the song. It is so different, and I had never heard a song that incorporates a robot type voice before this one.

This song reminds me of a cartoon character in a video game, running down a hallway, being chased by some technologic creature; if it can make it past a certain point, you win. If it is eaten by the robot, you die. It has that suspensful sound to it, the kind that could be played if you are trying to runaway/escape from something.

Overall, I think this song is definently worth getting checked out. Maybe it won't be your favorite. But I highly doubt you have ever heard anything like it before.

I am the Walrus

Wow. Honestly I don't even know how to respond to this song. Lets just say it is very unique. I think I like it, but I am not quite sure. I think John kind of sounds like a cartoon character. What comes to mind is the Teletubbies, but of course, he sounds NOTHING like them, but for some reason, when I first hear his voice, I immediately think teletubbies. Also, towards the end, when you hear all of those random sounds thrown together, it reminds me of technology. I guess because a lot of the sounds sound innovative and technilogical. Though I just restated myself, to give you a better sense, "I am the Walrus" sounds a lot like this song called "The Device has been Modified." I'm not exactly sure who sings it; it is either Portal or Victims of Science. Either way, in the beginning, when all the sounds are together, it sounds like the end of "I am the Walrus." Now that I listen to the song again, it reminds me how much I used to like it. Definently creepy, but worth listening to.

But back to "I am the Walrus." I like how in the song, it is always changing. They don't really follow one particular pattern. Though, they do have the chorus piece:

I am the eggman, they are the eggmen.
I am the walrus, goo goo g'joob.
Plus, that break type thing around two minutes is different and weird, but for some reason it works. Now that I mention the lyrics, I would just like to add how odd they are.

Yellow mother custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye.
Crabalocker fishwife, pornographic priestess,
Boy, you been a naughty girl you let your knickers down.
I mean really? What is that supposed to even mean? That said, it sounds awesome and it is neat that they incorperated "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" as well:

Mister city policeman sitting
Pretty little policemen in a row.
See how they fly like Lucy in the Sky, see how they run.

So I guess I do like the song. In a way, it is really addicting and once I start listening to it, I can't really stop. I like the length of the song. That is something I do like about moving into the late 60's - their songs are longer.

And the music video! By George, could it be any more random? They are in Hawaiian/royal type get up, there are people dressed as animals, there are people dressed in white that are connected to one another, John seems like he is on another planet, and over half the cast in the video is wearing swim caps. But as I said earlier it works. And it works really well. If there is one band that can pull this off and not be criticized, it is The Beatles.

One final note. On my last blog, I mentioned a group called The Eggmen that covered The Beatles songs. I finally understand their name. The eggmen is referenced in "I am the Walrus." Just thought I should tell you if you didn't catch on.

The Eggmen

The Eggmen are a Beatles tribute band. They are made up of 5 older men who formed in 1992. I think it is really neat that a band like this has been formed because it gives the younger generation an oppurtunity to still hear The Beatles songs in concert, even if they aren't as spectacular as The Beatles themselves. Now when you first hear them, they definently aren't as talented as The Beatles. Plus they are older, so their voices don't have as much ability as a younger person's would. But if you give them the benefit of the doubt, they do have some potential. Yes there are some notes that are off and could be perfected, but when they harmonize, they really shine. They do a very good job of balancing each other's voices. It is apparent that it is something they have practiced quite often because it is one of their better techniques. What I think is even cooler is the fact that they are a local band. I heard about them from a girl, who I was talking about The Beatles with and she said, "Oh, my sister loves The Beatles. She had the Eggmen play at her wedding." That was a couple weeks ago and I kept meaning to write a blog about them and I never got around to it. Anyways, as I said earlier, I think they do have potential as a group together. If they practice, practice, practice, I think they could really become something good. And I would definently consider checking them out. They are always performing around the city.

Here is A Hard Days Night:

Like I said, you can hear some rough spots, but it is overall a pretty good performance. I think this is one of their better covers.

Here is Twist and Shout. Overall a decent performance.

And finally here is Roll Over Beethoven:



Beatles: Old vs. New

        I know a lot of people like the newer songs made by The Beatles, but so far, I like the older ones. I do like some particular songs from their more recent albums, but I like the old albums more. Their old songs are good. Really good. But their new ones are much more meaningful and they have much more diversity. But saying this, these songs, the new good ones, are not as frequent as their old, okay ones. There is a whole album with a bunch of okay/good songs. Compared to three amazing songs out of 14 or so songs on their newer albums. If that makes sense. I know it sounds like a bunch of contradictive crap, but bear with me.
         I guess I like them more when they are younger and not as experienced because they were innocent. And it is not very often that rock bands are innocent. I get it. Their rebel personalities is what people love rock bands for. But I really admired them for being different and they still had the ability to sound good. They didn't have to be on drugs. Whenever I hear a song by John Lennon from their more recent albums, I just think he sounds like a kid singing to himself and making his voice sound funny. Which is sad, because I really admired him in some of his earlier songs with Paul McCartney. Now, I am not denying that drugs haven't made some of their songs even better. They have in a way. Their lyrics actually tell stories and talk about meaningful things.
        And maybe it is the girl inside of me that likes the sweet, cute-faced Paul McCartney more than the dirty, druggie that he is later in the 60's. Some of it is probably that because they do make some killer music on drugs, I just wish they could make music to the same degree of greatness while sober. Call me a freak. Or whatever. I know a lot of people would say that drugs are what make rock n roll. And maybe that is why I am not the biggest fan of it. I enjoy certain songs, but definently not all of them.

Here is what I love and miss. This was my first favorite Beatles song. I still am in love with it.




They look like really nice, well manecured boys who love their moms. Compared to this.




And I know I shouldn't just judge them on their looks; That I should judge them based on their sound. They do sound incredible. But today, images play a lot in things. You can say, 'Don't judge a book by its cover,' but people are going to judge THE DANG BOOK BY ITS COVER. And there is nothing you can do about it.

Misogyny in Art

What the heck is misogyny, you might ask. Misogyny is the hatred of women. How is the hatred of women related to art? Well the best example is The Rolling Stones. They are your average rock band. Terrible lyrics, okay voices, and somewhat decent music. My opinion of The Rolling Stones is in fact lower than that. I think they just suck all together. There is no talent in that bad. Most of their songs suck, except for one or two, when they got lucky. On top of their lack of talent, they decide to hate on women. This hatred of women wasn't a one time thing either. Misogyny is present in MANY of the band's songs. The best example of this is Brown Sugar. Now before I show you the lyrics, I would like to say how degrading this song is. To think that they would ever consider saying something misogynistic, let alone writing multiple songs on the topic is appalling. And the fact that they weren't given any grief for their poor judgement is sickening.

Ah brown sugar how come you taste so good
(a-ha) brown sugar, just like a young girl should

WHAT THE HECK? The song starts off with talking about how the slaves (who are women) are working on the ship that is headed to some cotton fields. The men on the ship rape the women ever night for pleasure, while these women suffer. WHY would you write a song on this topic? I guess I could understand if the point of the song was to educate people about this terrible issue, but the song wasn't written for that reason. It was written to show that men have the upper hand and they always will. Women are not animals (not that animals should be treated poorly either.) They should not be thrown around and played with like a toy. If I was around during this time, I would be infuriated with The Rolling Stones and I would petition the song.

Ah brown sugar how come you taste so good
(a-ha) brown sugar, just like a black girl should

Oh great. Not only are they being misogynistic now, they are discriminating towards black women. Even as I write this, the bravery of these men to do such a thing is so ghastly, I am speechless. What is worse is the record company still published it!

If "Brown Sugar" wasn't enough, try their song "Stupid Girl."

She's the worst thing in this world
Well, look at that stupid girl

Because this is what every girl wants to here? It literally is mind-blowing that these freaks would even do such a thing. They throw around these words like they are meaningless, when in reality, they could be enough to drive someone suicidal. The temptation to write The Rolling Stones a letter is so great. My rage to their selflessness and immaturity to about to make me scream.

Shut-up, shut-up, shut-up, shut-up, shut-up
Shut-up, shut-up, shut-up, shut-up, shut-up
Shut-up, shut-up, shut-up

Could these men be any more creative? They are the stupid ones for writing this song. They think they are these hot shots and great musician, when truly they are far from that. They are horrible human beings and yes I write this in the present tense because even though these songs were written in the late 1960's, they have had an everlasting, negative impression. I vow never to download or support The Rolling Stones.
        
"Oh, we have changed. We were young boys then."

Haha, good one. You don't change. If you had the nerve to say that then, I sure you have the nerve to say it now.


A Timeless Song

When we listened to Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles in class this past week, it was mesmorizing. The choice to use only strings was a great decesion. The song is so sad and depressing and I feel that the beat and rhythm really do it justice. I like how the sound changes from a minor tune to a major tune. Now I am no music person, so if I mis-used those words, I am terribly sorry. I think Paul McCartney was the perfect choice for the song because while the others (George and John) have great voices, Paul's is really sincere and innocent. I love how in the last few seconds, John sings different words in the background of Paul. I feel like the timing and the words they used really complement each other. Paul McCartney's voice kind of sounds desperate at times and it works. Especially talking about all the lonely people and how sad Eleanor's life is. He did a nice job balancing out the amount of force he needed with each word. The emphasis on these words made them really meaningful:

Ah, look at all the lonely people

Ah, look at all the lonely people

I love how the lyrics tell a story rather than just complaining about losing a girl or drug dealers in the case of "Doctor Robert." I am sure Eleanor Rigby was a hit when it came out, it is a hit now, and it will be a hit in the future. It appeals to all different kinds of people. It's sincerity makes it relatable. Plus the beat and sound of the song is so original, I could listen to it for days. It is a true masterpiece. One of the best songs I have ever heard.

Even when it is played on top of itself at different times, it is still incredible and it still sounds more organized than Captain Beefhearted or whatever his name is. He is a disgrace. But we have The Beatles to balance out his terrible-ness.

The Standards of Talent Have Fallen

        As we were watching Aretha Franklins cover of "Respect," I noticed the three background singers to her left. As I listened closer, I realized those three ladies had incredible voices. Then I thought, if they are so good, then why aren't they artists themselves? Why are they hiding in someone elses fame? And then it dawned on me. Back then, in the 1950's-1960's, only the really talented artists were recognized and received fame. Those artists had to be the best of the best. Even if you were really good, I am sure the chances of finding fame were very slim just because they only took the best.
        But if we compare that to the artists today, I am sure we can all say there are some singers that definently do NOT need to be famous. I can also say that some of the super famous artists still aren't amazing or jaw-dropping. Yes, they are better than the average person, but if we think about it, the standards for talent have really gone down. In these days, if you have an okay voice, but stunning looks, man, you will be the next Michael Jackson. People don't care if you have the best voice, as long as the artist is good looking and live a life that everyone wishes they could have, people will love them. And the reason I think people like these kinds of artists is because they have forgotten what true talent really is. I admit it, I was one of those people. I thought Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, your average pop idol, had really good voices and were talented. And that is true, they do have some talent to an extent. But when I heard The Beatles and The Beach Boys, they don't even compare. Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, The Who...the list goes on of incredible singers from the 1960's. And NONE of them can even be put into the same category as today's pop artists. The Beatles and The Beach Boys can harmonize like no other, but I can't list one band that can even remotely harmonize as well as they can.
        My only reasoning for this is that the standard of music has fallen as well. If you think about it, now we consider a computer making weird sounds music. There are bands like skrillex, which are basically just a bunch of computer-generated sounds blended together to create a good "beat." In some situations, a good "beat" is fun, but I don't know if I would really consider it true music.
        Even though the standards have fallen, it doesn't mean that there aren't any talented people out there. There are. We just need to find them and give them credit, rather than giving these phonies money they don't deserve.
         

Props to Otis Redding

When we were listening to Otis Redding, I couldn't help but think that this guy is amazing. His voice and his energy really make him a great artist. What really did it in for me was his cover of "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones. The whole song, he was singing his heart out, dancing and giving a great performance. He really gave the song some good press. I mean, it was good when The Rolling Stones did it, but I really think Otis Redding gave the better performance.

Otis Redding-Satisfaction

The Rolling Stones- Satisfaction



Otis Redding gives off a great, happy, care-free vibe, while I feel that The Rolling Stones are uptight, arrogant freaks that need to learn how to become a good band. Now that is just my opinion. I will give them props because it is one of their better songs, but Otis still out-performed them.

Here, he is covering "My Girl." His voice gives the song a really sincere tone and he really does a good job of portraying the emotions of the song. The scratchy-ness of his voice makes him seem like he is at least 50, when truly he is only 27.

I know I said this before, but what I think makes him such a great performer is the fact that he puts his all into his performances and it shows. The way he holds and varies the notes is really quite something.

It is a real shame that he died at such a young age because he was so talented. If he was that famous before he was even 30, then imagine how famous and how many more great songs he could have put out when he was older. When Otis Redding died, we lost a huge ifluencial music figure.

ACL

Even though I have lived in Austin, Texas my whole life, I have never once attended ACL. It is kind of embaressing that I have never been. There are many times I have wanted to go, I just haven't been, I guess "motivated" enough to find or buy tickets. People always tell me how amazing it is, but honestly I don't know what would be fun about being hot and sweaty, next to people smoking loads of marijuana, and being far away from performances. Even though I have these doubts/complaints, I still would love to at least experience it once. If I were to have gone this year, some artists I would really love to see are:

1. Florence + the Machine- I love her songs so much, but then someone told me she sucks live, so I don't know how I feel about here anymore.

2.AVICII- He has a really neat, upbeat sound and I love anything that can make me get up and dance.

3. Metric- I don't know many of their songs, but I love "Help I'm Alive." It has a great eerieness that is just... I don't even know.

4. Two Door Cinema Club- Great band, with a great sound. I would really love to see them live sometime. They have put out some great songs. i.e. "Something Good Can Work " and "What You Know" are awesome.

5. M83- I love a couple of their songs, but because they are so electronic-y sounding, I don't know how they would be live.

6. Tegan and Sara- They seem like a neat duo. I have heard one of their songs and I really enjoyed it.

7. Dev- I think she would put on a really great and wild concert; the kind that even if the music isn't that good, the concert makes up for it because it is so fun.

8. The Lumineers- I used to like "Ho Hey" but I got kind of sick of it, so I don't know if I would want to see them.

In previous years, I would have loved to see:

2011: Coldplay, Awolnation (mainly because of Sail), Arcade Fire-- I didn't know many of the bands this year.

2010: Muse, Vamipre Weekend, The xx, Broken Bells, Miike Snow-- I find it interesting that some of the bands that played in previous years as lower artists come back as better known artists and they are higher up in the rankings.

2009: Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Phoenix, Passion Pit

2008: Foo Fighters, MGMT

2007: Bjork, The Killers, Muse, Arcade Fire, Blue October, Regina Spektor, Peter Bjorn and John

Walk Off the Earth

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned a band called Walk Off the Earth. They were the ones to put out that really neat "Someone that I Used to Know" cover.

They are a really neat and talented group consisting of four guys and one girl. Each member can sing, as well as play like five other instruments. Just to give you an idea of what I am talking about. Here is one of the guys covering Yesterday. It is a very different take than Paul McCartney's version, but that is what is neat about it. Plus he is playing multiple different instruments to get the sound he wants.

Different, I know, but he is doing so many things with his voice, hands, whatever body part he has, obviously not at the same time, and he is creating music. This next video is ridiculous. Whenever I here this song, I picture the fat guy in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, standing in the road and pumping the sewage out of his RV. That movie is priceless if you have not seen it. But this video is mindblowing. So many instruments. It is kind of rewarding to have a band that is this diverse because most members of well known bands only have one talent.

Even if you aren't Christian, it doesn't matter. Just to be able to enjoy their talents is great.

This next cover of 'Someone Like You' by Adele is really great, mainly because I love the girls voice. It is also great how they change instruments and are still able to keep the beat.

This cover is really upbeat and there are so many different sounds and instruments.

Here is one of their own originals. They just recently put out their own album that I have yet to hear.

But honestly, these guys are so talented and creative. They have strived to be different and it is working because they are now well known and put out good songs. We know that a lot of artists try to be different and they end up failing, but I feel like these guys have really done it and made something awesome of themselves.

And I hate to say it, but they are Canadian. I want you to think about all of the famous Canadian artists... There are a lot. I don't know, but they are doing something right up in Canada.

The Beatles make a Comeback

I wouldn't say that Beatles for Sale was a bad album. It wasn't. It was just bad for The Beatles. It would have been good for any other artist, but we expect so much more from The Beatles because we know what they are capable of. Even though the tone of the album was kind of down, it still was memorable.

For instance, No Reply. I love that song. Mainly because of the harmonizing.

I saw the light,

I saw the light!

...

I nearly died,

I nearly died!

They were so together, it just gives me chills. Why couldn't they be born in the 2000's?

Besides that song, the rest of the album didn't really cut it for me. But man! When Help came out eight months later, I nearly died and went to heaven. The Beatles were back!

Their opening song, Help was just fabulous. Really great vibe, a great way to kick off another great album.

I also really enjoy "The Night Before" and "You've got to Hide your Love Away". Different sounds, but great overall.

I feel like I am just listing all of the songs because they are all so good.

"Your Going to Lose that Girl" has an awesome ring to it! I love the emphasis on the word lose!

And plus, I love the different meanings of "Ticket to Ride/Ryde."  It makes the song really unique and interesting. It shows how great they were at songwriting; that they were able add multiple meanings into one song.

And "Yesterday." I think what makes this song so great is it's lyrics.



Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away

Now it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh, I believe in yesterday

Suddenly I'm not half the man I used to be

  There's a shadow hanging over me

Oh, yesterday came suddenly

They could be interpreted in any way. An unfortunate event, a girl, daily troubles. Many people can relate to it. And that is why people like it. It is relatable.

It kind of reminds me of "Over the Rainbow". It has a similar tune, and depending on how you interpret it, it could be saying that because yesterday was so great, "yesterday" is bound to return. Meaning it can't stay bad forever. The times right now are down and they are hurting right now, but in time, they believe that everything will settle itself out and the times of "yesterday" will return.