Hunter Hays I Want Crazy

You were asking us in class about songs we are listening to, and I forgot to say about Hunter Hay's new album. I LOVE Hunter Hays, and I really like this song! First of all his lyrics actually make sense and are so sweet and bring out the sappy girl in me. Also I think he has the perfect mix of country and pop and the song just kind of makes me happy inside because it's so upbeat and I like how the beat changes throughout the song to keep it interesting.

My Preferences in Rap Music

On Wednesday in class we listened to some Youtube music, and we listened to 3 main rap songs. I agree that first one we listened to was pretty bad, but I had opposite views on the other two as you. I can't remember what was the final song we listened to was, but I didn't like that one at all but I really liked Kendrick Lamar's song "Swimming Pools". I think it has to do with the thing that we look for in music. You were saying how you liked how the last song flowed and wasn't super repetitive, but I found it almost too flowy, it just sounded like this 4 minute sound that didn't really catch my attention at all. I really like rap songs to have a nice beat and a prominent chorus with catchy lyrics. I guess that is why it's so hard to be an artist, because everyone likes something different.

Lennon and Maisy

While doing my usual Youtube searching, I found these two amazing sisters! They, like my other favorite youtube band, sing straight to the computer, so you can hear her pure voice with no changes. The reason that I really like these sisters it because 1) the blond sister is only 8 and she already has a beautiful that can go so high and pure and 2) the older sister has such a beautiful voice that is a little bit unusual as she is able to kind of scoop it and I love it!! Although they have many awesome video's, I really liked their version of Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash because I think that they really give it a newer more upbeat twist!!

Nirvana

In class on Tuesday we watched the movie on the band Nirvana, and I have to say I was extremely underwhelmed. Maybe the instrument playing was good, but I could not stand Kurt Cobain's voice. I know some people find it original or interesting or "different", but to me it just sounded like someone who didn't have any singing talent and had even less training. He seemed to be almost off key the whole time, always singing notes that made me cringe. The thing that bothered me about him was how boring he was in the performance. Maybe it is part of his persona to be a really chill dude, but I think that if people are going to come see a concert, it is the artist's duty to entertain them and pump them up, not act as if you are casually practicing in your room. I think the band would be a lot better if they changed singers, because I feel his drugged up voice doesn't match the melodies and rock beat of the songs. As a choir teacher does his voice bother you or is it just me?

The Issue Over Homosexuality

I know this isn't exactly about music, but I feel that the issue of Gay Rights that we talked about in class was really interesting, and on a more music note, music as a whole has had a big influence in gay culture, as pop songs and many rap and other songs have influenced the public to think of the word "gay" as being an insult, lesser, or bad. My last blog I talked about Macklemore's song same love, and I think that there should be more songs like that that are supportive, because we are in the middle of a rapidly changing world, and people need to adjust to it. Even 50 and 60 years ago it was a "fact" that black people were lesser than white people and the thought of having them marry was completely ridiculous. Now we look back and think that that is crazy, and hopefully in 50 years people will think it is ridiculous that gays couldn't marry. My parents are pretty liberal, and I have been raised to have an open mind, and so I was actually astonished on the number of people in the class that thought that homosexuality was a choice. I think that such idea is crazy, a person can't choose who they love. I didn't think about it till after class, but I remember hearing about scientists finding homosexuality in many animals, and so I did a little research. I found this website:


http://www.news-medical.net/news/2006/10/23/20718.aspx

It is also been found that lab rats injected with extra hormones will become homosexual, and that can be altered by changing the genetic traits of them. I don't why I found it so important to blog about this instead of other music, but I just had to say it.

Industrial Music

Today in class we listened to a few industrial music songs, and although they are a completely different genre than Paul's Boutique, I had the same problems with both pieces of music. I really like the more upbeat rhythm that is popular in the 80th more than just the rock genre of the 70's, but I couldn't come to like the songs because of the singers. For example when I first heard the song Terrible Life, I was excited for a pretty good song, because a really cool and pumpy beat was set up, but as soon as the words started, I didn't like it. To me the voice of the singer has to do a lot with whether or not I like the music, and I really wasn't impressed with the voices in Paul's Boutique or most of the industrial music. Maybe it's because I am used to the poppy songs of today, I almost prefer the "drill the chorus into your head" songs, because I feel that the singing was better. I really don't like the flat voice and lack of range in the notes. For some reason I am ok with rap, but only as long as the words kind of add to the beat, but I feel with a lot of industrial music, the voice actually takes away from the song.

Developing Bands and Singers

In class this week we watched the movie of the U2 band filmed while they were just becoming super popular, and it made me think about music artists' rise to fame. With 7 billion people in the world, there will always be tons of talented singers and performers, but it seems to be always only a small portion of them ever make it to be famous. Throughout the year, I have noticed a trend of people not being truley appreciated and noticed until after they die, and that makes me wonder that maybe in 100 years people will look back on someone that I have never heard of and say "Wow, that is the best musician who ever lived". I think it is interesting how bands like U2 just suddenly become really popular, and I feel like I don't even see the best of the music, and only what has already been "discovered". Now it is in some ways easier and in some ways harder to discover music because we have the internet. On the plus side, it is a lot easier to find music because pretty much everything is online, but it is also harder because pretty much anyone can make/record a song and put it for people to see. I think music is extremely unpredictable, but it makes it exciting that no one ever knows who will be the next big thing.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis: Same Love

Throughout the years, Rap music has always been criticized for having no meaning, and being pointless with lyrics about strippers, money and drugs. I agree that there still is a fare share of that in current music, but its not all mindless lyrics. Macklemore is popular for his song Thrift Shop which I blogged about in the past, and although it has some sick beats, the lyrics aren't exactly "deep". Through Youtube searching I found another one of his songs called "One Love", and expecting another funny dance party song, I was blown away. The song is not short, its about 6 minutes, but its a rap song completely about gay marriage and his support of it. I thought that the lyrics were very well planned out, and were surprisingly insightful and deep while still remaining on beat. So while some rap songs are just a slur of cuss words and stripper poses, I think that more people should take after Macklemore and make music about the real issues in the world.