Crickets & Cheers

Writing About Music

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Perfection

     Headphones in. Volume up. Head down. I walk down the stairs and push through the door into the cold. The air freezes the skin I’ve left exposed. I stride into a rhythm. Pacing fast, I pass over the bridge. My stride only breaks in rhythm for the dance over cobblestones and around puddles. The chorus guides the slow nod of my head and I’m reminded to look open, keep my eyes open.

     The next song comes on and my stride slows to the beat. There’s a subtle bounce in my step – the only indication to passers-by that there’s something playing in the white headphones. If they got close enough they would hear the melody too. I allow myself to become controlled by the music. Each new song is a new thought, new walk, new stop on the way to class. 

     Some make me want to stop and look out across the opening in the gardens. Over the reflecting pool and framed grass, out past the pool, the flag, and the tennis courts, and on to the mountain. I forget the space in between and imagine the walk to the mountain top. What song would I listen to to get me there? I wonder if I’ve found it yet. 

     I have the song before my game, during my run, when I can’t fall asleep. When I’m studying or need a minute it’s Debussy’s Clair de Lune. It’s instant stress relief. It makes everything around me look more beautiful. Life moves slower to it. It’s more peaceful. I see things I would not have seen without the music in ways I could not imagine. Leaves falling over the bridge fly like birds; raindrops fall like tears of reunited lovers, and the sun sets like a perfect ending. 

     Put Clair de Lune to any scene – Fight Club, soccer, being lost in the woods – it all instantly becomes the most beautiful version of itself. It makes me equally happy and sad at the same time – both to the fullest extent of the emotion. I put it on repeat and time vanishes. Suddenly the sun is gone and I’m still staring and the last place it was seen not noticing the absence. I’m protected in the dark by scaling melodies. It’s a melancholy feeling I never want to lose. And a joy that I can’t yet understand. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted music to be. 

     Deep, bright, intense, peaceful, emotional, heavy, simple, beautiful, sensational, dreamy, and real. I could slow dance to it at my wedding and have it played at my memorial. I could wake up and fall asleep to it. No matter where or when I listen to it, Clair de Lune is always the same: it changes everything. Every note is thoughtful and makes me feel content. So I walk. With the slow nod of my head and I’m reminded to look open, keep my eyes open.

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Playlist #4 REBOOT

     I’ve been listening to a lot a rap/hip-hop recently. Each song on this playlist makes me feel completely different sensations. Some beats pump me up, others mellow me out. Some artists are political, others are just critical. Artists on this playlist include Logic, Eminem, Kayne West, Alessia Cara, Flume, and More!

     Logic has become one of my favorite rappers to listen to over the last two years, following the release of Under Pressure. The entire album has an extraordinarily unique feeling, however, Logic’s style closely resembles that of more old school rap artists. 

     He uses a lot of instrumentation on his tracks. Plucked electric guitars and pianos often back his spoken melody. Synthesizers and drum machines are the new era that contrast against the classic sound of instrumentation. “Never Enough” starts is the most reminiscent of old school rap. It starts slowly with light guitar, piano, and drums. The intro is repeated twice and the second time is joined in by mid-century sounding strings. The intro is ended by the sound of a recorded scratching mixed with a tape rewinding. Most of the song uses an actual drum kit and slowly evolves to the more modern sounding electric drum pad.

    Logic’s sound is a mixture of two other rap artists on this playlist: G-Eazy and Eminem. Eminem’s instrumentation on “Drug Ballad” is very similar to the classic, throwback style Logic combines with more modern sounds. The subject of their lyrics is also similar. Logic’s “Nikki” and Em’s “Drug Ballad” both talk about their addictions both previous and present: cigarettes and drugs of all type.

     G-Eazy and Logic are both fresh and young. There lyric rhythms and styles are similar, though Eazy leans more towards Pop Rap, whereas I’d be surprised to find Logic on a Top 40s list. Logic would definitely be higher on my Top 40 than Eazy, but Logic’s audience seems to have more of the old school rap background that his music evokes.

Listen to the rest of the playlist here on Apple Music!

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Playlist #3

Check out this week’s playlist featuring some throwback jams and some new finds!

     My favorites from this playlist are “Gravel to Tempo” from Hayley Kiyoko’s new EP, Citrine; “Ultralight Beam” from Kanye’s Life of Pablo; and “Seen and Gone” by Kultiration.

     Hayley Kiyoko always finds her way into my headphones. Her tunes are addictive and an endless ocean. After each wave of a project, we are left floating until we are powered by the next. “Gravel to Tempo” is not a song you can listen to while sitting down. Listening to it makes you want to move. Check out the music video here!

     Kanye’s “Ultralight Beam” conveys one of the deepest spiritual experiences I’ve ever had listening to a song. I recommend listening to it alone in an open space. Give yourself headspace and feel each beat. I listen to it alone in my car at full volume and let myself sing it loud.

     During a Netflix binge, I came across a Sweedish movie that had “Seen and Gone” on the soundtrack. It’s fun and mellow vibe reminds me of Sublime but more measured and controlled. I appreciate the brass and harmonies in the song and how the lead guitar complements behind them. The combination of instruments is unique and entertaining.

New Playlist Coming Soon!

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Writing About Music

Check out my new music blog I’m doing for my Writing About Music class! I post class assignments, (almost weekly) playlists, and random pieces about music, life, and things that I see throughout the day that inspire me.

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Playlist #2

     I went back through my old playlists and I found one I listened to last year when I studied. All the songs have a very chill vibe, and I selected my favorites from that to put on Playlist #2. I also included some songs that I just discovered. Some of them are from back in the day, and others are a little newer. I found the most recent ones in very different ways.

     I first heard "Lemonade" by Jeremy Passion when I was sitting in my room one night. I was at my desk doing homework, trying to ignore the music blaring from the room next door when finally the bass ceased vibrating the wall. In came a ukulele. A simple chord progression accompanied by a beautiful voice. I had to stop to listen to it. I listened hard to try to catch the lyrics through the cinderblock wall. I looked up the lyrics and came across another version on youtube performed by Jeremy Passion, Tori Kelly, and Luke Edgemon. Passion plays guitar in this version. The trio harmonizes beautifully. Any version I hear of this song is soothing, but this one is definitely the hardest to take off of repeat. Lemonade - Jeremy Passion feat. Luke Edgemon & Tori Kelly

     Two of the songs on this playlist are by a band I had never heard before. Half Moon Run is a synthesis of Wilco, Radiohead, John Mayer, Beck, and James Bay; however, their sound is unmistakably unique. I am absolutely in love with it. "Warmest Regards" is the lead track from their newest album, Sun Leads Me On. The lead guitar plucks like Wilco and Mayer, while the vocals are reminiscent of Tom Yorke. Half Moon Run is one of the most talented bands I've come across in a long while. They produce intriguing melodies and rich harmonies. I'm very excited to hear more from them.

     The last song I'll mention is "Make Me Feel" by Sophie Ann. I really enjoy the instrumentation of the song. The piano and drums are classic, and the guitar adds dynamic layers. The vocals good, but the chorus is what makes me love this song – definitely the strongest lyrics of the song. Ann seems to be a singer still trying to find her sound or the type of singer who could sing a lot of styles of music. In parts, she sounds like an Amy Winehouse, and at other points, Lana Del Rey. I found this song watching the thirty-second trailer for the upcoming indie short film called "Piece of Cake," which will be released by The Riot Life on October 11, 2016. "Piece of Cake" Trailer

Check out the rest of Playlist #2 on iTunes & Apple Music!

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The Drum Tape

    The blue tape slid into the player. I listened from the backseat of my mom’s black Volvo… it began. Neil Young & Crazy Horse played the descending chord progression on “Big Time,” the lead track on Broken Arrow. The album was released in July 1996 *five months before I was born*. My mom had it in the car at all times. The only thing else that I ever remember listening to was KPBS. We’d listen to a symphony or some other piece of classical music. They were nice and peaceful – I’m guessing she played them so my brother and I would fall asleep in the car. Broken Arrow, however, made me feel alive. I got lost in the music – driving down the Bumpy Road®, looking out the window. The guitar and drums made my brother and I so excited. It never got old. 

    We called it The Drum Tape™. It was loud and different. Songs like “Changing Highways” were the first Rock-like songs I’d ever heard. Neil Young and Crazy Horse are grungy and bluesy; their electric and bass guitars, keyboards, harmonicas, and – of course – drums, shocked two-year-old me into the world of music and what was possible in its realm. I had other experiences like this as I got older. Around eight or nine years old, listening to Nirvana’s “Nevermind” was the first time I had heard a singer screaming angrily. Later, I found the Red Hot Chili Peppers rapping, and Green Day getting angsty about politics; all my them were my favorite band at one point or another.     The thing about Broken Arrow the made it so great though is that I didn’t even know the name of the band or their songs, but I understood it and felt a connection to it. I vividly remember feelings of nostalgia, trying to grasp the meanings of lyrics as I blindly memorized them. I’ve always felt older than my age – in hindsight, I think it’s because I listened to songs like “Scattered.” The simplicity of the music and the lyrics make it so even a three-year-old can grasp (at least slightly) the emotions being conveyed. This resonation, however, seems uncommon for someone that young. I’ve always been “Like an old soul;” maybe since the day I was born.     Almost twenty years later, Broken Arrow still makes me feel the same – except now, I can relate to it even more. When I was a kid, I understood which songs were meant to make you feel sad, and who songs like “Music Arcade” were written about. But now I understand what that person feels like. Neil Young asked me when I was three, “Have you ever been lost/Have you ever been found out/Have you ever felt all alone[?]” Now, exiting my teen years – about to embark on the adventures that my twenties have in store for me – I’ve had enough experiences to write my own Drum Tape. In twenty more years, perhaps, another. Until then, I’ll keep “living in the dream.”

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Concert Review: “The Spirit of Youth,” performed by the Portland Chamber Orchestra

     On a hot, sunny Sunday afternoon in Portland, Oregon, the Lewis and Clark campus is without its usual layer of rain, or hum of bikes floating past. I pace quickly up the stairs from the athletic facilities with my wet hair and tape residue on my ankle. Despite taking a shower, I’m still sweating in the unusual late-afternoon heat. The crowd was light but had a relaxing and comfortable vibe. I haven’t figured out if it’s the chapel that casts this wave of relaxation over people or something else, but every time I’m there I can’t help but notice it. 

     Sitting in the back row I watch the musicians take their places on stage. First, the low strings tune, followed by the Violas and Violins. Little notes turn into bits and pieces of songs. The bass player practices a single measure several times over. A man steps in front of the stage. Andrew Ehrlich, the concertmaster, joins the orchestra on stage, followed by Raley Schweinfurth, the young pianist. The lights dim as the conductor turns ninety degrees toward the piano. His arms go up and quickly it begins. The trumpet and piano introduce Dmitri Shostakovich’s Concerto No. 1 in C Minor Op. 35. After a rapid burst of scaling notes, Schweinfurth’s left-hand leads a slow melody. The strings are disconnected from the piano’s melody in moments but joins in to create powerful themes. 

     The second movement opens with beautiful strings, momentarily disrupted by the piano before it joins in. The strings rest and the piano’s melody takes the piece into a fast, dramatic, bright theme. They return with sunken, heavy notes while the trumpet solo begins. Shortly after, the conductor reaches his right hand up high and lets it fall slowly as the movement comes to a close. The last movement begins low and rough. The piano scales up and down searching to find the unsure melody played by the violins. The notes are short and frantic. The trumpet sounds militant as if calling a charge into battle. It’s echoed by the march played by the low strings. Moments of western elements are heard and are quickly displaced by eastern themes. The piece ends with a fast, exciting verve, catapulting the crowd to its feet. 

     The second performance, The Diary of Anne Frank, is a one-act opera. It was not nearly as pleasant or enjoyable. While Ani Maldjian, the soprano, executed her performance with definitude, I found that the piece as a whole didn’t adapt well to the small, intimate setting. Strange to think that a story about a girl in a small room wouldn’t work as well in a small chapel as it possibly could as a main stage opera. The music itself was wild and erratic, never allowing for the singer to reach a distinct melody. Much of the story felt sacrificed to make room for an experimental style. Because the piece was created in such a manner, it was hard to hear the emotion in the music or lyrics alone. The acting was relied on heavily to fulfill that gap, but overall, felt disconnected from the music. 

     Overall, it was a draw. The performance of Shostakovich’s concerto was sumptuous and exciting. But the only thing The Diary of Anne Frank evoked from the audience was the longing and anticipation of escape. I would certainly attend another Portland Chamber Orchestra performance – just not an opera.

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Playlist #1

I'm going to attempt to make a playlist every week of what I've been listening to. My goal is to have a mixture of old and new. For example, this week's playlist is constructed of recently released songs or songs that I've just discovered and can't stop listening to. This week's top three on the playlist are Closer (ft. Halsey) by The Chainsmokers, Cool Girl by Tove Lo, and This Girl by Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners.

My recent music history from the summer is scattered with The Chainsmokers, but I'm yet to really get into their music (mostly due to being distracted by other music and forgetting them). But this song fulfills all of my Halsey withdrawals. I absolutely love her voice and style, which adds so much to Closer.

Tove Lo to me seems like someone who was supposed to be a one-hit-wonder and keeps surprising us with more. Her first album had two notable songs, Habits and Talking Body. Closer is a matured version of the content in these songs that is more subtle, but also, more sexual. It also has a beat that pounds into me when I listen to it that takes over my rhythmic movements. I can't listen to it if I'm not driving and pacing with purpose.

Lastly, This Girl is just a fun, upbeat jam. I have to dance a little when I hear it in my car. It's a good end of summer song and its feel-good vibes will carry me all the way through this semester.

For the rest of the playlist, click the link below:

Check out what I've been listening to!

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Queen of the “Ft.”

Sex, Drugs, and… Electro? Tove Lo’s debut album Queen of the Clouds, released September 30, 2014, was part of the new age of music. Its collision of throwback and futuristic vibes makes Tove Lo’s sound unique and original. However, Queen of the Clouds does not escape the sound of an artist’s first album. Almost every song is laced with lyrics about sex and drugs, which appear in two of the song titles, “The Sex (Intro)” and “Not On Drugs.” It seems Tove Lo is trying to make Queen of the Clouds a concept album by having three, five to six second tracks, one intro and two interludes. Tove Lo is just speaking over these three tracks, which sound like clips cut from a story that’s being told: “The passion in the beginning, it’s always gonna be the best part… And then you freak out cause you suddenly need this person… And then there’s no good way to end things cause it’s ending, y’know?” 

     The speaking leads the listener in and out of songs which fill in the gaps of the story. Her songs meddle with the ideas of love and lust. But for what? People? Drugs? While the lyrics attempt to reveal a story, the style of the songs fluctuate frequently, distracting from any form of consistency. Queen of the Clouds is a perfect example of why albums are becoming more and more irrelevant in new music. People latch on to one or two songs and make them into their party anthems for a weekend, failing to ever notice that an album was released after the singles. “Talking Body” and “Habits (Stay High)” were the two songs from Queen of the Clouds that survived and popularized Tove Lo. Having written and co-written for multiple pop artists, including Icona Pop, Ellie Goulding, Hillary Duff, Nick Jonas, Flume, and Coldplay, it’s clear that she has talent in both songwriting and making music that people like and want to listen to. 

     Queen of the Clouds is truly a test to see if she has the talent to be a solo artist. She got her first shot by networking at a party celebrating Icona Pop’s first record deal in 2013 but was sidelined by cysts on her vocal chords. The singer-songwriter said she “had been singing very intensely.” This caused Tove Lo to take a step back while she underwent a medical procedure that may have led to her inability to sing if the surgery went awry. Fortunately, she had bonne chance, and was able to return to singing. It’s too bad that she will never be known for the songs that she wrote for other artists. But looking at this album, it’s hard to imagine Tove Lo constructing a strong, full-length solo album. Yes, her songwriting ability is good – but the songs might do better on someone else’s album. So, until the next Tove Lo album, she’ll have to survive on two singles, co-writing, and features on other artists’ albums.

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The Role of the Music Critic

     What is criticism, and who are critics? In today’s media, simple opinions can be mistaken as criticism. Media outlets allow anyone with internet access and a twitter account to construct a 140-character rant about what they thought of Taylor Swift’s latest breakup ballad. So in a world where essentially everyone can chime in with their opinion, where are the real critics – those who provide a fair description of the music and analyze why it works or doesn’t? 

     Dan Singer, an American Journalism Review contributor, wrote an article in 2014, titled “Music Critics See Their Role and Influence Waning in The Era of Digital Music.” Singer interviewed several music journalists who had previously written for major publications including Spin Magazine, Rolling Stone, and Pitchfork Media. Since the 90s, most music publications have dramatically shrunk their print magazines or have transitioned to release them exclusively online in order to adapt to the “click-based” economy. Concurrently, criticism itself has changed. 

     The instantaneousness of music distribution makes it extremely difficult for true music critics to write criticism. By the time the article appears, the music is considered passé. One journalist interviewed in Singer’s article, former Spin critic Andrew Beaujon, noted that music criticism “conveys ‘what it’s like to experience certain kinds of music.’” Beaujon said he enjoys that kind of writing, “‘but there just aren’t that many publications willing to pay for it.’” Music critics are really more artist critics. Many reviews of Frank Ocean’s new album “Blonde” spend more time discussing what surrounded the album rather than the music itself. 

     Jon Caramanica’s New York Times review discusses Ocean’s other products released with the album: a magazine, a visual album, and pop-up stores. Caramanica only devoted two and a half paragraphs of a two-page article talking about the music. Wesley Morris spent most of his article on “Endless,” the visual album, and only mentioned one song from “Blonde.” Morris proceeds to critique the Ocean’s hiatus between releasing albums, stating that Ocean is now “trying out an aesthetic.” 

     So, is the approval of that aesthetic all critics have to comment on? It seems like this is the type of critique that The Times prefers. Rolling Stone and Johan Weiner, however, take a different approach, quoting lyrics and using what Beaujon described as enjoyable writing, telling readers what the music evokes and how it’s intended to make listeners feel. 

     Weiner’s review is more successful as a criticism, but it took some digging to find on Rolling Stone’s website. The homepage is filled with articles about Donald Trump and videos of Justin Bieber’s last performance. Album reviews and other pieces of music criticism are hidden behind all this click-bate, causing true music enthusiasts to hunt for it. The New Music Critic is a commentator, used to generate discussion and keep people in-the-know. Real criticism is buried under what publications know will sell. If readers make it to the back of the magazine, they’ll eventually stumble across the review of last weeks’ release.