By JT Samart
Music is an ever-changing art, and what will become popular in the future might be completely different to what we listen to now. The possible combinations of notes are almost infinite and the growing amount of possibilities with different instruments is mind-blowing. So to celebrate these musical resonances is the biweekly N.O.T.E.
N.O.T.E is an acronym which is stands for N: New and Popular, O: Old, T: Try it, and E: Enough.
New and Popular will cover current popular hits or your radio hit. Old will cover the popular songs of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Try it is a section dedicated to an obscure or “indie” artist. Enough is a about the song we have all heard and just been sick of. It is the song you hear too often and it just gets annoying. I will ask one student or staff member their “Enough” song and let them share their opinion.
New and Popular:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-fA-gBCkj0]
This week’s billboard chart topper is Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out Of Heaven”. Mars has been on the appearing on the charts since his break out hits “Just The Way You Are” on his first album Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Now with this new album, “Unorthodox Jukebox,” Mars has brought another well done album with a more refined, atmospheric songs. “Locked out of Heaven” has a very familiar upbeat, bass-heavy sound that now has become ubiquitous with Mars’ non-ballad songs. The guitar and drums remind the listener of The Police and compliments Mars’ rhythmic voice. The reverberated echoes and voices add an interesting dynamic to the song.
Old:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDXT7wC9jrc]
From December 4, 1954 to January 21 of 1955: This number one hit was by a quartet by the name of The Chordettes and their song “Mr. Sandman.” “Mr. Sandman” has a skillfully done introduction with a “bum” coming from every single member to give a very capsulating sound. The tone is very nostalgic and very 1950’s.
Try It:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brZTvGIzeGg]
“Fleet Foxes”
Genre: Indie Folk
Label: Sub Pop records
Albums: Fleet foxes, Sun Giant (EP), Helplessness Blues
Website: fleetfoxes.com
One band that embodies indie folk is the Fleet Foxes. The Seattle- based band provides very deep lyrics with a chorus of voices and “these broad and open questions” as Robin Pecknold, lead singer and guitar player, put it in at 2011 Pitchfork Music Festival interview. All of their songs embrace an echoey feel and tend to have multiple parts. Their technique is extreme diverse each song has different instruments or different uses throughout each of their albums. My personal favorite song is “He Doesn’t Know Why” from their first album, Fleet Foxes, because of the expert lyricism, and its ability to pick me up when I am down.
Enough:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWA2pjMjpBs]
Rihanna disappoints in her hit single “Diamonds”. It has something about the tone of her voice and the repetitive nature of the lyrics. The instrumentation is uninspiring and really does not have anything extremely dynamic maybe except the brief breakdown. At least it was a change of pace.
That is all for this N.O.T.E. Join us next time to see what four Liverpool boys wanted to hold. Also, we will also try some indie psychedelic rock that has possibly the strangest music videos in the world.