So I just thought it would be fun for me to do a thing on Mondays. So the thing is, I listen to an album (or track or play-list or whatever) for the first time and write about it. I think I’ll write as I listen, so it might have a bit of a stream of consciousness feel to it. Maybe I’ll take suggestions from readers if readers are into that… if not I’ll just pick something. (can you tell I’m making this up right now?)
I actually just went through a list of tracks I liked on Spotify radio… picked an artist who’s name looked interesting, but who I wasn’t overly familiar with and picked an album I hadn’t heard. My hope was that at least I had some grounds for liking the artist.
Blue Little – This has this really fun static or electric sound mixed in with the beat. If I focus on it, it definitely has a kind of a bug zapper quality to it. I like how it feels in my ears. In my 20’s I was really into this online radio station called groove salad (it’s still around, though I’m not a listener anymore). This definitely has that sort of feel to it. A melancholy tone with a mostly steady drum kit sound. Not overly exciting but pleasing to the ear. I would categorize this as study or reading music, where I could be doing something else while listening and still enjoy it.
Harharmony – It is a little slow for my tastes today, and there’s nothing overly catchy to grab me. It reminds me of rain falling or maybe a ping pong ball dropping. It’s not overly harmonic in my opinion.
Harditry – This has an off kilter feel to it. I like the juxtaposition of percussive tones against this kind of ethereal warbley sound. I think it’s the rhythm of the percussive tones that’s off kilter, there’s actually two tracks or musical lines with that particular “instrument” and they are out of sync with each other… It makes the song feel really playful. I’m really enjoying this one.
Jitter Heart – Oh I like this track a lot! It sounds like a classical guitar. I like how the sound warps on itself. I’m a pretty big fan of repetition, so I definitely like how the melodic line is basically looping now that a drum kit and vocals have been added. I actually prefer not being able to make out words, I can be a little picky about vocals in “electronic” music. Wow! there’s a lot going on in this track. I really like the distortion effects. It sounds like the artist is just distorting and chopping up the classical guitar, although there are definitely some bass parts added in there. This might be my favorite track so far.
Written Not Sent – Huh. I love this use of classical guitar. I like how this really leads with the down beat, very driving. It makes me nod my head or tap my foot as I listen to it. The bottom bass part is what’s driving this and I like it. Wow! what an abrupt ending. That kind makes me sad. I would have enjoyed a more in that direction.
Overall thoughts: I think overall the listening experience was really enjoyable. I would say I don’t feel a big connection as a cohesive work. I think the last two tracks really fit with each other well but the other three kind of seem to be solo pieces of work. Certainly fun to listen to this and write about it at the same time.
That Blog About Music 