General Music Thread

[Zion Ravescene]

Eyes wrote:

---

They had passed me by completely until this album (despite living in the UK), I didn't know they had that rich a history (they go back to 1991, did not know that). I've only heard this and one other track and this was the only one that grabbed me though, I'm far from being a fan. I suspect from the other song, which seems more like their style, I wouldn't like them THAT much.

I'd only heard one or two songs by Saint Etienne in the mid to late 90s. They had some rather nice tunes back in the day, but nothing particularly stays long in the memory if I'll be honest.

Well, except their Christmas song, which I like:

[JayOwl]

junxon wrote:

---

oooh cool idea for a thread! not seen much music stuff on here before

Thanks
Not much music has been on here, and what has got lost in TV & Media after a while- it is a big forum. Rolled into one big thread however, it might last a while.

[Zion Ravescene]

JayOwl wrote:

---

Thanks
Not much music has been on here, and what has got lost in TV & Media after a while- it is a big forum. Rolled into one big thread however, it might last a while.

I just hope the thread doesn't get *too* crowded - I mean, we might have to branch out when it comes to the big topics like classical music, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, show tunes, N-Dubz...

Incidentally, I posted this in our Lounge this evening: find out what your music stereotype is...

http://labs.echonest.com/stereotypes/

Mine is:

You listen like

Hipster Mermaid

You were the quirky nerd before it was cool. In fact, you’ve done everything first: from shopping at Goodwill, to digging through vinyl crates at your aunt’s garage sale. But now that everyone’s off the bandwagon, you want to make sure they know you were there first. Not that you really care, because caring is lame unless it’s about the environment.


Based upon your affinity for artists like:
Beach House, Radiohead, The Apples in Stereo, Laura Marling

Hmm... I still don't know whether to laugh or cry at this.

[JayOwl]

Zion Ravescene wrote:

---

I just hope the thread doesn't get *too* crowded - I mean, we might have to branch out when it comes to the big topics like classical music, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, show tunes, N-Dubz...

Yes, let's stay well away from N-Dubz.
We can branch out to more threads if there's enough demand.

My thingy from the lounge, along with what I said:

JayOwl wrote:

---

I don't have "thisismyjam" so I entered a few artists that I could think of on the spot:

Hmm... some of that is right, like the "Manic" and the "Dream" but I'm not so sure about the "Pixie Girl" part.
I also wouldn't describe it as "pixie dust", maybe happiness (I'd like to think), and I'm not a dancer. Not bad otherwise.

[Zion Ravescene]

Speaking of classical music, it has just occurred to me that the BBC Proms 2012 begin on Friday night. Last year I tried to listen to most (if not all) the concerts on Radio 3 and on television, and even attended one of the Last Night concerts staged around the UK. I doubt I'll be able to do all of that this year, so I'll have to be selective in what to listen for.

[Mr Silver]

Zion Ravescene wrote:

---

when it comes to the big topics like classical music

Seriously though, does anyone actually REALLY like classic music? I'm probably equal parts classic fan as I am contemporary fan, asides form the usual timeless composers such as Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Elgar, Beethoven, etc - I'm really into some modern composers like Holst, particularly the interpretations of his compositions like The Planets, which everybody knows. I think my favourite version of the aforementioned suite is the Chicago Symphony Orchestra/James Levine arrangements which are magnificent - Mars, in particular is so powerfully performed that it's hard to listen to the London Symphony Orchestra's original recording after you've heard it.


I'm really into a lot of media composers too, I'm a pretty active gamer and video game music, particularly in the modern era (where monophonic NES style tracks went out the window in favour of "actually this sounds like a movie" style tracks) and in particular, I highly rate the composers of the Final Fantasy franchise of games. Some stuff has been done to death though, the Latin and Gregorian style chanting and Nordic warrior inspired stuff just doesn't work, unless you are Jeremy Soule - in which case you can apply the bored to tears stuff to a game like Skyrim and make it sound fresh and absolutely awe inspiring.

Anyway, enough about classical for now. In terms of contemporary music, I'm pretty eclectic and don't have a particular style of music that I cling to. I'm what you might call a musician, although I'm not a professional and I'm not very active currently, nor am I up for talking about it - I'm just simply going through a phase where I find it incredibly difficult to pick up a guitar, sit at a keyboard or even compose something on the computer without real instruments.

I'm not too into recent stuff, for instance, I find David Guetta to be extremely overrated and self serving. Almost every track of his I've heard (and I've heard a lot considering the amount of airplay the guy gets) sounds so similar that you could probably splice sections of each track together and create a new track that would sound exactly the same as every other track he has ever done, or will ever do! Not to mention that fact that the guy recruits female singers based on the fact that they look hot and nothing much else, sure they can sing but they can't sing and that's another reason why his tracks will always sound the same.

Don't like the hipster scene, I find bands like LMAO or whatever the fuck they are called to be intrusive. The last fucking thing I want to hear when I'm out shopping is "I'm sexy and I know it" in a repetitive, semi-whispered tone.

[junxon]

i got:

You listen like

Anonymous

Who are you? I don't even know who you are. You don't even listen like a human being.

Based upon your affinity for artists like:
Nothing I've every seen before

i guess Susumu Hirasawa is just too obscure.

[Eyes]

Admiral M wrote:

---

Don't like the hipster scene, I find bands like LMAO or whatever the fuck they are called to be intrusive. The last fucking thing I want to hear when I'm out shopping is "I'm sexy and I know it" in a repetitive, semi-whispered tone.

LMFAO are about as far from the 'hipster scene' as you get. They fall under a similar category to David Guetta actually (who I stand more because he can make some incredible tracks when he's working with the right singers, when he works with the wrong ones... ugh). LMFAO are rappers with a dance beat. They are close to Hip-Hop but that's different from 'hipsters' who tend to be Pitchfork-loving alternative fans.

As for that test.. ugh.. for bollocks sake:

You listen like
Annoying Facebook Girl
You are a typical tweeny bopper, drama filled, teenager. You’re that girl who gets her heart broken every other day and decides to flood her timeline with popular sad songs.

Based upon your affinity for artists like:
Rihanna, Marina and The Diamonds, Gorillaz, ABBA, Alexis Jordan

Seriously? Ah, whatever. I don't care if you don't like my music taste, test. It seems to come up with this whatever popular solo artist I put in.
I tried putting Nightwish in on its own and it came up with Bella Swan. Marginally better but nowhere near what I wanted.

[zakkrusz]

Well, some of my favorite bands are:

Kamelot
Within Temptation
Nightwish
Rise Against
Judas Priest
Evanescence
Breaking Benjamin
Red Psykosonik
Hyde
Stabbing Westward
MELL
Linkin Park

I like pretty much anything, though I listen to hard rock, power metal, and industrial metal the most.

[Pingfah]

Zion Ravescene wrote:

---

Incidentally, I posted this in our Lounge this evening: find out what your music stereotype is...

http://labs.echonest.com/stereotypes/

That is completely stupid.

I put Queen, Ry Cooder, Stone Temple Pilots, Bjork, The Cult and Janelle Monae, and it says I am a True Grunger

Because I put STP presumably, who aren't even a grunge band. Certainly none of the others are.

[trekkiebaggio]

Admiral M wrote:

---

Seriously though, does anyone actually REALLY like classic music?

Yep, although it's pretty daunting to get into. Fortunately there's a range which is pretty much a 'greatest hits' collection for each composer. So far I think Dvorak is my favourite.

That stereotype quiz was a bit of a let down, I put loads in but it seemed to take about 4 bands and made my stereotype from that.

[Pingfah]

What was your stereotype?

Rock 'n Roller?

[trekkiebaggio]

Staredad Because of Queen, The Beatles and Zeppelin apparantly...

[Zion Ravescene]

trekkiebaggio wrote:

---

Yep, although it's pretty daunting to get into. Fortunately there's a range which is pretty much a 'greatest hits' collection for each composer. So far I think Dvorak is my favourite.

It's not easy to know where to start with classical music. I suppose it could be as easy as choosing a composer or a period of classical music you like, look around that body of work, and take off from there.

There are classical music compilation albums out there as well, showing some of the very best classical music and operatic works, for those looking to start from scratch - a family friend of ours borrowed our copy of "The Best Classical Music in the World... EVER!" in order to start his interest, for example.

Some even got into it from listening to other sources, like the "Hooked On Classics" series (although personally I find that series rather cheesy, and never really liked it ). The soundtrack to Sid Meier's Civilization IV features a lot of Western classical music, which progresses as you go through the various eras of the game, from early plainchant through to works from composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and eventually John Adams.

I took musical instrument lessons at school, so I was introduced to Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin from my teachers while learning the piano and violin. Interestingly, my classical music interests began roughly with the Baroque and early Classical eras, and, as I grew up, it later evolved into loving the classical music of the early to mid 20th Century.

The early classical music, especially works by JS Bach, appeal to me on an intellectual basis, while later works by the likes of Elgar, Dvorak, Shostakovich and Rachmaninov appeal to my emotional core. Beethoven will always be my favourite, though.

The Proms concerts showcase all sorts of classical music including non-European and non-Western works, and from all eras, although there seems to be a particular focus on classical and orchestral music of the last 100 years or so, including brand new compositions. These concerts might be a good starting-off point for getting into contemporary classical music.

[trekkiebaggio]

Zion Ravescene wrote:

---

It's not easy to know where to start with classical music. I suppose it could be as easy as choosing a composer or a period of classical music you like, look around that body of work, and take off from there.

That's what I basically did at first. I looked on youtube and just clicked on random videos. Amazon is good where you can sample 30 seconds of a song off a cd, so you can get some impression as to what the music is like.

I do find it hard to remember the names of pieces of music though.

And yeah, Civ IV does have great background music!