Today we go inside the framework of my iPod (note: shuffle is being used on iTunes as it has a larger library) and see what happens when songs come on shuffle. No filter, though I will be refraining from posting any of the same artists if they pop up back to back, no filler. Let the music play. Click the song titles for links to the songs.
1. The Ink Spots - "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire"
Despite being caught completely off guard by this song popping up first, I could not be any more pleased. While the song itself does not represent what I usually listen to while consuming music, the connection to Fallout 3, one of my favorite games, is both the reason it is on my iTunes and one of the reasons where my love is found. As a song this does make for some nice and easy listening. The world needs more crooners, and I need to listen to more music from The Ink Spots. Additionally, the Fallout 3 soundtrack has to be one of the best video game soundtracks ever assembled.
2. Miley Cyrus - "What's Not To Like"
That's more representative, certainly according to my last.fm account. This one comes from the soundtrack for Hannah Montana: The Movie, though as far as I know this song is performed under the Miley Cyrus name rather than the Hannah Montana pseudonym, which bodes well because the Hannah Montana name usually does not produce Miley's best music. To answer the song's title, there is a bit not to like about this one, especially when stacked up against the movie's iconic "The Climb" though I don't have the mind to complain about what is, at the very least, a damn fun song even if it does not highlight Miley's best musical talents. As a side note, this makes me two for two in songs from soundtracks rather than albums. I don't own that many soundtracks.
3. Atmosphere - "A Girl Named Hope"
Slug is a storyteller, which is odd because so many of his songs are so incredibly personal. This one certainly does not seem any less so, but taking these experiences and making them compelling narratives are what great writers create, and its certainly what Slug and many of his contemporaries are able to accomplish. This one is a nice, more melancholic, but allows Slug to showcase his signature flow. And those lyrics, they are packed with some wonderful images at the very end.
4. Bob Dylan - "Joey"
When you ask me who are the five greatest musicians of all time I will answer, quite easily: Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, and Dylan. While this epic is not the lengthy song I would pick as my favorite Dylan tune, actually it wouldn't even make a shortlist, it displays some of the elements that make Desire a wonderful record, and of course the voice is infinitely iconic. Though I would not pick this as my favorite song, it does demonstrate Dylan's ability to carry a single thread throughout a song, perhaps acting as a modern day Milton or Homer. It's not as dreamy as I tend to go for in the Dylan I listen to, and it doesn't have the narrative pull of "Hurricane" or "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carrol" though the final few verses become damn fine listening, making for a somber conclusion that serves as a testament to Dylan's poetic proficiency.
5. Slim Thug ft. Lil Ray - "Strippers"
More hip-hop, this time braggadocio. No place does braggadocio than Houston, and though I don't listen to all that much Slim Thug, and even less Lil Ray, this song is not as generic as it should be, which is good. It has a chopped and screwed chorus, shout outs to forgotten acts, and a lot of patriarchal comments demeaning the fairer sex. That scene has been faltering for a while, in no small part because Chamillionaire and Magno have gone silent, but I have a large pair of nostalgia glasses that keep me checking back to see what will eventually, with any hope, recapture that charm.
6. The Beatles - "Not A Second Time"
So many songs and The Beatles are what the shuffle says, huh? A testament to how much library cleaning I do, this song showcases the Beach Boys-lite vibe that most Beatles songs come with such as harmonies, fluffy and hollow lyrics, and simplistic instrumentals. Yuck. I need to stop before I blow my obligatory white college male cred.
7. the Mountain Goats - "Masher"
Now that, that's more what I am looking for. John Darnielle is American's greatest living poet, plain and simple, and that even means that he is above Dylan. Songs that should serve as vignettes, brief glimpses, are fully formed beasts that are stunningly beautiful. This one, well we all lose control at times. Not my favorite song from this record, but a testament to the songwriting chops that Darnielle brings. Rhymes that are simplistic, but enough meathpor and repetition to make rhyme a secondary focus of the song. As it concludes you hear the guitar being strummed harder, the frustration building, the beauty popping. And all the world is swallowed.
8. the Mountain Goats - "Southwood Plantation Road" to be replaced with...
Atmosphere - "Commodities" to be replaced with...
Demi Lovato - "U Got Nothin' On Me"
For all intents and purposes the English major in me should detest this song because of the choice to replace "you" with "U," because you're better than that, Demi. This second record, I once wrote, is a damn fine piece of pop from what is easily the most talented singer Disney has ever produced. Not the highlight of the CD, it does still allow for enough alterations between highs and lows for Demi to excel. The shifts from verse to chorus are wonderful, the backup shouts work to enhance the albeit simplistic, theme of the song and enhance the emotion that Demi brings to all of her songs. And when it slows down, and the instruments become minimal, Demi shines.
9. The Beatles - "I've Just Seen A Face" (seriously!?!) to be replaced with...
Weezer - "Take Control"
There was a point where Weezer sort of faltered. Or at least that is what critics tell me, and while a few of their albums are not all completely solid from top to bottom there are still gems in each one waiting to be discovered until you catch up with their two most recent stunning records. This song is pretty middling, it does not let Rivers exist at his best from a lyrical perspective and is too instrumentally heavy for my tastes, but it's listenable, I suppose. Of all the Weezer I don't know why this one would have been drawn.
10. James Blake - "Lindisfarne II"
Is there a better way to end this post than with James Blake? This song is best when paired with the first part, though of the two parts this is the one I prefer. What I love about Blake is that, while his lyrics are minimal and he uses his voice a bit more like an instrument than anything else, I can understand the sound progression that he makes in a song and from track to track. I don't get instruments and musical theory, Blake makes it tangible. The bumps come in slow. They take over. Blake returns. I simply bathe in the sounds, the senses, the stimulation. So beautiful.
And that, very briefly, is a look inside the inner workings of my iTunes library. There is a commonly held conception that music represents a person, that they are defined by the music. Well if that is true then I hope you learned something about me. Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading.
Tomorrow's Topic: Goals
Rich
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Day 1 - Introduction, Photo, and 15 Fascinating Facts
Introductions, some say, are the most important impression that you can make on a person. After about twenty seconds, perhaps less, minds are already made up, a person knows how they feel about you, whether you are going to be friends, if they'll remember who you are, even if you are going to see him or her naked. Statistics are dumb, and so are introductions. I am probably judgmental, but I like to think that I do not make such judgments as such a rapid pace.
As for my introduction I suppose that I can say my name is Rich Thorne, and I could say that I have lived in the state of New Jersey for the entirety of my life. In fact, I've lived on the same plot of land the entirety of my life. I'm not sure if I should be proud of that fact or not. I go to college in New Jersey as well, at The College of New Jersey. And I'm a senior, though I might be around this area for another year or so finishing up some Masters in English work. I'm 21 years of age. Here is a photograph (not really, photographs don't really exist anymore) of me taken a few minutes earlier:
Part of this entry is meant to be dedicated to fifteen interesting, or perhaps fascinating, facts about me. I am glad this is attached to this introductory post because I think whoever is reading this, whether you be a close friend, a family member, a stranger, an acquaintance, or in some middle ground I can mostly assure that you will find at least one - most likely more - detail that you did not know. If that is of value to you I cannot very well say, but if you have made it this far in what is very likely to be one of the longer posts of this process I would guess we have a mutual interest in the subject. Voyeurism, vanity, morbid curiosity, interest, they all exist on the same plane. The same Aeroplane...over the Sea. Neutral Milk Hotel reference! Love it!
1. I am an addict
Not in any traditional sense, or no more than any other person probably. I think I am addicted to culture, which is good because the concept is so abstract and undefinable it makes partaking in this addiction as easy as breathing. Films, games, literature, music, art. Lily Allen says in "The Fear" that "I am a weapon of massive consumption, and it's not my fault that's how I'm programmed to function." While the context is not nearly the same I find myself drawn back tot his line almost every day. Such beauty, such simplicity, so American.
2. I have a vice
An animation vice to be exact. I cannot think of a more enjoyable art form. Well, I suppose video games, but those are all animated in some variety as well. On the surface I don't think that this fact is all that startling, or interesting, but despite my love for animation in general I think my affinity for anime is mostly concealed. For some reason this seems to operate in a realm outside that of American animation, it's mocked and ridiculed, something I need to keep hidden, to be ashamed of, but when it comes down to it Satoshi Kon was one of the many great modern artists. Death Note is, at least early on, story telling at its finest. Hell, even Miyazaki has his place.
3. I've hit the bottom
Thrice in the past two months or so, in fact. Initially I spiraled in to a pit of near depression, or probably full on if I am honest, and in many ways I do not think I have escaped that sinkhole. I've thought about this before and I probably am depressed, to some extent, but that's part of what makes me me, I think, and there's comfort to be found there. The second time was likely a result of the first, of disillusion. It ended with me being hospitalized. I don't think I'd care to be in a hospital for a long while, maybe. The third time was just a culmination of everything, it still lingers. But slowly everything has picked up, a bit at a time, I'll end up back where I was, I'm sure, but hopefully not so often.
4. My previous career stint
At one point a few years ago I had the notion that anyone could make music. I still retain this belief to an extent, though I have mostly resigned myself to the fact that I am destined to exist in the middle ground. I also really, really, really liked the idea of how MF DOOM plays with the idea of persona in hip-hop, his awareness of the fronts that rappers put on and skewing the perspective of the listener. So why not rap? In hindsight I probably did not make the best partner choice I could have, though there was plenty of talent on both sides, it's just a matter of visions not really meshing. I think we only recorded four songs (here), and the high school me was not quite the writer I currently am, but I can't help but look back lovingly on this endeavor. Was it misguided? Probably. Was it successful? Not in the least. I took the easy way out when writing parts of those songs, but maybe it wasn't all so misguided. I think I'd like to try rapping again.
5. I'm seeing double
Feeling is likely the better word. Or told to feel maybe. I have been told that I am double jointed in my arms because I can turn them around on tables and fold downward. I still think I just have a system and everyone can do it though. I tend to do this when I sit places with desks for long periods of time. For some reason putting my body in awkward positions is calming.
6. Finding my inner child
I think there existed a time where I was more (less?) jaded than I currently am, taking on a dismiss first attitude to most low culture. This was stupid. I could probably watch Disney Channel all day, every day. Nickelodeon too, I guess, though less so. Disney doesn't have commercials, it just has plugs for more Disney Channel shows. It's TV at its finest. I wrote on my older Processed Grass about the declining state of quality on the channel and that upsets me, but as long as I can get re-runs of Wizards, Suite Life, and Sonny I'll keep watching.
7. Collections
I think I have tried to collect many things over the years. Currently I am collecting vinyl records, maybe other things too, but vinyls are the big ticket items it would seem. In the past I have collected cards, shot glasses, DVDs, and other things. The oddest thing I probably collected were plastic bags. Then Ramin Bahrani made a film about plastic bags, and that was beautiful.
8. Recitation
Poetry has been a pretty large part of my life. It's the reason, I think, that I am an English major. When I was younger I had an Encyclopedia Brittanica CD-ROM for the computer. On that CD were a ton of articles which a young me devoured as if a hound starved. My favorite article was, easily, a reading of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven." Towards the end of 1st grade I could basically recite the entirety of the opening parts of the poem. Once I started second grade the next year I could recite the entire poem. I can no longer do that, but Poe remains one of my favorite poets, and I continue to love "The Raven," but as I learn more I occasionally run in to times when we talk about Poe in classes. Not his poems, which is good, but I am afraid that one day we will and I'll find out there is nothing there, and it's a feeling I don't want to lose. It's a pretty heavy connection to my childhood, one of the few I still value. But current me also knows we need to lose these things to keep growing, and one day I fear it's going to be lost, and my childhood with it.
9. Water
No more peace can be found than that of the water. Baths, showers, oceans, lakes (not so much these because I stupidly went swimming with a snapper turtle in my youth), ponds, pools. I love water, it's soothing and calming. There are a couple of times where I think that I nearly drowned, once when I was around this age and once when I was much younger. Those memories are vivid, and that scares me, but I still love the water. I also do not know how to dive despite having a pool at my house my entire life. Additionally, I imagine it would be one of the most fantastic things in the world to meet someone named River.
10. General house keeping
I am the oldest of two children, which means I have one younger sibling, a brother. I also have two parents, though my dad passed away when I was still in elementary school. I'll get in to all of this in the future posts about siblings, family, and parents.
11. Eclectic and Hipsterdom
This word is not very descriptive, but I also think it is one of the best ways to describe myself. Calling back to my cultural obsession I am willing to mostly consume just about anything, as such I have developed a variety of different tastes and tolerances. I've mentioned ties to hip hop, Disney pop, and Brit pop, but that barely scratches the surface. Alternative, indie, underground hip hop, surf rock, progressive, metal, synth pop, dubstep (I don't much know about this because I'm still not sure what James Blake is), and Pitchfork is telling me I need to find out whatever bedroom pop is. Additionally, I think if I had more hair, a better fashion sense, and much less self seriousness I would be a hipster. Additionally, that's a stupid label. But yeah, as of now I like to think I'm just post-ironic, or perhaps post-post-ironic.
12. Where am I?
I am not all that great with directions, my sense of direction is, somewhat comedic and partially ironically, lacking. When I was younger I got in Disney World, which was pretty scary. I've also been lost in Trenton and Philadelphia. And driving home from Philadelphia. And probably other places as well. My brain doesn't work that way, I guess.
13. Lone star
I've never been to Texas, but I have a love for just about anything from Houston, specifically the sports teams. Football is probably my favorite sport and the Texans are easily my favorite franchise out of any sport. While I'm not a huge Astros fan (Go Red Sox!), I can support them, along with the Rockets. It's all about the Texans though, I am probably an unofficial Houston Texans Historian. Each Sunday during the season I spend a few hours watching the arrows on the NFL Gameday or Yahoo app go back and forth, imagining how great it would be to watch the Texans play for real.
14. Communication if confusing
Socially I am not the most developed person, though I try to work on this on a daily basis, and this pretty much frightens me. I don't do well reading non-verbal cues, I tend not to voice my opinions all that well, and sometimes I just feel as if I don't understand people. It shows, I think, and I get worried and anxious most of the time. There are defense mechanisms I have developed to deal with this, but these tend to cause more problems.
15. Concealment
This goes along with number 14 pretty well. I tend not to show it too well when I enjoy myself, and I think sometimes I convince myself that most things are not enjoyable, but that rarely turns out to be the case. I have a theory that the world is filled mostly with what should be labeled as pessimists, but are called optimists. These people have an overabundance of pessimism, which causes low expectations that are always exceeded, so they always appear happy. Then there are people who, like me, are filled with optimism and are usually let down, which is misconstrued as pessimism. That's a pretty pessimistic view though, I suppose. The world is a funny place.
So until tomorrow, thanks for reading and if you feel so inclined I would love to hear what you think is the most interesting fact below. Something you learned or did not know. That brings a smile to my face, or something similar anyway.
Rich
As for my introduction I suppose that I can say my name is Rich Thorne, and I could say that I have lived in the state of New Jersey for the entirety of my life. In fact, I've lived on the same plot of land the entirety of my life. I'm not sure if I should be proud of that fact or not. I go to college in New Jersey as well, at The College of New Jersey. And I'm a senior, though I might be around this area for another year or so finishing up some Masters in English work. I'm 21 years of age. Here is a photograph (not really, photographs don't really exist anymore) of me taken a few minutes earlier:
Part of this entry is meant to be dedicated to fifteen interesting, or perhaps fascinating, facts about me. I am glad this is attached to this introductory post because I think whoever is reading this, whether you be a close friend, a family member, a stranger, an acquaintance, or in some middle ground I can mostly assure that you will find at least one - most likely more - detail that you did not know. If that is of value to you I cannot very well say, but if you have made it this far in what is very likely to be one of the longer posts of this process I would guess we have a mutual interest in the subject. Voyeurism, vanity, morbid curiosity, interest, they all exist on the same plane. The same Aeroplane...over the Sea. Neutral Milk Hotel reference! Love it!
1. I am an addict
Not in any traditional sense, or no more than any other person probably. I think I am addicted to culture, which is good because the concept is so abstract and undefinable it makes partaking in this addiction as easy as breathing. Films, games, literature, music, art. Lily Allen says in "The Fear" that "I am a weapon of massive consumption, and it's not my fault that's how I'm programmed to function." While the context is not nearly the same I find myself drawn back tot his line almost every day. Such beauty, such simplicity, so American.
2. I have a vice
An animation vice to be exact. I cannot think of a more enjoyable art form. Well, I suppose video games, but those are all animated in some variety as well. On the surface I don't think that this fact is all that startling, or interesting, but despite my love for animation in general I think my affinity for anime is mostly concealed. For some reason this seems to operate in a realm outside that of American animation, it's mocked and ridiculed, something I need to keep hidden, to be ashamed of, but when it comes down to it Satoshi Kon was one of the many great modern artists. Death Note is, at least early on, story telling at its finest. Hell, even Miyazaki has his place.
3. I've hit the bottom
Thrice in the past two months or so, in fact. Initially I spiraled in to a pit of near depression, or probably full on if I am honest, and in many ways I do not think I have escaped that sinkhole. I've thought about this before and I probably am depressed, to some extent, but that's part of what makes me me, I think, and there's comfort to be found there. The second time was likely a result of the first, of disillusion. It ended with me being hospitalized. I don't think I'd care to be in a hospital for a long while, maybe. The third time was just a culmination of everything, it still lingers. But slowly everything has picked up, a bit at a time, I'll end up back where I was, I'm sure, but hopefully not so often.
4. My previous career stint
At one point a few years ago I had the notion that anyone could make music. I still retain this belief to an extent, though I have mostly resigned myself to the fact that I am destined to exist in the middle ground. I also really, really, really liked the idea of how MF DOOM plays with the idea of persona in hip-hop, his awareness of the fronts that rappers put on and skewing the perspective of the listener. So why not rap? In hindsight I probably did not make the best partner choice I could have, though there was plenty of talent on both sides, it's just a matter of visions not really meshing. I think we only recorded four songs (here), and the high school me was not quite the writer I currently am, but I can't help but look back lovingly on this endeavor. Was it misguided? Probably. Was it successful? Not in the least. I took the easy way out when writing parts of those songs, but maybe it wasn't all so misguided. I think I'd like to try rapping again.
5. I'm seeing double
Feeling is likely the better word. Or told to feel maybe. I have been told that I am double jointed in my arms because I can turn them around on tables and fold downward. I still think I just have a system and everyone can do it though. I tend to do this when I sit places with desks for long periods of time. For some reason putting my body in awkward positions is calming.
6. Finding my inner child
I think there existed a time where I was more (less?) jaded than I currently am, taking on a dismiss first attitude to most low culture. This was stupid. I could probably watch Disney Channel all day, every day. Nickelodeon too, I guess, though less so. Disney doesn't have commercials, it just has plugs for more Disney Channel shows. It's TV at its finest. I wrote on my older Processed Grass about the declining state of quality on the channel and that upsets me, but as long as I can get re-runs of Wizards, Suite Life, and Sonny I'll keep watching.
7. Collections
I think I have tried to collect many things over the years. Currently I am collecting vinyl records, maybe other things too, but vinyls are the big ticket items it would seem. In the past I have collected cards, shot glasses, DVDs, and other things. The oddest thing I probably collected were plastic bags. Then Ramin Bahrani made a film about plastic bags, and that was beautiful.
8. Recitation
Poetry has been a pretty large part of my life. It's the reason, I think, that I am an English major. When I was younger I had an Encyclopedia Brittanica CD-ROM for the computer. On that CD were a ton of articles which a young me devoured as if a hound starved. My favorite article was, easily, a reading of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven." Towards the end of 1st grade I could basically recite the entirety of the opening parts of the poem. Once I started second grade the next year I could recite the entire poem. I can no longer do that, but Poe remains one of my favorite poets, and I continue to love "The Raven," but as I learn more I occasionally run in to times when we talk about Poe in classes. Not his poems, which is good, but I am afraid that one day we will and I'll find out there is nothing there, and it's a feeling I don't want to lose. It's a pretty heavy connection to my childhood, one of the few I still value. But current me also knows we need to lose these things to keep growing, and one day I fear it's going to be lost, and my childhood with it.
9. Water
No more peace can be found than that of the water. Baths, showers, oceans, lakes (not so much these because I stupidly went swimming with a snapper turtle in my youth), ponds, pools. I love water, it's soothing and calming. There are a couple of times where I think that I nearly drowned, once when I was around this age and once when I was much younger. Those memories are vivid, and that scares me, but I still love the water. I also do not know how to dive despite having a pool at my house my entire life. Additionally, I imagine it would be one of the most fantastic things in the world to meet someone named River.
10. General house keeping
I am the oldest of two children, which means I have one younger sibling, a brother. I also have two parents, though my dad passed away when I was still in elementary school. I'll get in to all of this in the future posts about siblings, family, and parents.
11. Eclectic and Hipsterdom
This word is not very descriptive, but I also think it is one of the best ways to describe myself. Calling back to my cultural obsession I am willing to mostly consume just about anything, as such I have developed a variety of different tastes and tolerances. I've mentioned ties to hip hop, Disney pop, and Brit pop, but that barely scratches the surface. Alternative, indie, underground hip hop, surf rock, progressive, metal, synth pop, dubstep (I don't much know about this because I'm still not sure what James Blake is), and Pitchfork is telling me I need to find out whatever bedroom pop is. Additionally, I think if I had more hair, a better fashion sense, and much less self seriousness I would be a hipster. Additionally, that's a stupid label. But yeah, as of now I like to think I'm just post-ironic, or perhaps post-post-ironic.
12. Where am I?
I am not all that great with directions, my sense of direction is, somewhat comedic and partially ironically, lacking. When I was younger I got in Disney World, which was pretty scary. I've also been lost in Trenton and Philadelphia. And driving home from Philadelphia. And probably other places as well. My brain doesn't work that way, I guess.
13. Lone star
I've never been to Texas, but I have a love for just about anything from Houston, specifically the sports teams. Football is probably my favorite sport and the Texans are easily my favorite franchise out of any sport. While I'm not a huge Astros fan (Go Red Sox!), I can support them, along with the Rockets. It's all about the Texans though, I am probably an unofficial Houston Texans Historian. Each Sunday during the season I spend a few hours watching the arrows on the NFL Gameday or Yahoo app go back and forth, imagining how great it would be to watch the Texans play for real.
14. Communication if confusing
Socially I am not the most developed person, though I try to work on this on a daily basis, and this pretty much frightens me. I don't do well reading non-verbal cues, I tend not to voice my opinions all that well, and sometimes I just feel as if I don't understand people. It shows, I think, and I get worried and anxious most of the time. There are defense mechanisms I have developed to deal with this, but these tend to cause more problems.
15. Concealment
This goes along with number 14 pretty well. I tend not to show it too well when I enjoy myself, and I think sometimes I convince myself that most things are not enjoyable, but that rarely turns out to be the case. I have a theory that the world is filled mostly with what should be labeled as pessimists, but are called optimists. These people have an overabundance of pessimism, which causes low expectations that are always exceeded, so they always appear happy. Then there are people who, like me, are filled with optimism and are usually let down, which is misconstrued as pessimism. That's a pretty pessimistic view though, I suppose. The world is a funny place.
So until tomorrow, thanks for reading and if you feel so inclined I would love to hear what you think is the most interesting fact below. Something you learned or did not know. That brings a smile to my face, or something similar anyway.
Rich
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