Well, It’s no secret about my love for music, so I have a lengthy the list of musical acts I’d love to see live. Oh boy to narrow it down is the hardest. If I must…
First and foremost, Yellowcard or Switchfoot. These are the first bands that I feel in love with. You could say they were the beginning of it all. My start of my very own musical journey. They were the fuel, well technically I was already addicted to music but it was them that catapulted the obsession to so much more. It’s because of this that I’ve always loved lyrics.
Secondly, ugh once again a tie between Blink 182 and Fall Out Boy. While Blink is more of a possibility since they are back together again. Yay! Yes I was heartbroken when I found out that they were on break. I still have my fingers crossed for FOB, because technically it’s a hiatus.
Lastly, Avenged Sevenfold. This is purely because I promised a friend of mine that we would see Avenged Sevenfold, and we would see them together. So seeing A7X with Sara is the goal especially since I have a strict no promise-breaking policy.
Well it’s been a while since I last updated, long story short I had lots to think about and get in order in my life. In that time, I’ve been more along the line of prioritizing and turning off the world and turning up the volume of my Zune.
I always knew that silence was never my friend. No big surprise. I ramble when I’m nervous, create some beat with my feet or fingers when I’m bored, and no simple task accomplished without some sort of playlist I have concocted. You think I kid. I have a chilling playlist as well as a laundry playlist that I listened to while living in the dorms last year when it came that time of the week to empty out the hamper. I had to pass time somehow and make climbing up to the fourth floor and down less miserable. What’s next on my agenda? A playlist for when I have to do chores around the house.
The big conclusion I came up with is that silence terrifies me. I see it haunting and suffocating. I have to constantly be surrounded by sound to make me feel at ease. When silence consumes my environment I feel paranoid, as if some person is watching, hearing. It’s enough to make my utter disgust triggered body seizures. You know when you have to physically shake out the bad juju within one’s body. Yes I truly feel this way.
My remedy to my less than pleasant feeling silence gives me, drown it out with my music blasting as loud as I can jam it or let some random channel be my white noise. I prefer unnecessary disturbance to utter silence.
Constantly stuck with two earphones stuffed into my ears, that’s how the world sees me. Everyone that knows me well, is well aware of my need to always be listening to music. Turn it low and be the background noise while you converse with your friends. Silence was never my friend it is overwhelming as John Cage can attest to.
Music is anything and everything we hear, but for me I love listening to just a six string or a piano and some beautiful lyrics. What’s better to listen to while you chill in the living room or lay on the bed on your feeling-lazy days? Well of course the stripped to the bare minimum kind. I have a long list of songs I love that are merely guitar and vocals, which include Higgenson’s A Lonely September and Jaime Preciado’s I’m The Secret. Aside from the purposely acoustic songs, I tend to appreciate the acoustic version that bands put out of their singles. It’s like that costume jewelry that was your favorite and abused daily in your outfits for the week, then a new trend comes and it finds its way to the back. One day you’re cleaning out your jewelry box and you pull it out and breathe new life into it as you brush the dust off. For me an acoustic version of a full band single gives you a new perspective to the beauty of the lyrics without distraction.
Several months ago, someone turned me to Kaile Goh‘s song Gold. I originally heard the acoustic version done by Paul Dateh and Ken Belcher. While the song is not only acoustic guitar and vocals, I feel the violin gives it a nicer sound, more soft. I love it especially when it comes in before the chorus. So beautiful. The song is enough to make me envious of the fact that I don’t know to play the violin. While I love the full band, I rather hear the acoustic version. However, full band is nice for live music especially since it’s nice to jam to. I’m thinking I found another song that I could listen to while doing chores.
If you go to her YouTube page while no one can do Adele’s music like Adele can, you can watch Kaile rock out on the bass in the beginning of her cover of Muse’s Hysteria. She does well on Pink’s Perfect, Pink’s styling seems is a perfect fit with Kaile’s voice. In the midst of all the cover’s you’ll find Kaile’s original Last Goodbye. Her sound is a reminder of girl fronted bands I love, like Lillix and Fefe Dobson (her early stuff like from the Perfect Score soundtrack). I can’t help but root for the girls who are in the alternative scene, so I urge you to give a listen to her covers and originals, you might find a gem. Plus there’s plenty of acoustic videos she puts out on her channel, and acoustic makes for a very happy me. So go on and listen…right now!
I’ve never been into the Disney musical acts. Jonas brothers never made me squeal, the were just like any band of the moment, nothing special. Selena Gomez should just act, I remember stumbling across a video of her singing with Forever the Sickest Kids and I was not impressed, I thought her voice was to fixed and messed with. She doesn’t have a strong enough singing voice, I’m sure she can hold a note, just it’s very low and weak, almost like she doesn’t completely believe in her voice. Miley should neither sing or act, and that is my not so humble opinion. What can I say the songs just never awoken anything in me, while Miley’s songs have good lyrics her voice just doesn’t fit the song. There’s no passion or emotion while she’s singing, I feel numb which isn’t the way I want to feel when I listen to music. Nope, not at all. Okay end of my mini rant.
I don’t completely loathe them and I’m sure that their fans adore them to no end and their music speaks to them, it just hasn’t hit me the same way. I am in no way dissing anyone’s musical taste because they listen to them, in fact I applaud them for listening to something at all. Just because I have not been influenced by them doesn’t mean others aren’t and I’m sure these people are genuinely good and are amazing people, they’re just not my cup of tea music wise.
With that said, I scrutinize all musical acts not just the ones mentioned. I begin with the lyrics and then whether the singer conveys emotion. If the lyrics are good, then I listen to the sound of the voice, if it doesn’t match the feel of the song then I’m never listening to it again. So a couple of weeks someone posted Demi’s new song Skyscraper. I must say I was thoroughly impressed and while I think she over acts and opens her mouth too much, but hey John Mayer makes funny faces and I still love most of his songs. I actually really like this song. I have listened to it on repeat a bit this past weekend since I liked the tune so much I decided to buy the song and add to my music collection.
Since lyrics are what get me hook, line and sinker, I specifically love the following verse:
As the smoke clears I awaken, and untangle you from me Would it make you, feel better to watch me while I bleed? All my windows, still are broken But I’m standing on my feet
I of course love the chorus, but most people love the catchy melody of a song. The bridge is pretty catchy as well too. I just love the song.
I admit, that I am pleasantly surprised by Ms. Lovato‘s current single. It is very moving and I relate to the topic. My father’s family have always been the type to want to break you and kick you when you’re down, it was a bleak time in my young and impressionable preteen years where I sulked in my misery and self loathe. It wasn’t until my early teen years when I came to terms with my flaws and quirks when I finally clawed my way out of that dark period in my life. In the end, if I let them break me down and try not to bounce back that they were winning and I was losing. I found my voice and learned to weed out the bad in my life.
It’s a beautiful song and I’m glad I actually gave it a chance despite Demi being associated with Disney channel. Give it a listen if only for the inner angst-ridden teen in you that needs a lift every once in a while.
What’s the best way to listen to a song? No the real question is how’s the best way to appreciate music. Yay. That’s more like it.
Headphones? No, headphones serve as a necessary way of listening to music. It’s more like a last resort. A way to shut the noise of the outside world, or to block out the noise when the radio on the family road trip gets redundant. Headphones are what make listening to music in public okay, respectful of those around you. They are necessary for bus rides and passing time in between classes. But headphones don’t hold any sort of power, entertainment but no experience.
Speakers? A little better than headphones, a way to appreciate the heavier stuff or give you breathing room for the easy listening music that we all have. Or if you’re like me they are perfect for when you have to do chores around the house. Plug in your Zune and blast the crap out of all you catchy, billboard 100 stuff. It’s better than headphones but anyone can let loose when they are not confined to one place. Who wants to sit still when they don’t have to.
The only way to test the jamming ability of a song is to blast it in your car stereo. Suddenly the steering becomes your makeshift drum kit and for a moment you believe you can belt out those high notes. Jamming ability in a car tells how awesome a song is, all done within the confines of your own seat.
The only thing that would beat the mobile stage is the real stage. Then again nothing beats live music, it’s in your face no apologies, surrounds you and allows you to let go if only for an hour or two. I have learned that a song seems to have new meaning the moment you suddenly feel revived and stirs something inside you to let you know that you weren’t really living.
Just my humble or rather my very factual opinion. Oh me!
