I cannot even fathom why I love this so much. I kind of hate it I love it that much. It’s a Korean pop group called Girls Generation. Something in me makes me think that the ‘girl’ part of their name should be possessive not plural but whatever. There’s NINE girls in that group. Every time I watch this beloved video of mine, I usually wander off in thought half-way through. Do they all like each other? I wouldn’t be able to get nine girls in a room and be absolutely certain they would be able to sing, dance and tour together. I wonder if the cattiness that poisons our drinking water is the same over in Asialand. Hmmm…
One day I woke up and realized… October 4, 2008
My taste in music has always been somewhat different from my outward persona. I’m loud, crude and I think borderline autistic with my horrid social skills. Too honest too fast, too forward, and not outwardly enthusiastic about anything. But I’m not about to analyze my social skills because I’m sure much more goes on that I’m blind to so why bother. So back to my music.
I like mellow, calming music that’s still loud and full. I fall asleep to classical music and while listening to Claire De Lune one night, high out of my mind I watched the song and saw the story unfold in front of me. It was super intense. I don’t really listen to lyrics, I like melodies and beats. While I don’t really care what they’re singing about the voice has to be able to melt into all the other sounds. Even if it’s a unique voice it can still find itself a niche in the rhythms and beats. I mean, I sing along and enjoy a great line, but it’s by no means a deal breaker in liking a song. But when a voice is filled with feeling and emotion that can absolutely make the song.
Muse has been one of my favorite bands, if not the favorite band, for about six years now. They sound so full and rich and big. And then when it’s a light, romantic song it is perfectly pretty. It’s beautiful music. Their lyrics on such songs can be so big and mean so much. They look at things in a different light and its always cool to listen to something and be like, “Huh, I never thought of it like that before”. I like them so much I don’t feel like any description I can give would justify the kind of stupor I fall into whenever I hear their music. One time I was getting food inbetween classes and on a TV in the food area, Muse came on with a song I’ve never heard before. I just stood there and watched the entire thing. Actually, quite a few people were watching. Amazing band.
I don’t know exactly what genre Muse falls besides ‘extreme awesomeness’ into but I listen to a whole bunch of what I would call ambient indie-pop. Doves, Ambulance LTD, As Tall As Lions, Death Cab For Cutie, The Stills, Keane, it is an endless list. Stuff that is great to listen to while studying or doing productive things. You know you don’t have to skip songs because they map out CDs with perfection and every song is great. Sometimes it can get depressing but it’s not like the whole CD is a “woe is me, my life is horrible” pity party. Isn’t really high energy but enough that you can feel the beat and still get in a groove. The worst part about listening to this kind of music is that there isn’t a huge audience for it. The Stills are a great band but their sophomore album charted the first week but then fell off the face of the earth. I’ve been to their website recently and it hasn’t been updated in a long time. It just sucks that some of these bands have such a short life because they just aren’t heard. I think if everyone listened to them they would be huge. I love them so, of course I have to say that.
Other bands that I listen to I kind of fell into. These are the ones that someone turned me on to or I just so happened to hear them somewhere and liked. Kind of all over the place, genre-wise, but definitely high-energy. I first listened to Interpol while walking through Victoria Station in London and now forever equate a Brooklyn band with that trip. We Are Scientists were first introduced as a funny band website and they have pretty good music. They give a good live show too. I’ve been listening to Modest Mouse since high school but didn’t really get into them until the end of college. While in Florida I would listen to We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank everyday on the way to work. It’s hard listening to mellow music and then be excited to work so I tend to stick this kind of music. What got me off the MM kick was Kate Nash. Simple music and melodies that lend themselves to cunny, witty lyrics. It’s not often you listen to music and smirk at a lyric about a boyfriend that’s being, and I quote, “a dickhead”. Bloc Party and Arctic Monkeys I feel go hand in hand, if you listen to one you have to listen to the other. Speaking of, I completely lost my copy of the single Brianstorm. Is it still illegal to download it if I did buy it at one point? Lately I’ve been listening to Shwayze, the kind of rap I feel is made for white people (lolz).
Sometimes I feel like I listen to the obvious choices of everyone that listens to that kind of music. Like if I was to go to an Interpol concert it would be people like me and then the people that are really into them and can name ten other bands they listen to that are like Interpol. Like, Interpol is an obvious choice to listen to but you aren’t really cool unless you listen to band x and band y that are just like Interpol but lesser known thus infinitely cooler. It’s a silly fear or whatever but feeling like a poser never feels good. I think that may be why when people ask me what kind of music I listen to, it’s a hard question. What if I say a band and then they’re all like, “OMG I love them! Do you listen to _____ too? I think they’re both such great bands, I’m going to see them in concert next month!” God that frightens me for some reason. Someone should just write LOSER on my forehead.
I do think I pigeon hole myself a lot when it comes to music. Unless a single strikes me, or someone urges me to listen to something I just don’t. I don’t listen to the radio since its filled with filth and it’s not like MTV or VH1 play videos at a reasonable hour. I used to watch Subterranean on MTV2 to find new music. Now I have become a scavenger and because of that I don’t really try to hard. I know I like Doves, so I see who they tour with. When I buy a Muse CD on Amazon.com I look to see what it recommends. But that’s pretty much it. Listening to the same sound, kind of gives me a sixth sense to pick up bands that sound like what I like. It isn’t too often I hear something and think, “Wow that’s different maybe I should give them a try”. I do listen to singles by people/bands but then never think to hear more. I just don’t want to grow into one of those old people that yells at the young whippersnappers to turn down their devil music. Yuck, a horrible way to turn out.
Musical insecurities are silly. I love the music I listen to and when it comes down to it, that is all that matters. If I’m not keeping up with trends or friends that’s just fine. Not everyone has the same ear and that’s awesome. Music is my love. Can’t go a day without it.::cue the stupid less than three heart::
