Geekoid's World of Music

Trollheart · 08-16-2012, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geekoid

[IMG]
And of course, you can't really talk about Scandinavian music without metal. One of the more popular acts from the Faroese Islands is Týr, a viking metal band. If you're interested in that kind of thing, metal fans seem to think they're something special, so they might be worth checking out.

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They are. Here's one of their songs.

Geekoid · 08-17-2012, 03:36 PM

lol. I don't get the appeal myself, but to leave them out would be depriving people of all the Viking splendor that is Týr

Geekoid · 08-17-2012, 09:17 PM

_____________________________________

The Knife : Tomorrow, In A Year (2010)

PREREQUISITES:

Curiosity: This album deals with scientific themes and may require outside research.
Patience: This album is on the long side, and use of instruments is highly experimental.
Technical Appreciation: This album is probably best enjoyed by people who like to listen to music from a technical standpoint. Audiophiles and such...
Open-Mindedness: This album is for people who are open to hearing something alien or novel, and who aren't turned off by the "weird" factor.

BACKGROUND:

The Knife is one of those acts that I didn't want to get into at first because of all the hype and controversy surrounding them. I can honestly say that I've never been able to fully connect with their musical P.O.V., which often seems abstract, opinionated, and somewhat indulgent.

I was introduced to The Knife by this guy I met online. He's really into the big-name electronic artists on the cutting edge. This is the type of guy who likes artists and groups like Planningtorock and iamamiwhoami. All very streamlined, unusual and intellectual. While I appreciate the amount of intellect and conceptual thinking that goes into those artists' work, their music just doesn't appeal to me- far too "sophisticated," alien, and precise; it makes me feel like I'm sitting in a sterile lab on board a UFO, while Fever Ray sings furiously into a Saturnian microphone shaped like a crystal stalactite.

Beyond that, The Knife's particular style has always come across to me as being too contrived, fussy and pessimistic; with a cutting-edge, futuristic, and somewhat disagreeable style, which doesn't really align with my personal taste very well at all. However, there's the occasional exception to the rule here and there; usually the more vintage-sounding cuts such as "Marble House."

REVIEW:

Created with the help of Mt Sims and Planningtorock, Tomorrow, in a Year is an album which explores the work of Charles Darwin, his observations, studies, and personal life as they relate to his theory of evolution.

Also adapted into a high-concept musical, this is one of the more avant-garde albums released in the past couple of years. Many of the Knife's older fans dislike the album, due to the fact that it lacks its usual lyrical format, and plays around with experimental sounds. I actually prefer this abstract format, as it shows that the Knife can break away from their usual angst-ridden lyrics, and showcase their talent for concept and instrumentation.

To listen to this album, you really need to understand that what you're listening to is, in fact, an electronic opera. It takes patience and focus to understand what it is you're listening to; which I think captures the work of a theoretical scientist quite well. In fact, the odd images and observations that Darwin recorded were used as lyrics throughout, set to an atmosphere which demonstrates both the grandeur of what these observations entail, and the alien nature of living matter viewed at thousands of times magnification.

The album begins with a scintillating introduction, made up of various atmospheric sounds which gather themselves together over the course of the first 4 minutes and 32 seconds. As the drip-drops melt into gentle thunderous noises, which slowly creep in from the edges of the soundscape, I begin to feel my hairs standing on end, one by one. There's a general feeling of suspense, electricity, and solitude, and the listener has a sense that Darwin's world has just begun to materialize.

As the introduction evolves slowly into the intense eeriness of "Epochs," tension begins to build. Eventually, the operatic vocals take their entrance. By this point, the song begins to lull a bit with repetition; and unless I was doing something that required my intense focus while listening at this point, I'd probably begin to drift off a little.

But then, just at the nick of time, in rolls my favorite track of the album, "Geology." The drama heightens, and so does the opera. I've never heard operatic vocals singing so intensely about a scientist's observations before; but in this case it's a hair raising experience. Quite an interesting concept. The thing I like most about this track is its cyclical rising and falling, and the electronic instrumentation that sounds like it's being reeled in and out from a spool. Very different from anything else I've ever heard.

Here are the lyrics for clarity: "A stream of lava formerly flowed over the bed of the sea, triturated recent shells and corals, baked into hard white rock. A precarious matter. I found a curious little stony cellaria. Each cell provided with a long toothed bristle capable of various and rapid motions. Simultaneous, and can be produced by irritation."

Cool stuff if you're into biology and/or physics.

From there, the album's feeling gets even more epic with the onset of "Upheaved," which literally creates the feeling of tectonic forces causing an upheaval, building up to what will become a mountain range.

"Constant earthquakes, the wonderful force which has upheaved these mountains. These countless ages required to have broken through, removed, and leveled the whole mass of them."

"Minerals" is the one that really creeps people out, which admittedly gives me a bit of maniacal pleasure. It jumps out at you when you least expect it. This track is explosive, penetrating, and powerful, and the vocals are manic and intimidating. It's so incredibly electrifying and out-there that the first time I listened to it, I had to keep playing it over and over. It's kind of like a shock of adrenaline in a way.

After "Minerals," the album starts to go downhill for me. The track "Ebb Tide Explorer," is a tad annoying. Very slow and drifting, with the words "egg salmon" and "frame of mind" floating around in a cold soup of electronics. Yuck. It just gets a little too druggy from here on in, and I'm pretty sure Charles Darwin wasn't ever on acid. If I'm wrong, well, I guess I missed something.

"Variation of Birds" is another odd track. A very insightful Youtuber made the point that it can represent the full circle of the evolution of musical inspiration; from birds to humans to synthesizers back to birds. Not that I agree, but it's an interesting concept derived from a conceptual song. The song itself just talks about Darwin's observations of the variation of birds, and maintains that horrid druggy atmosphere, which by this point begins to give me a headache.

"Letter to Henslow" is good if you don't mind the sound of seagulls

, and "Schoal Swarm Orchestra" is merely a collection of sleepy nature sounds and semi-industrial ambience. Pretty boring if you ask me.

On Disc 2, "Annie's Box" is a very popular track with fans, as it sticks with a more traditional operatic format, and sounds like a cinematic piece. But besides the lovely use of violins, this song seems mediocre compared to some other tracks on this album. "Seeds" is probably one of the more conventional and popular songs on Tomorrow in a Year, adding a splash of color and momentum that is much needed at this point. The last 2 songs of the album really test my patience, and once the album is over, I feel like I can breathe again. I think you either really need to appreciate Charles and his ideas or the Knife to really get into it, but they do a good job of paying tribute to his work as a scientist.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

While this album is a touching and unorthodox tribute to Darwin, I think that it will only truly capture fans that are whole-heartedly invested in the overall idea. Most people who have really enjoyed this album have been the ones that are either curious about Darwin's work, or that are willing to put in the time and effort to understand the meaning of each and every song in order to look at the album in context. This is a concept album that requires outside research and prior knowledge in order to be fully appreciated, and therefore, it's going to alienate some people.

That being said, from a purely musical perspective, Tomorrow in a Year offers electronic music fans a chance to embark on an interesting adventure of sorts. There are sonic arrangements on this album that are simply mind-blowing and worth hearing. This "electro-opera" required a lot of research and innovative thinking. What I appreciated most was that the Knife, Mt Sims and Planningtorock were able to irreverently uproot opera- to take it away from its usual aristocratic formality- and just have fun with it; molding it into unusual forms that are startling and dynamic.

If you're like me, you'll be picky about what kinds of sounds you like on this album and which ones you don't, but it's worth a listen or two. Who knows, it may just contain a hidden gem.

_____________________________________

Geekoid · 08-18-2012, 06:40 PM

_____________________________________

This week, I'm taking a trip down to Philly with some warm and fuzzy soul tracks. If there's one kind of soul I like even more than Motown, its The Sound of Philadelphia.

The slick, classically inspired arrangements of Philadelphia soul were the gateway to disco, as it began to come into focus during the 1970s. And what a heartwarming prelude! Philly Soul took the romance and slick arrangements of deep soul, and feathered it up into a brand new sound; easy, breezy, groovy & oh so smooth.

The urban appeal of Philly Soul is my favorite part. I can just imagine myself sitting in an old-fashioned restaurant with a cheese steak in hand and a nice cold Dr.Pepper; the Delfonics playing in the background. This is the type of soul that makes your troubles just float away; and I've got more than just a little admiration for its class and style.

So I've got a few Philly Soul tracks to share. They just might paint a smile across your face and brighten up your day.

Spoiler for 8 tracks of Philly Soul:

_____________________________________

Trollheart · 08-19-2012, 05:51 AM

I'd never consider myself a real soul fan, but man some of those songs brought back memories! I remember listening to the Stylistics (admittedly, it was "You make me feel brand new") on my sister's "hi-fidelity" record player --- you probably remember; basically a case, leather or imitation leather bound, made of wood, huge like maybe a really big 70s amp, with a handle (!) and big knobs for volume, open the lid and the record player was in there, speakers built into the case: fearsome! --- and thinking how amazingly rich and deep the sound of that record was. Think that was my first real experience of great production. Loved the song too, so romantic, and not afraid to show it. Mind you, I used to think it was a girl singing!

As for "When will I see you again", that was one of my all-time favourite songs when I was growing up, and still is. I don't know what it was about that, but between it and the Bee Gee's "Run to me" those songs just made me feel a way that sort of slipped away over the years, but they can still transport me back to those happy times of innocent youth, when I didn't even own a record player and would have to hear my music coming muffled through my sister's door.

Thanks for rekindling those memories!

Edit: found a picture! Ah, that old record player!

Geekoid · 08-19-2012, 05:08 PM

_____________________________________

One of my favorite albums of all time, Amy Grant's Heart in Motion was a legendary and controversial album for Christian music. Released in the summer of 1991, Amy Grant dominated the airwaves; most notably with her hit songs like "Baby Baby," which marked the first time a Christian Contemporary artist ever claimed the top spot on the Billboard charts; "Every Heartbeat" which came in at the #2 spot; and the less successful, yet memorable ballad "That's What Love Is For."

Heart in Motion was one of Amy's favorites to record, and she had a blast writing the songs and appearing in music videos (deemed a little too provocative for a Christian artist). This was before Amy's infamous divorce from her husband, fellow CCM singer Gary Chapman, and represented a kind of high point in her career. The smiling vocals and cheerful melodies she shared on this album have made for some great memories from both Christian and secular audiences.

And that was really the intention of the album to begin with; to put out an few songs that would inspire the masses with optimistic messages and melodies meant to last through the ages. Whether Heart in Motion has passed the test of time or not really depends on who you ask. While it sounds somewhat dated; marked with the undeniable trends of early 90s pop, to many it remains a classic. The messages are simple and approachable, and share Amy's views on love, faith and devotion.

Regardless of those issues, I consider this album to be a timeless classic, even though musically it isn't anything earthshaking. But it showed the world that Amy Grant is a woman of incredible compassion. While this may not be one of her strongest releases (I personally believe "Lead Me On" was her crowning achievement), it manages to fulfill its purpose as a fun pop album. There are few songs I know that are as catchy and delightfully sweet as Every Heartbeat, co-written and produced by the quirky and creative songwriter Charlie Peacock. In all its sugar-coated cheesiness, it still manages to remain one of my favorite songs, among others. I personally think it's much better than "Baby Baby" by a long shot. And judging by the fact that everyone was still head over heels for Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814" at the time (think "Love Will Never Do [Without You]"), it makes sense that this was a hit.

_____________________________________

Geekoid · 08-19-2012, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I'd never consider myself a real soul fan, but man some of those songs brought back memories! I remember listening to the Stylistics (admittedly, it was "You make me feel brand new") on my sister's "hi-fidelity" record player --- you probably remember; basically a case, leather or imitation leather bound, made of wood, huge like maybe a really big 70s amp, with a handle (!) and big knobs for volume, open the lid and the record player was in there, speakers built into the case: fearsome! --- and thinking how amazingly rich and deep the sound of that record was. Think that was my first real experience of great production. Loved the song too, so romantic, and not afraid to show it. Mind you, I used to think it was a girl singing!

As for "When will I see you again", that was one of my all-time favourite songs when I was growing up, and still is. I don't know what it was about that, but between it and the Bee Gee's "Run to me" those songs just made me feel a way that sort of slipped away over the years, but they can still transport me back to those happy times of innocent youth, when I didn't even own a record player and would have to hear my music coming muffled through my sister's door.

Thanks for rekindling those memories!

Edit: found a picture! Ah, that old record player!

You know, that's just how I feel about the 90s. There are just those certain songs that take me back to how things used to feel when I was just a kid. I like to try to imagine what it would be like to have grown up in different time periods, even though I know I could never appreciate the past like the people who actually lived it can. But I still feel a strong connection to "retro" music

That's a nice record player alright! And some great memories. Thanks for sharing.

Trollheart · 08-19-2012, 08:10 PM

Don't know if you're interested, but by coincidence I reviewed Amy's "Lead me on" about this time last year. The Christian flavour to it was a little evident, but didn't turn me off. Great, great album, really loved it. Wasn't so blown away by "Heart in motion" though, seemed a little more poppy/commercial?

The link, in case you want it: http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ml#post1093248

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geekoid

_____________________________________

One of my favorite albums of all time, Amy Grant's Heart in Motion was a legendary and controversial album for Christian music. Released in the summer of 1991, Amy Grant dominated the airwaves; most notably with her hit songs like "Baby Baby," which marked the first time a Christian Contemporary artist ever claimed the top spot on the Billboard charts; "Every Heartbeat" which came in at the #2 spot; and the less successful, yet memorable ballad "That's What Love Is For."

Heart in Motion was one of Amy's favorites to record, and she had a blast writing the songs and appearing in music videos (deemed a little too provocative for a Christian artist). This was before Amy's infamous divorce from her husband, fellow CCM singer Gary Chapman, and represented a kind of high point in her career. The smiling vocals and cheerful melodies she shared on this album have made for some great memories from both Christian and secular audiences.

And that was really the intention of the album to begin with; to put out an few songs that would inspire the masses with optimistic messages and melodies meant to last through the ages. Whether Heart in Motion has passed the test of time or not really depends on who you ask. While it sounds somewhat dated; marked with the undeniable trends of early 90s pop, to many it remains a classic. The messages are simple and approachable, and share Amy's views on love, faith and devotion.

Regardless of those issues, I consider this album to be a timeless classic, even though musically it isn't anything earthshaking. But it showed the world that Amy Grant is a woman of incredible compassion. While this may not be one of her strongest releases (I personally believe "Lead Me On" was her crowning achievement), it manages to fulfill its purpose as a fun pop album. There are few songs I know that are as catchy and delightfully sweet as Every Heartbeat, co-written and produced by the quirky and creative songwriter Charlie Peacock. In all its sugar-coated cheesiness, it still manages to remain one of my favorite songs, among others. I personally think it's much better than "Baby Baby" by a long shot. And judging by the fact that everyone was still head over heels for Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814" at the time (think "Love Will Never Do [Without You]"), it makes sense that this was a hit.

_____________________________________

Blarobbarg · 08-19-2012, 10:22 PM

Ugh. I have a deepseated dislike of Amy Grant. Never liked her. From the time my mother began playing her music to this very day... never liked her, never will.

That said, it's still a great post, as well as all the ones about that I didn't comment on. That Darwinism Electro opera was really, really interesting. Not really my flavor of music, but very interesting.

Geekoid · 08-19-2012, 11:51 PM

Hmm. Didn't realize that review was from this time last year! Interesting. I found it in the album review index, and frankly I was surprised to find any of Amy's music there at all. I actually like your take on Lead Me On. It seems like you were able to appreciate Amy Grant as an artist with her heart in the right place; and the songs you singled out as being quality tracks are actually my favorites from the album.

As for the commercial pop sound, yeah, I'm aware of that. And so is Amy Grant, actually. She likes to kind of joke a little about Heart in Motion. As much as I want to dislike the often shallow mediocrity of commercialized music, it would be somewhat dishonest not to include them in my journal. Like I said in my intro post:

Quote:

You could say I'm primarily a pop fan, and I like a lot of styles of music that people generally consider kitschy, lame, whatever. I take it in stride.

I can't very well go back on my word on that point. Sometimes I just like to indulge in a little bit of fluffy pop now and again

.

08-17-2012, 09:17 PM	#43 (permalink)
Geekoid Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 171	_____________________________________ The Knife : Tomorrow, In A Year (2010) PREREQUISITES: Curiosity: This album deals with scientific themes and may require outside research. Patience: This album is on the long side, and use of instruments is highly experimental. Technical Appreciation: This album is probably best enjoyed by people who like to listen to music from a technical standpoint. Audiophiles and such... Open-Mindedness: This album is for people who are open to hearing something alien or novel, and who aren't turned off by the "weird" factor. BACKGROUND: The Knife is one of those acts that I didn't want to get into at first because of all the hype and controversy surrounding them. I can honestly say that I've never been able to fully connect with their musical P.O.V., which often seems abstract, opinionated, and somewhat indulgent. I was introduced to The Knife by this guy I met online. He's really into the big-name electronic artists on the cutting edge. This is the type of guy who likes artists and groups like Planningtorock and iamamiwhoami. All very streamlined, unusual and intellectual. While I appreciate the amount of intellect and conceptual thinking that goes into those artists' work, their music just doesn't appeal to me- far too "sophisticated," alien, and precise; it makes me feel like I'm sitting in a sterile lab on board a UFO, while Fever Ray sings furiously into a Saturnian microphone shaped like a crystal stalactite. Beyond that, The Knife's particular style has always come across to me as being too contrived, fussy and pessimistic; with a cutting-edge, futuristic, and somewhat disagreeable style, which doesn't really align with my personal taste very well at all. However, there's the occasional exception to the rule here and there; usually the more vintage-sounding cuts such as "Marble House." REVIEW: Created with the help of Mt Sims and Planningtorock, Tomorrow, in a Year is an album which explores the work of Charles Darwin, his observations, studies, and personal life as they relate to his theory of evolution. Also adapted into a high-concept musical, this is one of the more avant-garde albums released in the past couple of years. Many of the Knife's older fans dislike the album, due to the fact that it lacks its usual lyrical format, and plays around with experimental sounds. I actually prefer this abstract format, as it shows that the Knife can break away from their usual angst-ridden lyrics, and showcase their talent for concept and instrumentation. To listen to this album, you really need to understand that what you're listening to is, in fact, an electronic opera. It takes patience and focus to understand what it is you're listening to; which I think captures the work of a theoretical scientist quite well. In fact, the odd images and observations that Darwin recorded were used as lyrics throughout, set to an atmosphere which demonstrates both the grandeur of what these observations entail, and the alien nature of living matter viewed at thousands of times magnification. The album begins with a scintillating introduction, made up of various atmospheric sounds which gather themselves together over the course of the first 4 minutes and 32 seconds. As the drip-drops melt into gentle thunderous noises, which slowly creep in from the edges of the soundscape, I begin to feel my hairs standing on end, one by one. There's a general feeling of suspense, electricity, and solitude, and the listener has a sense that Darwin's world has just begun to materialize. As the introduction evolves slowly into the intense eeriness of "Epochs," tension begins to build. Eventually, the operatic vocals take their entrance. By this point, the song begins to lull a bit with repetition; and unless I was doing something that required my intense focus while listening at this point, I'd probably begin to drift off a little. But then, just at the nick of time, in rolls my favorite track of the album, "Geology." The drama heightens, and so does the opera. I've never heard operatic vocals singing so intensely about a scientist's observations before; but in this case it's a hair raising experience. Quite an interesting concept. The thing I like most about this track is its cyclical rising and falling, and the electronic instrumentation that sounds like it's being reeled in and out from a spool. Very different from anything else I've ever heard. Here are the lyrics for clarity: "A stream of lava formerly flowed over the bed of the sea, triturated recent shells and corals, baked into hard white rock. A precarious matter. I found a curious little stony cellaria. Each cell provided with a long toothed bristle capable of various and rapid motions. Simultaneous, and can be produced by irritation." Cool stuff if you're into biology and/or physics. From there, the album's feeling gets even more epic with the onset of "Upheaved," which literally creates the feeling of tectonic forces causing an upheaval, building up to what will become a mountain range. "Constant earthquakes, the wonderful force which has upheaved these mountains. These countless ages required to have broken through, removed, and leveled the whole mass of them." "Minerals" is the one that really creeps people out, which admittedly gives me a bit of maniacal pleasure. It jumps out at you when you least expect it. This track is explosive, penetrating, and powerful, and the vocals are manic and intimidating. It's so incredibly electrifying and out-there that the first time I listened to it, I had to keep playing it over and over. It's kind of like a shock of adrenaline in a way. After "Minerals," the album starts to go downhill for me. The track "Ebb Tide Explorer," is a tad annoying. Very slow and drifting, with the words "egg salmon" and "frame of mind" floating around in a cold soup of electronics. Yuck. It just gets a little too druggy from here on in, and I'm pretty sure Charles Darwin wasn't ever on acid. If I'm wrong, well, I guess I missed something. "Variation of Birds" is another odd track. A very insightful Youtuber made the point that it can represent the full circle of the evolution of musical inspiration; from birds to humans to synthesizers back to birds. Not that I agree, but it's an interesting concept derived from a conceptual song. The song itself just talks about Darwin's observations of the variation of birds, and maintains that horrid druggy atmosphere, which by this point begins to give me a headache. "Letter to Henslow" is good if you don't mind the sound of seagulls , and "Schoal Swarm Orchestra" is merely a collection of sleepy nature sounds and semi-industrial ambience. Pretty boring if you ask me. On Disc 2, "Annie's Box" is a very popular track with fans, as it sticks with a more traditional operatic format, and sounds like a cinematic piece. But besides the lovely use of violins, this song seems mediocre compared to some other tracks on this album. "Seeds" is probably one of the more conventional and popular songs on Tomorrow in a Year, adding a splash of color and momentum that is much needed at this point. The last 2 songs of the album really test my patience, and once the album is over, I feel like I can breathe again. I think you either really need to appreciate Charles and his ideas or the Knife to really get into it, but they do a good job of paying tribute to his work as a scientist. OVERALL IMPRESSION: While this album is a touching and unorthodox tribute to Darwin, I think that it will only truly capture fans that are whole-heartedly invested in the overall idea. Most people who have really enjoyed this album have been the ones that are either curious about Darwin's work, or that are willing to put in the time and effort to understand the meaning of each and every song in order to look at the album in context. This is a concept album that requires outside research and prior knowledge in order to be fully appreciated, and therefore, it's going to alienate some people. That being said, from a purely musical perspective, Tomorrow in a Year offers electronic music fans a chance to embark on an interesting adventure of sorts. There are sonic arrangements on this album that are simply mind-blowing and worth hearing. This "electro-opera" required a lot of research and innovative thinking. What I appreciated most was that the Knife, Mt Sims and Planningtorock were able to irreverently uproot opera- to take it away from its usual aristocratic formality- and just have fun with it; molding it into unusual forms that are startling and dynamic. If you're like me, you'll be picky about what kinds of sounds you like on this album and which ones you don't, but it's worth a listen or two. Who knows, it may just contain a hidden gem. _____________________________________ Last edited by Geekoid; 08-19-2012 at 03:55 PM.

08-19-2012, 05:51 AM	#45 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	I'd never consider myself a real soul fan, but man some of those songs brought back memories! I remember listening to the Stylistics (admittedly, it was "You make me feel brand new") on my sister's "hi-fidelity" record player --- you probably remember; basically a case, leather or imitation leather bound, made of wood, huge like maybe a really big 70s amp, with a handle (!) and big knobs for volume, open the lid and the record player was in there, speakers built into the case: fearsome! --- and thinking how amazingly rich and deep the sound of that record was. Think that was my first real experience of great production. Loved the song too, so romantic, and not afraid to show it. Mind you, I used to think it was a girl singing! As for "When will I see you again", that was one of my all-time favourite songs when I was growing up, and still is. I don't know what it was about that, but between it and the Bee Gee's "Run to me" those songs just made me feel a way that sort of slipped away over the years, but they can still transport me back to those happy times of innocent youth, when I didn't even own a record player and would have to hear my music coming muffled through my sister's door. Thanks for rekindling those memories! Edit: found a picture! Ah, that old record player! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

08-19-2012, 10:22 PM	#49 (permalink)
Blarobbarg Do good. Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Posts: 2,065	Ugh. I have a deepseated dislike of Amy Grant. Never liked her. From the time my mother began playing her music to this very day... never liked her, never will. That said, it's still a great post, as well as all the ones about that I didn't comment on. That Darwinism Electro opera was really, really interesting. Not really my flavor of music, but very interesting. __________________ https://rateyourmusic.com/~Blarobbarg ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　^my RYM^　｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆ (◠‿◠✿)

08-17-2012, 03:36 PM	#42 (permalink)
Geekoid Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 171	lol. I don't get the appeal myself, but to leave them out would be depriving people of all the Viking splendor that is Týr

08-18-2012, 06:40 PM	#44 (permalink)
Geekoid Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 171	_____________________________________ This week, I'm taking a trip down to Philly with some warm and fuzzy soul tracks. If there's one kind of soul I like even more than Motown, its The Sound of Philadelphia. The slick, classically inspired arrangements of Philadelphia soul were the gateway to disco, as it began to come into focus during the 1970s. And what a heartwarming prelude! Philly Soul took the romance and slick arrangements of deep soul, and feathered it up into a brand new sound; easy, breezy, groovy & oh so smooth. The urban appeal of Philly Soul is my favorite part. I can just imagine myself sitting in an old-fashioned restaurant with a cheese steak in hand and a nice cold Dr.Pepper; the Delfonics playing in the background. This is the type of soul that makes your troubles just float away; and I've got more than just a little admiration for its class and style. So I've got a few Philly Soul tracks to share. They just might paint a smile across your face and brighten up your day. Spoiler for 8 tracks of Philly Soul: _____________________________________

08-19-2012, 05:08 PM	#46 (permalink)
Geekoid Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 171	_____________________________________ One of my favorite albums of all time, Amy Grant's Heart in Motion was a legendary and controversial album for Christian music. Released in the summer of 1991, Amy Grant dominated the airwaves; most notably with her hit songs like "Baby Baby," which marked the first time a Christian Contemporary artist ever claimed the top spot on the Billboard charts; "Every Heartbeat" which came in at the #2 spot; and the less successful, yet memorable ballad "That's What Love Is For." Heart in Motion was one of Amy's favorites to record, and she had a blast writing the songs and appearing in music videos (deemed a little too provocative for a Christian artist). This was before Amy's infamous divorce from her husband, fellow CCM singer Gary Chapman, and represented a kind of high point in her career. The smiling vocals and cheerful melodies she shared on this album have made for some great memories from both Christian and secular audiences. And that was really the intention of the album to begin with; to put out an few songs that would inspire the masses with optimistic messages and melodies meant to last through the ages. Whether Heart in Motion has passed the test of time or not really depends on who you ask. While it sounds somewhat dated; marked with the undeniable trends of early 90s pop, to many it remains a classic. The messages are simple and approachable, and share Amy's views on love, faith and devotion. Regardless of those issues, I consider this album to be a timeless classic, even though musically it isn't anything earthshaking. But it showed the world that Amy Grant is a woman of incredible compassion. While this may not be one of her strongest releases (I personally believe "Lead Me On" was her crowning achievement), it manages to fulfill its purpose as a fun pop album. There are few songs I know that are as catchy and delightfully sweet as Every Heartbeat, co-written and produced by the quirky and creative songwriter Charlie Peacock. In all its sugar-coated cheesiness, it still manages to remain one of my favorite songs, among others. I personally think it's much better than "Baby Baby" by a long shot. And judging by the fact that everyone was still head over heels for Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation 1814" at the time (think "Love Will Never Do [Without You]"), it makes sense that this was a hit. _____________________________________