Music and Subjectivity
 

While I was in the car with my boyfriend listening to Kanye's new album, "Yeezus" we spoke about the album and how dark it was.
We also talked about the kind of mood someone would generally be in when listening to it, since it's not an upbeat or fun album, but rather dark, deep, and a little bit depressing.

Sometimes I can't listen to music like that cause it brings down my mood, other times, if I'm calm or already upset, it kind of complements my emotions.

I know we, as music fans, talk about this all of the time. But I was kind of hoping to discuss this a little further, and talk about how music can change where we are in out feelings.

I know that whenever I'm upset, Hermione will send me a super happy song, and it brings me up, it's better than marinating in my feelings and bring myself even lower. Other times, when I'm upset, I'll scream a really loud and crazy song just to get out all of my negativity.

I have a lot of thoughts on this, just wanted to hear how everyone else feels.

For me, depressing songs are more beautiful. When something happens in minor, it gets my attention quicker than a major. Emotionally, I've always felt like I get something more out of sadder sounding songs. Angry would come second to that. Happy is probably the very last in the list.
It never really matters what emotional context I'm in. The emotional context of the music doesn't really map that way for me. It simply maps to a particular interest in the vibe. And sad is number 1 for me. :)

On the subject of music being subjective, it's interesting how different people's reactions can be to the same music. The Kanye West album you mention, for example, isn't something I'd ever even think to describe as dark or depressing. To me it's simply evocative of cruising around the city at night. It's weird how that is.

For the record, I think I've heard exactly 1 Kanye West song ever. All I remember was like.. a sample horn section? The underside of this rock is pretty great.

I totally get you with that. When I'm indifferent to everything, pop radio will be my fix, but certain songs will get me pulled back into the music I really love, which tends to be depressing.

One thing I've noticed; on pop radio, Rihanna's vocal tone is similar to Regina Spektor's. People can, ostensibly, sing a pitch perfect version of "Diamonds," but I've never heard anyone else capture that weird minor chord she hits on vocally. The, "Shine briiiiight..." bit. Listen to her, then listen to covers; it's really nuanced, ultimately, but bears mentioning.

Like:



and a very highly rated cover:



The covers always sound brighter, because possibly they build to the note different. I swear Rihanna starts with the minor chord, and merges it into the note the music suggests. It is partly her vocal tone, and partly her building into the way she builds.

This girl actually gets closer to the tone I'm referencing than the vast majority of covers. But she's still not quite captured the essence there. There's some over-singing going on, but she tries to stay true to the vocal melody, while falling short. There's definitely a minor tone in Rihanna's delivery that permeates throughout.

It's as nuanced as Rihanna can be, but it's there, and the covers can't capture it.

I think it's that way with most songs and covers, and that is subjective to the nth degree; people hear different things in that respect. For example; a cover I prefer to the original that a lot of people have been wont to **** upon:

Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know


Ingrid Michaelson (Army of Three) - Somebody That I Used To Know



I prefer Ingrid's cover, even though she doesn't have the exceptional octave jump. I actually find hers more emotive.

Subjective. Fo sho.

Sure it is. He's married to Kim Kardashian.

I know that I've talked about this before but I have certain playlists for certain emotions and how I want to feel after listening to said playlist.

If I'm feeling a bit down in the dumps, I will just put on my Life playlist which consists of inspirational songs and it will help bring me out of the funk.

I think the only emotion that makes me want to listen to similar type songs instead of the opposite to change my mood would be if I'm feeling pissed off. I need to hear as much angry hard music as I can find and get my hands on. After awhile I become a bit numb to all of the angry music and it ends up calming me down.

That's great, maybe I'm just sensitive! Music can really bring me down if it's too dark!

It's definitely weird. I mean some songs weren't particularly dark but if you listened to the lyrics and the background in songs such as Blood on the Leaves, for example, you can hear the connections to slavery, lynching and more. So it's pretty dark as an idea overall.

I appreciate your analysis. :] In many cases, I like covers more than originals, but sometimes it's just because covers are changed to the point that i can directly sympathize with them. I don't know if you've ever heard "I Got Five on It" by Luniz, but it's about like weed and **** so it's not really my scene or my feel, but P Diddy covered it with some other artists, just the background really, which is the part I liked, and it's more about like sex. Not that sex is more my scene but I'd rather listen to it than the original. The P Diddy version is "Satisfy You."

I guess it really isn't a cover, but it's the same feel to the song with different lyrics, allowing me to identify with it in a different, and ultimately better.

Interesting! Maybe I'm just super affected by music! Lyrics, emotions, and more all affect me!

If I'm feeling down, sad or angry I usually listen to instrumental music or songs with as less vocals as possible. Jazz, surf, funk or rock instrumentals: whatever, I just don't want to hear singing til the mood starts to lift.

It is the opposite for me. If I am depressed or down, happy and upbeat songs piss me off. Music can change my mood, but only if I don't have a particular mood at the moment. Otherwise, I have to select music tthat fits my mood. Depressing music makes me feel better when I am depressed.
I too noticed that sad songs tend to be more "beautiful". I actually wrote a poem about it that I turned into the first song of a song cycle of sad poetry which I will call (translated) "Of Beauty and Weeping". The poem I wrote is called (translated to English) "The Beauty... I Am Blind with Weeping" which was inspired by this performance of "Der Leiermann"



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