MicShazam will listen to anything.

~~MicShazam~~ · 12-27-2018, 02:24 PM

I think I have great difficulty speaking about what I like or don't like about music because it all comes down to how it feels to listen to it. Why does Suzanne Vega speak to me while Bob Dylan bores me? Because I like how Suzanne Vega's music sounds and feels, while I don't in the case of Dylan. All talk of structure, production qualities and many other things feel like secondary concerns that I turn to because at least they're tangible.

My approach to music listening is very non-intellectual. That's why I don't have anything interesting to say.

**Frownland** · 12-27-2018, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

I think I have great difficulty speaking about what I like or don't like about music because it all comes down to how it feels to listen to it. Why does Suzanne Vega speak to me while Bob Dylan bores me? Because I like how Suzanne Vega's music sounds and feels, while I don't in the case of Dylan. All talk of structure, production qualities and many other things feel like secondary concerns that I turn to because at least they're tangible.

My approach to music listening is very non-intellectual. That's why I don't have anything interesting to say.

You know how I feel about making music discussion more interesting than likes and dislikes, but intellectualizing music can be rewarding on a personal level too. Recognizing why you do or don't like something is a good way to set you on the right path towards more things that you do enjoy. For example, the connection between hip hop and ambient music may not be very obvious, but if you recognize that you like some hip hop artists because of their dreamy, ethereal production, then trying to find more dreamy, ethereal music could lead you directly to ambient music where you might have ignored it before.

Anteater · 12-27-2018, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

You know how I feel about making music discussion more interesting than likes and dislikes, but intellectualizing music can be rewarding on a personal level too. Recognizing why you do or don't like something is a good way to set you on the right path towards more things that you do enjoy. For example, the connection between hip hop and ambient music may not be very obvious, but if you recognize that you like some hip hop artists because of their dreamy, ethereal production, then trying to find dreamy, ethereal music could lead you directly to ambient music where you might have ignored it before.

Billy Graham-led megachurch.

~~MicShazam~~ · 12-27-2018, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

You know how I feel about making music discussion more interesting than likes and dislikes, but intellectualizing music can be rewarding on a personal level too. Recognizing why you do or don't like something is a good way to set you on the right path towards more things that you do enjoy. For example, the connection between hip hop and ambient music is not very obvious, but if you recognize that you like some hip hop artists because of their dreamy, ethereal production, then trying to find dreamy, ethereal music could lead you directly to ambient music where you might have ignored it before.

Sure thing. And I can see the connection between some hip hop and ambient.

I've spent a lot of time over the years trying to put into words what it is that I do or do not enjoy in music, but it seems very elusive and hard to pin down in more ways than not.

There are some sonic characteristics that seem to cross genre boundaries, that scratch my itch, but they're hard to explain as well.

Why is it for example that I am so fascinated by that Søs Fenger song that I've been posting several times recently?

Søs Fenger - Sidste Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCjaFIt2_bQ

It's not like I generally like similar kinds of music (this song is basically adult contemporary and that genre generally sucks), and I even find that beat that comes in after a while to be very weak. I love everything else. The subtle use of keyboards and bass guitar shares characteristics with several other things I like, but overall, it seems useless to use this song as a way to explain to anyone else what I like. Basically because it's hard to explain exactly what about it makes it into something so much more than just some vanilla easy listening, so it's just going to confuse things and give people the wrong idea of what I'm looking for.

Just look at how confused Anteater is that I love that Danish band, Sneakers, but don't care one iota about Toto. It's not easy to explain the difference in what I find to appreciate in those two bands, but it's a massive difference.

I'd love it if I could crack the code one day and figure out exactly what it is about music that tickles my balls.

Anteater · 12-27-2018, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

Just look at how confused Anteater is that I love that Danish band, Sneakers, but don't care one iota about Toto. It's not easy to explain the difference in what I find to appreciate in those two bands, but it's a massive difference.

Nah, you just aren't consistent. That's what baffles me a bit about you. You'll praise the living hell out of generic female singer-songwriter stuff (including Tzuke's blander early 80's material) but you can't find anything you like in a 40+ year career from the band that backed Michael Jackson on Thriller, have collectively played on thousands of albums and are regarded as some of the best musicians on the planet.

To give you a bit of context: I used to mess with Urban Hatemonger (and elphenor today) about The Fall, but I recognize their good points and ingenuity (some albums are stronger than others ofc). But you can't tell me you can't listen to Toto circa 2006 on Falling In Between and tell me they aren't trying new things that they weren't doing in their early 80's period. Metal, blues rock, reggae: they've been busy bees.

As someone who has been here for about 10 years (give or take a month), I think you should take people's recommendations and explore them if someone thinks they are worth your time, and be a bit more engaging about this whole process. That's how you'll get a better grasp on where the limits of your tastes actually are.

Lucem Ferre · 12-27-2018, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

Nah, you just aren't consistent. That's what baffles me a bit about you. You'll praise the living hell out of generic female singer-songwriter stuff (including Tzuke's blander early 80's material) but you can't find anything you like in a 40+ year career from the band that backed Michael Jackson on Thriller, have collectively played on thousands of albums and are regarded as some of the best musicians on the planet.

To give you a bit of context: I used to mess with Urban Hatemonger (and elphenor today) about The Fall, but I recognize their good points and ingenuity (some albums are stronger than others ofc). But you can't tell me you can't listen to Toto circa 2006 on Falling In Between and tell me they aren't trying new things that they weren't doing in their early 80's period. Metal, blues rock, reggae: they've been busy bees.

As someone who has been here for about 10 years (give or take a month), I think you should take people's recommendations and explore them if someone thinks they are worth your time, and be a bit more engaging about this whole process. That's how you'll get a better grasp on where the limits of your tastes actually are.

Personally I've been exploring threads in genres I'm not well versed in and listening for things I might like then exploring those artists further.

That's how I got into Death, Horrendous, Ash Koosha, Alfa Mist, Entropia, etc.

~~MicShazam~~ · 12-28-2018, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

Nah, you just aren't consistent. That's what baffles me a bit about you. You'll praise the living hell out of generic female singer-songwriter stuff (including Tzuke's blander early 80's material) but you can't find anything you like in a 40+ year career from the band that backed Michael Jackson on Thriller, have collectively played on thousands of albums and are regarded as some of the best musicians on the planet.

To give you a bit of context: I used to mess with Urban Hatemonger (and elphenor today) about The Fall, but I recognize their good points and ingenuity (some albums are stronger than others ofc). But you can't tell me you can't listen to Toto circa 2006 on Falling In Between and tell me they aren't trying new things that they weren't doing in their early 80's period. Metal, blues rock, reggae: they've been busy bees.

I can appreciate what you're trying to say here, but the whole point of the longer post I made previously was to point out that what I like about varyious artists and dislike about various artists is not so easy to pinpoint. Your assertion that early Judie Tzuke is "bland" couldn't be further from my experience of that same music. I like it exactly because I think it has something very special going on that places it above so much from the same era. Toto, on the other hand, don't manage to break through and reach deeper inside my heart and mind. They may well be popular and respected and have some grasp of a variety of genres, but it would seem that your view of music appreciation is simple and unrealistic if you think that means I ought to like it. What, because Toto is more well known, professional and successful than Judie Tzuke, they're better and I just somehow got it wrong? That's now how music works my friend...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

As someone who has been here for about 10 years (give or take a month), I think you should take people's recommendations and explore them if someone thinks they are worth your time, and be a bit more engaging about this whole process. That's how you'll get a better grasp on where the limits of your tastes actually are.

It's obvious to me that my view of what's good or not holds no weight in here, but I don't actually think that having been on a music forum buys you some sort of wise old guru status where I should take your opinion more seriously for it. The proper context for your recommendations is not how long you've been on this forum, but simply how much I've tended to like what you've posted before.

And don't assume that I don't return to bands. Returning to things again and again over the years to give second, third, fourth and fifth chances are kind of a thing I do all the time.

Anteater · 12-28-2018, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

nobody cares about Toto

I can't fault him on that

and I just straight don't believe you on The Fall tbqh, stop lyin

I've got a thing called a post history you know, one that goes back to a time when you were still getting swirlies in HS. Seems dumb to call someone a liar when UH's love of The Fall was pretty well documented.

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

you like boring music so how can you not like this other boring music

Jeff Porcaro is laughing at you from Drum Heaven right now.

Zhanteimi · 12-27-2018, 07:53 PM

I hear No Remorse is white power music. Heard some in plug. Wasn't a fan of the music but can't object to the message.

Neapolitan · 12-27-2018, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zhanteimi

I hear No Remorse is white power music. Heard some in plug. Wasn't a fan of the music but can't object to the message.

The band or the song by Metallica?

12-27-2018, 07:53 PM	#9 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	I hear No Remorse is white power music. Heard some in plug. Wasn't a fan of the music but can't object to the message. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

12-27-2018, 02:24 PM	#1 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,634	I think I have great difficulty speaking about what I like or don't like about music because it all comes down to how it feels to listen to it. Why does Suzanne Vega speak to me while Bob Dylan bores me? Because I like how Suzanne Vega's music sounds and feels, while I don't in the case of Dylan. All talk of structure, production qualities and many other things feel like secondary concerns that I turn to because at least they're tangible. My approach to music listening is very non-intellectual. That's why I don't have anything interesting to say.