Anyone who knows me can tell you that I have a rather eclectic taste in music. While I tread mostly around the indie genre (whatever the HELL that is...) I am open to just about anything. Really though, when it comes to the way I like to go about my music listening experience, one thing defines most every artist and album I listen to. I am very fond of artists who make each one of their albums its own unique artistic creation with a specific purpose, theme, and message. It can be a straight-forward rock opera or concept album, but I'm more fond of albums that make powerful personal statements and are unique expressions of the artist's sensibilities. Albums like M.I.A's "Kala" and Grizzly Bear's "Veckatimest" are clear examples of albums made by their respective artists to have a very particular sound, feel, and statement. Throughout this blog, I'll be going over some of my favorite music and analyzing it as if it were a piece of literature. I got this idea from hearing about "film as literature" classes, and I figured since I ALWAYS go about listening to a good album in the same way I go about reading a good book, by trying to find the deeper sub-text and meaning in what is being said. This list is subject to change, but for the time here are some ideas for albums I am tossing around in my head for subject matter in this blog.
Feels-Animal Collective
There's Nothing Wrong With Love-Built to Spill
Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends-Coldplay
Transatanticiscm-Death Cab for Cutie
The Crane Wife-The Decemberists
Demon Days-Gorillaz
The Sunset Tree-The Mountain Goats
Lonesome Crowded West-Modest Mouse
Person Pitch-Panda Bear
Sailing the Seas of Cheese-Primus
LoveKraft-Super Furry Animals
Yankee Hotel Fox Trot-Wilco
Keep in mind, this is a very tentative list. The first album I want to study however, is going to be one that will probably be somewhat controversial. Now, when I first played one of these guys' songs on Rock Band a couple summers ago, my initial reaction was "...wait. I thought I was supposed to HATE this band?" I was very confused about why I found myself so hooked on this particular Rock Band track. The song in question was Nine in the Afternoon, the band...none other than the dreaded Panic at the Disco. Looking into the album the song was off of, their 2008 release Pretty. Odd, I actually found what would become one of the most listened to and thought about pieces of my music collection. Yeah, I know. I'm kind of as shocked as you. Pretty. Odd might perhaps have A LOT of Beatles referencing, but for my money I think the themes and concepts of the album really do add up to a very satisfying whole. Curious to see why I think an album by perhaps one of the defining bands of the hated "Emo" genre has made what I consider to be an all time pop-art-rock masterpiece? Well, I guess you'll just have to tune into my first article then, won't you?
