Author Topic: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.  (Read 35620 times)

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Offline Khushrenada

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Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« on: April 12, 2017, 03:20:26 AM »
As I threatened to Silenced in his attempt to keep the Music thread going in General Chat, I'd be willing to list all manner of various things I like musically. There's a good chance you may have come across them already but, even if you have, you may find it of interest to note what I like and provide your opinion on what you think of a particular piece of music or album. And maybe by having an idea of what appeals to me musically, you might even have some suggestions of new things I'm unaware of and could try.

I listen to a wide gamut of things but there are a couple genres I don't dabble in much. Heavy Metal is pretty much out, I've found Rap to have very little appeal to me aside from a few rare exceptions and the same goes for Country. Of greater appeal to me and what makes up bigger chunks of my music library in CDs or iTunes is Classical/Soundtracks particularly movie then musical or broadway, various Pop and Rock through the 60s - this current decade though with a greater love of 80s Pop and sound, Standards and Crooners like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin or Nat King Cole and Electronica of various kinds.

It is on that last one that I would like to open this thread on. For me, Electronic Music is the genre that is putting out the most interesting and best things I've been listening to and hearing for the past decade or two even as I find older works I was unfamiliar with. Much like how groups like The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Pink Floyd were willing to experiment with sound and finding new ways to create music and audio sensations, Electronic Music seems to be the most creative genre happening right now. There can be a real inventiveness and craziness with some of the ideas and songs by made by different artists in it. That's not to say everything about it is great. There's a lot of stuff that doesn't work or can sound annoying, repetitive or uninspired. But I'm more likely to find stuff I like there than anywhere else in the current music scene with the exception of soundtracks.

I do like EDM, Chill, Trance, Deep House, Tropical, Progressive, some Trap, and very sparingly a bit of Dupstep but EDM and Trance are probably the subsections I pursue more. When it comes to EDM, I like to pull a Tom Haverford and ask, is it a banger? (Parks and Recreation reference. Hope you got. DJ Roomba says hi!) But I do like a song with a strong beat that gets fired up. That said, a song with a strong beat isn't enough. For instance, Deadmau5 will put out albums with a lot of rhythmic beats that people like but I've listened to a few of his albums and they just don't catch my fancy. His stuff just sounds kind of plain. There's nothing inventive about it. It's lacking something and I just don't know how to describe or put into words what it is but, compared to other things I've heard and like, I know that it just doesn't quite reach a special level of genius that other artists and songs were somehow able to reach.

So, allow me to get into some of what I mean by that and what I've found to be worth adding to the soundtrack in my life.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2021, 08:35:57 PM by "King Gong" Khushrenada »
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: A Tour of Khushrenada's Music Collection and Recommendations
« Reply #1 on: April 12, 2017, 03:28:11 AM »
For me, I'd say a baseline of what I like in EDM can be found in the classic Sandstorm by Darude.


It gets your attention right away by announcing its arrival and begins a build up until it unleashes its main energetic beat. When that beat hits, you get this weird doo-doo sound which on its own probably wouldn't seem to be that appealing or something you could make a song around and yet it works. It's got a unique sound to. After a bit of the main high energy, I guess you could say, thesis the song basically stops and goes to a slow down mode where it builds up again to the main energy portion and then just lets that portion play out a bit longer than the first time to conclude. It's a common method of a lot of EDM songs but it works. The trick is to find ways to be different and unique within that structure.
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: A Tour of Khushrenada's Music Collection and Recommendations
« Reply #2 on: April 12, 2017, 03:31:38 AM »
For instance, another song that follows that pattern is Perfect Storm by Pink Is Punk & Benny Benassi. It's all about framing and building up that high energy explosion and I love when it hits every time yet it sounds quite different than Darude's Sandstorm with a bit more of a harder edge to it. Again, it's some different sounds but I like them.

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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: A Tour of Khushrenada's Music Collection and Recommendations
« Reply #3 on: April 12, 2017, 03:48:21 AM »
Again, that pattern can be seen in Pillz by Flosstradamus & Yellow Claw. This time there are a little bit of lyrics that repeat in the song. On the subject of lyrics, I'm don't find them as necessary in music. Some people have a hard time listening to stuff without lyrics but I've always found that as long as the music is good that's all I need. Sure it's great when you can get a good lyrics and music blended together but I've never found great lyrics be able to save or redeem poor music whereas bad lyrics can make it hard to listen to any music no matter how good.


I also wanted to link to this song early to bring up of how music can bring up images in your head. As I've listened to this song a few times over, I've though of a couple things. One would be a sort of music video with news images and pictures of the War on Drugs. Police showing the results of busts and drugs seized, news articles of Mexico and its drug cartels, the effects of drugs on people and being unable to break their addictions and yet in the face of that seemingly endless cycle, just standing up and dancing to the music in the face of that dreary situation.

The other image is a bit more wild. It got me thinking of a musical western except one with modern electronic music in it. I have no real plot or concept of how I would make the film work but this song gives me an idea of the main hero or cowboy of some sort who's been in battle against the Indians and brought into their camp. It's nighttime but the camp is aglow in various neon. The headpieces and outfits of the Indians have purple and yellow neon lines through them. When the main beat drops at 1:18, for instance, makes me envision these, I suppose, Rave Native Americans dancing around the campfire in a bit of a traditional dance or swinging a neon Tomahawk in the air along with the beat. Maybe the Cowboy is drugged or in a haze, I'm not sure but I do get this wild image in my head that comes up now whenever I listen to this song. It's one of the funny things about music. Sometimes I'm envisioning it playing in a story moment of some sort I invent around the song or music. Sometimes I'm choreographing this awesome dance routine I'd love to film around a song or perform live to a crowd but its all just stuck in my head.
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: A Tour of Khushrenada's Music Collection and Recommendations
« Reply #4 on: April 12, 2017, 04:03:06 AM »
One last song I'll link to for now to finish this opening salvo of select "bangers" is Layers by Pryda. I heard this song through a mix by a different artist I want to get to later but it got me excited to find out more stuff by Eric Prydz or Pryda reminds me a bit more of Deadmau5 and the other stuff I've listened to by him just hasn't equaled this one piece for me. I think he hit a bit of a home run with this one. Not sure what makes it more special than his other stuff but it's just got a great groove and energy to it. In a way, it also follows the classic pattern I've mentioned but unlike the others listed, it stays a bit more even and doesn't have as long of a dramatic pause or buildup nor does the main beat really go that fast or wild. Yet, it still works without needing those great extremes showing the variances and creativity that can still be found in this song construction framework.


If I had to give the song an image, I'd say I think a little bit of Russians dancing like the Cossacks or maybe Soviet soldiers. It seems to trigger a bit of that thought even though it doesn't necessarily sound Russian. I guess it's just the beat and what ever that lighter sound is that comes in around the 0:39 part for a bit. I want to call it pseudo-violin even though that probably makes no sense but it feels right to me.
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2021, 09:07:41 PM »
Thanks to the current Safe Words game and members asking why we never talk about music, I thought I'd rebrand this old thread and turn it into a chance for me to finish talking about music I've liked and in an easy-to-do format as a Song of the Day. Maybe it's something you've heard before and maybe it's something new.

Let's get this started with today's song: Social Media by Pet Shop Boys

Pet Shop Boys are one of my top five favorite bands/groups/artists. Most people probably know them for their hit West End Girls back in the 80s. Admittedly, that was my point of reference for them for a long time. I did eventually hear some other early works they did through music channels and radio but it was rare to see or hear anything played beyond that first hit. It wasn't until around, like 2009, that I actually tried seeking out an album of theirs and looking into the group. Then I discovered that they were still making music (and still are). They've been at this for over 3 decades and unlike a lot of musicians that struggle after the first decade I feel they are still putting out great works and am surprised that so many people just don't seem to know this about them. They are one of the few musicians for which I pretty much play their whole discography. Not everything is great, of course. 60% I really like, 30% is fine enough. I'll listen to it instead of skipping it and 10% is depending on my mood by likely chance I'll skip it.

This particular song is something they recently put out in 2019. It probably falls a bit more on the lower side of the 60% but I still seek it out from time to time and play it. It falls on the edge of possibly being old guys complaining about social media without having anything great to say for some people but I think it is more just meant to encapsulate what social media use usually encompasses. It's a simple enough ditty but I like the energetic pop sound of it. At one point, there is a deeper singing of the chorus for "When you're on social media" that for some reason brings to mind communist propaganda of comrades calling out those lyrics. Who knows where your imagination will take you when listening to a song. There's many lyrics from the Pet Shop Boys that rattle in my head. Admittedly, this song doesn't reach the zone of clever lyrics that other songs of theirs have but the line of "From football to religion to contemporary art, you're ready to pontificate" does stick in my mind a bit and ring the most true. It feels like my participation on these forums has encompassed some of this stuff at time. Came here to talk about future Nintendo games and some time later one is posting about the Byzantine Empire and how it perfectly encompasses the middle ages and provides the link from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Reformation. Or maybe you decide to start posting a song for the day and talk about music. Who knows? With social media, all things are possible.

Song of the Day!
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Offline BeautifulShy

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2021, 10:01:53 PM »
One of my friends here loves Pet Shop Boys.  She is always raving about them.

That is a very catchy and true song and I love the video was done in the form of social media. Very meta.

Also love this idea Khushrenada. 

Music is one thing that I like to listen to when I am feeling down and I need a little lift.  I have listened to a lot of music this past year.
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Offline M.K.Ultra

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2021, 01:31:13 PM »
That's a really cool concept for a video. I don't remember seeing a video with the lyrics appearing as text. I usually tell people I don't do social media but now that I think about it, the NWR forums are social media, right?

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2021, 01:56:48 PM »
That's a really cool concept for a video. I don't remember seeing a video with the lyrics appearing as text. I usually tell people I don't do social media but now that I think about it, the NWR forums are social media, right?
Yes forums are a type of social media and one of the first types of it. Just more contained in one area of the internet. 
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Offline ThePerm

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2021, 07:15:33 PM »
Forums are less of a challenge to asocial people. I never liked Twitter. That character limit annoys me. Without using more words some of the nuance is lost.

Here's what I think of Social Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRHetRTOD1Q
« Last Edit: March 23, 2021, 07:18:06 PM by ThePerm »
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2021, 10:56:59 PM »
Today's Song is So I Heard by Satin Jackets

Whenever I think of the name Satin Jackets, I can't help but recall when Daniel Tosh had casual jackets as the wardrobe choice for awhile. He'd always bring it up at the top of an episode about how the fashion choice that season was casuaaaaaaaaaaaallllll JACKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETTSS!. Now I always want to say their name as satinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn JACKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETS.

About 5 years ago, I got a "new" used car and it has Sirius radio in it. The odd thing is I don't have to pay for it and I don't know if it is always going to be there or one day stop getting a signal. I've never brought it with the company's dealership in case it's been some missed account they forgot to stop paying for. The channels I've gravitated towards are mainly 51, 52 and 53 which are EDM and Chill. The channel I liked more early on was 55 Utopia but then one day it got changed to Garth Brooks country which is the most lopsided trades in Radio history!  >:( Now I gravitate more towards the Chill station, 53. (Apparently Utopia is still available if you have your own Sirius radio as it was moved to a channel number past what is available in my car. But that's all beside the point.)

Chill can have some pretty uninspiring stuff or forgettable music. But it is the channel that introduced me to Satin Jackets and I wish they would just always play more of their stuff on the channel. It's always great when Satin Jackets puts out some new stuff because then it means they will put them back into rotation a bit more. I find his music at a higher tier / level than most other artists that play on the station. It just stands out more for me.

I would say this is more mood music than perhaps a song like yesterday's selection. However, like the song say, "But that's ok". When this is playing on the radio as you are driving, you just feel a bit cooler.  8) It pairs especially well with long sunsets and neon skies in the summertime. There'll probably be more to come from Satin Jackets in the future but I think this is a good introduction to the sound of what this artist is all about.
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2021, 11:00:03 PM »
Forums are less of a challenge to asocial people. I never liked Twitter. That character limit annoys me. Without using more words some of the nuance is lost.

Here's what I think of Social Media:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRHetRTOD1Q

Hahaha! Nice! The lyrics work a bit with that idea as well when you consider how there have been a lot of cases of past social media posts and pictures having consequences to people:

So I look back upon my life
forever with a sense of shame
I’ve always been the one to blame
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2021, 10:54:25 PM »
Today's song is Cross My Heart by Everything But The Girl.

Not sure how familiar users may be with this group. Their most famous song might be Missing which I guess I'll link so there's a bonus song today. When I began going through their discography, it was the only song I knew I'd heard before at some point in my life but had kind of forgotten about it or never thought much about the group behind it. What got me onto this group was around maybe  8 - 10 years ago, I listened to the soundtrack for The Saint movie. That was probably my first exposure to Orbital as well but there was one track on it I really liked by Everything But The Girl. Around the same time, I had also been reading and perusing through the book 1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die to try and find new music to listen to and expand my knowledge of what's out there. A couple of the albums from Everything But The Girl were included so I checked those out and it just steamrolled into me going through all their albums.

This song comes from the third album (which is not one of the ones included in 1,001 Albums) but from the first time I've heard, I've always had a strong positive reaction to it. I think its one of their top songs. I found the melody warm and romantic. It has tenderness and I envision it as a song for a couple in love to dance to. And yet! ...the lyrics are about a couple that's split but at least one part of the couple has not been able to move on yet (although maybe they are both unwilling to admit to the other they are unhappy over their current situation). Tracy Thorn's voice as she sings soft and then has a high burst then back to low adds to the emotion of the lyrics bringing across the sense of still-longing in the lyrics. When the song hits the crescendo at the end of her singing "I hope we never die", it just hits me in my romantic heart. There's just so many layers to it that appeal to me like the (sounds like) steel guitar at 3:03-3:08 for instance.

Heck why not post the lyrics for once to follow along:

Now and then
Do you wash your hands of me again?
Wish me anywhere but home
Drunk and on the end of your phone

From time to time
Do you guess what's really on my mind?
Guess that "How you keeping now?"
Means "Where are you sleeping now"

But of course it's not polite
To ask you where you spent last night
And if I did you might reply
That I have no right
And anyway I'm fine
Glad that you're no longer mine
If I should tell a lie
I'll cross my heart and hope to die

You'd be appalled
If you knew what I was doing
When you called
Yes, I can see I'm blundering
Always end up wondering

Will it ever be alright
To ask you where you spent last night
And can it be polite
The way that we never write
Of course I don't have the time
And anyway I'm fine
If I should tell a lie
I'll cross my heart and hope to die

I hope we never die


That bit about "Of course I don't have the time / And anyway I'm fine" just hits so true about life and what we say to ourselves and others to hide our true feelings.

But enough about my take. Feel free to form your own now by giving it a listen. Song of the Day!
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2021, 01:19:25 AM »
For today's song, I'm not going to outright say what it is. You'll just have to click this link and trust it is not a Rick Roll. I'm highly certain that most users here will be familiar with this song already so I'll make it a bit mysterious and make you click the link. Maybe you'll decide to listen to it again at that point since you've gone that far.

I selected this for a few reasons. Without getting into all the details right now, I had an early obsession with the 007 series and one of the few things I had available to me from it was a collection of the Bond movie themes. In fact, I think the first CD I ever bought with my own money was a collection of the Bond themes. (If not that, then it was a Best of John William's scores and movie themes collection). So, that sort of sound and music has probably been a factor in my musical taste and preferences. This song has a melody and sound that comes close and could almost pass for a Bond-like theme. The music video almost seems to recognize and hint at that a bit as well.

Second, in my memory, I feel like this group was the first time I started pursuing music that wasn't just something I could find in my parents CD or cassette collection. I remember watching a live concert of theirs that was played on TV at some point. I'd hope to hear a song of theirs on the radio on the few occasions I'd bother using a radio at that time. At one point, I had a mixtape of music I recorded on VHS from various music videos played on TV which included some of this groups songs and would then play it when I wanted to hear this new music my parents weren't into. That was easier than buying CDs at the time.  ;D

I honestly still like their stuff and think they are one of the best groups of the 90s. When I think of their various songs, this is one that always comes to mind right away. I'm not sure why. It's not as lively as some of their other songs. But I think it has an understated alluring and warm appeal to keep one listening through from beginning to end. Thanks to the stings and brass that sound at various times, it also gives it a sleek, smooth sound that recalls the James Bond / John Barry template.

Just my quick thoughts on it.
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Offline M.K.Ultra

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2021, 12:36:06 PM »
They came up on radar recently when watching "The Boys" a TV show on Amazon Prime Video. Definitely worth checking out as an anti-super hero show.

Offline BeautifulShy

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #15 on: March 26, 2021, 02:42:03 PM »
Oh they are one of my fave girl groups of the 90s and all time. I love their debut song with so much energy.
I love all their music videos because they are so different from each other. Which make sense for the group.

My fave song from this group is this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wfpXI5PKlw

I also have to say I have grown an even greater fan of one of them in this pandemic year. She has been knocking out hit after hit. 

Here is my fave song from my fave from that aformentioned group.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzk44YbqOz0
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #16 on: April 08, 2021, 12:03:42 AM »
Meant to follow up a bit on this but I was close to selecting BeautifulShy's selection from this group as the Song of the Day as I also think that it is still a banger. But I guess now I won't have to.  ;)

As for a sort of riff / parody of that group, here's a little bonus song that may interest you: What could it be? (Not the name of the song which is Friendtopia but just a question asking about the mystery of it all.) Might not make too much sense out of context and the beginning verse sort of takes on a new meaning after recent events in America which was surprising to note on re-listening to it just now. However, if you are familiar with a couple of the Spice Girl videos (specifically Wannabe and Spice World) then I think it does the job of triggering the memory / spirit of them.

That's right. It's been awhile. Time to just reveal the last mystery song was Too Much by the Spice Girls. As for the Mel C post by BeautifulShy, I had no idea she was still releasing music. It's kind of fascinating to find out how some artists are so big in other parts of the world for years even though North America just doesn't seem to talk about or promote them anymore. Kind of like what I feel about the Pet Shop Boys is how you probably feel about Mel C. I remember at the time when she released her solo album and her duet song with Bryan Adams but there just seemed to be a feeling that, like Geri Halliwell's solo effort, it was a lesser product compared to what the songs of the Spice Girl group. I guess I just figured she had retired from the music industry aside from reunion tours with the Spice Girls. I'll have to do more exploring of what she's released. I listened to the song you linked and a couple others. Her songs almost seem to have a sound of what the Spice Girls might have been releasing today with the sound evolving to incorporate the sounds of today's dance music.
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #17 on: April 08, 2021, 12:33:16 AM »
As for today's actual Song of the Day, I don't know why this suddenly came into my head as I was parking my car on getting home from work but now it has been running around in my mind for awhile. I give you the only reason to watch the movie musical Nine: Cinema Italiano. And even then..... (although the poor video quality at the link doesn't help much.)


Nine is a musical remake of the Italian film 8-1/2. I've seen Nine once. I've seen 8-1/2 at least 5 times and bits and pieces of it again over the years as it plays on TCM. I do think whoever was responsible for Nine was probably a fan of Fellini's work in the 60s (and possibly other directors) which is why they made this musical. Cinema Italiano is the song in which they sum up / list off the reasons and love for those works. Perhaps because of that, it seems to be the only song that sticks out after the movie is over and that might be why it was the song used to sell the movie in trailers and ads back in the day. In the end, that love and exuberance that this song alludes to about Italian cinema does not carry over to the rest of the film. My thoughts when watching it were mainly about how Hollywood just seemed intent on bungling the Musical format and unable to release hardly anything worthwhile in it since the end of the 60s. Also, if you want to make an argument against Daniel Day-Lewis as someone deserving of three Best Actor Oscars or as the "Best Actor Of All Time" then this might be the best place to get your Exhibit A as nothing about his performance is noteworthy here. Moreover, the original performance of this character by Marcello Mastroianni is far more memorable in the original 8-1/2 (or even his La Dolce Vita role).

My two cents on that.
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #18 on: April 08, 2021, 11:28:46 PM »
After yesterday's song, I got thinking about movie musicals and perhaps I will stick with this topic for awhile but referencing a more recent movie musical I did quite enjoy. Another Day of Sun is the song that opens La La Land. I've linked to just an Audio video as it plays the song from the soundtrack to separate the music from the scene its normally linked to in order to focus on it. However, here is a link to the movie scene of it if you haven't seen it or want to compare it.

Without turning this Song thread into a new movie review thread, I will try to select and briefly highlight a few thoughts I've got of this movie and this song. I'll start with how when I went to see this movie in the theater, I ended up getting in a bit late. As I was finding my seat, the scene playing was Emma Stone in her car upset about Gosling in his car and driving away from traffic. It seemed like it had just begun and I had barely missed anything. Later as I was reading reviews after seeing the movie, I realized I had missed this entire song and the opening song and dance number that actually opens the film. So, I decided to go see it again. But, to be honest, I had really enjoyed the movie the first time and I enjoyed it again on a second watch through. It's one of the few movies I've gone and seen twice in theaters while it was showing. But, at the same time, I wasn't really that impressed with the opening number. I was reading about how some people in Hollywood were amazed at what they pulled off in the traffic scene but it didn't strike me as anything super special or highly memorable. Yet, people dancing around or on their cars became the signature reference/go-to-joke for Awards season that year. As awards season was progressing and La La Land ended up getting nominated for a lot of stuff, I listened again to its songs and soundtrack via YouTube to compare with other things being nominated and realized that I just really liked a lot of it so I went and bought the soundtrack pretty soon after that. While City of Stars is what won the Oscar for Best Song, I've ended up feeling this is the best song of the movie and the one I keep coming back to. Another Day of Sun was not nominated but another song (Audition) was also nominated. I'm going to tell you now, I hate Audition. I skip it like 95% of the time. It's perfect for a snack or bathroom break if you are watching the movie. Despite really liking La La Land, it's probably got the song I most detest in any movie musical with that one. Nothing about it works for me.

At the time La La Land came out, it also seemed to gather a lot of criticism with the praise it was getting with many people feeling it was being over-rated for various reasons or just flat out hating it. I get that also. The best analogy I can come up with for it is that the musicals of the 30s to 60s with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly and others are like Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World. La La Land is like New Super Mario Bros. Wii or NSMBU. They're good games but they don't quite surpass the past games they are trying to evoke and sort of play it safe. However, after being starved for a good movie musical for so long with things like Nine or Mamma Mia! or Burlesgue, La La Land was and still is a masterpiece compared to many of the efforts that came before and since in the genre. The people behind it seem to understand the genre and what is makes it successful better than most others in the past couple decades. On the flip side, Stone and Gosling are no Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the opening number of dancing in traffic straddles the line of being a flash mob just recorded on better quality film (even though its nice to see a musical with long takes and distance showing off the choreography), and the alternate reality musical ending doesn't really hit the artful and dreamlike qualities of endings like An American in Paris or The Band Wagon's "Girl Hunt: A Murder Mystery In Jazz". It's doing its best to copy these greats and introduce some of that formula to a new generation yet by never really doing anything that equals those past greats it doesn't feel like its breaking any new ground or that's it lacking in originality. And yet, I'd still include in a list of Musicals Worth Watching because in its own way, it still is a top notch effort in that genre.

The Yin-and-Yang I feel about this movie also extends to the music. It has a sound that makes think of something a composer might use in a show or scene where something involving Broadway or Movie Musical number is required and they create a song or composition to evoke something that sounds like music from that space. The music almost sounds like a cliche of Broadway or Musical music. Or perhaps like a composer's first efforts of making a Musical. And yet, it still mostly works for me. They hypnotic sort of rhythm from City of Stars motif, the lyrics and playfulness of A Lovely Night and the deep drum beat that is present in Another Day of Sun all hit a sweet spot for me. When I start listening to Another Day of Sun, (when listening to the first link given) I love when the drum kicks in at 0:08 starts giving the song some force and authority. While the song then begins to build momentum through the first few verses and chorus, I'm already bopping to the beat. When its the second chorus, I'm ready to join in and start dancing myself. Then the drum really kicks in with the brass and takes the song and momentum to another level that it keeps until the end. By the end of it, I just always get hyped up and ready for more. And for that, I'll make it Song of the Day!
« Last Edit: April 08, 2021, 11:30:23 PM by Khushrenada »
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #19 on: April 09, 2021, 09:31:08 PM »
Today's song is here for those wanting a Friday party song: Canned Heat by Jamiroquai!

Chances are most users here are familiar with it thanks to its usage at the climax of Napolean Dynomite. It's definitely a movie scene I still like to watch again and again. I hadn't seen that movie in years and happened to watch it again around December. While there are a lot of moments and jokes I do still find funny in that movie, waiting for the big dance moment was the biggest reason why I kept watching it to the end.

I'm a big fan of Jamiroquai and have all the albums he and his band have put out. One time I was playing some songs of his with a musician friend of mine who said that he also liked Jamiroquai's stuff and called him the white Micheal Jackson. Not sure how since Micheal Jackson is already the white Micheal Jackson but that comment has always stuck with me since and now it can stick in your head too. My first exposure to Jamiroquai was Virtual Insanity and his cool music video for that song. Soon after that, Canned Heat came out. While the music video for it with him jumping through walls just wasn't quite the same wow factor as Virtual Insanity, I instantly liked the song and thought it was better than Virtual Insanity. Yet, it didn't seem to get much traction or fanfare and was hard to ever find it airing on the music video channels or radio. The song didn't seem to get its due until Napoleon Dynamite and then it finally exploded into the popularity I think it always should have had.

There's actually two versions of this song. I've linked the version that comes from the album that featured it (Synkronized) and is the version I've come to prefer. Yet, there is a bit shorter version of the song and it is that version which is featured on his Greatest Hits album (High Times) and the one that was used for the music video of the song. The one I alluded to of him jumping through walls.

Even if you are familiar with it but haven't heard it in awhile, I say check it out again. It still holds up and can always get me moving. As it goes on, you'll be ready to dance your blues away tonight as well.
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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #20 on: April 09, 2021, 11:44:54 PM »
I am more familar with Virtual Insanity and that amazing music video but I am listening to Canned Heat and yeah it is an ear worm and it gets stuck in your head. I probably should listen to more of his recent stuff. Recent being since the early 2000s. 

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #21 on: April 10, 2021, 04:13:37 AM »
I hadn't heard Canned Heat in a long time. Great song. Jay Kay has a pretty interesting youtube channel. I've been checking up  on his updates during quarantine. There was some artist on Masked singer a few months ago that sounded like Jamiroquai. I thought it might have been him. It wasn't.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2021, 04:31:38 AM by ThePerm »
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #22 on: February 13, 2022, 03:36:56 PM »
Wow. I didn't realize how quickly I flamed out on this goal of a song a day. Perhaps if I didn't feel like I had to post so much talking about why I liked a song and just quickly linked something then it would have been easier.  :-[ Looking back at some of the posts, I would want to try and convey reasons as to why I thought it was good or someone should listen to it and it would take awhile to gather my thoughts into words so it made it tougher. At the same time, there were times I kind of wanted to talk about some albums because there were a bunch of songs on them that I thought were great or the album was worth listening to rather than just randomly selecting a song from it here and there.

So, on that note, I'll try relaunching this thread for the rest of February and kick it off by recommending the album Hunting High and Low by A-ha.

Like me, you might only be familiar with their big hit Take On Me which was a famous top music video of the 80s. Plus, the song itself is a great bit of 80s Pop music. The only thing I really knew about A-ha was the Bond Theme song they did for The Living Daylights" which I think is also an underrated and top theme song but that might be a song for a later date.

I've also mentioned that I've come upon a lot of music in the past decade from using the book "1,001 Albums to Hear Before You Die" as a bit of a guide and source for what to try when looking for something new to listen to or enrich my musical knowledge. This album was listed in that book and having liked those two songs, I thought there was a good possibility that maybe there'd be some other music I'd like and eventually I got a copy of it from the library and gave it a whirl. And let me tell you, I've never regretted that decision.  8)

"Take On Me" is the first track on this album. However, it isn't what causes me to come back to it over and over and get a sort of craving to hear it again. In fact, at this point, I've kind of heard "Take On Me" so much over the years that it has lost some of the impact and fun I used to get from listening to it. The power of it seems to have dulled a bit. It also has a bit of a different sound from the majority of the album. Perhaps a bit too happy with just a bit of darkness creeping in a bit during the instrumental bit between the end of the second chorus and start of the third verse. For me, the song that gets me coming back to the album is its title track of "Hunting High and Low", a bit of a darker sound like "The Living Daylights" theme.

And it is today's Song of the Day while Hunting High and Low will be the Album of the week! If you have the means like Apple Music or some other source to listen to the whole album then I say give it a shot and listen through it a couple times. I don't know if this is necessarily the best rule but I have found that listening to an album two to three times is what you need to do to properly judge it. I might get into that theory a bit more down the road but I'm trying to make these posts a bit easier by not typing too much so I'll just leave things at that for now.  ;)

Anyways, here it is: Hunting High and Low and I'll be highlighting a few more tracks from the album during the week.

« Last Edit: February 13, 2022, 03:41:01 PM by The President »
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #23 on: February 14, 2022, 08:24:24 PM »
Going to keep it simple by making today’s song "The Blue Sky" by A-ha from the Hunting High and Low album I already went into yesterday.

This is the next track right after "Hunting High and Low" and the first time I listened to this album it was the song that instantly stuck out to me and I wanted to hear again. It’s a short song only about two and a half minutes and it mostly just sticks to its simple pattern form beginning to end but I do love it so because of a few elements. First of all, there’s the blue sky (blue sky) echo throughout the song. That high falsetto on the second blue sky is something I always want to join in on. I'm like a dog howling out because it hears the high pitched howl of another dog or animal. I do like the jaunty speed or pace of the song. And there’s just parts of the lyrics that stick out to me and the way they are sung that always delight when I listen to this.

Making this post inspired my to look up the lyrics on this song as I realized there’s still parts about it I’m not sure what’s being said and it’s been a bit of surprise to get a clear reading of them. One part of the lyrics that I did know was: "The lady at my table doesn't want me here; I just want to talk to her but would she laugh at my accent and make fun of me? Oh, it doesn't seem like this blue sky's here for me." I guess the accent part is true considering how I just didn't understand what was being said before. Still, this is a great summation of the lyrics for this song of just feeling unable to find one's place and lacking joy or happiness despite having blue skies (what I would associate with sunny summer days being full of life or wide open freedom) all around.

It is particularly the ending lines in which it is cried out "Oh, I used to be confused but now I just don't know" that I've always felt speak to me and feel so true about life when I first heard it to now when I listen to it again. Time hasn't cleared things up except to make me more certain that I just don't know when it comes to big decisions as well. You nailed it, A-ha!

Here's the lyrics in case you are curious to know what is supposedly being said as well.

Blue sky (blue sky)
Blue sky (blue sky)
Blue sky (blue sky)
Blue sky

I find it hard to breathe
As life just eats away
At the faces that surround me
They look tired today
The lady at my table
Doesn´t want me here
I just want to talk to her

But would she laugh at my accent
And make fun of me
Oh, it doesn´t seem like this
Blue sky´s here for me

There are no girls in here
As far as I can see
Only pin-up posters
Looking down at me
Watching papercups of coffee
Growing cold before my eyes
All the things I see
That make me realize

I´m in this big world without you
Nothing to my name
Oh, I never knew that
Blue sky meant such pain

Blue sky (blue sky)
Blue sky (blue sky)
Blue sky (blue sky)
Blue sky

I´m dying to be different
In the coffee shop
I´ve lived on borrowed strength
Now my supplies are cut
Though I´m older than my looks
And older than my years
I´m too young to take on
My deepest fears

Oh, I used to be confused
But now I just don´t know
Since you left I´ve been watching
Blue skies come and go
(Blue sky)

Since you left I´ve been watching
Blue skies come and go
(Blue sky)


Song of the Day!
« Last Edit: February 14, 2022, 08:26:57 PM by The President »
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Offline Khushrenada

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Re: Khushrenada's Song of the Day.
« Reply #24 on: February 15, 2022, 08:10:49 PM »
Let's break up the A-ha party today but stick with the 80s decade and go with a sort of one-hit wonder. I'm not sure how well known this song may be to all of you but it was another one that was made sort of a big hit by it's music video at the time with the thrilling sensation of some people talking to each other in the middle of the video/song. That dialogue was only for the music video and is not a part of the song. Such wild ideas they were coming up with for music videos back then.

The song is "Voices Carry" by Til Tuesday. I'm pretty sure I was a fan of this song the first time I heard it. The wailing synth sounds and the repeating guitar notes at the start get my attention and then Aimee Mann starts singing and blending in with a sort of vulnerable and urgent sound to her voice and it just instantly pulls me in. Ah but then it hits the chorus and that's what makes this song special. That soft and gentle explosion of "Oh shush" and "Voices carry" is just perfection.

After this pattern for the first two verses and choruses, the song has a bit of an instrumental interlude with those synth sounds wailing away and then Aimee Mann returns with a more angry tone as she shouts that "He wants me! But only part of the time! He wants me! If he can keep me in line!!!" Then the song enters its ending crescendo as the chorus repeats. Except now there's a lot more other voices and people singing and overlapping with each other. The voices are spreading and carrying. And finally Aimee Mann singly shouts over these voices that "He said shut-up! He said shut-up! Oh god, can't you keep it down?! Voices carry" and then a plaintive wail. From that point the song begins to fade down. I always dig that ending. It just somehow feels like a climax to the song has been reached and some kind of catharsis has occurred. I like when you compare the softer single voice opening to that sort-of cacophony at the end. Again, to me, it is like that idea that the secret is spreading, the word is out and people are gossiping on what they've heard or the paranoia that this is what's happening.

So, give it a listen. It may not blow you away or come off as an immediate jam. I myself wouldn't necessarily put it in like a Top 25 songs of the 80s but it's still a pretty solid song. One I do get a hankering to revisit every once in awhile and will turn up the dial on the radio if it happens to come on. I ask you, isn't that the mark of a truly successful song?

And if you are curious what the music video is like then just click here to see it.
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