Final Blog Post

Music has been and continues to be a powerful influencer for all ages. It does so by allowing the listener to step out of their own reality for a few minutes and see into someone else’s mind. There are countless genres for every taste of music there is. Music has become its own language that all listeners have a general understanding of.

The most important thing to remember about music is that it can be unforgiving. Depending on the genre and artist, music will push the listener into a topic or theme they may not have been comfortable acknowledging previously. Music forces people that do not want to see the bad in the world to listen to it instead.

Dollhouse

Melanie Martinez is an American singer/songwriter who was first recognized as a finalist on the TV show The Voice. She gained popularity through her dramatic performances and personality. While she is colorful and “child-like” she shares dark stories. Her music is considered pop and can easily get stuck in your head. The song Dollhouse off her debut album “Cry Baby” is Melanie explaining how her family, like plenty of others, was a happy facade.

The melody is reminiscent of a children’s song which I can safely assume was intentional. It almost sounds like a music box and this continues to play in the background of the song until the bridge where the tempo slows down and the singer changes perspective towards the listener directly. This is shown in the lyrics thorough Martinez’s use of the phrase “Hey girl”. She begins by using it to grab the listeners attention:

“Hey girl, open the walls, play with your dolls
We’ll be a perfect family
When you walk away, it’s when we really play
You don’t hear me when I say,
Mom, please wake up
Dad’s with a slut, and your son is smoking cannabis”

By the time the bridge has come, Melanie has acknowledged that the listener is present:

“Uh-oh, she’s coming to the attic, plastic
Go back to being plastic”

The bridge is used as an almost literal bridge from the song’s reality and the listener’s reality. Instead of telling her experience the way that it happened, she creates an interactive story that forces whoever listens to be part of her world. This is one of my favorite aspects of Melanie’s music. It is easy to sing along too until you understand what is being said.

Life Itself

The Glass Animals are a band from Oxford, England that began in 2010. They put out their debut album Zaba in 2014 and their second album How to Be a Human Being in 2016. The song Life Itself comes from their second album and is my personal favorite. This song follow’s the narrators’s life and experiences. As the listener, we are hearing the narrator give a personal account on their life.

There is a trace-like introduction that leads to heavy percussion which then leads to the introduction of vocals. The lead singer has a rich voice with a bit of a rasp at certain parts. This becomes more important as the song carries on because there is a clear distinction in the lead singer’s voice during the verse and chorus. During the verse, his voice is light and almost whispering then his volume raises when the chorus begins. This sharp change accurately shows how the narrator may not be completely stable, the lyrics just solidify this theory.

We are introduced to the narrator by him saying:

“Daddy was dumb said that I’d be something special
Brought me up tough but I was a gentle human
Said that he loved each of my two million freckles
When I grew up was gonna be a superstar

I can’t get a job so I live with my mom
I take her money but not quite enough
I sit in the car and I listen to static
She said I look fat but I look fantastic”

He was not a normal kid and his parents told him that he was special so he needs to become a superstar. Then it’s revealed that he can not hold a job and stealing from his mother. My favorite line “I sit in the car and listen to static” shows how this narrator is not completely normal but still has enough confidence to not take his mother’s criticism.

Music has the ability to give an artist a chance to let someone walk in their shoes for a short amount of time but since it is universal, that someone could be anyone.

Sources

Connolly, Chris. “’Voicing’ her thoughts.” Herald Community Newspapers, 27 Sept. 2012, web.archive.org/web/20160807001535/http://liherald.com/baldwin/stories/Voicing-her-thoughts%2C43518.

“Glass Animals.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Dec. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass_Animals.

“Glass Animals, Human Beings: Interview & Photos • Howl & Echoes”. Howl & Echoes. 2016-08-26. http://howlandechoes.com/2016/08/interview-photo-shoot-glass-animals/

Stone, Avery. “Melanie Martinez Loves ‘American Horror Story’ So Much She Got Her Song On ‘Freak Show’.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 6 Oct. 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/06/melanie-martinez-freak-show_n_5863216.html.

 

Across the Universe

Across the Universe is a musical that uses music written by the Beatles to tell the story of Jude and Lucy with plenty of historical references. The story takes place in the 1960’s, right around the time of the Vietnam war which is one of the main threats for Jude and Lucy’s relationship.

Role of the music

Directed by Julie Taymor and music by Elliot Goldenthal, Across the Universe applied the work of the Beatles to real-life situations. Some of their interpretations can be symbolic while others just flow with the dialogue. One example of a more “over-the-top” scene is “I Want You (She’s so Heavy)”:

The over-dramatization of the recruiting process for the draft added a sense of fear that the viewer can comprehend. The ending of the number shows all the new recruits carrying Lady Liberty over a miniature replica of Vietnam, showing America forcing its ideals on to the Vietnamese. Also, the men are all in their underwear showing their vulnerability to the “war” because they have limited training since they were drafted instead of already in the military.

A more obvious scene shows the character Prudence singing the song “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” Like most musicals, this song is used as an aside to show character development. The scene begins and the viewer is lead to believe that the character is singing about a her love for a football player. As it progresses, it is revealed that she was actually referring to a fellow cheerleader.

The songs chosen for this musical were specifically chosen to perfectly fit within the context of the time period

Social Commentary

Both scenes referenced earlier are raising an awareness of topics commonly overlooked during this time period. “I Want You (She’s so Heavy)” is showing the strictness and impersonal nature of the military. It also shows how men were willing to take drastic matters to avoid being drafted. This is shown at the end when the character Max gives a list of excuses for why he shouldn’t be in the military and the officer replies “as long as you don’t have flat feet.” There is a clear jab at the military and their practices.

Prudence’s song brought the topic of lesbianism to light in a time where it was unacceptable. Her character in general shows the types of struggles faced by a person of a different sexuality in a society that is against them.

The most powerful scene, in my opinion, is when they preform “Let it Be.” It depicts the loss of a young solider and very young boy who was killed during the Detroit riots. The blending of a still relevant topic of police brutality mixed with the sad truth of young men leaving for the military and not coming home. The song is preformed by a chorus and the young man whole died during the riot. This scene always makes me cry no matter how many times I see it. It beautifully shows pain of both parties and shows that while the races are divided, they are both experiencing pain and loss.

Sources

“Across the Universe (Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Across_the_Universe_(film).

“Across the Universe (2007).” IMDb, IMDb.com, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0445922/.

Gold, Sylviane. “Re-Meet the Beatles Through the Voices of a New Narrative.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Sept. 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/movies/moviesspecial/09Gold.html.

Travers, Peter. “Across the Universe.” Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2007, http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/across-the-universe-20071018.

 

Cats by Andrew Lloyd Webber

This famous show has been around the world plenty of times and beloved by many. One of the most known songs, Memory, has always been a favorite of mine. Here is Elaine Page’s performance of the song:

Music’s Role

This song is about the life of the character Grizabella. She has already been introduced as an old and forgotten cat that used to be considered glamorous. She is almost shunned from the main group of cats. Looking closer into the lyrics, Grizabelle gives the listener and inside perspective of her life:

I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again

She is reminiscing on how happy she used to be compared to how she is now. She continues by coming back to reality and, once again, looking over here current situation.

Daylight
I must wait for the sunrise
I must think of a new life
And I musn’t give in

As the music begins to crescendo, Grizabella heart-breakingly pleads for someone to acknowledge her and her pain.

Touch me
It’s so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory
Of my days in the sun

By the end, the group welcomes her and chooses her to become the next cat to be reborn as a new member of their clan.

Social Commentary

This song is truly an emotional roller coaster. We are first introduced to her as an old decrepit cat that no one seems to like. Personally, I saw this as the younger generations of this clan using her as a living punching bag. She was already shown as a more fragile cat that has made some questionable decisions in the past. Their refusal to welcome her is lead by younger members until one quieter cat decides to console her after her emotional song. Then an elder fully welcomes her which causes all other members to follow.

I found this to be a great example of general ageism that can cause harm to older generations. The younger characters are so quick to judge her actions instead of understanding that she is hurting. They would rather abandon her than give her the opportunity to explain herself.

There is also a subtle hit that Grizabella is suffering from mental hardships when she says she “musn’t give in” and “must think of a new life.” She has become so lonely that she has lost her happiness in her past which has also affected her physically. In the clip of the performance, she is seen wearing very worn clothes that she probably wore in her heyday.

Overall, this song clearly expresses the pain of a forgotten cat that just needs someone to show her that she is more than she believes.

Sources

“Andrew Lloyd Webber.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Lloyd_Webber#Shows.

“Cats (Musical).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 20 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_(musical).

“Memory.” ‘Cats’ Musical Wiki, catsmusical.wikia.com/wiki/Memory.

Julie Andrews

Julie Andrews is a beloved star a that has brought an angelic voice to plenty of characters on screen. She is most famously known for her role as Maria in The Sound of Music.

Life

Julia Elizabeth Wells was born on October 1st, 1935 in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. She began her career in the late 1940’s on the English stage. She was initally pushed towards opera but she refused because she did not believe her voice had strength and power needed for the genre so she continued with musical theater. Her rise in success led to her move to America to star on Broadway for iconic performances such as, My Fair Lady and Camelot. She has been nominated for six Primetime Emmy awards and has won two. A large portion of her success comes from her roles in movies such as Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music which she won a Golden Globe for each.

Here is personal favorite of mine:

In 1997 Andrews underwent an operation to remove non-cancerous nodules found in her throat which in 2010 she denied by saying there was no need for her to get surgery. When she awoke, she found that she could no longer sing. Her once, “four-octave soprano” turned to a “fragile alto” which lead her to press charges for malpractice. Even with winning the case and going to rehabilitation therapy, she was unable to regain what she lost.

This is her voice after her surgery:

Her Role as a Preformer

Julie Andrews has always added an elegance to all her characters which can usually be apparent by the role she plays. Even in less glamorous performances such as Mary Poppins she adds a gentle, welcoming feeling to the overall performance as well as the music. This added personality allows listeners and viewers to be more entranced by the music. Her role in musicals allowed composers to add personality and soul to the characters they create. Instead of writing for their own voices, they have the flexibility to write for more complex voices such as Julie Andrews. Her role as the performer is to bring life to the characters being displayed which she has always been known to do.

Sources

“Awards.” IMDb, IMDb.com, http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000267/awards.

“Julie Andrews.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017, http://www.biography.com/people/julie-andrews-9184978.

“Julie Andrews.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Nov. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Andrews#Voice.

South African Music

Outside Influence

While Africa has had a very distinct sound and style but colonization brought other cultures and their musical practices. With these new influences, Africans began making their own interpretations of western instruments. For example, the Ramkie is a guitar with three or four strings. These instrument, while similar to western, created a much different sound. Some would consider the

Ramkie guitar

Slave orchestras and traveling musicians rose to popularity after 1806 as well as marching bands in the 1820’s. The tradition of marching bands still lives on through an annual event on New Years called the Great Carnival.

The rise of missionaries introduced chiors to native Africans. They began incorporating this concept while keeping to their indigenous harmonies. This is one of the oldest traditions of music practiced. it would be used for communal and social events. The combined voices would form a capella. Here is an example of Zulu men using this method.

The National Anthem was  agreed upon in 1994 after the apartheid as a statement of Democratic South Africa. It was written by Enoch Sontonga titled Nkosi Sikelel’ !Afrika. He was a school teacher but he was not recognized till after his death when Nelson Mandela used the song for his movement against the apartheid. The song exemplifies the mixture of culture in South Africa by using multiple native languages throughout.

Xhosa Music

The Xhosa language is seen as one of the most difficult because it uses clicks as contestants. This adds a completely different aspect to the music since their culture did not use drums until Northern Africans began migrating to mines in the 1800s. They would use their voices to create a beat and tempo. I always found this to be so fascinating especially since I grew up in South Africa. The simple yet complicated song consists of only four lines of lyrics which are repeated through-out. The elaborate nature of the language keeps the song interesting through-out.

Sources

“Music of South Africa.” Wikipedia, 24 Oct. 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_South_Africa.

“The origins of South African musi.” Brand South Africa, 24 Oct. 2017, http://www.brandsouthafrica.com/south-africa-fast-facts/arts-facts/origins-of-south-african-music.

“Culture of South Africa.” Xhosa, South African History Online , 24 Oct. 2017, http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/xhosa.

Evolution of Edison’s Disc Phonograph

Background Interest

I have always been fascinated with records and how they work so I took this opportunity to comprehensively break down the history of records and how they work. Looking at the evolution of music a whole, it is crazy to see how far society has come with distributing music. To think we started off listening to aluminum cylinders with very limited play time versus the mp3 players we carry around so easily that can play hundreds of songs.

Evolution of Discs

Thomas Edison’s Disc Phonograph was first brought to the public in 1911 at the Fifth Annual Convention for the National Association of Talking Machine Jobbers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By the next year, there were three models available for the public to purchase for $150 to $250 and because of the complicated chemical process, Diamond discs were $1.15 to $4.25. Initially, they were not popular because they machine was not as aesthetically pleasing as its competitor, the Victrolas. Plus, the system was not universal so only Edison discs would work so people would need to purchase new records. There was also an issue with the integrity of the disc itself because the surface would separate from the core, causing surface noise. Even with these draw backs, Edison’s disc was known to be acoustically better than competitors which Edison proved in 1915 through Tone Tests. These tests were recitals where a recording of the performance was played and the audience was dared to be able to tell the difference. Edison had such confidence in the acoustics that he stopped calling them records, instead, he called them re-creations. This is an example of an earlier model:

In 1916, Edison company began to make consoles to meet public demand. There were Art Models which included an English, French, Italian or Gothic style. In 1917, the United State’s involvement in World War I lead to a cheaper model for the military. The Army Navy Model was sold for $60 and soldiers would purchase them and bring them overseas however, they were discontinued after the war ended. By 1924, the radio has fully emerged and begins to beat out records. In response to this, Edison began modifying his system. He creates long-playing records and launches four new consoles. With these new releases, he also begins to sell attachments so that the system can use other types of records.

As interest in moving pictures rose, Edison created the Ediscope which would accompany a still image with narration. Then the Cine-Music Phonograph was created to accompany a film. In 1928, Edison took over the Splitdorf-Bethlehem Electrical Company of Newark which gave him the ability to create radio-phonographs. These were radio programs put onto long-playing discs. By 1929, the first Rayediphonic Reproducing machine was used with radiosonic records. Edison then created the Portable Disc Phonograph which uses Edison Needle Records. Even with these changes, the business closed in October of that year. Here is an example of the Portable Disc Machine:

References

Edison, T. A. “Production of disk phonograph records.” Patents, Google Patents, 21 July 1925, http://www.google.com/patents/US1546573.

Library of Congress. “History of the Edison Disc Phonograph.” Inventing Entertainment: The Early Motion Pictures and Sound Recordings of the Edison Companies, http://www.loc.gov/collections/edison-company-motion-pictures-and-sound-recordings/articles-and-essays/history-of-edison-sound-recordings/history-of-the-edison-disc-phonograph/.

Thompson, Emily. “Machines, Music, and the Quest for Fidelity: Marketing the Edison Phonograph in America, 1877-1925.” The Musical Quarterly, vol. 79, no. 1, 1995, pp. 131–171. JSTOR, JSTOR,www.jstor.org/stable/742520.

Pyramids – Frank Ocean

I have recently found that I am starting to prefer relaxed music. In contrast to my analysis of a song from the 20’s, this song was released very recently.

Frank Ocean is a younger artist; this song is actually from his 2012 debut album. He had previously made mix tapes and would post his music on SoundCloud. Pyramids was written by Frank Ocean and James Ryan Ho and was produced by Frank Ocean, Malay, Om’Mas Keith in Hollywood. This song in particular is credited as “nearly 10-minute epic that touches on everything from club music to good old-fashioned slow jam R&B” (Dobbins)

Pyramids – Frank Ocean

Form

While listening this song, it is separated into parts. The beginning starts with the chorus then leads into a transitional verse which then flows into the actual first verse. The first half of the song has a different chorus than the second half.

Begins as:

“Set the cheetahs on the loose
There’s a thief out on the move
Underneath our legion’s view
They have taken Cleopatra”

Then changes to:

“Working at the pyramid
Working at the pyramid tonight”

With the length of the song (9:53) distinct change within the song creates the illusion that these two parts are completely separate songs.

Dynamics

Another factor that adds to complex nature of this song is the variation is sound. Ocean eases the listener into the song with a soft intro then shifts to a louder, heavier bass that forces attention to the story. This theme continues when the story changes mid-way through the song. The music becomes more faint, smooth creating that same calm atmosphere he began with. He then changes the style of the song to a more modern “club” impression until the end of the song where it slowly fades away with a guitar solo.

Tempo and Lyrics

When the music starts, tempo are slower giving the song a weightless feeling. After the first verse the tempo begins to pick up then slows down again during the chorus. Then half way through, there is dance break that leads the listener into almost a completely different song.

This shift is also the turning point in the meaning of the song. The beginning is referencing history with subject being on a women named Cleopatra. After the lull, the tempo speeds up again as he starts to explain his relationship with a prostitute named Cleopatra, “working at the pyramid, working at the pyramid tonight.” As he continues he expresses his love for this women even though he is her “pimp” and they cannot be together. As this realization sets in, the chorus is repeated and the music dies down to a solemn guitar solo.

 

Timbre

The combination of the slower tempos and dynamic changes in sound add to the overall mellow mood. The use of bass in beginning contrast with the ending guitar by adding some “funk” to the intro, while the ending guitar solo is slowed down and drawn out. The use of a slower transition makes it easier for the listener to prepare for the sharp change in style and meaning.

Sources

Dobbins, Amanda (2012-12-12). “Song of Summer 2012: The R&B Division”. Vulture. New York Magazine. Retrieved 2017-10-05

“Frank Ocean.” Wikipedia, 2017, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Ocean. Retrieved 2017-10-05

“Maybe” by The Ink Spots

Music from the 1940s has always been so mesmerizing to me. The ‘old’ sound of vinyl will always cause a strong feel of nostalgia to a time before my time. It causes the listener to take a step back in time to relive an iconic era of music.

A personal favorite of mine is the song Maybe by The Ink Spots which was released in 1940 and was written by Allan Flynn and Frank Madden. The year it was released it was second on the music charts. The group originated from Indianapolis, Indiana which is shown through their musical style.

Full song: Maybe – The Ink Spots

Timbre

The semi constant hum in the background creates a drone-like effect to the song. this causes the song to have a mellow feel, allowing the listener to float along. There are also a few times in the song when the singer’s voice will be more raspy adding to “feel” of the song.

“Maybe, the who is waitin’ for you, with prove untrue” – 1:58

This raspiness gives a sort of emphasis to the lyrics. There is a pattern of this behavior through-out the second rendition of the first verse to add an importance to those lyrics.

Range and Melody

Since the Ink Spots has five members, their differing vocal ranges allow for their music to incorporate more elaborate melodies. With “Maybe”, the slower tempo and drawn – out lyrics allow for their voices to blend together which follows a repetitive pattern through-out the song. The varying ranges add an interesting affect to the overall sound of the song. The fellow members singing in the background compliment the lead’s range to add even more emphasis to his words.

 

Articulation

The Ink Spots have been characterized as “Easy Listening” and “Rhythm and Blues” which both have commonality of being smooth. This adds to the overall feel of the song which tends to commonly be about heartache, so it matches the theme.

Whenever I listen to this song, I always tend to get lost in the music to the point where I may have to play it a second time, but I’m not complaining.

Sources:

“Maybe.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 April 2017. Web. 24 Sept 2017

The Ink Spots, Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Aug 2017. Web. 24 Sept 2017

Encyclopedia Britanica. “The Ink Spots.” Encyclopedia Britanica, 1999, http://www.britannica.com/topic/the-Ink-Spots

This is me

My name is Lauren Emmett. I am currently studying to become an Art Therapist. I attend the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and I am a third year student. I have always had an interest in music but never had the opportunity to learn how to play an instrument so I have stuck with being an admirer. My music taste is not specific because my mentality is that any music, regardless of genre, can be a work of art. One day I will be listening to death metal then the next, I’ll listen Mumford and Sons.

I am an avid concert goer and have been to over 25 concerts, big and small. Personally, I prefer smaller venues since they have a more intimate feeling to them, especially if the music is more sentimental. Bigger venues can also be enjoyable because they create a sense of community and it gives a better understanding that other people can come together, all differences aside, to enjoy the art of music.

To understand me a bit more, here is my current favorite song.

The following is a work of art done by my favorite artist, Salvador Dali.