After spending time posting about different styles of music the Musical Diversity team has decided (required to by Uni) to post a video. In this video you can see all our members talking about their varying tastes in music.
ENJOY!!!
Friday, 31 October 2014
Saturday, 11 October 2014
Review - Blue Planet Eyes
The album starts with the soothing, enchanting vocals of Isabella Mandredi in 'Blue Planet Eyes' and a distinguisably groovy bass. The song builds up for 'Somebody's Talking' which was definitely one of the highlights of the album, because of its excellent control of dynamics, from the lively basslines which build up to an explosive and catchy chorus. The single 'Is This How You Feel?' is still an incredibly addictive song, which induces happy rhythms ideal for parties.
The songs 'Rock and Roll Rave' and 'It Gets Better' are rock gems with bombastic guitars and vocals, These songs clearly demonstrated the influence of 80s rock in the Preatures sound.
The melancholy songs 'Two Tone Melody' and 'Business, Yeah' are a wonderful display of the vocal and lyrical prowess of Mandredi. She effectively manages to convey heartache with simple and straightforward lyrics, with her ethereal voice. The guitarwork is also quite remarkable in creating both energy-driven hooks to slow pensive music.
A fantastic album from a rising band which are set to open for The Rolling Stones this very month. Blue Planet Eyes demonstrates that the Preatures are capable of a variety of sounds, without appearing to lack a unique sound. While the guitarwork and basslines are quite neat, it is the vocals of Isabella Mandredi which distinguish this alternative rock band amongst the thousands of new contemporary records.
Orchestral Music in Movies
What comes to mind when you hear the word orchestra?
Do you think of a large room where many instruments are played? Do you imagine what type of music is played at an orchestra.
Some people imagine orchestra's old music which they would never listen to, a style that seems unappealing in today's musical environment. Yet many people do not realise just how common orchestras are in many of the films that we watch today.
For example in the links below it shows popular movies which use orchestras showing just how often we hear and enjoy orchestral music.
Superman
Star Wars
Rocky
Pirates of the Caribean
So next time you think of orchestras and orchestral music try to think about just how common they are, after all the very next movie you watch may have orchestral music in it.
5 strange, bizarre and wicked music genres you did not know existed
5. Pirate Metal
Metal genres are known to be so diverse, specific and utterly weird at times, and here pirate metal shines. Swashbuckle are a trash metal band which are known for its colourful pirate image (as seen in the photograph to the left) as well as their humorous lyrics and performances. Not only do they sing about pirates, but their stage performances entail pirate ships, stuffed parrots, and not to mention ridiculously awesome pirate consumes.
Swashbuckle's decision to be a pirate metal band emerged from the realisation that band members loved thrash metal and pirates. So the logical thing being to do was combine the both into an pirate metal band.
Here's a link to their song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53A4GyB96RI
4. Wizard Rock
Wizard rock is what happens when a bunch of Harry Potter fans decide to praise their favourite wizard, by picking up instruments, most likely for the first time, and create music in their honor. As you can expect, it sounds like amost every other ordinary indie/alternative (slightly worse than most actually), except there's one exception to it. It has hilariously clever lyrics which revolve around the Harry Potter universe. There's also something really remarkable and admirable about their do-it-yourself attitude towards music.
As the band The Boyz Who Lived (kudos to the name by the way) sing in their song Wizard Rock, 'wizard rock is like Christian rock except it involves witches and wizards'.
3. Drone Metal
I was recommended drone metal by a friend of mine and quite frankly, it is simulanteously one of the most atmospheric and yet ridiculously slow music genres to exist. Drone metal is characterised by extreme heaviness, slow tempos and distortion, which all meld together to create a uniquely morose and haunting atmosphere. Listening to drone metal is akin to wandering through the darkest forests. As expected, drone metal is not for everyone particularly as it is incredibly slow and has long durations of sustained notes (drones), which can be incredibly tedious.
However, before you dismiss it, try this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9FP68xXnXw, and prepared to be immersed into a scary and dark world.
2. Tuvan Throat Singing
Tuvan throat singing is by far one of the most unsual and yet awesome forms of singing I've heard. It is a form of overtone singing practiced by the Mongol people, which involves simulatenously singing multiple notes. The result of this is some of the weirdest yet amazing sounds that can be produced from the human mouth.
Try this amazing throat singer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVyyhHFKI8E
1. Bubblegum Dance
This is a fantastically amusing music genre which involves over-the-top happy lyrics and pop sounds. It is cheerful, with highly exaggerated high-pitched voices and feels like the theme songs of a children's show - on ectasy.
You guys HAVE TO watch this music video by Dr. Bombay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kIXY-bBClE
Friday, 10 October 2014
Screaming vocals in Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-tpf7OFN0I
Above is a link to a short video about screaming vocal techniques, which are often found within heavier forms of music.
These forms of vocals in music are probably an acquired taste as they often accompany genres under the umbrella of heavy metal. A lot of people may not understand why someone may choose to employ screaming vocals, as they think it might not be a sonically pleasing sound to listen to; or that it might always hurt the voice.
Although it may seem quite a strange niche to some within the vast array of music available, the techniques of screaming that usually accompany such genres are quite different to the screams that, say, a small girl might make if she was having a tantrum, or a shout that someone might use if they were yelling in an argument.
Screaming that takes place within these genres of music often makes use of either the false vocal cords and/or the vocal fry register, as well as the diaphragm. The techniques usually take time to learn and use 'correctly' without hurting the voice.
I think that screaming is often even more unique from person to person than singing is. There are multiple techniques that can be used with metal vocals, just as there is with regular singing itself.
Any form of singing can be detrimental to the voice if proper vocal health techniques are not used and precautions are not taken.
Music is quite diverse, and so are vocal techniques.
"I pursue rock music because of the raw emotion I can put behind it, and that's exactly what music is to me in the first place."
- Ben
Heavy Rock Music and Social Activism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh3WkHumu-U
'Rage Against The Machine - The Art Of Protest'
The above link is a snippet of a documentary about Rage Against The Machine, and the impact that they had upon society at the time. As mentioned previously on our blog, music can be a "powerful tool to provoke and challenge societal norms."
Rage Against The Machine were a hard rock band that implemented hip-hop elements within their music, and also used their band as a tool to encourage people to stand up for what they believe in, as well as promote protests and social activism.
These, in essence, were the main motivations for the creation of the music, and the band helped to bring back the sentiment of 'protest' back into mainstream music.
The member's experiences of racist, imperialist politics, as well as the personal experiences of racism they had growing up, fuelled them to express themselves through Rage Against The Machine, and this had a large influence on many people, especially due to the amount of people the band reached, and the amount of records that they sold.
Music can definitely give people a voice, and induce emotions and perspectives within people that can lead to social change.
It should never be doubted that music is a powerful platform.
-Ben
Persian Music
I personally like Persian Songs very much because of the soft language and soft accent like Spanish. Though my mother tongue is not Persian but I still like Persian Songs.
The history of Persian Music dates back to Sassanian Period ( 3rd to 7th century AD). Barbad was one of the most famous musician of that era. He used to sing for King Khosros II. He had astonishing command over composition of musics. He invented Seven Dastgah (Persian Musical System).
In the Medieval Period, Persian and Arabian music came close to each other in Iran. The Iranian musicians claimed that Persian Musics influenced Arabian musics because the Arab Royals liked Persian Music.
Moreover, in 12th century, music works of Farabi and Avicenna were taught in European Universities. Grand Book on Music by Farabi covered every point of music.
During 16th to 18th century, it was a dark age in Persian Music. There was no esteem for musicians and they were called Laborers of Pleasure. Later on, during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the musicians had respect. However, Persian music has not flourished in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of Iran has taken place in 1979. However, you may enjoy Googoosh, a famous Persian singer's song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbN2bUgg1ws
References:
http://persianmusic.8k.com/History.htm
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