Musical Moment

So far, I have begun every post by somehow mentioning Tuesdays. Evidently, I will not be breaking the pattern this week. That aside, hello and welcome to another musical interlude that, in the true spirit of my title, is as random as last week. I am once again visiting my “favorites” list and giving a bit of commentary/analysis on some of the songs.

I have two new additions to the list compliments of the Nerd of the Blog: Jump Jump and Dam Dadi Doo by Nightcore. Both are energetic techno songs that have now made their way into my rave list. They’re a bit hyper and high-pitched, but, after the initial shock, I like them quite a bit. Most importantly, they fulfill my requirement for fast and energetic music. I have recently found that I work best to techno because I tend to type/write at the speed of the music and it keeps me focused for studying.

I See the Light by Disney

I cannot express how much I love Tangled. If you haven’t seen it, you need to do so (same for How to Train Your Dragon which is mentioned later). Disney repeatedly has that one love song that marks the climax of the movie, and I See the Light is that song. The lyrics, in my opinion, either are or are among the most romantic I have heard from Disney which is saying quite a bit given how they are normally (though I may be slightly biased). The soft orchestral music highlights the vocal line throughout the piece and, as such, isn’t extremely noteworthy on its own. The vocal line focuses on the higher range of both voices unlike many songs and, after a moment of getting used to it, I’m beginning to like Mandy Moore’s unique style of singing in this movie. As the Nerd of the Blog, our resident Disney expert, pointed out to me, the melody is mainly a compilation of previous Disney classics that work surprisingly well together.

Testify to Love by Avalon

This has long been my favorite Christian song particularly of those recorded and played on the radio as opposed to those sung in my church alone. Apart from having a nice, open-sounding melody/harmony (not to be confused with open chords in the SATB composition for you music theory people), it is a classic praise song done in a more contemporary way to make it interesting. It took a good amount of effort for me to listen to it without singing along so as to figure out the exact chordal structure in order to write this post.

This is Berk by John Powell

First of all, How to Train Your Dragon is an absolutely amazing movie and the music lends to that heavily. It is a wonderfully dramatic mix of traditional European orchestral and Scottish styles (I believe it’s Scottish, but I could be wrong and there may be some Celtic influence as well). I have a great affinity for Scottish and Celtic pieces in general because of the runs and grace notes that, to me, are incredibly exciting (a theme that shows itself in my techno selections as well). I am reminded of my flute solo in Who Wants to Live Forever by Queen we performed two or three years ago. This particular piece is so powerful and well-recorded that I can, without any strain, imagine myself in the orchestra playing along.

The Wicked Symphony by Avantasia

I’m notoriously horrible at discerning the meaning of lyrics, so I will say before I begin that my love for this song is entirely independent of the lyrics (they may be great…but I can’t quite tell). The combination of traditional string instruments and electric guitar is very well done. It’s a generally bombastic song, but the guitar doesn’t overpower the rest – it’s just all on the powerful side. The key itself is amazing and the vocal line accents the best note patterns. Said vocal line is closer to yelling in some parts than I’m typically used to, but in this instance it sounds great.

Footloose by Kenny Loggins

Here is a classic entirely about dancing. It may not be deep, but it’s fun and it’s from the 80s (two of my many optional criteria for good music). The beat is perfect for dancing to if you can keep up and it’s been stolen for different songs countless times. The bass guitar has an interesting feature in the instrumental breaks, but the voices are the primary focus throughout.

Go On by B. Reith

This is probably the only rap song I have ever enjoyed listening to. It’s grown on me. As a rap song, it’s mostly about the lyrics which are hilarious. The entire song is essentially about how people can’t pronounce his name. The chorus is much more musical and pleasing to the ear. I would be quite happy if he expanded that melody into a real song, but, as it is, I still like it.

I hope you have enjoyed the musical selection. Once again, I challenge all of you to comment and list a song or two you might want me to talk about.

Until my next post (when I will finally be free of finals w00t!), have fun.

~ Entropy

5 Completely Unrelated Songs

Ah, Tuesdays. You never notice how they sneak up on you until you have to blog on them during the last week of classes. This is the week that everything is due, frantic studying begins and you look ahead to the upcoming break fondly until you realize that, before you can relax and recover from sleep-deprivation, it's going to get exponentially worse in a two-week time span. As a result of this madness, my post is going to be on the short and unplanned side. I think you'll agree it's for a good cause: my final English paper about the assumed law of fantasy worlds that creatures can exclusively be or use magic. Hopefully, it will turn out to be the spectacular conclusion to my series of odd papers (including an argument on techno and an analysis of Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword).


Today, I will comment on the five newest additions to my favorites on Grooveshark (because it's amazing) excluding techno songs I've already talked about.


No. 5 in G Minor by Johannes Brahms
Here is an entirely too brief piece that is fast-paced, upbeat and generally exciting (with a few artistically-placed slow sections). There are three main sections of the melody that work together extremely well. The entire piece is done with the typical Baroque system of composition and, as such, it is well-balanced in all four parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass).


Fame by Irene Cara
I perpetually forget about this song due to not having seen the original musical. However, this is a great song if only for blasting and singing in the car. It's not nearly as negative or annoying as most everything I can find on the radio and it stays well enough out of the mezzo soprano range that a great many people can sing it without any impossible sections.


Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
There is no denying the allure of this song. It is a work of pure genius (or insanity, it's hard to tell) and is the single greatest song to play while on a bus or, if there are enough people present, car. Granted, it's also good for singing alone, but no matter what it must be done at full volume. The only reason this is just now on my favorites list is because someone incorrectly changed the name of the one I had favorited before.


What Is Love by Haddaway
I love this song with a passion largely due to the memories (ironically of band camp) that I associate with it and because it is an addictively fun song. As with many on my list, it is made to be blasted out of whatever music-playing device you have at the time though I suggest you not do it with headphones on. It's just generally a bad idea to blast things with headphones on, but the treble in this might make your head explode (Disclaimer: No evidence of this phenomenon has been collected other than the pain in my head).


He's a Pirate by Klaus Badelt
If you don't like this song, there may be something psychologically wrong. I cannot properly express the many reasons why it is a work of art aside from following traditional composition in unexpected ways. Ignore, for a moment, the pirates vs. ninjas debate and listen to how epic this song is (if that alone is why you don't listen to the song, shame on you). It is now on my favorites list due to someone sending me the infinitely inferior remix which prompted me to find all PotC music and use it as homework motivation.


This concludes the November edition of my music posts. I will write to you all next week though it will be later in the day because of an interfering final.

A presto!

~ Entropy

[insert witty title here]

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I have for you the second part of my rave playlist. It’s a bit shorter than the first because, after listening to it exclusively for a week, I’m sick of some of the songs and they’re obviously not good enough for me to talk about. Luckily, this is the last piece of the playlist. Otherwise, the entire thing would be reduced to my five favorites and you would have much less exposure to new songs. On to the music!

Love Don’t Let Me Go by David Guetta
The vocal harmony here is amazing and is the main focus of the song. The background melody is interesting and uses a bit less of the synth static that these songs tend to be drawn towards.

The Promise Man by Basic Element
If this song had no lyrics, it would be amazing. However, it does. It’s still a good song, but the lyrics really don’t add anything to it at all. While I’m changing things, I would add a bit more of the secondary melody.

Walk On Water by Basshunter
This is the song that got me hooked on techno. It’s one of those songs that is absurdly popular, but it still hasn’t been worn out. It’s insanely repetitive, but it can get away with it because it sounds amazing.

Feel Fine by Tune Up!
The main melody in this song is very well-supported and it gives this song a ton of energy. The song has three distinct parts that work together fairly well to keep things interesting.

Can I Get a Witness by Rob Mayth
The main melody of this song is good enough to make up for the odd lyrical sections. Once again, it has a lot of energy and it sounds like it’d be wonderful to dance to. The transitions are done very well.

Future Shock
Here is a true example of the Minimalist influence in techno. This song really doesn’t change often and the patterns are the same throughout. It’s not unpleasant, but it’s more of a filler song. At the moment, I can’t find the artist for this song because the Grooveshark gnomes seem to have taken the name off. If anyone knows it, post in the comments. It is currently listed under Hard Dance Mania Volume 5 (disk 2).

Start the Game by Tune Up!
Aside from the fact that this song makes me lose the game every single time I hear it, the melody is fun and restated in a few different ways. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get much deeper than that.

Bounce by Tune Up!
This one has become one of my favorites because of the energy, the lyrics (all four lines of them), the open synth sound in the melodic line and the layout of the song. Bounce is more complex than others because of the Matrix-esque slow motion break in the melody gives the song a bit more texture than the straight repetition of the beat.

Feelings by Basic Element
Unlike the other songs on this list, the main melody is exclusively in the lyrical line. It’s repetitive and leaning towards Minimalist, but it’s a generally interesting song. I will admit that I’ve never paid attention to the lyrics whatsoever.

Every Time We Touch by Cascada
Every Time We Touch is another techno/pop classic and one of the few songs on this list whose lyrics I actually listen to. It may be cheesy and slightly overused, but it’s a good song.

Ravers in the UK by Manian
Ah, Manian. Evidently, they love stealing from their own songs. There are few differences in the melody of this song and Welcome to the Club, but, luckily for them, I like both of them enough to overlook that. Once again, the rhythmic pattern from last week shows up noticeably in the melodic line. The lyrical line is great except the actual “ravers in the UK” part annoys me. The style of singing is subtly different on that part and it doesn’t sound as good as the rest. However, the remainder of the song has enough musical merit that I can get past it.

Stamp on the Ground by Italo Brothers
I blame the Nerd of the Blog for the inclusion of this song. Since my last post, he introduced me to it and it’s been stuck in my head ever since. My initial opinion was that it lacked in the energy of some of the other songs I’ve listed, but the melody is undeniably well-written (for those of you keeping track, it also has a bit of that same rhythmic pattern). The harmony in the lyrical line also has an appealingly open resonance. I’m absolutely in love with this song now and I can’t quite pin down why apart from reasons I’ve already stated.

Raise Your Head Up by Pimp! Code
I’m becoming steadily more impressed with Pimp! Code despite their odd name choice. This song is a tiny bit over-synthesized, but the pizzicato sections provide a good contrasting statement of the melody. The melody itself is very repetitive, but well-harmonized and a bit addicting. It hints at the same swung style of other techno songs I love (techno takes a lot from jazz rhythmically).

This marks the end of my rave playlist for the time being. I have many more playlists of various genres that will likely be coming to you soon. If you have any specific requests of songs for me to talk about or genres, leave a comment. I retain the right to choose not to talk about those songs (for example, I’m not going to be talking about the majority of heavy metal songs), but I promise I will consider them.

A martedì!

~ Entropy

It Is Not Yet Dead

The blog is back and I’m here to claim Tuesdays before anyone else does. I will be posting about music seeing as that’s my specialty (or obsession, whichever you prefer). As a warning, I will probably have a post or two on random topics that I find particularly important that day and a few may be college-related simply because I’m gathering a good many hilarious stories and quotes from classes.

On to the real post!

This and next week I will be sharing my new and improved rave playlist for your entertainment. It’s served me well so far in keeping me awake while doing homework and, of course, solo dorm raves when I’m bored. Disclaimer: This playlist does not grant you the ability to dance. Trust me, I’ve tried.

Dreaming by Fun Factory
Despite the fact that I always put this on shuffle, this is a good song to begin a playlist with given the overly-serious introduction. The actual song, like many in the genre, is repetitive and not remarkably outstanding, but enjoyable.

The Vulture by Pendulum
This is a new one I’ve gotten into. The beginning is a bit annoying and has very little musical merit, but the main melodic line is addicting.

They’re Taking the Hobbits to Isengard by Erwin Beekveld
I must include this as a tribute to an epic car ride where this was blasted and sung by all those involved. Doing that with just about any song greatly improves the musical experience and it is further improved if the song is nerdy and gets you strange looks from people on the street. This has been tested recently with John Williams is the Man, Dream Land (Kirby) and various other video game songs. Also, this song is quite good/hilarious on its own.

Move Your Dead Bones by Dr. Reanimator
This song is a bit weird and extremely good for dancing.

Sandstorm by DaRude
Sandstorm is the classic rave song and the first one I ever heard. This is the original version rather than the shortened one. It is the most melodically and rhythmically diverse techno song I’ve come across thus far that I would want to listen to again.

Welcome to the Club by Manian
This song is absolutely amazing. A friend of mine introduced me to it a month or so ago and I was able to use it in my English paper on techno (side note: choosing your own topics in a class with a geeky teacher is epic). It has the most complex lyrical line I’ve seen in this genre and, more importantly, the melody is simply great. If any of you are interested in writing techno music, use 16th + 8th note patterns. I can name at least three songs from my favorites that all feature similar rhythms.

Techno Syndrome (Mortal Kombat) by The Immortals
It’s a video game theme and techno. I can think of few better combinations. Oh, and there’s that pattern again.

You Know by Pimp! Code
I’m beginning to love the synth sound in techno songs. This one does it well and uses it more for color on a strong melody than as the melody itself. The overall sound is very upbeat and fun.

Levas Polka by Basshunter
Most people either love this song or hate it. Personally, I think it’s great and it grows on you. It’s a very effective tongue exercise if you try to sing it. I am guilty of singing it repeatedly for that very reason. I’ll take all the practice I can get for La Forza del Destino (my flute part, aka the violin part on the recording, is insane for articulations).

We Are the Best by Pimp! Code
This is likely my favorite techno song and definitely in the top few if not. It’s organized much in the way of a traditional orchestra in regard to how the melodic and harmonic lines come in and out of the music. The effect is a perpetually building song with a ton of energy and a cool collection of synths.

Raver’s Fantasy by Tune Up!
Another rave classic, this song doesn’t have quite as much energy as We Are the Best, but it’s close. The music itself is a bit more complex, but there is a single melodic line, two rhythmic backbeats and no counter-melody to speak of apart from when the lyrical line is introduced (when the melodic line takes counter-melody).

Dota by Basshunter
I can’t, in good conscience, leave out Dota. It may not be particularly deep musically or lyrically, but you can’t deny it’s fun.

Hold Me Tonight (Alex K Mix) by Manian
To be honest, this song annoyed me in the beginning due to the female voice lead, but it found its way onto the list nonetheless. Once again, I’m caught up in the synth and the syncopated backbeat. Maybe it appeals to me since I’m a band kid: it’s very well subdivided (ok, that’s not it, but it does make it easier to dance to).

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk
This is on my list more for the others on the blog than myself. I don’t have any particular attraction to this song because it borders on minimalist (all techno does, but it is more apparent in some than others). Still, it’s fun to listen to and/or mime once in a while. At an actual rave it would work very well. At my desk doing calculus, I need something a little less robotic to keep me going.

In the Hall of the Mountain King (Techno Remix) originally by Mozart
Mozart is good in all forms, as shown by this remix. It isn’t in my favorites, but I like it. I’m not sure what else can be said.

This concludes my contribution this week. I hope you find something in this list that you haven’t heard before and go listen to it. If any of you have contributions to make, they are welcome in the comments. I’m always looking for more music. On a related note, if any of you have ideas on a paper topic I can use as my final for English, I would love to hear them. I’m having an awful time coming up with something that I haven’t already used (aka techno and Fire Emblem).

In other news, I’m changing my tag on here to Entropy for various reasons including that I won’t forget it. In the event that you don’t see a post from me next Tuesday, it’s probably because I’m dead from attempting sodium fusion at my job.

~ Entropy (former Minister of Silly Posts)

How To Recognize Different Types Of Music From Quite A Long Way Away

I felt the need to share this wonderful song with the world today. This famous piece of music is known as "Faerie's Aire and Death Waltz" (from "A Tribute to Zdenko G. Fibich") composed by John Stump. I must say that this is one of my favorite scores of all time for reasons which will become obvious when you look at it more closely. I particularly enjoy the rigatoni section.

Non-musicians will understand this as well, so don't be scared.

~Minister of Silly Posts

Title Spotting

I have now decided that, as we are all picking titles, I shall be the Minister of Silly Posts. I will probably post several serious and possibly ranting notes intermittently, but humor is much more fun (and I need a reason to make Monty Python references).

Tonight on "It's The Mind" - more music (Styx):
Show Me The Way
Rockin' The Paradise
The Grand Illusion
Lady
Crystal Ball
Blue Collar Man

I could go on with that list forever seeing as Styx is my favorite band.

~The Minister of Silly Posts

And Now For Something Not Entirely Different

Buongiorno! Jaclyn D'Avanzo speaking...er, typing. Unlike Jonathan, I have no official blog title. Feel free to suggest a few if any spring to mind.

I must warn you of four things before I continue 1) I will be referencing Monty Python and sporadically other things 2) I am Italian, but I don't speak it fluently (yet) 3) I write like a British person according to most (long words, odd word order and such), and 4) I am also Irish and a writer, so I can go on talking about not very much for quite a long time.

Now for a bit about me. I am, thus far, the only female writing on this blog. I have a feeling a bit of confusion might come about later if you didn't know that. I have been in marching band for four years and that fact will periodically resurface in my posts I'm sure. I'm a complete band/music geek, and I play the flute, piccolo and sing (soprano, alto and a bit of tenor). Apart from that, I'm interested in most everything - applied and theoretical sciences, art (mostly of the pencil-and-paper variety), writing, anything humorous and, apparently, parenthetical comments. I am constantly reading fantasy books, listening to music or watching various TV shows (Star Trek, M*A*S*H, The Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who, House and Burn Notice among others, SIDE NOTE: don't expect me to know a large amount of useless facts about any but the 2nd and 3rd of these due to the fact that I have little time to actually watch them). My alternate hobby is arguing with people (when I know what I'm talking about of course). I like confusing people with logic, scientific facts and a varied vocabulary. It’s extremely entertaining.

I live for music. I like most everything from classical to classic rock to jazz to hip hop. There is probably one single song from each genre that I like or would like if I knew about it (but there are always exceptions). Obviously, there are some genres I like a good deal more than others and there are some that I refuse to listen to at all with the exception of that single song I like. This being said, I shall leave you with a few songs to acquaint yourself with. In honor of a blog of randomness: a taste of DR. DEMENTO:
Fish Heads (no specified artist)
Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh - Allan Sherman
Nuttin' For Christmas - Stan Freberg
May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose - Little Jimmy Dickens
They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha Ha (no specified artist, but be sure to look for the Dr. Demento version)

If there's anything else anyone wants to know, I can post that too. As it is, I'm at a loss for what else to say that someone might actually bother to read.