Hiya folks.
This thread is going to be a little different. Spelunking through the first page of this section of KHI, there has been this noticeable trend of threads that, for the most part, pertain to more recent bands. Being as it may, I primarily listen to a lot more older bands and I'm certain most of you do also. Regrettably, there has been no place to talk about them!
The intention isn't just old music, however. This will give you an enormous freedom in what to write, since it can be any album (or song). The purpose of this thread: take a particular album (or song) that has affected you in some profound way or impacted you, or simply a favorite. Then, write about it. The only condition is to please please include an insight or something of importance. Try to convey to the reader why you think this album (or song) is important or why it's great, rather than just mentioning something in passing. Consider: "Why do I like this?" "What's the aim of this song/album?" "How does it relate to/fit in with the rest of their work?"
"I like this one cause it sounds cool" and other posts with low content are thoughtless garbage. This is not a list thread.
“Music is the most powerful medium in the world because of the frequencies. You’re hitting places in people that remind them that they’re more than just this functional being that makes money, eats and shits and cums.”
-Tori Amos
..... so it'd be nice if we could all believe that and make some cool posts!!!
Here we go:
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
What's Going On - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is where I started with Marvin Gaye. Prior to this album, I never really took Soul (or Marvin Gaye) seriously. The more I listened to this, it has slowly become clear to me what the Soul genre is really all about. Perhaps the rest of the world realized, too. For the most part, Marvin Gaye did a bunch of duet albums with assorted female singers, and his other solo albums were under other producers and while they had his expertise and trademark sound and vocal range, were basically pulp, pop albums. This was also what all of Motown was releasing at the time anyway. "What's Going On" was his first self-produced album, and his most socially conscious. It's rather odd when an album that has so much melancholy can inspirit just the opposite. At least in this listener; it's one of my favorite albums.
Much of the inspiration was drawn from a different direction that Gaye wanted to take with his music. Gaye said that he had received letters from his brother in Vietnam during the war, also playing a major role. Meanwhile at home, there was a shitload of social unrest and I can assume that he felt in a vicegrip; personally I'm in my own vicegrip, but that's another story. That's where the start of the album's concept came from, as a Vietnam soldier returning from war. It's never explicit, though, and you could probably never tell otherwise. Regardless, the whole achieves what most albums do not: getting people to simply consider where we need to improve ourselves and our relations. To take a look around. Why are things this way.
The lyrics in the title song "Mother mother / there's too many of you crying / brother brother brother / there's far too many of you dying" will always always be relevant. Every song is socially important. It's insane. I'm not even religious, and I will sing "God Is Love" in idle and not even know it, that's what Soul does.
Aurally, and forgive me for the mostly vague terminology since admittedly I lack a technical knowledge of music, it's his most "flighty" album. Like I said earlier, it is mostly melancholic. A cry for help; so it's meant to reflect worry, but at the same time there are acoustics, croons, and wails in the background that reflect a static goodness, a hope. Most of this is exclaimed in what I think is the most powerful song on the album, "Save The Children": "I just wanna ask the question / who really cares / to save a world in despair / who really cares....."
Even though the title of the album is born from a desperate confusion, nothing in the album seems without posture or uncertainty.
This thread is going to be a little different. Spelunking through the first page of this section of KHI, there has been this noticeable trend of threads that, for the most part, pertain to more recent bands. Being as it may, I primarily listen to a lot more older bands and I'm certain most of you do also. Regrettably, there has been no place to talk about them!
The intention isn't just old music, however. This will give you an enormous freedom in what to write, since it can be any album (or song). The purpose of this thread: take a particular album (or song) that has affected you in some profound way or impacted you, or simply a favorite. Then, write about it. The only condition is to please please include an insight or something of importance. Try to convey to the reader why you think this album (or song) is important or why it's great, rather than just mentioning something in passing. Consider: "Why do I like this?" "What's the aim of this song/album?" "How does it relate to/fit in with the rest of their work?"
"I like this one cause it sounds cool" and other posts with low content are thoughtless garbage. This is not a list thread.
“Music is the most powerful medium in the world because of the frequencies. You’re hitting places in people that remind them that they’re more than just this functional being that makes money, eats and shits and cums.”
-Tori Amos
..... so it'd be nice if we could all believe that and make some cool posts!!!
Here we go:
What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
What's Going On - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is where I started with Marvin Gaye. Prior to this album, I never really took Soul (or Marvin Gaye) seriously. The more I listened to this, it has slowly become clear to me what the Soul genre is really all about. Perhaps the rest of the world realized, too. For the most part, Marvin Gaye did a bunch of duet albums with assorted female singers, and his other solo albums were under other producers and while they had his expertise and trademark sound and vocal range, were basically pulp, pop albums. This was also what all of Motown was releasing at the time anyway. "What's Going On" was his first self-produced album, and his most socially conscious. It's rather odd when an album that has so much melancholy can inspirit just the opposite. At least in this listener; it's one of my favorite albums.
Much of the inspiration was drawn from a different direction that Gaye wanted to take with his music. Gaye said that he had received letters from his brother in Vietnam during the war, also playing a major role. Meanwhile at home, there was a shitload of social unrest and I can assume that he felt in a vicegrip; personally I'm in my own vicegrip, but that's another story. That's where the start of the album's concept came from, as a Vietnam soldier returning from war. It's never explicit, though, and you could probably never tell otherwise. Regardless, the whole achieves what most albums do not: getting people to simply consider where we need to improve ourselves and our relations. To take a look around. Why are things this way.
The lyrics in the title song "Mother mother / there's too many of you crying / brother brother brother / there's far too many of you dying" will always always be relevant. Every song is socially important. It's insane. I'm not even religious, and I will sing "God Is Love" in idle and not even know it, that's what Soul does.
Aurally, and forgive me for the mostly vague terminology since admittedly I lack a technical knowledge of music, it's his most "flighty" album. Like I said earlier, it is mostly melancholic. A cry for help; so it's meant to reflect worry, but at the same time there are acoustics, croons, and wails in the background that reflect a static goodness, a hope. Most of this is exclaimed in what I think is the most powerful song on the album, "Save The Children": "I just wanna ask the question / who really cares / to save a world in despair / who really cares....."
Even though the title of the album is born from a desperate confusion, nothing in the album seems without posture or uncertainty.
