Erasing Musical Opinions (Or Remembering Them)

Lately, I have been all about giving music I previously have hated or had something against a chance. Just a few are rap, Justin Timberlake, and the emo-er side of Screamo. Indie is also coming back onto my radar after a long backseat trip through the interesting road of harder music like metal and hardcore. Here are a few observations I have made from this interesting journey:

Not ALL rap is horrible.

I have been listening to a few rap artists that are not played on Top 40 radio and I have actually loved listening to them. Clipse, Lupe Fiasco, The Cool Kids, Kanye (okay, he is top 40 but he has talent). I'm realizing that the reason I really like these guys is because they actually have talent at what they do. They don't hide behind catchy beats (although there are many) and can write lyrically interesting songs about stuff other than drugs, sex, and money (although there is a little bit of all three in most every rap song). The song Trill by Clipse has one of the coolest background noise effects I have heard and has a pretty great beat. It's hard for me not to cuss along with them when they are talking about how trill they are. The Cool Kids have some really cool beats that I have enjoyed. Lupe is just a great rapper, everything is excellent

. And Kanye is just plain catchy. He is hard not to like (even if he is a self-obsessed cocky jerk in real life).

Justin Timberlake has talent (yeah, I said it).

Never thought I would hear that sentence escape my fingers. He really is one of the poster boy's for popular music and he could put out just about anything and it would be a radio hit. But the thing is, he is just a legit musician and artist. He plays instruments, sings, writes his own music, arranges music; all things most popular musicians don't do. FutureSex/LoveSounds is a great album. Justified isn't bad either. But I would say I can see more hip-hop influence in the former, which I enjoy. Although I have to admit, he may have put one of the DUMBEST lines ever into one of his songs (thanks to my sister for pointing this out). In LoveStoned, Timberlake calls a woman, "Flawless like a piece of uncut ice". Lame Mr. Timberlake. You can do better.

Screamo is definitely still Screamo.

I suppose bands like Underoath or maybe sort of Emery would be classified under the screamo genre. I really like some of these bands, and I really wouldn't put them into the cookie-cutter screamo genre. But a while ago I listened to a song by Silverstein (If You Could See Into My Soul) and really liked it a lot. It had a really cool drum beat and guitar sounds. Plus some cool back and forth singing screaming type stuff. So, today at Wal-Mart I bought the cd. I get home to listen to it, and unfortunately, Silverstein is definitely not like Underoath and Emery. A lot of the other songs (upon first listen), seemed very shallow and predictable. I figured it would be so much better than it ended up being. But the guitar riffs were pretty much stereotypical power chord distortion + high pitched guitar riff = screamo band. Lots of group sung vocals and high pitch whiny sounding singing. The lead singer has a decent screaming voice, but it still sounds like a little skinny teenager trying to get the most out of his scream unfortunately. I guess I have been spoiled by some great bands like Underoath (who have transformed into more metal than they were in They're Only Chasing Safety). So, to say the least, I was pretty disappointed on first listen. Maybe it will get better, maybe it won't. But right now, not impressed.

So a few impressions of my explorations into old types of music I have either liked, hated, or been indifferent about. 

Currently Listening to:

Hell Hath No Fury - Clipse

Narrow Stairs - Death Cab For Cutie

FutureSex/LoveSounds - JT

Sound of Silver - LCD Soundsystem

Cory, Le Blog