I've listened to the essential Queen songs. You know "We Will Rock You", "We Are The Champions", "Bohemian Rhapsody" the basics. But I was curious on how good Freddie Mercury's voice was. I listened to a live version of "Somebody to Love" and my jaw dropped. His range, his stage presence, his everything is impecible. He is the perfect singer. And also he's not a bad piano player.
Another good song by Queen is "Killer Queen" . It's really jazzy and catchy and fun. He makes the notes he hits look easy. Also the hints of harmony in the song that come out of no where is awesome. And Brian May's solo on that song was killer... you could say it was a Killer Queen..... forget it.
Another one of my favorites is "You're My Best Friend" which is one of those songs where I was like, "Oh yeah, I know this song. Wait... this is Queen?" Which just has awesome lyrics and notes and harmonys and is really just a fun song. John Deacon did a terrific job writing this song.
Overall, Queen is just a fantastic fun-loving band. They are a band you can listen to no matter what you are feeling. Whether artistic, happy, lonely, silly, horny, you name it. They have a song for it. Great band and it is a shame Freddie is dead. That dude had the best set of pipes in the history of the world.
I was relaxing on a Saturday night after coming home from hanging. I unwinded and watched the latest SNL. You know the usual. Then as I was looking at my phone I heard the funkiest newest tune. I looked up and a rising screen unvieled the name Daft Punk. And then it showed both of their helmets. The commercial was 7 seconds long. I was so confused I watched it again. I went to the computer to look up this info. "Daft Punk announces new album." I didn't finish the SNL episode.
I'm so pumped. These guys are the greatest DJ/House artists of all time. Thier music is so influential on a lot of Pop/House/Electronic artists today. The samples they use and the beats are incredible. The only album of their I didn't like had to Daft Club which was a cool idea. But it wasn't them originally. It was just a bunch of remixes.
My favorite album is their Pop album Discovery. It has my favorite Daft Punk song "Digital Love" and many more. This group has worked with the best in music and everyone in music today has respect for these legends. Chumps like Skrillex and Avicii have nothing on these veterans.
They are so diverse with their electronic music also. Most diverse electronic artists of all time. They have three albums. Homework, which is a funk album mostly. Discovery, which is a Pop album. And Human After All, which is their Rock album. It's about as Rock as electronic music can get.
They also are one of the best artists to see live period. They set the standards for DJ's live performances. Swedish House Mafia, Deadmau5, Bassnectar, Avicii, Fat Boy Slim, all of them have taken one or two tricks from Daft Punks sleeves.
Their real names are Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. They are french. That is all about their personal lives I genuinely care about besides their badass samples and beats and funky rythyms.
I can't wait for this album.
My favorite Daft song, "Digital Love"
The most famous Daft song the Kanye took his sample from, "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger."
And also here's a little clip of their live shows. They never just simply play one of their songs. They always mix a couple of their songs together to make a mind blowing sound wave of God.
At first all I heard of this guy was, "Yo, he's the next big thing in rap." And really I just thought that was a bunch of ghetto kids who listen to bad rap hyping him up. I spent a long time not listening to him. But then something drove me to finally download his album. I listened to it all the way through and I shit out of my ears. It was amazing. I strongly suggest you listen to it. It tells a terrific story. You can't listen to it seperately, you have to listen to it fully all the way through.
The album starts off with him rapping about his life as a young teenager in the hood. Rapping about the parties he goes to, friends he hangs with, the girls he messes around with. Until he gets a call from his mom and dad telling him to come home.... then they end up fighting and it ends with dad telling the mom to "Not Kill My Vibe".
Every transition of this album is perfect. At first Kendrick is a kid who drinks and smokes his life away until he realizes that its stupid in the hit song "Swimming Pools (Drank)". He tells how money is what makes the world go round and how much easier it would be if it was here in "Money Trees". He also shows his sentimental sides in how girls don't want a thug they want a poetic romantic in "Poetic Justice". Then he tells his stories of being an underprivellaged kid in Compton in "Good Kid" and "Mad City". Then after hearing of his friend and companions dying off, he sings a sad song about how he hopes people will remember him in "Sing About Me" and how he needs to learn his morals in "Im Dying of Thirst". Then he closes off this masterpeice with the streets made him and he's never gonna change with "Real" and "Compton".
This guy is for real. His rhymes and lines are just ridiculous. In the song "Sing About Me" he says "and if I die befor your album drop I promise I'll...." and all you hear is gun shots. That's just genius. He also slips in small things like in "Money Trees" he says, "with all disrespect". Just small things like that can make a rapper.
My favorite song by him is Sing About Me
The most popular song is probably "Swimming Pools"
I love this album. The sound is just so ahead of it's time. It was shocking to know this album came out in 71-72. Every song flows perfectly and I like it cause his voice doesn't just go with one sound like many singers do. His voice goes with every sound. Whether it be rock, funk, soul, ballads, whatever it is he sounds perfect.
The album starts off with a great smooth song "You are the sunshine of my life". And then the bass drops on "Maybe Your Baby". That bass is just so ridiculous I love it. And the fact that Stevie Wonder plays every insturment except Sax and he did all of them for Superstition?? Possible his best song... that's insane.
My favorite song on the album for sure was his ballad "I Believe"
Last night I listened to three roots albums in a row.... Thing Fall Apart, Illadelph Halflife, and DoYou Want More?!!!??! And I gotta say Do You Want More was my favorite so far. Some of the lines Black Thought spits are amazing. "I wake up early in the morning, I mean early afternoon. Break lyrical hymn of the stem like boom, I'm flyer when I'm higher put my shit up on a tomb" that line is sooo sick. And I like Do You Want More because I get a nice chill feeling when listening to it. I love Proceed and Mellow My Man. And also Distortion to Static is a tight track. Definitely a go to album when I'm just chilling out.
Illadelph Halflife.... I hated the first track "Respond React". It was so repetitive and annoying but then "Section gave me that nice Roots feel. Overall the album is ok. Maybe I didn't get a good listen out of it. I feel like the sampling on that album is poorly executed. I'll have to listen to it again to really be able to judge it. But "What They Do" is one of my favorite songs ever.
Things Fall Apart..... I didn't fully finish this one. (Fell Asleep) Looking at the track listing alone makes it seeme like a unique album. I really can't judge it right now, but once I'm finished with it I'll let you know.
Overall my favorite track off of Do You Want More is "Proceed"
I've listened to a little Marvin Gaye before we listened to him in class. But ever since What's Goin On? I've been stuck on him. His smoothness and passion of his voice and lyrics is impecible. What's Goin On? is a great album to go to sleep too. It serves all sides of music to me. Heartbreak, Influence, Comedy, Fun, Passion, its the whole package.
Now I'm listening to Let's Get It On.... I like What's Goin On? more. Let's Get It On is very good in it's own way. It's just What's Goin On? is amazing. Every track I love.
I love the music we're listening to in class right now. I love R&B because they sing with so much passion and energy in their voice. Also their voices are all smooth or rough and I love it.
Personally I liked Bobby Womack more. "Fire and Rain" is a killer track and his voice.... it's unique. Plus his song writing is very good. I like it because he sings smoothly.
Now Curtis Mayfield. I'm sure I probably wasn't listening fully but all of his songs seemed to have over exsessive horns. Sometimes I couldn't hear him fully.... But overall he's also great. He has a lot of passion in his voice and its powerfull. I'll listen to Superfly again so I can get a real good listen in.
Overall my vote goes to Womack right now. Womack is a talented terrific artist. He's worked witht he best in the business. Guitarist for Aretha for a while. And he worked with The Family Stone on some tracks as well.
Really want to get more into this Soul movement we're going through.
