4/21/2016 10:45:32 PM
Yes, I agree Ken & Scott with what you both said. Personally, I really like to listen to artists who are a lot different than myself. Of course, here at IMP, most are a lot different than me so it is practically a given. I learn so much from listening to other artists approach to song crafting. Even if it is not a genre I like or produce there are nuances and phrasings that catch my attention and cause me to ponder how it was done. For me, the bass and the drums tend to stand out more than anything else. I see them as the heartbeat of a song. The rest is arms, legs, ass and face. Yes, for me the song is a living organism. My mood at the time of listening certainly can come into play in regards to my review. However, my mood can also be swayed in a different direction if the song has been crafted to do so.
The emotional triggers for me are vocals and instrument solos. They can make or break a song for me. I like to hear vocals that have emotion and grit. If the lyrics coincide with the emotion I am all balls in. That is one reason why I like hood (soul, R&B, Reggae & Hip-Hop) music. If it is delivered correctly, I get caught up in it. Rock & Roll is another genre that seems to catch my fancy. But lyrical content in any genre that has depth can definitely take me to another plain.
Dance music has a way of taking me higher also. Could be because I love to dance. If the beat is happening and the accompaniment is funky, my mood will become a part of the tracks. Add in a catchy hook and I may listen to the song several times before I get tired of it. It is not unusual for my wife to stop by the studio and see me up flailing my arms and moving my feet. Dance music is a great mood setter. Imagine a dance club that has bad music. No one will get up and dance. I guess that is why DJ's are so valuable. They know how to set the perfect mood for a perfect night out dancing with my wife. If the music isn't right we move on to the next club. But it is funny to see the looks on the faces of the young folks when we get out there and shake it up. We probably are on a lot of youtube pages because I see a lot of folks filming us. When we are in New Orleans we take our canes with us because we dance and walk a lot on our tired old knees.
New Orleans is such a melting pot of musical moods. On Bourbon Street you can hear just about any kind of music you like. Jazz, Reggae, Funk, Rock, Metal, Soul, Gospel, Ska, Hip-Hop, Cajun and many other ethnic sounds abound in that place. You can be walking down the street and all of a sudden a musicians start playing and a parade begins. Kind of an amazing thing to be part of. Whatever mood you are in, you can find someone playing that kind of music. I love that place. We are going again next month if I am well enough to go. A lot of musicians that know me will also let me sit in sometimes. I always take one of my horns with me. It's hella fun! A city that never sleeps is my kind of city.