My Least Favourite Music

I won't be able to bash on a specific genre, because I like so many types of music. I'd have to say I don't like music where the artist is basically just talking. It seems like they aren't showing us what they are really capable of. I feel like they are being lazy, not giving the actual effort to sing. It doesn't feel like a real song. I can't think of this rapper's name off hand, but in his video, all he does is walk around, doing random things, mumbling something I can't even hear. The description I just gave could probably cover a handful of artists, lol. I find it hard to listen or watch music like this. One group that came to my mind when I started typing this was Scissor Sisters. I think they are very weird. I just don't like they sound of the vocals, it's bugging the heck out of me right now! The song "I Don't Feel Like Dancing" is stuck in my head and I'm going crazy! It's pretty bad, because my mom likes them, so whenever they came on the radio, SOMEBODY would turn it up. It was very annoying! And speaking of annoying, there are the billions of girls/girl groups that keep popping up like weeds. I like some of them, but many of them sound the same, sing about the same stuff, and look the same. Hmm, can anyone say cookie cutter?
You think you're listening to one group, but it turns out it was a new group that was just formed the day before! One example I could use would be Girlicious. They were formed from yet another TV show. I haven't heard any of their songs except one, and that's enough for me. I'm perfectly okay with the fact that I can't "get down on the floor" like you can. Those kind of lyrics just don't appeal to me. The last thing I don't really enjoy is the stuff like Crazy Frog. It's decent when you first hear it, but too many times and I'll be going crazy again! That's my least favourite music. I try to use this music as little as I possibly can. It's never my choice to listen to it. That's when your handy-dandy iPod (or other portable music listening device) comes to the rescue!

My Favourite Music

My favourite music falls under four genres. The first is alternative/punk. My favourites are Relient K, Paramore, and The Used. I first heard Relient K when they came out with their Mmhmm album, with songs like "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" and "Be My Escape". Just now I've gone back and listened to some of the other songs on that album, like "The One I'm Waiting For". Awhile later on the radio I heard "The Best Thing" and I knew I had to get the album (Five Score and Seven Years Ago). Other favourites off this album include "I Need You", "Must Have Done Something Right", "Give Until There's Nothing Left", and "I'm Taking You With Me". Now, I have their latest album (The Birds and The Bee Sides), which I've just started listening to, but already love "The Lining is Silver". I really enjoy this group because many of their songs absolutely and perfectly capture how I feel in my life right now. I just love that! Paramore came into my life when my sister got their 2nd album, Riot. I like it because there is such contrast in these songs. Something like "Misery Business" is so fast and driving, while right after it, "When It Rains" plays, which is much slower. Any song on this album is a good one for me! But I'm probably most attached to The Used if I had to pick out of these three. It was in grade seven when I heard "All That I've Got" on the radio. So, I got my parents to by this album (In Love and Death), ha ha! The songs on this album were with me through a bunch of different problems in the next few years to follow. Yes, again with the feeling, that's how I like music, full of feeling. I got super excited when Alesha showed me the video for their new single last year, "The Bird and the Worm". Lies For The Liars has many amazing songs, such as "Pretty Handsome Awkward" and "Smother Me". I would list more, but it would be a long list! The Used is just that good, lol. The second genre is soundtracks. I love soundtracks because they throw me into my favourite movies without having to watch them. Some of my favourite soundtracks are The Lion King, Rhythm of the Pridelands, LOTR, and Footloose. The third genre is metal. I like these kinds of songs because they are versatile for me. When I'm happy, these songs make me even happier because I like them so much. And when I'm sad/angry, they help me to vent. My favourites here are Bullet For My Valentine, Killswitch Engage, and System Of A Down. I began to listen to Bullet For My Valentine when I heard "All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me). Many of the songs of their album The Poison have a driving beat, and I like that. My favourite song would have to be "Room 409". I've just been listening to Killswitch Engage for almost a year. I have about 20 of their songs, and at one point I was able to name a song was without looking at a title. I thought that was pretty crazy! And 9 of their songs are on my Top 25 Most Played on my iPod! My favourite song would have to be "As Daylight Dies". I think I started listening to System Of A Down a few years ago, when I saw their video for "Question!". I have the Mezmerize album. Their lyrics are a bit strange, but I just think it sounds so cool. A couple other songs I like are "BYOB"and "Violent Pornography". The last genre, and probably the one I get most excited about, rock! Pretty much 80's rock, love it! It's so much fun listening to 80's Hair Nation on Sirius radio! My parents have a lot of these CDs, that's why I love it so much. I've grown up with it. I really am into this kind of sound, compared to some of the new stuff coming out. It just makes me feel so good inside. I think I really like the fact that this kind of music, made 20 years ago, is still able to draw in new fans, like myself. My absolute most favourite band is Def Leppard! I can guarantee that I will never get sick of these guys! And on a 100 Greatest Rock Artists of the 80's, Def Leppard is number 13, which is my favourite number! It all makes sense now, lol! Some of my favourite songs are "Hysteria", "Animal", Armageddon It", "Pour Some Sugar On Me", "Rocket", "Miss You In A Heartbeat", and "Bringin ' on the Heartbreak". Other bands I also listen to are Bon Jovi, Journey, Foreigner, and Whitesnake. All I have to say is, thank you mom and dad!

What is Music?

Caitlin's Dictionary.com attempt:

Music: a creative process through which sound and silence is explored to produce something with a purpose, such as expressing thoughts, experiences, or emotions.

To me, music is something that captures you for a number of reasons. There are many reasons why I get captured. Music inspires me to be and do better in my life. When I listen to instrumentals, especially in soundtracks (LOTR, HP, The Lion King), I really am driven to play at that level of musicality. Sometimes music makes me think of someone I know, how wonderful they are, and how I can't live without them and it makes me want to be better for those reasons. Ah, getting emotional in school, not good! That's another reason why music captures me, it makes me feel something. Whether it's shivers during a classical piece or tears during a sad song, I listen to it. Music is a big way for me to relieve stress, so I even listen to the angry songs, let it all out, and afterwards I feel better. On a happier note, I like tunes with a good beat. Even if the lyrics may not be my cup of tea, I like what's driving the song. And since I am more on the shy side, when I'm by myself, music let's me come out of my shell. It lets me be another person. I sometimes sing and dance to it. (But you guys better not tell anybody!!!) As you can see, I consider a lot of things to be music. As for how I use it, three words, all-the-time. On my morning bus ride, I'm sitting there with my iPod, and you guessed it, on the way home too. Even when I writing a big test, there's always a song playing in my head as I write. I listen to music when I study, because it's supposed to help while doing it, and that's a big thumbs up with me! I also listen to music when I go to sleep, because it takes my mind away from worrying and it helps me relax. Music is so important to me, I can't imagine getting on the way I do without it.
After writing this, I'm going to try be less judgemental of what others listen to. Everyone has their own opinion of what music is. It shouldn't matter what anyone listens to, as long as that person enjoys it, for whatever reasons, but most importantly because they enjoy how it sounds.

Concert Pictures!

Doc Walker Concert Review

The group Doc Walker held a concert in Swan River on September 10, 2008. They performed in the War Veterans Community Hall at 7:00p.m. This concert was part of their "Manitoba Proud" tour, as this country styled band originated in Portage La Prairie, MB. Chirs Thorsteinson sings lead vocals and plays electric guitar.

Dave Wasyliw plays acoustic and electric guitars, as well as vocals. And Murray Pulver plays lead guitars and also does vocals.
This concert was a new experience for me because I actually helped set up the equipment, as part of my Music Technology class. I thought this performance was excellent. It was cool seeing the guitar technician tuning the guitars before the show started. I liked how he would sometimes check with the guy back at the sound board to make sure the sound was correct. These guys are amazing musicians. It was neat seeing how they would interact with one another and how they could play with such ease, it looked effortless. They are also really funny, they were telling jokes in between songs. From the perspective of a Music Tech student, I thought the sound was really good. After hearing them play, I realized why they needed all those microphones. Each part of the band was equally audible throughout the night, though I felt the voice was lost a couple of times. The lighting really enhanced the performance by setting the mood at all the right moments. My favorite song was the encore, "She Hasn’t Always Been This Way". I really enjoyed this one because it was the first song of Doc Walker’s that I first listened to. It had me on my feet clapping. I never do that!! I liked how the song "One Last Sundown" was based on their younger years in Portage. I also enjoyed "That’s All", "Beautiful Life", and "Rocket Girl" because I am also familiar with those songs.
Overall, I thought this concert was fantastic! I think I enjoyed it even more because I knew I was a part of it all. I loved seeing how the whole process of putting a concert together happens. I had such a great time. I’m really glad I went to see this show, because Doc Walker now has one more fan!