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Post by Kapitan on Mar 5, 2021 13:15:32 GMT
Versatile musician Bruno Mars and drummer-singer Anderson .Paak have formed a band called Silk Sonic. They released their debut single, "Keep the Door Open," which is a really nice piece of '60s-'70s style soul music. I'm pretty excited for this, as I really like R&B, funk, and soul music that's primarily performed on natural instruments (as opposed to the modern versions of those genres, which are largely programmed).
Reportedly they worked together (with Bootsy Collins and Nile Rodgers) in Abbey Road studios. So they're serious about sound.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 12, 2021 14:15:04 GMT
The band Lake Street Dive has a new album out today, Obviously. I've been following them for a few years now, having first heard their fun covers of a few tunes (especially George Michael's "Faith"). They're really talented musicians who play something approaching soul music, though they span pop genres to some extent.
In deciding what to share, I saw they played live on Colbert's show last night, so I thought I'd share that: it gives a chance to see them as performing musicians. I've said before, but I can really enjoy soul, RnB, and similar types of music when they're being played by human beings MUCH, MUCH more than when they're mostly programmed.
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Post by kds on Mar 12, 2021 14:17:42 GMT
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 12, 2021 14:28:37 GMT
And if that music doesn't make you want to go to a Renaissance Fair and eat a turkey leg and drink out of a goblet, nothing will!
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Post by kds on Mar 12, 2021 15:31:38 GMT
And if that music doesn't make you want to go to a Renaissance Fair and eat a turkey leg and drink out of a goblet, nothing will! I've done that once. Two bites, took a picture, threw it in the garbage. I have a Spotify mix Of Blackmore's Night songs that I enjoy on crisp fall nights on the deck, or on the patio with the firepit. EDIT - So, one of the instrumentals I have on that playlist - Darker Shade of Black - is also on this new album (per Spotify). Same version and everything. They've also managed to put Wish You Were Here (a BN original, not a Floyd cover) on a BN studio album for the third time.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 12, 2021 15:35:41 GMT
LOL, yeah, to be honest I've never attended the one that's held every late summer/early autumn here. Driving to the edge of the metro, parking a bazillion miles (approx.) away, to shuffle through a crowd of costumed enthusiasts and touristy types while buying overpriced novelty foods isn't my idea of a great time. I don't much like modern fairs and carnivals, and dressing it up in medieval decoration doesn't change that aversion.
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Post by kds on Mar 12, 2021 16:03:00 GMT
LOL, yeah, to be honest I've never attended the one that's held every late summer/early autumn here. Driving to the edge of the metro, parking a bazillion miles (approx.) away, to shuffle through a crowd of costumed enthusiasts and touristy types while buying overpriced novelty foods isn't my idea of a great time. I don't much like modern fairs and carnivals, and dressing it up in medieval decoration doesn't change that aversion. I went once. It was alright. Haven't been back since. I do enjoy modern fairs and carnivals, partly due to the nostalgia, and the food.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 13, 2021 14:31:00 GMT
While I'm posting new music in the soul vein, Paul Stanley's solo band debuted a new video yesterday for one of his originals on that recent album. Here is "I, Oh I." (Cool B-section around 1:34.)
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 16, 2021 0:38:16 GMT
This was broadcast on The Grammys, on national TV, last night:
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Post by kds on Mar 16, 2021 12:23:08 GMT
I don't think I've ever watched The Grammys in full, and never intend to. Over the last decade or two, they pretty much ignore rock music. I don't even think it's anything malicious, I just think they chase trends for the sake of ratings. And they're clueless. Black Sabbath and Judas Priest have each won Grammys for live versions of 30-40 year old songs. WTF.
There's a lot of controversy about the lack of recognition for Eddie Van Halen's passing. But, did anyone expect anything more from an institution hell bent on honoring Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, and whatever the fuck a Megan Thee Stallion is? No.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 16, 2021 12:56:07 GMT
This was broadcast on The Grammys, on national TV, last night: Pretty remarkable. I don't like even giving that song (or general category of music) much attention, because then a person comes off as some old "well back in my day..." curmudgeon. And it's not quite that. "Back in my day" I giggled my way through 2 Live Crew, after all, and this is basically that.
But this, as you note, is on national TV, song of the year, #1 single, and praised as if it is an achievement for women's rights. That, conversely, was derided as juvenile at best and objectifying and harmful at worst. I say they're the same thing with gender roles reversed ... meaning WAP is juvenile at best and objectifying and harmful at worst. Neither of the two seems worth national, broad praise to me.
And lastly, it's just terrible music. Lyrics as if by a horny, vulgar 12-year-old, repetitive and dull music.
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Mar 16, 2021 13:14:51 GMT
Versatile musician Bruno Mars and drummer-singer Anderson .Paak have formed a band called Silk Sonic. They released their debut single, "Keep the Door Open," which is a really nice piece of '60s-'70s style soul music. I'm pretty excited for this, as I really like R&B, funk, and soul music that's primarily performed on natural instruments (as opposed to the modern versions of those genres, which are largely programmed). Reportedly they worked together (with Bootsy Collins and Nile Rodgers) in Abbey Road studios. So they're serious about sound.
Somehow I had missed this. Really feels like a breath of fresh air, especially coming from someone as popular as Bruno Mars. Although he has leaned into an oldish school sound in the past, but nothing like this.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 16, 2021 13:27:16 GMT
Mixing the Grammys and Mars/.Paak's Silk Sonic, here they are doing a Little Richard tribute.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 16, 2021 14:07:03 GMT
Contrary to our national heroes Cardi B and Megan Theeee Stallion, there were some women at the Grammys who performed by playing real songs with real instruments and real singing. (Albeit also off-camera supplemental musicians, I think, as opposed to prerecorded track, based on the tempo changing near the end.)
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 16, 2021 19:39:45 GMT
Among the best, Megan Theeeeeeeeeee Stallion, who performed two songs (including the aforelinked masterpiece of high art)."Megan Thee Showstopper," the subhead reads, "If you’re going to make us suffer through four hours of the Grammys patting themselves on the back, a solid trade-off is to give everyone enough Megan Thee Stallion to make it somewhat tolerable. From her performances to acceptance speeches, Meg was the night’s clear star. Her jazz-age staging of “Savage” featured glittering theatrics and choreography that kept my eyes glued to the screen, instead of fighting to keep them open. There was a tap-dancing interlude, a costume change behind shirtless men in suits, and Megan pulling out moves usually reserved for a college’s homecoming night when the DJ drops “Donk.”"
Among the worst, Bruno Mars. "Telecast producers must have been feeling charitable, or the whole thing was a dumb stunt and they were always going to book your mom’s favorite pop star to cosplay every decade except this one. Not only did he and .Paak offer a very Soul Train take on Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open,” Mars also led the In Memoriam tributes, singing a perfunctory medley of Little Richard songs. The Grammys turned into The Bruno Mars Show, yet again."
Let's be clear: top notch singer (whether you like the guy or not, you've got to admit that) and multi-instrumentalist Mars is knocked for being so boring, so old fashioned. When he, um, SANG. And in fact, that Little Richard tribute kind of rocked. While Ms. Theeeee Stallion did what, exactly? Oh yeah, pseudostripped and staged "glittering theatrics and choreography."
Because if one thing matters in music, it's theatrics and choreography. As opposed to being able to sing or play anything.
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