All posts by Philosofer

Friday Music Day

FMD 10-6-17: Let’s Get It On

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Today's topic: sexy songs. I know we tend to keep polite company 'round these parts, so let's not get all tawdry or anything, but it's a legitimate topic, and I think especially so when it comes to music.

I think one of the more interesting elements of this question is how sexiness can transcend genres. There are country songs I think of as sexy (Chris Young's "Gettin' You Home), indie songs I think of as sexy ("Grey or Blue" by Jaymay), rock ("You Shook Me All Night Long"), etc. They can be small and intimate (Norah Jones' "Turn Me On") or loud and hot. I'll leave you with one of the later, while you mull the question: what songs are sexy to you?

Friday Music Day

FMD 9-8-17: When Do You Listen

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Aquinas turns 8 on Sunday, and I realized that I have exceedingly little music from the past 8 years in my collection - much less than the 8 years before that. Before I had kids, I had time for music. I would seek out new stuff, try different things, discover, etc. I just have so little of that now. It's a big part of why my tastes haven't continued to grow.

Now, maybe once a week, I just plug in my headphones and take a whirl around youtube for a night, clicking on whatever mostly familiar starting point I pick, and going from there. I jump around a lot, but not a ton of new things pop up. (A side note: it seems like all the algorithms (and this is true for Pandora, et. al., too) keep redirecting me to the things I know, not the things I don't know.) It's not really a time for checking out new stuff, because it's my rare chance to ground myself. It's a time of re-centering and recharging, not discovering.

So I don't know when to find time for more new stuff. After the kids leave home, I suppose. Maybe I'll be able to count on them to introduce me to music someday. I put a lot of effort into giving them broad exposure to the music I know, so maybe their tastes will be diverse too, and someday that'll pay off.

Anyway, what are your listening habits? When do you listen? Do you mix in old and new together? Do you find specific time for discovery of the new?

Friday Music Day

FMD 9-1-17: Jazz Hands!

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I enjoy a good musical. Despite the fact that I can barely carry a tune, I was in few of them in high school (minor parts (Winthrop Paroo), and then eventually non-singing parts once the directors figured out how bad I was). I find myself going through phases where I'll pull up favorite musical numbers on youtube and, if I'm alone, I'll often belt them out (again, despite my lack of singing ability). Honestly, there's something about my favorites that makes me wish I could get on a stage and perform. I don't get that itch often, but I'd love to have the chance (and ability) to knock it out of the park as, say, Seymour Krelborn.

Anyway, musical theater has been on the mind lately. What do you think of it? What productions were you a part of (admit it...). What do you sing along to, sheepishly or otherwise (I'm looking at you, Cheaptoy...)?

Friday Music Day

FMD 8-25-17: Teaching Kids About Music

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Over the last few weeks I've had the chance to expose my kids to a good amount of music that they hadn't ever (or at least regularly) heard before. For our trip I burned some CDs (because no ipod/smart phone... a topic for a different forum). One an Oldies Mix and one a Weird Al mix (because fun!). The WGOM was instructive a ways back on the Oldies Mix, so thanks all for that.

I've also had my kids plinking away on the piano a little bit lately. I don't actually know how to play myself, but I know enough about chords and the like that I can point them in a direction here or there. I'm hoping to get Aquinas into piano lessons before too long, but there aren't too many people teaching out our way these days.

Anyway, it's been fun to watch the kids learning about music, making requests about new things, experimenting on the piano, etc. I'm often surprised by what clicks with them, and what they're interested in exploring further.

I'd love to hear more parents' "teaching their kids music" stuff. What should I be throwing their way? What about some of our more seasoned parents... did your kids take after your music tastes? Butt heads? Etc. So there's our topic for the day: teaching kids about music.

Friday Music Day

FMD 7-28-2017: More Females Please

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I figured we should continue the female artists conversation that got started earlier this week, maybe branching away from albums and talking more about songs, particular artists, performances, etc. Just broadening (eh? eh?) the conversation a bit.

I have to confess that I haven't gotten all the way through the list (I started at #1 and worked backward) of top albums by women, but I'm suspecting that two of my favorite artists don't appear: Jenny Lewis and Niko Case. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Both of them were very influential in my introduction to independent music, and so I have a soft spot in my heart for both of them.

I also once wore a t-shirt to a Rilo Kiley concert that said "Jenny, I get married in a week; this is your last chance!" I've worn more effect shirts before.