Category Archives: Friday Music Day

Friday Music Day

FMD 8/10/18: Brass

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Let's talk about brass. Jazz, ska, swing, whatever genre. Songs that utilize it just a little bit, songs that embrace it. What do you like? What don't you like? Which trumpet player was the best? What's the best use of a french horn in cinema (Young Frankenstein, right?)? Does that 76th trombone really add anything that the 75th didn't? Etc.

I was a trumpet player in school, so brassy sounds are something that always resonated with me, and I don't think we've talked about instruments for a while, so it seemed like something worth throwing out there.

I used this version of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" on my summer mix this year, specifically because of the brass:

Then drop your top 10s and have a wonderful Friday!

Friday Music Day

FMD 7-27-2018: Spacious Music

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I want to talk about "spacious" music. I don't know if there's a different or better word for it. I'm sure there is, and if anyone wants to share it, I'd be glad to have it. What I mean to describe is that type of music that sounds big, like it is properly heard bouncing off the walls of a giant cavern or played before a tremendous concert hall. It can be instrumental ("Also Spake Zarathustra") or it can have lyrics (Cloud Cult's "There's So Much Energy In Us"). It can be old, it can modern, and it can come from a fair number of genres (I don't think I've ever heard a "spacious" country or hip hop song, but there are a few that come close and I'd have to think on it more. Please direct me if you know of one).

There's something about playing these songs for me, usually at night, usually through headphones with settings that better capture that wide grandeur, that just scratches a particular itch. I freaking love it.

Anyway, I'd love a list of "Spacious" songs, other names for this type of thing, your thoughts, and random 10's if you've got 'em!

Friday Music Day

FMD – Is this still a thing?

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Once upon a time The Friday Random Ten spread across the interwebs like wild fire 🔥 Blog after blog of people dropping their lists and conversing about the results. I, myself, felt like I’d let everybody down if I’d forgotten to copy and paste my 10 on at least a half dozens blogs. Alas, as the quiet Beatle once said, “all things must pass.”

And with that, do whatever it is you do.

Friday Music Day

FMD — How do you listen?

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Listening to music has changed a lot over my lifetime, especially over the last 5-10 years. When I was a teen, we'd go to friends' houses, just to listen to music. We'd have a bunch of albums out and play music while we pored over the album covers, lyrics, and liner notes. When I was home I had a nice set up with headphones and a bean bag chair.

Walkmans, CDs, Napster, Ipods, Zune, streaming, phones, and now smart speakers have changed all that. My kids never had friends over to listen to music.

I really dug the .mp3 player and remember when the little Samsung device I picked up (and still have) played 125 songs. It was glorious. I have gone through many Ipods and still listen to one today as I really haven't downloaded music on to a I-phone. It makes me sad that that the I-pod is being phased out and when my current one eventually dies, that will probably be it. I also haven't invested in cordless speakers either as I no longer listen to music while biking or walking the dog, etc. Besides the I-pod, I listen at home via my Mac and Itunes via a nice Sony blue tooth sound system.

I've been thinking of signing up for Apple Music and just accessing music from my phone/watch lately which has gotten me nostalgic. So HOW do you consume music. Is it just through your phone and bluetooth speakers? Any other Ipod users still out there? Anyone gone completely old school and vinyl only?

Friday Music Day

FMD – New Tunes

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As mentioned yesterday, I've been surfing a premium streaming service, which is basically a first for me. I don't think I'll use it for suggestions, but more to chase down the thousands of things I hear of and want to hear.

I kind of wonder where I pick up all this music along the way. Don't listen to any music radio (though NPR is good for new suggestions), not getting any from anyone at work. I guess most of my inspiration to check out new stuff comes from here. Either from the FMD (the few of you that still post 10s), or trying to find something interesting for the daily video post. Amusingly, I've gotten myself into a ton of stuff by running down something new to play. I'll post something the night before, find it's still stuck in my head in the morning, and then we go from there.

Where do you pick up most of your inspiration to pick out new music?

Friday Music Day

FMD – SELF-CARE MUSIC

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Given CH's FKB this week, is there a particular song or genre that relieves your stress or helps put you back in a functional state of mind?

Not holding myself to anything, but somewhere back in the day while deployed I pulled a burned CD of Jimmy Buffet songs out of a care package. I've never been much of a beach guy, though I love a good lake day, but listening to Jimmy Buffet will dial me down a bit.

Friday Music Day

FMD — Travel Music

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Today I'll be off on my annual 175-mile weekend bike trip on the Paul Bunyan trail. It's a lot of fun and even though I will burn probably over 10,000 calories riding my bike, I will also consume close to that same amount of beer (and food).

I'm long past the day when I would listen to music while I rode, way too dangerous for this guy with all the distracted drivers out there but I know people who still do. But it got me thinking about travel music. Is there a certain band or kind of music you like to listen to while traveling? For me driving doesn't matter, I can take any kind of music. However, for some reason I have always thought R.E.M. goes well with train travel. Back when I lived out east and also was in Europe, I would always listen to R.E.M., it just kind of brought me back in time and was complimentary to the motion of the train.

Any specific travel music you enjoy? Or not. Don't forget to drop your lists.

Friday Music Day

FMD: 6/15/18 – You Be The Judge

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I was in court all morning, so this post was much delayed.

Given the context of the delay, I'm asking you to be the judge... what music do you judge people for listening to/liking? Both favorable and unfavorable. This could be fun, right?

For example, I judge people for listening to Christmas music too early, and then turning it off immediately after Christmas too. Or I judge them harshly for liking "Last Christmas" at all. There are non-Christmas examples too, I suppose. Stop hassling me.

Or you don't really have to do this if you don't want. You could just drop a list. I'm not one to judge.

Friday Music Day

FMD — Liz Phair

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Liz Phair was at the Turf Club this past Monday. Since the Turf Club only holds 350 people it sold out immediately and I was bummed I couldn't get tix (or was unwilling to pay $150 for a ticket). By all accounts a great show. This was a short little tour of smaller clubs (her L.A. gig was in a 150 seat bar) and is basically a warm up for a larger tour that will hit First Avenue in September (also immediately sold out). Phair has somewhat kept in the public eye and has done some touring, but for some reason has seemed to spark more interest lately than in the immediate past. Not sure why, but it's welcome.

Any other acts, still around, you'd wish would have a second half career resurgence?

Drop your lists.