Well I've already disappointed myself by putting off the two Practice activities and starting with the one that requires the least amount of effort. Go me. But this activity left me with a massive conundrum. I listen to a lot of music, so how am I gonna pick one song to analyze? Do I pick one from a favorite artist? Do I pick a personal one hit wonder? Do I pick a joke song like Wonderwall - or Temporary Secretary (although an analysis of Temporary Secretary sounds amazing). I also have no idea how to analyze music, which is good because there are 2 or 3 sections for it on the Roll List. So what did I end up picking?
Presented to the court, Between the Saltmarsh and the Sea by Stornoway off of their second album "Bonxie".
I first discovered this band in high school - classic - I listened to their first album "Beachcomber's Windowsill" every once in a while. But that album was a sleeper, I enjoyed it when I first listened to it, but over the years it really left an impression on me and became one of my favorites. The album became so important to me that it was all over my wedding playlist, and one of the songs, Long Distance Lullaby, was what our wedding party walked down the aisle to. All that said, I'm obviously not talking about that album, nor that song. No, I picked a song from an album I only recently started listening to. So, feel free to hit play and lets dive in.
The first thing I like about this song is it's opening, I like how the foghorn and bird noises lead naturally into that synthy thing (oh baby get ready for incorrect terminology). The drums combine with the synthy thing and drive the song right into the chorus. Those drum hits that lead into the chorus by the way are hott. The guitar arpeggios in the chorus are great, they're mixed perfectly - nestled safely between the drums and the vocals, like a lil blanket for those baby arpeggios. But then we lose our baby arpeggios and are left with the bass drum and little angel synths. This little interlude once again builds this great sort of driving tension that builds right back into the chorus again.
At this point you have to be thinking, "Well yeah that's how songs work, there's choruses and not choruses and usually they build to a choru-"
BUT HOLD UP BABY, CAUSE NOW WE'RE PAST THE SECOND CHORUS AND we're into the little bridge thingy by now! Those big drums go clap clap and you have that fat bassy synth pluckin away. Oh baby, and then the harmonies come in, hell yeah. This song just wants me to sing along. I gotta. I gotta sing. You gotta let me sing.
And then it ends.
Well, hope you're looking forward to the next installment "Matt just describes a song as he listens to it and calls it analysis"! I know I'm not!
