Some music I’ve heard recently to have some positive vibes going on

Yes, I do listen to some classical and symphonic music while I don’t consider myself well-versed in that field. I recently discovered the Guadeloupean composer Le Chevalier de Saint-Georges after watching a documentary about him. He was a multi-disciplined man who was a virtuoso violinist, champion fencer, composer, and was even the a general, too. It was also surprising since I didn’t know many Black or biracial composers in the classical era and what made learning about him more interesting is that he actually inspired Mozart of all people when the much more famous musician was younger. I’m glad some people in the art music world have been doing their best to revive his works.

Okay, Driver Eight isn’t new to me and some of you know about me liking them in older posts. After watching No New Kinda Story which was a documentary about Tooth & Nail Records, I had a nostalgia trip. While I didn’t know or listen to this band until several years after they broke up, I really like their only album “Watermelon”. They have a good mix of indie rock with a hint of shoegaze. All the songs were good and “Getting This Thing to Go” has a place in my heart for me because that was the first song I learned how to play a guitar solo from. How many people can say that given how obscure Driver Eight are.

Before anyone else says anything, I’m aware they’re named after an REM song. Thank you. 🙂

Now here’s something completely different! I had never heard of Beverley Knight until recently. I heard this particular song while shopping and it was stuck in my head. Naturally, I typed in lyrics of the song to my phone and Googled it after the fact. I think she’s got a great voice and I liked the mix between R&B, soul, pop and some of those disco-esque strings in this song. While this is poppier than what I normally listen to, I actually enjoyed it. I even found out that this singer was from Wolverhampton, England of all places (that’s near Birmingham, by the way). Maybe that city has a good music scene there?

Here’s some music from different time periods, different genres, and from different countries as well. I just needed some positive jams (Hold Steady reference!) to listen to as well as share.

All videos are property of their respective owners.

No Scene To Call a Community (Subculture Chameleon)

Loud guitars and screaming vocals surprisingly caught my ears during my teenage years

I learned how to mosh at the summer festivals because it would be a bummer if I didn’t know what to do in the pit

Later in high school, I wanted the indie spirit as I immersed myself in bands that weren’t swimming in the mainstream

I chilled out a bit and got more in tune with dynamics

Next came the monochrome clothes and delay pedals

I found the beauty in instrumentals and musical complexity in the post-rock landscape

Somewhere down the line, I embraced fast acoustic music played with dyed hair and mohawks

I found out you can still be punk even when unplugged

While I enjoyed those genres at one point, I realized I never belonged

There were some associates, but I realized in hindsight how insecure people were and how insecure I was

Despite avoiding the top 40, I was still trying to fit in for the wrong reasons

If only I could make a scene where I can belong

Only an osprey made me realize to be myself more often no matter how avant-garde I got

Shedding The Vestiges of Music Fandom Within

I liked the wrong genres for the wrong reasons since my high school years
5 star reviews and independent spirits caught my eyes
Namedropping bands most have never heard of was a wasted talent
Things have slowly changed once I wanted to know more about my heritage
It only went to show that the bands I hated and even some that I liked were sheltered
I mean, if I wanted to hear first world problems in musical form, I’d listen to pop punk
The originators have become even more apparent once I delved into classic soul and blues

Cultural appropriation ruled for decades in the realm called rock and roll
As the original innovators still haven’t been renowned in Cleveland
I was insulted and mocked for liking music in my college days
While I can’t distance myself in that regard (I’m a musician, you know)
I have to shed so much of what I used to like to codify more of what I stand for and honoring the innovators in music who never got credit

No matter if they are pop fans or the indie elite, I will not take your judgmental pretensions.

ZAP Records Spotlight: Skree Alleen

Hello, everyone!

I’d like to introduce you to South African artist Willem Samuel AKA Skree Alleen. He just dropped a new EP earlier this week called “Artefak” and it’s quite good. It’s certainly no sophomore slump from this artist. Much like Metode en Tegniek, the lyrics are actually in Afrikaans of all things.

Fee free to check it out. It’s only $2 to buy!