Musical Interlude

Geez, is the whole world on holiday?
Nobody but nobody's blogging, lately. So I guess I'll take this opportunity to do a little throwaway blog on the music that inhabits my iPod.

About eight times out of ten, when I ask someone what kind of music they like, they'll say "well, everything, really."
Oh, really?
"Do you like opera?"
"Yuck. No, I mean, like, music." Somebody actually said that to me. It was a struggle not to bray operatic laughter all over the place.
"Oh, okay. So...Dixieland jazz?"
That's when people get to thinking I just might be a smartass, and they helpfully narrow things down. Usually to one genre of music. Maybe two.
So now I ask people what kind of music they don't like. They still ignore anything more than half a century old (and quite a few newer things, to boot), but I at least get an idea where they're at, musically.
Usually, I can find something they like that I like too. I don't like everything...but if there's a discernable melody I'll at least give it a listen. If there are English lyrics, I prefer they be intelligible (Dylan fans: sorry). I won't run away if the lyrics are in some other language. I've got stuff on my iPod in Gaelic, French, German, Italian, and Hawaiian. I'm not terribly keen on rap (most of the stuff I've listened to I find nihilistic and, frankly, disturbing)...but I do like old-school rap up to and including early Eminem. Hip-hop, likewise, not my thing...except there are a couple of songs by the Black Eyed Peas which I am thoroughly addicted to.
You get the picture. Name any artist and even if I hate them, chances are I'll like at least one of their songs.

Without further ado, five songs picked sort of at random out of my iTunes library. (Sort of: I've got Heart's Barracuda in there, but everybody knows that one. I think.) These are a tad more obscure. Try 'em, you might like 'em.

1) Adiemus -- Chorale VI (Sol-Fa)

Adiemus is the brainchild of Karl Jenkins, a British composer who has fused New Age, classical and 'world' music into something unique and, I think, very interesting. There are no lyrics as such; instead, the singers restrict themselves to a carefully chosen set of syllables, in effect using their voices as instruments. In this piece, they merge their own 'language' with the sol-fa scale. It really picks up at 2:00.
This is the second album by this group. I'd already listened to the first half a hundred times before I got this one. I settled down to let the pieces here lull me to sleep...by the time I got to this track, I was out of it. Until the end. If you listen to this all the way through, you'll have no trouble picturing me peeling myself off the ceiling.

2) Jonathan Coulton -- Re: Your Brains

I discovered Coulton via Pandora, before they figured out how to stop Canadians from accessing Pandora. I've since bought three of his albums. This is probably my favourite song of his. Somebody oughta make a movie out of this--Shaun of the Dead meets The Office.

3) David Wilcox -- That Hypnotizin' Boogie

I once dated a woman who was absolutely obsessed with Elvis Presley. I don't mind some of his stuff, but a steady diet of it gets mighty tiring. After the umpteenth playing of 'In The Ghetto', I finally worked up the courage to ask her if there was anyone else she liked. Out came the David Wilcox tape. Man, this guy can flat-out play guitar.
I like this live: it's even more raw than it is on the album.

4) The Black Eyed Peas -- Dum Diddly

Okay, so maybe most of you have heard this. Don't care. I freakin' LOVE it. It put me in mind somehow of that Musical Youth song from the 80s, "Pass The Dutchie"...researching on Wikipedia I find that they did indeed interpolate that song. This gives me a kick in the butt whenever I need one.

5) John McDermott -- Song for the Mira

It's an unwritten rule, I have to include a John McDermott piece in any musical list I compile. Okay, now it's a written rule. John has, as far as I'm concerned, the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. This song does the exact opposite of "Dum Diddly": it mellows me right out and reminds me what's important in life: rest and relaxation...which is probably what all my fellow bloggers are doing right about now.