Musically Speaking, I Might Not Be a Nice Person

I'm a music elitist, I'll just get it out there. Elitist, if we dumb it down, just means snob. Ok I'm a snob. I like bands with names that have to do with scared bunnies, horses coming together to make music, some kind of weird bear sea creatures, and pilots who can't see. And I like those who name themselves with the French way of saying "good winter" or with strange unpronounceable Persian names.* You don't know what I'm talking about? It's okay, I really don't expect everybody to listen to the same music I do. Freedom to listen to your own music is just one of the many freedoms we enjoy in these United States. Our forefathers fought hard for that one, far be it for me to withhold it from anyone.

 

But I really do like popular bands too. It's taken me years to admit this and be comfortable with it. But seriously, I love Coldplay. I love them so much that I paid (what to me was) an obscene amount of money for my tickets to their concert here in Utah last November. And I'm not comfortable enough with myself to go to a concert by myself so of course I bought two. Ouch. This is where a significant other would come in handy. . . I'm doing my best folks. Ok and Iron & Wine seems to be becoming significantly more popular so it's with a little chagrin that I claim them as another favorite. But Sam Beam is soooooo good. Emphasis on the "soooooo." And then there's Radiohead too. Geez, when they're on they are spot on. I can replay the crap out of Thom Yorke's voice.

(I'm strangely attracted to this scrawny white dude)

Usually when I like a band I find all of the b sides and ep's. You should see my Iron & Wine collection. Sam Beam is a strange dude but he makes some sweet music.


I might as well mention as well that I'm a huge hypocrite as far as music is concerned. I deleted all sorts of artists and songs from my computer that I considered to be "racy" for one reason or another. A lot of it was some awesomely classic nineties hip hop that just got a little too graphic for me. I still think I made a very adult decision even though I sometimes miss Talib Kweli. It was just time to let go. And yet I keep bands that say the "F" word repeatedly throughout their albums. I justify: "They're more subtly embedded in the song" or "He needed to say that to get his point across." Ridiculous. I am a huge hypocrite. The fact that I'm writing this is acknowledgment of my shortcoming which means that I'll have to fix it, right? Not anytime soon folks. I'm a cold hard sinner I guess. I just can't do it. I am emotionally connected to that music. It stays.

So anyway guys, listen to what you want. I admit that I like stuff that might be deemed embarrassing like Third Eye Blind, Phil Collins (Yeah, I will play "Groovy Kind of Love" at my wedding. Get over it.), or Elton John. I am slightly eclectic. However, I still maintain the opinion that my music is better than yours. But that's why I listen to it, isn't it? Of course I think it's better. I highly encourage a little exploration into some different music. Enrich your life by turning off the latest unoriginal pop darling or the trite country idol (I'm refraining from mentioning names, I try not to give offense when I blog) and tune into the poetic rustlings of a band called Bon Iver or the genuine melodies of Blind Pilot. They're worth your time. Just listen.

 

*Bands mentioned roundabout-ly or straightforward-ly in this post (and other favorites not mentioned):

• Frightened Rabbit (explicit lyrics occasionally... sorry)
• Band of Horses
• Seabear (don't knock the name til you've tried 'em)
• Blind Pilot 
• Bon Iver
• Sufjan Stevens (weird name, sometimes weird music, but he makes up for it by writing songs you just can't live without)
  
• Coldplay
• Iron & Wine (subtly embedded "f" words occasionally...)
• Radiohead (yeah, a bit of swearing)
• Andrew Bird (check out "Section 8 City." Oh my gosh.)
• Ryan Adams (no, I didn't mean to write Bryan Adams)