My song choice for Record Club is “Down” by duo Chloe x Halle. It is from their debut album, The Kids Are Alright. At the ages of seventeen and nineteen, the title has a more literal meaning as the album is geared towards a younger audience. It has themes of the album speaks on the experience of transition through the teenage years and progressing into young adulthood. I think this is why I resonate with the album with “Down” being my personal favorite. I would often hear others talking about having a go-to song which calms them down, some even take it a step further and make an entire playlist based solely on moods. As someone who listens to any and everything, I never had one.That was until I found this song, as soon as I heard it, I then began to understand exactly what a comfort song is. It is like a wave of calmness washes over me as soon as I hear this song, and based on the lyrics I can see that was exactly what they were going for. 

“Down” is mainly a R&B song but other elements are also present. The opening vocals in the intro are similar to the vocals that would be heard during an opera show. These opera-like sounds are heard throughout the track. This also goes for the harmonies that the two create with their voices, which can be heard in the background. It is one of those songs where something is always going on, especially in the background. There is a mix of lead vocals that are loud and clear while the background vocals take on a more light and airy tone. During the chorus we see a change in the tempo as the bass comes in heavy. But it is not too harsh to change up the mood of the song, instead it fits smoothly as it adds to the calming feel. 

The aspect of the song that sticks out the most are the vocals. The airy tone sounds beautiful and angel-like. The main message of the song is that sometimes when life is too much it is okay to sit back and relax. This would explain why the choice of sound was more light and airy instead of with more of an edge. It is especially evident in the chorus as we can hear how the pronunciation becomes different. Instead of saying slow as is, instead they drag out the word and then pronounce it as “slooowww” before they then proceed to sing down. They are acting out the word at the same time as it is being sung. It is little things like this that adds onto the serene feel of the song. As they sing about taking a moment to relax, every aspect of the song is made to replicate that exact action. Lyric wise,  “Down” is a mellow anthem about taking a moment to calm your nerves. But Chloe x Halle take it a step further to ensure that this song, from the smooth instrumentals to the soft lead and background vocal arrangements, would be the perfect one to play during that time. 

Terms:

R&B:Rhythm and blues. A musical style that grew out of Black American blues, boogie-woogie, Gospel, roadhouse piano/guitar duos and other influences mostly from the Southern United States.-Wikipedia Glossary of Jazz and Popular Music

Opera:A drama set to music, usually sung throughout, originating in 17th century Italy. Opera is a combination of music, drama, scenery, costumes, dance, etc., to create a complete art form.-Music Notes Glossary of Musical Terms

Harmony:A harmony is when multiple tones from multiple sources come together simultaneously, in a pleasing way. When you play all the notes of a chord, you’re creating a type of harmony. The strumming of notes on a guitar can create a harmony; an orchestra of instruments playing together creates a harmony; and two or more voices singing together can create a harmony.-Spotify Glossary of Music Terms

Bass-Name used for the largest (normally) instrument in a family of instruments. For example Bass Guitar.-Songstuff Glossary

Tempo-The pace of a piece of music is known as its tempo. Tempo can be measured by beats per minute, or bpm; classical music tempos are described by a set of terms ranging from larghissimo (very slow) to andante (a moderate speed) to prestissimo (very fast).-Spotify Glossary of Music Terms

 Chorus-The chorus is intended to be the most memorable part of the song. It is repeated several times so that it sticks in your mind. Several other tricks are used to help it stick.Commonly a chorus:Contrasts with the verse, rhythmically, melodically, lyrically, harmonically and / or dynamically.A chorus is repeated at least once, both musically and lyrically. Usually several times.It is more intense, has more energy. A chorus usually has a greater musical and emotional intensity than the verse.Lyrically:The main message and /or concept is expressed in the chorus.-Songstuff Glossary

Mellow-Reduced high frequencies, not Edgy. –Describing Sounds: A Glossary

I want to be honest and begin by saying that I struggled to find the “right” song for Record Club. I know music is subjective and what is right for me may not necessarily be right for someone else. I know that some music is not for everyone. I also struggled with the idea of posting a song that sends a positive message or that bring light to issues we still face today. It was tough to come up with a song. The song “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” by The Kinks was not my first choice. The song itself was definitely on my list of songs to use for Record Club but it was actually my third or fourth choice. As cliché as it will sound, in the end I decided to go with this song because I didn’t want to be like everyone else. Deciding which version of the song to use was much easier.

The song was originally released as a B-Side to the single “Sunny Afternoon” in 1966. The original version of “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” runs at roughly three minutes and twenty-nine seconds. This version of the song has a much faster tempo and has a more upbeat tone  that embodies the Pop sound of 1960’s Rock. The version I used for Record Club is a live version recorded during The Kinks US and UK tours in 1993 and 1994 and released on the album To The Bone. The live version is slightly reworked with an extended intro and some changes or modifications to some lyrics. The intro to the song contains an instrumental that begins seventeen seconds into the track and runs at just about one minute and sixteen seconds and also extends the outro with a roughly one minute long instrumental. The whole track contains a slower tempo and the instrumental intro provides a more gritty sound as the lead guitar plays the main riff with a rougher sound that is more typical of the music scene of the 1990’s. The vocals are incredibly different as well. Ray Davies’ live vocals sort of compliment the lyrics of the song. Ray Davies voice sound more mature and at times sounds almost raspy or hoarse especially when he sings the chorus versus the more relaxed tone of the individual verses. Fans have speculated that the reason Ray Davies sound was different was because of tension within the band that may have been attributed to a decline in their commercial success.

I chose “I’m Not Like Everybody Else” because of how much the lyrics resonate with me. I live in a toxic environment where I have often been compared to others who, in my opinion, are not exactly as desirable as some may believe. Far too often I was surrounded by people who demanded I do things as they say; get the job they demanded or listen to the music they demanded or dress how they demanded and in truth, for most of my life I felt like I did not and sometimes still don’t have my own identity. I first heard this song way back in 2004 when it played during the end credits of the Sopranos season five episode “Cold Cuts.” The scene shows Tony instigate an argument with his sister Janice. She chases him around her dinner table with a fork as her husband stops her. Tony smiles, and walks out of Janice’s home when the song begins. There was something about the song itself and the lyrics that set such a juxtaposing tone to the scene. Here we see Tony walking down the block while a woman rakes her front lawn, a man walks his dog, two teenage boys walk past Tony while a couple power walks in the background. We the viewers know that Tony is definitely not like everybody else. I thought the scene was brilliant and immediately downloaded the song. It wasn’t until a few years later when I actually read the lyrics that I realized the song was very much anti-conformity and defiant and it felt like my personal problems at home were written in this track.

Terms Used:

Tempo: The speed of the rhythm of a composition. https://www.freemusicdictionary.com/definition/tempo/

Tone: An interval consisting of two semitones, that is a whole step.The particular sound of an instrument or voice, as well as the performer’s particular coloring of that sound. https://www.freemusicdictionary.com/definition/tone/

Intro: opening section. https://www.freemusicdictionary.com/definition/intro/

Outro: a short, distinct closing section at the end of something (such as a piece of music, a performance, or a news report) https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outro

Lead Guitar: The part played by a guitar soloist in a rock band. https://www.freemusicdictionary.com/definition/lead-guitar/

Riff: In pop and jazz compositions, a short ostinato, two to four bars long. A riff is a prominent feature of jazz music.a short musical phrase in jazz or blues. it may be repeated often during a piece, with changes to the key, rhythm or melody<br><br>A short melody repeatedly played in a tune often with variation between vocal lines. https://www.freemusicdictionary.com/definition/riff/

Verse: Solo passage from the Gradual which precedes the response. See respond.In poetry or song, a verse is a group of lines which constitutes a unit. Often there are several verses in a single text, and usually the rhyme scheme, rhythm, and number of poetic lines and feet are the same from verse to verse in a single text.a line or stanza. https://www.freemusicdictionary.com/definition/verse/

Genre:

Pop: Pop is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms popular music and pop music are often used interchangeably, although the former describes all music that is popular and includes many disparate styles. During the 1950s and 1960s, pop encompassed rock and roll and the youth-oriented styles it influenced. Rock and pop remained roughly synonymous until the late 1960s, after which pop became associated with music that was more commercial, ephemeral, and accessible. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_music

Rock: Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as “rock and roll” in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, a style that drew heavily from the genres of blues, rhythm and blues, and from country music. Rock music also drew strongly from a number of other genres such as electric blues and folk, and incorporated influences from jazz, classical, and other musical styles. Like pop music, lyrics often stress romantic love but also address a wide variety of other themes that are frequently social or political. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_music

For record club I chose the song Cherry by Jungle. Jungle is a fascinating band to me because they started as a minimal band of just two men. They worked mostly with electronic recordings but chose to expand to a seven-piece band when performing live. They did this for live performances because they said it was important for them to “be a collective energy” and bring that to the audience when performing. Because of this they are known to be an incredible live band, I can vouch for that. There are at least 4 members that sing on every track which creates these incredible, full harmonies. The lead two guys primarily sing in their falsetto voices which contrasts in a very apparent way to the deep bass and warm music. It’s a feature that defines almost all of the music by Jungle.

Here’s a live performance of this song:

Jungle begins this song by easing you into the tempo of the song; They start with a faster bass line that settles into a slower tempo which sustains the rest of the song. I found that a really interesting and attention grabbing way to begin a song. To me this song has seismic qualities; the low bass makes you feel just as much, if not more, than you actually hear. The duo has said that they wish to “create a world” with their music to make it an experience. When I listen to this song with headphones I personally feel like I am immersed in the world of Jungle. 

When I was looking for the exact genre of the band it was difficult to settle on just one or two. There are so many different genres that they fall into that one reporter went as far as to say they were “undefinable”. I feel that the genres funk, neo-soul, and electronic are best able to describe their unique musical style. I love the use of electronic non-instrumental sounds that they incorporate into their music. They combine those, a deep bass, and repetitive lyrics to create a hypnotic feeling. One of my favorite parts is the synthesized effect on the lead singer’s voice during the bridge. I felt that the sparing use of voice synthesizing in this song made that moment in the bridge that much more alluring. 

The lyrics, although repetitive, are powerful. As was mentioned in class it could be repetitive because the band has one clear message they want to express. “You’re never gonna change me, I was already changing” is a powerful sentiment about growing on your own and finding yourself. “Flowers in the garden that won’t grow. Flowers on the train, it’s not the same. Life won’t grow if we never change.” My personal interpretation of these lines is that as we grow as people our ideals and desires can change and we have to be aware of this and accept it. There is this cliche idea that we should all grow up and have a nice house with a garden, picket fence, etc. but that’s not true for everyone. Some people can’t grow a garden, they settle for buying a house plant for their apartment and although it’s not the same it doesn’t mean it’s wrong. If we don’t adjust our opinions and expectations then we start to tread water, but opening yourself to something new even if it’s not what you expected will allow you to grow and push you closer to a happy life.

The music video is beautiful, I highly suggest checking it out:

Terms:

Electronic: Music primarily created using electronic musical instruments or electronic music technology. 

Falsetto: Male voice above usual bass or tenor range, an effect accomplished by using only half of the vocal cords.

Funk: Genre focused on strong rhythmic grooves of bass lines. Typically consists of a complex groove with rhythm instruments playing interlocking grooves.

Harmony: When two or more individual notes are played simultaneously to form a cohesive whole.

Hypnotic: Anything mesmerizing or spellbinding. Readily holding the attention.

Neo-Soul: Style of music that emerged from soul & contemporary R&B. Distinguished by a less conventional sound than contemporary R&B with incorporated elements from funk, jazz fusion, hip hop, etc.

Seismic: Very low bass that you feel rather than hear.

Sound Synthesis: Shaping and modulating sounds using components like filters, envelopes, effects, etc.

Tempo: Time, the overall speed of a piece of music.

Warm: Good bass, adequate low frequencies.