When I first heard this song while hanging out with friends one night, I immediately felt connected. “The Less I Know The Better” By Australian rock band Tame Impala describes the bittersweet factor of love. The song released on November 29th, 2015, tells the story of Kevin Parker, who is Tame Impala, who has feelings for a certain lady. However, she gets involved with someone else named Trevor. This single was featured on their third studio album, Currents. This song includes a touch of disco and “corny” lyrics, but in the end, it makes up one heck of a song.
Tame Impala is only one individual named Kevin Parker. The background of his music comes from psychedelic rock but is also combined with pop and electronic elements. The structure of this song is a pretty simple pop structure. However, the song ends with a bridge, which could be seen as an extended version of the chorus. Although it is pretty simple, the rhythm is the base of the song when it comes to the rhythm. The drums featured in the song give an excellent feeling that moves the song forward. The bass and drums drive the groove of the song.
Rhythm: the pattern of regular or irregular pulses caused in music by strong and weak melodic and harmonic beats.
Groove: is the sense of propulsive rhythmic “feel” or sense of “swing.”
Bridge: A bridge is a section of a song intended to contrast the rest of the composition.
Structure: Song structure refers to how a song is organized, using a combination of different sections.
With the spring season in the air, I figured I give us an oldie but goodie that fills my soul with good vibes. The song might be familiar to some who are versed within 90’s R & B, or to someone who watched the early seasons of FX’s “Snowfall”, but this funky slow melody by Roy Ayers has been a staple in music for a long time since its 1976 release. This song has been referenced in Movies as well. Used as inspiration, “Everybody loves the sunshine” is from a generation dealing with oppression and hate but these synths and easy lyrics make for an easy listen of positivity in a time of strife. The song has a slow tempo which gives the background vocals and Roy Ayers a better gain for the vibrato of the song. Lyrics like “Just bees and things and flowers” as its bridge gives you a sight into how simple but vivid this song is. Other parts of this song have been included in recent music history and which has made it easy for Ayers to not lose the impact of their song throughout the years.
The intro has been used as a sample in other works too. for example “My Life” By Mary J Blige:
Also pop references within tv and film:
And Finally, A Recent Performance By Roy Ayers Circa 2019
Back in October 2017 with her fifth album, Masseduction, the indie darling became the dominatrix pop star she had always hinted lay within all while delivering a sound that was vibrant yet melancholy, cunning yet honest, friendly yet confrontational. Fast forward four years later and Annie Clark has transformed her image and sound yet again. As the first single off her upcoming album Daddy’s Home, “Pay Your Way In Pain,” trades the leather and latex for the softer accoutrements of a 70s starlet: blonde bobbed hairstyle, as well as a suit that manages to be simultaneously slouchy and fitted, whilst also oozing in a sleazy sensuality. “Pay Your Way In Pain” starts things off with sort of this cabaret sound that manages to be very throwback in its quality. The brief piano introduction definitely leads you to believe that the song is going to go in a certain direction. However, soon enough, it transforms into this adventurous track with a blend of funk that happens to be very reminiscent to Prince. This quirky number is definitely an alternative track through and through, sounding like nothing else that is currently out. If nothing else, St. Vincent delivers an ear-catching record that does not conform in any way, shape, or fashion to the cacophony of sounds currently inundating the music market currently. The song is jam-packed with a slew of influences: a honky-tonk opening piano line gives way to thrusting funk à la Prince, and it is impossible not to hear Bowie lamenting fame circa Young Americans era in the way she curls her lips around the word “pain” in the chorus.
The song’s protagonist begrudgingly drags herself to the grocery store where there is no food, which is not entirely a problem considering the fact that she does not have any money. “So, I went to the bank to check my checking/The man looked at my face, said, ‘We don’t have a record,’” she sighs. While there is not much warmth in “Pay Your Way in Pain,” there is plenty of desire: At the tracks conclusion, Clark bellows one final animalistic declaration—“I want to be loved!!!”—which is a hoarse and guttural shout. No matter what character she is channeling, her uncanny ability to transform makes her a bonafide rockstar. I really do love the way that Clark uses her voice throughout the entirety of the song. She is playful and does not offer a straightforward performance. There are vocal effects, unique nuances sprinkled throughout the track, and, of course, ample expression. The songwriting is also intriguing. It tells a compelling and relatable story, which is characteristic of St. Vincent’s music of the past. Specifically, the character in the story seems to be facing plenty of pain as the adversity is through the roof from starting things off with a lack of money, to being judged, to eventually becoming homeless – our homegirl is going through a lot!
The song I’ve chosen for record club is Kaash Paige’s “’64” off of her debut EP Parked Car Convos. Kaash was 18 years young when she released this project in 2019. I found this album while scrolling on Instagram one day when I heard it in the background of the video, which led me to immediately surf the comments for what it was called. The song is very straightforward. Kaash talks about driving around her city in a ’64 Chevy Impala, picking up friends, and just having a good time. At the time when I first heard the song, I couldn’t relate at all. I didn’t have a car to go driving around in and my friends didn’t either. Now that I have a car, this song resonates with me so much more.
The tempo of this song is what sticks out to me the most. This isn’t a slow song. Or at least, this is not what comes to mind when I think of a slow song. It offers a nice in-between speed that is maintained throughout the song. It starts with a fade-in of the beat before Kaash directly goes into the chorus. Maintaining a steady pace throughout, the song carries you into the scene that she paints with the lyrics. “Cruisin’ in my six-four,” is the lyric that proves to be the most vital, as it is under-layered with, “I be riding through your city, yea” which helps to entrain listeners.
Tempo: The speed of the rhythm of a composition.
Fade: A gradual reduction/raise of the level of the audio signal
Chorus: Song Section – 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 are expressed in the chorus.
I knew what you were thinking. Alllllllll along, I knew it. “Gee, wonder which artist he’s gonna pick? Betcha it rhymes with Lob Lylan!” (Cue laughter and general knee-slapping.) Well, you know what? Not today. Today, I’m throwing you a curveball. And not just any old curveball, either. Maybe the most gloriously chaotic, vibrating, raging comet of a curveball ever to grace a 45. White Light/White Heat is a proto-punk gem coming at you all the way from 1968, before the Sex Pistols knew what sex was. (Okay, okay, I made that up, but it might as well be true.) Point being, this is some real primitive shit.
I’d like to think it’s obvious, even to the untrained ear, that this isn’t your grandma’s pop single. It’s absolutely drenched in fuzz; you can only barely make out what the hell Lou Reed is even saying at any given moment. Barely identifiable among the roaring din are the cymbals of Moe Tucker, who, to quote a phrase, is wailing on the crash cymbal like it owes her money. The bass, acting here as a percussion instrument, keeps steady time throughout the song, lending it a primal on-the-beat thrust, the kind favored by contemporary Ginger Baker. All this gives the listener the impression that the Velvet Underground isn’t interested in creating coordinated music so much as they are in astonishing their audience, as wholly and convincingly as possible. The result is one of the few songs in existence whose listening experience is actually cheapened, rather than enriched, by a set of high-end headphones. Go ahead. Rummage through your attic and retrieve your shitty Walkman headphones from 1990 with one side half-dead. THAT’s how this song oughtta be listened to.
Ultimately, I picked this song to reverse my own self-typecasting and prove that (gasp!) I listen to music besides Bob Dylan. Enjoy White Light/White Heat. I sure do. Greatly.
Till last minute I was confused about what song choose for the record club, i was stuck between a Bollywood song and this one, but ended up deciding on this one. This is a song that takes me down memory lane, I remember i first heard this song in 201, during the summertime and instantly fell in love with it. My sisters and I would listen to this song on repeat for days! This was the first song that i have heard of Lana Del Rey, and then started listening to other songs too. When I heard this song in the Great Gatsby, it gave me another reason to love it even more, because I really admired that movie, and it perfectly sits with the 1900s setting as well.
One reason I love this song is because it gives an old era vibe, and i’ve always admired the songs of that era so this was something different. It was a present singer, making songs that made it seem like they were from the 60s or 70s. This song is so melismatic and airy, the way she sings it really sets the mood of summer, or like she’s flying or on the clouds.Her voice is so smooth throughout the entire song. The way the instruments are being played in the back also gives off an airy structure. I love how when she sings the part, “O Lord when i get to heaven….”, that’s probably my most favorite part of the song, the whole song sort of rise, the melody becomes louder. And then calms down at the part, “All that grace, all that body, all that face makes me wanna party….”. Then she rises up again and has a change of tone when she sings the last verse, implicating that the song has ended.
Airy: Lighthearted, graceful
Melismatic: Melismatic’ indicates one end of a spectrum; the other is ‘syllabic’, or one note to each syllable.
Smooth: without breaks between notes; smooth and connected
Melody: A melody, also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity.
Verse: In the countable sense, a verse is formally a single metrical line in a poetic composition.
Foushee’s Deep End is a song that I immediately felt drawn to the moment I heard the chorus trending on TikTok. The song initially began as a sample and was used by rapper, Sleepy Hallow to create the “Deep End Freestyle” which went viral and ended up in the Billboard Top 100 chart. Despite how popular the song was getting, Foushee still didn’t receive credit for her work on the track. Even after she came out claiming it was her voice, people still didn’t believe her and tried their best to discredit her as well. When she wrote the full extended version of the song, the chorus was slightly changed from “I don’t think you want to go off the deep end” to “I’ve been trying not to go off the deep end/I don’t think you want to give me a reason”. The song was altered and inspired by the protests going on throughout 2020 after the death of George Floyd. While there is a sad undertone to the lyrics of the song, the upbeat tempo and whispering voice of Foushee’ gives the energy of a song you want to dance and bump to. Without knowing the inspiration behind the song, it’s easy to get caught up in the upbeat energy of the track. Also, the hook “Shawty gon’ get that paper, / Shawty tongue rip like razor, / Shawty got wit, got flavor, / Pardon my tits and make up, Pay her” speaks to the beauty of black women and how much flavor, wit and inspiration comes from our presence in this world. Foushee’s song presents a silver lining despite the challenges blacks have been facing with the issues of police brutality and conflict in America. It shows how something beautiful can still come out of the darkness happening currently in America. It also serves as inspiration that blacks should continue working on our crafts because our lives, voices and contributions are important and they matter.
Musical Terms: Airy – Spacious. Open. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by a large reflective space full of air. Good reproduction of high frequency reflections. High frequency response extends to 15 or 20 kHz. Breathy – Audible breath sounds in woodwinds and reeds such as flute or sax. Good response in the upper mids or highs. Pitch: Pitch is the frequency of a sound—how high or low it is in relation to other sounds. A high frequency, produced by rapid vibration, creates a high pitch; a low frequency, produced by slow vibration, creates a low pitch. The chromatic scale contains 12 musical pitches. chorus (noun): the part of a song with the same melody and words each time it’s heard – I’ll sing the verses, and you sing the choruses. Smooth – Easy on the ears, not harsh. Flat frequency response, especially in the midrange. Lack of peaks and dips in the response. Tight – Good low frequency transient response and detail. Grip – A sense of control and sturdiness in the bass. Larghissimo – very, very slow (24 bpm and under) Andante – An Italin word that means “walking”, andante is a moderate tempo marking between Largo and Moderato. This tempo is typically between 76 and 108 beats per minute. Bass – The audio frequencies between about 60Hz and 250Hz. Woolly – Loose, ill-defined bass. Veiled – Like a silk veil is over the speakers. Slight noise or distortion or slightly weak high frequencies. Loss of detail due to limited transparency. Sweet – Not strident or piercing. Delicate. Flat high frequency response, low distortion. Lack of peaks in the response. Highs are extended to 15 or 20 kHz, but they are not bumped up. Often used when referring to cymbals, percussion, strings, and sibilant sounds.
I would describe Foushee’s tone of voice as having an airy breathy pitch, particularly during the chorus of the song. Her voice is smooth, yet has a tight grip that makes you want to keep listening to her during the intro of the track. Throughout the song, the sounds as though it shifts from larghissimo (in the intro of the song) to andante (in the chorus) and then back to larghissimo towards the last verse of the song. Although there is a usage of guitar in the song, I am unsure if the background instruments are the bass or some electronic equipment. It’s difficult for me to tell but I guess that would be described as woolly, given that the bass is ill-defined to me. I am not sure if that would also make the song “veiled” since there is a lack of clarity/definition regarding the bass and background sounds. There’s also a swift sweetness to her voice in the second verse because she is speaking of her anger and frustration towards the contents of the song.
I would check out her Lyrical breakdown on Genius, it’s really interesting and she actually performs a live version of the song as well.
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