Kamis, 29 April 2010

Aesop Rock Music

Aesop Rock music and lyrics redefined hip for many a listener, including myself.  When his classic album Float dropped, hip hop fans were exposed to a whole new style of lyrics never seen in the genre before. The single Daylight- perhaps Aesop's best known song to date- on Labor Days brought him to the forefront of underground rap.
Born Ian Matthias Bavitz in Long Island, Aesop Rock grew up in New York and studied painting at Boston College. While working as a waiter he released his first two albums: Music For Earthworms (1997) and the Appleseed EP (1999).The albums caught the eyes of many in the music community and Float held their interest for years to come. Production was a compilation between Aesop Rock and his friend Blockhead, though the latter's influence is much more recognizable on Float.
The next album was Labor Days and is considered by many to be Aesop's best album, both lyrically and musically. It wasn't until Bazooka Tooth that Aesop Rock music - not just lyrics- began to take form. Unfortunately, most of his fans found his music too heavily featured, making it difficult to discern his already complex rhymes. Still, tracks like "No Jumper Cables" caught on, and were released as a single.
Times changed, and the evolution of his music changed with it. In his early albums, there was a much heavier influence on jazz (as a result of working with Blockhead); Labor Days seemed to be more rock-infused than earlier albums, while Bazooka Tooth ushered in a whole new musical style for the Long Island rapper. The sounds were much more urban based with electronica overtones.
While those elements still remained important, in his album Fast Cars, Danger, Fire and Knives Aesop took a back seat role in production, while still remaining at the forefront lyrically, both on the album and underground hip hop in general.
Aesop Rock music has always been important to hip hop, though he struggles to earn accolades for his production work- sort of a Kanye West in reverse. However, Ace did land a production commission for Nike, where he produced a 45 minute track for joggers. The music was conceptual and featured several landscapes for the listener to follow (reminiscent of Forest Crunk on the Daylight EP).
Aesop Rock music is unique in hip hop and should be given special attention by aficionados, both for the musical and lyrical concepts.

Rabu, 21 April 2010

Why is Christian Rock Music So Popular?

"Christian Rock", a title often scoffed at by traditional rock artists, enthusiasts & critics alike is gaining popularity and stamping its place as a sort after genre for the young generation of head-banging, mosh-pitting gurus! Didn't Christian rock die a couple of years ago, you ask? Christian rock music is growing faster than ever before with Daily News of Christian Rock Music, new artists & albums streaming across the Internet and pumping the airways continuously every day. So where did this God Rock come from? I mean this is new right?
This type of rock music wasn't around 20 years ago, was it? Well I didn't think so until recently, the reality is Christian music or should I say Christian rock music has been around apparently from the dawn of creation! So why seeing it today all the time? Where were they hiding and what happened to the voice of damnation for those participating in anything other than a church hymn or Sunday school choir? Well the chastity belt of today's Christian rock is alive and well. There are many religious organizations who oppose this form of music, I will talk more about this opposition later.
Most Christians are in favor of this "movement" feeling that Christian rock music is another way to reach people with the importance of the Christian faith. So why the controversy?, what is so different about Non-Christian rock music in comparison to Christian rock? Many have asked this question and instead of quoting Mr. Bob Dylan "the answer is blowing in the wind", I thought I would look into this more closely and check out the facts and see why there is so much "opposition" to the sounds of "thumping grace". After reviewing many rock & heavy metal music bands and performances and then compared them to their Christian counterparts, I did see differences but not many! The stage performance was very similar with the exception of Non-Christian heavy metal revealing more of a dark or sadistic side at times in general there was little if any change in production or presentation from Christian rock to standard or Non-Christian music. The only real difference I could find was the lyrical content, with Christian rock music quoting words from the Bible and preaching family values.
So why was Christian rock music inward for so many years, seemingly hiding in the shadows from more conservative members of the Christian community? Well apparently they weren't seeking refuge in some dark cave at all, it's just that I like many people didn't even know they were around back then! Good old fashioned Christian rock bands like Petra, Stryper, Bloodgood, Whitecross and Tourniquet have been rocking Christians and secular music lovers alike for generations.
The voice of rock damnation is still screaming louder than ever in some Christian circles although seemingly falling on deaf ears of a Christian Rocker community that grows bigger every day. Who opposes this Christian liberation? Who else but other Christians! It seems some segments of who have not advanced to modern day sounds are Bible bashing these Christian rock music enthusiasts with eternal consequences for their "lack of understanding". The most dramatic example I came across was the seventh day adventist (SDA) church who proclaim that Christian rock music is quote "Devil music". The SDA church preach that all rock music has the "beat of the devil" borrowed from primitive heathen rituals, beating in time with the body's "natural rhythms". I found it hard to understand that anyone could think this way at first, but indeed it is true and they are very serious about stamping out any and all rock music, or anything for that matter that has a drum beat!

Minggu, 11 April 2010

Rock Music - The Popular Type of Music

Rock music is a well accepted form of music, which is a combination of drums, guitars and bass. This music uses keyboard instruments like piano, synthesisers, organ, etc. There is a band of musicians who focus only on rock music and they are called rock band. Rock music is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. Hard rock is specially liked by the western youth.
Today, people are crazy about music. They want to listen their favourite music whenever they have leisure time. Music is created to give you pleasure. The fascinating world of music lets you enjoy music in one form or other. There are various types of music these days: pop music, folk music, jazz music and rock music. All these type of music are enjoyable to hear. The songs take you through different emotions. Rock music is loud and fast than anything you've heard before.
In 1960, British and American rock bands became popular. Bands like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Queen, Black Sabbath, etc. are some of the famous bands. In 1980,the genre that was quite popular was glam metal. The various artists like Twisted Sister, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Queen, Kiss, Sweet and the New York Dolls were the artists of 1980's.
This type of music became popular in the 1950s in America and Europe. This famous music is mainly based on older musical styles like the rhythm and blues music originated by African American performers such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard. The music has a heavy focus on guitar, drums and powerful vocals. The most popular artist of rock music in the early days was Elvis Presley. His dance and powerful music can surprise anyone. "The Beatles" became successful in the 1960's. This group was inspired by Blues and rhythm.
Rock music is evolving itself and coming in a variety of styles. Other music forms like heavy metal are also a form of rock music. Some of the heavy metal bands include Metallic and Megadeth. Rock music comes in a wide range of forms like soft pop and heavy metal. This "Rock 'N Roll" type of music became popular in 1950s and 1960s. This new sound came from many musical styles.
In the initial days, this music was admired only in small clubs and on radio. Afterwards, it became famous with the programs like American Bandstand. Then, people could view their favourite bands on the television. Many people criticised about this type of music as they did not like the loud and fast lyrics.
Rock music began with jazz music, blues tunes, etc. It also featured electrically amplified guitars, drummers and harmonicas. By the mid-1950, performers like Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Joe Turner became famous with the white audiences. Radio disc jockeys named this music rock 'n roll.
One of the best musical album, "Sticks and Stones" has everything from fun to catchy guitar riffs. It covers a range of emotions and depicts the depth of their talent. The album grabs attention with the song "Cathedral.". The catchy rock beat combines with a variety of instrumentation. The title track "Sticks and Stones" is also worth listening. The hard to resist lyrics would make your day. The instrumental track "ZOZ" is a classic jam track with brilliant double guitar interface. Another noteworthy feature of this track is the striking beats. Another beautiful track is "All Roads Lead to Home". This track shows the fast and catchy style of the band. Lastly, there is a song that most college students can appreciate. "Raise a Glass", an old Irish folk song has people singing along in the background. The album is a mixture of a broad variety of the music in the history of rock. This rock album is definitely worth listening and deserves a space on your iPod.
You can find a variety of rock music videos online and find the top tracks in the rock music charts. Don't wait, just browse the internet to get your favourite rock