A journal like a twitter thread

[TheBig3]

I'd like to do a journal that's closer to Twitter for a few reasons:

1. I very frequently want to post, but feel like half-assed posts serve no one, and therefore I post nothing
2. I don't think a post that's dense benefits the community, so have a nugget to digest. And hopefully it will become a conversation
3. My music posts feel out of place on SCD. So I'm just going to put the suggestions here
4. It seems like it's kosher to post non-music stuff so expect that here too I guess. I have no other journal these days.

[TheBig3]

Heilung is an experimental folk music band made up of members from Denmark, Norway, and Germany. Their music is based on texts and runic inscriptions from Germanic peoples of the Iron Age, and Viking Age. Heilung describe their music as "amplified history from early medieval northern Europe". Their music is usually about Germanic deities, The Jǫtnar, and valkyries. "Heilung" is a German noun meaning "healing" in English.

I weirdly love this Gregorian chant style music. Obviously, this has no real tie to Christianity, but you get the idea. It not being in English helps it to be more musical. I don't need to understand or listen to the words. In a weird way it sort of unearths a lot of thoughts I haven't thought about in a long time. Things I tend to try and save for the moments of deeper introspection. I'm not sure what that says about the way my brain processes the music.

It almost feels like a less anxious form of paranoia. I don't understand what the words are. So why do I think they're talking about the death of my mother; or the women I dated decades ago and a wonder about if they ever think of me? Why does this music I don't understand bring up my own mortality? I don't hate it. It's nice to have someone to talk to, even if I can't talk back. Maybe the lack of pressure to respond is where the comfort comes from.

Anyway - check out Heilung. Let me know what you think.

[TheBig3]

Tripped over this on Spotify. It's getting a lot of press, and while nothing about it is bad, the most interesting thing about it IMO is that its a slick overproduced vocal, and a pretty trope-y composition, but the samples underneath are clearly false, it almost tempers some of the saccharine out of the vocals.

And the math doesn't seem that wild. Samples have been in music for 40+ years. But somehow it helps this would-be retro act put a fresh coat of paint on the Chevy.

[Janszoon]

Anyway - check out Heilung. Let me know what you think.

I love them. I saw them live in NYC right before the pandemic and they were fucking incredible.

[TheBig3]

Jesus, I can't even imagine what they're like live. And right before the world ended too. Anything you'd recommend?

[TheBig3]

I've never been a massive Beatles fan. A fine band, but the level of dick sucking over the years has been off-putting. E.g. the local classic rock station does/did Breakfast with the Beatles on Sunday mornings, and the idea that my coffee would be improved, and my hangover lessened because Rocky Racoon was on, I don't know I guess I resented the implication. Still, Day in a Life is a banger. Let's not pretend they're not good. I just don't think it was what the Boomers told me.

To be honest, if this hadn't come up on my YouTube homepage, I wouldn't have listened to it. But I did, and - it's a Beatles song. If you told me this was on Rubber Soul, I'd have said "yeah ok, I'm not a huge Beatles fan, I just heard it today." You're not getting anything new you haven't heard before. It's good, but if anything it strikes me as the "You know you're right" (Nirvana) of my parents generation.

Cool to hear a new song. Wasn't going to be a Top 10 hit for the band if it came out in the heyday.

I saw a comment online that said "this sounds like an Oasis song - not a good thing." Eh, I don't know about that. You can definitely tell the music was recorded with better technology. But I've said too much. It's a Beatles song. Nothing more. Nothing less.

[TheBig3]

I still don't like albums.

 

Have you ever listened to someone tell a joke or a story, and afterwards you thought "That could have been 5 minutes shorter, and it would have been more effective"? That's kind of how I feel about albums. Cut to the chase, get to the meat, and cut out the fat. Yes, sometimes an album can be a connected set of songs, all moving together to create a deep tapestry of emotion and painting a beautiful picture. But you have to understand I graduated high school in 2001, and we were buying $20 albums with 18 tracks and 2 good songs. That's just what was done.

 

While there's a lot to dislike about the modern music industry, streaming is a godsend. I get a chance to try things out, song by song. Save a lot of cash upfront (I still haven't been compensated for what the record industry did to my paychecks in the 90's/Aughts), and invest more in going to shows.

 

The one area of streaming I don't think has been fully fleshed out yet is from the artists. Too many artists are still recording music as if it were the 80's. 10-12 songs on an "album." Just stop. Release 2-3 songs at a time. Work on those seriously. Throw out random covers every now and again. If your band got in a fight about how to arrange the track – release both. What do you care? Let the listener's vote. Ok so one of you loses. You can go cry on the pile of money you make from commercial success.

 

Too many people want to be artists through a paint-by-numbers. For every [insert your favorite artist here] there's a 30 Seconds to Mars or Maroon 5 that is just going through the motions. Or Ed Sheeren, my god. That guy is just...Anyway, I think albums are "tradition" and like all tradition, if it goes on too long it just becomes bigotry. Let it go. Write enough bangers to go on tour again. Do side projects. Enjoy yourselves. And remember, if there's no new album, there won't be a mass rush to the beer tent during the middle of your set.

 

[DJChameleon]

This is funny because I've gone through ups and downs when it comes to album listening overall. When I started listening to music it was only singles and the bangers I would listen to. Only after joining up with MB did I get more into listening to albums.

I see listening to albums as a challenge. I challenge myself to listen to the entire album and suffer through it to find the diamond in the rough tracks. Sometimes there are tracks that SHOULD be singles but never get released as a single or get it's own music video. I ended up stumbling into concept albums and I actually loved the album listening experience. I also got more into soundtracks and I loved those as well. They reminded me of like mixtapes and ended up having almost all bangers by different artists.

When I stopped posting on MB and was deep into my depression. Album listening went away. I was back to listening to various one off tracks here and there.  So I get that feeling about being against albums two years ago I got back into listening to albums again. What I would do is listen to an album on New Release Friday and pick up my favorite tracks here and there that would get replay from me instead of going through the entire album again.

[TheBig3]

Sorry for the absence. Work has been ruining my life. Actually, if anyone has a job lead, please DM me.

This is probably too much masturbation for most people here. But I'm getting sick of soul, and I think I prefer technocratic wankery. This, like a lot of instrumental music, gives up on tone too easily and passages sound like adult contemporary you'd hear in a paint store. Where all the carpets have that one distinct smell. But as much as I hate that, I try to hear the song in a chaotic urban setting. You just need to imagine things a little more psychedelic than you would if you were playing Freddie Freeloader.

[Lexi Darling]

Sorry for the absence. Work has been ruining my life. Actually, if anyone has a job lead, please DM me.

This is probably too much masturbation for most people here. But I'm getting sick of soul, and I think I prefer technocratic wankery. This, like a lot of instrumental music, gives up on tone too easily and passages sound like adult contemporary you'd hear in a paint store. Where all the carpets have that one distinct smell. But as much as I hate that, I try to hear the song in a chaotic urban setting. You just need to imagine things a little more psychedelic than you would if you were playing Freddie Freeloader.

I love Polyphia. A lot of their stuff has such a unique groove to it. I don't think there's anything wrong with not having soul, they're clearly not trying to pretend they have it. I like electronic music above most genres so I'm totally fine with music that is clinical and precise like that.

[TheBig3]

I've been thinking about this last post for awhile. And I've come to the obvious conclusion that soul is easier to fake, and it's easier to sell records with. Not so mind-blowing, but it's weird how I now have a PTSD-like response to hearing a soulful voice than I do some wankery. Or anything else really.

Where can music go that the BS artists can't find them. They're technical, they're soulful, they're lo-fi, they're indie, their whimsical. Maybe we need a movement where bands start writing about office culture. Not in a supportive or hateful way, just what life is like while waiting for the k-cup to finish, and needing the copier when someone is doing a massive print job. I need a song title like "Lonesome on hold in the conference room" or "10,000 miles and 5,000 packages between me and by baby."

Heartbreak in 4 bars with vague, "everyone can identify" lyrics is just so played out. Did she mean the world to you? Did he make you feel like this was forever. Well it wasn't, and if you bothered listening to other records before making one, you'd have known that. Love is fickle and cruel. But rush hour...that's always there. It's ever-present and miserable and we need to sing about it with a saxophone behind it.

As soon as this kid is less dependent on me, I'm writing an album about life as sung from inside the monkey suit. 

[grindy]

Sorry for the absence. Work has been ruining my life. Actually, if anyone has a job lead, please DM me.

This is probably too much masturbation for most people here. But I'm getting sick of soul, and I think I prefer technocratic wankery. This, like a lot of instrumental music, gives up on tone too easily and passages sound like adult contemporary you'd hear in a paint store. Where all the carpets have that one distinct smell. But as much as I hate that, I try to hear the song in a chaotic urban setting. You just need to imagine things a little more psychedelic than you would if you were playing Freddie Freeloader.

I love Polyphia and I love this song. The unplugged version on youtube might be one of the most impressive things I've ever seen done on a guitar. And it's not just wankery, the technical skills enable a new level of composition. Plus there's anyway nothing wrong with wankery if it's interesting music.

[Lexi Darling]

I've been thinking about this last post for awhile. And I've come to the obvious conclusion that soul is easier to fake, and it's easier to sell records with. Not so mind-blowing, but it's weird how I now have a PTSD-like response to hearing a soulful voice than I do some wankery. Or anything else really.

Where can music go that the BS artists can't find them. They're technical, they're soulful, they're lo-fi, they're indie, their whimsical. Maybe we need a movement where bands start writing about office culture. Not in a supportive or hateful way, just what life is like while waiting for the k-cup to finish, and needing the copier when someone is doing a massive print job. I need a song title like "Lonesome on hold in the conference room" or "10,000 miles and 5,000 packages between me and by baby."

Heartbreak in 4 bars with vague, "everyone can identify" lyrics is just so played out. Did she mean the world to you? Did he make you feel like this was forever. Well it wasn't, and if you bothered listening to other records before making one, you'd have known that. Love is fickle and cruel. But rush hour...that's always there. It's ever-present and miserable and we need to sing about it with a saxophone behind it.

As soon as this kid is less dependent on me, I'm writing an album about life as sung from inside the monkey suit. 

You... may be interested in the album I'm currently working on, haha.

Not about office work specifically but it's going to be electronic music themed as a "day in Lexi's life" kind of thing, with a lot of sound effects, percussion and various other sounds being actual samples of me going about my day in my house. Some sounds I've got already include vacuuming, broom sweeps, rubber glove snaps, boiling water bubbles, stacking dishes, that kinda stuff.

So I totally understand the vibe of taking musical inspiration from the mundane. I'll post it here of course. That actually gives me an idea, maybe I'll make a music progress journal or something. So you all can hear my album as it's being made.

(Sorry to advertise in your thread, lol.)

[TheBig3]

No worries at all. I'd love to hear it. I listen to a lot more music than I talk about here. I'll try anything.

[Guybrush]

I love your office album idea and also really like mundane style lyrics. As you point out, everyone's life isn't a rollercoaster of drama. Every romance or heartbreak isn't destined and written in the stars.

Some of my favourite mundane lyrics are from Fitter Stoke has a Bath by Hatfield and the North

But just the same, I'm happy just to sit around at home
With Pamela making cups of tea and writing prose
Now anyone can easily see
I'm basically a cretin

Not sure why he's a cretin, but maybe it's because his girlfriend does all the brewing and prosing while he just slacks.