Tag: music

I Don’t Have Any Big Dreams: Positive Messages in Korean Rap

Jeannie Marie 1 Comment

At first look, there are probably three things that you will tell me about the band BTS.

  1. They are all Asian (Korean, to be specific)
  2. They are singing in a different language
  3. They are very young

And yes, I’m aware of all three of these facts, and yes, I still choose to listen to them. They ended up being one of my favorite bands of 2013, and are going to release a single and album this week, which is one reason why I’m talking about them.

But another reason is the fact that every time I listen to their first single, it strikes me again how odd the lyrics are – but how much I love them.

For reference, BTS is a K-pop band, K-pop being “that one song Gangnam Style.” BTS is also an initialism (not an acronym – thanks Hank Green), short for “Bangtan Boys’ which translates as “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” which, in a weird way, makes sense, since these boys range in age from 16 to 21 years old – basically boy scouts age, when taken in the context of the entertainment sphere.

The song I’m referring to is called “No More Dream”, and with the backdrop of burning buildings and a crashed school bus in the music video, you’d think that BTS, a hip-hop/rap group, are boys singing about being lazy and not having dreams, which, to be fair, is a logical explanation. But thanks to both the internet and the smart execs at Loen Entertainment, the company that reps BTS, the lyrics which are sung/rapped in Korean can be magically transformed into English.

And they convey the exact opposite of what you’d think upon first glance. Oh sure, the first verse starts off well – in English they say “I wanna big house, big cars and big rings, but really I don’t have any big dreams - obviously lending their voice to the youth in Korea. But the boys go on to sing “Go your own way, even if you live for a day, do something, put weakness away” and the main chorus consists of them pointing at the screen, demanding to know “What’s your dream?” and “Is that it?” The last line of the song ends with one of the members stating “For all the youth without dreams,” making it clear who their audience is.

Part of me wants to believe that this is just a song. In truth, most hip-hop/rap groups that are popular in Korea sing about trivial things, and aren’t as explicit nor as raw as the hip-hop in America, because they represent different things. Popular rap (excluding the Korean rap subculture) is meant for consumption by the highly conservative Korean media, not for boundary pushing, which is one reason why I like BTS, since they obviously are taking on the hip hop persona but aren’t actually appropriating or disrespecting the hip hop culture grown and bred in America in order to entertain viewers (although it can be said that the fact that they are even singing hip hop without knowing and experiencing the history behind it is still representative of appropriation, but I’m not as strict with my definition). But because BTS isn’t a group that is meant to push boundaries and sing about things that Korean media would deem inappropriate – what ARE they going to sing about?

And to me, that’s the beauty of the song. I mean, they’re 19 years old for crying out loud. They represent the youth they talk about in their song, which makes them an authentic voice. They’ve also gone on to help write and produce their work in the future, which also contributes to the fact that their singing about what they know, not what a company told them to sing. And in particular, this song serves to criticize the culture they live in, asking their peers to have a dream, even if it’s something as small as studying in order to graduate high school and go to college, which are both things mentioned in the song.

Altogether, it’s kind of funny to me that this group, attempting to come off as hardcore hip-hop, chose to sing about positive messages such as inspiring dreams within kids who are apathetic to the world around them. But maybe that’s the inherent beauty of it – that rap is becoming a mode of social critique in South Korea, just as it’s often viewed in America. And however strange, it’s something that I really enjoy and appreciate, and hope to see more of in the future – both in Korea and here in the U.S.

On Repeat: Coming of Age

Jeannie Marie 1 Comment

Foster the People. Foster. The People. People the Foster. No three words have made me happier in my entire life than today.

Since their first album dropped in 2011, I have loved this band with all my heart. Listening to Torches on repeat felt like an initiation rite. They have topped my list of Bands I Have To See Live Before I Die for the past three years. I have argued that their entire album is ten times better than that one song about fancy shoes.

And finally, they’re back.

Now, I may be late to this whole party, as I just found out today about their new single, “Coming of Age,” although a quick glance on Facebook shows me they’ve been dropping hints about their comeback for a while. But unlike the time I was in high school, I can’t keep up with the activities of all my favorite bands. So this has come as a much needed surprise.

But I digress. I’m here to talk about the song itself.

“Coming of Age” is, in my opinion, a perfect follow up to Torches. With Foster the People’s utterly distinct vocals, this song highlights their talent for making catchy music that I don’t feel horrible about singing in the hallways. Poised as the next crossover hit, with driving beats that mark this song as FTP style, I cannot see this song not being played on the radio. And while I don’t listen to the radio anymore, I will gladly applaud any alternative song that charts, even if it’s in the pop genre (and yes, pop is a genre, not just what is “popular”).

However, more than that, I can’t help but to smile at the incredible cleverness of it all. While it feels unfair to call Foster the People rookies, Torches was their first LP, making “Coming of Age” and the subsequent Supermodel, their sophomore release. While the lyrics deliver a song about a (winter?) romance-gone-astray, the single represents more than that. Literally, it is a coming of age for Foster the People. A band’s sophomore album must be perfect in order to beat the sophomore slump and simultaneously establish themselves as a credible and worthwhile artist, and Foster the People acknowledges that burden with grace. This song and forthcoming album will partially determine their future – whether they rise to eternal fame or fall among the other indie bands that have faded into the background.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to accurately judge what kind of artist they will become until March 18th when Supermodel is released. Hopefully this album will prove to me that they are in fact a band that will make a permanent mark on music history. For now, however, I will savor the way “Coming of Age” sounds as I walk to class – infectiously upbeat and yet somehow disarmingly beautiful.

Beyoncé…Enough Said

Erika Bell Leave a comment

Beyoncé 'XO' video still

On December 13, 2013, Beyonce did something no artist has ever done before. Hard to believe right? She released her self-titled 5th album strictly to Itunes without any prior promotion whatsoever. No interviews. No single releases. No album leak 3 weeks before its release date. Nothing. Simply posting a 15-second video on her Instagram, Beyonce revealed shorts clips of her 14 new songs AND 17 music videos that can be found on her new album. Not only has an artist never had the guts to release their album without any prior promotion, but no one has ever released a music video for every single song on their album…and then some.

I must admit I adore Beyonce and after the frenzy of this album release I think we should all give some credit and hail Queen Bey; some of the songs on her newest album, however, are hit or miss for me. The songs Mine, Drunk in Love, and XO are some of my favorites featuring a more hip Bey as she incorporated rhythms and beats from the hip-hop and R&B genres today. There also is Beyonce uniqueness that these songs carry, with her careful lyrics and sultry voice, it’s hard not to fall in love with Jay-Z in Drunk in love, or sing with your eyes closed and hands in the air with Drake. I mean, either choice is fine. Yet, some records didn’t do it for me as much. Haunted and Jealous are two very different musical sides of Beyonce that we haven’t seen before, and the flow and message of the songs didn’t hit me as powerfully as I wanted them to.

But of course, the most innovative aspect of this story is the visual album that Beyonce compacted for her listeners. Every song has a video to complement it, along with 3 bonus videos also accompanied by new tracks. First impression? I was completely overwhelmed by the artistic and symbolic elements that Beyonce brought to each video, some filled with dancers twirling in long, chiffon dresses against a black background, and others with Victoria Secret models flaunting gold grills. Her visual album was a product of her ability to “see the music,” for Beyonce “it’s more than just what [she] hears,” according to the New York Daily News. Her inclusion of these visualizations of music for every song,  isn’t so groundbreaking in my eyes, but more simply about an artist (with a lot of money) going against what has been the norm for decades, and creating music how she sees fit.

Although I think Beyonce, has had better songs on past albums, I think that her delivery and her work ethic are far beyond any musical artist out there. A part of what makes an artist stand out is their fearlessness when it comes to their work, and I think we all could learn a thing or two about being fearless from the Queen Bey.

30 Second Clips of 3 Music Videos:

Beyonce – Haunted

Beyonce – XO

Beyonce ft. Drake – Mine

 

Barber of Seville Review

Sarah Ogar Leave a comment

This past Sunday, I had the amazing opportunity to see the music school’s performance of ‘Barber of Seville’.  Next to ‘Marriage of Figaro’, I would say that ‘Barber of Seville’ is one of my favorite comedic operas.  It is light hearted, short in terms of performance time, and full of great music.

The Barber of Seville

My favorite things about the performance…

1) The costumes.  The bedazzled pale pinks and yellows presented a delightful marriage of 1970s disco with seventeenth century Madrid.  The soprano Rosina wore a beautiful leopard print and floral empire waist dress augmented by a fiery red floral cape with turqoise satin lining.  And just about everyone wore shimmering opera wigs and red leggings.  I have seen opera take some interesting turns in the way of set and costume design.  I have seen flappers, 1950’s used car salesmen in checkered suits, as well as comedic characters in victorian full-body bathing costumes and flippers.  But this rendition of Barber of Seville stayed true to opera form and upheld the opera hair and costume adage of ‘Go big or go home’.

2) The Overture.  The opening overture alone was enough to get my mom and sister giggling next to me.  If you haven’t seen this cartoon, then stop whatever you are doing and witness the greatest integration of high opera culture and lowbrow cartoons…

Bugs Bunny in ‘What’s Opera Doc?’

3) The arias.  In addition to watching the animated brilliance of Bugs Bunny, you must listen to ‘Largo al Factotum’ if you are unfamiliar with you. Chances are, you have probably heard it countless times, and probably identify it as the ‘Figaro, Figaro’ song.  I’ll admit that before the performance, I googled ‘factotum‘ since I had heard this aria countless times, but never understood what a factotum was.

4) The humor.  Admittedly, opera humor is very different from the modern, deadpan, documentary-style humor you might see in ‘Office Space’ or ‘Modern Family’, but the physical comedy is never lacking.  Laughing out loud at opera requires you to allow yourself to laugh at things that have no pop culture references and no swear words.

If you have never experienced opera, ‘Barber of Seville‘ is a great place to start.  Opera buffa or ‘comic opera’ is the angel food cake of opera. It is light, fluffy, and full of funny hijinks that will help you unwind after a long day.

While I love opera seria or ‘serious opera’ it is not for the faint of heart.  It is often longer, denser, and much more intense than opera buffa.  Don’t get me wrong.  There are many great serious operas, but for the beginner or someone who isn’t sure about opera in general, take a listen to the overture from ‘Barber of Seville’ and revel in the accessible cadences of composer Giacchino Rossini.

An Icelandic Audio Odyssey, Finally We Are No One

Justin & Ersun Leave a comment

Before I understood maps or geothermal currents, I pictured Greenland as a land of trees, plants, and vegetation–greenery–and Iceland to be a frozen tundra, frigid and white–icy. This naivety led me to believe the opposite. The namesake of Greenland and Iceland are almost polar opposites, for while they are both near the North Pole, their climates are immensely varied. Iceland is a land of extremes–from volcanic thermal heat to icy glacial coldness. Despite the extremes, the small island has a fairly moderate and consistent temperature. It is a beautiful place filled with many natural wonders. It is a place for the imagination to wander and reflect. It is only appropriate that the nation has produced artists representing this personality.

múm is an Icelandic experimental music group. Adopting a dreamlike quality with their unique concoction of sounds creates a refreshing brand of music that resonates with an imaginative spirit. In their 2002 album, Loksins Erum Við Engin (Finally We Are No One), this creative sound pushes the listeners’ thoughts to places often untouched or forgotten, such as the ability to truly imagine and reflect from within oneself. Finally We Are No One is a playful odyssey of the subconscious. As as a whole, the simple but unique form of the art and music is found in the sound. The childlike voices reflect the peaceful innocence of exploratory thoughts. Like the naivety of a child, such as my ignorance surrounding the ecological states of Greenland and Iceland, the album celebrates these virgin thoughts, not tampered by adult actions and concerns.

finallywearenothing

When listening, the album elicits a unique feeling that is not often excited by music. It is not a “pump up” sound or nostalgic tune or bluesy act of sad emotions, but a gentle touch on more tender feelings. It draws upon the small things, subtle details and little sounds. It is pure and difficult to express in another medium. While the soft voices convey the pureness of innocence, the pattering of varied sounds embodies the minimal amount of emotion necessary to touch the listener. The slow cadence of the music is calming, putting the listener at peace to encourage introspection. It balances delicately on a small wave of feeling that moves between the small troubles and ripples of hope. It is ideal for reflection and cannot fit in varied forms, which leaves it appropriately perfect.

Finally We Are No One strips away the titles that  border one’s subconscious. Removing the clutter from the mind, it lets a gentle wave wash over tender thoughts and carry them to new shores.

Scheherazade

Jeannie Marie Leave a comment

Ever since I can remember, my mom has been one of the primary influences when it comes to things I like. Now that I’m older, I see it’s because I’m basically her when she was a teenager, just in a different era (and maybe a little bit nerdier). But when I was younger, she definitely molded my interests through the things she took me to do and see.

If it hasn’t become clear yet, I’m not from Michigan, but from the mysterious land far, far away known as Houston, Texas. And as most people don’t know, Houston has a thriving and honestly quite amazing arts community.

So this environment, paired with the ingenuity of my mom, you get me: by all accounts, a child hipster. She took me to the children’s museum, to the ballet, she even bought a season at the Hobby Theatre so I could see Cinderella and The Lion King (both amazing performances, by the way). I participated in church choir, and had a strict music program in school that included mandatory extracurricular activities. I still remember going to see Wizard of Oz when I was maybe 4 or 5 years old at the Miller Outdoor Theatre, and being amazed (and slightly scared) as the munchkins came out during intermission to talk to the children and interact with them in their brightly colored costumes.

But out of all those experiences, this weekend, one appeared vividly in my mind.

My mom took me to see the Houston Symphony at Jones Hall one time when I was very little, maybe 6 or 7 years old. I absolutely loved it, and after that time I started listening to the classical channel on my little radio before I went to bed, because the music was so calming. So when my school announced a field trip to go see the Symphony, I was thrilled, because I actually enjoyed this music, not to mention by this time I was probably taking piano lessons.

But that’s not the response I got from my friends.

“Why do we have to go to the symphony?”

“This music is so boring.”

“Everyone’s going to fall asleep.”

I tried to tell them otherwise. “I listen to this music every night” I said. “It helps me get to sleep.”

“Yeah because it’s so boring.”

So while, truthfully, most of my friends fell asleep, I sat, pretending to be bored, but actually engaged in everything that was going on.

This particular instance stands out to me because it was one of the last times I’ve seen a symphony. I’ve been to plenty of plays since that had an orchestra, and I listen to movie scores all the time to help me concentrate on my homework, but it’s not quite the same.

So a few weeks ago, when I found out my friend had a concert with Michigan Pops, I knew I had to go. This weekend, I attended AquaPops, the water-themed musical experience. And I was put right back into my memories. I felt like I was back in Houston, in Jones Hall, where I first heard what music could actually sound like when it came from such beautiful and ancient instruments.

Adam Young, the real name of the ever-famous (or infamous) Owl City, once had a blog that has since been taken down, where he would muse about life, love, and his own music. On this blog one night, he talked about music without words. Specifically, he was referring to electronic, the genre he’s most commonly associated with, which quite often is just a composition of notes rather than an actual song with lyrics. But generally, it applies to all music without words. He said “I find that by listening to material that neither suggests nor blatantly tells me how to think or feel…well, suddenly I can go anywhere, do anything, be anyone. In that moment, dreams are no longer hovering discouragingly out of reach, but instead are made real and vivid, floating right above my head. That’s an invigorating feeling.”

And honestly, I couldn’t have summed up that entire concert any better myself. I found myself lost within the music, finding my way through the notes that were being played. With every pluck of the cello, with every movement of the bow, I was wandering, collecting the pieces of a story that was waiting to be told by me. And yet that story was so completely different from the stories of my friends next to me.

That story is beautiful, and that story that I heard Sunday night is the reason why I will take any opportunity to go to the symphony again.

 

Notes: Shout out to Arts at Michigan for getting me into the Pops concert for free through their Passport to the Arts (okay, that was a shameless plug, I admit).

Also, shout out to the 1st Chair Violinist and Concertmaster who probably won’t read this but nevertheless had an absolutely stunning solo in one of the best songs of the night, “Scheherazade.”