emily k(nits, watches, and writes) » music

my top artists are the tops

emilyooo — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:35:20 +0000

murray’s gold: the music of doctor who

emilyooo — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:33:58 +0000

As I’ve mentioned a few times (both here and on the Twitters), I was a panelist on a session entitled “Murray’s Gold: The Music of Doctor Who.” I really had a wonderful time with my co-panelists Michaela Schubert, Ramie Tateishi, and (our “faux-moderator”) CJ DeAngelus. It was clear that we are all instructors and really wanted participation from the people attending the session. And the folks that came by for the panel were very eager to chat about the music!

CJ, Michaela, myself, and Ramie

We more or less stuck to what the conference program mentioned in the abstract:

One of the most unique and memorable things about Doctor Who today is its music, and one of the most important parts of that is the composer at its heart: Murray Gold. Our panel will discuss Gold’s musical contributions to the series, as well as the most memorable pieces and themes.

We also spent some time talking about the opening title theme, its changes and iterations, different interpretations and narrative implications of the music, comparing the production values of the Classic and New Series, and a bunch of other stuff.

Thanks to the lovely Chip from the Two Minute Time Lord podcast, I have a recording of the session to share with the masses. I ran it through The Levelator to bring up the volume of the audience questions and bring out the music clips a bit. Hopefully next year we can have another music panel and be in a room with a sound system!

If you liked the panel, please write to Shaun Lyon and let him and the Gallifrey One staff know! We’d love to do it again next year, and be able to play more samples and maybe talk more about the Classic Series in addition to the New.

Special thanks to Chip for being so kind in lending his recorder to me for the session, to my co-panelists for being super awesome, to everyone who attended the panel, to all the kind words and remarks from attendees afterwards, and to Shaun Lyon and Gallifrey One for putting together a panel about the music. I hope we can do it again!

a day’s refrain

emilyooo — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:47:11 +0000

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a music post. So. I am here today to share with you my favorite tracks from A Day’s Refrain. I don’t know all that much about them, except that they were from Jersey and played in DuPage quite a few times while they still existed. If I remember correctly they disbanded some time in 2002. I remember seeing one of their last shows in toddd’s basement. I may even have pictures floating around somewhere.

Anyway. Here are a few tracks from their self-titled album, released in (I think) 2001. Wow, 10 years ago. And it still sounds incredible.

A Day's Refrain

We Grow Numb

Rebecca

giving your students a headache for a good reason

emilyooo — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 04:33:50 +0000

You know, sometimes, I think picking complex/difficult exercises is really good for my students. Things that are open-ended, things that even I’m not sure I have a good answer for. Like this clip from Blackpool (BBC, 2004):

I used this clip in my discussion sections of Introduction to Music and Film Sound this morning. Watching them struggle with making their arguments about what’s happening in the clip was really interesting. Many focused on diegetic vs. nondiegetic. Some of them tried to argue one way or another, and some couldn’t. The point being … you can make an argument for neither/both in this clip. As long as you qualify your argument and make your point clearly and meaningfully we will be happy! I also made the point to them that they can talk about expectations caused by convention, and discuss how this clip subverts them. When “Cupid” starts playing, it’s safe to assume that there is an audio advance going on. But as soon as she looks up and starts singing you retroactively realize there wasn’t an advance, and that some kind of audio dissolve occurred. Or maybe the subverted audio advance was itself a dissolve? I don’t even know. But it made for interesting discussion in class today.

Also, this clip is cool because it has what I consider a “visual audiodissolve.” When Ripley stops singing as he sees the pin, we’re given a visual indication that the song has dissolved out and the performance is ending. Very cool. “The Boy With a Thorn in His Side” does the same thing at the beginning. When the dancers start moving in the background we’re given a visual clue that a performance is about to begin. They could have easily used the song just as underscoring, and again, convention let’s us feel safe about that assumption, but the dancers indicate that it is a performance and not underscoring or an audio advance.

Sometimes I feel like complicated examples are easier to use in discussion than straightforward ones. Well, at least they’re more interesting.

unreleased tracks from the nineteen of salem

emilyooo — Fri, 21 May 2010 03:56:48 +0000

Apparently people are noticing that I am posting old DuPage Hardcore recordings.

Neat.

So. I was contacted by a former member of The Nineteen of Salem, who subsequently sent me a few of their unreleased tracks in the interest of finally getting them out there somewhere for people to check out. I can’t tell you much more than that. So, enjoy!

Executive Order Number 9066

257 in the Afternoon

Richard

[explicit] from the step forward look west/fork knife spoon split that never was

emilyooo — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 00:25:10 +0000

So back at some point in the past, Step Forward Look West and Fork Knife Spoon planned on releasing a split 7″. It just kind of never happened, and at some point Eric Snyder (guitarist for SFLW) gave me a cd with the unreleased songs on it. Last week while I was back home visiting for spring break I met up with Ryan from SFLW/The DuPage Collective and picked his brain about it. Apparently they were going to outsource the pressing of the vinyl, but the guy they gave their money to disappeared. With the money. And this was after recording and printing the covers. But with the dude gone and the money also gone they forfeited the venture. I also believe not long after/during/whatever was when SFLW parted ways.

But.

Here are the tracks SFLW recorded for the split, posted with permission from the band. Enjoy!

We May be Old but You’re Fucking Boring:

If at First you Don’t Succeed, Keep Fucking Stabbing:

Song about Video Games.:

Four out of Five Indie Rockers Agree We Have no Fucking Talent:

If I had a Body like that I’d Bury it Out Back with the Rest:

Until next time.
ek

step forward look west [nsfw]

emilyooo — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:57:17 +0000

I believe this is a 7″ that would be considered ‘self-titled,’ though there is something of a subject line underneath the band name on the record sleeve:

front sleeve

Oh and in case you couldn’t tell, this is a music post.

Ahem.

Step Forward Look West was a band out of the glorious DuPage Hardcore days, though towards the end of it. Well, at least the end of my time involved before I ran off to get numerous college degrees in other states (how dare I?!).

I seriously enjoy this record, still. I think it came out in 2002 at some point, and was recorded in November 2001. I know this because of the rockin’ silk-screened poster that came with buying the 7″. It’s seriously amazing, though too large for me to scan and share. Maybe I’ll take a horrible picture of it someday so you can see it in all its glory.

The names of the songs may very well be the best part of the record.

back sleeve

Now, prepare yourself for fast and loud. Explicit lyrics warning. And it’s probably worth saying that these tracks were ripped from a 7″ record using an ion usb turntable. And not ripped all that well, either. Well, that’s not true. They sound alright.

Side A-

1. a name on the board with three checks only means i can fuck up twice without getting in trouble.

2. you can’t spell “goonies” without the word “go!”

3. a disfunctional family is any family with two or more members.

4. one two three not it!

5. it’s open season on crybabies and you’re fucking next.

Side B-

1. i never thought i’d say the words “i hate you” and fucking mean it.

2. jesus, elvis, and the easter bunny walk into a bar.

3. alice don’t surf.

4. the tcri strikes again!

5. it’s like pissing in a shower with a slow drain and standing in a stagnating pool of your own urine.

Interesting how I believe I completely avoided using any profane words on this blog until this very post. And those profanities coming from just the titles of the songs.

Anyway, listen and enjoy.

Until next time.

The DuPage Collective

an alkaline trio halloween

emilyooo — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:07:15 +0000

This is the best time of the year. The leaves are changing color, the hoodies are coming out of storage, and The Casket Lottery is in heavy rotation. I don’t know what it is about fall, but I always break out Survival is for Cowards and play it nonstop. You should too.

But this post is about a band that gave a live show for Halloween back in 2002. That band is called Alkaline Trio. They used to be a Chicago pop/punk band, but now they live all over the country and who knows what the hell they do now. The last four years of their output hasn’t been all that interesting. (Though I still like[love] them enough to have a related tattoo.)

Anyway.

At that show in 2002 they gave out a little orange plastic disc.

Sleeve Front

Sleeve Back

On that disc were two Misfits covers: “Halloween” and “Children in Heat.” For your listening pleasure, here they are!

Side A

“Halloween”

Download audio file ()

Side B

“Children in Heat”

Download audio file ()

Enjoy, and happy haunting.
ek

it’s beatles day, yo

emilyooo — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:35:20 +0000

The Beatles

Happy 9 9 9!

The long-awaited Beatles Remastered albums are being released today, as well as The Beatles: Rock Band! Hot damn am I excited for both of these. I’ll be at Best Buy when the doors open to pick up my copies.

In honor of this momentous date in history, I am going to share one of my favorite Beatles songs ever, and one of my favorites Beatles covers ever. Check it.

“Rain” was the B-side of “Paperback Writer”, their 11th single released. The songs were written while the band was recording Revolver in 1966. Beyond it being a great song (with a tiny bit of social commentary), it carries the distinction of being one of the first pop songs to include tape manipulation. At the end of the song, Lennon took part of the group singing and played the tape backwards. This happens all the time now, but back in the 60s recording techniques of this nature were still being developed.

“Rain” by The Beatles

And here’s a fantastic cover (recorded live) by of Montreal:

And just for kicks, here are some more Beatles covers by of Montreal:

“Nowhere Man”

“Hey Bulldog”

“I Will” (Kevin Barnes)

Enjoy, and spread the Beatlemania.
ek

The Beatles

drivemycarthewordwhatyou’redoing

emilyooo — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 05:15:55 +0000

If you’re a Beatles aficionado like myself then you have definitely checked out Love. It’s this crazy CD where various Beatles songs are stripped down, mashed up, and blended together in crazy ways. A lot of the songs are totally trippy if you’re familiar with the majority of their catalog, and this one always gets me good when I listen.

Drive My Car The Word What You’re Doing

For those following along at home, it starts as “Drive My Car” (Rubber Soul, 1965) then goes to the into the main verse of “What You’re Doing” (Beatles For Sale, 1964). And then at the end it’s a free-for-all of with those two tracks mixed with the organ riff and chorus tag from “The Word” (Rubber Soul). It just blows my mind. The tempos weren’t altered. The pitch wasn’t raised or lowered. These three songs just fit together absolutely perfectly. I’m not sure if it’s a testament to the amazing song-writing abilities of Lennon/McCartney or aural proof that they had a specific formula for a percentage of their tracks. Either way it’s a fun listen.