what does your taste in music say about you?

Basically, you can put any song on and it wont bother me, the way I see it, all music, no matter what it sounds like, sounds good to at least one person... My attitude towards music very much fits me, as I always try to understand the unique aspects that are different in every person i meet
 
As of the last month I have been obsessed with constantly listen to The Smiths and for a good period for that I had a similar think happening with Joy Division, so not to sure what that would be saying aboout me
 
My music says certain sounds resonate well with me while others don't. I don't think not liking a certain genre makes me close-minded anymore than I think liking Jimi Hendrix makes me a wonderful person.

That said - I guess you could compare my collection with virtually anyone else's here and say "He's older than us (don't speak to him)" and "He's British" (unlike us - don't speak to him).

For me, the best music is created away from the mainstream. From people who challenge convention in some way. Most, but not all, comes from people who are quite open and positive about drug use. Examples. Beatles (after they started doing drugs), Jimi Hendrix, Clinton/Parliament/Funkadelic, Sex Pistols, Stone Roses, KLF, techno and the rave scene when mdma exploded here (1988-94ish), acid-techno (in the UK designed for and made by users of ketamine).

Ok. My music says I take drugs.

but it's a bit wider than that, honest
 
As of the last month I have been obsessed with constantly listen to The Smiths and for a good period for that I had a similar think happening with Joy Division, so not to sure what that would be saying aboout me

I'm a huge The Smiths fan. I'm sorry if I keep taking this thread off-topic. BUT, there was an NPR story about a new book out called 'Please: Fiction Inspired by The Smiths'. All the titles of the short stories are inspired by The Smiths songs/lyrics. The editor came up with the idea for the compilation after discovering many of his writer friends consistently enjoyed having The Smiths on in the background while they wrote. Maybe it says you're meant to be a writer? ;)
 
you r deaf ?

hahaha nahh, i mean there arre some songs that I just can't stand... but for the most part I'm pretty open to wide variety of jamms... I can't stand a lot of stuff that's on the radio today tho, it all sounds the same or like they copied a sound that's already been made famous and there's not much creativity put into it... t'is why I have a loaded zune =D
 
I don't think I quite understand what you mean by dark. Do you mean unfamiliar, alien, or outside the realm of our everyday experience? In that case, I'd agree with you -- I'd say good art, including good music, pushes our boundaries and invites us to explore whole ways of thinking and being that we might not have had opportunity to do. But I've never heard the word 'dark' used to mean this.

Sorry to take so long responding. I've actually had a hard time coming up with a response to this. It's tough to put my exact meaning into words.

This is gonna sound wanky but I think that good art is seductive and submerging. I think that in order to be truly evocative, music must possess within its guts a bohemian spirit. Even looking at the more traditional Broadway, opera, and musical theatre, the best, most acclaimed pieces possess a theme of hedonism; whether a celebration, or a lamentation of that which makes us feel good. Ditto for TV, movies, literature, and of course, modern music.

Now that said, I don't really enjoy Tim Burton's movies either. While obviously dark in the strict sense, I find his work lacks all the heady goodness that brings one to 'that place in time' and what's left of his work is a sort of artsy macabre. I also dislike gruesome or twisted film and music, and have an aversion to that which is demonic or spiritless. No love is lost between me and scary and aggravated music.

I feel that good art is magnanimous.

I agree with you that good music is always complex and moving. But can good music not be at the same time complex AND light? I think one of the most genius composers of modern times is Nintendo's Koji Kondo. Using very simple synthesizers sometimes, Kondo has written lush and lovable pieces that distill the essence of melodies played at entertainment venues of days gone by: silent movies, penny arcades, circuses, minstrel shows, and carnivals. I find the background music for the Wii's 'Mii' control center (the one with violin and xylophone solos) very beautiful, even when heard repeatedly.

Oh yes, absolutely. There is a real submerging feeling when listening to epic orchestral pieces, especially when the theme is familiar or nostalgic. I hope it goes without saying that when it comes to good music, lyrics are optional.

I also think that bossa nova is about as good as music ever got. Even when I can't understand a word being sung, its melodies are among the most emotionally moving there are, and the orchestrations can get quite complex and layered. (I'd list Antonio Carlos Jobim as my number two composer, after Kondo). Bossa nova is definitely not happy music -- it's sweet but sad. But it's most certainly not dark.

Sometimes a good trance set just hits the spot, too. It's incredibly textured and complex, and for the most part very uplifting. I don't see myself ever 'graduating from' this music the way you did. What made you sour on it?

I'd be interested to know whether I'm an anomaly when it comes to the maturation of my musical tastes. FWIW, I follow absolutely no one when it comes to picking music. If it sounds good and truly moves me, I listen to it, regardless of what my friends are putting on and recommending.

I didn't mean to imply that maturation had to follow a certain genre. I don't think that at all. Just because a specific type of music doesn't conjure up good things to the listener, doesn't mean it's immature or shallow by nature. Who knows, maybe a few years down the road I'll discover a liking for Bossa Nova.

As far as trance goes, I think once you've heard 1,000,000 trance songs, your tastes tend to gravitate toward music that captures all the best elements of trance, but doesn't follow the formula. Thus you submerge, deeper down the rabbit hole.
 
I'm kidding n3o. You're not missing anything. I like Minus the Bear. I'm just trying to bust some M_P balls (he's like the biggest MtB fan evaaa). :)

actually... he can suck my nuts, i drove from ohio to NYC to see minus the bear in a semi-rinkydink venue. granted minus the bear is in a recession of awesomeness, but they're still WAY AWESOME if by no other reason than how awesome they WERE!

the ONLY other artists i've ever travelled that far to see (and i when i say that, i mean they're the sole reason i travelled) was squarepusher... and it was at the same venue. :D
 
Usually, my music says I might as well be listening to the sounds around me instead. Its one noise over another. I do not think musical taste says too much about a person though, the time you are introduced to certain bands in your life may forever bind an emotional quality to the music that has nothing to do with how good or bad it is.

Early on in life, I tried to attach myself to a culture surrounding particular bands I liked, like korn to Nine in nails from ages 11 - 15ish. Luckily I grew out of this attitude. These days I listen to music for different reasons, usually just for the mental state it creates or blocking out distractions. Also for energy. Loud noise like merzbow, SPK are good for this, also a lot of 70s punk esp stuff from cali, some mainstream more mainstream stuff like the fall.
 
I'm a huge The Smiths fan. I'm sorry if I keep taking this thread off-topic. BUT, there was an NPR story about a new book out called 'Please: Fiction Inspired by The Smiths'. All the titles of the short stories are inspired by The Smiths songs/lyrics. The editor came up with the idea for the compilation after discovering many of his writer friends consistently enjoyed having The Smiths on in the background while they wrote. Maybe it says you're meant to be a writer? ;)

I have got to hunt that book down! Sounds like a wonderful idea for a compilation.

Smiths have always been a big favourite since I was 13-14 but lately I haven't really even wanted to hear anything else.

I can share the editor and the writers who contributes appreciation on not just Morrissey and Marrs lyrical content but also the soundscape the band contributes. Take the song "Girlfriend in a Coma" for example -

Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's really serious

There were times when I could
Have murdered her
(But you know, I would hate
Anything to happen to her)

NO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE HER

Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do ...


Seems like the plot for a really sinister love triangle type story
 
I love all kinds of music, Reggae, Trance, Techno, Drum n bass, Pop, 80's, and even country haha shock horror. Not too crazy about classical and jazz? but my favourite kinda music is Ambient and dub chill out, really spacey swirly sounds and then tunes with lovely mellow beatz, come down from weed or afteran E party music :) and therefore i see my self as been very calm chilled, easy goin and a laid back kind of person.
 
^ I've always thought a lot of The Smiths lyrics can be pretty funny and incredibly sad at the same time. :)

agreed! and ALSO not to go too far on a tangent, but since you were talking about it...

i've always been a smiths fan, but it wasn't until within the last couple years that i took that fandom to a WHOLE new level! i didn't realize how little i knew the smiths until the summer of 08 when i listened to them almost exclusively while mowing my giant yard (suck it!). i used to think the smiths were good, but mostly miserable. the more i listened and took everything in, i realized that they're actually pretty damn brilliant in that their lyrics are so subtly ironic and macabre. i also realized how lighthearted some of the songs are despite their serious lyrical content. and the very happy twangy music with some of the darkest most alienated lyrics are a fun twist. :D they really tell a story better than most ANY band can.

and in keeping with the theme of the thread. i'd say that the above paragraph says about me that i'm willing to look beyond what's on the surface to find a silver lining and/or i don't take things at face value.
 
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