MUSIC FROM MY COLLECTION SHARED. (Comparing musical styles)

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	Comparing musical styles
Date:	29/08/06 (209 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sharing tastes helps widen people's collections.

Disadvantages: Your tastes may not be similar to mine.

Having read many different styles of reviews all over the site, I wondered what kind of review we could write that would help the public with their choices. One thing that has always been difficult for me is to choose the kind of music that I would enjoy from all the choice out there, and it occurred to me that a category where you put popular and well known songs, and then tell the public which music is comparable would be a good idea because it widens peoples' choice and means that lesser known artists will be more listened to. Also, adding to this, there are artists out there that merit more attention than they get, and their music is there for all to listen to on sites like Amazon, and sometimes it just takes a hint from someone who knows and loves that music, for listeners to try new music, and gain from it the same enjoyment.

I have taken a song in many genres and have talked about artists that I consider comparable and hope this helps someone choose new music to listen to that they will enjoy.

Pop

Blunt is very popular at the moment, and has been played over and over again on the radio, but did it ever occur to you that perhaps in another country, someone was doing a very similar thing, in that they were relatively new, but producing a similar ilk of music. Here in France, we have an artist that is called Raphael, and the difference in the music is that Raphael seems popular with both male and female listeners and is not quite as cringe-worthy. Yes, I like Blunt but I have found that his music appeals to women moreso than to men. Raphael, on the other hand, has universal appeal and also appeals to a wide age range. His songs are about life in the city, and his earlier CD's maybe do not merit as much attention as his most recent one, which really is a good style and worthwhile purchase.

Apart from the most popular artists, ever tried the lesser known ones ? Here in France, we have an artist who is called Francis Cabrel, and this is borderline between ballad and light jazz. He is versatile and has a very good voice and an exceptionally good repertoire. Worth widening your music collection to try his music, and here his last album was a very good one with a very mixed bag of styles that gives you a good overall view of the man's abilities.

Celtic.

I am a Celtic music fan, and here people instantly have visions of the kind of music that they think of as Celtic. I have an album by Van Morrison and the Chieftains which is one of my favourites, but if you wanted to widen your collection, there are many artists out there that merit listening to. Davey Spillane is one of my favourites, and this has the Riverdance kind of sentimentality that I love. Others like Enya, and if you are amongst this audience, then why not try Enigma, Deep Forest, Stone Age and Loreena McKennett. Enigma is rather deep music, but mystified and many of their songs have been done with Deep Forest, although Deep Forest have a wonderful repertoire. Loreena McKennett is the kind of music that is hauntingly beautiful. Her voice is astounding and this is the best of Celtic music, though an artist for those that take their music seriously.

Pop Classics

You ever heard Louis Armstrong singing “Wonderful World”. Bet you have. I never thought that anyone could do this song well after Louis, but even though I have had a loathing for Rod Stewart for years, by goodness he has done an album of well established songs, and one of them was “Wonderful World” and he made a darned good job of it. I heard it on the radio and was really impressed. Same with “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. We've probably all heard the original but Eva Cassidy does it better. If you like this ilk of song, think about Ray Charles. There was one song that really stuck in my mind called “You don't know me”, and if you can find the album with that song on, it is superb. Aaron Neville is also a good classical singer and did a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria which was used for a film. His voice is unique, but well worth listening to.

Classical Music

If you are a little shy about classical music, then you would do well to buy a compilation on a theme. There are some clever ones out there, and if, like me, you have a romantic streak, and are not keen on the abstract or heavy, try a romantic compilation, because they usually have a good mixture, and this enables you to choose which of the classics would suit you. Vivaldi is good upbeat classic, and you will probably find yourself familiar with many of the Four Season tunes because they are used so much on television. It's the same with Opera as well. Certain compilations are making opera more popular and it isn't all “squeaky” music. There are some truly wonderful moments to be had, my personal favourite being the Cavelera Rusticana. There are some really wonderful choral pieces within the work that really do take my breath away. I really cannot handle Opera when trying to attempt to enjoy soprano work with its' high pitched screeches, but the example I give above is where the artistry of choral work shines out, and really does leave a lump in the throat.

Following on from this, there are contemporary classics to be enjoyed and here I would suggest listening to composers like Erik Satie, who wrote for piano, and whose music really is magical and exceptionally enjoyable.

Reggae

Reggae doesn't stop in Jamaica, and believe me there are some fun artists out there. Manu Chao for example is a Mexican singer that is fun, and even the German Reggae (which takes a little getting used to) by Seeed is extremely good. It took me a little while to get into the music of Manu Chao as its simplicity and lack of depth phased me, although now I am accustomed to it, it really is good background music when you want to speed yourself up.

World Music.

I have been interested in music from all sides of the world and some of the wonders that I have come across have been Ali Farka Toure, an African artist whose guitar work is astounding, and puts you in mind of jam sessions between different artists, showing their versatility and flexibility as artists. Again from Africa, Ladysmith Black Mambazo is amazing. Their latest album shows how the harmony of the voice is often enough without instrumentation in the background. This is roots music at its' best. Amadou & Mariam, a blind couple, are very popular here in France as well, and the music that they produced on their latest album was a good example of upbeat and modern African music, that is very easy to the ear.

These are my recommendations. There are so many artists waiting to be discovered that I shall be happy to read every one that is written, searching for more music. I shall be watching this category carefully, as introduction by recommendation of new listening material is better than guesswork. I look forward to reading yours.

Rachel

Summary: A few of my favourites.