Inkanta
Group: Admins
Posts: 1453
Joined: Feb. 2000 |
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Posted: May 31 2009, 11:06 |
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<admin rant on>The person who started this topic hasn't logged in for a couple of years. It is precisely the kind of topic title that we do not like to see, primarily because it is so generic. In our guidelines (which will be updated soon), we state, "Title your topics as descriptively as possible, e.g., “Mike’s use of guitar effects” rather than, “What do you think?” Topic titles are limited to 50 characters." "Rubbish" may be descriptive in a totally negative, strong adjective sort of way, but it is also very generic and non-descriptive at the same time. </admin rant off>
TSODE is in my top five and pretty-much stays there--the emotional connection to it runs very deep and I am wired to love it. And for me, that's what music is all about. Analysing can be interesting and helpful--so can dissecting a frog (where would we be without our knowledge of anatomy) but for me, it's the organic whole and how I respond to that. How does the result sync with my soul? Like many people, I usually interact with music in ways other than sitting in a room listening to it. "First listens" are either while running or driving. When I am getting to know new music, I can't help categorizing it--no not by genre, but.....Can I dance with it (I have danced to everything from a single drum to classical ballets)? Continue to run with it? Bake cookies with it? Drive? Sit in the sun or cry with it? Maybe someday die with it? Or...."ohmigod! My stomach! Get this thing away from me NOW!!" (for example, when my middle child's Cradle of Filth synced to my iPod and popped up on 'shuffle'--though I am actually finding pieces of Cradle that I like). Or, simply, "Forget this one." Can't connect. At least for that moment, or life-stage. I do go back and re-visit things, whether it is Cradle of Filth (trying hard to connect to my daughter), rap (the other one), Dylan, Joni, opera, or some of Mike's stuff. Some of it I may never connect to (e.g., my youngest daughter's rap artists, opera, "Islands").
I like what you say, Jesse, about listening to a new piece with a complete open mind and how difficult that can be. Lucky for me, I find Mike is so varied that I truly don't have a clue as to what it should sound like and I have an optimistic streak, so guess that helps. He was beginning to lose me with EM, even though I absolutely love a couple of pieces on it. But after EM, I was still optimistic that I could connect emotionally to the next work. For me it was TBII, since I didn't know about Amarok until 1997.
Back to TSODE for a MO. It came into my life at a very pivotal point. By August of 1994 I'd just had my last child, had moved 1,000 miles from "home," and was listening to Jon and Vangelis and Gorecki way too much. I was depressed, missing family, friends, and my job. One day, my ex found TSODE while rummaging around in a record shop and picked it up for me. It was the turning point, snapping me out of my funk and helping me to reengage with life. Maybe other artists were doing the same thing and better, but I wasn't listening to them. TSODE was there in a very profound, rescuing-type way. It remains one of my favorite complete works to dance with, drive, etc. I just really, really like it.  I also liked the book and the entire concept.
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"No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From: Moongarden's "Solaris."
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