Tea Time

genre: folk metal, progressive, experimental drink:   water Here's to song four of Agalloch's  The Mantle .  Now we're getting somewhere. Compared to the previous song, Odal , this song packs quite a punch. Opening with a blistering drum beat, I Am The Wooden Doors , stands out against the backdrop of the album. I can't imagine what it's like to listen to this live. It's definitely a head-banger. Now and then, there's an intermission where the dynamics shift. I'm always a fan of the folk guitar, and it seems to be one of their favorite, consistent ideas to throw in.  There are few vocals, and it's almost like the other instruments take precedence over the singing. But when there is  singing, Agalloch manages to make it worthwhile. However, it's the drum beat that really steals the show.  Rating: 8.5/10

genre: soft rock drink:   chicken noodle soup A byproduct of my search in Vietnamese metal led me to what is generally considered to be the ultimate Vietnamese love song. Actually, Ngoc Lan is one of my favorite Viet artists too. Popular in the 80's (just look at her hair), her voice is iconic and classic within her   domain of influence. Again, you might have to develop an ear for the way people sing in Vietnamese. It can be, in short, off-putting. Moreover, you'll have to bear with the predominant synths throughout the piece. Undoubtedly, this sound was popular (and still is, quite frankly).  What I really want to say about his piece is that it was originally written by one of the more famed Vietnamese composers from the 70's. His lyrics are incredibly poetic within the context of the Vietnamese language, and are incredibly hard to translate and preserve the meaning due to the incredible amount of metaphors. Nonetheless, I find the beauty in the song to be in the

genre: rap drink:   water Diving a bit further into the current rap scene, I give you someone with scary talent.  One of my favorite rappers is Kendrick Lamar. By proxy, an artist that can emulate his style and add a little of their own flair is next level in my book. JID isn't necessarily new, I just don't delve too much into hip hop and such. But man, this guy has so many different choices, his message is poignant, complex, and incites contemplation. Arguably his most popular song, NEVER represents to me the best of hip hop.  I just want to preface this by saying that I don't really know where to approach evaluating rap songs. In lieu of that, I'll go with my gut feeling and give a more honest spiel. What stands out to me is his poeticism. His lyrics are not only easy to follow, but they are introspectively knit together to convey a powerful idea. There are numerous examples of parallelisms, plays on words and cultural references (shout out to Todd Gurley). Fina

genre: heavy metal drink:   nuoc mat Now you're in for a real treat. I was curious trying to find songs similar to what my dad used to play (still plays I guess). And one my question had me pegged--do Vietnamese people have some kind of metal band out there? This what I stumbled upon. So apparently, the scene for Vietnamese metal (prog metal that is) is incredibly small, understandably. And so I kept digging, and I found a few songs that I actually enjoyed. They're pretty decent, and not totally foreign on the ears. And by foreign, I mean to say that their musical tastes are far different from mine. Their music tends to be overproduced, completely synthetic in their instrumentation, and downright cheesy. However, I will give them a plus on their vocals. Vietnamese singing usually pleases me.  Enough ranting, here comes a near addictive song that I couldn't stop listening to. With their lack of exposure on more mainstream platforms, I don't even know if this is

genre: rap, hip hop drink:   nuoc mat To be honest, I came to this song off of Jack Black's latest videos off his Youtube channel. 1) I love Jack Black 2) anything he personally recommends has  to be good, right? And so here we are, with the newest rap song I've listened to in a long, long time. You can't do this song justice without also watching the video that accompanies it. I'm not sure if that's the crux of the song itself, as the video  really makes it.  The whole song itself is really fun to listen to, with memorable, catchy lines that can ingrain themselves into your short term memory. Even though the song is only two minutes, the variety in Amine's flow keeps it interesting. The lyrics themselves are relatively tame too, which only makes it more impressive.  My favorite part though is the instrumentation, the beats. There's a lack of, if any, a overbearing bass beat that turns me off from most current hip hop. In fact, most of the backing

genre: folk metal, progressive, experimental drink:   water Here's to song three of Agalloch's The Mantle .  The tone of the guitar is completely different this time around. It's got a bright and clean sound to it, offset with the bellowing, beating drum in the background. Whatever that drum is, it sounds huge,  maybe a concert bass? I wouldn't be surprised.  Picking up at about 2:30, the guitar starts to build up. The march of the snare drum complements the newly distorted guitar chords. This build up actually dies out, which is disappointing to me, as I thought it would lead to a new section. However, it's more of what the intro was like, with variations of the guitar riffs. Around 5:30, the section descrescendos into near nothingness as a bright piano solos. It fills the surrounding silence with melancholic chord progressions. The delay and reverb on the piano enhances the sheer loneliness of the piece. And then, carried out by the wind below us, what sou

genre: indie pop drink:   lots and lots of alcohol Sorry, drank a lot. Just want to sleep. Short blog post ahead. Dived a bit further into the music of Maggie Rogers. In fact, it's the next song on her album.  Love this song much more than Alaska. The piano riff in the beginning that shows up from time to time is simple and addictive. I love jumpy and energetic beats like that. The punctuating beat is empowered by Maggie's melodies. Again, the guitar is always a nice touch. Makes me feel like jumping.  Rating: 8/10

genre: folk metal, progressive metal, drink:   strawberry and banana smoothie Moving on with the album, here is a song that's a real kicker. Listening to this is like taking a big bite out of the album. With this particular song, you can definitely see the similarities with Godspeed You! Black Emperor. And as such, really best way to listen to this song is to divert attention away from other distractions and experience it.  Nonetheless, it has its own place. Firstly, the timpani's back! Good ol' timpani. I wonder if that'll be a continuing theme throughout the album. Moreover, melodic lines throughout the song build upon and vary the phrase from the timpani.  Two minutes into the song, I was pretty caught off-guard, because until now I haven't heard a single word from the band. I hate to say it, but I'm not a fan of a majority of screamo. I understand it's place, but for me it has to have a particular flair to it. Luckily for Agalloch, I find it pretty

genre: indie pop drink:   hot chocolate Maggie Rogers has garnered some traction over the past few years, and she's definitely flown under my radar. Thanks to a close friend of mine, I get the pleasure of being introduced to this up and coming artist. I try not to judge a person by their looks, but in this case, it's a good thing. I love her aesthetic, as it brings about remnants of a time where a plain appearance was seemingly more attractive and down-to-earth (aka the ladies of Heart, Carly Simon, etc.).  As for the song itself, the playful instrumentation complements her seemingly subdued singing style. I think my favorite part is the balance of harmonies for the chorus. I can't fully describe it, but the airy voicing is something I particularly enjoy (similar to Billie Eilish(?)). It takes you into a dream-like state, especially with the particular production of the synth bass. The guitar near the ending chorus is also a nice touch. Unfortunately, I was hoping to

genre: folk metal, progressive metal, drink:   strawberry and banana smoothie Agalloch is a new band that I've come across, and it made sense to me to listen to every song on one of their albums ( The Mantle, 2002) and document each one. In other words, it's a special series! Starting off with the album opener: A Celebration For The Death Of Man. Right off the bat, a timpani roars and introduces a rich acoustic guitar. The melody (if you can even call it that) in the guitar creates a slight dissonance as it moves through the chord progression. With the timpani leading the march, a low, droning, distorted guitar adds color and build up the song.  Being only two minutes long, this piece establishes a mood for the remaining album. In the far off distance, you can almost hear tribal instruments decorating the canvas. Over time, they only become more and more prominent, inciting a sort of mellow march. I don't know if I can really consider this a whole song, as it's m

genre: indie, experimental snack: mi goreng At the request of Kevin, I'll be a bit more transparent with my post titles and the ratings-just makes it easier.  cor·po·re·al:  relating to a person's body, especially as opposed to their spirit K: little background- one of the pioneers for electronic sounds/synths in the indie genre Well, like he says, the electronic elements are very apparent in this song. As it pertains to the lyrical content, I imagine that the distorted, crippled synths represent the ghosts she talks about. I really don't know how I feel about its use in the song though. It seems so disjointed. If you can imagine it, if one were to remove the electronic elements, a lot of what makes this song special is concomitantly removed. That is to say that the synths are what make the song stand out. But at the same time, I feel it doesn't even belong. It's experimental for sure, but I think it does too little to extend itself beyond the contemporar

genre: experimental rock, metal drink: nuoc mat  Upon further investigation of the mesmerizing Dir En Grey, I came upon a side project of Kyo's, SUKEKIYO. I was so drawn to Macabre (from a previous post) that I found a liking to this song by SUKEKIYO that's somewhat on the same spectrum. Kyo enlists his haunting vocal range to add color and emotion.  Here's a funny connection. From a personal perspective, the beginning reminds me of something a middle-aged Asian band would play at a wedding-from the distorted guitar arpeggios to the timbre of the distinct drum beat. It really reminds me of my dad. The vocal range used for this beginning section matches really well too. No doubt about it.  As for the rest of the song, the enthralling build-up, lead guitar work, and Kyo's stunning vocals of course, work together harmoniously to bring about an astounding experience. Although the material isn't as thought-provoking (especially when Kyo doesn't get into i

genre: soft rock Surprise, surprise, Celine Dion can do so much more than she already seems to. This is such a beautiful song. I almost have no words (also because I'm pretty busy with school at the moment). The movement of chords as well as the instrumentation (especially the guitar) around the song is so emotional, conveying feelings of hope, peace of mind, melancholy, and longing-a mixed bag. Although I have no idea what she's saying (who knew she could sing in French!), that's what I'm interpreting. In fact, the language only adds to the charm and color of song. I would recommend giving a listen. I'm a sucker for these types of songs. Rating: 9/10

genre: rock, funk metal snack: Kroger Mesquite BBQ Chips For the next few days my posts will be limited in scope due to my busy schedule. Damn, this is a banger. Not only does it have one of my favorite musical patterns in the syncopated rhythm of "She watch, she watch, she watch...". It might sound obvious, but it's like a gentler Rage Against The Machine. Don't forget, RATM is one of my favorite bands. The raw energy, the deliciously catchy riffs, and how they build up their songs. It's really no different in this song. It's got all the things you'd want. However, it only makes me want to listen to more RATM, because this song seems to lack the kind of visceral sound. Rating: 7.5/10

genre: R&B, pop, rap drink: klondike bar lol again Hot off the press of the Christmas season, I guess I wasn't really prepared for what this song was bringing to the table.  The first thing that caught my ears was the darker and more sinister tone of both the backing synth (vibraphone?). Same idea applies to the chorus. Owing to the modified scale (which I don't think is generally used in pop) gives it a refreshing feel.  Forgive me for my lack of music theory, but it seems to some variation on a Dorian scale, specifically D Dorian #4. I don't know whether this scale is named something specific, but it gives off an interesting vibe. The reason why I specify the #4 is because of how prominent it is in the song, but I digress. In short, the unconventional tone (certainly in pop) gives a fun scale to improv to, and I appreciate her ability to make it creatively appealing and close enough to her own style to prevent alienating her typical fanbase.  You get the impres

genre: pop punk rock drink: klondike bar lol When I listen to this song I imagine biking/skating down along the coast. In my head I strongly  associate it with teenage rebellion. The song gives the appearance of a really fun and peppy song, but it's all simply a guise. Upon a closer look, the lyrical content encourages a rambunctious, reckless attitude, all in the name of partying. Nevertheless, it's a really fun song! Although the song itself is super catchy and charming, it shows its age. Their style is reminiscent of The Ramones, what with the boppy melodies that just make you want to jump and sing along. In my bones I feel like it's not too compelling a song, but on the outside I can't help but want to get a little more out of it. I guess this is just what pop does. It strikes your subconscious, pulling you in with culturally-defined attractive song structure and elements. It pulls from a tried and true formula. No doubt though, it's a fun song!  Didn'

genre: indie drink: Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate Again, playing around with the format here. Video at the bottom. This suggestion comes from Kevin Tan of Vinke's World (Day 3). K:  Singer/Songwriter Will Toledo is becoming one of the indie genre's fastest  rising stars. Coming from humble backgrounds (the band's name is an homage  to when he used to record songs in his mom's van in empty parking lots),  his songwriting and themes are anything but simple. Most of his songs  revolve around the theme of depression, loss of religion/faith, "friends,"  etc. This song in particular, if i were to sum it up, is a song about  depression through his homosexuality. There's so much to unpack with this one that I think it's for the best if I pick out the parts that I think are most important to me. Much like the issues that the song's speaker experiences, the song itself juxtaposes coherent tidbits with manic, unbridled, and vulnerable pleas (emphasis o

Macabre by DIR EN GREY genre: heavy metal, progressive metal Whenever a piece seems to transcend its medium, I can't help but describing it as an "experience" rather than music. This is one of those times. For a first listen, you really should devote a majority of your attention to this song. Experience  it.  This piece is just filled to the brim with all sorts of unusual instruments. The guitars range from bluesy rock, to your classic heavy metal. The midsection brings in dissonant organs, pianos, and other avant garde sound effects. Within 16 minutes, DIR EN GREY delivers a soul-crushing, all-consuming journey that I can only imagine would be unbelievable to see in person.  One of my favorite characteristics of this song is the vocals. Color me biased, but I want to praise this song more than you probably think it deserves. Reason being, it closely borrows my favorite elements of power metal. Emphasis on elements.*  Power metal is one of my favorite subg

One by Metallica genre: metal YouTube Apologies for the formatting, I'm writing this out on my phone because my laptop died today. Pour one out for my trusty laptop :(. Moving forward, of the things that I actually have control over, this blog is one of them. It's been a really long time since I've listened to Metallica. Personally, my favorites are "The Unforgiven" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Someone recommended this to me, and although I recognize this song, I don't recall very much since it's been such a long time.  Paired with the music video, the song is a sobering recollection of the horrors of war. How fitting that I recently sat down to watch Schindler's List for the first time with my girlfriend. For a majority of the song, the rhythms and harmonies reflect that, before descending into madness as the song concludes with a thrashing solo. I'm not going to say much else due to my incompetent phone making it a p

genre: math rock I randomly came upon this piece through a Youtube binge. My, my was it a good pick.  Too infrequently do I feel so elevated after listening to a song like this. It lifts you up and takes you to a different place emotionally. If you couldn't tell, I'm definitely biased towards these types of songs, especially within the math rock genre. Listening to this piece opened my eyes (I guess I should say ears) to what I really  preferred in a song. When asked about my music tastes, I would often claim that I listen to all types of music. To some extent that statement holds true. But after listening to this piece, I can confidently say that this is my type.   Enough of that for now. The piece itself has what I think one of the most memorable, enchanting riffs as its introduction. If it means anything to you, I immediately picked up my guitar and began to sound it out before I even finished the song. And in general, having the bass guitar be the main feature i

genre: soft rock This is the most popular piece from a small artist. If you like Dave Matthews, this might be up your alley. For the most part, I like that the song is coherent and checks the boxes for having a verse, a chorus, another verse, a bridge, etc. Better yet, there's a natural progression in this song that leads to the exciting climax. Whether it's adding more percussion, or an alto saxophone, there's a steady build up that I think adds a lot of replay value, as I think there quite a few nuances to each component.  However, there's not quite enough to keep the song interesting to me. If you weren't paying attention, you might not be able to tell that you were in the chorus. The apparent lack of emotion behind the singer's voice throughout the verses and choruses don't help either. The chorus just doesn't add much value to the song as a whole due to its lack of dynamic contrast, which is sad because I particularly enjoyed the ending se

when ur dreaming 2 by Vinke's World

Telephone Line by Electric Light Orchestra

Moon Sugar by TANG