When I was barely in my teens, a good friend of mine played me a record from a band that was recently enthusing him. His musical tastes often coincided with mine, so I listened intently, hopefully. My first impression was that the band sounded a bit sterile, although very precise and intense...but the vocalist was the deal-breaker for me - I took an instant dislike (mildly speaking) to the timbre and the vocal stylings of this band's singer. I was completely perplexed as to how anyone could listen to this music for pleasure. I made it a point to keep my distance from this band's music. It was hard to do, though, because over the next few months, you couldn't go anywhere without hearing the album - it was a worldwide hit. All my buddies were getting deeply into this music, with the band's drummer being singled out for particular praise. Their next Toronto concert was broadcast on the CBC. I watched...and was converted. Somehow I could get past the guy's voice enough to realize that there was something unapolagetically original about this band, and the technical musicianship was obvious. I bought all their albums, and while my interests have since moved on, I can still appreciate what they were doing, and listen to the old records once in a while with pleasure.
This was actually not such an unusual situation for me - quite often the music (or movie, tv show, food, activity) that I initially disliked found its way into my heart. Despite being aware of this phenomenon from an early age, I never quite got the knack for being able to predict with complete accuracy what might cause my tastes to change and what might not. What was a little more predictable was that music that had an initial accessibility to me got old and stale pretty fast. I've since learned to keep an open mind when listening to new music, giving it a few listens at least before easing it in or out of my 'playlist'. I've also found it very rewarding to be random with what music I put on the stereo these days - not random tunes, but random albums. The idea of hearing Grieg string quartets over brunch might not initially appeal - but I must admit, it sure hit the spot this morning. Substantial music, like substantial people, usually requires repeated, thoughtful exposure for you to reap its full rewards, and as I suspect you'd admit, it's well worth the effort. For better or worse, this band has tended to come up with music that, while I hope it would grab your attention initially, might take a few listenings for best effect. Here's hoping you find it worth trying.
Just as an aside - as a singer, it's quite likely you will hear people compare your sound to someone else. 'You sound a bit like whatsisface, only a bit lower', sorta thing. I too have had my share of comparisons, some flattering, some not. Neil Finn, Chrissie Hynde, Sting, Chris Isaak and Adam Levine are a few comparisons that I've heard, accurate or not. The one I hear most, however, happens to be the very guy I so detested once upon a time in 1981...any guesses?
This was actually not such an unusual situation for me - quite often the music (or movie, tv show, food, activity) that I initially disliked found its way into my heart. Despite being aware of this phenomenon from an early age, I never quite got the knack for being able to predict with complete accuracy what might cause my tastes to change and what might not. What was a little more predictable was that music that had an initial accessibility to me got old and stale pretty fast. I've since learned to keep an open mind when listening to new music, giving it a few listens at least before easing it in or out of my 'playlist'. I've also found it very rewarding to be random with what music I put on the stereo these days - not random tunes, but random albums. The idea of hearing Grieg string quartets over brunch might not initially appeal - but I must admit, it sure hit the spot this morning. Substantial music, like substantial people, usually requires repeated, thoughtful exposure for you to reap its full rewards, and as I suspect you'd admit, it's well worth the effort. For better or worse, this band has tended to come up with music that, while I hope it would grab your attention initially, might take a few listenings for best effect. Here's hoping you find it worth trying.
Just as an aside - as a singer, it's quite likely you will hear people compare your sound to someone else. 'You sound a bit like whatsisface, only a bit lower', sorta thing. I too have had my share of comparisons, some flattering, some not. Neil Finn, Chrissie Hynde, Sting, Chris Isaak and Adam Levine are a few comparisons that I've heard, accurate or not. The one I hear most, however, happens to be the very guy I so detested once upon a time in 1981...any guesses?