Led Zeppelin?... Undecided

So this week in our History of Rock class we mainly listened to Led Zeppelin. In my opinion, I believe they do have some pretty decent songs; however, they do have some songs that I really don't care for. That is why I'm undecided on if I like them or not. Sometimes it might be the lyrics that I don't like or the rhythm/style. Whatever it is though, I am picky about my music and I must say Led Zeppelin is not one of my favorites yet there are some songs that I am willing to accept and listen to. Two of the songs that I manage to listen to are Thank You and Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. Even if Babe I'm Gonna Leave You doesn't present the best message I really enjoy the guitar and other musical instruments in the background. Both these songs are pretty decent and out of the ones we listened to, I liked these the best. If you ask me if I like Led Zeppelin I would most likely say not particularly; however, there are certain songs that I've been able to listen to and somewhat enjoy. So now tell me, what's your opinion?

- Caroline 

Thank You

Babe I'm Gonna Leave You

If you've ever listened to Adele before then hopefully you can agree with me when I say that her voice is pure talent and that she is truly a gifted performer. Every time she walks on the stage to perform another show, she always lights up the stage and leaves the audience in awe after her songs. She truly is an inspiration to me because of all that she's been through and the fact that she came out stronger shows her strength and passion for her music. I've heard many different and talented artists but I've never heard a voice like Adele's. It's truly incredible and if you don't believe me then I suggest you look up my favorite song by her right now which is called Skyfall. The lyrics as well as the rhythm are incredible and it's one of those songs that I could play over and over again and never get bored with it. That's how good it is to me and I'm so glad I found this song. Adele is a strong and talented young artist and I can't wait to hear her songs yet to come!

- Caroline

Skyfall

Woodstock Festival 1969...

While watching the Woodstock Festival from 1969, I witnessed what it was like back then versus what its like today. The people, the music, the artistic sounds; it's all changed. Some might say for the better, others say for the worst. I'm somewhere in the middle. I mean I enjoyed the variety of music that was played from Richie Havens to Jimi Hendrix to Janis Joplin to The Who as well as many others. They all seemed to have their own talents and that's what made them entertaining to audiences such as myself. The negative things I would say about the festival overall is that it was very hippie-filled, and there was a bunch of smoking. Even though I know that was the "thing-to-do" back then, I still don't approve and that's my opinion. But I must say, they did a good job of putting it together and choosing the talents regarding their situation. So overall, I believe that it was a pretty decent festival and that many of the acts we watched during class had my attention.

- Caroline

Don't Judge Me.. (song by Chris Brown)

A few weeks ago when I was on Spotify I searched for Chris Brown and I came across a bunch of songs I've never listened to before. I decided to star them and add them to my daily play list. It wasn't till this week that I really started listening to them and I must say I like them a lot. Chris Brown never seems to disappoint, especially me. He's an amazingly talented dancer and singer and I believe that's what makes him so popular. His unique voice shows in his music and I really enjoy listening to his songs. The songs that really struck me were Turn Up The Music, Beautiful People, Don't Judge Me, Stuck On Stupid and Biggest Fan. Those are the songs that really caught my attention and I'm glad they did. Not only do I have more fantastic and catchy songs in my play list, but I've also extended my music taste. Like I said earlier, Chris Brown never seems to disappoint.

- Caroline

Turn Up The Music

Beautiful People

Don't Judge Me

Stuck On Stupid

Biggest Fan

A New Favorite? Definitely!

Last year I went to the Taylor Swift concert when she came to Austin on her tour. My friends and I got there in time to see her opening act NEEDTOBREATHE. This was the first time I had heard them and I liked them but I didn’t really focus on their music because I was so excited to see Taylor in concert. Well this week my friend showed me one of their songs and I absolutely fell in love with it. I’m not sure why I didn’t love it then but I love it now. It’s a great song and when I looked them up on Spotify I found more of their songs which are just as good. Their talent really shows through their music and thanks to my friend I now have a new favorite band! The music style changes with every song which keeps my ears open and focused on what I’m listening to. Another thing I like about them and their music is that their songs aren’t just pointless songs, they have true meaning behind their lyrics and that’s something that I as a listener enjoy. If you’ve been following my blog, you know how picky I can be when it comes to music. If I don’t like it at first then I probably won’t ever like it. However, this band is now one of my favorites and I’m glad that I now have them in my play list. Everything I find usually has some reason behind it and for this band I would say that the reasons are the meaningful lyrics and their unique style and personality shown through their music. Keep up the great work guys and you’ll go far and attract more listeners just like you attracted me!

Songs I liked the most (notice how there’s a bunch J and for the record most of them are from their album The Outsiders: Washed By The Water (both regular and acoustic version), Something Beautiful, Second Chances, The Outsiders, Shine On, We Could Run Away, These Hard Times, Hurricane, Won’t Turn Back, What You’ve Done To Me, Let Us Love, and Lay ‘Em Down.

If you’ve never heard of this band I recommend you go look them up. I dare you! Definitely worth your time!! 

- Caroline 

Washed By The Water

Washed By The Water- Acoustic 

Something Beautiful

Second Chances

The Outsiders

Shine On

We Could Run Away

These Hard Times

Hurricane

Won't Turn Back

What You've Done To Me

Let Us Love

Lay 'Em Down 

not just any band... THE BAND!

In the two days we had the class this week, we listened to a band that I've never heard of or listened to before. When I heard the music from this band, both my focus and attention were completely sealed with the music and I was in awe. The music group that I was so amazed with is called The Band, composed of five members originally. The Band was active from 1964 to 1977 and again from 1983 to 1999. I'm not sure if it was the style of their music or the sound of their voices that I fell for but one thing I know for sure is that their songs defiantly caught my attention. The three songs I liked the most that we've listened to so far are The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Up On Cripple Creek and The Weight. All three of these songs in my eyes are incredible and are now on my Spotify play list ;). In my class we listen to a variety of music and artists; some I like and some I don't care for. However, this band is one I can stand and perfectly represents my definition of great music.

- Caroline

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down From The Last Waltz

 

Up On Cripple Creek

The Weight

The Weight feat. The Staples

Music Without Judgement!

Before I share with you what song I found for this week, I must ask that you please not judge me. This song really helped me this week and the message really got to me. With everything I've been through, especially this week, this song really showed me that there's always going to be hard times but if you try you'll make it through. It's a new song that I heard on the radio. If you've heard it then maybe you agree with me in the sense that the message is very insightful! Have you heard Try by Pink? Because that's the song I'm talking about. For once I'm not going to explain how it meets my standards by the musical element of it or compare it to other things I've listened to. This time it's all about the message and the impact it had on me this week. With all the personal hardships I've dealt with this week, it helps to have some mental support and that's exactly what I found in this song. I never thought a Pink song could help me cope with what I'm going through but by a surprise that's what this song did for me and I think there's a reason why I heard it this week instead of another week. Overall, it truly did help me pull myself together to get through this week and if it wasn't for the message then I don't think I would have gotten through these days so easily. This week has definitely hurt me mentally but thanks to this song I know that there's always going to be light at the end of the tunnel. All you have to do is pull yourself to the end and this song helped me to do that. It helped to show me the positive side and that's why I'm sharing it with you. Whenever you have a bad week find something to help you just like this song helped me! Meaningful music, like this song, truly inspires me to hang on and to patiently wait for things to get better.

- Caroline

Ever wonder about what he's doing
How it all turned to lies
Sometimes I think that it's better to never ask why

Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try
You gotta get up and try try try

Eh, eh, eh

Funny how the heart can be deceiving
More than just a couple times
Why do we fall in love so easy
Even when it's not right

Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try
You gotta get up and try try try

Ever worried that it might be ruined
And does it make you wanna cry?
When you're out there doing what you're doing
Are you just getting by?
Tell me are you just getting by by by

Where there is desire
There is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame
Someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns
Doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try
You gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try
You gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try

You gotta get up and try try try
Gotta get up and try try try

Try- My inspirational song for this week

The Beatles... wearing me out...

I enjoy listening to the Beatles, I really do. But the album that we listened to today was very interesting and to me sounded like it was falling apart. The Beatles just didn't sound like they had any energy left in them and that the album wasn't organized when they planned out and wrote the songs. To be completely honest and I hate to say this but I truly did not enjoy this as much as the other albums of theirs that we've listened to. The album with a few exceptions just didn't meet my standards. Even though I didn't like it overall, there were a few tracks that I did find acceptable. Those tracks are Long Long Long, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and Good Night. These songs are some of the only ones on this album that are manageable to listen to. The Beatles used to be a favorite but as we keep listening to them my opinion keeps changing. They used to be at the top of my list but now unfortunately they are creeping to the bottom.

- Caroline

Long Long Long from their "White Album"

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Good Night

Ho Hey by the Lumineers

This week on Spotify I starred a new selection that is now a favorite of mine. Most of you I'm sure have heard of them but just in case I'll upload some songs at the end of the blog. The Lumineers are an American folk rock band based in Denver, Colorado who came together as a band in 2005. The main band consists of Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites and Neyla Pekarek with added musicians for tours. The first time I heard of this band was probably this year at ACL when they were one of the many musical guests. After the festival, I listened to their song Ho Hey and realized I had heard it before. Anyways, Ho Hey is an amazing song that truly shows their American fold-rock style that I really enjoy listening to. Fun fact for you is that in October 2012, Spotify named Ho Hey as the most shared song in Manhattan, and 3rd most shared in Brooklyn. I thought that was interesting and even if that fact doesn't appeal to you I still highly recommend listening to not only just this song but the whole band. Maybe you'll find other songs that interest you! Enjoy!

- Caroline

Official Video- Ho Hey

Ho Hey with lyrics

More of the Beatles

The first time I listened to The Beatles I absolutely fell in love with their music and their creative style. Their first album was a hit, especially in my mind and I really enjoyed listening to Ringo, John, Paul, and George. What we've been listening to recently in class are their songs from the album The Beatles 1967-1970, widely known as The Blue Album. I will be honest and say I didn't like all the songs but there were a few that I did in fact enjoy. Overall, I don't like the album as much as the first one I listened to, but this album isn't the worst I've heard so it's still acceptable in my opinion. My favorites from this album include I Am The Walrus, Hello, Goodbye, and Hey Jude. I like the style of these songs and these tracks are probably the reason why I like the album. I still stand by my opinion that this isn't my favorite Beatles album but it's not the worst either.

-Caroline

Cover image for the album 

I Am The Walrus

Hello, Goodbye

Hey Jude 

Timeflies When You Listen to Great Music! (see what I did there.. the band is called timeflies;) )

I love finding new music especially when someone shows it to me. It shows that there are other people out there that like the same music as I do. Well this week, one of my closest friends showed me this band and each time I listen to their music, I enjoy it more and more. This weeks find is the band Timeflies and the songs that I really enjoy by them (most of there songs) are Turn It Up, For You, Everything I Do, Shades of Grey, Detonate, Stunner, Fade and Interlude. All these songs are different and represent the unique style of this band. These songs are so good and shows how talented this band truly is. The music and style changes for each song, from slow to rap to somewhat techno and dubsteppy. I really enjoy this band and I hope you listen to them. I'm so glad my friend told me about this band because they're a great find! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and maybe I just discovered a new find for you like my friend did for me!

- Caroline

Turn It Up

For You

Everything I Do

Shades of Grey

Detonate

Stunner

Fade

Interlude

When You're Going Through a Hard Time, Just Keep Listening!

When you're struggling who do you talk to? Or what do you turn to? Great music! I'm not going to lie about the fact that I've had a pretty tough week. Some are better than others but this week was especially difficult. I don't want to get into all the details but just take my word and believe me when I say that I struggled this week to keep a smile on my face. In order to get through these tough times, I usually find a song or a couple of songs that can relate to my problems. For some reason, when I feel sad I usually listen to sad songs just because they're the best ones to help me describe how I'm feeling. An artist that helps me get through these rough spots in my life is James Morrison. His voice is so comforting and the lyrics to his songs really mean something to me. Some songs that I really like of his are Broken Strings, I Won't Let You Go, You Give Me Something, and  Please Don't Stop The Rain (my favorite right now). Not only do his songs relate to what's going on in my life's story but they help me get through the really tough days. Like I said the lyrics are incredibly powerful and meaningful especially to me. I will never get tired of his calming voice and his unique style that he illustrates through his music and gift of pure talent. So what do you do when you feel depressed and you just need to get away? If I were you, I'd turn to James Morrison. He will defiantly turn your frown upside down and get you through it! :) Stay strong!

- Caroline

Broken Strings- Feat. Nelly Furtado

I Won't Let You Go

You Give Me Something

Please Don't Stop The Rain

Original or Cover??

So this week in class we were given the opportunity to listen to Jimi Hendrix and  one of the songs that really stood out to me that he performed was Fire. I really really like the drum and guitar part that starts the song. The song was even good enough for me to Shazam ;) Anyways, for not listening to that kind of music on a daily basis, I really enjoyed listening to it. The song defiantly changed my perspective towards his music. To me his voice is unique and that's why I like it. Not one you could easily forget! Another song that we listened to was the cover of Fire by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We compared these two in class and if I had to pick which one I like better, I think I'd have to go with the Jimi Hendrix one. Not because I'm not a huge fan of the Chili Peppers, it's just that the version by Hendrix stood out to me more and it was easier to listen to and digest. Don't get me wrong, the other one is pretty cool, but in my point of view, I was defiantly more impressed with the version done by Jimi Hendrix.

- Caroline

Jimi Hendrix- Fire

Cover of Fire by the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Check This One Out- The Amboy Dukes feat. Ted Nugent

Baby Please Don't Go  by The Amboy Dukes featuring Ted Nugent at the 2009 Detroit Music Awards

 

I wanted to start with the video because I was so impressed by these talented artists that I wanted to show them off first before I analyzed their work. After listening to them in class I knew I wanted to write about them because I was so impressed by their talent and music gift. The Amboy Dukes with the feature of Ted Nugent took me by surprise and even though before I didn't really care for this type of music, I like it now thanks to them. The song Baby Please Don't Go starts of with an incredible guitar solo which leads up to the intense entrance of the drums and vocals! The lyrics might not have a whole lot of meaning to them; however, I still enjoyed this song. The rhythm and beat was decent and the guitar solos were inspiring. Not only was this a great surprise, but a fantastic way to start the class off with a bang! I enjoyed it and I hope you'll find it just as fascinating as I did.

 

- Caroline 

Imagine Dragons- I think YES!

Who are the Imagine Dragons? Well in my opinion they’re an incredible and talented young band with amazing spirit and who work hard for success. I’ve heard this band before but just the other night is when I really explored their music and found some great songs that I truly enjoyed. Each song has a different style and unique sound. Some of the songs that really caught my attention were Demons and Radioactive. They are two totally different songs and that’s what I like about them. The way they capture meaningful lyrics into an upbeat and rhythmic song is truly amazing and only helps to prove their over whelming musical talent. Listeners like me enjoy finding music like this and discovering more interesting songs. I’m really glad I found these songs and became more familiar with this band. Defiantly a top choice!

- Caroline

Demons

Radioactive

Mr. Otis Redding!!

In class we listened to a handful of artists this week, some I liked and some I didn't really care for. However, one that really stood out to me was Otis Redding. His amazing voice caught me by surprise and I really enjoyed listening to his songs Try A Little Tenderness and These Arms of Mine. Both songs display his talented voice and his creative style of music. I'm picky about the music I choose to listen to and these songs are defiantly ones I would listen to in my free time. If you have time I highly recommend discovering for yourself the talent voice and music style of Mr. Otis Redding. Defiantly worth your time!! I'm sorry it took me so long to realize how talented he was but now that I know of his songs I'm going to continue to listen to them and learn more about the gifted artist he truly is.

Try A Little Tenderness

These Arms of Mine

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! 

- Caroline 

New Song Find!

This week I was listening to the radio while I was driving and I heard a song come on the radio that really caught my attention. The song had an amazing beat and rhythm and I enjoyed it so much that when I went home I got on my spotify and downloaded it. The song that took my breath away was Dont You Worry Child by Swedish House Mafia. The members for the band are Axwell, Steve Angello, and Sebastian Ingrosso. My opinion of this band and especially this song is that I really like the beat and rhythm they perform and its defiantly one of my favorite songs. I love discovering new music and this is defiantly one of my favorite finds so far. I highly recommend listening to this song and if you enjoy listening to up to date and new music then I guarantee you'll love this just like I do! 

Lyrics for Dont You Worry Child

[Verse 1]

There was a time, I used to look into my father's eyesIn a happy home, I was a king I had a gold throneThose days are gone, now the memory's on the wallI hear the songs from the places where I was born
[Chorus]Up on the hill across the blue lake,that's where I had my first heart breakI still remember how it all changedmy father saidDon't you worry, don't you worry childSee heaven's got a plan for youDon't you worry, don't you worry nowYeah!
[Breakdown 1]Don't you worry, don't you worry nowYeah!Ooh ooh ooh ooooh!See heaven's got a plan for youOoh ooh ooh ooooh!
[Verse 2]There was a time, I met a girl of a different kindWe ruled the world,I thought I'd never lose her out of sightWe were so young, I think of her now and thenI Still hear the song reminding me of when
[Chorus]Up on the hill across the blue lake,that's where I had my first heart breakI still remember how it all changedmy father saidDon't you worry, don't you worry childSee heaven's got a plan for youDon't you worry, don't you worry nowYeah!
[Breakdown 2]Don't you worry, don't you worry childSee heaven's got a plan for youDon't you worry, don't you worry nowYeah!Ooh ooh ooh ooooh!See heaven's got a plan for youOoh ooh ooh ooooh!Yeah! 
Enjoy!

My New Favorite Song!! <3 - Caroline 

Janis Joplin or Faith Hill?

Who do you think was better at singing the song Piece of My Heart, Janis Joplin or Faith Hill? I believe it’s an individual preference but for me I’m going to have to pick Faith Hill. I really enjoy Faith’s voice and I think it is very powerful and touching. Even though they both have very strong singing voices, Janis Joplin, for me at least, comes off a little too strong which makes it a little more difficult to like and therefore listen to her music. What amazes me the most is how they both sang the same song and yet their unique personalities showed through their performance and really represented their different styles. Janis’s voice is more choppy and intense whereas Faith’s is more elegant and easy to listen to. I’m not a huge fan of the “electric” style of music and I believe that is why I prefer the version sang by Faith. I’m glad I had the chance to listen to both of these versions side by side because it defiantly showed me the difference in their styles and the dissimilar way they sang the same song. Both lovely artists stood out to me today when we listened to this song. Even though I still like Faith’s voice better, I still appreciate Janis because she truly put everything she had into her songs and that to me shows dedication. She might not have had the best voice in a sense of peacefulness but she did advertise her distinct personality through her music and that’s a neat thing as a part of the audience to see.  

Janis's Version of Piece of My Heart

Faith Hill's Version

Which one do you prefer??

- Caroline 

Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)

Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain) by Gary Allan 

I saw you standing in the middle of the thunder and lightning,
I know you're feelin' like you just can't win but you're tryin',
It's hard to keep on keepin' on when you're bein' pushed around,
Don't even know which way is up, just keep spinnin' down, round, down,

Chorus
Every storm runs, runs out of rain, just like
Every dark night turns into day,
Every heartache'll fade away, just like
Every storm runs, runs out of rain,

So hold your head up and tell yourself that there's something more, walk out that door,
Go find a new rose, don't be afraid of the thorns, cuz we all have thorns,
Put your feet up to the edge, put your face in the wind,
And when you fall back down, keep on remembering,

(Repeat chorus)

It's gonna run out of pain,
It's gonna run out of sting,
It's gonna leave you alone,
It's gonna set you free, set you free,

(Repeat chorus)

It's gonna set you free,
It's gonna run out of pain,
It's gonna set you free

Have you ever listened to a song where the lyrics really reached out to you in such a way that you felt as if these were written for you? For me, that was this song. Throughout my life I’ve hit some pretty rough spots and when I listen to songs like this one help me to regain my emotional strength and keep moving forward. Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain) is an incredible and meaningful song sung by country artist Gary Allan. This song represents the best of Gary Allan and his unique country style. Not only does he show off his talent through his amazing voice, he also captivates his audience by the use of his guitar.  Gary Allan also has many other great hits such as Nothing On but the Radio and Watching Airplanes. This country singer-songwriter from California is still performing to this day and defiantly knows how to put on a spectacular show.  I’ve been listening to this song a lot lately because I feel as if it truly does speak to me. By listening to and understanding this song, I’ve truly realized that even in difficult and challenging times, there’s still a light at the end of the tunnel and that if you keep going, good times are soon to follow. 

Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)

Gary Allan talks about his new song!

- Caroline

Help!... Beatles fever!

This week in History of Rock we got the opportunity to watch another movie based on the Beatles except this one was called Help. I really enjoyed watching this, not only because I’ve never seen it before, but also because I enjoy listening to their music and I loved seeing how the band has changed since we first learned about them. An observation I saw was that their sound in music was different as well as their haircuts. You can defiantly see the changes that we are starting to learn about and I’m interested in viewing those significant changes. The Beatles also have an album called Help which was released in 1965 and contains 14 songs. Some of my favorite songs on their album Help are Help!, You’re Going to Lose That Girl, and Yesterday.” Out of the whole entire album, these are the songs that really caught my attention and that I enjoyed listening to the most. The Beatles haven’t failed to disappoint me yet and even though they were tired from producing album after album as well as their interesting decisions from their new influence Bob Dylan, I still enjoy the sound they produced. 

- Caroline 

Help

You're Gonna Lose That Girl (video from their movie Help)

Yesterday

Still Amused- Crossfade Fan!

Whenever I exercise or run I enjoy listening to music that has a nice and interesting beat to help me keep going. For some reason this type of music helps me to push myself to not give up. When I exercise I find it easier to listen to the genre of Rock because, for me at least, it’s hard to run to slow songs due to the fact that slow music doesn’t help to fuel my energy so to speak. One of the bands I’ve started listening to that portrays the type of musical pleasure that I enjoy is the band Crossfade, an American Rock band from Columbia, South Carolina. Their current members are Ed Sloan (lead vocals and guitar), Les Hall (lead guitar, keyboard, and backing vocals), and Mitch James (backing vocals and bass). They started their talented group in 1999 and are still producing interesting yet astounding records to this day. My favorite songs by them are No Giving Up, Killing Me Inside, So Far Away, Colors, and Cold. If you’re a person who is interested in listening to new music that has an upbeat Rock rhythm and a fantastic sound, I highly recommend this talented band. I've enjoyed listening to their music and I hope they produce more songs that are more recent so I can enjoy those in addition to their older stuff. If you know me then the fact that I listen to this type of music might come to a surprise to you but like I said from day one my taste in music varies constantly. I don’t like the hard core Rock but this kind is one that I’ll waste my time listening to. I've liked this band ever since I was younger and I’m glad that I've reconnected with this music now that I’m listening to them again. Thank God for spotify! 

-  Caroline 

Here are my favorite songs by Crossfade. Enjoy!

No Giving Up

Killing Me Inside

So Far Away

Colors

Cold