Musical Moods

[Midpack]

I truly love music, many genres. But I'll never understand how/why what I want to listen to varies so wildly from week to week even day to day.

• A few weeks ago I went through my entire Nirvana (have all their albums) & Pearl Jam library. Doesn't sound appealing at the moment.
• Before that it was Radiohead (have all their albums except the electronica years).
• Went to a Led Zeppelin tribute band concert last week, couldn't get enough of it (have all the Zep albums).
• Downloaded the new James Taylor album a few days ago at DW's request, just wasn't in the mood for JT, though we have all his albums and at times it IS just what I want to hear.
• A few days ago it was Mendelssohn's Songs without Words, Beethoven's 5th Symphony 4th Movement (still the grandest, most spectacular opening passage ever written IMHO - blows me away every time) with a little Vivaldi Four Seasons thrown in.
• Yet yesterday for some unknown reason I went from Jennifer Nettles cover of Neil Diamond's Hello Again (incredible IMO, even though I don't like enjoy most Neil Diamond or country), to Josh Groban, Charlotte Church, Barbara Streisand, Betty Buckley (Memories), Billy Joel (momentarily side-tracked), Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. [I can't imagine having developed the gift of voice to the level this latter group has, to be able to evoke strong emotions, even tears of joy in an audience by simply singing. I love it, but it's beyond my comprehension.]

I could go on endlessly, but I'll never understand what drives my musical tastes from moment to moment. Not complaining, just another of life's great mysteries to me...

The only band that I never tire of is the greatest band of all time, The Beatles...

 

[target2019]

I usually put itunes on random play, and just go with that. Here's a smattering from a few days ago.

  Angie Girl     
      Stevie Wonder
      My Cherie Amour
  BWV1095 O Lamm Gottes unschuldig     
      James Kibbie
      Bach Organ Works - Neumeister Chorales
  Todd Rundgren - Can We Still Be Friends     
      Todd Rundgren
       
  Dweller on the Threshold     
      Joe Satriani
      Time Machine
  Little Wing (live).mp3     
      Eric Johnson
       
  Sultans of Swing     
      Mark Knopfler
      The Greek Theater, LA - 5-20-2001
  A Case Of You     
      Jane Monheit
      Come Dream With Me
  From A Motel 6     
      Yo La Tengo
      Prisoners Of Love: A Smattering Of Scintillating Senescent Songs 1985-2003 (Disc 1)

The list is even more eclectic than that sample appears. My strategy is "random" on most days I turn on the mp3 library.

 

[target2019]

This just cue'd as I sent that last post.

All of Bach's organ riffs performed by Dr. James Kibbie. It's legit. I downloaded and scanned all the zips.
Download the Complete Organ Works of J.S. Bach for Free | Open Culture

Enjoy!

 

[Kimo]

"The only band that I never tire of is the greatest band of all time, The Beatles..."


I listened to the white album last night......the whole 4 sides including number 9, probably the first time I listened to that track since the first time when the album was new...

 

[Koolau]

I'm sure I've stated before that I like virtually all music - except Rap/Hip Hop. From Rolf Harris (Sun Arise or Tie Me Kangaroo Down) and Spike Jones to James Taylor and Neil Diamond to the Stones and Beatles to Beethoven and Brahms. What I listen to most is late '50s to early 70's "oldies." YMMV

 

[BBQ-Nut]

Hey - musical moods can change on the spur of the moment.

Why just today....I started with some smooth jazz and right now AC/DC is cranked.

Go figure...go with the flow.

 

[ejman]

Berlioz kick lately. The London version of Symphonie Fantastique with Solti/Chicago Symphony favorite so far. What a treat with the stereo way up loud!

 

[ERD50]

This just cue'd as I sent that last post.

All of Bach's organ riffs performed by Dr. James Kibbie. It's legit. I downloaded and scanned all the zips.
Download the Complete Organ Works of J.S. Bach for Free | Open Culture

Enjoy!

Thank you! I got them all downloaded (sure wish they had a torrent connection), and listened a bit today. Nice that they are at a high bit rate (~ 256Kbps), I prefer lossless, but for free this is better than the expected 128Kbps.

-ERD50

 

[48Fire]

I have been listening to more music, post ER. I have been trying to consolidate a large group of CD's into ones I listen to regularly. Plan is to downsize the pile somewhat. So here is the first cut of those making the list. These were all various moods I was into at the time:


Return to Me Soundtrack. I have grown an appreciation for the crooners.
Police, Every Breath you Take
INXS, Kick
Harry Chapin, Gold Medal Collection
Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti (inspired by ER thread "Ten Years Gone")
John Hiatt, Walk On
Peter Gabriel, So
Ray Charles, Genius Loves Company
John Lennon, Imagine
David Bowie, Sound-Vision
Ray Charles, Greatest Hits
Black Crowes, Shake Your Money Maker
Stevie Ray Vaughan, In Step
Van Morrison, Into the Music
U2, Rattle and Hum
Roger Miller, Best of Roger Miller


In the car, usually listen to E Street, Classic Vinyl, Bridge, and Spectrum

 

[NW-Bound]

I truly love music, many genres. But I'll never understand how/why what I want to listen to varies so wildly from week to week even day to day.
...
I could go on endlessly, but I'll never understand what drives my musical tastes from moment to moment. Not complaining, just another of life's great mysteries to me...

The only band that I never tire of is the greatest band of all time, The Beatles...

I am somewhat the same. I listen to different kinds of music, but not all genres. It adds spice to life, no differently than I like to cook and eat various dishes. But for the last 2 months, I have listened to little. I have not been in the mood.

I cannot say that the Beatles are my favorites.

 

[48Fire]

I cannot say that the Beatles are my favorites.

A friend of ours confessed she is a Paul hater

 

[target2019]

I never buried Paul.
;{>

 

[Kimo]

And here's another clue for you all, the walrus was Paul.....

 

[Sarah in SC]

I love it when friends create playlists for me on Spotify of stuff I'd never normally listen to. Some of these songs make it onto my regular playlists and some are just too weird for regular rotation.

I also enjoy going off on side tangents from one musician to other, related artists, or sometimes just checking out what's on new releases.

So nice to have so much music at our fingertips today. Makes me feel guilty to listen to the same stuff all the time when I get in a rut!

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

There is stuff now on youtube from my younger vinyl days that I thought was lost forever.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Ronstar]

I've been listening to music while riding my bike a lot lately - listening to anything from Rascal Flats to Grand Funk Railroad. Yesterday was a great Bob Seger day.

 

[Nemo2]

Range from Al Stewart, through Bryan Adams, Tom Cochrane, Julio, Dire Straits, Bonnie Raitt, Fleetwood Mac, etc..........but, when on the elliptical, it's most often John Fogerty

 

[EastWest Gal]

Played a band concert last night. That's what is in my head at the moment. Seriously, Acoustic Alchemy, Don Ellis, Yes, Michael Tomlinson, a collection of 50 classical pieces I have downloaded, including Cappricio Espanol, Adagio for Strings, Mozart's 40th symphony, really great pieces. I'm sort of stuck in the past. Not fond of country, I don't classify rap and hip/hop as music, but rhythm focused, and usually quite angry words, so not an inspiration.

Listening a lot to Don Ellis albums since early retirement. It sends me back to my middle and late teen years, which were actually quite a good time in my life, unlike many. Too bad he passed away in '78.

When exercising, Jen Luc Ponty and Gabe Dixon are fantastic for me.

 

[ERD50]

There is stuff now on youtube from my younger vinyl days that I thought was lost forever.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

Yep. Occasionally, I think that I should round out my music collection and track down some the 'classic' CDs that I'm missing. But 98 times out of 100, a trip down youtube memory lane scratches the itch.

Yes, the sound quality isn't as good as if I did a lossless rip from a CD I purchased, but truth is I wouldn't listen all that often anyhow. But once in a while, it will get me to make a purchase.

-ERD50

 

[Koolau]

Yep. Occasionally, I think that I should round out my music collection and track down some the 'classic' CDs that I'm missing. But 98 times out of 100, a trip down youtube memory lane scratches the itch.

Yes, the sound quality isn't as good as if I did a lossless rip from a CD I purchased, but truth is I wouldn't listen all that often anyhow. But once in a while, it will get me to make a purchase.

-ERD50

Interesting take on the "quality" of Youtube sound: Unless it's one of the "watch-my-worn-out-'kiddie'-45-player-and-needle-play-a-worn-out-vinyl-record" Youtube, I find that my memory tends to fill in the highs and lows that are missing on my "cheap" built in speakers. I've heard that those who have lost most of their hearing and then are successfully fitted with a cochlear implant tend to experience the same thing - especially on things they "remember" hearing in the past (old friends voices, music, etc.) The concept is truly amazing - and demonstrable with low(er) quality playback such as Youtube. Of course, YMMV.

 

[ERD50]

Interesting take on the "quality" of Youtube sound: Unless it's one of the "watch-my-worn-out-'kiddie'-45-player-and-needle-play-a-worn-out-vinyl-record" Youtube, I find that my memory tends to fill in the highs and lows that are missing on my "cheap" built in speakers. I've heard that those who have lost most of their hearing and then are successfully fitted with a cochlear implant tend to experience the same thing - especially on things they "remember" hearing in the past (old friends voices, music, etc.) The concept is truly amazing - and demonstrable with low(er) quality playback such as Youtube. Of course, YMMV.

Yes, the whole field of psycho-acoustics is fascinating. I'd agree, under the right conditions, I can listen to something over relatively poor conditions, and I still enjoy it as I guess I'm focused on the performance rather than the sound plus peformance. It also has to do with expectations. Youtube digitally compresses the sound (not even sure what audio bit rate they use), and the amp/speakers on my computer are not what I'd call "High Fidelity". And that 'memory' factor probably plays into it.

Also, generally, these types of sound 'inadequacies' are things that are missing - highs, lows, details, and we can mentally fill them in. If a sound system adds distortion, or adds boomy bass or screechy treble, those I think, are harder to deal with, as you need to 'ignore' them rather than 'fill in missing pieces'.

But then again, it's free (low expectations), and it's more like just a reminder of the original sound to me. And usually, that's enough. Yes, I think a few songs on Grand Funk Railroad's album that I listened to in the 70's (lost, or maybe I borrowed a friend's album?), are cool, but do I really want to buy the CD for the few times I may want to listen in a full a high-fidelity setting? Probably not.

Then again, some albums just sound so good, and are 'important' to me, I just gotta OWN them, in lossless format, for ALL their glory!

-ERD50

 

[imoldernu]

Yes, the whole field of psycho-acoustics is fascinating.

OK.. so you made me look it up. Embarrassing to a psych major.

So, anyway... way back in the early 1990's I downloaded many thousands of my favorite songs from Napster. (statute of limitations has expired).
Until fairly recently, my collection sat in stacks and stacks of CD's... unheard by anyone.

Fast forward to later middle age, and the oddball things that happen to geezers.
Along with advancing AZ, come some new ailments, like insomnia. A few months ago, a chance revisit to my collection... and to my alltime favorite jazz singer, composer, writer and creative genius... Mel Torme. I put "The London Sessions" album in my player, and after trying warm milk and counting sheep, finally turned it on. First song is "All in Love is Fair"...

Ola! The solution... I rarely get beyond the fourth song in the album, and have avoided the the Sleep Centers.
Try "polysomnography" ....

 

[Nemo2]

At this very moment we're enjoying:

And now...this:

 

[DrRoy]

I truly love music, many genres. But I'll never understand how/why what I want to listen to varies so wildly

Great topic, Midpack. I have occasionally wondered at the wide variety of music that I like. There must be something that they have in common. Pandora does a great job of selecting songs that I like, even when I have never heard them before. I have found at least 10 artists from Pandora that I bought music from that were previously unknown to me. I looked at my CD stack to come up with a top 5, but couldn't decide on #5, so here is 4:

Eagles
Pink Floyd
Carpenters
Cranberries (Everyone Else Is Doing It album)

Hardly groups that are very similar. A few more in alphabetical order:
ABBA, America, Bread, Chicago, Corrs, John Denver, Dido, Enya, Sara Evans, Peter Gabriel, Olivia Newton John, Alan Parsons, Rush, Simon & Garfunkel, Steely Dan, Styx, Toto, Yes, Neil Young, Led Zeppelin. Music is great.

 

[Nodak]

I too like almost all types of music except RAP and Hip-hop; I don't consider those to be music. Today I have been digging into my Mother's old 78s and listening to Les Paul, yesterday was Grateful Dead. I just recently got my hands on a cartridge for my Dual turntable that will play the old 78s.