Sometimes the best music is the kind that transcends its composer. I’m not talking about some prog rocker’s ridiculous concept album about worshiping leaves, or some self-important indie rocker making the end of a relationship with his girlfriend into a pseudo-intellectual lecture on depression. I’m talking about musical notes that are written, organized and played… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Arvo Pärt
Tag: Baldwin’s Choice
Baldwin’s Choice: Aesop Rock
My knowledge of the hip hop world is somewhat limited. I’ve only gotten into the genre a couple of years ago. I thought for a long while that it was all about jewelry, gangs and girls. I couldn’t relate to it at all. But I also couldn’t help but feel like I was missing out… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Aesop Rock
Baldwin’s Choice: Ulver
Most well-established experimental bands have two things to worry about. They need to remain artistically fresh, but they also need to appease a fanbase. A group like Radiohead has no intentions of staying in one place, despite the incredible success they’ve had in the past with a sound like Ok Computer. But they still need… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Ulver
Baldwin’s Choice: Kate Bush
What happened to the intellectual angle in pop music? There was always a need for accessibility – bright melodies, danceable rhythms, relatable lyrics. But when did it become a genre bent on laziness? It’s all about appeasing the casual listener now with the least amount of effort. Recycled beats, auto tuned vocals and lyrics that… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Kate Bush
Baldwin’s Choice: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. It’s an Olympic band name that such a huge band deserves. They consist of seven members – three guitarists, two drummers, multiple vocalists, bass and a guy who plays a mean harmonica. They’re also huge in terms of popularity, recently selling out every date on a headlining US tour.… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard
Baldwin’s Choice: Magma
It’s satisfying to know that there’s a progressive rock band out there that takes the negative tags associated with the genre and runs with them. French progressive band Magma have answered critical statements like “pretentious,” “bombastic,” and “pompous” with a “hell yes we are” defiance since the early 70s. And they remain to this day… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Magma
Baldwin’s Choice: Cardiacs
Cardiacs is what happens when worlds collide. Who would have thought that two completely separate rock subgenres with two entirely different musical outlooks would ever be able to work together? This band found a way, and the results are very exciting. Although bandleader Tim Smith will never admit to it, Cardiacs is the first (and… Continue reading Baldwin’s Choice: Cardiacs