Friday, March 19, 2010

The Picture + Music


This picture has been haunting me. I'm completely comfortable with my friend Dave and his sweet daughter Emma. But it's the shadow. Me. A shadow?

I looked at this picture and realized that my blog shows about that much of me, maybe even less. And that bugs me. So I'm going to try to own this blog a little more. Every once in awhile I might even talk about my feelings. I might disclose an opinion or two or three or more. I have a lot of them. I might link to a dress or a purse that I think is beautiful, like my friend Jaime does occasionally. Oh the possibilities are endless because I'm not a mere shadow.

Let's start with music. I'd like to invite you to scroll all the way down to the bottom of my page. You will see here my favorite Pandora station. According to the music genome project I like music with folk tune roots, acoustic guitars, new age aesthetics, intricate melodic phrasing, prominent lead vocalists, harmonic duets, piano, resonance and other elements. The Warlock calls it geeky coffee shop music. One of my bro-in-laws (that was you, Lex) commented once that I seemed to only like church hymns. Well, I do like church music: hymns, Janice Kapp Perry (I can hear the in-laws and The Warlock gasping and choking.), primary music, and even Christian rock. It's a little weird to hear love songs about the Savior, but the prayer requests don't offend my sensibilities like often-crude comments and jokes on the regular FM radio stations. And, I like the Raffi station on Pandora, too; I often listen to it when I'm in the car with my children. They love the clever and silly lyrics that they can understand. I love to listen to them laugh. I can listen to opera in small doses, but I find I have to really concentrate to appreciate it. I also love Jon Schmidt and George Winston-type piano music during quiet times. And I love silence. But I don't get a lot of that these days. Screeching guitars, screaming voices, and lyrics that take an IQ over 130 to understand, I'll leave for the Warlock. He's the genius in the family, after all.

I believe good art, good music, and good literature connect with a lot of people, helping us understand our own experiences a little better at our own level. It scares me that so many people like hard, anger and hate-filled music, and I don't want it near me, ever. Sometimes I walk down the street and or pass a car playing sex music. There are certain rhythms and note and beat patterns that accompany this music. It makes me physically ill just to hear/feel the bass in this type of music.

Music is powerful.

What's your soundtrack?

12 comments:

Rachael said...

I love the geeky coffee shop music. I should send you this new local artist’s music to you. Her name is Anne-Marie Hidebrandt. I really enjoyed all of her stuff. Her website only has her church CD for sale, which is good too. However, she has another CD that my friend bought at her concert and it is good.

Tiffany W. said...

"sex music"?! HA! That made me laugh! (sorry!) :) but it really was just too cute of comment!

I love when people share feelings on their posts... those are actually always my favorite to read. yet the hardest to write... why is that?

Pheidippides said...

To paraphrase the wisdom of a boorish fictional character, my problem with so much of church music is that it's not making Christianity any better - it's making music worse.

I am with Gladys Knight on church music. The pantheon of puritanically-rooted hymns are find and good and all, but can't we mix up something a bit more up-tempo too? I'm tired of the vocal sackcloth and ashes, thank you very much.

As for my own non-religious music tastes - I run the very best when I am angry. It is that simple.

Deanna said...

The Warlock's comment made me laugh.
I agree, music is very powerful - I think more powerful than people realize. I guess I'm a country girl at heart cuz that is my kind of music. It takes me back to my small town childhood and is generally much cleaner than any top 40 stations - the djs aren't crude, either.

MT Missy said...

I'm with you all the way my dear Silly W.! I can't stand to be angry and I absolutely squirm with discomfort when I am around music that has any of the undertones you mentioned. Give me the good ol' church music, primary children, hymns, Josh Groban music any time and I'll be satisfied. I can't wait to see you next week!!!!!

Amberly said...

I gave your station a try this morning as I cleaned my kitchen. i enjoyed the mellow-ness of it. I enjoy new, upbeat country, but similar to the warlock, I need music with a great beat to run to. I need stuff stong enough to distract me or I get in my head too much and running becomes hard! if he has suggestions for me, I'm all ears!

Jaime said...

Oh Maren, I adore you! This post really inspires me. Mark and I were talking about just last night that how so few of our photos these days actually include us... I can't wait to hear more about YOU and YOUR latest and greatest thoughts. I'll try to do the same, cuz I know you want to hear it, right! One crazy mama in NYC is eager to read it.

Unknown said...

Adam purchased the Raffi CD's before we had children! I love listening to them with Kael. One of our favorites in the 28 second long song about popcorn. Sizzle Sizzle..... POP! We love it!

Pheidippides said...

Amberly, my running music is...er...a bit extreme for a lot of people. If you like mid-to-late 90s metal (not the hair bands - later harder stuff), then I have a ton of suggestions.

Jecca Lee Ivie Johnson said...

Nice to find a fellow Raffi lover. Have you ever listened to the Curious George soundtrack with Jack Johnson? I LOVE that. The girls and I also have all three disney's greatest soundtracks that we enjoy belting out. We also do a lot of classic rock - some of which has to be monitored, but I feel like that was when the bands didn't need to be attractive to make it and they are all amazing musicians.

Natalie said...

Maren,

I like hearing your thoughts, too! I have been the most lazy blogger lately--I don't write my own and haven't been leaving comments. I love to hear your thoughts here and I'm so grateful that I get to hear them in person fairly regularly. You're great! I just woke up from a Sunday nap because of cramping--please say I'm in labor!!!! I think I'll head out for a walk.
--Nat

Anonymous said...

In Law Here...No snickers from me. I woke up for the last three mornings with a Christian Rock song I call the "Hosanna Song" running through my head. Heaven only knows what I was dreaming about, but it was nice to hum some Christian Rock to start the day. I have to say, Warlock, some of it is pretty good, and this from a Metallica Man.

Of course, then I went to work and listened to "Ten" and the "Black Album" at 120 decibels and worked like a klepper.