Tonight, for a little music research, Ethan and I are going to a LANA DEL REY CONCERT! In spirit of this joyful occasion, the song of the day is Lana Del Rey’s ‘Summertime Sadness’, which has a quite an abstract video, and rather catchy lyrics. Enjoy!
Roseby.
Sorry for being away for so ridiculously long, I feel terrible. (I’ve just had my Bar Mitzvah! Go to ‘Ethan’s 13 if you don’t know what I’m talking about…) I’ve also been working on getting something really cool for JH.
I’m not usually one to write about such new music, but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity this time. I’ve waited a good three and a bit years for this new album, and I can’t wait any longer.
The opening in general reminds me of the first Vampire Weekend album, Vampire Weekend. About twenty seconds in, it’s as if the song begins. There is a short drum roll and then guitar riffs that remind me of Cousins, from the second VW album Contra. The middle part of the song is made up of some weird and wonderful mixes of sounds- some slow-mo which sounds like a proper old-school video being re-winded. This is the part that I feel takes some real patience, it’s a real grower. The track ends with an abrupt, Vampire Weekend style.
What VW have kept to from their previous material is their tendency to keep their songs fairly short. I find it effective, it’s as if grungy bands like to just drag on the song for five minutes or so. And then there are the slick, sharp musicians who like to keep their songs short and concise. In literature, concise sentences can bring much dramatic effect- which I find can definitely too be true in music.
Some other examples of concise music for dramatic effect are Brianstorm by Arctic Monkeys, Kiss With A Fist by Florence and the Machine, and Evening/Morning by Bombay Bicycle Club.
What do you think about concise music? And moreover, what do you think about this new Vampire Weekend song?
Thanks! Ethan.
juvenile hearing 