Saturday, July 16, 2011

I'M GOING BACK TO THE HOMELAND!!!!!!

Oh baby! China baby China! Food. FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh and I get to see my dad and my family. Miss and love them a lot. Here's a good Asian song.



I'm going home!!!! Love ya guys!!!! Gonna miss ya!!!! (Well not really for most of you)

Oh and another song.


Currently my favorite song. I plan on listening to once a day and you all should to. But for me, it'll remind me of this one person. :)

See ya later people! Take care!

Ray

Friday, July 15, 2011

Rebecca Black's Friday

It's FRIDAY!!!!!!! Mwahahaha. I, I, I, so excited. I so excited. Anyways, I decided to switch from classical music for once and go with a pop song.

The main problem is that because I listen to so much classical music, I don't really know very much popular music. There were a few that really intrigued me but I decided against using them. Tried Baby for a bit but I couldn't take any more when Bieber rolled the strike. Pokerface would have been good but Lady Gag's numerous costume changes kinda freaked me out. Thought I'd try Teenage Dream but  Perry's voice bugs me. Didn't feel like doing rock or alternative music (my kind of modern music) so after much thought I consulted the oracle (Yon Soo) and she suggested that I do my post on Friday.

Music videos are extremely important to modern-day artists. They provide sort of an appeal to the artist and have a wide reaching effect among the rest of us humans. The images in the video often times connect with the lyrics and help us feel more connected to the artist. In today's post I will not only comment on the music, but I will also comment on the music and imagery.


Poor Rebecca....... You can run but you can't hide. Deleting your video isn't gonna stop the dislikes, it isn't gonna stop the haters. Might as well embrace them.

Right from the beginning, she builds up into Friday by uh, giving us very exciting details of each day of the week. Pretty decent beat and synthesizer whatever it is. And she looks like the witch of the waste from Howl's Moving Castle in those penciled in drawings.

Sunday: STUDY STUDY STUDY. Asian mom: that should be every day.
Monday: Test. No wonder she was studying like crazy on Sunday. I'm pretty sure she failed anyway.
Tuesday: More homework. Well, duh. Isn't it a given that you get homework everyday?
Wednesday: Music practice? HAHAHAHA well from this video, doesn't seem like practice helps her.
Thursday: Essay done. I'm pretty sure she procrastinated all week.
Friday: Starts at 12:00 am. I think that was about the time when Hagrid knocked down Harry's door.

Wow she wakes up. At least look like you were just asleep. And gosh her voice sounds like she just woke up. But it sounds like that the entire video.

You gotta go downstairs. How........ informative. We now know that your house has an upstairs.

Cereal...... sounds interesting. What kind? Captain Crunch? Corn flakes? What kind of milk? 2%? Skim? DETAILS! I WANT DETAILS! And now that beat is getting annoying.

Time is ticking on and on. YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME RIGHT?!?!?!? Of course it is. It's not like you're Sonic the Hedgehog and you can do Time Stop. Bwahaha time is ticking on and on. No time isn't ticking on and on. Keep telling yourself that.

Back in my day, there was no sign "Bus Stop" at the bus stop. There was..... an invisible sign that said "Bus Stop."

Now you see your friends. THEN WHY DID YOU GO TO THE BUS STOP IF YOUR FRIENDS WERE COMING TO GET YOU? And your driver is like 13 and the two kids in the back are standing up. How smart. Guess what? Car crashes and you are all dead. Maybe not Rebecca Black. She's starting to seem so bad in this song that she's probably bad enough to have a few Horcruxes lying around.

DON'T GO THERE REBECCA! THE GUY WAVING YOU OVER IS TRYING TO SEDUCE YOU!!!! Oh and which seat should you take? You should take the one seat that isn't occupied. Duh. Well, there is always the trunk. Suits you better anyways.

That girl doing the waves in the front must be really bored. To be honest, I would be too. But I would be asleep. And now that I think about it, this beat is terrible.

Oooooo the driver looks like he's doing drugs.

Yeah. So here's what I don't get. She said that she's looking forward to the weekend when it will be REALLY fun. So why are you so excited about Friday? You still have school. You will continue to live in agony knowing that the weekend is so near and yet so far. Americans are just too optimistic.

Wow. Are you guys really dumb enough to be standing back there on a highway? How is it that all three of them aren't blondes? Your friend is on your right. No she's some random girl you picked out on the street to try to make your pathetic video look just a tiny bit better.

The next two lines are just pure stupidity. You aren't sitting. You're standing. Which seat should you take? The one you're already in? Man, she makes these questions sound so difficult and profound. Yeah, profound for a two year old.

2:01 Just hurry up and walk inside already.

Yesterday was Thursday. I think I already know that. Yup, today is Friday. Good to know. I sometimes forget what day of the week it is you know.

Tomorrow is Saturday. And Sunday comes after that. And Monday comes after that. And Tuesday comes after that. Seriously, Rebecca, you don't have anything else to say in the little time you have left in the video? I want details about the party! Beer? Drugs? Games? Details, girl, details. I mean, your predictions on the order of the days is profound but the only thing that interests me is the party.

What the heck is this dude doing in the video? Let me tell you something. It's all about Rebecca, not you. We love Rebecca Black. I appreciate her for what she's done. Wasting 4 minutes of my life. So stay out of the video dude.

Okay I can't listen to this anymore. I feel dumber just listening to it. I'm not kidding, I have a huge headache right now.

I hope you have been enlightened and now hate this song. Go eat some rice.

Ray

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Joe Hisaishi's Merry Go Round from Howl's Moving Castle

I don't care what you try to sell me, or if you think I'm crazy. But this man alone (though not the only reason) puts Studio Ghibli above Disney. Music is by far one of the most important components of movies. Sure, Under the Sea is a catchy tune, but don't try and tell me that it is better than THIS. No, Hate me all you want, but here's the truth. Disney songs have no life, no deep meanings. They are sparse, simple, and quite frankly, boring. And how do they think they make up for it? They add lyrics, which is really quite pitiful. The music for movies such as NausicaƤ of the Valley of the Wind, Castle In the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Spirited Away, are quite the opposite. Theses songs are rich and majestic. Beautiful and moving. Masterful and complex. Everything that Disney songs are not.

Howl's Moving Castle. Just an amazing movie. Though not as heralded as Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle certainly ranks among the best. A captivating storyline, vivid imagery, fitting and trancing music make Howl's Moving Castle a masterpiece. The video below is a live performance of "Merry Go Round" with an orchestra and Joe Hisaishi himself.


First off, man, what I would given to have been in Hisaishi's shoes. Playing the piano and conducting just a masterful and breathtaking song would be an incredible experience. Throughout this video, you can just tell how passionate Hisaishi is about his music. He wills every phrase, every note, into its own unique purpose, own meaning. The way he divides the melodies up, the way he weaves voices together is like that of a master, a true musician.

Piano solo at the opening, introducing the main theme. Just love this theme. Gorgeous and moving. Strings join in then followed by an oboe solo which leads into the waltz.

Really cool how he has each of the different instruments have the melody without making it sound like Bolero. He has a lot of fun countermelodies and ornaments that weave in and out of the melodies that adds flavor to the waltz. Love the flute decorations.

Man look at 2:00. I've never seen such great passion about music.

Just beautiful. Words can't describe how magnificent this piece is. Just listen and enjoy.

I hope that you have been enlightened and now love this song.


Now go eat some rice and watch Howl's Moving Castle.


Ray