Here's my critique. I like the name, as you might have guessed. The subtitle was nice, too. Musically, my first impression was it was abstract and had no hook. I don't ordinarily listen to soundtracks like that. I suppose it has something to do with my disdain for manipulation and TV. And so, when somebody else is watching TV, I hear the music and sort of know when I'm supposed to get scared, when an evil character occurs, etc. without having to watch. I've been this way for a long time. I remember as a child playing "Lost in Space" with my brother. The characters were marbles, and a box top was the Jupiter 2. We had a routine where my brother would cry, "Don! We're heading into a meteor shower!" We'd turn the box from side to side, and sing the happy reunion theme. We mixed the other themes, too. My sister and I liked to listen to Dick Bartley as we watched MTV, too. My favorite was when Billy Idol was on his back kicking his arms and legs singing, "Oh, Sweet Pea, Come on and dance with me." I digress.

I could definitely hear the washing machine in "Lux Aeterna." That was some two-note part on the violins, huh? Then, there was the whip cracking and the chorus as the sound of the wind in a drafty cathedral. Now, you have given me a fresh perspective on why Justin said long ago his ambition was to write the score for a Stanley Kubrick film - they needed him. It's not too late for a remake.

Have you considered being a music critic? Your imagery is so perfect. You nailed it in your last two reviews. I may have told you about a guy who composed while in concentration camp. One of my employers at the time was trying to get his compositions airplay. To me, the songs, which I played through on the piano, sounded exactly like he had neither piano nor perfect pitch. The boss said he loved how the music was dissonant and yet resolved. I never picked up on the resolution. On the bright side, I'm glad this guy made it through the concentration camps, not letting evil overtake his mind. I've often wondered how what he was hearing in his head, if indeed that was what he was trying to jot down, was supposed to sound.

It reminds me of working up a song for a friend. I put in the most spine-tingling and majestic chords, but I added "sust" thinking that meant to sustain them, not knowing I was prescribing a clash factor that destroyed everything.

I wonder how Justin would do with a soundtrack for Kubrick. I used to think he wanted to compose for a space odyssey. Space music is cool. I can imagine soft synths with electric guitar gas. It sounds good in my wee little head. But what about "Clockwork Orange"? I don't think I want to hear it.

Excellent. Thanks for sharing.

False alarm.

Now, I'm listening to somebody screaming. I had to put in earplugs. The boss likes these creepy, creepy TV shows. I don't know why people dream up such awful dramas so disrespectful of human life and character. The media begs us to go berserk and cry for gun control when atrocities happen, and yet it seems gazillions of screenwriters are making up sicker and sicker stuff so the horror becomes dime-a-dozen. My brain is polluted enough from what spills over into my ears from what the boss watches, and he's a good religious man. So, yeah. I'm just hearing the screams that get through the earplugs.

As for the music of today's youth, I posted before about how Moogfest taught me that kids these days are more into timbre than melody and harmony. That's why 50 Cent can get away with a one-note solo - because the sound is so rich. But I'm still scratching my head over "Life Is a Highway." It's absolute trash from any angle I observe it, and yet it continues to get a lot of airplay.

lunazure said

There's a lot of drumming being taught. While yes rhythm is part of music, it misses the melodies and harmonies. Not to mention the timbre and nuances of different instruments. Or voices.

lunazure said
I blame rock n' roll. There's an attitude "Just turn up the amps and crank it" and everyone dances..... if you drum long enough, you go into altered states. And the beauty of it is, you don't have to have an ear for music. After the volumes they use, I can see why. Alas we haven't gotten too far out of the cave I reckon.

I think beer has a lot to do with dancing; that's why I never feel the urge, unless I'm at a concert sandwiched among dancers and know I'm going to be ripped apart online for standing like a stiff. But really, I think Gen-Xers are into timbre.

lunazure said
Our studies showed that only 50% of the American population can hear rhythm, tell one from the other. I suspect the percentage is lower for those who can hear harmony.

That is hard to believe. I suppose the same set of people wouldn't mind if an assignment came in late? What are the studies testing? I mean, there are some conductors with whom I just cannot work because they won't lead but try to follow me and I try to follow them, and so on. Would that count? I had an orchestra teacher say I was a natural with rhythm, and yet in some situations I feel rhythm-impaired. Did the test ask people to score out drum pieces and some were not versed in conventional music? Were they asked to repeat simple rhythms, say clapping? I've never seen a kid who can't do that, but if you were to give them an entire symphony to repeat back, there might be problems. I dunno.

I can't imagine not hearing rhythm or harmony. I spent a lot of my life tone deaf. I could hear how badly I sounded, but I couldn't coordinate the notes I wanted to sing with my vocal cords. I developed the ability much later in life, rather instantaneously, thanks to some help from an herbalist. We were trying to fix something else, but then I caught myself singing along to the radio with Leslie (sp?) Gore. I could sing ever sense. That's weird not hearing harmony, sort of like the tympanum can only oscillate at one frequency at a time? I suppose it is possible. I cannot attend to two simultaneous conversations, but that doesn't mean I cannot hear more than one person talking.

lunazure said
#lowopinionofotherpeople'smusictaste

lunazure said
Sorry the boss has creepy taste in movies. Can't you find him some John Wayne or something? I understand 13 hours, while being a shoot 'em up, is actually a pretty good movie, from someone I trust to have good taste. Try Mavel Universe, those are a little flash bang but not too bad.

The chain of command does not go that way. I'm still listening to the earplugs 'cuz the volume annoys. So, I had to settle for some eye candy. I started looking at various homes and drifted to Scottsdale, where there are so many gorgeous $multi-million homes. It's astounding, when people here are living five to a trailer and taking in homeless people, and people live like that. Where did I go wrong? Don't answer. Anyway, I ran across my dream home, from the outside; and, lo and behold, it has a minstrel gallery! The fireplace is small; it looks like it has a capacity for one, and that one would have to crawl in. But the bathtub looks like it could use a diving board, and there are 5.5 baths and 5 bedrooms, which means I could probably find an empty bathroom just about every morning. http://www.phxre.com/listing/5.....-az-85255/