Music that surprised you...

[Cruel2BKind]

I always just assumed that I hated Kanye West, because the guy is a bit of a tool.

Then I read an article saying that most everybody expected him to burn out after the incident at the grammys where he interrupted Taylor Swift. Everybody thinks he's an asshole, but the only people who make fun of him are the people who don't listen to his music.

Now I've been listening to Mercy, Heartless, New Slaves, and my personal fave, BlKKK SKKKn Head over and over for the last 24 hours. Man is a musical genius, no matter how much of an asshole he is.

Music or artists that surprised you?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q604eed4ad0

 

[johneb87]

Macklemore.
I'm not a fan of rap or hip hop, but I do like his work. He's a local guy and his best songs are rather meaningful. I can't help but shed a tear when I watch the video for "My Oh My".

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Macklemore.
I'm not a fan of rap or hip hop, but I do like his work. He's a local guy and his best songs are rather meaningful. I can't help but shed a tear when I watch the video for "My Oh My".

I LOVE My Oh My...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvNQWQSwmow

But my personal favorite for Macklemore has got to be Jimmy Lovine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RwW6ERgpvo

He works with Ryan Lewis on the heist, and there is this one throwaway track with no lyrics or music from Macklemore, but just a track the RL worked on himself, called BomBom, and man, those fucking trombones!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNZkN7k-7qg

 

[StrangeLife]

Chris Brown is another example of a slime-bucket with talent, Tom Cruise and John Travolta are crazy cultists, Orson Scott Card has his mind in the 17th century and Chuck Norris is a religious nut who believes the earth is 6000 years old. I still like their work.

Just like I don't care for my local plumber on a personal level, but he can make my toilet flush like classical symphony...

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Chris Brown is another example of a slime-bucket with talent, Tom Cruise and John Travolta are crazy cultists, Orson Scott Card has his mind in the 17th century and Chuck Norris is a religious nut who believes the earth is 6000 years old. I still like their work.

Just like I don't care for my local plumber on a personal level, but he can make my toilet flush like classical symphony...

Eeh,

There is a line I believe. When an artist crosses that line, it doesn't matter how good their music or art is, I can't back them. I know that CB has some good songs, but I refuse to listen to him. I loved 'Ender's Shadow' before I found out what a massive prick OSC was. (I refuse to spend money on Ender's game the movie)

Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Kanye, they are all just crazy or insensitive alternatively, and I don't think they really hurt anyone.

 

[R. Richard]

I don't listen to rap or hip hp, but this one surprised me, back when I first heard it.

http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt...+day&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-202-1

 

[SecondCircle]

I actually have an answer for this one.

Not much in music nowadays really appeals to me. None of it is really my type I guess. Some stuff is catchy, but a good bit of it is pretty senseless a lot of times.

<sigh> But now a long time ago right after that boy band phase in the nineties, I scoffed at Justin Timberlake. I thought the shit was horrible. (I still do, really)

And I don't listen to pop or hip hop really. If it doesn't have a guitar in it, its hard to sell to me. But JT throughout the last decade has made a name for himself. And I think he earned it. Usually when my wife turns the radio on or breaks out the iPod or whatever she has now, I'd be groaning, "Turn it! Turn it!"

But I found that I never said that to JT's music. It was all kinda smooth and catchy, his sound was original enough to pick out, and actually really liked the music. My wife had one of his albums recently and i didnt think it was bad at all. Great actually. It was something we could both chill to or listem to on the road.

Looking back now, he's actually made some amazing tunes over the years and has become something of a legend. I tip my hat to him for a decade of music. He has surprised the shit out of me. Never thought I'd actually like his brand of music.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I actually have an answer for this one.

Not much in music nowadays really appeals to me. None of it is really my type I guess. Some stuff is catchy, but a good bit of it is pretty senseless a lot of times.

<sigh> But now a long time ago right after that boy band phase in the nineties, I scoffed at Justin Timberlake. I thought the shit was horrible. (I still do, really)

And I don't listen to pop or hip hop really. If it doesn't have a guitar in it, its hard to sell to me. But JT throughout the last decade has made a name for himself. And I think he earned it. Usually when my wife turns the radio on or breaks out the iPod or whatever she has now, I'd be groaning, "Turn it! Turn it!"

But I found that I never said that to JT's music. It was all kinda smooth and catchy, his sound was original enough to pick out, and actually really liked the music. My wife had one of his albums recently and i didnt think it was bad at all. Great actually. It was something we could both chill to or listem to on the road.

Looking back now, he's actually made some amazing tunes over the years and has become something of a legend. I tip my hat to him for a decade of music. He has surprised the shit out of me. Never thought I'd actually like his brand of music.

Its kind of hard (for me, anyway. Plenty of people will tear people apart for doing this) to hate an artist that evolves.

Bands and artists can go two ways, they either change and evolve, or they stagnate. Their fans either stick with them or scream at them for changing so much.

I don't think anyone really saw Justin coming.

And that's also what I like with Kanye. Some of his stuff is fucking ridiculous, but he experiments with everyone, and every genre. He's featured on Katy Perry music videos, experimented with Daft Punk, and the song that I linked in the first post had a punk-rock beat.

Same with JT, he's experimented with Swing jazz, rock, hip-hop, everything. And it worked for him, too.

Added 'Welcome to Heartbreak' and 'Golddigger' to my Kanye playlist.

 

[patientlee]

I am almost embarrassed to admit that I agree with you on JT.

I was recently surprised to find that I really like Five Finger Death Punch. Their cover of Bad Company is quite good, and I like a bunch of other songs too. (Of course, I like loud music, but I didn't expect to enjoy them as much as I do.)

I actually have an answer for this one.

Not much in music nowadays really appeals to me. None of it is really my type I guess. Some stuff is catchy, but a good bit of it is pretty senseless a lot of times.

<sigh> But now a long time ago right after that boy band phase in the nineties, I scoffed at Justin Timberlake. I thought the shit was horrible. (I still do, really)

And I don't listen to pop or hip hop really. If it doesn't have a guitar in it, its hard to sell to me. But JT throughout the last decade has made a name for himself. And I think he earned it. Usually when my wife turns the radio on or breaks out the iPod or whatever she has now, I'd be groaning, "Turn it! Turn it!"

But I found that I never said that to JT's music. It was all kinda smooth and catchy, his sound was original enough to pick out, and actually really liked the music. My wife had one of his albums recently and i didnt think it was bad at all. Great actually. It was something we could both chill to or listem to on the road.

Looking back now, he's actually made some amazing tunes over the years and has become something of a legend. I tip my hat to him for a decade of music. He has surprised the shit out of me. Never thought I'd actually like his brand of music.

 

[desertslave]

My musical guilty pleasures are:

Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
Intergalactic - Beastie Boys
Weapon of Choice - Fat Boy Slim

An old friend of mine describes stuff like this as "spinal music" because it skips your brain and higher powers of thought entirely, slips into your spine, and makes you want to dance.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I am almost embarrassed to admit that I agree with you on JT.

I was recently surprised to find that I really like Five Finger Death Punch. Their cover of Bad Company is quite good, and I like a bunch of other songs too. (Of course, I like loud music, but I didn't expect to enjoy them as much as I do.)

Don't be embarrassed! JT came into his own despite a mildly embarrassing start. Saying you're embarrassed to like modern JT is like saying you're embarrassed to watch Leo Dicaprio films.

My musical guilty pleasures are:

Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
Intergalactic - Beastie Boys
Weapon of Choice - Fat Boy Slim

An old friend of mine describes stuff like this as "spinal music" because it skips your brain and higher powers of thought entirely, slips into your spine, and makes you want to dance.

Why are the Beastie Boys on your list of guilty pleasures!!!?

I kid, I kid... I love that description, though. Spinal music! I think that's why I've been listening to more electronic and hip-hop lately. I find a lot of rock and pop music sort of lacks the really heavy bass that I like. And I love remixes because they usually add a sweet beat to a tune that I liked.

I love listening to 'pop danthology'. Most pop songs have this little 'earworm' to them. Most of the song will be dreck that you just suffer through to get to the catchy bit, whether it's a chorus or a bridge or a beat or a phrase. Daniel Kim makes these great remixes where he mixes only the 'earworm' bits of the songs together and it makes this gigantic catchy blob. 'Spinal Music' indeed!

2013 was a good year for Danthology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJMapA8WgYw

 

[soflabbwlvr]

My musical guilty pleasures are:

Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
Intergalactic - Beastie Boys
Weapon of Choice - Fat Boy Slim

An old friend of mine describes stuff like this as "spinal music" because it skips your brain and higher powers of thought entirely, slips into your spine, and makes you want to dance.

Two of those are on my list, also.

And that's also what I like with Kanye. Some of his stuff is fucking ridiculous, but he experiments with everyone, and every genre. He's featured on Katy Perry music videos, experimented with Daft Punk, and the song that I linked in the first post had a punk-rock beat.

I can't give Kanye any credit for that. He sampled Gary Glitter and Marilyn Manson. How does that make him a self-proclaimed genius? To me, he's still a recovering gay fish.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Two of those are on my list, also.



I can't give Kanye any credit for that. He sampled Gary Glitter and Marilyn Manson. How does that make him a self-proclaimed genius? To me, he's still a recovering gay fish.

I never really followed any articles about Kanye (except for the most recent one about the hilarious 'Bound 2' video) and I never got worked up over any of his 'scandals'. I wasn't exposed to the jokes about him, or the nasty things said about him. I see Kanye as a massively egotistical, socially impaired artist who simply does not give a fuck about what people say about him. He's goofy, he takes weird chances that don't pan out, he has odd lyrics and odd pairings and odd taste in women.

But all of the ridiculousness pans out into some amazing music, and all things considered, he isn't that bad of a human being.

And I don't understand the 'gay fish' joke. Explain?

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I never really followed any articles about Kanye (except for the most recent one about the hilarious 'Bound 2' video) and I never got worked up over any of his 'scandals'. I wasn't exposed to the jokes about him, or the nasty things said about him. I see Kanye as a massively egotistical, socially impaired artist who simply does not give a fuck about what people say about him. He's goofy, he takes weird chances that don't pan out, he has odd lyrics and odd pairings and odd taste in women.

But all of the ridiculousness pans out into some amazing music, and all things considered, he isn't that bad of a human being.

And I don't understand the 'gay fish' joke. Explain?

South Park episodes 13-05 and 17-10. I could explain it to you, but it's better if watch them, in that order.

And he does care about what people say. He desperately wants to recognized as a musical genius in the same way as Lennon and McCartney, Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson are recognized.

 

[Handley_Page]

I can't give Kanye any credit for that. He sampled Gary Glitter and Marilyn Manson. How does that make him a self-proclaimed genius? To me, he's still a recovering gay fish.

Ah, is that how he did it. I heard that blakk skinn thing [can't they spell?]
and thought: "Rock & Roll, part 2".

It would be nice to hear some original, un-sampled, un-copied song with words one can hear.
[Yes, I know. It's my age ]

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Ah, is that how he did it. I heard that blakk skinn thing [can't they spell?]
and thought: "Rock & Roll, part 2".

It would be nice to hear some original, un-sampled, un-copied song with words one can hear.
[Yes, I know. It's my age ]

I feel like I'm about to shake my fist and yell at the kids to get off my grass, but it amazes me how the younger generation will pay to see a musical performance where no instruments are played and no one actually sings. And the performers still call themselves musicians.

 

[Cactus34]

Sorry, but Mr. West is one of those celebrities that you mentioned earlier in the comment thread. That "crossed the line". A total tin-plated, deluded, egotistical knob. One of his songs could be celebrated as the cure for cancer, the solution for world hunger and will win the war for the allies...and I'd still think twice about listening to it.

The last straw, pretty much: his stance on books and reading.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/05/26/us-kanyewest-idUSTRE54P5L820090526

Not too surprising it cuts to the bone, since we're in a forum called "Author's Hangout".

I don't follow current musicians well enough to have preconceptions, and therefore be surprised. My life is rather more "disappointments". By that I mean, I'll stumble over a song and really like it. I'll hunt it down and like it a lot. With great excitement, I'll sample other tunes by the artist(s) and...crap. Turns out the song I love was almost a "novelty song" by their usual standards. They got goofy in the studio or did the song for a commercial or something. Nothing like their usual material. Their fans often hate this departure tune that I so enjoy.

So, my playlists are full of personal taste "one hit wonders".

 

[lovecraft68]

Not much surprises me if I like it. I'm pretty eclectic my song lists have everything from doo wop to death metal to disco. From Marilyn Manson to Juice Newton if I like it I like it.

But my daughter's boyfriend is 20 and likes rap) and hip hop. I had tickets to see the Temptations this past Sunday (one original member, the founder) and six of us were going. One person had to bow out and I told him to come along and see what real "black music" is.

he tried to get out of it, but ended up coming and he was blown away. Bought two of their CD's on the way out the door and all he's done is talk about it and ask me who else was good from back then.

 

[lovecraft68]

Sorry, but Mr. West is one of those celebrities that you mentioned earlier in the comment thread. That "crossed the line". A total tin-plated, deluded, egotistical knob. One of his songs could be celebrated as the cure for cancer, the solution for world hunger and will win the war for the allies...and I'd still think twice about listening to it.

The last straw, pretty much: his stance on books and reading.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/05/26/us-kanyewest-idUSTRE54P5L820090526

Not too surprising it cuts to the bone, since we're in a forum called "Author's Hangout"

He knows what a book is?

I agree. For the most part what these spoiled assholes do in real life does not effect if I will listen to them or see a movie with them. But there are a handful that I will boycott no matter what and he is one of them along with Chris Brown who I would like to see go two minutes with anyone who can hit back.

 

[sr71plt]

Susan Boyle surprised the hell out of me.

 

[Handley_Page]

Susan Boyle surprised the hell out of me.

She surprised a great many people; she has a very good voice !
Have you seen the original performance on you tube? See THIS

Look at the expressions of the judges and the audience !
She's doing a sell-out series of concerts in Scotland at present.
I think she's been talking to stylists and so on. Here more recent pictures show a more relaxed person.

Compare this with that idiot K (I don't read but please buy my co-written book!) W.

 

[sr71plt]

She surprised a great many people; she has a very good voice !
Have you seen the original performance on you tube? See THIS

Look at the expressions of the judges and the audience !
She's doing a sell-out series of concerts in Scotland at present.
I think she's been talking to stylists and so on. Here more recent pictures show a more relaxed person.

Compare this with that idiot K (I don't read but please buy my co-written book!) W.

Watched the clip about fifty times, yes.

 

[MrFoxwood]

I agree that there's a line and once a person has crossed it I'm not interested in how talented they are. An inflated ego just makes me less likely to want to find out about an artist, I'd rather browse and listen to people who possibly aren't as good but won't offend me either.

 

[jomar]

Kenny G. A cousin was playing a Christmas album that was pretty damn good. I was shocked to find out it was him. I was a vocal KG snob! The relative later ran into him somewhere and got a personalized autographed photo for me. Pretty funny.

 

[GingerVixen]

I used to roll my eyes at JT as well, but then I discovered his sense of humor. Same with Michael Bolton. I can't make fun of people who don't take themselves too seriously.