Musical Offerings

(Guest Blogger Weith Kick at http://weithkick.blogspot.com/)

When it comes to music I consider mine to encompass a wide, if not impressive, gamut. I am by no means a musical expert (or genius), but it is easy for me to identify what I like. In other words, I think I have a good ear.

I know what you’re thinking. Doesn’t everybody say their musical tastes encompass a wide, if not impressive, gamut? Yes, but the difference between them and me is that I am sincere when I say it.

Does that make me a bit of a music snob? Perhaps, but not entirely so, because I know there are others whose tastes are even more off-the-richter than my own.

Generally, I keep my distance from anything mainstream for the simple reason that most of it is monkey shit. There are exceptions, of course. I really liked the songs Outcast put out a few years back, particularly Hey Ya and The Way You Move. The videos for these songs were nothing short of splendid. So it's not out of the realm of ordinary experience for me to like something I hear on the radio.

Crazy by Gnarls Barkley is another shining example of being caught off guard when listening to the radio, and it comes with a neat little video that is clever, creative and simple. The song's uniqueness and simplicity led me to believe that this would be a one hit wonder in the same vein of some of my favorite one hitters like Groove is in the Heart; I Want Candy; Baby Got Back (I defy anyone to not like this song-in fact, this song should take the place of wedding reception standards like the Electric Slide and YMCA); Come On Eileen (I defy anyone to translate the lyrics-what the hell are they talking about); Spirit in the Sky; The Safety Dance (another classic video); Afternoon Delight; Play That Funky Music, etc, etc, and so on and so forth. After hearing some of Gnarls' other songs I hope he sticks around for a while.

So please, allow me, if you will, to bore you with a sampling of some of my musical tastes.

On my Ipod you will find everything from John Williams, Thomas Newman, Jerry Goldsmith and Maurice Jarre (I am a huge collector of film scores and have been since the tender age of 10-does that make me a bit of a dweeb? Perhaps.) to Radiohead, Bjork, Yeah Yeah Yeahs (love Karen O). I listen to M.I.A., the adorable Kate Nash, the lovely Liz Phair and the ornery Lily Allen. I love the music of Sigur Ros, Sufjan Stevens and Devotchka. My music tastes never change but they constantly grow. I am constantly in search of new and interesting music. Because of the lack of anything remotely interesting on the radio I typically listen to NPR, or it's constant channel surfing until I find a song I like, which is rare.

So what is the point of all this drivel you may be asking yourself. It's to point out that for all my grandstanding there is a genre of music that I would normally deny liking. I am not even sure what label you would give this music. Some people might call it deranged. Others might call it frivolous bubble gum, insignificant trash or even meaningless monkey shit. But I can't help myself. Whenever I hear these songs I have to stop and listen. They do something to me. They soothe my inner sensitive sentimentalist. This music comes from the likes of JoJo (I feel your pain JoJo), Fergie (love your sensitive and naughty sides equally), Kelly Clarkson, Jordan Sparks, Leona Lewis, Rihanna and Alicia Keys. But you see it's when I hear them sing their dopey love songs that get me. I think it's because the way they pour their hearts out when they sing. The lyrics are sometimes ridiculous ("And I'm going to miss you like a child misses their blanket") but I don't care, I had a "baba" once and I know what it's like to miss it when it's gone.

If anyone ever calls me out for liking these songs I will deny it. But if you want to tell me how much you love them too then I'm right there with you, girlfriend.

It must be some sort of mental defect I have. I guess I'm just soft up there.