Music – Field Notes

Paint It Black

Songs that can be covered across genres, flexible, powerful songs are fun to listen to regardless of how they are covered. Some songs are powerful because they are best done raw, while others gain traction as they are covered in a more sophisticated manner. I think this latest example falls into the second category.

Ford’s most recent commercial employs the iconic Rolling Stones Paint It Black.

The song is experiencing a bit of a resurgence – probably driven by the song being featured in the HBO series West World. The song has aged well, currently transitioning into an orchestral arrangement.

Spotify – My Cost per Minute

On a per minute basis, Spotify is the cheapest application I use

My favorite application – Spotify – sent me a note today with my listening stats for the year. I think when people hear me say Spotify is my favorite app and that I listen to it all the time, they don’t understand just how much I enjoy it – or the utility I get out of it (if I can use that word in this context).

Modern Gothic Blues

I really enjoy Jamie N Commons’ style.

I’m sitting at work listening to Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist while finishing up some audit work. I commonly listen to the less engaging material while I work so I can focus on the work but I felt like some variety this morning. Most of the playlist is forgettable – but I will credit the curators with the inclusion of Jamie N Commons.

Best Covers: I Put a Spell On You

Watching The Voice this evening. The show is not engaging enough for me to simply watch without a distraction.

One of the performers (Rob Taylor) covered “I put a spell on you“. He’s a capable performer, but I’ve heard a better version of the classic. In our family, the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus with Bette Midler is a seasonal must-see. We all watch it together, and because we’ve seen it so many times, we can anticipate the actor’s lines. Bette covers the song very well. It’s a great Blue’s classic and like all songs in this genre – the best song connects emotionally through the vocals.

I decided to abuse my Spotify account and try to figure out who sang it best. Pretty much everyone has covered this song.

Le Mystere Des Voix Bulgares – Kalimankoui Denkou

Soulful Slavs These Women –

Los Angeles Guitar Quartet – Syzygy

The best way for me to understand my mental state is to consider the music I find most satisfying. Currently, my tastes are trending toward more traditional, contemplative acoustic performances. #MusicMonday

Spotify Music Embedding

I’m really enjoying Spotify. A few days back I asked the Internet for their music streaming service recommendation.
https://www.facebook.com/david.pappas/posts/10152036624817953
My subscription to Rhapsody is to be renewed in four days, and this gives me a chance to re-evaluate my service choice without incurring additional costs. As you can see in the comments above, the hive mind believes Spotify is the best choice – even with some prodding towards Rdio. Spotify is definitely a step up from Rhapsody in a few ways including selection, interface and the ability to share music – such as below: