Resolution Accomplished!

I am notoriously bad with resolutions.  I generally make some halfhearted and cynical resolution that I know won't change any one's life if left unfulfilled.  But not 2011.  No, in 2011, I made a resolution and saw it through!

I resolved to expose myself to new music.  (Notice how I cleverly put no real parameters on the resolution?  The true secret to resolution fulfillment . . . vagueness.)

I started off the year by listening to new artists' stations on Pandora.  Then, when I heard music reviews on NPR, I would follow up on the artists.  Which is how I found Raphael Saadiq.  I like his old school sound.  I like his style, very classic/y.

Then, I moved on to Pink Martini.  I honestly don't remember how I found them.  I like their Cole Porter irreverence.  There is a cleverness to their lyrics.

And, finally I looked into what my friends are listening to, and found Robbers on High Street.  Truth be told, one of my friends is main squeezin' with one of the members of the band.  I like their classic British pop sound.

I realize that although all these new groups clustered on my iPod are still well within my musical comfort zone, I still count this as expanding my musical library.

I haven't yet come up with a resolution for 2012.  Maybe to reduce the number of places I stash booze in my house to just the kitchen?

I didn't forget

This year, as you may remember, my New Year's resolution was to explore some new music. I've not forgotten that pledge. I haven't yet found a group I could see myself following around and flinging knickers at, yet, but I've not given up.

The latest exploration is Robbers on High Street. I'll confess, I'd never heard of them before, until a friend started dating one of the guys in the band. Then, out of pure loyalty, I started listening. I'm thinking I'll make a purchase soon.

I like the sound . . . reminds me of 80s british pop/punk that I listened to in order to annoy the Old Folks. I'll need to download an album or two for my next road trip . . . I seem to catch lyrics better when I'm in my car.

If you listen to the Robbers on High Street station on Pandora, you can hear other groups that are similar . . . and totally fulfills the whole "new music" requirement in my life.

Resolutions, not forgotten

If you recall, this year my new year's resolution was to explore new music. ESK supported this idea in that she gave me iTunes gift cards for my birthday with the instruction that at least one card had to be used for new music.

First, my new group crush was Pink Martini. I liked the song writing, the international flair, and the Cole Porter like naughty/clever lyrics.

Here is my second new music purchase: Raphael Saadiq. I like his 60's innocent sound. When you listen to him, it reminds you of Michael Jackson, before he was creepy.

Click the title for a link to one of his videos.

Attempt Number One

Trying to not let another year of resolutions fall by the wayside, and the residual self loathing (hahahaha . . . you thought I could "self loathe" . . . that's rich) take hold, I listened to some new-to-me music yesterday, thank you Pandora.

I pulled up Pandora and typed in Will.i.am into my stations. And, in true dork fashion (yes, ESK laughed at me) I took notes for you. First, I heard a Rihanna song. This may be the first time I was aware I was listening to her. It was dancy but I had to tell myself to stop thinking too deeply about the cultural/social meaning behind her saying she needed to be rescued rather than being the active agent of her own life. (Double dork, eh?) I heard the song Single Ladies for the first time that wasn't a parody. I heard an Usher song. Again, all pretty dancy stuff. I totally see that I'd know these songs if I were still of the age where hanging out, going dancing, and waiting for my life to start were my main activities in life.

A couple artists I heard that were totally new to me (I'd never even heard of them) included, OneRepublic, Citizen Cope, and David Guetta. The Guetta song was catchy and while not really paying attention to it, I thought I liked it. Then I realized that the subject matter of the song was that he was extolling the attributes of a woman he admired and wanted to do her justice without disrespecting her. He settled on describing her as a "sexy bitch" and his admiration was wholly superficial. Years and years of listening to folk music and war protest music and feminist music has destroyed my ability to just listen and ignore the words. Or, maybe I really am too old.