Greetings, it is Nicholas once again! Today is Black Friday, and I found that sitting in a line with headphones in for two hours is a prime setting to listen to some tunes. For my familiar selections, I analyzed Hey Jude by the Beatles and Captain Jack by Billy Joel. In Hey Jude, the ringing piano sound gave me a comfortable, familiar feeling that made belting out the lyrics almost natural. This comfortable sound, along with the personal lyrics, makes the song as a whole very approachable. One of the reasons that I enjoy this song so much is because I feel as if it's the old friend that's there to give advice to you in time of need. The Entertainer is a horse of a different color. The energetic, fun music that is featured in The Entertainer gives the listener a happy, fun vibe at first but as Billy unravels the lyrics it becomes apparent that the only reason the music was a facade and was so that the listener would buy his music so Billy could make a living.
    For my unfamiliar selections I listened to Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. In Stairway to Heaven, I found it particularly interesting the contrast of how loud the music was compared to the vocals. Although this contrast is dominant throughout the entirety of the song, the dynamic level rests around piano and has a soft texture to it. The music correlates with the songs message as the listener hears the calm and collected lyrics, the underlying music supports a relaxed mindset. As I listened to this song I felt peaceful with a focus on the firm, yet soothing instrumental arrangement. That's it guys! Thanks for tuning in and make sure to check back in next week!

     Hello followers, Nicholas here. I will be reporting today on the god-like song Bohemian Rhapsody. Behind the angelic vocals of Freddie Mercury, a company of instruments take the listener on a trip to Heaven and back. The dynamics that the instruments express as the story unfold in the song are my favorite facet that Queen put together. The emotions that Freddie conveys through his lyrics are emphasized by the crescendoing instruments. The listener receives complete closure as the song comes to a close through the soft, smooth piano chords ringing out, touching the soul.
     For my unfamiliar selection, I listened to Cristofori's Dream by David Lanz. The part of the music that stood out the most in this piece was the tempo. At the beginning of the song the tempo is slow and gives the song a methodical, and cautious feeling to the listener. However as the song moves through movements the tempo quickens to build tension and emotion in the mind of the listener. I also enjoyed how David masterfully kept the listener engaged in the piece with his musical ability. I enjoyed listening to this piece and plan on exploring David's works further.
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The Nixster

The World "Needs" Music v. 1

My name is Nick Needs. This blog is to be used as a journal of my experiences listening to music for a period of time during my Senior year.