Musicilove | RAFrenzy

There’s Hope for the Rest of Us

Eminem turned 40 today. Yeah, can you believe it? The angsty rapper (is that a redundant description?), whose cutting edge honesty has enraged and endeared, has officially breached the ranks of the middle-aged. And he just thought he had something to bitch about. Wait ’til he hits 50. Or will he be more mellow in his 40s? I hope he keeps up the anger — at least for entertainment purposes. It makes complaining fashionable for the rest of us, and I find I have some more to wax on about. Nope, not going out with a whimper. :D

By the way, this middle-aged person does like Eminem’s work. Maybe not all of his work, but I don’t like all the work from any artist.

Here are two I especially like and please note there is some foul language:

There are several others that are little gems. Check out more of them in the great write-up by The Detroit News Blog, and some of these are also pretty raw, so enter at your own risk.

The only Richard Armitage connection is that I do wonder what he thinks of artists like this. Can someone like Coldplay, Mahler and Eminem? Yes! I do. But the real question is how many of us are there?

October 17, 2012
Categories: Musicilove . Tags: Bitching, discrimination, Eminem, Growing Older, Rapping . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 1 Comment

Cooling Down

Something to take the edge off after that hefty bout of fangirling Wednesday.

Possibly my favorite jazz pianist:

In this one below, I love how Bill Evans closed his eyes while he was playing. Classic Bill Evans. Check out the bass player Red Mitchell too. It’s the best way to play. Notes are something to be felt, and sometimes embracing the instrument really is almost like falling onto it, yet it cradles you.

Another one:

This is the stuff of my childhood. My dad was a bass player (both bass violin and bass guitar). 40+ years of playing gigs, and it wasn’t uncommon for my mother and me to go with him. I literally spent my youth in places like Village Vanguard. It took growing up to realize most kids are not hanging at jazz joints when they’re ten. These are just some of the things I finally got freed up enough to write about.

Oh heck, one more and with Bill explaining a little of the trio the first couple of minutes or so:

I’m not sure if this post should get the Richard Armitage tag. My CWS must be on the wane, ’cause I don’t have a good sense if this is his thing or not. :D Okay, yeah, he’s cool enough to like it. ;-)

September 7, 2012
Categories: Musicilove . Tags: Bill Evans, Cool stuff, heaven, jazz, music, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 13 Comments

Joy in the Morning

It’s really hard to keep from making most of my posts about music. I never did start that music blog, but I am working on something that will incorporate my passion for it. At present there is quite a massive file of pieces waiting to be published on that site, and I was going to save this as well, but Stephen Fry tweeted about it this morning, and I just can’t help myself:

Another one that gives me joy and thanks to The Queen for turning me on to these guys:

They are the personification of a class act. Is that redundant? Oh heck I don’t care! Be sure to watch this one in full screen, and if you can, try it on a tv. I’ve seen it on a large screen. Epic. I hope you also check out their YouTube channel and site. You will be in for a treat.

Yeah, this one gets the Richard Armitage tag ’cause I would be shocked if he doesn’t love this too. :D

August 25, 2012
Categories: Musicilove . Tags: creativity, epic, joy, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 27 Comments

Finally, Something Good about Internet Explorer

With the recent campaign for IE 9 on YouTube and elsewhere, I found myself continually hitting “skip ad” until my twelve year old said, “Mom, have you heard the Internet Explorer song?” I said, “No, and I don’t really want to.” She said, “Oh, you’re wrong. You’re gonna love it. Listen!”

As it played, I looked at her and she started laughing, “Yeah, it’s good,” and before I could load up Soundhound to find out who it was, she added, “Here’s the whole song!”

A great live version if you’re so inclined.

My first thought on watching that was how much he reminded me of Adele (even down to the style of the video which was reminiscent of “Rolling in the Deep”), and of course how they both sounded like Amy Winehouse. My second thought was why had I never heard of Alex Clare? Then I read this, and it made total sense.

A great Etta James cover:

You can hear all of Alex Clare’s current tracks on his SoundCloud account.

As for IE9, it’s still a no. I checked it out last year, and it was not a good fit for my system running 64-bit. If you’re curious about it, this is a good write-up.

Oh yeah, this gets the Richard Armitage tag. :D

And I put the public service tag on this one because some of you have never heard of Soundhound nor Soundcloud. Both are great resources for music lovers.

May 7, 2012
Categories: Geek, Musicilove . Tags: Adele, Alex Clare, blues, Etta James, Internet Explorer 9, Microsoft, public service, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 4 Comments

Bret Won!

Okay, that title says it all! Bret McKenzie won the Oscar for Best Song! I knew my bet was good. :D

This isn’t the winning song, but I like it anyway ’cause Bret is so loveable:

February 26, 2012
Categories: Movies, Musicilove, Tangents . Tags: Academy Awards, Best Song, Bret McKenzie, Figwit, Oscars, Richard Armitage, The Muppet Movie . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 2 Comments

My Money’s on Bret

If you don’t know Bret McKenzie, hang around a bit. I’ve already talked about him here and here and obviously am doing it again. I have to since he’s nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song!

Some interesting insight into New Zealand and the LOTR franchise, but I initially watched it because Bret’s a piece of work, which in my part of the world, means he’s interesting and funny. Yeah, piece o’ work definitely fits. And he’s a scream too. I mean I usually scream with laughter when I see him. Sadly, I probably would not have paid attention to him if Richard Armitage had not been cast in ‘The Hobbit’. Mostly I’ve gotten to know him as half of the duo known as ‘Flight of the Conchords’. And his partner Jemaine is also a scream. I’ve got a piece written just on him. He demanded it. :D

Some of their work for your viewing pleasure, but a warning to put away any drinks and go to the bathroom first as you may wet your pants laughing, and if you do not ever like anything crude, don’t watch!

Yes, this is a piece on Bret, but I couldn’t help myself. Had to throw in more Jemaine.

For more on them, check out What the Folk.

Oh, I almost forgot the nominated song. This is for those who haven’t seen the movie (I haven’t):

Bret,

If you don’t win, I still love ya, and really, you can mine more out of this if you don’t win. But never mind that I said that. You’re gonna win, baby! :D

Signed,
I’m not telling

February 26, 2012
Categories: Interviews, Movies, Musicilove, Tangents, The Hobbit . Tags: Academy Awards, Bret McKenzie, fake fan letters, humor, Jemaine Clement, New Zealand, Oscars, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 10 Comments

A Confession on Valentine’s

Imagine that.

Isn’t that what Valentine’s is really about?! Of course it is! Every time February 14th rolls around most women I know start spilling their guts, and I must admit I feel the need to do it as well and drafted a post with great detail about my passion for SO, and how it’s survived despite his refusal to participate in Valentine’s Day. But I thought better of it, and sent it to the trash bin. You can thank me now for that bit of wisdom. I also came with a piece about the music I habitually think of on Valentine’s. Yep, I trashed that one too. And just about the time I was saying valetines shmalentines, up popped some inspiration in the form of a Google Alert (God love Google. :D). “An Open Love Letter to Richard Armitage”, and what a letter it is. Made me feel ever so much better about my addiction, and now I can do what has been on my mind for the last hour — go to bed and get a good night’s sleep for the ides of February.

Night all, and I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

And just one sop to my musician gene; can’t think of a more fitting tune for this frenzy:

Okay, a picture too since Harry is Valentine’s:

[As Usual, Click to Englarge]

Screencap courtesy of RichardArmitageNet.Com

February 14, 2012
Categories: Fandom, Musicilove, Vicar of Dibley . Tags: behind the scenes, crazy people, fun, Harry Kennedy, Richard Armitage, Valentine's, yes crazy people have the most fun . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 8 Comments

Maybe It is Your Momma’s Opera

Would that be so bad? If your momma’s part of the Pink Floyd generation or if you are, maybe not.

If you just don’t get opera, that’s okay. It does often take tenacity to study it simply because there aren’t enough opportunities to passively listen to it except occasionally in a movie or a commercial. And most people like it when they hear it that way. As long as no one tells them it’s opera.

The piece above, “Flower Duet Redux,” is an adaptation of the “Flower Duet” from the Opera Lakmé by Leo Delibes. You might recognize it from the British Airways spots.

East Village Opera Company is one of my favorites, and I love how they added a male voice instead of only female voices as in the original. I also love the Queen cum David Gilmour vibe going on about two-thirds in.

Another adapation:

This one is “O Mio Babbino Caro” from the Opera Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini. Once again a male voice is blended with the female instead of keeping with the original soprano aria.

Oh, and it would be cool to attend the event hosted by International Festival of Arts and Ideas.

Yep, this one gets the Richard Armitage tag ’cause if he doesn’t love this, then I’ve completely misread him. LOL!

February 8, 2012
Categories: Musicilove . Tags: creativity, East Village Opera Company, EVOC, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 9 Comments

Hold Up!

I was preparing my next post about Richard Armitage, and I stumbled on this:

You don’t like Katy Perry? So what. This is a better version.

His name is Alejandro Manzano, and he’s a member of the group Boyce Avenue with his two brothers Daniel and Fabian.

They started posting covers on YouTube in 2006, and Alejandro’s voice makes these songs his which is amazing when I consider such artists as Adele are so distinctive:

Be sure to check out their cover of “Someone Like You”.

Maroon 5:

Tiffany’s no slouch herself.

There are so many more covers that sound as good and often better than the originals. Too many to highlight. For more, see their YouTube Channel.

They also have original songs:

And they will be on tour this year. March in the U.S and June in the U.K. Specific dates here (scroll down to see them).

February 3, 2012
Categories: Musicilove . Tags: Alejandro Manzano, awesome covers, Boyce Avenue, covers, Daniel Manzano, Fabian Manzano, Richard Armitage . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 10 Comments

At Last — Etta at Peace

One of my favorite performers died today. Etta James. Her tunes got under my skin when I was in second grade, and they’re still there. Even at that tender age, listening to her made me want to dig down inside myself and pull out whatever was in there and have it pour all over the piano. It was one of her songs that made me want to write music and somehow express all the hope in my seven year old heart, and that was what I loved so much about her tunes. They were hopeful. They were a celebration of what life could be despite the bluesy words and sound, despite Etta’s difficult life.

When I thought of her earlier today, I finally saw her as the kid she must have been when she became a singing sensation and being completely overwhelmed by it. I saw her as a kind of Lindsay Lohan and was sad at the thought of people using her and of her using herself. But she’s at peace now, and all we’ll remember are these: