REFLECTION & REASON

Good music is good music, and while nu metal/rap rock isn't my first choice in musical genres, I can definitely appreciate the unique sounds of Linkin Park that I've admittedly been rocking to since about 2000. On February 8, 2011 I will be attending my first 'rock' concert when I see them live at the Air Canada Centre, in support of their new album, A Thousand Suns . You can hear the growth in this album, co-produced by the legendary Rick Rubin and band member Mike Shinoda. The sound is bigger, the instruments are more ominous, the lyrics are more vulnerable at times, but overall it's still classic Linkin Park sounds with elements of Coldplay or U2-esque bravado. While the heavy hip hop drums and intermittent turntables/scratching used to be prominent in their songs, I could feel that this album was striving to create a new mood. An experimental sound. The synthesizers and electronic inserts are there strongly...but so is the essence of Linkin Park that I have grow...

What happened to the art of the slow dance? The anticipation/end-of-the-night club build up? The mix tapes/CDs gifted to significant others? The goosebumps on your arms when the bass in your favourite slow jam dropped? And I'm not talking about bubbling in a back corner against a wall to some Beres, or solo-two-stepping to Rihanna...I'm specifically referring to the collection of songs that made it near impossible to not want to have an intimate connection with someone. What happened to the SLOW JAM ? Luther. Keith. R Kelly. Brian. Aaron. Maxwell. Babyface. Dru. Jon. Marvin. Anita. Otis. Curtis. Sade . Just the sound of any of those single names makes you want to raise that hand and....shiver! Because their songs were that sweet. Always. All it took was one bar of an intro, and the vibe would hit. I was born in the late 70s, and really grew to appreciate this music in the late 80s/early 90s. I can't say I've been very impressed since then. I've heard a few great ba...

Every artist needs inspiration. As a writer, I depend on music for my inspiration. And 22 months after beginning my latest book , I finally found the inspiration to complete the story through listening to Kanye West's new album " My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ." Released on November 22, 2010, Kanye ' 5 th studio album gave me a feeling...I was able to translate into words. It communicated a mood...that motivated me to lock into my laptop and complete the journey of my character. It reminded me...that at its purest form, music embodies so much power. Kanye is just a man...a little dramatic, a little delusional, definitely brilliant, and a little complicated, I'm sure. This is evident. But I'm not really concerned about his life, personality traits (or lack thereof), or wondering who his next chick will be now that him and Amber Rose split. Kanye is just a man..."but" he is a man capable of producing beautiful things. And yes, that is kinda pow...