Off Topic, Cultural Zeniths in Music

Miscellaneous History
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So I would like to share some views/preferences I have on music I would like others to share theirs as well

Classical Music

this music is in my opinion the zenith of continental European culture and it is very enigmatic to me, in the songs where the composer directly conveys a feeling of morose I can feel the composer reflecting on the despotism, suffering and misery the vast majority of people living around them

even the more cheerful songs are still very enigmatic, it is difficult to describe but it is as though what is coming through in these works is the composer is reflecting on their own brilliance but what makes it enigmatic is that basically the whole reason for their existence is to please the despots, they are in essence court entertainers so I feel they have the humility of the juggler or fool

I do realize they had patrons and had some degree of freedom but in essence there was still a despotic elite at this time

1970s “classic rock”

In my opinion this was the zenith of Ango-American culture however there is a lot of mediocrity and even catchy fad bands that I believe would have waned in popularity if not for the great composers of the industry

just about all music contains to some degree superficial attempt to convey emotions but some music like classical/baroque and some classic rock actually achieve manage to connect on a deeper level, only select classic rock is enigmatic, and it is kind of the opposite of classical music instead of being inspired by despotism/suffering it is inspired by self indulgence where people push their lifestyles to the limit and it becomes morbid and detrimental often substance addiction is a big part of this, because no doubt a lot of these individuals are on the top of the world but deep down they can be quite miserable at times it just becomes too much

so for example Jimmy Page’s heroine addiction made his music enigmatic you see the same sort of thing with a few select works by the Eagles where their cocaine addiction made their music enigmatic

I also like some of the intense atmospheres that psychedelic rock produces but I wouldn’t really say Pink Floyd is enigmatic just very good at creating intense atmospheres

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Hip Hop; prole music. Never had the problems of the poor been so espoused. It is very vulgar and violent, but that is the point. Nobody has any wealth, so your only means of obtaining power is through force. The strongest dominate.

I especially like when you get out of lumpen prole hip hop, and into real working poor/middle class types of music. Corporate Avenger and their market anarcho-primitivism, letting loose their anger at a system in which they have no place. Immortal Technique, with his insanely complex lyrical style putting the horrors of our corporatist system right in your face. Swollen Members, Nas, Dialated Peoples, KMK; these aren’t your average NWA speaking nonsense in an AABB format. Some of it gets very scholarly.

Bone Thugs said it best; “We love the reggae and jazz and rock and roll could be cool alternative too we love the rhythm and blues but I’m a hip hop baby from the heart I’ll never flip flop baby”

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^A lot of people here like Immortal Technique. I’ve been to quite a number of his shows. I grew up on his hip hop, nas, krs one, mos def, etc etc.

There’s a lot of threads on musical taste here. My own is pretty much everything: experimental, ambient, noise, punk, country, hip hop, electronica, old school rock and roll, lots of 50’s, jazz, blues, r&b, I tend to avoid pop music, most metal, gothic, and I don’t really like jam bands or rave.

Most my profile pics are musicians, this one is John Zorn, an avant garde jazz composer. My previous was Jeffrey Lee Pierce, the frontman of the Gun Club, a band which mixes blues, country and punk rock.

The way I see it, all music has different uses, purposes, things to listen to and ways to enjoy. Musical taste is totally subjective.