If you made an album, what would it sound like?
Funny how something as insignificant as Billy Joel’s “The Longest Time” coming on my Pandora is enough to spark a blog post, but it reminded me of a conversation Drea and I had yesterday, so here goes.
Also, this takes place as I’m inhaling a double cheeseburger and 25ยข Frosty at Wendy’s in Upper Marlboro…
Her question: If you wrote/produced an album, what would it sound like?
I think it’d be fun to make a really avant-garde, genre-eluding album — a mosaic of bluegrass, hip-hop, jazz, and styles from the global East and South, all thrown together. But I feel like that’s almost a cop-out answer. (“My album? It would sound like everything.”)
For the sake of my imaginary album being tied together with at least a dental floss-sized strand of musical cohesion, I think I’d pick the folk genre. As far as artist comparisons, my ideal “feel” would be a Bob Dylan/Billy Joel/Elton John/James Taylor/Derek Webb/Andrew Osenga smorgasbord. Simple but robust melodies, lyrics that tell stories and invite reflection. (This of course postulates that I could write half as good as song as these guys — a ridiculous assumption.)
What about you? If you made an album, what would it sound like?
such a hard question drew haha you know i think about that often! well i’ve already made a couple worship albums so it would either be that or folk as well. pretty much since guitar is the only thing i play right now. folk seems like the right answer, plus i love it
so i’m with you on that one!
OK, confession time–I think Bob Dylan is overrated (I know, I know…I just committed music-blasphemy). I can’t help it!
My album would have a lot of piano (think The Fray, Keane, Jewel, Augustana and Coldplay) and songs would be shorter (2-4 minutes–I think November Rain by GNR and Stairway to Heaven were beautiful but much too long). I love allegoric lyrics and appreciate some harmony, but am not averse to a simple tune with positive lyrics or a simple story (think The Beatles, Jewel, Norah Jones, ).
Ah! You and Tom are the same! I keep trying to get him into Bob Dylan; my efforts have yielded nothing, Tom’s ridicule of my musical tastes notwithstanding.
Oh well, I’m with you on the piano. I’ve always loved Coldplay and have recently gotten into some of Keane’s stuff. Allegoric lyrics – good call!
haha. i like the genre-eluding concept…
…i would want it to be instrumentally busy yet sort of muted like sufjan… witty and eccentric like the decemberists…. with a touch of lauryn’s depth and energy in there somewhere…
Nice. I love me some Sufjan, man. Lauryn’s “Killing Me Softly” might be the best hip-hop cover I’ve ever heard.
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was a great album. Love “Zion” and “Nothing Even Matters.”