Radiohead made my day today. They have re-emerged after a long hiatus, with the release of "Burn the Witch." Now. Just so we are clear... I am no 'fan girl' (whatever that means!) I love Radiohead's music, but then, I like an awful lot of music across many, many genres. But listening to Radiohead's most recent release and watching the delightfully disturbing video, got me to thinking about musical tastes in general...
One of the traits acknowledged among Aspies is a reluctance or inability to differentiate in some matters. This can sometimes be problematic: Confusion about how different people should be spoken to in different circumstances, or whether a subject is appropriate for casual conversation. But it also means that Aspies are less likely to be racist, sexist, or any of those other 'ists'. It makes no sense to us to treat someone differently because of the skin colour, fashion sense or looks, and neither does it make sense to avoid genres of music because of their political, historical or cultural basis. Music is music, and there is merit in all of it. It is the crowning glory of our achievements as a species (I believe) and a skill that no other species can claim.
It would never occur to me to say "No, I won't listen to it because I don't like Rap" or "Classical music is boring!" (I nearly choked on that one!) Music, like all things created by man, can be categorized meaningfully by quality alone. The skills of composers, bands and musicians and the quality of their music, ranges from 'badly conceived and performed noise' to 'beautiful and transcendent artistry'. I have listened to all sorts of genres and found good and bad in all (If you want to see how many there are now, have a look at this site: http://everynoise.com/engenremap.html )
Some genres are associated with quality music... (Sacred music, for instance - composed and held up to the ultimate standard, so quality is almost assured!) There are also composers, artists and bands that were/are skillful enough and inspired enough, to continually produce interesting, musically challenging, amazing original music throughout their professional lives. David Bowie comes to mind. His drive to push the limits of his writing, his enthusiasm for collaboration with other musicians, his range of subject matter and his awareness of culture and society all combined to provide immensely enjoyable, imaginative music across the decades of his career... Led Zeppelin changed the face of rock music and produced a series of iconic albums.... Aretha Franklin broke through numerous barriers to bring her amazing voice to the public and her passion is apparent in everything she produces, even now, at 74... Antonio Vivaldi left us a wealth of melodic and intricate compositions that are as fresh today as when they were written in the 1700s...
So why Radiohead? Well, there are few bands that tick as many of my preference boxes as does Radiohead. Each new album is different in subject, theme, style and musicality, but remains quintessentially Radiohead. Their musicianship is superb and expert enough to carry their increasingly complex ideas... The production is sensitive and the enjoyment; slow release: I often have to listen 5-10 times, and maybe look a few things up, before really appreciating each track... I love a puzzle, and Radiohead's tracks are often harbouring political or social comment . For example the album, Hail to the Thief, appears to include much comment about the disputed election results in the US that allowed George W Bush a second term. And this new song's sentiments seem to reflect the UK political posturing and paranoia around immigration and the European Union... the "Trumpton" style video must ring a few bells...? As an Aspie, I want my powers of appreciation stretched. I want to be challenged, but also rewarded for my efforts, and Radiohead has always delivered.
Even if you think you don't like Radiohead (not everyone does!) their latest 'offering' (watch the video, get the joke!) is well worth a look - especially for those of us who are knocking on 50 and feeling nostalgic...
One of the traits acknowledged among Aspies is a reluctance or inability to differentiate in some matters. This can sometimes be problematic: Confusion about how different people should be spoken to in different circumstances, or whether a subject is appropriate for casual conversation. But it also means that Aspies are less likely to be racist, sexist, or any of those other 'ists'. It makes no sense to us to treat someone differently because of the skin colour, fashion sense or looks, and neither does it make sense to avoid genres of music because of their political, historical or cultural basis. Music is music, and there is merit in all of it. It is the crowning glory of our achievements as a species (I believe) and a skill that no other species can claim.
It would never occur to me to say "No, I won't listen to it because I don't like Rap" or "Classical music is boring!" (I nearly choked on that one!) Music, like all things created by man, can be categorized meaningfully by quality alone. The skills of composers, bands and musicians and the quality of their music, ranges from 'badly conceived and performed noise' to 'beautiful and transcendent artistry'. I have listened to all sorts of genres and found good and bad in all (If you want to see how many there are now, have a look at this site: http://everynoise.com/engenremap.html )
Some genres are associated with quality music... (Sacred music, for instance - composed and held up to the ultimate standard, so quality is almost assured!) There are also composers, artists and bands that were/are skillful enough and inspired enough, to continually produce interesting, musically challenging, amazing original music throughout their professional lives. David Bowie comes to mind. His drive to push the limits of his writing, his enthusiasm for collaboration with other musicians, his range of subject matter and his awareness of culture and society all combined to provide immensely enjoyable, imaginative music across the decades of his career... Led Zeppelin changed the face of rock music and produced a series of iconic albums.... Aretha Franklin broke through numerous barriers to bring her amazing voice to the public and her passion is apparent in everything she produces, even now, at 74... Antonio Vivaldi left us a wealth of melodic and intricate compositions that are as fresh today as when they were written in the 1700s...
So why Radiohead? Well, there are few bands that tick as many of my preference boxes as does Radiohead. Each new album is different in subject, theme, style and musicality, but remains quintessentially Radiohead. Their musicianship is superb and expert enough to carry their increasingly complex ideas... The production is sensitive and the enjoyment; slow release: I often have to listen 5-10 times, and maybe look a few things up, before really appreciating each track... I love a puzzle, and Radiohead's tracks are often harbouring political or social comment . For example the album, Hail to the Thief, appears to include much comment about the disputed election results in the US that allowed George W Bush a second term. And this new song's sentiments seem to reflect the UK political posturing and paranoia around immigration and the European Union... the "Trumpton" style video must ring a few bells...? As an Aspie, I want my powers of appreciation stretched. I want to be challenged, but also rewarded for my efforts, and Radiohead has always delivered.
Even if you think you don't like Radiohead (not everyone does!) their latest 'offering' (watch the video, get the joke!) is well worth a look - especially for those of us who are knocking on 50 and feeling nostalgic...
