October 13, 2010

Survivalist Tales!

After months of anticipation the new Holy Sons album is out, and I have eagerly commenced the relentless back-to-back listenings that accompanied the arrival of all the previous albums. I'd already become thoroughly addicted to 'Look of Pain!' and 'Slow Days', two songs from the album which were available before its release, but now I have a bunch of new songs to wrap my head around which is wonderful.  I struggle to find any appropriate words to describe how I feel about this music, which whilst frustrating is probably part of its magic; I think if you can pin-point exactly why something is pleasing to you it maybe loses some of its lustre.

One of the reasons I love music so much more than other art forms is precisely because I feel as though the creation of it requires some sort of supernatural power that I simply don't have, so it's a constant source of wonder and excitement for me. Sure, you can break a song down into its more mundane parts like words and melodies and rhythms, and that may help towards understanding why the song is successful...but no matter how great your appreciation of those elements, with truly great music there's always something infinitely more mysterious and alchemical going on under the surface of its creation. Here's hoping the mystery of why I love Holy Sons so much remains a mystery to me forever.


Appropriately titled collage by Emil Amos.


4 comments:

Fiona said...

I feel the same way about music - that it is some kind of magical power that I just can't understand. I played an instrument in high school but I was never able to make up music, just read the sheet music and play such hardcore tunes as "Row Row Row Your Boat". When I listen to my favourite bands I just can't believe all those people came together and actually made that. It does my head in, and is probably the closest I come to any kind of spirituality.

(Though I feel the same way about artists, like you. I can't make things look on paper like they do in my brain. Frankly, it's a wonder how I survive at all when I spend so much of my day in wonderment.)

Amy Duncan said...

haha, but what a lovely place to spend your day! I've always been the same with music, I can pick up instruments fairly easily but draw blanks every time I try to come up with my own tune. the songs just aren't in me! I'm not too bad on the drums...how are you going with yours?

Fiona said...

I need to start ticking the box that prompts me when a reply happens! My drums are a bit neglected. When I am away from home I am always imagining drum beats and banging on my knees on the train, but when I am home I don't play them as much as I should. But I will right now! They are super ace. And you're right, they're probably the easiest instrument to make things up on, which is good because I couldn't read drum sheet music for the life of me.

Erik Johnson said...

Emil has always had a way changing reality with his music. I guess many artists are to shy and or full of them self to be so naked about trying to change there listeners . but Emil does that shedding all the pretence until you are what the f!@$! just happened.

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