All posts filed under: Strange Music

The On Ice Perspective

Published by

I have to give my sister credit for sending me this video of figure skater Adam Rippon performing to Beyoncé’s Otherside. What sets it apart from the other figure skating I’ve seen is the “on ice perspective,” filming close to the skater in order to create a more intimate way to experience the routine. Adam Rippon is so captivating here, I didn’t notice until viewing a second time that there are no jumps, only footwork and spins. View this post on Instagram Everything going on in the world right now can feel scary/weird but @beyonce always makes things better. Stay safe everyone 🌎❤️ This was filmed by @oniceperspectives – who always kills it Choreography is from the literally amazing @corderozuckerman 🙆🏼‍♂️🙆🏼‍♂️🙆🏼‍♂️ A post shared by Adam Rippon (@adaripp) on Mar 19, 2020 at 1:08pm PDT

No Body, No Crime

Published by

Taylor Swift may be putting a lot of us to shame with all of her 2020 productivity, but I think she and I may have one thing in common. Judging by the sixth track on her latest album, I think she may have binged as many true crime documentaries as I have.

Winter Song

Published by

Sarah Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson’s subdued duet Winter Song has become a staple for melancholy Christmas episodes on TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, and the Vampire Diaries. For me, it’s references to changing seasons and its quiet arrangement is perfect for listening on the winter solstice tomorrow.

Matthew Borne’s Edward Scissorhands

Published by

I have been a huge fan of Matthew Borne and his ballet company New Adventures since I saw their production of Sleeping Beauty on tour in 2013. His award winning productions usually lean toward the avant-garde, such as a gender swap production of Swan Lake. In Borne’s ballet version of Edward Scissorhands, he keeps Danny Elfman’s original score, and preserves the film’s pinnacle scene where Edward creates snow by scraping an ice sculpture for Kim. I especially love how Edward’s twitchy hand motions are carried over in the choreography.

A Little Wicked

Published by

Most of the new music I discover is Shazamed  off of  TV shows (you have no idea how long my True Detective playlist is.) One of my recent discoveries came during an episode of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix. I fell in love with Valerie Broussard‘s booming voice and the lyric’s to her song A Little Wicked, particularly the line “No one calls you honey, when you’re sitting on a throne.”      

The Backstory for Blackbird

Published by

There seems to be some debate on the inspiration for Paul McCartney’s iconic song Blackbird, but I think it’s better to let him speak for himself. Here is McCartney’s full quote as it appeared in Many Years from Now, by Barry Miles: I had in mind a black woman, rather than a bird. Those were the days of the civil rights movement, which all of us cared passionately about, so this was really a song from me to a black woman, experiencing these problems in the States: “Let me encourage you to keep trying, to keep your faith; there is hope.” As is often the case with my things, a veiling took place, so rather than saying, “Black woman living in Little Rock” and be very specific, she became a bird, became symbolic, so you could apply it to your particular problem.’ Many Years from Now, by Barry Miles

Here Comes the Sun

Published by

Whew, what a week. It felt good to wake up today and exhale a deep breath after such a tumultuous week. This quick video has everything you need to recover, sunny yellow flowers, a smiling golden retriever, and a kalimba, the cutest instrument you’ve never heard of.

Pas de Deux

Published by

For my birthday last year I braved watching Jordan Peele‘s Us in theaters, and it more than lived up to the hype. I laughed, I squirmed, I was on the edge of my seat until the very end. One of the strengths of the movie is the way Peele uses music throughout the film. From familiar songs to the original score by Michael Abels, music added a rich layer to the action on screen. During one climatic scene at the end of the movie, the piece Pas De Deux pairs delicate violin plucks and trills with bass tones and booming guitar riffs to set the tone for a tense fight scene.