All posts filed under: Strange Music

Billy Joe Armstrong’s Ordinary World

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When Billy Joe Armstrong made his debut in the leading role for a movie in 2016’s Ordinary World, the film was less then well received. The accompanying soundtrack however, included a poignant song by Armstrong that had many convinced that he could have a second career as a folk singer. Sharing the same title as the film, Ordinary World was also included as the closing track on Greenday’s Revolution Radio. In 2017 they re-recorded the song with Miranda Lambert for the band’s greatest hits album.

JPOLND’s The End

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When Jessica Vaugn realized her new song The End had been featured in a pivotal scene in Netflix’s Bridgerton, she was thrilled. Ironically, although it is featured in a sweeping romance, it’s not a love song. Recorded under her alias JPOLND, the song is actually about a toxic relationship. According to Vaugh, “The ideal is that if I’m going down, so are you… There is something intoxicating about love and lust being doomed.”

Toxic Covers

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When I started hunting around for a good Britney Spears cover to feature this week, I didn’t expect the most covered song on YouTube would be her 2003 hit Toxic. Yet there they were, video after video of the song nominated for Best Dance Recording being reworked in genre’s ranging from heavy metal to vintage torch ballad (some racking up millions of views). Credit songwriter Cathy Dennis for writing something that works in so many different musical styles.

Classical Rock Stars

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The cello playing duo 2cello’s have become rock stars in the classical music world by covering a wide range of popular music, putting on engaging live shows and filming energetic music videos. Here they are performing with actual rock star Stephen Tyler of Aerosmith.

Pisgah Covered Bridge

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I discovered the Pisgah covered bridge during a drive home from Asheboro, NC in 2017. It wound up being the silver lining of an accidental decision to take country roads home instead of the highway. This may have resulted in spending an extra hour in the car, but it was scenic, and when I spotted the sign for the bridge, I had to pull over and investigate. Pisgah covered bridge was built in 1911 to allow horses and carriages to cross the Little River. Eventually surpassed by more modern roadways, the bridge was designated a historical landmark in 1998. It later became the focus of a major preservation project in 2003 when a flood washed the bridge away. Fortunately, it was reconstructed with 90 percent of the original wood rescued from the river. Today the bridge is still accessible from the road and visitor friendly. There are picnic tables, and a short trail that loops from one side of the bridge to the other.

The Sun Ra Awkrestra

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One of the first promts put forward for NaPoWriMo last month was to write a poem inspired by this collaboration between The Sun Ra Awkrestra and animatior Chad Van Gaalen. I wrote this poem after watching, let me know how it inspires you!

Forest Floor

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When Mtv began to drastically reduce the amount of programming dedicated to music in favor of reality shows, it faced a lot of criticism. The network pushed back by claiming that it still featured many emerging artists on those shows, therefore continuing to give new artists screen time and exposure. I was incredible dubious of these claims at first. But over time, Mtv became more and more diligent in listing song information in each show episode, and apps like Shazam make it even easier to identify a song from a small snippet. I can’t say I watch many of Mtv’s reality show offerings these days, but I do watch Catfish, which does feature a lot of good music, like this dreamy song by Ocie Elliot.