Game of Genres Week 3

Last week we saw Classical triumph over Punk Rock with 57% of the votes. As we reach the second half of the quarter-finals, we give you another inter-genre threesome for you to get stuck into. Remember to CAST YOUR VOTES at the bottom to make sure your favourite genre wins!

So in GoG this week we give you: EDM & House, ‘Rock’ Rock and Acoustic.

Who will sit on the Iron Throne this May Week?

EDM & HOUSE  – John Kawalski

Whether you’re revising, trying it without a condom for the first time, or looking to roll face at a festival with your friends, house music can definitely create an environment that’s conducive to all three activities. The often repetitive, minimalistic beat and lack of lyrical content makes this particular style of music easy to have as a backing track to your studies, which is what most readers ought to be doing right now.

Whilst some other genres have been accused of creating a repellent field of pretentiousness, house music is aimed particularly at the party-going group. Although I’m loathed to suggest this genre is ‘on the rise’, artists like Swedish House Mafia, Zed, and Avicii seem to have shifted the public interest toward the electronic end of the musical spectrum, and many popular festivals in Britain and throughout Europe have been making a steady transition toward house music and electronic dance music (EDM).

So, whilst I love listening to Free Bird as I drive down the M1, different times and moods call for different sounds, and next time you find yourself pre-drinking in your room before Cindies you should experiment and see what all of the fuss is about!

Little by Little – Bang the Box

‘ROCK’ ROCK – Casper Pages

Ahhh, Rock. The word is seen more and more rarely these days on its own – there’s always a little something extra in front of it in order to distinguish that type of rock from the rest, whether it be indie rock, punk rock, hard rock or electronic rock, just to name a few, but here we’re going to valiantly attempt to form a concept of ‘mainstream’ rock..

When I think of rock rock today, bands like the Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, Queens of The Stone Age, Mumford and Sons, Arcade Fire or The Black Keys come to mind. Now they haven’t actually got that much in common sound-wise; the thrashing guitars of Josh Homme in QOTSA, floaty synth sounds of Arcade Fire and the bluesy licks that permeate all Black Keys songs, so perhaps there’s a futility in creating a rock rock genre.

Crucially though all these bands inherited the same post-grunge stage of rock at the turn of the 2000s, and used it to evolve their sound in their respective ways. The diverse result shows a willingness to push the boundaries and experiment in order to find new great sounds that have never been created before.

An eclectic yet talented bunch, slightly out of touch with the status quo, but only in order to make discoveries that are ahead of the curve. I must say, I think that reminds of another social group I know…

“Turn Blue” – Black Keys

ACOUSTIC – Lily Radnor

Without sounding like a pretentious arsehole, I really mean it when I say that music is an extension of who we are as humans. We experience as humans through our senses, and consequently what we feel and and can empathise with is determined by the combination of our senses.

Acoustic music carries with it such a rawness that often doesn’t come across with other genres; the special effects and computer derived musical world we now live in has no place within acoustic music. There is a huge effort that has to go into acoustic music that allows the artist to pour more of what they are trying to say into the song.

When you listen to Frank Turner playing songs like Photosynthesis and Peggy Sang The Blues acoustic you hear what his songs mean to him; the strength he puts behind the vocals and strumming action that gives so much more when he unleashes when telling us he won’t grow up. At the other end of the spectrum, the subtlety and intelligence in Laura Marling’s vocals carry so much more in her acoustic performances.

I appreciate it’s not technically a genre, but it’s where music started. To show you really what I mean, have a look at this video of Dave Grohl playing Everlong acoustic for the first time ever on the Howard Stern morning show. I defy anyone who knows the plugged in version to listen to this and not say that this acoustic version captures the entrance to the chorus so much better… “If everything could ever feel this real forever. If anything could ever be this good again” – Damn Right Dave.

Everlong (acoustic) – Dave Grohl

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So there you have it! Make sure to vote below and comment with your suggestions for genres or songs that you feel should have been included here. Peace