Rick Beato's intricate breakdowns of songs, music, and techniques is pretty cool.
Boston's first album (1976) in my opinion is a Top 10 of all time. Still nothing sounds like it, never has since. Boston was its own genre. Summer of '77.
Second album (1978) was good as well. I remember the anticipation of this second Boston album, buying it immediately.
That was pretty much the end of Boston (aside from the single, Amanda), on their third album ten years later in 1986.
Very interesting. This has always been one of my favorites, though I've played it so much I've kind of largely removed it from my usual listening.
Side A of Boston's first 2 albums were all great, though the side B music never rose to that standard. I guess from this guy's breakdown of MTAF, it's apparent that the reason might have been for lack of ability to pour the same amount of effort into the side B songs.
Sadly, it seems Boston is just an alias for Tom Scholz, and though he's made additional albums beyond the first 2, it seems none of them have been able to continue the success. I've wondered if those other original band-mates deserved more credit for the original successes than they ended up getting in court.
I seem to recall Scholz being accused of his perfectionism driving others crazy, and then him filing a lawsuit for defamation over what someone close to Brad said publicly after Brad's death, ascribing some aspect of Scholz's personality to the tragady. That pretty much told me the accusations were true.
Very interesting. This has always been one of my favorites, though I've played it so much I've kind of largely removed it from my usual listening.
Hear ya on that and agree; 'More Than A Feeling' was great; It made me buy that album. But yes, it WAS played to death so much that I also mentally dismissed it. (I chose this particular Rick Beato breakdown of it and song because I knew many of us liked it at the time.)
Side A of Boston's first 2 albums were all great, though the side B music never rose to that standard. I guess from this guy's breakdown of MTAF, it's apparent that the reason might have been for lack of ability to pour the same amount of effort into the side B songs.
Interesting take...
With respect to Boston's debut album, the only song not written by Scholtz was, 'Let Me Take You Home Tonight'. It was the one song I thought was just average. Otherwise I thought the rest of Side B and all of Side A were shockingly excellent.
Now if you're also referring to Side B of the 'Don't Look Back' album, I absolutely agree! So you noticed as well? (Only 'Feeling Satisfied' met the standard of excellence as heard on Side A, and the debut album material.)
Even Tom Scholtz thought his Side B of Don't Look Back was weak. According to him the record company rushed him. That would explain why that efforts wasn't as good as the debut album.
Now if you're also referring to Side B of the 'Don't Look Back' album, I absolutely agree! So you noticed as well? (Only 'Feeling Satisfied' met the standard of excellence as heard on Side A, and the debut album material.)
I'll have to listen to them again, now knowing a bit more of the background of MTAF. My feelings on them certainly won't change but I could better quantify my impression.
I'll have to listen to them again, now knowing a bit more of the background of MTAF. My feelings on them certainly won't change but I could better quantify my impression.
Your feelings or ear or impression could certainly change now that your senses are 40 years older. You focus on different things for some reason (maybe its me.)
I can't tell you how many songs I've taken a different listen to and appreciate far more now then then. (Not to mention the volume of good songs and music that fell between the cracks, never even heard. Wasn't it almost impossible to hear everything back in the late 60s, 70s-80s?)
For 41 years, I'd dismissed Boston's 'Feelin Satisfied' (second album, Side B track)...until I heard a cover band do it and heard the rest of song beyond the first over-used opening riffs. Love it. Took 41 years to appreciate it.
I can't tell you how many songs I've taken a different listen to and appreciate far more now then then. (Not to mention the volume of good songs and music that fell between the cracks, never even heard. Wasn't it almost impossible to hear everything back in the late 60s, 70s-80s?)
No, one thing I've noticed about myself is that my opinion of a particular song never changes. Songs I liked and disliked as a teen I still like and dislike today. I like to think it speaks well about my musical maturity as a teen.
I'm a big fan now of epic music which didn't exist back then, except perhaps as a foreshadowing in the music of Mason William's "Classical Gas", or Ennio Morricone's famous tune from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
If you want a real ride, check this out. Two Steps from Hell. I've mentioned Thomas Bergerson to you before. Here's "Victory". Just know that if it's the first time you've heard it and you don't have your stereo totally cranked, it's a crime against humanity. Just so you know.
I'm a big fan now of epic music which didn't exist back then, except perhaps as a foreshadowing in the music of Mason William's "Classical Gas", or Ennio Morricone's famous tune from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
See? Your ear IS changing! (Or maybe how you process music. It's happened to me as well. Normal stuff.
The 'Victory' epic music is strongly reminiscent of 'The Good, Bad and Ugly'. Love that stuff.
Just know that if it's the first time you've heard it and you don't have your stereo totally cranked, it's a crime against humanity. Just so you know.
See? Your ear IS changing! (Or maybe how you process music. It's happened to me as well. Normal stuff.
No, not me. It's the music has come of age. I said "now" because epic music as a genre didn't exist before 5-6 years ago. It might be something that is largely enabled by the digital age as it allows a single artist to not just compose it but to create it as well.
It does resemble classical music which of course goes back centuries, and which I'm no real fan of, but which works for me much better. Maybe because percussion can be emphasized much better in a digital. But I don't know.
It does resemble classical music which of course goes back centuries, and which I'm no real fan of, but which works for me much better. Maybe because percussion can be emphasized much better in a digital.
I wasn't quite sure exactly what you meant by the term - seems so broad, so I listened to some Epic music on YouTube, sounds like film soundtracks to me.
Seems sorta trance-inducing.
You can hear the classical influences and elements, but it sounds like something no real orchestra could do.
Would you say that Epic music takes classical music theory and uses digital techniques to make it more pompous and modern?
I don't mean pompous in a bad way - more like majestic or monumental.
I wasn't quite sure exactly what you meant by the term - seems so broad, so I listened to some Epic music on YouTube, sounds like film soundtracks to me.
Seems sorta trance-inducing.
Interesting impression.
The neo "Epic" genre Ping enjoys does seem to induce a trance-like state of consciousness, one of elevated or heightened sense of anticipation or even inspiration. Yes...used more and more for film/movie soundtracks, seemingly replacing dialogue.
You can hear the classical influences and elements, but it sounds like something no real orchestra could do.
Would you say that Epic music takes classical music theory and uses digital techniques to make it more pompous and modern?
I don't mean pompous in a bad way - more like majestic or monumental.
I get your drift; Good description (majestic or monumental). Absolutely a derivative of Classical. Ping did mention the feature that seems to elevate or define "Epic": Digital percussion. ("Divine" echos as though from Heaven?)
Remember Simon and Garfunkle's 'The Boxer'? Remember its own "Epic" percussion part that made the song memorable? ("Lie-lie-lie *BOOOOM!!*)
Here is an interesting short explanation on just how they created that "Epic" echoed drum part in the song (Hal Blaine, 'Wrecking Crew'). Very clever and creative:
The neo "Epic" genre Ping enjoys does seem to induce a trance-like state of consciousness, one of elevated or heightened sense of anticipation or even inspiration. Yes...used more and more for film/movie soundtracks, seemingly replacing dialogue.
Comments on epic vids on YT commonly refer to it being study music or appropriate for writing books and such.
