Broaden your musical mind everyday

Music Genre Challenge

I have always been passionate about many different forms of music and I think my taste for new and diverse music stems from the much missed legend that is John Peel. I should have taken out shares in TDK because the hundreds of cassettes I bought, just so I could record his shows. One of the amazing things was his ability to find new music, embrace all genres and remain passionate about what he did right up to his untimely death. I miss hearing him play tracks at the wrong speed. I miss hearing obscure world music followed by techno, followed by skiffle, followed by black metal etc

I recently caught up with an old friend and whilst chatting over large quantities of gin, our conversation turned to John. We discussed our old cassettes and how his show has moulded our music collections and still does to this day.

This has inspired me to create the Music Genre Challenge.

As of tomorrow, I am going to attempt to post a link on this Blog and Twitter to a track from a different music genre every day (unless I am away or forget!). I may not like many of the genres but this wouldn't be a challenge if I did! You may not agree with some of the choices, you may not like them, I may not like them! Feel free to discuss and post your own.

I will be using the list here 

I am doing this in the hope I discover great new music. I hope it broadens my musical horizons and yours. I encourage you to get involved and post your pick on the "mostly" daily genre.

Alternative rock

"Alternative rock (also called alternative music, alt-rock or simply alternative) is a genre of rock music that emerged in the 1980s and became wildly popular in the 1990s. Alternative rock consists of various subgenres that have emerged from the independent music scene since the 1980s, such as grunge, Britpop, gothic rock, indie pop, and indie rock."

The final "alternative"genre in this list. Alternative rock covers an array of music and has spawned many sub genres. In my opinion, there is no music that can specifically define what alt rock is as the numbers of sub genres is huge. I think this quote sums up alt rock nicely "Alternative music is music that hasn't yet achieved a mainstream audience, Alternative isn't new wave any more, it's a disposition of mind. Alternative music is any kind of music that has the potential to reach a wider audience. It also has real strength, real quality, real excitement, and it has to be socially significant, as opposed to Whitney Houston, which is Pablum"

Alt rock in the press is closely linked with bands that have been signed to independent labels and I have picked one that I remember being played on John Peel's show. Enjoy an absolutely stonking tune from My Bloody Valentine.

Alternative metal

"Alternative metal is a genre of heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs; typically, these riffs have a pronounced experimental edge, including unconventional lyrics, odd time signatures, more syncopation than typical metal, unusual technique, a resistance to conventional approaches to heavy music and an incorporation of a wide range of influences outside of the metal music scene."

Here we are with another alterntive genre, but one I am very familiar with. With real metals roots firmly placed with bands like Sabbath, Priest and Maiden, anything outside of that typical metal sound could be classed as alternative. Grunge, Hardcore and Nu Metal were all initially badged as alt metal but became genres in their own right. Many purists would consider it to be metal for people who can't handle anything heavier than Evanescence. I for one like what has come out of the alt metal scene with bands like Faith No More, Primus and Ministry breaking the trad metal mould. It's such a huge genre to choose from but here is a vid from a band whom I consider to have made one of the all time classic alt metal albums. Massive head crushing riffs... Enjoy!

Alternative hip hop

"Alternative hip hop (also known as alternative rap) is a sub-genre of hip hop music. Allmusic defines it as follows: Alternative Rap refers to hip hop groups that refuse to conform to any of the traditional stereotypes of rap, such as gangsta, bass, hardcore, and party rap. Instead, they blur genres - drawing equally from funk and rock, as well as jazz, soul, reggae, and even folk."

Guess what, its that "Alternative" word again. Seems to me as though many of the acts labelled as alternative hip hop are closer to the original genre than many of the popular acts. As with most hip hop and rap, lyrics are key in defining what genre the music is placed in. With alternative hip hop, the lyrics seem to be at polar opposites with more populare genres such as gangtsa rap. Does alternative music in any genre stop being alternative when it becomes popular? De La Soul would have been good a choice but have some Jungle Brothers instead

Shit is fresh

Alternative dance

"Alternative dance or indie dance (also referred to as underground dance in the US) is a musical genre that mixes rock subgenres with electronic dance music. Although largely confined to the British Isles, it has gained American and worldwide exposure through acts such as New Order in the 1980s and The Prodigy in the 1990s."

It's that "Alternative" word again. Anyone remember New Order? Many consider them to be the begining of  the alternative dance genre as they began to cross post-punk with synth-pop. Then came the Stone Roses with their massive crossover hit "Fools Gold" which really fuzzed a number genres together and created a whole new scene. Purely for selfish reasons, I have picked what is considered by many as a true classic and it had to be the 12 inch version. Enjoy seven and half minutes of pure class.

Alternative country

"Alternative country (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, or Americana) is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music. It has been used to describe country music bands and artists that have incorporated influences ranging from roots rock, bluegrass, rockabilly, honky-tonk, alternative rock, folk rock, and particularly punk."

We now enter a phase of genres, all preceded with the word "alternative". Personally, I think the word alternative used in front of a genre is a very lazy way to describe subtle differences in a style. It also smacks of a music industry that has to find new categories for music, or they have need to revive a genre that has become unpopular, so they use the word alternative. When I first heard the alternative music term used, it must have been in the early 90's. Even then it was used to describe a very vague combination of genres that didn't quite fit the usual perception of the main genre.

So, alternative country. Country has has to be one of my least favourite genres so this has been tough and my  mind has not been changed. This video seems to sum up alternative country, if that's possible!

Aleatoric music

"Aleatoric music (also aleatory music or chance music; from the Latin word alea, meaning "dice") is music in which some element of the composition is left to chance, and/or some primary element of a composed work's realization is left to the determination of its performer(s). The term is most often associated with procedures in which the chance element involves a relatively limited number of possibilities."

A truly bizarre genre that doesnt seem to fit the standard of what we all know is music. It has its roots in classical music where dice were used to determine the outcome of the next part. Anyone with any experience of John Cage will have been subjected to Aleatoric music. I've got to be honest and say that 99% of the "music" classed as Aleatoric I have listened to is difficult and challenging. Many people who write and discuss this genre of music have an air of snobbery around them and talk quite a lot of shit. It's a curious genre but this is not music as you know it.

Still, if you like this, then also go here http://ofsoundmind.wordpress.com/tag/aleatoric-music/