Welcome to my blog! My name is Abby Sullivan. I'm currently a junior music therapy major. I was born and raised in Spartanburg, and I'm a commuter. I double majored in chemistry and music during my freshman year, but I eventually realized I liked music much more than science! I've been playing the cello for about ten years, but I also enjoy playing the guitar, piano, and singing although I am far less experienced in those areas. When not engaging with music, I like reading fantasy novels, visiting bookshops, petting my dogs, and playing video games. This may come as a surprise (haha), but I also enjoy listening to music. I listen to music when I walk to class, do schoolwork, read books, and sometimes even when I practice. Not to brag, but I listened to music for 109,000 minutes last year (and I don't cheat by turning on Spotify while I sleep)! I'm super-duper excited to talk about music I like, so let us begin :)
1. My current go-to music:
I've been listening to the Wicked Broadway Cast Recording a ton recently! I watched the movie over winter break and thought it was wonderful. I watched the rest of the musical a few days after seeing the movie adaptation with a 100% legal method that did not involve anything nefarious. I'm usually very picky about musicals, but when I get into one, I really get into it. Musicals can be a great storytelling medium because, when done well, they use music to enhance themes and character development. I think Wicked did a great job with this (the "unlimited" motif <3). One of my favorite songs from the musical is "No Good Deed" from the second act. I love Idina Menzel's vocal performance, especially how she sings the name around the 1:54 timestamp. I also like the plot elements of the song, but I don't want to get into spoilers. I'm eagerly awaiting the movie version of this song because Cynthia Erivo's voice is also amazing, and I really liked the giant orchestrations in the first movie.
2. Music that is meaningful to me:
My high school graduation was one of the best days of my life. I spent the whole day with my friends, got free Fuddruckers, and won a toy from a claw machine for the first time. The actual graduation ceremony helped me provide closure for the first eighteen years of my life. That being said, I will always associate "What I Got (Reprise)" by Sublime with that day. It was not the first day I heard the song; I was actually really into Sublime during my senior year. However, I do remember listening to it in the car and talking about my love for the song with my friends. The song is about appreciating the life you have. This message felt more impactful to me after learning the lead singer of Sublime, Bradley Nowell, died shortly before the song was released. Bradley Nowell's embellished singing style sounds very personalized and sincere. I doubt he ever sang any song the same way twice. I've loved this song from the first time I listened to it. Its association with my high school graduation only makes me like it more.
3. Music I don't connect with:
I've never been a huge fan of new-age music. If you haven't heard of the genre, new-age music is sometimes used for relaxation and stress management. It typically combines acoustic and electric instruments, and sometimes it features sounds from nature. If I had to pick one word to describe the genre it would be "ambient." Many new-age works feature synthesized drone notes in the background that I do not enjoy. It makes the music sound artificial and impersonal to me. New-age music often lacks structure and seems to continue on and on without individual phrases. This makes me feel a little tense which I feel defeats the whole purpose of the genre.
4. Bonus Songs:
I have way more songs I would like to share, so here we go!
I recently played in an orchestra performing "Concerto à Brasileira" by Radamés Gnatalli. Musically, it was one of the best concertos I've ever heard. Sometimes with concertos, I feel like composers sacrifice the aesthetic quality of the music in exchange for adding technically difficult "show-offy" passages. This concerto is not guilty of that at all!
Next, I have "more than words" by Hitsujibungaku. This song is the ending song for the second half of Jujutsu Kaisen season two. The lyrics discuss relying on friends to help you through difficult times. I like how the background music seems simple and repetitive but starts changing slightly by becoming more complex as the song progresses. I also love to see a female-led alternative rock group!
Finally, who would I be if I didn't add a Weezer song? This is "Any Friend of Diane's" from the album Pacific Daydream. Many Weezer fans do not like this album because it is "too pop," but I think it's great! I like how this song tells a story. It also has a super catchy chorus and a memorable bridge.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed :)
Hi Abby!! I too had never seen Wicked before until I watched the movie. I was super impressed with the vocals as well. I’m excited to see Wicked part 2. I bet Cynthia will do an amazing job just like Idina. Also, I recommend watching Glee because it has Idina and Kristin (Elphaba and Glinda). Also, I like that you talked about a specific part in the song that you really enjoyed.
I actually have not seen the movie Wicked, but I have seen the Musical on an also totally legal way and not on YouTube. I also enjoy musicals a lot, and I have been obsessed with The Great Gatsby and Warriors. I actually really liked What I Got, it has a very fun beat and I really like the vocals! I had not heard of new-age music before, but yea I don't really like it either. It's definitely great for relaxation but it's not really my type of music. Also I LOVED the song by Hitsujibungaku, I've been looking for new music to listen to so I'll be listening to that band more!
Hi Abby! I loved getting to know more of your music taste. I was wondering where the Weezer was and I saw it at the end. I agree with your stance on new-age music. I think it is a lot like an ambient film score and that just doesn't sit right for some reason. I also really liked the Sublime song and how much it mean to you and that you were willing to share that so thanks!
Hi! I haven't seen Wicked yet but I am familiar with a lot of the music. I've seen a lot of people wearing Sublime shirts but I've never listened to them till today. I would need to listen to some more of their songs but I think I'd like them! I thought about getting tickets to go see Weezer when they were in Greenville but never ended up getting them. I wish I did.
I didn't recognize the Sublime song by the title at first, but I think it's a really good song just mostly because I like how it sounds. I am also not a fan of new-age music, although I never knew what it was called. I really love Weezer, but I have to admit I am not the biggest fan of that album. The song was good, but I feel like many other Weezer albums are superior.
Abby, I really like how you set up your blog! I love Idina Menzel's voice as well, and have lots of memories of listening to the CD of broadway Wicked over and over again in the car. Hopefully, I will see the movie soon, so I can compare them! Interesting about modern electronic ambient music. I do find some of it relaxing, but if it sounds too "artificial," I also feel somewhat unsettled by it. The drones and the seemingly endless "phrases" can be a little difficult to listen and connect to.
I come from a nonmusical family. Unless you count an uncle who played a little guitar as a teenager, the only musician in my family I know of is me! Despite my family's lack of performing musicians, I know some of my family members have strong musical opinions. I live at home with my parents, and my mom doesn't often talk about music. My dad does though, so I decided to interview him! For some background, my dad was born in the 1970s and graduated from Spartanburg High School in the 1990s. I thought it would be interesting to interview him because he often expresses his distaste for "annoying" songs that play during commercials. However, he also sometimes shows my mom and me musicians he likes on YouTube. Without further ado, here is the interview! Abby: Okay. The first question is: Do you play an instrument? Dad: Yes. I do. Abby: You do? What instrument? Dad: The acoustic guitar. Abby: When did you start playing it? Dad: One week ago. (He got it for Christmas) Abby...
This blog was challenging (but fun) to put together because I had to find a lot of new music from cultures I'm not incredibly familiar with! I've only included one music selection I had heard before creating this blog. However, I learned a lot of interesting information about the music and cultures I picked, so I look forward to sharing my findings with you! Because I was already a little familiar with it, I first looked into Celtic music. The Celts have been around Europe since the time of Ancient Rome, but today, the term "Celtic" is usually applied to the traditional culture of Scotland, Ireland, and other areas where Gaelic is still spoken. I found a traditional Celtic love song from the 1500s/1600s called "Eleanór a Rún." The song was written in Gaelic. In this video, the performers incorporate the guitar and harmonium which are not traditional Celtic instruments but are common in modern recreations. My favorite aspect of Celtic music is its use of voc...
Hi Abby!! I too had never seen Wicked before until I watched the movie. I was super impressed with the vocals as well. I’m excited to see Wicked part 2. I bet Cynthia will do an amazing job just like Idina. Also, I recommend watching Glee because it has Idina and Kristin (Elphaba and Glinda). Also, I like that you talked about a specific part in the song that you really enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteI actually have not seen the movie Wicked, but I have seen the Musical on an also totally legal way and not on YouTube. I also enjoy musicals a lot, and I have been obsessed with The Great Gatsby and Warriors. I actually really liked What I Got, it has a very fun beat and I really like the vocals! I had not heard of new-age music before, but yea I don't really like it either. It's definitely great for relaxation but it's not really my type of music. Also I LOVED the song by Hitsujibungaku, I've been looking for new music to listen to so I'll be listening to that band more!
ReplyDeleteHi Abby! I loved getting to know more of your music taste. I was wondering where the Weezer was and I saw it at the end. I agree with your stance on new-age music. I think it is a lot like an ambient film score and that just doesn't sit right for some reason. I also really liked the Sublime song and how much it mean to you and that you were willing to share that so thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi! I haven't seen Wicked yet but I am familiar with a lot of the music. I've seen a lot of people wearing Sublime shirts but I've never listened to them till today. I would need to listen to some more of their songs but I think I'd like them! I thought about getting tickets to go see Weezer when they were in Greenville but never ended up getting them. I wish I did.
ReplyDeleteI didn't recognize the Sublime song by the title at first, but I think it's a really good song just mostly because I like how it sounds. I am also not a fan of new-age music, although I never knew what it was called. I really love Weezer, but I have to admit I am not the biggest fan of that album. The song was good, but I feel like many other Weezer albums are superior.
ReplyDeleteAbby, I really like how you set up your blog! I love Idina Menzel's voice as well, and have lots of memories of listening to the CD of broadway Wicked over and over again in the car. Hopefully, I will see the movie soon, so I can compare them! Interesting about modern electronic ambient music. I do find some of it relaxing, but if it sounds too "artificial," I also feel somewhat unsettled by it. The drones and the seemingly endless "phrases" can be a little difficult to listen and connect to.
ReplyDelete