Listening journal week 2

Familiar music: Bumper Cars by Alex and Sierra (4:09) and Marilyn Monroe by Nicki Minaj. Marilyn Monroe is by far my favorite song by Nicki Minaj. It is about embracing your true self and is empowering for people who are self-criticizing  because it tells them it's okay not to be perfect. This song has a middle tempo it isn't fast but its not slow either. The song deals with a serous topic and does so in a very upbeat way. I have always had a fascination with Marilyn Monroe and this song incorporates many of her quotes and I really enjoy that about it. For Bumper Cars the song is about a relationship that is falling apart and they are comparing themselves to bumper cars saying whenever they try to get close to each other they crash apart. This song is one of my favorite songs, it is a duet between a male and a female they create an amazing harmony. Overall the song has a slow tempo the refrain does pick up tempo a little but then it goes back to a slower pace. Unfamiliar: Powderfinger by Neil Young (5:47) and Flowers of Guatemala by R.E.M (3:54). Powderfinger was unlike anything I've ever listened  it was recommended to me by my dad and I surprisingly liked it. It's about a guy trying to protect his family but in the end gets shot. It has a very electrical feel to it with a strong electric guitar part featured in a few solos. Some of the lyrics are gruesome (especially when he gets shot) but all of them paint a very clear picture about what's going on which I enjoyed. For Flowers of Guatemala it has an eerie feel to it there a male voice in the background doing echos of what the singer is saying and also ooh and ahh type things. The line "the flowers cover everything is really emphasized it is repeated quite a few times throughout the song. Overall I felt neutral towards this song I didn't think it was horrible but it wouldn't be one I would listen to unless I had to.

Listening Journal Week 1

Familiar music: Clean by Taylor Swift (4:31) 

This song is one of my favorite by Swift I feel like it is a strong and empowering song. I like the fact that the lyrics can fit to a lot of people life situations. That said the lyrics don't mean any specific thing it is just talking about a struggle which I like how it leaves the listener to put their own interpretation on the song. This song is one of swifts more serious pieces but she  still manages to keep a lighter rhythm to it. 

Unfamiliar music: Iris (hold me close) U2 (5:19) At the beginning it has a very creepy feel to it. The males voice is low and in a whisper which I did not like. The refrain picks up the pace which I liked it made the song easier to listen to. Then it went back to the tempo and sound of the beginning. Overall I felt the song dragged on and was dark and I did not like it.