"There's a time in life for Hoagy Carmichael. There's a time in life for Claude Debussy. There's a time in life for Jerry Lee Lewis. There's a time in life for Destiny's Child. All these things have their moment." ~Elvis Costello
When we last looked in on Josh Ritter he went for for a stripped, folksy sound to put across a love song from an EP inspired by the simplistic early rock and roll sounds of artists such as Buddy Holly and the Everlys.
But on the heels of 2013’s marital breakup album The Beast in its Tracks, it’s an energized Ritter we hear showing a little attitude as he cajoles a female Bible College student to stray from the narrow path carefully laid out for her.
For Duke Ellington, a D note looked like dark blue burlap while a G was light blue satin. When Pharrell Williams listened to Earth, Wind & Fire as a kid, he saw burgundy or baby blue. For Kanye West, pianos are blue, snares are white, and basslines are dark brown and purple. Orange is a big one for Frank Ocean.
All of these artists—along with Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Mary J. Blige, Blood Orange‘s Dev Hynes, and more—have synesthesia, a condition in which a person’s senses are joined. They hear a certain timbre or musical note and see a color, or smell a perfume and hear a sound, or see a word and taste a flavor. According to Carol Steen, the co-founder of the American Synesthesia Association, there are more than 60 permutations of synesthesia, and recent studies have suggested around 4% of us have it in some form. But while it may seem like tons of musicians are trying to associate themselves with synesthesia nowadays—Steen says she’s heard rumors about Beyoncé having it, though “she hasn’t been vetted yet so I don’t know for sure”—the condition wasn’t always seen as an express route to creative genius. (Philosopher John Locke was writing about combined senses as early as the 17th century, though the term “synesthesia” wasn’t coined until the mid-1800s.) Until about 20 years ago, many synesthetes were uncomfortable sharing their curious gifts with the rest of the world…
Warner Music Group has pulled down my video of “Winter Wonderland” citing copyright infringement. Apparently I’m the reason they’re not making money. I wonder if they’ll pull down all the videos of people singing “Happy Birthday”, another song they own. Here’s my parody of “Winter Wonderland”, which, because it’s clearly a parody, does not constitute copyright infringement. Enjoy!
“Warner Wonderland”
When I sing You can’t listen Without Warner’s Permission I’m singing this song But they think it’s wrong Living in a Warner Wonderland
Gone away Is the freedom To sing songs When we need ’em They’re so afraid That they won’t get paid Living in a Warner wonderland
In an office there’s a guy who’s watching Scouring the web for videos Of anyone who might be ripe for squashing By singing songs that everybody knows
Later on They’ll conspire To put my butt in the fire Won’t let me play Unless they get pay Living in a Warner Wonderland
In an office there’s a guy who’s counting And noticing that Warner’s running short Adding up all the debt that’s mounting And looking for someone to take to court
Later on They’ll conspire To put your butt In the fryer Looking to sue They might come for you Living in a Warner Wonderland
One of Neil Young’s most sublime songs was this lush, surreal tune recorded for Buffalo Springfield’s second album. The great but short-lived band was already showing signs of disintegration, and certainly the lyrics of this and Young’s “Broken Arrow” from the same LP can be interpreted as farewell letters to his bandmates.
But despite the discord in the ranks, psychedelia rarely sounded so beautiful.
Formerly half of pop duo Chester French, D.A. Wallach released his solo full-length debut in October 2015 following the singles “Farm” and “Glowing” two years earlier.
His deftness with pop arrangement may bring to mind the classic 70’s pop of such artists as Paul McCartney, Jeff Lynn and Elton John.
