Musings in Search of a Muse

Rather than buy a $5.00 game for my mobile I thought I'd treat myself to some more music. Here are some recent acquisitions from iTunes:

"So What" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue
The melody in the 30-second clip was familiar so I went for it. It's hard to beat the horn prowess of Miles Davis. This is definitely some smooth, cool Jazz.

"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio from Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Another smooth Jazz track, but a bit zippier than "So What" and more than a bit reminiscent of "Linus & Lucy," also by Guaraldi. I really do like fine piano work.

"Here I Am to Worship" by Tim Hughes from Here I Am to Worship
This is a really catchy tune, especially the chorus. Yeah, it's kind of a whinny, clingy worship song, but I still like it. If I find another artist covering it I'd be tempted to replace it. I don't understand why some believe that Christian music needs to be constantly fawning. Joyous, happy music with a beat is good, too.

"Come to Jesus" by Mindy Smith from One Moment More
This is a better example of what I look for in Christian music (or any music, for that matter). Perky, great melody, and wonderful lyrics that I actually want to listen to. Miss Smith has a smoky voice that would be great for Jazz or the Blues, and it fits very nicely in this Rock song. The orchestration is very Country-like. It would probably be a cross-over hit if the publisher promoted it that way.

"O Baterista (Live) by Rush from Rush to Rio
At first, the 30-second clip made me think that this was a different version of "The Rhythm Method (Drum Solo) (Live)" from Show of Hands by Rush. But it is very, very different. This 8:17-long track throws together a mix of styles, including Big Band Swing. It's a great compliment to "Rhythm Method" and handily shows what an experienced Rock band can really do (and get away with) in concert.

"Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot from Mack Daddy
Here's a guilty pleasure. It's misogynistic, crude, and treads the thin line between ethnocentricity and racism. And it's a classic that helps define an era. Hip-Hop and Rap stars seem to focus on the female gluteous maximus rather often, but they aren't the only ones -- remember Queen's "Fat Bottom Girls" by any chance?

"Chick a Boom Boom Boom" by Mocean Worker from Enter the Mowo!
This is what happens when browsing the videos on iTunes: I find one I like and I buy the song. That's probably why they have the videos, I guess. There are quite a few tunes in my library that I bought because I saw the video in iTunes or on TV. Of course, it has to be good music and this certainly fits that description.