Pentatonix and the Music They Can Teach us to “Love Again”

We grow closer and closer to the all-important date, October 21 2015. We are supposed to have evolved to the point where our cars fly and run on garbage, “Jaws” has six more sequels, and hand held video games are a baby’s toy. I will be demanding my hover board on that day. We don’t dress much like the people in Back to The Future II, thank goodness, but at least one independent musical group is not afraid to push the edges of style. For all the ways science fiction attempts to predict our future, rarely does it predict the future of music. The independent acappella quintet sensation Pentatonix manages to do just that.

Pentatonix recently debuted their original song “Love Again” on Youtube  three weeks ago, and it already has over 5.5 million views. The costume style of the video goes beyond science fiction—a strange mix of the retro style of Max Hedrum and the futuristic stylings of the citizens of the Capital in the Hunger Games. The vocal group manages to show us a unique style and take us on a journey toward the future of music in a single stroke of artistic genius.

 The champions of season three of the acclaimed NBC show “The Sing Off” have made a name for themselves with incredible covers garnering millions of views and subscriptions. No style of music is beyond their reach. Be it a Sesame Street Classic remix of “Rubber Ducky” and “C is for Cookie”, A haunting rendition of “Say Something” by A Great Big World, or their magical acappella take on Carol of the Bells, Pentatonix has covered it all. They consistently prove they can create any sound and feeling with their voices alone, and never is that more clear than in their song “Love Again.”

They begin the song together, but the song quickly explodes into a blaring electronic track. Except there are no electronics. There are no music producers with fancy sound mixing equipment. There are only voices. Five voices harmonized so well and so in tune with each other’s energy you’ll forget that you’re listening to five different voices rather than just one. Kevin “K.O.” Olusola does more than keep the tempo, coming up with more electronic musical vibes than famed Police Academy actor Michael Winslow could ever hope to imitate. Kirstie Maldonado weaves in a feminine undertone which uplifts the main theme of the song and drives home the confident feeling of the beat. Scott Hoying turns over the lead position to the incredible high male voice range of Mitch Grassi, but the songwriter provides harmony and much needed strength to the chorus. Mitch himself gives the song a genderless quality seldom achieved by today’s music. Last but not least, Avi Kaplan drops a lyrical bass vibe in the song that will motivate men and enchant the ladies.

The members of Pentatonix are veterans of the new surge in Independent music sweeping the industry. They recently signed on with Patreon, a wonderful website where artists of all types can get the support they deserve directly from their fans. In this regard the young quintet has a bright future ahead, as they are adored by their fans and are prime examples of the freedom all artists should have to create without restriction or without what a label tells them will be popular. The original song “Love Again” is a glimpse into the future of music. It is a demonstration of what unbridled creativity can make, along with stellar cinematographers like FifGen films. We may be far away yet from our flying cars and hover boards, but thanks to artists like those in Pentatonix the future of music is now.  

Check out Pentatonix at their official website for details on tours and album information

http://ptxofficial.com/

Check out the new video on youtube here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F80FsZDTgn0#t=11

And support them on Patreon

http://www.patreon.com/pentatonix

Review of Peter Hollen’s “The Parting Glass”

           

Theoretical physicists are fond of debating whether or not time travel is possible, but I already know it is. So does Peter Hollens. Music has the power to transport us to a different time in place, even if we have never been there before. Hollens helps us journey a few hundred years back to the Scottish highlands, or perhaps a crowded pub on the outskirts of Dublin, back before there was even a railway between Blackrock and Kingston. He does so with his song choice.

Peter is one of the most particular artists when it comes to covering a song, but if you are going to put together a folk album like he is, this one is a no brainer. The Parting Glass is a traditional Scottish and Irish folk song that predates Robert Burns and “Auld Lang Syne.” It was first distributed a broadside, or music and lyrics printed on one side of a single, cheap, sheet of music. Early renditions of the song predate even the height of broadside popularity, with the lyrics found in letters as old as 1605. Imagine a time before radio. The only way to hear music was to listen to it live or make it yourself. The Parting Glass is a commoner’s song, not born of nobility of court composer.  Its author is up for debate, but its roots exemplify what I think Peter Hollen’s is all about as a representative of Independent music.

There was no commercial force behind the Parting Glass. It never received a gold, platinum or triple platinum rating, and it never needed a club remix. It never even had a big name behind it. The song quite literally has a life of its own, and Hollens gives it new life again in his own style. The song has been covered by folk legends like Celtic Woman and Wailin’ Jennys. Recently it was also featured at the dramatic conclusion of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag.

Peter returns to the song to its roots with a single acapella voice. The silence surrounding the song’s introduction captures the bittersweet mood of the song perfectly. Peter adds voices (different versions of his own) as the song progresses to its crescendo, and even includes some traditional Scottish Style accompaniment. This accompaniment departs as the song winds down, and the listener is left to contemplate what the song means to them. Perhaps there are friends that need to be reached out to. Perhaps there are loved ones who have gone on from this world. Perhaps it’s time to say goodbye to one of life’s chapters and begin a new one. Whatever the song means to you personally, Peter Hollen’s rendition will give weight to it. Check out his video now on youtube or loudr to travel back in time with “The Parting Glass,” and find yourself immersed in an example of what music is all about.

Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hMdoGet2A8&list=PLFF3F248AC60CF19E

Loudr - http://ldr.fm/zF2mP

Beyond the Veil – A Poet’s Interpretation

Have you ever read a poem, (Or Shakespeare, or something from classic literature, either because you had to for school or because you simply love the arts like me) and you thought to yourself, “Gee that was really pretty, but . . . wait, what?”

This was my first reaction to watching the amazingly stylized cinematic experience for Lindsey Stirlings video for her brand new song, “Beyond the Veil.” Recall my first reaction to her song having heard the music, but not seen her vision:

The violin ballad captivates me immediately. It is simplistic in nature, with a mournful introduction that builds into something of a battle. The nature of this battle is triumphant, but a sense of longing never leaves the song. The violin “cat calls” in this song twice, and at the bridge there is a harsh sawing of the strings much like the devil’s song in “The Devil went down to Georgia.” I look to the title for clues for meaning. A veil hides something from the world. Often it hides the innocence of a bride, but it can also hide the identity of a knight. In the case of this song, whatever lies beyond the veil has a deep longing to get out, to be free. The battle for freedom rages and victory does not seem to come without cost. The motif of the struggling journey is ever present in this piece and louder than ever, and it holds a heroic theme throughout. It’s a song that upholds some primal truth, and it promises to be one of Lindsey’s most popular works.

It took some thought, but the motifs in the video became more clear to me by watching the video and then listening to the song again on its own. It seems I was pretty close in my initial gut reaction to the song itself, but this video adds new insight.

The primal truth is self-acceptance, and comes at the end of the heroic journey. Also present is a new motif of old life versus new life, which can be found in both the chorus and  the way the song reveals a long build up to a triumphant crescendo. I found it easier to break down the various symbols, and let the journey in the video speak for itself.

Symbols

 

Ocean and Waves - The physical Veil, hiding the world Lindsey must journey through to find herself.

White dress – The prominent color of the video, representing hope, innocence, or purity. One Lindsey wears a gold exterior armored corset. (The Lindsey that dives in the water). The dry forest Lindsey wears a forest green shawl, and the Lindsey that remains on the beach or on the cliff is in the white dress alone. It looks damp and somewhat tattered.

New Life Imagery - There is a shot of new life as spores fly from the leaf and Lindsey releases white flower petals. New Life Lindsey dances in twirls or circular motions and wears green. This is the current Lindsey who wrote the song, and can be thought of as the narrator of the story through music.

Old life Imagery  - Ruins, old Gods, Old Forest both underwater and on land. Old life Lindsey dances in linear motions rather than circular, and plays in the storm. Old life Lindsey is ever present in the video because sometimes we all revert and all must continue to struggle. 

Transitional Lindsey – This Lindsey wears gold armor and undergoes the journey.

Storm – beach weather is in constant state of approaching storm, further hiding the calm beneath the waves

Treasure – Lindsey discovers treasure in the ruins of an ancient city in an underwater forest. She opens it, and the treasure floats upward like bubbles, rather than staying heavy like metal. I feel this represents the letting go of needless desires in the old life, but treasure could be interpreted as either new or old life imagery.

Mirror – Reminiscent of the Mirror in Harry Potter, the mirror reflects the true self. Touching the mirror in the video sets the true self free. The mirror sequence represents acceptance of the true self.

Child Lindsey – Represents both Lindsey’s spirituality and connection to God, and her true self. Lindsey spends the entire video searching for and following this true self on a journey. She was not able to simply accept who this child was at the beginning.

Musical Childlike Voice “Hey” – Lindsey’s child/true self calls to her in the song with this voice, masterfully placed into the music.

Awakening – The visual of waking up is not so much as from a dream but in waking up to a better reality. The video starts and ends with a wake up.

Cosmic Beauty – The Nirvana achieved when finally connecting with the true self. The Video starts and ends in the same and reveals the true self was always trying to reveal the cosmic beauty to Lindsey from the first awakening.

Violin – Somewhat self-explanatory but Lindsey’s device for connection to her true self. The one belonging to childlike Lindsey is older and worn looking, and could be viewed as both old life and new life imagery

Make sure you check out the new video at the link, and if you have not already like and subscribe

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyC_4jvPzLiSkJkLIkA7B8g

 

Beyond the veil is also now available on itunes and the entire album for preorder.

http://smarturl.it/ShatterMe