PS22 - True Colors

They're at it again. Cyndi Lauper's best song. While not my favorite arrangement (and it is hard to tell what part are where due to the volume of other harmonies), the kids still do a nice job with it.

This is one of those songs that works so well for things like this too: great, gorgeous pop harmonies with a positive message.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUiPArKFafo&]

It is clear, too, that the kids are close to their teacher. Every time I see a new clip, I always think of my friend Andrew and when they did his song. Cool kids for sure.

-B

On Paying Attention To Television

When I was growing up, there were two shows on television that I knew better than to interrupt: West Wing and Deep Space Nine. Whether it was Aaron Sorkin's dialogue or the fact that you couldn't just rewind it TiVo style, it was a no no to say anything during either of those shows (probably moreso West Wing because of that Aaron Sorkin thing). It was plainly understood. West Wing was on Wednesday nights so the stress level was already high having to get home from church, but my sister and I didn't want any of that stress coming out on us...so interrupting was not even thought of.

I've never come to watch West Wing in its entirety, but I have watched a few episodes and it was extremely clear to me within the first episode or so why this rule was in place: lines are easy to miss. If you miss the lines, you've missed the show.

They are not always humorous lines, although often are, but the dialogue moves so quickly that you have to pay close attention in order to be able to get everything. It's like being stuck in Gilmore Girls hell.

Of late, being a full time Divinity student, I have not had time to watch many shows. My wonderful wife on the other hand, does. We have had discussion after discussion about how in the world she keeps up with work while still watching TV. She has often told me, "You can't just decide to watch a movie and only watch a movie, you have to get other things done at the same time." She is a master at it.

My issue: I don't think my mind works like this. I'm the type of guy who likes to get to the theater at least 30 minutes before a showing, get the snacks, get great seats, and use the restroom at least once before the movie begins. Films are pieces of art; if you got up in the middle of an opera or symphony performance, you'd be lost. The same is true of films.

I have two shows that I go out of my way to watch every week (meaning I don't wait for them to go to Hulu and if I'm not at home the minute they come on, I'm keenly aware): Modern Family and Glee.

Both of these shows are West Wing types (although not always as respectable). These shows incorporate tons of funny and poignant lines that are not responded to by a studio audience and the humor is left to be noticed by the viewer. The writers and editors mercilessly move from line to line and don't hold back.

If you try to read or write during Glee or Modern Family, you will miss Phil Dunphy's Gloria comments and Brittany's random thoughts. And...if you miss those aspects of the show, you've missed a large part of what makes these shows successful and brilliant.

In the age of laptops, iPads, and smartphones, there is too much to distract you from true art.

Perhaps you don't need to be mono tasking when you watch The King Of Queens, but when it comes to a show that relies on curvy stories and quick, funny lines in order to "get it", mono tasking is the only way I see to do it.

I learned that this week with Glee. If you miss the narrative of Glee, you're lost and will probably write it off as a silly show. But if you catch it, your world will be opened up.

-B

The Sad Reality That Is Gwyneth Paltrow's Singing

When this debuted on Glee (or rather, the video debuted on YouTube first) I posted it here and made some sort of snide comment about the questionable amount of auto tune used. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1_B9FCZJMA&]

My basic feeling at the time was that while she is an entertaining actress and for the sake of Glee they had to use some pitch correction, I doubt that she had that much of "pop" control over her voice. Not that "pop" control is really all that much different from any other type of control.

Little things like her performance of the word "driving" in the first line "I see you driving 'round town with the guy I love" just made me think there had to be too much computer work done to the vocals.

I had no idea that this was turning into a career for her.

She was introduced tonight at the Oscars as "Country Music's next sensation" (or something like that) and I assume this has all come from Country Strong's suc-wait, lack of success. [I'll post the video whenever it becomes available]

My theory remains true. What was the thing most missing from the performance? Control. Her voice isn't terrible, and yes she has some slight pitch problems. But, mostly what is missing is her control.

She probably sounds like a decent singer in the shower, but not in a microphone.

While in the shower, given the acoustics of typical bathrooms, little nuances in your voice that might not be as pleasing to the ear are covered up by the resonance supplied by the tile, etc. But, in a microphone (and worse, in a dry mix driven to a TV feed) all those nuances cover up the parts of your voice that are actually decent.

It is as if microphones do THE EXACT OPPOSITE that the bathroom walls do.

Which is why, in today's world, people who are not in mastery of their voice ought not sing into a microphone. Or be recorded. Or perform at the Oscars. Or be described as the next big thing.

Stop making actors...singers. Unless they are good. Gwyneth isn't.

-B

For the record, Bieber has incredible control of his voice for not having much training and being 16.

Forget You

Glee has a reputation for overproducing recordings of their singers. It usually makes the songs more pleasant to listen to and, honestly, adds to the humor of the show a little bit. Glee is in that area of being believable and not at all at the same time. I you can live in that space happily, you'll really enjoy the show. I guess this week Gwyneth Paltrow is guest appearing.

Many celebrities have guest appeared on the show since its beginning and almost all have sung a solo.

Gwyneth Paltrow sings "Forget You" this week.

The song is great. (I mean I can't publish that I think the text is great, because in its original form, it's highly inappropriate) but the song is catchy and funny.

You may disagree, but I think this recording sucks. Its the worst auto-tune I've heard in a long time. I don't even think this is her voice. Doesn't sound like it. It's so computerized that it is hard to believe that their musical directors let it go. Can she even sing?

Judge for yourself.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XyKVetF2kk&]

-B