Month: February 2019

Passenger is an English singer, songwriter, and musician in the genre of folk rock. He has a distinct voice and style in his songs that I thoroughly enjoy. A lot of his songs are soothing and sad at the same time, while also being uplifting and optimistic. I find them to be good music to listen to before bed to de-stress and just forget about the world around me in favor of some deep reflection.  

One of his more well-known songs is “Let Her Go.” Though I’ve never been in a relationship this song resonates with me because I do not often stop to realize how many good things I have. When I am feeling down and it’s sunny out. I can enjoy the sunshine. Snow is wonderful but if it is cloudy for too long, I start to wonder where “that fiery ball in the sky (what was it called?)” went. There is never too much sun, but I was always wishing for snow, though now that it snows constantly here, I would rather have the sun and green grass for once. If you look at Passenger’s songs through a certain lens they are depressing, but there is always a positive takeaway. 

My favorite passenger song by far is called Life’s for the Living. I came across this song on Pandora several years ago while I was listening to another artists’ playlist. I was also making a latch hook rug, which is not super relevant, but the yarn kitty was too cute. 

When the song started playing, I knew I recognized the singer, but I was not sure from where; then it clicked, and I remembered “Let Her Go.”  However, this song is on a different level. I love the instrumentals in this song, especially the trumpet. The interlude and buildup to the second verse is my favorite.  It seems as if the instrumental part built up like the singer’s pent-up frustration, and at the climax he just lets it all out, and I can just feel the music moving through me. The lyrics are so descriptive that I can picture what he is singing about in my mind. 

The message of this song is also something I can strongly get behind, and I find motivating; celebrate the lives of others and live your life to the fullest. You can find peace and beauty in your life even if it seems impossible.  

When I am watching a TV show or a movie or playing a video game, I don’t realize in the moment how much a good soundtrack enhances the experience.  However, I enjoy shows and video games so much more when they have great music.

 

Video Games

Nintendo has great composers, and the music is always on point, particularly for Legend of Zelda games. The soundtrack Koji Kondo composed for Ocarina of Time blows me away.  In an area of the game called the Lost Woods, the music is a part of the puzzle: you go through a maze and it gets quieter when you are about to choose the wrong pathway, so you have to listen carefully to make it to the end. In the Lost Woods, the same approximately 1.5 minute long song plays on a loop at all times, but it is so catchy and well suited to the atmosphere  that I don’t mind at all . The Gerudo Valley theme is another one of my favorites in the game. It gives off a great Mediterranean vibe and is  perfect for the desert, full of mysterious energy. I also love how the Princess Zelda theme is  peaceful and melancholy at times, and the Hyrule Field theme perfectly captures the magic of an open space.

 

TV Shows and Movies

Anyone who knows me probably knows I am obsessed with Marvel, particularly with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

 

One of the reasons I love the show so much is its talented composer, Bear McCreary. Unfortunately, an official soundtrack for the show was only released for season one, but several people have made great unofficial soundtracks on YouTube by isolating the music from the background noises.   Whenever certain characters appears on screen, a specific set of notes plays. Daisy’s theme is by far my favorite- it only plays in full once, but is very powerful. I love when songs are rearranged t by using a piano instead of brass or being set in a minor key instead of major. The music is familiar yet unfamiliar, and every variation has a different tone and connotation. I also love the ominous hydra theme; because the same music is woven into episodes throughout the show, even 4-6 music notes can convey so much meaning. I love that just a few notes played in a certain order can get me pumped up or fill me with dread.

 

For many, music themes from Star Wars and Harry Potter are immediately recognizable, and they are one of the first things I associate with those movies. What are some of your favorite music themes from movies or other similar entertainment forms?