(03-14-2019 12:28 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(03-08-2019 11:12 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  I actually did like Smash a lot back in the day. However, I found the lead singer's voice kind of annoying where extended listening sessions were hard to do. I still have my OG tape and a guy at work a long time ago let be brun their full catalog up to that particular year so I have a lot of their back catalog to go back to if I want.

I agree, PTNC. I think it's partially a function of aging, as well. There's a lot of groups/albums in my catalog that I still "like" but have less of a desire to listen all the way through or for several songs in a row. Mostly the harder/louder stuff where there is not as much dynamic range through the songs (many songs start slow/soft and then speed up/get louder, but I'm more interested these days in songs that have more variance in one or more aspects, along with an interesting lyric.

Straight instrumental ability impresses me much less these days than when I was young. Yeah, you can play fast/loud and know where all the notes are, but show me what you can do to arrange a song versus just make a lot of noise (true of Rap, especially these days.) Same with vocal ability. Sure, you can hit two-and-a-half octaves-- show me what you're doing with it more than just sounding like you're practicing a scale exercise.) i think there have always been more interesting artists who explore the art form within the context of their genre and songs versus those who just make a lot of racket. Most of the racket-makers don't seem to hold up well over time. i think that's why I'm more interested in jazz now than I used to be. You can incorporate jazz sensibilities into most musical genres, even if you're not playing straight jazz. I look for that much more nowadays, and enjoy finding it there in older, familiar songs where I might not have noticed it before.

I've noticed something similar in the evolution of my taste in music over time. I still love the classic rock but tend to more subtle songs as I age. A great melody or a significant rearrangement of a familiar tune catches my ear. I too noticed a distinct leaning toward the jazzy side now days and note the jazz in some older songs I did not favor in the past but really like of late. I find newer tunes with a lot of "noise" completely turn me off unless I can make out that great melody in the noise. When that happens, though, it makes for a great tune.