A Month Of R&B

Did I mention just how much I really love r&b? It stems from my love of jazz/blues- since music genres precede and influence one another as they develop into different and other sounds. And currently I have been stuck on playing this genre for a while, but I don't mind because it is super great.

But yeah, it was this kind of morning- this song, this mood. I even got struck with inspiration that I had to write down this morning right quick in my mini notebook for fear of losing it. Pretty sweet huh?

I'm going to break it down, it's been a while since I've dedicated an entry to the individual and separate parts that make up an effusive and sensational song. And not to mention, it's pretty on point in relation to my present sentiments. The affair with this song is more important than the break down, which is why I am breaking it down int he first place. This is actually a different version, Leona Lewis has one with just herself, but I like this one better (though I really love her music, it's very sad and strong as well as relatable and familiar with both sound and lyrics- but that's why I like it. She has a certain sound to her, as most good artists do. Most of her music is very compelling to show off her insane vocal range. She works with volume- first soft then she builds up the music until it hits a climax to communicate full intensity and influence. It's the kind of music you can really feel and can embarassingly almost tear up to if you're in the zone lol)- it has more hidden beats if you just listen closely; very closely lovers. The lyrics could use a little work though haha. I mean the lyrics are good but it gets a little redundant at times as if they didn't know what else would work so they just stuck with what they knew was already safe and good- the already preexisting words of course.


It starts out with your typical rnb sound- but with a twist; it has a hint of violin sounds. You know I love my string instruments. (pretty awesome that artists are starting to branch out to/experiment/play with other instruments) And the hitting bass is all too present and ever-present within the entire song and that just makes this song that much more amazing because who doesn't like harm hitting song that they can bump with their entire heart and soul right?
There are so many different sounds going on in this song whether it is in the background or the dominant sound.

Justin Garner actually sounds a bit like Usher (haha Ursher)- and that guy [Ursher] has talent, so anything related or resembling is tight. While this beginning is going on- the violin sounds are playing and then a sort of scintillating sound like crystals shimmering is added to the background very subtlely- thank you synthesizers right? Haha. But wait, while those sounds are going on, there is another added bonus- piano chords- a bit reminiscent of Etta James. I know right? How they manage to put all these different elements together to get it to sound so put-together-well-tastic, so simple yet so complicated but easy to listen to, and not produce something that is just a mess of hard hearing noise is beyond me. If you listen closely, you can actually hear each individual element. (But then again, this is what makes you love a song right? I speak this deeply about every song that gets to me)

But then again, my brain is just the type where I have the capability and ability to separate things that are collectively whole and pinpoint everything while explaining very elaborate. I blame it on my perfectionist/too observant personality- at times a major flaw for me. But I guess you could probably tell. I remember even in a university English class, we got to work with music and choose 2 songs to break down and explain with semiotics. Can you say friggen awesome? I loved doing that- I choose Kanye's Bittersweet and Sublime's Pool Shark. Awesomeeee. Yeah, I don't know how the brain works- but I love this part of myself. I really do. I guess it's from my passionate side where I just can't seem to not see life through some sort of riveting vividry. Oh my god, I'm getting lost in my own thoughts, back to the focus.

So the voices in this song collide (first with solely Justin and then Leona graces the song with her amazing voice- she gets it right every damn time; seriously, girl can sing) with each other at different paces and on different, yet perfectly timed tempo-ed beats. It's almost as if you can just see a whole bunch of strings just falling into one another crashing like ocean waves simultaneously but also randomly; yet it somehow manages to just all work. It's actually kind of beautiful.

And then it gets to my favorite part when it quickens up slightly and all the different sounds come together. Another background beat is added to the mix. It's an electro kind of sound- I've kind of gotten over the electro/synth sounds that everyone is getting so into now- but occasionally when you hear a sick beat, come on, it's pretty sickkkk haha, in a good way.
This happens at about 1:50, when the tempo changes a little- you know the thing that songs do to make things interesting. It does a sort of hip hop record scratching slow down and then it comes back to contrast with a quickened electro beat faster than the previous synthesizer beat. But, not before a literal breath of fresh air- or more so sign/exhale of Leona's voice to bring it back to the essential motivation and direction of the song. But just imagine this part as hearing miniscule laser beams that are penetrating horizontally as if flying through the sky and it's light air ambience. It's not a murky and cloudy sky, but it's sort of a really light feeling- which is pretty cool given that the context of this song is still a sad one.

And then just for a brief moment, another third voice comes into play, it sort of sounds like Rihanna, but I really don't know who it is. But it is an interesting surprise that adds another diverse dynamic to the melody and harmony/accordance of voices. And all the while Leona is still singing and continuously hitting every single high note without ever wavering (haha of course not right, seeing as it's produced to be perfect, but we all have heard songs produced that should have been worked on longer) and having her moment.

And then it ends with the intro of a quick hip hop bass beat as Justin comes back with his voice to add ending closure to the bridge so that everything is completely pulled together. This song seems to cover all the bases as to not leave any inconsistencies or missed underlying factors up in the air.

Yeeah pretty good song right? But then again everyone's tastes are different, so if you don't like it- fuck you, this is my blog so deal haha.
Haha do you think I'm going a little too overboard with this semiotics and analyzation break down crap? Think so? But people break down things like this all the time right? I know it can't be just me who thinks like this. Whatever, this was fun. Hope you enjoyed that as much as I did writing it. Cheers. (;