Back when music broadcasts had their heyday – think 50s and 60s – songs were usually constrained by a number of factors. Initially, when recording mediums were less developed, singles would be recorded onto 45rpm vinyl, which only allowed for about three to four minutes of song. Yeah, you could fit more, but that would…

Ever been cut short? Could have been that you started a project too late, and the deadline came smacking you upside the head. Could be that your picnic in the park took a turn for the worse, when increasing winds announced an unwanted storm. Could be that the first guests to your birthday party came…

The other day, we were talking about music that made it big in the US, despite sporting non-English lyrics. I believe what kicked that off was talking about Rammstein and their 1997 song “Du hast”, which managed to make waves around the globe. Additional mentions were La Bamba (1958 or 1987, for the two most…

You know that music genre you say you don’t like? Chances have it, I say, a lot of that is simply based on not being familiar with the sound. That’s why, I have found, musical enjoyment is a process. We start at one point, something that is similar to what we are comfortable with, an…

Owen, I really tried to find something that would relate to Munich, but apart from the philharmonics there or ‘hardcore’ German Schlager, there are just a few nationally known artists like Sportfreunde Stiller and Münchner Freiheit. All of which have their time and place (so do go check them out), but doesn’t really suit my…

Every now and then, we all need a good bit of cathartic energy, I find. Last week, I was talking about how music choice can be driven, in part, by external influences, such as the weather or really anything happening in day-to-day life. But there is also the other route, where we need a pick-me-up…

“You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.” is a quote by Pema Chödrön that I love. I read it some time ago on the daily-tear-off Zen calendar that I have had for the past couple of years. It’s simple, clear, and straight-forward – good one to keep in mind.  This week,…

Hey, it’s Friday again! That means that it’s time for the Weekend, but more on that later.  You know what it also means? New albums are released today (for the most part). And do you know why that is the case? The US Billboard charts are based on tracking the album sales from Friday to…

Ya thought I’d forgotten about you, ey? Well, like the Pet Shop Boys put it: You were always on my mind. So, here we go: Now, I don’t want to be a bummer here, but this whole Easter thing is a bit of a gloomy ordeal, right? Not the chocolate eggs and bunnies, but the…

Sure, we are all familiar with the ocean, but did you know that Emo comes in waves, as well?  Now, I say Emo and you may well be thinking skinny-jeaned kids with eyeliner and hair drooped into their face – some might even still have old photos stored in public Facebook albums matching something akin…