Evanescence, a gothic-rock band originating from Little Rock, Arkansas shows that in the deepest, most private recesses of our minds, a sinister beauty elegantly glides among the darkness of our most horrifying nightmares. By drawing upon the intense pain of tragedy and loss in her life, lead singer Amy Lynn Hartzler (formerly known as Amy Lynn Lee) effortlessly creates a shoot of morbid curiosity in the minds of her aficionados that quickly blossoms into a majestic stream of flowing lyrics. For some, the exquisiteness of such grim poetic genius entices and enthralls by generating powerfully moving feelings within. For Hartzler, however, the music she has created presented her with a form of therapeutic solace that has carried her through the years following the loss of her younger sister during her early childhood. Due to the commanding atmosphere she radiates through her spellbinding and siren-like melodies and the emotionally charged force behind her music, I believe that she is, what I consider to be, one of the greatest musicians of the modern day.
In early February of 2003, a suspenseful joyride of adrenaline pumping action was released to theaters in the form of Mark Steven Johnson's Daredevil. Among the songs listed on the movie's soundtrack was none other than Evanescence's single "Bring Me to Life." Until that point in my life, I had never been exposed to anything outside of the country music genre seeing as how it was the music of choice in my childhood abode. However, upon hearing the song for the first time, I was completely enraptured by the otherworldly beauty of the piece.
The music of Evanescence can be generally described as a complex blend of symphonic rock, opera, piano rock, hard rock, and Goth rock with a...
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...lover repeatedly tries to have the speaker take them back, but to no avail. Rather than placing his or herself back in the dangerous situation or resorting to physical confrontation, the speaker looks inward and realizes that they ultimately have control over the situation. During their final meeting, the speaker states that it is over and simply walks away.
Due to the combination of all these elements, I have come to consider Evanescence as my all-time favorite band. The way that Hartzler channels all of her emotions and feelings into her art while bringing together the influences of aggressively different artists truly inspires me on a personal level. Through her music, she shows there is still some glimmer of hope at the edge of it all and that we still have to push forward and find our own personal form of emotional release even when things seem their darkest.
She is willing to sacrifice an understanding lover for something that maybe a one night stand or worse. It is difficult to comprehend her decision, especially because of her extended session of “mulling” (Farley 2).... ... middle of paper ... ...
Philip Auslander’s book “Performing Glam Rock” talks about a type of music that until this class, I have not heard much about. When I think Glam Rock I think of artists like Prince and Kiss, ...
Music is regarded as a method of passing a message. Though some songs do not intend to do that, the message in them is still perceived. The song, “Get up, ...
...he essence of a grief-stricken generation, exhibited an unyielding emphasis on the importance of piercing passion over musical intricacy, and introduced the world to a vast array of gifted musicians who did not deem music as a tool to achieve recognition or financial stability. In turn, the decades that followed the rise of alternative rock have been inundated with so-called musicians whose main goal has been to get their faces plastered on magazine covers and achieve maximum public exposure, rather than devoting themselves to their craft. Consequently, the world has been left with nothing but an endless parade of shocking behavior, skimpy outfits, and mediocre music. Unfortunately, if the current state of affairs is any hint of what the future holds for music audiences, the magic generated by the nineties alternative rock will not be matched in years to come.
Amy Beach was a very famous and influential composer and pianist from New Hampshire, United States. She fought long and hard to get to where she got in her lifetime. Back in the late 1800’s, it was hard for women to get noticed because they believe that their role in society was to stay at home and take care of the family. Amy Beach defeated all the odds of a female gender role in her lifetime. She became a role model for young girls wanting to become a composer or becoming anything they wanted to be, as long as they fought for it. She has made an enormous impact on music in America. The following paper will discuss Beach’s life, her struggles, her musical training, how her music was shaped by the society she lived in and famous compositions
In today’s society, people are taught to conform to the masses in order to fit in; however, it is imperative that one’s individuality is maintained, as it preserves their identity and encourages uniqueness. For example, in the song, “Outside of a Small Circle of Friends”, Phil Ochs discusses the social norm where people are too afraid to stand out, often times, leading them to pay little to no attention to the wellbeing of others. Instead of adhering to their own judgment and moral values, the person in the song continues to abide by the notions of the rest of the group. In addition, in “The Dying Girl that No One Helped”, Loudon Wainright describes the brutal murder of a young 28 year old women, while over 38 of
...-lover is in control, the woman is in a total opposite situation and the conversation has reached its limit and the ex-lover is cued to leave in a subtle but quick manner with a ‘departing smile’.
Music as we know it today is the voice of a generation. It gives us entertainment, and
Music is the most diverse form of art in existence. In modern days, some may view music as merely a bass heavy atmospheric tool for a night of clubbing and mischief, but despite this minority perspective, music is by no means purely background noise. Music is not only a beat, a rhythm, melody, lyrics, and a voice; it can change lives.
means; they eventually end up in the same bed, knowing their love will be spurned by their
For many of us, one of the most accurate and effective ways to express the feelings that really matter to us is through music. We don’t only grow to attached to songs that are catchy, but also those with lyrics that we can relate to. It is not uncommon to feel like sometimes, artists can convey the way we feel better than we could ourselves. The storybook-like lines you read at the start of this page are a collection of lyrics
In Coldplay’s song, “Paradise”, the songwriters use exaggerative language, personification, and rhetorical techniques to tell the story of a little girl’s escape from the harshness and disappointment of reality. The listeners of this song are treated to a beautifully written story about a girl’s maturity through the struggles and disappointment that life has offered to her. Some of the most effective ways that the songwriters explain the plight of the girl are when they attach the listener emotionally with her plight through their use of exaggerated language and personification. Ultimately, the girl copes with her situation and shows signs of maturity; which, enforces the emotional connection that the audience feels with her.
... to pass on, singing “We’ll meet beyond the shore, we’ll kiss just as before.” This showed an acceptance of what was inevitable. After David was discharged from music therapy, he had passed on a week later. This study demonstrates the power of music therapy with association to grief and mourning. The song choices helped to promote a communication between the husband and wife, and the neurologically impaired David was able to sing words that he was unable to express on his own. (Bailey, 1984). The power of music is incredible, and has the ability to say what we are unable to.
The genre of pop rock has taken the music industry by storm, giving record companies enormous amounts of power and endless financial success along with a way to reproduce it. Owing its popularity to the “light” nature and simplistic, yet catchy melodies, pop music is one of the broadest genres. There’s no way of clearly defining parameters as to what distinguishes a pop music song from other genres. This is largely due to the genre's’ reliance on popularity. Pop music has taken many forms over the decades, keeping characteristics through each generation it passes through.
After the show had ended, I felt slightly empty. I had waited years and months for that night, and it was over in the blink of an eye. Although I was sad that the show was over, I felt completely content. Now, when I hear their songs, I get to remember what it felt like to hear the band perform them live. I can watch the videos and try to wrap my mind around how it was real. Going to my first concert was an unparalleled experience that I will always cherish. The ambiance, the band’s performance and the unity the audience