Imagining Dragons (Not Unicorns. Not Fairies. Dragons).

It's time for SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD, the (really brand new) song posts that will now happen every Monday. Maybe.

Song stuck in my head today... Lots of Imagine Dragons. Nothing in particular.

Genre: Alt. Rock/Acoustic/Rock Pop (also what I call Dyna-Pop).

Why It's Stuck in My Head: So I'm the anti-hipster. Sorta. Instead of trying to get into "cool" stuff before they are popular, I'm lazy and take forever to be a fan of something even after it has already been established as "legit". In this case, it's Imagine Dragons.

Why. It. ROCKS: Shiny and new to the alt. rock/pop scene, Imagine Dragons may not breathe fire but they have one unique ability. With a snap of their fingers, ID can go from folksy, acoustic guitar-playing and hand-clapping sentimentals (see It's Time) to more techno-esque dramatic rockers ala 30 Seconds to Mars or Muse (see Lost Cause). One good example of this is the song "Radioactive", which begins with that smoothness of a coffee shop jam before it starts droppin' the beat. (And yes. I said "droppin'").



Fun Fact: Commercials love Imagine Dragons. In fact, there's a high chance you've already heard them. They've been in commercials for Windows 8, Assassin's Creed, movie and TV show previews, car and furniture commercials.

Later.

JAMS! (For Dyna-Pop Songs)

Quick Update: J for Jams! And before you ask, yes, another day-late post...I'm working on it!

Song Stuck In My Head: "Potential Break-Up Song" by Aly & AJ. One of my FB friends was listening to it...it happens...

Dynamic Pop/Rock. Last week we glossed over a basic definition of this new type of glamour/prog rock in SSF's new music genre series. It's the dance-heavy, even techno-heavy, Indie Pop music that combines rock influences with the dance floor. Now let’s get some worthy examples out there.



30 Seconds to Mars’ “Closer to the Edge”. While the band always had dramatic vocals over an authentic rock sound, this song took that concept and ran with it. It’s arena rock, sure, yet it manages to ring of techno and synth.

My Chemical Romance’s “Sing”. As a song that didn’t take off for a while, it sure left an impact on pop radio. The haunting electronic noises of bass and synthesizer leads right into a soft rock yet intense chant to “sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls… sing it for the world.”

Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know” ft. Kimbra. Ah, had to have a love song in there somewhere, didn’t we? This song is actually all over the place right now, so it couldn’t be more topical. Its blotchy orchestration and pained vocals (a duet, of course) give it a prickly taste. A sweetened sadness turned inside out on itself.

(BTW, did anybody see the ah-mazing cover of this song on Glee? Or my favorite American Idol contestant Phillip Phillips and other contender Elise last night? Wowser. Good thing Fox really like this song....)





Panic! At the Disco's "Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)". It's a quick, lofty and actually really happy tune that's already made it onto commercials. But you'll be singing along to Brendan Urie by the end of the song. Trust me.

Foster the People’s “Don’t Stop”. The trio’s most successful follow-up to “Pumped Up Kicks” so far is even more happy-go-lucky. In post-B52’s style, there’s whistling, baby noises, and a beat perfect for any rave or dull Saturday night. Yet, the song still jumps back and forth between “pop” and “rock”.

White Rabbits' "Temporary". Usually this band turns out some pretty memorable indie/alt rock. But this dance-heavy song isn't too shabby either (and has an awesome bass line, if I do say).

Owl City's "Fireflies". Definitely the Dyna-Pop song to raise the curve. Owl City's cult-like popularity came a lot from the success of this computerized, lullaby-like anthem. While hisn't exactly dramatic, its electropop vibe did bring a lot to the table that...well, wasn't already there.



Coldplay's "Every Tear a Waterfall" and "Paradise". Both of everyone's favorite mellow band has been very "dynamic" as of late. The synth in each song, the techno edges, and bouncy rhythym keep Coldplay both fresh and relevant.

Fun.'s "We Are Young". While this hit might not be heavy rock or totally techno, it still has a light and airy feel to it. And as said before, it has been compared to an anthem many times.

Deftone's "Change (In the House of Flies)" could be considered one of the very first Dynamic Pop/Rock songs. Though Deftones happens to be a heavier, almost metal band, their detached, hauntingly airy hit song clearly had some influences on the songs we hear today.

Filter's "Take a Picture". Another one of the originals. This late 90's light rock hit has the a lot of similarities to modern Dyna-Pop songs. A milky voice that rises up and down; a pretty guitar beat; and a mellow yet anthem-esque energy. And the music video is beautiful.



Linkin Park's "Waiting for the End". Some might argue that Linkin Park have gotten soft or even *gasp* mainstream. But Linkin Park are doing what they do best: taking a generic concept and making it unique and their own. There had already been rap/rock, but "In The End" redefined it for pop radio. Angry-at-Mom-and-Dad rock songs peaked with "Numb". Even soundtrack songs became cool again, with their Transformers tunes. "Waiting for the End"'s charm comes from Linkin Park's own, emotionally charged approach to this brand of techno-rock music.

That's all for today. You have any of your own suggestions to add to the list?

DYNA-POP! (And Rock)

Quick Update: Doing good - fourth blogging day, "D" day.

Song Stuck In My Head: "Psychotic Reaction" by Count Five. Cool retro, punk song.



Ah, another new feature guys! This one’s going to be a fun, four-part deal. Every week, we’ll be exploring the emergence of brand new genres out there. Ones that don’t even have names yet! One week defining it, one week celebrating its greatest, and so on. Whether you’re already a fan of the music or curious about it, here’s the place….



And the lucky genre we’ll be investigating first: DYNAMIC POP/ROCK (Dyna-Pop/Rock for shot). And why do I choose that word? Oh, I’ll tell you why…. (and no, not just because it starts with "D").

dy•nam•ic [dī námmik]
adj
1. vigorous and purposeful: full of energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of purpose and able both to get things going and to get things done
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Cool definition, right?

We’ve been hearing a lot of calm yet exultant-sounding rock on the pop radio as of late. Before, mainstream rock was basically a vocal-focused approach with more production and less instruments. Nickelback, Shinedown, Puddle of Mudd, and Hoobastank might all have grittier rock songs, but it was when they toned it down they shared a chart with pop stars.




For every few club bopper and pop ballads we have, there’s one token mainstream rock song. That’s just how it works. Heck, even my favorite group Sick Puppies, post-grunge Australian darlings, had a little Top 40 moment with their song “Maybe”.

It seems like a new type of mainstream has been taking over charts though - vibrant, techno-edged pop songs that still get a spot among modern rockers. They’re soothing but dark. Mixed heavily but still raw-sounding. Foster the People got people’s attention, and now the trend already led to the first “rock” song to make it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Fun.’s We Are Young.




There’s certainly something appealing about this new music. It doesn’t try too hard - no in-your-face, wannabe punk antics or fancy but unoriginal solos. It also comes off as just…relaxing. The way elevator or waiting room music should be. Quiet and dimmed down instruments with just the right amount of computer noise, and unique snippets of the guitar, base, drums, and piano. Even though a lot of the songs have the energy of anthems (Entertainment Weekly even compared Fun.’s song to Queen), they keep the rhythm low and simple.

Of course, the other undeniable appeal of Dynamic Pop/Rock is its murky core. Obviously Foster the People are another good example here. “Pumped Up Kicks” definitely got onto a lot of rock and pop lover’s playlists thanks to its catchiness alone. Then all those listeners read the lyrics: a song about a kid with a gun and an agenda. The mindset of a high school shooter.

“But that’s not right!” cried some more naïve music fans. “It sounds so happy!”

And there one has the complexity of Dyna-Pop/Rock. My Chemical Romance’s dance-friendly rock album, Danger Days, hints strongly at topics like nuclear war, apocalypse, and government corruption. (Kid’s band….?) have a music video of a baby who sees monsters. It’s all very confounding. But then oh-so-addicting.






What songs are you thinking of right now? Are any your favorites? And tune in this time next week for a list of the Top Dynamic Pop/Rock out there.