The Projects - A Musical

Since the beginning of the semester, I planned to post what songs I hear when I think of others' (and my) mastertape. So, below, you shall find song(s) and rationales. Still searching for some, but these struck me immediately. Enjoy?

Nate B
Behold...the Arctopus - Alcoholocaust

Nate described his project as both apocalyptic and bombastic. I think that describes this band (and this song) to a t.



Perrin
The Dillinger Escape Plan - 43% Burnt / Queens of the Stone Age - Go With the Flow

Perrin's project seems to be a "mini" version of Nate B's, in a way, but instead of a sort of massive change, Perrin deals more with a localized change/recklessness (both in terms of relationships and religion). Originally, I just had DEP here, as it's "reckless" but not in the same bombast vein as B...TA, but visually, the video for "Go With the Flow" seems...appropriate.





Ames
Acceptance - The Letter

Pretty self-explanatory. Especially the chorus. And she disappeared--:/



Todd
King Crimson - Elephant Talk

I was stuck for a while--then I remembered this gem. What better way to explore the inadequacies of language than a song built by stringing alliterative/assonance-itive pseduo-non-sequitors?



Ryann
Dream Theater - About to Crash

A bit of background--this song is a "section" of one song called "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence," which has as its main theme mental illness. I think this song is more about fugue states, but I think it fits a bit into Rian's mastertape (maybe the whole song?) as how people are treated when someone thinks something is "wrong," mentally. "The Test that Stumped Them All" may also be appropriate, although the main figure in that "section" is male and that section deals more with PTSD/performance anxiety.



Liz
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Next

Being an instrumental allows more flexibility than having to filter for words, too--but with her mastertape being about "bridging" the gaps that exist between her city self and country self, I thought this was appropriate. Really a jazz band, but through Fleck's use of the banjo as a lead instrument, there is a sort of tension/dissonance that permeates the playing that wouldn't necessarily if he played guitar. Is it a bit cop-out-ish to say banjo = rural? Maybe, but c'mon--Deliverance.





That's...barely half the class. I'm still looking (listening?). Hopefully I'll finish this before the semester.