Music is universal.
It is a part of our lives, woven into all of the details of the world around us. Anywhere one might go, it can be heard all around. Whether traveling through town on a stuffy, crowded public bus, patiently waiting for the elevator to reach the right floor, driving with the radio on, or even just watching a movie, chances are you will hear some form of music.
Now, whether or not that music is considered to be good is entirely dependent upon the individual. Every person has their likes and dislikes. And there are many different genres of music. Some of the more popular ones include rap, rock, hip hop, pop, country, etc.
This blog, AltYak, will explore the inner workings of the alternative music industry through a multitude of different lenses.
- Artist spotlights
- Reviews
- News
- Playlists
- Artistic interpretations
There are many ways that YOU can discover new tunes and learn more about the universal world of alternative music.
Artist Spotlights
Behind every song is an artist. And behind every artist is a creative mind paired with a lifetime of experience to bring you the final product.
The inspiration to go into the alternative music industry can come in a variety of manners. Bands are formed, chords are strummed, and suddenly something magical is happening.
For the legendary Las Vegas rockers The Killers, it started with a newspaper ad. The founding members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers went to high school together. Alex Turner and Jamie Cook of the Arctic Monkeys received guitars for Christmas in 2001 and starting playing shows together two years later. From humble beginnings, legends were created.
This blog will view the lives of the artists behind the art, examining how they got to where they are in their career and sharing highlights in their music.
Reviews
"Everyone's a critic," goes the saying. Well, in the case of AltYak, that's true.
New or old album releases, singles, records, and certainly live show performances all have their fair share of ups and downs. The flaws are sometimes masked behind a curtain of bam and glam, and sometimes it's the other way around.
This blog will include critiques and reviews of all of the aforementioned pieces, offering insights into the lyrics, instrumentation, production, and more behind each release. Every piece of music that is reviewed will receive a score out of 5, and readers can digest content to determine how much more they'd like to explore of a certain song, album, or artist.
News
Modern-day media outlets shove information down their readers' throats. This usually includes politics, celebrity gossip, sports, and local and international crises. On this blog, the focus will be purely on alternative music news.
Even in the midst of a global pandemic, there are still several things happening below the surface in the music industry. While artists may not be going on world tours, in many places there are still upcoming shows, recordings, gigs, and more. Bands and singers stay alive on social media and continue to hint at future projects.
All of these things bring excitement to even the most casual alternative music fan, and will be key components of the content here at AltYak.
Playlists
Much can be learned about a person from their playlists and the music they listen to. Check any preteen girl's iPod shuffle in the early 2010's and you'd likely find plenty of Justin Bieber and One Direction to go around. A grunge punk in the 90's could probably blow you away with the amount of Nirvana and Pearl Jam on the shelf, and on a Caribbean island you might hear someone listening to a lot of reggae and punta rock.
Of course, the focus here is alternative music. Aside from sharing reviews and giving special artists the spotlight, AltYak will occasionally share playlists of songs for readers to listen to and discover some excellent new tunes.
They might go with the month or the season, they might be classics, or maybe it's just what's new out there to listen to. It is through the sharing of music that people come together. So, some personal favorites will make it onto the lists as well. Keep coming back often to see what will be offered!
Artistic Interpretations
Alternative music has brought the world some of the most introspective chord progressions and lyrics of all time. It goes far beyond what one might hear while listening to the radio, where everything can be taken so literally.
Art is supposed to have purpose. It's supposed to take a risk. And it's supposed to mean something to everyone who consumes it.
It is often best to leave this part up to the listener. Some of what are universally-recognized as the greatest song lyrics of all time are often shrouded in mystery. Sometimes, the less you know about a song's meaning, the better.
These artistic interpretations are not meant to take away from that illusion. Rather, they are meant to enhance it. Only one small perspective amidst a sea of differing opinions and life experiences will be offered. In these cases, the intention is simply to get the gears moving, and open conversations up for debate as to what it is that the alternative community believes they are listening to.
By any means, some interpretations will be offered by closely examining song lyrics and comparing them with other works and the lives of the writers themselves. Once again, these interpretations should not be taken as music law, but should be viewed as just one small grain of sand amidst an entire ocean of possibilities.
Conclusion
We are on a journey. It is a journey of discovery, of art, and of vibrant and living music. Alternative music is unique. It combines new wave synthesizer sounds, guitars, keys, drums, electronic pads, distinct vocal performances, introspective lyrics, and high production quality that can't be found anywhere else.
Through artist spotlights, reviews, news, playlists, and artistic interpretations, this blog will embark on that journey and move forward in shedding light into the beautiful world of alternative music. We are so excited to see what's in store for us and for our readers.
Music is universal. It's everywhere. And it's right here, on AltYak.
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