the stars go waltzing out in blue and red

[faeriemaiden]

There's a particular sort of music that I like a lot and can't seem ever to find enough of: music with fantasy landscapes. I get very visual with my music, and I love scenic music, something that through a combination of lyrics, melody, and instrumentation paints a whole world in my head, particularly a world that extends outside of my mostly-

Comments

[midenianscholar]

*needs to go listen to the ones^ she doesn't know*

I'd have to say that for songs that paint a world, it would have to be the sort of Celtic/folk songs (Loreena McKennitt, Richard Shindell) with a bit of jazz and country splashed in (I'm currently looking for a Jazz/folk vocalist somewhat like Enya (with the clear, perfect notes) without all the sort of sappy intrumentals/over done special effects). For songs that pull me in and make me happy, or whatever, I'd have say Yellow by Coldplay (I don't know why, I just love it), Awakening by Switchfoot (also Dare You to Move and This is Your Life), Hero by Chad Kroeger, Colors by Amos Lee, Vienna by Billy Joel, She's So High by Kurt Nilsen, and some particular Oldies... And a lot more, but I have to go driving.

[midenianscholar]

Oh, and DUH, High by James Blunt. This is my current favorite song.

[faeriemaiden]

Later I think I will make a post with songs that paint words that aren't necessarily fantasy, because I need to put in some Richard Shindell and -- some others, but I forget at the moment.

(I'm currently looking for a Jazz/folk vocalist somewhat like Enya (with the clear, perfect notes) without all the sort of sappy intrumentals/over done special effects).

Ahhh, yes. I love some of Enya, but she keeps marring perfectly good songs with all the ridiculous over-production. She has a lovely voice; why does she keep over-dubbing whole choirs of Enyas so she sounds silly? I'm starting to get into some electronic/dream-pop/fantasy-like musicians -- check out some of the songs last_archangel posted in response to this entry, especially 'Eurydice' and 'Center of the Sun

[liveonthesun]

I know this is a bit different, but the entire Moulin Rouge soundtrack paints pictures for me. Not landscapes and scenic worlds like you were talking about, but people, and where they are and what they're doing. The songs are just so full of passion and feeling: the lyrics are extremely gorgeous and poetic (listen to my heart, can you hear it sing--telling me to give you everything?) and, at times, simple (how wonderful life is, now you're in the world!), and the instrumentals are just layer upon layer of musical emotion. Most of the songs are just covers and medleys of well-known love songs ("Roxanne" is originally by Sting, "The Elephant Love Medley" goes through everything from "All You Need is Love" by the Beatles to "Pride" by U2, and "Your Song" is an Elton John classic), but they're redone in such a way that they're recognizable, yet completely rewritten and they become their own song with their own life and their own story and their own meaning. It's just pretty much the most amazing movie soundtrack ever.

[lady_moriel]

Mmkay, I'm going to take more actual time with this and comment on those songs and whatnot later, when I have a bit more time (like...tomorrow?), but I wanted to post links to ones that seem to fit the bill.

It's Natural To Be Afraid - Explosions in the Sky Well, actually, almost anything by Explosions in the Sky is good that way (if you haven't, you really should download their stuff from wanderlight), but this one in particular sounds like...oh...a dry wasteland or something?

The New Year - Azure Ray Dunno why exactly. Maybe it just sounds a little SF/F to me, or maybe it's just that I find intriguing the fact that the lyrics are really hopeful and happy, but the song sounds a tad spooky.

Once Upon a Time - Cirque du Soleil Well, actually, most of their music is like this, and definitely almost everything on the La Nouba soundtrack. That whole show sounds like either a haunted carnival or a madhouse, or maybe bits of both. It's awesome.

once upon a time there was you and me - Kujiara Yuki J-pop from an anime soundtrack, yes. (I've read

[lady_moriel]

Oh, and FYI, I can't get "Bloodstone" to download...Mediafire says that "no servers are currently available" that have the file on them, or...something.

[wanderlight]

Yeah, I can't grab it either. :((

[faeriemaiden]

Fixed! :D

[wanderlight]

!!! ♥! I am downloading all of these -- except for what I already have, of course -- and bookmarking this to read as I listen; you are fantastic for finally making this post. Words + music -- what more could one want? xD

I agree completely with "Can't Take It In" -- glitter -- and "Blue Caravan". The latter is one of Vienna's best world-painting songs, I think, if not the best. Or maybe "My Medea". Yeah, it is a hard choice; they're all different thematically but just as wonderful.

& I won't get started on your story-songs mix, but you should know that you are awesome for that, too. :)) Anyhow -- I'm making a playlist right now of songs that paint the world for me; that should be coming to a flist near you within the next week...

[lady_moriel]

What is this story-songs mix that she made, exactly? It sounds awesome.

& I look forward to your mix. ^-^

[wanderlight]

Oh! It was something for my birthday -- but poke her to make it public and say that I fully, fully endorse sharing its amazing-ness (which is not a word ...) with the world. :))