Editor's Letter
Kate Reeve
Music and pop culture have been intertwined throughout both their existences. At one point in history, music and pop culture were pretty much the same thing! However, in recent decades, music has become an even larger part of regular humans day to day life. It’s growing presence in the minds and mouths of modern generations is thanks to a couple of factors, including: MTV, mp3, and the miracle workers we call sound technicians. Music is blasted at us pretty much everywhere we go - in elevators, at shopping malls, at school, and even the in workplace.
On the other hand, this rising tide of auto-tune and chart toppers carries with it many benefits. One of them, the simplest and sweetest, is this : music can bring happiness. It can also bring a myriad of other emotions, such as fear or motivation. That stands as the one constant factor throughout music’s lifetime and, in my opinion, is the reason it remains so prevalent in pop culture today. Countless studies have proven it’s immense power over our sentiments and our subconscious - even before we know our own name, music can soothe us to sleep, make us laugh, make us cry.
In a recent study conducted by NorthWestern University, Dr. Yana Ferguson and her team played upbeat music to volunteers and then measured their brain activity. The participants experienced a rush of “pleasure inducing” neurotransmitters in two separate parts of the brain. “We found that people were successful at raising their positive mood” stated Ferguson. This study proves how deeply we, as a species, are affected by music. Arguably, it is one of the most important parts of pop culture today. Never underestimate the power of music!
The following articles all explore different aspects of the music industry today; from the platforms we use to listen to music, to how we are judged based on our tastes. Enjoy!
On the other hand, this rising tide of auto-tune and chart toppers carries with it many benefits. One of them, the simplest and sweetest, is this : music can bring happiness. It can also bring a myriad of other emotions, such as fear or motivation. That stands as the one constant factor throughout music’s lifetime and, in my opinion, is the reason it remains so prevalent in pop culture today. Countless studies have proven it’s immense power over our sentiments and our subconscious - even before we know our own name, music can soothe us to sleep, make us laugh, make us cry.
In a recent study conducted by NorthWestern University, Dr. Yana Ferguson and her team played upbeat music to volunteers and then measured their brain activity. The participants experienced a rush of “pleasure inducing” neurotransmitters in two separate parts of the brain. “We found that people were successful at raising their positive mood” stated Ferguson. This study proves how deeply we, as a species, are affected by music. Arguably, it is one of the most important parts of pop culture today. Never underestimate the power of music!
The following articles all explore different aspects of the music industry today; from the platforms we use to listen to music, to how we are judged based on our tastes. Enjoy!
beyond the hiss: cassette makes a comeback
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The most popular cassette label is likely the Los Angeles-based Burger Records. Many cult-favourite bands are signed to the label, including Shannon and the Clams, The Black Lips, and Red Kross. Notably, several major artists have released tapes on Burger as well, such as Beck, Ryan Adams, Thurston Moore (of Sonic Youth), and Dave Grohl (of Foo Fighters and Nirvana). Alanna Why, contributor to local music blog Ottawa Explosion, says that tapes are her favourite audio format. “Unlike vinyl, where you have to buy a turntable and decent speakers to enjoy the format, you can buy decent tape players easily for $10 at most.” Modern cassette tape labels tend to favour punk and experimental releases. Increasingly popular punk bands such as White Lung, F--ked Up, and Swearin’ have all recently put out cassettes. “Every release is the exact type of shit that I am into.” said Why. Cassettes may not rival the sound quality of vinyl or digital media, but its resurgence isn’t inexplicable. Between low costs, asthetic appeal, and the eclectic artists it attracts, the return of the tape makes surprising sense. 
Bruised Tongue, an Ottawa cassette producer.
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appreciate it
charlotte jory
DUH DUH, DUH DUH, DUH DUH... Just a few notes played throughout an iconic movie like Jaws can stir listener’s emotions, even when the action on screen is completely calm. That is just one example of how music plays a gigantic role in a film’s success. So much so that each year, four Academy Awards related to sound and music are granted. After winning the Oscar for Best Original Score in 2011, Ludovic Bource’s first words were “Wow, I want to pay, first of all, a tribute to the power of the music.” So, my friends, let’s pay tribute to the legendary power music has within film.
“The best filmmakers use scoring like a painter uses his brush,” says Howard Gordon, music and film specialist. Such as to say that music should be used as a tool, not paint. John Williams is recognized as one of the best “painters” of our generation, seamlessly matching the tone of a movie with his music. Williams has been nominated for 48 Academy Awards (a record) and has won 5 with the hit films Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, Star Wars, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler’s List. Equally impressive, he has won 21 Grammy’s out of 59 nominations. Williams points out a vital part of music, saying “There’s a very basic human, non-verbal aspect to our need to make music and use it as part of our human expression. It doesn’t have to do with body movements, it doesn't have to do with articulation of a language, but with something spiritual."
After conducting an experiment with knowledgeable individuals in my community, I learned about the power and immediate recognizability of music. I played audio clips of memorable songs used within legendary films, and asked my volunteers some questions. “Oh man, I love this one,” said Maureen McCarthy after hearing the iconic tune “Don’t You Forget About Me” from John Hughes’ new-wave flick The Breakfast Club. When the song finished I asked whether she started to feel the emotions of the movie, to which she replied “Oh yes, most definitely. Sometimes you forget that there’s even music playing during a movie, but the really good soundtracks are the memorable ones.”
On the other hand, sometimes the best soundtracks simply stay a constant in the background, but add something special; another layer. Such is the case with the Harry Potter films, Pirates of the Caribbean and the scoring of The Social Network, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (winners of the 2010 Best Original Score Academy Award). With a reworking of the tune “In the Hall of the Mountain King” and their own techno music, viewers and listeners get lost in the atmosphere of the movie.
The unique scoring and soundtracks of foreign films can completely daze movie-goers. Slumdog Millionaire has been recognized as having one of the best scores since 2000, with its intense bollywood and hip-hop mix. All seven hours of Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace are accompanied by Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov’s incredible scoring. Other widely known foreign film soundtracks include Cinema Paradiso, La Vie en Rose and Amélie. The beauty of foreign film scores is that they catch the listener’s attention and help viewers who are lost in subtitles and fast-speakers, sometimes even explaining the film entirely.
Music alone can induce laughter, tears, anger or contentment. It can tell a story of heartbreak or happiness. Despite the fact that it is often overlooked, music is and forever will be astounding. Film is a completely different story: cinematography, screenwriting and acting all come together to make something wonderful. When music and film intertwine, a true masterpiece is created. It’s about time we all appreciated it.
“The best filmmakers use scoring like a painter uses his brush,” says Howard Gordon, music and film specialist. Such as to say that music should be used as a tool, not paint. John Williams is recognized as one of the best “painters” of our generation, seamlessly matching the tone of a movie with his music. Williams has been nominated for 48 Academy Awards (a record) and has won 5 with the hit films Fiddler on the Roof, Jaws, Star Wars, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler’s List. Equally impressive, he has won 21 Grammy’s out of 59 nominations. Williams points out a vital part of music, saying “There’s a very basic human, non-verbal aspect to our need to make music and use it as part of our human expression. It doesn’t have to do with body movements, it doesn't have to do with articulation of a language, but with something spiritual."
After conducting an experiment with knowledgeable individuals in my community, I learned about the power and immediate recognizability of music. I played audio clips of memorable songs used within legendary films, and asked my volunteers some questions. “Oh man, I love this one,” said Maureen McCarthy after hearing the iconic tune “Don’t You Forget About Me” from John Hughes’ new-wave flick The Breakfast Club. When the song finished I asked whether she started to feel the emotions of the movie, to which she replied “Oh yes, most definitely. Sometimes you forget that there’s even music playing during a movie, but the really good soundtracks are the memorable ones.”
On the other hand, sometimes the best soundtracks simply stay a constant in the background, but add something special; another layer. Such is the case with the Harry Potter films, Pirates of the Caribbean and the scoring of The Social Network, composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (winners of the 2010 Best Original Score Academy Award). With a reworking of the tune “In the Hall of the Mountain King” and their own techno music, viewers and listeners get lost in the atmosphere of the movie.
The unique scoring and soundtracks of foreign films can completely daze movie-goers. Slumdog Millionaire has been recognized as having one of the best scores since 2000, with its intense bollywood and hip-hop mix. All seven hours of Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace are accompanied by Vyacheslav Ovchinnikov’s incredible scoring. Other widely known foreign film soundtracks include Cinema Paradiso, La Vie en Rose and Amélie. The beauty of foreign film scores is that they catch the listener’s attention and help viewers who are lost in subtitles and fast-speakers, sometimes even explaining the film entirely.
Music alone can induce laughter, tears, anger or contentment. It can tell a story of heartbreak or happiness. Despite the fact that it is often overlooked, music is and forever will be astounding. Film is a completely different story: cinematography, screenwriting and acting all come together to make something wonderful. When music and film intertwine, a true masterpiece is created. It’s about time we all appreciated it.
school of rock
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Many other big names have come out of Canterbury alongside Shannon. Raoul Bhaneja, a graduate of the drama program, performed in countless musicals, plays, and movies worldwide. Another graduate of Canterbury, Peter Emslie, became a Disney Animator and continues to work as a freelance cartoonist today. We can’t forget Jenny Galt, a singer who went on to perform on Rockstar: Supernova, a show in which she was judged by Gilby Clarke (Guns n’ Roses) and Jason Newsted (Metallica). Jenny also performed on The Late Show with David Letterman and at the Coachella Festival 2007. All of these alumni’s careers started off with their time in Canterbury, a place where the atmosphere is continually accepting and encouraging to developing artists. Some of these same artists return to the school and give back by donating their time. Recently, on November 22nd, Canterbury held a benefit concert. Alumni Jacquie Neville and her brother performed with their band The Balconies. It was met with great success in the media and many fans of the band from out of town attended the concert. Another benefit concert to be remembered was Richard Reed Parry (a Literary Arts Graduate) and his band Arcade Fire’s visit to his alma mater. A the drummer of Arcade Fire, Parry is a part of the biggest band of our time. Their debut album dropped in 2004, Funeral, instantly became well known and successful. This album led them to their next album, Neon Bible, from which they performed pieces from during their concert in the cafeteria of Canterbury High School. From CHS’s little cafeteria to stages covering the whole world, Arcade Fire has continued with their recently released album Reflektor. It hit stores October 28, 2013 to eager audiences. Attending Canterbury is an amazing experience. Even if you don’t end up following the path you start out on, the encouraging environment is more than enough to push you forward and help you make something amazing of yourself. Richard Parry started out as a Literary Arts student and is now a part of the biggest bands in the music industry. Shannon Mercer persevered on her path as an operatic Soprano and is now living her passion. “As long as you keep getting joy from doing it then that’s what matters,” reminds Shannon, and it’s the truth. No matter where you decide to go and what you decide to do, you will always remember that muted song seeping into your classroom, telling you to follow your dreams. |
It's all in the image
Emma scruton
Imagine a rainy Sunday driving up Merivale road. It's wet, busy, cold, and you feel like a fish trying to swim upstream. Finally, you reach your destination, a faded CD store sandwiched between a car repair shop and a shwarma hut. The parking is as sketchy as the November roads, but you eventually find a spot between two rusted out cars with peeling bumper stickers. You jump out of your car dodging raindrops, and duck into the relative safety of the CD Warehouse.
Upon entering, you look around and notice the water stains collected in the ceiling's corners, the racks of DVDs and CDs that form makeshift aisles, and the large discount bin sitting next to an expanding wall of record players and vinyl albums. Scanning the store again, you realize that apart from a few mousy employees, you are alone.
I approach the clerk stacking CDs to my right, a pale man, face tired and unshaven. "Are things always this slow?" I ask. "There's been a real decline in CD sales over the years." He says. It certainly makes sense that less people would buy CDs with the recent technological advancements of the music industry. It's a lot more convenient to just download an album or song right onto your smartphone. "The store has been doing okay though, with the closure of the HMV down the road." He tells me, nodding. I wonder what kind of people shop here anymore.The clerk informs me that the store's clientele is "mostly older people, but, we do get the occasional young person. They seem to have a real interest in records these days." As with each new generation, things change. Now what is old is becoming new again, as made abundantly clear by the uptick in record sales.
Armed with the clerks information, I proceeded to interview several of my classmates and peers at Canterbury High School for the Arts about their music taste and what is trending these days. There was a very similar thread throughout most of their answers. The majority of bands students listed were pretty obscure and the genres were mainly indie/alternative. Some even had their own record players and boasted proudly of their "sick vinyl collection."
These days, everything you do, say or like seems to have a direct reflection on how others perceive you. Teens are growing more and more interested in less mainstream music, thanks to negative stereotypes associated with it. The reasoning behind it seems to be simple enough - liking unique music makes you unique. Everything is related back to your 'image'. Listening to music on your CD player or even phone or Ipod is considered "mainstream", while listening to music on a record player "is so much neater." This explains the record's sudden resurface to popularity, but not why being different is suddenly cool.
The question becomes, then, if everyone is doing it are you really that 'unique'? If everyone listens to alternative music, is it still alternative? Maybe country and western music is the true epitome of individuality.
Upon entering, you look around and notice the water stains collected in the ceiling's corners, the racks of DVDs and CDs that form makeshift aisles, and the large discount bin sitting next to an expanding wall of record players and vinyl albums. Scanning the store again, you realize that apart from a few mousy employees, you are alone.
I approach the clerk stacking CDs to my right, a pale man, face tired and unshaven. "Are things always this slow?" I ask. "There's been a real decline in CD sales over the years." He says. It certainly makes sense that less people would buy CDs with the recent technological advancements of the music industry. It's a lot more convenient to just download an album or song right onto your smartphone. "The store has been doing okay though, with the closure of the HMV down the road." He tells me, nodding. I wonder what kind of people shop here anymore.The clerk informs me that the store's clientele is "mostly older people, but, we do get the occasional young person. They seem to have a real interest in records these days." As with each new generation, things change. Now what is old is becoming new again, as made abundantly clear by the uptick in record sales.
Armed with the clerks information, I proceeded to interview several of my classmates and peers at Canterbury High School for the Arts about their music taste and what is trending these days. There was a very similar thread throughout most of their answers. The majority of bands students listed were pretty obscure and the genres were mainly indie/alternative. Some even had their own record players and boasted proudly of their "sick vinyl collection."
These days, everything you do, say or like seems to have a direct reflection on how others perceive you. Teens are growing more and more interested in less mainstream music, thanks to negative stereotypes associated with it. The reasoning behind it seems to be simple enough - liking unique music makes you unique. Everything is related back to your 'image'. Listening to music on your CD player or even phone or Ipod is considered "mainstream", while listening to music on a record player "is so much neater." This explains the record's sudden resurface to popularity, but not why being different is suddenly cool.
The question becomes, then, if everyone is doing it are you really that 'unique'? If everyone listens to alternative music, is it still alternative? Maybe country and western music is the true epitome of individuality.
The Spotlight on Pop Culture Music team would like to thank Mr. Blauer for both his patience and guidance.
We hope you've enjoyed reading our articles, and learned something new!
We hope you've enjoyed reading our articles, and learned something new!