Youtube Video Seether: https://youtu.be/I7imqO-OBVk
Youtube Video George Micheals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izGwDsrQ1eQ
Discuss the George Micheal’s song (Careless Whisper), and describe how the recent recording cover by the band Seether (Careless Whisper) changes the
style, expected audience / subculture, lyrics, instrumentation, etc. The grading rubric is attached. Compare and contrast the two versions and connect their
characteristics to specific individual styles using time stamps from the youtube videos, and these points specifically in the essay:
-fast or slow tempo, meter, presence or absence of backbeat. What makes up the backbeat?
-raunchy or clean singing style; screaming or yelling? whispering? talking / rapping?
-timbres of specific sounds; overall timbre / tone color descriiptions
-characteristics that link the recording to their specific type of rock genre
-performance techniques that are evident (gentle piano playing? heavy drumming? rhythmically active or
sparse accompaniment? Are chords strummed or arpeggiated? Does it sound like the bass player is using
a pick? etc.)
– monophonic/homophonic/polyphonic textures
– loud or soft dynamics (one section of the recording relative to another)
– special effects that you hear (echo, distortion, etc.)
– comment on use of unusual instruments / instrument sounds
– balance/mix (tons of bass, hardly any singer, prominent drums, etc.)
– production quality (does it sound ‘studio clean’ or like it was produced in a garage?)
– possible connections between lyrics and musical decisions