Lesson 7 discussion & - Assignment Example

number 02 April Discussion and assignment Lesson 7: Discussion. In my opinion, Devendra Banhart, Willy Mason andBeth Orton can be considered, to certain extent, as modern-day counterparts of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. Just like legendary folk villains like Dylan and Baez, these three express themselves within the folk music genre, although none of them identify their own music with folk. Devendra Banharts music is often categorized with critics within the framework of a brand new subgenre, which is New Weird America.

Willy Mason extends his creative efforts in blues and country as well, while Beth Orton experiments within a folktronica subgenre mixing folk with brooding electronic rhythms. Devendra Banharts song touch upon his own reflections of the past, including the themes of social inequality. Willy Masons lyrics, just as that of Bob Dylan, are often focused on issues of tensions between social classes, poverty and existential problems, such as loneliness and senselessness of the modern way of life of an ordinary man.

Beth Orton reminds me of Joan Baez with both her style of singing and subjects that her lyrics is focused on. She often sings of love and failed relationships between a man and a woman.Here are some links to live performances of Beth Orton, Willy Mason and Devendra Banhart:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De_PBVuJepw (Beth Orton)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3BCRsuQmQA (Willy Mason)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4lFQ9GOA2Y (Devendra Banhart) Lesson 7: Assignment I do not agree with Pete Seegers statement according to which folk magazines have to print the best rap songs.

Although, the origins of rap root to American hip hop, which, in turn, is in incorporates some distinct features of traditional music of African American people. At first glance rap and hip hop have nothing to do with folk at all. In fact, these are different musical styles and genres. Unlike folk, rap is more of spoken word poetry with a monotonous rhythmic music on the background, where lyrics lie at the heart of every song and the role of music itself is neglected, though there are certain criteria to it among rap artists.

Rap culture was initially widely spread in urban areas among African Americans, although today the situation has changed and the genre found its audience among other social and racial groups. Folk, to the contrary, rooted from suburban and countryside areas populated by white communities. On the other hand, comparing rap and folk Pete Seeger believed that there are more similarities in these two genres than differences. In fact, the way lyrics plays a the most important role in each and every rap song, touching upon social and existential issues, has a strong resemblance with the style and spirit of folk music, not to mention the historical implications of the development of rap genre.

In spite of similar subjects that both rap and folk tend to touch upon these are two strikingly different genres of music with completely different audience. That is why I dont think folk magazines have to cover rap songs. Obviously, Pete Seeger, one of the most prominent folk musicians of all times, approached the genre of folk music slightly different than Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.