Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What the Lady Prefers


Welcome back! Last time, we started a series of blogs dedicated to each ogre’s musical preferences and listening habits. If you read that blog, you now know what kind of music Christopher Davis enjoys and when. You also know he’s a bit of a music snob. This go ‘round, we’re going to discuss the lady ogre’s musical taste.

Nora Jones loves music like no one we’ve ever known. One time, she referred to music as her Xanax. We’re assuming that means it relaxes her and helps when things get too stressful. Either that, or it’s a drug that requires a prescription and she’s hiding her addiction from the public. (Hmm, a daily dose of music doesn’t sound like a bad medication.)

She’s constantly on the lookout for a new band to get into. Relix magazine is a good source for interesting tunes, and their monthly compilation CD showcases the artists featured in that particular month’s issue. Other sources for new music are Paste Magazine’s website, Spinner.com, and Spotify.

There is not a particular genre of music Nora sticks to and her listening is steady across most moods and activities. She has an affinity for punk band members who’ve gone solo and broken away from their punk roots. Among her favorites are Tim Barry of Avail, Dallas Green of Alexis on Fire, and Ben Nichols of Lucero. Though she doesn’t limit herself to one particular genre, bluegrass is far and away her favorite type of music. Her love of bluegrass and interest in punk has drawn her to bands like Old Man Markley, who’ve created an interesting blend of the two musical styles.

Like every audiophile, Nora has a specific preference for when she’s feeling sullen and down. On the rare occasion when something is troubling her, she likes to listen to mellow sounds like Adele or Florence and the Machine.

Alright, that’s two down and three to go. Up next…maybe Chris Dadant.

Do you share Nora’s musical preferences? Get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter and let us know.

Thanks for reading.

Monday, January 16, 2012

In One Ear, and In the Other

If you've been with us for more than a week or so, you have probably seen a Facebook post or tweet where we've mentioned the music we’re listening to; or at least what’s been stuck in our head. We love music and it’s always playing in the office. If you don’t hear it when you come in, we probably have earbuds tucked in, each ogre listening to his own jam. There is a lot of overlap when it comes to ogre musical preference, but we all listen in our own way.

Christopher is an eclectic cat in every sense of the word. His musical interests pull from most genres and generations. When he’s working, he likes to listen to music with a constant drive. Among his work-time favorites are Interpol, Common, the Replacements, the Black Keys, John Zorn, the Jam, MandoDiao, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and the Darkness. Christopher is a long-time Black Keys fan, but their newest release, “El Camino” came up short for him.

When the work is done, or at least put on pause, the music changes. For mellow times, he leans toward classics like Steely Dan. He also still revisits his high school years with bands like Dag Nasty, Dinosaur Jr, BlackFlag, X, Hüsker Dü, Social Distortion, The Stooges, and MinorThreat. Music is a constant for Christopher. When there’s no music, he makes his own. Really. He’ll strum a guitar, hum, tap, or listen to the cacophony of an orchestra in his head.

Just between us, he’s a bit of a music snob too. He knows what he likes and doesn’t like. Don’t play what he doesn’t like. One of his biggest pet peeves when it comes to aural satisfaction is when someone changes the music mid-song. It drives the control freak in him crazy.

We are going to write a bit about each ogre’s likes, dislikes, listening habits, and whatnot, but we don’t want to keep you here too long. So, that’s it for now. Anyway, it’s time for a potty break.

There are still four ogres to cover, so look for a series of these to come out in pretty quick succession.

If you liked this post, thought it was crap, or want to find out more about Christopher’s musical preferences, get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Thanks for reading.