Waste

This Phish song is by far my simplest choice, but the simple acoustic guitar vocal intro accomplishes some awesome emotional response. I already recognize a progression that includes a major IV triad and then a minor IV triad. Something about Trey Anastasio's voice is so personal and relatable that you really understand and listen to what he sings in this song. In the bridge, the song unexpectedly joins a full band with bass, drums, and piano, but plays the same refrain. There's a sweet little piano solo which I would love to disect as well.

Missed the Boat

This song starts out with an infectuous drum beat and doesn't slow down from there. The lyrics are some of the most clever I have heard, and the layers of sound make it an awesome listening experience. I believe this is almost all major chords, and the instrumentation is primarily acoustic and electric guitar. The electric comes in to add a layer of volume and depth. Isaac Brock harmonizes often with himself, and on this song he tends to sing lower than the primary melody. At one point the whole band cuts out and the drummer accompanies the vocals with a kick-snare beat. This enables modest mouse to start building modestly until the full blown chorus comes in satisfyingly. Modest mouse has a very distinctive style in almost everything they do, and I connect it to the common clashes and suspended chords they play, which might not be expected to work but create a more sophisticated sound.

Like Spinning Plates (live)

I couldn't not do a Radiohead song. This one specifically is always amazing, because the album version was recorded entirely in reverse. However, Thom (after a loaded anti-war dedication to a room of oblivious fans) does a moving live version with piano and voice. I love the way the piano arpeggios sound and for some reason I never catch on to the timing and changing chords. By working closely with this piece over an extended period of time I hope to be able to perform it and notate it. There are all sorts of extensions going on right from the beginning, not just simple triads, and a sort of counter-melody happens in his right hand. The pattern sounds random but if it were random I guess it couldn't be a pattern. Somehow Thom and an upright piano sound like a full orchestra of sound. A few standouts to me to explore:

1. The unusual harmonies (without a clear tonal center) and how these contribute to my enjoyment of the piece.
2. The use of a repetitive arpeggiated pattern as the chosen style in which the chords are played, which gives a constant sense of motion.
3. The fluidity of his performance, with vocals and piano never faltering and creating an amazing, full texture somehow out of sparse instrumentation.

Message in a Bottle

I picked this song because despite its huge popularity, I feel like it has a lot of substance and harmony to be explored. After the chorus, the drumming style change makes for a very interesting variation. My ultimate goal is to come up with a jazz piano solo version of this. I will need to completely disect the chords and melody to come up with my own arrangement. If you listen closely in the verse, there are also several layers of guitar and bass with contrasting parts. I will try to distinguish these. The most distinctive guitar riff is fast moving and has a very unique sound to it. I look forward to discovering its wonder.

Still Crazy After All These Years

This was the most obvious choice to me for learning the harmonies and chords. I have always loved this song and been intrigued by the tension and resolve. I love the modulation, and the changes to the song fit extremely well. The instrumentation is also quite interesting, starting with the dirty electric piano and evolving into an orchestral section leading to a saxophone solo. The simplicity of his voice contrasting the keys, with poetic lyrics characteristic of Paul, make for a beautiful piece. It is nostalgic and lighthearted, but even if you don't listen to the words you are overcome with the pull of the 3/4 time groove. I am excited to learn to play and sing this, and really dive into the complexity of the chords and how he gets from point A to point B.

Specific things to focus on:
1. The way the instrumentation, and even timbre of instruments contributes to the power of the piece (especially the tremolo piano in contrast to his voice.)
2. The modulation he achieves and how it works harmonically, and also why it feels as if it literally soars higher than the rest of the song.
3. The way the theory and arrangement of the song work with his vocal story to make it more effective/powerful.

5 Song Selection

1. Paul Simon - Still Crazy After All These Years (album version)

2. Police - Message in a Bottle (album version)

3. Radiohead - Like Spinning Plates (live)

4. Modest Mouse - Missed the Boat (album version

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5. Phish - Waste (album version)