The California Sound
Introduction:
This playlist goes in search of the California Sound. There are countless songs that tout the subject matter of the coastal state, and so we can easily group them together. But what ties them together sonically? In this playlist I have grouped songs that are about California, songs that are called "California" (or some variation of the title) and songs that were recorded in California. The topic is so popular for songwriting that a genre has all but been created in the ears of listeners. Here, we explore the components that constitute this genre.
Title: “California.”
Performer: Joni Mitchell
Album: Blue
Record Company: Reprise
Catalogue #: 2038
Release Date: 1971
I can think of no better way to start this playlist than with Joni Mitchell's "California." From the very beginning, with a single guitar playing a bright, upbeat lick, we are in the world of the song. The tempo immediately settles into a relaxed groove. When the chorus comes along, the music breaks free into a modal modulation while Joni Mitchell sings a long lyric phrase on the word, you guessed it, "California." Joni Mitchell creates a fully encompassing audiotopia of whirling guitars and endlessly inventive vocal lines.
Title: “California Girls.”
Performer: The Beach Boys
Album: Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)
Record Company: Capitol
Catalogue #: 31639
Release Date: 1990
Almost any song by The Beach Boys would fit perfectly into any California playlist. All band members grew up in California, and were fully conscious of their definition of the California sound. Their tightly nit doo-wap harmonies, simple yet inventive melodies, and beach band instrumentation place them at the forefront of this playlist. When you're with the Beach Boys, it's summer in California (as it always is), and there's no need to hurry.
Title: “Southern California.”
Performer: Brian Wilson,
Album: That Lucky Old Sun.
Record Company: Capitol / EMI
Catalogue #: 34147
Release Date: 2008
At the forefront of the Beach Boys compositions was Brian Wilson. Wilson has gone on to a diverse career, heavily influenced by his own psychedelic drug use and the deaths of his two brothers. Here, he still retains his signature California sound, but there is a definite tinge of sadness. The vocal lines are more complex, the harmonies sweep across the chords in counterpoint. He is incredibly effective at creating specifically defined and diverse soundscapes. The song uses the idea of California as an escape from the depression that invades every day life.
Title: “Hotel California.”
Performer: The Eagles,
Album: Hotel California
Record Company: Rhino
Catalogue #: 401212
Release Date: 1976
The Eagles are another band who spent their musical youth in southern California. This song has grown to be iconic and representative of not only The Eagles, but of California as well. They grasp the spirit of the California sound as the song arrives at the chorus, switching from a predominantly minor verse to a predominantly major chorus. The song rides along a laid back groove, letting the electric guitars dance around arpeggios to the end.
Title: Going To California
Performer: Led Zeppelin
Album: BBC Sessions
Record Company: Atlantic
Catalogue #: 83061
Release Date: 1997
Led Zeppelin follows in the California genre, producing a song that is primarily acoustic guitar and vocal. This is a California folk song, pulled out of the south and into the beautiful and slightly more harmonically complex world of the sun and the sea. In this song, we hear the soul of California, a sadness similar to that of Brian Wilson, and a melodicism that evokes Joni Mitchell.
Title: “California Dreamin.” ,
Performer: The Mamas & The Papas
Album: If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears
Record Company: MCA
Catalogue #: 11739
Release Date: 1966
Here the sound of California is used as an effective escape from the cold days the singers are experiencing. Though The Mamas & The Papas are singing of the unpleasant climate, the music plays the opposite by retaining a laid back, bright, happy groove, complete with tambourine. The tight harmonies are a precursor to later bands like "The Beach Boys". The soundscape of this song causes the listener to focus on the good, and the hope for future warm days constantly pervades the air.
Title: “Dani California.”
Performer: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album: Stadium Arcadium.
Record Company: Warner Bros
Catalogue #: 49996
Release Date: 2006
The Red Hot Chili Peppers bring us an updated, contemporary version of the California sound. This song is cleverly disguised as a rock song- the heavy, driving chorus is full of block chord electric guitars. However, each time we return to the verse, we are met with a laid back, funky groove that evokes the style of reggae. Sonically, the song feels at home on the sunny beach of the present day, on a college spring break. Instead of laying back into the peace of California, this song revels in the insuppressible youthful joy of it.
Title: “Fidelity.”
Performer: Regina Spektor
Album:Live In California 2006 – EP.
Record Company: Sire/Warner Bros.
Catalogue #:
Release Date: 2007
This submission carries the distinction of being the only song on this playlist that is not about California in some way. This song was recorded in California in 2006. There is an argument to be made as to why the original studio version of this song fits into the California soundscape, however, there is an even stronger argument for this version. Regina Spektor allows for a half time drum beat to accompany her staccato vocal and pianistic phrasing, adding a relaxed linear line to the song. Electric guitar is also added, re-orchestrating the song to a core rhythm section, that allows the true compositional beauty to shine through. The definition of Regina Spektor's vocal lines evoke the sounds of Joni Mitchell, and the pads of sound that she creates seem to naturally flow into a California sunset.
Title: “California.”
Performer: Rufus Wainwright
Album: Poses
Record Company: Dreamworks SKG
Catalogue #: 450369
Release Date: 2001
This song is one of my personal favorites, and it captures the California sound incredibly effectively. The song begins with acoustic guitar, tambourine, and snare drum. If you've been following the orchestration of these songs, you should be noticing a pattern. The lyric of this song is heavily sarcastic as it speaks of the joys of California, ending with, "so much to plunder that I think I'll sleep instead. California, please." Despite the sentiment against the culture, Rufus Wainwright creates a fully realized soundscape that fits perfectly into the vibe of California. In this way, this song effectively plays the opposites of its subject. Despite the singers protests, we know that he has derived some joy from California, because his music is causing us to feel it too.
Title: “California English.”
Performer: Vampire Weekend
Album: Contra
Record Company: XL
Catalogue #:
Release Date: 2010
This song places a relaxed groove out of context into a fast paced, danceable tempo. The California sound can still clearly be heard. The orchestration is sparse and bright- the drummer hits his sticks against the metal sides of the drums. With a background of string pads, tight vocal back up harmonies, and electric guitar leading the way, our California sound can be clearly identified.
Title: “King Of California.”
Performer: Dave Alvin
Album: King Of California
Record Company: Hightone
Catalogue #: 8054
Release Date: 1994
This song serves as an example of the idea of California placed within the musical landscape of American roots music. A difficult and persistent guitar strumming line permeates throughout the entire song. The lyric evokes many locations, telling a story that comes off as a tall tale. California is romanticized as a utopia in the context of a folk song, a place where life will be better, a place of the future.
Title: “California Raining.”
Performer: Madeleine Peyroux,
Album: Half The Perfect World
Record Company: Rounder Select
Catalogue #: 613252
Release Date: 2006
This song again explores the duplicity between the present rainy atmosphere and the thought of summer in California. However, instead of beach rock, the smooth sounds of a jazz shuffle are employed. The sonic tone is entirely positive, the singer is once again dreaming of a life without worry or care, surely to be found in the sunshine.
Title: “California.”
Performer: Phantom Planet
Album: The Guest
Record Company: Epic
Catalogue #:
Release Date: 2004
This song may be best known for its use as the theme song of The O.C., a show on the cable network FOX. Due to this undesirable connection, I was tempted to not include this song, being predisposed to dislike it. However, upon closer inspection, the song proves sonically interesting, and more importantly, fits within the tradition of the California sound. Acoustic guitar, piano, and tambourine give us our spring board. As with "Dani California" the chorus exposes a driving, youthful, exploding California, while the verse lets us ride along in the car, looking at the landscape out the window.
Title: “California.”
Performer: Rogue Wave
Album: Descended Like Vultures
Record Company: Sub Pop
Catalogue #: 677
Release Date: 2005
This song ventures into the sadness of the sonic sound of California. The lyrics are few and far between, used only when necessary, forcing the listener to remain, suspended, in the vamp of the acoustic guitar. Dissonances are played and repeated within the context of this poppy folk song. Instead of looking to the future, this song seems to remind us of the good times in the past, while confronting us with the frustrating stagnancy of the present.
Title: “California Stars.”
Performer: Wilco & Billy Bragg
Album: Mermaid Avenue
Record Company: Elektra
Catalogue #:
Release Date: 2007
Wilco is inherently at home in the world of alternative folk, and, with tambourine in hand, slips easily into the California sound. The song is as simple as it sounds, and in listening, we revel in the beauty and the joy of the California stars. The song is a compact package, each section moves fluidly on to the next, from harmony, to guitar, to violin.
Title: “Los Angeles, I’m Yours.” ,
Performer: The Decemberists
Album:Her Majesty.
Record Company: Kill Rock Stars
Catalogue #: 60375
Release Date: 2003
We close with a song that takes a very different look at California. The Decemberists are a band from Oregon who are prone to writing in a highly loquacious folk-fable style. For the subject of Los Angeles, they take articulate pleasure in describing the depressing, painful, and often grotesque underbelly of the city. Still, at the end of every chorus, we are confronted with the title, "Los Angeles, I'm Yours." This signifies that through all of the pitfalls, there is something about Los Angeles that draws the performers attention.
I am citing this playlist for Question 1 of Task 7. I really enjoy your selections for this playlist and, sonically, I would definitely call them all part of my "audiotopia." You seem to be implying that California Sound is all alternative/folk/rock - not that I necessarily disagree with that implication, but I would be interested to see some other musical styles incorporated.
ReplyDeleteI am citing your "California Sound" Playlist for question 2 of task 7. I admit I am not too familiar with the California Sound but your CA playlist helped to explain the "sounds of place" that are associated with CA. Your playlist was innovative in cross-cutting genres to create a holistic depiction of the CA soundscape. Through examining the use of CA allusions in music from Joni Mitchell to the rock of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you playlist solidified the youthfulness and relaxed vibe of the CA sound. I am planning on downloading some of your California songs to evoke images of sunshine and surfing during the Michigan winters.
ReplyDeleteI am citing playlist "California Sound" in question #2. I have always dreamt of visiting California, mainly due to what I've seen of it in the media, especially throughout music. I think your playlist did a great job of capturing my vision of California. I will continue to explore this music until someday I will hopefully visit the West Coast and see how my vision compares with what actually exists.
ReplyDeleteI am using this playlist for Question 1 of Task 7. I liked your concept for the playlist and a lot of the artists are part of my personal audiotopia. Some other California-related songs I know of are The Dresden Dolls’ “Shores of California,” Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Californiacation,” Gomez’s “California,” Jefferson Airplane’s “She Has Funny Cars,” and the Arctic Monkeys’ “Fake Tales of San Francisco.”
ReplyDeleteI am citing this playlist for question #2 in task 7. I know some of these songs, but you were brought a new light to it when you viewed it as California sound and how it represented California. So I thought that your commentary was very helpful because of the description of this music as California sound. I will be exploring this music further with this new aspect in mind.
ReplyDeleteI am citing this for #2. Some of the sounds and songs in this playlist were interesting and i will further explore this genre after hearing these songs
ReplyDelete