As an artist and consultant, I am always paying attention to the trends in modern music, whether it be R&B, Country, Rock, etc. Sadly, I hear very few things out there that move me anymore or I find interesting. I would say that I am just comparing it with the music I grew up with like all my other mature (old) friends, but I am getting this same message from the new young artists – “where is the melody and the message” ?
Probably the man who influenced my thinking more that any other Philosopher was Francis Schaeffer from Huemoz, Switzerland, I started reading his books in the early eighties and attended his lectures whenever he was in the US.
He always talked about us living in a postmodern world “crossing over that “line of despair” which simply refers to the fact that fallen man has rejected the existence of absolutes, and has therefore given up his quest for a grand unifying theory. “So man’s philosophies and theories continue to become more and more meaningless and absurd”. The music scene seems to be falling into step with this same line of despair.
But as an eternal optimist, I am seeing a new trend with today’s artists and writers. They are writing songs that not only have some depth, but finding that melody again. It is my hope that once these songs are fully produced and hitting the airwaves, they will start replacing the meaningless trivia that is out there now.
Years ago, I was very close to the Clair Brothers, who were and are to this day one of the largest sound companies in the world. Gene’s son was 17 years old when he committed suicide. Billy Joel, one of Clair Brother’s clients, wrote “Second Wind” in response to this tragedy in the hopes of reaching other kids who found themselves in the same place.
This is a fine example of songs that are rich with substance and the melody is definitely there !