Radio and music played an important role in mediating the political work of the Indians of All
Tribes during the Occupation of Alcatraz. Tune into KALX Radio (90.7 FM or you can stream
the radio station
here
), and listen until you hear a song you like that you have never heard before.
You can look on the KALX
website
for the song title and artist or Shazam it.
Write about the song you heard and compare and contrast it to the concepts you have learned in
class. Make sure to tell us about the artist and the song. Describe the genre. What do you like
about the song? How does this song compare and/or contrast to the music and concepts you have
been learning about in class?
The song I chose is called “Quick Winter Sun” by Shana Cleveland from their album
Manzanita. Based in Los Angeles, California, Shana Cleveland is an American musician, writer,
and visual artist from Michigan. Formerly a member of The Curious Mystery, Cleveland is
primarily recognized as the lead guitarist and vocalist for surf rock band La Luz, and has also
released music as a solo artist. The song “Quick Winter Sun” creates a folktale about going to the
river during winter and staying too late, which turns post-apocalyptic mid-way through. In this
record she alternates between standard and Gm (cross-note) tuning on the guitar. Gm tuning
contributes a more dark, mysterious aspect to the song. The genre of this song is a mix of
alternative and indie. This song caught my attention because it immediately reminded me of
Billie Eilish, an artist I enjoy listening to, and I really like the soothing vibe. To begin, “Quick
Winter Sun” has a predominantly homophonic texture, where Cleveland’s singing is
accompanied by her guitar. Her guitar work features reverb and echo effects, enhancing the
song’s dreamy atmosphere. Her vocals provide lyrical and emotional aspects. The pitch
throughout the song is typically within the low to medium range and the tempo is generally slow
to moderate, adding to the calming characteristic of the piece. In addition, as it reminded me of
Billie Eilish, it reminded me of crooning. As mentioned in Jonathan’s lecture, crooning involves
vocal lightness and smoothness; and he brought up Billie Eilish as an example of “modern”
crooning. I think “Quick Winter Sun” can be viewed as “modern” crooning because Cleveland
maintains singing in a soft voice, creating an intimate feel within the song.
