Author: admin

You will write a 1800 word essay describing what you hear happening in “Baby Song” by The Raincoats (from their album, Odyshape).  Using time-code describe the texture of the music and how it changes throughout song.  These observations should be empirical – that is describe describe what something sounds like to you (you don’t have to accurately identify what is making the sound).  For example: “The song starts with a steady rustling noise (maybe a drum); there’s no groove yet)” or  “At 00:43 a high voice sings [try to transcribe the lyrics] and about 6 seconds later whispering voices fade in – talking not singing – saying [try to transcribe the lyrics]; the high singing voice seems far away and the whispering/speaking voices seem close, right in my ear.”  Try to transcribe all of the lyrics.  If this fails, you can refer to lyrics available on the internet (the lyrics were printed on the record jacket when the lp was released).  Briefly discuss the affect of the song, how you perceive the various sounds of the texture (including the voices) together with the lyrical content working as a whole
Word count: The assignment says it has to be 1800 words long; it really does! Take 1800 words as a minimum (though try not to go too many words over! – 300-500 tops). But this shouldn’t be difficult: just keep going through the song – there’s always more to hear at any given moment, and the more detailed your description the better.  But also always mention how the overall feel of the song – its groove – sounds to you, and how it impacts you.  Or when you’re giving impressions of its impact always ask another question (ex. if you find it disorienting – what is it about the sound that’s hard to grasp? Is it always the same kind of disorienting throughout? Does it stay disorienting after successive listenings? Does reading the lyrics impact your feeling of disorientation?  Can the disorientation become pleasurable? etc.!).  
Also a heads-up: I’m aware of 5 different versions of this essay, written by students who were previously in this class, that are for sale online. If you copy-and-paste directly from any of these, you will fail and there could be further academic consequences. If you borrow ideas from them, you might be questioned on it, with consequences for your mark. One thing I am going to forbid: do NOT say that the string sound at the beginning sounds like a mariachi guitar; you will be docked severely if you do and the rest of your essay will be given greater scrutiny in regard to plagiarism.
And regarding musical texture: I’ve received a few requests to clarify what I mean my “texture” in regard to music.   Texture is the sound that you’re hearing in totality: the different sounds that make up a sonic mass/aggregate and the sound of the mass/aggregate as a whole (its density; its general pitch-range (are there high sounds? low sounds? everything inbetween?); its volume; etc.); also the movement (rhythm/groove) of the sounds in a perceived present-tense (are there lots quickly moving voices intertwining? are there lots of sustained voices? is there a combination and if so, what typifies it (i.e. you identify one high voice playing a quickly flowing melody over a sustained accompaniment, but with drums playing a groove)?).  Hope this helps!
If you tell me what you’re hearing (what things sound like, not what the instruments are) in your words, and do that for at least 1800 words, you’ll do well!