P:ano- Foot Hills

Foot Hills by P:ano is another example of bass clarinet in popular music, although it is used much differently that in the previous post. Whereas before, the clarinet sound was smooth and ghastly, here it is very upbeat and bouncy. In this track, the clarinet is the only source of bass, so it is integral to the instrumentation, and offers the tune a very distinct quality. P:ano, a Canadian based pop band, uses both clarinet and bass clarinet in many of their tracks, and it is this diverse use of instruments that gives them their edge.

Follow this link to online streaming audio of Foot Hills by P:ano: http://radio3.cbc.ca/play/band/PAno/Foothills. You will be redirected to CBC Radio.


Sources:

P:ano. (n.d.). Discogs. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/P%3Aano.

Radiohead- Life in a Glasshouse

Returning to a more modern era of popular music, Radiohead is British rock band that encompasses a variety of sonic styles. Their songs are very textured, and through-composed, so there is not often a repetitive chorus or tag line. Because of this, their music takes on a more artistic value. Life in a Glass House is a great example of these musical qualities. Although, it is a little different from Radiohead’s typical sound, featuring big band brass and clarinet sounds, instead of electric guitars and keyboards. Unlike the previous tunes which have only clarinet solos and segments, this song uses clarinet the entire way through, whether it be in the foreground or as part of the counter melody. The clarinet in this song, too, has a very jazzy quality coming from the moderate use of glissandos and vibrato. It is also interesting to note the instrument’s tessitura progression throughout the piece. At first, the clarinet remains in the lower registers, but as the music progresses it reaches the higher octaves, becomes more rhythmically active, and adopts a brighter tone. Notice how the clarinet traces the evolution and growth of the song.





Sources:

Radiohead. (n.d.). LastFM. Retrieved from http://www.last.fm/music/Radiohead.