The piano is Penelope.
This week I was thinking about one of my favorite songs. Disco Ulysses by Vulfpeck. The piece is a nice groove and I love a band of talented musicians who are with it. I’m bringing it up here because I like to think of it as a retelling of the Odyssey. I mean, it’s in the name of the song…and the music video. I don’t think I’m discovering anything here, but I do like exploring the storytelling in the song.
So, the piano is Penelope. Odysseus leaves Troy to make it back to her, but the adventure is too much fun. That’s the bass played by the amazing Joe Dart. The bass and drums lead Odysseus further and further from the piano until in the middle of the song its gone. But then in all drops out as the joy of the adventure is over, this is Calipso. This is the guitar duo part in the middle.
Then, freed from the prison by a glissando, he races home, the piano growing more powerful until at last he reaches her. The adventure returns but only in the pursuit of Penelope. The whole song bursts to life as he fights his way home.
I don’t know if you can see it when you listen to the song, but it is what I hear. I love it.
Music has an odd power in the creative space. It can build stories without words, simply by the way instruments build on each other.
I write to music all the time, as it takes up the part of the brain that needs to be entertained. When I’m listening to an instrumental song and not writing, I find my mind gets taken up by scenes built as I listen. The more I listen to a song the deeper the story goes, built up and up on every listen. Don’t get me started on Gershwin’s An American in Paris, because I can tell you where the poodles go.
Thanks for reading this odd one,
Michael
Michael Frutig 