S/O Can we talk about how bad Lin-Manuel Miranda's music is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Broadway music for the NPR set - haha. yes!

I also hate musicals and yet watched Hamilton and still don't like musicals. I also felt "yelled at"!

But Moana was the worst of the worst - I literally was groaning in psychic pain in the movie theater.

I think maybe the problem is that ppl expect waaaay too much from children's movies? They are movies for children...it's not going to be Citizen Kane. The best you are going to get is a couple of winking jokes aimed at the parents and maybe a catchy song or two.

Taking your kids to see a Disney movie is an activity you do to entertain your kids. I don't understand how doing that causes you "psychic pain" unless your expectations are extremely out of whack

And what praytell do you think a kid aged 5-10 gets out of Encanto?
They like the colors and beats.
This was an adult movie for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:His dad’s political connections have really tokenized all of his work, I think. He’s definitely talented. I feel sad watching him hustle for the Dems in every single thing he does. Would be neat if his work could just be his.

Who or what is his father?

[Anonymous]

I love his music. It has nothing to do with what I think I "should" like and it has nothing to do with his politics, though we are aligned politically. I love fast music and think his melodies (when he focuses on them, such as in Wait for It and What Else Can I Do) are lovely, and his beats are sophisticated and awesome. I find a lot of songs in "traditional" musicals boring.

[Anonymous]

If your post was about his vocal quality and talent, I’d agree. But his music is brilliant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hated Moana and am dreading being forced to watch Encanto!

I literally cannot comprehend hating Moana. I feel like it is perhaps the best Disney movie ever made. But to each their own!

Agree!! I liked Encanto okay. But love Moana!!

Love Hamilton, love In The Heights!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love his music. It has nothing to do with what I think I "should" like and it has nothing to do with his politics, though we are aligned politically. I love fast music and think his melodies (when he focuses on them, such as in Wait for It and What Else Can I Do) are lovely, and his beats are sophisticated and awesome. I find a lot of songs in "traditional" musicals boring.

Agree! I love dense lyrics -- although I admit that the first time I tried to watch Hamilton I could not figure out what the heck was going on -- I needed to turn on subtitles. But I've seen it a thousand times since then and love it. I mean, "you punched the bursar". He spent so damn long setting up that gag and it was worth it. I crack up at that every time.

So, by the way, did Stephen Sondheim, who was his mentor and had only the kindest words to say about him and his work.

[Anonymous]

When he first became popular I immediately recognized him as the bad beatboxer from the mid 2ks reboot of Electric Company. I find him overly earnest and dewy-eyed, a little too "aww shucks you love my stuff?" That said I do love the music, even if everything seems to come from the same template.

[Anonymous]

I hated Hamilton including every song. It's not my jam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I totally get the adulation for the guy - he's obviously a brilliant creative mind. But I really dislike the songs he writes - there is no real melody, or rhythm - it's just the same free-flowing sing/speaking with his rapping thrown in. They are all the same! The movie about the singing kickachoo monkey thing, Encanto (which my kids have on repeat on Spotify). Even Moana only had one or two good songs - the rest were...the same types of songs that I can't get into. Is this only me?

So tell is who does make good music.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, thank you for writing this and taking the heat! I have felt this way for a long time but this is not an opinion you're allowed to have in polite society right now. I'm not sure why.

It's strange because I like all kinds of things that other people don't like -- super niche, nerdy science fiction; poetry; opera; modern dance; detailed British nature paintings. Like just random art that speaks very specifically to my aesthetic and topical interests. I have zero problems when people say they don't like these things. I don't expect them to.

I think that's the difference. A lot of people who love LMM get mad if you say it's not their thing because their is an expectation that everyone will like it. That's a weird expectation. Even the more popular stuff I like (Lizzo, Game of Thrones, Amy Winehouse, Louise Penny novels), I know people who don't like them. And it's fine! They like other things.

LMM's talk-singing thing, and specifically the way a lot of his songs are designed to feel like you are being buried in words and feelings, is not my thing. I believe it has to do with aesthetic, I really appreciate more sparse musical aesthetics, I like feeling carried by music not hit by it. Which yes, means I'm heavily invested in melody and beat, whereas LMM is more focused on the lyrics themselves, musical punctuation, and a kind of excess. That's fine. Not my thing.

It's not a personal insult to YOU if I don't like the thing you like. Liking things is subjective, by definition.

Good point. Half the English population cannot process quickly spoken language so the cleverness and meaning of the rapped lyrics, which are ALWAYS storytelling with LMM, are lost. Or require a look up later or a 2nd viewing, etc.

Is that a good thing? Is that “depth” if many people need multiple exposures to get it? My work addict spouse on the spectrum didn’t understand or appreciate Hamilton at all. But he’ll toe the line and say it was fantastic because that’s what the reviews said. That’s too bad, he may have learned some history and Miranda’s/author’s take on some historic figures.

1776 was the superior musical about the nation's founding. The history is better, it's funnier, and it confronts the slavery issue head-on, rather than using actors of color to obfuscate the founders' sins.

oh okay there can only be one good musical about the founding fathers. thanks, musical police, for letting us know

PP - I didn't say Hamilton was bad. I just think 1776 was better, and its strongest points happen to be Hamilton's weakest.
Hamilton was fine. It becomes better when you realize that Burr is the hero.

But really Eliza is the hero.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When he first became popular I immediately recognized him as the bad beatboxer from the mid 2ks reboot of Electric Company. I find him overly earnest and dewy-eyed, a little too "aww shucks you love my stuff?" That said I do love the music, even if everything seems to come from the same template.

Yes, 100%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, thank you for writing this and taking the heat! I have felt this way for a long time but this is not an opinion you're allowed to have in polite society right now. I'm not sure why.

It's strange because I like all kinds of things that other people don't like -- super niche, nerdy science fiction; poetry; opera; modern dance; detailed British nature paintings. Like just random art that speaks very specifically to my aesthetic and topical interests. I have zero problems when people say they don't like these things. I don't expect them to.

I think that's the difference. A lot of people who love LMM get mad if you say it's not their thing because their is an expectation that everyone will like it. That's a weird expectation. Even the more popular stuff I like (Lizzo, Game of Thrones, Amy Winehouse, Louise Penny novels), I know people who don't like them. And it's fine! They like other things.

LMM's talk-singing thing, and specifically the way a lot of his songs are designed to feel like you are being buried in words and feelings, is not my thing. I believe it has to do with aesthetic, I really appreciate more sparse musical aesthetics, I like feeling carried by music not hit by it. Which yes, means I'm heavily invested in melody and beat, whereas LMM is more focused on the lyrics themselves, musical punctuation, and a kind of excess. That's fine. Not my thing.

It's not a personal insult to YOU if I don't like the thing you like. Liking things is subjective, by definition.

Good point. Half the English population cannot process quickly spoken language so the cleverness and meaning of the rapped lyrics, which are ALWAYS storytelling with LMM, are lost. Or require a look up later or a 2nd viewing, etc.

Is that a good thing? Is that “depth” if many people need multiple exposures to get it? My work addict spouse on the spectrum didn’t understand or appreciate Hamilton at all. But he’ll toe the line and say it was fantastic because that’s what the reviews said. That’s too bad, he may have learned some history and Miranda’s/author’s take on some historic figures.

1776 was the superior musical about the nation's founding. The history is better, it's funnier, and it confronts the slavery issue head-on, rather than using actors of color to obfuscate the founders' sins.

oh okay there can only be one good musical about the founding fathers. thanks, musical police, for letting us know

PP - I didn't say Hamilton was bad. I just think 1776 was better, and its strongest points happen to be Hamilton's weakest.
Hamilton was fine. It becomes better when you realize that Burr is the hero.

But really Eliza is the hero.

Np. Notice the show is called Hamilton.. I think both are the heroes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, thank you for writing this and taking the heat! I have felt this way for a long time but this is not an opinion you're allowed to have in polite society right now. I'm not sure why.

It's strange because I like all kinds of things that other people don't like -- super niche, nerdy science fiction; poetry; opera; modern dance; detailed British nature paintings. Like just random art that speaks very specifically to my aesthetic and topical interests. I have zero problems when people say they don't like these things. I don't expect them to.

I think that's the difference. A lot of people who love LMM get mad if you say it's not their thing because their is an expectation that everyone will like it. That's a weird expectation. Even the more popular stuff I like (Lizzo, Game of Thrones, Amy Winehouse, Louise Penny novels), I know people who don't like them. And it's fine! They like other things.

LMM's talk-singing thing, and specifically the way a lot of his songs are designed to feel like you are being buried in words and feelings, is not my thing. I believe it has to do with aesthetic, I really appreciate more sparse musical aesthetics, I like feeling carried by music not hit by it. Which yes, means I'm heavily invested in melody and beat, whereas LMM is more focused on the lyrics themselves, musical punctuation, and a kind of excess. That's fine. Not my thing.

It's not a personal insult to YOU if I don't like the thing you like. Liking things is subjective, by definition.

Good point. Half the English population cannot process quickly spoken language so the cleverness and meaning of the rapped lyrics, which are ALWAYS storytelling with LMM, are lost. Or require a look up later or a 2nd viewing, etc.

Is that a good thing? Is that “depth” if many people need multiple exposures to get it? My work addict spouse on the spectrum didn’t understand or appreciate Hamilton at all. But he’ll toe the line and say it was fantastic because that’s what the reviews said. That’s too bad, he may have learned some history and Miranda’s/author’s take on some historic figures.

That's not LMM's fault that you dh lacked the desire to learn more. Are you actually blaming him? My dd with autism got it. If he didn't like it as long as he isn't rude it is totally fine!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When he first became popular I immediately recognized him as the bad beatboxer from the mid 2ks reboot of Electric Company. I find him overly earnest and dewy-eyed, a little too "aww shucks you love my stuff?" That said I do love the music, even if everything seems to come from the same template.

Yes, 100%

Dp. I find him endearig and sincere. Sorry you guys are so cynical that you can't see that. If he bragged than you wouldn't like that either! Either way in your eyes he can't get a break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When he first became popular I immediately recognized him as the bad beatboxer from the mid 2ks reboot of Electric Company. I find him overly earnest and dewy-eyed, a little too "aww shucks you love my stuff?" That said I do love the music, even if everything seems to come from the same template.

Yes, 100%

Dp. I find him endearig and sincere. Sorry you guys are so cynical that you can't see that. If he bragged than you wouldn't like that either! Either way in your eyes he can't get a break.

+1 for team Linnamon Roll. I love listening to him on podcasts etc because he's just so goddamn sweet, it makes me think the world doesn't suck. Dude loves his work, loves his family, thinks there's hope for the world.

I actually follow his dad on twitter and it's 100% where Lin gets the unselfconscious sweetness and enthusiasm. His dad, Luis, posts stuff like a pic he's taken with his telephone of Lin on the television because he's so excited that his boy is on TV. Love the Mirandas.