(originally due November 5th, 2009)
There are many similarities between the two types of songs, but there are also differences:
1. Use of symbolic lyricism- In the traditional music (like in Iron duke and Jean and Dinah), the music used symbolism to attack the government. This may have been because they were not allowed to record any public bashing of the government. This may also be because of the importance of lyrics in the time. Later on (in songs such as Burning, and Cyar take that) the lyrics were more straight froward and required no analysis to understand the meaning.
2. Importance of complex instrumentation- In songs such as Calinda and Tassa drumming, the instrumentation and structure of the songs seems much more complex than what is used in the popular music. There seemed to be more focus on the talent of the instrument rather than the vocals/lyrical use.
3. Lyrics that apply to the modern day- Of course, the popular musical lyrics tackles problems that the people are facing today, such as arranged marriages and political problems.
4. Fusion- there has been a wonderful mixture of the Asian/Trinidad musical cultures.For example, In Cyar Take That, you can hear the multiple layering that was inherited from Africa, and the drumming style that is heard in the tassa drumming piece. The mixture of these cultures have created a wonderful musical perspective.
Below is a tassa video i REALLY enjoyed:
