So we meet again...
Anywho, remember when I said I was going to be around in May alot more than I was in April? Whellllpp, that didn't go as planned. I just finished my freshmen year of college this month (!!!!!) and I guess I got a little sidetracked looking for summer jobs. I think I've said this before: doing this blog takes a lot of work!
But I still love doing it! Anyway, now on to what you really want to know (or don't want to know, I'm still doing it either way). MaestroBlog received 502 page views this month, this is down from the 603 views that April hauled in. But that's to be expected as May didn't have as many posts as April did. My views per post average is 24.1, up exactly 1 from last month's 23.1.
The date that hauled in the biggest number of views was...I actually can't remember that at the moment, although I do know that the largest sum of views for any day in May was like, 40 views...I think. Like I said, this was a pretty off month for me, I can only hope to return with more topics in June.
Also, I know it must've been incredibly frustrating with all of the album reviews this month. I just love doing them, and they're simple and don't take as much time as a Musical Dissection or song of the day (I still need to do another one of those btw).
I do have some more ideas I could throw out there, but I do not make any promises if I'll do them all or not. We'll just see where the summer takes me!
As always, thanks for taking the time to read this, I can't believe it's already been six months since I started this blog...that's half a year ago! Furreal, time goes by too fast.
But anyway, I hope you stick around for more exciting news and discussion about the world of music!
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Album Sales
So, I think I promised this post back in March...sorry it took so long! Got a little side-tracked since then, with school and all. Anyway, this probably won't be too long, because it's a pretty straightforward topic: album sales are down the crapper. So why are they? I mean, just ten years ago albums were flying off the shelves, and there was alot more selection too. But before we go to the reasons why, I feel the need to inform you on just how low sales have gotten.
Let's start with Nelly Furtado's second album "Folklore". It was released in 2003, you know, when album sales were high, and it sold 68,000 copies in its debut week. This was enough to make it debut at number 38 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. In 2013, Gary Allan's "Set You Free" sold 68,000 copies and debuted at number 1. Then again, this isn't that surprising seeing as how "Folklore" was release in November and during Thanksgiving weekend, obviously sales were going to be pretty tight as compared to the January release date of "Set You Free". Still, it's pretty amazing how Nelly Furtado couldn't even make the top five and Gary Allan had no trouble claiming the pole position.
Another situation I'd like to bring up is Gwen Stefani's album "L.A.M.B". It was released in November 2004, a year where basically all albums were selling like wildfire, and it sold 309,000 copies in its first week, and it debuted at number 7...number seven. Those kinds of sales would get you to number one no problem now, but back then the music market really was that competitive. To get to the top ten in 2013, you need to sell around 20,000-30,000 copies. In 2004, you needed at least ten times as much to get into the top ten. Even January sales weren't as low as they are today, and that's saying something because January is always a wasteland of sales. Although, there is one plus side to minimal competition: now an artist doesn't need to do a tired promotional cycle to get the album to the top of the charts. If you just generate a little buzz with a single or a video, you're basically guaranteed a top ten album. Lana Del Rey lucked out in 2012 when her debut "Born to Die" sold 77,000 copies and debuted at number 2. Another beneficiary of this was Kacey Musgraves in 2013, when her debut "Same Trailer, Different Park" sold a bismal 43,000 copies and also debuted at number 2. Now, the only album keeping it from number one was Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience", which sold 968,000 copies that week. If it wasn't for Justin, Kacey would've claimed the top spot, with a record sales low in the US. Currently, that honor goes to John Mayer's "Born and Raised", which sold 65,000 copies in its second week and kept the number one position.
But back to Justin Timberlake for a moment: his massive sales figure proves that an album can still sell a crap ton of copies, but only very high profile names can do so. Remember when Taylor Swift's "Red" sold 1,208,000 copies in its debut week? It outsold the rest of the top ten, twenty, and thirty combined. And of course we have Adele's "21", which is so far the only album to go Diamond in the US in the 2010s (it's actually the only album that's been able to surpass the 5x Platinum mark too), and it sold a staggering 26.5 million copies worldwide. That's an impressive feat in any decade, but especially now, when 99% of artists would be extremely lucky to go Gold in any country. So now we go on to the big question: why is so hard for albums to sell now-a-days? There's obviously something that's keeping people from going to the stores and purchasing one. Now, the economy really isn't an excuse. Why? Because first of all, albums are cheaper than they've ever been in the 2000s millenium. Albums are $9.99-$11.99 and in most stores. In 2003, albums were $13.99-$14.99, so yeah, buying one album isn't going to put a big dent in your wallet. And the economy isn't so bad to the point of everybody living at the poverty level and we can only afford the bare essentials. All of your iPods, iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, mini-fridges and flat-screen TVs prove that point very well.
Indeed, there are a few new services that are severely hurting album sales. The biggest culprits, however, are these little streaming sites known as YouTube and Spotify. Since we live in the digital era, the internet is now how we consume music. There's no more getting together with your friends and hearing each others' CDs, instead we all send YouTube links to each other. In turn, everybody is now posting full albums on YouTube, making it very easy with someone who has a video converter to get the music for free. It also helps that iPods and cell phones have YouTube access now, so we can play a song, or album, for free and not have to pay a single penny. But an even bigger hindrance of album sales is Spotify. It's a service that's free, there's no catches or hidden fees or anything, you just have to put up with intermittent ads as you can listen to any song or album ever made in existence for free and not have to drop a dime. iPods and Cell Phones also have Spotify access, so you don't have to pay anything to listen to your favorite music wherever and whenever you want. Like I said in an earlier blog post, why would anyone use gas to go to the store and get a $10 album, when you can just stream it on your music playing devices for free?
Now, I'm very old fashioned, and I spend the $10 to get an album. I mean really, it's just a CD and it doesn't cost as much as an iPod or a TV, so I really don't see the problem in just getting the disc. Don't you like the feeling of opening the plastic, breaking the seal, opening up the case and putting the CD into a CD-ROM drive or a CD player for the first time? I love that feeling, it's like Christmas! But anyway, that's just me, I just use Spotify and YouTube to tide me over until I can get the actual copy of the album in my hands. I do miss the days when CDs were a novelty, they sold rapidly because it was just that cool to say "Yeah, I have the new 'Insert Artist Name Here's' CD, wanna listen?" Remember when NSYNC's album "No Strings Attached" sold 2.42 million copies in its debut week? 2.42 million people didn't get an individual copy, there were actually girls who bought multiple copies, because it really was that awesome to have more than one. I'd like to get back to those days, but sadly, with all these new luxuries, most people are going to take the easy way out and just stream the albums. I'd rather listen to an album with no ads and no stopping, but like I said, that's just me.
Let's start with Nelly Furtado's second album "Folklore". It was released in 2003, you know, when album sales were high, and it sold 68,000 copies in its debut week. This was enough to make it debut at number 38 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. In 2013, Gary Allan's "Set You Free" sold 68,000 copies and debuted at number 1. Then again, this isn't that surprising seeing as how "Folklore" was release in November and during Thanksgiving weekend, obviously sales were going to be pretty tight as compared to the January release date of "Set You Free". Still, it's pretty amazing how Nelly Furtado couldn't even make the top five and Gary Allan had no trouble claiming the pole position.
Another situation I'd like to bring up is Gwen Stefani's album "L.A.M.B". It was released in November 2004, a year where basically all albums were selling like wildfire, and it sold 309,000 copies in its first week, and it debuted at number 7...number seven. Those kinds of sales would get you to number one no problem now, but back then the music market really was that competitive. To get to the top ten in 2013, you need to sell around 20,000-30,000 copies. In 2004, you needed at least ten times as much to get into the top ten. Even January sales weren't as low as they are today, and that's saying something because January is always a wasteland of sales. Although, there is one plus side to minimal competition: now an artist doesn't need to do a tired promotional cycle to get the album to the top of the charts. If you just generate a little buzz with a single or a video, you're basically guaranteed a top ten album. Lana Del Rey lucked out in 2012 when her debut "Born to Die" sold 77,000 copies and debuted at number 2. Another beneficiary of this was Kacey Musgraves in 2013, when her debut "Same Trailer, Different Park" sold a bismal 43,000 copies and also debuted at number 2. Now, the only album keeping it from number one was Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience", which sold 968,000 copies that week. If it wasn't for Justin, Kacey would've claimed the top spot, with a record sales low in the US. Currently, that honor goes to John Mayer's "Born and Raised", which sold 65,000 copies in its second week and kept the number one position.
But back to Justin Timberlake for a moment: his massive sales figure proves that an album can still sell a crap ton of copies, but only very high profile names can do so. Remember when Taylor Swift's "Red" sold 1,208,000 copies in its debut week? It outsold the rest of the top ten, twenty, and thirty combined. And of course we have Adele's "21", which is so far the only album to go Diamond in the US in the 2010s (it's actually the only album that's been able to surpass the 5x Platinum mark too), and it sold a staggering 26.5 million copies worldwide. That's an impressive feat in any decade, but especially now, when 99% of artists would be extremely lucky to go Gold in any country. So now we go on to the big question: why is so hard for albums to sell now-a-days? There's obviously something that's keeping people from going to the stores and purchasing one. Now, the economy really isn't an excuse. Why? Because first of all, albums are cheaper than they've ever been in the 2000s millenium. Albums are $9.99-$11.99 and in most stores. In 2003, albums were $13.99-$14.99, so yeah, buying one album isn't going to put a big dent in your wallet. And the economy isn't so bad to the point of everybody living at the poverty level and we can only afford the bare essentials. All of your iPods, iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, mini-fridges and flat-screen TVs prove that point very well.
Indeed, there are a few new services that are severely hurting album sales. The biggest culprits, however, are these little streaming sites known as YouTube and Spotify. Since we live in the digital era, the internet is now how we consume music. There's no more getting together with your friends and hearing each others' CDs, instead we all send YouTube links to each other. In turn, everybody is now posting full albums on YouTube, making it very easy with someone who has a video converter to get the music for free. It also helps that iPods and cell phones have YouTube access now, so we can play a song, or album, for free and not have to pay a single penny. But an even bigger hindrance of album sales is Spotify. It's a service that's free, there's no catches or hidden fees or anything, you just have to put up with intermittent ads as you can listen to any song or album ever made in existence for free and not have to drop a dime. iPods and Cell Phones also have Spotify access, so you don't have to pay anything to listen to your favorite music wherever and whenever you want. Like I said in an earlier blog post, why would anyone use gas to go to the store and get a $10 album, when you can just stream it on your music playing devices for free?
Now, I'm very old fashioned, and I spend the $10 to get an album. I mean really, it's just a CD and it doesn't cost as much as an iPod or a TV, so I really don't see the problem in just getting the disc. Don't you like the feeling of opening the plastic, breaking the seal, opening up the case and putting the CD into a CD-ROM drive or a CD player for the first time? I love that feeling, it's like Christmas! But anyway, that's just me, I just use Spotify and YouTube to tide me over until I can get the actual copy of the album in my hands. I do miss the days when CDs were a novelty, they sold rapidly because it was just that cool to say "Yeah, I have the new 'Insert Artist Name Here's' CD, wanna listen?" Remember when NSYNC's album "No Strings Attached" sold 2.42 million copies in its debut week? 2.42 million people didn't get an individual copy, there were actually girls who bought multiple copies, because it really was that awesome to have more than one. I'd like to get back to those days, but sadly, with all these new luxuries, most people are going to take the easy way out and just stream the albums. I'd rather listen to an album with no ads and no stopping, but like I said, that's just me.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Selena Gomez & The Scene-"When The Sun Goes Down" Review
Like many Disney actresses before her, Selena Gomez was eventually entrapped in the rite of passage of starting a musical career. Although, whereas most first Disney efforts felt forced and labored, 2009’s “Kiss and Tell” turned out to be something of a fluke. It wasn’t a perfect record by any means, but it showed that Selena has some musical talent, at least, in delivering unabashed teen pop with ease. But come 2011, with her twenties almost upon her, Selena or someone in her camp, thought it was time to grow up. She actually tried this already with her sophomore slump “A Year Without Rain” back in 2010, but its lack of catchy songs failed to achieve the success that “Kiss and Tell” did. Predictably, since Selena is still a Disney act, she runs back to what made her a star in the first place, at least, the spirit of her earlier sound anyway. While “Kiss and Tell” was built on pop/rock influences, Selena this time tries a more dance-ward approach. Unlike “A Year Without Rain”, “When the Sun Goes Down” is her first explicit attempt at maturity. She makes the right moves, hiring a number of non-Disney names (including Katy Perry, of all people), all of which dress Selena up in many different styles and attitudes, all adding up to an album that’s more sonically interesting and more appealing to the older audiences that Selena was aiming for. All of the pieces are there, the only problem is Selena. No matter what song she’s singing, whether it be the clichéd opener “Love You Like a Love Song”, the even more clichéd “Who Says?”, or the immature kiss-off “Bang Bang Bang”, Selena just sounds bored. And that’s a real shame considering how the underlying, synth-pop music hinted at how effervescent “When the Sun Goes Down” could have, and very well should have been. Now, if this had been designed as a proud, faceless product like, well, Selena’s first two albums, then the dissonance between the music and the vocalist interchangeably wouldn’t matter. But since this album was meant to elevate Selena to super-star level (the liner notes proudly exclaim that the album is presented in “Selenaphonic” sound), it’s a bit of a problem. Although, the bigger issue is how a 12-track album that barely crosses the 40 minute mark is so incredibly taxing, it’s nearly impossible to listen to beginning to end. Maybe Selena’s overwhelmed by the number of songwriters and producers were needed to make this record, maybe she’s not into the music. Either way, “When the Sun Goes Down” is utterly lifeless.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Love You Like a Love Song 2. Bang Bang Bang 3. Who Says?
4. We Own the Night 5. Hit the Lights 6. Whiplash
7. When the Sun Goes Down 8. My Dilemma 9. That’s More Like It
10. Outlaw 11. Middle of Nowhere 12. Dices
Friday, May 24, 2013
Musical Dissection-The Milestone Award (BBMAs)
Okay, ya'll knew this was coming. I've had my beef with this prick since the day he came out, and I've tried my best not to give him any attention, but the media constantly shoves him down my throat and there are some things I just can't let go. This time, however, my frustration is at an all time high because of a little event that happened last Sunday. The Billboard Music Awards. It's all decided by the staff of the magazine who should win each of their numerous awards, like Best Hot 100 Song, Best Billboard 200 album, Best EDM artist, Best Pop artist etc. There's a lot of awards that go out that night, and the recepients' worthiness of those awards are pretty mixed from year to year. Remember, award shows today base their decisions off of popularity more than quality. Now don't even get me started on how One Direction won best new artist and best pop artist...ew! But the biggest award that night was a new award that Billboard introduced called "The Milestone Award". This award was to be handed to the artist with the most votes from the public, and they were voting for the artist who they thought had achieved the most in the past year. Now, it's a travesty that Justin was even nominated in this category, apprently releasing a number one album at the age of 18 is a milestone? I'm sorry, but didn't Britney Spears achieve the same feat back in 1999? With better music? Anyway, I knew he was going to make it to the final three artists up for consideration, because let's face it, who reads Billboard magazine anymore? 8-15 year old girls, that's who. Actually they go on the website, I haven't seen a hard copy of Billboard magazine anywhere in the area I live in. So yeah, he was on the same bill as Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift in the final round of getting that award. Now, come the actual show, after he already won Best Male artist (seriously Billboard?! You have issues), with all the votes counted, it was announced that Justin did win the Milestone Award. Now, you would think that since he was voted win the award, that he would have received a warm welcome to accept it, right?
Wrong! This is where my faith in humanity was restored. For 57 seconds, Bieber was booed very loudly by the audience. When it finally died down he said:
"And basically, from my heart I really just want to say, it should really be about the music. It should be about the craft that I'm making, and… this is not a gimmick, this is not a gimmick. I'm an artist, and I should be taken seriously. All this other bull should not be spoken of."
Okay. There are so many things wrong with that statement, but that's going to be spoken of later in this dissection. First, I wanna address a Billboard writer who felt the need to explain why Bieber was booed. Really, he had no idea why Bieber had the backlash and he tried to find out why he was received with such negativity. In case you were wondering, "he sucks" and "he's a dousche" were not part of his reasons why. Besides making sense of the backlash, he further went on to defend Bieber and say that the reactions weren't necessary........Oh. My God. There were so many emotions swirling around at that point, and I just couldn't hold them in for much longer. That's what's brought me here today, I'm gonna actually sit down and see why Justin Bieber is constantly hated on and booed.
Yes, he sucks as a musician and songwriter, he can't sing, he's completely fake and contrived, those are all very good reasons for why he was booed at the awards, and why he's bashed by every media outlet possible. But, actually dissecting his situation, there are other problems too. For one: have you seen this picture recently?
Wrong! This is where my faith in humanity was restored. For 57 seconds, Bieber was booed very loudly by the audience. When it finally died down he said:
"And basically, from my heart I really just want to say, it should really be about the music. It should be about the craft that I'm making, and… this is not a gimmick, this is not a gimmick. I'm an artist, and I should be taken seriously. All this other bull should not be spoken of."
Okay. There are so many things wrong with that statement, but that's going to be spoken of later in this dissection. First, I wanna address a Billboard writer who felt the need to explain why Bieber was booed. Really, he had no idea why Bieber had the backlash and he tried to find out why he was received with such negativity. In case you were wondering, "he sucks" and "he's a dousche" were not part of his reasons why. Besides making sense of the backlash, he further went on to defend Bieber and say that the reactions weren't necessary........Oh. My God. There were so many emotions swirling around at that point, and I just couldn't hold them in for much longer. That's what's brought me here today, I'm gonna actually sit down and see why Justin Bieber is constantly hated on and booed.
Yes, he sucks as a musician and songwriter, he can't sing, he's completely fake and contrived, those are all very good reasons for why he was booed at the awards, and why he's bashed by every media outlet possible. But, actually dissecting his situation, there are other problems too. For one: have you seen this picture recently?
Look at that horrible posture, the studded hat, the sagging leopard pants, the silver chain, all of his bodyguards, and the two solid gold watches. TWO. SOLID. GOLD. WATCHES. Who the fuck needs two solid gold watches?! You don't even need one! Obviously, humility is a word that Justin knows nothing about. Remember when he bought out the ENTIRE Staples Center in LA? I know he used it to watch "Titanic" with Selena Gomez, but seriously, the Staples Center? You couldn't have just rented it on DVD and watched it at home? I'm sorry, but what he did was not romantic, it was him being a show-off and rubbing his money in our faces. It's also his futile attempt at proving that he's the perfect guy: he has money up the wazoo, and he only cares about what a girl wants. Now, people over the age of 18 should know that material things aren't romance, nor are big, overblown gestures like buying out a whole stadium. Justin Bieber is not in any way humble or modest, he willfully flaunts his bling and parades Selena around like she's some sort of monkey who's there only to serve him. There's a reason why Selena was largely absent from the media in 2011-2012, when she started dating this prick, her career basically ceased to exist. When they broke up earlier in the year, she released a single and a movie very soon after. Obviously, Justin didn't really care about what she wanted, she was giving him a lot of publicity and was starting to shake off his teeny-bopper image. Safe to say, it didn't work on the latter note. He's still seen as a teenager whose only audience is young teenage girls, no matter how much he 'raps' or adds dub-step to his songs.
Secondly, maturity. I know immaturity when I see it, I was forced to endure it all throughout high school so I know I'm right in saying this Justin is definitely, very immature. His statement at the awards show was already very childish, and then take into account his beef with the paparazzi, his reaction over not having his monkey constantly by his side, and then the fact that he wished that Anne Frank would have been a Belieber. That was not the time and place to say that Biebs, and quite frankly, you shouldn't wish that upon any dead person who touched more lives than you ever will. His immaturity leads to his false confidence and over-the-top cockiness. You know he actually considers himself the Kurt Cobain of our generation? He thinks he's the shit, when in actuality he has no legs to stand on. Justin, don't you know that Kurt Cobain was a tortured soul who founded one of the best Rock groups of all time? He inspired millions, and his suicide touched millions of people, too. I'm sorry, but standing on stage and kissing a girl's hand is not Kurt Cobain level. Your behavior in 2013 alone has been downright foul, you may be 19 and out of puberty, but your mind is still stuck at 15.
Thirdly, he was booed at the awards show because he simply did not deserve that award. Having five number one albums by 19 is impressive, yes, but look at his competition: Taylor Swift far out-sold "Believe" in its opening week alone with 1,208,000 copies sold. That's the second largest ever for a female artist, and Taylor Swift is the only female artist to have two albums open with sales of 1,000,000+. She's also had plenty of top ten hits and even a number one single to boot. Then there was Bruno Mars. He scored five number one singles in three years, the second shortest amount for any artist, ever. Only Elvis scored more number ones sooner. Bruno Mars is in the ranks of Elvis, Justin, and not to mention that Bruno Mars and Taylor Swift write and produce their own material and don't need nearly as collaborators as you do to make them credible artists. That's another thing that bothers me, how the whole music industry constantly defends him and features him in as many songs as possible to give him some street cred. Biebs, if you need that many people to prove you're a credible artist, you're not a credible artist. You shouldn't need a thousand people shoving that down our throats to tell us that you know what you're doing and that you're at the same level as you hold yourself to be. After three years of his constant bullshit, yeah, being booed at the awards show for getting something that the audience didn't vote for (8-15 year old girls didn't make up that audience, folks) was very necessary, and it honestly should have been expected. Thank God the public is finally starting to catch on.
Anyway, now the moment you've been waiting for. Going back to his acceptance speech, he said that he's not a gimmick, and that it should really be about the music. The MUSIC? Are you fucking kidding me?! Are. You. Kidding Me, Bieber? I'm sorry, but just look at yourself, with your two solid gold watches (I will never let that go), a friggin monkey, buying out the entire Staples center, making out with Selena Gomez (among other girls) in every photo taken of you, your sagging pants, your "rapping" and saying "shawty" in every song, smoking pot for the whole world to see, I can tell you care alot about alot of things, but music sure as hell ain't one of them. You are the walking definition of a gimmick, you're not as deep as you think you are. We can all see through you, and we all know that you don't mean a single word that comes out of those songs. I now alot of nice guys who treat women with respect, and NONE of them act like what you're singing about. You use music as a vehicle for money, vanity, and to get girls, don't you even dare say that you're all about the music. And you're honestly mad the public is talking about your actions of the past years? How is that OUR fault that you act like a douchebag all the time? You obviously have no problem being in the public eye, and you honestly have the audacity to say that we shouldn't be talking about that "bull"? You're right, you are "bull", what you do and what you say is a load of "bull". You seriously act like everything happens to you, like this career was forced upon you? You were forced to get two gold watches? You were forced to make whiny songs about nothing but girls? You were honestly forced to smoke pot and drink on New Year's? No, you weren't. Biebs, it's time to grow up and take responsibility for your actions, and not just blaming the world for your behavior.
I've said this once and I'll say it again: yeah he grew up poor, but he's not thankful for that time in his life. He should've learned that money can't buy you happiness, every day is a privelage and that all of his opportunities are special. But he goes around complaining and is completely unhappy, now that he's a star. But, if he's gonna pull that "I was poor" card...do you know who else was poor? Mary J Blige, Missy Elliot, Miranda Lambert, Snoop Dogg. Lisa Lopes, Tionne Watkins, and Rhozona Thomas of TLC, and there were many others who had situations alot worse than his. Hell, Missy Elliot was sexually abused by her cousin, Miranda Lambert witnessed domestic abuse as a child, and all of the above stars grew up where sometimes they only had popcorn, crackers, and watermelon to eat. What makes you so special Justin Bieber? Nothing. Nothing justifies the sings you say or the things you do or the songs you sing. But in the end, Justin Bieber will continue to be so popular because we give him what he really wants: attention. All of his behavior over the last year can easily be put off to just seeking attention, so we'll see him as an actual artist and a 'man' who's 'hardcore'. Well, Bieber, after this post I am not giving you any more attention. I refuse to write about you further, because you're, quite frankly, a waste of my time, and even I can't believe how much time I wasted just writing this. You're 19 years old Biebs, wake up, smell the java, and start acting like it.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Musical Dissection-The EDM Era
As you may or may not know, EDM (electronic dance music) has become the most popular genre of music in 2013. Actually it's been popular for quite awhile now, it just hasn't hit an all time high since now. Me being the deep thinker I am, I've decided to dissect this genre, has see how it has become so popular today. There are a variety of reasons why this genre takes up more spots on the Billboard Hot 100 than anything else, some may even surprise you. It actually took some time for the public to get used to consuming this type of music, but one song really broke the barrier and helped pave the way for other EDM artists like David Guetta, Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Icona Pop, Aviici, Nicky Romero, and DeadMau5, to become more popular than ever before.
Remember a little song called "We Found Love?". It's hard to think of it as the dawning of a new era but it was. In late 2011, when Adele and Maroon 5 were atop the charts with "Someone Like You" and "Moves Like Jagger", Rihanna was busy at work creating her sixth album "Talk That Talk". To promote it, she collaborated with then virtually unknown Calvin Harris, a British producer and songwriter. When she released the song it exploded onto the scene. You heard it at least twice everyday for six months straight, and it went on to become Rihanna's biggest hit, spending 10 weeks atop the Hot 100 and becoming the longest running number one of the 2010s so far. But why did it? Why were people so drawn to this song? There's a number of reasons for this too, but the main reason being that it introduced Calvin Harris, an EDM artist who was already busy making his debut album. His adept use of synths and other electronics gave the song a distinct sound, one that hasn't been heard in the mainstream yet...or was it? "We Found Love" is a very interesting subject not only because it was such a hit, but because of its musical structure. It combined both electronics and dance music in such a way that ushered the underground into the mainstream, yet it retained a pop-like quality, with those repetitive, sparse lyrics and skittering beats. Ultimately, it became a hit because it was released at the right time, when another group of artists were already busy trying to bring the underground club scene to the foreground. There was one artist who started to open the door for EDM back in 2008, with her signature outlandish costumes, people started to take notice of both her and her music, as it too was something that didn't resemble what was going on in pop music.
Yep, it's also hard to admit it, but Lady Gaga opened the door for dance artists. She, like Madonna had done 25 years earlier, brought the underground upwards, and she infused it into her music, giving it a more electronic feel. Like it or not, but she set the standard for dance-pop music for the next five years, because she made electronic music popular again. In bridging the gap between EDM and the mainstream, she was definitely an integral part, and as she kept churning out hit after hit, other artists started to take note, and it was easy to tell that soon every artist was trying to outdo the new face of dance-pop. The results were mixed, but it still started a new transition in the music industry all the same. Then there was Ke$ha, who followed the new wave of dance-pop and also started to crank out effortless hits like "Tik Tok" and "We R Who We R". Here music was actually more electronic than dance, but the beats were still insistent and Ke$ha still knew how to liven the place up a bit. She wasn't like Gaga, however, she wasn't so concerned about the cutting edge, as her collaborators of choice Dr. Luke and Max Martin made perfectly clear. She ended up solidifying eletronic pop music in radio, which then further created the bridge to the mainstream. But as Ke$ha died down, a new duo of club artists then were free to take the spotlight in 2011.
This duo was known as LMFAO. They had already made themselves popular in the clubs, but radios were unprepared for what would happen next. They released their sophomore album "Sorry for Party Rocking" and it was a smash, mainly because of the lead single, "Party Rock Anthem". That song was also another pivotal moment in the transition to EDM because it then made straight-up dance music popular again. Since they were already veterans in the clubs, they knew how to sneak underground trends into the minds of the consumer, and they basically took the opportunity that Gaga and Ke$ha had given them and had a monster hit because of it. But by summer 2011, LMFAO was just one club artist that had finally made their way to the surface. Now David Guetta was becoming a household name, and DeadMau5 and Skrillex were entering the mainstream as well. Although, on the note of Skrillex, his use of Dub-Step is also a notable trait of EDM, and he too gave pop artists a new way to connect with the audience. In actuality, Britney Spears brought it to worldwide prominence when her "Femme Fatale" was released in March 2011. "Hold It Against Me", "Till The World Ends", and "I Wanna Go" are all seminal examples of how much new club trends were starting to affect pop music.
Anyway, when "Party Rock Anthem" was losing steam (somewhat, it endured 68 weeks on the Hot 100), Calvin Harris and Rihanna were then able to crash through the door opened by all of the forementioned artists. The public was ready to consume a track like "We Found Love", it had an insanely catchy hook and it was also pretty sonically pleasing. The success of the song lasted well into 2012, but by then, everyone was turning to dance for a major crossover hit. David Guetta and Calvin Harris started to appear all over the place, most notably in songs like "Titanium" and "Feel So Close". But they were just one part of the mainstream now; dance and eletro-fied hits started to spring out of the ground at an alarming rate. That's why songs like "Wild Ones" and "Glad You Came" became hits, they followed the dance-pop formula while also incorporating new electronics into the mix. Lady Gaga and Ke$ha were largely absent this year, so other artist were free to take the reigns and kick them off the top of the charts for awhile. There was no escaping the massive surge of dance. In fact, "Somebody That I Used to Know" (the number one song of 2012) had to be re-recorded to infuse dance-beats in order for mass consumption. The One Direction-frontiered simple pop was also making headway, but not enough to eclipse the new EDM movement. Basically, if you released a song with electronics or dance-beats, you were almost guaranteed a top ten hit. This explains why singles like "Lights" became massively successful, and in fact, EDM could also explain why "Gangnam Style" and "Harlem Shake" became world-wide phenomena.
Think about it, would they have become so incredibly popular if they had been released in, say, 2003? Maybe they would have been popular to a certain degree, but not nearly as popular as they are now. It's all about timing, and people wouldn't have been so drawn to the dances of those songs if they didn't have accompanying music. The music of those songs was generic dance, to be sure, but it ultimately doesn't matter in the public eye, there was music to the dance, so that's all that they needed to become blown-out hits. It was also smart of Psy and Baauer to release those dance-hits in the 2010s, when EDM was running rampant. "The Macarena" became super-popular in the 90s because artists like Selena and Gloria Estefan made everything Latin-oriented a hit, so it's no surprise Los Del Rio were able to gain worldwide success with that song. Psy and Baauer were also underground artists that may have never seen the light of day if it wasn't for electronic dance music. But with every new movement, also comes a back-lash, an anti-movement, if you will.
EDM has steered the music industry in a new direction, but it has also brought its fair share of problems. It's the most popular genre of music right now, but it might just be too popular. It's becoming a particular problem because it's not just limited to dance artists anymore, everyone is starting to go electronic. Also, there has been such a drastic arrival of new club artists like Krewella and Icona Pop. Hearing Krewella's "Alive" for the first time made me realize that all of the ground that dance music covers has already been done, done again, and overdone. Icona Pop's "I Love It" is also another song that's not particularly bad, it's just not groundbreaking or original, either. Then there's Swedish House Mafia's "Dont' You Worry Child", with good lyrics and a fine message, but the music under it seems a bit too placid, even for a dance song. Basically, we've heard it all before, and no new ground is being forged by any of those artists, or the artists that pioneered this genre, for that matter. So, with the rise of EDM and machinery, the Indie-Hipster crowd decided enough was enough, and true to form, started to rebel against this new wave of electronica. This is why Mumford and Sons has seen a massive surgence in popularity, and also Phillip Phillips and even artists like Train have maintained their cross-cultural appeal, they simply don't sound like the rest of the music scene, and lovers of acoustic, soft-rock were very happy that they could at least indulge in these artists. But the artist who has made the most out of the anti-EDM movement is fun. Their straigtforward indie-rock resonated with a massive audience because they didn't just jump right to a crossover dance hit, they stayed true to themselves and continued to satisfy the slowly increasing Indie-Hipster crowd.
But out of the rock and indie genres, other pop artists have also started to take note and are trying to bring music back to the 20th century. The main culprits are Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake: Mars tried to revive 80s funk with "Locked Out of Heaven" (it didn't work), 70s disco with "Treasure" (that was more successful) and Timberlake sought to update the Swing and Soul grooves of the 40s-60s, with varying levels of success. Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez were able to come into their own because "The Way" is a JoJo-esque song that recalls 2000s R&B, and "Come and Get It" is an Indian-fused dance groove that also brings originality to dance-pop. And then there's Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. In the midst of the tug of war between EDM/Simple Pop and Indie-Rock/Disco-Swing revival, rap music was sort of being pushed underground. Rappers still make lots of money and appear regularly on the charts, but their appearances are mostly of EDM and Simple Pop tracks, not straight-up rap songs. This is why Macklemore and Ryan Lewis saw an explosion of popularity, other than the fact that Macklemore is absolutely hilarious, they make rap music, not pop, dance, or rock, it's rap music that was tailored to appeal to a wide audience. And once again, it sounds not at all like other rap music, or other pop music for that matter.
This brings me to my final point: the re-surgence of Daft Punk. They've been known as dance and house artists for a long time, so when "Random Access Memories" hit stores this year, it would at first seem like an attempt to regain popularity by riding the latest modern trends, but it thankfully is not. It's nowhere close to 2010s EDM, instead, it does what Bruno and Justin couldn't: it revives 20th century music successfully and it's also pretty humane and entertaining as well. As I've already reported, yeah Daft Punk still sounds like machines striving to be human, but that's the point: human. It's almost impossible to deny that pop music has become so contrived and calculated, beyond the auto-tune, electronics, and drum machines, there's not much else that can recall humanity. Pop music has always had a tendency to sound too similar, but it's becoming a problem now because never before has a sub-genre of pop become so widely used. Thank the Lord for Daft Punk, they've made a groundbreaking artistic move by releasing "Random Access Memories" because it begs the music industry to be human again, and not to rely on steel and cold calculations. That's why Daft Punk has become more popular than ever before: after scoring their first top ten hit and a number one album is soon to come (says Billboard), it appears that the masses might be starting to catch on to their way of thinking. It sure would be nice to put some tangible life back into music.
Remember a little song called "We Found Love?". It's hard to think of it as the dawning of a new era but it was. In late 2011, when Adele and Maroon 5 were atop the charts with "Someone Like You" and "Moves Like Jagger", Rihanna was busy at work creating her sixth album "Talk That Talk". To promote it, she collaborated with then virtually unknown Calvin Harris, a British producer and songwriter. When she released the song it exploded onto the scene. You heard it at least twice everyday for six months straight, and it went on to become Rihanna's biggest hit, spending 10 weeks atop the Hot 100 and becoming the longest running number one of the 2010s so far. But why did it? Why were people so drawn to this song? There's a number of reasons for this too, but the main reason being that it introduced Calvin Harris, an EDM artist who was already busy making his debut album. His adept use of synths and other electronics gave the song a distinct sound, one that hasn't been heard in the mainstream yet...or was it? "We Found Love" is a very interesting subject not only because it was such a hit, but because of its musical structure. It combined both electronics and dance music in such a way that ushered the underground into the mainstream, yet it retained a pop-like quality, with those repetitive, sparse lyrics and skittering beats. Ultimately, it became a hit because it was released at the right time, when another group of artists were already busy trying to bring the underground club scene to the foreground. There was one artist who started to open the door for EDM back in 2008, with her signature outlandish costumes, people started to take notice of both her and her music, as it too was something that didn't resemble what was going on in pop music.
Yep, it's also hard to admit it, but Lady Gaga opened the door for dance artists. She, like Madonna had done 25 years earlier, brought the underground upwards, and she infused it into her music, giving it a more electronic feel. Like it or not, but she set the standard for dance-pop music for the next five years, because she made electronic music popular again. In bridging the gap between EDM and the mainstream, she was definitely an integral part, and as she kept churning out hit after hit, other artists started to take note, and it was easy to tell that soon every artist was trying to outdo the new face of dance-pop. The results were mixed, but it still started a new transition in the music industry all the same. Then there was Ke$ha, who followed the new wave of dance-pop and also started to crank out effortless hits like "Tik Tok" and "We R Who We R". Here music was actually more electronic than dance, but the beats were still insistent and Ke$ha still knew how to liven the place up a bit. She wasn't like Gaga, however, she wasn't so concerned about the cutting edge, as her collaborators of choice Dr. Luke and Max Martin made perfectly clear. She ended up solidifying eletronic pop music in radio, which then further created the bridge to the mainstream. But as Ke$ha died down, a new duo of club artists then were free to take the spotlight in 2011.
This duo was known as LMFAO. They had already made themselves popular in the clubs, but radios were unprepared for what would happen next. They released their sophomore album "Sorry for Party Rocking" and it was a smash, mainly because of the lead single, "Party Rock Anthem". That song was also another pivotal moment in the transition to EDM because it then made straight-up dance music popular again. Since they were already veterans in the clubs, they knew how to sneak underground trends into the minds of the consumer, and they basically took the opportunity that Gaga and Ke$ha had given them and had a monster hit because of it. But by summer 2011, LMFAO was just one club artist that had finally made their way to the surface. Now David Guetta was becoming a household name, and DeadMau5 and Skrillex were entering the mainstream as well. Although, on the note of Skrillex, his use of Dub-Step is also a notable trait of EDM, and he too gave pop artists a new way to connect with the audience. In actuality, Britney Spears brought it to worldwide prominence when her "Femme Fatale" was released in March 2011. "Hold It Against Me", "Till The World Ends", and "I Wanna Go" are all seminal examples of how much new club trends were starting to affect pop music.
Anyway, when "Party Rock Anthem" was losing steam (somewhat, it endured 68 weeks on the Hot 100), Calvin Harris and Rihanna were then able to crash through the door opened by all of the forementioned artists. The public was ready to consume a track like "We Found Love", it had an insanely catchy hook and it was also pretty sonically pleasing. The success of the song lasted well into 2012, but by then, everyone was turning to dance for a major crossover hit. David Guetta and Calvin Harris started to appear all over the place, most notably in songs like "Titanium" and "Feel So Close". But they were just one part of the mainstream now; dance and eletro-fied hits started to spring out of the ground at an alarming rate. That's why songs like "Wild Ones" and "Glad You Came" became hits, they followed the dance-pop formula while also incorporating new electronics into the mix. Lady Gaga and Ke$ha were largely absent this year, so other artist were free to take the reigns and kick them off the top of the charts for awhile. There was no escaping the massive surge of dance. In fact, "Somebody That I Used to Know" (the number one song of 2012) had to be re-recorded to infuse dance-beats in order for mass consumption. The One Direction-frontiered simple pop was also making headway, but not enough to eclipse the new EDM movement. Basically, if you released a song with electronics or dance-beats, you were almost guaranteed a top ten hit. This explains why singles like "Lights" became massively successful, and in fact, EDM could also explain why "Gangnam Style" and "Harlem Shake" became world-wide phenomena.
Think about it, would they have become so incredibly popular if they had been released in, say, 2003? Maybe they would have been popular to a certain degree, but not nearly as popular as they are now. It's all about timing, and people wouldn't have been so drawn to the dances of those songs if they didn't have accompanying music. The music of those songs was generic dance, to be sure, but it ultimately doesn't matter in the public eye, there was music to the dance, so that's all that they needed to become blown-out hits. It was also smart of Psy and Baauer to release those dance-hits in the 2010s, when EDM was running rampant. "The Macarena" became super-popular in the 90s because artists like Selena and Gloria Estefan made everything Latin-oriented a hit, so it's no surprise Los Del Rio were able to gain worldwide success with that song. Psy and Baauer were also underground artists that may have never seen the light of day if it wasn't for electronic dance music. But with every new movement, also comes a back-lash, an anti-movement, if you will.
EDM has steered the music industry in a new direction, but it has also brought its fair share of problems. It's the most popular genre of music right now, but it might just be too popular. It's becoming a particular problem because it's not just limited to dance artists anymore, everyone is starting to go electronic. Also, there has been such a drastic arrival of new club artists like Krewella and Icona Pop. Hearing Krewella's "Alive" for the first time made me realize that all of the ground that dance music covers has already been done, done again, and overdone. Icona Pop's "I Love It" is also another song that's not particularly bad, it's just not groundbreaking or original, either. Then there's Swedish House Mafia's "Dont' You Worry Child", with good lyrics and a fine message, but the music under it seems a bit too placid, even for a dance song. Basically, we've heard it all before, and no new ground is being forged by any of those artists, or the artists that pioneered this genre, for that matter. So, with the rise of EDM and machinery, the Indie-Hipster crowd decided enough was enough, and true to form, started to rebel against this new wave of electronica. This is why Mumford and Sons has seen a massive surgence in popularity, and also Phillip Phillips and even artists like Train have maintained their cross-cultural appeal, they simply don't sound like the rest of the music scene, and lovers of acoustic, soft-rock were very happy that they could at least indulge in these artists. But the artist who has made the most out of the anti-EDM movement is fun. Their straigtforward indie-rock resonated with a massive audience because they didn't just jump right to a crossover dance hit, they stayed true to themselves and continued to satisfy the slowly increasing Indie-Hipster crowd.
But out of the rock and indie genres, other pop artists have also started to take note and are trying to bring music back to the 20th century. The main culprits are Bruno Mars and Justin Timberlake: Mars tried to revive 80s funk with "Locked Out of Heaven" (it didn't work), 70s disco with "Treasure" (that was more successful) and Timberlake sought to update the Swing and Soul grooves of the 40s-60s, with varying levels of success. Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez were able to come into their own because "The Way" is a JoJo-esque song that recalls 2000s R&B, and "Come and Get It" is an Indian-fused dance groove that also brings originality to dance-pop. And then there's Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. In the midst of the tug of war between EDM/Simple Pop and Indie-Rock/Disco-Swing revival, rap music was sort of being pushed underground. Rappers still make lots of money and appear regularly on the charts, but their appearances are mostly of EDM and Simple Pop tracks, not straight-up rap songs. This is why Macklemore and Ryan Lewis saw an explosion of popularity, other than the fact that Macklemore is absolutely hilarious, they make rap music, not pop, dance, or rock, it's rap music that was tailored to appeal to a wide audience. And once again, it sounds not at all like other rap music, or other pop music for that matter.
This brings me to my final point: the re-surgence of Daft Punk. They've been known as dance and house artists for a long time, so when "Random Access Memories" hit stores this year, it would at first seem like an attempt to regain popularity by riding the latest modern trends, but it thankfully is not. It's nowhere close to 2010s EDM, instead, it does what Bruno and Justin couldn't: it revives 20th century music successfully and it's also pretty humane and entertaining as well. As I've already reported, yeah Daft Punk still sounds like machines striving to be human, but that's the point: human. It's almost impossible to deny that pop music has become so contrived and calculated, beyond the auto-tune, electronics, and drum machines, there's not much else that can recall humanity. Pop music has always had a tendency to sound too similar, but it's becoming a problem now because never before has a sub-genre of pop become so widely used. Thank the Lord for Daft Punk, they've made a groundbreaking artistic move by releasing "Random Access Memories" because it begs the music industry to be human again, and not to rely on steel and cold calculations. That's why Daft Punk has become more popular than ever before: after scoring their first top ten hit and a number one album is soon to come (says Billboard), it appears that the masses might be starting to catch on to their way of thinking. It sure would be nice to put some tangible life back into music.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Daft Punk-"Random Access Memories" Review
Prior to the release of “Random Access Memories”, Daft Punk finally gave their patient fans a new single after eight years of absence, titled: “Get Lucky”. Its neo-Disco sound mixed with Pharrell Williams’ stylish, minimal beats couldn’t help but became an instant hit, and Daft Punk’s biggest one yet. But when such a single is released, it puts heavy expectation on its parent album, especially an album that arrived numerous years after its predecessor. If that doesn’t already sound like another high-profile release of 2013 (Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” should come to mind), then look at the album title itself: “Random Access Memories” (RAM). It carries the implication that this isn’t going to be a straightforward dance album that Daft Punk has always capitalized on. It indicates that they are seeking inspiration from an older era of dance music (whereas Timberlake focused on the 40s-60s, Daft Punk concentrated on the 70s-80s). Indeed, all of the above statements are true, and as the album progresses through its 13 tracks, you’ll realize only one problem about releasing this dance album in the EDM era: this doesn’t sound like EDM at all.
A decision to make a dance album that doesn’t stick to the dance trends of its era is definitely a bewildering one, as Daft Punk have always been dance artists, so it would have been no surprise to hear there sparse, electronic vocals over house, breakbeats, bubbling electronics, and blunted trip-hop beats. Instead, they decided to go for something not as painstakingly current, they built “Random Access Memories” to last, not instantly satisfy. However, in that quest, Daft Punk did the impossible: they created a sturdy, catchy, and melodic record that is both timeless and it instantly catches your eye. Nothing on the album is nearly as easy to consume as “Get Lucky”, but the hooks are still there, and they suck you into the songs for the entire record. Also intriguing is the sheer length of the album: 13 tracks and 74 minutes seems tiring at first, but once you start the record it never once loses your interest. If there’s one thing that Daft Punk knows how to do, it’s making an album that’s fully formed and colorful, never playing it safe. Indeed, “RAM” is one of their most daring albums to date, as they work with a number of collaborators, the best pairing comes when Pharrell is allowed to add his hip-hop grooves to “Get Lucky” and “Lose Yourself to Dance”. All of the vocals from the main band members are all twisted through a vocoder, and in addition to their usual electronica, they’ve included, of all things, a children’s choir in “Doin’ It Right”, a full orchestra in both “Beyond” and “Motherboard”, and the biggest risk it takes is being a dance album in the age of robotic synths and where the beats take prominence over the melody. Daft Punk isn’t looking for a crossover success, nor are they really starving for an audience beyond their niche, they simply want, as the first track indicates, to “Give Life Back to Music”. Yeah this album has plenty of machines at work, but it doesn’t feel robotic, it has a tangible character that’s been missing in so many dance/pop albums of the 2010s. Albums like this prove that dance music can have emotion without feeling mushy, and “RAM” survives without all the steel and cluttering of drum machines. These are all melodically sound songs where the beats don’t overpower, they take the backseat in order for the hooks to catch hold. Granted, not every single song is instantaneous, you’ll have to work your way through “Giorgio by Moroder” and “Touch”, know the lay of the land, before they finally catch hold. But these moments are far and in between in an otherwise indelible dance album. The best part of “RAM” is that not only isn’t the best album Daft Punk has ever created, it can please all audiences, it’s proudly human, and once it’s finished, it basically begs you to put it back on.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Give Life Back to Music2. The Game of Love 3. Giorgio by Moroder
4. Within 5. Instant Crush 6. Lose Yourself to Dance
7. Touch 8. Get Lucky 9. Beyond
10. Motherboard 11. Fragments of Time 12. Doin’ It Right
13. Contact
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Justin Timberlake-"The 20/20 Experience" Review
Much hype surrounded Justin Timberlake’s third album, “The 20/20 Experience”; the main reason being that it was his first new album in seven years. Although that’s definitely not the longest span between pop albums (the eleven year gap between No Doubt’s “Rock Steady” and “Push and Shove” surely takes that honor). However, he was far from quite during those seven years, as he appeared in many film roles and was featured in hit songs like “4 Minutes” and “Love Sex Magic”. All that activity kept him visible during the hiatus of his musical career, so come 2013, he decided to reward his ardent fans with “Suit and Tie”, a duet with Jay-Z meant to bring back the throwback soul of the 60s with Jay-Z bringing a modern, urban twist.
Exactly what “Suit and Tie” promised: a collection of tracks that shows that Justin is definitely back, but he’s channeled all of his ambition into his persona and the hype, not his music. In his twentieth year of stardom, he had a whole world of producers and songwriters at his disposal, but his collaborator of choice is none other than Timbaland, who helped create “FutureSex/LoveSounds” back in 2006. This choice clearly indicates that Justin is not concerned about the cutting edge, and “The 20/20 Experience” reflects that. Try as it might, it’s simply not a complete update on the soul grooves of the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Remember, since Timba-Lake helmed all of the tracks here, they quickly lose focus and head back into safe, R&B territory, the kind that’s found in “Tunnel Vision” and “Mirrors”. But more importantly, since this is a Justin Timberlake album, he works overtime to inflate the songs well past their limit, and the whole album clocks in at a daunting 70 minutes. Now, there have been plenty of pop albums that well exceed the seventy-minute mark, but most of those albums were at least fifteen songs in length, not ten. Averaging seven minutes a song, “The 20/20 Experience” becomes exhausting to listen to well before the opener “Pusher Lover Girl” is even finished. There’s nothing in the production, melody, or rhythms that justify the excessive length the songs Also, try as he might, Justin is not Usher, although he is still as equally charismatic and sexy, he can’t channel it into his thin, boyish vocals. Especially on a blown-out production like “The 20/20 Experience”, he constantly struggles to push the songs along because he’s singing music that he doesn’t have half the voice for. However, in hindsight, Justin was never really about singing, he was about style, the kind that’s found in high-profile galas and glitzy discos. While it’s definitely admirable for Justin to choose a soul-influenced direction in a world dominated by EDM and vapid pop, it doesn’t make “The 20/20 Experience” a knock-out hit.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad, either. Actually, there are no ‘bad’ cuts on the album, but there are no ‘great’ cuts either, it’s all stuck in one immobile position. This consistency already brings the album above its peers, because it actually plays like a record, not a collection of singles. But its greatest strength is also its greatest flaw: it’s too consistent. Long-time fans will be disappointed to know that although “Suit and Tie” promised a retro-R&B record, it’s not that daring. Justin working with Timbaland makes that perfectly clear that he’s still playing it by the books, and he settles into safe territory after “Suit and Tie” finally concludes. “The 20/20 Experience” is very aptly titled, because it’s exactly as it says: it’s so clean and transparent that there’s nothing really left to explore, there’s nothing to bring the listener back for another listen. Also, it feels like an experience, an event, not an album. These are songs that work best as background music at a business party, not the club-scene that its predecessors were centered in. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s inaccessible. “Tunnel Vision” is a tight, hip-hop groove, while “Let the Groove In” is a festive neo-Swing that hints at what could have been. The ballads, particularly “Mirrors” don’t even come across as staid, because they’re already around other slow-burning songs. All aforementioned songs are easily the best moments on this album not just because of their hooks, but it’s because they have hooks, period. They possess energy and style that can draw a listener into its orbit, and could possibly keep them there for the entire song. These moments are far and in between in this over-long workshop, but they do prevent the album from being a complete disappointment. Ultimately, though, all of those flaws are not what make “The 20/20 Experience” not worth the hype. The biggest problem about the album is that it’s focused on its concept only, not its execution. Also, it plays like the work of a triple-threat, a business man, an entrepreneur, and a superstar, but not once does it play like the work of a recording artist.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Pusher Lover Girl 2. Suit and Tie 3. Don’t Hold the Wall
4. Strawberry Bubblegum 5. Tunnel Vision 6. Spaceship Coupe
7. That Girl 8. Let the Groove In 9. Mirrors
10. Blue Ocean
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Britney Spears-"Circus" Review
From the
outside looking in, it’s easy to assume that “Circus” is a back-to-the-basics
move of sorts. After a critical and commercial stumble with 2007’s “Blackout”,
it looks like Britney Spears is returning to the breezy teen pop that made her
a star. She’s traded in the gaudy dark hair for her signature blonde waves, and
while the cover of “Blackout” looked like a girl ready to cut loose and dance
dirty, we now see a perfectly poised Britney on the cover of “Circus”,
indicating that everything’s just fine with her now, thank you. Although, it’s
hard to believe considering earlier this year she was still making headlines
after losing her two kids. Releasing an album so quickly after this event would
also make one assume that it was rushed in the fourth quarter of 2008 not only
to recover her faltering sales, but to make the public completely forget that
just a year ago, she was marching on the VMA stage completely disconnected and
drained of all energy. All of these factors set “Circus” up to fail; which is a
major problem considering that it has to do what “Blackout” didn’t: create a solid
comeback.
However,
out of all the preceding assumptions, you’d be wrong in pretty much all of them
because in actuality, “Circus” is an improvement over its predecessor. Just
look at the lead single, “Womanizer”. It became her biggest hit in nine years
and its music video showed a Britney filled with confidence and sex appeal, two
qualities that she’s been horribly lacking since “In the Zone”. It’s not
surprising, though, it’s dance-pop blend is her standard, safe formula, so she’s
very comfortable delivering it in a way that makes you overlook her recent
personal strife. And in essence, that’s what “Circus” really is: it’s not
nearly as wild and as effervescent as it should be, but it’s material that
Britney knows how to perform. Best of
all, she might be returning to her safer, more personality-free roots, but “Circus”
still doesn’t play it completely safe. Say “If U Seek Amy” real fast, and then
shape it into a pure piece of dance-pop. The title track is another dance track
that sees Britney with a sincere urge to perform like her old self again, while
also inflating her ego a bit. Then there’s “Mmm Papi”, it’s an embarrassment to
be sure, as it creepily re-defines the Elektra complex, but it’s also for that
same reason that it’s an interesting song all the same. “Circus” definitely
works overtime to bring Britney’s sexuality to the forefront and once again
make her the fantasy of all men (and the envy of women) everywhere. But try as
it might, all this innuendo is great for a couple tracks, but becomes very
alienating by the time you reach “My Baby”, another embarrassment that’s among
her worst ballads of all time. Britney’s charisma has always hinged on her
coyly sexual persona, she just teases and hints, but never goes full throttle,
and “Blackout” and now “Circus” explain exactly why. She loses a lot of her
appeal when she bares it all, and since her vocals are still not as convincing
as they should be either, she eventually gets washed up in another producer’s
showcase. “Circus” definitely captures Britney at her best moment in years, but
it still lacks a tangible persona. “Womanizer”, “If U Seek Amy”, “Circus”, and “Lace
and Leather” already make this album one of the best dance-pop records of 2008,
but you can’t help but feel that Britney could’ve taken even more risks and
truly emulate a circus. Unfortunately, after her bizarre behavior of the past
two years, she’s been forced to take the backseat, and she’s basically a part
of the circus that is her life, she’s no longer in charge of it. “Circus” has plenty of good moments to
solidify a true comeback, but it’s victory is a Pyrrhic one, as it’s more of a
collection of singles and so-so filler, rather than a cohesive set.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Womanzier 2.
Circus 3. Out from Under
4. Kill
the Lights 5. Shattered Glass 6.
If U Seek Amy
7.
Unusual You 8. Blur 9. Mmm Papi
10.
Mannequin 11. Lace and Leather 12. My Baby
13. Radar
Friday, May 17, 2013
My Shout Outs-Freshman Year
So, I completed my freshman year of college today.
Yeah, I know, it's so weird. I remember starting this blog at the beginning of freshman year, I can't believe it's summer vacation already! So, I thought I'd give a shout out to all the peeps who helped me throughout the year. There are so many people to thank, so bare with me as I list them all...or you could just not read this and go to another post, it's all good!
Okay, here goes:
First off, I have to thank the Mellophone section of the Blugold Marching Band! Their names are as follows:
Amy Greathead
Shane O'Neil
Shelby Moore
Alex Herrera
Kyle Launderville
Elizabeth Brunner
Andrea Ranzau
Andy Michor
Megan Schuknecht
Kaci Hoverson
Michael Jablonsky
Lexi Meier
Nikki Hug
Nicole Densmore
Christi Ladwig
Meredith Enjaian
Alex 'Plato' Plaetzer
(especially Plato!!)
They were a wonderful group of people who helped me ease into college life. I can't wait to see the majority of them next year for another marching season!
And now a shout-out to my lunch/dinner crew!
Amy Greathead
Alycia Crowe
Trent Spatenka
Sam Kelley
Becky Olson
They were a wonderful group of people who conversed with me over lunch and dinner (obviously). We had alot of interesting conversations, and I can't wait to see what next year will bring!
Next up is my Starbucks crew!
Shelby Moore
Nathan Cicero
Haley Reichardt
We would take a trip to Starbucks and get coffee and then troll around Shopko. Fun times!
My mall crew!
Amy Greathead
Shane O'Neil
Alycia Crowe
Sam Kelley
Christi Ladwig
All of them, or a combination of a couple of us, would hit up the mall every so often and look at stuff. There were some pretty memorable dresses that oddly resembled scrunchies...
My stand partners in orchestra (and other orchestra members)
Eli Webb-Stand partner 1st semester
Jake Brunquell-Stand partner 2nd semester
Katie Henderson-Concertmaster
Laura Severson-Violist
Max Bentley-Violist
Rose Mish-Violinist
Noah Williams-Violinist
Amanda Koval-Violinist
Grace Wilgus-Violinist
Karen McGregor-Violinist
Rachel Burtman-Bassist
Rosie Moua-Cellist
Nathalie Burmeister-Violinist, High school freshman
My composition buddy: Hannah Hodgett!!!
And my composition classmates!
Tim Igel
Stanford Mitchell
Chris Marsyla
The most awesome professors!
Nobu Yasuda (my violin prof. AMAZING!!!)
Randy Dickerson (Marching Band Director)
Gary Don (Music theory instructor, the best!!)
And other random people (in no particular order):
Adam Wysocki
Brielle Cummings
Shelby (I forgot her last name, sorry!)
Courtney Prest
Shannon Durley
Nick Hansberry
Bryan Kujawa
Ashley Sukhu
Lacey Kroll (my favorite!!)
Grace Luebben
Andrew Nicholson
Matt Strom
Rachel Schmidt
Joe Poncelet
Hannah Steig
Carlee Schroeder
Dani Schmalz
Jess Ecker
Davy Sumner
Jordan Jenkins
Miles Plant (also another favorite!)
Madeline Reilly
Hayley Kubler (the bestestest ever!!!)
Amy Whiteman
Matt Halverson
Alli Wilmes
Jack Donovan
Vernon Ramsey
Bret Van Nuland (Bruno)
Tyler Stromquist-Levoir
Sean Theusen
Now I would like to thank my awesome room-mate, Daniel Steiner, for a kick-ass year. His TV and Microwave really helped my freshman year become a really, really good one!!! And he's a pretty BAMF at League of Legends too... :P
And now, the Big Four!!
Amy Greathead-You've seen her name alot already. She was really the first one to really reach out to me in my hard times this year, and she's introduced me to alot of amazing people, so I feel the need to thank her over and over, because she really did help me alot!
Rosie Evans-I don't know what I'd do without this girl. She's the funniest person on the planet, but she's also so real and doesn't bullshit around. She also stuck by me when no one else would!
Kelly Noltner-She was the first person I had a normal conversation with right when I met her. She's just so easy-going and hilarious, she's a boss soprano and pretty supportive of her friends, including me. She helped me through alot of difficult periods throughout the year, and I wanna thank her for seeing me for who I am, not for what everyone else perceives me to be.
And finally, the best person in the entire world: Briana Buchholtz! She actually befriended me before school even started, at a music theory placement exam to be exact. She, Matt Strom, and I kinda formed a tri-fecta at that time when we were all waiting for somebody to take us to band camp. From that point on, she just became my biggest supporter, and for once in my life, I felt understood by somebody other than my family. I don't mean to be mushy here, but I can never really express my extreme gratitude enough for having her stick with me through thick and thin. She's the greatest friend anyone could ask for!
With that, I am done. If you actually took the time to read all that, then thanks to you too! I wouldn't do this blog if it wasn't for viewers like you! Thanks a ton! If there's anyone I forgot to mention, I am soooooo sorry! Please charge it to my head and not my heart!
Yeah, I know, it's so weird. I remember starting this blog at the beginning of freshman year, I can't believe it's summer vacation already! So, I thought I'd give a shout out to all the peeps who helped me throughout the year. There are so many people to thank, so bare with me as I list them all...or you could just not read this and go to another post, it's all good!
Okay, here goes:
First off, I have to thank the Mellophone section of the Blugold Marching Band! Their names are as follows:
Amy Greathead
Shane O'Neil
Shelby Moore
Alex Herrera
Kyle Launderville
Elizabeth Brunner
Andrea Ranzau
Andy Michor
Megan Schuknecht
Kaci Hoverson
Michael Jablonsky
Lexi Meier
Nikki Hug
Nicole Densmore
Christi Ladwig
Meredith Enjaian
Alex 'Plato' Plaetzer
(especially Plato!!)
They were a wonderful group of people who helped me ease into college life. I can't wait to see the majority of them next year for another marching season!
And now a shout-out to my lunch/dinner crew!
Amy Greathead
Alycia Crowe
Trent Spatenka
Sam Kelley
Becky Olson
They were a wonderful group of people who conversed with me over lunch and dinner (obviously). We had alot of interesting conversations, and I can't wait to see what next year will bring!
Next up is my Starbucks crew!
Shelby Moore
Nathan Cicero
Haley Reichardt
We would take a trip to Starbucks and get coffee and then troll around Shopko. Fun times!
My mall crew!
Amy Greathead
Shane O'Neil
Alycia Crowe
Sam Kelley
Christi Ladwig
All of them, or a combination of a couple of us, would hit up the mall every so often and look at stuff. There were some pretty memorable dresses that oddly resembled scrunchies...
My stand partners in orchestra (and other orchestra members)
Eli Webb-Stand partner 1st semester
Jake Brunquell-Stand partner 2nd semester
Katie Henderson-Concertmaster
Laura Severson-Violist
Max Bentley-Violist
Rose Mish-Violinist
Noah Williams-Violinist
Amanda Koval-Violinist
Grace Wilgus-Violinist
Karen McGregor-Violinist
Rachel Burtman-Bassist
Rosie Moua-Cellist
Nathalie Burmeister-Violinist, High school freshman
My composition buddy: Hannah Hodgett!!!
And my composition classmates!
Tim Igel
Stanford Mitchell
Chris Marsyla
The most awesome professors!
Nobu Yasuda (my violin prof. AMAZING!!!)
Randy Dickerson (Marching Band Director)
Gary Don (Music theory instructor, the best!!)
And other random people (in no particular order):
Adam Wysocki
Brielle Cummings
Shelby (I forgot her last name, sorry!)
Courtney Prest
Shannon Durley
Nick Hansberry
Bryan Kujawa
Ashley Sukhu
Lacey Kroll (my favorite!!)
Grace Luebben
Andrew Nicholson
Matt Strom
Rachel Schmidt
Joe Poncelet
Hannah Steig
Carlee Schroeder
Dani Schmalz
Jess Ecker
Davy Sumner
Jordan Jenkins
Miles Plant (also another favorite!)
Madeline Reilly
Hayley Kubler (the bestestest ever!!!)
Amy Whiteman
Matt Halverson
Alli Wilmes
Jack Donovan
Vernon Ramsey
Bret Van Nuland (Bruno)
Tyler Stromquist-Levoir
Sean Theusen
Now I would like to thank my awesome room-mate, Daniel Steiner, for a kick-ass year. His TV and Microwave really helped my freshman year become a really, really good one!!! And he's a pretty BAMF at League of Legends too... :P
And now, the Big Four!!
Amy Greathead-You've seen her name alot already. She was really the first one to really reach out to me in my hard times this year, and she's introduced me to alot of amazing people, so I feel the need to thank her over and over, because she really did help me alot!
Rosie Evans-I don't know what I'd do without this girl. She's the funniest person on the planet, but she's also so real and doesn't bullshit around. She also stuck by me when no one else would!
Kelly Noltner-She was the first person I had a normal conversation with right when I met her. She's just so easy-going and hilarious, she's a boss soprano and pretty supportive of her friends, including me. She helped me through alot of difficult periods throughout the year, and I wanna thank her for seeing me for who I am, not for what everyone else perceives me to be.
And finally, the best person in the entire world: Briana Buchholtz! She actually befriended me before school even started, at a music theory placement exam to be exact. She, Matt Strom, and I kinda formed a tri-fecta at that time when we were all waiting for somebody to take us to band camp. From that point on, she just became my biggest supporter, and for once in my life, I felt understood by somebody other than my family. I don't mean to be mushy here, but I can never really express my extreme gratitude enough for having her stick with me through thick and thin. She's the greatest friend anyone could ask for!
With that, I am done. If you actually took the time to read all that, then thanks to you too! I wouldn't do this blog if it wasn't for viewers like you! Thanks a ton! If there's anyone I forgot to mention, I am soooooo sorry! Please charge it to my head and not my heart!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Demi Lovato-"Demi" Review
There were two paths Demi Lovato could have taken after her 2011 post-treatment album "Unbroken". She could have continued on the same palette as "Unbroken" and offered another poor-to-solid set of songs with two radio hits and nothing else, or she could have flipped the album on its head, and turn back to the frothy tween-pop that bedecked her first two albums. Oddly enough, Demi doesn't do either on her fourth album "Demi".
Instead, she essentially decided to re-work "Unbroken", and create a set of songs that are not as doggedly serious, don't overload of artist collaborations (but still posts a head-spinning list of producers and songwriters), and showcase what could be Demi's most underrated quality: her voice. In fact, maybe her decision to take a seat on The X Factor judge's panel wasn't for a paycheck, it could be that she's been trying to prove her vocal chops all along. She's easily the most mature judge on the panel (but to be fair, Britney Spears and Simon Cowell don't offer much competition), but she's also the most tangible persona that the show has. This works well on "Demi", an album that was meant to show Demi Lovato, the person, not Demi Lovato, the ex-Disney actress. Although, the results throughout the album are mixed, as lead single "Heart Attack" as powerful and catchy as it is, emulates Kelly Clarkson a little too well, "Fire Starter" is her bid to be Katy Perry, and "Something That We're Not" gets dangerously close to becoming a One Direction song. For all the exertion in trying to create an album that's purely Demi Lovato, the mixed bag of personalities makes it hard to believe that's really what she intended. It's obvious that she's still trying to find a style and sound that's one hundred percent herself, but in her quest to make a better, and more personal, album than "Unbroken", she definitely succeeds on that note. The ballads feel genuine, not affected, and the rest of the album is just Demi back to having fun before the tumult of 2010-2011. "Made in the USA" (in contrary to its title, it's not a rip-off of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA") uses a Chevy reference to describe her love for someone, and she includes some folk-style guitars in the bridge, but it doesn't sound awkward. "Never Been Hurt" re-writes the title track from her last album, "Unbroken", fairly well, and "Something That We're Not" is basically One Direction with substance, and "Really Don't Care" only drafts Cher Lloyd for a brief amount of time, but it's still a summer-ready anthem filled with bubblegum sweetness and some spicey attitude for good measure. Most amazingly, "Demi" proves that Demi Lovato does have a rightful place to judge aspiring singers on a TV show, because throughout each of its 13 tracks, she carries the big choruses and gargantuan hooks with the strength of a Russian weight lifter, sweet charisma, and and she maintains her genuine appeal.
That's her stock in trade, her humanity. Even when "Demi" stumbles, (see "Neon Lights" and "Shouldn't Come Back"), it's still utterly human. It's flawed, but instead of trying to prove that she can do it all like she did on "Unbroken", Demi actually puts her flaws front and center, and has made her best album because of it. She celebrates the fact that she's imperfect, she stumbles, she doesn't always follow through on her promise, but this is the closest she's come to making an album that shatters the tough exterior. "Unbroken" was a very necessary move for Demi, because she's now on the way to becoming an artist unafraid of taking risks, digging deeper than just surface emotions, and "Demi" is a perfect postcard for that journey. It may or may not elevate her to a new level of stardom, it may not be the most memorable set of songs she could have produced, but it affirms her most endearing qualities, and it sure does sound good while it's on. After enough spins, you too will learn to accept the bad with the good.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Heart Attack 2. Made in the USA 3. Without the Love
4. Neon Lights 5. Two Pieces 6. Nightingale
7. In Case 8. Really Don’t Care 9. Fire Starter
10. Something That We’re Not 11. Never Been Hurt
12. Shouldn’t Come Back 13. Warrior
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Britney Spears-"Femme Fatale" Review
Back in 2007, after her disastrous VMA performance and following flop "Blackout", Britney Spears ended up ceding control of both her personal and professional life to her father. This change was very apparent in 2008's "Circus", it was an eclectic mix filled with singles surrounded by filler, or in short, a typical Britney Spears album. It wasn't bad by any means, but it couldn't quite measure up to the irresistible, guilty-pleasure pop that marked her earlier albums. Three years later, with Britney well recovered, we see 2011's "Femme Fatale", the first stylized blockbuster this year. Unfortunately, Britney is still at the command of her management, as they once again decide to not let Britney get deeply involved in the album's production. Looking within the liner notes, there's a bunch of glammed-up, diva photos, and then the production credits with hit-makers Dr. Luke and Max Martin making up a majority of the roster, Britney nowhere to be found. She's on the cover, her vocals are on the tracks, but "Femme Fatale" is not the work of her as an artist, but rather, the work of her collaborators. And there are alot of them, besides her old friends Luke and Max, she (or rather her handlers) drafted will.i.am, William Orbit, StarGate, Rodney Jerkins, and Frasier T Smith (among many others), to craft a sleek, firmly sealed dance record devoid of any real, tangible persona. This basically continues the trend started in "Blackout", as everything she's made since then has lacked any sense of Britney. She's now just the figurehead of a carefully crafted pop franchise, also another thing that's typical Britney. On the surface, "Femme Fatale" just looks like cleaner and more refined version of her old material, and to a certain extent this is true, but there's also something special special about "Femme Fatale".
For one, it's only her second album to feature guest artists (the last being Madonna's appearance on "In the Zone" in 2003). The guest appearances provide mixed results: "Drop Dead Beautiful" is a decent dance groove minus the cringe-worthy performance from Sabi, and will.i.am's help on "Big Fat Bass" definitely changes it up quite a bit, though repetitive, it's still an ingratiating club track. Then there's the hooks, which have become some of Britney's best. "Hold It Against Me", with its retro-hook up line and "Till the World Ends" with its anthemic chanting, are some of her best dance music. The glitzy pop elements of her previous have been phased out, leaving deep, synthesized bass-lines and glassy keyboards. And then there's Britney's vocals, which have been roboticized, spliced, auto-tuned, shredded, and twisted through many vocoders. A sentiment surely to remind you of "Blackout", but this time, this is voice-altering done right. With Britney more restrained than she was in 2007, she now knows how to paint by the numbers, never coloring outside of the lines and never gets in the way of her producers. She provides the most basic vocal performance she can so the men behind the booth can work their magic. On paper this may seem off-putting, all of this lack of involvement has produced what is arguably Britney's strongest album. It takes more musical risks than she's done in a long time, and for once, it's consistent, as the dark, club-ready vibe never ceases throughout, and is nearly filler free. It's, thankfully, ballad free, as the only thing that comes close to a ballad is the closer "Criminal", which just might be the album's best track, as it mixes a folk-style flute, acoustic guitar, and light dance beats. For the first time in four years, the heavy electronic effects of "Femme Fatale" celebrate Britney's new-found empty persona, something that's truly fun stuff. It may not be deep, it's not anywhere close to Earth-shattering (in fact, it's about as 2011 as 2011 albums come), but it's still fun. After the tumult and strife post "Blackout", Britney sure does deserve to have a little fun. All things considered, it's her most satisfying album since her artistic breakthrough back in 2003.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Till
The World Ends 2. Hold It Against Me 3. Inside Out
4. I
Wanna Go 5. How I Roll 6. Drop Dead Beautiful
7. Seal it with a Kiss 8. Big Fat Bass 9.
Trouble for Me
10. Trip
to You Heart 11. Gasoline 12. Criminal
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Demi Lovato-"Unbroken" Review
It's flat-out impossible to talk about "Unbroken" without talking about Demi's decision to enter a treatment facility in late 2010. Her decision was influenced by personal harm and bulimia, serious issues that couldn't be swept under the rug. Although, unlike other artists who have faced personal struggles (Britney Spears comes to mind), Demi decided to get help right away, which is an admirable trait by any measure. Then in July 2011, she broke her long silence with "Skyscraper", a ballad that proved Demi's vocal ability and on-record charisma. Take these things, and then add an album titled "Unbroken", and you'd assume right away that this is an album that directly addresses her problems and is the result of what she learned in treatment.You'd be wrong though, as apparently there's more on Demi's agenda then getting help. When she's not singing about how someone is "pouring salt on my cuts", she's shaking her hips for "my only shorty", she parties "All Night Long", and is checking out random boys in a club. She litters "Unbroken" with about seven party songs, all that are trying to desperately prove that although she couldn't quite handle the celebrity lifestyle, she can still stay up late and hang out with the cool kids. This is a considerable problem coming from an artist who was just released from therapy; she doesn't really have the convincing swagger to pull off all those party songs. Quite frankly, the beginning section of "All Night Long" to "Together" is an embarrassing overload of guest artists with whom Demi never quite gels with, no matter how hard she tries. So, hip-hop and R&B aren't her strengths, but you would then hope that at least the half of the record that does focus on her tribulations would be better, right? You'd be wrong there too, as Demi hasn't refined her voice enough to carry these ballads without taxing her range. "Skyscraper" and "Fix a Heart" are definitely the album's highest points, but even they present glory notes that Demi can't hit, and emotions that she can't quite grasp. Though it is nice to see Demi wanting to cater to older audiences, she still hasn't found the right material to suit her idiosyncratic voice. What's been missing on her first two albums is still missing here: to make an album appealing to a wider audience, she needs a strong hook and the right sound to pull listener's into its realm, which Demi by and large doesn't do on "Unbroken". As Demi abandons all and any pretense that she's still a teenager, she's somehow produced a record that doesn't appeal to either tweens or young adults. This is also another major problem as all of her trials from the past year have raised expectations for "Unbroken" quite considerably. Demi Lovato is not untalented, she's a sweet presence and is very endearing on a record, but she has the most to lose when albums as contradictory as "Unbroken" are released. Like Katy Perry before her, Demi has proven that you can either be a club creature, or a sensitive and deep thinker who has nothing but wholesome topics to sing about. You can't have both on the same album, as one always undermines the other. It's easy to tell that Demi's party girl persona is just an act, but it's also disappointing to hear it on "Unbroken", an album that was supposed to be strong and unflinching. It's worth a listen, but it's as flimsy as a house of cards, falling down as soon as a slight breeze comes along and disturbs it. On the bright side, as the album cover depicts, now that Demi's gotten this out of her system, there's sure to be a sunny and bright future ahead of her.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. All Night Long 2. Who’s That Boy? 3.
You’re My Only Shorty
4. Together 5. Lightweight 6.
Unbroken
7. Fix
a Heart 8. Hold Up 9.
Mistake
10. Give
Your Heart a Break 11. Skyscraper
12. In
Real Life 13. My Love is like
a Star
14. For
the Love of a Daughter
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Christina Aguilera-"Bionic" Review
In the four years between "Back to Basics" and "Bionic", Christina released her first greatest hits compilation and gave birth to her first child. Both events remind you not only how old she is, but how long she's been a star. Eighteen years to be exact, dating all the way back to her days as a Mouseketeer in the early 90s. While Christina's never dismissed the fact that she has a past, she also doesn't seem to want to fully acknowledge it, either. Just look at her first three albums: her debut was filled with adult contemporary ballads mixed with perfect pop confections, "Stripped" combined urban soul, R&B, and more of that pristine pop, and then "Back to Basics" took a complete U-turn and recalled the Motown and Big Band arrangements of the 50s-60s. Each album had a distinct personality, so distinct that they never seemed to note that they're all a part of one discography. So come 2010, and true to form, we once again find Christina progressing her sound with "Bionic", which is the exact opposite of "Back to Basics". Much like Madonna's "Hard Candy", "Bionic" is a steely, robotic, and aggressive sex album that succumbs to modern trends.
In fact, "Hard Candy" and "Bionic" share more similarities than one would think; for one, they're both very cold albums, "Hard Candy" was devoid of life while "Bionic" is a lean and mean synth-pop machine, one that seems to suck all of the emotion and richness in Christina's voice. She lets in enough air so that the machine works fluidly, but that can't hide the fact that Christina may no longer be on the cutting edge. "Bionic" aims to be a progressive pop album, even though she has no problem with giving into the siren call of the computer. A singer as sharp as Christina should know that these steely synths don't suit her, but in true X-Tina fashion, she offers blown-out, wall to wall action with her new found sound. Since she tries so hard, she does successfully hit the mark a few times throughout the album: there's the lead single "Not Myself Tonight" which effectively uses the synths and sex appeal to highlight her strengths, "WooHoo" drafts Nicki Minaj to deliver a delectable rap and the song title repeats itself incessantly, becoming an indelible hook that doesn't tire the listener. The M.I.A.-penned "Elastic Love" is a chill dance groover that can get anyone moving, and "Desnudate" offers a delectable slice of dance-pop. The first half of the record is a non-stop, club-ready DJ set, and it offers plenty of impressive moments, but the most demanding listeners will definitely skip over many of the tracks. Then there's the second half of the record, the half that represents the normal side of Christina (as depicted on the album cover). "Sex for Breakfast" is the synth-ballad that transitions into the string of heavy-weighted balladry. Starting at the excellent "Lift Me Up" and ending with one of three Sia collaborations, "You Lost Me", this part of the album stops it dead in its tracks. You would expect that this chill-out part of the track-list would be a relief from the ruthlessly pornographic first half, but in actuality, the slow part of "Bionic" seems to be an apology for those robot-diva hybrids. All the ballads feel staid, and manage to completely eliminated the intense momentum brought on by the earlier songs. Unfortunately, that momentum is never recovered, as "I Hate Boys" and "My Girls" try their best to re-invigorate the album, but stumble drastically.
Then there's the closer "Vanity". In it, she exclaims: "I now take myself to be my lawfully wedded bitch", which pretty much sums up "Bionic" rather well. Its biggest problem comes from the fact that Christina is just taking herself far too seriously. She even goes as far as getting her son to say that his mom owns the throne, which is somehow trying to prove to the world that she can still stay up late, motherhood and marriage haven't tamed her, and she can still revolutionize the music industry as she did on "Stripped", but all this exertion creates an album that feels recycled and quite frankly ironic. It aims to be progressive, but never once introduces anything exciting or new. Everyone was featuring Nicki Minaj in 2010, everyone was putting their voice through a vocoder, and everyone was also as eager to please and Christina is here. For all the risks it seems to take, it never feels daring, which ultimately undermines its purpose. Even the high-gloss porno image Christina portrays on "Bionic" doesn't feel genuine, it actually reminds us that "Stripped" was coy, even with its fair share of carnality, she wasn't as blatant with her sexuality as she is here. There's nothing wrong with trying to make a statement, but "Bionic" isn't a statement, nor is it a groundbreaking achievement. Rather, its just a somewhat safe, somewhat risky affair that is much better than the stale "Hard Candy", but cannot revive the decline in Christina's career post-"Back to Basics". Mainly, because it lacks a sense of enjoyment, originality, and a tangible personality.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Bionic 2. Not Myself Tonight 3. WooHoo
4. Elastic
Love 5. Desnudate 6. Love & Glamour
7. Glam 8.
Prima Madonna 9. Morning
Dessert
10. Sex
for Breakfast11. Lift Me Up 12. My Heart
13. All I Need 14. I Am 15.
You Lost Me
16. I Hate Boys 17. My Girls 18.
Vanity
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Billboard Chart Review-5/2/13
This week's chart dated May 11, 2013 actually reflects the sales week of April 22-April 28
The Billboard Hot 100:
Song Position Last Week
Just Give Me a Reason 1 1
Can’t Hold Us 2 2
Stay 3 6
Thrift Shop 4 3
Mirrors 5 7 *Airplay Gainer*
When I Was Your Man 6 4
Suit and Tie 7 8
Feel This Moment 8 9
I Love It 9 13
Radioactive 10 12
Oh poo, P!nk and Nate Ruess are at number one again. I really wanted Macklemore & Ryan Lewis to claim their second number one with "Can't Hold Us". However, Billboard estimates that a rise to number one is most likely as "Just Give Me a Reason" is now declining in overall chart points. As "Stay" rises 6-3, I am really surprised because back in March it was already blowing up the radio. I thought it's peak of popularity had already come but I guess not. It also tops the Pop and Radio songs this week. The new top ten entry is Icona Pop's "I Love It". Personally, it sounds just like every other EDM song on the radio right now, so I'm not all that impressed with it. Anyways, now let's look at the rest of the chart: Daft Punk and Pharrell's duet "Get Lucky" rises 19-14 and is the pacesetter for the week, Will I Am and Justin Bieber's duet "#thatPower" blasts 43-17 and is the digital gainer of the week (eeewwwwww), Ariana Grande and Mac Miller's duet "The Way" zooms 32-19, Taylor Swift scores another top twenty hit as "22" rises 24-20, Psy's "Gentleman" collapses 5-26, Ciara's newest single "Body Party" arrives at number 35 this week, being the highest debut, and Krewella score their first top forty hit as "Alive" jumps 44-38.
The Billboard 200:
Side Effects of You 2 -
The 20/20 Experience 3 3
Bankrupt! 4 -
Save Rock and Roll 5 1
Based on a True Story 6 5
Venomous Rat Regeneration 7 -
Indicud 8 2
#WillPower 9 -
The Truth About Love 10 10
Woop. Michael Buble scores another number one album! Fantasia arrives at number two; she has yet to see an album hit the top. Phoenix comes in at number four, Rob Zombie arrives at number seven, and Will I Am comes in at number nine. Outside of the top ten? Adele's "21" rises 35-27 in its 114th chart week (it has yet to chart lower than 35), The Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Mosquito" plunges 5-38, The Postal Service's only album "Give Up" zooms 100-75, Emeli Sande's "Our Version of Events" blasts 146-83 and is the pacesetter, Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" rises 118-90 in its 833rd chart week, Fleetwood Mac's "Greatest Hits" vaults 172-108, and Third Day's "Miracle" jumps 156-127. That's it for this week, hopefully I can get around to analyzing what's happened to album sales, because this chart is becoming vastly uninteresting.
The Billboard Hot 100:
Song Position Last Week
Just Give Me a Reason 1 1
Can’t Hold Us 2 2
Stay 3 6
Thrift Shop 4 3
Mirrors 5 7 *Airplay Gainer*
When I Was Your Man 6 4
Suit and Tie 7 8
Feel This Moment 8 9
I Love It 9 13
Radioactive 10 12
Oh poo, P!nk and Nate Ruess are at number one again. I really wanted Macklemore & Ryan Lewis to claim their second number one with "Can't Hold Us". However, Billboard estimates that a rise to number one is most likely as "Just Give Me a Reason" is now declining in overall chart points. As "Stay" rises 6-3, I am really surprised because back in March it was already blowing up the radio. I thought it's peak of popularity had already come but I guess not. It also tops the Pop and Radio songs this week. The new top ten entry is Icona Pop's "I Love It". Personally, it sounds just like every other EDM song on the radio right now, so I'm not all that impressed with it. Anyways, now let's look at the rest of the chart: Daft Punk and Pharrell's duet "Get Lucky" rises 19-14 and is the pacesetter for the week, Will I Am and Justin Bieber's duet "#thatPower" blasts 43-17 and is the digital gainer of the week (eeewwwwww), Ariana Grande and Mac Miller's duet "The Way" zooms 32-19, Taylor Swift scores another top twenty hit as "22" rises 24-20, Psy's "Gentleman" collapses 5-26, Ciara's newest single "Body Party" arrives at number 35 this week, being the highest debut, and Krewella score their first top forty hit as "Alive" jumps 44-38.
The Billboard 200:
Album Position Last Week
To Be Loved 1 -Side Effects of You 2 -
The 20/20 Experience 3 3
Bankrupt! 4 -
Save Rock and Roll 5 1
Based on a True Story 6 5
Venomous Rat Regeneration 7 -
Indicud 8 2
#WillPower 9 -
The Truth About Love 10 10
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