So July...yeah, I don't know what happened, but I guess the well ran dry of ideas. This was just a crazy month, as working for 40+ hours a week has cut into working on this blog, so I apologize for the long gaps between posts. Although, I'm starting to formulate new ideas, and hopefully I can write them down at a faster rate in August!
However, despite only 9 posts in July, I somehow gained alot of views with just those topics. As of writing this, MaestroBlog has reached 5919 views, up 841 views from June. Also, for some reason, July 26 hauled in 99 views, the second largest sum for any one day viewing ever. I guess people really like album reviews now...I'm so proud :D Anyway, my views-per-post average is now 29.4, up 2.8 from last month.
Man, I can't believe the summer's almost over! It seems like just yesterday I left college to return home! Well on the bright side, I get to see all of my friends again in 25 days, so in actuality I'm really excited to head back to school! There I'll have alot more free time to update this blog, although I probably won't get back to the frequent amount of posts that 2012 brought in. The novelty of a blog has faded and now I'm taking it more seriously. Maybe a bit too seriously...I'll let you know!
Oh before I forget, I can tell you of a new weekly feature, simply titled Music News! Every Friday I will give you the latest updates in what's going on in the music industry, notable events, new music etc. I'm actually really excited for that one! It'll be like the Billboard chart review, but less tedious and it'll cover more ground!
As always, thanks for reading all things music with me! MaestroBlog's one year anniversary is only three months away, and I gotta think of somethin special to do. I'll keep you informed on that as well :)
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Madonna-"Madonna" Review
In an era where disco divas don't exist, there's a wondrous brilliance to Madonna's eponymous debut, a record that was built on late 70s disco while incorporating all sorts of new sounds. Notice the Linn Drum Machines, the Moog Bass-lines, and especially the Oberheim OB-X Synthesizer, "Madonna" is more avant-garde than it lets on. Then consider the fact that this was released in 1983, the Disco era was now officially over and dance-pop faltered beneath New Wave, Heavy Metal, and Funk, so it doesn't even sound like part of the mainstream of its time. But this heavily synthesized debut was not a coincidence, since Michael Jackson had already opened the door for dance-pop revival with "Off the Wall" and "Thriller". But while Jackson's work was a kaleidoscope of different genres and moods, "Madonna" has its eyes focused specifically on the dance floor. There's no pretense here that this 20-something from Michigan is trying to be deep or offer anything else than surface pleasure. With this in mind, she shapes each of the eight tracks here into glistening pop confections, whether it be the sweet ballad "Borderline" or the post-Disco masterpiece "Holiday". But while all of the songs lead to a satisfying whole, when taken apart there are some notable problems. Mainly due to the fact that Madonna has a palpable charisma, but she's not a great singer. Her bubblegum sweet timbre can carry innocent grooves like "Lucky Star" or "Everybody", but it also gives the carnality of "Burning Up" and "Physical Attraction" a creepy undercurrent. Also, while given the help of Reggie Lucas and John "Jellybean" Benitez to helm all the sounds, Madonna's lyrics aren't as detailed nor as innovative as the songs themselves. However, that's probably the point. With the vocals and lyrics being sub-par, you can only focus on the music, which is varied, assured, and layered. Madonna may not have sharp writing skills, but she knows how to make a song, where to place bass-lines and when to accessorize with backing vocals and instrumental effects. She places equal emphasis on beats and melody, creating a perfect environment for underground trends to take root and grow with each listen. While Michael Jackson has definitely set trends for years to come, that doesn't mean that Madonna can't do the same. If "Madonna" proves anything, it's that she may not have an extensive musical history or as high of a profile as Jackson, but she might end up having a more interesting career. One thing's for sure, Madonna is not one to dismiss.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Lucky Star 2.
Borderline 3. Burning Up
4. I Know It 5. Holiday 6. Think
of Me
7. Physical Attraction 8. Everybody
Monday, July 29, 2013
August Rush
"The music is all around you, all you have to do, is listen"
Those were the words uttered by Freddie Highmore at the beginning and end of 2007's "August Rush". That statement seems so sentimental and cheesy, but it's not, if you really concentrate, you can hear music everywhere.
For example, during a family road trip to Appleton, WI back in 2010, I fell asleep in the car, and when we arrived, we came across a construction site. My eyes were closed and I was somewhat awake, but I remember distinctly hearing this hip-hop beat coming from somewhere. I thought it was the radio, but it wasn't, it wasn't coming from my headphones either. I realized, then, that it was coming from the concrete pounders and other machinery coming from the construction. I gleefully just enjoyed the moment, since I remembered that exact sentiment that "August Rush" was so focused on. But even in more day to day situations, birds chirp in a pattern, so do cicadas. They all alternate between octaves and volumes too, leading to a percussive symphony of sounds. And how about those train whistles? You know they don't emit one note, but actually an entire chord. It blows as the train comes and goes, once again in a distinct pattern. Music really is all around you, but most of the time, we're obvlivious to it.
So, right now you're probably wondering where I'm going with this. I use "August Rush" as an example of how integral music is to our everyday life. Just think about it, you have a favorite TV show, a favorite sport, and a movie that you can watch over and over again. But you also have a favorite type of music genre, don't you? It goes without saying that you have an iPod/MP3 Player/Walkman/Stereo somewhere in your house or on your body (and in the car, too). And I'll also safely assume that you have at least once CD, vinyl record, or cassette tape in your possession, right? And I'm sure you've gone on YouTube to see a music video by now ("Gangnam Style" has 1.7 billion views, I'm pretty sure you contributed to one of them). Music really is all around us, now in the digital era more than ever before, since we have so many ways to access it now. But there's some kind of unfortunate side effect of this: the more we can access, the less we choose to access it. While any person on the street can say that they like music, not every person will say it's more important to them than that one TV show or sport that enjoy so much. Whenever schools have to make tough budget cuts, which department is usually the first one to get short funded? For some reason, music (as well as all other art forms) just isn't viewed as all that important anymore, but it is.
That's the point of all this, to prove why music is important. It may not be as essential to human survival as food or water, but it's still a quintessential part of life, even more than sports or other forms of entertainment. Just think for a sec: out of music, sports, TV, and film, what can you do at any time in the day no matter where you are or what you have with you? Unless you're a gymnist or a runner, you probably can't practice your favorite sport in any given spot, and the world is so plastered with TVs and theaters that you can watch a show or a movie any time you want. You can, however, make music any time of the day. August Rush wasn't kidding, the music is literally all around you. You can turn pretty anything into a percussion instrument: pens, counters, your fingers, your feet, your tongue. Then you can do tons of vocal stuff: sing, hum, whistle, etc. Long before sports were invented, humans were making various forms of music, through rituals and prayers mostly. And while not everyone on the planet can speak one universal language, everybody can understand music. You need subtitles during a foreign TV show or film, but you don't have to translate a song in a foreign language to gather information about its message and mood.
Then, let's not forget the way music can affect us. If you listen to sad, sappy songs, you're going to feel sad and emotional, and conversely, if you listen to scream-o and heavy death metal, you're going to feel rage, anger, and empowerment. Music can turn a good day into a bad one and vice versa; it all depends on what you like to listen to and at what time. Music can make you feel like you're flying above the ground, or it can make you feel like you're wallowing in it. The chemicals in your brain react to music very acutely, and the more you concentrate, the more emotions you'll feel. Like, in a movie, is it all just people talking? Nope, there's always a musical score in the background, and you best believe it was composed in a way so that it can affect your emotional state when the movie twists and turns. And during sporting events, is it just pure silence there too? Nope, there's a pregame show, a half-time show for football, and then there's always the National Anthem and a musical motif always plays when a team wins. Let's face it, the world would be a pretty desolate place without music.
Now, I use "August Rush" only as an example, not a seminal point of reference here. While I give the film an A+ for effort, its message was stifled by that schmaltzy plot. I know what they were trying to say, because music is still somewhat of a mysterious thing. You can tell what it is, but you can't really define it. The dictionary gives a definition, yes, but music is more than just words on paper. It has to mean something, whether the meaning be superficial or deep, it has to contain some sort of tangible form. And it doesn't take that much to create some sort of musical noise, whether it be a simple hand clap or you whistling to your favorite song. Our lives are surrounded by music, but when a music program gets cut or when someone claims that it's not important, I can't help but feel that we take it for granted sometimes. As explored in "August Rush", music can ignite many things in your life, and it can lead you to various places and people throughout.
I'm living proof of this. Music is why I have this blog, it's how I got accepted into college, it's my area of study and will provide an income for me when I move on to adulthood. I've made more friends than I ever thought possible because of music alone, and its impenetrable bond. I don't think I'll ever not be fascinated by it, because no matter how detailed of an explanation I give you, it's still something that you have to discover for yourself. Discover how many ways music presents itself in your life, how it wrings emotions out of you, how it can explain what you're feeling without ever saying a word. I'm still searching for all of this myself, and the journey has been quite riveting so far! One day, I may have it all figured out, I might be able to have a firm grasp on its highs and lows, its idiosyncrasies and its presence in the day to day. I'll get there, someday :)
For now, I leave you with my beginning statement: "The music is all around you, all you have to do, is listen".
Now listen a little harder.
Those were the words uttered by Freddie Highmore at the beginning and end of 2007's "August Rush". That statement seems so sentimental and cheesy, but it's not, if you really concentrate, you can hear music everywhere.
For example, during a family road trip to Appleton, WI back in 2010, I fell asleep in the car, and when we arrived, we came across a construction site. My eyes were closed and I was somewhat awake, but I remember distinctly hearing this hip-hop beat coming from somewhere. I thought it was the radio, but it wasn't, it wasn't coming from my headphones either. I realized, then, that it was coming from the concrete pounders and other machinery coming from the construction. I gleefully just enjoyed the moment, since I remembered that exact sentiment that "August Rush" was so focused on. But even in more day to day situations, birds chirp in a pattern, so do cicadas. They all alternate between octaves and volumes too, leading to a percussive symphony of sounds. And how about those train whistles? You know they don't emit one note, but actually an entire chord. It blows as the train comes and goes, once again in a distinct pattern. Music really is all around you, but most of the time, we're obvlivious to it.
So, right now you're probably wondering where I'm going with this. I use "August Rush" as an example of how integral music is to our everyday life. Just think about it, you have a favorite TV show, a favorite sport, and a movie that you can watch over and over again. But you also have a favorite type of music genre, don't you? It goes without saying that you have an iPod/MP3 Player/Walkman/Stereo somewhere in your house or on your body (and in the car, too). And I'll also safely assume that you have at least once CD, vinyl record, or cassette tape in your possession, right? And I'm sure you've gone on YouTube to see a music video by now ("Gangnam Style" has 1.7 billion views, I'm pretty sure you contributed to one of them). Music really is all around us, now in the digital era more than ever before, since we have so many ways to access it now. But there's some kind of unfortunate side effect of this: the more we can access, the less we choose to access it. While any person on the street can say that they like music, not every person will say it's more important to them than that one TV show or sport that enjoy so much. Whenever schools have to make tough budget cuts, which department is usually the first one to get short funded? For some reason, music (as well as all other art forms) just isn't viewed as all that important anymore, but it is.
That's the point of all this, to prove why music is important. It may not be as essential to human survival as food or water, but it's still a quintessential part of life, even more than sports or other forms of entertainment. Just think for a sec: out of music, sports, TV, and film, what can you do at any time in the day no matter where you are or what you have with you? Unless you're a gymnist or a runner, you probably can't practice your favorite sport in any given spot, and the world is so plastered with TVs and theaters that you can watch a show or a movie any time you want. You can, however, make music any time of the day. August Rush wasn't kidding, the music is literally all around you. You can turn pretty anything into a percussion instrument: pens, counters, your fingers, your feet, your tongue. Then you can do tons of vocal stuff: sing, hum, whistle, etc. Long before sports were invented, humans were making various forms of music, through rituals and prayers mostly. And while not everyone on the planet can speak one universal language, everybody can understand music. You need subtitles during a foreign TV show or film, but you don't have to translate a song in a foreign language to gather information about its message and mood.
Then, let's not forget the way music can affect us. If you listen to sad, sappy songs, you're going to feel sad and emotional, and conversely, if you listen to scream-o and heavy death metal, you're going to feel rage, anger, and empowerment. Music can turn a good day into a bad one and vice versa; it all depends on what you like to listen to and at what time. Music can make you feel like you're flying above the ground, or it can make you feel like you're wallowing in it. The chemicals in your brain react to music very acutely, and the more you concentrate, the more emotions you'll feel. Like, in a movie, is it all just people talking? Nope, there's always a musical score in the background, and you best believe it was composed in a way so that it can affect your emotional state when the movie twists and turns. And during sporting events, is it just pure silence there too? Nope, there's a pregame show, a half-time show for football, and then there's always the National Anthem and a musical motif always plays when a team wins. Let's face it, the world would be a pretty desolate place without music.
Now, I use "August Rush" only as an example, not a seminal point of reference here. While I give the film an A+ for effort, its message was stifled by that schmaltzy plot. I know what they were trying to say, because music is still somewhat of a mysterious thing. You can tell what it is, but you can't really define it. The dictionary gives a definition, yes, but music is more than just words on paper. It has to mean something, whether the meaning be superficial or deep, it has to contain some sort of tangible form. And it doesn't take that much to create some sort of musical noise, whether it be a simple hand clap or you whistling to your favorite song. Our lives are surrounded by music, but when a music program gets cut or when someone claims that it's not important, I can't help but feel that we take it for granted sometimes. As explored in "August Rush", music can ignite many things in your life, and it can lead you to various places and people throughout.
I'm living proof of this. Music is why I have this blog, it's how I got accepted into college, it's my area of study and will provide an income for me when I move on to adulthood. I've made more friends than I ever thought possible because of music alone, and its impenetrable bond. I don't think I'll ever not be fascinated by it, because no matter how detailed of an explanation I give you, it's still something that you have to discover for yourself. Discover how many ways music presents itself in your life, how it wrings emotions out of you, how it can explain what you're feeling without ever saying a word. I'm still searching for all of this myself, and the journey has been quite riveting so far! One day, I may have it all figured out, I might be able to have a firm grasp on its highs and lows, its idiosyncrasies and its presence in the day to day. I'll get there, someday :)
For now, I leave you with my beginning statement: "The music is all around you, all you have to do, is listen".
Now listen a little harder.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Selena Gomez-"Stars Dance" Review
It's impossible to hear "Stars Dance", Selena Gomez's fourth album (her first without back-up band The Scene, though they are hardly missed), without hearing Rihanna. And it's not just verisimilitude, Selena goes as far as to rip-off song titles and lyrics from Ms. Fenty (notice the opener "Birthday", a virtual facsimilie of RiRi's "Birthday Cake", or the line "shine like diamonds in the sky" in the excellent dancehall-tinged "Like a Champion"). Then, of course, is lead single "Come & Get It", with its "eh eh ehs" in the chorus and its music video a carbon copy of "Only Girl (In the World)". All this exertion leads to some reasonably pleasing grooves, as Rihanna is one of the biggest hit-makers of the 21st century. An unfortunate side effect of this, is that it highlights just how unconcerned Selena is with creating her own musical persona. This may be her debut solo album, her first without guidance from The Scene, Disney, or most importantly, Justin Bieber, but not that much has evolved since 2011's "When the Sun Goes Down". Indeed, the album covers of that album and "Stars Dance" are strikingly similar, and the music is quite similar too. As with any of her albums, Selena chases every and any modern trend she can find, thus creating records that exist only in their year of release. Since it's now 2013, an era where pop music is now based in dance, not rock, Selena follows suit, shaping the eleven songs on "Stars Dance" to be pulsating club bombast, with plenty of electronic flourishes for good measure. So, in essence, this is the same album as "When the Sun Goes Down", only sleeker, harder, colder. But, in this case, that's not necesarrily a bad thing. It inadvertantly deepens the grooves and sharpens the hooks, creating an overall leaner set of songs than any of Selena's first three albums. However, this is turn also pushes the beats over the melody, a particular problem considering how thin Selena's voice can be. This is dance-pop in form only, having plenty of hooky and memorable songs, but is not centered around the concept of song.
In 2013, this just makes for another disposable pop record, but there's also some sort of preverse brilliance that underscores "Stars Dance". Its songs, taken altogether, don't lead to a wholly satisfying listen, but this album wasn't meant to be a record of purpose. Rather, its a collection of moments, and there are actually plenty of sonically intricate details that don't stretch over an entire song, but do maintain interest. As stated before, the numerous ways electronics present themselves is rather enjoyable, as they bring "B.E.A.T" and "Undercover" out of their generic confines. Elsewhere, some of these EDM atmospheres catch hold and stay there for awhile, like the dark, neo-Baroque title track and the Cataracs-produced "Slow Down". But most noticeable is the set-up of "Stars Dance" itself, which is shaped to be a nonstop party. There are no true ballads here, only slower midtempo cuts, some of which are arguably the best songs here (like the giddy jam "Forget Forever", the album's longest track , but also its easiest to digest). This helps "Stars Dance" maintain a steady flow and mood, two qualities rather lacking in the other dance-pop records of 2013. At the very least, Selena finally has a musical ambition, accessorizing all of the tracks here at will. Not all of these ideas gel, and those specific moments don't pop up for very long, but it's because of these very details that make "Stars Dance" resonate after its 39 minutes. Above all else, even with its cringe-worthiness, you can still sit through it, a first for a Selena Gomez album.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Birthday 2. Slow Down 3. Stars Dance
4. Like a Champion 5. Come & Get It 6. Forget Forever
7. Save the Day 8. BEAT 9. Write Your Name
10. Undercover 11. Love Will Remember
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
20 Songs to Help Pick You Up!
Having a bad day? Are people being annoying and stupid? Do you wish the world would just go away for a little? Well don't worry! I've assembled a list of 20 songs that help me on such days. It's my self-empowerment playlist, and it helps me alot! Hopefully it can brighten up your day too!
1. "Guardian" by Alanis Morissette
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"I'll be your keeper for life, as your guardian/I'll be your warrior of care, your first warden/I'll be your angel on call, I'll be on demand/The greatest honor of all, as your guardian"
2. "Spirit Indestructible" by Nelly Furtado
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"I have the spirit indestructible/A heart that loving was made for/A body that's a miracle./I have the spirit indestructible/A heart that was made pure/Unbreakable and that's for sure/Unshakable so give me more"
3. "Bad Kids" by Lady Gaga
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"I'm not that typical baby/I'm a bad kid like my mom and dad made me/I'm not that cool and you hate me/I'm a bad kid that's the way that they made me"
4. "Mean" by Taylor Swift
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"Someday I'll be living in a big old city/and all you're ever gonna be is mean./Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me/and all you're ever gonna be is mean/Why you gotta be so mean?"
5. "Who Says?" by Selena Gomez
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"You made me insecure/told me I wasn't good enough/but who are you to judge? when you're a diamond in the rough/I'm sure you've got some things you'd like to change about yourself/But when it comes to me, I wouldn't want to be anybody else"
6. "Fuckin Perfect" by P!nk
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel/Like you're less than, fuckin perfect/Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel/that you're nothing, you're fuckin perfect to me"
7. "People Like Us" by Kelly Clarkson
Year Released-2013
Choice Lyrics-"They can't do nothing to you, they can't do nothing to me/This is the life that we choose, this is the life that we bleed/So throw your fists in the air, come out come out if you dare/Tonight we're gonna change forever"
8. "Circles" by Christina Aguilera
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"Spin around in circles on my middle middle finger" (repeat four times)
9. "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera
Year Released-2002
Choice Lyrics-"I am beautiful, no matter what they say/Words can't bring me down/I am beautiful in every single way/and words can't bring me down/So don't you bring me down today"
10. "You Gotta Be" by Des'Ree
Year Released-1995
Choice Lyrics-"You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser/You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger/You gotta be calm, you gotta be cool, you gotta stick together/All I know All I know is that love will save the day"
11. "Anytime" by Kelly Clarkson
Year Released-2003
Choice Lyrics-"Anytime you need love baby I'm on your side/Just let me be the one I can make it alright/Anytime you need love baby you're in my heart/I can make it alright"
12. "Everybody Hurts" by Avril Lavigne
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"Everybody hurts some days, yeah we all feel pain/Everybody feels this way, but it will be okay/Can't somebody take me away, to a better place?/Everybody hurts some days"
13. "Fix A Heart" by Demi Lovato
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"And I just ran out of band-aids, I don't even know where to start/Cause you can't bandage the damaged/You never really can fix a heart"
14. "You Can't Win" by Kelly Clarkson
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"The one who doesn't quite fit in/Under dressed under your skin, yeah/You can't win, oh, a walking disaster/Every time you try to fly you end up falling out of line, oh/You can't you can't win, no"
15. "Nothing New" by Ashlee Simpson
Year Released-2004
Choice Lyrics-"Hey, so what's my damage today?/Don't let me get in your way/Let it out like you always do/The trouble between me and you, is nothing new"
16. "Push" by Madonna
Year Released-2005
Choice Lyrics-"Every race I win, every mood I'm in/Everything I do, I owe it all to you/Every move I make, every step I take/Everything I love, is all because you push me"
17. "Like it or Not" by Madonna
Year Released-2005
Choice Lyrics-"This is who I am, you can like it or not/You can love me or leave me/But I'm never gonna stop"
18. "The Great Escape" by P!nk
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"But I won't let you make the great escape/I'm never gonna watch you checkin out of this place/I'm not gonna lose you, cause the passion and the pain/Are gonna keep you alive someday"
19. "Love into the Light" by Ke$ha
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"Maybe it's about the time, to let the love back into light/Maybe it's about the perfect place, to let go and forget about the hate/Love into the light"
20. "Titanium" by David Guetta and Sia
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"You shoot me down, but I won't fall/I am titanium!/You shoot me down, but I won't fall/I am TITANIUM!!!!"
I realize there are alot more songs like these out there, but I thought I'd just give you a little list to pick yourself up! Hope your day gets a little better!
1. "Guardian" by Alanis Morissette
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"I'll be your keeper for life, as your guardian/I'll be your warrior of care, your first warden/I'll be your angel on call, I'll be on demand/The greatest honor of all, as your guardian"
2. "Spirit Indestructible" by Nelly Furtado
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"I have the spirit indestructible/A heart that loving was made for/A body that's a miracle./I have the spirit indestructible/A heart that was made pure/Unbreakable and that's for sure/Unshakable so give me more"
3. "Bad Kids" by Lady Gaga
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"I'm not that typical baby/I'm a bad kid like my mom and dad made me/I'm not that cool and you hate me/I'm a bad kid that's the way that they made me"
4. "Mean" by Taylor Swift
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"Someday I'll be living in a big old city/and all you're ever gonna be is mean./Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me/and all you're ever gonna be is mean/Why you gotta be so mean?"
5. "Who Says?" by Selena Gomez
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"You made me insecure/told me I wasn't good enough/but who are you to judge? when you're a diamond in the rough/I'm sure you've got some things you'd like to change about yourself/But when it comes to me, I wouldn't want to be anybody else"
6. "Fuckin Perfect" by P!nk
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"Pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel/Like you're less than, fuckin perfect/Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel/that you're nothing, you're fuckin perfect to me"
7. "People Like Us" by Kelly Clarkson
Year Released-2013
Choice Lyrics-"They can't do nothing to you, they can't do nothing to me/This is the life that we choose, this is the life that we bleed/So throw your fists in the air, come out come out if you dare/Tonight we're gonna change forever"
8. "Circles" by Christina Aguilera
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"Spin around in circles on my middle middle finger" (repeat four times)
9. "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera
Year Released-2002
Choice Lyrics-"I am beautiful, no matter what they say/Words can't bring me down/I am beautiful in every single way/and words can't bring me down/So don't you bring me down today"
10. "You Gotta Be" by Des'Ree
Year Released-1995
Choice Lyrics-"You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser/You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger/You gotta be calm, you gotta be cool, you gotta stick together/All I know All I know is that love will save the day"
11. "Anytime" by Kelly Clarkson
Year Released-2003
Choice Lyrics-"Anytime you need love baby I'm on your side/Just let me be the one I can make it alright/Anytime you need love baby you're in my heart/I can make it alright"
12. "Everybody Hurts" by Avril Lavigne
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"Everybody hurts some days, yeah we all feel pain/Everybody feels this way, but it will be okay/Can't somebody take me away, to a better place?/Everybody hurts some days"
13. "Fix A Heart" by Demi Lovato
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"And I just ran out of band-aids, I don't even know where to start/Cause you can't bandage the damaged/You never really can fix a heart"
14. "You Can't Win" by Kelly Clarkson
Year Released-2011
Choice Lyrics-"The one who doesn't quite fit in/Under dressed under your skin, yeah/You can't win, oh, a walking disaster/Every time you try to fly you end up falling out of line, oh/You can't you can't win, no"
15. "Nothing New" by Ashlee Simpson
Year Released-2004
Choice Lyrics-"Hey, so what's my damage today?/Don't let me get in your way/Let it out like you always do/The trouble between me and you, is nothing new"
16. "Push" by Madonna
Year Released-2005
Choice Lyrics-"Every race I win, every mood I'm in/Everything I do, I owe it all to you/Every move I make, every step I take/Everything I love, is all because you push me"
17. "Like it or Not" by Madonna
Year Released-2005
Choice Lyrics-"This is who I am, you can like it or not/You can love me or leave me/But I'm never gonna stop"
18. "The Great Escape" by P!nk
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"But I won't let you make the great escape/I'm never gonna watch you checkin out of this place/I'm not gonna lose you, cause the passion and the pain/Are gonna keep you alive someday"
19. "Love into the Light" by Ke$ha
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"Maybe it's about the time, to let the love back into light/Maybe it's about the perfect place, to let go and forget about the hate/Love into the light"
20. "Titanium" by David Guetta and Sia
Year Released-2012
Choice Lyrics-"You shoot me down, but I won't fall/I am titanium!/You shoot me down, but I won't fall/I am TITANIUM!!!!"
I realize there are alot more songs like these out there, but I thought I'd just give you a little list to pick yourself up! Hope your day gets a little better!
Monday, July 15, 2013
Alanis Morissette-"Havoc and Bright Lights" Review
There are two distinctly different topics that fuel Alanis Morissette's music. The first, as anybody who's listened to mainstream or alternative radio knows, is relationships. Whether being in love or the fallout after love, Alanis has never shied away from being explicit in her details as well as her earnestness. The second subject of her music revolves around spiritual elements, exemplified best on 1998's "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie". However, rarely does Alanis fuse these ideas together. Maybe she didn't have the time or the inspiration, but there's a certain bewilderment to why she waited twenty years into her career to marry these subjects. You don't have to think hard though, as the four years since 2008's "Flavors of Entanglement" have brought a husband and a son into Alanis' life. Surely, domestic bliss can spark creativity in anybody, but happiness isn't something that comes naturally to Alanis. She flirts with it, but cannot fully navigate its peaks and plateaus. Still, that doesn't mean that "Havoc and Bright Lights" is not a pleasing listen, at least not in heavy doses. Alanis starts the album with the hooky, yet phoned-in, "Guardian", and follows it with the hooky and memorable "Woman Down", a subtle approach to feminism. She then transitions into the sparkling ballad "Til You", no doubt one of many cuts dedicated to husband and son. With these first three songs, you start to think she's mastered the relationship/spirit fusion, but then reality comes crashing down with the fourth song "Celebrity", the inevitable hard-rock number dedicated to Alanis' worldview. Thankfully it's only one of two rock numbers here, the other being the weird tale of drug addiction ("Numb"). The rest of the record bounces back between soothing adult contemporary and soft pop/rock, gently pushing its hooks forward while retaining its surface pleasure. And that's fine, with several messy break-ups under her belt, Alanis deserves to have a record dedicated to partnership, since this results in some reasonably smooth grooves ("Empathy" and "Win and Win" being the best example of her new-found bliss). But with all this exertion to create her happiness, "Havoc and Bright Lights" does suffer. As aforementioned, she's not familiar with benevolence nearly as much as she is with despair. Unfortunately, this strain comes in the last stretch of the record. True the longest tracks "Havoc" and "Win and Win" go down easier than expected, but underneath the surface, Alanis just doesn't sound interested anymore. This leaves "Receive" to be redundant and "Edge of Evolution" to be unfulfilled in its potential. It's a far stretch from the beginning of the album, where "Guardian" and "Woman Down" do sound invested and cheery, what the whole album was supposed to be. Also as mentioned, once the gaudily dark "Celebrity" rears its head, the rest of the album never recovers, even with songs as charming as "Empathy" along the way. Oddly enough, even the album's darkest moments that recall "Jagged Little Pill" can't bring Alanis out of her slump, since they're surrounded by an airy atmosphere and just sound awkwardly assembled. Perhaps more songs like the first two on the album would've done the trick, but "Numb" says it all. Alanis would rather be comfortable than frazzled or ecstatic, and most of "Havoc and Bright Lights" reflects that. From its cover of a warm, cheery Alanis to the bubbling sheen, marriage and motherhood have tempered her. She hasn't lost her spunk, but the happy songs on this record never reach highs like "Hand in my Pocket", and the gloomier tracks pale in comparison to "You Oughta Know" or "Not as We". However, that doesn't stop "Havoc and Bright Lights" to still be a worthy listen, as there are plenty of good moments to solidify Alanis' comeback, as well as its place as one of the most agreeable albums of 2012.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Guardian 2. Woman Down 3. Til You
4. Celebrity 5. Empathy 6.
Lens
7. Spiral 8. Numb 9. Havoc
10. Win and Win 11. Receive 12. Edge of
Evolution
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Jewel-"Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" Review
In the wake of success, there came a distinct backlash from Jewel's broad fanbase after she took a huge leap from folk-pop to dance-pop. It may have went gold, but 2003's "0304" was inevitably a flop, though no fault of the music, which was Jewel's most hooky and listenable. Since that time, there were two paths that she could have taken for her next album: she could have deepened the dance grooves and stuck with the glitz of "0304", or she could have run back to what made her a star in the late 90s. Cannily, Jewel was able to split the difference between these two routes, settling back into her acoustic beginnings but strengthening their melodic foundation to prove that she's not simply running away from her drastic makeover. On the contrary, Jewel embraces her decision, and the bulk of 2006's "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" addresses her life in three years that separated these albums. Although that's not to say that this album is simply an acoustic version of "0304"; it's just as soft and as innocent as "Pieces of You" or "This Way", but this time the songs are tight, sturdy, and most importantly, hooky and memorable. It doesn't play as straightforward pop, but "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" is indeed pop-py, working simple melodies into the intricately woven production. These two elements are best exemplified in the opening track "Again and Again", which kicks off the album with a gentle, pushing momentum. It's one of her more simplistic songs lyrically, but it glides over its driving guitar and earthy atmosphere. The rest of the album doesn't quite measure up to that particular song, but that doesn't mean the rest of the songs don't work. In actuality, "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" could be Jewel's strongest album, meaning a coherent set of songs that lead to a satisfying whole. There's sure plenty of satisfying songs throughout, whether it be the guitar driven "Long Slow Slide" or the closest flirtation with pop/rock here, "Only One Too". Elsewhere, Jewel adds some lite R&B loops on "Last Dance Rodeo", and she consciously re-works "Fragile Heart", a track on "0304", into her trademark singer/songwriter style. This decision may not be entirely coincidental, as she meticulously re-crafts it into an almost different song. This re-work not only proves just how sharp a song-crafter Jewel is, but it also brings out the understated musicality in "0304", something rather difficult to do for any artist. "Fragile Heart" in its new setting may pretty much be Jewel's response to the cold sholder she received in 2003. This is an artistic statement as well as a personal one, saying that "0304" was a product of songcraft, not studiocraft. Also, it's Jewel's clever way of stating that while she willingly went all-in during her shift to dance-pop, she was able to point out just how mundane the genre could be. All of this is stated in this album's most definitive moment, the meandering title track. It's an apt title, as it implies that Jewel is saying goodbye to the glamor and glitz from her preceeding album and headed back into her own mind. But more importantly, it's her keen way of saying that she knows why she made her career choices, and what she has learned from that experience. "0304" was an artistic move Jewel needed to make, because it prompted her to dig deeper into her creativity than ever before, and has made an album that "Pieces of You" should have sounded like. All of this exhausting introspection may be taxing in the second half the record, and it's sure not aided by this album's overhated and undercooked nature as a whole, but none of this stops this from making "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" from being the most interesting set of songs she's made in a decade. Jewel doesn't have the big profile, or the audience, she did in 1997, but that's no excuse to write her off; "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" deserves a fair shot.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Again and Again 2. Long Slow Slide3. Goodbye Alice
4. Good Day 5. Satellite 6. Only One
Too
7. Words Get in the Way 8. Drive to You 9. Last Dance Rodeo
10. Fragile Heart 11. Stephenville , TX
13. 1000 Miles Away
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Career Killing Albums
Today's topic is a little weird, so try to follow me along as I delve into it.
Actually, I'll start with a little story: I was in Florida last week, and on the drive down there I played Alanis Morisette's "All I Really Want" in the car, much to the disdain of my dad. I changed it soon after and explained that I understood my dad's disliking of her, as her voice is pretty awkwardly used and her snarls can get in the way of her music. My Aunt Maria noted that while Alanis is not suited for everyone, there have been multiple female musicians trying to copy her since she exploded onto the mainstream in 1995.
I thought about that for a second, and there were two big things I thought of: the first was yeah, everyone had tried to re-create "Jagged Little Pill" in some way or another since its release, since it was such a monumental smash. It sold 33 million copies and produced six successful singles that dominated the radio waves for the next three years. It wasn't a perfect album, but it was a phenomenon that transcended upon its arrival, and gave women everywhere the courage to stand up to their cheating boyfriends (while serving chicken soup for the soul to everyone else). Now here's the second thought I had: what happened to Alanis after "Jagged Little Pill" lost headway? Would the masses even realize that she's made five other albums since then (and she also made two before it, but only released them in Canada)? And what about all of her other singles like "Thank U", "Hands Clean", "Everything", and "Guardian"? Why didn't they receive the massive airplay her "Jagged Little Pill" singles did? Was it because they're not as good as her earlier work? Was the timing just all wrong? Alanis actually faded into the background after "Jagged" became successful, but why did she?
The answer may surprise you. The reason why I titled this post "Career Killing Albums" is because of albums like "Jagged Little Pill". There are three types of career killers: 1) Those that are wildly successful and end up obscuring the artist entirely, 2) Those that are ok but not as good as an artist's previous work and make it hard for them to make a comeback, 3) Those that are poor, that make the artist seem like a passing fad and not a worthy investment anymore. "Jagged Little Pill", as you've already guessed, is a first category album. And those are the ones that suck the most, when a career defining album comes along and it takes the artist to new heights, but it's also a double-edged sword, meaning that one particular album is deemed so great by the public, they basically say the artist will never, ever be able to top it. Such is the case with Alanis and "Jagged", because her following albums were not bad, they weren't as anthemic, but they were still solid rock-pop records. Her next album, 1998's "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie" sold a poultry fraction of what its predecessor did, and its follow up, 2002's "Under Rug Swept", sold even less. Alanis is a fine artist, and quality is not an indicator for her albums' lack of success...it's just that "Jagged Little Pill" is an album so formidable, no one, not even she, would've been able to re-create it.
Another example of a first category career killer is Usher's "Confessions". We all know that album as well, since it dominated the charts in 2004, spawned four worldwide chart-topping singles, and it sold 20 million copies globally. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing Usher, and he maintained his strong popularity well into 2005. There's little doubt that the reason why it was so successful is not only because it contained so many great singles, but because the public thought the album was an exclusive inside-look to Usher's much publicized relationship with Chilli from TLC. Usher has stated adamantly that the album was not about Chilli, but the public thought otherwise, and were intrigued because of it. Unfortunately, they weren't interested for much longer, as Usher married Tameka Foster and did not make any more music for another four years. Unfortunately, what struck Alanis soon hit Usher, as his next album "Here I Stand" arrived in 2008 and sold a quarter of what "Confessions" did. 2010's "Raymond vs. Raymond" sold even less, and 2012's "Looking 4 Myself" has sold less than a million copies. As far as singles go, each album only spawned one true hit, the rest were somewhat present in the mainstream, but were largely forgotten. It's kind of sad to see an artist so wildly successful as Usher struggle to sell even a couple copies of his albums or songs now.
But enough with first category albums, what about the second category ones? For this we will venture to Christina Aguilera, who had not one, but two career killing albums of the second category. The first was 2006's "Back to Basics", it wasn't bad by any means, and had a chunk of good songs, but its endless balladry and annoying over-singing (not to mention it was all inflated over two discs), made it near impossible to sit through beginning to end. Also, there's the obvious problem of making a neo-Motown and neo-Jazz record without a hint of a modern twist: it's not going to keep the ever-changing masses satisfied for very long. And unfortunately for us, Christina let the album run its course for a full four years, only releasing one modern single (2008's "Keeps Getting Better") in the middle of its run. It was a commercial stumble, as it sold a third of what "Stripped" did. But if that wasn't bad enough, its follow up was 2010's "Bionic", which was "Back to Basics"'s opposite. It contained mostly synth-pop, with some acoustic ballads thrown into the middle. It too wasn't a complete failure, but it seemed that Christina was losing steam, and this turned "Bionic" into a cold, faceless product that proved that if Christina's not over-singing, she's dull and uninspired. That's a pretty dangerous place to be, especially when you're trying to keep your career afloat. "Back to Basics" built a coffin, and "Bionic" nailed Christina to it. With "Bionic" selling less than 1 million copies, it would seem that there was nowhere to go but up. Actually, the opposite happened, Christina somehow found a way to sink further than six feet into the ground. This fact was proven when 2012's "Lotus" hit stores. It was a marked improvement over its predecessors and had some of her catchiest songs (including the monster record "Your Body"), but after the double whammy of "Back to Basics" and "Bionic", the public was over it; "Lotus" sold less than 500,000 copies and spawned two singles that failed to become hits. It's such a letdown too, as Christina started off red-hot and inescapable, but now has found herself below the nadir of her career.
Now time for those oh-so-great third category albums, the ones that made you think: "Come on, just throw in the towel already". For this one, we really have no choice but to look at Madonna. She is the best-selling female artist of all time and at one point could lift a finger and sell millions of records, while re-defining the mainstream and inspire legions of upcoming female artists. So what exactly happened to her? Her last album, "MDNA", is her worst-seller, and spawned one mild hit. She is publicized for her fashion choices more than her music nowadays. Where and when did she go wrong? She, along with Christina, was plagued by two career killers. The first one was the second category "American Life", which arrived in 2003. It's message was clear, it had purpose and ambition, but it was a musical cluster. Madonna's organic sentiments just didn't mesh with Mirwais Ahmadzai's house-heavy productions. And come on, was America really going to warm up to an album that called them out on their vapid lifestyles? It may have debuted at number one, but "American Life" was a flop, selling 4 million copies. Now, Madonna was able to revive her career (somewhat) with 2005's "Confessions on a Dance Floor" (which was by far her best release in the 2000s). It sold 12 million copies and produced her biggest hit "Hung Up". But once 2006 was half-way through, "Confessions" subsided and once again left Madonna back in obscurity. Obviously, she wasn't going to achieve the same success in the US after "American Life", but the rest of the world was more than welcome to a Madge comeback.
But then came 2008. That's a year where all media (music, tv, and movies) hit rock-bottom, with everybody sinking to the crass, vulgar, and repugnant to sell themselves. Of all people to sell out that year, Madonna was probably the most painful casualty. She turned 50, but instead of growing up she sexed up, and created the overwrought (not to mention embarrassingly crude) "Hard Candy". That's a third category album of the highest degree (or lowest, depending on how you look at it). It was littered with songs that didn't do Madonna, Pharrell, Timbaland, or Justin Timberlake any justice to any of their careers. "Hard Candy" picked up where "American Life" left off, and it marked the beginning of the end for Madonna's once illustrious career. The mainstream wasn't buying her "I can still twerk at 50!" image, and "Hard Candy" sold a sliver more than "American Life" (4.5 million copies). Of all the artists to have their careers fall beneath their feet, Madonna is probably the biggest tragedy of them all. You see, a woman as influential and as innovative as her could have continued the trend she started on "Ray of Light" and to continually refine her music and image. Sadly, the siren call of fame proved too strong, even for her.
Obviously, there are many more examples of career killing-albums, but you get the idea. You can never really tell when an artist will put out their worst (or absolute best) album, but even so, I can't help but wonder if it's solely the artist's fault. Maybe the mainstream is just too demanding, since it now takes alot of effort (or complete laziness) to get a song or album sold. Either way, when an artist who was at one time sooo successful, but is now fighting to be relevant comes along, you really can't help but feel a bit sorry for them.
Actually, I'll start with a little story: I was in Florida last week, and on the drive down there I played Alanis Morisette's "All I Really Want" in the car, much to the disdain of my dad. I changed it soon after and explained that I understood my dad's disliking of her, as her voice is pretty awkwardly used and her snarls can get in the way of her music. My Aunt Maria noted that while Alanis is not suited for everyone, there have been multiple female musicians trying to copy her since she exploded onto the mainstream in 1995.
I thought about that for a second, and there were two big things I thought of: the first was yeah, everyone had tried to re-create "Jagged Little Pill" in some way or another since its release, since it was such a monumental smash. It sold 33 million copies and produced six successful singles that dominated the radio waves for the next three years. It wasn't a perfect album, but it was a phenomenon that transcended upon its arrival, and gave women everywhere the courage to stand up to their cheating boyfriends (while serving chicken soup for the soul to everyone else). Now here's the second thought I had: what happened to Alanis after "Jagged Little Pill" lost headway? Would the masses even realize that she's made five other albums since then (and she also made two before it, but only released them in Canada)? And what about all of her other singles like "Thank U", "Hands Clean", "Everything", and "Guardian"? Why didn't they receive the massive airplay her "Jagged Little Pill" singles did? Was it because they're not as good as her earlier work? Was the timing just all wrong? Alanis actually faded into the background after "Jagged" became successful, but why did she?
The answer may surprise you. The reason why I titled this post "Career Killing Albums" is because of albums like "Jagged Little Pill". There are three types of career killers: 1) Those that are wildly successful and end up obscuring the artist entirely, 2) Those that are ok but not as good as an artist's previous work and make it hard for them to make a comeback, 3) Those that are poor, that make the artist seem like a passing fad and not a worthy investment anymore. "Jagged Little Pill", as you've already guessed, is a first category album. And those are the ones that suck the most, when a career defining album comes along and it takes the artist to new heights, but it's also a double-edged sword, meaning that one particular album is deemed so great by the public, they basically say the artist will never, ever be able to top it. Such is the case with Alanis and "Jagged", because her following albums were not bad, they weren't as anthemic, but they were still solid rock-pop records. Her next album, 1998's "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie" sold a poultry fraction of what its predecessor did, and its follow up, 2002's "Under Rug Swept", sold even less. Alanis is a fine artist, and quality is not an indicator for her albums' lack of success...it's just that "Jagged Little Pill" is an album so formidable, no one, not even she, would've been able to re-create it.
Another example of a first category career killer is Usher's "Confessions". We all know that album as well, since it dominated the charts in 2004, spawned four worldwide chart-topping singles, and it sold 20 million copies globally. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing Usher, and he maintained his strong popularity well into 2005. There's little doubt that the reason why it was so successful is not only because it contained so many great singles, but because the public thought the album was an exclusive inside-look to Usher's much publicized relationship with Chilli from TLC. Usher has stated adamantly that the album was not about Chilli, but the public thought otherwise, and were intrigued because of it. Unfortunately, they weren't interested for much longer, as Usher married Tameka Foster and did not make any more music for another four years. Unfortunately, what struck Alanis soon hit Usher, as his next album "Here I Stand" arrived in 2008 and sold a quarter of what "Confessions" did. 2010's "Raymond vs. Raymond" sold even less, and 2012's "Looking 4 Myself" has sold less than a million copies. As far as singles go, each album only spawned one true hit, the rest were somewhat present in the mainstream, but were largely forgotten. It's kind of sad to see an artist so wildly successful as Usher struggle to sell even a couple copies of his albums or songs now.
But enough with first category albums, what about the second category ones? For this we will venture to Christina Aguilera, who had not one, but two career killing albums of the second category. The first was 2006's "Back to Basics", it wasn't bad by any means, and had a chunk of good songs, but its endless balladry and annoying over-singing (not to mention it was all inflated over two discs), made it near impossible to sit through beginning to end. Also, there's the obvious problem of making a neo-Motown and neo-Jazz record without a hint of a modern twist: it's not going to keep the ever-changing masses satisfied for very long. And unfortunately for us, Christina let the album run its course for a full four years, only releasing one modern single (2008's "Keeps Getting Better") in the middle of its run. It was a commercial stumble, as it sold a third of what "Stripped" did. But if that wasn't bad enough, its follow up was 2010's "Bionic", which was "Back to Basics"'s opposite. It contained mostly synth-pop, with some acoustic ballads thrown into the middle. It too wasn't a complete failure, but it seemed that Christina was losing steam, and this turned "Bionic" into a cold, faceless product that proved that if Christina's not over-singing, she's dull and uninspired. That's a pretty dangerous place to be, especially when you're trying to keep your career afloat. "Back to Basics" built a coffin, and "Bionic" nailed Christina to it. With "Bionic" selling less than 1 million copies, it would seem that there was nowhere to go but up. Actually, the opposite happened, Christina somehow found a way to sink further than six feet into the ground. This fact was proven when 2012's "Lotus" hit stores. It was a marked improvement over its predecessors and had some of her catchiest songs (including the monster record "Your Body"), but after the double whammy of "Back to Basics" and "Bionic", the public was over it; "Lotus" sold less than 500,000 copies and spawned two singles that failed to become hits. It's such a letdown too, as Christina started off red-hot and inescapable, but now has found herself below the nadir of her career.
Now time for those oh-so-great third category albums, the ones that made you think: "Come on, just throw in the towel already". For this one, we really have no choice but to look at Madonna. She is the best-selling female artist of all time and at one point could lift a finger and sell millions of records, while re-defining the mainstream and inspire legions of upcoming female artists. So what exactly happened to her? Her last album, "MDNA", is her worst-seller, and spawned one mild hit. She is publicized for her fashion choices more than her music nowadays. Where and when did she go wrong? She, along with Christina, was plagued by two career killers. The first one was the second category "American Life", which arrived in 2003. It's message was clear, it had purpose and ambition, but it was a musical cluster. Madonna's organic sentiments just didn't mesh with Mirwais Ahmadzai's house-heavy productions. And come on, was America really going to warm up to an album that called them out on their vapid lifestyles? It may have debuted at number one, but "American Life" was a flop, selling 4 million copies. Now, Madonna was able to revive her career (somewhat) with 2005's "Confessions on a Dance Floor" (which was by far her best release in the 2000s). It sold 12 million copies and produced her biggest hit "Hung Up". But once 2006 was half-way through, "Confessions" subsided and once again left Madonna back in obscurity. Obviously, she wasn't going to achieve the same success in the US after "American Life", but the rest of the world was more than welcome to a Madge comeback.
But then came 2008. That's a year where all media (music, tv, and movies) hit rock-bottom, with everybody sinking to the crass, vulgar, and repugnant to sell themselves. Of all people to sell out that year, Madonna was probably the most painful casualty. She turned 50, but instead of growing up she sexed up, and created the overwrought (not to mention embarrassingly crude) "Hard Candy". That's a third category album of the highest degree (or lowest, depending on how you look at it). It was littered with songs that didn't do Madonna, Pharrell, Timbaland, or Justin Timberlake any justice to any of their careers. "Hard Candy" picked up where "American Life" left off, and it marked the beginning of the end for Madonna's once illustrious career. The mainstream wasn't buying her "I can still twerk at 50!" image, and "Hard Candy" sold a sliver more than "American Life" (4.5 million copies). Of all the artists to have their careers fall beneath their feet, Madonna is probably the biggest tragedy of them all. You see, a woman as influential and as innovative as her could have continued the trend she started on "Ray of Light" and to continually refine her music and image. Sadly, the siren call of fame proved too strong, even for her.
Obviously, there are many more examples of career killing-albums, but you get the idea. You can never really tell when an artist will put out their worst (or absolute best) album, but even so, I can't help but wonder if it's solely the artist's fault. Maybe the mainstream is just too demanding, since it now takes alot of effort (or complete laziness) to get a song or album sold. Either way, when an artist who was at one time sooo successful, but is now fighting to be relevant comes along, you really can't help but feel a bit sorry for them.
Monday, July 8, 2013
Artist You Should Know-Peaches
No, it's not the fruit, it's Merrill Beth Nisker. She's a Canadian artist who was born on November 11, 1966. She currently resides in Berlin, Germany, and she's gained international stardom --among her little, microscopic niche audience. So, why bring her up, then? If she's such an unknown (she has no top forty singles or albums anywhere in the world), what makes her so important that she gets a feature on 'Artist You Should Know'? Well, truth is, you have heard of her, at least in some context. Maybe you don't even know you've been listening to her music, as it's commonly used on movie soundtracks (i.e. "Mean Girls", "Lost in Translation") as well as TV soundtracks (i.e. "Ugly Betty", "South Park", and "30 Rock"). Also, she's made quite a few guest appearances on high-profile albums (i.e. P!nk's "Try This" and Christina Aguilera's "Bionic"). She's been quite an elusive figure in the music industry, but she's also made some influential moves, as M.I.A. was inspired to use drum machines in her music after collaborating with Ms. Nisker. Even more, indie singer Feist was once Merrill's room-mate. Her figure in music is a small one, but it burns with a fiery passion, as her music utilizes abrasive electronic instruments and loud guitars to carry her rapping (and often screaming) of a singing voice. At the turn of the millennium, with her niche already carved out, she's consistently continued to refine her music, and is an artist who definitely could have fared well among a wide audience.
Ok, so here's the real reason why I've brought her into the spotlight (and why she's only gained a small following): more than any artist in the history of music (besides Frank Zappa and possibly Prince), never before has an artist's music revolved so much around sex. Modern rap artists like Lil Wayne, Drake etc. claim how much they 'fuck bitches' and try to explicitly describe how they 'suck a pussy' or how a 'pussy be suckin they dick', but they ain't got nothin on Peaches. Not even Madonna's sexual tirade in 1992 holds up to the raw, unabashed carnality that is Peaches' music. All of those artists are coy and wimpy compared to Ms. Nisker. Don't believe me? Well, let's look at some of her song titles: "Fuck the Pain Away", "Slippery Dick", "Cum Undun", "Lovertits", "Tent in your Pants", and "Diddle My Skittle", to name a few. Now let's look at her lyrics: "Sucking on my titties like you wanted me", "Big chuck young buck (fist fuck cock suck)", "Rubbin' the club, legs in between, lovin' the scrub, keepin' it clean". Yeah, a woman made these lyrics, which brings me to my next point: her uncanny ability to bend gender norms is incredible, and it isn't gender-bending in the vein of Nicki Minaj. Unlike "Roman Zolanski", Peaches has no alter ego to deliver her masculinity, it just comes of in abundance, and it feels natural for her.
But, it took a few years to figure it out. Originally, Peaches began working as a drama teacher in universities around Toronto. By the 90s, however, she decided to start a music career, and began with a group called Mermaid Cafe. They released one album in 1995, but it went nowhere, selling a few copies. For the last stretch of the 20th century, Peaches continued to experiment with different sounds and topics, and was then a singer in her band The Shit. This is when she realized that sex was her best topic of discussion, and the glam rock of The Shit was the perfect sound to get her point across. She adopted the pseudonym Peaches during this time, and when The Shit dissolved, she dived into her solo career.
Then came 2000. A year when a sling of new artists (Britney, Christina, Mandy Moore, Nelly Furtado, J.Lo, P!nk etc.) were omnipresent in the mainstream. But none of those artists were as cutting edge as Peaches. She dropped her solo debut album, titled "The Teaches of Peaches" in September 2000, and the small following that Peaches had acquired now erupted with excitement...and confusion. It was loud and feisty like Mermaid Cafe and The Shit, but it wasn't at all like glam rock, it was a new kind of genre: electroclash. With Peaches' fuzzy voice over throbbing bass lines and drum machines, "The Teaches of Peaches" revolutionized the music industry --albeit very slightly-- but her collaborators (notably M.I.A.), were inspired by her willingness to experiment with electronic elements. Critics did not dismiss Peaches, as her debut as acclaimed for its overtly explicit sexuality and new way of thinking. Commercially, it did very little. It didn't chart in the US, and it debuted in only a few European countries. It sold 50,000 copies worldwide. Still, despite commercial disappointment, Peaches wasn't one to back down, as she worked steadily to find new ways to explore the subject of sex and expand her musical horizons.
That came in September 2003, when she released her sophomore album "Fatherfucker". The title is a play on the word 'motherfucker', only with a male connotation instead of a female one. This title was chosen in order to indicate where Peaches was headed next. Her debut explained her style and sound, "Fatherfucker" was now meant to explain her message and political views, especially towards feminism. She continued to bend gender norms, and her music was essentially the same as it was on her debut, only it didn't hit quite as hard. Critics were one to point this out, claiming it didn't match the level of power or consistency of its predecessor. And Peaches' fans concurred, as "Fatherfucker" also didn't chart in the US or many countries around the world. It sold 40,000 copies worldwide, slightly less than her debut, but it was still deemed a mild flop. But Peaches didn't see it that way, since it was her second album that she produced all by herself, and she felt accomplished in that regard. She took another few years to deliver new music; during this time she decided a change of sound was needed to maintain her appeal.
July 2006 is when she arose, this time with a refreshed attitude, a new glam-rock sound, and a new purpose. Her third album was titled "Impeach My Bush" (in case you didn't get it, 'Bush' refers to the US president from 2000-2008), and while it retained Peaches' classic messages of female empowerment and gender-bending, she exposed her extreme liberal views, and began to express her opinions on gay marriage. She did it in her own way of course, and "Impeach My Bush" was just as electro-dazzled and as sexually-charged as her earlier work. With her update in sound, her small following grew a tad bit bigger, and "Impeach My Bush" became her first album to chart in the US. It landed at #168 with sales of 5000 copies. It was a small triumph, but a triumph all the same, as she was now starting to make a bigger impact. Critics were also favorable of the album, and gave it reviews that were more consistent with her debut. They also favored her collaborations with Greg Kurstin and Jesse Hughes, and the new rock-sound they created for her. It was the mainstream breakthrough she was looking for, and she wasn't about to take a break.
By the end of the 2000s, Peaches was becoming a sought-after collaborator among pop and indie artists alike. Her music was featured in various mediums, and her sexuality was a favorite among her peers. In April 2009, she released her fourth album "I Feel Cream". It was astonishingly different than any of her other albums. For one, it was subtle, her voice was smooth, the music was all synths and no guitars, and it featured a more tamed version of Peaches. But that didn't mean it was a retreat from her signature style, oh no, it was still sexually explicit and gleefully weird. It wasn't as truck-stopping as her previous work, but it was an artistic leap forward. Critics welcomed it, and once again praised her sound and style. Her fans were generally pleased, as the album debuted at #160 and sold 3000 copies in its first week. At this point in her career, though, Peaches was not focused on professional success, as her name was now recognizable by a few more people now, and her music became the topic of much discussion in proceeding years.
As of July 2013, Peaches has not released a follow-up to "I Feel Cream", but she's been plenty busy. She's been on tour, politically involved, and has taken part in some documentaries and TV shows. There's no certainty if her future albums will be more successful than her previous ones, but one thing's for sure: Peaches is not one to dismiss.
Ok, so here's the real reason why I've brought her into the spotlight (and why she's only gained a small following): more than any artist in the history of music (besides Frank Zappa and possibly Prince), never before has an artist's music revolved so much around sex. Modern rap artists like Lil Wayne, Drake etc. claim how much they 'fuck bitches' and try to explicitly describe how they 'suck a pussy' or how a 'pussy be suckin they dick', but they ain't got nothin on Peaches. Not even Madonna's sexual tirade in 1992 holds up to the raw, unabashed carnality that is Peaches' music. All of those artists are coy and wimpy compared to Ms. Nisker. Don't believe me? Well, let's look at some of her song titles: "Fuck the Pain Away", "Slippery Dick", "Cum Undun", "Lovertits", "Tent in your Pants", and "Diddle My Skittle", to name a few. Now let's look at her lyrics: "Sucking on my titties like you wanted me", "Big chuck young buck (fist fuck cock suck)", "Rubbin' the club, legs in between, lovin' the scrub, keepin' it clean". Yeah, a woman made these lyrics, which brings me to my next point: her uncanny ability to bend gender norms is incredible, and it isn't gender-bending in the vein of Nicki Minaj. Unlike "Roman Zolanski", Peaches has no alter ego to deliver her masculinity, it just comes of in abundance, and it feels natural for her.
But, it took a few years to figure it out. Originally, Peaches began working as a drama teacher in universities around Toronto. By the 90s, however, she decided to start a music career, and began with a group called Mermaid Cafe. They released one album in 1995, but it went nowhere, selling a few copies. For the last stretch of the 20th century, Peaches continued to experiment with different sounds and topics, and was then a singer in her band The Shit. This is when she realized that sex was her best topic of discussion, and the glam rock of The Shit was the perfect sound to get her point across. She adopted the pseudonym Peaches during this time, and when The Shit dissolved, she dived into her solo career.
Then came 2000. A year when a sling of new artists (Britney, Christina, Mandy Moore, Nelly Furtado, J.Lo, P!nk etc.) were omnipresent in the mainstream. But none of those artists were as cutting edge as Peaches. She dropped her solo debut album, titled "The Teaches of Peaches" in September 2000, and the small following that Peaches had acquired now erupted with excitement...and confusion. It was loud and feisty like Mermaid Cafe and The Shit, but it wasn't at all like glam rock, it was a new kind of genre: electroclash. With Peaches' fuzzy voice over throbbing bass lines and drum machines, "The Teaches of Peaches" revolutionized the music industry --albeit very slightly-- but her collaborators (notably M.I.A.), were inspired by her willingness to experiment with electronic elements. Critics did not dismiss Peaches, as her debut as acclaimed for its overtly explicit sexuality and new way of thinking. Commercially, it did very little. It didn't chart in the US, and it debuted in only a few European countries. It sold 50,000 copies worldwide. Still, despite commercial disappointment, Peaches wasn't one to back down, as she worked steadily to find new ways to explore the subject of sex and expand her musical horizons.
That came in September 2003, when she released her sophomore album "Fatherfucker". The title is a play on the word 'motherfucker', only with a male connotation instead of a female one. This title was chosen in order to indicate where Peaches was headed next. Her debut explained her style and sound, "Fatherfucker" was now meant to explain her message and political views, especially towards feminism. She continued to bend gender norms, and her music was essentially the same as it was on her debut, only it didn't hit quite as hard. Critics were one to point this out, claiming it didn't match the level of power or consistency of its predecessor. And Peaches' fans concurred, as "Fatherfucker" also didn't chart in the US or many countries around the world. It sold 40,000 copies worldwide, slightly less than her debut, but it was still deemed a mild flop. But Peaches didn't see it that way, since it was her second album that she produced all by herself, and she felt accomplished in that regard. She took another few years to deliver new music; during this time she decided a change of sound was needed to maintain her appeal.
July 2006 is when she arose, this time with a refreshed attitude, a new glam-rock sound, and a new purpose. Her third album was titled "Impeach My Bush" (in case you didn't get it, 'Bush' refers to the US president from 2000-2008), and while it retained Peaches' classic messages of female empowerment and gender-bending, she exposed her extreme liberal views, and began to express her opinions on gay marriage. She did it in her own way of course, and "Impeach My Bush" was just as electro-dazzled and as sexually-charged as her earlier work. With her update in sound, her small following grew a tad bit bigger, and "Impeach My Bush" became her first album to chart in the US. It landed at #168 with sales of 5000 copies. It was a small triumph, but a triumph all the same, as she was now starting to make a bigger impact. Critics were also favorable of the album, and gave it reviews that were more consistent with her debut. They also favored her collaborations with Greg Kurstin and Jesse Hughes, and the new rock-sound they created for her. It was the mainstream breakthrough she was looking for, and she wasn't about to take a break. 
By the end of the 2000s, Peaches was becoming a sought-after collaborator among pop and indie artists alike. Her music was featured in various mediums, and her sexuality was a favorite among her peers. In April 2009, she released her fourth album "I Feel Cream". It was astonishingly different than any of her other albums. For one, it was subtle, her voice was smooth, the music was all synths and no guitars, and it featured a more tamed version of Peaches. But that didn't mean it was a retreat from her signature style, oh no, it was still sexually explicit and gleefully weird. It wasn't as truck-stopping as her previous work, but it was an artistic leap forward. Critics welcomed it, and once again praised her sound and style. Her fans were generally pleased, as the album debuted at #160 and sold 3000 copies in its first week. At this point in her career, though, Peaches was not focused on professional success, as her name was now recognizable by a few more people now, and her music became the topic of much discussion in proceeding years.As of July 2013, Peaches has not released a follow-up to "I Feel Cream", but she's been plenty busy. She's been on tour, politically involved, and has taken part in some documentaries and TV shows. There's no certainty if her future albums will be more successful than her previous ones, but one thing's for sure: Peaches is not one to dismiss.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Kacey Musgraves-"Same Trailer Different Park" Review
On paper, Kacey Musgraves' career seems like it was over before it even began. She's a cute, witty, and musically gifted twenty-something who hails from Texas and worked the Country circuit before playing in the big leagues of mainstream Country (don't we already have a Miranda Lambert?). Her voice is sweet and young, but it's not necessarily distinctive, nor does it have a tangible thickness to it. Musically, "Same Trailer Different Park" is all gentle, mid-tempo cuts, never any honky-tonkers or slow, placid ballads. Individually, each of its 12 tracks go down easy, but when taken together, the album falls apart. Listening to the same hushed acoustics, plain Jane voices, and light drum beats for 40 minutes can be quite exhausting. Even more, the album can almost seem like double its length --country albums have that tendency-- but there are no true slow songs here, so there is no reason why "Same Trailer Different Park" should seem much longer than it is.
But the lyrics. Kacey Musgraves' skillful use of them sets her major label debut well among her peers. She is a fine and sharp writer, even more than Miranda or Taylor Swift, and since she also took up a job as a producer, she is able to blend her words to create subtle hooks. She is also adept at balancing rhythm and melody, so she can hum right along about bringing her house to her lover ("My House"), about how everyone's hooked on Mary ("Merry Go Round"), and how if you don't save yourself for marriage you're a "horr...ible person" ("Follow Your Arrow"). That's a hard thing to achieve for any artist, but it's particularly impressive coming from an singer who's only 24 years old. Then again, it's not like Kacey has been dead silent in her quest for a major record deal. Looking into her history: she's penned songs for Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Gretchen Wilson, she's released three albums independently since 2007, and she's even landed guest spots for other country artists (the Josh Abbott Band in particular). She's had plenty of practice in songwriting and producing, so it should come as no surprise that "Same Trailer Different Park" never-the-less works. True, it can be staid and boring four songs in, but each song retains a certain charm, and can keep you in their orbit. Ultimately, this sturdy and melodic debut is something of a rarity in 2013. Kacey Musgraves is neither hip or square, she tells it like it is without ever being dramatic, and she's very interesting. Not once does "Same Trailer Different Park" sink to breezy country-pop or loud, garish country-rock, it's simply layered and articulate. Kacey Musgraves may not have a big profile like Miranda or Taylor, but judging by this debut (and this does count as a debut), she may have a more interesting career.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Silver Lining 2. My House 3. Merry Go Round
4. Dandelion 5. Blowin' Smoke 6. I Miss You
7. Step Off 8. Back on the Map 9. Keep It to Yourself
10. Stupid 11. Follow Your Arrow 12. It is What It Is
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