As I formulate more interesting topics to talk about, why don't I go through a brief list of LPs and EPs expected to drop from late May to late August? I will obviously be focusing specifically on the albums I'm most excited to hear. Let's get to it!
May 27-
Mariah Carey: "Me. I Am Mariah...The Elusive Chanteuse"
This album was originally supposed to be released last year, but it went through numerous delays. Surely, it's to make sure that it meets the Mariah standard of great R&B-pop albums.
Cher Lloyd: "Sorry I'm Late"
Say what you want about her, I think she has the potential to make some pretty great, fizzy pop music now that she's officially put The X-Factor and "Want U Back" behind her.
June 3-
Miranda Lambert: "Platinum"
The word means many things to the current reigning queen of country music, and if lead single "Automatic" is any indication, it will surely become her fifth album to be certified platinum as well.
June 17-
Jennifer Lopez: "A. K. A."
She's released five singles so far ("Live It Up", "Girls", "Same Girl", "I Luh Ya PaPi", and "First Love"), only three make it on to her eighth album, but that will hopefully leave more room for fiery dance-pop and smooth R&B/Hip-Hop.
Lana Del Rey: "Ultraviolence"
She's released two singles from her second major-label full-length, each one presenting a different spin on the core foundation of Sinatra-era jazz-pop with some modern trip-hop influences. Let's see how the rest of the record holds up.
June 23-
Ed Sheeran: "x"
His first album was named "+", so it's kinda clever how he named his second LP after another math operation. His Pharrell-produced lead single "Sing" is enough to make you wonder how his sophomore album will differ from his first.
July 8-
Sia: "1000 Forms of Fear"
Of all the albums to come out in 2014, this is the set I'm the most excited for. Lead single "Chandelier" is AMAZING, and I know that this Australian music maestra won't disappoint.
July 15-
Jason Mraz: "Yes!"
After more than a decade of being in the music biz, Mr. Mraz has proven to have some serious staying power with his low-key singer/songwriter pop. This album should offer another fine addition to his already sturdy catalog.
August ??-
Ariana Grande: TBA
All I know so far is that Ariana Grande is releasing a new album exactly a year after her debut, which was solid, but flawed as well. After hearing "Problem", I am more than excited to see what she has the second time around!
And of course, Owl City has promised to release several EPs throughout the year, and it is more than likely that he will start the chain in the summer of 2014. Question is, what month?? I hope you're all as excited as I am, because I seriously can't wait!
Monday, May 26, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Musical Obsession-Kelis
"I hate you so much right now, UUUGGGHHH!!!"
Those were the words that introduced the masses to the R&B/Hip-Hop chanteuse Kelis Rogers, known mononymously as Kelis....
*Facepalm* Okay, alright, HERE are the real words that introduced Kelis to a mass audience: "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and they're like 'it's better than yours', damn right, it's better than yours, I can teach you, but I have to charge".
Obviously, the second set of lyrics is from Kelis' 2003 single "Milkshake", the song that blew up faster than an AIDS epidemic back in the winter of 2003-2004. It's since remained her biggest hit, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The first set of lyrics, however, are taken from her actual debut single that was released in the winter of 1999, "Caught Out There". The accompanying debut album was titled "Kaleidoscope", which featured an artwork that seemed that Kelis was an alien from another planet. And she didn't do anything to dissuade that image with the opening intro to her debut, which features Pharrell explaining how they 'found' Kelis from another universe and took her back to Earth. I guess it's fitting that he took those liberties when describing her rise to fame, because it's not nearly that supernatural. Nope, Kelis was an ordinary girl from Harlem who was born to a minister father (who was also a jazz musician) and a fashion designer mother, both of whom encouraged Kelis to pursue a singing career at a young age. She also played the violin, saxophone, and piano in high school, before she was kicked out of her parents' house at 16 (citing bad behavior as the reason why). A friend of hers introduced her to The Neptunes (Pharrell and Chad Hugo), and together they created "Kaleidoscope"; Kelis was 20.
That album was comprised of mostly R&B and soul, with hip-hop dabbled throughout (though never really emphasized). She took a much more urban approach with her second album, 2001's "Wanderland", which was once again all produced by The Neptunes and featured more soul and alternative hip-hop. It flopped (miserably), so after another two years, Kelis decided to do something more unconventional and started her foray into pop. Come 2003, she sought out other producers like Andre 3000, Dallas Austin, and Raphael Saadiq, who created a new, neo-soul sound for her, in the electronic vein, of course (we already had an Alicia Keys at this time, mind you). The Neptunes were still around, and they helmed "Milkshake", but there were other gems on her third album "Tasty". We have the pop/rock sound of "Keep It Down" and the hip-hop/pop of "Trick Me". Kelis ventured into many different styles with that masterpiece, that she decided to unify her sound when the follow-up came in 2006: "Kelis Was Here". That album featured her comeback single "Bossy", which was a minor hit, but its parent album reached number 10 on the Billboard 200, her highest charting LP to date. That album featured a strictly urban sound, phasing out the pop elements of "Tasty" and will.i.am served as the main producer behind the project.
Another four years passed, and in that time, Kelis had a child with Nas, who she had divorced before she gave birth. Feeling liberated, she took a complete departure from her old material and created "Flesh Tone" in 2010, an epic mix of EDM, pop, house, and yes, some soul for good measure. It remains one of her best efforts to date, even though it didn't yield high sales or many successful singles. Today, that streak would seem to continue with her current album "Food". As I've already reviewed, it sounds exactly like what you'd expect: a hearty mix of straight-up soul, with some country, R&B, dance, and hip-hop flavors to flesh it out. She once again chose one collaborator to bring her vision to life: TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek. It was an interesting choice, but a fruitful one, as it produced Kelis' best album in over ten years. But then again, all of her albums retain some sort of excellence, so it's not even that fair of a comparison.
You see now why I felt the need to bring her up in a "Musical Obsession" segment? An artist of her immense talent cannot go unnoticed, and I think it's quite a shame that the US has never given her the credit she so clearly deserves. She's a great, classically trained singer, who performs like her urban roots know no bounds. She's relatable, likeable, and she never once lets image overpower her music (even though her style can become pretty eclectic). And the further her career moves on, and the more independence she has with her music, the better it gets, the more technically brilliant it becomes. Her biggest strength though, is that she not only can pull of any genre of music (pop, soul, hip-hop, dance, R&B), but she pulls it all off well; for real, this girl can make you like any genre of music. And you know an artist is good when they do something, and everybody else's output fails in comparison (I don't think I've heard a better dance record in the past decade than her "Flesh Tone").
One thing I will also bring up is her speaking voice, which is as smooth as buttered silk. Really, it's amazing, and when she sings with that tone, it's absolute magic. Even if she doesn't sound as 'hood' or as 'ghetto' as one would expect, her sheer amount of personality and sass can transcend past all the stereotypes and molds and she can create a public figure of her own uniqueness. She can also flip personas, from angry ex-girlfriend to sultry vixen of the night to your best friend cheering you to dance the night away at a club. There really is nothing to hate about Kelis, and all of her songs are AMAZING (if you ask me). I recently just started getting into her, so I know even I'm guilty of not always giving her the credit she deserves, but now that I know all about her music and what a great musician she is, I can't help but spread my love for her to you all. Hopefully after you read all of this, you will check out some of her stuff (besides "Milkshake").
Personally, I recommend you start the Kelis journey with "Flesh Tone", then move to "Food", and then backtrack all the way back to "Tasty", and then "Kaleidoscope". These are all albums where she is working at her creative and commercial peak (Beyonce's "Beyonce" ain't got nothin on these masterpieces). So, which one will you listen to first?
Those were the words that introduced the masses to the R&B/Hip-Hop chanteuse Kelis Rogers, known mononymously as Kelis....
*Facepalm* Okay, alright, HERE are the real words that introduced Kelis to a mass audience: "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and they're like 'it's better than yours', damn right, it's better than yours, I can teach you, but I have to charge".
Obviously, the second set of lyrics is from Kelis' 2003 single "Milkshake", the song that blew up faster than an AIDS epidemic back in the winter of 2003-2004. It's since remained her biggest hit, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The first set of lyrics, however, are taken from her actual debut single that was released in the winter of 1999, "Caught Out There". The accompanying debut album was titled "Kaleidoscope", which featured an artwork that seemed that Kelis was an alien from another planet. And she didn't do anything to dissuade that image with the opening intro to her debut, which features Pharrell explaining how they 'found' Kelis from another universe and took her back to Earth. I guess it's fitting that he took those liberties when describing her rise to fame, because it's not nearly that supernatural. Nope, Kelis was an ordinary girl from Harlem who was born to a minister father (who was also a jazz musician) and a fashion designer mother, both of whom encouraged Kelis to pursue a singing career at a young age. She also played the violin, saxophone, and piano in high school, before she was kicked out of her parents' house at 16 (citing bad behavior as the reason why). A friend of hers introduced her to The Neptunes (Pharrell and Chad Hugo), and together they created "Kaleidoscope"; Kelis was 20.
That album was comprised of mostly R&B and soul, with hip-hop dabbled throughout (though never really emphasized). She took a much more urban approach with her second album, 2001's "Wanderland", which was once again all produced by The Neptunes and featured more soul and alternative hip-hop. It flopped (miserably), so after another two years, Kelis decided to do something more unconventional and started her foray into pop. Come 2003, she sought out other producers like Andre 3000, Dallas Austin, and Raphael Saadiq, who created a new, neo-soul sound for her, in the electronic vein, of course (we already had an Alicia Keys at this time, mind you). The Neptunes were still around, and they helmed "Milkshake", but there were other gems on her third album "Tasty". We have the pop/rock sound of "Keep It Down" and the hip-hop/pop of "Trick Me". Kelis ventured into many different styles with that masterpiece, that she decided to unify her sound when the follow-up came in 2006: "Kelis Was Here". That album featured her comeback single "Bossy", which was a minor hit, but its parent album reached number 10 on the Billboard 200, her highest charting LP to date. That album featured a strictly urban sound, phasing out the pop elements of "Tasty" and will.i.am served as the main producer behind the project.
Another four years passed, and in that time, Kelis had a child with Nas, who she had divorced before she gave birth. Feeling liberated, she took a complete departure from her old material and created "Flesh Tone" in 2010, an epic mix of EDM, pop, house, and yes, some soul for good measure. It remains one of her best efforts to date, even though it didn't yield high sales or many successful singles. Today, that streak would seem to continue with her current album "Food". As I've already reviewed, it sounds exactly like what you'd expect: a hearty mix of straight-up soul, with some country, R&B, dance, and hip-hop flavors to flesh it out. She once again chose one collaborator to bring her vision to life: TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek. It was an interesting choice, but a fruitful one, as it produced Kelis' best album in over ten years. But then again, all of her albums retain some sort of excellence, so it's not even that fair of a comparison.
You see now why I felt the need to bring her up in a "Musical Obsession" segment? An artist of her immense talent cannot go unnoticed, and I think it's quite a shame that the US has never given her the credit she so clearly deserves. She's a great, classically trained singer, who performs like her urban roots know no bounds. She's relatable, likeable, and she never once lets image overpower her music (even though her style can become pretty eclectic). And the further her career moves on, and the more independence she has with her music, the better it gets, the more technically brilliant it becomes. Her biggest strength though, is that she not only can pull of any genre of music (pop, soul, hip-hop, dance, R&B), but she pulls it all off well; for real, this girl can make you like any genre of music. And you know an artist is good when they do something, and everybody else's output fails in comparison (I don't think I've heard a better dance record in the past decade than her "Flesh Tone").
One thing I will also bring up is her speaking voice, which is as smooth as buttered silk. Really, it's amazing, and when she sings with that tone, it's absolute magic. Even if she doesn't sound as 'hood' or as 'ghetto' as one would expect, her sheer amount of personality and sass can transcend past all the stereotypes and molds and she can create a public figure of her own uniqueness. She can also flip personas, from angry ex-girlfriend to sultry vixen of the night to your best friend cheering you to dance the night away at a club. There really is nothing to hate about Kelis, and all of her songs are AMAZING (if you ask me). I recently just started getting into her, so I know even I'm guilty of not always giving her the credit she deserves, but now that I know all about her music and what a great musician she is, I can't help but spread my love for her to you all. Hopefully after you read all of this, you will check out some of her stuff (besides "Milkshake").
Personally, I recommend you start the Kelis journey with "Flesh Tone", then move to "Food", and then backtrack all the way back to "Tasty", and then "Kaleidoscope". These are all albums where she is working at her creative and commercial peak (Beyonce's "Beyonce" ain't got nothin on these masterpieces). So, which one will you listen to first?
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Good Kesha Songs
Now that I'm thinking about this, I don't know why I didn't cover Kesha sooner. She's officially dropped the $ from her name, so to respect her new-found self-image, I won't use it in her name from now on, either.
Okay, so why in the world would I ever feel the need to bring up ten songs from Kesha that are actually good? Maybe it's her overuse of auto-tune? Thinly scored music? Repetitive four-on-the-floor beat patterns and an attitude with a capital A? All are points made by the Kesha haters, that and the proclamation that she can't sing and has zero talent as a singer and songwriter.
Maybe that's true with her singles, but I can assure you, there are other gems on her albums that prove she can write a dynamite pop song and keep the trashy image to a minimum (but still there all the same. She's bratty not classy, get over it). I have to tell you, though, with so many catchy and ear-wormy songs in her catalogue, it was hard to narrow her best songs down to ten, but I was able to keep her absolute best material here for you to see. And later hear. Wink Wink:
1. "Kiss N Tell" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: The trashy party girl image is still here, but in a shocking turn of events, its her boyfriend that was the slut last weekend. Over a dance-pop beat, Kesha effectively dumps her cheater boyfriend and harshly gives him the deuces.
2. "Party at a Rich Dude's House" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: Aside from the title, the musical content of this song is about as Kesha as it gets: pounding basslines with a single guitar riff and a bunch of synth noise to flesh it out. And some lyrics about having a party...at a rich dude's house. It's gloriously dumb fun.
3. "Animal" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: This is perhaps the best track on Kesha's debut, because it's actually tasteful and doensn't assault the senses. It has some of her most confident vocals, and there's more going on beneath the surface than just a beat pattern and singular note chords.
4. "C U Next Tuesday" from "Cannibal" (2010)
Why it's good: Once again, the title of this song is just...lolololol. But for cereal, this song teases and taunts, but never goes for the tacky or gross. Well, at least not as much as you'd expect. And the music is distant, cold, and reserved, the perfect chill this song needed.
5. "Warrior" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: It's her best album to date, so we might as well start from the beginning with the title track. It's a P!nk-styled underdog empowerment anthem that features Kesha's vocals in full force, and the music borders on electroclash. I like it already.
6. "Wonderland" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: This song proves that Kesha can sing. That's one reason why it's good, the other is that this is the most classy, tasteful, and musically rich song she's ever made. She dabbles in some roots and country-rock while keeping the foundation undeniably pop.
7. "Love into the Light" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha wrote all the lyrics herself and even came up with the melody, producer Greg Kurstin just provided the stark, chilly background music that gets under your skin. Its another plea to ditch the hate and embrace the light of life.
8. "Last Goodbye" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: There's an acoustic version of this song somewhere that really proves Kesha's vocal prowess, but the dance-pop version works just as well. It's another bluesy, folky song that fuses dance elements with its pop ambience. And the lyrics are pretty good too.
9. "Gold Trans Am" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha was born to be a rock star, and this song proves it. It's what Joan Jett would sound like if she were a blonde in the 2010s. It's nasty, hard-rock that keeps the mood light and the profanities abundant. It's also insanely catchy and promotes feel-good times.
10. "Out Alive" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha saved the best tracks on her sophomore album for the deluxe edition, and this is perhaps the best out of all of them. It's straight-up electronic dance music with her fierce vocals mixed with Dr. Luke's hooky, abrasive production. Simply marvelous.
Obviously, you should get yourself a copy of "Warrior" if you're down for the classy, artistic Kesha. If you want the soundtrack to the best and biggest dance party of your life, get "Animal" and "Cannibal". If there's one thing Kesha can always achieve, it's making some pretty kick-ass pop.
Okay, so why in the world would I ever feel the need to bring up ten songs from Kesha that are actually good? Maybe it's her overuse of auto-tune? Thinly scored music? Repetitive four-on-the-floor beat patterns and an attitude with a capital A? All are points made by the Kesha haters, that and the proclamation that she can't sing and has zero talent as a singer and songwriter.
Maybe that's true with her singles, but I can assure you, there are other gems on her albums that prove she can write a dynamite pop song and keep the trashy image to a minimum (but still there all the same. She's bratty not classy, get over it). I have to tell you, though, with so many catchy and ear-wormy songs in her catalogue, it was hard to narrow her best songs down to ten, but I was able to keep her absolute best material here for you to see. And later hear. Wink Wink:
1. "Kiss N Tell" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: The trashy party girl image is still here, but in a shocking turn of events, its her boyfriend that was the slut last weekend. Over a dance-pop beat, Kesha effectively dumps her cheater boyfriend and harshly gives him the deuces.
2. "Party at a Rich Dude's House" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: Aside from the title, the musical content of this song is about as Kesha as it gets: pounding basslines with a single guitar riff and a bunch of synth noise to flesh it out. And some lyrics about having a party...at a rich dude's house. It's gloriously dumb fun.
3. "Animal" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: This is perhaps the best track on Kesha's debut, because it's actually tasteful and doensn't assault the senses. It has some of her most confident vocals, and there's more going on beneath the surface than just a beat pattern and singular note chords.
4. "C U Next Tuesday" from "Cannibal" (2010)
Why it's good: Once again, the title of this song is just...lolololol. But for cereal, this song teases and taunts, but never goes for the tacky or gross. Well, at least not as much as you'd expect. And the music is distant, cold, and reserved, the perfect chill this song needed.
5. "Warrior" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: It's her best album to date, so we might as well start from the beginning with the title track. It's a P!nk-styled underdog empowerment anthem that features Kesha's vocals in full force, and the music borders on electroclash. I like it already.
6. "Wonderland" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: This song proves that Kesha can sing. That's one reason why it's good, the other is that this is the most classy, tasteful, and musically rich song she's ever made. She dabbles in some roots and country-rock while keeping the foundation undeniably pop.
7. "Love into the Light" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha wrote all the lyrics herself and even came up with the melody, producer Greg Kurstin just provided the stark, chilly background music that gets under your skin. Its another plea to ditch the hate and embrace the light of life.
8. "Last Goodbye" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: There's an acoustic version of this song somewhere that really proves Kesha's vocal prowess, but the dance-pop version works just as well. It's another bluesy, folky song that fuses dance elements with its pop ambience. And the lyrics are pretty good too.
9. "Gold Trans Am" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha was born to be a rock star, and this song proves it. It's what Joan Jett would sound like if she were a blonde in the 2010s. It's nasty, hard-rock that keeps the mood light and the profanities abundant. It's also insanely catchy and promotes feel-good times.
10. "Out Alive" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha saved the best tracks on her sophomore album for the deluxe edition, and this is perhaps the best out of all of them. It's straight-up electronic dance music with her fierce vocals mixed with Dr. Luke's hooky, abrasive production. Simply marvelous.
Obviously, you should get yourself a copy of "Warrior" if you're down for the classy, artistic Kesha. If you want the soundtrack to the best and biggest dance party of your life, get "Animal" and "Cannibal". If there's one thing Kesha can always achieve, it's making some pretty kick-ass pop.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
My Shout Outs-Sophomore Year
Well that went by fast! It seems like just yesterday I was thanking people for making my freshman year of college a blast! Since I just completed my sophomore year, I'll obviously have plenty more people to thank and give a shout-out to. With all the people I have to mention, let's dig right in!
As always, we'll begin with the mellophone section of the Blugold Marching Band!
Their names are:
Megan Schuknecht
Amy Greathead
Alex Herrera
Kaci Hoverson
Shane O'Neil
Andrea Ranzau
Ashley Sukhu
Elizabeth Brunner
Lexi Meier
Nikki Hug
Kyle Launderville
Shelby Moore
Nicole Densmore
Kristina Mienke
Lucas Brawdy
Robyn Gehri
Lynzee Bath
As the first people to come into contact with me as I entered the new school year, they made this season quite the interesting one! Good luck to Megan, who'll be student teaching in the fall!
Next up is the UWEC Symphony Orchestra 1st violin section!
This included:
Linda Bagley (concertmaster)
Hannah Kennedy
Grace Wilgus
Ella Keenan
Ariana Van Parys
Peter Tha
Jake Brunquell
Amanda Niemann
Eli Webb
Jessa Quick
Crystine McGinley-Adams
Nathalie Burmeister
Special thanks to Eli, my stand partner of two years!! Here's to another one! And to the rest of the section: our sectionals are the best around, not gonna lie.
My Chamber Orchestra Peeps!
Also known as the Baroque Ensemble:
Hannah Kennedy-Violin (concertmaster)
Grace Wilgus-Violin
Bryce Sanville-Violin
Linda Bagley-Violin
Rose Mish-Violin
McKenna Heintz-Violin
Laura Severson-Viola
Michelle Miller-Viola
Kaity Witherspoon-Cello
Rosie Moua-Cello
Chelsea Caldie-Bass
Congrats to Grace and Chelsea for graduating this semester, I hope you go far in life! And to the rest of the ensemble: it was a great first year, so let's have an even better second one!
My ASTA (American String Teachers Association) Friends:
Laura Severson
Brittaney McCarthy
Jordan Jenkins
Rachel Burtman
Rose Mish
Bryce Sanville
Linda Bagley
Bill Callaway
Cassie Venske
Kaity Witherspoon
This organization just keeps getting better and better. And more fun. We must do this again sometime.
My home slices at the National Band Association:
Megan Schuknecht
Garrett Aalfs
Meredith Enjaian
Zack Bartsch
Jon Asmus
Ben Warrichaiet
Kara Metzger
Alex Herrera
Nathan Rakow
The best is yet to come, I'm sure of it!
My Speech Class Buddies:
Amy Schick
Gabe Gale
Luke Smrecek
Jack Heruth
James Buytendorp
HOORAY. We're outta this God-forsaken class. WOO!
Of course, my amazing professors:
Nobu Yasuda (violin professor, orchestra director)
Tulio Rondon (cello professor, chamber orchestra director)
Randy Dickerson (BMB director, U-band director)
Gretchen Peters (music history professor. The BEST music history professor)
Karen Mumford (conservation of the environment professor, and an AWESOME lady!)
And now the biggest list of random people ever. Well, maybe not ever, but there's still alot more people I wanna holla at!
In no particular order:
Christi Ladwig
Becky Olson (for saving my butt during band camp. You da best, gurl!)
Rachel Battles
Amanda Koval
Karen McGregor
Bobbi Freagon (I got my eeeyyyyeeesss on YOU)
Katie Fischer
Sarah DiPiazza
Kelly Noltner
Mariah Sands
Sean Theusen
Anika Reinighaus
Kristen Heller
Courtney Walin
Courtney Yeager
Adam Wysocki
Brielle Cummings
Mary Rodberg
Ted Marris
Tiffany Kostuch
Aaron Grindemann
Paul Soulier
Dani Schmalz (the nicest, best person around!)
Emilie Zamarripa (Perhaps I should've mentioned you first...)
Matt Strom (the best caf. worker ever, just sayin)
Rachel Schmidt
Madeline Reilly
Andy Michor
Joe Poncelet
Grace Luebben (I like your...EVERYTHING. lol)
Megan Skrbec
Nick Junker (director of the Pep Band, letting me arrange music and, what not)
Miles Plant (still the best)
Michael Dellutri
Emily Bacon (for trekking around Chicago with me!)
Before I reveal this year's "Big Four", I have four Honorable Mentions!
Alyssa Gorrel-You made Conservation of the Environment all the better! Thanks for sitting by me, and working with me on projects, and helping me out with homework!!
Teresa Wolfe-My music history studdy buddy! For staying up with me many nights to prepare for our quizzes, tests, and that monster of a paper! I don't think I could've stayed up until 3am with anybody else!
Carlee Schneider-Your love of Disney and Christmas is seriously the best. You're the best, like for real. So nice and funny, and so full of pep. Which I usually hate, but it works on you!
Hannah Steig-Really for just listening to me when I needed it. You really helped me alot, and I can't really express my thanks in just these words. Well, maybe I just did, but still, the thoughts are real!!
Ok, now onto the Big Four. These are the people that really tried their darndest to keep me grounded and sane!
Briana Buchholtz-That's right, even though she was only here a semester this year (she's currently studying abroad in Japan), she still gets a big shout-out because of just how supportive she is, whether it be in person or overseas!
Rosie Evans-For a second year in a row, your humor and sarcasm really just makes me feel at home. I can relate to you more than a lot of people, and you listen to me bitch about my problems. That's like, the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me!
Andrea Ranzau-I know I have alot to thank her for, but the biggest thing would be staying on my side when things got a little too crazy. In BMB and thereafter, she was my voice of reason, and it really helped keep things in perspective. So, we've had two awesome years together, let's keep going strong!
And now, the best person of all: Alex Herrera! I don't think I've ever run to someone so often to help me with my issues as much as I ran to her this past year, so she's a really awesome gal for doing that! But not even just that, but for also being a great guide through this crazy life, like Andrea. She's been supporting me all throughout the year and she's given me plenty of wonderful opportunities to prove myself, so I give her the biggest thanks I can muster from the top hair on my head to the nails on my toes!!! (what, a little too specific?).
That wraps up year 2! Junior year will probably bring more of the same, but hopefully it won't be NEARLY as stressful as this year was. This was one of the toughest years of my life, so I thank not just these people, but for every soul I came into contact with that convinced me to fight on. THANK YOU ALL!!
As always, we'll begin with the mellophone section of the Blugold Marching Band!
Their names are:
Megan Schuknecht
Amy Greathead
Alex Herrera
Kaci Hoverson
Shane O'Neil
Andrea Ranzau
Ashley Sukhu
Elizabeth Brunner
Lexi Meier
Nikki Hug
Kyle Launderville
Shelby Moore
Nicole Densmore
Kristina Mienke
Lucas Brawdy
Robyn Gehri
Lynzee Bath
As the first people to come into contact with me as I entered the new school year, they made this season quite the interesting one! Good luck to Megan, who'll be student teaching in the fall!
Next up is the UWEC Symphony Orchestra 1st violin section!
This included:
Linda Bagley (concertmaster)
Hannah Kennedy
Grace Wilgus
Ella Keenan
Ariana Van Parys
Peter Tha
Jake Brunquell
Amanda Niemann
Eli Webb
Jessa Quick
Crystine McGinley-Adams
Nathalie Burmeister
Special thanks to Eli, my stand partner of two years!! Here's to another one! And to the rest of the section: our sectionals are the best around, not gonna lie.
My Chamber Orchestra Peeps!
Also known as the Baroque Ensemble:
Hannah Kennedy-Violin (concertmaster)
Grace Wilgus-Violin
Bryce Sanville-Violin
Linda Bagley-Violin
Rose Mish-Violin
McKenna Heintz-Violin
Laura Severson-Viola
Michelle Miller-Viola
Kaity Witherspoon-Cello
Rosie Moua-Cello
Chelsea Caldie-Bass
Congrats to Grace and Chelsea for graduating this semester, I hope you go far in life! And to the rest of the ensemble: it was a great first year, so let's have an even better second one!
My ASTA (American String Teachers Association) Friends:
Laura Severson
Brittaney McCarthy
Jordan Jenkins
Rachel Burtman
Rose Mish
Bryce Sanville
Linda Bagley
Bill Callaway
Cassie Venske
Kaity Witherspoon
This organization just keeps getting better and better. And more fun. We must do this again sometime.
My home slices at the National Band Association:
Megan Schuknecht
Garrett Aalfs
Meredith Enjaian
Zack Bartsch
Jon Asmus
Ben Warrichaiet
Kara Metzger
Alex Herrera
Nathan Rakow
The best is yet to come, I'm sure of it!
My Speech Class Buddies:
Amy Schick
Gabe Gale
Luke Smrecek
Jack Heruth
James Buytendorp
HOORAY. We're outta this God-forsaken class. WOO!
Of course, my amazing professors:
Nobu Yasuda (violin professor, orchestra director)
Tulio Rondon (cello professor, chamber orchestra director)
Randy Dickerson (BMB director, U-band director)
Gretchen Peters (music history professor. The BEST music history professor)
Karen Mumford (conservation of the environment professor, and an AWESOME lady!)
And now the biggest list of random people ever. Well, maybe not ever, but there's still alot more people I wanna holla at!
In no particular order:
Christi Ladwig
Becky Olson (for saving my butt during band camp. You da best, gurl!)
Rachel Battles
Amanda Koval
Karen McGregor
Bobbi Freagon (I got my eeeyyyyeeesss on YOU)
Katie Fischer
Sarah DiPiazza
Kelly Noltner
Mariah Sands
Sean Theusen
Anika Reinighaus
Kristen Heller
Courtney Walin
Courtney Yeager
Adam Wysocki
Brielle Cummings
Mary Rodberg
Ted Marris
Tiffany Kostuch
Aaron Grindemann
Paul Soulier
Dani Schmalz (the nicest, best person around!)
Emilie Zamarripa (Perhaps I should've mentioned you first...)
Matt Strom (the best caf. worker ever, just sayin)
Rachel Schmidt
Madeline Reilly
Andy Michor
Joe Poncelet
Grace Luebben (I like your...EVERYTHING. lol)
Megan Skrbec
Nick Junker (director of the Pep Band, letting me arrange music and, what not)
Miles Plant (still the best)
Michael Dellutri
Emily Bacon (for trekking around Chicago with me!)
Before I reveal this year's "Big Four", I have four Honorable Mentions!
Alyssa Gorrel-You made Conservation of the Environment all the better! Thanks for sitting by me, and working with me on projects, and helping me out with homework!!
Teresa Wolfe-My music history studdy buddy! For staying up with me many nights to prepare for our quizzes, tests, and that monster of a paper! I don't think I could've stayed up until 3am with anybody else!
Carlee Schneider-Your love of Disney and Christmas is seriously the best. You're the best, like for real. So nice and funny, and so full of pep. Which I usually hate, but it works on you!
Hannah Steig-Really for just listening to me when I needed it. You really helped me alot, and I can't really express my thanks in just these words. Well, maybe I just did, but still, the thoughts are real!!
Ok, now onto the Big Four. These are the people that really tried their darndest to keep me grounded and sane!
Briana Buchholtz-That's right, even though she was only here a semester this year (she's currently studying abroad in Japan), she still gets a big shout-out because of just how supportive she is, whether it be in person or overseas!
Rosie Evans-For a second year in a row, your humor and sarcasm really just makes me feel at home. I can relate to you more than a lot of people, and you listen to me bitch about my problems. That's like, the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me!
Andrea Ranzau-I know I have alot to thank her for, but the biggest thing would be staying on my side when things got a little too crazy. In BMB and thereafter, she was my voice of reason, and it really helped keep things in perspective. So, we've had two awesome years together, let's keep going strong!
And now, the best person of all: Alex Herrera! I don't think I've ever run to someone so often to help me with my issues as much as I ran to her this past year, so she's a really awesome gal for doing that! But not even just that, but for also being a great guide through this crazy life, like Andrea. She's been supporting me all throughout the year and she's given me plenty of wonderful opportunities to prove myself, so I give her the biggest thanks I can muster from the top hair on my head to the nails on my toes!!! (what, a little too specific?).
That wraps up year 2! Junior year will probably bring more of the same, but hopefully it won't be NEARLY as stressful as this year was. This was one of the toughest years of my life, so I thank not just these people, but for every soul I came into contact with that convinced me to fight on. THANK YOU ALL!!
Monday, May 12, 2014
Kelis-"Food" Review
The times are always a changin', and nowhere is that more true for the newly certified chef Kelis. Since her 2010 dance-pop effort "Fleshtone", she initially continued that path and sought the assistance of many UK electronica producers for her sixth album. Although, as the themes and moods began to take route, she quickly changed course and instead wanted a soulful sound: something domestic, yet celebrates all facets of life. Her lone collaborator for "Food" is Dave Sitek, from TV on the Radio, an interesting choice, but a fitting one. Like The Neptunes and David Guetta before him, Sitek knows how to streamline Kelis' unique voice and signature sass into any genre he thinks up. Indeed, the core foundation of "Food" is exactly what you might expect, throwback soul with a modern, urban flavor, but yet it's not that simple to pigeonhole a record that features so many distinct trends at work. But before we even look at the songs, it's interesting to examine the song titles: "Breakfast", "Jerk Ribs", "Cobbler", "Fish Fry", and "Biscuits 'n' Gravy", all songs that make the mouth water but contain no references to actual food. This record puts the emphasis on the sound rather than the words, so "Breakfast" is laid-back and sunny, while "Fish Fry" is twangy and rustic. The actual subject matter all breaks down to long-lasting love, an element that was blatantly avoided on "Fleshtone", so its a nice break from tradition. Also a nice break from tradition are the instrumental sounds, made from live recording rather than synthesizers. In 2014, albums as natural and breezy as this are very difficult to come by, especially with all the mainstream focus on the EDM that Kelis perfected with her last album. Doubly impressive is how good "Food" turns out to be: not one track falls below the others in terms of excellence and realization of production ambition. Every song here may not be fully formed as a track on an album, but it's easy to take this concoction apart and enjoy it bit by bit. It'll definitely take some getting used to, for the longtime Kelis fan at least, and that's ok, because once these songs have the time to settle, it leaves the listener craving seconds.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Breakfast 2. Jerk Ribs 3. Forever Be
4. Floyd 5. Runner 6. Hooch
7. Cobbler 8. Bless The Telephone 9. Fish Fry
10. Change 11.
Rumble 12. Biscuits ‘n’ Gravy
13. Dreamer
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Sarah McLachlan-"Shine On" Review
If you're wondering why it didn't take another seven years for Sarah McLachlan to follow-up her 2010 record "Laws of Illusion", the answer lies within the context to which "Shine On" is given. McLachlan was very clear in promotional interviews leading up to this album's release that it was inspired by the death of her father. Oddly enough, this isn't the first time she resorted to releasing new music to coincide a major life event: "Surfacing" appeared when Lillith Fair began, "Afterglow" was released after the birth of McLachlan's first child, and "Laws of Illusion" was dedicated to her split from her husband, Ashwin Sood. So "Shine On" follows suit with her previous albums in this respect, but that is perhaps the only similarity between this record and her previous work. It seems that the loss of her father was so great, McLachlan turns her emotions into something quite extraordinary: a soulful, polished, and immensely expressive album that packs an emotional punch that's marginally heavier than any of her previous albums. That's not the same as saying there are songs as mystical as "Bring On the Wonder" or "Time", because the atmosphere here is pretty concrete, and McLachlan wastes no time penning introspective lyrics that carry with them her signature sadness, but are interlaced with glimmers of hope and light. Even the most depressing tracks, "Surrender and Certainty" and "Beautiful Girl" to name two, aren't completely within the realm of giving up as their predecessors were. It seems that McLachlan took a page from Dido's "Safe Trip Home" and focuses on love and life just as much as loss. Her approach to the music is similar to "Safe Trip Home" as well: gently pushing singer-songwriter pop that is slightly augmented with electronics but also heavily relies on guitars and standard drum-kits. What makes "Shine On" a lesser record than that masterpiece is the opening set of songs from the effervescent "In Your Shoes" to the pretty good "Monsters". All of those songs, including this record's title itself, hint at a sunny, cheery experience, but the reality is that "Shine On" is kind of a bait-and-switch. McLachlan still can't seem to lift the oppressive veil of shadows over her music completely, which isn't necessarily a bad thing considering it's what made her name in adult mainstream music, but when giving the impression that she might have turned a corner, she's still the same artist she was when her career began.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. In Your Shoes 2. Flesh and Blood 3. Monsters
4. Broken
Heart 5.
Surrender and Certainty 6. Song for My
Father
7. Turn The
Lights Down Low 8. Love Beside Me 9. Brink of Destruction
10. Beautiful Girl 11. The Sound That Love Makes
Monday, May 5, 2014
Lily Allen-"Sheezus" Review
Lily Allen's return to music first came in 2012, as a guest star on P!nk's marriage and motherhood album "The Truth About Love". Her appearance may have been brief, but it turns out to be more of a pivotal moment in signaling the direction of her own new album, the Kanye-inspired "Sheezus". Since her 2009 electro-pop masterpiece "It's Not Me, It's You", she married and had two kids, so she's definitely feeling the joys of being a wife and mother. Just take a look at the first in five songs dedicated to her domestic life, the excellent bubblegum-pop "L8 CMMR". It's certainly a better indication of the album's mood than the M.I.A.-styled title track, a dark, bleepy synthpop track that name-drops Beyonce, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Lorde, and Lady Gaga. Similar to Alanis Morissette's take on domesticity in her 2012 set "Havoc and Bright Lights", Lily Allen may still have plenty to say about the modern age, but her barbs don't dig quite as deep as they did on "Alright, Still". Perhaps her new home-life may have softened her sound, but when she's not fawning over her husband and kids, she directs her attention to society, whether it be in the UK or the US. Besides the fame-starving opening song, she's not pleased about the narcissism that has overtaken the internet generation in "Insincerely Yours" and "URL Badman". She also takes a swipe at the entitled in "Silver Spoon", whose irony (considering Allen was a rich child herself) makes the song even more infuriating to the critical listener. Then, of course, the brightest stand-out of all the tracks here is the feminist-infused dance-pop of the lead single "Hard Out Here". It proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that her humorous, yet razor sharp tongue can still manifest itself in some great, if controversial, songs.
It may be the best song here, not because it just causes controversy, but because it's one of the few moments on "Sheezus" where Lily Allen is recognizable as herself, not some bored housewife who complains about the outside world to her husband and proceeds to just cook dinner a few minutes later. That notion isn't just tied into the tracks, but that produces a slightly bitter demeanor in the songs themselves. Allen's bid to make a girls-night-out jam ("Our Time") is desperate at best, since her idea of fun has been reduced to partying at home listening to Def Jam. Maybe she's just lost her touch, but that same bitterness only increases the cynicism in "Sheezus" overall, which actually brings it above the stale taste that "Alright, Still" gave after a couple listens. This record is far more musically diverse than both of her previous efforts, so she's succeeded on that linear level. She can seemingly do it all, from R&B lifted from Madonna's "Bedtime Stories" to Rihanna-styled hip-hop, from Vampire Weekend's indie-pop to laid-back soul pop in the vein of Jessie J. "Sheezus" may not be as jaw-dropping as her debut or as well-rounded as "It's Not Me, It's You", but it's still a worthy addition to her catalog and a reminder that Britain's favorite loud-mouth can still spew clever insults with the best, even if she now prefers living peacefully at home.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Sheezus 2. L8 CMMR 3. Air Balloon
4. Our Time 5. Insincerely Yours 6. Take My Place
7. As Long As
I Got You 8. Close Your Eyes 9.
URL Badman
10. Silver Spoon 11. Life for Me 12. Hard Out Here
MaestroBlog Update
I wanna make this quick, because I have alot of things I want to write about, and so little time!
So, it's taken me this long to get an update for the month of April, which already didn't feature much activity. It's the end of the year, things are getting pretty tight and I'm currently obsessed with getting my homework done and finishing out the year strong.
But, before I go ahead with that, I will gladly give you a by-the-numbers update of what happened in April. So, 8 posts happened, the same amount as March, but MaestroBlog was far less profitable. The month drew in 315 views, the lowest number ever. I'm actually not surprised, seeing as how I was fresh out of ideas. The total view count comes to 11189 (as of April 30, obviously the count is a little higher now). My views-per-post average comes to 36.9, the same amount as March.
Looking ahead to May: more album reviews! And exciting ones too, seeing as how we have new releases from Lily Allen, Sarah McLachlan, and Mariah Carey!! Also, as soon as my last day of school comes, I can post my sophomore year shout-outs!! I have quite alot of people to thank (besides all of you awesome readers!!!).
And I promise, that big 'Musical Dissection' I've been promising will come soon enough. I want to make sure it's perfect because it's an argument I've been wanting to prove for quite sometime now.
Any ideas, suggestions, comments you have are always greatly appreciated!
So, it's taken me this long to get an update for the month of April, which already didn't feature much activity. It's the end of the year, things are getting pretty tight and I'm currently obsessed with getting my homework done and finishing out the year strong.
But, before I go ahead with that, I will gladly give you a by-the-numbers update of what happened in April. So, 8 posts happened, the same amount as March, but MaestroBlog was far less profitable. The month drew in 315 views, the lowest number ever. I'm actually not surprised, seeing as how I was fresh out of ideas. The total view count comes to 11189 (as of April 30, obviously the count is a little higher now). My views-per-post average comes to 36.9, the same amount as March.
Looking ahead to May: more album reviews! And exciting ones too, seeing as how we have new releases from Lily Allen, Sarah McLachlan, and Mariah Carey!! Also, as soon as my last day of school comes, I can post my sophomore year shout-outs!! I have quite alot of people to thank (besides all of you awesome readers!!!).
And I promise, that big 'Musical Dissection' I've been promising will come soon enough. I want to make sure it's perfect because it's an argument I've been wanting to prove for quite sometime now.
Any ideas, suggestions, comments you have are always greatly appreciated!
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