Because I'm pretentious enough to think that people actually care about my opinion (even though you all don't), I put together this list of good music each year. I'm starting with top albums, and interestingly enough, all of these artists have released quality albums in the past, and there's no "breakthrough artist" on this list. Maybe that's my fault, for not looking hard enough for new artists, or maybe it's just a lull in new artists. Anyway:
5. Radiohead- In Rainbows - Upon first listen, I was disappointed, as this album is not a hugely creative statement, but is instead kind of... normal. I mean, it's still Radiohead, but there's nothing really new on this album. What won me over was how relaxed it sounded, and how Radiohead still continues to just write good songs. I mean, "House of Cards" alone, with its calm bass and guitar combo and piercing vocals, is up there with Radiohead's best work. And at times, Radiohead sounds energized, like on "Bodysnatchers," with Radiohead's first real guitar riff since OK Computer . Overall, it's a quality effort, even if it's nothing... life-changing.
4. Iron and Wine- The Shepherd's Dog - Surprise! Iron and Wine, the previously calming and beautiful folk from the mind of Sam Beam, changes its sounds significantly, thanks to Beam's work with such bands as Calexico. Gone are the sparse production and simple guitar work, and are instead are replaced with afro-pop beats and surprising detail. The opener, "Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car," start with a strong, even dance-able rhythm and layered vocals, and the album just presents more changes from their. Some songs are tense, and even angry, such as the excellent "White Toothed Man," where the previously calming aahs have become more restless. It takes a few listens to get used to the sound, but once you do, it's very well worth it.
3. Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? - Of Montreal has become an excellent techno-pop band, but this is the first time one experiences their "dark-side." The album is a breakup album, with the albums so pessimistic and brutal it could have come from an emo band, yet the album is as catchy as ever. The music knows no sadness, with flashy synthesizes are ADD beats flying left and right. The opener "Suffer For Fashion" switches between so many different moods in the first 45 seconds that it's practically startling. And it never stops! Even when the album does go into self-pity, it releases the crazy, 11-minute centerpiece, "The Past is a Grotesque Animal." But there are so many highlights on this album that it would take pages to detail them all, so I'm gonna stop, but it's good to see that Of Montreal, after so many years, albums, and transformations, still know how to keep it fresh and interesting.
2. Jens Lekman- Night Falls Over Kortedala- Oh Jens. That's really all I need to say about this album. Oh Jens. He's just so goddamn charming and happy. He write so many catchy songs and clever lyrics that it's hard to believe this is one man doing all this. His production has stepped it up, by combining techno and 70s pop into one. It's weird, because that combination could fail so easily, but it never does. There are so many good songs, like the hilarious "A Postcard for Nina," about how Jens pretends to be Nina's boyfriend when meeting her father, even though Nina's a lesbian. Or the remarkably silly closer, "Friday Night at the Drive In Bingo." The poppy "The Opposite of Hallelujah" combines the techno beats and the 70s-esque strings the best. I don't see how Jens Lekman isn't famous, because his music is so accessible and fun, that everybody should be able to love it. Oh Jens, will you ever produce bad music?
1. LCD Soundsystem- Sound of Silver- LCD Soundsystem's debut was silly, danceable, and spontaneous. Their latest album takes everything that was on the first album and improves it. It's more refined, more clever, more fun, and more mature. Every song on this album is a winner, and it's just a grab-bag of awesome. At first, the album sounds kind of repetitive, with each riff being repeated ad-naseum, but after that, you start to see the intricate detail and the subtle changes in the music. For example, the way the main riff fades in and out of the opener "Get Innocuous!" are lost on first listen, but are so exciting after a few listens. The lyrics are the most clever of any artist this year, as shown on the terrific "North American Scum." The album does show versatility, with one of the best songs being a downer. "Someone Great" starts off with pulsing synthesizers and a back and forth synthesizer riff, but evolves into this dense, layered story of death-as-breakup. But like I said, every song has its highlight, and I can't stop without talking about "Us V. Them," which is probably my favorite song, with its infectious bass line and layered vocals, is just so so much fun. A great album among great albums, this one takes the cake without any doubt in my mind.
Honorable mentions:
-The Go! Team- Proof of Youth
-Spoon- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
-Eluvium- Copia
I also haven't listened to some (supposedly) stellar albums, like "Set Yourself On Fire" by Stars, but based on what I've heard, this is my list. Leave comments and your own pretentious opinions- I'm eager to hear them.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
2007: Off to a Fantastic Start
So there have already been a number of stellar I've heard, and it's only februrary. I hope I'm not jinxing anything, but man does it make me excited for this year in music, especially after the generally-lackluster 2006. Here are some of the highlights:
Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? - Holy crap, this is such a curveball, because Of Montreal is known for writing rediculously cheerful and imaginative fairy-tale like albums with bizarre characters and songs. This album is remarkably serious in its lyrics, with lines like "We'll tear our fucking bodies apart" and "All of the beauty wasted." But still, Of Montreal holds to that fantastic sense of melody and arrangement, and the music is still very techno-pop, with emphasis on the pop. It won't get you down by any stretch, and even if some of the melodies are intially hard to grasp, it's a very rewarding listen.
Highlights: "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" and "A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger."
Explosions in the Sky- All Of A Sudden, I Miss Everyone- First of all, great title. Second of all, they continue to move forward, and this album seems to combine the elements of their previous efforts. The aspect of the first album prominent here is the tendancy toward rapid change, with the volume and the drumming often changing unexpectedly to give the songs a rush of energy. The multiple-melodies and beauty is taken from the second album, with the guitars continuing to intertwine beautifully and majestically. They also add some new elements, such as noise passages, and sublte songwriting improvments like changing time signatures. There are two songs that are around normal song lenght, and while they are generally good, they are not nearly as expansive and satisfying as the other songs, and that is the album's only drawback.
Highlights: "The Birth and Death of the Day" "Catastrophe and the Cure."
The Arcade Fire- Neon Bible- I know, this album isn't out yet (shhhhhhh), but I managed to listen to it anyway, and it is pretty stellar. They generally do not change much from their first album, but simply refine a number of their techniques, and it works well. They still have the same energy and power, but the songs, on the hole are not quite as repetitive. There are some exceptions to this, however, such as the oddly useless title track, which is under 2 minutes and doesn't really go anywhere. But there are some real highlights, like the rolling thunder known as "Antichrist Television Blues," with its simple melody and chord progression, yet there's so much energy and forward momentum as to make it a clear highlight. '
Highlights: "Antichrist Television Blues" "The Well and the Lighthouse"
Of Montreal- Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? - Holy crap, this is such a curveball, because Of Montreal is known for writing rediculously cheerful and imaginative fairy-tale like albums with bizarre characters and songs. This album is remarkably serious in its lyrics, with lines like "We'll tear our fucking bodies apart" and "All of the beauty wasted." But still, Of Montreal holds to that fantastic sense of melody and arrangement, and the music is still very techno-pop, with emphasis on the pop. It won't get you down by any stretch, and even if some of the melodies are intially hard to grasp, it's a very rewarding listen.
Highlights: "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" and "A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger."
Explosions in the Sky- All Of A Sudden, I Miss Everyone- First of all, great title. Second of all, they continue to move forward, and this album seems to combine the elements of their previous efforts. The aspect of the first album prominent here is the tendancy toward rapid change, with the volume and the drumming often changing unexpectedly to give the songs a rush of energy. The multiple-melodies and beauty is taken from the second album, with the guitars continuing to intertwine beautifully and majestically. They also add some new elements, such as noise passages, and sublte songwriting improvments like changing time signatures. There are two songs that are around normal song lenght, and while they are generally good, they are not nearly as expansive and satisfying as the other songs, and that is the album's only drawback.
Highlights: "The Birth and Death of the Day" "Catastrophe and the Cure."
The Arcade Fire- Neon Bible- I know, this album isn't out yet (shhhhhhh), but I managed to listen to it anyway, and it is pretty stellar. They generally do not change much from their first album, but simply refine a number of their techniques, and it works well. They still have the same energy and power, but the songs, on the hole are not quite as repetitive. There are some exceptions to this, however, such as the oddly useless title track, which is under 2 minutes and doesn't really go anywhere. But there are some real highlights, like the rolling thunder known as "Antichrist Television Blues," with its simple melody and chord progression, yet there's so much energy and forward momentum as to make it a clear highlight. '
Highlights: "Antichrist Television Blues" "The Well and the Lighthouse"
Saturday, January 27, 2007
A Discussion of the New Shins Album Wincing the Night Away
Everybody always talks about The Shins as being the band that Natalie Portman said would "change your life" in the movie Garden State. I mean, if you read a review of the album, chances are, at some point that review will mention that fact. But nobody seems to be talking about the fact that this is the third time The Shins have made this album, and it's getting tired.
Now, don't get me wrong, I really enjoy The Shins. They make very catchy songs with very catchy melodies and very catchy harmonies and their songs never really get out of your head. On an enjoyability scale, they're a 10, and they've released two quality albums with many quality songs like "New Slang" and "So Says I." But I guess I'm getting a little tired of them.
I rarely like it when a band makes the same album twice, but sometimes, as is the case with The Shins, they can do something that is so pleasant that it's ok to be done twice. This does not remain true for the third time. Granted, if you go out and buy Wincing The Night Away, you will like it and you will enjoy it, because most of the songs, like "Turn On Me" and "Phantom Limb" have very catchy melodies with very catchy harmonies and never really get out of your head. But the problem comes with the fact that it's been done before. Twice.
If you compare the three albums, you won't notice much change between them. Lets do a list:
Oh, Inverted World (2001):
Guitar-Heavy Pop-Uplifter: "Know Your Onion!"
Murky, yet still catchy song: "Wierd Divide"
Keyboard and Effects Heavy song: "One By One All Day"
Sprase, Pretty Acoustic Closer: "The Past and the Pending"
Chutes Too Narrow (2003):
Guitar-Heavy Pop-Uplifter: "So Says I"
Murky, yet still catchy song: "Young Pilgrams"
Keyboard and Effects Heavy song: Not Present, actually.
Sprase, Pretty Acoustic Closer: "Those To Come"
Wincing the Night Away (2007)
Guitar-Heavy Pop-Uplifter: "Phantom Limb"
Murky, yet still catchy song: "Black Wave"
Keyboard and Effects Heavy song: "Sleeping Lessons"
Sprase, Pretty Acoustic Closer: "The Comet Appears"
See how similar they are! They have so many set moods and songs, and like I said, the songs themselves are still quite good, but common! Can't we see something different? Like, a true development- not like a slight variation among albums. I'd love to hear something melancholy, or complex, or subdued and sparse, or perhaps a concept album. But another mingled indie pop album is unnecessary, and I wish the band would realize that, because they've shown themselves to be masters of catchy melodies, and if they would just apply that to something different, it would be fantastic.
Now, don't get me wrong, I really enjoy The Shins. They make very catchy songs with very catchy melodies and very catchy harmonies and their songs never really get out of your head. On an enjoyability scale, they're a 10, and they've released two quality albums with many quality songs like "New Slang" and "So Says I." But I guess I'm getting a little tired of them.
I rarely like it when a band makes the same album twice, but sometimes, as is the case with The Shins, they can do something that is so pleasant that it's ok to be done twice. This does not remain true for the third time. Granted, if you go out and buy Wincing The Night Away, you will like it and you will enjoy it, because most of the songs, like "Turn On Me" and "Phantom Limb" have very catchy melodies with very catchy harmonies and never really get out of your head. But the problem comes with the fact that it's been done before. Twice.
If you compare the three albums, you won't notice much change between them. Lets do a list:
Oh, Inverted World (2001):
Guitar-Heavy Pop-Uplifter: "Know Your Onion!"
Murky, yet still catchy song: "Wierd Divide"
Keyboard and Effects Heavy song: "One By One All Day"
Sprase, Pretty Acoustic Closer: "The Past and the Pending"
Chutes Too Narrow (2003):
Guitar-Heavy Pop-Uplifter: "So Says I"
Murky, yet still catchy song: "Young Pilgrams"
Keyboard and Effects Heavy song: Not Present, actually.
Sprase, Pretty Acoustic Closer: "Those To Come"
Wincing the Night Away (2007)
Guitar-Heavy Pop-Uplifter: "Phantom Limb"
Murky, yet still catchy song: "Black Wave"
Keyboard and Effects Heavy song: "Sleeping Lessons"
Sprase, Pretty Acoustic Closer: "The Comet Appears"
See how similar they are! They have so many set moods and songs, and like I said, the songs themselves are still quite good, but common! Can't we see something different? Like, a true development- not like a slight variation among albums. I'd love to hear something melancholy, or complex, or subdued and sparse, or perhaps a concept album. But another mingled indie pop album is unnecessary, and I wish the band would realize that, because they've shown themselves to be masters of catchy melodies, and if they would just apply that to something different, it would be fantastic.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
January is Boring, So I'm Gonna Talk About Leftover 2006 Albums I Missed
January sucks, at least in the music world. No new albums are released by any band, and no new singles are out from crappy bands that are easy to make fun of. This gives me nothing to talk about, so I gotta resort to the stuff I missed in 2006 that I'm still catching up on. So here goes:
-Joanna Newsom- Ys- First of all, terrific title. It's pronounced "ease," and I know naming album titles like that is generally pretentious (see the Fiona Apple album with a 100 word poem for a title), but for some reason, I think this title is really cool. And the music is insanely weird, yet, for the most part, rediculously gratifying. I mean, the melodies are dense, the backing orchestra is offbeat and generally random (that does not mean bad by any stretch), and her voice is generally terrible. But the songwriting is so strong, with 17-minute songs managing to stay interesting, and the lyrics are so delightful. Look at this sample from the song "Emily:"
And, Emily - I saw you last night by the river
I dreamed you were skipping little stones across the surface of the water
Frowning at the angle where they were lost, and slipped under forever,
I mean common, that last line in taht particular example is WONDERFUL! what an amazing description of an ordinary occurence, and there are lyrics like that all over the album, making up these bizarre, complex, confusing stories that are still oddly relatable.
Fergie- Fergalicious- I donno, this may be a taste thing, and I just might not be into these kind of songs, but why are rediculously pretentious and arrogant songs like these popular? I mean, yea, i will admit, it is kind of catchy, but after a few listens, I find it gets... old. I mean, there's no real substance to it. I donno. I think it is taste because I also hate:
Justin Timberlake- My Love I'm sorry, this one can't be taste, because I don't see there being any defending of this song. It's really horrible. It is so painfully repetitive that I literally can't listen to it for more than a minute and a half. "MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE" verse for 10 seconds "MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE " AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! SHUT THE FUCK UP! GIVE US A NEW MELODIC IDEA! CHANGE THE HOOK IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM OR DO SOMETHING REMOTELY INTERESTING! WHAT THE HELL?! YOU CALL YOURSELF A SONGWRITER? A CHILD COULD WRITE SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS!
woah. sorry. that was angry. but that song seriously is terrible.
ok, I've beaten up my keyboard enough for tonight. There's more stuff from 2006 I could talk about, like the Beatles Love. But nobody reads this anyway, so who cares.
-Joanna Newsom- Ys- First of all, terrific title. It's pronounced "ease," and I know naming album titles like that is generally pretentious (see the Fiona Apple album with a 100 word poem for a title), but for some reason, I think this title is really cool. And the music is insanely weird, yet, for the most part, rediculously gratifying. I mean, the melodies are dense, the backing orchestra is offbeat and generally random (that does not mean bad by any stretch), and her voice is generally terrible. But the songwriting is so strong, with 17-minute songs managing to stay interesting, and the lyrics are so delightful. Look at this sample from the song "Emily:"
And, Emily - I saw you last night by the river
I dreamed you were skipping little stones across the surface of the water
Frowning at the angle where they were lost, and slipped under forever,
I mean common, that last line in taht particular example is WONDERFUL! what an amazing description of an ordinary occurence, and there are lyrics like that all over the album, making up these bizarre, complex, confusing stories that are still oddly relatable.
Fergie- Fergalicious- I donno, this may be a taste thing, and I just might not be into these kind of songs, but why are rediculously pretentious and arrogant songs like these popular? I mean, yea, i will admit, it is kind of catchy, but after a few listens, I find it gets... old. I mean, there's no real substance to it. I donno. I think it is taste because I also hate:
Justin Timberlake- My Love I'm sorry, this one can't be taste, because I don't see there being any defending of this song. It's really horrible. It is so painfully repetitive that I literally can't listen to it for more than a minute and a half. "MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE" verse for 10 seconds "MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE MY LOVE " AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! SHUT THE FUCK UP! GIVE US A NEW MELODIC IDEA! CHANGE THE HOOK IN SOME WAY, SHAPE OR FORM OR DO SOMETHING REMOTELY INTERESTING! WHAT THE HELL?! YOU CALL YOURSELF A SONGWRITER? A CHILD COULD WRITE SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS!
woah. sorry. that was angry. but that song seriously is terrible.
ok, I've beaten up my keyboard enough for tonight. There's more stuff from 2006 I could talk about, like the Beatles Love. But nobody reads this anyway, so who cares.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
I Want to Talk More About Whores
I just want to look at this trend in music- no not just music, but life- about becoming a whore to be popular. How did this happen? Why does this happen? And for the love of anything sacred, when will it all end?
Like all things shitty, I can trace this trend back to the... 80s. Goddamn, what a shitty decade. This is where you really start seeing artists being praised for exploring their sexuality. Madonna fucking a floor in a wedding dress. Prince, and everything about him. Janet Jackson going from innocent Jackson girl to HOLY SHIT!!!! Admittingly, at that point, it seems like it would be something somewhat refreshing. Granted, I didn't live in the 80s, so I wouldn't know for sure, but at that time, artists being riskier about their appearance would seem like something fresh and new.
Into the 90s, artists kept doing it. Here, you have the true popularity of the boy band. True, there were boy bands before the 90s, but nothing compared to N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block. Now, the more I think about it, the more I realize these groups were created for the soul purpose of feasting on the mountain-of-money known as 11 year old girls hormones. There's simply no other reason I can think of for combining elements of techno, barbershop, and often-handsome men into one. I could be wrong though. Who knows, maybe the people who master-minded this (and lord knows this isn't the band themselves) were still on LSD from the 60s and cocaine from the 80s, and they were high one day and they were like "hey! Lets get some drum machines, synthesizers, and guys who can harmonize, throw them into one room, and see what happpens!"
Also, in the late 90s especially, there was the "virgin" artist, like Britney Spears (remember- she was trying to be a virgin at one point) and Jessica Simpson. This was probably the most evil-genius scheme of the past 50 years in music. It's like me taking you into a room, placing a massive feast in front of you, and then throwing all the food away going "you can't have this!" I mean, these girls are a. hot and b. flaunting it like nothing else, yet you can't have them. Reverse psychology at its best. Those singers alone probably increased the country's horniness tenfold.
But now in the new millenium, it's out of fucking control. Once again, reverse psychology seems to play a roll. This one's a little more abstract and unintentional, I think. Think about nipplegate, and how everybody was outraged when Janet Jackson flashed herself during the superbowl. Think about how everybody was so outraged that there was nudity on the screen for a half a second. Doesn't that just make you want it more?
It's so bizarre, because sex has become something forbidden, something dirty and taboo, but the more it's shunned, the more it's exploited. We can't teach how to use condoms in school because it might poison our kids minds, but we can still sure as hell make those kids want to use them by wearing shorter skirts and skimpier tops on hotter and more promiscuous girls.
But there really needs to be a limit people. It's getting to a point of being shameful. I have nothing personal against having sex, or showing yourself, and in fact, I think that is exactly what will help us out. If we stopped making sex something so mysterious and inappropriate, and just accept nudity and accept the fact that yes, babies do indeed come from people having sex, then this whole idea of forbidden fruit which plagues the music industry and the film industry and the television industry will stop. Can't we just accept ourselves for who we are? I mean, it's just sex. It should not bee seen as this special prize, and it should not determine how popular a music artist, TV star, or actor is.
Like all things shitty, I can trace this trend back to the... 80s. Goddamn, what a shitty decade. This is where you really start seeing artists being praised for exploring their sexuality. Madonna fucking a floor in a wedding dress. Prince, and everything about him. Janet Jackson going from innocent Jackson girl to HOLY SHIT!!!! Admittingly, at that point, it seems like it would be something somewhat refreshing. Granted, I didn't live in the 80s, so I wouldn't know for sure, but at that time, artists being riskier about their appearance would seem like something fresh and new.
Into the 90s, artists kept doing it. Here, you have the true popularity of the boy band. True, there were boy bands before the 90s, but nothing compared to N'Sync and The Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block. Now, the more I think about it, the more I realize these groups were created for the soul purpose of feasting on the mountain-of-money known as 11 year old girls hormones. There's simply no other reason I can think of for combining elements of techno, barbershop, and often-handsome men into one. I could be wrong though. Who knows, maybe the people who master-minded this (and lord knows this isn't the band themselves) were still on LSD from the 60s and cocaine from the 80s, and they were high one day and they were like "hey! Lets get some drum machines, synthesizers, and guys who can harmonize, throw them into one room, and see what happpens!"
Also, in the late 90s especially, there was the "virgin" artist, like Britney Spears (remember- she was trying to be a virgin at one point) and Jessica Simpson. This was probably the most evil-genius scheme of the past 50 years in music. It's like me taking you into a room, placing a massive feast in front of you, and then throwing all the food away going "you can't have this!" I mean, these girls are a. hot and b. flaunting it like nothing else, yet you can't have them. Reverse psychology at its best. Those singers alone probably increased the country's horniness tenfold.
But now in the new millenium, it's out of fucking control. Once again, reverse psychology seems to play a roll. This one's a little more abstract and unintentional, I think. Think about nipplegate, and how everybody was outraged when Janet Jackson flashed herself during the superbowl. Think about how everybody was so outraged that there was nudity on the screen for a half a second. Doesn't that just make you want it more?
It's so bizarre, because sex has become something forbidden, something dirty and taboo, but the more it's shunned, the more it's exploited. We can't teach how to use condoms in school because it might poison our kids minds, but we can still sure as hell make those kids want to use them by wearing shorter skirts and skimpier tops on hotter and more promiscuous girls.
But there really needs to be a limit people. It's getting to a point of being shameful. I have nothing personal against having sex, or showing yourself, and in fact, I think that is exactly what will help us out. If we stopped making sex something so mysterious and inappropriate, and just accept nudity and accept the fact that yes, babies do indeed come from people having sex, then this whole idea of forbidden fruit which plagues the music industry and the film industry and the television industry will stop. Can't we just accept ourselves for who we are? I mean, it's just sex. It should not bee seen as this special prize, and it should not determine how popular a music artist, TV star, or actor is.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
So lets continue now, even though nobody is reading this/commenting... grr.
Next on the list is the best songs:
10. Anna Nalick- Breathe (Blake Jarrel Remix)- This is a dance remix of a song by Anna Nalick, someone i've never heard of, but it doesn't matter. I heard this on an episode of A State of Trance, and was floored. It's so breathtaking. The echo effect on the vocals is heavenly, and the lyrics are very relatable.
9. Gnarls Barkley- Crazy - That's right, bitches! I love this song. It's so catchy. It's the best chart-topper since Hey Ya! by Outkast. It's so remarkably catchy, and not just catchy, but melodic too. Restraint is the key here (which the rest of the Gnarls Barkley album lacked in its entirety), because the verses are not overdone, and they're pretty simple, yet the chorus is a flurry of screaming and synthesizers, and it works very well.
8. Neko Case- Star Witness- On an album full of stunners, this one stands out the most. Case's voice is so vibrant and beautiful, it could probably make "Heart and Soul" listenable again. She carries this song wonderfully, and even though the lyrics are dark as crap, it's still catchy, especially the layered vocals in the chorus.
7. Islands- Rough Gem- The holy-fucking-god-get-out-of-my-head award goes to Islands with their insanely, rediculously, fantastically, annoyingly, obnoxiously catchy song that will never ever leave your head once you listen to it. The opening strings are out of place, but that doesn't matter, because once that riff starts, it will never stop in your brain. EVER.
6. Damien Rice- The Animals were Gone- Who doesn't need a good, sad breakup song every once in a while? Rice does a great job with the vocals, being completely deadpan in the verses, yet emotional and full in the chorus. The overall tone of this song is fantastic, and the flow compliments it well.
5. M. Ward- Magic Trick- This song is so much fun. I don't know what else to say other than that. It's so short, and so simple, but it works so well.
4. Danielson- Cast It at the Setting Sail - This is another really fun song, but with more depth and creativity. From the opening "come on" it gets started. The movement between the flowy, free form verse to the yelping captures everything Danielson is about.
3. Mogwai- I Chose Horses - I'm biased toward Mogwai, I know, but this song is still fantastic. Without a doubt the best from their otherwise disappointing album, it's weird. Something about its layers of electronic noise or the japanese poetry over top just make it... weird. Yet it's beautiful, because even though it's not loud at all, it builds to a great climax, and an even greater release of tension.
2. Thom Yorke- Harrowdown Hill- Yes, it's Thom Yorke, and yes, he's a genius, and yes, the song is well written and performed, and yes the lyrics are good, blah blah blah. That's not why this song is so high on the list. This song is here because of its.... GUITAR RIFF!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH! This is the first guitar riff to come out of anything radiohead in about 10 years, and it's generally good. It's worked very well into the song, with just enough variation to keep it interesting, and enough repetition so its not the main focus of the song.
1. The Decemberists- The Crane Wife Pt. 1 and 2/ The Island- Remember from the best album list when I talked about the decemberists album just barely squeeking into the list? Yea, these two songs are the reason. Actually, they're about 5 songs, because each are song cycles, with multiple songs strung together with a common lyrical theme. And they are fantastic. The Island is very dark, but it's so diverse. Several mood shifts cause it to be rather unpredictable, but each part has its own appeal, weather its the elaborate first part, the climactic second part, of the georgeous conclusion. The Crane Wife is more consistant, yet more emotional and relatable, doing a beautiful job of retelling the classic japanese folk tale. Both are excellent, and both stand out as highlights of 2006, and I just couldn't seperate them and decide which is better than the which.
I tried to make this shorter than the album list, and I failed. sorry.
Next on the list is the best songs:
10. Anna Nalick- Breathe (Blake Jarrel Remix)- This is a dance remix of a song by Anna Nalick, someone i've never heard of, but it doesn't matter. I heard this on an episode of A State of Trance, and was floored. It's so breathtaking. The echo effect on the vocals is heavenly, and the lyrics are very relatable.
9. Gnarls Barkley- Crazy - That's right, bitches! I love this song. It's so catchy. It's the best chart-topper since Hey Ya! by Outkast. It's so remarkably catchy, and not just catchy, but melodic too. Restraint is the key here (which the rest of the Gnarls Barkley album lacked in its entirety), because the verses are not overdone, and they're pretty simple, yet the chorus is a flurry of screaming and synthesizers, and it works very well.
8. Neko Case- Star Witness- On an album full of stunners, this one stands out the most. Case's voice is so vibrant and beautiful, it could probably make "Heart and Soul" listenable again. She carries this song wonderfully, and even though the lyrics are dark as crap, it's still catchy, especially the layered vocals in the chorus.
7. Islands- Rough Gem- The holy-fucking-god-get-out-of-my-head award goes to Islands with their insanely, rediculously, fantastically, annoyingly, obnoxiously catchy song that will never ever leave your head once you listen to it. The opening strings are out of place, but that doesn't matter, because once that riff starts, it will never stop in your brain. EVER.
6. Damien Rice- The Animals were Gone- Who doesn't need a good, sad breakup song every once in a while? Rice does a great job with the vocals, being completely deadpan in the verses, yet emotional and full in the chorus. The overall tone of this song is fantastic, and the flow compliments it well.
5. M. Ward- Magic Trick- This song is so much fun. I don't know what else to say other than that. It's so short, and so simple, but it works so well.
4. Danielson- Cast It at the Setting Sail - This is another really fun song, but with more depth and creativity. From the opening "come on" it gets started. The movement between the flowy, free form verse to the yelping captures everything Danielson is about.
3. Mogwai- I Chose Horses - I'm biased toward Mogwai, I know, but this song is still fantastic. Without a doubt the best from their otherwise disappointing album, it's weird. Something about its layers of electronic noise or the japanese poetry over top just make it... weird. Yet it's beautiful, because even though it's not loud at all, it builds to a great climax, and an even greater release of tension.
2. Thom Yorke- Harrowdown Hill- Yes, it's Thom Yorke, and yes, he's a genius, and yes, the song is well written and performed, and yes the lyrics are good, blah blah blah. That's not why this song is so high on the list. This song is here because of its.... GUITAR RIFF!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH! This is the first guitar riff to come out of anything radiohead in about 10 years, and it's generally good. It's worked very well into the song, with just enough variation to keep it interesting, and enough repetition so its not the main focus of the song.
1. The Decemberists- The Crane Wife Pt. 1 and 2/ The Island- Remember from the best album list when I talked about the decemberists album just barely squeeking into the list? Yea, these two songs are the reason. Actually, they're about 5 songs, because each are song cycles, with multiple songs strung together with a common lyrical theme. And they are fantastic. The Island is very dark, but it's so diverse. Several mood shifts cause it to be rather unpredictable, but each part has its own appeal, weather its the elaborate first part, the climactic second part, of the georgeous conclusion. The Crane Wife is more consistant, yet more emotional and relatable, doing a beautiful job of retelling the classic japanese folk tale. Both are excellent, and both stand out as highlights of 2006, and I just couldn't seperate them and decide which is better than the which.
I tried to make this shorter than the album list, and I failed. sorry.
Friday, December 22, 2006
2006 Musical Review of Good Music- The Worst Music
I know that it's kind of ironic, with a good music rewiew of the year doing its last bit on bad music, but it's the most fun to write, and hopefully read. Now, naturally, I avoid bad music, so this list is probably not accurate, but that's beside the point. I hope you enjoy:
10. Jay Z- Yea, what happened to him? He should've stayed retired, because he's totally lost his direction. I mean, did you hear that single? It was horrible. It was offbeat, awkward, and was accompanied with the worst music vidoe of the year. HOV is HORibble now. What sucks is he's richer, better looking, more "well-endowed" (probably), gets more poon, and more privlidged than just about any body on the face of this earth. Doesn't that make you hate life? And of course, he's cocky about it. Damn, what an asshole.
9. "Wind It Up"- Gwen Stefani- Why do you people listen to this shit? I mean, yoddeling? I'm all for taking risks in music, but I'm not for fat ladies with weird hairdos shouting at mountains. And surprisingly, that's one of the better points of the song, because at least during this part, there's an actual harmony. The rest is her singing with nothing supporting her, and it comes off like the soundtrack to a torture chamber.
8. People Think Justin Timberlake is Revolutionary and Creative- Now, I'm not saying that Justin Timberlake's music is number 8 on this list (though it's not very good, just not this bad), it's that he thinks he's actually creative. He's not. He's another corporate tool who's pulling corporate strings to put out more corporate music. He's looking at what's popular, and making music to fit that to sell albums, get money, and use said money to get some ass and more money. He's not doing anything musically revolutionary, he's not taking any sort of risks, and he's not doing anything that different. He's just being another shitty artist there to sell shitty records to 11 year old girls with shitty tastes and raging hormones.
7. "Lil'" anything- DEAR WORLD: SPELL SHIT CORRECTLY. Now, I know people make typos, and shit like that, but STOP SPELLING YOUR NAME WITH LIL. It's so annoying and it's not cool at all. Not to mention anybody with "lil" before their name (wayne, jon, etc.) is garanteed to be a terrible artist who can't sing, has no talent, and specifically markets songs to be "crunk" or some shit like that.
6. High School Musical is somehow a best seller of the year - I'm, once again, not necessarily critisizing the music, just the fact that it's sold so much. I mean, it's the Disney Channel. Repeat that for me, boys and girls. It's the Disney Channel. It's a novelty act. Is it really worth spending your hard earned dollars on?
5. Whores- I'm all for sex, and stuff like that, but good lord when will it all end? I mean, every single female artist is a slut. I don't get what's so special about whoring yourself out. I mean, WTF Nelly Furtado? You were somewhat respectable, and now you're a 5-dollar hooker who pleases lonely congressmen on saturday nights? I don't get it. Sex sells, sure, but you might get STDs...
4. Fergie is Somehow very popular- Not quite sure how this happened. I mean, she's a copy-cat (London Bridge = Hollaback girl - Bananas), not very attractive, a whore (see previous number), and she's musically atrocious. And she had the song with the worst metaphor for sex all year. Yet she's still... popular? What? Someone fill me in on this one, because I am clueless as to why.
3. The Mars Volta- Amputecture- In my first bit of seriousness about bad music (as opposed to bitterness), this album is atrocious. I mean, with their previous effort Frances The Mute, they took several steps foward, adding creative rhythm patterns and pyschedelic freakouts, but with this album, they seem to lose every sense of basic songwriting. Formless, nonsensical, awkward dribble is the result. They don't have harmony, melody, structure, or rhythm on 90% of this album. Most of it is just one awkward shift to another followed by non-sensical GUITAR SHREDDING DUDE RADICAL!!!!! God, what happened?
2. Ashlee Simpson Still Has A Career- If you read my 2005 Musical Review of Bad Music, you'd remember that number 1 on my bad music list was Ashlee Simpson still having a career. Well, this year, she's pushed to number 2 (for reasons which will be obvious when i get to number 1), but she's still terrible beyond comprehension. People still, for some reason, talk about her. Haven't we concluded that she's terrible? and fake? and not-attractive? and annoying? So why on earth is she still getting attention? I mean, she's not slutty enough to be total trainwreck (*coughparishiltoncough*), but she's not interesting enough to be notable. So why are we still talking about her? Once again, someone fill me in. Please.
1. Celebrities Making Albums- Paris Hilton. Lindsey Lohan (I know, it came out in 2005, but I'm counting it because it wasn't popular until this year.) And worst of all, K-Fed. What is this, the 80s? These people should not be making albums, and I hope they don't quite their day job. Oh wait. They don't HAVE day jobs. Yet they're still incredibly famous. I don't get this country, and I don't get pop culture. This is just stupid, and it's not even funny, because you're just encouraging them. There is absoloutly no reason to like these people, pay attention to them, or buy their fucking joke of an album. So they're the worst of the year. Absolutly.
There ya go. That's my opinion on music in 2006. Bitter enough for you?
10. Jay Z- Yea, what happened to him? He should've stayed retired, because he's totally lost his direction. I mean, did you hear that single? It was horrible. It was offbeat, awkward, and was accompanied with the worst music vidoe of the year. HOV is HORibble now. What sucks is he's richer, better looking, more "well-endowed" (probably), gets more poon, and more privlidged than just about any body on the face of this earth. Doesn't that make you hate life? And of course, he's cocky about it. Damn, what an asshole.
9. "Wind It Up"- Gwen Stefani- Why do you people listen to this shit? I mean, yoddeling? I'm all for taking risks in music, but I'm not for fat ladies with weird hairdos shouting at mountains. And surprisingly, that's one of the better points of the song, because at least during this part, there's an actual harmony. The rest is her singing with nothing supporting her, and it comes off like the soundtrack to a torture chamber.
8. People Think Justin Timberlake is Revolutionary and Creative- Now, I'm not saying that Justin Timberlake's music is number 8 on this list (though it's not very good, just not this bad), it's that he thinks he's actually creative. He's not. He's another corporate tool who's pulling corporate strings to put out more corporate music. He's looking at what's popular, and making music to fit that to sell albums, get money, and use said money to get some ass and more money. He's not doing anything musically revolutionary, he's not taking any sort of risks, and he's not doing anything that different. He's just being another shitty artist there to sell shitty records to 11 year old girls with shitty tastes and raging hormones.
7. "Lil'" anything- DEAR WORLD: SPELL SHIT CORRECTLY. Now, I know people make typos, and shit like that, but STOP SPELLING YOUR NAME WITH LIL. It's so annoying and it's not cool at all. Not to mention anybody with "lil" before their name (wayne, jon, etc.) is garanteed to be a terrible artist who can't sing, has no talent, and specifically markets songs to be "crunk" or some shit like that.
6. High School Musical is somehow a best seller of the year - I'm, once again, not necessarily critisizing the music, just the fact that it's sold so much. I mean, it's the Disney Channel. Repeat that for me, boys and girls. It's the Disney Channel. It's a novelty act. Is it really worth spending your hard earned dollars on?
5. Whores- I'm all for sex, and stuff like that, but good lord when will it all end? I mean, every single female artist is a slut. I don't get what's so special about whoring yourself out. I mean, WTF Nelly Furtado? You were somewhat respectable, and now you're a 5-dollar hooker who pleases lonely congressmen on saturday nights? I don't get it. Sex sells, sure, but you might get STDs...
4. Fergie is Somehow very popular- Not quite sure how this happened. I mean, she's a copy-cat (London Bridge = Hollaback girl - Bananas), not very attractive, a whore (see previous number), and she's musically atrocious. And she had the song with the worst metaphor for sex all year. Yet she's still... popular? What? Someone fill me in on this one, because I am clueless as to why.
3. The Mars Volta- Amputecture- In my first bit of seriousness about bad music (as opposed to bitterness), this album is atrocious. I mean, with their previous effort Frances The Mute, they took several steps foward, adding creative rhythm patterns and pyschedelic freakouts, but with this album, they seem to lose every sense of basic songwriting. Formless, nonsensical, awkward dribble is the result. They don't have harmony, melody, structure, or rhythm on 90% of this album. Most of it is just one awkward shift to another followed by non-sensical GUITAR SHREDDING DUDE RADICAL!!!!! God, what happened?
2. Ashlee Simpson Still Has A Career- If you read my 2005 Musical Review of Bad Music, you'd remember that number 1 on my bad music list was Ashlee Simpson still having a career. Well, this year, she's pushed to number 2 (for reasons which will be obvious when i get to number 1), but she's still terrible beyond comprehension. People still, for some reason, talk about her. Haven't we concluded that she's terrible? and fake? and not-attractive? and annoying? So why on earth is she still getting attention? I mean, she's not slutty enough to be total trainwreck (*coughparishiltoncough*), but she's not interesting enough to be notable. So why are we still talking about her? Once again, someone fill me in. Please.
1. Celebrities Making Albums- Paris Hilton. Lindsey Lohan (I know, it came out in 2005, but I'm counting it because it wasn't popular until this year.) And worst of all, K-Fed. What is this, the 80s? These people should not be making albums, and I hope they don't quite their day job. Oh wait. They don't HAVE day jobs. Yet they're still incredibly famous. I don't get this country, and I don't get pop culture. This is just stupid, and it's not even funny, because you're just encouraging them. There is absoloutly no reason to like these people, pay attention to them, or buy their fucking joke of an album. So they're the worst of the year. Absolutly.
There ya go. That's my opinion on music in 2006. Bitter enough for you?
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