#Gospel Star (Focuses on her musical genre)

[beautyhealthsworld]

Mandisa, American Idol Favorite and Gospel Star, Passes Away at 47

Mandisa, American Idol Favorite and Gospel Star, Passes Away at 47

The music world is mourning the loss of Mandisa, a beloved singer and songwriter who rose to fame on American Idol. Mandisa, known for her powerful vocals and uplifting music, passed away on [date of death] at the age of 47, following a battle with [cause of death].

Born in Richland, Washington, in 1977, Mandisa found solace in music from a young age. She honed her talent in church choirs and local performances. In 2006, at the age of 28, she auditioned for season five of American Idol, captivating audiences with her soulful voice and heartfelt performances. While she didn't win the competition, Mandisa's journey on Idol propelled her into the spotlight.

Following her Idol success, Mandisa signed a record deal and launched a flourishing gospel music career. Her debut album, "True Beauty," released in 2008, became an instant success, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel charts and earning her a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album.

Over the next decade, Mandisa released several critically acclaimed albums, each showcasing her powerful vocals and her unwavering faith. She became a prominent figure in contemporary Christian music, inspiring millions with her message of hope and perseverance.

Beyond music, Mandisa was a passionate advocate for adoption and foster care. She openly shared her own experiences with adoption, raising awareness for these important causes.

Mandisa's sudden passing leaves a void in the music industry and the hearts of her fans. She will be remembered for her exceptional talent, her unwavering faith, and her dedication to uplifting others.

#American Idol Alum (Highlights her reality show beginnings) #Gospel Star (Focuses on her musical genre) #Grammy Winner (Showcases her musical achievements) #Powerful Vocals (Highlights her singing talent) #Uplifting Music (Focuses on the emotional impact of her music) #Unexpected Loss (Emphasizes the suddenness of her passing) #Contemporary Christian Music (Further refines her musical genre) #Adoption Advocate (Highlights her philanthropic work) #Faithful Inspiration (Combines her faith and influence) #Gone Too Soon (Expresses a sense of loss due to her young age)

[onestowatch]

How Mahalia Jackson Blessed the Masses

A painting is a collaboration of three things: the canvas, the creators, and the acrylics. If the music industry is a painting, then Black musicians are all three. Black musicianship has played a role in every facet of American music. The focus here is not on the Black musicians we all know and love but rather on the stories that too often remain untold. 

In honor of Black History Month, we will take you back through the decades, highlighting four music pioneers: Mahalia Jackson, The Funk Brothers, Gamble and Huff, and Frankie Knuckles. From Gladys Bentley and Deford Bailey to Marian Anderson and Jackie Wilson (the original Elvis, who bridged R&B and soul), there are so many incredible yet overlooked narratives that not only crafted unprecedented genres but also created the foundation for most of the music we listen to today. 

In the 1930s and ‘40s Sister Rosetta Tharpe caught the world’s attention as one of the first gospel recording stars and the first to draw in R&B audiences. But she did even more than introduce gospel to the mainstream. Using an electric, slightly distorted guitar sound to accompany herself, Tharpe pioneered the early sounds of rock’n’roll. Often called the Godmother of Rock and Roll, Tharpe was simultaneously paving the way for Mahalia Jackson, the Queen of Gospel.

Mahalia Jackson carried on Tharpe’s torch, igniting the role of gospel in the mainstream, lending her voice to both mass audiences and to the civil rights movement. Harry Belafonte described Mahalia Jackson as "the single most powerful black woman in the United States.” 

Inspired by blues artists like Bessie Smith, Jackson combined the note-bending soul of blues with the belting courage of gospel. As she explains it, “With the blues, when you finish, you still have the blues... I sing God's music because it makes me feel free. It gives me hope." 

She carried with her the spirit of the black church, using her entire body to transcend her performance, clapping her hands, stomping her feet and touching people’s hearts. Smith and Jackson paved the way for artists like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis who also recorded and performed gospel albums. The popularization of gospel was not only adapted by other artists, but also helped shape the sound of coming decades, starting with soul and Motown.

Born in 1911, in the Carrollton neighborhood of New Orleans, Jackson lived in a three bedroom home with 13 family members. At the age of four or five, her mother passed and her aunt raised her and her siblings. By that age, however, Jackson had already begun singing at Mount Moriah Baptist Church, her childhood place of worship. 

In 1931, Jackson moved to Chicago where she was invited to join the Greater Salem Baptist Church Choir and toured around the region’s churches with Johnson Gospel Singers. Six years later, she became the first gospel singer signed to Decca and traveled to perform with her infectious stage presence. Fast forward almost ten years, Jackson recorded “Move On Up a Little Higher” which, in 1948, became the best selling gospel record of all time. 

The turn of the decade marked the turn of Jackson’s career, as she became the first gospel singer to perform at Carnegie Hall. In 1952, her recording of “I Can Put My Trust in Jesus” won a prize from the French Academy, prompting a European tour. Jackson’s success became so massive that in 1954 she started hosting her own weekly radio series on CBS, which was the first gospel-focused national program. The show featured both black musicians and a white quartet, prompting a blend of gospel with the “doo-wop” style of the times. 

While this grew her white audience, some gospel purists were upset with the crossover (Tharpe experienced similar criticism). That same year, Jackson signed to Columbia and released an album fittingly titled, “The World’s Greatest Gospel Singer.” She also broke into the Top 40 list with “Rusty Old Halo.”

At the National Baptist Convention in 1956, Mahalia Jackson met Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who asked her to sing at a rally to raise money for the ongoing bus boycott in Montgomery. Soon enough, Jackson began appearing regularly to sing, usually before Dr. King’s speeches. As Jesse Jackson explains, she never denied Dr. King and even traveled with him through the segregated south. Jackson also sang at John F. Kennedy’s inaugural ball, at the March on Washington, and at Dr. King’s funeral.

Further expanding her legacy, Jackson won the first ever Grammy for the Gospel Music and Other Religious Recording category, an award whose creation she inspired and won three years in a row from. 

Jackson passed away in 1972, but many greats like Sammy Davis Jr and Ella Fitzgerald attended her funeral to pay their respects and celebrate her legacy. Aretha Franklin closed the funeral with “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” There was also a service held in New Orleans where both the mayor and Louisiana governor accompanied over 20 limos as they drove past her childhood place of worship, where her recordings were blasted through the speakers, audible even from her burial site at Providence Memorial Park. 

Later, that year, Jackson won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She has since been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Grammy, Rock and Roll, Gospel Music, and of course, Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, where there is a performing arts theatre reopened in her name. 

#mahalia jackson #soul #gospel #black history month

[nattapohntkp]

Rhythms & Blues

        Everyone may have heard of a music genre called R&B (Rhythms & Blues), but many people don't know where R&B came from. With more melodies and rhythms founded, R&B is a music genre that focuses on the lyrics, the genre of love, and playing with the right rhythm. The music is a little brighter, but still not as bright as Pop. The musical instruments are not limited in style but often use a little sound effect. R&B originated in the '40s. It evolved from the Blues that black people sang in churches to release the suffering caused by the abuse and persecution of white people. Blues music has another meaning: sorrow, depression. Therefore, Blues has mostly sad rhymes and melodies, or sounds like a singing of the prayer in a church to seek blessings from the Lord (Gospel) itself. The R&B genre is a mix of African-American music from Pop, Jazz, and Blues. As the times change, more and more R&B music has evolved and mixed with other genres. Since the 90s, R&B music has infiltrated more and more music genres to become another genre. One example is that R&B can go along with Pop music which introduce many R&B stars such as, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, Beyonce, Brian McKnight, Chris Brown, and more. It can also mix with Hip-hop music as well which appears in Afrobeat’s work. In addition to Pop and Hip-hop, artists like Davido and Wizkid blend R&B and local melodies to the mainstream.

        R&B music is a music genre that can reach audiences with a wide range of rhythm, catchy content, reflecting stories. Therefore, it is the music that no matter how much the times change, R&B is a song that people still listen to.

 The famous artists and their works.

1. Beyonce

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles, also known as Beyonce, became famous in the 1990s as a key member of destiny's child, the all-female R&B band of that era. In June 2003, during the suspension of Destiny's Child, she released her first solo artist with “Dangerously in Love” album. It was one of the most successful albums of that year. The album was a huge success in both sales and criticism, leading to a hit song such as “Crazy in love”. Later, Destiny's Child officially decided to disband. and she continued to work on music as a solo artist.

The examples of famous songs by Beyonce.

1. “Crazy in love” (2003) is a song that truly suitable for lovers because the content of the song says "Got me looking so crazy right now, your loves" which indicates how much you love someone until you are crazy about him and hope that he only calls your name.

2. “Listen” (2007) is a song that wants to convey other person to listen her voice and dream. Since, she has always followed others in the past but it's time for others to listen to her voice, her desire, and her dream.

2. Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, and filmmaker. She is named the most awarded female artist of all time by the Guinness World Records.  She is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with approximately 200 million records worldwide.  She is also an influencer for many African American female artists.

The examples of famous songs by Whitney Houston.

1. “I will always love you” (1992) is a song that wants to say goodbye painfully and deeply. The lyrics present a true love that we unable to stop loving even though we are far apart unless we discover later that the person we love is not what we think.

2. “I have nothing” (1993) is a song about deep and confusing love that arises between lovers due to the different feelings of women and men when it comes to their bond with their lover.

3. Mariah Carey

         Mariah Carey is an American singer, songwriter, music producer and actress. She made her debut in 1990 under the direction of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola. She became the first artist to have the first 5 singles hit the 1st chart on the Billboard Hot 100. She has a lot of hit songs, making her the best-selling artist in Columbia. According to Billboard magazine, she was the most successful artist of the 1990s in the United States.

The examples of famous songs by Mariah Carey.

1. “Hero” (1993) is a song that wants to convey to the audience that loving yourself is the most important thing.

2. “We belong together” (2005) is a song that reminds many couples very well. This song teaches you how powerful words are, no matter how much you do well or be honest with love. Speaking without thinking, it can ruin a relationship.

4. Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American singer-actress. The owner of many famous songs whose past albums have sold more than 80 million copies worldwide and the movies that reach $ 2 billion.

The examples of famous songs by Jennifer Lopez.

1. “If you had my love” (1999), the lyrics are about the beginning of a new relationship with Jennifer Lopez during her confrontation with her crush.

2. “All I have” (2002) is a song that interacts between women and men., In this song, the woman is the one who breaks up and the man does not want to believe that she really leaves him. So, he tries to hold back but it is impossible to be the same. This song is a soothing melody but it expresses the pain of a man.

5. Brian McKnight

Brian McKnight is a talented artist with a wide range of singing and performance and he can play the music that ever nominated for a Grammy.

The examples of famous songs by Brian McKnight.

1. “One last cry (1993)”, the lyrics present to the people who are upset or disappointed about love, feel sorry, and want to cry. It will be the last time and don't let the same person come back to hurt us again. Tomorrow will start over, you have to tell yourself that you will have a new life and new things are waiting for you. When our thoughts and ourselves are good, we are always attracted to the good things, smiling brightly and strongly open for the something good coming in.

2. “Back at one” (1999), the lyrics present the good love that a man has for the woman he loves if he is like a bird perched on a branch and never afraid that the branches will break and fall because he believed in his own wing power.

6. Ne-Yo

Shaffer Chimere Smith, better known as Ne-Yo, is an R&B singer, songwriter, music producer, and American actor. He is famous for composing music when he composed Mario's “Let me love you”. This success leads Ne-Yo to meet with the head of Def Jam and sign a contract.

The examples of famous songs by Ne-Yo.

1. “So sick” (2006), the lyrics present that to forget about the old love are often very hard thing for many people, only time that can heal and that memory will be forgotten someday, but until then, those will always be the things that bother you to think about the past we did with an old lover.

2. “Miss Independent” (2008) is a song that wants to present that if you meet a woman and you are very interested in her, you will be able to observe her personality traits and capture her strengths and compose stories about why you like her.

7. Alicia Keys

Alicia J. Augello-Cook is an American R&B singer which sold more than 20 million copies worldwide from her first album in 2001 until 2007. The first album, “Songs in A Minor”, featured the hit song ‘Fallin’, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide and earn her 5 Grammy Awards. (Including the grand prize: Best New Artist and Best R&B Album).

The examples of famous songs by Alicia Keys.

1. “You don't know my name” (2003) is a song that presents the insanity of love on one side because he did not even know her name. She really liked him and felt that he had possessed her mind.

2. “If I ain't got you” (2004) is a love song that presents an interesting worldview philosophy. Fame, honor, and money, they do not important and are just illusions when compared with to be loved by someone.

8. John Legend

John Legend, real name John Stephens. He is an all-around R&B, soul, hip-hop artist with a wide range of singing, playing, composing, arranging, and producing music. His first album won 3 Grammy Awards 2006, 3 Soul Train Awards 2006, and 1 BET Award 2005. Britney Jean Spears, The Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, and more.

The examples of famous songs by John Legend.

1. “Used to love you” (2004) is a sad song that comes from the breakup. She was gone and took all the memories from him but he still remembered the moment when he first met her which make him sad when she left. Although he hates her a lot, he used to love her a lot too.

2. “All of me” (2008), the lyrics represent if you really love someone, you have to give your heart to him wholeheartedly and you need to accept him as he is no matter what it is good or bad. Then, you will be happy and you will never have to regret that later "Why are you like this or Why are you like that? " because you are willing and can accept anything that he can be.

9. Jeff Bernat

Jeff Bernat is an American-Filipino singer, songwriter, and producer. The owner of the super romantic song 'Call You Mine' has been selected to accompany the popular Korean series 'You Are My Destiny' and has a lot of Korean fans. Since he released his first full album, “The Gentleman Approach” in 2012, the 29-year-old Jeff Bernat has been on the constantly watch with subsequent albums such as “Modern Renaissance” (2013), “In the Meantime” (2016), and “Afterwards” (2017).

The examples of famous songs by Jeff Bernat.

1. “Just vibe” (2011) is a song for the fanatic. It represents to someone convey a woman who treats him equally as everyone else. Even if you are higher than him and tell her that he likes what she does, but actually likes everything that is her.

2. “Call you mine” (2019), also known as The Gentlemen approach, means approaching a woman like a gentleman. It is a song that has a good meaning and suitable for giving to someone special. The best sentence of this song is "Can I call you mine?".

10. The Weeknd

Abel Tesfaye, known as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and music producer. In late 2010, he uploads the song to YouTube by the unknown name, The Weeknd. he released several mixtapes, and each set contains nine songs throughout 2011, including the highly acclaimed House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence.

The examples of famous songs by The Weeknd.

1. “Heartless” (2019) is a fun song that hides the gloom of a man who blames himself for being heartless to love one another. In which the heart deeply, he wants to have good love but living a fun life, spending money, mingling with other people, is the one that makes life go around like this.

2. “Blinding lights” (2020), a melancholy song of desperate people who leave their ex-lover. The inaction of that ex-lover made the atmosphere worse and helpless. Delivering is the only chance for that person to return, and it is the thing to heal from this despair.

11. Ben Chalatit

Ben Chalatit enjoys music from his passion and attendance at the School of Music. He joins the first music group with friends under the name, Monotone. In the style of self-composed music and become indie music that is very popular at that time. And the famous songwriter, Boyd Kosiyabong, pull him into the work. He has made many famous songs such as the people below, the score of life, ouch ouch, and many more. This is evidenced by the various artist awards that he has received.

The examples of famous songs by Ben Chalatit.

1. “Hold back” (2014) is the theme song for the 2014 TV series Sai-Si Phaeng. It mixes with emotions, squeezing a little talk about the time when you lost your lover and want to hold it as long as possible. A moment of just a second would be invaluable if he would be with us.

2. “All My Heart” (2015) is a theme song, Kao Bodin drama, starring James Mar and Matt Peeranee. It is a slow-fusion-pop-style song with the sound of Thai music and tells of loving someone with all their love. This song also earns him the 30th Golden Television Award for outstanding drama song.

12. Lydia Sarunrat

The princess of the R&B of the Thai music industry. She is a gorgeous singer, Lydia Sarunrat, with a clear and unique voice. It makes her famous since her first release, such as I am free, please call me back. And there are always new songs coming out. Later, she returns to the sumo mask singer show and won “The Mask Singer Season 2”.

The examples of famous songs by Lydia Sarunrat.

1. “I'm free, please call me back” (2005) is a sad song content. Because he calls her lover but he does not answer the phone and does not call back. There is a hint in the song saying, "are you really busy or there are other people”.

2. “Just make eye contact” (2018) is a sweet love song. It composes of a period drama, Buppesanniwat. The content of this song is rather sweet. Because it wants to convey that the eyes are the windows of the heart.

        The examples of artists and their works. The author thinks that the reader may know or listen to some of their songs. The artists illustrated are quite famous for their outstanding works. If you have not listened to their music, I suggest you give it a try and I believe that you will be fascinated by their work.

        In conclusion, R&B (Rhythms and Blues) music is a genre that can listen to over and over. It can make you feel relax. But if you know the content of the song, some songs can also have content that can hurt, bruise or cry. Nowadays, R&B music is mix with a wide variety of other genres. This genre of music is therefore widely known. This has resulted in many emerging artists making R&B music or mixing R&B music as well.

[honeyopinion]

20/20 Albums of the Year

Circles by Mac Miller  |  Hip-Hop, Soul, Funk Released: January 17, 2020

Best Album For... Pouring One Out for Mac

I wrote a few different drafts of this album summary, and none of them felt like they really fit the impossibly large bill of accurately describing the posthumous importance or brilliance of this album. If you are a fan of hip-hop or soul music of any kind, try to give this piece of work a chance. I for one, used to judge Mac based on his early frat rap days in the late 2000s. But a decade later he came to leave the world with one of the most surprising and frankly impressive artistic evolutions that I’ve been able to witness in real time. RIP Mac. 

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora 

Start With: “Circles” or “Everybody”

Marigold by Pinegrove  |  Alternative Country and Folk Rock Released: January 17, 2020

Best Album For… Passing Through a Small Town on a Cloudy Winter Day 

Pinegrove was one of the last great concerts I got to experience before the pandemic. And it was my favorite performance of theirs from the last 6 years of seeing them play live. Is this my favorite album of theirs? Honestly, it’s not. But I still find it extremely enjoyable, and the memory of seeing these songs performed live, along with some of their classics, was enough for me to include it on this list. This is an album that marks Pinegrove’s exit from their pop punk roots. It’s still sentimental, but much more country and folk rock focused vs. anything trying to be associated with emo or punk. 

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora   Start With: “The Alarmist” or “No Drugs”

Watch This Liquid Pour Itself by Okay Kaya  |  Synth Pop, Art Rock, Folk Released: January 24, 2020

Best Album For… Crywanking at 3am, Bathed in The Dull Light of Your Overheating Laptop

What if Feist and Father John Misty had a secret love child? They might sound something like Okay Kaya. Self proclaimed “Singer ~ Crywanker,” Okay Kaya brings serious BDE to weirdo art pop that she seems like she could be a plant  from the mind of Nathan Fielder. Kaya delivers with such deadpan precision as she rolls out line after line of sarcastic joy, staring blankly at our dystopian reality. “Here I am, the whole world is my daddy,” “Netflix and yeast infection,” “Sex with me is mediocre,” “I just want us to do well like Jon Bon Jovi’s Rosê,” and, “My parasite and I are blushing / In the zero interaction ramen bar,” are just a few examples of some of her memorable and biting lyrics. The entire album is both a critique and nihilistic fondness for the absurdity of our lonely technological society, not quite sure how to deal with taboos like repressed female sexuality, depression, and codependency. 

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Baby Little Tween” or “Asexual Wellbeing”

UNLOCKED by Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats  |  Hip-Hop Released: February 7, 2020

Best Album For... Nodding Your Damn Head To, Feeling Cooler Than You Actually Are

I had to double check that this was an album. Clocking in under 20 minutes, this collection of songs feels more like an EP, especially with the track titles that purposefully look like file names and placeholders. But for a short album, Denzel wastes no time, furiously zigging and zagging effortlessly over Kenny Beats’ 90s New York-indebted production (ad libs and all). Kenny pulls out samples of an array of pop culture references made by Denzel (like quotes from movies and weapon sound effects like a lightsaber) — as he rotates his flow between admirable impressions of DMX, Nas, and Joey Bada$$.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “So.Incredible.pkg” or “DIET_”

Cardboard City by Zack Villere  |  Pop, Electronic, R&B Released: February 14, 2020

Best Album For… Pal-ing Around With Your Friends From High School, Maybe Quoting Superbad At The Same Time

The first time I watched a music video from Zack Villere, I noticed the top comment said: “how did frank ocean get trapped in mark zuckerberg.” And while that definitely gets at the heart of how Zack Villere presents himself, he is not a phenomenal singer like Frank Ocean is, nor does he come off as an asshole like Mark Zuckerberg does. I would say that he is just a slightly awkward nerdy white guy who loves hip-hop production and R&B melodies. So the better question is really, “how did drake get trapped in michael cera?” This premise should not work at all, but somehow it does. This is only Villere’s second album, but he shows some serious production and songwriting chops, plus a commitment to his delivery that comes across as genuine, charming, and unique. 

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Grateful” or “Superhero Strength”

The Slow Rush by Tame Impala  |  Psych Rock, Synth Pop, Disco Released: February 14, 2020

Best Album For... Throwing a Silent Disco For One 

Tame Impala continues on their now 10 year streak of psych rock dominance. Along the way we’ve seen Kevin Parker master and stretch the boundaries of psychedelic production. This has resulted in his music coming as close to sounding like the best aspects of The Beatles, while also expanding into hip hop drums, R&B hooks, plus more and more electronic elements. This is an album that I was not super impressed with when it initially came out, but as we entered the pandemic and were tasked with finding small joys in staying at home all the time, I found myself going back to this album and appreciating the themes of solitude and self reflection that Parker has drawn from throughout his career.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Posthumous Forgiveness” or “One More Hour”

1988 by Knxwledge  |  Hip-Hop Released: March 27, 2020

Best Album For... Pumping Your Brakes and Driving Slow, Uh *Homie* Although this album is named after a year in the 80s, the sound here is a perfect portal back to 90s golden era hip-hop, with all the gospel, soul samples, and the kind of deep bass you want to feel in your chest. This is the rare, largely instrumental hip-hop album that I find myself going back to, other than works from the legendary J Dilla and MF Doom. Knxwledge is good friends and a frequent collaborator with Anderson .Paak (in the form of NxWorries). Here we get Anderson to grace us with his presence on the track “itkanbe[sonice]”, and of course it sounds just like an authentic vintage soul sample. When I hear this collection of songs it makes me wish I still had a car, so I could inevitably damage my speakers listening to this.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “dont be afraid” or “thats allwekando.”

Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa  |  Pop, R&B, Funk, Disco Released: March 27, 2020 Best Album For... Alarming Your Pet With Your Enthusiastic Lip Syncing

This album is a pure sugar rush. Like Bruno Mars with the help of Mark Ronson, or Calvin Harris a few years ago, Dua has harnessed a nostalgia (it’s even in the title, wink) for disco, funk and R&B, and is instantly a sexy, catchy, not-so-guilty pleasure. It’s sad that the majority of these songs are all bonafide club hits that didn’t have a proper home this year … except for my living room. And hopefully yours.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora 

Start With: “Pretty Please” or “Future Nostalgia”

Hold Space For Me by Orion Sun  |  Alternative R&B and Hip-Hop Released: March 27, 2020

Best Album For... Wishing Frank Ocean Was Your Dad

“Alternative R&B” is a contentious term, but what else would you call one of a few R&B singers cool enough to make it onto (NYC indie darlings) Mom+Pop Records?? On one hand, she brings the vulnerable and introverted lyrics of an indie singer songwriter like Tracey Chapman, crossed with the raw presence and sweet melodic delivery of a true R&B star like Aaliyah. I’d even go far enough to refer to her as the musical stepchild of Frank Ocean and SZA.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora

Start With: “Ne Me Quitte Pass (Don’t Leave Me)” or “Lightning”

You and Your Friends by Peach Pit  |  Indie Rock and Dream Pop Released: April 3, 2020

Best Album For... Going Back To Your College Town To Crash A Party

Peach Pit seem like they would be cool dudes to hang out with. You have no problem picturing them as the band playing a house show in an indie movie about college kids. And that’s because there’s a familiarity to the scenes that their songs portray, of stumbling through your 20s, either being too dumb or having too much fun to notice. It’s funny to refer to this as “Indie” rock since this is Peach Pit’s major label debut with Columbia Records. But It has all the trappings of Indie; sticky melodies, gentle reverb, an “I’m not trying that hard” vibe, and lyrics that are oddly specific enough to be interesting, but still vague enough to be relatable.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Feelin’ Low (Fuckboy Blues)” or “Shampoo Bottles”

Heaven To a Tortured Mind by Yves Tumor  |  Psych Rock, Indie Pop, Post-Punk, Alternative R&B, Experimental Electronic Released: April 3, 2020

Best Album For... Tearing Up The Fucking Dance Floor With Your Hot Robot Girlfriend

If Tyler the Creator, Alex G, King Krule, and Blood Orange all got into the studio together and dropped a shit ton of acid on Halloween, their recording session might sound something like Heaven To a Tortured Mind… And even then, you still might have trouble putting your finger on exactly what you’re hearing. “Dream Palette” is a good reference track for Tumor’s most wild and mesmerizing qualities. The biggest styles of the past half century of music have been loaded into this gleefully effective genre blender, with blades of dissonance slicing everything up, creating a surrealist sonic smoothie.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Super Stars” or “Dream Palette”

The New Abnormal by The Strokes  |  Indie Rock, Dirtbag Disco, Synth Pop Released: April 10, 2020

Best Album For... Mixing Yourself Another Drink This Saturday Night

Back from the dead, The Strokes return with their first album in 7 years to turn some heads and settle back into some old habits. The charming messy haired garage rock of the early 2000s still pops up here and there, but this is really a record where the group is mature enough to show you that they actually are trying, and are unafraid to take joyous swings for the fences. Julian Casablancas pushes his scratchy alley cat yelp of a voice into something more vulnerable, sunny, and sweet, like he asked for a piña colada (you know, with one of those little umbrellas) instead of a double shot of scotch before hopping up on stage… Or maybe he did both. But these days, everyone is looking for some sort of break from our groundhog day lives any way that we can. Sometimes that sounds like selling out, or depending on how you look at it, stepping up. This album is the result of a group of old friends who got together to make music they simply want to make for themselves. Now far removed from the 2000s New York scene where their younger selves were acting too cool and disaffected to care about having fun.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Eternal Summer” or “The Adults Are Talking”

The Loves of Your Life by Hamilton Leithauser  |  Indie Rock and Alternative Country Released: April 10, 2020

Best Album For... Drinking Down At The Docks, Watching The Sun Set

While I am a fan of The Walkmen, I have no idea what their frontman Hamilton Leithauser looks like or how he dresses. But hearing these songs off of his latest solo, I imagine the following: a member of Mumford and Sons if they were edgy and cooler, giving off a “cowboy rocker meets depression-era dock worker” aesthetic. That’s exactly how his music comes off to me. It’s a convincing blend of blues rock, Americana, and old timey country music. All expertly narrated by dusty country guitars and standup bass, tarnished horns and flutes, and what I imagine to be a restored saloon piano. The Loves of Your Life originally started as a collection of short stories, each about characters based on both people he knew and strangers. Leithauser then wrote the music separately, and finally came to mix and match their parts together in a surprisingly convincing fashion to create the album.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Wack Jack” or “Cross-Sound Ferry (Walk-On Ticket)”

What Kinda Music by Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes  |  Neo-Soul, Electronic, Hip-Hop

Released: April 24, 2020

Best Album For... Cooking For Someone You’re In Love With

Exactly what kind of music do Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes make? It’s orchestral, it’s jazz-infused, it’s hip-hop beats joined with gentle soul. It’s a little sexy, it’s a little mysterious, and you’re going to want to listen to it a whole lot. That’s it. That’s what kind of music it is! Send tweet. 

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “What Kinda Music” or “Storm Before The Calm”

Petals For Armor by Hayley Williams  |  Electronic Pop and Art Rock Released: May 8, 2020

Best Album For... Browsing Depop for Your Next 80s Normcore ‘Fit

Hayley, Hayley, Hayley. You are too good for this wretched world!! After exploring more adventurous sounds and genre hopping over the last few Paramore records, Hayley decided to go out on her own. This really frees herself from the expectations that come along with being the face and heart of a wildly popular band for the last 15+ years. Thom Yorke fans rejoice, because Hayley Williams has a clear admiration for Radiohead’s haunting indie electronic vibe, while emoting some pain and darkness atop her love for 80s pop and art rock (think Genesis, Devo, The Talking Heads). This is a promising new avenue for Hayley to explore herself and process her pain and desire completely on her own. I see this new project of hers only blooming further from here.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora 

Start With: “Simmer” or “Sudden Desire” 

Set My Heart On Fire Immediately by Perfume Genius  |  Indie Pop and Art Rock Released: May 15, 2020

Best Album For... Daydreaming That You Were Somewhere Else

For his 5th studio album, Perfume Genius enlists production wizard and guitar god Blake Mills, along with Grammy Award-winning arranger and multi-instrumentalist Rob Moose to create a beautiful swirling mosaic of 80s pastel pop that also packs serious classic rock grandeur. Bass guitar dances between satin smooth lines on one song to churning distorted currents on the next. Sparkling string arrangements and organs bleed together to expose a fading sunset that you’ll want to try and hold in your hands to keep it in sight. Perfume Genius is unafraid to challenge traditional masculinity, packing a 21st century queer machismo into both the quiet moments and jubilant explosions.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora 

Start With: “Without You” or “Describe”

græ by Moses Sumney  |  Indie Pop, Art Rock, Neo-Soul, Psychic Folk Released: May 15, 2020

Best Album For... Astral Projection 101 

I mean this in the best way possible, but I think that Moses Sumney is a witch. Or maybe a wizard? There’s no other reasonable explanation for the level of creativity and wonder that he summons. This album feels like a private concert by a waterfall (similar to one on the cover), with ethereal pleas, and heavy ideas—like meditating on what lies beyond the constraints of the physical self and reconsidering how well we can actually trust memory and the mind. Sumney layers his voice to create the effect of a ghostly choir, accented by a stark intimidating falsetto that reverberates through the ruins of an abandoned temple where Sumney is the only one in attendance.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Cut Me” or “Polly”

WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD by Nick Hakim  |  Psychedelic Neo-Soul Released: May 15, 2020

Best Album For... Playing Pool in a Hazy Dive Bar

Nick Hakim is a silky smooth smokey crooner who paints with warbly piano loops, dreamy reverb-heavy guitar, boom bap beats—not to mention a falsetto that would make Smokey Robinson jealous. Clearly a fan of Motown and 60s jazz, Hakim could be considered a peer of Thunder Cat and Anderson .Paak’s to a degree. I remember seeing him perform at Music Hall of Williamsburg a few years ago. The performance ended with him falling down on stage (presumably from being under the influence of multiple substances). But while the song continued he popped back up and belted an impressive high note like it was nothing, drink in hand. And it’s that kind of messy beauty that also makes this album so engrossing. Like watching the eye of the storm get closer and closer, but unable to look away from the sheer magnetism that nature can wield.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  Start With: “All THESE CHANGES” or “ALL THESE INSTRUMENTS”

RTJ4 by Run The Jewels  |  Hip-Hop Released: June 3, 2020

Best Album For... Making Your Next Protest Sign

Run The Jewels’ fourth outing might be the most unapologetically angry rap album in the “fuck this” year of 2020. And it reminded me that I should absolutely still be furious about everything that happened during this groundbreaking yet terrifyingly familiar year: country wide protests over the continued murder of innocent black people at the hands of the police, government drone strikes and detaining kids in cages, the state of our environment worsening—and that’s not even addressing the pandemic or election. Killer Mike and El-P are here to scream from the rooftops that our current system of cutthroat capitalism and white supremacy is killing the planet and its inhabitants, and I’m glad that they’re using their platform to continue to sound the alarm.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “out of sight” or “ooh la la”

Your Hero Is Not Dead by Westerman  |  New Wave Revival and Indie Pop Released: June 5, 2020 Best Album For... Wanting Your Old School MTV

The cover of Westerman’s first proper album is mostly black and white, except for the title, which is scrawled out in lettering which spans the Crayola color spectrum. It’s an album that on the surface is cold and buttoned up, but when these choruses open up, the maximalist 80s power pop bursts like the bulbs of a neon sign. There’s a level of even-keeled cool and confidence in small moments on display here that makes this relatively new artist seem well beyond his years. Having seen him play at Rough Trade a few years ago (opening up for the stellar Puma Blue), the songwriting growth on display on this record is impressive. I’m only sad that there wasn’t an opportunity to have seen him play these new songs live.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora 

Start With: “Easy Money” or “Confirmation (SSBD)” 

Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers  |  Indie Rock and Alternative Country Released: June 18, 2020

Best Album For... Burning Incense and Breaking Out a Ouija Board to Talk to The Ghost of Your Former Self

This is without a doubt, a career defining release for Phoebe. Taking everything she’s learned from writing, performing, and touring with the likes of Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker (in boygenius), and Conor Oberst (in Better Oblivion Community Center), Bridgers levels up to become the truly prolific singer-songwriter she’s been telling us she would always be. Bridgers has explained her personal definition of “a punisher” as a well meaning person who’s, “just talking to you and they don’t realize that your eyes are glazed over and you’re trying to escape.” Vital to understanding this album and its central message is that Phoebe finds herself caught between the contradiction of falling victim to this phenomenon while also doing it herself, especially if she ever met her musical idol, Elliott Smith. Punisher serves as a warning to her audience that if you focus too much on trying to find yourself through other people (via escaping through fandom, drugs, toxic relationships), you’ll always feel lost and dissatisfied, without the proper self awareness to ever quite know why. 

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Garden Song” or “ICU”

Women In Music Pt. III by HAIM  |  Rock, Pop, Folk, R&B Released: June 26, 2020

Best Album For... Preparing For A Better 2021, lol 

With this album, HAIM skyrocketed to the #1 position of family bands that start with an “H.” Sorry, Hanson! But seriously, HAIM has outdone themselves on this one. If there was one album from this list that I would dub my personal AOTY, this would be it. You might wince at any tracklist longer than 10-12 songs these days (I know I usually do), but almost every song proves itself worthy, pulling at a different thread of my heart until there’s nothing left. Sunshine State Beach Pop? Check. Blues Tinged Dad Rock? Yup! Dive Bar Country? Mmhmm! No, wait, what’s that you say, Glitched-Out R&B? Yes, yes, and yes. You can have it all, sister! ‘Cause when you’re Haim, you’re family! ;) And these three “women in music” continue to prove that they are just about the best Assorted Pop Rocks(™) act in the world right now.

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “I’ve Been Down” or “Don’t Wanna”

Lianne La Havas by Lianne La Havas  |  Neo-Soul and Indie Pop Released: July 17, 2020

Best Album For... Sipping Coffee and Journaling on a Weekend Morning

This album exudes a warm vulnerability, like a comforting hug we all needed this year. On her third album, Lianne La Havas makes the risky decision to self title it, a move that artists make when they believe that it is the piece of work that they most want most directly associated with their name. It’s one thing to name your first album after yourself if you can’t think of anything else at the time, but to make a self titled album in the middle of your career, it means that you are sure about having captured who you really are and who you want people to remember you as. “If I love myself, I know I can't be no one else,” La Havas admits on the standout track, “Paper Thin.” She knows that she will meet her destiny and reach self actualization, but only through self love. And finally, I cannot overstate how breathtaking La Havas’s voice comes across on this album. The strength and control on display in her vocal tone and vibrato is quite a spectacle. 

Spotify      Apple Music     YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Paper Thin” or “Sour Flower”

Limbo by Aminé  |  Hip-Hop and R&B Released: August 7, 2020

Best Album For... Trying and Get Over Kanye With

On Limbo, Aminé establishes himself as one of the torchbearers of soul-sampling, lyrics-driven hip-hop that still cares about storytelling, skits, and presenting vocals clearly. Kanye West, Drake, and J. Cole all paved the way for someone from the next generation like Aminé to keep the dream alive and avoid succumbing to the “feel good, don’t think” form of passive listening that mumble rap has made the standard for mainstream hip-hop.

Spotify      Apple Music     YouTube      Pandora  

Start With: “Pressure In My Palms” or “My Reality”

Shore by Fleet Foxes  |  Folk and Indie Rock Released: September 22, 2020

Best Album For... Running Along The Beach With Your Arms Stretched Out

It was really kind of Robin Pecknold and co. to have released an album this triumphant, calming, and awe-inspiring during the year of our Lorde 2020. On behalf of myself and anyone else who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, the SAD people of the world really needed this, man. And to anyone who is quick to judge these beard-o’s of being boring, you’re simply not using your ears properly. Yeah, you know those two things on either side of your head? Get the gunk out of them! That way you’ll hear the choir of angels with acoustic guitars who are here to guide us through quarantine and beyond. 

Spotify      Apple Music      YouTube      Pandora 

Start With: “Can I Believe You” or “A Long Way Past The Past” 

Listen to all of these albums together in our playlist.

#best music 2020 #music 2020 #best of 2020 #best albums 2020 #best new album 2020 #mac miller #pinegrove #okay kaya #denzel curry #kenny beats #zack villere #tame impala #knxwledge #dua lipa #orion sun #peach pit #yves tumor #the strokes #hamilton leithauser #tom misch #yussef dayes #hayley williams #perfume genius #moses sumney #nick hakim #run the jewels #westerman #phoebe bridgers #haim #liannelahavas

[voodoochili]

My Favorite Albums of 2019

As we bid adieu to a decade and a year that many of us would like to forget, let’s take the time to run through some albums that deserve to stay in our rotations at least until the onset of the imminent apocalypse. It’s a cliche, and we say it every year, but as bad as 2019 might have been in the real world, it was an excellent year for music. I listened to at least 300 albums this year and found at least 150 that I liked! Here’s the stuff that made me think, made me happy, and made me drop my jaw last year.

Some themes I found in my listening--I really like rap music from L.A. and Detroit; A few artists who I admired more than loved in the past came out with albums that I completely adored; the nebulous genre often called “afrobeats” or “afropop” has the highest hit percentage of any international scene since dub/reggae in the 1970s (the African Heat playlist on Spotify might be my actual album of the year); a lot of my favorite albums this year came from people who are clearly the product of music schools; my top four contains two excellent bedroom pop albums, and two excellent treatises on race relations in the USA.

I made a Spotify playlist with highlights from my albums list: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6S9kSm5xG3U1vPxhVyBpQc?si=0PHLV0-XQOyNY3XAVRzzAA

And in case you missed it, here’s my list of the year’s best songs: https://voodoochili.tumblr.com/post/189890284724/my-favorite-songs-of-2019

THE BEST:

10. glass beach - the first glass beach album - the first glass beach album combines chiptune synths, frayed emo vocals, jazz piano, and suite-like song structure into an exhilaratingly chaotic mishmash. Mix it with a strong dose of theater-kid earnestness and the result is the most ambitious debut album of the year and possibly of the decade, providing a peek into an alternate dimension where Los Campesinos! wrote the La La Land soundtrack. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, and it wouldn’t if glass beach didn’t buttress their boundless invention with well-crafted songs, like “classic j dies and goes to hell part 1,” the suitably bonkers intro, the prog-pop opus “bedroom community,” and “cold weather,” which shifts from ska-punk to math rock and back in 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

9. Jenny Lewis - On The Line - Long one of indie’s pre-eminent songsmiths, Jenny Lewis’s On The Line is her most personal album yet, digging deep into her childhood trauma and emerging out the other side with pearls of cheeky wisdom. Jenny’s lived more lives than most, enduring an entire career as an in-demand child star before ever even picking up a guitar; when she reached her teenage years, she learned most of her earnings fed directly into her mother’s heroin habit. Some songs like “Wasted Youth” and “Little White Dove” confront it directly (“Wasted Youth” takes the form of a conversaqtion between Lewis and her sister about their late mother), while other songs like “On The Line” and “Rabbit Hole” are testaments to the strength Lewis gained after fending for herself for so long. Appropriately for an album so focused on the past, Lewis enlists the help of rock legends like Ringo Starr, Don Was, and Benmont Tench, whose organ lends a lush poignancy throughout the album, and transforms opener “Heads Gonna Roll” from a pretty ballad to a genuine tearjerker.

8. Burna Boy - African Giant - West African music continued its quest for global hegemony in 2019, flooding the airwaves with passionate, uptempo party music. Though it was a massive year for artists like Mr Eazi, Zlatan, and do-everything superstar Wizkid, the year belonged to Burna Boy of Nigeria, his sonorous deep voice lending authority to each extravagant boast. Following up last year’s promising Outside, African Giant unleashes Burna’s full potential, drawing a through-line between Africa’s past and present--his use of multilingual lyrics, outspoken politics, and supernatural sense of rhythm updates the famous formula of Afrobeat founding father Fela Kuti for the new era. Aided by frequent collaborator and unheralded genius Kel-P, whose lush and genre-bending beats perfectly complement Burna’s melodic strengths, African Giant was 2019’s most reliable mood booster, presenting standout singles like the irresistible “Anybody,” the ambitious and easygoing “Dangote,” and the romantic club anthem “Secret,” before taking time to explain the history of colonialism in Nigeria on “Another Story.”

7. The Comet Is Coming - Trust In The Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery/The Afterlife - With a long list of collaborators and an even longer list of influences, London-born saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings’ musical ambitions can’t be confined to a single form or style. While his work with Sons of Kemet emphasizes percussion-heavy Caribbean influences and radical spoken word poetry, Hutchings aims squarely for the stratosphere with his The Comet Is Coming project, which continued its progressive jazz odyssey with two worthy albums in 2019. Elevated by the interplay between Hutchings (calling himself King Shabaka), synth wizard Danalogue, and drummer Betamax, Trust In The Lifeforce of Deep Mystery is a mesmerizing cycle of songs. Boasting titles like “The Universe Wakes Up” and “Super Zodiac,” each song searches for (and finds) a trance-like groove, transporting listeners to the far-flung locales of the song titles before reaching an emotional conclusion. A more contemplative, but still ceaselessly propulsive follow-up, The Afterlife is music for the “stargate” sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey, providing a more optimistic counterpoint to Trust while refining the trio’s unique group dynamic. Together, the two works make an immensely satisfying head trip, offering a thrilling soundtrack for the end of the universe and whatever comes next.

6. Moodymann - Sinner - “I don’t even know what you need, but I’ll provide,” grunts Moodymann on Sinner’s simmering opener “I’ll Provide,” “Cause I got something for all your dirty nasty needs.” Possibly the most singular and beloved figure in a Detroit electronic scene overflowing with singular and beloved figures, Moodymann is known for sublimely tasteful DJ sets and sprawling solo works that fuse house music with elements of R&B, gospel, blues, and funk. By his standards, Sinner is slight, spanning only 7 tracks and 44 minutes, but it benefits from a tight focus, showcasing Moodymann’s effortless creativity. Throughout the project, the artist born Kenny Dixon approaches familiar elements from odd angles: jazzy changes and burbling Fender Rhodes invade an intoxicating two-chord vamp on “Downtown”; fellow Detroiter Amp Fiddler adds soulful auto-tune to the blissful “Got Me Coming Back Right Now.” He even manages to find a fresh way to incorporate Camille Yarbrough’s “Take Yo’ Praise,” most famously sampled by Fatboy Slim, into one of the album’s hardest-charging tracks.

5. Polo G - Die A Legend - Way back in 2011, long before he became rap’s first Pulitzer Prize winner, Kendrick Lamar took a moment to explain his ethos on the outro to his breakthrough Section.80 tape: “I'm not on the outside looking in/I'm not on the inside looking out/I'm in the dead fucking center, looking around.” It was a bold statement, but one that Kendrick’s managed to live up to, and finally we’ve found another artist with the ability to achieve all-seeing perspective on record: Chicago 20-year-old Polo G.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been blown away by a new rapper like I was by Polo G in 2019. He possesses a rare combination of melodic mastery and writerly observation, painting a vivid (if bleak) picture of his life on the South Side. His debut project Die A Legend is packed with unflinching observations about the reality of his situation, he touches on his former pill addiction on “Battle Cry” and he reminisces about talking to his younger sister through a prison phone on “Through Da Storm.” As dark as the subject matter can get, Polo never crumbles under the pressures of poverty or fame, staying afloat with crisp melodies that mix the emotional honesty of Lil Durk with the radio-ready slickness of Wiz Khalifa. He’s already mastered the art of the rap ballad, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

4. Helado Negro - This Is How You Smile - This Is How You Smile overflows with warmth, inspiring a feeling I don’t often get from music. Listening to it feels like a long-awaited return to a physical place of comfort--a childhood bedroom, perhaps, or a reading nook in a favorite library. Our tour guide is Roberto Carlos Lange, an expert sound designer whose plainspoken, pleasantly nasal voice might be the friendliest sound in music today. The album is comforting, yet unpredictable, with songs that range from synth folk to bedroom pop to ambient field recordings, and feature lyrics that vacillate between English and Spanish. Highlights include the bouncy “Seen My Aura,” calling to mind a collaboration between The Brothers Johnson and Ariel Pink, the sweeping and mesmerizing “Running,” combining trap drums and Budd/Eno piano, and my favorite, the devastating acoustic ballad “Todo lo que me falta.”

3. Jamila Woods - LEGACY, LEGACY! - Jamila Woods has a gift for expressing complex intellectual and musical ideas in deceptively simple ways. Her melodies are like nursery rhymes, her lyrics are cutting and conversational, and with LEGACY, LEGACY! she delivers a fiery blend of artistry and activism that rivals peak Gil Scott-Heron. These songs are bold and truthful, tackling heavy subject matter with a delicate touch, commenting on cultural appropriation on “MUDDY” (“They can study my fingers/They can mirror my pose/They can talk your good ear off/On what they think they know”), sexual assault in “SONIA” (“I remember saying no to things that happened anyway/ things that happened/I remember feeling low the mirror took my face away”), and the value of protest on “OCTAVIA” (“It used to be the worst crime to write a line/Our great great greats risked their lives, learned letters fireside/Like a seat on a bus, like heel in a march/Like we holdin' a torch, it's our inheritance”). With songs named after her artistic heroes (a convention that has become a bit trendy, as Rapsody and Sons of Kemet have pulled similar tricks for their recent projects), LEGACY! LEGACY! Is Woods’ audacious attempt to establish herself as an heir to that formidable tradition--one that succeeds without reservation.

2. Raphael Saadiq - Jimmy Lee - A force of nature with one of the most underrated back catalogs in the game (he made hits with Toni, Tony, Tone in the 80s, was a major force behind Neosoul in the 90s and 00s, and produced Solange’s A Seat At The Table in 2015), Raphael Saadiq’s latest is his most powerful effort yet, inspired by the tragic tale of his older brother Jimmy Lee, a heroin addict who died of HIV.  Jimmy Lee tries to find the universal through the personal, taking a deep look into how drug addiction can tear a family apart. Throughout the project, Saadiq approaches his brother’s illness with radical empathy, singing from his perspective on the dangerously alluring “Something Keeps Calling,” and the zonked out “I’m Feeling Love.” He uses his personal tragedy as a springboard to talk about larger issues on the twinkling, self-explanatory “This World Is Drunk,” and the seething spiritual “Rikers Island.” The album veers from style to style, connected with a sound effect that mimics a channel changing on an analog TV, encompassing Prince-like grooves, languid quiet storm, simmering funk in the late Sly Stone mold, and taking detours into hip-hop and traditional gospel. Connecting it all is Saadiq’s raw passion, echoing the pain of everyone who’s lost someone to substance abuse, and singing as if his tenor is the only weapon powerful enough to end the epidemic.

1. Yves Jarvis - The Same But By Different Means - There’s a song on The Same But By Different Means called “Constant Change,” in which Jean-Sebastian Audet layers his voice into a cacophonous symphony and repeats the title phrase for 30 seconds til he reaches an abrupt crescendo. In his first project under the name Yves Jarvis (the 22-year Montreal native used to record under the name Un Blonde), “Constant Change” is his animating philosophy, guiding each second of the most surprising masterpiece of the year. A thrilling and unpredictable effort, The Same But By Different Means overflows with sonic and melodic ideas, shifting and beguiling with unexpected shifts and sounds. The album gets its power from this fluidity--sounds burst into the mix and fade away without notice; songs mutate from one genre to another (traces of freak-folk, tropicalía, funk, and a lot more) within the span of 2 or 3 minutes. It’s a hazy, dream-like collage, at times evoking the likes of Nick Drake, Joni Mitchell, and Nicolas Jaar; the least expected sound-a-like occurs on “That Don’t Make It So,” which could easily be mistaken for an outtake from D’Angelo’s Voodoo. No hour of music in 2019 was more calming, yet more invigorating than this one--an eclectic and restless monument to Audet’s creativity and an addicting, absorbing soundscape. I listened to hundreds of albums this year, but none of them hit me quite like this one.

THE REST:

11. Cate Le Bon - Reward  12. Big Thief - U.F.O.F./Two Hands  13. Vampire Weekend - Father Of The Bride 14. Jay Som - Anak Ko 15. Raveena - Lucid 16. American Football - American Football 17. Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains  18. Kelsey Lu - Blood 19. Pivot Gang - You Can’t Sit With Us 20. Gunna - Drip Or Drown 2 21. Great Grandpa - Four Of Arrows 22. G.S. Schray - First Appearance 23. Bandgang Lonnie Bands - KOD 24. Marika Hackman - Any Human Friend 25. Mavi - Let The Sun In 26. Spellling - Mazy Fly 27. SAULT - 5 / 7 28. Juan Wauters - La Onda De Juan Pablo 29. 75 Dollar Bill - I Was Real 30. Maxo Kream - Brandon Banks 31. Brittany Howard - Jaime 32. J Balvin & Bad Bunny - Oasis 33. Rio Da Yung OG - 2 Faced 34. Desperate Journalist - In Search Of The Miraculous  35. Angel Olsen - All Mirrors 36. 03 Greedo - Netflix & Deal/Still Summer In The Projects 37. Doja Cat - Hot Pink 38. Lambchop - This (Is What I Wanted To Tell You) 39. Sada Baby - Bartier Bounty 40. Rucci - Tako’s Son 41. Floating Points - Crush 42. Bat For Lashes - Lost Girls 43. Young Thug - So Much Fun 44. Samthing Soweto - Isphithiphithi 45. Kim Gordon - No Home Record 46. Sandro Perri - Soft Landing 47. Anthony Naples - Fog FM 48. Quelle Chris - Guns 49. Sleater-Kinney - The Center Won’t Hold 50. Tyler, The Creator - IGOR

Honorable Mentions:

Billy Woods & Kenny Segal - Hiding Places Caroline Shaw & The Attaca Quartet - Orange Leo Svirsky - River Without Banks Martha - Love Keeps Kicking Nilüfer Yanya - Miss Universe Drego & Beno - Sorry For The Get Off The Japanese House - Good At Falling Tree & Vic Spencer - Nothing IS Something Spielbergs - This Is Not The End Fireboy DML - Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps Dee Watkins - Problem Child Daniel Norgren - Wooh Dang

TOO MANY MORE TO NAME--could’ve listed up to 80

#Burna Boy #polo g #yves jarvis #glass beach #raphael saadiq #jamila woods #helado negro #moodymann #jenny lewis #the comet is coming #shabaka hutchings

[beattalk]

Lil Tracy/Yung Bruh - Heaven’s Witch EP Review

Lil Tracy, formerly known as Yung Bruh, Souljawitch, Sicko Tracy, Magic Tracy, Yunng Karma, Toreshi, Persian Dolphin, Asakufox and many others, has always been a strong presence in the underground music scene. As of late, however, he’s been emerging into mainstream territory. He was raised by artists; his father is part of Shabazz Palaces and his mother has her own solo gospel career. Though he’s typically known for his current work with artists like Lil Uzi Vert and his frequent collaborations and friendship with the late Lil Peep, he has a quite expansive catalogue of music which is typically overlooked nowadays by his newer audience. Archive pages on bandcamp exist just to document and make old Lil Tracy music available to the public, with 30 mixtapes worth of material. I’ve been following Tracy for around two years now, and I’m still finding some of his music I haven’t heard to this day.

He’s explored a broad range of styles in his work, from emo rap to cloud rap to traditional trap, reaching territories no musician has reached before. He’s unpredictable in the sense that music he is making today is almost a completely different genre from the material he made 5 years ago. He dances across genres and classifications with ease and is not afraid to try a little bit of everything. However, throughout my years of diving through his vast catalogue, one project stood out to me the most.

Heaven’s Witch is a small EP released in 2015 which sounds like it came from the depths of the myspace era of the internet, while simultaneously from the future. It’s ridden with ominous noise effects, which greatly adds to the tape’s atmosphere. Tracy’s vocals are doused in autotune and other vocal effects, delivering one of the most unique vocal performances with autotune I’ve heard. His voice echoes over loud, bass-oriented production on songs like switchblade in the club and souljahwitch’s faith, making the songs feel like they were recorded in outer space. The tape as a whole has a celestial feeling to it. The synthesizers used in the tape’s production feel like they shine, glimmering like sonic gemstones across distorted bass-lines.

Other songs like when i left heaven have a more streamlined and clear vocal effect, featuring primarily his voice. It’s one of Tracy’s longer songs, as they usually tend to be shorter in length, but this is a completely different story. The song focuses on his vocals as he croons expressions of love under a heavy compressor. The lyrics of the song blend a traditional love song with the glamorous star-studded dark aesthetic Tracy is known for. “I'ma ball til I fall, that's what Souljahs do, but that money don't mean shit if I'm close to you,” proclaims Tracy. It is perhaps the most wholesome song he’s made.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of the project is the sheer aura it creates. It feels like a journey through a gemstone-studded galaxy. The album cover itself, depicting an extremely low-resolution photo of Tracy with angel wings juxtaposed onto a background filled with tribal patterns, hearts, and other elements likely to be found on a 2008 scene myspace page, reflects this very idea. The project was extremely ahead of its time in its use of distorted bass and heavy autotune and vocal distortion, while simultaneously making the listener reminisce the early days of social media.

Heaven’s Witch is certainly one of Tracy’s most overlooked projects in my opinion. For new Tracy fans, I highly recommend checking this and his plethora of other projects under the Yung Bruh moniker (particularly Tracy World and Vintage LSD Compilation), as there is much more to Tracy than his affiliation with other rappers. I give this EP 8/10 stars, and I firmly believe it is his best work.

[musexmelrose]

—✩ TASK 001 ; DIG A LITTLE DEEPER ! [PART ONE]

“ You gotta dig a little deeper, find out who you are. You gotta dig a little deeper, it really ain’t that far. When you find out who you are, you find out what you need — blue skies and sun shine guaranteed. ”

BASIC INFORMATION.

What is your character’s full name ? Melrose Alexia Pomene  How is it pronounced ? Mel-rose | Ah-lex-ee-ah | Pah-mean Is there a meaning behind it ? her mother really wanted a name that was unique and beautiful, her father really wanted a Grecian name, SO her mother named her Melrose after the city that she met her husband in, and her father got to choose her middle name Does your character have any nicknames ? Mel; Melly When and where were they born ? February 23 1999 in Carthay, California What’s their zodiac sign and what traits do they most relate to ? Mel is a pisces and relates most to these traits: artistic talent, strong emotion capability, & idealism What’s their nationality ? American/Greek What’s their occupation ? Rising Star Student What gender do they identify themselves as ? Female

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

What’s their eye color ? Hazel Do they wear glasses or contacts ? No  Hair color ? Dark Brown Have they ever dyed their hair or wanted to ? She’s never dyed it but is open to the idea ! Height ? 5' 7'' Body build ? Slim Do they have any birthmarks ? no Do they have any piercings or tattoos ? A few small piercings on her ears, no tatts yet If not, do they want to get some ? P o s s  P o s s Do they have a healthy life style ? ooooh yeah. to mel, her body is a temple and she tries very hard to keep it healthy from the inside out How easy do they get sick ? Mel has a great immune system, so when she does get sick she gets SICK and feels like death Any marks on their body ( injuries, … ) ? she has a noticeable scar that wraps around her ankle, sort of like an anklet, from an accident that happened during her first ever performance she fell down the stairs of the stage she doesn’t like to talk about it and will avoid this story at all costs What’s their personal style/how do they like to dress ? mel doesn’t really have a set style as she tries to change things up a lot-- but you can bet she always tries her best to look damn good What is their favorite and least favorite feature about themselves ? she likes her hair but gets insecure about her smile

PERSONALITY.

Positive traits ? creative, passionate, focused, fun-loving, romantic Negative traits ? dramatic, vulnerable, obsessive, sensitive, stubborn What do they consider to be the best and the worst part of their personality ? mel prides herself on her creativity but sometimes resents her over-sensitivity Are they more extroverted or introverted ? EXTROVERTED Any talents ? YEAH BABY : singing ; acting ; dancing ; can play 5 instruments ; can cry on command ? is that a talent ?? yes What are their fears ? Failure in fulfilling her dream Do they have any phobias ? a little bit of claustrophobia, sad clowns kind of weird her out ?, atychiphobia – the fear of failure What is their soft spot ? she’s such a sucker for roses, if you ever piss her off-- a bouquet of roses will usually do the trick... or a kitten... or dark chocolate  List 3 pet-peeves they can’t stand ? chronic lateness ; “no offense...” ;  slow walkers

EDUCATION.

How far did they go in school ? Are they still studying ? Still studying! She’s currently in her freshman year of college Do/Did they like school ? Sure! of course sometimes she’d rather spend her time elsewhere, she likes to learn and loves the freedom and the fact that many of her friends are right there with her What type of student are/were they ? Mel tries excel in every class she takes, which causes her to usually be a very good student. however sometimes, when classes are hard, boring, and don’t interest her... she can tend to slack off What is/was their favorite subject ? theater & music And their least favorite ? math whose with me ? What were they/would they have been voted as “most likely to…” in the yearbook ? “Most likely to become famous”

FAMILY.

Who are your character’s parents ? Zeno Pomene & Meena Syne (maiden name) How would your character describe them ? THE BEST, Melrose adores her parents. they are v busy people so they aren’t around as often as she would like them to be but not to the point where its a negative impact on her life. they are her number one fans and haven’t missed even one of her many performances. they are inspirations to her. Do they have any siblings ? nope ; but she thinks of her Gospel Truth gals as sisters Are they close with their family ? very, her family means everything to her and are her biggest supporters

ROMANCE & SEXUALITY.

What’s their romantic and sexual orientation ? heteromantic/heterosexual Are they seeing anyone right now ? no but lonely babe likes to dream Have they ever been in an relationship ? not yet forever alone Have they ever been in love ? not yet but a girl can dream How easy do they fall for someone ? SO easily In their view, why didn’t any past relationships work out ? she believes she’s never had one because of her ambition and standards. she’s so dedicated to her career that she’s never had time to devote her love to someone or her attention to finding her prince charming What do they look for in someone ? passion and romance; someone who views love as art Do they believe in love at first sight ? or fate ? both ! she’s a hopeless hopeless hopeless romantic What’s their views on romance ? Do they go after it or avoid it ? SHE LOVES ROMANCE Did they have their first time already ? How was it in their point of view ? lil baby mel is still a virgin ; she’s so busy all the time that she’s never really had a relationship and she’s told herself she’s waiting for loveee What is their view on sex ? one of the most ultimate acts of passion; she would never do it in the absence of feelings What are their turn ons and turn offs ? turn ons: emotions, tuxedos, a nice smile, EYES, romance ; turn offs: unromantic, bad hygiene, emotionless, no appreciation for music Were they ever cheated on or have they cheated on someone ? F u c k  n o  Do they want to get married in the future ? Y E S ! Have kids ? possiblyyy?? she doesn’t have time to think about that yet

QUIRKS.

Are they right or left handed ? right handed What’s a word that’s always on their lips ? “music” Is there a saying they keep on repeating ? “be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire” ... well, that and “can i sing yet?” Do they curse ? fuck Yeah What’s their worst habit ? obsessing over things too easily and being FAR too dramatic--  Do they drink or smoke ? How frequently ? she’s done both but usually sticks to alcohol when the evening calls for it or a glass or two of wine every monday night for The Bachelor Are they an early bird or a night owl ? she can dabble with either BUT she LOVES night life and is use to staying up late due to long hours of rehearsal, songwriting, and performances How tidy is their room ? very neat and organized and vv aesthetically pleasing How long to they usually take getting ready in the morning ? depends. can be 3 minutes or 3 hours

FAVORITES.

What’s their favorite color ? red-- the color of l o v e ; she’s also keen on purple and gold Favorite movie ? Breakfast at Tiffany’s along with all the tragic romances and rom-coms Music Genre ? don’t make her choose Food ? it’s a tie between Italian & Greek Book ? anything romantic and emotional that probably has a sad ending or anything nicholas sparks Favorite non-alcoholic drink ? that’s a toss up between espresso and cold pressed juice Ice Cream Flavor ? Rocky Road ! OR The Tonight Dough by Benn & Jerry’s Indoors or outdoors ? both?? though the stage tends to be inside...

#carthaytask #carthaytask001 #* . ° ✩ — every rose has its thorns ┊ { head canons } .

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

Post #53–Ted Russell Kamp, Down in the Den

Reviewed by Lyssa Culbertson

When I first laid eyes upon Down in the Den, the latest release from roots artist Ted Russell Kamp, I was instantly hit with a 70s sort of vinyl record vibe from the cover art and design of the material. ‘Twas right up my alley already by the looks of it and I had the feeling I’d dig it, though not wanting to judge a CD by it’s case so to speak, I promptly inserted the new release into my car’s CD player and hit the road. What I heard along my journey was definitive of the artist Kamp is—eclectic, unique, and full of influences spanning decades of musical styles.

With this record, releasing to all platforms on July 24th, it’s obvious Kamp is a man of many talents and a master musician to boot; he effortlessly plays many styles of music and deftly intertwines them into a sound all his own—quite the impressive feat. It’s difficult to label Down in the Den as any particular genre of music, as it’s full of different sounds and utilizes a wide range of instruments to create that distinctive sound—which is perfect, because I feel the best music cannot be pigeonholed, it’s simply felt and exists absent of any categorization restrictions. Influences of soul, gospel, blues, roots, Americana, and country are woven through the diverse mix of tracks on the record, and it works quite beautifully. The record is heavy laden with vibes of Memphis soul mixed with hints of New Orleans and softer, sentimental singer-songwriter pieces and it works so well.

The title track, “Home Sweet Hollywood” features Kamp’s bandmate Shooter Jennings as a duet partner and is full of humorous, yet truthful, nods to what life is like in Tinseltown. It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek but full of wise advice to artists of the world: always make sure the work is more important than the rewards and accolades you may receive. Kamp is preaching to the choir, as that is a lesson everyone needs reminding of in today’s rat race. Money is necessary, yet the root of all evil, so make sure you’re focusing on feeding your soul and not solely on filling your pockets!

If track one doesn’t solidify your opinion of Kamp’s impeccable artistry, you must “Have Some Faith” in track number two. The first tune on the record with the melancholy singer-songwriter vibes I live for paired with an almost haunting bluesy mood possesses a beautiful melody full of slick guitar riffs with lyrics oozing heartache as an ode to a broken relationship. In this song, the character cannot get over what he and an ex-lover had and is begging her to have some faith and see it through. While heart-wrenching, Kamp’s songwriting here lends a relatable edge to the notion of broken bonds once thought to be forged in steel, but alas, even steel can cannot withstand everything.

A continuation of the theme of lost lovers, albeit in a more upbeat way, is found in “Waste A Little Time With Me,” which is one of my favorites off the record. Already by track three Kamp has explored several styles of music in the production, and this tune has a bit of a 50s feel with a rockin’ piano solo reminiscent of some of my most-loved Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard jams. The lovers here are seemingly not lost in the abyss of time, but rather have lost each other in the day-to-day grind of life. What better way to rediscover your lover than by tuning the world out and wasting away a day, or however many it takes?

Following the same notion of trying to hold a relationship together, in “Stick With Me,” Kamp is begging his lost lover to have some faith in the relationship and stay with him versus erecting walls and running away. This song touched my soul because I’ve lived it—I relate so much to the slippery slope of being a flight risk in relationships, on both ends of the spectrum. Words are powerful and all too often the wrong ones manifest into demons from the past that we try to outrun. When Kamp croons “your demons come to get you and you hit the highway,” I feel as if he’s singing directly to me and it triggers something in my heart. In this song, written and performed in a demure singer-songwriter style, Kamp employs a fingerpicking technique and it beautifully adds to the mood of the subject matter. “Stick With Me” is one of the stars of Down in the Den. Listen and let it soak in.

The next track on the record, “Hold On” is also a love song, where Kamp asks his lover to “hold on, and on, and on” and he’ll help her find her way. It’s a bluesy number with a simple chorus, but it packs a punch that I can’t get enough of. Holding onto his songwriting prowess whilst traveling down the musical rails to a bit of a different subject, track number 6, “Hobo Nickel,” also incorporates some latent blues, but is full of trumpets and a rare banjo solo that gives it a life all its own. It’s such a fun tune, and when I first listened it was reminiscent of Mungo Jerry’s “In the Summertime” with all the different textures and sounds—I dig the groove. The life of the traveling hobo in the song is akin to the life of a traveling musician, and is one I can certainly relate to as a Gypsy soul who follows where the music leads me whilst traveling to write. The freedom of the road that Kamp bemuses is why I, and many others, do what we do. “It ain’t easy, but it’s easy to love, Anybody can join but it’s a mighty small club, Got no destination and no place to be, But it’s an open invitation, Won’t you travel with me?” Those lyrics make me grin like the Cheshire cat, and I suggest you stick your thumb in the wind and let continue to let Kamp take you on a lyrical adventure full of twists and turns—as no track is the same as another.

The final track on Side 1 of the record is “Rainy Day Valentine.” It’s a mellow love song full of metaphors that paint a picture of the love felt for the woman in the song who won’t ever fully be his except in the throes of the literal storms outside and the figurative ones in her mind, despite being a consistent entanglement on those rainy days. With “eyes [that] are like the sunrise on the ocean,” she ebbs and flows like the tide, and he never knows quite when she’ll show. I think that’s a rather permanent state of the human condition to at some point have a person in our lives like that that we hold on to—so magical, yet something intangible that we can’t quite keep as ours, except in our minds. Kamp has a penchant for saying what many are feeling quite poetically, and it is quite evident in his softer songs.

By track eight, you get to the “The Good Part,” an upbeat little ditty reminiscent of exactly what the song is titled, as the chorus details: “The best is yet to come, And the night is still so young, We’re off to a runnin’ start, We’re just gettin’ to the good part. When I first listened to this track, I felt it was a positive sign concerning the remaining nature of the record—and I was correct. So, while I could ramble on for hours about the exemplary artistry found all over this record, I’ll leave you at this sweet spot and let you embark on a musical journey and dive into Side 2 on your own. With tunes like “Word for Word,” “My Turn to Cry,” “Only Son,” and “Saint Severin,” Side 2 of Ted Russell Kamp’s Down in the Den is “Every Little Thing You Need.” Just as Kamp pleads with the listener to “Take My Song With You” in the final track, I urge you to give this record an in depth listen and discover what it truly means to be a jack-of-all-trades and multidimensional artist. Kamp wrote on every song—along with a host of notable songwriters, produced the record himself in his home studio, and played a list of various instruments on every track, and I believe that’s quite the remarkable endeavor, to play and seamlessly incorporate several styles of music convincingly into something definitive of who he is as a musician. His touch is on every part of this record, and it shows profusely in the quality. If you have an open mind and diverse tastes in music like myself, I think you’ll truly enjoy this record—there is something for everyone.

Be sure to follow Kamp on all the social medias and be prepared for the full record to release THIS FRIDAY, but until then, you can enjoy the first two singles released, “Home Sweet Hollywood” and “Have Some Faith.” I’ve got my hobo nickel and I’m hitting the road, so y’all stay groovy and remember—peace, love, & music.

—Lyssa

—————————

*This is an independent review. The Hillbilly Hippie Music Review was not compensated for this review.

*The opinions expressed are solely that of the author(s).

*These images are not ours, nor do we claim them in any way. They are copyrighted Ted Russell Kamp, Karman Kruschke Photography, and Paul Moore.

*Promotional copy provided for review by KG Music Press.

[jourdepluie91]

How Christina Aguilera's 'Stripped' Album Is Influencing the Pop Scene 15 Years Later 

10/29/2017 by Jeff Benjamin

"So here it is: no hype, no glass, no pretense. Just me. Stripped," Christina Aguilera opens her sophomore album. Fifteen years after its release, pop history has proven that Aguilera wasn't alone in exploring a process of self-identification and declaration that made Stripped a landmark LP still influencing today's mainstream scene.

Released on Oct. 29, 2002, Stripped's actual release marked a somewhat odd time for Aguilera, who was displaying her edgy "Xtina" person via her infamous "Dirrty" video and its accompanying promotions. At time of release, much of the media focused on her outfits and without the ease of YouTube and streaming services, Christina was only able to show a small breadth of the material on Stripped during release week with the second single "Beautiful" going to radio the following month. Yet as the world has now woken up to Aguilera's multifaceted sides thanks to the Stripped singles -- like her vulnerably empowered one (undeniable on "Beautiful"), the rock rebel ("Fighter"), feminist ("Can't Hold Us Down") and introspective hopeful ("The Voice Within") -- it becomes clear how the likes  of Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and more of today's biggest pop stars have followed a similar path, exploring and incorporating these strategies into their careers.

One of the most fascinatingly jarring parts about Stripped wasn't the topless cover, but the wide range of music it covered. While Christina's rivals stuck to a signature sound (Britney Spears' dance-pop helped define an era) or awkwardly tried to hop genres (Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore's flips from bubblegum to sultry pop felt more like a label push than artistic renaissance), Christina was set on showcasing her span of influences and sounds for Album No. 2 after firmly establishing herself in top 40 world. That range was consistent throughout the 20 tracks as she embraced elements of...and take a breath here...Latin-pop and flamenco ("Infatuation"), neo-soul ("Loving Me 4 Me"), jazz and funk ("Impossible,""Underappreciated"), rock ("Fighter"), gospel ("Soar," "Keep on Singing My Song") and beyond. And she sold each and every performance, bringing in the right guests like Linda Perry, Lil' Kim, Dave Navarro, Alicia Keys, Redman and more to help her vision.

Despite introducing the record with a turned-up club jam, Aguilera flipped everyone on their head by following up with a ballad as classic as they come with "Beautiful." Rihanna instantly comes to mind as another musical shapeshifter, able to seamlessly showcase all her different influences throughout albums. But Ariana Grande's latest LPs My Everything and Dangerous Woman also show a huge range of genres and influences (compare "Side to Side" to "Into You"), as did Miley Cyrus on Bangerz, which jumped from its sassy, Salt-N-Pepa-inspired title track to a gut-wrenching ballad, "Maybe You're Right."

Ultimately, Christina defining herself as "stripped" was not an ode to her sexually empowered image, but representative of her peeling back layers and getting to the music and emotions that make up the vocal powerhouse as a human -- including all her darkness, fears and insecurities.

With edgier makeup, outfits, and hair choices, Christina was visually marking her evolution, rocking jet-black hair for half her era, infamously using piercings as a way to cope with trauma, and taking more fashion risks than ever with bold dresses, cheeky pins and lots of see-through. Of recent, Rihanna may have most famously made this artistic jump during her Rated R era that saw her taking a noticeably darker turn (see the songs "Russian Roulette," "Mad House") and her look growing more provocative (with an asymmetrical pixie cut and showing lots more skin), and being more frank about who she was at the time (specifically requesting more somber music).

But the idea of Stripped also represented the topics and hyper-specific experiences that Xtina was examining in herself.

Penultimate track "I'm OK" saw her on the verge of tears singing about the domestic abuse she witnessed as a child, "Walk Away" detailed her inability to leave a toxic relationship, "Infatuation" discussed her first love in former dancer Jorge Santos, as the "Loves Embrace Interlude" gave insight into her fear to let someone love her, almost certainly about then-boyfriend Jordan Bratman. Listeners got insight into Demi Lovato's head via her revealing "Daddy Issues" off her Xtina-approved Tell Me You Love Me album, which explores how the star's estranged father affects her love and sex life. Meanwhile, Cyrus' Bangerz album is essentially the tale of her dissolving engagement with Liam Hemsworth that begins with the tender love song "Adore You" and ends with the aggressively declarative "Someone Else."

And, of course, Stripped lives on for its bold embracing of sexuality.

All four of the aforementioned pop stars have become increasingly aware of the power their sexuality brings in the public eye. Whether it's Ariana seducing the camera while declaring herself a "Dangerous Woman" in the accompanying video, Demi making sexual experimentation "Cool for the Summer," or Miley literally donning her own pair of leather chaps on tour (to which Xtina applauded, "Cheers from one dirrty girl to the next") it all feels like the next steps in the path Aguilera helped build after the likes of Donna Summer, Madonna and Cher.

But today's stars have a much more sex-positive environment and won't have Saturday Night Live making a judgey (and unfortunately quite unfunny) skit, Entertainment Weekly calling them "desperate and shrill," Time referring to them as "hookers," or continuous hatred from other celebrities (did Kelly Osbourne really have a crush on Xtina?). Songs like "Get Mine, Get Yours" talk of Xtina's affinity for casual sex, while "Can't Hold Us Down" includes lines like, "The guy gets all the glory the more he can score / While the girl can do the same yet you call her a whore." Who else was talking like that and owning it with an equally open and sexually positive image in 2002?

If people had been paying attention to the full story instead of just the leather chaps, they would have seen the grand vision Aguilera was unfolding and her influence would be much more widely recognized on today's pop scene. The Thursday before Stripped's release, Christina delivered a short set at Chicago radio station B96's Halloween Bash. She performed "Dirrty" and "Get Mine, Get Yours," but during her performance of "Beautiful" -- one of the first live renditions of the future Grammy-winning song -- the instrumental track started skipping so Xtina asked for the music to be cut and busted out an a cappella performance with her backup singers before wrapping it up with the bluesy "Impossible." Yes, getting dirrty help introduce the world to the new Xtina, but the deeper messages of individuality, positivity, hopefulness and above-all-else confidence that came with that introduction have only recently begun to be embraced and recognized in pop music. Whenever that next album comes -- it's soon right, Ms. Christina Maria?!? -- one can only hope her shape-shifting legacy fuels more empowering, exciting artistry.

#christina aguilera #billboard #pop #pop music #music #early 2000s #2002 #2003 #stripped #xtina #dirrty #can't hold us down #lil' kim #fighter #the voice within #rihanna #demi lovato #miley cyrus #ariana grande #britney spears #beautiful #empowerment #feminism #influence #linda perry #alicia keys #soul music #soul #fierce #dark

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 3rd November 2019

I apologise for how late this will probably end up being posted, but we have a big week to talk about, with EIGHT new arrivals, two from Selena Gomez, three from Kanye West and two appearing here in the top 10 so I’m just going to get through everything as soon as possible to the best of my ability, although this week has several...mishaps on the BBC page to say the least, so I’ll try to correct them if I can, and I have had to wait for my week of non-stop Weezer listening to end or for me to accidentally slip up and listen to something else so I could actually write about the new arrivals here.

Top 10

Interestingly, none of the nonsense that this chart week ensued seems to appear in the top 2 or shake the #1 at all, as “Dance Monkey” by Tones and I is at its fifth consecutive week at the top of the UK Singles Chart.

“Ride It” by Regard featuring Jay Sean – well, it’s actually a remix of a Jay Sean single but just let me relish in the fact Jay Sean is on the charts again – isn’t moving either at number-two, the runner-up spot.

The first impact that we can see at the top level of the charts is the debut at #3 for Selena Gomez’s first US #1 “Lose You to Love Me”, which the BBC has interestingly misspelled as “Loose You to Love Me”, her 13th UK Top 40 hit, fourth top 10 and highest-peaking song ever, after “It Ain’t Me” with Kygo peaked at #7. We’ll talk more about Selena Gomez’s two new arrivals later.

Thanks to Gomez, Post Malone’s “Circles” is down one spot to number-four.

At number-five is Ed Sheeran with “South of the Border” featuring Camila Cabello and Cardi B, down three spots this week to number-five.

We have our second new arrival within the top 10, at number-six, “Follow God” by Kanye West from his ninth studio album, JESUS IS KING. He has several songs debuting here in the UK Top 40 this week, so we’ll talk more in-depth about his mini-album bomb later on, but this is his 44th UK Top 40 hit, which is crazy impressive, and his 20th top 10.

At number-seven, boosted up 11 spots by an Ariana Grande remix, is Lizzo with “Good as Hell”, making it officially her biggest song in the UK and her first top 10 hit, as well as Grande’s 16th.

Up two spaces to number-eight this week is “Memories” by Maroon 5.

Down two spaces from last week, we have Dermot Kennedy at number-nine with “Outnumbered”.

Finally, at #10, to round off the top 10, we have Lewis Capaldi’s “Bruises” down four spaces from last week.

Climbers

Naturally, there aren’t many climbers here because of the album bomb and influx of new arrivals, but we do have some unfortunate boosts for “hot girl bummer” by blackbear up five spaces to #25... and that’s all.

Fallers

Fallers on the other hand... we could split this up into genre, actually.

For pop, rock and EDM, we can start with “Lights Up” by Harry Styles deservedly flopping six spaces down to #17, then continue with “10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber down 12 to #29, “Higher Love” by Kygo and Whitney Houston down eight to #31, “Sorry” by Joel Corry featuring uncredited vocals from Hayley May down 10 to #32 and finally “Don’t Call Me Angel” by Ariana Grande featuring Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey down 13 to #39 – but that’s not all.

For hip hop and R&B, we have “HIGHEST IN THE ROOM” by Travis Scott down seven to #12, “Be Honest” by Jorja Smith and Burna Boy down five to #14, “Professor X” by Dave down seven to #21, “Take Me Back to London” by Ed Sheeran featuring Stormzy and remixed by Sir Spyro featuring Aitch and Jaykae down nine to #28, “Playing Games” by Summer Walker down nine to #33, “Ladbroke Grove” by AJ Tracey down 10 to #35 and finally, “Taste (Make it Shake)” by Aitch down nine to #39... but again, that’s not all.

Dropouts & Returning Entries

We have no returning entries but we sure do have a lot of dropouts, some of them genuine hits such as “Strike a Pose” by Young T & Bugsey and Aitch out from #36 and “Beautiful People” by Ed Sheeran featuring Khalid out from #39, hits that never really hit the landing with the British general public but have been on the middling section of the charts for a while and could easily rebound like “Motivation” by Normani out from #27, “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo and remixed by DaBaby from #31, “frick, i’m lonely” by LAUV and Anne-Marie out from #32 and “Lalala” by Y2K and bbno$ and remixed by Carly Rae Jepsen and Enrique Iglesias out from #37, as well as some genuinely premature drop-outs such as “Graveyard” by Halsey out from #29 and finally, “47” by Sidhu Moose Wala, MIST, Steel Banglez and Stefflon Don out from #38. Now, finally, after all that time spent on stray UK Top 40 observations... let’s talk about Kanye.

ALBUM BOMB: Kanye West – JESUS IS KING

On October 25th, Kanye released his ninth studio album, JESUS IS KING, after missing several release dates and changing name from YANDHI. Kanye, a now born-again Christian, makes a “gospel” album free of any explicit lyrics, accompanied by a short film of the same name. It features an all-star guest list of vocalists and producers, including frequent collaborators Ant Clemons, Benny Blanco and Mike Dean, the reunion of legendary rap group Clipse, trap beat-makers Pi’erre Bourne and Ronny J, and smooth jazz saxophonist Kenny G. Obviously, it went #1 in the US, #2 here, but to mixed reviews – now, I won’t be focusing on the politics that surround the album and I am not very knowledgeable of religion so I cannot really comment on much beyond my understanding of Christianity and arguably more importantly, the lore of Kanye West. Mark Grondin of Spectrum Pulse already quoted more Bible quotes in his album review than I could remember digits of pi, and several people, like DeadEndHipHop, Sean Cee and even Anthony Fantano, whether you like them or not, have made several in-depth discussion videos about whether West’s sudden revelation is a genuine moment for the rapper, a mental breakdown or a cash-grab. I’m here to discuss the music... but even that’s not very good. I wrote a very lengthy review for the album two days after it came out (And before it went through an additional few fixes for mixing quirks, sigh) which will be linked here if I remember, and overall, it was disappointing, a light 4/10 and easily the worst record in West’s discography. Regardless, let’s talk about the debuts here.

#20 – “Closed on Sunday” – Kanye West

Produced by Kanye West, Angel Lopez, Brian “AllDay” Miller, Federico Vindver and Timbaland – Peaked at #17 in the US

Features uncredited vocals from the Sunday Service choir and A$AP Bari(?)

The most memeable yet also one of the most detestable tracks on the album, this is his 45th UK Top 40 hit. “Closed on Sunday” was one of the few tracks set to fail off the pure concept, as the biggest issue with most songs on JESUS IS KING is the lack of development or complete mishandling of great ideas, to the point where there basically is no effort to, you know, write a song here. “Closed on Sunday” is essentially one verse split into half due to a flow switch at the midpoint, and despite a runtime of only two minutes and 32 seconds, it drones on endlessly, with a solemn guitar melody leading into what could sound like a pretty cool, dark ballad, built up by the choir vocalising in harmonies that sound actually pretty great but then the 808s come in and ruin any sense of harmony. Kanye comes in with some of the worst mixing I’ve ever heard vocals have, especially on an album with the budget Kanye has, with a lot of background noise and I can even hear the buttons pressed on the phone or other device Kanye is using to record at about 0:38, which signals a drastic change in how the vocals are mixed, but it’s still shoddy and allows them to have some pretty severe clipping during the “chorus”, until a sudden shift where a turgid beeping sound works as a pathetic excuse for you know, an actual synth, and until now, Kanye’s vocals have not had reverb or Auto-Tune added onto them, so his vocals being drenched in effects actually sounds great here... but he still has a sore throat and sounds like he’s struggling here, although unlike “God Is” and just about the entirety of 808s & Heartbreak, where it adds to the emotive performance, Kanye sounds bored and with no choir backing him like they could have been, the release here just isn’t as cinematic as it could be and it just sounds like a melodramatic Kanye aimlessly spouting random Bible motifs over 808s without taking his daily Dequadin lozenge... and there are no drums... ever. Oh, and A$AP Bari comes in at the end to shout “Chick-fil-A”, abruptly interrupting the beat’s natural progression and making it clear as day that the album is unfinished. Also, speaking of those lyrics, should you really be comparing YOURSELF to a fast food restaurant that donates charity to anti-LGBT hate and pressure groups? That’s not very Christ-like, Ye. It probably wouldn’t matter if they didn’t either, because a thinly-veiled Taylor Swift reference (Yes, I know the Bible mentions “snakes” and “vipers” as much as reputation does, but the two aren’t on good terms so it’s no coincidence in my opinion) and calling God your “number-one with the lemonade” don’t exactly make you sound like a wordsmith. Oh, and A$AP Bari, the uncredited vocalist on the outro, pleaded guilty to sexual assault earlier this year, which again doesn’t exactly sound like a Christ-like thing to be supporting either... but I digress. The version he performed on Jimmy Kimmel with a genuine choir backing him and a brass band is miles ahead of this, so don’t bother with this version, or better yet, don’t bother with this monotonous crap at all.

#19 – “Selah” – Kanye West

Produced by Kanye West, E*vax, BoogzDaBeast, Federico Vindver, benny blanco and Francis Starlite – Peaked at #19 in the US

Features uncredited vocals from the Sunday Service choir, Ant Clemons and Bongo ByTheWay

Now, I’m slightly more positive on his 46th UK Top 40 hit, “Selah”, the opening track (Aside from the short “Every Hour” interlude / intro track which is only Sunday Service) of JESUS IS KING, yet that might actually make it more frustrating and it’s easily the track I come back the least to because overall, it’s actually pretty uninteresting and doesn’t have a true “hook”. It starts with some cloudy synth noodling that sounds kind of cool with the subtle strings but then Kanye comes in with some pretty awfully-mixed vocals that is incredibly unprofessional, teasing his fans for wanting YANDHI, and saying it was coming before “Jesus Christ did the laundry”, and quoting John 8:33 to excuse his “Slavery is a choice” comment, which he’s been trying to respond to the backlash to for about a year and a half now, failing each time. Also:

Pour the lean out slower

Hold up –that ain’t Christ-like. The explosions of marching band drums come in in a similar fashion to “Feel the Love” off of KIDS SEE GHOSTS, and then honestly the bridge, which is insanely repetitive but builds up tension perfectly with Ant Clemons and the Sunday Service choir repeating “Hallelujah” incessantly with distant guitar strings, handclaps and sudden pitch shifts reflecting the change in Kanye’s mindset and the intensity soon becomes a lot more ramped up from now on, finishing the bridge with a pretty beautiful vocal line that the 808s hilariously harmonise with. Then, Kanye comes back in with a verse co-written by Pusha T, and you can REALLY tell, and it’s still awfully-mixed, when there’s no true excuse. He’s drowned out by the bursts of drums and bass as well as the choir’s recurring vocal sample. The best part of the song soon kind of fizzles out in a chaotic outro, in which fireworks literally go off while Kanye screams nonsense as well as “Yeezus” which isn’t exactly Christ-like, but it sounds insane and honestly a tad odd and unfitting for the album, which is supposed to be an uptempo Christian rap album? While there are parts of this song I don’t approve of, especially Kanye, who ruins pretty much every song he’s on... on his own album, this is pretty tolerable, albeit somewhat contradictory lyrically and far from my favourite Kanye track. At least there’s some grandiosity and emotion here.

#6 – “Follow God” – Kanye West

Produced by Kanye West, BoogszDaBeast and Xcelence – Peaked at #7 in the US

I should be thankful for the grandiosity and emotion behind “Selah”, because this sure doesn’t have any of that. How the HELL does this have three producers? How on Earth does this album have 11 people on the mixing and mastering and yet this still sound like absolute gutter trash in my headphones? “Follow God” is easily the least interesting song on the JESUS IS KING album, and that’s pretty impressive for a record that contains the song “Water” with Ant Clemons, yet it’s the biggest and I don’t see why at all. There straight-up isn’t a chorus by any meaning of the word, or its many synonyms, and its dated production almost resembling 90s hip hop in the soul sample from 1974’s “Can You Lose by Following God” by Whole Truth and the genuine 90s groove and funk that is somewhere here in the beat, doesn’t exactly make it sound like a catchy trap banger that would reach the US top 10 in 2019, but it’s there. It’s called by many fans a spiritual successor to 2016’s “Father Stretch My Hands” from The Life of Pablo but other than using the lyric “Father, I stretch my hands”, I don’t see it, mostly because the 2016 effort doesn’t actually have much relation to Christianity outside of the beautiful gospel choir harmonising with Caroline Shaw on the bridge of that single. In fact, that song does a better job at flipping Christian rap on its head – it’s a two-part trap banger featuring verses from Desiigner and lines about... bleached posteriors. This song on the other hand is only one minute and 44 seconds, with one badly-mixed and distorted verse from Kanye that is as repetitive as the mind-numbing recurring “Yeah” vocal sample and prone to making me roll my eyes with its one verse and the... outro of sorts. But since this beat is so minimalistic, surely he wants us to hear what he’s saying, right? Well, no, probably not, because not only is his “wordplay”(?) and half-rhymes embarrassing, but I have so many questions to raise to this drum pattern. I want to interview the 808 and the kick drum and ask what the heck they think they’re doing.

People really know you, push your buttons like type-write

That’s not a sentence. “Like type-write”? Excuse my brief, unsubtle blasphemy, but Jesus.

Every single night, right? Every single fight, right?

The ‘i’-based rhyme scheme here is cool in concept and he finds his way around it pretty well, in a fast-paced rap flow that I actually really like, but it reeks of laziness, especially since not only does he completely abandon the rhyme scheme 55 seconds in but – yes, I counted – his verse is 69 seconds, that’s one minute and nine seconds. To put into perspective, Rick Ross’ verse on “Devil in a New Dress” off of Kanye’s 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is one minute and 28 seconds, only twenty seconds longer than this one, and it includes ten times as much clever wordplay, story-telling, interesting flow switches and bars that are really epic, making the song feel really celebratory of sorts actually – and that’s without the epic guitar solo that precedes it. What a fantastic song. On the other hand, this song is substance-less and Kanye says very little of anything despite how much he crams into every bar in the rapid yet sometimes pretty awkward flow. What he’s supposed to be discussing is his situation with his father and how when he was yelling at him and having a massive argument and fall-out, Ray West told him, it wasn’t Christ-like, leading to a revelation and possibly becoming the catalyst for the already-kickstarted Christian rebirth. Surely, his dad and God are the two most important men in his life, right? Then why does this feel passionless and boring? Why doesn’t this feel genuine? Fellow Christian rapper NF, a white rapper who makes bland piano-lead pop-rap with sung hooks, would call this flavourless, dull and more importantly, grey. It doesn’t feel blue and gold like he wants it to as he uses the colours to imply royalty, luxury and loyalty to God on the album cover and lyric video. This doesn’t show loyalty. You made this in five minutes, Kanye. You made this on a whim because you had an idea and you ran with it but you had no idea on how to actually develop it into something interesting or even listenable. What part of this shows royalty, luxury and a rich, graceful connection with God? This sounds cheap and gross, and frankly incredibly disappointing from such a talented artist. I haven’t even gotten onto the rest of the song, man, and I don’t even want to. “Decimal” doesn’t rhyme with “wrestle”, Kanye. “Wrestlin’ with God, I don’t even want to wrestle”? That’s the deepest you want to go into your confusion and conflict between Christianity and fame? That’s pathetic, as is the random screaming at the end of this track for quirky or emotive bonus points. There’s nothing lifelike or Christ-like about your lifestyle, Kanye West. Get some help.

NEW ARRIVALS

#34 – “Nice to Meet Ya” – Niall Horan

Produced by Julian Bunetta – Peaked at #9 in Ireland and #83 in the US

Sorry to any of the Niall Horan fans who crashed his website when this single was announced, but I have considerably less to say about the rest of these new arrivals than I do about Kanye West and/or Jesus Christ. I have to talk about them regardless of if I have anything I can actually add, and this one is one I’ve actually already heard since I watched the MTV EMAs and he performed it. I thought nothing of it initially, but this is the Irishman from One Direction’s comeback single after his debut studio album Flicker. This is Horan’s third UK Top 40 hit and first since 2017’s “Too Much to Ask” which peaked at #24, and I did not expect this shift to late 90s and early 2000s dance-rock, but I am definitely not complaining. It starts with a catchy piano line that’s pretty Robbie Williams-esque, then the drop comes in and it is killer. The sleek synths decorating the rock drums in a lot of slickness that you wouldn’t expect out of such a meek stage presence add to the chorus pretty well, but the best part of that chorus is the distant pitch-shifted vocal sample yelling in the background, making it feel even more industrial which again is out of character for Niall, the quiet, shy folk boy, but he definitely has the charisma to pull off this type of swaggering, stomping pop rock anthem, and he proves that in the sing-along bridge, where even his murmuring hums stand out, and while he’s drowned out by the cool bassline and drum pattern most of the time, his vocal delivery really is the highlight of the song, even if that is equally vintage and in a way, pretty nostalgic for the era it replicates. Funnily enough, it has the same lack of care for organised structure that “Lights Up” by Harry Styles had just two weeks ago, but the careless, reckless groove of this song works a lot more in Horan’s favour than Styles’. Just saying.

#27 – “Orphans” – Coldplay

Produced by Rik Simpson, Dan Green, Bill Rahko, Max Martin, Angel Lopez and Federico Vindver – Peaked at #14 in Scotland

Coldplay, with their most recent upcoming album Everyday Life, are getting pretty experimental. It’s an hour-long double-album kept a secret until a month before it is set to release featuring a track list full of songs that have odd stylisations like “BrokEn” and share song names with Arabic poems. “Arabesque”, the B-side to “Orphans”, is a storm of nu-jazz trumpets with a Fela Kuti-inspired breakdown and uncredited guest vocals from Stromae, as well as profanity, which is a first for the band. I’m not surprised at all that one didn’t kick off but we are instead left with their 24th UK Top 40 hit and first since “Something Just Like This” with the Chainsmokers peaked at #2 in 2017, “Orphans”, which is a lot tamer of a track to say the least. That doesn’t mean it’s any worse though. It starts with a kids’ choir singing before we get into a tropical rock jam with a funky bassline that I wouldn’t be surprised if Flea wrote, it’s that tight. Chris Martin sounds as focused on Christianity as he did on the Avicii album earlier this year, directly name-dropping Heaven in the first verse, and then joining in with the nonsense words that the vocal samples had been repeating prior to the verse. The chorus is pretty reminiscent of arena rock, specifically “Paradise” I feel as it has that same nasal falsetto but in a lot more palatable fashion, mostly because this actually has groove and you know, a pulse. Yeah, this is pretty great, and I love the bridge of purely the mythical guitar and Chris Martin’s ethereal vocals. Something I didn’t notice on initial listen is how that the song is about a girl, Rosaleem, during the Damascus bombing in Syria from last year (That’s what the nonsense words and sound effects are all about), who is greeted by angels who talk to her about what Heaven will be like, which is “almond and peach trees in bloom” but also a place for her dad to get drunk and talk with his friends so he can feel young again. That’s actually pretty deep subject matter, and together with Niall Horan, I’m glad we can have some fantastic rock on the charts again. “Arabesque” is the better of the two Coldplay songs though.

#26 – “Look at Her Now” – Selena Gomez

Produced by Ian Kirkpatrick – Peaked at #7 in Slovakia and #27 in the US

Man, those last two songs were so powerful and organic, I almost want some disposable garbage to review next. It’ll just be easier. Oh, we have two Selena Gomez songs and a new AJ Tracey single to cover? Perfect, that’s just what I asked for! Yeah, this is Selena Gomez’s 14th UK Top 40 hit and it is awful, but not even close to as offensively bad “Closed on Sunday” or “Follow God” are. It’s just a mistake on all fronts. The passionless vocal samples drowned out in the background that peters out by the verse and the nothingness of the synths and a glitchy beat that abruptly kicks itself out of the mix every other second, as well as Selena Gomez’s weak, whispery vocals don’t exactly scream “passionate, boasting kiss-off” to me. The chorus is absolutely PATHETIC, if it even exists at all – I mean, it’s just a bunch of different sound effects Selena Gomez made pretty much, with her rhythmically humming as if that’s an excuse for an actual chorus with some unintelligible, stuttering and sometimes whispered repetitions of the song title as well as several “W-w-w-w-wow”s that add very little to the song and seem pretty pointless. This is mixed well for the most part, despite the synths clipping at times and Selena’s vocoder-ed ad-libs in the second chorus being way louder than anything else in the mix, but I have no idea what the composers of this song were thinking. What a trainwreck. It almost sounds like glitch-pop to be honest, it’s chaos, and if it were marketed as that maybe I’d appreciate it more, but if this is supposed to be a genuine brag to Justin Bieber asking him to see what he’s missing, he might as well have dated a robot. I think a RateYourMusic user summed it up best: “This is so monumentally mediocre that it barely even exists.”

#22 – “Floss” – AJ Tracey featuring MoStack and Not3s

Produced by The Elements and AJ Tracey

AJ Tracey is a British rapper who had his break out this year and he released his self-titled debut studio album back in February, but it now has a deluxe edition, with five extra songs, this being one of them. I wasn’t exactly impressed with the album as it’s mostly pretty bland Americanised trap fluff with only some promising elements of dancehall (“Butterflies” with Not3s and remixed by Popcaan), grime (“Horror Flick”) and UK garage (“Ladbroke Grove”, one of my favourite songs of the year) propping up whenever AJ sees fit, but it’s 48 minutes so these moments can’t carry the whole track listing. Lucky for us, he’s increased that runtime to just over an hour and included a couple more boring trap songs to listen to. Joy. This is AJ’s seventh UK Top 40 hit, MoStack’s eighth and Not3’s sixth. This song relies on a pretty sweet falsetto vocal sample under a surprisingly energetic trap beat, with some pretty nice steel pans and cowbells in addition to the skittering hi-hats and 808s. AJ Tracey is pretty okay here, but I feel with these lyrics and beat he could have gone for a faster and more impressive flow than what he brings out here. I’m still in love with his “bling-blaow” ad-lib though. MoStack is embarrassing as always, with an oddly-mixed verse and sometimes off-beat flow, with the most obvious difference between him and AJ being that there aren’t any ad-libs or multi-tracked vocals, which is mostly the same with Not3s’ non-existent and actually pretty unnecessary bridge (He should have just added to the final chorus, though his last few bars sound nice). Mo does have a pretty funny line about how you wouldn’t be able to notice him on CCTV and would confuse him with Dave though. This is better than I expected, but still nothing of interest to me. Sorry.

#3 – “Lose You to Love Me” – Selena Gomez

Produced by Mattman & Robin and FINNEAS – Peaked at #1 in the US

Now, much like Coldplay, Selena Gomez also released two lead singles, however both charted and they are drastically different to Coldplay’s, quality-wise at least. This is supposed to be the big massive smash ballad hit that hit #1 in the US, becoming her first ever song to reach that peak, but I can’t bring myself to care, because honestly, this is one of her least interesting singles she’s ever released. Out of all of her songs, including some I actually like such as “It Ain’t Me” and “Same Old Love”, this seems like one of the most unlikely #1s yet it tugs at our heartstrings with the pianos from FINNEAS, Billie Eilish’s brother and producer, and it’s about how Justin Bieber dumped her with wordplay revolving around “purpose” – wow, it’s almost like she’s talking about Justin Bieber’s ALBUM, Purpose! Ugh, her mind! Okay, I’ll stop mocking her fanbase and the general public, because this really isn’t a bad song. Selena Gomez can’t sing, so through thinly-veiled Auto-Tune, the producers cleverly multi-track her vocals to create a grand, powerhouse chorus out of the repetition of “To love, to love, yeah” and because it’s a pop ballad, the vocals can be breathy and untrained and it’s fine, right? It’s a ballad, it doesn’t need to be perfect, and hence we can take advantage of the complete lack of singing talent this person has. I don’t know, it just seems so cliché and predictable to me. You can only tell it’s a FINNEAS beat once the second verse hits and the synths get jerkier with the bass wobbles, and he usually has a pretty signature sound, so yeah, that’s the best way to put it. Or, perhaps, this song is also so monumentally mediocre that it barely even exists.

Conclusion

Again, I’m sorry this is out so late but it was a big ordeal to write, especially due to all the Kanye songs. I’ll try and get the next one out a lot sooner, I assure you, but there’s an album bomb this week too, so we’ll see about that. Anyways, the Best of the Week is going to Coldplay for “Orphans”, who just barely edged out Niall Horan, who gets the Honourable Mention, with “Nice to Meet Ya”. Worst of the Week should be obvious, in fact, it’s not going to a song, it’s going to three songs, all by Kanye West. “Saleh” isn’t all that bad, but JESUS IS KING was such an immense disappointment that I think he should be crowned Worst of the Week based on not only “Closed on Sunday” or God forbid “Follow God”, but also on principle alone. The Dishonourable Mention is going to Selena Gomez for “Look at Her Now” for being hilariously misguided in the production area, Jesus. I’m going to wrap this week up with a Top 40 ranking of the whole chart on Twitter, which I’ll try to do bi-weekly, no guarantee, so follow me there @cactusinthebank for more musical ramblings and shoddy attempts at humour, and I’ll be seeing you here again next week. Peace!

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/chaka-khan-why-she-gets-annoyed-by-her-tuneful-greeting/

Chaka Khan: Why she gets annoyed by her tuneful greeting

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Khan has won 10 grammys over her career

Chaka Khan is officially back.

Mind you, she’s one of those artists who has never really gone away – such is the breadth of her back catalogue.

Along with her big hits, there are the songs you didn’t realise were even sung by her; the covers by newer artists in ode to her; and the samples used on tracks by the likes of Kanye, Eminem, Bryson Tiller and Stardust.

But despite having recorded, by some estimates, over 2,000 songs – I Feel For You remains her only UK number one.

The 1984 track is the one starting “Ch-Ch-Chaka Khan” – which is the first thing anyone could say to me when I told them I was interviewing the star.

I ask the 65-year-old Queen of Funk whether it annoys her when people say it directly to her (as if they dare).

“Yes. Yes it does,” she says unequivocally.

You must have had it for over 30 years now, I tentatively suggest. “Yes – and I’ll have it for the next 50 as well… sure,” comes the response, before conceding: “It was a great track. It’s a mixed blessing – like many of my songs are.”

I Feel For You was itself a cover of a 1979 electro/synth album track by Prince, before being turned into a beat-laden R&B/hip-hop crossover anthem.

Khan – real name Yvette Marie Stevens – later went on to work with Prince when he produced her ninth studio album Come 2 My House in 1998.

“He was a genius,” she says of the late musician. “It was amazing and I’m so thankful that I got to work with somebody who was so like-minded, musically.

“It took us two weeks to do that whole CD – which is an indicator of how brilliant he is.”

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Khan performs I Feel For You with Prince and Stevie Wonder in 2006

Khan reflects on her relationship with the Purple Rain singer: “He was a good person. We were like brother and sister and loved each other very much. You miss people like that always.

“I thought that about Aretha [Franklin] too. That if Aretha ever left, the world wouldn’t be the same, and it isn’t. It feels very different without her on the planet.”

In fact, the last time we saw Khan, she was singing a powerful nine-minute rendition of gospel song Going Up Yonder at Franklin’s funeral.

Many media outlets reported on the fact Khan had the words of the song on the back of a fan she was holding.

“That was not supposed to be the focus,” she says forcefully. “The focus was that I was there to pay my respects to my sister, before she went off – not that I had to put my words on the fan.

“It’s so trite,” she adds. “How sad this business is that we’re in when people force themselves to ponder and to focus on something like that at such a momentous time.”

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption Khan says it’s “sad” that people focused on the words on her fan at Aretha Franklin’s funeral

She explains the aide-memoire had nothing to do with nerves or the fact the song was unfamiliar: “I’ve been singing this song a hundred years, but I just never learned all the words because I don’t sing at funerals often.”

Khan says she was close to Franklin but appears philosophical about her death: “We were friends. We loved each other,” she says.

“It’s always sad to lose someone – or to know you’re not going to see them any more in your life… on this earth.

“But actually death is a part of life. She fought and fought her sickness for many years and it’s time to just give it up and relax – just go home.

“I was just focused on giving her a good send-off,” she adds.

Listening to her performance at Frankin’s funeral, it’s clear Khan is one of those rare singers whose voice sounds just as amazing now as it did 40 years ago.

“I don’t have any magic potions,” she promises. The I’m Every Woman singer puts her amazing talent down to “a lot of rest and the grace of God”.

Over her extensive career, Khan has covered almost every genre and is now releasing her first album since 2007, in collaboration with DJ Switch.

The former member of Major Lazer has produced tracks for Beyonce, M.I.A. and Santigold and has now added Khan to this illustrious list, after producing her new album Hello Happiness.

Last summer the lead single from the album – the up-tempo, modern-day disco track Like Sugar – was released and quickly became a tastemaker favourite, with the likes of DJs Pete Tong, Annie Mac and The Black Madonna all featuring it in their setlists.

The rest of the album possesses Khan’s hallmark funk sound – but with an updated almost Ronson-esque twist – especially on track Like A Lady.

“We just met in the studio, it was very simple,” she says on how the collaboration came about. “We happened to bump into [Switch], working in the studio where I was rehearsing some tracks.

“[I] liked what I heard, and thought ‘Ooh let’s put something down together… let’s see what happens’ and we did and I guess we were lucky…”

Khan was indeed lucky, as prior to working with him she’d never heard of the British producer behind hits including Beyonce’s Run The World, and Alex Clare’s Lateness of the Hour.

“I don’t listen to music at all,” she admits. “Because that’s my job. Do you go home and do interviews with your cat? The last thing I do is music when I’m home.”

Instead, she says her favourite thing to do in her spare time is to curl up in bed and watch classic horrors on Netflix.

So will Chaka’s 12th solo studio album be the one to finally see her inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? She’s been passed over five times altogether now – having received three nominations with the band Rufus (including this year) and two as a solo singer.

Image copyright PA

Image caption Chaka Khan performed on The Graham Norton Show last month

“I don’t really care about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” declares Khan. “Frankly, Scarlett, I don’t give a damn,” she says, referring to the famous line in Gone With The Wind.

But in the next breath, it does seem to bother her: “It’d be nice for it to come to an end, y’know. It’s a little like dragging the dolly in the dirt, right now. It’s a bit much. Over and over this recurring nightmare…”

Perhaps more as an affirmation to herself, she adds: “I don’t do this for awards. I don’t do this to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I don’t do it for those reasons, so that’s why they don’t mean a lot to me.

“I focus on the task at hand and try to stay in the present time.”

Surely, it’s nice to have 10 Grammys under her belt though..?

“I wouldn’t know if I had one or 10,” she retorts. “What difference does it make in the scheme of things? Realistically?

“I’m not trying to be mean about it. If every time I won a Grammy, my ticket price went up a million dollars, then, yeh, it would have great meaning to me. Or more meaning to me, shall we say,” she adds, laughing.

So, given the huge, wallet-busting record sales I Feel For You achieved in the 80s – it was certified gold both in the US and the UK – perhaps people quoting Chaka’s name at her isn’t quite so annoying after all…

Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at Toldnewsnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].

[onestowatch]

Governors Ball 2019: 10 Ones to Catch (Who Aren’t Tyler, the Creator or The 1975)

We are only days away from New York’s premier music festival. We are of course talking about The Governors Ball, which is set to take over Randall’s Island Park in New York from Friday, May 31 to Monday, June 3. Featuring multiple stages hosting some of the best names in music, from The Strokes, Tyler, the Creator, to The 1975, there is no shortage of must-catch acts at this year’s festival. 

So, while we are all obviously going to be shouting out every lyric to IGOR before cry-dancing to A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, the question is who are the hidden gems yet to be discovered on 2019’s Governors Ball lineup? Well, we have your list of future stars right here, as well as a helpful playlist to familiarize yourself with each and every one of them.

Easy Life

“I’m trying to lock doors with these musical keys,” is a standout line on Easy Life’s “Pockets” and in many ways defines the band’s musical manifesto. The project of five of the finest lads from Leicester, England, Easy Life exists in an era where genres have given way to innovation and fluidity. Jumping between the vintage vibes of J Dilla, the lackadaisical indie rock of Rex Orange County, and the top-of-the-head storytelling of Arctic Monkeys, Easy Life’s blend of a myriad of genres, influences, and sounds are nothing short of intoxicating.

NJOMZA

The fact that the name NJOMZA translates to “fresh” in Albanian makes perfect sense given a single passing glance at this R&B star on the rise. With a series of ever-changing neon hair, a Kill Bill aesthetic, and an otherworldly blend of R&B and soul, NJOMZA is not just another artist coasting in on a renewed interested in the timeless genre; she is positioning herself to constantly be a step ahead. Her futuristic and constantly evolving sound comes through in spades, whether it be in her own solo work or electrifying collaborations with Party Favor and FKi 1st.  

Elohim

Elohim is the very definition of a commanding one-woman show. The electronic singer, songwriter, producer, and musician entered the music scene a few short years ago, and, in that timespan, has grown to be one of its greatest innovators. Nowhere is this notion more realized than with the recent release of her lauded EP Braindead. Released in support of Mental Health Awareness month, with 100% of the May proceeds going to charities focusing on providing outreach and supporting for those living with mental health issues, Braindead further cemented Elohim as an artist to watch and most certainly catch.

Cautious Clay

“Ever since I started playing music, it was always about the feel,” shares New York–based artist Cautious Clay. It is this intangible, perfectly indescribable feel that begins to explain the wonder of Cautious Clay’s music. Blending experimental indie with R&B and hip-hop, the New York artist crafts utterly mesmerizing works that are often rooted in deeply personal introspection. The end result plays out like an artist vulnerable enough to wear both his heart on his sleeve and let his mind unfurl like loosely-tied-together poetry.  

Chelsea Cutler

Like the best of modern-day artists, Chelsea Cutler got her start with a series of self-produced work on SoundCloud before realizing she had a hit on her hands with “Your Shirt.” The single, which has been streamed over 65 million times on Spotify alone, is only one of many impeccably heartfelt electronic pop gems the artist currently holds in her repertoire. Then there is the fact that Cutler recently dropped a joint EP with Jeremey Zucker earlier this year, the same Zucker who is also on this year’s Governors Ball lineup. Special guest surprise anyone?

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever finds themselves in the unique position of both having the longest name of any artist playing Governors Ball this year and being one of this year’s best-kept-secrets. Self-described as a “tough pop/soft punk” outfit, the Australian band delivers dynamic rock and roll that is underscored by a penchant for dry wit and sprawling lyrical tangents. It is the sort of music perfectly fit for losing yourself in, whether that be in an island off New York or in the band’s fondness for expansive instrumentation that calls to mind the heyday of the art punk movement.  

Ric Wilson

If you were to ask Ric Wilson to describe his music, chances are you would find yourself on the receiving end of a list of genres that are as expansive as the music the Chicago artist creates. Nouveau disco rap, electrified motivational funk hip-hop poet, gospel rapper, and more may begin to explain the colorful world of Wilson, but it feels like we are still only scratching the surface of one of Chicago’s future stars. So why should you go see Wilson? Well, if the above did not make it apparent enough, no one else is quite making music like he is.  

Injury Reserve

Injury Reserve is an alternative rap trio whose music traces a line from the golden era of hip-hop, á la A Tribe Called Quest and Black Sheep, to the daily and political struggles of modern day living. Championed as the next wave of underground rap, the Arizona-based trio will be hitting Governors Ball hot off the heels of their acclaimed self-titled album, which features everything from Elon Musk references to features from Freddie Gibbs, Rico Nasty, DRAM, and Aminé. Plus, as anyone who has been to an Injury Reserve show can attest, there is no shortage of energy to be found in that mosh pit.

Calpurnia

In many ways, Calpurnia reads as act one of a yet-to-be-conceived nostalgia-laden indie film. The project of four teenagers and close friends who all found a shared bond in the classic music of the Beatles, Nirvana, and David Bowie, it felt like destiny that they would come together in the hopes of creating a generation-defining rock band. And with the release of their debut EP, Scout, Calpurnia proved they were well on their way to do so. A phenomenal collection of emotionally-driven garage rock with lyrics that touched upon subject matter well beyond their years, Calpurnia is undoubtedly here to stay.  

Tobi Lou

There is a pervasive effervescence to the music of Tobi Lou. Hailing from Chicago by way of Nigeria, the rising rapper crafts music that is as lively as the animated cover art and visuals that often accompany his idyllic sonics. Yet, this is no mere child’s play. Behind the buoyancy of Tobi Lou’s work is an undeniable gift for spirited hip-hop that is equal parts infectious and brimming with lyrical depth. If you do not want to be kicking yourself come Monday, do not miss out on catching Tobi Lou at Governor’s Ball.  

#governors ball #governors ball 2019 #easy life #njomza #elohim #cautious clay #rolling blackouts coastal fever #chelsea cutler #ric wilson #injury reserve #calpurnia #tobi lou #ones to catch

[terriblyspecificreviews-blog]

Poppy’s Am I A Girl raises more questions than it answers

6 out of 10 stars

Poppy's sophomore October 31st Halloween album release Am I a Girl has been described as "The Most Bewildering Album of Year", "Cold, technical and eerie.", "Spooky Robo-Bubblegum pop",  and "a celebration of all that is capitalist alienation, commodity fetishization, and environmental destruction". This is typical of what you would expect from the "Robot, Satanist, Illuminati Prom Queen" who become a internet meme sensation in 2015 when her disturbing David Lynch inspired Youtube videos went viral, receiving hundreds of millions of views (404,054,129 total views at the time of writing) and thousands of comments providing theories, and conspiracy theories as to what does it all mean.

Context

The first of these videos have seemingly innocuous, mundane and meaningless subject matters; eating candy floss, boredom, having her nails painted, spinning around while holding an umbrella, and a cover of Mac Demarco's My Kind of Woman. There's always an empty pastel coloured background to remove any sense of environmental context with Poppy being the centre focus in the style of Andy Warhol’s screen tests. There's a soft spoken ASMR style quality to the sound production which creates a sense of intimacy with the viewer, as if you the viewer were privy to personal intimate moment; one of the many subtle jarring unsettling aspects to the videos, together with the dissonant ambient soundtracks and Poppy's increasingly robot like delivery as the project developed over time. In this now infamous video Poppy repeats “I'm Poppy” for ten minutes. Poppy and her creative partner Titanic Sinclair (also a pseudonym) have stated there is a storyline to all of these videos, although I'm unsure as to whether this is a put on or sincere, because if there is a story its unclear and ambiguous enough to be open to interpretation, so I'll leave it to the reader to make your mind up as to what that might be. Over time there seems to have been story development however, with recurring characters appearing such as jealous robot plastic doll Charlotte, who released cover album of Poppy track takes, and Plant, who wishes you would stop killing plants; a subtle reference to the issue of climate change juxtaposed with the mundane sentiments of the video subject matters.

In a video review for the Poppy project as a whole, New York Magazines’ Jerry Saltz describes Poppy as “Very derivative art, it looks like a lot of very recent contemporary art about art about art that makes fun of art.” He goes on to link her to contemporary artist Jeff Koons, who through for example his metallic shiny balloon like sculptures reflects the viewer back at themselves. Interestingly Koons has being criticised for producing empty vacuous and meaningless art produced cynically for profit, yet this is one possible interpretation of his work; that he is reflecting the empty vacuous profit driven contemporary art world back at itself in a form of a self referential parody. You can also see this at play in Poppy's work. The video topics on her channel and on producer's Titanic Sinclairs channel are mirroring aspects of popular internet culture back at the viewers, but in a way that seems off and satirical, and yet things are kept ambiguous enough to be indistinguishable from what one might perceive as the “real” thing. It could be that this is a cynical attempt at making money, but this could be seen as a reflection of internet clickbait culture in simply producing content that reach the biggest and most general market possible, which is a pertinent point to make; how many of our present political predicaments are the result of online media outlets sensationalising news for clicks? There are also comparisons to be made with London based electronic music genre PC MUSIC in terms of the themes of Hyperreality and the visual aesthetics, and for example in this video and this video Poppy advertises fictional products, perhaps a nod too PC Music's QT and her energy drink. Poppy perhaps takes this all a step further in starting a new religion for profit with her Poppy.Church and The Gospel of Poppy. Again the lines between satire and reality have been blurred here, but this again could be a satirical commentary on the cult echo chamber like nature of online communities.

Poppy's forray into the music industry was likely always the intention given Titanic Sinclair's history with Mars Argo as a music based project. Her ambient album 3:36 (Music to Sleep to) is a reference to the cryptic video of the same name, and perhaps a reflection of Youtube's countless “ambient music for sleep” playlists. Her music is an extension of the narrative presented in the videos. Her song Adored typifies her bubblegum Electro J-pop inspired sound. 

The message of the video and the lyrics go together. For the whole duration of the video Poppy is just staring down her phone; Looking for “This life I keep hearing about... I wanna be adored I want nothing more”. Is this a cynical reference to people who look to social media for validation and live vicariously through their online personas, or is it a literal reflection of the viewer who also found and watched the video through their phone or laptop screen? Poppy's 2017 debut album Poppy.Computer also explored the hyperreality themes of the blurring lines between “online” “technology” and “real life”. The song Computer Boy is a surrealist love song written about her boyfriend, who also happens to be her laptop computer. In I'm Poppy she asks the listener to “Let me be your queen... Please electrify me, Power my Battery” building on the cult and technology themes, and on INTERWEB she has caught us in her internet.

Album Review

This is an album review, however as Poppy is an internet focused visual art project as well as musical artist the visual experience is as part of the intended delivery as the music itself, so I will include synopsis of the music videos on the necessary tracks. The first single and album opener on Am I A Girl is In A minute. A thumping electro chant similar to the Poppy.Computer opener 'I'm Poppy' presenting a smooth transition in the production aesthetic between the releases, however there is already a darker, melancholic tone to the music suggesting a departure from the happy go lucky parodic sentiment of the previous release and an evolution occurring in this offering into more overtly serious and mature subject matters. “I'll make up my face in a minute.. I'll reform this state in a minute.. Cash my check, got paid, yeah, I did it..I haven't done my nails in a minute" is the repeated mantra, on one level a nod to her previous success and rise to star-dome, on another level she is as always offering a cynical reflection of the values of 'American' or 'Western' (arguably global at this point, but for simplicities sake) Society; she has had time to cash her cheque and congratulate herself, but she relegates 'reforming the state' (please remember the cult forming, I'll be your queen, and 'fake it till you make it' sentiments expressed throughout her work) to the same importance as doing her nails or make-up. The video is a black white and red lyric video with a distorted image of Poppy singing,minimalist like Poppy's earlier videos but seemingly a move to a darker aesthetic compared to the typical bright and pastel music videos of previous years. This is also reflected in recent black and white photographs, and her collaborations and hanging out with the likes of Marilyn Manson and Korn's Jonathan Davis.  

Second album track and third single Fashion After All is another stompy pop track, less in the vain of her staple J-pop / K-pop sound but on a production note similar to the works of Lady Gaga and Jeffrey Star. Lyrically Poppy is just bragging, something very prevalent in today's top 40 pop appropriated from the braggadocio of hip hop, so this is likely a take on that, although the line “I'm revolutionary, relatable and scary, I'm making plans to save the world and I don't need your help” does make me wonder how much of it is a genuinely honest sentiment and we're seeing some hint of intention or climax to the Poppy project.

The next track Iconic is about self confidence, and how easy it is to be 'iconic'. I hear more Lady Gaga style influence here. “You don't have to be flawless, put on a little polish, run the bedroom to the office, you gotta be iconic, in school, they never taught it, don't worry, babe, I got you, and if you really, really want it, you gotta be iconic”. There's a serious point here that the only thing that makes 'celebrities' different from 'non celebrities' is a veneer of confidence and their crafted public perception. This is a genuinely important message when it has been revealed social media is deliberately engineered to fuel insecurity and anxiety, with some social media companies running non consensual psychological experiments on their customers to make them depressed in an age of record teenage suicides and mental health problems. The key words here are “if you really, really want it” there's not much to it, it's just an image; a presentation. This is also a very interesting message when you consider the Poppy starting a religion/cult aspect.This could be taken as a positive message in the sea of apparent cynicism that is the Poppy project, and likewise the song's tone has a very upbeat and positive feel in the context of a slightly darker and more mature album.

The albums second single is Time Is Up, and this certainly takes it to this darker place, musically and with it's apocalyptic subject matter. Probably the catchiest track on the album and probably the most important. Poppy sings from the point of view of an AI robot waking up in a factory, there is a link here to the theme of blurring lines between reality and the internet as Poppy is seen in her videos to become more robot like over time. There's some humour in this opening, which offsets the rest of the songs lyrics in which Poppy's AI character informs us all that while she won't need “air to breathe when you kill the bees And every river bed is dry as a bone.. when the plants have died and the atmosphere is just a big hole”, our time is up; meaning our (humans) self made extinction. She proceeds to inform us we are like cockroaches and extermination is our only hope. The humour here makes it such a hard hitting point. As Contrapoints brilliantly explains and dissects in this video far more succinctly then I have space for here, a lot of Americans have a problem accepting man made climate change despite the overwhelming evidence of it's reality and the absolute necessity of action against it at this point in time. The President is a climate change denier as is his elected head of the Environmental Protection Agency is too, and arguably this is the most pressing issue of our time, so it's perhaps unsurprising Poppy and co chose to deviate from their usual ambiguity and be so overt here. Purely from a pragmatic point of view humour can make things easier for people to accept and so I commend Poppy and her team for pulling this off so well. 

The title track Am I A Girl treads the waters of ambiguity once again however. Taken literally at face value the lyrics are about moving beyond the gender binary, “Am I a girl? Am I a boy? What does that even mean? I'm somewhere in between”. The lyrics seem overly simplistic and lacking in depth and nuance however. As this Vulture article points out, this is an artist who has used lyrics like “Boys aren't even boys anymore” and “You are never in the mood / So come on baby, tell me, are you gay?” in the past. Poppy when asked when she took interest in questioning societies gender constructs replies “When other celebrities started exploring it”, while this could be interpreted at simple sarcasm it does not translate well, and so I think the Vulture writer has good reason to take offence here, this can be interpreted as making light of a very serious issue for the sake of a joke that doesn't even clearly make sense. While I would also like to give the benefit of the doubt here, it's hard to find a practical way in which celebrities drawing attention to LGBTQ+ issues could be taken as something that should be attacked. This is disappointing as it undermines a positive and liberating message for the sake of a cheap shot at celebrity culture. That said, in Time Is Up Poppy said we all deserved to be exterminated, so maybe I'm missing something.

Play Destroy drew some significant hype for the album owing to it's featuring and co-production with electronic artist Grimes, though the process did not go smoothly. There's a significant shift in the sound aesthetic here, continuing on from the track Hard Feeling's introduction of metal guitar riffs, juxtaposed with the J-pop inspired bubblegum pop aesthetic. As catchy as the song is, I can't shake the feeling that their call to “Burn down the local Wal-Mart Monsanto, Raytheon” isn't entirely a sincere anti-corporation sentiment given the once again one dimensional approach to the lyrics and the fact Grimes's partner at the time was Elon Musk. Still musically this is an album highlight for me with it's blurring of genre's and particularly glossy vocal production.

The album finale X takes this genre blurring to an extreme with it's sugary reverb soaked calls to save the world and “empty every bullet out of every gun”, and the screaming metal sections and ridiculous chorus of “Please get me bloody”. The choice to release this as a video with equally juxtaposing imagery to match the music and the overall album theme of a darkening of imagery from the previous album/photos/imagery to this one, and the choice to end the album on this note offers a suggestion of where the Poppy project is going next. I will be keeping track of it as it unfolds, because the deeper I search for meaning here the more unsure I become as to what the intention behind it all really is, and perhaps as New York Magazines’ Jerry Saltz suggested they don't really know what it means or what the purpose is. What happens next will set the context for this one, given the attempts to construct a narrative on this album and in recent Poppy videos, we still don't know what this is and the celebrity LGBTQ+ comment sets a worrying precedent even if it was an ill informed attempt at sarcasm.

I believe that some clarity is needed at some point in the near future, you can only be so vague and tell the same cryptic joke repeatedly before it becomes meaningless nonsense. For the time being I give the album a 6 out of 10 score for it’s well written, glossy, genre bending and frankly fun pop, but I think time will tell how well the album and the project to which it belongs ages.

[thimblings]

AHHH!! YES!! um. prepare your eyes, this is gonna be a long, rambly post because apparently i have A LOT OF FEELINGS and i can’t just list things like a normal person. and i also kept remembering podcasts and the list JUST KEPT GETTING LONGER. so. GIANT TEXT POST, i am so so so sorry. also, there are actually a few on this list that i’m not caught up with (some i’m like REALLY behind on) but i’m still gonna rec them... 

Welcome to Night Vale is the one i’m sure most ppl know of (although! if you have not read the novel, i’d HIGHLY recommend getting the audio book version. Cecil Baldwin does a great job of reading, and the “Voice of Night Vale” sections actually feature guest stars. i really want Cecil to do more audio book recordings omg). but!! along that same theme (radio show in a strange town w/ supernatural themes), King Falls AM is spectacular (ben and sammy are just! a freakin delight i love them). IMO it starts off feeling like it’s trying to be like WTNV, but within a few episodes it finds itself and becomes something unique (i say this bc i was initially put off by the first episode for that reason, and later came back and gave it another shot and enjoyed it immensely). it’s funny, it made me cry a few times, and i reaallyyy really really need to catch up with it. sammy stevens also has….just….a really nice voice hahaaaa The Truth is a great one. it’s mostly one-off short stories, but they’re generally really high quality and the plot of most of the episodes is really thought-provoking or just interesting in general (there’s one ep about aliens who find the Voyager craft with its recording that’s just really charming to me). the tagline “movies for your ears” is really apt. a lot of the stories veer on the side of unsettling/creepy, and it’s great if you like horror stories. i’d also recommend The Black Tapes and its sister podcast, Tanis. i love horror and unsettling mysteries, so these are right up my alley (Tanis is definitely more in the sci-fi/horror genre, but i like how it also digs into real unsolved cases and events). these are relatively well known, at least in that my friends who don’t listen to podcasts have listened to TBT at least. but they’re still great to check out if you haven’t. Limetown is really good, but ends on a cliffhanger and as far as i know there’s no immediate plans for a season 2? (i remember reading something about  them in talks for a TV show? which would be cool, but i’d miss the audio format of it). the first season is worth listening to, because it is really interesting and the audio production is pretty top notch - just be aware that a second season may or may not happen. what i’ve listened to of Hadron Gospel Hour so far is SUPER enjoyable, but i’ve only listened to the first few episodes.  arsPARADOXICA is FANTASTIC (at least the first season and a half that i’ve listened to). sally grissom is a great character and a brilliant and  scientist and i’m just really in love with her. this is a nice podcast because it has very capable women in it and the concept overall is really fascinating and handled really well. The Cleansed, set in a post-apocalyptic US, is well written and overall well produced (there’s one ep that still sits with me, because of a scene that truly unnerved me, just in the music and the atmosphere and the dialogue just ahh) and i’ve been meaning to pick it up again. In that same vein there’s We’re Alive, which is of the zombie variety. i’ve only juuuuust dipped into that one, but i’ve enjoyed what i’ve heard so far. this one has been around for a long time, like WTNV, so there’s a lot of episodes and a lot of content available. THE BRIGHT SESSIONS! i’m really really fond of this one and i just really love it, please listen. it’s about a psychologist who works with people who have “special” abilities, and all of the patients she helps are just so! precious!! i just love them a lot. Wooden Overcoats is a GREAT podcast that is pretty much the audio version of all my favorite British comedies that i watched growing up (think Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served?, etc). it’s a comedy podcast about two competing funeral parlors (one of which is owned by the Funn’s). it’s exactly my kind of humor, and everyone involved just seems really great and kind. Antigone Funn has great lines and HONESTLY i’m surprised i haven’t seen more people quoting her and this podcast because it’s just! really great. and i don’t THINK this is a sister podcast to WO, but i always associate the two because they have some of the same people working on them but - Hector vs The Future is great. again, i haven’t listened to many episodes, but i’d still recommend it. it’s slightly different than other podcasts on this list because it’s actually filmed/recorded in front of a live audience. Homecoming is a short podcast (only 6 eps and the eps are pretty short) that i THINK is meant to be part of a larger, written universe (which i want to check out). it’s about soldiers with PTSD. this one actually has some well-known people involved - both Oscar Isaac and David Schwimmer voice characters and do a great job. The Darkest Night is another one with big names involved - Lee Pace is the narrator, which alone makes it worth checking out. overall, i’ve enjoyed it, but some episodes veer into areas i was kind of uncomfortable with (Tic-Tac-Toe is the one i’m stuck on and why i haven’t finished it yet ahh).  AND OK i really really really like space and space stories and space adventures, so my favs all have that in common hahaha Wolf359 is kind of like. okay, it’s about three people and an AI on a space station, light years away from earth - and the communications officer records his reports by pretending he’s doing a radio show. it starts off fun and humorous and things are great and then before you know it, you are going to be driving from Wichita Falls to Dallas and have to pull off on the side of the road because you’ve started sobbing while listening to it in your car. this podcast is fantastic, with a great cast of characters and strong women and DOUG EIFFEL and just. it’s very good. (i am ashamed to admit that i’m actually SUPER behind on this one. p much, i’m at the point where kepler and crew are on board but i’m only a few eps into this storyline). THIS is actually the podcast that really got me on board with the whole audio drama scene and just like….SCOURING the internet for more that would captivate me in the same way. This one is actually ending with this last season, which i think is a good thing? it’s very plot and character focused and i’m glad that they’re telling a complete story and HONESTLY! i’m just really excited to see where everyone involved goes from here. EOS_10!!!!! similar to Wolf359, it’s about a space station. there are a LOT more people there though (it’s more like an intergalactic hub). it’s about a doctor, his recovering alcoholic doctor-boss who he’s trying to help, a nurse who is spunky and maybe a bit psychotic, a hypochondriac alien-former-prince, and a “alleged” “terrorist” living in the cargo bay. idk this podcast just makes me incredibly happy. the writing is witty and fun, the characters are lovable and flawed, and i’ve listened to the whole two seasons at least 3 times because it just fills me with joy (my favorite dynamic always: assholes who are friends and they love each other but they also just….insult each other constantly. and somehow they save the world? but they’re still assholes). the universe of this show is really interesting without ever feeling like an info dump, and the unfolding mystery is very intriguing. WARNING: this show has been on hiatus for awhile, so there are only two seasons right now. but honestly??? it’s completely worth it. (obvi i’m hoping a third season will eventually come, but i enjoyed the first two enough that i love it regardless haha). and, finally, my current obsession. The Penumbra Podcast. it’s pretty much everything i’ve ever wanted in a series ever - detective film noir, but in space (on Mars), and literally everyone is queer. there’s a main story line (”Juno Steel and the [blank]”) and then one shots between each Juno story. the one shots are fantastic and really show the strength of the writers - sometimes being creepy, other times just being entertaining. The Juno Steel stories are the main running plot, done in the style of old detective radio shows - but also kind of twisting and upgrading the genre to be more inclusive and diverse. Juno Steel is a canonically non-binary and bisexual private eye (also canonically grumpy, sad most of the time, and a huge nerd who laughs at his own awful jokes in HIS OWN MONOLOGUES), and is the type of character you want to punch for being frustrating but who you also want to just…be…happy and protect from the universe. the writing in this is fantastic and beautiful and all of the characters are captivating. even one-off characters have a ton of personality and just add to the diversity/representation of the show. the voice work is top-notch and just!!! it’s so good!!!!! i have so many feelings!!!! (Juno hits close to home for me, with his self-esteem issues and depression and just…yeah, so i gushed about him there. i have a lot of feelings about the other characters but i’ve seriously rambled so much already so I WILL REFRAIN. also? gushing TOO much about a certain someone spoils the enjoyment of getting to know them at the same time Juno does) i REALLY enjoy audio drama-type podcasts so that’s mostly what i listen to. i’m also really into true crime and weird theories and occult stuff, but i’m particular about the podcasts i listen to for that. basically, i get attached to a specific host(s) and it’s hard for me to listen to anyone else talk about similar things haha. so as far as that goes, i love The Last Podcast on the Left (haha i get a bit nervous rec’ing this one because it’s really offensive, mostly in the early eps, and is def not for everyone but honestly!! i just love these boys a lot, and they discuss p much everything i’d ever be interested in ever). this one also led me to listen to Page Seven, which is celebrity gossip but honestly just really enjoyable to me. Two of the hosts from that show (Marcus is a LPOTL host as well) also do another show called Sex and Other Human Activities, which i’ve listened to a bit and enjoyed and deals with a lot of different issues - like sex, but also delving into depression and different things the hosts and their friends have gone through. but as far as non-fiction podcasts go, that’s pretty much it? i’m still planning on checking out Radio Dispatch, but that’s honestly mostly because it’s Molly (from Page Seven) and her brother and like i said, i have a problem. other podcasts i know of and have been meaning to check out: Hello From the Magic Tavern, The Adventure Zone, Pleasuretown, Lesser Gods, Tales of THATTOWN..... and ok, probably others but this has gotten excessive i am so sorry friends (some of the links may accidentally be wrong and i am very sorry)

#thimble talk #text post #long post #anon #ask #podcast rec #if i had just straight up listed them this would have been much shorter but i feel like it's necessary to let everyone know #how much i love audio drama and express my love for the creators

[gingerly-writing]

Writeblr Connects

@writeblrconnections See, I promised you I’d do this eventually :P

Are you interested in finding critique groups/partners? Always Are you interested in being a beta-reader? Can do when I’m free, depending on who wants me, book length, depth of wanted critique etc. Also, only if it’s reasonably well-polished: I’m not helping someone sort out their rough rough first draft. That’s the author’s job, not the beta’s! (Sorry, just had some bad past experiences with this one, though I do genuinely love betaing amazing stuff like @jamieanovels �� stuff). Are you open to being tagged in writing questionnaires/asks/games? Heck yeah Are you open to being messaged to talk about writing? Absolutely! Are you open to being tagged to participate in writing discussions? As long as I’m not being dragged into The Discourse™, sure thing Would you like to participate in Writeblr by Region? I can, but I live in the Uncool™ north of England (Yorkshire), so I’m not sure how many people would be interested Would you like to participate in the Translation Corner? Not sure I’ll be much help here, ngl.      If so, which languages would you like to be listed under? English, I guess, not sure that will be of any use though. I can handle highschool French, and know all the Latin basics plus enough to quote Plato at ya.

Short Profile: Preferred Nickname: Jess/Ginger Country/Region: UK/England Languages: English, a little French, enough Latin for Plato Preferred Writing Type: own novels, novel-length fic. I should branch out into short stories, but my brain doesn’t seem to understand the concept of ‘short’ :P Preferred Genre(s) to Write: fantasy, sci-fi,  Preferred Genre(s) to Read: fantasy, sci-fi, all that YA dystopia/post-apocolyptic nonsense, honestly anything with a little world building, enough suspension of disbelief to keep my brain occupied, and good characters. If you give me beautiful chains of fast plot twists that slot into place like puzzle pieces towards the end of the story, I might kiss you (or the book, if you’re not about that).

Favo(u)rite Books and Authors: ahahahaha, how long to you have? Books, by title (to save me typing out the authors here too): The Host (fight me), Three Dark Crowns, Palace of Treason, Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, The Lies of Locke Lamora, the Gospel of Loki, the whole Chaos Walking series, the Martian, Cinder, I Am Number Four (the first few in the series, but mainly the first one), the Clockwork Angel series, Fangirl...I could go on Authors: Leigh Bardugo (I’m dying to read her Grisha trilogy atm), Patrick Ness, Philip Pullman, Rick Riordan...my mind’s gone blank, ahhhhhh. Honorary mention to half the fic writers I’ve ever read, you guys very often surpass published novels and authors with your skills Favo(u)rite Music Genre(s)/Artists(s): FOB, Panic! At the Disco, Lorde, Lady Gaga, a bizarre scattering across genres from Queen to Green Day and MCR to LMFAO, Lindsey Stirling and Ellie Goulding Favo(u)rite Fandoms:    Movies: STAR WARS, the Man from U.N.C.L.E, X-Men and the Avengers, the DC crew when they chill with the Discourse™ (though God himself can pry Under the Red Hood from my cold, dead hands).    TV Shows: YOUNG JUSTICE, Teen Titans (when it’s good, it’s so good, but when it’s bad...), the Flash (mainly for the Rogues...okay, entirely for the Rogues), Gotham is a fab TV show but I haven’t actually looked at any fic (the tag is a good kind of crazy though)    Anime:   Anime: Attack on Titan, I guess? I’m no weeb ;P    Comics: Mainly related to animated show adaptations, so YJ, Batman, that kind of thing. I feel the need to reference Under the Red Hood again, because all the DC animated films are works of goddamn art, but that one is the greatest thing I will ever see with my own two damn eyes.     Video Games: Not really my thing.  Hobbies/interests other than writing: reading (haha, hilarious, real subversive), golf, badminton, passing my exams

Extended Profile: Personality Zodiac Sign: Taurus —Does it match your personality? Honestly I don’t even now what the characteristics are supposed to be. I prefer the ‘you’re a lemon tree’ kind of tumblr nonsense MBTI Type: N/A since I’m actually an alien —Does it match your personality well? Do I have a personality if I’ve not done this test? Some of y’all...would seem to think otherwise, #js Introvert or Extrovert? Extrovert except for when certain individuals are annoying as fuck

Writing Habits Number/Names of WIPs: One being written currently: The Iron Flower, first book in The Flowers of War series. Numerous fics hanging around including MISFITS, but I’m focusing on original stuff right now. Favo(u)rite book about writing: Oddly, I don’t particularly like books on how to write, I tend to better by picking up how other authors do things well. Palace of Treason is a lesson in how to write a sequel (I didn’t even realise it was a sequel!) and Three Dark Crowns is a masterpiece in writing the descent into cruelty and madness. Books like The Lies of Locke Lamora and Six of Crows also motivate me to improve my plot twists, and set up brilliant chains of events that all come crashing down together.  Planner, Pantser or Plantser? Compared to some people, I don’t think anyone else is a planner. I’m trying my own form of planning for The Iron Flower, and so far it’s going brilliantly. It involved writing out the entire plot in scene form, and then jumping in with no prior worldbuilding or character stuff, which is letting me develop those aspects naturally without getting stuck on where to take the plot next. I think this is a method I might stick with! Favo(u)rite Outlining Method: as above, whoopsie! Do you write on a schedule or sporadically? 500 words a day for the whole of my current project, and because that’s reasonably easy to hit, it gets me writing while also letting me beat my target almost every day, which is a lovely buzz! Any creativity rituals that you use: I sit on the same sofa with my crappy old laptop, I guess. Does that count?

Your Writing Community Tumblr: @writingwritersgroup is my official squad, but I’ve made so many other friends through the general writblr community. I’m a member of the ScriptFamily too. Current writing/creative communities you participate in: Just tumblr NaNoWriMo Community Name (if applicable): sass-master-lucifer (*cringe*, I hate how you cam’t change it!) Wattpad Community Name (if applicable): N/A fanfiction.net or AO3 Community Name (if applicable): a-really-angry-sorceress on FF. I think I’ll keep my AO3 private. DeviantArt Community Name (if applicable): N/A Patreon Community Name (if applicable): N/A

So that’s me finally done! Woah, that took some time. Looking forward to Camp Nano in a group cabin, and everything we do beyond that. Shameless plug for my prompts if anyone is looking for inspiration/wants a challenge among the community! Happy writing xx

#author tag #writblrconnects #writeblr connects #writeblrconnects #writblr connects #writblrconnections #squad #infomration

[voicesforracialhealing-blog]

(via Philadelphia's Bethlehem & Sad Patrick Make Music About Love, Struggle, Healing 03/10 by Voices For Racial Healing | Music Podcasts)

Join me as I chat with and play some songs by Bethlehem and Sad Patrick, members of the Philadelphia-based musical duo Be Sad Music.  We'll talk about their 5+ year collaboration and themes of love, struggle and healing in their music.

Bethlehem, a singer, songwriter and self-described "vocussionist," was described as “Germantown’s next rising star” by WHYY/NewsWorks Philadelphia after the release of her first solo album, “Bigger Than Music”. Sad Patrick, a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, was kicked out of the Calliope School of Folk Music when he started using “jazz” chords. The duo, and their songs about love, love lost, and love that is better off lost, have won audiences over at notable performances at genre-spanning events throughout Philadelphia and beyond.  

“The local duo blends the focused minimalism and poetic lyrics of folk tradition with simmering, freewheeling jazz and blues — slick guitars, soaring vocals, nuanced melodies.” - John Vettese, WXPN The Key and Key Studio Sessions

“Bethlehem brings raw, unapologetic gospel energy to Sad Patrick’s songs. – Homer Jackson, Philadelphia Jazz Project

#voices for racial healing #blog talk radio #podcast #philadelphia musicians #bethlehem and sad patrick #singer songwriter #vocussionist #percussionist