#between the album's visual imagery and its lyrical imagery

[somequicknewmusic]

I'd lower the world in a flood / Or better yet I'd cause a drought.

#it sounds like maybe there was some interest in an exploration of water references in unreal unearth #and how andrew likes to pull a bait and switch #between the album's visual imagery and its lyrical imagery #just like he did with wasteland baby actually being a very fire-centric album #and how we see elements as cleansing and renewing and cyclical forces in his music #so this was fun to think about #with bonus through me (the flood) content #because i still feel like it's canonically part of the album #hozier #unreal unearth #lyrics #francesca #first time #eat your young #i carrion (icarian) #who we are #anything but #abstract (psychopomp) #unknown / nth

[bluewinnerangel]

BIRDS! FOLLOWED BY! THE WIND HELD US UP! That's- he- they- they're the birds. He's. they birds. they're birds.

#do i bring in the thousand notebook references in harry's discography now or #im not saying holding on to heartache works in the larry notebookverse but thats exactly what im saying #there are so many things i wanna add to this like so so so so many notebook and bird things but this alone is too much already #the way hes shaping these visuals in these lyrics like using words to say one thing literally but in between the lines shaping this imagery #so flawlessly just over and over #all throughout this album its just ..fuck

[taylorswiftstyle]

The Tortured Poets Department | April 19, 2024

Grace Lee 'Demi Earrings' - $1,298.00

One of my favourite parts of the album listening experience is, of course, the new set of visuals that come with it. While there’s much to be said about interpreting clues, patterns, and preferences in aesthetic from the case study that candids provide, I view the album photoshoot as the most ‘canonical’ of every era. And oh *swoon* is this one ever beautiful. The original album cover set it up and the rest of the album’s photographs followed through to create a beautifully raw, desaturated world. One that provides ample space between all the black and white for the music to paint with all the shades of grey that its messy, complicated circumstances depict. 

In this particular shot, I love that we get to see Taylor’s hair smoothed out into a more classical glamour shot with a low, off-shoulder garment that exposes her back. Again, underlining the vulnerability of the shoot itself and how that ties into its respective work. The only ornamentation we see is from her modern, curved #GraceLee earrings. 

But what’s most interesting in this shot are what appears to be calla lilies resting on her shoulder. The flowers look so naturally tied into the shot they could almost be the ends of her hair or floral embellishments on the garment. Of course, Taylor being Taylor there’s a lot to possibly interpret from these flowers (the language of flowers is fascinating and there’s a lot of conflicting and wide-reaching symbolisms to each). That said, calla lilies are a common funeral service flower as they’re typically seen as symbols of resurrection and rebirth or purification of a departed soul. Broken calla lilies on tombstones often indicate someone who died before their time. With a lot of lyrical imagery across the album that centers on death, dying, and grief this makes the most sense

The calla lily also has ties to other themes we’ve already seen Taylor opt into for #TTPD. First, the Victorian era, the lily having become popularized in the 1800s (the Victorian age was 1820-1914). Secondly, in Greek mythology as it’s often seen as the symbol of Hera (goddess of marriage). 

Editorial Note: Original cover image captured by Beth Garrabrant - Taylor’s album photographer since folklore. In place of Beth’s image, for which she retains rights, I’ve commissioned a lovely demonstrative illustration by the talented Amelia Noyes.

#taylor swift #photoshoot #jewelry #grace lee #april 2024 #ttpd

[sweetqueerinthesummer]

Taylor Swift and the closet

The closet is one of the most widely known parts of queer culture, and Taylor has been investing it for so long in her art, so I wanted to draw up a list of the way she has been using it, trying to be as exhaustive as possible, so here is everything I noticed:

I Know Places performance

On the 1989 world tour, for the I Know Places performance, which is probably one of the queerest songs by itself on 1989 and one of the first songs in which Taylor talks about a secret relationship, Taylor decides to perform the song surrounded by closet doors behind which she hides, to avoid the media and protect her relationship.

Look What You Made Me Do (part 1: the music video)

In the Look What You Made Me Do music video, Taylor presents herself as locked up, again. She is in a golden cage that reminds us a lot of the visuals from I Know Places on the 1989 world tour (the cages were swinging in the visuals, and she is even on a swing in the music video). She is dressed in a full orange outfit, which is speculated to be the color of Karma, an album that would’ve been released in 2016 had everything with the West/Kardashian family not happened. It is interesting because it will not be the last time this imagery can also be linked to things that happened in her career against her will, but also because we sometime think of Karma as an album where she could have been more free (gay) than in reputation (this should be taken with a whole spoon of salt, the existence of Karma is, to my knowledge, far from proved, and its content is completely unknown, it’s just a theory).

Ready For It music video

Ready For It, as well as its music video, would deserve a dedicated post seeing how interesting it is in terms of closeting and how it lightens reputation as an album and a lot of what comes after. But I'm just going to say that:

Here, on the left, the robot naked locked up Taylor is her true self and on the right is her closeted public persona. 

This is, to my knowledge, the first time Taylor uses the imagery of the glass closet, in the music video of a song about bearding (if you don't know what I mean, go see the difference between the way Taylor describes “he” in the verses and “you” in the chorus). The music video seems to confirm that the song is about the difference between her public persona (and relationship) and her private one, instead of being a love story (no love interest can be seen in the music video), and it ends with the closeted Taylor being free, and the public persona being destroyed...

So It Goes

"Gold cage, hostage to my feelings" She is trapped in a gold cage (like in the LWYMMD music video), because of her feelings that keep her imprisonned... if that doesn't sound like the closet, I don't know what does honestly.

The Lover era

The closet imagery is almost completely absent from the Lover Era, which fits the timeline: it's the era during which she was supposed to come out.

The only appearance I noticed is in the Lover music video, where her closet is full of yellow clothes, which is mainly significant in the fact that yellow seems to be the color Taylor uses to symbolize closeting now.

seven

seven is often interpreted (by gaylors) to be about a young gay love ("your braids like a pattern love you to the Moon and to Saturn"). In that regard, the lyrics "I think you should come live with / Me and we can be pirates / Then you won't have to cry / Or hide in the closet" can be understood as a proposition to run away and go live somewhere they could live their love freely.

willow music video

In the willow music video, this moment is incredibly significant

Child Taylor goes through the door and emerges as an adult in a glass closet. There, she immediately knows that she is supposed to start singing, and then, when she tries to join her lover on the other side of the glass, she can't leave and she is stuck in it… I believe that it speaks for itself. 

cowboy like me

"And the skeletons in both our closets / Plotted hard to mess this up"

In a song about feeling connection to someone because you recognize them as a part of your group that break the rules ("bandit"), the mention of the closet as something that keeps you from being with them is interesting, I would say.

Look What You Made Me Do part 2: the Eras Tour Performance

Since the beginning of the Eras Tour, the closet/glass closet/imprisonnement imagery is more present than ever, both in the concerts and in the music videos she put out since then.

In the Look What You Made Me Do performance, the imprisonment of Taylor's old selves (in glass closets) is understood widely to be a metaphor of her stolen masters, and it probably is in part her intention. There could be more than one meaning to that idea, even in Taylor's mind and one does not contradict the other. But here specifically, it seems to be confirmed that Taylor didn’t (only) think of that while imagining these visuals, since every single one of her album is present including the ones she has owned since they were released (Lover, folklore, evermore, Midnights):

(I don't have enough images left but some of the dancers are in Lover and folklore outfits too)

Lavender Haze visuals

Several times, in the visuals of the tour during the performance of Lavender Haze, Taylor is very clearly in a closet:

Lavender Haze can also be interpreted as being about bearding, that much can be analyzed both from the lyrics and the music video. During the performance (you can check in this video) those visuals appear when she says "no deal the 1950 shit they want from me" and disappear with "i just wanna stay in that lavender haze", I wonder if the closet might be the 1950's shit she doesn't want anymore...

Karma music video

In the Karma music video, there is no reference to a closet per se but Taylor is once again kept locked up, in an hourglass and a light bulb, this time. I don't know if it is significant in a particular way, except that the hourglass appears the first time she says "Karma is my boyfriend" which could mean that it's not going to be her boyfriend for long maybe? I noticed this one without any particular interpretation to be honest, but I didn’t want not to put it here, just in case...

As for the bulbs, they end up exploding...

I Can See You music video

Last but not least since there are two references to the closet in the music video for I Can See You, but first, a few things:

The music video is obviously about her taking back her masters, there is no doubt about that, it is very explicit and it would be stupid of me to try and say that it’s not. But as I said in the part about the Look What You Made Me Do performance, some things can have more than one meaning, and just because there is an obvious way to understand this specific piece of art doesn’t mean that it’s the only one. 

Second, here we’ll need to point out that before and/or during the Speak Now era, she dated very publicly Taylor Lautner, who features in the video. Gaylors also believe that she dated Liz Huett, her backing vocalist on the Speak Now tour.

Now, in the music video, we see three people rescuing Taylor from the vault in which she is kept. A woman (Presley Cash) stays in a van, while Joey King joins Taylor Lautner to save Taylor. What is interesting is that the only character that is not, at any point, linked to the lyrics is the man (potential beard). Presley Cash’s character is, more than once, either saying or illustrating the lyrics: “I've been watching you for ages” (she’s always looking inside Taylor’s vault even though it’s not really relevant to what’s happening), she even says “I can see you” at the end. As for Joey King, she is the one keeping quiet when Lautner is loud, she throws her jacket on the floor, and she is quite literally “up against the wall” when she opens the vault… She is the only character linked to the muse for the whole video, and she is the one opening the vault (closet?) for her.

Adding to that, Taylor’s old selves (in this situation, her outfits of the era) are kept in… glass closets, that explode at the end. The thing is, if we follow the (Lover era) failed coming out theory, the way her masters were stolen may have been the reason she didn't come out at the time, so, could it be that Taylor feels like her stolen masters are what keep her from being fully out?

#this post is waaay too long #and i didn't even talk about the archer or evermore or dear reader #gaylor #friends of dorothea #lgbetty #taylor swift #i know places #look what you made me do #ready for it #so it goes #lover #seven #willow #cowboy like me #eras tour #karma #i can see you

[omegalomania]

Wait I wanna hear your thoughts on the Mania mv =0

the young and menace music video expands on the themes of the base song in an absolutely harrowing way that not enough people give credit to because a) young and menace as a single was very jarring for a lot of folks and b) people thought the llama suits looked dumb. both were rather silly reasons to brush off what is a very earnest piece of art but it is what it is. i still see hostile attitudes towards mania and towards young and menace in particular because of how polarizing a song it was and i could honestly go on forever and ever about how bad and pointless and shitty and racist a lot of the discourse there was. but instead i wanna talk about the video.

right out the gate i want to make it clear that the video did wonders, leaps, and bounds for mania's aesthetic marketing. for all that people will shittalk mania, make no mistake: it had an EXTREMELY strong aesthetic foundation right out the gate. the video gives us some very potent imagery as it plays out, all of which tie strongly into the albums overall theming, marketing, and lyricism. the crashing beach waves, the star-swept night sky, the violet-drenched neon cityscape - they all get exemplified here.

but more important than that is the story it tells. young and menace is a song that really concisely portrays a manic state. from a purely sonic standpoint, it is jarring, it is full of peaks and troughs. the low opening guitar chords slink along so gradually you can easily miss the beginning of the song if youre not paying attention. the whole opening of the track stalks along with this eerie, charged dangerousness that you can feel building and building and building until it detonates spectacularly, escalating into an electrified breakdown that nearly ruptures on itself before bouncing back to its initial, calmer baseline. lyrically, its a song that discusses what it is to be an outsider. petes discussed how the song is reflective of how he felt growing up - like he didnt quite belong, because he and his family didnt look like anyone else in their (very white) neighborhood. the video takes that theme and ratchets it up to 11.

young and menace depicts a young biracial girl who lives in a house fraught with domestic abuse. young and menace is about what it means to be othered and it portrays the othering this girl experiences to its absolute extremes. she feels like a stranger in her own home to the point where she visualizes her parents as inhuman monsters - sort of a reverse "where the wild things are". she escapes into a city populated by people, but speaks a language no one else can understand. she wanders into a dimly lit club where everyone is dancing at a show, but the loud music sends her skittering back outside until she collapses in what looks like an overstimulated daze. and there isnt any closure for her either. the video ends on this kind of grim and upsetting note, because shes back home by its conclusion and has no choice but to reconcile that her parents are just people, the same way she is.

its a video that embodies what it is to be Othered in so many different ways that it all compounds on itself and becomes impossible to bear.

it depicts what it is to be othered in the literal sense and beyond that. the girl is not just a human in a world of monsters; shes also a human that none of the other humans can understand. to me it encapsulates what it feels like to be biracial very very succinctly, that feeling of intense unbelonging, that feeling of being stranded between two worlds, neither of which understand you and neither of which you entirely resemble.

it depicts what it is to be othered in the familial sense. it depicts how it is to grow up in a home where you dont feel you belong, where your home is literally not a safe place to be, to the point where running away feels like the best possible option.

and on top of that, this is the lead single on the album entitled MANIA. the whole record embodies that concept, from its soundscape to its lyricism it depicts what it is to be manic - which again comes from pete, who has been very very open about being diagnosed w bipolar pretty young. young and menace is MANIAs whole ethos in microcosm. the song and the video are so so so representative of that, bouncing between eerie quiet and choppy, jittery chaos. and theres no resolution. there is no being "fixed" or "cured" of this, of any part of this. there is no escaping being what you are. sometimes the most you can do is ride the wave and hope you make it out on the other side.

young and menace is a really really earnest depiction of how all those different aspects of oneself can intersect. i think a lot of the controversy of the "new sound" for fall out boy overshadowed how important the video was. this was a narrative about a biracial black girl in an abusive home environment, told by a biracial, bipolar, black man whos had his notable struggles with finding a community he felt accepted him. the video doubles down on the overall themes of the song in a really harrowing but i think deeply effective way. its heartbreaking in its vulnerability and for someone like me, a mixed race kid who grew up with unchecked mental illness in a toxic home environment, it meant the whole goddamn world.

#askin hours #sorry to write an essay but also im not i love this video so much #i could honestly talk about it for forever but this went on for long enough

[herrlindemann]

Sonic Seducer - February 2003, interview with Till

Thanks to ramjohn for the scans!

Till Lindemann doesn't like to talk. Since 1995, the Leipzig-born Berliner-by-choice has been sharing what he has to say with the lyrics of his band Rammstein, using his very own imagery to the music world, which is now taking notice around the world. There were almost never any explanations; Misunderstandings and misinterpretations, on the other hand, by the meter. His first volume of poetry, Messer, was recently published. Now we must speak. Plain text with Till Lindemann.

Probably only a few local bands of popular music have been misinterpreted, misunderstood or simply slandered to a similar extent as Rammstein, who already with their first album 'Herzeleid' more or less intentionally became the typical German problem child from supposedly violence-glorifying Leni Riefenstahl aesthetics meets Bodybuilding studio sledgehammer charm support Teutonic lyrics of the most morbid color and international mega rock stardom. One of the main people responsible: Frontman and lyricist Till Lindemann, who now gives an insight into collected poems from a good two decades in 'Messer' and who today, after many years of reluctance, publishes such as Der Spiegel, Focus, Welt am Sonntag, TAZ and similar speech and answer stands. Escape to the feuilleton or the real end of the cold (information) war?

Lindemann, the eternally misunderstood one.

« Neither of the two. The fact is that I very rarely and very reluctantly give interviews about my work. So many things have been overrated in the past that I actually don't feel like expressing myself anymore. But this time there are unfortunately not five colleagues who could represent me at this point. It's not that I'm still annoyed by any rumours, half-truths and strange interpretations, but I don't have to actively contribute to their creation. In the case of Rammstein, the success proves us right and makes us above any stupid accusations. There is this typical German calf-biting mentality of wanting to pee on everyone's leg. We now smile at this with a clear conscience. Certainly, with 'Messer' I make myself vulnerable again in a certain way. If the media are not able to reproduce my statements in the actual context this time either, there will probably be no more statements from me in the future. »

Clear words. However, one should be all the more free with the poems in 'Messer', which, roughly in the manner of Rammstein, express in their very own way Lindemann's fondness for explicit and metaphorical depictions of the primal instincts of violence, sex and death, which are often misunderstood, and thus express the millennia-old Reflect the engine of human development between plush pink prose and the gnarliest gutter expressionism in all its range. Lindemann, the versatile one. Strictly speaking, a rather unusual career that began in 1979 in the then workers' and farmers' state as the son of a writer from Schwerin with an apprenticeship as a carpenter and defined itself over the years through the intersections of carpenter and basket maker. Subsequent work as a gallery technician, drummer for the punk band First Arsch and ultimately Rammstein's lyrical and visual figurehead left their mark. Today: Till Lindemann 2003 - artificial figure or multifunctional personal union of musician, lyricist, lyricist, entertainer, rock star, artist?

“Definitely not an artificial figure. Basically, I see myself as a copywriter who is currently making the first steps as a poet. The whole book is a kind of flashback; a conclusion, a showcase. Comparable to the existence of a band that, after 20 songs, decides to immortalize the whole thing on an album. The publisher Gerd Hof and I made a selection from more than 1000 poems from a good 15 years, which we wanted to publish in Messer. Like probably every artist, I am to a large extent inspired by my environment. In a way, the texts represent a reckoning with myself, revenge on myself and also a coming to terms with myself. It doesn't matter whether this is caused by dreams, nightmares, films, books and just a walk. I'm actually a 24/7 receptive medium who usually has my notepad within reach. My type of texts is almost exclusively subconscious. When I sit down with the thought of writing something positive, something dark comes out of it anyway, because there seems to be some kind of automatic negative flow inside me. » Which in the final form of the text can of course not be enjoyed without the necessary, tongue-in-cheek and often neglected distance and, on closer inspection, does not want to deny certain (albeit dark) humoresque intersections with 1960s comedy icon Heinz Erhardt. ‘Herzeleid’ without sheet music? Lindemann does not play melodies. But he laughs and nods. And vowels aren't rrrrolled this time.

« That is indeed a very good paraphrase. Surely the lyrics are superficially characterized by violence and every kind of provocation. But a closer reading also reveals a latent, almost comic-like joke that most people go unnoticed. Although the lyrics are almost exclusively created subconsciously from a word, a vague idea or a story, I still leave a kind of back door open somewhere, so that you can usually still somehow smile about the lyrics. This is certainly most evident in the poem 'Big In Japan', which I wrote after visiting a night bar in Tokyo. There was an artist there who hung really enormous weights from his cock. It is well known that the Japanese aren't very well endowed by nature, but the whole thing was raised so big that the pastiche based on the Alphaville song was simply compelling. There is nothing more satisfying and interesting for an artist than creating friction, polarizing and observing the many different reactions. In the case of Messer, this ranges from fear to dismay to genuine pleasure. I'm sure I ask myself from time to time: what kind of monster did I actually create? But on the other hand, you also chuckle to yourself now and then and are happy about your little, dirty, black something. »

So willful provocation combined with negligently conjured up misinterpretation as a stylistic device to intentionally break a taboo? The name Rammstein was used more as a battle cry than as an elementary contextual component, and not only in the chorus of the debut single ‘Wollt Ihr das Bett in Flammen sehen’? Till Lindemann: Federal citizen terror. Enfant terrible. Gigolo of morbid eroticism.

« We/I don't aim to be misunderstood at any price, but on the other hand it's always very fun to watch how people get upset in this country and what waves this band is making. Otherwise, the tool of provocation is no longer as interesting for us today as it was after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Back then it was almost all about being as evil, provocative and bold as possible; just doing something new and wacky in German. Today it's about other things, the art and the overall result are our top priority. On the other hand, it's not my thing to interpret my texts in a great way and to give content a certain direction. It's much more exciting for everyone when people can make up their own minds about art such as pictures, texts or sculptures and the artist doesn't also have to be enlightened. I've found that many people have been disappointed in the real meaning of my lyrics since they've already made up their own minds and my final explanation must have seemed far more unspectacular than they imagined. Some things are better left unsaid... »

The specially made photos also play an important role in 'Messer', which show Lindemann in an unusual pose in the midst of a whole army of naked mannequins as an androgynous outsider - supposedly far removed from the self-chosen, superficial gloomy macho image of the muscle-bound pyromaniac on the prowl female prey. « The interpretation is completely free in the context of the poem/photo and vice versa. It is a very interesting experiment to see how the perspective on the poems changes with the help of the photos, what different variations are possible. There is no direct correspondence between the two art forms, but if you want, a small dialogue can be established. The pictures certainly show me from another side that you may not have known about me before... », but which, on closer inspection, reveal exactly the individual who, at its core, constitutes the true protagonist in Lindemann's work: the vulnerable one, looking for affection and security the craving oddball, the outcast freak, the sensitive love killer in search of fulfillment - there are many role descriptions in his very own personality pattern, potential misunderstandings always included.

#Rammstein #Till Lindemann #2003 #interview #translation #*scans #*

[nwdsc]

(▶︎ Muramuke | Muramuke (Barbara Panther & Matthew Herbert) | Accidental Recordsから)

Muramuke by Muramuke (Barbara Panther & Matthew Herbert)

マシュー・ハーバート

More than a decade-long musical partnership takes on a compelling new form as Barbara Panther and Matthew Herbert return to the studio and emerge anew as Muramuke. Guided by twilight revelations, shifting moon-lit textures, and the racing thoughts that deny sleep in the still of night, the duo’s new name is taken from the Rwandan term for goodnight. Their new self-titled album, metabolises the night and day terrors of real Black life into a post-colonial cry of rage that’s both contemporary and ancestral. The album was pieced together through back-and-forth exchanges between Barbara in Germany and Matthew in England during the height of 2020’s lockdown. Muramuke is lyrically defined by Barbara’s lived experiences as a Black woman displaced by the horrors of war, then unable to escape the poisonous global reach of white supremacist anti-Blackness, in all its literal and coded forms. Through the visceral catharsis of this album, Barbara is more commanding and multiplicious than ever; she stalks through each of the album’s phases with acid-tongued back talk, comely harmonic choruses, schoolyard chants and sharp monotone commands. It is the culmination of her lifelong love for vocal expression, laced together with a past which Barbara self-describes as “complicated”; from her first Belgian choir at age 4 as a recently-settled Rwandan refugee; to her pre-teen rebellion in a band named Cannabis Sativa, to her home since the early 2000s, Berlin, a place where within electronic music, she says, “I can disappear if I want to.” Maramuke marks the next aligned life cycle of two singular souls, and harnesses Matthew’s propensity for gathering and recontextualising organic sounds of mysterious origins. As one of most singular and prolific voices of visionary music experimentalism, and as the label head of Accidental Records, Muramuke finds him in new generative territory, forming shapes that are sharp-angled, sparse and brooding, or gleefully warped with whimsy, or towering overhead in full-throttle maximalism. The throbbing beat of “Never Been Your Business” finds Barbara spitting out admonishments close to the ear; “Don’t stay quiet now / this is a real riot now” she commands, part Grace Jones and part Poly Styrene, atop a classic Herbert beat with a swollen bassline and regimented drumming. “Just One More” rides on the tension of a soft-hard dynamic, pairing deep industrial scrapes with woodwind pulses and a momentary glimpse of sing-song intimacy in the hopeful line “One day we’re gonna be dancing skin to skin.” “Hate” charges out of the gate with laser pulses, urgent hand claps and deep sub bass, with a clear message as it slowly backs its persecutor into a corner “You have no authority / You have no authority / You have no authority / Stop sitting on me!” “B-side” regresses to the classroom, but one where the pendulum of power is finally swinging in another direction, and a chanting chorus of Barbara's promise, with increasing fervour, to burn it all to the ground and take us to the B-side. “Wagon” raises the spirits and the spectres of enslavement and spilt blood to find strength and fortification, accompanied by a stripped-back and digitally rendered version of East African rhythms, and departing with a final kiss off: “I don’t really care what you think about me / I’m nothing but a number…. You better watch your back.” The deeply personal nature of an album that explores the roots of heritage and personal histories is reflected in the specially commissioned cover art’s combination of sacred and mythical imagery by Indian contemporary visual artist, Rithika Pandey. クレジット2022年10月21日リリース Written & Produced by Barbara Panther and Matthew Herbert Mastered at The Exchange Words by Christine Kakaire Artwork by Rithika Pandey Animations by Gabriel Bryant @gabezz Special thanks to Aisha Nanor Martin

#2211 #EL #***

[mediadesignspring2024]

"Time is Illmatic" is a documentary film that chronicles the creation and impact of Nasir "Nas" Jones' seminal debut album, "Illmatic." Through interviews with Nas himself, as well as family members, collaborators, and hip-hop luminaries, the film provides a compelling exploration of Nas' upbringing in New York, and the social and cultural context that shaped his music. It delves into the album's lyrical content, production process, and critical reception, offering insights into the personal and artistic journey of one of hip-hop's most iconic figures.

In terms of storytelling, "Time is Illmatic" excels in its ability to weave together personal narratives, archival footage, and musical performances to create a rich and immersive portrait of Nas and his album. The film utilizes a combination of intimate interviews and evocative imagery to convey the emotional depth and cultural significance of "Illmatic." The shots are carefully composed and visually striking, capturing the gritty beauty of Queensbridge and the vibrant energy of Nas' performances. The edit is seamless, seamlessly transitioning between past and present, allowing the viewer to connect the dots between Nas' formative years and his later success. The aesthetics of the film are evocative and atmospheric, evoking the nostalgia and raw authenticity of hip-hop's golden era while also reflecting on the social and political realities of urban life in 1990s New York. Overall, "Time is Illmatic" is a masterfully crafted documentary that celebrates the legacy of Nas and his groundbreaking album while also offering a compelling exploration of the broader cultural forces that shape hip-hop music and identity.

I especially value the offered amount of archive footage and personal pictures, interwoven with contemporary happenings and interviews. Some of the interviews have been shot in interesting angles, such as the profile or extreme close-ups. Next to the implementation of pictures and drone shots from above, I appreciate the shown footage showing Nas on stages or in the studio.

#Nas #daniela riess

[ghosttownaz]

Unwrapping Easter Eggs: Hip Hop's Hidden Treasures

As the sun sits high in the sky on this Easter Sunday, it's not just chocolate eggs that we're hunting for. In the world of hip hop, there's a different kind of treasure waiting to be discovered—Easter eggs hidden within the beats and lyrics of our favorite tracks.

For those unfamiliar with the term, "Easter eggs" are subtle nods, references, or hidden messages deliberately placed by artists for attentive listeners to uncover. Much like a scavenger hunt, these musical Easter eggs add an extra layer of depth and intrigue to the listening experience. In the realm of hip hop, artists have mastered the art of planting Easter eggs, making every verse, every beat drop, and every sample choice an opportunity for fans to uncover something new. From clever wordplay to obscure samples, here are some notable examples of Easter eggs in hip hop that have left fans scratching their heads or nodding in appreciation.

1. Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" Artwork

Let's start with an Easter egg that's hiding in plain sight. On the cover of Kanye West's magnum opus, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," there's a plethora of imagery to unpack. But one detail that often goes unnoticed is the painting in the background. If you look closely, you'll see that it depicts a fantastical scene filled with various characters from Kanye's career and personal life, each symbolizing different aspects of his psyche and journey as an artist.

2. Childish Gambino's "Because the Internet" Hidden Messages

Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, is a master of incorporating hidden messages into his work, and "Because the Internet" is no exception. Throughout the album and its accompanying screenplay, Glover weaves a complex narrative that blurs the lines between reality and fiction. One particularly intriguing Easter egg is the use of hidden URLs and codes scattered throughout the project, leading fans down a rabbit hole of online mysteries and interactive storytelling.

3. OutKast's "Aquemini" Zodiac References

OutKast's masterpiece "Aquemini" is filled with astrological references that add an extra layer of depth to the album's themes of introspection and self-discovery. From the title itself, which combines the zodiac signs of Andre 3000 (Aquarius) and Big Boi (Gemini), to the lyrical references to astrology throughout the tracks, OutKast invites listeners to explore the celestial influences that shape their music and identities.

4. Missy Elliott's Visual Metaphors

Missy Elliott is renowned for her innovative music videos, which are filled with visual metaphors and hidden meanings. One of the most notable Easter eggs in her video for "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" is the use of fish-eye lens distortion, which serves as a metaphor for the warped perception of reality in the music industry. Through her visual storytelling, Missy challenges viewers to look beyond the surface and uncover the deeper messages encoded within her art.

5. Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly" Poetic Transitions

Kendrick Lamar is known for his intricate lyricism and attention to detail, and "To Pimp a Butterfly" is no exception. Throughout the album, Kendrick weaves a narrative that transcends individual tracks, connecting them through recurring motifs and themes. One particularly subtle Easter egg is the transition between tracks like "For Free?" and "King Kunta," where the final words of one song seamlessly flow into the next, creating a continuous stream of consciousness that mirrors the album's overarching message.

6. J Dilla's Signature Drum Patterns

J Dilla, the legendary producer known for his pioneering work in the realm of underground hip hop, was a master of hiding Easter eggs within his beats. One of his trademark techniques was subtly incorporating his initials, "JD," into his drum patterns. Listen closely to tracks like "Donuts," and you'll hear intricate rhythms that spell out his name, a testament to his unparalleled creativity and attention to detail.

7. MF DOOM's Masked Persona

MF DOOM, the enigmatic rapper and producer, crafted a persona shrouded in mystery and intrigue. One of the most enduring Easter eggs in his music is the use of comic book references and supervillain imagery, with his signature metal mask serving as a symbol of his alter ego. Throughout his discography, DOOM peppers his lyrics with references to comic book lore, inviting listeners to delve deeper into the mythology he's created.

As we celebrate Easter today, let's not forget to appreciate the hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered in the world of hip hop. From clever wordplay to subtle references, these Easter eggs enrich our listening experience and remind us of the boundless creativity within the genre. So, grab your headphones, embark on a musical scavenger hunt, and see what hidden gems you can unearth beneath the surface of your favorite tracks. Happy hunting, hip hop heads!

By: Steven Sandage

#ghost town media #music journalism #hiphop #ghosttownmedia #azhiphop #indie hip hop #indie #hip hop #underground hip hop #easter #easter eggs #easter egg

[oxyvisualanalysis-fa23]

Gender and Sexuality

Molly Malin

“Justify My Love” - Madonna

Madonna’s “Justify My Love,” released on November 6th, 1990, features spoken-word lyrics that openly profess the singer’s sexual passion, desire, and control. It was the singer’s ninth song to reach number one on the USA Billboard Hot 100 charts. The music video for “Justify My Love” features Madonna coming home to a hotel after a long day and being seduced by people, both male and female, who do not conform to traditional gender roles and stereotypes. Madonna’s “Justify My Love” music video was extremely controversial, not only because of the sensual, erotic subject matter, but because of its voyeuristic imagery and non-heteronormative content. Some critics praised the sensuality of the song and video, while others found it offensive. Nevertheless, “Justify My Love” went on to become the very first certified multi-platinum short-form music video by the Recording Industry Association of America, and it is still known today as one of the sexiest videos of all time.

The “Justify My Love” video features androgyny, cross-dressing, and bisexuality—all of which oppose the dominant social norms that endorse heterosexuality and a binary concept of gender. This music video illustrates a direct alignment between butchness and sexual dominance because, in a traditionally heterosexual power dynamic, the man is the dominant and the woman is submissive. From the heterosexual perspective, a masculine figure must always be the one in power: hence the stereotype of the butch, acting as the “manly” role.

“Justify My Love” upends the standard, dominant culture because it enables “different identificatory strategies from viewers” (Halberstam 176). In traditionally hetero media, there is a dominant, masculine, active figure whom male viewers can project upon. But in this video, Madonna—a woman—is the dominant sexual figure, forcing the viewer to identify with a woman in power instead of a more traditional male figure. She is in complete control of her sexual partners throughout the entirety of the video. The combination of Madonna being both female-presenting and dominant/active challenges the heterosexual gaze.

It is also worth noting the album cover for the song (above), which matches the aesthetic of the music video. In “Looking Butch,” Jack Halberstam says that a butch “wears the wrong clothes…may carry a gun, smoke a cigar, wear leather…she may swagger, strut, boast, flirt” (Halberstam 186). This album cover is an exact representation of these butch-marking stereotypes. Madonna embodies many of these active, powerful, traditionally-masculine qualities in “Justify My Love.”

Judith Butler’s concept of subversion is present throughout this video, especially in the subversion of hegemonic gender roles and gender expression. This “parodying [of] the dominant norms” is most evident in the clothing that the performers wear (Butler 338). Throughout the video, background performers dress in opposite, stereotypically-gendered clothing (female-presenting people in caps and suspenders, male-presenting people in jewelry and fishnets). There are visual expectations for men and women in a gendered, binary society. This is made evident by the fact that “Justify My Love” video challenges the viewer’s preconceived expectations—the performers wear the opposite of what the viewer expects them to. Rebelling against the standards of a heteronormative society through subversion could be Madonna’s way of undermining this power structure.

“What I Want” - MUNA

MUNA’s “What I Want” music video was released on June 24th, 2022, on the same day that the band’s self-titled third album was released. The video mimics early 2000’s pop and tabloid culture, where sultry clubbing scenes are interspersed with blurry, paparazzi-chase camera footage. All three members of MUNA identify as queer, and the band has become prominent icons and activists in the indie pop sphere. MUNA’s upbeat, synth-heavy songs proclaim openly queer joy. The song “What I Want,” in particular, tells a story of outspoken, bold desire: the singer wants to spend a night out drinking, celebrating, and dancing at a gay bar, unbound by the rules and standards of a heteronormative society.

As in “Justify My Love,” “What I Want” shares similar themes of desire:

“wanting, needing, waiting / For you to justify my love” vs. “I want the full effects / I want to hit it hard / I want to dance in the middle of a gay bar”

Halberstam defines butches as lesbians or women who present traditionally-masculine traits. These “masculine” traits include bragging and being loud, outspoken, and entitled to one’s desires. By being dominant/active instead of submissive/passive, the members of MUNA create an effect of butchness in the lyrics of “What I Want.”

Judith Butler writes that “identity is always an ambivalent process” (Butler 339). The members of MUNA (two of whom are non-binary), play openly with gender identity throughout the video, mixing both traditionally feminine and masculine clothing (mini dresses, leather) and actions (dancing sensually, manspreading).

“Looking Butch,” meanwhile, says that “the masculine woman prowls the film set as an emblem of social upheaval and as a marker of sexual disorder” (Halberstam 186). In other words, female-presenting people showing masculine traits have historically had a negative connotation from a hetero perspective. The “What I Want” video transforms this social upheaval into lavish joy, showing the effect of the queer gaze. By illustrating queer people with fame, celebration, and success, MUNA shows how queer sexuality does not have to be taboo.

From the heterosexual gaze, queerness doesn’t match the social norm, so it is often hidden away and not presented publicly. The “What I Want” video mocks or even appropriates 2000s pop culture for female celebrities (the band members are chased by paparazzi, desired by all, and always watched: they are constantly the object of desire). The handheld camera and paparazzi-style footage in “What I Want” creates irony with the subject matter, subverting expectations by bringing the queer experience to the forefront. Instead of being shoved out of view, the queer experience for these celebrities is outspoken: they perform boldly and sensually, without regard for heteronormative expectations. Just as Halberstam writes, this music video “flaunts stereotypes and by doing so explodes the tension between homophobic and queer representation” (Halberstam 176).

QUESTIONS

What are some examples of subverted gender norms (female masculinity or male femininity) that you noticed in these videos? Can you think of examples from other popular media?

In both “Justify My Love” and “What I Want” there are aspects of voyeuristic camera work. Judith Butler mentions that “the camera itself is empowered as a phallic instrument” (346). How does the concept of voyeurism play into gender expression, and how does the person behind the camera affect the meaning of media?

"I'm gonna take it I'm just gonna grab it / That's how bad I want what I want" "I want that girl right over there to want to date me"

3. How would you connect the above quotes to the concept of butchness (and the queer gaze)?

#discussionleader #mm0llym #Youtube #oxyvisualanalysis

[thedaveandkimmershow]

In other news...

There was just a ton of motion in the last few months. Not only in our lives but throughout Linzy's career that includes rehearsals and performances with The Little Lies and Midnight High. Serious bands. Big crowds. Enthusiastic crowds. Great sound, harmonies, layers, solos. Classic on-stage moments. And fantastic stage effects.

Now.

Way way way way way waaaaaaaaaay in the background of all that motion (and even a little more motion) is a brand Linzy's trying to launch.

Dream Patrol.

It's her outlet for cinematic pop that features layers of vocals and leans harder into emotion. Some songs move. Some songs seriously move. And some songs dive deep into the human soul.

The difference between the Linzy Collins acoustic brand and Dream Patrol is an interesting one, still being defined. One way of thinking about the difference is that the acoustic version of a song might sound sad, might be a lament. That same song under the Dream Patrol banner might be expressed as ethereal.

And dark.

The songs that move and seriously move are propelled forward by catchy melodies, clever lyric work, and multi-layered vocals. There's a production quality and complexity in Dream Patrol that's easily identifiable from Linzy's acoustic brand that aims to do something different for her audience, something more straight to the heart, if you will.

Now, Dream Patrol isn't a band, it's a brand wrapped around Linzy herself. Which raises an interesting question.

What is a live Dream Patrol performance?

What's the experience?

What does it look like?

Yeah. Still working on that.

Some of the thoughts swirling around obviously lean hard on tech. Not just sound tech but visual tech. Lights, sure. But also imagery. Plus, everyone's gotta smart phone in their pocket. They're walking around with a screen and a speaker. Meaning in a club you might have two to four hundred such screens and speakers.

How can those be harnessed into the service of a live show?

Definitely makes me wonder.

Anyway.

It's an interesting challenge to take the stage as a solo performer. In this case more of a conductor. The idea, though, is to avoid a DJ experience while definitely not trying to recreate a band experience with one person.

Can't be done anyway.

So.

What does that leave?

Seriously.

What does that leave?

Well...

You'd be surprised.

And you're gonna be surprised is all I can say right now.

In the meantime, it's exciting to consider what's manifesting in the background of all this motion. What's taking shape, what's taking place, while we're all looking the other way.

Dream Patrol, by the way, already dropped its first EP: Made For TV.

It streams everywhere and you can certainly find the songs here.

Unfortunately, the EP got a little lost in all the motion rushing through Linzy's life.

What's interesting, though, super interesting, is that the difference between the songs on the EP and the songs taking shape for the album, well... the difference is light years. And I like the songs on the EP.

There's also a special Halloween release to give the coming week's parties a serious shot of club energy and holiday spirit. Which you can find here. I'm absolutely in love with the song. I was begging Linzy to release it this month. A friend of hers is actually working on a remix that I'm also stoked to hear.

It's all good, all good, so far. If only a bit overshadowed by the motion of other bands in her life.

But what's coming at us from the future?

Yeah.

It's a whole other deal.

Cinematic pop that features layers of vocals and emotion. Some songs move. Some songs seriously move. And some songs dive deep into the human soul.

The songs that move and seriously move are propelled forward by catchy melodies, clever lyric work, and multi-layered vocals.

The songs that dive deep will take your breath away.

Just a heads up from me to you that there's so much more going on behind the scenes in Linzy's Hundred Acre wood. A lot of balls in the air.

And under the heading The Best Is Yet To Come?

Yeah.

That would be Dream Patrol.

☺️☺️☺️

#dream patrol #linzy collins #cinematic pop #music #live performance #lyric work #set design #lighting #emotion #engaging #designing an experience #entertainment

[popmusicu]

Reimagining Female Archetypes in Pop Music: Exploring Identity and Image in Marina Diamandis' Electra Heart

Marina Diamandis, (also known by her stage name Marina and the Diamonds), released her second studio album "Electra Heart" on 27 April 2012. The album serves as a conceptual work that intricately examines the complexities of identity and image within the sphere of popular culture. Through a series of emotive and catchy pop songs, Diamandis constructs a narrative that revolves around Electra Heart, a young woman who is fixated on fitting into the glamorous and fame-oriented world of contemporary culture. Diamandis employs a rich tapestry of imagery and references to popular culture to explore themes such as anxiety, self-expression, and the struggle for one's true self in a society that places a high value on image.

"Electra Heart" offers a profound analysis of the intricate interplay between identity and image within contemporary pop culture. By carefully weaving together a series of female archetypes that have captivated the collective imagination of American popular culture from the early 1950s to the 1970s, Diamandis examines the ways in which these archetypes continue to shape our perceptions of femininity, power, and the elusive quest for self-discovery. Through her music and lyrics, Diamandis challenges listeners to reconsider their own assumptions about the nature of identity and the potent allure of image in our media-saturated age.

The captivating visuals and themes of identity and image presented in "Electra Heart" was created specifically as an online persona via Tumblr and resonated strongly with its community, leading to an immense popularity on the platform. This impact of Tumblr on the success of "Electra Heart" highlights the significance of social media in shaping the trajectory of modern music and the emergence of new artists. According to Diamandis, the album is a poignant exploration of the complexities of love, identity, and image in contemporary culture. Through her art, Diamandis seeks to challenge long-standing assumptions about these themes and encourage listeners to contemplate the multifaceted and often contradictory nature of these concepts.

Moreover, the titular character of the album, "Electra Heart," serves as a representative figure for the female archetypes described by each song on the album. Diamandis's intent was to explore the limitations and stereotypes inherent in these archetypes and to question their role in shaping our perceptions of love and identity. As Diamandis stated in the Glamour Magazine interview,

"I changed my look so radically. Partly to become someone else and separate myself from being that love-lorn person. Partly because I wanted to see how differently I would be perceived because of it. I was interested in the power of image - it's what pop stars are built on. And how weak that image simultaneously is. For example, you take it all off when you go to bed at night" (Diamandis, 2012).

Through her words, Diamandis invites us to consider the profound impact of image on our understanding of identity, love, and the world around us. By questioning traditional archetypes and exploring the limitations of cultural narratives, Diamandis challenges us to rethink our assumptions about these important themes and to embrace a more nuanced and complex understanding of ourselves and the world we inhabit. In this way, "Electra Heart" serves as a powerful testament to the transformative potential of art and the enduring power of creativity to inspire and provoke.

  Linkography:

The archetypes:

https://youtu.be/Ww8lYVerLo4

Album playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu8_VQ6W0I8Hs-AgemxWjIOVbDZ4mPnkZ

Electra Heart’s Tumblr:

https://electraheart.tumblr.com/

Links used for reference and further reading:

https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/oral-history-marina-the-diamonds-electra-heart-10-anniversary

https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/marina-and-the-diamonds-interview-electra-heart

- Diego Segura.

#Music Video #Sigles #Albums #All time best #list #I love this #submission

[alwaysfirst]

Sound Stories: Tuneful tales of human life and love

Written language was still to evolve, the audio-visual medium would only develop centuries later, so humanity only had verses to tell their stories, explain their world, and describe their experiences. Be the focus religious or moral, or dealing with more earthly considerations such as life and love, it could encompass all to provide an insightful look into the human condition. Many millennia later, the form still holds its ground. Many of us have become habituated to books or the many available forms of audio-visual expression for our stories, but we tend to ignore the spoken, or rather, sung form, which our ancestors depended upon. Audiobooks don't count! This, though, is still one very popular form of story-telling we tend to ignore -- from the story point of view. That is the pop/rock ballad of the western musical tradition. Songs -- of the western or Indian film type -- can be pretty situational, but there are many by a wide range of popular singers, right from the Beatles to the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, Phil Collins, Mark Knopfler and others, that can serve as a self-contained story in themselves. They obviously might not be akin to a novel, but can easily qualify as the equivalent of a short story, or, maybe even a novella in their depictions of the human condition. Music videos, as they evolved in the MTV era, strengthened this aspect by tying in especially commissioned imagery based on the lyrics to heighten the effect, rather than just showing the singer performing. Let us look around for some examples. Bill Haley and His Comets, whose "Rock Around the Clock" (1954), became the first rock-and-roll song to top the US charts, created a slightly bittersweet love story with "See You Later, Alligator" (1956). Based on "Later, Alligator", written and recorded by Louisiana songwriter Robert Charles Guidry aka Bobby Charles a year earlier, it chronicles the interaction between a man and his girlfriend after he discovers her walking with another man. "When I asked her what's the matter / This is what I heard her say / See you later alligator, after 'while crocodile / Can't you see you're in my way now / Don't you know you cramp my style." Can this dialogue be bettered? And to know what happened next, hear the song. It is difficult to write about Western music in the latter half of the 20th century without mentioning the Beatles. One of the iconic numbers from their seventh and final studio album, 'Revolver' (1966), which is seen as marking the beginning of their psychedelic phase, begins like a old-fashioned adventure story: "In the town where I was born / Lived a man who sailed to sea / And he told us of his life / In the land of submarines." As "Yellow Submarine" progresses, it veers into some surreal and dreamlike imagery: "And our friends are all aboard / Many more of them live next door / And the band begins to play." Formed in the early 1970s, The Eagles went on to become one of the most popular rock bands ever, especially due to the vivid images that some of their hits, such as the fantasy-like "Seven Bridges Road", the soft but poignant romantic song "Peaceful, Easy Feeling", and the angst-ridden "Heartache Tonight" conjured up in the minds of their listeners. The most memorable song, of course, has to be "Hotel California" (1977), with its uniquely dark imagery reaching nightmarish proportions towards its end. The song was even attacked for its "Satanic overtones", but the band members strongly denied it, saying it was only to represent the dark side of contemporary American life. Band member Glen Frey devised a scenario of a person who, tired after a long-distance drive through the desert, saw a place to stop for the night, but entered "a weird world peopled by freaky characters", and became "quickly spooked by the claustrophobic feeling of being caught in a disturbing web from which he may never escape". He said he and band colleague and co-writer Don Henley wanted the song "to open like an episode of the Twilight Zone", and make the character experience a new version of reality through any door he walked through. Hear it again with this in mind. 'The Boss' Bruce Springsteen is known as among the pioneers of the "heartland rock style", combining mainstream rock with songs about working-class American life with poetic, socially conscious lyrics. "Born in the USA" (1984) brought him to fame, with the song being deemed to be a tribute to the country, but it is actually a scathing indictment of American state policy and society, seen through the viewpoint of an embittered returning soldier from Vietnam. But let us focus on the stark social and emotional alienation, the ephemeral relations and the cruel indifference that are a feature of contemporary urban milieus, as rendered in the title track of his 1992 album "Human Touch". Right from the uncompromising message of "Girl, ain't no kindness in the face of strangers / Ain't gonna find no miracles here / Well, you can wait on your blessin's, my darlin' / I got a deal for you right here" to the some more despondent words ahead: "Ain't no mercy on the streets of this town / Ain't no bread from heavenly skies / Ain't nobody drawin' wine from this blood / It's just you and me tonight." What the deal entails is subsequently sketched -- though the title offers a clue. Paul David Hewson aka Bono, the frontman of U2, is also known for his socially conscious lyrics, which are steeped in both rebellious and religious imagery -- like this song from the group's 1992 album "Achtung Baby". "Is it getting better? / Or do you feel the same? / Will it make it easier on you now? / You got someone to blame," begins "One", and it then goes on to ask: "Have you come here for forgiveness? / Have you come to raise the dead? / Have you come here to play Jesus? / To the lepers in your head." "One" can be treated as a parable about modern-day relationships, which can be tenuous sometimes despite the protestations of solidity and permanence, the immediate trigger were the tensions within the band, during the recordings in a Berlin studio, over the direction and quality of its work, and the recent German reunification. How the song, which arose from improvisations, restored the band's cohesion is a story in itself. Talking about the song over a decade later, Bono said: "There was melancholy about it but there was also strength. 'One' is not about oneness, it's about difference. It's not the old hippie idea of 'let's all live together'. It is a much more punk rock concept. It's anti-romantic: 'We are one but not the same. We get to carry each other.' It's a reminder that we have no choice." Then there is Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire" (1989), which encapsulates 100 key points of global -- though predominantly American -- history; Mark Knopfler's (And The Dire Straits) "Brothers in Arms" (1985), about the senselessness of war; Richard Marx's "Hazard" (1992), about the disappearance of a woman and the social outcast with a dark past who is blamed; and Phil Collins' (and the band Genesis) "Something Happened on the Way to Heaven" (1992) about a dog's encounter with the band. And there are many more. If you haven't heard these, start now. If you have heard one or more, hear them again -- with your imagination full on. Read the full article

#Lifestyle #Art&Culture #Books #Cinema #music

[grad505-willa]

Further research

When researching my chosen design subject for this era - psychedelic design - specifically within the area of poster design and magazine publication - I found myself falling down a rabbit hole of information.

Starting off with one of the more well-known attributors to this style - Martin Sharp - an Australian born artist whose zany designs and artistic creations caught the eyes of many for their visual interest and freshness. He took inspiration from many of the musical artists of the time (Bb Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, etc.) and translated both the personalities of the performers and how their songs made him feel into a visual expression of this. However, Sharps works were not always as expressive and bright - in fact the more psychedelic creations only emerged and became prominent within his portfolios after his experimentation with LSD and other hallucinogenic narcotics.

"If you remember the sixties, you weren't really there."

"I think art is about tidying up, really. To tidy up, you've got to make a mess."

Sharp was also the head of art and design for the independent/alternative/underground magazine publication known as 'Oz Magazine'. It focused on topics such as counterculture, music, women's rights, sexuality, and other interest which were considered to be highly controversial to the more conservative audiences. This was first brought to life in Sydney, Australia - but a branch in London England was later published and distributed. This magazine was only printed from 1967-73, and within those short six years, the publication received multiple 'obscenity' charges due to its unfiltered coverage of controversial topics such as homosexuality, abortion, censorship, police brutality and the inclusion of explicit language and imagery. One of the more notable controversies was that surrounding 'issue 28' named 'Schoolkids Oz' - the main problem surrounding this was the misconception by the public that this print was intended for school-children to read it, when in fact it was curated by school-children (highschool boys to be specific). This was an effort by the magazine to become more 'in touch' with younger people, due to it being created by teen boys it included many hypersexualised images and other snippets which would have been considered highly inappropriate for children to view.

Martin Sharp was also known for the album cover designs he created for various artists - most notably his design for the band 'Cream' and their album 'Disraeli Gears' (and later 'Wheels of Fire). A collaboration that came about due to a chance interaction between Sharp and two members of the band - wherein he explained to them he had written a song but had no melody to accompany his lyrics, and so the band came together to create the song - 'Tales of Brave Ulysses' - which was produced and released on the said album which he created the cover for. This collaboration sparked his popularity within the music scene.

One of Sharps's most recognisable works is a poster he created with the likeness of Bob Dylan, named 'Mister Tamborine Man - Blowing in the Mind'. It features a mish-mash of many different inspirations, items and iconography. Including architecture from a Buddhist temple he visited on his travels to Cambodia, mandala motifs, other psychedelic visuals and pops of orange; all printed onto foil paper.

[keep-ur-head-low]

Ghost Quartet Animated Movie Concept

So I really fucking love Ghost Quartet and if I had even a scrap of artistic talent I would totally make animatics for it but for now, here are some concepts for a fully animated version of the live album. 

In this hypothetical animation, each storylines has its own unique artstyle so that the viewer can distinguish the four storylines just a bit easier. Zero changes are made to the lyrics or song ordering, cuz the album is already perfection and altering it ruins the fun of it yknow

1. The Tale of Rose and Pearl

- This one’s easy. Give it a cool japanese-esque fairytale style, similar to Studio Ghibli’s The Tale of Princess Kaguya. The animation can start off super pretty and colorful and pastel in The Camera Shop, but it gradually gets more and more muted and dark as the album goes on.

- You know that scene in Princess Kaguya when the princess runs out of the palace and the animation style suddenly becomes all intense and unclean to represent her distress? Do that but when Rose goes on her “fuck your books” rant in Bad Men.

- Rose can have her sexy red cloak and a rose in her ear and Pearl can have a cool white dress and a pearly necklace. The Astronomer should have nerdy lil suspenders and The Bear is just a fuckin Bear

- The Telescope should just be the most psychedelic sequence ever, stars transforming into dancing characters and shit

- Not sure if Soldier and Rose would be in the same art style since it doesn’t fit in any other story, but the dancing would admittedly look beautifully somber and melancholy.

2. The House of Usher

- This one absolutely needs to be in black and white. Put in spooky lil glitch effects and a smaller, boxy aspect ratio to replicate being watched on an old television set tape. If not 2d animated, then maybe stop motion????? Corpse Bride or Coraline vibes could be awesome

- I’m thinking every time The Son is in the frame, a little wooden bear carving could be emphasized to visually represent his alternate self as The Bear.

- When Roxie rises from the dead, she flickers between her Roxie self and herself as Rose but in the Japanese fairy tale animation style. Crimson red blood streams down her robes and it’s the only color that ever appears in the Usher plotline.

- This shit needs to be terrifying

3. Arabian Nights

- I’m thinking this could have a geometric animation style like Song of the Sea or The Secret of Kells, but with the same vibe of what one may find in an ancient Islamic painting.

- In Monk, have young Scheherazade and Dunyazad’s dance be a visual parallel to the Soldier and Rose’s dance. Also show The Pianist playing the piano but not what’s behind the door ofc

- In Tango Dancer, when we meet ancient Scheherazade, she could be in a veil that stretches out infinitely and eventually wraps into the sky, with little cartoon stars inscribed into it that all glow when she describes her young and blissful self. Just go full surreal with it. Have the conversation between Rose and Scheherazade be an obvious visual parallel to the camera shop conversation.

- Have Shah Zaman’s room just be covered in bear stuff. Bear rug, bear paintings, bear statues, etc. I don’t know if it’s historically accurate but that’s the last thing Ghost Quartet cares about lmfao

4. The Subway

- This one’s definitely the least figured out for me. Maybe live action?!?!? I really hesitate to say that but basically this storyline needs to have a claustrophobic, indie feel to it that contrasts heavily with the other three. Perhaps a different, more modern cinematic aspect ratio?

- Not sure what The Pusher’s bear visual would be here. Maybe a bear tattoo or grafitti on the wall that appears whenever he’s on screen.

- The Victim’s monologue on the tracks needs to be intercut with Lady Usher’s final moments before Roxie bursts through the door. I have a very strong image in my mind: When she says “I let the train rip through me,” we get a split screen visual of Lady Usher kneeling on the floor in the left and The Victim kneeling on the tracks in the right and the camera zooms in on both until their faces match up.

- The Shop Owner’s outfit would be the outfit that Gelsey wears in the actual production. Maybe the same could go with the other three in this timeline. 

- Hero could either be in this style or somehow in all the styles. Have visual train imagery be used constantly throughout so that it becomes all the more poignant when she gets metaphorically run over here.

- Have Midnight be in some random bar, and that’s the same bar where I Don’t Know, Any Kind of Dead Person, Four Friends, and Prayer take place in. These four are just drinking and having a blast, remembering the many lives they’ve gone through in this bittersweet song cycle.

#ghost quartet #dave malloy #musicals #brittain ashford #gelsey bell #brent arnold #my post

[theboywiththecuckooclockheart]

My Top 10 Favorite Songs From Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart: Concept Album and Movie

Here I will rank my top 10 favorite songs between the movie and concept album versions of Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart. I personally believe that the French concept album songs are quite different from the translations in the English movie, so I will rank them independently. That means that one song may end up on this list twice for the reasons I will explain as we go down the list. Let’s start from number 10:

10. “Mademoiselle Clé”

As simple and intimate as this scene in the movie is, I’m going to have to put the French version on this list. Mainly because it stays a bit more true to the scene in the novel which is much less PG than the movie. The French song shares the line “...she works her Blue Fairy magic on me, like in Pinocchio, but more real. Except it’s not my nose that’s growing longer.” The implications of that quote in the novel and the French song are obvious, but are much more loosely intimated in the film. Also, I simply prefer the composition of the French album song over the movie version.

You can find the French song from the concept album here on Dioysos’ official Youtube channel and the scene from the movie here on a fan’s Youtube channel.

9. “Tais-Toi Mon Coeur”

This song can only be found in the concept album and corresponds more directly to the plot of the book than the movie. The title means “Be Quiet my Heart” (or, more aggressively, “shut up, my heart”). It is such a catchy song and the old music video associated with it has a really cool animation style which some hoped would have been the style of the entire movie, but alas.

You can find the official song here on Dionysos’ official Youtube channel and the music video here on a fan’s Youtube channel.

8. “Flamme A Lunettes”

There are actually three versions of the song “Flame with Glasses” because it also shows up in the book. The book version is quite short, and is actually the most similar to the movie for that reason. However, the song in the concept album encapsulates more of the action in the novel itself, not just the song that Miss Acacia sings. Additionally, the imagery in the song from the album is much richer and Jack and Miss Acacia’s banter goes on for a little longer. Even though the scene in the movie is visually intriguing and captures some of the imagery with its setting, I’m going to have to put the album version on this list.

You can find the French song from the concept album here on Dionysos’ official Youtube channel and the scene from the English movie here on a fan’s Youtube channel.

7. “L'école De Joe”

“The School of Joe” can only be found in the movie in its instrumental form, so I don’t want to make a direct comparison to the lyric version in the album. However, I don’t think I have to. Both incarnations capture the same menacing energy and climactic build, and what the movie may lack in lyrics it sure makes up for in the scene. And while I hate to put Joe nearly halfway up my list, the song is just too powerful to put any lower.

You can find the French song from the concept album here on Dionysos’ official Youtube channel.

6. “Malagueña”

Doing the research on the Spanish songs in the album and the movie sure gave me a run for my money because I had no idea about the multilingual talents of Olivia Ruiz. She both voices and sings Miss Acacia in the French movie, the concept album (which is in French, of course), as well as the Spanish songs in both (if not all) of the translations of the movie. Her version of “La Malagueña”, a traditional Mexican Huapango song, was originally covered on two of her albums [1], and is of course identical in the concept album and the movie because there is no need to translate it. It was tough for me to choose between “Malagueña” and “Quijote”, but for the wonderful and fantastical elements surrounding it in the movie and for the great references to quotes from the novel during the scene, “Malagueña” makes it on this list.

You can find the song from the concept album here on Dionysos’ official Youtube channel and an amazing live performance of it by Olivia Ruiz here.

5. “Le Jour Le Plus Froid du Monde”

Thanks to this Youtube video and the fanart included in it, “The Coldest Day on Earth” was the first song I ever heard from the “La Mécanique Du Cœur” concept album and was how I discovered the movie in the first place. I have always been an enthusiast for anything vaguely steampunk, and a rhythm set by cuckoo-clocks is exactly the kind of song I’m looking for. Once I figured out what the French lyrics actually mean, I knew I needed to find out more about this weird world. It took me exactly two years to get my hands on a copy of the book after watching the movie, and I discovered the entire concept album around that time as well. Perhaps this song should be number one on this list because it is literally the reason I have this blog to begin with, but I just can’t deny how much I love the other songs at the top of this list.

I also can’t fail to mention the sort of reprised version of the song, called “Le Réveil Des Coucous Vivants”, or “The Awakening of the Living Cuckoos” which makes an appearance very early in the movie, but is actually the last song on the concept album. If you want to experience an amazing example of how cuckoos can be used as incredibly haunting musical instruments, I recommend you check it out.

You can find the French song from the concept album here on Dionysos’ official Youtube channel here is the link to “Le Réveil Des Coucous Vivants” on their channel as well.

4. “La Panique Mécanique”

I absolutely love how much this song builds and how it captures the experience of traveling on a train alone for the first time. This song does make a shortened appearance in the movie during Jack’s train ride, but I’m not a huge fan of how they altered the lyrics. Another thing that makes the French album version so much more striking than the English movie version is Alain Bashung’s [2] performance of Jack the Ripper’s lines. His voice is so mysterious and menacing and creates the perfect bridge into the chaotic latter portion of the song. Perhaps it is my relative lack of exposure to a variety of French voices, but his rendition just hits different than the English one in my opinion.

You can find the French version from the concept album here on Dionysos’ official Youtube channel. Unfortunately I can’t find a good link to the scene in the movie, so you will have to do some digging yourself if you are interested.

3. “Jack Et La Mécanique Du Cœur”

In third place is the French concept album version of the titular song “Jack Et La Mécanique Du Cœur”. It is the very first song on the concept album and serves as a sort of summary for the plot and kind of resembles a Greek chorus [3] that speculates what our protagonist Jack is going to do. It includes some interjection from Georges Méliès and ends with him saying “Et maintenant, bon film” (”And now, enjoy the film”), which I find very cute since it’s sort of like we are watching Méliès’ own film adaption of the story, which he tells Jack during the movie that he could very well make.

You can find the French concept album version here on Dionysos’ official Youtube channel.

2. “Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart” (English version from the end credits  of the movie)

Maybe this is a cop-out, but I just couldn’t decide which version of this song to put on this list, so I included both. After much deliberation, I decided to put the English version at number two instead of three. It seems sacrilegious somehow, but I just had to put it a little higher for a couple of reasons. One, I discovered it first so it lodged itself in my consciousness before the French version did, and two, I just can’t get over Orlando Seale’s voice in this song. Of course Mathias Malzieu is completely unparalleled, but there is something about Seale’s optimistic and gallant tone that is completely enrapturing.

It’s sort of a bummer that this amazing song only shows up at the very end of the credits, but I must admit it is a difficult song to place anywhere else in the film considering the inexplicable presence of Méliès (which makes it hard to put at the beginning for the sake of the plot). But, it also doesn’t make sense at the end since it’s a summary of what we just watched and the final line tells us to “enjoy the film” as the last few credits roll up on the screen. Regardless, I should be happy that the song was ever translated into English because I can thank it for keeping my interest and passion for the story alive.

You can find the English version here on a fan’s Youtube channel.

1. “L’Homme Sans Trucage”

And finally, number one. You’d think “Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart” would have taken this spot considering how much I went on about it, but “L’Homme Sans Trucage” (”The Man Without Special Effects”) from the concept album has an absolutely tangible feeling of adventure and boundlessness with instrumentals that are out of this world. Who else but Dionysos can mix record-scratching, keyboard, banjo, drums, and more simultaneously and make it sound that amazing? The song perfectly captures the “coming of age” theme of the story, and the imagery in the song is beyond inspiring. 

I also need to mention the reference in the title and in the chorus to Méliès’ diary in the story which he titled “The Man without Special Effects” (or “The Man Who Was No Hoax” per the English translation of the novel). That diary in both the movie and the novel is Méliès’ retelling of his time spent with Jack (which is why I think putting the song “Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart” in the beginning of the movie would be so cool) and is emphasized a bit more in the novel than in the movie. That diary makes a sort of legend out of Jack, and its title implies entirely different layers of meaning between the movie and the novel. 

To give the movie some credit, though, the scene is a lot of fun, and I love how they styled it à la Méliès with paper cutouts and the reference to “The Impossible Voyage” [4] by the real Georges Méliès. The scene stays true to the surrealism of the story, and is definitely quite enjoyable. But, in the end, I have to give “L’Homme Sans Trucage” the number one spot on my list.

You can find the French version from the concept album here on Dionysos official Youtube channel and the scene from the movie here on Shout! Factory’s Youtube channel.

There are 31 tracks (including interludes) on the complete “La Mécanique Du Cœur” concept album, so of course I couldn’t include them all here. The styles and tones of each song are so unique, and I think the entire album is worth a listen. I first listened to the entire album roughly concurrently with the plot of the novel, and that was a pretty great way to experience it, in my opinion. But, if you’re like me and you aren’t exactly fluent in French, it’s not like you’ll get many spoilers from the songs.

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All quotes are from the film and/or novel “Jack and Cuckoo-Clock Heart” by Mathias Malzieu unless otherwise specified.

Sources and additional information:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malague%C3%B1a_Salerosa

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alain_Bashung

[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_chorus#:~:text=A%20Greek%20chorus%2C%20or%20simply,voice%20on%20the%20dramatic%20action.

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Impossible_Voyage

#jack and the cuckoo-clock heart #jack et la mécanique du coeur #mathias malzieu #olivia ruiz #malaguena salerosa #georges melies #orlando seale #the impossible voyage