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All posts for the month August, 2008

Reviewin’ the Field

Posted by John on August 30, 2008
Posted in: reviews. Tagged: , , . 6 Comments

As promised, here is my first batch of CD reviews for your perusal. Trust me when I say that titles will be all over the place. My taste in music runs from pure pop to R&B, hip-hop, country, dance, alternative, and even fringe stuff like bluegrass. No matter where my musical taste goes, though, there always seems to be a pop sensibility to the music I like, so that’s where my pop music definition lies. “If I like it, it must be pop.”

– Amy Grant, “Lead Me On: 20th Anniversary Edition” – Amy’s liberation from her old label Word has so far been an interesting transition to Sparrow. Because of her status (and a smart contract negotiation), all of her masters have followed her to Sparrow, and they are taking advantage of that by re-releasing older material while waiting for new music to be recorded. Back in 2007, Sparrow said that they would be remastering her older music as they re-release it, but I don’t see any trace of that on this reissue and the booklet says that this was remastered by Bob Ludwig. In addition, there are some cool acoustic and live versions of the music that really helped bridge Amy’s crossover from strictly Christian pop to a more mainstream audience.

The original music definitely withstands the test of time, and is among my all-time favorite albums. While there are very blatant Christian themes floating throughout the record, even folks who aren’t explicitly Christian can find some common themes about finding your way and your place in the world. To a 19-year-old dealing with so many personal struggles at the time of this record’s release, it was a revelation. None of the impact of this record has diminished in my mind over the last 20 years. The live tracks capture that excitement, and you can feel her deep enthusiasm for the then-new material. Makes me wish I’d been able to see her live back then.

What doesn’t work as well, though, are the acoustic recordings. That earnest, longing vibe that Amy imbued every song with in her youth gives way to a more mellow, longing tone, as if she wishes she were back in those days, and some of the impact of the originals is lost. Having said that, they are beautiful recordings, and if I didn’t have the originals to compare them to, I think I would be raving about them. But as a whole, I’m not sure that the extra material is worth the new version without remastered versions of the original to make it worth your while.
Original – A+; New Material – B

– Lady Gaga, “The Fame” – I have friends and acquaintances that have already annointed this record the Album of the Year, but I’m not quite there. As dance/pop records go, this is definitely high quality, but I am just not feeling the magnitude of the praise just yet. Lady G (aka Stefani Germanotta) cites 70s and 80s influences, including David Bowie, and that’s apparent in her music.

My issue is that sometimes when the influence is easy to hear, it’s distracting from artist’s true vision and message, because utilizing someone else’s influence will automatically jade your opinion if you’re familiar with the source material. And herein lies my problem…I can hear the David Bowie, the Madonna, and the new wave influences. A song like “I Like It Rough”, which doesn’t exactly have heavy-duty lyrical content, sounds like a lighter version of something that Terri Nunn would have sung back in the heyday of Berlin’s run on the charts. If you’re going to lean on your influences that heavily, you have to really step up and make it shine even brighter than the original source.

Don’t get me wrong…there are some amazing tracks here. “Just Dance” set the stage for this record’s release perfectly, “Love Game” is nasty pop at its finest (“Let’s have some fun/this beat is sick/I wanna take a ride on your disco stick”), and the shuffling beat of “Again Again” does exactly what other tracks on this album fail to do; bring something new to the table. It’s a great first effort, and I hope she gets a chance to record a second album, but she’s only partway up the mountain so far. [FYI…this is the Canadian release of the CD. From what I’ve read, the US release (due late October) will have at least one different track. Why they are waiting on the release, I have no clue.]
The Fame – B-

– Solange, “Sol-Angel and The Hadley St. Dreams” – Remember what I was saying about bringing something new to the table? Solange gets it. Say what you want to say about the Knowles clan, but they’ve got some impressively impeccable taste in music. Take “Dancing in the Dark” (not The Boss)…Herb Alpert horns, xylophones, and melodies that are reminiscent of the Motown sound, and yet her arrangement and delivery bring it right up to date.

Throughout this CD, you hear a very clear R&B influence, but the directions that Solange takes it are impressive for a 22-year-old woman. That’s not to say someone younger isn’t capable of this, but I think she has paid attention to her influences not only in a stylistic way, but has also noted the FEELING that goes along with those influences. Sometimes her sister has runs in a song for show, but not really for depth. Solange’s delivery matches each and every song, not distracting from the mood or the environment that she’s attempting to set up. There’s no fear on this record, just joy. “I Decided” is one such piece of joy, soaring with melodies reminiscent of Martha and the Vandellas, but with one toe firmly on the 21st century firmament. Current single “Sandcastle Disco” is brilliant in several ways, but probably the most important way to me is that there is nothing else like it on the radio like it, which may mean that it never gets played on the radio. The video debuted at #4 on TRL this week, though, so hopefully that’s a good start.

If I have any qualms about the CD, it’s that some of the songs hit a little too close to Beyonce territory. “Valentine’s Day” sounds like an extra track from the “B-Day” sessions, but you’ve got to cut her a little slack, since she’s actually written songs for Beyonce (“Get Me Bodied” comes to mind). That’s a minor complaint, though. If I was pressed to start picking CDs for my Best Of list this year, “Sol-Angel” would be on that short list.
Sol-Angel – A

The Power of a Song

Posted by John on August 27, 2008
Posted in: commentary, songs. Tagged: . 5 Comments

I am constantly blown away by just how much impact a melody or a lyric can have on a person at just the right moment in time.  No matter how many times it happens to me, in some ways, it feels like the first time because of the strength of the impact.  Whether it’s in the car driving along, or sitting on the couch at home, just doing some mindless task, it sneaks up on you, and you’re helpless to it’s impact.

Case in point…Sara Bareilles’s “Gravity”.  When I first heard the song a few months ago, I took it as being a song about trying to escape the tractor beam of a failed relationship.  No matter what you do to escape the pull of the other person, “something always brings me back to you.”  While I didn’t have a personal connection to the lyric at that moment, I’ve been there in the past, and I felt an immediate connection to the song.

Tonight, the song took on new meaning.  Rather than a lover who is toxic, the subject became sadness, or depression.  “You hold me without touch./You keep me without chains.”  I love the fact that as you grow, so can how you interpret the same text, the same melody, or the same conversation with new eyes, new ears, and new explanations.  It’s probably safe to assume that if your perspective DIDN’T change, you’re not living life to it’s fullest.

So here’s your question for the evening…what song really touches you, and why?

Keep Your Kisser Shut

Posted by John on August 26, 2008
Posted in: commentary, interview. Tagged: . 2 Comments

From YRB Magazine (and with a h/t to Uh Like That!), here are the latest words of wisdom from the musical chameleon herself, Katy Perry…

“I’m not here to be a role model personality. I’m here to be in the business of f**king rock and roll. Being in the business of rock and roll means having an attitude, being sexy, being edgy and being unapologetic unless I do something wrong…I look up to people like Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, Freddie Mercury and Cyndi Lauper. I want to have that same type of appeal. If people want a role model, they can have Miley Cyrus.”

Damn…where do I begin?  First off, let’s talk about the business that Katy thinks she’s in.  I am going to make this confession once, and only once, that Katy Perry came up with one of the most infectious pop songs of the past few years.  The hook is irresistible, and whether or not you credit her or Max Martin, she delivers the goods.  I would actually own the record if I could stand the girl’s personality.  But “I Kissed a Girl” is POP music, Katy.

Second, does she really think that she’s doing something that Cyndi Lauper or Joan Jett would be proud of?  Two of the four artists she lists are gay, and yet her way of paying respect is to release a kiss-off record to an ex called “Ur So Gay”, which opens with a wish for the ex to hang himself with a scarf from H&M.  Classy, indeed, and very respectful of those who preceded her.

Finally, although I know it’s a cheap shot, let’s talk about the past recordings of Miss Katy Hudson.  Beliefnet, which I actually have a decent amount of respect for, have highlighted questions about her past musical direction, as well as her family’s reaction to her success.  This really smells more like a calculated move to distance herself from her past while finding success in a new arena, but at the end of the day, only Katy knows.  Here’s hoping she gets her shizz together, because selling your soul for a hit can only fill so many holes in your life for so long, and after a while, it makes more than it fills.  The aftereffects aren’t all that fun to clean up.

Coming Soon…

Posted by John on August 25, 2008
Posted in: upcoming. Tagged: . 1 Comment

On the horizon for this week…reviews of new releases from Solange, Lada GaGa and Amy Grant, as well as a new weekly feature, “Pop Music Notables”, which will premiere with a profile on Ne-Yo.  You’ll also get any breaking music news and nuggets as I come across them, so make sure y’all come back soon, ya’hear?

And now, a gratuitous photo of Shayne Ward losing at strip poker…

Non-Stop Showgirls!

Posted by John on August 22, 2008
Posted in: concerts. Tagged: , , . 3 Comments

Well, not exactly showgirls…more like shows.  In Denver!  In the span of a week, Sara Bareilles, Maxwell, and Jason Mraz are all playing shows, and I must go see all three!  About an hour ago, I got tickets for the mezzanine of the Paramount Theater for Sara (with Marc Broussard opening) on October 20th.  The funny thing is, I resisted Sara for a while, but Mr. Moody wore me down, and now I’m a big fan.

This string of concerts is long overdue, as I’ve had quite a drought from live music here in Lansing.  My only concert in the past year was Annie Lennox in Detroit, which I enjoyed, but wasn’t exactly the stuff of legends.  Most of the shows that I’ve wanted to see recently have passed through Chicago or Toronto, but unless you’ve got a day to invest in that round trip journey, it’s just not feasible.  There’s no doubt in my mind that I will be making up for lost time over the next couple of months.

Of the four artists listed above, I have only seen Maxwell live.  That show was a blast, with Angie Stone opening.  He worked that crowd, and the ladies were just losing their minds over him.  Oh yes, panties were thrown.

Turns out, a kindred spirit by the name of Marissa was also at that show, but we didn’t know each other at the time.  I’ve already made arrangements to see this show with her, and we’ll get caught up like we normally do.  She’s a blast to see shows with, and our last outing together was the Sugar Water tour with Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Queen Latifah.

The wild card show for me is Mraz.  I actually have all of his regular-release CDs, and I do consider myself a fan, but this will be my first show.  Jason makes Denver (and Boulder) a regular stop on his tours, and the fans love him long time.  (With the occasional skin shot like the one to the right, who wouldn’t?)  No matter what your image of what Denver is all about, Jason embodies it for me.  Chill, laid-back, funky, eclectic…all of those qualities are what I love about Denver, and the same goes for Mr A-Z.  Add in some actual intelligence and social relevance, and you’ve got a winning combination.

Jason’s playing the Fillmore Theater on October 27th, and it will be a blast.  I will probably hang toward the back, given that this is a general admission show, but you never know.  Wading into the masses is never fully out of the question.  I’m a man of the people, you know.

Return of the Mock

Posted by John on August 20, 2008
Posted in: music industry, singles. Tagged: , . 2 Comments

Not sure if anyone has noticed the iTunes Top Singles chart today, but at #4 is a reminder of what continues to be wrong with the music industry. Apparently, a group called “Hit Masters” has scored the biggest hit of their careers with “All Summer Long”. Sound familiar? It should, because it’s a knock-off version of Kid Rock, who refuses to allow iTunes (or any electronic distribution website) to sell his music. I’m sure he has his fears of the electronic boogieman coming down and spreading that music file to the four corners of the Earth, but what we see setting up here is the same thing that happened in the ’90s, when the record companies started getting greedy over singles.

“But hasn’t the industry always been greedy, John?” Well, of course they have, but it got much worse in the ’90s. In an attempt to sell more albums, many record companies looked to cutting back singles as a way to force consumers to purchase the full-length record. And you know what? It worked. There’s a reason that some of the biggest albums ever racked up their totals in the late ’90s. However, many of those consumers (including a lot of kids) still wanted the single because they couldn’t afford to buy a full-length CD or tape every time that they heard a song they liked. And this, dear reader, is where the knockoff single comes into play.

Have you ever heard of the Countdown Singers? If you haven’t, your life is still complete, so don’t sweat it. If you’ve actually purchased something of theirs, first off, I’m sorry. I know it’s tough to part with your money, and you had the best of intentions, but yeah…you got shafted, right? You popped that CD or cassette single in the player, waiting to hear a song you’d been looking for on single for weeks, and while it sort of sounded like the song you wanted, it wasn’t quite right. A second look at the case confirms your suspicion…it’s your song “as performed by the Countdown Singers”. *cue Debbie Downer effect*

The Countdown Singers are a product of Madacy Records, which specializes in compilations and collections of music that span multiple genres. Much of the music they put out is actually by the original artists, but some of it falls into the knockoff category. When the record companies started scaling back singles, Madacy hopped right into the mix, and in 1994, the Countdown Singers were born. While there are several different companies doing the Devil’s work now (Hip Kiddy Records released the Kid Rock knockoff), Madacy can probably be called the King of the genre.

So use caution when purchasing your music singles. Unless it specifically has the singer’s name and picture attached to the graphics for the single, you should be VERY careful about buying it. Unless you’re like a friend of mine who bought one of those CDs a few years ago, only to find out that he actually LIKED a couple of the knockoff versions on the disc. His counseling is coming along quite nicely.