If you follow me on Twitter (@popmusicnotes), this is how I wrapped up the MTV Video Music Awards in 140 characters or less:
Drake – slick, Robyn – robbed, Taylor – can’t sing, Chelsea – not funny, Gaga & Eminem won a bunch, Kanye – freak, Florence owned it.
All opinion, and I know several people disagree with me on the Chelsea assessment, but I’ve seen her standup, and she’s a one-trick pony. Gets old quickly. Anyway, I did not come here today to talk about the host of the VMAs, but rather the highlight. Florence and the Machine absolutely stole the show with the Mount Olympus-esque performance of “Dog Days Are Over”, and the fruits of that are now starting to pay off. I saw the song get as high as #3 on iTunes on Monday, and currently it sits at #9. That’s pretty impressive for a song that was originally released in the UK back in 2008.
Having said this, it’s not like the song came out of nowhere…it was used heavily in the trailer for Eat Pray Love and was featured on shows like Mercy and Gossip Girl. America has responded to the VMAs spectacle by catapulting the song onto the Billboard Hot 100 at #93, and propelling Lungs up 56 spots to a new peak of #44 on the album chart. This is nothing new for Florence, though. “You’ve Got the Love” was utilized in the Christmas episode of Gavin and Stacey, and it peaked at #5 in the weeks that followed. Then Florence performed the song with Dizzee Rascal as a mashup called “You Got Dirtee Love” at this year’s Brit Awards, and she got all the way to #2. Say what you want, but the woman is extremely savvy in her song placement choices, although she also has solid songs that make an impact.
So now it’s up to American radio programmers. This song is an instant smash for Adult Top 40 stations just waiting to happen, since their demographic heard this song every time they clicked on that Eat Pray Love trailer on YouTube. Top 40 might be a stretch, but it could happen.
Once again, I find myself being sucked into the new season of X Factor, primarily because its US counterpart (American Idol) has become such a pitiful shell of its former self. While the X Factor tryout episodes are just as annoying at times as the US tryouts are, every once in a while you get a glimpse of talent so unexpected that it blows you away. Such is the case with 16-year-old Cher Lloyd, who blew the judges and live audience away with her performance of Keri Hilson’s cover of “Turn My Swag On”. To give some context, here’s the video for Keri’s take on the Soulja Boy original:
And then check out Cher’s intro and performance. This, my friends, is why I love the talent shows. Despite the fact that Cher is modeling her style and choreography off of Keri’s performance, she is a natural-born performer.
Honestly, I could watch that over and over and over again. If ever there was an example of someone having an X Factor, it’s Cher. Next stop is boot camp, and it has to be all but a given that she’s going to make it onto the main competition. If you watched the end of the audition video, you would swear that Cheryl was plotting some diabolical plan to steal either Cher’s talent or her soul. I haven’t decided which yet.
As for Keri Hilson, she should have an album coming out soon, although her release dates bounce around quite a bit if her debut CD is any indication. Idolator posted a new track called “Still a Girl”, and while Robbie likened the sound to TLC, I hear a LOT of Gabrielle’s “Dreams” in the backing track. Solid album cut, although I don’t think it has hit potential, but it’s an interesting direction for her. You have to wonder if “Turn My Swag On’ will end up on the new record, but in the meantime you can pick up the remix version of Soulja Boy’s track with Keri singing the hook at Amazon MP3 or iTunes.
What the heck…let’s close this out with a Gabrielle flashback. Rumor has it she is coming out with a new album in the near future.
Just prior to taking off for the mountains this past weekend, word was breaking that Kanye West had posted an apology to Taylor Swift via Twitter. Since I’ve spoken about this in the past, my initial instinct was to just let it blow over. However, it seems folks are still talking about how this was handled. My friend Will posted about the apology, and had some questions about the validity of the apology, as well as the artistic merits of Kanye. His post struck a chord with me for a couple of reasons.
I’ll start off by saying that I thought what Kanye did was tacky and completely uncalled for, and that he has shown both arrogance and immaturity in his personal appearances over the past five years. (I got into this a bit last year) Having said that, I think it’s fair to stick to the facts here and say that Kanye does sample music and lyrics that other artists have created, but what he does beyond those samples is pretty brilliant. Writing lyrics for a rap record is a genuine talent, and there is a reason that other artists come to Kanye to produce their records. If it was simply a matter of sampling someone else’s records, there are many others who can do that and do it well.
As for the samples themselves, many of them are not actual samples, but interpolations of the original. The original version of what Kanye interpolated from Lauryn Hill for “All Falls Down” was actually a live performance for her MTV Unplugged. The Daft Punk sample was much more direct, but what he did with it was simply brilliant. So brilliant, in fact, that Daft Punk actually performed live on TV with him on the Grammys. They had never performed live on TV prior to that, and on top of that, they even come out and complimented Kanye on expanding the sound from the original. When folks as innovative as Daft Punk can recognize what Kanye does, it seems like he’s moved beyond hired gun and into artist territory.
I hope this doesn’t come off as a full-on defense of Kanye, because it’s not meant to be. Kanye needs to do a lot more than just tweet an apology, and a pile of epic beats and lyrics won’t erase a long trail of bad behavior. He’s going to have to show and prove, and that will mean letting his actions represent the words that he uses. However, his personal actions cannot take away the brilliance of the music he has released, although they sure can taint it. A track like “Can’t Tell Me Nothin'” takes on new meaning when you put it into the context of the past year.
They say I talk with so much emphasis,
Oh, they’re so sensitive.
Don’t ever fix your lips like collagen
Say something were you gone end up apologising.
Everyone and their brother will be posting this, but this has to be a contender for Video of the Year. Cee-Lo has never been known for boring videos (see his Gnarls Barkley and Goodie Mob video output), but this one tells the story perfectly. Hopefully you already know that this is NSFW, but watch Cee-Lo grow up into The Lady Killer, which is also the name of his now hotly-anticipated solo CD dropping on December 7th.
“We” meaning you and I, because Shayne put out a simple tweet today:
#ShayneWardNov28th RT RT RT Guys
Is our (inter)national nightmare over with? Here’s what Shayne posted on August 25th via his own website blog:
I was in the Label on Monday where I listened to my whole album for the first time! I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. I’ve worked so hard on it and it’s been a long process but now it’s almost here and it’s soon to be released. I can’t wait for you to hear it! More news to follow soon.
So everything is aligning here. More details to follow, but in his own words from that blog post, “things are moving”. It appears that also includes his workouts:
It was 15 years ago that a vocalist named Roula joined forces with a dance act called 20 Fingers and stormed the world with “Lick It”. Okay…it wasn’t actually a massive hit, but it was definitely memorable. 20 Fingers actually had a bigger hit with “Short Dick Man”, or “Short Short Man”, depending on the territory you lived in at the time.
So here we are 15 years later, and as we are watching dance music make a comeback on the pop chart, I’m starting to see some parallels in the songs that are making waves. Take the house-flavored 20 Fingers formula, give it more of an electronic/techno feel, and you’ve got Richard Vission and Static Revenger’s former Top 5 Australian hit with Luciana entitled “I Like That”. The jam is currently at #38scratch that…#36 on the US Pop Airplay chart and just barely on the iTunes 200 at #192. All we need is another remake of “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, and it would be 1995 all over again.
…of course, I don’t rule the radio, but if I did, here are a few of the songs that would be in heavy rotation.
Cee-Lo Green “F#@k You” – If I ruled the radio, this would be the most-requested, most played jam. The “F” word isn’t the only thing that will keep this song off the radio, but you know that Larry Flick over at Sirius/XM’s “Morning Jolt” will be playing this one daily if he’s not already doing so. Cee-Lo is one of the most talented singers in the business, but much of his quirky persona gives an image of him as more of a novelty. Here’s hoping that his upcoming CD The Ladykiller will help give credit where it is sorely overdue.
Sara Bareilles “Hold My Heart” – If you thought that “King of Anything” was just a good but predictable retread of “Love Song”, you may be pleasantly pleased to hear what needs to be single #2 from her sophomore release Kaleidoscope Heart, due out in September. Watching this clip of her playing “Hold” back in June reminds me just how much I love seeing her live. I may have to check her out again when she comes through Denver in November. The studio version just soars and leaves you wanting more. Is the whole CD out yet?
The Ready Set “Love Like Woe” – I remember seeing this video several months ago, and I just wasn’t feeling it at the time, but the chorus has embedded itself in the hand. Part Owl City, part Metro Station, with a dash of JR Rotem thrown in, and it actually works. Well, except for the JR Rotem…I don’t care if I never hear that air horn ever again.
Hurts – “Wonderful Life” – I recently told XOLondon that I resisted Hurts initially because I found them pretentious. Not sure if they can shake that label with some of the videos that have surfaced, but at the end of day, their music is irresistible. “Wonderful” is the second single from their upcoming CD Happiness, and hopefully it gets a bit higher than “Better Than Love”, which only hit #50. It has already gone top 10 in several countries, and it sounded perfect on Radio 1 last week, so I would say the odds are good, although Taio Cruz probably has a lock on the top.
Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP “We No Speak Americano” – Slowly inching its way up the iTunes top singles is this former UK #1 that has actually topped charts in 16 countries. Ironically (as Kath and Kim would say), it only got to #4 in their native Australia. Do I think it will get to #1 in the US? Hell no. Do I see this song becoming a mini-sensation? Absolutely. I want to hear this song on the radio followed by Antoine Dodson’s “Bed Intruder Song“. But only about five times. My head might explode after that.
I occasionally get songs stuck in my head that I haven’t heard in years, and it is always interesting to me why they surface. Recently, Janet Jackson’s “Someday Is Tonight” came to mind, and while I think a conversation might have triggered a lyric from the song, the return of the Rhythm Nation 1814 album cut was quite welcome. “Someday” featured on a few mixtapes of mine back in the day, and that got me thinking about songs that appeared the most on my mixtapes. I wrote about a couple of these over at Wacky on the Junk a few months ago, but here’s a small sampling of my “go-to” tracks:
Kate Bush “This Woman’s Work” – ”I know you have a little life in you yet/I know you have a lot of strength left” The mother of all mixtape songs. If you want a song to end a mixtape with on a huge emotional swoosh, this is the song for you. There is so much emotion that can be pulled out of this song, and sometimes an amazing song like this can be utilized even if the lyrics don’t necessarily match the intended tone. As long as the song adds to the musical landscape, it’s fair game. I never had a personal tie to the lyrics, but the song remains a modern pop masterpiece, whether you are talking about the original by Kate Bush or the remake by Maxwell.
Julian Lennon “Saltwater” – “We’re so ingenious we can walk on the moon” I have a soft spot in my heart for John Lennon in part because my mom has told me I’m named for him. I remember sitting in the bathroom with my mom the day that Lennon died because we had company over, and she was beyond emotional and couldn’t stop crying. So when Julian came along with Valotte, I felt like I had a bit more of a connection to John by proxy. It wasn’t until a few years later when Help Yourself was released that I saw Julian for more than just John’s son. “Saltwater” seems a bit hokey to me now, but at the time I thought it was extremely profound.
Indigo Girls “Power of Two” – “So we’re okay, we’re fine/baby I’m here to stop your crying” This one was a toss-up for me, because “Power” and “Language and the Kiss” both saw some serious usage, but I went with this because a) there’s actually a video; and b) “Power” was used in Boys on the Side, which I loved at the time. Depending on when and how I listen to it, the song is either about a couple surviving despite the obstacles, or a couple breaking up but having no regrets of the life they’ve lived together. Either way, it’s always Emily voice that speaks to me.
The Rembrandts “Confidential Information” – “Confidential information, in a dream a true confession/She didn’t mean to give away such confidential information” No video clip for this track anywhere, but I had to mention this LP track from their debut CD. “Just the Way It Is, Baby” was a bit of fresh air at the time it became a hit, and that pulled me into the full CD. I was pretty horrified when the Rembrandts became “the guys that did the Friends theme” because I didn’t feel like that was their best work. Then again, who am I to begrudge someone making a living?
New Radicals “Someday We’ll Know” – “Someday we’ll know why I wasn’t meant for you” New Radicals were a big sensation when they came out in 1999 because they gave people something to talk about. Whether it was the rap at the end of “You Get What You Give”, the developing enigma surrounding band mastermind Gregg Alexander, the little girl from Archie Bunker’s Place who had grown up and joined a rock band, or the freshness of the music in the midst of a lot of same-sounding tracks, I’m sure none of that attention was unwelcome. Looking back, I am pretty shocked that “Get” only made it to #36 on the Hot 100, although it was much bigger in other countries. For me, the bigger issue is that the follow-up single “Someday We’ll Know” never even charted in the US. “Someday” proves to me that Alexander wasn’t a musical flash in the pan, but to the general public, New Radicals will always be a one-hit wonder.
Prince “Adore” – “Until the end of time/I’ll be there for you” If I had to estimate what song I used on more mixtapes, it would be this one. Since “Adore” is the perfect finale for Sign O the Times, I would put it at the end of any mixtape with a romantic theme. [Honorable mentions for overused romantic songs went to “Follow My Rainbow” by Sheena Easton and “Arms of Orion” by Sheena & Prince] There is such a connection between Prince and his lady that you can’t help but want to feel that same type of connection yourself. From the first drawn-out “ooooooh”, Prince is talking about sex and love and devotion all at the same time.
So what would I put on my modern-day playlist to fill the moody, weighty, deep slot? After a quick glance of my music library from the past year, my mind immediately gravitates to Lady Antebellum’s “Hello World”, which I originally described as the heart of their Need You Now CD. Contemplative? Check. Powerful? Check. Hopeful? Checkmate.
Can there be a better way to wake up in the morning than to find the new Bright Light Bright Light video has debuted? The buzz around Rod Thomas has become deafening in the past few months in certain circles, and now that he has been signed as one of two debut artists to Popjustice’s HiFi label, Rod is ready for his closeup. In fact, we will take any close up we can get, and the video for “Love Part II” delivers. It’s a low-budget affair, but the video is still a classy effort. Truthfully, we could sit and watch a four-minute clip of Rod singing right to the camera, and just seeing the joy in his face as he sings “I’m in love again” would be enough, but the masses want a hook. You can picture this video playing immediately after Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” with the caption “In another part of the city…”
“Love Part II” is released in the UK on September 12th. If there is any justice in the world, it should be a Top 10 smash.
So just on a whim, I swung by shayne-ward.com yesterday, and was rewarded with a new blog entry. Lots of sun, blah blah blah…depressing World Cup result, blah blah blah…and then the good stuff:
My recording sessions are coming to a close and the next step is to choose the first single..exciting! Once the first single has been decided things will fall into place very soon! That’s when all systems are go. There’s a real buzz from myself and the label and we’re very excited about my return to the stage. Seeing all of you again is a huge deal for me. I miss you all like crazy and I’m really looking forward to this.
Post goes on to mention training, Temper Trap, and Glastonbury. If you got back a bit on Twitter, Shayne told a fan over the weekend that he will probably be playing a gig in London in September or October, which seems about right to get a project off the ground that has just been finished up. In the meantime, we will just have to listen to the new Maroon 5 track “Misery” over and over. I’m convinced that if the song had come out earlier, Katy Perry would not be #1 on the charts right now. Consolation comes with a pic of Shayne at the driving range, showing off the results of his training.
All opinion, and I know several people disagree with me on the Chelsea assessment, but I’ve seen her standup, and she’s a one-trick pony. Gets old quickly. Anyway, I did not come here today to talk about the host of the VMAs, but rather the highlight. Florence and the Machine absolutely stole the show with the Mount Olympus-esque performance of “Dog Days Are Over”, and the fruits of that are now starting to pay off. I saw the song get as high as #3 on iTunes on Monday, and currently it sits at #9. That’s pretty impressive for a song that was originally released in the UK back in 2008.
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