This was a great year in music, but would you know it by looking at Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 25 Songs of 2011? Here's my take on Rob Sheffield's countdown.
25. Lady Gaga, "Edge of Glory"
I do love me some Lady Gaga, and this is a catchy single, but it's almost too formulaic. Out of the singles from "Born This Way," I found this one, "You & I," and "Marry The Night" to be too bland and obviously trying to cater to the largest audience. Personally, I preferred "Judas."
24. Nicki Minaj, "Girlfriend"
I don't know this song and I don't care for Nicky Minaj (or Manage, as I pronounce it). We already had Lil Kim.
23. Yuck, "Get Away"
I've never heard of this band or the song, but I bet if I heard it, I would say "Yuck"! ha ha.
22. Avril Lavigne, "What the Hell"
I'm not a huge fan of Ms. Lavigne (aka April Levine) but I have a little respect for her. She tries to be a little different, and I liked her song "I'm With You" from her first album. I also liked her in the movie "Fast Food Nation."
21. Paul Simon, "Rewrite"
I think someone told me Paul Simon had a new album out...
20. Xeno and Oaklander, "Sets and Lights"
I've never heard of them, but Rob Sheffield's description makes them sound intriguing. Opening Spotify now...
19. The Horrors, "Still Life"
I heard about the Horrors because I saw a poster advertising their new album. I listened to them on Spotify a little and liked what I heard but I need to check them out more.
18. Thurston Moore, "Mina Loy"
I don't know anything about this one, but I know he was in Sonic Youth. I never got into them.
17. Neon Indian, "Fallout"
Ok, so Mr. Sheffielf describes this as "Synth-pop romance, with a little O.M.D. and a whole lot of Comsat Angels," so I REALLY need to check this out. I like OMD alright and saw them live earlier this year, but I am OBSESSED with the Comsat Angel's album "Land," and it's pretty rare that you hear them referenced anywhere these days.
16. Radiohead, "Separator"
Ech... enough with Radiohead. I loved the imitation Jimmy Fallon did of Thom Yorke on Saturday Night Live recently.
15. Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
Wait, who's Adele? Ha! Just kidding, there was absolutely no way to avoid this chick in the past year. You would have thought she invented a new way of singing and songwriting. But no, it's just the same old thing people have been doing for years. Really not sure what all the hype is about. It's a decent song though, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't get it in my head and sing it out loud quite a few times in 2011.
14. Kurt Vile, "Runner Ups"
Never heard of him.
13. Azealia Banks, "212"
Never heard of this either.
12. Destroyer, "Kaputt"
OK, never heard of this one either but Mr. Sheffield makes another 80's reference here, this time to Howard Jones. Howard Jones is OK but doesn't do enough for me in a reference to want to check this out.
11. Rihanna, "We Found Love"
Wow, this has to be a song that I've heard and just never realized who the artist or title was. It's hard for me to believe there's a Rihanna song that I don't recognize. Wait, let me check this out on Spotify. OK, yeah I do know this one. A decent track, and I love Calvin Harris so, I need to pay more attention to this.
10. Stevie Nicks, "Annabel Lee"
Crap, I'd been so looking forward to hearing the new Stevie Nicks, and a close friend of mine got it right away when it came out, but I still haven't listened to it, so I don't know this song. Shame on me!
9. Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass"
Really, we need another Nicki Manage song on here? Give me a Super Break.
8. Rebecca Black, "Friday"
Wait, really? This is a joke, right? I mean, the song and video are a joke, so its inclusion on here must be one too. I actually kinda feel bad for Rebecca Black. Every day, thousands of kids of dubious talent and stage-parent-wannabes with more money than sense commit adolescent warbling to disc in the hopes of producing the next big hit. Luckily for most of these people, these childhood embarrassments are left languishing in obscurity. This chick is never gonna live down this song, but she's never going to have a serious music career either. She's going to be performing this song at retro festivals, shopping malls, county fairs and fast food restaurant openings for the rest of her days.
7. Pistol Annies, "Hell on Heels"
I've never heard of this, but it's apparently some type of country-rock, which would explain why.
6. Jay-Z and Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean, "No Church In The Wild"
I try not to pay attention to anything Kanye is involved with. Gay fish.
5. Bon Iver, "Beth/Rest"
Yuck. My little sister informed me I was pronouncing his name wrong, and that it should be pronounced like "Bone Eevay." Double yuck.
4. EMA, "California"
I don't know this one at all, but it's time we call a moratorium on song titles with "California" or "Hollywood" in the title, especially if the artist is a transplant to the Golden State from somewhere else. We get it, you moved to LA to be a star and things didn't (or did) work out for you. Who cares?
3. Beyoncé, "Countdown"
Another song that I didn't know from the title and had to listen on Spotify to have my "oh duh" moment. I like a lot of stuff Beyonce does, although I've never bought any of her music. This one has been played in clubs a lot but it's so derivative I never gave it much of a thought. It sounds like a couple of older songs mashed together. Not my cup of tea.
2. Big Sean featuring Nicki Minaj, "Dance (A$$) (Remix)"
Seriously? We had to cram Manage's big booty on this countdown THREE times? I've never heard of Big Sean but I bet I would recognize this song if I went and listened to it. Which I'm most certainly not going to do.
1. Britney Spears, "How I Roll"
Wow. Just wow. Back when BS first came out, I found her annoying and inappropriately sexualized for her age. If I had known that she would be sticking around this long I would have probably cried. Since about 2000, I've purposely tried my hardest to avoid EVER having to hear Britney's music, which always proves far more difficult than I thought. I truly didn't think I'd heard any of the songs off her latest album, but then once I say that, people will inevitably point them out to me and say, "See, this is Britney's new song, you know this one," and yes, I usually have heard it but somehow blocked it out of my mind. Probably same goes for this one. I can't believe Rolling Stone magazine would name this the number one song of the year. Disgraceful.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
OUT NOW: AQUA "MEGALOMANIA"
The best pop records just make you smile, feel good, and get your body moving from the first note to the last beat. Aqua's 1997 debut album, "Aquarium," was one such album. Despite the silly lyrics and cheesy euro-dance music - or perhaps because of them - "Aquarium" was like happiness distilled into soundwaves. Breaking onto the international scene with the ridiculously catchy "Barbie Girl," they unfortunately wound up being relegated to the dreaded "one-hit wonder" status in the US. Nevermind that "Lollipop" charted at #23 here, "Turn Back Time" (included in the film "Sliding Doors") made #18 on the Billboard Mainstream top 40 chart, and the album itself peaked at #7; most Americans only saw them as the "Barbie Girl" band.
Their case was not helped by the scatter-shot sophomore album, "Aquarius," which veered to far into Disney soundtrack-esque "kiddie pop" in an attempt to cater to the widest audience possible. Although successful overseas, the album bombed stateside and shortly after the band disintegrated. Many years later they reunited and recorded a handful of new tracks for a greatest hits compilation (including the infectious "Back to the 80's") and played some shows.
Luckily, they are completely back now with a brand new album, thankfully one that doesn't begin with "Aquariu"! Supposedly, the band set out to record the world's best pop album, and I have to say they have definitely come very close! "Megalomania" starts off on a surprisingly grown-up note with the thoughtful, yet still danceable, "Playmate to Jesus," with it's optimistic lyrics "everywhere I go I pray, for yoo-NEE-versal love!" The party gets kicked into high gear with "Dirty Little Pop Song," which sounds extremely current but yet has the Aqua trademark sound and lyrics that are actually more clever than you might give them credit for on first listen. And Lene shows that she can do Kylie just as well as Kylie can ("Spinnin' in your head").
"Kill Myself" is sort of a departure for the band, being a little more serious sounding and musically a little more complex yet very beautiful. Possibly my favorite song on the album.
This is followed by the extremely strong "Like a Robot," which sees Aqua adding a new word to their lexicon, but I won't spoil the surprise. I can see drag queens lip syncing this one.
From here there are some passable dance-party anthems like "Viva Las Vegas" and the first single "How R U Doin," and another very high point "Sucker for a Superstar" and a couple sort-of low points with "No Party Patrol" and "Be My Savior Tonight," both of which are fine but just don't quite match the heights of the rest of the songs. The album ends with another great ditty with a title that says it all: "If the World Didn't Suck (We Would All Fall Off)."
All in all, I was completely blown away by this album, not really expecting too much out of it. Aqua do know what they're doing when it comes to catchy hooks and big, electronic beats, so I shouldn't have doubted them, but this could end up being one of AURAL-O's favorite albums of 2011! It certainly has stuck in our CD player since we got it!
Rating: OOOOO (five out of five O's)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
UPDATE
Sorry for the lack of entries lately but it has been a very busy month for us here at AURAL-O as we have been attending loads of concerts. We will be writing about some of them soon. We are also listening to new music and will be letting you know our thoughts and recommendations shortly. Thanks for staying tuned!
OUT NOW: INVISIBLE MATERIAL "PEDESTAL"
This Los Angeles based indie rock band has just released the follow up to their video "Grown Man Cries," which was a very amazing, colorful video and a very catchy song. This video is considerably more lo-fi and simple. The band will be performing live next month at Universal Bar & Grill.
Rating: OOO (Three out of Five O's)
Thursday, August 25, 2011
OUT NOW: CSS "LA LIBERACION"
CSS (short for "Cansei de ser Sexy," translated to English as "got tired of being sexy") is a Brazilian dance rock band that burst on to the scene a few years ago with their delightfully kitschy, party band vibe and "English as a second language" lyrics. It's clear that when they started, they most likely never imagined they would become the phenomenon they quickly became once they were discovered in the US and UK.
Because the naive, simplistic enthusiasm which permeated their debut album was so honest and pure, the odds already seemed stacked against them when it came to making another record. Luckily, the followup album, "Donkey," seemed to be suffice in delivering a slightly more grown-up sound while still keeping their youthful wackiness intact. So, what happens after a bunch of Brazilian hipsters have released two successful albums and toured the world several times over? Obviously, they cannot still pretend to be the same people who sang "Meeting Paris Hilton" or "Music Is My Hot, Hot Sex" with such innocent exuberance.
The album "La Liberacion" produces mixed feelings for me. I am glad to have new music from this band, and I definitely would look forward to seeing them perform some of these songs live. And while the music still definitely sounds like CSS, I'm sure there will be a number of critics ready to complain about the album's flaws. There's not really anything as catchy as early hits like "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" or "Alala," there are definitely some great moments. The first single, "Hits Me Like a Rock," (reviewed here previously) is a highlight with it's melodic, new-wave/reggae sound; album opener "I Love You," while having the most obvious song title in the world, is still a pretty catchy jam. Perhaps the most exciting track is "City Girl," which also happens to sound the most like it could have been on the first album, with it's hooky chorus and edgy beats.
The rest of the album seems to be a little all over the place, working in some Americana-style rock ("Echo of Love"), forgettable pop like "Partners In Crime" and the slightly overwrought angst/punk of "Rhythm to the Rebels." Then there's the dreadful faux-hip-hop of "Red Alert," which is wisely stuck right near the end of the album, followed by the fun but throw-away "Fuck Everything."
But anyone expecting some sort of groundbreaking masterpiece at this stage in CSS's game is probably overthinking things anyway, and thankfully the band do not seem to be overthinking it. For the most part, "La Liberacion" is a breezy, enjoyable affair that includes enough odd lyrics, hand-claps, and beats to get you up and moving.
Rating: OOO (Three out of Five O's)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
OPEN YOUR MOUTH: TRACEY BEEHIVE FROM VOICE OF THE BEEHIVE
Aural-O is pleased as punch to introduce the first in our new series "OPEN YOUR MOUTH" where we go right to the source and ask 5 questions about a given album, of the artist themselves!
For this inaugural post, we couldn't be more thrilled to have gotten Tracey from Voice of the Beehive to take time to give us her thoughts on the bands' second album, Honey Lingers, which was released in 1991 and revisted here on Aural-O recently.
A-O: Did you agree with and have any input into the choice of singles released from Honey Lingers? If you could do it over again and have complete control, how would you have done it with regards to singles releases?
A-O: What song from the album resonates the most with you today, and why?
A-O: When you look back at all the music Voice of the Beehive released, how do you feel about Honey Lingers, and how does it relate to the other albums, singles, and songs?
For this inaugural post, we couldn't be more thrilled to have gotten Tracey from Voice of the Beehive to take time to give us her thoughts on the bands' second album, Honey Lingers, which was released in 1991 and revisted here on Aural-O recently.
Back cover shot from the "I Think I Love You" single
photograph by Pete Mountain, from www.voiceofthebeehive.com,
photograph by Pete Mountain, from www.voiceofthebeehive.com,
the band's official website.
Aural-O: Who's idea was the cover shot of Honey Lingers, and what was it like doing the photo shoot for it?
Tracey Beehive: The cover shot of Honey Lingers came from my love of the "Think Pink" sequence from Funny Face. I showed it to the art directors and they got it. I personally think I look like a hideous version of a drag queen on the cover but it was all meant in fun.
A-O: Did you agree with and have any input into the choice of singles released from Honey Lingers? If you could do it over again and have complete control, how would you have done it with regards to singles releases?
TB: I had no input in any of the single choices for the band which is why I have no faith in the industry of music anymore. Unless you are huge, the bands have no say. I would have first released "Adonis Blue" as a single. I was so reluctant to work with that team of producers because they were so pop oriented but it ended up being one of my favorite songs on the CD and then I would have released "Monsters and Angels" and maybe (with blind hope) released "Perfect Place" with the hope that someone would get it's message.
A-O: What song from the album resonates the most with you today, and why?
TB: There is no doubt that "Monsters and Angels" is my most personal song. Even though I didn't write the music. I heard Mike playing it upstairs in the home studio and went up and begged him to give that music to me. This sounds really corny but there are times when I feel lost and don't know or remember who I am and what I intended to contribute with my life and when I listen to that song I seem to find myself again. I have this strange feeling of "Oh, I remember you. You're still here." It's hard to explain but I seem return to that song when I am confused.
A-O: Did Honey Lingers come together really easily after [your first album] Let It Bee, or were you feeling any fears of the dreaded sophomore album?
TB: Honey Lingers was the most over labored project in the history of music. All the powers that be were trying to create hits instead of just letting us get on with it. The CD had like 5 producers!!!! Why not just pick one that has the same vision as the band and get on with it?
Having said that, it is my favorite Beehive CD.
Having said that, it is my favorite Beehive CD.
A-O: When you look back at all the music Voice of the Beehive released, how do you feel about Honey Lingers, and how does it relate to the other albums, singles, and songs?
TB: Like I said I really prefer Honey Lingers to Let It Bee but I think I am the only person alive that also preferred The Pretenders second CD to the first.
I just think it is a more thoughtful and reflective work. I mean, it had "Perfect Place" and "Little Gods" instead of "Barbarian" and "Oh Love." But, this is like saying, "This child was not as pretty as the other child I had."
I just think between "Monsters and Angels", "Adonis Blue" and "Perfect Place," it was a more grown up record.
Having said that, in my heart, nothing comes close to "I Say Nothing".......so what are you gonna do?
I just think it is a more thoughtful and reflective work. I mean, it had "Perfect Place" and "Little Gods" instead of "Barbarian" and "Oh Love." But, this is like saying, "This child was not as pretty as the other child I had."
I just think between "Monsters and Angels", "Adonis Blue" and "Perfect Place," it was a more grown up record.
Having said that, in my heart, nothing comes close to "I Say Nothing".......so what are you gonna do?
A-O: A huge, honey-covered thanks to Tracey for giving us insight into a truly memorable album! "Bee" sure to check out the band's catalogue on iTunes!
OUT NOW: FATTY GETS A STYLIST
Taking influences from many 80's acts and current electro-pop (their website name checks Kraftwerk, B-52's and Goldfrapp), FGAS successfully meld their influences into their own unique and timely sound, which ends up sounding like a sort of hybrid of Tegan and Sara with the Ting Tings.
Some great new-wave keyboards bring flavor to songs like "The Plane Went Down" and the lovely "Holloway Park" which sounds like it could have been a missing Til Tuesday track, or another 80's new wave band.
There is also a funky side to FGAS such as on the title track (yes, the triple threat - band, album and song all with the same name!) and rave-up "Devil's in the Details" which harkens back more to the 90's dance sound of Fatboy Slim (or did I just make the connection with their names?).
One of the interesting things, noted by the band themselves even, is how different Kate's voice sounds here. Unlike her solo material, with FGAS she uses the lower register of her voice and it truly is easy to forget it's even her!
The fun, parade-like atmosphere of the opening track, "Are You Ready," has apparently landed as an advertising jingle for the New York lottery, so chances are this band will be getting a lot more recognition here in the states soon, as they deserve. There seems to be a little buzz going on already, as recently one of my Facebook friends posted about them, and they are popping up on websites left and right.
Rating: OOOO (Four out of Five O's)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
OUT NOW: TEDDYBEARS "CHO CHA"
I had been vaguely aware of the Swedish band Teddybears because of their work with electro dance-pop diva Robyn and her song "Cobrastyle" which was originally done by them. Then, my friend pointed this video out to me because the star of it, Jeff Deane Turner, is well known (to me, at least) as Tiffany's stalker in the 80's who was arrested after trying to give her a Samurai sword at the Los Angeles county courthouse. More recently, he was one of the subjects in the documentary film "I Think We're Alone Now," which follows Turner and another person, Kelly McCormick, who "follow" Tiffany - perhaps a little too much for comfort. Saying they are devoted fans is a huge understatement, but saying they are stalkers is probably going over the line too much. That's what the film explores, is that fine line, and the reasons people end up treading it.
Anyway, despite being considerably alarmed and disturbed upon first watching the video, I had to repeat it to show it to a couple friends, and ended up getting the song stuck in my head. It's actually a really catchy tune!
It features vocals from Cee-Lo Green, and it says it also features The B-52's, although as far as I can tell only Fred Schneider actually contributes anything to the track, and even he only has one line in it. The song actually sounds reminiscent more of Cee-Lo's former project Gnarls Barkley. This song made me check out the rest of the album, "Devil's Music" on Spotify and I rather like it.
Rating: OOOO (four out of five O's)
Anyway, despite being considerably alarmed and disturbed upon first watching the video, I had to repeat it to show it to a couple friends, and ended up getting the song stuck in my head. It's actually a really catchy tune!
It features vocals from Cee-Lo Green, and it says it also features The B-52's, although as far as I can tell only Fred Schneider actually contributes anything to the track, and even he only has one line in it. The song actually sounds reminiscent more of Cee-Lo's former project Gnarls Barkley. This song made me check out the rest of the album, "Devil's Music" on Spotify and I rather like it.
Rating: OOOO (four out of five O's)
OVERLOOKED: HUMAN LEAGUE "ROMANTIC"
"Heart Like a Wheel," the lead single from "Romantic?" only made it to #32 in the U.S., signaling tough times for the once-mighty League, and I only heard it on the radio a handful of times - and worse, never caught it on MTV, the network that had once been so kind to the band now seemed to turn a blind eye. But it didn't matter to me. "Heart Like a Wheel" remains one of my top favorite songs of all time, League or otherwise.
The opening track, "Kiss The Future," is for me one of the unfortunate low points on the album and is perhaps the most obvious attempt by the band to adopt a "modern" sound. The heavy-handed sampling and new-jack or house inspired piano mixes uneasily with the League's trademark vocal delivery and electronic sound. I find the chorus particularly offensive and for me is easily the worst opening track out of all their albums. Luckily, from there things go uphill quickly, with the female-vocal driven track "A Doorway (?)" presenting the first time the girls had what was basically lead vocal duties. This one mixes the "current" music sound with the League sound more successfully and probably could have been a single. Up next is the aforementioned "Heart Like A Wheel" followed by the dreamy slow-jam, "Men Are Dreamers," which is another personal favorite.
Closing out side one is "Mister Moon and Mister Sun" which musically has a lot in common with "Kiss the Future," but is luckily a much better song. Still sounds a little too much like they are trying to sound up-to-date, but it works fairly well.
Flipping the record over to side two (although in all honesty, by this time most people were buying CD's, which is what I bought the album on - I only found it on vinyl years later with the original price tag still on it) we begin with the second single, "Soundtrack to a Generation." This is another low-point for me. Starting out with so much promise with a great, nostalgic title, things quickly fall apart with a soulless drum beat pounding away over some uninspired synths. The verse is OK, but things get ridiculous fast when the chorus begins with the girls exclaiming "HOLY COW!" Indeed! It's a "what were they thinking?" moment for sure.
Why the record label chose to release this song as the follow-up to "Heart Like A Wheel," I'll never know. There are so many better choices!
The mysterious, atmospheric "Rebound" (mixed by William Orbit) is a great rebound from the previous track, and is perhaps my favorite album track here. This is another song that saw the females taking the lead vocal duties.
"The Stars Are Going Out" probably should have been the second single, and in fact the band performed this song live on the Jools Holland show years later, indicating that they still regarded it highly.
The last two tracks are alright but nothing too exciting, and a little too samey: "Let's Get Together Again" which is apparently a cover of the Glitter Band, although I've never bothered tracking down the original; and "Get It Right This Time." Oddly enough, both of these songs, as similar as they are, also have a great deal in common with "Get Together," a song off the League's new album "Credo."
It's obvious from the artwork and some of the lyrics that the band was struggling at this point and it does carry over to the music a lot, but all-in-all, it's not as bad as some people make it out to be and despite it's shortcomings is still a better album than "Hysteria," and perhaps "Crash" (if you can even really count that as The Human League). If you're a fan of the band and haven't bothered to listen to this album I'd recommend checking it out and making up your own mind.
Rating: OOO (three out of five O's)
Friday, July 15, 2011
COMING SOON!
We here at Aural-O have a nice surprise coming soon - an interview with one of the artists we've reviewed thus far! We won't say who it is yet, but keep checking back as we will be posting the interview soon! We hope to do more interviews in the future and remember, feel free to send us your music!
OUT NOW: MELANIE C "THINK ABOUT IT"
Melanie C is arguably the Spice Girl with the best voice (it's definitely the most powerful and technically precise, although I find different things to enjoy with each of their voices) and has been the most prolific on her own. "Think About It" premiered on YouTube today and is the second single to be previewed from her forthcoming fifth album, "The Sea." The first taster came in the form of the song "Rock Me," which was a nice enough song but lyrically very trite and all-too-familiar. It was mainly released in Germany so perhaps it would go over better in a country where English is not the first language.
Luckily, 'Think About It" is quite a bit better and suits Melanie's voice and attitude very nicely. It has the alternative rock / sparkle pop sound that she has successfully carved her niche in and has definitely got me looking forward to the new album.
She looks great in the new video (although I kind of miss the chubbier, punky version of her that I got to see live years back - more about that later). There are some cool outfits and lighting effects, but it does sort of at times appear that she is dancing in front of a giant Mac computer screen saver!
When her debut album, "Northern Star" came out in 1991, I was really blown away. Having never been my favorite Spice Girl, I was really impressed with her depth and range, not to mention her transformation from the rather bland "Sporty Spice" to a rockin' solo singer with a punky look and attitude. I absolutely loved the first two singles "Goin' Down" and "Gaga" and the rest of the album, while almost a little too all-over-the-place, seemed to work because of the many different styles she explored. From the Beatles-esque "Suddenly Monday," to the R n' B of "Never Be The Same Again" and the down-tempo trip-hoppy "Feel The Sun," she really demonstrated her vocal prowess and range.
Although her initial foray into solo artist-dom seemed to establish her as a rocker chick, she ended up hitting big with the dance remix of "I Turn To You," which was a humongous club hit around 2000/01 and I was lucky enough to see her on her North American tour around this time. She was a dynamic artist to see and I was thrilled that I got to witness her in a fairly intimate venue.
I was monumentally let down by the milquetoast sophomore album "Reason," which much like it's black and white album artwork, seemed to be a by-the-numbers, passionless affair. Where was the edge that she had displayed on her debut?
Through a couple more decent solo albums ("This Time" having the most high points since "Northern Star") and a Spice Girls reunion, Melanie C has continued to work on her solo career and has indisputably proven to be the Spice Girl most serious about her craft. So, despite the fact that she has released some cliched, tired sounding songs here and there, a lot of her material has been great and it's nice to see her back again.
Rating: OOO (three out of five O's)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
ORIGINAL: VOICE OF THE BEEHIVE "HONEY LINGERS"
The 10-song album is about as tight and perfect as an album can be - the only possible gripe is that it's too short. Kicking off with the aforementioned lead single, the gloss and shine of the production is a great match with the raw energy and enthusiasm of the band. The video for the song is great too, bringing to life the famous painting "Nighthawks" by Edward Hopper, with the band members playing characters within the diner. Those shots are interspersed with performance shots in which Tracey is wearing her trademark baby-doll-head dress (which she made herself according to legend).
Next is Adonis Blue, which takes things up a notch. This is an energetic, sing-a-long romp with delicious vocal harmonies from Tracey and Melissa playing out with the perfection of the boys' instruments behind them. It's one of those songs that you sing along with by the second or third chorus and the lyrics have so much color in them. This song should have been a single, and indeed was released as a promotional CD single which contained a b-side, "Shine Away," which was another great song from that time period which was not included on the album.
Up next is the band's cover of "I Think I Love You." I hadn't heard this song before I heard their version, but my mom got quite the kick out of it when I played the tape in the car (I was in high school at the time). They update it with a very slick pop/club vibe and this was another single and hit for them in the UK, but was not released in the US. The video is very brightly colored and shows the band in a club in a sort of rave type setting with lots of colorful extras dancing around to the song.
Never one to shy away from poking some fun while making a statement, Tracey sings "You can read the good book to feel bad about yourself, but just one small donation could save you from burning down in hell" on the hilariously frightening (because it was so true then and even more so now) "Look At Me." This song really could be the theme song to any one of the hundreds of reality shows that inundate our airwaves these days.
Ending side one of the cassette (or vinyl) is the simple, sweet song "Beauty To My Eyes" which opens with the sublime lyric, "Stars have been subjects of poets and priests, and girls on bended knees, I see the heavens looking at you." The gorgeous harmonies of the sisters mirror the lyrics of the song, creating beauty to the ears as well!
Kicking off side two in ultra high gear is "Just Like You," which to this day is one of my favorite Beehive songs. This one reminded me a lot of the B-52's and I thought that if any of the songs on the album could be a huge, mega-breakthrough hit in the US, it would have been this one... why the record company didn't realize that, I'll never know! "It's just like you, to make me shiver when I'm sweating!" The video would have been eye candy.
"Little Gods" is a cute little song with a good message - "Little girls shouldn't treat, little boys they happen to meet, like little Gods." It's a sort of somber look at how girls fall over themselves trying to please and impress the guys their interested in, when really it should be the other way around, but it's wrapped up in so much sugar and sweetness that it doesn't sound preachy or cynical. Just a spoonful of sugar...
"I'm Shooting Cupid" was another of my favorites and even became the centerpiece of a long running conversation I had with a girl I was pursuing throughout a lot of my adolescent years. Again, like "Little Gods," it takes some really harsh thoughts on romance and rejection, and ties it up in such an adorable package: I mean, just the title alone looks so cutesy when you imagine some lovelorn lady taking a gun to the little cherub! Many years later, the band released a special CD collection of rare tracks and b-sides to coincide with their 2003 reunion tour of the UK, which included the original demo of this song which differs considerably from the album version. I believe that version is now available on iTunes and is definitely worth downloading if you haven't heard it before.
"Say It" is in a similar vein to "Look At Me," being a little naughtier and rawer than some of the other songs and explores a relationship where the female decides it's OK for the male to get away without saying those three little words as long as he treats her right, culminating with the line "as long as we're not saying it, I know something else we can do."
The album ends with another slower track, the haunting "Perfect Place." As beautiful as this song is, I was very surprised to hear it on the radio as it was the follow up single to "Monsters and Angels" in the US and I really felt strongly that they needed to have a really up-beat song released instead (namely "Look At Me"). It's a really pretty song, and has some really great lyrics and sentiments in it, but since "Monsters" was already pretty much a slow-jam, and since Voice of the Beehive was really a fun, wacky party / dance band to see live, it seemed odd that the label seemed to want to push them as this adult-oriented easy-listening type of band. They did tweak the mix a little bit so that it opened with a heavier drum beat, but it was still definitely not a "party song." This strange phenomenon would continue with the band's next (and final) album, which was preceded by the strange choice of first single "Angel Come Down" which, although a very pretty song, didn't seem to represent Voice of the Beehive in a way that would have got people's attention. The videos for both that song and "Perfect Place" are stunningly gorgeous, though, and again, the original demo version of the song (which the band was always apparently way happier with then the ultra-produced album version) was included on the 2003 exclusive tour CD.
There were some other really good songs the band wrote, recorded and performed around this time that are great additions to your music collection, including "Pocketsized," which was a b-side to "Monsters and Angels" and was in a similar vein to "There's A Barbarian In The Back Of My Car" from their first album. "Something About God" was a b-side to "I Think I Love You" and is a really cool ditty as well.
This is one of those albums that you can always go back to and have it bring a smile to your face, and sing along to every song. It's a shame that not more people heard it, but it does make it very special to those of us who have.
Rating: OOOOO (Five out of Five O's)
Monday, July 11, 2011
OVERLOOKED: KATE MILLER-HEIDKE "CURIOUSER"
Mixing a stinging wit, clever lyrics, amazing musicianship and a uniqueness that is difficult to achieve in the world of blond female pop singers (see my previous review of Lady Gaga's "Born This Way"), Miller-Heidke manages to find her own place in the world of pop music with a slightly off-kilter and quirky approach that endears her immediately to the listener.
Opening up with some offbeat vocalizing, the track "The One Thing I Know" is a good intro to the CD although a little bland lyrically. Moving on, the next track "God's Gift To Women" is a better showcase of Miller-Heidke's charm and sense of humor. "Caught in the Crowd" is a catchy number that tells a story many of us are familiar with and effortlessly plays into the whole It Gets Better anti-bullying campaigning so popular these days - but keep in mind this CD was released way back in 2008!
"Can't Shake It" was the first single off the album and is accompanied by a delightfully kooky video. The first time I heard it I though, eh, it's cool enough. The guitars are really cool sounding - my partner said they sounds sort of like Franz Ferdinand. But when I actually listened to the lyrics, I started LOL'ing all over the place! It's literally talking about how she can't shake her ass. When she tries to dance, someone calls the nurse because they though she was having a fit. It's hilarious!
The rest of the album is chock full of great songs that get stuck in your head and show a range of depth and emotion that is not present in a lot of pop music - this can be described as "alternative pop" because it's got a lot of other influences and sounds going on. Apparently, Kate was trained in opera and you can hear it in some of her singing - there's lots of silly little noises and bird-like sing-songing. She seems like she would be a really cool chick to hang out with.
I hope that at some point this talented musician gets some more credit in the States, but it sounds like she has done really well in her home country so hopefully she will continue making music for years to come.
Rating: OOOO (four out of five O's)
OUT NOW: HUMAN LEAGUE "SKY"
The track itself is a grower - the first time I heard it, it almost sounded unfinished, or half-baked. The chorus especially, with it's ultra-simplistic lyrics, takes a few listens before it works. It's very reminiscent of some of the material from their 1984 album "Hysteria," which itself was the follow up to their mega-breakthrough album "Dare." It's synth-pop at it's most minimalistic, and it tells a story woven throughout the verses about meeting a girl in a bar, who is in some kind of danger, if she was ever actually there at all. Despite it's starkness, it does end up sounding quite epic in the end with all the layers of vocals and synths finally getting to climax. A really good music video could do a lot to enhance this track, but it's probably a pipe-dream since this is the third single from the record.
As far as the mixes go, the Paper Plates remix just kind of plods along with a sort of fake-funk beat that sounds like something you might hear in an after-hours club. The Hacker's take is probably the most radically different with some menace to it, but gets a little repetitive and overstays it's welcome at 7:44 total length. Fusty Delights and Martin Brodin both borrow heavily from the sound of the League's seminal "Don't You Want Me," which is good in the way that it makes that connection, but really, who hasn't heard "Don't You Want Me" enough? There are enough interesting bits in both mixes to make them worthy of the dancefloors though.
"Credo" will see a vinyl release on the same day that "Sky" is released (July 25) and is rumored to be getting a US release later this year.
Listen to the remixes here.
Rating: OOOO (four out of five O's)
OUT NOW: LADY GAGA "BORN THIS WAY"
It was only after I accepted the fact that this lady was more than just a "pop singer," but an actual musician - an artist - that I began to really appreciated and enjoy her music. Sure, it came off as fluffy, almost generic club music, but it had a sense of humor, was catchy as hell, and knowing that there was something of a mastermind behind it (and not some svengali, middle-aged white man) allowed me to love her. Lady Gaga isn't a guilty pleasure - she's just a pleasure.
I watched her on Saturday Night Live when she debuted a portion of "Bad Romance" and I knew it was going to be huge, and that she was just going to keep getting bigger. I wondered if she worried Madonna! The awkwardness between the two on their surprise SNL sketch seemed to indicated that Madge was less than excited about Gaga stealing her crown as the Queen of Pop.
Anyway, Gaga's latest release is the album "Born This Way," which right off the bat already has three big hits, the title track, "Judas" (my favorite), and "The Edge of Glory." The album has more hooks than it should be allowed to, and sounds big and ambitious without completely crossing the line to being overblown. Bombastic is a good way to describe it. At times, it does get a little too loud, samey, and over-the-top, but luckily there is always something right around the corner to redeem it.
Opener "Marry The Night" seems to kick things off into high gear, and is broad enough that it should appeal to most anyone who has taken the effort to start listening to the album in the first place, although it's nothing earth-shattering or revelatory. It's just kind of a nice way to start the set off. Moving into the alt-dance fervor of "Government Hooker" really sets the tone and the bar for the album. I'm not sure if anyone before has so successfully subverted the genre of club music / europop with so many layers of angst, metal, industrial and other more "hardcore" sounds. "Judas" is another prime example of this, with it's aggressive, squelchy synths, discordant noises and powerful beats which lead to an unbelievably poppy chorus.
Some low points on the album are the ridiculous "Americano" which is really usually too much for me to take (it's the one song that I find grating) and "Hair," which I think could have been a great song if the lyrics weren't so silly. Pretty much all the other songs are amazing and could all be singles. This is an album of "Thriller" proportions, where it sounds more like a greatest hits then someone's sophomore effort.
Rating: OOOO (Four out of Five O's - would be Five if "Americano" had been left off)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
OUT NOW: CSS "HITS ME LIKE A ROCK"
Now, they're back with the first taster from their forthcoming new album, "La Liberacion," with a buoyant, bouncy track called "Hits Me Like A Rock," which features guest Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream. It's a perfect song to kick off the summer with it's electro-reggae beat and breathy, affected vocals - it will have you singing along with the synthesized "oh oh oh's" from the first listen. It's unmistakably CSS but features a smooth easygoing quality that may have been lacking a little on their last album.
"La Liberacion" is scheduled to be released in August and we here at Aural-O are very excited to hear it!
Rating: OOO (Three out of Five O's)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
ORIGINAL: THE B-52'S "LEGAL TENDER"
"Legal Tender" is probably my favorite music video of all time, and one of my all-time favorite songs as well. It's not because it has some huge emotional connotation for me, and it's really quite a simple, silly little song, but something about the way it sounds - the vocals sung in unison, the cheesy drum machine beat adorned with hand claps, and the wonky keyboards - just equals sonic bliss for me. I first heard the song during an MTV special about the band, back at the end of the 1980's when "Love Shack" was riding high in the charts and introducing the band to a whole new generation of fans including myself. The video is such a great encapsulation of the band, what with the many wigs, the hilariously cheap-looking blue screen effects, and the random cactus during the simple guitar solo. It was a song only the B-52's could have done, and still sounds original to this day, maybe even more so than it did when it was first released. It's probably the most upbeat and poppy sounding song ever written about counterfeiting.
This was the first single from the band's 1983 album "Whammy!" which saw the band experimenting with drum machines and keyboards, perhaps trying a little too hard to fit in with the new wave/synth pop sound of the time. Despite not making much impact on any charts, and alienating some fans who preferred the rougher, more natural guitar/drum sound of their first couple albums, "Whammy!" does contain some great tracks including "Song For a Future Generation" and "Queen of Las Vegas."
Chartwise, "Legal Tender" got to #81 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #9 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Rating: OOOOO (Five out of Five O's)
This was the first single from the band's 1983 album "Whammy!" which saw the band experimenting with drum machines and keyboards, perhaps trying a little too hard to fit in with the new wave/synth pop sound of the time. Despite not making much impact on any charts, and alienating some fans who preferred the rougher, more natural guitar/drum sound of their first couple albums, "Whammy!" does contain some great tracks including "Song For a Future Generation" and "Queen of Las Vegas."
Chartwise, "Legal Tender" got to #81 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and #9 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Rating: OOOOO (Five out of Five O's)
OVERLOOKED: SAM SPARRO
The one song that I had heard quite a bit before is of course his biggest hit, "Black and Gold," which I do enjoy but doesn't really do all that much for me - it's nice enough. The song that, when performed live, really got me going is "Pocket," and it's definitely my favorite on the album. From start to finish, it's a pretty solid effort. The US version of the eponymous disc begins with "S.A.M.S.P.A.R.R.O." which is just sort of a silly little introductory track that sets the tone for the rest of the album, with funky beats, robotic synths and vocoded vocals. The rest of the album is made of up strong songs like those already mentioned, as well as "Sick," whose opening reminds me a little of "Bulletproof" by LaRoux, and "Clingwrap," which has some really funny lyrics ("You see I've got enough friends that could fill a truck up, Now give me some room and just back the fuck up.")
There are a few tunes that are a little too much like clunkers, such as the generic disco of "Cut Me Loose" and the Chromeo-esque "Sally," but even those have some redeeming qualities.
The highlight of the album is Sam's ultra-sexy voice, who makes even the less-interesting songs fun to listen to, just to hear that voice! His combination of good looks and strong pipes makes it difficult to understand why he hasn't found much success stateside ("Black and Gold" peaked at #2 in the UK but only made it to #12 on the US dance chart).
Evidently, Sparro is working on his sophomore record and hopefully that will garner him some more exposure here in the States.
Rating: OOO (Three out of Five O's)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
OUT NOW: BLONDIE'S "PANIC OF GIRLS"
The album starts off with a bang, or rather many bangs as original drummer Clem Burke kicks into high gear with a propulsive beat on "D-Day," a song that seems to allude to the current state of the music industry and internet, with references to piracy, transfers, and limited privacy. The chorus is infectious, with the backing vocals that seem to be chanting "Debbie Devil, Don't You Dare," although I could be hearing it wrong.
From there the high energy continues with the absolutely stunning "What I Heard," which definitely should be a summer single. It's sing-a-long ready and sounds like classic Blondie but with an energy that is so current and immediate. Amazingly, this level of passion and frenetic energy is continued into the third track and first single, "Mother," which is another great sing-a-long which just seems perfect for Debbie Harry to sing, as to many, she is the "Mother" of punk-pop/new-wave/girl-rock or whatever she represents to the legions of people she and the band have inspired.
The band brings things down a notch for the next track, the reggae influenced "The End The End" which seems to be an apocalyptic love song reminiscent of other island-flavored Blondie tunes like "The Tide is High" or "The Only One."
Throughout the rest of the album, the band explores a variety of sounds and influences, keeping it mostly mellow from here on out, although "Love Doesn't Frighten Me" is another poppy rock song with a very classic Blondie feel about it. Some of the stranger, but very cool moments, include the latino jam-band groove of "Wipe Off My Sweat," with Debbie's repeated coo-ings of "Papi, Papi," and the half sexy/half silly rapping of the bonus track "Horizontal Twist" with it's name-checking of Sheryl Crow of all people.
Overall, this album takes a few listens to get into the less-catchy songs that dominate the last 2/3rds of the album, but for a band that's been going as long as Blondie, this music serves them now as it does feel like an album they could actually perform live in it's entirety without being forceful or sounding like they're trying to be something they're not. It doesn't have all the highs that their previous two discs had (1999's No Exit, and 2003's shamefully under-appreciated The Curse of Blondie) but it's a welcome return from a band who has produced some consistently brilliant and envelope-pushing work. Debbie's vocals continue to mature in a sultry, jazz chanteuse sort of way but retains enough of her brash, punk attitude and standoffish sex appeal, and the new band members do a good job of honoring the past Blondie sound without being slaves to it.
Rating: OOO (Three out of Five O's)
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Welcome
I listen to a lot of music, but usually I listen to music I've already heard before. I wanted to write about some of my favorite music, and hopefully along the way discover some new music which I can also write about and share. If you have some new music you want me to listen to, send it my way.
Keep in mind, these are the types of music I tend to enjoy:
Pop: synth-pop, bubblegum, dance, 80's, girl groups
Rock: modern rock, alternative, disco-rock, brit-pop, sparkle, new-wave
I can appreciate many other types of music too, I listen to some country, some classical, some gospel, Americana, marching band, etc.
When it comes to bands and musicians, I like the "complete package:" a story (behind the music, if you will), a look, a sound, a vision, and most importantly, independence. I like it when an artist is in control of their own music and writes their own songs. Not so much into the manufactured groups or top 40, corporate stuff.
Thanks and let's see how this turns out!
Keep in mind, these are the types of music I tend to enjoy:
Pop: synth-pop, bubblegum, dance, 80's, girl groups
Rock: modern rock, alternative, disco-rock, brit-pop, sparkle, new-wave
I can appreciate many other types of music too, I listen to some country, some classical, some gospel, Americana, marching band, etc.
When it comes to bands and musicians, I like the "complete package:" a story (behind the music, if you will), a look, a sound, a vision, and most importantly, independence. I like it when an artist is in control of their own music and writes their own songs. Not so much into the manufactured groups or top 40, corporate stuff.
Thanks and let's see how this turns out!
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