Music in the Age of Information

Listening to music on Spotify today, something struck me and for a minute I had a case of the sads.

As much as I love so many aspects of the digital revolution, the information age, and the lighting speed of communication technology, there are some things that are gone now and can never be replaced.

When I was growing up, I would hear about a new band via a few different means.  Most commonly, I would hear a song on the radio or see a video on MTV.  Sometimes, my friends at school told me about a new band or artist.  Or, I would read about them in Rolling Stone or some other magazine.  That was about it.  Once an artist was on my radar, I could wait until I heard them on the radio or saw them on MTV, or I could just take a chance and buy their album.  By the time I got to the point of purchasing their music, I was usually already pretty certain that I was a fan, but once in awhile I'd get burned and end up disliking the album.  But, for better or worse, I would own that album and would either listen to it a lot, a little, or not at all.  Sometimes, I'd own an album for years and not get into it until some weird moment transpired and then I would become obsessed. 

Now, there are bands and musicians coming at me from all angles.  It's a full assault.  It's on the television (in shows, advertisements for random products and cars), the movies, the internet, billboards, stickers stuck on utility poles, people handing out flyers on the streets, signs hung in windows, in my e-mail, on my phone...  I might hear a band I really like, and then in the blink of an eye, something else is distracting me, demanding my attention.  And maybe something that I don't like ends up getting my attention and I forget about the thing I did like.

I don't have the album, or the article, or the video anymore to remind me.  I have to sift through the endless amount of information in my brain and hope that I can find what I'm looking for.  I can google or search spotify or phone a friend, but before any of that can be effective, I have to sort it out in my own mind.

Once upon a time, music was a tangible, respected art form, that people would seek out and pay to make it a physical part of one's universe.  Now, it's a fleeting thought on a subway or a set of binary numbers recreated on a handheld electronic device.

OUT NOW: S NO S "10 DIGITS"

...And, we're back!
We've been away for awhile, but not nearly as long as S No S, which is the solo project from Brandon Strecker, formerly of the band Shitting Glitter and currently of the band Turbo Sunshine.  As S No S, he released quite a few solo albums back in the late 90's and early 00's before relocating to Los Angeles and joining Shitting Glitter.  While those albums all had their charms, especially "May April," this new collection shows a vast improvement in songwriting, technical proficiency, and a broader range.
10 Digits is very much a "digital" album, being released digitally, and featuring much more electronic instrumentation than in any previous album.  The opener, "Bring On The Aliens," makes clear this new sound from the get-go, filling its atmosphere with spacy synths, electronic beats, and all kinds of effects and noises, all adding up to a very modern and advanced sounding track.  The crescendo section before the last chorus is very dramatic, but the biggest surprise is at the very end of the song when it sounds like the aliens have just landed in a loud cacophony of sound.
"Who Killed Love" is a great, electro-goth tune with guest vocals from Adrienne Pearson, formerly of Radio Vago and Shoot Out The Lights, and currently of The Readership Hostile.  The lyrics are often funny, perhaps tongue in cheek, but also something a lot of people can relate to.
"Ask Me Later" is very catchy and upbeat, and tells a great story in the lyrics.  We always enjoy songs that tell stories, a craft which seems to be rare these days.
Several other up-beat highlights include "Shake Off The Fever" and "Where Did You Go," but perhaps a bigger surprise are the slower, more lush and melancholy tracks such as the psychedelic "Far Out With You," the haunting "The Pen And The Twist," and the utterly gorgeous album closer, "Ending Of The End," which sounds like it would be a perfect soundtrack song in a movie.
There's even a track which could be considered witch-house, a fairly new and obscure genre, called "The Reckoning," which might be a great song to add to your Halloween playlists as it's dark and spooky!
All in all, this is a tremendous album full of depth and distance, which shows a musician really perfecting his craft and strengthening his voice.

Available at snos.bandcamp.com.

Rating: OOOOO (Five out of Five O's)

OVERLOOKED: "WALK THE MOON"

One of my biggest pet peeves is when a band names themselves and doesn't even bother to check to see if that name has already been taken.  In my view, once a band name has been taken, it belongs to that band - end of story!  You could modify it but you can't just use a name that has already been used!  I recently was searching out for an old album, the debut, self-titled album from Walk the Moon released on MCA in 1987.  I was surprised when I saw a flurry of new web pages and information about the band - until I realized that it was all about a NEW band from Ohio or somewhere called Walk the Moon.

Granted, the earlier band Walk the Moon never had a huge hit or made much of a dent in pop culture, but if they reached me as a kid growing up in the middle of nowhere, they were at least a blip on the radar.  Besides, it's not like Walk the Moon is really even that great of a band name - as the original band themselves must have known, because after their one album under that name, they rechristened themselves Eleven and released some really outstanding music, including the fantastic album "Avantgardedog" in 2000.

"Walk the Moon" was an album I picked up from a dollar bin at my local five and dime when I was in junior high.  It looked interesting and for a buck, I figured I'd give it a chance.  It never became one of my favorite albums, but it stuck with me enough that years and years later I dusted it off and decided to look up whatever became of the band, which lead me to discovering Eleven and their great music.  The band was comprised of Alain Johannes, who I was recently able to see play live, and his partner Natasha Shneider.  They are both very accomplished musicians who have long histories in the Los Angeles music scene.  Johannes especially has worked with many notable musicians, from his time in an early lineup of Red Hot Chili Peppers, to playing with Chris Cornell, Queens of the Stone Age and Arctic Monkeys.

This curious 80's album kicks off with what was presumably the lead single, "Daddy's Coming Home," which comes off as a little bit forced.  It seems like they were trying too hard to have a hit, and in 1987 this was not the cutting edge of mainstream rock.  However, it is kind of catchy so you can see what they were trying to accomplish.  The rest of the album is pretty consistent in its sound, with a few more rocking, catchy numbers like "Love is What You Make It," (which sounds vaguely Lita Ford-esque) and "Sugar" being some of the better ones.  Ballads like "On Your Lap" and "Tears in Your Smile" show more depth and passion, but the entire thing comes off slightly hollow, perhaps the result of a new band being pressured by a label to fit into a certain sound.

All in all, the album is mainly notable for me as a bit of nostalgia, because it introduced me to the amazing musicians who went on to grow and create some really great music.  Heck, they even wrote and produced a song for Adam Lambert ("Time for Miracles," a bonus track on Lambert's debut disc and featured on the soundtrack to the film 2012).

Sadly, Natasha passed away in 2008 following a battle with cancer.  Queens of the Stone Age performed a concert in tribute to her in Los Angeles featuring guest musicians including Alain, Jack Black and PJ Harvey.  They donated the proceeds to help defray the medical costs associated with Natasha's illness.

So, let's remember who the real Walk the Moon is and pay tribute to them.

ORIGINAL: COREY HART "BOY IN THE BOX"

This is one of the first records I ever remember buying.  There was this great little music store in the small town near where I grew up and unfortunately, they were going out of business right around the time I started having enough allowance to actually buy music, but on the bright side, they had slashed their prices so my measly pocket money went considerably further.  I remember my mom handed this album to me and said "You like Corey Hart, right?"  Well, I had never really thought much about it before, but I did love his song "Sunglasses at Night," and of course "Never Surrender" had been played to death on the radio but I still kinda liked it, so I bought this album, probably for about $1 or so.

I had this strange habit when I was a kid of amassing music but not listening to it.  I think I might have listened to this record once or twice back in the day.  I probably played "Never Surrender" a few more times, and I distinctly recall the chorus to "Komrade Kiev," but other than that it just didn't really stick with me.

Looking back, I find in general that a lot of Corey Hart's music is very subtle and at the time, when I was a weird kid delighting in obscure early electronica records by The Human League and the Icelandic art-rock of the Sugarcubes, Corey was probably just "too mainstream" for me!  It's funny to realize that now, especially because musically and vocally he's actually very similar to one of my favorite female solo artists of that time - Tiffany.

Lately I've been on a Corey Hart kick, going back and reliving the albums of his that I had before and discovering all the ones I missed, and this album sticks out as being one of the more overlooked ones.  Although I find the A-side of his debut, "First Offense," to be nearly flawless, side A of "Boy in the Box" is pretty damn good as well.  Because the title track was not a big radio hit I never thought too much about it, but now it's been stuck in my head for a week or so and I've been enjoying it.  I actually was prompted to change the way I thought about this song a couple years ago when reading one of my favorite pieces of music bloggery ever, the Bottom Feeders: Ass End of the 80's series from Pop Dose.  Unfortunately, Corey is the butt of many jokes at Bottom Feeders, as the guy who writes it has a serious beef with him.  One of the (many) things about Corey that annoys him is the way he switches the numbers five and six in the lyrics to this song.  But the 80's were all about quirky lyrics and music and "Boy in the Box" has the perfect combination of quirkiness, paranoia, and funny synth music mixed with powerful dance beats and it all wraps up to something I really enjoy.

"Eurasian Eyes" is a great ballad on the album which is similar to other Corey Hart ballads, but a little darker and more unique than "Never Surrender," which of course was Corey's biggest hit ever here in the states event though you hardly ever hear it now.

Side B is actually better than I remember it being but Corey always seemed to do better A sides than B sides.  I do really like "Everything in My Heart" but it's another ballad, and he tends to be a little ballad-heavy.  I would have liked at least one more quirky synth rock number similar to the title track, although "Silent Talking" is pretty close.

All in all, probably the best early-era Corey Hart record, just slightly better than "First Offense."

Rating:  OOOO (Four out of Five O's)

OUT NOW: LANA DEL REY "BORN TO DIE"

Here's our first post of 2012 and it's all about the new phenomenon known as "Lana Del Rey," otherwise known by her real name, Lizzy Grant.  With all the hoopla - and there HAS been a lot of hoopla - it's kind of surprising that her debut album, "Born To Die," is surprisingly solid in a very non-earth-shattering type of way.  Described (by herself, or by someone else who credited it to Lana) as a "gangsta Nancy Sinatra," Del Rey cleverly has packaged herself (or been packaged) as a sort of modern torch singer, mixing in the glamour of 1960's Hamptons with more street-wise, hip-hop elements.  She can definitely make her voice sound all "old fashioned" as demonstrated in a couple of the darker numbers, which happen to be the hits, "Blue Jeans" (our personal favorite here at Aural-O), the internet meme sensation "Video Games," as well as the title track.  The "gangsta" part seems to come from the few tracks that do include Del Rey using more of a rap-style vocal delivery, such as the frenetic "Off To The Races," and the sublimely beautiful (and for some reason, critically reviled) "National Anthem," (which happens to be our second-favorite song.)

If it seems that we are using a lot of parenthesis in this review (and indeed, we are) it may be due to the highly contentious nature of most of the aforementioned "hoopla" surrounding Del Rey and her persona.  If you hadn't ever met Del Rey (I have) or seen her perform live in the flesh, and if you had only paid attention to what you read in the blogs or heard from your hipster friends, you'd think that Del Rey had, as Kristin Wiig stated during her impression of the young singer on a recent episode of Saturday Night Live, "clubbed a baby seal while singing the taliban national anthem" during her US premiere on that very same show several weeks earlier.  The rage was immediate and harsh, ranging from mean tweets from celebrities, to countless "she sucks" comments on various online articles about the singer.  Here are the common claims: that her dad is a millionaire so she bought her success, that she changed her name/look/sound to try to be more successful, that she had her lips surgically enhanced, and that she is inexperienced and unpolished as a live performer.  Why these complaints have been lodged so forcefully, and with such great ire by so many, seems to speak more to the current state of society than anything Del Rey herself did or did not do.  Being a singer has always been akin to being an actor.  The song is your script and it is up to you how you are going to interpret it, how you are going to emote the feelings contained in the lyrics using your voice and body.  Any singer signed to a major label in the history of music has been packaged and marketed by the suits in the corporate office.  A huge amount of successful musicians and other celebrities have changed their names, looks, and styles either before their success or during the course of it, often many times.  Look at Madonna: who would dare to criticize her for changing her looks?  It's always been a part of who she is and what she does.

We could sit here and debate the merits and authenticity of Lana Del Rey all day, as many people apparently are wont to do, but the fact is that as a performer and a singer/songwriter, she has something special that clearly evokes lots of emotions in others - some good, some bad.  The fact that her album just debuted at #2 on the Billboard album charts seems to show that there are plenty of people who dig Del Rey.  Despite what the haters may say, we at Aural-O think she is a bright new star in the music industry and has a great career in front of her.

Oh, and one last thing: to those who argue that she bought her way to the top, please think about this:  How many girls (and guys) who's parents belong to the 1% do you think have done everything in their power to turn their money into fame and success?  If it was that easy, don't you think the radio would be filled with the voices of spoiled rich kids having used daddy's money to hire producers to auto-tune them into oblivion?  In reality, that story is a rarity.  Even "Posh Spice" didn't really come from a rich family.  Most rich kids are too lazy to lug an acoustic guitar around to open mic nights in Brooklyn, so whether it's true that Del Rey's father is an internet impresario is frankly irrelevant.  But, haters gonna hate...

Rating: OOOO (Four out of Five O's)

OFFHAND: ROLLING STONE'S TOP 25 SONGS OF 2011

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.

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)

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)

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)

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.

Back cover shot from the "I Think I Love You" single
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.

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?

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

I've written about Kate Miller-Heidke on this blog recently after happening on her album "Curiouser" at my local record super store.  Now, she's fronting this Austrailian-based band with this self-titled debut album.  Working mainly with her husband/collaborator Keir Nuttall, the material isn't that far-removed from her solo output, but perhaps with a little more teeth and grit, although this is still polished, ear-candy pop. 
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)

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) 

OVERLOOKED: HUMAN LEAGUE "ROMANTIC"

In 1990, the Human League were considered "washed up" and terribly out of fashion, and this album - released at the dawn of the "grunge" movement - did nothing to change that.  As a result, "Romantic?" has often been cited as a low-point in the band's career and the object of much harsh criticism and ridicule.  However, it has always been one of my favorites.  First and foremost, although I had been a fan of the band for awhile before this album was released, "Romantic?" is the first Human League album that I bought when it was released.  I became a fan only after the band's previous album, 1986's "Crash," had already landed in cutout bins (the album failing to provide further singles to match the #1 success of lead single "Human").  I had gone back and purchased most of the earlier albums by this point and was completely thrilled to discover "Romantic?" since I had assumed the band had split up in the years after "Crash."
"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)

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)

ORIGINAL: VOICE OF THE BEEHIVE "HONEY LINGERS"

Back in 1991, it seemed like Voice of the Beehive was poised to take over the world - or at least the world of pop music.  Their debut album, "Let It Bee," had made some waves in the UK and even some ripples in the US.  I heard of them around the time of that first album, but never caught them on the radio or MTV.  Then, one fateful day, "Monsters and Angels," the first single from their second album "Honey Lingers," came on the car stereo, and I was hooked!  As soon as I could, I went to the record store (that day) and bought the cassette tape, which featured the beautiful artwork as seen above of the two sisters, Tracey and Melissa, who were the vocalists for the band.  From the first time I heard it, I was in love.
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)

OVERLOOKED: KATE MILLER-HEIDKE "CURIOUSER"

Curious: I only stumbled upon this classically-trained Australian songstress while flipping through the clearance bin of my local record store.  Curiouser: that the likes of Katy Perry are Ke$ha are massively popular here in the US, while I literally had to go slumming to find this album - it's all so backwards!
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"

"Sky" is the third single off The Human League's new album, "Credo," and probably the one that sounds the most like the band's 80's output.  Like the previous two single releases, this one is accompanied by a slew of remixes.  The remixes do little to transform the song, but are all decent enough - none of them are awful, which is a pretty good feat considering I often loathe remixes. 
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"

I first heard of Lady Gaga a few years ago when her single "Just Dance" was out and she was relatively unknown.  I didn't really get it at first and thought she was just another blonde pop diva wannabe with banal lyrics and eurotrash beats infused with forced US hip/hop.  Well, I can admit when I turn out to be wrong.  It wasn't until some time later, after "Poker Face" blew up all over the place, "Love Game" was blaring from all the clubs, and everyone seemed to be talking about Lady Gaga that I finally started to come around.  I saw a youtube clip of her performing "Poker Face" acoustic - just her and a piano - and I thought, "OK, she is different."  I hear a lot of perky, blond pop singers who some of my friends insist I listen to, and insist they are all the "next big thing," so naturally I usually dismiss them right away.  But, seeing one sit down and not only play a piano, but COMMAND it, with the pipes to go along with it, was refreshing.  Shortly thereafter, I saw another youtube clip of her, pre-"The Fame"-fame, as a young, brown haired Stefani Germanotta performing with her live band at some nondescript bar in New York.  Yes - this is the real deal, I thought.
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)