Regina Spektor is a distinctively New York City kind of artist, and like fellow NYC documentors Dorothy Parker or O. Henry she takes her tales of the Big Apple and refracts them through an emotional light to make the tales of lost Blockbuster cards and cathedrals giving out "Human Of The Year" seem universal.
While four producers tackled Regina's wordy piano pop songs, Far remains a cohesive story of a slightly off-kilter young lady who thinks blue is the most human color and is laughing with God. And Regina does bring the off-kilter full force, starting "Folding Chair" with a ragtime piano before taking it into light ska and adding dolphin noises. Yet, there is a beauty and a grace to what could be a mess of quirkiness. A story unfolds on "Genius Next Year" over a rolling classical piano and angelic synths - a story of drunken teens and secretive busboys taking dips in thick water. The plot may not make sense, but the emotion is almost heartbreaking. "Eet" also proves that Regina's quirky vocal tics make perfect sense and the melody is lovely enough to carry the esoteric lyrics to hymn-like status.
Compared to Spektor's previous major label discs, Far doesn't have a "Samson" like her last effort did, but it does marry the more experimental side of Soviet Kitsch with Begin To Hope's poppier polish. And songs like "Machine" are the kind of thing only Regina could record, making Far a distinctively Regina Spektor kind of album.
My obsession with ABBA is pretty heavy. I own quite a few albums on vinyl (and if any one really loves me, they could buy me The Albums boxset for Christmas/birthday/just cuz) ABBA Gold is always on tap in the car and I just bought Benny & Bjorn's Broadway masterpiece Chess with a cast including Josh Groban and Idina Menzel. It's pretty fierce, y'all.
But I have resigned myself to the fact that ABBA will never reunite. There is some drama there, young'ns. But, the various members of the Swedish pop band have kept busy in the meantime, Agnetha and Anni-Frid have put out solo albums and Benny and Bjorn has worked together as songwriters, and as producers of Mamma Mia!
But, that's not all! Recently the male half of ABBA have been writing songs and Benny has been working with his own band, Benny Anderssons Orkester. They have rewritten some songs in English and plan to release an album as The Benny Andersson Band, with vocals by Helen Sjoholm. The lead single, and title track, is "Story Of A Heart" and guess what? ZOMG! It sounds like a new ABBA track! Yes, that is a wet spot on the floor from when I wet myself with excitement. Don't judge.
Helen's vocals are slightly thinner than Agnetha or Anni-Frid, and she does a little more 'ad-libs' at the end than the ladies of ABBA ever did. But that Swedish accent just takes you to an ABBA place, even if the perfect song writing and killer chorus doesn't. Seriously, I have not been this excited about a new song in days. Listen:
It's time. Summer is upon us, with it's warm breezes and cookouts and things of that nature. I hate the heat, so summer always pisses me off. This is why I need my Summer Jams to get me through.
The perfect summer jam is hard to explain, but there are some criteria that it must meet.
First: When played in a car with the windows down and every seat filled, every one in the vehicle has to be able to sing along. Loudly.
Second: When played at a cookout/bonfire/outdoor cocktail party at least one slightly drunk girl or gay must be induced to scream "Oh My God! This is my jam!" when it starts playing on the radio and said inebriated person must start dancing erratically.
Third: I cannot mention Global Warming. It's summer, we already know it's happening.
Fourth (and most importantly): It must have a killer chorus (and preferably bridge) that, no matter where you are - club, beach, car, yard sale, back yard cookout, book club meeting - will make you sing along.
Other than that, it could be a hip-hop jam, a dirty rock anthem, a poppy power ballad or square-dance friendly country single. It just has to be hot. Here are the nominees for "Paul's Official Summer Jam '09":
"Boys, Boys, Boys" - Lady Gaga (from The Fame) Gaga can do no wrong, and while her current single "Love Game" is certainly summer-jam-y enough for the list, there is no competing to the power of a chorus which is all about the boys. After all, this song is my life. I like boys in cars, my guy tastes like glitter mixed with rock'n'roll and I want to get lost in your Ferrari. Can you resist the allure of chorus that just shouts "Boys! Boys! Boys!"? Doubt it. Pros: mentions cars, hot beat. Cons: not a single, rips off "Girls, Girls, Girls".
"When Love Takes Over" - David Guetta feat Kelly Rowland (from One Love) As if that piano line that opened the song wasn't enough to get my blood pumping, Kelly belts a tale of giving into emotion that just hits me where I am right now. (Summer lovin', y'all. It's hot.) Then, that club thump starts and it's all over. I am hooked like a big mouth bass, and I just want to throw on linen pants, leather thongs and loosely buttoned white shirt and join a dance party on the beach. Watch video here. Pros: beat is sick, feels like summer in musical form. Cons: chorus is a bit short.
"I Get Off" - Halestorm (from Halestorm) What's summer without a hard rock song about voyeurism? Lzzy Hale roars like a modern day Joan Jett, and the rest of the band back her up with grinding guitars and a sexy bassline. The lyrical imagery is scintillating, a woman being aroused by the fact she's being watched through her window is sexy/scary. Pros: voyeurism is easy in summer. Cons: voyeurism is easier in summer. Halestorm - I Get Off
"Don't Stop Believin'" - Glee Cast As if Journey's everlasting smash about a small town girl living in a lonely world wasn't appealing, bring in the joy of Glee clubbers singing it. The pre-choruses were made for car sing-a-longs and Broadway star Lea Michele (Spring Awakening) brings an epic feel to the verses. As if I could ever stop believin'... Pros: you know every word already. Cons: it's a cover, summer jams should be originals
"Battlefield" - Jordin Sparks (from Battlefield) Speaking of epicness, nothing - I SAID NOTHING! - is as epic as the bridge on this first single from the Idol winner's sophomore project. After asking why love always feels like a battlefield, sister-friend belts the rallying cry - "I guess you better go get your armor" In that instant, I'm in full camo with a helmet on my head and gun strapped to my back, getting ready to defend the fort from the invading forces of... something bad. I dunno, analogy is breaking down. It's fucking awesome, though. Watch video here. Pros: the bridge = life theme. Cons: it's a midtempo ballad.
"Good Girls Go Bad" - Cobra Starship feat. Leighton Meester (from Hot Mess) If naughtiness was a requirement for Summer Jam supremacy, these emo-poppers would have the race sewn up. Known best for singing about snakes on a plane, the New York band is joined by Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester for a tale of the bad boys who walk in the club and get all the good girls to start doing shots and throwing their digits around. Add in a heaping dose of hooky chorus and I'm so there. Pros: sexy TV star + sexy emo stars = sexy summer jam. Cons: Gossip Girl is on hiatus, do it's stars exist anymore?
"All I Ever Wanted" - Kelly Clarkson (from All I Ever Wanted) Yeah, Kells has a single out for summer, and "I Do Not Hook Up" is hot. But the title track from Clarkson's fourth disc is raw, bluesy funk-pop with a nasty chorus and sick, sick bass line. I love it more, and need it to be the next single. Make it happen, minions! Pros: chorus is sing-a-long perfection. Cons: not a single, people (read: losers) have jumped off the Kelly train.
So, who wins? Which song will be Paul's Official Summer Jam '09?
"When Love Takes Over"! Congrats, David and Kelly, there were some hot competitors. The electro mix is the shit, bee-tee-dubs. Now, commence playing of Official Summer Jam '09 on loop in your car in three, two, one...
It was early this year that soft pop-rock band The Fray released the first single off of their self-titled sophomore album, "You Found Me" The Denver-based band, led by Isaac Slade found themselves questioning not God's existence, but God's motives and timing. "Where were you when everything was falling apart... just a little late, you found me" is the taunt raised towards a distant Almighty found loafing with a cig in hand at a street corner.
Meanwhile, Regina Spektor (like The Fray, an alumni of the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack cliche) had been readying her new disc, Far, to be released next week. Lead single "Laughing With" doesn't question the Supreme Being's existence either, in fact it doesn't ask a lot of questions. It tells us the no one is laughing at God when "the doctor calls and says 'I've got some bad news, sir'" or "when they're hungry or freezing or so very poor." Why? Because "no one's laughing at God, we're all laughing with God." In fact, Regina's presentation of God as an empathic deity stands in direct contrast to Isaac's God-Come-Lately.
It's not the first time God has shown up in pop music, but I've been noticing it a bit more in recent months. Lily Allen's latest disc, It's Not Me, It's You included the "God is one of us" ditty "Him" which found God paying his taxes, listening to Creedance Clearwater Revival and shaking his head at religious violence. Katy Perry wonders if "when I pray, am I just sending words into outer space?" on "Lost" from One Of The Boys. It's a very adult question, one that fits the vibe of that prodigal-child-in-LA song. And recently Carolina Liar dropped their debut single "Show What I'm Looking For" which featured the chorus "Save me, I'm lost/Lord, I've been waiting for you."
I'm not surprised that an interest in spiritual matters has made it's way into mainstream music. It seems to happen in an explicit way every few years, and with so much economic turmoil and civil rights debate it seems like it couldn't not happen. I read a fascinating book about a year ago, which I start a post about but never finished. It's called I'll Take You There: Pop Music And The Urge For Transcendence, and the premise was that we all have an inner yearning for enlightenment and transcendence, and artists often exhibit that urge through music. Not only through words but also through instruments, arrangements and stage antics.
I think part of our current urge, as a people on the verge of frightening changes in gender politics, ecology and financial matters, is a questioning of God's place in this. Is God still there? Does God exist anymore? Where can we find God? Not because we don't want God, but because we truly don't know anymore.
Apparently Mariah Carey isn't the only lady looking to thug out these days. Hard core rapper Taylor Swift revealed her T-Pain collabo on last night's CMT Awards, and her rhymes are fire. "You out clubbin'? I just made Caramel Delights." That's fucking delicious. "You don't wanna fight me in my extra small white tee" - Hanesendorsement alert! Watch:
While we're on the topic of Miss Swift, I was just watching her video for "White Horse" the second Country single from last year's Fearless. Can I say it's one of the most grown-up break up songs I've heard in a good long while? Knowing that you still love someone, but that they aren't good for you and you really can't give them a second chance shows a far more mature understanding of love than most pop songs, let alone one written by an 18-year-old girl.
Oh, Mimi! You know I love that multi-octave voice, those ballads that you effortlessly belt and even the occasional club-banger you get my booty popping to. But girl, can you please just give me another piece of pure heart-breaking bliss that was "We Belong Together" on Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel? This "Obsessed" thing (way to steal Beyonce's movie title, bee-tee-dubs) isn't the worst piece of trash I've heard, but it seems better suited to Ashanti or some other lesser diva. I understand you wanna call out Eminem for his recent on-record slams against you and the hubby. But the best revenge is looking fabulous and sounding amazing, and doesn't seem to be a problem for you, hun. The problem is that tired ghetto beat and lackadaisical chorus does nothing to show off the pipes. Remember, it's all about the pipes. We love you Mimi, but we love you more when you sing "We Belong Together" Try that one again, because you and ballads do belong together...
This video has been out for a hot minute or two, but it's still defiantly worth playing. Andreas Kleerup is a Swedish producer who records and produced under his last name. He's probably best know for Robyn's UK smash "Every Heartbeat" or producing a track for Cyndi Lauper's recent foray into the nightlife, Bring Ya To The Brink.
His self-titled disc drops in the US later this month on Astralworks, and the lead single features Neneh Cherry's sister Titiyo on vocals. It has similar melancholic pop feel as the Robyn single (also included on Kleerup) with the bouncy synth beat never bringing joy as much as depressing emotion. In a summer where David Guetta's collabo with Kelly Rowland will probably rule the dancefloor, Kleerup's sweetly painful electro might not find it's way into the clubs. But "Longing For Lullabies" is brilliant pop, perfect for a wet summer day like we've been having the last week here in PA.
And the video is lovely, borrowing the plots of The Sixth Sense and that Nickleback video to give a Hitch moment towards the end. It's kinda sweet... Watch:
British retro-soul/pop songbird Adele marks the return of MTV'sUnplugged series today on MTV.com. Clips will air during MTV's morning block of videos, but the show itself is only available at the website and On Demand.
Adele is perfect choice to reopen the seminal 1990s program that revived Eric Clapton's career and cemented Nirvana's status as rock icons. Her smoky vocals hold so much power, songs like "Hometown Glory" and her Grammy-nominated single "Chasing Pavements" sound even better than the originals. I fear Katy Perry might not fare as well in her upcoming episode, her live vocals often feel strained. But she may surprise us, that's the beauty of Unplugged.
I am loving Adele, and while my knowledge of Silversun Pickups is limited I think they may be awesome. But it's time for me and my readers to play casting directors and pick the artists that need to show up on the new Unplugged stage.
Kelly Clarkson - As soon as I heard MTV Unplugged was returning I thought: "Kelly needs to do this." Can you imagine an acoustic play list of "Since U Been Gone", "Because Of You", "Irvine", "The Trouble With Love Is", "I Do Not Hook Up" and a cover, maybe "Piece Of My Heart"? I can, and I am creaming my panties at the thought.
Destiny's Child - The girls would so bring the house down with an all acoustic reunion. I would die to hear "Survivor" or "Lose My Breath" given new spins as acoustic soul, and I think the trio still has desire to work together again.
Fall Out Boy - The group is in desperate need of revival after the marketing disaster surrounding the latest release, Folie A Duex. And while Patrick's vocals may not be the prettiest thing, slowed down and revised versions of singles "Dance, Dance" and "This Ain't A Scene" and album tracks like "The (After) Life Of Party" would shed light on the clever and emotional lyrics.
What about y'all? Who should show up on MTV Unplugged to rock out, acoustically? Fantasy casts are always allowed, if we could bring Mama Cass back for one more performance of "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" I think we all would...
Legendary house duo Basement Jaxx return later this year with Scars, with guest spots from Grace Jones, Santigold and Cyndi Lauper. It sounds like it could be club album of the year, and lead single is sans guest vocalists is isn't missing any of that hot nu-retro club sound. "Raindrops" hit the YouTube a short while ago and now the video is making the rounds on the blogs.
The video doesn't feature Felix or Simon, but it does have a lot art-house nudity. Nipples are covered, barely, and the dancing is clearly artistic, not erotic. Of course, I'm not sure I'm the best judge of what kind of female nudity is erotic. The kaleidoscope effect combined with dark makeup and wild feather costumes create the kind of scary-sexy look that gets so many girls in bed with Marilyn Manson. I would wait until after you get home from work before pressing play. Watch:
When the cast of Glee scored a top five hit with their cover of the Journey classic "Don't Stop Believing" last week, I was not at all surprised. If you saw the premiere episode of the new FOX comedy, you witnessed the joyous performance of a motley crew of glee club members, starting with an a capella riff on the signature opening and ending with choir of vocals, guitars ablaze and horn section blowing up. It's a perfectly radiant song, and that's exactly what the world needs right now - or at least that's what 177,000 iTunes purchases would imply.
It's not just the pure shining happiness that beams off of the faces and vocals of the young ensemble that gives me a hopeful feeling. In this day of economic turmoil, the lyrics speak to the everyman down on his luck, or living in fear of this next paycheck being her last. The story of a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world and a city boy who "for a smile" can share the night is exactly our story. We are all streetlight people, living just to find emotion and working hard to get our fill.
In an age when there have been civil rights setbacks on the marriage equality front, we need reminded - don't stop believing. On a day when our retirements funds suddenly disappear, we need told again - don't stop believing. When we wake up to find planes are still crashing - don't stop believing. In that moment when you think everybody else has finally found love in this crazy world but you, I tell you the movie never ends, it goes on and on and on and on.
Don't stop believing. Without a shred of evidence to support this, I have managed to convince myself to believe everything will be OK. My job will not be in jeopardy, I will have enough money in the bank, I will find love. And you know what, it's working. Don't stop believing and hold on to that feeling, streetlight people...
More than one blog has crowned Lady Gaga the heir to Madonna's throne as Queen Of Pop. When "Just Dance" was all we heard, it was easy to brush those claims off as blog-perboly. Gaga's first single was a frothy pop confection, but after the Euro-flavored singles from Rihanna, Chris Brown and Ne-Yo it didn't seem all that new and daring. Most importantly "Just Dance" with it's two co-stars Colby O'Donis and Akon certainly didn't seem like the beginning of a shot to superstardom.
Fast forward a few months and "Just Dance" and it's followup, "Poker Face" had topped the charts and "Love Game" seems to be headed towards a similar fate. But does that mean Gaga is the second coming of Madonna?
She certainly knows her way around a hook, and the similarities don't end there. Both Catholic broads gathered a huge gay following after jumping into the NYC clubs scenes head first, both understand the need to play the role of Pop Star at all times. The are not conventional beauties, yet have massive sex appeal and definitely use it in a post-modern feministic way.
However, Lady Gaga's rise is slightly more accelerated than Madonna's, while the Material Girl's early singles like "Lucky Star" were great pop tracks, it took her second album to make her a massive media icon. Like A Virgin created a new template and look for Madonna, and made her a superstar. Gaga's The Fame has given her three massive, albeit slow-rising, singles out of the box.
This brings us to another pretender to the throne. Katy Perry's story echoes Madge's in a different way. Both pop stars had their share of disappointments in their early career: Katy with a failed gospel-pop album and pop band The Matrix, and Madonna with her early band Breakfast Club.
All three ladies know how to work a crowd with over-the-top costumes and shows, all three toy with their sexuality both in lyrics and interviews and all three write or co-write their own stuff. While I have no problem with pop tarts like Britney having songwriters and producers do everything to make the tracks hot, someone who can right their own hooks has a better chance of longevity.
Speaking of which, longevity is the real test of whether or not Lady Gaga or Katy Perry can become the next Madonna, or if they will become the next Debbie Gibson. Madonna knows a lot about adaptability, about ambition and drive and about making smart choices in songwriting, production and media manipulation. It'll be while until we know if either pop star can become Queen.
Kanye has never made a boring video. From the anime-inspired clip for "Stronger" to the hilarious "New Workout Plan" starring Anna Nicole Smith, he's made a career out of taking risks in both the studio and in front of the camera. He may have an inflated ego, but he almost deserves it.
Now, Mr. West has dropped the fourth single from his epic 808s & Heartbreak album. "Paranoid" features Mr. Hudson, but it's Barbados-born pop star Rihanna that stars in the new clip. In some stunning lingerie and gowns, the always beautiful Rihanna makes a triumphant return to pop performance after her recent assault, allegedly at the hands of her then-boyfriend Chris Brown.
In the video, Rihanna doesn't have a whole lot to do, just pose a lot and drive a car around looking really hot. She does both well. Watch here.
