I've got a real sweet tooth. Friday night, for example, I ate 10 Rocky bars - Hardcore. I'm generally the same with my music. A good hook gets me addicted, whether it be a vocal ad-lib or a slab of big synth chords in my face, even the odd keyboard solo. Yes, I can take a lot of the sweet stuff. Pop music might be sickly to some, but I just pile on the syrup.
But in the last couple of months I've been wondering (hell, I've been wondering for the past year), exactly where pop music can go from here. Any artist that tries for commercial success by following current trends, i.e. flaccid urband beats, squelchy electronic basslines and nintendo synths, is happy to retreat 2009's footsteps rather than progress. Even recent enjoyable examples such as Kelly Rowland's Guetta banger "Commander" and Katy Perry's giddy Tik Tok ripoff "California Gurls" seem like lucky strikes rather than inspired and creative songwriting. Although I fear I am his sole supporter amongst critics, I really thought Owl City could pull pop music into a new, happy-go-lucky, blissfully innocent phase in 2010, but now he's failed to make the impact I'd hoped for, I don't really know where to turn.
Or at least I didn't. The lack of interesting pop hits (and the downright offensive; JLS's "The Club is Alive" nearly gave me a hernia) drove me into the unwelcoming arms of less commercial music - The kind I would previously pick and mix my way through, selecting the soft, fuzzy marshmellow stuff over all that was fizzy, sour and chewy.
But it seemed that the music heralded by the likes of NME, Pitchfork and Drowned in Sound was suddenly sweeter than ever. In fact, in comparison to the dull, tasteless likes of Timbaland and Christina Aguilera (whose "Bionic" is in a league of its own for worst record of the year), this indie and alternative music was finally offering the right blend of sweet and bitter. I guess I was sick of satisfying my sweet tooth - Any more sugar and it would undoubtedly rot.
So band by band, my iPod was transformed. Gone was Gaga, no longer bonkers for Dizzee, and no more flashbacks to Calvin Harris. Instead, along came The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, whose nihilistic attitude and razor sharp guitars were undercut by an irrestistable sweetness in the melodies, a combination well represented by their elaborate name.
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
Friday, 4 June 2010
Pop can wait... Thoughts on the new Anathema LP.
“Life is not the opposite of death. Birth is the opposite of death. Life is eternal.”
A hardcore Anathema fan, and I like to include myself amongst them, waits patiently for the next Anathema album for years at a time, knowing that the music contained therein will inspire them, give them food for thought, and make them realise how precious life is, and often how fragile and saddening it can also be. A new Anathema album is a big event in my life, and many others; it gives me a chance to stand perfectly still for its duration, lock myself away from the world, and face my emotions head on. Because only Anathema, through the medium of atmospheric rock, can make music that I can truly relate to, on a deeply personal level. I don’t know how they do it.
Things are a bit different this time round however. It’s been 7 long years since the lonely, isolated “A Natural Disaster” was released, and in that time, those in Anathema, lead singer Danny in particular, have had some sort of revelation, discovered the path to some state of nirvana. I don’t think they quite found God (their death metal past has probably made it nigh on impossible for them ever to do that), but they found something else, something beautiful that gave them hope, helped them to let go of their past worries and depressions.
Now, for a band that made a career out of writing songs expressing fear, regret, isolation and mourning that spoke to the hearts of hundreds of thousands of troubled, lost individuals across Europe, to suddenly “get happy” is certainly a risk. But it’s not like they don’t deserve to, it’s been a long journey. Anyone that remembers that dingy, smothering riff that opened “...And I Lust” on their first EP way back in 1992 wouldn’t hesitate to tell you that Anathema were a very different band back then: 5 young and angry Liverpudlians, desperate to express their sadness and anger; it’s no surprise that the bittersweet underground death/doom metal scene was an easy route for them to take.
But on that same EP, you just listen to the maudlin guitar pickings of the earth shatteringly depressing “Everwake”, as a haunting female voice sings of relief in suicide. Anathema were never a band to take their emotions lightly, it’s not a surprise they outgrew the often insincere and shallow doom metal scene. Listening to 1995’s “The Silent Enigma” and 1996’s “Eternity”, the records were Anathema: “the metal band” became Anathema: “the rock band”, you can hear the musical ideas bursting out, the band desperate to express themselves further but not having the tools within the ‘metal’ genre to really do themselves justice.
And then came “Alternative 4”, and eventually, just before the turn of the millennium, the glorious, spectacular, heartbreakingly passionate “Judgement”. Anathema had found their feet and were beginning to tell their fans exactly how they felt. No longer did that have to worry about heavy riffs and ‘sick’ or ‘brutal’ vocals; this Anathema used a sustained piano note to express despair, and a solo violin to express loneliness. And even, on a couple of occasions, they would sing of hope. Now that really is ‘anathema’, isn’t it? (!)
What a lot of the fans that the band lost during this period failed to realise was that Anathema were growing as people alongside their music. It was therapy, reflection and exorcism of their demons. Drummer John wrote frankly of his drug addiction in “Make it Right”, Danny confessed his heartbreak at the loss of his mother in “One Last Goodbye”, and ex-bassist Duncan wrote of his paranoia and mistrust of others in “Lost Control” and “Alternative 4”.
But those who didn’t, and still don’t, want Anathema to become optimistic are missing out on a whole new musical experience that the band is offering them. These so-called ‘fans’ don’t want to feel the warmth of new horizons and change in “2000 & Gone”, they refuse to believe that “Temporary Peace” from 2001’s “A Fine Day to Exit” has the comfort of love at its core, and they hate to hear the honesty in Danny’s voice in “Are You There?” from “A Natural Disaster”. If these individuals would just listen to Anathema without any bias or expectation, they would understand that Anathema are sharing with them how they are dealing with the negative feelings, fear and pain they wallowed in for so long. We could all learn a lesson from Anathema on how to feel love at our lowest point.
And that brings me (finally) to “We’re Here Because We’re Here”, Anathema’s new record, that was released on Monday 31st May 2010, just a few short days ago. I can’t contain myself any more: the record’s incredible. It’s a masterpiece. It’s everything the band has been leading up to in their career this far, and it was well worth the 7 year wait. We heard “Everything” back in 2006, and although it brought us hope and was a hint of Anathema’s new mindset, that was all it was: a hint, a whiff of positivity out of context. Then along came “A Simple Mistake”, a track that built up to Anathema’s best guitar riff in years; something for the metalheads to chew. It had this same message of hope, even re-quoting “Shroud of False”, stating “we are not just a moment in time”. Poignant stuff, but it was still not quite evident where Anathema were going with all this.
Then 2 years later along came “Angels Walk Among Us”, which sounded like it had been taken straight from the elegant feedback-laden laments that made up their career defining “Judgement” record, but something was different. The longing was there, but now all of a sudden, and you could hear it in Vinny’s voice, what he longed for was now within his reach. “Only you can heal your life... only you can heal inside...”; the penny dropped: Anathema were not simply embracing hope and rejecting pain; they were accepting everything just the way it was, and this acceptance was bringing with it a certain element in Anathema’s music which had been absent until now: Peace.
A further 2 years and along comes “We’re Here...” and Anathema finally show us what they are capable of. You can hear all the stages of Anathema’s career here; the apocalyptic chords of “Thin Air” and “Universal” hark back as far as “The Silent Enigma”, while the troubled busy arrangements of “Summer Night Horizon” and “Get Off Get Out” are pure “A Fine Day to Exit”. But my god, Anathema have never sounded more alive, more tight as a band, more passionate. Each song builds from a fragile sigh to an impassioned roar, and Vinny in particular never holds back: for the first time his windswept tenor has room to soar and he is no longer afraid to spread his wings.
As much as this album is not as much about hope and eternal life as Anathema would perhaps have you believe, given their prophetic onstage presence, and the two lengthy monologues/interludes on the record, that read very much like sermons, there is one track here that really expresses true happiness. “Dreaming Light” could well be the most affecting piece of music Anathema have ever committed to tape, on a par with “One Last Goodbye” at the very least. A power ballad in structure, a simple 4 chord anthem, but one that has sincerity at its very core, wears its heart on its sleeve, stands naked before you and breathes a sigh of relief, as it has no more fear or pain, and hasn’t got any more secrets to hide.
I see “Dreaming Light” as the final part of a trilogy of Anathema’s truly classic songs. The first being the pain and mourning expressed in “One Last Goodbye”, the second being the desperate confessions of “Are You There?” and here we are at the third: a final goodbye, an acceptance and a pledge to move on and never forget. Call me saccharine and overly sentimental, but hearing is believing. This song will convert even the coldest hearted of cynics.
“We’re Here Because We’re Here” doesn’t dwell on its fears, it confronts them. It’s about accepting what we cannot change, as brutal as the truth may be. For every beacon of love and celebration of life like “Everything”, there is a dark glance back over the shoulder like “Universal”. Even outro “Hindsight” is bittersweet, like the comedown after the battle of despair that was “Violence”, which closed Anathema’s last record. But as “Hindsight” fades away into echoes and distant reflections of sound, a major chord gently lands and carries us to the end of the road. We hear the sound of a band that has discovered itself and its music in an entirely new way.
For a band that, for so long, could not see light at the end of the tunnel, Anathema are no longer the lonely soul’s companion, they are now their saviour.
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
Top 10 Songs of May '10.
10
Better Than Love
Hurts
Hurts can get away with writing glorified power ballads (not even that glorified) because they aren’t pretentious, they simply ARE an 80s synth-led new wave band. They may take themselves ridiculously seriously but that’s the point. So many bands that take themselves seriously enough to think that they are somehow ‘above’ a simple melody and a good pop song, but not Hurts. Better Than Love is hook upon hook of dazzling gothic melodrama, dressed up in Joy Division attitude and Human League arrangements. And it feels better than love.
(Read further thoughts about Hurts and Better Than Love here: http://givepopachance.blogspot.com/2010/05/pop-heals-all-things.html)
9
Jumping into Rivers
Diana Vickers
Within a month of Once being released, it seems that the hype over Vickers' debut died down as quickly as it grew, but we're still left with an undoubtedly remarkable pop record. Jumping into Rivers is, to my ears, the little voiced northerner's signature tune, squeaky ad-libs and fuzzy acoustic strumming as various forest animals get busy with wooden clicks and thuds. The most organic sounding electropop song in ages, Jumping into Rivers is bursting with youth and subdued joy, the peerless soundtrack for daydreams to come.
(Read my review of Diana Vickers’ Tales from the Tainted Cherry Tree here: http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/music/album-reviews/v/11175-diana-vickers-songs-from-the-tainted-cherry-tree.html)
8
Better Than Her
Matisse
It wouldn’t be accurate to call Matisse a frightfully original pop singer. Her voice could be any one of the Pussycat Dolls, and what’s that I hear? Oh it’s that synth nabbed from Just Dance... again. So why give it the time of day? It’s simple, it’s a great song. A really great song, one that has more in common with the forward thinking likes of Robyn and Kelis than Cheryl Cole or The Saturdays. Matisse really can do it better than her, or indeed him and them, because it’s inspirational and celebratory. Cheryl might have got away with Fight for this Love, but there’s no guilty pleasure in Better Than Her. Matisse sings “I’m a girl who can take the lead” and with tracks like this, let’s hope she’s true to her word.
7
Umbrella Beach
Owl City
To a lot of people it feels like Adam Young’s Owl City project has already outstayed its welcome, given the bombardment of airplay Fireflies has received, but to me, the magic is only just beginning. Umbrella Beach is everything The Postal Service wouldn’t dare attempt. It’s vast, it’s euphoric, it’s absurdly jubilant, and it’s cheesy as hell, but it quashes any accusation that Owl City is a below par Postal Service. What we have here is uplifting Eurodance from a lonely boy closing his eyes and dreaming he is somewhere else. I’d like to see The Postal Service deliver mail where Adam Young is going...
(Read my review of the Owl City album here: http://thelostchildrensanctuary.blogspot.com/2010/01/owl-city.html)
6
Self vs Self
Pendulum & In Flames
One diluted their sound and forgot how to hold their colour, the other attempted to return to their roots and found that that bird had flown. But in 2010, the two came together and found purpose in their music again through this incredible collaboration. Pendulum’s colossal beats rigidly command In Flames scorching guitar riffs, and Pendulum singer Rob Swire‘s tones are yearning and innocent in comparison to Anders Frieden’s devilish rasps. It’s a match made in heaven, or some place awfully similar.
(Read my review of Pendulum’s Immersion album here: http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/music/album-reviews/v/11408-pendulum-immersion.html)
5
Notice
Diana Vickers
If Ms Vickers was at home in Jumping Into Rivers, she’s on the outside looking in on Notice. There’s a touch of poignancy in the simple message and melody of this song. Co-written by Ellie Goulding, the Starry Eyed star could never have done justice to this delicate ballad herself, whilst when Vickers laments “Will you catch my fall? Do you know me at all? It’s like you never notice me” she sounds vulnerable, naive and scared, even when her voice allows itself to soar in a rare moment of projection. The first verse and chorus are the best, delicate acoustics shimmering around Vickers’ sorrowful whispers, but even when the song teeters dangerously near to power ballad territory, it is Vickers’ fight to stay above the music that makes Notice such a touching, emotional listen. She’s still got a lot to learn about the world, and she’ll find this song especially relevant if her career takes a turn for the worse. But it’s far from justice if it does.
(Read my review of Diana Vickers’ Tales from the Tainted Cherry Tree here: http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/music/album-reviews/v/11175-diana-vickers-songs-from-the-tainted-cherry-tree.html)
4
Violent Dreams
Crystal Castles
By far the most unearthly sounding and yet spellbindingly beautiful track on Crystal Castles’ second self-titled effort, although not quite the best, Violent Dreams manages to be relaxing and unnerving at the same time. As with most Crystal Castles’ music, the band communicates with you via sound rather than words; the distorted, distant mutterings litter the vast echoing chords like drops of rain from a foreboding thundercloud. Violence is nowhere to be found in this track, but the fear of violence and the unknown grows deeper and darker with each lengthy reverb. But it’s ok, it’s just a dream... or is it?
3
One Touch
Mini Viva
Whilst the rather more famous Xenomania girl group, Girls Aloud, twist the production team’s spacey Eurodance to their quirky, aloof means, Mini Viva make it sound seductive and sexy...
(Read the rest of my review here: http://www.lastbroadcast.co.uk/music/single-reviews/v/11177-mini-viva-one-touch.html)
2
Cry
Gayngs
Against my better judgement, a cover makes it to number 2 in my list, but if any band know how to celebrate mourning, Gayngs have proven themselves to be certain frontrunners. Whether 10cc are turning in their graves or not is irrelevant; when Gayngs perform Cry we are treated to something authentically whiney, depressing, plodding and self-pitying, but this is the essence of sadness. It’s not pretty, it’s not easy on the ear, but it’s still somehow beautiful. Cry is the sound of the moment when we admit that no, we’re not ok, the moment when all hope finally seems irretrievable. And as voices tearfully wail the titular word over a cheesy, lush soft rock backdrop, we are all reminded that there is a sort of comfort to be gained from giving in to your sadness.
(Read my review of Gayngs Relayted here: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/125222-gayngs-relayted)
1
Baptism
Crystal Castles
Crystal Castles’ sound stems from taking something gorgeous, or something easy on the ear and sabotaging it with all their might. Celestica is the track that people most associate with the band’s sophomore effort, but Baptism is its true crown jewel. The beats are sharp and unpolished, the pulsating trance chords are compressed and distorted to shreds as Alice Glass yells her way to the front of the mix, like a rebel rallying on her supporters. There is something of a call-to-arms about Baptism, no doubt, and it is this fierce determination that says very clearly that Crystal Castles are not about to take any prisoners. The instrumental breaks bubble with intent like the calm before the storm until all hell breaks loose and Glass begins to aurally assault us once more. Not since Idioteque by Radiohead has a dance track sounded so apocalyptic.
Sunday, 30 May 2010
From Pop to Worse: 20 awful pop songs that I love.
20
Crush
David Archuleta
It just about follows every American Idol cliché there is: Mariah Carey runs, a teenybopper subject matter, AOR strumming, limp R&B beats... but fuck me, does the song pack in the hooks. "Am I crazy... or falling in love"? Shit, I think both, but from this mire of insincerity and banality lies not a polished turd, but surprisingly, a perfectly formed pop song.
19
Party in the USA
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus is so hateable it's almost unbearable. What gave her the right to gurgle out lines such as "All I see are stilletos... I guess I never got the memo" and get away with it? And what gave her the right to torture us all with a main chorus hook that kills countless nights' sleep by looping seamlessly in our subconcious? And what, on earth and in hell, gave her to make us nod our heads like "yeah" and offer no definition or specifics? You can ever hear the evil laugh of a criminally insane pop culture deviant towards the end of the song. Listen... it's there. It's terrifying. Like Miley saying, "Bitch, you ain't seen the half of it yet!"
18
Five Colours in her Hair
McFly
Like Green Day's irritatingly chirpy younger brother, this early McFly number bounces around the room in a way that makes some cover their ears and weep, and others feed like pre-pubescent vampires off their unfairly contagious ADHD energy. NO! Stop, put down the surf guitar... NO! Tom... Tom... TOM! You can't sing like Billie Joe Armstong, I won't have that in my hou... Oh for... Danny! DANNY!! DANNY!! I thought I told you to quit smoking!! What?! Don't give me that, I can hear... you really need to rest your throat!!! I told... OI!!!... DOUGIE! What did I just...ugh... oh, what's the use? *sigh* Where's that last bottle of wine?
17
Don't Stop Believing
Glee Cast
Da-do-da-do-da-do-da-do-DA-do-DA-do-DA-do-DA-do-dah!-do-dah!-do-dah!-do-dah!-do-DAH!-do-DAH!-do-DAH!-do-DAH!-do-Da-do-da-do-da-do-da-do-DA-do-DA-do-DA-do-DA-do-dah!-do-dah!-do-dah!-do-dah!-do-DAH!-do-DAH!-do-DAH!-do-DAH!-do....
"Just a smalltown..." WHAT THE FUCK?
Poor Journey.
16
Crush
Jennifer Paige
*First four bars*... This one isn't so bad really is it? Ohhhh... yea. It's this one. I actually like this song, I won't hear a word against it. Although I'll forgive you for wanting to punch Ms (I'm assuming Ms with this kind of slutty attitude) Paige for her sheer "oh-please-I-can-do-better" attitude. Don't flatter yourself dear. This was in 1999, she's gotta be like 40 now, and wishing she'd shown a bit more commitment whilst she had the chance.
15
Lift me Up
Geri Halliwell
This song is illegally pretty, and I actually think the only reason it's not shipped off to the saccharinity high-security joint is because Geri just can't sing bless her. You can hear her really getting into it at the key change, it's hilarious if you listen out for the flat notes as she gives it her all, as she flies "way up high". Ouch. But whatever, it's a cute little melody.
14
That's the Way it is
Celine Dion
Did Celine Dion cover the Backstreet Boys? It certainly sounds like it: those boom-chka-thwack beats, the massive reverb on that penultimate snare, and the inevitable key change that implies "once more with less feeling and more belting!" And this song convinces me that Diana Vickers is in fact Mrs Dion's lovechild... those parrot squawk vocals are unmistakable. Oh how I wish it was '98 again. What, wait... this is 2002? Jesus Celine! Well, I forgive you, because I've belted out the chorus on public transport. Unashamedly in fact. And THAT'S the way it is.
13
Here (in your Arms)
HelloGoodbye
Why the brackets? I think that annoys me the most. So, essentially, this song is just called "Here"... and the "in your arms" bit isn't all that important now? Whatever, I hold HelloGoodbye totally responsible for bringing back into fashion not only autotune, but also the two note chorus (three notes, whatever). And for those two things, I should really herald them as visionaries and prophets, given my dreadful music taste. But I don't, because the album was shocking.
12
Boom Boom Pow
The Black Eyed Peas
There's a mixture of excitement and horror when this comes in on in a club. It's that sustained note at the beginning that ushers in a sense of anticipation and atmosphere, which is shattered as soon as you realise what's about to happen. "Gotta get that.... gotta get that..." Oh Christ. Obnoxious lyrics, an offensively plastic beat and an intimidating autotune (thanks HelloGoodbye, thanks a lot), but there's nothing you can do. You have to get up, even if you have tears in your eyes and a voice in your head saying "please... please... no more boom boom fucking pow... I can't take this track again... no more", and you throw yourself around like it's 3008, even when it's only 2000. AND late. The ultimate track to usher in an early retirement.
11
Blue (Da Ba Dee)
Blue (Da Ba Dee)
Eiffel 65
Is this even a bad song? The message is one of self-acceptance and coming to terms with one’s colour, it was a revolutionary use of autotune and miscellaneous vocal trickery, and it has a melody that still remains as memorable today as it was back... ...ok, fair enough, this song is atrocious. But would we all hate it so much if we hadn’t seen the Finding-Nemo-With-Legs video? No. In fact, I think it would be considered a club classic. So, yeah... “I have a girlfriend and she is so blue”... what guy can argue with that?
10
Fireflies
Owl City
Adam Young saved my life this year. “Fireflies” came out and it was ok to love Disney music again. I was so sick of the urban trash that had made me lose my faith in chart music in 2009, so when this apparently straight big-kid came along singing about ponies and unicorns and whatnot, it felt ok to be sentimental and naive again. If you love to hate anything these days, I implore you to make it Owl City.
9
Growing on Me
The Darkness
Forgot about these guys didn’t you? Fucking amazing band, just a bit... much at times. Muse seemed like a more middle-of-the-road version of Snow Patrol in comparison. “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” is the one that everyone remembers because of the trippy chorus melody and that big (well... high) note at the end, but “Growing on Me” is actually a good song. The way that chord sequence kicks in as the chorus starts, and those lame “or am I growing on you?” backing vocal puns and that fuck-me-I-can-play-a-guitar-solo outro guitar flurry... illegally fun. “Black Shuck” was kinda crazy too wunnit? And how ‘bout that “Friday Night”? God they were good.
8
Murder on the Dancefloor
Sophie Ellis Bextor
Some days this is amazing, on others – hilarious. The defiantly straight faced received pronunciation of the “better not kill the groove” hook... like a posh bird chasing you down the street after you going “You there! Vagabond! If you think you’re getting away... you’re... well, you’re jolly wrong there Sonny Jim!” But you know what? Those first 10 seconds before she starts singing are just polished perfection. I’m not sure if SEB ruins or ‘makes’ this track. Either way, she’s a successful recording artist and she’s working with Freemasons these days. This is what’s happening. I’m not the only guy buying her stuff it seems. Well... maybe the only GUY...
7
Say You’ll Be Mine
Steps
There were so many Steps songs I could’ve chosen, they were the epitome of gloriously bad 90s euro pop. (I actually liked the Spice Girls enough to not even include them in this list). Despite that awkward moment in every song when Lisa Scott Lee had a solo, they were the new Abba, and every track brought a new melodic embarrassment or genius, depending on how you see it. Most of their stuff was fist pumping gay disco heaven (oh... oops, bad choice of words), but I like “Say You’ll Be Mine” the most just because there was no four to the floor HI NRG beat to distract from the cheese. Again, it’s the Disney factor, but this song is so ecstatically upbeat that I think anyone feeling like they have it rough should listen to “Say You’ll Be Mine”. You think you’re life is tough? Imagine having to be this happy for 5 years straight. Or indeed having to be straight for 5 years...
6
Absolutely Everybody
Vanessa Amorosi
Poor Vanessa. This song was so amazing that everything else she did just paled in comparison. Did she even
do another song? Well, whatever, she didn’t need to. That stretched elastic band voice, the hideously massive chorus belted out like a devout Christian faith-affirming anthem, that hysterical scream at the beginning of the final chorus... this is what all dance music should invoke. A feeling somewhere between blissful euphoria and extreme irritation. There’s a fine line and I’m pretty sure Ms Amorosi crosses that line, but my tolerance is pretty high... so you preach away girl.
5
London Bridge
Fergie
The opening shout of “Oh Shit!” from a group of terrified men sums up the following track quite neatly, as does Fergie’s taunt of “are you ready for this?” Essentially, guys, you aren’t. A lolloping tribal beat sets the mood for the rest of this dangerous addictive track. Fergie doesn’t want to flirt, she wants to dominate and intimidate. Her flow is clumsy, but so confident that you actually believe that if you crossed her, she would mess you up. “Get up out my face! Before I turn around and spray your ass with mace!” There are a lot of things, grammatical and logical, that are wrong in that sentence, but are you going to challenge this (her words) ho? Didn’t think so.
4
Bad Romance
Lady Gaga
Gibberish is destined for greatness. “Bad Romance” is single handedly the best pop single of last year, mainly because it makes no sense. It’s pretentious and overblown, but it parades around in 10 inch heels and an Atlas Hat and a Police Tape Boob Tube and knows you won’t notice anything else. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s wearing underwear that suggests an ambiguous gender. Lady Gaga doesn’t want to be ‘just friends’, and who the hell are you to argue? Lie on your front, close your eyes and prepare for this song to hurt you.
3
From Paris to Berlin
Infernal
The best bit about the song is the growl of “FRRAAAAM” at the beginning of the chorus, and the rest of the song is pretty much filler. But that moment in pop music is so legendary that, if I could afford it, I would travel across Europe, from Paris indeed into Berlin, going into clubs every night in the hope that I could relive this moment in every country that Infernal travelled to whilst researching for this track. But in all fairness, the track is so old now that I think the only place I’m going to hear it now is Wetherspoons in Cornwall or something. Better book my ticket.
2
Just a Little Bit
Gina G
I’m writing this just as Eurovision 2010 is dragging many a sap into the early hours, getting progressively drunker wondering if the UK is going to get nil point again. Tell you what, if we have anything near as heart-stoppingly, almost horrifically incredible as this track ever again... we probably will get nil point again, but decent songs never fare well in Eurovision. Well, I say ‘decent’... anyway, I digress. This track is mainly remembered for the at-the-time-daring “ooh, aah”s of the chorus, but what makes this track so great is the pink flag flailing synth hook that rears its head whenever Gina takes a break to pout. This song is almost too camp for comfort, but as I said, I have a pretty high threshold for musical pain. So slap me in the face all night long Gina, I can take it. (I can say that right? I mean Gina’s talking about orgasm noises, I’m perfectly allowed to throw in the odd schlong to the cheek gag every now and then right? Hmm... perhaps not.)
1
Believe
Cher
I just want to clear something up. Despite everything I write and promote on this blog, I am far from a queer stereotype. I like metal, some with screaming even, I like ambient stuff... well, I’ve said all this. But Cher... now Cher is one stereotype I will proudly adhere to till I die, which will probably before she does. Cher is an everlasting deity, a drag queen role model, the voice of all that is good and holy in pop music, and she will never be bad. I won’t hear it. That gravelly chortle of hers that doubles as her singing voice has some kind of psychological power that makes you go “YES Cher, YES! That is what. IT’S. ABOUT!” This song seems to have lost its relevance in the 21st century, a little too serious and epic to be considered a slurred 3am sing-along anthem... but those drunken early morning reprobates don’t deserve this song anyway. That message, delivered through that subtle (yes, subtle) autotune, “do you believe in life after love?” ...it’s beyond camp, it’s beyond cheese, it’s beyond sentimental. And you know what? I’ve read polls and blogs all over the internet labelling it one of the worst songs of the 1990s, but I can’t categorically label this song as awful in any way other than because of the majority opinion. I think it’s the utter dog’s, and quite frankly Cher could do a turd on stage and it would be glistening, euphoric and inspirational.
Now that’s a turd I’d pay to see.
Sunday, 23 May 2010
Pop heals all things.
"Wake up in the morning, feeling like Winehouse. Grab my breezer, I'm out the door, I'm gonna be really loud."
- "Tik Tok (feat. St£fan)", The Midnight Beast cover of the Ke$ha single.
I am currently hungover in the extreme. So I take comfort in a band with a name that sums up my present state... Hurts.
New single "Better Than Love" was released today. Human League are alive and well it seems, all spiralling synths and dramatic tenor vocals. Hurts spent so long with a single video on a youtube page and next to no online information, but the sheer goliath of a pop force that was "Wonderful Life" left a nation of 80s enthusiasts gagging for more, they deserve all the attention they get. With each subsequent track the consensus has only been further established: The image is flawless, the sound is era pitch perfect, and the melodrama is irresistable. So here it is, Hurts - Better Than Love.
You know, I was at NME magazine last week, and the lucky bastards had a Hurts promo, a record packed with simple yet incredible music. But apparantly the consensus was that the music was "dire". I listen to a lot of the music they promote, and don't get me wrong, there's some fantastic music in that magazine, but it seems to me that NME, and a lot of the alternative music press, seem to love new, weird and wonderful sounds, but at the expense of a melody and musical chemistry a lot of the time. As the blog says, give pop a chance! Here's a song that probably sends most people running to hurl in the toilet, but personally, I think it's one of the most adorable tunes I've ever heard, and a perfect example of the magic a simple melody can produce. The broken english is pretty sweet too. Bless her.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Pop hurts.
"...no one’s telling you how to live your life, but it’s a set up, until you're fed up.”
- “Nobody Knows Me”, Madonna (from American Life, 2003)
Welcome to my new blog!
The other one was a bit grey and Radiohead/Dead-Air-Space wannabe. Ok, not so much that latter; as much as I pretend to be a dark and mysterious individual, in truth, I'm just a deeply nerdy gay man who dances around his room to "Vogue" by Madonna at least once a week and who cries at Glee.
When people ask me what type of music I like, I generally say "from Radiohead to Madonna", which is categorically true. Radiohead changed my life, and I used to be reet into my metal (albeit the homoerotic stuff with keyboards). But my 25 most played tracks on Itunes betrays the truth. Let's have a look:
Oh, there's Janet Jackson at 20. And 13. And 10. And 5. Oops. That doesn't look very credible. Maybe I should wipe the play count? (I always do that whenever I listen to my own music, it makes me look more modest.) Oh crikey, Madonna appears 3 times in the top 10? And the bleedin' Saturdays at number 4? I must be so gay it smarts. Either that or I'm a 14 year old girl, it would explain a lot.
Ok, ok, this is turning into a pop music confessional. But you know what? I admit, I did have a Janet Jackson phase, a major one at that, and sometimes I wish I was fifteen years older so I could have been a teenager dancing to "Like a Prayer" and "Express Yourself" in '89. And "Chasing Lights" by the Saturdays... you know what? Fuck you all, it's a gorgeous tune.
The point is, I like pop songs. Not necessarily "popular" songs, but songs that understand the nature of pop music. The search for the perfect melody, the perfect bridge leading into the perfect chorus. Each time this formula has been found, e.g. "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys, "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey, "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson, "Vogue" by Madonna, "Stop" by the Spice Girls... people, whether they actively seek out new music or not, are always subconsciously listening out for the next perfect pop song.
And so am I. So every week on this blog I’m going to talk about my thoughts on pop music, current and not so current. I’ll post links to my favourite songs and at the end of every month, as I’ve been doing on my other blog, I’ll compile a top 10 songs of the month. Oh I do love a list.
I’ll kick the blog into motion, with a track that kicked me into orbit when I heard it. Xenomania are the production team behind Girls Aloud, but I think the firecrackers in Mini Viva actually give more of an edge to Xenomania’s future-disco beats. Glorious high energy electronic dance with a chorus that is borderline euphoria, in every sense of the word, their new single “One Touch” is out this month.
It reminds me of what dance music used to be like, before it became infested with urban attitude. Here's a reminder of the kind of shamelessly camp dancepop that used to be popular. Angel City were mainly known for "Love Me Right", a seductive slice of trance-infused dancepop from 2004, but their album (of the same name as the lead single) contained some much superior material, especially this track, "City Lights", which reflects the very excitement and anticipation of its subject matter. It simply oozes nightlife spirit in a way that current number one single "Roll Deep" can only dream of.
On a sad note, Angel City seem to have dropped off the face of the earth after 2005. Shame.
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