A blog about the music I listen to, the music videos I like, and most other music-related subtopics.
Welcome!
In this blog I hope to discuss my favorite music as well as share information on my favorite artists. I'd also like to create music and video playlists at some point. I'm just getting started so I hope you stick around.
We are in the third month of the
year 2013. I figure that the flip side to making a list of my favorite albums
of the year would be to make a list of albums scheduled to come out within the
year that I’m excited about. Unfortunately, due to record label politics as
well as other problems, some of these albums may not come out in 2013 (or at
all).
Singers who have fallen victim to
release date pushbacks include JoJo, Missy Elliott, Michelle Branch, and The
Veronicas. Last year I wrote posts on both Branch and The Veronicas because
their albums were supposed to be released within the year. They’re still not
out. I hope that my excitement about an album doesn’t jinx it.
Here is my list of albums (or EPs)
that I am excited to hear. Some of them have singles or release dates or
sometimes both while others don’t even have titles yet. I hope to be on the
ball and give you updates when more information is available, but don’t hold me
to that. Without further ado, here is my list of albums I’m looking forward to hearing
in the coming year:
Utopia EP by Kerli (March 19)
Paramore by Paramore (April 9)
Nocturnes by Little Boots (May 5)
Saving Rock And Roll by Fall Out
Boy (April 15)
Don’t Look Down by Skylar Grey
(Spring)
Portrait of A Chameleon by Blake
Lewis (Spring)
Trouble by Natalia Kills
TBA by Demi Lovato
TBA by Bridget Kelly
The Electric Lady by Janelle Monae
Following
this post will be individual posts on each of the albums listed here. I will
try to include as much information as I can from album title, to first single,
to release date, and perhaps why I’m looking forward to the release of the
album. I shall be posting soon. I hope everyone reading this is doing well.
Feel free to let me know what albums you’re looking forward to getting your
hands on in the coming year or give me feedback on my posts.
Here
it is, my favorite album from 2012. This one beat out all the other albums and
took the top spot. Prepare yourseves; I’m going to be gushing about how much I
enjoy this album.
1. The Truth About Love by P!nk
P!nk
is one of my favorite artists. She’s a great vocalist, songwriter, and
performer. How many singers can say that they can still sound great singing
while suspended upside down in mid air? P!nk can. She’s not afraid to take
risks and try something new. She also hasn’t shied away from talking about
personal topics including her parent’s divorce and her own marital problems
with husband, Carey Hart. P!nk is a painfully honest confessional songwriter
who’s known for shooting off her mouth and speaking her mind even (or possibly
especially) if it makes people uncomfortable. She also doesn’t take herself too
seriously so she writes fun songs as well as emotional ones and whether the
song is emotional or fun, you can bet that the singer has something sarcastic
or witty to say. If you thought the singer would mellow out after the birth of
her daughter, Willow, then you’re mistaken; she’s just as foul-mouthed and no
holds barred as ever.
Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
The
first single off P!nk’s sixth album (not including “Greatest Hits… So Far”) was
‘Blow Me (One Last Kiss)’. The song is classic P!nk – big vocals and clever
lyrics over Pop/Rock/Dance music. I love the lyrics – especially the chorus. I
really identify with the lyrics “I think I’ve finally had enough, I think I
maybe think too much” because I’m notorious for over-thinking. And when I’m not
feeling so great the lyrics, “Just when I think it can’t get worse, I had a
shit day/You had a shit day/we’ve had a shit day,” make me feel much better.
The music video is decent, but it’s not the best video in her repertoire. It’s
still worth a watch though – you should watch until the end because my favorite
part is near the end.
Try (Live at the AMA's)
The
second single is the aforementioned ‘Try’. It’s the only song on the album,
including all the bonus tracks, that P!nk didn’t have a hand in writing. ‘Try’
is a beautiful but sad ballad that centers around a less than perfect
relationship and advises you to “get up and try.” It’s quickly becoming one of
my favorite songs off the album and it’s getting a decent amount of play on the
radio. The video features choreography by the Golden Boyz and Sebastien Stella,
stunt choreographer, as well as Broadway dancer Colt Prattes (as P!nk’s
partner). The choreography is athletic and is so provocative that it prompted
P!nk’s mother, Judith, to say “Wow, honey. I’m speechless. And uncomfortable.
No one can ever say you play it safe.” At the American Music Awards, she sang ‘Try’
while performing choreography taken from the music video. Even though you could
tell that the singer was breathing heavy, she still sang really well. In some
ways, the theatrics of the performance was more powerful than the music video.
How Come You're Not Here
Other
than the singles, one of my favorite songs off “The Truth About Love” is ‘How
Come You’re Not Here’. It’s such a fun song and the lyrics are so cheeky. The
xylophone in the song is catchy and silly, which strengthens the delivery of
sarcasm.I love the lyrics in the
second verse, especially “And that’s all cool/I’ll wait right here/’Til you get
bored/and she gets carded for beer.” Who doesn’t love songs making fun of other
people?
Slut Like You
Another of my favorite songs is
‘Slut Like You’. P!nk has said that the song is her strange way of stating her
feminist views. She doesn’t understand or agree with the double standard that when
men have multiple partners it’s considered sexual conquest but when women have
multiple partners then she’s considered a slut. To paraphrase, she said, “Maybe
he’s my conquest?’ I love that the
song is so provocative and blunt – not to mention that the ad libs are
hilarious. I’m not so sure how a “clean” version was released though…
The Truth About Love
Like
all albums, there are a few songs that I’m not too crazy about. But all in all,
“The Truth About Love” is a pretty solid album from a pretty consistent
singer/songwriter. If you get a chance then check out the bonus tracks, especially 'Timebomb' and 'Run' because they're great ballads. I hope that I can see P!nk on tour because she’s said that
she’s doing her best to top her last tour which she spent suspended in mid air.
Plus, in interviews P!nk has said that she doesn’t want to be on the road when
Willow is in school so it may be a while before she tours again. I know I’ll be
kicking myself if I don’t go see her in concert because she’s one of the best.
So there you have it. Now that
you know my top 10 albums from 2012 do you think there are any that I missed?
Would you have ordered any of the albums differently? Let me know in the
comments.I hope you enjoyed my
ramblings and I hope that you learned about a new artist or two throughout my
‘Top Albums of 2012’ series.
I
apologize for being late. I was busy visiting friends and didn’t have time to
write. Without further delay, here are the albums that ranked 4, 3, and 2 on my
‘Favorite Albums of 2012’ list. Just a warning: these three albums all contain
explicit lyrics or content so be aware of that if you listen to them.
4. Savage by MoXiie
MoXiie
is an independent artist whom I found while wandering around the Internet. She
makes a genre of music that she calls ‘Jungle Pop’, which (to borrow from her
bio) “fuses everything that ever made you lose your mind on a dance floor. (It
is) packed with chants, hints of electro, pop, and world music…” I love MoXiie
and her Jungle Pop; the artist is very hard working and in touch with her fan
base and her music is catchy and has an energy that rubs off on the listener. “Savage”
is the artist’s debut album, but it is preceded by an EP as well as a single.
“Savage” is a very solid album and it goes so hard that it’s pretty safe to say
that it lives up to its name. That’s not to say that MoXiie can’t be vulnerable
– she’s a versatile singer/songwriter who’s not afraid to be honest about her
emotions. She doesn’t shy away from darker subjects either. Her song, ‘Hell Out
Of Heaven’ is a perfect example because its lyrics discuss struggles that many
people go through. The music video that MoXiie released for the song takes the
lyrics a step further; it makes you think and consider the lyrics in a
different light. In the ‘About’ section under the video on Youtube, MoXiie
explains her thought process behind making the visual, “I wanted to communicate
the ways we tend to create our personal hell…” I am impressed by how much
thought she put into making her music video because so many music videos by
mainstream artists who have big budgets lack a plot completely and focus on
making the artist look good. Now, back to the music. My favorite songs off the
album (at the moment) are ‘Hell Out Of Heaven’; ‘Hurt Me Now’, one of the more
vulnerable moments on the album; and ‘Serial Killer’, a song about a merciless
heartbreaker. If you like dance/pop music with meaningful lyrics then you
should definitely give MoXiie a chance.
3. ‘Til The Casket Drops by ZZ Ward
ZZ
Ward is an artist who sings a unique blend of blues and alternative music. It’s
so different from what I’m used to that when I first listened to her music I
wasn’t sure what to think about it. After giving it the benefit of the doubt
and listening to it a second time the song grew on me and from then on I’ve
been hooked. I even have my younger sister hooked on Ward’s music because I
played it around the house so much. Ward accents her music with handclaps and
pieces of melody sung on words without meaning, such as ‘Ooh’. It gives the
music a very organic feel. Before releasing any original music, Ward released a
mixtape called “Eleven Roses” by re-writing pre-existing Rap songs. One of the
songs, ‘Criminal’, used the music from a song by Freddie Gibbs called ‘Oil
Money’. Gibbs was a fan of Ward’s interpretation so he asked to be a part of
the song when it was released officially. ‘Criminal’ is one of my favorite songs
off the album because of its moody sound and the grove that the ‘Oohs’ add to
the song. My other favorites are the title track, which very uniquely
illustrates just how loyal Ward is, and ‘Cryin’ Wolf’, a song that dances the
line between singing and talking and features handclaps, ‘Oohs’, and a verse by
Kendrick Lamar. The songs off “’Til The Casket Drops” are much different from
the rest of my music library, which is comprised mostly of Pop music. Wards
music would probably have been at home in past decades but I love it here and
now.
2. Electra Heart by Marina And The Diamonds
If
you’ve read some of my previous posts then you may have read one entitled
‘Artists You Should Know: Marina & The Diamonds.” In it, I discuss my newly
found love for Marina’s music so I was excited when I heard that she was
working on her sophomore album. After many delays, “Electra Heart” was finally
released. When creating her second album, Marina decided to take a chance on
big Pop producers and give co-writing a try. Previously, she had been afraid
that co-writing and working with big producers would strip her music of what
made it hers. Fans of her debut, “The Family Jewels”, might say that Marina
sold out, but I think otherwise because her wit and sarcasm is still prevalent
in the lyrics of these new songs. All she did was try something new, which
shows artistic growth – I find that admirable. Then again, I am a fan so I know
I’m biased. If you don’t like her new sound then take a listen to the acoustic
versions of ‘Primadonna’, ‘Starring Role’, ‘Lies’, and ‘Radioactive’.
‘Radioactive’ in particular has a very different sound when compared to the
studio version; the studio version is backed by energetic Dance music and it
sounds upbeat while the acoustic version is backed by a piano and sounds
melancholy. The acoustic version of ‘Radioactive’ can be downloaded from Marina’s
website in exchange for joining her mailing list. The other acoustic songs are
bundled together in an EP called “Primadonna Exclusive Acoustic EP”, which can
be purchased from her UK webstore but is not available in the US. I don’t
understand why artists would release different material in different regions in
this day and age because the fans that can’t buy the music in their country
will just download it from the Internet for free. For whatever reason, the UK
and US versions of “Electra Heart” have different songs on them. The US version
lacks ‘Living Dead’ and bonus tracks ‘Lonely Hearts Club’ and ‘Buy The Stars’. ‘Lonely
Hearts Club’ doesn’t do much for me but ‘Living Dead’ (a catchy, up-beat song
that questions where your life is headed) and ‘Buy The Stars’ (a rare
vulnerable moment where Marina sounds sweet) would’ve been nice to have on the
US version. ‘How To Be A Heartbreaker’, a fun cheeky song is the only song that
the deluxe edition of the UK album lacks- but that’s because the song was written after the album was released
in the UK and before it was released in the US. My favorite songs on “Electra
Heart” are ‘Fear And Loathing’, a dark and introspective song; ‘Starring Role’,
a confessional (and at times angry) song about wanting to be number one in a
person’s life; and “Power & Control”, a song about the power struggle that
exists between people in a relationship. All in all, I find the album a fine
addition to Marina’s catalogue.
So there you have it. In my next post I will reveal my
favorite album of 2012. Thank you to anyone who has read my blog posts and
thank you for bearing with me. Let me know what you think about my favorite
albums of 2012.
I had intended posting a blog a day until the end of the year so that I could reveal my favorite album of 2012 on the last day of 2012. Unfortunately, I got busy visiting with friends so I didn't write and publish the posts when I said I would. Fortunately for me, I'm not a professional by any means and I don't have much of an audience so the only one I've really let down is myself.
I have half a mind to skip these posts but I'd really like to see them through because it's better late than never, right? So if anyone besides me feels let down then I am very sorry. Please bear with me because I will get these posts out sooner or later.
Another day; another post. I know I’m
getting down to the wire with this one – good thing I’m not a professional.
Here we have numbers 5-7 of my favorites. Wish me luck on having better timing
with the next post.
7. Trespassing by Adam Lambert
Lambert
was boosted into the public eye after appearing on American Idol. Unfortunately,
when you’re on Idol, you’re rushed to make your first album so that the public
doesn’t have time to forget who you are. Because of this rushing, Lambert’s
first album didn’t represent him as well as it could have. For his sophomore album,
Lambert took his time, was much more involved in the writing of the album. He
also drew from the wealth of experiences he’s had with Idol, recording his
first album, and touring; as a result, Trespassing is a much more cohesive body
of work. He went for a sound that was more Pop than his first album and added a
bit of Funk. My favorite songs include the title track, which is upbeat with
tongue in cheek lyrics; a song funny about that one friend who parties too
hard, is entitled ‘Kickin’ In’; and last but not least ‘Outlaws Of Love’, a vulnerable
song about prejudice against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered
individuals.
6. Perfectly Imperfect by Elle Varner
Originally,
the R&B singer’s debut was farther down my list but when I listened to it
again I found a new favorite song off the album so I bumped it up. I found
Varner’s music when I was trolling the new releases on iTunes. I ended up
listening to ‘Only Wanna Give It To You’ and her cover of Miguel’s ‘All I Want
Is You’. I liked the song well enough but I was enamored with the cover so I
had my eye on Ms. Varner. When ‘Refill’ first came out I was put off by the use
of a fiddle in it because I’m pretty biased against Country music. Now I want
to commend Varner for stepping outside the box and for mixing two genres that I
wouldn’t have thought to put together – especially as a newcomer, that kind of
experimentation takes guts. The risk paid off in my opinion. ‘Stop The Clock’
and ‘So Fly’ are my favorite songs that haven’t already been mentioned. In ‘So
Fly’, Varner starts out telling us all of her complaints about her body and wishes
to be perfect but by the end of the song she’s changed her tune and I think
it’s so clever and very powerful.
5. The M.F. Life by Melanie Fiona
Ms.
Fiona has a beautiful voice with so much soul that she can sing a song that
someone else wrote with such conviction that you believe that she is singing
from experience. Fiona’s debut album was a bit shaky, but it did the job of
getting her name out there and showcasing her vocal ability. With her sophomore
album you see so much artistic growth; “The M.F. Life” is a cohesive body of
work, the songs are well written, and Fiona proves that she can hold her own
alongside industry heavyweights such as Nas and Snoop Dogg.My favorite songs are ‘Bones’, a clever
and unique but slightly creepy love song; ‘4AM’, a late night/early morning
lament about an unfaithful lover; and ‘Wrong Side Of A Love Song’, a song in
which the heartbreaker has a lover who turns the tables on them and leaves them all alone.
Never Close Our Eyes by Adam Lambert
Refill by Elle Varner
4AM by Melanie Fiona
We’re
getting closer and closer to revealing my pick for Top Album of 2012. Do you
have any guesses as to what it might be? Are any albums that you think I should have on my list? Don’t be shy!
Here we go. This is the first post
of the “Top Albums of 2012” series. I hope I don’t confuse anyone by going in
descending order – I think that it’s more fun because it’s suspenseful in a
way. Albums ranked 10-8 are up!
10. Lotus by Christina Aguilera
Some
of my friends would be surprised by this pick because I haven’t been fond of
Aguilera in the past. But once I got past her image I found some really
beautiful vulnerable or toned down songs. The music video for her first single,
Your Body, highlights the over-sexualized image that puts me off but the
creators of the visual were quite creative and unique. They managed to make the
video interesting instead of just off-putting – I still can’t decide if I like
it or not. My favorite songs off “Lotus” include lead single, ‘Your Body’; brazen
kiss-off to naysayers, ‘Circles’; and a sweet ode to her fans, ‘Sing To Me.’
9. Push And Shove by No Doubt
The
band’s sixth album was a long time coming and not just because of their
break and lead singer Gwen Stefani’s foray into a solo career and other
ventures. The album took two years to make. The cover art is a very intricate painting done by
an artist named El Mac. I also liked the
concept for the music video for first single ‘Settle Down’ because it showed
the band members driving personally stylized trucks to rendezvous in the middle
of nowhere so they can jam out. Adrian Young’s drum set was really well done;
I’ve never seen a more interesting drum set in my life. My favorite songs off
the album are the ska title track featuring Busy Signal and Major Lazer and the
second single ‘Looking Hot’, a fun track that teenaged girls everywhere will be
singing into their brushes to while they pose in front of the mirror.
I hope that you enjoy at least one of the artists or one of the mini-bios I did on them, but I know I won't please everyone. Feel free to let me know what you think of these artists and who your picks would be. As always, comment respectfully.
Wow. I am horrible at keeping up
with a blog; my apologies to anyone who reads it – you must be frustrated with
me. Or perhaps you’ve forgotten all about this blog as I have. Oh well.
Since the year is coming to a close
I decided to make a list of my favorite albums of the year. It will be done in
four sections that will come out daily starting with today. The sections are as
follows: albums ranked at 10, 9, and 8; albums ranked at 7, 6, and 5; albums
ranked at 4, 3, and 2; my number 1 album of 2012. I would also like to make
other posts about my favorite music related moments from 2012 but we will see
how ambitious I am after I’ve gotten through my Top 10 list.
I
hope you enjoy looking through my list. Maybe you’ll hear about an artist that
you hadn’t heard of before. Keep in mind that this is purely based on my taste
in music and that they aren’t ranked in terms of their musicianship. They are
ranked by how much I enjoy listening to them – it’s that simple. It is an
opinion that you may not agree with – which is fine because everyone is
entitled to his or her own opinion. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me
about an artist that you think I missed. You can even post a list of your Top
10 Albums of 2012. But don’t bash my list and my opinions. I will respect your
opinion and I hope you’ll do the same with mine.
