Friday, 11 November 2016
The Worst Analysis of the '16 Election Yet - Pitting the NBA against the NFL
There has been some bad, deluded journalism this past election, there has been bigotry; but coming from someone who apparently makes a living from commenting on American sports, this incessantly woeful analysis from The Guardian's Les Carpenter seems to have completely lost connection with reality, making a bizarre, divisive comparison between the NBA and NFL that nobody was asking for.
Firstly Carpenter, seemingly blinded by his own political prejudice makes the assumption that because the NFL has a similar proportion of African-Americans to the NBA, their political lives ought to look similar. This shows a lack of awareness to the actual statistics from the fact that the NBA is far more internationally diverse; in the roughly 30% that isn't African-American, white American players are relatively rare, with significant cohorts from Europe and South America.
Moreover, the NFL hasn't had a shocking racial incident such as the Donald Sterling scandal in which open discussion had to happen the hard way, after quite rightly, players protested and sponsors withdrew because of an owners foul, racist sentiments. Given the thrust of the article, were Donald Sterling's racist comments made by an NFL owner, it'd be drawn up as evidence that the league was owned and controlled by retrograde bigots.
Also, bearing in mind the difference in white demographics, basketball doesn't nearly have the same connection with Southeastern and Midwestern states (vis-a-vis those that might have far more connections to Republican voters) that football does. Honestly, it'd be remarkable if the political demography didn't tilt more towards the right in football than a more urban sport like basketball.
The article also makes the mistake of thinking Colin Kaepernick was still relevant when he made his national anthem protest earlier this summer which was delightfully skewered in a recent episode of South Park.
Carpenter then takes aim at Bill Belichick, while demonstrating that he has no idea who he actually is. Belichick has been a Democrat for a long while, and has a personal relationship with Donald Trump (as does star QB Tom Brady who is also mentioned) that long precedes his presidential campaign. Neither does he seem to have ever seen one of Coach Belichick's infamous 'We're on to...' interview tactic to protect his locker room from being infected by media controversy. The content of Belichick's letter supporting Trump contains no political content, which sounds about right considering his character, but that doesn't matter to Carpenter, kind words for Trump must make the coach part of the problem, the unwavering loyalty of his players is apparently not evidence to the contrary. Heaven forfend there might actually be some political disagreement to mainstream left wing politics or diversity of opinion among coaching staff like Rex Ryan who during the season, quite rightly want to focus upon their main responsibility: their players.
The writer then asserts that Jason Collins had two productive years after coming out, when actually he spent a number of months as a free agent before averaging around 8 minutes per game in 22 appearances for the Nets before retiring. The achievement of being the first openly LGBT player in the Big 4 American leagues to one side, how can you be this wrong in a published article?
In comparison he seems to blame the failure of Michael Sam's professional career upon the NFL's treatment of LGBT people, completely overlooking the fact that after a poor combine he was drafted in the 7th round because of his lack of positional versatility and then cut by Rams coach Jeff Fisher, a coach who is in fact praised as open minded in the article.
Despite the serious lack of star-power, both Collins and Sam received immense support from both sets of fans respectively, but of course, that parallel doesn't matter.
Carpenter then gives weight to Chris Kluwe's scathiing criticism to football coaching being fascistic but this really doesn't hold water. For one, how does he know that NFL locker rooms aren't open at the moment? It wouldn't surprise me if these environments were open to discussion, but kept private for the sake of keeping political division out of something as uniting as football and causing distraction from doing their jobs.
Painting NFL coaching practices as militaristic is trite, considering the highly-organised, tactical nature of football in comparison with the freedom that comes with playing a 5-a-side game such as basketball. Going as far as calling football coaching culture fascistic is meaningless; coaches in just about any sport have to push their players to train to be their best, is a basketball coach making his players running suicides a fascist? Was 2005 film Coach Carter about Samuel L. Jackson playing a misanthropic autocrat or an inspirational coach trying to get the best from his players? Why does this even need to be asked?
The article concludes portraying Gregg Popovich's excellence as a coach, linking this to his openness; but this has always been the case because as a truly great coach, he avoids the error that Les Carpenter makes: race, diversity and politics ought not be an issue in the pursuit of something as unitive and rewarding as sporting excellence.
Sunday, 11 October 2015
Silversun Pickups - Better Nature Reviewed Track By Track
I've been procrastinating writing this review of the latest SSPU album, and that's mainly because I'm struggling to know how to feel about it. Following on from most of their recent work I had very high hopes; Neck of the Woods I called a masterpiece when I reviewed it three years ago, Cannibal was a concise anthem, Nightlight and Circadian Rhythm seemed interesting enough. However on the first few listens I have to say I was underwhelmed, nothing leapt out like it had done with previous releases. I've had a practice in the past of avoiding listening to any new songs from a band until I can hear it with the rest of an album, so that it doesn't stand out because of my memory rather than its own merit. In this case I'm not sure it would have made much difference, I get the feeling they released Nightlight and Circadian Rhythm because they knew they were the better tracks on the album, and it wouldn't surprise me if they were written earlier.
Cradle (Better Nature)
The intro to the opener I think epitomises how this album misses the mark compared to Neck of the Woods, it feels hurried and almost done by checklist. For comparison's sake Neck of the Woods' opener Skin Graph takes 83 seconds whereas Cradle takes a mere 21 seconds. Altogether the guitar is carrying this song with a nice riff to introduce and later a cool solo while everything else was just being thrown at the speaker. The song builds to a chant of 'Better Nature' (at which point a certain amount of listeners would applaud and leave) but it doesn't seem to make any sense in the context of the song.
Connection, Pins and Needles, Friendly Fires
Tracks 2-4 bleed into one, and not in a good way; they're stand together as an indistinct blur, and whenever they build some momentum they shoot holes in their sails and take all but the vocals away. There is energy in these songs but it is wasted before it is used in a memorable way. Somewhere in the last year or so Brian Aubert has lost some of his knack for writing a good chorus, and that really hurts the song when everything drops out for you to sing it. For Pins and Needles the opposite is true where a good chorus doesn't have a good verse to back it up.
There might be a good song (possibly two) somewhere between these three tracks, but in their published state they are formulaic filler. They're fine to listen to, Brian's voice is still great as it is through the album, they get from A to B, but won't get many spins on their own at all.
Nightlight
It is when you hear the introduction to this fifth track that it suddenly dawns what has been missing, the tight basslines and drums that were the bread and butter of so much of their earlier work aren't being lost under a wall of synth and distortion. The anthemic chorus is one of the real highlights of the album and evokes the same uneasy, intenese air previous hits such as Panic Switch and Bloody Mary do.
Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)
Similar to the previous track, the bass and drums are holding everything together as they should be. It's very much a tight in-and-out job, and doesn't linger about, so much so it's almost a pop song. Apart from that the notable thing about the song is that it is a pleasant laid-back duet between Brian and bassist Nikki Monninger. I see Nikki in a similar to light to R.E.M.'s Mike Mills insofar as I can't for the life of me work out why you don't hear more of either on vocals when they seem so capable whenever such duties are passed to them.
Tapedeck
At this point the Pickups seem to go on a jaunt of emulating recent indie bands. For example, Tapedeck definitely has a Alt-J-ish edge to it with its vibraphone intro, quirky drum beat and nasal vocals. It's a really cool song, with more vocals from Nikki as well. It then proceeds to plod around for about a minute and a half in the middle, then suddenly rescues itself by picking up some tempo and rocking for a minute and a half in a climax that is oddly reminiscent of Muse's Knights of Cydonia.
Latchkey Kids
In the last three tracks the lyrics become quite adolescent in theme and it sounds almost like it was written by Win Butler for The Suburbs, a reference to learning to drive or utterance of the word 'Neighbourhood' would remove any doubt. It's a rocker that like Circadian Rhythm is a concise, sub-four minute track but is let down by having another dropout instead of kicking up a gear when it should do.
Ragamuffin
When you look over a track listing, there's some titles that just look uninspired, like they cannot result in a good song. I thought it of Gun-Shy Sunshine on the last LP and it turned out to be the weakest moment on the album, what could a phrase like that even mean? Likewise, you read a title like Ragamuffin and wonder how they could get to a point where you think 'Fair enough, I see why they did that.' It's dark, and a little sparse but the tension doesn't quite build into a fitting denouement, and on a six minute track you can't afford to simply finish back where you started.
The Wild Kind
Again, it feels like they evoke Arcade Fire, almost imitating the wistful tone of Sprawl II, and the structure of Here Comes the Night Time to draw the album to a close. It's almost as if they're trying to telegraph where they think Arcade Fire will progress to post-Reflektor. It's a dreamy track that's a pleasant listen before building into a vivacious, electronic ending only to inexplicably return to square one for the album's final minute.
The most frustrating thing about it is you're a seasoned SSPU fan, you can hear what the songs could have been if they'd challenged themselves to go further off the beaten track instead of well-worn pop highways. By the same token maybe I was too generous on past albums and overlooked weak tracks, maybe my expectations were lower for their earlier albums. My two slightly optimistic takeaways from this, are that it's a fine album if you start at track five, and there is much to hope for coming after this transition record, it's the same band underneath after all, they just need to tidy up a little.
Cradle (Better Nature)
The intro to the opener I think epitomises how this album misses the mark compared to Neck of the Woods, it feels hurried and almost done by checklist. For comparison's sake Neck of the Woods' opener Skin Graph takes 83 seconds whereas Cradle takes a mere 21 seconds. Altogether the guitar is carrying this song with a nice riff to introduce and later a cool solo while everything else was just being thrown at the speaker. The song builds to a chant of 'Better Nature' (at which point a certain amount of listeners would applaud and leave) but it doesn't seem to make any sense in the context of the song.
Connection, Pins and Needles, Friendly Fires
Tracks 2-4 bleed into one, and not in a good way; they're stand together as an indistinct blur, and whenever they build some momentum they shoot holes in their sails and take all but the vocals away. There is energy in these songs but it is wasted before it is used in a memorable way. Somewhere in the last year or so Brian Aubert has lost some of his knack for writing a good chorus, and that really hurts the song when everything drops out for you to sing it. For Pins and Needles the opposite is true where a good chorus doesn't have a good verse to back it up.
There might be a good song (possibly two) somewhere between these three tracks, but in their published state they are formulaic filler. They're fine to listen to, Brian's voice is still great as it is through the album, they get from A to B, but won't get many spins on their own at all.
Nightlight
It is when you hear the introduction to this fifth track that it suddenly dawns what has been missing, the tight basslines and drums that were the bread and butter of so much of their earlier work aren't being lost under a wall of synth and distortion. The anthemic chorus is one of the real highlights of the album and evokes the same uneasy, intenese air previous hits such as Panic Switch and Bloody Mary do.
Circadian Rhythm (Last Dance)
Similar to the previous track, the bass and drums are holding everything together as they should be. It's very much a tight in-and-out job, and doesn't linger about, so much so it's almost a pop song. Apart from that the notable thing about the song is that it is a pleasant laid-back duet between Brian and bassist Nikki Monninger. I see Nikki in a similar to light to R.E.M.'s Mike Mills insofar as I can't for the life of me work out why you don't hear more of either on vocals when they seem so capable whenever such duties are passed to them.
Tapedeck
At this point the Pickups seem to go on a jaunt of emulating recent indie bands. For example, Tapedeck definitely has a Alt-J-ish edge to it with its vibraphone intro, quirky drum beat and nasal vocals. It's a really cool song, with more vocals from Nikki as well. It then proceeds to plod around for about a minute and a half in the middle, then suddenly rescues itself by picking up some tempo and rocking for a minute and a half in a climax that is oddly reminiscent of Muse's Knights of Cydonia.
Latchkey Kids
In the last three tracks the lyrics become quite adolescent in theme and it sounds almost like it was written by Win Butler for The Suburbs, a reference to learning to drive or utterance of the word 'Neighbourhood' would remove any doubt. It's a rocker that like Circadian Rhythm is a concise, sub-four minute track but is let down by having another dropout instead of kicking up a gear when it should do.
Ragamuffin
When you look over a track listing, there's some titles that just look uninspired, like they cannot result in a good song. I thought it of Gun-Shy Sunshine on the last LP and it turned out to be the weakest moment on the album, what could a phrase like that even mean? Likewise, you read a title like Ragamuffin and wonder how they could get to a point where you think 'Fair enough, I see why they did that.' It's dark, and a little sparse but the tension doesn't quite build into a fitting denouement, and on a six minute track you can't afford to simply finish back where you started.
The Wild Kind
Again, it feels like they evoke Arcade Fire, almost imitating the wistful tone of Sprawl II, and the structure of Here Comes the Night Time to draw the album to a close. It's almost as if they're trying to telegraph where they think Arcade Fire will progress to post-Reflektor. It's a dreamy track that's a pleasant listen before building into a vivacious, electronic ending only to inexplicably return to square one for the album's final minute.
The most frustrating thing about it is you're a seasoned SSPU fan, you can hear what the songs could have been if they'd challenged themselves to go further off the beaten track instead of well-worn pop highways. By the same token maybe I was too generous on past albums and overlooked weak tracks, maybe my expectations were lower for their earlier albums. My two slightly optimistic takeaways from this, are that it's a fine album if you start at track five, and there is much to hope for coming after this transition record, it's the same band underneath after all, they just need to tidy up a little.
Monday, 15 June 2015
GoT: Season 5 In Review
** SPOILER WARNING**
If you didn't glean from the title that this blog will have spoilers, you deserve everything you have coming to you and more.
My other disclaimer is that I'll try to avoid dwelling on differences between book and show, that's been dwelled on enough elsewhere.
Moreover some changes here and there are more than necessary for the sake of avoiding introducing more characters than necessary. On the other hand, what I think the show does suggest is that the books have far more detail and extraneous characters than necessary.
Sansa and Theon
I thought Theon saving Sansa in the end seemed inevitable, he needed a shot at redemption, and was bound to rebel somehow after being kept alive this long. What I liked is that his betrayal was believable as it wasn't in the presence of Ramsay or Roose as I don't think he could confront either. I'm hopeful of both surviving their fall, although what they can do from that position doesn't look promising even if they did land completely unscathed. It'd especially be a shame to lose Sansa as before her marriage to Ramsay she was one of the show's best-developed characters.
The other thing about this story arc was it certainly lacked the presence of Littlefinger, but I'd imagine the plot will dictate that he is biding his time while more battles and unrest eliminate the other power brokers of Westeros. I certainly didn't expect him to leave Sansa in such a hopeless state and I don't deem it likely that he'd underestimate Ramsay's insanity in this case either.
Arya
Meryn Trant is dead now (as I earlier had hoped) and in return Arya has gone blind, I'll take that as a trade. Although the way Meryn Trant was portrayed was so it became somewhat comical. So for the audience, if you don't remember him killing Syrio, beating up Sansa or generally being an essenceless dogsbody for Joffrey; you can see more cartoonish villainry when he walks into a brothel and demands a young girl, which we later see is so that he can beat her with a wooden cane. With Arya being practically the only noteworthy character in her city she was practically bulletproof, and as soon as Trant appeared there, it was clear he was only there as someone to be crossed off Arya's death list.
Cersei
From her emerging rivalry with Margaery at the start of the series, it looked like her walk of shame would be coming at some point sooner rather than later. It would have been better to see more dimension to this scene other than her humiliation, there was little sense of her wanting to see her son again, there was no prospect of revenge against her oppressors. It would've been good to see how Margaery and Tommen reacted to the scene as well; the King's mother had to walk through King's Landing naked, being molested by the hoi polloi and there's no sign of the King in all of this.
On the plus sign we sawGregor Clegane Robert Strong in the Red Keep. CleganeBowl some time next series. Get Hype.
Jon
It was also the long-awaited mutiny at Castle Black with Jon Snow being repeatedly stabbed 'for the watch', again there was little else to happen and the momentary suggestion of Benjen Stark's return was a beautiful bit of trolling.
There was no pink letter, although I think that may figure into Basil Exposition at the start of the next series. At any rate I don't think this is the end of Jon, as the series becomes more and more fantastic, there'll be some way that he will survive this, however contrived it may be.
It also looks like Stannis has been concluded and that serves him right, he was pissing into a force ten gale since he sacrificed his daughter, and compared with when he captured Mance Rayder at the end of the last series it looked like he had lost way more than the half who had allegedly abandoned him. I'm not sure I've ever gone from liking to despising a character on one action like I did as The Mannis watched his daughter burn at the stake. His fall from grace was complete when he turned into Immanuel Kant and told Brienne of Tarth to do her duty before delivering an apparent coup de grace.
I think it was especially harrowing because even book-readers weren't expecting it. Readers were now experiencing the shock that non-readers had been getting for years. That and watching a child scream for a parent's help as she is burned to a crisp is never likely to be pleasant.
Tyrion
Tyrion and Varys is a risible combination as we know, and having the two of them running Meereen with Daenerys and the friendzone twins out of the picture, there shouldn't be much to detract from their scenes next time around.
I haven't a clue what Daenerys was trying to achieve by flying away on her dragon seeing as all of her friends made it out of the fighting pit alive, and now she's been rewarded by being dropped in the middle of nowhere. Suppose she just fell of Drogon and no-one found her, wouldn't that have been more fun?
Finally it's been said that this was the series when Game of Thrones jumped the proverbial shark. You could complain that the show was becoming silly but that would imply it wasn't in the first place. One of my pet peeves about the show I feel is emblematic of the silliness is the weird naming of the characters. There's names with the odd letter unnecessarily added or changed (Eddard, Robb, Margaery), there's foreign versions of English names (Jaime, Joffrey, Petyr), and some that just look like GRRM ran out of ideas and mashed his keyboard with his fist (Ygritte, Xaro Xhoan Daxos, Hizdahr zo Loraq).
But I get the feeling that A Song of Ice and Fire (and by extension, Game of Thrones) is really just an awfully long-winded farce with added shock value: the more bizarre deaths that are added, the more characters can only be seen as two-dimensional caricatures, the more you begin to doubt that there will be a compelling resolution; and without a fitting denouement I don't foresee it being worth the effort. Having said that, as so much of the story line is catching up with the books, the unknown factor leaves it harder to see whether all the loose ends can be tied up in a satisfactory way, or the potentially character developing suffering could be to no end. In fact it's the combination of my time invested in the series along with said curiosity that's keeping me interested and somewhat annoyed that we're about a year away from any extensive addition to the series.
To some extent the show has become whimsical in the same way that the Saw film franchise has; insofar as there's only so many deaths and barbaric acts you can have before you reach the ne plus ultra as it either becomes prosaic or so farfetched that it becomes a reiteration of The Aristocrats joke, and concordantly the only way it can be seen is relatively light and almost humorous. For others it naturally has the opposite effect and just serves to alienate.
But not unlike the Saw films part of the appeal is the masochism of the viewer, and if people want to see uncanonical rape and brutality to the point it becomes a gimmick. Well to quote Jalen Rose: Got to give the people...
If you didn't glean from the title that this blog will have spoilers, you deserve everything you have coming to you and more.
My other disclaimer is that I'll try to avoid dwelling on differences between book and show, that's been dwelled on enough elsewhere.
Moreover some changes here and there are more than necessary for the sake of avoiding introducing more characters than necessary. On the other hand, what I think the show does suggest is that the books have far more detail and extraneous characters than necessary.
Sansa and Theon
I thought Theon saving Sansa in the end seemed inevitable, he needed a shot at redemption, and was bound to rebel somehow after being kept alive this long. What I liked is that his betrayal was believable as it wasn't in the presence of Ramsay or Roose as I don't think he could confront either. I'm hopeful of both surviving their fall, although what they can do from that position doesn't look promising even if they did land completely unscathed. It'd especially be a shame to lose Sansa as before her marriage to Ramsay she was one of the show's best-developed characters.
The other thing about this story arc was it certainly lacked the presence of Littlefinger, but I'd imagine the plot will dictate that he is biding his time while more battles and unrest eliminate the other power brokers of Westeros. I certainly didn't expect him to leave Sansa in such a hopeless state and I don't deem it likely that he'd underestimate Ramsay's insanity in this case either.
Arya
Meryn Trant is dead now (as I earlier had hoped) and in return Arya has gone blind, I'll take that as a trade. Although the way Meryn Trant was portrayed was so it became somewhat comical. So for the audience, if you don't remember him killing Syrio, beating up Sansa or generally being an essenceless dogsbody for Joffrey; you can see more cartoonish villainry when he walks into a brothel and demands a young girl, which we later see is so that he can beat her with a wooden cane. With Arya being practically the only noteworthy character in her city she was practically bulletproof, and as soon as Trant appeared there, it was clear he was only there as someone to be crossed off Arya's death list.
Cersei
From her emerging rivalry with Margaery at the start of the series, it looked like her walk of shame would be coming at some point sooner rather than later. It would have been better to see more dimension to this scene other than her humiliation, there was little sense of her wanting to see her son again, there was no prospect of revenge against her oppressors. It would've been good to see how Margaery and Tommen reacted to the scene as well; the King's mother had to walk through King's Landing naked, being molested by the hoi polloi and there's no sign of the King in all of this.
On the plus sign we saw
Jon
It was also the long-awaited mutiny at Castle Black with Jon Snow being repeatedly stabbed 'for the watch', again there was little else to happen and the momentary suggestion of Benjen Stark's return was a beautiful bit of trolling.
There was no pink letter, although I think that may figure into Basil Exposition at the start of the next series. At any rate I don't think this is the end of Jon, as the series becomes more and more fantastic, there'll be some way that he will survive this, however contrived it may be.
It also looks like Stannis has been concluded and that serves him right, he was pissing into a force ten gale since he sacrificed his daughter, and compared with when he captured Mance Rayder at the end of the last series it looked like he had lost way more than the half who had allegedly abandoned him. I'm not sure I've ever gone from liking to despising a character on one action like I did as The Mannis watched his daughter burn at the stake. His fall from grace was complete when he turned into Immanuel Kant and told Brienne of Tarth to do her duty before delivering an apparent coup de grace.
I think it was especially harrowing because even book-readers weren't expecting it. Readers were now experiencing the shock that non-readers had been getting for years. That and watching a child scream for a parent's help as she is burned to a crisp is never likely to be pleasant.
Tyrion
Tyrion and Varys is a risible combination as we know, and having the two of them running Meereen with Daenerys and the friendzone twins out of the picture, there shouldn't be much to detract from their scenes next time around.
I haven't a clue what Daenerys was trying to achieve by flying away on her dragon seeing as all of her friends made it out of the fighting pit alive, and now she's been rewarded by being dropped in the middle of nowhere. Suppose she just fell of Drogon and no-one found her, wouldn't that have been more fun?
Finally it's been said that this was the series when Game of Thrones jumped the proverbial shark. You could complain that the show was becoming silly but that would imply it wasn't in the first place. One of my pet peeves about the show I feel is emblematic of the silliness is the weird naming of the characters. There's names with the odd letter unnecessarily added or changed (Eddard, Robb, Margaery), there's foreign versions of English names (Jaime, Joffrey, Petyr), and some that just look like GRRM ran out of ideas and mashed his keyboard with his fist (Ygritte, Xaro Xhoan Daxos, Hizdahr zo Loraq).
But I get the feeling that A Song of Ice and Fire (and by extension, Game of Thrones) is really just an awfully long-winded farce with added shock value: the more bizarre deaths that are added, the more characters can only be seen as two-dimensional caricatures, the more you begin to doubt that there will be a compelling resolution; and without a fitting denouement I don't foresee it being worth the effort. Having said that, as so much of the story line is catching up with the books, the unknown factor leaves it harder to see whether all the loose ends can be tied up in a satisfactory way, or the potentially character developing suffering could be to no end. In fact it's the combination of my time invested in the series along with said curiosity that's keeping me interested and somewhat annoyed that we're about a year away from any extensive addition to the series.
To some extent the show has become whimsical in the same way that the Saw film franchise has; insofar as there's only so many deaths and barbaric acts you can have before you reach the ne plus ultra as it either becomes prosaic or so farfetched that it becomes a reiteration of The Aristocrats joke, and concordantly the only way it can be seen is relatively light and almost humorous. For others it naturally has the opposite effect and just serves to alienate.
But not unlike the Saw films part of the appeal is the masochism of the viewer, and if people want to see uncanonical rape and brutality to the point it becomes a gimmick. Well to quote Jalen Rose: Got to give the people...
Sunday, 12 April 2015
Game of Thrones Characters I Want To See Die
Disclaimer: While I'm aware that the books are still ahead, I'm pretending for the purpose of this blog that only the television series has happened.
As much as people make a big deal about people dying left, right and centre, with four seasons down it's not stretching out ahead of other well-esteemed HBO dramas (I'm looking at you Boardwalk Empire, Oz and The Wire), nonetheless, for entertainment's sake these are the characters I'm hoping to see concluded in this upcoming series.
Arya
Irritatingly has no awareness of her surroundings throughout the first series so seeing her on the road separated from her family serves this brat right in my book.
More broadly I see no reason to be interested in her. Apart from her time with the Hound which is now over, she's never near any other compelling or consequential characters. She comes across as a one-dimensional character that is completely bereft of any profundity. Who does she think she is with an enemies list, Richard Nixon?
Even putting her characteristics to one side, her end goal amounts to nothing much apart from her own revenge. I know I come across all Count of Monte Cristo saying this but just suppose by the end of the series she murders everyone on her kill list, which looks seemingly unlikely now that she's in Braavos. Then what?
Robin Arryn
In all honesty, it's probably the fault of his psychotic mother that Robin behaves like such a muppet; in fact it was almost like watching that David Walliams character in Little Britain:
Still, only seems to exist in the plot as an obstacle, rather than someone who is a genuine antagonist. Does anyone really think he has the wherewithal to survive and flourish? Can he make any contribution that isn't impetuously churlish?
Pycelle
You could probably say it of any Maester, but he is a complete and total toady. If he's not spending his time bumbling on about how noble Aerys was, or later how noble Joffrey was, he's providing the sycophantic laughter and support for Tywin, Joffrey or Cersei, characters with far too much dignity to require such malarkey. Why does he choose to walk with a hunch slowly, what advantage does it give him to appear as a bumbling fool?
Meryn Trant
Similar to Pycelle, he's a jobsworth of the highest order with no character of his own and according to both Barristan and the Hound, is not even a respectable swordsman. He especially made me cross when he beat up Sansa in front of Joffrey, what kind of oik do you have to be to wail on a teenage girl?
Gregor Clegane
It might be a little early for Season 5, but I want to see him lose to the Hound in the highly-anticipated CleganeBowl. #GETHYPE
Daenerys
It's safe to say that Daenerys is insufferable to watch. Reading her chapters in the books is annoying enough with most Essosi characters being one-dimensional and having ludicrous names. She wasn't too interesting to begin with, and then watches as her brother is gruesomely murdered by her oafish husband; then at the end of the second series she locks a man and her former in a vault to die; then she's careless enough to let her dragons fly around causing havoc.
To be honest I'm fine with her making mistakes and even acting completely heartlessly, the problem is at the same time she is at the centre of some preposterous Mary-Sue morality play against slavery, maintaining an inane winsome smirk all the while. Somehow she is rewarded by jammily escaping any attempt on her life; unfortunately Barristan Selmy drops out of the sky to save her from a manticore.
To be honest, I don't care if you're going to show O Shizzl Ghizzngar no mercy because he oughtn't keep slaves anymore, it'd be nice to see an attempt to get to Westeros instead of dilly-dallying in the hope that some character development will take place before that happens, if at all.
What makes it worse is just how badly Emilia Clarke delivers some of the horrid lines she's given, it makes for a storm of cringeworthiness at once; the whole 'Break the wheel' monologue that she gives on this series' trailer perfectly exemplifies it.
Pity she wasn't killed early on like her brother.
Hodor
He adds absolutely nothing to the story and is now the cause of what must now be millions of irritating comments of 'Hodor' on anything to do with GoT. Thankfully Kristian Nairn confirmed he won't be in the show this time around, so at least we don't have to see him, but neither do we get to see him suffer for the time he has cost us all.
Theon
I liked Theon up until his capture by Ramsay and conversion into the pusillanimous Reek. He's been SOLJWF for far too long now, and needs to be put out of his misery, it's fairly unforeseeable that he will return to his former likeable self. He won't even be able to return to his bedroom and smoke weed all day.
As much as people make a big deal about people dying left, right and centre, with four seasons down it's not stretching out ahead of other well-esteemed HBO dramas (I'm looking at you Boardwalk Empire, Oz and The Wire), nonetheless, for entertainment's sake these are the characters I'm hoping to see concluded in this upcoming series.
Arya
Irritatingly has no awareness of her surroundings throughout the first series so seeing her on the road separated from her family serves this brat right in my book.
More broadly I see no reason to be interested in her. Apart from her time with the Hound which is now over, she's never near any other compelling or consequential characters. She comes across as a one-dimensional character that is completely bereft of any profundity. Who does she think she is with an enemies list, Richard Nixon?
Even putting her characteristics to one side, her end goal amounts to nothing much apart from her own revenge. I know I come across all Count of Monte Cristo saying this but just suppose by the end of the series she murders everyone on her kill list, which looks seemingly unlikely now that she's in Braavos. Then what?
Robin Arryn
In all honesty, it's probably the fault of his psychotic mother that Robin behaves like such a muppet; in fact it was almost like watching that David Walliams character in Little Britain:
Still, only seems to exist in the plot as an obstacle, rather than someone who is a genuine antagonist. Does anyone really think he has the wherewithal to survive and flourish? Can he make any contribution that isn't impetuously churlish?
Pycelle
You could probably say it of any Maester, but he is a complete and total toady. If he's not spending his time bumbling on about how noble Aerys was, or later how noble Joffrey was, he's providing the sycophantic laughter and support for Tywin, Joffrey or Cersei, characters with far too much dignity to require such malarkey. Why does he choose to walk with a hunch slowly, what advantage does it give him to appear as a bumbling fool?
Meryn Trant
Similar to Pycelle, he's a jobsworth of the highest order with no character of his own and according to both Barristan and the Hound, is not even a respectable swordsman. He especially made me cross when he beat up Sansa in front of Joffrey, what kind of oik do you have to be to wail on a teenage girl?
Gregor Clegane
It might be a little early for Season 5, but I want to see him lose to the Hound in the highly-anticipated CleganeBowl. #GETHYPE
Daenerys
It's safe to say that Daenerys is insufferable to watch. Reading her chapters in the books is annoying enough with most Essosi characters being one-dimensional and having ludicrous names. She wasn't too interesting to begin with, and then watches as her brother is gruesomely murdered by her oafish husband; then at the end of the second series she locks a man and her former in a vault to die; then she's careless enough to let her dragons fly around causing havoc.
To be honest I'm fine with her making mistakes and even acting completely heartlessly, the problem is at the same time she is at the centre of some preposterous Mary-Sue morality play against slavery, maintaining an inane winsome smirk all the while. Somehow she is rewarded by jammily escaping any attempt on her life; unfortunately Barristan Selmy drops out of the sky to save her from a manticore.
To be honest, I don't care if you're going to show O Shizzl Ghizzngar no mercy because he oughtn't keep slaves anymore, it'd be nice to see an attempt to get to Westeros instead of dilly-dallying in the hope that some character development will take place before that happens, if at all.
What makes it worse is just how badly Emilia Clarke delivers some of the horrid lines she's given, it makes for a storm of cringeworthiness at once; the whole 'Break the wheel' monologue that she gives on this series' trailer perfectly exemplifies it.
Pity she wasn't killed early on like her brother.
Hodor
He adds absolutely nothing to the story and is now the cause of what must now be millions of irritating comments of 'Hodor' on anything to do with GoT. Thankfully Kristian Nairn confirmed he won't be in the show this time around, so at least we don't have to see him, but neither do we get to see him suffer for the time he has cost us all.
Theon
I liked Theon up until his capture by Ramsay and conversion into the pusillanimous Reek. He's been SOLJWF for far too long now, and needs to be put out of his misery, it's fairly unforeseeable that he will return to his former likeable self. He won't even be able to return to his bedroom and smoke weed all day.
Saturday, 31 January 2015
Reviewed: Fortitude - Episode 1
So after a barrage of marketing we finally get to see the beginning of the new Sky Atlantic drama in a feature length episode.
On paper, going in, this looked like it had all the ingredients to keep me entertained: a potentially stygian drama set in frozen Svalbard (Scandinavia being one of the only parts of the world I'd actually want to visit) in the vein of other slightly surreal dramas set in the extreme North; namely Christopher Nolan's Insomnia. It features Christopher Eccleston (who I still think could be the best Doctor), Michael Gambon and Luke Treadaway (who allegedly frequented Ashbee's wine bar in Earls Court as I did as a student in London). Disappointingly however, Eccleston and Gambon, two of the most recognisable names on the cast, who were focussed upon heavily in advertising, don't play major roles in the show.
To begin, if there was a theme tune (which I'm not sure there was), it was a mess and was completely indistinct. Otherwise there is no theme song and maybe every week they'll just offer landscape shots while showing the actor's names, which would be fine if vista shots weren't so frequently used to show passage of time. I was surprised with how prosaic I found the Nordic scenery by the end of show.
As for the storytelling, it was made very difficult by the dialogue, which was characterised by abrupt declaratives with minimal intonation and awkward silences (something I find irritatingly common in British drama); so very few conversations sounded spontaneous and fluent. To be honest it sounded as bad as a Tarantino movie, where everyone sounds like Quentin speaking himself, trying to sound cool and quotable, but coming off as surly and pretentious. This meant a good majority of the characters (and there are a lot) seemed standoffish and almost robotic, as if they were fed up with socialising, bereft of any joie de vivre. That might explain how they ended up in isolated Northern Norway: they couldn't put with the amount social interaction that comes with living in a city. Maybe the climate is an allegory for how frigid the characters feel on the inside and I just wasn't as satisfied by this fact as I should have been. On top of this, the sparse soundtrack did very little to supplement the long pauses and could've done a lot more to build an atmosphere of tension, something which is meant to be one of this show's main selling points.
The next problem is that because of this lack of character interaction and development, the lack of any remarkable events for the first fifty minutes means that it was a really turgid watch, and minute by minute you have to wonder when it's going to kick in with the real premise for the show. Filling that time with very simple plotlines such as a very sick child who I'm sure somebody out there felt sorry for and a tepid sexual affair, left what should be a hard-hitting drama working with material that seemed to have come out of a soap. Unfortunately the catalyst for the storyline is the death of Eccleston's Professor Stoddart character, who is one of the few compelling characters on the show (despite being a scientist); bizarrely the IMDB says he's signed up for 12 episodes, how he appears from here on out is anyone's guess. The other interesting character, who rescued the show in my opinion, is Sheriff Dan Anderssen played by Richard Dormer, who seems to be an unnecessary maverick for a lawman in a village with no crime. He takes no nonsense, kills a wild dog and appears to have a really troubled, dark edge as well. To me, this is someone who I want to watch go about his day, in a town where there is little going on, and as sheriff has potentially little to do, he makes things interesting just by being there. I'm also guessing Stanley Tucci's DCI Morton will be worth watching in the coming weeks but he only arrives in the last portion of the show, so I shall reserve my judgement.
Overall it's an inefficient first ninety minutes for Fortitude but it has bought itself some time to get me gripped. There is a lot of potential and it's a possible heir apparent to David Lynch's Twin Peaks, fitting the same template of an offbeat detective from far away coming to investigate an unusual death in an odd small town. Moreover the broad suspicion that hangs over most characters for involvement in the Professor's death, along with inexplicable moments such as a pig being found in a tube in a hospital serve to build the story's intrigue. We'll see if it lives up to the pastiche and the investment put behind it, but it ought to get its act together quickly after such a slow start.
On paper, going in, this looked like it had all the ingredients to keep me entertained: a potentially stygian drama set in frozen Svalbard (Scandinavia being one of the only parts of the world I'd actually want to visit) in the vein of other slightly surreal dramas set in the extreme North; namely Christopher Nolan's Insomnia. It features Christopher Eccleston (who I still think could be the best Doctor), Michael Gambon and Luke Treadaway (who allegedly frequented Ashbee's wine bar in Earls Court as I did as a student in London). Disappointingly however, Eccleston and Gambon, two of the most recognisable names on the cast, who were focussed upon heavily in advertising, don't play major roles in the show.
To begin, if there was a theme tune (which I'm not sure there was), it was a mess and was completely indistinct. Otherwise there is no theme song and maybe every week they'll just offer landscape shots while showing the actor's names, which would be fine if vista shots weren't so frequently used to show passage of time. I was surprised with how prosaic I found the Nordic scenery by the end of show.
As for the storytelling, it was made very difficult by the dialogue, which was characterised by abrupt declaratives with minimal intonation and awkward silences (something I find irritatingly common in British drama); so very few conversations sounded spontaneous and fluent. To be honest it sounded as bad as a Tarantino movie, where everyone sounds like Quentin speaking himself, trying to sound cool and quotable, but coming off as surly and pretentious. This meant a good majority of the characters (and there are a lot) seemed standoffish and almost robotic, as if they were fed up with socialising, bereft of any joie de vivre. That might explain how they ended up in isolated Northern Norway: they couldn't put with the amount social interaction that comes with living in a city. Maybe the climate is an allegory for how frigid the characters feel on the inside and I just wasn't as satisfied by this fact as I should have been. On top of this, the sparse soundtrack did very little to supplement the long pauses and could've done a lot more to build an atmosphere of tension, something which is meant to be one of this show's main selling points.
The next problem is that because of this lack of character interaction and development, the lack of any remarkable events for the first fifty minutes means that it was a really turgid watch, and minute by minute you have to wonder when it's going to kick in with the real premise for the show. Filling that time with very simple plotlines such as a very sick child who I'm sure somebody out there felt sorry for and a tepid sexual affair, left what should be a hard-hitting drama working with material that seemed to have come out of a soap. Unfortunately the catalyst for the storyline is the death of Eccleston's Professor Stoddart character, who is one of the few compelling characters on the show (despite being a scientist); bizarrely the IMDB says he's signed up for 12 episodes, how he appears from here on out is anyone's guess. The other interesting character, who rescued the show in my opinion, is Sheriff Dan Anderssen played by Richard Dormer, who seems to be an unnecessary maverick for a lawman in a village with no crime. He takes no nonsense, kills a wild dog and appears to have a really troubled, dark edge as well. To me, this is someone who I want to watch go about his day, in a town where there is little going on, and as sheriff has potentially little to do, he makes things interesting just by being there. I'm also guessing Stanley Tucci's DCI Morton will be worth watching in the coming weeks but he only arrives in the last portion of the show, so I shall reserve my judgement.
Overall it's an inefficient first ninety minutes for Fortitude but it has bought itself some time to get me gripped. There is a lot of potential and it's a possible heir apparent to David Lynch's Twin Peaks, fitting the same template of an offbeat detective from far away coming to investigate an unusual death in an odd small town. Moreover the broad suspicion that hangs over most characters for involvement in the Professor's death, along with inexplicable moments such as a pig being found in a tube in a hospital serve to build the story's intrigue. We'll see if it lives up to the pastiche and the investment put behind it, but it ought to get its act together quickly after such a slow start.
Monday, 3 November 2014
Remembering Boardwalk Empire
So this past week we saw the conclusion of the HBO period crime drama, and it was a bittersweet affair to say the least. Here are a number of observations I have about the final installment and what we can say about the series now that it is complete.
The struggles of season V
1. The Ticking Clock
Although the season was only 8 episodes long, any more would've been bordering on tiresome. The 7 year jump between seasons when the past four seasons had each represented successive years seemed to be a pretty inexplicable move; perhaps a sign that Scorcese, Winter et al where waving the white flag and saying we know we're getting stale, we're cashing in our chips while we can. I get the impression 1931 was always going to be where the story ended, but Terence Winter has said he wanted to 'leave the stage while the audience are wanting more' and I think he feared (and rightly so) that he'd be pushing his luck to go further than he did.
2. Deaths at the end of IV
With two of the most compelling characters departing at the end of the fourth series, both without any real follow up at the start of the fifth; it meant not only was there a lack of resounding denouement, but much of the reason for watching was fading. The idiosyncratic supporting cast that enriched the show was thinning, without anyone emerging to fill the gaps. This brings up another death from the end of season IV which I'd overturn: I would've killed Eli instead of Agent Knox. Eli had pretty much run his course and there wasn't much more to develop, whereas the intrigue built up around Knox throughout the series, was sacrificed. On the other hand how he would fit in to a story seven years on is a good question and in hindsight Eli was certainly easier to make relevant.
3. Narrowing focus
In place of the broader scope of characters, we saw the writers double down on Nucky; anyone introduced was one dimensional and existed to further him. Because of the recycling of the Nucky vs. Eli storyline (that wasn't too interesting first time around) via flashback, the show no longer had the variety it once boasted. The flashbacks I take as another key piece of evidence for the 'creators running out of ideas' case, with the focus being taken away from 1931 perhaps because there just wasn't enough happening to fill an hour-long episode. By the same token, Mark Pickering's portrayal of young Nucky is absolutely golden, his imitation of Steve Buscemi's mannerisms and tone is uncanny.
4. Death throes produce gratuitous, well, death
Game of Thrones has a reputation for copious deaths (as if no other series has characters dying on a frequent basis), and the last few episodes took the cake. It could be the case that there weren't many deaths initially and they were inserted later for the sake of impact.
4a. Van Alden: perhaps the least unnecessary of these deaths, a happy ending was never likely, however it was fairly unrewarding to see him buy it, particularly given that Eli bewilderingly got away, his conclusion became (excuse the pun) a dead end. It accomplished little seeing as it was to be expected that Capone would be sent down in the end. After seeing him threatened with death for being flakey time after time it made it worthless seeing him come so far, only to be murdered because he couldn't be trusted.
4b. Chalky: seemingly accepted his death very passively, which was unfitting given how ardently he fighted for influence and freedom throughout the series.
4c. Mickey: asks to carry on running the Onyx club, promptly gets shot in the throat. A fairly unnecessary escalation. It said a lot about the amount of deaths in the series (particularly seeing as I wanted him dead just about every week of the first four series) when I thought: 'well at least Mickey Doyle will land on his feet'. Alas that got 86ed quickly.
4d. Dr. Narcisse: hardly a factor in the final series, only appearing in three of the eight episodes. Turns up in the final episode just to be shot by Bugsy.
The saving graces
1. Having said all these things, the death of Nucky made the whole journey worthwhile. I was expecting him to die in the final episode going into the series but it was a brilliant and unexpected piece of retribution on behalf of Jimmy and Richard to see Tommy come from out of nowhere to avenge his father's death. The golden part of this is Nucky was out of the game, he'd lost and his death was personal rather than being a part of his shortcoming in the business war. The fact he was a person (and an emotionally damaged one at that), not just a criminal was what the show tried to sell you on, and ultimately, the fact he couldn't be 'half a gangster' (as Jimmy told him in the very first episode) cost him everything; a death that wasn't from the sphere of his own personal responsibility would've undercut the whole point of the show.
2. Luciano wins Boardwalk Empire: after watching him as a fiery upstart and seeing him develop into a kingpin, it's a nice conclusion to see him inherit the empire. On the contrary there's only himself and Doyle who could've really come out on top, but even at that, it was inevitable that AC would eventually lose to NY.
3. It was nice to know that Margaret finished better off, being rescued from her abusive marriage by Nucky, then escaping the criminal life Nucky led for a legitimate job that she more than survived at. She was pretty irrelevant after the end of the third series, nonetheless her progress was enjoyable to watch when she was around.
So there we have it, Boardwalk Empire is all over. It's sad for me because after the third series I genuinely thought I would be calling this the best TV drama of all, after the final series it's still in my top 5, but I think Oz and Deadwood might have snook ahead; looks like I'll have to do a blog ranking them all one of these days...
The struggles of season V
1. The Ticking Clock
Although the season was only 8 episodes long, any more would've been bordering on tiresome. The 7 year jump between seasons when the past four seasons had each represented successive years seemed to be a pretty inexplicable move; perhaps a sign that Scorcese, Winter et al where waving the white flag and saying we know we're getting stale, we're cashing in our chips while we can. I get the impression 1931 was always going to be where the story ended, but Terence Winter has said he wanted to 'leave the stage while the audience are wanting more' and I think he feared (and rightly so) that he'd be pushing his luck to go further than he did.
2. Deaths at the end of IV
No Arnold Rothstein, no Richard Harrow. This last season of Boardwalk Empire could feel really long without them; at least Masseria died.
— Graham Abbott (@gsa219) September 15, 2014With two of the most compelling characters departing at the end of the fourth series, both without any real follow up at the start of the fifth; it meant not only was there a lack of resounding denouement, but much of the reason for watching was fading. The idiosyncratic supporting cast that enriched the show was thinning, without anyone emerging to fill the gaps. This brings up another death from the end of season IV which I'd overturn: I would've killed Eli instead of Agent Knox. Eli had pretty much run his course and there wasn't much more to develop, whereas the intrigue built up around Knox throughout the series, was sacrificed. On the other hand how he would fit in to a story seven years on is a good question and in hindsight Eli was certainly easier to make relevant.
3. Narrowing focus
In place of the broader scope of characters, we saw the writers double down on Nucky; anyone introduced was one dimensional and existed to further him. Because of the recycling of the Nucky vs. Eli storyline (that wasn't too interesting first time around) via flashback, the show no longer had the variety it once boasted. The flashbacks I take as another key piece of evidence for the 'creators running out of ideas' case, with the focus being taken away from 1931 perhaps because there just wasn't enough happening to fill an hour-long episode. By the same token, Mark Pickering's portrayal of young Nucky is absolutely golden, his imitation of Steve Buscemi's mannerisms and tone is uncanny.
4. Death throes produce gratuitous, well, death
Game of Thrones has a reputation for copious deaths (as if no other series has characters dying on a frequent basis), and the last few episodes took the cake. It could be the case that there weren't many deaths initially and they were inserted later for the sake of impact.
4a. Van Alden: perhaps the least unnecessary of these deaths, a happy ending was never likely, however it was fairly unrewarding to see him buy it, particularly given that Eli bewilderingly got away, his conclusion became (excuse the pun) a dead end. It accomplished little seeing as it was to be expected that Capone would be sent down in the end. After seeing him threatened with death for being flakey time after time it made it worthless seeing him come so far, only to be murdered because he couldn't be trusted.
4b. Chalky: seemingly accepted his death very passively, which was unfitting given how ardently he fighted for influence and freedom throughout the series.
4c. Mickey: asks to carry on running the Onyx club, promptly gets shot in the throat. A fairly unnecessary escalation. It said a lot about the amount of deaths in the series (particularly seeing as I wanted him dead just about every week of the first four series) when I thought: 'well at least Mickey Doyle will land on his feet'. Alas that got 86ed quickly.
4d. Dr. Narcisse: hardly a factor in the final series, only appearing in three of the eight episodes. Turns up in the final episode just to be shot by Bugsy.
The saving graces
1. Having said all these things, the death of Nucky made the whole journey worthwhile. I was expecting him to die in the final episode going into the series but it was a brilliant and unexpected piece of retribution on behalf of Jimmy and Richard to see Tommy come from out of nowhere to avenge his father's death. The golden part of this is Nucky was out of the game, he'd lost and his death was personal rather than being a part of his shortcoming in the business war. The fact he was a person (and an emotionally damaged one at that), not just a criminal was what the show tried to sell you on, and ultimately, the fact he couldn't be 'half a gangster' (as Jimmy told him in the very first episode) cost him everything; a death that wasn't from the sphere of his own personal responsibility would've undercut the whole point of the show.
2. Luciano wins Boardwalk Empire: after watching him as a fiery upstart and seeing him develop into a kingpin, it's a nice conclusion to see him inherit the empire. On the contrary there's only himself and Doyle who could've really come out on top, but even at that, it was inevitable that AC would eventually lose to NY.
3. It was nice to know that Margaret finished better off, being rescued from her abusive marriage by Nucky, then escaping the criminal life Nucky led for a legitimate job that she more than survived at. She was pretty irrelevant after the end of the third series, nonetheless her progress was enjoyable to watch when she was around.
So there we have it, Boardwalk Empire is all over. It's sad for me because after the third series I genuinely thought I would be calling this the best TV drama of all, after the final series it's still in my top 5, but I think Oz and Deadwood might have snook ahead; looks like I'll have to do a blog ranking them all one of these days...
Friday, 5 September 2014
Covers That Are Better Than Their Originals
It's not generally the case that a cover version can supercede the work of its creator, but seeing as I said Johnny Cash's version of Hurt isn't one of them I thought I should give a few examples of some that are.
With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker
Originally by the Beatles it was a fairly tame number, but this cover has an iconic guitar intro provided by Jimmy Page, lending a far more distinct essence to the track.
Where Is My Mind? - Placebo
As opposed to the Pixies rendition (one of their signature songs, I might add), Placebo are far smoother and Brian Molko's are much more controlled and melodic than in the original. The sound overall is much sharper and all things together feel much more complete.
All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
As was the case for With A Little Help From My Friends, this is a song that wasn't initially spectacular, but has new life breathed into it through some masterful guitar work. Hendrix' vivacious vocals match the new feel to build the finest moment of his lamentably short career.
Both Sides, Now - Neil Diamond
Maybe I'm a little biased toward a voice similar to my own but I think, this version of Joni Mitchell's classic is its finest rendition. Lyrically I have this down as one of the best songs ever and the boldness of Diamond reflects the song's majestic air. As well I think taking 'and' out of the verses is a slight touch that makes the song flow much better.
Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine
This is a rare occasion that a simple acoustic song is the more fitting version, Ben Gibbard's voice on the original sounds robotic and lifeless, also the higher tempo feels uncomfortable, a lot like the song is being rushed. The relaxed soulful vocals that Sam Beam provides makes for a beautiful song.
Out of Time - Chris Farlowe
On the other hand, as opposed to the Rolling Stones' original counterpart which feels too lively and ostentatious, possibly even glib with Jagger's voice; Farley approaches the song with the emotion this ballad needs.
My Humps - Alanis Morissette
I really do hate 'My Humps' as a song, it tries to be sexy but comes across completely ludicrous. Give it to Alanis Morissette and let her do it in her style and the pisstakey video is only the icing on the cake for this parody that simply let's the preposterous lyrics create the comedy.
With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker
Originally by the Beatles it was a fairly tame number, but this cover has an iconic guitar intro provided by Jimmy Page, lending a far more distinct essence to the track.
Where Is My Mind? - Placebo
As opposed to the Pixies rendition (one of their signature songs, I might add), Placebo are far smoother and Brian Molko's are much more controlled and melodic than in the original. The sound overall is much sharper and all things together feel much more complete.
All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
As was the case for With A Little Help From My Friends, this is a song that wasn't initially spectacular, but has new life breathed into it through some masterful guitar work. Hendrix' vivacious vocals match the new feel to build the finest moment of his lamentably short career.
Both Sides, Now - Neil Diamond
Maybe I'm a little biased toward a voice similar to my own but I think, this version of Joni Mitchell's classic is its finest rendition. Lyrically I have this down as one of the best songs ever and the boldness of Diamond reflects the song's majestic air. As well I think taking 'and' out of the verses is a slight touch that makes the song flow much better.
Such Great Heights - Iron & Wine
This is a rare occasion that a simple acoustic song is the more fitting version, Ben Gibbard's voice on the original sounds robotic and lifeless, also the higher tempo feels uncomfortable, a lot like the song is being rushed. The relaxed soulful vocals that Sam Beam provides makes for a beautiful song.
Out of Time - Chris Farlowe
On the other hand, as opposed to the Rolling Stones' original counterpart which feels too lively and ostentatious, possibly even glib with Jagger's voice; Farley approaches the song with the emotion this ballad needs.
My Humps - Alanis Morissette
I really do hate 'My Humps' as a song, it tries to be sexy but comes across completely ludicrous. Give it to Alanis Morissette and let her do it in her style and the pisstakey video is only the icing on the cake for this parody that simply let's the preposterous lyrics create the comedy.
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Shake It Off by Taylor Swift - Reviewed
No time like the present eh? So I see this come up in my twitter feed...
I thought 'oh, ok' out of morbid curiousity I have to have a look at this: Taylor Swift's new song; and lamentably there will be no hipping and hopping on this sick beat.
In spite of not only being a Taylor Swift song, but also being possibly the most obnoxious song I've heard in a good long while; I really like it. It's uptempo, in-your-face and ridiculously catchy and that's about all there is to it; I'm a little apprehensive of saying this, but I think it's the case that the catchiness that gets Taylor off the hook for goofy lines like: 'The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate hate'. To criticise the outlandish lyrics would be to completely miss the point and take the song too seriously; this is a song that falls into the same category as Happy by Pharrell Williams and Friday by Rebecca Black: infectiously memorable and simply about having fun.
The only thing I'm going to say holds the song back is the uncomfortable talking part in the middle: very reminiscent of Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne and Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani. In fact, I'd go as far as saying the ostentatiousness turned up to 11 feel was what Gwen was going for, but it fails as a song by not being playful at the same time. And I'm not sure what it is about awkward mini-monologues mid-song that Taylor insists on, I've already mentioned this on the blog before here. Nonetheless it's good to see Taylor not taking herself too seriously and laughing at herself as opposed to whining about various subject matter in frequently insecure appearance.
It's already got well over 13 million views and it was uploaded under two days ago at time of writing, my hope is it doesn't suffer the dreaded death by overplay, I fear this song may become inescapable and wear thin fairly quickly; at the moment though I am hopeful that this song will have a pretty good lifespan.
Taylor Swift actually has a long history of trying to rap... http://t.co/xsAqovBmxo pic.twitter.com/w5JBwBMCTC
— Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) August 19, 2014I thought 'oh, ok' out of morbid curiousity I have to have a look at this: Taylor Swift's new song; and lamentably there will be no hipping and hopping on this sick beat.
In spite of not only being a Taylor Swift song, but also being possibly the most obnoxious song I've heard in a good long while; I really like it. It's uptempo, in-your-face and ridiculously catchy and that's about all there is to it; I'm a little apprehensive of saying this, but I think it's the case that the catchiness that gets Taylor off the hook for goofy lines like: 'The haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate hate'. To criticise the outlandish lyrics would be to completely miss the point and take the song too seriously; this is a song that falls into the same category as Happy by Pharrell Williams and Friday by Rebecca Black: infectiously memorable and simply about having fun.
The only thing I'm going to say holds the song back is the uncomfortable talking part in the middle: very reminiscent of Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne and Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani. In fact, I'd go as far as saying the ostentatiousness turned up to 11 feel was what Gwen was going for, but it fails as a song by not being playful at the same time. And I'm not sure what it is about awkward mini-monologues mid-song that Taylor insists on, I've already mentioned this on the blog before here. Nonetheless it's good to see Taylor not taking herself too seriously and laughing at herself as opposed to whining about various subject matter in frequently insecure appearance.
It's already got well over 13 million views and it was uploaded under two days ago at time of writing, my hope is it doesn't suffer the dreaded death by overplay, I fear this song may become inescapable and wear thin fairly quickly; at the moment though I am hopeful that this song will have a pretty good lifespan.
Monday, 28 July 2014
Hurt: What's the Best Version?
So the song Hurt, just about everyone knows it, and it ranks very highly in my favourite songs lyrically. There is one thing I struggle to put my finger on however; that is what is the best version of the song? There has been a number of strikingly distinct renditions of the song and making a decision as to which treats the lyrics better is indeed difficult. If you look at any version's youtube video the comment section is packed with disagreement over who performed the superior rendition, and in typical youtube comment section fashion, the discussion is completely sophomoric, so here's my thoughts in a little more detail on the who did it best.
To begin with let's talk about the original by Nine Inch Nails, written by lead singer Trent Reznor. It deals with the isolation felt within the grip of heroin addiction and self-harm and the feeling of all internal value being dismissed one way or another. The lyrics' sheer bleakness is matched by sparse atmospheric instrumentation and a beat with real impact on the chorus, almost like its begging for some kind of breakthrough to the solitude. What brings the whole song together is the way he Reznor goes high on the chorus putting desperate emphasis onto the words 'You could have it all, my empire of dirt, I will let you down, I will make you hurt', driving home the image of the singer as a liability: no good to himself and no good to anyone else, expecting nothing less than desertion.
Right off the bat I'm going to upset a few people by saying that the best version is quite certainly not the Johnny Cash cover from American IV in 2002; there are few songs for which we can say the cover is better than the original and I'm afraid this is not one of them. I speak as a big fan of Cash (who himself was no stranger to addiction), of course it is such a significant song looking back at his life: it's gone down as his epitaph, being released so close to his death. As well as this the video is so touching, filmed in his own home, it reflects the pain in the lyrics being taking form in Johnny's grief for his wife June, and as the closing of the piano lid at its conclusion is such a fitting farewell for the music legend we call The Man In Black. While I (as well as Reznor himself) consider the changing of 'crown of shit' to 'crown of thorns' in the second verse a more fitting, thoughtful idea; Johnny's age really shows in his vocals, staying flat in the chorus is a lot to lose for the progression of the song, no less the lack of time taken to build the song, the tempo ought to evoke lethargy rather than the usual cadence one would expect from a country record.
David Bowie joined NIN for the performance of Hurt at then end of their set before playing his own as they opened for him in 1996. There's two things about this version that make it stand out, one is the all new guitar riff to introduce the song, adding another edge to the song. The second is the harmony that Bowie provides on the chorus making the words flow in much more melodic fashion.
The piano based version from the Beside You In Time live film; if you prefer piano to guitar then this bonus will probably be preferable, that's more of an arbitrary preference though. Another benefit of a live version to this particular song is how authentic Reznor's vocals sound to the mood of the song, sounding somewhat tired and out of breath toward the end of the set. Another difference between this and the studio is the conclusion is cleaner and for my money is an improvement as opposed to the distortion of the original, meaning the whole band coming in on the last line has more impact.
So it turns out Leona Lewis covered this song. Wait, what? No and no. Leona Lewis voice does not fit this song whatsoever, and the production sounds daft; it would fit your average Leona Lewis song but does not match the decorum a song such as Hurt merits. Also most of the second verse and chorus is cut for some reason. Honestly, it's as baffling a choice for a cover version as you'd expect, and given its shoehorning into Lewis' style, you have to wonder why they bothered.
Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam performed the song live in Chicago in 2008. Sadly it's surprisingly unremarkable, recommended only if you really enjoy the sound of his voice. Depending upon the acoustic guitar put's him right up against Cash, and he's someone difficult to beat when that's all you have with your vocals.
It is thanks to my good pal Ben that I heard the version reimagined by choral composer Eric Whitacre at Union Chapel in London a few weeks back and good grief does it capture the haunting nature of the song. The last few lines are dropped, but that can be forgiven, seeing as it takes the best part of seven minutes.
I'm inclined to say this version from the Vevo Presents concert is my personal favourite. The ethereal feel of the chorus really appeals to me, and there's something about that slightly quirky sounding piano coming in on the chorus that sounds beautiful. With this and the retention of all the benefits of the Beside You In Time version, here is the best version of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.
To begin with let's talk about the original by Nine Inch Nails, written by lead singer Trent Reznor. It deals with the isolation felt within the grip of heroin addiction and self-harm and the feeling of all internal value being dismissed one way or another. The lyrics' sheer bleakness is matched by sparse atmospheric instrumentation and a beat with real impact on the chorus, almost like its begging for some kind of breakthrough to the solitude. What brings the whole song together is the way he Reznor goes high on the chorus putting desperate emphasis onto the words 'You could have it all, my empire of dirt, I will let you down, I will make you hurt', driving home the image of the singer as a liability: no good to himself and no good to anyone else, expecting nothing less than desertion.
Right off the bat I'm going to upset a few people by saying that the best version is quite certainly not the Johnny Cash cover from American IV in 2002; there are few songs for which we can say the cover is better than the original and I'm afraid this is not one of them. I speak as a big fan of Cash (who himself was no stranger to addiction), of course it is such a significant song looking back at his life: it's gone down as his epitaph, being released so close to his death. As well as this the video is so touching, filmed in his own home, it reflects the pain in the lyrics being taking form in Johnny's grief for his wife June, and as the closing of the piano lid at its conclusion is such a fitting farewell for the music legend we call The Man In Black. While I (as well as Reznor himself) consider the changing of 'crown of shit' to 'crown of thorns' in the second verse a more fitting, thoughtful idea; Johnny's age really shows in his vocals, staying flat in the chorus is a lot to lose for the progression of the song, no less the lack of time taken to build the song, the tempo ought to evoke lethargy rather than the usual cadence one would expect from a country record.
David Bowie joined NIN for the performance of Hurt at then end of their set before playing his own as they opened for him in 1996. There's two things about this version that make it stand out, one is the all new guitar riff to introduce the song, adding another edge to the song. The second is the harmony that Bowie provides on the chorus making the words flow in much more melodic fashion.
The piano based version from the Beside You In Time live film; if you prefer piano to guitar then this bonus will probably be preferable, that's more of an arbitrary preference though. Another benefit of a live version to this particular song is how authentic Reznor's vocals sound to the mood of the song, sounding somewhat tired and out of breath toward the end of the set. Another difference between this and the studio is the conclusion is cleaner and for my money is an improvement as opposed to the distortion of the original, meaning the whole band coming in on the last line has more impact.
So it turns out Leona Lewis covered this song. Wait, what? No and no. Leona Lewis voice does not fit this song whatsoever, and the production sounds daft; it would fit your average Leona Lewis song but does not match the decorum a song such as Hurt merits. Also most of the second verse and chorus is cut for some reason. Honestly, it's as baffling a choice for a cover version as you'd expect, and given its shoehorning into Lewis' style, you have to wonder why they bothered.
Eddie Vedder from Pearl Jam performed the song live in Chicago in 2008. Sadly it's surprisingly unremarkable, recommended only if you really enjoy the sound of his voice. Depending upon the acoustic guitar put's him right up against Cash, and he's someone difficult to beat when that's all you have with your vocals.
It is thanks to my good pal Ben that I heard the version reimagined by choral composer Eric Whitacre at Union Chapel in London a few weeks back and good grief does it capture the haunting nature of the song. The last few lines are dropped, but that can be forgiven, seeing as it takes the best part of seven minutes.
I'm inclined to say this version from the Vevo Presents concert is my personal favourite. The ethereal feel of the chorus really appeals to me, and there's something about that slightly quirky sounding piano coming in on the chorus that sounds beautiful. With this and the retention of all the benefits of the Beside You In Time version, here is the best version of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.
Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Some Good, Some Bad: World Cup Songs
With the World Cup in Brazil just around the corner I thought it's time to review some of the football songs we've had over the years that surround the major football tournaments.
New Order - World In Motion
1990 was a very important year in rap music: Ice-T and Run DMC were still going strong, Public Enemy dropped Fear of a Black Planet, Ice Cube released his first solo album after breaking with N.W.A. and England winger John Barnes of all people did his part for one of the country's best loved football anthems. It's not just the rap (that people drunkenly try to sing along to every two years) that makes this song iconic, it's a great mix of New Order's dance sound and a good old-fashioned football match sing-along, either way it's very catchy and easy to sing along to.
Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds
Like New Order, a song very heavily influenced by its time, with The Lightning Seeds providing a britpop backdrop. What makes it really great is it captures perfectly what it means to be an England fan, being let down time and again but still believing that they can redeem themselves at the next tournament and emulate the heroes of '66.
Both the '96 and '98 versions got to #1, it turns out it's one of only two songs that has reached the top of the charts twice with different lyrics; the other you ask? Mambo No. 5, originally by Lou Bega, covered by Bob the Builder.
Pitbull ft. Jennifer Lopez - We Are One (Ole Ola)
No...not you two again. why do Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez have to keep getting together for pop songs? I've complained about 'On The Floor' and 'Dance Again' before on this blog and it looks like I have to cover them again. For goodness sake it is no surprise that Pitbull has landed himself the job of singing the official World Cup song being the generic, corporate muppet that he is. The title says it all to be honest, it's a song that is so hopelessly trying to be memorable and inviting all to sing along that it falls flat on its face, that and there's always the problem of Pitbull writing lyrics. I don't think I'll mind hearing it on TV too much this year though: the obligatory samba backdrop for the song makes it at least passable in spite of whatever the featured artists could do.
442 - Come On England
Now right off the bat I'll come out and say I don't really like 'Come On Eileen' by Dexy's Midnight Runners but this song is egregious on possibly every level. New Order mixed in a few words from Kenneth Wolstenholme's legendary commentary in '66, Baddiel and Skinner had a bit more commentary and pundit quotes from the 90s for their introduction; but 45 seconds of unbroken commentary of David Beckham's free-kick vs. Greece in 2001 is just awkward. Add to that the crime of shoehorning lyrics into a popular song means the song is like a carcrash, you want to look away but you just can't. The video also includes the singer repeatedly committing the offence of getting far too close to the camera while pulling gawky smiles as he sings the words, almost as if he knows how bad the song is already.
New Order - World In Motion
1990 was a very important year in rap music: Ice-T and Run DMC were still going strong, Public Enemy dropped Fear of a Black Planet, Ice Cube released his first solo album after breaking with N.W.A. and England winger John Barnes of all people did his part for one of the country's best loved football anthems. It's not just the rap (that people drunkenly try to sing along to every two years) that makes this song iconic, it's a great mix of New Order's dance sound and a good old-fashioned football match sing-along, either way it's very catchy and easy to sing along to.
Baddiel & Skinner and The Lightning Seeds
Like New Order, a song very heavily influenced by its time, with The Lightning Seeds providing a britpop backdrop. What makes it really great is it captures perfectly what it means to be an England fan, being let down time and again but still believing that they can redeem themselves at the next tournament and emulate the heroes of '66.
Both the '96 and '98 versions got to #1, it turns out it's one of only two songs that has reached the top of the charts twice with different lyrics; the other you ask? Mambo No. 5, originally by Lou Bega, covered by Bob the Builder.
Pitbull ft. Jennifer Lopez - We Are One (Ole Ola)
No...not you two again. why do Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez have to keep getting together for pop songs? I've complained about 'On The Floor' and 'Dance Again' before on this blog and it looks like I have to cover them again. For goodness sake it is no surprise that Pitbull has landed himself the job of singing the official World Cup song being the generic, corporate muppet that he is. The title says it all to be honest, it's a song that is so hopelessly trying to be memorable and inviting all to sing along that it falls flat on its face, that and there's always the problem of Pitbull writing lyrics. I don't think I'll mind hearing it on TV too much this year though: the obligatory samba backdrop for the song makes it at least passable in spite of whatever the featured artists could do.
442 - Come On England
Now right off the bat I'll come out and say I don't really like 'Come On Eileen' by Dexy's Midnight Runners but this song is egregious on possibly every level. New Order mixed in a few words from Kenneth Wolstenholme's legendary commentary in '66, Baddiel and Skinner had a bit more commentary and pundit quotes from the 90s for their introduction; but 45 seconds of unbroken commentary of David Beckham's free-kick vs. Greece in 2001 is just awkward. Add to that the crime of shoehorning lyrics into a popular song means the song is like a carcrash, you want to look away but you just can't. The video also includes the singer repeatedly committing the offence of getting far too close to the camera while pulling gawky smiles as he sings the words, almost as if he knows how bad the song is already.
Monday, 23 December 2013
Bottom 10 Christmas Songs
This time last year I offered my favourite Christmas songs here, this year it's time for me to be more of a grouch and complain.
10. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard
Surely there could be nothing more egregious than such a marvellous day becoming prosaic through having to live it every day over and over, probably exchanging presents with Ned Ryerson if you catch my drift.
9. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
Three Words: Death. By. Overplay. And that's only from hearing it one month a year.
8. Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade
A Brummie yelling 'It's Christmas' is no way to start anything, no less one of the most pervasive Christmas songs.
7. Stop the Cavalry - Jona Lewie
In the world of the anti-war Christmas songs, this is blown out of the water by McCartney and Lennon respectively. A rare hit for Lewie whose next greatest hit is called 'You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties'.
6. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Infectiously irritating and somehow manages to take over five minutes to ram together a number of Christmas cliches.
5. Stay Another Day - East 17
If a Mariachi band from a Doritos advert can make a better version of your song than your attempt, then you ought be feeling remorseful. Moreover this isn't even a Christmas song, the only reason it's considered one is because of the bells added towards the end and the snow on the video: shameless.
4. Once Upon A Christmas Song - Geraldine McQueen
Being a Boltonian, I run the risk of being lynched for criticizing my hometown's state religion. But seriously, Peter Kay, in drag, singing, a parody about how Christmas songs are played ad nauseum in hope that it can share the same status; there really isn't a way it could be found enjoyable. Even Dennis Waterman showed a comedy Christmas song can be done, and no, that isn't London embarassingly rubbing off on me.
3. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl
The song that keeps Shane MacGowan in supply of drugs for another year; the cynic in me says one of the main reasons this song is popular is the fact it gives people an opportunity to shout the line 'you scumbag, you maggot, you cheap, lousy faggot'. That and anything with New York in the title cannot possibly be good, no exceptions, I'll maybe be persuaded into accepting 'Leaving New York', but you can't usually talk me out of R.E.M.
2. Mistletoe and Wine - Cliff Richard
It's sad that the genius behind one of my favourite Christmas songs managed to also be the source of this atrocious malaise through the most banal aspects of the festive season. It's been said before, but hey, I may as well say it: Gifts ON the trees?? We all know you can do better than that Cliff!
1. Lonely This Christmas - Mud
Commits some major high crimes and misdemeanours found in Christmas music. It's by a band who no-one has heard much of apart from their Christmas song. As a song, it's nothing to do with Christmas really, there's just Christmas references shoehorned in. The worst offence is that it's so ridiculously downbeat; come on, it's Christmas not a funeral: lighten up already!
If you'd prefer a more somber Christmas song, how about a cut from the classic Who album Tommy:
I wish it was January 2nd already. Season's Greetings.
10. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard
Surely there could be nothing more egregious than such a marvellous day becoming prosaic through having to live it every day over and over, probably exchanging presents with Ned Ryerson if you catch my drift.
9. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
Three Words: Death. By. Overplay. And that's only from hearing it one month a year.
8. Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade
A Brummie yelling 'It's Christmas' is no way to start anything, no less one of the most pervasive Christmas songs.
7. Stop the Cavalry - Jona Lewie
In the world of the anti-war Christmas songs, this is blown out of the water by McCartney and Lennon respectively. A rare hit for Lewie whose next greatest hit is called 'You'll Always Find Me in the Kitchen at Parties'.
6. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Infectiously irritating and somehow manages to take over five minutes to ram together a number of Christmas cliches.
5. Stay Another Day - East 17
If a Mariachi band from a Doritos advert can make a better version of your song than your attempt, then you ought be feeling remorseful. Moreover this isn't even a Christmas song, the only reason it's considered one is because of the bells added towards the end and the snow on the video: shameless.
4. Once Upon A Christmas Song - Geraldine McQueen
Being a Boltonian, I run the risk of being lynched for criticizing my hometown's state religion. But seriously, Peter Kay, in drag, singing, a parody about how Christmas songs are played ad nauseum in hope that it can share the same status; there really isn't a way it could be found enjoyable. Even Dennis Waterman showed a comedy Christmas song can be done, and no, that isn't London embarassingly rubbing off on me.
3. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl
The song that keeps Shane MacGowan in supply of drugs for another year; the cynic in me says one of the main reasons this song is popular is the fact it gives people an opportunity to shout the line 'you scumbag, you maggot, you cheap, lousy faggot'. That and anything with New York in the title cannot possibly be good, no exceptions, I'll maybe be persuaded into accepting 'Leaving New York', but you can't usually talk me out of R.E.M.
2. Mistletoe and Wine - Cliff Richard
It's sad that the genius behind one of my favourite Christmas songs managed to also be the source of this atrocious malaise through the most banal aspects of the festive season. It's been said before, but hey, I may as well say it: Gifts ON the trees?? We all know you can do better than that Cliff!
1. Lonely This Christmas - Mud
Commits some major high crimes and misdemeanours found in Christmas music. It's by a band who no-one has heard much of apart from their Christmas song. As a song, it's nothing to do with Christmas really, there's just Christmas references shoehorned in. The worst offence is that it's so ridiculously downbeat; come on, it's Christmas not a funeral: lighten up already!
If you'd prefer a more somber Christmas song, how about a cut from the classic Who album Tommy:
I wish it was January 2nd already. Season's Greetings.
Monday, 11 November 2013
Portishead, Sonic Youth, Cherry Ghost, Delphic: More Album Reviews
Third - Portishead
So for the sake of completing my triumvirate of reviews for the Bristol group's three albums, my thoughts on Third. Compared with the other two LPs this has a much more varied, experimental theme; particularly producing more industrial feeling sounds. For instance if you like beeping to introduce a song (which I'll accept won't be found be melodic by everybody) you'll love 'We Carry On' and 'Magic Doors'. At only 93 seconds long, the folkish 'Deep Water' is certainly an odd fixture in the album in between 'We Carry On' and the anthemic 'Machine Gun' but such variety is idiosyncratic of Portishead, who with all of these boxes ticked still find time to close with a return to classic trip-hop form with closer 'Threads,' which could be a James Bond theme in my opinion, but having said that there's a litany of things which would be better than Adele's and Jack White's recent attempts. 'Silence' introduces the album with an immense buildup moving from drums to an alarm like eeping into strings and guitars. This progressive sound creates a spectacularly ominous atmosphere, nearly everything drops for the desolate and shaky vocals of Beth Gibbons for a verse until the two duel for the rest of the song.
Goo - Sonic Youth
It was always going to be difficult to follow up one of alternative rock's most esteemed albums in 'Daydream Nation' but to me, 'Goo' surpasses it, channelling longer songs like 'Teenage Riot' rather than the short, impactful songs like 'Silver Rocket.'
If Thurston Moore would have died after the recording of this album I have no doubt he would be the revered icon that Kurt Cobain is in alternative music (particularly having married Kim Gordon as opposed to Courtney Love), but like Stewart Lee discussing Bill Hicks: the hardest thing is to put out new stuff every year, gradually decreasing the quality of your own obituary.
Having said that there's shorter cacophanous interludes like 'My Friend Goo' and 'Scooter + Jinx' that are just odious and don't connect the more moderate, tolerable noise rock moments that make up the fabric of the longer tracks. The first two tracks sound really sweet; the delicate opening riff from 'Dirty Boots' and 'Tunic (Song for Karen)' which despite opening with a stabbing guitar vibe winds down into a settled song with Kim describing Karen Carpenter in Heaven with Elvis, Janis Joplin and Dennis Wilson. My pick of the album is 'Mote' which has a wonderfully intense atmosphere and is one of the rarer moments when Lee Ranaldo leads; an anthem in its first half and a descent into a chaotic noise rock instrumental in its second.
Beneath This Burning Shoreline - Cherry Ghost
The second album from the Boltonian band led by Ivor Novello award winner Simon Aldred, 'Beneath This Burning Shoreline' revisits the feel of the tenebrous Northern town that made 'Thirst For Romance' a success. Again Aldred has an effective poetic style and unusual imagery such as in 'Black Fang' the lyric 'Be my backstreet kisser and I will be your Golden Mile' is not only evocative, but conveys something ineluctably Northern also(the Golden Mile being part of the beach front in Blackpool to those eluded by that reference); the inertia in life's progression being an essential trope in the fabric of the LP. 'The Night They Buried Sadie Clay' paired with the next track 'My God Betrays' is the most caliginous corner on the album, describing the eponymous woman being found cold with a bottle by her bed, in dire contrast to the titilation experienced from the briefest intimate encounters experienced in youth and the 'done for dream' mentioned later on again touching on the near-futile attempts to escape isolation heard throughout the album.
Collections - Delphic
Delphic's debut 'Acolyte' is an album I very much enjoy, so when I got 'Collections' I had high hopes and was lamentably disappointed. To me the energy that characterised their first LP just isn't heard here, the longest song (Atlas) is only 6:05 and doesn't build up to anything; when the lyrics aren't too strong, they really haven't given much to carry the album and this happens far to many times. There are still some cool sounds to be found listening to this, 'Baiya' being a cool pop track, scratching the itch that 'Doubt' did last time around.
'Memeo' is easily one of the most pleasant things I've heard in recent memory and ought to be longer than three and a half minutes.
So for the sake of completing my triumvirate of reviews for the Bristol group's three albums, my thoughts on Third. Compared with the other two LPs this has a much more varied, experimental theme; particularly producing more industrial feeling sounds. For instance if you like beeping to introduce a song (which I'll accept won't be found be melodic by everybody) you'll love 'We Carry On' and 'Magic Doors'. At only 93 seconds long, the folkish 'Deep Water' is certainly an odd fixture in the album in between 'We Carry On' and the anthemic 'Machine Gun' but such variety is idiosyncratic of Portishead, who with all of these boxes ticked still find time to close with a return to classic trip-hop form with closer 'Threads,' which could be a James Bond theme in my opinion, but having said that there's a litany of things which would be better than Adele's and Jack White's recent attempts. 'Silence' introduces the album with an immense buildup moving from drums to an alarm like eeping into strings and guitars. This progressive sound creates a spectacularly ominous atmosphere, nearly everything drops for the desolate and shaky vocals of Beth Gibbons for a verse until the two duel for the rest of the song.
Goo - Sonic Youth
It was always going to be difficult to follow up one of alternative rock's most esteemed albums in 'Daydream Nation' but to me, 'Goo' surpasses it, channelling longer songs like 'Teenage Riot' rather than the short, impactful songs like 'Silver Rocket.'
If Thurston Moore would have died after the recording of this album I have no doubt he would be the revered icon that Kurt Cobain is in alternative music (particularly having married Kim Gordon as opposed to Courtney Love), but like Stewart Lee discussing Bill Hicks: the hardest thing is to put out new stuff every year, gradually decreasing the quality of your own obituary.
Having said that there's shorter cacophanous interludes like 'My Friend Goo' and 'Scooter + Jinx' that are just odious and don't connect the more moderate, tolerable noise rock moments that make up the fabric of the longer tracks. The first two tracks sound really sweet; the delicate opening riff from 'Dirty Boots' and 'Tunic (Song for Karen)' which despite opening with a stabbing guitar vibe winds down into a settled song with Kim describing Karen Carpenter in Heaven with Elvis, Janis Joplin and Dennis Wilson. My pick of the album is 'Mote' which has a wonderfully intense atmosphere and is one of the rarer moments when Lee Ranaldo leads; an anthem in its first half and a descent into a chaotic noise rock instrumental in its second.
Beneath This Burning Shoreline - Cherry Ghost
The second album from the Boltonian band led by Ivor Novello award winner Simon Aldred, 'Beneath This Burning Shoreline' revisits the feel of the tenebrous Northern town that made 'Thirst For Romance' a success. Again Aldred has an effective poetic style and unusual imagery such as in 'Black Fang' the lyric 'Be my backstreet kisser and I will be your Golden Mile' is not only evocative, but conveys something ineluctably Northern also(the Golden Mile being part of the beach front in Blackpool to those eluded by that reference); the inertia in life's progression being an essential trope in the fabric of the LP. 'The Night They Buried Sadie Clay' paired with the next track 'My God Betrays' is the most caliginous corner on the album, describing the eponymous woman being found cold with a bottle by her bed, in dire contrast to the titilation experienced from the briefest intimate encounters experienced in youth and the 'done for dream' mentioned later on again touching on the near-futile attempts to escape isolation heard throughout the album.
Collections - Delphic
Delphic's debut 'Acolyte' is an album I very much enjoy, so when I got 'Collections' I had high hopes and was lamentably disappointed. To me the energy that characterised their first LP just isn't heard here, the longest song (Atlas) is only 6:05 and doesn't build up to anything; when the lyrics aren't too strong, they really haven't given much to carry the album and this happens far to many times. There are still some cool sounds to be found listening to this, 'Baiya' being a cool pop track, scratching the itch that 'Doubt' did last time around.
'Memeo' is easily one of the most pleasant things I've heard in recent memory and ought to be longer than three and a half minutes.
Tuesday, 3 September 2013
Bottom 10 '13 Part 2
4. Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke feat. Pharrell and T.I.
As fun as it is to have a catchy bit of bass and to shout 'Hey Hey Hey' at the end of every line, for me it's not enough to save this cut from the bawdy, poor man's Justin Timberlake that is Robin Thicke. I can't tell you why Pharrell Williams keeps showing up in things as if it's 2003, particularly seeing as he doesn't contribute anything substantial to the song and only seems to be there because the name power of Robin Thicke and T.I. isn't good enough. As for Robin himself, he comes across as a complete and total jerk (takes one to know one eh?), largely because of the video. Not only for slapping hashtags cheaply over the top of the video but also having an array of balloons spelling out that a certain part of his body is sizeable. And then there's having the creepy refrain of 'You're a good girl, I know you want it' as women wearing very little indeed dance around him in the MV. Now I'm not going to rant on feminism, misogyny or daterape as there's people far more qualified on the subject who have already written way more eloquently than I could. Not much of a denouement but I hope we don't have a song so pervasive with such a seedy theme.
3. Started From The Bottom - Drake
This is a song I still struggle to believe anyone actually likes, it has no retaining features whatsoever! The beat isn't catchy at all and is matched by Drake lackadaisically repeating the utterance 'Started from the bottom now we're here.' In spite of this some of the lyrics are really evocative, I personally have utmost sympathy for him having arguments with his parents, encountering traffic on the way home from work and having an uncle who'd lend him his car (which turns out to be a Lexus by the way), why it was so bad he wears his chains even when he's at home so he can remind himself he's rich. In fact, in case you didn't know, Drake has a great deal of money and has good friends and dislikes his haters, but if you've heard anything else from his back catalogue you already know that. At this rate if this is your only reason for rapping, should I be expecting Bill Gates to turn up on this list next year?
2. Heatwave - Wiley
I seem to remember 'Heatwave' escaped last years list by only a few days so here it is this year. What really gets on my nerves about Wiley is he has such a limited ability to rhyme: Case in point: in the first three lines he rhymes the word 'day' three times, which is about as lazy as when Chris Brown rhymed 'dick' three times in 'Look at me Now' or when our beloved Pitbull memorably rhymed 'Kodak' with 'Kodak' in 'Give Me Everything.' But what can you rhyme Kodak with? Kojak? Prozac? It's somewhat understandable with a word like Kodak but are you going to tell me Wiley couldn't think of anything to rhyme with 'day'? And it's the same throughout the song rhyming 'them' with 'then' with 'heatwave' with 'them' and 'road' with 'road' with 'flavours' with 'zone'. Not to sound cynical but is Wiley just trying to write an annoying phrase repeated over a partyish beat in hope that it'll stick in the heads of slow people for a short while?
1. Walks Like Rihanna - The Wanted
Now I could criticize this song for its video which is a mix of amateurish shooting and acting and ripping off 90s boybands or for its insipid, generic music or the asinine verses and that's as well as may be, but as is the growing theme on this half of the list, the lyrics are what will condemn this song. And all it takes is the chorus for me which has to go down as one of the most ill-thought utterances anyone has made for a long time:
'She can't sing'
Well that's not the most polite thing you could say of someone, I mean even if she's tone deaf you couldn't protect her feelings could you?
'She can't dance'
I don't profess to be an expert on how the fairer sex thinks, but how can saying such a thing be taken well? You're ostensibly saying this woman is a bumbling oaf.
'But who cares?'
Ah! So there's something positive...
'She walks like Rihanna'
Of every conceivable compliment you could give to someone, I struggle to imagine a less effectual one. For a start how many times have you heard a guy say his favourite thing about his best gal is her walk? There's been many a romantic ballad talking about eyes, lips, hair or clothes, and if we must there's plenty of stuff out there about understandable yet more visceral body parts which you can imagine for yourself. As well, of all people that you could reference, does Rihanna even merit a cultural reference such as this? Does she even have that distinctive a walk as opposed to anyone else in the public eye? And is that what anyone thinks of as characteristic of her? Could this be a backhanded compliment given that Rihanna is meant to have serious alcohol/drugs problems? Are we back to using this song as a vehicle for calling a woman a buffoon? Notwithstanding all of these things, this is what sums up the song for The Wanted or whoever their handlers are. That's what makes it the worst song of the year and #1 on this year's list.
So there you have it, my hostility towards music assuaged another year.
As fun as it is to have a catchy bit of bass and to shout 'Hey Hey Hey' at the end of every line, for me it's not enough to save this cut from the bawdy, poor man's Justin Timberlake that is Robin Thicke. I can't tell you why Pharrell Williams keeps showing up in things as if it's 2003, particularly seeing as he doesn't contribute anything substantial to the song and only seems to be there because the name power of Robin Thicke and T.I. isn't good enough. As for Robin himself, he comes across as a complete and total jerk (takes one to know one eh?), largely because of the video. Not only for slapping hashtags cheaply over the top of the video but also having an array of balloons spelling out that a certain part of his body is sizeable. And then there's having the creepy refrain of 'You're a good girl, I know you want it' as women wearing very little indeed dance around him in the MV. Now I'm not going to rant on feminism, misogyny or daterape as there's people far more qualified on the subject who have already written way more eloquently than I could. Not much of a denouement but I hope we don't have a song so pervasive with such a seedy theme.
3. Started From The Bottom - Drake
This is a song I still struggle to believe anyone actually likes, it has no retaining features whatsoever! The beat isn't catchy at all and is matched by Drake lackadaisically repeating the utterance 'Started from the bottom now we're here.' In spite of this some of the lyrics are really evocative, I personally have utmost sympathy for him having arguments with his parents, encountering traffic on the way home from work and having an uncle who'd lend him his car (which turns out to be a Lexus by the way), why it was so bad he wears his chains even when he's at home so he can remind himself he's rich. In fact, in case you didn't know, Drake has a great deal of money and has good friends and dislikes his haters, but if you've heard anything else from his back catalogue you already know that. At this rate if this is your only reason for rapping, should I be expecting Bill Gates to turn up on this list next year?
2. Heatwave - Wiley
I seem to remember 'Heatwave' escaped last years list by only a few days so here it is this year. What really gets on my nerves about Wiley is he has such a limited ability to rhyme: Case in point: in the first three lines he rhymes the word 'day' three times, which is about as lazy as when Chris Brown rhymed 'dick' three times in 'Look at me Now' or when our beloved Pitbull memorably rhymed 'Kodak' with 'Kodak' in 'Give Me Everything.' But what can you rhyme Kodak with? Kojak? Prozac? It's somewhat understandable with a word like Kodak but are you going to tell me Wiley couldn't think of anything to rhyme with 'day'? And it's the same throughout the song rhyming 'them' with 'then' with 'heatwave' with 'them' and 'road' with 'road' with 'flavours' with 'zone'. Not to sound cynical but is Wiley just trying to write an annoying phrase repeated over a partyish beat in hope that it'll stick in the heads of slow people for a short while?
1. Walks Like Rihanna - The Wanted
Now I could criticize this song for its video which is a mix of amateurish shooting and acting and ripping off 90s boybands or for its insipid, generic music or the asinine verses and that's as well as may be, but as is the growing theme on this half of the list, the lyrics are what will condemn this song. And all it takes is the chorus for me which has to go down as one of the most ill-thought utterances anyone has made for a long time:
'She can't sing'
Well that's not the most polite thing you could say of someone, I mean even if she's tone deaf you couldn't protect her feelings could you?
'She can't dance'
I don't profess to be an expert on how the fairer sex thinks, but how can saying such a thing be taken well? You're ostensibly saying this woman is a bumbling oaf.
'But who cares?'
Ah! So there's something positive...
'She walks like Rihanna'
Of every conceivable compliment you could give to someone, I struggle to imagine a less effectual one. For a start how many times have you heard a guy say his favourite thing about his best gal is her walk? There's been many a romantic ballad talking about eyes, lips, hair or clothes, and if we must there's plenty of stuff out there about understandable yet more visceral body parts which you can imagine for yourself. As well, of all people that you could reference, does Rihanna even merit a cultural reference such as this? Does she even have that distinctive a walk as opposed to anyone else in the public eye? And is that what anyone thinks of as characteristic of her? Could this be a backhanded compliment given that Rihanna is meant to have serious alcohol/drugs problems? Are we back to using this song as a vehicle for calling a woman a buffoon? Notwithstanding all of these things, this is what sums up the song for The Wanted or whoever their handlers are. That's what makes it the worst song of the year and #1 on this year's list.
So there you have it, my hostility towards music assuaged another year.
Monday, 26 August 2013
Bottom 10 '13
10. Power - Kanye West
Not too bad a song, so why does it appear here? Someone as good at sampling as Kanye, completely wasting the use of one of the best songs ever in King Crimson's '21st Century Schizoid Man' is a crime that cannot go unpunished.
9. Five Years' Time - Noah and the Whale
An insipid, flat track which I hold somewhat responsible for allowing ukeleles to get a foot back into the door of modern music; they belong with George Formby, in Hawaii and nowhere else in my book.
8. Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
It has a lot of asinine whistling, it has an ill-thought-out, generic, country-sounding opening line, it's been played relentlessly on an advert. Alabama and Arkansas aren't even next to each other, and Arkansas rhyming with 'Ma and Pa' is just gorky. Never stood a chance with me really.
7. One More Night - Maroon 5
The Adam Levine Experience have never really matched the quality of their debut 'Songs About Jane' and now the other 4 members of the band seem like they're going along for the ride and as well they might given the chart success of releases like 'Moves Like Jagger.' With there being nothing to this song but some unenthusiastic oohing and lyrics about reluctantly getting back with an ex I'm not sure what you could do to make it more bland and anonymous. What's even more perplexing is that such a song kept a song as fun as Gangnam Style off the top off the Billboard Charts. Yet another reason we're better than the US, we sure didn't make that mistake. At any rate, it's a real shame we didn't get more of this from Maroon 5:
6. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
And now, from the completely passive to the actively irritating. There's the awkward phone call in the middle of the song, there's the horrid sounding high-pitched 'Weeee!' in the chorus, there's the chunky, unmelodic endings to each line of the verses and there's the cranky, juvenile and somewhat spiteful register of Swift herself. All this does is undermine the effectiveness of what a breakup song is trying to achieve, can you really see whoever it's directed to saying to themselves 'Well damn, that sure put me in my place, such a shame she's so reluctant to take me back'?
5. Scream and Shout - will.i.am
It really is surprising how many grating sounds and choruses will.i.am has been able to fashion over the past few years, from the horrific sounds of 'The Time' which won it a place on this list two years ago, to his butchering of The Buggles 'Video Killed the Radio Star' on 'Check It Out' and the trying repetition of the words 'Tell me where'd you get your body from' in 'I Got It From My Mama'. Moreover, in that last song he dragged Gwen Stefani down to his 'stars that couldn't help will.i.am to a hit club' which lamentably boasts Mick Jagger as a member. 'Scream and Shout' is perhaps the worst offender yet: a mess featuring a dull bassline, too much autotune and an uncharacteristic performance from Britney Spears. Aside from the logistical problem of turning up a song in the club, the lyrics are a hodgepodge of used pop music clichés, most noticeably to me 'Shout' by Tears for Fears and 'All Eyez on Me' by 2pac. The other thing that bothers me about will.i.am (and plenty other pop artists by the way) is how much he says he rocks (and rolls) when he's nowhere near either. Unfortunately I doubt there's the slightest bit of self-awareness when he sings 'It goes on and on and on' but then again can a machine experience self-awareness or comprehend irony? I'll leave you to ponder that while I write up my top 4 least favourite songs for this year.
Not too bad a song, so why does it appear here? Someone as good at sampling as Kanye, completely wasting the use of one of the best songs ever in King Crimson's '21st Century Schizoid Man' is a crime that cannot go unpunished.
9. Five Years' Time - Noah and the Whale
An insipid, flat track which I hold somewhat responsible for allowing ukeleles to get a foot back into the door of modern music; they belong with George Formby, in Hawaii and nowhere else in my book.
8. Home - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
It has a lot of asinine whistling, it has an ill-thought-out, generic, country-sounding opening line, it's been played relentlessly on an advert. Alabama and Arkansas aren't even next to each other, and Arkansas rhyming with 'Ma and Pa' is just gorky. Never stood a chance with me really.
7. One More Night - Maroon 5
The Adam Levine Experience have never really matched the quality of their debut 'Songs About Jane' and now the other 4 members of the band seem like they're going along for the ride and as well they might given the chart success of releases like 'Moves Like Jagger.' With there being nothing to this song but some unenthusiastic oohing and lyrics about reluctantly getting back with an ex I'm not sure what you could do to make it more bland and anonymous. What's even more perplexing is that such a song kept a song as fun as Gangnam Style off the top off the Billboard Charts. Yet another reason we're better than the US, we sure didn't make that mistake. At any rate, it's a real shame we didn't get more of this from Maroon 5:
6. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift
And now, from the completely passive to the actively irritating. There's the awkward phone call in the middle of the song, there's the horrid sounding high-pitched 'Weeee!' in the chorus, there's the chunky, unmelodic endings to each line of the verses and there's the cranky, juvenile and somewhat spiteful register of Swift herself. All this does is undermine the effectiveness of what a breakup song is trying to achieve, can you really see whoever it's directed to saying to themselves 'Well damn, that sure put me in my place, such a shame she's so reluctant to take me back'?
5. Scream and Shout - will.i.am
It really is surprising how many grating sounds and choruses will.i.am has been able to fashion over the past few years, from the horrific sounds of 'The Time' which won it a place on this list two years ago, to his butchering of The Buggles 'Video Killed the Radio Star' on 'Check It Out' and the trying repetition of the words 'Tell me where'd you get your body from' in 'I Got It From My Mama'. Moreover, in that last song he dragged Gwen Stefani down to his 'stars that couldn't help will.i.am to a hit club' which lamentably boasts Mick Jagger as a member. 'Scream and Shout' is perhaps the worst offender yet: a mess featuring a dull bassline, too much autotune and an uncharacteristic performance from Britney Spears. Aside from the logistical problem of turning up a song in the club, the lyrics are a hodgepodge of used pop music clichés, most noticeably to me 'Shout' by Tears for Fears and 'All Eyez on Me' by 2pac. The other thing that bothers me about will.i.am (and plenty other pop artists by the way) is how much he says he rocks (and rolls) when he's nowhere near either. Unfortunately I doubt there's the slightest bit of self-awareness when he sings 'It goes on and on and on' but then again can a machine experience self-awareness or comprehend irony? I'll leave you to ponder that while I write up my top 4 least favourite songs for this year.
Tuesday, 16 July 2013
2013 Reviews: Foals, Everything Everything, Editors and Boxer Rebellion
So here's my views on the work of four bands whose 2013 releases I have been anticipating keenly:
Arc - Everything Everything
Arc is a fantastic development upon their debut Man Alive showing greater consistency throughout maintaining the verbosity, harmonies and catchy riffs that have brought EE success. While I think individual songs like My Kz Ur Bf, Suffragette Suffragette and Schoolin' are all better than any individual tracks are better than the best moments on Arc there's not nearly as many mistakes made. The content still makes great use of an elaborate lexicon and is fit very well to keep up a good flow. Cough Cough is a fantastic example of them using many an unorthodox image in quick succession along with prominent drums throughout to make a fetching number.
Holy Fire - Foals
Now I was expecting a lot from Foals new album after how much I enjoyed Total Life Forever, but there's a number of things I think let it down. For one, when the opening lyrics of the album (and lead single) are "Sticks and stones don't break my bones" it doesn't scream of creativity, rather it makes it sound like a twelve year old wrote the lyrics, that or Rihanna. Nevertheless both Inhaler and My Number have proven popular with many an indie clubber so in that sense they have been a success. As well there seems to be a loss of the knack for intros that they had throughout their last album, which is a problem when one of the greatest strengths in their past work is their ability to build. Providence is a splendid example of this: the first 25 seconds are wasted diving straight in only to start again from scratch, nonetheless its climactic instrumental which completes the song, capped by an even more spectacular drum fill than on After Glow is proof positive that they are still able to construct an excellent song even though it basically has to be compacted into three and a half minutes.
The Weight of Your Love - Editors
So I've already given my take on the albums's first single A Ton of Love and was apprehensive of the level of quality that they would display. Having owned it for two weeks now, the album for me starts at track five. The first four tracks appear to be the band trying to show that they've matured, in reality it comes across as the soporific, saccharin spewing of middle-aged men; In all honesty how can songs such called Sugarand What Is This Thing Called Love be anything but insipid? Then again Editors show they are far from losing their intensity on Two Hearted Spider and their pensiveness and passion on The Phone Book and the string heavy Nothing . The Special Edition came with a second disc which featured two acoustic covers and three extra songs which should definitely have been on the album: The Sting is definitely worth a listen and having been one of the first new songs to surface after In This Light and On This Evening and capturing many a fans imagination, it surprises me it's relegated to b-side status.
Formaldehyde is a vivacious rocker and will be the second single released from the album. I have to say that it should have been the lead single, as it'd be much more likely to get attention than the foray into sounding like U2 that is A Ton of Love. The final thing to say is while hugely approve of the song, the lurid cover art doesn't do anything for me.
Promises - The Boxer Rebellion
Diamonds is a great opener to the album with a terrific guitar riff and a lively beat, in a similar manner to the earlier single Step Out of the Car. On the flipside this is a potentially solid album let down because of the majority of its tracks having terse, incongruous lyrics. For instance, in the track New York the brief utterance "In New York" is repeated apropos of nothing we've already heard or go on to hear on the track or the album. Moreover the naming of a number of tracks, including the title track, come across as McGuffins, and doing this with Promises watermarks the other tracks as somewhat ill-conceived seeing as this is the name they want to be indentified as epitomizing the LP.
Arc - Everything Everything
Arc is a fantastic development upon their debut Man Alive showing greater consistency throughout maintaining the verbosity, harmonies and catchy riffs that have brought EE success. While I think individual songs like My Kz Ur Bf, Suffragette Suffragette and Schoolin' are all better than any individual tracks are better than the best moments on Arc there's not nearly as many mistakes made. The content still makes great use of an elaborate lexicon and is fit very well to keep up a good flow. Cough Cough is a fantastic example of them using many an unorthodox image in quick succession along with prominent drums throughout to make a fetching number.
Holy Fire - Foals
Now I was expecting a lot from Foals new album after how much I enjoyed Total Life Forever, but there's a number of things I think let it down. For one, when the opening lyrics of the album (and lead single) are "Sticks and stones don't break my bones" it doesn't scream of creativity, rather it makes it sound like a twelve year old wrote the lyrics, that or Rihanna. Nevertheless both Inhaler and My Number have proven popular with many an indie clubber so in that sense they have been a success. As well there seems to be a loss of the knack for intros that they had throughout their last album, which is a problem when one of the greatest strengths in their past work is their ability to build. Providence is a splendid example of this: the first 25 seconds are wasted diving straight in only to start again from scratch, nonetheless its climactic instrumental which completes the song, capped by an even more spectacular drum fill than on After Glow is proof positive that they are still able to construct an excellent song even though it basically has to be compacted into three and a half minutes.
The Weight of Your Love - Editors
So I've already given my take on the albums's first single A Ton of Love and was apprehensive of the level of quality that they would display. Having owned it for two weeks now, the album for me starts at track five. The first four tracks appear to be the band trying to show that they've matured, in reality it comes across as the soporific, saccharin spewing of middle-aged men; In all honesty how can songs such called Sugarand What Is This Thing Called Love be anything but insipid? Then again Editors show they are far from losing their intensity on Two Hearted Spider and their pensiveness and passion on The Phone Book and the string heavy Nothing . The Special Edition came with a second disc which featured two acoustic covers and three extra songs which should definitely have been on the album: The Sting is definitely worth a listen and having been one of the first new songs to surface after In This Light and On This Evening and capturing many a fans imagination, it surprises me it's relegated to b-side status.
Formaldehyde is a vivacious rocker and will be the second single released from the album. I have to say that it should have been the lead single, as it'd be much more likely to get attention than the foray into sounding like U2 that is A Ton of Love. The final thing to say is while hugely approve of the song, the lurid cover art doesn't do anything for me.
Promises - The Boxer Rebellion
Diamonds is a great opener to the album with a terrific guitar riff and a lively beat, in a similar manner to the earlier single Step Out of the Car. On the flipside this is a potentially solid album let down because of the majority of its tracks having terse, incongruous lyrics. For instance, in the track New York the brief utterance "In New York" is repeated apropos of nothing we've already heard or go on to hear on the track or the album. Moreover the naming of a number of tracks, including the title track, come across as McGuffins, and doing this with Promises watermarks the other tracks as somewhat ill-conceived seeing as this is the name they want to be indentified as epitomizing the LP.
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Parklife 2013 Reviewed
Parklife in Heaton Park, Manchester was this past weekend and had a lineup that's pretty strong for dance music fans including names such as Four Tet, Simian Mobile Disco, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Madeon, Goldie, Boys Noize and Fake Blood. Here's some of the highlights of my experience of the two days.
Quote of the weekend
'If I had a brain, I'd be suicidal'
This was said by some girl who sounded cripplingly Manc and already drunk pushing her way through the queue on the first day, the scary thing: if someone like Socrates or Nietzsche said that people would think it profound.
Crazy P
First thing we saw on the main stage, pretty spectacular with some fun music and strange girations from the lead singer.
Delphic
Played straight after Crazy P, the first band I was really looking forward to and they exceeded my high expectations, alternating extremely smoothly between tracks from their two albums. The best bits were the slow buildup to the repeating intro of 'Doubt' and the drop on 'Clarion Call' which just sounded amazing.
Fabio
Good set from the drum and bass legend but what I enjoyed most were the pearls of wisdom from his MC Texas such as: 'Remember: some water, bit of sun cream and you're set for the day' and 'Go home if you ain't got the stamina'
The Temper Trap
Kind of sad to listen to, they were fine but people only really cared when they played 'Sweet Disposition.' The same can be said of The Maccabees lack of a reception for most songs except 'Pelican' and 'Precious Time' but on a larger scale later in the evening, however they were pretty sloppy which was conspicuous given how good Delphic sounded together earlier on, on the same stage.
Jag Skills
For someone who throws so much into a DJ set to keep your attention, it's astounding how much he struggled to keep mine. I know he's a mashup DJ but by cutting too many samples too short, some only to one line, he didn't sustain any momentum for me, nonetheless I seemed to be in the minority.
Melé
The first DJ I saw on David Rodigan's stage, very pleasant in the open air on such a good day, Zinc was good as well
Jurassic 5
So at 7pm on the main stage J5 killed it, they played their classic tracks like they'd not been apart at all. DJs Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark did this cool thing with a massive prop turntable in the middle of the stage (the picture below might explain it) getting about 6-7 minutes just to themselves, the reaction from the crowd for 'Quality Control' and 'Concrete Schoolyard' was incredible and their performance of 'What's Golden' rounded out the spectacle in superb fashion.
Everything Everything
The final band I was really anticipating seeing put in a good set on Sunday night consisting mainly of hits; the choice of 'Tin (The Manhole)' I found slightly confusing though. I was impressed with how well Jonathan Higgs' falsetto held out with how weak it sounded on opening track 'Cough Cough'
Quote of the weekend
'If I had a brain, I'd be suicidal'
This was said by some girl who sounded cripplingly Manc and already drunk pushing her way through the queue on the first day, the scary thing: if someone like Socrates or Nietzsche said that people would think it profound.
Crazy P
First thing we saw on the main stage, pretty spectacular with some fun music and strange girations from the lead singer.
Delphic
Played straight after Crazy P, the first band I was really looking forward to and they exceeded my high expectations, alternating extremely smoothly between tracks from their two albums. The best bits were the slow buildup to the repeating intro of 'Doubt' and the drop on 'Clarion Call' which just sounded amazing.
Fabio
Good set from the drum and bass legend but what I enjoyed most were the pearls of wisdom from his MC Texas such as: 'Remember: some water, bit of sun cream and you're set for the day' and 'Go home if you ain't got the stamina'
The Temper Trap
Kind of sad to listen to, they were fine but people only really cared when they played 'Sweet Disposition.' The same can be said of The Maccabees lack of a reception for most songs except 'Pelican' and 'Precious Time' but on a larger scale later in the evening, however they were pretty sloppy which was conspicuous given how good Delphic sounded together earlier on, on the same stage.
Jag Skills
For someone who throws so much into a DJ set to keep your attention, it's astounding how much he struggled to keep mine. I know he's a mashup DJ but by cutting too many samples too short, some only to one line, he didn't sustain any momentum for me, nonetheless I seemed to be in the minority.
Melé
The first DJ I saw on David Rodigan's stage, very pleasant in the open air on such a good day, Zinc was good as well
Jurassic 5
So at 7pm on the main stage J5 killed it, they played their classic tracks like they'd not been apart at all. DJs Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark did this cool thing with a massive prop turntable in the middle of the stage (the picture below might explain it) getting about 6-7 minutes just to themselves, the reaction from the crowd for 'Quality Control' and 'Concrete Schoolyard' was incredible and their performance of 'What's Golden' rounded out the spectacle in superb fashion.
Everything Everything
The final band I was really anticipating seeing put in a good set on Sunday night consisting mainly of hits; the choice of 'Tin (The Manhole)' I found slightly confusing though. I was impressed with how well Jonathan Higgs' falsetto held out with how weak it sounded on opening track 'Cough Cough'
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Keeping it real - My views on recent trends
Justin Timberlake
I'm quite ambivalent on the two new songs from JT that have been circulating. 'Suit and Tie' has many flaws that I can point to: Jay-Z rapping like he only cares about his paycheque instead of the song, the lethargic intro which keeps repeating the phrase 'shit tied' which just sounds ridiculous and the chorus comes across as really cheesy, but I guess that comes with the territory of a song called 'Suit and Tie.' Having said that I think I'm mainly disappointed that the catchiness of the first line of the first verse doesn't carry on.
The other song that has been doing the rounds is 'Mirrors' which is a much more laid back pop ballad and quite reminiscent of the soulful R&B songs that came out a decade ago. I see it as being a very pleasant listen, however considering the full version is 8 minutes long, JT doesn't make good use of the time he spends and could easily fit everything in 5 minutes or less. Had there been greater complexity to it I'd seriously be considering buying his new album.
Editors
So Editors, one of my favourite bands (so much so that the first header I made for this blog was taken from some of their album art) has a new song called 'A Ton of Love' released two Mondays ago. I have to say, it hasn't got me looking forward to their new album, their first without lead guitarist Chris Urbanowicz who left because of differences in 'future musical direction' which doesn't appear to bode well for the rest of their new material. A lot of people have commented that it sounds a lot like U2, which I thought the first time I listened to it as well, particularly with Tom Smith lifting his voice in the refrain in very similar manner to Bono. The other thing it sounds suspiciously close to is 'The Cutter' by Echo and the Bunnymen. While the intro I thought was a welcome return to the guitar work from their first two albums, it also kind of shows their lack of direction, alongside not really having compelling lyrics. One of the things I really liked about their earlier lyrics was the fact they didn't need to talk about love to sound interesting, whereas now their lead single from the album 'The Weight Of Your Love' is 'A Ton Of Love' and it appears there's nothing left for them to make songs about other than generic, rockish love songs. My final gripe (that ties in with how how I've just described the new song) is that its under four minutes long; there's only one song shorter on In This Light and two on An End Has A Start which again makes it look like they aren't exploring with their music like they used to.
PSY
As much as I loved the fun of 'Gangnam Style,' as it was a breath of fresh air after a summer dominated by 'Call Me Maybe' because of a noticeable lack of competition I'm struggling to reserve the same patience for PSY's new song 'Gentleman' which proves his success could only ever be a one-off. As a novelty song, it didn't matter that there's under five English words in it, because people enjoyed the childish humour of the video, the dancing and the lively beat, but the nature of novelty is it doesn't last. The awkwardity of the majority of the lyrics being in Korean is only matched by how awkward the English lyrics feel, almost wrestled in to make something recognizable for us Westerners. Not to mention him singing 'Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you wet' as if he's a rap artist from about 10 years ago. The video has PSY arsing about and dancing, presumably to entertain non-Korean viewers, and again, it worked the first time, the second it just seems like its begging for your attention to be held any way possible.
Daft Punk
So 'Get Lucky' has been top of the UK charts a number of weeks and will get a lot of spins by the end of the summer with its warm, lively, disco feel thanks to the contribution of Nile Rodgers. Its not too recognizable as a Daft Punk song as well with their ubiquitous, repetitive vocal style taking a backseat to Pharrell's singing, only appearing two minutes in, which to be honest I don't mind. The track to me feels very similar to quite a few other songs, mainly 'Don't Stop the Music' by Rihanna 'Say Say Say' by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney and it didn't surprise me that I found mashups with both of these with a quick google search.
I'm quite ambivalent on the two new songs from JT that have been circulating. 'Suit and Tie' has many flaws that I can point to: Jay-Z rapping like he only cares about his paycheque instead of the song, the lethargic intro which keeps repeating the phrase 'shit tied' which just sounds ridiculous and the chorus comes across as really cheesy, but I guess that comes with the territory of a song called 'Suit and Tie.' Having said that I think I'm mainly disappointed that the catchiness of the first line of the first verse doesn't carry on.
The other song that has been doing the rounds is 'Mirrors' which is a much more laid back pop ballad and quite reminiscent of the soulful R&B songs that came out a decade ago. I see it as being a very pleasant listen, however considering the full version is 8 minutes long, JT doesn't make good use of the time he spends and could easily fit everything in 5 minutes or less. Had there been greater complexity to it I'd seriously be considering buying his new album.
Editors
So Editors, one of my favourite bands (so much so that the first header I made for this blog was taken from some of their album art) has a new song called 'A Ton of Love' released two Mondays ago. I have to say, it hasn't got me looking forward to their new album, their first without lead guitarist Chris Urbanowicz who left because of differences in 'future musical direction' which doesn't appear to bode well for the rest of their new material. A lot of people have commented that it sounds a lot like U2, which I thought the first time I listened to it as well, particularly with Tom Smith lifting his voice in the refrain in very similar manner to Bono. The other thing it sounds suspiciously close to is 'The Cutter' by Echo and the Bunnymen. While the intro I thought was a welcome return to the guitar work from their first two albums, it also kind of shows their lack of direction, alongside not really having compelling lyrics. One of the things I really liked about their earlier lyrics was the fact they didn't need to talk about love to sound interesting, whereas now their lead single from the album 'The Weight Of Your Love' is 'A Ton Of Love' and it appears there's nothing left for them to make songs about other than generic, rockish love songs. My final gripe (that ties in with how how I've just described the new song) is that its under four minutes long; there's only one song shorter on In This Light and two on An End Has A Start which again makes it look like they aren't exploring with their music like they used to.
PSY
As much as I loved the fun of 'Gangnam Style,' as it was a breath of fresh air after a summer dominated by 'Call Me Maybe' because of a noticeable lack of competition I'm struggling to reserve the same patience for PSY's new song 'Gentleman' which proves his success could only ever be a one-off. As a novelty song, it didn't matter that there's under five English words in it, because people enjoyed the childish humour of the video, the dancing and the lively beat, but the nature of novelty is it doesn't last. The awkwardity of the majority of the lyrics being in Korean is only matched by how awkward the English lyrics feel, almost wrestled in to make something recognizable for us Westerners. Not to mention him singing 'Gonna make you sweat, gonna make you wet' as if he's a rap artist from about 10 years ago. The video has PSY arsing about and dancing, presumably to entertain non-Korean viewers, and again, it worked the first time, the second it just seems like its begging for your attention to be held any way possible.
Daft Punk
So 'Get Lucky' has been top of the UK charts a number of weeks and will get a lot of spins by the end of the summer with its warm, lively, disco feel thanks to the contribution of Nile Rodgers. Its not too recognizable as a Daft Punk song as well with their ubiquitous, repetitive vocal style taking a backseat to Pharrell's singing, only appearing two minutes in, which to be honest I don't mind. The track to me feels very similar to quite a few other songs, mainly 'Don't Stop the Music' by Rihanna 'Say Say Say' by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney and it didn't surprise me that I found mashups with both of these with a quick google search.
Thursday, 18 April 2013
Reviewing a few albums
An Awesome Wave - Alt-J
So I got this for Christmas and have to say for all the hype I'd heard it get, it didn't live it up to it. There's a few things I'll say to elaborate.
- In spite of a lot of people praising the originality of this LP; to me it sounds like a band that at some point in 2011 got together and said 'I know, we like Bombay Bicycle Club, Everything Everything and we like bass fairly heavy. Let's see what we can do with that.' They don't sound original, they sound like the fruit of the last few years' trends in indie music.
- The lyrics are that pretentious, it means you can't take a lot of this music seriously. First time I listened to 'Tesselate' I heard the words 'Triangles are my favourite shape, three points where two lines meet' and thought that's just silly.
- It's an album that would be much better as an instrumental album, the interesting variation of the instrumentation is let down by the vocals, they're sang in a dull, uninterested, nasal manner and as I've already said, the lyrics don't help as well.
- The interludes really kill any momentum created, they could probably be developed into songs but don't go anywhere. The Intro is probably the best sounding thing on the album, its problem is it's not a full song and the vibe it creates is killed by the next track being a capella. Moreover it doesn't serve the album well to begin with two tracks that are so different whichdon't even last four minutes together.
Overall, it's still a reasonable album, it's generally pleasant to listen to but I think is let down in so far as Alt-J have just tried too hard and hence compromised what they did well.
Portishead - Portishead
So Portishead's second album: not nearly as good as Dummy. The first thing I think it misses is the intimacy that I took for granted with their first album. It felt like you were sat in the same room as Beth Gibbons as you listened to Dummy, but with Portishead it feels like you're watching her in B/W on a cinema screen. In tracks like 'Cowboys' and 'Seven Months' she sounds like she could be a classic female movie villain like the witch from The Wizard of Oz. Nonetheless there are some really great sounding moments where the music and vocals work together to really portray doubt, uncertainty, dependence and fear. Compared with Dummy which kept a fairly consistent air about it, the intensity seems to be noticeably more polarised, with the quieter moments being in my view the better part of the album. The closer, 'Western Eyes' is probably my favorite song on the album. It's a somber but very well put together number with evocative strings and piano alongside Gibbons' tender vocals; then concluded with a interesting sample of a soul song from of their own making.
Controlling Crowds - Archive
I've taken to this album very much as it is a superb combination of two of my favourite genres: Trip-Hop and Progressive Rock. Originally a trip-hop act, Controlling Crowds incorporates some heavier guitar riffs with catchy and isn't afraid to take its time to build up well and create great anthemic moments such as at the end of 'Bullets'. While there is a good tempo and beat kept throughout as is natural with trip-hop and electronica, it doesn't impede the creation of dramatic yet catchy alternative rock. There's also a great mix of vocals as well, with male and female singing and rapping featuring noticeably but without one dominating. 'Controlling Crowds' is the title track and opens the album making plenty of impact while displaying a very patient temperament.
Eye In The Sky - The Alan Parsons Project
A classic 80s progressive rock album, nonetheless there's certainly quite a lot of fun moments with catchy pop rock songs like 'You're Gonna Get Your Fingers Burned' and 'Step By Step'. Influenced by Orwell's 1984, the LP deals with the themes of surveillance within the context of government and religion. 'Silence and I' is an fantastic ballad with heavy orchestration making a great finishing instrumental.
Friday, 14 December 2012
My Top 12 Christmas Songs
12. The Power of Love - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
11. Christmas Lights - Coldplay
10. In Dolci Jubilo - Mike Oldfield
9. Little St. Nick - Beach Boys
8. When The Thames Froze - Smith & Burrows
7. O Holy Night - Andy Williams
6.A Winter's Tale - David Essex
5. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
4. Step Into Christmas - Elton John
3. A Spaceman Came Travelling - Chris De Burgh
2. Saviour's Day - Cliff Richard
1. Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney
And remember, it's not Christmas until you've heard this song, scratch what anyone says about John Lewis or Coca-Cola ads. I heard this on Wednesday, and now it's Christmas!!
Have a wonderful Christmas and an even better new year
11. Christmas Lights - Coldplay
10. In Dolci Jubilo - Mike Oldfield
9. Little St. Nick - Beach Boys
8. When The Thames Froze - Smith & Burrows
7. O Holy Night - Andy Williams
6.A Winter's Tale - David Essex
5. White Christmas - Bing Crosby
4. Step Into Christmas - Elton John
3. A Spaceman Came Travelling - Chris De Burgh
2. Saviour's Day - Cliff Richard
1. Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney
And remember, it's not Christmas until you've heard this song, scratch what anyone says about John Lewis or Coca-Cola ads. I heard this on Wednesday, and now it's Christmas!!
Have a wonderful Christmas and an even better new year
Monday, 3 September 2012
Some of My Favourite Instrumentals
Crime of the Century - Supertramp
The catchy piano repeating gives a lot of room for the strings and the saxophone to work, also the sound of the water gong is a really nice unique touch
Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol
This is an instrumental that really has the feeling that it's got a lot of motion to it, the video probably helps that aswell
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Both solos are excellent, not sure which I prefer but both count
Parisienne Walkways - Gary Moore
I prefer this instrumental version of this classic rock track. He's just showing off to be honest
I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead - Mogwai
November Rain - Guns N' Roses
The epic moment when Slash gets upon the grand piano with the string section behind him
After Glow - Foals
Hard to not wind up air-drumming in this song, the clarity and impact of the drums beginning the instrumental after the hazy feel of the guitars throughout the first half is terrific
Disappear Like the Morning - Hammock
A superb relaxing instrumental track...nice irony that the band's called Hammock then
The catchy piano repeating gives a lot of room for the strings and the saxophone to work, also the sound of the water gong is a really nice unique touch
Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol
This is an instrumental that really has the feeling that it's got a lot of motion to it, the video probably helps that aswell
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Both solos are excellent, not sure which I prefer but both count
Parisienne Walkways - Gary Moore
I prefer this instrumental version of this classic rock track. He's just showing off to be honest
I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead - Mogwai
November Rain - Guns N' Roses
The epic moment when Slash gets upon the grand piano with the string section behind him
After Glow - Foals
Hard to not wind up air-drumming in this song, the clarity and impact of the drums beginning the instrumental after the hazy feel of the guitars throughout the first half is terrific
Disappear Like the Morning - Hammock
A superb relaxing instrumental track...nice irony that the band's called Hammock then
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