Bruno Mars Just…No

Bruno Mars first made his presence as an artist known to me through his collaborative effort with rapper B.O.B in the song “Nothin’ on You.” That song was catchy. Turns out it would be the only song I would ever like that included Mars on the track. The song I want to focus on specifically in this post is called “Grenade.” There are two main reasons why this song is not good. First the lyrics are pretty ridiculous. Mars is essentially crying about this girl that didn’t love him back when he loved her oh so much. He loved her SO much, in fact, that he would’ve caught a grenade for her. Really Bruno? You would have caught a grenade for that girl? Why not just have you and her dodge the grenade? Maybe you could’ve kicked the grenade to the side for her. But no, your psychotic self has to catch a grenade. Bruno even says he’ll take a bullet to the brain for her. But he laments that she won’t do the same for him. Well, I’m going to have to side with the woman he’s singing to on this one. I don’t blame her at all for not saying she will do such stupid things to prove her love to him.

The second reason this song isn’t good is because Bruno Mars has an annoying voice. To me he really does sound like he is crying on this track, and that’s not very appealing for a man to sound like. It’s not just the fact that he’s upset about the sour relationship. That is okay. The whining that I hear is not okay. It’s like he’s desperate for this girl to hear him, and he will keep screaming about it until she notices. Bruno Mars also sounds annoying in the song “Lighters” which he is only featured in. (Thank God). Whenever I hear one on Bruno Mars’ songs on the radio I always immediately turn the channel. I hope you’ll all do the same.

Rolling Stones Masterpiece

The upcoming cold weather reminded me of one of my favorite songs ever entitled “Winter” by the Rolling Stones. If you’ve never heard the song it tells a story of a long winter and a longing for summer. It also touches on missing a love that perhaps was lost in the prior summer in these lyrics: “Sometimes I think about you baby/Sometimes I cry about you Lord.” “Winter” is a great song because of something that can’t really be described. It’s what happens when a unique voice joins with simple lyrics, amazing guitar playing, and piano. The song is dreamy, elegant, amazing. I’ve been drunk singing this song on more than one occasion. Something about it touches your soul to the point where you are no longer just passively listening to the music, but you sort of become the music. This song can be felt and that’s why it’s so amazing. Thank you, Mick Jagger and Mick Taylor, for this incredible piece of music.

Mumford and Sons is a Group to Watch

Mumford and Sons is a band I discovered during an award show earlier this year. I can’t remember which song they played, but their performance stood out because they were using real instruments including a banjo. Also the folk sound they had was different, and I liked it. It wasn’t just what they were playing but the intensity of the performance. I checked the band out on YouTube and found the song “Little Lion Man.” The same intensity that they had on stage was evident in this song as well. The song contains possibly the most elegant use of the word ‘fuck’ that I’ve ever heard. There is a main singer for this band but everyone pitches in to harmonize throughout the song. Toward the songs end the vocals stop and the music plays alone beautifully. Then the lead singer begins yelling gracefully and the rest of the band members eventually join in, creating the climax to the song.

I love the video for this song as well. It focuses on the musicians, the instruments, and the passion of the performance. There are no frills, just talent. You can see the love of the music in these guys as they sway to the rhythm of their own making. Hopefully as Mumford and Sons gains more popularity they don’t lose their folk sound. I’d hate to see them fall victim to what I’d like to call mainstreamization.

Must Be Compensating For Something

I go to the gym at least once a week. While I’m there I usually do the exercise bike and I always listen to my Ipod. Last week I picked up a copy of Rolling Stone magazine and read it while I peddled my way to a healthier me. So, I’m flipping through the pages and I have to stop when I see a picture of none other that Ke$ha.

This heifer is down on her knees on stage wearing a skin-tight leather costume.Directly in front of her is a guy dressed as a giant penis and scrotum, and Ke$ha is fondling the balls in the picture and possibly licking them. I can’t tell really. Then I flipped a few more pages and there was Lady Gaga on the cover of a different issue of Rolling Stone, also wearing a skin-tight leather outfit. The difference was that her butt cheeks were hanging out, and her bra was made of guns.

(This image was found at http://idolator.com/5653291/lady-gaga-halloween-costume)

(I couldn’t find the picture of Ke$ha that I’m talking about but the video I posted highlights her classiness)

At that point I had to put the magazine down. When did the packaging of a music artist become more important than the actual music? That was the question I pondered. Artists like Gaga and Ke$ha always try so hard to be noticed. They try to be over-the-top. Shocking people into paying attention shouldn’t be necessary if the music is good enough on its’ own. Lady Gaga, stop trying to be Madonna. Everything has already been done, so please stop the nonsense.

Ke$ha, stop being such a ridiculous whore. I suppose you know that your fifteen minutes of fame are almost up, so you’re doing anything to stay relevant. Why not just bow out gracefully, if you are even capable of that, or just MAKE BETTER MUSIC. In a world where everyone is desperately trying to be different you just end up, well, being the same. Let’s all get back to the music. No more fillers please.

Women’s Anthem Done Right

Nicki Minaj and Rihanna are hit-or-miss artist for me. For example I can’t stand Rihanna’s “S&M” song, but I love her “Rude Boy” song. Nicki Minaj’s “Did It on Em” is pure garbage, but her song “Super Bass” is incredibly catchy in contrast. So when I first clicked on their new song “Fly” on VEVO, I was surprised that both artists were good in it. The song is positive, uplifting, and beautifully sung. Nicki thoughtfully recounts what I assume is her rise to success, while overcoming being abandoned and ‘frenemies’ that might get in her way. Then Rihanna comes in powerfully with these vocals: “I came to win/to fight/to conquer/to thrive/I came to win/to survive/to prosper/to rise/to fly.” Rihanna was a good pick to do the hook since she has overcome some adversity herself with the whole Chris Brown, domestic violence incident. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that if I had a daughter I would not mind her singing along to “Fly”. The song is like a women’s empowerment theme that avoids sounding obnoxious like Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls)” song does. Good job Nicki and Rihanna.

 

Is This Really Considered Music?

I’m not sure why Ke$ha is famous. It’s pretty irritating that she is actually. The demographic her trash, I mean pop, music is supposed to be aimed at already has Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Avril Lavigne. That is plenty, and the aforementioned artists are all better than Ke$ha. So Ke$ha has her song “Tik Tok” which is the one that made her a household name. I’ll admit it’s somewhat catchy. She has another song called “Sleazy” and this one is just pure garbage just as the title suggests. What’s wrong with the song? That’s a good question. Several things bother me about this song and Ke$ha in general. This girl is addicted to auto-tune which makes me wonder, how horrible is her actual voice since it still sounds bad even with the help of auto-tune? That dollar sign in her name is so tacky! It’s like spelling the word school by dropping the ‘c’ and ‘h’ and putting a ‘k’ in their place. It’s supposed to be cute but comes off as stupid. “I don’t need love looking like diamonds/looking like diamonds” and “The beat so fat gonna make me cum” are just some of the ridiculous repetitive lyrics that make me question if the music industry has lost its mind. Ke$ha has no talent. She just talks in the song. She doesn’t actually rap, or sing, she just talks! Why do I feel like I could make a better song? Heck, if I had auto-tune, a stylist, and access to a recording studio I could put out a whole album of similar garbage. Who would buy my album? The same people who like this song. Sadly “Sleazy” is considered music, but it’s sure not the good kind.

Passion Rocks

You know a song is good when you listen to it twelve times in a row. That’s what I did when I first heard “Cherry Waves” by the Deftones from their album Saturday Night Wrist. As far as lyrics go I don’t really understand them. They are symbolic for something especially the waves. The lyrics are also metaphor laden. The song may be about sex, and I think that because of the lyric, “You hang the anchors over my neck/ I liked it at first but the more you laughed the crazier I came.” Seems like some type of sexual sadism with the anchors over the neck part, plus the choice of the word ‘came’. I’m not really sure which is okay because it is the passion with which the lyrics are sung that makes this song amazing. The way the lead singer draws out the words is beautiful; mesmerizing even. The guitar is very ethereal when it needs to be. It is hard when I it needs to be too. The drums push the song forward in time and remind me of crashing waves. Good art is supposed to create a reaction in the viewer or listener of that art. For me, this song does that in a good way.

Coldplay!…Oh No : (

I have been a Coldplay fan since their first album Parachutes. I have also been to two of their concerts at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater, and they were amazing to say the least. So when I found out through YouTube that Coldplay had a new album coming out I was so excited! “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” is the first single off their new album Mylo Xyloto. After listening to the song I didn’t have any harsh criticism for it, but I must say I was disappointed. Perhaps the reason is because Coldplay’s sound had evolved into more of a pop sound, and I secretly long for their more melancholy alternative sounding roots. The video to the song is eye-catching. The stop-motion animation that’s used combined with the bright colors is creative, fun, and attractive. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the video. Also the designs for the CD jacket and promotional materials are visually appealing. They actually give you a clue about the sound of the song because they appear very pop-like for lack of a better word. The song itself is forgettable though. Coldplay’s lyrics used to be more meaningful. Even when they weren’t Chris Martin’s soothing voice was enough to keep me satisfied. This song is a bit too fluffy for my tastes. Unfortunately, if this song is any indication about the rest of the album, then this will probably be the one Coldplay concert and album I don’t see or buy. I’m still a Coldplay fan for life though!

The Good Good Side Of Rap

Kanye West’s first album College Dropout is definitely not new but it’s new to me. I like one song in particular…actually that’s a lie, because I like almost every song on the album. I’ll focus on the song “We Don’t Care” because I feel that it’s a good example of what a rap song should be. Some of you all may consider this song as hip hop, and maybe it is. For the purpose of this blog I will categorize it as rap. “We Don’t Care” has the kind of beat that makes you want to chew a piece of bubble gum, snap your fingers, and bob your head at the same time. Pair that with thoughtful lyrics, unlike those of “Pretty Boy Swag”, and you have the gold standard of rap music. Kanye tells of convincing reasons why people sell drugs in this song. He manages to do it with a bit of humor as shown in lyrics like, “a nigga can’t shine off $6.55.” He remains real when he says “this dope money here is lil’ Trey’s scholarship,” and, “drug dealin’ just to get by.” The song also hits on some more serious issues such as lack of after school programs for kids in this lyric: “You know the kids gon’ act a fool, when you stop the programs for after school.” “We Don’t Care” is a really good song in general, and should be the paradigm for all rap music.

Soulja Boy Tell’em Not To Listen To This

You ever hear a song that makes you wonder what happened to music? A song by Soulja Boy Tell’em made me feel that way. So many things are wrong with this song. To its credit “Pretty Boy Swag” has a decent beat, but even that isn’t very catchy. Lyrically this song is very typical for today’s hip hop music. Lines like “everybody pay attention” and “all the girls are on me” are unimaginative.  The lyrics play into the narcissistic character of a lot of the hip hop and rap that is coming out. The funny thing is that there is nothing special about Soulja Boy’s rhymes or ‘swag’ that would actually make the girls want to be on him, besides maybe the gold-digger types. Maybe I’ve just had enough of rappers and hip hop artists always talking about how great they are. The song remains superficial throughout its entirety . I am not a huge fan of hip hop or rap but there are good songs within both genres. Unfortunately, this right here, is not one of them.