I usually don't write a State of the Art post for music, but am tossing one up this year, because it's not only the end of a year, it's the end of a decade. I've been looking over those retrospective lists about the best songs and albums of 2010-2019, and while music is, as ever, my cultural weak spot, there are definitely some standouts.
If there has been one defining feature of my taste in music, it's that the songs I enjoy the most are the ones that successfully straddle the line between the thoughtfulness of indie music and the catchiness of pop. That said, with the world being in a constant state of bad news recently, I've lately shifted towards the more joyous aspects of pop. When everything sucks, a funky backbeat cures many ills. Let's get to it!
Favorite Song of 2019: "Juice" (Lizzo)
Talk about having a year. Lizzo is on fire, sometimes literally. Her ability to blend modern sensibilities with the funk style of yesteryear is infectious, and I don't want the cure.
Favorite Song of 2010-2019: "Thunder" (Gold Fields)
How do you possibly pick a favorite song over a ten year span? Well, you could pick the song you've listened to the most in that time. You could pick the song special enough to merit a rare individual mention. You could pick a song that exemplifies that bridge between indie and pop perfectly. So I did all three.
Favorite Performer of 2010-2019: Carly Rae Jepsen
I always love when I dismiss someone as a flash-in-the-pan, only for them to stealthily turn into someone with a phenomenal track record. I liked "Call Me Maybe" (2011/2012) a lot as a fluffy pop trifle, but never imagined that the girl singing this flirty little ditty would have such range. Never have I been happier to be wrong. The '80s-inspired Emotion (2015) and Emotion Side B (2016) albums turned me into a true convert, and Jepsen has shown she has a healthy sense of humor, recording one of the tracks in Simlish. Even at the tail end of this ten-year span, she continues to impress, with Dedicated (2019). Here's to another decade of CRJ. Long may she reign.
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Shorties #21
Since it's getting to the time of year to write out our best-of lists, I need to wrap up the mentions of what culture I've been consuming in 2016. By happenstance, this last Shorties entry of the year is a wealth of diversity, containing one title from each of the entertainment categories: Movies, TV, Books, Games, and Music.
#1: Bad Moms: I am emphatically not in the target audience of this 2016 movie about a trio of suburban moms who get fed up with the constant demand of perfection from their kids and the other moms around town, and who decide to let themselves enjoy life for once. That said, it's always a pleasant surprise when a movie that isn't trying to impress me does so anyway. Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell are very good as the moms who are cracking under their familial pressure, while Kathryn Hahn just about steals the entire movie as the foul-mouthed rebel mom who doesn't give a good goddamn what anyone thinks. Toss in Christina Applegate as an ice queen, and you've got yourself a pretty fun flick. (Grade: B+)
#2: Food Wars (Season 2): I've already described how I found myself drawn to the first season of this anime, and so I happily jumped into the second, released onto Hulu in 2016. Soma is still facing down his classmates in dramatic food competitions, and the food animation is still as droolworthy as ever. However something that sparked in the first season is missing now, and those are the sections where nobody's challenging someone else. I miss the interactions between Soma and his house-mates, as they build friendships that give them the confidence to be stronger cooks. This season is all about the battles. It also unnecessarily introduces a ton of new characters, at the expense of the ones we were still getting to know. Oh! They also changed the theme music, and I much preferred the original. It's still a fascinating show, and though the last episode felt awfully final, if they ever make another season, I'm on board. (Grade: B)
#3: The Witches - Salem, 1692: I do wish the morals and lessons America should have learned from the tragedy and horrors of Salem, Massachusetts didn't keep making themselves terrifyingly relevant in modern times. Yet, here we are. However, even though we all know the basics (people executed because a bunch of teenage girls accused them of witchcraft), I wanted to get a deeper understanding of just what in the hell happened in 1692. Stacy Schiff's 2015 book explores not only the people who found themselves at the end of a hangman's noose for the crime of being unpopular, but the society that allowed such hysteria to take root. A lot of non-fiction is taken to task for writing styles that are too dry, but I actually have the opposite request. Sometimes, Schiff's language is a little too flowery, and I just wanted her to get to the point and tell me what was happening. That said, it was an overall entertaining read from which I learned a lot, and that's all I ask when it comes to reading about history. (Grade: B)
#4: Jackbox Party Pack 3: We play all sorts of tabletop games at my friend's weekly game night, but this is the first time we've incorporated an interactive technological one. Sure, we all play video games too, but that tends to be a more solitary activity. This one involves the whole gang. 2016's Jackbox Party Pack 3 is made by the same folks who gave us You Don't Know Jack, which I used to enjoy (and dominate at!) quite a bit. They've upped their game, so to speak, by making this a video game that people play together from their phones. There are five games available, from "Quiplash 2", which is somewhat like Cards Against Humanity, as your friends vote for who had the best/funniest answer, to "Trivia Murder Party", in which you'd better answer questions correctly, or the homicidal host will tear your little stuffed doll avatar to shreds. We've been having a lot of fun with this game pack for several weeks now, so I can definitely recommend it for your next party. That said, bring a charger. Your phone's battery will be taking some punishment. (Grade: B+)
#5: "White Knuckles" - Boh Doran: It's going to be tough to narrow down a favorite song of 2016, but I do want to feature one of the runners-up, which is this 2015 jam that should give you a good idea of where my musical tastes lie this year. Here, have a listen. I could talk about how I relate to the lyrics, which allude to holding on to something (or someone) too tightly, as if you're afraid it's going to slip through your fingers at any moment. But if I'm being honest, I just really like the tune. (Grade: B+)
#1: Bad Moms: I am emphatically not in the target audience of this 2016 movie about a trio of suburban moms who get fed up with the constant demand of perfection from their kids and the other moms around town, and who decide to let themselves enjoy life for once. That said, it's always a pleasant surprise when a movie that isn't trying to impress me does so anyway. Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell are very good as the moms who are cracking under their familial pressure, while Kathryn Hahn just about steals the entire movie as the foul-mouthed rebel mom who doesn't give a good goddamn what anyone thinks. Toss in Christina Applegate as an ice queen, and you've got yourself a pretty fun flick. (Grade: B+)
#2: Food Wars (Season 2): I've already described how I found myself drawn to the first season of this anime, and so I happily jumped into the second, released onto Hulu in 2016. Soma is still facing down his classmates in dramatic food competitions, and the food animation is still as droolworthy as ever. However something that sparked in the first season is missing now, and those are the sections where nobody's challenging someone else. I miss the interactions between Soma and his house-mates, as they build friendships that give them the confidence to be stronger cooks. This season is all about the battles. It also unnecessarily introduces a ton of new characters, at the expense of the ones we were still getting to know. Oh! They also changed the theme music, and I much preferred the original. It's still a fascinating show, and though the last episode felt awfully final, if they ever make another season, I'm on board. (Grade: B)
#3: The Witches - Salem, 1692: I do wish the morals and lessons America should have learned from the tragedy and horrors of Salem, Massachusetts didn't keep making themselves terrifyingly relevant in modern times. Yet, here we are. However, even though we all know the basics (people executed because a bunch of teenage girls accused them of witchcraft), I wanted to get a deeper understanding of just what in the hell happened in 1692. Stacy Schiff's 2015 book explores not only the people who found themselves at the end of a hangman's noose for the crime of being unpopular, but the society that allowed such hysteria to take root. A lot of non-fiction is taken to task for writing styles that are too dry, but I actually have the opposite request. Sometimes, Schiff's language is a little too flowery, and I just wanted her to get to the point and tell me what was happening. That said, it was an overall entertaining read from which I learned a lot, and that's all I ask when it comes to reading about history. (Grade: B)
#4: Jackbox Party Pack 3: We play all sorts of tabletop games at my friend's weekly game night, but this is the first time we've incorporated an interactive technological one. Sure, we all play video games too, but that tends to be a more solitary activity. This one involves the whole gang. 2016's Jackbox Party Pack 3 is made by the same folks who gave us You Don't Know Jack, which I used to enjoy (and dominate at!) quite a bit. They've upped their game, so to speak, by making this a video game that people play together from their phones. There are five games available, from "Quiplash 2", which is somewhat like Cards Against Humanity, as your friends vote for who had the best/funniest answer, to "Trivia Murder Party", in which you'd better answer questions correctly, or the homicidal host will tear your little stuffed doll avatar to shreds. We've been having a lot of fun with this game pack for several weeks now, so I can definitely recommend it for your next party. That said, bring a charger. Your phone's battery will be taking some punishment. (Grade: B+)
#5: "White Knuckles" - Boh Doran: It's going to be tough to narrow down a favorite song of 2016, but I do want to feature one of the runners-up, which is this 2015 jam that should give you a good idea of where my musical tastes lie this year. Here, have a listen. I could talk about how I relate to the lyrics, which allude to holding on to something (or someone) too tightly, as if you're afraid it's going to slip through your fingers at any moment. But if I'm being honest, I just really like the tune. (Grade: B+)
Song of the Summer 2016
Well, it's dark by dinnertime now, so that must mean that summer is soon drawing to a close. As always, it's been a musical mix this season, between the catchy pop tunes, the inexplicably popular tracks, and the songs that aren't by a Big Name and thus fly under the radar.
And as always, the song that wound up most appealing to me is somewhat of a bridge between the pop and indie world. The songs that tend to draw me in have aspects of both worlds: It generally has the hook and earworminess of a pop song, but isn't an overplayed anthem on commercial radio.
I'm a big fan of Tegan and Sara, so it comes as no surprise that the winner of this year's Song of the Summer contest in my heart goes to their song, "U-Turn".
Just ignore the goofy video and enjoy the music. It had some competition, though. I'm also awfully fond of Lizzo's "Good as Hell", Wolf Alice's "Freazy", the Miguel/Kacey Musgraves version of "waves", and naturally, Carly Rae Jepsen's entire "Emotion - Side B" album.
It's been a pretty mellow season, musically, which I enjoy. There's plenty of lighthearted summer tunes, but nothing that smacks of trying too hard to capture the seasonal market. There also hasn't been an outright terrible song that other people like for some reason, so I don't have to walk around carping about kids these days. That's always refreshing.
So let's all grab a glass of wine, kick back with a 2016 summer playlist, and welcome the incoming season of amazing autumnal foods!
And as always, the song that wound up most appealing to me is somewhat of a bridge between the pop and indie world. The songs that tend to draw me in have aspects of both worlds: It generally has the hook and earworminess of a pop song, but isn't an overplayed anthem on commercial radio.
I'm a big fan of Tegan and Sara, so it comes as no surprise that the winner of this year's Song of the Summer contest in my heart goes to their song, "U-Turn".
Just ignore the goofy video and enjoy the music. It had some competition, though. I'm also awfully fond of Lizzo's "Good as Hell", Wolf Alice's "Freazy", the Miguel/Kacey Musgraves version of "waves", and naturally, Carly Rae Jepsen's entire "Emotion - Side B" album.
It's been a pretty mellow season, musically, which I enjoy. There's plenty of lighthearted summer tunes, but nothing that smacks of trying too hard to capture the seasonal market. There also hasn't been an outright terrible song that other people like for some reason, so I don't have to walk around carping about kids these days. That's always refreshing.
So let's all grab a glass of wine, kick back with a 2016 summer playlist, and welcome the incoming season of amazing autumnal foods!
You Say Goodbye, and I Say Hello
Adapting a musical into a film is always a tricky proposition. In some cases, like Chicago and Dreamgirls, the changes are welcome, and can even be an improvement. In others, like Les Miserables and Into the Woods, the movie can't begin to live up to the stage musical. And in one, namely (Rent), the movie is so terrible that it drove the final stake into a musical I used to love, to the point where I can barely listen anymore.
So, I've learned to approach movies based on musicals with a healthy degree of caution. Today's entry is a strange case, because I watched the movie, and still haven't ever seen the show. I'm speaking of the 2014 movie The Last Five Years, written and directed by Richard Lagravenese, who adapted Jason Robert Brown's popular 2002 Off-Broadway show.
The movie stars Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, and it does its best to convey the gimmick of the show. The story of Cathy and Jamie's doomed marriage is told in two directions: Cathy's songs begin at the dissolution of the relationship and move backwards, while Jamie's songs begin after they've just gotten together, and move forward. The two sing from their own separate perspectives, only meeting in the middle once, at their wedding, before diverging again. It's a pretty cool idea, but sadly, the movie doesn't do a very good job of getting the timelines across, because as a matter of necessity, Cathy and Jamie are almost always sharing the screen, if not the song. The entire idea of hearing the two sides of the story advancing in different directions gets muddled as the actors toss in lines of spoken dialogue while the other is singing. An attempt is made to separate out the happy times of the marriage from the bad times through lighting and color, but it's just not divided enough, so the end product is too blurry.
Also, I don't have much (if any) experience with Jeremy Jordan's work, but he just did not strike me as having the charisma necessary to play this part. Jamie is supposed to be a magnetic, charming, wunderkind of a writer, and while Jordan's singing voice is just fine, he seemed woefully miscast to me. Kendrick acquits herself much better as Cathy the struggling actress, who simultaneously adores her husband and worries that she's being left behind in his wake.
I wondered if my lackluster response to the movie was due to the source material or the film itself, so I then immersed myself in the 2002 Off-Broadway cast recording, starring Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz. Yup, the movie is the problem. Even without being able to see the characters or the staging, the 2002 music captivated me in a way that the film couldn't. It wasn't until I listened to the score that I was able to catch some of the real cleverness of the story structure, such as the only ten minutes that the two characters share being their wedding song called, well, "The Next Ten Minutes".
The musical itself isn't perfect. My least favorite song in the movie ("The Schmuel Song") was not measurably better in the cast recording, and it goes on longer than any other song in the show. Also, that song aside, all the songs in the first half were more enjoyable than the songs in the second half, which made the enterprise feel a little lopsided.
Overall, though, I'm glad I watched this movie, flawed though it was. It opened up the world of the show to me, and the next time I catch The Last Five Years listed on a local theater's upcoming season, I'll be there.
The Last Five Years (2014): B-
The Last Five Years (2002): B+
So, I've learned to approach movies based on musicals with a healthy degree of caution. Today's entry is a strange case, because I watched the movie, and still haven't ever seen the show. I'm speaking of the 2014 movie The Last Five Years, written and directed by Richard Lagravenese, who adapted Jason Robert Brown's popular 2002 Off-Broadway show.
The movie stars Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, and it does its best to convey the gimmick of the show. The story of Cathy and Jamie's doomed marriage is told in two directions: Cathy's songs begin at the dissolution of the relationship and move backwards, while Jamie's songs begin after they've just gotten together, and move forward. The two sing from their own separate perspectives, only meeting in the middle once, at their wedding, before diverging again. It's a pretty cool idea, but sadly, the movie doesn't do a very good job of getting the timelines across, because as a matter of necessity, Cathy and Jamie are almost always sharing the screen, if not the song. The entire idea of hearing the two sides of the story advancing in different directions gets muddled as the actors toss in lines of spoken dialogue while the other is singing. An attempt is made to separate out the happy times of the marriage from the bad times through lighting and color, but it's just not divided enough, so the end product is too blurry.
Also, I don't have much (if any) experience with Jeremy Jordan's work, but he just did not strike me as having the charisma necessary to play this part. Jamie is supposed to be a magnetic, charming, wunderkind of a writer, and while Jordan's singing voice is just fine, he seemed woefully miscast to me. Kendrick acquits herself much better as Cathy the struggling actress, who simultaneously adores her husband and worries that she's being left behind in his wake.
I wondered if my lackluster response to the movie was due to the source material or the film itself, so I then immersed myself in the 2002 Off-Broadway cast recording, starring Sherie Rene Scott and Norbert Leo Butz. Yup, the movie is the problem. Even without being able to see the characters or the staging, the 2002 music captivated me in a way that the film couldn't. It wasn't until I listened to the score that I was able to catch some of the real cleverness of the story structure, such as the only ten minutes that the two characters share being their wedding song called, well, "The Next Ten Minutes".
The musical itself isn't perfect. My least favorite song in the movie ("The Schmuel Song") was not measurably better in the cast recording, and it goes on longer than any other song in the show. Also, that song aside, all the songs in the first half were more enjoyable than the songs in the second half, which made the enterprise feel a little lopsided.
Overall, though, I'm glad I watched this movie, flawed though it was. It opened up the world of the show to me, and the next time I catch The Last Five Years listed on a local theater's upcoming season, I'll be there.
The Last Five Years (2014): B-
The Last Five Years (2002): B+
Song of the Summer 2015
Holy jeepers, it's September?!? Clearly, I need to get myself into a doctor's waiting room soon, as it's the only scientifically-proven place where time stops. Well, since summer is coming to a speedy close, we should talk about the infectious music of the season. Last year, summer pop music was terrible. Or if not terrible, the best that can be said about it is that nothing really stood out for me.
This year is very different; there's plenty to choose from! That doesn't mean the process of selecting a Song of the Summer is easy, though. Not only are there the challenges of trying to decide between two songs that are equally compelling, but you have to take certain "rules" into consideration. For some people, the Song of the Summer is simply the song that gets the most radio play. It's the song that you'll hear at every backyard barbecue, and is emanating out of every car that you're stopped next to at a red light. For others, it's the one that most aptly catches the mood of the season, which means it's guaranteed to be a propulsive, energetic pop song.
I like to split the difference between these two camps. My personal Song of the Summer will certainly be up-tempo, even if it's not about a happy topic, lyrically. But by the same token, all my favorite songs combine the best parts of mass-market pop and thoughtful indie music. Tracks that can strike that delicate balance are guaranteed to make my list, and not only during the summer. All that said, I'm terrible at discovering new music. I rely on friend and journalist recommendations to basically curate most of what I listen to. The experts definitely came through this year, and gave me a wealth of nominees to sift through. Hell, Carly Rae Jepsen has an entire album's worth of quality summer music this year (E•MO•TION).
No matter what my opinion on the matter, the "official" Songs of the Summer will be a matter of public consensus, and the public has already pretty much settled on three, one of which I love, one I like but am bound to get sick of by winter, and one I don't like at all. The one I dislike is "Cheerleader" (OMI), so let's just get all the crap out of the way first. "Cheerleader" is actively annoying, both musically and lyrically. That's all we need: A combination of irritating reggae components and lyrics about a woman who serves no purpose but to fawn over the singer. And while we're talking about inexplicably popular songs, we have to mention "Bad Blood" (Taylor Swift), too. Does nobody else notice that she's singing the same five notes over and over? "Shake it Off" and "Blank Space" had some issues, but they're damned catchy. "Bad Blood" is just bland mush. At least Taylor Swift is worth mentioning, unlike anything that comes from 5 Seconds of Summer, a band whose very name is a perfect encapsulation of how disposable they are.
OK, now that the detritus is dealt with, let's get to some songs that are way more enjoyable, but lack that certain something to be my Song of the Summer. A few songs would get solid recommends from me, but aren't quite "poppy" enough to win:
"Better in the Morning" (Little Boots)
"Entropy" (Grimes, Bleacher)
"My Type" (Saint Motel)
"Ex's & Oh's" (Elle King)
Some are plenty up-tempo enough, and even though I love them, they don't have the wide appeal necessary for a Song of the Summer:
"Diamonds" (Giorgio Moroder, Charli XCX)
"Bombastic" (Bonnie McKee)
"On the Regular" (Shamir)
"Déjà Vu" (Giorgio Moroder, Sia)
That brings us down to the final six, any of which would be worthy winner. Of those six, three are what I'd call "consensus" songs, which are the popular ones you've been hearing everywhere. The other three are "personal" songs, which appeal to me directly, but haven't caught on in the public eye. All of them are great, but it's time to do some whittling, so I'll reluctantly drop two from each category:
Consensus Songs:
"Shut up and Dance" (WALK THE MOON) - This is the one I mentioned above as really liking, but I can tell that I'll be over it by December.
"Can't Feel My Face" (The Weeknd) - Similar situation here. Happy to hear it whenever it pops up (which is often), but doesn't have longevity.
Personal Songs:
"Yoga" (Janelle Monáe and Jidenna) - Goddamn, do I love Janelle Monáe. You should see the embarrassing moves this song brings out in me as I'm driving down the street.
"New Obsession" (Frankie) - It may be a silly little song about a girl wanting a quick fling with the local stud, but the beat has effortlessly infected my brain. This one is the current go-to song for belting in the shower.
That brings it down to the final two to battle it out for supremacy. Ultimately, first runner up must go to the Personal Song, though it'll definitely be in the running for the Best of 2015. My friend Kyle pointed this one out to me; I'd never have run across it otherwise. I just can't get "King" (Years & Years) out of my head:
It's a jam, right? However, there's only one song that has all the necessary attributes of a Song of the Summer winner. It's got a beat. Its lyrics aren't stupid or insulting. I won't be sick of it in a month. It's popular with the general public, but has that air of indie credibility. Ladies and gentleman, the 2015 Song of the Summer is... "Lean On" (Major Lazer and DJ Snake, featuring MØ). Kick it!
This year is very different; there's plenty to choose from! That doesn't mean the process of selecting a Song of the Summer is easy, though. Not only are there the challenges of trying to decide between two songs that are equally compelling, but you have to take certain "rules" into consideration. For some people, the Song of the Summer is simply the song that gets the most radio play. It's the song that you'll hear at every backyard barbecue, and is emanating out of every car that you're stopped next to at a red light. For others, it's the one that most aptly catches the mood of the season, which means it's guaranteed to be a propulsive, energetic pop song.
I like to split the difference between these two camps. My personal Song of the Summer will certainly be up-tempo, even if it's not about a happy topic, lyrically. But by the same token, all my favorite songs combine the best parts of mass-market pop and thoughtful indie music. Tracks that can strike that delicate balance are guaranteed to make my list, and not only during the summer. All that said, I'm terrible at discovering new music. I rely on friend and journalist recommendations to basically curate most of what I listen to. The experts definitely came through this year, and gave me a wealth of nominees to sift through. Hell, Carly Rae Jepsen has an entire album's worth of quality summer music this year (E•MO•TION).
No matter what my opinion on the matter, the "official" Songs of the Summer will be a matter of public consensus, and the public has already pretty much settled on three, one of which I love, one I like but am bound to get sick of by winter, and one I don't like at all. The one I dislike is "Cheerleader" (OMI), so let's just get all the crap out of the way first. "Cheerleader" is actively annoying, both musically and lyrically. That's all we need: A combination of irritating reggae components and lyrics about a woman who serves no purpose but to fawn over the singer. And while we're talking about inexplicably popular songs, we have to mention "Bad Blood" (Taylor Swift), too. Does nobody else notice that she's singing the same five notes over and over? "Shake it Off" and "Blank Space" had some issues, but they're damned catchy. "Bad Blood" is just bland mush. At least Taylor Swift is worth mentioning, unlike anything that comes from 5 Seconds of Summer, a band whose very name is a perfect encapsulation of how disposable they are.
OK, now that the detritus is dealt with, let's get to some songs that are way more enjoyable, but lack that certain something to be my Song of the Summer. A few songs would get solid recommends from me, but aren't quite "poppy" enough to win:
"Better in the Morning" (Little Boots)
"Entropy" (Grimes, Bleacher)
"My Type" (Saint Motel)
"Ex's & Oh's" (Elle King)
Some are plenty up-tempo enough, and even though I love them, they don't have the wide appeal necessary for a Song of the Summer:
"Diamonds" (Giorgio Moroder, Charli XCX)
"Bombastic" (Bonnie McKee)
"On the Regular" (Shamir)
"Déjà Vu" (Giorgio Moroder, Sia)
That brings us down to the final six, any of which would be worthy winner. Of those six, three are what I'd call "consensus" songs, which are the popular ones you've been hearing everywhere. The other three are "personal" songs, which appeal to me directly, but haven't caught on in the public eye. All of them are great, but it's time to do some whittling, so I'll reluctantly drop two from each category:
Consensus Songs:
"Shut up and Dance" (WALK THE MOON) - This is the one I mentioned above as really liking, but I can tell that I'll be over it by December.
"Can't Feel My Face" (The Weeknd) - Similar situation here. Happy to hear it whenever it pops up (which is often), but doesn't have longevity.
Personal Songs:
"Yoga" (Janelle Monáe and Jidenna) - Goddamn, do I love Janelle Monáe. You should see the embarrassing moves this song brings out in me as I'm driving down the street.
"New Obsession" (Frankie) - It may be a silly little song about a girl wanting a quick fling with the local stud, but the beat has effortlessly infected my brain. This one is the current go-to song for belting in the shower.
That brings it down to the final two to battle it out for supremacy. Ultimately, first runner up must go to the Personal Song, though it'll definitely be in the running for the Best of 2015. My friend Kyle pointed this one out to me; I'd never have run across it otherwise. I just can't get "King" (Years & Years) out of my head:
It's a jam, right? However, there's only one song that has all the necessary attributes of a Song of the Summer winner. It's got a beat. Its lyrics aren't stupid or insulting. I won't be sick of it in a month. It's popular with the general public, but has that air of indie credibility. Ladies and gentleman, the 2015 Song of the Summer is... "Lean On" (Major Lazer and DJ Snake, featuring MØ). Kick it!
There's Gold in Them Thar Hills!
It's time to begin looking back over the blog posts of 2014 and compiling the year-end lists, which I always enjoy. One conspicuous absence from these retrospectives is the world of music. As I've probably mentioned a handful of times, I just don't spend enough time in the world of new music to put together a reliable list, preferring instead to just listen to knowledgeable friends' recommendations. The only exception was Suzanne Vega's new album, which is terrific.
Well, let's add one more album to the list of music that brought me joy in 2014, even if it was actually released in 2013. I was piggybacking on Spotify... What's that? You don't know what piggybacking is? That's when you sneakily drop in to just listen to the tracks that the sidebar mentions that your friends are listening to. Anyhow, I was piggybacking on Spotify one day, when a particular song caught my attention. After it was over, I backed up and listened to it again. And again. After that, I decided to take a stroll through the entire album, and was happy to hear that this wasn't just a one-track wonder.
The album I'm referring to is Black Sun, from a band called Gold Fields. The song that so captured my heart is "Thunder", which easily claimed the title of my favorite song of 2014 (again, the song was released in 2013, but this is year that it ruled the airwaves of my mind). As with a lot of my favorite songs, it seems to occupy that nebulous middle ground between the deep layering of indie music and the upbeat tempo of pop.
Sometimes indie music can be too dour and often produces tracks that fall into the category I call wall-of-sound. And pop music is often shallow and overly fluffy, relying on a catchy beat and ignoring exploration of anything interesting either musically or lyrically. The songs I like the best somehow find a way to straddle that line, retaining the thoughtfulness of indie with the catchiness of pop.
Give "Thunder" a listen, and tell me if you understand what I mean. Arrgh, this is why I don't write about music! It's too hard to describe! While the rest of the album didn't match the heights that "Thunder" achieved for me, a handful of them came close. I really like the jaunty romanticism of "Treehouse" as well (ignore the dumb video, and just listen), and "Closest I Could Get" has a haunting, ethereal quality I enjoy.
Really, the entire album is a great find, and while I wish I could take the credit for discovering it, I owe it all to the friends I follow on Spotify. Speaking of which, I'd better get back to stalking their playlists. I need to "find" an album for next year, too.
Black Sun: A
Well, let's add one more album to the list of music that brought me joy in 2014, even if it was actually released in 2013. I was piggybacking on Spotify... What's that? You don't know what piggybacking is? That's when you sneakily drop in to just listen to the tracks that the sidebar mentions that your friends are listening to. Anyhow, I was piggybacking on Spotify one day, when a particular song caught my attention. After it was over, I backed up and listened to it again. And again. After that, I decided to take a stroll through the entire album, and was happy to hear that this wasn't just a one-track wonder.
The album I'm referring to is Black Sun, from a band called Gold Fields. The song that so captured my heart is "Thunder", which easily claimed the title of my favorite song of 2014 (again, the song was released in 2013, but this is year that it ruled the airwaves of my mind). As with a lot of my favorite songs, it seems to occupy that nebulous middle ground between the deep layering of indie music and the upbeat tempo of pop.
Sometimes indie music can be too dour and often produces tracks that fall into the category I call wall-of-sound. And pop music is often shallow and overly fluffy, relying on a catchy beat and ignoring exploration of anything interesting either musically or lyrically. The songs I like the best somehow find a way to straddle that line, retaining the thoughtfulness of indie with the catchiness of pop.
Give "Thunder" a listen, and tell me if you understand what I mean. Arrgh, this is why I don't write about music! It's too hard to describe! While the rest of the album didn't match the heights that "Thunder" achieved for me, a handful of them came close. I really like the jaunty romanticism of "Treehouse" as well (ignore the dumb video, and just listen), and "Closest I Could Get" has a haunting, ethereal quality I enjoy.
Really, the entire album is a great find, and while I wish I could take the credit for discovering it, I owe it all to the friends I follow on Spotify. Speaking of which, I'd better get back to stalking their playlists. I need to "find" an album for next year, too.
Black Sun: A
Song of the Summer 2014: The Winner!
We didn't get much of a summer this year, did we? As someone who has the recent year with triple-digit heat for weeks on end seared into his psyche, this is emphatically not a complaint: It just didn't get very warm this year. Aside from not being able to swim as much as I'd have liked to, that's fine and dandy with me. Bring on autumn, I say! Give me my pumpkin-spiced everything, and nobody gets hurt!
Now, are you ready for the big announcement? Want to hear the song that dominated the airwaves of the popular American consciousness and the brainwaves within my head? Can't wait to find out who stands astride the world, victorious in the inescapability of their powerful earworm? The winner of the 2014 Song of the Summer Contest is...
Nobody. This may be a first. Nothing was that special, or good, or weirdly endearing, or catchy, or anything. And I don't just mean that there is no Song of the Summer for me personally. Just about everyone has let the season pass with a weak shrug. If one song came closest to winning, it'd be "Am I Wrong", which I'm still enjoying. But even being the best of the bunch doesn't really qualify it as a Song of the Summer; it's just a song that I like that got played a bunch this summer.
There were plenty of songs the general public ate up with a spoon that I didn't care for. The aforementioned "Fancy", which was annoying almost immediately, and "Stay With Me", which wore out its welcome in about ten plays, would be prime examples of this. But it's not like I'm willfully ignoring their popularity in order to declare no winners. In taking the cultural temperature on the internet and by flipping stations, I'd say that both songs were plenty popular, but neither of them caught on with the fire of something like "Get Lucky". Maybe I'm not the best guy in the world at capturing the zeitgeist of the music world, but I don't think I'm off the mark here. I mean, look.
So, I hope you enjoyed your summer! I hope you got to travel, or read some fun books, or caught an exciting blockbuster, or started listening to an awesome new podcast, or spent warm evenings lazing on the patio with friends and family with the scent of bratwurst lingering in the air. But as far as music goes, let's just flush 2014 down the memory hole and try again next year.
Now, are you ready for the big announcement? Want to hear the song that dominated the airwaves of the popular American consciousness and the brainwaves within my head? Can't wait to find out who stands astride the world, victorious in the inescapability of their powerful earworm? The winner of the 2014 Song of the Summer Contest is...
Nobody. This may be a first. Nothing was that special, or good, or weirdly endearing, or catchy, or anything. And I don't just mean that there is no Song of the Summer for me personally. Just about everyone has let the season pass with a weak shrug. If one song came closest to winning, it'd be "Am I Wrong", which I'm still enjoying. But even being the best of the bunch doesn't really qualify it as a Song of the Summer; it's just a song that I like that got played a bunch this summer.
There were plenty of songs the general public ate up with a spoon that I didn't care for. The aforementioned "Fancy", which was annoying almost immediately, and "Stay With Me", which wore out its welcome in about ten plays, would be prime examples of this. But it's not like I'm willfully ignoring their popularity in order to declare no winners. In taking the cultural temperature on the internet and by flipping stations, I'd say that both songs were plenty popular, but neither of them caught on with the fire of something like "Get Lucky". Maybe I'm not the best guy in the world at capturing the zeitgeist of the music world, but I don't think I'm off the mark here. I mean, look.
So, I hope you enjoyed your summer! I hope you got to travel, or read some fun books, or caught an exciting blockbuster, or started listening to an awesome new podcast, or spent warm evenings lazing on the patio with friends and family with the scent of bratwurst lingering in the air. But as far as music goes, let's just flush 2014 down the memory hole and try again next year.
Song of the Summer 2014 Contender: Boom Clap
This is a strange pick for me! I never thought I'd seriously be putting forth a Charli XCX track for my Song of the Summer contest. I've already mentioned my feelings about her collaborations on "I Love It" and "Fancy" (for those too lazy to click on the links, my thoughts on those songs can be summed up as "Ugggggggggggh"), so why am I so into her first hit as a solo artist?
Honestly, I'm not sure, though I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that she's actually, you know, SINGING on this track, and it isn't just a bunch of her usual monotonal yelling. Here ya go:
Catchy, right? I don't listen to a lot of commercial radio these days, but when I do, it's a safe bet that this song will come on within ten minutes. The bump it got from being part of the soundtrack for The Fault In Our Stars should probably be taken into consideration as far as its popularity, but that has nothing to do with why I like it. It's got a good beat to it, and I find myself singing along in my car every time it starts. Let's hope nobody's placed recording devices in there.
I doubt that Charli XCX will ever make the list of my favorite artists; even in a song as good as this, she sounds over-produced. Still, "Boom Clap" is a legitimate jam, and one that I'm always happy to encounter out in the wild. What more could a Song of the Summer contender need?
Song of the Summer Odds: 4:1
Honestly, I'm not sure, though I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that she's actually, you know, SINGING on this track, and it isn't just a bunch of her usual monotonal yelling. Here ya go:
Catchy, right? I don't listen to a lot of commercial radio these days, but when I do, it's a safe bet that this song will come on within ten minutes. The bump it got from being part of the soundtrack for The Fault In Our Stars should probably be taken into consideration as far as its popularity, but that has nothing to do with why I like it. It's got a good beat to it, and I find myself singing along in my car every time it starts. Let's hope nobody's placed recording devices in there.
I doubt that Charli XCX will ever make the list of my favorite artists; even in a song as good as this, she sounds over-produced. Still, "Boom Clap" is a legitimate jam, and one that I'm always happy to encounter out in the wild. What more could a Song of the Summer contender need?
Song of the Summer Odds: 4:1
Song of the Summer 2014 Contender: Summer
Time is flying! Here's hoping I can crown a Song of the Summer before I wake up to find that it's Thanksgiving. Thankfully, today's contender is a gimme. How could a song named "Summer" not be in the running? It's performed by Calvin Harris, and I've been hearing a lot of it lately over loudspeakers at pools, ice cream shops, and other seasonal destinations. It sounds like it was practically created in a lab to win this contest. Have a listen:
There's really not much to this song beyond the word "summer" and a driving backbeat. In other words, it's a textbook example of a summer jam. Unlike a lot of other songs, though, I find it more difficult to get past how milquetoast it is and just enjoy the fizzy pop of it. In many ways, it's similar to "Get Lucky", but something important is missing. It's not a bad song, just shallow and forgettable. Entertainment Weekly put its odds at 12:1, and I find it difficult to disagree. I'm not ever sorry to encounter "Summer" in the wild, but I don't ever see myself seeking it out, either.
Song of the Summer Odds: 12:1
There's really not much to this song beyond the word "summer" and a driving backbeat. In other words, it's a textbook example of a summer jam. Unlike a lot of other songs, though, I find it more difficult to get past how milquetoast it is and just enjoy the fizzy pop of it. In many ways, it's similar to "Get Lucky", but something important is missing. It's not a bad song, just shallow and forgettable. Entertainment Weekly put its odds at 12:1, and I find it difficult to disagree. I'm not ever sorry to encounter "Summer" in the wild, but I don't ever see myself seeking it out, either.
Song of the Summer Odds: 12:1
Song of the Summer 2014 Contender: Sing
Recommendations have been drifting in from multiple quarters! Friends! Family! Media outlets! A lot of the suggestions have been pretty fractured; there hasn't been a lot of crossover from any of my varied sources. There are one or two songs, though, that I can't escape, which is a good quality for a Song of the Summer. When you picture a summer jam, it should be something you can easily imagine hearing poolside, or blasting out of every open car window you pass on the street.
By that metric, Ed Sheeran's "Sing" is a patently obvious choice. It's everywhere! And I get the appeal. I do. Here you go (oh, and do try to ignore the silly puppet video - I'm unsure who thought this was groundbreaking):
White guy with guitar! Unthreateningly cute redhead! Effortlessly slides into falsetto! This is the type of guy that consistently wins American Idol, and it should come as no shock that he either dated Taylor Swift, or was rumored to. I can't be assed to research that. This sounds like I'm gearing up to be dismissive of "Sing", but it's fine. I don't hate it. It doesn't have me rushing to skip or mute it like a lot of other songs that shall remain "Fancy". But by the same token, I find it pretty bland. I can't picture myself rocking out to it as I cruise down the street, and once the next cycle of music arrives, I doubt I'll ever revisit it.
Sheeran is talented, but he's pretty clearly a "Cory". If I were a twelve-year-old girl, I'd have his poster plastered on my walls and be playing "Sing" on repeat. As a thirty-six-year-old dude, I need my Song of the Summer to have a little bit more meat on the bone.
Song of the Summer Odds: 10:1
By that metric, Ed Sheeran's "Sing" is a patently obvious choice. It's everywhere! And I get the appeal. I do. Here you go (oh, and do try to ignore the silly puppet video - I'm unsure who thought this was groundbreaking):
White guy with guitar! Unthreateningly cute redhead! Effortlessly slides into falsetto! This is the type of guy that consistently wins American Idol, and it should come as no shock that he either dated Taylor Swift, or was rumored to. I can't be assed to research that. This sounds like I'm gearing up to be dismissive of "Sing", but it's fine. I don't hate it. It doesn't have me rushing to skip or mute it like a lot of other songs that shall remain "Fancy". But by the same token, I find it pretty bland. I can't picture myself rocking out to it as I cruise down the street, and once the next cycle of music arrives, I doubt I'll ever revisit it.
Sheeran is talented, but he's pretty clearly a "Cory". If I were a twelve-year-old girl, I'd have his poster plastered on my walls and be playing "Sing" on repeat. As a thirty-six-year-old dude, I need my Song of the Summer to have a little bit more meat on the bone.
Song of the Summer Odds: 10:1
Song of the Summer 2014 Contender: Am I Wrong
Either I'm even more out of the loop with music than I usually am, or this is a weak year for summer jams. Normally by this time, I'd be having to comb through dozens of contenders. Instead, they're filtering to me in tiny little chunks. Today's pick first came to my attention from a list published by Entertainment Weekly. I don't normally trust them when it comes to music, but I decided to work my way down their list. Yup. 12 of their 20 contenders were immediately deemed unworthy. The remaining eight aren't bad, and the one that quickly muscled its way towards the top of my list is "Am I Wrong", performed by Nico & Vinz.
One unusual thing about this track being in the running is that it's much slower-paced than most summer songs. Not that it's melancholy or anything, but it's a lot more earnest and smooth than energetic and cheerful. Here, take a listen:
It's clearly not as obsessed with sunshine, sex, or cruisin' down the street as most hot-weather songs are, but something about it still calls to me. Maybe it's one of those songs like "Closer" that works more as a year-round track than one specific to summer. But right now is when it's getting a lot of play, so it's automatically entered in the contest. I really enjoy it, though, so even if it doesn't rule the summer, the fact that it'll be equally welcome in November should count for something.
Song of the Summer Odds: 4:1
One unusual thing about this track being in the running is that it's much slower-paced than most summer songs. Not that it's melancholy or anything, but it's a lot more earnest and smooth than energetic and cheerful. Here, take a listen:
It's clearly not as obsessed with sunshine, sex, or cruisin' down the street as most hot-weather songs are, but something about it still calls to me. Maybe it's one of those songs like "Closer" that works more as a year-round track than one specific to summer. But right now is when it's getting a lot of play, so it's automatically entered in the contest. I really enjoy it, though, so even if it doesn't rule the summer, the fact that it'll be equally welcome in November should count for something.
Song of the Summer Odds: 4:1
Song of the Summer 2014 Contender: Waves
St. Louis is currently being swallowed by a cloud of humidity that reduces us all to sweaty messes within fifteen minutes. That must mean it's time to start sifting through the combatants in the annual Song of the Summer contest! To be clear, although this type of contest is all over the media landscape, this particular contest is taking place entirely within my heart. What the public at large thinks won't win the day here. So thankfully, it doesn't matter if "She Looks So Perfect" gets the most radio play; since I think it's an idiotic track that comes off as a slightly-douchier One Direction song, it won't be in the running.
What will be in the running? Well, let's start with "Waves", by Sleeper Agent. Since I don't listen to a lot of radio, I should attribute the source where I first found out about these songs, and in the case of "Waves", it's my friend Robin, whom I traveled to Hawaii with. Some of the reasoning behind this choice should be pretty damn obvious. It's high-tempo. It mentions California and the ocean, and... OK, fine. The lyrics aren't the cheeriest thing in the world, but listen to how peppy it is!
Now imagine listening to that song while you're cruising down a Maui highway with the windows open and the sea air wafting in. How can you resist? While it's a strong contender, it can be be a bit melodically repetitive - this singer doesn't have much of a range on this one. Still, I really enjoy it, and there's no denying that it captures the mood of a Song of the Summer perfectly. Even if the highway I'm cruising down now is in the flatlands of Missouri and it's way too sweltering out to open the windows, this is still a song I'll be listening to all season.
Song of the Summer Odds: 3:2
What will be in the running? Well, let's start with "Waves", by Sleeper Agent. Since I don't listen to a lot of radio, I should attribute the source where I first found out about these songs, and in the case of "Waves", it's my friend Robin, whom I traveled to Hawaii with. Some of the reasoning behind this choice should be pretty damn obvious. It's high-tempo. It mentions California and the ocean, and... OK, fine. The lyrics aren't the cheeriest thing in the world, but listen to how peppy it is!
Now imagine listening to that song while you're cruising down a Maui highway with the windows open and the sea air wafting in. How can you resist? While it's a strong contender, it can be be a bit melodically repetitive - this singer doesn't have much of a range on this one. Still, I really enjoy it, and there's no denying that it captures the mood of a Song of the Summer perfectly. Even if the highway I'm cruising down now is in the flatlands of Missouri and it's way too sweltering out to open the windows, this is still a song I'll be listening to all season.
Song of the Summer Odds: 3:2
The High Priestess
It's pretty amazing that I've never mentioned Suzanne Vega in this blog, because she's been a pretty constant presence in my entertainment universe. I like a wide range of music, but Suzanne Vega has always held a firm position in my top ten. I don't go to a lot of concerts, but always make an effort to see her when she's in town. I even went to two of her shows by myself, correctly guessing that I'd enjoy myself more if I didn't have to take other people's schedules/tastes/seating preferences into consideration. I made her autograph all her CDs for me, even though she was suffering from a strained wrist. I'm not sure if I'm getting my point across clearly, so let me sum up: I really love Suzanne Vega.
So when I found out she just released a new album, I was all over it. Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles is a mouthful, and a little bit Fiona Appley for a title. And since I'm a naturally anxious person, I always fret that each new album will be the stinkbomb; winning streaks can't last forever. I needn't have worried. Vega is as wonderful as ever, and I'm thrilled to add ...Queen of Pentacles to my collection.
As the title implies, there's kind of a tarot theme running through this album. There are songs titled "Fool's Complaint" and "Portrait of the Knight of Wands". Given how lyrical and portentous a lot of Vega's songs are, the theme dovetails nicely. You can easily envision the hopes and woes and grim truths the lyrics of these songs entail laid out by a fortuneteller. The music itself is nicely varied, as well. Some are up-tempo and energetic. Some are slow and pensive. There's even a little electronica thrown in.
The worst I can say about it (and I don't even mean this as a real criticism) is that it's very much in Vega's wheelhouse. If you listened to Songs in Red and Gray and Beauty & Crime, you'll already have a good idea of this album's style. If you've never been much of a fan, there's nothing here that will turn you around. But for those of us who have always enjoyed Suzanne Vega's music, this is a delightful addition to the canon.
Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles: A
So when I found out she just released a new album, I was all over it. Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles is a mouthful, and a little bit Fiona Appley for a title. And since I'm a naturally anxious person, I always fret that each new album will be the stinkbomb; winning streaks can't last forever. I needn't have worried. Vega is as wonderful as ever, and I'm thrilled to add ...Queen of Pentacles to my collection.
As the title implies, there's kind of a tarot theme running through this album. There are songs titled "Fool's Complaint" and "Portrait of the Knight of Wands". Given how lyrical and portentous a lot of Vega's songs are, the theme dovetails nicely. You can easily envision the hopes and woes and grim truths the lyrics of these songs entail laid out by a fortuneteller. The music itself is nicely varied, as well. Some are up-tempo and energetic. Some are slow and pensive. There's even a little electronica thrown in.
The worst I can say about it (and I don't even mean this as a real criticism) is that it's very much in Vega's wheelhouse. If you listened to Songs in Red and Gray and Beauty & Crime, you'll already have a good idea of this album's style. If you've never been much of a fan, there's nothing here that will turn you around. But for those of us who have always enjoyed Suzanne Vega's music, this is a delightful addition to the canon.
Tales From the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles: A
(G)lum Rock
I'm good about exploring new avenues in books or movies or television, but have an unfortunate tendency to listen to the same music over and over. Spotify has been a great help in shattering this rut, mostly thanks to the "follow" list. Seeing that so-and-so just listened to such-and-such provides a handy springboard to discover a group or genre I'm unfamiliar with. Often, a single song is intriguing enough to pull me into listening to a full album. This is exactly what happened when I heard "Dark Star" by Poliça. It hypnotized me to such an extent that I went and immediately listened to the entire album, titled Give You the Ghost.
I would never have found this album on my own. My musical knowledge is limited, but I've managed to listen to some alternative rock and electronica over the course of my life. This is a blend of the two, described as "synthpop" on a couple of the sites where I saw this band listed. So the singer's voice is heavily altered, layered and echoing throughout every song. This works well for some tracks, and distracts in others. As far as the tone goes, it's mostly the same throughout - this album makes me feel a bit melancholy. That's not a criticism; once in a while, there's nothing better than allowing yourself some good ol' fashioned pensive music depression.
It does, however, make listening to the entire album at a stretch kind of a challenge. Putting a mellow, downbeat track into a playlist or a mix is welcome. Eleven songs with the same tone and feel in a row can make it seem like just a wall of echoing sound. If you wanted to kick back on the couch, get high, and just let some music wash over you, this album would be outstanding. If you're looking for something to listen to as you wend your way through the grocery store, though, it probably shouldn't be your first choice.
If you had to pick a standout track, go for "Dark Star". Other good ones include "Lay Your Cards Out", "Violent Games", and "Wandering Star". I don't think I'll ever listen to the entire album in one sitting ever again, but it's an interesting collection that was definitely worth my time. And on those rainy days I'd like to sit around and wallow for a bit, some of these tracks will really hit the spot.
Give You the Ghost: B-
I would never have found this album on my own. My musical knowledge is limited, but I've managed to listen to some alternative rock and electronica over the course of my life. This is a blend of the two, described as "synthpop" on a couple of the sites where I saw this band listed. So the singer's voice is heavily altered, layered and echoing throughout every song. This works well for some tracks, and distracts in others. As far as the tone goes, it's mostly the same throughout - this album makes me feel a bit melancholy. That's not a criticism; once in a while, there's nothing better than allowing yourself some good ol' fashioned pensive music depression.
It does, however, make listening to the entire album at a stretch kind of a challenge. Putting a mellow, downbeat track into a playlist or a mix is welcome. Eleven songs with the same tone and feel in a row can make it seem like just a wall of echoing sound. If you wanted to kick back on the couch, get high, and just let some music wash over you, this album would be outstanding. If you're looking for something to listen to as you wend your way through the grocery store, though, it probably shouldn't be your first choice.
If you had to pick a standout track, go for "Dark Star". Other good ones include "Lay Your Cards Out", "Violent Games", and "Wandering Star". I don't think I'll ever listen to the entire album in one sitting ever again, but it's an interesting collection that was definitely worth my time. And on those rainy days I'd like to sit around and wallow for a bit, some of these tracks will really hit the spot.
Give You the Ghost: B-
Remember What the Dormouse Said
The last time I wrote about something that succeeded across multiple platforms, it was Carmen Sandiego, a relatively recent creation. But there are plenty of titles and characters whose popularity stretches back through time, and have been adapted again and again and again. Alice in Wonderland is a textbook example. There's no way I could even compile a full list of Alice-themed entertainment options, let alone consume them, but happily, I've managed to delve into a good number.
I should mention the original books by Lewis Carroll first. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There were published in 1865 and 1871, respectively. Both books are genius. It's easy to see how they captured the world's attention and have endured through the ages. They're deeply layered, complex, fanciful, fun stories. The references and in-jokes are fairly archaic, though, so I was pleased when I got my hands on The Annotated Alice (1960) and More Annotated Alice (1990) - modern publications that analyzed every line, and gave explanations and theories as to what Carroll may have had in mind. They even went so far as to seek hidden meaning and jokes in John Tenniel's illustrations. Reading these books gave me a ton of new insight into the original works; it was almost like I was reading a whole new set of stories.
Naturally, when most people think of Alice in Wonderland, the first thing to spring to their minds is the Disney animated film (1951). Sure, it's old-fashioned, but it's one of my favorites from the Disney golden age. You have no idea how much the caterpillar delighted me as a kid. Very little of the books' complexity made it into the Disney adaptation, but as the goal was ostensibly to make a decent G-rated, musical cartoon, it succeeded admirably. Here we are in 2013, and I still find myself singing "Golden Afternoon" in the shower for no reason.
Those are the famous Alice works, but like I said, there are countless others. It's a safe bet that when Meryl Streep is asked about her ten greatest works, Alice at the Palace (performed on stage in 1981 - filmed for television in 1982) won't come up. It doesn't even have a wikipedia page, but it's one of those strange things that has become hopelessly entrenched in my brain. Like the Disney film, it's also a musical, but a lot more pensive and ponderous. In a lot of Alice-themed properties, her dream is treated as either horrifying or enchanting, but Alice at the Palace is the one that treats it most like an actual dream - it's very otherworldly. I don't know that I'd recommend it to others, but I enjoy it.
Speaking of horrifying, I should at least mention the Alice game, though I never played it. It's a fascinating take on the character, envisioning a psychologically-shattered Alice that returns to a nightmare version of Wonderland that she must battle through. It's unlikely that I'll ever play through it, but it's certainly a clever twist on a canonical character. Alice has always made a good template to layer another story over - even if it's just as a framework to pose logic problems:
Raymond Smullyan has written a bunch of logic problem books, and though I enjoy all of them, Alice in Puzzleland (1985) is my favorite. There's something so natural about Wonderland as a setting for puzzles about lying and truth-telling, and it's very easy to envision capricious chess queens putting Alice through a rigorous test of quirky mathematical questions. I guess that's why Alice has withstood the test of time - her dreamworld can be molded into whatever we want it to be.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: A+
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There: A
The Annotated Alice and More Annotated Alice: A-
Alice in Wonderland: B+
Alice at the Palace: B
Alice in Puzzleland: A-
I should mention the original books by Lewis Carroll first. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There were published in 1865 and 1871, respectively. Both books are genius. It's easy to see how they captured the world's attention and have endured through the ages. They're deeply layered, complex, fanciful, fun stories. The references and in-jokes are fairly archaic, though, so I was pleased when I got my hands on The Annotated Alice (1960) and More Annotated Alice (1990) - modern publications that analyzed every line, and gave explanations and theories as to what Carroll may have had in mind. They even went so far as to seek hidden meaning and jokes in John Tenniel's illustrations. Reading these books gave me a ton of new insight into the original works; it was almost like I was reading a whole new set of stories.
Naturally, when most people think of Alice in Wonderland, the first thing to spring to their minds is the Disney animated film (1951). Sure, it's old-fashioned, but it's one of my favorites from the Disney golden age. You have no idea how much the caterpillar delighted me as a kid. Very little of the books' complexity made it into the Disney adaptation, but as the goal was ostensibly to make a decent G-rated, musical cartoon, it succeeded admirably. Here we are in 2013, and I still find myself singing "Golden Afternoon" in the shower for no reason.
Those are the famous Alice works, but like I said, there are countless others. It's a safe bet that when Meryl Streep is asked about her ten greatest works, Alice at the Palace (performed on stage in 1981 - filmed for television in 1982) won't come up. It doesn't even have a wikipedia page, but it's one of those strange things that has become hopelessly entrenched in my brain. Like the Disney film, it's also a musical, but a lot more pensive and ponderous. In a lot of Alice-themed properties, her dream is treated as either horrifying or enchanting, but Alice at the Palace is the one that treats it most like an actual dream - it's very otherworldly. I don't know that I'd recommend it to others, but I enjoy it.
Speaking of horrifying, I should at least mention the Alice game, though I never played it. It's a fascinating take on the character, envisioning a psychologically-shattered Alice that returns to a nightmare version of Wonderland that she must battle through. It's unlikely that I'll ever play through it, but it's certainly a clever twist on a canonical character. Alice has always made a good template to layer another story over - even if it's just as a framework to pose logic problems:
Raymond Smullyan has written a bunch of logic problem books, and though I enjoy all of them, Alice in Puzzleland (1985) is my favorite. There's something so natural about Wonderland as a setting for puzzles about lying and truth-telling, and it's very easy to envision capricious chess queens putting Alice through a rigorous test of quirky mathematical questions. I guess that's why Alice has withstood the test of time - her dreamworld can be molded into whatever we want it to be.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: A+
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There: A
The Annotated Alice and More Annotated Alice: A-
Alice in Wonderland: B+
Alice at the Palace: B
Alice in Puzzleland: A-
Song of the Summer 2013: The Winner!
Weather-wise, this has mostly been a delightful summer. St. Louis summers are generally miserable, with humidity running so high, you have to cut the air with a cake knife. But this year, the gross, sweaty heat held off until late August. Now that we're halfway through September, I'm hopeful that these last gasps of summer will soon yield to the welcoming coolness of autumn.
But before it does, let's put the Song of the Summer contest to bed. The Too Beautiful to Live podcast is far from the only entity putting the season's jams through the wringer, but they were the ones to bring a lot of the contenders to my attention. Unfortunately, their listeners chose that wretched Icona Pop song that I hate. Oh, well. There's no accounting for taste. I hope the voters are very happy with those two women screaming at them in perfect non-harmony. Over here where the winner isn't year-old crap chosen because it's associated with a show about Lena Dunham's tits and ironic tattoos, there were some difficult decisions to be made.
The odds would have you believe that Tegan and Sara's "Closer" would be the clear choice. I still love that song, but something about it just didn't scream summer to me. "Blurred Lines" was like a match in that it burst into heat quickly, burned hot, and then just as quickly faded away. Boy, did that one get old in a hurry. "Angel, Please" is a fun song, but just couldn't take down the big powerhouses. Of Janelle Monáe's two songs, I turn more often to "Dance Apocalyptic" than "Q.U.E.E.N.", though both are remarkable. Neither one won, though. That just leaves a single song to claim victory, and rule the summer!
"Get Lucky" is the big winner! It's the perfect blend of upbeat rhythm and laid-back tone for a summer tune, but what really pushed it over the top is its longevity. That is to say, I'm still not sick of hearing it. When the sun is shining and the grills are sizzling, this is the song you want floating on the air. So congrats to "Get Lucky"! Now, let's get some cooler weather up in here. I'm ready for long-sleeved shirts and pumpkin spice latte.
But before it does, let's put the Song of the Summer contest to bed. The Too Beautiful to Live podcast is far from the only entity putting the season's jams through the wringer, but they were the ones to bring a lot of the contenders to my attention. Unfortunately, their listeners chose that wretched Icona Pop song that I hate. Oh, well. There's no accounting for taste. I hope the voters are very happy with those two women screaming at them in perfect non-harmony. Over here where the winner isn't year-old crap chosen because it's associated with a show about Lena Dunham's tits and ironic tattoos, there were some difficult decisions to be made.
The odds would have you believe that Tegan and Sara's "Closer" would be the clear choice. I still love that song, but something about it just didn't scream summer to me. "Blurred Lines" was like a match in that it burst into heat quickly, burned hot, and then just as quickly faded away. Boy, did that one get old in a hurry. "Angel, Please" is a fun song, but just couldn't take down the big powerhouses. Of Janelle Monáe's two songs, I turn more often to "Dance Apocalyptic" than "Q.U.E.E.N.", though both are remarkable. Neither one won, though. That just leaves a single song to claim victory, and rule the summer!
"Get Lucky" is the big winner! It's the perfect blend of upbeat rhythm and laid-back tone for a summer tune, but what really pushed it over the top is its longevity. That is to say, I'm still not sick of hearing it. When the sun is shining and the grills are sizzling, this is the song you want floating on the air. So congrats to "Get Lucky"! Now, let's get some cooler weather up in here. I'm ready for long-sleeved shirts and pumpkin spice latte.
Back to School
Classes are starting back up! Apple-cheeked youngsters are arriving at schools, ready to learn, to mature, and to be judged and evaluated by merciless educators. And in the spirit of merciless evaluation, I've been getting some questions (and guff) lately about how I grade things here. Naturally, everyone has their own system, whether it's the stars-out-of-five method, the points-out-of-ten method, or my preferred method of using letter grades. I feel like letters do the best job of conveying quality, because while there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between 7/10 and 8/10, the vast difference between a "C" and a "B" is easily apparent.
It can be difficult to explain just what I mean by any particular letter; grading people on whether they correctly identified the capital of Madagascar is, after all, much easier than grading a book or movie on how entertaining and well-crafted it is, or how well it struck an emotional chord. With those caveats out of the way, I figured I'd give explaining the reasoning behind each letter the ol' college try anyway.
A+
Perfect. An A+ generally means that something is as close to flawless as it's possible to get. It can be a representative of exactly what I'm looking for in the genre, or something that is such a fond memory for me that it has attained hallowed status in my brain. If I can't think of a single thing I'd change or that bothered me, what other grade could it get? If I grade correctly, seeing an A+ should be a pretty rare occurrence here. It should be reserved for the truly special.
Examples: Portal 2, Downton Abbey - Season 1, Waiting for Guffman
A
Outstanding. Perhaps they just miss the invisible line for Hall of Fame status, but they're damn close. Things that get an A are worthy of effusive praise, and you can bet that I'll recommend them to anyone who will listen.
Examples: The IT Crowd, Wreck-It Ralph, Beautiful Ruins
A-
Extremely good. Things that get an A- are delightful. Maybe there's one or two things that don't quite work, but there's nothing that detracts to any significant degree. Plenty of A- titles are things I'd be happy to buy, but an A- is also sometimes the delineation between something I want to own and something I really enjoyed, but only needed to experience once.
Examples: A Couch to Call Home, Much Ado About Nothing, Who Could That Be at This Hour?
B+
Very good. It's no surprise that I actively seek out entertainment that I think I'll enjoy, and since my filters are pretty effective, I wind up liking most of the things I consume, even if I don't out-and-out love them. That means that the range from B+ to B- is far and away the most common grade. A B+ is something that's really enjoyable, but lacks that special something that would push it into the vaunted A-range.
Examples: Moonrise Kingdom, House of Cards - Season 1, Hairspray (2002)
B
Good. This grade may seem a bit bland, but a B is nothing to be ashamed of. Something that gets a B can be perfectly entertaining, but perhaps not entirely memorable. Or maybe it was technically proficient, but didn't give me that thrill of something truly exciting. Of the entire grade range, I'd say the biggest quality difference lies between B+ and B.
Examples: Magic Mike, Mad Men - Season 6, Look at Me
B-
Not bad. Something that gets a B- has more to like than dislike about it. While a B denotes something that is wholly well-done, a B- property has noticeable problems. That could encompass numerous, but small systemic problems, or one big issue mucking up something that would be otherwise enjoyable. I'd still recommend a B- title, but not glowingly.
Examples: New Girl - Season 1, This is the End, Mass Effect 3
C+
Not good. A C+ isn't hopeless, though. It could have several redeeming features, but not enough to save the enterprise as a whole. If I say something like "This could have used another twenty minutes in the oven," chances are good for a C+. I'd say that C+ is also the last grade at which I could feasibly recommend something. I'd offer a warning about the issues, but admit that there's still some fun to be wrung out of it.
Examples: Assassin's Creed 3, Film Critic, Rise of the Guardians
C
Bad. Something that gets a C has many noticeable problems. It may still hang together as a coherent piece of work, but it's not an enjoyable one. The C is not just for bad things, though. Earning a C may also imply that something is utterly dull and pointless. If it can't grab my attention for either good or bad reasons, it'll land here.
Examples: Thor, White Collar, MDNA
C-
Really bad. While a C may just be bland, a C- is actively poor material. A C- may simply be something that has far more to dislike than to like about it. Things that get over-hyped or are way more popular than they deserve to be also settle nicely into C- territory. If I'm watching a movie that cleaned up at the box office with a slack jaw and a frustrating confusion about what the hell is wrong with American audiences sometimes, keep your eyes peeled. A C- is probably not far off.
Examples: The Amazing Spider-Man, Partners, Freedom
D+
Terrible. If there's anything good about a D+ title, it's only the tiniest glimmer of hope. Things that earn a D+ would be an affecting scene in an otherwise awful movie, or a book having a good premise, but going nowhere with it. Those iotas of quality are nowhere near enough to make the experience worthwhile, but you can at least see what the artist was trying to accomplish.
Examples: Identity Thief, Man in the Empty Suit
D
Offensively bad. If something gets a D+, it means I hated it, but don't necessarily harbor any ill-will against the artist's other works. Things go awry, after all. But if something gets a D, it's time to question whether the artist even knows what they're doing. A grade of D means that something missed the mark on every level, or is just top-to-bottom unappealing to me, personally. There have been a few things I'd give a D based solely on my tastes that other people might enjoy. In general, these things are so bad that I can't even get through them. Everything mentioned in the examples below are titles I abandoned partway through, and thus never got graded. If they had been, it would have been a D all the way.
Examples: Passing it On, Jeff Who Lives at Home, Private Secretary
D-
Complete and utter garbage. People are always horrified by the dreaded F, of course, but in many ways, D- is the worst grade something can get. Getting an F is an achievement, of sorts. Getting a D- isn't even that. A D- title isn't interesting enough to be noticed (even for its flaws) or worth being recognized as a beautiful disaster; it's just crap. A D- means that there is absolutely nothing going on that's worth your time, not even for mocking purposes. If something gets a D, I feel like I shouldn't have bothered with it. If something gets a D-, I feel personally insulted, and actively want bad things to happen to those who foisted it upon me.
Example: Bachelorette
F
A Supernova of Suck. Getting an F means that anything that could have gone wrong, did. No artistic ability is perceptible. A blind possum could have pulled off better work. And yet, sometimes, there's something fascinating about complete failure. The F is reserved for works that are so terrible, they just might work their way around to being compelling, and sometimes even fun. Mystery Science Theater 3000 knew how to separate the D- detritus from the blazing F stinkbombs. That's not to say that an F should be encouraged. Intentionally bad works are never as fun as something that shot for the stars...and fell down a well, instead.
Examples: The Room, Batter Off Dead
It can be difficult to explain just what I mean by any particular letter; grading people on whether they correctly identified the capital of Madagascar is, after all, much easier than grading a book or movie on how entertaining and well-crafted it is, or how well it struck an emotional chord. With those caveats out of the way, I figured I'd give explaining the reasoning behind each letter the ol' college try anyway.
A+
Perfect. An A+ generally means that something is as close to flawless as it's possible to get. It can be a representative of exactly what I'm looking for in the genre, or something that is such a fond memory for me that it has attained hallowed status in my brain. If I can't think of a single thing I'd change or that bothered me, what other grade could it get? If I grade correctly, seeing an A+ should be a pretty rare occurrence here. It should be reserved for the truly special.
Examples: Portal 2, Downton Abbey - Season 1, Waiting for Guffman
A
Outstanding. Perhaps they just miss the invisible line for Hall of Fame status, but they're damn close. Things that get an A are worthy of effusive praise, and you can bet that I'll recommend them to anyone who will listen.
Examples: The IT Crowd, Wreck-It Ralph, Beautiful Ruins
A-
Extremely good. Things that get an A- are delightful. Maybe there's one or two things that don't quite work, but there's nothing that detracts to any significant degree. Plenty of A- titles are things I'd be happy to buy, but an A- is also sometimes the delineation between something I want to own and something I really enjoyed, but only needed to experience once.
Examples: A Couch to Call Home, Much Ado About Nothing, Who Could That Be at This Hour?
B+
Very good. It's no surprise that I actively seek out entertainment that I think I'll enjoy, and since my filters are pretty effective, I wind up liking most of the things I consume, even if I don't out-and-out love them. That means that the range from B+ to B- is far and away the most common grade. A B+ is something that's really enjoyable, but lacks that special something that would push it into the vaunted A-range.
Examples: Moonrise Kingdom, House of Cards - Season 1, Hairspray (2002)
B
Good. This grade may seem a bit bland, but a B is nothing to be ashamed of. Something that gets a B can be perfectly entertaining, but perhaps not entirely memorable. Or maybe it was technically proficient, but didn't give me that thrill of something truly exciting. Of the entire grade range, I'd say the biggest quality difference lies between B+ and B.
Examples: Magic Mike, Mad Men - Season 6, Look at Me
B-
Not bad. Something that gets a B- has more to like than dislike about it. While a B denotes something that is wholly well-done, a B- property has noticeable problems. That could encompass numerous, but small systemic problems, or one big issue mucking up something that would be otherwise enjoyable. I'd still recommend a B- title, but not glowingly.
Examples: New Girl - Season 1, This is the End, Mass Effect 3
C+
Not good. A C+ isn't hopeless, though. It could have several redeeming features, but not enough to save the enterprise as a whole. If I say something like "This could have used another twenty minutes in the oven," chances are good for a C+. I'd say that C+ is also the last grade at which I could feasibly recommend something. I'd offer a warning about the issues, but admit that there's still some fun to be wrung out of it.
Examples: Assassin's Creed 3, Film Critic, Rise of the Guardians
C
Bad. Something that gets a C has many noticeable problems. It may still hang together as a coherent piece of work, but it's not an enjoyable one. The C is not just for bad things, though. Earning a C may also imply that something is utterly dull and pointless. If it can't grab my attention for either good or bad reasons, it'll land here.
Examples: Thor, White Collar, MDNA
C-
Really bad. While a C may just be bland, a C- is actively poor material. A C- may simply be something that has far more to dislike than to like about it. Things that get over-hyped or are way more popular than they deserve to be also settle nicely into C- territory. If I'm watching a movie that cleaned up at the box office with a slack jaw and a frustrating confusion about what the hell is wrong with American audiences sometimes, keep your eyes peeled. A C- is probably not far off.
Examples: The Amazing Spider-Man, Partners, Freedom
D+
Terrible. If there's anything good about a D+ title, it's only the tiniest glimmer of hope. Things that earn a D+ would be an affecting scene in an otherwise awful movie, or a book having a good premise, but going nowhere with it. Those iotas of quality are nowhere near enough to make the experience worthwhile, but you can at least see what the artist was trying to accomplish.
Examples: Identity Thief, Man in the Empty Suit
D
Offensively bad. If something gets a D+, it means I hated it, but don't necessarily harbor any ill-will against the artist's other works. Things go awry, after all. But if something gets a D, it's time to question whether the artist even knows what they're doing. A grade of D means that something missed the mark on every level, or is just top-to-bottom unappealing to me, personally. There have been a few things I'd give a D based solely on my tastes that other people might enjoy. In general, these things are so bad that I can't even get through them. Everything mentioned in the examples below are titles I abandoned partway through, and thus never got graded. If they had been, it would have been a D all the way.
Examples: Passing it On, Jeff Who Lives at Home, Private Secretary
D-
Complete and utter garbage. People are always horrified by the dreaded F, of course, but in many ways, D- is the worst grade something can get. Getting an F is an achievement, of sorts. Getting a D- isn't even that. A D- title isn't interesting enough to be noticed (even for its flaws) or worth being recognized as a beautiful disaster; it's just crap. A D- means that there is absolutely nothing going on that's worth your time, not even for mocking purposes. If something gets a D, I feel like I shouldn't have bothered with it. If something gets a D-, I feel personally insulted, and actively want bad things to happen to those who foisted it upon me.
Example: Bachelorette
F
A Supernova of Suck. Getting an F means that anything that could have gone wrong, did. No artistic ability is perceptible. A blind possum could have pulled off better work. And yet, sometimes, there's something fascinating about complete failure. The F is reserved for works that are so terrible, they just might work their way around to being compelling, and sometimes even fun. Mystery Science Theater 3000 knew how to separate the D- detritus from the blazing F stinkbombs. That's not to say that an F should be encouraged. Intentionally bad works are never as fun as something that shot for the stars...and fell down a well, instead.
Examples: The Room, Batter Off Dead
Song of the Summer 2013: The Also-Rans
The season is winding down, so it's almost time to choose my "official" Song of the Summer. In the meantime, I should give a nod to the songs that didn't make the cut. These were all brought to my attention by other people (the TBTL podcast and my friend Joe, whose musical tastes are infinitely wider and more sophisticated than mine). It's entirely possible I'm missing a worthy tune. Feel free to let me know if so.
The one that came closet to being in contention is Rilo Kiley's "I Remember You". I really like the song, but it doesn't quite fit in with my idea of what a summer jam is. It's more of a year-round listen:
Like "I Remember You", there were plenty of other songs that were entertaining for any number of reasons, but just couldn't capture the feel of a tune that would represent summer to me. Still, I'd definitely recommend them:
"Lightning Bolt" (Jake Bugg)
"Radioactive" (Imagine Dragons)
"Inner Ninja" (Classified - feat. David Myles)
"Out Of My League" (Fitz and the Tantrums)
"Doin' It Right" (Daft Punk) [A catchy tune - just not as catchy as "Get Lucky".]
"Entertainment" (Phoenix)
"Crazy Kids" (Ke$ha) [I've taken any amount of crap for liking a Ke$ha song, and while I wouldn't put it up for any poetry awards, it's got a good beat to it.]
"Imagine It Was Us" (Jessie Ware)
"Recover" (Chvrches)
"Bad Girls" (Solange)
There were some songs that were either not my style or that were perfectly fine, but not anything that I'd ever actively seek out:
"Can't Hold Us" (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - feat. Ray Dalton)
"We the Common (For Valerie Bolden)" (Thao & The Get Down Stay Down)
"Stare at the Sun" (Eleanor Friedberger)
"You (Ha Ha Ha)" (Charli XCX)
"Diane Young" (Vampire Weekend)
"Together" (She & Him)
"Wildest Moment" (Jessie Ware)
"Baby Get Worse" (Divine Fits)
"Grown Woman" (Beyonce)
"#Beautiful" (Miguel and Mariah Carey)
"Unbelievers" (Vampire Weekend)
"People Like Us" (Kelly Clarkson)
And then there's the annoyingly popular song that I loathe:
"I Love It" (Icona Pop)
Ugh, this piece of shit. The self-satisfaction. The faux-rebellion. The most obnoxious combination of whining and smugness that could possibly be set to music. And so of course it's inescapable. If only that car crash into the bridge had gotten the job done. Oh, that's not nice of me. I guess we geezers from the '70s have little patience for stupid '90s bitches.
The one that came closet to being in contention is Rilo Kiley's "I Remember You". I really like the song, but it doesn't quite fit in with my idea of what a summer jam is. It's more of a year-round listen:
Like "I Remember You", there were plenty of other songs that were entertaining for any number of reasons, but just couldn't capture the feel of a tune that would represent summer to me. Still, I'd definitely recommend them:
"Lightning Bolt" (Jake Bugg)
"Radioactive" (Imagine Dragons)
"Inner Ninja" (Classified - feat. David Myles)
"Out Of My League" (Fitz and the Tantrums)
"Doin' It Right" (Daft Punk) [A catchy tune - just not as catchy as "Get Lucky".]
"Entertainment" (Phoenix)
"Crazy Kids" (Ke$ha) [I've taken any amount of crap for liking a Ke$ha song, and while I wouldn't put it up for any poetry awards, it's got a good beat to it.]
"Imagine It Was Us" (Jessie Ware)
"Recover" (Chvrches)
"Bad Girls" (Solange)
There were some songs that were either not my style or that were perfectly fine, but not anything that I'd ever actively seek out:
"Can't Hold Us" (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - feat. Ray Dalton)
"We the Common (For Valerie Bolden)" (Thao & The Get Down Stay Down)
"Stare at the Sun" (Eleanor Friedberger)
"You (Ha Ha Ha)" (Charli XCX)
"Diane Young" (Vampire Weekend)
"Together" (She & Him)
"Wildest Moment" (Jessie Ware)
"Baby Get Worse" (Divine Fits)
"Grown Woman" (Beyonce)
"#Beautiful" (Miguel and Mariah Carey)
"Unbelievers" (Vampire Weekend)
"People Like Us" (Kelly Clarkson)
And then there's the annoyingly popular song that I loathe:
"I Love It" (Icona Pop)
Ugh, this piece of shit. The self-satisfaction. The faux-rebellion. The most obnoxious combination of whining and smugness that could possibly be set to music. And so of course it's inescapable. If only that car crash into the bridge had gotten the job done. Oh, that's not nice of me. I guess we geezers from the '70s have little patience for stupid '90s bitches.
Song of the Summer 2013 Contender: "Dance Apocalyptic"
Pharrell Williams isn't the only artist with two songs on the short list of jams battling for supremacy this summer. Janelle Monáe has been burning up the charts lately, and in addition to "Q.U.E.E.N.", there's another bouncy summer single of hers that constantly finds itself on repeat in my apartment: "Dance Apocalyptic".
I'm the furthest thing from a prude that you'll find, but I have to admit that it's pleasant to hear a modern pop song that's joyful in a way other than "Let's bang as soon as possible". Imagine yourself dancing to this song. It shouldn't be difficult - it's so jaunty! When I dance around to this song, it's not sultry or suggestive, but a dance that's more of a frenetic burst of sunshine. I can easily envision twirling a partner around at the end of my arm as this plays in the background.
It's not a perfect song; I find myself actively annoyed by the tinny speech at the end. Still, it's an enormously fun tune that not only manages to distinguish itself as a song of the summer, but manages to distinguish itself amongst the songs of summer. "Dance Apocalyptic" is truly in a category by itself, and although something like "Blurred Lines" may represent this year's season better, I have a feeling that five years from now, I'll rather listen to this one.
Song of the Summer Odds: 5:2
I'm the furthest thing from a prude that you'll find, but I have to admit that it's pleasant to hear a modern pop song that's joyful in a way other than "Let's bang as soon as possible". Imagine yourself dancing to this song. It shouldn't be difficult - it's so jaunty! When I dance around to this song, it's not sultry or suggestive, but a dance that's more of a frenetic burst of sunshine. I can easily envision twirling a partner around at the end of my arm as this plays in the background.
It's not a perfect song; I find myself actively annoyed by the tinny speech at the end. Still, it's an enormously fun tune that not only manages to distinguish itself as a song of the summer, but manages to distinguish itself amongst the songs of summer. "Dance Apocalyptic" is truly in a category by itself, and although something like "Blurred Lines" may represent this year's season better, I have a feeling that five years from now, I'll rather listen to this one.
Song of the Summer Odds: 5:2
Song of the Summer 2013 Contender: "Get Lucky"
I harbor no delusions that I'm selecting the "official" song of the summer this year. I may go on about which tunes I'm getting a kick out of, but as far as society goes, it's clearly been narrowed down to "Blurred Lines", which I like, Icona Pop's "I Love It", which I hate, and this one.
Yes, it's "Get Lucky", performed by Daft Punk, featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers.
I feel silly even outlining reasons this is in contention. Just listen to it! The backbeat! The breezy tone! Woe unto anyone in the next car over when this comes on, because my body instantly gives into the rhythm every time. If anything meets the textbook definition of what a summer jam is supposed to be, it's this song.
Even if the song weren't as popular as it is, I'd be into it. I've always liked Daft Punk, and really got into N*E*R*D a few years ago, so of course I like the blending of those two sounds; they work well together. "Get Lucky" may not wind up being my personal top choice of the year, but it's certainly one of America's. And though there may be a song or two that edge it out in terms of overall quality, it's top dog as far as jams go, and will always be welcome on the playlist.
Song of the Summer Odds: 3:2
Yes, it's "Get Lucky", performed by Daft Punk, featuring Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers.
I feel silly even outlining reasons this is in contention. Just listen to it! The backbeat! The breezy tone! Woe unto anyone in the next car over when this comes on, because my body instantly gives into the rhythm every time. If anything meets the textbook definition of what a summer jam is supposed to be, it's this song.
Even if the song weren't as popular as it is, I'd be into it. I've always liked Daft Punk, and really got into N*E*R*D a few years ago, so of course I like the blending of those two sounds; they work well together. "Get Lucky" may not wind up being my personal top choice of the year, but it's certainly one of America's. And though there may be a song or two that edge it out in terms of overall quality, it's top dog as far as jams go, and will always be welcome on the playlist.
Song of the Summer Odds: 3:2
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