Monday, April 14, 2014
Album Ratings
Album: The Heist-Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Favorite Tracks: Thin Line, Starting Over, Make the Money, Jimmy Iovine, A Wake
Least Favorite Tracks: Bom Bom, Can't Hold Us
Rating: 9/10
Comments:
Album: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City-Kendrick Lamar
Favorite Tracks: Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe, Sing About Me I'm Dying Of Thirst, Poetic Justice, m.A.A.D. City
Least Favorite Tracks: Real, Compton
Rating: 9/10
Comments:
Album: Long Live ASAP-ASAP Rocky
Favorite Tracks: 1Train, Fuckin' Problems, PMW, Ghetto Symphony, Wild For The Night
Least Favorite Tracks: Hell, Suddenly, LVL
Rating: 9/10
Comments:
Album: Crew Cuts-Hoodie Allen
Favorite Tracks: Let Me Be Me, Good Intentions, Casanova, Heart 2 Heart, Two Lips
Least Favorite Tracks: Cake Boy
Rating: 8/10
Comments:
Album: Winter & The Wolves-Grieves
Favorite Tracks: Smoke in the Night, Whoa is Me, Over You, Autumn
Least Favorite Tracks: Recluse, Like Child, Astronaughts
Rating: 6/10
Comments:
Album: Because the Internet-Childish Gambino
Favorite Tracks: 3005, Sweatpants, Life: The Biggest Troll
Least Favorite Tracks: WORLDSTAR
Rating: 5/10
Comments:
Album: Yeezus-Kanye West
Favorite Tracks: Bound 2, Blood On The Leaves, Black Skinhead, New Slaves
Least Favorite Tracks: I Am A God ,
Rating: 4/10
Comments:
Album: Nothing Was The Same-Drake
Favorite Tracks: Too Much, All Me,
Least Favorite Tracks: 305 To My City
Rating: 4/10
Comments:
Album: Kid Cudi Presents Satellite Flight: The journey to Mother Moon
Favorite Tracks: In My Dreams 2015, Balmain Jeans
Least Favorite Tracks: Troubled Boy
Rating: 2/10
Comments:
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Is Lyricism Dead?
As far as lyrics, lyrical content, and wordplay... the magic just isn't there any more.
We're entering into a new era of music where artists that are just not that lyrical are competing with artists that are lyrical, and they do so through strong production values that give not only catchier beats but also choruses that are more irresistible.
And frankly, there is nothing wrong with the rise in popularity of artists with weak lyricism.
To delve deeper into the issue and keep some consistency, I'll be focusing on lyricism in hip-hop. (and because other genres like pop have always been devoid of worthwhile lyrics.)
So it's no contest that new artists like Kendrick Lamar and Danny Brown outshine other artists like ASAP Rocky and Schoolboy Q when it comes to depth and personality in lyrics, and yet; artists like these are equally popular.
This is because each artists satisfies a different niche in the hip-hop world. While some may appreciate the turbulent struggles of coming up in the pseudo-ghetto neighborhoods of Compton as explored by Kendrick's lyrics, others may appreciate hype beats and progressive instrumentals that artists like Asap Rocky and Chief Keef have.
In fact, one of my favorite tracks off of Asap Rocky's album Long Live Asap is F**ckin' Problems because of the way it so unabashedly makes you want play it in your car with the windows rolled down while cranking the volume up when your car is at a stoplight so everyone else can "enjoy" it too. Surprisingly, I think Kendrick's verse in this song is the weakest; his reflective persona and usual lyrical brilliance does not play well into the hype of the track. It is even a bit cringe-y to hear him wastes his talents by saying "Girl, you know you want that d'ehhhhhhh."
Even Eminem, someone known for his lyrical prowess and flow has given into having a more production-driven album with MMLP2, which had a very lackluster showing with very bland lyrics. Ex: "This is your jam, unless you got toe jam." Even with his most technically proficient song Rap God, which boasted the classic Eminem confidence and braggadocios behavior, was lyrically terrible: with an inside-line about some hip-hop dispute between Fab and Ray-J and that set of bars which end every line with "lookin' boy".
I don't want to sound like a hipster, but compare this to some of the older works of Eminem. Bad Guy, which is supposed to be the MMLP2 follow-up to the critically acclaimed MMLP song Stan (which is also my all-time favorite of Eminem's), falls short because through weaker lyrics, it does not give the same emotional investment into the character that Eminem is trying to portray. Even one of hip-hop's most timeless artists, one who has has remained a prominent figure of hip-hop, has switched to a more production-driven style, and remained extremely popular as a result.
Fundamentally, appreciation to music is appreciation to sound. It's only been a very modern concept to appreciate music for the depth and integrity of the meanings behind those sounds. While I appreciate lyricism and understand the merits behind it, I believe it's pretentious and asinine to argue that artists that do not have strong lyricism should not be as popular as those that do. Seriously, if you want to find some deep enlightenment or some epiphanous inspiration for your next Disney script send-in, you might be better off reading a book. But if you want to enjoy yourself to infectious rhythmic beats and head-bobbing sounds, then music is definitely your way to go.
We're entering into a new era of music where artists that are just not that lyrical are competing with artists that are lyrical, and they do so through strong production values that give not only catchier beats but also choruses that are more irresistible.
And frankly, there is nothing wrong with the rise in popularity of artists with weak lyricism.
To delve deeper into the issue and keep some consistency, I'll be focusing on lyricism in hip-hop. (and because other genres like pop have always been devoid of worthwhile lyrics.)
So it's no contest that new artists like Kendrick Lamar and Danny Brown outshine other artists like ASAP Rocky and Schoolboy Q when it comes to depth and personality in lyrics, and yet; artists like these are equally popular.
This is because each artists satisfies a different niche in the hip-hop world. While some may appreciate the turbulent struggles of coming up in the pseudo-ghetto neighborhoods of Compton as explored by Kendrick's lyrics, others may appreciate hype beats and progressive instrumentals that artists like Asap Rocky and Chief Keef have.
In fact, one of my favorite tracks off of Asap Rocky's album Long Live Asap is F**ckin' Problems because of the way it so unabashedly makes you want play it in your car with the windows rolled down while cranking the volume up when your car is at a stoplight so everyone else can "enjoy" it too. Surprisingly, I think Kendrick's verse in this song is the weakest; his reflective persona and usual lyrical brilliance does not play well into the hype of the track. It is even a bit cringe-y to hear him wastes his talents by saying "Girl, you know you want that d'ehhhhhhh."
Even Eminem, someone known for his lyrical prowess and flow has given into having a more production-driven album with MMLP2, which had a very lackluster showing with very bland lyrics. Ex: "This is your jam, unless you got toe jam." Even with his most technically proficient song Rap God, which boasted the classic Eminem confidence and braggadocios behavior, was lyrically terrible: with an inside-line about some hip-hop dispute between Fab and Ray-J and that set of bars which end every line with "lookin' boy".
I don't want to sound like a hipster, but compare this to some of the older works of Eminem. Bad Guy, which is supposed to be the MMLP2 follow-up to the critically acclaimed MMLP song Stan (which is also my all-time favorite of Eminem's), falls short because through weaker lyrics, it does not give the same emotional investment into the character that Eminem is trying to portray. Even one of hip-hop's most timeless artists, one who has has remained a prominent figure of hip-hop, has switched to a more production-driven style, and remained extremely popular as a result.
Eminem's Stan
Fundamentally, appreciation to music is appreciation to sound. It's only been a very modern concept to appreciate music for the depth and integrity of the meanings behind those sounds. While I appreciate lyricism and understand the merits behind it, I believe it's pretentious and asinine to argue that artists that do not have strong lyricism should not be as popular as those that do. Seriously, if you want to find some deep enlightenment or some epiphanous inspiration for your next Disney script send-in, you might be better off reading a book. But if you want to enjoy yourself to infectious rhythmic beats and head-bobbing sounds, then music is definitely your way to go.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
My Theory on Frozen
Frozen is already universally acclaimed as an innovative 21st century family film filled with fun and adventure; but does one of its more controversial themes go unnoticed?
What if Elsa, the glistening snow-sorceress of this film, is a homosexual?
Wait, what?
We've already soared past the woman's suffrage movement and the civil rights movement, and with the popularity of LGBT rights in our pop-culture, it is clear that the next big movement is for homosexuals. Disney cleverly creates an extended metaphor by using Elsa and her sorceress powers to show us the endearing struggles of homosexuals.
Elsa's sorceress powers are a metaphor for her homosexuality.
So Elsa is playing with her younger sister when she accidentally hurts her with her ice powers during the opening scene of the film, that's when she first realizes her homosexuality. Her parents come in and see what is going on between the two of them. Seeing the abomination of her sorcery/homosexuality, they lock her away for fear of it and separate her from her sister. They tell her to hide her powers, a euphemism for hiding her feelings. Societal norms would outcast witches just like they did with homosexuals. By locking Elsa into her room and having the point of view pan across her doors; doors become a continued theme throughout the film: The doors enclose Elsa's feelings similar to how we coin the term for homosexuals 'being in the closet'.
When the gates finally open and Anna meets the Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, Elsa fervently rejects her blessing for marriage due to her own jealousy. Her homosexual love for her sister is again shown at the end of the film when the prophecy of only true love being able to thaw Anna is fulfilled by Anna's protection of Elsa.
However, the most grandeur-filled showing of this metaphor occurs with the Oscar-nominated song 'Let It Go'. In the song Elsa makes her way to the top of an icy mountain, away from society. That is where she finally comes to terms with her powers/homosexuality. The lyrical parallel for this metaphor can be heard in the lines:
"Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know"
Elsa is reflecting on her parents attempts to try to hide her homosexuality/feelings.
"No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I’m free"
I’m free"
She is coming to terms with her true self and how now that there are no rules she is free to be who she really is.
"Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone"
She has finally let go of the social boundaries which have constrained her inner-desires. She has shattered the traditional notions of being a perfect Disney princess by being homosexual and we see that through her saying 'That perfect girl is gone'. She realizes she is not perfect in the eyes of her kingdom/society because she is a homosexual, and she has come to accept that.
Of course Disney is not ready to make one of it's main characters openly homosexual; which is a bit ironic considering the progressive message this film may subtly be trying to send.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)