Rhapsody: The Mix: Rachel Devitt Category Feedtag:blog.rhapsody.com,2009-06-05://12011-11-29T17:13:05ZMovable Type Pro 4.31-enCheat Sheet: Christmas on the Dance Floortag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.44092011-11-29T17:58:56Z2011-11-29T17:13:05Z We don't know about you, but this time of year makes us want to strap on a pair of sparkly gold stilettos, squeeze into something that's possibly too tight...Rachel Devitt
We don't know about you, but this time of year makes us want to strap on a pair of sparkly gold stilettos, squeeze into something that's possibly too tight given how much we ate over Thanksgiving, and get our ho-ho-holiday on — on the dancefloor, of course. Thankfully, many of our favorite pop stars seem to feel the same way, obliging us with festive dance pop originals and clubby remakes of the classics, all decked out with killer beats and groovable hooks. To get you in the holiday spirit, we've assembled this little guide to the brightest lights on the holiday pop tree, from the Biebster's naughty, brand-spanking-new Under the Mistletoe to Destiny's Child's ode to Rudolph. It's Christmas — with a beat you can dance to. 'Tis the season to get your booty wiggling!
Justin Bieber Under the Mistletoe
The Biebster + the holidays? Why didn't someone think of this sooner?! The boy wonder knows how to get you in the festive mood. And we do mean mood: things get downright naughty on "Christmas Eve." The classics are craftily reworked (Santa comes to town with hip-hop swagger; the drummer boy goes clubbing), and the originals are finely tuned to show off Bieber's surprising range, from dubby coffee-shop pop to soulful country. Plus, a bunch of fabulous guests stop by, including Usher, Boyz II Men and, yes, Mariah Carey. Mistletoe is no Mimi holiday album. But it's one heck of a holiday party. [Rachel Devitt]
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Mariah Carey Merry Christmas
Carey lends her impressive skills to a selection of Christmas classics with a couple originals thrown in. "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is almost Phil Spector-level greatness, but the best part of the album is probably the photo of her on the cover. That said, at least Carey was cool enough to do a Christmas record. [Mike McGuirk]
Mariah Carey Merry Christmas II You
When you've already put out one beloved and (dare we say it) almost timeless holiday album, the stakes are high. But Mariah has the diva chops to pull off II. The old familiars are bolstered by Mariah's still-impressive voice: the skyscraping live version of "O Holy Night" sounds as if the centuries-old carol was written for her, and the duet with her opera-singer mama will warm any grinch's heart. But it's the originals that elevate her a cut above the usual yuletide fluff: see "Oh Santa!", which balances heady holiday joy and hip-hop cool, and has "new classic" written all over it. [R.D.]
Destiny's Child 8 Days of Christmas
Destiny's Child's 8 Days of Christmas is all sex and family, family and sex, bling and church. Then again, sexy family values were always the beloved girl-group's ethos. The ladies bring their glittering, wholesome swagger to everyone from Rudolph to the Little Drummer Boy (taking the family part literally, with a cameo from B's sis Solange Knowles). The title track drives the album's mood home ("On the eighth day of Christmas my baby gave to me/ A pair of Chloe shades and a diamond belly ring"), but their hip-hoperatic take on the classics (especially "Opera of the Bells") sells it. [R.D.]
Various Artists A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 7
The seventh entry in the Very Special Christmas series features hot young stars (Miley Cyrus, Sean Kingston) alongside some up-and-comers (Gloriana, Charice) hoping to make an indelible mark in their respective genres. There's a good mix here, from the dancehall-leaning version of "The Little Drummer Boy" and the pure pop bliss of "Last Christmas" to the pepped-up version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" to the gentle twang and harmonies of "Silent Night." There's definitely something for everyone in this assorted box of Christmas delights. [Linda Ryan]
Glee Cast The Music, The Christmas Album, Vol. 1 & 2
Isn't a holiday album from the cherubic-voiced, delightfully naughty Glee kids what you always wanted for Christmas? Gifted as they are, the kiddos deliver. By now, Lea Michele (Rachel) is like fruitcake: a little of that rich voice goes a long way. So it's nice to hear some of the other performers getting more ear time, especially on the second volume, which features Amber Riley's Mariah-baiting version of "All I Want for Christmas Is You." It's Glee, home of megalomaniacal melismas and so much belting, so both albums are heavy on the ballads. But a few Christmas dance-pop lights twinkle here and there, like the mashup "Deck the Rooftop." [R.D.]
Kristine W Hey Mr. Christmas
The club diva's holiday album is, in many ways, just what you'd expect: soulful vocals, hopscotching house beats and two awesome (and awesomely awkward) original songs. She seductively sweet-talks a gentleman named "Mr. Christmas" and works on some new-day diva resolutions on "Everyday's a Holiday." She gets in the ho-ho-holiday spirit with the disco-fried cover "Hard Candy Christmas." But when religious songs like "O Holy Night" and "Mary Did You Know" get the club treatment, they somehow come off both reverent and sleek (albeit in a totally campy sense). [R.D.] See Also:Club Christmas 3
Aly & AJ Acoustic Hearts of Winter
It may be an acoustic album, but it's also an Aly & AJ album, which means you can dance to it. The teenage sisters showcase their faith and their vocals on this album of cozy, acoustic Christmas pop. The pair updates a slew of yuletide chestnuts with polished arrangements and pristine production, but they remain faithful to the classic melodies of carols like "The First Noel" and "Silent Night." Opening the album is an upbeat original, "Greatest Time of Year," which appears on the soundtrack to the The Santa Clause 3. [R.D.]
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Roundup: International Holiday Albumstag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43862011-11-23T14:00:00Z2011-11-23T17:56:02Z We all love our holiday traditions, including our favorite seasonal songs, whether you're a classicist or a "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"-ist. This year, why not add...Rachel Devitt
We all love our holiday traditions, including our favorite seasonal songs, whether you're a classicist or a "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer"-ist. This year, why not add a global dimension to your holiday listening traditions by embracing some international music customs? We've assembled an extensive guide to the best international and Latin holiday albums, including Christmas-, Hanukkah- and solstice-friendly music from Ireland, Cuba, Jamaica, Eastern Europe and more. So start listening and find some new ways to (musically) say Merry Christmas! Feliz Navidad! Nollaig Shona Dhaoibh! Ah Freilichen Chanukah! Happy holidays!
1. The Chieftains The Bells of Dublin
This 1991 album still stands as an unlikely holiday classic — unlikely because only a handful of the usual suspects make it on here. Yes, you'll hear "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "O Holy Night" and a healthy heap of other traditional tunes, but the bulk of The Bells of Dublin plumbs deep into the season, featuring Breton and French carols alongside the odd, Elvis Costello-sung "St. Stephen's Day Murders." The sprawling album commences with the chiming bells of Dublin's Christchurch Cathedral, and they appear throughout. Jackson Browne, Rickie Lee Jones, Marianne Faithfull and many others guest. [Sarah Bardeen]
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2. The Klezmatics Woody Guthrie's Joyous Happy Hanukkah
Yes, you read that right — Woody Guthrie's happy joyous Hanukkah. Guthrie wasn't Jewish, but his mother-in-law, Yiddish poet Aliza Greenblatt, was, and they shared a professional as well as a familial relationship, critiquing each other's work and participating in social-justice movements together. Over the years, Guthrie penned a handful of Jewish-themed songs for community events, and The Klezmatics (at the behest of his daughter, Nora) have picked them up and transformed them into a rollicking, lighthearted album. [S.B.]
3. Celia Cruz Festejando Navidad
It really doesn't get better than a Celia Cruz Christmas album. You can pinch yourself, check for sleigh bells on the roof, sniff the eggnog ... but you're not dreaming. This really is the young Cruz (with La Sonora Matancera) singing "Jingle Bells" in Spanish and lending her surprisingly sweet voice to an assortment of romantic, horn-driven songs loosely about the season. It's so charming, you won't be able to stop listening. [S.B.] See Also: La Reina's Celebremos Nochebuena
4. Various Artists Sly & Robbie Presents: Taxi X'mas
If you're a fan of Sly & Robbie's storied production or their pioneering work in Jamaican music, well, this isn't the best example of it. What we've got here is a collection of holiday standards by reggae and dub legends that's appealing not so much for its legendary artistry as its kitsch value. But oh my, what kitsch value. A 20-minute medley that covers everything from "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" to "Little Drummer Boy"? A dubby cover of The Jackson 5's "Give Love on Christmas Day" with New Jack synth blasts? And, of course, reggae stars dreaming of a white Christmas? Yes, please! [Rachel Devitt]
5. Willie Colon with Hector Lavoe Asalto Navideño and Asalto Navideño II
Despite this dynamic duo's bad-boy rep, the "assault" here refers to the parranda, the Latin American custom of caroling groups staging impromptu parties at neighbors' houses. Like any good Fania record, an impromptu party is just what Asalto sounds like. No salsa-fied versions of the holiday standards here. Instead, we get warm, virtuosic originals laced through with Puerto Rican folk styles (bomba, plena and, especially, jibaro), filled with lyrics about the roots and evolution of diasporic culture, and performed by Colon, Lavoe and a cadre of their equally talented friends. [R.D.]
6. Enya And Winter Came
In the wintry world of Enya's first-ever Christmas release, the Irish artist carries us across snowy fields that stretch for miles, windswept by unearthly "oohs" and "ahhs" and accompanied by the shimmering bridle bells of the ivory gelding's canter. The collection of originals is mixed with some traditionals — like the startling rendition "O Come O Come Emmanuel" — but leans toward agnostic winter leitmotifs. The most interesting song is the penultimate "My! My! Time Flies!", a gentle snowball fight between John Tesh and Brian May that includes, of all rare gifts, a genuine guitar solo. [Nate Cavalieri] See Also:Celtic Woman, A Christmas Celebration
7. Various Artists Superestrellas en Navidad: Pop
Okay, it's not a genius Christmas album. But Superestrellas will get you in that food-eating, TV-watching, family-gossiping, slightly sentimental mood that typifies the holidays. It does best, however, when it ditches the David Bisbal stuff and focuses on the slightly more folksy songs — Juanes' "El Burrito De Belen" (which easily trumps Garibaldi's "Feliz Navidad") or Jose Feliciano's "Canto a Borinquen," for instance. [S.B.] See Also: Various Artists, Navidad en Mi Pueblo
8. Various Artists Jewltide
JDub, the Jewish crossover label that brought us acts like Balkan Beat Box and DeLeon, jumps into the holiday fray with an unorthodox (ha!), truly enjoyable, nominally Chanukah-identified holiday album. The first religion of many musicians is the joy of the dance, and that's pretty evident here: these artists may sit down for Shabbat dinner with you at twilight, but they'll have you at an all-night rave by midnight. You'll be thanking your lucky dreidel. And really, what better way to celebrate the triumph of the Maccabees? [S.B.] See Also:The Klezmonauts, Oy to the World
9. Various Artists Top Latino Navidad 2
This sampler from across the Latin-music world will hit the spot during the holidays. Plenty of big stars (Luis Enrique, Milly Quezada, Gilberto Santa Rosa) and beloved classics are here, and if they're skewed a bit to the Caribbean side of things, well, you won't mind too much when that bias encompasses Gloria Estefan's "Arbolito de Navidad," El Gran Combo's "Jingle Bells"-sampling "Alegría y Paz," and Celia Cruz doing "El Año Viejo." Besides, the comp branches out in just the right places: a duranguense "Jingle Bells," Javier Solis waxing nostalgic and, of course, "El Burrito de Belén." [R.D.] See Also:Luis Miguel, Navidades
10. Kitka Wintersongs
Eastern European women's choir Kitka offers a refreshingly distinctive take on the seasonal album, focusing on songs of winter (and the holidays, including pre-Christian traditions) from the region. It's a spine-tingling smorgasbord of traditional songs and carols that evokes a range of moods, from angelic choir ("Domnulet Si Domn Din Cer") to rollicking, meter-shifting folk dance ("Zamuchi Se Bozha Majka") to prayerful meditation ("Otche Nash"). Equal parts folk archive and gorgeous fireside soundtrack best served with a mug of glintwein, it's also a showcase of the group's power and grace. [R.D.] See Also:Bulgarian Voices, Angelite: Angels' Christmas
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Feliz Navidad: A Latin Christmas Celebration!tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43892011-11-23T14:00:00Z2011-11-23T17:34:45Z Like the holiday season itself (emphasis on season — as in weeks of festivities), Christmas songs are kind of a big deal in the Latin-music world. From meditative religious...Rachel Devitt
Like the holiday season itself (emphasis on season — as in weeks of festivities), Christmas songs are kind of a big deal in the Latin-music world. From meditative religious songs to rollicking salsa soundtracks perfect for a parranda (the caroling/party tradition), sun-kissed Spanish versions of "White Christmas" to "El Burrito de Belén," there's a song for just about every occasion, and chances are it's been recorded by just about every big-name Latin star. In the spirit of the season, we put together a massive navidad mega-mix with the perfect song for every mood and moment, whether you're waking up at the crack of dawn for a novena service, preparing for a festive nochebuena dinner with family or just celebrating the season with friends. It includes a multiversion "Burrito" breakdown! ¡Feliz Navidad!
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Pop Roundup, November 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43912011-11-22T17:16:03Z2011-11-22T19:09:06Z Well, pop fans, it looks like Christmas came early for us this year. Or, to put it another (more accurate) way, your favorite pop stars hustled to get their...Rachel Devitt
Well, pop fans, it looks like Christmas came early for us this year. Or, to put it another (more accurate) way, your favorite pop stars hustled to get their big albums out in time for the holidays — but before the end-of-the-year dead zone in which no album survives. Many beloved boldface names here: Rihanna! Kelly Clarkson! Drake! Bieber! The Muppets! In fact, so many great albums came out in the last month, we couldn't find a way to limit it to just 10. So here are pop's Top 11 albums of the last month — plus honorable mentions!
1. Rihanna Talk That Talk
With love-drunk lyrics and throbbing club beats, much of Talk sounds like Rihanna recorded it while joyously spinning in circles. Don't worry: she's still a naughty girl, too — more than ever. But in place of Loud's themes of strength in submission, Riri climbs on top this time, making demands, acting the aggressor, even requesting you suck her "Cockiness." Her "Red Lipstick" marks her claim on hip-hop masculinity, rather than on a man, but even her self-presentation as a "Birthday Cake" feels like a finger-snapping command. Talk is a sexy, confident play on notions of power. [Rachel Devitt]
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2. Kelly Clarkson Stronger
All right, who keeps doing Kelly Clarkson wrong? Because the unselfish humanitarian in us wants them to stop it. But our selfish music-lover side loves how good feeling bad sounds through Clarkson's voice. Album five finds her doing what she does best: exposing her insecurities, giving the heartbreakers the Clarkson Kiss-Off and strumming our pain with her husky belt in variations on her dramatic pop-rock from '80s confessional pop (the lovely "Honestly") to country ("Breaking Your Own Heart"). Don't miss the title track, "What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)," a classic diva survival anthem complete with four-on-the-floor disco beats. [R.D.]
3. Florence & the Machine Ceremonials
After blowing up with her debut, Lungs, Florence Welch holds nothing back on the follow-up. Every song has a similar setup: Welch tiptoes in like it's a haunted house — quietly, innocently, almost tentatively — before she bursts through, a reckless siren of Kate Bush descent, boldly battling with rolling piano, huge bass, glistening strings and choral echoes. She works the romantic drama with gut-twisting grandiosity like fellow Brit belter Adele trapped in some sort of Transylvanian echo chamber. This is the kind of woman who will haunt your dreams — and you can't help but like it. [Stephanie Benson]
4. Drake Take Care
For Take Care, Drake re-ups the lush R&B romanticism of 2010's Thank Me Later, albeit with a twist. "I know I exaggerated things/ But now I got it like that," he says on "Headlines," where he threatens to use his bodyguards on haters. (What happened to Gang Starr's "Suckas Need Bodyguards"?) Big cars, pliant women and deliciously ambient beats from Boi-1da and Noah "40" Shebib inspire this tastefully appointed exercise in debauchery. But Drake's not too famous to beg the girls on "Marvin's Room" and the title track, even if it sounds more like a booty call than true love. [Mosi Reeves]
5. Mary J. Blige My Life II: The Story Continues
Mary J. Blige can never re-create the experience that was My Life. She has evolved since that 1994 classic, and nowadays she sings quiet storm ballads more often than hip-hop soul. That said, My Life II is Mary's most vital album in years. It's hard not to get a rush of giddiness when she teams with Nas for "Feel Inside" and its Wu-Tang-sampling beat, and "Ain't Nobody" and "Next Level" recall Mary in her prime. Yes, there are plenty of sappy self-help numbers like "The Living Proof," but after two decades in the business, this R&B legend has earned the right to make them. [M.R.]
6. Various Artists The Muppets Soundtrack
OK, so they may not be the best cover artists, but it's hard not to crack a smile at merely the idea of The Muppets Barbershop Quartet tackling '90s anthem "Smells Like Teen Spirit," or Camilla and the Chickens clucking their way through Cee-Lo's "Forget You." To add to the randomness, Joanna Newsom pops up on the theme song, and Feist livens up "Life's a Happy Song" (written by Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKenzie). Along with quick snippets from the movie, cowriter and star Jason Segel gets his rightful time in the crooner spotlight with gems like "Man or Muppet." [S.B.]
7. Big Time Rush Elevate
The Jonas Brothers may be pursuing solo projects, and the era of 'NSYNC (and even Justin Timberlake the singer) may be long over, but the funky, fresh-faced boy band lives on, thanks to Big Time Rush. The Nickelodeon TV band's take on the idiom ranges from Bieber-fied pop soul ("No Idea") to acoustic heartstring-strummers that fall somewhere between Mraz and Mars ("Cover Girl"), from angsty midtempo jams to plenty of finger-popping dance cuts. In other words, the whole album is as comfy and familiar as your boyfriend's borrowed hoodie, complete with solid, snuggly-sexy vocals. [R.D.]
8. Paulina Rubio Brava!
Like every other early 2010s pop star, Paulina Rubio has been bitten by the clubby dance pop bug. And why not? She's got the voice (light, unobtrusively sexy) and the (diva) presence to pull it off. But while that material is pleasant and danceable (especially lead single "Me Gustas Tanto"), it feels a bit standoffish. The English tracks are particularly lackluster. The second half finds her branching out — and warming up — as she duets with Taboo, preens and prances through the vallenato-laced "Me Voy" and fetchingly coos across the sweeping synths of ballad "Que Estuvieras Aqui." [R.D.]
9. Gym Class Heroes The Papercut Chronicles II
On their first album since Travie McCoy's solo turn, Gym Class Heroes play things a bit safe. The Papercut Chronicles II doesn't get as playful as previous efforts have. Mischievous titles take off in serious directions: "Martyrial Girl$" is pretty cynical, while "Ass Back Home" turns out to be a kinda heartwarming love song. Much of the quirk is reserved for collaborators: British dance pop weirdo Neon Hitch, indie ingénue Oh Land. But who needs quirk when you've got slick beats, smooth flows and, of course, lots of girl talk, like on "Lazarus, Ze Gitan," a revamped "California Girls." [R.D.]
10. Justin Bieber Under the Mistletoe
The Biebster + holidays? Why didn't someone think of this sooner?! The boy wonder knows how to get you in the festive mood. And we do mean mood: things get downright naughty on "Christmas Eve." The classics are craftily reworked (Santa comes to town with hip-hop swagger; the drummer boy goes clubbing), and the originals are finely tuned to show off Bieber's surprising range, from dubby coffee-shop pop to soulful country. Plus, a bunch of fabulous guests stop by, including Usher, Boyz II Men and, yes, Mariah Carey. Mistletoe is no Mimi holiday album. But it's one heck of a holiday party. [R.D.]
11. Alexandra Stan Saxobeats Saxobeats is not so much Alexandra Stan's debut album as a continuation of the Romanian pop star's first big hit. The familiar sultry coo, icy club beats and, especially, that jaunty synth-sax that made "Mr. Saxobeat" a smash are so prevalent that the appropriately titled album almost feels like a continuous mix, from the bouncy, innuendo-licked "Lollipop" through the clutch of remixes that round out the eight original tracks here. But little details (like the catwalk hopscotch beat of "Ting-Ting") and one big detour (hip-hop cut "1 Million") keep the groove from being a sexy, sexy rut. [R.D.]
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Source Material: Rihanna, Good Girl Gone Badtag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43572011-11-15T17:17:13Z2011-11-18T17:42:35ZRachel Devitt
When Good Girl Gone Bad first dropped in 2007, it re-introduced the world to Rihanna in several different ways. Already an up-and-coming pop-R&B star, the Barbadian 20-year-old morphed into a megawatt hit machine as the album spawned smash after smash, starting with the ubiquitous "Umbrella." Despite her youth, it also introduced her as a mature force to be reckoned with, an all-grown-up pop diva capable of holding her own against whatever heavyweight producers like Timbaland and Tricky Stewart threw at her.
But finally, Good Girl introduced us to a stormier Rihanna comfortable using both sexuality and vulnerability as languages of independence. Not only did her turn to the dark side pave the way for Riri's future experiments with the fine line between eroticism and emotion, it also placed her in a long line of fierce "bad girls" in the history of pop music. Retrace her musical and emotional excavation with our Source Material guide to Good Girl Gone Bad (the 2008 "reloaded" version).
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Beyoncé, "Crazy in Love" and Jay-Z, "Hard Knock Life"
B's influence on just about any pop/R&B singer who came after Destiny's Child is pretty undeniable. But Rihanna managed to take up her one-two punch of fierce stances and killer hooks more convincingly than most. In fact, she's less a follower than a sort of partner-in-crime little sister. Good Girl Gone Bad in particular found Riri exploring a favorite terrain of Beyoncé's: that murky emotional netherworld somewhere between "screw you" and, well, "screw you" (it's a world littered with kiss-off songs). Add the Jay-Z factor into the mix — he did mentor Riri on her rise to superstardom — and you've got a regular hip-pop family tree going.
Janet Jackson The Velvet Rope
On a family tree where Beyoncé is Rihanna's stylistic big sister, Janet Jackson is her spiritual godmother (or, at least, cool aunt). Good Girl Gone Bad picks up where the story arc of Control and The Velvet Rope left off: pop-R&B singer makes up for lack of vocal stature with larger-than-life sexuality and a crisp yet vulnerable attitude, exposing body and soul as she simultaneously seduces, sasses and confesses. Oh yeah, and dances: let's not forget that both these artists have a strong commitment to just giving in and letting go on the dancefloor. Control would work here, too, but we chose The Velvet Rope for its erotic experimentalism (particularly its exploration of the idea of submission as power), a path Rihanna was just beginning to explore.
Etta James The Essential Etta James
Speaking of bold eroticism as a language of power (we were, right?), that's a conversation you just can't have without the formidable Ms. Etta James involved. The classic R&B singer's unabashed sexuality at a time when women weren't supposed to be sexual creatures; her shockingly blonde, heavily eyelinered look; her perpetual juxtaposition of that "bad girl" image with a ferociously bared soul? Well, let's just say when we hear tracks like "Push Up on Me" and "Hate That I Love You" on the same album, we wouldn't be surprised if Rihanna had a picture of James that she kissed and prayed to every night as she prepared to introduce her bad self to the world.
The Ronettes Be My Baby: The Very Best of the Ronettes
Where Etta and Rihanna differ, however, is in the vocals (and their aesthetic foundation), and that's where the girl groups come in. Whereas Etta and other classic R&B and soul singers employed growling, belting, gospel and blues-drenched vocal styles to help express their potency, The Ronettes expressed an equally fierce bad-girl ethos through smaller, flatter pop vocals not unlike Rihanna's. Moreover, the title alone of Good Girl Gone Bad could be a shorthand description for about half of the entire girl-group movement.
Prince, Dirty Mind and Michael Jackson, Thriller
If we're gonna talk about freaks, we can't omit Prince, whose insignia is all over Good Girl, from the cold-as-ice funk of "Breakin' Dishes" to the freak-me retro-R&B of "Push Up on Me." Clearly, Riri is a big Prince fan. And if we're gonna talk about funk-fed, soul-bred, strange-bird pop icons of the '80s, we can't omit Michael Jackson, either, who also appears to have moonwalked all over Good Girl (yikes, sorry, couldn't resist!). "Don't Stop the Music" samples "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," of course, but it's "Thriller" sequel "Disturbia" that seals the deal: clearly, Riri is a big M.J. fan, but what's more, she seems, like Jackson and Prince, to be interested in theatrically exploring the idea of the outsider within the mainstream, a pop outlier that goes beyond sexual freakery.
TLC Crazysexycool
Another way of saying "good girl gone bad"? "CrazySexyCool." Not only did Rihanna take up the scrubs-dissing yet love-searching philosophy and creeping confessionals of the hip-hop girl group, she also couched much of Good Girl in a slightly retro aesthetic that dips into '80s dance-pop and mellow '90s R&B jams on tracks like "Say It."
Sean Paul, Dutty Rock and Lady Saw, Strip Tease
Rihanna had all but edited out her Barbadian musical touchstones by Good Girl (they've since reappeared, thankfully). Nevertheless, her path from Barbados to superstardom was at least partially paved by the earlier successes of other Caribbean singers, particularly dancehall artists like Sean Paul, who struck crossover gold in 2003 with Dutty Rock. While Lady Saw has never enjoyed the same level of mainstream recognition, she's a global star in her own right and, more importantly for our purposes, one who built her career on the kind of powerfully explicit sexuality and formidable dancehall riddims tracks like Rihanna's "Lemme Get That" gesture toward.
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Cheat Sheet: Urban Latintag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43272011-11-09T17:16:34Z2011-11-17T18:50:32Z "Urban Latin" is at once an extremely specific and yet incredibly vague term, but for our purposes here we've defined it loosely as Latin music that in some way...Rachel Devitt
"Urban Latin" is at once an extremely specific and yet incredibly vague term, but for our purposes here we've defined it loosely as Latin music that in some way cozies up to mainstream hip-hop and R&B, whether through its beats, its aesthetics, its collaborations or its target audience. We've focused this Cheat Sheet on three prominent styles: reggaeton, Latin hip-hop, and the newest big player in this game, bachata. That Dominican pop genre hasn't always been as urban-identified as, say, reggaeton (in fact, bachata was originally the music of the rural poor), but many of its biggest stars are carving out an aesthetic kinship to R&B that feels organic and sounds hot.
Case in point: Romeo Santos, the former lead singer of bachata boy band Aventura, who continues his former group's interest in hip-hop and R&B on his just-released, hotly anticipated solo debut. Get to know some of Santos' fellow "urbanites" with our Cheat Sheet!
Alexis y Fido The Pitbulls (2005)
Along with Daddy Yankee and Wisin y Yandel, Alexis y Fido helped popularize the brand of reggaeton that paired fierce flows, swaggering lyrics, sauntering beats and a street focus with anthemic hooks. On the scene for years, the duo didn't release their debut until 2005, but what a debut. Lead single "Eso Ehh..!!" spent weeks at the top of the Latin charts, and continues to hover not quite a rung below "Gasolina" and "Rakata" in terms of massive, earth-shaking popularity. [Rachel Devitt] See Also: Daddy Yankee, Wisin y Yandel
Ivy Queen Diva (Platinum Edition) (2003)
Reggaeton's resident rude girl started shaking up the boy-dominated world of reggaeton in the '90s, first as a songwriter and then as a solo artist/force to be reckoned with. Just as reggaeton was preparing to hopscotch its way off the island of Puerto Rico and into stereos around the world, she released 2003's Diva. While it wasn't destined to be the album that kicked the doors open for reggaeton, it did help establish Ivy Queen as the voice for women. Ivy doesn't just hang with the boys, she bests them: her self-assured delivery never breaks a sweat, and you get the sense the guys she's trading verses with are trying to keep up with her, and not the other way around. The deluxe edition launched the monster hit "Quiero Bailar." [Sarah Bardeen] See Also:La Sista, for the anti-bling, alt-urban (but still just as fierce) flip side of Ivy Queen's reggaeton coin.
Tego Calderon El Abayarde (2003)
Tego Calderon has taken reggaeton in a lot of fascinating directions, while still managing to position himself near its center as one of the genre's biggest, most respected stars. His debut, a huge hit, established him as an artist whose beats, flow and sensibility were heavily doused in hip-hop hustle. [R.D.] See Also:Calle 13
Don Omar iDon (2009)
Don Omar's name is no joke. This reggaeton kingpin has been churning out the hits from day one — and crafting them out of a range of urban styles, from bachata to hip-hop to R&B to bits of salsa, even. He's a big enough player to introduce the world to his own stable of up-and-coming emcees (see Meet the Orphans, which, by the way, is responsible for one of the year's biggest hits, the chart-topping "Danza Kuduro"). And in 2009, he proved his status was even secure enough to attempt a concept album with the robo-world of iDon. His risk paid off: not only is the nuanced, distinctive album one of his best, but three songs wound up on one of the Fast and the Furious franchise's soundtracks. [R.D.]
Hector & Tito A La Reconquista (2002)
Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina" may have vaulted reggaeton into the American mainstream, but Hector & Tito (aka Los Bambinos) gave it a hefty shove with this 2002 release. The duo found audiences outside of Puerto Rico for the first time, gaining attention in Panama, El Salvador, the U.S. and beyond with their strident rhythms and distinctive gruff-but-thin vocal delivery. (Taking the urban crossover a step further, Hector "El Father" even signed with Roc-a-Fella when the duo split up — before he began wrestling with God and quit the game altogether.) [S.B.]
Bachata
Aventura We Broke the Rules (2002)
Bachata's first boy band!!! Insert squeals here, but if you don't have it in you, the thousands of screaming fans who pack stadiums for these Bronx-born cuties have you covered. Though bachata's traditional soft swells still form the basis of their sonic structure, Aventura work in well-placed stylistic references to hip-hop, R&B and pop (see: the Michael Jackson bite on "I Believe"), and drop bilingual lyrics into vocals that are almost more Babyface than bolero. These "boys" helped guarantee a dynamic future for the genre; "Obsesion" was one of bachata's first crossover hits. [R.D.]
Romeo Santos Formula, Vol. 1 (2011)
Aventura founder Santos wisely doesn't deviate much from his former band's Formula on his hotly anticipated solo debut, working the sweet-talking, slightly hip-hop-infused bachata-pop shuffle-and-roll saunter his fans love him for. But this is also Santos' chance to declare himself king of bachata and the genre's urban-crossover turf. So he cozies up to sleek dance pop, dramatic Latin balladry, sultry booty-hop (see the Lil Wayne-featuring "All Aboard"), and a host of high-profile guests from La Mala Rodriguez to Usher to George Lopez (!). [R.D.] See Also: Prince Royce
Toby Love La Voz de la Juventud (2011)
Toby Love has spent most of his career trying to sell us all on his hybrid genre "crunkchata," presenting himself as some kind of hard-rolling thug — even as he musically came at us with the sounds of teddy-bear-proffering, candlelight-loving, woo-making bachata love. Finally, on this year's La Voz, now that crunk is nearly dead, he solidifies his self-made genre, thought it's more R&Bachata. On cuts like "Eres Tu" and "Corazon," Love's weave is so seamless you'd swear R&B was born with that sexy stutter. [R.D.]
Spanish-Language Hip-Hop
Vico C Desahago (2005)
A veteran emcee and producer, Vico C has been cooking up hits since the early '90s, finding chart success in Puerto Rico as well as the States. Fusing hip-hop, dancehall, reggaeton, and Latin pop and traditional music, he has released over a dozen albums, including this midcareer effort to prove he's still got it (he does). [R.D.]
Pitbull El Mariel (2006)
Mr. 305 has long since become a superstar of global proportions. But bilingual rhymes, Florida's Latin culture and, especially, Cuban-American pride have always been a big part of his shtick — which he emphasizes fairly heavily on El Mariel, with its Fidel-dissing, South Beach-loving Caribbean-crunk vibe. [R.D.]
La Mala Rodriguez Malamarismo (2007)
Urban Latin's go-to fem-cee is also arguably Spain's most talented hip-hopper. La Mala (what a name for an emcee, no?) is big-time in her home country, indie gold in the U.S. and a hotly sought-after guest in the Latin world for her flamenco-damaged flow, fierce stance and sizzling-hot Spanish lyrics. [R.D.] See Also:Ana Tijoux
Akwid Proyecto Akwid (2003)
And now, lest we give the impression that Latin urban music is happening only on the East Coast or the Caribbean, let's turn to the other side of the continent. Once upon a time, before reggaeton had made its great leap over to massive mainstream success, another Latin hip-hop genre seemed poised for some time in the spotlight: urban regional. Brother duo Akwid helped instigate the style with their anthem "No Hay Manera" and the other accordions-and-horns-drenched, regional-Mexican-inflected, Cali-swagger-driven tracks here. [R.D.] See Also:Jae-P
Cartel de Santa Cartel de Santa (2003)
And now, lest we give the impression that urban Latin is happening only in the U.S. or the Caribbean, let's turn our attention to Mexico and the 2003 debut of promising hip-hop crew Cartel de Santa. MC Bobo's effortless flows should put half the U.S.'s emcees out of business, while Mono and DJ Augustin provide dense, textured production and deceptively simple beats. Every track shines, but "Burreros" stands out for the guitar-based production and syncopated delivery. [S.B.]
Cuarto Poder La Real Academia Del Flow (2004)
And now, lest we give the impression that urban Latin is all in North America, let's turn our attention to South America. These guys may or may not be single-handedly changing the face of Venezuelan hip-hop (should we believe the hype?), but they indisputably have the kind of seamless tag-team flow that few stateside groups — Jurassic 5 aside — achieve. It's a bit like listening to a game of verbal Twister: the quintet entwine their voices over sly, sideways beats and salsa breakdowns, using humorous references to American rap and dense lyricism to keep the sound charged but not overwhelming. Good stuff; expect greatness to come. [S.B.] See Also:Orishas, Choc Quib Town
Finally, of course, there's always Cypress Hill, who practically created the fine line that defines/divides urban Latin. If you like them, keep your ears out for the upcoming album from Ritmo Machine, the new project from Cypress Hill's Eric Bobo and Latin Bitman.
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Latin Grammy Awards 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43012011-11-03T17:07:41Z2011-11-03T16:09:12Z One of Latin music's biggest events of the year is coming up November 10. We're talking, of course, about the Latin Grammy Awards, the annual star-studded fete honoring the...Rachel Devitt
One of Latin music's biggest events of the year is coming up November 10. We're talking, of course, about the Latin Grammy Awards, the annual star-studded fete honoring the brightest stars and most exciting newcomers in the wide, wonderful Latin music world. Held this year in Las Vegas (and airing on Univision), the 2011 program promises to be a stunner. Mariachi star/actress Lucero and actor Cristián de la Fuente are hosting; boldfaced names like Alejandra Guzmán, Pitbull, Maná (with Prince Royce!) and Romeo Santos (featuring Usher!) are scheduled to perform; and Shakira's getting a special Person of the Year award. And then there are the awards themselves, the nominees for which include everyone from Los Tigres del Norte to Pablo Alborán, Enrique Iglesias to Calle 13 (with a whopping 10 nominations), in categories ranging from pop to urban, salsa to regional Mexican. Get ready for the big night with our comprehensive playlist of nominees!
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World Rounduptag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43032011-11-01T17:09:34Z2011-11-01T21:04:05Z Not to toot our own horn or anything, but we think Rhapsody's World Roundups are pretty exciting. It's just so rewarding and exhilarating to take this kind of whirlwind...Rachel Devitt
Not to toot our own horn or anything, but we think Rhapsody's World Roundups are pretty exciting. It's just so rewarding and exhilarating to take this kind of whirlwind trip around the world of global music, digging into all the fantastic and often under-the-radar new albums that have come out in the last couple months. Our Top Ten this time out, for instance, spans critically acclaimed African desert blues, almost-lost Afro-funk nuggets from Benin, shiver-inducing flamenco, neo-folkloric Mexican alt-rock and Brazilian-zydeco/Western swing/New Orleans jazz mashups. And that's just the first half! Get soundtrekking!
1. Tinariwen Tassili In a Nutshell: Tinariwen's fifth album is both their boldest and their most pared-down. The Touareg band is joined by unlikely guests, a move that could feel forced. Instead, Nels Cline's guitar adds the subtlest layer, TV on the Radio's doo-wop-through-the-looking-glass crooning folds into the mournful vocal texture, and The Dirty Dozen Brass Band's weary funereal horns feel almost organic on the meditative groove of "Ya Messingah." Alone, Tinariwen get more intimate than ever, abandoning amplification and ululation for the solo vocals and hushed acoustic instrumentation of Tamashek folk music.
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2. Lila Downs Pecados y Milagros In a Nutshell: Lila Downs' finely tuned penchant for theatrics and her polyglot appreciation for Latin styles have always been both her greatest assets and her potential downfalls, her magnificent reach perpetually threatening to topple the whole experiment. But on Pecados, she may have finally gotten it all balanced. You want telenovela-worthy drama? Check the sobbing hoots of "Tu Cárcel" or the circusy waltz of "Dios Nunca Muere." You want range? Ms. Downs offers pop, bachata, regional Mexican, folkloric, hip-hop, rock and even klezmer. It's all perfectly crafted and glued together with her warm, thick voice.
3. El Rego El Rego In a Nutshell:Fela Kuti is the household name, but Nigeria wasn't the only African funk scene going in the 1960s. In Benin, El Rego et ses Commandos instigated their own funk movement, called "jerk," but their recordings were mostly lost to all but the most diligent crate-diggers -- until now. This comp repositions the band at a crossroads where global politics, American soul and African pop intermingled in a heady, heavy brew. You'll hear echoes of JB (grunts and all), but also plenty of African elements, like the Orisha-haunted bell pattern of "Vive Le Renouveau" and the close harmonies of "Kpon Fi La."
4. Nation Beat Growing Stone In a Nutshell: Nation Beat is a bit of a misnomer for a band that's all about tracing unusual connections across geopolitical boundaries. Or, to put it another way, what this Brazilian-American outfit does is create a nation of beats that encompasses Brazilian urban and country music, musics of the American Southwest (like Western swing and country), and New Orleans jazz and brass bands. Sound like a crazy, chaotic party in your ears, right? But it works. Cuts like "Hook and Sling" (a blues-rock breakdown with a zydeco heart and a samba soul) and jazz gumbo "Sumiço Do Urucu" feel both groundbreaking and homey.
5. Buika En Mi Piel In a Nutshell: Concha Buika is the kind of artist that sprawling hits collections were built for. Already a fan of her sensual, scratchy vocals and dizzying (emotional, vocal, musical) range? Samples of just about everything you love are here, including tracks from her Chavela Vargas tribute with Chucho Valdes and her R&B stabs (the closest she comes to not quite perfect). Just getting to know the Spanish siren? Revel -- no, wallow -- in the graceful textures (flamenco, jazz, rumba, soul) and the way Buika's voice soars over and sears through them. This is gut-punchingly gorgeous music. You will fall in love.
6. Amr Diab Banadeek Ta'ala In a Nutshell: Talk about 50 and fabulous. Amr Diab has been a huge pop star for decades now, and he's not showing any signs of slowing down. Banadeek Ta'ala is packed full of vibrant, vivacious tracks in a staggering array of pop styles. From shimmering, house-inflected dance-pop to hip-swaying Latin (the Ricky Martin-invoking "Yareet Senk"), from bits of Spanish guitar to the straight-up old-school disco of "Aghla Min Omry," Diab kills just about every one, claiming ownership of each with oud licks, mournful Middle Eastern melody lines and sexy, youthful vigor. Just think of him as the Egyptian Madonna.
7. Vagabond Opera Sing for Your Lives In a Nutshell: As one might expect from Vagabond Opera's name and album cover, Sing is crammed with vaudevillian whimsy, steampunk style and romantically reworked imagery full of traveling circuses and gypsy bands. Klezmer clarinets and wheezing accordions waltz at three-penny operas, operatic warbling backs up lyrics about zeppelins, and a would-be hirsute lady longs for a "Beard and Moustache." If Beirut and Kurt Weill were on the same family tree, Vagabond would be their overly dramatic cousin. It would be a lot of whimsy to swallow, actually, were these Vagabonds not so charming and careful in their craft.
8. Te Vaka Havili In a Nutshell... Forget whatever stereotypes you may have about fusion music, because this Pacific Islander outfit is ready to break them down -- albeit gently and sweetly. Havili is often just a straight-up rock or pop album, with the occasional didgeridoo humming underneath its guitars or a more complicated percussion rhythm governing its hook. Drawing in bits of everything from hip-hop to samba to Afro-pop, the New Zealand band weaves it all together into a sound that's cross-culturally palatable and (thankfully) uninterested in the New-Agey strains that often attach themselves to fusion music.
9. Choc Quib Town Eso Es Lo Que Hay In a Nutshell: If you fell in love with Choc Quib Town's fierce fire-spitting, juicy, often Afro-folkloric beats and "Colombian Fugees" stylings, well, the group's second international release might come as a shock. Eso Es Lo Que Hay opens with some of predecessor Oro's vim and vigor on the Tego Calderon-featuring lead single "Calentura," and things get amped up again later on "Robber." But in between is a whole lot of lite salsa and mainstream pop. The group's charismatic enough to pull it off, but the album needs an anthemic fire-starter like "Somos Pacificos" -- and a whole lot more rapping from the fabulous Goyo.
10. Beats Antique Elektrafone In a Nutshell: On paper, Beats Antique's musical concept has always felt a bit too big for its britches. Global electro-fusion cut with Eastern European and Middle Eastern aesthetics and tranced-out beats ready for belly dancers or club kids? Sounds unwieldy. And occasionally on Elektrafone it is, on tracks like "Siren Song," which feel a bit murky and weighed down with crisscrossing circuits. But for the most part, this California outfit pulls its concept off, drawing you in to cuts that wrap sultry fiddles and decadent brass around glistening global beats. The sensuous "The Porch" is especially fetching.
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Senior Year, 1965: Motown Charm-School Graduatestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.43022011-11-01T16:07:41Z2011-12-08T20:30:55Z Motown's indelible impact on pop-music history is a direct result of the talent on the Detroit-born label's roster. Berry Gordy and his team sussed out the most skilled and...Rachel Devitt
Motown's indelible impact on pop-music history is a direct result of the talent on the Detroit-born label's roster. Berry Gordy and his team sussed out the most skilled and (equally as important) the most likable kids they could find, often plucking actual kids out of obscurity (and high school), turning them into polished, professional pop stars. But Motown's success was also undoubtedly due to the well-oiled, machine-like way the studio ran, taking ridiculously young diamonds in the rough and putting them through the label's "factory" system, which included training in everything from music and dance to, yes, fashion and manners.
Mrs. Maxine Powell was the label's charm-school mistress, responsible for teaching all those young artists how to behave (and perform) like ladies and gentlemen -- specifically, ladies and gentlemen who could appeal to the widest cross-section of Americans. It's a complicated part of Motown's history, one that's been criticized for everything from its gender politics to its "Fordist" strategy of music-making (in which artists were "designed" to be somewhat anonymous and interchangeable) to its emphasis on mainstreaming in a musical era of stringent racial stratification.
On the other hand, Motown not only produced some of the most significant and beloved songs in pop history, it also helped change the landscape of American music, breaking down decades-old demographic barriers. (And while labels today don't typically employ a Ms. Manners type, teams of stylists and image consultants are commonplace.) Mull over the politics while you immerse yourself in some of the pop riches bestowed upon us by Motown's young charm-school grads.
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Kiss-Off Classicstag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42792011-10-27T16:11:17Z2011-10-28T00:16:34Z Nobody says, "Sayonara, sucker!" quite like Kelly Clarkson, who said it with gusto in one of pop's greatest kiss-off anthems (and one of her own biggest hits), 2004's "Since...Rachel Devitt
Nobody says, "Sayonara, sucker!" quite like Kelly Clarkson, who said it with gusto in one of pop's greatest kiss-off anthems (and one of her own biggest hits), 2004's "Since U Been Gone." Fast-forward seven years, and America's favorite Idol is still kicking the players, losers and scrubs to the curb with her latest album. The just-released Stronger is packed to the brim with vulnerable confessionals, fierce survival anthems and, yes, more kiss-off classics in the making.
Clarkson's in good company: lead single "Mr. Know It All" and the biting "Einstein" ("Dumb plus dumb equals you"? Daaaaaang!) are just the latest in a long line of tunes to tell an ex to hit the road, Jack — and maybe remind him (or her) of just what they're missing on their way out the door. So in honor of all those chumps who didn't put a ring on it, we present this playlist of kiss-off anthems.
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single-phile: Fall 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42822011-10-25T17:07:09Z2011-10-25T16:04:26Z Looking for your new favorite song? Your favorite pop star's got you covered, kid. The last couple weeks have seen a clutch of killer new singles dropping (apparently like...Rachel Devitt
Looking for your new favorite song? Your favorite pop star's got you covered, kid. The last couple weeks have seen a clutch of killer new singles dropping (apparently like it's hot, according to Alexandra Stan) from a dizzying range of pop-friendly artistes. Dive in and find your favorite with our latest edition of single-phile, which breaks down the latest and greatest singles with quickie reviews and hit-potential predictions. To hear everything featured here at once, try my Single-Phile: Fall 2011 playlist.
Artist:Alexandra Stan Song: "Lollipop" Album: From her just-released debut, Saxobeats In 25 Words or Less: Saxobeats-loving sweetheart serves up a candy-coated confection of tooth-rotting innuendos, bisexual braggadocio, sugary synth-scapes and oddly dated pop references (drop it like it's hot?!). Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: Under normal circumstances, we'd wager next to nothing on a candy = sex cliché-laden cut from a relatively unknown Romanian pop star. But a wildly popular gentleman by the name of "Mr. Saxobeat" begs to differ.
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Artist:Girls' Generation Song: "The Boys" Album: From the K-pop group's upcoming American debut In 25 Words or Less: Cheerleader-chant choruses, Spice Girl-worthy sass, "Milkshake"-esque schoolyard taunting, comfy hip-pop beats. Will this be the Korean-pop cut that finally makes it in the U.S.? Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: On mainstream radio? Doubtful. Online, accompanied by a glittery, rainbow-colored, candy-coated video? Absolutely.
Artist:Drake featuring Nicki Minaj Song: "Make Me Proud" Album: From his upcoming and hotly anticipated sophomore album, Take Care In 25 Words or Less: Preternaturally pensive emcee livens up a little with help from Nicki, and a song that balances on the line between objectification and "awwww"-inducing sweet talk. Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: 30 percent, though Nicki's presence may increase it to 50.
Artist:Romeo Santos featuring Usher Song: "Promise" Album: From the Aventura frontman's upcoming solo debut In 25 Words or Less: Bachata big shot takes a stab at the mainstream with a sweet, smooth, Usher-featuring single that makes it sound like R&B was born with that hip-switching bachata stutter. Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: If you're already a Latin fan, at least 97 percent. If you don't know bachata, start getting friendly. The Dominican soul music is the wave of the future. Just ask Usher.
Artist:Kelly Clarkson Song: "Breaking Your Own Heart" Album: From her just-released latest album, Stronger In 25 Words or Less: Clarkson gestures toward her country future, proving she's got big pipes and a bigger penchant for drama (as if we didn't know that already). Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: 87 percent
Artist:Big Sean featuring Nicki Minaj Song: "Dance A$$" (Remix) Album: From his recently released full-length debut, Finally Famous In 25 Words or Less: Nicki cameo + "Hammer Time" sample + positively filthy lyrics over bare-bones beats + greatest case of BOCD (that's booty OCD) since "Baby Got Back." Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: It's just booty-centric enough to stick around for a very, very long time.
Artist:Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars Song: "Young, Wild & Free" Album: From Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture 'Mac and Devin Go to High School' In 25 Words or Less: Forget rolling down the street. Snoop, Wiz and Bruno practically skip down the smoke-filled Yellow Brick Road on this bouncing ode to the high life. This ain't your doggfather's weed homage. Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: Massive. This sucker debuted in the Top 10. Chances increase if you are, know or parent a son who is between the ages of 14 and 34.
Artist:Taio Cruz featuring Flo Rida Song: "Hangover" Album: From the British artist's upcoming third album. In 25 Words or Less: Cruz's latest variation on his favorite theme: mind-obliterating beats paired with never-ending nihilistic party lyrics. He finds a kindred spirit in Flo Rida. Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It Six Months From Now: Did you like "Dynamite"? Then you will love "Hangover," which is basically "Dynamite: The Sequel."
Artist:Bow Wow featuring Lil Wayne Song: "Sweat" Album: Lead single off Bow Wow's upcoming seventh album In 25 Words or Less: Bow Wow kills off his "Lil" alter-ego once and for all, causing his mama to consider washing out his mouth with soap after hearing this X-rated, p-bomb-dropping slink-fest. Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: Uh, it's gonna need a serious edited version to get radio play.
Artist:Joe Jonas featuring Lil Wayne Song: "Just in Love" Album: From Jonas' just-released solo debut, Fastlife In 25 Words or Less:JoBro hottie distances self from family biz with soulful stab at JT's long-abdicated throne, balancing sultry with enough sweet to even showcase Weezy's soft side. Likelihood You'll Still Be Listening to It in Six Months: 33 percent. Honestly, this track is one of his very listenable album's weakest.
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Alt-Folklorico y Mas: Latin's Outer Fringestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42802011-10-25T16:20:08Z2011-10-25T16:26:49Z Over the last decade or so, many Latin artists have carved out a new style by stitching indie rock, hip-hop, electronic and pop together with folk and traditional music...Rachel Devitt
Over the last decade or so, many Latin artists have carved out a new style by stitching indie rock, hip-hop, electronic and pop together with folk and traditional music to create a sonic tapestry that's at once comfortably familiar and chicly cutting-edge. New York outfit Pistolera call their indie-rocking brand "alt-folklorico." But fashionable innovators have sketched out similar models in a diverse range of genres, from the urban-regional movement in Latin hip-hop to the folk electronico crafted by knob-twiddlers like Mexican Institute of Sound.
One of the genre's founding mothers is Lila Downs, who has made a career of digging into her Mexican heritage to create nueva ranchera, neo-norteño and other kinds of rich, rootsy pop. Her latest album, Pecados y Milagros, is redolent with the homey accordions, sweeping strings, warm brass and dramatic vocals of regional Mexican music — but with indie-pop twists. Dig into the new roots Downs and other artists are putting down with our alt-folklorico playlist.
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Vampiros, Chupacabras and Fantasmas: A Latin American Halloweentag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42612011-10-19T16:15:36Z2011-10-19T17:11:03Z Although Halloween as we know it in the United States isn't celebrated to the same degree in the rest of the world, the holiday is starting to gain ground...Rachel Devitt
Although Halloween as we know it in the United States isn't celebrated to the same degree in the rest of the world, the holiday is starting to gain ground in Latin America, with kids dressing up and trick-or-treating everywhere from Colombia to Mexico. And why not? A strong foundation for the holiday already exists. First and foremost, there's Dia de los Muertos, in which families and friends gather to commemorate departed loved ones with eating, drinking, music and general fiesta-making. It's a joyous occasion, of course, but still one in which the ghosts or souls of the departed are said to walk the earth again.
If you want real creepy stuff, however, look no further than the creepy creatures of Latin myth and legend: vampiros, fantasmas, diablitos and, creepiest of all, chupacabras, a/k/a vampire goats. Lucky for you, we've got a playlist full of them! Turn out the lights and get your horror-movie scream ready as we unveil the scariest playlist in Español you're likely to find!
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Pop Roundup October 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42592011-10-18T16:00:58Z2011-10-19T16:22:21Z Well, it's been an interesting month or so, pop fans. If the albums we've selected as October's Top 10 are any indication, it's been a time of risk-taking, new...Rachel Devitt
Well, it's been an interesting month or so, pop fans. If the albums we've selected as October's Top 10 are any indication, it's been a time of risk-taking, new endeavors and career revitalizations. We've got artists from high-profile groups branching out on their own for the first time (hi, Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy and Joe Jonas of ... well, you know). We've got buzzy underground acts targeting the mainstream with major-label debuts (hey there, J Cole and Mayer Hawthorne). We've got an exciting debut from Mindless Behavior and sophomore slump-beaters from Jason DeRulo and Allstar Weekend. And most exciting of all, we've got a few of our favorite young divas returning to the spotlight, including Ms. Demi Lovato and Evanescence's Amy Lee. Tune in and catch up on pop's latest and greatest!
1. Demi Lovato Unbroken
It's easy to be cynical about pop stars' post-breakdown rebirth albums. But Demi Lovato's first album since seeking help for several issues in 2010 not only feels movingly genuine, but pragmatic and pop-tastic. She loses herself on the dancefloor (the Missy-featuring "All Night Long"), belts out poignant confessionals (the heartbreaking "For the Love of a Daughter") and gives herself a crucial post-rehab reality check (the earthy "In Real Life"). The title track does it all at once. She also does some of her best singing ever. When Demi says she's a new girl, we believe it. [Rachel Devitt] Don't Miss: Earnest ballad "Fix a Heart."
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2. Patrick Stump Soul Punk Dig if you will the picture: Patrick Stump lovesPrince. Like, starry-eyed, wants-to-be-him-when-he-grows-up love. At least, that's what the former Fall Out Boy's solo debut makes it feel like. He's got other touchstones, too: Michael Jackson, new jack swing, freestyle, the Isley Brothers. But it's the slinky synths, wailing guitars, funky beats and, especially, high soul-rock drama of Prince that dominate. With a few exceptions (the politicized, synth-funk march "Greed," the anemic "This City"), Stump's tribute is so pitch-perfect, it feels like a performance art homage to the Purple One. [R.D.]
Don't Miss: "Dance Miserable." "The I in Lie." 3. Jason DeRulo Future History
Jason DeRulo is good at many things: clubby nihilism, dramatic R&B synth-onies, candlelit booty jams, sweeping/desperate crooning over odd/exotic beats. He even (almost) pulls off hip-hop swagger. In other words, his second album showcases an artist who can wear many hats, but also risks getting lost under them, leaving us without a strong sense of who Jason DeRulo really is. What he does best, in fact, is to re-create styles we know and love with just a teensy twist. But that, friends, can be a great recipe for pop success. [R.D.] Don't Miss: The Toto-sampling "Fight for You" or the arabesque beats of "Breathing."
4. Joe Jonas Fastlife
Youngest bro Nick may steep his solo work in adult alt rock, but Joe just wants to dance. On his solo debut, he sizzles with an Auto-Tuned sheen on clubby, player-posing cuts ("Love Slayer"), pleads with hang-puppy earnestness in falsetto-esque vocals over crisp beats, duets with a high-profile rapper (Lil Wayne), and croons his way across stuttering beats that echo old-school Timbaland. In other words, if Justin Timberlake won't make a new Justin Timberlake album, Joe Jonas will step up to the soulful white boy plate. The title track is an explicit grab at J.T.'s abdicated throne. [R.D.] Don't Miss: "Sorry."
5. Mindless Behavior #1 Girl
As far as teen R&B albums go, Mindless Behavior's #1 Girl isn't too bad. Much like post-millennial pop group B2K, this quartet of Los Angeles boys doesn't have a dominant vocal presence, and it's hard to enjoy their songs without imagining the liquid dance moves in their videos. The clear standouts are singles like "Mrs. Right," where they and rapper Diggy Simmons celebrate the ladies over a grinding beat reminiscent of Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now." Other tracks, like the sugary "Hello" and "Hook It Up," rely on a tasteful amount of Auto-Tune. [Mosi Reeves] Don't Miss: The title track and "Mrs. Right."
6. Allstar Weekend All the Way
Attention, fans still mourning Fall Out Boy: Allstar Weekend are here to ease your pain, albeit with a less pithy, more Disneyfied take on heart-on-sleeve, snark-in-hand, booty-on-dancefloor pop rock. Cuts like the weepy "Teenage Hearts" and the reality-TV soundtrack glint of "Mr. Wonderful" ("I put the sweetness in your tea"?!) may make eyes roll. But then they stage an angry party anthem ("Not Your Birthday"), and you realize there might be more to these boys than glossy vocals and overly enunciated lyrics about girls. Not that that's not enough. [R.D.] Don't Miss: The fairly brilliant kiss-off "Sorry ..."
7. J Cole Cole World: The Sideline Story
It's clear what Jay-Z heard in J Cole's mixtapes: the North Carolina rapper has a magnetic voice that draws you to his stories. The difference is that he isn't a hitmaker, at least not yet. Cole produces most of the music on Cole World: The Sideline Story, preferring nondescript beats that focus attention on his lyrics. It makes for an album that's more than the sum of its parts, with few standouts but plenty of solid tracks about abortion ("Lost Ones") and negligent fathers (the No I.D.-produced "Never Told"). [M.R.] Don't Miss: "In the Morning," in which he trades freaky tales with Drake. The more hook-friendly single "Can't Get Enough."
8. Evanescence Evanescence
With their third album, a self-titled affair, Evanescence have shed much of the post-grunge crunch marking previous efforts (particularly Fallen). This isn't to imply the record is lacking in rock riffage. But ultimately, the music's most spotlighted qualities are Amy Lee's diva-worthy vocal gymnastics and the orchestral flourishes now woven into nearly every track. Also present are subtle touches of piano and electronica. The end result is easily the most melodic and pop-driven album the band has released to date. [Justin Farrar] Don't Miss: "The Other Side." "What You Want."
9. Mayer Hawthorne How Do You Do
It's only right that Mayer Hawthorne breaks out his Michael McDonald impersonation on How Do You Do: both singers aspire to soul music that's authentic without "blue-eyed" qualifiers, and have redefined that category in the process. Hawthorne hasn't changed since 2009's A Strange Arrangement, but this album is better produced, and songs like "A Long Time" have stronger musical arrangements. His retro-soul persona is still gimmicky, but that's not a bad thing. [M.R.] Don't Miss: The '70s doo-wop of "Get to Know You" and Snoop Dogg's off-key vocal on "Can't Stop," which are cute and cuddly in all the right ways.
10.Feist Metals
With "The Bad in Each Other," Feist's fourth album begins at a leisurely plod before it's quickly swept up in an orchestral squall. "Graveyard" then starts with sparse acoustic picking before funereal horns trudge and a chorus of Feists chants, "Whoa-oa-oa, bring 'em all back to life." This is how most of the first half of Metals flows — the drama sneaks up on you as Feist's lullaby coo never ceases its warm embrace. But after "A Commotion," the liveliest track here, the second half seems hypnotized by its own siren, slowing down to a rustic crawl that hints at the record's Big Sur origins. [Stephanie Benson] Don't Miss: "A Commotion," the liveliest track here.
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Friday Mixtape: Shiver-Inducing Singerstag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42422011-10-14T17:25:27Z2011-10-14T16:03:49Z Singing and a deep, analytic appreciation for it has always been a part of my life. The child of two music teachers, I grew up singing in choirs, taking...Rachel Devitt
Singing and a deep, analytic appreciation for it has always been a part of my life. The child of two music teachers, I grew up singing in choirs, taking voice lessons and participating in super-nerdy, incredibly embarrassing, overly harmonized family sing-alongs (Seriously. When my extended family is around, even "Happy Birthday" is usually done in about 12-part harmony). When I went to college, I tried to avoid my destiny for a while but I ended up getting a degree in voice performance anyway. Which is a ridiculously useless degree if you don't want to be an opera singer or, you know, a performer at all, which I quickly discovered I didn't. Nowadays, my own personal vocal performances are pretty much limited to the shower and the occasional drunken karaoke turn. But as a music critic, what I've done with all that singing is channel it into a deep, analytical appreciation for singers.
Now, I don't need a singer to be able to actually sing well to enjoy their music. Some of the best songs in pop history have been made by artists with thin, small and even pitchy voices (with help from a LOT of Auto-Tune). But there is undoubtedly something to be said for an attention to tone, a carefully crafted vocal line, an impressive range, a distinctive timbre -- in other words, a knock-your-socks-off, make-your-teeth-sweat, change-your-life set of pipes. And that's what my Friday Mixtape is dedicated to: an assortment of vocalists from a wide range of genres who have almost nothing in common other than the fact that their voices have knocked me off my feet for one reason or another. Some of the artists on this playlist are here because of the sheer power of their pipes. But even the stone-cold belters, like Aretha and Adele, on this list kill it with such delicate, thoughtful nuance. For the most part, this playlist is really a collection of singers with distinctive voices who think about the way their vocals interact with the narrative and texture of the song: the mournful, powerful wail of ranchera legend Chavela Vargas; Otis Redding's sensual, scratched-up buzz; Nina Simone's weary, gut-punching, inimitable croon; Brandi Carlile's full-out vocal assault. In other words, this is a playlist with singers with a deep, analytical appreciation for the art of singing.
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Source Material: Beirut, Gulag Orkestartag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42432011-10-12T17:08:06Z2011-10-12T16:13:13Z When Beirut burst (OK, shuffled quietly) onto the scene in 2006, Zachary Condon's rotating crew wowed fans and critics alike with both his precocious songwriting and the globe-trotting, youth-belying...Rachel Devitt
When Beirut burst (OK, shuffled quietly) onto the scene in 2006, Zachary Condon's rotating crew wowed fans and critics alike with both his precocious songwriting and the globe-trotting, youth-belying range of stylistic sources he employed. As the legend goes, the New Mexico native dropped out of school as a teenager and went bumming around Europe, where he discovered and thoroughly absorbed folk and pop music traditions from French musette to Balkan brass to (especially) Roma/Gypsy folk. Back home, he wove his sonic discoveries into the tapestry of his debut album, along with bits and pieces of other influences, like the mariachi music he often heard while growing up in Santa Fe, the inclinations of his fellow globally inclined American singer-songwriters, and, of course, a lot of indie rock and pop. Then he filtered it all through a sweet, pensive haze that constituted both a gesture toward Roma music's palpable sense of yearning and his own take on the tradition.
In short, Gulag Orkestar was a remarkable (and remarkably mature) debut for a young singer-songwriter who has gone on to live up to the hype (and continue his sonic globe-trotting) on subsequent albums, including this year's The Rip Tide. Join us as we retrace Beirut's steps and take a deep dive into that debut album's roots and routes; your ears can follow along with this playlist: Source Material: Beirut, Gulag Orkestar.
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Goran Bregovic Alkohol
One of the artists Condon fell for on his travels was Goran Bregovic, a Serbian-Croatian composer and musician highly respected throughout Europe for his score for the 1989 film Time of Gypsies and his stint with Euro-rock outfit Bijelo Dugme. With his solo career, Bregovic homes in on the (potential) intersections of rock, pop and hip-hop with the rollicking brass of Balkan wedding bands and the passionate, mournful pathos of Roma folk music. This album came out after Gulag Orkestar, but it's one of the few Bregovic releases available in the U.S. and a great example of the stylistic breadth and emotional depth he's capable of. You can hear how he might be a touchstone for Beirut's own yearning aesthetic on tracks like "Ruzica (Rose)." See Also:Django Reinhardt
Les Yeux Noirs Balamouk
Like Condon, this French brother act fell in love with Roma music fast and hard. But also like Condon, they take up the softer end of the Roma spectrum, favoring melancholy fiddles and virtuosic cimbaloms (hammer dulcimers) over raucous brass. They also augment their Romani and Yiddish predilections with bits of pan-European folk and French pop.
17 Hippies El Dorado
17 Hippies are actually 13 German multi-instrumentalists and singers who love gypsy music, French musette, and American folk and blues. Known for their rollicking live shows, the group has evolved over the years, slowly letting the manic Gypsy- and Americana-influenced breakdowns mingle with classy neo-chanson, all of which are touchstones for Beirut. The seasoned band's most recent album introduces a vein of melancholic French pop, while still leaving plenty of room for banjo breakdowns and Middle Eastern meditation.
Firewater The Ponzi Scheme
Think of Chicago's Firewater as Gogol Bordello's slightly older, slightly less punk brother — the one who spent a lot more time sneaking into strip clubs with cool Uncle Tom (Waits) and sulking to Nirvana when he got home. The Gypsy aspects of Firewater's sound are really just that: aspects, nuances, details that enhance the slinky cabaret-rock structure on which they've built their career. The Ponzi Scheme waits a good long time to go Romani 'n' roll, but they start hauling out the big guns (read: horns) 'round about "El Borracho," which retraces the polka dots between Eastern Europe and the Texas-Mexico border. See Also:Paul Simon, Graceland
DeVotchka Super Melodrama
Like Beirut, this Denver outfit is a Gypsy-tinged indie-rock band, but they'd been at it for several years before Zach Condon took his European vacation. Their sounds can seem quite different, due in part to their distinctive origins: DeVotchka got their start as a house band for burlesque shows and have always incorporated a bawdy theatricality. At its core, though, the band consumes and spits back out a global buffet of folk and pop traditions with a strong Roma main course. See Also:A Hawk and a Hacksaw, whose members actually play in Beirut but who also jumped on the Gypsy-rock bandwagon before Condon.
Kocani Orkestar L'Orient Est Rouge
Though Beirut's bits of brass never reach the frenetic levels or tongue-twisting virtuosity of most Roma brass bands, it's clear that the Balkan band sound influenced Condon's style. Kocani Orkestar have been one of the genre's premier outfits for years, and this is the album that broke them to the world. Their sound is immersed in the traditional wedding and village music of their Macedonia home, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Turkey, but they aren't averse to the odd Indian film song or salsa lick. Don't miss the Roma national anthem, "Dielem, Dielem."
Burhan Öçal Trakya All Stars
Much has been made of Beirut's prominent Balkan influences, but Condon's sourcing practices stretch out across the continent. The influence of certain styles of Turkish music, for instance, which itself overlaps frequently with Roma and Balkan music, can be heard in much of Gulag. Fired by rock, pop and jazz flames, Burhan Öçal's traditional-folk blend connects the dots between Beirut and Turkey.
Esma Redzepova Chaje Shukarije
Another example of the diversity encompassed by the overly general term "Gypsy music" that is so often associated with Beirut, Esma Redzepova is an incomparable Macedonian diva comfortable with both the mournful ballads ("Hajri Ma Te Dike") and feverish dances (see "Abre Ramce," featuring the Klezmatics' Frank London) of traditional Roma music. She's also not afraid to take risks, flirting with Afropop on the second track and working the soulful swagger of "Nasvali So Uljum" like a Balkan Barry White. And then there's that voice, baby. She keens and belts, croons and cajoles, sasses and seduces — and that's just the title track. They don't call her the Queen of the Gypsies for nothing.
Mariachi Mexico de Pepe Villa Antologia del Mariachi Vol. 6
Although Condon's dips into mariachi get mentioned a lot, what Beirut's music more accurately gestures toward is the cultural kinship between Eastern European folk music and the music of the Mexico-U.S. borderlands, both of which trade in polkas, rich brass and penchants for melancholy. That said, Condon is from the American Southwest, and so mariachi undoubtedly filtered into his consciousness. Few do the classical music of old Mexico better than this ensemble and their revolving cast of singers. This is music for lovers, and if you're lucky enough to be one, pay attention.
Keren Ann La Disparition
Beirut's second album delves far more deeply into chanson and musette, but strains of the hushed acoustics and winsome vocals associated with French pop can be heard on Gulag as well. Keren Ann's sparse, quiet, heavily acoustic second album provides a lovely example of the Francophone stylings Condon has found so beguiling.
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Cheat Sheet: Latin Crossoverstag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42232011-10-05T17:09:50Z2011-10-05T16:06:21Z "Latin crossover" has meant many things over the years, from pop songs featuring Spanish lyrics to Latino artists who cracked the predominantly white mainstream charts. It's a vague, loaded...Rachel Devitt
"Latin crossover" has meant many things over the years, from pop songs featuring Spanish lyrics to Latino artists who cracked the predominantly white mainstream charts. It's a vague, loaded and problematic term. But underneath that confusing umbrella, talented artists of Hispanic heritage have added rich musical, stylistic and sometimes linguistic strains to the tapestry of American pop music. That's what we're celebrating with this Cheat Sheet on Latin Crossover Artists, compiled in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed September 15 to October 15.
Shakira Laundry Service (2001)
The Colombian diva was already a pretty massive star in Latin America when she released her English-language debut in 2001. Her newly blonde hair aside, everything Shakira fans already loved her for was still there, perhaps even with some arguable improvements: sexy, hip-twitching beats; throat-clutching vocals; solid songwriting (particularly for an artist who was learning English as she went); and a musical body that was pop at its core but Latin in its soul. She danced fetchingly through a sprawling stylistic world here, from tango to belly dance, punk licks to heartfelt ballads. In short, she made America audiences fall hard for her version of Latin America. See Also:Kat DeLuna
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Ricky Martin Ricky Martin (1999)
Like Shakira, Ricky Martin was already a well-established star in Latin America, having conquered the worlds of boy bands, soaps and solo pop stardom before tackling the English-language pop audience. And did he ever: pure, unadulterated, positively delicious pop fluff, his second self-titled album found him dueling with Madonna; filtering bits of Spanish and strong Latin music undercurrents (especially salsa) into the English-speaking consciousness; and getting the entire world shaking our bon-bons and livin' la vida loca. See Also:Menudo
Selena Dreaming of You (1995)
Selena's murder in 1995 at the age of 23 was a tragedy on so many levels. Along with a beautiful young girl, a beloved Latin icon and a lovely vocal talent, the world also lost its next potential international pop star. The Texan (who learned to sing in Spanish; English was her first language) was on the verge of crossover stardom, and the proof is in the pudding of Dreaming with You, her posthumously released and first partially English-language album. Even in its unfinished, rough-around-the-edges state, the album demonstrates that the Tejana diva had the emotional and vocal chops to penetrate the American and R&B charts. See Also:Prima J
Ritchie Valens Ritchie Valens (2001)
Blowing open the doors for Latino rockers coming out of East L.A. in the late '50s, the legendary Ritchie Valens had a sharp, crisp sound that helped to define rock 'n' roll in its teething days. The classic sound of his twangy guitar and strong, swinging backbeats were created from a unique infusion of Latin into rockabilly. And then there's "La Bamba," one of the biggest, most beloved, widest-reaching Spanish-language pop songs ever. See Also:Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs
Pérez Prado Coleccion Original (1998)
Even before rock fans dug into "La Bamba," however, Americans were falling for a different Latin crossover tradition: mambo. Rooted in Afro-Caribbean rhythms and routed through jazz and various Latin American folk, pop and dance traditions, mambo became one of the first Latin "dance crazes" to take the United States by storm. At the helm of that unstoppable ship was Pérez Prado, whose passionate dance grooves not only fed the fires of the mambo craze, but helped instigate the salsa wave that followed — and provided the base material for another crossover hit, Lou Bega's 1999 smash "Mambo No. 5." See Also:Tito Puente, Desi Arnaz, Celia Cruz
Marc Anthony Marc Anthony (1999)
And here we have one of the heirs to the crossover potential mambo and salsa established: the former Mr. Jennifer Lopez. Already an established salsero, Anthony took a stab at mainstream popularity with his 1999 English-language debut. It launched a big hit single ("I Need to Know") that, like most of the album, enticed audiences with its light salsa backbone and made Anthony a household name. See Also:Enrique Iglesias, Enrique
Wisin Y Yandel La Revolucion (2009)
Wisin y Yandel hail from a genre that is itself a crossover story multiple times over: reggaeton, which fuses hip-hop with Latin pop and dancehall, itself a relative of hip-hop, which was, of course, built by African, American, Caribbean and Latin traditions and artists. That crisscrossing exchange network is underscored in much of the duo's work, from their collaborations (see 50 Cent's cameo here) to "Abusadora," which earned them the honor of being one of the first Latin acts to be nominated for a Video Music Award. See Also:Daddy Yankee
Cypress Hill Cypress Hill (1991)
Latinos have been an integral part of hip-hop history, but the significant contributions of Hispanic emcees, DJs/producers and b-boys have all too often been overlooked on the level of hyped-up mainstream rap — until Cypress Hill burst onto the scene with their 1991 debut. Sure, they earned a significant chunk of their fan base with nonstop references to their favorite pastime. But this Cali crew has also made a career out of weaving Latin musical elements and Latino-friendly politics into their sound, and they became the first Latino hip-hop group to go multiplatinum. See Also:Big Pun, Pitbull
Prince Royce Prince Royce (2010)
Now that reggaeton has earned the attention of English-speaking audiences, what's the next big Latin genre to cross over? Our money's on bachata, the slow, sweet, sensual Dominican cousin of merengue. The Bronx's bachata boy band Aventura already paved the way with hit album after hit album and sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. But now that they've (supposedly) retired, there's room for a new Bronx-born bachata heartthrob. Enter Prince Royce, who burst onto the scene with his eye on crossover success, naming himself after Prince, "bachata-izing" "Stand by Me" and dropping R&B-riddled English-language cuts like his latest, "Addicted." See Also: Aventura, Romeo Santos
Paulina Rubio Border Girl (2002)
Thus far, we've focused on the crossover success story: English debuts that propelled Latin luminaries into international mega-stars. Here we have an example of an artist poised for just that kind of move who didn't quite make it. Several platinum albums (and a clutch of awards) in, Rubio dropped Border Girl, a collection of addictive pop music with Latin flourishes, dance beats and insanely catchy choruses. (Plus a handful of Spanish tracks and one KISS cover!) It was her first flop, if only on Rubio terms — single "Don't Say Goodbye" did crack the Billboard Hot 100 and receive a good deal of play on MTV and the radio. See Also:Thalia, Thalia
Gloria Estefan Primitive Love (1985)
Unlike many of the artists here, Gloria Estefan didn't really have a pre- and post-crossover moment so much as a career built on always interweaving scintillating dance-pop with Cuban dance traditions like salsa. After climbing up in the business as part of the Miami Sound Machine, Estefan started taking top billing in the band with the success of Primitive Love, which spawned Latin-fueled, English-language perennial pop cuts like "Conga," and helped earn Estefan titles like the "Queen of Latin Pop" and "Latin Madonna."
Santana Abraxas (1970)
Many of today's musicians hold Santana responsible for picking up where Ritchie Valens left off, bringing Latin sounds to the forefront of popular music. With this album, Carlos and company celebrated the final flowering of the San Francisco countercultural music scene — and spoke extensively to the potential for collaboration between rock and Latin music in the form of classic cuts like "Samba Pa Ti," "El Nicoya" and, of course, the vaunted, history (re-)making cover of Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va." It's a habit Carlos Santana has continued throughout his career. See Also:Linda Rondstadt
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Latin Roundup September 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42062011-09-27T17:09:36Z2011-09-27T21:49:41Z In this edition of the Latin Roundup, we get to touch on several corners of the vast and varied world of Latin music, thanks to the stellar collection of...Rachel Devitt
In this edition of the Latin Roundup, we get to touch on several corners of the vast and varied world of Latin music, thanks to the stellar collection of stylistically wide-ranging albums out in the last couple months. Norteño's "narco" kingpin Gerardo Ortiz dropped his first album since last winter's attacks on his entourage. Indie-pop darling Ximena Sariñana made good on the hype surrounding her debut with an even richer, more mature, more fun sophomore collection. And rock queen Alejandra Guzman recaps her illustrious career with a killer greatest-hits collection. So let's dig in.
1.Ximena Sariñana Ximena Sariñana
Latin indie ingénue Sariñana has an interesting approach to the difficult sophomore album: on one hand, the release is almost entirely in English. On the other, it's sonically less mainstream than her debut, scrapping the pop hooks and rock guitars for complex meters ("The Bid"), sweepingly cinematic synth-onies, melancholic melodies that lilt in strange angles, and a lot of hipster-friendly electro-pop. It's a complicatedly crafted, mature effort, glued together by Sariñana's odd, pensively childlike voice. "Echo Park" and "Lies We Live In" will make you think. Don't Miss: Tour de force "Tú y Yo."
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2.Gerardo Ortiz Entre Dios y El Diablo
On his first album since gunmen attacked his entourage in March 2011, Gerardo Ortiz understandably comes out swinging with tracks like "Ojo Por Ojo, Diente Por Diente," a taunting duet with his brother Kevin. What's surprising are all the other sides the young "narco" singer exposes here: pop rock peppiness, tender waltzes, even a Bob Marley cover ("Este Amor")! Lest fans worry he's strayed too far, though, he opens with "Aquiles Afirmo," a chaotic waltz of tuba, accordion, acoustic guitar and Ortiz's fierce, hoarse claims that "yo tengo resplado." Don't Miss: The peppy "Pensando En Ti." Tender waltz "Amor Confuso." "Aquiles Afirmo."
3.Belanova Sueño Electro II
Calling what Belanova does "electro-pop" feels limited, though that's the best umbrella term for this Mexican crew. What they do on Sueño Electro II is turn that umbrella inside out and examine it from every single angle. You want peppy bubblegum beats? Try "Mariposas." Retro electro-funk? "Flash Eléctrico." Danceable post-punk? "Infame." Electro-folklorico? "Hasta El Final." Icy dance pop? "Luna." Then there's the country ballad (slide guitar and all) "Aquí." It's all dizzingly diverse; in fact, it would feel directionless if each angle weren't driven by the sheer joy of exploration.
4.Andrea Echeverri Dos
Andrea Echeverri's got cute in the bag. On her second solo outing, the Aterciopelados singer harnesses a menagerie of adorable: whimsical polkas, children's giggles, whistles, bells, kazoos. Sounds like a cloying combo, huh? Well, it almost is, except that all that cute is couched in the high-caliber craftsmanship and infectious joie de vivre that has made Aterciopelados such a beloved institution. So the salty-sweet "Yo" is more than a laundry list of figures Echeverri doesn't want to be (Juanes, Beyoncé, Calle 13). It's an endearing declaration of individuality — and a killer kazoo display. Don't Miss: "Alegria." "Erase una Vez."
5.Espinoza Paz Canciones Que Duelen
Regional Mexican music's beloved singer-songwriter abandons the swelling banda horns and synth strains that usually bolster his solo material for his first all-acoustic, all norteño album. And of course, the skillful, soulful Paz is a natural. His warm, oh-so-slightly-rough-around-the-edges tenor nestles up to accordions and acoustic guitars as he sweet-talks his way through a collection of love (and lovelorn) songs. The pop-leaning cuts suit him, but this Sinaloa kid can still make you wanna waltz, cry and shout "ay ay ay," sometimes all on the same track. Don't Miss: The hot single "Para No Perdete."
6.Duelo Vuela Muy Alto
Duelo may officially be a norteño outfit, but their soul is pure pop. Vuela Muy Alto is riddled with bubblegum hooks, sensitive heartthrob vocals and emotive melody lines that land somewhere between pop, R&B and mainstream country. It's just that all that poppy goodness happens to be sandwiched among conjunto rhythms and accordion strains. Tracks like "Mueres de Ganas" are straight-up pop tunes (with accordion skeletons), and good ones at that. But Duelo are at their best on cuts like "Si Tengo Que Olvidarte," which start with a strong norteño structure and build pop layers into it. Don't Miss: The addictive accordion pop of "Adicto."
7.Beatriz Luengo Bela y Sus Moskita Muertas
Spanish chanteuse Beatriz Luengo takes a languid, hazy-afternoon-nap (in Jamaica? Maybe Barcelona?) approach to Bela. Acoustic guitars and sunny cafe-pop beats skip in and out of the picture; several tracks are warmed by beaming brass strains that lie somewhere between banda and jazz; and just about every inch of the album is dub-sweetened. It's an enticing environment packed with little surprises, so naturally, everyone wants to stop by, including Ziggy Marley and Reik's Jesus Navarro. Don't Miss: "Alguien," her acoustic, Spanish cover of Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody." The swampy blues of "Platos Rotos."
8.Señor Flavio Nueva Ola Los Fabulosos' Flavio already proved the apple doesn't fall far from the tree (the Cadillac doesn't go far from the lot?) on his first solo venture. Nueva Ola is just as bouncy and eclectic, just as jam-packed with zany joie de vivre as Supersaund. But this time around, all the zipping, zigzagging rock is primarily glued together with ska licks and sock-hop grooves. It can almost veer into the cartoonish at times, but its energy is positively infectious. Don't Miss: The retro Ritchie Valens-meets-Ricky-Ricardo rock playfulness of "Dulce Babalu." The vibrant Bo Diddley beat of "Linda."
9.Chingo Bling Back to the Border
The H-Town jokester/emcee offers a mixtape that once again straddles the line (or more accurately, the border) between silly and smart, playful and player. There's plenty of fluff here, but it's usually delivered so cleverly and with such charismatic flow that you can't help but smile and dance. Heavy-handed innuendos abound (see the laborious workplace metaphors of "Manager") while bits and bites of trending songs and artists get twisted (see "Bars"). Some of what results is kinda brilliant. Don't Miss: The laugh-out-loud wit of "I'm Legal Now," Bling's Hispanicized parody of Chris Brown's "Look at Me Now."
10.Alejandra Guzman 20 Años de Exitos en Vivo
Alejandra Guzman knows how to do a career retrospective concert right. Step one: get other musical luminaries to either serve as your backing band (hi, Moderatto) or join you in performances of your hits (Vico C, Jenni Rivera). Step two: include your most recent hit, in this case "Día de Suerte," her smash theme song for the soap Una Familia con Suerte. Step three: growl, snarl, croon, belt and, in general, positively rock your way through every single song, so nobody forgets who's La Reina del Rock.
11.Juan Gabriel 1 Es Juan Gabriel
On this first album in a three-part celebration of his career, it's easy to remember why Juan Gabriel has owned the game for decades. First, Gabriel has serious dramatic presence, whether he's working his classic hits or new tracks like the Gabriel-produced opener. Second, there are his soaring highs, desperate lows and resonant, tremulous tones everywhere. The man can sing. And third: ROMANCE. Sure, the sweeping strings and crocodile rock sound dated. Yes, he may be your mama's (or even abuela's) pop star. But dang if Juan Gabriel doesn't sweep you off your feet like a romance-novel hero.
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When Pop Stars Go Underground: Mainstream Hits With Indie-Leaning Samplestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.42032011-09-27T16:03:50Z2011-09-27T16:02:05ZRachel Devitt
Last year, a young pop-R&B upstart named Jason Derulo burst onto the scene with a song called "Whatcha Say." The song became a huge hit — partially due to Derulo's smooth, deliciously desperate hangdog crooning and the shiny, pitter-pattering beats, of course, but primarily because of the song's dramatic, surprising sample. Culled from "Hide and Seek," a track by a British indie-pop artist named Imogen Heap with a reputation for making avant-garde, often strange electro-pop, the song became the latest example of a growing trend: mainstream pop and hip-hop artists digging into the indie world for unexpected, underground sample material. The resulting singles have not only given those pop stars massive hits, but helped break indie artists into the mainstream, introducing them to audiences who may not have discovered them otherwise. Kid Cudi sampled St. Vincent. Beyoncé's "Girls" was built on a Major Lazer track. And then there's Kanye, the king of the crate-diggers. Take a stroll down the oft-crossed line between the mainstream and indie-pop worlds with our When Pop Stars Go Underground playlist.
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Rehab and Rebirth: How Your Favorite Pop Star Picked Up the Piecestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41932011-09-21T17:08:06Z2011-09-21T18:28:00Z It's easy to forget that pop stars are real people, too. After all, they're famous! And beautiful! And rich! And, well, surreal. But it's true: as real people from...Rachel Devitt
It's easy to forget that pop stars are real people, too. After all, they're famous! And beautiful! And rich! And, well, surreal. But it's true: as real people from the (mostly) real world, they, too, have real problems. They struggle with relationships and mental health issues. They go through down times and deal with drug and alcohol addictions. In fact, sometimes it seems like they might be even more prone to such "real" issues than the rest of us.
At the very least, they're obliged to deal with those demons in a much more public way. Their dirty laundry and darkest times are aired on gossip sites and reality shows, of course. But many artists also use their craft to process their problems, work through their struggles and pick up the pieces. Oftentimes, those "survivor" albums feel forced, a publicity stunt or a pit stop on the way back to rehab. But sometimes, they result in some of pop's most moving music.
The most recent example of this is young Demi Lovato, who's been on the scene (and, well, in the world) such a short time that calling her post-rehab third album a "comeback" feels silly. Maybe "comeback" isn't the right word, but Unbroken is most definitely an album dedicated to rebirth. Lovato really seems to be trying to musically work through her well-publicized battles with eating disorders, cutting and mental health issues, trying out onwards-and-upwards dance cuts and heartbreaking confessionals alike. The result is a pretty stellar piece of pop music, not to mention Lovato's most grown-up work to date.
In honor of Demi's survival songs, we compiled this playlist culled from rebirth albums from other artists who very publicly dealt with issues ranging from addiction to abuse to depression — and used their music to exorcise their demons.
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SoundTreks: Bollywoodtag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41672011-09-14T17:37:55Z2011-09-14T18:20:45Z With its roots in Indian films of the 1950s and '60s, Indian film music is the sound of playback singers (something akin to voiceover artists) reinforcing pivotal scenes —...Rachel Devitt
With its roots in Indian films of the 1950s and '60s, Indian film music is the sound of playback singers (something akin to voiceover artists) reinforcing pivotal scenes — and revealing hidden emotions and future plot developments. The tradition is based in classical and folk performance wherein theater, dance and song coexist seamlessly, but for the last several decades, Bollywood soundtracks have also contributed heavily to India's pop music culture, spawning big stars and hit songs. Film music, in other words, is a vital part of daily life in India and a powerful vehicle for cultural expression. But especially in today's Bollywood, where composers and singers create music under intense time pressure, creating a flurry of pop tunes that come and go within a matter of weeks, Indian film music can be overwhelming. So we assembled this brief introduction to the vast, varied and exciting world of Bollywood, breaking down the industry's biggest stars and hottest composers in both the classic (1930s-1960s) and contemporary era in this handy-dandy extensive (yet still drop-in-the-bucket) annotated SoundTreks: Bollywood, A Playlist Guide.
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The Legends Lata Mangeshkar. The grand diva of Bollywood, Mangeshkar has the most-recorded singing voice in history, providing the soundtrack for at least two generations of Indians. If you've heard any Bollywood music at all, you've likely heard Lata. Asha Bhosle. And if you haven't heard Lata, you've likely heard her sister Asha Bhosle, a phenomenally versatile and successful singer in her own right. Bhosle has sung everything from light devotional songs to Hindi film hits to collaborations with Western pop musicians. Geeta Dutt. This beloved playback singer held her own (as much as anyone could) against the unstoppable Lata Mangeshkar in the 1950s. Kishore Kumar. A natural comedian who craved romantic leads and an actor who may have found his greatest success as a singer, Kishore Kumar is one of India's best-known voices. He performed an estimated 112 songs in S.D. Burman's films alone and had his songs banned for refusing to sing in a propaganda appearance for Indira Gandhi. Mukesh. A singer renowned for his sweet, almost otherworldly timbre, Mukesh is one of the greats of the classic Bollywood period, getting his start in the late 1940s and establishing himself as the voice of actor Raj Kapoor until well into the 1970s. He became known as the "tragedy king" for his nuanced portrayal of heavy emotion. Mohammed Rafi. A Punjabi singer with training in Hindustani classical music, Mohammed Rafi is estimated to have sung upwards of 26,000 songs. Noor Jehan. Born in Punjab in 1926, the classically trained Noor Jehan became a singing star in the Bombay film industry in the 1940s, only to return to Pakistan after partition and stay there for decades (until her triumphant return to Bombay for a film celebration in 1982).
The Composers A.R. Rahman. A.R. Rahman has been a leading Bollywood composer since the 1990s, when his pan-culturalism revolutionized film music. He was also the chief composer for the Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. Kalyanji Anandji. These two universally respected brothers were top composers in the 1960s and '70s. R.D. Burman. Though he trained under Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and later worked with his father, the film composer S.D. Burman, R.D. Burman was a product of the swinging '60s and his music reflected it, bringing a swinging rock 'n' roll spirit into Hindi films. S.D. Burman. A very successful composer and father of composer R.D. Burman, S.D. Burman started out as a singer in Calcutta in the 1930s. Anu Malik. A controversial figure and one of India's top film composers, Malik is also a judge on Indian Idol. Salil Chowdhury. Chowdhury was a prodigiously talented Bengali composer who successfully made the leap to Bollywood in the 1950s. His ethics and his compositions remained deeply rooted in his experiences as a Bengali growing up under the often-oppressive British colonial rule. Shankar Jaikishan. One of the great composing duos — who rarely composed together in actuality — Shankar Jaikishan set the standard for Indian film music in the 1950s and '60s and won awards well into the 1970s. The American film Darjeeling Limited used a good deal of their music.
The New Guard Kavita Krishnamurthy. Krishnamurthy sang her first film song in 1971 (a duet with Lata Mangeshkar) but struggled to find fame until 1985's chart-busting "Tumse Milkar Na Jaane Kyon" (from Pyar Jhukta Nahin). R.D. Burman took a risk and made her the only female vocalist for the 1994 film 1942 - A Love Story — and it paid off, winning them both multiple awards. Sukhwinder Singh. An unassuming man with a torrential voice, Singh is acclaimed in India for work including A.R. Rahman's award-winning soundtrack to the 1998 film Dil Se. He's also known internationally for performing songs on Deepa Mehta's 1947 Earth and singing "Jai Ho" on the Slumdog soundtrack. Alka Yagnik. This multiple Filmfare (Bollywood's Oscars) award-winner took up the throne from Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bohsle as they were starting to wind down in the 1980s, becoming one of India's leading playback singers. Kumar Sanu. Kumar Sanu's voice dominated 1990s Bollywood, which is no surprise considering his numerous comparisons to Kishore Kumar. K K. Born Krishnakumar Kunnath, K K got his start singing advertising jingles before becoming one of contemporary Bollywood's leading singers. Alisha Chinai. One of India's top next-generation playback singers, Alisha Chinai also has a career as a pop recording artist. Lucky Ali. This popster-turned-playback-singer (who thought about being an actor and is rumored to be a composer) is a bit of a Bollywood bad boy who won every award in 2000 for the song "Na Tum Jaano Na" from Kaho Na Pyar Hai. Udit Narayan. One of the premier voices of new Bollywood, Narayan began his musical career singing folk music in Nepal. His Bollywood career took off with the award-winning "Papa Kehte" from 1988's Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Shreya Ghoshal. The astonishingly young Shreya Goshal is an up-and-coming talent who's enjoyed success for her singing in 2002's Devdas and 2003's Jism. She's also sung in Tamil, Telegu and Bengali films, and has even been known to compose on occasion. Shaan. This cutie is a Filmfare award-winning playback singer and a TV host. Atif Aslam. This Pakistani pop singer also has a healthy Bollywood playback career. Sunidhi Chauhan. Credited with over 2000 songs (including three Filmfare award-winners), this leading contemporary singer has also sung in Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Assamese and Gujarati films.
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Senior Year, 1988: Teen Beat Dream Machinestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41582011-09-13T16:06:21Z2011-09-13T16:27:10Z Once upon a time, concerts happened in concert halls and auditoriums and stadiums and clubs. OK, they still do, but in the late '80s, young pop stars started tapping...Rachel Devitt
Once upon a time, concerts happened in concert halls and auditoriums and stadiums and clubs. OK, they still do, but in the late '80s, young pop stars started tapping the power of their rabid teenage fan base directly at its source: the mall. Phenoms like Debbie Gibson and Tiffany not only marketed the heck out of their own images (T-shirts! Watches! Perfume! Dolls!), they also showed up at the mall in person and played actual shows. So on any given Saturday, a hip young teen might be found making her (or, um, his) way down to the mall to catch a concert by a prominent Teen Beat Dream Machine with a few hundred (or a few thousand) fellow screaming, hysterical fans. Relive those memories with our Senior Year, 1988: Teen Beat Dream Machines playlist.
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September 11, 2001 Scrapbooktag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41402011-09-07T17:04:36Z2011-09-07T20:32:15Z We all reacted to the horrible events of September 11, 2001, in our own ways — wherever we were, whatever we were doing, whichever CD or radio station or...Rhapsody Editorial
We all reacted to the horrible events of September 11, 2001, in our own ways — wherever we were, whatever we were doing, whichever CD or radio station or fizzy pop single we first reached for to help us cope. Here, Rhapsody's editors offer their own musical perspectives, from saber-rattling country to hopeful worship music, from pop-punk bromides to plaintive protest songs, from the momentary tentativeness of comedy to the fieriness of hip-hop to the transcendence of jazz. As Sonny Rollins put it, "Maybe music can help. I don't know, but we have to try something." Here's what we tried.
Sifting Through the Ashes in New York City
I was in Park Slope, Brooklyn, that morning, about to board the subway for work in Lower Manhattan, when my roommate told me I should turn the TV on. After the second plane hit, I went up to the roof of our apartment building and watched the smoke. Cars were dusted with ashes as far south as where I lived. I spent the day switching between staring at TV news and trying to drown out the hell in my head (and the fear that the Army might call me back up) with desolate ambient doomsday metal: Neurosis, My Dying Bride, Amorphis droning about mushroom clouds.
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Village Voice, where I worked as music editor and within days would put together a special section devoted to the attacks. Lower Manhattan looked like a ghost town.
On November 7, 2001 — less than two months after the September 11 attacks — Alan Jackson performed a brand-new song at the CMA Awards. He quickly moved the audience to tears, and "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning") soon became the quintessential post-9/11 song for many.
Jackson later explained that he wanted to write a song that wasn't vengeful or patriotic, but simply encapsulated how he felt on that day. He obviously hit the emotional nail on the head, as "Where Were You" went on to top both the country and pop charts. Many artists wrote post-9/11 songs immediately after the attacks, but very few bothered after Jackson weighed in. As Lon Helton, country editor of the now-defunct trade publication Radio & Records, put it, "Alan Jackson's song stopped about 150 guys in their tracks. They heard it and just put down their pens."
Traditionally, country music goes hand-in-hand with conservative patriotism and tales of war. Perhaps that's because, as Josh Thompson writes of his country brethren in the song "Way Out Here," "We got a fightin' side a mile wide but we pray for peace/ 'Cause it's mostly us that end up serving overseas." In any case, Jackson's wasn't the only song to reverberate. Check out our playlist of post-9/11 country songs, and patriotic songs that took on new significance in a post-9/11 world. — Linda Ryan
Retail Therapy: Jay-Z, Nickelback and 9/11's Other New Releases
Slayer put out an album called God Hates Us All on September 11, 2001. You couldn't make this stuff up. But the album that ends with the triptych of "War Zone," "Here Comes the Pain" and "Payback" was hardly that day's most notable release.
For excellence, head straight for Jay-Z's The Blueprint, arguably his crowning achievement and a critical/commercial juggernaut so massive he's made two (inferior) sequels. For notoriety, it's gotta be Mariah Carey's Glitter soundtrack, a titanic debacle that once threatened to ruin her career. And then there's Bob Dylan, who loosed the critically adored Love and Theft upon the world that morning, full of apocalyptic imagery that made him look eerily prophetic: "What did Dylan know and when did he know it?" wondered Greg Tate in the Village Voice.
Elsewhere, you had au courant nu-metalheads P.O.D. offering Satellite, and the major-label debut from a modest little Canadian dude-rock outfit called Nickelback: Silver Side Up is home to "How You Remind Me," maybe the No. 1 song to blare at the gym while newly patriotic bros upped their bench-press reps and imagined taking on the Taliban themselves. If you found all that a little ridiculous, so did Ben Folds, whose wry solo debut, Rockin' the Suburbs, lampooned the mooks incessantly.
Of course the single most famous record affected by the events of 9/11 was actually The Coup's Party Music, a politically incendiary party-rap classic that wasn't due out for a month but caused a stir in the aftermath anyway: the (quickly changed) cover image depicted members Boots Riley and Pam the Funkstress blowing up the World Trade Center. Prog-metal giants Dream Theater encountered a similar problem: their Live Scenes from New York was out that day, with a cover featuring a flaming apple topped by the Twin Towers. (That version is now a collector's item.)
Personally, diving back into all of this, the September 11, 2001, record that strikes me as most poignant now is probably the least ominous-feeling: They Might Be Giants' Mink Car, a minor entry in the relentlessly clever Brooklyn duo's catalog, but listening now to the simultaneously goofy and melancholy dance pop anthem "Man, It's So Loud in Here" is oddly affecting. A few months later, I went to a T.M.B.G. show in Columbus, Ohio, that was interrupted by a full power outage; in the hour-long wait until a backup generator arrived, they did a few songs unplugged, after cofounder John Flansburgh shushed the restless crowd by noting, "We come from a place that's dealing with far worse problems than this one." — Rob Harvilla
Top of the Charts: The Biggest Songs That Week
It's a somewhat macabre business, musically re-creating 9/11 with a playlist of the top songs on the charts that week. After all, none of us wants to relive that tragedy — or, worse, to pickle and preserve it into some kind of musical commemorative plate that's cut off from the real-life pain and loss that our country experienced that day. But in another sense, looking back at the music of the week of September 11 is more like creating and then unearthing a time capsule, an aural document not only of a formative moment in American history, but also of American culture at that time. So what can we learn about ourselves from the top songs the week of September 11, 2001? Well, even as the United States went through one of the most traumatic experiences in its history, we still found inspiration to think about love; to dance to the diverse sounds (from hip-hop to country) that make up the palette of American pop; and to be joyful, with a little help from fellow Americans like Jennifer Lopez, Alicia Keys, Usher, Missy Elliott, Sugar Ray and more. — Rachel Devitt
The Statue of Liberty Shakes Her Fist, and a Country Goes to War
From the day Al-Qaeda hit its targets, I imagined Brooks & Dunn's hard-rocking patriotic country hit from that summer, "Only in America" — out three months at that point, and one of my favorite 2001 singles — becoming an exceptionalist anthem; in the next half-decade, it would be used by both Republicans and Democrats in presidential campaigns, and by Oliver Stone in his World Trade Center movie. But it's still not the country song that people most associate with 9/11.
That would, of course, be Toby Keith's "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue (The Angry American)," which would come out in May 2002 and go on to top the country charts. It was impossibly rousing (I've sung it, badly, in karaoke myself); impossibly ridiculous in its violent imagery ("the Statue of Liberty started shaking her fist," then "we put a boot in your ass, it's the American way"); and impossibly offensive in its jingoist propagandizing if you wanted it to be But it was — like it or not — a song that had to be sung, because all wars of magnitude need war songs of similar magnitude, and who better to sing it than probably the greatest male singer of the 21st century's first decade?
Keith — a self-proclaimed conservative Democrat who has claimed he never supported our preemptive adventure in Iraq — initially played it only for troops, the story goes, but eventually put it out after a Marine Corps Commandant told him it was his duty to inspire the men and women in uniform. In some ways, it was undoubtedly pure opportunism: though he later named a 2003 album Shock'n Y'all, and though he has recorded a handful of red-state editorials since, they really aren't Keith's main stock in trade, or even what he's best at.
As warmongering country goes, "Courtesy" wasn't alone: Darryl Worley's 2003 No. 1 hit "Have You Forgotten?" deceitfully pretended Iraq was responsible for September 11; Hank Williams Jr.'s 2002 "America Will Survive" updated his three-decade-old urbanite-baiting anthem "A Country Boy Can Survive" for current-event consumption; and Montgomery Gentry and Trace Adkins both fought their own good fights. But "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue" is the one that defined its time, for all time — and, ultimately, defined its artist. Toby Keith will never live it down. But there's a lot the rest of us will never live down, too. — C.E.
The Dixie Chicks and the Perils of Post-9/11 Political Controversy
Not since Chicago's infamous 1979 Disco Demolition Night has there been such a vociferous backlash to a body of music. Back then, it was an entire genre. In 2003, the target was more precise: the Dixie Chicks.
There are numerous examples of entertainers suffering the consequences of their outspoken opposition to America's post-September 11 actions and policies, but none compare to what happened here. While the Texas-based country trio was on tour in England, singer Natalie Maines famously declared that the band was "ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas," setting off a firestorm of controversy that still resonates more than eight years later. In fact, the band's saga so thoroughly saturated pop culture that it resulted in a famous Entertainment Weekly cover, a full-length documentary (Shut Up and Sing), and the phrases "Dixie Chicking" and "Dixie Chicked" permanently joining the vernacular.
The trio, once music's top-grossing "girl group" thanks to No. 1 albums like 1999's Fly and 2002's Home, was subsequently blacklisted from most country radio playlists. More conservative — or patriotic, depending on your politics — pundits actively encouraged Dixie Chicks CD-burning parties. Ticket sales in many concert markets plummeted, and the group received death threats.
In 2007, the Chicks swept the Grammy Awards with their album Taking the Long Way, taking home statues for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and, oddly, Country Album of the Year. Despite this, they haven't made a new album since, and neither Natalie Maine's solo single (a cover of The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows") nor Emily Robison and Martie Maguire's offshoot band Court Yard Hounds has gained any real traction. No band's trajectory was more drastically affected by the cultural climate after September 11. — L.R.
It may be unfair to single out rap artists for their response to the tragic events of September 11. Artists in every discipline, from music to movies to literature and visual art, have struggled to express themselves in this defining moment. But in a genre that prizes topicality and ghetto realism, whether it's a carefully edited documentary or an exaggerated form of musical verité, the halting way rappers chose to address the World Trade Center attacks is particularly glaring.
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, there was mostly silence. The rapid-reaction MP3 infrastructure that swirls around any major event today didn't truly exist yet, so most of the late-2001 release slate didn't mention it, including Jay-Z's The Blueprint (famously released on September 11) and Dilated Peoples' Expansion Team. However, contemporaneous work took on new significance, including Cannibal Ox's diary of New York squalor The Cold Vein, Trick Daddy's condemnatory "Amerika," and DMX's street-revolutionary anthem "Who We Be." Advance artwork for The Coup's Party Music featured Boots Riley and Pam the Funkstress blowing up the Twin Towers with a radio tuner, but it was quickly replaced after the attacks and before the album's November 6 release.
The lone exception to this disquiet was Sage Francis' "Makeshift Patriot." Recorded and released several weeks after the attacks as a free MP3, it has a reportorial perspective as he compares the terrorist-manned planes to Trojan horses and recounts how "the fallout was far beyond the toxic clouds where people were like debris."
By the end of the year, stray references to September 11 began to appear. "Who the f*ck knocked our buildings down?/ Who behind the World Trade massacre? Step up now," rapped a newly patriotic Ghostface Killah on Wu-Tang Clan's "Rules." On his anti-war song "Rule," Nas took a more expansive view, rapping, "Lost lives in the towers and Pentagon, why then/ Must it go on/ We must stop the killing."
This approach prevailed during the next few years, as September 11 became a throwaway metaphor for urban blight and American resilience. "This that 9/11 music right here, man," bragged Jim Jones on "Ground Zero" from The Diplomats' Diplomatic Immunity. (Ironically, The Diplomats also called themselves The Taliban.) On "A Ballad for the Fallen Soldier," Jay-Z compared a street hustler's life to someone serving in the armed forces. "They're both at war," he observed. "Off to boot camp, they're both facing terror/ Bin Laden been happenin' in Manhattan."
While music about September 11 has mostly disappointed, the subsequent War on Terror — along with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars — inspired a wave of memorable critiques against President Bush. "Bin Laden didn't blow up the projects/ It was you, n*gga/ Tell the truth, n*gga," chants Mos Def on Immortal Technique's "Bin Laden," which — along with Jadakiss' "Why" and Mr. Lif's "Home of the Brave" — advanced the conspiracy theory that the Bush administration orchestrated the September 11 attacks as a Faustian global power grab.
Meanwhile, September 11 as an event unto itself has largely gone unanalyzed. Perhaps hip-hop artists are more comfortable with using the U.S. government as a stock villain for all the hardship that has befallen us since that day, from never-ending wars to economic catastrophe, than imagining the complex forces that irrevocably changed 21st-century American life. — Mosi Reeves
In 1994, Billie Joe Armstrong slashed at a thrift-store sofa and sang about masturbation's fabled affect on one's retinas. It may have seemed dim and silly to some, but it gave the older folks, worried they were raising a generation of slackers, a reason to fear punk again. Green Day went on to release a handful of semi-successful albums, but it seemed Dookie would forever be their creative crest. Then September 11 happened. And a decade following their breakout album, Green Day rediscovered their role as a punk band — because a new generation needed it. A rock opera that resulted in both Grammy love and a Broadway musical, American Idiot may not have sounded like the stoned-out anarchist thrash the Berkeley band started with, but it was every bit as punk in its intent.
The album, Green Day's seventh, came out three years and 10 days after September 11, and one month and 12 days before the 2004 presidential election. The timing was not arbitrary. Told through the Average Joe "Jesus of Suburbia," American Idiot didn't speak directly to the events of September 11, but instead embodied America's sociopolitical climate and overall malaise in the tragedy's aftermath. Its emotions hit every stage of grief — from denial to anger to depression — all while a love story unfolds. It's not a commentary on terrorists, President Bush or weapons of mass destruction. It's about the trickle-down effect of all of that — what the majority of us battle with and question daily. Love, in our seemingly insignificant lives, is hard enough to define and find in peacetime, so how does the "information nation of hysteria" deal with it in a time of war and an "age of paranoia"? — Stephanie Benson
A New Era of Protest Songs
In the days after September 11, 2001, Americans did what they do best: rallied together to support our fellow citizens and started the hard work necessary to pick up the pieces after the tragic events of that day. But in the weeks and months that followed, as the government unveiled its own response, people also began tapping into another important American legacy: dissent. Musicians were no different. As President Bush engaged the country in a multinational war that many felt was wrongheaded, artists from Nas to the Dixie Chicks, Pink to Pearl Jam began penning songs criticizing the government.
The history of American popular music is also, in many ways, a history of protest song and musical resistance. Sometimes that resistance has been to cultural mores, like the sexual taboos challenged by classic blues artists and early rock 'n' rollers. In other eras, music has served as a critical voice of protest against social inequality, like the songs of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement that helped to dismantle racist policies and attitudes. And at other times, music has helped to shape a movement that rises up to critique the government and affect change, like the anti-war repertoire of the 1960s and '70s. The post-September 11 protest-song movement didn't ever reach the cohesive magnitude of the Vietnam era, in part because the country was so divided about which direction we should take. But the songs in this playlist nonetheless helped to remind pop music of its activist roots and keep alive the politics of dissent. — R.D.
Comedians the world over are trained to find the humor in humanity's darkest moments, but after September 11, even the raunchiest, raciest and most irascible of them found themselves at a loss for words. "Too soon!" became a meme all its own, with jokers across the country being scolded for even attempting to take up the subject. Perhaps most notably, there was Gilbert Gottfried, who performed in New York City at a Friar's Club Roast of Hugh Hefner just three weeks after the tragedy.
After nearly getting booed off the stage for a joke mentioning air travel and the Empire State Building, Gottfried launched into his own improvised version of the now-famous bit "The Aristocrats," immortalized in the movie of the same name. Gottfried's version of the joke achieves new heights of vulgarity, which is saying something. In the apoplectic procession of foulness that spews forth (we're not even going to try to quote it), not to mention the uproarious laughs that follow it, one hears a definite catharsis. Comedians are never considered heroes — it goes against their very nature — but on this one particular night, for an audience that hadn't laughed in weeks, Gottfried saved the day. — Garrett Kamps
Christian Music Stars Soothe, and Grieve
The reverberations of September 11 were felt throughout Christian music, with shows canceled, artists stranded out on the road and everyone left asking each other, "What now?"
Even on a day when every detail seemed momentous, a few stories stood out. First was the fact that Michael W. Smith's Worship album came out that very day, a coincidence that would seem God-ordained in retrospect. The music would prove to be a spiritual balm for an emotionally raw nation: while it certainly would've been a hit regardless, the grim circumstances surely helped the record go double-platinum.
Then there's the horrifying tale of singer Tammy Trent. The terrorist attacks and subsequent grounding of all flights left her stuck in Jamaica, where her husband, Trent Lenderink, an experienced diver, had drowned on September 10 — authorities were still searching the water for him that morning. Trent's family had made arrangements to join her in Jamaica, but of course their flights were cancelled. The experience of being alone and grieving in a foreign country as her home was under attack continues to color the music she makes today. Even her name harkens back to her late husband: when the high school sweethearts married, they agreed that her new last name of Lenderink didn't roll off the tongue, so she took her husband's first name as her stage surname, never realizing it would one day serve as a reminder of him and his continuing role in her career. — Wendy Lee Nentwig
Sonny Rollins, Helping the Show Go On
Try to imagine what he looked like, 71 years old at the time, grey-haired and disheveled, likely taken away from coffee or oatmeal or whatever a saxophone colossus has for breakfast. You gotta think that Sonny Rollins, whose Tribeca apartment was a few blocks away from the World Trade Center, was probably just as scared as everyone else. But here's the thing: when the television cameras caught him that morning, it wasn't startling to see his surgical mask or his slouching posture as he boarded the evacuation bus; it was the fact that he had the presence of mind to grab his horn.
Five days later in Boston, in one of those examples of how the clichéd "show-must-go-on" gene lives in the DNA of all performers of his longevity, Rollins recorded his first live record in 18 years, Without a Song: The 9/11 Concert. Released years later, it won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Solo in 2006.
Which solo? A tune whose title seemed particularly poignant considering the circumstances: "Why Was I Born?" Rollins wails out an intro by himself in skittish, fragmented bits and pieces, halting and too muscular to be comfortable, in the million-things-at-once gale on which he's built a career. It's the kind of moment that Stanley Crouch speaks of in Rollins' New Yorker profile, saying, "If jazz improvisation is a kind of democratic expression, then Rollins may well be our greatest purveyor of utopian feeling."
Is Without a Song utopian? Hardly. It has a few familiar pitfalls of late-career Rollins — some banal Calypso grooves, an ensemble that includes some downright lame conga solos — but the circumstances of the record make it a document of a great musician wrestling to exist under baffling circumstances. "Maybe music can help," he grumbles after introducing the band halfway through the set. "I don't know, but we have to try something." And by trying, he achieved something colossal. — Nate Cavalieri
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Cheat Sheet: Colombia, the Heart of Latin Musictag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41452011-09-07T16:08:34Z2011-09-07T22:58:13Z Like the country's rich and varied natural landscape — and its thrilling and often tumultuous socio-political history — Colombian musical culture is exhilarating, breathtakingly diverse and at once richly...Rachel Devitt
Like the country's rich and varied natural landscape — and its thrilling and often tumultuous socio-political history — Colombian musical culture is exhilarating, breathtakingly diverse and at once richly historic and cutting-edge. Its musical claims to fame encompass everything from wide-ranging folk traditions to some of the world's biggest Latin pop stars, from rock heavyweights to alt-folkloric hip-hop. Colombian musicians are also equally brilliant at both artistic importing and exporting: salsa inundated the country and Colombians made it their own, while homegrown cumbia has infiltrated nearly every sector of the Latin world. What we've assembled here in this guide to Colombian music is only a very brief introduction, but it will give you a taste for just how deliciously diverse this country's musical heritage is. Dig in.
Fanny Lú Lagrimas Calidas
Like Shakira? Try Colombia's other blonde-bombshell pop star. OK, her debut album doesn't sound much like Shakira's ardent belly-dance pop: instead, Lú laces her bubblegum beats through with the accordion-driven strains of northeast Colombia's vallenato music. Her first single, "No Te Pido Flores," a folklorico-lite coffee-shop-pop slice of sun, rocketed her to stardom in 2006. See Also:Ilona, who bridges Lú's sweet alt pop with Shakira's throatiness. Soraya, who slings everything from bluesy pop rock to sleek dance pop.
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Carlos Vives Clasicos de la Provincia
The man who made Lú's vallenato dabblings possible, however, is Carlos Vives, whose breakthrough album was a watershed for Latin pop. Released in 1993, Clasicos de la Provincia took traditional songs from this "unsophisticated" country-folk genre — a hodgepodge of Spanish, African and native Indian sounds played on flutes, accordions and guitars — and turned them into monster pop hits like "La Gota Fria." It made Vives, who eventually took his vallenato experiments in even poppier directions, one of Latin music's biggest stars. Vives and vallenato can also be credited with the popularization of cumbia, a kind of kissing cousin of the style. See Also:Fonseca, heir to Vives' pop vallenato throne.
La Sonora Dinamita, Discos Fuentes Collection Various Artists, Soundway Records Presents Cartagena! Curro Fuentes & The Big Band Cumbia and Descarga Sound of Colombia 1962-72 Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Un Fuego de Sangre Pura
Cumbia is perhaps Colombia's most significant musical export. Originating on the country's Atlantic coast, the swishing rhythm was a hybrid of African, Spanish and native Colombian styles that proved extremely adaptable to a number of sonic contexts. In Colombia alone, its incarnations include rootsy styles that incorporate a cane-stalk clarinet from India; the heavily folkloric dance music performed by groups like Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto; the big band jazz-and-dance styles of the genre's "golden age" (see the Soundway Records comp above); and the salsa-fied version favored by La Sonora Dinamita and many of the artists on the famed Disco Fuentes label. And that's not even touching the paths cumbia has taken outside Colombia, as this prolific rhythm has traveled around and become one of Latin America's most popular and prolific styles.
Various Artists Greatest Salsa Classics of Colombia, Vol. 1
The folk- and jazz-infused Caribbean dance music that came to be called salsa infiltrated much of the Latin music world from its heyday in the 1960s and '70s onward. But Colombia took it especially seriously. Artists like Fruko (known as the "godfather of Colombian salsa") and Joe Arroyo gave the Cubans and Puerto Ricans a run for their money, mixing the genre's Afro-Caribbean rhythms and the bright, piercing jazziness of the New York scene with Colombian folkloric styles, including cumbia. See Also:Grupo Niche
Sidestepper 3 AM (In Beats We Trust)
Where there's a folkloric genre, there will inevitably be an alt rock revival of said genre — and the alt-folklorico reworking of cumbia is one of Latin America's most vibrant and interesting examples, thanks in large part to groups like Sidestepper. Formed by an English sound engineer who fell in love with Afro-Caribbean music, Sidestepper brought Costenos (coastal Colombians) and Bogota natives together (unheard of at the time) to play a mix of Colombian folk and pop styles filtered through hip-hop, chill club grooves, and dub, all glued together with cumbia. Their 2003 album made an international splash and paved the way for the alt cumbia scene that soon spread across Latin America. See Also: Bomba Estereo.
Aterciopelados El Dorado
Alt rock is clearly in the DNA of Colombia, which is sometimes called the "punk corner" of Latin America. This beloved alt rock outfit offers a marked contrast to Sidestepper's alt folklorico: with an aesthetic sensibility that merges Britrock, punk, '90s alt rock and Latin rock (plus the occasional smidgen of dub), the sound on Aterciopelados' debut is all ringing guitars and anthemic choruses, delivered with the caressing voice and formidable presence of frontwoman Andrea Echeverri. See Also: Andrea Echeverri, Dos. Kraken.
Juanes Un Dia Normal
The king of Colombian rock — and, really, Latin rock in general — is, of course, Juanes. Sensitive heartthrob, multiple Grammy winner, adamant non-English speaker, he is arguably the country's most famous artist (after Shakira, or perhaps tied with her), and a massive star throughout Latin America and the world. And he has the talent to back it up: albums like his 2002 sophomore effort are impeccably crafted collections of adult alternative, pop and lightly folk-infused roots rock imbued with intelligence and heart. See Also:Lucas Arnau.
Grupo Cimarrón, Si, Soy Llanero: Joropo Music from the Orinoco Plains of Colombia and Various Artists, Lo Maravilloso de la Musica Colombiana
Colombia's folk traditions are as plentiful and widely varied as the country's landscape. The joropo music from the Orinoquía region favored by Grupo Cimarrón is a harp-driven Creole-folk dance music with strong European roots also prominent in Venezuela. The second comp listed here includes a wide range of folkloric styles, including the pipes-based Andean bambuco tradition played by Jorge Villamil.
Various Artists, Soundway Presents Palenque Palenque: Champeta Criolla & Afro Roots in Colombia 1975-1991 and Various Artists, Pacífico Colombiano
African-diaspora folk traditions are also a huge part of the Colombian musical landscape. The champeta compilation from Soundway Records documents the heavy African influence on Colombian coastal music — and, in turn, the Afro-Colombian routes and roots of Colombian music as a whole. Pacifico Colombiano, on the other hand, compiles a number of styles (both folkloric and popular) from the Pacific coast region, including the currlao played by Grupo Sovacon, a style featuring marimbas and shakers that's been listed as a UNESCO heritage tradition. See Also:Toto La Momposina
Choc Quib Town Oro
When this Pacific Coast outfit's debut dropped in 2010, it made some serious waves both at home and abroad — and with good reason. Not only did Choc Quib Town almost single-handedly introduce the world to Colombian hip-hop (and, in particular, their rootsy, folk-influenced take on it), they demanded attention for Colombia's historically elided Afro-Colombian population and claimed unabashed pride in the group's cultural and geographic roots with hits like "Somos Pacifico." Blending folk rhythms with funk, rock and salsa to create an uber-hip hip-hop concoction, the group continues to earn raves from critics around the world. See Also: For Colombian hip-hop of a different persuasion (and location), try Colombian American outfit Tres Coronas. Reggaeton has also got a hold on the country, thanks to groups like Tres Pesos.
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Single-Phile: Hot Fall Albumstag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41422011-09-06T17:02:16Z2011-09-09T18:35:45Z Can you believe it's already fall? Seems like just yesterday we were dusting off the old mojito mint muddler, taking the itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka-dot bikini out of mothballs...Rhapsody Editorial
Can you believe it's already fall? Seems like just yesterday we were dusting off the old mojito mint muddler, taking the itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny yellow polka-dot bikini out of mothballs and talking about summer jams. (Though that could also be because the last edition of single-phile was literally about summer jams.) And now it's time to pack up the white pants, send the kiddies off to school and start getting primed for fall's big albums.
Luckily, we've got a slew of hot — or, more appropriately, cool — new singles to get us in the autumnal state of mind. If spring and early summer singles are all about the jam, about finding that one song with the season-long staying power to keep the road trips moving and the beach parties grooving, then the tracks of late summer and early fall are focused on introductions and new beginnings. Just about every big single that came out in the last few weeks has been designed to serve as a calling card for a big or up-and-coming artist's hotly anticipated new album. So in this edition of single-phile, we've rounded 'em up and broken 'em down for you, deciphering not only the single itself but what it's trying to tell us about the album to follow. Listen in: single-phile, September 2011: Hot Singles from Fall's Coolest New Upcoming Albums
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The Artist: Kelly Clarkson The Song: "Mr. Know It All" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: The queen of high-octane kiss-offs is still kicking jerks to the curb on the lead single from her fifth album (Stronger, out October 25). This time around, however, she's coated it in more of a light soul dust than her trademark drama-ridden pop-rock confectionary. Clarkson may be trying to align herself with rich-voiced, retro-minded artists like Bruno Mars and Adele who've taken over the feather-light-vocals-over-a-heavy-club-beat pop landscape.
The Artist: Drake The Song: "Headlines" and "Marvins Room" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: Wow, we didn't think Drake could get any more pensive. But "Marvins Room," which sounds as if it were written in the wee hours after a night of binge drinking just before the Zoloft prescription kicked in, finds the young star providing a self-deprecating perspective on his romantic habits. "Headlines" seems slightly (seriously, slightly) more peppy and cocky — until you realize it's actually painting a cynical picture of post-fame life. In other words, Take Care (out October 24) appears likely to be headed in more cerebrally introspective and, um, drizzly directions than before. Drake also may have entirely abandoned rapping this time around.
The Artist: Demi Lovato The Song: "Skyscraper" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: After a very public struggle with some very personal issues, the young post-Disney starlet was basically required to release a demons-battling, obstacles-bounding survival anthem. Lucky for all of us, Lovato's comes off as extremely heartfelt — an ode that neither diminishes the difficulties she's faced nor positions herself as some kind of superheroine. The trick is going to be turning that experience into an album that allows her to move on from the experience. In other words, 10 to 12 "Skyscrapers" probably won't fly up the charts, but Lovato seems to have prepared for that with a Missy Elliott collaboration and other non-John-Mayer-inspired directions.
The Artist: Dev The Song: "In the Dark" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: Dev's been on the cusp of fame for at least the last year, thanks to some well-placed, hook-cooing guest shots ("Like a G6," anyone?) and one decently successful single of her own. And with each subsequent performance, the sassy, Ke$ha-esque emcee-ing of "Booty Bass" has given way to a sultry club purr. Essentially a sequel to "Like a G6" with a slightly warmer, fuller beat palate (synth sax!), "In the Dark" goes down smooth and icy, like cold vodka poured right in your ear (but, you know, in a sexy way). Here's hoping Dev finds a way to balance the sex kitten with the sassy femcee on her debut full-length (due out September 20).
The Artist: Evanescence The Song: "What You Want" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: With five years and a lot of internal band upheaval between them and their last album, Amy Lee and (new) co. are back with a self-titled release (due October 11). But will they still deliver that "Bring Me to Life" fix we've been fiending for? Let's check lead single "What You Want" for the particulars. Churning guitars? Check. Melancholy minor-key melody line? Check. A goth-pop sonic texture thick with layers of sound and fury (this time with a slightly U2-ish edge)? You know it. And most importantly, Amy Lee's soaring siren vocals attempting to convince your heart to jump ship and swim to her, no matter the cost? Oh, honey, check. Looks like our addiction will be fed.
The Artist: Skylar Grey The Song: "Invisible" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: Speaking of angsty female voices and pop-rock drama, have you met Skylar Grey? Well, technically you have, as a sought-after up-and-coming hook-slinger and songwriter for the likes of Eminem, Lupe Fiasco and Diddy. Now, as she prepares to release her major-label debut (Invisible, due out this fall), the young Ms. Grey introduces herself to the world as a solo artist possessed of a resonant, wide-ranging voice and a fondness for the uncomfortable-frankness-over-whooshing-beats style of pop-rock confessional. Not quite as intriguing as first single "Dance Without You," "Invinsible" still showcases a serious talent worth watching.
The Artist: Lady Antebellum The Song: "We Owned the Night" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: We're still singing "Need You Now," but the country crooners with serious pop-crossover power are all set to release their third album, Own the Night, on September 13. And they clearly know what works for them: achingly sweet melodies, cozily intimate boy-girl harmonies, and lyrics positively obsessed with love, twue love. Yearning lead single "Just a Kiss" was clearly meant to be the heir to the "Need You Now" throne, while "We Owned the Night" takes a more buoyant look at romance (and puts Charles Kelley front and center on vocals).
The Artist: Florence + the Machine The Song: "What the Water Gave Me" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: British indie-ingénue-turned-unlikely-pop-star Florence Welch cornered the market on magical-fairy-land electro-pop anthems with her debut album, 2009's Lungs. But with the lead single from this group's sophomore album (untitled, due this fall), they appear to have been studying at the school of songwriting founded by PJ Harvey and Kate Bush, specifically seeking the fine line between ethereal and eerie. "What the Water Gave Me" is a strange, shimmering, quasi-suicidal mythscape haunted by creepy harps, heart-rushing beat waterfalls and, of course, Welch's spectral voice (if they weren't already, the Kate Bush comparisons will be unavoidable). In other words, we guarantee you won't be able to stop listening to this album.
The Artist: Jason DeRulo The Song: "It Girl" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: Jason DeRulo has proven himself capable of many things: hip-hop-infused and weirdo-electro-pop-sampling mea culpas; clubby swagger; dance-pop debauchery; and, now, with the second single from his upcoming sophomore album, Future History (out September 16), sunny, sweet-talking, Bruno Mars-ian soul-pop. It's all perfectly pleasant (if pretty cheesy) stuff, but what DeRulo needs to find on album No. 2 is an identity we can really grab onto and remember.
The Artist: Leona Lewis The Song: "Collide" What It Tells Us About the Upcoming Album: Leona Lewis has always been in the business of impressing the pants off everyone with her big voice and massive dance-pop drama, and she apparently still is, judging by the first single off her upcoming third album (Glass Heart, out in November). "Collide" takes its title very literally: the whole song is a kind of breathless '80s pop homage, like Lewis and whoever she's singing about are just running just as fast as they can, holding onto one another's hand. It doesn't really go anywhere, but it does showcase a warmer, more accessible, more real version of the historically icy Lewis than we've ever heard.
Other Big Albums (without Recent Singles) to Watch Out for This Fall Estelle: All of Me (release date TBD) Romeo Santos: Formula (release date TBD) Coldplay: Mylo Xyloto (October 24) Feist: Metals (October 4) Gym Class Heroes: The Papercut Chronicles 2 (October 25) J. Cole: Cole World: The Sideline Story (September 27)
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Transcontinental Trip: Psychedelic Rock From Around the Globetag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41302011-08-31T21:37:34Z2011-08-31T16:24:42Z Psychedelic rock has always been pretty global by definition, in a misty, crystalline, incense-and-peppermints kind of way. In its '60s and '70s heyday, the influences of psychedelia — drugs,...Rachel Devitt
Psychedelic rock has always been pretty global by definition, in a misty, crystalline, incense-and-peppermints kind of way. In its '60s and '70s heyday, the influences of psychedelia — drugs, sitars, mysterious religions, political ideologies — traveled along a crisscrossing bohemian circuit of exotic locales from India to Morocco to Guatemala. At the same time, local musicians in each of those places and many more joined the trip themselves. Psychedelic artists like Ethiopia's Mahmoud Ahmed, Turkey's Bariş Manço, the Philippines' Asin and many of the key figures in Brazil's Tropicália movement incorporated indigenous music styles and recorded rare albums that intrepid crate diggers still scour the earth for today.
This transnational, countercultural psychedelic rock movement also influenced today's tripped-out, worldly, transcendental rock bands: the retro-washed trans-Cambodian cocktail of Dengue Fever, the Afrobeat diehards keeping Fela's memory alive (including a few of his own sons), and Andean psychedelic cumbia revivalists like New York's Chicha Libre. But the Saharan desert has proven to be the major epicenter of the psych rock revival, with musicians from persecuted nomadic groups like the Temashek (Touareg) people weaving together blues licks, traditional rhythms and vocals, and reverberating electric guitars into vision-blurring desert rock soundscapes that fuzz the line between a ritual trance and a psychedelic trip.
Malian desert-blues stars Tinariwen have just released a fifth album, Tassili, that takes psychedelic rock on an even more global journey, inviting American indie rockers like TV on the Radio and jazz musicians like The Dirty Dozen Brass Band to join them on their transcontinental adventures. That record inspired this playlist, but as you'll hear, there's plenty more where that came from. So tune in, turn on, drop out and take off on a head-spinning trip around the globe.
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Pop Roundup August/September 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.41222011-08-30T17:08:25Z2011-09-07T13:41:43Z The last month has been a bit slow for straight-up pop releases: albums by those artists who can only be classified under "pop." That said, the last month has...Rachel Devitt
The last month has been a bit slow for straight-up pop releases: albums by those artists who can only be classified under "pop." That said, the last month has also bestowed upon us a clutch of new albums that may come to us from other primary genres, but are also perfectly comfortable under pop's roof: hip-hop fueled by serious star power, rock and pop-punk that's not afraid of a hook or a dance beat, and indie music from around the world that's aesthetically as pop as Gaga, but just hasn't found her level of fame yet. So come hang out under the vast, varied, sparkly umbrella (ella ella) that is pop, and get to know this month's Top 10 albums.
1.Jay-Z and Kanye West Watch the Throne
When superstars join forces, we expect blasts of energy that wow us. So if Kanye West and Jay-Z's Watch the Throne fails, it's from attempting to fulfill our contradictory expectations of pop carnality and artistic substance. Its best moments stick to the former. But Jay is determined to turn Throne into the scepter of the hip-hop diaspora. "I tried to teach n*ggas how to be kings," he says on "Why I Love You." Unfortunately, as Langston Hughes once wrote, "life ain't no crystal stair." — Mosi Reeves Don't Miss: The joyous old-school roundelay of "Otis." The street-hop of "Welcome to the Jungle."
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2.Cobra Starship Night Shades
Lacking the emo elements Cobra Starship first emerged with, the band's fourth album is a pure pop record, with mid-tempo dancefloor jams, make-out-inducing hip-hop ballads and modern takes on the dance rock of The Fixx. Tracks like "Fool Like Me" work at tilling the ground Cee-Lo's "Forget You" sprang from, specifically Speakerboxxx-era Outkast, with perfectly '80s synths underneath. — Mike McGuirk Don't Miss: Single "You Make Me Feel ...," which is like Lady Gaga going even more New Wave.
3.Greyson Chance Hold on 'Til the Night
Watch your back, Bieber! And for that matter, J.T., Mike Posner and maybe even Usher. Greyson Chance is indeed the prepubescent singing sensation of the day, which, yes, grown-ups, does mean his debut includes tracks obsessed with crushes and song titles like, um, "Unfriend You." But age ain't nothing but a number, and "Unfriend You" (along with most of Hold On) is perfectly crafted pop confectionary, fraught with dramatic synth-strings, irresistible hooks, danceable grooves and, especially, Chance's warm, surprisingly rich blue-eyed soul vocals. — Rachel Devitt Don't Miss: The Bo Diddley beat on "Stranded." The "aw"-inducing high-octane drama of "Waiting Outside the Lines." Tween heartbreak ode "Cheyenne."
4.Natalia Kills Perfectionist
It's difficult to take Natalia Kills seriously, in spite of (or maybe because of) her desperate desire that we do so. The British singer-songwriter's debut is stuffed with dramatic, heavily stylized dance pop featuring Natalia as a self-destructive, kinda violent victim of love. Heavily drawn shades of Gaga color much of the album, but with dark-fairy-tale allegories and heavy-handed irony in place of Gaga's playfulness. Does that all sound negative? It's not. When treated as the high-camp dancefloor theater it is, Perfectionist kills (sorry). — R.D. Don't Miss: "Wonderland." "Kill My Boyfriend." "Zombie."
5.CSS La Liberacion
"I've got a PhD in ADD," Lovefoxxx slyly snarls on "F*ck Everything." It's nice to see CSS haven't lost any of their irreverence, even if that ADD still reigns over their music. La Liberacion boasts some cool guest stars — Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie, Ratatat, pianist Mike Garson — as the Brazilians try to navigate their way between the discotheque and the punk club. "I Love You" has a Pixies touch, "Hits Me Like a Rock" and "Echo of Love" work a reggae sway, and "La Liberacion" proves punk can be translated into any language. — Stephanie Benson Don't Miss: "City Grrl," which has potential to kick Gaga off the dancefloor.
6.Lil Wayne Tha Carter IV
On Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne dives into a series of game-spitting roundelays. Weezy doesn't have Kanye West's artistry or Jay's fear of failure, so his performances lack depth, if not necessarily resonance. However, unlike Tha Carter III and its earnest Hurricane Katrina homage, he realizes now that he's best at talking trash, not making concept albums. His one sensitive moment comes when he tries to teach a teenage fan "How to Love," but it sounds paternalistic, if well-intended. — M.R. Don't Miss: "President Carter," "Abortion" and "It's Good" (where he takes a jab at Jay-Z).
7.David Guetta Nothing but the Beat
How do you follow up the success of hits like "Sexy Bitch," "Gettin' Over" and "I Gotta Feeling"? French crossover sensation David Guetta stays with the smart money on Nothing but the Beat, the follow-up to 2009's One Love. The guest list is strictly A-list — Flo Rida, Taio Cruz, Snoop Dogg, Usher, Will.i.am, Akon, Chris Brown — and the pumped-up synths have the gleam of money in the bank. It's relentlessly contemporary, glossy, pumping club pop. In 2011, what counts is that it sounds expensive. — Philip Sherburne Don't Miss: "I Just Wanna F.," a Timbaland (and Dev) collab that throws back to Missy-era beats.
8.Ximena Sariñana Ximena Sariñana
Latin indie ingénue Sariñana has an interesting approach to the difficult sophomore album: on one hand, the release is almost entirely in English. On the other, it's sonically less mainstream than her debut, scrapping the pop hooks and rock guitars for complex meters ("The Bid"), sweepingly cinematic synth-onies, melancholic melodies that lilt in strange angles, and a lot of hipster-friendly electro-pop. It's a complicatedly crafted, mature effort, glued together by Sariñana's odd, pensively childlike voice. "Echo Park" and "Lies We Live In" will make you think. — R.D. Don't Miss: Tour de force "Tú y Yo."
10.Glee Cast Glee the 3D Concert Movie
Gleeks will be glad to find that this soundtrack to the 3D movie of a live concert featuring the cast of Glee (whew! Talk about a meta-project!) doesn't deviate much from the formula of the TV show it originates from. The actors work the attitudes you know so well, the pop covers are peppy and cute and just a bit campy, and, yes, the kids can definitely sing just as well as they do on TV. Even Gwyneth Paltrow makes a guest appearance. But there are some nice surprises, too: the cast are good live showmen, Brittany sings (!), and, unlike on the show, Rachel songs do not dominate! — R.D. Don't Miss: Brittany on Britney on "I'm a Slave 4 U." Kevin McHale's (Artie's) "P.Y.T." Santana and Mercedes (Naya Rivera and Amber Riley) absolutely killing it on Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High."
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Cheat Sheet: Classic Latin Jazz, Soul and Salsatag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40932011-08-25T17:06:12Z2011-08-30T19:14:03Z We admit that the title of this Cheat Sheet we've compiled ("we" being Latin editor Rachel Devitt and Jazz editor Nate Cavalieri) is a bit unwieldy, a bit amorphous,...Rachel Devitt
We admit that the title of this Cheat Sheet we've compiled ("we" being Latin editor Rachel Devitt and Jazz editor Nate Cavalieri) is a bit unwieldy, a bit amorphous, a bit hard to pin down. But so is the movement we're talking about. And that's what it was: a movement. The Latin music scene that set New York (and, eventually, the world) on fire in the mid-20th century grew out of several styles: jazz, soul, and what would come to be known as salsa, of course — but also earlier Latin dance sounds like mambo, cha-cha-cha, and boogaloo. Leading the charge were musicians who immigrated to New York from Puerto Rico and Cuba, and began innovatively interweaving traditional Caribbean music with mainland pop, interlacing jazz improvisation and composition with Latin dance structures and infusing American soul with Afro-Latin rhythms.
Finally, it's also about the movement of bodies: this is music made for dancing! Here, we'll trace the rise of what's often called the New York sound, from its roots in 1950s jazz and mambo through its coalescing in N.Y.C. clubs and on the Fania label in the '60s, all the way to its culmination in the unstoppable wave of '70s salsa.
Various Artists Fania Records 1964-1980: The Original Latin Sound of New York
If a zeitgeist could be boiled down to one album, this is what it would sound like: boogaloo, jazz, mambo, salsa and soul, all of it laced through with the hip-twitching traditional rhythms of Cuba and Puerto Rico. This is the definitive introduction to the heady brew that intoxicated New York and the world in the mid-20th century, from the label that defined the movement, thanks to its glittering, star-studded roster: Willie Colón saunters on "The Hustler," Hector Lavoe crowns himself "El Cantante," the Fania All-Stars tear up the Cheetah, and Celia Cruz, the Queen of Salsa, is positively regal on "Quimbara." — Rachel Devitt
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Mongo Santamaria Afro Roots (1958 & 1959)
Cuban Mongo Santamaria was a mesmerizing conguero, bandleader and personality, whose gifts behind the drums were often augmented by
a touch of traditional Cuban mysticism. This repackaging brings together his first pair of LPs as a bandleader — originally released
in '58 and '59 — and reveals the kitschy exotica of the decade's Latin music fad. The recording doesn't try to win over square
audiences, and the credits feature a litany of Latin soul heavies. For a quick primer on the heady stuff, skip straight to "Chano Pozo" and
try to wrap your head around what's happening on the congas. — Nate Cavalieri
Tito Puente Dance Mania (1958)
There's simply never been any bigger personality in Latin jazz than
"El Rey," the timbale player and vibraphonist Tito Puente. It's hard
to overstate the importance of this record: Dance Mania
was the first major-label release to feature Cuban rhythms without a
schmaltzy commercial package, the first major mambo LP to feature
Spanish vocals, and a heavy influence on the players who would shape
the next decade of Latin jazz. Most of all, the record is a deeply
representative document of its era. It'll transport you straight to
1950s New York and the brassy, wild, iconic Palladium Ballroom. — N.C.
La Lupe Tito Puente Swings, the Exciting Lupe Sings (1965)
In the '60s, the performing partnership of Latin jazz king Tito Puente and diva extraordinaire La Lupe was legendary, a foundation for Latin soul and dance. On these remasters from the renowned Fania label, it's easy to hear why. Puente's combo cooks with masterful passion, sizzling up hip-twitching dance cuts, aching boleros and the Santeria traditional "Elube Chango." (Lupe was a practitioner.) But it's La Lupe you gravitate toward, her husky, fervent voice going down like a burning shot of rum, her high-drama persona practically leaping off the record. "Que Te Pedi" will break your heart. — R.D.
Joe Cuba Sextette Bang! Bang! Push, Push, Push(1966)
The "Father of Latin Boogaloo," Joe Cuba laced Latin dance styles with R&B to create insanely infectious Latin soul tracks like "Bang Bang" that helped pave the way for '60s salsa. But Cuba was never a one-trick pony, and this album bursts at the seams with what are, basically, stupid and brilliant party tracks. (Plus a little straightforward proto-salsa.) It often sounds like there's a gang of people in the recording studio, and the band and hangers-on frequently let out shrieks of joy, shouting each other down and clambering over each other to get the next jam going. Salsa's birth was just a breath away, but this was where the party was in 1966. — Sarah Bardeen
Pucho and His Latin Soul Brothers Tough! (1966)
Even among the wild fusions happening among the big guns of Spanish
Harlem, Henry "Pucho" Brown had a big set of ears, constantly mixing
pop hits, jazz standards and sledgehammer Latin grooves. It made him a
lesser light of the Spanish Harlem jazz community — the dude was
simply too poppy — but when you dig into this eclectic mix, it's a
powerful and incredibly enduring testament to the man's vision. For
greasy, oversexed soul, cue up "Aye Ma Ma" or "Soul Yamie," then
buckle up for a way-out ride through slightly cheddary pop tunes like
"Alfie" and a blazing arrangement of "Caravan." — N.C.
Willie Bobo Uno, Dos, Tres/Spanish Grease (1966/1964)
In the mid-'60s, mambo was being edged out of the clubs by the rising
salsa trend; percussionist Willie Bobo bridged the transition between
the movements with these tough-as-nails sessions steeped in the sound,
soul and streetwise spirit of Spanish Harlem. This double reissue
brings together two sessions — 1964's Uno, Dos, Tres and
1966's Spanish Grease — and finds Bobo throwing traditional
Latin forms at a spectrum of rock and jazz tunes (the cover of "It's
Not Unusual" is priceless). When the record was issued it was all but
ignored, but the years since have proven Bobo's foresight. — N.C.
Celia Cruz with Tito Puente Cuba y Puerto Rico Son (1966)
An exquisite snapshot of the DNA of mid-century Latin music. Already stars, the future La Reina de la Salsa and El Rey de los Timbales dug into their respective cultures: folk and dance traditions like Puerto Rican bomba and plena, sultry Cuban bolero, feisty guarachas, even soulful rock. It's both an ingredients list for "salsa" and a road map of the influential courses Caribbean music had taken. Most of all, it's a heart-pumping exhibition of exhilarating artistry: Puente's timbales are on fire, and Cruz's piercing, incandescent vocals stoke the flames into a passionate inferno. — R.D. See Also:Celia y Willie (1981), another much-lauded collaboration between Cruz and Willie Colón, and a great early snapshot of her reign as the Queen of Latin Music.
Various Artists El Barrio: Gangsters, Latin Soul and the Birth of Salsa 1967-75
Seeping tough attitude, this comp of hotly politicized
late-'60s/early-'70s songs shows the influence of the Blacksploitation
movement on Latin soul (for reference, Shaft hit screens in
1971). There's something wickedly edgy about the whole deal, a package
that includes big names (like Puente and Willie Colón) and fairly
obscure ones, and opens with a badass spoken monologue from the Joe
Cuba Sextette. — N.C.
Machito, Soul of Machito (1968); Tito Rodriguez, Wa-Pa-Cha (1953); Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Cachao Descargas: The Havana Sessions (1961)
These three kingpins of an earlier generation of Latin music built the foundation for the classic salsa and jazz that comprised the New York sound. With their respective bands in the 1950s and '60s, bassist Lopez, percussionist/vibraphonist/vocalist Rodriguez and vocalist/maracas player Machito wove together jazz and Afro-Caribbean rhythms to create mambo, inspiring (and sometimes employing) the musicians who would go on to create salsa. — R.D.
Ray Barretto Acid (1968)
Few players have a CV that demonstrates the fusion of jazz, Latin
American, rock and soul trends as well as that of Ray "Hard Hands" Barretto, a
percussionist who started out with Charlie Parker and was an in-house
percussionist at Blue Note, Prestige and Riverside in the early '60s.
A few years later, he had all but invented the Watusi craze (and later
shied away from it) and was one of the most sought-after
percussionists on the New York scene. Acid, his debut with
Fania, is explosive, hard-grooving and just a little bit
psychedelic. — N.C.
Fania All-Stars Live at the Cheetah, Vol. I and Vol. II
A supergroup with a revolving lineup of the decade's hottest stars, the Fania All-Stars speak to both the legacy of famed label Fania Records and the staggering amount of talent on its roster: flutist and Fania cofounder Johnny Pacheco; Ray Barretto on congas; pianists Richie Ray and Larry Harlow; trombonist Willie Colón; and vocalists Hector Lavoe, Cheo Feliciano and Ismael Miranda. The All-Stars' series of recordings from their live performances speaks to the sheer power this collective had when they got together. The power to absolutely wail during delirium-inducing descargas (jam sessions). The power to pack venues: their legendary performance at the famous Cheetah Club drew 4,000 people (double the club's capacity, with lines wrapped around the block) and set the stage for the Yankee Stadium show (featuring even bigger stars) a few years later that drew 40,000 fans. And the power to ignite the Latin music scene of the 1970s, garner international attention for it, and throw one hell of a party. — R.D. See Also:Live at Yankee Stadium, Vol. I and Vol. II (1973)
Willie Colón, Crime Pays with Hector Lavoe (1972); and Siembra with Rubén Blades (1978)
Together, these two albums showcase the stunning range trombonist and bandleader Willie Colón was capable of, and the directions in which he helped Latin music travel. Crime Pays, a Fania compilation of the young artist's first four albums (including El Malo, which made him a star at 17 in 1967), spotlights both the "gangster" image he cultivated and his work with vocalist Hector Lavoe. Gritty and pulsing with the swaggering energy of Colón's trombone and Lavoe's resonant, boyish croon, tracks like the intoxicatingly cocky "Juana Pena" and the sultry, snarling "Que Lio" showcase two kids running on youthful confidence and raw talent. Fast-forward to Siembra at the other end of the decade and you'll find a more mature but still resolutely innovative Colón shaping the future of salsa again. Now paired with the ardently dulcet vocals of Blades, he balances a more nuanced, polished musicianship with even more passionate artistry. The result is an incredible dance record, to be sure, one that masterfully weaves in bits of the day's pop sounds (from disco to funk). But it's also a fervently socially conscious effort that simultaneously satirizes and uplifts Latinos. — R.D.
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2011 VMA Nominees Playlisttag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40862011-08-25T17:00:07Z2011-08-25T14:56:17Z The Video Music Awards are Sunday night! Yes, we know, MTV doesn't play videos much anymore. And chances are Kanye has learned his lesson and will not hijack the...Rachel Devitt
The Video Music Awards are Sunday night! Yes, we know, MTV doesn't play videos much anymore. And chances are Kanye has learned his lesson and will not hijack the stage from Taylor Swift — though who's to say he won't hijack someone else's spotlight, right? But the VMAs are still a guaranteed evening of hot video clips, killer performances (Adele, Lil Wayne and Bruno Mars are all on the roster!), and, yes, inevitable hijinks of one sort or another. To put it another way: Gaga. Opening. With an army of Little Monsters. (What will she wear?!!!!! We can hardly wait!!!!!)
Furthermore, this year's list of nominees is the show's most diverse in years, with hipster-hop flosser Kreayshawn, indie-poppers Foster the People and bug-eating emcee Tyler, the Creator all battling it out in the Best New Artist category. But even the Video of the Year clash is interesting, with nods to everyone from Adele to Bruno Mars to the Beastie Boys. And then there's the new category, Best Video with a Message: apparently Katy Perry's "Firework" is not actually about plastic bags and sparkler boobs. (That's what we got from it, anyway.) So get pumped with our 2011 VMA Nominees playlist.
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Source Material: Katy Perry, Teenage Dreamtag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40842011-08-24T17:04:56Z2011-09-07T17:59:44Z It's hard to imagine pop culture or, well, life in general without Katy Perry, but our little Teenage Dream Girl only dropped into our lives back in 2007 or...Rachel Devitt
It's hard to imagine pop culture or, well, life in general without Katy Perry, but our little Teenage Dream Girl only dropped into our lives back in 2007 or so. Now, just a few short years later, she's gone from kissing girls to getting hitched, wowed us with wigs in every color of the rainbow, ridden everything from a banana to a cloud to Russell Brand (sorry), and released not one but two smash albums. In fact, the second one, last year's Teenage Dream, just helped Ms. Perry set a new record: she's the first-ever female singer (and only the second-ever artist, after Michael Jackson) to have five No. 1 singles from one album.
Teenage Dream takes its subject matter seriously: like teenagerdom in general, it is angsty, dramatic, hormone-ridden, at times annoying, near-universal and, oh yeah, a lot of fun. Perry's retrospective on adolescence and its attending aesthetics of emotional theatrics, colorful vibrancy, neo-jailbait vixenry and head-cheerleader camp are mined from a wide array of sources. In other words, peppermint candy-bras (and Russell Brand) notwithstanding, the girl's got surprisingly good taste. So dig in — and listen up! — to our exploration of the roots and routes that led to the record-breaking Teenage Dream. Katy lovers and haters alike will find plenty of favorites — and surprises — here! Be sure to also check out our Source Material: Katy Perry, Teenage Dream playlist.
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Cyndi Lauper She's So Unusual
Pop's original Technicolor dream girl (or, perhaps, grrrl), Lauper blasted onto the charts in 1983 with a larger-than-life persona, Kool-Aid-colored videos, and a debut album that managed to be dramatically emotional, heavily theatrical and well, fun all at once. Lauper's candy-coated pop was more steeped in punk than Perry's, and songs like "She Bop" and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" certainly packed a more substantive (and often pop-feminist) oomph than anything on Teenage Dream. But the impact the Unusual girl's intoxicating blend of flamboyance, femininity and fun (not to mention her '80s dance-pop beats) has had on Perry is undeniable. (Lauper was also a record-breaker for women, becoming the first female singer to have four Top Five singles released on one album.)
Shirley Bassey, Greatest Hits and Peggy Lee, Miss Peggy Lee
The pop standards, jazzy torch songs and diva-fied barn-burners performed by Dame Shirley Bassey and Miss Peggy Lee in the 1950s through the 1970s may not appear to bear much resemblance to Perry's pop-rock dancefloor drama. But the connection is in the drama — and, more specifically, in the intertwining aesthetics of fabulousness and taboo-challenging feminine sexuality these two great ladies worked. A vocalist capable of far more subtlety and grace than Perry has ever attempted, Lee gave seductive performances of songs like "Fever" and "Big Spender" that were equal parts purring sex kitten and powerhouse femme fatale. Bassey, on the other hand, took things in brassier, more prima donna directions, her unrelenting belt and high-camp theatrics a touchstone for Perry's. See Also:Eartha Kitt. Marilyn Monroe.
Dragonette, Galore and Gwen Stefani, Love Angel Music Baby Teenage Dream is an exercise in pop excess: the excessive emotions of adolescence, campy drama of tracks like "E.T." and, especially, Perry's own ridiculously overstated glam-boyance. Here are two artists from opposite ends of the contemporary dance-pop spectrum who know a thing or two about the pop potential of glammy extravagance: Stefani, of course, represents Big Stardom, of the hip-hop-infused, excessively fashionable variety. Canadian outfit Dragonette, on the other hand, are just starting to garner serious attention for their fierce, quasi-campy indie electro-pop. For goodness's sake, the album's called Galore. (Go find the video for "Take It Like a Man." NOW.) See Also:Fergie, The Dutchess and Robyn, Robyn
Spice Girls Greatest Hits
Say, speaking of excess, how's about those Spice Girls? The Barbie and Friends to Perry's wide-eyed Bratz doll, the Girls were simultaneously annoying grown-ups and preaching to the teenage choir about the joys and woes of boys, partying with your pals, excessively stylized fashions (or at least mini-backpacks), and the joys and perils of being a girl back when Katy Perry was still in Sunday school. See Also:Aqua, Aquarium
Lily Allen Alright, Still
And hey, speaking of Bratz dolls (or at least brats), how's about that Lily Allen? The British pop tart was responding to weighty emotional situations with cheeky quips and Hanna Barbera soundscapes way back in '06. Along with artists like Mika and Scissor Sisters, she helped the listening public develop a thirst for the kind of brightly hued, glam-influenced, retro-tinged pop whimsy that paved the way for Perry's cupcake bras and '80s teen movie fantasias. And along with artists like Avril Lavigne, Allen helped introduce the heavily stylized brat to contemporary pop, which Perry altered to the heavily stylized ditz who romps through Teenage Dream. See Also:Mika, Life in Cartoon Motion. Scissor Sisters, Scissor Sisters. Avril Lavigne, The Best Damn Thing.
The Coasters Their Greatest Hits
Katy Perry's invocation of teenage dreams is rooted in the origins of teenage culture and the pop music that developed to cater to it in the mid-20th century. Boy bands and girl groups of the 1950s and '60s frequently spoke directly to the strife and struggles of their adolescent consumers. The great doo-wop act The Coasters, however, did it with such playful humor and clever irony (not to mention killer vocals) that the Lieber and Stoller songs they made famous have proved extremely prolific. Performed in plaintive and whiney multipart harmony, tracks like "Yakety Yak" and "Girls Girls Girls" tapped into just how angsty (or annoying) teenage life could be. See Also: The Coasters, Coast Along with the Coasters.Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, The Best of Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers.
Queen A Night at the Opera
Hey, speaking of glam, how's about a little Queen? (OK, that's the last time — we swear.) Katy Perry herself has claimed Freddie & Co. as a major influence on her work, and the glam stamp is glitteringly apparent in everything from her penchant for camp to her rock-licked pop to, well, her obsession with glitter.
X-Ray Spex The Anthology
Placing Katy Perry and X-Ray Spex on the same family tree is pretty much blasphemy to either camp. (Aside to serious Styrene fans: don't freak out.) But bear with us here: a large part of Katy Perry's shtick revolves around "shocking" spectacle — albeit shock and spectacle staged from the cushy confines of superstardom. And who knows shock and spectacle better than a punk band? What's more, Poly Styrene, the frontwoman of this beloved British cult band (which wasn't afraid of a little pop accessibility) traded specifically in a brand of spectacle that alternately spoke to and screwed with girlishness. Are Katy Perry's cinnamon buns even from the same solar system as "Oh Bondage Up Yours!"? Absolutely not. But the fact that they were baked at all is at least partially the result of the impact of X-Ray Spex and punks like them on pop culture as a whole. Also, in closing, the saxophone. The end.
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F'd Up Fairy Tales and Other Dark and Twisted Pop Storiestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40642011-08-17T17:05:51Z2011-08-17T16:47:55Z Like baby dolls (so easily creepified!) and nursery rhymes (so easily zombified!), fairy tales are like super-duper strong catnip (like, you could bake brownies with it) to tortured artist...Rachel Devitt
Like baby dolls (so easily creepified!) and nursery rhymes (so easily zombified!), fairy tales are like super-duper strong catnip (like, you could bake brownies with it) to tortured artist types. And why not? There's so much fodder there for impressing upon one's audience just how tortured and artsy you are: dark and twisty paths. Gothic architecture. Brutal morals. Childhood-perverting plots. And those are just the Disney versions. The originals, which were traditionally told as warnings to children who had to protect themselves in a less sheltered world, are even more terrifying.
For many pop stars, a Brothers Grimm story or a princess parable provides the perfect allegorical raw material for their own lyrical, visual or sonic narratives of disillusionment, disgruntlement or rock 'n' roll dystopianism: Sam the Sham & the Pharoahs took "Lil' Red Riding Hood" to its predatory pinnacle; Marilyn Manson and Eminem have long delighted in crafting their own psychopathic singsong stories of warped childhoods; and Evanescence and Kate Bush can make legends and kids' stories from any tradition sound über-eerie with just one haunted wail.
The most recent example comes from British upstart Natalia Kills, whose darkly theatrical dance-pop will appeal to fans of Lady Gaga and Rihanna. In the captivating single "Wonderland" (from her just-released debut, Perfectionist), Kills, like many an artist before her (even, perhaps, Lewis Carroll himself), uses Alice's story of an upside-down world where curious and sometimes downright crazy things happen to children as a kind of meta-fairy tale metaphor for just how messed up the actual world is. Kills and her twisted, tortured ilk are all here. So listen up — and don't forget to live happily ever after (mwa ha ha!).
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Top Ten World Music Albums of Summer 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40572011-08-16T16:00:56Z2011-08-30T19:18:37Z This edition of the World Roundup underscores just how vast and wide-ranging the music under the ambiguous umbrella term "world" can be, and at the same time, what beautiful...Rachel Devitt
This edition of the World Roundup underscores just how vast and wide-ranging the music under the ambiguous umbrella term "world" can be, and at the same time, what beautiful common ground exists there. Afropop, Balkan brass, Brazilian tropicália, Haitian-Cuban choral folk music, East African dub, globe-trotting electro-funk ... you'll find all that and more below. But even this disparate range shares an investment in and undying dedication to the groove, whether it inspires a meditative trance or rocking-out jam-band exuberance. So sit back and let it all sink in.
1.SMOD SMOD
Fans of Manu Chao (or Amadou & Mariam, whose son is in SMOD) will find plenty to love on SMOD's first international release, which has both the literal and aesthetic stamp of those global pop greats written all over it. Produced by Chao and written on A&M's terrace, SMOD trades in glistening, folk-infused Afropop. At times it's difficult to distinguish their gorgeous, rippling guitars, kora-inspired rhythms and strong, soft lyricism from the work of their predecessors. But the group sets itself apart by incorporating a gentle hip-hop aesthetic. Don't Miss: The hazy, über-hip "Les Dirigeants Africains." The playful yet pensive flow of "Ca Chante."
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2.Various Artists Red Hot + Rio 2
This follow-up to the 1996 bossa nova comp finds artists from around the world taking on '60s tropicália. It's an apt choice for Red Hot, which raises money for HIV/AIDS work: tropicália, a mix of psychedelic rock, lounge grooves and Brazilian folk, was a deceptively mellow, sun-kissed slice of cultural critique in the face of serious adversity. It's also flat-out gorgeous music that translates well. Longtime fans Beck and David Byrne are right at home, of course, but even John Legend folds easily into the jazzy acoustics. Aloe Blacc sounds like he was born in an alternate-universe Brazil. Don't Miss:Of Montreal's snaky retro rock on "Bat Macumba." Cape Verdean singer Mayra Andrade's winsome, wandering cover of the Astrud Gilberto classic "Berimbau." Prefuse 73's trippy reworking of tropicália master Caetano Veloso's "Terra."
3.Da Cruz Sistema Subversia
Da Cruz's latest bursts out of the gates with the breathless, baile-funk-bitten "Boom Boom Boom," a track that's as invigorating as an icy cold shower (and with Mariana Da Cruz shouting "sexy!" over and over, you'll need one). Then the Switzerland-based cohort of globe-trotting artists zooms off with restless abandon in a zillion other directions: jazz, electronic music, Ethiopian pop, sunny alt rock and a lot of bossa-fueled lounge (Mariana got her start in that genre). They spend the most time playing with Afrobeat, softening growling guitars and psychedelic saxes with tropicália tidbits. Don't Miss: The wild, brassy "Curumin." "Ethiopia," an ominous-sounding underworld of jazz, dub and East African pop that's based on a cover of Ethiopian jazz master Mulatu Astatke's "Yègellé tezeta." "Tudo Bem Aqui," which lives on the psychedelic, sax-patrolled line between Afrobeat and Ethiopiques.
4. TIE: Youssou N'Dour, Dakar-Kingston and Cheikh Lo, Jamm
Several decades into his career, one of the world's best-known Afropop stars has released ... a reggae album. With a few clunkier exceptions (like heavy-handed opener "Marley"), incorrigible eclecticist N'Dour manages to gracefully sketch the family tree of reggae and Afropop, carefully layering reggae's dubby beats and chunky guitars with delicate marimbas, rolling drums and bits of Afrobeat funk. N'Dour's countryman Cheikh Lo, on the other hand, takes a more organic approach to his pursuit of cross-cultural groovery, returning to the grace and mellow polish that made his debut such a success. The rolling drums of mbalax intermingle with guest Pee Wee Ellis' warm sax, driving Afrobeat, the occasional dose of dub and soukous, and other Afro-Cuban strains. Don't Miss: Cheikh Lo's Afro-Cuban-laced "Seyni" (the first song he ever sang in public!) and the delicate, complex "Folly Cagni." N'Dour's talking-drums-peppered dub cut "Medina"; "Black Woman," a kind of warmer-hearted response to "No Woman No Cry"; and "African Dream Again," a slow, sweet jam that features Ayo and gets the one-world groove down better than "Marley."
5.Mariza Fado Tradicional
There are two strains to cultural revivalism. On 2008's Terra, fado heroine Mariza took an established brand to new extremes, breathing new life into an old tradition. This time around, she took up the other strain: reenactment. No pop beats or adult-contemporary shimmers here, just straight-up sailor blues with traditional forms and melodies. Mariza passionately inhabits sounds older than she is, her bittersweet, burnt-sugar vocals calling out over simple, understated acoustic guitar and bits of bass. It's a gut-wrenching, if less accessible, example of the revivalism that's made her career. Don't Miss: The jaunty "Dona Rosa"; the slow, slightly Sephardic "Promete, Jura"; and the yearning "Ai, Esta Pena De Mim," which together represent the gamut of emotions fado can inspire.
6.Boban I Marko Markovic vs. Fanfare Ciocarlia Balkan Brass Battle Balkan Brass Battle hinges on a pretty genius concept: pit the day's leading Gypsy bands against each other, onstage. That's what Serbia's Markovic Orchestra and Romania's Fanfare Ciocarlia have been touring Europe doing, and now we have the recorded version. The "fight" is fierce: the father/son-led Markovics swagger through their poppier fare, while Ciocarlia's strategy is more focused on disorienting the "enemy" with dizzying runs. When it comes to kitsch, the sides are equally matched. Don't Miss: Ciocarlia's "Dances from the Monastery Hills," which makes "Flight of the Bumblebee" sound like a middle-aged moth. The dueling versions of "Caravan."
7.Terakaft Aratan N Azawad
In the increasingly crowded desert blues market, this Malian outfit sets itself apart with a sound that embraces some of the blues' country leanings — and a decidedly less mournful aesthetic than a lot of its peers. Even the more somber cuts here often wind up upbeat: "Wer Essinen" begins with meditative vocals, but gradually layers in buoyant hand claps and raucous guitars. Don't Miss: The herder/cowboy balladry continuum of "Idiya Idohena," with its galloping woodblocks, the bowlegged swagger of its guitars and choral Temashek vocals over top. "Akoz Imgharen," which floods its grave call-and-response with sunny Afropop.
8.Ocote Soul Sounds Taurus
Four albums in, the meeting of the minds helmed by Antibalas' Martín Perna and Grupo Fantasma's Adrian Quesada has the pattern of its distinctive groove down pat: interweave Afrobeat, funk, psychedelic rock from all over the Americas, and Latin dance into one trippy tapestry. In patches, the weave is tighter than ever; this is a jam band, but one that isn't about losing its head entirely. Still, experimentation has always been a big part of this project, which can result in both highs and maybe a little too-highs (see the smooth-jazzish "Contigo Jamas"). Don't Miss: Latin psych waltz "Tumba del Pasayo."
9. TIE: JuJu (Justin Adams and Juldeh Camara), In Trance and Dub Colossus, Addis Through the Looking Glass
Here we have two vastly different border-jumping collaborations, interweaving geographically and culturally disparate strains of traditional and popular African music with distinctive global and Western pop aesthetics. What JuJu and Dub Colossus share is an investment in the character and contours of cross-cultural groove. The third effort from the much-lauded partnership of famed British rock guitarist/producer Justin Adams and Gambian griot Juldeh Camara (they have a name now!) is, at its rawest, just two unbelievable musicians rocking out. You'll be hard-pressed not to sub in "jam" for "trance," as these two almost lose themselves in salty blues, Southern rock licks and Camara's jigging ritti (a one-string fiddle). Dub Colossus' second effort, on the other hand, finds Transglobal Underground's Nick Page and his Addis conspirators creating continent-jumping club cuts that zigzag from Afropop to Ethiopiques, from desert blues to serious Jamaican dub. Things get a little murky on the album's second half, but the first half will keep you firmly in the globe-trotting groove. Don't Miss: JuJu's epic jam "Djanfa Moja" and the swaggering Southern rock (by way of the Sahara ) breakdown "Mariama Trance." Dub Colossus' awesomely titled "Dub Will Tear Us Apart," which sounds like something from the Ethiopiques series performed underwater, along with the slinky, sexy "Guragigna."
10.The Creole Choir of Cuba Tande-La
The distinct musical culture of Haitian-Cubans is the subject matter of this world-renowned choir, and Tande-La ("listen") is resplendent with musical narratives of that heritage: vodun ritual music, Afro-diasporic folk songs, boleros, freedom songs from the Duvalier regime (which take on a double meaning when sung by descendants of slaves brought to Cuba to work on plantations). It's a beautiful repertoire that's movingly (if a bit formally — they are a choir, after all) performed by fantastic singers who are as invested in folk traditions as they are in impeccable vocal training and skill. Don't Miss: The sweeping "Neg Anwo." The gospelized version of vodun folk song "Fey."
Honorable Mentions Seun Kuti: From Africa with Fury: Rise Malika Zarra: Berber Taxi Pistolera: El Desierto Y La Ciudad Manooghi Hi: Silence Hoquets: Belgotronics
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Fado: Portuguese Soul Musictag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40482011-08-11T17:47:46Z2011-08-13T18:22:59Z Fado is often referred to as the Portuguese blues -- and with good reason. A folk tradition of somewhat murky and legendary origins (think sailors lost at sea rather...Rachel DevittFado is often referred to as the Portuguese blues -- and with good reason. A folk tradition of somewhat murky and legendary origins (think sailors lost at sea rather than deals with the devil), this music was the voice of Portugal's poor for centuries. With nothing more than an acoustic guitar and (especially) a rich, throaty voice capable of expressing heart-wrenching pathos and sorrow, a fadista (fado singer) could speak to the struggles and strife of life in the country's urban ghettos, particularly as Portugal declined as a world power in the 19th and 20th centuries. With the advent of recording technology, fado rose in popularity, producing stars like Amalia Rodrigues and Maria da Fe before the genre started to fall out of fashion in the later 20th century. In the 1990s, however, a true revival began, with young artists like Ana Moura, Mariza, Madredeus, and Dulce Pontes reshaping and redefining the centuries-old tradition for a new generation, at once paying tribute to the style’s roots and modernizing it, not to mention attracting a fan base that stretched beyond Portugal to encompass global-music fans in Europe and beyond.
It's this modern era (as well as a few earlier inspirations) that gives this playlist its focus, and the inspiration for its name. Like American blues and its successor, soul, the style has evolved into an institution beloved for its ability to encompass a range of raw emotion, gritty political commentary and pure pleasurable musical skill. Musically speaking, the rolling acoustic guitars and dancing, trilled melodies may sound a lot like Italian café pop or Spanish flamenco to American ears. But it's those aching, mournful, gut-punching vocals that will speak to your soul, whether or not you understand a lick of Portuguese. Dig in to our Fado Playlist, featuring tracks from award-winning fadista Mariza's brand-new album, Fado Tradicional.
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Senior Year, 1974-5: Practicing Your Soul Train Movestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40452011-08-10T17:06:47Z2011-08-13T18:21:31Z Dance variety shows that targeted younger fans had long been a staple of pop music by the time Chicago DJ and concert promoter Don Cornelius premiered Soul Train in...Rachel Devitt
Dance variety shows that targeted younger fans had long been a staple of pop music by the time Chicago DJ and concert promoter Don Cornelius premiered Soul Train in 1970. But with the first howl of "Soooooul Train!" the beloved result irrevocably transformed the heavily whitewashed model of such earlier programs as American Bandstand. The focus on African-American artists and, well, soul music -- Motown, funk, classic R&B, Philly soul, and, later, disco and hip-hop -- made the show a cultural hub for African-American audiences, and brought that culture to the white mainstream, introducing viewers across the United States to new fashions, dances and music.
By the 1974-5 season, the now nationally syndicated Soul Train was a well-established cultural beacon, with kids and young adults alike gathering in living rooms across America to hear new music, watch those dancers seriously shake it, and practice a few moves of their own. The show's guest artists offer a retrospective glimpse into the state of pop culture, music and even politics at the time: as the initial theme song, Gamble and Huff's "TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)" (as recorded by MFSB) pointed to the prominence of Philly soul, a path that eventually led to disco's preeminence. Boundaries blurred as '60s R&B and earlier, lighter Motown gave way to funk, grittier '70s Motown, and constantly evolving dance music, all heard in the wide range of artists Cornelius showcased.
And while Soul Train could be slightly musically conservative and was certainly trying to cater to a pop audience, that guest-star curation also spoke to African-American politics of the day, from the soft-hued frustration of Philly soul to Curtis Mayfield's angrier attacks on post-Civil Rights-era reality, as well as the dance-your-cares-away, lose-yourself-in-the-beat dystopianism that came to dominate pop music in the 1970s. So strap on your dancing shoes and your thinking cap, and get ready to bust a move like it was a party in front of the TV at your best friend's house with our Senior Year playlist of 1974-1975 Soul Train guest-stars.
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Lollapalooza, Day Three: Rain, Mud, and Inexplicable Joytag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40382011-08-08T17:20:03Z2011-08-08T18:12:07Z Bow down to Deadmau5, oh ye water-logged masses. Pics by Garrett Kamps. The final day of Lollapalooza's 20th-anniversary fest began so beautifully. The sun shone, the birds chirped (probably...Rachel DevittBow down to Deadmau5, oh ye water-logged masses. Pics by Garrett Kamps.
The final day of Lollapalooza's 20th-anniversary fest began so beautifully. The sun shone, the birds chirped (probably -- it was hard to hear them over the ovaries-rattling bass from Perry's Stage, which reverberated through the entire park today), the crowd skipped happily from show to show, and the perpetually friendly Lolla staffers smiled and thanked people as they crossed the gates. Did I mention that early-afternoon shining sun? Focus on it. Bask in it. Because after that? It rained. A lot. And then it rained again. A lot. And then there was mud. So, so much mud. The proceedings ended in drenched streets and unrecognizably filthy festies and shoe-swallowing, phone-destroying craters of mud. And that, too, was beautiful.
Rain at a festival, while not exactly ideal, is the great equalizer. Yes, it was unfortunate that Arctic Monkeys' set (among others) got delayed by the first storm. But the people I was huddled with under the Estancia lounge tent were laughing, bonding, making new friends -- and watching the dripping diehards at Cage the Elephant catch Matt Schultz's increasingly slippery body as he (and his mic) stage-dove again and again. And when the first downpour stopped and all 90,000 of us came together again, those of us who weren't drenched quickly got painted with mud. What beautiful people? Everyone was beautiful, everyone was ugly -- and everyone looked like they were paying homage to the classic images of joyfully muddy hippies at Lolla progenitor Woodstock. And when the second deluge began minutes before the headliner sets, it seemed almost fitting, as if Deadmau5 at one end and Dave Grohl's Foo Fighters at the other had called the rains down for their legions of ravers and rockers to play in. The crowd, many covered in trash bags donated by the ground crew, collectively said "screw it" and bolted for the field, helping each other up when they fell, and using the mud as a dance partner that could spin and slip them around.
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Kid-Friendly, or Lolla Believes the Children Are the Future.
Lollapalooza prides itself on kid-friendliness. There's the Kidsapalooza stage, of course, where Perry Farrell always plays a set. There's an offspring-loss-prevention tag-a-kid booth. But beyond the infrastructure, the kids at Lolla, especially on Sunday, just rock. Cases in point: The family of Deadmau5 fans consisting of Mom, Dad and three little kids all decked out in neon paint and mouse ears. The way hardcore tots taunted the rain from Dad's shoulders while wussier grownups ran for shelter. The absolutely awesome little boy of about seven whose seriously fly popping-and-locking in the field at Nas and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley's set drew a huge crowd of smiling, photo-snapping fans. These tykes are cooler than you or me -- and Lolla knows it.
Culinarily Adventurous, Which May Not Be Such a Good Thing.
Lolla's curated vendor list makes for good media, but not so much for profitable fest food. By the end of day one, Grahamwich workers were struggling to move their excess lobster-corndog stock. By day three, the scotch eggs at Gage/Henri had been reduced in price. The lines for deep-dish pizza and Kuma's burgers were unwaveringly long, however.
Don't take it personally if The Cars don't seem happy to be there.
Trend-Setting, in Its Own Way.
Festivals develop their own fashions over the course of the run. Must-haves for Lolla attendees? Rompers. CamelBak water packs. And oh my goodness, headbands: skinny ropes over braids for that potentially problematic neo-Native American look, sparkly bands for the raver flower children and, most of all, Lollapalooza bandanas wrapped around the forehead like a sweatband. The line for these suckers, which the fest gave away for free, was epically long all weekend long. Must-haves for attendees who want everyone to take their picture? Face-covering, neon-hued full-body stockings (though my favorite was a dude in a three-piece suit). Must-haves for artists? Bells: OK Go had handbells, everyone and their sister had glockenspiels, even The Cars had sleigh bells. Humble stage banter: With few exceptions (like The Cars, who didn't really talk, but hey, they're The Cars), just about every artist was exceptionally happy to be there and grateful to the audience.
Invested in Discovery.
Sure, you can see big stars and old favorites at Lolla, but a significant portion of the festival -- typically the earlier hours -- is dedicated to showcasing up-and-coming acts, including many who have never played the festival (or any festival) before. Sunday, for instance, included Lia Ices' first Lolla appearance at the BMI Stage. All bangles and hair, Ices and her band entranced the crowd with their meandering, ethereal (though somewhat rock-grounded) fairy-tale folk pop set (which included a cover of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here"). Over on the Google+ Stage, Detroit's Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. rocked the d-bag theatre hard (bubble machines! Whitney Houston soundbites! Ironic racing t-shirts!) and announced that they planned to celebrate their first Lolla gig by leaving "little treats" in various outhouses, including, possibly, a bottle of Dom Perignon.
Ryan Bingham, offering up smokey Southern-rock revivalism to complement your lobster corndog
Somewhat Chaotically Curated.
Lolla's lineup often appears to have been thrown together with little rhyme or reason. Sometimes, it really worked: The somewhat unexpected pairing of foxy Irish rockabilly singer Imelda May on the Sony Stage, followed by the thick, smoky Southern-rock revivalism of Americana act Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses? Awesome. Nas and Damian Marley "opening" for Deadmau5? Kind of weird (though by that point, the rain had washed away all genre boundaries). Little smatterings of odd pop acts, hip-hop and R&B seemed more the result of hard sells by labels and publicists than a real investment on Lolla's part.
Kind of Into the Old-School Rock and the Roll -- but With the Occasional Eye Toward the Future.
Nothing drove this home more than the Foo Fighters' gesture towards Lolla's grungy roots on one end and Deadmau5's rave revivalism on the other of the festival's grounds during Sunday's headline slots. A bit more hip-hop (and maybe a few less white rocker dudes) would have been welcome, however.
A Rather Impeccably Run Community.
Lolla at 20 is not exactly the scrappy, politically motivated, DIY-esque happening of its youth. It's evolved into a smooth, slick, well-oiled machine -- but that's not such a bad thing. While Lolla's maturity means more corporatism and commercialism, it also allows for the implementation of a lot of really great programs, like water-bottle-filling stations, a commitment to recycling and grounds upkeep, and a general fest-as-community ideology that everyone there builds together.
And when the rains came down on Sunday, that's the attitude that prevailed. My colleagues spent the interim between showers at the aptly named Explosions in the Sky, but I think the scene at Nas and Damian Marley's set truly embodied the Lolla spirit. As Nas dedicated tunes to leaders and Marley called out to all the "warriors" in the crowd to work together, grimy fans with their arms linked smiled, helped each other pick through the puddles, sang along, waved Jamaican flags and, yes, staged an impromptu (and innocuous) mud-wrestling pit.
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Lollapalooza, Day Twotag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40352011-08-07T16:57:02Z2011-08-07T17:39:34Z Just sing, man: CeeLo does his Rock God thing. Pics by Garrett Kamps The ironic charm of music festivals, as everyone knows, is that they're actually a pretty crappy...Rachel DevittJust sing, man: CeeLo does his Rock God thing. Pics by Garrett Kamps
The ironic charm of music festivals, as everyone knows, is that they're actually a pretty crappy place to hear music. The festgoer paradox at an event as massive as Lollapalooza (which completely sold out beforehand for the first time this year) is this: should you fight your way to the front of the stage and stake out a spot early enough to actually see your favorite band, which means you aren't going anywhere, including to other stages where other bands are playing, until the show's over? Or should you try to "see" as many acts as you can from the back of the lawn, behind a tree, next to a bunch of drunk people who are talking louder than the band is playing? Ultimately, the best decision is to just focus on creating an experience.
So what was the experience of Lolla like on Saturday? Well, day two began with rain: buckets of mud-producing, sludge-inducing rain that quickly coated the extremities of festgoers. The day ended with heat: the sun came out with a vengeance, the temperatures rose, the humidity was oppressive. And somewhere in the middle, everyone got drunk. Really, really drunk. Yesterday's beautiful people? Gone -- or at least so covered in mud that they were unrecognizable as such. The festival grounds, which were expanded to make for a sprawling 115 acres in 2010? Still navigable, thanks to the crisscrossing network of paths and streets that make up Chicago's Grant Park, but it still requires an inner pep talk every time one is faced with the task of navigating through tens of thousands of sweaty bodies. The port-a-potty situation? Grim. What else was a girl and 90,000 or so of her closest friends to do but give in and just enjoy the ride, with all its highs and lows, twists and turns, uppers and downers?
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High Point: Latin alt darling Ximena Sariñana got the day off to a positively joyous start at the BMI stage. Clearly thrilled to be playing her "first American festival" and repeatedly thanking the audience for braving the rainy conditions and early set time, the delightful Mexican singer-songwriter and her equally adorable band charmed the ponchos off the crowd, which grew considerably as Sariñana's oddly lilting voice drew people in from across the grounds. Her brand of electro-inflected indie pop, which ranges from cute and bouncy to dramatic and intense, was so infectious that the crowd began erupting in applause as choruses built to their climax. Fans of Lykke Li (who we'll return to in a moment), take note. This is your girl to watch.
High Point and Low Point, all in one: Waiting out a smattering of raindrops under the protection of the umbrella-covered tables at the biergarten was kind of a bummer. Realizing that I could hear stages going up all over the festival grounds and watch people skip off in all directions to catch shows from this central location, however, was pretty cool.
High Point: Joining the jubilant, rain-defying party that cropped up at the Playstation Stage for Chico Trujillo, a Chilean band that plays lightning-fast, ska-infused cumbia (skambia?), and acts like a cross between The Mighty Mighty Bosstones back in the day, a Latin American comic variety show (complete with funny shirts!), and a circus. I'm pretty sure their drummer, who played the set like he was a whole Latin percussion section, is the living embodiment of what it feels like to slam, like, six Red Bulls.
High Point: Happening upon Maps & Atlases, a Chicago band I knew nothing about, at the Google+ Stage and thoroughly enjoying their endearingly pretentious, exceptionally earnest and finely crafted indie folk-rock.
Low Point:Skylar Grey's set at the BMI Stage. I was interested to see what this up-and-comer, best known as of now for singing the hooks on every song on the radio that Bruno Mars hasn't gotten to first (Dr. Dre and Eminem's "I Need a Doctor," for example) was all about. Turns out she's about solid singing, which was good, but also about a kind of less polished version of early Avril Lavigne brattiness that I just wasn't quite feeling. The real point of this low point, though, was the increasingly rotten sound situation at the BMI Stage, where your options are to stand at the front and get blasted with too much bass, or stand anywhere from the middle on back and hear the Bud Light stage bleed in.
Perry's Interlude
As promised, I dedicated over an hour of my day to just hanging out at Perry's Stage, the gigantic tent that's ostensibly the DJ are but is actually a de facto all-ages club scene perpetually packed to the gills with wasted 17-to-25-year-olds attempting to hook up (and sometimes, just stand up). Here is my report from the trenches: 3:25 p.m. Determinedly saunter toward stage. Hear the Super Mash Bros. throw on a bass-heavy, beats-happy Taylor Swift club remix. That's right, Taylor Swift. Quickly veer off into the Citi 20th Anniversary Lounge to regroup on the cool white couches there. 3:35 p.m. Attempt Two to enter the tent. Success! The place is crawling with mud-caked, neon-clad kids, chatting and dancing calmly while they wait for the next act. It's not that bad, right? Right?! 3:45 p.m. Notice creepy old dude standing alone. 3:46 p.m. Wonder if someone else is noticing me, creepy old lady standing alone. 3:50 p.m. PerryEtty (the electro act Perry Farrell has with his wife) vs. Chris Cox takes the stage. Perry Farrell is wearing a vest -- and nothing else -- on top. 3:52 p.m. Bass penetrates soul. 3:53 p.m. Remember I have ear plugs! Hooray! 4:01 p.m. Become entranced with creepy but kind of sexy Skeletor-looking robo-lady image swaying to the music on the screen. Realize it's Etty, whose job is apparently to prowl seductively around the stage while Perry sings over the beats. 4:04 p.m. Get Super Soaker'd. 4:11 p.m. Watch failed pickup attempt by shirtless dude. 4:14 p.m. Realize Perry Farrell absolutely cannot dance. He can, however, drop the beat and pick it up by pumping his fist in an Arsenio Hall-esque way that shows his age. 4:18 p.m. Realize (a) that Etty has been offstage for quite some time now, and (b) that life without robo-Etty is boring. Head outside the tent to the equally banging spillover party on the lawns surrounding it. 4:27 p.m. Wish I were drunk. 4:28 p.m Watch kids buy pot, then look up to see a plane fly over pulling the following ad: "I'm higher than you are." No, I'm not kidding. 4:35 p.m. Back into the trenches. T-shirt sighting: "Sex. Drugs. House." 4:39 p.m. Notice that Perry Farrell has tired of bouncing and is now just kind of slowly swaying. Decide that's my cue to leave.
Whew! What a journey! And now back to our regularly schedule highs and lows.
Simultaneous High and Low Point: Former Fall Out BoyPatrick Stump takes the stage his ex-bandmate Pete Wentz commanded the day before -- only he shows up TWELVE minutes late. Low. Entire band is in tuxes and there's a keytar! High. Stump is kind of silly, and the whole performance, a sort of retro R&B revival that sounds a lot like a bunch of Prince covers, is a bit heavily stylized. Low. But Stump is still a solid singer -- and he busted out a medley of New Jack covers that included "Poison" and "This Is How We Do It!" High!
Local Natives: Too many new songs, perhaps.
Low Point:Local Natives. I find this band's glistening indie pop a little lackluster to begin with, but they are having trouble keeping the big crowd that's amassed engaged with a set that's driven by new songs no one knows.
Low Point:CeeLo! I know! I can't believe it either. The salty-voiced soul slinger was a blinding lineup highlight for me, and all signs point to awesome as he takes the stage in a Viking King getup that involves a manly skirt and a vest topped with spiked metal shoulder pads. Unfortunately, his considerable vocal attributes are overshadowed by a heavy-handed Rock God concept that revolves around recordings of genre classics (like Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit") instead of around his blazingly hot all-girl backing band. And he spends way too much of his set exhorting the crowd to make more noise, even stopping the music several times to admonish us for not being loud enough. As the dude next to me put it, "Just sing, man!" I concur, dude, I concur.
Lykke Li: A joy to hear, even if you can't see her.
High Point That Could Have Been a Low Point: I rush over to catch part of Lykke Li's set, only to discover that the crowd is so huge that there's nowhere to stand except in the back amid the shady but sight-blocking trees at the Google+ Stage. Giving up any attempt to actually see much of the Swedish pop chanteuse, I buy some kind of amazing "Brazilian grilled cheese on a stick" snack from one of the Farmer's Market vendors, settle in among the wood nymphs, and simply let the sounds of her otherworldly vocals and army of drummers (Lykke herself included) wash over me. Lovely.
High Point: Eminem. The star of the evening in every sense of the word. The muddy, drunken, huddled masses are exhaustedly tiptoeing around the sludge pits that dot the Music Unlimited field, but they are pumped. And so is Mr. Mathers. Say what you will about Eminem, he is a consummate showman: He stalks the stage wearing an ominous black hoodie (and later, a Bad Meets Evil t-shirt), alternately venomous and uncomfortably vulnerable rhymes erupting from his mouth. His not-so-secret power is the ability to stage his own perpetual near-mental breakdown with a theatrical violence that verges on camp -- and make us love him, laugh at him a little, and fear him for it. The sheer physicality of his flow makes him a dynamic performer. His willingness to cater to his fans with hit after hit ("Airplanes"! "Cleaning Out My Closet"! "Stan!") and exciting onstage guests (Royce da 5'9", of course, but also Bruno Mars!) makes him a formidable pop star.
And that, my friends, is just one way to ride the beast that is Lolla. Tune in tomorrow, when we wrestle with more rain, more heat, more drunk kids, more awesome bands, more cheesy snacks and, of course, the question of life at 20 for Lollapalooza.
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Lollapalooza, Day One: Angsty British Dudes, Beautiful People and the Ongoing Saga of Pete Wentztag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40292011-08-06T17:15:22Z2011-08-06T18:59:13Z Cults indie-rock out for all the beautiful, suspiciously bohemian people. Pic by Garrett Kamps. Twenty years old. Seems like just yesterday Lollapalooza was traipsing around the country, joyously introducing...Rachel DevittCults indie-rock out for all the beautiful, suspiciously bohemian people. Pic by Garrett Kamps.
Twenty years old. Seems like just yesterday Lollapalooza was traipsing around the country, joyously introducing itself to the world as a music festival unafraid of genre diversity or political activism, one just as likely to showcase a Shaolin monk as a post-punk band. And now our little Lolla is all grown up. So what does America's biggest freak show and its "alternative nation" look like now that it's (almost) legal, and confined to one long weekend in Chicago?
That's the question on my mind as I join the already-sweltering masses who are (mostly) patiently waiting to scan their Sponge Bob-esque orange-and blue-wristbands and rush onto the festival grounds for the first day of Lollapalooza's 20th-anniversary bash. We'll attempt to answer that query for the next three days, at least when I'm not busy chowing down on lobster corn dogs or slipping over to the craft beer tent or dodging drunk kids or, you know, seeing like a gazillion bands. And Lolla, accommodating pal that she is, provides several stellar snapshots of what that answer might be right as I walk in the gates.
Impression One: wow, this place is swarming with kids who look to be about the same age as Lolla, kids who probably have no idea who Perry Farrell is. And not just any kids, but these ethereal, flowing-haired Mischa Barton (is she still a person of interest? OK, then maybe Ashley Greene) lookalikes impeccably clothed in those neo-bohemian fashions the celebrities are all so fond of these days. People in Chicago do not look like this, at least not enough of us to reach these numbers. It's as if these kids went to Coachella, then spent the next couple months living on some kind of post-hippie cloud before descending upon Lollapalooza. And they all seem wasted already. At noon.
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Tennis' set at the Google+ stage, I come across a fortysomething couple on a blanket who are reclining against those little portable chair backs, swilling from one of the festival's wine thermoses and playing with their iPhones as their kids sleep in a double-wide stroller next to them.
Food for thought indeed, Lolla, but we'll return to our Question of the Weekend later. Hey, speaking of, let's talk about the food at the fest! The much-lauded vendor curation by rock-star chef Graham Elliott has resulted in some pretty high-quality fare, most of it from famed Chicago restaurants: lobster corn dogs (weird but a must) and truffle popcorn (delicious!) from Elliott's own Grahamwich, rock 'n' roll burgers from Food Network darling Kuma's Corner, and tons of fancy veggie snacks. The options aren't quite as grandiosely gourmet as last year; $5 Bud Lights just go better with fried junk food, I suppose. But is there any other festival in America where your culinary choices include cheese curds AND Scotch eggs? Probably not.
That's our Lollapalooza, though. She prides herself on being both diverse and classic. And of course, nowhere is that more apparent than in the fest's musical offerings. This year's lineup appears to be a throwback to the original Lolla concept: a schizophrenic scatterbrain of styles with a solid rock spine. I spent much of the day wearing out a path between the Google+ Stage (a hipster haven of buzzy bands) and BMI's "Emerging Artists" Atage, which I would like to rechristen the Unintentional Experimental Performance Art Stage.
The second act of the day at Google+, husband-and-wife indie-pop outfit Tennis, got busy beguiling the crowds with its sweet, shimmering brand of vintage-hued prom pop. Clad in teeny-tiny shorts, her massive mane of permy curls blowing fetchingly in the wind, Alaina Moore sweetly cooed a "thank you" after every tune, while the boys in the crowd harbored fantasies of her cooing those very words to them personally. (Bonus! First sighting of Foster the People shoelaces at this show!) Later in the day, British electro-hopper Tinie Tempah managed to make what could have been a lackluster set (electro-hop and live outdoor gigs are not necessarily compatible) dynamic and energetic, thanks in larger part to his live backing band and bouncing charisma. And Chicago natives OK Go seemed to really relish returning home again to charm the crowd with their blue-eyed funkier sound and general affability. Their incorrigibly quirky shtick (matching primary color suits! Handbells!) would get old really fast if these guys weren't such consummate professionals and, frankly, solid musicians.
Over on the Unintentional Experimental Performance Art stage, the scene was decidedly stranger and less slick. There was aural creepy baby-doll art in the form of impossibly tiny Estonian "sensation" Kerli, who was decked out in pink-and-blonde hair extensions and what appeared to be a vinyl dirndl, and accompanied her electro-pop tunes about love and, well, creepy baby dolls (see "Walking on Air") with compulsive pelvic thrusts. She also passed out candy to the crowd -- seriously.
Then there was the can't-look-away-from-the-possible-emotional-breakdown charm of former Fall Out Boy leader Pete Wentz's new "band," Black Cards. Their set consisted primarily of singer Bebe Rexhe being seductively chased around the stage by backup dancers in wolf masks and harassed by Wentz, who almost manically zipped from laptop twiddling to exhorting the crowd to make some noise to stage diving to getting kind of aggressively up in Rexhe's face while she was trying to sing. It was a fascinating, uncomfortable experience, and Wentz seemed very aware of how strange it was, taking the mic at one point to apologize to his mom for just "throwing toilet paper into the crowd and being weird." After a year that he described as "kind of like a hurricane," Wentz said he created Black Cards because he just wanted to have fun onstage. Pete, we're pulling for you, buddy. (It's worth noting that this is the same stage where an as-yet-unknown Lady Gaga played one of her early and much-maligned shows -- and the stage where, last year, she returned for a cameo stage-dive before packing the main-stage lawn.)
One of the more interesting and often overlooked facets of this year's Lolla is the lineup's relatively large number of Latin acts, many of them culled from the festival's new Chilean branch, staged in Santiago in April. Pounding on a drum and sassing the crowd in Spanish, Mexican electro-popper Ceci Bastida opened the BMI stage with a vibrant set that included a cover of The Go-Go's hit "This Town." Over on the big Playstation stage, Concepcion-based band Los Bunkers got fists pumping and Chilean flags waving to the tune of their swaggering, Beatles-saturated indie rock. And my own personal biggest bummer of the day was missing fierce Chilean emcee Ana Tijoux, whose set at the more electronic-tilted Perry's Tent didn't start on time.
So how's about that aforementioned rock 'n' roll? Well, there was plenty of it, in all shapes and sizes, on the main stages at either end of the massive fest grounds. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals kicked it old school, burning up the Bud Light Lawn with their smoky blues-rock. Potter's weathered, whiskey-kissed voice was made for environments like this, soaring over the grounds like a hipper Bonnie Raitt. Meanwhile, Foster the People struggled to carry their understated indie pop over the insanely massive and somewhat disgruntled crowd they drew at the Sony Stage. Overheard in the audience: "I'm here for one goddamn song. Just play it!" And yes, after an eerily spot-on cover of "Heart of Gold," they finally delivered their big hit, "Pumped Up Kicks," as the satiated crowd sang along.
And then came the headliners. With the hipsters safely ensconced at the Google+ Stage for Ratatat, the evening came down to a battle of the Angsty British Dudes -- and their very different crowds. In the south corner, we had Muse, who blasted onstage as riot sirens sounded and jumped right into a version of "Uprising" righteous enough to get the head of every dude on the lawn banging. Much as I love this band's meathead symphonies, though, things quickly started to get a little intense. By about the fifth song, I'd been almost stomped on almost as many times, so I hightailed it the other end of the grounds for Coldplay -- but not before I witnessed evidence that Muse had apparently made a deal with the devil, or Chicago, or just someone who knew what time it was: the city's theoretically unrelated fireworks display began erupting behind the stage just as the band finished a Jimi-ish rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" that segued into "Hysteria."
Up on the north end, Coldplay offered a more serene end to the evening. If Muse is neo-prog rock for disenchanted backwards-cap dudes, then Coldplay are most definitely for lovers. As Chris Martin tinkled the ivories, waxed romantic about love and life with Gwyneth, and occasionally politely checked in to make sure "everyone's OK so far," couples in the crowd leaned into each other. Even as he took up the acoustic guitar to play the slightly less glistening "Violet Hill," you could almost hear the crowd sigh in contentment.
Whatever your Angsty British Dude pleasure, then, it was the perfect ending to a great first day. Tune in tomorrow, when we dig further into the Question of the Weekend -- and I attempt the impossible for a fest-goer over the age of 25: staying in Perry's Tent for an extended amount of time.
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Friday Mixtape: Chicken Mix!tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40142011-08-05T17:05:23Z2011-08-05T15:51:52Z My sister is obsessed with chickens. Like, seriously. She has a kitchen full of kitschy chicken stuff. Any time there's a call for a nickname to put on the...Rachel Devitt
My sister is obsessed with chickens. Like, seriously. She has a kitchen full of kitschy chicken stuff. Any time there's a call for a nickname to put on the back of a t-shirt, she goes for something poultry-related. She does a mean chicken impression (hen-pression? OK, maybe not): it's just not Christmas in my family without her clucked rendition of "Carol of the Bells." She even has a seriously awesome chicken tattoo on her forearm. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that we grew up in a small, rural Midwestern farming town where many friends' families kept chickens. Maybe it's part of the new hipster trend of urban coops. We don't know how to explain it, other than that she's an, um, odd duck.
So what, exactly, does her fowl fixation have to do with music? Well, a few years ago, I started compiling a master list of chicken-related music: songs that reference chickens, songs that include chicken noises, songs that just, well, rock out with their cluck out. And guess what? It turns out that there are not only a LOT of chicken songs in rock and pop history (perhaps my sister isn't alone in her OCD -- Obsessive Chicken Disorder), but that, amassed, they make for one hell of a decent mix.
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Cheat Sheet: Latin Alt Divastag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.40012011-08-02T17:00:51Z2011-08-03T19:41:50Z Latin alternative music, like anything lurking under that ambiguous "alt" umbrella, is a hodgepodge hive of sounds, ranging from gritty rock to twee pop, from experimental electronic music to...Rachel Devitt
Latin alternative music, like anything lurking under that ambiguous "alt" umbrella, is a hodgepodge hive of sounds, ranging from gritty rock to twee pop, from experimental electronic music to quirky hip-hop. But one aspect of the sound is easy to pin down: initially a kind of boys' club (or at least a club in which admittedly very talented boys got most of the attention), the world of Latin alt has recently been invaded by captivating, critically acclaimed, incredibly talented female artists. In fact, there are so many fresh new female faces in this world that we're focusing here primarily on women working in the cantautor (aka singer-songwriter) tradition, and saving the hard-rocking outfits, punk bands and emcees for another time. But even within that concentration, a wealth of sonic diversity exists, from Juana Molina's ambient electro-pop to Rita Indiana's techno-merengue, from Pistolera's folklorico rock to indie-pop darling Ximena Sariñana, whose masterful self-titled sophomore album dropped this week.
Ximena Sariñana Mediocre (2008)
Yes, Sariñana has got a fantastic new album out — a rich, complicated, well-rounded effort that showcases her newfound musical maturity. But as soon as you're done falling in love with that one, go back to where it all began. The child of a screenwriter and a famous director, the Mexico City-based artist has intertwined the film and music worlds over the course of her short but impressive career, whether she's singing telenovela theme songs or creating the kind of cinematically crafted indie pop found on this debut. While not as complex as the stuff to come, Mediocre's title belies its content. Sariñana hooks the listener in with a peppier pop aesthetic, even as she maintains a cool, slightly detached hipness.
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Lila Downs La Cantina (2006)
A bicultural border-crosser who grew up both in Minnesota and the Sierra Madre mountains, Lila Downs has studied and sung in languages including Zapotec (via her mother), Nahuatl, Maya and Mixtec. Her multilingual abilities mirror the diversity of her musical palette, which she cultivated both by studying opera and following the Grateful Dead, swirling together folk traditions and Latin pop with rock, jazz, funk and electronica. Her playful, passionate 2006 album reexamines the drama of ranchera through that multicultural lens, even dabbling in hip-hop on the magnificent "Tu Recurdo y Yo."
Lhasa The Living Road (2004)
The child of a Mexican professor father and a Lebanese-Jewish-American actress/photographer mother, Lhasa grew up moving rather nomadically (in a converted school bus!) across Mexican, U.S., and Canadian borders. She began performing music in arty Montreal and moved to France to join her circus-performing sisters; her music weaves glimpses and snapshots of that experience into a sometimes achingly gorgeous dream world. On her sophomore album, sweeping Mexican rancheras brush up against plinking circus quirkiness, quijada (donkey jaw) rattles mark time in a sensual French cabaret, and smoky American blues comes out sounding like an alt-country Gypsy waltz. The only constant is Lhasa's silken husk of a voice. The fact that she toured extensively with Lilith Fair in the late '90s — and won prestigious awards from groups like the BBC and Canada's Juno committee — comes as no surprise. Her death of breast cancer last year at the terribly young age of 37 is a loss to multiple musical communities.
Juana Molina Un Dia (2008)
The daughter of a tango musician, a onetime exile (she and her family fled during the worst years of Argentina's dictatorship), and a comedian-turned-uber-hip-and-slightly-eccentric-electro-folk-artist, Juana Molina boasts one of Latin music's odder resumes. Her beguiling 2008 effort is also one of her more accessible albums. Un Dia creates a "strange, subconscious realm that's bathed in light" (as our own Philip Sherburne put it), but leads us there through captivating passageways that trek through her usual mix of future folk, ambient electronics and bossa nova twinges, as well as musique concrete, spaghetti westerns, Indian ragas and even Public Enemy.
Julieta Venegas Bueninvento (2000)
Nowadays, Julieta Venegas is a Latin-pop diva of major (and rather mainstream) proportions. But once upon a time, she was a beloved indie ingénue, working her way into the hearts of fans with releases like her sophomore effort, which translates finely tuned rock and pop into quirky, eclectic alternative languages peppered with endearing surprises (accordions! unexpected tempo changes!) and the soft-lit grace of a Brazilian bossa nova singer. In fact, if you get right down to it, Venegas is still making this kind of "alternative" music; she's just doing it for a much wider audience these days.
Natalia LaFourcade Hu Hu Hu (2009)
Mexican pop star Natalia LaFourcade is one of those precocious people who just go around impressing the pants off others. Hence, her critics-wowing 2003 self-titled debut at the age of 19, the product of a major-label record deal that has resulted in some of Latin pop's least-mainstream pop sounds. Having won a Latin Grammy with her band La Forquetina and taken a break to compose classical music in Canada, she came roaring back in 2009 to regale us with barnstorming wall-of-sound production, omnivorous instrumentation, and joyful dives into the world of orchestral pop — in short, it's an alt-pop masterpiece that somehow balances the hooky and the experimental.
Rita Indiana El Juidero (2010)
A rising star of Latin alt, Rita Indiana may also be the savior of merengue. On her debut full-length, the Dominican artist fuses twitching, lightning-speed merengue rhythms to electro-disco, synth pop and older Afro-Latin forms like Dominican palos. She peppers it all with grittily politicized and sexy lyrics, all but obliterating merengue's rep as the staid, predictable property of the gentrified middle class. The formula has found favor with both stateside hipsters and pop fans in the Dominican Republic, where Indiana has become something of a serious star. Oh, and did we mention she's also a super-tall former model and out-and-proud lesbian (a rarity in Latin music) whose nickname is "La Montra" (the monster)?
Ely Guerra Lotofire (1999/2002)
With this 1999 debut (released three years later in the U.S.), Mexican singer-songwriter Ely Guerra joined the new generation of female artists redefining Latin rock. Steeped in the gauzy, trip-hoppy pop rock of the day, Lotofire "spun around an electronic core while maintaining the immediacy of acoustic music" (as former Rhapsody writer Sarah Bardeen put it), in the process showing off Guerra's intelligent lyrics, deft songwriting and, especially, that smoky, smart, sex-kitten voice of hers. Her subsequent releases have eased up on the lounge-y vibe a little, even as they maintain her subtle, seductively intimate pop haze.
Pistolera Siempre Hay Salida (2006)
This N.Y.C.-based outfit, fronted by Sandra Lilia Velasquez, describes itself as "alt-folklorico." Rhapsody writer Sarah Bardeen once described it as the sound of accordion music and indie rock drinking a Corona and lime together. Somewhere between the two, you get the picture: Pistolera are in the business of re-creating Mexican musical traditions in the likeness of hipster-friendly punk and indie. Their debut album pounded out cumbias, rocked-up rancheras and generally threw one hell of a fiesta; for a slower, more melancholy take on the style, check out this year's El Desierto y La Ciudad.
Francisca Valenzuela Muérdete La Lengua (2008)
Francisca Valenzuela's Chilean heritage (she was born in San Francisco, but her family moved back to their native land when she was 12) is written all over this album. While the body of Muérdete is all Latin indie and American alt rock — coffee-shop acoustic guitars, chunky electric ones, serious-sounding vocals and a whole lot of angsty keyboards — its spine is nueva cancion, the folky protest music that gave voice to oppressed people throughout the Latin world and established a historically fine line between pop music and politics in Chile. Valenzuela sings from the gut.
Carla Morrison Mientras Tú Dormías (2010)
Swaying school-dance waltzes. Whimsical bells, whistles and keys. Vocals so delicately wispy they may well have been licked onto the record by kittens. Mexican American singer-songwriter Carla Morrison has "indie pop ingénue" written all over her, from her girl-group revivalism to her work with Natalia LaFourcade, who produced and guests on this debut full-length. Like Feist (or pretty much any Swedish pop star), she's the kind of deliciously, ingeniously girlish artist you can't help but fall in love with.
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SoundTreks: Saharan Bluestag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.39942011-07-28T17:47:12Z2011-07-28T16:32:57Z Welcome to SoundTreks, our new (well, revamped) column that takes you on a sonic tour through musical scenes and styles from around the globe. Whether you're an international rookie...Rachel DevittWelcome to SoundTreks, our new (well, revamped) column that takes you on a sonic tour through musical scenes and styles from around the globe. Whether you're an international rookie aching to hear something new, a diehard world nerd or just an equal-opportunity crate-digger, this is the column for you. Start trekking!
In this edition of SoundTreks, we explore a movement known by several names: desert blues, desert rock or Saharan blues. Though that's somewhat amorphous and ambiguous, what we're basically talking about are the entrancing, sometimes melancholy, and often downright trippy grooves hewn when musicians from the Saharan desert region began filtering traditional folk music through blues and psychedelic rock. Those amorphous and ambiguous boundaries are appropriate, actually, as desert blues was created by members of traditionally nomadic cultures like the Woodabe and, especially, the Touareg (or as they call themselves, Kel Tamasheq) people, who have been historically persecuted by the nations surrounding the Sahara and often forced to live in exile from their homelands.
Desert blues is an integral part of that historic struggle: many of the scene's most brilliant stars honed their craft in revolutionary training camps or learned electric guitar in refugee tent cities. The music they create often speaks to the realities of their lives: the lyrics are sometimes virulently (though more often mournfully) politicized. Chanting choruses evoke the communality found within the struggle, while women's voices keen and ululate above. Small armies of guitars echo and ring as if stretching toward an ever-elusive horizon. Often steeped in ceremonial traditions and governed by rolling drums, the songs move with a slow, sweltering grace. And all of it pulses with an ineffably rock 'n' roll heartbeat.
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Keep reading for an in-depth exploration of several key desert blues artists, albums and tracks -- or jump right into the aural experience with our SoundTreks: Desert Blues playlist.
Tinariwen
"A Tenere Taqqim Tossam."
"Tahult In" (Imidiwan)
"Arawan" (Amassakoul)
"Afours Afours" (The Radio Tisdas Sessions).
Along with Etran Finatawa, Malian megagroup Tinariwen has garnered the most international fame for several reasons, not the least of which is the group's rather literal manifestation of the radical power desert blues can wield. Several of Tinariwen's members, who are of the Kel Tamasheq people, participated in revolutionary movements, training in Libyan military camps by day and learning Western rock and electric guitar by night. That history carried over onto the group's 2001 debut, where no less than five guitarists and what sometimes sounded like an army of singers demanded recognition for the historically persecuted Kel Tamasheq people's culture with quiet, powerful grace. Their subsequent work has alternately pushed at the boundaries of this already border-jumping genre (see buzzy new single "Tenere Taqqim Tossam," featuring TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe and Kyp Malone) and gloriously returned to form (see 2009's epically gorgeous Imidiwan: Companions).
Etran Finatawa
"A Dunya" (Introducing)
"Kel Tamascheck" (Desert Crossroads)
"Daandé" (Tarkat Tajje/Let's Go!)
Inspired by Tinariwen, Niger's Etran Finatawa took the tradition-busting new traditionalism and politicized power of desert blues a step further. Joining the forces of two of the region's very separate (and sometimes warring) nomadic groups, the Touareg and the Wodabe, EF take on the persecution of both as they interweave blues-drenched versions of those cultures' folk songs -- including traditional healing songs and tea ceremonies. This is a group dedicated to the evocative and experiential -- the transformative potential of music. Just listen to second album Desert Crossroads, which captures the sonic environment (a passing Touareg herder) and honors the group's newer traditions via the ebb and flow of the traditional water calabash.
Tartit
"Tihar Bayatin" (Festival in the Desert)
"Anchachore I Chachare Akale" (Abcabok)
In the avalanche of desert blues that began in the late 1990s, Tartit stood apart, not only because, like Tinariwen, this Tamasheq group from Mali got some serious international exposure, but also because they are dominated (and driven) by women. (Technically, the numbers are roughly equal, but it's the women's voices that sink into your soul.) A bit more traditional than their colleagues, Tartit build a spiraling, hypnotic groove that's maybe more akin to the rawness of country blues than the sleek blues rock a lot of the boys play, the imzad (a single-stringed fiddle) standing in for a soulful acoustic guitar.
Mariem Hassan
"Tefla madlouma" (Shouka)
"Mawal" (Deseos)
"El jinete" (A Pesar de las Heridas)
Spiritual mother of the desert blues, Mariem Hassan sings raw, ululating Saharawi folk tunes with the drive and soul of rock. Colonized by Spain, and later ruled by Morocco and Mauritania (which occupied their lands in the Western Sahara), the Saharawi people first fought back (and suffered many casualties) before ultimately fleeing to Algerian lands in the 1970s, where they formed the Saharawi Democratic Arab Republic. Hassan honed her craft in refugee tent cities, singing the plight of the Saharawi people in both her native Hassania and sometimes in Spanish. One of the few internationally prominent female Saharan blues artists, Hassan's fierce, pointed keening is driven by the rhythmic patterns of the tebal, a drum traditionally played by women, and accompanied by guitars played in a style based on the traditional tidinit lute (an ancestor of the banjo).
Toumast
"Ikalane Walegh" (Ishumar)
"Hair Tombouktou" (Amachal)
Niger's Toumast followed Etran Finatawa and Tinariwen, but took the desert blues' border-crossing style even further. Working with French producer Dan Levy, singers Moussa Ag Keyna and Aminatou Goumar have developed a pop-leaning take on Kel Tamasheq folk traditions and the rolling guitars of Saharan blues, incorporating echoes of sax, bass guitar, the occasional lounge-y keyboard, jammy psych rock, spoken-word translations of their Berber lyrics, and even English lyrics!
Bombino
"Tenere (The Desert, My Home)"
"Ahoulaguine Akaline (I Greet My Country)" (Both from Agadez)
Bombino is the desert blues act to beat this year. A Kel Tamasheq band named for leader Omar "Bombino" Moctar, the group first popped onto Western audiences' radar in 2009 with the critical fave Guitars from Agadez, a collection of live recordings. This year's Agadez (named for the group's hometown, an important city in the Touareg struggle) showcases Bombino's quiet craftsmanship and nuanced guitar work, a more subtle take on desert blues.
Terakaft
"Akoz Imgharen" (Aratan N Azawad)
Another up-and-coming Malian outfit, Terakaft set themselves apart with their use of acoustic guitars, bits of Afro-pop and the occasional lean into the country side of blues. If other groups are actively meditating, then Terakaft are just sitting back and chilling.
Keep on Trekking. Check out these other blues gods (and gods-in-the-making): Ibrahim Djo Experience
Amanar, who regularly incorporate hip-hop into their sound Nabil Othmani, son of a renowned Touareg musician (Baly Othmani)
Various Artists, Ishumar 2, a compilation of new and notable guitarists
Various Artists, A Pesar de las Heridas, a collection of Saharan women
Various Artists, Festival in the Desert, the famed gathering of African musicians (and Robert Plant!) in Touareg territory
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Cumbia Megamix: A Deep Dive Into a Classic Latin Soundtag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.39932011-07-27T17:29:15Z2011-07-27T16:18:14Z Cumbia has long been one of Latin music's most prolific and itinerant styles. Which makes sense, given the genre's multifaceted history: originating on the coast of Colombia as a...Rachel DevittCumbia has long been one of Latin music's most prolific and itinerant styles. Which makes sense, given the genre's multifaceted history: originating on the coast of Colombia as a hybrid folk blend of European, African and native characteristics before gradually spreading out across Latin America, the sound has dipped into vastly disparate styles, from big band-influenced dance music, Mexican regional pop, Peruvian psychedelic rock and Chilean alt-rock. Mexican cumbia and Colombian cumbia in particular have each solidified into their own individual, massively popular genres, and each regional adaptation of that classic rhythm has its own style and stars. But whether delivered as a sultry slow dance, a rootsy folk tune or a lightning-fast out-and-out breakdown, all points in this universe are linked by that distinctive chugga-chugging beat.
This playlist traces contemporary cumbia from Colombian heartthrob Carlos Vives to the regional pop output of Mexico's beloved Quintanilla family to Bomba Estereo's alt-dance grooves -- and everything in between. Consider it a jumping-off point, from which you can dive deep into the cumbia universe.
Click here to listen to the entire playlist: Cumbia Mega-Mix
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Pop Roundup, July 2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.39812011-07-26T21:24:31Z2011-07-26T23:31:51Z This edition of our monthly Pop Roundup serves two purposes. First, as always, it's your exclusive guide to the hottest new pop albums — the big ones you know,...Rachel Devitt
This edition of our monthly Pop Roundup serves two purposes. First, as always, it's your exclusive guide to the hottest new pop albums — the big ones you know, but also the up-and-comers you just haven't fallen in love with yet. But this particular dispatch is also a great showcase of the breadth encompassed under that ambiguous umbrella (that's right: ambiguous umbrella) we call "pop." We've got everything from Joss Stone's increasingly blues-soaked soul-pop to The Summer Set's Bieber-meets-emo pop-rock, from Vanessa Carlton's new '70s-spun opus to dance-pop princesses like Kelly Rowland, Selena Gomez and, well, Pitbull. And, of course, there's Queen Bey.
1.Selena Gomez When the Sun Goes Down
Less than a year after A Year Without Rain, Selena Gomez picks up where that album left off: on the dancefloor. Only this time, she's staying out late (and possibly at a 21-and-over club). Sun is a sleek, chic and, yes, sexy affair that starts off planting four firmly on the floor and doesn't let up through sassy kiss-offs, catwalk struts and Gomez's first Spanish track. It's all perfectly crafted. Maybe a little too perfect, painted as it is in shades of La Roux, Ke$ha, even Blondie! At least Gomez's touchstones are good ones. And her sweet purr is stronger than ever. — Rachel Devitt Don't Miss: Salty-sweet kiss-off (and doppelganger for La Roux's "Bulletproof") "Bang Bang Bang." Heart-on-angsty-black-sleeve synth-popper "My Dilemma." The hopscotching dance-pop of the title track.
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2.Kelly Rowland Here I Am
Producing some of her most successful singles yet, Here I Am finds Kelly Rowland settling into styles that work for her, like dance cuts that suit her wispy, malleable voice. More than anything, she's flexing a more brazen sexuality than she has exhibited before on tracks that saunter through the club (or slink through the bedroom). It's a strong eroticism, though, that best builds on the diva stance she took up last time around: she may be cooing the most blatant come-on this side of "Love to Love You Baby," but she's doing it while giving instructions for providing her with, um, aural pleasure. — R.D. Don't miss: The dance-and-rap-laced, Big Sean-featuring "Lay It on Me." Strongly sung mid-tempo jam "Feelin Me Right Now." Independent woman-friendly, good-man-rewarding "Work It Man."
3.Beyoncé 4
Four solo albums in, Beyoncé's earned the right to experiment, and 4 is a bold, risky test of the parameters of 2011 pop stardom. Eschewing the day's dance trends (and really, club-ready tracks in general), B spends most of the album growling through gut-punching slow and mid-tempo jams steeped in solid-gold '70s soul and '80s R&B (think synthy horns and Prince, not robo-disco). Then there's a militaristic march that culminates in the post-apocalyptic "Run the World (Girls)." In short, there may not be a smash single in the bunch — and it might be some of Queen B's most interesting work ever. — R.D. Don't Miss: The Princely dream-pop ballad "1+1." Retro synth&B mid-tempo jam "Party." Janet Jackson-esque "Love on Top."
4.Nikki Jean Pennies in a Jar
Minneapolis singer-songwriter Nikki Jean spent years singing backup for Lupe Fiasco, King Britt and others before commanding the spotlight on Pennies in a Jar. Weaving through girl-group harmonies and Philly soul with audible delight, she's clearly having a ball, and her playfulness is infectious. This charming debut includes contributions from Bob Dylan (who co-wrote "Steel and Feathers"), Burt Bacharach (who co-wrote "Pennies in a Jar"), and Lupe and Black Thought, who add raps to "Million Star Motel." — R.D. Don't Miss: Girl-group-leaning "My Love." Sweet Philly-soul jam "How to Unring a Bell." The Bacharachian title track.
5.Vanessa Carlton Rabbits on the Run
If you only heard the first three tracks of Vanessa Carlton's fourth album, you'd be forgiven for worrying that the girl has just never quite found a way to evolve beyond the plinkety-plankety angst and coffee-shop pop of her big hit, "A Thousand Miles." Then "Fairweather Friend," awash in driving piano currents and waves of strings, makes your ears perk up. And then, "Hear the Bells," with its gauzy minimalism and echoing vocals, beginning a series of hazy, vintage-hued tracks that sound like what an Anthropologie ad looks like. Vanessa skips through them all like a candy-voiced love child. — R.D. Don't Miss: The weird, busted waltz of "Tall Tales for Spring." The Vanessa-through-the-looking-glass, Doors-lite bad trip "In the End." The '70s piano-(wo)man-meets-'90s-girl rock of "Dear California."
7.The Summer Set Everything's Fine
Gushing weepy-eyed nostalgia like a 1920s Texas oil geyser, Everything's Fine is a soundtrack for lip-pierced mall punks wandering suburban 'hoods while reveling in first kisses and experiencing goose bumps in exotic lands. It's all very catchy, anthemic and big-sounding. The one track that really, truly stands out is "When We Were Young," which possesses this universal pop presence. You can imagine everybody from Lady Gaga to Eric Church covering the thing. One warning: you just might feel first-love fatigue by album's end, as singer Brian Dales is totally obsessed with the subject. — Justin Farrar Don't Miss: Jack-and-Diane-lite "When We Were Young." Bieber-meets-emo-boy-band cute-nothings-whisperer "Someone Like You."
8.Joss Stone Lp1
Joss Stone seems somewhat obsessed with artistic independence and musical maturity. The first release on her own label, Lp1 is also, according to Stone, her first effort in total creative freedom. Consumed with the trials and tribulations of knock-down, drag-out love, the album is, appropriately, steeped in soul-inflected rock, bits of funk and a whole heap of blues. In other words, it's the sound of an older artist, as opposed to a vintage one. And Joss has adopted the voice to match: fuzzed-out, scratched-up and world-weary, her vocals sound more like Janis Joplin's than Aretha's. — R.D. Don't Miss: The pack-a-day pathos of "Drive All Night." Front-porch blues ballad "Landlord."
9.Brandy and Ray J A Family Business A Family Business is a soundtrack to the Norwood clan's VH-1 show. Headliners Brandy and Ray J recount trials and triumph on the title track, Brandy sings melodramatically about her detractors, and big poppa Willie Sr. devotes a love song to mama bear Sonja on the aptly titled "Sonja, Sonia, Sonya." Even Brandy's daughter Sy'rai gets in the act by swiping Barney the Dinosaur's "I Love You" theme for "My Family." Despite a lapse from freaky ol' Ray J ("Turnin' Me On"), A Family Business is squeaky-clean treacle for celebreality junkies. — M.R. Don't Miss: Brandy's hater brush-off "I Don't Care."
10.Colbie Caillat All of You
We didn't think it was possible for the woman who broke out with "Bubbly" to get any sunnier or more positive. But Colbie Caillat appears to have written her third album from within the throes of sweet, sweet love: she's cooing chipper, castanet-punctuated tracks about saying "I Do" and writing songs with boyfriend Justin Young. And that warm, surfer-girl mezzo swoons and purrs its way through affirmation after sun-kissed affirmation — sometimes, like on "Think Good Thoughts," verging literally on that term. — R.D. Don't Miss: Vitamin D-drunk happy-fest "Brighter Than the Sun." Weird but workable Common duet "Favorite Song."
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Amy Winehouse, 1983-2011tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.39792011-07-23T21:54:01Z2011-07-24T04:04:19Z It’s easy to make jokes about the premature -- if sadly somewhat predictable -- death of Amy Winehouse, who died today, of officially unknown causes, at the age of...Rachel Devitt
It’s easy to make jokes about the premature -- if sadly somewhat predictable -- death of Amy Winehouse, who died today, of officially unknown causes, at the age of 27. It’s almost harder to avoid the jokes. After all, the talented but troubled British soul singer-songwriter preemptively provided us with plenty of fodder, her smash hit “Rehab”; not the least of it. Regardless of how far off everyone could see this tragedy coming, Winehouse’s story is not only a far too familiar example of the heartbreak that inevitably comes with addiction, but also an incredible loss for popular music.
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Back to Black. With her beehive hairdo, heavy-eyeliner retro look and dusty-grooved sound, she heralded the vintage-soul revival that now stretches all the way to Adele. She impressed audiences and critics alike with her salty, scratched-up, and indelibly soulful voice. Equally impressive, however, was the grace with which she revamped the grit and guts of classic '60s and '70s soul -- and the ease with which articulated and musically interpreted a gut-wrenching, self-deprecating pathos that somehow still managed to be palatable and even, well, fun.
No song better encompassed both her persona and her talent than “Rehab,” which flaunted her unwillingness to pursue a healthy lifestyle in a manner that was maddeningly rock ’n’ roll stupid, endearingly sympathetic, and, especially, impeccably sung in an elegantly wasted timbre that made her sound much, much older than her twentysomething years. The song become the singer’s all-too-fitting anthem: several other massive hits from Back to Black -- and the re-release of her British-award-winning, more jazz-hued 2003 debut, Frank -- followed, but sadly, the press mostly seized instead on her dramatic romantic entanglements (especially with on-again, off-again ex-con ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil), her ongoing struggles with drug addiction and drinking, and the increasingly negative impact all of the above had on her ability to perform and maintain a music career. Her much-anticipated third album was delayed again and again -- it was scheduled to drop this year.
Winehouse joins a long line of artists who died tragically at 27: Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, etc. One can’t help but hear her diamond-in-the-very-rough, excruciatingly exposed musical output as a pained, beautifully screwed-up cry for help. Just listen to her gorgeously sung, bravely vulnerable version of “Someone to Watch Over Me,”; a song favored by another troubled yet talented soul whom Winehouse idolized: Billie Holiday. RIP.
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Source Material: tUnE-yArDs, W H O K I L L tag:blog.rhapsody.com,2011://1.39562011-07-20T17:04:11Z2011-07-20T19:58:16Z The much-lauded second album by tUnE-yArDs (aka Oakland-based indie-rocker Merrill Garbus) has been, well, much-lauded for many reasons, not least of which is the finely tuned and widely varied...Rachel Devitt
The much-lauded second album by tUnE-yArDs (aka Oakland-based indie-rocker Merrill Garbus) has been, well, much-lauded for many reasons, not least of which is the finely tuned and widely varied sonic palette into which she dips. The creatively styled W H O K I L L has been heralded for digging into hip-hop, funk, R&B, free jazz, soul and much more — as our own Stephanie Benson put it, treating each style like "a treasure she eagerly excavated from a junkyard." But as the brilliant Sarah Bardeen, our former world music editor, pointed out, what often gets left out of the discussion of Garbus' crate-digging, style-raiding, experimentally hodgepodge approach is the global scope of that pastiche, which dabbles in European, Asian and a whole lot of African sounds. Garbus herself appears to be an avid world music fan, name-checking influences that range from Kenyan to Bulgarian. So we went ahead and took a stab at excavating the more global sources mined on W H O K I L L. Dig in! (and listen to the music discussed here on our Source Material playlist!)
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Various Artists Mbuti Pygmies of the Ituri Rainforest
Garbus' vocals are positively steeped in the vocal traditions of several Pygmy groups from Central Africa. "Pygmy," though, is an overly general and fairly pejorative shorthand for several tribal groups, such as the Mbuti, Aka and Efe, many of which have developed musical traditions that revolve around interlocking, contrapuntal harmonies and hooted, hopscotching, improvised melodies. Often work songs, these vocal concoctions allow a group to sing communally, playing off the echoes of the rainforest. Garbus creates similarly dissonant vocal lines on W H O K I L L, weaving her own conversational hoot in and out of instrumental lines, the two threads chasing each other around a melody. Just compare "Bizness" to "Honey-Gathering Song" from this Smithsonian Folkways comp. Or, for more pop-oriented fare, take a listen to the polyphonic, percussive, yodel-esque vocals of Zap Mama, themselves greatly inspired by Congolese music. See Also: Zap Mama, Adventures in Afropea. Deep Forest.
Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares
The record's other prominent global vocal touchstone is, to our ears, Balkan (and especially Bulgarian) female choral traditions. Like the Mbuti, the Bulgarian State Television Female Choir featured here structure their music around a tightly interlocking harmonic structure that sounds drone-like, even discordant to Western ears. In the Bulgarian choral style, vocals are sharp and pinpointed, each part wrapping snugly around the others to create dissonant, polyphonic and often mournful-sounding textures. Garbus has acknowledged the influence: listen to the fierce, undulating snarl soaring above layers of electric harmonica, cat-and-mouse horns and tricked-out vocal pops on "My Country," which is sort of like a rock 'n' roll version of the keen-and-response of Le Mystere's "Kalimankou Denkou." See Also: Sacred Harp Singers, Original Sacred Harp
Mahmoud Ahmed Ethiopiques Vol. 7
The soaring-yet-flat vocals. The pentatonic harmonic structures that bridge Amharic folk, Afropop, American jazz and, later, American funk. And especially, those sidewinding saxophones. These are just a few of the many reasons music fans have found the Ethiopiques archive of vintage Ethiopian and Eritrean pop so intoxicating. The series, which helped turn singer and pop star Mahmoud Ahmed into a beloved musical figure, has also inspired much contemporary global pop, especially revivalist psychedelic rock and now, the slinking horns of W H O K I L L.
Various Artists Sleepwalking through the Mekong
Speaking of global psychedelic rockers, Dengue Fever, whose sound is at least partially influenced by Ethiopiques-style rock, put their money where their mouths are with this 2009 documentary soundtrack and archive of the vintage '60s Cambodian pop that's their sonic foundation — music that also filters subtly into tUnE-yArDs' sound. Where Dengue Fever are more revivalist, however, Garbus is a polyglot pastiche artist. See Also: Turkish pscyh rockers Baba Zula.
Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate Ali and Toumani and Rokia Traore, Tchamantche
The two master Malian musicians' collaboration was one of 2010's most achingly gorgeous albums (posthumously, after Toure's death in 2006). Ali and Toumani is a testament to the soft rolls and subtle graces of Malian music, and especially to the rippling fountains of sweet sound that traditional West African harp the kora can emit in concert with Toure's guitar. Traore, one of Mali's most brilliant young stars, crafts folk-hued Afropop that takes the delicate grace of traditional Malian instruments (including the kora, the balafon and the ngoni) as inspiration, and the storytelling of griot song as its foundation. Her 2008 album is an impressive showcase of her hushed, epically elegant musicality. Garbus is undoubtedly a storyteller, but on tracks like the tiptoeing "Wooly Wolly Gong," the ebb and flow of which evokes Malian instrumentation, she proves she's also capable of a similar (if decidedly creepier) quietude. See Also:Etoile de Dakar, for a more rollicking Senegalese pop/African jazz deployment of traditional African instrumentation.
Babatunde Olatunji Drums of Passion
Nigerian doctor-turned-drummer Olatunji made a career out of introducing Western audiences to the agitated, interlocking rhythms of traditional Yoruba drumming. You won't hear tUnE-yArDs taking up the kind of spinning, deceivingly chaotic complexities showcased on Drums of Passion, but her penchant for emphasizing the off beat and playing with syncopation and slightly shifting meters is clear.
Lee "Scratch" Perry Arkology and Richie Spice, Book of Job
Garbus has frequently listed reggae as a major influence. It's not always easy to hear (well, other than the occasional lyrical reference, like her "get up stand up get up" invective on "Bizness"), but tracks like "Powa," with its thick, chunky beats and slow, easy pace, bear some resemblance to Perry's classic dub and Spice's rootsy dancehall.
Orchestra Super Mazembe Giants of East Africa and Various Artists, Poetry and Languid Charm: Swahili Music from Tanzania and Kenya
Garbus has also spoken of Kenyan music's influence on her: she traveled there after studying Swahili in college. It's not always immediately audible (perhaps partially because Kenyan music is not as familiar to our Western ears as, say, West African pop or even Ethiopian/Eritrean music). But in the piercing, focused keening of classic taarab singer Siti Binti Saad, or the ringing guitars and rolling, soukous-like sway of Swahili pop outfit Orchestra Super Mazembe, one can hear where Garbus may have found inspiration for tracks like "Riotriot." See Also:Papa Wemba, Molokai
Jake Shimbukuro Gently Weeps
Garbus plays the ukulele, but doesn't really wield it with the quiet whimsy or Hawaiian traditionalism we've come to expect of the instrument. Which is why we'd position her on a musical family tree with fellow experimenter Jake Shimbukuro. He's always been in the business of exposing the rock 'n' roll soul of his instrument, but managed to balance his punk tendencies with the instrument's traditional subtlety on his award-winning 2006 acoustic album. See Also: Shimbukuro's latest, this year's Peace Love Ukulele, featuring an awesome "Bohemian Rhapsody" cover.
Balkan Beat Box Blue Eyed Black Boy
B.B.B.'s relationship to tUnEyArDs isn't so much influence as perhaps spiritual kinship. Like Garbus, this multicultural outfit mines an array of globe-trotting sources, especially on their latest album, which adds strains of Peruvian chicha (psychedelic cumbia) to a mix that already included everything from Moroccan gnawa to Gypsy brass and Jewish klezmer. If Garbus is primarily an indie experimenter with an agnostically global palate, however, Balkan Beat Box represent the flip side of that coin: a band that starts from quote-unquote world music, but leans in an indie-rock-friendly direction. See Also:M.I.A., Arular, which might actually be W H O K I L L's closest musical soulmate.
We don't know about you, but this time of year makes us want to strap on a pair of sparkly gold stilettos, squeeze into something that's possibly too tight given how much we ate over Thanksgiving, and get our ho-ho-holiday on — on the dancefloor, of course. Thankfully, many of our favorite pop stars seem to feel the same way, obliging us with festive dance pop originals and clubby remakes of the classics, all decked out with killer beats and groovable hooks. To get you in the holiday spirit, we've assembled this little guide to the brightest lights on the holiday pop tree, from the Biebster's naughty, brand-spanking-new Under the Mistletoe to Destiny's Child's ode to Rudolph. It's Christmas — with a beat you can dance to. 'Tis the season to get your booty wiggling!
Christmas on the Dance Floor
Justin Bieber
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Destiny's Child
Various Artists
Glee Cast
Kristine W
Various Artists
Aly & AJ
2. The Klezmatics
2. Kelly Clarkson
Beyoncé, "Crazy in Love" and Jay-Z, "Hard Knock Life"
"Urban Latin" is at once an extremely specific and yet incredibly vague term, but for our purposes here we've defined it loosely as Latin music that in some way cozies up to mainstream hip-hop and R&B, whether through its beats, its aesthetics, its collaborations or its target audience. We've focused this Cheat Sheet on three prominent styles: reggaeton, Latin hip-hop, and the newest big player in this game, bachata. That Dominican pop genre hasn't always been as urban-identified as, say, reggaeton (in fact, bachata was originally the music of the rural poor), but many of its biggest stars are carving out an aesthetic kinship to R&B that feels organic and sounds hot. 
2. Lila Downs
Motown's indelible impact on pop-music history is a direct result of the talent on the Detroit-born label's roster. Berry Gordy and his team sussed out the most skilled and (equally as important) the most likable kids they could find, often plucking actual kids out of obscurity (and high school), turning them into polished, professional pop stars. But Motown's success was also undoubtedly due to the well-oiled, machine-like way the studio ran, taking ridiculously young diamonds in the rough and putting them through the label's "factory" system, which included training in everything from music and dance to, yes, fashion and manners. 
Artist: Girls' Generation
2. Patrick Stump
Goran Bregovic
"Latin crossover" has meant many things over the years, from pop songs featuring Spanish lyrics to Latino artists who cracked the predominantly white mainstream charts. It's a vague, loaded and problematic term. But underneath that confusing umbrella, talented artists of Hispanic heritage have added rich musical, stylistic and sometimes linguistic strains to the tapestry of American pop music. That's what we're celebrating with this Cheat Sheet on Latin Crossover Artists, compiled in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is observed September 15 to October 15.
Ricky Martin
2. Gerardo Ortiz
On November 7, 2001 — less than two months after the September 11 attacks — Alan Jackson performed a brand-new song at the CMA Awards. He quickly moved the audience to tears, and "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning") soon became the quintessential post-9/11 song for many.
Not since Chicago's infamous 1979 Disco Demolition Night has there been such a vociferous backlash to a body of music. Back then, it was an entire genre. In 2003, the target was more precise: the Dixie Chicks. 
Try to imagine what he looked like, 71 years old at the time, grey-haired and disheveled, likely taken away from coffee or oatmeal or whatever a saxophone colossus has for breakfast. You gotta think that Sonny Rollins, whose Tribeca apartment was a few blocks away from the World Trade Center, was probably just as scared as everyone else. But here's the thing: when the television cameras caught him that morning, it wasn't startling to see his surgical mask or his slouching posture as he boarded the evacuation bus; it was the fact that he had the presence of mind to grab his horn. 
Like the country's rich and varied natural landscape — and its thrilling and often tumultuous socio-political history — Colombian musical culture is exhilarating, breathtakingly diverse and at once richly historic and cutting-edge. Its musical claims to fame encompass everything from wide-ranging folk traditions to some of the world's biggest Latin pop stars, from rock heavyweights to alt-folkloric hip-hop. Colombian musicians are also equally brilliant at both artistic importing and exporting: salsa inundated the country and Colombians made it their own, while homegrown cumbia has infiltrated nearly every sector of the Latin world. What we've assembled here in this guide to Colombian music is only a very brief introduction, but it will give you a taste for just how deliciously diverse this country's musical heritage is. Dig in.
Carlos Vives
The Artist: Kelly Clarkson
We admit that the title of this Cheat Sheet we've compiled ("we" being Latin editor Rachel Devitt and Jazz editor Nate Cavalieri) is a bit unwieldy, a bit amorphous, a bit hard to pin down. But so is the movement we're talking about. And that's what it was: a movement. The Latin music scene that set New York (and, eventually, the world) on fire in the mid-20th century grew out of several styles: jazz, soul, and what would come to be known as salsa, of course — but also earlier Latin dance sounds like mambo, cha-cha-cha, and boogaloo. Leading the charge were musicians who immigrated to New York from Puerto Rico and Cuba, and began innovatively interweaving traditional Caribbean music with mainland pop, interlacing jazz improvisation and composition with Latin dance structures and infusing American soul with Afro-Latin rhythms. 
Mongo Santamaria
Cyndi Lauper
Dance variety shows that targeted younger fans had long been a staple of pop music by the time Chicago DJ and concert promoter Don Cornelius premiered Soul Train in 1970. But with the first howl of "Soooooul Train!" the beloved result irrevocably transformed the heavily whitewashed model of such earlier programs as American Bandstand. The focus on African-American artists and, well, soul music -- Motown, funk, classic R&B, Philly soul, and, later, disco and hip-hop -- made the show a cultural hub for African-American audiences, and brought that culture to the white mainstream, introducing viewers across the United States to new fashions, dances and music. 
Bow down to Deadmau5, oh ye water-logged masses. Pics by Garrett Kamps.
Don't take it personally if The Cars don't seem happy to be there.
Ryan Bingham, offering up smokey Southern-rock revivalism to complement your lobster corndog
Just sing, man: CeeLo does his Rock God thing. Pics by Garrett Kamps
Local Natives: Too many new songs, perhaps.
Lykke Li: A joy to hear, even if you can't see her.
Cults indie-rock out for all the beautiful, suspiciously bohemian people. Pic by Garrett Kamps.
Latin alternative music, like anything lurking under that ambiguous "alt" umbrella, is a hodgepodge hive of sounds, ranging from gritty rock to twee pop, from experimental electronic music to quirky hip-hop. But one aspect of the sound is easy to pin down: initially a kind of boys' club (or at least a club in which admittedly very talented boys got most of the attention), the world of Latin alt has recently been invaded by captivating, critically acclaimed, incredibly talented female artists. In fact, there are so many fresh new female faces in this world that we're focusing here primarily on women working in the cantautor (aka singer-songwriter) tradition, and saving the hard-rocking outfits, punk bands and emcees for another time. But even within that concentration, a wealth of sonic diversity exists, from Juana Molina's ambient electro-pop to Rita Indiana's techno-merengue, from Pistolera's folklorico rock to indie-pop darling Ximena Sariñana, whose masterful self-titled sophomore album dropped this week.
Lila Downs
2. Kelly Rowland
It’s easy to make jokes about the premature -- if sadly somewhat predictable -- death of Amy Winehouse, who died today, of officially unknown causes, at the age of 27. It’s almost harder to avoid the jokes. After all, the talented but troubled British soul singer-songwriter preemptively provided us with plenty of fodder, her smash hit “Rehab”; not the least of it. Regardless of how far off everyone could see this tragedy coming, Winehouse’s story is not only a far too familiar example of the heartbreak that inevitably comes with addiction, but also an incredible loss for popular music.
Various Artists
