33 1/3

Hey, guys. So apparently it's our thing to write once a year now. Or it's my thing, anyways. I can't decide if it's because we have been busy or if music hasn't inspired us enough to write lately or both. I think I can speak for Laura and say that music is always inspiring us...but perhaps we just don't or can't always put it into words. Or at least not into blog form.

My blog for you today and perhaps for 2014 comes from my recently new-found joy of BEING ABLE TO GO TO THE LIBRARY AND READ BOOKS I ACTUALLY WANT TO READ. Any of you other advanced degree students or teachers understand this luxury. After finally finishing my graduate studies, I now have time to read for FUN and not just material for research papers or exams.

This hiatus I took from reading for fun means that I have arrived late to the 33 1/3 party. If you are not familiar with the book series, it has it's own wikipedia page HERE! Essentially, it is a book series with each book written about a particular album and authored by a fan of the album. Some of the authors are writers, musicians, and I think some are just self indulgent nobodies like me. Which means.... maybe *I* could write one one day!!

I am currently reading the 33 1/3 book on the Talking Heads' "Fear of Music" album. The album came out in 1979- two years before I was even born. But I am a child of the 80s and also very much a product of my parents who always had current and pop music on in the house. Speaking of libraries, my father would go to our local library and check out albums- I remember seeing Michael Jackson's "Bad", Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" and the Pointer Sisters' "Break Out" all leaning up against the bookshelf underneath the record player in my dad's den at our first house.

"Life During Wartime" is the only song I really know off of this album, yet the way the author writes about the album, though very self indulgent at times, certainly makes me want to download the album right now.

But here in lies the real reason for me finally mustering up the strength to write an entire blogpost for the first time in a year: I said download. The author of this book refers often to the entire breadth and scope of the "A Side" and "B Side" of this work. Have we lost part of an artform because we now no longer have to "flip" sides?

I can see how artists back in the day may have strategically sculpted an entire side of an album. Today, we focus on tracks and singles. In fact, one of the "benefits" of itunes is that you DON'T have to buy an entire album, just the songs you want.

So do artists still write and create and sculpt entire albums?? Or do they just look for the break out singles and tracks?

Buzzfeed is all the rage on Facebook and Twitter these days- their lists, their quizzes. (I give it about another 2-3 months. It will then be relegated to the Facebook "note" no doubt). I succumbed to one of these quizzes the other day and one of the questions asked was related to this very topic: "If you were to write a 33 1/3 book, which album would it be on?" (Here were the options, just in case you want to play along:

1. The Strokes, "Is This It"
2. The Breeders, "The Last Splash"
3. New Order, "Power, Corruption, and Lies"
4. Mariah Carey, "Glitter"
5. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffit, "Before Today"
6. Madvillain, "Madvillainy"
7.Fugazi, "13 Songs"
8. (500) Days of Summer Soundtrack
9. What is 33 1/3

And while I probably own all of the songs on the (500) days of Summer Soundtrack and have fond, fond memories of The Strokes' album from college, I had to go with The Breeders which was the soundtrack to my adolescent, coming of age years. And I believe that is what a good 33 1/3 book would be about: an adolescent's coming of age experience with their first really *good* album.

Because let's face it, sure, I bought cassette tapes when I was growing up in the 80s, but as I have come to realize after having nannied a 10 year old all summer, children under the age of 12 just do not have the best taste in music purchases for themselves. I was forced to listen to One Direction this summer just as I made my parents listen to New Kids on the Block twenty years earlier.

But by 13, I was starting to explore real music for myself. Sure, one of my first cds was still Ace of Base (anyone can make a mistake when they are just starting his/her music collection) but the collection quickly filled with Salt n Pepa, Janet Jackson, Nirvana, Violent Femmes, Weezer...and The Breeders' Last Splash which got me through an out of state move which involved living in my grandparents house for a short period of time (if I ever do write my 33 1/3 book on The Last Splash, I will tell you all about it).

My point with the cassette tapes vs cds, however, is this: I grew up never having purchased an ACTUAL LP album that as 33 1/3 revolutions like the book series suggest! And we could fast forward or skip over songs, which still was at least a little more work than what kids can do today (which is never actually ever have to purchase a full album if they don't want to). They can fill their playlists with hit single after single, and I am becoming guilty of this myself.

So I write this post to ask: What is the ALBUM that you would write a book about? Where each and every song flowed and spoke to you? That you had an entire experience with the WHOLE album?

I struggle to remember full albums anymore, sadly. I played out my Miseducation of Lauryn Hill cd in 1999 but I know that I still skipped over tracks. I think I could name the first six tracks in order, but after that, it gets a little hazy for me (Intro, Lost Ones, Ex Factor, To Zion, Doo Wop (That Thing), Superstar....When it Hurts So Bad? I Used to Love Him? Every Ghetto, Every City? See? It starts to get hazy, but maybe I'm also just old....)

Ooo! I know that I can name every track in order for Sara Bareilles' Little Voice, though! I could probably write a 33 1/3 book about that album, too. I'm so glad she finally won a Grammy, though, I liked her first two albums better than the latest one she won for.

Anyways, all this to say, I've just been thinking a lot about albums as a medium and our childhood experiences with albums vs what music production looks like today. I hope that the value of entire albums will never be lost- I do think they will always be treasured, even if in an archaic kind of way- but I also hope that the next generations are still able to produce the kind of quality and impact that only an entire album (instead of just tracks) can make.

And there are your thoughts for 2014!

By the time I write again, *I* will be 33 (and a third). No, but really.
Peace,
Julia

Future Sex Love Sounds: The 20/20 Justin Timberlake Experience

So it has been a WHOLE YEAR and some change since Laura or I have contributed to this blog. We've been busy, okay? Laura's run some marathons and is planning a wedding and I've been traveling and finishing grad school. What do you have to show for 2012, huh? ;)

2012 was undoubtedly a great year for music and I think the most recent Grammys (not our most recent blog post about Grammys, however...sorry about that...) attest to that. The Alabama Shakes! Mumford and Sons! fun.! This indie rock girl was stoked that some of these indie-ish bands are infiltrating the music scene and getting well deserved recognition.

But we all know I'm a pop girl at heart, right? Right. My most recent posts on this blog were about Lady Gaga and Justin Timberlake and I'm ecstatic that the latter has just released his first album in about seven years. Seven years! I have been in three different houses and two different hair colors in seven years. JT's been through a few different girlfriends and is now MARRIED. AND NOT TO ME. Sigh.

JT actually performed on this year's Grammys and it was this highly anticipated performance, much like his new album, The 20/20 Experience. When I first heard the first single off the album, "Suit and Tie", I was driving home from work and was pretty sure I recognized my beloved's tender tenor, but it also sounded like my OTHER boyish tenor boyfriend, Robin Thicke, so I had to wait for the DJ's postlude announcement to be sure. He sounded so different! "Suit and Tie" is a little different from what is on the radio right now and a little different than what my boy band boyfriend has done in the past. But I was excited for him. I thought it was and is a good musical direction for him to go in. (Sniff! Jay-Z on the track too! He's come so far...I'm so proud!)

The album was released this week and I downloaded it on itunes (different than my purchase of his album before this, FutureSex, LovesSounds which I had to buy on cd at Best Buy!) I had seen a tweet from one of my friends about the first track off the album, "Pusher Love Girl." I'm pretty sure she simply tweeted: OMG PUSHER LOVE GIRL. So I knew it had to be good.

When I heard the winding strings of "Pusher Love Girl" for the first time, I was like, "Oh, I like!" but I was also a little sad, too. This retro, big band, Rat Pack throw back stuff has been on the scene for a while now...was my JT just giving into something that Bruno Mars and some hipsters have been bringing back instead of the sexy that he brought back all on his own? (see also this review from one of my favorite music news sources, Paste magazine, for similar sentiments) As soon as I heard the dulcet tones of his sweet vocals, however, I didn't care. It was still sexy. He's still bringing it back.

"Pusher Love Girl" has this sweet, swing groove, much like many of the tracks on the album. The Paste article I mention above also draws attention to the fact that JT's lyrics aren't that great, but hey, are they supposed to be? It's about the music and vocals for this guy. I remember back in 2002 when JT's first solo album, Justified, was released and CRINGING at the track "Nothin' Else" because my boyfriend literally sang the lyrics: "You're out of this world except you're not green." WHAT? No. (He apparently hasn't got this alien stuff out of his system, though. "Spaceship Coupe" is also an alein metaphor. Oh, Justin. Didn't you learn from JC's "Space Cowboy" on No Strings Attached?! Or Lance Bass' failed space trip?? What's with Nsync members and the space fascination?!)

Awww, sweet Lance. How did I not know about you?!? I wanted to have your babies, too...

Anyways, Pusher Love Girl's lyrics are about, well, drugs, as you can imagine. But the lyrics seem to be somewhat appropriate in this case because this song has quickly become like a drug for me. Let's just say I've had an incredible trying past two weeks, okay? I've been STRESSED. And as I texted to one of my roommates yesterday: "Pusher Love Girl is the only thing getting me through." It lulls me, it relaxes me...much like I can only *imagine* a drug might be like ;)

I was thinking of breaking down this album track by track like I did Lady Gaga's Born This Way but something I really like about The 20/20 Experience and one of the hallmarks, I think, of a really good album is that the album really flows together. "Pusher Love Girl", like I said, has this throw back, Sinatra-esque feel mixed with some smooth jazz (the break down towards the end of the song, though, for me is reminiscent of "Chop Me Up" of off FS/LS in my mind...just the way in which JT sings "hop" maybe, but still...) "Strawberry Bubblegum" is similar in the smooth category with a touch of Barry White in the intro, as well as "That Girl" which begins with a retro big band moment (JT and The Tennessee Kids is apparently his throwback band leader persona).

The dance-ier tracks are perhaps "Don't Hold the Wall" (which incorporates some Eastern instrumental influence as well as a smooth, acapella intro), "Let the Groove Get In", "Tunnel Vision", and of course, "Suit and Tie." "Suit and Tie" is much different in its dance appeal as it gives nods to the big band moments on this album and the other three have Timabland produced feels.

The last track, "Blue Ocean Floor" is actually why I wanted to write this blog post in the first place. When I first heard it, my little indie rock girl beating heart stopped. "Blue Ocean Floor" kinda sounds like Bon Iver meets Grizzly Bear meets my latest indie experimental band obsession, Beach House. "Blue Ocean Floor" is definitely different from anything JT has done and yet it seems to fit into this overall very chill, smooth 20/20 Experience.

This is the cover art for Beach House's latest album 'Bloom'. I'm equally as obsessed with the cover art as I am the album.

My very favorite song on The 20/20 Experience that has been on repeat on my ipod is the single "Mirrors." It is rock-y, pop-y, triumphant, and sentimental all at the same time. And while the rest of JT's lyrics may fail, the lyrics on "Mirrors" are not lost on me. The beautiful image of your significant other "reflecting" your own image is what every hopeless romantic waits for and apparently he wrote this about his GRANDPARENTS. I mean, COME ON. How adorable is that??? Here is the beautifully made video.

In conclusion, Justin's three solo albums: Justified, FutureSex/LoveSounds, and The 20/20 Experience are similar in that they have R&B, hip hop, and jazz influences. They are not lyrically perfect nor entirely groundbreaking but I think they are all solid albums and are all cohesive with the next. Each album has a track or two or three that you can tell Timbaland and JT and whomever else were being experimental while being true to JT's pop aesthetic. I know I am incredibly biased, but I have never been disappointed with a JT album, and am always happy to see his progression (but grounded-ness) as an artist. The 20/20 Experience is no exception of this and I think falls right in line with his freshmen and sophomore albums.

And, I mean...just look at that face! Jessica Biel is a lucky lady...

Peace,
Julia

The 54th Grammy Nominees!

Hello, friends! Laura here. Sometimes I remember I have a blog. Sometimes that reminder comes in the form of Julia, and sometimes that reminder comes in the form of the Grammy nominees being announced.

Here are the nominees for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best New Artist. I'd LOVE to hear your opinions! Who are you rooting for? Who do you think will win? Are those answers the same person? How do YOU pronounce Bon Iver? What DOES happen If I Die Young? Answers, people. I need answers.

Record of the Year: Remember: this means a single song, and it's for excellence in sound engineering. Think, "recording of the year." It's also come to mean "The Recording You Couldn't Escape This Year." (Think: "Single Ladies.") So Adele might have this one on lock. The nominees are:

Rolling in the Deep - Adele
Holocene - Bon Iver
Grenade - Bruno Mars
The Cave - Mumford and Sons
Firework - Katy Perry

My producer friend Brendan loves Firework, and I tend to default to him on all things music editing. But I can't deny that all of these recordings are stellar. Again, if it goes to "The Recording You Couldn't Escape This Year," Adele takes it.

Song of the Year: for excellence in songwriting. I tend to give this category a mental "Acoustic Coffeehouse Check" and see which song still stands after you strip away all its production. So what do you do with Kanye's "All of the Lights"? In my opinion, that song is a work of art, and the orchestration of the whole thing IS a product of the artists' creativity, not an afterthought of the engineers. It unravels otherwise. So that song just might be my pick, though the nominations are all excellent. What do you think?

All Of The Lights (Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie) Jeff Bhasker, Stacy Ferguson, Malik Jones, Warren Trotter & Kanye West, songwriters
The Cave (Mumford & Sons)Ted Dwane, Ben Lovett, Marcus Mumford & Country Winston, songwriters
Grenade (Bruno Mars) Brody Brown, Claude Kelly, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Bruno Mars & Andrew Wyatt, songwriters
Holocene (Bon Iver) Justin Vernon, songwriter
Rolling in the Deep (Adele) Adele Adkins & Paul Epworth, songwriters

Album of the Year: the whole CD. For the sake of full disclosure, the only one I've heard in its entirety is Gaga's, and it's a work of art. If you listen to the radio, however, you've heard several songs from all of the following albums. I love me some Foo Fighters. Then again, Adele had a huge year. Then again, Rihanna cranked out the hits like a champ in 2011. Then again, I begrudgingly acknowledge that Bruno Mars is talented. (But only begrudgingly. Why is that? You're with me, right?) Thoughts? Insights? Do you know any of the unreleased stuff?

21 - Adele
Wasting Light - Foo Fighters
Born This Way - Lady Gaga
Doo-Wops and Hooligans - Bruno Mars
Loud - Rihanna

Can we also acknowledge what a bitch Adele is for naming them after how old she is when they're released? It's like she's rubbing it in. Pardon me while I work on my debut solo project, "26."

Best New Artist: the nominees:

The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J.Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex

I know Julia hates The Band Perry. Wait. Maybe it's Lady Antebellum she hates. I get the two confused... (I don't, but you see my point.)

I'm hot and cold with Bon Iver, people. Rant starts here: I saw a friend tweet about their album, so I picked it up. Though beautiful, I honestly found it to be a bit redundant. I also don't understand why someone with such a naturally sexy, gritty, baritone voice would spend an hour singing to me in falsetto.

When it was announced that they were nominated for a Grammy, I, like a sheep, thought that I must have overlooked their genius and somehow owed the album another listen. Besides, when you play the 10-second-awards-show-snippet of each nominated song back to back, Bon Iver's ethereal orchestra is downright beautiful.

Then, I stumbled across the New York Times article of lead singer Justin Vernon saying that the Grammys don't matter. And while I agree with much of what Vernon says about the motivations behind the people in the popular music industry, I believe there is a time and place to say so. There's "too cool for school" and there's "ungrateful," and I think you have to toe that line carefully, especially if you want people to continue to support you and your music in this economy. So although the hipsters will love you for saying the Grammys don't matter, I take offense. I am someone who writes blog posts about the Grammys, you see.

There's no denying Nicki Minaj had a huge year, but last year the relatively unknown Esperanza Spalding took home the award, so we can't eliminate the possibility it could be Skrillex or J. Cole.

What is a Skrillex? You know Skrillex. The techno song with the "OH MY GOD!" sample? See, I thought you did.

What is a J. Cole? I, uh... don't know.

Popping Up 80s and 90s (Is Nothing Sacred?!)

So I've been contemplating the use of 80s and 90s guilty pleasures in 2011 commercials for a while now. I think it all started when Old Navy and Target launched these campaigns around late summer/early fall:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFz4pCl5CE4&noredirect=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp3COgnacmE&feature=related

I took notice because FACT: I may or may not have owned a Billy Ocean 45 AND/or Debbie Gibson piano book as an eight year old. I did, in fact, want to BE Debbie Gibson, so I found Old Navy's "Only in My Jeans" commercial blasphemy. You can't mess with Debbie! She's sacred!
Here's the REAL video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IivGqwQvdCI&feature=related

I mean, she was only 16! And wrote all her own lyrics! Which is probably most evident in the song "Electric Youth" (which inspired the 90s perfume by the same name....LONG before J Lo's Glo or Spears' Curious...):

Zappin it to ya...the pressure's everywhere! Goin' right through ya...the fever's in the air! Oh, yeah! It's there! Don't underestimate the power, of a lifetime ahead....


I mean, any song that can start with the phrase "Zappin' it to ya" is nothing short of lyrical genius. Please.

Then there were M&Ms and State Farm respectively:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucHCgc48Z1s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjO1AQZu2g0

And I started to take notice. Why the sudden interest in all my 80s and 90s pop music guilty pleasures?! Is nothing truly sacred anymore? Dirty Dancing? (Patrick Swayze, RIP) TLC? (Lisa 'Left Eye' Lopez, RIP).

And, sadly, it took my mother to point out to me: Julia, YOU are the demographic marketers are marketing towards now.

So, in other words: I'm 30 and I'm old.

These marketers- particularly the State Farm TLC commercial- assume that my peer group a.) has the money and b.) the power to use it. They also apparently assume we are all married with children which- if they were to even consult with my 89 year old grandmother, she would all to eagerly point out this is NOT the case for all of us, namely yours truly (and this pains her greatly. She would "just like to see a wedding before she dies, already/" Ahem.)

I actually feel a little insulted that a.) I am now old enough to be the market target for these companies and b.) that they feel the need to distort my favorite pop memories and pull on my nostalgic pop heartstrings.

I suppose these campaigns are effective and that some of my peers actually do have the money to be their target focus group. Me, however? I just have a pop blog and a deep affinity for all things 80s and pop. Which  is enough, I guess.

ps- Who's ready for the Grammys, huh?!?! It's that time of year again! Yeah!

Peace,
Julia

Just a Holy Fool Part 2

Okay, so I totally didn't intend to be writing a follow up to my last Gaga post because I totally didn't intend to give Ms. Gaga a second thought. Or buy her second album. But then our friend @robcasal informed @lauravand and I that Gaga's new album was only .99 on Amazon and I said "FINE. I'll BUY IT. And I might even listen to it."

And listen I did. And now here I am giving you my play by play. It is a little of what I expected but a little better than I thought. Let me tell you why!

To do this, I really need to go through the album as a whole, because I believe that Ms. Gaga must've thought of this as a concept album. As the past 2 blog titles imply, there is lots of religious imagery. And while that may seem trite for a twenty-something singer/song writer ("we GET it. You are CONTEMPLATING stuff. You have deep thoughts and whatnot....") I think Gaga is grappling with her Catholic roots and does pay them homage. She also uses the line: "I'm just a holy fool" in not one, but two songs, so while she's thinking about stuff, she's clearly not using a thesaurus.

In fact, before I give the play by play, I must warn I have many "Colbie moments" with Gaga's lyrics. For example, I really wanted to like Gaga's tune- "Bloody Mary". It starts off haunting (as many on the album do) and it is interesting. We have the twisted Catholic image of a "Bloody Mary" which again, okay, is trite, but whatevs. But then she's all: "Hands, hands, hands, dance, dance, dance..." and I'm like: "might as well have gone with: nose, toes, froze, close....")

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The album as a whole is a religious, horror-show, theatrical disco with an attempt of an  international fair (like the kind we have back home where all the different cultures in the town set up various vendor stations of cuisine and do cultural dances and stuff. You don't have those? Eh. I'm from Ohio.) Anyways, Gaga speaks like four languages in this album. Five if you count 'Gaga'-ese.

I also think (much like Sara Bareilles' sophomore album which we've discussed) Gaga must've thought of what this album would be like live. 'Cause it's got a 'Phantom of the Opera' kind of freak show written all over it.

The album starts with a haunting "Marry the Night" which I can just picture Gaga at her piano in the dark with candles lit in some obscure costume to begin her show. Cut to a few measures later when the track starts pumping and we are suddenly in a gay disco. Yup. Sounds about right. Typical Gaga, but I do actually really like this track. I like her concept of "Marrying the Night". It is kind of a lonely anthem, kind of like a Cher's "Song for the Lonely" but empowering and hopeful at the same time. She's not going to to let her loneliness get to her. She's gonna 'Marry the Night' which I imagine many rockstars end up doing in a way. Hey, the night probably talks back less and is a cheap date. Am I right?

Next is the anthem for acceptance that I've already written my 2 cents about (only 97 more and you have what I purchased this album for! Ha!). "Born This Way" has been covered by Glee and even last night's American Idol contestants (which I was a little surprised by, but whatevs). It is what it is and it's been embraced by America, so good for it.

Now, the next track I really wanted to like. And I kind of do...if it didn't just repeat the word "hooker" over and over again. And not that I'm prudish or anything- what ladies of the night do is not for me to judge- but because I'm sure in her mind, Gaga thought she was making some kind of political statement, but kind of fails at doing so. I think she could've done it in another lyrical way. The lyrics totally ruin the song for me, which is what I have to say about MOST of this album.

Judas I've done talked about too, but I will add: having now seen the video, it is TOTALLY NOT the worst, most scandalous video that she's done and the video actually makes me like the song MORE.

Enter Lady's first international attempt on the album a la"Alejandro" aka "Americano". The woman still thinks she's in Spain or something, but I actually like this tune because there's something really artsy about it. It also sounds like anything by ABBA, which you really can't go wrong with ABBA- it's so fun! It's typical Gaga, but it's what she does well- artsy, fun, and weird at it's best.

Hair. Ugh. I can't listen to this song because of the lyrics. I love the beat (though it sounds a little like "Edge of Glory" AND the unicorn song that I'll have to look up the actual title to in a second) but I can't do it. I don't know what she was thinking talking about how she wants to be "free like her hair". You couldn't think of any other analogy? Free like birds? Free like Ladies Night? Free like Buy One Get One? Really? Nothing else?

I can't even spell the next song BECAUSE MY COMPUTER DOESN"T DO GERMAN. But I like this song. It's like a feminst anthem. Or something. In German.

I've already spoken my piece on Bloody Mary.

"Bad Kids" is like a "Born this Way" for troubled teenagers. I also can't listen to this song because the lyrics are trite and I think of my angsty teens who I describe as "not liking themselves or anyone else" and who wants to think about that on the weekends?

Highway Unicorn is EXACTLY like "Edge of Glory" but less good. And it says nothing about unicorns.

Heavy Metal Lover is exactly just that. Gaga's tribute to Heavy Metal. It's a more rockin' tune, but again, trite. And she brings up "Born this Way" again. Not sure why.

Electric Chapel is interesting to me because it is super religious and haunting like "Marry the Night". She uses her "holy fool" line again and I really think this song is like her John 3:16 in a sense (to use religious reference myself!) It's a culmination of all the songs- a little heavy metal, a little electronica, religious imagery, dark....

I love "You and I". It is the "Speechless" on this album for me. I could listen to it over and over again, and I do. I first started to love it when Hailey sang it on Idol. The judges poo-pooed her, but I loved it. And I also loved Hailey. Girl can sang. But this song is good, chill, and I can see Gaga at her piano slow-jamming it with Elton John which is how I like her best :)

I also love "Edge of Glory". When I heard it on the radio, I just remembered it's awesome sax solo and it made me think of the 80s and that awesome Sergio skit from SNL. (Apparently some other dude thought the same thing!) That's really all I needed to think this song awesome, but I think it has an inspiring message too- standing on the edge for love, putting yourself all out there....it's one of the few songs for me that doesn't lyrically suck.

Overall, I was kind of impressed with the albumm though my expectations were kind of low. Like I said, it was a lot of what I expected, but Gaga does do what is expected of her exceedingly well- she's weird, she can sing, and she's artsy. Mission accomplished. And it was 99 cents!

It was definitely worth the buck for sure! And I'd probably even pay a little more...

Definitely want to see the girl in concert sometime. For now I'll just see her EVERYWHERE else (seriously the girl is everywhere! She even has her own Google commercial!

Anyways, meet you in the Electric Chapel...whatever that means....wherever that is...

Peace,
Julia

Just a Holy Fool

Oh, HEY THERE, Spring! Hey there Passover, Easter, and all things regarding making things new and resurrected and whatnot. How timely to be talking about religious songs with religious themes!

Oh, HEY THERE, Lady Gaga!

I suppose you've heard about Gaga's latest? And what "Christians" have to say about it?

Holy over-reacting, Batman.

Sooo....I actually happen to teach religion and am working on my MA in Theology and I'm not saying that makes me an expert or anything....but....

No, for reals. That for sure does not make me an authority on this in any way. But I just have been asked by every. single. person. and their grandmother about what the Church and Christians have to say about this song.  And I can only really speak for myself since I am pretty sure Benedict XVI himself has not yet wrote an encyclical about it or even heard it on itunes.

All I know is Gaga is starting to impress me less and less and we all know how I loved her. When "Born This Way" came out (heh) I was on the "it- sounds-just-like-'Express Yourself'- laid-over-top-of-TLC's-'Waterfalls'" train. And now this Judas business which even the students I work with acknowledge that it sounds strikingly similar to "Bad Romance".

But, yet, Gaga still has our attention, even if it is much in the same vain (pun intended) as Madonna before her. And Madonna's shoes are not necessarily bad ones to be in. I happen to think Lady Gaga is even more of a musician than Madonna. Madonna perhaps, though, had more of a defined vision. Both certainly have drive.

So, yeah, even with all the hype, I'm underwhelmed. Maybe that's because I was, oh, I don't know, ALIVE in the 80s when Madonna's 'Like a Prayer' controversy hit (albeit I was about 8 and totally making up choreographed dances to the song in the parking lot of my Catholic School that I attended. Blasphemy? Meh, irony maybe.)

I'm sure the video will be shocking (Um, I was a little disturbed by the video for "Born this Way". Not because of any kind of lyrics but that the beginning reminded me a little too much of  The Miracle of Life videos shown in health class. No one likes to revisit those, Gaga) but really all I can speak for right now is what I think about these damned (heh) lyrics. So here goes:

The lady herself has said it is about being drawn to the wrong kind of guy, and that's how I take the song 'Judas' as well. I do think she used all the over-arching imagery (ie- "a king with no crown" and "I'll wash my feet with my hair") to be shocking, but I do think she is also making her point with it. She says in the song "Jesus is my virtue." I take the lyrics to mean she knows what is good, but yet she chooses to "wash the feet" of the wrong guy instead. She sympathesizes with the betrayer for some reason, even though she knows it's wrong and bad for her.

That's really all I got. Like I said, I'm underwhelmed. Maybe that's what comes with turning 30. Last year, i was dressing up like Lady Gaga, this year, I'm over the drama.

I'm just kind of over the drama, Gaga : ( I'm getting to old for this.

Peace,
Julia

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Justin Timberlake

So... math is hard. And I'm not sure if the subject heading actually expresses what I want to say. What I really want to say is today is Justin Timberlake's 30th birthday and I'm celebrating.

My love affair with Justin started briefly in 1998 when I went to my first Nsync concert Senior Year in high school. I had seen Justin on the MMC (Mickey Mouse Club- DUH) back in '94, but I was still partial to the original members (like those from the short lived pop band "The Party". Remember them? I played that cassette tape OUT:

I later lived my dream of seeing one of the original members live when I saw Dee Dee Magno in a national tour of "Wicked". Yes, I = geek)

Anyways, back to Nsync. My friend and I waited in line to get tickets the morning of our senior Homecoming dance instead of getting our hair did. Britney Spears was the opening act and it. was. amazing. I had no idea what this pop prince and princess had in store for us in the '00s.

Nsync followed me to college and my friends and college roommate will tell you that obsession was at its height in 2000-2001. Justin lived on my cinderblock walls (as well as his bandmates. If I am honest, Lance was my *favorite*, which makes sense since I seem to have a pattern as *that* girl who falls for gay men. Sigh. Gay men and I just have so much in common! Broadway showtunes! Cute boys! Clothes! Fashion! Double sigh).

My heart was broken even before Lance came out of the closet when in 2001-2002 (about the same time Lance announced he was going to be trying to fly to space...oy...) Nsync went their separate ways.

I held my breath when Justin's solo album was released. Would it be good? Or would my idol be the laughing stock of pop culture?

When I heard the guitar riffs for "Like I Love You" complete with the rap break from Clipse- I knew my boy would be okay.

I obsessively watched and showed all my friends the "Cry Me a River" video (pssst...it was about Britney cheating! And it was HOT. Justin? In the rain? Yes, please)

Then there, of course, he brought "Sexy Back" a couple years later and the world fell in love with the man I always knew had an impecible sense of comedic timing (what? I did. I had endless hours of footage of taped Nsync appearances on every talkshow circa 2000. I knew he had "it" ;) with his numerous SNL guest spots.

I hope Justin's 30th year brings A NEW ALBUM ALREADY. Humph.

This year is MY 30th year too. Whatdoyasay, old friend? Can you make my 30th year dreams come true? Sexy Back Reprise...please?

Peace,
Julia

Happy 2011: A Commercial Break

It's the new year, y'all, and I still have those effing holiday commercials stuck in my head. Primarily this one:

If you combine my uncanny ability to retain any song I hear with a healthy dose of snow-related cabin fever and more than a little egg nog, this song becomes REALLY fun to dance to.

Imagine my shock when my boyfriend had to tell me this was Vampire Weekend.

Clearly, I'm not as hipster as I'd like to think. Someone get me some PBR, stat.

Either I'm not as cool as I thought I was, or he is far cooler. I have a growing suspicion that both of these things are true.

Before we accuse them too quickly of selling out, I'd like to point out that several artists are using commercials as a launching platform for exposure. Vampire Weekend wasn't even the only one this holiday season.

Perhaps you recognized Pomplamoose:

A friend of mine described this one as "the car commercial with the awkward singing".

I'm quick to jump down the throat of people that overuse the word "awkward", but I have to say my friend was right on the money with this one. I also have to say that if this commercial were my sole impression of Pomplamoose, I'd go on a murderous spree because I'm not more famous than the girl with the awkward singing. Alas, I've heard some recordings of theirs that are pretty fun. Check out "Expiration Date" if you get the chance.

Another one of my favorites that introduced me to my beloved Ingrid Michaelson:

For reals. My friend just got his iPod touch a couple years ago, Shazammed that shiz, and found her. And now, she's all growed up and writing duets for herself and Sara Bareilles (Please check out "Winter Song" if you don't know it already. I don't know why this post refuses to post linky-majigs today, otherwise I'd do the work for you.) You go, Glen Coco! Whoops, I meant Ingrid. Sorry. #MeanGirlsReference

You can't blame these artists for looking to commercials to reach a broader audience. The old formula for fame went something like "Get signed to a label, they'll put you on the radio, and people will hear of you."

Enter: the internet. Suddenly, the radio isn't the only route to audiences. The good news: it's far easier to get exposure. The bad news: There's far more competition for your audience's attention.

So artists are turning to television. It works for them, because millions of people hear their music. It works for advertisers, because they don't have to pay high royalty fees for putting up already-popular recordings.

I'm so thankful that Phoenix did this Cadillac commercial, otherwise I don't know how much longer I'd have taken to discover them.

The upside: I now know an artist I really like. The inevitable downside: I can't hear this song without buying a Cadillac SRX.

Now that I've made you want three cars and a sweater, I'mma peace out. In the new year, keep your eyes open for new artists, and keep me posted!

Love,
Laura

Why I love 2010

Wow, y'all. 2010 was kind of amazing. Nothing super significant or groundbreaking, but just fun stuff in music and in life in general. Do you agree?

Some of the reasons that 2010 was one of my favorites:

- Bruno Mars & B.o.B. Separate and together.

- THE RETURN OF USHER!!!

- Drake and his fancy-ness.

- Sara Bareilles' sophomore album- nothing sophomoric about it.

- "Deuces"- Chris Brown's redemption which had nothing to do with Chris Brown.

- indie returns from Arcade Fire AND The National! MY FAVESIES! Plus, they TOURED. AND I SAW THEM (saw Sara Barielles, too!).

Just saying, it was kind of an awesome year. Plus, I got snowed in with my bestie, lvd, got a new job that I can more than just tolerate but actually LIKE, and only went to TWO weddings NEITHER of which I had to buy a dress for! I WIN!

Also, Very Mary Kate kind of made my year. My roommate and I even dressed up like MK and Ashley for Halloween:

So where to begin? Okay, I loved everything Bruno Mars and B.o.B did this year. I was, of course, introduced to both of them together with this song


Then Bruno sang another hook on "Billionaire" with Travie McCoy, then every girl's dream song "Just the Way You Are" (because what girl doesn't like to be told she's perfect?) and I even kind of like his latest: "Grenade" just because his voice is very pretty and passionate.

I don't love that "Marry You" song that Glee covered, but I do love Glee, ergo, I kind of like that song.

As for B.o.B, he had Airplanes with Hayley Williams and while it was SO overplayed, it had this part 2 version feat. Eminem and we know everything Eminem touches in 2010 has turned to gold, so...

Now for USHER. SCIENCE FACT: I love Usher. I know that has nothing to do with Science, but my friend Lo of @elandlo uses that phrase all the time and you should read their blog because they are hysterical.

Anywho, I was watching Behind the Music on VH1 on like the ONE and ONLY night I had to myself this year (at least since mid-way through the year when I decided to become a first year teacher!) and it was on USHER. And it reminded me of my love for him. I immediately downloaded every song since like 1996 and I do not regret my decision one bit.

LVD and I are a little disappointed that Usher is so autotuned these days 'cause he DOESN'T NEED TO BE but I'm just glad he's back. The DJ does indeed have me falling in love again...just saying.

Since I am a teacher now, I try to be the cool fun teacher and incorporate pop culture and just pray to God that I am not emulating Gwenyth Paltrow's character on Glee.

One day some of my students came up to me saying: "Ms. S! Ms. S! We are going to see Drake this weekend!"

I respond (without missing a beat): "Nails done, hair done, everything did?"

And they immediately respond: "Oh, you Fancy, huh?!"

It was a proud moment for me. I love this song.

Okay, so LVD and I have written before of our love for S.B. and how we want to be her. Her second album came out this year and I think I can speak for LVD when I say we were a little afraid for Sara. We just loved "Little Voice" so. much. Would the second attempt be as good?

I heard "King of Anything" on the radio and cheered. It was a hit! But would the whole album be as good? I admit, when I downloaded it, I wasn't in love with every song. BUT THEN I SAW HER LIVE. And it was amazing.

LVD told me Sara B. had written Kaliedoscope Heart with live performance in mind. After seeing her perform these songs live, the album made sense to me. Well done, Sara B. Well done.

Speaking of returns...I don't think anyone was hoping for a Chris Brown return anytime soon. But I was driving home one day listening to the R&B station which I am known to do from time to time and I hear Drake, Kanye, and Andre 3000 drop all these crazy-funny-awesome verses and I am like, "what is this song?! And how soon can I download it?!" I didn't know who was singing the hook, and I really didn't care. Come to find later it is actually a Chris Brown song. Oops.

Deuces Up, Chris Brown. Thumbs Up as well.

It was wayyyy smart on his part to make his come back with these heavy hitters (no pun intended!! Okay, maybe) because who is hotter than Drake or Kanye right now? And everybody loves Andre 3000, right? Who doesn't love "Hey Ya?"

Lastly, I've said time and time again I love me some indie rock. Two of my fave bands- The National and Arcade Fire- came out with outstanding albums (High Violet and The Suburbs respectively)and then they toured. I don't know what else to say...

This year ruled. My hopes for 2011? Justin Timberlake finally makes a new album and T.I. can be released from (and stay out of!) jail. That would make my year!

Happy holidays, Happy 2010, and Happy New Year!

Deuces,
Julia

Remember the Night

Hello, all 8 of you! Laura here. Check this out:



How can I say this without sounding completely shameless?

That song is my band, the Understudies. Those guys are my second family and I love them with all my heart.

Christmas has come early for me, as this song just hit iTunes. I'm so proud I want to cry. I'm so excited I want to run a marathon.

This video is a tribute that was made using our song. If you or someone you know are good at making slideshows/videos, we should talk. ;)

Hope you enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

Love,
Laura

GRAMMEEZZZ!

Hopefully this year's show won't actually bring to life those extra ZZZ's I added...we had our moments last Jan, didn't we Laura?

So, Laura's post "got me all guh" about the Grammys, y'all. (I'm almost POSITIVE that I'm using that phrase wrong because I think that means it makes me angry. Which the Grammys don't.) Though the Grammys do kind of give me a headache because of what Laura said: those 47 blogposts this past January were no. joke.

I really liked last year's Grammys. I still get a little weepy when I see bits of Gaga and Elton's duet/mashup of Speechless and Your Song...are we surprised? And a joke about Pink hanging from a ribbon from the ceiling still makes me giggle.

What DID get me all guh last year at the Grammys was Taylor Swift and her inability to sing live and yet sweep up Grammys.  But girl can write, so I'll give her that.

I'm hoping (as Laura said) that the pendulum does swing the other way this year, and by the looks of the Record of the Year contenders, it's going to be a hip-hop year. Buzz is already surrounding Eminem to take home many awards, which I believe he deserves. (Also, I just don't want to mess with him or get him all guh, if you know what I mean. Might end up in a song or something in which I end up figuratively six feet under...)

I also hope Em, B.o.B, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, and others take home awards because that Lady Antebellum song (though I secretly love it) kind of makes me want to slit my wrists. I know that is UBER insensitive of me, but it- like Michael Buble's "Just Haven't Met You Yet"- taunts me with its sweet vocals yet all-too-truthful lyrics. You feel me fellow drunk, single girl whose tempted to text an ex a quarter after one? DON'T DO IT!

Whomp Wah. Okay. Moving on.

SO EXCITED about the Record of the Year category!!! Each one of those that Laura listed is unique yet similar in some ways. And I love them ALL!

I have to laugh about Cee-Lo. One of my Tweeps and personal friends who- is amazing but usually a year or two behind when it comes to pop music- actually sent me the original, unedited version of this song before it came out on radio (No kidding. She also called me semi-recently to discuss Akon's "Sexy Chick" which has been out for a good year plus :) I was so proud of her for this early find! ;)

So this song holds a special place in my heart. Plus, Cee Lo can sing, brings character to the piece, its got an old-school 50s feel...etc, etc.

AND it was done on Glee! Brilliantly, of course :) Though I still can't decide if Gwenyth Paltrow is the true triple threat we all want her to be, but that's another blog for another time....

Next, I'm pumped that Arcade Fire is nominated for Album of the Year! It won't win, but its awesome that it is nominated. I fell in love with Arcade Fire back in the day when their album Funeral came out. I wasn't as into Neon Bible, their next album, but The Suburbs that came out this year is truly different than other things they've done and also very enjoyable. Not to mention it has a socially conscious commentary. Definitely check it out.

Gah! Guh! Whathaveyou! Now I can't wait 'til January! Also, lvd- we gots to make our lists for own personal albums of the year! Sara Bareilles, anyone?! I think so!

Now you've gone and done it, lvd. Apparently mention of the Grammys is all it takes. Now I'll be back to blogging again...win?

Peace,
Julia

Happy Birthday, Princess of Pop!

So my girl Laura has been all over and up and in this blog piece of late. Sniff, sniff... I'm so proud! You know what I've been doing? TEACHING. (Not that my girl Laura's not- she's also a teacher-but she's a veteran! She conducts choirs and bands in her sleep. AND she gigs on the side!). I'm new at this game. And you know what? First-year teaching is HARD. Who knew? (other teachers raise hands.. ) Well, NOW you tell me ;)

Instead of blogging I now have to use my creative energy and efforts to make learning FUN. Whatevs.

Actually, my students may not realize or appreciate it, but I like to think my being a pop culture geek does give me some cred in the classroom. I have, afterall, assigned multimedia projects and assignments involving Twitter.

But, I digress.

You guys...Britney Spears turns 29 today!

What kind of pop blog would this be without honoring she who embodies all that is pop? The sweet, innocent Mickey Mouse upbringing? The mid-drift bearing provocative school-girl virgin turned bad girl? The slutty, scandalous reality show with loser back-up dancer husband/baby daddy???

I mean...

her vocal abilities? Dance? Moves?

Just kidding. She's an icon.

Like Madonna before her, she hasn't made her name based on her vocals or songwriting, but rather- her image, her commitment to performance, and ability to re-invent herself in ways that still both draws people's attention and gets them to buy records.

I don't know how they do it. I scoffed when Brit-Brit came out with a  "greatest hits" album at age 23 in 2004..but, by God, it is a party crowd pleaser. Or an in my car on the way to work pleaser. Or a I like to pretend I'm Britney a la Brittany Pierce in Glee pleaser (I totes love the Santana/Brittany "Me Against the Music" So brill).

Cheers to you, Brit-Brit! We are the same age! Here's to 29 going on fabulous :)

Peace,
Julia

Grammy Nominees 2010

Whoa! I guess sometime when we weren't looking, our blog turned one year old! Happy birthday, blog!

I know Julia is going to flinch when she sees this post. How do I know? Look to the right where you can see the number of blog posts every month. See how there's one or two a month, if that? (Don't judge. We have lives. Crazy busy lives. And we don't get paid to blog.) (Yet.)

Then, see how January has 47 posts??!

That was last year's Grammy awards, folks. And boy was it a marathon. Basically, both Julia and I were simul-blogging our stream of consciousness and posting at every commercial break. It was hours long, and intense. I may or may not have snapped at former roommates for talking over the winners. (Sorry, Johnny D!)

I can promise you that this year will be different. Nonetheless, I'd be remiss not to introduce the nominees and get you pumped about it.

Ready??

RECORD OF THE YEAR (aka a single song's award to the producers, engineers, mixers, and artist.Think engineering award or "Recording of the Year".)

Nothin' On You  - B.o.B. featuring Bruno Mars


Love The Way You Lie - Eminem featuring Rihanna


F*** You - Cee Lo Green


Empire State of Mind - Jay Z & Alicia Keys


Need You Now - Lady Antebellum

I think the theme of this year is very cool, well-mixed piano parts. Think the catchy piano and drums on "Nothin' On You", the legato arpeggio on "Love The Way You Lie", Alicia's standard rhythmic seven chords on "Empire State of Mind", and the pretty, single-note countermelody on "Need You Now".

Then there's Cee Lo's "Fuck You".

What's that? You haven't heard of it?! Shame on you.

Here: Watch this. Quick. Before someone notices.



Don't worry. I won't tell on you.

Now that we're all on the same page, I'll move on to the other categories (we'll come back to this song momentarily):

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire


Recovery - Eminem


Need You Now - Lady Antebellum


The Fame Monster - Lady Gaga


Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

I still haven't forgiven the academy for last year's slight against Lady Gaga. (Sorry, Taylor.) It's well established that we are die-hard Gaga fans, and I'd love to see her prevail in this category. Then again, Eminem made a fantastic showing with Recovery and is better than ever, and Katy Perry's Teenage Dream is filled with gems. She gets consistently stronger, and has risen from a suspected flash in the pan to a real career artist. In case you missed it, see me gush about her here. And Arcade Fire?? How awesome to see them get such a huge nomination!

Maybe it's just me, but although I love Lady Antebellum, I suspect that last year's country album win will cause the pendulum to swing in another direction this year. But who really knows.

Finally, my favorite category of all time:


SONG OF THE YEAR

Beg Steal or Borrow - Ray Lamontagne, songwriter (Ray LaMongagne And The Pariah Dogs)

F*** You - Cee Lo Green, Phillip Lawrence & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Cee Lo Green)

The House That Built Me - Tom Douglas & Allen Shamblin, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)


Love The Way You Lie - Alexander Grant, Holly Hafferman & Marshall Mathers, songwriters (Eminem featuring Rihanna)


Need You Now - Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum)


(Did you catch that? BRUNO MARS helped to write "Fuck You"? I just learned that today. The man can sing AND write.)

You have to love a song that rose to the mainstream despite the fact that it was far too profane to be designed for it. The melody is so damn catchy and upbeat despite it being a song about misery. I'm a sucker for intelligent contrasts like that. And with a vocal range like Cee-Lo's, the melody gets away with spanning more than an octave. In a time when it's trendy to write one-note hooks (Far East Movement's "Like a G6", Kevin Rudolph's "Let It Rock", Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream"), a soaring, well-crafted melody is a breath of fresh air.

The rises and falls of the melody even coincide with what would actually get the emphasis in a spoken sentence:

"I see you driving round town with the girl I love, and I'm like, 'Fuck you!'
I guess the change in my pocket just wasn't enough, and I'm like, 'Fuck you!'"

When you speak these sentences out loud, which words get the emphasis? Probably the "fucks" first of all. Probably "change" and "pocket" and "driving" as well. It's no coincidence that these words end up being the highest peaks in the melody. It's intentionally designed to mimic a naturally spoken vocal inflection. That's why you can hear the attitude immediately.

Isn't that cool?? I'm such a geek for this stuff. Where are my musical theatre peeps at!?

Enough about the melody. Let's talk lyrics:

"I said I'm sorry / I can't afford a Ferrari
But that don't mean I can't get you there.
I guess he's an XBox / And I'm more Atari
But the way you play your game ain't fair"

Um, internal rhyme with "atari"/"Ferrari"? The video game metaphor? So damn clever. It's also not often you run across ABAB rhyme schemes in songs nowadays- AABB is far more common.

I'm not even going to mention the choir who comes in at just the right moment when the chorus is about to get repetetive, then changes their vowel sound just to heighten the energy for us once again. Or his versatile, expressive voice. It's just a well-written, well-executed song.

All of the nominees are more than deserving, but I'm clearly rooting for Cee Lo to win this one.

We'll see, I suppose! Now if @julz422 would just return my phone calls to live-tweet this thing. ;)

Love,
@lauravand

Music Snob? Call me a Music Glutton.

Hey folks. Laura here. If you're reading this blog, there's a chance you know me in real life, but in case this blog gets passed along (and I do hope it does), let me introduce myself.

I have been playing the piano since I was seven. I was raised by a father who sings and plays guitar and a mother who sang the alto line to every hymn in church. Once, when I was five, my mom missed church, and my kindergarten brain thought it wasn't okay for that harmony to be missing. So I did it.

High school was voice lessons, dance classes, choirs and musicals. I earned a Bachelor of Music in college as a musical theatre major. Testing out of a couple years of music theory, I used my extra credits to study more piano. I picked up the guitar from a girl who lived down my hall and fell in love with it. I wrote songs when I was supposed to be writing papers. I wrote melodies when I was supposed to be practicing my scales. If I learned about a chord progression rule in class, I'd rush to a piano and write two songs; one that followed it, and one that broke it.

Currently I'm a music teacher by day, teaching piano, guitar, jazz band, choir, and theatre. By night, I'm in a band that's been gigging and recording like crazy in hopes you'll hear of us one day soon.

I live and breathe music. I think about it all day. I love the intentionally crafted melodies of theatre composers. I love the rock harmonies of the 80's bands. I geek out over harmonizing guitar solos. I'm melted by bluesy, gritty voices. I'm blown away by the technical expertise of metal drummers. Concert pianists. Opera singers. I tear up over vulnerable and honest songwriting. Secondary dominance and other borrowed chords? Stick a fork in me. I'm done.

I'm a musician, and a lover of soul-stirring music. I've sung Verdi. Danced Bob Fosse. Played Chopin. Analyzed Beethoven.


However, I can't turn off the top 40 station on my radio.


On my way to work, I'm rocking out to Gaga. As I warm up for opera night, I'm harmonizing to Katy Perry. On my way to band practice, I've figured out the chord progression to a top 40 hit, a teeny-bopper flash in the pan, and a rap song, knowing for certain that the guys will smile and roll their eyes at me when I get there.

So much for being a music snob.

Am I shooting holes in my credibility? Am I risking being taken less seriously as an independent musician? Am I hiding my classical roots? Am I coming across as unintelligent? Vapid? A sheep that is easily swayed by the ebb and flow of mass trends and media? Sometimes I'm afraid so.

But by the definition of what constitutes a top 40 hit, people have to be flocking to these songs. People are requesting them. Purchasing them. Demanding them. People can't get enough.


I found a CD of the Top Billboard Hits of 1969 when I was a teenager and put it in my stereo. My mom came into my room, singing. She knew all the lyrics, verbatim, despite the fact that she hadn't heard these songs in decades. She regaled me with tales of the summer she first heard "Crystal Blue Persuasion".

As a kid, I saw the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, and they had "Joy to the World" on the program for the Christmas Pops concert. The audience was delighted when instead of playing the traditional hymn, they started playing the hit by Three Dog Night.

Break out a pop song in a guitar, piano, or music theory class, and suddenly students that are having trouble with an abstract musical concept "get" what a I chord is. They've heard it a million times.

Michael Jackson was pop. The Beatles were pop. Hell, Lizst was pop.

In the year 2032, we're going to look back on the hits of 2010, and be instantly transported by the Far East Movement's "G6", regardless of the fact that the melody sits on the minor third the entire. effing. time.

I'm not going to turn it off.



These songs are time capsules. They're what's going on in our musical history right now. Someday, the very college kids that are using this as their new going-out anthem are going to be putting their children on the school bus.

These songs are conversation starters. Love Gaga or hate her, for damn sure you've talked about her. Whether or not she remains in the public eye for a good 20 years from now, we will all carry a distinct memory of when she first came on the scene. We'll remember where we were, what job we had, who we were dating.

Daniel Levitin wrote a book called "The World in 6 Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature." He argues that humans evolved alongside music for the sake of six societal needs: friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion, and love.

Did you pick up on what all of these six themes have in common? Of course you did, because you're smart.


Other people.


When I'm playing a show for people who've never met me before, I give them a break from all the stories I've written, and I play something for them that it's likely they know. I've seen contemplative, even apathetic audiences become transformed by recognizing the opening guitar riff of a song they love.

As long as there is dancing, there will be pop music. As long as there are parties, there will be pop music. As long as humans enjoy hearing something familiar, as long as people want to sing along with a tune they know, as long as we are unified by what we love, there will be pop music.

So the next time you tell someone you're into music they probably "haven't heard of", consider why you're doing it. To prove you're cooler than they are? Congrats. You also just ended the conversation, and severed a potential connection with another human being whose story looks different than yours.

By no means should you stop supporting independent and local music. (Read: please, PLEASE, support independent and local music. I'm personally begging you.) ;) By no means should you stop challenging yourself by listening to the complexities of the masterworks, or pushing yourself to change up your composition formula. You should never stop learning, never stop playing more complicated pieces, never stop refining your musical palette by discovering new things.

But don't lie about the fact that you know all the words to Smashmouth's "All Star". We've all heard you singing it.

Love,
Laura

A Clumsy Foray into the World of TextSlide

Hello! I'm taking a break from our regularly scheduled pop music discussions to talk about a recent development in pop culture.

Being that it's still "pop," I'm going to run with it.

Today Mashable tweeted a link to an article about a brand new startup called TextSlide: a service that randomly links you to other users via SMS texting on your cell phone. You have a few simple commands: #start, which begins your session, #next, which pairs you up with a new user, and #stop for when you are finished. It doesn't give away your phone number, only your name and area code, so you can rest assured a perfect stranger won't walk away with your number.

The comparisons between TextSlide and ChatRoulette are obvious, yet the article promised that because TextSlide uses only SMS technology, users would be safe from unwanted pornographic images from other users. At the very least, if someone's language is profane or offensive, you can always #next them.

I never once desired to try ChatRoulette. Partly because I'd heard it was full of genitalia. Partly because I found something unsettling about random strangers being able to see me. I don't want to have to worry about what I look like when I'm browsing the internet.

But for a few reasons, random texts seemed okay. First of all, if I wanted to try it at the end of a long day and my makeup has worn off, I don't have to feel self-conscious. Secondly, Twitter has made it okay to engage in conversation with people we've never met- to share opinions, comment on current events, or bond over like interests. I love what Twitter has become and what it can do, and personally, as a compulsive Twitter checker, something about the real-time response appealed to me.

Thirdly, I'm an aspiring singer-songwriter, and am openly trying to increase my connections with people, whether through real life or social media. I find the more I share experiences with others and I the more of their stories I hear, the more perspective it grants me. Naturally, I'm looking to increase my network and ambitiously spread the word, and a couple more Twitter followers couldn't hurt, either.

I'm @lauravand, by the way. It's nice to meet you. ;)

I go to the TextSlide link to discover it's a portal where I enter my e-mail address and am told that they'll notify me when they go public. Have I been one of the first to jump on this bandwagon? By no means am I a social media guru, but I'm feeling pretty savvy at this point.

Imagine my elation when, a few moments later, I receive an email telling me I've been invited. I'd been doing some stalking of the creator's twitter feed, and saw people asking him for invitations. I feel like a bona-fide VIP.

After a few technical issues, I give in and tweet at Matt Hunter, who created TextSlide. He notifies me that the server is experiencing problems and he walks me through a few different tries via @replies, DM's, and finally an e-mail. I'm super impressed at his timeliness and super grateful for his help, especially considering that today's a pretty big day in his career. Thanks, Matt!

In no time I was up and running.

First I talked to Travis, who notified me that he was in San Diego. He knew right away that my 410 area code was a Maryland one, and he punctuates and capitalizes everything properly, so I immediately imagine him to be an in-the-know, up-on-current-events, detail-oriented type of guy. At the very least, I know he reads Mashable.

My suspicions are confirmed when he tells me that he does coding for the Department of Defense (at least I assumed that's what DoD stood for) and is "bootstrapping a startup in every other spare second". First of all, nice use of "bootstrapping." Second of all, um, awesome? I can relate to that level of ambition. I echo his syntax as I tell him I work during the day as a high school music teacher but I'm "bootstrapping a songwriting career in every other spare second." I like this TextSlide stuff already. It's connected me with like-minded, go-getting individuals.

I'm not entirely sure what happened next. I remember asking him what kind of startup he's working on, and he said "ide down for most musical genres".

Perhaps "ide" is some kind of technical term that I don't know. So much for priding myself on being one of the first to jump on this bandwagon. A panic-stricken trip to Google tells me it may stand for Integrated Development Environment, and I start to suspect I'm in over my head. Maybe I've jumped in too early, and this mystical place of TextSlide is still full of only media and computer people. I'm the lone renegade musician.

Either his startup has something to do with musical genres and I've hit the jackpot and found a random stranger on the west coast that can make me famous (if not for being GOOD, well then for being FIRST), or TextSlide cut off the first half of his sentence. I'm not sure which. He asks me if I have any demos.

I say yes, even though I'm somewhat ashamed how low-quality the recording and mastering is on our MySpace and on iTunes.  I'm more excited about this one that we have coming up soon:





but of course, I didn't send that link to him. Just the two-year old myspace page with our very very tinny two-year-old recordings.

This is when he doesn't talk to me for 30 more minutes. Two possibilities enter my mind:

1. He is so entranced by the myspace page that he's taking the time to check out our Facebook, our YouTube, our Twitter, and my own personal page.  He's going to get me in on the ground floor of whatever it is he's working on, the next Napster I imagine it to be. So naturally *I* give one more look to our band pages, and cringe at every edit I dream of making to our online presence. If only I'd waited until next month to join this TextSlide thing, when I'd have a much better-produced recording to send to people. If only I'd waited until we actually have a domain name. If only I'd waited until my songs are topping the iTunes sales. (Naturally, they shall.) If only. I'm left with the more realistic and far less imaginative alternative:

2. He's pressed #next on me. Being that this is my first time on TextSlide, I have no idea if the program notifies me. (I still don't... can anyone tell me?) I ask Travis if he has a Twitter account (shameless), and wait five more minutes. After no response, and a few crushed dreams of instant, if unrealistic, stardom, I type, "#next."

I talk to ceejay in atlanta about life for a bit. He doesn't capitalize consistently and uses abbreviations like "U 2", so I imagine him to be a laid-back type dude who's game for having a casual conversation. It comes out he has a motorcycle and he assures me that even though I'm only 5'2", I could handle a smaller bike like a 650cc. I have no idea what that means, and he helpfully gives me some things to google. We bond over traffic, then call it quits when he checks in at Buffalo Wild Wings. We trade Twitter handles, and I'm on to the #next.

(I'd like to pause and say that as an avid Twitter user and reader, I love that the code contains a hashtag.)

Next was Souke from Michigan, who graduated high school last year and is waiting another year to go to college due to some family issues. Even though it's an anonymous forum, her language is so intentionally vague that something tells me not to pry. We keep things light and I learn that she cheered in high school and is dreaming of being an interior designer or journalist. We bond over black and white Ikea furniture, trade Twitter names, and call it quits around dinnertime when my roommate comes home, and my boyfriend calls.

NOTE: At this point, I'm drawing the line at choosing TextSlide over actual human interaction. (At *this* point, mind you. I can see how potentially addictive it could become, and I have a couple faculty meetings in my future for which I have some less-than-honorable plans.) I type #stop, and my first TextSlide session is over.

I'm left with several thoughts on TextSlide: its potential is huge, certainly. I could connect with fellow musicians, gain Twitter followers, Facebook friends, kindred spirits. You can imagine the extension of this list and cater it to your own life: clients, street teams, sympathizers, supporters, listening ears, business contacts, anonymous recipients of heated rants.


Someone once claimed that the reason Twitter was so successful was because it was "communication with low expectations." You can just as easily use your 140 characters to say "I'm booooooooooorrrrrrreeeeeddddd" as you can to tweet a link and get your community to register to Walk for the Cure. The expectations are low, but the potential is extraordinarily high.

I can't "expect" anything lower than "random texting", and as I was reading the initial Twitter backlash, it seemed reminiscent of chatrooms in AOL circa '98 - a bunch of inappropriate sketchballs, or a load of unintelligent, one-word exchanges.

I'm refreshed and surprised to learn that the art of conversation is not lost, and that strangers can still be gracious and kind even when there's little to no accountability upon which to hang their behavior.

Does TextSlide have the potential to be inappropriate? Mundane? Graphic? Certainly. But that's why there's #next.

Tonight, I follow a couple more people on Twitter than I did before, and I'm energized by having lent a listening ear to a complete stranger or two. Perhaps TextSlide is what a pen pal looks like in 2010.

And just you wait. My music WILL be enormous.

Love,
Laura

How I Fell In Love with Katy Perry

It's true. It's official. I love her.

This wasn't always the case, mind you. I was unimpressed with "I Kissed A Girl" when it came out. I wasn't shocked, myself. *I* consider myself reasonably hip and edgy, and I can appreciate a song with a little shock value. It sells!

But I WAS shocked on the behalf of my future grandchildren. No way do I want my grandkids thinking it's perfectly normal to go about kissing girls, or taking such a cavalier attitude towards physical affection. I don't care WHAT flavor their chapstick is.

Why I'm unconcerned for my imaginary children (their parents I suppose they'd have to be...) I haven't the foggiest. I haven't even considered their existence, really. Maybe I assume my imaginary children will also be hip and edgy. They can totally handle it. Or, maybe my imagination skips steps sometimes. Don't worry about it.

I digress.

It's natural for every generation to have a "kids these days" attitude towards the music of the generation following theirs. Our grandparents thought ELVIS was shocking. What must they think of Britney Spears, singing about threesomes? What must they even make of Ke$ha?

I saw "I Kissed A Girl" as a cheap ploy to generate buzz. "Waking Up in Vegas" was catchy, I'd give her that. But I still didn't hear a lot of talent. "Hot and Cold" - Eh. "California Gurls" - please. "gurls?" I was seeing very little substance, and a whole lot of gimmick.

THEN, I came across THIS:



She plays GUITAR? She WRITES? She's a DYNAMIC PERFORMER? With a GOOD SENSE OF PITCH?

The dancy singles of jumpsuits and wigs did you no justice, my friend. After a little bit more digging what I felt was this brand new artist in my eyes, I come to find that Alanis Morissette is one of her influences. ALANIS!

Well, well, well. Isn't THAT ironic. (#SeeWhatIDidThere)

I can totally hear it, too! The snarky writing style, the breathy flipping in an out of head voice (were you paying attention, kids?), the intentional jumping of the melody, embracing the break in her voice...

It was like the earth opened up and swallowed me whole as I gasped and admitted to myself, "My gosh. I am a FAN of Katy Perry."

Congratulations, universe. You win.

Also, it should be said that "Teenage Dream" is fantastic- with a writing credit by Bonnie McKee, whom I'm just now discovering and on whom you should also do a little digging. And I have it on good authority that "FIREWORK" will be even bigger.

You go, "gurl"!

Love,
Laura

A Very Dorky Discertation on Head Voice in Pop Music

I realize I'm beind the times on this one, but I was inspired by the VMA's to tell my students about the difference between head voice and chest voice.

Exhibit A: Rihanna.



I'm going to leave Eminem alone to focus on Rihanna's vocal.

(But you're not off the hook, Slim Shady. We have to have a discussion about your recent decision to sing your own hooks, and quick. Before Nelly releases anything else in 2010.)

If you scroll to about 2:50 in the video, you'll hear the distinctive hook on "Love The Way You Lie." This hook is FANTASTIC.

Only, hold on a second. What's this? Why do the words "stand" and "watch" sound like some poor kitten somewhere is in the process of going through puberty?

A singer has two places they can resonate their voice. The lower pitches resonate in the sternum of the body, and as the voice gets higher, the higher notes spin somewhere in the vicinity of your skull and cheekbones.

Kind of gross, right? Happy Halloween, bitches.

We call these two registers, simply, head voice and chest voice.



Hm. That was quite a convenient find. Thanks, Whitney. Dang. They sure don't make them like they used to.

To go back to the first video, Rihanna sings "just gonna" in her chest voice. More commonly put, she's belting. When she hits the pitch for "stand", she flips her resonance up into her skull.

Only, thank goodness for auto-tune. Because Rihanna, we could have used a little more height and spin on those upper notes. Make a more vertical space in your mouth by raising your soft palette (it's what happens naturally when you yawn). Now spin the sound there and bring it as far forward as you need to.

In your defense RiRi, it's a difficult passage to sing. It requires you to go from chest to head, back to chest, back to head, and back to chest again.

Next time, spend more time warming up, and less time skirt shopping with Sarah Jessica Parker.



I kid, I kid. In all honesty, I think she looked really cute, and she's got a powerful God-given instrument. However, we have the luxury of so much technology in the studio to make music RECORDING easier. Let's not become lazy and allow our live performances to become less than stellar.

Love,
Laura

P.S. - Rihanna is hardly the only person using her head voice. Check out Beyonce, Katy Perry, Regina Spektor, Alanis Morissette, Ingrid Michaelson and Imogen Heap for just a few others that like to use both registers.