Jennifer Lopez - A.K.A. (review)

Recommended Tracks: "A.K.A." "I Luh Ya Papi" "Tens" "Troubeaux"

Rating: 6/10

Perhaps one of the hardest working artists in the entertainment business, Jennifer Lopez shows no signs of slowing down on her latest studio album, A.K.A. With a music career that has certainly had its ups and downs since her first three albums thrust her into the recording industry’s elite, A.K.A.’s greatest triumph is providing on-trend updates to the pop infused hip-hop and R&B that she is famous for. Leaving behind the generic EDM inspired beats of 2011’s Love?, J.Lo reclaims her “from the block” status with her return to a more urban sound. While her vocals may be somewhat restrained, she provides an endless supply of signature hooks and juicier, pseudo-rapped verses. And with an extensive guest list: T.I., French Montana, Iggy Azalea, Rick Ross, and Pitbull all make welcome appearance, as do Jack Mizrahi and Nas (notably) on the deluxe edition bonus tracks. 

It’s the bonus tracks that create the biggest quandary of the album’s construction. A trio of moody ballads (“Never Satisfied,” “Emotions,” and “Let it Be Me”) completely zap the energy out of the standard edition. J.Lo’s vocal variety wanes over the course of them, leaving no room to expand to satisfying climax. After “A.K.A.,” the trap-inspired title-track opener with T.I. and the anthemic mega-pop of the Max Martin penned “First Love,” “Never Satisfied” boasts a country influence that feels oddly timed and poorly executed. The cinematic, latin-leaning ballad “Let It Be Me” would fit better as a bonus track - just like “Never Satisfied,” it serves as a roadblock. This is especially the case considering the album slows down several other times, more successfully, for sizzling sinister mid-tempos like “Acting Like That” with Iggy Azalea and “Worry No More” with Rick Ross. 

Only “A.K.A.,” the super-fresh, Detail produced “I Luh Ya Papi,” and the Diplo-penned, twerk-smasher “Booty” are truly fit for J.Lo’s sweet spot on the dance floor. But after the pounding “Booty” closes the standard edition of A.K.A., it becomes clear that the two best tracks on the album are still to come. “Tens” is sort of J.Lo’s reinterpretation of “Vogue” with a swirling barrage of fashion-y lists and runway empowerment against a slamming beat. Bursting with proclamations like: “Look at me bitch/M to the I to the motherfuckin’ Z/You can’t help but look at me!”- J.Lo can’t help but realize at the song’s end, “I turnt it, right?” And fuck yeah she did! Her song “Troubeaux” with Nas also deserves a shout out for blending her early career with the sax-laden hip-hop of Nas’ landmark Illmatic.

At the end of the day A.K.A. suffers from the same sickness that Britney Spears’ latest, Britney Jean did: too much reliance on ballads. A simple reordering (and a slight bit of purging) of the standard and deluxe tracks could have created a concise, driven dance record, and a major achievement for J. Lo. As it is, there is still a slew infectious music to pick and choose from, and not only that- some of this music ranks among the best in her career.

Sam Smith - In the Lonely Hour (review)

Recommended tracks: Money On My Mind, Stay With Me, Lay Me Down

Rating: 6/10

British sensation Sam Smith has claimed a big space with his massive, flexible, vocal prowess. For his debut album, In The Lonely Hour, Smith pretty much hashes out feelings of unrequited love (for a man, as we discovered when he publicly came out as gay a few weeks ago) to the point of obsession. It’s easy to draw a comparison with the powerhouse force of Adele: both sing impassioned break-up songs over soulful music. But what makes Adele so captivating is her blend of “I’m so broken” vs. “Fuck you, I’m moving on.” Perhaps Smith is still learning how to  move on, because by the album’s eighth track (out of ten), the aptly titled “Life Support” wreaks of desperation. After 20+ minutes of rehashing how wronged he feels, lyrics like “I’ve been waiting for an answer/Because I built this bed for two” just start to make you feel a little sorry for the poor chap. 

Fortunately for the 22 year-old Smith, the juicy mid-range singing and soaring falsettos that dominate the album save every single song in the most delectable way. Ballads like “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not The Only One” demonstrate Smith’s sweet spot in soul music. In The Lonely Hour peaks in its opening track, “Money On My Mind”- a sleek, drum-and-bass track with a gigantic falsetto chorus. It perfectly introduces the album’s theme with a maturity and focus that he never quite regains: “I don’t have money on mind… I do it for the love,” he sings, as he grapples with true love in the face of record contracts and a busy career schedule. 

It is quite clear for the next nine tracks that large scale production is to be virtually eliminated altogether in favor of his vocal performance. And in the most stripped down music, namely the final two tracks: “Not In That” and the particularly magical “Lay Me Down,” he is extremely successful at revealing the soul he has been trying to bare over the entire album. But this music would hit harder if it was the come-down from more expansive music preceding it. The only other remotely uptempo track is “Like I Can,” a strumming rock anthem that fails to take flight anywhere close to “Money On My Mind.” The most befuddling of all is that, outside of his own music, Sam Smith has displayed an immense talent (and made quite the name for himself) on the house music of Disclosure’s “Latch” and Naughty Boy’s “La La La.” Leaving this type of music off of his own album is a missed opportunity. Building an album that can glide back and forth between electro, soul, and stripped down pop ballad just as he glides across his staggering vocal range could have resulted in one of the most compelling albums of the year. Hopefully, this will become evident to Smith, because if he can bring a grander scope to the table, the potential is exciting and unending. 

The Second Coming of Lana Del Rey Continues with Impressive "Shades of Cool"

Gifting us with the follow up single to “West Coast” on Memorial Day, Lana Del Rey released “Shades of Cool” from her upcoming second full-length album, Ultraviolence. Co-written with Rick Nowels (whose credits with Lana include “Summertime Sadness” and “Young and Beautiful”), Lana’s Ultraviolence is, so far, living squarely in a breezy, surf-rock oasis- this time on a dynamic ballad complete with an enormous guitar solo bridge. Yet another completely depressing love song about a relationship that is at once idyllic and damaged, Lana’s sweeping vocals are more stylized, evocative, and off-the-cuff. With the large-scale cinematics paired down, there is room for a gripping rawness and humidity that didn’t exist in her previous work. While staying true to her strengths and essential “brand”, Lana Del Rey’s comeback rocks just a little harder and is dazzlingly bummed out as a result. 

Röyksopp and Robyn - Do It Again (review)

Recommended tracks: "Do It Again," "Monument," "Every Little Thing"

Rating: 8/10

The idea that a Norwegian electronic duo and a Swedish pop sensation get together to record an album that is stark and icy is not a surprise, and formidably displayed on Röyksopp and Robyn’s Do It Again EP. Yet, the trio sought for a depth that ignites an inner warmth beneath the external freeze. With only one track clocking in at under five minutes, the 35 minute set is never about the quick thrills normally indicative of an EP, instead leaving room for drawn out buildups, points of self reflections, and sonic storytelling.

The most immediately noticeable aspect about this project is that the trio that created it saw themselves as complete equals. Although Robyn’s vocals are blink-and-you-miss-them quick on the stridently frenetic “Sayit” and absent altogether from the leisurely dwindling finale, “Inside the Idle Hours Club,” these two tracks do their job at connecting the dots of the album’s overall arc. However it is the tracks that fully integrate Robyn’s vocals that are the stand-outs here. 

“Monument,” the chilly opener, is arresting from the start with its haunting sustained synth chords and undulating baseline. Fearlessly dealing with the complex pathos of leaving a legacy after death, this 10 minute endeavor is a monument itself. The first half of plays out pretty conventionally as Robyn proclaims: “This will be a beacon when I’m gone…I can say I did it all with love.” After a brief interlude the base resumes and Robyn’s reverently clean vocal is taken over by a raspy, muted saxophone that expands into bolder, more improvisatory realms to fill out this expanse of time before a quick reiteration of the opening verse from Robyn. Much in the same vein as M83’s “Midnight City,” this novel use of saxophone brings a timeless nostalgia to wholly contemporary electronica. 

The full throttle instrumental, “Sayit” provides the necessary jolt to bridge “Monument” to the centerpiece of the EP- without question the sensational dance-pop title track (“Do It Again”). Having set an electropop gold standard on 2010’s Body Talk, Robyn is majestically in her element on one of her catchiest pop hooks ever paired with her ongoing unlucky-in-love-on-the-dancefloor thematics. Once in full swing the beat spins at a breakneck speed that is noticeably sleeker and lighter on its feet than most of Body Talk. Being a more conventional pop number than Röyksopp normally produces, they pull out all the stops here, adding a high-brow edge to the genre. Standard pop-song form is extended here, and the album’s glorious pinnacle occurs in the final 90 seconds of the song: Röyksopp erupts with a dance break the leads into an extremely impassioned variation of the chorus from Robyn, becoming ever more revelatory with a new bell-like melody added to the beat in the final moments. 

The most straight forward (and shortest) track on the album, “Every Little Thing” maintains the colossal size of “Do It Again,” extending the tension with an electro-ballad of the highest order - some of the most nuanced, layered Röyksopp and yearning Robyn you could find in any of their previous music is hard at work here. Without a lazily hazy ambience to follow the 25 minutes of building tension, the EP simply wouldn’t work, and “Inside the Idle Hours Club” proves to be what its title suggests…winding down and sharing stories in the wee hours of the morning after a fast-paced, heart-on-your-sleeve, lost-in-the-moment night of partying. 

While not a game-changer, Do It Again is a supremely unique artistic exploration through collaboration. Hopefully it will serve as an impetus for the direction of both of these artists in their solo careers and certainly heats up the anticipation of their joint tour this summer.

Billboard Music Awards - Performances Better Than the Rest

Jennifer Lopez. Jennifer Lopez’s spectacular Celia Cruz tribute at last year’s American Music Awards was one of the best televised performances of 2013. At last night’s Billboard Music Awards she received the Icon Award, as well as opening the show (with Pitbull and Claudia Leitte to perform the World Cup theme song) and closing the show with her latest single “First Love.” As with the AMA’s, J.Lo continued her trend of schooling younger artists in what really makes an A-List artist: attention to detail. The Max Martin produced “First Love” is more anthemic pop than the R&B and hip-hop leanings of previous single releases from her upcoming album, A.K.A. Looking perfect as always in a black, glittering, skin-tight bodysuit, J.Lo performed without being flanked by her usual back up dancers thus accentuating her “icon” status. Performing alone on a platform, her one woman choreography was executed with a feeling of spontaneity, given heightened drama by the potently large band behind her. If American Idol helped to re-launch J.Lo’s music career, then just a few years and one world tour later, she seems to have arrived at a sweet spot that more than warrants our attention.

Jennifer Lopez, performs "First Love" ~ 2014... by HumanSlinky

One Republic. Anyone who’s turned on a top 40 radio station since counting “Counting Stars” hit the airwaves will say that, love it or hate it, that song mayyyyy be overplayed. Which is why One Republic’s very straight forward reading of their latest smash single could have been a wash. However, Ryan Tedder’s vocal performance was so impassioned it actually elevated the originality and allure of the song- where a lot of live artists struggle to achieve the level of their studio cuts, Tedder and One Republic exercise a one of a kind studio-to-stage execution in today’s pop climate.

Lorde. When Lorde walked onstage to receive her Grammy Awards last January, she seemed so nervous she could hardly speak, not to be outdone with her nervous body jolts in her performance of “Royals.” She seems to have overcome this at the Billboard Awards, accepting her awards with preparation and poise and an actual point to her message. Her performance of “Tennis Court” took this to the next level, as Lorde’s nervous jerks were transformed into a more natural, effervescent movement. Her voice - transfixing as always - carried yet another marvelous tune with maturity so far beyond her 17 years it’s hard not to believe that Lorde will be a central force in music for decades to come.

Miley Cyrus with the Flaming Lips. Miley Cyrus followed Katy Perry’s lead by lending the Billboard Music Awards a streamed performance from the European leg of her Bangerz Tour. The kitschy pop spectacle both these ladies take on the road can’t be denied, but whereas Katy’s performance was sucked dry of any real soul, Miley seemingly opened the heavens to perform one of the most legendary rock classics of all time. Midway through Miley’s show, she moves to a small stage in the middle of the audience to perform slower jams and a couple of rotating covers, always joined by Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips. For the Billboard Awards, the two were garishly dressed in shimmering gold and silver streamers as they belted out “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by The Beatles. Removing any filler beats the band simplified to amplify with colossally sinister chords that provided plenty of space for Miley to revel in the chorus. Massive amounts of confetti and streamers swirled around the entire stadium. Many who don’t understand Miley as a performer chastise her for covers such as these (or her more recent cover of The Smiths), but Miley has rockstar blood through and through and may be the only current popstar worthy of adding her stamp on such a legendary classic.

John Legend. Simply put- nothing new here. But the elegance of Legend at the piano, crooning away with strings in the background has become a welcome mainstay of award show stages. Even though Robin Thicke’s performance was a close “honorable mention” for this list, the oozing desperation of “Get Her Back” (his new song written quite literally to plead for his wife, Paula Patton, to take him back), was still no comparison for the timeless poignancy that Legend has completely mastered. 

Iggy Azalea and Ariana Grande (ft. Charli XCX). Iggy Azalea has made quite the splash, becoming the first white female to have a #1 album on the Billboard Rap Albums chart, and she did a respectable job performing her #3 hit “Fancy” with Charli XCX. The cheerleader inspired performance was cute as was Ariana Grande’s “black and white” themed performance of “Problem,” giving Iggy Azalea another chance to really shine. Ariana’s performing ability is definitely on the rise, moving about and belting it out. Not the best of the night, but these three of-the-moment girls are making good on paying their dues as they ascend the charts and look towards the stars.

Billboard Music Awards - Performances That Flopped

Katy Perry. It’s almost getting exhausting that Katy Perry’s lackluster performances strike a chord with audiences. Shot from her Prismatic Tour in the UK (because Katy CAN NOT and WILL NOT miss an opportunity show off her shortcomings at an award show), she performed her latest single “Birthday,” which is the quintessential example of how her artistry has stagnated since the glory of Teenage Dream. In the obligatory neons and tacky/kitschy costumes, Katy sort of zombie-danced through the song with zombie eyes. Even her lap dance on a young girl from the audience a-top a gigantic birthday cake and candles or floating above the stadium hanging onto a bunch of balloons were void of any of the energy, tension, or zest to pull off this performance. I’m not sure what was more uncomfortable to watch, this or Justin Timberlake’s repulsive acceptance speeches, also shot from his tour across the pond.

Jason Derulo. When it comes to Jason Derulo everything just comes up C+ average. Sure he’s swinging on monkey bars, in step with his dancers, and maybe singing live(?) to C+ beats relatively savvy to the times. But he never quite musters any sort of spark or power that so many of his pop-R&B contemporaries are capable of. Appearances from Snoop Dogg and 2 Chainz were the most redeeming qualities of an otherwise run-of-the-mill performance.

5 Seconds of Summer. When Kendall Jenner’s inability to read a teleprompter gets more media buzz than your performance, things might not be looking up for you. 5 Seconds of Summer’s performance was then further introduced with a video comparing their arrival from Australia to when The Beatles landed in America half a century ago. Aside from being slightly punk-y and a little homoerotic in order to sweep a swarm of 12 year old girls into full throttle puberty, there was little the band did (or could do) to follow up Kardashian Krashes and Beatles comparisons. Maybe next time, boys? While they seem like they know what they’re doing and they do it with excitement, hopefully 5 Seconds of Summer can go deeper into hard rock and away from anemic boy band leanings as they grow into actual adulthood.

Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. It’s saddens to me say this about Miranda Lambert but she just couldn't measure up to Carrie Underwood’s vocal performance on their duet, “Somethin’ Bad.” It was like watching Pink school Nate Ruess in their Grammy performance of “Just Give Me A Reason.” The two country starlets did look hot as hell showing miles of leg and huge blonde hair. But there was just something slightly off from them to the band that kept the whole affair from having the cohesive edge it needed. 

Michael Jackson. Call me old fashioned, but this hologram performance of "Slave to the Rhythm" did nothing for me. It wasn’t even eery, just lacked anything you could realistically call Michael Jackson’s iconic dance moves...Even if they were spot on recreations of his signature moves, they were void of the soul he imbued them with. The song… is fine I guess, but considering it was recorded around the time of Dangerous (1991), perhaps there is a reason it didn’t make it on to a final cut of that album. I guess, from a big business perspective, the Jacksons, record execs, and others involved in the estate may as well keep on cashing in, but the posthumous career of MJ simply tarnishes the artistic legacy he worked so ardently for.

Some Bitches of Life Dropped Music Videos This Week

March 7th 2014: a day that may not live in infamy, but certainly dished out some pretty good music video game. From the poignantly eclectic Sia, to the sensuously dark Lana Del Rey, to the anthemic stomp of Shakira, there was something for everyone yesterday. 

Sia has been racking up A-list songwriting credits with a Pharrell-ian gusto. But her latest single, “Chandelier,” reminds longtime fans of her solo work (and fans she’s acquired from features on hits by David Guetta and Florida) of her uniquely styled, massive vocal talents. “Chandelier”’s powerhouse intensity translates easily to music video, and with Sia directing the video herself (with Daniel Askill) it truly does complete the vision of the song. Sia never appears in the video, but personally asked dancer Maddie Ziegler to be the sole performer. Wearing a bleach blonde wig cropped at the neck (calling to mind Sia’s own hairstyle) and a nude leotard, Ziegler’s interpretive dance, infused with moments of ballet and gymnastics, is awe-inspiring and inspirational. Set in a run-down apartment with murky lighting, the scenery almost seems too simplistic for the expansive resplendence of “Chandelier.” But Ziegler makes the video, simultaneously heightening her surroundings and expanding on the drama of the music - a truly cohesive artistic vision from song to video.

Shot entirely in black in white, Lana Del Rey’s “West Coast” video is in keeping with her ability to make the idyllic feel gritty. Her penchant for cigarettes (Tropico) and older men (“Ride”) in previous videos is continued here, and small gestures of cuddling on the beach and handholding in a convertible reflect the blissful melancholy of the song. Her lip-synching feels conversational - almost an afterthought, immersing the viewer in the story of the video and it’s bluesily lethargic soundtrack. Seemingly out of nowhere comes the video’s only color- Lana in a red dress surrounded by fire, making the conflict in the lyrics (“I get this feeling that/It all could happen, that’s why I’m leaving/You for the moment” and “move baby, move baby, I’m in love”) ferociously tangible. All in all, not much evolution from Lana’s past videos, but then again her video output is extremely strong and on effective display here.

The third single off of her self titled album, Shakira’s “Dare (La la la)” is easily the most infectious track of the set, and the sole dance floor anthem. Extras and dancers have been absent from “Cant Remember to Forget You” and “Empire” videos, and although the main plot of “Dare” is dancers coming out of the woodwork to create a big party, it never quite measures up to the size of the song. The visuals are stunning, especially the sweeping shots of Shakira alone. But despite director Anthony Mandler’s prolific role as a pop-video master, the video never really hits its stride - the rhythm of the editing undermines the pounding grandeur of the hook. This is especially the case in the final dance sequence; the video would be a success if this arrival had a little more dramatic punch (choreography, more dancers, editing..), but instead feels incomplete. 

The Sky's the Limit When Coldplay and Avicii Team Up

Amidst a series of extremely ambient singles released in anticipation of Coldplay’s upcoming album, Ghost Stories, comes “A Sky Full of Stars” featuring production from Avicii. For a band who’s massive hits have spawned a compelling catalogue of remixes, bringing an electronic dance artist into the studio is a no brainer. Melding the scope of “Paradise” with the synth-laden “Princess of China,” the result is pure Coldplay- only “A Sky Full of Stars” hits with an immediacy that perfectly proves EDM’s place in contemporary rock music. Tapping Avicii for the project shows that not just audiences, but pop music’s elite (he’s also been in the studio with Madonna) are recognizing and rewarding his crossover mastery. “A Sky Full of Stars” could easily be a track off of Avicii’s last album, True, but in working with Coldplay he is able to streamline and humanize his vision even more so- with the band’s own playing giving life to the swirling electronics. And Chris Martin’s magical yearning (“I don’t care, go on tear me apart/I don’t care if you do/Cause in a sky, cause in a sky full of stars/I think I saw you”) is in its finest form- magnificently riding the beat’s flagship, final build-up. Juxtaposed with the hauntingly sparse “Magic” and “Midnight,” “A Sky Full of Stars” couldn’t be a better fit as Coldplay continues their shift into increasingly electronic territories. 

Ariana Grande Turns it Up (A Little) With Iggy Azalea on "Problem"

There is something incredibly alluring and fun about Ariana Grande’s smooth vocal acrobatics and 90’s pop backdrops. “Problem,” the debut single off of her upcoming sophomore studio album, falls solidly in this category. With the venerable Max Martin among the writer/producer credits, it’s no surprise that “Problem” is not just perfectly designed for Ariana’s style, but delivers this style in a more current realm with a synth thump and some light trap to spunk things up. And Ariana is as spunky as ever, soaring through the verses with enough buoyancy to save this banal take on the “I love you even though I hate you” theme. A salty feature from rapper Iggy Azalea is a great addition, providing a great balance- both ladies’ highly stylized, colorfully unique voices really make the track pop. The whispered hook by Big Sean over a saxophone loop isn’t particularly special, but given the way Ariana and Iggy build up the verses to such frenzy, a space to clear the air a bit is warranted for sure. “Problem” is just a baby step forward in terms of style and depth, but still a great addition to the 20 year old’s extremely consistent early-career catalogue. 

Surf's Up! Lana Del Rey is Back to Haunt the "West Coast"

Lana Del Rey may not be done obsessing over nighttime drives on the PCH and Hollywood’s underbelly as seen through a neo-1960’s lense, but she obviously has more to say about this muse. Debuting the first single off of Ultraviolence at Coachella last weekend, “West Coast” is a definitive shift, aesthetically. Less cinematic than her previous work but just as dreamy, “West Coast” is seeped in SoCal-surfer pop-rock. Executing remarkably lofty ambition on last year’s short film, Tropico, Del Rey continues to search for something beyond pop music’s norm. The verses are rhythmically propelled as West Coast clichés (“Down on the West Coast they got a saying/‘If you’re not drinking, then you’re not playing’”) are juxtaposed, tongue-in-cheek, with her love interest (“But you’ve got the music/You’ve got the music in you, don’t you?”). A transitional guitar motive pulls back the curtain on the track’s spacious hook— a slower, haunting, full-on ballad/love song with heavily layered, euphoric vocals. The song’s two starkly different sections are so organically connected (without falling on any mega-wattage or cheap tricks), that “West Coast” truly has a spellbinding coolness. Del Rey’s signature, deep contralto is nowhere to be found; her higher register surges ever so slightly, creating an impassioned frenzy that spills into the chilling expanse of the hook. “West Coast” is at once more accessible and less predicable than Del Rey’s previous work— her blend of damnation and delight has been funneled into an exciting move forward as Ultraviolence beings its unveiling process.

Kelis Shines on Retrofied "Rumble"

Retro seems to be the name of the game lately and Kelis certainly makes a great case for it on her latest single off of her upcoming album, Food. “Rumble” trudges along in a soulful, brass-band funk that lays on the humidity in thick doses. Ever the chameleon, Kelis has completely departed from the fantastical drive of 2010’s electropop, Fleshtone. The music my not be nearly as “ahead of its time,” but it is the perfect backdrop for Kelis to truly indulge her deep, raspy vocals with a stunning rawness. Where previous singles “Acapella” and “Fourth of July” were swept away in the delight of being a new mother, “Rumble” explores more emotionally turbulent territory. Dealing with a previous lover who she has a longtime history with (Nas?), Kelis debates one more night of bliss (“baby don’t go”) but delights in relinquishing the relationship’s commitments (“I’m so glad you gave back my keys”). Having departed will.i.am’s record label at Interscope for Ninja Tune Records/IRIS Distribution, Kelis (in collaboration with producer David Sitek) seems to have fully outfitted her career for this transformation. And if “Rumble” and “Jerk Ribs” are any indication, Food promises to be salted, sugared, fried, and baked to delectable capacity. It would have been nice to see Kelis delve deeper into the electro-dance of Fleshtone, because her take on the genre really was one-of-a-kind. But it’s easily forgivable on “Rumble” — her many quiet-yet-extreme transformations since the days of “Milkshake” seem to go off without a hitch and this is no exception.

RÜfÜS Makes A Bold Entrance on Their First U.S. Single Release

Although indie dance pop trio, RÜfÜS, have made a splash in their native Australia with their first full length album, Atlas (released last year), they have begun to make their American crossover with a tour that included a notable appearance at SXSW in Austin. “Take Me” sees its American release today via Columbia Records. One of the best track’s on Atlas, “Take Me” is the sort of pulsating house music that is rapidly gaining traction as a more elegant and introspective alternative to the super-sized electronic explosions on the other end of the EDM spectrum. The beach-y oasis - filled out by sunny guitar riffs, steel drum synths and Tyrone Linqvist’s carefree, yearning vocals - builds a sense of wonder over the pulsating beat. Lyrics describe “underwater lights/shadows in disguise” and “sunset in the breeze” as a means of detailing “Take Me”’s love-story underpinnings. The result is music that provides a full multi-sensory experience—something that will set RÜfÜS apart as their music sets sail “across the ocean.” 

"True-Avicii by Avicii" is Not Your Average Remix Album

It’s already become a storied tale that when Avicii first debuted a set of country-heavy music from True at Ultra, he angered a crowd expecting to rave out to the blissful sonics that earned him a spot amongst EDM’s most elite circle of DJs. However, for his first full length album, True is not only a bold debut but a landmark crossover album. Laden with folk, country, and jazz elements, tightly stitched into EDM forms/idioms, it’s hard to tell one from the other- a true testament to Avicii’s artistry. Six months after the dust has settled from True’s release comes an accompanying remix album- relatively standard practice for electronic LP’s, but notable here because Avicii remixed each track himself (as opposed to a compilation of remixes from a supply of DJ/producer peers).

True-Avicii by Avicii presents the set in order (with the exception of final track, “Heart Upon My Sleeve,” which is absent here), intent on infusing the album with a monster-charge of “conventional Avicii” supersonics. Except that Avicii reveals an evolved incarnation of his conventional, pre-True style; the richness of the original material, not to mention the challenge of creating it, seems to have pushed his dynamic virtuosity to the next level on these remixes. This is immediately evident on remixes with beefed up pyrotechnics. “You Make Me” and “Addicted to You” succeeded in their original forms because of a “bursting at the seams” restraint that, here, finally overflows into throbbing euphoria that is gratifying and essential. 

“Hey Brother” begins, virtually unchanged, with the impassioned yearning and folksy guitar of the original, only to be overrun into mad descent: a grinding bass loop washes away all of the sentimentalism. The sung about “endless road” is now treacherously exposed. And it is reveals of this nature that pump the unexpected into each song. Nowhere is this better exemplified than True’s smash hit “Wake Me Up.” The remix opens the album with the anticipation of something more bombastic than the original, before quickly subsiding into an elegant guitar melody in place of the original's rousing strumming guitar. Syncopated piano chords avert a massive build up, laying the groundwork for a compact groove over which synth strings and electric guitar riff and improvise on the original break melody. 

True-Avicii by Avicii doesn’t really come off as a remix album. Avicii’s commitment to this music presents a reimagining that takes on a life of its own: this is not a sequel or a remake, but an inevitable second chapter. Furthermore, there is enough of the original spirit of True shining through on each remix for Avicii to warrant his assertion that familiar acoustics and overt electronics don’t just live on the same planet, they flourish when they unite. 

Shakira - Shakira. (review)

Recommended tracks: "Can't Remember to Forget You", "Empire", "Cut Me Deep", "23"

Rating 7.5/10

With a coaching position on The Voice and the feverish marketing of her various ad campaigns, Shakira has choreographed her biggest American presence since her English-speaking crossover. On her first album since signing with the venerable RCA Records, it’s clear that the self titled Shakira. was designed with this cultivated American audience in mind. Shakria’s last English endeavor, the slightly loony, completely sensational dance record, Shewolf, enjoyed huge international success, but didn’t impact the U.S. as hard (to be fair, 2011 was slightly overcrowded when it came to dance-pop). It is clear that Shakira is soaking in her time on The Voice like a sponge; this is more than just conveniently orchestrated exposure for her- a testament to her artistry. Her fingers are clearly on the pulse of what sells in America, the contestants' attempted pyrotechnics have challenged her vocally, and she seems to have cultivated an interest in country music. Shakira. is a true showcase for the rich uniqueness of Shakira’s voice, and takes its stylistic cues from anthemic mid-to-late 90’s pop rock squarely hitting the fans that grew up during her breakthrough. At its best, Shakira. is an intoxicating blend of new-wave rock influenced by reggae and ska, and at its worst, flirts with sounding generic or dated. 

Shakira. starts fresh out the gate with the Kid Harpoon and John Hill produced smash, “Can’t Remember to Forget You”, boldly setting the stage for the exotic, Caribbean-flavored tracks that follow. Shakira goes head to head with Rihanna, a worthy opponent: both ladies boast instantly recognizable voices, but rather than rely on them, they use them as fuel for the fire. This insistent flair and impassioned love-loss drive the album’s first half. The slinky “You Don’t Care About Me” unfolds like the sexy dance of a lovers’ showdown. Taking its cues from No Doubt’s glory days, “Cut Me Deep” is caps off the reggae fantasy, with featured reggae pop band, Magic!, reprising the rapid strumming guitars of “Can’t Remember to Forget You”, this time in full ska form with idiomatic brass. Paired with Shakira’s unique metaphorical songwriting (“I am covered in scars/Like a rose without thorns”), “Cut Me Deep” is a high point of the set. These song are separated by the roaring mega-ballad, “Empire” and “Dare (La La La)” (the single appearance of dance pop that finds Shakira’s Latina flavor oozing all over the Max Martin/Dr Luke track). All together, Shakira.’s opening run is a fulfilling, action packed roller coaster, seething with heartbreak and searching for fulfillment.

If the preceding material represents single Shakira, then the remaining material is a reflection of Shakira’s bliss in her relationship with footballer, Girard Piqué. Blending traditional pop rock with country leanings, there is a Taylor Swiftyness to these songs, but Shakira saves them from generic bleakness by thrusting her personality into the vocal performance and lyrical content. The songs that succeed the most find Shakira at her most intimate and exposed. “23” (referring to Girard Pique’s age when Shakira met him) is a touching love letter: “I used to think there was no God/But then I looked into your eyes/And my agnosticism turned to dust.” “Spotlight” is also incredibly successful at pulling back the curtain of Shakira’s life, as she wrestles with the unshakeable strength of her relationship in the face of the media vultures. Little twists like Voice colleague, Blake Shelton’s feature on “Medicine” and a reggae return on “The One Thing”'s bridge, help maintain the intrigue of this material. 

For its penultimate track, Shakira. includes the Spanish version of “Can’t Remember to Forget You” without Rihanna and unremixed (“Nunca Me Acuerdo de Olvidarte”). On the upside, its inclusion is a haunting reprise, before the country tinged oasis of “Loca pro Ti” wraps up the album. It also takes on a smoother, lighter life of its own in Spanish. However, it does seems like a missed opportunity to create a new Spanish track that could potentially an even more striking reminder of the darker emotions and energetic palate from the earlier tracks. Shakira is right to serve her fan base with a Spanish version of such a big single, but it might have made more sense as a bonus track. Nonetheless, Shakira is everything that a self-titled album should be: a stylistic exploration that is deeply personal and self-assured.

Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once (review)

Recommended tracks: "Into the Blue", "I Was Gonna Cancel", "Sexercise", "Kiss Me Once"

Rating: 9/10

Kiss Me Once may be Kylie Minogue’s twelfth studio album in a career spanning over a quarter century, but if one thing is for certain, the 45 year old pop icon is still riding a career high point ignited by 2010’s Aphrodite. Kylie retains the poise and maturity of a seasoned artist, yet Kiss Me Once evokes the exuberance and relevance of popstars almost half her age. This is not a total surprise, because Kylie has been championing and refining the disco sensibilities of today’s pop scene since turn of the century hits (“Spinning Around”, “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”) that have been credited with igniting a disco resurgence. Her first album since signing with Jay Z’s Roc Nation, Kylie teams up with Sia Furler to co-executive produce this trend-seeking set. The glittering sonic charge of Kiss Me Once feels like an inevitable follow up to the celestial Aphrodite; while Aphrodite sends its listeners into the heavens, Kiss Me Once is rooted in earthly pursuits. 

Kiss Me Once begins and ends with two self-empowerment anthems of heroic proportions. Wide, regally pounding piano chords set the stage for “Into the Blue”, which quickly blossoms into a swelling symphony of strings. “Into the Blue” encourages freedom and independence in confronting the future, as the chorus proclaims: “When I got my back up against the wall/Don’t need no one to rescue me/‘Cause I ain’t waiting up for no miracle/Yeah, tonight I’m running free.” Kylie’s instantly recognizable, icy-thin soprano soars over the roaring expanse, packed with the potency and flexibility that has made her voice an enduring one. The Mike Del Rio beat sits firmly in between ostentatious and elegant, filling out the lush orchestral elements with shimmering synths. With its visionary beauty and universal message, “Into the Blue” achieves a rare timelessness that Kylie has been honing for her entire career. To close the album, disco thumper, “Fine” adopts a consoling warmth that expands upon the messages of “Into the Blue” as Kiss Me Once flies off into the night. 

Kylie and French actor Clément Sibony act out a lost weekend of love in the "Into the Blue" video

After “Into the Blue”, Kylie takes it straight to the club with a spirited trio of tunes. “Million Miles” sets things right into motion with a straight forward, electropop throttle and one of the catchiest hooks on the album. Enter Pharrell Williams, whose sole contribution, “I Was Gonna Cancel”, is a peppy iteration of the recurring empowerment themes. As is the case with his recent solo album, Pharrell crafts another dynamic update of a retro style. As the reigning disco queen of her respective era, Kylie is the ideal muse as he tries his hand at late 70’s disco that exudes a Studio 54 nostalgia. Ringing bells and an operatic background vocal play against quirky robotics (Pharrell having assumed the position of Daft Punk ambassador) resulting in the edgiest beat on the album. “Sexy Love” responds to the throwback nature of “I Was Gonna Cancel” with a buoyant new-wave disco beat that is so quintessentially Kylie it serves as a welcome, self-referential update to wrap up the “dance-floor” section of Kiss Me Once.

The preceding, fancy-free ecstasy is quickly traded in for weightier, overtly electronic material. Sia makes her first of two writing appearances on “Sexercise”, a dustep banger produced by The Monsters and The Strangerz. It is the grittiest music of the album, and the most unexpected stylistic choice for Kylie. However, Kylie’s execution of tongue-and-cheek sexual allusions drives the beat with a devilish fun that prevents it from bogging down the album. The ensuing mid-tempos ease the climactic tension of “Sexercise” while maintaining its insistency. “Feels So Good” spins a treble melodic outline of staccato synths into a dizzying wonderment, further propelled by the sweeping phrases and majestic splash of “If Only” as Kylie finds herself in comfortable territory: reflective love songs such as these are her bread & butter. 

Proving that 45 is the new 21 with her slammin physique, Kylie demonstrates sexercising in the "Sexercise" music video

Swirling romantic sentiments find clarity in the resplendent, Sia penned “Kiss Me Once” that named the album. Kylie literally surrenders to love (“Kiss me once/And you will watch me fall/Kiss me twice/And I will give you my all”), tying in the running theme of rising above adversity to let the future rush in, only this time with a lover to share these highs and lows. Boasting tolling bells that recall “I Was Gonna Cancel”, the panoramic bravura of “Into the Blue”, and the whirring synths of “Feels So Good”, “Kiss Me Once” is a stylishly impactful arrival. The album’s only ballad, “Beautiful”, a duet with Enrique Iglesias, is arresting in its unconventional simplicity. Verses play out like a generic piano ballad, but heavily layered vocals in the hook and a surging chorus that deflates just short peaking create a listless stagnation. While its a little too aloof to qualify as a potential hit, “Beautiful” serves its purpose of basking in the glow “Kiss Me Once” before the beat kicks back in with “Fine” to finish things off.

It has come to be expected that you will not find raw personal anecdotes and social commentary on a Kylie Minogue album. Yet unlike the frivolity of 2007’s X, which generated some criticism for completely bypassing any reflection on Kylie’s recovery from breast cancer, Kiss Me Once speaks to a greater, simpler truth that few can pull off effectively. That truth being: believing in love and loving yourself are the most powerful tools when releasing the past and navigating the future. It may sound corny or trite or simply cliché, but Kylie, Sia, and their team of collaborators have succeeded in carefully weaving a tapestry that emboldens the music of our time with a message for all time….Not too shabby for an album that contains three songs with “sex” in the title!

Foster the People - Supermodel (review)

Recommended tracks: "Are You What You Want to Be", "Pseudologia Fantastica", "The Truth", "Fire Escape"

Rating: 7/10

So here’s the deal with Foster the People’s second album, Supermodel: it’s music with a message, frontman Mark Foster is a lyricist of the highest order, and the LA based threesome gel with a remarkable cohesion. Mark Foster and Paul Epworth (Adele’s longtime collaborator) co-produced the album, which includes co-writing credits from hit maker, Greg Kurstin, who assisted in the creation of many of the band’s previous hits. With so many variables working in its favor, Supermodel too often falls short. It’s impossible to talk about the return of Foster the People without referencing 2011’s monster hit “Pumped Up Kicks” and its cheery new-wave rock juxtaposed with lyrics about a school shooting. Coinciding album, Torches, was stamped with an exciting synth-heavy indie-pop sound. While powerful chord progressions and a plethora of memorable hooks remain, Supermodel leaves the electronic world, consequently squeezing some of the juice out of the fruits of their labor. Instead, Foster the People rely on a variety of influences that span the history of rock music and the band’s world travels. This quest for aesthetic inspiration never manages to meet or surpass the sheer force of their previous work. 

Supermodel is essentially a concept album about Mark Foster’s dissatisfaction with the world’s current social state, again pairing dark lyrics with cheery tunes. This formula is rehashed to death, cluttering the album with some dead weight. The most ambitious tracks get lost among the sameness of it all. As was the case with Torches, the singles on Supermodel do stand out. The euphoric “Coming of Age” is a good listen, and “Best Friend” has a funky freshness all its own. “Pseudologia Fantastica” is a compelling number with grungy guitar riffs, tinges of The Beatles and touches of the blues buried within it; a brief piano bridge surges into a fantastical instrumental break to close out the track. The harder rock elements undress some of the joyful edifice found elsewhere on Supermodel, serving as a backdrop to some of the most powerfully depressing lyrics of the set as Foster opines: “Another weekend massacre of opinion/Don’t be afraid of the knife/Sometimes you have to cut the limb to survive”. 

On the flip side, songs like “Goats in Trees” and “Nevermind” both clock in at over five minutes but wear out their welcome with a failure to launch any originality (whereas “Pseudologia Fantastica” is longer than both of them but fills out the time-span to massive proportions). “Ask Yourself” appears second on the track list and chills things out too quickly after Supermodel’s ingenious opening (see final paragraph), especially when recalling the one-two-punch of “Helena Beat” and “Pumped Up Kicks” that opened Torches. While “A Beginner’s Guide to Destroying the Moon” makes use of electronics here and there, it almost seems like the band is afraid of anything that might derail them from their acoustic mission, and winds up sounding dated. Foster’s lyrics really are perfectly crafted, even throughout weaker moments, but it is how the lyrics are set to music in these instances that causes the subject matter to stagnate. 

Penultimate track, “The Truth”, has all the makings of truly great contemporary alt-rock epic: pulsating deep bass synths in its verses, melancholy piano chords, a sweeping chorus, and raw vocals that call to mind the Smashing Pumpkins. The fact of the matter is all of it feels slightly watered down compared to the music of say…Imagine Dragons. The intimately somber “Fire Escape” beautifully closes the album with its dismal take on Los Angeles that repeatedly begs, “save yourself” from the city’s seedier truths. If “The Truth” was just, for lack of a better phrase, pumped up to a slightly bigger soundscape and the band could just let loose and go crazy, the effect of “Fire Escape" would be even more compelling.

Supermodel’s greatest glory comes from its opener, “Are You What You Want to Be?”. Raucous and sleek, the song bursts with color and references to their time in Morocco while working on the record. The world view is immediately evident- the lyrics place Foster in Paris while Ghanian drums play as he speaks with a woman from Belize. The song presents the personal nature of the album’s themes: “The right things in the hands of dissidents with the fire/Will rip apart the marrow from the bone of the liars/Well I’m afraid of saying too much and ending a martyr/But even more so I’m afraid to face God and say I was a coward” ring with a potent vocal performance from Foster. The four and a half minutes of “Are You What You Want to Be?” are an ephemeral joy, as none of the ten songs that follow manage to arouse the same abandon experienced from the outset. The Afro-influences, oddly enough, most closely recall the unique verve of their previous work, while staying true to their new acoustic realm; several more songs like THIS would have made the album an unbridled success story. 

J.Lo Flips the Script With Gratuitous Portions of Man Meat in "I Luh Ya Papi"

Jennifer Lopez is not the first female artist to objectify men in a music video (there must be at least 5 Madonna videos that do just that), but she might be the first to point it out so bluntly. The video for “I Luh Ya Papi” may start out with the inherent corniness that comes from J.Lo’s quest to prove, “I may be insured for a billion but trust me people: I’M STILL REAL” as she gabs with her girlfriends rejecting the cutesy ideas being thrown at her for video treatments. That all changes when her friend suggests that the video start with men on the bed naked for no reason….which is about as much reason Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” needed for the ladies to undress. 

And that’s where this video really is a triumph. Dressed in a wide variety of looks from a jumpsuit that recalls her famous Versace Grammy dress all the way down to tiny shorts and a crop top, J.Lo’s image is still highly sexualized: she’s proud of how she looks and she damn well should be, she doesn’t look a day older than her first music video 16 years ago. But everywhere you look there are men in underwear and tiny swimsuits: we get to see their abs, asses, perfect jawlines, crotch outlines, lounging around the pool, getting wet at the carwash, looking sexy on the yacht. In “Blurred Lines”, or any countless number of videos, males get to keep all their clothes on and assert their sexuality by how naked the women are around them. It’s a misogynist double standard no matter which way you slice it. J.Lo’s statement here might not have all the kinks worked out of it, but it’s a super hot take on a video concept that has been done a thousand times before with the gender roles completely reversed.

Aside from the message here, it has to be noted that as she ready’s the release of her 10th album, “I Luh Ya Papi” is a true return to form for Lopez after a string of rather banal, club-ready, dance floor anthems. The Detail produced synth/hip-hop beat rolls out like the waves underneath the yacht in the video with the tightness of the many man abs. Her voice is perfectly suited for this music, and French Montana’s rap also adds to the flavor. Lopez also carries the video- it’s really all about her poppin' dance routines, her natural swagger, and her star power; despite its mission to objectify the men, J.Lo continues to be an unstoppable force that you just can’t take your eyes off of.