I was expecting the video with the donkeys to be more batshit crazy, honestly. But I like the youkos at the end, as Kitsunes are my favorite type of mythological creatures and I appreciate just about any use of them.
Simple, but effective I thought (even if some of the editing tricks are a bit overdone). I do think it mostly works, thanks to being admittedly very barebones, and to Tinashe's presence. And I also think a song like "Aquarius" pretty much guarantees to make everything good. If anything, it's cleansing to watch this after the tackiness of that Madonna video.
I love Madonna, I really do, but sometimes, in her later years, it feels like she is self-sabotaging her own career. Her desperate attempts to appeal to a younger audience that is not interested in her while alienating her older fanbase, the uninspired hooks, the cliché selection of producers... and now even her videos, which would used to be one of the best things about her work, now feel... forgettable. Her music videos used to be like an event, especially the ones for the first singles, and while there are aspects to this one that aren't that bad, it still fails at being as exciting as her previous work (which unfortunately is true about most of her music these days as well). How one of the most ambitious popstars of the planet got like this is beyond me.
Nah, you're cool. And I see your points. But I still think it's important to keep ourselves informed on the artists we like and don't like in how they choose to build their careers, their priorities and how they put that into practice so we can see all aspects of the music world at large, because it makes aware of what we are consuming. It's not about painting manicheistic definitions of right or wrong, but the fact we have a right to know this and consider how this affects our view of the artists and if the way we saw them before is the same because we still favor their other strengths, or if a departure of the image is enough to affect how I feel about them (by which we become more aware of what was at least part of their appeal to us before and what it has become after, as it is important we constantly evaluate how we process your appreciation or dislike for music). But you're not a villain, trust me. THIS is a villain:
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But listen, here's the thing: it's not that the fact that Taylor Swift needs to fill the role and image she has built for herself in every aspect of her career and her life. It's that the positive aspects don't mean she is immune to criticism about the negatives. And it doesn't mean we are not allowed to talk about and speculate how some of the positive aspects might just be image-building when you take into the account the negative, regardless of what we would do or were supposed to do in her position. If anything, it's a legitimate reaction to a piece of news and helps shape for better or for worse your perspective on an artist based on what you value, whether they reaffirm or contradict said values, so you can be more informed and have a more nuanced view of them than simply siding with them or rejecting them automatically. In a way, I actually feel this kind of article is a way to counterbalance the dichotomy you say this piece reinforces (especially in a site that usually praises her. A LOT.) because it is not saying "Take this side", it's letting you know be aware of the many sides to consider.
She says the song is clearly ironic and about the perception the media has of her and not who she really is, but this makes a pretty good case for that not being true, isn't it?
"There’s a difference between Drake threatening to sue a major corporation like Walmart for their “YOLO” t-shirts, and major pop stars threatening fans with legal action over homemade crafts."
Oh, so NOW we can think that's a shitty move and not BUSINESS SAVVY?
I'm very underwhelmed by this video. The color treatment sucks, the editing is way too choppy even for pop music's standards, and the direction is basic as hell. The visual concept feels wasted. I was expecting more of what's supposed to be a comeback single. And ending the video with a Nietzsche quote just... is just... could you take yourself way too seriously more than you already do?
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I think Silas pretty much nailed it. I also say something incredibly subjective of "on record charisma". It's like, no matter the range of said performer, they have something about the way they perform that just fits perfectly with the song and the mood you set out for, and as years went by, she has developed more and more that aspect (in a way, what I'm saying is very similar to what Silas says). It sounds like a lot of hocus-pocus crap to rockers who believe very strongly on the whole completely self-made musician, I'm sure. But yeah, she really is a very divisive presence. I just think very few people on pop music have that kind of immediate star-quality on record, even if she isn't a vocalist as expressive as Beyoncé. Let's just say there are better technically better pop vocalists they are never get you to invest in their songs as much as she gets the people who do "get" her feel when she does it.
But it's still basically a one-hit-wonder song. I remember the time it was released and absolutely no one would've said the girl doing it was gonna become a music superstar.
This feels like just another way to say "Boy, that Rihanna is so striking she needs nothing more than a white background to make an impression and look beautiful". Okay video, and of course all these people simply being in front of a camera is a sure thing to be entertaining even with nothing going on, but that's it. That said, I'm kinda weirdly proud of her. She has come full circle with what I believe is the biggest evolution an mainstream popstar has had, going from that underwhelming performance in those silly Pon de Replay song and video that felt very one-hit-wonder-ish to owning up being front center of a song with music juggernauts like Paul McCartney and Kanye West and now it's hard to imagine the current pop music landscape without her, regardless of how one might feel about her music. I truly feel it's impressive how far she has come.
As much I love this song, I still want Rihanna's second single to be some more explosive sounding. It's actually been a while now since the last time we had her do a fun dance track, and she is great in those. I still like FourFiveSeconds more and more each time I hear it though.
Ok, after reading some of you guys, I concede I'm wrong to find it weird someone might never heard that song since Tom Petty isn't that big on England. You made compelling arguments, and I now agree with you guys. But still, even if they are from England and it wouldn't obviously be on their radar since they are younger than the actual song, it's still a bit weird to see songwriters to never have even heard the song even later in their life and come across it eventually. But maybe they just didn't pay attention to it, which is possible and fair.
I had a discussion with a Sam Smith fan (who doesn't really admit to be a Sam Smith) that they had never heard "I Won't Back Down" before. But then again, how much does one really like music if they are a Sam Smith fan but never heard one of Tom Petty's signature songs?
Whenever music or pop culture writers say an artist has business savvy as if they were somehow business experts who just happen to do something completely different for a living, I roll my eyes so freaking hard. Even with Taylor swift oversees a lot of what happens with her copyright stuff, it's clear to me she isn't the mastermind behind the non-musical aspects of her career, just by how much time someone would have to spend to do so, and sheer volume and extension of everything that gets done with Taylor Swift as a brand. It sounds very naive. Or that music writers are just fascinated with her they lost all capacity of critical thinking and realistically analyzing how involved artists actually are in many of those aspects of their music when it's done in such a large scale. It's like music writers are the geeky girl with braces in the high school movies that believes every myth about the pretty blond cheerleader prom queen. "Oh, but I hear she has business savvy! And her hair shines like the sun!". She is just another professional in the music world, guys. Her music might be good, but let's stop doing this thing of elevating artists to unrealistic levels of multi-tasking and control.
"Just enter the phrase “this sick beat” into Google Image Search and see how many people have already repurposed it to their own ends." - THAT'S BECAUSE THAT LINE IS NOT HERS TO TAKE, FOR FUCK'S SAKE. Seriously, this such an old line, how is it hers just because she used in one song? Does Kanye have the copyrights of "That don't kill me can only make me stronger"? Sorry, Nietzsche. For some reason, the fact she did this really annoys me, and I can't help it.
I actually really love the chorus. And I happen to think Kanye and Rihanna should be on tracks together more often. Their vocals and chemistry work really well together. It's no "All Of The Lights", but it's pretty damn great.
It's kinda weird how underrated Medulla is. It's such an astonishing album in execution. Those vocal arrangements are out of this world, and it starts and finishes with what are among her two best songs (Pleasure Is All Mine and Triumph Of The Heart) And for what it's worth, I have a friend who didn't care for Björk until she listened to this album, and now she is a huge fan. I don't love it as much as Post/Homogenic/Vespertine, but I think it's better than the other albums.
Some are saying chronological, but I feel they are probably long time fans who might have forgotten most didn't really get to Björk right from the start. I like the first albums, I think it's excellent, but she really starts to reach greatness and make incredible albums from Post. My guess is that either Post or Homogenic would be the best place to start.
This is a great song. I'm not surprised Kylie and Giorgio are such an excellent match for each other, but I wish they'd do a whole album together, this is just so fun.
I don't get why she is doing this. People know how to look for older videos on youtube, Sia! And many remember you from The Voice with Aguilera. Drop the act, girl.
So this finally gets a video! Too late to have any impact though. You fucked it up, Jeremih! This could have been a #1 hit if you had your shit together late last year. Of course, it's a great song regardless.
I'll just go out and say the only reason they are treating this as so terrible is because it's Fall Out Boy. I don't like the cover by any means, but considering the praise Stereogum has thrown to terrible covers in the past, like HAIM doing "Wrecking Ball" (I can't stand the original, but the cover almost makes it seem like the original has merit) or Lorde doing an awful, awful version of such a killer jam like "Don't Tell 'Em", it seems weird to throw such ire to a bad, but pretty easy to ignore cover version.
It's funny how a popstar with such a huge hit as "Call Me Maybe" can be so underrated, but that's Carly Rae Jepsen for you. She definitely deserved to have success than she did. I'm sure this new album is gonna be really great, she seems to be very aware and involved in the making of her music.
Exactly. I actually think it's bullshit to say Iggy gets more flack because she is a woman (and hey, I'm usually all for calling out people on the internet when they are intolerant to recognizing pop culture's disgusting treatment of women). But I don't buy her lame PR twisting statements (which are very poorly elaborated) at all. She gets flack because she constantly fails to recognize that any of this criticism is valid, and is quite stubborn in doing so, which only makes her seem obtuse. Macklemore, Eminem and Beastie Boys have all addressed white privilege in hip-hop with much more self-awareness than her, either by coming out to speak seriously on the matter or making remarks in their music that mention this, even if and when they don't make it the focus. Iggy obviously just doesn't know what the fuck is talking about, or pretends to not get it to try to twist it into something else. So far, she has been handling this very badly.
As for the cd release, it's sad to see how the label seems to be sabotaging this release, especially as releasing it later in the year was supposed to have been for a major push. But they are releasing fucking up in the release and promotion of this.
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