8/25/2011 Song of the Day- Radiohead- How to Disappear Completely (2000)

My general listening habits can be summed up into two categories- pre Radiohead's Kid A and post Radiohead's Kid A. I was 14 when I started to notice a strange marketing campaign for a then pretty much unknown band to me. There were strange, abstract commericals on MTV on commercial breaks for TRL, (which I watched regularly) advertisements in Billboard magazine, (I've been reading Billboard since I was 11) and to top it all off- the album debuted at #1 on the charts. So on a mild day in October of 2000 on a trip with my grandparents to Columbus, Indiana for a day of shopping, we stopped by a Target, was intrigued by the album and decided I wanted to buy it. At the checkout, the woman gave me a rather odd look once she saw the album cover, and was looking for a parental advisory sticker given I was 14 at the time. (given- southern Indiana is just as conservative as rural Kentucky)

After a mass amount of sleeper success with "OK Computer", Radiohead did a complete 180, invoking an eerie, spacious, electronic album influenced by krautrock and the dark aspects of electronica. As "Faded" by SoulDecision was one of my favorite songs at the time, I didn't get the album at first, which frustrated me. I'd sit downstairs by my computer with my portable CD player (hey, remember those?) and try to make something out of it. Why is every song so complicated yet minimalistic at the same time? What are all of these baffling noises and croons? Finally, after maybe a month had gone by, during maybe the 6th or 7th trudge through the album, it finally clicked. It was a revalation. Not only had my mind been officially expanded, but the foreign concept that a pop song can be more than hooks and melodies came to fruition.

Radiohead was essentially my gateway drug. I'd always been obsessed with music, but my focus completely changed. Out was Contemporary Christian music like Jars of Clay or dcTalk and vh1-centric bands like Matchbox 20, and in were lesser known artists that pushed the envelope- like Jeff Buckley and Sonic Youth. I remember hyping my brother up about Radiohead so much after my awesome discovery that I convinced him to buy "The Bends" while I bought "OK Computer" at the same time. I became such an obsessive fan that I convinced my dad to drive me to Ear-X-Tacy (the go-to indie record store in Louisville) at midnight to purchase their subsequent album, "Amnesiac".

The song "How to Disappear Completely" is by far my favorite song from my favorite album of all time, and I don't know why I've waited this long on my blog to discuss my favorite band ever. It's a very sparse, lengthy tune- repeating the phrase "I'm not here/ This isn't happening". I don't think I completely interpreted that at 14 accurately, but it was pretty much the coolest set of lyrics I'd ever stumbled upon. The very slow buildup to an emotional climax in the song was almost a foreign concept to me, and it was so much more rewarding because of it. Hell, the whole album is amazing, and many may argue that "Idiotheque" or "Optimistic" is the album's zenith- but I'll argue tooth and nail that this is Kid A's best song.

I actually met the producer of the album, Nigel Godrich, during a random encounter at work back in March. I told him how profound of an influence Radiohead has had on my music intake over the years, and he was genuinely appreciative of my admiration. I remember specifically asking him- "So, in recording Kid A- was everyone other than Thom Yorke kind of like- Uhh, what the hell are we doing?" He responded nonchalantly, like he was talking about his best friend, "Oh, there was lots of bickering, but it all worked out." It was so weird to place something so monumental to me in a simple human form. Regardless, Radiohead will always be the end-all/say-all band for me. I've always been obsessed with music, but as I've said- Radiohead was my gateway drug for music. They are the voice of my generation, the way Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd were for the previous.

Opinion: OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All)

If you haven't heard of OFWGKTA, don't sweat it. You're about to when they wreak havoc on the VMA's next Sunday, as Tyler the Creator's "Yonkers" video is (very well deservingly) nominated for video of the year. Odd Future is a collective of very young rappers and producers (we are talking 17-21 years of age) similar in numbers to the Wu Tang Clan, but that's where the similarities stop.



These guys have absolutely filthy lyrics. Like, as in Eminem getting a PG-13 rating in comparison. They lyrics are abrasive, violent, misogynisitic, anti-christian, homophobic, and racist. (for example- "raped a pregnant bitch and told my friends I had a threesome") Their production and sound is very challenging and peculiar for their age- think of The Neptunes and Madlib joining forces on a trip to hell and back. They blew up last year in the music blogging world after group leader Tyler the Creator released his debut "Bastard", pretty much becoming the first and prime example of a group virtually unknown to the general public, yet superstars on music blogs and websites.

Their fanbase right now consists of an odd mixture of late teens/early twenties mainstream hip hop listeners and indie hipsters/bloggers. I believe that the former got hooked on the novelty aspect of the band- teens their age being naughtier than any artist of relevance has ever been? The latter is because of the ironic artistic merit from their innovative beats and captivating wordplay.


As they are pretty much the most blatantly offensive band making waves today, it took me awhile to form an opinion on their lyrical content. I've always been a bit hesitant about rappers who use the word "faggot" a lot, (except perennial fave Ghostface Killah) but I think to myself- they are ripping on everyone and not just the gays. If I'm offended by their use of the word, I should be even more offended at their attitude towards women. For me, as long as the music is there and some kind of artistic vision can be seen, I frankly don't care about the lyrical content. These guys never could have existed in any other musical time period- imagine a major label taking these guys under their wing and trying to market them.



An entire new generation now has instant access to all of the music in the world. Tyler the Creator cites some of his main influences as Portishead and Stereolab. When in any other time period would an inner city teenager from a broken home have access to 2 of the most influential electronic acts of the past 20 years?

I don't think Odd Future will ever become truly mainstream or a household name. (besides being demonized from the conservative community as with Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, etc) Besides the potential R&B superstar member Frank Ocean, their sound is too inaccessible for mainstream ears. I was pleaseantly suprised upon my first exposure to Odd Future, baffled that normal 20 year olds would warm to the production. It took a good while for Tyler's new album (and my first true exposure to them) "Goblin" to sink in. But from the sheer music alone- the group is collectively producing challenging, provocative, and refreshingly, genuinely NEW music.

It can be ENDLESSLY debated that popular music has reached its cultural and artistic zentith already- and I constantly look for ways to disprove that. Odd Future, along with The Weeknd, are two of the very few artists producing truly new music that would have been impossible to exist at times other than 2011.

8/20/2011: The Weeknd feat. Drake- The Zone

I feel like I've listened to more R&B this year than any other genre in 2011. It's hard to find consistently evolving genres- I'm always looking for what's new under the sun. It seems like the social media age and immediate access to all kinds of music has had a huge influence on the R&B community. The Weeknd's first mixtape, "House of Balloons", was released to deafening hype and rapturous reviews. For the first time, we have a potential megastar self-producing tracks with Beach House and Cocteau Twins samples. For a genre that is notorious for providing a few hit singles off of an album with corresponding filler on the rest of the album, R&B has gained credibility amongst the indie community in a similar sense to the turn of the millenium, when Maxwell, D'Angelo, and Erykah Badu released their career defining albums. As fresh as they sounded back in 1996-1999. Just as these artists gave the genre a face lift, so will this new generation of "blogger artists".

The song's almost 7 minutes long, and the atmospheric interlude between The Weeknd and Drake's verses- when has that ever happened before in R&B? The unconventional notions of indie experimentalism and mainstream R&B are finally colliding, and The Weeknd will be remembered as the artist (along with the OFWGKTA collective) that really merged it and created a splash.

As with Frank Ocean, these two artists will become absolute stars over the next year or two. And as for the song itself I'm blogging about... nothing really needs to be said. I guess the most notable thing is that this is really one of the few completely new things happening in music, in ANY genre. Which is why I'm so crazy about it.

Hot 100 Chart Analysis- 08/27/2011

WINS:

1. Katy Perry- T.G.I.F. (Last Friday Night)

This is a very special win, in fact one of the most monumental achievements in pop music history. Katy Perry has now scored 5 number 1 singles off of her album Teenage Dream, tying Michael Jackson for the record of most #1's off of one album. Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul, and Janet Jackson come close with 4 each off of their albums, all occurring between 1989-1991. It's especially notable considering the digital age and the immediacy of access to music- Last Friday Night has been available to consumers for a full year now, and people have much more access to music through various outlets than in 1988 when Jackson initially broke the record. The reducing of the price of the single to 69 cents on iTunes, along with a newly released remix featuring Missy Elliott, (I've MISSED HER!!) helped edge "Party Rock Anthem" for the spot, but what really pushed her over the edge is how insanely huge it is at radio- it spends its 2nd week at #1 on Radio Songs with a bullet. Will she try for a 6th? "Peacock", while racy for radio even by today's standards, could be a huge smash. I will also admit that unabashedly love the video for "Last Friday Night".




25. Rihanna- Cheers (I'll Drink to That)

God, her album "Loud" is chock full of hits. This is the 8th single off the album, and it's only been out since the Christmas rush of 2010. I can say without a doubt that this might be her 4th #1 single off of Loud (thus tying aforementioned Mariah, Paula, and Janet) if digital sales are strong enough. It was an absolute hit the first time I heard it, and I'm not surprised they waited this long to release it. Surely this will be the last single from the album. It's actually a very smart strategy to wait and release one of the best songs on the album as a late-term release to keep album sales momentum. Though both Katy Perry and Rihanna's album sales numbers are very low considering their popularity, keeping an artist on the radio for as long as possible is key.

#70 Dev- In the Dark

It's by sheer coincidence that my 3 winners of the week (and one loser) are solo female artists- but really, we live in an era of solo female artist dominance. Los Angeles supports their local artists like no other, and Dev has been a mainstay on top 40 here since "Like a G6". Jumping from #92-#70 in one week, her new single "In the Dark" seems to have the momentum for top 40. Given her talk-speak style and lack of strong vocals, it seems like her success is a direct result of Ke$ha. The song itself is pretty catchy, and I'm all for LA artists making it big.


FAILS:

#18 Beyonce- Best Thing I Never Had

If I didn't know Beyonce's 3rd and 4th singles (Party and Countdown) off of 4 didn't have massive appeal and potential to be blockbusters, I would have immediately dismissed 4 as a flop. Run the World (Girls) was an interesting song but completely lacks melody or anything memorable other than the already heavily sampled Major Lazer's "Pon de Floor". I give her credit for having the balls to release such an unconventional single, but Columbia overcompensated severely with the release of "Best Thing I Never Had"- an average ballad released in a sea of turbo pop and house-hip-hop top 40. I'm honestly surprised it became a top 20 hit- it really attests to Beyonce's sheer star power. When she finally releases a song that current radio listeners can warm up to (without compromising with gimmicks and current trends) the album just might take off. Columbia has publicly stated they find 4 an "18 month" album, and the album has 3 absolutely killer potential singles. Can we please just get this average skip-over track out of the way and get to the GOOD songs on 4?



#57 Jason Derulo- Don't Wanna Go Home

Jason Derulo had 3 top 10 hits with his debut, on the back of an Imogen Heap sampled track, which pretty much solidified him as a relevant pop star of this era. Early indications of a sophomore slump are evident, as the first single from his second album, "Don't Wanna Go Home", peaked at #14 and is now rapidly descending the charts. The song itself, the millionth to sample of Robin S's dance classic "Show Me Love" sounds insanely uninspired- the desperation for a strong sophomore lead single is evident as it gives into every current trend. I mean, the song isn't a flop by any means- it peaked at #14. The problem is establishing an artist without a distinct personality and a good (but not unique) voice from the fierce competition.

Commentary: Country is the new Top 40 Pop

A few times a week, I like to investigate the top-selling songs on iTunes. It's a huge indicator of future hits- the results of purchases are immediate- thus accelerating a fad or trend in music. For example, when "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 hit #3 this week, it's been #1 on iTunes since the early last week- so the industry suspected it. (Don't even get me started on how The Voice saved Maroon 5's career)

Right now, country music seems to parallel a similar template in late 1990's adult pop music. It was a time when VH1 hits dominated the radio- any female artist with a hint of individuality and a guitar or piano- Paula Cole, Jewel, Shawn Colvin, Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow to name a few- could hit top 40. The only difference in the world that I see between their pop hits and today's country top 40 is the addition of fiddle guitar and a twanged voice. (hell, that's all Jewel had to do to make her unsuccessful attempt at a country crossover career) It makes total sense that Darius Rucker of Hootie & the Blowfish found massive success these past few years, despite being black. Former top 40 artists like Uncle Kracker (of Kid Rock and "Follow Me" fame) recently experienced a country top 10 with "Smile", and is currently on a huge tour with Kenny Chesney. Bon Jovi experienced a huge career resurgence by making a country album, and their subsequent tour created one of the most successful tour runs of the year.

In the same light, the lines between country and adult top 40 have come blurred recently as well. While country crossover singles (Faith Hill's "Breathe", Lonestar's "Amazed", etc) have occasionally fared well on the chart, you only have to look at this week's adult top 40 chart to see that The Band Perry's "If I Die Young" is the greatest gainer of the week, and artists like Lady Antebellum regularly make chart appearances due to the success of "Need You Now".



When it boils down to it, there is simply a certain segment of the United States that prefers inoffensive, catchy, conventional music. Since the early 2000's hip-hop Murder Inc/50 Cent era, Vh1 type pop music has existed as the exception and not the norm. Looking at present day's charts- groups like One Republic have success due to Ryan Tedder being one of today's most popular songwriters, a fluke hit transition to mainstream success a few times a year, and perennial artists like Pink. Colbie Callait occasionally breaks the Adult Top 40 barrier for a hit, while legacy artists like Rob Thomas,

For this specific audience, music is treated like less of an extracurricular hobby, and more like a byproduct of what happens to be playing on the radio. The audience of vehemently anti hip-hop and anti-electronic is shrinking as the 2 aforementioned formats are becoming ever more dominant. It makes total sense that the line is being blurred between the two formats.

Thanks for visiting!

Well, the blog is going public today. If you are checking it out for the first time, THANK YOU for showing interest. My main goal for this website is to provide commentary and information in a subject I am competely obsessed with and compassionate about. The title is a reference to my favorite album from the decade I was born- Sonic Youth's 1988 album Daydream Nation. I hope you enjoy and come back to visit for daily updates!

8/15/2011- Jay Z & Kanye West ft. Frank Ocean- Made in America (2011)

Do I even need an introduction for this? The music world and blogs have been in a frenzy over the release of Watch the Throne, and is targeted to sell over half a million units in its first week. The 11th track from the album, "Made in America", instantly became the standout track off the album for me upon first listen.

In lead single Otis, the term "luxury rap" is coined. I can't think of a more accurate description from such a blockbuster of an album- 2 of the most powerful MC's- hell- musicians in the world rapping over the best beats money can buy, concurrently rapping about the things they can buy. Gears switch on "Made in America", a more conscious, socio-political statement, repeatedly referencing Coretta Scott King, Malcolm X, and Sweet Baby Jesus.

If unfamiliar, OFWGKTA member Frank Ocean, arguably the most buzzed about R&B artist in the genre currently, creates an instantly recognizable and addictive chorus. Even if a bit uninspired, the song has substance. 'Ye and Z offer earnest, heartfelt verses- but the real story for the song is a much blogged about artist earning his first legitimate exposure to the mainstream.

The song is basically a potential single and radio smash waiting to happen.