All About HIM

As a musician, I’m always fascinated by other young musicians that are around my age. I can accept that I am not the best producer, the best vocalist, the best pianist, the best drummer, the best bassist, or best guitarist. However, I always see through to the end with a vision. When crafting an album, I always have a story. Each song is a chapter that illustrating a theme or moment that contributes to that narrative or concept. Why don’t more artists challenge themselves? It seems that too often young talents squander their abilities. There’s too little maturity, and it is a terrible shame, because with the right guidance, these artists could craft something interesting. The cruel irony here is that I am one of the few people that notice this with any artist. There is a lack of detail that plagues most music, and most listeners miss it as well. 

Ed Sheeran seems to be popular among adolescent crowds. He’s a young guy, and his album + is indicative of this. He writes pop songs that are about youthful ideas of what romance, life, and hardship is like. A collection of folksy pop tunes, Ed Sheeran’s + really just sounds like a member of One Direction (most likely Zayn,) is attempting a solo project, but got drunk (no pun intended,) off of Iron & Wine. 

Sheeran does a lot of impressive things here. He’s a talented guitarist with a nice sounding voice. The verses he writes are semi-clever, and obviously heartfelt. His songs are almost believable and very emotive. There are images of fantasies that are ordinary and sweet that are intensified because of their lack of grandiosity. A variety of techniques are employed in terms of genre, and that kind of ambition is always welcome. Every time there is an echoing, through-the-walls guitar solo, it is difficult not to be swept in his otherwise maudlin tunes. 

Unfortunately, there is more wrong with the album than can salvage it. For every clever quip or rhyme, there is just as much inconsistency or repetition. It seems that Sheeran gets so invested in an idea that he uses the thought of huddling in the cold or being drunk while playing video games over and over. All he talks about is love and asking for love, with the exception of “You Need Me, I Don’t Need You.” Every song has that verse/chorus/verse structure that is so unoriginal. This formula is fine, but not when it’s used on and on. There’s no story, no scope, nothing to set him apart from every other singer/songwriter wannabe. Other artists have done more with much less, but Sheeran does not live up to something grand. It’s boring, and + as an album is so inconsistent and so uneven that it is hard to get through it and not feel somewhat uncomfortable by the end. 

While he may enjoy some success from singles, which this album may as well been built to be: a single juggernaut. It really is a shame, because Ed Sheeran has talent, but he lacks the focus and foresight that could make him better. I am thoroughly unimpressed by +, because when I write music, at least it does not sound with a bunch of lazy Mumford and Sons covers done by that one member of the Backstreet Boys that no one remembers. Sheeran needs to cultivate a sense of ambition, instead of a set of polished ballads made without attention. These songs are gorgeous, and if Sheeran can maintain that beauty, that accessibility, and grow up a little more, he can make something truly special. 

Score - 48 (D+/C-)
Notable Tracks - The A-Team, Drunk, Lego House

If anyone has been listening to pop radio, which most people have, then most listeners are familiar with Gotye’s “Somebody I Used to Know.” There are a lot of reasons to be proud of this song. It uses unconventional instrumentation, it is authentic, and it is a forward thinking move to try and popularize this type of song. Most artists are becoming more and more electronic, focusing more on keeping up with the times, and adhering to musical trends. This is apparent with the work of Muse, Coldplay, Kelly Clarkson, etc. Instead of pianos and real drums, we have synth pads and analog beats. Neither of these are new, but they destroy what The Strokes tried to save. They’re sacrificing artistry for a paycheck. By that logic, Gotye’s hit should make me ecstatic. He does many things that I appreciate from many artists. The irony here is that I despise that song to know end. It has no challenging qualities. I learnt to play it by ear. The lyrics are trite and cliche; heck, the title itself was used nearly a decade earlier as the end of a verse from The Postal Service’s song “We Will Become Silhouettes.” The same thing happened with Adele, another individual who is doing good, even if her songs are terrible. “Someone Like You” is also a lyric from Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody.” Needless to say, even honesty is getting lazier. 

I mention Gotye, because New Zealand artist Kimbra is featured, and she really adds to the song. She is a clearly talented vocalist, and she proves that on “Somebody I Used to Know.” Her debut album Vows was finally released in the U.S. last month. Dead set on hating Gotye, I found myself dead set on hating her, but I gave Vows as fair of a shake as I possibly could. What I got was an uneven tale of love, betrayal, heartache, and Kimbra trying to make as experimental a record as possible within pop. Initially captured by the baroque/R&B pop compositions occasionally buffered with electronics, Vows amounts to a mild disappointment. 

The album starts with her fragmented, but surprisingly effective. I was not immune to “Setting Down“‘s instant charm. It is a dynamic opener, and delves straight into the theme of monogamy. After all, this album is called Vows. The opener is astounding, and is followed by “Something in the Way You Are,” which is one of the best songs I have heard all year. It is ethereal, enchanting, and unquestionably beautiful. 

Just when it seems Kimbra has tried to secure a spot as the indie Duffy, she gives us what sounds like Robin Sparkles’ “Let’s Go the Mall,” and Robyn’s “Dancing on My Own,” but less good. In fact, the next time the album even reaches this quality is at the closer, “The Build Up.” In between the clear single and the end of the album, there is a huge dip in quality. “Two Way Street” would be acceptable if it was not such a suspicious theft of “Love on a Two Way Street.” Most people recognize this song as the sample used in Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind.” It is arguable that Kimbra’s song, gorgeous as it is, and Jay-Z’s hit ode to NYC sound a little too similar. From then on, the album is as forgettable and boring as could be. Almost every song has the same pop oriented structure, the mood stays the same, the electronics don’t work, the lyrics are elementary and don’t fluctuate, and songs begin to bleed together. Basically, the whole album collapses by the second quarter, and it’s only halfway done. It seems like it might pick up at “Old Flame,” but it does not. 

Despite all of the negativity and low expectations, this is not necessarily a bad album. As uninspired as some of it may be, it is legitimately well made, well arranged, and leaves plenty of room for Kimbra to improve. Let it be known that she is a talented songwriter, and a powerhouse vocalist. She not only emotes, and can belt, but she experiments with melodies, choral parts, and inflections that are very well done, even if what she’s singing is not that compelling. This is not particularly groundbreaking or very well balanced, but I am impressed by Kimbra. Yes, I do get to dislike her still, but at the same time, she is clearly a budding artist. I’m almost hoping she proves me wrong.

Score - 55 (C-)
Notable Tracks - Something in the Way You Are, Old Flame, The Build Up

It’s only been a few years, but it seems like it has been so long since Coldplay released an album. Perhaps I’ve missed them that much, which is strange. I am only a recent fan of Coldplay. A Rush of Blood to the Head is brilliant, and Parachutes is a fantastic debut. X&Y is a great third, and Viva La Vida is as epic as it got when it was released. Now we have Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay’s most ambitious record to date, and as per usual, it bodes well with these ears.

The album starts off elegantly enough with the title track. It flows and crashes straight into “Hurts Like Heaven.” A promising start to an album that seems to be aiming at rejuvination and optimism. That’s apparent in “Paradise”, and “Charlie Brown.” The album seems to start over at “M.M.I.A” which leads into lead single “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall.” There is an interesting change of pace, and the album goes from there. 

Musically, this is easily Coldplay’s greatest achievement. More electronically driven then ever, the best way to describe it is epic. This is a grand, loud, and epic piece of artistry. There is greater attention payed to detail and nuance. Most melodies are placed correctly, and I honestly feel younger and jubalant, at least in the beginning. New ground is covered, and the band tries a lot of different things. Chris Martin is a great vocalist, and he uses his dynamic range beautifully. In “Princess of China,” Rhianna and Martin play off each other almost flawlessly, and create an intensity that is really the most brooding of the whole album. 

Mylo Xyloto is not without its missteps. Lyrically, this is as unsatisfying as any Coldplay record. Chris Martin is a capable front man, but a poet he is so not. Their execution of a love story between Mylo and Xyloto falls on its face, and loses its focus from time to time. In fact, it isn’t really clear how the story begins, ends, or what certain parts means. This is not a case of one not understanding the message. There is a difference between being cryptic, and simply being messy. The album is disorganized. While the first half flows wonderfully, the second half loses it. There are a few great tracks there, but it ends up with most of it being filler. In fact, there are a lot of disposable tracks on this album “Up in Flames,” “Every Tear Is a Waterfall,” etc. Many tracks work on their own, but this does not function as well as it should. 

All in all, Mylo Xyloto is what it is. It’s an album that is fitting enough and decent enough to belong in Coldplay’s catalog. It’s a more or less building off of what was already there. If Chris Martin and co. do this for the rest of their career, then I’m sure that their best has yet to come.

Score - 78 (B)

Notable Tracks - Charlie Brown, U.F.O., Major Minus

Being the shameless indie lover I am, waiting for Sigur Ros’ new album was a painstaking venture, to some extent. Alas, after a few years, my patience was handsomely rewarded. 

What Sigur Ros has created is not just a collection of songs. It’s a journey. It is an etthereal series of landscapes and scenes that, by themselves are foggy and left open to interpretation. The beauty here is that, much like Bon Iver or Dntel, artists who write songs that seem incredibly ambiguous, is that it leaves the artist to create something that is clear to them, and let’s the listener decide its meaning. That is the best kind of art. It is not a story that we’re supposed to understand. It’s for us to decide what we want it to say. It is incredibly intimate, and unmistakably moving. 

Now, the album is not without a few flaws. For one thing, it lacks the same originality that makes Sigur Ros so memorable. It is a more grandiose ( ). That, and the fact that songs, while all beautiful and flow seamlessly, this comes at the cost of them almost bleeding together. It’s as if the album is one big song, which is fine, but it almost starts to wear thin by the end. 

Altogether, this is one of the best albums of 2011 that I have heard. It is expertly made, gripping, personal, and majestic. While not perfect, the flaws it has are not enough to keep from loving it, and from giving it a high score. Though I prefer their earlier work, I do like what Sigur Ros have done here, and I believe that it will go down as one of the better albums of 2011. 

Score - 91 (A)

Recommended Tracks:  Eg anda, Ekki Mukk,  Fjogur piano

At the turn of the decade, Eminem had cemented himself as the biggest rap artist of the modern era. Something happened around the release of Recovery. For the longest time, hip-hop had been the one genre that spawned singles that were both massive and brilliant. Nowadays, people accept Nicki Minaj, B.o.B., Kanye throwaways, and flippin’ Karmin as rap standards. Yes, we have Kid Cudi, Drake, Mos Def, and even Childish Gambino, but they should be the bar. What happened to songs that could be catchy, snarky, and interesting like Kanye’s “Gold Digger?” Where are the indictment of popular culture with Em’s “The Real Slim Shady?” I’ve got ninety-nine problems, one of which is this degradation of hip-hop. 

Recovery is hard to write about, because it represents everything about Eminem that is important when understanding who his public persona (or personas,) is, and what kind of person he is. Upon its release, Recovery received mixed reception. No Eminem record has truly been embraced wholeheartedly by critics, but retrospectively, many people (myself included,) can fondly appreciate albums like The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show, even a decade after the fact. This is a huge step up from Eminem’s controversial release Relapse. Unfortunately, Recovery does not present Marshall Mathers’ talent as effectively as his earlier work. 

There is a lot here that Eminem does right. For one thing, black or white, man or woman, young or old, there is no signed rapper who has better flow or better rhythm than Eminem. He fits clever quips, and catchy rhymes all while never missing a beat. It’s methodical, and so indicative of just how smart Mathers actually is. The whole idea of a triumph from Eminem should be fantastic. In theory, Marshall Mathers telling everyone who he is and why they don’t matter, properly executed, would be something to behold. For the most part, Em succeeds at this. He talks back to his detractors in such a sassy, but satisfying way. This is not the whole record. There are a few tender moments, and a few songs that are harrowing and bleak. These highs of intensity and lows of vulnerability, when they meet, make for something remarkable. It is also important to mention that this album is excellently produced. Every song, whether it is a stronger track or not, sounds very good. Arrangements work well together, samples are used effectively, and highs and lows are balanced perfectly. This is a good sounding album. 

What is so hard is that there is so much that is so great, but that is diluted by a lot that holds it back. This stumbles into what I hate about most modern rap music. For one thing, it is too long. Instead of a seventeen track record with twelve or thirteen songs and a few skits, we get seventeen songs. Recovery is nearly eighty minutes long, nearly maxing out the disc space. After a while, it starts to get boring. There are a ton of tracks that are so good, but there are nearly just as many that are incredibly weak. Many of these tracks are the biggest songs from the record: i.e. “Love the Way You Lie,” “No Love,” and “Not Afraid.” These tracks really don’t add a lot to the album, and get in the way of some better songs. In fact, as a whole, this album can be gratuitous in how abrasive its lyrical themes are. It is nice to take a break from the club, and from Eminem’s conquests, but that does not keep this from being one of the most misogynistic collection of songs. It is not offensive in this vein through and through, but it takes up a large chunk of the album. On top of this, Mathers is unspeakably profane. It’s as if Em writes his rhymes, and fills in the gaps with whatever dirty word or phrase he can think of. I am not overly perturbed by foul language, but when it is so frequent, it’s hard not to start feeling uncomfortable. The other thing that is bothersome regarding the record is that is how inconsistent it is. A good album should flow from track to track, but this is really just a collection of songs clumped together. Recovery could be a really epochal journey, but there are missed opportunities, and we have Em running out of the gates, and then ending it with Slim Shady, as if it was an idea that he thought of near the end, and thought maybe it would work. It doesn’t. 

Recovery could be amazing. It is a solid release, but there is too much filler, too many bad decisions made, too little focus, and a lack of cohesion. As a whole, it is a good record, but put in context with Eminem’s discography, it’s a disappointment. Had Mathers really put more into the whole, and tried to make a more concise statement, Recovery may very well have been his magnum opus. Alas, we are given a release that has traces of its author’s apparent greatness. Eminem is an ambitious artist. He is capable of greatness, and we should expect nothing less. 

Score: 62 (C+)
Notable Tracks: Cold Wind Blows, Space Bound, and Cinderella Man

I’m gonna start posting music reviews. I have a few already finished. I’ll post them right away. If anyone has any requests, let me know. I’d love to oblige.