Nick Jonas - Live in Concert at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, NY [Sunday, 10/4/15] [Review]

During the very late part of the summer (I believe that it was about a month or so ago), Nick Jonas played a free show at the New York State Fair in Syracuse, NY, which isn't too terribly far from me. It is approximately thirty miles, a forty-five minute to an hour drive. I could not find anyone who was interested in going with me, though, and I didn't want to go to the fair alone. Some things happen for a reason, though, because I recently found out (as did everyone, since it was so recently announced) that he was playing in Utica, NY at Mohawk Valley Community College, so I had a second chance to see him! This time around, the concert was not free, but as an MVCC employee (I am an adjunct professor of English), I got a discount, and the ticket was only $20. This was probably a much more intimate, not to mention comfortable, setting than the fair probably would have been, too, and considering the fact that this may have just been the best show that I have ever attended, the $20 was well worth it. One thing that Nick Jonas definitely knows how to do is put on a good show!

A duo opened for Nick, and I quite honestly wasn't crazy over them, so I was glad that their set was only a few songs. I can't remember what they were called; it sounded like they said Cassie & Monroe, but they said that they had a Twitter account, and when I ran a search for them on Twitter, I found nothing. They were sort of like a blend of pop and rap, with one of them singing and the other rapping. Their songs were silly and fun, but as I said, I was there to see Nick and wasn't really all that into them. Fortunately, after their set, fans didn't have long to wait until Nick began his set. Immediately, I was pleasantly taken aback by the screens on stage, demonstrating all sorts of strange, trippy images, some of which seemed an awful lot like a James Bond film intro. I don't know why (probably because the concert was in a gym on a community college campus), but I really wasn't expecting the show to be so visually stunning, but I sure was in for a night to remember, a night of vivid colors, flashing lights, and an awesome setlist, which was as follows:

1. Chains
2. Numb
3. Wilderness
4. Good Thing
5. I Want You
6. Who I Am / Give Love a Try / Hotline Bling
7. Warning
8. Push
9. Under You
10. Santa Barbara
11. Levels
12. Teacher
13. Take Over
14. Jealous

I was really pleased with the setlist. With the exceptions of "Avalanche," 'Nothing Would Be Better," and "Closer," he performed almost the entirety of the album and then some, and the songs flowed pretty nicely together. I somehow knew that he would open with "Chains" and was right about that. The screen on stage, which was demonstrating moving white shapes, opened up as a door through which Nick entered, making his appearance in a plaid shirt and causing the crowd to roar with excitement. Nick was backed by a band on stage, which I think was guitarist, bassist, and drummer, and the live rendition of "Chains" was pretty awesome because with the band, it was a heavier, rock rendition of the song, which, on the album, is pretty light and soft. "Wilderness" was one of my favorite performances of the show, which is probably mainly because it is my favorite song on the album, and "Good Thing" was a whole lot of fun, too. He is really animated on stage, and you can tell that he is genuinely having fun. The fact that he agreed to play at the New York State Fair for free last month really shows that he does what he does for the right reasons, too.

One highlight for the majority of the crowd really seemed to be when he performed a medley of older songs from his days with the Jonas Brothers and with Nick Jonas & the Administration. This seemed to evoke the most amount of excitement and participation from the audience. Also included in this medley was a brief cover of Drake's "Hotline Bling," with which I honestly had not been familiar. A true highlight for me was his performance of "Push," as this was so fun to watch. Before the song began, a translucent curtain came down behind which Nick stood, and the curtain displayed images of water, making it look as if Nick were under a waterfall (this was one of many really exciting, visually stunning performances of which I captured some video). After this performance, Nick announced that he is currently in the process of working on a new record (which is really exciting!) and then said that the next song was new. The song was called "Under You," and this is a really fun song of which I can't wait to hear the studio version. It was catchy, and I was singing along to it (not to mention enjoying the vibrant colors on the stage) by the end of the performance.

"Santa Barbara" was another highlight for me. Behind Nick was an image of what appeared to be the sun, and the crowd passionately raised their hands and waved them back and forth during the emotional chanting part of the song. I really started to feel very emotional during this performance. Parts of this show really felt like a religious experience, like Nick was sharing a deeply personal part of himself with his audience. Some artists have the ability to do that while others do not as much. He definitely does, which is a large part of the reason why I enjoyed this show so much. "Teacher" is an upbeat, fun song and is definitely a colorful highlight on the album, so of course, it was here, too. Lots of bright, vivid colors such as pink and yellow flashed behind him, and silhouettes of women's legs and women's bodies flashed and danced behind him, which was one part that really reminded me a great deal of James Bond. A lot of the backing videos and images were, as I said, very trippy, and they also flashed quickly and brightly. I kept thinking that as much as I was really enjoying it, I was grateful that I didn't have epilepsy.

After Nick performed "Take Over," the lights of the stage shut down, and Nick wandered off somewhere. I watched in amusement as some people left, believing the concert to be over. I was amused for three central reasons. (1) He didn't even say goodbye. (2) Who would believe that he would perform a show and not perform "Jealous"? Really? (3) They obviously had not been to many shows before, if any, because there is always an encore. That's part of the experience. Hearing "Jealous" was really exciting because it is the song that made me a fan of Nick, and you could tell that the whole crowd was really hyped to be hearing it. The stage flashed with pink and blue lights, with tropical, beachy images of palm trees appearing behind Nick. As I said, this was probably the best show that I have ever attended. Nick was just so vibrant and genuinely happy to be there, and whoever put all that hard work into the videos showing behind Nick really needs to be commended. This show might have also featured the best sound quality that I have ever heard at a show, with the volume of Nick's vocals being perfect and his voice being crisp and clear. If I ever get the opportunity to see him again, I surely will! Thank you for a magical night, Nick Jonas!

Rose McGowan - RM486 - Single [Review]

Rose McGowan recently released her debut single "RM486," and to put it simply, I can't get enough of it. A lot of news sources are referring to it as her music debut, which isn't technically true. McGowan has recorded music before for the Grindhouse: Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror soundtrack, recording songs such as "You Belong to Me" and "Two Against the World." This is, however, her single debut as well as her debut as an original musician. I went a while not knowing what the title was in reference to, but McGowan has told Billboard that RM are her initials, while 486 is in reference to an abortion drug. I'm still not 100% sure what that has to do with the song, but at least the title is not completely confusing to me now (although I am honestly surprised that I didn't figure out that RM is in reference to her initials on my own). The song grabbed my attention when I saw it advertised because I know Rose McGowan from her role as Paige Matthews on Charmed and from her brief role as young Cora on Once Upon a Time. The advertisement was actually for the music video (which features a shorter edit of the song), one of the most interesting music videos that I have ever seen. The music video features Rose McGowan portraying multiple different characters such as a nude, bald, and completely white alien with very long fingernails and a character with blood-red skin covered in glitter.

The song itself is very electronic in nature and has an outer spacey feel to it, sounding almost like a retro song from the eighties. There are a couple of artists of whom it reminds me as well as an artist of whom the music video reminds me, but I will keep the comparisons to myself out of respect for Rose, who has said that she wants nothing more than to be herself, to not be compared to other musicians. The song opens with the following monologue: "I've seen things that people can't imagine, attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched c-beams glitter in the dark, and all those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. Time to die. Time to die." This is a quote from the 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner, a quote which is almost verbatim but is loosely paraphrased. The vocals here are considerably quieter than the accompanying music and are a bit difficult to understand without looking up the lyrics (even Genius does not know some of the lyrics), and this is honestly true in regards to most of the song's vocals, due, in part, to the vocals being so echoey. The song's chorus says that she is "only here to paint color on the sun," which I think is in reference to Rose wanting to make a difference with her art and with her music. Painting color on the sun (if, of course, such a thing were possible) would affect the entire world because the entire world would see it, and the entire world would be more colorful. I believe that that is what Rose is saying here, that she wants to make an impact.

I am in love with the beat of this song and with the therapeutic "feel good" tone to it. I have been listening to it non-stop for days now. As I said, my only complaint with the song is that I wish that McGowan's vocals were louder and easier to understand, but I do sincerely hope that McGowan will continue down this path of original music and will eventually release a full-length album (and by eventually, I mean soon). Although she has said that she doesn't know for sure if and when an album will come out because she isn't signed to a record label (yet), she has also said that she has come to hate the world of acting because (for one reason) it is, most of the time, through the voices of men, meaning that most writers, producers, directors, etc. are men, which is true. I therefore don't see her doing much more acting if that is how she feels about it. She seems really enthusiastic about this song and about being a musician in general, so I think that we can expect more from her as long as she gets signed, and even if she doesn't get signed, she managed to put together and release this amazing song, so I am thinking that she can put together and release more amazing singles and maybe even release a full-length album independently. I really don't think that she would have any problem getting signed to a record label, though. She is well-known already, and "RM486" is getting quite a bit of media hype. Here's to wishing Rose McGowan the best of luck painting color on the sun!

Madonna - Rebel Heart Tour - Live at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY [Saturday, 9/19/15] [Review]

When the Rebel Heart era started, my friend David (who is also a huge fan of Madonna) and I decided that we would make it a point to see her live this time around. We made such plans early on and vowed that we would make it happen come hell or high water. Here's the thing about Madonna. She's talented when it comes to performing, songwriting, dancing, and even singing (I say even because some people dispute this, saying that her ability to sing live without any digital aid is not that great, something that I think that she has proven wrong on more than one occasion), and she has obviously left a legendary mark over the last thirty+ years, but I will just say this - there is a line from her unreleased leaked track "Two Steps Behind Me" that says that "tickets are going to cost," and even though I am taking that out of context, it certainly is true. Two tickets for me and my friend costed over $300, and those were for pretty shoddy seats. We were not only at a considerable distance from the stage but also had a side angle (photograph of my view of the stage is inserted below), which prevented me from seeing quite a bit, such as many of the tour videos that played behind dear Madge. Really good seats close to the stage costed anywhere between $2,000 and $5,000, and no, I didn't accidentally add extra zeros. That was obviously out of the question, and it amazes me that anyone in their right mind would be able to afford that. It really makes me wonder who sets these prices. If it's Madonna herself, then as much as I respect her as an artist, it would seem that she has a bit of a superiority complex. Then again, though, if people are actually willing to pay that kind of money, then I guess that it's reasonable that someone would take advantage of that.

Several months before attending the show, David and I created our own setlists. I think that his was more of a dream setlist, but I did my best to make mine as realistic as possible. I was anxious to see how close that I would be. This is the setlist that I created:

1. Illuminati
2. Iconic
3. Borrowed Time
4. Hollywood
5. Hung Up / Addicted
6. Ghosttown
7. Give Me All Your Luvin'
8. Bitch I'm Madonna
9. Girl Gone Wild
10. Vogue
11. Borderline
12. Turn Up the Radio
13. Give It 2 Me
14. Unapologetic Bitch
15. Devil Pray
16. Holy Water
17. Erotica / S.E.X.
18. Human Nature
19. Veni Vidi Vici
20. Rebel Heart
21. Celebration
22. Like a Prayer / Living for Love

I was, however, way off on my predictions. The only "dream" inclusion was a mashup of "Hung Up" and "Addicted." I knew that she wouldn't perform "Addicted," anyway, let alone perform it mashed up with "Hung Up" (but I sure do wish that someone would do that). Although I was wrong about what song that she would open with, my expectation was that "Iconic" would, at the very least, be near the beginning of the show, and I was right about that, as the show opened with "Iconic." I was also right about "Devil Pray" and "Holy Water" being played back to back, but it was actually in reverse order and closer to the beginning of the show. Aside from that, I was terribly wrong, and it really pains me to admit that I was, overall, disappointed with what I got. I would have preferred my setlist. For starters, Madonna closed with a pretty generic performance of "Holiday," violating my expectation that she would close with "Living for Love" (since closing with the lead single from the associated album is essentially what she has done since the Drowned World Tour in 2001). The main reason why I was disappointed with that is that she has closed so many tours with "Holiday," so it was nothing new. The Who's That Girl world tour, The Girlie Show, and the Re-Invention World Tour all closed with "Holiday." I was also really disappointed with the "Living for Love" performance itself. It was essentially the same performance that we have seen in the past (with the cape and the minotaurs), and I was quite honestly fine with that. It worked in the past, and I didn't mind being presented with something familiar but also still fresh. What I didn't like, however, was that it was a remix that was performed, a remix that essentially killed the power and strength of the chorus.

I did not spoil myself regarding the setlist prior to seeing the show. I wanted to be surprised by what I heard, but before going in, I determined that she would most definitely perform "La Isla Bonita." I didn't put that on my predicted setlist because it didn't occur to me until afterward that Madonna always performs "La Isla Bonita." It must be a favorite of hers because ever since the song was released on True Blue in 1986, she has performed it on every single tour. It's a good song and is certainly a classic, but it's getting old. I found myself really disappointed with the setlist overall because aside from the Rebel Heart songs that she performed, most of the songs that were included were old songs from the eighties that have been done time and time again ("Burning Up," "Material Girl," "Everybody," "Lucky Star," etc.). I understand that they're classics, but absolutely nothing from American Life (my favorite Madonna album and also the album that I feel fits the best with the rebel theme) was performed, and only one song between Music and Rebel Heart was performed, which was "Candy Shop" from 2008's Hard Candy. "Candy Shop" is not a single, but this seems to be another song that Madonna enjoys performing live because she has done so on every tour since the Sticky & Sweet Tour. Although they were not on my setlist (because, as I said, it was primarily meant to be a realistic prediction, not a dream setlist), I really would have liked to have heard more Rebel Heart songs like "Inside Out," "Wash All Over Me," and "Hold Tight." It is also a sin that she didn't perform "Veni Vidi Vici" because even though it isn't really one of my favorites from Rebel Heart, the reflective, introspective nature of it made it a necessity to perform on the tour, and it should have either been near the beginning of the setlist or near the end.

There were, for me, three primary highlights of the show. The first was the fourth song performed, a medley of "Holy Water" and "Vogue." This performance reminded me of The Girlie Show (the tour to promote the 1992 album Erotica), primarily because of its provocative, sexual nature (see performance here). I remember leaning over to David and saying that if she hadn't already taken heat from conservatives, she surely would. Much to my surprise, I have not seen any related headlines. Another highlight for me was her acoustic performance of "True Blue." Although an oldie, she hasn't performed the song in nearly twenty years, and, as I said, it was an acoustic rendition (see here), and it was absolutely beautiful. I cannot wait for a studio version to surface. The third highlight for me was the title track, "Rebel Heart." Although I was disappointed (but not the least bit surprised) that she performed the album version of the song as opposed to the superior Avicii demo version, it was still such a surreal experience to hear the melody live. The Avicii demo is the first song from this era that I (and probably most Madonna fans) heard, and I was blown away by how good that it was. If the album had collectively lived up to the standards set by that demo, then it most certainly would have been her best album yet. Although I couldn't see it all very well, a video played while Madonna sang the song, a video featuring fanmade artwork and whatnot, and near the end of the performance, I felt overwhelmed by emotion and got teary-eyed. As I said, it was just a really surreal experience to hear that song being performed live in front of me.

The majority of the remainder of the show was, however, rather disappointing, especially since, overall, it did not match the intended goal of the era - which was, as it has been put (even in the intro of the show), a revolution. "Messiah" is a beautiful song, one of my absolute favorites from the album, and although I am glad that it was included at all (I honestly didn't expect that it would be), it deserved to be actually performed rather than serve as an interlude. I really enjoyed most of the outfits (especially this utterly beautiful, colorful dress worn during the middle section of the show), but as I said, I didn't have the greatest view. That's why I can't really effectively review the dancing, the props, etc.; I didn't get a good view. In fact, David tried to point out a depiction of the Last Supper to me, but I couldn't see it. It's a shame that tickets to see her are so majorly overpriced because I would have immensely enjoyed myself had the seats been better. Madonna seemed really free and happy, and all that I could think throughout a majority of the show was how lucky the people on the bottom floor near the stage were. Even the merchandise was majorly overpriced. I got a t-shirt because I wanted a keepsake, but it was $40. Hoodies were, I believe, $75. David and I wanted programs but did not get them because I believe that they were $30 apiece. Again, I don't know who decides on these prices, but it's ridiculous. Seeing Madonna was on my mental bucket list, and I feel so lucky and blessed that I was able to make that a reality, but if I were ever to see her again, it probably wouldn't be unless it were close and/or if I had the money to afford (a) better seat(s) because otherwise, I don't think that it would be worth it. I think that I will get much more out of this tour when I see it on blu-ray or DVD than I did seeing it live.

Lana Del Rey - Honeymoon [Review]

Something that I love about Lana Del Rey is the fact that with an increasingly impressive catalogue of demos and unreleased tracks that seem to keep leaking and leaking and four major releases since 2012's commercial debut Born to Die,  she seems to be a very busy girl when it comes to her music. Fans (which many have agreed to refer to as Lanatics) never have to wait too terribly long for new music; merely fifteen months passed between Lana's last release, Ultraviolence, and this release, Honeymoon. It is debatable as to what album number that this is. One could either say that it's the third album, the fourth album, or the fifth album, and all would technically be right but with different reasons. Even if two people were to say that it's the fourth album, they could each have a different reason. Lana's first album is technically 2010's Lana Del Ray a.k.a. Lizzy Grant, followed by Born to Die (2012), Paradise (2012), Ultraviolence (2014), and Honeymoon (2015). All of these, in my mind, count as their own separate albums. Many people consider Paradise to be an EP, but similar to Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster, it is, to me, its own album. The sound is a little bit different than that of Born to Die, and including the bonus track "Burning Desire," the album features nine tracks, which is beyond what would normally be considered an EP (Madonna's debut album from 1983 features eight tracks and is considered a full-length album), but I digress. I will, simply put, refer to Honeymoon as Lana's fifth album.

Once again, Lana manages to retain her typical style while still doing something new with that said typical style. Considering all of the major/commercial releases, I think of Born to Die as the pop album, Paradise as the noir/film soundtrack album, Ultraviolence as the psychedelic/rock album, and Honeymoon as the blues/jazz album. I remember reading quite some time ago that Honeymoon would be a return to Born to Die's sound, but that is definitely not the case. Of the previous three major/commercial releases, Honeymoon is probably closest in sound to Ultraviolence, as they are the two most downbeat albums thus far. Even then, though, as I said, Lana still delivers something new. Abandoning the electric guitars and psychedelic sounds found on Ultraviolence tracks such as "Cruel World" and "West Coast," she primarily opts instead for strings, piano, saxophone, etc. Highlights on the album include "God Knows I Tried," "High by the Beach" (the lead single), "Freak," and "Salvatore," but so many songs on this album are so phenomenal melodically and lyrically, so much so that it is really difficult to choose a favorite (but I think that I have conquered that difficulty and have chosen "Freak"). I think that my only complaint regarding the album (aside from its terrible cover art - I mean, is it meant to be a Starline Tours ad?) is its title. I don't feel that Honeymoon fits the album's overall content. I remember hearing rumors that the album would be called Music to Watch Boys To (which is the title of the album's second track), and I would have been a lot happier with that, as I feel that that would have been more appropriate.

Honeymoon opens with its title track "Honeymoon," which was technically the first song released from the album, as it was uploaded to Lana's YouTube channel during the summer. The song, to me, sounds a lot like a film noir song, a song featured as the lead song from a very old movie. It opens with soaring orchestral strings wailing the song's main melody, with Lana opening the album with lyrics that manage to be both self-confident and self-depreciating: "We both know that it's not fashionable to love me, but you don't go 'cause truly, there's nobody for you but me." The song's noir sound reminds me of Paradise, but its lyrics, which seem to be about acknowledging and accepting her lover's shortcomings (which could potentially even be voluntary and violent, as evidenced in the lyrics "We both know the history of violence that surrounds you..."), remind me of Ultraviolence (from songs like "Shades of Cool" and "Sad Girl"). I really enjoy this song, but the bridge near the end featuring the lyrics "There are violets in your eyes..." is a bit off-putting to me because the melody seems to come out of nowhere, not matching with the rest of the song. Underneath this bridge is militaristic marching drums (reminding me of "Young and Beautiful"), which does add an interesting touch to the song. When the song's chorus picks back up for the final time, it is backed by a newly added haunting piano accompaniment being played high-pitched, simulating a bird tweeting.

The second track is "Music to Watch Boys To," which, as I mentioned before, is the song that I had, at one point, thought to be the title track. The vocals are very echoey, with Lana immediately kicking the track off a cappella with "I like you a lot..." When the first verse starts, I am immediately reminded of "Sad Girl," as the melodies of the first lines ("Pink flamingoes always fascinated me" from "Music to Watch Boys To" and "Being a mistress on the side, it might not appeal to fools like you" from "Sad Girl") are nearly identical. The song's chorus is the echoey intro. I love this song, but it was mixed a bit oddly (although I am sure that it was done intentionally), as Lana's vocals are drastically louder than the song's accompaniment. My belief is that it was done intentionally to give the song a sense of being a cappella, even though it is not. It is no secret to anyone who is even vaguely familiar with Lana's personal life that she hasn't had much luck with men, and lyrically, "Music to Watch Boys To" seems to acknowledge that, seeming to be about how her music commemorates the men who walk in and out of her life. It really represents not only the album in general but also Lana's music in general, which is one reason why I really think that Music to Watch Boys To would have been a much better title for the album than Honeymoon. I already mentioned the fact that I don't like the album cover and explained why, but another reason why I don't like it is because it does not fit the album title.

The third track on Honeymoon is "Terrence Loves You," which Lana has actually said is her favorite song on the album because "it's jazzy." The song opens with a low, bassy guitar that is reminiscent of Ultraviolence, but overall, I agree with Lana, not necessarily with it being my favorite song on the album but about it being jazzy. The song has been described by Rolling Stone as "hypnotic," which I definitely think is fitting. The chorus of the song, which painfully laments that "I lost myself when I lost you...," is backed by a light saxophone that perfectly complements Lana's painful wistfulness. The song also features a nod to David Bowie's 1969 song "Space Oddity" in its lyric: "Ground control to Major Tom." I like the clever pun in the chorus, as well: "...I still got jazz when I've got the blues." The word "blues" obviously has two meanings here. I am not sure who Terrence is supposed to be. I've even tried doing research on the matter but have found nothing. There is a prominent jazz musician named Terence Blanchard, but I don't think that the song title is in reference to him because it isn't spelled the same way. The album is also lousy with references to old(er) songs of Lana's, and it is possible that "Terrence Loves You" features one, too. In the bridge of the song, she sings, "I put the radio on...," which could be a reference to her unreleased song "Put the Radio On," in which she also sings about listening to radio in relation to her relationship.

Moving on to the fourth track, "God Knows I Tried" is the song on the album that probably sounds the most like Ultraviolence, bringing to mind songs like "Pretty When You Cry." This beautiful song, which, at times, seems almost like a gospel-style song, is an example of a song that proves Honeymoon to be Lana's rawest, most confessional album yet, and she has apparently even said that "God Knows I Tried" is a song that is incredibly close to her heart. It is one of several songs on the album that seems to be a sort of response to all of the negative criticism that Lana has endured over the last few years ever since she achieved fame, such as the idea that she is artificial and inauthentic, that she's trying to emulate an era that is not her own. Ultraviolence tackled this issue on its track "Brooklyn Baby," on which she sings that "they judge me like a picture book by the colors, like they forgot to read." Here, Lana sings that "I feel free when I see no one, and nobody knows my name" and that "I've got nothing much to live for ever since I found my fame." Here, Lana is tackling the idea that fame is not the glory that it's cracked up to be, that it has its darkness and its loneliness. It, of course, carries with it the fact that you're always being scrutinized and judged by the public eye, whether that be the media or just listeners. The song is almost like a response to the "haters," saying that despite what you all seem to think of her, she is a human being who has really struggled.

The aforementioned discussion of my analysis of "God Knows I Tried" is why I like the fact that that song and the album's lead single "High by the Beach" are paired next to each other. There are different ways of interpreting "High by the Beach." One is that it's strictly about a relationship with a man of whom Lana has simply had enough. She is blowing him off, saying that she doesn't need him anymore to be happy (a huge point of development from previous albums with songs like "Dark Paradise," "Without You," "Sad Girl," etc.). I believe that to be a legitimate and intended meaning of the song, but I also think that there is another intended meaning. I think that this song is also meant to be another response to negative criticism from the public. Lyrics such as "Don't need your money... to get me what I want" and "The truth is I never bought into your bullshit when you would pay tribute to me..." indicate this. The music video also supports this idea, as it has nothing to do with a relationship but instead shows a helicopter hovering around Lana's home until she finally decides that she has had enough and shoots the helicopter out of the sky, causing it to be explode. The metaphor is fairly obvious; her home represents her private life, and the helicopter represents the media constantly trying to get a piece of her. Music videos don't always directly correspond with the meaning of their songs, but I think that this one does. Musically, the song is quite different than anything else on the album. Beginning with what sounds like an organ, it ends up being the most upbeat song on the album and has been described as having a sort of hip-hop feel to it. It is one of my favorites and is another one that features a reference to an old song; the line "Lights, camera, acción" is directly from "Put Me in a Movie."

The sixth track on the album is called "Freak" and is probably my favorite song from the album. I love Lana's hypnotic (yes, I am reusing that word) humming and the dark, haunting, almost industrial instrumental underneath. This is another confessional song for Lana, as she sings, "Baby, if you want to leave, come to California; be a freak like me, too. Screw your anonymity; loving me is all you need to feel like I do." It seems like she is addressing a potential lover, saying that she sacrificed her privacy and her anonymity for the sake of fame, and now, she is seen as a freak. I adore the melody of this song and features yet another parallel to an unreleased song. In Lana's unreleased song "Angels Forever, Forever Angels," she sings, "Is the sun in your eyes, easy rider?" In "Freak," she sings, "Sun reflecting in your eyes, like an easy rider," an obviously deliberate parallel. The song moves directly into "Art Deco" with no pause; it's gapless. I am embarrassed to admit that I actually didn't know what "art deco" meant and had to look it up. In case you don't, either, it's an artistic movement that spanned from about the 1920s to the 1940s. Think of the design from the new The Great Gatsby film. Lana has, in the past, shown a love and admiration for past eras such as the 20s and the 60s/70s, so it makes a lot of sense that she would evoke this imagery. The song is asking its intended audience why they are always wanting more when they already have so much. Rumor has it that it's about Azealia Banks, which is supported by lyrics like "Got things that've yet to be seen like your rapper's delight." The song is very low and whispery, and even though I do really like it, I think that it might be a bit overrated, since a lot of people are saying that it's their favorite song from the album.

There really isn't a whole lot to say about the eighth track, as it is a short interlude featuring the T.S. Eliot poem "Burnt Norton" over some ambient music. The poem seems to bring in the question of time, stating that what actually happened in the past and what could have happened in the past are similar in that neither exists. The past can never be again, and all we have is the present. The ninth track is a slow bluesy rock song called "Religion," and its meaning is pretty straightforward; it is about a relationship with someone to whom you are devoted like one would be devoted to a religion or a god. This is emphasized in lyrics such as "when I'm down on my knees, you're how I pray" (it is, of course, entirely possible that there is some intended sexual innuendo there, but I can't say for sure because I don't know). The tenth track from the album, "Salvatore," is one of my favorite tracks from the album. Like "High by the Beach," "Salvatore" is quite different from anything else on the album and different, for that matter, from anything she has ever done. The chorus is, melodically, one of the most powerful choruses on the album. She channels a little bit of Italian, and I know that "Ciao, amore" means "Goodbye, love." The song sounds very European and reminds me of a slower "Americano" by Lady Gaga, only with an Italian influence rather than a Spanish one. The song references Lana's unreleased song "Backfire," as both songs mention the character (or possibly real person in Lana's life; I don't know for sure) Salvatore.

The eleventh track from Honeymoon is "The Darkest Day," and while I really love this beautiful bluesy song (which is probably the song that sounds the most like Born to Die), it is a bit difficult to listen to because of how close to home that it hits for me. Like "Music to Watch Boys To," the vocals are very echoey, and on the chorus, Lana wails that "ever since my baby went away, it's been the blackest day." I say that it hits home for me because it describes the grieving process after a devastating breakup, and loss like that is something that I understand all too well. Some of the lyrics remind me of the lyrics "Don't they know it's the end of the world? It ended when you said goodbye." This is, of course, from Skeeter Davis's 1962 song "End of the World," which we know Lana is familiar with because she covered it. The twelfth track is titled "24" and is probably my least favorite song from the album. The song is also bluesy and refers to the fact that even though mathematically, days are short (only twenty-four hours), hours feel long when half of them are spent being lied to by your lover and the other half are spent plotting how to take anger out on said lover. The song also refers to her lover's violent tendencies with lyrics such as "You hit that street and my crooked lust. You count to three while they're all dying." In some ways, the song makes a callback to the opening track "Honeymoon," which also talks of a man with violent tendencies. Could the two songs be about the same man?

"Swan Song" sounds like it could fit on Paradise, perhaps as the closing track. The song, which, like Paradise's "Ride," sounds like a slow Americana rock song, invokes a fantasy of ditching the glamorous life of a celebrity and escaping somewhere where she can be free with her lover. A swan song is someone's final act before death or retirement, and Lana consequently sings that "I will never sing again." One can only hope that the song is only a song and is not meant to be taken so literally and so personally. Otherwise, ever since Lana went away, it will have been the blackest day! Much like the standard edition of Ultraviolence closes with a Nina Simone cover (of "The Other Woman"), Honeymoon (which disappointingly has no deluxe version) also closes with a Nina Simone cover, this time of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," a song that has been covered countless times by different artists. Even though the track is cited as a Nina Simone cover (probably because she was the first to record it in 1964), Lana's version is much more similar to The Animals' cover version, which came out in 1965, as it sounds a bit like a psychedelic rock song from the sixties. Most likely, most everyone has heard this song from one artist and/or another, so I don't really feel the need to analyze the song too deeply, especially since the title basically speaks for itself. I really like the song, though, so I am glad that Lana covered it, especially since her vocals are really great on it and also since it fits the theme of songs like "God Knows I Tried." Overall, I immensely love and enjoy Honeymoon. Most of its production is crisp and unlike most anything else that you hear in 2015. Is it my favorite Lana Del Rey album so far? It's hard to choose one, but that honor probably goes to Ultraviolence. It's a really strong, solid album, though.

Otep - Live at the Lost Horizon in Syracuse, NY [Sunday, 6/14/15] [Review]

Earlier this year, thanks to a great friend, I became an Otep fan and was invited to see them live in Syracuse. After obtaining Otep's entire discography and listening to it, I fell in love with songs such as "T.R.I.C.," "Ghostflowers," "Apex Predator," "Perfectly Flawed," "Rise, Rebel, Resist," "Sacrilege" (originally known as "The Lord Is My Weapon"), etc. The band is led by socially and politically conscious Otep Shamaya (a true rebel in every sense of the word), whose roaring and aggressive vocals essentially make the unique band what it is (the band is, after all, Shamaya's namesake). Seeing her live was an incredibly exciting experience, one that I won't ever forget. The only aspect of the show that I didn't like was that I felt that there were way too many opening bands. I don't remember the exact count, but I think that there were five or six. Even though I went to see Otep, the concert started at 7, and I didn't see her until around 10:30 or so. I didn't catch most of the bands' names, but I do remember Circle the Suffering, mainly because my friend's mom bought me their EP at the show as a belated birthday gift. I really didn't find most of the bands all that interesting, though, which was probably at least partially because the sound engineering was way off; the instruments were so much louder than the vocals, and I couldn't really make lyrics or even melodies out. Otep, on the other hand, was a different story because I fortunately knew the songs.

Otep came out on stage with the crowd cheering, louder, of course, than they did for any other band that had played that night. Otep came out wearing a sleeveless Otep shirt that was actually on sale at the merchandise table, reminding me a great deal of Marilyn Manson with her reptilian eyes (as pictured below, a photo taken from Otep's Facebook page). She opened with "Eat the Children," the opening track from the band's 2007 album The Ascension (which might be my favorite album of theirs). Most of the crowd seemed to know the song, as they sang along to the haunting intro: "Hush little baby; don't make a sound/Hush little baby; don't make a move/This is gonna hurt me more than you." One aspect of the show that I really enjoyed was the fact that Shamaya is a fantastic performer. She doesn't just stand in one place on the stage during a show; she is very active, moving about from one end of the stage to the other, pointing at the audience, jumping about, and so forth. In her book Quiet Lightning on the Noisy Mountain (which I am currently in the process of reading), Shamaya notes that performing live is very much like a religious ritual for her, and I could see that, especially with props such as a pig head for "Blood Pigs," flowers that she distributed to the audience for "Ghostflowers," a Guy Fawkes mask like that from V for Vendetta for "Confrontation," etc. She was very much into the music, very much into the performing, and very much into the experience in general.

I think that one of the very few cons of Otep's performance was that it doesn't seem like she changes her setlist very often. I recently watched a DVD titled Otep: Live Confrontation, which is several years old; the DVD was released in 2009, yet the setlist was pretty similar to that of the show that I attended. I was really hoping that she would perform what is probably my favorite Otep song - "Perfectly Flawed" - but she did not. I was also hoping for another one of my favorites - "Rise, Rebel, Resist" - but she didn't perform that one, either. As I said, the bulk of what she did perform, such as "T.R.I.C.," "Battle Ready," "Blood Pigs," "Confrontation," "Breed," "Filthee," etc., was also performed on that DVD that I watched. "Apex Predator" was the only song that she performed from the newest album Hydra, and while I do absolutely adore that song, both my boyfriend and I had been hoping that she would perform "Blowtorch Nightlight." The name of this tour is the Art of Fury Tour (I say is because it isn't over yet), and it doesn't seem like this tour's purpose is to promote Hydra. With that being said, however, I don't really mean to complain too much; the performances were awesome, and since I had just recently became a fan a few months ago and this was my first time going to an Otep show, it was really nice to see/hear an eclectic setlist.

My favorite performances during the show were "T.R.I.C." (which someone at the show was gracious enough to record and post to YouTube, as included below, even though the sound quality isn't the greatest), "Fillthee" (during which Otep sprayed the audience with fake blood, spraying me directly in the face twice), "Battle Ready," etc. The energy was especially high and evident in such performances. "Confrontation" was a lot of fun to see/hear, as well. What I did not like, though, was the mosh pit. When I go to a show (even a metal show), I just want to watch the performer and enjoy the show, not be disturbed and bothered by people being shoved into me. At one point, someone fell into me and spilled alcohol all over me. My boyfriend got kicked out near the end of the show because someone shoved him, and he shoved back. If moshing weren't allowed (which it shouldn't be, especially since it is dangerous), then ridiculous, out of line things like that wouldn't happen. Back to the point of this review, though, the band closed with their cover of the Nirvana song "Breed," which was a great performance, as well. There really was no performance that was bad. I had a great time (even though I couldn't hear for a couple of days) and certainly wouldn't mind seeing Otep again if she/they ever hit the area again. The best part, though? I got to meet Otep after the show; I shook her hand and even got several of my Otep CDs signed by her! (I had a photo taken of the two of us together but don't care to share it because I look terrible in the photo.)

Madonna - Ghosttown - Music Video [Review]

Madonna's new music video for the song "Ghosttown" was just released two days ago, and I can safely say that I believe it to be the best music video that Madonna has released in years. Reflecting back on her career, I can think of very few music videos that I enjoy as much as I enjoy this one. Upon learning that "Ghosttown" would be a single and that production of the music video would begin soon, I was both happy and apprehensive - happy because "Ghosttown" is one of my favorite songs from Rebel Heart but apprehensive because I wasn't sure whether or not I should expect a grand-scale, epic music video, not after the disappointing video for the first single. For "Ghosttown," I envisioned Madonna sauntering through some sort of desert or wasteland; I really wanted the music video to reflect the post-apocalyptic nature of the song. However, I feared that I would not get what I wanted; I feared that I would get some sort of generic and sexy video that wouldn't do much to reflect the song, but I was pleasantly proven wrong. This video is amazing.

I think that what I love the most about this music video (as opposed to the aforementioned "Living for Love" music video) is that it is very cinematic, both artistically and in the fact that it has a narrative and tells a story. The video starts with warnings being broadcast over the television, warnings such as "This is an international emergency message; please, stand by for instructions" and "Nuclear devices have detonated in the following cities..." We then see a distraught Madonna getting up from a filthy bed and moving to her vanity, where she holds and kisses a photograph of her mother. The photograph of her mother is a wonderful, beautiful touch that might lend to the idea that the song can be interpreted in more than just one way. There is the obvious way of interpreting it, which is that two people are holding on to each other after some sort of apocalyptic event, but perhaps, Madonna also intended the song to be a message from her mother, telling her that even though she is gone, she will be her fire, her light, and her cover. There is often at least one place on her albums for her mother (such as "Promise to Try," "Mother and Father" and so forth).

Madonna then kicks the door to her residence open and shows us an industrial world in flames, through which Madonna saunters with her majestic green cape. She finds and picks up a top hat, which totally complements her outfit and looks great on her. Cars are on fire, street signs are down, and Rebel Heart promotional posters have been destroyed (of course). She then comes across a merry-go-round and a swing-set and plays on them because, well... you know... it used to be her playground. I think that her playing on the playground is symbolic of finding hope in a seemingly hopeless place, light in a seemingly dark place. We then see another character in the video played by actor Terrence Howard. He seems to be an assassin who is also trying to stay alive by staying close to fire to stay warm and so forth. Eventually, he and Madonna find each other, and after a relatively lengthy dancing sequence shared between the two of them, the ending of the music video offers more hope. The two of them rescue a lost and seemingly abandoned child (whose parents probably died) and walk off with him and a dog into a smoky and industrial horizon. The ending suggests that they will form a new family and start new lives together, where their pasts won't matter and where they can, perhaps, manage to start building a brave new world. I simply adore this music video so much. It was directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who is certainly no stranger to Madonna, as he has directed several of her music videos in the past. Bravo to all who were involved, as this is easily Madonna's best music video in years.

Marilyn Manson - The Pale Emperor [Review]

Marilyn Manson is a musician who has constantly pushed boundaries, upsetting a great deal of conservative people, especially those of Christian faith, for over two decades now. Within the last few years, Manson has released a series of albums that have not been as shocking, and he has also worn an image that is not quite as shocking, and some fans feel drastically disappointed, feeling like the self-proclaimed "god of fuck" has lost his touch. I am a fan who has been following Manson for over a decade now, and I think that he continues to demonstrate sheer talent as a musician and as the frontman of a rock/metal band. My belief is that he has matured as a person and as a musician (he is now forty-six years old, so he isn't getting any younger, nor are any of us), and that is something that I really admire and appreciate. With that being said, however, fans who have lost appreciation for him due to their belief that he has lost his shock value more than likely find themselves devastated by the musician's newest release The Pale Emperor because both lyrically and melodically, this album may just demonstrate the tamest Marilyn Manson that we have ever seen or heard.

Incorporated into the album, especially on tracks such as the opener "Killing Strangers" and the first single "Third Day of a Seven-Day Binge," are blues and classic rock influence. "Killing Strangers" features an introductory guitar riff reminding me of The Rolling Stones or the more modern The White Stripes. The song is used to promote the video game Dying Light and is also featured in the film John Wick, so it has received considerable promotion for a non-single track. The song seems to be a critical commentary on war, sarcastically saying that we consider it acceptable to kill people whom we don't know in order to protect loved ones. Although critical (at least in my opinion), it is a reality of humanity. 30 Seconds to Mars tackled the same philosophical issue on their song "Hurricane," when they asked, "Tell me, would you kill to save a life?" The second track is "Deep Six," released as the album's lead single and the b-side to the "Third Day of a Seven-Day Binge" single. "Deep Six" is one of my favorite songs on the album, both because of its sheer electric and metallic power and also because of its clever lyrics. "You want to know what Zeus said to Narcissus?" Manson asks. He responds to his own question with, "'You better watch yourself.'" Cleverness in lyrics doesn't get much better than that.

The third track on the album is undoubtedly my favorite song on the album. "Third Day of a Seven-Day Binge" sounds like a combination of nineties and 2000s alternative rock (as it reminds me very much of "This Is the Day" by The Cranberries) and blues. It is certainly the catchiest song on the album and even makes reference to a "booth," which could be a reference to a DJ's booth at a night club. The song seems to capture the desire to get out of a toxic relationship because of the depression and the energy draining that the lover is causing. The song is appropriately followed by "The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles," and I say that the two songs being paired together is appropriate because the song is another one that has hints of nineties and 2000s alternative rock, especially because of its guitar solo at the very beginning. The Pale Emperor makes several references to ancient folklore and mythology, such as its reference to Zeus and Narcissus on "Deep Six." Here, Manson references and identifies as Mephistopheles, a figure from German folklore who can be likened to Satan. Manson refers to the criticism that he receives as a risqué artist, and he once again pulls clever lyrics out of his hat, such as when he says that "Lazarus got no dirt on me." It is also probably no coincidence that the city of Los Angeles translates to the Angels. My hope is that this track will be a single, as it is one of my favorites.

The fifth track from The Pale Emperor is "Warship My Wreck," a song that reminds me a bit of the opening track from Eat Me, Drink Me, "If I Was Your Vampire." It is a song that has grown on me because I remember not thinking too much of it the first few times that I heard it. It seems to be about demanding control of your own misery. "Slave Only Dreams to Be King" is one song that harkens back to Manson's Mechanical Animals days, as it reminds me a bit of "Rock Is Dead." The song, in a sense, touches upon the idea of the abused becoming the abuser, the oppressed becoming the oppressor. If a slave, for example, were to become king, he would likely, in one sense or another, have slaves of his own, since monarchies are typically not democracies; a king is a type of ruler. "The Devil Beneath My Feet" is another song that has a bit of a bluesy sound to it (as does the following track, "Birds of Hell Awaiting," which has a bluesy beat). The song renounces any connection to the Christian God, saying, "I don't need a motherfucker looking down on me." The song potentially makes reference to "I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell" from The High End of Low and covers (more than likely metaphorically) having to finally pay dues for deals made in the past, deals that secured power. In the meantime, however, at least he had that power.

The aforementioned "Birds of Hell Awaiting" is a bit groovy and reminds me a bit of "The Dope Show" from Mechanical Animals. The song is an appropriate follow-up to "The Devil Beneath My Feet," as the song is a cautionary message against being overly ambitious. Desire and death (whether literally or figuratively) are sometimes one and the same. Manson has said before that The Pale Emperor is really intended to be an expression of his dues, which must now be collected, and several songs are expressive of this theme. The following track is the penultimate "Cupid Carries a Gun," and we heard a snippet of this song quite some time ago, as it serves as the theme song of the television series Salem. The song touches upon a southern rock sound, and thematically, the title seems to be relatively self-explanatory. The lyrics make several sexual references but seem to equate love and sex with danger. During the Electra Heart era, Marina and the Diamonds released a song titled "E.V.O.L," in which she declares that love can be evil (or evol, as love would be spelled backwards), and Manson does the same on this album when, in "Deep Six," he states that "LOVE is EVOL." This seems to be an idea that pops up fairly frequently on The Pale Emperor, and I would be willing to bet that "Cupid Carries a Gun" is personally about at least one of his many past lovers, such as Evan Rachel Wood.

The final track on the album is "Odds of Even." The song begins with a cacophony of indiscernible voices shouting, and the song itself reminds me a bit of "Into the Fire" from The High End of Low. "Odds of Even" is a perfect ending to the album because it is very reflective of his career. Death is inevitable, and even though literal death is quite possibly intended here, I believe it to be much more possible that Manson is referring to the death of his career as the Antichrist Superstar. Music critics and fans alike, as aforementioned, do not believe Manson as shocking as he once was. Part of that is due to the fact that he has definitely toned down his image and his sound within the last few years, but part of this can also be attributed to ageism. Even if he were to attempt to be as shocking and as head-turning as he was in his twenties and thirties, it is unlikely that most people would take him seriously, and no one can avoid this scrutiny, especially not a celebrity. The deluxe edition of the album includes three bonus tracks, but even though they have different names ("Day 3," "Fated, Faithful, Faded," and "Fall of the House of Death"), they are really just acoustic versions of "Third Day of a Seven-Day Binge," "The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles," and "Odds of Even" (respectively). I was a bit disappointed by that, but as a Manson fan, it is still worth owning the deluxe version. Some critics have surprisingly praised The Pale Emperor as being Manson's best album in a decade or so, and while I can't agree with that (Eat Me, Drink Me remains my favorite), it is a strong album that, although tame in comparison to albums such as Antichrist Superstar and Holy Wood, rightfully earns a respected place in the Manson discography.

Madonna - Rebel Heart [Review]

Shortly after we officially got six tracks from the album ("Living for Love," "Devil Pray," "Ghosttown," "Unapologetic Bitch," "Illuminati," and "Bitch I'm Madonna"), I wrote a review of that release, considering it, I suppose, as a sampler EP. For this full review, then, I will avoid repetition by starting with the seventh track, "Hold Tight." I will do my absolute best to review the album objectively and not compare each and every song to its demo version(s), but in some cases, that will be difficult to do. Regardless of whether or not we are comfortable discussing it, demo versions did unfortunately leak, and the diehards listened. How could we not? Some of them are exceedingly better than the final album versions (in my opinion), which makes it a bit difficult to review the album objectively. "Hold Tight" is an example of a song that I think was weakened when it made its way to the final product. The song kicks off sounding like it could potentially be a song from the early part of her career but quickly becomes closer to 2015. The song is somewhat similar thematically to "Ghosttown" in that it is about love conquering chaos. The problem with this version is that it is drastically tranquilized and loses its energy and danceability. The eighth track on the album "Joan of Arc" is a very confessional track displaying a very vulnerable, broken Madonna. Lyrically, the song is about not really being as strong as you seem or pretend to be, about actually being quite vulnerable and sensitive. Madonna admits to how negative press, negative rumors, etc. actually causes damage. This is another song that I wish had not been altered as much as it was. The demo version is strictly acoustic and sounds almost like an American Life outtake. The final version adds a poppy beat that sucks the emotional power out of the song.

"Iconic" is one of my favorite tracks from Rebel Heart. I remember reading that Madonna would be pushing limits and boundaries on the new record, and I think that this song is a perfect example of how she did just that. The song does not sound like a song that would normally be on a Madonna record; it sounds like a really intense remix, and I don't think that the song shows an interest in charting. The song is chaotic and noisy in a really epic way, and it has a dark, industrial sound to it. The song features a spoken intro by Mike Tyson and a rap verse by Chance the Rapper, the latter of which I could do without, but overall, as I said, this song is definitely one of Rebel Heart's highlights. "HeartBreakCity" is a soft piano ballad that expresses anger toward an ex-lover for making promises that he eventually broke, breaking her heart in the process. The song has an interesting marching beat added to it, which I love; it adds a really emotionally compelling element to it. The eleventh track is titled "Body Shop" and is a track that seems to make me a black sheep of the Madonna family. Many reviewers highly praise this track, citing it as a highlight, but this is a weak spot on the album in my opinion, with weak lyrics of car metaphors acting as sexual innuendo and a terribly simple melody. The folky sounding song admittedly makes interesting use of what sounds like it might be a ukulele, but overall, the song really doesn't do much for me.

"Holy Water" was co-written with Natalia Kills, which I think is quite obvious. It follows Natalia's typical style and reminds me of her track "Controversy." The song's hook "Bitch, get off my pole" reminds me considerably of the line "Hey, get off my cloud" from Gwen Stefani's new track "Spark the Fire," although that is mere coincidence. The song is groovy and industrial and samples Madonna's classic hit "Vogue." Thematically, the song accomplishes little, as it is merely about having cunnilingus performed on her, with the rhetorical question (asked to assure her lover that he is not committing a sin), "Don't it taste like holy water?" By the end of the song, I find myself wishing that he would answer already so that she would stop asking. "Inside Out" is one of my favorites from the album, but this is another one that I cannot refrain from comparing to the demo version because I find the demo version to be far superior. The demo version is dark and industrial with a beat begging to be danced to; the dark danceable nature of the track reminds me a bit of Madonna's 2005 Confessions on a Dance Floor album. Had the demo version been used, "Inside Out" would certainly be another example of a boundary-pushing track on the album, but the album version is considerably quieted down and made a bit more generic sounding. I do like both versions but prefer the demo version. Regardless of which version is being discussed, however, the song has a sweet message to it, as it suggests that love should be about being vulnerable to each other, confiding in each other, and not keeping secrets from each other. "You're beautiful when you're broken down" is arguably the most telling lyric of the song.

"Wash All Over Me" closes the standard version of the album, and while I do believe that it makes an excellent conclusion, both lyrically ("If this is the end, then let it come...") and melodically, it is nearly blasphemous that the title track is left over as an extra on the supplemental editions. "Wash All Over Me" is a track that has multiple versions, as in addition to the final album version, there are four demo versions. This is a case, however, of actually preferring the album version over all others. "Wash All Over Me" is a beautiful song that (perhaps unintentionally) samples a few lyrics from the unreleased track "Liquid Love," and it is about coming to terms with your surroundings and accepting things the way that they are rather than try to perfect everything. It is atmospheric and features piano, another marching beat, and a very light, ambient electric guitar. It is a wonderful song and is one of my favorites, but the deluxe edition continues with what is certainly my least favorite song on the album - "Best Night." "Best Night" starts on a very interesting note - electronically altered chanting voices over a fluctuating electronic sound, but the song continues with a very generic beat and simple lyrics about a one night stand. Over a rather annoying buzzing accompaniment, the song's chorus monotonously and repetitively says, "I'll make this the best night of your life." That's quite honestly the most that I can reasonably say about this track; it is, in my opinion, one of the weakest tracks that Madonna has ever released throughout her career, but perhaps the song's one highlight is the break near the end of the song when Madonna uses a spoken word verse deeply reminiscent of her "Justify My Love" 1990 hit.

I did not like "Veni Vidi Vici" (Latin for "I came, I saw, I conquered," which is the song's main hook) at first, but it grew on me a bit. I honestly still consider it to be one of the weaker tracks on Rebel Heart, though, especially since it is such a Madonna-centric song that should not feature a guest artist addressing his own biography. This song would be so much stronger without Nas's unnecessary vocals. What is so great about this song, though, is that it is a reflection on Madonna's career, using lyrics that reference some of Madonna's hits over the years (including "Holiday," "Into the Groove," "Express Yourself," "Like a Virgin," "Borderline," "Vogue," "Justify My Love," "Like a Prayer," "Open Your Heart," "The Power of Good-Bye," "Ray of Light," and "Music"). It is a decent pop track but does not need Nas's rap; his rap is specific to his career and doesn't belong on her album. The seventeenth track is titled "S.E.X." and is about precisely what the title suggests - sex. The song is basically a Sex 101 class directed toward a lover, fearlessly referencing many sex elements and acts such as handcuffs, blindfolds, leather mask, perfume, underwear, fishnets, satin sheets, candle light, leather belt, golden shower, latex thong, etc. I find the reference to golden showers to be unnecessarily bawdy, but overall, I like the song, which has a hip-hop beat and haunting piano chords. 

The eighteenth track is "Messiah" and is definitely a highlight. It is a track that should have been included on the standard edition of the album. The song is piano-driven (which I love) and also features several Pagan references (which I also love). The Pagan references are to the sun god and the moon goddess and to casting a spell to help someone realize that he loves you. It is quite possible that "cast a spell" is meant to be taken figuratively, not literally, but I truly believe that Madonna was trying to capture a Pagan theme here, especially in conjunction with the reference to the sun god and the mood goddess. Like "Wash All Over Me," the song sounds like it could be a good conclusion to the album, but the song ends with the sound of a heartbeat, leading in to the title track. This is another one that I hate having to compare to a demo version, but it most certainly cannot be avoided in this case because the song was destroyed. The first demo of the song that leaked was Madonna at her absolute best, a powerful, feel good pop/rock track that made Madonna more human than she had possibly ever been. What we get on the album is stripped of its epic power, as it is acoustic and backed with a painfully generic beat that I am pretty sure was supplied with a drum machine. Gone are the beautiful "rebel heart" chants found in the original demo, and this version is so weak in comparison. It makes me sad when I listen to it, but at least the far superior version is available to us. "Rebel Heart" should be included on the standard edition of the album, especially since it is the title track, but it is not. I am not sure what shaped that decision.

"Rebel Heart" closes the deluxe version of the album, but Madonna fans were treated to an even more enhanced version of the album, the super deluxe version of the album, which includes four bonus tracks and two remixes of "Living for Love." The physical edition features a second disc with these six tracks included. The disc opens with "Beautiful Scars," a very lighthearted, poppy song pleading with a lover to accept her for who she is, flaws and all. It is a really decent pop song, but I don't mind it having been scrapped from the standard edition and the deluxe edition. Next is "Borrowed Time," which is another song that was unfortunately ruined. The first demo version that we heard of this song was absolutely epic in its electronic power, and the electronic break found in the original demo version is stripped from the album version. Lyrically, the strength of the song still stands, as it is a song about avoiding hatred, violence, prejudice, and so forth, because all of us are going to die someday and are living on borrowed time; we should therefore make the best of the time that we have. Musically, however, it is essentially ruined. Following that is "Addicted," quite possibly my all-time favorite song from this era. The song sounds like a Confessions song, sounding deeply reminiscent to me of "Hung Up." The song is full of energy and is one of my favorite songs to which to dance. Lyrically, the song covers not being able to give up on someone even though he continually hurts you. The "Living for Love" remixes notwithstanding, the super deluxe version of the album closes with "Graffiti Heart," a summery Owl City-esque song comparing love to art. It fits with the Rebel Heart theme well and consequently probably should have been included on more than just the super deluxe version.

Other tracks that are technically included on the album are "Autotune Baby" and "Queen." "Autotune Baby" is included on some editions of the album, but I hardly feel slighted by the fact that the United States edition excludes "Autotune Baby" because it is a very weak track in my opinion. The song opens with the sound of a baby crying and the sound of a rattle; the baby's cries soon become sing-songy as they are autotuned (on par, of course, with the song's title). The autotuned cries of the baby serve as a primary factor of the song during the verses (which I find to be quite annoying) whereas the accompaniment of the chorus sounds almost like a sixties girl group pop song. Thematically, the song captures an adult's desire to be infantilized by a lover, something that I actually believe to be quite common; some of us enjoy feeling safe and secure with another human being, similar to how a baby feels safe with its parent(s). "Queen" is a wonderfully beautiful song that was included in a twenty-five track leak of the super deluxe leak of the album (which included "Autotune Baby" and "Queen" in place of the two "Living for Love" remixes), but I don't think that "Queen" ended up making any cut of the album, which is unfortunate because it is one of my favorites. It sounds like the perfect conclusion to the album and really should have been the closing track to Rebel Heart.

Several songs on Rebel Heart had me worried that the album was Madonna's farewell piece. Songs such as the title track, "Wash All Over Me," "Veni Vidi Vici," and "Queen" sounded very much like farewell songs. The title track is a deeply confessional track that may, in fact, be the most confessional track that she has ever released, and it looks back on her life, proud of all that she has achieved even though she had to make mistakes along the way. There has been no announcement, however, of the album being her final album, nor has there been any announcement that the Rebel Heart Tour (which I will be attending in Brooklyn in September) will be her final tour, so I don't think that rebel hearts have anything to fear as far as that is concerned. Rebel Heart is quite eclectic; unlike most of Madonna's albums, it doesn't have a centralized sound and is all over the place musically. To some people, the album comes off as convoluted and messy, and to some extent, I can agree with that. I just wish that some of the weaker songs such as "Best Night" had been switched out with some of the strong songs such as "Never Let You Go" (another song that sounds like a Confessions outtake), "Alone with You," "Trust No Bitch," and "Heaven." I also wish that the title of the album had been accentuated more with some of the thematically appropriate songs like "Freedom" and "God Is Love," as opposed to the flux of sexual songs that we get. (See my edition of the album here, which I consider to be far superior.) All in all, however, Rebel Heart is a huge improvement over 2012's MDNA and is full of fun energy and boundary-pushing sounds that possibly make the album one of Madonna's best. If only some of the better versions had been chosen over the ones that were chosen, I would be certain of that.

Björk - Vulnicura [Review]

Björk is a musician to whom I once paid little attention, but I am so glad that I gave her the chance that she rightfully deserved when I found myself attracted to the beauty of the Biophilia album cover and gave it a listen (sometimes, I guess that you can judge something by its cover). I immediately fell in love with the sheer beauty of songs like "Moon" and "Cosmogony" and came to love the energy of "Mutual Core." The rest of her discography didn't disappoint, either, as countless songs put me in a trance and practically took me to another world full of beautiful waterfalls and pastoral fields full of fairies and unicorns. Vulnicura is quite different than Biophilia in that it lacks the high-end production and variety of instruments and replaces it with more simplicity - mainly strings. Vulnicura is quite possibly the most personal project that Björk has ever delivered, as the entire album chronicles the breakup with her longtime partner (American artist Matthew Barney). The album title itself means "cure for wounds," and it tells the story of a woman with a broken heart who eventually heals. Every "you" on the album is replaceable with her partner, and the album, as it should, sounds raw and painfully tragic. Especially through the heart-wrenching lyrics, one can hear a person in real pain, and Björk has even choked up a few times in interviews when she begins to touch upon the subject matter.

"Stonemilker" is one of my favorites from the album, opening the album with beautiful but very morose strings that sound almost like they are weeping. Björk's first words on the album are "a juxtapositioning fate, find our mutual coordinate." It is clear that the song is set before the breakup, as  the lyrics suggest that even though she is fearful that it is not possible (hence the title of the song, as a stone cannot be milked), she longs for her and her lover to feel the same way about each other and be honest with each other, hence her demand, "Show me emotional respect." I just can't get over the strings on this song; the song is so tragically beautiful and is one of the most beautiful songs that Björk has ever released. The second track on the album is "Lionsong" (which features an interest music video that is in keeping with the cover art). The beginning of the song features Björk's vocals in multiple layers, reminding me very much of her 2004 album Medúlla, which is an album that features vocals at the forefront of the production, so much so that the album is nearly entirely a cappella. "Lionsong" reminds me of that production style, especially because of its introduction, and the song seems almost like the bargaining stage of the grieving process: "Maybe, he will come out of this loving me."

The third track is titled "History of Touches" and is one of the most emotional tracks on the record. The song opens with synths, making it sound almost like a ballad from the eighties. The lyrics are what makes the song one of the most emotional, such as "I wake you up in night feeling this is our last time together" and "every single fuck we had together is in a wondrous time lapse..." While most of the tracks on Vulnicura have rather long running times (with the longest coming in at 10:09), "History of Touches" is the shortest with a running time of only three minutes. The song is then followed by the longest track on the record, "Black Lake." "Black Lake" is probably the saddest song on the album, relying very heavily on mournfully wining strings and Björk's vulnerable and weeping vocals. Most of the song is very quiet, but it does pick up the noise a bit as it progresses and the strings get louder and more intense. The song is also joined by a light, almost tribal sounding beat. Standout lyrics on the song are Björk asking the painful question "Did I love you too much?" and also her assertive, almost angry statement that "family was always our sacred mutual mission, which you abandoned." These types of lyrics are brutally honest and are why I say that Vulnicura is quite possibly the barest that Björk has ever been as a musician.

"Family" is the fifth track on the album and is, in my opinion, one of the few tracks on the album that are a bit weaker. The track starts on a very dark, eerie string note quickly followed by bulleted beats and dissonant ambience that reminds me of the introduction to "Cosmogony" from Biophilia. The song is a good follow-up to "Black Lake" because it follows up on some of what "Black Lake" has to say about family. She points out that she needs to grieve because "there is the mother and the child; then, there is the father and the child but no man and a woman, no triangle of love." On this track, Björk is not just mourning the loss of her significant other but the death of her titular family. The sixth track is titled "Notget" and is one of the first tracks that caught my attention on the album, mainly because of its interesting circusy instrumental. Some of my favorite's lyrics from the album are in this song: "If I regret us, I'm denying my soul to grow. Don't remove my pain; it is my chance to heal." I love this song because of its production and its strong lyrics and melody. Björk creatively (because creative is what she does best) makes up the word notget to stand in for that which has happened to her. She states, "I will not forget this notget." In other words, because she is no longer loved, she no longer gets what she wants and needs out of life, something that she will carry with her for the rest of her life.

"Atom Dance" is where Vulnicura's story starts to turn towards healing. Beautifully plucked strings lead into swirling strings that, in combination, call for some sort of Pagan dance. Lyrics such as "Let this ugly wound breathe" and "Most hearts fear their own home" show a broken heart finally seeking to be healed. The song features guest vocals by Antony Hegarty, frontman of the band Antony and the Johnsons, who has collaborated with Björk twice in the past on her Volta album. The eighth track is "Mouth Mantra," a song that instrumentally sounds like a dark classical piece with a light modern beat. Lyrically, the song speaks of pain silencing you and taking away your voice but finally taking it back. I don't know for sure, but I wonder if the song hints at Björk feeling reluctant to document something so painful and personal on this record because I would imagine that in a lot of ways, her music is her voice. Vulnicura closes with "Quicksand," another shorter song in comparison to most of the album's songs. The song is one of the more energetic tracks on the record, more beat-driven than most of the other tracks. It doesn't, to me, sound like a proper conclusion to the album. When I get to the end of the song, my reaction tends to be somewhere along the lines of, "Where's the rest of the album?" However, the song does reference the earlier track "Black Lake" and also speaks of reaching the healing stage: "Hackle this darkness up to the light..." "When I'm broken, I am whole, and when I'm whole, I'm broken" is perhaps my favorite line from the song.

Vulnicura is, overall, one of Björk's best albums to date, mainly because of how real and emotionally raw that it is. If you are a Björk fan, then this is one that you might find yourself listening to on repeat. In my case, I find myself addicted to the album not only because of how good that it is objectively but also because its subject matter is quite close to my heart, and the album has really been a crutch for me on a personal level. It could quite possibly be considered a concept album because from start to finish, it tells a story, a very tragic but human story of what leads up to a broken heart and then the aftermath of it, the eventual healing process. The album's message makes it clear that as a person, Björk will never again be the same because of all that she has lost but that she has been able to and will continue to find ways of moving forward and living with her pain. Once a brokenhearted listener gets to the end of the album, one concept stands out above all else - hope. As Björk has said herself, "...hopefully the songs could be a crutch to others and prove how biological this process is: the wound and the healing of the wound. Psychologically and physically. It has a stubborn clock attached to it." She is absolutely right, and I know that for me personally, the album has proven a lot to me, and it has really helped me heal and evolve. Björk is a truly special musician to me.