Lady Gaga - Joanne [Review]

When discussion regarding this album first began, the album was referred to as LG5, and I find myself wondering what five albums were being counted. I actually consider Joanne to be Lady Gaga's sixth album, as I include The Fame, The Fame Monster, Born This Way, ARTPOP, Cheek to Cheek, and finally Joanne in that count. My thought, however, is that whoever termed it as LG5 was either not counting The Fame Monster (an eight-track follow-up to The Fame that is, as far as I am concerned, an album) or Cheek to Cheek (a jazz collaboration with legend Tony Bennett). Either way, the overall consensus seems to be that Joanne is Gaga's fifth album, but I would, as I said, argue that it is the sixth. Although I am disappointed that we never got the teased ARTPOP, Act II (which Gaga said would be more experimental than its predecessor), I am overall very pleased with this album, which is a vast improvement over ARTPOP. Although ARTPOP has its fair share of wonderful gems like "G.U.Y.," "Venus," and "Mary Jane Holland," it was overall a pretty drastic disappointment for me. Gaga seemed to have lost her footing on what it was that she was trying to do as an artist and as a musician, and the result felt like a hot mess. Prior to ARTPOP, it had always been perfectly clear what Gaga's message or theme was, what it was that she was trying to convey to her fans and to listeners, but ARTPOP really failed to do that in my opinion. With the exceptions of songs like "Dope" and "Gypsy," it seemed like a feel-good party album with very little direction or purpose. Joanne, however, brings Gaga back with a yet again reinvented image and sound, and to put it simply, it's one that I am really digging.

When I completed my first listen of the album, I quite honestly didn't know what to think. The album's lead single, "Perfect Illusion" (which had disappointed me when I first heard it), is probably the closest that Joanne gets to Mother Monster's typical electropop sound. Joanne is not an electronic dance record; instead, it features a great deal of country and folk inspired sounds reminiscent of past and present artists like Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Lana Del Rey, and Elle King. This is a sound that grew on me with each listen. On the album cover (which is pictured above) is a pensive Gaga wearing a pink brimmed hat over long blonde hair worn down. Behind her is a simple pale blue background. The cover is probably the simplest cover (save Cheek to Cheek) of hers yet, which is indicative of the album's sound. The title track, for example, is extremely bare and minimally produced; I even read that Mark Ronson (who helped produce a good amount of the album) refused to record a second take of Gaga's vocals when the song was first recorded. The simplicity of the album makes a great deal of sense when considered in tandem with the album's title, Joanne. Lady Gaga's real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, and her middle name Joanne was given to her in honor of her aunt Joanne, who passed away in 1974 from lupus complications. Although she passed away twelve years before Gaga was even born, Gaga has said that Joanne's life and death have had a profound effect on her and her family, and she consequently decided to tribute this album to her. It consequently makes sense to me that the album, which focuses on themes like personal strength, death, family, religion, and love, would be, overall, rather simple and stripped back.

Joanne opens with "Diamond Heart," which is a great opening track not only because of its power but also because it effectively gives the listener an idea of what to expect from the remainder of the album. It has a southern vibe to it but also has a brief electronic breakdown, mashing together later songs such as "Sinner's Prayer" and "Dancin' in Circles" respectively. Seeing as how Gaga is a self-proclaimed admirer of the late David Bowie's work (see her amazing tribute to him here), it stands to reason that the repetitive line "Young, wild, American" is probably a nod to Bowie's song and album Young Americans. The song's lyrics are very autobiographical, referring to Gaga's days as a go-go dancer and also to her being sexually assaulted. She also refers to her father in the song and to her dream of becoming a superstar one day (which she most certainly has achieved). When Gaga and celebrity Taylor Kinney got engaged, he gave her a diamond ring in the shape of a heart, so I also believe that the song is in reference to him, as they have since called off the engagement. The opening track's most poignant lyric is the following: "I'm not flawless, but I got a diamond heart." The song is about having to overcome adversity and struggle in order to achieve your dreams but also knowing your self-worth in the process. It is, as I said, an intimately personal number on the album. The second track, however, simply titled "A-Yo," is quite possibly my least favorite song on the album. I can't really explain why, but I do know that I find it rather repetitive and, dare I say, even annoying. It features strong influences of country and funk (if that can be understood), and it really just isn't my cup of tea musically. (A snippet of the song can be heard in an Apple Music commercial currently circulating.)

The third track on Joanne is titled, well, "Joanne." This is the title track written about Gaga's aunt Joanne. The song is therefore very lyrically centered on death, such as when Gaga passionately sings, "Honestly, I know where you're goin', and baby, you're just movin' on, and I'll still love you even if I can't see you anymore. Can't wait to see you soar." The song deals with grief (from both the perspective of Gaga herself and from her family members) but in a very positive light; as just demonstrated, Gaga seems to see Joanne's passing away as something beautiful, not just as something tragic. The song is played on an acoustic guitar and is folk-oriented; as previously mentioned, it is incredibly stripped-back, which is appropriate. The fourth track, titled "John Wayne," picks the pace back up. Obviously paying tribute to the late actor of the same name, who was known especially for his roles in western films, the song is a southern-flavored dance track highlighting Gaga's love for cowboys like the men whom John Wayne played. As has always been the case with Gaga, she uses a clever double-entendre in this song when she declares that "every John is just the same." John is, of course, a very common name for a man, which is why an unidentified man might be referred to as John Doe. Gaga is therefore saying that every average man who fails to capture her interest is just the same, but a "john" is also another word for a prostitute's male client. That doesn't mean that Gaga is referring to herself as a prostitute; she is, instead, referring to men who try to take advantage of her. (Let's also not forget that, as previously mentioned, she was a go-go dancer when she was much younger.) Along with its succeeding track, "Dancin' in Circles," "John Wayne" is definitely one of my favorite tracks from Joanne. It's fun, catchy, and clever.

"Dancin' in Circles" is influenced by reggae and funk and can be compared with No Doubt and Gwen Stefani. Much like many of the songs from The Fame (such as "Paparazzi," "Paper Gangsta," and "Summerboy"), Gaga's vocals on the chorus are somewhat similar to those of Stefani. When my boyfriend first heard the song, he even asked me if Gwen Stefani was a featured vocalist on the song (which she is not). As previously mentioned, Gaga is possibly the Queen of Innuendo, and there is plenty of it in this song, such as in the lyrics, "Up all night tryin' to rub the pain out" and "I lay around, touch myself to pass the time." I am reminded of Gaga's 2009 song "So Happy I Could Die," in which she sings, "I touch myself; can't get enough." The song is clearly about finding strength in solitude and in getting yourself off sexually rather than having a partner do it for you. "Dancin' in circles, feels good to be lonely," she sings in the chorus. I just love the rhythm of the song; not only am I reminded of Gwen Stefani, I am also reminded of Ace of Base's songs such as "All That She Wants." The sixth track from Joanne is the lead single, "Perfect Illusion." As I said, I didn't much care for the song when I first heard it, but it did grow on me, and I appreciate it a lot more now. Shortly after the song was first released, Gaga said that it did not represent the overall sound of the album, and I wholeheartedly agree; it, in fact, kind of stands out on the album like a sore thumb. The song reminds me a lot of ARTPOP's lead single, "Applause," and is the closest that Joanne gets to Gaga's usual electropop style.  The song features influences of disco and 90s pop music, and although when taken at face value, the lyrics seem to tell the story of a failed relationship, Gaga has said that it is not about Taylor Kinney and is actually a commentary on the illusionary curtain that is social media.

The seventh track on the album is "Million Reasons" and has been confirmed as the album's second single. The song, backed by piano and guitar, is a slow ballad co-written with Mark Ronson and Hillary Lindsey. Lindsey is a songwriter who often co-writers with country artists such as Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum, and the country influence can be heard on this song. It's hardly one of my favorite tracks from the album, and I wouldn't have chosen it as a single, but it holds its own competence on the album. When Gaga and Taylor Kinney called off their engagement, this is the announcement that she made to fans regarding the decision: "Taylor and I always believed we are soulmates. Just like all couples we have ups and downs, and we have been taking a break. We are both... hoping to work through long-distance and complicated schedules to continue the simple love we have always shared. Please root us on. We're just like everybody else and we really love each other." In "Million Reasons," Gaga sings, "I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away, but baby, I just need one good one to stay." It is my belief that Gaga may have written the song about Taylor, as the message of the song seems to fit what she said about the split. The song demonstrates the feeling that a relationship is on its way to possible destruction but having hope that it won't, that it can still be salvaged. Joanne's eighth track is the western song "Sinner's Prayer." The song thematically reminds me of "Bad Romance," as it speaks to wanting to be accepted and loved for who you are, despite your "sins" or your flaws. "I am what I am," she declares in the song. I really love the rhythm of "Sinner's Prayer," but it is probably the most country-esque song on the album, getting especially "twangy" near the end.

Although it is personally not mine, I have seen several fans (referred to as "monsters") say that the ninth track, "Come to Mama," is their favorite Joanne song. It is thematically very similar to many songs on Born This Way such as the title track and "Bad Kids," speaking out against bullying others because of their differences. "Come to Mama" preaches acceptance of others despite their differences from us. "Come to mama. Tell me who hurt ya," Gaga sings in the chorus. Gaga is often referred to as "Mother Monster" by fans, which is probably coming into play in this song. Gaga's vocals are a bit echoey on the track, as if she performed the song on a mic in a large room. As previously stated, Gaga's most recent album release prior to Joanne was Cheek to Cheek, an album featuring jazz standards, most of which were sung with Tony Bennett. Gaga, around the time that Cheek to Cheek was released (after extensive delays, mind you), said that she loves jazz music, and I think that that has always been evident in songs like the unreleased "Blueberry Kisses" and Born This Way's "The Edge of Glory." I think that it can be heard again here on "Come to Mama," which sounds like a jazzy rock tune much like Darlene Love's "All Alone on Christmas." Heavily prominent, for example, is the saxophone, which can also be heard on Born This Way tracks "Hair" and "The Edge of Glory." The tenth track on Joanne is the highly anticipated collaboration with Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine. Titled "Hey Girl," the song is a mid-tempo funky track that preaches girl power through solidity. "Hey, girl, we can make it easy if we lift each other... hey, girl, we don't need to keep on one-in up another," the two of them sing, sharing the song's chorus. This song would be even more meaningful and powerful if it were shared between Gaga and Madonna, but alas, it was not to be. A collaboration between Gaga and Florence is still a great thing to have, even though this song is quite honestly another low point on the album for me.

The standard edition of Joanne ends with "Angel Down," an absolutely beautiful and lulling song written in honor of Trayvon Martin, a young man senselessly shot and killed in 2012. What makes the case so prominent is that Martin's shooter, George Zimmerman, got off Scot-free. Like she does on the album's title track, Gaga does something on this record that she hasn't done much in the past ("The Edge of Glory" is a rare example); she contemplates death. "Shots were fired on the street by the church where we used to meet," she states twice during the song. Similar to "Come to Mama," the song also speaks to the importance of equality and accepting people for who they are. (Much speculation has been offered regarding the idea that Martin's murder was a hate crime perpetrated by Zimmerman's racism.) "Doesn't everyone belong in the arms of the sacred?" Gaga laments. The song is definitely a tearjerker and an absolutely beautiful one at that. Although the deluxe version of the album goes on for a few more tracks, "Angel Down" works as a perfectly pensive closing, and it is definitely one of my favorite numbers from Joanne. The deluxe version of Joanne picks back up with "Grigio Girls," referencing Pinot Grigio, a type of white wine. Research regarding the song reveals that the song was written as a tribute to Sonja Dunham, director of the Haus of Gaga and a close friend of Gaga's, who is currently battling cancer. (Sonja is even directly mentioned in the song, as is Joanne.) The song is a soft rock song driven by guitar, and the song ends with a small chorus of girls singing along to the chorus and then laughing, which reminds me very much of John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)." The song is beautiful and charming and is very much about celebrating life when threatened by death.

"Just Another Day" reminds me so much of The Beatles. I am also very much reminded of unreleased pre The Fame material of Gaga's such as "Blueberry Kisses," "Wonderful," and "Oh Well." Gaga has revealed that her fame has caused her a great deal of anxiety, and this song is very much from the perspective of an anxious person: "We both know I could learn a thing or two about relaxing..." The song speaks of an attempt to try to calm anxious nerves by taking life one day at a time. It's such a fun song, and like "Grigio Girls," it's one of the best tracks on the album. (It's definitely worth spending the few extra dollars on the deluxe version of the album.) The deluxe version then ends with a "work tape" version of "Angel Down," which is a stripped and acoustic performance of the song. The Japanese edition of the album contains one additional track, a "work tape" version of "Million Reasons." Although it has a few low points, Joanne is, overall, a fantastic album. I can't get over the confessional nature of "Diamond Heart" or the sheer lamenting beauty of "Angel Down." Gaga is not technically new to experimenting with folk and country sounds. Born This Way's "Yoü and I," for example, has a distinct country-esque sound, and the single-only release "Stuck on Fuckin' You" has a very distinct guitar-driven southern sound. Never before has Mother Monster devoted the majority of an album to such a sound, though; it's ambitious and daring, and as is usually the case, Gaga pulls it off. Joanne is a beautiful, moving, and deeply personal album; it might even be her most personal album to date. My only real complaint (besides the very few songs that I don't care a whole lot for) is that Gaga teased that her role on American Horror Story: Hotel was influencing the album's writing process. I consequently hoped for more dark tracks like "Dance in the Dark," "Bloody Mary," "Heavy Metal Lover," and "Electric Chapel," but nothing on Joanne is even remotely reminiscent of American Horror Story. 

Amy Lee - Dream Too Much [Review]

Most us know Amy Lee as the lead singer of alternative metal band Evanescence, but do all of us know her as the folksy lullaby singer on Dream Too Much? I would venture to guess not. Years ago, Lee was asked about the possibility of ever doing solo work, and she said that she would love to because she doesn't want to be seen as a "one-trick pony," and she has definitely proven that she is anything but. Since Evanescence's most recent album (self-titled) in 2011, Lee has performed bluegrass shows, wrote a film (War Story)'s score, and released an EP containing four cover songs (Portishead's "It's a Fire," U2's "With or Without You," Led Zeppelin's "Going to California," and my favorite of the batch, Chris Isaak's "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing"). 2014's Aftermath contained not only instrumental music for the aforementioned film but also a few songs, including the 90s-esque electronic club banger "Push the Button." Dream Too Much ventures into even newer territory - a children's album containing folky songs and lullabies. The album, inspired by the birth of Lee's son, Jack Lion Hartzler, is simply adorable, and perhaps mainly because I have never really heard this side of Amy Lee before (the closest that comes to mind is her "Cartoon Network Song" or maybe her cover of "Halfway Down the Stairs"), it feels very fresh and new. The album opens with "Stand by Me," a cover of the classic song originally by Ben E. King. This is one of the many songs on the album that is simply adorable. Featuring background "bum-bum-bum..." harmonizing by Amy's sisters as well as an accompaniment by what sounds like a banjo, this cover is so emotionally uplifting and adorable and serves as a great intro to the album.

The album then moves into the title track, "Dream Too Much," which I guess is technically the album's first single. The track starts with lulling notes that sound like they're played on a xylophone or a keyboard. The song has a really catchy melody and is essentially about how anything can happen in our dreams. Lee tells dream-like, nonsensical stories such as wind blowing at the bottom of the ocean, sleeping muffins, flying sandwiches, jellyfish building towers made of watermelon, etc. What I love about this album is that even though it is a children's album, Amy is well aware that she has a large adult fanbase, and there is consequently something for everyone on this album. "Dream Too Much" is a good example of this, as it has a really great message to which anyone can relate regardless of age. The best example of this can be found in these particular lyrics: "In dreams, you can do anything you want to, and once in a while, you'll have dreams that come true." I think that anyone can relate to this idea - children, teens, young adults, middle-aged adults, the elderly, etc. - that dreams are sometimes goals to which we can aspire. Then comes the shortest track on the album. Running at only thirty-seven seconds long, "Bee and Duck" is a short story sung over animal (bee and duck, of course) sound effects and what sounds like xylophone and piano, a story about a pair of friends (a bee and a duck) whose friendship ends when the duck tries to eat the bee and the bee retaliates by stinging the duck. It's a very simple and rather silly song that's definitely targeted primarily for youngsters.

Tracks 4 and 5 on the album are two of my favorites. The fourth track is "I'm Not Tired," which Amy herself has said is probably the funniest track on the album (and I would agree). She also said that it's her mother's favorite song on the album. It seems to be a song potentially from Jack's perspective, not wanting to go to bed. I think that even adults would love this song. (I know that I do; it's catchy and funny.) We all remember being at an age when going to bed was one of the most terrible things in the world that could happen. We didn't feel tired and wanted to stay up and continue playing with our toys or watching movies or whatever it was that we were doing. Our parent(s) don't have to go to bed until they're tired, we'd think, so why do I? The best part of the song is when Amy sings, "I can count down backwards from a thousand; check it out - 1,000; 999; 998; 997..." It's a catchy tune that will probably get a chuckle or two out of you. The fifth track is titled "Little Bird" and is, as I said, another of my favorites. After the energy of "I'm Not Tired," the speed is brought down considerably on this piano-driven song intended as an ode to the beauty of birds. This song is absolutely beautiful, and even though it's still pretty far removed from Evanescence's material, it is possibly in keeping with Amy's apparent love for birds, as it reminds me of this lyric from the Evanescence song "End of the Dream": "I found a bird closing her eyes one last time, and I wonder if she dreamed like me." Similarly, in "Little Bird," Amy not only admires the beauty of the described birds but also seems to identify with them: "I know your name," she sings.

Tracks 6-8 are all cover songs, so I won't spend a whole lot of time talking about them. "Alice" is another short one (running at only forty-eight seconds long) and is melodically beautiful. Amy sings the old children's nursery rhyme (in what I am pretty sure is her own melody) over the sound of a harp (I always love it when she uses harp), and it's stunningly beautiful, even though I quite honestly don't understand the meaning of the nursery rhyme. (The rhyme is actually sometimes recited as "Gladys, where art thou going?" instead of "Alice...") Is Alice a doll that went down the drain? "Rubber Duckie," which of course is originally by Jim Henson from Sesame Street, is vocally led both by Amy and her father John Lee, and this is such an adorable and uplifting duet. The melody is sung over what I believe is either a banjo or an ukulele; I am honestly not sure (I am a terrible music reviewer, I know). Amy and her father sound so amazing together, and I hope to hear more from them in the future. "Hello Goodbye" is a cover of a classic song by The Beatles, and, as is just about all of the material on this album, it's so adorable. The cover is backed by a fun beat to which you might find yourself bobbing your head as well as guitar, and at least two of Amy's family members make vocal "appearances" on the song; her brother Robby is singing background vocals, and her son Jack says at approximately the 1:10 mark, "Goodbye, goodbye!" I remember Amy saying before the album came out that even Jack could be heard on the album, but she didn't say which song. Well, it's "Hello Goodbye," and it's precious.

"Donkey and Chicken" is similar to "Bee and Duck" in that it tells the story of a friendship between two animals. In this narrative, sung over what I believe is a banjo (the song kind of has a country-like twang to it, which makes sense since it's about farm animals) and a marching band beat, Amy tells the story of a donkey and a chicken who escape from their farmer in order to eat a bunch of ice cream, which results in their getting nauseous and having to sleep on the side of the road instead of going home to their farmer. My favorite part of the song is when the musical accompaniment changes to what sounds like an ice cream truck playing music, and Amy enthusiastically sings, "Ice cream! Ice cream! Sweet, sticky, glorious ice cream! Ice cream! Ice cream! Tastiest treat in the world!" One thing that I love about this album is that you can tell that Amy and her family had so much fun making it, and it's very creative. Like "Bee and Duck," though, this song tells a very simple story that's ideal for the really little ones. "The End of the Book," though, is another favorite of mine that has a really sweet story behind it (as do many of the songs on the album). The song is inspired by Jack, as Amy has said that he tends to cry when the book that is being read to him is finished. She responds by telling him that they can read it again. "The end of the book isn't the end of the story. You can imagine anything that you want it to be," Amy starts the song by declaring. Some of the lyrics remind me of the title track because they are also about not being afraid to exercise your imagination. Amy has said that some of the songs included toys such as mallets as instruments, and I think that this might have been one such song.

The eleventh track on Dream Too Much is my favorite song on the album and is the second song to have premiered from the album. "If You're a Star" is quite possibly the most beautiful song that Amy has ever written, and anyone who knows me and understands my love for Amy and Evanescence knows that that is saying a lot. This is a piano-driven lullaby that wonders if stars have any human-like characteristics. "How do you sleep at night if you can never turn out your light?" she asks the stars. "How do you sleep at night if you're a star?" The melody of this song is hauntingly beautiful, and I especially love the part near the end of the song (at the 2:34 mark) when Amy closes the song by playing a snippet of the primary melody on the piano. What makes this song especially beautiful is that a lot of it was improvised by Amy and her husband Josh; they often sing to Jack and make lyrics and melodies up as they go along, and this song was the result of such a session. Dream Too Much then closes with "Goodnight My Love," a cover of a pop song originally released in 1956 by Jesse Belvin. Even though this is a cover, it still has a touching story behind it. Amy said that it was the first song to be record for the album, back when it was simply a family project not necessarily intended to be released for the world to hear. Her father John takes the lead on this one, with Amy harmonizing on background vocals, but this is a song that he sang to her as a child, which makes his singing it ever so meaningful. It's a great closing to an album that is such a beautiful work of art. I expected to love it because I have loved everything that Amy Lee has ever done, but I love it even more than I thought that I would. It's beautiful, creative, heartwarming, and adorable, and it has something for the whole family. Evanescence fans, you'd be foolish to not to give this a chance.

Inventions - Exist, Explore EP [Review]

Approximately two years ago, I was introduced to Australia-based band Inventions. The frontman of the band, Jacob Leaney, shared the band's music video "Shadows" in an Evanescence group on Facebook, saying that Evanescence (which is my favorite band) served as an influence for the band. I pretty much instantly fell in love with the band's musical charisma and music, especially when I ended up hearing songs like "Straight" and "Halloween." I ordered the first EP (self-titled), which Jacob signed, making it a beloved possession. After about two years, Inventions has finally released a follow-up release, another EP. This one is titled Exist, Explore, and it's even better than the first one. (Considering how much that I love the first one, that's saying quite a bit.) The EP opens with "Coming Home," a song that was first premiered as a single quite some time ago. The song is a powerful song in so many ways. The driving guitar riff introduced at the very beginning is powerful. The melody is powerful. Jacob's voice is powerful. The lyrics, which speak of finally breaking free from toxicity and declaring independence, are powerful. Everything down to the Gregorian-like chanting that close the song is powerful, and it's a great addition to the EP; I am so glad that it was included.

The second track on the EP is "Nowhere I'd Rather Be." Unlike its predecessor, there isn't much of an intro to the song. The whining guitar at the very beginning crescendos for only a second before Jacob starts the song. The chorus, stating that "I'll stand here soaking up your sadness; there's nowhere I'd rather be" is, as is typical of Inventions, melodically powerful and catchy. The chorus sort of has a call-and-response style that reminds me a bit of AFI. The third track is technically the EP's lead single. Titled "Worthless," it is about, as would probably be expected based on the title, being made to feel worthless by others' words and actions (such as bullying and abandonment). During the summer, Jacob asked fans to comment on a post with one word that was related to why they have been made to feel worthless. Consequently, in the corresponding music video (which I love), Jacob is seen shirtless with such words as failure, betrayed, inadequate, rejected, sterile, ugly, empty, helpless, used, damaged, etc. painted on his body. (See screenshot below.) This is really powerful imagery because it represents the marks that hurtful words and traumatic experiences can leave on us. The song is a ridiculously catchy (seriously - good luck getting this tune out of your head once it's in there) piano-driven power pop ballad featuring guest vocals by Vonnie Sofia.

The EP follows with "Lay Your Bones Down," one of the heavier tracks on the EP that, on some level, reminds me of "Halloween," a song from the band's previous EP. Perhaps my favorite part of this song is the pulsating piano segment that comes in after the first time that we hear the chorus. A true highlight on Exist, Explore, however, is "Oh, Anxiety," the fifth track. Jacob personally told me that he believed that I would really like this song, and he wasn't wrong. It's a beautiful masterpiece that brought tears to my eyes the first time that I heard it. The song is mostly piano-driven that is, as the title suggests, an ode to anxiety. "I'm slipping all the time," Jacob confesses. "My hands don't feel like mine." The lyric that really gives me chills, though, is the following: "Wishing I could hear myself say, 'You're not alone...'" The song starts as a slow song driven by piano and strings, but the band joins in after about two minutes and forty-five seconds, and that's when I really start to feel all the feels. The song reminds me a lot of Evanescence's "Lost in Paradise" in its structure, and since Jacob is a fan, I am sure that he doesn't mind that comparison. "Oh, Anxiety" is just an utterly beautiful piece that was more than likely therapeutic for Jacob but is also very therapeutic for listeners who have suffered and/or do suffer from mental illness, reminding us that "you're not alone."

"I Said Goodbye," although considered a bonus track, closes the EP, and like "Coming Home," this is another song that was originally released quite a while before the EP was released. Also similar to "Coming Home," the song opens with a driving guitar riff, which is followed by Jacob half-singing and half-whispering, "I had a dream..." The chorus assertively states that "I said goodbye to the gravity below, to resistance and to every anxious thought I've ever known." The song features a powerful message of hope - hope for the future, hope that mental illness is a war that you can win. I remember how shortly after this song was first premiered, I could not get it out of my head for the life of me. I couldn't say goodbye to it, and one thing that I know for sure is that I will never be able to say goodbye to Inventions. Their music has reached my soul on such a visceral level. It has, for about two years now, given me an emotional outlet for the depression and anxiety from which I have suffered for years. Dealing with, coping with, and conquering emotional pain is a common theme amongst Inventions' tracks, and for that, I am grateful. Another one of my favorite bands, Otep, often advertises a slogan: Art saves. Inventions is a perfect example of that truth, and now that they have released an album's worth of material within the last two years, I can't wait to see what's next. (Oh, and another awesome thing about this band? They give back to the fans. Anyone who proved to Jacob that they preordered the EP got a special electronic care package containing instrumentals, HD photos, and an HD video file of the "Worthless" video!)

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Return of the Dreads Tour - Live at Lakeview Amphitheater [Saturday, 8/27/16] [Review]

Seeing this concert at the Lakeview Amphitheater in Syracuse, New York is quite honestly one of the best things that I have ever done. Several months ago (probably late winter / early spring), my best friend mentioned this concert to me in passing, and I thought to myself, "It's definitely worth looking into." After all, I had been wanting to see Korn for a long time since seeing Jonathan Davis (the frontman) play an acoustic set at a smallish venue back in 2007. I had never seen Rob Zombie live in any kind of capacity, so that was an exciting prospect, as well. What really, truly sold me, however, was the discovery that one of my favorite bands, In This Moment, was opening for them. I immediately decided, "Okay, we are going." I bought both of our tickets, and plans were made, and as I said, I sure am glad that I did because this was a spectacular show that I will never, ever forget. Although In This Moment was the act for which I was the most excited, all three were fantastic, especially In This Moment and Rob Zombie, and that is rare. Whenever I go to a concert, it is usually the case that there is at least one act that (a) I am not familiar with, (b) I am not all that into, and/or (c) isn't all that great live. When I saw Otep, for example, local band after local band after local band preceded her, none of whom I had ever heard of prior to the show (although Circle the Suffering wasn't bad). When I saw Kelly Clarkson, Gavin DeGraw opened for her, and although he was pretty good live, I am not really a fan. Those of you who follow my blog on a regular basis know that I saw Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Panic! at the Disco, and Weezer back in June this year, and Weezer was quite honestly pretty boring live. I could go on, but the bottom line is that this was an exception; all three bands were fantastic.

In This Moment opened the show with "Sick Like Me," the lead single from their latest album Black Widow. As soon as Maria Brink (the band's frontwoman) entered the stage, I was in awe. This was my first time seeing In This Moment live, and I was pleasantly astounded by the theatrical nature of the band's act. It was the type of show that you usually see from artistic pop acts like Lady Gaga and Madonna, not usually from metal acts. Throughout just about every song, Maria was supported by backup dancers who not only fit perfectly with the mood of each song but also moved perfectly to each song's groove and rhythm. I, shortly after seeing the concert, read that Maria apparently developed a love for theater when she was younger and consequently adapted theatrical aspects into her shows, which definitely showed. There were only two aspects of the show that hindered its quality, neither one of which was the fault of the band: (1) Since the band was the first to play, they played while it was still daylight, and I think that the stage would have been even more visually appealing (see above photo) and the show would have been better overall if it were at night. (2) Because they were opening, they only played seven songs. In This Moment's setlist was as follows:

1. Sick Like Me
2. Black Widow
3. Adrenalize
4. Burn
5. American Horror Story: Freak Show Interlude
6. Sex Metal Barbie
7. Whore
8. Blood

They did play many of my favorites, but I definitely would have liked to have seen a full setlist. Now that I have seen them once, however, it is my dream to see them a second time with a full setlist because they were that good. (By the way, yes, they used American Horror Story: Freak Show music and dialogue as an interlude. That was awesome and was definitely a highlight of the entire show.)

After In This Moment (unfortunately) wrapped up, we waited quite a long time for the next act. My understanding had been that In This Moment was first, then Korn, then Rob Zombie. That was how it was printed on my ticket after all, and it was also printed that way on t-shirts. (If, in fact, you look at the official tour logo at the top of this entry, Korn is listed first.) When the second stage set was being assembled, therefore, I thought that it was Korn. I was surprised, however, when it was actually Rob Zombie. Rob also put on a fantastic show. Backed by psychedelic greens and purples and a large decorative boombox, Rob was full of energy. I had never, as I said, seen him live before, not even via a recording, so I honestly hadn't been expecting this lord of darkness to be so nimble and sprightly. I remember my best friend (the one with whom I attended the show) saying that one reason why she wanted to see Rob live was because at fifty-one years old, he wasn't getting any younger. It is my belief, however, that he won't be quitting this business anytime soon if he can help it. He was so energetic and seemed legitimately happy to be performing on stage. He was also very interactive with the audience, going to the extent of calling certain people out. He even got off the stage and walked around the theatre at one point. When he returned to the stage, he asked the audience to put their phones away for "three fucking minutes," promising that their Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, etc. would survive without them. He was sprightly and hilarious.

Decked in his usual semi-goth, semi-hippie garb, Rob did classic numbers like "Dragula" (his best-known song), "Living Dead Girl," "Thunder Kiss '65," "More Human than Human," "Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)," etc. He also performed tracks from his new album The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser, including "The Hideous Exhibitions of a Dedicated Gore Whore" and "Well, Everybody's Fucking in a U.F.O." The full setlist is as follows:

1. Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown
2. Superbeast
3. In the Age of the Consecrated Vampire We All Get High
4. Wild Thing
5. Living Dead Girl
6. Well, Everybody's Fucking in a U.F.O.
7. More Human than Human
8. Never Gonna Stop (The Red, Red Kroovy)
9. The Hideous Exhibitions of a Dedicated Gore Whore
10. House of 1000 Corpses
11. Thunder Kiss '65
12. The Star-Spangled Banner / We're an American Band
13. Dragula

His new album has become one of my favorites, so I enjoyed both the old material and the new material. His love for old horror films and related media was apparent (something that is also apparent in his films, as his characters are often seen watching them), as clips from Nosferatu, Dracula, The Munsters etc. were displayed on the video screen behind him and his band (which includes previous Marilyn Manson members Ginger Fish and John 5). Also in typical Rob Zombie fashion, much of the show's visuals revolved around science-fiction, especially during his performance of the aforementioned "U.F.O." song. The only aspect of Rob performing live that I wish were different is his tendency to shout some of the lyrics rather than sing them like he does on the studio recordings. I also noticed this when I watched his live video release The Zombie Horror Picture Show recently. It was especially noticeable in songs like "Living Dead Girl" and "Dragula." The songs were essentially stripped of their melodies, which were, as I said, basically shouted rather than sung. I still really enjoyed seeing him live, though, and would love to see him again. I have been a casual fan for years but have been deeply invested and maybe even obsessed since seeing him live.

Once again, we waited a really long time in between sets, and the third and final act was Korn. This was the band for which I was the least excited, not because I don't like Korn but because as I said, I had already seen Jonathan Davis live before. This was still a pretty new experience for me, though, because it was my first time seeing the band in full. Although not quite as exciting as In This Moment and Rob Zombie, perhaps primarily because the stage was the most basic and least decorated of the three, the band still put on a really great show. Each and every song was performed with zest and heart, and the setlist was composed of:

1. Right Now
2. Here to Stay
3. Rotting in Vain
4. Somebody Someone
5. Coming Undone
6. Y'all Want a Single
7. Dead Bodies Everywhere / Make Me Bad
8. Insane
9. Shoots and Ladders / One
10. Blind
11. Twist
12. Got the Life
13. Falling Away from Me
14. Freak on a Leash

Highlights included "Coming Undone," "Y'all Want a Single," "Shoots and Ladders," and "Freak on a Leash," a well-known single with which they closed. The band said goodbye to everyone as they ended their set and effectively the show in general and encouraged the crowd to purchase their new album, The Serenity of Suffering, which drops on October 21st. (They performed two songs from it - "Rotting in Vain" and "Insane.") The only aspect of the band's setlist that surprised me was the fact that they didn't perform "Twisted Transistor," which I would argue is probably their biggest commercial hit, but I was satisfied with the setlist overall, especially since they didn't perform a single song from The Path of Totality, their 2011 metal meets dubstep effort that I have listened to and tried (keyword: tried) liking more than once.

I can't stress enough how happy that I am that I attended this concert. Not only was it an amazing show that never stopped being enjoyable (something that, as I said, is usually pretty rare), I believe that it was also the first time that I have seen a show with my best friend since the Jonathan Davis show in 2007, nine too many years. We both had such a great time that we have pledged to (a) try to do this more often and (b) see In This Moment again, preferably with a longer set, which brings me to the best part about having seen this show. Prior to the show, Dani (my friend) had never really listened to In This Moment, so she went in not knowing what to expect. Now? She is irrevocably obsessed and recently dropped $80 on all five of their albums. I had been trying for months to expose the band to her by, for example, putting three of their songs on a mix CD that I made for her because they seemed like something that she might like, and I finally succeeded by going to see them live with her. That's how good they were live; they intrigued her enough to build an obsession. The only aspect of this adventure that set our day back was all of the waiting and the hassle that was required to get to the show and leave the show. Because some genius decided to book the show while the New York State Fair was happening practically next door, there was no parking, and we had to park at a remote location and then take two consecutive shuttle busses to the show. We waited in a line to board a bus for what had to have been close to an hour after the show ended, so I will make an effort to avoid shows at this venue that coincide with the New York State Fair in the future; this show, however, was definitely worth it.

OmenBoy - Die Die Die - Single

Several months ago, I wrote a poem that I titled "Drowning City." I sent the poem to who was, at the time, my best friend. He is a pop/hip-hop musician, and he loved the poem and said that he wanted to use it as a song, which he did. He surprised me one day while we were in the car together by playing the song from his phone, and I was so ecstatically happy. I couldn't believe that my words had been set to such a great pop track. When he ended up releasing the corresponding album, Letters to My Crazy, I felt that the song, which he had retitled as "Die Die Die," was the strongest track on the album, and that is not a selfish thing to say; I mostly felt that way because of its melody, and he came up with the melody, not me. I decided that I wanted to share this song here because even though he does have a website where you can download his latest two albums, the song is not available there anymore. He rereleased Letters to My Crazy and omitted the song from the tracklisting. Check out the track here, and let me know what you think!

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Panic! at the Disco, & Weezer - Live at Constellation Brands, Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center [Saturday, 6/25/16] [Review]

Seeing Panic! at the Disco live has been on my bucket list for years. Panic! is one of my favorite bands, and many years ago, it seemed so unfair when my younger brother got to see them alongside blink-182 when he wasn't even really that big of a fan of Panic!. I am finally able to let go of that burning jealousy, though, as I have now seen them myself. When a close friend invited me to the show, I was originally under the impression that it was just Panic! and Weezer performing, but I still enthusiastically took her up on the offer because, as I said, I am a big Panic! fan. I soon learned, however, that Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness would also be playing, and I was then even more excited, as I have been a fan of Andrew for eight years or so now. I, in fact, saw him while he was still with Jack's Mannequin back in 2008 in Syracuse, and it was a great show. I am a casual fan of Weezer; they're hardly one of my favorite bands, but I do appreciate and love a handful of their songs.  I was most excited about Panic! because I hadn't seen them before, and I was not even slightly disappointed. (Well, I might have been a little bit disappointed that Brendon didn't perform "Build God, Then We'll Talk," but I digress.) The bottom line is that I am so happy that I went to this concert; I had a fantastic time with friends and was treated to a fantastic show.

I have been to many concerts that did not start on time or started much later than I had expected because of opening bands that I hadn't been expecting. This was not the case with this show, though; Andrew McMahon started his set at 7:00 sharp, and he was, as I expected, a great performer and very entertaining. As was the case when I saw him in 2008, he could not sit still; he bounced up and down off his seat as his fingers joyously played his piano. He also frequently stood on the piano, occasionally causing a discord of sound as he even stood on the keys. It's always clear when Andrew performs that he's happy to be alive and is having a good time. He even walked through the audience and was, at one point, only about ten to twenty feet from me. I tried to get a picture, but it was too fast. My only complaint about Andrew's set is that it wasn't long enough. I believe that he only performed seven songs, and consequently, even though I had been hoping that he'd play some classics, "Dark Blue" was the only old song that he performed. That was an amazing performance, though, and it almost brought me to tears as it brought me back to 2008 when I first discovered Andrew, and most of 2008 was, for the most part, a simpler and happier time for me. Andrew performed:

1. All Our Lives
2. High Dive
3. Canyon Moon
4. Fire Escape [a new song that I hadn't heard before]
5. Dark Blue
6. Synesthesia
7. Cecilia and the Satellite

I really could have done with his set being longer and Weezer's being shorter, but I am just happy that I got to see Andrew a second time.

Something else that I really liked about this show is that not a whole lot of time was spent preparing in between sets. I have been to some concerts at which the time in between sets was a good forty-five minutes or so, and that was not the case here. I don't think that we waited much longer than twenty minutes, so fortunately, after Andrew's performance, I didn't have long to wait until Panic! began their (or I guess that I should technically say his since it's really more of a solo project now) set. Although the setlist was missing a few numbers that I would have liked to have heard, it was pretty solid. It was as follows:

1. Don't Threaten Me with a Good Time
2. Vegas Lights
3. The Ballad of Mona Lisa
4. Hallelujah
5. Time to Dance
6. Emperor's New Clothes
7. Girls/Girls/Boys
8. Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)
9. Nine in the Afternoon
10. Crazy = Genius
11. Miss Jackson
12. Golden Days
13. Bohemian Rhapsody
14. LA Devotee
15. Death of a Bachelor
16. I Write Sins Not Tragedies
17. This Is Gospel
18. Victorious

I was, as I said, hoping to hear "Build God, Then We'll Talk," as it is one of my favorite songs from Panic!. I was also hoping to hear the song from the new album, "House of Memories." Beggars can't be choosers, though, because I was just so happy to be there and to finally see Panic! live, especially after the Death of a Bachelor album, which is one of my favorite Panic! albums alongside Pretty. Odd. Highlights of Brendon's set included "Time to Dance," "Emperor's New Clothes," "Girls/Girls/Boys," "Bohemian Rhapsody" (of course), "I Write Sins Not Tragedies," and "Victorious." 

If Brendon Urie knows anything, it's how to put on a good show. He's a natural performer. He moved from one end of the stage to the other and never seemed to run low on energy. He even expertly performed a backflip at one point, and he's so multi-talented; he played piano, guitar, and drums during the show. I am also pretty sure that I wasn't the only one who felt that the show got even better once he took his shirt off. Brendon is, after all, a beautiful human being. I even met a guy at the show who told me that Brendon makes him question his sexuality. It was somewhat of an educational experience for me, too. Regarding Andrew's song "Cecilia and the Satellite," I always wondered who Cecilia was, and Andrew explained that Cecilia is his daughter. Before Brendon performed "This Is Gospel," he dedicated it to Spencer Smith, who used to be in the band. I knew about Spencer but didn't know that he left the band due to an alcohol and drug addiction. Brendon referred to him as his best friend, which was really touching. Not only was Brendon himself amazing (especially with the awe-inspiring high notes that he reached like I've never heard from the studio), so was the stage design. Inspired primarily by art deco, the stage featured a lot of browns and yellows but also, during certain songs, was extremely colorful with blues and pinks. A lot of the design was inspired by the sketch-like appearance of the Death of a Bachelor cover art, which made a lot of sense considering the fact that that was the album that he was primarily promoting with this tour.

Once again, there wasn't a terribly long wait until Weezer came on. Weezer's setlist was as follows:

1. California Kids
2. Hash Pipe
3. My Name Is Jonas
4. (If You're Wondering If I Want You to) I Want You To
5. Jacked Up
6. Pork and Beans
7. Troublemaker
8. Perfect Situation
9. Thank God for Girls
10. Beverly Hills
11. Dope Nose / Back to the Shack / Keep Fishin' / The Good Life / Surf Wax America
12. Undone - the Sweater Song
13. King of the World / Only in Dreams
14. Island in the Sun
15. Say It Ain't So
16. El Scorcho / Buddy Holly (Encore)

The songs that I knew well, like "Pork and Beans," "Perfect Situation," "Beverly Hills," "Island in the Sun," and "Buddy Holly" were exciting to see/hear live. One of the highlights was "Thank God for Girls." The band featured a slideshow of photos of strong, influential women, including Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, and even fictional characters like Daenerys and Brienne from Game of Thrones. The end of the performance even featured a rainbow flag. The stage design was very bright and colorful and featured mostly a beach theme; they even had beach balls being passed around the arena at one point. The only real complaint that I had with Weezer was that they didn't seem too zealous to be there. They didn't interact with the audience at all, and most of their set seemed very stiff and rehearsed. I know that sets obviously are rehearsed (they have to be), but as opposed to Andrew and Brendon, both of whom were full of energy and seemed excited to be performing, Rivers especially didn't show much enthusiasm, barely even cracking a smile throughout the set. I was also not allowed to bring my book-bag into the show (which I had wanted on hand to carry my wallet, the band merchandise that I had planned to buy, etc.), and we later discovered that that was Weezer's rule. The show, overall, was fantastic. I had such a euphorically memorable time that I won't ever forget!

Garbage - Strange Little Birds [Review]

If Garbage has ever been good at anything, it's at making fantastic, catchy rock music, and the band's latest effort, Strange Little Birds, is no exception. The album's art definitely demonstrates a cat theme, so the title is a bit odd, but it comes from lyrics from the song "Even Though Our Love Is Doomed": "Such strange little birds devoured by our obsessions." Although I don't think that I like Strange Little Birds quite as much as I like the last album, Not Your Kind of People, I do definitely really love it, and it's one of my favorite Garbage albums to date. The album opens with "Sometimes," which really feels like an intro at less than three minutes long. The song, to me, speaks of wanting to be in control because you've reached a point at which you feel confused and maybe even helpless. That control could even come in the form of learning from being abused. The song features a soft and slow intro featuring piano and strings but picks up a little bit with a pulsating beat. Even after the beat comes in, though, most of the song is fueled by the piano and strings, making it one of the softest songs on the album. The song abruptly ends and moves into the heavy anthem "Empty," the album's lead single. "Empty" is, as I said, pretty heavy and sounds like an alternative rock song from the '90s. I love singing along to this catchy chorus and really relate to the song, as it speaks of never feeling good enough and finding validation from someone else, consequently becoming obsessed with them. "I'm so empty," the chorus declares. "You're all I think about." It's a great anthemic song and is a real highlight on the album.

As opposed to "Sometimes" being rather short at under three minutes long, the third track on Strange Little Birds is well over six minutes long. "Blackout" is, in fact, apparently the longest Garbage song yet, as in spanning across the course of their career. The song is a midtempo rock song that has an '80s vibe to it, both with its instrumental production and its vocal production. There are also wordless vocals in the chorus that remind me a lot of The Cranberries, another female-fronted rock band that rose at around the same time that Garbage did. I lyrically liken the song to "Let It Go" from the Disney film Frozen, especially regarding its chorus: "Try not to think. Be cool. Be calm. Be fake. Dumb yourself down. Numb yourself out. Fake it 'til you make it break." A Frozen fan may be reminded of the line "Conceal; don't feel" from "Let It Go," the film's most popular song. The fourth track on the album is another highlight for me. Titled "If I Lost You," the song is a downtempo, trip-hop song that reminds me of a combination of Depeche Mode, Dido, and Goldfrapp. The song speaks of being so in love with someone that you can't imagine your life without them: "Sometimes, I believe that I might die if I lost you." I know from experience that this is a very dangerous feeling, but it is also a very human feeling that many of us experience throughout our lives. One thing that I really love about "If I Lost You" is that it takes me right back to the '90s.

"Night Drive Loneliness" is not only a highlight on the album for me but is even my top favorite song on the album. Although considerably more reserved, it reminds me a bit of the opening track from Not Your Kind of People, "Automatic Systematic Habit," in that it has an industrial, Marilyn Manson-esque sound to it. I love this song not only because of its industrial sound but also because of its lyrics. I unfortunately don't yet have a car (it's well beyond my budget), but one reason why I am really looking forward to having one is because I imagine taking drives to be therapeutic for my occasional depression and anxiety, and this would be a perfect sounding song to have jamming during the experience. "My night drive loneliness comes again and again," Shirley Manson confesses. I love this song so very much and hope that we will be treated to a music video for it. I think that the sixth song, "Even Though Our Love Is Doomed," was the second song for the band to release from the album, although it is not technically a single. The song is a midtempo alternative rock song that is fueled primarily by plucked strings and carried through by Manson's low, breathy voice. The song doesn't really get louder until close to the end when it finally gets heavier. The song speaks of wanting to fight for someone even though they're very likely not meant to be together. "I need to understand why we kill the things we love the most," Manson laments.

"Magnetized" picks up the energy that dwindled down after "Blackout." After an electronic, atmospheric opening, Manson asserts, "I'm not in love," although by the end of the song, I definitely get the impression that she is trying to convince herself of that more than anything else. The chorus doesn't really go anywhere lyrically, as it keeps repeating "I'm magnetized," but there is a lot of weight in the verses: "You bring your light; I'll bring the pain. You bring your joy; I'll bring my shame." I believe Shirley to be saying that her attraction to this person is intense and that she probably does love the person but can't admit that because she is broken and would be opening herself up to the previous song's doomed love. The energy stays at approximately the same level with "We Never Tell," the album's eighth track. The song is an uptempo electro-rock song about being inseparable from someone and wanting to set an example of love for the rest of the world: "Let's give 'em something to remember, something to talk about on their telephones, on their couch at home." "So We Can Stay Alive" is another electro-rock song but has a really strong, pulsating drive to it that punctuates the heavy, persistent guitar riffs that energize most of the song. As an English professor, I certainly appreciate the song's use of alliteration, such as the whispered "victor, vanquish, valour" and "lust and love, our lives..." Shirley has said that the song is about using our impending mortality as fuel to live the best lives that we possibly can. Although not as long as "Blackout," the song is rather lengthy at about exactly six minutes long.

"Teaching Little Fingers to Play" is probably my second favorite song from Strange Little Birds following "Night Drive Loneliness." The beginning of the song sonically reminds me a lot of Madonna's cover of "I Want You," and like "If I Lost You," it sounds very trip-hop-esque. The song sounds like it might be making use of a keyboard. What I love the most about the song is its beautiful chorus; Manson's lilting notes independently assert that "I'm all grown up... no one around to fix me now... Doing it my own way..." The final song on the standard edition of the album is "Amends," an epic industrial rock song at six minutes long. The song, to me, speaks of wanting closure from a person who has deeply hurt you. The most poignant lyrics for me are "It's what you do; don't make it right. Matter of fact, it's called revenge. Cut off your nose to spite your face. It's pretty cruel shutting me out." Present on "Amends" is definitely a woman scorned who wants answers. "...I know it's not my place," she says, "to tell you how to live your life, but to forget somebody's sins is divine..." This is sheer lyrical power and is a great closing track, especially with its epic instrumental break more than halfway through. Although the standard version ends there, the vinyl features an additional song, titled "FWY," an abbreviation of "Fucking with You." It's a shame that it's only available on the vinyl because I don't have a record player and don't plan on buying one anytime soon because vinyls are very expensive, but I did have the pleasure of hearing the song thanks to a YouTube uploader.

"FWY" also makes a great closing track. It starts on a low orchestral note, sounding very much like it might work as a James Bond theme (which, of course, Garbage has done before with "The World Is Not Enough"). "FWY" is a very slow track, with a very downtempo beat. It's definitely the slowest song on the album, although it does get louder and heavier a little more than halfway through. This is, in some ways, a continuation of "Amends," as it is addressing a man who has cheated on her. "FWY" is much more sad and tragic, though, as Manson places some of the blame on herself: "I want you to know I will always love you. I need you to know I forgive you. I want you to know that I was also to blame. I was never easy to live with back then." Cheating is never, ever okay, and I don't think that someone who has been a victim of it should have to apologize for it. The song is extremely explicit, as the titular lyric is talking about literal fucking, as in having sex. "You said there was no one quite like me," Shirley points out. "Coming inside me felt like coming home." This is another song to which I relate on a visceral level, and I really love the song and its trip-hop sound. I so wish that it were on the CD. In conclusion, however, I love Strange Little Birds. It effectively captures the dark side of falling in and being in love, and I love its trip-hop influence and its electro-rock sounds. It's definitely one of the best Garbage albums to date, as many Garbage fans have been seeming to agree.

Nick Jonas - Last Year Was Complicated [Review]

After an apparently torrid breakup, ex-Jonas Brothers member Nick Jonas got to work on his second (although technically third, including 2004's album Nicholas Jonas) studio album, Last Year Was Complicated. Something that I have often debated is whether or not pop music generally conveys heartbreak in a meaningful, believable way, and as much as I love a lot of pop music, my stance is that it usually does not. Pop music is generally out mainly to make money, so deep, impactful, and raw stream-of-consciousness style music is generally sacrificed for short, memorable, and catchy hooks. This was the main problem that I had with Gwen Stefani's latest effort, This Is What the Truth Feels Like; most of it feels like a generic pop album about lovey-dovey euphoria and sexual attraction when it had been teased as being a response to her divorce from Bush and Institute frontman Gavin Rossdale. I was gleefully happy, however, that Nick's Last Year Was Complicated is a wonderful exception. Nick's lyrics are brutally raw and honest, and he doesn't pull any punches regarding how it feels to lose someone whom you love(d). The songs are catchy but not at the expense of being superficial. The album streams through a lot of moods and emotions, but just about all of them are related to a relationship ending, which does tend to involve a lot of emotions - sadness, despair, loneliness, anger, and, of course, a sense of newfound freedom and strength. I think that Last Year Was Complicated captures all of these feelings effectively.

The album opens with "Voodoo." I do wish that there were some sort of soft intro to the song because it rather abruptly opens the album with a beat. The song has a middle-eastern influence and is a fast-paced electropop dance song. Lyrically, the song is somewhat similar to "Chains," the opening track from the previous self-titled album. He compares the hold that a woman has over him to voodoo, as if she can abuse him in one way or another but keep getting him to come back to her. He finally declares, however, that "I ain't fuckin' with your voodoo." It sort of has a dark sound to it, which is very different from the second track, "Champagne Problems." "Champagne Problems" is an upbeat electropop song sort of similar to something that Calvin Harris might produce. The most telling lyrics of the song are probably the following: "How did our clothes end up on the floor? Didn't we just break each other's hearts? Didn't you have one foot out the door? Better to fall in love than lose. Wish I didn't have to choose." The song is about being at the end of a failing relationship but being afraid of ending it. The speaker tries to reason that the problems in the relationship can probably be solved with alcohol, so he decides to try to extend the relationship by drinking with his partner. It's not much happier lyrically than "Voodoo," but it is happier sonically. Once Last Year Is Complicated hits its third track, titled "Close," however, it reaches its softest point thus far.

"Close" is the album's leading single and features vocals from Tove Lo. It is a synthy low-energy pop song, and Nick has said that it is a very personal song (as he has also said of the album in general). What I love about the song is that it calls attention to the infallible nature of the phrase that many of us have probably heard: "I need some space." The speaker reasons that "space is just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get too close." I have found myself that whenever someone, especially a lover, says that they need space, it usually means that they are growing uncomfortable in your presence for one reason or another and want to end the relationship. The same is true of the phrase "Let's take a break." Rarely do "breaks" ever end. I do, as I said, love the lyrical nature of this song because not many musicians really seem to call attention to this subject, and I also love the chorus of this song because it's melodically beautiful and catchy. The fourth track is "Chainsaw," which is the album's second single. Nick has apparently said that he considers "Chainsaw" to be the most personal song that he has ever written, and it is about wanting to destroy everything that reminds him of his ex-lover (a feeling that I understand all too well). In the music video, Nick walks around a deserted home and experiences a flood of memories with his ex-lover before finally burning the house down, an obvious analogy to finally moving past that part of your life. It's somewhat downbeat, but the chorus is really catchy, and it's one of my favorite songs from the album.

The fifth track picks up the pace a bit with "Touch," a song during which Nick could potentially remind one of JT with his high register. The very beginning of the song might also remind one of Nick's days with Nick Jonas and the Administration with its acoustic intro. Although the acoustic sound drives nearly the entire song, once the song gets past its intro, it's also driven by an R&B-esque beat. This is one song on the album that one could argue deviates from the breakup theme and instead defers to the aforementioned theme of sexual attraction. It it not a rough transition in my opinion, however, because the fact that it demonstrates a desperate desire for this woman suggests to me that it could be from the perspective of someone who is missing the spiritual and sexual connection that he had with his ex-lover (similar a bit to the track "Under You"). The song's lyrics are extremely suggestive in its chorus: "I go from touchin' you with both hands, babe, to touchin' you with no hands... That's my favorite way of touchin' you." It is (definitely intentionally) a double-entendre, as it could either mean that he enjoys touching her spiritually and on a mental/emotional level and could also mean that he enjoys having sex with her. It is deliberately ambiguous and deliberately intended to convey both meanings. It isn't necessarily one of my favorite songs on the album but is catchy enough, and I appreciate it.

The sixth track is one of my favorite songs. Titled "Bacon," the song is an uptempo pop-rock track, and it demonstrates a sense of newfound freedom and independence. "The one thing I love more than being with you, and that's no ties, no drama in my life," he asserts. He declares that when he gets up in the morning, he decides to "throw some bacon" on because he is now free to do so. (Bacon is, of course, a symbol of indulgence, as it tastes good to most but is terrible for your health. I am vegetarian and consequently don't eat bacon unless it isn't real bacon, so I don't necessarily relate to the specifics of that, but I do to the overall message.) The song features vocals from Ty Dolla $ign. His part, which is really more R&B than it is rap, doesn't destroy the song since it is rather short, but it is rather unnecessary. The seventh track is titled "Good Girls" and is melodically and sonically a highlight. Lyrically, however, it is culturally problematic and controversial, as it could easily be interpreted as a patriarchal grasp on how women should behave. The chorus asks: "When did all these good girls decide to be bad, dancin' up on the table gettin' back at your dad?" If a woman is behaving in a sexually suggestive way, then it must be because she's doing it because of her father, a man. Another aspect of the song that bothers me is that it contradicts itself. Nick sings that "sexy isn't just what you see...," but then during Big Sean's part, the song says that "I just want a bad girl tonight and a good girl for life." This part simply demolishes any attempt that Nick might have been making at being socially conscious.

I don't think that Nick is a deeply sexist person (although others have argued otherwise because of his big single "Jealous"), but that song is very misguided. Nick, when he was with the Jonas Brothers and when he was with Nick Jonas and the Administration, used to demonstrate himself as completely clothed and never made sexual references in his songs. In fact, he and his two brothers wore purity rings. Once he became big as a solo artist, however, the clothes came off, and the sexual references went on. I don't think that there's anything wrong with that (for some people, that is liberating), but who is calling attention to that? He has gone "bad" himself but is only calling attention to girls who have gone "bad." We do, unfortunately, live in a world where most cultures harshly judge women for being sexual but consider it expected and even natural for men. That aside, however, it's probably time to move on from that discussion and continue discussing the album. I am quite honestly not going to spend a lot of time talking about the next two tracks, "The Difference" and "Don't Make Me Choose," because they are low points on the album and are kind of, in my opinion, throwaways. "The Difference" is a midtempo soulful pop song about responding to a woman who is resisting the way that she feels for the speaker out of fear, because of the way that she has been treated in the past. "Don't Make Me Choose" is a slow R&B track. It is lyrically a callback to "Champagne Problems," which declares that it is "better to fall in love than lose. Wish I didn't have to choose." "Don't Make Me Choose" similarly pleads that his partner not "make me choose between my love and my life."

The tenth track is titled "Under You" and is the song to which I was most looking forward. Last October, I had the pleasure of seeing Nick perform live, and he performed "Under You," teasing it as a brand new song that would be featured on his upcoming album, which, of course, ended up being Last Year Was Complicated. I loved the song when I heard it and couldn't wait for the studio version. "Under You" is an upbeat pop-rock track that might remind one of Taylor Swift's "Style," at least in its verses. The song lyrically speaks of regretting letting a lover go, and it is, of course, sexually suggestive (as is its title) in its chorus: "...I'll never get over, never get over not getting under you." It's one of my favorite songs on the album and might even be my top favorite. I also really like the eleventh track, although it's quite a deviation from "Under You." "Unhinged" is a very slow piano ballad and is lyrically heartbreaking and beautiful. The speaker sings of feeling broken and consequently being afraid of falling in love. "Every sway just breaks me a little, and I know you can't take this back and forth. It's not safe for you in the middle. When you close that door, you'll see it's unhinged; it's just like me." It's a beautiful song, one to which I can definitely relate, and I honestly think that it would have made a much better closing track to the standard version of the album than the actual closing track, "Comfortable," does.

The standard edition of Last Year Was Complicated closes with "Comfortable," which is another low point for me. It's a midtempo song with a relatively standard R&B beat. Also in the mix are synths and piano, making it fairly interesting. There is a spoken verse by Allen Iverson, which is, quite honestly, terrible. I am not even going to spend any more time talking about this one because it really is kind of a throwaway and certainly, as I said, doesn't really work as a closing track. There is fortunately a version of the album sold exclusively at Target with three extra tracks - "Testify," "When We Get Home," and "That's What They All Say." I really like "Testify," a song that is somewhat musically similar to "Under You." The chorus is really catchy, although it could potentially be that substandard deviation to which pop music often defers even when it's inappropriate, as it is a song about how great love is and how amazing that falling in love feels: "Make me want to testify... that love's too good." "When We Get Home" is a downtempo duet with Daniella Mason. This is a highlight on the album because of Nick's vocals; I love his vocals on this album, which are different than most anything that he's done before. At certain points of the song, he sings in a nasally register, which sounds really great from him. "That's What They All Say" is a much better closing track than "Comfortable." It's relatively uptempo but has the grand-scale sound of a closing track, such as when Nick's voice is multilayered and harmonized in the chorus. The song is a funky rock song about brushing off negative criticism and turning pain into music. Even the theme makes for a great closing track!

I bought the Target edition of the album for the benefit of the three extra tracks, but the international release of the album also features three additional tracks, but all three are previously released. Featured are "Chains," "Jealous," and "Levels." Although it would have been nice to have "Levels" on the album since, as far as I know, it has never been released physically, "Chains" and "Jealous" are tracks 1 and 2 on Nick Jonas, so I don't understand the purpose of including those. It would be understandable if the songs were re-recorded, but they're not. In closing, however, Last Year Was Complicated is a really great album. It isn't flawless all the way through (as it does, as I said, have a few low points), and I also wouldn't say that it's better than Nick Jonas, but it's a strong album that, in my opinion, effectively conveys the many feelings that one tends to experience alongside a broken heart. I don't mean to rag on pop music because I listen to a lot of pop music, but as I said, I don't find that it usually conveys that effectively. It is almost as if pop artists and/or record labels are afraid to release breakup albums, and I can give a perfect example of why. Not long before Gwen Stefani released This Is What the Truth Feels Like, an old friend of mine said that because of the divorce and because of the mellow album cover, he "was so afraid that it was going to be a downer." What that translated to for me was, "I was so afraid that it was going to be real instead of upbeat and lovey-dovey." Nick, however, manages to release a breakup album that effectively conveys a sense of loss and rarely breaks character, and I definitely applaud him for it!