MARINA - Orange Trees - Single [Review]

Welsh/Greek indie pop musician Marina Diamandis (known professionally simply as MARINA) released her third single (technically fourth if one counts her collaboration with Clean Bandit titled "Baby" - which I reviewed here) "Orange Trees" from her upcoming fourth studio album LOVE + FEAR. With "Orange Trees" now being released, MARINA fans (referred to as diamonds) have now heard the first four tracks from the LOVE portion of the album. (The album will consist of sixteen tracks in two collections of eight tracks each.) I have seen some diamonds (probably somewhat jokingly) say that MARINA should change her professional name to Marina and the Bandits since, based on what we have heard thus far from the album, she does seem to largely be making a move toward more upbeat and electronic music (such as her aforementioned collaboration with Clean Bandit, hence the joke), especially in comparison to the quieter indie pop-rock that we got from most of FROOT (her third studio album). Although she is not new to electronic music (especially since her second studio album, Electra Heart, is an electropop album through and through), it does seem like LOVE + FEAR will be offering a more urban and clubby MARINA than diamonds are perhaps used to. The last single "Superstar" (which I reviewed here) and this single "Orange Trees" are both examples of songs that feature prominently urban beats and rhythms, which is definitely pretty new territory for MARINA. "Orange Trees" is somewhat similar to the aforementioned "Baby" (meaning that they will likely sound great back to back on the album) since it has a bit of an exotic sound to it, although the sound on "Baby" is predominantly Latin whereas the sound on "Orange Trees" is, to me, predominantly Caribbean. (That is what it reminds me of at least, but I could very well be wrong. Regardless, however, it definitely has a beachy and tropical sound to it.) It is also possible that the song is meant to feature Greek influence (I have to admit to a large degree of ignorance here) since Diamandis has said that the song is about the Greek island that she and her family are from. Somewhat similar to "Handmade Heaven" (which I reviewed here), the album's lead single (not counting "Baby"), the song is lyrically about feeling a strong connection with your natural surroundings and environment (something that seems to be very relevant for Diamandis lately, considering the fact that she even recently participated in a beach cleanup): "I can see the flowers and the greenery. I take a breath of air, I feel free. Spent so long, was busy chasing happiness when all I needed was a little peace... Flowers in my hair, I belong by the sea." LOVE + FEAR drops on April 26th and can be preordered here!

Greyson Chance - portraits [Review]

After being discovered because of his cover of Lady Gaga's hit pop song "Paparazzi" going viral, Greyson Chance released his debut album (at the mere age of thirteen) Hold on 'til the Night in 2011 and, until now (eight years later), had not released a follow-up LP (just two EPs - Truth Be Told and Somewhere Over My Head - and many loose standalone singles). As a longtime fan, waiting for this album has consequently been rather painful, but what is interesting is that Greyson has said that he doesn't consider portraits to be his sophomore album but rather his debut album, and while interesting, it also makes sense. Not only has it been eight years since Hold on 'til the Night was released, he was also very young and therefore was not too heavily involved in the writing and production process, something that he discusses here in this lengthy and insightful interview. (He does not even have writing credit on approximately half of the material on Hold on 'til the Night.) It also makes sense because with his having been so young and not yet out as gay, many of the love songs on Hold on 'til the Night feature female pronouns, and Greyson now has the opportunity to express his true self through his music. Even though Hold on 'til the Night boasts some great tunes (with "Heart Like Stone" and "Summertrain" being my favorites), portraits is indisputably much more authentically Greyson Chance than Hold on 'til the Night is (which is why I probably won't ever take time to review it or the Truth Be Told EP), so, as I said, it makes perfect sense that he considers this album to be his debut. portraits has so far seen two singles released - "shut up" (which I reviewed here) and "timekeeper" (which I reviewed here), and as I expected would probably be the case (just because it usually is for me when it comes to most artists), the singles don't really do the album justice because my favorite songs on the album are ones that have not (yet) been released as singles. One aspect of the album that definitely disappoints me, however, is that at only thirty-four minutes in length, it is very short, and, in fact, while I had expected twelve songs from having seen the tracklisting, we only get ten because two of the tracks - "plains" and "lights" - are spoken interludes.

portraits opens with the aforementioned "shut up" (the album's lead single) and then moves into "bleed you still," one of the weaker tracks on the album. The song starts with a very heavy beat and glissando keyboard during Greyson's verses. It has a waltzy rhythm, and Greyson sings in his signature falsetto in the chorus. I can't explain why I don't find this one to be a highlight; I guess that I just think that there are more interesting songs on the album. "yours" is one of the most upbeat and one of the most radio friendly songs on the album, so it's not much of a surprise that the song has been selected as the album's third single. (The music video, in fact, is scheduled to drop later today - Thursday, March 21, 2019.) Even though "yours" also is not much of a highlight, it's at least more interesting than "bleed you still." It's a relatively standard love song which, although could easily be interpreted as being about a romantic partner, was actually written about Greyson's friends from back home in Oklahoma. Greyson, in the bridge, sings, "All these hours between us, they mean nothing. I'll be back to you one day, one day, and all these miles between us, they mean nothing. Oh, I promise we're okay..." This is Greyson telling his friends that he's still their friend even though he isn't home often, but it can definitely be interpreted as a love song in a romantic sense if that is more relatable to a listener. It makes sense that Greyson paired "yours" alongside "west texas" because both songs take us back to his roots - one to Oklahoma (where Greyson has spent most of his life) and the other to Texas (where Greyson was born). The interlude titled "plains" features Greyson telling a story about his mother which helps put "west texas" into context for us. "west texas" is a soulful and light pop song with a beautiful and catchy chorus in which Greyson, talking about his mother, soars in falsetto, "Boy, get the message - this ain't no New York City. Born and bred in west Texas, raised you to be different." I admit, however, that I don't like the song's insinuation that being from Texas automatically means that you're a good person (here's looking at you, George Bush) and also don't like all of the Christian references. (Greyson explained in this aforementioned interview, however, that the cross that he is wearing is a nod to his parents, so it seems like he grew up in a pretty religious household.)

"white roses" is one of my favorite songs on the album because it is one of the songs to which I relate the most. It is a breakup song that I believe is about the same ex that "timekeeper" is about, and Greyson said in that aforementioned interview that "white roses" is the first song that he wrote after the breakup. It is primarily a piano ballad with a light clapping beat and is somewhat similar to the likes of The Fray, and even though I do absolutely love the song, there is one aspect of it that disappoints me. In that interview to which I keep referring, Greyson said (unless I misunderstood him) that "white roses" would be a good song to which to run and exercise because it featured a really exciting drop. I thought to myself, "Are we getting another 'Earn It'?!" I don't really hear much of a drop, however, so maybe I have a different definition of what a drop is than he does. Like I said, as someone who went through an earth-shattering breakup that drastically changed me myself, I strongly relate to the lyrics, especially the line, "I never saw it coming; I thought we had it all. I feel you in those moments, those nights, held in your arms.""black on black" is, by far, my absolute favorite song on the album. Although I can't much relate to its playful and sexual energy (#TeamForeverAlone here), it's my favorite song on the album because it is, by far, the catchiest, and it's also, for lack of a better word, hot, especially the spoken part in which Greyson says, "California kid, you're a fucking sleaze, but damn, boy, you got me fucking on my knees." I love the playful synths in it which make it sound almost like a retro '80s track. "black on black" is definitely a memorable gem on portraits and from Greyson's entire catalogue thus far, so I definitely applaud him on this song. The album then moves into a much more upbeat version of "Seasons" (a previous standalone single) which also features new lyrics. (I discussed both the original version and this version - which is titled "seasons nineteen" - here.) "timekeeper," as previously mentioned, is the album's second single, and I have also already discussed and reviewed that.

"stand" and "lakeshore" are songs that I had already heard live versions of because Greyson Chance performed them on this Paste Magazine performance. (I prefer the more stripped back version of "lakeshore" that he did on that performance.) I really love the trilling piano on "stand," and I also love the powerful melody of the song, especially in the chorus when Greyson, with a unique strength in his vocals, sings, "I cannot move in forever; I stand on the feet of my drunkenness, I am my father's man" (a line that he said during that aforementioned performance at Paste Studios angered his father when he heard it). It's no secret that Greyson seems to drink a lot; it is something that he addresses frequently in his music (take "Twenty One" as an example), and this song seems to be lyrically addressing that. The album then closes with the previously mentioned "lakeshore," which, as I said, although a good song, is not as good as the version that he performed for Paste Magazine. Chance said in that lengthy interview that "lakeshore" is one of the oldest songs on the album, as he wrote it several years ago when he was eighteen, saying that it just seemed like the perfect song to close portraits. (I don't know if I agree because I personally feel that it does not feel like a closer. The song ends rather abruptly, and it seems like there is supposed to be more to the album, especially since, as previously mentioned, the album is very short in length.) Imagery of bodies of water and shores is imagery that Greyson seems to implement often (it can be found in songs like "Oceans" and "Lighthouse"), and he seems to be lyrically talking about being away with someone on a getaway and wishing that he didn't ever have to leave and go home. My favorite line is when, in the second verse, he sings, "Said you had your soulmate. How's that looking now?" Greyson sings the entire song in falsetto, and one thing that I do like about the version on the album is that it sort of has a tropical and summery flavor to its production which is appropriate given the song's subject matter. I overall really appreciate portraits and am so glad that Greyson Chance has finally returned with another LP, but I do wish that it were longer. It's disappointing to wait so long for an album and get thirty-four minutes, but Greyson has said that a follow-up is already in the works!

MARINA - Superstar - Single [Review]

"Superstar" is MARINA (formerly known professionally as Marina and the Diamonds)'s second single from her upcoming fourth studio album (which is due to drop on April 26, 2019) titled LOVE + FEAR (check out MARINA's beautiful album trailer here). The single is the follow-up single to the album's lead single "Handmade Heaven" (which I reviewed here), and I think that if I had to choose which one that I prefer, I would choose "Handmade Heaven" mainly because I find the lyrics to be more meaningful, but "Superstar" is very catchy and features a memorable electronic drop when it brings in its "oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh..." hook. "Superstar" starts off gently with what sounds like layered piano and keyboard, but it picks up in strength as it progresses and is overall a very upbeat electropop song with a bit of an urban hip-hop beat. It's somewhat new territory for MARINA, as it is definitely one of the most radio-friendly songs that she has released to date, but despite what I have seen some fans say, it is definitely not the first time that MARINA has experimented with electronic music. Nearly all of Electra Heart is electropop through and through, and the song "Electra Heart" (technically a collaboration with DJ BetaTraxx) is about the most electronic that MARINA has ever ventured, as it's definitely even more electronic in nature than "Superstar" is. I don't hate "Superstar" by any means (especially since, as I said, it's really quite catchy melodically and rhythmically), but I also quite honestly find it to be one of the weakest tracks from MARINA's catalogue thus far. One of the primary reasons why I feel that way is for a personal reason, which is that since I am currently single and have been for a significant amount of time, I can't relate to the song's lyrics, which speak to a lover and address them as heroic: "Baby, look at me, you're my superstar. When I'm afraid, when the world's gone dark, come and save my day; you're my superstar." Singing about being in love so directly is definitely relatively new territory for MARINA, as she has, in the past, tended to sing more about themes like heartbreak and independence, and I love FROOT (her third studio album released in 2015) as much as I do in part because of how I was able to relate to its themes of independence and finding comfort in one's own company. "Superstar" feels like a relatively cliché love song in comparison to what I am used to hearing from MARINA, but I might feel differently once I hear the song as part of its larger work when the album drops. Only time will tell, but I am definitely looking forward to LOVE + FEAR, especially since we diamonds have waited four years for it!

Greyson Chance - pre-portraits [Fanmade Album] [Review]

[cover art by OmenBoy]

I am doing something really unusual here - something, in fact, that I am fairly certain that I have never done before. I am reviewing a fanmade album (and not just any fanmade album, mind you, but a fanmade album that yours truly compiled)! There is, however, a method to my madness. The goal here is not to critique my own compiling work or anything like that. (The compiling method, in fact, is quite simple - the tracks are in chronological order of when they were released.) No, the goal here is to review Greyson Chance's standalone singles that have no home on any album or EP in one place rather than write a separate review for each single. The fanmade album, which you can stream here, is a collection of thirteen songs released by Greyson since 2014, songs that, as previously stated, are standalone singles that have no home on a larger body of work (with two songs that are kind of exceptions, which I will explain further). Without further ado, however, here is a breakdown of each song on the album:

"Thrilla in Manila" - While "Temptation" did make for the first Greyson Chance song that fans heard after his voice significantly changed, "Temptation" was only ever available to stream on YouTube and never technically got officially released, and "Thrilla in Manila" was intended to be the lead single from Greyson's sophomore album Planet X. Because he was dropped from his record label, however, the album never ended up seeing the light of day and remains unreleased. "Thrilla in Manila" was completely new territory for Chance (and remains that way to this day), as it is a funk song that, according to Chance himself, would have been representative of the overall sound on Planet X (something that you can definitely hear in another song from Planet X, "Animal in the Night," of which fans have only ever heard a live version). I remember not being much of a fan when "Thrilla in Manila" first premiered back in 2014 because it was, as previously stated, such a new style for Greyson but also because I am generally not much of a fan of funk. The song quickly grew on me, however, and became one of my favorite songs to which to work out. It lyrically, as Greyson has said, "speaks of turmoil between friends when relationships get romantic."

"Meridians" - While not, to the best of my knowledge, confirmed, "Meridians" is likely another song that was intended to be on Planet X, given that it was released as a single in relatively close proximity to when "Thrilla in Manila" was released. It is, without a doubt, one of my favorite songs from Greyson Chance's music career thus far, as it is a stunningly beautiful piano ballad with a peaceful and gentle melody that sounds almost like a lullaby. It is lyrically a reflective song, addressing a lover and reminiscing about good times from the past: "Let's go take a drive and think about our lives," Chance opens, "passing through meridians of greater times." As he does on song "More than Me" on the Somewhere Over My Head EP, Greyson Chance superbly captures the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia on this track, and reflecting on the past is something that he seems to do rather frequently in his music.

"Oceans" - Even though Greyson Chance included "Oceans" as part of his setlist when he went on tour for the Somewhere Over My Head EP and also performed an acoustic version of it on Perez Hilton's show, it is not technically his song (although he did co-write it, as he did all of his collaborations), as it is a song by tyDi and Jack Novak with Greyson as a featured artist. Greyson is the sole vocalist, however (as he is on all of his collaborations), and I tend to think of it as being from the Somewhere Over My Head era, especially since, as I said, he performed it on the corresponding tour. While "Afterlife" (the lead single from Somewhere Over My Head) is Greyson's first solo venture into electronic music, "Oceans" is his first venture into electronic music overall, and it certainly would not be the last. The song is an upbeat electronic dance song with a really catchy chorus that is easy to sing along to and is definitely a highlight.

"Anything" - Like "Oceans," Greyson Chance is technically a featured artist on the song "Anything," a song released under electronic DJ Frank Pole (who had previously done a remix of Chance's song "Afterlife"). Because Chance is the sole vocalist on these collaborations and also because he co-wrote them, however, I definitely think of them as his songs. "Anything" is such a happy, feel-good dance song that kind of makes me wish that I were in a relationship, and it offers some of Greyson's most impressive vocals of his career so far. In the song's third verse, Chance sings, "I'll pick you up where we left off, skipping all of the small talk 'cause words were never our forte, and missing you was the foreplay," which is definitely the kind of cleverly cheeky lyric that I have come to expect Greyson to write.

"London" - Released only several months after the Somewhere Over My Head EP was released, "London" is another song that I tend to think of as part of the Somewhere Over My Head era. The song, which is inspired heavily by the William Blake poem of the same title, is a beautiful piano ballad that reminds me of the likes of artists like The Fray and Andrew McMahon. The lyrics speak to internal turmoil as do many of Chance's songs. (He has even identified himself as a '90s sad boy.) "...'Cause in you, there's an angel, an angel trapped by fear. You're so trapped by fear." As someone who has a very long history with depression, I think that that is one reason why I love Greyson's music so much - I can relate to a lot of it.

"Earn It" - "Earn It" is the first of two songs that Greyson Chance did with DJ Fabian Mazur and is easily one of my favorite songs of Chance's career thus far (if not my favorite). The melody is easily one of his catchiest, and the electronic drop in the song is one of the sickest drops that I have ever heard in any song ever. Greyson co-wrote the song with Fabian Mazur, and lyrics such as "No, I ain't got a lighter" and "Your love is like a fine wine, drinks real good when it's the right time" make Greyson's involvement in the lyrics all too obvious, as lyrics such as those definitely have Greyson Chance written all over them. The song seems to lyrically be from the perspective of someone who has gone out of his way to show someone how much that he loves him but isn't getting the effort matched in return: "I'm earning all the love that I deserve; I'm earning you, and baby, I want more." It's definitely a relatable song for me.

"Hungry Eyes" - As previously mentioned, there are two songs on pre-portraits that are technically exceptions to what I said about these songs being loose standalone singles that have no home on any larger body of work, and "Hungry Eyes" is one of them. A cover of a song of the same title sung by Eric Carmen in 1987 for the soundtrack to the film Dirty Dancing, Greyson's version (which, in my opinion, is exponentially better than the original, and I am not just saying that as a biased fan) is found on the soundtrack to the 2017 remake of the film, so while it does technically have a home on a larger body of work, that work is a soundtrack compilation, not an album or EP featuring strictly Greyson's music. This version, as I said, is far superior to Eric Carmen's original in my opinion, and one thing that I love about this cover is the retro treatment that the instrumental gets. When older songs from decades ago are covered by artists, they are often given a very modernized treatment, but Chance's cover of "Hungry Eyes" retains an '80s sound, which is definitely one of its charms.

"Seasons" - "Seasons" is the second exception (although not really). On his new album portraits, Greyson Chance included a new version of the song titled "seasons nineteen" (likely meaning that it's the 2019 version of the song) which features a lot of new lyrics and is more upbeat with electronic fuel. (It is nowhere near as good as the original one.) The original version, however, remains a standalone single, and the song just works so much better as a soft piano ballad. The song is very similar to "London" in tone, and its lyrics are very poetic: "Linked to adventures I can't see, and I'm dreamin' of some time to breathe, and I'll walk to them 'til I'm black and blue." Chance explained that the song was inspired by something that his mother told him about how his life is measured in seasons, not in chapters. Also worth mentioning about "Seasons" is that even though he wouldn't release a studio version until a good year or so later, Greyson performed the song live as part of his Somewhere Over My Head tour setlist, so it's yet another song that I tend to think of as being part of that era.

"Walk Away" - "Walk Away" is another electronic collaboration, this time with Dutch duo Sick Individuals (stylized as SICK INDIVIDUALS). As is always the case with these collaborations, Greyson Chance is the sole vocalist and also co-wrote the song. "Walk Away" is a club banger that features a relentlessly catchy instrumental with a "ooh-la-la-la..." hook, and the lyrics are thematically similar to Greyson Chance's song "Hit & Run" from his Somewhere Over My Head EP, as the song seems to be about wanting to have fun with a partner but not wanting to settle down: "...I can't understand why you hold me to promises that I never planned," Greyson sings. "If you're gonna worry about tomorrow, then you're gonna miss today. If you're too hung up on the future, then I might just walk away..." One of my favorite lines in the song is when he sings in the chorus that "I don't know how to love you when I'm sober. If you want something more, I guess it's over." I don't really support the stance of the song (or that of the aforementioned "Hit & Run" song), as I would definitely say that the speaker is the villain of the story, wanting to use his partner for casual fun but not wanting to commit. It's brutally honest, however, which is something that I love about his music.

"Low" - "Low" is definitely one of my favorite songs from Greyson Chance's catalogue so far because it is so vehemently relatable for me, lyrically touching upon feeling lost and lonely in the world and wanting desperately to find yourself: "I see a dark reflection in my dashboard [a brilliant metaphor for feeling alien to oneself]. Don't even know where I'm driving to anymore." My favorite line is the following - "They say through time, I'll find some healing, but the clock is slow" because it reminds me of something that Björk said regarding her Vulnicura album about the healing process being a stubborn clock. I also love the song because I think that, in some ways, it serves as a sequel to the aforementioned song "Hit & Run" (possibly even having been written about the same person, as I discussed here in my review of the Somewhere Over My Head EP). "Low" is a very soft and melancholy piano ballad totally and completely appropriate for its subject matter, but there is also a remix done by R3HAB that was also released as a single, and that version is considerably more upbeat. (I definitely prefer the original version, however, as, as I said, the morose and heartfelt lyrics of the song definitely call for a soft ballad.)

"Lighthouse" - This song is Greyson Chance's second (and, so far, final) collaboration with the aforementioned Fabian Mazur. Funnily enough, while "Earn It" is one of my favorite songs from Greyson's catalogue thus far, "Lighthouse" is one of my least favorite songs from his catalogue so far, mainly because in comparison to many of Greyson's songs, this melody isn't as interesting or as catchy. It is also significantly tamer and more restrained than "Earn It," which is why it kind of surprised me that it was with the same musician as "Earn It" was. I do, however, really love the imagery of the song's lyrics, using lighthouses near bodies of water as a metaphor for searching for the love of someone whose love he has lost: "I left you deep in the water. I left your heart out to drown. You call to me... I know we are drifting far away from shore, but know that I will be here evermore in lighthouses searching for you out there." Much of my epic (and failed) relationship took place near a large body of water with a lighthouse (which wasn't operable, but the image is still prevalent in my memories), so I think that that is one reason why, as I said, I really love the imagery that the lyrics of "Lighthouse" offers. I just don't find it all that interesting melodically or rhythmically.

"Good as Gold" - This song is, without a doubt, one of the best songs of Greyson Chance's career thus far and definitely one of the most memorable, not only because of the positive and encouraging lyrics that speak to me on such a deep level but also because it's one of the very few Greyson Chance singles to feature a music video accompanying it. (The music video, depicting and dedicated to the significantly impoverished Lakota tribe of South Dakota, is also very deep and meaningful.) The song, a piano pop ballad with a catchy and anthemic chorus that makes it one of the easiest Greyson songs to which to sing along, reminds people suffering from internal pain and depression (a topic that he, as previously mentioned, writes and sings about frequently) that they are not alone and that they are not worthless: "I know you're hurting and you're feeling sold. I know it hurts when you don't know where to go [probably a reference to "Low" in which he sings that "I am lost, and I don't know where to go..."], and when you're tied up by the past you hold, you've got to know that you are good as gold." Another aspect of this song that I love is that I don't think that he is addressing anyone in particular but rather his fans, which makes his saying that "you mean so much to me" all the more impactful. Although not as good as the original version, "Good as Gold" also has a more upbeat remix done by Flyboy.

"Twenty One" - Because I had initially mistakenly believed that Greyson Chance's single "Twenty One" (released this past December 2018) was the lead single to portraits, I actually already wrote a review of it here, so I won't comment much on the song in this post. I will say, however, that it is the final loose standalone single that Greyson Chance released before entering the portraits era, so it's only right that it closes my fanmade album. It also works as a closing track on a thematic level, since it lyrically addresses Chance's newfound status as a fully fledged adult in all possible ways, which sort of both closes a chapter of his life and introduces a new one, which is one reason why I think that I like it even more now than I did when I wrote that aforementioned review of it. (Even if I had not compiled the tracklisting chronologically, in fact, I probably still would have put this at the end. There just seems to be no other appropriate way to end it.)

Greyson Chance - Somewhere Over My Head EP [Review]

In the spring of 2016 (already three years ago!), pop pianist sensation Greyson Chance followed up his Truth Be Told EP release with a second EP - Somewhere Over My Head. Independently released via Greyson Chance Music due primarily to his having been dropped from his record label in 2015 (which led to the unfortunate cancellation of his highly anticipated and as of yet unreleased second studio album Planet X), the EP offers five tracks - "Afterlife" (the lead single), "Back on the Wall" (the EP's third single and the only one to feature a music video), "Hit & Run" (the EP's second single), "No Fear," and "More than Me." Somewhere Over My Head marked new territory for Chance in more than one way - not only was it his first independent release, it was also his first venture into electronic music (not counting his previous collaboration with tyDi and Jack Novak - titled "Oceans" - which I am not counting because he was technically a guest vocalist on the song even though he is the only vocalist on it), with the EP comparable to the tone and sound of Troye Sivan's Blue Neighbourhood album. "Afterlife" is a perfect example of this venture; the opening offers electronic blips reminding me of Troye Sivan's "Happy Little Pill," and the lyrics speak to someone struggling with low self-esteem and depression: "Mistakes that you made in the past cutting through you like they're glass." Chance has explained that the song deals with suicide, pleading with someone who is considering it and asking them to stick around: "I just want to hold you, keep you in my world." The chorus is beautiful and incredibly catchy, and it is probably my favorite song on the EP. (It was definitely wisely chosen as the lead single.) I have to confess, however, that for the longest time, I was under the false impression that the chorus was saying, "but I was born in the afterlife; I was born in the morning." I felt so incredibly stupid when I realized that it actually says, "thought I was more than the afterlife, thought I was more than the..." The latter definitely makes a lot more sense given the song's intended meaning.

Chance reaches very high notes in falsetto on the bridge of "Back on the Wall," an upbeat pop song that is easy to dance to. Something that I find interesting about the Somewhere Over My Head EP is that the songs are free of pronouns, which makes perfect sense because Chance likely wanted the music to be authentic and personal, but he hadn't yet come out as gay. "Back on the Wall" is one such song, as I personally interpret the title and the lyrics of the catchy chorus to be sexual: "'Cause when the night falls, your love puts me back on the wall." He also, in the bridge, sings, "If you're feeling cold, let it hit ya. We want to feel emotion, so let's feel it." The innuendo is clear to me and was definitely not the first time (nor would it be the last) that Greyson would be so cheeky in his lyrics. In his unreleased song "Animal in the Night" (which he performed live in 2014), for example, he offers lyrics such as "Tiger's creeping, ain't no sleeping for you tonight" and "feel me, touch me, lick me, bite me." "Hit and Run" is a great follow-up to "Back on the Wall" because it really does serve as somewhat of a sequel to it. In the soulful and upbeat pop song, the verses of which Greyson rapidly sort of half sings and half speaks, Greyson pleads with a lover to let him be free; he wants to make it clear that just because they had sex doesn't mean that he is ready to settle down with anyone: "Don't tell me you love me when I don't. Keep those words locked in a bottle. I am too young for that lifestyle. I'm Mr. Casual... I do what I do in the nighttime [likely a reference to "Animal in the Night"]. I'm sorry, but babe, it's my bloodline." The song is brutally honest and reflective in nature, and I think that Chance might have written it with the same person in mind as was on his mind when he wrote his later standalone single "Low." Here in "Hit & Run," he pleads for his lover not to tell him that he loves him, and on "Low," he declares, "I needed time to move around without you, but I think I'm ready to hear 'I love you'." You can definitely hear progression and development through much of Greyson's music, which is one reason why I love him as an artist and one of the main reason why I can't wait to hear his new album portraits.

Although not released as a single, "No Fear" seems to be one of Greyson's favorite songs considering the fact that he performs it even now on tour for his album portraits. It is definitely one of my favorite songs on the EP because I love the melodically anthemic and catchy chorus in which he sings, "You ain't got the right, baby, coming 'round here, but you came around, came around here." Chance identifies himself as damaged and not the ideal partner in the song, therefore expressing his surprise that he was chosen: "You found me in the dark, baby, said you like them real crazy." The EP closes with "More than Me," a waltzy piano ballad that sounds a bit like an old country song from decades ago. The beautiful song is lyrically very sad and even heartbreaking, as Chance expresses his grief and sadness over the good memories that he shared with someone that now cause him pain: "Gone are the times we sipped on good wine... Your memory near, laced with the pain." The song is a perfect demonstration of how nostalgia feels - a mixture of both pleasure because of the memories being good and pain because the memories are gone and in the past and cannot be relived. He laments at not having been enough for the person when he sings that "I needed love, but it's never the same, for I wanted more; you wanted more than me." The song changes drastically approximately halfway through, almost becoming a different song, in fact, when it becomes atmospheric and ethereal in sound. In this latter half of the song, he nods to the EP title when he sings, "When I took a step back, the realization came, you weren't looking at me; you were looking instead somewhere over my head." Somewhere Over My Head is such a brilliant musical accomplishment, but it unfortunately did not perform well, and the lack of success caused Chance to technically retire from music and go off to college, releasing a single here and there but not committing to music fully (which is why there are so many standalone singles out there). It really is unfortunate because the EP is so great and deserved a lot more attention, but I am glad that he decided to return to music, and here is to hoping that portraits brings him the attention that he more than rightfully deserves!

Greyson Chance - timekeeper - Single [Review]

Greyson Chance releases his new studio album portraits on Friday, March 15th, 2019 (which is currently only three hours away, and I am so excited), and "timekeeper" is thus far the second single released from the album (the first being "shut up," which I reviewed here). Greyson said recently during a discussion of portraits that he really made an attempt to use his voice as an instrument on this album by implementing methods such as layering it, and I think that "timekeeper" serves as a perfect example of what he was talking about, as the chorus features Greyson singing one vocal track in falsetto and another one in a much lower register. The verses are backed by a heavy and steady beat and what sounds like a xylophone (reminding me a great deal of Lady Gaga's song "Look What I Found"). It is difficult for me to decide which single I prefer - "shut up" or "timekeeper." I think that I probably prefer the melody of "shut up" but find "timekeeper" to be more deep and meaningful lyrically, and I definitely relate more to it. The lyrics of the song focus on the key moments of a relationship, a relationship that Chance has confirmed is now over. The song is basically a letter to his ex-boyfriend, telling him that he isn't going to allow him to forget what they had or remember it as anything other than what it actually was: "...if you forget, the memories fade, I'll be your timekeeper." The song definitely gets a bit cheeky at times, such as when Greyson, in the song's first verse, tells the target of the song that he will "show you that first night when we just had sex, when your eyes rolled back to the back of your head." It's a fun song and a great choice to be released as the album's second single, and I cannot wait to hear portraits in its entirety, the release currently only three hours away!

Avril Lavigne - Head Above Water [Review]

Head Above Water is pop rock musician Avril Lavigne's sixth studio album and her first album in over five years (her last one being her self-titled album), the delay most likely due to the singer and songwriter's battle with Lyme disease. Lavigne, who is best known for hits such as "Complicated," "Sk8er Boi," "My Happy Ending," "Girlfriend," etc., made a comeback in September of last year with the album's title track and then eventually followed that up with two more singles - "Tell Me It's Over" and "Dumb Blonde" (all three of which I reviewed here). The album is overall a rather mellow and acoustic effort a bit reminiscent of Lavigne's 2011 album Goodbye Lullaby, and as I predicted would probably be the case, "Dumb Blonde" is very much the "What the Hell" or the "Hello Kitty" of this album - sticking out like a sore thumb and not fitting the album's overall sound at all. Following the title track (which both opens the album and, on the Japanese edition, closes it with a version featuring backing vocals by Travis Clark - who also co-wrote the song) on Head Above Water is "Birdie,"definitely a highlight on the album. If there is one compliment that I have to offer this album, it's that it probably showcases Lavigne's best vocals of her career thus far, and "Birdie" is a prime example of that, as she shows off a rather impressive vocal range on this song and soars and trills on the chorus. (Her vocals are, in fact, very birdlike, which is probably not coincidental.) The song opens with a beautiful piano introduction and is overall carried by a light beat and electronic quavering production. The lyrics, which use the analogy of a caged bird flying free as it's meant to, speak of breaking free from a situation (probably a relationship) that feels like imprisonment: "Like a bird locked up in a cage called love, he clipped her wings when she was born to fly. He said, 'A pretty bird, you can't sing, but I buy you diamonds and ruby rings like a bird locked up in a cage.'" While I cannot substantiate this, the song could be about Lavigne's ex husband Chad Kroeger (frontman of alternative rock band Nickelback) with whom Lavigne had previously collaborated on "Let Me Go," since the two split several years ago. The reasons for the split have not, as far as I know, been revealed in detail, so, as I said, I cannot substantiate that.

"I Fell in Love with the Devil" is another song that was potentially inspired by Kroeger (as is "Tell Me It's Over," although, again, I say potentially because I do not know that for sure). While not necessarily a highlight, I love the verses of the song as they feature a beautiful and haunting melody that reminds me a bit of the melody of "Give You What You Like" (which is possibly my favorite song of Avril's entire career thus far). As previously mentioned, "Dumb Blonde" (which features a verse from rapper Nicki Minaj) sticks out on Head Above Water as it does not belong stylistically. I have already reviewed it, but I would like to add that a solo version of the song is found on physical copies - such as CDs and vinyls - of the album, something that I immediately noticed upon first listening to my CD copy. Instead of Nicki Minaj's verse, Lavigne offers a playful Gwen Stefani like verse of her own: "If you're a strong bitch, then bring it on, bitch. Then, sing along if you don't take no shit. When it gets fucked up, don't ever shut up. You gotta stand up and fight for it." I definitely prefer Lavigne's verse to Nicki Minaj's verse, especially since Nicki Minaj's verse kind of temporarily steals the spotlight away from Lavigne by rapping mostly about herself and making reference to her own works such as her song "No Frauds" and her album The Pinkprint. The middle section of the album - containing tracks such as "Dumb Blonde," "It Was in Me," "Souvenir," and "Crush" - is by far the weakest segment of the album (with "Souvenir" and Crush" especially being throwaway tracks in my opinion), with the beginning and the ending of the album being the strongest segments. I felt really disappointed upon initially hearing the song "Goddess" because when I first saw the album's tracklisting, I saw the title "Goddess" and expected the song to be about Lavigne's strength in having overcome struggles such as her Lyme disease and her split from her husband, but it really is not; it's an acoustic lovey-dovey pop song about feeling appreciated by a lover. The opening verse ("Dark times, hard times, I didn't know who I was for a minute.") likely makes reference to such aforementioned struggles, but that is it. I do like the playful and catchy chorus, but I just overall feel really let down by its cliché lyrical content.

"Bigger Wow" and "Love Me Insane" are two of my favorite songs from Head Above Water. "Bigger Wow" is thematically very similar to one of my favorite Avril Lavigne songs - "Anything but Ordinary" (found on her 2002 debut album Let Go) - as both songs are lyrically about taking risks and wanting to experience life to the fullest. My favorite aspect of "Bigger Wow," aside from the catchy chorus, is the playful and quirky strings, somewhat similar to what is heard on "Love Me Insane." I, in fact, love that the two songs are back to back on the album because they both put the same image in my mind - looking down at the world from a colorful hot-air balloon on a sunny summer day with a few tufts of fluffy clouds in the blue sky. (I don't really know how to explain why this is the image that the songs evoke, but it is.) "Love Me Insane," as the title would suggest, is another lovey-dovey song, but I love its charming and quirky nature - especially its piano accompaniment. The album closes with "Warrior" (co-written, oddly enough, with Kroeger), basically the song that I expected "Goddess" to be. It's a piano ballad about overcoming strife due to being strong. The title track and "Warrior" seem to be the only two songs on Head Above Water that deal directly with Lavigne's struggle with Lyme disease, which is disappointing to me because I expected the album to be more of a thematic work (similar, I suppose, to how nearly 100% of Björk's 2015 album Vulnicura literally chronicles her separation from her longtime partner Matthew Barney and the aftermath of the split). Most of the album, however, is comprised of love songs that seem to be about a new lover. A demo version of "Warrior" leaked, and it is, in my opinion, significantly better than the album version. More experimental and theatrical with a tribal beat and choir, I cannot imagine how Lavigne could have possibly seen the much more basic album version as an improvement. Several other outtakes - such as "In Touch" and "I Want What I Want" - also leaked, and most of the unreleased outtakes are more interesting than most of what the album actually offers, and I am overall disappointed with Head Above Water. While, as previously stated, the vocals are undeniably great, most of the songs themselves lack the inspiration and creativity that I have come to expect from Lavigne, and this is unfortunately my least favorite album of hers thus far.