Friday, September 29, 2017
Evanescence - Bring Me to Life (Synthesis) - Single / Imperfection - Single [Review]
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Björk - the gate - Single [Review]
I have seen some fans affectionately call "the gate" Vulnicura's tenth track because of how it seems to complete, or at least continue, its story. I agree; however, "the gate" is both sonically and thematically different from most of what a listener would hear on Vulnicura. Much of Vulnicura is made up of strings, whereas "the gate" is heavily composed of woodwinds and synths. Vulnicura deals with separation, and "the gate" deals with unity. The song, which features reverberating vocals that provide an atmospheric and dreamy effect, speaks of a wound becoming a passage through which love can pass, and throughout the chorus, Björk sings that "I care for you" as synths and strings waver eerily. This has not been confirmed, but I think that the song also references her well known 1995 hit "Army of Me." "Army of Me" was a demand that the receiver stop being so needy, to start becoming independent. Its second verse asks for "self-suffience please," and in "the gate," Björk sings in the third verse, "Didn't used to be so needy... Proud self-sufficiency." I believe this to be a callback to "Army of Me" because in "Army of Me," Björk, in the song's chorus, warns that "if you complain once more, you'll meet an army of me," and Vulnicura, in keeping with those words, is essentially a giant complaint. Björk is now saying that she better understands that neediness because of her painful experience but that getting herself through it made her stronger. I love "the gate" and cannot wait for Utopia to arrive. Björk is one of a very select few artists who can successfully pull off an eerie and somewhat dissonant song that still manages to be beautiful and harmonious. I am really looking forward to discovering what the album's overall sound is.
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Lana Del Rey - Lust for Life [Review]
It
is debatable whether Lust
for Life is
Lana Del Rey's fourth, fifth, or sixth album. If one counts neither
the limited independent debut Lana
Del Ray A.K.A. Lizzy Grant nor
the nine-track Paradise as
an album (or vice versa), then they would probably consider Lust
for Life the
fourth album. If one counts one and not the other, then they would
likely consider Lust
for Life to
be the fifth album. If, like me, one counts both Lana
Del Ray A.K.A. Lizzy Grant and Paradise as
albums, then they would probably consider Lust
for Life to
be her sixth album. As I said, I ultimately consider Lust for
Life to be
Lana Del Rey's sixth album. Including the iTunes bonus track "Burning
Desire," Paradise contains
nine tracks, which in many other cases (such as HIM's Venus
Doom and
Björk's Vulnicura)
constitutes a full-length album, so, to me, Paradise is
an album, and Born
to Die: The Paradise Edition is
a double-album. (I also consider Lady
Gaga's The
Fame Mons†er much
the same way.) While Lana does not really reinvent herself in ways
like artists such as Madonna and Lady Gaga do, she does create a
slightly new environment on each album while still, overall,
maintaining her image and sound, and Lust
for Life is
no exception. While some parts of the album are more or less the
same as what we have gotten from her before ("13 Beaches"
sounds like a Honeymoon outtake,
and "Cherry" and "In My Feelings" sound
almost like Ultraviolence outtakes),
other parts (such as the title
track and "Summer
Bummer") are pretty much new territory for her. (I don't
necessarily like that new territory, and I will cover those reasons
in this review.) The album is, overall, a great album that
explores a lot of interesting topics. (This is, for example, the
first time that Lana has really gotten deeply political on an album.)
It does have its shortcomings, though.
The first Lust for Life track is "Love," the album's first single. Sonically, the song is not too far of a departure from Lana's usual sound, but lyrically, it is a lot more hopeful and uplifting than her music usually is. It seems to speak to the beauty of love when you're young, how being in love can outweigh the mundane cycle that life offers as well as the hardships that it offers. Although the song is an effective opening to the album, I think that it also would have made an effective closing track because when you get to the end of the song, it does feel like there is a finality to it, some kind of closure. The album then gives us the title track, which features The Weeknd on guest vocals. "Lust for Life" is quite honestly one of my least favorite tracks on the album. It has grown on me since I first heard it, and I appreciate it a lot more than I used to, but I still find it rather underwhelming. In comparison with Lana's usual vintage style, "Lust for Life" sounds very modern and mainstream, and I can even easily imagine it being played on top 40 radio. This isn't always necessarily a bad thing (and I don't mean to be sounding like a hipster here), but the song is just kind of redundant, especially in its chorus, and falls flat and doesn't really go anywhere. It has a soulful R&B sound to it a little bit as well, which doesn't tend to be my favorite style of music. I also don't really like The Weeknd's vocals on it, but the two of them seem to have a friendship, given that she had previously collaborated on two songs of his. The song is somewhat similar to "Love" lyrically, as it speaks of being carefree despite life trying to throw hardships your way: "They say only the good die young. That just ain't right 'cause we're having too much fun..."
The third track is titled "13 Beaches" and is definitely a highlight on the album. It is said that the original version of the song was titled "Something Real" and was sonically much darker than the final version that we got, with heavier strings and a "horror movie vibe." (My sincerest hope is that we will eventually get to hear that version.) Interestingly, even though it does seem to have gone through a major change, it still pays homage to a horror movie, as the spoken introduction ("I don't belong in the world; that's what it is. Something separates me from other people. Everywhere I turn, there's something blocking my escape.") is lifted from the 1962 horror film Carnival of Souls. What I love the most about this song, which calls back to the relaxed and subdued jazzy sound of Honeymoon, is the lyrics of its chorus: "It hurts to love you, but I still love you; it's just the way I feel, and I'd be lying if I kept hiding the fact that I can't deal." As is typical of much of Lana's music, this is likely meant to contain more than one meaning. Lana has said that the song is about how she deals with being so famous and having to deal with being followed by journalists and paparazzi. The song was inspired by an experience that she had while trying to find a quiet place to unwind; she literally had to visit thirteen beaches before finding one where she could be alone and unrecognized. The chorus therefore addresses both her fame as well as a potential ex-lover. (She has, after all, stated before that she will probably always love the same man and is constantly writing about him, although I don't think that we know who that man is.)
"13 Beaches" transitions smoothy into "Cherry," one of the most playful songs on the album. The song begins with Lana warbling over a lightly strumming guitar. The song picks up a little bit when it gets to the chorus, adding a light hip-hop-esque beat. The song has a bluesy-rock sound to it, which reminds me of Ultraviolence, but it also, as previously mentioned, has a restrained hip-hop sound to it, which reminds me of "High by the Beach" from Honeymoon. The song manages to be playful (throwing words like "bitch" and "fuck" out seemingly for their own sake) but also subdued, which is one reason why I love the song. "Cherry," which seems to speak of the way that love typically declines and deteriorates over time, is another highlight on the album for sure. "White Mustang," the fifth track, on the other hand, is a bit of a letdown in my opinion. The song starts with a quiet piano, which I do enjoy because the piano is my favorite musical instrument, but the song makes promises that it doesn't keep, building up to an anticlimactic chorus that doesn't really do anything interesting. The song, however, is arguably the closest that the album comes to the sound from Born to Die, possibly reminding one of songs like "Dark Paradise" and "Summertime Sadness." The song is extremely short (running at only two minutes and forty-five seconds) and honestly just seems to abruptly cut off at the end. Lana recently said during a live Q&A session via Instagram that "White Mustang" will be the next music video, which I admit does disappoint me a bit; it's hardly a highlight from the album. It thematically speaks of an infatuation with and possibly even relationship with a famous musician.
The next two tracks are "Summer Bummer" and "Groupie Love," both featuring rap verses. "Summer Bummer" features A$AP Rocky (with whom Lana had previously collaborated on the unreleased track "Ridin'") and Playboi Carter, and "Groupie Love" features only A$AP Rocky. I discuss these two songs simultaneously because Lana has said that she considers them to be sibling songs (probably mainly because they both feature A$AP Rocky). I honestly hated these songs when I first heard them, but they have definitely grown on me, and I now love them. I do feel, however, that the rap verses do not fit and should not have been featured. Lana has a very distinct vintage folky sound as well as a very soft subdued voice, which, in my sincere opinion, do not mesh well with aggressive rap vocals. It would almost be like trying to mix Patsy Cline or Nancy Sinatra with rap verses. Can you imagine? On "Groupie Love," for example, A$AP Rocky raps in his verse, "God dang, got a nigga actin' irate," which really does not sound like it belongs in a Lana Del Rey song. "Summer Bummer" features a very heavy hip-hop beat, and the song definitely has a strong urban appeal. Given that that is the sound that tends to be popular, I can totally imagine this song being played on the radio, as it definitely has a "top 40" sound to it (which is, as I said, unusual for Lana). "Groupie Love" is softer than "Summer Bummer"; even Rocky's verse is softer than his verse in "Summer Bummer," but he still sounds out of place. While I do understand Lana's reasonings for considering these two songs to be sibling songs, I actually more so consider "Groupie Love" and "White Mustang" to be sibling songs because both are thematically similar, telling stories of relationships with famous musicians. (There were actually rumors recently that Lana was dating rapper G-Eazy, which these two songs might help substantiate.)
The eighth track on the album is titled "In My Feelings" and is probably my #1 favorite. The song starts with what sounds like deep strings which introduce us to the light hip-hop percussion (something that essentially pervades the first half of the album) that persists throughout most of the song. "In My Feelings" is probably the angriest song on the album, with lyrics such as the impatient demand that her (ex) lover "get that cigarette smoke out of my face," the savagely sarcastic statement that "you wanna make the switch? Be my guest, baby" and the fair warning that "if you were me and I was you, I'd get out of my way." The song addresses a lover who has more than likely been unfaithful (a theme especially prevalent on Ultraviolence) and has consequently caused her to feel a wide array of emotions, the most dominant one seeming to be anger. The speaker has had enough and wishes to now be on her own (a theme also present in the also angry Honeymoon track "High by the Beach," in which she poetically determines that "everyone can start again, not through love but through revenge. Through the fire, we're born again. Peace by vengeance brings the end." (This seems to recall the popular adage that "living well is the best revenge," as if Lana were saying that the best way to recover from a broken heart is not by rebounding but by living happily on your own. One could also argue, of course, that by revenge, she means shooting your ex out of the sky with a bazooka, but I am going to assume that that is probably not the case.) I love the blip sound that drops the chorus, and the chorus varies in tone, going up and down the scale more quickly and more often than Lana's songs usually do.
The ninth track on Lust for Life is titled "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind" and is right about where the more pop and hip-hop flavored songs transition into more folky songs. This song was released months ago as a promotional single, and it was originally meant to be a standalone single, as Lana said that it was not going to be included on the album. When fans finally saw the tracklisting, however, they were surprised to see that she had, in fact, changed her mind. I am glad that she did because the lyrical content of the song is in keeping with some of the other songs, with "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing" functioning almost as a sibling song. The song, like "13 Beaches," is meant to be taken literally because it is based on actual experience of hers. Lana attended Coachella 2017 where she, with the frontman's wife, watched Father John Misty perform live. In the song, she compares the experience to Woodstock '69 because both shows took place during turbulent times and represent freedom through music in spite of the turbulence. Lana does, for the first time in her career, directly address politics on this album, and this starts on this song when she addresses the mounting tension between the United States and North Korea. The song has a slow waltzy groove to it, and I love the melody. I also love how it nods toward Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" in its chorus. My only complaint regarding this song is its beat. She said that the song was quickly whipped up following the Coachella show, and I think that the beat makes this evident. It does not sound like live drums; it instead sounds like a very basic drum machine beat. I do, overall, really love the song; I just wish that it hadn't been rushed.
Lana is no stranger to infusing her music with Americana; she has done it before on songs like "National Anthem," "American," "Afraid," and so forth (the list goes on), and she has also used the American flag as imagery time and time again, but as previously mentioned, Lust for Life is really the first time that she has directly addressed current American politics in her music. She begins to touch upon it on "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind" but digs even deeper on the next several tracks. "God Bless America - and All the Beautiful Women in It" is meant to add to the discussion that many had this year at the Women's March on Washington, when approximately 500,000 people protested in Washington D.C. against the inauguration of Donald Trump. Lana's song glorifies women, acknowledging their value and worth in the country. The song is very light and acoustically driven and has a strong folky flavor to it, as do many of the songs on the back half of the album. The album then moves into the aforementioned "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing," which is thematically similar to "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind" and is similar in sound to "God Bless America - and All the Beautiful Women in It." In response to Donald Trump's election, Lana asks, "Is this the end of an era? Is it the end of America?" This is in keeping with how many Americans felt following the November election results, but Lana provides hope: "If we hold onto hope," she encourages us, "we'll have our happy ending." Echoing what she says in the Lust for Life album trailer, she reminds us that America has endured turbulence in the past, and we'll endure it now: "When the world was at war before, we just kept dancing." As previously stated, this also echoes "Coachella" in that it offers music as a way for us to get through this.
A piano-driven folk track, "Beautiful People Beautiful Problems" is definitely a highlight on the album because Lana collaborates with legendary folk musician Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac (with whom she sounds incredible). The song sounds like a vintage folk song, and the opening verse could potentially be leaning towards a political meaning: "Blue is the color of the planet from the view above. Long live our reign. Long live our love. Green is the planet from the eyes of a turtle dove 'til it runs red... with blood." The planet running red with blood could be in reference to war, but it could also be referencing the planet metaphorically bleeding because we are not being eco-friendly and are not taking care of it. (Donald Trump is not concerned with eco-friendliness and regards climate change as a hoax.) My overall interpretation of the song is that most of us are both better than and worse off than other people in the world, and regardless of how we feel, we are all inhabitants of the same planet and should all have similar goals in mind. The next track on the album is also significant because it is a duet with the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Sean Ono Lennon. "Tomorrow Never Came" is either my second or third favorite song on the album. An acoustically driven folk song that I can totally imagine Sean's father and/or The Beatles performing, the song is a beautiful lament about someone (most likely an ex-lover) who had represented a brighter future for the speaker but then never delivered on that promise. (It is a song to which I strongly relate.) Near the end of the song, Lana sings, "I wish we had stayed home, and I could put on the radio to our favorite song. Lennon and Yoko, we would play all day long. 'Isn't life crazy?' I said, now that I'm singing with Sean." I love this part of the song because it is meant to be ironically "meta."
"Heroin" is not a terrible song but is a part of the album where it temporarily dips off for me. I like the chorus of the song, in which Lana sings, "Flying to the moon again, dreaming about heroin," as it is melodically beautiful, but most of the song is flat and doesn't go many places. It is one of my least favorite songs on the album. (It lyrically seems to be very personal and could be addressing actual drug use like past songs such as "Yayo" and "Florida Kilos" seem to, but that's unclear.) The next song, on the other hand, simply titled "Change," is either my second or third favorite on Lust for Life, butting heads with "Tomorrow Never Came." "Change" is piano-driven and is devastatingly beautiful, especially in its soaring chorus: "Every time that we run, we don't know what it's from..." The song addresses a common human condition: "Lately I've been thinking that it's someone else's job to care." We sometimes do suffer from this syndrome, believing that we don't need to stand up for what's right because someone else will. The problem is that if everyone has this mindset, then no one will stand up, and Lana addresses this in "Change." The song seems to be a call to action, encouraging listeners to live by the mindset that we are the change that we seek: "Change is a powerful thing; people are powerful beings." The song is discouraging and encouraging at the same time, seemingly hopeless but actually very hopeful, and it is another song that definitely seems to have a political stance to it. (I think that it is another song that was definitely written in the wake of Trump's election.)
The final song on the album is "Get Free," which sounds extremely similar to Radiohead's 1992 hit "Creep." It is a beautiful song which kind of has a psychedelic rock flavor to it, and I interpret the song as being about newfound happiness and self-discovery. She nods to her single "Ride" from Paradise when she sings, "Sometimes it feels like I've got a war in my mind. I want to get off, but I keep riding the ride." It is my belief that Lana here is tackling the same issue that she does on "13 Beaches" and Honeymoon's "God Knows I Tried," which is the burden of fame. I don't believe that Lana is referring to suicide when she says that she wants to "get off" (although I suppose that one could interpret it that way); she is referring to giving up her life as a famous musician. This is substantiated by the following line: "I never really noticed that I had to decide to play someone's game or live my own life." Being famous can sometimes mean being a puppet owned by the media; the media can tell lies and spin your stories their own way, making your own life not truly yours. This has been the case constantly for Lana, as headlines have commented on her fluctuating weight, whether or not she has had cosmetic surgery done, and even whether or not the vintage folk and Americana aesthetic is real or merely a gimmick. On "Get Free," Lana seems to be addressing this, saying that she plans to continue moving forward regardless because freedom and happiness are states of mind, and she has found both of them. While Lust for Life is not my favorite Lana Del Rey album to date (as that honor still goes to Ultraviolence), I do overall love it despite my wishes that a few decisions had been made differently. Let's just hope that now that she is six albums into her career, people are finally starting to realize that Lana Del Rey is not a gimmick.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Once Upon a Time: The Musical Episode: Original Television Soundtrack [Review]
As I had been hoping would be the case, the episode's songs were released digitally as a soundtrack. (While Buffy the Vampire Slayer's "Once More, with Feeling" released the songs, Fringe's "Brown Betty" did not, another factor that was disappointing, although I suspect that it had something to do with the songs being covers.) The soundtrack was, in fact, released on Friday, May 5th, two days before the episode aired. The soundtrack being released when it was was a marketing decision that I honestly cannot understand. Why would you want people hearing the songs before they see the episode? That would have almost entirely ruined the excitement of the episode for me, which is why I refused to listen to the soundtrack until after I had seen the episode. (Granted, ABC and the showrunners spoil significant plot-points before they happen quite frequently, so I shouldn't be surprised by how the soundtrack was released, and I quite honestly am not. I don't mean to slam the show, but I really don't understand its promotion process sometimes. Fans know things about the direction of the show, even significant character deaths and departures, way before they should. Even the focus of the upcoming seventh season was made known to fans way before the sixth season finale even aired.)
The opening song is the Disneyesque "Powerful Magic," a duet between real-life married couple Ginny Goodwin (Snow White) and Josh Dallas (Prince Charming / David). "Powerful Magic" features a powerful and booming melody sure to become an ear-worm and definitely has elements of humor, as Snow and David sing in confusion about why it is that they're singing. "Good morning, friend," Snow opens, singing to a bird that perches itself by her bed. "Oh, my dear, something's wrong 'cause all my words are coming out in song." The song is then followed by "The Queen Sings," a short introduction to "Love Doesn't Stand a Chance," when The Evil Queen (played by the beautiful Lana Parrilla) regally saunters toward the Magic Mirror in classic Disney fashion. She then eerily and angrily sings in a low register, wondering why she is singing. She uses her mirror magic to spy on various Enchanted Forest residents, including the Dwarfs, Granny, and Geppetto, all of whom have also broken out into song. The Evil Queen then breaks out into a rock number titled "Love Doesn't Stand a Chance," described by Parrilla as being similar to David Bowie's classic style. Parrilla passionately growls some of the words (which reflect on her belief that Snow and David's love for each other is their downfall, as love is weakness) like a rockstar, and it's evident that she had a lot of fun singing and performing the number/scene.
Colin O'Donoghue, who plays Killian Jones / Captain Hook, did not surprise me with his impressive tenor vocals; he was one of several cast members with musical experience. Snow and David, believing that they can defeat the Queen with song, offer Hook money in exchange for passage to her castle. Hook, however, bursts into "Revenge Is Gonna Be Mine," an '80s rock meets Broadway number (fueled by Queenesque guitars and harmony) about how he only wants revenge on Rumplestiltskin. The song is one of the catchiest songs on the soundtrack; it was stuck in my head after only a couple of listens. The following song, "Wicked Always Wins" (another ear-worm), is probably my favorite one. Performed by Rebecca "Bex" Mader, who plays Zelena, Oz's Wicked Witch of the West (who, on Once Upon a Time, also happens to be the Evil Queen Regina's sister), the song begins with quiet and melancholy piano but soon crescendos into a joyful melody fittingly reminiscent of Wicked. The song features lyrics about triumph and victory, and Mader's sweetly vibrato vocals are perfect. Interestingly, both this and Regina's song are about triumphing over an enemy but also acknowledge said enemy's strength. Regina sings, "Love at times can entrance, but love doesn't stand a chance," and Zelena sings, "Evil may be powerful, but wicked always wins."
"Charmings vs. Evil Queen" is a medley of "Powerful Magic" and "Love Doesn't Stand a Chance," taking place when Snow and David confront Regina and try to defeat her with song. "Emma's Theme" is the first of only two songs that are sung in the present; the previous six songs are all sung during flashback sequences. The song, which reminds me of Anastasia's "Once Upon a December" (especially because of its hauntingly beautiful piano accompaniment) and the Broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, is set primarily to Mark Isham's score for Emma, which can he heard during the end credits of every episode so far. This song is the one that surprised me the most because I honestly hadn't expected Jennifer Morrison to be as vocally talented as she is. She has the voice of an angel, and considering how she enunciates and draws out her vowels and makes use of a beautiful, almost operatic vibrato technique, she sounds like she has had extensive vocal training. (I am hoping that, following her soon-to-be departure from Once Upon a Time, she will pursue music as another career because the woman seriously has pipes. She can also be heard singing here.) "Emma's Theme" is lyrically about Emma embracing the fact that she has finally found a home and a family, which gives her the advantage over evil.
The final song of the episode (and, of course, the soundtrack) is "A Happy Beginning," an ensemble celebratory song sung during the aforementioned wedding. Heard from during this number are Jennifer Morrison, Colin O'Donoghue, Ginny Goodwin, Josh Dallas, Lana Parrilla, Bex Mader, Jared S. Gilmore (Henry), etc. Parrilla really showcases her range here because whereas she had previously sung "Love Doesn't Stand a Chance" in a growly and sultry low register as the Evil Queen, her line here is much higher-pitched and sweeter as the reformed Regina. The song is about how the ceremony represents a new beginning for the characters and how that will win the day despite the literal and metaphorical darkness approaching them. I, overall, vastly enjoyed this episode and its soundtrack. As previously stated, it was long overdue and felt earned. I only wish that it had been a two-hour episode so that songs could have been longer and so that maybe more cast members, like Robert Carlyle (Rumplestiltskin) and Emilie de Ravin (Belle), could have been heard. There are two aspects of the songs that I especially like; the first is that most of them are timeless in relation to the show because their themes represent the characters singing them in general, not just in relation to the episode, and the second is that they all share a common theme - overcoming adversity. The musical episode was well executed, and bravo to all who were involved!
Oh, and my laptop kept autocorrecting Bex Mader's name to Bex Vader, so here is this for your amusement:
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Beauty and the Beast - 2017 Film [Review]
What makes Beauty and the Beast so much better than Cinderella? Well, for starters, while "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" are present on Cinderella's soundtrack album, they are absent from the film. In fact, the film is completely void of any musical numbers at all, omitting "The Work Song (Cinderelly, Cinderelly)" and "So This Is Love," as well. Beauty and the Beast, however, keeps all of the original Disney film's songs intact and even adds new songs such as "How Does a Moment Last Forever," "Days in the Sun," and "Evermore," all hauntingly beautiful songs that add a much more emotional and maybe even slightly melancholy layer to the story. That slightly melancholy layer acts as a positive force, though, as it adds depth to many characters such as Belle, The Beast, and even Belle's father Maurice. Even Gaston's sidekick LeFou (which, funnily enough, is French for The Fool) is far more interesting, complex, and even likable in this version of the story. More is learned about Belle's history as well as the Beast's history, making him a more sympathetic character, and Maurice is a more active character rather than just a plot device like he is in the animated film. Another factor that I strongly feel that this adaptation gets right is costume design, even though it recently came to my attention that many reviewers apparently harshly critiqued the costume design. I am of the opinion that the elaborate costumes fit the mood, atmosphere, and apparent era of the film. The only complaint that I have about the costume design, which is a really minor complaint, is that the color of Belle's iconic yellow dress in the ballroom scene seemed a bit off to me. It is a very bright, vibrant yellow whereas, for some reason, I was expecting and hoping for a color that was more gold. This is nitpicky, though, and like I said, I am overall very pleased with the costume design.
Nearly all of the casting in Beauty and the Beast is spot-on, as well. Although this version of Belle has a somewhat different personality than the animated Belle, Emma Watson (best known for her role as Hermione in the Harry Potter films) fits into this film's universe perfectly, with a sweetly innocent singing voice (which some people have complained sounds too autotuned even though it's hardly noticeable to me if it is), which is a lot softer and more timid than Paige O'Hara's soprano soars in the animated film, and a fiercely independent and quick-witted personality. Kevin Kline's Maurice is a lot less timid than he is in the animated film, and some of his facial expressions, such as the one that he displays when he stands up to Gaston and tells him that Gaston will never marry Belle, are hilarious. As previously stated, I would definitely argue that he plays a more active role in this film compared to the animated film, and Kline's acting, like pretty much all of the acting in this film, is phenomenal. After seeing the film, I can't imagine a better fit for Gaston than Luke Evans; he nailed the role perfectly, and although he didn't stray too far from the animated version of Gaston, he does seem a bit more reserved and more calculated. I would also argue that he's probably more evil than the animated version of the character, as he does something especially heinous that he doesn't do in the animated movie. Josh Gad (already Disney famous for his vocal portrayal of Olaf in the 2014 hit Frozen) was also a perfect fit for LeFou; his singing voice is even somewhat similar to the animated version of LeFou. As previously stated, he's a little bit more complex than the animated version, and he's even a bit more comical. Dan Stevens (known previously for titles like The Guest and Downton Abbey) plays The Beast, and I absolutely adore this version of The Beast. I know that some people did not because they didn't feel that he was scary-looking enough, and I agree that he doesn't appear all that menacing; he, in fact, looks very majestic and beautiful, but I also think that that makes it even harder to hate him. Similar to Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom, The Beast, although definitely initially villainous, is meant to be seen as a misunderstood and tortured soul, and Stevens delivers this perfectly.
Emma Thompson (famous for roles like Nanny McPhee and Professor Trelawney from the Harry Potter franchise) plays Mrs. Potts, and even though playing a role previously played by Angela Lansbury obviously means very big shoes to fill, Thompson manages it very well. Lumiere, played by Ewan McGregor (known for a long list of titles but probably known best for his portrayal of a younger Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars franchise), is another character that I actually prefer in this version. Even though I love the animated Lumiere, this one, like LeFou, is even funnier and sassier. At one point in the film, Cogsworth (played by the legendary Ian McKellen) tells Lumiere that if the master (meaning The Beast) finds out that they have been catering to Belle behind his back, he will blame Cogsworth, and Lumiere exclaims, "Yes, I will make sure of it!" What also makes this live-action version better than the animated film is that even though the animated film is a classic and a masterpiece and is definitely among my favorite Disney films, it's also messy and sloppily written, as it's lousy with errors and plot-holes, and this rendition corrects just about all of them. The list is very long, but to list a couple: (1) The curse is said to become permanent on The Beast's twenty-first birthday, and during "Be Our Guest," Lumiere sings that they have been cursed for ten years. That would mean that The Beast was eleven when he was cursed, yet he is clearly older than that in the portrait that he tears up. (2) How does Philippe know where The Beast's castle is? The list goes on, but those are the two most annoying ones, and the new film corrects both of these. So much about this movie - no, everything about this movie - is magical and beautiful, and I can't praise it enough. Disney definitely got this one right. (I have now seen the film three times, and those rookie numbers will definitely rise once I have my hands on the blu-ray!)
Friday, March 24, 2017
Evanescence - The Ultimate Collection [Review]
The collection also includes Fallen (the band's commercial debut featuring hits such as "Bring Me to Life" and "My Immortal"), The Open Door (the second commercial album featuring songs like "Call Me When You're Sober" and "Lithium"), Evanescence (the 2011 album featuring singles such as "What You Want" and "My Heart Is Broken"), and Lost Whispers (a collection of b-sides, previously unreleased songs, and deluxe bonus tracks). My pIan here is to, as briefly as possible, review the included albums and the collection's packaging, as well as discuss my (dis)approval with what was included in the collection and what was not. I absolutely adore Origin; I always have. While I love, love, love music, I am not the audiophile that some people are (meaning that I don't have the ears to pick up on certain production techniques like other people have), so when I listen to Origin, I love it for its melodies, its vocals, its lyrics, etc., paying very little attention to the production quality, so the fact that the songs on Origin are demos recorded in Ben's apartment means very little to me. Origin is definitely Evanescence's darkest work (and probably least heaviest, relying more so on darkwave and electronic sounds then heavy guitar like later albums do), both in sound and lyrics. Origin deals with themes like death and suicide ("Where Will You Go" and "Even in Death"), wrestling with faith and existentialism ("Away from Me"), forbidden love ("Anywhere"), and loss of innocence ("Field of Innocence"). My favorite song on the album has always been "Where Will You Go," a powerful electronic anti-suicide anthem (at least according to the way that I personally interpret it) with hauntingly beautiful keyboard and organ accompaniment. It trumps the quieter and softer version found on their (mostly) unreleased self-titled EP (which can be downloaded here).
The next inclusion in the set is the 2003 commercial debut and smash hit Fallen. Despite the band's lack of expectancy to do so, Evanescence hit the jackpot with this commercial debut, eventually being certified 7x platinum and selling more than 17 million copies worldwide. The debut single "Bring Me to Life" was instantly a hit that, despite its dark and heavy sound, went to pop radio, probably due in part to its inclusion in the 2003 film Daredevil. Fallen marks the Evanescence era when most fans, myself included, first heard and fell in love with the band. Much heavier and more aggressive than Origin, highlights include "Everybody's Fool" (a song about betraying one's identity for the sake of recognition, reportedly about pop stars like Britney Spears), "Haunted" (a very dark and unsettling heavy track inspired by a short story that Ben Moody wrote, which can be read here), "Tourniquet" (adapted from a song titled "My Tourniquet" by Soul Embraced, a Christian metal band which shared member Rocky Gray with Evanescence), and "Whisper" (a song previously heard on Origin, now amped up with added layers such as a haunting choir and strings). Amy has previously described the overall story of the album as being one of entrapment in an abusive relationship, as evidenced by songs like "Going Under," "Haunted," and "Taking over Me." Three of Fallen's tracks are new versions of songs on Origin - "My Immortal," "Imaginary," and "Whisper." "Imaginary" and "Whisper" are considerably different, but "My Immortal" didn't change save for added strings. A few years after Fallen was released, new pressings of the album included the band version of "My Immortal" (which is the version featured in the music video and played on the radio) as a bonus track, but this is, for some reason, missing from this vinyl set. Considering that it's the version of the song that most people know, I don't really understand its exclusion from this set.
The Open Door, as previously mentioned, is Evanescence's commercial sophomore album, released in 2006. The debut single "Call Me When You're Sober" took the band in a new direction, sounding more upbeat and more pop-like than they ever had before (which later influenced the self-titled album's debut single "What You Want"). It does not, however, represent the album as a whole, as overall, The Open Door is much more atmospheric and subdued than Fallen. The album features themes of breaking away from abusive people and situations and being comfortable on your own. (Songs such as "Sweet Sacrifice," the aforementioned "Call Me When You're Sober," "Weight of the World," "Lose Control," etc. clearly demonstrate this.) The Open Door is the first Evanescence release following co-founder Ben Moody's departure from the band, a personal and professional relationship that reportedly ended on bad terms due to Amy's claim that Ben was domineering and abusive and also due to massive creative differences that led to disagreements over musical direction. The latter is evident, as The Open Door is a totally different album than Fallen. It definitely got treated with more production, and it is much more lush and experimental sounding. (A Mozart piece from his Requiem was even adapted into a melancholy but epic metal track with strings and choir.) The album is primarily focused on Seether frontman Shaun Morgan, with whom Amy had had a turbulent relationship which ended prior to the release of The Open Door. Songs like "Call Me When You're Sober," "Lithium," and "Lacrymosa" are all focused on him, and even though, like Fallen, the album focuses on themes of abuse, this album is about breaking away from it and being independent rather than feeling entrapped in it. It is a much stronger and more independent Amy Lee (hence the album's title which hints at new opportunities).
Featured next in The Ultimate Collection is the band's 2011 self-titled album Evanescence, which I actually already reviewed in-depth here shortly following its release. Some fans have referred to it as the heaviest Evanescence album to date because of alternative metal tracks like "Made of Stone," "The Other Side," and "Never Go Back." To a certain extent, I agree because "Never Go Back" for example features an extremely aggressive guitar riff. Overall, however, I would probably argue that Fallen is the band's heaviest album. Evanescence, however, is definitely the band's most socially and culturally conscious, inspired by topics and events such as sex trafficking ("My Heart Is Broken") and the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit and devastated Japan ("Never Go Back"). The album also shows Amy at her most introspective, with reflective songs like the piano rock ballad "Lost in Paradise" and the lulling "Swimming Home." Not included on this vinyl are the four bonus tracks from the deluxe version of the album - "New Way to Bleed," "Say You Will," "Disappear," and "Secret Door." The catchy and piano-driven "Disappear" (which, to me, is thematically similar to "Bring Me to Life" except from the other person's perspective) and the dreamy (in more ways than one, as the song is about the safety and beauty that dreams can offer) "Secret Door" are absolutely essential, but they are featured as the final four tracks on the next installment of this collection, Lost Whispers. The album, as aforementioned, is a collection of b-sides and is cleverly named after a live intro from 2009, the studio version of which appears as the first track on this album. Perhaps what is most exciting about Lost Whispers is that it was released digitally, so a few songs that were previously only available physically like "Farther Away" and "The Last Song I'm Wasting on You" are now officially available digitally. The album also features a new recording, a re-recording of the Origin song "Even in Death" now treated with a much softer and more acoustic sound, and a previously unreleased (albeit leaked) song "If You Don't Mind," an outtake from The Open Door.
I previously mentioned that the best part of The Ultimate Collection is the fact that it includes Origin, finally giving Origin an official commercial release. The second best part is that it includes a hardcover vinyl-sized book featuring more than fifty pages of color photos and Amy's handwritten notes from her journals. Each era, even Origin, is represented here with photos, drawings of costumes, and so forth, and it's cool to read Amy's notes and handwritten lyrics because you can see some of the lyrics in initial stages, having changed a bit before making it onto the albums. The box in which the albums are placed features the Evanescence logo on the front, empty so that the album cover (or book cover) showing is interchangeable. The box also features stars that glow in the dark after being exposed to light. Fallen, The Open Door, and Evanescence obviously do not offer any new material to fans, but with the collection featuring Origin, Lost Whispers, and the hardcover book, it is, as I said, an absolute must-have for diehard Evanescence fans. The collection does have a few shortcomings, a couple of which I already mentioned. Firstly, as previously stated, although Origin has finally seen an official commercial release, it still is not officially available digitally or on CD. Secondly, as also mentioned already, the band version of "My Immortal" is missing from the collection, which doesn't make much sense because it means that a major smash hit of a single is technically missing. Lastly, I wish that the Lost Whispers collection hadn't wasted four tracks on deluxe tracks from the self-titled album that we had all already had digitally and/or physically. That was a missed opportunity to finally release highly anticipated songs that we haven't heard such as "Perfect Dream," "Your Love," "You Got a Lot to Learn," etc. Overall, however, The Ultimate Collection is a wonderful and special treat to the fans, one for which I am grateful.
(Check out my other Evanescence and Amy Lee posts here.)
Thursday, November 3, 2016
Lady Gaga - Joanne [Review]
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.
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