Jason Mraz’s “Yes!” - Solid Album That Lacks Variety

     Jason Mraz has recently released his new album entitled Yes! and while by the title you would believe this album to be an affirmation of some type the album overall does not have the upbeat affirmative feel really at any point throughout the albums 14 tracks. 

      The album begins with a track that ultimately sounds like an Orchestra warming up until you suddenly hear some vocal tracks. Of note this album does use voice tracks and chorus sounds very well throughout. I can only hope live shows actually have live groups and singers to help him out. 

     Jason’s songwriting is a strong suit as only one track I had any issue with was "Love Someone" in which the lyric was referring to the “Heart Beat Beat” and it sounds like “Heart Beep Beep” which is a bit too childish for my likes. 

     The highlights of this album are plentiful, my favorite track being “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday” which is minimalist in accompaniment (Piano and Vocals), has great lyrics and Jason’s melodies are excellent. If only more tracks were like this one!

     Other good tracks included “Long Drive” which the song mimics the topic (As a long drive that picks up and at the end slows down). The song also includes a fun bridge and good chorus. “Back To The Earth” includes the best line on the album and it’s not even sung:

“Let’s get Jurassic on this Bridge”

     ..Awesome. 

     The remaining tracks while decent kind of just blend into the overall feel that is the laid back sound Jason has produced on this album, it’s not bad, but it also isn’t amazing. 

      Overall this is a good chill album. I think most people who like Jason Mraz will enjoy this album. I hope to see him take some more creative risks in his future work, as overall this album felt “safe” to me. 

“Ultraviolet” EP by Owl City - Some of Adam Young’s Best Work

      The EP Ultraviolet by Owl City was released on June 27th and only has four tracks. The one most people were already familiar with was Beautiful Times and it featured Lindsey Sterling on violin. This EP shows a combination of elements that we have seen across much of Adam Young’s work in side projects and through Owl City. These tracks also show a level of maturity we really haven’t seen combining to form some excellent new tracks. 

      Let’s start with the track that was originally featured as a single “Beautiful Times”. This track seems to be the norm sound from Adam Young, featuring synth pop sounds and effects but also includes the Violin on Lindsey Sterling. The violin however is used sparingly, and is barely considered a feature. Overall the track is ok, but is definitely not the best track of the four.

      Next we have “Up All Night” which immediately reminds me of one of Adam’s side projects Swimming With Dolphins as both the pop sounds and song style sounds very similar. This track is unique for Adam to use under Owl City as it is a bit more upbeat and aggressive than his standard tracks which have a more atmospheric quality. 

      My favorite track of the set, “This Isn’t The End” has some of the best lyrics, songwriting and instrumental use that I have seen him use. This is like a combination of his Sky Sailing work with his deep and personal lyrics combined with his more refined songwriting of Owl City. This is certainly a track you have to listen to multiple times to fully appreciate. It truly shows the maturity in Young’s lyrics and songwriting. 

      The last track is “Wolf Bite” which is like the first track back to more of Owl City’s standard music style. However this along with the previous track I believe shows the direction that he is movie toward. It seems that in his maturity we are moving away from the silliness that some of his previous tracks incorporated (as well as the atmospheric sound quality in both the music and writing) and we are moving toward some direct emotional meaning and connection which I really like and look forward to seeing more of. 

Scott Bradlee and Postmodern Jukebox - The Art of Intelligent Parody

      Anyone who has been a fan of popular music over the past thirty years is aware of some artist who is known for parody of popular music. Whether it is Weird Al Yankovic, Richard Cheese, or Scott Bradlee and Postmodern Jukebox, all of these artists have brought some level of artistry to their craft. Some use wordplay while others rely on strictly the music.

      Postmodern Jukebox for the most part tends to rely on their arrangements for parody. This group rarely edits the subject's text unless it is as a nod to the style or the audience. In a nutshell the group takes modern pop and rock songs and reimagines them in popular styles from decades ago (dating back to the turn of the 20th century) and is performed with a level of historical accuracy both in instrumentation, but also in performance practice.

           

      Listen to the two examples above. The left is the original version of “Talk Dirty” which is performed by Jason Derulo, while the right is the parody performed by Postmodern Jukebox in a klezmer style. Of particular note is the fact that the vocalist raps in Yiddish as well to follow the klezmer vibe. Now obviously this isn’t the first time someone has subbed in text, however of note is that this feels authentic. 

      What is really great about Postmodern Jukebox is not only their very intelligent parody, but also the fact that these songs are great listens in their own right. Something many covers and especially parodies cannot say. 

Album Review - Eric Hutchinson's “Pure Fiction”

      Eric Hutchinson is a singer-songwriter who has been making music well over a decade and has recently released his fifth album entitled “Pure Fiction”. This album I found to be polarizing in that on several tracks he found some great balance but in others his weaknesses (Namely lyrics, and repetitive pop like themes) show through even more. 

      Hutchinson’s greatest strength is his voice, and no matter what track you listen to on this album (or likely any of his other work) this will be very clear. The songwriting draws the focus to his voice, and he is an excellent pop singer with a lot of flexibility and style. After a listen to this album I have been convinced that I want to see him live, as I have a very strong feeling that he is excellent live (as his acoustic tracks show). 

      Highlights of this album include “Goodnight Goodbye”, a simplistic track that emphasizes his excellent voice as well his perfect lyrical setting for the sentiment he was going for. This was the track that drew attention to this album for me. Also the track “Forget about Joni” in contrast shows some really clever lyric writing. This song also has a latin feel which was performed quite well with some simple instrumental choices and styling for guitar. This track is also acoustic adding more credence to the belief of his ability as a live performer.

     The weaker tracks on this album tend to emphasize the same issues. Tracks like “I Got The Feeling Now” and “A Little More” use really simple lyrics and pop hooks that make these tracks sound so poppy to the point of them being too sweet and simple. A title of a track should only be said so many times in the track itself, and should never be the entire lyrical content of the chorus (Unless it’s a Fall Out Boy-esque title which could be a short novella). 

      Overall I find this album to be difficult to assess wholistically. I love the artist’s voice and musicality, however I find that at times his songwriting choices pull me away from truly appreciating that work. I found that with most tracks on this album I either really liked them, or really didn’t. With many tracks being split along these two specific issues (Performance vs. Song-Writing). When listening in the moment I think this album is a great listen, however go much further in depth and you begin to uncover some of these issues which could be improved.

      If your a fan a pop music, like singer-songwriters, or just a fan of great singers this album is a good listen. If you are looking for a deep musical experience with deep lyrical meaning this album is not going to be for you.

Album Review - "Is There Anybody Out There?" by A Great Big World

      So I haven’t done an album review in a really long time, but I rather enjoyed this album so I though I would give it a go. 

 

      A Great Big World is a musical group composed of singer/songwriters Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino. This group became particularly popular starting in 2013 with their song “This Is The New Year” which was popularized by the television show “Glee”.

      “Is There Anybody Out There” is their first album for this group. As a genre they are classified ad indie pop/rock, and as you will see in the review other influences pop in as well. 

      Debut albums can often define a group for better or worse, it is rare that a debut album will have a very clear path. “Is There Anybody Out There” seems to fall right into this area as their album has a little bit of everything, some good, some not so much. 

      The album features these two singer/songwriters in nearly every song, and as a group with two vocalists, their voices really shine in nearly every track. “Already Home” (Track #3) is a really strong ballad featuring both voice individually and you can really appreciate the subtle differences in their voices. “Rockstar”, “You’ll Be Okay”, “Land Of Opportunity”, and “This Is The New Year” really showcase the harmonies that these songwriters have incorporated. 

      While listening you will likely get vibes of Ben Folds in many of these tracks, as their is a major piano influence as well in several of these tracks. 

      I also enjoyed the soul/country influence of the tracks “You’ll Be Okay” and “Shorty Don’t Wait” they provided some nice diversity of sound in the album. Also this shows the depth of their writing and performance as musicians as they songs are different stylistically, not only from the accompaniment but in the vocals and overall performance. 

      Unfortunately their are two tracks which pull me right out of the continuity of this album. The first being “Everyone Is Gay”. I found this song to be obnoxiously campy and almost tongue and cheek about the issue. While I’m sure this song was with good intentions and to bring more awareness and call for acceptance. I felt this song from a writing and performance standpoint was just out of place. The second track being “Cheer Up!” which also was quite campy and childish sounding with no real reason. Compared to the rest of the tracks which come off as polished with a mature sound, these two tracks felt quite out of place. 

      Finally we have their major hit, “Say Something”. The duet with Christina Aguilera is a great piece on so many levels. The harmonies are excellent and performed well, the subtlety and minimalism of the instruments and vocal lines really contribute to the text of the song. I really enjoy this song a lot. What surprises me is that they have it on the album twice, one with and without Aguilera. I’m surprised on the one without Aguilera they did not still perform it as a duet, especially when they have two vocalists! But I suppose they must have intended this to be a male/female duet. If that was the case, they should have removed the “solo” version as it is unnecessary. 

      Ultimately this album is a solid first effort from this group. I believe they have found a great sound and are both really talented songwriters that can look forward to having a great career. I can’t wait to hear more in the future.

The Beatles - The Unified Musical Experience

      So for this week I knew I was going to write an article about music and music performance. This was inspired due to recent performances on television (The SuperBowl, SNL and the like). I was going to take the spin about how musicians are still able to receive popularity and not be good live. This is something I’m quite floored by, but I think I want to talk about something else tonight. 

      Today was the 50th anniversary of The Beatles performance on the Ed Sullivan show, and the beginning of their incredible rise of popularity. The Beatles and their span of performances is one of the few unified experiences that most of America and the UK (Not to mention most of the rest of the world) have shared. 

     To watch the performances tonight only shows what a dominant impact this one band has had on our culture and in the half-century since they began. After seeing all the performances tonight it was a magical experience for those watching and those who were live. This would shave been a great show to see. 

      The question I wish to pose is where is this unified experience now? Do we share common music and experiences? 

      There are moments that we can all recall in more recent music history, however this is only relegated to the age you are or the music genre you like. It does not have the same universal impact that The Beatles had. 

      Case and point was made by Dave Grohl tonight when he mentioned that the Beatles was his mother’s favorite band, his favorite band, and now his daughter’s favorite band (Who was like 6-7). 

      When music can transcend generations, that is inspiring. From a historical perspective the only genre that has done that with out massive changes in classical music, which is like comparing apples to oranges. 

      Its not for lack of talent either, a look at the current music scene and there is plenty of talent to go around. Tonights series of performances from the Salute to the Beatles included many modern artists who are really talented, however with the exception of Stevie Wonder, it’s likely most of them will not have the mass popularity of their music. 

      My thought is that the biggest cause to this lack of shared experience comes from two causes: music’s decline as a form of entertainment, and the diversity of music that permeates our culture. 

      For your average person, music is no longer considered a form of entertainment in it’s own right, it is mainly used a noise or something to help pass the time. It is usually being listened to in combination with something else. This already lowers the immediate value of the art, and is not something that is truly appreciated as much as visual arts. 

      The other culprit being the diversity of the music we have now. Their is a genre for everyone, and access is easier than it has ever been. This is not a bad thing! Their is something that everyone can enjoy out there, and most of us find that one genre that we really like. This however makes it harder to have a shared cultural musical experience.

      I would love to see an artist or band have an impact now like The Beatles did then, however with the obvious two roadblocks listed and the lack of focus our culture has on music, it seems unlikely. 

      However at least we are fortunate to experience those moments in hindsight, and see these phenomenal artists still - 50 years later. 

      And…Paul and Ringo still got it, no question

This Gleek's Journey Ends with "The Quarterback"

      For the past several years I have been a major fan of the “Glee” series. I really liked the series for it’s excellent musical arrangements, great performances, and intelligently written story-lines. However once the first set of students graduated at the end of season 3, the plot and stories have drifted in a major way. The focus has shifted to glee club and Rachel story lines which I felt really split the show in half. 

      I tolerated this in season four and their was some really spectacular song arrangements and some decent crossover between the two “worlds”. However in season five with the passing of Cory Monteith, this has all but evaporated. One episode of the current season had included the Glee cast using puppets, once I saw this, I knew it was time to move on. 

      The Glee club is now merely an afterthought for the cast members who have been on the show since the beginning. They will be graduating at the end of the current season and will mostly be forgotten as the show will transitioning to focus mainly on Rachel and her NYC cohorts in the sixth and final season. (1)

      When I got word of that being the future direction of the series I realized that this show was going to be derailed. I think that this is the equivalent to what Scrubs had to do in season 9. Most people would consider Scrubs over in season 8, while the last season (I will jokingly refer to the med school as the “New Class”) is merely an afterthought. 

      Glee was a great proof of concept and shed public light on a lot of issues that most shows don’t have the opportunity to do so. (Especially in prime-time). One can only hope another show will take up the torch and continue this process. 

      I will miss the music most of all, I hope another show will be able to fill the void that Glee filled for a several years.

      I also wanted to talk a little about the last episode for me. “The Quarterback” was a very well written episode that was a fitting tribute to both Finn and Cory Monteith. It also was an excellent episode showing how all different people deal with grief, and you could tell for many of them the grief here was genuine. I was glad to see that most of this episode was done in single takes, and I think that is a tribute to all of the actors in this show. 

      My one complaint was the opening song. “525,600 minutes” was a very cliche choice song for this episode, and essentially felt out of place compared to the rest of the songs in this episode. My own opinions on “Rent” aside, I could have thought of several other songs they could have performed that would have been more fitting. 

      Matthew Morrison (Mr. Schuester), Dot Marie Jones (Coach Bieste), Mark Sailing (Puck), and Mike O’Malley (Kurt’s Dad) really shined in this episode. I was really impressed in how genuine their emotions were. I didn’t really feel that any of it was forced, which I think also shows how much Cory meant to all of them. 

      It was nice to see most of the cast (Former and new) was in the episode. I think Diana Argon was truly missed, and I think a better attempt should have been made to have her in the episode. It feels like she was snubbed. 

      All in all, an emotional but fitting end for me to a great series. I hope that what happens in the next season in a half won’t tarnish the great work they have done up until this point. But for this Gleek, the ride is over.

1 - http://www.hypable.com/2014/01/13/glee-season-5-exclusively-set-nyc/

Recover - The Power of Eminem's Music to Heal

“My Name is”

      Anyone who has been listening to rap and popular music since the late 90’s knows of the rapper Marshal Mathers, more commonly known as Eminem. If you take a brief look around the internet you can easily find numerous articles criticizing and calling Eminem out for his vulgar and disturbing lyrics.(1) However I want to make a case that the body of work this artist has produced shows a true evolution of a man who had a disastrous home life, the effect that had and how he has managed to grow up despite all of that. I’m going to use his music to back up my claim. 

“’97 Bonnie and Clyde”

      This song is considered one of the more disturbing songs which is basically creating a scene of Eminem taking his on again, off again girlfriend/wife to be buried after she had been killed. Oh did I mention that his young daughter is a part of this entire scene? Yeah this is very graphic and even now listening to it I’m disturbed by this. But consider this a way of dealing with his emotions over all that happened between him and Kim, and his daughter being thrown in the middle of this. He truly loved his daughter more than life itself, as this will become more evident in the tracks to come. 

“Stan”

      This song I think was created for two purposes: the first being to show that he was very well aware of how his music was being taken both in the positive sense and in the negative. Rather than his lashing out at the media (which was a lot of his two previous albums) he decided to basically make an internal dialogue. This song I think marks a turning point in his music, a lot of his music in later albums takes a much more mature tone and shows a much larger awareness of his audience, without him “going soft” so to speak. 

“Cleanin’ Out My Closet”

      Another song that digs back into his past and family life. In this song you can clearly see that he acknowledged that he had made mistakes. He also talks about the fact that are things he had to do regardless of how much he may or may not like it. This shows a pretty large shift in attitude about his life, and shows the beginning of maturity that we start to see in the previous album. This is a sign of things to come.

“Not Afraid”

      So this album is called “Recovery” and rightfully so. This album shows in my opinion Eminem finally making it. This song along with several others not only removes nearly all that sense of “selfishness” that you can see in his earlier work. This album is not only therapeutic for him, but it is for his listeners as well. This song I think is the clearest example of that as shown in his lyrics:

“I’m not afraid 

to take a stand 

everybody 

come take my hand”

      Now the next album (and newest) cements my position of showing the full evolution of Eminem as a man. 

“Headlights”

      This song shows Eminem demonstrating forgiveness to his mother for the life that they had, and understanding that the life he had, she had as well. This shows a clarity and maturity that is not in any of his past work and kinda brings the evolution of Eminem full circle. 

      To listen to his earlier music it would be very difficult to judge Eminem’s music as anything other than a young adult lashing out at the world for the rough hand he was dealt. However listening to the evolution this artist has had now over the past roughly 15 years shows just how powerful using the music medium has been for him. Referring back to Headlights, Eminem has talked about how this song is about “making amends”.(2) Anyone who listens to the body of work that Eminem has can’t help but to root for him and hope to see things get better for him. Anyone who can relate to any of his experiences can take solace in the fact that their is always hope. Seeing that he can power through and get through to the other side despite all that was against him sends a powerful message that we all can relate to and appreciate. 

(1) http://www.thefreeradical.ca/copycatCrimes/eminemInspiredViolence.html

(2) http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/eminem-finally-apologizes-to-mom-on-headlights-20131031