GO BUY THE FAME MONSTER RIGHT NOW. I previewed "Speechless" and it hit me so hard emotionally that I cried (yeah, I cry a lot about music, books, movie, and most forms of art--get over it, because I have!) and then I bought the album on iTunes 0.5 seconds later, and now I have to go to class, but I wish with all my heart I could skip it and just listen to Lady Gaga!
Okay, gotta calm down. I'll post a real review later. GO CHECK IT OUT!
AHHHHHH!
Emily Noel
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Just Another Taste of Gaga....
I think Lady Gaga’s music video for the new single “Bad Romance” is a just taste of what is to come in The Fame Monster (to be released this coming Tuesday!) The video is…different. It’s ugly, almost, but in Lady Gaga’s own mesmerizing way. I mean, I’ve heard some guys going, “She’s so hot!” and maybe I’m not qualified to judge that, but for me her beauty is in how easily she can alter her appearance. And when I say the video is “ugly,” I don’t mean that it’s repulsive, necessarily, it’s just that it’s not what you would expect from a Princess of Pop. But she’s already established that she isn’t the typical pop girl. Her goal seems to be to make her songs into works of visual art through music videos.
Most artists attempt to tell a story in their music videos. Some really great ones, or at least some of my favorites, are “All That I’ve Got” by The Used, “I’m Not Okay (I Promise)” by My Chemical Romance, and “So What?” by P!nk. You don’t have to like those songs to get what they’re about. Other artists just like to make videos that depict them rocking out in different locations, without any kind of storyline behind them. Most of Lady Gaga’s music videos do not have a storyline, or at least not a very linear one, except for the “Paparazzi” one.
As per her usual, Gaga changes her outfit and make-up at least 3 or 4 times throughout the “Bad Romance” video. And I must be honest: I don’t like the video, but only because it’s just not to my personal aesthetic taste, not because of her performance. And I’m not going to pretend to understand the storyline, if there even is one. I think it’s about her debut into fame and how she got her power, which basically explains the scenes with her struggling in the bathtub and then being encased in that spiky, glittery costume, and then ultimately combusting into flames at the end. My interpretation is that the video depicts her struggle with who she has become and where she’s going from here. The closing shot of the video, with the charred remains of a bed and her laying on it, seems to be (to me) her ultimate conquering of who she is and what she wants—all the power of Lady Gaga, be it the power of fame or sexuality or love.
There’s a quote I’m pulling from Rolling Stone’s June 11, 2009 issue that I really loved because I think it sums Lady Gaga up perfectly and really puts her statement out there point-blank. The article closed with her saying, “I operate from a place of delusion…. I used to walk down the street like I was a f—king star. I want people to walk around delusional about how great they can be – and then to fight so hard for it every day that the lie becomes the truth.”
I love that, because she imagined what she wanted to be, and became it. She wasn’t born Lady Gaga. She didn’t wake up as Lady Gaga. She made herself Lady Gaga, and I know she wants everyone to see that they can make themselves into whatever they want to be, too. I think that is her point in all of these seemingly eccentric music videos and fashion statements, bizarre face masks and dazzling make-up styles. I really don’t think she’s doing it for attention or because she’s insane. She’s called herself crazy and delusional in various interviews, but she says she fights that craziness when she’s working at what she loves—performing.
Give three cheers for Gaga – I can’t wait for The Fame Monster!
Emily Noel
Friday, November 13, 2009
Happy Friday the 13th!
Happy Friday the 13th! Hope it hasn’t been too unlucky for anyone.
I’ve had a lot of Death Cab for Cutie stuck in my head lately, and I have no idea why because I haven’t listened to them in awhile. Incidentally, they wrote a single for the second Twilight saga movie, New Moon, called “Meet Me On the Equinox.” Did I get it? Duhhh! It’s a decent song, and although I am not necessarily a Twilight fan, I do have to admit the first movie had a fairly good soundtrack, what with their little nod to Stephenie Meyer’s love of Muse with the single, “Super-Massive Black Hole” in the vampire baseball scene.
Side-note: Stephenie Meyer directly influenced my interest in Muse, as they are her favorite band and she credited them for their inspiration in all of her Twilight novels. (And yes, I have read them all; I went through quite an intense vampire-romance phase in high school. I am glad to say I have left those days behind. I am no longer really a fan of the novels, though I can’t deny I loved them when I was seventeen.)
About 3 years ago, I was introduced to Death Cab for Cutie quite by chance. Their album Transatlanticism (2003) was given to me by a friend, and it remains my favorite of their albums (though, yes, I have given 3 of their other albums proper listens.) They are clever, I’ll give them that—but not really catchy. You have to pay close attention to their lyrics, and sometimes that’s what I love about their songs, but sometimes Death Cab can be a little too sentimental and intense for my taste. I love Ben Gibbard’s soft, breathy voice, but I have to be in the right mood for it. (Fun Fact: Ben Gibbard is also the lead singer of The Postal Service and—allegedly—married to my beloved, favorite American actress Zooey Deschanel.) In any event, although Death Cab do not make my Top 5, they make it into the perimeter of the Top 10, simply because of my love for Transatlanticism.
Anyway…I’m getting severely off-topic here. I’m not very focused today, sorry. The point is that basically my love of Death Cab = Transatlanticism only. If you like their other albums better, then by all means tell me to go re-listen. But some bands just have that One Good Album, just like some authors just have that One Good Book, and for me it’s Transatlanticism. My three favorites on the album are “Expo ’86,” “Transatlanticism,” and “Passenger Seat.” I love every song on the album, actually, but those are the ones that have remained my unchangeable favorites. Transatlanticism, as with most of Death Cab’s albums, is a compilation of tiny slices of life, which is what makes the songs so beautiful. They tell a story, but subtly, so that you have to interpret the meaning in your own way. My love of “Expo ’86” is a bit personal in that way because it pretty much sums up my love life; it is one of those songs that I would consider partially biographical, which is ironic because I fell in love with the song long before I’d ever fallen in love for real. My favorite bit is:
“Sometimes it seems that I don’t have the skills to recollect
The twists and turns of plot that turned us from lovers to friends;
I’m thinking I should take that volume back up off the shelf
And crack its weary spine and read to help remind myself.”
It’s fantastic, but love really is like a story, and you do have to go over the plot of your love in retrospect to see where it was flawed, because you can’t see what’s wrong when you’re in it. And then there is this bit at the end that always gets me:
“I am waiting for something to go wrong,
I am waiting for familiar resolve
I am waiting for another repeat,
Another diet fed by crippling defeat.
And I am waiting for that sense of relief,
I am waiting for you to flee the scene
As if you held in your hand the smoking gun
And on the floor lay the one you said you loved.”
Love it! That last line always kills me. (Haha.) As for the title track, “Transatlanticism,” there is this kind of lulling background rhythm to it that reminds me of that swaying motion you feel on a train. (In fact, on a recent train trip, I listened to it and it was very peaceful and comforting.) It’s a very beautiful song, very rich in imagery, that to me seems to be about a great flood (or possibly the Great Flood from the Bible or legends) but where people are grateful for this influx of water, for some reason, when it goes, “The people were overjoyed; they took to their boats / I thought it less like a lake and more like a moat.” But the trans-Atlantic part comes in when he sings,
“The rhythm of my footsteps
Crossing flatlands to your door
Have been silenced forevermore.
The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row
It seems farther than ever before
Oh no, I need you so much closer.”
And although I’ve always loved the song, I never really understood that long-distance desperation until last spring when I spent quite a bit of time on the other side of the Atlantic from everyone I love. And I discovered that it really was “quite simply much too far for me to row,” and I needed certain people “so much closer,” at times. In fact I couldn’t even listen to “Transatlanticism” when I was in England; I refused, because it hurt too much. And that’s another reason why the album is so special to me—it was given to me in 2006, but I never understood those songs until 2008 and 2009, when I was older and more mature, so they almost foreshadowed certain events in my future.
And, last but not least, my love for “Passenger Seat” is personal, as well. It’s basically about being driven home on some dark night, which reminds me of all the times I’ve ridden shotgun with one or another of my best friends. (Which has been quite often, because I didn’t get my full license until this past summer.) And “Passenger Seat” gathers up that feeling, but not in a “Woo-it’s-a-fun-night-let’s party” kind of way, but rather with a slow, gentle, sentimental little melody:
“I strain my eyes and try
To tell the difference between
Shooting stars and satellites
From the passenger seat
As you are driving me home.
‘Do they collide?’
I ask and you smile.
With my feet on the dash,
The world doesn’t matter.”
I’ve had moments like that; moments that are perhaps some of the best in my life. For me, it’s not always the destination of a drive that is the most fun, it’s the driving itself. And as much as I love driving, you notice more from the passenger seat because you can pay better attention to the person you’re with and what’s around you.
So, there you have a taste of Death Cab for Cutie (albeit maybe a little too in-depth.) I hope you enjoy their other albums, as well, as I really do wish that I liked them as much as Transatlanticism.
Party it up for Friday the 13th! (’Cause I sure am!)
Have a great weekend,
Emily Noel
Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Death Cab for Cutie.
I’ve had a lot of Death Cab for Cutie stuck in my head lately, and I have no idea why because I haven’t listened to them in awhile. Incidentally, they wrote a single for the second Twilight saga movie, New Moon, called “Meet Me On the Equinox.” Did I get it? Duhhh! It’s a decent song, and although I am not necessarily a Twilight fan, I do have to admit the first movie had a fairly good soundtrack, what with their little nod to Stephenie Meyer’s love of Muse with the single, “Super-Massive Black Hole” in the vampire baseball scene.
Side-note: Stephenie Meyer directly influenced my interest in Muse, as they are her favorite band and she credited them for their inspiration in all of her Twilight novels. (And yes, I have read them all; I went through quite an intense vampire-romance phase in high school. I am glad to say I have left those days behind. I am no longer really a fan of the novels, though I can’t deny I loved them when I was seventeen.)
About 3 years ago, I was introduced to Death Cab for Cutie quite by chance. Their album Transatlanticism (2003) was given to me by a friend, and it remains my favorite of their albums (though, yes, I have given 3 of their other albums proper listens.) They are clever, I’ll give them that—but not really catchy. You have to pay close attention to their lyrics, and sometimes that’s what I love about their songs, but sometimes Death Cab can be a little too sentimental and intense for my taste. I love Ben Gibbard’s soft, breathy voice, but I have to be in the right mood for it. (Fun Fact: Ben Gibbard is also the lead singer of The Postal Service and—allegedly—married to my beloved, favorite American actress Zooey Deschanel.) In any event, although Death Cab do not make my Top 5, they make it into the perimeter of the Top 10, simply because of my love for Transatlanticism.
Anyway…I’m getting severely off-topic here. I’m not very focused today, sorry. The point is that basically my love of Death Cab = Transatlanticism only. If you like their other albums better, then by all means tell me to go re-listen. But some bands just have that One Good Album, just like some authors just have that One Good Book, and for me it’s Transatlanticism. My three favorites on the album are “Expo ’86,” “Transatlanticism,” and “Passenger Seat.” I love every song on the album, actually, but those are the ones that have remained my unchangeable favorites. Transatlanticism, as with most of Death Cab’s albums, is a compilation of tiny slices of life, which is what makes the songs so beautiful. They tell a story, but subtly, so that you have to interpret the meaning in your own way. My love of “Expo ’86” is a bit personal in that way because it pretty much sums up my love life; it is one of those songs that I would consider partially biographical, which is ironic because I fell in love with the song long before I’d ever fallen in love for real. My favorite bit is:
“Sometimes it seems that I don’t have the skills to recollect
The twists and turns of plot that turned us from lovers to friends;
I’m thinking I should take that volume back up off the shelf
And crack its weary spine and read to help remind myself.”
It’s fantastic, but love really is like a story, and you do have to go over the plot of your love in retrospect to see where it was flawed, because you can’t see what’s wrong when you’re in it. And then there is this bit at the end that always gets me:
“I am waiting for something to go wrong,
I am waiting for familiar resolve
I am waiting for another repeat,
Another diet fed by crippling defeat.
And I am waiting for that sense of relief,
I am waiting for you to flee the scene
As if you held in your hand the smoking gun
And on the floor lay the one you said you loved.”
Love it! That last line always kills me. (Haha.) As for the title track, “Transatlanticism,” there is this kind of lulling background rhythm to it that reminds me of that swaying motion you feel on a train. (In fact, on a recent train trip, I listened to it and it was very peaceful and comforting.) It’s a very beautiful song, very rich in imagery, that to me seems to be about a great flood (or possibly the Great Flood from the Bible or legends) but where people are grateful for this influx of water, for some reason, when it goes, “The people were overjoyed; they took to their boats / I thought it less like a lake and more like a moat.” But the trans-Atlantic part comes in when he sings,
“The rhythm of my footsteps
Crossing flatlands to your door
Have been silenced forevermore.
The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row
It seems farther than ever before
Oh no, I need you so much closer.”
And although I’ve always loved the song, I never really understood that long-distance desperation until last spring when I spent quite a bit of time on the other side of the Atlantic from everyone I love. And I discovered that it really was “quite simply much too far for me to row,” and I needed certain people “so much closer,” at times. In fact I couldn’t even listen to “Transatlanticism” when I was in England; I refused, because it hurt too much. And that’s another reason why the album is so special to me—it was given to me in 2006, but I never understood those songs until 2008 and 2009, when I was older and more mature, so they almost foreshadowed certain events in my future.
And, last but not least, my love for “Passenger Seat” is personal, as well. It’s basically about being driven home on some dark night, which reminds me of all the times I’ve ridden shotgun with one or another of my best friends. (Which has been quite often, because I didn’t get my full license until this past summer.) And “Passenger Seat” gathers up that feeling, but not in a “Woo-it’s-a-fun-night-let’s party” kind of way, but rather with a slow, gentle, sentimental little melody:
“I strain my eyes and try
To tell the difference between
Shooting stars and satellites
From the passenger seat
As you are driving me home.
‘Do they collide?’
I ask and you smile.
With my feet on the dash,
The world doesn’t matter.”
I’ve had moments like that; moments that are perhaps some of the best in my life. For me, it’s not always the destination of a drive that is the most fun, it’s the driving itself. And as much as I love driving, you notice more from the passenger seat because you can pay better attention to the person you’re with and what’s around you.
So, there you have a taste of Death Cab for Cutie (albeit maybe a little too in-depth.) I hope you enjoy their other albums, as well, as I really do wish that I liked them as much as Transatlanticism.
Party it up for Friday the 13th! (’Cause I sure am!)
Have a great weekend,
Emily Noel
Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Death Cab for Cutie.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Going Gaga!
In case you hadn’t had enough of them, Bowling For Soup posted links to their first music video for Sorry For Partyin’ today, and of course it’s “No Hablo Ingles,” which in my opinion is probably the funniest song on the new album. The video is pretty clever; you can check it out here.
In other news, Lady Gaga released her new single a few weeks ago (October 26.) It’s called “Bad Romance,” but I avoided listening to it up until now because I’m not sure how I feel about her re-releasing The Fame. I mean, I feel like if you’re going to do a new album, then just do it. Don’t tack 8 new songs onto your old album and re-release it. But last night my best friend (Lady Gaga’s biggest fan) visited me, and of course he had to play “Bad Romance” for me, and I resisted it on the first 2 listens, but it wasn’t long before we were cruising to it and I was dancing and singing along. (I didn’t say I’m not impressionable!)
It’s big. It’s dramatic. It’s catchy. I LOVE IT. (And according to iTunes, I have played it almost 20 times today, and when I went out driving before, Gaga took major precedence over my stereo.) The chorus goes: “I want your loving and I want your revenge / You and me could write a bad romance/Oh whoa, caught in a bad romance.” My favorite lines are: “I want your love and I want your revenge / I want your love, I don’t wanna be friends!” and then the same lyrics repeated in French. She sounds powerful and intense in this song; in fact, my friend and I compared this single to her others and at some parts it sounds like a completely different singer. Could this be because of voice-changers and synths? Probably. But it’s also a slightly different spin on her old style. It’s definitely stronger, which isn’t surprising for someone with her stage presence.
It’s not my favorite—I still like her softer, more girly songs like “Summerboy” and “Brown Eyes,” while “Bad Romance” is definitely a flashy, heart-stopping dance-beat single like “Just Dance” and “Love Game,” which I am sure is what Lady Gaga was going for. She’s got style; I’ll give her that. Possibly she is certifiably insane, but part of me has to think she’s also a genius. I know those are very conflicting views, but it’s true. She’s not just another pop princess like Brittney or Christina, and she’s not the playful girl-next-door like Katy Perry, and she doesn’t have the sexy but bad-ass presence of P!nk. Lady Gaga is in a league of her own, if you ask me. Can she dance? Not in my opinion. Can she sing? Not live, from what I saw of the VMAs. Does she produce REALLY fun, catchy dance songs to rock out to in your car or when you’re prepping for a night out? Hell f—king YES!
Her music videos are nothing short of inspired—she is the queen of flashy costumes and make-up. I’d kill to have her designers and make-up artists. I mean, as far as beauty goes, I love Katy Perry’s cute retro styles and her subtle but always gorgeous make-up. But Gaga is all about the presentation. For instance, I love her music video for “Poker Face,” not because I love the song, or because of her questionable dance skills, but for her black-painted fingernails with poker card symbols on them, the sleek white-blonde hair, and the silver eye make-up. At times I am actually horrified and disturbed by her music videos. She can make herself beautiful or grotesque, but mesmerizing all the same. She makes her body a work of art when it comes to costumes and make-up; she changes her character based on the song and what the performance requires, and that takes skill. I do not think she is the most talented female pop singer of this age, but she is definitely taking the lead as a performer—that is her real talent.
But back to her music (as this is, after all, a music blog.) I will probably get The Fame: Monster on November 23 when it is released, because as much as I dislike female pop artists (P!nk and Katy Perry remain the only two I can tolerate—besides the Gaga, as one of my suitemates calls her) there is something about her music that I can’t resist. Last night, driving back from Stop N Shop with my friend, “Paparazzi” came on the radio, and let me just say that there is nothing better than singing, “Purple teardrops I’m crying don’t have a price/ Loving you is cherry pie!” to each other at 100-million decibels at midnight while cruising around eating cherry Dum-Dums and chocolate chip cookies. And that’s what is so great about her music—they’re not emotional or meaningful songs; you can just let go and belt it out. It’s just careless fun. At an open mic night a couple of months ago, some guys performed an acoustic version of “Poker Face” and we all sang along. It was great, and I got really into it. But those are her kind of songs, ones that anyone can sing—guys, girls, whoever—just for fun.
So keep an eye out for The Fame: Monster. I’m not saying it’ll all be good. I could very well end up hating it and writing a terrible review of it. But I don’t think people should judge Gaga as another dumb blonde pop-princess—she’s a talented performer underneath the dramatic exterior. And definitely check out the new single, “Bad Romance.”
My All-Time Top-5 Gaga Picks:
1) “Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)”
2) “Brown Eyes”
3) “Paparazzi”
4) “Bad Romance”
5) “Boys Boys Boys”
Have fun going Gaga!
Emily Noel
Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Lady GaGa.
In other news, Lady Gaga released her new single a few weeks ago (October 26.) It’s called “Bad Romance,” but I avoided listening to it up until now because I’m not sure how I feel about her re-releasing The Fame. I mean, I feel like if you’re going to do a new album, then just do it. Don’t tack 8 new songs onto your old album and re-release it. But last night my best friend (Lady Gaga’s biggest fan) visited me, and of course he had to play “Bad Romance” for me, and I resisted it on the first 2 listens, but it wasn’t long before we were cruising to it and I was dancing and singing along. (I didn’t say I’m not impressionable!)
It’s big. It’s dramatic. It’s catchy. I LOVE IT. (And according to iTunes, I have played it almost 20 times today, and when I went out driving before, Gaga took major precedence over my stereo.) The chorus goes: “I want your loving and I want your revenge / You and me could write a bad romance/Oh whoa, caught in a bad romance.” My favorite lines are: “I want your love and I want your revenge / I want your love, I don’t wanna be friends!” and then the same lyrics repeated in French. She sounds powerful and intense in this song; in fact, my friend and I compared this single to her others and at some parts it sounds like a completely different singer. Could this be because of voice-changers and synths? Probably. But it’s also a slightly different spin on her old style. It’s definitely stronger, which isn’t surprising for someone with her stage presence.
It’s not my favorite—I still like her softer, more girly songs like “Summerboy” and “Brown Eyes,” while “Bad Romance” is definitely a flashy, heart-stopping dance-beat single like “Just Dance” and “Love Game,” which I am sure is what Lady Gaga was going for. She’s got style; I’ll give her that. Possibly she is certifiably insane, but part of me has to think she’s also a genius. I know those are very conflicting views, but it’s true. She’s not just another pop princess like Brittney or Christina, and she’s not the playful girl-next-door like Katy Perry, and she doesn’t have the sexy but bad-ass presence of P!nk. Lady Gaga is in a league of her own, if you ask me. Can she dance? Not in my opinion. Can she sing? Not live, from what I saw of the VMAs. Does she produce REALLY fun, catchy dance songs to rock out to in your car or when you’re prepping for a night out? Hell f—king YES!
Her music videos are nothing short of inspired—she is the queen of flashy costumes and make-up. I’d kill to have her designers and make-up artists. I mean, as far as beauty goes, I love Katy Perry’s cute retro styles and her subtle but always gorgeous make-up. But Gaga is all about the presentation. For instance, I love her music video for “Poker Face,” not because I love the song, or because of her questionable dance skills, but for her black-painted fingernails with poker card symbols on them, the sleek white-blonde hair, and the silver eye make-up. At times I am actually horrified and disturbed by her music videos. She can make herself beautiful or grotesque, but mesmerizing all the same. She makes her body a work of art when it comes to costumes and make-up; she changes her character based on the song and what the performance requires, and that takes skill. I do not think she is the most talented female pop singer of this age, but she is definitely taking the lead as a performer—that is her real talent.
But back to her music (as this is, after all, a music blog.) I will probably get The Fame: Monster on November 23 when it is released, because as much as I dislike female pop artists (P!nk and Katy Perry remain the only two I can tolerate—besides the Gaga, as one of my suitemates calls her) there is something about her music that I can’t resist. Last night, driving back from Stop N Shop with my friend, “Paparazzi” came on the radio, and let me just say that there is nothing better than singing, “Purple teardrops I’m crying don’t have a price/ Loving you is cherry pie!” to each other at 100-million decibels at midnight while cruising around eating cherry Dum-Dums and chocolate chip cookies. And that’s what is so great about her music—they’re not emotional or meaningful songs; you can just let go and belt it out. It’s just careless fun. At an open mic night a couple of months ago, some guys performed an acoustic version of “Poker Face” and we all sang along. It was great, and I got really into it. But those are her kind of songs, ones that anyone can sing—guys, girls, whoever—just for fun.
So keep an eye out for The Fame: Monster. I’m not saying it’ll all be good. I could very well end up hating it and writing a terrible review of it. But I don’t think people should judge Gaga as another dumb blonde pop-princess—she’s a talented performer underneath the dramatic exterior. And definitely check out the new single, “Bad Romance.”
My All-Time Top-5 Gaga Picks:
1) “Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)”
2) “Brown Eyes”
3) “Paparazzi”
4) “Bad Romance”
5) “Boys Boys Boys”
Have fun going Gaga!
Emily Noel
Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Lady GaGa.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
I'm Having A Thought Here
Every once and awhile, I think I'm going to post some All-Time Top-5 Lists of songs, and occasionally some of my own mixes, just for flavor, I guess. (I just finished re-watching High Fidelity for about the eighth time; that's what gave me the idea.)
So, here we have:
My All-Time Top-5 Asking-Out/Just-Be-With-Me-Please Songs Ever
1) “Let’s Get It On” – Marvin Gaye
2) “I’d Do Anything” – Simple Plan
3) “So What Does It All Mean?” – West, Gould, and Fitzgerald
4) “Things I’ll Never Say” – Avril Lavigne
5) “Jenny” – The [New] Click 5
My All-Time Top-5 Most Painful Break-Up Songs Ever
1) “Famous Last Words” – My Chemical Romance
2) “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers
3) “The Velourium Camper II: Backend of Forever” – Coheed and Cambria
4) “Apologize” – OneRepublic
5) “Adrienne” – The Calling
Enjoy. More to come another time.
Emily Noel
So, here we have:
My All-Time Top-5 Asking-Out/Just-Be-With-Me-Please Songs Ever
1) “Let’s Get It On” – Marvin Gaye
2) “I’d Do Anything” – Simple Plan
3) “So What Does It All Mean?” – West, Gould, and Fitzgerald
4) “Things I’ll Never Say” – Avril Lavigne
5) “Jenny” – The [New] Click 5
My All-Time Top-5 Most Painful Break-Up Songs Ever
1) “Famous Last Words” – My Chemical Romance
2) “Mr. Brightside” – The Killers
3) “The Velourium Camper II: Backend of Forever” – Coheed and Cambria
4) “Apologize” – OneRepublic
5) “Adrienne” – The Calling
Enjoy. More to come another time.
Emily Noel
All About The Party
So here’s my very belated and much-anticipated review of Bowling For Soup’s new album Sorry For Partyin’. My classes and internship and some weekend trips back home seriously detracted from my writing time last month, which is a shame because for some reason October really got me out of my writing dry spell.
Bowling For Soup did not disappoint on Sorry For Partyin’. Let me preface this review by saying that I jumped on the BFS bandwagon in 2004/2005 with the release of A Hangover You Don’t Deserve and, more specifically, the single “Almost.” I feel pretty confident in saying that Hangover is the album that cemented BFS’s fame, even though they were pretty well-known and well-liked for their single “Girl All The Bad Guys Want” on their 1999 album Drunk Enough to Dance. (I mean, I remember my friends and I rocking out to that in eighth grade like we were the coolest kids ever, which we were not.) I have several of their older albums, and although they are pretty good, I feel like they didn’t hit their groove until Hangover. Their older albums are unpolished and raw, especially in the sound quality, and that’s primarily why I don’t like them. (I don’t know what you call it, but there’s a certain sound that some bands have, usually very new bands, and it’s just very raw and irritating to my ears, literally. I physically can’t listen to it even if I want to.) Though all the classic BFS elements are there in those older songs, they didn’t really start injecting them with the humor and “who-cares-be-happy” vibes until Hangover.
But I digress. From the moment I hit “play” on my iTunes playlist, I knew Sorry For Partyin' was a winner. Like…I actually cried while I was listening to it the first time; that’s how amazed and happy and touched by it I was. I mean, their EP in August and the “No Hablo Ingles” single indicated greatness, but come on—BFS producing a dance song?! Well, they did. The first track is, quite literally, “A Really Cool Dance Song,” which grabs your attention. It’s set to a typical “dance song” beat with that techno-y electronic sound, and at one point the drums drop out and Jaret Reddick goes, “It doesn’t sound good anymore!” which I thought was hilarious because synth does sound terrible in general; it’s so generic. But this song is not just for fun: pay attention. BFS has this insane talent of mixing truthful, serious matters in their crazy-fun songs. It starts off like this:
“We grew up in the suburbs,
Got guitars for Christmas
And started a punk rock band.
Then we travelled the nation
Became a sensation
In our ’82 Dodge van.
Now we’re getting older and much more sober
And we’ve got some big-ass payments to make
The wife wants a handbag
The kids need some college
And we just need one hit single to break
Get ready, here it comes!”
Then it slips off into BFS’s classic joking tone—they laugh at themselves, admit that they’d never really write a dance song; it’s not their style—duh—and make fun of those who do make dance songs. They even say, “Who the hell are we foolin’? This isn’t what we really do /We had to borrow this keyboard, we only listen to Motley Crue /But it’s gonna be really funny, ’Cause this song will be number one!” (And it is number one…on the album.)
Now, don’t quiz me. I haven’t interviewed Jaret Reddick (unfortunately!) so I don’t know if they REALLY had an ’82 Dodge van or if their kids are even old enough for college yet. But I’ll bet you there’s something in there that’s almost true. (Like if you’re familiar with their 2004 single “Almost,” which by the way is the song that got me into them—I guarantee you some of that song is true.) But regardless, even if it isn’t, that’s even better. To me, that’s a great band with some insanely creative lyrics, if you can make me believe them like they’re a true story.
My favorite is “Only Young,” which as its title indicates pretty much sums up what it feels like to be young. I really just like the upbeat melody and the chorus. It’s really not their best song lyrically or anything, but it captures the mood well enough. Anyway, I could go through this entire album and have something to say on every single song while writing “OMG JARET REDDICK I LUV U!” at random intervals like the crazed fan-girl I very well may be at heart, but I won’t. To be honest, I originally questioned the potential quality of this album (despite the EP and the single) because I didn’t think they could top their last album, The Great Burrito Extortion Case (2006.) And then when I realized how much I love Partyin’, I had to reconcile that with my love for Great Burrito, and pick a favorite. And then I realized—no, I don’t. They are two different albums. I tried to gauge which is funnier and which is more emotional, and I really don’t think you can. They’re both humorous and heart-felt. Did they kick it up a notch? Definitely. It’s not the same album as Great Burrito, by any means. There are a lot more little asides, which is so classic, lovable BFS, like in “If Only” and “Choke,” and some just-for-fun songs like “Hooray For Beer” and “I Can’t Stand L.A.,” but there are still a few serious, down-to-earth, make-you-teary-eyed songs, like “Everything To Me.”
So, long story short—yes, I listened to this album all the way through. NO SONG HOPPING FOR BFS! Never! And, you know, if I listen to an album the whole way through (and then replay it straight through again and again) that pretty much guarantees it an automatic A+. SO GO BUY IT, LISTEN TO IT, AND LOVE IT! Emily Noel approves.
And (in case you’re curious) these are my top-5 picks on Sorry For Partyin’ (Deluxe Version):
1) “Only Young” – Track 4
2) “If Only” – Track 10
3) “Love Goes Boom” – Track 11
4) “No Hablo Ingles” – Track 2
5) “Me With No You” – Track 7
And, on a very un-related side-note, I discovered this morning THAT I AM CLAIRVOYANT! Yes, it’s true! Really! No, not really—but it was a very weird coincidence that this morning I was thinking about my best friend who is a HUGE fan of Lady Gaga (she is his wifey—don’t mess) and how great it’d be if she came out with a new album. And when I went online not long after that, I discovered that Lady Gaga is re-releasing her debut album The Fame under a new title, The Fame: Monster on November 23, 2009. Apparently it will contain 8 new songs. So, we’ll see, but I’ll write more on Gaga in another entry—there will be one dedicated just to her (in honor of her biggest fan!) before the re-release, and then I’ll do a follow-up. =]
Enjoy your Partyin’!
Emily Noel
(Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Bowling For Soup.)
Bowling For Soup did not disappoint on Sorry For Partyin’. Let me preface this review by saying that I jumped on the BFS bandwagon in 2004/2005 with the release of A Hangover You Don’t Deserve and, more specifically, the single “Almost.” I feel pretty confident in saying that Hangover is the album that cemented BFS’s fame, even though they were pretty well-known and well-liked for their single “Girl All The Bad Guys Want” on their 1999 album Drunk Enough to Dance. (I mean, I remember my friends and I rocking out to that in eighth grade like we were the coolest kids ever, which we were not.) I have several of their older albums, and although they are pretty good, I feel like they didn’t hit their groove until Hangover. Their older albums are unpolished and raw, especially in the sound quality, and that’s primarily why I don’t like them. (I don’t know what you call it, but there’s a certain sound that some bands have, usually very new bands, and it’s just very raw and irritating to my ears, literally. I physically can’t listen to it even if I want to.) Though all the classic BFS elements are there in those older songs, they didn’t really start injecting them with the humor and “who-cares-be-happy” vibes until Hangover.
But I digress. From the moment I hit “play” on my iTunes playlist, I knew Sorry For Partyin' was a winner. Like…I actually cried while I was listening to it the first time; that’s how amazed and happy and touched by it I was. I mean, their EP in August and the “No Hablo Ingles” single indicated greatness, but come on—BFS producing a dance song?! Well, they did. The first track is, quite literally, “A Really Cool Dance Song,” which grabs your attention. It’s set to a typical “dance song” beat with that techno-y electronic sound, and at one point the drums drop out and Jaret Reddick goes, “It doesn’t sound good anymore!” which I thought was hilarious because synth does sound terrible in general; it’s so generic. But this song is not just for fun: pay attention. BFS has this insane talent of mixing truthful, serious matters in their crazy-fun songs. It starts off like this:
“We grew up in the suburbs,
Got guitars for Christmas
And started a punk rock band.
Then we travelled the nation
Became a sensation
In our ’82 Dodge van.
Now we’re getting older and much more sober
And we’ve got some big-ass payments to make
The wife wants a handbag
The kids need some college
And we just need one hit single to break
Get ready, here it comes!”
Then it slips off into BFS’s classic joking tone—they laugh at themselves, admit that they’d never really write a dance song; it’s not their style—duh—and make fun of those who do make dance songs. They even say, “Who the hell are we foolin’? This isn’t what we really do /We had to borrow this keyboard, we only listen to Motley Crue /But it’s gonna be really funny, ’Cause this song will be number one!” (And it is number one…on the album.)
Now, don’t quiz me. I haven’t interviewed Jaret Reddick (unfortunately!) so I don’t know if they REALLY had an ’82 Dodge van or if their kids are even old enough for college yet. But I’ll bet you there’s something in there that’s almost true. (Like if you’re familiar with their 2004 single “Almost,” which by the way is the song that got me into them—I guarantee you some of that song is true.) But regardless, even if it isn’t, that’s even better. To me, that’s a great band with some insanely creative lyrics, if you can make me believe them like they’re a true story.
My favorite is “Only Young,” which as its title indicates pretty much sums up what it feels like to be young. I really just like the upbeat melody and the chorus. It’s really not their best song lyrically or anything, but it captures the mood well enough. Anyway, I could go through this entire album and have something to say on every single song while writing “OMG JARET REDDICK I LUV U!” at random intervals like the crazed fan-girl I very well may be at heart, but I won’t. To be honest, I originally questioned the potential quality of this album (despite the EP and the single) because I didn’t think they could top their last album, The Great Burrito Extortion Case (2006.) And then when I realized how much I love Partyin’, I had to reconcile that with my love for Great Burrito, and pick a favorite. And then I realized—no, I don’t. They are two different albums. I tried to gauge which is funnier and which is more emotional, and I really don’t think you can. They’re both humorous and heart-felt. Did they kick it up a notch? Definitely. It’s not the same album as Great Burrito, by any means. There are a lot more little asides, which is so classic, lovable BFS, like in “If Only” and “Choke,” and some just-for-fun songs like “Hooray For Beer” and “I Can’t Stand L.A.,” but there are still a few serious, down-to-earth, make-you-teary-eyed songs, like “Everything To Me.”
So, long story short—yes, I listened to this album all the way through. NO SONG HOPPING FOR BFS! Never! And, you know, if I listen to an album the whole way through (and then replay it straight through again and again) that pretty much guarantees it an automatic A+. SO GO BUY IT, LISTEN TO IT, AND LOVE IT! Emily Noel approves.
And (in case you’re curious) these are my top-5 picks on Sorry For Partyin’ (Deluxe Version):
1) “Only Young” – Track 4
2) “If Only” – Track 10
3) “Love Goes Boom” – Track 11
4) “No Hablo Ingles” – Track 2
5) “Me With No You” – Track 7
And, on a very un-related side-note, I discovered this morning THAT I AM CLAIRVOYANT! Yes, it’s true! Really! No, not really—but it was a very weird coincidence that this morning I was thinking about my best friend who is a HUGE fan of Lady Gaga (she is his wifey—don’t mess) and how great it’d be if she came out with a new album. And when I went online not long after that, I discovered that Lady Gaga is re-releasing her debut album The Fame under a new title, The Fame: Monster on November 23, 2009. Apparently it will contain 8 new songs. So, we’ll see, but I’ll write more on Gaga in another entry—there will be one dedicated just to her (in honor of her biggest fan!) before the re-release, and then I’ll do a follow-up. =]
Enjoy your Partyin’!
Emily Noel
(Disclaimer: All re-printed lyrics copyright of Bowling For Soup.)
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