A Queen Scorned

Lady Gaga released her new video for G.U.Y. as part of an ‘epic’ 7 minute ARTPOP film on Saturday evening to a startlingly cotidian reception.  For the most part no one is critically discussing the work itself, and instead a google search turns up aggregated new sources that simply state it was released, and gush over the predicted indulgence and “strangeness” of her newest visual production.  It’s difficult to say if the work is a success.  Is this lack of journalistic engagement the nail on the coffin of one of Pop’s most transfixing creations?  Gaga’s career has been somewhat of an anomaly of late, and with a strange divide between her true experiences and the facade that we’ve all grown to understand, it’s an interesting direction for the ARTPOP conundrum.

G.U.Y. is Gaga’s first video release since August 19th’s rushed unveiling of the aptly prepared Applause, and the beginning of marketing and promotion for ARTPOP.  Applause was an honest and revealing mantra from an artist whose career was built on the enigma of fame.  It was also a phenomenal pop track, with incredible production and a stunning music video.  There was a moment of excitement; a second of promise.  But Applause was mostly unsuccessful, in comparison to Gaga’s previous sales records and contemporaries, and the single brought to light some disconcerting happenings in her career and within Haus of Gaga.  Rumours circled about shady maneuvers to boost sales (especially in light of competing with Katy Perry’s unbelievably drab Roar).

Following Applause, Gaga began teasing tracks from ARTPOP.  Among them the widely popular Do What U Want was teased  on a Beats Headphones ad.  It was brilliant product placement, for Beats and ARTPOP, and the ad itself made the song seem epic, intriguing, and poised for a commercial take over.  But the release of Do What U Want was riddled with missteps.  The song featured a controversial and tired artist (R.Kelly- whose latest record Black Panties exposed how entirely irrelevant he is), the video was never created, and the replacement of R.Kelly with Christina Aguilera read as desperate.

However, throughout this whole process, it’s important to remember that this is STILL Gaga.  There are still amazing live performances, there are still gorgeous outfits, there are still fantastic pop songs.  There was only one acoustic performance of Applause, and only one of Do What U Want, and both were absolutely mesmerizing and artful, a true iteration of the potential of ARTPOP.

J.Lo – I Luh Ya PaPi

Let’s get a little meta hipster by bypassing SXSW buzz and instead posting about Jenny from the Block’s new single, I Luh Ya PaPi.  Why?  Because it seems as though the Pitbull driven global dance craze domination that On The Floor started may be over, and she may actually be creating relevant Pop music again.  Why is this track relevant?  First of all let’s just get this out of the way- she’s taking her cues from Beyoncé.  The song is full of silly culturally comestible phrases, accents, and melodies like sonic gifs for our brains (I can’t even wait for the video).  The fact that Noel Fisher (aka Detail), who collaborated on Drunk In Love, produced the track was certainly a carefully planned decision, and a fantastic one at that.  The unexpected and sort of anti-instinctive reversed synth arpeggio is exciting and edgy, the beat summer ready (I can just see the fire hydrants of Bushwick spewing water in 100 degree weather as this song blasts), and the hook is probably the most addictive thing you’ve heard all year (from anyone other than B of course).  If it took Beyoncé’s groundbreaking release to force established female artists to reassess their choices, and in effect push top 40 Pop into a more interesting direction, then more power to her, and more power to someone smart enough to take the cue.  So props JLO.  You aren’t THE innovator, but you’re following suit and created something great.

The Fifth Self-Titled Release

The best two albums of the year are easily both the fifth & self-titled releases from the most iconic female ‘pop’ artists, Beyonce and St. Vincent (fifth if you count Annie Clark’s Byrne collab).  Both are on the periphery of Pop, creating music that incorporates other genres, and inadvertently stretching Pop itself beyond where it was comfortable going, or any of us expected it to go.  Thank god there are still innovative and intelligent women putting music out, given the disparate and disappointing releases from our other divas in 2013.  Self-titling an album is not enough (don’t expect Shakira’s tenth album to slay), but there’s something so self affirming and ‘step outside of the present to recognize something iconic as it happens’ about the career high these albums have so meticulously become.

The 25 Best Tracks of 2013

It’s been an amazing year in music, and while so far I snubbed more popularly rotated albums for The 10 Best Underplayed Albums of 2013, here you’ll see an all inclusive list.  From Lady Gaga to Chvrches to James Black and Rhye- consider this a year in review, or maybe just a collection of songs you need to hear if you haven’t.  So based on a combination of personal opinion (like including a track off Ra Ra Riot’s latest album which was severely critiqued), popularity, and merit, here are the 25 best tracks of 2013.  Subscribe to the Spotify Playlist at the bottom of this post!

New Track: St. Vincent – ‘Birth In Reverse’

Indie Rock legend Annie Clark is back with a new self titled studio album due out February 24th. She’s released a little teaser, Birth In Reverse, which sees her growing in just the direction I was hoping after ‘Strange Mercy’.  There are moments of guitar fuzz and grunge, but the melody is poppy and the lyrics artistic and honest.  Along with her look, things are getting a little glam up in this album.

The 10 Best Underplayed Albums of 2013

An exercise in longevity, an effort to reconnect with our humanity, hoping to coerce our minds into remembering that which stuck with us the most during a year of countless new releases and artists- here’s Kaiotic Music’s first end of the year compilation.

Top Ten VMA Performances of The Last Ten Years

 

Introducing: Claudia Bitran

Sweeping down from the abyss and silence of space a camera zooms in on the non-descript yet completely appropriate claymation character of a youtube singer.  Her introduction of her performance is the perfect example of the loneliness of millions of users pouring themselves into a video to be shared online (whether through appreciation or depreciation).  

Solange & Saint Heron

There’s no denying the way that Solange changed the scenery of R&B (in ways that the galavanting gents of the genre have merely attempted), and the entirely new niche audience she cultivated (unintentionally?) with her sultry and modern NeoSoul EP.

Some Thoughts on Lady Gaga’s ‘Do What U Want’

 

In the ‘post-Wrecking Ball world’ (term coined by Shaughn Tohill), all eyes are on female pop stars and what they do with their bodies.  Gaga’s new single Do What U Want already has the internet up in arms over the provocative single cover and the hyper-sexual lyrics.