Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up iLoveMakonnen “I Don't Sell Molly No More”. Number 92
This is surprisingly bland. It doesn’t do anything interesting musically or lyrically. I’m kind of perplexed as to how this made it to a top 100 list. There are many songs that I hear, and I don’t like, but I still know why someone would like them, that there are things the song objectively does well even if they are not the things that appeal to me. Here, I just can’t find anything the song does particularly well. It’s not musically interesting. The lyrics are dull and repetitive. The guy doesn’t seem to have great delivery or great “flow”. The song isn’t built on great beats. Maybe he knows somebody…
A fairly random collection of my historical curiosities, commentary on events of the day, reviews, and the occasional mad raving.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
DJ Quik - Pet Semetary
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up DJ Quik "Pet Semetary". Number 96
Its lyrics are needlessly violent, homophobic, somewhat misogynistic, and serve to memetically entrench and perpetuate all manner of social ills. That said, for a song with those characteristics, I think this is better than average. The musical part of the song is quite good and has a smooth slow retro feel while still being kinda catchy. The lyrics are, at times, clever.
Next up DJ Quik "Pet Semetary". Number 96
Its lyrics are needlessly violent, homophobic, somewhat misogynistic, and serve to memetically entrench and perpetuate all manner of social ills. That said, for a song with those characteristics, I think this is better than average. The musical part of the song is quite good and has a smooth slow retro feel while still being kinda catchy. The lyrics are, at times, clever.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
The New Pornographers “War on the East Coast”
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up The New Pornographers “War on the East Coast”. Number 93
Next up The New Pornographers “War on the East Coast”. Number 93
Mixed feelings about this one. I really like it musically. It has a rock feeling, but is also very techno sounding. It’s very upbeat, with its best moments having that roaring triumphant feel that so many Arcade Fire songs have. Weighing against that, the lyrics are overall not great and the chorus is outright lame. The vocals are very crisp and quite prominent in the mix so it’s hard to not notice them or just tune them out.
Overall worth checking out and if you are someone that doesn’t pay much attention to lyrics you might really like it.
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Taylor Swift “Out of the Woods”
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up Taylor Swift “Out of the Woods”. Number 94
Pure crap. I'm not even going to bother linking to it.
Next up Taylor Swift “Out of the Woods”. Number 94
Pure crap. I'm not even going to bother linking to it.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Jackson"
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Jackson". Number 95
Next up Cymbals Eat Guitars - "Jackson". Number 95
This is the first song on the list I’m giving a positive grade to. For those who don’t check the tags on blog posts, my grades for each review are in the tags. A song can be tagged as -,~, or +. A bad review gets a -, a mixed or neutral review gets a ~ and a positive review gets a +.
This song reminds me a little of early Weezer (“Only in Dreams” era). It’s a little darker and has more of a punk note. The punk note comes through mostly in the vocal intonation of the singer (the song has >3 chords) and in the somewhat grim and blighted portrait of life it paints. There are a lot of nice bits to the song, good mini build ups.
Check this one out.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Copeland - “Advice to Young Girls” [ft. Actress]
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up Copeland - “Advice to Young Girls” [ft. Actress]. Number 97
The beats are repetitive and at times boring. Its “put on make up and dress up” message is a negative social message of conformity and mass market hetero-normative socially constructed consumerist femininity. On the bright side it does have some interesting noises used throughout the mid portion and its an acoustically interesting track in its mid to late parts.
Next up Copeland - “Advice to Young Girls” [ft. Actress]. Number 97
The beats are repetitive and at times boring. Its “put on make up and dress up” message is a negative social message of conformity and mass market hetero-normative socially constructed consumerist femininity. On the bright side it does have some interesting noises used throughout the mid portion and its an acoustically interesting track in its mid to late parts.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Merchandise - Green Lady
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up Merchandise "Green Lady". Number 98
I like the music intro a lot, and it stays interesting with a retro vibe throughout. However, the vocals feel too down in the mix to me though, and also a bit muddy. This mixing choice might be motivated by the singer not having a great voice. The song might also benefit from a few more concessions to a pop sensibility, like adding some memorable / catchy “hooks”. Even Talking Heads had clear verse chorus structures. It closes well though.
Next up Merchandise "Green Lady". Number 98
I like the music intro a lot, and it stays interesting with a retro vibe throughout. However, the vocals feel too down in the mix to me though, and also a bit muddy. This mixing choice might be motivated by the singer not having a great voice. The song might also benefit from a few more concessions to a pop sensibility, like adding some memorable / catchy “hooks”. Even Talking Heads had clear verse chorus structures. It closes well though.
Steve Gunn "Milly's Garden"
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
Next up Steve Gunn "Milly's Garden". Number 99
A nice’n easy indie rock song whose guitar work has a little bit of a country twang. It’s a pretty good song, but not super exciting. Its worth checking out if you are in the mood for a guy singing and playing guitar. If I was in a bar and this guy was playing, I’d be happy with the music. But compared to the universe of every recorded song ever, this track is not enough to make me check out the whole album.
Next up Steve Gunn "Milly's Garden". Number 99
A nice’n easy indie rock song whose guitar work has a little bit of a country twang. It’s a pretty good song, but not super exciting. Its worth checking out if you are in the mood for a guy singing and playing guitar. If I was in a bar and this guy was playing, I’d be happy with the music. But compared to the universe of every recorded song ever, this track is not enough to make me check out the whole album.
Tuesday, March 03, 2015
Elisa Ambrogio "Superstitious"
Pitchfork top tracks for 2014
First up Elisa Ambrogio "Superstitious". Number 100
Enhh. It’s not bad, it’s better than a lot of things, but it’s not great. Music starts off interesting, but never gets nuts or builds up in a way that’s satisfying. The voice is not amazing, its restrained and conveys the emotions its aiming to convey. But it doesn’t rock and it doesn’t soar.
First up Elisa Ambrogio "Superstitious". Number 100
Enhh. It’s not bad, it’s better than a lot of things, but it’s not great. Music starts off interesting, but never gets nuts or builds up in a way that’s satisfying. The voice is not amazing, its restrained and conveys the emotions its aiming to convey. But it doesn’t rock and it doesn’t soar.
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