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There was a time when female singer-songwriters ruled the charts. From Sheryl Crow to Shawn Colvin, Alanis Morisette and Fiona Apple. While all the ladies were ultra-talented, Paula Cole broke through with probably the best Lilith Fair-esque album, the epic This Fire. Most of these women were angry, but few took their anger like Cole to make such magic out of the emotion. Combined with her impressive voice and a background in jazz, Cole made music that her contemporaries only wish they could’ve.
That was 1996, and since then Paula Cole has been somewhat hidden from the music world. With only three albums in 14 years, Cole seemed to have lost her way in the past. In 1999, with the release of Amen, Paula Cole dove deeper into her jazzy roots, but at the same time, didn’t make the transition from angry and hurt to a born-again Christian successfully. Lyrically the album is among her weakest, and while there are amazing moments on the album, overall Amen paled compared to her peak years.
Then came 2007’s Courage—another disappointment. Paula Cole gets it the most right when it’s just her, raw and open, alongside her piano. Something Courage was missing, raw-Cole. Radio-friendly it was, something better suited for Sarah Mclachlan than Paula Cole.
Now with the return of Cole in a new form with Ithaca, the singer-songwriter has finally found out where have all the cowboys gone, and has found many new stories to tell about what real life can be. .
It’s easy to say Cole has went back to her roots for this album, but Ithaca is a completely new journey. While This Fire was about her early years and breaking her own mold, Ithaca finds Cole finding her way home, if not the long way.
“Music in Me” the album’s first commercial single finds Cole at her creative and artistic peak. If one had ever thought that Cole would never be able to make a record as impressive as her past material, “Music in Me” hails the return of Super Paula, back with infectious hooks, raw emotion and personal lyrics that are eerily universal.
On the album’s most soft and precious moments, “Elegy” and “Violet Eyes” Cole dives deep down inside of her to create a tenderness that is beautifully haunting. Lyrically, they see Cole reflecting on herself and life itself, pondering the deep questions and looking at herself in a real way for the first time in years.
Retro-Paula comes out the most on “The Hard Way,” which could have easily been tacked onto Cole’s debut LP. But Cole really steps back in time on“P.R.E.N.U.P,” Cole’s update on the Tammy Wynette country classic “D.IV.O.R.C.E.” The song finds the singer in a new area: twang. Not a cover, more of an homage to the iconic track, but finds Cole’s humorous take on the contemporary state of marriage (or the dissolution of it).
“Sex” is simply put, Cole’s most erotic expression since “Feelin’ Love.” One of the few singer-songwriter female artists to express raw sexuality, Paula Cole shows that a woman can be creative, poetic, intelligent, talented, but still have a sexual drive and sensuality that makes someone like Fergie look like a silly school girl.
Cole does resort to the safer side at times (as she did on Amen and Courage). Songs like “Come On Inside” and “Somethin’ I’ve Gotta Say” sound just a little bit like something from a romantic comedy, and while Cole makes the most of the genre, still, these are chick-flick songs. “Waiting On a Miracle” isn’t quite as bad, but lyrically and sonically sound similar to the weaker Amen material.
It has been over 15 years since Cole’s debut with Harbinger, and even though the songstress has seen her share of success and flops over the years, there is one thing for certain: there is still a burning fire that is deep inside the singer-songwriter and her connection to herself, her music and to her fans has not been watered down. With Ithaca, Cole has only begun her musical journey and it has become more than obvious that she doesn’t need that cowboy, anymore.
In case you create a band that uses absolutely no lyrics or vocals, period, in your records, there is only one thing to do: create an instrumental album to rock the senses. That is just what Sorry No Ferrary does on their debut full-length LP Ternary. Rarely does American contemporary rock take such risks, but Sorry No Ferrary takes on the challenge and the results are winning at times, not so great at others, but for a debut album, especially an instrumental one, Sorry No Ferrary has really nothing to be sorry about.
On of the few non-suite songs on the record, “Ashar” dives in first for the most haunting track on the record. Filled with the type of passion and emotion, that, with vocals, would’ve surely been a radio hit for the band. But because of its lack of lyrics, the electric guitar becomes the voice of the song (and the record itself), allowing for a more free-flowing adventure that may have been limited by vocals.
“Setun” sounds like an instrumental track on an early 80’s power-rock record, and the opening song “Ternary” sprawls over three tracks, influences by a few eras of rock music, mostly contemporary and 80’s. While one can see the attempt to create an epic opening track for a debut album, but what is missing from the songs are any real surprises. Perhaps a little more experimentation could have been done with such a long opening, something along the lines of “Ashar” only, well, different. Even so, the opening is an interesting ride.
Truth be told, the album does end on a sour-note, though. “Talos II” takes the least risk on the record, sounding more like a common backing rock track, than a musical tapestry that most of the other tracks. What’s baffling is the difference between “Talos I” and “Talos II.” While “II” is a disappointment, “I” get down and shows all what the band has got. “I” sounds like a free-for-all jam session, on the other side, “II” sounds cold, calculated, and rehearsed to death.
In the end, this is an instrumental album, making it less likely to be on your most played list, but that’s the magic of the record. The music itself isn’t made to be worn out, but to be enjoyed when the mood strikes the listener, making allowing the music to get the attention it deserves.
In the wide range of things, one might question what ever happened to Shakira? In the beginning, with her major label, worldwide debut with Pies Descalzos, Shakira reigned as a talented singer-songwriter, with, while had some Latin influences, was more about the lyrics than anything else. Then came the English debut album and the bleached blonde hair. Not much changed, she still produced some impressive work, but shortly after that, when her career began to falter, things began to change.
While Shakira has done a world of good for the world, her music lately hasn't done as much. “La Tortura” still remains a classic, but between then and now Shakira has been shaking her honest hips (since they don't lie) down the sell-out lane.
First was the English rock-album that had the musical and lyrical “quality” (or lack their of) of an Avril Lavigne LP, then a techno-based record that sounded like Britney Spears rejects. “She-Wolf” was one of her finest moments, 3-minutes of organic-disco bliss, but the rest of the album was more of a chihuahua than a loba music wise.
This time around, Shakira gets back to her roots at times, and moves forward at others, something that allows most of the album to shine as bright as the sun.
Staying away from the most obvious dance-trends traps she fell into on her last album, Shakira this time spins into a merengue club sound. Slower and more sensual than conventional merengue, the tracks “Gordita” and “Addicted to You” and “Rabiosa” (Spanish Version) show Shakira has found her sexy-side, something that was missing on She-Wolf.
Thankfully there is a various Spanish version, because “Rabiosa,” (English Version) features Pitbull, which is kind of featuring Vanilla Ice on a Madonna record. Pitbull has no place on a Shakira album, or on anything musical for that matter.
The premiere single “Loca” isn't the craziest decision for a single, but it's certainly not the shining moment on the album, sounding more like a b-side to the should-be-single “Gordita.” Shakira starts the song ordering her audidence to “dance or die.” Perhaps the most commanding, yet cringe-worthy opening for a song, well, ever. The English version contains Dizzie Rascal and the Spanish-version has El Cata rhyming along Shakira. Both versions could lose the rapper and use the time to expand on the enjoyable merengue sound.
The rock-flavored tracks, like the weak “Devocion” always tend to weigh down Shakira's albums, yet no matter the sound of the album itself, the rock songs always seem to make their appearance. Much stronger rock-tracks then the Oral Fixation records had, songs like “Islands” and “Antes De Las Seis” float musically into a much lighter side than the usual aggressiveness of Shakira's electronic guitar-driven moments.
Shakira softens even more on the soft-piano ballad “Lo Que Mas” and made-for-radio “Mariposas.” Both tracks are sweet, if not particularly memorable.
The sun does go down sometimes, though. “Waka Waka” was fine for the World Cup, whatever, but to include on the record feels oddly out of place. Not merely because the track itself it as kitschy as a 90's one hit wonder, but because the new recorded tracks outshine it to the point it's the only real spot on the record where the sun doesn't touch.
Finally, after record, after record, Shakira has made a comeback. Not commercially, as she has remained on top all these years as the top Latina artist (though, with little competition), but artistically. Looking up, Shakira has finally found a balance between the Shakira we want, the Shakira we remember, and the Shakira she wants to be.
Sealions
Strange Veins
Add a dash of the dark electronica/pop of The Cure, then mix in some of the experimental dance beats of David Bowie, refresh it with some talent from today and you have yourself some Sealions. The Atlanta-based foursome have recently been taking over the local music scene with their new take on what it means to be an indie artist in Atlanta. A city known for its abundance of alternative rockers and hip-hop stars, the Sealions bring a fresh new sound to the scene.
It’s undeniable how influential the music of the ’80s has been on current artists, but with the Sealions, the music actually sounds like it could be played alongside a playlist of early Madonna and Human League and not sound out of place. Retro isn’t the word for it, perhaps homage?
Not a concept record, but Strange Veins does have a theme: “I Love the 80′s…A Lot!” Because of that, while it’s easy to call the album dated , it also becomes a strong contender for filler, something the band smartly avoids by filling the disc with sing-a-long harmonies and sharp production.
The band gets it the best when they channel their ’80s-disco side. Both Joey Pation and Jason Travis capture the true elements of their sound with their voice. Tracks like “Bellweather” blend the airy-pop of Erasure at their peak and the SAW production of Kylie Minogue in her beginnings. Perhaps the most infectious track of the bunch, it makes for the perfect night at the disco. That’s not to say the rest of the album is anything to skip, in fact the entire album takes in mind the dance sensibility that the ’80s provided much of. Some songs are more downtempo (“Apparition”) than others (such as “Islands”), but each and every track does have something for the dance floor.
“Quarter Moon” not only sounds like something David Bowie would have recorded during his “Ashes to Ashes”-era, but actually sounds better! But with all these influences, the one thing the band is missing in their music is warmth. While none of the tracks are sweet-n-low sweet, at times the music seems cold and calculated, with the production bordering on icy. No worries though, the band has much time to melt and let some emotion show.
Two decades after the ’80s are over, the sound still reigns supreme, the same way disco did in the ’90s and the way that house music will most likely made a comeback in the 2010s. Wait long enough and all music will come back in style, which is a good thing. Ten years isn’t long enough to enjoy a certain type of music and the Sealions are doing their part to let those who love the ’80s to continue to get into that groove.
Weapons of Audio
Bipolar
If there is one thing you cannot do, it’s define what kind of sound that Weapons of Audio have created for their album Bipolar. There’s a little hip-hop, some electronica, a bit of pop, some rap, even a little slice of blues. With all these sounds, does the band create a successful stew of sounds?
Prince, or the Artist Formally Known As Prince, is a definite inspiration here, but the duo dips into the sounds of several other artists as well. This is no insult, as for a debut album, while drops of their influences show up here and there, the duo definitely have established their own sound.
“Partyline” shows what a song would be if Outkast remixed Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” It’s catchy, fun, different, and has the wide appeal the King of Pop had, along with some bits and pieces of experimental sounds. Let’s just say if the duo followed this sound throughout the record, they would’ve had a smash on their hands.
“Boulevard” borrows from the one-hit-wonder sound the band The Black Eyed Peas have been making a career out of for the past five years. The track, if released as a commercial single, would undoubtedly become a hit (if not a minor one), the only problem is, it’s a bit too kitchy to establish the group an album artist. Same thing with the sexually-charged “If You Want Me” and its accompanying x-rated music video clip. It just feels like this has been done before.
Mostly a feel-good music LP, the album takes an dark turn on the track “Kill My Boss,” which dives deep into the group’s fantasy of the multiple ways in which they would murder their employer. Perhaps a tongue-in-cheek song, lyrically the song is reminiscent of Eminem’s earlier material, in which he obsessively wrote about what he would do to his ex-wife. Controversial? Perhaps. Shocking? Yes.
Even with the lyrics of “Kill My Boss,” the most shocking moment of the disc is the opening “Boogie Shoes,” if only because it is so distant sonically from the rest of the record. Incorporating more of a bluesy, harmonica-based sound, the track shows from the beginning that this band takes their idealized version of club/hip-hop music to an experimental place that few have gone to before.
With the abundance of copy-cats out there in the music world, it’s refreshing to hear a duo take on the music on their own terms. With that, the record does run the risk of not becoming a commercial success, but at the same time, so many artists have seen success on their own terms with their own sound, there is no reason Weapons of Audio couldn’t join these ranks and change the face of music. In the end, the stew of sounds this band created with their own recipe may be a bit strong or “strange” for some, but for others looking for hip-hop with a fresh take, this just might for you.
Her music drops slowly into your soul. With ripples of rhythm flowing towards the listener song by song, word by word, Samantha James has found her sound by mixing waves of lounge with sprinkles of electronica, making one of the most surreal, yet mesmerizing albums of the past ten years. Solely by listening to the artists latest LP, Subconscious, one cannot help but let the luscious lyrics, vivacious vocals and mellow melodies dive deep into your subconscious.
James may know how to hypnotize her audience, but the only thing now is for the world to catch onto one of the greatest artists of the past decade. After a #1 single on the Billboard dance charts with “Rise,” James released her debut album of the same name. While sales were soft, the quality of her debut matches that of legends.
With Subconsious, James continues her legacy of the Queen of Lounge and one of the few artists out there who can take what is conventionally background music and put pure heart into it, bringing it to life.
On “Veil,” the LP’s strongest song, James tells the listener to lift their own veils and see the world for what it is: a light that shines over all of us. “Veil” has James in the area where she does it best: lounge. Perfect for that drive at sunset or along with that delicious cosmopolian. The song explodes with euphoric rhythms that put the listener in a trance, but even though this track is one of the most flavorful, it’s just a taste of things to come.
Mirror mirror on the wall, which song is the most single-worthy of all? The answer is “Find a Way” perhaps James’ most gorgeous song so far. Everything about the track, from the melody, to the vocal delivery has the familiar scent of Sade. The calming song puts the mind at ease and allows the listener to journey through the emotion of James as if they were floating through rose-scented air.
James flows most freely on “Free,” the most urban-flavored of the bunch, shows James tip-toe into the world of electro-jazz. Perhaps one of the LPs most candid track that shows the reality of the protagonists pain and wishes. One the other side, the title track makes for some fluffy fun on the dance floor. But even for a song about a topic as trite as a club hook-up, the songwriter likens the occurrence to something that touches her soul and dances through the most hidden areas of her mind. Another dance track, “Waves of Change,” the album’s first single, crashes onto the dance floor with some of the best remixes of the year done by Kaskade.
One of Rise’s most memorable moments was “Right Now” a simple chill track with minimal vocals and an amazing musical production. The sequel, “Life is Waiting” follows the same musical road with similar success. Think of it like the older sister of “Right Now,” with even more production. The simplicity of “Right Now” made it a chill classic, and while “Life is Waiting” holds the same future in its hands, one cannot help but compare the two.
James doesn’t always reach pure perfection. “Tonight” would make for a nice club track except for the inclusion of guest vocalist JB Eckl, whose vocal talents fail to mess with the suave diva. “Illusions” starts off nicely, but that ends up to be an illusion itself. The song sounds like an awkward mix of sounds and lyrics the singer has previously done. Even so, in the rare instances when the album drops, the quality is still above 99.9% of music out there today.
Pushing forward and upward, “Satellites” sees James venture into acoustic-touched electronica with sweet success. “Maybe Tomorrow” goes through the glowing motions of loungy-pop, and “Amber Sky” drops with the soft, sweet sounds of electronic-pop to the poetic lyrics of James yearning for the girl of her past. “Tree of Life” at first, seems to have been sprouted in the same vein as Rise’s “Come Through," but the song does grow on you eventually on its own ground.
The final page of the album, “Again and Again” marks the first released Samantha James track with no electronic elements to it at all. Nothing but pure piano, the haunting closer shows the most sensitive side of the singer.
As the LP makes its way deeper into your subconscious, feelings of beauty and love takes over in a way that no other album could make you feel, and with that, Samantha James has become a success. Perhaps not a success with sales, but James has found her niche for her sound and her message that transcends all fads and breaks through the musical barriers to make her mark. Like the word itself, it is impossible to define the album Subconscious precisely, but perhaps that’s the genius behind Samantha James.
At first glance, Aphrodite's cover looks like either the second coming of Christ, or an advertisement for Kylie Minogue's newest, bluest perfume. With that said, Kylie Minogue's Aphrodite proves to be a little bit of heaven and still sleek and sexy enough to be en vogue. In comparison to other Kylie records, The poetic lyrics of 1997's Impossible Princess are still no where to be found, and the striking vocals of 1994's Kylie Minogue have been replaced by airy, nasal one's since 1995, but even so, the album is full of love.
Produced by Stuart Price, the genius who assisted Madonna in the creation of hit LP Confessions on a Dance Floor, the album has the 70's/80's/90's dance flavor while still maintaining the modern sound. Aphrodite isn't quite as danceable as Confessions, but listening to the disc, one realizes that the current Madonna's music is all about strength (and sex) while Kylie takes a much softer approach to the topic of love.
“Cupid Boy” shoots its dart deep into your ears and feet, becoming Minogue's best song to dance to tipsy on the floor. Another future dance floor-classic, “Get Outta My Way” gets things going from pretty much the premiere of the album. “Better than Today” have Minogue's best lyrics in years and production-wise, the most flavor of the entire LP. The title track, in which the Aussie claims to be a “Golden girl, an Aphrodite” turns out to be one of the singers most fierce tracks, well, ever. And it's true, even though Kylie isn't Bea Arthur, she is a golden girl.
When it comes to the theme of love, the songs touched by Kylie's soft spot are “Everything is Beautiful” and “Looking for an Angel.” Both filled with pure euphoria and sweetness. While not as romantic or sexy as 1994's “Automatic Love,” both fill your heart with drops of love.
One track that needs to be a single is the song “Closer.” Along with its eery production and sexy sounds, the song sinks deep into your mind and takes over. One can just imagine a video of a scary, yet sexy Kylie being chased by mutant ducks (listen closely to the intro). In the same vein as Michael Jackson's “Thriller” or Rihanna's “Disturbia,” Minogue carries on the tradition of amazingly haunting, yet sometimes scary pop.
As with most Kylie LP's, there are a few slips. First and foremost being the first single “All the Lovers” in which the singer chirps “Dance, I'm standing here, why won't you move?” Won't move? Hopefully this isn't a metaphor for sex, otherwise, one has to wonder about Kylie's choice of “lovers” and if this one who refuses to move is the best, how were the rest?? Lyrics aside, the music, which sounds like the sissy sister of Kylie's hit “I Believe in You” has to be Minogue's most limp-wristed production since her debut single “Locomotion.” While not as bad of a choice for a first single as the god-awful “2 Hearts,” “All the Lovers” actually is one of the weaker links of the disc.
There are other songs which are not so loveable, such as “Too Much,” which sounds like something you'd hear at half-time, and “Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love)” tries (too hard) to be a club anthem when it lacks everything it takes to be one.
Minogue, who is known for her b-sides and bonus tracks, such as “Good Like That” and “Almost a Lover,” that are usually better than the songs that make the album, disappoints so far with the rare songs for Aphrodite. Kylie finally has done a Spanish version of a song with “Los Amores” (“The Lovers”) but it's a shame she wasted the languge on such a track. “Spinning Around” or “Word is Out” are much worthy contenders for the conversion, but I'll take what I can get from Kylie when it comes to espanol.“Heartstrings” sounds like a Fever-era throwaway, “Good Hard or Go Home,” along with its cringeworthy rappers yelling “hey!” every chance they get, is better suited for Rihanna than Kylie Minogue, and while “Mighty Rivers” fits the album perfectly, it doesn't hold a candle to Kylie's legendary bonus tracks. Still though, the b-sides fit the idea Kylie always had for this album: one of love.
Looking at today's charts one might ask where has the love gone? The answer: Kylie's latest LP Aphrodite. Filled with sounds and words of love, the album let's you fall in love with Minogue all over again after the entire X fiasco. As loveable as this album is, its laughable that no matter how good it is, the likes of Christina Aguilera, Lady Gaga and Kathy Perry, with their heartless, throwaway-pop, will outsell Minogue. Most songs of this solid record prove to be the musical form of Cupid, all pointing their arrows to the tushy of love. Kylie Minogue may not be Aprhrodite, but she is a strong contender for the goddess of pop.
