White Rabbits at Bowery Ballroom, NYC
Kim Sarnoff
letter from the editor
Letter from the Editor
AMPLIFIED VOLUME 2, ISSUE 2 Ian Singleton David Yassky Editors in Chief
Gideon Broshy Managing Editor
Pamela Mishkin
Hallam Tuck
Executive Production
Senior Editor
Rebecca Bahr
Alex Ma
Faculty Advisor
Senior Editor
Junior Editors
Production
Gabe Ibagon Stephen Cacouris Ben Deutsch Kim Sarnoff
Roya Moussapour Asher Baumrin Hannah Jun
Cover illustration by
Baci Weiler
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As we bask in the beautiful springtime weather and sprawl out on the grassy field, we, at Amplified, implore our readers to keep listening! Whether blasting your favorite tune through the hallways or simply absorbing yourself in a record between studying sessions, we hope your hands and minds are satiated with excellent music; if not, check out our Radar section, album reviews or Editor’s playlists for some advice. No matter how busy we are, we all need the positive effects of music in our hectic lives. As we all know, this has been an interesting year for music. Sales and radio time for rock music declined as the demand for electronic music surged. Country
music dominated the music industry; Lady Antebellum practically won every award available at the Grammy’s. Who could have predicted that Arcade Fire would win best album, and Esperanza Spalding would take Best New Artist right out of Justin Bieber’s hands? Maybe, there is hope! Anyways, we at Amplified, as always, wish you the best for the spring trimester and hope all is jolly and well. Ian Singleton and David Yassky, Co-Editors in Chief
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table of contents Radar
Reviews
6 Future Islands by Gabe Ibagon
28 Kanye West
10 Music and the Brain
by Amay Sheth
David Yassky explores musical recognition and memory.
14 To Kanye or Not to Kanye? Why you should love Kanye West. Why you should hate Kanye West.
18 Radiohead, Mashups, and Why You Should Buy Music 7 Mumford & Sons by Hallam Tuck
Ben Deutsch reflects on artistic integrity and the music industry.
29 Mark Ronson by Ian Singleton
24 Interview: Avicii Ian Singleton talks to the famous Swedish DJ.
8 Coma Cinema
30 John Legend & The Roots
by Ben Deutsch
by Ian Singleton
26 Lil’ B and the Future of Hip Hop What does a new generation of “underground” rappers mean for the genre?
9 Indian Rebound by Larry Rakhlin
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ALSO: Haley Marber on the mutualistic relationship between television and music, and Hannah Jun on British act Florence and the Machine.
31 Kings of Leon by David Yassky
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journal
On my horrible, long car ride home from Baltimore today, I was listening to Radiohead’s “Just” immediately after listening to Haydn (for whatever reason) and it occurred to me what exactly made the Radiohead song, and rock songs in general, distinct: it’s a sort of punch (its main vehicle being the guitar), an immediacy that certainly lends the opportunity to make shitty rock or pop music, but has a meritable character of it’s own when applied by creative people like Radiohead. A good rock song, like “Just,” thrives in gritty power chords, noise and stop-starts—a term I made up to describe a sudden cut in sound followed by a more powerful reentry (because I don’t think a term for that exists?) These are techniques developed, just in the last few decades, because, until they become a cliché, they’re effective and distinctive—they create tension, excitement, and anticipation. It’s the same principle behind the development of any compositional technique or idea; the “rock clichés” that drive “Just” are comparable to particular harmonic, melodic or rhythmic choices made by composers, which, in aggregate, come to define their compositional styles and the musical movements that surround them. For example, Philip Glass, Steve Reich and other “minimalist” composers used repetition because it provided effective, interesting musical possibilities; repeating patterns came to define the minimalist movement. Early rock musicians fiddled around with their new toys—electric guitars—and found power chords and “stop-starts” (later Sonic Youth gave everyone the gift of noise). Unfortunately, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry found them too.
—Gideon Broshy, Spring 2011
Thom Yorke and Philip Glass. 4
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editor’s playlists Hallam Tuck
Gideon Broshy
Bizness - tUnE-YarDs Ring the Bell - YACHT Sanctuary - Miles Davis La Valse - Maurice Ravel Toxic - Yael Naim
Sandwitches - Odd Future Left of the Dial - Replacements In the Mouth a Desert - Pavement Vomitspit - MF Doom The Drop - The Pharcyde
Thistle & Weeds - Mumford & Sons Shook Down - Yuck Two Doves - Dirty Projectors World News - Local Natives Zebra - Beach House
Kim Sarnoff
Gabe Ibagon
An Eluardian Instance - of Montreal Galaxy in Janaki - Flying Lotus Little League - Cap’n Jazz By Torpedo or Crohn’s - WHY? Dorset Perception - Shpongle
Alex Ma
I’m Good, I’m Gone - Lykke Li Nosebleed - Deerhunter Fleet Foxes - Grown Ocean Rogue Wave - Chicago x 12 First Aid Kit - When I Grow
Lights Turned On - Childish Gambino Ghost Town - Kurt Vile Slapped Actress - The Hold Steady Use It - the New Pornographers Two - The Antlers
Ian Singleton
David Yassky Machu Picchu - the Strokes Hello - Martin Solveig Heart of Glass - Blondie Touch Me - The Doors Maniac - Kid Cudi
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Roya Moussapour
Show Must Go On - Lupe Fiasco Games - the Strokes Will Do - TVOTR Halo - Mike Posner Pass Out - Tinie Tempah
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RADAR
FUTUREISLANDSFUTUREISLANDS Future Islands are a new wave trio based in Baltimore, Maryland. Although they formed in 2006 and have two albums under their belt, they have only recently been able to garner any sort of recognition for their music. The band arose as part of Wham City, the Baltimore freak-art collective home to other unconventional thinking artists such as Dan Deacon. They released their debut album, Wave Like Home, in 2008 with the label Upset! the Rhythm. This introduced the band’s eccentric mix of soul and synthpop to the world. Bassist William Cashion’s post-punk rhythms and synth player J. Gerrit Welmers’ engulfing swells combine with a drum machine to create a sparse backdrop recalling some of the sounds of 80’s band New Order. Going from driving aggression to mellow lullabies, Cashion and Welmers are able to continuously draw a variety of sounds from their instruments. However, the obvious spotlight is on vocalist Samuel T. Herring. His overtly dramatic singing brings the gruff howls and passion of a soul singer to fill most of the space that the other band members leave to him. Herring doesn’t stray that far from singing about love, but it’s delivered very well due to his vocal style, such as in “Little Dreamer,” where he croons: “And as we say goodnight, I hold you close and tight/no more raging suns, only waning ones/like the waxing scar where my lonely heart/once bloomed before I met you.”
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Though sometimes comically over the top, the wails of emotion that Herring belts over his band mates’ support are what make Future Islands stand out from the seemingly never-ending crowd of new bands. Very seldom is there a band that so strongly delivers its sentiments to the listeners, and Herring strains to make sure that you shiver from the pain of every heartbreak and lost love he muses about. Both the blistering vocals and the organic instruments create a sense of honesty showing us that they truly feel what they are trying to portray in their music. The band initially started to gain some media attention when their track “Little Dreamer” was remixed by electronic artist Jones, featuring vocals from Beach House vocalist Victoria Jones. Though the new take on the song gained some popularity while making its rounds on the blog circuit, the band’s raw emotion was obscured under the hypnotic beat and atmospheric texture of the remix. However, Future Islands were able to show their true form when they released their latest album, In Evening Air, on Thrill Jockey Records in 2010. This finally earned them some much-deserved praise from blogs and critics, many proclaiming this small band’s record to be one of the best of the year.
Gabe Ibagon
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MUMFORDANDSONSMUMFORDANDSONS One of my cousins, who went to the University of Edinburgh with Marcus Mumford, the lead singer of Mumford and Sons, told me an anecdote about the band that summed them up just about as well as anything. The band, British in accent and heritage, went pheasant hunting on some highland estate in Scotland after their first major tour. Lacking proper clothing, they showed up in skinny jeans and ray bans and proceeded to tramp around the heather for six hours. This story is in accord with their music; it shows up in unexpected places, and seems not to care about the fact that the band is quietly, with the help of stateside bands like the Avett Brothers and Ray Lamontagne, making musical styles often preconceived as boring popular again. Mumford and Sons performance at the Grammys showed the band’s strange relationship with mainstream music. Watching them have their five minutes alongside the glitteratti associated with contemporary popular music was at worst surreal and at best intensely intimate. The two-bit cover of Maggie’s Farm they did with Bob Dylan (who looked more like a hunger artist than a musical legend) highlighted their tendency towards nostalgia. They aren’t simply archivists though. It’s easy to pigeonhole a band that fearlessly mixes banjo and synth lines, and who can be as naive and un-
Spring 2011
interesting as the worst of the Grammy crowd. Mumford and Sons make up for this general lyrical depth through honesty, an approach taken by many trying to relate to their audience. Much like the Avett Brothers, the tension in Mumford and Sons songs is in their honesty. In many ways they are the antithesis of pop stars like Lady Gaga who relentlessly control and sculpt the way they are perceived to help make even their public appearances an artistic statement. Mumford and Sons don’t have any meat dresses. Which is not to say that they aren’t posing. Any band who references Macbeth, seems permanently clad in clothing from the 1890’s, and owes as much to Townes Van Zandt as they do to Bruce Springsteen, is posing. Mumford and Sons’ dynamic is refreshing, if simplistic, though. It would be incredibly optimistic to expect any revelatory recordings by Mumford and Sons, but their music is listenable, and seems to have considerable shelf-life. In a musical landscape obsessed with its outward appearance, Mumford and Sons have carved out a niche for humble simplicity. Hallam Tuck
RADAR
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COMACINEMACOMACINEMA
RADAR
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Coma Cinema is the solo musical project of Mat Cothran, an underground alternative pop artist created in 2009 out of Brooklyn, New York, that has managed to revive and integrate the lo-fi warbles of outdated technology into infectious and melodic pop songs that define his work. Describing his work as “ontological pop,” Cothran has already released two albums, it is his upcoming third, Blue Suicide, which will be available for free download via Summer Time In Hell (independent record label) on March 15, that is bringing him the most anticipation and recognition he has been able to enjoy to date. Leaked album cuts including highlights Caroline, Please Kill Me and Her Sinking Sun, from the album have heralded widely positive reviews from music hype machines as large as Pitchfork Media. Coma Cinema’s music can best be described as emotive and textured. Their
use of unorthodox instrumentation flavors their music and sets it apart from other contemporary ‘lo-fi’ bands. It also helps differentiate Cothran from an over-simplified formula of music. That is, the creation of exceedingly short songs, with blatant emphasis on simple melodies. While this is exactly the way Coma Cinema makes their music, this model is perfect for them because of Cothran’s uncanny ability to churn out endless short pop hooks and then layer them with vintage synth textures and blurred out drones to turn his music into a captivating experience. And while most of Coma Cinema’s songs range from one to three minutes, this is beneficial to Cothran’s Beach Boys –esque style because it allows him to fill his album with more of the previously mentioned hooks and phrases Cothran writes so well, albeit not in their fully expanded or explored forms. Cothran’s voice is
the other predominant arresting feature of Coma Cinema’s music. His voice is immediately unique and pretty, yet at the same time seems completely natural and personal. When listening to his music, one really feels the tender emotions he portrays because his voice creates a connection with the listener that feels years old and unbreakable. As a young and unsigned artist, Cothran has managed to create for himself a following in the midst of one of the, if not the largest independent music scenes in the country. As all of their music is available for a free download, most of their profits are generated through shows and cassette and vinyl sales, two niches in which Coma Cinema have firmly planted themselves. Check out their music at www. comacinema.org and download or buy their album on March 15th. Ben Deutsch
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INDIANREBOUNDINDIANREBOUND
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certs recently, I originally had doubts about the venue, which appeared to be a rundown warehouse in the outskirts of Brooklyn. However, those initial doubts were overshadowed by the band’s amazing set. Indian Rebound’s intense performance swept all one hundred teenagers in the audience off their feet. The band played a number of new songs that combined its original laid-back style with newer, pepped-up melodies. Currently, the band is working on recording a new album, which will feature some of these songs. Indian Rebound’s debut EP and live performance show a promising future for the band. Larry Rakhlin
RADAR
Indian Rebound is a New York Citybased indie rock band founded by lead singer and guitarist Ethan Levenson. Levenson began playing solo performances in September of 2009, and he was soon joined by drummer John Kallen. Lead guitarist Gianni de Falco rounded out the trio in August 2010. The band released its self-titled debut EP later that year. The EP features the band’s bright and fast-paced sound, showcasing the summery vibe they create that is both relaxing and enjoyable. Falco’s guitar drenched in distortion and reverb perfectly matches Levenson’s soothing vocals. The talented Kallen drops head-bob-inducing beats on the drums, establishing a powerful groove to each song. Indian Rebound also puts on a great live show. When I attended one of the band’s con-
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MUSIC AND THE BRAIN: Recognition and Memory
BY DAVID YASSKY
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“Music expresses that which cannot be said, and plish this task, as memories are stored all over the brain. which cannot be suppressed,” stated renowned French The recognition of music is a function of the writer Victor Hugo in his essay “William Shakespeare.” long-term memory system. When the brain deems With this quotation, Hugo acknowledged that music short-term memory important enough to be perhas a profound effect on our minds and that it is only manently stored, it turns the “event” into long-term natural that we utilize music as a method with which memory. The process that allows our brains to store we articulate our emotions. What Hugo did not know long-term memory is a phenomenon called LTP, or was that music actually is deeply rooted in neurosci- long-term potentiation, which was studied by Albert ence, as a result of tens of thousands of years of co-evo- Hebb in the ‘70s. Because of evolution, our brains have lution between music and the human brain. Modern developed small clusters of neurons all around the brain medical breakthroughs have allowed neuroscientists that are innately predetermined to be able to memoand psychologists to plunge further into the topic, al- rize broad types of information. Hebb discovered that lowing us to answer seemingly simple, yet actually, ex- these groups of neurons, which are structured together tremely complex questions. These inquiries can range like a spider’s web, already share synapses, yet are too from “Why do specific genres attract different people?” weak to pass information through them, deeming them to “Do different neural processes occur when one lis- somewhat useless. However, when the brain is trying, tens to Beethoven rather than to Britney Spears?” to consciously or subconsciously, to memorize something merely “Why minor instead of major?” The branch of important, a signal is sent to the neurons of a “wired” science presented before you has been conveniently cluster, strengthening their synaptic connections, thus named “Music and the Brain,” which spans a plethora allowing the targeted neuron to fire with an action poof topics of neuroscience tential. If the neurons and psychology. One fasare utilized more “Music expresses that which cannot be in the future and cinating subsection of this science is the study said, and which cannot be suppressed.” with regularity (i.e.: of music recognition and practicing an instru-Victor Hugo memorization, to which ment once a day for this article is dedicated. an hour), the syn When we hear our favorite song, we instantly apses grow stronger and can store more memory, but recognize it, and are able to hum the melodies, sing the if the neurons are never needed again or are infrelyrics and even play along. Let’s imagine that we hear a quently fired, the synapses become weaker, thus losdifferent rendition of the song, one that is played in a ing the stored information. This neuronal elasticslower tempo (speed of play) with all of the other char- ity explains the “potentiation” of long-term memory. acteristics of the song played in the same way. We’d still Two main regions in which our brain stores musibe able to recognize it. Instead of switching tempo, let’s cal memories are Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area, say we changed the key (uniformly changing the pitch of which are both also pivotal in the memory of language. every note). We would still know what song it was. We With the knowledge of the neuroscience of how could even switch around the instruments and make it the brain actually stores information, one can now unmore “bluesy” and still know what we were listening to. derstand how it pertains to music recognition. In the With all of these large changes to the song, our brains 1970’s, Eleanor Rosch of UC Berkeley studied the longare remarkably still able to reach into our memory banks standing theory of Constructivism, a learning-memoand recognize the piece of music. The method with rization complex of the brain. Her findings concluded which our brains recognize and memorize stimuli is as with her own Prototype Theory. This theory basically complex as it is interesting. However, as much as neu- explains that when we experience an event for the first roscientists would like to pinpoint the exact locations time (a prototype), we mentally create a category dewhere certain memories are formed, they cannot accom- scribed by the most important characteristics of that
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first event. Any time we experience another event that has many of the same characteristics that the given category is described by, we may place it in that category, altering our original perception of that category. If a new event has enough differing characteristics, we create a separate category. With this method, our brain doesn’t have to memorize certain events but rather broad categories, saving room for more memory. It’s an extremely efficient system. In terms of music, there are seven basic categorical descriptions that we use to differentiate songs: pitch, rhythm, tempo, contour, timbre, loudness and reverberation (all of which contribute to meter, key, melody and harmony). Every time we hear a song, we memorize these characteristics and create a “song category.” Let’s take our song category “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles. Any time this song is played on the radio or at a party, we are able to recognize it, even with static or others’ conversations’, respectively, muddling the sound. The sound is changed, albeit barely, and we are still able to identify the song. Now, let’s think about our
song category “Happy Birthday.” As long as the categorical descriptions aren’t changed too much, we are able to recognize any rendition of “Happy Birthday.” This may seem trivial, but think about how many different renditions of this song you’ve heard in your entire life. Every time you hear it, you are hearing it in a slightly different pitch, with different singers, in a different tempo and so on. The Constructivist theory can also explain our subconscious ability to recognize a musical artist or genre. For example, the artist category “The Doors” may be described by Jim Morrison’s deep voice, psychedelic keyboard sounds and extended instrumental breaks, along with many other characteristics. The genre category “Hip-Hop” may be described by electronic drums, synthesizers and heavy bass-lines, among other characteristics. Over time, if we listen to enough diverse music, our categories become more defined and we become better at recognizing our categories, a function of LTP. This neuroscience phenomenon is why avid music listeners can hear a song they have never heard before and
An overview of various regions of the brain associated with sensory integration, including Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, which store our musical and linguistic memories. 12
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The next time a Lady Gaga song is stuck in your head, think about the neuronal pathways that caused your misfortune. recognize its artist with ease. This is also why one can be positive that he or she will recognize “Happy Birthday” at the next party he or she attends, even though the key, tempo, loudness and reverberation will most definitely be different from what he or she has ever heard. On a greater scale, with our Constructivist minds comes the ability to simply distinguish music from ordinary sounds. In the early years of childhood, when our brains are most absorbent, we develop the large category of “music.” Typical characteristics of this category would be constant linear rhythms, particular melodic structures and notes that have resonant frequencies that are certain mathematical distances apart (which is evident in the existence of typical Western scales). This allows the human mind to hear a car horn or a door’s slamming and immediately know that they aren’t hearing music. However, if we consider the Western definition Spring 2011
of music as opposed to the African definition of music or the Native American definition of music, we would notice that these definitions vary greatly. This is a result of the great disparity in musical experiences that a child might have as a result of his or her cultural upbringing. So, next time you recognize your best friend’s humming Kesha’s “We R Who We R,” or Miley’s “Party in the U.S.A.,” think about how important musical recognition is. Think about the complex processes in our
brains that allow us to do so. Think about how this system of memorization is efficient, allowing us to save space in our brains. Even try to relate this system to other facets of life such as facial recognition or food recognition. For example, look at your friend, first, with a smile, and second, with a frown. You’re looking at two distinctly different images, yet, we still know that it is the same person!
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TO KANYE OR NOT TO KANYE
Team Edward or Team Jacob? Bieber or Black? Is Kanye worth the ego? These are the defining quandaries of our time. It’s time to take your side.
THE PRO-KANYE ARGUMENT: Ian Antonoff How can you hate Kanye West? Yes, he’s ignorant; yes, he’s kind of a jerk; and yes, he says whatever he feels like whenever he feels like saying it. But isn’t that reason why we should love him? On top of it all, he’s an entertainer who is undoubtedly entertaining. Should we really hate someone for doing his job? Let’s start with his music, which he is most well known for. Since his first album College Dropout was released in 2004, you could tell that he wasn’t just an ordinary rapper. His first single, “Thru the Wire,” was much more than just ordinary rap. It was a personal song inspired by a car crash Kanye was involved in coming home from the recording studio late one evening. He included not only how the crash affected him, but also religious themes, which can be heard throughout all of his music. Also, it was a very innovative track in that it featured a recording technique Kanye would continue to use and popularize: sampling. This whole album featured sampled songs from all genres spanning rap, R&B and soul. However, his musical innovation and genius didn’t stop after this album. He carried his talent through Late Registration (2005) when he released the hit, “Gold Digger,” featuring a sample of Jamie Foxx’s 14
rendition of Ray Charles’ “I Got A Woman.” Late Registration also featured “Touch the Sky” and “Heard ‘Em Say,” which, along with samples, have intelligent, clever, and witty lyrics. In “Touch the Sky,” Kanye takes us through his history of trying to join the rap game, claiming that “before anybody wanted K-West beats/Me and my girl split the buffet at the KFC” and that “any girl I cheated on, sheets I skeeted on/ I couldn’t keep at home, I thought I needed Nia Long.” Kanye carried this wit and flair into his next album Graduation, in which he sampled more recent songs like Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” on his hit song “Stronger.” If you haven’t gotten the message by now, Kanye is an incredibly talented musician, warranting recognition. Yes, many people have (what they think is valid) reason to believe Kanye is a jerk. Here is some of their rationale and why it isn’t legitimate. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, NBC hosted a telethon to raise money for relief funds to help the suffering people in New Orleans. They had Kanye West and Mike Meyers do a touching segment about the tragedy of this situation, and Kanye was talking about donating as much money as he could to help anyone who Amplified
he could. Kanye was being as sincere as possible, and you could tell from hearing him talk that he was in emotional pain. However, being the entertainer that he is, he decided to do some improvisation. After Mike Meyers finished talking, Kanye blurted out what millions of Americans were thinking: “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” While this was probably not a good idea at the time, it was certainly a courageous and entertaining thing to do. When revisiting the situation, Kanye claimed that he “doesn’t read the teleprompter, and just speaks his mind,” which only a true entertainer could do. Why should we criticize this? Also, many people hate Kanye West for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards incident when Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech for Best Female Music Video. Kanye didn’t think Taylor Swift deserved the award, so he ran onstage, and stole the microphone claiming that Beyonce, not Taylor, should have won the award. Maybe this did cross the line, ruin Taylor Swift’s night, and show the “douchebag” side of Kanye, but this isn’t a good reason to hate him. This was one tiny slip up, and quite frankly, it was hilarious. Again, this is the reason we should love and embrace Kanye; he isn’t being afraid of saying what he feels, regardless of the consequences. That is the true definition of an entertainer; he acts on impulse, and, whether or not it’s the right choice, winds up entertaining all of us. Besides, have a little sympathy for the guy. Despite his tough exterior, Kanye has a soft spot for his mama. He lost his mother in 2007 to a complication during plastic surgery. If you don’t know, Kanye’s mom was one of the most important people in Kanye’s life. To pay tribute to his mom, he sang the song “Hey Mama” at the Grammy’s and at every performance during his “Glow in the Dark Tour” in 2009. The song was originally written in 2000 to thank his mom for everything she had done for hime. Kanye also shaved “MAMA” into the back of his hair so everyone knew he was mourning for her. Also, as part of his mourning, he completely changed his style of music in his 2008 release of 808’s and Heartbreak. Kanye moved away from his upbeat, “IN YO FACE” style of rap, and wrote an album full of slow, sad, solemn songs about lost love. Kanye’s new style of music showed how much he was in mourning, and how dark his feelings really were. Instead of hating on Kanye, we must understand his tragic past and the emotional toll it had on his life. If you’re still mad about the Taylor Swift incident, or still haven’t sympathized for Kanye, know this: he apologized to Taylor Swift as much as he possibly could, and in as
many different ways as possible. He apologized on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show, on his blogs and on Twitter. He even called Taylor Swift apologizing for what he did, admitting that he was completely out of line; Taylor Swift accepted this apology. If that isn’t enough, he wrote a song called “Runaway,” which is a 5:39 minute apology for acting like “a douchebag, a jerk-off, a scumbag,” and many other words people used to describe him after that night. He performed this song a year after the Taylor Swift incident at the VMA’s, to show that even a year later, he is still sorry for what he did that night. Since Taylor Swift learned to forgive and forget, you should too. The last reason Kanye West should be on your “Love List,” is that he has an incredibly funny sense of humor, and I’m talking about in other ways than embarrassing people. On the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, Kanye was in a backstage skit where he walks around backstage and runs into Mike Meyers. Meyers jokes around about the teleprompter incident, showing that he’s forgiven Kanye for the whole thing. As with the Taylor Swift scenario, if Meyers can forgive Kanye, you should too. Also, in the Family Guy spin-off show “The Cleveland Show,” Kanye makes a hilarious cameo voice-over in one episode. He voices a bright purple jacket-, fly sunglasses-, fresh shoes-, tight jeanwearing rapper. Sound familiar? It should because it’s none other than Kenny West, the youngster who’s trying to make it big in the rap world. If you haven’t figured it out by now, Kenny West is spoof of Kanye West, showing Kanye is able to make fun of himself (unlike many other celebrities who I’m sure you love). Also, as an added bonus, Kanye had a quite amusing rap battle with Cleveland’s son. In the season two premiere, Kenny West makes another appearance (again voiced by Kanye), writing a hit rap single with Cleveland. Again, his cameo was hilarious, and the rap was even better. So there you have it. Every reason why you should love Kanye West. Not only is he an amazing musician, but he also loves his family, isn’t afraid to do what he wants when he wants, is an entertainer not only through music, but also through his actions, and lastly, has a good sense of humor, knowing how to make fun of himself. If you met a person who was a talented musician, not afraid to speak his or her mind, was incredibly entertaining, and had a good sense of humor, would you hate him or her? No, you wouldn’t. So why should you hate Kanye?
“Since Taylor Swift learned to forgive and forget, you should too.” Spring 2011
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THE ANTI-KANYE ARGUMENT: Chris Kim I’m not going to say he’s not talented; no one can sell a million records and not be at least somewhat talented. The guy can sell music, but as an individual, Kanye West has showed us time and time again that he is self-centered, immature, and ignorant. West epitomizes the basic problem with recognition that celebrities have struggled with for decades; fame gets to your head. In 2004, Kanye released his debut album College Dropout. The album won two Grammy’s for Best Rap Album and Best Rap Song (“Jesus Walks”). Kanye also went home with an award for producing Alicia Key’s “You Don’t Know my Name,” which won Best R&B Song. West’s career looked promising indeed. His second album Late Registration, which delivered a more moody, melancholy tone, topped the album charts. It featured number one single “Gold Digger,” featuring Jamie Foxx. That same year, in the midst of Kanye’s musical success, we saw the first signs of his ignorance.
During a Hurricane Katrina Concert special, West, on national television, said that “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” Later in several interviews and on the Ellen Degeneris show Kanye went on to say that his statement came “from (his) heart.” 2005 was seen by many as the first true year of Kanye’s musical career, which actually began in 1996. His first two albums were a general success, but there was one problem that fans were, and still are, blind too. None of his music is original! Kanye takes instrumentals and even choruses’ of different songs written by others, and mashes it with his lyrics and beats. His music is good, but none of it is truly his own! This, combined with the George Bush controversy, drew questioning of Kanye’s validity as a relatively new musician. In 2006, even after being named the Best Hip-Hop Artist in the MTV Europe awards, Kanye fumed on stage when Justice’s remix of Simian’s “We Are Your Friends” won the Best Music Video
Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. 16
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“Taylor, I’m real happy for you and I’mma let you finish, but Beyoncé had one of the best music videos of all time!” - Kanye West Award. West claimed that he deserved the award with his “Touch the Sky” video. “It cost a million dollars and Pamela Anderson was in it... if I don’t win, the awards show loses its credibility.” Not only was the comment blatantly thickheaded and egoistic, but Kanye’s “Touch the Sky” video was also terrible. The video consists of an angry woman (Pamela Anderson), an ugly retro plane suit, and a make out scene that is unreasonably cheesy. The following year, Kanye released Graduation, featuring the huge single “Stronger.” The album broke away from West’s traditional rap style, moving into a more upbeat mood. Once again, his album topped the charts, outselling even 50 Cent’s Curtis album. On November of 2007, West’s mother, who raised him as a single mom, died from a heart attack. A year and two weeks later, Kanye released 808’s and Heartbreak as a tribute to his mother and testimony of his grief. The album completely disregarded Kanye’s other music. West used his voice to bring a morose, heavy, deep tone into his music; but, instead of rapping, Kanye took a risk. He “sang” the album to exotic instrumentals with a heavy auto tune effect. The album sold well, but by then, because of Kanye’s immense, controversially blemished, celebrity status, people would have bought anything he put out. And that’s just what they did. Kanye is not a singer. He had to disguise his voice with auto tune. People bought the album, but many were thoroughly disappointed or simply shocked at the strange turn Kanye had taken with his musical style. People speculate that his mother’s death probably did affect not only his life but also his music. Some say that he felt like doing something unique for his mother and, to do that, he needed to break some boundaries, but we can only speculate. Whatever it was that drove Kanye to change his sound, the outcome was horrible. His music became worse. In 2009, Kanye’s true character was exposed to the public, with no new albums or music to overshadow it. During the 2009 MTV VMA’s, West interrupted Taylor Swift during her acceptance speech for her first VMA award. “Taylor, I’m real happy for you and Imma let you finish but, Beyoncé had one of the best music videos of all time!” Once again Kanye slips up, but this Spring 2011
time, West wasn’t let off so easily. Back then, Taylor Swift, a country/alternative artist, had just begun her long musical journey that ultimately led her to become the huge star that she is now. The VMA award for “You Belong With Me” was Swift’s first real feat as a musician, and Kanye ruined that for her. People seemed to take that to heart. Even celebrities criticized him. 50 Cent responded to the act saying,“I wish he could take one of my awards... so I could black his eye,” while Snoop Dogg said that Kanye deserved a swift kick in the ass. That year, Kanye, because of the Taylor controversy and his mother’s fairly recent death, decided to take a break from the music industry. 2009 highlighted Kanye’s ability to repeatedly make immature mistakes, which overshadowed his ability as a rapper and an artist. Because of his rash decisions, Kanye, along with President Obama, his fans and the media, has labeled himself “a jackass.” In 2010, Kanye released some notable hits including “Power,” with his album My Dark Twisted Fantasy. The album cover consists of a drawing of Kanye’s having sexual relations with his twisted fantasy, which has vaguely been described as a “half naked bird woman.” The cover was banned by iTunes, because the image was said to be too vulgar for the public eye. Recently Kanye directed and released an attention grabbing 30-minute “Runaway” music video, featuring the bird woman who Kanye falls in love with. Some have named the work “genius,” while some go as far to call it “unhealthy.” The video, in a way represents Kanye’s life both as a man and as an artist; as ingenious and eccentric he may seem, he is vulgar, immature and offensive. In the end, seeing Kanye as an extremely talented musician is not completely farfetched. However, his behavior towards his fans, fellow musicians and even himself has left me and hopefully the rest of you thinking that he is just another arrogant celebrity who has taken fame and notoriety in the wrong direction. So, when thinking about buying Kanye’s music, think to yourself, “Is this the type of man I really want to be supporting?” If the answer is no, download his music illegally. Just kidding; we can’t endorse that. 17
Radiohead, MASHUPS, and =-=
Why you should buy music
.
by Ben Deutsch From the moment that music became a package-able product, artists have been discovering myriad ways to reap profit, success and fame from their musical talents and output. And while musical appreciation dates back past prehistoric times, the start of the process of trading something of intrinsic value for the musical experience—where a listener is a consumer—is much more difficult to pin down. Was it the crowds of Greeks huddled through the rafters of an amphitheater listening to lyres and flutes? Or was it the purchasing of sheet music, which let “consumers” play the great opuses of the classical and baroque composers in their own homes? Or the stacks of vinyl records that sat on shelves of music shops, morphing over time into plasticky cassettes, into blindingly shiny compact disks, which eventually vanished into thin air, taking on the form of the currently omnipresent mp3? To assess this confusing situation, many point to key individuals that spearheaded revolutionary advances in the state of music. Some say that Beethoven played a huge part in the fame modern musicians enjoy today—it was he that insisted on preceding his performances with dramatic entrances, exploding through the front doors, dismissing the standard practice of appearing and disappearing through the back and side entrances like hired help. While it is nearly impossible to pinpoint the exact moments that directed the music industry towards its current state of uncertainty, moments of transition and change are littered across the history of music. One thing is sure: music’s constant 18
and continuous presence in anthropology proves that music is as essential and fixed a commodity as salt or cotton. Which begs the question—after thousands of years of the proper purchase of music, and in an age where technology and progress are, and have been, pushing ahead with breakneck momentum, why has the purchase of music been so suddenly dismissed as unnecessary, and even…naïve? It has been said that “everyone pirates music,” a statement I find (and that has proven itself to be) more and more apt as the musically-revolutionary iceberg that was the 20th century recedes in the distance. In fact, 95% of all music downloads are unauthorized, or illegal. Recording music on home computers or laptops has become so absurdly easy that modern artists’ burgeoning output has become impossible to keep up with. And it’s all available, all for free—illegally, of course. Straight through pirated internet-waves, onto your Macbook Air, in the form of a tiny, unprotected mp3, through a USB cable, onto your iPod Nano, and into your ears. Right this second. So that now you can listen to “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” on your way to school or work, and decide halfway through that the Beatles are boring; you’d rather be possessed by a healthy dose of wobbly dubstep, and you want it right this second. Not a problem. And the pace of technological innovation is so quick that musical larceny has become nearly impossible to stop and is as commonplace a crime as jaywalking (and no less petty). The average musician in 2010 received only $23.40 for every $1000 in profit, Amplified
Gregg Gillis: The mastermind behind Girl Talk. after being forced to part with enormous percentages to various groups (63% to the record label, 24% to the distributors, etc.) And that’s only out of the even smaller percentage of their music that was actually paid for. So what does the struggling artist (or any artist for that matter) do, if he knows that the chance of people actually spending their hard-earned money on his music are roughly as likely as his dethroning U2 as the world’s largest rock band? The most immediate answer, aside from eradicating piracy, is to find another way to make money off of music besides selling records, the standard tradeand-barter game. It has become clear that efforts to stem piracy have and will always prove futile. It’s just too easy to do it. So, many musical gurus and expertsof-esteemed-opinion point to what they believe is the most propitious alternative: live music, which is much more difficult to steal. Not surprisingly, the statistics will back this up: the most financially successful musicians of 2010 include Kiss and Rascal Flatts, due to their extensive touring schedules, despite no musical output in that year. Conversely, statistics show that the sale of physical music (including mp3’s) has been cut in half since the start of the new millennium. In order to tour, bands need financial backing: investors. Investors are only interested if the artist has a large enough fanbase to ensure a worthwhile profit from the Spring 2011
tour. This is part of the reason why U2 and the Rolling Stones can tour seemingly incessantly: their previous success in the music business and their devoted fanbases can support the extensive touring schedules that both bands maintain. So if the goal is to be able to tour, the focus begins to lean more towards recognition, radio airplay and fame than towards musical integrity. It therefore seems obvious that ripping off other musicians—rehashing old, successful tricks—would become significantly more commonplace than it was, say, 10 years ago. And it has. Previously, if an artist were to steal parts of another artist’s music and incorporate them into his or her own music, the “borrower” would be forced, legally, to pay royalties to the original writer of such parts. These royalties, most commonly, would consist of a certain percentage of revenue from the music of the artist who “borrowed.” But if the artist isn’t going to be making any money off his music anyway (because of piracy and musical burglary), that percentage is no longer financially significant. So now we see songs like “The Show Goes On” by Lupe Fiasco, a popular rapper, which blatantly samples the main riff from “Float On” by Modest Mouse, a contemporary rock band that has received wide critical acclaim. Fiasco’s song uses the sample to its advantage— the single has become a huge hit, and is enjoying a very impressive amount of radio 19
airplay. This airplay bolsters Fiasco’s and in turn will serve to make large Lupe Fiasco tours possible. Fiasco’s is exactly the type of shrewd, financially pragmatic approach—whether his idea or his record label’s—that will allow artists to continue to be fiscally successful despite sagging (or rather plummeting) music sales. In my opinion, the modern musician is becoming one who makes music out of sounds he or she did not create. This is not always a bad thing, as it is in Lupe Fiasco’s case. This concept is hardly a new one: the idea of taking music from various far-flung places and combining them into an eclectic combination that’s more than the sum of its parts dates back to Charles Ives’ Central Park In The Dark, composed in 1906 and considered to be the first sound collage of all time. The idea was kept alive by several other musical acts, among them the Beatles with Revolution 9 (1968), and more experimentally by Steve Reich, whose 1988 composition entitled Different Trains comprised a massive conglomeration of snippets of speech and sounds gathered from trains that crossed America and Europe during World War II. This theme has exploded into the digital age in the form of a relatively new genre: the “mashup.” A major milestone for mashup music was The Grey Album by DJ Danger Mouse, which mixed together instrumentals from The Beatles’
The White Album with vocals from Jay-Z’s The Black Album. Two recent incarnations of this style of music are My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West (which contains over 15 samples, all beautifully woven into an album of exceptional quality) and the work of mashup artist Girl Talk, a.k.a. Greg Gillis. Girl Talk’s new album, entitled All Day, was downloaded so many times in the first 24 hours of its release that his website’s server crashed—mtv.com published an article entitled “Girl Talk Apologizes For Breaking The Internet” the following day. While this is Girl Talk’s fifth album, it is the first one to have received such a vigorous, immediate reception. Since Girl Talk doesn’t write any original music, a colossal 373 samples are used on All Day, among the most samples ever featured in any piece of music. Obviously, All Day had to be posted as a free download, under the Creative Commons copyright agreements; if Girl Talk had attempted to sell this album, it would have cost him millions in legal fees and royalties, several times more than he could ever have possibly made off the album. And even though Girl Talk gave away his music for free, it led to exactly the viral-craze type of recognition that has proven to be the backing force for large tours, from which Girl Talk can start to generate serious profit. And he’s done it without
Thom Yorke on stage with Radiohead. 20
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forfeiting any musical integrity—because Girl Talk has managed to fuse snippets of music so diverse in origin, the collection is so much more than a “borrowing” of several samples. Girl Talk has found a way to bridge the gaps between alternative, soul, hip hop, hard rock, indie, pop and so many other genres in a celebration of fun, energetic music that any fan of nearly any genre can enjoy. Girl Talk’s album is so original in its lack of personal creation that it defies the very theses previously embodied by music critics everywhere, and will definitely be considered a milestone in the progression of music and its many forms and distributions. Girl Talk and Kanye West show that a little bit of musical mooching can be creative and innovative, rather than just a musically lazy but financially pragmatic move. Those musicians with integrity—whether they use sampling creatively or make cool mashups or just write great music—have their music stolen every day. If not to mindless imitation as a business scheme, a la Lupe Fiasco, how do they go about making money? At present, I don’t think there is an answer. The next step for the music industry, in my opinion, will be a drastic one. The system that holds the music industry together is coming apart at the seams, and an entirely new system must be created, one that can survive the forward charge of technological advancement. Perhaps blogs like The Hype Machine, which organizes music based on hits (downloads) per hour, will somehow become a new outlet for the purchase of music. Record labels, whose lack of income has prodded them into trying several new tactics, have come up with a new type of record deal, called a 360 deal. A 360 deal is pretty much a record deal that offers the artist funding and resources for marketing, touring, and merchandising (as well as recording) in exchange for a percentage of everything the artist is involved in, from the music itself to t-shirts sold at concerts to the ticket sales of the concerts themselves. This new strategy gives more leeway to the artist, who is no longer on a strict contract with specified album due dates. This seems to be an effective way of keeping the record labels’ “foot in the door,” so to speak, in a time when they are increasingly unnecessary and artists can record their own music. Many artists are trying new approaches to convince fans to pay for the music they listen to. One of the boldest and most daring attempts (and by far the most successful) was the strategy employed by avant-garde rock band Radiohead for their seventh album, In Rainbows. In Rainbows was so revolutionSpring 2011
ary because it took a brilliant, but unsuccessful-to-date idea, a pay-what-you-wish scheme (where the buyer literally chooses his price), and paired it with a cultish and extremely devoted fan-base and exceptional music. The album “sold,” according to gigwise.com, 1.2 million copies by the day of its official online release. Although the average download price is unknown, a report from Warner Chappell shows that despite the fact that one third of all downloaders paying nothing, the album generated more revenue in pre-physical release than did the band’s previous record, Hail To The Thief, which debuted at #1 in the United Kingdom and #3 in the United States. The audacity of such an experiment is unparalleled in the recent music industry, and its success displays the limitless amount of untapped possible game-changers that lurk beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered and attempted. But shouldn’t the music itself be the determining factor? Why should cool and interesting marketing schemes or gimmicks give artists the edge when it comes to profit? It should be generally accepted that the artists that make the “best” music should get the most recognition, the most income, and the most success. This may sound idealistic, but it is not impossible for young, truly talented bands to become successful. West Palm Beach’s young indie band Surfer Blood garnered so much critical acclaim (in the “indie/bloggo-sphere”) that they were signed by music giant Warner Bros. Surely this achievement can’t be the only success story in the young and thriving music scene, nor can it be attributed to anything other than their music and potential. There is hope for artists yet: it may take time, but even the most darling of the independent scene’s bands, if their music is good enough, can go on to release an album that debuts at #1 (see: Vampire Weekend’s Contra), or sell out Madison Square Garden 3 consecutive nights and perform at the Grammy’s (see: Arcade Fire). And while the music industry by no means needs a restoration of faith, I feel as if many bands who have put out terrific albums this past year find themselves hardpressed for cash-flow and a means to continue making their exceptional music, because people aren’t paying for their albums. So let me beg: buy music! Even if you want to pirate an album for free, just to decide if you like it or not, make sure to buy it once you decide it’s worth more than a listen or two. It helps make music production possible, and is one of the biggest factors in allowing music to be pushed through instrument cables and out your ear-buds. 21
TV: MUSIC’S BIGGEST ADVERTISEMENT By Haley Marber
In 1981, the Buggles’s infamous “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first music video to be shown on MTV. Ironically, while complaining about the death of the “radio star,” the Buggles were creating a new kind of star, one that was not only heard but was seen. This seminal change has been growing over the last thirty years and shows no end in sight. They Might Be Giants, a quirky “nerd-rock” band formed in 1983, had been only marginally successful for most of its career. Their intellectual, ironic, alternative sound kept the band from achieving widespread fame until January of 2000, when the Giants’ song “Boss of Me” was featured as the theme for “Malcolm in the Middle,” a lighthearted television comedy about a dysfunctional family on Fox TV. “Boss of Me,” which was written specifically for “Malcolm in the Middle,” quickly brought attention to the band. The song won They Might Be Giants a Grammy Award in 2002 and is still one of the band’s most well known songs. But most importantly, the exposure from the television show created an entire new audience for The Giants’ past, present and future musical output. Even well known musicians have found it advantage ous to exploit TV to sell more records. In the fall of 1999, rock/pop superstar Sting – who had sold millions of records as a solo performer and in the band The Police - had a new album, “Brand New 22
Day” that was not only just selling poorly, but also at a disadvantage because radio stations refused to play the single “Desert Rose,” a love song with desert imagery and some Arabic verse. In turn, Sting decided he wanted to sell an early version of the music video for “Desert Rose,” which his manager thought looked like a car commercial. Jaguar decided they liked the song and the Jaguar TV ads which followed, not only gave the car a sense of cool, but also helped turn the tide for “Desert Rose”. The ad ran everywhere and people started demanding the song, and it was soon being played regularly on the radio and on TV music channels. One of the more recent phenomena in music is the heavy use of new songs in TV series soundtracks to attract viewers to bands. For example, the alternative band Kings of Leon had a strong British following for years, but never a large American following. Only By the Night, released in September of 2008, was no more successful than their previous albums until the song “Sex on Fire” was featured in an episode of “Gossip Girl,” a teen drama on The CW television network. At the end of this particular episode, like all other episodes, there was a short list of music featured in the episode, including “Sex on Fire.” Within a week, the song had shot up to the top of the charts on iTunes as did the album. Only By the Night eventually went Amplified
platinum in the United Stated and their most recent album, Come Around Sundown, is in the top ten most purchased albums on iTunes. With its large and devoted teen audience, the CW has played an increasingly huge role in the importance of music in the world of television. “One Tree Hill,” another CW high school drama, has not only popularized music like “Gossip Girl” by using it in the soundtrack, but has taken the relationship between television, music, and the musician a step further. Kate Voguele, a relatively new pop singer/songwriter, was essentially career-less until “One Tree Hill.” Her one and only album at the time had been out for a year, and the young artist was struggling to find a following. She then became a full-time cast member on “One Tree Hill,” playing the role of Mia Catalano, an upcoming singer. The show relentlessly promoted Voguele’s album Don’t Look Away, reminding everyone after every show that her album was now available on The CW’s website. Several of her songs from Don’t Look Away and later albums have been ranked in the Billboard Hot 100. More recently, “One Tree Hill” featured one of Pearl Jam’s latest hits, “Just Breathe.” This song was already popular with older listeners, but the CW exposure was important to cross over to the younger audience. Pearl Jam in the past has made its disapproval of pop culture very clear, yet the band chose to sell a song to a TV show that represents everything they once protested. Even rebel Eddie Vedder has acknowledged the growing importance of TV exposure and how it can launch or end careers. The music introduced by television is sometimes a show’s most lasting contribution. “The O. C.,” a popular teen soap opera which ended in 2007, is most widely remembered, not for the tragic characters or contrived murder schemes, but for the six soundtrack albums released with interesting compilations of obscure indie bands that popularized a whole genre of music that would have otherwise been ignored by the audience of “The O. C.” While its tough to predict the future of music and television, one thing is clear: the days of the cheesy jingles and Muzak scores which were the soundtrack for TV commercials and shows in the past are over. Television has lost much of its stigma and respected artists have realized the enormous potential in the exposure attained by placing their music in ads and, more recently, as part of TV show soundtracks. In fact, television has become the most important forum for exposing new music, and a go-to source for people wanting to hear something new and fresh.
Shows like Gossip Girl expose viewers to new music . Spring 2011
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an interview with
AVICII
conducted by Ian Singleton
Avicii, otherwise known as Tim Berg, is one of the fastest-emerging young DJ/remixer/producers on the electronic music scene. A tall blonde Swede just barely over the drinking age, Avicii has been taking America by storm with hits like “Bromance,” “My Feelings For You,” and “Malo.” Having collaborated with John Dahlback, Laidback Luke, DJ Tiesto, and Sebastian Ingrosso, Avicii is making his name in the music world, and in a bold way. I was lucky enough to get an interview with him through HM’s own Ian Spurrier—the two share a manager. How did you begin producing/DJ-ing and how did you get recognized in a time where getting signed as a new DJ is so difficult? Well, I just read somewhere on the internet about my first sequencer and how you instead of playing could draw melodies in it and just decided to play around a bit in it and got hooked instantly! Then I just kept working every day and kept leaking my stuff on blogs trying to make a name for myself and then my manager found me and he set up a plan for me, worked together really hard and he started getting me remixes for big names as well as helping me develop my sound and we just kinda took it from there!
just the acapella and start laying piano melodies under it (even if I dont end up using a piano I just think its the best instrument since you can hear all the harmonies very clearly). And for me personally the melodic tracks are the ones I listen to thats why I ended up making them! Well I think the main thing that sets me apart is partly my manager and also the fact that ive always worked very hard and I’ve always been very dedicated to the music! You have been touring alongside DJ Tiesto this year. Has his influence had any effect on your music making?
Do you think being Swedish has had an influence in your edification as a DJ? Yeah definitely! There are so many Swedish producers who’ve made it, especially in house and techno, so that has been a huge inspiration to me and it has helped me not to give up! You have taken a different approach to a lot of hardcore “house” artists by incorporating a lot of different styles of music into your producing and many of your songs feature clear outlying vocal melodies. Why do you do this and what sets you apart from other upcoming producers/DJ’s? Well i’ve always been more about the melodies than the beat and when I start working with a vocal for instance I always start with
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out to ask for advice.
Of course! Tiesto has been like a big brother to me, he’s given me a lot of stuff to think about - both professional and personal, and it’s really cool to have someone who’s been down this road before and who knows the industry inside
You recently toured in the United States. What were your experiences like? I attended Electric Zoo on Randall’s Island—did you enjoy playing in New York City? I loved Electric Zoo! I would say it’s my best festival this year, either that or EDC! New York is such a beautiful city and if I ever move anywhere it will definitely be there! Touring in the US is different than in Europe for sure, people are more open minded and it feels like the house music scene is growing so rapidly so every time I come back it gets crazier and crazier!
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Florence and the Machine’s
Powerful
Just when you thought that female UK pop had finished its turn on US airwaves with powerful personalities like Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash, ADELE, and Lily Allen, Florence and the Machine swept across the Atlantic and skillfully stole the hearts of thousands. Florence Welch, along with her backing band, the Machine, is the latest London diva to hit the Big Apple. Like other acts that have recently hopped the ocean, Florence and the Machine is a bluesy pop band that pays homage to love and all it entails. But what the group brings to the table is its unique sonic mix: a firm indie rock backbone to accompany Florence’s thundering vocals and her relatable—and often lovingly aggressive—lyrics. The group consists of Florence Welch on vocals and a number of rotating session musicians accredited as “the Machine.” The backing consists of drums and a guitar but sometimes includes harps and keyboards; at present the lineup includes Robert Ackroyd on guitar, Chris Hayden on drums, Isabella Summers on keyboard, Mark Saunders on bass and Tom Monger on harp. As an enthusiastic listener, I continuously fail to pin down Florence and the Machine’s music. At one instance I hear and feel the soothing blues in Welch’s voice. At another I hear a resonant folk sound. And of course she sometimes surprises me with a punky clashing sound. Florence describes herself and her music as a “a choir girl gone horribly, desperately wrong.” One important element that characterizes the act is that both Florence and the Machine are essential; we wouldn’t have Florence and the Machine without both. Welch can sing to such high heights but skillfully thunders back down to a soft whisper. Her technical skill is omnipresent but can often be slighted by the razzle-dazzle theatricality of her music and music videos. The Machine complements its leader: Florence writes the plot, and the Machine illustrates the story. The backing music is more than an accompaniment, it’s Florence’s musical companion. Its seductive harps and keyboards draw you in, and then Welch’s high voice hypnotizes you; the strength behind it gives you tingles. Sometimes, the two often seem to clash or seem oddly mismatched, but this difference actually adds an extra layer of depth to the music. The band-singer matrimony creates its own interesting musical marriages, like in “Drumming Song,” in which djembes float throughout while Florence sings a seemingly holy hymn. Other times, the
Spring 2011
Lungs
Machine adds an extra beat of emotion, like the anger and anguish that underscore Florence’s soulful crooning in “Girl with One Eye.” In her teenage years in South London, Welch fronted two bands. Florence Robot/Isa Machine was born around 2006 with Isabella “Machine” Summers, who is now the present keyboardist for Florence and the Machine. Welch also recorded with the band Ashok in 2007. When Welch and Summers shortened their stage name, Florence and the Machine was born. The band hit the London scene with a handful of gigs, including one on Myspace Mainstage. Many also attribute the group’s rise to fame to BBC, who promoted Florence and the Machine on BBC Introducing. Soon after the band’s formation, an early version of their first single, “Kiss with a Fist,” appeared in the form of an Ashok song called “Happy Slap.” Not stopping for a moment of respite, the band released “Kiss with a Fist” in 2008 and their debut album Lungs in July 2009. It was, not unexpectedly, a huge success. “Kiss With a Fist” was an enormous success, with its quickwitted words and thundering percussion. The song is catchy but keeps you wondering what it’s about. Is she really talking about an abusive relationship? In that perky Florence Welch voice? “Kiss With a Fist” and Lungs were critical and commercial successes. “Kiss With a Fist” was included in the soundtracks to Wild Child and Jennifer’s Body, and in an episode of Saving Grace. The band won the Mastercard British Album award at the 2010 BRIT Awards for Lungs, and Welch was nominated for British Female Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. The public got it right. Lungs is a prime example of what an album should be—not just a bunch of singles put into a nice little package, but rather an artistic piece as a whole. According to Welch, the main inspiration for Lungs was a temporary break with her boyfriend—through changing instrumentation and mood, this theme ties together the songs on Lungs, making it a cohesive record. A follow-up to Lungs, a new Florence and the Machine album, is finally in the works. Welch describes its sound as “dancey but dark as well.” Anticipation for the new album is already stirring, especially after a sneak peek performance of new material in Dublin. I can hardly wait.
Hannah Jun 25
Lil’ B
AND THE FUTURE OF HIP HOP
A
nyone who claims to fully understand San Francisco Bay rap phenomenon Lil’ B is lying. The mere duplicity of his receiving scathing reviews (his songs were described as “a thematically thin cesspool” by the New York Times) while simultaneously selling out the Highland Ballroom warrants a closer look at what Lil’ B is all about. His style of rap resembles a post-Lil’ Wayne ramble, as he stammers through songs asserting his swag, sometimes as hypnotic as it is incoherent. The root of the controversy surrounding Lil’ B stems from that fact that no one can really tell if he is being serious about his music. From songs about feeling like Ellen Degeneres to his ridiculous signature dance move, “cooking,” Lil’ B has garnered the same sort of hate Soulja Boi famously
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received in his hey-day. However, he still manages to capture the attention of audiences around the country. The origins of Lil’ B can be traced back to one of his many Myspace pages (he has hundreds of them), where he posted countless recordings of his freestyles. These initial songs give us a picture of where Lil’ B was coming from: he is a 21-year-old huddled over a laptop recording songs by himself in his mother’s basement. The beats were raw, the raps were crude, and the recording quality was amateur. With no restrictions of a professional studio or major label to hold him back, Lil’ B went on a recording frenzy, releasing over 1,000 songs in less than two years. He later joined YouTube and Twitter, and his influence spread like wildfire. He has around 150,000 followers on his infamous Twitter account, where he never forgets to update his fans on even the most casual aspects of his day. He constantly uploads music videos to YouTube, many of which look like home movies. What makes Lil’ B’s rise to fame more fascinating than any other mainstream hip-hop artist is his strong DIY marketing ethic. Nowhere present in his act were the record executives or magazine ads when he started to gain major traction. Lil’ B did not get his promotion from record companies; his music is shoved down your throat by the Internet. His main audience is composed of YouTube subscribers, Twitter followers, and bloggers. Lil’ B represents everything that the rise of Internet marketing has done to transform the music indus-
Spring 2011
try. He acts as the epitome of how technology has destroyed the idea of mainstream hip-hop success being unreachable to everyday people. The affordability of computers has allowed anybody to record music by themselves. This luxury extends past the cheap 8-track recorders of the past and allows budding artists to use similar tools professional studios do. The idea of needing tons of money to blow on a studio has been shattered by the amount of freedom home recording has given musicians. The Internet boom furthers the reach of independent artists, too. Marketing music is now easier than ever, since almost all music-listeners are reachable through social networking sites. Although many deem Twitter as a waste of time, the significance of the site to the music industry is unfathomable. Between tweets about each blunts he smokes, Lil’ B is able to push the product to the consumer. The news of each mixtape he releases instantly reaches 150k fans, a convenience record companies wish they had before the Internet age. These tools allow anyone who is willing to sacrifice hours online to have a shot at recreating Lil’ B’s rise. As technology makes the process of creating music accessible, hiphop is returning to the people. In a time where mainstream behemoths like Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne are dominating the scene, Lil’ B shows us how the everyday person can make his way up with hard work. This revolution is reminiscent to the explosion of punk and garage rock in the ‘70s. Arena rock bands in this decade were touring from stadium to stadium with large bud-
gets and exaggerated live shows, turning the persona of musicians god-like. Punk rebelled against this image and brought rock back to the people. Bands like the Ramones simplified the genre and played in basements with cheap gear, making being in a band accessible to all. The availability of technology in the past decade has brought a similar “folk revival” to rap. Hip-hop was originally the culture of lower-class blacks in the South Bronx. Much of the lyrical content of early hiphop groups railed against the burdens of the socio-economic class system in America. The idea that the only people who can influence the genre today need to have multi-million dollar backings is completely contrary to the essence of hip-hop. Technology allows everyone to let their voice be heard by others, and the genre has been given back to the people it belongs to. Though Lil’ B may not be the most universally acclaimed MC in the rap scene today, he shows a promise to the genre. Hip-hop has been experiencing an influx of amateur artists attempting to take advantage of new technology. Of course, this results in many not so talented artists to clog up the Internet. However, for every thousand bad artists that appears on YouTube, there is guaranteed to be at least one talented rapper that would not have emerged if it wasn’t for the availability of creating music.
Gabe Ibagon
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album reviews
KANYE WEST My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy “Can we get much higher?” So starts 2010’s album of the year. These first lyrics, both confident and theatrical, set the tone for a piece of music that might make even Taylor Swift let out a tear of joy. With Kanye’s most recent effort, it’s evident that his musicianship has reached new heights, and that West isn’t settling for anything less than perfection. Every song retains its individuality and has its own theme. West features many different guests artists, such as Nicki Minaj and Drake, who make the album feel like a group affair. But it’s clear that that these hip-hop giants—even Jay-Z—operate under the authority of the master artist, the mind behind the Fantasy. The album opens with “Dark Fantasy,” a unexpected but typical of Kanye in its grandeur. The chants of “can we get much higher” are majestic and exciting. At first it’s rather difficult to expect what’s to come, but once Kanye drops in, the song falls into a very old school hip-hop groove. By the time the third song, “Power,” hits your headphones, the album really picks up. “Power” features a catchy beat with a tribal chant backing it. West keeps the listener’s attention throughout the track, and by the end he really shows off his creative side—to wrap up, the song features a synth break and then some melodic vocals from Dwele. The fourth track is a soothing, minute-long orchestral interlude that leads into, in my opinion, the best track of the album. “All of the Lights” begins with a full brass band, followed by Rihanna singing, in her entrancing monotone, “turn up the lights in here baby.” This is probably Kanye’s most epic song to date; a full band and orchestra give it a cinematic feel. The beat is more complex than is found in most hip-hop, and Kanye really manages to translate his emotion into this track—the angst in his voice is obvious. All the pieces come together. It is truly a piece of art. “Monster” really has no distinctive element to it, but something about it makes it irresistibly catchy. It has a more hip-hop feel than the previous tracks, and features Rick Ross, Kanye, Jay Z and Nicki Minaj rapping together for a full five minutes. Kanye clearly adores himself, proclaiming himself a “monster,” a hip-hop master. But doesn’t this album give him a reason to? The song wraps up with some Auto-tuned lines and carries onto some of the blander tracks of the CD. Another album highlight is “Runaway.” This song is probably one of his most sincere efforts to date—the pouring out of Kanye’s soul onto a single track. The sparsely placed, empty piano notes help translate the sheer emotion. West reflects on the stupid antics he’s pulled, even at the age of 32. “Hell of a Life” and “Lost in the World” are two other tracks worth mentioning, as they showcase some of West’s more electronic abilities and prove his skill as a producer. The songs feature tons of synthesized effects; Kanye uses Auto-tune much more creatively than does Ke$ha. “Hell of a Life” is a more electronica-based song and Kanye really pulls it off proficiently, while “Lost in the World” is Auto-tune gone wild. While not all of the songs are standouts, Kanye brings many musical styles together and shows tremendous ingenuity as an artist and producer. From soaring orchestral melodies to futuristic arpeggiating synths, Kanye has won the battle against generic, rehashed Top 40 music. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy will be remembered for many a year, seamlessly piecing together elements across genres that would otherwise contradict each other. With this album, Kanye West’s beautiful dark twisted fantasy has become a reality—he made probably the single best album of last year. Amay Sheth 28
Amplified
album reviews
MARK RONSON & THE BUSINESS INTL. Record Collection Most people don’t really understand who Mark Ronson is. Surrounded by a cloud of suspicion, this DJ/producer/socialite makes a name for himself in Record Collection, his third solo album, but the first in which he both writes, sings, and produces. Ronson has a simple message for his listeners: “I just want to be in your record collection,” he has guest vocalist Simon Le Bon sing on the title track. However, Ronson probably won’t find his way into as many collections as he might imagine—while the album is clearly inspiring and creative, it is not apt for conventional listeners. Ronson indulges in all of his creative fantasies on this record, creating a jumble of original material ranging from pop to hip-hop to electronica. Ronson’s use of live musicians compounded with his skillful mastering of melody mixing and creating beats makes Record Collection an eclectic mix and a clear sign that Ronson is maturing as a producer. While the song order and material seems at times like a grab bag, Ronson is able to create a sense of continuity throughout the album by emphasizing the unifying funky groove laid down by backing band the Dap-Kings and his vintage 80’s synthesizer. Ronson could have made better use of some of his all-star cameos—especially Ghostface Killah, Boy George, Simon Le Bon, and D’Angelo—but he manages to make their contributions complement each other. “Somebody to Love Me” stands out because Boy George’s gritty delivery, alongside Andrew Wyatt’s youthful falsetto, make for a moment of utter brilliance. Another stand out is “Bang Bang Bang,” featuring Q-Tip, a sexy electronic hit that will get you moving and grooving. All the credit in the world to Mark Ronson on this album. Give it a listen!
Ian Singleton
Spring 2011
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album reviews
WAKE UP! JOHN LEGEND & THE ROOTS
During the summer of 2008, John Legend, “feeling inspired by the atmosphere in the country” approached the Roots to conceive an original idea geared at spreading political activism. Their initial thought led to a full-scale, eleven-song collaboration called Wake Up!, which consisted of covers of politically motivated soul tunes from the 60’s and 70’s. The idea for the album arose when the nation’s election-year politics had plunged into polemic discourse. However, the album only surfaced in September of 2010 as a result of its generation alongside The Roots’ How I Got Over, which was released four months earlier in June. Wake Up! marks the re-emergence of socially conscious pop, which more or less disappeared after Barack Obama’s election less than two years ago. The album is filled with broad-appealing funky tracks, furnished by the smooth R&B outfit of the Roots, characterized by their incomparable rhythmic togetherness. The record’s underlying themes of awareness, engagement, and consciousness are conveyed through John Legend’s raw vocal performance, Black Thought’s powerful verses, and guest performances from Common, Malik Yusef and others. ?uestlove spoke about the choice of covers, which, besides Little Ghetto Boy” by Donny Hathaway and “Compared to What” by Eugene McDaniel, are more or less referentially opaque. “People tend to frown on the cover album, so I wanted to choose cover songs that were so under the radar, so uniquely interpreted, that it would take you a second to realize that these are cover songs,” ?uestlove said. Above all, the album is organic and opulent, and John Legend delivers a performance more than worthy of the 3 Grammy’s he has won. Two thumbs up for “Wake Up!”
Ian Singleton 30
Amplified
album reviews
KINGS OF LEON Come Around Sundown After releasing their Grammy-winning single “Use Somebody,” from the album Only by the Night, Kings of Leon seemed to be on top of the world. This was confirmed by an extensive tour, appearances on the covers of the world’s most recognized music publications and the release of a live DVD featuring their 22-song set at London’s O2 Arena. But, even after all of this, the three brothers and their cousin, all from Nashville, didn’t stop. Two years later, they put out their fifth album, Come Around Sundown. Come Around Sundown proves to be a great departure from KOL’s expected sound. When asked what they were anticipating the album to sound like, way before the recording sessions, they used words like “darker” and “grungier.” Yet, they decided to go in the complete opposite direction; many of the songs are beachy, and even laid-back. While it still retains their ubiquitous sound, there is much less distortion, much more reverb and a few more instruments. Overall, the album is entertaining, but doesn’t match the strength and cohesiveness of Only by the Night. The album ironically begins with “The End,” the most KOL-sounding song on the record. It seems as though the song was intentionally put at the beginning, as if not to scare away anxious fans that are nervous of the new Kings of Leon sound. The song begins with a ride-heavy drumbeat and a fast-paced muffled bass quickly joining in. After a guitar lick reminiscent of a crying child, Caleb Followill begins singing in his usual raspy voice. One element that is evident in most of their new songs is Nathan Followill’s subtle yet powerful back-up vocals. Here, when Caleb sings “This could be the end,” one can make out the well-thought-out vocal harmony somewhere in the background. The song continues, with a soft verse and a louder chorus, carrying many of the same themes. After Caleb repeatedly belts “I aint got a home/ I’ll forever roam,” the song ends, solely with a piano, playing a comforting variation of the melody. One of the more obscure songs on the album is “Mi Amigo.” Here, Caleb sings about a female companion of his who gets him drunk, keeps him in line and even compliments his junk. Although the song is quite repetitive, it’s almost comical compared to their usual subject matter. However, with the drunken lyrics, the laziness of the music and the tired ending, the band seems jaded, which would seem likely considering their meteoric fame and wellpublicized drug and alcohol abuse. If you listen to the later albums carefully, especially Come Around Sundown, you will start to notice consistent instrumental patterns; extremely over-used chord progressions are masked by varying drumbeats and sung melodies. While they may have an overall distinct sound, their music has little variability. One begins to wonder how the band gained such notoriety. The answer is Caleb’s voice. The raspy wailing, combined with a surprisingly large range of pitch, has culminated in one of the most unique and recognizable voices in all of music. Even the better songs on Come Around Sundown, such as “Pyro,” “Mary,” and “Back Down South,” are driven by the vocals alone and would be considered average without his voice. As you listen to this album you’ll notice that it lacks an obvious single. Their first single for Come Around Sundown, “Radioactive,” is definitely catchy, but its peak at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart will never match the #4 of “Use Somebody.” Because it does not have that one catchy hit that stands out and captures the ears of the typical radio-listener, Come Around Sundown seems to lack the popular appeal of their previous records. But, regardless, the album is still agreeable, fun and creative.
David Yassky
Spring 2011
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concert reviews
Pavement in Central Park On September 15th, 2009, Pavement, led by frontman Stephen Malkmus, announced their long awaited reunion, including shows at Central Park’s Summerstage for 2010. While the New York tour dates were the biggest ticket of the tour, Pavement’s relationship to the city is puzzling at best; the band’s origins lie on the West Coast, where Malkmus and Scott Kannberg met. While Malkmus ended up moving to New York City, befriending Sonic Youth and joining the “indie” scene, the nature of the band has definitive country roots. These roots lead to odd combinations of folk rock, country, and noise rock, sometimes simultaneously appearing in their sound. Pavement’s cult has been growing consistently since the band’s breakup in 1999; more and more people have become attracted to Malkmus’s indifferent delivery and sarcastic drawl hidden masterfully behind their instrumental sound. This hodge-podge of styles was again exemplified in 2010, when Pavement’s recording label, Matador Records, released new material previously recorded alongside other albums; Matador Records issued out a stellar catalogue of songs. All of this led to high demand for a reunion, and soon after, Malkmus and Co. decided to join forces after ten years of separation. The first four shows that Pavement played in New York showed the lax nature of the band at its most fulfilled state; however sloppy they were, they always had that distinct playful edge. However, greater things were expected from their last New York show, and the band delivered. The opening act, The Beets, were a Brooklyn band clearly influenced by the Velvet Underground in a way similar to Pavement; their drummer played standing up, as if trying to evoke thoughts of Maureen Tucker and Lou Reed. The crowd, however, didn’t seem to care about The Beets understandably; they were at Summerstage only for Pavement. Pavement came on stage and began with “Heckler Spray”, a disheveled minute-long jumble of sounds and reverb, solely with the intention of invigorating the crowd. The band followed with the crowd favorite and had the crowd singing every word to “In a Mouth a Desert”, a classic Malkmus song featuring his lazy delivery,. After showcasing a few of their more famous songs, such as the rural sounding “Frontwards” (Malkmus’s most clear attempt at a love song), “Spit on a Stranger”, and “Cut Your Hair,” Bob Nastanovich had his first real moment of the night. Nastanovich awkwardly plays drums next to the band’s actual drummer, Steve West, as well as acting like a hypeman, as in a rap group. On “Conduit for Sale!,” Nastanovich screamed passionately 32
into the microphone, and the crowd responded in a maniacal way. With an energized feel, the band responded blissfully playing through “Stereo” and the crowd favorite “Gold Soundz.” “Gold Soundz” is quintessential Pavement; Malkmus muses about a girl with a sarcastic snarl to his voice. The crowd’s persistent involvement brought about the very best of the indie band; Pavement played as if they had no one to impress and nothing to prove. With an impeccable flow to their set, Pavement followed with a focused version of “Trigger-Cut,” sounding just as potent as on the Slanted and Enchanted album cut. Then came “Stop Breathin,’” and “Here,” two downbeat songs, which calmed the crowd into a dreamy-like trance. “Summer Babe,” though, once again had the crowd of crowd of colloquial “hipsters” going wild. The finale of the concert, “Range Life”, served as the climax of the whole night. As the crowd relished their possible final moments with the band of seeing Pavement seemed to feel the same way. As Malkmus sang through the verses and rang out his guitar solos, a feeling of joy overtook me as I watched the band, all in unison, smiling and communicating with each other. In that brief sliver of time, as the band responded to the vibe of the crowd, Pavement came off to me as a real band; a bunch of guys with no unnecessary parts, playing a show that they were proud of.
Stephen Cacouris
Amplified
concert reviews
Eminem and Jay-Z at Yankee Stadium On Tuesday September 14, 2010, Jay-Z and Eminem put on all time performances for a sold out concert at Yankee Stadium. The concert was the fourth and final edition of the “Home and Home Tour,” with the first two performances on September 2nd and 3rd in Eminem’s home city of Detroit, and the second two on September 13th and 14th in Jay-Z’s home city of New York. The combination of an awesome stage set, almost never ending guest performances, and two of music’s biggest icons made the Home and Home Tour one of the greatest hip-hop performances ever, hands down. After B.o.B’s opening performance, the main event began. Eminem was up first and made a booming entry onto the stage with “Won’t Back Down,” one of the hit songs from his newest album entitled “Recovery.” Eminem also performed all of his hits from his earlier albums including “The Eminem Show” and “The Marshal Mathers LP.” The crowd went wild and was on its feet the entire time. Eminem was completely in sync with his music, giving an exceptional on-stage performance, despite the fact that he had not been on tour since 2005. Then Eminem brought out his first guests, D12. Together they delivered “Fight Music,” “My Band,” and “Purple Hills.” B.o.B then surprised the crowd by returning to the stage and performing a remix of his hit song “Airplanes” with Eminem. The crowd roared when 50 Cent appeared afterwards. He performed his song “Patiently his Waiting” with Eminem and then went solo. At that point, G-unit came on and rapped with 50 Cent while wearing glow in the dark outfits. It was one of the visual highlights of the concert. When Eminem came back on stage, he brought on hip-hop legend Dr. Dre. He finished off his Spring 2011
part of the night with “Lose Yourself,” concluding his performance with a fireworks display. After about a 20-minute break, it was time for JayZ. The audience was pumped. After making his entrance onto the stage, Jay-Z got right to it with “Run This Town.” He did not waste any time bringing out his first guests, joined by Kanye West in the middle of the song. Kanye and Jay-Z then performed several of West’s songs, including “Power,” “Can’t Tell Me Nothing,” and “Good Life.” In addition they performed West’s not yet released song “Monster,” which also included the appearance of female rapper, Nicki Minaj. The audience was going nuts the whole time. Jay-Z continued, performing countless hits from his albums with guest stars, Memphis Bleek and Swizz Beatz. However, the show was not over yet. Mary J. Blige and rapper Drake followed one after the other, and then, Eminem came back on stage to perform “Renegade” with Jay-Z. The final guest of the night was Beyonce, who came onstage to perform “Young Forever.” Naturally, the crowd went wild. For the finale, Jay-Z closed with “Empire State of Mind.” This wrapped up what was an unbelievable experience: getting to see two of the music industry’s superstars perform with the addition of some of the most popular musicians around today. No one could have asked for a better concert.
Jacob Frackman
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concert reviews
My Morning Jacket at Terminal 5 Throughout the week of October 18th to October 23rd, My Morning Jacket played all five of their studio albums in five concerts, starting with The Tennessee Fire and finishing with Evil Urges. Each show started with a run-through of the album and ended with numerous covers and encores. The Tennessee Fire was released in May of 1999 and Evil Urges was released in June of 2008, bringing an almost 10 year span between the albums. Having heard about My Morning Jacket from a friend of mine a few years back, I snatched up the opportunity to see them live in October, anticipating the rush to buy tickets for these one-ofa-kind shows. I wasn’t let down, as My Morning J a c k e t ’s Saturday night performance of Evil Urges was incredible. The opening band, Everest, played a solid set, getting on stage at 8 o’clock. With some hotshot credentials for an opening band, such as touring with Neil Young and MMJ in the past, I expected a strong performance and decent crowd for the band. Initially, Everest’s performance seemed satisfactory and somewhat entertaining, but after seeing MMJ’s set, they seemed slightly below par for an opening band. The crowd just wasn’t into the performance. The crowd really perked up as Everest got off the stage, preparing for MMJ’s entrance as waves of people pushed towards the stage. The stage curtains draped on every railing and banister were placed by the band to change up the usually dark and metallic look of Terminal 5’s all-black interior. The venue soon lit up, and MMJ appeared as the curtains were dropped. 34
Starting off with the first track of the album, “Evil Urges,” and playing straight through the rest of the album, MMJ did not fail to please. They played with an unimaginable amount of energy and excitement, a remarkable feat considering that they had played 4 previous shows that week. The set was incredibly fluid, with very quick breaks in between songs. In the middle of the set, Jim James, lead singer and guitarist, toned things down a bit to perform a short acoustic set some songs off the album, including a favorite track of mine, “Librarian.” Going through the album song by song was only the first part of the concert; it was followed by a nine-song encore. This encore even included a few songs that are speculated to be released on their next album: “Circuital,” “Friends Again,” and “Wonderful (The Way I Feel).” Ending the encore with “Move On Up” (a Curtis Mayfield cover) wasn’t enough for all of us, of course. As MMJ exited the stage, the crowd continued to go wild, never ending the ground-shaking noise as they pleaded for more. The band complied, coming back out for a second encore of “One Big Holiday,” the band’s most popular song off their album It Still Moves and the only song played twice throughout the 5 shows that week. At this point, the performance felt surreal; the show became a two-way experience for both performer and audience, MMJ feeding off of the crowd’s energy and exuberance, the crowd taking in and relishing every chord, note, and lyric.
Roya Moussapour
Amplified
Spring 2011
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