A Tale of Two Diamonds

Dear Marina,

Marina on her first American tour -
we loved her use of Beyoncé's diva hair fan

We are true Diamonds. We have followed your artistic journey since the very beginning, admiring you both as an artist and as a person. Minna read your first blog before it was deleted & scrambled to buy the Crown Jewels EP the day it was released. We vividly remember seeing you at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club on your first American tour. Minna drove EIGHT hours that night just to see you, and we doubt she was the only one. How many artists have fans like that? It was a performance to remember; we loved your glow-in-the-dark lipstain and pointy-shouldered Hannah Marshall velvet gown. What we appreciated most, though, were your heart-felt words in between the sets. When we screamed, you said, “And they wonder why I love American crowds.” You stated that you knew “real diamonds [were] in the audience [that night].” We will never forget when you confided in us: “I don’t typically say this, but you guys are a special bunch. Whether you’ve followed me from the beginning or just heard of me yesterday, I want to tell you that you should chase after your dreams and do what you love, as long as you’re not hurting anyone in the process. Life is too short to be unhappy. You don’t know how many people said, ‘Marina, you’ll never make it! No one will ever love you!’” Marina, those words resonated with us. We will forever carry them in our memories and consciousness.

Marina at a Dolce & Gabbana party
 celebrating Naomi Campbell's
25 years in the fashion industry

However, we feel that your special relationship with your fans is going awry. The closeness and connection evident in your words that night seem to be dripping away. As truly devoted Diamonds, this pains us greatly. In this recent webcam chat, you said you’d do anything for your fans. You’d even die for them! Yet, when a fan asked if s/he could attend your birthday party, you responded with something like, “Well, I don’t know you, so no.” Marina, what happened to doing anything for your fans? Where did that special, intimate connection go? Of course, you can’t invite everyone to your birthday, and you may have feared that thousands of fans would ask to attend, but you could have said, “the first five fans to ask for an invite get to come.” That’s how you give back to those who support you.

Your twitter has become a way for you to network with your famous friends in London and Los Angeles, as opposed to a tool through which to communicate with your fans (as it used to be). It seems as though you are more enamored with the POP star lifestyle and your glitzy pals than with your true Diamonds, who aren’t chauffeured in Mercedes and don’t get free clothes from Vivienne Westwood. You’ve always said that your stage name, Marina & the Diamonds, represented a community - yet, as you’ve shot up the POP star ladder, you’ve forgotten about those who helped get you there. You live a glamorous life, and that’s fantastic! We've always hoped for your success! But why don’t you allow the fans who helped bring it to you participate along with you? You began as a woman who detested the elitism of the music and fashion industries, yet now, you’re enabling and enforcing the hierarchy by partaking in it. Why don’t you act more democratically by sharing the trappings with your fans?

Marina (on the far right) at London fashion week

We don’t mind that you’ve died your hair blonde (you look fantastic and the character of Electra Heart fascinates us!) We’re not bothered by your contract with Max Factor. In fact, your glamor and aesthetic is part of what drew us to you and your art.  We don’t care that you’ve changed your mind about many issues; before, you spoke against certain artists using sexuality to sell records, and you talked of never performing on X Factor because they supposedly dumbed down the show for viewers. Now, you’re friends with those aforementioned artists, saying that sexually forward female POP stars are empowering, and we agree (to a degree). You now claim that you’d love to perform on X Factor, and that’s fine. Really, that’s great! We'd love to see you on the show! As people live, they learn, and they change their minds. We do it all the time! You’re not a hypocrite. You’re simply growing up. Altering your opinions is only human.

Marina looking luminous in
one of our favorite Max Factor ads

We don’t care that you’re going more POP on your second record – we’re counting down the days until its release. We think it’s great that you’re working with people like Dr. Luke and Stargate. We adore Dr. Luke and can’t wait to hear what you two have come up with. Radioactive is fantastic. A true artist changes with time, and it’s understandable that you wouldn’t want to make The Family Jewels again – that would be artistically stagnant, not progressive.  However, there’s a difference between working with a hit-maker because you love his music and working with a hit-maker because you want to be famous. You admire Madonna, and we do, too. However, while Madonna may be an iconic POP artist, she is a vile and unappreciative human being. Madonna may have more fans than you numerically, but her attitude is the reason why most of them are fans-LITE. Marina, what you don’t understand is that to your devoted fans, you are already FAR more iconic than Madonna will EVER be to hers! What you have is a human touch. This is the rarest, most invaluable gem that a POP star can possess - worth more than any sum of money, any arena stage, and any amount of fame.

As we feel the gap between Marina and her Diamonds growing... all we want to say is this: "Please don’t forget about us, Marina."

Unapologetically,

Gregory & Minna

Minna's motivational wall when she taught English abroad.

The Hidden Gems of Marina & the Diamonds

We. Love. Marina.  Marina Diamandis is a POP star unlike any other.  She uses glorious visuals, including fantastic shoulder padded designs by talents like Hannah Marshall and Ashish, glow-in-the-dark pink and orange lip stains, lollipop hearts that light up, and felt hamburgers! She can take POP methods, twist them, contort them, flavor them with personality & emerge with a musical style that is completely her own. She has an honesty quite like Lily Allen, which is not very common in POP, and she muses on a multitude of issues in addition to love, including ambition, depression, and feminism. In anticipation of Electra Heart we compiled a list of our favorite, lesser-known tracks by Marina and the Diamonds in the hope that they can hold us over until the big release day!  


Let us begin with Minna's Unlocked Hidden Gems: 

1. This is L.A.– Released in 2007 off of her first EP, Mermaid and Sailor, This is L.A. is very rock n’ roll - more rock n' roll than we are used to from modern Marina ( I nearly envision her jumping onstage with a mullet & flannel shirt, rocking a grungy guitar solo to Smells Like Teen Spirit gone glam!]  A rock-pop prelude to her electropop ballad Hollywood, This is L.A. finds Marina trapped in a world of false values: “Come, come flash your clean, clean cash / gleaming on the outside but your teaming with decay / please don't make me stay, don't make me stay,” she begs.  Marina is consistent.  Even in the formative years of her career she was inspired by America, pop culture, vapidity, and superficiality.  This is L.A. is less polished than her later work, but it demonstrates Marina’s versatility, raw talent, and her genius at story-telling. 

2. Jealousy  - Marina is so damn good at expressing the universal emotions that overtake us, whether they are insecurity, greed, or, in this case, Jealousy.  "I never say a word / unless I come off needy," Marina confesses, "what's this taking over me? Jealousy / Bubbling inside of me? It's jealousy."  We’ve all been there.  Jealousy irrationally bubbles up from deep down inside of us, releasing our demons which, for a moment, overtake us and become us.  Marina's powerful vocals, chantable chorus and insightful, emotive lyrics make Jealousy a song of POP-perfection.

3. Hermit the Frog - Obsessions is probably Marina’s most famous keyboard ballad, but Hermit the Frog does NOT lag behind in its POP quality.  Although the lyrics are rather ambiguous, the subject matter is definitely inspired by Marina's fascination with loners.  "My heart just burst like a glass balloon / We let them fly too high and they shatter too soon / I was the wrong damn girl in the wrong damn room / I broke my glass balloon," she gently coos.  When once asked why she felt she could write music, Marina responded that she had always been a confident poet.  It shows.  The grace of Marina's songwriting is a gift.  Every song is as unique as a fingerprint, and Hermit the Frog is a perfect example.

Gregory's Unlocked Hidden Gems:

4. Sinful - This is one of Marina's first collaborations with French producer Pascal Gabriel, who worked with her on Shampain, a song that made it onto her previous album, The Family Jewels. Marina's second record, Electra Heart, is rumored to be far more electronic, but she dipped her feet into the synthesized pond with Pascal the last time around. This track is not on her debut, but it definitely has the same shimmer possessed by all of her others. It's energetic and sparkly, yet has an underlying sadness to it, particularly when she sings, "I lost my spine inside the center of a star / And every day I wonder where the bad bones are / You die an ugly day if you hit and miss, I know my own grand daddy worked so hard for this." As Minna stated earlier in reference to Hermit the Frog, it's sometimes difficult to know what the indie princess alludes to, but regardless, her emotion is evident in her tragic nursery rhyme-like lyrics.


5. Living Dead - Marina has said that this track will be on Electra Heart. Someone (presumably her or an exec from her label) has leaked it to help build hype, get feedback, etc. In it, she makes reference to the same black balloon mentioned in Hermit the Frog. This song is exactly the kind of music Marina said she would make. It's more electronic than her previous material, but her sound, composed of insightful lyrics and creative melodies, is still very much the same if you scrape away the beautiful production and beats. Furthermore, the electronic element doesn't take away from her strong, emotive voice. It only adds to it, creating a sparkly sound filled with dark hues of green, purple, blue, and black, thereby enhancing the sense of numbness she sings about.


The following two songs may be on Electra Heart, although no confirmation has been provided: 

6. Sex, Yeah - Here, Marina expresses her feminist sensibility, singing "If women were religiously / recognized sexually / we wouldn't have to feel the need / to show our a$$es to feel free." Take that, society! Girlfriend speaks the truth.


7. Scab & Plaster - This song is '80s synth-licious. I LOVE the chorus - "I've lost, I've lost my innocence / I've found my self-belief / And in a cup of loneliness / I've found instant relief" and then she cheers "You hold me down, you hold me up / Oh Daddy, are we out of luck? / You brought me up to bring me down / You shut me in, You shut me up." She just makes you want to chant right along with her in an effort to empower us all. 


With songs like these, Electra Heart has the foundation  of a successful album. As I've said before, the rest depends on how well her label promotes her globally, especially in America, and on whether radio executives and DJs will spin her tunes. Marina's rumored to have worked with some great producers on this record like Liam Howe, Diplo, Greg Kurstin, Dr. Luke, Stargate, and Swedish House Mafia - such an eclectic mix of indie, pop, and dance. In her interview with Popjustice, she said that "Electra Heart is the antithesis of everything that I stand for. And the point of introducing her and building a whole concept around her is that she stands for the corrupt side of American ideology, and basically that’s the corruption of yourself. My worst fear - that’s anyone’s worst fear - is losing myself and becoming a vacuous person. And that happens a lot when you’re very ambitious." She's putting together a photography exhibition entitled The : Archetypes in London for the album release in February. Some pics can be seen on Marina's Electra Heart Tumbr. She's also going to accompany the songs on the album with corresponding videos that, all together, will tell the story of corruption by the hands of American ideologies. View the first two, Fear & Loathing and Radioactive here. 

We love you Marina!

Unapologetically,

Gregory & Minna

 

JFF - Oh My!

Britpop & girl power go down smoother than peanut butter & chocolate (if this was not the case I wouldn't have spent innumerable Halloweens dressed as Ginger Spice & Lily Allen).  So when fellow blogger Zach of ZInTheMix recommended that we listen to Kicking & Screaming by British girl group Oh My!, the answer was easy: we're there.

We listened, we absorbed, we learned.  Oh My! are newcomers Alex & Jade signed by 679 Artists (Marina and the Diamonds, Little Boots, Spark). Word on the street is that Example is writing for their debut album.  (Wow, these girls have accomplished quite a bit for being barely in their 20s!)  As for their music, I prefer the Superwoman singalong Run This Town over Kicking & Screaming.  Run This Town starts off sounding like a chant from The Go! Team then explodes into a power pop ballad reminiscent of Queen's Another One Bites the Dust.  Rock on.

We think you'll dig this duo: check out Oh My!'s Facebook Page & download their latest singles free!

Oh My! are totally full of POP potential.  After a little more time developing & expanding their sound, we are sure these chicks will be ready for blast off.  Maybe they'll even go on tour with fellow badasses Icona Pop!  (Hey, we can dream)

Break a leg, ladies!  We'll hit you up when we're in Leeds.

Unapologetically,

Minna

PS - Shout out to ZInTheMix for the POP radar recommendation!  If you would like to submit a song for our consideration, feel free to contact us.

It's Time to SHAKE yo Bootyliciousness

Holler!

Two of our favorite divas have released comeback singles from their second albums. Florence & the Machine (Florence Welch) and Little Boots (Victoria Hesketh) both arrived in 2009, receiving BRIT Critics Choice Award nods and spots on the BBC Sound of 2009 Poll, with Florence winning the former and Little Boots topping the latter.

Ms. Welch debuted with Lungs, an epic album featuring intricate instrumentation, including LOTS of harp. If there existed an album that was the sonic equivalent of a cathedral, it would be Lungs (which makes sense, because if I'm not mistaken, it was recorded in one). Florence was the artist I wanted to like oh so much, with her cooler than cool (but really, hotter than hot) red hair and indie-soul flair. Every time I saw her in a music magazine, her shiny red locks were perfectly manicured, accompanied by glossy makeup and fantastic fashion (love your clothes, Hannah Marshall!). She just oozed "cool." May I say "cool" twenty more times? It's warranted when it comes to Florence. Her music was original, innovative, and of very high quality, but for some reason, it never completely satisfied me. Yes, I enjoyed (and still enjoy) the following songs: Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up), Girl With One Eye, Hurricane Drunk, and Swimming. The lyrics are gorgeous, the production is fresh yet simultaneously classic, girlfriend's performance and visuals are as energetic and glamorous as it gets, and her voice could knock someone out.

Still, something is a bit off for me, and I think it always will be. As good as Shake It Out sounds (it sounds SUPER), I have come to terms with the fact that Florence's music and I will never perfectly fit together. It's not her, it's me. I will always like (and often, REALLY like) her stuff, but will never love it (as much as I want to). As cool as I've aspired to be in the past, I'll forever remain the dorky gay Jewish boy from the burbs, and that's alright with me. However, that doesn't mean I won't enjoy her new album, Ceremonials. As expected, the cover is gorg, and I'm sure what's inside will be, as well. It's out today (Happy Halloween!), so go pick up a copy before digging your teeth into a 3 Musketeers.

I've liked Little Boots in a similar piecemeal fashion. A number of her songs are overly European for my Overprotected American ears, so I was initially resistant to her music. Little by little (pun unintended), though, the catchiness of her debut's tunes won me over. I LOVE Hearts Collide, which I included on our Spooky POP Playlist, Part 4. I also adore the Greg Kurstin produced New In Town (should totally have been released to American radio) and Earthquake, Stuck On Repeat, No Brakes (perfect for nighttime driving), etc., etc., etc. (this list could go on and on). With time, her music has severely grown on me. She's similar to Robyn in that she combines electronic music with emotional lyrics. Many people call Little Boots the new Kylie. I like Ms. Minogue, and I do think she's far more talented than people give her credit for (ACOUSTIC   PROOF), but Little Boots is on another level. She's a classically trained musician who writes her music on the piano before adding any electronic elements. Afterward, she takes everything further with her use of the Tenori-On, a new musical instrument designed by a Japanese artist (according to Wikipedia). Little Boots has said that most of the instruments we play are centuries old, so she incorporates the Tenori-On, both in production and live performance, as a way to move music forward and innovate. On another note, Victoria's fashion aesthetic seems to be more innate and creatively conjured than Kylie's.

Her new song, Shake ('Till Your Heart Breaks), is super trancey. It definitely leans toward the European side of the dance equation, so it will take me time to warm up to (I REALLY want to - just don't know if it will happen or not). I can totally imagine myself getting sweaty and sloppy to this song, but it's missing the over-the-top American chorus that I'm accustomed to. However, it's impeccably produced and definitely gets me excited about her material to come. While Florence toured Lungs for almost three years, visiting America multiple times, Little Boots cut her first North American tour short as all the traveling was wearing on her. (I'd be absolutely exhausted after two years of promotion, too. The human body can only handle so much.) She took a well-deserved break, and naturally gravitated back to songwriting. These days, the music making cycle is insanely hectic, with POP stars releasing a new album right after the release of the last single from their previous album. It's nice to see an artist writing songs at a more natural, enjoyable pace - when they actually feel inspired, rather than running on a pre-defined label schedule.

Anyhow, I'm excited to see what's to come from these two gals. I'll definitely be listening to Florence & the Machine's Ceremonials over the next year, feeling out the tracks and acclimating myself to them, and will surely do the same with Little Boots' new album when it's unveiled. Let us know which of their two comeback singles you'd rather SHAKE it to in our poll up above!

Unapologetically,

Gregory