"Numb" But Full of Feeling

Massively moving & under-exposed Swedish POP artist Vanbot released her video for Numb last January and honestly, I have not been so affected by a music video in a long time.  It is simultaneously luscious, emotional, and redolent.  Vanbot beautifully captures the idea of the human as a blank canvas against a stunning palate of blues and greys.  As for the song, Numb flows seamlessly with the undulating melody.  Like Robyn, Vanbot evokes the complex emotions of loneliness and vulnerability... with the dancefloor as her arena.

Vanbot's incredible creative team warrant a shout out; Numb is directed and edited by Samuel Axelsson, Josefine Alm and Susanna Johansson, with artwork by Samuel Axelsson, styling by, Therese Lögdal, and lighting by Sara Arnald.

Watch the video for Numb below.

Vanbot will be playing at the SXSW Music Festival this March in Austin, Texas.  If you will be heading there, make sure to pencil her in.

Unapologetically,

Minna

And When I Feel Like I Don't Fit In...

...I'll Be Glamorous In My Own Way

Here are pictures of POP stars who dress in their own way. Some people may think they look "weird," but I see them as utterly glamorous because they ARE utterly glamorous. These people may not have looked that great if they primped themselves in an ordinary manner to suit society's standards of beauty, so they created a style all their own that highlights their unique beauty. These are our role models, not just in fashion, but in life, because with their aesthetics, they teach us to carve out our own paths when we're unable to tread smoothly down those that everyone else follows.

Elly Jackson - La Roux

Annie Lennox

Florence Welch - Florence + the Machine

Adele

Robyn

Peaches

Alanis Morissette

Fred Macpherson - Spector

Lady GaGa

Sir Elton John

& Her Fabulousness Miss Piggy

Pop Levi

Amy Winehouse...RIP

We applaud these artists for their expression of proud individuality. Minna and I are learning to follow their inspiring lead, aesthetic and otherwise. Join us!

Unapologetically,

Gregory

Grammy Album Of Year - What SHOULD Have Been Nominated?

2

Holler!

This is a continuation of yesterday's entry, "Grammys - Album of Year NomNomNoms." Once again, 

in my opinion, an Album of the Year nominee should meet at least one of the following two requirements:

1. The album should be innovative / ahead of the curve.

2. The artist has taken risks, trying out musical/production/vocal/lyrical styles that are completely different from what's out there (and/or what's expected of him/her).

In place of Loud, Wasting Light, and Doo-Wops & Hooligans, the Academy should have nominated any of the following:

a) My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West. Yes, Kanye is a jerk, but he's an intelligent, introspective, and analytical jerk. As Minna says, Kanye's a tragic figure, filled with hubris, egotism, talent, power, and fame. This album, and the minnie movie accompanying it, Runaway, is a masterpiece, proving Kanye's genius. It's an analysis of loneliness from the perspective of one who has achieved fame, fortune, and loss. This all makes sense - Kanye's unbearable ego and search for validation through fame acts as a thin veil for his gaping insecurity and lack of self-worth.  

Kanye is a master sampler and producer, mixing the old with the new, the shiny with the gritty, but never leaving a rough, unfinished edge in sight. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is truly his OWN work, his own artistic vision. It's no wonder he's taken such a liking to GaGa - they're kindred spirits, living for their art. (Of course, GaGa has a closer connection to, and appreciation for, her fans, making her far more likable.) This is a real album, a whole body of work, rather than a bunch of single-worthy songs smushed together into twelve slots. It's filled with different colors and textures, both sonically and lyrically. It's an absolute shame that it wasn't nominated. The reason as to why is most likely political. I'm sure the Grammy voters are turned off by Kanye's unfiltered honesty and mistimed outspokenness, so they've nominated him in the untelevisized rap categories and only one major category, Song of the Year (for All of the Lights). That way, if he wins, he won't be an embarrassment. 

This album meets requirements #1 and #2. It's risky and experimental, mixing a bunch of different genres (including the blues, hip-hop, indie, electronica, and POP) and artists (from Fergie to Bon Iver) together. It's also ahead of the curve. Kanye's an innovator. As a producer, he's bound to have an effect on what's to come since so many clamor to work with him. Also, this album is at least as experimental, sonically and lyrically, as GaGa's Born This Way, but it sounds more accessible to the American radio POP ear. Therefore, other artists can take bits and pieces from this album and easily incorporate them into theirs without worrying about losing their mainstream fan bases.

b) Bon Iver by Bon Iver Speaking of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver owes at least a bit of his recognition from the Academy to Kanye, who raised the indie musician's profile by featuring Woods in Lost in the World. I wouldn't have even thought of including Bon Iver in this category if the group (led by Justin) hadn't received four Grammy nominations, three in the major categories! That's because I'm not a big fan of Justin's music - I only like a few Bon Iver songs. It's a bit too slow for me and makes me sleepy. Pot smokers love it for this reason, but that I am not, so I can't relate. However, I do have great respect for Justin's musicianship. Even though I don't foresee too many big time artists taking cues from this album, I love Bon Iver's disregard for what's trendy. For that reason, Bon Iver meets requirement #2.

c) Body Talk (Pt. 3) by Robyn Oh Robyn, how I adore thee. I could go on and on. For someone who started out as a teen POP star predating Britney, this girl's come semi-full circle (full circle will be when DJs play her on the radio and she gets back into the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, where she belongs.)

I love love love how soulful this album is. Who ever thought that dance music could be as emotional as an Adele song? Robyn, duh! We all love a good ballad to cry to, but Robyn addresses the same insecurity, pain, and desire for love that we all crave, while motivating us to get up and dance through the hurt, instead of lying under the covers like motionless mummies. How does she do this? She and her producers write many of the songs acoustically on piano or guitar, first, to capture the raw emotion. It's only after that they add the beats and silky layers of synths. This is in contrast to a lot of music on the radio, in which the melodies and production have been constructed first, with the lyrics written as an afterthought to the existing beats.

I love that Robyn makes dance music just because it's fun. She's not trying to be part of the current dance craze. She simply remembers what it was like to be a club kid during the '90s, so she tries to recreate that sentiment on Body Talk (Pt. 3). She's worked with such an eclectic mix of producers on this album, including up and comers Klas Åhlund, Billboard, Andrew Kleerup, and Röyksopp. Robyn reunites with Max Martin (Britney, N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, P!nk, Ke$ha) on one of my two favorite songs, Time Machine. (My other favorite is Stars 4-Ever.) She works with Diplo (M.I.A.) on Dancehall Queen. I don't usually like Diplo's production (his songs have this tribal vibe that gives me jungle fever. I prefer an air conditioned 4 star hotel room. Thanks.), but even I really like this song! She exchanges verses with Snoop Dog on U Should Know Better - uber cool.

Body Talk (Pt. 3) is simultaneously diverse and consistent. Girlfriend's lyrics range from soulful (as mentioned previously) to silly (Exhibit A: that song with Snoop). The production remains light and airy throughout. This kind of dance POP is definitely more accessible than the heavy sound on GaGa's Born This Way album. This record meets requirements #1 and #2. The producers have created a sound that perfectly matches Robyn's style and personality. It's super fresh and super yum, like a bottle of Reddi-wip. Also, the fact that the songs are built from the ground up, first acoustically and then produced, gives them a sense of realness that makes them easier to emotionally connect with than songs from Britney, Usher, etc. Her lyrics and singing style are like nothing I've heard before. Furthermore, the sound is so accessible that I can totally foresee artists in need of chart-topping hits borrowing elements from this record. Robyn was robbed. She totes deserves this nomination.

d) 4 by Beyoncé for the aforementioned reasons in the Rihanna Loud section of "Grammys - Album of Year NomNomNoms." 

In the last decade or so, the Grammys lost the credibility and caché they used to possess. Instead of nominating the best in music (as the Oscars nominate the best in film, no matter how large or small the film), they've nominated the most popular in music, making the awards show seem like a corporate attempt to make more money (which it is, but it shouldn't JUST be that). With Arcade Fire winning Album of the Year last February, things started looking up. It's encouraging to see someone like Bon Iver, who's music is so different from what we hear on popular radio, get three nominations in the major categories, of which there are five. Hopefully, this trend will gain momentum, and the Grammys will continue to look beyond the Billboard charts when choosing the nominees in the coming years. 

Make sure to tune into the Grammys on Sunday, February 12 at 8/7c on CBS!

Unapologetically, 

Gregory

The Beauty Construct, Deconstructed

Holler!

This is an oft-discussed subject, so I’m not going to delve too deeply into it, but I would like to briefly write about the beauty construct presented to us by the media. Maybe it’s because I’ve always been really self-conscious, and with my life currently feeling like a mess, that insecurity is boiling over. I love my glam POP gals & guys, but I’m just tired of the same body image being repeatedly thrown around. The sad part is that it’s our fault, because this is a capitalist society. We, as consumers, empower and enforce a cycle of six pack abs after six pack abs. If we didn’t want it, we wouldn’t buy it, or maybe we just haven't known any better. That goes for me, too. I love Rihanna, and I love how she looks, the skinny binny that she is, but that’s part of the point. Just because I want to diversify the beauty ideal, doesn’t mean I want to completely throw it away. I simply want to add more to the equation. Rihanna is beautiful, but so is Adele, and I don’t think the "Rolling In The Deep" singer would look better skinnier - her full figure suits her and enhances her beauty. Adele is absolutely radiant, and I wish we were presented with more examples of such beauty. Robyn, who I’m planning to write an entry about, is an example of beauty in the form of androgyny. I think her short hair and fun, playful clothing makes her adorable and gorgeous. It's the best look for her. That’s why I was upset after watching her "Indestructible" video. While her multi-colored water suit is to-die-for, the rest of the viddy does not live up to girlfriend’s creative open-mindedness. It's filled with people having sex with each other, which is fantastic (depending on the age of the video’s intended audience), but all of those actors look like models. There's no diversity among their body types. I don’t want Robyn to get rid of them, but I would like her to bring more variety into the mix. It would be nice to see some people who are hairy, who are full figured, and who have lots of freckles. The ideal would be to mix the partners in the video – a skinny with a full figure, a non-freckle with a freckle, a baldy with a full head of hair. We all deserve to feel sexy, beautiful, and loved. Therefore, we all deserve to be presented with videos that make each and every one of us feel like we ARE sexy, beautiful, and lovable.

Some of you may think I wouldn’t care if I fit the ideal, and you’re probably right. If I wasn’t hairy everywhere on my body, including all over my back, had a six pack, and didn’t have a receding hair line, maybe I would enforce the ideal and make fun of those who didn’t fit it (the insecure a$$ that I can be), but the fact is I don’t (and I can’t afford the operations in order to). Neither does most of the world’s population, for that matter, so why don’t we evolve our purchasing patterns in order to see more representations of ourselves in music, film, television, and fashion? Why do we keep buying into this ideal and pushing it forward, in turn escalating our insecurities and self-image issues? Doesn’t this seem particularly unhealthy? Maybe it’s time we stop buying that Vogue or People Magazine on the shelf, as hard as it may be to resist, until those publications redefine beauty by throwing in some diversity. In a capitalist society, the most effective form of protest is boycott, because companies will only change if they think that doing so will make them more $$. And maybe, when we’re upset with a POP star we love for a video that makes us self-conscious, we should tweet them about it, so that’s what I’ll do for now – take it day by day, moment to moment. 

Unapologetically,

Gregory

Indie Girls Gone WILD

Holler!

As of late, it seems that a lot of indie’s leading ladies have been going the dance route. Most of their fan bases, comprised of a great deal of hip hip hurray hipsters, are quick to label them as sell-outs. I imagine it goes something like this, "I listened to her back when she was making music with her left nostril. Ugh, this actually sounds catchy. She’s dead to me!” Anyhow, is this really the case? Have these indie queens sold their souls to the music devil? Let’s examine.

Exhibit A is one our faves here at Unapologetically POP, Marina and the Diamonds, with the song "Radioactive" (click here to listen) off her upcoming sophomore release. Stargate produced the track. They’re a Norwegian duo that has worked with a number of pop divas including Beyoncé (on "Irreplaceable"), Katy Perry (on "Firework" and I wanna see your "Peacock" cock cock cock), and most prominently with Rihanna (on "Please Don't Stop the Music," "Rude Boy," "Only Girl," "S&M," etc.). At first, the synths sound like they do in any other club banger, but if you listen to the way Marina sings and to what she sings, it’s the same old gal from before, but in a brand new magical sonic sphere. Look at the chorus’ lyrics, “When you’re around me, I’m radioactive/My blood is burning, radioactive/ I'm turning radioactive/My blood is radioactive/My heart is nuclear/Love is all that I feel/I'm turning radioactive/My blood is radioactive.” The same honesty, pain, and vivid emotional landscape are painted in this song as was the case on all the tracks on The Family Jewels, her debut. She may not have sung many love songs in the past, but she’s said herself that before, she was trying to be indie cool and have credibility, without much regard to what she actually enjoyed, which was energetic, danceable, bubblegum pop. Doing something different to be viewed as respectable and cool if that’s not truly your style is just as fake as doing something to fit in with the radio crowd, so I respect that she’s finally embracing the fact that she wants to be a massive pop diva herself.

Exhibit B: Singer-songwriter Lykke Li’s "Until We Bleed" (click here to listen) with fellow Swede Andrew Kleerup, who’s known for his shimmering dance beats, particularly on Robyn’s "With Every Heartbeat." I’ve never been the biggest fan of Lykke Li. I have nothing against her musicality; she’s quite talented, but most of her stuff isn’t up my alley. However, this song is super catchy and grabs your heartstrings from the very start. The opening verse, “I'm naked/I'm numb/I'm stupid/I'm staying/And if Cupid's got a gun, then he's shootin',” exposes the vulnerability she feels, and the surrounding synths capture her mood perfectly, making for the perfect combination of lyrics and production. 

Exhibit C: Sia’s "Titanium" (click here to listen) on David Guetta’s album, Nothing But The Beat. Sia’s music has always been quirky pop, but I actually prefer the shiny spin that Guetta provides her soulful voice and lyrics. With a chorus in which she sings, “I'm bulletproof, nothing to lose/Fire away, fire away/Brick of shame, take your rain/Fire away, fire away/You shoot me down but I won't fall/I am titanium,” an electronic kick only enhances the ferocity of this power girl’s delivery.

Exhibit D is Kelis. She’s not necessarily indie, but she’s never been as well known as the leading ladies in R&B/Pop, including Beyoncé and Rihanna, except for 2003’s omnipresent "Milkshake" (For some reason my milkshake isn’t bringing all the boys to the yard. Girlfriend needs to send me her recipe. Kelis?). Her 2010 album, Flesh Tone, saw Kelis abandon the hip-hop beats of her past for a brand new direction that was totally gay and totally yay. On the single "Brave" (click here to listen), she starts out revealing the mistakes of her past, singing “I'm not ashamed of winning/But it wasn't that way in the beginning/It was this way/It was kiss me/Come kick me and diss me/I had to give it up.” She then states how having a child saved her, “All of this pain you had given /It's just a reminder of livin/It was crazy, had a baby/He's amazin, he saved me.” This chick’s no sell-out. The synths cloak her emotion and allow her to deliver a sort of truth that I can’t imagine being captured in any other style but dance.

Exhibit E. Robyn. Of all the indie chicks now doing dance music, Robyn is the most prominent. Ironically, the dance direction she took after her teen pop ‘90s years actually made her more popular among indie music lovers. She serves as an excellent example of the beauty and purity that dance production can provide to some raw, emotional lyrics. One of my favorite tracks is "Cry When You Get Older" (click here to listen) on Body Talk Pt. 1. “Hey girl in the strobing light/what ya momma never told ya/is love hurts when you do it right/you can cry when you get older/Young boy by the traffic light/what ya daddy never told ya/is love hurts when you do it right/you can cry when you get older…I start out with good intentions, but mess it up like all the time/I try to keep up with appearance, but always end up way out of line/I need some kinda miracle, cause I've lost all my faith in science/so I put my faith in me.” This song appeals to those who have felt like outsiders (so basically, that’s everyone). Many of us have been the boy in the traffic light or that girl in the strobing light, and that’s what I love about this song and all of the songs that I’ve mentioned in this post. A bunch of people view electronic pop music as a betrayal of all that’s real and true, but I see it as the opposite. It gives us a chance to dance through our pain, to exorcise ourselves of our insecurities. These girls’ lyrics allow us to do it with songs that reflect our own feelings (as opposed to listening to another song about taking shots, which has its place but gets a bit monotonous after a while. I don’t need anyone telling me how to take a shot. I’m a big boy and am well versed in the practice). During these moments on the dance floor, we connect with our wounded inner selves in a spiritual way, and it’s all thanks to the indie gals who’ve bypassed the coffee shop on their way to the gay club.

Unapologetically,

Gregory

JFF - Robyn

We <3 Robyn.

What's that you say?  You're looking for a new song to shake it to this weekend?  Baby, you're in luck!

Check out this AWESOME Kaskade remix of Robyn's Call Your Girlfriend here.  Kaskade is, surprisingly, one of the very few American progressive house artists that we can tolerate (sorry, but if you want trance or house done right, you have to travel to Europe.  That's why God made Armin Van Buuren, ATB, & Tiësto.  'Nuff said.)  Props to Kaskade for an amazing Robyn remix!

Shake thoroughly & enjoy!

Unapologetically,

Minna