Monday Musings: How Far is Too Far with Deceased Musicians?

Today, we cover the sad topic of musicians that have passed on to the next life... and the greedy sons of bitches that won't let them rest in peace.

Michael Jackson's hologram says hello.

But a question I'd like to ask is: am I being too cynical? Is there really that much harm in bringing back a dead performer in hologram form? Is playing a pseudo-god going too far? And if not, what is?

Let's see if we can determine the main reason for bringing the likes of Michael Jackson and 2Pac back in hologram form. Is it to make money, or to make crowds happy, or maybe a little of both?

Well, there's definitely a money aspect. Michael Jackson's estate is making more money now than he had been since the peak of his career. No doubt some of that is due to not letting him rest in peace, releasing new albums and having a hologram dancing on stage at the Billboard Music Awards.

But there's also been a hollow void in pop music ever since Jackson died. I think after he died, we tried to replace him with all kinds of people. Taio Cruz, Jason Derulo, Jay Sean. But none of them were Michael. None of them were even close. So the only logical thing to do to appease Michael's fans would be to bring the King of Pop back himself. 

That's why I don't think it's entirely greed that motivates these people. It's a way of expressing their love for the performer, and the sorrow for their passing. Some people may have moral problems with the idea, but I think there's an element of good to it. Just don't have hologram Michael star in commercials trying to sell me something...

"This is How We Roll" - Florida Georgia Line ft. Jason Derulo & Luke Bryan

Florida Georgia Line... Jason Derulo... and Luke Bryan. Are the pop charts trying to create a triforce of my personal hell or something?

This is how I roll: never wanting to hear any of these artists ever again. But what the pop charts give me, I must take. So join me on a ride through the dark underworld where these three banes of my existence can come together to create what will be, no doubt, the worst song of the year.

...Okay, it's really not that bad. But it's not good. At all. Plenty wrong with it, starting with JASON DERULO BEING ON THE TRACK.

Now Florida Georgia Line have ventured into the hip hop world before, with "Cruise"'s remix featuring Nelly. And while that song was terrible in its own right... at least Nelly didn't pretend that he was country.

My accent’s got a little twang, little thang

No it doesn't. Your accent's got the same effect to me as a can of Raid does to bugs. Whatever your accent is, it's not a "little twang, little thang".

Always make the ladies scream my...

Scream your... scream your what?

My name louder

Yeah, that's... that's what I thought. Why did you pause for that? That's exactly what people were expecting!

You guys may think I'm doing this to make Derulo look like an idiot, but he really doesn't need my help in that process. That is literally how he says that line. That's how he "rolls", I guess.

Now that we've got by far the worst part of the song out of the way, let's look at Florida Georgia's lines... I mean, Florida Georgia Line. 

This is how we roll
This is how we do
We're burning down the night shooting bullets at the moon 

That's how you roll? That's how you do? Shooting bullets aimlessly, possibly endangering the lives of innocent people? Nice job, boys.

Yeah we're proud to be young
We stick to our guns
We love who we love and we love to get drunk

America, before you let these songs get popular, just think for a second that these guys are representing you as a nation. This may not be how all of America rolls, but others may be inclined to think so.

I really don't even want to talk about Luke Bryan, mostly because I hate his voice and I don't need to give him a re-listen any time soon. But despite a few missteps here and there, like Derulo's entire verse, this song is more boring than bad. They sing "this is how we roll" and it doesn't sound particularly exciting. It doesn't make me want to roll with them, or anyone like them. Keep on rollin' in your boring, overdone ways, guys. Just keep your mouths shut about it. Good music, that's how I roll.

Weekend Wrap-up (Jun. 22-28): Maroon 5, Lionel Richie, and Bobby Womack

Let's see what's cooking in the metaphorical news pot. Hmm, that didn't make as much sense as I would've liked it to. Oh well.

Lionel Richie recently celebrated his 65th birthday with an on-stage tribute from Kid Rock, and many other famous friends contacting him via video, including Lenny Kravitz, Barbra Streisand, and Tim McGraw. Kid Rock's visit was apparently a surprise, as he trotted on stage with a birthday cake singing Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday" to a very surprised Richie. I only wish all of my birthday parties were that awesome. Maybe when I'm 65.

Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence has recently hit #1 on the UK charts. The album outsold Linkin Park's new release The Hunting Party, which must settle for #2 this week. Debuts on the chart include deadmau5's while(1<2) and Tiesto's A Town Called Paradise.

Maroon 5's new song "Maps" has set a new record for the best first-week plays total in the Adult Pop Songs chart's history, with 1,909 first-week plays. It also ties Eric Clapton's 1996 hit "Change the World" for the second-best debut rank on the chart.

Justin Bieber has been involved in a car crash. He was not injured, no charges were filed, and he wasn't even driving. I guess you could call this a good day for Bieber.

While Iggy Azalea's song "Fancy" remains at #1 on the Hot 100, change is in the air as MAGIC!'s "Rude" tops the Digital Songs chart and Maroon 5's "Maps" debuts on the chart at #14. However, Azalea is set to break records with "Fancy" still at #1 and "Problem" still at #2. The only other female artist to have two featured songs at the #1 and #2 spots for five straight weeks has been Ashanti with "Foolish" and Fat Joe's "What's Luv?"

Finally, some sad news: Legendary soul singer Bobby Womack has died at the age of 70. He was inducted into the rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, and the world is already taking notice via social media. RIP.

Flashback Friday: "Makes Me Wonder" - Maroon 5 (2007)

God, Maroon 5 were boring in 2013.

Doesn't anyone remember when they were at their funkiest? Well, I do. And that time was 2007.

Sometimes I see backlash directed at Maroon 5, but this song is almost never the focus of it. And for good reason: it is, by a country mile, Maroon 5's best song. Everything about it just clicks. Adam Levine's voice, which I didn't really think could mesh with anything, meshes really well with this pounding beat and slick guitar.

Now, that's not to say Maroon 5 didn't have other great songs. I enjoyed Songs About Jane a lot, actually. But this song is probably their most universally acclaimed. Well, maybe not universally acclaimed, but every song has a critic. "So boring it's offensive." Ouch.

Well, this song still has a fan in me. I remember listening to this all the time in 2007. It was so ridiculously catchy, and it still is. Adam Levine conveys this "fuck you, I'm awesome" attitude in a way he never has before. He seems really distant from the girl he's talking to, as if the album this was off of should have been called Getting Over Jane. I like "take-no-bullshit" Adam, it's a good fit for him after gaining fame. So, this is goodbye.

Top 10 Thursday: Top 10 FIFA World Cup Songs

GOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA-whatever. This is a list of the Top 10 World Cup songs.

10. "El Rock del Mundial" - Los Ramblers (Chile 1962)

Gotta give at least some credit to the first World Cup song ever. It used some of the hippest, stylin' music at the time to create a great World Cup anthem. And of course, it's not complete without shouting "GOOOOOOAAAAAAA-" ow, my throat.

9. "Futbol" - Maryla Rodowicz (Germany 1974)

This is a really offbeat World Cup song to me, and I kind of respect that. It's not really trying to be a bombastic World Cup anthem; it's just a simple song about futbol. And a charming one, at that. Maryla Rodowicz has a great, captivating voice.

8. "Gloryland" - Daryl Hall and Sounds of Blackness (United States 1994)

Now here's a song trying to be an anthem, and I didn't really think it would work all that well, but it does, proving that The United States have just as much capability of making a great World Cup song as anyone else. (Now, if only their neighbours up north would get a decent team for once... bitter, who, me?)

7. La Cour des Grands (Do You Mind if I Play)" - Youssou N'Dour and Axelle Red (France 1998)

France was the first nation to have multiple official World Cup songs, and while I still don't know what the hell this is, they did have a really nice World Cup anthem in "La Cour des Grands". It's almost a kids' song, sounding so happy and simple. Perfect to symbolize the game of soccer. Minus the biting, that is.

6. "Un'estate Italiana (To Be Number One)" - Edoardo Bennato and Gina Nannini (Italy 1990)

Oh man, this video is just hilarious, especially the girl. Look at her, she doesn't seem to have a clue what she's doing there. Thankfully, the song makes up for the incredibly awkward video, having all the charm of late 80's power ballad as well as all of the cheese. I don't think this song could have been made any other year but FIFA '90. (Well, maybe '86, but that's a whole other song...)

5. "Anthem" - Vangelis (South Korea/Japan 2002)

South Korea and Japan's year by far had the best overall songs, and all three of them make the list. This one comes in last, but make no mistake: it's still an awesome World Cup anthem. I actually think it's great that there's no lyrics; it makes it more inclusive. Everyone can understand the language of music, and I think that's what the artist intended.

4. "Boom" - Anastacia (South Korea/Japan 2002)

This song is only slightly better than "Anthem", but I do like it better for legitimate reasons. I like the more "hard rock" tone the song takes, and even though I did appreciate "Anthem"s lack of lyrics, "Boom"s lyrics really fit the spirit of competition. BOOM, here to rock ya. Awesome.

3. "Let's Get Together Now" - Voices of Korea/Japan (South Korea/Japan 2002)

But if I have to give the prize to best South Korea/Japan World Cup song, it would be this one, which brings together the flavours of both nations with singers from each nation. It works great as an inspiring anthem that pumps you up for the World Cup and the nations hosting.

2. "Hot Hot Hot" - Arrow (Mexico 1986)

Obligatory pick. You can't talk about World Cup anthems without talking about probably the most universal of them all. Anyone can sing along to that chorus. Anyone can enjoy the blending of different genres to create a bombastic anthem to ring in Mexico's FIFA games... Except maybe Arrow, who has grown to loathe the song in his later years. It happens. Kurt Cobain hated "Teen Spirit" too. They just don't know what's good for us, it seems. Olé, olé! Olé, olé! Feelin'... like introducing the #1 song.

1. "La Copa de la Vida (The Cup of Life)" - Ricky Martin (France 1998)

Yes, that's right. Ricky fuckin' Martin of all people tops my list. Say what you want about the guy, but he knows how to party hard and how to get you hyped. And this song was the single most exciting World Cup song we've ever had, courtesy of Ricky Martin. Ricky Martin, my #1 pick, You're all welcome. Now go enjoy some football.

Watch-for-it Wednesday: "Shower" - Becky G

So I've been hearing about this Becky G chick for quite some time now. I don't really know who the hell she is, as she has never appeared on my musical radar. But here we are now, with Becky G on the brink of having an honest-to-goodness hit with "Shower". And... well, I don't know, it's okay.

It sounds like exactly the type of carefully manufactured pop that gets insanely popular. In fact, why isn't this insanely popular already? Is it because Becky didn't have her own Disney Channel show? (Obviously talent isn't a good barometer for whose catchy pop songs get famous.)

Actually, this sounds like it could be off of the Disney Channel. "You light me up inside like the 4th of July"? Yeah, even idiot tweenagers will get that simile! Let's use it!

I guess it's not entirely squeaky-clean; it's kind of like Selena Gomez's newer stuff, only less soul-crushingly pathetic. It's about love, but it somehow sounds more refined than a Disney Channel song, and more ready to enter the Top 40... even though High School Musical already accomplished that feat somehow.

If it sounds like I'm grasping at straws to find something to say about this song, it's because I am. I don't hate, or even dislike the song, so I can't exactly rage over it. But I don't really like it all that much either. It's a pretty forgettable song, and I can honestly picture just about any teen star singing this, even Justin Bieber. Just... not a whole lot to say at all here. Moving on to the big questions:

Hot 100 Success:

Will she have it?

I don't know, honestly. If it's not insanely popular yet, who's to say it ever will be? Maybe as a society, we're past the stage of letting 17-year-olds run our pop charts. A step in the right direction, in other words.

Should she have it?

That said, Becky G wouldn't be the worst thing to appear in the Top 40 this year, not by a long shot. Just like my opinion on this song, I answer this question with an "eh, whatever".

CanTunes Tuesday: "Don't Kill the Magic" - MAGIC!

Of all the songs that Canada has to offer... of all the songs that could have become an international hit... why'd you pick "Rude"?

Was I not harsh enough with my review? Should I have laid my hatred on a little thicker? Well, here I go, then: "Rude" is one of the worst songs I've heard this decade. It's a whiny, faux-reggae, insulting piece of garbage, and there is no way that it should have been popular enough not only to cross internationally, but also to spawn a second hit for this wretched group. This is "Don't Kill the Magic".

Haha, get it? Because their band name is MAGIC! How delightfully quirky! Oh, God.

Look, I'll give the song this, anyway: it is nowhere near as bad as that atrocity that was "Rude". But it's not really that interesting, either. I guess "Rude" is at least a different sound, but this... this is like, OneRepublic Lite, and that's saying something.

If I had to give "Rude" something, at least it wasn't boring. It was painfully obnoxious, but not boring. This is really boring. They say "don't kill the magic" in the song, but I think this song is actively killing any magic it comes across. 

Not helping things is Nasri's whiny vocals. I guess he just sounds like that all the time? In that case, maybe it's the girl who should be singing this song. She sure doesn't seem happy with her relationship in this one:

If you want space (you could have it)
If you want change (you could have it)

If she wants divorce papers, could she have those too? This is what happens when you don't listen to the father of the bride-to-be, Nasri!

Not that I'm blaming the girl here; this is entirely on Nasri and his inability to take "no" for an answer... YET AGAIN.

I’m not ready to give up just yet
We could stay until we both forget

So... if she wants space, she can have it... but you want her to stay until she... forgets that she wants space? God, you really are clingy, aren't you?

Just don’t kill, don’t kill the magic

Don't you get it? She wants to kill the magic. Because it's not magical for her. Maybe because you're a whiny douchebag. Maybe.

I really am giving this song too much credit by analyzing the lyrics. It's an incredibly weak melody with a whiny singer. I don't understand how this could be appealing to anybody. Is Nasri... cute or something? I don't know. All I know is I want MAGIC! off my musical radar, and if they keep releasing songs like this, that might happen sooner than I think.

Monday Musings: Teen Idols

So... how about that Justin Bieber?

Remember when he actually made music, and not just headlines? Those were... the days, I guess. "The good ol' days" might be pushing it.

Why are teen idols so prone to troubles later in life? Could it be because they get ushered into the business at far too young an age, molded ever-so-carefully by record executives, and then rebel against their squandered youth when they become adults? Yeah, that sounds about right.

Well, that ends that discussion! But just so I'm not leaving you with little to nothing today, let's take a look at some of Justin Bieber's antics:

Okay, enough, enough. This is why I don't talk about Justin Bieber that much.

"Wiggle" - Jason Derulo ft. Snoop Dogg

JASON DERULO NEEDS TO GO AWAY!

Am I missing some big joke here? This does not seem possible. How the hell does Derulo have another top 5 hit with one of his stupidest songs yet?!

...You know, there was one point where I thought Derulo was actually getting better.

Let me take you back briefly to 2013, around this time. Derulo had exactly one hit that year, with "The Other Side". And you know what? I kind of liked it. No, it wasn't a masterpiece or anything. This is still Jason Derulo we're talking about, after all. But... it was nice enough to listen to. I didn't necessarily want to turn it off.

Cue 2014, where Jason Derulo is at his absolute douchebaggiest, taking notes from Lil Wayne and Chris Brown alike. He's turned from "thoughtful" crooner into "bad boy" rebel in the flip of a hat. And the latter "persona", no matter how much I disliked Derulo before, is much, much worse.

You know what to do with that big fat butt

Sashay it to the other side of the room to avoid your lecherous comments?

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle

Oh, right. That was going to be my second guess.

Give Derulo some credit though: he does break new ground with pickup lines.

Hot damn it
Your booty like two planets

Of course, it's because no self-respecting pickup artist would ever USE that pickup line, but it's something. And in case you can't handle Derulo's innovative thinking (*smirk*), he also goes to the Well of Absolutely Overused, Worn-Out Pickup Lines. It's located somewhere in California, I think.

I got one question
How do you fit all that in them jeans?

I got one question: How do you fit this much failure into one song?

This song also has Snoop Dogg on it, which kind of solidifies that he's given up on street cred. Of course, the duet with Katy Perry might have done that already, but let's see how he further tarnishes his reputation:

Shake what your mama gave you
Misbehave you
I just wanna strip you, dip you, flip you, bubble bathe you
What they do
Taste my rain drops, OK boo
Now what you will and what you want and what you may do

Eh... this isn't that bad.

If there's one thing Derulo does smartly, it's giving us a break from Derulo, which is essential in a Derulo song. Snoop Dogg's verse isn't great, but he at least sounds like he knows what he's talking about compared to Derulo's coyote yelping.

And it wouldn't be a complete "Wiggle" review if I didn't point out this:

Go head, and go ham sammich

...Ham sammich? What, you want her to make you a sandwich? Or... what the hell is "ham sammich" referring to? Some kind of sex act? Whatever it is, it's put me off of ham sandwiches.

Great beat, by the way. I think I heard my sister play it on her recorder once.

This song fails so hard in so many different ways. It's Jason Derulo, but even I'm surprised at how much failure this song possesses. It's like Derulo isn't even trying anymore. 

Here's the kicker: this song isn't even interestingly bad. Sure, there's a bad line here and there, but every time I hear it, it all just comes together in mediocre sludge. At least "Talk Dirty" had a pulse and was in your face about how terrible it was. This is just weaksauce garbage, and I'm giving it far too much thought already. Stop making this man a star. Please.

Weekend Wrap-up (Jun. 15-21 2014): Casey, Maroon 5, and Aaliyah

It's that time again! Let's get started:

Casey Kasem is remembered this week as a man who made countdowns coast to coast. He died early this week at age 82, and is strongly associated with his "American Top 40" Countdown, as well as being the beginner of all music countdowns. RIP Casey.

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett made a surprise appearance at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in New York City. They talked to a 700-student audience about jazz, creativity, and The Great American Songbook, as well as fielding questions from the audience.

Brian Williams is rapping again! This time, it's "Baby Got Back". Take a look here.

Maroon 5 is returning to the Billboard charts with their newest single, "Maps", which dropped midnight, June 16th. It became so popular that it reached #1 on the newly founded Twitter charts as well. Take a listen here.

Aaliyah's family is looking to halt the biopic release of the late singer, starring 17-year-old Zendaya Coleman as Aaliyah. Coleman has remained positive about the role and the backlash that has ensued, saying that she "can't please everybody" and that she's ecstatic to get to play "one of her biggest inspirations".

Finally, Beyoncé has launched an HBO series of Mrs. Carter World Tour concert segments. The installments will play at 8:55 PM EST, starting tomorrow night and playing every Sunday night for ten weeks.

Flashback Friday: "Rock Your Body" - Justin Timberlake (2003)

Let's take it back to when Justin Timberlake was just a young boy trying to make it big with his... boy band... sex appeal?

Sure, why not? At least he went on to do something. And he did evolve into the panty-melting sex symbol he is today. But right now, we're looking at Timberlake in his pupa stage.

And for what it's worth, this song is pretty catchy, especially the chorus, which the song starts out with. So, what's this song about? Well, it's about rockin' bodies. That's about it. I'm not even sure it's about sex; it looks like it's just about grinding...

Better have you naked by the end of this song

Whoop, there goes that theory.

However, I don't know about this song as a whole. Timberlake today could pull it off, but just-got-out-of-*NSYNC Timberlake? I'm not totally buying it.

So go ahead, girl, just do
That ass shaking thing you do

See, when he says "ass" here, it sounds like a little kid who just discovered the word "ass", rather than... well, actually, it's a pretty stupid line regardless. But you see my point. I think Timberlake's transition into sex god was just too abrupt, and while "Cry Me a River" can be unbearable if I'm in the wrong mood, it sounds like more of a song Timberlake should have been making at the time.

You see, despite their dreaminess, boy bands are extremely chaste. Their songs are never about sex; it's always about love and hearts and bullshit that preteen girls just eat off a plate. To go from that to

So go ahead, girl, just do
That ass shaking thing you do

in the blink of an eye is just too sudden. I still like the song; it's got a good beat and Justin Timberlake further proves that he was the only talented member of his boy band with his vocals. I just think it could have waited, maybe until his FutureSex/LoveSounds album. There, Timberlake blossoms from an awkward pupa into a beautiful butterfly of suave.. Here, he's still at awkward pupa stage. I guess the song did help the transition into Justin Timberlake's reputation for girls going naked right in front of him, though. Heh heh, I had to bring that up eventually.

"Rock Your Body": Solid song, but maybe it could have sat on the backburner a little.

Top 10 Thursday: Top 10 Rock n' Roll Drummers

Let's rock and roll with a list not posted late at night this time! Let's count down the Top 10 Rock and Roll Drummers!

10. Kurt Dahle (The New Pornographers)

Okay, I know what you're all thinking: "The Who Pornographers"? Well, The New Pornographers are a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1999, and a lot of their appeal, I think, comes from the drummer, who just adds a whole new level of energy to the group. Listen to the drum solo at the beginning of this song pull you in. Without Kurt Dahle, The Pornographers might have just been an okay indie group. But I think Dahle's drumming exceeds them past that level.

9. Joey Kramer (Aerosmith)

Aerosmith are seriously one of my favourite bands of all time, and part of that notoriety (if you choose to call it that, which I do) can be attributed to their wonderful drummer, Joey Kramer. He does what a drummer needs to do: he keeps a steady rhythm throughout the song, then when it's time, he unleashes a drum solo. Good on ya, Joey. Good on ya.

8. Tre Cool (Green Day)

Another one of my favourite bands of all time, go figure. I can't think of anyone who could back up Billie Joe better than Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool. They keep the rhythm in the background like no others, but they really do deserve to be showcased in the foreground more often. Especially Tre, who hides his blistering drum techniques in the midst of the chorus and verses in each Green Day song. And who can forget the pounding intro to "Longview"? Masturbation may lose its fun, but Green Day and Tre Cool's drumming won't.

7. Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention)

Joe's Garage was an album initially released to slightly mixed reviews, but has since been hailed as a masterpiece. Part of that masterpiece was Vinnie Colaiuta, whose work on this album cemented him as one of the greatest drummers ever in the business. Modern Drummer magazine named him "the most technically advanced drummer ever", and his variety and rhythm throughout this song and many others reinforce that opinion.

6. Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)

There is no disputing Mike Portnoy's placement on this list after watching the video, except you may think he's too low. Well, despite his obvious talent, it's easy to see where his influence came from (more on him later) and I gotta go with who did it first and best. But that's not knocking Portnoy in any way. His drum solos are kickass, and he meshes with the band really well. He's an excellent drummer, but there's just five I like more.

5. Carl Palmer (ELP)

What can I even say, people? Just let the solo speak for itself.

4. Stewart Copeland (The Police)

The Police were one of the creepiest and cleverest rock bands of their time. And always there to guide them through creepy teacher/student relationships or creepy stalking or RAAAAAWWWWWWXAAAAAANE was Stewart Copeland, the faithful drummer of the group. He could do awesome solos, he could do creepy lead-ins, he could do tight rhythm, he could do it all.

3. Keith Moon (The Who)

YEEEEEEAAAAAH! While The Who is just an all-around excellent band, it's Keith Moon's drumming that will be singled out for this list. Whether he's playing small songs like "Happy Jack" or big grandiose productions like "Won't Get Fooled Again", Moon always gave it his all. In some Who songs, it's the drumming that really makes it click, because Keith would never settle the fuck down, and he always sounded awesome as a result. And of course, we have to bring up his hard rockin' lifestyle, which sometimes overshadows his drumming, which I think is a damn shame, because he was a fantastic drummer. Thirty-five-odd years after his passing, people still say it's true. One of those people is me.

2. John Bonham (Led Zeppelin)

If it's been a long time since you've rock and rolled, go listen to some John Bonham and Led Zeppelin to get you back into the mood. This guy is consistently hailed as one of the best drummers of all time, and it's easy to see (or rather, hear) why just by listening to a Zeppelin song. The energy. The rhythm. The solos. The lead-ins. Led Zeppelin was an awesome band all around, but they really lost a great when they lost Bonham.

1. Neil Peart (Rush)

What, were you expecting the drummer from Nickelback? Yeah, Neil Peart's an obvious #1 choice for this list, but he damn well should be: he is, in my opinion, the greatest drummer in rock n' roll. Not only does he have fantastic rhythm skills, fast playing, and great fills and solos, but he also writes the lyrics for Rush. So the next time you're scratching your head over "Tom Sawyer", blame Peart. But don't blame him. Love him. Love him as the greatest, or at least most obviously great, drummer of all time.

Watch-for-it Wednesday: "Habits (Stay High)" - Tove Lo

Sometimes, believe it or not, there's a dark side to the "party hard" lifestyle. Sometimes it's not just something fun you do. Sometimes it's an escape from the real world. Here to illustrate that point is a new artist named Tove Lo.

This is... a slightly disturbing song, and I think I like it. A lot.

It's great to see an artist showing another side to a common theme in music; that is, partying and doing so with high frequency. It's almost a bluesy party song.

It doesn't make me nervous
If anything I'm restless
Yeah, I've been around and I've seen it all

Right off the bat, this is not a happy song. She's not excited to be living her life this way; she's "seen it all".

I get home, I got the munchies
Binge on all my Twinkies

Now "binge" is a word with a strong negative connotation that you definitely don't hear in many party-themed songs. And as we get to the chorus, it's apparent why she still chooses to act this way, despite feeling nothing inside:

You're gone and I gotta stay high all the time
To keep you off my mind

Wow.

That's what I like about this song: it's different, it's fresh, it's new. We had quite a few hits last year that criticized modern themes in pop music, or turned those themes around in some way, but this is the first one that I think is going that extra mile this year.

She's not getting high because "fuck everything, let's get high". She's getting high because it's the only way she can cope with her broken heart. That right there is some powerful stuff. And it plays out immaculately, almost sounding like a legitimate party song at parts but then sounding flat-out depressing at other parts. Excellent song, and I hope to hear more from Tove Lo.

Hot 100 Success:

Will she have it?

Unfortunately, I think that Tove Lo's song jumped on the train of twisting modern themes a little too late. I don't know if people are ready to embrace another anti-party song.

Should she have it?

This is probably the most intelligent song I've heard so far this year, including Lorde, who sounds just a little too one-note for my tastes. Tove Lo needs to bring some of this party music back down to Earth.

CanTunes Tuesday: "Seeya" - deadmau5 ft. Colleen D'Agostino

Let's talk about dead mice.

Guys, I know that mice are one of the most notorious household pests. But that's no reason to kill them off like they're completely worthless. Mice have provided us with hours of entertainment, from Jerry from Tom & Jerry to Itchy from Itchy and Scratchy, to that lovable duo Pinky and the Brain. Remember that as you set your mousetrap.

And on a similar-sounding note, let's talk about deadmau5.

Now I like deadmau5. I sometimes rag on electronic music for being boring, and relying on the guest singer to become un-boring, but deadmau5 is different. Instead of being Canada's answer to David Guetta, he's more like Canada's answer to Daft Punk. (Who are, coincidentally, both French. Huh.)

Now deadmau5 has a new album coming out, and I'm excited to hear his latest single, "Seeya". Let's listen in.

This is totally awesome!

Man, I love it when I can represent the good side of Canadian music. You know how I said that I think electronic music sometimes relies on the guest singer too much to make things interesting? Well, the two components work in perfect harmony here. Colleen's voice is sexy as hell, and complements the throbbing Daft Punk-like beat perfectly. Of course, it's not quite on the same level as a fantastic song like "Get Lucky", as I have heard this formula before, but it gets the job done in a great way. The lyrics evoke this dreamlike quality:

Don't wake me up, I'm winning wars inside my head

Perhaps a little on the nose, but it's still a great song. She talks about winning wars inside her head and her vocals during the chorus definitely sell this idea.

IIIIIIIII, I feel it in my bones

Yeah, exactly that. You believe that as well.

The only downside to speaking about good songs, as I think I've stated before, is that there's really not much to talk about once you've complimented every single aspect of the song. Whatever. deadmau5 is awesome, and so is this song. Best Canadian hit of the year so far. Hope to hear more.

Monday Musings: How Important is Image?

Hello there. So, it's apparent these days that talent is no longer what you need to survive in the music industry.

Wow, if I have to give "Talk Dirty" one thing, it's that I can insult it again and again. But I digress. Something that's become more important in the music industry is image, and how you present yourself. Or has it?  By which I mean to say, hasn't image always been important in the music industry?

Here's The Beatles performing at The Ed Sullivan Show. Would you believe that they got scathing reviews back then? And those reviews not only commented on their music, but on their appearances, commenting on their "sheepdog" haircuts. The Rolling Stones were told to get rid of their singer "with the tire-tread lips". How shallow! How judgmental! How... strangely familiar-sounding.

It's true: this world cares a lot about appearance, and unfortunately this vanity translates into the world of music, too.There's been a sort of backlash as of late, actually, as we learn to accept people of all shapes and sizes and give them equal representation in the media. Believe it or not, we are in fact becoming more tolerant as a society. I think it's called "progression".

There's also the sense of "image" in the sense that your image matches your musical genre. Either that, or your image overshadows your music. For example, KISS. I definitely know KISS better by their image than their music.

Clockwise from top left: Paul, Peter, Ace, Gene. BOOM. Now I'm not saying that KISS's music wasn't good, but they were more of a doll collection than a band. And who might I use as an example in music today?

Oh yeah, The One Who Wears The Dress of Meat.

Say what you will about Lady Gaga's music, but it definitely plays second fiddle to her image. It's definitely what SHE cares more about. So, my answer to the overall question: How important is image, is this: How you present yourself is very important for a performer, whether they realize it or not. I'd also argue that music is a part of maintaining image, rather than the two topics being completely separate entities. Even the ones who are like "I'm all about the music" are, ironically, creating an image for themselves that they are all about the music.

Like it or not, the focus on one's image is here to stay. Which is why I stay hidden behind a computer screen.

"Summer" - Calvin Harris

You know, when trying to find a summer anthem for this year, you'd think that the one titled "Summer" would be the obvious choice. But then you realize Calvin Harris does the song, and you lose all hope.

Christ on a cracker, this is boring. It's just one set of lyrics and then audio that David Guetta rejected for being too generic. The lyrics, as few as there are, don't even make sense:

When I met you in the summer
To my heartbeat sound
We fell in love
As the leaves turned brown

It took you until the leaves changed colour to fall in love with her and you met her in the summer? Not exactly passionate.

That's my main problem with this song: Where's the passion? I mean, I should probably commend Calvin Harris for singing his own songs on occasion, but... he only serves as an example as to why DJs shouldn't sing their own songs. His voice is as boring as his music, and that's definitely why a song like "Sweet Nothing" works for me and this doesn't. I like Florence Welch's voice a hell of a lot better than Calvin Harris's.

So he doesn't have passionate lyrics or a passionate voice, so I can hear him trying to make up for it all with passionate... electro house music.

Yeah, I'm starting to grow real weary of EDM. It's all very same-sounding, and when EDM songs can get by in my books (the most important kind of books, of course), it's usually on the strength of their ever-rotating singer. Florence Welch? Fine. Foxes? Great! Calvin Harris... eugh. It's this song in particular that has helped me to realize how generic a genre it really is. Over and over again, it's the the same four-second beat. Da dada dada dada DADA DADA DADA DAAAA over and over. It's enough to make you pray for a second winter.

Despite the title, nothing about this conveys a summer anthem. Calvin Harris just doesn't have the emotional depth on his own to convey an emotion other than "PARTYYYYY! PAAARRRRTTTTYYYY!" And again, I find it a boring song, so I can't even party to this. "Summertime Sadness", while dark, was a way better summer anthem than this! (Remix with Cedric Gervais that actually became popular notwithstanding.)