Radio Rant: Katy Perry – Wide Awake

Posted on August 14, 2012 by bgibs122

Hello, and welcome to Radio Rants. Ah, screw it.

Here we are almost two years out from Teenage Dream‘s release, and Katy Perry is still getting life out of the release. Kinda. “Wide Awake” and previous single “Part of Me” are part of the Super Deluxe Bonus Rerelease edition that came out earlier this year when Katy Perry reached levels of inflated popularity not seen since late 1990s cartoons and released her own movie. Well, let’s send off Teenage Dream by taking a look at its eighth (and very final) single.

Right off the bat, “Wide Awake” gets the same bonus points as “E.T.” for, at the very least, daring to sound different from Perry’s standard ProTools Band set-up. “Wide Awake” is all chilly synths and drum pads with only a kinda harsh beat to keep things slightly grounded. There’s not even that much of a difference between the chorus and the verses; the chorus is a little fuller and the synths sustain themselves slightly longer, but nothing really changes. Compared to other songs, it’s fairly minimal, which is a welcome change after “Part of Me”.

At the same time, though, calling this song “Wide Awake” strikes me as hilarious because it makes me anything but. As a song, “Wide Awake” is only slightly more lively than infamous sleeping pill “Jar of Hearts”. The music’s pleasant, and the songcraft isn’t bad (per usual, Dr. Luke’s here), but it isn’t pretty enough to particularly stand out, and there’s no tension, or even a solid hook. The whole thing just kinda floats in one ear…and…out…the other…without getting all…bendy…

…

zzz…zzz…

…! Gah! Whoa, yeah, good, I’m wide awake. Something about this song just doesn’t feel…complete. The melody doesn’t really stick or feel cohesive, and the “I’d wide awake” line on repeat is only memorable because it’s so damn repetitive.

Not helping things is Katy Perry herself, who sounds like she barely has her eyes open herself. Singing ability aside, Perry has the charisma to sell a track; she sounds personally vested in a song like “Firework”, or at least engaged with “Part of Me”. For “Wide Awake”, she’s just kinda there as another instrument to get tossed through the echo chamber. After the “falling from cloud 9” line in the chorus, I tune out, and I’m barely tuned into these verses to begin with. Someone get me a coffee?

Anyway, let’s see what lyrics I’m working with today.

“I’m wide awake/And it’s clear to me/That everything you see/Ain’t always what it seems” Doesn’t that line kind of defeat itself? If things seem clear one way, and you just said things aren’t always what they seem, then are you maybe setting yourself up wrong? I think I’m thinking too hard on this–I need that coffee.

“I was dreaming for so long” You’re actually going to say “If I only knew then what I know now”, aren’t you?

“I wish I knew then what I know now” Thank you.

“Falling from cloud nine/Crashing from the high/I’m letting go tonight/Falling from cloud nine” When was the last time you actually heard someone say cloud nine? And seeing how these are the lyrics to the chorus, they’re about as empty as cloud vapor.

“I am born again/Out of the lion’s den” Katy, don’t get your Biblical stories crossed. Wait, did Katy Perry just make two Biblical references?

“Wide Awake” is “Someone Like You” to “Part of Me”‘s “Rolling in the Deep”: the calm, melancholy follow-up to the pissed off break-up single. To be fair, “Wide Awake” is a humanizing single, or at least as close as Katy Perry’s bubbly persona gets to human. It’s still kinda obviously about Russell Brand, and their divorce, but writes about it in a Katy Perry way: sadness through a few mixed images. I wouldn’t call it moving, but it’s nice to see some personal investment from Perry in her music.

But it’s just so dull.

I’m sure I’ve heard sleepier songs on the radio, but I’m still kind of wondering how this accidental Ambien became one of the biggest hits in the country. I didn’t get around to “Wide Awake” earlier because I wanted it to fall apart on its own, but it looks like we’re stuck with it. For now. I’d rather just sleep it off.

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New Music: Copperfox – From the Den (EP)

Posted on August 6, 2012 by bgibs122

Ever since the MySpace boom, social media has been a bigger and bigger part of life for up and coming bands, and you can see this in their webpages. While looking up bands for New Music entries, I come across plenty of bands whose “About Me” sections are lessons in low-level myth-making. Sure, it’s entertaining (and it can certainly make the intro to reviews easier), but sometimes, the self-promotion can go overboard, and color the music a little too much.

Which makes a group that plays things close to the chest like Copperfox more intriguing. There’s no paragraphs of accomplishments, no sprawling narrative of music being a Lifelong Dream (TM), all they seem to want to say is “They’re from Portland. She sings, he plays”. Copperfox is the kind of group that lets the music talk for them.

Copperfox have the rather distinct and uncommon genre blend of indie rock and alt. country. The combination makes for music as dark and ethereal as the forests of Oregon; rhythm grounded in crisp drums and brittle clean guitar while twangy slide guitar creeps in and out of nowhere. All four of From the Den‘s tracks share a level of intricate songcraft, which only strengthens their wilderness appeal. Add in a mix that gives everything room to breathe (plus a little bit of reverb), and it makes for immersing music.

First track “James” is the most accessible of From the Den‘s four songs; the minor key chord progression, fuzzy bass, and somewhat blusey bridge make it a solid introduction to the EP. What really sends the whole thing home, though, is Lisa Garcia’s vocals. She follows the subtle rises and falls of the song from high and sorrowful on the chorus to low and rough at the bridge. All throughout the EP, Garcia and instrumentalist Rory Mohon play off each other with great chemistry.

Next song “Lover” veers the hardest towards country with its emphasis on acoustic and slide guitar. A somewhat beefed up ballad, the song takes off from Garcia’s passionate delivery and the rising drums on the chorus (the piano breakdown at the bridge is an unexpected delight as well). As if righting itself, the third song on the EP is the most “indie rock” song present. The acoustic guitar strumming of the verses gives way to driving electric guitar and steady drumming on a chorus that meditates around the line “You’ve got the best of me“, and the instrumental break is engaging. Some duos consciously limit their instrumentation–Copperfox is not one of them.

Six minute closer “Be Careful” goes for your normal Big Closer fair: it starts comparatively stripped down, then builds over a second half instrumental. The song’s built rather basically from drums, subtle bass, and guitar parts that drift in and out (much like Garcia). It’s a good idea, and the track doesn’t fail, but it does feel somewhat rudderless. The closing instrumental part with added piano is gorgeous, though.

The lyrics of From the Den are oblique enough to match the mystery of the music. There are plenty of “you”s and “me”s, but nothing’s ever spelled out. And, given the dark nature of these lyrics (“Be Careful” includes the line “Won’t think twice/Put a bullet in your eye”, and “James” has “James, you better clean your gun”), the ambiguity helps. Also worth noting is Garcia’s knack for stretching a few extra notes out of a melody to great effect. Her little accents strengthen already interesting vocals, especially on “Lovers” and “We Know”.

From the Den is definitely worth giving a listen. Like most EPs, it doesn’t give you a full range of what the band is capable of, but hints at different directions that they can expand upon. The songcraft is strong enough that each song stands on its own, and there’s no way to accuse any of them of sounding alike. It’s lush, texture alt country blended with indie, and great night music. You don’t hear one like this every day.

Give From the Den a listen on Copperfox’s Bandcamp, or like them on Facebook!

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Radio Rant: P!nk – Blow Me (One Last Kiss)

Posted on July 30, 2012 by bgibs122

Hello, and welcome to Radio Rants. Which not-Katy Perry Top 10 hit are we doing today?

Pink got big at a golden moment. Her breakout Mizunderstood album came out just far away enough from the bubblegum pop boom that its tackiness didn’t sink the album, but a year or so ahead of the platoon of female singer-songwriters, meaning that she had time to stand above the pack. Following it up proved kind of tricky, but since 2006’s I’m Not Dead, she hasn’t slumped. What’s weird is that she’s never been big, either. She’s had massive singles (say what you will about “So What?” as a song, but the last half of 2008 sucked if you hated that hook), but never took over the world in the way that someone like, say, Katy Perry has. Regardless, a Pink album/single cycle is always good for a few hits, so let’s take a look at “Blow Me (On–heheheh.

I love that title. I like an unexpected dick joke as much as anyone, and let’s be real here, Pink is one of the few pop artists that could name a song “Blow Me”, and have it not sound like schtick. And it’s possibly the first song I’ve seen that knew how to use parentheses effectively (ahem). Not only that, it’s also the Pinkiest song title out there: Pink’s songs tend to either be self-empowering kiss-offs (“U + Ur Hand”, “So What?”, etc.) that would have a title like “Blow Me”, or vulnerable ballads (“Sober”, “Don’t Let Me Get Me”), hence the “One Last Kiss”. And, even better, the whole thing fits together so well. Not since “Fuck You” has a song title filled me with such glee.

“Blow Me” (heh) is a little more electro dance pop than Pink’s been before. It’s still her trademark pop rock sound, but a little shinier than normal, probably the influence of indie/synthpop producer Greg Kurstin. Either way, between the guitar hook and the skittering drum beat, “Blow Me” starts off strong, and surprisingly perky.

“White knuckles, and sweaty palms from holding on too tight/clench of jaw, I’ve got another headache tonight” Well hell, that’s kind of dark for this music.

“Tie a knot in the rope, trying to hold, trying to hold/But there’s nothing to grasp, so I let go” These lyrics are fine, but I really like what the melody does here.

And, of course, “Blow Me” has a big chorus. The drums stomp, there’s a little bit of bass, and a distorted synth repeats the guitar hook from the intro. It works, but the music sounds a little clipped, and doesn’t come through as clear as it could. But hey, it’s catchy, and the melody’s strong.

And, like the title, the lyrics are a mix of kinda funny and kinda sad. “Just when it can’t get worse, I’ve had a shit day/You’ve had a shit day?/We’ve had a shit day!” should bug me rhyming “shit day” with “shit day” with “shit day”, but it’s so almost silly that it makes me smile, instead. At the same time, it’s followed up with “I think that life’s too short for this/Want back my ignorance and bliss/I think I’ve had enough of this (Blow me one last kiss)” which is so subtly sad.

“Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” takes place at a fairly uncommon time for pop songs: that moment when you decide that a once great relationship isn’t fucking worth it anymore. It’s not just another lover’s revenge song, or a total fuck you (although the second verse does get into that), but something a little nuanced. And it works just great.

On top of all that, the music never sulks or pouts the way that it could. Overall, it’s bouncy, and surprisingly light, considering the tone of the lyrics. As the Break-Up Song of the of the Week, “Blow Me”‘s a notch above most others–the lyrics are a little more fun, and the delivery a little more lively than, say, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” or “Part of Me”. Definitely worth giving a listen.

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On the Radar #1

Posted on July 24, 2012 by bgibs122

Here at Ranting About Music, I get a lot of New Music songs sent to me. Sometimes, it’s for a full album, but I also get plenty of singles. So, I’ve started compiling the best of them into this (probably) biweekly feature!

The Perms – High School High
“High School High” was on The Perms’ Sophia Nights, which I reviewed a few months ago. The band has the Foo Fighter’s knack for blending pop and rock, and now, their penchant for funny rock and roll indulgences. “HSH” is still a fun high school nostalgia track, with a video that matches perfectly. Check’em on Facebook here.

Adventures – Reach Out To You
“Reach Out To You” comes from Adventures’ debut EP out in September. On this song, the Pittsburg punks blend tuneful riffs and pummeling instrumentation (not to mention a killer breakdown), not to mention a solid knack for dynamics. Worth noting is how well Reba handles her vocals; she doesn’t have to scream to be above the music, and when she does scream, it’s still great. Check’em out on Facebook.

Michi – Shivers
Michi is a do-everything singer-songwriter that dips from multiple genres, including: jazz, blues, rock, folk, and country that plays guitar, piano, and drums. “Shivers” puts her folk influence right up front; the song’s tasteful fingerpicking patterns are only accompanied by occasional clean guitar. As a singer/songwriter, Michi savvy for her age; her vocal and lyrical contributions to “Shivers” are great, but she also knows when to take a step back from the mic and let the music do the work. Keep an eye on Michi in the New Music section in the future, and check out her website here.

Imaginary War – The tide has turned
Imaginary War, a German synth pop group, dropped their first album Replacing the Ghosts earlier this month, and lead single “The tide has turned” is hyperactive and glammed out. It also has a subtle build to it that comes in full force for the final minute. It’s an 80’s send-up, but these guys don’t lack conviction. Drop by their Facebook page!

Eddie Grey – Only on the Weekend
Sometimes, you need a little R&B to get by, and Eddie Grey’s “Only on the Weekend” is more than happy to oblige. Grey’s vocals are anything but; he’s a confident singer with plenty of presence on “Only on the Weekend”. The arrangement doesn’t let him down, either; the rhythm section plays with a tight groove, and the guitar solo at the bridge gives the song some grit. Give it a listen here via SoundCloud!

The Casket Lottery – The Door/Nathan Ellis – Balance Beam
Punk veterans The Casket Lottery have two releases on the horizon this year: The Door EP on August 7th, and full album Real Fear later this year. “The Door” is a hardcore slowburner that combines dark, muscular music with a sorrowful melody. The breakdown/jam at the bridge gives the song extra life, and helps build into the final chorus. Go ahead and stream it here from No Sleep Records’ sampler. Also on August 7th, frontman Nathan Ellis is releasing a solo acoustic EP that that ditches the distortion, but keeps the melody. Stream “Balance Beams” on Alternative Press’s site here.

Pebaluna – No, I Can’t
And we close out today with this blusey number from indie folk collective Pebaluna. Their debut album Carny Life is out on September 18th, and “No, I Can’t” is the kind of song that gets interest. It’s different, but not too different, and singer Lauren Coleman has a fantastically teasing delivery. Give it a listen yourself. Definitely keep an eye on this one, especially by dropping by their Facebook page.

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