The most prominent criticism of Girl Talk is that his work is simply comprised of other artists' music. Such an argument is typically presented as though Girl Talk fans are somehow unaware that his music is sampled, or that awareness of such a fact will detract from the enjoyment of the sweet, sweet ear candy.
I suppose I wouldn't mind conceding that Gregg Gillis is not a musician. Although I'm admittedly unaware of his musical prowess, I guess I can admit that Night Ripper and Feed the Animals don't represent any virtuosity on his part. Instead, Gillis is one of the best songwriters of our time, crafting 40- and 50-minute long works of epic pop-etry with the unfathomable constraint of using only material that already exists. The sheer breadth of Gillis's music library is impressive on its own; the seamless interweaving of his collection's very best moments is positively staggering.
Gillis combines the first verse of Eminem's "Shake That" with Yael Naïm's "New Soul" (the song from the MacBook Air commercial) into a bubbly hip-pop classic. Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" and Three Six Mafia's "I'd Rather" become a hilarious (and rockin') call-and-answer. The last twelve or so minutes of the album build unimaginable momentum from the ritzy piano of Chicago's "Saturday in the Park" behind the Quad City DJs to the dazzling crescendo of Journey's "Faithfully" supported by no less than three samples that I don't recognize. And you know what? That doesn't matter.
Feed the Animals is not so much a composition as a science experiment, a solution of pop music itself purified of every single imperfection. Weak verses and hackneyed lyrics are left behind in its monstrous wake. Gillis becomes the unacknowledged legislator of pop music as a whole, stringing together gem after gem into a 50-minute all-star jam session. It's adored by music nerds (like me) who marvel at the omnipresent "Crank That" chorus over the iconic guitar licks of Thin Lizzy's "Jailbreak", but it's also enjoyed by fratboys who like Lil Wayne and parents who think it's funny to hear kids listen to ? and the Mysterians again.
It's always been my opinion that a fair appraisal of an album is its ability to move a listener. Girl Talk simply makes listeners want to move. It's a party on a disc. And it raises questions in the mind of everyone who hears it: 1.) How could anyone think to make something like this? 2.) Why has no one done this before? 3.) Where can I find more of it?
Answers:
1.) Because Girl Talk owns.
2.) Because Girl Talk owns.
3.) Still trying to figure that one out.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2008
Monday, December 17, 2007
top ten albums of 2007
I don't think 2007 was quite as awesome for music as 2006, just because 2007 didn't have Boys and Girls in America. Not without its highlights, however, 2007 brought us plenty of solid listening from artists new and old. I humbly submit to you, dear reader, my ten favorite albums of the year.
10.) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
I honestly don't even have much to say about this album. Spoon are at the top of their genre and constantly crank out some of the catchiest and well-crafted tracks that indie rock has to offer. The fact that it's so damn short is disappointing, but a testament to its resilience - it definitely stands up to repeated listens.
09.) Kanye West - Graduation
Kanye West has done a lot more for rap than teaching us that it's okay for white people to listen to it, and Graduation - while not as bombastic and hubristic as Late Registration - is the best hip-hop album of the year. 'Ye lays down lines like "I'm like the fly Malcolm X / Buy any jeans necessary" which, despite being a pretty solid representation of everything wrong with hip-hop today, is a freaking hot line, man. A real grower of an album - nothing hits you in the face like "Gold Digger" or "Touch the Sky", but every track sounds better and better the more you listen to them. And he won his feud with 50, so that's another feather in his cap.
08.) The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
Ambient techno isn't something one hears incredibly often unless they seek it out - and Axel Willner's debut opus is a fantastic reason to do just that. Quite possibly the most beautiful-sounding and hypnotic album of the year, Willner weaves together layers of stringy synths, pulsing bass, and ghostlike vocals into an utterly entrancing and ecstatic 65 minutes. Played over a 5.1 system or a great set of headphones, From Here We Go Sublime is especially atmospheric and ethereal.
07.) Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Those familiar with the previous works of Mr. Lekman know that his boyish charm and sugar-sweet lyrics make him a fantastic choice to show a girl how sensitive you are (as long as you're sure they won't fall in love with him). The amazing Night Falls Over Kortedala maintains his typical romantic subject matter and pairs it with orchestral horn flourishes, 60s and 70s pop stylings, and Motown, to mention a few of the many disparate influences you'll hear. A witty and lovelorn lyricist demonstrating a mastery of unabashedly sunny melodies with splendid pop sensibilities? The girlfriend will love it, too.
06.) Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
Honestly, Spencer Krug is in more bands than I can name, and how he manages to churn out so much incredible material is just beyond me. Combining dense and layered guitars with his cracked and wavering voice, Random Spirit Lover is at once elegant and staggering. The album doesn't lose any steam from the joyous opening of "The Mending of the Gown", pairing blissful piano and guitar interplay with Krug's trademark vocals. "Up On Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days" is another absolute highlight, sounding like swaggering circus music. I no longer consider Sunset Rubdown a "side project" of Wolf Parade - this is better than anything they've ever done.
05.) LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Cheap beer has nothing on James Murphy for getting white kids to dance. Sound of Silver is without a doubt the band's most mature release yet - nine exceedingly groovy, party-ready tracks that strangely capture the warmth and crispness of all the classic rock and electronic vinyls that Murphy sings about in "Losing My Edge". Switching between his freewheeling high-pitched delivery in "North American Scum" to a subdued and sweet techno ballad in "Someone Great", the bandleader is as versatile of a vocalist as he is a songwriter, and I really only see him getting better.
04.) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Neon Bible was released to enormous expectations on the heels of the band's 2004 offering, the grandiose, morose, beautiful Funeral - and while not quite living up to its predecessor, it shows a logical progression as these somber rockers (riding their internet-fueled wave of popularity) expound upon their strong suits - homaging Springsteen through expansive instrumentation and Win Butler's intense vocals. Not as likely to move you as Funeral - on the other hand, not as likely to depress you, and definitely one of the most ornately-crafted works of the year.
03.) Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
The experimental psychedelic notions of Animal Collective are still rarely heard outside of stoners' iPods and college radio, but Strawberry Jam demonstrates the group blending their growing pop sensibilities with the, (okay,) inaccessible freak-folk noise-rock that's made up the remainder of their discography. The result is profoundly interesting and unpredictable tracks that manage to be loads of fun to listen to at the same time.
02.) Panda Bear - Person Pitch
That's right, two Animal Collective-related albums in a row at the 2 and 3 spots. I can do that. Noah Lennox's third release as a solo artist channels the choral harmonies of The Beach Boys and the distant emotions of The Velvet Underground through seven gorgeous, intricate tracks that defy shoehorning into a genre. From the canon-sounding "Comfy in Nautica" to the hauntingly upbeat "Take Pills" to the intense "Good Girl / Carrots" (one of the two 12+ minute tracks on the disc), expectations are shattered and new musical frontiers are explored.
01.) Radiohead - In Rainbows
Yeah, I know. Radiohead has the best album of the year? Real effing unexpected. But the long-awaited follow up to Hail to the Thief was absolutely worth the wait. The legendary band's latest album is much warmer and intimate than the alienation and somberness permeating most of the rest of their discography. Though not at all without Yorke's trademark lyrics of disillusionment and hopelessness, lyrical subject matter delves into people and relationships - who really expected to hear "I don't wanna be your friend / I just want to be your lover" kicking off a Radiohead track? The transition is welcome - Radiohead seem to have abandoned their search for the ultimate synthesis between rock and electronic music, as awkwardly attempted in Hail to the Thief - and the result is an incredibly natural feel, ranging from the near-danceable "Bodysnatchers" to the magnificent "Nude" that gives "How to Disappear Completely" a run for its money. It's still rock music, and it's the same Radiohead that we love - but it's a band at peace with itself and the world.
10.) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
I honestly don't even have much to say about this album. Spoon are at the top of their genre and constantly crank out some of the catchiest and well-crafted tracks that indie rock has to offer. The fact that it's so damn short is disappointing, but a testament to its resilience - it definitely stands up to repeated listens.
09.) Kanye West - Graduation
Kanye West has done a lot more for rap than teaching us that it's okay for white people to listen to it, and Graduation - while not as bombastic and hubristic as Late Registration - is the best hip-hop album of the year. 'Ye lays down lines like "I'm like the fly Malcolm X / Buy any jeans necessary" which, despite being a pretty solid representation of everything wrong with hip-hop today, is a freaking hot line, man. A real grower of an album - nothing hits you in the face like "Gold Digger" or "Touch the Sky", but every track sounds better and better the more you listen to them. And he won his feud with 50, so that's another feather in his cap.
08.) The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
Ambient techno isn't something one hears incredibly often unless they seek it out - and Axel Willner's debut opus is a fantastic reason to do just that. Quite possibly the most beautiful-sounding and hypnotic album of the year, Willner weaves together layers of stringy synths, pulsing bass, and ghostlike vocals into an utterly entrancing and ecstatic 65 minutes. Played over a 5.1 system or a great set of headphones, From Here We Go Sublime is especially atmospheric and ethereal.
07.) Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
Those familiar with the previous works of Mr. Lekman know that his boyish charm and sugar-sweet lyrics make him a fantastic choice to show a girl how sensitive you are (as long as you're sure they won't fall in love with him). The amazing Night Falls Over Kortedala maintains his typical romantic subject matter and pairs it with orchestral horn flourishes, 60s and 70s pop stylings, and Motown, to mention a few of the many disparate influences you'll hear. A witty and lovelorn lyricist demonstrating a mastery of unabashedly sunny melodies with splendid pop sensibilities? The girlfriend will love it, too.
06.) Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover
Honestly, Spencer Krug is in more bands than I can name, and how he manages to churn out so much incredible material is just beyond me. Combining dense and layered guitars with his cracked and wavering voice, Random Spirit Lover is at once elegant and staggering. The album doesn't lose any steam from the joyous opening of "The Mending of the Gown", pairing blissful piano and guitar interplay with Krug's trademark vocals. "Up On Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days" is another absolute highlight, sounding like swaggering circus music. I no longer consider Sunset Rubdown a "side project" of Wolf Parade - this is better than anything they've ever done.
05.) LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
Cheap beer has nothing on James Murphy for getting white kids to dance. Sound of Silver is without a doubt the band's most mature release yet - nine exceedingly groovy, party-ready tracks that strangely capture the warmth and crispness of all the classic rock and electronic vinyls that Murphy sings about in "Losing My Edge". Switching between his freewheeling high-pitched delivery in "North American Scum" to a subdued and sweet techno ballad in "Someone Great", the bandleader is as versatile of a vocalist as he is a songwriter, and I really only see him getting better.
04.) Arcade Fire - Neon Bible
Neon Bible was released to enormous expectations on the heels of the band's 2004 offering, the grandiose, morose, beautiful Funeral - and while not quite living up to its predecessor, it shows a logical progression as these somber rockers (riding their internet-fueled wave of popularity) expound upon their strong suits - homaging Springsteen through expansive instrumentation and Win Butler's intense vocals. Not as likely to move you as Funeral - on the other hand, not as likely to depress you, and definitely one of the most ornately-crafted works of the year.
03.) Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
The experimental psychedelic notions of Animal Collective are still rarely heard outside of stoners' iPods and college radio, but Strawberry Jam demonstrates the group blending their growing pop sensibilities with the, (okay,) inaccessible freak-folk noise-rock that's made up the remainder of their discography. The result is profoundly interesting and unpredictable tracks that manage to be loads of fun to listen to at the same time.
02.) Panda Bear - Person Pitch
That's right, two Animal Collective-related albums in a row at the 2 and 3 spots. I can do that. Noah Lennox's third release as a solo artist channels the choral harmonies of The Beach Boys and the distant emotions of The Velvet Underground through seven gorgeous, intricate tracks that defy shoehorning into a genre. From the canon-sounding "Comfy in Nautica" to the hauntingly upbeat "Take Pills" to the intense "Good Girl / Carrots" (one of the two 12+ minute tracks on the disc), expectations are shattered and new musical frontiers are explored.
01.) Radiohead - In Rainbows
Yeah, I know. Radiohead has the best album of the year? Real effing unexpected. But the long-awaited follow up to Hail to the Thief was absolutely worth the wait. The legendary band's latest album is much warmer and intimate than the alienation and somberness permeating most of the rest of their discography. Though not at all without Yorke's trademark lyrics of disillusionment and hopelessness, lyrical subject matter delves into people and relationships - who really expected to hear "I don't wanna be your friend / I just want to be your lover" kicking off a Radiohead track? The transition is welcome - Radiohead seem to have abandoned their search for the ultimate synthesis between rock and electronic music, as awkwardly attempted in Hail to the Thief - and the result is an incredibly natural feel, ranging from the near-danceable "Bodysnatchers" to the magnificent "Nude" that gives "How to Disappear Completely" a run for its money. It's still rock music, and it's the same Radiohead that we love - but it's a band at peace with itself and the world.
Monday, December 3, 2007
radiohead - in rainbows (bonus disc)
I started writing a review of In Rainbows for this blog, but I didn't finish it fast enough and would have gotten it done a week after the album came out, dooming it to irrelevance. Now the In Rainbows disc box has shipped out, so I may as well write something up on the bonus disc.
If the average unknown band could put together an album the quality of Radiohead B-sides, we'd be hearing them everywhere within a month. And Radiohead's unorthodox release of the beautiful In Rainbows left listeners wondering whether the bonus disc would just be a collection of tracks that didn't make the cut, or an actual second half of the album. While remaining disparate from disc one in that it rarely matches the ghostly string swells and silky guitar, the new tracks absolutely stand on their own, at times perhaps even more surprising and innovative than disc one.
The second disc kicks off with a track called "MK 1", with disorganized meandering piano and Thom's croons eventually descending into a reprise of "Videotape", the disc one closer. To my dismay, the track didn't expand into the gorgeous finisher that was played in the band's 2006 tour. Nevertheless, it serves as a suitable transition from the first disc to the second.
"Down is the New Up" begins with a beating grand piano in contrast to the drowsy opener. "Your services are not required /Your future's bleak, you're so last week" Thom sings, quickly bringing the band's typically dismal subject matter to the forefront. The track steadily crescendos and strings build intensity as Yorke belts the titular line with staggering power, one of the disc's (band's?) absolute high points. The orchestra and powerful vocals combine to sound something like a James Bond song done by Radiohead, and if that doesn't sound awesome to you, just listen to the track.
Crackly synth evocative of M83 begins "Go Slowly", which is then dotted with wintery glockenspiel before Yorke's ethereal voice enters as an instrument all its own. The track climaxes with an unexpected but not unwelcome acoustic guitar part as Thom sings "There's a way out", once again in line with the more uplifting themes (as far as Radiohead goes) of the first disc.
"MK 2" is next, creepy electronic noises playing what sounds like the chords from "Nude". I know Radiohead likes to be artsy and pretentious and they can pull it off better than any other band making music today, but the inclusion of both "MK" tracks brings the bonus disc down to six tracks worth serious listening. We've now really reached my only gripe.
A pretty piano part beneath Yorke's falsetto begins "Last Flowers", and the acoustic guitar enters shortly thereafter. The interplay between the two instruments is so evocative of "Karma Police" that I would wager the same chords were used. (This is a very good thing.)
"Up On The Ladder" brings distorted, jangling guitars with a pulsing bass drum that are later matched by synthesized strings and skittering digital percussion, creating the perfect uneasy soundscape to highlight "Up on the ladder /try to call out your name / up on the ladder / you're all the fucking same". Absolutely another highlight; one of the best post-Kid A integrations of electronics into the band's music.
Disc two's complement to "Bodysnatchers", "Bangers & Mash" begins with a groovy guitar part backed with heavy percussion that is strangely danceable for a Radiohead track. The listener can tell that Yorke isn't lying with "I want to thank you, thank you, thank you all / I'm having such a good time, a good time" - this track is proof that the band isn't afraid to do something a little more lighthearted than their typical faire.
The bonus disc culminates with "4 Minute Warning", beginning with a string swell that sounds a little out of place considering the rest of the song. A lazy bassline paired with what sounds like synthesized steel drums finally show off the dub reggae influences the band was talking about during recording. Despite the uplifting feel of the song, the lyrics are typical - "I don't wanna hear it / I don't wanna grow old / I just wanna run and hide" - though it finishes sounding like an admonishment to make the best of the time we've got. With all of disc one in mind, it feels like an exceedingly fitting album-closer.
The bonus disc of In Rainbows feels neither like the second half of the album nor a collection of B-sides to go with the first half. It's more like a companion EP - short, sweet, and clearly reminiscent of In Rainbows - and perfect to listen to immediately after. The gorgeous balance of the band's latest work remains, and the bonus disc elucidates on its themes and strikes high points of its own. To the lucky few with the disc box and the frugal many who will have alternate means of acquiring it, the second half of In Rainbows is more or less as captivating as the first.
If the average unknown band could put together an album the quality of Radiohead B-sides, we'd be hearing them everywhere within a month. And Radiohead's unorthodox release of the beautiful In Rainbows left listeners wondering whether the bonus disc would just be a collection of tracks that didn't make the cut, or an actual second half of the album. While remaining disparate from disc one in that it rarely matches the ghostly string swells and silky guitar, the new tracks absolutely stand on their own, at times perhaps even more surprising and innovative than disc one.
The second disc kicks off with a track called "MK 1", with disorganized meandering piano and Thom's croons eventually descending into a reprise of "Videotape", the disc one closer. To my dismay, the track didn't expand into the gorgeous finisher that was played in the band's 2006 tour. Nevertheless, it serves as a suitable transition from the first disc to the second.
"Down is the New Up" begins with a beating grand piano in contrast to the drowsy opener. "Your services are not required /Your future's bleak, you're so last week" Thom sings, quickly bringing the band's typically dismal subject matter to the forefront. The track steadily crescendos and strings build intensity as Yorke belts the titular line with staggering power, one of the disc's (band's?) absolute high points. The orchestra and powerful vocals combine to sound something like a James Bond song done by Radiohead, and if that doesn't sound awesome to you, just listen to the track.
Crackly synth evocative of M83 begins "Go Slowly", which is then dotted with wintery glockenspiel before Yorke's ethereal voice enters as an instrument all its own. The track climaxes with an unexpected but not unwelcome acoustic guitar part as Thom sings "There's a way out", once again in line with the more uplifting themes (as far as Radiohead goes) of the first disc.
"MK 2" is next, creepy electronic noises playing what sounds like the chords from "Nude". I know Radiohead likes to be artsy and pretentious and they can pull it off better than any other band making music today, but the inclusion of both "MK" tracks brings the bonus disc down to six tracks worth serious listening. We've now really reached my only gripe.
A pretty piano part beneath Yorke's falsetto begins "Last Flowers", and the acoustic guitar enters shortly thereafter. The interplay between the two instruments is so evocative of "Karma Police" that I would wager the same chords were used. (This is a very good thing.)
"Up On The Ladder" brings distorted, jangling guitars with a pulsing bass drum that are later matched by synthesized strings and skittering digital percussion, creating the perfect uneasy soundscape to highlight "Up on the ladder /try to call out your name / up on the ladder / you're all the fucking same". Absolutely another highlight; one of the best post-Kid A integrations of electronics into the band's music.
Disc two's complement to "Bodysnatchers", "Bangers & Mash" begins with a groovy guitar part backed with heavy percussion that is strangely danceable for a Radiohead track. The listener can tell that Yorke isn't lying with "I want to thank you, thank you, thank you all / I'm having such a good time, a good time" - this track is proof that the band isn't afraid to do something a little more lighthearted than their typical faire.
The bonus disc culminates with "4 Minute Warning", beginning with a string swell that sounds a little out of place considering the rest of the song. A lazy bassline paired with what sounds like synthesized steel drums finally show off the dub reggae influences the band was talking about during recording. Despite the uplifting feel of the song, the lyrics are typical - "I don't wanna hear it / I don't wanna grow old / I just wanna run and hide" - though it finishes sounding like an admonishment to make the best of the time we've got. With all of disc one in mind, it feels like an exceedingly fitting album-closer.
The bonus disc of In Rainbows feels neither like the second half of the album nor a collection of B-sides to go with the first half. It's more like a companion EP - short, sweet, and clearly reminiscent of In Rainbows - and perfect to listen to immediately after. The gorgeous balance of the band's latest work remains, and the bonus disc elucidates on its themes and strikes high points of its own. To the lucky few with the disc box and the frugal many who will have alternate means of acquiring it, the second half of In Rainbows is more or less as captivating as the first.
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