Adam Lambert- Trespassing Album Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album- Trespassing

Artist- Adam Lambert

Adam Lambert is another one of the great success stories of American Idol that shows that the program can produce some real talent, as Lambert, with his powerhouse vocals and strong charisma, has gone on to achieved worldwide success and create some cool pop music. Trespassing, his second studio album, debuted at number 1 in the USA and making history in the process as the first openly gay artist to do this. But is this real an album that deserves such a place in history, or was this just a weird thing where people were just taken in by his charisma?

Track 1- Trespassing

The records title track and album opener is a stomping track with a toe tapping rhythm and cool, kind of suave tone that finds the singer teaming up with producer and all round awesome guy Pharrell Williams. Lyrically the song is all about how Lambert is a powerful guy who knows how to live life, with the chorus depicting him as this guy entering into this town who doesn’t like visitors, but Lambert doesn’t care and will show them how great he is. It is a cool message that is a bit inspiring as it could potentially refer to the people who aren’t that big a fan of Lambert, and with his vocal performance he gives a really confident quality to the track mixed with a smooth but snappy tone. Williams is great on the production of the track, as the toe tapping rhythm is quite addictive and the infusion of rock guitars gives the song that little bit of grit, showing that on this record Lambert means business.

3.5/5

Track 2- Cuckoo

Track number 2 brings sings more to an electro pop level and a little bit more of a vibrant, lose yourself energy. As the title would suggest, the song is all about Lambert saying how he wants to be a bit crazy and just party like he means it, creating an anthem for the wild nights of many people who just want to throw away the stresses of everyday life, with the chorus having a simple distilled party essence that is really catchy. Vocally Lambert keeps things on a nice simple level until the bridge kicks in and we get that crazy, powerful vocal with the diva like ad libs that make for a proper exciting finish. The production is a little bit stereotypical of this type of pop song, but still has an energy that captures you and works well in creating a smooth rhythm, with the breakdown in the middle section being a little bit of a twist that makes the end that bit more exciting.

3.5/5

Track 3- Shady (featuring Nile Rodgers and Sam Sparro)

Inspired by the first night that Lambert met his former boyfriend Sauli Koskinen, Shady is a dark pop track that is still party inducing but has a forceful electronic underbelly and shows Lambert in a really confident persona. Lyrically the track finds the singer going on about how he is feeling shady and needs someone to kind of unleash him, a cool lyrical concept that unfortunately fails here a bit as the chorus just feels repetitive and lacks the catchy punch that it needs. Although Lambert tries to really grab us with the vocal performance that is gritty and feisty, and Sam Sparro offers a nice bit of smooth sophistication in the bridge, the song feels a bit bland, with the electro pop rhythms of the production having a static tone that doesn’t excite you in the same way as the last two tracks did.

2.5/5

Track 4- Never Close Our Eyes

First of the two collaborations of Lambert’s with pop producer and current hit maker Dr Luke, the fourth track is an nice electro pop tune that features elements of dance pop and euro pop, and which was also created with Bruno Mars and his production team The Smeezingtons. Lyrically the songs is about living life to the fullest and partying till dawn, and although this would be a cliché in today’s pop world, the song is given that bit of substance that is needed through the idea of enjoying your time with that special someone, because we never know when life ends. Vocally the singer is really strong, with the smoothness of his voice coming out in the middle section and the lilting tone at the end of each line in the chorus, although as a whole the track feels a bit safe and loses some of the vocal spark that other Lambert tunes have. The production is snappy with a propulsive beat intertwined with melodic sensibilities that creates a pop sound that is light but strong and gets you in a happy, let’s just get up and dance mood.

3.5/5

Track 5- Kickin’ In

Another Pharrell Williams assisted tune, Kickin In immediately catches you in terms of that difference in sound from the previous song, with a little bit more of an acoustic feeling nature at first and a sense of urgency that grabs you. The hook in the song is really catchy, with the whole song focusing on this lyrical concept of a woman who is getting happy off of the music, playing with the idea of taking drugs (although you can just take the song as being about being drugs). Although repetitive, the fast paced quality gives the track that catchiness rather than an annoying quality, although I am not a fan of the way the track fades out. Lambert is once again strong vocally, although he doesn’t show off his voice to its fullest, but that is also something to commend the song for in that it shows how he can be restrained yet still create a positive, catchy tune. Williams also creates another snappy sound in the production with a slight tinny texture and smooth mix of electronic tones with finger clapping tones.

3.5/5

Track 6- Naked Love

Lambert goes into little bit more of a typical pop rock energy with this track that is based in a bouncy guitar rhythm and finds the singer lyrically in a state of happiness and love. Here we find Lambert singing about how he once his man to take it off and show him love tonight, and although you can take it as talking about sex, it’s a bit deeper, rather talking about how he wants his partner to show him what lies underneath his persona. Vocally he brings a light and punchy quality to the song, with the chorus being really catchy and strong in the final section, as the bridge really allows for a build to the finish. Production on the track with the pop swirls and bouncy rhythm is a little bit typical of the genre but works in keeping the tracks sentiment going and just creating a light pop tune that as a listener you can easily enjoy.

3.5/5

Track 7- Pop That Lock

Pop sounds continue with this track, but things are a bit more hard edged and feisty with this song where Lambert  sings about forgetting the stress of life and unleashing that free side of yourself, and how you can only party by breaking down the things that hold you back. It’s such a simple message that is given catchiness with the simplicity of the chorus and the nursery rhyme like post chorus sections. Vocally his voice is a bit distorted in places to give the song a cool, twisted sensibility alongside the simple craziness, with the final moments of the song allowing Lambert to show his vocal power with some really nice ad libs. The production is simple but effective, with the thumping electro pop bass being a catchy sound, and the bridge being another breakdown that is cool and allows for a grand finish.

3.5/5

Track 8- Better Than I Know Myself

Things get a bit more serious with this song that is the second Dr Luke collaboration and finds Lambert singing in a different format for a change, as the track is a nice electro pop ballad. The tracks lyrics find Lambert in a little bit of a state of regret as he sings about a lover who knows him inside out, but who he has treated a little badly and how he just desperately needs. The song has a beautiful sense of honesty to it, intermixed with a cool, icy kind of tone that brings the desperation out that little bit more. Lambert is really strong vocally, being restrained in the verses to give the chorus that little bit of passion, with the high not of the final line of the chorus being very emotional, and the final section showing how much power he has in his voice. The production is equally emotive and great, with a thumping bass beat and retro synths that just give that touch of drama and emotional resonance needed for the song, but also at the same time just sound really catchy and sounding like it would fit on pop radio really well but still stand out from the other tracks from other artists.

4/5

Track 9- Broken English

Another song about his former boyfriend, Broken English reflects the challenges and rewards of that relationship and finds Lambert vocally a little bit grittier in the chorus and a bit more back to the glam rock edge of his debut, but having a smooth, steely tone in the verses that allows for a really catchy chorus. The song is for the people out there who struggled to find the words to express their feelings, as Lambert himself can’t find the words, and him and his partner just have this body language. It’s a moody kind of sentiment that is given more by the frenetic edge of the production with the scatter beats and the high octane essence of the bridge that allows for that final chorus with the really strong vocal tone.

3/5

Track 10- Underneath

Lambert goes even darker and more emotional with this song that is slightly more stripped back in tone than the previous tracks, although it still has a really grand feel and strong tone. The song is all about Lambert letting go to show his partner who he really is, and in that sense just wanting to be accepted for what lies underneath. The song is emotionally impactful, particularly in terms of the fragility and desperation that Lambert seems to convey within the vocal performance, although the song is a little annoying in terms of the over repetition of the word underneath. However, this is kind of made up for with the power of the vocal and the dark, moody essence of the production with that beautiful piano melody that gives a delicacy to the verses, and the harshness of the chorus that just makes everything that bit more powerful.

3.5/5

Track 11- Chokehold

Things are still kept within a darker tone with this track but the ballad form takes more a back seat for a punchier sound. Lyrically the song is all about a relationship which is a bit volatile and shouldn’t work, but Lambert knows he will just continually want this man back in his life, and the song is given its catchy quality through how the song is just really honest and doesn’t try to go to deep lyrically. It also really works as a track as vocally Lambert just keeps things simple, giving a sense of passion to the song but not necessarily going overboard in telling this guy he will want him back. The thumping bass is really strong and cool, and the rock elements are so great and a nice change of pace from the pop elements of the first half of the record, with the guitar riffs being really gritty and having a great, powerful undertone, whilst the last few seconds give a subdued moment of nice reflection.

Track 12- Outlaws of Love

The final track on the album is the most political song on the record, as the song is lyrically about the legalization of gay marriage and draws on the ideas of how gay marriage is treated as something wrong by certain people and how people are mistreated within society. It has a simple emotional honesty that is given gravitas by the vocal performance of Lambert who produces a really delicate one within the track and shows how this is a matter that is really close to his heart. And in keeping the production really simple with the steady drum beat and nice guitar melodies, you really get the essence of passion within the song and focus more on the potent lyrical content.

3.5/5

Final Review

With this second studio album Adam lambert has once again showing why he is a star that shows American Idol has talent, as he has such a great voice that is full of charisma and produces really catchy tunes. This album is really strong as it feels a little more polished and attention grabbing, and also finds the singer pushing himself into new territories of sound that really works. Elements of the generic are there a little, and I am a bit on the fence about whether the divide of the album in terms of the happy, upbeat first half and dark, moody second half works, but all in all this is a solid album that is catchy and shows he still has a lot to offer us in terms of musical delight.

7/10

Best Track- Better Than I Know Myself

Worst Track- Shady (featuring Nile Rodgers and Sam Sparro)

Demi Lovato- Demi Album Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album-Demi

Artist- Demi Lovato

I have wanted to avoid looking at albums from the same artist on this blog. However, since her high profile role on the X Factor USA has seemingly had a strong impact on her career, and her statements that this is the album to truly launch her globally, I felt that I should actually disobey that thought in the case of Demi Lovato, as I really wanted to test whether this record actually does what she thinks it will do, especially when I felt her last studio effort Unbroken was a stellar album, and when she claims that every track on this album was made with the idea of them being single ready.

Track 1- Heart Attack

The records opening number and lead single definitely brings the idea of this record being a global selling album to the forefront, as it ticks all the boxes that you want to make a great and extremely catchy pop song. The lyrics deal with Lovato having these feelings for this guy who makes her act all girly and how she can’t show her love as she feels that she will be extremely hurt if she does fall in love, to the point where she thinks she will have a heart attack. It alludes to the idea of her being hurt in the point, and has a simple concept that is strong in the way that it plays on the idea of love in that here Lovato is vulnerable but not in the way that she has been hurt from a relationship, but rather she is vulnerable because she can’t actually show her love. This interesting spin on a relationship is something that Lovato has done before with her last single Give Your Heart a Break, and this is great as this isn’t a rehash of that track and really shows how she is different from the pop crowd around her. The chorus is very simple but powerful in tone, with lyrics that become instantly memorable, and this memorability of the track (particularly the chorus) is brought out not just by the lyrics but Lovato’s vocal performance, which is great. Lovato has always had a strong voice, but this song definitely shows how she has grown as a singer and can really give a track some power, with the chorus here having an anthem tone through the way she belts out the words in a strong and intense way but also allows that layer of vulnerability to seep through, and so creates a great layer of catchiness to the song. Producers the Jason Evigan and Mitch Allan create a great sound to the record that is as equally powerful as the vocal performance, with the blend of electro pop and drum and bass instrumentation sounding excellent, and the guitar loop just means that the song cranks up its level of catchiness. If she wanted a song to make her go global, I think it would have been very hard to find a better track for her than this.

5/5

Track 2- Made in the USA

Made in the USA is kind of the antithesis of Heart Attack in that here Lovato is totally in a love drunk state as she exclaims of how she wants the world to know how much she wants this man, and that they can’t fail in love because there love was made in the USA. If she showed a bit insecurity about being girly in the last track then this song definitely throws that out of the way, and although the songs are perhaps different in sentiment, the way that they are placed back to back on the record like this is great, as it shows different sides of the singer: she is young and wants to have fun in life but also can be serious and really works hard when it comes to her music, and isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, and so she indeed can appeal to a wide audience. She produces a vocal that is light in tone, with the chorus once again showing the power of her voice and being complimented by the softness and little bit of sassiness that is the verses. The production has a bit more of an organic feel than the last track but keeps with the pop vibe, and although it is perhaps a little bit familiar in terms of similar pop tracks, it indeed a sound that simply suits this kind of song and still sounds catchy, with the guitar riffs and thumping bass having an almost euphoric quality when mixed with the lyrical sentiment. Pop done to a great standard.

3.5/5

Track 3- Without the Love

I have read one reviewer complaining about how this track feature references to Joe DiMaggio, referring to the fact that she could have sung of a more current man in today’s celebrity world and not be dated in the way that the DiMaggio lyric perhaps does. I just wanted to highlight that because people don’t like this song for the wrong and stupid reasons. It’s simple a lyric that is catchy and rhymes and I personally think it might lead to a small education of some young people who will go and find out who she is referring to. Anyway, the track is another light pop offering that is a little similar in sound to Made in the USA but has more of a mid tempo feel and some prominent differences, one of these being that the lyrics here aren’t about being in love but rather being in this relationship where the guy isn’t treating the girl right, and the chorus focuses on how the guy is acting as if he loves her by singing love songs, and yet he simply plays her and she knows there is really know love between them. The light tone of Lovato gives the track a nice layer of fragility, with the chorus again being more powerful and complimenting the softness and also the slightly slower tone of the verses nicely. The bass is a little similar to the last track but the ‘oooh’ background vocals give the track a different element of catchiness, whilst the use of strings makes for a bit more of a dramatic tone.

3.5/5

Track 4- Neon Lights

With Neon Lights the pop nature of the record stands firm but this time we enter more into electronic and dance orientated music. Flipping back in to a state of happiness and love, here we find the singer telling her beau of how he is all she can focus on, and that together people we see them in love as if they are shining in the sky together like neon lights. Arguably this is one of the best vocal performances on the record as she brings so much power to the song, with the verses being a little softer and having a slightly lighter, breathy quality, whilst the chorus is really strong and features a great wobble on the end of the word ‘lights’ that I think is both subtle and extremely catchy. The lyrics (helped along here by One Republic frontman and talented songwriter Ryan Tedder) are another batch of instantly memorable and catchy rhymes that you will be singing, and this is once again helped by the vocal. But whilst these elements of the track are once again strong and perhaps sound familiar, Lovato definitely changes up the sound here in terms of the production, with sings starting off softly with a simple piano melody that remains as the base of the record, before being melded together with strong dance orientated beats and being given an all-round propulsive energy that makes the song that bit more unique and fun, and offering a great bit of diversity to the record.

4/5

Track 5- Two Pieces

Things are slowed down with this mid tempo ballad that is a little bit more emotional and is a song that fans of the singer will likely find a bit empowering as although a love song, the lyrics have that tone of finding your place if you feel like a bit of a misfit, and the song can have different meanings for different people. This is because the song focuses on how people are just trying to find their way in the world, with the chorus focusing on Lovato telling this person that she will get lost with them because they are like two pieces of a broken heart and everything will be fine with this person, and for many people that other piece of themselves can be a variety of people, from boyfriends to girlfriends to simply best friends or even just a member of your family who gets you through life. Lovato brings a passion to the track that is infectious and touching, with the softness of the verses having a lilting quality that makes you feel chilled, and then the chorus kicks in with the vocals that are so loud and intense you just immediately go on the ride with Lovato and truly believe in what she is singing. The military style drumbeats, simplicity of the piano instrumentation and the building of the volume of the sound just sounds so powerful and attention grabbing, and just means that the song is even greater.

4/5

Track 6- Nightingale

Lovato goes even more emotional and simpler in sound with this track that was inspired by the death of a close friend many years ago who she still feels close to. Lyrically the track finds the singing being in a bit of dark state in the verses and simply wishing for someone to help, with the chorus being a plea for someone to help her and be her metaphorical nightingale. The emotional intensity of the track does really grab you in terms of attention and makes you feel in the same way a little bit, and the song lyrically has this nice sense of honesty about it. Although I feel that at this point the vocal is perhaps a little bit too familiar in terms of the transitions of soft to powerful, by the end you forget the similar quality of the vocals as there is that tiny catch in her voice that feels heartfelt, and things are made more powerful by the use of a choir of voices to give a gospel tone to the end. The production likewise is perhaps a little bit too safe and familiar, but the piano and string led sound still compliments the tracks lyrical message and does give a platform for the emotional intensity that is nice.

3.5/5

Track 7- In Case

We keep things going into down tempo state with this song that is a piano led ballad and that deals with the end of a relationship. The song focuses on Lovato realises that she will have to let go of the things that tie her to ex eventually, but even though things have ended she wants to keep these things just in case the relationship starts up again and this guy wants to be in love with her once again. The songs sentiment taps into the pain of relationships ending very nicely and will be something that many of the singers fans will identify with, whilst the production of the track is great in that things are kept on a much simpler level by just having the piano and Lovato’s voice, and so this offers another slice of diversity to the record and creates a slice of true emotion with the stripped back quality. Vocally the singer is very good with her voice carrying of the intense heartbreak of the song well, however I do think that she perhaps should have toned down the vocals a little as it feels that tad bit as if she is out to prove how great she is at singing, which we know, and the song perhaps would have just worked a little bit better on a simpler vocal level in my opinion.

3.5/5

Track 8- Really Don’t Care (featuring Cher Lloyd)

From the piano balladry of the last track things are kicked into gear with this up tempo number that is simple pop fun at its best. Produced and co-written by Carl Falk and Rami Yacoub, leaders of the pop world noted for the creation much of the work of global boy band One Direction, Lovato is definitely not in a state of happy, I am in love with this song, even if the sound is light and very pop orientated. The song instead finds the singer in a bit of a bitter but for the most point I’m moving on frame of mind as she tells this guy how she can’t believe what she has done for him (e.g. writing songs about him) and simply is now telling him that even if fate draws them together she just won’t care about him. The song has another chorus that is hook driven and catchy, and the song is really catchy in the way that vocally Lovato brings some real bite and angst to the song. However the song is really good vocally in that although the singer still brings some power to the vocals, her voice feels here a little bit more controlled and doesn’t go too much into the higher depths of her range, so the song feels different from the other tracks and brings another layer of diversity that makes her appeal to some other consumers. The production of the song has preppy beats and guitar riffs that complement the song nicely in the way that the anger of the track contrasts the quite happy energy of the songs sound, and so you really get more invested in the tune, with the production sounding very nice even though it is very much catered for radio. British singer Cher Lloyd provides a cool guest feature that gives the song a sassy, fast paced rap ditty that makes the final chorus that bit more powerful, and by the end you will be letting loose and not caring alongside Lovato.

4/5

Track 9- Fire Starter

Fire Starter finds the singer in a very confident frame of mind as she sings about melting hearts and being a fire starter, presumably in the field of relationships and love. With references to being a female James Bond and having an S under her clothes (being Superwoman) we are perhaps meant to take the fact that she is a fire starter as a good thing, but then she goes on about melting hearts and being a wild child, which is kind of bad. Either way she is a feisty lady who is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to relationships. The song has a reserved essence in the verses through the way singer has a smooth tone and places longer stresses on the end of each line, before the chorus kicks in with that punchy exclamation of ‘I’m a fire starter’. The electro pop edge of the track keeps a thumping bass going that propels the song into a nice state of believability. However, perhaps because the last track was so catchy, Fire Starter falls a little flat, as the chorus doesn’t have that sing along quality nor an impressive hook, and the sound of the track combined with the repetition of the chorus wears thin towards the end, as you are pretty clear on the message.

3/5

Track 10- Something That We’re Not

Bringing back the sass and light pop vibrancy of track number 8, Something That We’re Not is a fun pop affair that is designed to sing along to through the catchiness of the “ba da” motif that gets the song in that immediate state of it’s going to be stuck in your head. Lovato plays the song in well in singing in a simpler tone that doesn’t go too powerful but shows off a nice slice of her vocal range and has a bit of bite in the chorus that makes the song memorable. This is very much a typical pop song in terms of the punchy vibrancy of the production with the use of guitar refrains and bouncy rhythms, but this works in the songs favour through the way the lyrical message is feisty and is also a little less stereotypical of this kind of sound: in today’s pop music world you would expect this to be a bit of a soppy love song based on the production, but the song has a surprisingly more mature edge lyrically that invokes the idea of a guy being too clingy when the girl isn’t interested, with the p’ referencing to ‘hooking up’ emphasising (if only slightly) that she isn’t a simple Disney teen star anymore, which is cool when that is kind of the albums aim in a way.

3.5/5

Track 11- Never Been Hurt

I remember reading one comment on the album on YouTube highlighting the similarities between this record and her last studio effort in terms of the songs that were on display, and whilst for the most part I disagreed with them, it is hard not to admit that when you listen there isn’t a spark of this being a simple rehash of the title track of her last album Unbroken. This is because the lyrical sentiment of rising from hard times and loving someone completely without this sense of baggage is pretty much identical, and the way the song builds into each chorus is very familiar. If you ignore the similarity here you can enjoy the track, but here there is a distinct lack of this dark, intense sense of passion that made Unbroken quite a fan favourite, and the way the final word of the chorus (‘hurt’) is stressed so prominently doesn’t do her vocals justice and comes off as a bit whiny. The electro pop production also burns with the same energy, and although it starts of in a nice way that is a bit intense, it all to easily falls into typical pop territory, and so this is very easily the poorest track on this record.

2/5

Track 12- Shouldn’t Come Back

Another Carl Falk and Rami Yacoub collaboration, this time things are kicked down into a much slower and chilled rhythm, and we find Lovato in a vulnerable mode that is made more prominent by the acoustic level of the track. The song find Lovato singing about this boy who she is having a little bit of a hard time getting over, and tells him that he shouldn’t come back to her, because with him she does not feel the good way she should in a relationship. The chorus is very nice in the way that it acts as a simple plea to this former love, whilst the verses have a nice storytelling tone to them. Vocally the stripped back nature of the track really illuminates both the power of Lovato’s voice, but also the way she is able to really convey this true sense of emotion to the listener, going from quiet vulnerability to intense hurt in a way that seems seamless. Yacoub and Falk are stellar in keeping the production based in light guitar instrumentation and potent strings that give a nice tone to the record that layers the track with this added sadness, but also never goes too powerful in its sad tone to become annoying.

3.5/5

Track 13- Warrior

Designed as a little bit of a sequel to her 2011 hit “Skyscraper”, which announced her musical comeback after her highly publicised treatment in rehab over a number of issues, Warrior ends the track on a very vulnerable and poignant note that reminds us that at the heart of all this fun and vocal power Lovato is like many people: simply a vulnerable human being. An there is a touching sense of honesty, particularly in the terms of the lyrical content, where Lovato confronts the demons of her past and comes out of the hard times a stronger person. I wouldn’t say that this song has the power and drama of Skyscraper, but the lyrical content does have a little bit more of a personal tone, which makes sense when Lovato actually had a hand in writing this track compared to Skyscraper. Vocally she is really strong, showing some vocal runs that are very powerful and just giving this song and innate sense of strength that perfectly goes with the lyrical message. Keeping things on a simple level in the production with the piano and strings just makes things feel more potent and shows how she is really letting herself go here musically, although I do feel there is touch of drama missing to the production, as although I perhaps shouldn’t, I can’t help comparing this to Skyscraper, and that just had much more of a finish to it and felt slightly more impactful, even though this song packs a serious emotional punch.

3.5/5

Final Review

If Demi Lovato wanted to create an album for global success, she has done a very good job with this record. Although I disagree with the idea of every song on here having the potential to be a single, the album does feature a number of tunes that are impactful and would stand out on radio. The lyrical messages do have a touch of cliché but there is always a catchy quality to every song, and Lovato nicely offsets the happy pop numbers that are great to bounce along to with strong, emotional ballads. And at the centre of everything is the fact that with this album Lovato really does show why she has the potential to be a great artist, as she uses her voice so powerfully and knows how to make a song commanding every time, although on the odd occasion I feel she might just go overboard slightly. She is still kind of growing as an artist, but here she sounds like she is having fun making her music and creates a collection of songs that many people can easily find enjoyable.

8/10

Best Track- Heart Attack

Worst Track- Never Been Hurt

Song of the Week- July 21 2013

Song- Rock N Roll

Artist- Avril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne is definitely one of those artists who people can have polarising views of, as her musical styles have seemed to really change throughout the years, primarily in terms of her I am a rocker to her I am a pop star persona. But with Rock N Roll the singer just tells the people who hate her to go get a life, and creates an extremely catchy tune in the process. Now firstly it needs to be noted that whilst the title may be Rock N Roll, this isn't a rock song: rather it is a pop rock song with a little bit of an electronic feel. So people should not hate her for claiming to be rock and roll but then creating a not all that much rock song. Rather the message of the track is all about how we should just let her and her fans do their thing and just live life in the way that she has for years. The song is weirdly empowering, with a ridiculously catchy chorus that unites you with each other and makes you want to sing along with Lavigne's killer vocal performance. And whilst Max Martin may be your typical commercial pop producer, his sound is awesome and that is the reason why his pop tunes are so successful, because he can really make a song sound super catchy. Plus things are also a bit different here with a heavier bass and some necessary rock elements such as the sick guitar solo that comes before the final big finish. Makes me super excited for her soon to be released fifth studio album.

SORRY!!!!!!!!!

Apologies to anyone who may have noticed that this blog suddenly seemed to just stop without any explanation. Basically what happened was that I tried to take on too much and expect too much of myself with this blog, so that eventually I was just scrambling to keep up. So when I say daily I don't necessarily mean everyday as I set out to do, as I have now realised that life can get in the way as you do as equally important things, But I am back with more reviews and hopefully aim to really kick start this blog again and maybe get some people inspired to purchase new records or just listen to them, as music is one of the best things in the world.

Marina and the Diamonds- Electra Heart Album Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Album- Electra Heart

Artist- Marina and the Diamonds

So apparently Marina wanted to release Electra Heart under a different moniker and embrace a pop artist identity. But her label persuaded her to not do it, most prominently so that her more alternative fan base was not alienated. But I kind of feel that anyone who has listened to Marina that she has always had a pop sensibilities and most of her songs have that pop undercurrent, and that it’s just natural for her to embrace that. And despite this album being more pop orientated, I also feel that the album still has some alternative sensibilities. Being a very concept driven record in which Marina puts on different personas, has she created a massively great modern pop record?

Track 1- Bubblegum Bitch

The opening track is a bratty, in your face vitality in which Marina puts on the kind of Rachel McAdams Mean Girls kind of persona and boldly declares that she is going to be a bubblegum bitch, all the while using sugary sweet imagery and stereotypical ideologies that make for a clichéd but catchy listen, with the hook being a strong statement and highly catchy. Vocally she keeps it on a simple level and lets the energy of the track really do the work, with the production matching the lyrics in a great way in terms of the fast paced drum beats and guitar riffs that make for an almost aggressive but cool sound.

3.5/5

Track 2- Primadonna

The first Dr Luke collaboration is a strong pop orientated affair with a cool dance energy that finds Marina vocally putting on the persona of a diva kind of girl who lives for adoration. Lyrically the track was inspired by a former beau who referred to Marina as a mega drama queen centred in this need for global love, and so she taps into this quite superficial and undesirable energy into the track to create a powerful hook within the chorus and a bratty but sweet energy that shows the dual sides of this character in a strong way. Luke brings his great pop sound to the track in a great way by allowing the chorus to be a bit more stripped back, with simple piano melodies and a kind of music box twinkling rhythm, then getting the powerful dance beats to be unleashed in the verses and helping to emphasise this personas craving for adoration. Vocally Marina is also great, employing a nice falsetto in the chorus to make for a sugary sweet listen, and then going into a deeper register for the verses to emphasise the calculated nature of this character. The melding of the high vocals and dance beats at the end makes for a powerful finish that should have you singing along by that point.

4.5/5

Track 3- Lies

The second Dr Luke collaboration is a simple electro pop affair with a ballad feel and an emotional sound as a whole. The track opens with simple layered vocals that give an almost haunting quality to the song, and then Marina begins to fully sing in an emotionally loaded way. The vocals are strong, particularly in terms of the slow lyrical stresses in the pre chorus and the transition into a strong, higher register in the chorus. Lyrically the track finds Marina singing about this relationship that has gone wrong, in which the man is too proud to say things have gone wrong and everything is just built on lies. It’s a simple ideology that is melded into a strong pop hook and which taps into a mind-set that will be familiar to many people. Production wise the song is strong in terms of maintaining the tone of the piece, with the guitar riffs in the middle section being particularly potent and allowing for a big finish, although the dance pop beats are perhaps potentially a little overpowering in the chorus.

3.5/5

Track 4- Homewrecker

Opening with a radio crackling kind of voice over where Marina speaks of the ways in which relationships and characters go in life, before she boldly sings “And I don’t belong to anyone”. The song’s lyrics find Marina putting on another persona in which she is basically the girl who sets out to ruin relationships just because she thinks its fun. However whilst the hook is a bold statement and has a catchy quality, the track is a little too lyrically repetitive and is not as tight as the previous numbers, as she vocally switches between powerfully sung hook to radio sounding spoken word verses that just become annoying after a little while. The production however is strong, being toned down in the verses to allow for a great kick in the chorus with its booming bass line.

3/5

Track 5- Starring Role

Here Marina brings a really emotionally loaded performance in which she lyrically speaks of a relationship within the metaphorical ideology of acting. In simple terms the track finds Marina singing about the end of this relationship and how this guy just won’t really open up and has just really messed up, so if she doesn’t get that place she wants in his heart and mind (a.k.a. the starring role) then there is nothing in the relationship for her. The lyrics are an intricate meshing of ideas and are really helped by a strong vocal performance in which Marina really reaches into the higher realms of her voice to give a sense of vulnerability to the number, whilst the layering of her vocals works well in giving a sense of strength to match the vulnerability. The production of the track is also another example of where the producers really meld well with the lyrics and vocals, with the two beat music box rhythm and the wind chime effect of the introduction making way for clattering, forceful beats that in the pre chorus almost feel like they border on dubstep, but instead throughout the song they keep the track in a light pop territory, with the transition back to the simple beats and wind chimes in the outro making for a nearly haunting finish.

3.5/5

Track 6- The State of Dreaming

The delicate and dark energy continues with this track which finds Marina employing the soft quality of her voice to great effect and lyrically speaking of how she is living in this non-existent state where her life is a play and she just is so much better in this life of make believe. The track starts off in a vulnerable and haunting way before building into a big, vocal and production driven number that reflects the dreaming ideology of the track and beautifully taps into that notion that many people have of losing themselves in their own minds. The big sound of the track comes through not only in the vocal performance in which Marina really belts out the chorus, but also in production with its booming bass and small moments of haunting violins. And in giving us this sound Marina draws a great paradox in the record, drawing a fine line between happiness and darkness and expressing how dreaming is both a great and terrible thing to live life by.

3.5/5

Track 7- Power & Control

This up tempo number is very much a dark fantasy kind of piece that to me has an almost dark twisted fairy-tale aspect to it. Lyrically the track is very light and basic, with the chorus being a powerful hook driven section in which Marina takes the reins and tells her lover that she has a hold of his heart and is the boss of this relationship. The tracks dark atmosphere is brought out powerfully by the vocal performance, with the chorus being a punchy layered vocal that offsets the more soft spoken verses in a impressive and grand way. The production of Greg Kurstin is also brilliant, being toned down in the choruses to simple electronic beats that still have a fast paced energy, and then transitioning into booming bass beats in the chorus that really strengthen the track and make it sound not only a catchy and dominant listen but also a really believable statement.

4/5

Track 8- Living Dead

This electronic based number to me kind of has a eurhythmics kind of a feel to it in terms of its sound, but however I wouldn’t say it is on the same level as those tracks. The lyrics of the song talk of Marina living in this state of where her life is just so monotonous and she hasn’t really achieved much, and although it’s an ideology that people will connect with, the hook isn’t as strong as her other tracks, and the sentiment feels a little bit familiar in terms of the overall tone of the record. Vocally she is strong and gives a punchy quality to the track through the way she switches between her higher and lower registers, although the repetition in the track is annoying. Production wise the track has a strong electronic base that keeps the track going but doesn’t make it a really interesting listen.

2.5/5

Track 9- Teen Idle

Many people have noted the similarities of this track with the music of Lana Del Ray, with Del Ray also stating that she was a fan of the track. Whilst there are similarities, that does not mean this is not a Marina song, and it’s definitely a rich peace that is an album highlight. The tracks lyrics are paradoxical in terms of their embracement of innocence and darkness. And lyrically it is just great in tapping into that search for identity in your younger years, with Marina vocally bringing this ideology to the fore with fragility to her voice and also highlighting the paradoxical qualities, particularly within the cheerleading quality of the line “feeling super super suicidal”. The production keeps the track on a simple but strong level, with dark but minimal beats in the beginning and then a more forceful sound as the track continues that builds and just borders on too powerful but manages to sound good.

4/5

Track 10- Valley of the Dolls

This more stripped back affair features simple drum beats and an orchestral sound that gives gravitas to what Marina is singing. The track is also cool in terms of highlighting how she is really good vocally, as the production is kept on quite a simple level and so she shows her prowess by vocally carrying the song, although the layering of her voice is a little bit excessive. Lyrically the track is of a deeper grain and finds Marina singing of this search for an identity, although the lack of  a good hook, and perhaps if the song had gone a little bit darker, means that it is a good but not great listen.

3/5

Track 11- Hypocrates

The title of the track might be a little bit misleading as it suggests that the song has a powerful depth to it. However the track is actually a very simple pop love and heartbreak song in which lyrically Marina calls out this guy for telling her how to live her life and acting as if he is perfect, thereby running the relationship effectively. Vocally she keeps a light tone that shows vulnerability but also makes for a really chilled listen, and in terms of production the track has more of an acoustic feel than the other tracks, with light guitar riffs, simple piano melodies and nice drumbeats that are a little stereotypical but also sound simple but effective.

3.5/5

Track 12- Fear and Loathing

The final tracks title would suggest it finds Marina going to a dark place musically, and indeed this is the case, but there is also a touch of hope in this track as she lyrically expresses how she doesn’t want to be in this negative state despite the fact that she very much is. The haunting production is kept on a minimal level and here Marina just really purely sings to get the message across. The last minute of the track with its echoing soundbite is absolutely pointless, but all in all a strong end.

3.5/5

US Edition Track and latest single release- How To Be A Heartbreaker

For a while this only existed on the albums American edition but has finally been released in other territories, and I just really wanted to highlight this song as I think it is a great pop number. Lyrically the song is a kind of step by step from Marina on how to be a love tease and how to play various guys, breaking people’s hearts and in the process never allowing yourself to get hurt. The song has a vibrant tone and a strong pop hook, emphasising that she would indeed make a very good, fully fledged pop artist. Vocally she is really on point, with a light tone that keeps the flirtatious edge of the track ticking along nicely and makes for a really enjoyable listen, with Dr Luke’s production keep a nice dance and guitar based rhythm to the track that will definitely make this a catchy number that doesn’t escape your head.

4/5

Final Review

In listening to this record I was fully in the mind-set that she could both incorporate her alternative quirks with modern pop sensibilities. But in listening to the record as a whole, I feel that she is an artist torn between wanting to become a pop star and wanting to remain in the roots of her music that got her noticed. And whilst in certain cases it works, as a whole the record feels torn, with the latter half being to down tempo and serious in tone, even if this does make for some great music. So for the next record she need to add more variation, give a bit more up tempo dance energy to the record, and fully decide who she wants to be as an artist.

6/10

Best  Track- Primadonna

Worst Track- Living Dead