Lady Gaga's "The Fame Monster" - Album Review

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Stefani Germanotta may be her birth name, but Lady Gaga is her god-given game, or fame, or fame monster, or whatever you chose to name the extra-dimensional existence that IS Ms. Gaga. Sure she may choose to strut down a Greenwich village sidewalk dressed for an otherworldly fashion show runway or perform on a stage littered with fiber-optic madness and dangerously sharp-edged couture, but her goal isn’t necessarily to shock you or alienate you, but to draw you into a vivid experience of bold, brass and sensuous serenity. Your eyes are engaged as much as your ears, you can taste the Gaga air, smell the sweet combination of fashion, art, and brilliance, and touch the glamour of Gagaworld. In Lady Gaga’s new album The Fame Monster (and no, it’s not a rerelease of The Fame), the goal is evident that her music is crafted to paint a vivid picture of the lurking glamorous monsters of love and fame, transcending the sonic sphere into visual pictures brighter than any music video could ever capture.

It begins with the lead single of Lady Gaga’s, “Bad Romance”. Here she plays a crazed lover, determined to rekindle a romance that she has herself identified as a bad romance. She’s blinded by the sheer magnetic nature of having a lover, in an obsessive, monstrous way, such that Gaga herself is not the monster, but the captivation of romance. The synths are raging in this song and as the songs builds to the chorus, an explosion of electronic, techno beats is unleashed, much like a caged monster of romance. While her beats have been an signature elements in her previous songs, never has it seemed so essential to the experience as it does with this song, dancing hand-in-hand with Gaga’s haunting ra-ra-ra-ra-ras. Gaga is taking no prisoners, but unleashing the first of many monsters on this track set.

Here Gaga puts on a Madonna/Ace of Base hybrid persona with “Alejandro”, with an equally powerful beat, which she rides quite well. Sonically, the song resembles “La Isla Bonita” in some ways, but shares an even greater resemblance sound-wise to “Don’t Turn Around” by Ace of Base. Lyrically, we meet another monster, this one of temptation and passion. Whereas “Bad Romance” hinged upon the monstrous magnetism of faux affection, “Alejandro” evokes the struggle of lust versus reason. Next up, “Monster”, yikes!

The next monster is a boy she would love nothing more than to escape from, but is drawn in by a seemingly inescapable something that she can’t describe. Again, Gaga lays it on thick with her vocals, while Red One and Space Cowboy lay it on equally thick with the beat. Gaga is determined to revert to late 80s/early 90s freestyle beats and house music instrumentals to guide the direction of this song. Gaga then takes a more personal turn with “Speechless”, which is inspired by her father’s recent health downturns. The song is nice, nothing groundbreaking, but a softer side of her while still keeping the beat as essential as ever.

With “Dance in the Dark”, Gaga attacks the monster of dying esteem of some girls. Again, Gaga tends to channel her inner-Madonna as she runs through the song, listing “Marilyn, Judy, Sylvia” much in the way that “Vogue” lists “Grace Kelly, Harlow, Jean.”

At last we come to the piéce de résistance, Lady Gaga and Beyonce. Titled “Telephone,” Gaga expresses the disdain of having “him” call me on her phone when she’s out in the club. The song is so well crafted and the contributions of Beyonce are so swagger-filled that there is no denying that this song is the high point of the album, so much so that the remaining two tracks are rendered essentially pointless. The beat is once again tremendous and Gaga makes the verb “Telephoning” somehow cool again. I can definitely see this song being someone’s ringtone at a club, and sadly answering it on the dance floor without second-guessing. That Gaga!

The album is a fun adventure, but perhaps a little too fun. The beats are powerful, the singing follows suit, and the images are projected so crisp clear that the music is best appreciated with one’s eyes closed. But just as tempting as cheesy pizza or cookie dough ice cream may be, there is a limit to how much one can consume before calling it quits, or at least taking a break. Gaga has surely crafted an infectious masterpiece, and while songs do start to blend a bit a few tracks into the album, it still emerges as one of the strongest and cohesive albums this year. Nevertheless, I’ve never felt so energized and yet exhausted after only eight songs, and Gaga is to blame!

Strong Track(s): Bad Romance, Alejandro, Monster, Telephone, So Happy I Could Die

Weak Track(s): Speechless

Rating: 4/5

Rihanna's RATED R - Album Review

The past two years have certainly been some of the most life-changing for R&B/Pop singer Rihanna. From a seemingly disposable pop starlet a mere two and a half years ago to international mega superstar with more number ones under her belt than any other female artist (with the exception of Beyonce, of course), things never looked brighter for the Bajan princess. But that pristine bubble burst shortly before the 2009 Grammy Awards Ceremony, a time at which her life would forever change. The famed Chris Brown altercation mystified the public and the sheer cringe-worthy details made it all the worse. Whether Rihanna would use music as an outlet to vent the emotions she had and continues to undergo was an obvious question the listening public was interested to hear shortly after it was made public that she would resume work on her fourth studio album a mere weeks after the attack. Fast-forward nine months and the final product is here, a new album, a new proclamation of edginess, and a new, darker Rihanna quickly shedding the remnant innocence one might have still imagined of the 21 year-old. So what about Rated R?



Rated R opens up with an intro, a first for Rihanna, entitled "Mad House" with its eerie arrangement of extra bass and light synths that does two things. First, it tells that listener that this is no umbrella-twirling Rihanna, begging that DJ not to stop that house-techno music of Good Girl Gone Bad. Hell no, this Rihanna is warning you to "come on, come on, come in," but at your own risk and with a promise to chuck fear at the gate. Second, it introduces a new reincarnation of Rihanna, where she sets her own rules and is daring enough to break even those she's established for herself. It certainly is one of most bizarre and yet intriguing intros and fits so perfectly for this album. Next up, Rihanna's promotional single, "Wait Your Turn."

It's Rihanna's first experimental track with little to no pop fluff. The forewarns are resounding that "it's just the way the game is played, it's best if you just wait your turn." The song is a different sound but Rihanna manages to make it all hers and sell it successfully. However, it pales in comparison to the swagger-strutting "Hard" featuring Jeezy, where Rihanna proudly proclaims herself as the "hottest bi*ch in heels right here." And just when it seems obvious that she is here to portray herself as a strong, powerful and untouchable woman, she unveils her vulnerabilities on "Stupid in Love." In not-so-subtle but never explicit references to her relationship with Chris Brown, she reflects on how a blinding love that left her hurt and lost. But back to swagger-strutting on "Rockstar 101", one of the strongest tracks on the album and an amazing feature with Slash. The song isn't too rock to draw charges of being disingenuous but has enough rock for Rihanna to accomodate some extra sexy, as Rihanna wants to make sure you frisk her good, "check my panties and my bra."

Then back to her vulnerable side with the album's lead single, entitled "Russian Roulette". While the song's title was evocative of something dark, the actual song proved to unveil an even darker, edgier side of Rihanna. Heavy breathing, strumming guitar strings, repeated sounds of a spinning revolver chamber, emotional lyrics, and that one gut-wrenching final gunshot to end the song pretty much sum up the four minutes of anguish and pain. Sure it was uncomfortable to hear the song at first. We never imagined fun-filled, danceable, umbrella-toting Rihanna would project the solemnness and pain of this song as her return to the pop world. Yet, to deny the stunning beauty and awe of the song would be an outrage. The song, the sixth track on the album, is a timeless song of swirling metaphors to reflect the danger of being in an abusive relationship. It's obvious what Rihanna and Ne-Yo were going for with this number.

Rihanna's choice to go more pop rocker with "Fire Bomb" is not the strongest point of the album, even with the strange piano strings and electric guitar mix, resembling a ballad accidentally dropped in puddle of Finger Eleven's pudding. The song would be more appropriate for Kelly Clarkson, but she does a nice job with her vocals. Then, a surprising up-tempo number with "Rude Boy", which is certainly reminiscent of Rihanna during her Good Girl Gone Bad or A Girl Like Me days. The song is littered with sticky, overtly sexual metaphors, but is fun, even if at times I am startled by the vocal resemblance to Beyonce on this particular track. The song is tons of fun, but doesn't aid the album's cohesiveness. Next up, Rihanna and Will.i.am on "Photographs", a softer song further displaying the vulnerable Rihanna.

While we may be more than two-thirds through the album, its most interesting tracks have yet to come. First off, "G4L" or Gangsta for Life, where Rihanna claims to be gangster for life. It's grimy and bold, and we even hear Rihanna send expletive after expletive at one point in the song. Now it becomes obvious that this is yet another persona that Rihanna has chosen to slip into as a chance of strengthening herself. A little later, we hear "Cold Case Love", arguably Rihanna's most revealing song of the album and of hers to date. Here she goes through the emotions of living through a relationship that has fallen off the deep-end with references to a crime scene. At this point, it is obvious that Rihanna isn't gangsta for life, or a rockstar. She doesn't go as hard as she claims, but rather is trying to rebuild for herself the image of a strong woman after suffering the damaging blows that have gone her way this past year. She puts on different personas, only to fall back into her own vulnerabilities. One minute, Rihanna is licking the barrel of a gun, the next she's stumbling through the crime scene of a cold case love. She's high atop her pedestal at one instant, and picking up the pieces of blind love the next. Rihanna wants you to know that she may be as weak at times as the average Jane, but in the end, all she ever wanted to be was a rockstar, with her "black guitar" in hand, "six-inchers" under her heels, and sexy gangster lingerie (and not a gun) around her waist.

Strong Track(s): Russian Roulette, Wait Your Turn, Rockstar, Hard, Rude Boy
Weak Tracks(s): Fire Bomb, The Last Song

Rating: 4/5

Alicia Keys 2nd Single "Try Sleeping With A Broken Hearth" Premieres Online

Although her album isn't scheduled to be released until December 15th, Alicia Keys's second single has hit the internet, titled "Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart".

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As her first single has not been the resounding success her previous lead singles have proven to be, this song has the uniqueness and potential to do very well, a bold statement to reassure the listening audience of her swift return to the music landscape. The smooth bass-driven track, peppered with interchanging whispers and hearty vocals from Ms. Keys is a huge improvement over her first single, "Doesn't Mean Anything", which seemed nothing more than a watered down rehashing of her number one single "No One". The song is pure R&B but has that special touch to it that is easily identifiable and relatable. While the song seems to at first be missing that notable touch of every Alicia Keys track, the piano takes control by the end of the song. Fantastic sound from one of R&B's most successful acts.

Jay-Z, Alicia Keys Rock 2009 World Series

Less than an hour ago, Hip Hop and R&B heavyweights Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed at the 2009 World Series, performing their hit single "Empire State of Mind" in front of a cheering New York crowd.

Overall, a nice performance, even if the feedback from the microphone did get a bit annoying. The duo were scheduled to perform the song yesterday evening before Game 1 of the World Series but poor weather canceled the performance, fearing that the stage would damage the soft field for game play. This song is one of the most anthemic songs to be released in a very long time and seeing the two perform seems never to get tiring. The video is scheduled to premiere soon and you can click here to get a sneak peak of the video.

Britney Spears Premieres Short Clips of "3" Music Video

For the past couple of days, Britney Spears has been using her twitter page for mass promo of the music video for the number one hit song "3".

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I've only included one of the three video clips released today, just because the clips are not very insightful and are frustratingly short. The music video, which will see its worldwide premiere tomorrow, is described to show the pop princess's return to her impeccable dance ability. And, while I am hopeful to see a well choreographed music video, I am not expecting to see a video reminiscent of her prime days of dancing (e.g. "I'm A Slave 4 U", "Toxic", "Oops...I Did It Again"). Regardless, based on the pictures and short clips, the video does look interesting.

2009 BET Hip Hop Awards

The 2009 BET Hip Hop Awards aired yesterday evening with Jay-Z leading the pack of winners with four awards under his belt.

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The award ceremony was nothing spectacular but entertaining nonetheless, with hip hop A-listers Gucci Mane, Snoop Dogg, Mario, Fabolous, Ludacris, and Young Jeezy taking the stage among others. As for the winners, T.I. came in second with the most wins, scoring three awards (two of which he shared with Rihanna for their hit single "Live Your Life"), while Drake and Kanye West came in with two awards. While I do have some disagreements with the nominations of some awards, I think BET did a good job in awarding the winners of each category, since I had virtually no disagreements with the winners. As for awards shows, there is still a ways until the 52nd Grammy Awards, which are slated for January 31, 2010.

Click here for some of the performances of last nights show.

Hits Daily Double "One-Day Sales" Update

HITS Daily Double's weekly One-Day Sales for the album week of October 27 shows that Michael Jackson will debut at the top with the compilation album This Is It to coincide with the worldwide release of the documentary of the same name. With sales expected to exceed 300,000 copies, this will mark the sixth time an album of Michael Jackson's has achieved that feat.

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It has only been four months since the King of Pop's passing and with the critical and commercial acclaim surrounding the film, along with the inclusion of some timeless classics on the album, this comes as no surprise. It's sad a final breathtaking tour never came to fruition.

In other news, Creed's Full Circle is anticipated to take the number two or three spot on next week's Billboard 200 chart, depending on sales from the New Moon soundtrack. Both albums are on track to sell in the low 100,000s. Rounding out the top five are Taylor Swift's Fearless: Platinum Edition, with projected sales between 90,000-95,000 to add to the 4x platinum selling album, and Rod Stewart's Soulbook, with projected sales between 80,000-85,000. Sadly, these album numbers continue to demonstrate the deathly state of the music industry, especially considering the holiday shopping season is beginning to pick up.

Taylor's Swift Jump to Number 1

Amid little promotion, Taylor Swift's Fearless album was re-released today with six new songs, all of which have exploded into the top 20 on iTunes the day of its release, including the iTunes number 1 "Jump Then Fall."

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It seems that the country music starlet can do absolutely no wrong, proving over and over again to outsell some of the biggest names in music today. The soft, guitar-driven "Jump Then Fall" is a great country-pop track that at first listen may not scream pop radio number one like "Love Story" or "You Belong with Me." However, with repeated listens, you grow to appreciate the musical genius, lyricist, and instrumentalist that this teenager (yes, teenager) has become. The Fearless: Platinum Edition is reloaded with six new tracks that each contribute in their own unique way to the re-release. Based on how well these songs are currently doing on iTunes, Ms. Swift is poised to tie a record she has already achieved with this album: 7 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 in the same chart week. Congrats to Taylor.

Chris Brown's "I Can Transform Ya" Video Premiere

Chris Brown premiered the video to his single "I Can Transform Ya" today on MTV.com, featuring Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz.

The video clearly shows that Chris Brown, although still repairing the damage sustained in the recent past, has no intention of disappointing his fanbase. The bravado of the lyrics are completely outshined by bravado of the choreography and special effects of the music video. It pretty much has everything you could ask for from a Chris Brown music video: a thumping R&B beat, immaculate choreography, a Weezy verse, sophisticated CGI, and convenient shots of a bare-chested Breezy. The video is certainly appropriate for the song and the dancing in the video attempts to remind those who are iffy about supporting Chris of his undeniable talent as one of the best dancers in the industry. And if Chris is able to accomplish that, this is a huge step in the effort to restore his charm in the hearts of defected listeners and customers. Overall, a nice video from C. Breezy.

Lady Gaga Radio Interview About "The Fame Monster"

Lady Gaga was interviewed this morning on the Elvis Duran and the Morning Zoo show to promote her upcoming sophomore album, The Fame Monster, scheduled to be released on November 23rd.

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During the interview, she describes the new album, which is now officially considered a second studio-album instead of the re-release of her platinum selling debut album The Fame. She gets personal about her father's lifesaving heart operation that she recently paid for and the song "Speechless," inspired by these events, along with a promise to promote and tour for this album for an equal amount of time as was done for The Fame.

I was a little surprised by the decision to stop promotion for The Fame, considering several songs on the album that I feel had the potential to do very well on the charts ("Starstruck", "Money Honey", "Paper Gangsta") and boost sales of her debut album. Regardless, her new single "Bad Romance" is already racing up the iTunes chart and currently sits at number two. The Gaga camp can rest assured that it will likely debut within the top ten next week on the Billboard Hot 100 and it will be interesting to see how it will chart in the other international markets that it has been released in.

She also talked a little more about the collaboration her and Beyonce did on the song "Telephone" and the soon-to-be-released video for "Video Phone." Sounds like fun!

Rihanna's "Rated R" Album Cover Unveiled

Earlier today, R&B singer Rihanna's new album cover for her fourth studio-album, entitled Rated R, hit the internet today.

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The evocative cover, shot earlier this month by Ellen von Werth, continues the dark nature of the artwork of her single, "Russian Roulette," and the general direction the album is speculated to follow. Furthermore, it channels the artistic direction of the photo-shoot Rihanna did for Vogue Italia a couple of months back.

Although she does look beautiful on the cover, it doesn't strike me as anything too provocative and pales in comparison to the striking cover of "Russian Roulette." Of course, covers have very little to do with album sales but it is interesting that the two divas - Rihanna and Lady Gaga -expected to duel it out for the top spot on the Billboard 200 on November 23rd are both sporting black and white album covers. It is an interesting cover nonetheless.

Whose album cover is better, Rihanna's or Lady Gaga's?

Welcome!

This blog is the ultimate music blog, combining music news, reviews, and updates in one central location. This blog particularly deals with Pop, R&B, and Hip-Hop, but is not necessarily limited to these three genres. I hope you all enjoy!