Showing posts with label lady gaga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lady gaga. Show all posts
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Best albums of 2011
Since January, our ears have reveled in hearing new LPs from several
bona fide superstars and promising debuts from up-and-coming artists. Of
course, there was also one juggernaut from a power-house Brit vocalist
that shattered all expectations. Naturally, a few of our discoveries
rose above the usual din, and it’s about time we shared the music that
truly sound-tracked our 2011.
And so, like at the end of 2010, each of the site’s three editors recently took it upon themselves to strap on their pumped up kicks and sift through the records that ran the world, rolled in the deep and took them to their own personal edge of glory in 2011. Head below to catch the roundup of Idolator’s 10 Favorite Albums Of The Year (which, we’ll point out, are in no particular order).
Foster The People, Torches
It’s interesting to dig around online and read all of the lore
that’s out there about this band — particularly the bit that notes Mark
Foster was at one time apparently being courted by Death Row Records in
the hopes of shaping him into a blue-eyed soul solo act, a la Robin
Thicke — because I just can’t picture it. Genre-wise, Torches is all
over the place, but it works thanks to the solid songwriting and
impeccable melodies that run throughout. Seeing FTP’s energetic live
show helps seal the deal.
Key Track: “Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)” is the LP’s brash and bratty rock jam.
Lady Gaga, Born This Way
When I first listened to Gaga’s latest opus (a week early —
sorry, Gaga!), I couldn’t pin it down — what was this musical monster?
Lyrically, sonically and thematically, the album is all over the place.
It’s overwhelmed with religious imagery that’s mashed up with dive bar
adoration, political statements, self-empowerment anthems, ’80s synths,
country power ballads, mariachi bands, not to mention several different
languages. But I love that Gaga didn’t even attempt to restrain herself
in any way. Pulling back a little would have perhaps made a more
cohesive album, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as exciting.
Key Track: “Heavy Metal Lover”, which isn’t one bit heavy metal, captures Gaga’s inner nightclub maven.
Beyonce, 4
Like our pals on the The Skorpion Show, my first
listen of “Run The World (Girls)” left me with the taste of “meh”. It
wasn’t until I watched Beyonce’s jaw-dropping performance of the
girl-power track on Le Grand Journal that something clicked. I’m not
sure whether the mother-to-be and I had a real moment or what, but from
then on I was all for 4. The album starts off with a slow burn with love
ballads like “1 + 1″ and mellow jams “Party” and “Love On Top” before
igniting into four-alarm-fire dance tracks (“Countdown”). The
30-year-old may be happily married, but, man, does she make “Best Thing I
Never Had” believable.
Key Track: “End Of Time” is fun and dancy, and evokes the drumline excitement of Destiny’s Child’s “Lose My Breath”.
Will Young, Echoes
Smooth-voiced Will is having a major comeback in his home country of
the UK thanks to this album, which is flawlessly produced by Richard X.
(Unfortunately, Echoes is currently only available in the States on
import.) The music included takes you on a journey through dance,
retro-sounding jams and ballads awash with synths and somber piano
chords. Lyrically, Young, now 10 years on from becoming the world’s
first Idol winner in the franchise, digs deep into his own experiences
with heartache and the darker side of relationships. If tasked with only
choosing one album from 2011 that really knocked me for a loop, this
could well be it.
Key Track: Electro-pop perfection is achieved on “Losing Myself”.
Oh Land, Oh Land
Oh Land, whose real name is Nanna Øland Fabricius, was first brought to
my attention when I wrote a Popping Up feature on her. A year later,
I’m still fawning over her self-titled US debut. Jumping from
heartbreaking to jovial (sometimes within the same track) this Danish
artist has created a beautiful, haunting and unforgettable album. The
woman had originally trained to be a ballet dancer. Lucky for us, she
blossomed into a risk-taking musician — one who thrilled both us and all
in attendance at our South By Southwest Pray For Pop party earlier this
year!
Key Track: “Wolf And I”, an unforgettable melodic fable about star-crossed love.
Adele, 21
I first fell for 21 back in the fall of 2010. Adele dropped by the
Idolator office and let us sample tracks from the LP, and I found myself
fighting back tears. “Rolling In The Deep” was like a gateway drug into
the album, and I couldn’t get enough. There is something in the British
songbird’s sound that exhibits beautiful melancholy and heartbreak that
reminds me of the late Laura Nyro (see: “Gonna Take A Miracle” and
“Wedding Bell Blues”). The rich soul in the 23-year-old’s voice brings
me back to Bonnie Raitt’s “Been Too Long At The Fair” and “Love Has No
Pride”. One doesn’t need to have gone through a break up to find solace
in 21, but, hey, it doesn’t hurt.
Key Track: Gospel-inspired tune “Take It All” will never get the non-stop airplay of “Rolling In The Deep” or “Someone Like You”, and that’s a shame.
The Sound Of Arrows, Voyage
I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this Swedish duo’s shimmery
debut album to come out. (Actually, it’s only been since 2009, when the
cinematic and strange video for “Into The Clouds” drifted online.) This
pristine dream pop LP is brimming with synths and is best listened to
while laying in a field of blue and yellow flowers, closing your eyes
and teleporting yourself onto the clouds a mile above. But I feel I
should warn you: the aptly-titled Voyage is a highly addictive
experience that refuses to be played just once in a sitting.
Key Track: There really isn’t a song to be skipped here, but one particular highlight is the forlorn “Wonders”.
Patrick Stump, Soul Punk
As a huge Fall Out Boy fan, I had been awaiting a solo album from Mr.
Stump for a long time. That solo album I had been imagining — a
continuation of FOB’s sound, basically — wasn’t what he ended up
delivering. It’s better. Patrick went glam, revved up the synths and
showed us what happens when he’s not restricted to the pop-punk genre.
After years of letting Pete Wentz’s lyrics flow out of his mouth, it’s
wonderful to finally hear what Patrick has to say. (Did I mention he
wrote every song, played every single instrument and produced the entire
album himself? Truly the most “solo” solo album of the year.)
Key Track: “Run Dry (x heart x fingers)”, an ode to imbibing and letting yourself make mistakes.
Ben Folds, The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective
Ben Folds Five broke up before I got to see them live. So, while this
compilation contains some of Ben’s more commonly known tracks, having
the chance to hear previously-unreleased live songs like “Narcolepsy”
(from a 1999 Stockholm performance) gave me the concert experience I was
never able to have. Rare first cuts like “Julianne”, off a
never-released 1994 album, and shelved demos like “Unrelated” makes this
three-disc compilation worth every penny. Perfect for the lifetime Ben
Folds fan and a great introduction for the person who just thinks of the
North Carolinian as merely That Judge From The Sing-Off.
Key Track: “Smoke” (performed live with the Western Australian Symphony) in a word: unreal.
Britney Spears, Femme Fatale
I’ll just come out and say it, and the Britney fans can hate or debate
all they want: I think Femme Fatale beats Blackout as far as Spears’
best album is concerned. For me, they’re the only two albums she’s
released that I find myself going back to and giving repeat listens in
their entirety, and FF just sounds more like a consistent and focused
effort, thanks to exec producers Max Martin and Dr. Luke. Sure, Brit’s
voice has never sounded less like a human than it does here. But this
era of the singer’s career gave her three Top 10 singles off an album
for the first time and gave me a disc of tunes that hasn’t left my car
since March.
Key Track: Dubstep-riddled lead single “Hold It Against Me”.
And so, like at the end of 2010, each of the site’s three editors recently took it upon themselves to strap on their pumped up kicks and sift through the records that ran the world, rolled in the deep and took them to their own personal edge of glory in 2011. Head below to catch the roundup of Idolator’s 10 Favorite Albums Of The Year (which, we’ll point out, are in no particular order).
Foster The People, Torches
It’s interesting to dig around online and read all of the lore
that’s out there about this band — particularly the bit that notes Mark
Foster was at one time apparently being courted by Death Row Records in
the hopes of shaping him into a blue-eyed soul solo act, a la Robin
Thicke — because I just can’t picture it. Genre-wise, Torches is all
over the place, but it works thanks to the solid songwriting and
impeccable melodies that run throughout. Seeing FTP’s energetic live
show helps seal the deal.Key Track: “Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)” is the LP’s brash and bratty rock jam.
Lady Gaga, Born This Way
When I first listened to Gaga’s latest opus (a week early —
sorry, Gaga!), I couldn’t pin it down — what was this musical monster?
Lyrically, sonically and thematically, the album is all over the place.
It’s overwhelmed with religious imagery that’s mashed up with dive bar
adoration, political statements, self-empowerment anthems, ’80s synths,
country power ballads, mariachi bands, not to mention several different
languages. But I love that Gaga didn’t even attempt to restrain herself
in any way. Pulling back a little would have perhaps made a more
cohesive album, but it wouldn’t be anywhere near as exciting.Key Track: “Heavy Metal Lover”, which isn’t one bit heavy metal, captures Gaga’s inner nightclub maven.
Beyonce, 4
Like our pals on the The Skorpion Show, my first
listen of “Run The World (Girls)” left me with the taste of “meh”. It
wasn’t until I watched Beyonce’s jaw-dropping performance of the
girl-power track on Le Grand Journal that something clicked. I’m not
sure whether the mother-to-be and I had a real moment or what, but from
then on I was all for 4. The album starts off with a slow burn with love
ballads like “1 + 1″ and mellow jams “Party” and “Love On Top” before
igniting into four-alarm-fire dance tracks (“Countdown”). The
30-year-old may be happily married, but, man, does she make “Best Thing I
Never Had” believable.Key Track: “End Of Time” is fun and dancy, and evokes the drumline excitement of Destiny’s Child’s “Lose My Breath”.
Will Young, Echoes
Smooth-voiced Will is having a major comeback in his home country of
the UK thanks to this album, which is flawlessly produced by Richard X.
(Unfortunately, Echoes is currently only available in the States on
import.) The music included takes you on a journey through dance,
retro-sounding jams and ballads awash with synths and somber piano
chords. Lyrically, Young, now 10 years on from becoming the world’s
first Idol winner in the franchise, digs deep into his own experiences
with heartache and the darker side of relationships. If tasked with only
choosing one album from 2011 that really knocked me for a loop, this
could well be it.Key Track: Electro-pop perfection is achieved on “Losing Myself”.
Oh Land, Oh Land
Oh Land, whose real name is Nanna Øland Fabricius, was first brought to
my attention when I wrote a Popping Up feature on her. A year later,
I’m still fawning over her self-titled US debut. Jumping from
heartbreaking to jovial (sometimes within the same track) this Danish
artist has created a beautiful, haunting and unforgettable album. The
woman had originally trained to be a ballet dancer. Lucky for us, she
blossomed into a risk-taking musician — one who thrilled both us and all
in attendance at our South By Southwest Pray For Pop party earlier this
year!Key Track: “Wolf And I”, an unforgettable melodic fable about star-crossed love.
Adele, 21
I first fell for 21 back in the fall of 2010. Adele dropped by the
Idolator office and let us sample tracks from the LP, and I found myself
fighting back tears. “Rolling In The Deep” was like a gateway drug into
the album, and I couldn’t get enough. There is something in the British
songbird’s sound that exhibits beautiful melancholy and heartbreak that
reminds me of the late Laura Nyro (see: “Gonna Take A Miracle” and
“Wedding Bell Blues”). The rich soul in the 23-year-old’s voice brings
me back to Bonnie Raitt’s “Been Too Long At The Fair” and “Love Has No
Pride”. One doesn’t need to have gone through a break up to find solace
in 21, but, hey, it doesn’t hurt.Key Track: Gospel-inspired tune “Take It All” will never get the non-stop airplay of “Rolling In The Deep” or “Someone Like You”, and that’s a shame.
The Sound Of Arrows, Voyage
I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this Swedish duo’s shimmery
debut album to come out. (Actually, it’s only been since 2009, when the
cinematic and strange video for “Into The Clouds” drifted online.) This
pristine dream pop LP is brimming with synths and is best listened to
while laying in a field of blue and yellow flowers, closing your eyes
and teleporting yourself onto the clouds a mile above. But I feel I
should warn you: the aptly-titled Voyage is a highly addictive
experience that refuses to be played just once in a sitting.Key Track: There really isn’t a song to be skipped here, but one particular highlight is the forlorn “Wonders”.
Patrick Stump, Soul Punk
As a huge Fall Out Boy fan, I had been awaiting a solo album from Mr.
Stump for a long time. That solo album I had been imagining — a
continuation of FOB’s sound, basically — wasn’t what he ended up
delivering. It’s better. Patrick went glam, revved up the synths and
showed us what happens when he’s not restricted to the pop-punk genre.
After years of letting Pete Wentz’s lyrics flow out of his mouth, it’s
wonderful to finally hear what Patrick has to say. (Did I mention he
wrote every song, played every single instrument and produced the entire
album himself? Truly the most “solo” solo album of the year.)Key Track: “Run Dry (x heart x fingers)”, an ode to imbibing and letting yourself make mistakes.
Ben Folds, The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective
Ben Folds Five broke up before I got to see them live. So, while this
compilation contains some of Ben’s more commonly known tracks, having
the chance to hear previously-unreleased live songs like “Narcolepsy”
(from a 1999 Stockholm performance) gave me the concert experience I was
never able to have. Rare first cuts like “Julianne”, off a
never-released 1994 album, and shelved demos like “Unrelated” makes this
three-disc compilation worth every penny. Perfect for the lifetime Ben
Folds fan and a great introduction for the person who just thinks of the
North Carolinian as merely That Judge From The Sing-Off.Key Track: “Smoke” (performed live with the Western Australian Symphony) in a word: unreal.
Britney Spears, Femme Fatale
I’ll just come out and say it, and the Britney fans can hate or debate
all they want: I think Femme Fatale beats Blackout as far as Spears’
best album is concerned. For me, they’re the only two albums she’s
released that I find myself going back to and giving repeat listens in
their entirety, and FF just sounds more like a consistent and focused
effort, thanks to exec producers Max Martin and Dr. Luke. Sure, Brit’s
voice has never sounded less like a human than it does here. But this
era of the singer’s career gave her three Top 10 singles off an album
for the first time and gave me a disc of tunes that hasn’t left my car
since March.Key Track: Dubstep-riddled lead single “Hold It Against Me”.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Grammy nominations
My choices for who should win are underlined:
Record of the Year
"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele,
"Grenade" by Bruno Mars,
"Holocene" by Bon Iver,
"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons
"Firework" by Katy Perry
Song of the Year
"All of the Lights" from Kanye West,
"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons,
"Grenade" by Bruno Mars,
"Holocene" by Bon Iver,
"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
Best New Artist
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skillex
Album of the Year
Adele, "21"
Foo Fighters, "Wasting Light";
Lady Gaga, "Born This Way";
Bruno Mars, "Doo-Wops and Hooligans";
Rihanna, "Loud."
Kanye West was robbed in this category! "My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy" should have been nominated for Album of the Year.
Best Pop Solo Performance
"Someone Like You" by Adele
"Yoü And I" by Lady Gaga
"Grenade" by Bruno Mars
"Firework" by Katy Perry
"F***in’ Perfect" by Pink
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
"Body And Soul" by Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
"Dearest" by The Black Keys
"Paradise" by Coldplay
"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People
"Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera
Best Pop Vocal Album
Adele "21"
Cee Lo Green "The Lady Killer"
Lady Gaga "Born This Way"
Bruno Mars "Doo-Wops & Hooligans"
Rihanna "Loud"
Best Dance Recording
"Raise Your Weapon" by Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech
"Barbra Streisand" by Duck Sauce
"Sunshine" by David Guetta & Avicii
"Call Your Girlfriend" by Robyn (Song of the Year in my opinion!)
"Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" by Skrillex
"Save The World" by Swedish House Mafia
Best Dance/Electronica Album
Best Rock Performance
"Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" by Coldplay
"Down By The Water" by The Decemberists
"Walk" by Foo Fighters
"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons
"Lotus Flower" by Radiohead
Best Rock Song
"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons
"Down By The Water" by The Decemberists
"Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" by Coldplay
"Lotus Flower" by Radiohead
"Walk" Foo Fighters
Best Alternative Music Album
Bon Iver "Bon Iver"
Death Cab For Cutie "Codes And Keys"
Here is Gaga and Sugarland performing "You and I" at the nominations show:
Record of the Year
"Grenade" by Bruno Mars,
"Holocene" by Bon Iver,
"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons
"Firework" by Katy Perry
Song of the Year
"All of the Lights" from Kanye West,
"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons,
"Grenade" by Bruno Mars,
"Holocene" by Bon Iver,
"Rolling in the Deep" by Adele
Best New Artist
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skillex
Album of the Year
Adele, "21"
Foo Fighters, "Wasting Light";
Lady Gaga, "Born This Way";
Bruno Mars, "Doo-Wops and Hooligans";
Rihanna, "Loud."
Kanye West was robbed in this category! "My Beautiful, Dark, Twisted Fantasy" should have been nominated for Album of the Year.
Best Pop Solo Performance
"Someone Like You" by Adele
"Yoü And I" by Lady Gaga
"Grenade" by Bruno Mars
"Firework" by Katy Perry
"F***in’ Perfect" by Pink
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
"Body And Soul" by Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
"Dearest" by The Black Keys
"Paradise" by Coldplay
"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster The People
"Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 & Christina Aguilera
Best Pop Vocal Album
Adele "21"
Cee Lo Green "The Lady Killer"
Lady Gaga "Born This Way"
Bruno Mars "Doo-Wops & Hooligans"
Rihanna "Loud"
Best Dance Recording
"Raise Your Weapon" by Deadmau5 & Greta Svabo Bech
"Barbra Streisand" by Duck Sauce
"Sunshine" by David Guetta & Avicii
"Call Your Girlfriend" by Robyn (Song of the Year in my opinion!)
"Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites" by Skrillex
"Save The World" by Swedish House Mafia
Best Dance/Electronica Album
Cut/Copy "Zonoscope"
Deadmau5 "4x4=12"
David Guetta "Nothing But The Beat"
Robyn "Body Talk, Pt. 3"
Skrillex "Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites"
Best Rock Performance
"Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" by Coldplay
"Down By The Water" by The Decemberists
"Walk" by Foo Fighters
"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons
"Lotus Flower" by Radiohead
Best Rock Song
"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons
"Down By The Water" by The Decemberists
"Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall" by Coldplay
"Lotus Flower" by Radiohead
"Walk" Foo Fighters
Best Alternative Music Album
Bon Iver "Bon Iver"
Death Cab For Cutie "Codes And Keys"
Foster The People "Torches"
My Morning Jacket "Circuital"
Radiohead "The King Of Limbs"
Here is Gaga and Sugarland performing "You and I" at the nominations show:
Friday, December 2, 2011
Lady Gaga's video for "Marry The Night"
If you cannot watch the video because you're at work (womp womp), here is a summary from The Washington Post:
The 13-minute epic opens on Mama Monster in some sort of hospital, bruised up and declaring, “I’m gonna be star. You know why? (Pause for dramatic crying.) Because I have nothing to lose.”
Cut to Gaga as a ballerina, then as a French speaker in a flat getting a call from a “director” who delivers some unspecified bad news. The singer loses her mind — in an artsy way — tearing the apartment apart, covering her naked (but censored) body in cereal and dying her hair in the bathtub.
Lady Gaga Vevo The song, and that moment in particular, is autobiographical. Gaga told E! that it represents the day she was dropped from Island Def Jam. (Apparently, she was really nude when the call came in.)
“You may say I lost everything,” a reborn Gaga says in the video. “But I still had my bedazzler.”
The video begins to take a more traditional form around the eight-minute mark, when the song actually starts to play. Gaga and crew perform dance numbers in a studio, a city street and on and in a car, which is on fire by the end of the song.
For anyone concerned that Gaga was losing some of her wacky edge (see her traditional Thanksgiving special), “Marry the Night” should both blow and ease their minds.
Watch the video, which is slightly NSFW because of one word and some censored skin, here.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Lady Gaga starts a foundation
Associated Press have reported that Lady GaGa is set to launch a foundation, entitled the “Born This Way Foundation”. Teaming with the MacArthur Foundation, The California Endowment and Harvard University, Lady GaGa is to launch the non-profit organisation to support youth empowerment and issues such as self-confidence, well-being, anti-bullying, mentoring and career development.
The non-profit will be directed by Lady GaGa and Cynthia Germanotta, Lady GaGa’s mother, and will be officially launched in 2012.
For more information on the foundation, and how to spread the word, make sure to visit http://www.bornthiswayfoundation.org.
Source
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Cover of "Marry The Night"
Lady Gaga revealed the cover of her new single "Marry The Night" on twitter yesterday.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Gaga's new single will be "Marry The Night"
Lady Gaga’s latest song “Yoü And I” is still among the top ten singles according to Billboard, but the singer is already planning her next radio release. The fifth cut from Gaga’s multi-platinum album Born This Way is the fan favorite dance track “Marry The Night,” which was produced by Fernando Garibay and is inspired by Gaga’s love for her hometown New York City.“I wrote so many songs on this new album about New York City, but one in particular ‘Marry The Night,’ that record is about my husband, New York,” she told MTV prior to the album release.
Source
"Marry The Night" was one of my top choices!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Lady Gaga's new single
Fans are hoping that Lady Gaga will release "Bloody Mary" as her next single because not only is it a great song but it would be a perfect fit with Halloween coming up.
Although I would love to see "Bloody Mary" as the next single, I think she has some other great tracks that could be selected as well.
Marry The Night
Fashion of His Love
Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)
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