why aren't there more women like you in the world?

who else lets us be ourselves more than gaga? a girl who has always strayed from the norm always encourages us to be our weird selves, no matter how different you are compared to everyone else. I cannot respect and admire her more than i already do..

Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Review)

(sorry for the size of that photo, but it's truly awesome.. i couldn't help myself!)

I always say i hate Empire of the Sun, but that's a complete lie. I do like them, i just don't think they deserved the aria for Album Of The Year over Sarah Blasko. But the ARIAs love side projects (i.e: bernard fanning, the dissociatives) and they also love luke steele (lead dude from empire and the sleepy jackson, also the brother of katy steele - lead singer of one of my favourite bands, little birdy), so their numerous nominations were no surprise.

Onto the album - it's possibly one of those albums people will either love or hate. And i for one love it. It's one of those albums i love to throw on while i'm getting ready to go out - dancey enough to get me in the mood, but still atmospheric enough to play without people thinking you're hosting a rager of a party.

This album takes you on a journey. Or for a good pun's sake, walking on a dream. It's a very visual album and when i hear it i often think of walking through a desert in only the most flowing of fabrics searching for something far beyond my wildest dreams. This album doesn't really fit into a genre but instead it takes bits and pieces from everywhere, when i stuck the cd into my itunes it classifies the genre as "unclassified". Go figure..

There is a subtle hint of sex appeal throughout this album, but it's most evident in my favourite track Swordfish Hotkiss Night. Not only does this song have the coolest name in history, but it sounds like the coolest and most true throwback to Architecture in Helsinki. With it's heavy beat box and breathy vocals, it's like an orgasm in the form of a song.

Walking on a Dream is definitely one of the best Australian songs of the decade, but I can't listen to it anymore for two reasons. One being that it was overplayed on the radio resulting in me getting some serious nausea when i hear it in the car. The other that Kate Miller-Heidke covered this and just one upped Empire at their own game. But if Empire had done it as Kate did, they would not be the Aussie megastars they are today.



As much as I think this album is pure ear candy, I just don't know if I have enough faith that Empire can create this again. Whether the rumours of the bitter artistic fued between the two are true or not, I don't believe that they will create an album that could match what they have made here unless they completely reinvent their sound, and i don't think the general public will be big fans of their plans to do so. I would personally love to see Luke Steele work with other musicians to create more magic rather than work with that PNAU dude, seriously, who cares about PNAU?

Walking on a Dream an overtly creative album with so much going on yet still feels so cruisey and effortless. It's an album which takes a little bit of something from everything to create it's own unique sound, and gets a thumbs up from me.

8/10.

pure magic.

I was so busy complaining about celebrities dressing like old people that I completely forgot to blog about the ARIAS. And what a crock of shit they were. Such a boring way to display such talent. But in saying that, i couldn't be prouder to see both Daniel Merriweather and Sarah Blasko win the Best Male/Female Artist categories.

A definite highlight for me though was 3 of my favourite indie-folk darlings performing together (well, kind of). Lisa Mitchell, Kate Miller-Heidke and Sarah Blasko each performed a song of their own with a string section and a choir. And boy, was it gorgeous! I never knew Lisa Mitchell was so quirky when she performed, she's really come into her own since Australian Idol when she used to hide behind that guitar. She performed Coin Laundry, even though i wish she would have performed Stevie but i take what i can get. Kate Miller-Heidke performed her monster hit Last Day On Earth (of course), and really lifted it to a whole new level. I was very surprised by how flawless she sounded.. but was not a fan of her Tori Amos impression. Or at least that's what i thought it was. Then we get to my favourite woman in music ever. Sarah Blasko. Words cannot even describe the beauty she possesses when on stage, the whole song was metaphorical and a total dream. It was one of those performances I could just let wash over me, it was pure lust in music form. Congratulations you three (especially miss blasko), you did me very proud!

curse of the boyfriend.

So i've been thinking lately about how celebrities tend to dress a little different once they fall in love. Girls who were once fashion IT girls, carrying the latest handbags and trotting about in the highest of heels, now walk to the beat of a different fashion drum.



My first example is my ultimate crush, Mary-Kate Olsen. Once a girl who wore thigh-grazing boyfriend shirts with a pair of killer heels and only a pair of opaques if the weather was chilly, now sticks to a very sophisticated style. Don't get me wrong, I am loving her new style. She can get away with anything, really, but let's get to the point. She's in her mid-20s and she has a beautiful body, she should still be wearing those shirty hemlines. Oddly enough, she only started wearing these blazer/pants combo styles once she started dating artist Nate Loweman. It could just be a coincidence, but one things for sure - I want the adventurous MK back. Also, i want her hair longer again. But i need not be picky..



Another example is Scarlett Johansson who's now happily married to actor Ryan Reynolds. Scarlett has always been extremely famous for curvaceous body, which she often flaunted in numbers such as the red Valentino at the 2006 Golden Globes above. But now she sticks to a style more suited to a secretary, not the face of the Dolce & Gabbana make-up line. Now, this could be because of her marriage or it could also be because she's sick of being told how sexy she is and she's trying to play down her image, but I'm thinking it could be the marriage. Unlike Mary-Kate's style evolution, I'm not a fan of Scarlett's new look. For someone as painfully sexy as she is she should be playing up with what she's got. There is such a thing as covering up whilst still exuding sex appeal, Scarlett. Embrace it!

You got shot with a bow and arrow to the heart.

Sarah blasko delivers another gem of a video. Everytime, i swear. Everytime. This girl reigns supreme to me (more-so than gaga and lykke li, perhaps?)

Miss Li - Dancing the Whole Way Home (Review)

I'm basically doing this post just in case I decide to make another gaga post, but i'm also doing it so people will listen to these album. Whether you like it or not, you won't be annoyed you gave it a chance.

This is one of those albums where it's all about the lead singer, and let me say that photo above isn't going to help you envision what her voice is like. Scratch that image of a pitch perfect pukey cute voice, and replace it with a husky shrill with growls, vibrato and shouts spurting out from every syllable. It's an intense sound, and not something you can just play in the background. Now for the music, once you've heard what the voice is like - scratch that image of a Hole tribute band, making cigarette-lighter theme songs and get-fucked-ex-boyfriend anthems, and replace it with a mix of alternate folk, pop and cabaret. Oh yeah, she went there.

I held back on reviewing this album for so long because I couldn't compare it to anything, this is album isn't like anything I've heard before. That's a good thing, but in saying that it isn't a great thing. As refreshing as it is to hear something completely different to the normal, it's just too different to relate to. I found myself really struggling to empathize with this girl, especially when she sings about old dirty men and fooling rich boys. For some reason, i feel this is an act.

That said, it's still a strong album. The lead single Bourgeois Shangri-La was played in an iPod ad, and is possibly the cutest song i've heard all year. It's slamming glockenspiels and bouncing bass make a song that you just want to dance all night to. It's infectious lyrics make you want to sing, even though the lyrics are painfully hard to decipher.

The album's opening track I Heard Of A Girl, is very much a hands-up to their native country Sweden, with a sound throwing back to their hometown - very winter-esque and icey, but still sexy. The only thing I don't like about this song, is that it's not right to open an album. A song written about the painful life of a teenager ending in suicide shouldn't open an album, it's not inviting the audience in enough. It's like as if this band wants to be seen as seriously moody musicians.

Dirty Old Man and True Love Stalker are my two favourites, very much hitting into the jazz scene perfectly with still that indie flair they possess. These two songs verge on the kooky lyrically, but still let the audience in on the fun they're having.

Another favourite is Is This The End. A very surprising track, and i suggest anyone who is into the indie folk scene a la Sarah Blasko, Clare Bowditch etc should check it out straight away. A song that pulls at the heart strings harder than any diva (i.e: Mariah Carey) could ever do. Somehow, they manage to mix a Mexican flavour into the mix here, and the string section gives it a total boost.

Miss Li and her band have managed to put together an album that has some seriously strong songs that could get a hammering from triple j listeners after something new. With a little more polishing, and perhaps some more personal songs, these guys could really hit it up in the independent music scene.

6.5/10.

Rihanna - Rated R (Review)

Now, i suggest to anyone before they listen to this - throw away all your old rihanna albums. This album is much different to the Umbrella and Pon De Replay days. Underneath the image of a real-life Bratz doll, is a dark and twisted heart pumping sexy, powerful and thought provoking melodies throughout that perfectly molded curvaceous body. Alot of people listening to this are going to go "Where's the fun?" but every artist needs to evolve in order to reach a broader audience and continue a successful career, and after her sad encounter with ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, this album needed to get out.

There's something about Rihanna i love, but i'm not entirely sure what it is. She doesn't have a phenomenal voice and in interviews she always seems like she has absolutely no personality. But once Umbrella came out, i realised this girl wasn't just some beyonce wannabe with a reggae flavour, she was an artist wanting to be acknowledged. And boy did people acknowledge her..

Back to the album, like alot of other reviewers have said, this is a dark album. But let's remember this girl was in a dark place. And those with a creative mind need to use their creative energy to release themselves from the cobwebs sheilding their entrance back into the real world.

This album came alone with hype, but did it live up to it? Yes and no. It doesn't feature a song that is going to blow her into pop stratosphere and help her become the global pop princess with an edge she wants to be, but it is possibly one of the MOST cohesive pop albums i've heard in a long time (let's exclude gaga..). With pop albums nowadays, it seems to be aslong as you have 4 decent songs that you can release - the rest of the songs can be total dribble. But Rihanna's album seems to be a much more thoughtful process, and that's probably because critics everywhere would be analyzing every last drumbeat. But let me say - as an album, it's a fantastic comeback. It shows she's back with more knowledge (both musical and intelligence) than ever. Finally, an album that represents the artist. Also, we have a superstar who has lived a little. Songs like Rockstar 101 and Rude Boy are undeniably cheeky but very overpowering. Hearing this album, i envisioned Rihanna as a dominatrix, all dressed up in leather dancing her heart out to all these songs.

One of my favourite songs on the album, strangely, is Photographs which features The Black Eyed Peas' main man Will.I.Am. It's a mellow track, but has more sex appeal than any of the other songs because of it's slyness. Listening to that bass slink itself around the choruses just makes me melt. And just when you think it isn't going anywhere, Will.I.Am brings up the mellow track a new notch, while still keeping it dreamy and silky as before.

Another favourite of mine is Cold Case Love. Another slow song, I think I mostly love this one because boy genius Justin Timberlake lends his hands to this track, and at first listen it's one of those tracks you skip.. but after a closer listen you realise it is one of the most stunning songs Rihanna has ever recorded. This girl should work with Timberlake more often, he has truly brought out the best in Rihanna. I also have a serious soft spot for beat boxing.

One thing i will nit pick over, is the autotuning. I understand why it's used, and sometimes it really works (like in Photographs, Will.I.Am's autotuning brings it a sound it just wouldn't be able to achieve with natural vocals) but it some songs it just seemed really over-the-top, and often unnecessary. Why do so many stars succumb to the pressure of having too perfect vocals? I noticed there is basically no bass line in Rude Boy. This song would've been my favourite if there was a bass line just to give it that extra oomph. It's such an overpowering song which could really pull her into music stratosphere if she sells the shit out of it, and perhaps, makes a radio edit with a bass line ;). Te Amo is also a cute song, very subtle and sexy - but is this opening hook taken from the lion king? or maybe that's just me hearing what i want to hear, ahaha!

All in all, Rihanna has created a seriously cohesive album representing the good girl, gone bad, gone woman.

8.5/10.