Lyrics Part One

Hey,

Sorry for the lack of a post last night, but I had to take the SAT at a school this morning that's about fifty minutes away from here, so I had to go to bed super early to get there on time.

Anyways, this week, I've decided to start a little series on lyrics. Love 'em, hate 'em, disregard 'em or appreciate 'em, they're a major component of music. Sometimes the lyrics are funny, sometimes they evoke an emotional response, sometimes they are sheer fluff and other times, the lyrics are the key component of a song.

This week I want to focus on the actual writers of these songs.

Songs are written by teams of people, as opposed to artists thinking and creating for themselves. Granted, some people are not able to create beautiful lyrics and melodies; some have talents in one area and not both. Fine, I understand that. But, explain why it took 6 writers and 4 producers to come up with this crap. I'm perfectly fine with bands/artists reaching out for a little help, but why does it all sound repetitious and pathetic?

Take, Katy Perry, for example. Her album "Teenage Dream" had nine producers and the title track had five writers. Contrasting directly with one of my favorite bands, MuteMath, and their newest album "Odd Soul" which had three producers (the band members) and their title track had three writers (the three members of the band). Both artists' title tracks are similar, in that they are narrative in style (story-telling) but that is the only similarity they share.

 Let's directly compare lyrics.

Teenage Dream
"You think I'm pretty without any make-up on
You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong
I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down
Before you met me, I was a wreck
But things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life
Now every February you'll be my valentine, valentine
Let's go all the way tonight
No regrets, just love
We can dance until we die
You and I, we'll be young forever
You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep
Let's runaway and don't ever look back
Don't ever look back
My heart stops when you look at me
Just one touch, now baby I believe
This is real, so take a chance
And don't ever look back, don't ever look back
We drove to Cali and got drunk on the beach
Got a motel and built a fort  out of sheets
I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece
I'm complete..."

Odd Soul
"I was once a son
Now I'm on my own
Wade through every rut
And I've got myself to show

And the trials and tribulations
Seem to always track me down
I'll ride off into the sunset
And try me another town

I'm an odd soul, oh yes, an odd soul
Walking side roads
'Cause that's the only way I know
I'm an odd soul, oh yes, an odd soul

Watch for who you know
Careful what you try
Everywhere I go
I still got myself to fight

And one day my child
Ever wonders what is wrong
I won't bat an eye when
I tell her, "Daddy don't belong"

I'm an odd soul, oh yes, an odd soul
Walking side roads
'Cause that's the only way I know
I'm an odd soul, oh yes, an odd soul

One of God's own
Just trying to find a place called home."

See the differences? I know I do. Katy and her gazillion other writers detail a stereotypical fling that escalates to much more, they'll be together forever, he makes her feel younger (she's only in her twenties, what the heck is wrong with her?) and he completes her. No set rhyme scheme, no real diction I mean, yes, they chose words, but obviously not strategically, and there is too much filler repetition. (I didn't copy all the lyrics because it essentially repeats all over again). In Mutemath's song, they present a personal anecdote of trying to find themselves and their purposes on Earth. Certainly, it's quite a bit deeper than "going all the way tonight" like Katy. They actually utilize some rhymes (down/town, etc) and I absolutely adore the phrase "wade through every rut," as it shows they know how to use dark diction and careful syntax to get their ideas across.

In conclusion, though both songs are narrative, in essence, one clearly outshines the other. MM tells a deep story of looking for meaning, both relating to God and life in general, while Katy discusses a fling with a guy who makes her feel like an irresponsible teenager. Overall, it is easy to see the discrepancies between the two.

Next week, for the second part of this series, I will break down the notion of good songwriting versus good "line-writing."

Until then,
Bella

Imagine Dragons "Night Visions" Review

Hey,

This week, Night visions by one of my new favorite bands Imagine Dragons came out. You’ve probably heard their song “It’sTime” and I’ve highlighted “Radioactive on this blog, but their other stuff—that hasn’t received much attention—is absolutely brilliant. I can honestly say, right next to MuteMath’s “Odd Soul” and Fun’s “Some Nights” this is one of the best albums of 2012. Great stuff. So, this week, I am picking my five favorite songs from Night Visions.

As always, in no particular order:

Demons by Imagine Dragons- Absolutely stunning. Dan’s vocals remind me of a band I used to frequently listen to, Seabird, with a little more emotion. This is, without a doubt, the best song on the album. It features very dominant lyrics, a memorable chorus, and strong vocals. Demons is everything I love about this band. I can visualize exactly what they’re trying to say, almost in music video form. Every time that I listen to this song, I get goosebumps. That, I believe, is what music was intended to be.

Tiptoe by Imagine Dragons- Each song’s lyrics just keep getting better and better. I read a review on Amazon the other day that said exactly what I was thinking. None of the songs on here are “filler tracks,” in that, each one has a weighty message and beautiful symbolism woven throughout And this song is a true example of that statement. I love the very 1980’s synth lines, the melodic chorus, and the bass. “Nobody else can take me higher,” than these lyrics. J

Radioactive by Imagine Dragons- I’ve talked about this song before, but I felt it was a sin ( but not a tragedy…PATD reference) to talk about it again. From the haunting vocals, in-your-face beat, post-Apoctalyptic lyrics, to Dan’s strong vocals, practically hollering the chorus, this song is the reason I started listening to the rest of Imagine Dragon’s other music—thank goodness for the Electric Guest radio station on Pandora! I can honestly say I feel it in my bones, too. J

Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons- The title sounds like a typical Friday night for emo kids, but the lyrics are incredibly deep. They use power visual imagery to convey their emotions as well as letting the music express the pain of, I assume, a broken heart, with the background vocals, heavy beats, and an integral synthesizer line. A very moving song.

Amsterdam by Imagine Dragons- I love the soft, swelling instrumentation at the beginning, Dan’s initially calm vocals, and the beautiful lyrics. This track cements the band as an important facet of alternative rock. Breathtaking.

 So, that’s it for this week. Make sure to support this great group of guys by buying their music. They truly deserve it.

Until next week,

Bella

Odd Soul Review

Here is finally is! haha I know the album came out a loooong time ago (like 4 months...) but here is my track by track review of MuteMath's new album "Odd Soul."

1. Odd Soul- very bluesy, wailing-like vocals, and pain behind the lyrics. It rubbed me the wrong way at first. I was like, "Ugh, this isn't MuteMath!" Then, I heard it in concert and it's now one of my fav songs. It pushes Paul (the lead singer) and that's always good. Don't get too comfy!

2. Prytania- my jam-out song. haha Kicking bass-line and Darren (drummer) just goes kind of manic here! I have no idea what "Prytania" is, but it's a darn good song.

3. Blood Pressure- 2nd single from the album (Odd Soul was the first) this one also was on my I-Hate-This-Song list, but, thank God for the concert. ;) I love this song. I interpret it to be talking about the pressure that is put on Christians to do more, be more, etc.

4. Tell Your Heart Heads Up- Number one, super tongue-in-cheek title. Number two, this song will get you on your feet in like 2 seconds. Paul is just pouring his soul into this track

5. All or Nothing- a nice slower track, more like Armistice than their first album. Paul explores his vocal range, producing a haunting falsetto set to a gentle, but memorable drum line

6. Sun Ray- Instrumental Track. Very cool. It's reminds me of P!ATD doing the "Introduction" on their first album.

7. Allies- "Somehow this world is out of control, we gotta found our enemies." Good lyrics and good instrumentation

8. Cavalries- similar to All or Nothing with plenty of reverb and a nice minor key tonality

9. Walking Paranoia- So totally on my running playlist. This one, I heard, is about being worried about Jesus coming back, like He could show up any minute. I can relate, and it's nice to know that Darren/Paul are worried too. ;)

10. One More. O. M. G. Falsetto!!! The first time I heard this song I was walking my dog and had to stop. I actually got goosebumps; it was so beautiful. The way Paul just manipulates his voice from one octave to the next; he makes it seem totally seamless and easy. Ke$ha needs to take voice lessons from him.

11. Equals- kick-butt song. Very motivating song, nice harmony and key changes. Exactly what you would expect from MM

12. With a total run time of 7:02, it's the longest on the CD, but without a doubt, the best. The minor key! The tempo change! The harmony! Ugh, it's just too good to be true. A band should not be this good.

13. In No Time- very ballad-like. Slower tempo, more harmony, less drum, so that's good and bad. It's not really MM without Darren, ya know? It's like Oreo with the filling; it just doesn't work. So, not my fav track

14. Amendment- cool harmony, reverb, very choir-like, but in a positive way. It works.

15. Cold Sparks- I love to listen to this song before I go to sleep. It puts me in a relaxed sttae, between the drum kit, the mellow tone, and guitar line

16. Sun Ray part 2- another instrumental, a la P!ATD, but even cooler, less theatrical, more mature/composed. It works, it works just fine.

Download the album, y'all. And go see them in concert! They're on tour!

Next week: Review of a certain concert. ;) Not a good review, either. Be ready for me to get mean and sad. :)

 Support your indie/alt artists!
Until next week,
Bella