Motorcycle Mama (Or Girls on bikes in videos)

Let me start this year by saying how much I love "Black Widow" by Iggy Azalea featuring Rita Ora. I know, I know: a lame, derivative "Dark Horse" if ever was one. But you have to admit the build-up to the non-chorus is pretty fantastic, considering that is sung by an almost anonymous voice -Rita is not well known by her vocal skills, anyway-, and Iggy is more powerful on "Fancy" or "Work". But you get the idea.

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Now, the video is something else altogether. In her grand tradition of making videos that seems like a tribute to famous movies, now it is the turn to "Kill Bill", including the one and only Michael Madsen, best known as Budd from said movie. It is such a travesty badly done, but nonetheless fun and it raises the song to more than a clone of some other tune and give it a life of its own. In a word: bonkers.



Which got me thinking: there should be a number of videos that features amazon-like women riding a motorcycle on some CGI universe looking to avenge mishaps committed towards them, right? Why, yes, there are, and plenty of them. This trope is very common in female empowerment video and our life is so, so much better for that. Let's take a look, shall we?

Britney Spears - "Toxic"

Before all the umbrella incidents and general craziness, Brit released this gem that surely got us talking with a sexy vibe and general greatness. But the trope was certainly improved by a handsome Tyson Beckford, driving such vehicle. All in all, an epic video.

She is riding a... Ducatti 999, and Tyson, let us not forget.




Paulina Rubio - "Don't Say Goodbye"

In her first incursion to American music landscape, Paulina shoot this expensive video almost on a green panel, it seems. Cool video, although it did little to get her on the mainstream pop of the beginning of 2000's. Well, you cannot have everything, right?

She is riding a... Replica of Kaneda's motorcycle, a character in the famous Akira manga and movie, which this video is heavily influenced from. Who would have known?




Shania Twain - "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!"

Following a success like Come On Over was not an easy feat, but Shania made it through this fun, sing-along song that made one hell of a video, as silly and clueless as the song itself. More like a TRON throwaway than the dystopian future they tried to convey. But yeah, great song.

She is riding a... Non-identified model of motorcycle, but reminiscing of the ones featured on TRON. You should check that movie.




Nicole Scherzinger - "Poison"

Certainly Nicole had a rough time convincing people that she was more than the prettiest girl on The Pussycat Dolls, or the more talented. Sadly, in this redux "Toxic"-like video, she didn't support that idea and seemed desperate to be a star in her own right. Sadly, it's not working for her, is it?

She is riding a... BMW R1200, which is a nice thing, I guess.




What we learned from all this?
- Girls love motorbikes...
- But they are afraid to ride them properly, so they need special effects and a green screen to achieve the desired effect.
- But they look fucking good while doing it.

An aside? Interestingly, all this videos are inspired from movies, and at least two of them (Britney's and Paulina's) are among the most expensive in the history of video.

So riding a motorcycle certainly has its perks, right?

Do you happen to know any other video featuring this trope? Sound off in the comments!

Proof that Taylor Swift is a Pop Star (Video and All) now...

By now, you could have heard the new Taylor Swift tune, "Shake It Off", and maybe you already hum the chorus or plainly yell out loud the lyrics of the song on your commute, am I right? And probably you have seen the video. If not, here it is, in all its glory:





Now, video is nothing extraordinary. Sure, it has some great scenery (I especially dig the ballet scenes and the contemporary dance takes) and silly Taylor all over the place, with her encouraging message "Sure I can look goofy despite being one of the most rich musicians in the world" and obviously "Haters gonna hate" motto that I'm pretty sure will become the mantra of teenage girls all around the world. The usual for Tay Tay.

But back to the video. Despite accusations of blatant cultural appropiation (that's still a thing, apparently) and stereotypes of black culture, I think it is a well done video, and it has met positive reviews around the music world. And of course the fans. So it should be interesting to know that the video was directed by a director called Mark Romanek. If you haven't heard of this guy before, do not worry. That is my duty, to introduce you to the work of this fine artist and visionary. because let's face it, he is.

Maybe you should take a look at some of his videos:


Lenny Kravitz - "Are You Gonna Go My Way?"





Madonna - "Bed Time Story"




Michael & Janet Jackson - "Scream"




Janet Jackson - "Got Til It's Gone"




Nine Inch Nails - "Closer" (NSFW)




Jay Z - "99 Problems"





And that's just the most commercial stuff. He's way deep in other videos. His cinematography has been well received, and he won several VMA's when those awards were relevant. Even two of their videos (Madonna's and Nine Inch Nails') have been made part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

And he has also directed some movies, most notably, One Hour Photo, starring the late Robin Williams.

So yes, maybe artistically and in comparison, Taylor video is one of his most inferior works, but hey! The guy hasn't worked in a long time, so I guess he needs the artistic push that a Pop Queen Bee can make. He is now set to direct the new U2 video, apparently, so that's something.

So, yeah, go back to watch Taylor's video. You know you want to.

How much European is TOO European?

I have to tell you something; I don't understand why American people can't cope with European music.

Why is that, you say? Right now there are tons of European acts on the Billboard charts; The Beatles were from the UK; Adele was the most sold artist a couple of years ago on US and she's also British; and so on. You get the point.

However, how come that they always receive different treatment on videos, singles and the like, when they come from Europe?

I have several examples on this, and I'm not going to bore you with useless data, so check out those videos and watch for yourself how different are things from Europe (UK, especifically) once they get the "American treatment":


ALL SAINTS - "NEVER EVER"

UK Version



US Version



I mean, what was the point? The UK version was in accord to the song, and the US version looks like a demonstration on special effects on Hollywood, and some random flowers and animals. And that was it.




ACE OF BASE

UK Version - "Life is a Flower"






US Version - "Whenever You're Near Me"





Basically, another song, another tempo, another everything. "Whenever..." wasn't even a proper single. I know "Life is a Flower" sounds so corny on paper, but it was a good song. Why they thought Americans wouldn't like it, we'll never know.




LEONA LEWIS - "BLEEDING LOVE"

UK Version






US Version





OK, in this case, American version is better and more in tune with the song. But why is the need to make different videos for a song about a heartbreak? We all understand the concept, which in the US version is loud and clear. UK version is more cryptic, I guess.




NATASHA BEDINGFIELD - "THESE WORDS"

UK Version






US Version





Maybe, and this is just a guess, they wouldn't want people to take Natasha as a Pink clone, as seen in the first video. Or maybe, the cheesy effect of multiple Natasha's threw them off. But clearly, UK version is less generic and got soul.




CHER LLOYD - "WANT U BACK"

UK Version






US Version




I know they were supposed to portray Cher as a sassy, salacious girl because they didn't know her from UK's "X Factor", but the American version is pure nonsense. UK's more fun, if you ask me. But thanks for getting rid of that awful rap, I guess.




JOHN NEWMAN - "LOVE ME AGAIN"

UK Version






US Version





In the obsession to tell a story, many sins are portrayed here. Meanwhile the first video is stylish, simple and classic, on the US version we have the old "Romeo and Julieta" treatment that is yawning, really. And the ending? Please don't make me. Just don't.



What can we infer here? It is obvious that things are different on both continets, but we all can agree that music and its message is the same. So I don't really see the need to make various videos for different approches, if the music is the same. Unless you really, really, are doing something inappropiate on the European version.

But really, how am I complaining? We have two videos for the same price, so it's a win-win, isn't it?

I'm hot & cold towards "Dark Horse" video...

So finally, after months of waiting, the "Dark Horse" video went online and boy, this was an experience...



I mean, we know Katy has a thing for goofiness (e.g. "California Gurls" video) but this is taking it to a whole new level.

First off: do I like the video? Well, duh! This is one of my favorite songs from her, so yes, I do like it. It's so deliciously camp, kitsch, ridiculous, and therefore, amazing.

But then, "Dark Horse" has been an odd thing for Katy since its premiere back in September last year. The unexpected rise on the charts, without proper promotion, propelled the song to single status once "Unconditionally" failed to meet the expectations - and high chart numbers. Then, DH became number 1 on the US charts, assuring Katy hern 9th number one overall, and we were delighted for that.

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But there was no video, uncommon for a number one song on Billboard at that status. Katy was teasing us with a great and much talked about performance at the Grammy's, and many of us thought this was indeed the theme of the video. Boy, we were so wrong.

 

 



So Katy took almost another month (!) to complete the video, and finally, we met her latest incarnation: "Katy-Patra", queen of Memphis, Egypt, which happens to share name with the city in which Juicy J was born. And also, very reminiscent to Michael Jackson's "Remember The Time", which seems fitting since they're the only ones with 5 number one singles from one album.

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Sorry to say, but this has nothing to do with the song or the lyrics. And I'm not talking about that stupidity of "There's no horses on this video!" (seriously, people are so literal and one minded at times). Also all the controversy surrounding the pendant with the name of "Allah" in Arabic (on this note: people should consider to get a job or a life, or both. Seriously). Or the Illuminati shit, who is tedious, redundant and in serious need of a boycott on the Internet.

 

 

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The thing is, this is a great song, a very different side of Katy, which shows her versatility and it was the perfect opportunity to make a statement regarding her musci and status on pop. Instead, she went safe, giving exactly what we expected from her. Well done and executed, but safe, nonetheless. This song, being a risky departure from her previous number ones (Excluding "E.T.", a song that can very well be the genesis of DH), deserved that treatment.

 

But this video is definitely a blast, likable and it sure will be a hit among kids and KatyCats (myself included). There are some GIFs to prove it:

 

 

When the bass drops.... The beat goes hard! Even in ancient Egypt.

 

 

 

 

Katy Patra and her grillz... (Seriously, this is overly camp. Also, amazeballs.)

 

 

 

This was the source of so much pain and hatred towards Katy, but to be honest, it holds nothing and it only proves some people need to develop a thicker skin (I'm not entering into religion here, thank you very much.)

 

 

 

I think I got the craves for some Hot Flamin' Cheetos.... Katy-Patra would approve.

 

 

 

Katy-Patra likes the finest thing in life (this causes another stir within the Illuminati crowd...So much fuss.)

 

 

 

Using her powers to destroy her enemies (and their careers)

 

 

 

Most of the budget sure went to make-up... She looks gorgeous.

 

 

 

Pimp my Ride Egyptian Style...

 

 

 

This little fella sure is getting away from all this madness...

 

 

 

 

Who would have known that there was a stripper soul underneath Katy? And I mean this in the most honest way possible... That split is maddening...

 

 

 

My favorite scene of the video. It should have lasted longer... This is really something.

 

 

So this is another positive note on Katy's career, but I need her to be more risquee and willing to take chances... She already won our hearts, she can do it.

 

 

And lastly, the most WTF moment of a video full of them....

 

 



 

 

The power of Katy-Patra, y'all!

 

How do you feel about this video? Let me know in the comments!





What I really think about Miley Cyrus...

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I think I came late to the party that has been the VMA presentation of Ms. Miley Cyrus, but hell no! It's still being talked about, despite it has taken place two weeks ago. The span of news, especially entertainment news, in an era where attention is clearly not a luxury in a large term, has been really an indicator of something. Whether if this is good or bad, it's left to each individual to decide.

 

But let's recap, shall we? In case you have been living under a rock or in a cave, in which case you're probably NOT reading this blog, please take a look at the performance of Miley and also, Robin Thicke, in case you forgot about him:

Ok, only a few things before I give my piece of thought about this. First of all, I've never been a fan of Miley and less of Hannah Montana. It wasn't on my teenage phase, and I always have find her a bit obnoxious and phony. So yes, you can say I'm a little bit (or a lot) biased, and you're probably right, but despite everything, I really like her new song. "We Can't Stop" is really amusing, although the lyrics seemed particularly silly and out-right provocative, for a former Disney Star.



So, what's the big deal about this?

1. The presentation blows. As simple as that. It's not good, neither as a satire or parody, nor a mere shock-value entertainment piece, or even as a "I'm-a-grown-up-now-look-at-me" thing that others have successfully tried and successfully pulled up.

2. Miley is, at most, a decent singer. Not in this one. She only yells and loses her breath mid-presentation, which is just nuts, considering...

3. She's just not a great dancer. The "twerking" thing, one of the most derrailed thing about this presentation, is not even being executed properly. She seems like  a white clumsy american girl that just started to hang out with black people just as a fashion, and trying to unsuccessfully emulate what other girls do.

(Aside: Please, do not make this into a racial thing. For once, I'm mexican, so I don't think I'm the one with authority about this issue. And two, I really don't think this is about racism. I'm just stating a fact of a performance that is clearly a celebration of the "twerking" culture, a thing very ingrained on black culture).

4. And please, do not make talk about her buttocks. I think the Internet has said enough.

Which one looks better?... (Via)

 

 

 

5. And the tongue. Please, Miley, what's up with that? Were you on Molly or what?

 



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6. Then they just butchered "Blurred Lines". I mean, it's not the song of the millennia or the century, but it is a great song (better than the abhorrent "Best Song Ever", indeed). There were not chemistry between them, not musically and visually. In fact, Robin looked like this father, so probably that was made the whole thing so uncomfortable to watch for so many people. I just think it was fake and contrived.

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7. And Robin disappeared. Nobody care about his performnce. This was the only time for Robin to shine on the VMA's (let's face it, I don't think he's going to succeed as great as "Blurred Lines"), and all was surpassed by her female companion.

 

I  just left behind all of the accusations of Miley being anti-feminist, a whore, etc. I don't think a female exposing her body like that is anti-feminist or misogyny or whatever. People should appreciate the female body and I'm not into double standards, and my pop girls can do what they want as long as they are fresh, entertaining and clever while doing it. Miley  certainly was none of those things.

 

But I think my rection of the performance can summarize in this now inmortal meme:

 

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Clearly, that mix of contempt and indifference is something Rihanna can do so, so much better.

 

And your thoughts are...?

10 years of being "Crazy In Love" with THAT song!

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I'm thinking every pop connoisseur like myself remember exactly where we were when we first heard this GLORIOUS song. Me, I was at an Internet café, which were very popular at that time (10 years from now! I'm getting so old). Looking up on the web, I encountered the announcement that Beyoncé song was available for download, so I proceeded to did the obvious, and oh, boy, I've never looked back since.

 

 

 

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I have to be honest: I didn't immediately dig it. A song so atypical of that time, with horns, trumpets, and the like, and a very 70's vibe so unlikely for that era. I mean, not the current sound on the charts (mostly filled with hip hop collaborations and R&B contemporary sounds). But then, this song and the magnetic sample courtesy of the Chi-Lites changed the face of the pop, R&B and hip hop music, for sure.

 

 

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The song gradually grown on me and everyone else, and it was a matter of time for it to reach number 1 on the Billboard charts for eight straight weeks. That's an accomplishment itself, but being the first single as a soloist, Beyoncé really knew how to made an impact on the public. Of course, Jay Z's rap was also responsible for its success (I'm very proud of the fact that, still to this day, I'm able to sing the Jay Z's part in its entirety).

 

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Rich Harrison was the producer of this gem, and of course his popularity went through the roof with this one. Many artists worked with him, and he produced several hits trying to revive the success of this sound, but none of them took him to the levels that this song reached. And that's fine, so many great songs and artists came out of this effort. Just to name a few:

 

 ...and so many others.

 

The legacy of this song, besides the fact that established Beyoncé as a global superstar, is that brought a breath of fresh air to the sound of the 2000's, so plagued with disposable rappers, hip hop collaborations and a declining on pop music. So basically, this song, using a sample of a 70's song, established a model to be followed by many artists and a sound so fierce, as her moniker Sasha Fierce would tell us years later.

 

Of course, this song has been covered many times, but my favorite is the current version of Emeli Sande and the Bryan Ferry Orchestra, in a 20's spirit and it showed this song is indeed timeless.

 

Oh, Beyoncé, this song of yours is already unforgettable. Here's to another 10 years of being 'Crazy in Love' about it! 

New Music: Garbage, "Not Your Kind Of People"

Hola a todos! Esta sección hablará de los nuevos lanzamientos que vaya escuchando y me gusten. No soy crítico de música... bueno, no uno que le paguen, pero espero que mis opiniones les decidan a escucharlos, al menos en Internet. Si son pudientes, pues a comprarlos de iTunes o en su discoteca favorita (¿quién usa esa frase hoy en día? ¡jajaja!)

Garbage ha sido desde sus inicios un grupo importante dentro del rock pop mundial. Recuerdo que la primera canción que escuché de ellos fue Only Happy When It Rains y me gustó por su atmósfera depresiva, al igual que su letra. Pero cuando verdaderamente m atraparon fue con >"Version 2.0" y esas inolvidables canciones, Special y When I Grow Up, y su momento James Bond en The World Is Not Enough.

Sin embargo, el grupo no ha tenido el mismo impacto comercial que tuvo en sus inicios, cosa injusta considerando que "BeautifulGarbage" es su mejor disco hasta ahora en su carrera (para mí, al menos). Lo cierto es que su fórmula noventera a muchos les parece ya desgastada, aunque no me imgino que un virtuoso como Butch Vig, quien fue capaz de cambiar el rumbo de la música con Nirvana y su "Nevermind" del 91, sea capaz de hacer música "de fórmula". Me niego a creerlo.

Y luego, después de una ausencia de más de 6 años, llega "Not Your Kind Of People". Sinceramente, si esperan la reinvención de Garbage como grupo y una nueva era buscan en el lugar equivocado. Garbage no cambiará su forma de hacer música, pero al final del día, a la gente que nos gusta ese grupo nos encanta saber que la banda seguirá refinando su sonido cada vez más sin traicionar sus raíces y ofreciendo canciones de calidad, que aunque no lleguen a ser sencillos, al menos traerán de regreso aquella época tan ideal de nuestras vidas que fue los 90's.

Y no es un disco aburrido, al contrario. Si bien su lado electropop ha quedado relegado a un par de loops en algunas de sus canciones, siguen teniendo esa melodía y ritmo que hicieron un éxito a canciones como Stupid Girl o Vow, hasta Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go). Aquí se encuentran dosificadas, pero sin duda alguna están y hacen que el disco se convierta en un viaje sonoro que nos remonta a las mjores épocas del grupo, con una mejor ejecución y madurez que sólo el tiempo puede brindar.

Aunque debo reconocer que su elección como primer sencillo, Blood For Poppies, no fue la más acertada, el disco merece una oída para todo aquel que recuerda a este grupo como uno de los pilares del rock pop de los noventa. Sin duda será de su agrado y les recordará que estos señores, porque ya son cincuentones, realmente son talentosos y definieron el sonido de una era en la cual muchos de ustedes crecieron.



¿Y qué otra cosa quieren que la maravillosa voz y presencia de Shirley Manson? Una verdadera belleza, con una presencia casi etérea.

Espero poder escucharlos en vivo pronto.

Canciones favoritas: Automatic Systemtic Habit, Big Bright World, I Hate Love, Man On a Wire, The One.