So another week, and another below-par Madonna single. "Girl Gone Wild" provided another taster of what Madge has to offer with her 12th Studio album, "MDNA". And reader, you may well ask, what has Madge got to offer? And reader, I may tell you: Some amazingness but plenty of missed opportunities and disappointment. Whilst I admit the song is a perfect example of a club-stonker (yeah, I didn't know there was such a thing either...let alone a perfect example of it!) with much catchier verses than "Give Me All Your L.U.V", it still falls well below the mark of what I've come to expect.
It wouldn't sound out of place amongst the Top 10 at the moment, the chorus has an air of "LMFAO" and that style of music that appears to be taking over popular music (I weep for humanity) at the moment. And that just makes it feel wrong. Madonna should be making waves, not following bad trends. It's a very industrialied sound, and there's something rather vapid about it. The lyrics, while stronger than GMAYL, remain souless and lack any sense of fun (something that Madonna has been severly lacking for several years).
Though, there are many more positives than last time:
1.) It has an element of "Confessions on a Dancefloor", especially "Sorry", which can only be a good thing.
2.) The verses definitely have an original twist to them which adds more excitement and classic Madonna-experimental style.
3.) The drop just before each chorus is a little bit orgasmic.
4.) It makes me excited!! Which is better than GMAYL, which just made me want to fall into a coma.
5.) It gives me hope for the album.
There is a shaft of light at the end of the "L-U-V" tunnel. If the rest of the album is in a similar vein, it would still be better than what the current Pop scene has to offer, but I would still be disappointed. It's MADONNA! A sense of fun maybe and a bit more experimentation, and we might be on course for a return to form.
In other news, apologies on the failed launch. Technical problems would be a lie. But a lie I am happy to use. Let's just consider Culture Spectrum officially launched. And I'll be updating more often now. And our twitter account will be more active. And (the last "and") a youtube account should surface in the next few months. And (I lied), enjoy!
Wednesday 29 February 2012
Saturday 18 February 2012
Launch Date : 25th February 2012
Launch Day is set. 25/02/12. A day that will go down in history. Well, maybe. Possibly. There will be an offical launch with official design of the blog going up and some exciting news about another project. In the meantime, just try and contain your excitement!!!!
Thursday 16 February 2012
Whitney Houston: 1963-2012
I will admit that I have never been a massive Whitney fan. She was no longer in her prime as I was starting to listen to Pop music but I was clearly aware of her iconic back catalogue: I Will Always Love You and I Wanna Dance With Somebody were and are both stalwarts of popular culture and that will never change. And there were countless songs that were used regularly as TV backing tracks or for emotional compilation videos (generally used at the end of a contestant's "journey" on a talent show) which I came to know and love but only much later, did I realise they were Whitney classics. Such was her influence and command of Pop: her songs became part of our conciousness without us realising.
Since her tragic death on Saturday afternoon, I went back and listened to several tracks that I'd never heard and I was blown away by her talent. While she might not have been game-changing in terms of her song choices which remained in the spheres of dance/pop and R'n'B throughout her career, her voice was astounding. The strength and range was stunning and watching some older, live performances was extremely moving.
While I may not have been aware of the extent of her musical career, I was concious of her personal problems. There was the issue of drugs and her relationship with Bobby Brown and all this appeared to affect that once-perfect voice. In later years, her live performances left much to be desired; in 2010, many people complained she had lost that great talent during her Nothing But Love tour when she appeared unable to hit the big notes in many of her most iconic songs.
When a tragedy such as this happens, the overriding feeling (apart from great sadness) is of disappointment. She had such a talent and it just feels like a waste. Her legacy will live on in the form of those great songs and spell-binding performances. I'll still be dancing around my bedroom to I Wanna Dance With Somebody every morning and hopefully many more will discover her talent in the years to come.
Since her tragic death on Saturday afternoon, I went back and listened to several tracks that I'd never heard and I was blown away by her talent. While she might not have been game-changing in terms of her song choices which remained in the spheres of dance/pop and R'n'B throughout her career, her voice was astounding. The strength and range was stunning and watching some older, live performances was extremely moving.
While I may not have been aware of the extent of her musical career, I was concious of her personal problems. There was the issue of drugs and her relationship with Bobby Brown and all this appeared to affect that once-perfect voice. In later years, her live performances left much to be desired; in 2010, many people complained she had lost that great talent during her Nothing But Love tour when she appeared unable to hit the big notes in many of her most iconic songs.
When a tragedy such as this happens, the overriding feeling (apart from great sadness) is of disappointment. She had such a talent and it just feels like a waste. Her legacy will live on in the form of those great songs and spell-binding performances. I'll still be dancing around my bedroom to I Wanna Dance With Somebody every morning and hopefully many more will discover her talent in the years to come.
Wednesday 8 February 2012
Madonna: Still on top?
So last week saw the official release of Madonna's debut single, "Give Me All Your Luvin'" from her 12th studio album, "MDNA" and as with any song by the *shy & retiring* popstar, it caused just a little bit of discussion or argument. A demo, having leaked a few months ago, did not bode well. It was far too ordinary and generic compared with what Madonna used to be famed for, cutting edge music that was always ahead of the crowd. But at the time, I calmed myself. I said it was just the demo. That they would add all kinds of bells and whistles before the official release. That the undisputed Queen of Pop had not released the equivalent of a cheerleaders'chant as her debut single with about the same level of lyrical ability (L-U-V for heavens sake, not even L-O-V-E!!!!), after nearly 30 years in the business! But obviously I was wrong. For the single was exactly the same as the demo. In other words: MEDIOCRE. A word I never envisaged myself using to describe a Madonna song. But it is sadly true.
How the mighty fall. Specifically, the song is far too simplistic, not that simple equals bad. Often a good, simple beat is the basis for the perfect song but here, it errs on the side of child-like. The, aforementioned, cheerleading beat with lyrics that show a desperate attempt to be "down wiv da kids" (L-U-V etc.) creates a song that is neither exciting nor inspiring. The message of the song, if there is any, is incoherent at best. We lurch from "stepping into her world" because "every record sounds the same" to "We can drink some wine, Burgundy is fine"....OH DEAR!
Then there is the awful inclusion of M.I.A and Nicki Minaj who only make their presence known for about 20 seconds but in that time manage to suck any remaining vestiges of life from the song. While Nicki's lyrics make some sort of stab at keeping in context with whatever the song is about, M.I.A appears to make it up as she goes along: "It's super sonic, bionic, uranium hits,
So I break him off tricks".... Excuse me? I was surprised enough to find her on the track considering her "indie schtick" and dislike of the mainstream but having heard some stuff from her album "Maya", I at least expected some thought-provoking words. Sadly not.
So is there anything positive? Well yes. It is a very danceable track that cannot help but be catchy. And I can clearly envisage, inebriated club-goers embarrassing themselves to it. But as a Madonna lead single, it just isn't up to scratch. If this had been a Katy Perry song, I would enjoy it, as I wouldn't expect anything more from her. But it's just so vapid and lifeless for a woman who used to sing about religion, social/political matters (even if "American Life" was a bit self-righteous) and love/sex (more creatively and interestingly than many current popstars do). But Madonna can still bring it all back. There is every chance that "MDNA" will see some of the old spark that's been missing from her eyes since "Confessions on a Dance Floor" returned but it just hasn't with this song. I hope that she can do it and that her 12th studio album (an achievement in itself) will be era-defining, full of exciting, thought-provoking music. Till then, I'm going back to her classics but I haven't given up on her just yet.
Culture_Check Signing Off.
How the mighty fall. Specifically, the song is far too simplistic, not that simple equals bad. Often a good, simple beat is the basis for the perfect song but here, it errs on the side of child-like. The, aforementioned, cheerleading beat with lyrics that show a desperate attempt to be "down wiv da kids" (L-U-V etc.) creates a song that is neither exciting nor inspiring. The message of the song, if there is any, is incoherent at best. We lurch from "stepping into her world" because "every record sounds the same" to "We can drink some wine, Burgundy is fine"....OH DEAR!
Then there is the awful inclusion of M.I.A and Nicki Minaj who only make their presence known for about 20 seconds but in that time manage to suck any remaining vestiges of life from the song. While Nicki's lyrics make some sort of stab at keeping in context with whatever the song is about, M.I.A appears to make it up as she goes along: "It's super sonic, bionic, uranium hits,
So I break him off tricks".... Excuse me? I was surprised enough to find her on the track considering her "indie schtick" and dislike of the mainstream but having heard some stuff from her album "Maya", I at least expected some thought-provoking words. Sadly not.
So is there anything positive? Well yes. It is a very danceable track that cannot help but be catchy. And I can clearly envisage, inebriated club-goers embarrassing themselves to it. But as a Madonna lead single, it just isn't up to scratch. If this had been a Katy Perry song, I would enjoy it, as I wouldn't expect anything more from her. But it's just so vapid and lifeless for a woman who used to sing about religion, social/political matters (even if "American Life" was a bit self-righteous) and love/sex (more creatively and interestingly than many current popstars do). But Madonna can still bring it all back. There is every chance that "MDNA" will see some of the old spark that's been missing from her eyes since "Confessions on a Dance Floor" returned but it just hasn't with this song. I hope that she can do it and that her 12th studio album (an achievement in itself) will be era-defining, full of exciting, thought-provoking music. Till then, I'm going back to her classics but I haven't given up on her just yet.
Culture_Check Signing Off.
Wednesday 1 February 2012
Apologies and NEWS!!!!!!!
My dearest apologies for the ridiculously long gap between posts. General exams and problems of procrastination have delayed any further cultural analysis! But not to worry, I have news! I have been discussing and forming ideas with some friends and I'm very excited about projects we're looking to explore in the next few months. These will include a proper launch of the Culture Spectrum blog and from there, regular posts on the world of music, art, film and anything you can imagine (not literally of course). We'll also be launching a twitter page and in the longterm, we'd hope to set up a youtube account. And in doing so, we aim to have control over all media outlets by 12th May 2014, give or take a few days!!! Well we'll see but aim high as they always say!!
Launch day has yet to be set, but I'd envision it to be in the next few weeks! I'll keep you posted on details nearer the time but in the meantime, WATCH THIS SPACE (*cliche alert*)!!
Launch day has yet to be set, but I'd envision it to be in the next few weeks! I'll keep you posted on details nearer the time but in the meantime, WATCH THIS SPACE (*cliche alert*)!!
Wednesday 4 January 2012
Happy New Year!
It's 2012!! And it's time to look forward to the cultural treats that the year has to offer. So sit back, relax and enjoy my top 5 cultural things to look out for this year:
1.) London Olympics:
British culture has plenty to offer and is being put to excellent use this summer as the basis for the 30th Olympiad. Details are fairly sketchy at the moment but we've been promised a celebration of William Shakespeare's works and countless adaptations for TV and film of Charles Dickens' greatest books (who incidentally celebrates his 200th birthday). As well as this, expect legendary musicians and actors to be making their mark on "The Greatest Show on Earth". The Opening Ceremony is being directed by the award-winning director, Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire"), so my expectations are pretty high and I'm confident they will be met.
2.) Possible Rise of Lana Del Ray:
This intriguing lady has been floating around since late 2011 and she's been making a name for herself with her hauntingly beautiful voice that just oozes old Hollywood glamour, seen at its best in her debut single, "Video Games". I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that 2012 will be the year of Miss Del Ray. With her album, "Born to Die" being released at the end of the month, and the title track recently premiering (a stunningly, rich slice of musical paradise full of intriguing yet disturbing musings about life), Lana looks set to take the world by storm.
3.) The Iron Lady:
Whatever your views on Miss Thatcher, this film is bound to appeal to anyone with the slightest interest in history,politics or just simply cinema. Early reviews indicate that we might just be in for a superb piece of cinema with a host of legendary actors that include Jim Broadbent, Richard E Grant and of course Meryl Streep. If reports are to be believed, Streep gives the performance of her career and she should expect numerous accolades to be coming her away as we approach the awards season. It's released in the UK on 6th January so you can expect a review from me in the very near future.
4.) Return of Madonna:
The Queen of Pop is returning! And by returning, I mean to music. I don't mind Madonna doing a bit of film directing on the side but COME ON! Her calling is obviously to making perfect pop music and 2012 will see the release of her first album in four years (after the slightly-less-than-amazing "Hard Candy"). Early signs are mixed, she's working with producer, William Orbit who helped create the epic "Ray of Light" with her in 1997 (This is excellent news!) but a leaked demo of the suggested first single, "Gimme all your love" left a lot to be desired (far too generic for someone whose been making waves in the music industry for 30 years). Despite this, I remain hopeful that Madonna can turn out another standout album to define pop culture for the next few years.
5:) Follow-Up Lady Gaga Tour:
After spending nearly two years on the road with the audaciously spectacular "Monster Ball Tour", Lady Gaga looks set to return to the stage in 2012 with her phenomenally successful (not to mention, quite brilliant) album, "Born This Way"! With a setlist of fantastic songs and the creativity we've come to expect from Gaga, this might just be the best tour of 2012. Rumours suggest we're in for a mammoth 450-date tour with every conceivable manner of pyrotechnics, smoke and fake blood! Sounds pretty darn amazing!
So that's my top 5 cultural highlights of 2012 but they may well change and if and when they do, I'll let you all know. Why not leave a comment and tell me what your looking forward to. In the next few days, I hope to review my favourite films, albums and books from 2011 before moving onto the treats that this year has in store. In the meantime, Happy New Year!
1.) London Olympics:
British culture has plenty to offer and is being put to excellent use this summer as the basis for the 30th Olympiad. Details are fairly sketchy at the moment but we've been promised a celebration of William Shakespeare's works and countless adaptations for TV and film of Charles Dickens' greatest books (who incidentally celebrates his 200th birthday). As well as this, expect legendary musicians and actors to be making their mark on "The Greatest Show on Earth". The Opening Ceremony is being directed by the award-winning director, Danny Boyle ("Slumdog Millionaire"), so my expectations are pretty high and I'm confident they will be met.
2.) Possible Rise of Lana Del Ray:
This intriguing lady has been floating around since late 2011 and she's been making a name for herself with her hauntingly beautiful voice that just oozes old Hollywood glamour, seen at its best in her debut single, "Video Games". I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that 2012 will be the year of Miss Del Ray. With her album, "Born to Die" being released at the end of the month, and the title track recently premiering (a stunningly, rich slice of musical paradise full of intriguing yet disturbing musings about life), Lana looks set to take the world by storm.
3.) The Iron Lady:
Whatever your views on Miss Thatcher, this film is bound to appeal to anyone with the slightest interest in history,politics or just simply cinema. Early reviews indicate that we might just be in for a superb piece of cinema with a host of legendary actors that include Jim Broadbent, Richard E Grant and of course Meryl Streep. If reports are to be believed, Streep gives the performance of her career and she should expect numerous accolades to be coming her away as we approach the awards season. It's released in the UK on 6th January so you can expect a review from me in the very near future.
4.) Return of Madonna:
The Queen of Pop is returning! And by returning, I mean to music. I don't mind Madonna doing a bit of film directing on the side but COME ON! Her calling is obviously to making perfect pop music and 2012 will see the release of her first album in four years (after the slightly-less-than-amazing "Hard Candy"). Early signs are mixed, she's working with producer, William Orbit who helped create the epic "Ray of Light" with her in 1997 (This is excellent news!) but a leaked demo of the suggested first single, "Gimme all your love" left a lot to be desired (far too generic for someone whose been making waves in the music industry for 30 years). Despite this, I remain hopeful that Madonna can turn out another standout album to define pop culture for the next few years.
5:) Follow-Up Lady Gaga Tour:
After spending nearly two years on the road with the audaciously spectacular "Monster Ball Tour", Lady Gaga looks set to return to the stage in 2012 with her phenomenally successful (not to mention, quite brilliant) album, "Born This Way"! With a setlist of fantastic songs and the creativity we've come to expect from Gaga, this might just be the best tour of 2012. Rumours suggest we're in for a mammoth 450-date tour with every conceivable manner of pyrotechnics, smoke and fake blood! Sounds pretty darn amazing!
So that's my top 5 cultural highlights of 2012 but they may well change and if and when they do, I'll let you all know. Why not leave a comment and tell me what your looking forward to. In the next few days, I hope to review my favourite films, albums and books from 2011 before moving onto the treats that this year has in store. In the meantime, Happy New Year!
Thursday 29 December 2011
Hello!
Welcome to Culture Spectrum! This will hopefully be a place of interesting discussion and analysis of all things cultural. That's music, art, film, theatre and anything else that merits debate. So expect political and social issues to come up as well. My aim is to provoke discussion and to share my views with the rest of the worldwide web. Eventually, I'd like to set up a youtube channel and a twitter page, but we'll see how this goes first. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave comments when something that interests you comes up.
I'll be back soon with my first proper post!
I'll be back soon with my first proper post!
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