Ain’t it funny when songs and movies and basically anything and everything makes sense all of a sudden?
I used to think my life was reserved for a bleak practical non-existence, therefor I must admit I am quite astonished and thrilled by the greatness it has right now.
Everything in this life is tastier than ever before, all of my experiences are worth mentioning and each and everyday is a blessing. Not a blessing in disguise, but a true moment to be savored permanently.
I’ve come to calm and peace and quiet. I’ve come to mornings of smile and nights of mingled limbs. I’ve come to passion and silence and I feel like I finally found my everything.
Maybe I did. I really hope I did. Because I could not bear the thought that everything that you are is not truly my everything.
After a few years of musical anger, reflected by the personal demons in all the rock music that haunted my playlists, something weird happened and now my brain is wired along the pop waves that sweep through the nation.
And when I say nation, I am referring to, of course, the almighty internet.
With the release of 1989, I noticed that I am a big fan of the pop princess that is Taylor Swift. Her newest video is one of great cinematic importance, star studded and very Frank Miller-esque. Obviously, Taylor kills it in this video – she’s so inhumanly pretty and hot and bad ass, to the point I can’t stand her.
Although Bad Blood is a bit of a hot mess, especially because of all those pop culture references that Joseph Kahn seems to use ad libitum, but all in all, the final cut marks a whole lotta neo-noir and Taylor Swift‘s best video yet. I was saving this title for her previous effort, Style, but Bad Blood, coupled with the song, is clearly a work of art.
With nods to the likes of Sin City, Matrix, Kill Bill and Tron, the stars of the video assume aliases to help them get even with Arsyn, the Wrong-Doer (Selena Gomez), and help avenge Catastrophe (Taylor Swift).
https://instagram.com/p/2YVncjjvC7/
The song is rumored to be about rival Katy Perry, who presumably stole some of Tay-Tay’s backup dancers, but who knows? Girls in pop biz are so up in each other’s biz-biz, right?! Anyhoo, the likes of:
Lily Aldridge (Frostbyte – sorry, not feeling it!)
https://instagram.com/p/2ZRzeuDvNY/
Zendaya (Cut-Throat – I really don’t know why she’s famous, but here she slays it)
https://instagram.com/p/2bCDIsjvMX/
Hayley Williams (The Crimson Curse – cause of course she is, the Punk Princess herself!)
https://instagram.com/p/2bvo6FjvO7/
Gigi Hadid (Slay-Z – nice play on words, Kardashian undercover)
https://instagram.com/p/2dk4XNDvNB/
Ellie Goulding (Destructa X – a really appropriate nod to showcase her destructive ways with the charts)
https://instagram.com/p/2eUxgzDvD1/
Hailee Steinfeld (The Trinity – such a boring waste of visuals)
https://instagram.com/p/2gjFQUDvO1/
Lena Dunham (Lucky Fiori – awesome mob-like attitude!)
https://instagram.com/p/2hGlyyjvFF/
Kendrick Lamar (Welvin Da Great – What Da What?!)
https://instagram.com/p/2ixitBDvFy/
Karlie Kloss (Knockout – a different way to spell Perfection, if you like)
https://instagram.com/p/2jekMVDvGO/
Serayah (Dilemma – I am having one right now. Who is you?!)
https://instagram.com/p/2lhNbCjvBp/
Jessica Alba (Domino – or Little Nancy Callahan, that works even better!)
https://instagram.com/p/2mJifZDvPA/
Martha Hunt (Homeslice – I was betting on Martha Stewart, sign of a gap in my current pop culture information)
https://instagram.com/p/2oGfTEDvP3/
Ellen Pompeo (Luna – oh, wow! Unimaginative as hell!)
https://instagram.com/p/2qv4d-jvFc/
Mariska Hargitay (Justice – I’m betting on supermodel here)
https://instagram.com/p/2rXZC_jvOP/
Cara Delevingne (Mother Chucker – beautiful, twisted beast)
https://instagram.com/p/2tGjhsjvJK/
Cindy Crawford (Headmistress – age is but a number, but beauty is forever?)
https://instagram.com/p/2t_9NpDvEk/
and, of course, Selena Gomez (Arsyn – doesn’t she look evil and mastermind with that short, geometrical bob?! Amazing!) team up for one of the greatest music videos of the summer.
https://instagram.com/p/2wRkjoDvJ9/
Some of these personas do seem to make more sense than others, especially if you look at Arsyn, Headmistress, Mother Chucker, Domino, Knockout, Lucky Fiori, Destructa X, The Crimson Curse and Catastrophe. They make even more sense, once you take into consideration that the stars chose those names by themselves, so they must reflect almost on point the character they wanted to convey.
And even though Kendrick Lamar fails to prove himself once again, I really like the song (the original version lacks his unwelcome intrusion) and the video is exquisite. Dark, futuristic, visually compelling and creative – what more could one ask from a self-appointed pop princess?
Adanc si disperat,
Cuvantul mut
Cauta ce nu mi-a dat
Soarele care-a uitat
Sa mai apuna.
Ma-ntreb daca pacatele mi se aduna
Si stau la vorba,
Sub vreo stea aparte.
Off, doamne,
Cuvantul mi-e departe!
Si scormonit,
Si inlesnit,
Ingenuncheat pe sub carari ascunse,
Cuvantul asta mut si, poate,-un pic acrit
Sta la baza faradelegii nesupuse
Si racaie in mine
Ce nu a gasit in tine.
Iti spun eu – ce se-ntampla nu e bine!
Dar fara tinta, fara scop,
Si poate cu paharul gol, si fara dop,
Cuvantul meu se uita cum se scurge tot.
Eu n-am cu ce, dar vreau sa ma indop!
Si nu stiu, doamne, cum sa fac apoi,
Sa-ncapa-n mine amandoi:
Si bun, si rau,
Si liniste, si zarva.
Mai ca imi vine sa fumez o iarba.
Dar ce folos, ce mare nefolos:
Sufletul meu e tot pe dos,
Si doar cuvantul meu cel mut
Ramas-a arma singura,
Si il ascut…
Strange, sensuous noise comes from up above. Like clockwork, devious, yet kind, warm and fuzzy, the mystery of that feeling is tingling inside me, as soon as I close my eyes, as soon as I start whispering sweet nothings to myself.
From beneath me, dark matter once ridden with boots and heels and shoes that maybe won’t fit your feet properly is vehemently hellish, molding itself underneath my body. Everything sparks and aches at the same time, and I only wonder where you are.
I’m standing here, in between these worlds. Those plans that bear with me, so little, yet so important, so fearful, yet so loud – I love those plans. Mostly because they have sounds and colors, they have warmth and cold, they have terror and hope.
I’ve been a fan of Fall Out Boy since 2006, and until now, I must say I never thought they could be so bland and boring. Say what?!
Yes, being a fan does not mean I’ll think everything you create is great, and this time, Fall Out Boy did it worse than ever with American Beauty/American Psycho. Even though I love the play on words and the duality, the album is quite constant, and in a bad way.
The only thing I love about the album is Irresistible. That’s it. One song?! I never thought that could be possible, really, but the whole package makes me think „Go away, Pete Wentz, with your high school lyrics, and leave us alone!”. Too bad I can’t act on that…
So yeah, Irresistible is like Patrick Stump 2.0, it almost feels like it was torn apart from his first album – it has the same angst, the same stadium feeling, the same urge, same need, more of everything that’s good, and less of everything that’s bad. (9/10)
American Beauty/American Psycho, the track that gives the album its title, is headachey to say the least. Stump seems underused, and I can’t understand, for the love of god, what’s Nikki Sixx‘s job on this piece. (5/10)
Centuries is one of the songs released before the album. I remember thinking back then „hmm, wtf?!”. Now?! Now it’s more like „wtffffffffffffffffff!!!”. (5/10)
The Kids Aren’t Alright got me thinking of that one The Offspring song, but that was the only best part of it. The rest of it is totally forgettable – no rhythm, no lyrics, no music. (4/10)
Uma Thurman is something that in some circles people would call music, but in my book this spells boring in several languages, several of whom are already dead, just like my poor ears. (2/10)
Jet Pack Blues is the only thing remotely interesting besides Irresistible. And when I say „remotely”, I’m using the term very loosely. Press „Play” only if you miss your high school love and/or if you had a shitty childhood and wanna blame someone for going on a murder spree. (7/10)
Novocaine reminded me of Holy Roller Novocaine by Kings of Leon, but only because of the name. Of course, what did you expect? The song sounds like something Taylor Swift rejected, so what the crap. (5/10)
Fourth of July reminds me of Black Widow – THAT Black Widow, by Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora, but only because of the clapping at the beginning. The rest of the song screams „This is Patrick having a bad creative day, so bear with me”. (4/10)
Favorite Record seems to be the poor relative of the previous song, with a whole lot of do-do’s and nothing much besides that. Also, the guitars kinda sound like some 80s band I can’t quite pinpoint right now, and I’m not even trying. (4/10)
Immortals… And manele are on! What?! Apparently, this song was intended for Big Hero 6. To that I say „meh”. The song is mediocre at best, and Patrick keep stumping those vocals with religious fervor. (5/10)
Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel in NYC) makes me think of all those emo bands back in 2007-2008, and miss the greatness they were. Because this song is absolutely appalling. (3/10)
Maybe if I’d listen to the instrumentals…
Maybe if I’d pay more attention to the technical part of it…
Maybe if I ignore the stupidity of the lyrics…
Nope, not gonna happen. The album is a whole, and as a whole, I must say it’s pretty bad. I can only point out that it has the proof that Fall Out Boy still know how to title their songs in a punkish way, but the proof that this does not work anymore. Everything else is misery and high school trauma. Thanks, Wentz!
It’s been years since Marilyn Manson released something, so you can understand my excitement when I heard Killing Strangers during John Wick. A promise was made – that a new album will come soon enough, and I was eager to listen to it!
Killing Strangers is the opening track – it’s slick, and screams „Manson” with every note. It’s sickening, it’s angry, it’s disappointed – it’s everything you and me are, so why the fuck not!? (10/10)
Deep Six was promoted as a lead single, with a very simple, yet disturbing video. I must admit I adore the bass line at the beginning of the song, the drumming and how it all blends in perfectly with Manson’s screaming. It’s pure joy for my ears, even though at first the song seemed a bit predictable. (10/10)
Third Day of a Seven Day Binge was released as a first promo single, and it was a very smart move. The bass mixes the guitar in a rather savage way, and in theory nothing would seem to make sense, but it does – it does make sense in such a weird way, I can’t stop listening to it! (10/10)
The Mephistopheles of Los Angeles – that’s quite a mouthful! I’m still undecided – the guitars are amazing, the rhythm is not quite there, the lyrics don’t seem to make sense, but the whole package screams „suitability and fear and hope”. What?! (7/10)
Warship My Wreck kinda sounds like a modern Coma White, with a little more comformity and a little less genius. It’s not bad, but it’s not wow either. (6.5/10)
Slave Only Dreams to be King is the kind of title that makes me proud of being a Marilyn Manson fan. Even though the platitude is noticeable and kind of expected from him, at this point in his life, the song is not bad. It reminds me a bit of (s)AINT, minus the angst. (7/10)
The Devil Beneath My Feet seems like a forgettable piece, since I had to look up to see the name. The album seems a bit repetitive at this point, and all the songs get mixed up in my brain. This particular track also has the quality of reminding me of The Red Carpet Grave combined with Children of Cain, so it’s understandable why I’m confused. (6/10)
Birds of Hell Awaiting starts off great, with a bit of Aggaloch-like vocals, and it seems to be the kind of vehicle that propelled Manson to stardom. Too bad he’s like 20 years late… (7/10)
Cupid Carries a Gun sounds like Manson had to fill in a quota, and this straw came short, and Mercury was in retrograde, and a bunch of other bad stuff happened, and so… This song was all that they could come up with. Except that it sounds like Manson circa 20 years ago, so yay?! (7/10)
Odds of Even. I can’t even. Is this The Speed of Pain, remastered?! (5/10)
Overall, The Pale Emperor is at least bearable. Marilyn Manson goes out of his way to please old fans that don’t want any spark of creativity for their idol, and he manages to squeeze out a beautiful combo of Born Villain and The Unholy Trinity (Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals and Holy Wood), recycling old concepts that once appealed to the masses, and are now obsolete.
To be completely honest, after The Golden Age of Grotesque, Manson looked like he was on his way to reinvention, and for about 10 years that reinvention seemed great. Too bad peer pressure, or whatever that is, chased away that new spirit – I hope all those oldies reminiscing their 1996 Manson are happy. I am only meh.
I can’t believe that, until now, I haven’t got the chance to review the newest Angels and Airwaves album, The Dream Walker. Their latest effort since 2011’s Love Part II is, maybe, their best so far. I’m not quite sure if this affirmation will stand in a few years or even a few months, but until now I’ve come to terms with it.
This 5th album came with a lineup change, especially with Mr. Ilan Rubin taking over drums and keyboards. Rubin, formerly of Lostprophets and Nine Inch Nails, brought a heavier sound, that gives depth to DeLonge’s aerial vocals in such a manner, it only makes you wonder why the f*ck they waited so long for this collaboration to start.
The new lineup gives a little more organic darkness to the sound, and lyrically speaking, DeLonge’s has kept the same balance as before, albeit a little simpler and poppier. The Dream Walker marks a little more experimentation for the Blink 182 frontman, coupled with electronic sounds bound to keep you playing the album on repeat. I think the best quality of the album is its fresh feeling once you forget about it and you stumble upon it by accident.
Teenagers & Rituals opens up The Dream Walker, leaving you no chance but to speed up with the sound that takes you faster and faster. It’s the kind of song that won’t take no for an answer, it’s raw and young and stupid, just like we were, and while the lyrics aren’t the greatest thing cooked up by Tom, they fit perfectly with the youthful sound of the song. (8.5/10)
Paralyzed was one of the singles that preceded the album, and through the bass line, you get carried away in a split second. This song has such a sense of urgency; it’s quite unbelievable I hated it when I first listened to it. Paralyzed is one of those rare songs that grow on you, even if you hate it at first. It’s demanding, and it has determination, anger and angst – a perfect anthem for Mr. DeLonge. (9/10)
The Wolfpack stands out from all the Angels & Airwaves songs I have ever listened. It has such a buildup, it’s electrifying, to say the least. It’s a perfect song to be played out in the open, and I can’t wait to see the band live, just because of this one song. It can’t hurt that the video is one of the most pop attempts I have ever witnessed from DeLonge, and the lyrics will appeal to both teenagers and adults. (10/10)
Tunnels comes to argue with everything that The Wolfpack was. As far as I know it, the song was inspired by the death of Tom’s father, and maybe because of that I have the feeling that this track is the most personal thing he created with AVA. Tunnels is filled with emotion, sad reality and hope at the same time, and the overall composition – musically and lyrically speaking, seems so mature for Tom. I have to applaud this effort. (10/10)
Have you ever missed Depeche Mode in their glory days? Look no further, then! The same gravity Martin got us used to is employed in Kiss With a Spell. Until I listened to this song, I could’ve sworn my all time favorite track off the album was The Wolfpack, but Kiss With a Spell has such depth and the electronic touch can’t hurt the meaning of the song, so I’ll have it forever on my playlist. (11/10)
Mercenaries is one wicked track. I can’t remember its name, nor I can distinguish its beginning, but around the first and a half minute I start recognizing what I like about it. It’s a weird composition, I never know if I fully love it, or if I hate it with all my power, but one thing I know for sure – I wouldn’t recommend missing it. (8/10)
Bullets in the Wind will come off as a surprise, especially for Interpol or The Editors fans. Ilan Rubin goes wild with the drums, engaging in a wicked rhythm filled with awesomeness – but of course! This song is one of their best and the proof (if you really needed that) that this combo works on many levels. (10/10)
The Disease seems a bit uneven, or maybe uneventful, even though it plays on the dark side of the album, with a little more emphasis on the analysis, and a little more focus on the choice of words. However, even if it’s a great song technically speaking, it doesn’t have the spark. (8/10)
Tremors has the same anthem-y sound I was expecting from the band, and for me it screams “hope and happiness are at your feet”, how can I not love it?! (10/10)
Anomaly, just like its title, is an anomaly. For me, it kinda sounds like Boxing Day, from Blink 182’s 2012 EP, Dogs Eating Dogs. It’s a mellow track, with sad accents, almost emo-ish, but at the same time you can sense a bit of hope at the end of the song. (8/10)
Overall, the album is better than I expected. Thematically, it shows that the band has grown (if you really doubted that until now), musically, DeLonge has allowed himself to explore a little more and it has taken Angels & Airwaves outside their comfort zone, and God! How good they sound outside it!
Ain’t it funny when songs and movies and basically anything and everything makes sense all of a sudden?
