tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87899209761162853622024-03-19T18:00:42.012+01:00My BlogElisabeth Kaplan’s thoughts on pop musicAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-13153196174557584812015-04-12T19:02:00.000+02:002015-04-13T10:42:52.690+02:00Schick Schock (Album) - Bilderbuch<div class="MsoNormal">
Each year Austria’s music industry pats
itself on the back with the Amadeus Austrian Music Awards. And although there
hasn’t been all that much to celebrate in the past few years (a cynical me
would say decades), there is currently a new surge of energy, a new spirit, and
new talent, which truly gives cause for hope. Wanda, 5/8erl in Ehr’n, Conchita
Wurst or Parov Stelar, to name just a few, show how much diversity and what a
high standard Austrian music has to offer at the moment.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">What I couldn’t understand, though, was how
Bilderbuch could be so completely overlooked by the Amadeus people (nothing
less than Band of the Year would have been appropriate as far as I’m concerned).
This is a band that plays to sold-out crowds throughout the German-speaking
area. A band that – together with Wanda – has triggered a state of euphoria in
the country and given Austrians something they can be proud of, or even – and
this is virtually unheard of – brag about. And Bilderbuch’s album “Schick Schock” is an
achievement in itself: an album that sounds thoroughly international (apart
from the language), is flawlessly produced down to the smallest detail, that
oozes humour and intelligence – one might even call it a pop masterpiece.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Much has been written and said about the
band’s image and attitude, especially that of lead singer Maurice Ernst. So cocksure,
so irresistibly arrogant, so sexy … but at the end of the day, we mustn’t
forget, in the midst of all that praise, that these four young men from Kremsmünster have also
made a brilliant album.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1CWOvuduxwRjYXoEyM_uh501YTatEXc-q1qrXNb7dLILSTn925ZQHv75EMgQbjfZGlUCWRSX8_hE-fP7PU9OoOW_y-CTbKbTnr0TnyNLJLlV9nDRXmyssT0D6FMdSLuaa4rciSEA3wvO/s1600/Bilderbuch-Schick-Schock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1CWOvuduxwRjYXoEyM_uh501YTatEXc-q1qrXNb7dLILSTn925ZQHv75EMgQbjfZGlUCWRSX8_hE-fP7PU9OoOW_y-CTbKbTnr0TnyNLJLlV9nDRXmyssT0D6FMdSLuaa4rciSEA3wvO/s1600/Bilderbuch-Schick-Schock.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">These
are my top 5 “Schick Schock” moments:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">5th
place<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">There are so many memorable lyrics on the
album that I can only pick out one or two on behalf of the rest. “Du hast den
Schick Schock / Weil dich mein Schick schockt” (“You’re in chic shock / ‘Cause you’re
shocked by my chic”) is just one example of Maurice Ernst having fun with words
and sounds. The same goes for the line “Ein Rebell, Rebell, Rebell / Wie ein
Hund auf der Jagd” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Feinste Seide</i>), where
the repetition of the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rebell</i>
simulates a dog barking (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bellen</i>).
Humour and intelligence – a magnetic combination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">4th
place<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The unconventional (in pop at least) use of
mixed metres in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Barry Manilow</i>. The
guitar intro is normal enough, but when the vocals come in, the bars are put
together like this: 4/4 – 4/4 – 2/4 – 4/4 – 2/4. And inserting the title “Barry
Manilow” into the first of these 2/4 bars creates a kind of spaced out moment
in which we’re drawn out of reality, only to be plonked back in
two seconds later. I have no idea how Bilderbuch got the idea for it, but it
certainly proves that they have musical intelligence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">3rd
place<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The song <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Schick Schock</i> starts with Maurice Ernst trying to get a girl to
admit that she was checking out his ass. This is followed by the “plop” sound
made by the volume key on a Mac, as if there were someone going “Wait.
Did he really just say that??” Love it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">2nd
place<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">At just under 4.5 minutes, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">OM</i> can certainly take its time building
up – and does so with relish. New elements are introduced at regular intervals,
such as the guitar riff at 1:25, and the swelling synth sound that adds density
at 1:58. But the wickedest moment is 3:06, when, after a break, a new riff takes
over and M.E. adlibs over it. Instructions for use: Must be heard at a sufficiently high volume!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">1st
place<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Maurice Ernst’s first “Yeah” in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maschin</i>. Just says everything. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p>***********************</o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Find the German version of this blog post
at <a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/allgemein/unter-der-lupe-schick-schock-album-bilderbuch/">http://zartbitter.co.at/allgemein/unter-der-lupe-schick-schock-album-bilderbuch/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p>***********************</o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Schick Schock on iTunes: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/at/album/schick-schock/id945014383">https://itunes.apple.com/at/album/schick-schock/id945014383</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Bilderbuch on YouTube:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">OM: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yo2WOJ4WMY&spfreload=10">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yo2WOJ4WMY&spfreload=10</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Maschin: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ocyk0OgyWY&spfreload=10">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ocyk0OgyWY&spfreload=10</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Spliff: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DocT4AZdZq4&spfreload=10">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DocT4AZdZq4&spfreload=10</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Plansch: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px_V9-HyTAc&spfreload=10">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px_V9-HyTAc&spfreload=10</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Maschin (live): <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsvrABRqgI8&spfreload=10">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsvrABRqgI8&spfreload=10</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-43602298849057444842014-11-30T11:56:00.000+01:002014-11-30T15:22:37.705+01:00Band Aid 30 - Do They Know It’s Christmas?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Ugh,
Uncle Bob has dug out some leftover Christmas fruitcake from last year – no,
wait, from 1984 – and thought it would be okay to serve if he just sticks in
some new raisins and slaps on some fresh frosting. </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">“Do
They Know It’s Christmas?”, written by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984, is currently in its fourth
incarnation. The song itself is mediocre at best. Sure, we’ve heard it so often
by now that of course we can hum along, but the melody is actually kind of clumsy in its
construction. It also doesn’t give singers a whole lot to work with, which is what
makes it so hard for them to hit the right tone. Either they go for a simple,
“honest” interpretation, in which case they tend to come off as bland and
rather unfeeling; or they go over the top, seeking an “emotional” approach, and
ending up with totally overwrought performances that just come across as
insincere and show-offy. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">In comparison: Just
months after the initial “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” came out, USA for
Africa followed the UK’s example and recorded “We Are The World”. It may be
cheesy, but it is a perfect cheese. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel
Ritchie, it is doubtless the superior song. You can tell it was authored by
singers, because it gives the vocalists enough substance to work with and
allows each of the many guests to truly shine and deliver ultimately legendary
performances.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">But
back to Band Aid. These are the four versions you can choose from (although the
1989 version flopped and is, to my knowledge, no longer available):<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjQzJAKxTrE&spfreload=10" target="_blank">BandAid</a> (1984); </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83xYDazJavE&list=RD83xYDazJavE&spfreload=10#t=67" style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';" target="_blank">BandAid II</a><span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';"> (1989); </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5vMdmajxFY&spfreload=10" style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';" target="_blank">BandAid 20</a><span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';"> (2004); </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w7jyVHocTk&spfreload=10" style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';" target="_blank">BandAid 30</a><span style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';"> (2014)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
<h3>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';"><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE ULTIMATE BAND AID AWARDS</span></span></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">To
help you choose your favourite, here are my personal awards in six categories:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">* Best vocal performance:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">Chris
Rea in Band Aid II: With his voice, which sounds like the vocal personification
of a hot toddy in front of a log fire, he really doesn’t have to make any sort
of effort to sound fabulous.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">* Most OTT vocal performance:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">Without
doubt, this one goes to Sinéad O’Connor in the 2014 version. Maybe she's having
some kind of seizure brought on by her extreme embarrassment at having to sing
these lyrics. On the up side, she is practically unintelligible, preventing us
from having to actually understand the lyrics at this point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">* Singer who looks most pissed off about
being there:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">Although
with his do-gooder image today he would never admit it, the 33-year-old Sting of
1984 looks like he couldn’t care less. He’s probably just mortified to be
singing those lyrics (he even has to sing the line with the word “sting” in it.
Ouch). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Second place in this category goes to </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Angélique Kidjo,
“Africa’s premier diva”, in this year’s version. Boy, would I love to see a
thought bubble over her head. It would probably be filled with words this sweet
lady would never actually utter. Apparently, she wanted to change the lyrics
and did in fact sing various versions, none of which made it past Sir Bob’s
censorship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><span style="font-size: large;">* Most boring vocal performance:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><span style="font-size: large;">1984: Paul Weller. Sorry, dude, but even if you’re
hating every second, you have to at least pretend to be making an effort.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><span style="font-size: large;">1989: Big Fun. Who’s that, you’ll most likely be
asking. Well, this trio was one of the less successful acts from the Stock
Aitken Waterman flock. They got half a line to sing – “… we can spread a smile
of joy”. It’s depressing to think that what we hear in the final version must
have been their best take … <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><span style="font-size: large;">2004: Sugababes. My oh my. Do these three girls really
not have a shred of personality? Yawn.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-language: JA;">2014: One Direction. Yikes. Maybe they went straight
from a party to the studio. These boys sure seem to be half asleep when they’re
singing the critical first line. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">* Best production:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">For
me the most cohesive version in terms of production has to be the Stock Aitken
Waterman version of 1989 – yup, the one that flopped. Unfortunately, it has an
awkwardly inappropriate party vibe going on. Besides, SAW’s star wasn’t waning at
this point, it was crashing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">* Least embarrassing lyrics:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">Dear
me, where to begin. For me, the most mortifying line in the song is “The
greatest gift they’ll get this year is life”. (This year the line was replaced
by “A song of hope where there’s no hope tonight” – not much of an improvement
to be honest.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">As
for the least embarrassing, maybe “At Christmas time, we let in light and we
banish shade”. As clichéd as it may be, it’s possibly the only line that isn’t
either somehow objectionable, nonsensical or simply clumsily crafted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">The
line that understandably caused the most uproar through the years, “Well,
tonight thank God it’s them instead of you”, was changed in the current version.
I’m thinking Bono finally got his way. Apparently, he already objected to it 30 years ago.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">And that wraps up my personal Band Aid
Awards. Maybe now you’re so curious, you’ll get straight on iTunes and buy all
the versions! (Except 2004 – I wouldn’t want you to have to hear that
perplexing “we-need-to-attract-hip-young-buyers” rap section). <o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;">Or donate to <a href="https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/onetime.cfm" target="_blank">Doctors Without Borders</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Adobe Garamond Pro";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Adobe Garamond Pro';"><span style="font-size: large;">You can read the German version of this blog post at <a href="http://www.zartbitter.co.at/">www.zartbitter.co.at</a></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-7048961334523626462014-09-22T12:57:00.000+02:002014-09-22T14:20:02.734+02:00Thriller – Michael Jackson<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14.0pt;">Did you know …<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt;">…
that “Thriller” went through quite a bit of trial and error and quite a few
rewrites before it became the song that was finally presented to the public in
late 1982? If you listen to one of the previous versions of the song, a demo
called “Starlight” (see </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_kimWJ7128">www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_kimWJ7128</a></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt;">), you’ll appreciate
why Rod Temperton (a song-writing veteran who has written for all the greats,
including Donna Summer, Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Mariah Carey) decided
to scrap his initial lyrics, which were rather generic and lacked a clear
central message, in favour of something more unique. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14.0pt;">Genius last-minute lyrics<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt;">The
lyrics he then came up with for “Thriller” are full of strong imagery,
immediately conjuring a vivid picture in the listeners’ minds. Temperton puts
us right in the middle of this horror scenario (using direct address, “you”),
and waits until the 3rd verse to let on that we are in fact just watching a
horror film (“I’ll save you from the terror on the screen”). The directness of
the lyrics is what makes them so accessible. Temperton doesn’t challenge us
with hidden meaning, allegory, juxtaposition, metaphor or the like. He doesn’t
try to make the song more than it is – with a satisfying result. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt;">If
I could be so bold as to voice one minor gripe (how dare I?): The bridge
section (“Night creatures call …”) stands out musically – the harmonies
suddenly shift, the triplets in the vocal melody make this part smoother and
more lyrical compared to the rhythmic verse and chorus. Which is why the horror
imagery (“night creatures”, “dead”, “jaws of the alien”) doesn’t feel right to
me in this part. I’d have seen this bridge as an opportunity to introduce the
idea of cuddling in front of the TV screen. In fact, I quite like the lines
from Starlight: “Light up the world / Let the love start / Take charge of this
masquerade”. As it stands, the music in this section gives the creepy lyrics a
kind of sweetness, effectively rendering them harmless. Then again, perhaps it
was Temperton’s intention to tone down the scariness here – to prepare us for
the subsequent revelation that it’s all just happening on the screen?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14.0pt;">THAT iconic bass hook<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt;">Musically,
being intrigued by songs that have long, virtually unchanging sections, I
wanted to find out how much of the song is made up of the famous bass hook that
characterises the entire song. If you take just the main body of the song –
Intro/ Verse 1/ Chorus/ Verse 2/ Chorus/ Bridge/ Verse 3/ Chorus (excluding the
coda with Vincent Price’s legendary “rap”) – which makes up 117 bars, and count
the number of bars built on the bass hook, you’ll find they make up 77% of the
song! But thanks to the harmonic and melodic development, we don’t feel that
the song ever gets boring or monotonous. Also, thanks to Quincy Jones and the
world-class musicians playing on the track (I especially love David Williams’s
tastefully restrained guitar lick, which adds so much density and rhythmic
depth in all the right places), “Thriller” is a prime example of when to add
and when to leave out small details that can make all the difference. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14.0pt;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: DE; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Back
to “Starlight”: If I look at my copy of “Thriller” (the album) and mentally
replace the song “Thriller” with “Starlight”, it changes the entire feel of the
album. “Starlight” would have been no more than a catchy, but inconsequential
interlude on an album whose makers intended it to be edgy. But in a moment of
sheer brilliance, Temperton came up with a title that would go on to define an
album, a year, a decade, a generation, the artist himself. </span><!--EndFragment--><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: DE; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: DE; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: DE; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">German version here: <a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/kultur/unter-der-lupe-thriller-von-michael-jackson/">http://zartbitter.co.at/kultur/unter-der-lupe-thriller-von-michael-jackson/</a></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-47760596717831314802014-09-14T16:20:00.002+02:002014-09-15T06:47:31.111+02:00U2: Uninvited guests<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">Mom taught me to always say please and thank you. Dad taught me
that you never look a gift horse in the mouth. But Granddad always said, if it
doesn’t cost anything, it’s not worth anything. And Vergil warned us to beware
of gifts – they may not be what they seem.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuQpAoW4OduFxBP2xq0ZhPIdxK2J_1cvXrNBYInQ7RdzMyqJAPORdHY0J-BrBvXjPEHUWYsuN4gmWkLWnUQaOmp9T0MAUqyF7D1EbhnrETCIyCqOuY5BJ3XSNyO3xOcrL8l442rX37aC8/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmuQpAoW4OduFxBP2xq0ZhPIdxK2J_1cvXrNBYInQ7RdzMyqJAPORdHY0J-BrBvXjPEHUWYsuN4gmWkLWnUQaOmp9T0MAUqyF7D1EbhnrETCIyCqOuY5BJ3XSNyO3xOcrL8l442rX37aC8/s1600/Image.jpg" height="199" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">U2 have certainly caused a stir with their new album,
“Songs of Innocence” – not so much because of the music, but rather because of
the distribution method. Personally, I don’t feel inspired to write about
the musical content of the album. Despite the best of intentions, I never
managed to warm to U2 and “Songs of Innocence” will definitely not win me over.
U2 is a band you either love or hate. So it can be assumed that a large share
of the 500 million iTunes users who were “gifted” with this album do not want
the music. And even among the other, pro-U2 faction there are many who are appalled
at the way the album “appeared” on their devices. U2 and Apple are calling it a
“gift”, but let’s be honest, it’s actually more like the silent, unexpected
attack of a stealth aircraft.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">In a business that constantly needs to come
up with new ways of getting people to spend their money on music, the publicity
stunts are taking on new forms. Last year, for example, Jay Z teamed up with
Samsung and gave away his album “Magna Carta Holy Grail” to owners of certain
Galaxy devices. Users had to register for an app to claim the album, and
downloads were limited to 1 million. That campaign had more of a “gift”
feeling, because after all, only Jay Z fans would have taken advantage of the
offer and I’m sure they appreciated belonging to this exclusive group and being
among the first to own this album, which went on to become very successful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">U2/Apple’s ambush-style attack, however,
makes me feel decidedly uncomfortable. There are so many questions, the first
of which being: why? U2 and Apple throw their arms in the air and jubilantly
proclaim: “It’s a gift!” But there is no such thing in the world of commerce –
not without any ulterior motives, that is. U2’s benefits are clear: Apple paid them for
their work, the sales of their past albums have seen a sudden boost, they again
have the attention of the media, and they’ve used the opportunity to announce
their follow-up album, “Songs of Experience”. What Apple stand to gain isn’t as
clear to me, which increases my unease. They wouldn’t spend that kind of money
without expecting some kind of ROI. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">It may be true that there is no such thing
as negative publicity, but taking away my freedom of choosing whether I want to
click on the “download” button or not is more than questionable. It’s an
invasion. But maybe Apple have, in a way, done us a service with their very
public display of an unwanted, unsanctioned intrusion into our digital devices:
they have raised awareness of just how easily they can tamper with our devices
and how they can manipulate what we see and hear in our own homes. Perhaps we
should see that as the actual gift.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Die deutsche Version dieses Blogeintrags findet ihr unter <a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/allgemein/u2-ein-ungebetener-gast/">http://zartbitter.co.at/allgemein/u2-ein-ungebetener-gast/</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-20812164744405108402014-09-09T17:48:00.000+02:002014-09-09T18:47:54.162+02:00Dancer - Gin Ga<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">PART 6 - AUSTRIA SERIES</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYArWkTyEN3KGhc_Qe33fnYZByhF8Z4J1ja3xCk0sxLf5EmqIrB578iy9hXJoiXetnuUkXNpuMEQoAkcxEyzuGLwFg1HbWSbYDLQgitPLmKjdqyijPwzV-rJe0iryaI9COYkDeNL1ZaGBM/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYArWkTyEN3KGhc_Qe33fnYZByhF8Z4J1ja3xCk0sxLf5EmqIrB578iy9hXJoiXetnuUkXNpuMEQoAkcxEyzuGLwFg1HbWSbYDLQgitPLmKjdqyijPwzV-rJe0iryaI9COYkDeNL1ZaGBM/s1600/Image.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Petra Benovsky</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">For their
track “Dancer”, it seems to me that the Viennese band Gin Ga – made up of Alex
Konrad, </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Klemens Wihlidal, Emanuel
Donner and Matias Meno –</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;"> took
their inspiration from the new wave of the early 80s. For those who are not
familiar with new wave or are simply too young to remember, new wave was a
style that emerged from punk in the late 70s/early 80s in England, but strived
to be more accessible than its predecessor. It was, essentially, punk-inspired
pop. I had loads of fun fun tracking down the new wave references in “Dancer”
and I’ll show you what I found further down.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">International connections<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Gin Ga is yet
another example of an Austrian band that has gained more recognition internationally
than locally. What certainly worked to Gin Ga’s advantage was the fact that
they have a Belgian manager who managed to get them not only gigs abroad, but
also airplay in Poland, Spain, France and, of course, in Belgium. Also, for a
while Gin Ga collaborated with James Stelfox, a British bassist they’d met at a
gig in Brussels. These international connections helped them to get out of the confinement
of the Austrian pop scene and also gave them the international endorsement
needed in order to be taken seriously in Austria. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMLur1J08ujk882I1QLrjIvlrVOpNpR2YFNjsM4ZvrRKzlozxjskb_xV2Xwi4umgm9G5fELZhEKpsqyn8EcxwTflxMn50geToe1YzdpdNloZvz3yHtlJKcqabMu4Z_6nhpEdRQlnjKTCF/s1600/cover_gr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMLur1J08ujk882I1QLrjIvlrVOpNpR2YFNjsM4ZvrRKzlozxjskb_xV2Xwi4umgm9G5fELZhEKpsqyn8EcxwTflxMn50geToe1YzdpdNloZvz3yHtlJKcqabMu4Z_6nhpEdRQlnjKTCF/s1600/cover_gr.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Their second
album, “Yes/No”, was released with Monkey Music late last year. The album
exudes self-confidence and energy and is full of memorable songs that often give
me flashbacks of post-punk England. “Dancer”, however, is the song that
immediately grabbed my attention (</span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdgwrFHkIjo" style="font-family: Helvetica;" target="_blank">click here</a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> to watch
their homemade-style video!).</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">New wave from Austria<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">So what exactly
are the main ingredients needed to qualify a song as new wave? </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><u>Item 1</u>: An
attitude and energy clearly derived from punk. Check. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Item 2</span></u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">: Elements reminiscent of the era,
namely late 70s to mid-80s. Check. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Item 3</span></u><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">: Greater attention to songwriting and
melodies than is the case in punk, as well as use of synth sounds. Check!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">“Dancer”
starts off with octaves in the bass that just scream 80s. Think New Order’s
“Blue Monday” (1983), Bronski Beat’s “Smalltown Boy” (1984) or Visage’s “Fade
to Grey” (1980). After a short intro frontman Alex Konrad takes centre stage
with the first verse. He clearly belongs to the long line of such punk and
post-punk performers as Joe Strummer (The Clash), Billy Idol or Robert Smith
(The Cure), all of whom are not “good” singers in the classical sense, but whose
vocals are chock-full of drama and raw emotion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">In the third
line of each verse background shouts are employed for emphasis (e.g. “And with
my first breath” in the 1st verse). Yelling vocals were common in punk and were
then often adopted in new wave, e.g. in “Burning down the House” (1983) by
Talking Heads. Another element that characterises the verses is the rhythmic
motif played by a variety of industrial-sounding percussion instruments like
those used by Depeche Mode in “People are People” (1984). This motif also has a
similarly defining function as the one in Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” (1981). </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdPmQjMCiMALYq_Ia9xdKdgGOx2YJeBTl2SGDGITpY4oooWdwrfJAP6NHYXVHekjBDtBDQsowPZNWdYwvwDE08ce-jtqhfeykh5QgPuO5vBI448lG-qPFkXPsCxGS0q6SJOc-Khza313_/s1600/sc000232e8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdPmQjMCiMALYq_Ia9xdKdgGOx2YJeBTl2SGDGITpY4oooWdwrfJAP6NHYXVHekjBDtBDQsowPZNWdYwvwDE08ce-jtqhfeykh5QgPuO5vBI448lG-qPFkXPsCxGS0q6SJOc-Khza313_/s1600/sc000232e8.jpg" height="92" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">“To the left, to the right!”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The lyrics
could well be just a load of mumbo-jumbo or, alternatively, so profound that my
shallow mind cannot fathom them. Gin Ga chose a clever, stable structure for
the lyrics (starting every verse with “I was a dancer before I was born/before
I could walk/before I could speak/before I was sold”) that allows them to say
almost anything and lets it sound extremely meaningful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">The chorus is
just plain fun: “To the left, to the right / To the left, to the right /
D-d-d-dancer, dancer!” Although the chorus suddenly gets more of a 90s trip-hop
vibe with Massive Attack-style strings, I still found a new wave reference: the
“d-d-d-dancer” reminds me of “M(-m-m-m)y Sharona” (The Knack, 1979)!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Conclusion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">In truth,
this song would be predestined to become something of an indie party anthem.
The band even invented a little dance to go with it. How great is that?! A
group of friends in England obviously had great fun making their own <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOfI8KC3m5w" target="_blank">reconstruction of the“Dancer” video</a>. What I’d love to see is an entire audience doing the moves.
It would certainly be a way of showing the guys that they’re also appreciated at
home and not just abroad …<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Their
website: <a href="http://www.thisisginga.com/" target="_blank">www.thisisginga.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Read the
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-415390440299863562014-08-24T20:34:00.000+02:002014-08-25T18:35:46.058+02:00Loving You Is Easy - Camo & Krooked<div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">I’ve chosen this track off Camo & Krooked’s third studio album “Zeitgeist” (released last September) for the 5th instalment of my Austria Series, firstly because of its relaxed, yet danceable vibe, making it the perfect track for any summer party, and secondly because Camo & Krooked themselves rate it their favourite tune off the album.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Austrian DJs Camo & Krooked (whose real names are Reinhard Rietsch and Markus Wagner) started collaborating in 2007 and have since been making a name for themselves as a drum and bass production outfit. Their track “Watch It Burn” (feat. Ayah Marar), for instance, has been viewed more than 6 million times on YouTube, and they are sought-after DJs, with upcoming gigs at locations from the UK and Belgium to Russia and Japan. And their 321,000+ Facebook likes speak for themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Expanding their range</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Camo & Krooked have expanded their musical range with their latest album. They’d been feeling a bit bored with the electronic dance music scene, so they wanted to do something fresh and organic. And in my opinion, they have created a tasteful album that works in the club, but doesn’t grind on your nerves if you put it on at home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When asked to pinpoint their main influences, Camo & Krooked name disco, French house and minimal. There’s no mistaking these influences on “Loving You Is Easy”, which I love because of the stark contrast between the upbeat disco parts and the extremely restrained minimal sections. I’ll talk a bit later about what C&K do to intensify this contrast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Disco meets minimal</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first few seconds of the track leave no doubt as to what awaits us: the long brass note and arpeggiated strings immediately take us back a few decades and put us in a disco state of mind. The intro then introduces the piano/bass riff that forms the meat and potatoes of the entire track. (I’ve written it down in a simplified form, i.e. without the ghost notes, although it’s exactly those ghost notes that make it so rhythmical and funky.) If you listen closely, you can also hear little breathers that are used as percussive elements. The soulful vocal sample (I’m tempted to think it’s an original vintage sample, although it could just be one helluva studio singer) is then introduced and gives the disco sections body and warmth. Its extreme emotionality also contributes towards the contrast between the disco and minimal sections. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7IXpeAmg1oDqGl_Y284N8FEddiX5i_nejJKHbmID1tf1GelfcFV3fii1v77wk1wOKhYo0NiEEnHqvZyYrWmOLAnwfIfsUU7R1x0ge-agMYlLD-tbU6bEzScNM65JdpITk8R3sFMDwYx2/s1600/sc001e1756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc7IXpeAmg1oDqGl_Y284N8FEddiX5i_nejJKHbmID1tf1GelfcFV3fii1v77wk1wOKhYo0NiEEnHqvZyYrWmOLAnwfIfsUU7R1x0ge-agMYlLD-tbU6bEzScNM65JdpITk8R3sFMDwYx2/s1600/sc001e1756.jpg" height="307" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Masters of their craft</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, what do C&K do to enhance the contrast between the sections? With the precision and attention to detail we’ve come to expect from C&K, they create more density in the bit leading up to the next section and then make a clean cut. For instance, in the second half of the vocal part they build up the sound effects and add a swoosh sound, all of which are abruptly cut off when the minimal bit begins (0:33). This technique highlights the new section’s decidedly dry and stripped-down character. This is exactly the same effect I’ve always loved about “One Night in Bangkok” (Murray Head, 1984): the chorus begins – “One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster” – with its expansive instrumentation and no shortage of reverb, and in the second line – “The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free” –we have a cutoff on the word “temples”, with only a minimalist bass line remaining until everything builds up again. I love this effect – if done well, it is a moment of surprise that creates variety, excitement, intensity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Less is more</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But back to “Loving You Is Easy”. So, the secret is in the build-up through the addition of instruments, effects, etc. so that the next bit is all the more surprising. In essence, the minimal bit consists only of bass, bass drum and a minimal sound playing the F minor scale (without the 6th; see it notated) – you can hardly get more minimal than that. And again C&K amp up the effects and the reverb towards the end of the 8-bar form, as well as putting a delay on the melody, just to cut it all off again when the next section begins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the subsequent disco parts, C&K reinforce their homage to that era with a Chic-style guitar and later with a couple of string falls (2:36 and 2:44). And, as if they hadn’t made me happy enough yet, C&K end the track with a synth sound that would make Giorgio Moroder proud. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Conclusion</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Thank you, Camo & Krooked, for creating an infectious track for no other reason than to make us happy! It’s the soundtrack of my summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">See the video here: </span>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9IiagqBBHs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; letter-spacing: 0px;">The deutsche Fassung dieses Blogeintrags gibt’s zu lesen auf <a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/kultur/entertainment/unter-der-lupe-camo-krooked-loving-easy/">zartbitter.co.at</a>.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-35214458161822096662014-08-24T20:30:00.000+02:002014-08-25T18:43:53.901+02:00Behave (From Now On) & Phantom Sentimental - Fijuka<div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This blog entry is about a Vienna-based duo called Fijuka. The two founding members, Ankathie Koi (lead vocals) and Judith Filimónova (bass), met at university in Vienna and formed Fijuka in 2011. They describe themselves as a “synthie-pop-electronica minded band”, but they’re not at all what I’d expect from that label (personally, I’d expect the clean, crisp digital sound of, say, La Roux or Chvrches). Thanks to the analogue synth sounds they use and the real electric bass, Fijuka’s sound is quite natural and warm. The three distinctive elements of Fijuka’s music are the charisma and voice of Ankathie, the synth sounds and the bass lines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let’s start with Ankathie, a singer from a small town on the Bavarian-Austrian border, who manages to invoke the spirit of such weird and wonderful pop ladies as Kate Bush, Elly Jackson, Feist, Imogen Heap or Róisín Murphy. In the verse of “Behave (From Now On)”, for instance, her voice has a similar timbre to Kate Bush in “The Man With the Child in His Eyes”, while the verse of “Phantom Sentimental” has a rhythmic quality similar to La Roux’s “Bulletproof”. And you know what – Ankathie’s strong accent doesn’t even bother me. I think it’s because of Fijuka’s tongue-in-cheek attitude. I often find strong foreign accents disconcerting when the singers take themselves too seriously or when the music is trying to sound decidedly American or English. But I can accept an accent as part of an ironic or experimental concept, or when the music has an obvious European vibe. Björk’s accent, to name one example, is an integral part of her whole image and fits in perfectly. Also, Ankathie’s self-confidence and charisma in her performances compel you to accept whatever she offers as gospel. Her weird gyrations in the video to “Behave (From Now On)” are so bonkers you can’t help but watch (not to mention that I NEED those stunning technicolour tights!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Fijuka use vintage synth sounds that give their music a decidedly retro touch. In one of their live videos, you can see Ankathie playing a Roland RS-09, an analogue synthesizer that hit the stores in 1979, which is why it evokes that typical early 80s sound in Fijuka’s songs – although I don’t think that Fijuka are specifically going for an 80s revival sound. Rather, the synthesizer’s often cheesy sounds make it the logical choice for their whimsical overall concept. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What also sets Fijuka apart from contemporary synthpop is their comparative simplicity. While there’s always a lot going on in synthpop, with a whole range of sound layers working together at the same time, Fijuka keep it simple with just vocals, drums, bass, harmonic synth, and occasionally a melodic line in the synth – and that’s it. Some might call that under-produced, and who’s to say a good producer wouldn’t get even more out of the songs, but personally I don’t feel like there’s anything missing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The bass lines in Fijuka’s songs play an important role, owing to the fact that the other half of the duo, Judith Filimónova, is a professional bass player. And because there aren’t so many different musical elements vying for the listener’s attention, we take more notice of the bass. While the driving bass line in “Behave (From Now On)” consists of “Billie Jean”-style eighth notes, “Phantom Sentimental” has a decidedly funky feel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">You’ve just got to watch Fijuka’s videos. They used young directors who did a great job of creating a professional, international look for both videos. In “Phantom Sentimental” (directed by Marie-Thérèse Zumtobel and Anselm Hartmann), you’ll see Ankathie and Judith being treated like meat, literally. And “Behave (From Now On)” (directed by Florian Pochlatko) is just so eccentric and comic in a way, that I never tire of watching it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">See the videos here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tobbCYPtCaI">Behave (From Now On)</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV3vqsqYiwM">Phantom Sentimental</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/kultur/entertainment/behave-now-phantom-sentimental-fijuka-oesterreich-serie-teil-4/">Die deutsche Version dieses Blogeintrages gibts auf Zartbitter.</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-80912018182809421892014-08-24T20:27:00.000+02:002014-08-25T18:43:03.237+02:00Don't Play (album) - Tyler<div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This time I just couldn’t bring myself to choose one favourite song, so I’ve decided to take a more general view. Today I’m looking at a Viennese rock band called Tyler.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">First time I heard Tyler was on a Servus TV programme, I think in 2010. With the help of Shazam, I found out who it was, and was blown away to learn that it was an Austrian band. The song was “What’s Wrong” from Tyler’s debut album, “Don’t Play” (2005). What first caught my attention was the bass line, which the electric guitar doubles in the second half of the intro. A clever technique is letting the beginning of the vocal line imitate the movement of the bass line (B - C# - D), giving it more weight and power. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At any rate, from that moment onward, I was a Tyler fan. And in my opinion, “Don’t Play” shouldn’t be missing from any self-respecting Austrian pop-rock aficionado’s music library. Every song on that album is a gem with its own individual character. “Separated”, “All My Weapons”, “Can’t Break Me” and “Any City” are rock songs with strong melodies; to me they sound grungy in parts and remind me a bit of Stone Temple Pilots. “Wantcha” is a pretty funky track, and “Beautiful”, “Stay Awake” (one of my faves), “Hello” and “Paper Maché Darts” are great rock ballads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Composition + Production + Killer Vocals = Tyler</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What sets Tyler apart is firstly their musical originality and creativity. In a genre where a lot of bands seem to think they can get away with weak/uninspired/monotonous melodies by focussing on production, I really admire bands that attach importance to melody and harmony. Songwriter and lead singer Lukas Hillebrand even uses first and second inversions (e.g. C major chord with E resp. G in the bass) – frankly, that impresses me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The second thing that sets these guys apart is the brilliant production. A music producer’s job requires a great deal of sensitivity to know which element is needed at which moment in a song, and it’s usually the smallest details that make the difference in the end. If you listen to the first 20 seconds of “Separated”, for instance, you’ll hear a whole lot of tiny elements that work together to create excitement. These layers have to be done just right to work and I just love Tyler’s attention to detail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One more point I need to mention is the vocal performance of Lukas Hillebrand – this guy can sing! Not only does he have the whole rock thing going on, but his head voice sounds fabulous. He can also switch dynamics seamlessly and his phrasing is impeccable. And on top of everything, he makes it all sound effortless and uncontrived. If I had to name one complaint it would be that the balance of the lead vocals is a bit off in the mix – they should quite simply be louder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>An Austrian ending</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So now brace yourselves for the blow: in 2011 Tyler released their second album, “Favourite Sin”, only to disband later that year. Tyler was one of the many casualties of Austria’s unsupportive stance towards its own musicians (pop musicians, in particular) during the past few years/decades. In my opinion, it’s inexcusable that this band got so little support and, subsequently, so little recognition that they were forced to throw in the towel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Granted, Lukas Hillebrand, Alex Pohn (drums) and Peter Schönbauer (bass) aren’t twiddling their thumbs; they are sought-after songwriters/producers/musicians (primarily for Austrian singer Julian le Play at the moment). But Tyler is sorely missed in the Austrian music scene. All fans can do is listen and re-listen to “Don’t Play” and “Favourite Sin” and hope for a reunion gig some day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Listen to samples at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dont-play-Tyler/dp/B004R94CQS/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1404156148&sr=8-4&keywords=tyler+don%27t+play">Amazon</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtJKe2Ua2lGL9Ej1TzfBnQQ">YouTube channel</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/kultur/unter-der-lupe-dont-play-album-von-tyler/">Die deutsche Version dieses Blogeintrages gibts auf Zartbitter.</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-1650891481145312572014-08-24T20:24:00.000+02:002014-08-25T18:41:22.303+02:00Million Euro Smile - The Makemakes<div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Part 2 – Austria Series</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">What do you do if you landed a surprise hit and now everyone is expecting you to repeat that level of success or even top it? Well, you could do one of two things. Either say “whatever, I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing” and cross your fingers that things will work out. Or you do your homework, reflect on what people want to hear, create something that fits the bill, and cross your fingers that you got it right. Either way, it’s never a surefire thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Makemakes, a rock band from the district of Flachgau in Salzburg Province, took the latter approach. With their first single, “Lovercall” (2012), a groovy little number with a Maroon 5 vibe, the Makemakes achieved the virtually impossible: they got into the Austrian charts under their own steam, without a casting show behind them, as is usually the case in this country. So, what to do next? The Makemakes took their time in releasing a follow-up single and, knowing how important the second release is – being the moment of truth that either reveals the first success as a fluke, or confirms a band’s high quality – obviously put a lot of consideration into their next single, “Million Euro Smile” (2014). The result was a song that exceeded all expectations, reaching 2nd place in the Austrian Top 40. A truly remarkable achievement!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>The art of writing a hit song</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Writing a song with an explicit view to creating a hit is no easy feat. Many have tried, but crashed and burned. The fact is that there are certain obvious prerequisites, such as a catchy tune, and certain parameters you can follow, but ultimately audiences are fickle and there are no guarantees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For “Million Euro Smile”, the Makemakes drew on Rock ’n’ Roll and classic Motown for inspiration. The music of the 50s/60s has provided inspiration for a great number of pop songs throughout the subsequent decades. I can think of a few off the top of my head: The 80s brought us Billy Joel’s album “An Innocent Man” (1983), including, most notably, “Uptown Girl” and “Tell Her About It”, and Soulsister’s “The Way to Your Heart” (1988). The UK seems to have a soft spot for this style of retro pop music, with “Give Me a Little More Time” (1996) by Gabrielle in the 90s, Amy Winehouse and Duffy in the noughties, and more recently “Black Heart” (2012) by Stooshe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The advantage of referencing past styles is that people respond immediately because it sounds so familiar, which is a definite bonus. Songs that break new ground often don’t get the reception they deserve for the simple reason that they take getting used to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Conformity vs deviation</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Million Euro Smile” is a pretty straightforward retro-style song: it has elements from doo-wop, rock ’n’ roll and classic Motown – e.g. the la-da-da intro, the frenzied chord repetitions in the piano part of the verse, the accentuated backbeat in the drums, the horn section (courtesy of the legendary LaBrassBanda from Bavaria). The list could go on and on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It might be more interesting to note the elements that DON’T adhere to the retro blueprint. Firstly, the band chose to give the vocals a highly compressed and saturated sound – I don’t think they were going for a vintage sound, but rather wanted to make the voice a bit edgier, so that the song wouldn’t end up overly sweet and naive (unfortunately, at the expense of intelligibility). Secondly, there’s this short bit at the end of the second chorus (from 2:02) where the song suddenly goes into a halftime feeling and there is a long delay on the vocals. The more contemporary vibe makes this bit stand out and listeners can, just for a few moments, catch their breath before being plunged straight back into the nostalgic rollercoaster ride. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The third thing that deviates from the blueprint is the lyrics. Tradition would have it that the lyrics of songs in this style should deal with love exclusively, and at first glance “Million Euro Smile” would seem to oblige. But, as I later learned, the lyrics are in fact about the Euro. Yup, you read right. Dodo Muhrer, the band’s lead singer and songwriter, said in an interview that “the song was written at a time when the EU Member States were thinking about how the whole situation with the euro should go on.” Personally, I’d prefer the straightforward approach with regard to the lyrics. But then again, the band’s intention was probably to offset the song’s retro sound by giving it lyrics with a contemporary context.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Conclusion</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Makemakes managed to create a song that became a hit in Austria. Following up on a first-time hit is always daunting, but they took a calculated risk and were rewarded. For me, though, knowing that these guys can really rock, I’m hoping that they’ll show us more of that on their album, which is scheduled for release in autumn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Watch their video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff8zfqgyebk">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/entertainment/unter-der-lupe-makemakes-million-euro-smile/">Die deutsche Version dieses Blogeintrages gibts auf Zartbitter.</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-86238546049224624212014-08-24T20:20:00.001+02:002014-08-25T18:53:33.024+02:00Maschin - Bilderbuch<div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Part 1 - Austria Series</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m kicking off my Austria Series with Bilderbuch, one of the most exciting bands the country has to offer at the moment. Bilderbuch have been on the Austrian alternative scene for nine years, and are now finally enjoying a breakthrough with “Maschin”, a single off their EP “Feinste Seide”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">While the band’s earlier work conveys a sense of youthful energy and urgency, they seem to have matured and found a sound and style that appeals to a more mainstream audience while maintaining just enough of their original punk attitude so as not to disappoint their hardcore fans. The reward is growing success, awards and, as of today, close to 790,000 YouTube clicks for “Maschin”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After Falco’s heyday, which lasted from 1985 to 1987, the Austrian pop scene fell into a funk, and his larger-than-life persona has been sorely missed since his death in 1998. Bilderbuch’s frontman, Maurice Ernst, might just have what it takes to fill the void. He struts around the stage with the aloofness and theatricality of a stage veteran, making him completely irresistible to watch. And you need a special kind of self-confidence to rock the jacket he wore at the Amadeus Awards this year (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsvrABRqgI8">www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsvrABRqgI8</a>). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So let’s look at the song: Although Bilderbuch’s lyrics often contain surreal images that can’t/aren’t meant to be understood on an intellectual level, I think “Maschin” can be summed up as follows: Essentially, the verses seem to be about a guy trying to pick up a girl by convincing her to get into his swanky car, but when the chorus comes along we get the impression that he’s actually singing to his car, his <i>Maschin</i>. The video reinforces this idea of the guy’s love affair with his car (a bright yellow Lamborghini, no less). Musically, the song owes a lot of its sultriness to the sensual vocals, and I feel that Maurice Ernst has come into his own and found a style that makes the best of his vocal skills and suits him to a T. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The bass line is the first defining musical element of “Maschin”. It seems so simple when you see it written down, but it works so well with the other elements that you even forget you’re hearing the most basic of chord progressions: I – V – IV – I (Cm – Gm – Fm – Cm). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The second is the guitar riff, doubled with a synth. It appears in a simplified form in the song’s intro and interlude between verses 1 and 2, and in its entirety in the chorus. So, considering that the whole song is built on a largely unchanging bass line, a simple chord progression and a guitar riff, what keeps it from being boring or banal? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, the most memorable part of the song is, of course, the chorus. The first thing you notice is the syllable repetition à la “Barbara Ann” (“Lala-la-la-lala-lass mich nicht los/Lele-le-le-lele-leg dich zu mir/Haha-ha-ha-haha-halt mich fest”), which always adds a playful or ironic touch and immediately lets us know that none of this is really serious. After this flood of syllables in the first three lines of the chorus, ending it with no more than the two syllables of the word and title “Maschin” is an effective way of drawing attention to it and making it stand out. And coming to the melody in the chorus: A banal melodic solution would involve orbiting around the tonic, third or fifth of the respective chords. But Bilderbuch’s chorus consists primarily of repetitions of B flat, which is first the seventh (of Cm) and then the fourth (of Fm). This creates tension and hence interest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m really curious to see what these guys do next. I’d like to see them dig deeper in the box of genius from whence “Maschin” came, create more of this kind of stuff, which can appeal to a wider audience, and then get really big. So here’s me crossing my fingers that they’ll get support from the right people and make smart decisions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/gastautorinnen/bilderbuch-maschin/">Die deutsche Version dieses Blogeintrages gibts auf Zartbitter.</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-5127013801347839542014-08-24T20:16:00.002+02:002014-08-25T18:39:46.646+02:00Rather Be - Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne<div style="font-size: 14px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Rather Be” by Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne is a song that originated in the UK, took Europe by storm and also made its way into the American Billboard charts. Most reviews I’ve read applaud the song’s “freshness”. For me, it is certainly fresh in the sense of light and joyful – and I do love its happy-go-lucky vibe – but not so much in the sense of new or unique. Let me tell you why.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I believe that what makes this song so likeable is the fact that it sounds like we’ve heard it before. “Rather Be” isn’t exactly original, but it cleverly unites various elements we’ve heard elsewhere. For example, the use of strings in dance music is a tradition that goes way back: think 70s disco hits like those of Chic, or the soundtrack to Saturday Night Fever. Granted, these songs usually feature a full violin section as opposed to the solo instruments used by Clean Bandit, but the concept is by no means new.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Other elements of “Rather Be” remind me of early 90s dancefloor hits. The piano riff in the chorus – especially as it is played from 2:23 – reminds me a lot of the piano parts in, say, Madonna’s “Vogue” (1990) and CeCe Peniston’s “Finally” (1991). Also, compare the synth organ riff in “Gypsy Woman” (1991) by Crystal Waters, or the synth in “What is Love?” (1993) by Haddaway. On top of that, I can’t help thinking of 2Unlimited’s “No Limit” (1993) when I hear that “No no no no no” hook. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Then there are other aspects that are typical for dance, like the way the drums build up, starting at 0:32 with a simple four-on-the-floor beat, getting fuller and more complex from section to section, of course culminating in the hook (“No no no no no / No place I’d rather be”). Then there’s the break at 2:52 where the vocals are left a cappella, only to soar into a final repetition of the chorus. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">All of these aspects contribute towards the general sense of familiarity when we hear this song. Cleverly done by the band.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Fusion that works</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Clean Bandit’s sound is basically a “fusion” of electronic and classical elements, with a varying proportion of strings in each track. In 2013 the band released the intriguingly weird single “Mozart’s House”, which to me sounds as if a string quartet was caught rehearsing next door to Daft Punk back in 1997. In “Rather Be”, however, the strings play a comparatively small role, and the song would work just as well without them. Admittedly, they introduce the riff at the very beginning of the song, but as soon as Jess Glynne starts to sing, the synth takes over, and from then onwards they just add texture here and there. I think the understated use of strings in this song was wise, as the worst thing the band could have done would’ve been to crowbar the strings in just to make a point. Good judgment is vital when trying to make a “fusion” concept work – and, let’s face it, it’s a concept that can go embarrassingly wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I also like their signature synth sounds, which call to mind vintage Atari games; they create a rhythmic carpet that forms a contrast to the smooth vocal melody and the legato lines in the strings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As far as the vocals are concerned, I’m pleased to see that full voices with character and warmth are enjoying a comeback, after all the nasal-voiced ladies who dominated British pop from the late 2000s. It seems there is a general trend towards a new sound ideal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Rather Be” is a catchy, to my ears very European-sounding song, and I’m curious to hear the rest of Clean Bandit’s debut album, “New Eyes”, scheduled to be released at the end of May or early June. From what I’ve heard of it, it should present a coherent overall picture, with some tracks more on the deep house end of the scale and others more pop oriented in the style of “Rather Be”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/entertainment/rather-be/">D<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">ie deutsche Version dieses Blogeintrages gibts auf Zartbitter.</span></a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-9731887185180559902014-08-24T20:11:00.001+02:002014-08-25T18:37:00.944+02:00Rise Like a Phoenix - Conchita Wurst<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> have to admit that I didn’t find “Rise Like a Phoenix” particularly memorable when I first heard it a couple of days ago. But after having had the opportunity to hear it twice in the Eurovision Song Contest, that chorus became so etched in my brain that I hardly slept a wink that night. For me, the song only really showed its true quality in combination with the live performance of Conchita Wurst. You need more than just a big voice to successfully belt this song out, you also need a big personality – and Conchita has both by the bucketful. She totally owned the stage and delivered a sensational performance with no frills, which earned her a well-deserved landslide victory.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s a song that might have been conceived as a ballad for a diva like Shirley Bassey. Or that could have worked well at the beginning of Bridget Jones, when the heroine bawls out Celine Dion’s “All By Myself” in her pyjamas. The song can also withstand comparison with “Skyfall” by Adele: although these songs both have a certain James Bond vibe and are similar to a degree (starting with the orchestral chord at the very beginning), “Rise Like a Phoenix” is more deserving of the label “power ballad” and would have been a worthier Bond title song in my eyes. It is bigger, grander and, in my opinion, simply the better song.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Besides Conchita’s compelling and flawless performance, what I love about “Rise Like a Phoenix” is its full, orchestral playback track, especially from the second chorus onwards, with the entry of the low brass. And the last chorus, when the high trumpets join in, is a guaranteed </span>goose bump<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> moment. A bad arrangement would have ruined everything, possibly making it more like a cheap Ralph Siegel-style production (cf. San Marino’s song). But Austria managed to produce an elegant, high-class arrangement that had no equal in this year’s ESC.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Comparisons with James Bond songs from the John Barry era are understandable, although “Rise Like a Phoenix” is by no means just a cheap imitation. Any allusions to Bond, whether intentional or unintentional, are subtle. The typical Bond guitar, for instance, which figures prominently in “Skyfall”, plays a subordinate role in “Rise Like a Phoenix”, and the harp that would be indispensable in a parody of Barry is missing entirely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">But the thing I love most about this song is one small detail: The temptation to raise the key by a semitone in the last chorus must have been great, not only because it’s a musical device that would be appropriate for this genre, but also because it would make sense in combination with the lyrics (“I’m gonna fly / And rise like a phoenix”). But the songwriters found an elegant way to avoid this cliché. Even though we’re thinking “ok, here we go, now it’s coming” and the vocal melody does in fact go up that one semitone on the word “rise”, the key stays put. A nice surprise, and very tastefully resolved. Just classy – perfect for Conchita.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/kultur/unter-der-lupe-unser-siegerlied-rise-like-a-phoenix-von-conchita-wurst/">Die deutsche Version dieses Blogeintrages gibts auf Zartbitter.</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07058588560397490951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8789920976116285362.post-86963289610660843072014-08-24T12:13:00.000+02:002014-08-25T18:36:20.904+02:00Stay With Me - Sam Smith<div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Sam Smith is the darling of the hour in his home country of England and there’s no denying his vocal qualities. But it’s interesting to observe the path of “Stay With Me” as it forges its way through the world’s charts. The single was initially released in April of this year and was immediately well received in English-speaking countries such as the UK, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand (interestingly, it never peaked in Australia though). This week it finally reached the top spot in the Billboard charts. And now that the US have given it their stamp of approval, the song is inching up the charts in other countries as well, currently holding 8th place in Switzerland, 15th in Germany and 18th in Austria, for instance. And Smith’s performance of the song at this year’s VMAs (Sunday, 24 August) is bound to further boost its success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So “Stay With Me” obviously strikes a chord with English-speaking nationalities, but what is it about this song, exactly? I’m personally not a big fan of this song – frankly, I find it a bit dull and generic, and definitely one of the weaker tracks on what is otherwise quite a decent debut album – but I’m going to try to find those qualities that make the song appealing to so many people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Thanks for the song, Tom Petty!</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first thing that struck me about “Stay With Me” is the chorus’s blatant similarity with “I Won’t Back Down” (1989) by that American icon Tom Petty. I’m actually surprised there haven’t been any legal ramifications as yet. Just this week Shakira was found guilty of plagiarism, so we’ll see if Petty objects. But the thing is, taking advantage of familiarity is a clever strategic move. For inhabitants of English-speaking countries, “I Won’t Back Down” is a golden oldie that everyone knows, so what better marketing ploy than to reference (read: copy) that tune. Where “Stay Like Me” consists of the three chords vi – IV – I (Am – F – C), Tom Petty uses vi – </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px; text-decoration: underline;">V</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> – I, a negligible difference overall, especially considering that the melody in the chorus is practically identical. In the 3rd line, Sam Smith’s melody does take a softer, more melismatic approach, while Tom Petty offers us harmonic variety by way of an unexpected IV – but let’s face it, they’re essentially the same. So it stands to reason that many people would respond to the familiarity of “Stay With Me”.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>NOT a love song</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The entry of a Hammond organ and gospel-inspired backing vocals are also a nod to American culture, and there are many people who relate to gospel music on a deep level. But for me, the use of these elements is plain bizarre. As a general rule, a gospel choir instantly adds power to a song because, after all, it’s not just one person telling you something, but 20, so you’d better believe it. Their job is to confirm and reinforce what the lead singer is saying, just as they would in the traditional church setting. But here’s the thing: “Stay With Me” is about a guy who feels an immense sense of emptiness and loneliness after a one-night stand, so the idea of having a whole choir underlining the idea of loneliness is just absurd to me. I think the arrangement is also misleading as to what the song is actually about. I’m pretty sure there are ill-informed brides out there who are requesting this song at their wedding in the erroneous belief that it’s a love song. I’d recommend reading through the entire lyrics. “Oh, won’t you stay with me? / ‘Cause you’re all I need” sounds sweet enough, but then “This ain’t love, it’s clear to see” shatters all illusions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Ultimately, it is Sam Smith’s voice that carries the song, although I personally appreciate him more on songs like the soulful “I’m Not the Only One”, “Not In That Way”, or the 80s-inspired “Restart”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><u>Tough enough?</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sam Smith has said that his debut album, aptly titled “In The Lonely Hour”, was written for lonely people. And, for me, he generally has an aura of sadness about him. This is possibly what makes his voice so special. But when I see him in interviews, I feel kind of scared for this sweet, melancholy, vulnerable boy and sincerely hope that he can stand his ground in the music business and live to tell the tale.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://zartbitter.co.at/kultur/unter-der-lupe-stay-sam-smith/">Read the German version of this review at zartbitter.co.at.</a></span></div>
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