Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Demi Lovato

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip:

Demi Lovato

In my own personal big gay church there is a wing dedicated to those who belong to the Rhythm Nation. These divas got us to think, encouraged us to love and respect ourselves, made us feel sexy as hell and... most importantly, got us to dance!

One such diva? 

Demi Lovato.

Confident. Fragile. Powerful. Fearless.

This multi-talented force of nature has been through so much in her short time in the spotlight, she's earned her place among the divas. 

Along the way, she's been brutally honest about her failings and challenges. She's shared her truths and helped enlighten the world and her fans. 

She's also produced some kick-ass music; energetic and fun. The kind that has your feet moving to the dancefloor whenever and wherever she's played. 

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The Topic: Treatment & Recovery

"I was compulsively overeating when I was eight years old."

"I was just so sick. I thought that orange juice was going to make me fat."

"I don't think there's going to be a day when I don't think about food or my body, but I'm living with it, and I wish I could tell young girls to find their safe place and stay with it."

"I feel like I'm held more accountable to stay healthy now because now I'm a role model to young girls to not have eating issues and to not say, 'Hey, it's okay to starve yourself' or 'It's okay to throw up after your meals' - that's not okay."

"After so long being thin, it was terrifying being heavier. But I am a naturally curvy Hispanic girl. I don't deprive myself."

"I never found out until I went into treatment that I was bipolar."

"One of the reasons I was so unhappy for years was because I never embraced my emotions and I was trying to stay in control."

"I don't let anyone's insecurities, emotions, or opinions bother me. I know that if I am happy, that's all that matters to me."

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"Where I am today... I still have my ups and downs, but I take it one day at a time and I just hope that I can be the best that I can possibly be, not only for myself, but also young people that are out there today that need someone to look up to."

"Never be ashamed of what you feel. You have the right to feel any emotion that you want, and to do what makes you happy. That's my life motto."

"I think scars are like battle wounds - beautiful, in a way. They show what you've been through and how strong you are for coming out of it."

"I think I've definitely had my rock bottom and I think that was probably right before I went into treatment where I said, 'I definitely need help.'"

"In treatment, all of the negative things I did were stripped away and I had to start processing my feelings."

"Recovery is something that you have to work on every single day and it's something that it doesn't get a day off."

"I pray every night before I go to sleep and every morning when I wake up."

"Creativity is what helps me escape a lot of my inner demons."

Here We Go Again - Demi Lovato

Sorry (Not Sorry) - Demi Lovato

Still Alive - Demi Lovato

from the motion picture Scream VI

"I don't have many deal breakers. I've done so much in my life, it doesn't feel right to judge other people."

"Some of my fans have said that because I've been able to speak about my issues, that they're not afraid to speak about theirs, which is an amazing feeling."

"I learned that you go through things, you deal with them and that's what empowers you and ultimately makes you a happy person."

The Playlist: August-September 2015

The Playlist: August-September 2015

Of Note: ‘Cool For The Summer’ by Demi Lovato

 

Of Note: ‘Cool For The Summer’ by Demi Lovato

With Autumn right around the corner, it seems a little late in the season to be trumpeting a song about summer… but I do believe that Demi Lovato’s latest is the song of the summer. 

It is the best Katy Perry wanna-be song since Jessie J.’s ‘Domino’.

Written by Lovato, Alexander Erik Kronlund, Savan Kotecha, Ali Payami and frequent Perry collaborator Max Martin, ‘Cool’ is, for all intents and purposes, a Katy Perry song.  It’s structurally similar to many of Perry’s works – the chorus soars, there is that little false stop, that quiet bridge.  Then it’s a matter of the slower beat, the titillating lyrics and the subject matter (‘Kissed A Girl’).  Close your eyes and one can easily imagine Perry doing this song.

But my issues with the song don’t stop there.

There’s the overall production – it feels muted and I’m not sure why.  I simply wish it were as sharp and crisp as, say, a Katy Perry song.  It’s like the entire song is being played from another dimension, one close to the one I’m in, but not truly ‘here’. Take those guitars, for example.  I want them to rip and snarl, instead, they come off as rather polite.

And what’s up with that brilliantly-colored cover photo?  Yes, it’s very adult.  In fact, sadly, it’s almost downright matronly, making Demi look decades older than her years.  I think it’s the hair that throws it off.  Or maybe the whole pose; a kind of homage – Vargas Girl meets 80’s Nagel Woman.  But I don’t think it flatters Demi as much as intended.

Perhaps, ‘all the above’ is why the single is having trouble gaining traction on the chart.  After debuting at #36, it hit #28 before dropping dramatically.  It currently resides outside the Top 40 and is definitely deserving of more.

Okay, okay.  Enough negativity.

Bottom line?  ‘Cool’ is rather irresistible.   That chorus gets in your head, it’s fun deciphering the lyrics and Demi’s vocals are spot-on, avoiding the shrillness of some her other singles.

Plus, Demi has been a staunch LGBT ally, and I am in her corner.  So, regardless of my many reservations, I still have to declare ‘Cool’ the summer sweepstake winner.

Let’s hope it finds its footing soon.

My Summer Playlist 2014

My Summer Playlist 2014

Here’s my Summer Playlist for 2014; twenty-seven songs that I listen to over and over again as I motor about.  They make for perfect road trip music or a musical score to, ummm, score!

I’ve reviewed most of these in the past few months.  The big surprise?  Several of the songs I initially disliked have grown on me big time.  Even the Disney Princesses and Nickelodeon Queens have won me over and have become guilty pleasures. 

Now, these aren’t in any particular order, but I guarantee if you pull these together on a playlist, you’ll have the perfect soundtrack for what remains of the summer.

Happy listening!

Cool Kids

Echoesmith

Reductive pop (see Quarterflash), but goes down like a vanilla shake.  Love singing harmony on the chorus.

Break Free

Ariana Grande Feat. Zedd

Great little pop song with a bit of substance.  Zedd synths it up, old school.  Hate the ending.

Tongues

Joywave Feat. KOPPS

Quirky, silly, fun.  “Speaking in tongues”, indeed.

Do It Again

Royksopp & Robyn

Simple, but unstoppable.  Love this. Every time I hear it, I want it to play again, immediately.  Great throb and Robyn nails the vocals.

I Will Never Let You Down

Rita Ora

Smartest pop song of the summer.  It’s cribbed from a few sources, but makes for a wonderful listen.

Aviation High

Semi Precious Weapons

Part of a whole new breed of power pop.  Cryptic, quirky, and unmistakably cool.  Gives one hope.

Alienation

Morning Parade

See: ‘Aviation High’.

Transpose

Bad Suns

See: ‘Alienation’

A Little Bit Faster

Cocktails

Miss Elvis Costello?  He could have given birth to Cocktails, an on the money homage with a genuine heart – they embody this sound.

http://www.wonderingsound.com/news/song-premiere-cocktails-pouty-power-poppy-little-bit-faster/

Who Needs You

The Orwells

Brash, with a garage band esthetic that engages the ear. Cribbed, but with an authority that makes it their own.  Superlative vocals that make me think rock may not be dead.

Flume

Holding On

A gritty, throwback Stax song grafted onto an eclectic modern production. 

I Got U

Duke Dumont Feat. Jax Jones

Seductively lilting; Caribbean steel drums, a sweet pulse beat, and perfect vocals.

Habits (Stay High)

Tove Lo

Saddest song of the summer.  Haunting.  A pop nightmare fully realized and captured.

I Walk Alone (JRMX Club Mix)

Cher

Love this mix; very old school, but wonderfully so.

I Found Out

Bimbo Jones & Beverley Knight

Classic disco soul, al a the Philadelphia sound, with a modern, propulsive club beat.  Beverley Knight in perfect diva form.

Rather Be

Clean Bandit Feat. Jess Glynne

Enchanting.  Sweet.  Endearing.  Great strings.  Perfect arrangement.  Lovely vocals.

Cheap Sunglasses – RAC Feat. Matthew Koma

More steel drum fun with an Owl City aesthetic.  Very 80’s; a modernized Nu Shooz.

Really Don't Care

Demi Lovato Feat. Cher Lloyd

Demi takes over Kelly Clarkson’s tough pop territory.  The vocals, like Clarkson’s can be, are a bit shrill, but the song’s empowering theme rules the day, so who cares?  Sometimes to be heard you have risk being overbearing.

If I Fall

Cole Plante With Myon & Shane 54 Feat. Ruby O'Dell

Wistful, plaintive, yearning.  Love the message.  I am such a sucker for this waifish sort of dance music.

I'm Not Coming Down

Martha Wash

Powerhouse diva vocals? Check.  Empowering message? Check.  Sweet melody? Check?  On the mark production?  Check?  What more could a gay ask for?

Love Sublime

Tensnake Feat. Nile Rodgers And Fiora

Silky, slinky, seductive.  Be sure to get the original mix.  This will take you back to the glory days of Chic, in the best way possible.  Sublime, indeed.

Calling All Hearts

DJ Cassidy Feat. Robin Thicke & Jessie J

A bit earnest, but delivers the simplest of retro-disco fun. Jessie J has chops!

Sia – Chandelier

Delivering a searing, aching, over the top vocal, Sia does Rihanna in her own idiocentric style. 

Summer – Calvin Harris

Big, big synths teased higher than a hair hopper’s dream.  As predicted, a perfect summer theme, despite the novelty vocals.

La La La  - Naughty Boy Feat. Sam Smith

A very deep song wrapped around a childish taunt.  Great vocals, very unique.  A marvelous diss song. 

Latch - Disclosure Feat. Sam Smith

Incredible.  Propulsive.  Totally original.  Inventive vocals, engaged production.

Ain't It Fun  - Paramore

Yes, it is.  A delicious slice of power pop.

Croon a Tune in June: Pop Music Reviews, Part II

Croon a Tune in June: Pop Music Reviews, Part II

We're getting to the end of June, and I have so much music still to review!  Don't worry, I will get to it, but probably not until after the first.  In the meantime, here's my take on some of the current contenders for song of the summer.  Based on my recent past assessments, I would say things are looking up, as there are more offerings that I like than dislike.  

Demi Lovato deserves a big round of applause for her Pride-Positive new video, which is an absolute delight.  Also deserving of more than a nod, newcomers Clean Bandit, a rejuvenated and natural-sounding Enrique Iglesias, and the always praiseworthy Bimbo Jones' latest offering featuring lovely diva Beverly Knight.  Enjoy!

Hangover

PSY Featuring Snoop Dogg

Did he really have to go there?  Did he really have to rap?  And would someone explain to me what exactly is the appeal of this cartoonish pot-bellied far-eastern wonder?  One would have thought that PSY’s fifteen minutes ended about two minutes into his career, but apparently this novelty artist is in it to stay.

‘Hangover’ represents his third U.S. top 40 hit, and boy, oh boy, is it annoying.  The squawking, vaguely-middle-eastern sax works as an alarm to wake the listener up after being lulled to sleep by the snooze-inducing, rap of PSY and Snoop Dogg, while the reggae bed upon which it all rests is as formulaic as it comes. Clocking in at nearly five minutes, this one wears out its welcome at the two minute mark – you know, much like PSY himself.  “Nothing left to say”, indeed.

I Found Out

Bimbo Jones & Beverley Knight

This is sort of a time machine in a blender. 

There is a whole lot of Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 magic with merely a whiff of dance floor diva bravado percolating in this number.  It is a unique combination, unlike anything else currently on the Club Play charts, save Justin Timberlake and Dead Michael’s ‘Love Never Felt So Good’. 

Beverly Knight’s vocals are quick and skittish, save for that marvelous, belted build into the chorus while the production is very reminiscent of Martha Wash’s 1993 solo outing, with that weird scattershot echo sealing the deal.  It doesn’t end up having quite the impact one would hope, but it is a welcome relief from all the paint by number stuff floating about out there on the dance floor.

Maps

Maroon 5

So, by my count, Bruno Mars, Nico & Vinz, and now, Maroon 5, all owe Sting either a co-writing credit or some under the table royalty checks.  ‘Maps’ rips off one of Sting’s signature sounds, though the boys try to mask their thievery by speeding it up a bit.

The production work here is claustrophobic and junky, leaving no room or time to breathe. There are no hooks, really, save for the cascading ‘falling, falling, falling’ part (well, that and the Sting stuff). 

There’s something about this that feels a tad workman-like, even for Maroon 5, who seem hell-bent on getting that Guinness World Record for the most top 40 hits.  That said, this strikes me as rather stale and tossed off, lacking heart, warmth, and interest on the part of the group.  Could it be the beginning of ‘good-bye’ for Maroon 5?

Boom Clap

Charli XCX

You might know British singer / songwriter Charli from her work providing the vocals for brat rappers Iggy Azalea and Icona Pop.  Here, she is looking for a U.S. hit of her own, aiming squarely at the tween market with this mindless piece of pop.  And it’s working; it debuted in the top 40 and enjoys a second week there this week. 

The backing track is a bit of clever pilfering, sounding like something Roxette would have come up during their heyday.  The lyrics for the verses are actually quite broodingly dark, if a tad grammatically-challenged, while the Disney-friendly chorus is just as dumb as the song’s title. It does little for me, but I bet it sends all those tween girls who shelled out good money to see ‘Fault of Our Stars’ running to iTunes, Mom’s credit card in hand.

Derezzed 2014

Daft Punk Featuring Negin

This 2010 number from Daft Punk’s Original Soundtrack Recording for the remake of ‘Tron’, gets a remake of its own at the hands of the ever-present Avicii, with vocals added by Negin.  It’s slight to begin with, but Avicii (and Disney’s) tampering seems to have divided the EDM world into two fractions: those Avicii loyalists who think he can do no wrong and those Daft Punk fans who feel the vocals destroy the original melody. 

The vocals, pitched high and whiney, are not good– nor are the lyrics, for that matter, deconstructing (or ‘Dconstructing’, as the kids say) ‘Derezzed’ into a would-be power ballad with twinkly synth fills.   It fails on all fronts.  So put me in a third group – the ones who could care less and simply want it to go away.

We Dem Boyz

Wiz Khalifa

This is a lazy slab of fairly well-articulated, culturally supported and celebrated sexism with plenty of drug and swag references to keep the cliché that is rap and “life in the hood” alive.  Where men like Childish Gambino and Frank Ocean bring something fresh and new to the game, stunted adolescents like Wiz Khalifa continue to do a great disservice to their community.

Yeah, I know I am not the target audience for this one, I get that, but I live in a neighborhood full of dudes who are, and this - this makes me sad for them.  Until people stop celebrating people like Wiz and stop buying into messages as hopeless and valueless as this: real change is never going to come. 

Bailando

Enrique Iglesias Featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona

Just when I was about to give up on Enrique (remember ‘I’m A Freak’?), he comes out with this marvelously joyous bit of fun.  It’s a breath of fresh air.

There’s a version out there with Sean Paul on it, but this is the one that I ‘heart’.  It has great energy, some incredibly sexy tongue tripping, and an earthiness (thanks to Descemer Bueno and Gente de Zona)  that strips away all the smarminess that has threatened to obscure Mr. Iglesias’ true talents.   

Rather Be

Clean Bandit Featuring Jess Glynne

This is also rather refreshing.  I heard this on the radio and it grabbed my ear immediately.  Something about it took me back to the days of M People, although Clean Bandit’s brand of soul is scrubbed squeaky clean and they refrain from packing their arrangements with excess sound.     

Sweet, plaintive vocals, bright bubbling flourishes of electronica, percussive piano, and well-placed strings make for a joy ride based on simplicity.  Remixed, ‘Rather Be’ takes off, too; although the density of the arrangements tends to belie the song’s original while pushing the vocals to the background.

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Don't

Ed Sheeran

Ed continues to get funky with his bad self.  With ‘Don’t’ he abandons all pretense of mixing styles.  Justin Timberlake is the territory he has his eye on, which Mr. Sheeran manages to claim as his own, more or less.  Over a fairly generic hip hop backdrop, Ed drops some sweetly syncopated verses before riding that lopping, almost-new jack chorus home. 

The rap section overstays its welcome a bit, but no harm.  It’s absolutely likable, but so what?  ‘Sing’ seemed to signal that this artist was on a unique, singular path, capable of blending styles like no one else, so I feel a tad cheated.  ‘Don’t’ feels like an easy way out, as if Ed simply didn’t want to dig any deeper that day.

Wasted

Tiesto Featuring Matthew Koma

This is a bit different for Tiesto, as was his last near-hit, ‘Red Lights’ (which received quite a bit of airplay here in the Midwest).  Jangly, and bright, with a steel drum feel, ‘Wasted’ is straight-up pop with a sing-along chorus for all those alcohol-soaked college kids to enjoy.

Matthew Koma, whom I last heard on RAC’s ‘Cheap Sunglasses’, has a pointed sound very similar to fun.’s Nate Ruess.  Here he comes across a bit bratty, which given the subject matter seems rather fitting.  The two work well together, coming up with something that I would never peg as Tiesto in a million years.   Which saddens me, but then, artists must evolve, even if it means leaving their former selves behind.

Holding Onto Heaven

Foxes

Zedd’s 2013 hit, ‘Clarity’ served as our introduction to the artist known as Foxes.  Her own ‘Youth’ was a song that got a lot of buzz and bubbled under, but never broke huge.  ‘Holding’ may change that, but I doubt it.  

It’s pleasant enough, but even with the ache, break, and rasp of her somewhat thin voice, I don’t hear anything all that special.  Remixed, it is currently climbing the Club Play charts, so it has found an audience, just not as big of a one as I think she’d like.   

Really Don't Care

Demi Lovato Featuring Cher Lloyd

Just in time for Pride!  Be sure to check out the video for this one; it’s a valentine to the LGBT community. 

To tell the truth, I have not known what to make of Ms. Lovato, even after several substantial hits and all this time. And, other than creating ear-piercing pop that sounds great coming out of the speakers in my car – I still don’t. 

‘Really’ is a great declaration of indifference, calculated as hell, but irresistible all the same.  I dare you to not succumb to its charms.  Cher Lloyd shows up near the end to liven things up with a rap that actually helps anchor Demi’s put-on defiance.  It all works and  something tells me we’re going to be hearing this one all summer.