10 and 1 - Matt's Music

A.K.A IF YOU A FLY GAL, GET YOUR NAILS DONE...

GET A PEDICURE, GET YOUR HAIR DID

by Matt Bond

Mixtapes are making a comeback! Or so I quickly read yesterday on an article title that showed up in my news feed on Facebook, sandwiched between a billion Caitlyn Jenner pieces. Something about USB sticks that look like cassette tapes the kids can pass around instead of meth. We apparently have an ice epidemic, so I'm just assuming kids are passing it around. But the mixtape is back and don't I know it. Heading off home at my parents' place on Monday, my Dad handed me an old CD that said 'Matt's Music'. Now, I'm not old-old (just old), so when I made mixtape playlist things, they were in the form of a burned CD. For the youngsters, there was no fire hazard involved. It wasn't a literal burning of the CD. After spending a couple of hours downloading eleven songs (twelve if you were really lucky), you could spend ten minutes copying them to a 700MB or one hour duration blank CD that you could play in your handy discman or CD player. If you're lost on any of that, ask your friend Siri to help you out.

I used to make many a mixtape with all the latest "jams", so I couldn't wait to find out what was on Matt's Music'. But when was it from? What would it tell me about the kind of music listener I was whatever year it was from? Would I be ashamed? Not likely. It had my name on it, so obviously it was going to be amazing. I got into my car, put the faded neon blue CD into the player and was treated to the familiar sounds of Fat Joe. "Put the fucking mic on! Mic is on." 'What's Luv?' Featuring Ashanti and Ja Rule. Three artists that don't seem to exist on this planet anymore. I was excited. I remembered all the words, especially the iconic and thought-provoking lines, "you say you gotta man and you're in love, but what's love got to do with a little menage?" The following selection of tracks would lead anyone who found 'Matt's Music' today to think Matt was one fly gal. The flyest. I don't really know what that means, but you'd hear it in songs all the time back then. R&B jams dominated the charts and they sure dominated my chosen tunes of the time. 

As there were indeed eleven songs making the cut on 'Matt's Music', the opportunity for a '10 and 1' presented itself. And since I was only mildly embarrassed by one of those tracks, that's what we'll be looking at. Ten songs from 2002 you'll be needing to hear right now and one you'd likely sooner forget. The flashback starts now... 

THE 10:

What's Luv

by Fat Joe ft. Ashanti and Ja Rule

When You Look At Me

by Christina Milian

Nasty Girl

by Destiny's Child

4 My People

by Missy Elliott

Without Me

by Eminem

What Would You Do?

by City High

Foolish

by Ashanti

Hot In Herre

by Nelly

U Got It Bad

by Usher

Just Like A Pill

by P!nk

THE ONE:

Dear Lie

by TLC

I love TLC as much as the next fly gal, but this has to be their worst single. The opening lyrics suggest they agree. "Dear Lie... you suck." Can't argue with that. I must have been caught up in the post-'No Scrubs' TLC hysteria that was sweeping the world way back when. Those were good times.


Alright... I can't keep up this ridiculous facade. I still love this song and I am ashamed but I don't care but I do. It wasn't even released in 2002. It's from 1999 and it still made its way onto a mixtape of mine three years later. I've got nothing...
 

It's All Coming Back To Me Now - Super What?

 Super Bowl. It's all about the football, apparently. .

Super Bowl. Super What? Super Half Time! 

by Jo Michelmore

Something happened recently which was a pretty big deal to some people, a lot of those people in America. Whenever I say America I burst into that song from West Side Story; "I want to live in Am-er-eeeeeeee-caaaahhhhh" (my editor can vouch for that, unless he beats me to the song first) but that's a whole other story about my long lost dreams of a career in musical theatre. I never really had those dreams. Rock dreams are where it's at, but anyway, I digress....

So this thing, it was a sporting event that stops a nation and probably parts of others. They call it the Super Bowl. This I don't understand, as I don't really know what's so super about it and I don't believe bowling is involved. However, from my home far away from Beyonce, here in Australia, there's even something for me at the Super Bowl and it involves the half time entertainment. The half time entertainment has everything I love; pyrotechnics, a chance of total embarrassment on a very big stage, choreography at it's best (and sometimes worst), a little lip synching, a lot of hype and a whole lot of theatre. There's been so many styles of entertainment over the years, let's look at just a couple...

The Legends Of The Music Industry Performance

Michael Jackson (1993)

 

Love him, hate him, whatever. Jam, Billie Jean, Black Or White, We Are The World and the obligatory preach-ey Heal The World. The intro is awesome, it's Michael Jackson at a highpoint in his career and it's a pleasure to watch. My favourite bit? Go to about 5:00. Audience participation. Cards in the air! This only ever happens at these huge events! I love cards in the air! Waiting for someone, just one person to screw it up and hold the black instead of the white or something of the like. Next bucket list item: acheive audience card participation. Yes!

The Variety Pack Performance

Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting (2003)

 

I can see it now, the producers of the Super Bowl, all sitting around a table.

"Country music, we need country music"

"Something the kids will love, we need to get the kids watching"

"A hot chick. That'll keep 'em watching"

"I've always liked Sting"

"Man I feel like a woman...."

No one could decide which market they were aiming for that year so they just had a mash of genres and hoped someone watched. Those that did were lucky enough to see Shania attempt to claim her femininity in an awful leather/sequin combination followed by No Doubt actually making a statement about femininity with a pant/sequin combination and then Sting flaunting his femininity with his t-shirt/wide-leg-high-waist-pant combination. This is all a bit weird but it does feature Gwen Stefani, so that makes it ok.

The Just A Bunch Of Fun, We're Cashing In Performance

The Rolling Stones (2006)

 

See, this is good. Just a bunch of old guys who knew how to rock, still have a go at it and still look like they're having fun. My favourite bit? Beside the fact they are performing on a giant lips stage, at 1:11 things start looking shakey in the tongue area and an audience underneath a giant sheet are revealed. Imagine how much fun that would have been under there! Imagine how hot that would have been under there! Imagine how much that would have smelt under there! Ok, stop imagining. Just enjoy Keith Richards, one of my favourite rock stars ever, pickled perfectly.

The Controversial Performance

Janet Jackson, P Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock and Justin Timberlake (2004)

 

You know, this one caused such a stir. So much controversy. It was just a nipple. Not even. A nipple shield. When Nelly sang "take off all your clothes", he didn't mean on stage, Janet. More controversial? Who was responsible for letting Kid Rock on the stage? In fact, who's responsible for Kid Rock in general? Who let him wear that hat? Who let him out of the trailer park? Where did he park his pickup truck when he played this gig? Why Kid Rock, why? So many questions, so few answers, so much controversy. 

Who Do You Think You Are - Rach Sorensen

Conceptually mad? Nope. It's Rach Sorensen!

It's about time we started doing some 'mash-ups' with other blogs we love and tonight we're getting this initiative rolling with Rach Sorensen, the writer behind our favourite new read, The Concept of Madness. "A place where those of a creative nature which dance on the borders of hypo-mania can find some daily rest." With thoughts and posts ranging from the meaning of inspiration and the muse to Where the Wild Things Are drawings to satisfy that cool inner-90s kid lurking within, Rach and her concept and challenge of madness, the weird and the wonderful are a must-read. Rach has a great appreciation for music too, which makes her the perfect candidate for our weekly interview session! We had a chat about the last song she'd ever want to hear, dream festival booking, underrated artists and I go all psychoanalytical for a minute too. Enjoy and don't forget to head on over to The Concept of Madness for a good read after!


Q. What have been your favourite songs of 2012 so far? 

Rach: Frank Ocean ‘Thinking About You’ has got to be my absolute most preferred of 2012. I have logistical evidence of this with my iTunes clocking 482 plays shifting it over into the ‘freakily obsessed’ category. The song was actually a 2011 debut by Frank but considering it is featured on his new album ‘Channel Orange’ released this month I will ignore this technicality. Besides it just being an insanely good song for reasons that go beyond written or verbal description but can only be experienced, the recent announcement of Franks homosexuality gives the lyrics a whole new dimension and re-invents the heavenly awesomeness of the song again. It is the song that keeps on giving.

In between Frank, my other 2012 releases on repeat are ‘Angels’ by The XX (I am an The XX lemming, they could release anything and I’d follow it… except it wouldn’t lead me to disaster like an actual Lemming) and staying true to my hip-hop blood ‘Sleepless Dreamers’ by The Pro-Letarians, a duo from Indiana and my new all-time faves.


Q./Statement? - You were writing about Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud recently on The Concept of Madness, so I'm going to go all psychoanalyst (or something) on you by playing a little game called word association. I'm gonna throw some phrases, singers or bands at you and you just write down the first word that comes to your head. Got it? Great. Here we go...

I know this is droppin' it, but I don't know if it's hot...

Rach:
i) The X Factor – (Scream!)
ii) Nicki Minaj – Lil’ Kim?
iii) Justin Bieber - Iloveyou
iv) 90s Music – Lives!
v) One Direction - Shame


Q. What would be the last song you'd ever want to hear. Ever. And why?

 

Rach: Ever! You are so morbid. ‘The Woman In You’ by Ben Harper. I can’t even tell you why. It has been my number one song of all time ever since I heard it eleven years ago yet I have never been able to pinpoint exactly why I am so irrationally head over heels for it. I guess mystery is just the nature of true love. All I know is that every time it plays my heart flips and throbs and does all weird stuff.


Q./Challenge? - I'm assuming you like to make lists. Make a list for me now! The theme of the list? The 10 most underrated music acts. Go!



Rach:
1) N.E.R.D. (I know there are less-fortunate people in the world to feel sorry for than Pharrell Williams but I still believe N.E.R.D. never received the praise and glory they were worthy of. I put it down to being too ahead of their time.)
2) Ja Rule – Judge away… I have grown quite accustomed to it.
3) The Pro-Letarians – Listen to them now! No I am not their publicist.
4) Badly Drawn Boy – I cannot comprehend why every single person in the whole world doesn’t love them.
5) Keith Sweat – Twisted? Anyone?? Nup, just me.
6) Kings of Convenience – They’re like a cuter, Frencher Jack Johnson…. C’mon!!!!
7) Post-Country Grammar-Contemporary-Day Nelly – Give him a second chance, the guy tries really hard, he just wants us to like him that’s all.
8) Robin Thicke – Australians still haven’t clued on, seemingly he is the one and only thing Americans have gotten right.
9) The Weeknd – It upsets me when Lil’ Wayne gets air-time over him. Sigh.
10) Rocki Evans – Just as good as Frank Ocean. Yep, I said it.

"What do you mean people don't like me?"

Q. Splendour In The Grass is done for the year and the Big Day Out line-up has left fans divided. If The Concept of Madness put on their own festival, who'd you put on the bill?


Rach: Oh my Lordy, ready and inhale...

TheBlackKeys,TheProLetarians,Phoneix,HologramTupac,ReincarnatedNotoriousB.I.G,GhostofMJ,
AnthonyHamilton,MusiqSoulchild,SBTRKT,LaurynHill,VanMorrison,Common,MariahCarey,BonIver,
KanyeWest (scrap that because then Kim would have to come and I would have to entertain her and I just… ugh no I couldn’t), Jodeci, Drake, BenHarper, ActiveChild, HologramAliyah.


Q. Finish this sentence; music is important to me because...


Rach: It is the most rewarding source of inspiration available that requires the least amount of effort to reap its heart stirring rewards. I don’t have to read it. I don’t have to watch it. I don’t have to scroll down it. I don’t have to flip any pages. I don’t have to exert any physical energy whatsoever. All I have to do is sit and listen.


Thanks to Rach for her amazing answers. That's so true about music being the most rewarding medium to require so little from you. You can sign me up for The Concept of Madness Festival too... so many holograms, so little time! Don't forget, you could be next dear readers... you've just got to like our Facebook page! Speaking of Facebook, have a look at The Concept of Madness on Facebook too! 

Music Video Mayhem - Kimbra, Arctic Monkeys, Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland



Kimbra!


Music Video Mayhem returns, and we're mixing it up today by pitting artists from very different backgrounds against each other. We've got pop, rock, indie, R&B and hip-hop taking center stage. New Zealand's most intriguing export, Kimbra, returns with the video for her amazing second single, 'Cameo Lover;' Arctic Monkeys also recently unveiled a new song in the form of 'Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair' and Nelly and Kelly Rowland attempt to make lightning strike twice with 'Gone.' The videos for these three tracks are ready to compete... which one's the best? Let's find out...

Kimbra - Cameo Lover

Kimbra - Cameo Lover (Official Music Video) from Kimbra on Vimeo.


So, Kimbra's pretty awesome. But you already knew that. Her previous video, 'Settle Down,' was the perfect visual companion. It was cool, quirky and immediately caught your attention; much like the song itself. Similarly, the video for 'Cameo Lover' captures the fun, 60s inspired retro vibe we love so much in the song and somehow manages to make your listening experience even more amazing than it already was. There's even a cameo by the girl from 'Settle Down!' Pure awesomeness and right now, Kimbra can do no wrong.

New Music: Nelly, Lissie + More

Nelly - Just A Dream

Nelly was a consistently reliable hit-maker during the majority of the first decade in the 2000s. Evidence? Billboard magazine listed him as the third most successful artist of 2000-2009 in the USA. He was one of the biggest names in rap during its commercial golden age. Unfortunately, with comeback single 'Just A Dream,' it would seem he's sticking firmly in the 'was' camp. Nelly seems like he's just going through the motions here, offering nothing that's actually memorable in terms of lyrics and music. It's a shame, considering this is the same guy that gave us hits like 'Hot In Herre,' 'Dilemma' and 'Ride Wit Me.' Grammatical errors aside, there's some decent tracks in his catalogue. Hopefully we'll see a return to form, but it's not going to be with 'Just A Dream.'

Rating: 2/5

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream

Katy Perry doesn't have dreams of changing your life through her music. She offers serviceable pop music that will get stuck in your head and she looks good while doing it. 'California Gurls' (seriously, we need to start spelling song titles correctly) has become the song of the summer in North America and spent time at the top of the charts in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Moving away from the electro-pop of 'California Gurls' to the more standard pop-rock of 'Teenage Dream' would appear to be an interesting move. Why not stick with what's working for her now? Could it be, Perry herself has chosen 'Teenage Dream' as her single instead of her record label Capitol shoving more of the same down our throats (or ears, whatever). Regardless, 'Teenage Dream' is much better than 'California Gurls' but not as good as 'Hot N Cold.' Worst review ever?

Rating: 3.5/5

Lissie - Bully

She's being talked up everywhere you turn. Magazines, online, tv, radio. Everyone LOVES Lissie and you HAVE to listen to her. Weirdly enough, she's deserving of the hype. 'Bully' is a great track off her debut album Catching a Tiger and you can be sure that it will be making an impact on It's My Kind of Scene's Top 20 very soon. Highly recommended!

Rating: 5/5

Estelle ft. Nas - Fall In Love

I feel like you could sing 'American Boy' perfectly over the beat and tune for 'Fall In Love.' In fact, while I'm listening to 'Fall In Love' I feel like I'd much rather be listening to 'American Boy.' Nas does his best Kanye impersonation... translation, his rap segment fails. No one can do Kanye but Kanye. Estelle is clearly talented. She's got the look, the voice and the attitude down pat. It's just a shame she hasn't lived up to the expectations put upon her following the overwhelming success of her debut song. 'Fall In Love' isn't bad, but it does leave you with the feeling that you've heard it all before.

Rating: 3/5

Twin Sister - Lady Daydream

One of the best songs you could treat your ears to this year. Need some music to relax to? Try 'Lady Daydream.' Seriously, just listen to it.

Rating: 4.5/5