(Z)OMG!

Usher has a pretty long history with popular music, and his latest album shows his evolution into the newer pop playing field. His single featuring will.i.am, "OMG", at first seems amateur and completely cheesy, but as the song progresses, you can really hear a unique sound. Again, a lot of pop artists are incorporating a house dancing sound into their songs, creating the ultimate dance groove. When I hear this Usher song, it makes me wanna dance, therefore I believe the song has created a successful atmosphere.

Usher-OMG (Oh My Gosh)

Honestly, my affair with this genre has been difficult. The radio has gotten to a point where it beats a dead horse into the ground via the number one song (cough Katy Perry California Girls Blasphemy cough), until it's no longer number one and everyone wants to harf every time they hear the song. Artists come and go as quickly a plate of cookies, and anything that has a unique sound will probably not last long on the radio. Alas, AM/FM radio, rest in peace, you shall be missed by all who enjoyed you at your prime.

Stay tuned for next time for a *MIXTAPE MELTDOWN*

Love,
Danielle

Pop the Glock

No matter what, there will always be some form of "Popular Music": the mainstream jams, the chart toppers. This music usually consists of simple melodies, uncomplicated lyrics and a danceable beat that does not require a great deal of thought or intellectual involvement. After spending yeaaaars battling against the popular brand, I find myself experiencing a pop music genre affair. This affair most likely results from the fact that I have to deal with the radio while I'm at work, and I like to flip through commercials so I can actually hear music. So, recently I left the station on "Hot 99.5" while I was watering flowers, and a slew of songs came on that actually caught my attention. A whole new generation of pop has emerged, creating a melting pot between house music, hip-hop and just plain old pop.

I also realized that to love music, you really have to give it all a chance. What I think is dumb, trendy and unappealing could mean a lot to another person. That's when I had to take a step back and think; all of these years I've struggled to have people understand metal. The typical non-metal fan will call it just "screaming" or "angry", which always used to piss me off, and still does. Now I realize I did the exact same thing with pop music.

Aside from new Eminem and Jay-Z albums, forgotten artists such as Usher are back on the music scene with fresh tracks that sound as if they are right out of the proverbial club. Left in the wake of 1990's and early 2000's pop, I feel like we were all waiting for the genre to evolve to the next thing. Then, of course, there are two little words that have completely caught the pop world off-guard: Lady Gaga. Sure, she's just like Madonna...only better. She has pushed the pop envelope to the point of near combustion, and you either love her or hate her. Personally, I hated her when she came out with "Just Dance", but the more songs she releases, the more I love her. Not to mention, her videos are wildly creative, artistic and stylized, adding to her already wacky demeanor.

Stay tuned for more pop music in the coming days!

Lady Gaga-Alejandro

Love,
Danielle

*MIXTAPE MELTDOWN*

Time to wake up and smell the coffee, 'cause it's time for the dream pop meltdown! Hope you enjoy these other ten tracks from the genre, and stay tuned for the next genre!

DREAM POP MELTDOWN
(no specific order)

1.) MGMT-Someone's Missing
2.) Mazzy Star- Be My Angel
3.) Broadcast-Tears in the Typing Pool
4.) Beach House-Used to Be
5.) Chapterhouse-Pearl
6.) Galaxie 500-Fourth of July
7.) The Flaming Lips-Race for the Prize (remix)
8.) Mazzy Star-I'm Sailin
9.) MGMT-It's Working
10.) Pale Saints-The Way the World Is

Love,
Danielle

Picture: Saturn Devouring His Children by Francisco Goya

Infinite Dreams: Mazzy Star and Beach House!

Good day to all! I still find myself daydreaming, so without further adieu, enjoy Mazzy Star and Beach House!
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Mazzy Star is one of those bands that has perfected this fantastic, hopelessly romantic sound. I first heard them about five years ago on a college radio station, and I have been hooked ever since. The soft acoustic guitar with a hint of country-influenced electric guitar is just the right recipe for 1990's alternative magic. Oh, not to mention, Hope Sandoval's voice is something of legend and glory; she sings so clearly and with a certain force, but her voice remains soft and almost innocent. Their use of tambourine and slow drum beats only enhance the feeling of unrequited love: dying roses and unanswered letters. Or at least that's how I react to the image Mazzy Star presents. Their album "She Hangs Brightly" really shows Mazzy Star at their alternative finest.

Beach House is an entirely different story, and really the only thing they have in common with Mazzy Star is a stellar female vocalist. While still holding true to the dream pop concept, Beach House also utilizes the new wave electronica to create a rather daring sound (A.K.A, this duo is so hip it hurts; just look at their pictures sometime... they are poster children for "indie darlings"). Vocalist/keyboardist Victoria Legrand has one of the most incredible voices I have heard in the alternative genre. She really brings a soulful perspective to dream pop and indie, complimented nicely by guitarist Alex Scally's shoegaze riffs and spacious electronic sounds. The pre-recorded drums are just fine with me, creating a unique harmony between electronica and genuine vocals. Watch out, Nico.

My Picks:
Mazzy Star- Halah
Beach House-10 Mile Stereo

Love,
Danielle

picture: "Dream Caused by the Flight of the Bee" by Salvador Dali