#bsideswithberyl

[bsideswithberyl]

Favorite Overheard Conversation of the Day: An Excellent Rebuttal:

Context: There are two young men on the street having a verbally abusive but physically benign altercation on the street. I was not paying attention to the proceeding comments, but the end of the exchange caught my attention. “Man, fuck you! Excellent rebuttal though, excellent rebuttal. Now get the fuck up outta here! I don’t want to see your ugly face for a week at least.”

[bsideswithberyl]

Gotye: Making Mirrors review

"Somebody That I Used To Know" is great because it has a guy being a dick about a break up and it gives the ex a chance to respond. It's so rare to have multiple perspectives in a song, especially a break up song. I guess I still like Jake Bugg's break up song better, but this is a close second. Also the percussion in "Smoke And Mirrors" delights me. "Eyes Wide Open" is surprisingly not that preachy for an environmental song. My friend hates the second half of this album when the mood takes a sudden turn for the chipper. Personally, I like the happy tunes, but to each their own. There are a few songs in there that get a little weird and I didn't love, but overall I enjoyed it.

[bsideswithberyl]

fun.: Aim & Ignite review

I love Fun's lead vocalist and of course I enjoy it when other vocalists show up. This was quite an interesting contrast from the last one. Where Cake’s vocalist is monotone, Fun’s is dynamic and perhaps a little too overwrought at times. I love the drums and violin and brass too. You know I am a sucker for good brass and percussion and it's always interesting to hear instruments step outside of their traditional genres a little. Their songwriting is kind of all over the place and doesn't always come together for me, but I appreciate how ambitious it is. They just seem to have a lot of musical ideas, so many that a lot of the songs have like different parts to them. It’s cool though.

[bsideswithberyl]

Cake's "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" review

This is one of their most popular songs for a reason. The lyrics are on point all the way through. I really love how their tendency to get very specific works in this song. Most songs about an object of desire are intentionally vague so that the audience can project onto them. For me it makes them super boring. This is the opposite, it’s super interesting. And its also really refreshing to hear a song about wanting a woman who is stable and independent and successful and takes no prisoners. Also the music in this is just a lot of fun. Like I’m pretty sure the instrumental version has popped up in a few movies and shows. It’s just great.

[bsideswithberyl]

Cake: Fashion Nugget review

This rewards more than I thought it would for sure. They are actually good musicians and I like the music a lot. The lyrics are also great. Good metaphors, very specific imagery, and compositions that deliberately defy expectation make it all very interesting to listen too. I also appreciate their tendency to have interesting female characters. It's the singing that is the sticking point for me. It's really funny to have someone sing "I Will Survive" in a monotone but it's not something I want to hear over and over. The covers on this album are interesting choices for sure. They are all ones that don't suit the vocalist at all but they fit in with the music and lyrics of their original songs well. If I had never heard those songs before, I would have just assumed they were Cake songs too. Certainly they bring their own personality to everything. I'm glad I listened but I probably won't again any time soon.

[bsideswithberyl]

Ladytron: Witching Hour review

I chose this one because of the name of course. Who could resist giving "Ladytron" a listen? So maybe it's just my headphones, but the bass line of the first song sounds like it's being played on an electric razor. Maybe that's what they were going for. They certainly know how to create an atmosphere. Witching Hour is a great name for this album. Its very moody and sort of malevolent and creepy. Not really my thing but they do it well. Angsty teens of today, get on the Ladytron train. It's got all that bitterness and "everyone else is wrong" you know and love. I highly recommend. I mean, it is a little strange, I won’t lie to you, but it’s not any weirder than Lana Del Ray and she still gets plenty of air play. Also, these guys don't concern me as much as Lana. She CONCERNS me. It really prevents me from enjoying her music. Except that cover of “Once Upon A Dream" which was thoroughly excellent. What else can I say about this? There's a random French song, you know, because of reasons. That seems to come up a fair amount, actually. Is everyone just desperately trying to justify all those years of French they took and never used? Likely.

[bsideswithberyl]

Janelle Monáe: Electric Lady review

How does she keep getting better and better? This one has so many awesome songs on it I don't even know how to feel. It's an embarrassment of riches. After the operatic opening, the first three songs just knock it out of the park. All of the songs are really good, but those three are just insane. I enjoyed Prince more on "Give Em What They Love” than on his own stuff. Also, how on earth did she manage to get Prince on this? One can only presume it is because she’s a queen. Speaking of which, the breakdown at the end of "Q.U.E.E.N." is the bomb. "Electric Lady" is here and queer and oh so cool. I love the radio interludes too. They are entertaining and add a whole other level to the story she is trying to tell. It also makes it work better as an album. While I have the aforementioned big three songs on playlists I listen to all the time, I listen to the entire album a lot. I don't know what else to say except that this shit is tremendous. When can I have the next installment, Janelle? I NEED it.

[bsideswithberyl]

Janelle Monáe: The ArchAndroid review

And let's just start this one up with orchestral music. Keep the genres coming, Janelle. I can take as many as you can. How is she so good at all of them? How??? I was never once like "nice try, Janelle". She nails it every time. She starting to make me like genres I never thought I would. "Cold War" and "Come Alive" are particularly great and not the sort of thing I usually like at all. "Tightrope" is one of my favorite songs ever. I must have listened to it 110 times. It. Is. My. Jam. The guest artists are all great even though I've never heard of a one of them. The song with Deep Cotton is very Simon & Garfunkel so I might have to look them up. Just yaaasssss. I love it. Lay some more on me, Janelle. My body is ready.