The Music Cove

This is a blog where I review songs and albums by artists and give my opinions on the music industry. I also have a twitter, if you're interested (@themusiccove1)

[themusiccove]

As the saying goes, old is gold. Location was pretty unique of a song for its time.

[themusiccove]

This song was really good. One of the best from this amazing album. Stream Thank U, Next💋

[themusiccove]

Music Videos That Deserve More Recognition

Here’s a list of music videos that, in my opinion, don’t get the credit they deserve. They can either be videos with great messages or can be videos with amazing artistic detail and storytelling. 

1. Ride - Lana Del Rey

There are very few artists out there who take as much time to meticulously work out a music video concept like Lana Del Rey does. I could’ve chosen from a list of her amazing videos, but I wanted to showcase more artists so I’ll put her best one. While her recent videos are pretty trash tbh, her video for ‘Ride’, which was released a few years back, is nothing short of legendary. It’s not the unknown, but for a 10-minute film, it’s pretty underrated. Amazing story. Great Narration. Good production value. It’s Emmy worthy.

2. Perfect Places - Lorde

I was initially going to put the Green Light music video, but that video has gotten far more attention than the Perfect Places video. It’s shot on a New Zealand island, and it is spectacular. Great dresses, amazing scenery and aesthetic, and it matches the mood of the song perfectly. Lorde herself is very artistically driven and you can see it in the video.

3. If U Seek Amy - Britney Spears

Now, Britney isn’t the most creative person on Earth. I mean, most of her discography is just sex songs. However, this song and its music video is a different story. It’s a great take on the public’s perception of Britney and shows a very artistic side of hers. I recommend everyone to take a listen and a look at the video. 

4. This Is America - Childish Gambino

Do I even need to explain?

5. Feels Like Summer - Childish Gambino

So I’ve got another video from Childish Gambino. It’s a great take on black culture. The video is animated and shows major African American figures in pop culture interacting with each other. It’s quite fun and interesting.

6. Rainbow - Kacey Musgraves

This is a real cute and sweet music video. The video kinda goes around these people who are struggling with trials and tribulations and how they come out stronger. Simple, but really nice aesthetics and production value.

7. Growing Pains - Alessia Cara

This one is a really interesting video for Alessia. As someone who’s seen her evolve as an artist, I can confidently say that this video artistically rich. It is metaphorical for Alessia’s own struggles with coming of age. Really nice video and definitely deserved some more love.

8. FROOT - Marina And The Diamonds (now Marina)

This music video doesn’t have any real concrete message behind it, but it has some spectacular production value. From the 60s aesthetic to Marina’s dresses, to the color combinations. It’s eye candy.

9. Handmade Heaven - Marina And The Diamonds

Wrapping up this list is another Marina track. It’s her newest single and, while not necessarily amazing per se, it has beautiful aesthetics and scenery. The vertical video is also beautifully taken for this. I recommend people to look at both those videos. 

So, that wraps up my list. Anyone else got any suggestions?

[themusiccove]

You put Lorde and Khalid in front of Lana Del Rey as if they have any actual talent😂 being able to sound pretty when singing is not talent honey they don’t have the depth or the art to even be considered artists. You are a disgrace and should delete your blog. When you can sense real music and not just listen to synthetic, repetitive, meaningless, garbage then start a new blog thank you <3

A. Ever heard of saving the best for last?

B. Have you even heard Melodrama? It’s hands down one of the best break albums to every exist. You sound like someone who just hates on Lorde without even listening to the music. Give it a listen. If you hate it then, then it’s alright.

C. I put artists that impressed me. In the Khalid one I highlighted on how is production is really good. I literally called the Lana’s album the most cohesive one ever.

D. Even if you think they are bad albums, which you have the right to say, it’s my opinion. I shared what were in my opinion some great albums worth listening to. If you don’t agree with it, that’s alright! Am I going to delete my blog because your music tastes are supposedly superior? No.

[themusiccove]

About Jason Lee

So, if you’re not aware, Jason Lee, a moderately popular podcaster, recently took the time to attack both Ariana and Nicki. Actually, you know what, ‘attack’ doesn’t accurately represent the kind of cancer he was spewing.

He called Ariana ‘R Kelly’s snack’ and felt the need to talk about how she’s ‘not a woman’ (likely referring to her small physique). And, for no apparent reason, decided to sprinkle the Ariana hate with a little jab at Nicki, talking about how Ariana ‘chose the wrong side’ by being friends with Nicki. Now that you guys are aware of the basics, let’s get to the rant part of things.

I find it so sad that Ariana is having to go through such bullshit from people who clearly haven’t grasped the degree of the trauma she went through. She had a terrorist attack, a literal bomb, at her concert. Her close friend and ex Mac Miller passed away due to an overdose a few months after the two broke up, and as result, she had to break off her engagement to now ex Pete Davidson. And instead of. oh I don’t know, BREAKING DOWN AND HARMING HERSELF IN HER PAIN, chooses to release not one, but TWO critically acclaimed pop records. 

This is ignoring the fact that, as of the writing of this post, she is the only one keeping pop as a genre alive. Selena, Demi, Justin, Rihanna, Katy, Miley, Taylor. All these pop stars are either on break or getting ready to release music. Ariana is the only one keeping pop alive. 

And then there’s Nicki, who was pulled in for absolutely no reason whatsoever. Now, given that Jason Lee is a friend of Cardi B, there is a good possibility that he had ulterior motives. Also, ‘Loser Side’? Really? Let me break down exactly who this ‘Loser’ is,

Nicki single-handedly revived the concept that is ‘Women In Rap’ for this entire generation. She paved the way for, hmm lemme think, WOMEN LIKE CARDI

She, to this day, has the best rap verse feature ever on Kanye’s Monster, which was released in 2010, back when Nicki was justing getting popular. Name another underdog like Nicki who got to be a part of a project with such respected legends like Jay Z, Kanye, and Rick Ross. Go on, I challenge you.

She is the first female rapper EVER to sell more than 15 million albums worldwide. 

Also, let’s not forget about that little detail where she pays for students with student debt. Yeah, what a loser.

Both of these women have gone through so much shit, had to overcome so many obstacles, and had to tolerate so much criticism, to get where they are. 

So, the next time you have the audacity to call someone “an underaged piece of meat ready to be p*ssed on by R. Kelly”, just remember that these are the women you’re talking about.

And you know what, I’m not the kind of person that wants your career to end and for you to be prosecuted Jason Lee. No, I’m the kind of person that wants you to apologize, and never, ever talk so crassly about ANY person again.

[themusiccove]

How Marina epitomized escapism – The Music Cove – Medium

With a new sound, a new name, and a new outlook on life, Marina (sans The Diamonds) has returned stronger than ever before

Hey! Sorry I haven’t posted in a while. I’ve finally completed my review for Marina’s latest single titled ‘Handmade Heaven’. Needless to say, I was both surprised and impressed. While definitely a notable departure from FROOT, it is just as good! Let me know what you thought of it.

[themusiccove]

The Case For Taylor Swift – The Music Cove – Medium

“I don’t trust nobody and nobody trust me. I’ll be the actress starring in your bad dreams”

Another article I recently penned was about Taylor Swift and the Grammys. I personally felt that she deserved more. Reputation was a great album. Anyways, here’s the article I wrote. Do let me know your thoughts on it.

[themusiccove]

Ride: The tale of the broken stripper – The Music Cove – Medium

An eloquent mosaic of Winehouse’s rawness and Adele’s passion, Lana Del Rey’s Ride encapsulates what it means to lonely in a crowded world

So, here’s my latest article about Lana Del Rey and her song, Ride. Do check it out and let me know your thoughts on it!

[themusiccove]

Albums with no skips

Here’s a list of amazing albums that are so good they don’t really have any skips in the middle. I’m mostly into pop and alternative so I’m definitely biased.

1. Melodrama - Lorde 

This is an amazing synth pop and electropop album that is, in my opinion, really underrated. Lyrically, the album documents Lorde’s emotional state following her break up. Real good alternative album. 11 tracks. Definitely a nighttime album.

2. Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves

If you’re into country, you’re really gonna love this album. Even if you don’t like country music, this album will impress you. It’s definitely very different from the usual country music we see and has elements of daft punk and electronic music as well. Really chill. Ideal for some afternoon chill.

3. Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

This is a really old album but it’s still a gem. Definitely one of the best break up albums I’ve heard. She cusses like a sailor but the production sounds retro and elegant. It’s an album that’s definitely gonna make you dance, or at least tap your feet. 

4. Suncity - Khalid

So this is not an album really and is an EP, but it’s still great nonetheless. He has some really good vocals and the production is amazing. Really hypnotic. Lyrically, the album is a tribute to his hometown of El Paso. Not too long, so it’s good to listen to either while walking or doing some work.

5. Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey

This is definitely, by far, the best and most cohesive concept album I’ve heard. It’s 11 tracks but a track called ‘Black Beauty’ is on the deluxe edition. Undoubtedly a nighttime album, it’s pretty psychedelic and has a lot of strings like violins and electric guitars. One of her best works. 

6. Thank U, Next - Ariana Grande

Her best work to date. No question about that.

Now along with these, here are a few albums that are really good but have a few songs that aren’t really that great.

1. Reputation - Taylor Swift

This album gets a lot of hate from old school swifties, but I personally think that this is a really experimental album for her. The first six songs, from ...Ready For It to Look What You Made Me Do is definitely the best, most energetic part of the album. Highlights include Delicate (best song off the album), I Did Something Bad, End Game, Don’t Blame Me, and New Year’s Day

2. Pure Heroine - Lorde

This was her debut album and was really, really good. Production is really minimalistic and lyricism is on point. From fame and popularity to wealth and love, girlfriend tackles a lot of topics. As a teenager, this album is really relatable. 

3. Lust For Life - Lana Del Rey

This was her latest album and it’s pretty good. It is a little longer than I’d like because of a few skippable songs, but it still maintains its cohesiveness and has a lot of reverb and atmospheric production. It’s also her most optimistic record. She’s not happy, but she isn’t really that sad anymore.

4. A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay

They’re definitely one of the best bands out there. I know this is an old album but I had to put it here. Real great sound and has some amazing songs. There are a few songs that I didn’t really vibe with, but the album is still worth a listen.

[themusiccove]

About the 2019 Grammys

The 61st Grammy awards recently took place and, well, it’s safe to say they’ve nailed it.

As for a little context, here’s the situation last year

1. SZA, the most nominated woman of the night, went home with no awards

2. Both Kendrick Lamar, whose album DAMN., revolutionized the rap game and scored 95 on Metacritic, and Lorde, whose album Melodrama, is, in my opinion, the best album of 2017 and scored 91 on Metacritic, lost to Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic

3. Lorde’s Melodrama was nominated for album of the year but not in the categories of her own genre (explain how this is possible?). She was also snubbed in every other general category.

4. Lorde, who was the only female nominee for AOTY, was not allowed to perform her song and was only given the option of being part of a tribute while three of the male nominees were allowed to perform.

5. Ed Sheeran, the only male nominee in both the Pop Vocal categories, won over the four other women in the category. This is even though Lady Gaga’s Joanne and Kesha’s Rainbow showcased major artistic changed to those artists and proved to critics that they had pipes.

Now, to this year’s ceremony.

As a summary, they improved. A LOT.

Childish Gambino won both the song and record of the year awards for his monumental track, This Is America, as well as best music video. As a song and video that crunched up racism in America to a five-minute song and music video, This Is America definitely had the cultural and lyrical impact to warrant the award. As a ceremony that has repeatedly been criticized for ignoring black culture, rewarding a song that proudly highlights widespread racial inequality is definitely a step in the right direction.

The progress can also be seen in the AOTY category. Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour took home the award, deservingly. Undoubtedly, Golden Hour was the best album, personally, to come out this year. The album revolutionized country music and listening to it is the equivalent of sitting by a warm bonfire on a cold day. This was not the best selling album of the year. No big Hot 100 hits. Kacey herself isn’t very mainstream. This award goes to show that commercial performance, for now, isn’t the driving factor behind a win. Although it may have played a part of the nominations procedure. And of course, when your swimming in a sea of sexism accusations, awarding the highest honor of the night to a woman does help :)

Even the pop categories saw major strides.

Lady Gaga’s snub seemed to have been taken care of. Joanne (Where do you think you’re goin?) won the Grammy for best pop vocal performance and Ariana Grande won her well-deserved first Grammy for Sweetener. Do I need to explain?

Of course, that’s not to say that it was perfection.

Yes, they cut Drake off. Yes, they lied about Grande’s performance. Yes, they snubbed Swift hard. Also, JLo for Motown?

But you know what? I ain’t complaining. Baby steps. Baby steps.

[themusiccove]

Post #1: A little about myself

Wow. Guess this is my introduction to Tumblr. Hey Everybody! I’m an amateur writer and a music enthusiast. For anyone interested, this blog will document my opinions and reviews on music. From new music like Ariana’s thank u, next to old albums and songs like Lana Del Rey’s Ride. 

While I usually only review content that I like, that won’t stop me from critiquing stuff, so honesty is definitely part of the package. I’ll soon be linking my articles and talking about music so stay tuned!