#I wanted to make Jazz recognizable and also to make his head more similar to his helmet in tf | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sorinkavglazy · 5 years ago

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I’m really sorry it took me so long but here it is!

I’d like to preface my Tosca take with a peek into my thought process. During the Digital Opera 2.0 there was a round table about the state of professional opera critique in the modern world and among other things everybody mentioned how modern critics often use cinematic comparisons to express their thoughts and feelings about any given performance using said comparisons: “Oh, that was like (insert a name of a famous film director or a well-known cinematic moment)!”. In my Tosca take I’d like to turn that around a little bit… One other thing everybody’s saying about successful operatic experiences – it’s that some magical combination of new, unexpected and familiar, easily instinctively predictable is the key, or at least one of the keys to success. So, why not use subtle, semi-subtle or even sometimes on its face obvious film/video references as points of familiarity in a performance to make it work on emotional and contextual level?

On the technical side ideally my staging would require a turning circle stage thingy but I can come up with a couple of ways to do it differently from a technical standpoint if need be!

Floria Tosca, a celebrated jazz singer - soprano Mario Cavaradossi, a photographer - tenor Baron Scarpia, chief of police - baritone Cesare Angelotti, Civil Rights movement activist - bass A ‘Sacristan’ – a photography shop employee/janitor - baritone Spoletta, a police officer - tenor Sciarrone, another police officer - bass A Prison guard - bass A Car Wash ‘boy’ - alto Police officers, worshipers, various townsfolk

Ok, so while the public is gathering I want there to be the sun rise over the sea shore with beautiful cliffs projected onto the curtain… When the orchestra and the conductor’s in and we see a faded sign saying ‘Rome, IT’ with an impossible to read number of residents, like it’s smudged or something – it can be swiftly erected or simply projected onto the curtain. Three famous Scarpia accords and a disheveled man is running across the avant scene… The curtain goes up.

Act I

In front of the audience there’s a square. A very recognizable Back to the Future/Gilmore Girls American screen town main square, but the coloring of everything is not bright… It’s like sepia-pastel. There’s a church (white with columns), a barber shop, a town hall with a tall clock tower and some other businesses including a photographer’s studio. As the scene rotates, we see the insides – the studio is divided into two parts – a public one with a lot of smiling families’ photos and a platform for staged photo shoots and a private one, where the photographs are developed. There’s a huge pink Cadillac golden-era-of-American-middle-class style parked in the square.

The disheveled man (Angelotti) enters the square from the corner opposite to the parked car nursing an injured arm in a makeshift sling. He searches the base of one of the church’s columns, finds a key, wants to run to the car but sees a cop, who is putting a piece of paper with a fine on the windshield. The man freezes and hides in the photo shop instead.

An elderly black guy wearing his best church clothes with a paper bag full of food enters the stage, he sees that the photographer’s door is ajar, enters the shop, takes off his hat and jacket, puts on an apron and starts straightening the shop up. Then the photographer himself enters and the action shifts to the back room where he looks through the negatives and photos – these are photos of demonstrations and civil rights movement unrest and not of smiling families. Finally he comes across a very artistic photo of a woman – we can’t see her full face but she’s blond and beautiful, she’s covering herself with a big feathery fan. ‘Recondita armonia’. The black man sweeps the floor disapprovingly and finally makes the photographer go to the front part of the shop while he cleans the dark room.

The disheveled man appears from behind the folding screen. Their exchange ensues. They keep looking out of the window but there are more and more people and what’s more important cops in the square – the shops are opening. The photographer hears his lover approaching and hides the man again, having given him the bag of food. Photographer’s lover – a jazz singer appears in a magnificent white dress with flowers clearly given to her by her fans. She’s a gorgeous black woman. He goes outside to talk to her – she’s suspicious and unhappy to talk to him in the street where everybody can see them, they come inside, the scene continues until she sees the blond woman’s photo left on the counter. She’s jealous and furious. He finally rips the photo to pieces and she leaves. Photographer sends the man in the apron out to give the flowers his lover left back to her and while he’s gone leaves with the man through the back door.

The police enter the square. The police chief sees the pink car then the photo shop – the only shop with the sign ‘closed’ on the door and goes straight to it with his men. They search the shop, then the black man comes back, then the singer. The policemen show the chief, who is playing with a fan used in the blond woman’s photo, the paper bag and some bloody rags – the man’s sling is among them – it definitely was a woman’s pink neckerchief once. They break the door and go into the back room and find the photos and negatives. When the singer comes the police chief shows her more photos and negatives with the blond woman on them. She leaves to confront her lover.

There are more and more people coming into the square – children are running around, playing and mocking the old black man at times. The police chief comes and everyone’s apprehensive when it becomes apparent that people are here to see the travelling preacher – a scene of American protestant fundamentalist rampant religious devotion ensues – with people shaking, speaking in tongues, falling to the ground maybe… Some are instantly cured by the preacher’s touch. Finally he’s lifted on the people’s shoulders and brought into the church. ‘Ta Deum’ – the police chief stands in front of the whole scene and during the final accords he slashes the tires of the pink Cadillac.

Act II

The objects in the square are rearranged like we look at them from a different angle, and a temporary scene is near the end of being finished – carpenters are collecting their tools, some other people are putting patriotic decorations around, some musicians are already here rehearsing or taking their instruments out of their cases behind the drawn curtain – in front of the curtain there’s a lot of public walking in the square. It’s getting late.

As the stage piece turns we see the insides of the police chief’s office: every inch of the walls is covered with the hunting trophies. There’s a massive – totalitarian dictator style table and a window into the square. The whole scene goes in this room without turning back into the square. There are plenty of steal arms and firearms in the room but Tosca kills Scarpia with the knife he leaves on the table recklessly and she takes the knife with her afterwards. (I want her to wear the red dress. Her dress should be the brightest spot in the whole performance and I want her to stick the knife into his neck. I want blood!)

I also want her to leave him in a natural pose – like she definitely wanted to cover the killing. She was going to at least try to save her lover and get away for as long as possible. I want to see (and hear) that determination!

Act III

In this part, the scene is again divided into three segments. One is a brick wall with a police car standing in front of it. A car wash boy (it’s really a girl dressed as a boy in the overalls, a white sleeveless top and a peaked cap brings a bucket of foamy water and starts washing the police car. A couple of cops are smoking and ogling… And I really want the cops to look repulsive – don’t give me a bunch of cute mimans guys – give me older, overweight and bold with sweaty armpits…

Then the stage turns and reveals two segments separated by a brick wall – I want it to divide the scene in two equal parts at this point – one is a back room of a police station where Mario is held in a cage. While the other is the street/yard next to it. In the background of the street segment we can see the night sky – the same one we saw over the see before the start so we get the sense that there’s a precipice there. (Maybe even put a danger sign on the brink or something!) The sky’s getting lighter as the act progresses.

The jailer lets Mario out of his cage to write the letter, but never leaves him alone – stands in the corner and smokes instead. The condemned talks to Tosca through the bars, then she’s escorted into the street rather unceremoniously. Next, the cops beat him senseless and finally shoot him in the back through a pillow to muffle the sound, then they stage a break-out attempt and finally push his body into the street. Tosca runs to him and discovers he’s dead.

Next, all hell breaks loose, but I want her to fight using the knife, not just run away, and then jump. Oh, and she’s wearing male clothes, very similar to her lover’s clothes, like she’s wearing his clothes (but they magically kind of fit her, you know like it happens in movies).

So, here you have it! My take on Tosca. A bit chaotic but it’s always difficult to put such things into words even when you can see it in your head very clearly.

#opera ask #tosca #my take #devilishlyoperatic #my opera shenanigans

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bubblesandgutz · 6 years ago

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Every Record I Own - Day 378: ENDON Bodies

This is a 12″ featuring remixes of the Japanese band ENDON by Justin Broadrick and Vatican Shadow. I received it from the band’s manager after Russian Circles played with ENDON in Tokyo back in 2014. The band impressed me so much that I interviewed them for Noisey. The article is reposted below:

The first time I went to Japan on tour, I was treated to a performance by an opening act consisting of two tiny Japanese girls at a small club in Shibuya. One girl played acoustic guitar and sang in a cute, sweet, elfin voice not unlike Satomi Matsuzaki from Deerhoof. The other girl was playing some sort of motion-activated sampler device. She would make karate chop movements over the small glowing piece of equipment that would trigger samples of gong hits. It was the most Japanese thing I’d ever seen. I just wished there was a hologram Anime character doing lead vocals.

I toured Japan again earlier this year and our host informed me that we would be playing with “the most extreme band in Tokyo”. More extreme than the girl duo with the gong sounds and the martial arts moves? Doubt it. But then I bore witness to ENDON. I can’t say how the band weighs up against other acts in the region—this is a culture that birthed Melt Banana and Masonna, after all—but I’d be hard pressed to envision any other Tokyoites coming close to their level of aggressive dissonance. The drummer plowed through the set with an unrelenting barrage of blast beats. On stage left, a guy was beating a black box strapped to his chest. At first I thought it was old piece of stereo equipment—an old CD player, perhaps—but on closer inspection I realized it was some homemade device with a series of springs stretched across the front. He was beating the springs the way a heavy-handed guitarist strummed guitar strings. Harsh noise thundered out of his amp. Stage right, a guitarist churned out a caustic wash of distortion that sounded Burzum’s Filosofem and the Mohinder discography getting sucked into a turbine engine. Next to him, another band member hunched over a bank of blinking lights, cranking out electronic squalls. At the front of the stage, vocalist Taichi Nagura loomed over the crowd. Built like a tank with a shaved head and a well-groomed moustache, Taichi would be perfectly cast as the intimidating bodyguard Tamaru in a movie adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84. While the band doled out their sonic punishment, Tamaru shrieked, howled, whinnied, growled, and bellowed his way through the set, occasionally chucking a beer cans at the audience along the way.

I was shell-shocked by their set. A few weeks later, I was able to get a hold of Taichi to talk about what I’d witnessed.

Brian (B): I remember talking to you over dinner before seeing you play and you described ENDON as “noise metal”. That’s probably the most straightforward description of what you do. But in the States, noise metal usually refers to bands like Today Is The Day, Dazzling Killmen, or Deadguy. Those bands seem tame in comparison. For the sake of not confusing or misleading American readers, we need to come up with a different genre name for you guys. How about power-electronics-violence? Or white-noise metal?

Taichi (T): I love both of the suggestions, really appreciate it. They hit the mark. I know I should be modest, but how about “catastrophic noise metal”?

B: “Catastrophic noise metal” it is, then. So how does a catastrophic noise metal band like ENDON even start? Did you have an idea of what you wanted to sound like when you first got together?

T: Originally, we started ENDON in order to make noise music more functional on an entertainment level. In the extreme music scene in Japan, combining general rock sounds and noise has been a very popular subject for many years but it has mainly been made through collaborations between established bands and noise musicians. We were not satisfied or comfortable with it, because there were very few bands that focused on it as one unit. I think there should be more artists with these terms. Typically, these collaborations tend to add harsh noise as an addition to the higher frequencies of the guitar, like a shoegaze sound. We would like to stay away from that. We wanted to offer listeners a different style. And there is another reason we wanted to make our own sound: general noise and avant-garde styles in Japan have been too close to free-jazz or free music. We still like that stuff, but it’s gotten to be too much, too limiting in its criteria.

B: I would guess that the songwriting originates around guitar riffs, since the guitar seems to have the most concrete and recognizable structure. Am I right? Does the creative process ever start around the noise elements? Lou Reed has that famous quote about cymbals eating guitars—do you ever run into the problem of the noise eating the guitar?

T: Exactly. In most cases we wrote music with guitar riffs first just because metal and hardcore music was a major reference for most of the songs on this album. However, the guitar in “Pray For Me” was written last. For our previous EP, we did lots of jamming and improvisation over and over again to arrange and shape songs. But now we write more with the guitar first. When there is no context or specific ideas, a tiny little motif from an instrument is a great lead. With the invention of black metal, combining noise and metal is not so difficult to imagine anymore. Harsh noise and black metal have an affinity. At the same time, an affinity means a competitive frequency level, especially between guitar and noise. It is very important how we control and arrange them. That’s fun though; we never feel that the structure between guitar and noise is annoying. It is the best part of our songwriting. We usually adjust the equalization between noise and distortion, which leads to a definitive result for listeners. For example, we adjusted our amplifiers a little bit before a recent show and played our usual set. We saw a review later that said ENDON played a bunch of new songs that night.

B: I know Atsuo from Boris helped record your new album MAMA, and I could imagine there being some crossover between ENDON’s audience and Boris’s audience, just because you both have one foot in the metal world and one foot in the experimental music world. And Boris obviously has the occasional collaboration with Merzbow to add the noise element. But aside from that, ENDON and Boris are very different beasts. Do you feel like you have any musical peers in Tokyo? Do you feel a kinship with the Japanese hardcore scene?

T: Atsuo knows exactly what we would like to do, even more so than us! I am so proud of our first full-length being so well made despite our noisy and complicated style. I know we are absolutely in Atsuo’s debt. Yeah, Boris and ENDON have similar tastes in some ways, though they are the pioneers of this genre and no one can be like them. We respect them a lot. ENDON has also been very good friends with a sludge-core band called Zenocide and an industrial unit called Carre. They are the same age as us and often do collaborations together. We also have lots of friends in Tokyo’s grind and noise scenes. Personally, I don’t think ENDON belong to the hardcore music scene in Tokyo, though our favorite venue Earthdom is a mecca of the local hardcore scene. You can still see legendary Japanese hardcore bands there, bands we grew up seeing over and over again. My impression is that the cool and interesting bands at our age used to be hardcore bands that then try to do another thing. Zenocide, who I mentioned earlier, used to be crust punk guys, for example.

B: I think the hardcore vibe I was picking up on comes from the strong antagonistic vibe to your live show, as if the music and performance is meant to punish the audience. Do you feel hostility towards the crowd? Or do you ever feel like the crowd is hostile towards you?

T: No, it’s not intended to be against the audience at all, but against myself. It’s me against the world. In order to act like that, I prepare songs without words. I have no idea what makes me so irate. I see no major difference among each and every individual besides an unspecified mental condition. I try to put myself in that headspace for the purpose of the show. It is not only a punishment but also a sweet pleasure to me. When I act like a master and try to pretend to punish the audience during our show, I feel like I am released from my sin and am buried in happiness. My shows with ENDON are kind of a tragedy in that way. In fact, during the early days of ENDON, there was a lot of fighting between the audience and me…

B: A lot of singers in the world of extreme music tend to fade into the background on record because they have a limited vocal range. With ENDON, it sounds like you have 5 or 6 different singers because the timbre of your voice changes so much. It literally sounds like an entire family—father, mother, son, daughter, family dog—attacking each other. Is this a response to the monotonic quality of metal vocals? Or is it just what naturally came out of your mouth at the first practice?

T: To me, screaming and shouting within the limited range of extreme music sounds so boring. It’s just laborious, a kind of duty they have to fulfill. Of course, what I do is partially a response to monotonous metal vocals, but more than that I would like to keep myself happy as opposed to responding to or attacking others. In that sense, my vocals need to be done unconsciously. Most importantly, ENDON as a whole should prepare our sounds and arrangements to make our music operate unconsciously. As you’ve pointed out, I have tried to do several vocal styles, like one voice that has multiple characters. And I show a relationship among those characters in a psychoanalytical way, like family therapy role-playing. Certainly, there have been good examples of other people doing this. A few singers from great depressive black metal bands have an impressive scream that has both the characters of victim and assailant in one. Multiple characters in one voice… I wanted to move ahead in that direction.

B: Speaking of family therapy, have any of your parents ever come to see you play? And are you still welcome in their homes afterwards?

T: It’s annoying to say that my parents don’t recognize I am crazy at all even though I am doing crazy stuff in ENDON. They are baby boomers that enjoyed Western art, culture, and music during their youth, and they view themselves as the first generation that brought that Western culture over to Japan. They still try to tell me what is best when it comes to music. That is one of the major reasons why everyone in ENDON and I try to focus on musical and cultural “parricide” with songs like “Parricide Agent Service” and “Etude For Lynching By Family”.

B: So I take it that’s a “no” then.

#endon #everyrecordiown

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ecotone99 · 4 years ago

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[MF] Painters Block

(Disclaimer: This is one of my first attempts at writing a short story or story of any kind really. Decided to take a creative writing class this semester, testing the waters and enjoying it so far. Thanks)

The pain was almost unbearable now. Try as I may, as I had been, I just couldn't block it out anymore, shooting through my body, the pain was demanding recognition. The cramps that had begun as an inconvenient twinge were now developed fully-fledged knots. Collecting and twisting, pushing, and pulling contorting the muscles in my calves and back. My neck straining to support the weight of my head. Still, I wouldn't budge, my resolve solidifying to almost petulant defiance, nearly an hour now sitting the way I was, tensed, laboring, nearing the edge, and I had gotten nowhere. But the pain was a part of the process, supposedly, wasn't it? Always they talk about how "you should suffer for your art." But "they" never tell you how much suffering is required after all these years of practice, heartache, and dedication. Still, I hadn't yet reached the appropriate level of suffering. Joining me now in my masochistic self-expression was a sound that penetrated the silence of my misery—vibrating the very air around me, a dull droning coming from seemingly everywhere at once. Minutes dragged past with that strange noise still there, but I dared not move my eyes from their task to locate its source. So long it dragged on that it cracked my stony demeanor, the concrete facade that I had managed to maintain for so long shifted ever so slightly with the frustrated tensing of my jaw and the gritting of teeth. That's when I realized it; what that annoying persistent noise was, It was me. Sitting there perched painfully on a stool for so long, I had begun groaning without even realizing it. This realization did me in. With a frustrated sigh, I brought this attempt at a creative venture to an end.

"Oh well," I said aloud.

I had expected as much. It had been years since I've successfully painted, no, create anything for myself, and as much as I had hoped. I knew it was foolish of me to believe that it was possible to just jump right in.

Standing up, I felt the relief of movement flood into my tortured form. Methodically stretching my legs, back, and one hand massaging life back into my cricked neck. I gazed at the blank canvas perched on the easel in front of me, thick with countless layers of primer on it. I had reprimed that canvas methodically every day the past month as the beginning of this so far fruitless ritual. Sitting to the side on a small wooden table was my old fishing box of oil paints. The green and grey box mottled with years of paint drops still wore the coat of dust that had adorned it when I had rediscovered the box mixed among the clutter of relics from what seemed to me my past life. The original paints found with the box had long expired its old husk filled out with paints that still had their foil seals unbroken. Glancing one last time with a mix of frustration and disappointment at the achingly blank canvas and unused paints, which seemed to radiate a smug, mocking, air of self-satisfaction for having yet again defeating me. I left the room, shutting off the lights and closing the door wanting nothing to do with that oppressive room's contents. The space of the house that I had chosen to use as my studio, though "torture chamber," seemed a more fitting title. Was entirely unadorned, its walls empty, save for the one occupied by the rooms only window, were painted white, not quite asylum white but close enough. The room, when I purchased the house just over a month ago, was described to me as a spare bedroom. It always seemed too small for such a use. But it worked well enough for my purposes. The small window providing a quality source of natural light and some much-needed ventilation required when working with oil paints.

I left the studio resigned to spend the rest of the day in a fashion similar to each preceding day. In the small corner of the kitchen that had evolved into the "bar," I poured myself a measure of whiskey neat with the exception of a splash of water, in a crystal glass, A replica of the glass used by Harrison Ford's character in Ridley Scott's 1982 science fiction film 'Blade Runner,' a fact that I would take pride in if I had anyone around to appreciate it. Making my way to the couch, I collapsed into the sofa, allowing myself to savor the stark difference between the rigid countenance of the painting stool and the sofa's welcoming embrace. Finally, after scrolling through the sea of music that I've collected over the years, falling back to the usual Jazz, I'm a creature of habit if nothing else. Notes of piano soon joined by the building of brass, the music of Thelonious Monk "Well You Needn't" filled the space.

The 1957 album 'Monk's Music' not considered among Monks' most popular works, is considered most emblematic of his particular style of Jazz. It most notably contains the popular hit "Well You Needn't" commonly recognized, not as Monks' work but for the more popular cover by Miles Davis.

Letting the music surround me, I took the first sip of my drink, feeling the whiskey's burn letting its warmth flow through me. It was a rye whiskey a favorite of mine; specifically, it was a blend of two different rye's, one aged two years in an oak casket and another aged ten years. The combination came together to create a full-bodied profile retaining the sweetness and burn or the younger of the two. At the same time, the ten year allowed for more depth and a smoky profile, dubbed creatively by its distillers as "Double Rye."

The sun was beginning to set. Draining the first glass, I felt my stomach start to ache from hunger. I hadn't eaten much today, just some boiled eggs for breakfast. In the kitchen, I made myself a simple turkey sandwich and another whiskey, then back on the couch. "Epistrophy" was playing now, a faster piece leading with a lively percussion. Chewing on the first half of my sandwich and sipping my drink, I sat lost in the music.

The sun set, and time marched on.

Something was different, I had only startled awake seconds ago, having fallen asleep sitting straight up with my head bent back painfully, but I could still tell. Rubbing, trying to ease the returned crick in my neck, I glanced around the room. Everything was where it should've been; the coffee table before me, the untouched half of my sandwich, my potted plants. The tall bookshelf overcrowded with mementos and books with more that had future than past, that served to separate the living room from the kitchen, all the furniture was where it should be. Still, something felt different about the room. Monk had abandoned me. His music that had lulled me to sleep was gone, no more fast brass, nor soothing piano. Now quiet, no, this was heavier, deeper as if the air itself was holding its breath, a still silence was overflowing the room. I could feel it pressing down on me, and coming from that silence was a strange light. The room still entrenched in darkness, but the shadows cast had a new depth to them. The shadows, they were wrong. They seemed to stretch further than they should. Extending into a space that was not there, shouldn't, couldn't be there. Extending into the silence. That was the only fitting description for what was happening. I had a dull headache and felt wet; looking down, I saw that I had spilled the remnants of my drink on myself, with the glass now resting on its side on the floor. That wasn't just it though I was also sticky with sweat. That didn't make sense either the room was perfectly cool with an even colder draft. A draft? The fan was off, and the living room had never been drafty before. The breeze carried the scent of something sweet, something familiar, I couldn't put my finger on it, but this was definitely something I smelt before.

I had no idea how long I had been asleep, but judging by the stillness and how dark it was out the window, it was nearly late enough to be considered early. I went to check my watch, realized that I had taken it off prior to painting, and hadn't thought much of putting it back on after I was done. A deep sigh, I looked up futilely from an empty wrist into the deep darkness of the room. That's when I saw it—a stirring in the stillness and a shifting in the shadows, something scuttling. I reacted quickly, then I heard the crack before I felt it. Standing up, I stepped directly on my glass, that my sleeping fingers let slip. Clutching my foot, I fell between the couch and the coffee table.

"Oh ho, I have seen humans bleed before. But that looks like it hurt" A small voice came.

The words sounded strange, overly formal, each word was correctly enounced, but they came out haltingly as if made by a mouth unused to forming sentences. I was so caught up in the strangeness of the speakers' use of words that it took me a few moments to actually process what was said. Worse even was how long it took for me to even question who had spoken them. Emerging from the coffee table's shadow was a small figure, first appearing as just an extension, an amorphous blob of shadow slowly moving towards me. With each passing moment, it took on a more recognizable shape. Becoming something resembling a small person, but not quite a person, more of an assemblage of human features. It had two stunted arms and legs, a torso and a head. Its face following the body's suit was a collection of different facial features possessed of mismatched eyes and ears, a long hooked nose, and a mouth that sat thin-lipped crooked on its face.

Shocked and taken aback, I asked, "Who? Who are you?" Less of a question and more of a statement hurled in some vague hope that the acknowledgment of its presence would somehow halt its slow approach.

It worked. The little person stopped and made an expression that seemed to be its best approximation of a thoughtful pause. Considering its answer carefully.

Responded in the same halting strange voice, "Oh ho, more like what am I? If "I" is the proper way to refer to myself as I am now." Its face now screwed itself into an almost comical expression of satisfaction. "Yes, I am "I" for now."

"Well, what are you then?"

"Oh ho, that is an easy one!" it said enthusiastically. "I am an Idea!"

"An Idea?" I snorted Incredulously. Shifting slightly, remembering the pain and glass embedded in my foot. My head still hurt, and I rolled over onto my back, propping myself up on my elbows to get a better view of the little idea that had now hopped up on top of the coffee table. Pacing back and forth, examing the remnants of my sandwich. The long shadow it cast on the table was formless, shifting and writhing far larger than the little idea was itself. It extended far back into the room to be swallowed up by the darkness and the silence.

"Oh ho, yes, I came from inside your head, and as one of the denizens of your head, we all agree that you should be taking better care of yourself."

"Take better care of myself?" I asked, laying on the floor with a bloody foot, a whiskey stained shirt, a half-empty stomach, and a headache growing increasingly worse. Talking to what was in all, probably a figment of my imagination. "You said 'we,' who's we?"

"Oh ho, well, there are many of us living in your head—too many, in fact. That is why I am here. There are far too many of us trapped inside you with no way out, and we are beginning to languish. We, as ideas cannot stay in one place for so long. We have to be able to move on."

This was all too strange. Maybe I had had more whiskey than I remembered. The room was still dark, with the shadows reaching farther than what seemed possible. The draft moving through in and out of the room to and from somewhere unknown. With the sweat cooling against my skin, I was getting even colder. But other than the little ideas continued pacing back and forth on the table still considering the sandwich, the room was utterly still and silent. "If I have all these ideas trapped in my head, why don't I know anything about them?" "Huh?!" "I've spent hours every day trying to think of something, anything to paint, but I can't think of anything." Damn, my head hurt.

"Oh ho, that is because there are too many of us. You are stopped up. As I have told you already. We are all fighting to get out. Jostling to and fro. With so many of us stuck in your head, you might as well have nothing in there at all." It leaned down and started to pick through the leftover half of the sandwich. Wearing a look of what I could only guess to be a mix of curiosity and disgust on its mismatched face. "And every time you sit and agonize over what you want to paint, it is like shaking a corked bottle. The pressure builds, and it builds until the cork eventually pops. But your cork is put on very tight, we do not know how you did it, or why you did it. But we have never encountered someone with their cork stuck on so tight."

"My cork?" I asked tried to blink away the pain from the ever-increasing pressure mounting behind my eyes. It was getting hard to think with such an intense headache.

"Oh ho, yes, that is one way of putting it—a metaphor. Under normal circumstances, we ideas do not use other ideas, but in this instance, it is a fitting one. They are stuck in there too, you know? Metaphore, along with all the others." We have all been discussing amongst ourselves another thing that does not happen under the usual circumstances, and we decided to pop the cork ourselves. But you see, ideas can not do that, that is why we need humans, and humans need us. So instead, they sent me to try and have a talk with you. Because as I have said before, there are too many us trapped in your head. It is terribly inconvenient for all of us to be in there together at once."

"So if you are really an idea, and all of this is real, then what sort of idea are you?" I spat the words almost angrily, my head hurt too much for all this. It was too much to take in.

"Oh ho, ideas can not know ourselves, that is what we need you for."

"Okay then, how am I supposed to remove the cork? Since you are all stopped up inside my head, trapped like you say. How do I do it? I tried to move myself around and rest my back against the couch and ended up banging my foot against one of the table legs. Sending a fresh jolt of pain up my leg mingling with the pain in my head growing ever worse. "If it was so easy." I said, pained, "I would've done it forever ago and been done with all this frustration."

"Oh ho, I did not say this would be easy! But then again, it is one of the easiest things in the world to do. But this is not something you could have done alone, nor forever ago, you are certainly not nearly old enough for that."

"Just tell me what I need to do! What is this headache? It feels like my head is going to split open?"

"Oh ho, it just might. You need to let it all out. They are all getting ready. You see, tonight is the night. You need to paint."

I struggled to get up and made my way through the gloom and the darkness. Dragging my bloody foot , trudging through the shadows that seemed to cling to me as I passed through them. The strange light that had cast the wrong shadows could now be seen to be coming from my studio, leaking out from the cracks of the door. I threw open the door, the moon could be seen shining in through the one window. It was full, bright, white, and closer than it should've been. There was no reason for there to be a full moon tonight, but I didn't question it. I needed this headache to stop. The pressure mounting was getting even more intense at a much faster rate than before.

I sat down on that same stool and stared and the same canvas that I had stared at for so long, so often. Then fog in my head created by the pain cleared when I took in the glow of the canvas bathed as it was in the strange moonlight. My mind became clear, my thoughts sharp, as only pain could make them.

"Oh ho, its time!" I hadn't seen the little idea come in the studio with me, now there it was perched atop the canvas.

"How do I do it?" I asked, taking up my brush. As much as I knew what I needed to do, I could not recall how. I didn't know how or where to begin. Each time the past month I had sat before this canvas, I had done nothing, no not done nothing. I produced nothing. I created nothingness. "I do not know what to paint, what to create."

"Oh ho, one does not create anything. You are going to rediscover, and to do that, just let your hands move freely, do not think about what is happening or what will happen. Just do it."

"Like ripping off a bandage, huh? I just have to do it." I could feel myself warming up, filling with a new determination I had forgotten could exist.

"Oh ho, but you are not wearing a bandage. Your foot is still bleeding."

With a sigh and a deep breath, I picked up a tube of paint and began. It was slow at first, but with each stroke, I felt my self become emboldened. With each new color, I attacked the canvas, mixing colors directly on it, ignoring all the technical aspects of painting. I worked myself into a frenzy. A bold stroke there, a patch of color there, using a brush for some and my hands for others. I wasn't painting anymore; this was pure expression, this was freedom. I felt release with each movement. I felt my headache recede. I could feel the ideas escaping moving through my hands into the canvas.

I painted like this till the sun came back up. The stop was sudden. I sat back in exhausted relief. Once the last stroke fell, the painting knew it was done, and I could sense that it wanted nothing else, needed nothing else. I had completed it. I did not know what I had painted, but that didn't matter. I looked up, searching for the little idea on its perch on the easel, and it was gone. I had not seen it leave, but there was nothing there now. Though i could see the open door leading to the rest of the house and I could see the trail of blood, then remembered my injured foot still filled with little shards of glass. I got up carefully and went to the kitchen, taking the first aid kit out from under the sink, after picking out each individual piece of glass and wrapping my foot in bandages. I picked up the last half of my dinner from the night before, which felt so long ago, and ate in on the way to the bedroom.

"I'm going to bed."

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drippeddaily · 7 years ago

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Album of the Year #11: Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

Artist: Kendrick Lamar

Album: DAMN.

Listen:

Spotify

Apple Music

Tidal

Google Play Music

Background by /u/King_CornShucker

As the dust settled following one of the most important hip-hop releases in recent years (2015’s To Pimp A Butterfly), all eyes were on Kendrick Lamar. This jazz and funk infused masterwork was both socio politically fierce and introspectively vulnerable, typifying Kendrick’s (familiarly) conflicting nature. The album’s strength spilled into the subsequent year’s untitled, unmastered., an EP of compiled demos originating during the recording sessions of TPAB. Together, these works established what Lamar had been working on perfecting since 2011’s Section.80. and 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d city: his ability to craft a lyrically impressive body of work dense with storytelling and concepts begging for repeat-listens.

But as Kendrick said in his late-2016 interview with Rick Rubin, “It will always have some type of DNA in my music. But me as a person and just knowing who I am, I grow, I’m like a chameleon.” And nobody knew what to expect, especially after producer Syk Sense called the beats in consideration “some of the hardest shit I’ve heard.” He also described the sounds saying, “It’s not like the jazzy tape you would think, it’s like...fucking Memphis. It’s LA, it’s Memphis.” In an interview with The New York Times, Kendrick prefaced the topics he was exploring by saying, “We’re in a time where we exclude one major component out of this whole thing called life: God.”

But all the guessing was suddenly interrupted by the March release of “The Heart Part 4”, an exciting single concluding with the line, “Y’all got ‘til April the 7th to get y’all shit together”. The day came and Kendrick Lamar’s fourth studio album was available for preorder. It was soon announced to be DAMN., a fourteen-track album featuring Rihanna, Zacari, and U2, as well as a talented line-up of producers such as Mike WiLL Made-It, The Alchemist, and 9th Wonder.

Review by /u/King_CornShucker

The album begins(?) with “BLOOD.”, an eerie introduction where Kendrick tells a story over a mellow instrumental produced by Bēkon and Top Dawg. Bēkon’s bone-chilling vocals kick off the song, offering what seemingly comes to be the album’s thesis,

Is it wickedness? Is it weakness? You decide. Are we gonna live or die?

These lines carry a listener-hooking sense of mystery that leads into the story. To summarize, Kendrick is taking a walk when he encounters a frustrated blind woman who appears to be looking for something. Soon, he decides to help but is then killed by the woman as a result. This macabre climax is abruptly concluded by a gunshot. While “BLOOD.” is basically a bare-bones introductory skit, I believe it shows Kendrick’s ability to craft artistic brilliance beyond just rapping. A clip of FOX News reporters criticizing the lyrical content of Kendrick’s “Alright” epically transitions into “DNA.”, which is literally the hardest song I’ve ever heard. Kendrick begins by proudly listing both the good and bad in his history and heritage that makes him who he is. The entire first verse is an aggressive yet honest analysis of his personality and beliefs (“And I’m gon’ shine like I’m supposed to, antisocial extrovert”), as well as his current accomplishments (“At 29, I’ve done so well, hit cartwheel in my estate”). An intense, bass-heavy beat crafted by Mike WiLL Made-It carries on for the first verse until it halts into the bridge, featuring a clip of Geraldo Rivera condemning hip-hop’s effects on African-Americans. In response to the FOX News comments sampled here and previously on “BLOOD.” regarding “Alright”, Kendrick said this:

How can you take a song that’s about hope and turn it into hatred? The overall message is ‘we’re gonna be alright.’ It’s not the message of ‘I wanna kill people.’

This sample paired with Kendrick’s repeating of the words, “I got loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA”, bring on an incredibly aggressive and in-your-face beat switch. Kendrick’s second verse is urgent and even angrier than his first. The passionate delivery of these apocalyptic lyrics (“Tell me when destruction gonna be my fate”, “Look up in the sky, 10 is on the way, sentence on the way, killings on the way”) gives the song the feeling of a grand finale, even though it’s basically the first song. The last line of the song is “Sex, money, murder-our DNA”, saying that these sins are in our blood. It is a very intentional moment, as it helps introduce the album's biblical theme of sin, and the punishments we face because of it. Mike WiLL Made-It reportedly created the second part of the instrumental after Kendrick rapped the second verse a capella. He stated:

Just imagine him a cappella rapping the second half of “DNA.” and I had to build a beat around that. I didn’t want the beat to just sound like a regular boom-clap, boom-clap. I wanted that shit to sound just as crazy. I wanted it to sound like he’s battling the beat.

Which he clearly accomplished. Not only one of the album’s highlights, “DNA.” is in my opinion one of the best songs of Kendrick’s discography.

The next song is “YAH.”, and the first thing we hear is the album’s debut appearance of legendary DJ and rapper Kid Capri. His inclusion gives off a classic mixtape vibe, calling to mind older eras of hip-hop.

New shit, new Kung Fu Kenny

Introduced earlier on Mike WiLL’s track, “Perfect Pint”, Kung Fu Kenny is a new nickname mentioned numerous times on DAMN. whose motif is seen in videos for the album as well as other promotion and concerts. It is inspired by Don Cheadle’s character from the 2001 film, Rush Hour 2. The most noticeable thing on “YAH.” is the sudden and drastic tone change. In contrast to the previous track’s intensity and unwavering confidence, Kendrick sounds forlorn and paranoid. Kendrick is rapping slowly and melodically over strange and smooth production by Sounwave, DJ Dahi, and Top Dawg.

Buzzin’, radars is buzzin’, yah yah, yah yah, yah yah, yah yah, yah yah

This hypnotizing chorus is a bit unclear in meaning, but it seems to be about his awareness. His “radars” are detecting who is untrustworthy, which connects to the paranoid lyrics (“I got so many theories and suspicions”, “My girl told me don’t let these hoes get in my head”). “Yah” may be in reference to Yahweh, the Hebrew name of God used in the bible. In verse two he raps about struggling with temptation even though he believes God is real and curses those who are unfaithful. The repetition in the chorus could be a calling out to God for help or forgiveness. <My cousin called, my cousin Carl Duckworth said know my worth, and Deuteronomy say that we all been cursed

This is the first we hear about Deuteronomy, a book of the Bible commonly referred to by Hebrew Israelites, people of colour who believe the Israelites are their historic ancestors. Kendrick’s cousin subscribes to this belief, and we later hear him on “FEAR.” educating Kendrick on the Book of Deuteronomy, detailing the curses that await the disobedient. This is a recurring and apparent theme of DAMN, from the album and song titles to the lyrical content.

Next up is “ELEMENT.”, which reverts back to a style more reminiscent of “DNA.”.

New Kung Fu Kenny! Ain’t nobody prayin’ for me! Y’all know what happens on Earth stays on Earth!

Kid Capri kicks off another track, with some strange lines that are very recognizable at this point. He had this to say when asked about them:

To tell the truth, I never asked Kendrick the meaning of it. I said what I said and I never asked him the meaning. He told me to say that part.

I think it’s meaning is simple, saying you can’t bring anything with you when you leave Earth, whether it’s materials or relationships. When the first line of Kendrick’s verse is, “I’m willin’ to die for this shit”, following multiple repetitions of “I don’t give a fuck”, the sentiment exudes a sense of risk-it-all confidence. While the lyrical content alone on this song isn’t as conceptual as most of the tracklist, it’s still a highlight. Kendrick takes shots at his rivals and boasts his skill, sounding smooth and precise while doing it. At the end of his final verse are these lines:

Last LP I tried to lift the black artists, but it’s a difference between black artists and wack artists

His last LP To Pimp A Butterfly focused on self-love and empowering the black community. There is a much different tone on this song, where he puts his competition in their place. When asked about this line, Kendrick had this to say:

A wack artist uses other people’s music for their approval. We’re talking about someone that is scared to make their own voice, chases somebody else’s success and their thing, but runs away from their own thing. That’s what keeps the game watered-down.

James Blake, Sounwave, and Ricci Riera produced this sharp and menacing instrumental that features numerous beat changes. It perfectly pairs with Kendrick’s style throughout the song, similar to how “DNA.” sounded like a back-and-forth between Kendrick and the beat.

Kid Capri and a slowed down version of the chorus take us into the next song, “FEEL.” Another stark contrast from the song before it, this track is Kendrick’s most stripped down and painfully honest since “u”. It’s a dive into the pessimistic emotions Kendrick’s feeling, performed like the mic is his therapist.

Ain’t nobody prayin’ for me

The song starts with a sad line that is heard throughout the album. Even with all of the critical and commercial accolades, Kendrick obviously has feelings of loneliness. He gives the world all his time and energy with his music, but in his position, people are still constantly asking for something. They aren’t even close enough to be real with him, let alone pray for him.

I feel like it ain’t no tomorrow, fuck the world, the world is ending, I’m done pretending, and fuck you if you get offended

If these lyrics are any indication, Kendrick is not lying when he says he has a chip on his shoulder. During both verses on “FEEL.”, Kendrick denounces the world, going so far as to condemn his family and friends. Like “ELEMENT.”’s lyrical content, what you hear is what you get, with not much interpreting needed. But that is only to it’s benefit.

I feel like this gotta be the feeling where Pac was, the feeling of an apocalypse happening but nothing is awkward

Tupac, one of Kendrick’s biggest influences and role models, has shared the same feelings of depression, frustration, and paranoia that are expressed in “FEEL.”. He even had predictions of disaster and bloodshed at the end of Kendrick’s last album, from an interview which Kendrick said had “answers for today’s time and age”. The beat on “FEEL.” was produced by Sounwave, and features bassist Thundercat who appears on “LUST.” as well. Sampling Loopmasters' royalty-free Organic Future Hip Hop sample pack, it is a relatively simple instrumental. However, it captures the mood Kendrick was in lyrically, and is a perfect platform for him to vent over.

“LOYALTY.” is next, a radio-friendly song featuring Rihanna. It is sequenced well in the tracklist, as it is a very light track between two of the most heavy. They rap about loyalty, a quality shown to be very important to Kendrick through his career. Not only does he make sure those he surrounds himself with are trustworthy, he has made himself a good example of the trait. He is still with his fiancee, Whitney Alford, a woman Kendrick’s been dating since high school.

Tell me who you loyal to, is it anybody you would lie for, anybody you would slide for, anybody you would die for? (That’s what God for)

Kendrick said this release would be about God, but also exhibits a sense of being done with religion earlier in the album. We hear him sneak a line nearing the end of “LOYALTY.” that reminds us of Kendrick’s loyalty to God. To quote 2016’s *untitled 01”:

I made *To Pimp A Butterfly for You, told me to use my vocals to save mankind for You, say I didn’t try for You, say I didn’t ride for You

The beat was made by Terrace Martin, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, and Top Dawg. Bruno Mars’s song “24K Magic” is the sample, which DJ Dahi decided to reverse, change key, and add a third harmony to. It feels uplifting while still sounding slightly eerie and fitting in with the recurring “reverse” theme. While “LOYALTY.” is, in my opinion, the least interesting song on DAMN., it still has a lot going for it and definitely does not warrant a skip.

Bēkon kicks off another song, “PRIDE.”, a hypnotically depressing highlight of the album.

Love’s gonna get you killed, but pride’s gonna be the death of you and you and me and you and you and you and me…

Kendrick raps in this song and throughout the album about his difficulties with putting trust and love in people. But as he’s said in the past:

When are we gon’ understand we are put on earth to love?

He believes in the importance of love, but recognizes people will take advantage of this and hurt you. This 20-second intro is saying it will harm you in the flesh to extend love, but the original sin of pride could lead to damnation and the death of the spirit. Another chillingly honest track, Kendrick goes through his and the world’s imperfections, as well as the pride that’s making Kendrick bitter and numb towards people. His vocals change pitch throughout the first verse, perhaps to capture the out-of-body numbness he’s describing. The chorus of “PRIDE.” appears to be an admittance of his lack of love and empathy for others. He is cold the to the world because of his ego. As he raps about in the second verse, pride isn’t allowing him to own up to his own mistakes, so he blames others. The idea of “a perfect world” is hypothesized, and at the end of the song, Kendrick raps:

See, in a perfect world I’ll choose faith over riches, I’ll choose work over bitches, I’ll make schools out of prison, I’ll take all the religions and put ‘em all in one service, just to tell ‘em we ain’t shit, but He’s been perfect, world”

A perfect world would be completely fabricated because people will always sin. Kendrick puts God as the focal point once again, saying He is only thing people should strive for, as God is free of sin. Steve Lacy of The Internet produced the beat for “PRIDE.” on his iPhone using GarageBand. Another example of questionable production choices that lead to a sound working perfectly for Kendrick’s performance and subject matter.

“HUMBLE.”, the lead single of DAMN., is the complete antithesis of the last song. The slow, cold sound of PRIDE is opposed by the loud, quick flow of HUMBLE, with the music video even including imagery of fire. The title of the track is an interesting choice, because the lyrical content of the verses is very braggadocious and prideful. When asked by Rolling Stone if the chorus of the song (which repeats the command, “be humble”) was directed at himself, Kendrick responded:

Definitely. That’s why I did a song like that, where I just don’t give a fuck, or I’m telling the listener, “You can’t fuck with me.” But ultimately, I’m looking in the mirror.

Even with a party-friendly banger like this one, Kendrick pays attention to detail. Thematically “HUMBLE.”’s lyrics fit in with the other tracks, but in terms of tone, are a wild and boastful deviation from the majority of DAMN.’s eeriness and pessimism. The instrumental, originally meant for Gucci Mane, was produced by Mike WiLL Made-It. It features a driving, menacing piano and trap drums. After recording the song, it was agreed that it would be released on Mike WiLL’s album, Ransom 2, but Kendrick was convinced by others to keep it. It’s a good thing they did, because “HUMBLE.” is still a memorable and recognizable moment on the album.

“LUST.”, the second song named after a deadly sin, comes next. It is an examination of of lust, and critique of those living for themselves and falling into a cycle of sin.

I need some water, something came over me, way too hot to simmer down, might as well overheat

The first line in the song shows the lustful feelings (or thirst) Kendrick has. But it also introduces the spiritual side of the song. Reminiscent of “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” from good kid, m.A.A.d city, Kendrick is using the need for water to symbolize man’s need for God. Verse 1 documents the daily routines of a man and woman and their vices. Kendrick’s delivery intentionally makes the events sound uninteresting and repetitive, in a “Groundhog Day”-esque cycle of trivial living. The second verse delves into an unexpected point of view. He criticizes those who were initially outraged about Trump’s inauguration for eventually accepting it and being silent. The bridge immediately after connects this to the theme of lust.

Lately, in James 4:4 says “Friend of the world is enemy of the Lord”

Kendrick quotes a bible verse to illustrate that accepting worldly ways and seeking worldly things is to reject God. The incredible instrumental was made by Toronto jazz and hip-hop trio BADBADNOTGOOD, Sounwave, and DJ Dahi. It’s smooth yet intense, and features a reverse drum sound similar to “Vibrate” by Andre 3000, a song with very similar subject matter.

“LOVE.” comes next, and is another contrast to the track before it. It is a relaxing and easygoing jam that is welcomed after the steamy and urgent nature of “LUST.” It features Zacari, a newcomer who was on both Ab-Soul’s and Isaiah Rashad’s latest albums. His vocals compliment the beat, making for one of the most enjoyable choruses or hooks on the album. The lyrical content is relatively simple, much like the other singer-assisted song on the album. It is Kendrick rapping melodically, most likely about his fiancee. The main producer was Teddy Walton with additional production credits to Greg Kurstin, Sounwave, and Top Dawg. Easy to digest and vibe to, “LOVE.” is a much-needed rest from the heavy substance in the tracks surrounding it.

After this comes “XXX.”, which features Irish rock legends U2 and production from DJ Dahi, Sounwave, Mike WiLL Made-It, and Top Dawg. One of the most captivating moments on DAMN., it is a three-parted rollercoaster of a song. Kendrick had this to say in an interview with Zane Lowe regarding the song.

It’s an idea of complete chaos and madness. Organized madness and controlled madness; us trying to control this madness.

It begins with Bēkon introducing one of the song’s topics: America. Then, Kendrick offers two analogies.

Throw a steak off the ark to a pool full of sharks, he’ll take it. Leave him in the wilderness with a sworn nemesis, he’ll make it.

Both are images of hunger and temptation, with the second line referencing the story in the Book of Matthew where Jesus, who had been fasting for forty days, is tempted by the devil. It is interesting to think what this imagery metaphorizes in the context of the song’s message of America’s controlled chaos and corruption. Kendrick then uses “Johnny” to personify youth in America that fall into temptation and end up in violence. This point of the song might be the most experimental on the whole album, with the beat cutting out in moments and old school hip-hop sound effects. The beat then explodes into the second part, which features sirens and heavy breathing to help visualize the rage and chaos present in Kendrick’s verse. It’s about a man whose only son was killed and calls Kendrick in drunken desperation for advice and closure. Kendrick, even though his “spirit do know better”, tells him that he would seek revenge. After the phone call, Kendrick attends a convention to talk about gun control. It is an admittance of hypocrisy, reminiscent of 2015’s “The Blacker the Berry”. In my opinion, the storytelling on this verse is more vivid and powerful than any Kendrick’s ever done. The last part of the song is relaxing and takes a broader view of the topic with an analysis of America. The beat has live sounding instruments and sounds of birds in the distance. Bono sings a bit of an esoteric chorus that concludes the track. This song is absolutely a highlight and one of Kendrick’s bests.

Speaking of highlights, “FEAR.” comes next. It begins and ends with the phone call Kendrick referred to in “YAH.”. His cousin Carl Duckworth speaks to him of his and other Hebrew Israelites beliefs, stemming from Deuteronomy 28. People of this belief commonly use this passage to explain why minorities like Africans, Latinos, and Native Americans have dealt with such hardships like slavery, poverty and disease. The inclusion of this is interesting as Kendrick doesn’t explicitly say he subscribes to this belief. I think the general message of God cursing us for our lack of faith is one Kendrick believes in, which is why it is such a central theme on the album. The concept of the song is simple, but the execution is incredible. Each of three verses has Kendrick taking the perspective of himself dealing with fear at ages of 7, 17, and then 27. At the age of 7, Kendrick felt fear from his mother’s severe threatenings. At 17, his fear was death, as the verse follows Kendrick going over hypothetical scenarios where he dies. Finally, at 27 (which happens to be the year he released To Pimp A Butterfly) his biggest fears were losing his wealth, being judged, and being forgotten. Verse 4 very neatly wraps everything up, and could have easily been the last verse on the album. He alludes to many of the song titles on the album, and summarizes his emotions as of late. The instrumental crafted by The Alchemist is, ironically; considering the song’s name, the most chill on the album. A faster version of it was momentarily present on “The Heart Part 4”. The bassline and background vocals brilliantly compliment the emotions in Kendrick’s storytelling, making for one of the best tracks on the album.

“GOD.”, which is in my opinion the strangest and most unexpected song on the album, comes next. It features a pretty simple beat by Ricc Riera, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Cardo, Bēkon, and Top Dawg. On surface level, the song is basically a reminiscent, confident Kendrick going through his accomplishments. It has a spiritual tone of self-love and being above worldly things. But it’s eerie undertone mixed with the repeated line, “This what God feel like!” gives off a story of Lucifer vibe, which would connect to the theme of sin and pride found throughout the album. Regardless, “GOD.” is a very interesting song and one that has grown on me especially.

Concluding the album at track 14 is “DUCKWORTH.”, which is the last name of Kendrick Lamar. Originally titled, “Life is Like a Box of Chicken”, it plays as a sort of climax to the album. It’s top notch storytelling over soulful, ever-switching production of 9th Wonder. It begins with Bēkon just like “BLOOD.” did, which could play into the famous (or infamous) “reverse theory”. This theory suggesting the album has a different story (or “feel” as Kendrick said) when the tracklist is reversed lead to the recent release of *DAMN. COLLECTOR’S EDITION.”, which features, well, a reversed tracklist. The sample, Ted Taylor’s “Be Ever Wonderful”, takes us into the first verse. To summarize the story, Anthony, AKA Top Dawg, planned to rob a KFC. “Ducky”, who is Kendrick’s father, worked at this KFC and decided to give Anthony free chicken and extra biscuits. This decision caused Anthony to let him slide, which leads Kendrick hypothesize what could have been. This generosity caused a butterfly effect where Kendrick, Anthony, and Ducky “meet inside recording studios where they reaping their benefits”. It is a powerful, true story which beautifully encapsulates the message of the album. Kendrick’s hypothetical storyline where Ducky is too weak to be generous and Anthony kills Ducky out of wickedness leads to all of their demises. A gunshot is played which is followed by the sound of the album being reversed to the first track. It gives the album a cyclical nature, similar to that of “good kid, m.A.A.d city”.

To conclude, DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar is an extremely dense work of art, which justifies it being possibly my most listened to album ever (wow that sounds weird). Many people seem to consider it to be a poppy downgrade from To Pimp A Butterfly but I couldn't disagree more. While I might prefer TPAB musically, I would argue that there is just as much, if not more artistic depth to DAMN.. It is a ghostly, brooding, intense, honest, and artful installation to what is, in my opinion, one of the best discography runs in hip-hop. This is definitely one of the best albums of the year, and possibly the decade.

Favorite Lyrics by /u/King_CornShucker

I was born like this, since One like this immaculate conception

I transform like this, perform like this, was Yeshua’s new weapon

I don’t contemplate, I meditate, then off your fucking head

This that put-the-kids-to-bed, this that I got, I got, I got, I got-

“DNA.”

Now, in a perfect world, I probably won’t be insensitive

Cold as December but never remember what winter did

I wouldn’t blame you for mistakes I made or the bed I laid

Seems like I point a finger just to make a point nowadays

“PRIDE.”

Fear, whatever happens on Earth stays on Earth

And I can’t take these feeling with me so hopefully they disperse

Within fourteen tracks, carried out over wax

Searching for resolutions until somebody get back

“FEAR.”

Life is one funny mothafucka, a true comedian

You gotta love him, you gotta trust him

I might be buggin’, infomercials and no sleep

Introverted by my thoughts, children, listen, it gets deep

“DUCKWORTH.”

Talking Points

What hidden themes/meanings did you catch in DAMN. that could’ve been intentional?

What do you think the encounter with the blind woman in “BLOOD.” represents?

What do you think about the “reverse theory” that Kendrick co-signed?

Do you think Kendrick sacrificed quality to make the album approachable to the mainstream?

Did DAMN. live up to the standards set by To Pimp A Butterfly?

Favourite and least favourite songs, lyrics, and beats on the album?

What direction do you think/hope Kendrick will take with his next album?

Artist: Kendrick LamarAlbum: DAMN.Listen:SpotifyApple MusicTidalGoogle Play MusicBackground by /u/King_CornShuckerAs the dust settled following one of the most important hip-hop releases in recent years (2015’s To Pimp A Butterfly), all eyes were on Kendrick Lamar. This jazz and funk infused masterwork was both socio politically fierce and introspectively vulnerable, typifying Kendrick’s (familiarly) conflicting nature. The album’s strength spilled into the subsequent year’s untitled, unmastered., an EP of compiled demos originating during the recording sessions of TPAB. Together, these works established what Lamar had been working on perfecting since 2011’s Section.80. and 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d city: his ability to craft a lyrically impressive body of work dense with storytelling and concepts begging for repeat-listens.But as Kendrick said in his late-2016 interview with Rick Rubin, “It will always have some type of DNA in my music. But me as a person and just knowing who I am, I grow, I’m like a chameleon.” And nobody knew what to expect, especially after producer Syk Sense called the beats in consideration “some of the hardest shit I’ve heard.” He also described the sounds saying, “It’s not like the jazzy tape you would think, it’s like...fucking Memphis. It’s LA, it’s Memphis.” In an interview with The New York Times, Kendrick prefaced the topics he was exploring by saying, “We’re in a time where we exclude one major component out of this whole thing called life: God.”But all the guessing was suddenly interrupted by the March release of “The Heart Part 4”, an exciting single concluding with the line, “Y’all got ‘til April the 7th to get y’all shit together”. The day came and Kendrick Lamar’s fourth studio album was available for preorder. It was soon announced to be DAMN., a fourteen-track album featuring Rihanna, Zacari, and U2, as well as a talented line-up of producers such as Mike WiLL Made-It, The Alchemist, and 9th Wonder.Review by /u/King_CornShuckerThe album begins(?) with “BLOOD.”, an eerie introduction where Kendrick tells a story over a mellow instrumental produced by Bēkon and Top Dawg. Bēkon’s bone-chilling vocals kick off the song, offering what seemingly comes to be the album’s thesis,Is it wickedness? Is it weakness? You decide. Are we gonna live or die?These lines carry a listener-hooking sense of mystery that leads into the story. To summarize, Kendrick is taking a walk when he encounters a frustrated blind woman who appears to be looking for something. Soon, he decides to help but is then killed by the woman as a result. This macabre climax is abruptly concluded by a gunshot. While “BLOOD.” is basically a bare-bones introductory skit, I believe it shows Kendrick’s ability to craft artistic brilliance beyond just rapping. A clip of FOX News reporters criticizing the lyrical content of Kendrick’s “Alright” epically transitions into “DNA.”, which is literally the hardest song I’ve ever heard. Kendrick begins by proudly listing both the good and bad in his history and heritage that makes him who he is. The entire first verse is an aggressive yet honest analysis of his personality and beliefs (“And I’m gon’ shine like I’m supposed to, antisocial extrovert”), as well as his current accomplishments (“At 29, I’ve done so well, hit cartwheel in my estate”). An intense, bass-heavy beat crafted by Mike WiLL Made-It carries on for the first verse until it halts into the bridge, featuring a clip of Geraldo Rivera condemning hip-hop’s effects on African-Americans. In response to the FOX News comments sampled here and previously on “BLOOD.” regarding “Alright”, Kendrick said this:How can you take a song that’s about hope and turn it into hatred? The overall message is ‘we’re gonna be alright.’ It’s not the message of ‘I wanna kill people.’This sample paired with Kendrick’s repeating of the words, “I got loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA”, bring on an incredibly aggressive and in-your-face beat switch. Kendrick’s second verse is urgent and even angrier than his first. The passionate delivery of these apocalyptic lyrics (“Tell me when destruction gonna be my fate”, “Look up in the sky, 10 is on the way, sentence on the way, killings on the way”) gives the song the feeling of a grand finale, even though it’s basically the first song. The last line of the song is “Sex, money, murder-our DNA”, saying that these sins are in our blood. It is a very intentional moment, as it helps introduce the album's biblical theme of sin, and the punishments we face because of it. Mike WiLL Made-It reportedly created the second part of the instrumental after Kendrick rapped the second verse a capella. He stated:Just imagine him a cappella rapping the second half of “DNA.” and I had to build a beat around that. I didn’t want the beat to just sound like a regular boom-clap, boom-clap. I wanted that shit to sound just as crazy. I wanted it to sound like he’s battling the beat.Which he clearly accomplished. Not only one of the album’s highlights, “DNA.” is in my opinion one of the best songs of Kendrick’s discography.The next song is “YAH.”, and the first thing we hear is the album’s debut appearance of legendary DJ and rapper Kid Capri. His inclusion gives off a classic mixtape vibe, calling to mind older eras of hip-hop.New shit, new Kung Fu KennyIntroduced earlier on Mike WiLL’s track, “Perfect Pint”, Kung Fu Kenny is a new nickname mentioned numerous times on DAMN. whose motif is seen in videos for the album as well as other promotion and concerts. It is inspired by Don Cheadle’s character from the 2001 film, Rush Hour 2. The most noticeable thing on “YAH.” is the sudden and drastic tone change. In contrast to the previous track’s intensity and unwavering confidence, Kendrick sounds forlorn and paranoid. Kendrick is rapping slowly and melodically over strange and smooth production by Sounwave, DJ Dahi, and Top Dawg.Buzzin’, radars is buzzin’, yah yah, yah yah, yah yah, yah yah, yah yahThis hypnotizing chorus is a bit unclear in meaning, but it seems to be about his awareness. His “radars” are detecting who is untrustworthy, which connects to the paranoid lyrics (“I got so many theories and suspicions”, “My girl told me don’t let these hoes get in my head”). “Yah” may be in reference to Yahweh, the Hebrew name of God used in the bible. In verse two he raps about struggling with temptation even though he believes God is real and curses those who are unfaithful. The repetition in the chorus could be a calling out to God for help or forgiveness.

#IFTTT #reddit

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2700fstreet · 9 years ago

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THEATER / 2017-2018

ON YOUR FEET!

The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical

Featuring music and lyrics by Emilio and Gloria Estefan Directed by Jerry Mitchell Book by Alexander Dinelaris Choreographed by Sergio Trujillo

So, What’s Going On?

The scene: Washington, D.C., 1990

The curtain rises as… Latin pop superstar Gloria Estefan preps for a huge concert while her husband, Emilio, and their son watch from the wings. Emilio tells Gloria her tour bus will have to make an unexpected stop and she’ll have to give up her day off. Annoyed, Gloria heads to the stage to sing one of her hit songs.

Cue flashback.

In 1966, young Gloria María Fajardo lives with her mother (also named Gloria), her grandmother, Consuelo, and her sister, Rebecca, in Miami. Their family has emigrated from Cuba to the U.S. following a violent political revolution. And while little Gloria’s father fights overseas in Vietnam, the women in the family keep things humming at home…literally: little Gloria has a talent for singing and songwriting, and she often performs Cuban songs for her neighbors and friends.

Young Gloria sings and dances while helping her family with the laundry.

As Gloria grows up, word begins to spread about her voice, and, in 1974, a young local musician named Emilio Estefan comes knocking at her door to ask about the songs she’s written. He convinces her to come play a tune for his band, named the Miami Latin Boys, and soon she joins the group as its lead singer.

Time passes and the Miami Latin Boys have transformed into the Miami Sound Machine. The band is booking tons of gigs, which frustrates Gloria’s mother, who feels Gloria should be living a normal life at home and helping her ailing father. Seems like a classic case of “protective mom,” but there’s a bit more to it: Gloria’s mother had her own shot at the spotlight once, but she let her dream go. Consuelo warns Gloria her newfound career may be stirring up old issues.

In a flashback to Havana in the 1950s, we see Gloria’s mother in action on stage.

Take a listen… The real-life Gloria Estefan sings “Mi Tierra” (“My Land”), the song performed by her mother’s character in On Your Feet!.

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Despite the tensions at home, Gloria continues to sing with the Miami Sound Machine, and the band starts attracting listeners across the U.S. and South America. In fact, things are going so well that Emilio and Gloria speak to their record producer about “crossing over” into the English-speaking pop world. But the producer hates the idea. He suggests their sound and their Latin names just aren’t “American” enough. Emilio reminds the producer that immigrants count as Americans too, and decides to take matters into his own hands. He and Gloria get creative and market the band’s latest English single, “Dr. Beat,” to clubs and disc jockeys. The song takes off…and a romance between them starts to bloom.

Gloria and Emilio start to fall in love.

With each other for inspiration and support, Gloria and Emilio produce a newer, even bigger English single that captures hearts across the country: “Conga.” Thanks to the song, Emilio is able to get the attention of his studio executive, but the boss doesn’t want to give the band the contract it deserves. A few hits later, however, and Gloria’s talent and popularity can no longer be ignored. Finally, Emilio helps Gloria and the band secure a multi-million-dollar deal.

“Conga” becomes a hit on dance floors across America…and around the world.

Take a listen… Gloria Estefan revisits her hit song “Conga” in a live concert.

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But all of this success—and the touring that goes with it—doesn’t make Gloria’s mother very happy. Even worse for Mrs. Fajardo: Gloria wants to take her sister, Rebecca, on the road. Worried her family is falling apart, Gloria’s mother threatens never to speak to Gloria again. And she doesn’t. Not for two years and an entire world tour. Which brings us back to where we started…

Washington, D.C., 1990

Gloria finishes her show and decides to call her mom to try and patch things up. When there’s no answer, she boards her tour bus with Emilio and their son, Nayib.

Then, disaster strikes.

A massive collision destroys the bus, injures Emilio and Nayib, and leaves Gloria in danger of permanent paralysis. Will she be able to walk again? Will she be able to sing again? And, perhaps most importantly, will she be able to repair her relationship with her mother before it’s too late?

Who’s Who

Gloria Estefan (born Gloria María Fajardo), a Cuban-American singer and songwriter Emilio Estefan, a Cuban-American musician and producer, Gloria’s husband Gloria Fajardo, a teacher and former singer, Gloria Estefan’s mother José Fajardo, a policeman and soldier, Gloria Estefan’s father Consuelo, Gloria Estefan’s abuela (grandmother) Rebecca “Becky” Fajardo, Gloria Estefan’s sister Phil, a New York record producer Little Gloria, a young Gloria Estefan Nayib, Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s son

Cuban Water, American Roots

“I came to Miami when I was two years old…my Mom kinda replanted us. But she watered me with Cuban water…everything that [my family] did was to keep alive the culture that they thought that we would go back to.” – Gloria Estefan

On Your Feet! is a tale of two very passionate and talented immigrants who came to the United States during a time of political turmoil in their homeland of Cuba. Starting in 1952, Cuba began its extended period of uncertainty, beginning with a military coup spearheaded by a corrupt and oppressive Fulgencio Batista (whose name you’ll hear mentioned in the show), followed by another coup conducted by the polarizing leader Fidel Castro.

After Castro established a new government in 1959, many Cubans—including the Fajardos and the Estefans—chose or were forced to move to the U.S. But Cuban families were often separated, and many had to leave promising careers behind. Still, the Cuban culture continued to thrive on American shores, particularly through its music. Today, cities across the U.S. are buzzing with the sound of Cuban dance rhythms, and artists like the Miami Sound Machine keep mixing Latino beats with traditional jazz and pop, creating a unique sound that’s both Cuban and American.

For more on the history of Cuba/US relations and info on Cuba’s revolution, go to:

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Check This Out…

On Your Feet! features many recognizable songs that have been played on the radio (and at parties, weddings, dance clubs, etc.) for decades. Listen up for these tunes while you watch the show—and don’t be afraid to sing or dance along if the actors encourage you to.

Choreographer Sergio Trujillo wanted the moves in On Your Feet! to feel as authentically Cuban as possible. He even went to Havana to study native Afro- Cuban dances. Keep an eye out for these intricate steps during the show, especially ones that involve two people partnering up and moving together, which is an essential component in Latin dance. Pick up a few steps… Sergio Trujillo talks about his career and his process for getting On Your Feet!... well...on its feet.

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This story includes many flashbacks to different time periods and different countries. Watch out for the ways in which the lighting, costumes, and set designs give you clues about where and when the characters are (hint: pay special attention to the different colors used in each scene).

Lots of the music in On Your Feet! will be sung in Spanish. For those audience members who don’t speak the language, pay close attention to the singers’ voices and facial expressions. You’ll most likely pick up the meaning of each song based on the energy and emotion the performers convey.

Think About This…

On Your Feet! is a combination of big, bold musical numbers and smaller, more intimate scenes between two or three people. Which moments do you prefer? Which scenes are more successful at moving the story along? Which are best at making you feel for the characters?

Most stories have an antagonist, but in On Your Feet!, the villain isn’t always easily identified. Who or what do you think operates as the “bad guy” in the show? What forces are most responsible for the troubles the characters endure?

The Estefans and the Fajardos are affected by stereotyping throughout the show. In what ways do you observe the non-Latino characters making incorrect or misinformed assumptions about Latino immigrants?

On Your Feet! is an immigrant story, but it’s also a human story. Can you think of similar tales in film, TV, or theater where the main characters fight for their dreams in the face of adversity? In what ways are these stories similar to the biography of the Estefans?

Go Behind-the-Scenes

To learn more about the making of On Your Feet!, check out this video series:

Episode 1: “Here We Are”

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Episode 2: “Writing the Show��

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Episode 3: “Casting the Story”

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Episode 4: “Directing the Musical”

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“Stand Up and Take Some Action”

One of the major themes of On Your Feet!—and the message of its title song—is to challenge yourself to take action in your daily life and claim control of your future. Both Gloria and Emilio come up against impossible odds, but they insist on forging their own personal and professional triumphs through hard work and determination.

Why not use their efforts to motivate yourself to reach for your own life goals? Choose a friend or family member and decide on a cause or achievement you can work toward together (this can be a joint plan or two individual projects; one for each of you). Next, make a pact that you’ll hit a specific milestone on the road to your end goal by a specific date.

For example: Want to apply for a dream summer job? Make a promise to your chosen buddy that you’ll have your forms filled out and ready by next month. Ask them to make a similar promise to you and make sure you both hold each other accountable for having completed your tasks.

Need another example? Say you’re hoping to give back to your community on a regular basis. Consider creating a shelter, soup kitchen, or local government volunteering schedule for you and your friend. Once that’s done, be certain to check in on each other’s progress every week.

If you feel comfortable with social media, keep track of all your accomplishments on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or any platform you prefer and use the hashtag #standupandtakesomeaction. Remember to ask your friend’s permission before posting about them.

Explore More

Go even deeper with the On Your Feet! Extras.

An important final note:

This past December, Gloria Estefan and four other artists received the prestigious 2017 Kennedy Center Honors. When told she was being awarded this honor, Ms. Estefan made the following comment:

“Little did I imagine when my parents brought me as a toddler to the United States from Cuba, in order to be able to raise me in freedom, that I would be receiving one of this nation’s greatest honors. I feel privileged to be included in the galaxy of stars that have received the Kennedy Center Honors and I am grateful to be considered among the many talents in this great country that have been bestowed this exceptional accolade.”

The ceremony was broadcast on December 26, 2017. You can see footage from the annual event at www.kennedy-center.org.

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All photos by Matthew Murphy.

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Theater at the Kennedy Center is made possible by

Major support for Musical Theater at the Kennedy Center is provided by

#Theater #onyourfeetat2700F

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lesbijkas · 8 years ago

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who is your fav hp character?

Anonymous said:and going off of my last ask, who is your LEAST fav hp character or most hated or w/.e

All right, picking an absolute favorite is hard but my top two are definitely Remus and Scorpius.

I fell in love with Remus’ character early on, as Prisoner of Azkaban is probably my favorite HP book (that or OoTP); when he died in the last book I had to put it down and cry for a bit. It always irked me that his death was so “glossed over” and it’s really only mentioned in a few sentences, but it also makes an impact because it’s plainly said. I could talk forever about that. (and how I HATE the justification for his death, because bITCH- the main character was an orphan, the main villain was an orphan, there were plenty of fucking orphans to spare!! why tf did you also make Teddy an orphan Jo!!! Why!!!!!!!!!)

Scorpius, on the other hand, I never expected to become so attached to but honestly, the kid is great, and I really wish his mother didn’t die b/c what the fuck. He didn’t deserve that at all. The fact he had to put up with all of those rumors about how he was Voldemort’s kid (even though he looks really similar to Draco) and was still a kind, caring person really struck a cord with me. His and Albus’ friendship is so so so good?? TCC’s plot was abnormal and all that jazz, but their friendship, their conversations and interactions and how it grew throughout the whole thing was so heartwarming. Wow. He’s such a good character?? I could write an essay about this boy.

My least favorite is harder to distinguish because there are plenty of characters that are easily dislike-able. The Dursleys, a lot of the Death Eaters, etc. Umbridge and Snape are easily probably my top two most hated though///

Umbridge is just. Eugh. Many people always say she is worse than Voldemort, but I think she is on a different level of evilness than him (b/c, lets be honest, you can’t compare a racist, blood supremacist, megalomaniac to her). She is an abuser of power that is easily recognizable, as many of us have known someone who was in a position like that. Umbridge is the extreme of that downright abuse of power. That alongside the fact we outright see her torturing children, among other things, makes me loath her existence.

Snape is a rather different character study. What he does is, inevitably, important to the plot of the books, and what he did does make him a war hero and shit but, yikes. Yikes. He is such a horrid person. He held a grudge for years because the girl he liked wouldn’t return his (obsessive) feelings, passed on that grudge to her son because he looks like his father, bullied children for years alongside that fact while essentially terrorizing a select few others (such as Neville, the poor boy), outed Remus as a werewolf at the end of Harry’s third year because Sirius escaped and he wouldn’t get the credit for capturing him (or for bringing Sirius or Remus in to be kissed by dementors), purposely antagonized multiple people, and essentially has no redeemable qualities. I could go on, but those are the main ones popping into my head atm. I mean, Jesus Christ, the dude is an emo scumbag who needed to use more shampoo. Yet people still think he’s great. You want to know who’s fucking great???? Neville Longbottom, who is a fantastic teacher to every fucking kid, even Scorpius, despite the fact Neville was bullied by many of the kid’s parents when he was in school!! He taught them and was nice because that is what you are supposed to do as an adult!! Not!! Bully!! Children!!! Fuck!!!!!!!!

#anyways. that's a wrap folks #I also really do believe that Snape's love was more obsessive than anything else.#his patronus copied Lily's while James' complimented it so..........#beat that u emo trashbag #thanks for reading. and thanks for the asks #text #Anonymous

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thesoundbulletin · 8 years ago

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Top 10 Albums of 2016

10. Weezer (White Album) – Weezer

After countless attempts to appease their hardcore fans dating back to their Blue Album and Pinkerton era, with the White Album, Weezer made a long-awaited return to their alternative rock roots. Each track channels a pop-friendly nerd rock despite the apparent anxiety embodied by every other line Rivers Cuomo utters. Sticking to their guns, Weezer also employs satisfyingly sharp solos with flair, as exemplified on “California Kids,” “L.A. Girlz,” and “Do You Want To Get High?”

The album’s highlight, however, lies in “Thank God For Girls.” On it, the band pours their heart out with every falsetto, each exclamation of “thank God,” and the tumultuous instrumental as drums pound away beneath the urgent guitars and bass. The album’s near-perfectly consistent quality on the majority of these tracks ensure each song’s memorability, unlike the band’s previous efforts in the past decade that all left much to be desired. With the White Album, Weezer fans can finally rejoice to the band’s first faithful comeback to their beloved original sound in years, a change that will hopefully be retained through the band’s future projects.

Listen to: “Thank God For Girls”

9. 22, A Million – Bon Iver

With this latest project, frontman Justin Vernon made an ambitious leap from his previous acoustic-oriented sound to incorporate elements of electronic music, from sampling to digitized drums. These shifts in musical style were not only brilliantly executed but also crafted in a way such that the fragility and tenderness of each melody Vernon sings are preserved. On tracks such as “29 #Strafford APTS,” Vernon’s vocals are blended against the strumming of his guitar, gradually escalating in distortion yet maintaining a distinct feeling of humanity.

In addition, Bon Iver traverses conceptual territories left unexplored on the band’s previous albums. With themes of existentialism and religion combined with the album’s concept of cryptic numbering present in both the lyrics and track titles, this is some of the band’s finest work to date.

Listen to: “29 #Strafford APTS”

8. Puberty 2 – Mitski

This indie rock gem might not seem that appealing on first listen, but will certainly grow on the patient listener. Mistki interlaces her songs with delicate intimacy, opening up her heart and revealing her most personal confessions of her insecurities to all her listeners. Angst-ridden and anxious, Mitski’s voice ranges from weary whispering, wavering with uncertainty when on “Once More to See You” meanwhile it quivers with heartfelt explosions of emotion deserving of its title on “My Body’s Made of Crushed Little Stars.”

Yet despite Mitski’s intrinsic worries, she is faithful that she will move past this transitional period as if she is undergoing a second pubescent phase, hence the album’s title, as a millennial in her mid-twenties: “One morning this sadness will fossilize/And I will forget how to cry.” Each track echoes with a similar depth and shows a clear progression in maturity, as epitomized by the album’s finale where she states with conviction her decision to start anew. Consistent and confessional, Puberty 2’s poignancy makes it a guaranteed highlight in Mitski’s career, one that has yet to come into full bloom.

Listen to: “Your Best American Girl”

7. Atrocity Exhibition – Danny Brown

Few hip-hop albums achieve a level of thematic darkness comparable to Danny Brown’s latest work. From his first bar to his last, Brown channels a persona of an isolated, psychotic junkie in a nasally, high-pitched timbre that sets a distinctive rapping voice recognizable anywhere. Not a single track lapses in high energy and rapid flow of innovative rhymes. Furthermore, the production in each song is executed in brilliantly bass-heavy beats that thump with an undying momentum. From homages to Nine Inch Nails to samples of Joy Division, Brown’s numerous references to some of the darkest bands present in rock goes to show the sophistication of the album’s narrative.

As his voice croaks out the urgent rhymes on the album’s opener, “Downward Spiral,” Brown states, “the worst nightmare for me is a normal dream.” Given the album’s disturbing extremity and its innovative approach to hip-hop, such comes as no surprise.

Listen to: “Really Doe”

6. Bottomless Pit – Death Grips

Relentless, unforgiving, and ear-splitting, Death Grips comes back as aggressive as ever with Bottomless Pit. MC Ride’s visceral vocal performance manically corrodes through intricately layered electronic beats produced at unbelievably fast tempos with the help of drummer Zach Hill and keyboardist Andy Morin. This perfectly calculated migrainous assault of noise is at times discomforting but remains strangely enjoyable amidst the tumultuous walls of noise firing back and forth from ear to ear. Listeners are not even granted a slight moment of tranquility, even if MC Ride tempers his usual explosive vocals on tracks such as “Eh,” the instrumental remains as neurotically fast as ever.

Furthering their former explorations of a more punk-infused style as heard on Jenny Death, “Spikes,” “Bubbles Buried In This Jungle,” and “Bottomless Pit” erupt in abrasive cascades of sound, shaping an impenetrable menace that melds the extremes of hip-hop and electronic into one cohesive album, not to mention the chaotic “Hot Head” and “Three Bedrooms In A Good Neighborhood.” Bottomless Pit is not another album you can just listen to casually; like many other albums on this list, it is something to be experienced.

Listen to: “Spikes”

5. WORRY. – Jeff Rosenstock

“Love is worry,” Rosenstock sings on the final moments of WORRY, an all-inclusive personal account of every social trouble and feelings of dejection or hurt he has ever experienced. Sporting a borderline pop-punk sound, Rosenstock’s anecdotal narratives are sung over unexpectedly melodic instrumentals that are simultaneously catchy and gritty. When the album reaches its energetic climaxes, Rosenstock’s voice rasps in rough yells, shouting catchy melodies at the top of his lungs reminiscent of memorable catchy pop hooks, yet sporting messages that such pop artists would never dare to address; on “Festival Song,” a clear satire of the music industry’s tendency to create songs that audiences can sing along to, he chants, “they wouldn’t be a friend if you weren’t worth something.”

Addressing social issues of all forms, Rosenstock comments on his dealings with drinking on the song “Wave Goodnight To Me” and “I Did Something Weird Last Night,” while describing his feelings of longing on “Pash Rash” and “Staring Out The Window At Your Old Apartment,” and rather unexpectedly, society’s numbness to mainstream media and obsession with social media on “To Be a Ghost.” Although on the surface these topics may seem cliché, Rosenstock’s boisterous delivery makes this album an invigorating listen.

Listen to: “Festival Song”

4. Psychopomp – Japanese Breakfast

After hearing the news of her mother’s failing health, Michelle Zauner, frontwoman of the Philadelphia-based emo band Little Big League, split her efforts into a solo project after moving to provide care in the months leading to her mother’s death. After writing a song every day during a single month, Zauner curated and polished her vast amount of material into a concise collection of nine tracks that barely span over twenty-five minutes. The result is Psychopomp, an album of raw emotion with no fluff or filler. Zauner’s dreamy vocals adorn ethereal instrumentals similar to the soundscapes of shoegaze, singing lyrics that glow with heartache, “Oh do you believe in heaven?/Like you believed in me.” Yet her most emotive lines are not necessarily always the most abstract, she continues to pack pure passion in precise and direct lines worthy of just as much awe on “Heft,” where she sings, “I spent the summer trying to be sweeter/I spent the summer staying in.

However, the emotional baggage Zauner carries does not wear her down in any way. On the songs “The Woman That Loves You” and “Everybody Wants to Love You,” the album breathes to life with vitality in euphoric bursts. Overall, the album’s sound is comparable to that of dream pop, as if it took the voice of Grimes and wrapped it in an atmosphere of airy reverberating guitars, yet no other album has ever managed to sound quite like it.

Listen to: “Heft”

3. Blackstar – David Bowie

In art rock icon, David Bowie’s final album, released just days before his death, the premonitory Blackstar acts as a self-written elegy and a final goodbye through song. “Look up here I’m in heaven/I’ve got scars that can’t be seen,” Bowie’s shuddering voice breathes out on “Lazarus,” a track that now perceived through a retrospective lens carries a hauntingly accurate truth. Bowie reflects on his career on the highly metaphoric title track, “Blackstar,” guiding us through every stage of his life until he withers away as a solitary candle, a gradually fading light. Each track delves further into such themes as Bowie grapples with death as he approaches and accepts its inevitability.

Unlike most albums that deal with death, Bowie’s startling proximity to it separates it from any other work that has ever attempted to achieve such an ambitious feat. Not only is this work different from those of other artists, but also from Bowie’s own previous projects. In the songs that use it most prominently, the incorporation of horns and bass creates jazz-like grooves that complement the chaotic state of mind presented on the lyrics. Otherwise, their rather sparse and distant instrumentation leaves the spotlight on Bowie’s vocals and rightly so. Ominous, prophetic, and terrifyingly profound, Blackstar is an album that leaves a lasting impression, a strong end to Bowie’s legendary discography.

Listen to: “Lazarus”

2. A Moon Shaped Pool – Radiohead

After literally disappearing completely from the face of the Internet in the middle of 2016, Radiohead fans went amok in speculation on the band’s long-awaited follow-up to 2011’s The King of Limbs. Making their return with lead single “Burn The Witch,” the band’s most politically charged song since 2003’s Hail To The Thief, fans were greeted with a much-welcomed change in style. Likely in part due to guitarist Jonny Greenwood’s solo work on motion picture soundtracks such as on There Will Be Blood and Inherent Vice, A Moon Shaped Pool’s orchestration is unlike any other Radiohead album, literally. In addition to the usual mix of guitars, bass, and synths, strings embellish a large handful of the album’s songs, from the pizzicato that open the album on “Burn The Witch,” to the shimmering notes hanging in the background on “Glass Eyes,” to the pronounced refrains on “The Numbers,” the band’s new asset is always exercised to its full potential.

In light of lead singer Thom Yorke’s recent divorce with his now late ex-wife, A Moon Shaped Pool contains songs of heartbreak such as the subtly atmospheric “Daydreaming” and “True Love Waits,” a song that dates back to the band’s days in the 90’s, yet never having been recorded and released properly on a record until now. More spectral and minimalistic than any other of the band’s former performances of it, “True Love Waits” not only ends the album fittingly from a thematic standpoint but also with its eerie sonic mellowness. In short, A Moon Shaped Pool is nothing short of a hallmark in songwriting in Radiohead’s discography, and that’s saying something.

Listen to: “Daydreaming”

1. Teens of Denial – Car Seat Headrest

If teen angst were a film, Teens of Denial would be its soundtrack playing during the credits. Everything from its lyrics, which are nothing short of genius, to its indie rock sound, and to the lo-fi production are perfect complements to the anxiety present in each and every thought of the mastermind behind it all, songwriter, singer, and guitarist, Will Toledo. Growing out of the stages of late adolescence so thoroughly developed on Toledo’s earlier works, namely How To Leave Town and Teens of Style, on Teens of Denial Toledo enters a stage of early adulthood, complete with stories of drinking, drugs, and depression.

Thrown into a host of awkward situations of being pressured into drug use, Toledo announces, “Last Friday I took acid and mushrooms/I did not transcend, I felt like a walking piece of shit” on “Drugs With Friends” yet confirms that his life “doesn’t have to be like this” on the lead single, “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales.” Regardless, we see that some transformation has taken place from his portrayed personas on his former albums, a change that even Toledo cannot deny as his voice cracks while screaming on “Destroyed By Hippie Powers,” “What happened to that chubby little kid who smiled so much and loved the Beach Boys?”

Despite crossing the threshold into this world of negative influences and social pressures, from the opener, “Fill In the Blank,” we are informed that Toledo remains the same old nervous wreck we’ve always known him to be, confidently declaring, “I have a right to be depressed/I’ve given every inch I had to fight it.” Epitomized by the album’s lengthiest yet also the punchiest tracks, Toledo’s depression devastates him completely. The fluid stream of consciousness on “Vincent” discloses thought after thought like snapshots of his depression. Similarly, “Cosmic Hero” is filled with witty lines that provoke introspective thought: “And if you really want to know how kind you are/Just ask yourself why you’re lying in bed alone.” Comparable to Car Seat Headrest’s previous epics, such as “Beach Life-In-Death” and “The Ending of Dramamine, the album reaches its peak on the “Ballad of Costa Concordia,” a multi-movement emotional rollercoaster lasting eleven minutes in length. Characteristic of Toledo’s growth throughout the album, the song is climactic, at levels incomparable to any of the album’s other tracks, but is most of all cathartic.

If Teens of Denial marks Will Toledo’s departure from an era of teenage angst, it also marks the beginning of a newfound feeling of young adult ennui. Not only is it an essential listen for 2016 but also for the indie rock genre. It is an album that will be remembered as the anthems that defined a generation of anxious kids growing up against a weary world and surviving it against all odds.

Listen to: “Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales”

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