#Marina Diamonis

[therecordscratch]

Album Review!

Marina (and the Diamonds) - Electra Heart

Released April 27, 2012

A bit of a throwback, MARINA’s sophomore album was a staple in my freshman year playlist and I thought what better to complement MARINA’s most recent album than do my favorite of her releases (Based on my CD copy trackless and Spotify)- Let’s go:

Track 1 : Bubblegum Bitch - Right off the bat we have a high energy jam. You can’t no feel badass blasting this song. Marina’s iconic singing style comes in with the power and drive that carries the whole album. I love the echoing vocals and the seductive sounding instrumentals, it wraps the song together perfectly! Welcome to the life of Electra Heart. This song also does a nice job of setting the stage for the songs that come up later in the album, a great first track!

Track 2 : Primadonna - The album’s lead single, this song follows in Bubblegum BItch’s shoes. I love the keys and mixing on this song, it pairs so well with Marina’s vocal style! Electra Heart’s ego complex is strong in this one, addicted to drama: Living life like I'm in a play / In the limelight I want to stay / I know I've got a big ego / I really don't know why it's such a big deal though The acoustic guitar in the bridge with the build up is my favorite part, for sure. 

Track 3 : Lies - A bit of a slower song, you can feel the weight in Marina’s voice. Calling out the narrator’s significant other on their cowardice is conveyed clearly in the lyrics: You only ever touch me in the dark / Only if we're drinking can you see my spark I love the feeling this song radiates, you close your eyes and sway, letting the anger build in your chest - it’s so interesting and I love what she was able to do with it!

Track 4 : Homewrecker - Gotta love the spoken intro on the track! The third sister to Primadonna and Bubblegum Bitch, it’s a callout to this who play the victim and Marina said herself she wanted to “turn the tables.” I absolutely love her vocals in the track especially, it even sounds seductive and powerful - a strong song with a beautiful acapella at the end? So damn good.

Track 5 : Starring Role -  One of my favorite tracks, Marina put it best herself: “You don’t want to live in reality. That’s why you’re an artist. You’re on the run.” The way Marina uses her voice to convey such intricate feelings in the listener, it’s such a cool thing to experience as you listen to her music. The percussion in this track is steady and strong. The bridge on this song is interesting- creating a different sound and a different power behind her voice.

Track 6 : The State Of Dreaming - I learned this song is actually inspired by Marilyn Monroe which explains the detailed references. It’s such a unique tracks and I think it’s criminally unrelated. I Loe what Marina did with this one and it’s lyrics: All I really want is to be wonderful / People in this town they, they can be so cruel one of Monroe’s famous quotes that display the parallel between the album’s “character” Electra Heart and Marilyn Monroe herself. Overall, a track that deserves a listen two fold.

Track 7 : Power & Control - Ugh I absolutely love her vocals on this track especially. The intro is light and mischievous and it comes in strong with the harmonies in the back - You cannot be bored listening to Marina sing her heart out. One sided relationships are tackled in the cracks of this song. I love the mixing on this tracks s well, the beat gets me every time! Steady and strong. 

Track 8 : Sex Yeah - A “call for action” for our society’s virgin-mother-whore complex - pick one and deal with it. I love how point blank and “fuck you” this song is! The chorus: If history could set you free (from who you were supposed to be) / If sex in our society (didn't tell a girl who she would be) / 'Cause all my life I've tried to fight what history has given me wraps up this songs intent perfectly - an anthem for women and girls everywhere. 

Track 9 : Teen Idle - Another one of my favorites, the pun in the title is a perfect start for this track. I love the repetitive reference to herself as “I”  in the verse, it captures the narcissistic ideology with the crippling insecurity lurking below. The gentle keys in this song with, of course, Marina’s powerful vocals create a dark vibe in this track. I’m sure I’m not the only woman who can relate to what she’s explaining in this track.

Track 10 : Valley of the Dolls - Talk about a dark vibe. The hollow vocals and steady clapping in the background capture an empty void feeling. One of my favorite sets of lyrics from the verse : Pick a personality for free / When you feel like nobody We’re all trying to become someone, whether that’s our most authentic selves or the complete opposite, we all have artificial parts to ourselves. One of my favorite tracks, yet again.

Track 11 : Hypocrates - A change of pace, this song is more sweet and gentle sounding. I adore the fun things she does with her voice in the chorus, trills maybe? I’m not completely sure but I dig it either way. Favorite lyrics :  Yeah you played the martyr for so long / That you can’t do anything wrong The narrator’s partner is constantly calling her out for issues when they have plenty on their own. There’s also a great guitar solo type break! I love it.

Track 12 : How to be a Heartbreaker -  A break in style, this one is similar to the trio of songs. Apparently this track is only on the American version of the album, but it’s a fun one none the less. If you need a break from the more heavy and altered songs, this song does that for you. I love the breakdown with the mixing and the bouncy beat. Sometimes playing dumb and hard-to-get I the path of least resistance: We don't want our hearts to break, in two / So it's better to be fake / Can't risk losing in love again, babe Such a fun track :). 

Track 13 : Radioactive - First of all, a really cool intro! This track showcases Marina’s vocals against a more simple, yet catchy instrumental. A fun, catchy track I could hear on a summer song playlist. The outro is one of my favorite parts : My heart is nuclear / Love is all that I fear So point blank and a different ending to this song. The bridge too, I love the classic pop instrumentals. An underrated one for sure.

Track 14 : Fear and Loathing - The emotion in this song is so strong I absolutely love it. You can feel the turning point of the narrator in this song and it’s a perfect choice as a resolution to the album (the standard version, anyway) Favorite verse: Got different people inside my head / I wonder which one that they like best / I'm done with tryna have it all / And ending up with not much at all I felt these lyrics deep in my core. This is perhaps the strongest track on the whole album, so beautiful. 

Album Overview - This album is full of powerful messages, internal struggles and resolutions that make the audience feel for the narrator entirely. From more humorous and bouncy tracks to ones that you could read about for hours, MARINA came in with this album and blew expectations out of the water. I think she did a fantastic job and I’m honored to have this album in my memories and my music collection!

Let me know what you think of this album! If you have an album you’d like me to review, shoot me an ask! Until then, I’ll talk to you guys in the next one. :)

Source: Genius

[pop-esum]

Top Ten Favourite Tracks of 2015

It’s been a while but here are my ten, in no particular order:

Marina and the Diamonds – ‘Forget’

Power-pop at its finest, this album track has a defiant Marina charging through verses that wind wondrously in melody (with a nice touch from ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ by the Byrds), before the choruses compel listeners to triumphantly fist-pump in unison. The lyrics about letting go fit the mood and rhythm just like a glove, and even throw in a reference to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Madonna – ‘Ghosttown’

This underrated gem encompasses the Rebel Heart album better than ‘Bitch I’m Madonna’ ever could. It also recalls the sentiment and spirit of Like a Prayer more effortlessly than Living For Love. A call for togetherness, belonging, action and love in a post-apocalyptic setting, it’s little wonder that this power ballad has been a live favourite. Ghosttown ranks amongst Madonna’s finest ballads and would be a worthy inclusion on a much-overdue sequel to 1995’s Something To Remember.

Rihanna – ‘Bitch Better Have My Money’

Ratchet Ri-Ri is good Ri-Ri. Admittedly, people probably weren’t sold on first listen as we were all expecting the next FortyFiveSeconds, Diamonds, Stay, We Found Love, etc. However, Rihanna’s attitude is what sells the song, whose thumping but unsteady rhythm will surely make it a concert highlight on her tour next year.

East India Youth – ‘Beaming White’

CULTURE OF VOLUME is already an astounding body of work, so two of its tracks feature on this list. The first one is an obvious single; any commercial artist releasing this would have a radio hit on their hands. Although neither William Doyle or his moniker are known beyond indie radio, Beaming White excels in its pop sensibilities with catchy melodies and simple but logical lyrics.

Blur – ‘Pyongyang’

One of the finest moments off The Magic Whip has guitarist Graham Coxon’s disturbing riff being offset by Damon Albarn’s deadpan reflections of the unforgiving North Korean capital. Just as the verses send listeners to perpetual gloom, the dreamlike, floating choruses ironically prove to be a harder emotional hit as Albarn somehow is able to find beautiful things like the ‘cherry trees’ amongst the urban decay, empty boulevards and mausoleums.

Adele – ‘Million Years Ago’

Listeners swear that they must have heard this potential single somewhere else before. Despite the theories that it may have been inspired from French chansons, familiarity works.  The gentle, almost mundane verses give way to stirring choruses that again reveal Adele to be an old soul, with her deep huskiness contrasting against her pained belts. What other 25 year old these days can already talk about life so long ago?

Janet Jackson – ‘No Sleeep’

Slow-storm, soft, seductive, sensual. These words can still be used to describe Ms Damita Jo’s comeback track as it is hasn’t gotten old. There was no need another Feedback or hell, not even the feel-good All For You or the atrocious So Excited. Janet, Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam successfully went back to basics like That’s The Way Love Goes and proved that a sustained RnB groove inflected with mystery, reflection and cool is more than good enough for the fans.

East India Youth – ‘Turn Away’

William Doyle’s ability to mix atmosphere, tunes and a kaleidoscope of refreshing electronic sounds erupts here. Doyle’s plaintive vocal allows the melody to rise and fall like a free tree branch floating in the wind, before the track is consumed by a tornado of guitars during the thunderous bridge and finale. Rapturous synth pop at its best.

FFS – ‘Call Girl’

Collaborations do work. The sparkly intro of this single is a taste of how supernaturally fantastic the union between Franz Ferdinand and Sparks is. The crunchy synth bass, psychedelic synths and groovy keyboards are all married together by Alex Kapranos and Russell Mael’s united eccentric voice, hooks for days and witty lyrics that still causes listeners to scratch heads. Is it ‘why don’t you call, girl?’ or is it ‘why don’t you, call girl’?

Drake – ‘Hotline Bling’

This was a song whose video launched a thousand memes. However, this ode to the booty call is just as hypnotic and captivating as it was on first listen even if it’s a tad misogynistic. Drake’s tribulations, frustrations, suspicions and fears are all laid bare for listeners over an insistent but relaxed hooky groove.

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