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(06/02/09 2:00am)
The title a reference to the artist's first and middle names reflects the charmingly pared-back nature of the album. Rather than relying on over-produced studio effects and synthesizer magic, Moore puts her voice and lyrics front and center. The softer, almost-country tone brings to light her personality, which, as with her latter-day equivalent Miley Cyrus, was smothered when she was a teenage pop star.
(05/26/09 2:00am)
With two well-received albums, a plum role on the "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) soundtrack and an appearance at the Grammys mere days before giving birth, M.I.A., born Maya Arulpragasam, is getting a lot of credit for her too-cool cultural cachet. This view, however, overlooks an essential aspect of her music. As a Briton of Sri Lankan descent, M.I.A. makes no bones about her political views, which is particularly relevant in light of the May 18 ceasefire of the 20-plus year civil war between Sri Lankan authorities and the Tamil Tiger rebels. M.I.A. shows it is possible to obtain mainstream success while being politically relevant. Political engagement is in M.I.A.'s blood. Her father was a founding member of a student group that hoped to establish a separatist state for the Tamil Tigers. Perhaps M.I.A.'s greatest strength is her ability to poignantly humanize individuals caught in conflict. "Every gun in a battle is a son and daughter too," she rhymes on "Pull Up the People" (2005). M.I.A. takes a more confrontational tone on "$20" (2007), demanding, "Do you know the cost of A.K.s up in Africa / 20 dollars ain't shit to you / But that's how much they are." Chanted over a repetition of "Where is my mind?," a reference to a classic Pixies track from 1988, the song mocks the disconnect between the ignorance of many in the consumer-capitalist West and the realities of the developing world. M.I.A. touches on the problems of the post-Sept. 11, 2001 world in the deceptively benign "Sunshowers" (2005). Perhaps the story of a man apprehended as a potential terrorist, the song goes: "He wasn't there they didn't know him / They showed him a picture then / Ain't that you with the Muslims?" Masked by nearly-jolly backbeats and a romantic chorus, M.I.A. seems to achieve her goal, stated in a 2007 interview for TamilNation.org, of attempting to "write songs about something important and make it sound like nothing." Unsurprisingly, an artist as political as M.I.A. attracts plenty of controversy and detractors. M.I.A. shows that it is indeed possible to find popular success with political music in an industry that celebrates vapidity.
(05/19/09 3:58am)
It would seem that he has been too busy cultivating his music career to care about the widely hailed new "Star Trek" film.
(05/12/09 2:04am)
Jewel, the renowned songstress of the late 1990s, takes on a soft and unassuming tone in her newest effort, "Lullaby" (2009). Not the unforgettable firebrand feminism of "Pieces of You" (1995), nor destined to become the background music to a razor commercial (remember "Intuition" from "0304" (2003), made famous by Schick razors), "Lullaby" is a pleasant listen, but ultimately skippable.
(05/05/09 4:46am)
In the storied annals of the FOX hit reality show "American Idol," there are the Jennifer Hudsons and the Kelly Clarksons, for whom life after Simon, Paula and Randy has led to extraordinary success and fame. However, not every former Idol has been the showstopper from "Dreamgirls" (2006) or has unbearably catchy songs with questionable titles (see Clarkson's number-one single from this year, "My Life Would Suck Without You").
(04/28/09 2:28am)
Dylan, Ben Folds singing a cappella and a Streisand retrospective -- with all three of these albums being released today, it's like Christmas, the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving all falling on your birthday.
(04/21/09 8:26am)
My ninth grade English teacher has been vindicated.
(04/14/09 5:37am)
After eight seasons of unparalleled ratings success, superlatives come easily to "American Idol:" 'most popular talent competition of all time' and 'emblem of the reality TV world' are just two examples that come to mind. Yet these noteworthy titles fail to encapsulate Lady Gaga's genre-bending guest performance of her song "Poker Face" on the April 1 episode of "Idol."
(04/07/09 4:08am)
I recently perused a list of the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, who were announced last Saturday.
(03/31/09 6:59am)
Ah, traveling abroad. At the risk of sounding like a poster child for the Office of Off-Campus Programs, I'll admit that I've already had a life-enriching experience in my first few days living and studying in Italy: watching the ridiculous but undoubtedly original Italian television show, "Amici" a cross between "American Idol," "So You Think you Can Dance?" and "America's Got Talent."
(03/10/09 5:21am)
Christmas music. It starts sometime between Labor Day and Columbus Day, when the trees have yet to shed their leaves and Dartmouth students can still comfortably wear sandals. So ubiquitous that it is obnoxious, the genre quickly becomes overplayed, overly sappy and beyond annoying.
(03/03/09 7:08am)
If my life were an inspirational movie, it might have the subtitle "Anyone can rap." Indeed, despite my benign appearance, I can rap. And if you don't believe me, come to Tri-Kap this Friday for a demonstration of my rapping prowess.
(02/24/09 9:21am)
By now you must be living under a rock to not know about "Slumdog Millionaire," this year's Oscar darling. Until Sunday night, however, it was still forgivable to be unacquainted with the film's soundtrack.
(02/17/09 5:50am)
She's sassy, smart and multi-faceted. Well-produced and infectious, her music sticks in your head for hours after listening. If you think I'm referring to Miley Cyrus, shame on you.
(02/10/09 9:50am)
Nobody likes a sore loser.
(02/03/09 4:54am)
For many people, the Super Bowl is all about the commercials. Long after the final down is played and last year's victors are forgotten, viewers continue to talk about popular ads. Remember the Budweiser frogs? Of course you do. What about who won the Super Bowl that same year? Not so much.
(01/27/09 9:54am)
Lately, I've had an unshakable urge to share Cher with anyone I can.
(01/20/09 8:41am)
Today, Jan. 20, 2009, will forever be remembered as a momentous date in history. People across the world have hoped and dreamed, and their passionate longing has come to fruition.
(01/13/09 8:45am)
Most people would never mention Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga in the same sentence, let alone suggest they are complementary.
(01/06/09 8:46am)
Two words suffice to describe Britney Spears' newest album, "Circus" (2008).