Thank You For Listening!

The year is coming to an end, and so must Audio Progression (at least for now) as we return to our prospective homes for the summer.  It’s been a great year and I’m so glad this blog happened.

For the last post of Audio Progression, we’d like to share this playlist we compiled that is the best of what we listened to throughout this year. 

Best of the Year:

1. We Are Young by Fun.

2. Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye

3. Motoring by TOY

4. White Chapel by S.C.U.M

5. Midnight City by M83

6. The Drowners by Suede

7. Blood by The Middle East

8. Bitch Look At Me Now by Childish Gambino

9. Aroused by Tom Vek

10. Queen Bitch by David Bowie

11. Still Life by The Horrors

12. Boyfriend by Justin Bieber

13. Some Nights by Fun.

14. Lucifer Sam by Pink Floyd

15. Genesis by Grimes

16. High For This by The Weeknd

17. Ni**as in Paris by Jay-Z & Kanye West

18. Mouthful of Diamonds by Phantogram

19. Pornographer by Parenthetical Girls

20. Little Talks by Of Monsters And Men

These songs aren’t what we’ve listened to most, but we’d still like to share them with you.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Respect and Obey Authority by X-treme Power

2. No Legs by Adam Green

3. Video Games by Lana Del Rey

4. Turbulence [feat. Lil Jon] by Steve Aoki & Laidback Luke

5. Levels by Avicii

6. Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen

7. Rack City by Tyga

8. Glad You Came by The Wanted

9. One Thing by One Direction

I’d also like to share the blog http://boniverotica.tumblr.com/
It is a humorous take on one of my favorite artists, all in good taste.

I’ve gotten to learn about many new artists through this blog and hopefully you guys have as well.  I hope you guys enjoyed our posts as much as we enjoyed writing it for you!  Thank you for listening with us.

-Katherine

Album Review: Rufus Wainwright, “Out of the Game”

★★★☆☆

I first fell in love with Rufus Wainwright when he covered The Beatles’ “Across the Universe”. Since that moment I, like many others for sure, have waited in anticipation to drift away again along the operatic pop that is Wainwright’s genius. Out of the Game provides listeners with that exact opportunity with one exception: the album resonates with the funk of a past generation.

Wainwright’s voice has a very silky tone to his voice and it covers every supporting beat of his songs. “Barbara” grooves along with a continuous guitar riff that will transport you to the days of Lazy Susans and lava lamps. “Welcome To The Ball” is appropriately titled: the track is lively and its trumpets create a grand ceremonious atmosphere. Those looking for a lax tune to pick their aphros to on a Sunday afternoon should skip directly to “Jericho”.

The one thing most will agree on is that Rufus Wainwright is a required taste. The singer/songwriter is a man of decadence and while his voice is undeniably smooth, the risks he takes with his range can sometimes be a bit too far beyond the norm. “Sometimes You Need” is too low in tempo and perhaps a failed attempt at balancing out the album’s mainly upbeat feel. “Montauk” takes this even better. Wainwright’s “doo doo da doo doo” clashes with an unexpected symbol in the background; and it seems as though he is getting lost in his own translation.

Moreover, Out of the Game lacks a story, which is particularly disappointing as Wainwright has been credited as a talented songwriter. However, his voice and willingness to break free from his classical roots keep me and others listening and waiting in anticipating for what else is to come.

Listen to: “Barbara;” “Jericho;” and “Candles”

Track Listing:

1. Out Of The Game
2. Jericho
3. Rashida
4. Barbara
5. Welcome To The Ball
6. Montauk
7. Bitter Tears
8. Respectable Dive
9. Perfect Man
10. Sometimes You Need
11. Song Of You
12. Candles

Album Review: SNSD (Girls’ Generation) - Twinkle

★★★☆☆

For my last album review of the semester, I decided to review something a bit more contemporary than even the indie albums we usually feature. That’s right, I ventured into the world of k-pop, a growing craze in the urban parts of the east and west coast. Furthermore, this album is by a subunit of a group made up of nine girls called ‘SNSD’, or otherwise known as ‘Girls’ Generation’, who Will.I.Am expressed an interest in collaborating with and producing in the U.S. This subunit is named ‘TaeTiSeo’, named for Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun, the three girls out of the nine girl group featured in the subgroup. Based on my own experience with k-pop, there is definitely an audience for this album, and the k-pop genre in general in the states. However, as this is an album review and not an analysis of international music business, I’ll get back to ‘Twinkle’.

The album ‘Twinkle’ is the epitome of pop music, much like most of the k-pop generated today. It is catchy, fun to listen to, makes you feel happy/sexy/uplifted, and not at all unique or distinct. However, it’s no different from most of the pop music generated in the states, and achieves the exact same effect. The first track in the album, also the album title, ‘Twinkle’, is definitely the most memorable one. It showcases the powerful vocals of each girl and the music video reveals that not only are they talented singers, they are also exceptional dancers. It’s no ‘Rolling In The Deep’ but it definitely is a decent pop song.

The next track, ‘Baby Steps’ is much slower but equally catchy. It has an old school R&B/pop sound which makes it distinct from the other tracks in the album, since the other tracks are completely of the pop genre, except for ‘Love Sick’. However, unlike ‘Baby Steps’, ‘Love Sick’ sounded very common, making it forgettable. ‘Baby Steps’ felt like the most emotional one and was definitely the most passionate one, which made it memorable.

The last song I really enjoyed was ‘OMG (Oh My God)’. It has a Amy Winehouse/late Christina Aguilera sound; a mix of jazz and pop. But mostly pop. And definitely a very fun pop song.

Unfortunately, like most pop albums that have two or three amazing songs and then a bunch of ‘meh’ songs, the rest of the songs in ‘Twinkle’ were pretty… meh. ‘Library’ and ‘Goodbye, Hello’ sounded like those tracks they play at the end of a movie or during a drama. Upbeat, happy, not as catchy, and definitely not emotional or passionate. The last track, ‘Checkmate’, has a more seductive sound, but isn’t anything new or really, that catchy. After the first minute and a half, you’ve pretty much heard the whole song.

For those that enjoy pop music and want something new to listen to, check out ‘Twinkle’. The change in language is only a huge issue if you are the kind of person who enjoys singing along or interpreting lyrics and have difficulty knowing what they’re saying, but the music is similar to what is on the radio everywhere. And for those who really want to get into k-pop, I recommend watching the music video for ‘Twinkle’. Their dance routine and clothes are amazing. But it’s probably not going to be the best pop music you’ve heard. As a pop album, it’s decent, but nothing amazing.

Listen to: “Twinkle”, “Baby Steps”, “OMG (Oh My God)”

Track List:

1. Twinkle
2. Baby Steps
3. OMG (Oh My God)
4. Library
5. 안녕 (Good-bye, Hello)
6. 처음이었죠 (Love Sick)
7. 체크메이트 (Checkmate)

Album Review: Jack White - Blunderbuss

★★★★★

Released late last month, Jack White’s first solo release Blunderbuss is fantastic – filled to capacity with thirteen songs ranging from rock to blues, and even including a little R&B. The record and much of its harsher electric sounds compliment the lyrics and explore the physical manifestations of emotion. White excels with his strong, poignant lyrics, as he sings about ex-lovers leaving bloody noses, a girl cutting off the bottoms of his feet and making him walk in salt, love leaving him dying on the ground, and shivering with the fever of attraction. But instead of leaving the listener down, the powerful music and fantastic use of piano on songs such as “Weep Themselves to Sleep” make a great sound.

To be honest, pretty much all the songs on the album are good, but some really stood out. For example, “Love Interruption” was the first single, and rightly so. White’s beautiful lyrics of the duality of love’s attraction and violence intertwine perfectly with female backing vocals, and “Blunderbuss,” the following and eponymous song, hits its mark with a tale of an illicit affair. It ends with one of my favorite lines on the album: “‘So selfish!’ then would be their cry and who’d be brave to argue/Doing what two people need is never on the menu.” Another stand-out song is “I’m Shakin,’” a danceable R&B cover of Little Willie John’s classic single.

This first solo work by White and his mostly female band is a must-listen, an album that is honestly hard to say a bad thing about!

Songs to listen to: “Missing Pieces,” “Love Interruption,” “Blunderbuss,” “Weep Themselves to Sleep,” “I’m Shakin’,” and basically pretty much all of the rest too….

Artist Spotlight: The Thirst

The Thirst art and English rock band from Brixton, London. The band consists of brothers Mensah (vocals) and Kwame Hart (bass), Mark Lenihan (guitar) and Marcus Harris (drums/back-up vocals). The band was formed in an attempt to steer away from the street crime life in London. The band’s musical influences include Jimi Hendrix, punk culture, drum n bass, as well as local hip-hop. The band has done supporting gigs with big names such as The Rolling Stones and The Sex Pistols.

Mensah:“I started playing now and again and got these three round just smoking and trying to stay off the road. My mum allowed us all to come round her house and chill out. She’d rather that than us hanging on the corner smoking weed.”

I would recommend giving the band a listen if you are a fan of The Arctic Monkeys or The Killers. Listen to their singles “Could It Be Real” and “Damn Girl” from their new EP Laugh with the Sinners.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhZEZQm_R9k: Could It Be Real

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMLbq8OUvJ0: music video for Damn Girl

For those in London, the band will be playing at the Jazz Cafe in Camden Town on May 11th. Tickets are 6 pounds!