You Need to Know-Grimes

I again find myself in the strange position of wanting to review an album I've fallen head over heels for, but not knowing where to even start. You need to listen to "Visions," by Grimes. Plain and simple...it's wonderful. When I put it on, I don't want it to end. To say she has a voice unlike most is an understatement. To call this music she's making 'electronic' isn't exactly accurate, either. It is, but that's not it. It isn't cold in a purely mechanical, robotic way. It's quite bubbly, in fact. I hope to hear much more from this young artist, though I have no idea what direction she will go, or where I'd even like her to go.

Since I'm not sure how to review this rather than recommending you pick up a copy, I'll include a link to the review Pitchfork gave it:

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16211-grimes-visions/


Becky

Barbie's Back...Nicki Minaj Reloaded

Usually, I sit down upon first listening to an album in its entirety to do an album review for BCP, but after having a discussion with Matt last night about his first thoughts on Nicki Minaj's new CD, I was hesitant to hear it. I haven't been impressed with her David Guetta collaboration "Turn Me On," which is so repetitive that I just turn it off, or her single "Starships," which seems herky-jerky and all over the place with it's out of place "we're higher than a mother....." antics and random dance breaks.

I'm always scared when I hear someone break out with a new style and fresh outlook on their debut because I fear (and so should the artist) the dreaded "Sophomore slump." They had enough great ideas for a brilliant debut, but their 2nd album falls totally flat.

Since Matt wasn't totally impressed I was pretty reluctant to put this one on, but I listened to it this morning, then stumbled across an album review of it at a Yahoo related blog I check in on for hip hop news called "Hip Hop Media Training," by Billy Johnson, Jr. and his album review is spot on and I agree with his assessment 100%. Check it out! What do you think?
Becky

Girl Gone Wild for MDNA

Madonna has a new album out! It seems like forever since she did the Super Bowl. Here I will go track by track and report to you my findings about her new album, "MDNA" upon my first listen.

Track 1: "Girl Gone Wild" Whoa! More like MDMA! This is a highly danceable song that reminds me of her techno-ish songs from "Confessions." It sounds great, probably because it's produced by Benny Benassi. Lyrically, Madonna never really has had me thinking really deep thoughts, or up in arms about her "sacrilege" She opens the song with an Act of Contrition, I guess to either honor or piss off her Catholic roots. I really can't ever tell with her. This is a great single, but I feel like even though I don't expect her to grow up and become Celine Dion, it feels a little fakey to hear her say "I'm a bad girl" at this point in her career.

This Week's Disappointments

I admit it-I listen to pop radio in my car. I am terrible about having the same stack of CD's crammed in my Honda's little spot for them under the radio console for weeks on end. Eventually, I have to take out the same 10 CD's I've had on repeat and start fresh. In the mean time, I scan the local stations for some jams to listen to on my drives to and from work, to the grocery store, to the movie theater, etc. because I don't have an ipod jack in my car, and I'm much too lazy to get a transmitter kit.

Anyhoo, sometimes I come across some real gems, but this week I almost crashed the car in what can only be classified as an allergic reaction to 2 truly horrifying moments brought to me courtesy of pop radio.

54th Grammy Awards: Highs and Lows

I'm sure by now you've heard various opinions about Sunday night's Grammy awards, or formed your own by watching the show. Here's some of my personal music fan-girl opinions about this year's "awards." I say that in quotations because the first thing I noticed is there are hardly any awards actually given during the show anymore. I feel like I saw perhaps 4 acceptance speeches. I warn you now if you are waiting to catch it on the DVR later....*SOME SPOILERS AHEAD!*

Lana Del Rey: Friend or Foe?

Unless you don't surf the interwebs very much, you've probably heard mention in some form or fashion of Lana Del Rey by now. You may have experienced her (in my opinion, because my ears work) horrendous "performance" on Saturday Night Live last month. The fact that she was booked for a stage as huge as SNL off the youtubing of 2 subpar songs is beyond me, but anyway...watch here if you dare:

Who the Frack is Becky?

Beaucoup Pop is pleased to welcome their newest blogger, Becky Cole!

Becky Cole is a Lexington, KY native with her hand in all types of geeky cookie jars. Mainly she's a music and movie nerd, but she also digs several comic/graphic novel series, her favorite of all time being Transmetropolitan. She's found renewed faith in TV, falling hopelessly in love with BSG, Downton Abbey, Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who, Sons of Anarchy, etc. She doesn't read as much as she used to, but is mad for the Harry Potter series and loves to sport her bad ass Slytherin hoodie! She also has a sever coffee addiction, an enduring weakness for all things Hello Kitty, and could eat Chinese food every day of her life.

Her earliest musical memories include sitting with her brother watching the beginning days of MTV whilst trying to figure out Michael Jackson's dance moves, and through this exposure to early MTV she developed quite the enduring taste for New Wave/Synthpop music. Somewhere between that first love of English 80s music and exposure to her dad's Queen, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath records in the basement at age 8, she gravitated right towards Nine Inch Nails by 6th grade, and has remained a life-long fan. One of the best days of her life was when one of her mom's co-workers said she was upgrading her record collection from vinyl and tapes to all CDs and gave all her tapes to me. They included David Bowie, Bauhaus, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Cure, Shriekback, Erasure, Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Love & Rockets, Jane's Addiction, XTC and The Pixies. She was 12 at the time, and it warped her fragile little mind. They are all still favorites.

Watch the Throne: Great from 'Ye to Z

Alright, I give. I finally sat down after much balking and put on "Watch the Throne," by Jay-Z and Kanye West. Don't get me wrong, I love Jay-Z, and have from the first track I heard by him. He's got one of those voices like Ice Cube (pissed off N.W.A. Ice Cube, not the Disney movie actor selling you beer) where he's just screaming at you, even at a whisper. He's been around, he's sold drugs, done some shit, but you want to hear about it because of the way he delivers the verses.

To be honest, the reason I stayed away from this one as long as I did is simple: Kanye. I have a love/hate relationship with Kanye. It's the same one I have with Courtney Love-I'll probably enjoy what you give me, I just never, EVER, want you to open your mouth in public. Don't do self-aggrandizing interviews, telling me you're the "greatest of all time," or go to award shows where you're allowed a platform. I don't want to hear you speak. Really, stop tweeting. You're not that important.