Amerie: A Poor Man's Ashanti

Listening to Amerie's "Touch" album released today made me feel like I was listening to Ashanti B-sides for an hour. Although Ashanti has yet to impress me in a live performance, her tracks are usually pretty catchy and listenable. However, Amerie's entire album lacks a standout song. Even the first single, "1 Thing" sounds more like trendy art gallery background music.

I don't even want to waste time summarizing this album song by song, since each song sounded so similarly lackluster to the next. So I will summarize my impressions into a few quick notes.

The tracks are boring. There seems to be an attempt at creative backgrounds, but if the foreground voice isn't allowed to do much but repeat herself, it's not going to work. There is too much of an electronic feel to the background music sometimes, and her phrasing is quite similar from song to song.

The only song that stood out to me was "Come With Me" and only because it sounded like a ripoff of a song I've heard before but just can't remember what it was or who sang it.

None of these tracks will be added to my playlist, and I really wish I could get my $9.99 back from iTunes!

Norah Jones and the Orgasmic Guitar Player

I went to the Norah Jones concert tonight in Honolulu and was treated to her excellent voice, and a funny bonus--the comic relief of one of her guitar players. I'll explain the last part later. I don't anticipate being able to do too many good concert reviews on here since Hawaii isn't exactly on most artists' radar, but when I go, I will post.

She opened the concert with "Turn Me On" and after her first few notes, I realized she could have been signing the Bible in Latin and I would have been happy.

To be honest, I was a big fan of her first album, Come Away With Me, but never really got into the second album other than the song, "Sunrise." So I am sure some of the songs I didn't recognize will be fun to rediscover as I now throw myself back into her music.

I thought that when she got out from behind the piano that something would be missing, but I was wrong -- the voice was still there. She sang a mix of her popular tunes and some country-ish covers that were foot-tap-worthy.

Overall I was so impressed that the music was the centerpiece of the night. Aside from some traditional lighting, the simple set did nothing to distract from the music. I couldn't help but think how Britney would flop in a setting like this, especially if she was restricted to one conservative outfit and voice-centric songs.

The one thing that did distract me though, was one of her guitarists who really "got into" the music he was playing. It was comical to watch his facial expressions and body movements when he played, but I didn't really notice it until my friend pointed it out. After that, I had to keep my eyes focused on Norah even when he was playing a solo and she was just sitting there. But he was worth a few laughs and I appreciated that he was getting into it. At least he gets some from his guitar.

Anyhow, Norah closed the show with 4 encore pieces and the appropriate "The Long Day is Over" to finish her long tour. So thank God the show wasn't sold out after I realized she was coming here. I would see her again in a heartbeat, even if the price was three times as much.

Norah songs I will be adding to my playlist (not that the others are bad, but these are my favorites!):

Turn Me On
Come Away With Me
The Long Day is Over
Nearness of You
Sunrise

Some Good Singles

I decided to add a new post if I find some new songs that I like, old or new that I felt were worthy of making my Playlist. Since I don't have time to review entire albums, I figured I might as well spit out some good ones for you.

Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl
Lots of stomping for a skinny white girl! Having had the fortunate experience of seeing a step show on occasion, I instantly appreciated the opening stomp background to this song. It's so different, that it's likable. I appreciated the unclean version a little bit more than the Radio Edit. Definitely worth at least one listen.

Los Lonely Boys - Heaven
Not sure why it took me so long to hear this song in its entirety except that I don't think any of the stations in Hawaii ever played it and frankly I was expecting it to be way more "La Bamba" than this song was. Now I understand why these guys are getting recognition. Just a fun, upbeat song that can put you in a good mood.

Regina Spektor - Us
What is the world coming to? This is so far out of my music choice range that I think it came right around back to fitting in. This song is really catchy and the video (you can see free on iTunes) is very different. It's so nice to see creative videos that don't involve spandex booty in my face.

Anna Nalick - Breathe (2AM)
I am finding that iTunes video section is a great place to see and hear new music. Maybe it's the audio/visual combo that is turning me on. I mean if music was porn, then you wouldn't just listen to it, would you? Anyhow, if you like Vanessa Carlton or Sarah McLachlan, then you will like this one.

Rob Thomas: Without the Matchbox

This is NOT an album that I would have expected to have the least bit interest in. But in the spirit of broadening my horizons, I thought I would give it a try. They say that you can keep your brain active as you get older by exposing yourself to new music. So I exposed myself and spent $9.99 on iTunes to download "Something To Be," the solo debut from Rob Thomas, formerly of Matchbox Twenty.

"This Is How a Heart Breaks" leads off the CD. For a moment I thought I was back in the 1980's listening to an old Steve Winwood or Rod Stewart tune. The interesting use of female backup singers creates a throwback feeling to this song, which is catchy enough but probably will not make my playlist.

I have become slightly addicted to "Lonely No More." It has this very pseudo-reggae feeling to it, and the chorus is straightforward and cool to listen to. I wouldn't be the least bit embarassed if someone pulled up next to me at a stoplight and this song was blasting on my car stereo.

"Ever the Same" takes the edge off the first two tracks and is very mellow. I like the melody to this song, but it might have been a little more successful if it was backed-up by an orchestra instead of the guitar and synthesizer bells.

Opening "I Am an Illusion" is a faded gospel/slave sounding dirge that leads into a bassy background and a somewhat criminal-feeling verse. I'm not quite sure why the song started that way, but surely Rob had some sort of recent experience with an old black man that inspired him. I could see this being the theme song for a character from Spider Man or one of the myriad Marvel Comics characters we have been forced to see on the big screen lately. This song didn't really do much for me, but was a good excuse to get some trumpet pumps in the background whether or not they were synthesized (probably were).

"When the Heartache Ends" is repetitious and gets irritating by the end of it. It's one of those songs that you just wish would end. It might be because the chorus and the verses are so similar that it just seems neverending. I was sick of it after 1/2 a listen.

A mystical opening to "Something To Be" leads into a funky background track that would be a great opening to a movie about a widowed loner, soon-to-be-hero who searches for his kidnapped child and discovers himself in the process. Can I be more specific than that? It's an okay song but I don't feel a need to listen to it again.

Ding dong, ding dong! No, that's not your doorbell, it's "All That I Am." Don't bother answering the door. The song features Rob's pleasant-enough voice encapsulated within this Samurai-ish feeling song. The bells change to an Asian-flavored background. This song seems a little out of place, but again could fit well on a soundtrack. We get it Rob, you breathe so we breathe!

"Problem Girl" seems like a Matchbox reject song. Be honest, Rob...it was left off an album you did with the band, wasn't it? I wasn't thrilled by this song that much. It just didn't catch my ears like some of the others.

I felt an old-style rock vibe with "Fallin' to Pieces." It's a fun song that had hints of Roy Orbison and even Elvis, and a little bit of country to it. I could see it keeping my attention if I gave it a few more chances, but it didn't quite make the cut for me.

I was somewhat hoping to hear that "My My My" was a remake of the 90's Johnny Gill tune of the same name (except with commas), but I was disappointed with a droopy tune about something irrelevant. I am starting to feel like this album needed more live musicians as background support. Aside from his voice, there's too much background manufacturing going on.

"Streetcorner Symphony" is another soundtracky song that I could see closing a movie about a bunch of kids that successfully saved their community center. Watch the camera pulling up away from a closeup of all the kids dancing on the corner, with their adult mentors crying and hugging each other, we see the freshly painted center with bright colors, and then lastly the sun setting on the pink cityscape before we fade to the credits.

When I first listened to this record, I got to #11 and was feeling like I really didn't like any of the songs that much. But the very last song saved everything. "Now Comes the Night" is beautiful. Any song that you can hear only the voice, the piano, the pedals of the piano, and a very slight orchestra background will be bound to strike a chord. In my opinion, this is the best song on the album. Thanks for this one, Rob.

So, in summary, here are the songs that will be making my playlist:

Lonely No More
Now Comes the Night

That's 2 more songs than I ever would have expected to like on this album!

Mariah Carey: Emancipate This!

I had this ongoing argument with some friends in college that Mariah Carey was better than Whitney Houston. One of them turned slightly trampy, the other needs serious rehab. So let's call it a tie. At least Mariah can still pull-off a respectable album and live performance despite her need to flash her back-fat at us.

So the first "Three Listens" candidate will be Mariah's new release "The Emancipation of Mimi" that hit stores on April 12, 2005.

Sometimes a song gets released before the album, as was the case with "It's Like That," the first track on the album. This song did catch my attention the first time I heard it. Naturally since the radio stations here in Hawaii like to fixate on the same 9 crappy songs for a month, I heard this song on the Internet before I heard it on the radio and I liked it immediately. My first thought was, "This will sound really good on the car stereo I bought to make up for the fact I was driving a minivan." The opening rap is catchy, and the verse has a good rhythm. The chorus also shows off Mariah's voice a bit. The song could do without the "rap" interventions that I hate so much -- for example, the random "Uh-huhs" and "C'mons" that are spread about the background by Jermaine Dupri. I see enough useless Rap backups for Rap artists. C'mon Mariah, you don't need those crotch grabbers. (I actually do like some Rap...if I don't think about it for too long.)

The second track is "We Belong Together." It took me three listens to start to like this one a little. The verses border on this "Rap-singing" style that Mariah uses a lot on this Album. You know what I mean -- when she speeds up words to try and fit it into a rhythm of the overall song. (I'll point out a GREAT example of this later.) The chorus is catchy and Mariah sings her own back-up, reminiscent of lots of her old things.

Next is "Shake it Off" that opens with another little rap. Really, Mariah, these guest Rap accents are a little frustrating. Peppered with "Yeahs" and "Uh-huhs" of the background rapper (whoever that is), the song starts off well-enough. Then Mariah starts her speed-singing that I was referring to earlier. "Gotta do" "By the time" "So don't bother" "You're gonna miss" "When at first" ... etc... She does it non stop.

Weak electric piano starts off "Mine Again" along with yet more of her speed signing. "I remember," I was too naive," "If I only had," and more... This song could have been a good showcase for her voice, but the lyrics are boring and cliche. This is definitely not a song that will make the radio airwaves.

Snoop joins Mariah on the next diddy, "Say Somethin." This song is unique compared to the others. The background is peppy and interesting. The only thing that kills this song is the weak drum back-up. But it flows well enough between Mariah and Snoop. Even though I never came to like this song, I appreciate the attempt. My only gripe is, "Can we please STOP singing shout-outs to song producers?" If I hear one more prop for the Neptunes or for Dog Child (or whoever Whitey tries to praise on half her new songs), then I will kill somebody.

"Stay the Night" has a retro feel too it. Unfortunately the retro-masked "Throw your hands in the air" ruins this song from the very beginning. It's such an abrasive texture against her voice. I could barely make it through this song 3 times.

I was initially not pleased with the next song, "Get Your Number" because it opens up with more Rap stuff. But the Rap chorus (I think it's Nelly) is actually catchy and I find myself looking forward to it more than Mariah's voices. The background is cool and laid-back. There are lots of melodies going on here, so it stays interesting to the ears.

If the next song was the "One and Only" song I ever heard from Mariah, I probably wouldn't be a very big fan. It was really boring to me. She was almost chanting the verses, then the chorus has that fast talking "Everytime I turn around" that is irritating. The second verse becomes a Mariah Rap, complete with a profanity "bleep." Then of course the guest Rapper, Twista, sings about 24-inch rims. Give it up, Mariah.

"Circles" provides us with some voice squeeks that can get on your nerves if you pay attention to it enough. I think her voice is aging a little. I doubt she smokes, but there's a roughness to some of the words she sings in this song. This song is heavy on her background singers too. I like their voices, but they seem too gospel for Mariah if they are too prevalent. This song is about as exciting as flypaper.

"Your Girl" is #10 on the disk. There's this weird Chipmunk perversion of her voice in the background that turns me off immediately in this song. I don't know why I remember this, but her "I should be your girl" lines remind me of the "I'll be your girl for all seasons" song from Grease 2. Don't worry, even those of you who suffered through that movie probably won't remember what I am talking about.

The next song, "I Wish You Knew" is my absolute LEAST favorite on the CD. I hate laugh tracks on sitcoms a lot. But what I hate even more is the fake "applause track" that Mariah has spread throughout this song. It's like she wants us to think she's singing this at a concert and the crowd is so excited about this crappy song that they can't help but scream during the performance. You hear it at the beginning and near the end when she stops the song to tell us about the "situation that she's talking about right now." Apparently she wants us to sing along with her if we "feel" her. The only thing I felt during this song was that anyone who claps for this song is probably deaf.

"To the Floor (featuring Nelly)" is just okay. I wasn't thrilled by it, but the chorus was catchy enough that I felt if this song got remixed just a bit, it would be radio-worthy. There's enough back-and-forth play between Mariah and Nelly and whoever else is singing on it to keep it interesting. I didn't like this one enough to put it on my playlist, so this one gets the borderline rating.

"Joyride" is a song you might use to put your baby to sleep at night. It tries to be melodic, but it's just a little dull. Throughout this album, it seems that Mariah either gets stuck on these lullaby-ish lyrical phrases or the speedy talk. I don't like either.

The last of the non-remixed songs on the CD is "Fly Like a Bird." I don't know what the "special-effect" is that gets added to the background voice in the beginning, but it is really irritating and unnecessary. It completely detracts from her singing and is about as useful in this song as a Weird Al background vocal would be. I *could* find myself liking this song a little if someone would "white-out" the guys voice, but that's not going to happen.

The album closes with two remixes (one of them 8+ minutes long) of "It's Like That." I consider these as bonuses, since we do get 18 tracks on the CD. Even though these were virtual repeats of the first track, they were easier to listen to than most of the songs on here. I won't rate these two tracks, so see the blurb for #1.

Conclusion:

I will add the following tracks to my permanent playlist:

It's Like That
We Belong Together
Get Your Number

For Comparison's sake, here's a quick retro look back at songs from Mariah's 1991 release, "Emotions." The *'s indicate songs that would have graduated to my playlist back then:

1. Emotions *
2. And You Don't Remember *
3. Can't Let Go *
4. Make It Happen *
5. If It's Over *
6. You're So Cold
7. So Blessed *
8. To Be Around You *
9. Till the End of Time *
10. The Wind

Mariah, that's an 80% graduation rate, vs. the measly 17% on your latest album. You can improve that percentage by cutting the crap, or go back to that style that created your fan base to begin with. Please, Mariah, we need another "Hero."

Welcome to Three Listens!

I created this blog because I love music. I can be caught listening to or trying to sing at least 80%+ of the day.

When my headphones were recently broken, I felt totally disconnected from my playlist and suddenly became unproductive at work and it took a few days to recover.

I never realized how attached I was until it was gone!

The purpose of this blog is to help me put together some thoughts regarding the music I like and dislike. It will also help me to find new music worth listening to.

My theory is that I can tell how much I like a song by how many times it takes hearing it to form that bond of appreciation between the new song and my ears.

My like of the song might fade over time, but if I am able to get some good playtime out of a song, then that's all I ask for.

My goal will be to listen to at least one new album release every week. I will taste each song three times and summarize my thoughts about each one. In conclusion, I will list those tracks that make my permanent playlist and those that get dumped.

I have always been a good predictor of the popular success of a song for the type of music I like, so I guess we'll see what happens now that the pressure is on!