Crescent Moon

Posted on 2013/06/17 by themaxonline

Album cover for Invisible Empire Crescent Moon by KT Tunstall

Those who think of KT Tunstall as the upbeat, multi-layered, melodic, folk-pop single will be disappointed with her new album Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon. While much of that sound comprised her first three albums, it takes a second to remember that her first record Eye To The Telescope was beyond Suddenly I See and more into the realm of songs like Universe & You and Heal Over. Epic ballads that forged a journey with precise acoustics and production. Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon is a complete change of direction when looking at the trajectory from Telescope to Drastic Fantastic and Tiger Suit. One might have expected more acoustic+electro but instead is met with KT’s most stripped-down album yet.
In fact, the only real sound that might be reminiscent of previous familiar KT territory would be the first single Feel It All though not in its original form, rather the Band Jam version that shows up as a hidden track at the end of the disc. And even then, the single is a touch more bluesy than KT’s standard singles like Fade Like A Shadow or Hold On.

Mainly acoustic and mainly folk as she focuses on the death of her father and her divorce, both of which occurred in the same year and act as two focal points for the record. On How You Kill Me, KT sings of the ways in which she is broken down at the hands of the doomed relationship: “just as I sing like a bird you/you shoot me down for your fun.” Her vocals almost have a jazzy tone to them, as she sounds much more controlled than ever, having never given in. Chimes has an old school vibe with its melody. It sounds like a classic rock song compacted into an accordion ballad that seems to depict a funeral with the lines “stepping in beat/as if on repeat/reciting made up rhymes/slip stream flows/the west wind knows/inciting broken chimes.”

The album’s highlights are its bookends. Invisible Empire is a melancholy yet pleasant-sounding folk song that gives high hopes for what the other songs may deliver. Unfortunately, the album doesn’t reach the same height until the closing track No Better Shoulder, which is a lovely conclusion even if it contains only four lines. Despite death being final, the song finishes open-ended, on a high note, unfinished and with hope and determination but acceptance. “There’s no better shoulder/There’s no finer place/But one word of warning/You’ll never be replaced.”

Taking into consideration the direction KT could have taken with this album, the resulting choice of Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon is truly the optimal route as she sounds greater than ever. The downside is that the album lacks the distinctive melodies that KT has always been able to provide, even on her first album that isn’t too too distant from this one. The folk sound is one that comes natural to her but perhaps needs more exploration before she can truly flourish and shine once again.

Tracklisting
1. Invisible Empire
2. Made Of Glass
3. How You Kill Me
4. Carried
5. Old Man Song
6. Yellow Flower
7. Crescent Moon
8. Waiting On The Heart
9. Feel It All
10. Chimes
11. Honeydew
12. No Better Shoulder

Kanye West – Yeezus

Posted on 2013/06/16 by themaxonline

Kanye West’s album cover for Yeezus

Kanye West is perhaps more famous for his spoken words than he is for his raps. While he’s known for his albums and tendency to move beyond the expected norms of rap and hip-hop, it’s when he runs his mouth that gets him the most attention. But adding up all those instances and his own opinion of himself, it brings the spotlight back to his music – and with that, a lot of pressure to meet expectations. On Kanye’s newest album, he pushes himself even further into the stratosphere that forces him to deliver to the next level and it all starts with the album title Yeezus.

Yeezus is genius but most of what makes it genius isn’t so much to do with the music aspect of the album but everything else surrounding it. Kanye did little actual traditional promo for the record, instead inverting his actions and letting everyone else do the talking. He didn’t release any singles or videos from the album, only performing two of the songs on SNL and showing a video on 66 buildings across the world. Upon announcing the album’s title as Yeezus, there was some speculation that he believed this album would be his best yet. Coupled with the several rumoured album covers, one of which depicted him in a Jesus-on-the-cross pose, this suggested Kanye’s belief he’s the Jesus of music. Criticism and skepticism followed but so did curiosity. Regardless of Kanye’s lack of tact and self-centred personality, he has delivered with past albums so this is something he can risk doing. But the question is, can Kanye really meet the nearly impossible expectations he’s set himself up for?

It might not even matter to him. He has the attention he craves by letting other people talk for him. He’s taken his voice to the music that makes up the album’s ten tracks. Songs that aren’t easy to digest and are sometimes disjointed. There are instances where a track begins to sink in and he throws a loop. On On Sight, he cuts to a sample before returning to the electronic beat. On Bound 2, the bridge by Charlie Wilson may seem out of place but at the same time, in some way, it works.

Daft Punk produced or co-produced the album’s first four tracks, using minimal layers but providing enough industrial depth to support Kanye’s heavy verses. New Slaves has the boldest message as Kanye speaks to society’s ongoing racism through materialism and capitalism with a fantastic conclusion from Frank Ocean. Samples make their way onto this album, including Blood On The Leaves, where Kanye very effectively uses a Nina Simone recording of Strange Fruit to give that added dimension that adds musical strength to a song where the lyrics are mismatched.

Thankfully, Yeezus is only 10 tracks and less than 40 minutes in length because it’s a challenging record. Of course, it begs the question, does Kanye deliver? Yes and no. The music may be minimal and lyrics harsh but there’s a lot to pick up with each listen. As messy as the record may sound on initial listens, ‘Ye has stepped up the game. It’s up to others to decide whether it’s a game worth playing. It’s brutal, biting, rough and complex. Quite a step beyond what he brought with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and as such, sits in a league of its own. I’m confident that Kanye knows what he’s doing but I also suspect that his own ego has boosted himself so high that if he is the Jesus of music, he may begin losing his flock.

Tracklisting
1. On Sight
2. Black Skinhead
3. I Am A God [featuring Justin Vernon]
4. New Slave [featuring Frank Ocean]
5. Hold My Liquor [featuring Chief Keef and Justin Vernon]
6. I’m In It [featuring Justin Vernon]
7. Blood On The Leaves [featuring Tony Williams]
8. Guilt Trip [featuring Kid Cudi]
9. Send It Up [featuring King L & Iamsu!]
10. Bound 2 [featuring Charlie Wilson]

McDonalds is winning me over

Posted on 2013/06/09 by themaxonline

During my walk home, I pass by many fast food and beverage spots: Tim Hortons/Cold Stone ice cream, Starbucks, Burger King, Second Cup. But today I found myself in McDonalds for an Iced Coffee Frappé. The day had arrived where I chose “Rotten Ronnie’s” over my longtime favourite sugar-sweet blended coffee drinks Starbucks’ Caramel Frappaccino and Second Cup’s Chillate.

It occurred to me a few days ago that McDonalds has really grown as a company in the last few years. It might be a silly statement to make considering they’ve been “the” definition of fast food for decades now but ever since society began to wise up to the danger of fast food and obesity rates, the tide has turned and food chains have had to adjust with changing attitudes.

McDonalds has taken things beyond the expected norms of a fast food burger place known for its Happy Meals and fries that don’t go mouldy. In Canada, they’ve willingly competed with Tim Hortons in the cheap coffee wars by offering weeklong giveaways of free cups of java – no purchase necessary. They succeeded by offering a coffee that many people agree tastes better than the Canadian landmark, cutting into Tim Hortons’ profits and forcing them into changing up their comfort zone. Next step: the trendy café. Spots like Starbucks and Second Cup have been places people have gone to for over a decade for that signature latte, while hanging out wanting to be seen as part of that exclusive in-crowd that people love to be (or love to hate on). Cafés like those, along with the dozens of local spots every city has to offer, have become popular hangouts, study spaces or just spaces away from home for very particular demographics. Meanwhile, McDonalds is the type of place you don’t want to be seen in. The pinnacle of unhealthy habits that, unless you own a cloak, you wait until the sun has gone down before sneaking in to order that ten-pack of chicken mcmuggets. However, since introducing coffee a few years ago, they’ve developed and expanded their McCafé menu, offer free wifi, have renovated many of their stores with a more colour-neutral, modern design that encourages longer stays in a place that offers food and beverage for whatever your fancy.

The result is a company on the mend after having fought off bad reputation for years now. They’ve created Your Questions, a website that claims to answer any question truthfully, including the myths about pink slime and potato-less fries. Their Ronald McDonald House charity has taken on its own brand image independent of its parent corporation that has done reputable work. McDonalds has also been heavily involved in other activity and health-related initiatives as well, despite the reputation of its food. This is a brand that has put recognizable effort into improving not only its image but it’s actual model to deliver quality service and products. While I personally don’t affiliate McDonalds with “quality food”, I do recognize that it isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. Some may question how transparent its attempt at being transparent really is but there comes a point when one has to wonder whether they’ve reached conspiracy theory mode.

I still personally haven’t reached the point of eating a McDonalds burger. It’s been nearly ten years since I’ve had one, back when they had their cheap daily specials depending on the day. And when it comes to fast food, I still prefer many other places, nut I will no longer be ashamed of having the occasional chicken mcnugget meal.

Fashion: put it all on me

Posted on 2013/06/04 by themaxonline

A few years ago, I became recognized for being a decent dresser amongst some of my friends. Not in the sense that I was looked upon for my opinions on fashion and clothes but perhaps more in the way that I cleaned up well when I wasn’t wearing a Ninja Turtles or Angry Birds shirt. On my days off from work, I liked to wear my pair of Buffalo dark-wash jeans with a nice striped shirt. Nothing too extravagant but a definite improvement from my days of baggy jeans and oversized shirts and sweaters.

I can remember the times when I knew nothing nor cared little about the clothes I wore. Colours didn’t matter. Style meant nothing. And I’m sure it reflected on how I presented myself. Little by little, I grew into a better sense of what I should be wearing to be better presented but little did I realize, it also made me feel a bit better about myself. I gave up wearing baggy jeans for something more form fitting without being tight. Giant sweaters were replaced with shirts that didn’t bury me and hang off of my shoulders. From there, I began to expand into specifics that I preferred. I didn’t like standard blue-colour jeans but had a preference toward darker colours but not black. Eventually, I discovered striped shirts. Big stripes. Small stripes. I liked them all.

Lately I’ve been moving toward casual-professional. I’ve actually grown to like sweater-vests. I do have a secret desire to wear a tie all the time. I want to wear a fancy hat but I feel like that would draw too much attention – for now. I would own a pair of suspenders just because. Everyone needs a bow-tie. The restriction to all of this is that what I want to do most is try to figure out, or pinpoint, some sort of centralized style amongst what I think I like but can’t seem to define by going to the mall and trying to match clothes myself. I know I like something when I see it but know I can’t pair something like it together on my own. I have looked online for websites that can help me out but sites for men’s fashions are difficult for an amateur newbie like me to seek out. I don’t want brand-specific fashion sites. Ideally, if there exists such a website that lets me seek and match clothes together or at the very least gives an array of styles for men that can range from hipster to professional to casual to everything in between, gimme gimme. Just so I can see where I can experiment and pinpoint what I like and where the lines are.

I feel that, even though I’m likely a late bloomer, I want to try to direct myself toward a style I can claim as my own. I know what I like when I see it. I just need to see it to know.

Ford’s the word

Posted on 2013/06/02 by themaxonline

Rob Ford (photo from National Post)

Like many Canadians and people around the world, I’ve been watching the circus that has been Toronto city hall for the past few weeks, wondering whether the video exists and if it’ll even surface or has already exchanged hands and been disposed of. There are theories and unfortunately, many are based in one’s biased opinion of the people involved, but either way, it’s been a fascinating watch in both the news articles, how the news articles are written and the comments that follow those said articles across the different news organizations’ websites.

One of the more recent headlines to come from it is a vow from Rob Ford himself that he will run for mayor again in 2014. He won’t be stepping down despite the controversy around the video and the circumstances that have resulted from that and he says he will let the people decide. “I’m just itching to go on the campaign trail. It’s like a caged animal here. I want to put my record and let the people decide.” (CBC News)

As the news continues to spiral out of control with six city hall staffers quitting or being fired over the last week and a half, many people have noted that the reputation of Toronto seems to be taking a hit around the world while some at home have said Ford should resign for the sake of the city’s reputation.

It’s no secret that Rob Ford has been an unpopular mayor since being elected in in 2010. Once the antics began, he earned himself a reputation that few would be pleased to have but he seems to care little about what critics think. I personally don’t know much about what he has done for the good of Toronto, not having lived there myself so admittedly, most of what I know comes from negative press he’s received following actions that have included being caught reading the newspaper while driving or calling 911 on a This Hour Has 22 Minutes camera.
Even still, when one’s negative press vastly outweighs the positive, especially when one’s job is to do things that aren’t self-serving, the question must be asked: at what point is the negative attention negatively impacting how good a job Ford can do?
Is his refusal to resign admirable in the sense that he’s sticking to his guns and not quitting despite the negative press? Knowing that the media circus may never completely forget about this should neither side give up in regards to the video’s existence (however, there are photo stills that have yet to be explained and theories about its whereabouts), is Ford’s promise to run for re-election selfish knowing that his involvement is putting Toronto in the news for all the wrong reasons? Removing any of his political affiliations or background, is there any scenario in which Ford running for mayor again after the scandal that can show he’s doing it for the good of the city he’s supposed to be improving and not just for himself?

Summer Soundtrack 2013

Posted on 2013/05/29 by themaxonline

Whatever the song of the summer is going to be, there’s a very high likelihood that it is already out. Usually by the end of May, songs that are set up to be summer hits are out, giving them enough time to gain interest and momentum to be known by everyone by the time July arrives and to sustain itself through to the rest of the summer. As the temperature is finally forecast to be summer-like by the weekend, I figure now is a great time to prepare that summer playlist in anticipation for sun, heat and beats!

Recent summer playlists have included jams like Party Rock Anthem, California Gurls, I Gotta Feeling, Promiscuous and Yeah. All songs that we’re probably still sick of but for a hot afternoon when they were new and fresh, they are momentarily awesome. Barring a surprise release from Katy Perry within the next week, here’s a shortlist of songs that I think will make up this year’s summer soundtrack:

It’s going to be a retro summer. Not 80s retro that has been infiltrating pop music as of late but older – 70s retro.

Daft Punk, Pharrell and Nile Rodgers Get Lucky (photo from mtv)

Daft Punk featuring Pharrell & Nile Rodgers – Get Lucky
Straight out of the disco scene, even going so far as including a member of R&B/disco band Chic, known for the 1978 hit Le Freak, among others. This song is smooth but carries itself with a catchy chorus and funky guitar riff.

Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell – Blurred Lines
Robin Thicke provides the song Justin Timberlake didn’t for his comeback with a sexy beat accompanied by oozing falsetto and fun melody. Robin is bringing sexy back in 2013 with his first major crossover hit.

Bruno Mars – Treasure
Carrying with the funk theme, Bruno Mars delivers his next single in the form of contemporary disco as he expands his sound beyond the familiar styles of pop and R&B and his recent Sting-stylistic Locked Out Of Heaven.

Justin Timberlake – Mirrors
Speaking of Justin Timberlake, he’s almost sure to have some presence on summer airwaves this year. Even though Mirrors will likely be on the way out by the time summer officially hits, it has the potential to fill the void of that sensitive, mid-tempo pop song that sometimes everyone needs. And if not this song, perhaps Pusher Love Girl or Tunnel Vision.

Mariah Carey and Miguel – #Beautiful
Including this might be due to my own hype but Mariah hasn’t sounded this hot since 2005, though my own thoughts suggest going back as far as Honey. Having Miguel on here adds to the chemistry that makes this song the likely duet of the summer. Nothing new as far as the message goes but the delivery is sizzling.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton – Can’t Hold Us
Even if radio moves on to their equality anthem Same Love, this song has the memorable, sing-along-worthy chorus that works for clubs and house parties. “So we put our hands up/like the ceiling can’t hold us.”

Icona Pop (photo from mtv)

Icona Pop f/Charli XCX – I Love It
A bit of an old song at this point but I Love It is one of those dance tracks that can pretty much suit any time period – think Bulletproof or Murder On The Dancefloor. I Love It has the energy to bring summer anytime.

Selena Gomez – Come And Get It
Sultry but still on the side of bubblegum pop, Selena Gomez provides the ear candy portion of summer. Come And Get It mixes Bollywood with Hollywood for a treat in the form of sound that will be what pushes her name out there.

Imagine Dragons – Radioactive
It’s not only about the beats this summer. Imagine Dragons provides the thumping rocker in the form of this crossover hit that is sure to satisfy the needs of those who need a break from the rhythmic dancing. Not quite mosh worthy, Radioactive is enough to at least warrant a head bob.