The Pop Open Group F REVEALED
Aug. 3rd, 2007 12:38 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
freakytigger.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
poptimistsSorry for the big delay on this! Here are what the tracks are - and what I thought of them.
Hear them for yourself here: http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/07/pop-open-week-8/ (streamed) and here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/t0tk21
TRACK ONE: Me'shell Ndegeocello - "Leviticus - Faggot" - springy, soulful, serious funk, more about the side-effects of religion but ironically I think it might have been more powerful if Me'shell got a bit churchier - it passes by too pleasantly to have much impact.
TRACK TWO: Army Of Lovers - "Israelism" - "Army of Lovers on a mission!" - certainly memorable and worshipping at the altar of WTF, not for the first time with AoL I think their production and sonic chops weren't quite up to their ideas, the hi-NRG backing here just isn't as beefy as the song needs. But it's a good song, though I'm not sure I'd dare to parse it. Would get a vote from me.
TRACK THREE: Candie Payne - "By Tomorrow" - Payne has a great voice and presence, tons of poise amidst the hustle-bustle of the song. Only the tacky sampled horns stop me giving it a vote.
TRACK FOUR: Amy Grant - "Come, Thou Font Of Every Blessing" - props to this for i. staring the topic pretty squarely in the face, ii. having a really gorgeous soft country melody. My top pick I think.
TRACK FIVE: Genius/GZA/Killah Priest - "B.I.B.L.E." - I have actually owned this and still didn't recognise it, not a good sign. Lots of good lines when you concentrate on them but the track rolls along without ever demanding that you do. I've often felt there's something a little dodgy about the love critics gave to the Wu-Tang's crackpot syncretic belief systems, tho I can't quite pin my finger on why.
Here's the poll - open until Monday 12 noon.
[Poll #1030830]
We're not exactly deluged with votes so keep them coming.
Hear them for yourself here: http://freakytrigger.co.uk/ft/2007/07/pop-open-week-8/ (streamed) and here: http://www.sendspace.com/file/t0tk21
TRACK ONE: Me'shell Ndegeocello - "Leviticus - Faggot" - springy, soulful, serious funk, more about the side-effects of religion but ironically I think it might have been more powerful if Me'shell got a bit churchier - it passes by too pleasantly to have much impact.
TRACK TWO: Army Of Lovers - "Israelism" - "Army of Lovers on a mission!" - certainly memorable and worshipping at the altar of WTF, not for the first time with AoL I think their production and sonic chops weren't quite up to their ideas, the hi-NRG backing here just isn't as beefy as the song needs. But it's a good song, though I'm not sure I'd dare to parse it. Would get a vote from me.
TRACK THREE: Candie Payne - "By Tomorrow" - Payne has a great voice and presence, tons of poise amidst the hustle-bustle of the song. Only the tacky sampled horns stop me giving it a vote.
TRACK FOUR: Amy Grant - "Come, Thou Font Of Every Blessing" - props to this for i. staring the topic pretty squarely in the face, ii. having a really gorgeous soft country melody. My top pick I think.
TRACK FIVE: Genius/GZA/Killah Priest - "B.I.B.L.E." - I have actually owned this and still didn't recognise it, not a good sign. Lots of good lines when you concentrate on them but the track rolls along without ever demanding that you do. I've often felt there's something a little dodgy about the love critics gave to the Wu-Tang's crackpot syncretic belief systems, tho I can't quite pin my finger on why.
Here's the poll - open until Monday 12 noon.
[Poll #1030830]
We're not exactly deluged with votes so keep them coming.
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Date: 2007-08-05 02:45 pm (UTC)Meshell - I love this, I've been meaning to buy the album it's on for ages (only have Bitter, which is absolutely gorgeous). Contra Cis I don't find it too right-on but maybe because I didn't pay the lyrics my full attention: the attraction for me is in hearing the smooth, catchy funk-soul ruptured by the occasional burst of anger.
Army Of Lovers - hrrrm this is very wtf but not in a good way? A bit much for me. If I heard it once somewhere my reaction would be positive - "OMGHAHAWTF", probably; but this is not the same as "wanting to hear it again, ever".
Candie Payne - ah so this is what she sounds like! I do wonder whether I would have pegged her as a current revivalist of the 60s sound (as Frank did) if I hadn't known who it was before listening. There is a kind of odd glossy sheen to the production, so maybe. Anyway I like it - very Winehouse, and she seems to have a compelling artistic voice as well.
Amy Grant - very pretty, very sincere, very heartfelt; I like this but I grew up singing hymns and so don't really need to hear them again.
Wu-Tang dudes: AWESOME rapping...but I have an issue with old-skool non-party hip-hop, which is that the beats leave me totally cold. Like Illmatic and early Mobb Deep I guess, it's music I enjoy kicking back to, letting wash over me, esp in the summer when feeling a bit introspective, but it never gets totally inside me.
So uh Me'shell gets 1st place, 2nd place between Candie and Wu-Tang.