Graduation is that “October Song” masterpiece: a piece of art that needs no external interpretation because it is complete in and of itself. At the most superficial and benign level, Kanye is Alec Trebeck and Graduation is Jeopardy: a series of answers engaging you to question. It is a fact that when immersed in the surreal, people’s ability to make sense of the world around them is increased. The fragmented fantastical enhances our ability to connect themes and build structure — when given fantasy we are best equipped to perceive reality. Thus is Kanye’s Graduation. An artist of West’s caliber is beyond “this world;” his ability to connect words, ideas, art forms, the abstract and concrete is unreal. Nowhere is this more present than in his masterful encapsulation of modern life – above and below: Graduation.
Right now it seems we are caught in the midst of a massive sea change, most glaringly evident in our Transatlantic home-away-from-home… time and space clash radically across the pond’s many currents… on one hand we have a tale of two cities upon a hill: London on behalf of Mother England, and DC on behalf of Lady Liberty… on the other we have a tale of two soundtracks… Watch the Throne versus The Adventures of Slick Rick… as Jay-Z and Kanye tout the impact and rap/hip-hop’s monarchical status of late – literally now - it would seem as if the future looks back to its golden age. As our generation’s defiance was defined by a one Posted Bill’s existential debate over “what the definition of ‘is’ ‘is’” – young subjective somethings mulling monotone over the “whys” of contemporary ills, micromanaging small fires, hyperfocusing on the nuanced semantics, preserving their fame, sealing their shame, and talking themselves out of a hole they inevitably talked themselves into needlessly… Essentially, just as Slick Willy’s surgically precise wordsmithing paved the way for triumph through hazy abstractions, it seems now as we spearhead our generational voyage towards an age of post-post-modernism, so we shift focus to our literal forefathering England – five hours, and seemingly lifetimes – ahead for ear-to-the-concrete countercultural guidance…
Welcome to VMA 2011: no host, west coast, teenage dreams, saccharin-infused schemes – welcome to the odd future #bonjournaggers
Pop is pastiche at its finest; sometimes you need nothing more than to collect the right pieces and be the sound canvas. Half of Pop is creating the story, the other half is capturing the stars in that momentary align when the stories converge to recognize themselves
“How many people do you know can take it this far?” Beyoncé howls on the second track of the collaborative effort of Jay-Z and Kanye West. Her soulful bragging about going to Mars and being magnificent is accurate, though. We live in a generation with very few and select bonafide superstars. Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé are in an exclusive group of musical forces that not only garner success, but to whom people look to see the new wave of where pop music will be orbiting.
Pop is pastiche at its finest; sometimes you need nothing more than to collect the right pieces and be the sound canvas. Half of Pop is creating the story, the other half is capturing the stars in that momentary align when the stories converge to recognize themselves…
Dubbed “Spooky Adu” by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Joanna Newsom, PJ Harvey producer) who recorded her solo album, Dark Joan, “Leila Adu takes you on an aural journey that most progressive rock albums could only attempt.” Raised in New Zealand of Ghanaian descent, Adu has produced three acclaimed albums, written for and sung with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, toured extensively and had radio play in the UK, mainland Europe, the US, Australasia, Russia and the Far East.
Leila Adu has a distinct sound, one that in its antiquity finds a fresh niche space among the mainstream current. Adu’s music reflects her own rich and diverse identity, blending indigenous sounds from the South Pacific and Ghana with tangibly fantastical instrumentation – a sonic funhouse of second glances and expanded perceptions. There’s a strong sense of Steampunk flowing through Adu’s Cherry Pie in the Factory Worker’s honorable eye – ear rather – demeanor, as otherworldly themes coalesce with Victorian-tinged melodies. So below: take a listen at the old, the featured, and the new of the one Miss Leila Adu…
You aren’t seeing things. The above photo is a snap shot from a recent studio session between producer S1 and Beyonce. Whether or not the Dallas based producer is helping Mrs. Carter come up with that new genre she’s desperately searching for, the producer is sure to keep hits banging for her. This ‘power’ move is sure to make the producer’s sound a permanent staple on mainstream radio. Art Nouveau Magazine recently caught up with the producer to talk about Ye, production, Beyonce and his upcoming projects with Pusha T.
This week, it was announced that Kanye West’s star studded “Monster” video had been banned from MTV or rather serious edits requested. Among the posts, blogs etc. talking about MTV’s demands, what many fail to realize is that this is being analyzed among the wrong lines. Instead of analyzing this among the lines that “Wow, that video was racy” what many should do is analiyze it among the lines of “Wow, that video was racy, but MTV has aired WORSE.”
2011 is shaping up to be a larger than life year for music. On the horizon is a battle of the blonds featuring current pop princess Britney Spears and rising pop goddess Lady Gaga, Kid Cudi’s rock album and a shitload of new music from Kanye West. These are 11 albums we can’t wait to illegally download in 2011. I’m kidding about that illegal bit. If there’s anybody from the RIAA out there reading. Maybe.
