red || taylor swift || 2013

Working in country radio from 2008 to 2010 versed me well in Taylor Swift's music. She rose to fame as an impressive young songwriter, penning honest songs that teenage girls could feel to their core, while their moms likely sat silently and empathized with Swift's emotions as well. Now on her fourth album and well into her 20s, it's pretty obvious that Swift was ready to shake that image and break some new ground.

She uses the title track to remind us that she knows her roots by slipping a banjo into the instrumentation a few times. It doesn't really sound out of place, but it did make me roll my eyes a bit because it seemed forced. It's almost like she felt like she had to stick a banjo into a song as a metaphorical foot to keep the door to the world of country from closing, but why? If you're exploring new genre territory, slam the door and walk all the way into the next room.

"I Knew You Were Trouble" would be a fine pop song if it weren't for two things. First, the chord progression is probably the most overused in pop music history. Secondly, her high "ooohhs" and the effected "TROUBLE, TROUBLE" in the chorus are stilted and the result is jarring. The concept is fine, but the execution just didn't cut it.

"22" is the first time we hear Swift at her best. Ridiculously simple, relatable, self-aware lyrics, a cutesy chorus, and a radio-friendly hook. The lyrics are certainly true to what a 22-year-old feels, though I'm not sure what it means to be "lonely in the best way." This is where the album finally charges all the way into the pop album that it's trying to be, and it's the first moment of it that I took her seriously.

"I Almost Do" is the first ballad on the album that doesn't feel like it's trying to double as both a pop and country song. It sticks to the classic pop ballad instrumentation of acoustic guitar and drums, with a little kiss of twinkly Spanish guitar in the bridge. The lyrics are on point in their depiction of post-breakup communication woes.

The same credit I gave to "22" has to also go to "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." It's pretty easy to write it off as a dreadfully annoying song (I could do without the "oooh, ooooOOOOOhhh oooh" crap), but you'd be remiss to say you didn't understand what she's talking about. Much like her previous hits, it's accessible and believable. I absolutely love the deadpan bridge.

"Stay Stay Stay" is a deliberate country crossover, but there is something very smart about it. The twang comes not from a banjo or a pedal steel guitar or any other traditionally "country" instrument, but a ukulele. The result sounds like every single song you've heard in a commercial in the last year.

I would enjoy "Sad Beautiful Tragic" a lot more if it were about a minute and a half shorter.

Neither of the two ballads is particularly memorable, though I did enjoy "Everything Has Changed" with Ed Sheeran a bit more than Gary Lightbody's. These were probably intended to show Swift's range, but it didn't quite connect. She certainly sounds more comfortable singing with Sheeran than Lightbody (who is 13 years her senior).

My favorite instrumentation on the album is in "Starlight." It's a period song that Swift says she wrote after seeing a photo of young RFK and Ethel Kennedy. Even though she's singing through someone else's eyes, it's a very genuine and cheerful song that remains consistent in both its narrative and style. I love the idea of imagining young lovers from the '40s having a night out to a tune that's reminiscent of late-'80s pop rock.

Swift's crossover into pop feels more like a cautious embarking than a full-blown foray. It's like she got invited by a friend to a party at a stranger's house, which she was promised would be super-duper awesome, but she knew she wouldn't know anyone there, and instead of walking up to strangers and introducing herself, she spends the first 30 minutes awkwardly walking around looking for her friend, who eventually finds her, puts her at ease and helps her make some new friends. Something like that.

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random access memories || daft punk || 2013

This album was my personal proof that, with each release of new material, every band deserves another chance. Throughout Daft Punk's lengthy career (yet surprisingly tiny discography - I couldn't believe this was only their fourth studio album), I'd nodded my head to a few songs here and there, but I've always had the same complaint: Most of their tracks feel like 20-second loops that have been stretched into 4-minute songs. I got bored with their music about a third of the way through any of their songs.

To be perfectly honest, back when this album dropped, I had no interest in listening to it, but I was convinced by a friend that it was different - "musical" was the word he used - and fired it up. Halfway through the first song I already understood what he meant. They amassed a few more musicians and brought in some vocal talent, but the best way I can describe the real improvement is that they learned how to write a song.

We're tossed right into the band's signature disco groove with "Give Life Back To Music." It was wise not to include any external vocal talent here, because it sets the tone for the rest of the album without tainting it with the flavor of a voice we won't hear again. It goes without saying that Nile Rodgers guitar playing is both welcome and brilliant.

"The Game Of Love" is somewhere between what I like to call "nightdrive" music and the "quiet storm" R&B music of the early '80s. It's morose, but the sad lyrics are overshadowed by gorgeous, glowing, dripping synths and an unfaltering bass groove.

"Giorgio By Moroder" feels like a gift, and not just one from this band to the public. The fellas of Daft Punk no doubt grew up listening to Moroder's genius productions (e.g. Donna Summer's "I Feel Love", which was at least 15 years ahead of its time), so it's quite touching to hear them give Moroder a platform to tell his life story over the medium of the synths with which he is practically one.

Julian Casablancas was a perfect guest on this album. Thanks to his adorable 2010 release "11th Dimension", we know he's into music that blends synths with other genres. "Instant Crush" actually does come out a fairly straightforward synthpop song, save a short guitar solo in the bridge.

It's unsurprising (if not a little disappointing to Daft Punk's hardcore fans, I'm sure) that "Lose Yourself To Dance" didn't achieve the same hit status as "Get Lucky." It fits somewhere between a dance song and a nod-your-head-while-driving pop song, but not comfortably. The BPM is in too awkward a place for dancing (somewhere between grinding and line dancing), which is probably why its big brother single was the dancefloor dominator all summer, even after it was released.

"Touch" feels like the album paused for an intermission and you're forced to sit through a musical theater number from a bizarre interpretation of Starlight Express set in the wild west. I think the band was trying to break new musical ground by beginning in the cosmos before introducing horns and jangling piano, but it's just not for me.

"Get Lucky" will be remembered as a modern classic. It's retro but not cliché, and uses a chord progression that's familiar, but far from overplayed, especially in dance music. Williams' voice is perfect for this fare. The boys were also smart to throw their signature vocals into the bridge to remind everyone that this is their song!

The highlight of the album for me is "Doin' It Right." It's just kooky enough to be memorable without being offputting, and the hook is pure brilliance; you'll sing it all day after hearing it once.

Thanks for this album, Daft Punk, and I'm sorry for unfairly prejudging and doubting you. This is a truly awesome listening experience for fans of any genre.

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just desserts: the complete waitresses || the waitresses || 2013

Why review a compilation? Because this is a special one. The Waitresses were a punkish new wave band from Akron, OH that are most well known for the undeniably unique 1982 single "I Know What Boys Like." Their catalog is only two albums deep, but their second album, 1983's Bruiseology, has never been released in a digital format until now. The inclusion of several b-sides and a couple of alternate versions make this a truly comprehensive compilation.

"No Guilt" is probably my favorite Waitresses song, because it exemplifies everything that is truly great about this band. The lyrics find a woman who's just been dumped putting on her best coat of confidence to tell her ex how awesome her life has been in his absence. Her assertions are terse and stilted, like, "I've been reading more and looking up the hard words," "I've been reading more and looking up the hard words," and "Did you know I own some valuable records?" It's just the right amount of awkwardness to let you know that she hasn't quite spread her wings, but damn it, she's trying. I love the line, "I got a trick to get them to deliver." Who is "them"? It doesn't matter, and that's just amazingly cool. Conversational, relatable lyrics over the band's trademark sort-of-ska-but-mostly-new-wave sound.

"I Know What Boys Like" is the band's magnum opus for a good reason: Patty Donahue's unique delivery is paramount and at its best use here. Guys are chasing her left and right, but rather than a loud, catty, defensive approach, she just sounds bored. She's so exhausted with their lame attempts to pick her up that it's crossed the line from amusing to draining. Quality sass like that is rare and, for me, in very high demand.

The title track of the second album is fantastic, and I'm so glad that the original version of it was included on this compilation. The band experienced some tension during this album's recording, and Donahue left the band temporarily, during which time the title track was recorded with bassist Tracy Wormworth on lead vocals. No disrespect to Donahue, but I actually much prefer Wormworth's version. I think her voice is better suited to the required delivery.

I'm completely in love with the song "Everything's Wrong If My Hair Is Wrong." Donahue's frustrated vocals and guitarist Chris Butler's brilliant songwriting mesh so well in this self-deprecating tale of not wanting to leave your place for fear of a drab appearance.

I know I said at the top of this article that "No Guilt" is my favorite of their songs, but I think it actually takes a very close backseat to "Christmas Wrapping." This truly is the greatest pop Christmas song ever recorded. Frustration with everyone else's irritating, overzealous cheerfulness, romantic faltering, and stressing over cooking -- it truly combines everything crappy about the month of December into five minutes of misanthropic ska-pop. It's the perfect amount of cynicism such that listeners who truly do love the holiday season will hear it as an amusing novelty and not an affront to Christmas.

"Quit," "Pussy Strut," and "Make The Weather" are other highlights, and the inclusion of the band's theme song for the TV show "Square Pegs" was a very welcome addition. This is a solid compilation and I encourage you to further explore this very underrated band's goofy little discography.

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artpop || lady gaga || 2013

It's been a long, emotional wait for we Little Monsters to finally get our paws on this album. Much of the publicity leading its release seemed to divide or confuse part of Gaga's fanbase while also being a tad lofty to reach out to new audiences. At the dawn of the launch of her new album, it seems that Gaga knows who's listening to her and isn't interested in impressing the general pop audience - or anyone, really - but her integrity as an artist has solidified.

"Aura" was the first of two tracks from the album to leak, and one wonders if this propelled it to the front of both her iTunes Festival performance and the album itself. I'd say that's not likely, though, as it seems like the most logical opener of the fifteen songs. We're immediately enticed by a lone stringed instrument being strummed, before Gaga begins calmly explaining the murder she's just committed. The track launches from there into a techno sound that sticks around for the majority of the rest of the album.

The first time I heard "Venus," I immediately thought of Ace Of Base's first album Happy Nation, especially the track "Young & Proud." The arrangement will seem bizarre on the first few listens, which is to be expected as this is Gaga's first solo production, but stick with it. It'll grow on you and you'll be pounding your steering wheel to it in no time.

"G.U.Y." is a brilliant tribute to power bottoms and codependents alike. The early-'90s techno production is compounded by Super Mario synth noises and effects.

Perhaps it was the wig she had on the first time we all heard her perform it, but I can't help but compare "Sexxx Dreams" to earlier Mariah Carey music. Gaga's delivery reminds me of the choruses of "Dreamlover" and "Honey." This is a very likely candidate for a third single and it should be a massive hit. I can't be the only one who was hoping for a collab with Rihanna on this one, though.

Speaking of likely future singles, "MANiCURE" is almost certainly on the list. Structured like an '80s powerpop song but delivered like a Gwen Stefani hit, it doesn't let up until about the 2:45 mark, when a high school marching band snare drum (à la every 2002 hip hop song) introduces a breakdown that takes us to half speed for the song's final 30 seconds. Brilliant production.

"Do What U Want (With My Body)" is the highlight of the album for me. It's the best single she's released since "Born This Way" and should eventually dominate radio, in spite of a few awkward edits for the airplay version. R. Kelly doesn't overstay his welcome or overshadow Gaga in any way, even if his lyrics don't do much to contribute to the song's message of media mistreatment (a topic you'd think he'd have something to say about).

Gaga has yet to disappoint with a title track, and this album's is no exception. She's great at allowing her title tracks to speak the thesis of her album, and in no obtuse terms: "Doin' it for the fame" / "Baby, I was born this way" / "My ARTPOP could mean anything." This track may also be the most obviously influenced by '90s techno and eurohouse, a motif that seems to flow as the lifeblood through the other tracks.

"Fashion" sounds like an Old Navy commercial from 1999. A better testament to Gaga's love of cheap fashion I couldn't possibly conceive.

The softer "Dope" and "Gypsy" will undoubtedly be the hardcore fan favorites, as they're where we hear Gaga at her most personal and most directly speaking to her fanbase. Wise production choices were made on both, "Dope" especially, as the biggest complaint from Born This Way's ballad "You And I" was that much of its sweetness was lost in Mutt Lange's loud production. (For the record, I thought his version of it was fantastic and I love it just as much if not more than Gaga's live version, but full disclosure: I am a Shania Twain fan.) "Gypsy" is such a well-done piano rock song that it almost sounds like it belonged on the previous album.

If Gaga indeed intends to perform this album front to back at each stop of her tour, "Applause" is certainly a logical closer. A direct thanks to her fans presented in perfect pop form.

Lady Gaga has planted her feet. Her roots aren't moving, and the blossoms of this artist are blooming. Even if her future products continue to appeal to an increasingly esoteric fan base, her place in the music industry is hers to keep forever.

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prism || katy perry || 2013

Katy Perry has a very loud voice. Why her producers feel the need to make it even louder by using chorusing effects, I do not know, but it made this album very difficult to listen to through in-ear headphones.

Having said that, it absolutely has its high points. Perry is the reigning goddess of PG-pop. Her music is so saccharine that I sometimes feel the need to seek insulin after sitting through one of her album-deep cuts. While this creates the plus for her 12-year-old girl fans that they can safely play the album in the car with their mom and no one will be offended, it creates the trap of writing forgettable, fluffy music - a trap that Perry is not great at avoiding.

After five or six listens to "Roar," I think I actually do enjoy it. I think. It's a song about picking yourself back up after experiencing some sort of setback. In Perry's case, safe to say that we're talking about a relationship, but the lyrics easily apply to other situations and will no doubt provide comfort to the right listener. Something very noteworthy: The song denounces the singer's oppressor without actually insulting him/her, which is actually kind of cool.

"Legendary Lovers" begins with interesting phrasing in first verse, which gave me hope for the direction of the track, but it quickly delves into a repetitive melody that drones on for the rest of the song.

"Birthday" is, I guess, her attempt at a Hot AC radio version of Rihanna's "Birthday Cake," relying on the same set of metaphors without being quite so graphic. Again we hear this straight-up disco sound that's been so popular on pop radio this year (thanks mostly to Daft Punk). It's pretty forgettable, aside from the atrocious lyric about "birthday suit" and "big balloons." GET IT?! LOLOL

"Walking On Air" is one of the album's high points. Excellent production that perfectly recalls early '90s house music, but Perry just doesn't quite have the vocal chops of Martha Wash or even CeCe Peniston to pull it off, so it falls a little short of paralleling that era perfectly. This track is funky, spunky, and one of my favorites on the album.

"This Is How We Do" sounds like a bad viral video, à la "Friday" or "Chinese Food." Perry sings two notes for 95% of the song.

"International Smile" sounds derivative of 2001 Kylie Minogue, but has kind of a fun beat nonetheless, I guess.

Perry gets a little philosophical in "This Moment," but the awkward phrasing makes it hard to take her seriously. "Do you ever think that / We're just chasing our tails? / Like life is one big fast treadmill / And we pop what is prescribed / If it gets us first prize / But you know who I, who I think will win / Are the ones that let love in" Yikes. I predict, though, that if you're in a school sports organization, this song will probably be played over the video that recaps the year at your closing ceremony.

Perry's voice is by far the most pleasant on "Double Rainbow," which is sung and not yelled. It's a forced metaphor, yes, but the synths are neat and it's a cute song.

"Spiritual" has a unique drum track and a comparatively interesting melody, and excellent use of piano in the bridge.

I swear the final piano notes of "It Takes Two" are directly lifted from "The Final Countdown."

No risks whatsoever are taken with the chord progressions in these songs, but I don't think anyone expects differently from Perry. Classic pop melodies are her schtick, and she'll keep churning it out for her adoring fans. As an outsider of her fan base but a lover of pop music, this album absolutely has its bright spots ("Walking On Air," "Double Rainbow," and "Spiritual" for me), but I think pop fans looking for edge should be looking elsewhere.

A final note: "Eat your heart out, like Jeffrey Dahmer" gets my award for Most Cringeworthy Lyric of 2013, but "I faced my demons / I paid my dues / I had to grow up / I wish you could too" ALMOST makes up for it. Almost.

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the movement || betty who || 2013

This delightful EP accomplishes something that many other works in today's scene fail to: It's clearly inspired by mid-'80s synthpop without sounding like a derivative replica of it. The tracks aren't crafted to trick the listener into thinking they're undiscovered '80s tracks (only one song has ever pulled that off). They are undoubtedly modern and in tune to the desires of the ears of 2013, but with a glowy sheen that is radically retro.

Though I love all four tracks, I go right to "High Society" as my favorite. Musically, I'm reminded of Simple Minds, Level 42, even Scritti Politti: A mid-tempo drum-driven track with supporting warm synth lines and flawless vocals. The infectious refrain of "chardonnay / through the day / 'cause we say so" will pierce your brain on the first listen and will remain with you for some time.

"Somebody Loves You" was apparently the breakout hit thanks to a viral video of a wedding proposal, but I actually learned of that after hearing this EP in its entirety. With its radio-friendly length of three and a half minutes and its relatable, saccharine subject matter, it's easy to see why this was chosen as the single.

As a lover of '80s music and modern retro alike, I can say with some conviction that Betty Who nails a sound that very few acts have over the last several years. This EP should appeal to all pop music fans, and probably most indie rockers too.

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pure heroine || lorde || 2013

I remember when Alanis Morissette's brilliant album Jagged Little Pill was released, and my dad complained when her songs came on the radio because she was singing about material that he felt was too lofty for her 21-year-old mind to fully grasp. The ire of relationships, frustration with the apathy of one's friends and relatives -- though my dad thought these topics were out of Morissette's league, I was much too young to understand his frustration, and I assumed that one day I'd share his sentiment. In retrospect, I think one's early 20s are a perfect time to write about such things, and that my dad was full of it for downplaying her (but I love him anyway).

I mention Alanis because I've heard similar complaints about Lorde. At just 16, she's already topped the Hot 100 with a song that I've heard described as "preachy," "a lecture," and "condescending." I, however, find it to be none of those.

Put yourself in the place of a kid who grows up with parents who aren't rich. They don't even have to be poor, just not wealthy. Now imagine absorbing the media of a foreign country where opulence is idolized. The feelings of confusion and contentment are delivered in no obscure terms in the album's lead single, "Royals." The language isn't the least bit lofty, yet the message is communicated without the slightest hint of adolescent awkwardness. This is why many are rightfully seeing Lorde as mature for her age.

"Tennis Court" is a perfect follow-up to "Royals." Whereas in the first song we heard about all the things that Lorde and her friends don't do, we find out how they do indeed spend their time in "Tennis Court." The lyrics of the verse beginning "pretty soon I'll be getting on my first plane" tell us that she knows her life is about to change, that new adventures await, but that she is not without reservations.

"Ribs" and "Team" are both magnificent portraits of youth. Formulating inside jokes with your friends and then beating them into the ground until you're all laughing so hard that it feels like your insides are bleeding -- who hasn't done this? "Ribs" also reminds us that before we're even adults that it's easy to long for younger days. "Team" is the ultimate frenemies anthem. It's about that feeling that you can be in a room full of people and still somehow feel alone. How close are you to the people who you call your friends?

After several listens, I'm still not quite sure what to make of "White Teeth Teens," but I sense that she's using that term in the same way I used the word "preppie" in middle school: The rich kids who clique up and don't associate with anyone else. The Amy-Winehouse style instrumentation on this track is also worth noting. I only see Lorde's music getting more interesting as her career advances. Her tales of life as a 16-year-old kiwi have already captured the world's attention, so let's hope that success doesn't change this girl's wonderful spirit.

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