Under the Scalpel: Dissecting Pop Culture One Song at a Time

asimplecomplex · 02-11-2010, 05:56 AM

I write a music column that aims to help people discover good new music and laugh at bad music. It's written from a very personal perspective. It's heavily biased. And hopefully it's a little funny sometimes too.

Under the Scalpel 01.28.10: Dream Theater, BoB, Machine Head
Can Machine Head pull off a Pantera song with their long history of bad remakes? Can BoB make this metalhead swoon over a romantic club jam? And somebody please tell me when Air Supply started recording under the name Dream Theater!

excerpt:
Mars' romantic crooning is combined with BoB's singing and rapping, giving the song three distinct vocal performances like a classic Bell Biv Devoe track. Mars handles the Ricky Bell soul crooning, and BoB fills both the Biv-rapping and Devoe-singing roles.
The track features a groovy, 1970's-style walking bass line, subtle guitar stabs, tender piano, and dreamy new wave synthesizer melodies played over a hip-hop drum beat that brings classic Arrested Development to mind. These elements are a winning combination, giving the song a warm feel that helps it stand out above most of today's soulless dance pop hits.

I'll post a link to the article here after I've made 15 posts

Under the Scalpel 02.11.10: Avril Lavigne, Train, You Say Party! We Say Die!
Can Avril Lavigne write a decent song on her own? Does Train know when to abandon a terrible song? And why the hell would someone name a band "You Say Party! We Say Die!"?

excerpt:
Two words leap to mind when I think of Lavigne writing a song without having the hands of hitmaking outfit The Matrix shoved up her backside like a ventriloquist's puppet. The first is "uh" and the second is "oh".
As the song progresses, I'm strapped to a chair at a high school talent show, wincing as each note pierces my soul like a rusty machete. Windows begin breaking throughout the room. Cats run for shelter under couches. Dogs howl. Birds scatter from the branches of trees several yards away from my house. I'm being subjected to the wail fail from hell.

I'll post a link to the article here after I've made 15 posts

02-11-2010, 05:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
asimplecomplex Groupie Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NH Posts: 14	Under the Scalpel: Dissecting Pop Culture One Song at a Time I write a music column that aims to help people discover good new music and laugh at bad music. It's written from a very personal perspective. It's heavily biased. And hopefully it's a little funny sometimes too. Under the Scalpel 01.28.10: Dream Theater, BoB, Machine Head Can Machine Head pull off a Pantera song with their long history of bad remakes? Can BoB make this metalhead swoon over a romantic club jam? And somebody please tell me when Air Supply started recording under the name Dream Theater! excerpt: Mars' romantic crooning is combined with BoB's singing and rapping, giving the song three distinct vocal performances like a classic Bell Biv Devoe track. Mars handles the Ricky Bell soul crooning, and BoB fills both the Biv-rapping and Devoe-singing roles. The track features a groovy, 1970's-style walking bass line, subtle guitar stabs, tender piano, and dreamy new wave synthesizer melodies played over a hip-hop drum beat that brings classic Arrested Development to mind. These elements are a winning combination, giving the song a warm feel that helps it stand out above most of today's soulless dance pop hits. I'll post a link to the article here after I've made 15 posts Under the Scalpel 02.11.10: Avril Lavigne, Train, You Say Party! We Say Die! Can Avril Lavigne write a decent song on her own? Does Train know when to abandon a terrible song? And why the hell would someone name a band "You Say Party! We Say Die!"? excerpt: Two words leap to mind when I think of Lavigne writing a song without having the hands of hitmaking outfit The Matrix shoved up her backside like a ventriloquist's puppet. The first is "uh" and the second is "oh". As the song progresses, I'm strapped to a chair at a high school talent show, wincing as each note pierces my soul like a rusty machete. Windows begin breaking throughout the room. Cats run for shelter under couches. Dogs howl. Birds scatter from the branches of trees several yards away from my house. I'm being subjected to the wail fail from hell. I'll post a link to the article here after I've made 15 posts