2. 90
MUSIC
Album preview by Bénédicte Lelong
Iconic American guru of pop Dick Clark once said „Music is the soundtrack of our lives“.
Music IS everywhere. We eat it for breakfast, breathe it on the dance floors and live it 24/7,
MP3 players firmly glued to our ears.
An eclectic listener‘s paradise, our Musik Laden‘s motto is simple: „Open ears, open mind“.
Satisfaction guaranteed.
Interpret: Breakbot Breakbot aka Thibaut Berland has announced his debut
Album: By Your Side album ‘‘By Your Side‘‘ in September 2012. For us this album
is a little master piece. Breakbot takes you on a journey back
Genre: Synthpop in time.
Label: Warner Bros By Your Side is crammed with soulful, robo-disco and
Origin: France emotive ballads. Retro/future funk at its best.
Released: September 2012 I can´t stop listening to the full album. By Your Side is
an album you can play from the first to the last song without
Members: Thibaut Berland getting bored.
“I do everything myself except the vocals. I just fiddle
about, I couldn’t play a classical part, I do
what I can.
There are pieces of guitar samples, friends
drop-in and play over my instrumentals.
I love pop and funk, so I try to take that
direction. That’s where that hybrid sound
comes from. Breakbot is a dude in a base-
ment looking for
melodies”, says Thibaut.
First impressions: I feel like in a 70´s
porn movie or in front of the TV and wat-
ching some classic 1970´s shows. LOVE
IT.
If you are a fan of Michael Jackson,
Prince, Stevie Wonder, Air and Daft Punk,
you should get this album. The track
„Why“ sounds like Michael Jackson is
sending us his love from heaven.
The track „Fantasy“ features the vocals
of L.A. based vocalist Ruckazoid - an asto-
nishing discovery whose honied pipes are
a dead ringer for the late, lamented King
Of Pop.
The perfect sound for the winter time.
The perfect sound for a long night with
your lovers. The perfect sound to forget
reality.
Must-hear tracks: Fantasy, Why, Baby
I´m Yours
3. 91
I will confess that I was kind of new to Dragonette prior
to listening to Bodyparts, their new album.
As a matter of fact I had only heard and downloaded one
of their songs (“Okay Dolore”) many years ago just because
it featured one half of my favorite indie rock band, name-
ly Sara Quin of Tegan & Sara. Needless to say that I was
ready for some more.
If you wanted additional proof, stop right there: Cana-
dians do indeed do it better. Metric, Peaches, Lights, The
Organ… need I go on?
What can I say, I happen to be a real sucker for good old
electro-infused pop. Like many children of the eighties, I
wish I was born a decade earlier: your ears might bleed the
second you hear a synthesizer, I for one get an eargasm.
I do need my regular fix of New Wave / synthpop. And
as it happens, Bodyparts does the trick with its contagious
beats and catchy lyrics, especially on songs like “Run Run
Run”, “Let It Go”, “My Legs” or “Rocket Ship”.
Martina Sorbara’s voice does sound a bit like Metric’s
Emily Haines at times, and “Right Woman” reminds me,
Interpret: The XX for some strange reason, of Kylie Minogue. Go figure.
Album: Coexist In the end Dragonette is Dragonette, 100% original, and
Genre: Indie pop if you’re looking to start a riot on the dance floor, look no
further. Bodyparts will make you wanna tap your feet. Mis-
Label: Young Turks sion accomplished.
Origin: UK Must-hear tracks: Right Woman, My Legs, Rocket Ship.
Released: September 2012
Members: Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim,
Jamie Smith
It took them three years (some might say an eternity!)
but The XX are finally back with their sophomore album,
making our music-hungry hearts and ears more than just Interpret: Dragonette
satisfied.
Coexist is about entangled relationships, raw emotions
Album: Bodyparts
dripping from its every pore. Genre: Electropop, synthpop
The dark, atmospheric beats, the spellbinding guitars, the Label: Universal
soulful and sultry voices of its leading duo: it all falls per- Origin: Canada
fectly into place.
Yet the success of this second album wasn’t evident from Released: September 2012
the get-go. Members: Martina Sorbara, Dan Kurtz, Joel
First impressions, even though they might not always be Stouffer
correct, are oftentimes lasting ones, especially in the music
industry.
When the band’s first album came out in 2009 it was
groundbreaking because it was unlike anything else we had
ever heard at the time.
It sounded different, bold and new, so of course the natu-
ral reaction after three years of absence was “how the hell
are they going to be able to live up to their debut album?”
Easier said than done, right?
A bare, introductory track like “Intro” had set the tone
forever and will remain one of the most beautiful songs of
the past couple of years. Needless to say that the bar had
been set very high.
But in the end the trademark guitar and ambient house
beat on “Swept Away” for instance achieve to remind us
why we fell in love with these Londoners in the first place.
So lie down, close your eyes and let yourself be trans-
ported by the British trio’s latest musical effort. You won’t
regret it.
Must-hear tracks: Try, Tides, Swept Away
4. 92
Let’s be honest: you can always count on P!nk for cal-
ling a spade a spade. And her sincerity is refreshing in an
industry that has taken a tendency to manufacturing artists
and hits en masse.
She tells it like it is. Ladies, have you ever wondered
why when a guy sleeps around he’s just a guy, and when a
girl does she’s a slut? We’ve got news for you gentlemen! If
you sleep around and I do too, I’m a “Slut Like You”.
Some will say that P!nk’s nothing but an obnoxious loud
mouth … the truth is, she’s one of the most consistent
artists in the biz and her new album is definitely testament
to that.
The Truth About Love is solid, pop rock goodness that
will seriously make your ears beg for more. Turn it up loud.
Real loud.
And yet it could have gone either way. Why? She’s got
a baby now, haven’t you heard? Ask around, it changes a
woman. Alanis Morissette just released what might be the
most boring album of the decade. Apparently that’s what
becoming a mom can do to you. Unless you’re P!nk. Phew.
So welcome to Love / Relationship 101 courtesy of the
Interpret: Carly Rae Jepsen absolute Queen of Badassery herself. It hurts SO good.
Who else was gonna have the balls to tell you “The
Album: Kiss (whole) Truth About Love”? It’s “the smelling of armpits”.
Genre: Disco pop There. You’ve been warned.
Label: 604, Schoolboy, Interscope This album’s a killer that makes us pine for her Euro-
Origin: Canada pean Tour. Hurry. Please?
Must-hear tracks: Are We All We Are, Slut Like You,
Released: September 2012 Where Did The Beat Go?
First off, let me answer THE burning question that’s
on everyone’s minds: does the album live up to Call Me
Maybe? Interpret: P!nk
Does it live up to that (annoyingly catchy) song that’s Album: The Truth About Love
been pursuing us all summer, the song that’s been played to Genre: Pop rock, dance rock
no end over and over again on radios everywhere, the song Label:RCA
that you’d have to be living on Mars not to have heard?
Short answer? Yes, it sure does. Origin: USA
The saying “third time’s the charm” never rang quite so Released: September 2012
true than in Carly Rae Jepsen’s case. After releasing her
first full-length Tug Of War in 2008 and an EP earlier this
year mainly to announce her album, Kiss does hit the spot.
I confess I approached this album with open ears and an
open-mind. I didn’t know what to expect. Britney? Katy?
Miley?
As it turns out, she’s a bit different.
True, her sound is polished with simple lyrics and teen
sensibilities. Nothing new here. It’s about bows and arrows,
crushes and heart strings (but then isn’t every album?)
The thing with Kiss is that it’s girly bubblegum pop but
with a little twist called “electro”.
Indeed adding a bit of electro to that mix really tickled
my inner Guetta fan, especially on songs like “Tonight I’m
Getting Over You” that’s most assuredly dance floor anthem
material.
We should keep an ear out for Carly Rae Jepsen. I can
totally picture her in a couple of years, doing featurings for
big shots like Tiesto or Guetta. She’s got the pipes for it.
Must-hear tracks: Tiny Little Bows, Beautiful, Tonight
I’m getting Over You
5. 93
If you’re feeling a wee bit depressed or blue, I wouldn’t
recommend this EP… unless of course sad songs are a
catharsis for you. Which, come to think of it, is probably
what End Of Daze is all about.
This being said one (obvious) question remains once
you’ve listened to the 5 tracks that comprise the 4th EP
of this California noise pop band: End of Daze or End of
Days?
I won’t lie to you, this here is a pretty depressing album.
No bows and arrows. It’s about numbness, emptiness, tears,
and hell. There’s even talk of a eulogy.
It’s humanly impossible not to feel the deep sadness be-
hind lyrics like “There’s nothing left, there is no light / Pull
me out to the other side” or “What can I do, now without
you / I feel nothing”. We’ve all felt that low at one point or
another.
And so if you’ve suffered a break up or have been hurt in
the name of love recently, you’ll feel (rightfully so) that End
Of Daze hits close to home.
Crying guitar, slow, burning, insistent rhythm reminis-
cent of the shooting pain you might feel when the blade of
deception penetrates your lovesick soul. It hurts. But in a Interpret: Michael Jackson
good way.
The magic of this EP is that you’re completely hanging
Album: Bad 25th anniversary edition
on Dee Dee Penny, the lead singer’s every word. Something Genre: Pop, dance, rock
about her voice really draws you in. Label: Sony Legacy
Not surprisingly, the band’s cover of Strawberry Origin: USA
Switchblade’s “Trees and Flowers” sounds less cheesy than
the original (released almost 30 years ago), but also a lot Released: September 2012
more heartfelt and yes, painful, like the rest of this very
good EP.
Must-hear tracks: Mine Tonight, I Got Nothing, Lord
Knows
Writing this review, I promised myself one thing: that
I would stay the hell away from clichéd superlatives like
Interpret: Dum Dum Girls “legend” and “classic”.
Album: End of Daze But hey, you know something? Michael Jackson IS a
Genre: Indie rock, shoegaze freaking’ legend and “Bad” is an all-time classic. So there.
Label: Sub Pop My bad (pun intended).
They sure went all out on this release, with no less than
Origin: USA 3 CD’s (40 songs total), shock full of Michael Jackson
Released: September 2012 gems, AND a Deluxe version that includes a DVD.
Members: Dee Dee, Jules, Sandy, Malia On CD 1 you’ll find 11 newly remastered tracks. I guess
the die-hard fans will hear the difference, I will admit that
I really didn’t, but it’s always a good excuse to listen to MJ
for the thousandth time, am I right? I, for one, can never
get enough of songs like “Dirty Diana”.
CD 2 comprises 13 tracks, most of which you’ve pro-
bably never heard before, including one song about abor-
tion that’s bound to be talked about for years to come and
“Je Ne Veux Pas La Fin De Nous” (the French version
of “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”), which by the way for
the French-speaking music fans among us, is a pretty
awkward-sounding title. Whatever. It’s Michael singing in
French. Did you say sexy?
As for the third CD, it’s Michael’s 1988 live show at
Wembley (16 songs). Those were the good times, when he
was at the height of his fame. Before things went a little
south.
If you’re a self-proclaimed “true” fan, you’ll want the
Deluxe box set which includes a 40-track DVD of his
Wembley performance. You know what they say, go big or
go home.
Must-hear tracks: Song Groove, Je Ne Veux Pas La Fin
De Nous, Dirty Diana (Live at Wembley).