Breaking Down.....

“Every ending is a new beginning,” and this beginning is the end of Music Breakdown. For over five weeks I have embarked on a journey to review and criticize popular music. I’ve learned countless things that I never imagined I would.

This was my first experience with blogging, of course I have had accounts on social networking sites, but I quickly found out that blogging is the exact opposite from that. When I thought of a blog I pictured pictures with a few words, I never really thought about the work, time, and effort that it really took to make a blog significant.

Finding a topic that would be interesting and grab attention was the hardest portion of my blog. I personally only knew of a few blogs that I only explore from time to time, and the majority of them were news and music blogs.  So I decided stuck to a topic I knew, or so I thought.

I choose to review music, simple task right? Wrong. Music is so complex and redundant at the same time. Also I discovered that music was a lot harder to explain that I thought. I found myself saying the same things in several posts and even getting annoyed with the subject all together. Although music is unique, it is always going to be a song or artist who have similar styles and make parallel music, especially in pop music.

If I could do this blog over, I would definitely give it more of my time.  I probably spent more time on Facebook, than this blog. To make a blog really good, it needs to be nurtured like a child, it needs attention, and it needs to be polished and cleaned.  I would also pick a different topic, something that I could learn about in the process of blogging, I believe that would have made things more interesting.

I do believe that blogging was a positive learning experience for me, it taught me to read more. The more I got into my blog, the more it made me want to read different blogs, news articles, and books. It also taught me to really break down and examine the music I listen to; it gave me a new appreciation for music and writing and for that I am really grateful.

Thanks for reading everyone.

-Rope.

I had a problem. My problem was finding a rock song to review, rock is by far the genre of music that I am least familiar with.  I couldn't name any rock artists of the top of my head, so I did a little research and out popped the Foo Fighters. The Foo Fighters are a band that I am vaguely familiar with, I have heard of few of their tracks, but I am by no means an expert on their music. I did a little more investigating and found out that they haven’t released an album since 2004. So I wanted to review a track off of their new 2011 album to see how their hiatus affected their music.

Foo Fighters “Rope” is the first single off of their seventh studio album “Wasting Light.”  The song is infectious, it is one of those songs that are almost impossible not to like. The track is fun and light and a perfect for the summer. The Lyrics take a back stage the active melodic beat of the song, a formula many rock songs seem to use.

The song has had great reviews by the critics. Rolling stone rated the song 3.5 out of 5 stars. Consumers seem to love the song also, seeing as the album is number one on the Billboard Rock Charts an the album became the Foo Fighters first number one album ever in the United States.

The song is undoubtedly a hit, there is no contesting that. It is the type of song that novice rock listeners like I can definitely appreciate and enjoy.

Click here to listen to "Rope"

Perfect is The World

The more I review music, the more I discover that the majority of music genres are interrelated. Someone posted the picture below and I found it very interesting. [Click Picture to make it Larger]

With each new song I reviewed I found it difficult to classify it in a specific genre and actually I found it difficult to define the genres themselves. I believe that is because a lot of artists today try to produce music that can’t be labeled or put in one box, which I believe is a good thing.

So when choosing a song to review a song for this post I wanted to choose an artist who crossed different music genre borders. I chose Kid Cudi’s “Perfect is the world.” Cudi is known for fusing different elements of different genres to his music, but his latest project is rumored to be focused on one genre. “Cudi announced that this summer he will release a Dot Da Genius-produced rock album, entitled Wizard,” Via MTV.com.

Finding reviews on the song was a bit of a challenge, but the reviews I did find weren’t positive.  PopDust.com rated the song two out of five lightning bolts.  TheHiphopEffect.com stated “Some pretty mediocre production and really shit, like piss poor singing and lyrics make this a really bad song.” Some bloggers seem to share the same sentiments. Comments like these are flooding the blogs: “This is by far one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard in my life. I can’t believe there are people in the world who actually think this shit sounds good.”  But on the other side of the fence some bloggers are ecstatic about the track: OMG. I love this song. I am an indie rocker myself, but I find Kid Cudi quite interesting. I love the guitar in the background. I am learning the chords as we speak. I am glad to see him branching out. 

Once again I feel as if some consumers want their artists to do the same type of music their entire career. Even though rock music isn’t a far stretch from Cudi’s typical music genre, people don’t like to hear their artists changing things up. Personally I’m not fan of this song at all. The first and the second verse are essentially the same, except with a few different words. Maybe different lyrics could have helped save this song. I actually like the beat. I like the build up to the chorus is the best part. Overall I can’t see the song selling big, but overall I do commend Kid Cudi for trying switching things up.


Click here to Listen to "Perfect is The World"

LMFAO.

When hip-hop hop artist want to go pop they tone down their music, when R&B artists want to go pop they have to liven up their music, but what does an artist who makes electronic music have to do? Nothing, Electronic music has become more popular than ever, Pop charts worldwide are becoming dominated by electronic/songs with electronic elements.

The song I Choose to review for this post is LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem.”  The song is the first single from their upcoming album “Sorry for Party Rocking.” LMAFO, who consists of members DJ Redfoo and Sky Blue, is most known for their eccentric style and electro/techno music with hip-hop influence.

The song is already a hit overseas, it has reached number one on the iTunes singles charts in Australia, New Zealand, and the UK. About.com rates the song a 3.5 out of 5 stars. The song is either a hit or a miss with the bloggers, either you like their style of music or it’s not for you; Since the majority of users know the type of music LMFAO usually makes, the bloggers who to took the time to review usually are already fans of the duo.

The recipe for this song is one that LMFAO applies to all of their music, High Energy and Catchy lyrics. The song is meant to be a dance track, the video even incorporates a dance called “Shuffling” witch the two members of the group are known for. I think the song is a party song, nothing more nothing less. Yes the song is far from original and it lacks any real depth, but I think it it’s a great dance track. Watch the video and decide for yourself.

—Don't Wanna Go Home—

Continuing with this week’s genre [Pop], the song I choose to review was Jason Derulo’s newest single “Don’t wanna go home.”  Jason Derulo is a twenty-one songwriter turned singer, who has written for artists on Cash Money and Bad Boy Records. He has also broken records on the Billboard Pop Charts for having two consecutive number one singles.

I’m going to try something different for this post; I want you to listen to the song before you read my review.

Click Here to listen to “Don’t Wanna Go home”

Okay, so for those of you who didn’t listen to the song, it is basically like every other song on the radio. It has a catchy beat, transparent lyrics and an overused hook. The beat is actually a sample from Robyn S’s “Show me Love.”  Although the lyrics are original, it may feel like you have heard them before. Here is a sample of lyrics:

“Check that out what they playing
that’s my song, that's my song
where my drinks
I've been waiting much too long much too long
and this girl in my lap passing out, she's a blonde
the last thing on my mind is going home.”

I feel the song is as simple and redundant and I expected more from a songwriter, but on the other hand anything too different or intricate might have been too much of a risk, after all it is a Pop song. The formula the song used has placed it in the top 20 on iTunes after only a few weeks after its release, so simple must be what the public wants. Although I don’t personally like the song, I can’t think of anything he could have done to improve the track, I think for the style and sound they were going for it was done to perfection and I can definitely see it being a hit this summer. 

Blurred Lines.

When I think of the Pop genre of music I picture songs I can’t get out of my head, songs that I hear playing every five minutes, and songs that everyone from your best friend to your grandma has as their ringtone; but what exactly is Pop music? Dictionary.com defines it as “music of general appeal to teenagers; a bland watered-down version of Rock'n'Roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on romantic love.” I think that although this may be true for a great number of pop songs, an equally large number of pop songs today X-out that definition. Pop music today has no clear description the lines of the different genres are more blurred than ever.


When deciding on a song to review I went to the ultimate source on pop music, Billboard, and at the top of the Pop Charts was Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” I was surprised to find this song at the top of the Pop Chart, seeing as it was released late 2010. This song has had great success and is a hit with bloggers and critics alike. Aside from dominating multiple Billboard Charts, Rolling stone rated the song 3 ½ stars out of 5 stars and a user on Amazon stated “It's not just a great song, but [she’s] a great singer.”

On first listen I realized that I had heard the song before, but I had no idea the song would be considered a pop song. It seemed more like it would be placed in the Soul genre, but after a few listens I knew why. Though soulful, the song is very catch and melodic. I found myself humming the song after listening. Adele’s voice is very powerful and the production of the song is impressive and the lyrics are simple enough for one to understand but they also have a depth to them. Overall the song is commanding and demands attention.

Een though Pop isn’t usually a favorite genre of mine, I can definitely say that this song is definitely a smash and a good direction for pop music. If you haven't already heard listen and decide for yourself.

Click here to listen to "Rolling in The Deep"

←You Like That Song?←

Marilyn Manson

Music is a form of expression, but what does the music you listen to really say about you? Does it directly relate to who you are as a person? Of course it doesn't, but I can admit that I am guilty of judging others based on the type of music they listen to. So I want to apologize for all the people I thought were airheads because they listened to Brittney Spears, all the people I thought were thugs because they  listened  to Tupac, and all of the people who I thought were just psycho because they listened to Marilyn Manson. Growing up I stereotyped others based on the music they listened to, but as I grew older I learned that music is just a form entertainment, and the type of music a person listens to doesn’t define them. It’s just music!

Tupac

So in honor of the people I judged, I’m reviewing a song that wouldn't normally make it to my CD player or even my iPod, 1+1. 1+1 is a buzz single from Beyoncé Knowles’ upcoming album, 4. The song is an R&B ballad that she premiered on American Idol on May 25^th.

Beyonce

Critics seem to be elated with the single. PopCrush.com rated the song four out of five stars and Pitchfork.com calls the song “a clever & of-the-moment.” The bloggers also seem to be overjoyed by the number. Fans on DjBooth.com on average rated the song a 3.4 out of 4 stars.

The song is packed with emotion, and main focus of the song is Beyoncé’s vocals. The beat of the song is very soft and light. To cut to the chase, the song is just a nice song, nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary. I don’t think the song would have done well as an official single, but I think fans will enjoy Beyoncé returning to her R&B roots. Overall the song is a solid ballad. Listen to yourself and decide.

Click Here to Listen to 1+1

She Ain't You

Michael Jackson is the reason I started to love music. His music was everything to me growing up; I can remember being a kid and watching his videos and listening to music for hours at a time. His style of music captivated me like no one else ever has and probably ever will. Michael Jackson inspired generations of individuals, and his influence is still reflected in music today.

One singer who publicly acknowledges his admiration and love for Jackson is R&B Singer Chris Brown. Brown has even dedicated his newest single to him. “She ain’t you”, the fourth single from his album “FAME”, is a perfect example of how Jackson still inspires music today. The song samples the track “Human Nature.” “She ain’t you” depicts a story of a guy who cannot get over a girl from his past, even though he is dating someone else.

The bloggers seem more interested in the music video than the song. In the video Brown pays homage to Jackson by dressing up like him and incorporating his signature dance moves into the choreography.  The video has had great reviews by critics and bloggers alike, but when the video outshines the song that says a lot.

The song is a cross between R&B and pop. The lyrics are very simple and catchy. What I personally like about song is that the lyrics is that they are very descriptive, Brown does a great job of putting emotion in the song, but the  as a whole it doesn’t seem to compare to the original. Jackson’s version of the song had powerful lyrics, Brown’s version is a watered down commercial version of the original. I feel as if Chris Brown main focus is to sell records, not to make meaningful music. Overall the song isn’t that bad, but when sampling a track as big as “Human Nature” there is a lot to live up to and I think Brown fell short.