Music Mondays: K-Pop, Carpenter, and Batz--Plus More!

The Segment Returns!

I said in March that this would be my newest randomly occurring segment and now that we're here with the second edition I've made good on my claim! Let's get into it.

Music & Musings

I've been listening to a chunk of what is known as K-Pop lately. It is a bit of a blanket term for pop music from South Korea. I quite like the song, "Cat & Dog," by Tomorrow X Together, "Easy," by Le Sserafim, and a variety of other tunes by popular artists (Stray Kids has some good hits). As I got into K-Pop I learned about how one aspect can be extremely controversial. Debates persist over K-Pop artists re-recording their songs exclusively in English. A lot of K-Pop incorporates English and Japanese, but fans have strong thoughts on when the artists only sing in English (there are versions of songs exclusively in Japanese to appeal to that market too, but the debate focuses more on the English-exclusive takes). I personally am fine with a musical artist doing whatever they want with their own music, as it is a bit like a remix. This isn't a case where some other random American artist is ripping off a K-Pop song, after all. As I continue to check out more K-Pop I'll share what I like.

Having loved Vince Staples' show, "The Vince Staples' Show," I've been listening to more of his music. Two songs I find on repeat in my playlist are, "THE BEACH," and, "Yo Love." which also features 6lack.

Beyonce's county album, "Cowboy Carter," continues to dominate the music charts. I enjoy a number of Beyonce's songs, but readers of the blog are aware that I don't listen to much country. That said, I love seeing artists who don't hesitate to dabble in a range of genres and I applaud Beyonce for trying something new and succeeding at it!

Sabrina Carpenter is another of those new young pop stars (she's only 24 and started making hits a smidgen ago). I often whine about today's new music but I like some songs I've heard by her. "Nonsense," and, "Feather," are both good fun. So you see, I don't hate all the new youth with their pop jams!

A number of OutKast's albums (and lots of other hits) were produced by Organized Noize. One member of that production outfit, Rico Wade, passed away recently at the age of 52 (the cause of death was not disclosed). A ton of amazing music artists expressed their sympathies to his family and I do the same.

J. Cole was part of a spat with Kendrick Lamar, but after releasing a song critical of Lamar, "7 Minute Drill," he apologized publically a couple days later to mixed reactions. The song has now been taken down from official music streaming sources at the request of Cole. Don't you think that Cole is done engaging in beef, however, with a new track apparently taking a swipe at Drake.

4batz is an artist I don't know much about, but their weird little song, "Act ii: date @ 8," was on the radio randomly and I really dug it. It's incredibly short, trippy, and catchy.

Coachella happened last weekend and was quite the event by all accounts. I feel a little bad for how Grimes's equipment had a technical meltdown, but at least we got to see a reunion of No Doubt (Gwen Stefani's Ska band from back in the day), and Olvia Rodrigo joined them on stage too!

Finally, Taylor Swift is one of the biggest names in music so her fans (who are known as Swifties) are pumped for the debut of her 11th studio album (15th overall), "The Tortured Poets Department." It drops this Friday, April 19th.

Music Mondays: Debut Edition!

My Latest On-Again-Off-Again Segment!

I have a bunch of random segments that I either do often or do extremely sporadically so why not create another one? That’s right, I am happy to present the first-ever edition of my Musical Musings… on a Monday. If you’re in the mood for some scattered opinions and observations about music then buckle up because you’re in for some fun.

Music News and Thoughts

Justin Timberlake dropped his new album, “Everything I Thought it Was.” Reviews have been mixed but I mostly like what I’ve listened to so far on the LP. It is no, “Futuresex/Lovesounds,” but that was Timberlake’s best album ever. At least this ain’t, “Man of the Woods,” which was definitely an album Timberlake put out—no other comment is needed.

Drake can be hit-or-miss but I must say his new popular single, “You broke my heart,” is pretty darn catchy. Between a solid beat, some good bars, and Drake singing a little it’s a good tune. Drake could use some positive news after that unfortunate sex tape leaked of him—although considering the rumors about his affinity for very young women I was glad that at least anyone who was with him in any video was of legal age. That sounds like a joke, but it’s not.

 On the subject of Drake, I do not like seeing that he is having some beef with Kendrick Lamar. It seems Lamar has not been getting along the best with J. Cole or Drake in regards to the debate about who some of the best current rappers are. It is a debate about the, "Top 3," so to speak. I would prefer everyone get along but there obviously is no competition when it comes to who is at the metaphorical peak—Kendrick Lamar is the best (currently active, unless André 3000 decides to start spinning again) rapper alive. That’s sad, I don’t want to see everyone arguing. Then again, Drake seems to often have little feuds that at least don't turn into violent beef.

Kacey Musgraves is someone I’m a huge fan of and she just released her latest work, “Deeper Well.” I haven’t had a chance to listen to it but it’s on my list of stuff to get to tuning into ASAP.

Olivia Rodrigo keeps putting out hit after hit lately. I know sometimes I am crotchety about the new pop music that kids these days love, but she is actually a quite talented young woman. Even if I’m not into all of her songs, many of them have a good message or are enough of an earworm you can’t help but hum along.

Willie Nelson has been making quality music for more decades than I've been alive. He has collaborated with countless artists and it is wild to think there is someone he hasn't worked with yet. Well, for the first time ever, Willie Nelson did a duet with Kermit the Frog as they sang, "Rainbow Connection," That's just heartwarming stuff right there.

T-Pain and Young Ca$h have their own group known as the Bluez Brothaz and the latest jam, “Biggest Booty,” is a hoot. It’s more funny than some hip-hop songs that are pure objectification as they rap about a lady a with rear end that is so absurdly gigantic she may be unable to fit in a Lamborghini and so forth. I wrote recently how we need to put some respect on T-Pain’s name and this is another quality track he’s a part of.

Director Ryan Coogler is involved in making a movie that will heavily feature the music of, "Prince," while not being a biopic. I can't think of a single bad movie Coogler has been a part of so this news is exciting!

Lastly, this article about one of the strangest bands ever, The Butthole Surfers, is worth a read for how it revisits the sheer weirdness of the group and the psychedelic legacy they leave behind.

Olivia Rodrigo's "Deja Vu," is a Catchy Tune

 

I have to confess that I did not really like, "Driver's License," by Olivia Rodrigo. I didn't hate it, but I found the song to walk the border between sweetly sad and outright melodramatic, with that over-the-top bridge being a bit much for me. That said, I thought she had some serious skill in singing and wondered what else she might have in store for us. Having heard her song, "Deja Vu," I can say I quite like the tune.

"Deja Vu," has a nice bit of snark and combative energy that the wallowing-in-self-pity, "Driver's License," lacked. It features Rodrigo talking about a boyfriend doing various fun things with his new girl, but Rodrigo points out maybe she should be informed that despite thinking she's special and unique, "....it's all reused/That was our place, I found it first/I made the jokes you tell to her when she's with you." Basically, Rodrigo sees he is trying to recreate with his new lover what he had with Rodrigo--she wonders if he almost even says her name sometimes when he means to refer to his new gal. Plus, lyrics aside, the song really slaps. It has a cranking melody, Rodrigo singing energetically with her impressive pipes, and you just wanna chant along with it, "Do you get Deja Vu?" in the chorus. I dig it.