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Udo

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  3. Sia - Some People Have Real Problems

    in Album Reviews

    Posted

    Sia is Sia Furler a singer-songwriter from Australia. Her voice, sound and style are much akin to Nelly Furtado. Only I don't really care for Nelly Furtado, but I adore Sia. Her pop songs are catchy, her deeper songs are touching, her oddball songs are great. There are 200 reviews on iTunes with an average rating of 4.0. I give it 5.0, since I think every song is a winner.

    Most of the songs feature the typical set: acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums with cello (perhaps other strings) and piano on the softer tracks. The following are the tracks, not in order:

    I Go to Sleep is a cover of the Pretenders, who covered the Kinks. If I had to pick a "worst song," this would be it, simply because it is a cover, even though this version is excellent. The sad, mournful sound of Sia's voice matches the song's theme and mood perfectly.

    Lentil, Soon We'll Be Found, and Beautiful Calm Driving are all softer songs about relationships.

    The Girl You Lost to Cocaine and Electric Bird are counter-themed songs... that is, the music is uplifting when the theme is dark. (I'm assuming here that Electric Bird alludes to the death penalty, though I could be wrong).

    Little Black Sandals is a song about walking away from a bad relationship, much like These Boots Are Made For Walking.

    You Have Been Loved is a slow, sad song about being dumped but moving on.

    Academia (featuring Beck) is an quirky, uptempo song about unrequited love, apparently with somebody who's fairly intelligent.

    Both Lullaby and Death by Chocolate are "building" songs... that is they start very soft and end strong. Both have the theme of accepting what is bad and taking the good from it.

    Playground and Buttons (hidden track) are the most upbeat, catchy tunes of the album. I caught onto Sia's music because somebody on YouTube claimed the Buttons video is one of the worst ever.

    The album is set up as a roller-coaster, much like Journey's early albums. That is, you won't hear four sad songs in a row, but a sad song then a catchy tune, then another sad song. This formula works very well to emphasize each song and its meaning. And just about every song has real meaning. Each song reaches into you and touches a chord of humanity.

    So, with that said, give it a listen. I'm very glad I did.

  8. The Format~Dog Problems

    in Album Reviews

    Posted

    This album starts off with a waltz, "Matches." I'm not so sure what It's about,

    Song seems to be about waiting for one's lover to come home when that person is out partying without you. Love gone awry.

    Matches lyrics

    Ashes to ashes

    Some dust on the dash

    I've got my cigarettes

    but I can't find the fire

    that's calming me down

    I was just out on a night with my friends

    You are still out on a night

    with your friends

    and you don't seem to tire

    when I'm not around

    I'm under the tunnel

    I'm holding my breath

    I searched every pocket

    that hung in the colest

    'til I found some matches

    in a brown leather jacket

    One I swore I've never worn

    but it once kept you warm

    Do you remember

    we made love on the floor

    and you still haven't called

    So I'll wait 'til they're closing the bars

    I made a wish

    but the match never lit

  17. The Thread Of LISTS

    in Music Discussion

    Posted

    The following list is songs (with which I am familiar) that are (1) not instrumentals; (2) not dance songs; (3) not love songs.

    I Ran A Flock of Seagulls

    Time Alan Parsons Project

    Roll on Down the Highway Bachman-Turner Overdrive

    It's Still Rock and Roll to Me Billy Joel

    Still the Same Bob Seger

    Shakedown Bob Seger

    Wanted Dead or Alive Bon Jovi

    Lowdown Boz Scaggs

    Smoke on the Water Deep Purple

    Hotel California Eagles

    Rocket Man Elton John

    Gypsy Fleetwood Mac

    American Woman Guess Who

    Wheel In the Sky Journey

    Escape Journey

    Rubicon Journey

    Immigrant Song Led Zeppelin

    Red Barchetta Rush

    Available Light Rush

    By-Tor and the Snow Dog Rush

    Turn the Page Rush

    The Sound of Silence Simon & Garfunkel

    Bridge over Trouble Water Simon & Garfunkel

    Crystal Ball Styx

    Come Sail Away Styx

    Snowblind Styx

    Take the Long Way Home Supertramp

    He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother the Hollies

    Eminence Front the Who

    Best of Both Worlds Van Halen

    For bands like Rush that have many, many songs that fit the category, I chose the ones I like most.

    Some artists, like Neil Young, I left out just to piss off other SF users. :P

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