electro_simon's Last.fm Journal

Kylie's "X" - Personal Review.

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:57:37 +0000

***(Taken from: http://stardusteddancefloor.blogspot.com/ )

Ok, so the most awaited album of the year finally leaked. And coming from Kylie Minogue, my expectations were pretty high.
What was I expecting? After Kylie's tough experience... Whether an Impossible Princess or a Fever. But I found a Let's Get To It.
Listenable, good tracks - But nothing relevant. I'll review the tracks one by one...

2 Hearts: Enough. Some people love it, I don't. And I do not hate it - I mean, I can listen to it but I just do not enjoy it. This "glam(FAKE)rock" song has NOTHING to do with the rest of the album, thank Jesus. It is not like the usual opening tracks of Kylie's album that generally show what's the mood of the whole album (Slow, More More More, Spinning Around, Too Far, etc.).

Like a Drug: I really like this one. The arrangements and the music are pretty good, very electro. It is very sexy, fresh and I like the lyrics - Which are not that deep, but I like what they mean. I know it won't be a single, but it is a VERY good track. One of the best of the album. My favorite of the whole album.

In My Arms: I've listened and enjoyed this track since a few months ago. And I love it. It's very Calvin Harris, which I really like. The lyrics are very simple but nice, at least not stupid. And if it is released as a single, there's no doubt that it will be a disco anthem. Dancey, catchy, simple. It rocks. And it is slightly different from the leaked version.

Speakerphone: Ok, what the heck is this? - Musically it's pretty decent, but the lyrics are just SHIT. Not the shit, SHIT. "Neck bone, collarbone, bone, music, lights, eyes, heart, pressure..." - My goodness, not even when doing popper I can think of nonsense shit like that!
Some fags love it and overrate it. But what the heck...

Sensitized: I can't even play this song. I HATE IT. Kylie, you are NOT sexy to us, fags. So stop trying to pose as a sex-beast, you're not Madonna.

Heart Beat Rock: It's a filler... I mean, another one very Calvin Harris-ish. It's not dancable, it's not deep. It's a filler, that is it.

The One: Mix up Pet Shop Boys' "Minimal" and Depeche Mode's "Precious" - And you'll have The One. Which I truly enjoy. It's a precious and beautiful track, a vintage Kylie track. THIS is what it is about. The lyrics are very good and musically is excellent. One of the best tracks of the album. Cheers for Kylie.

No More Rain: Once again, a weaker version of Ray of Light. I can easily sing "And I feel like I just got home..." during the chorus of the track. Fits perfectly.
But I hate copycats and this is no exception. I might enjoy the track from time to time, but it's not an excellent track.

All I See: The very typical American R&B/Pop track. But I like it. I mean, it is not bad and somehow it is quite cute. It's very sweet and simple song. What I did not like was the VERY out of place phrase: "DJ play my record again!" - Yeah, very hip, Kylie.
This is a filler and I'm sure it will not be a single.

Stars: A very sweet downtempo Pop track. It is cute and the lyrics are quite good. Us, fans, listened to it for the first time a few months ago as well - But the song was not improved. It is not relevant and I might call it a "filler".

Wow: Another mixture! - Madonna's "Holiday" + Daft Punk's "Digital Love" = WOW. One of the highlights of the album. Very dancey, very pop, very queer and I'm sure a bunch of queens will dance it with their arms in the air - Including me. lol. It reminded A LOT of Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair". HAHA @ Kylie.
Very good track and I hope this one be a single.

Nu-di-ty: It's a very electro track, about sexy crap. And once again, I hate when Kylie tries to be directly sexual. It's uncomfortable - I just like it when she's sexy in a very flirty way as in Spinning Around or elegantly sexy as in Slow. Anyway, it reminded me of "Technologic" by Daft Punk. And it's a interesting experiment by Kylie. I don't love it, just like it.

Cosmic: A ballad... Not her best, but it's ok. It's sweet and somehow moving. I just wouldn't have put it at the end of the album. Just my opinion.

***Songs that should be singles: In My Arms, Wow, The One, Like a Drug. NOTHING ELSE.

And that's it. That was all. It all happened so quickly.
Some fucker @ the Herald Sun or something compared this album to Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor but the only difference was that this one had some meaning in the lyrics. FUCK THAT! - COADF was definitely a dancefloor album, regardless of the meaningless of the lyrics. lol.

Kylie's X is just... Normal. I like it, but it was not what I expected. I had been reading since many months ago that Kylie was working with excellent producers and shit like that - And since she rejected 2 songs produced by the fabulous Mylo, I thought "OMG, the album must be too amazing for Kylie to reject those tracks!".

None of that.

But what the fuck - I like around 5 tracks and I guess I'll get aroused by the other ones in a few days.

It's a 3 stars album. (out of 5)

The Kylie Show - (Personal opinion)

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:02:53 +0000

*(Taken from http://stardusteddancefloor.blogspot.com/ )

Ok, so little Kylie Minogue had a chance to promote her new album and single by having a TV special about... Her.
It is not even close to what the Body Language Live (Money Can't Buy) concert was, but at least she's trying to promote her shit.
First off, I've got to say that I enjoyed the little skits between the songs, especially when the brilliant little Dannii Minogue made a cameo (with hotness Simon Cowell included, lol).
I will describe her performances a little bit and what I (me, myself, I) think about them:

Can't Get You Out of My Head: The first and best performance of the show, hands down. This is the Kylie I fell in love with, the electro-dance-futuristic bitch. The outfit is great, the hairstyle and the way she performs are amazing. She looks like her, like Kylie - Not trying to be someone else or shit. And the version of the track is AMAZING, improved it and made it more modern.

2 Hearts: Just two words - BLONDE AMBITION!. Damn, Kylie is really channeling her inner Madonna on this one. The hair and the outfit are sooo BAT. And I just hate the track per sé, so... I really did not enjoy this performance at all.

Tears on My Pillow: Ok, why would she believe that us, fans, would want to listen to that track when we are eagerly waiting for the NEW TRACKS???!!! - Damn, Kylie, you and William baker have been having the shittiest ideas recently. The performance was OK, I liked the theme. But it was not good enough to be in a TV spesh.

Wow: FABULOUS track - But why did she had to ruin it dressing up as a pregnant 12y/o girl dressed up as Baby Spice?! And the performance overall was pretty weak. Yet, it is a very dancey track, very Daft Punk/Discovery inpired and well... It's a gay disco floorfiller, to be honest. And I love it.

No More Rain: Simple words again... A washed-up version of Madonna's Ray of Light. The track per sé is pretty regular, but I just hate the similarities between these two. And if it was an improved version, I'd probably be happy. But that's not the case.
The performance, pretty week again. Filled with lasers and shit, but Kylie was an ice cube and her outfit had NOTHING to do with the whole track and theme.

Got to Be Certain: I will repeat myself "Ok, why would she believe that us, fans, would want to listen to that track when we are eagerly waiting for the NEW TRACKS???!!!" - The performance! The grandma dress! The hairstyling! The HORROR!!! - Trust me, I love the 80s Kylie and the current Kylie, but this is WAY TOO much.

The One: Precious precious precious track. The lyrics, the music, it's just ADORABLE. But once again... The performance was very very weak. It just doesn't match the track. Kylie was in a horrendous grandma dress again, with a horrendous hairstyle in her head (looking like a mushroom) and I don't know... The performance is easy to forget & ignore. I just loved the track.

I Believe in You: I love this track no matter the version, remix or whatever. I liked this "performance" (if I could call it that way) - very classic, very moving and touching. And of course, this version is just precious.

Sensitized: HORRENDOUS TRACK - And that will automatically will make me hate any performance. And this was no exception. The track is filled with horrendous "Woohs!" and is a shittier version of Cowboy Style. The performance was "sexy", but it was just Kylie over a mechanical horse/bull with a red haired wig.
Nothing relevant to Kylie's career.

Cosmic: I get it... Kylie wanted to get a little bit more personal and shit, that's why she made this track. It's pretty cute, I like it and I know that I'll cry sometimes to it while depressed. But that's not the point.
The performance was pointless. I didn't even felt the energy with the big orchestra behind her. Weak. And of course, another grandma dress and another horrendous hairstyle.

-------------------------------

And that was it. Dissapointed? Of course - I expected a whole new vibe, era and a more fresh Kylie.
I mean, the point is that... She's trying to be so many things, she mystifies me.
I don't know what she's aiming for or what she's trying to portray with this new "era".

I hope she gets her shit together and be the old creative, dancey, alternative, chic, futuristic, retro and edgy Kylie that I absolutely love.

My favorite & most necessary compilation albums.

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 03:56:48 +0000

This is a little list (with no specific order) of my favorite compilation albums ever, it is not that extense, but here it goes:

*Madonna - The Immaculate Collection
I've been listening to this compilation since I was four, and I'm still loving it. It was love at first listen, she engaged me with her lovely voice (at that time) and perfectly created Pop tracks. This album reflects what Madonna was from the beginning of her career to 1990. Incredible tracks like "Holiday", "Vogue", "Lucky Star" and "La Isla Bonita" truly changed my life, lol.
I mean, the whole album is delicious and made me love Pop/Dance music since a very young age. This a must have; come on, is the most succesful female singer in music history, it's got to be awesome.

*Kylie Minogue - Ultimate Kylie
Kylie has had several GH albums, especially during the '90s. But this one in particular, embraces her whole career (or at least a huge part of it) as a Pop icon. From "Lucky, lucky" to "La, la, la" (as it is stated in the album).
It is a celebration of the different stages of her career: You will have the Pop Kylie, Dance Kylie, Disco Kylie, Electronic Kylie, Ballad-ish Kylie, Indie Kylie, and so on.
This girl has done everything in Pop music and you will be able to get to know her better with this GH album. But still, not all the diversity of her career is projected in this compilation, this is just the "appetizer". It is another must-have, for every fan or for every real Pop music fan.

*ABBA - Gold: Greatest Hits
Pop perfection. This four people REALLY changed the face of music. Inspiring icons such as Madonna & Kylie Minogue. Their music is just timeless, their disco bits are still pretty funky, their pop tracks are still adorable and their ballads, even more.
I can still remember when my parents (especially my mother) listened to their classics while I was still a chubby-little-boy, but I really did not pay much attention to them at that time. But from a few months ago I am truly loving them and being a big fan of them.
This compilation picks up their most popular and succesful tracks and ALL of them are fabulous.
Long life to ABBA.

*Dannii Minogue - The Hits & Beyond
The queen of the clubs HAS to have a GH album. Even though she has not been as succesful as her older sister, this girl has really taken over the Club Chart.
She is known for having 11 #1 singles in the UK Club Chart in a row, something that no one has achieved. This album is AMAZING, you will never stop dancing or bouncing on your chair while you listen to it. Personally, she's the queen of Dance music. Hits like "I Begin To Wonder", "Put The Needle On It" and "You Won't Forget About Me" have made Dannii to be permanently performing in nightclubs.
This GH embraces few of her lovely first singles and has several new tracks. The best of them are "Good Times", "Gone", "I Can't Sleep At Night" and "Love Fight".

*Daft Punk - Musique, Vol. 1: 1993-2005
The Gods of Dance music. Period.
The have truly changed the face of dance/house music since the beginning of their career in the early '90s. They have always been absolutlely creative and original, not just with music, but with their videos as well. The extra DVD included is a demonstration of how innovators (visually speaking) they have been and can be. This compilation has got the "basics", but there is so much to know about them through studio albums. <3

*Craig Armstrong - Film Works: 1995-2005
My favorite composer and the best score composer in my opinion. This album includes the best tracks that Craig has created for a few films from 1995 to 2005, such as "Romeo + Juliet", "Moulin Rouge!", "Ray" and even from the "Chanel N°5" film. (although he is not the original composer of Clair de Lune)
His music is so hard to describe in words that you just have to listen to them to understand the beauty of them.
I truly believe that "As If You Said Nothing" from The Kiss of The Dragon" should have been included, but overall, the album is amazing. Best bits: "This Love", "Glasgow Love Theme", "Balcony Scene", "One Day I'll Fly Away", "Clair de Lune" and ALL of them.

*Pet Shop Boys - Pop Art
It was the album that made me know more about this amazing electronic duo from the UK. I love most of the tracks and I believe that the two CDs included, reflect much of their extense and diverse career as artists. Lyrically, the songs are AMAZING. Musically, even better. You've got to have it.

----------------------------------------

So, these albums are one of the few that I would definitely take with me if I went to a desert island or something. They are basic & necessary for me. And, I'm not saying that they are the best compilation albums ever, but to me, they are.
It is quite funny because I've listened to some of them for a long time and I'm still listening to them - And some others are relatively "new" to me, but I know that I will keep listening to them for a long time.

It's just ridiculous.

Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:02:07 +0000

Since I'm registered in Last.fm, I've noticed tons of people so obsessed and so self-conscious about the music that they listen to..

Some of them, play music even when they are sleeping, in order to register more songs as "listened" and pretending to be melomaniacs.

Some others, play just "cool" music/artists or music that may help their charts look prettier. Of course, the more you play those artists/songs, the "cooler" your chart will be. (right..)

Others, are too obsessed finding new artists, trying to be always "hip" or in-vogue. Even when those artists are nothing like them, they just have to have them on their charts.

And the worst is, people who leave the media player, playing songs on and on (more or less like the first kind of people I mentioned) just to ALWAYS appear on the artist's profile as "Listener" and be the "greatest fan" of X artists, just for having thousands of plays from that X artists.

.It is just absolutely ridiculous.

The Last.fm makes no sense when people like that is trying too hard to have nice charts, to appeal as if they were absolutely into music and as if they were the greatest fans of certain artist.

You have got to keep it real, listen to guilty pleasures as much as you want to. Listen to the artist that you really feel like. Listen to those you really consider as good (not what others consider as good).
And be individual.

Not that I have the most original charts ever, but I'm just into my own thing. I don't care about what others listen to, I'm not trying to be someone I'm not or trying to have "nice charts" like some others.

I'm not the epitome of "realness", but it would be nice if a big part of the Last.fm community kept their charts as real as possible.

If you cannot listen to music the whole week (because indeed, you have a life) who cares? Who cares if you have not scrobbled 200 plays per week of your favorite artist?

It's just ridiculous.

Who the heck is she?

Fri, 26 Jan 2007 21:41:03 +0000

Ok, I know that some celebrities can me rude, stupid and filled with crap sometimes.

There's this girl [who, trust me, I haven't heard not even one single song of hers] called Lily Allen, who actually believes she is the next best thing on Earth.

Remember when on 2006 that ugly, new ho dissed Kylie Minogue? Saying exactly this:

"To me, Kylie playing Glastonbury would be the ultimate insult to it. It should be about new, interesting music, not mainstream pop."

So, is she like... The new interesting artist? Is she out of her mind? I mean, Kylie is Pop royalty, the real insult to Glastonbury would be that newbie playing out there.

Aaaand... She dissed Madonna last year by saying:

"She might have meant something once but I don't know many people my age who care"

And now she's said:

"I never say anything unprovoked but an interviewer asked me who, in my opinion, was the most overrated pop star. And overrated for me is someone who sells a lot of records because of who they are. And I don't think people buy Madonna's records because they think they're really good."

Why there's always that type of artists that use other's celebrities name/image to appear on the news or to get some attention?

I bet she'd love to be more than 20 years in music, just like Madonna or Kylie.

Sadly, she won't.