Music Review: Can’t Be Tamed by Miley Cyrus April 29, 2013

Can’t Be Tamed
Miley Cyrus
Hollywood Records. 2010.

Summary

Miley Cyrus’s third album is a mix of pop and electronic, meant to appeal to teens and young adults. The songs have an upbeat sound as well as rebellious lyrics. “Can’t Be Tamed” is the popular single from the album, but other tracks, like “Liberty Walk,” “Robot,” and the cover of Poison’s “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” are also popular.

Critical Evaluation

In this dance pop album, Miley Cyrus combines her signature pop style with electronic rhythms and strong vocals to appeal to today’s generation. She is trying hard to cast off her tween idol image to appeal to the older set, which is predictable, considering that she is also getting older.  The album cover, as well as the video of the title song, “Can’t Be Tamed” feature Miley minimally clad in rebellious black. However, her vocals range from pop to a deeper tone, and the overall sound is definitely dance pop. In this way, she only falls halfway between what she was and what she is aspiring to be, from the tween Hannah Montana to the wild, fearless idol like Madonna and Lady Gaga. Meanwhile, she might appeal to both her former audience and the later generation, rousing the ire of parents and adults expecting positive role models for their children, rather than rebellion. However, as an album geared toward young adults, the age group including Miley herself, 15 and older, it is a good representative of what today’s teens are listening to, and therefore a good addition to a library’s music collection.

Challenge Issues: sexually suggestive

Challenge Defense Ideas:

1. Have a copy of the  American Library Association Library Bill of Rights to show/give to patron.
2. In addition to, or in place of the above, explain library policy of inclusion of information that might be controversial. For example, Pasadena Public Library, Philosophy of Selection. Have a printed copy ready, with appropriate sections highlighted.
3. Explain the parental rights and responsibilities with their children’s library use. Explain the different card designations and the parents’ right to monitor or restrict borrowing of materials.
4. Depending on the library’s policy, either have  paperwork to fill out for formal challenges, or the contact information of those who handle challenges.
5. Give examples of book reviews from School Library Journal,  Library Journal, or BookList. Note any awards that the book received.

Reasons for Inclusion

Popular music. Popular celebrity.

Music Review: (500) Days of Summer: Music From the Motion Picture April 19, 2013

(500) Days Of Summer-Music From The Motion Picture
Various Artists
Sire. 2009.

Summary

The (500) Days of Summer music from the motion picture is an eclectic mix of music from artists like Regina Spektor, The Smiths, Simon & Garfunkel, Doves, and many others. The offbeat independent romantic comedy, released in 2009 to much critical acclaim tells the story of the romance between Tom, a hopeless romantic, and Summer, the girl he falls in love with. However, Summer does not believe in love and romance, and the doomed relationship is the source of much happiness, heartbreak, and self-discovery for both characters. To understand the story is important to understanding the soundtrack, and the first track, “A Story of Boy Meets Girl” introduces the story of Tom and Summer. The songs range from the hopeful to romantic to heartbroken to hopeful again, as the story progresses. Some of the notable titles are “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” by The Smiths, “You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates, “Mushaboom” by Feist, and “Here Comes Your Man” by Pixies, covered by Meaghan Smith.

Critical Evaluation

The soundtrack to the (500) Days of Summer is as unique and offbeat as the movie, featuring tracks from cult favorites like The Smiths and new indie artists like Regina Spektor, Mumm-Ra, and Feist. There is also a hauntingly beautiful French song by Carla Bruni. For those who have seen the movie, the soundtrack entirely captures the movie, with all its romance, drama, and sadness. For those who have not seen the movie, it is a beautifully curated collection of interesting and new music that can be enjoyed on its own, for the music enthusiast, the lovesick, and the hopeful alike. The soundtrack seems to be dominated by Regina Spektor and The Smiths, which could present a problem for some. Although The Smiths have had a considerable following since the 1980s, Regina Spektor is more an acquired taste, with her idiosyncratic singing style and piano-dominated music. However, her music does complement the quirky side of the movie quite well. Although it is a few years old already, both the movie and the music have a kind of a cult following that keeps it still relevant to teen popular culture.

Reader’s Annotation:

The soundtrack to the film (500) Days of Summer offers a variety of  alternative rock and pop songs from the 1980s to today.\

Genre:

Music. Alternative rock.

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: N/A

Interest/reading Level:

Grade 7+

Challenge Issues: none

Challenge Defense Ideas: 

This album presents no apparent challenge issues, but prepare to defend selection by having library’s selection policy at hand.

Reasons for Inclusion

Popular music, popular movie soundtrack.

Music Review: Making Mirrors by Gotye March 17, 2013

Making Mirrors
Gotye
Sample ‘N’ Seconds Records. Distributed by Universal Music Distribution. 2011.

Summary

Making Mirrors is an alternative rock and pop album by Gotye, the stage name for the Belgian-Australian singer-songwriter Wally De Backer. It includes 12 tracks, one of them being the chart-topping song “Somebody That I Used to Know,” which is a duet with the singer Kimbra. Many of the instruments were played and recorded by Gotye, and album art was also done by him. Some noteworthy songs included are “Eyes Wide Open,” “Smoke and Mirrors,” and “Don’t Worry, We’ll Be Watching You,” which are all done in a different style. “Eyes Wide Open” has an upbeat pop rock quality, while the last two are more moody and atmospheric.

Critical Evaluation

Gotye burst into the American pop music scene with the single “Somebody That I Used to Know” from his third album, Making Mirrors. The song topped the charts in many countries, and won two 2013 Grammy Awards (last.fm). None of the other eleven unique songs on the album are similar to “Somebody That I Used to Know,” but they all have the same arty quality and eclectic sounds. The songs combine various instruments, including some unusual ones like music box, wineglass, omnichord, and virtual mandolin. The mixing of all the instruments creates an interesting and unusual sound that music connoisseurs will appreciate, while keeping the same pop sound that made “Somebody That I Used to Know” a hit. For those interested in keeping up with the current music scene, or finding a new and interesting album to listen to, Making Mirrors is a great choice. The thought-provoking lyrics and the attractive illustration made by Gotye himself are two other noteworthy additions that make the album a good choice for any library multimedia collection aimed at teens.

Reader’s Annotation

About the Author

“Ask Gotye about his new album Making Mirrors and he’ll speak not of songs, but of sounds. He’ll describe the various valves through which strings and choirs cycle on his Lowrey Cotillion, a vintage organ bought for 100 bucks in a second-hand shop that features on the record. Or how he constructed a bassline by sampling the Winton Musical Fence, an unlikely instrument he discovered in the outback of Queensland, Australia, comprised of five large metal strings attached to wooden fence posts and a resonant chamber. He may mention the horn break from a traditional Taiwanese folk song he discovered on a 1970s Cathay Pacific promotional record, which he sampled, sped up and dubbed out, before introducing it to some Turkish drum sounds. Or the unique, virtual versions of acoustic instruments – among them a chromaharp and an mbira – he created by painstakingly multisampling every note.

Listen to Making Mirrors and you’ll be drawn in by the details, transported to a world where every moment matters. This is pop at its most precise, but also electronic music at its most emotional. The record delves into dub, Detroit-era Motown soul, stadium-size politipop, synth-folk and world music on glorious, sprawling, huge-hearted songs.

Gotye (pronounced Gauthier) first found fame in his native Australia with his second album, 2006’s Like Drawing Blood. Radio station Triple J named it their album of the year, as did iTunes on its release in Europe in 2008. It was recently voted the 11th greatest Australian album of all time. In Britain, Like Drawing Blood became a cult hit while in the States, it made waves after Drew Barrymore fell in love with single Learnalilgivinanlovin’ and used it in several of her films.

Making Mirrors, its extraordinary follow-up, was more than two and a half years in the making. To write and record its dozen sumptuous songs, Gotye moved from Melbourne to a barn on his parents’ remote five hectare block on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. There, he had the space to permanently set up his growing array of instruments and recording equipment, and found the isolation that allowed for sonic experimentation and recording at any time of the day. “ – MTV

Website: http://gotye.com/#home.html

Genre

Music. Pop/rock.

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

N/A

Interest/Reading Level

Grade 7+

Challenge Issues: none

Challenge Defense Ideas:

The book presents no apparent challenge issues, but prepare to defend selection by having library’s selection policy at hand.

Reasons for Inclusion

Popularity. Amazon.com bestseller.