#Singer Reimagined Track 1

[denimbex1986]

'Content Warning: Reference to homophobia and suicide

Music serves a distinct emotional purpose within films, and the song choices in All of Us Strangers are a perfect example of music choice done right. All of Us Strangers is a beautifully tragic film detailing the intimate relationship between protagonists Adam and Harry, who are brought together by the prevailing loneliness and longing they feel for deep connection and affection. The storyline itself is heart-breaking as it is without the addition of music, but the two songs featured prominently as part of the story are undeniably responsible for nurturing a devastating vulnerability in the film’s characters, and eliciting a raw emotional response in its audience. The themes of connection, isolation, and the unsaid in All of Us Strangers would not be anywhere near as impactful without the masterful and purposeful use of historically relevant and politically charged music.

[Warning: there are spoilers ahead!!!]

The first of the two significant, featured songs in All of Us Strangers is Always on My Mind by The Pet Shop Boys. It is a bitter-sweet ballad first sung by Elvis Presley, widely regarded as an apology to his wife after their divorce. The Pet Shop Boys transform this melancholy song into a synth-pop upbeat track, suitable for the dance floor, while also retaining the sorrow of the song’s lyrics. Always on My Mind is used in a pivotal scene roughly half way through the film marking Adam’s true acceptance by his parents. The scene is a reimagining of Christmas with his parents where they are decorating the tree together, as they did when he was a child. His mum turns to him tearfully and sings the lyrics of this song at him, admitting how “maybe [she] didn’t treat [him] quite as good as [she] should” but that she’s so happy he is hers. Using this song for such an emotionally charged scene was a masterful choice by Andrew Haigh because of the unspoken, retrospectiveness of the apology. They do not force an open, 21st century conversation, but portray a quiet moment of vulnerability between a mother and son that is far more impactful. The brilliance of this song choice works on multiple levels: firstly, it was the 1987 Christmas UK number 1 so would have had plenty of air time and so does not feel out of place in this scene, and secondly, The Pet Shop Boys’ musical and performance aesthetics promoted queer visibility, so the song acts as a crucial reminder of the elephant in the room being addressed in a scene where no words are exchanged. Whilst Adam’s mother does not outrightly say, “I’m sorry”, her rendition of these lyrics seems, in Adam’s imagination, the most realistic way to achieve such an apology. We can see how much this moment means to him, and so it is perhaps not right to demand more. The film explores his struggle to heal his childhood trauma and find familial acceptance posthumously, so it is natural that he would seek such acceptance rooted in the memories of his parents that he has. His reimagining of this Christmas scene reflects his still-childlike need for love and approval from his parents, and this vulnerable, discreet rendition of Always On My Mind is, in my opinion, the perfect, most beautiful, way to achieve this.

The second featured, significant song in the film is The Power of Love by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. It is a sombre, melancholic song performed by a hugely influential band in the music scene of 80s Britain, and the movement for gay rights and visibility in Britain. Fronted by an openly gay lead singer, Holly Johnson, Frankie Goes To Hollywood created a distinct moment in which the top of the charts was led by an unapologetically gay band using queer and openly sexual aesthetics, for example fetish gear, that led them to be banned by the BBC for a period of time. Frankie Goes To Hollywood can be credited with successfully representing queerness on a large stage and opening the door for more LGBT artists to achieve commercial success. The significance of The Power of Love being featured in All Of Us Strangers is tragically not made apparent until the end of the film where it is revealed that Harry, Adam’s lover, has been dead the whole time. This revelation makes sense of the reference that Harry makes at the beginning of the film, saying “there’s vampires at my door”. This retrospective epiphany intensifies the already intense sadness that his suicide evokes, because it links his potent loneliness to the uniquely isolating experience of being gay in a heteronormative world. His reference to the vampires at his door is a desperate final call for love and connection, for the kind of devotion and care that Frankie sings about in The Power of Love. The film explores the loneliness associated with being gay through the perspective of an older and younger gay man, detailing the way that culture has shifted in the last 40 years, yet the loneliness still prevails. The final scene of the film is where The Power of Love is heard in its entirety, providing a heart-breaking, intimate contrast to the depths of aloneness that Harry feels in his final moments. We see Adam comforting Harry’s spectral form, providing him with the comfort and love he aches for, and echoing the plea that Harry voices at the beginning of the film. Adam quotes the opening lines of the song, reassuring Harry, “I’ll protect you from the hooded claw, keep the vampires from your door.” We then see the bed get smaller and smaller until they become a star amongst a sparkling sky of stars. This scene is done so beautifully it is, in my experience, impossible not to sob at the intimate and loving conclusion of the tragic events that precede it. The ending is open to interpretation, and does not answer any questions that the film poses about temporality and imagination. How I prefer to deconstruct the ending is through the final image of stars in a vast sky, with The Power of Love playing overhead. It does not matter really whether Adam continues a ghostly relationship with Harry, or whether Adam has been dead all along too. I don’t think we should be concerned with finding the answer to every ambiguity the film fosters, but we should instead sit in the emotion that the film has elicited. In my view, the final scene references the millions of queer relationships across the world that are battling against violent persecution, alienation and isolation, and the queer relationships and individuals who have died before progress has been achieved. Adam and Harry are just one couple amongst that sky of stars, and despite the tragedy of their lives on earth they have managed to find comfort and acceptance in each other’s arms. I think that the final image in the film manifests a hope that all the other stars in this sky will be able to do the same.

Without these two songs, All of Us Strangers would not be able to achieve the emotional vulnerability and deep impact that it unleashes on its viewers. Both songs are part of a rich and important history of queer identity and visibility within British music and culture, serving a beautiful and heart-breaking purpose within the film. They are a reminder of the mostly unacknowledged impact of queer musicians on the British and global music stage, as well as how the fight for queer visibility in mainstream media and culture still prevails today. The film itself adds to and is part of a long history of queer films and the slow growing appreciation and representation of queer love stories in the media. These two songs also serve as a reminder of the significance of music within film to create a distinct emotional response in the viewer, and it must be acknowledged that All of Us Strangers would not be in any way as emotionally devastating if it did not feature the beautiful lyricism of Always on My Mind and The Power of Love.'

#The Power of Love #Frankie Goes to Hollywood #Pet Shop Boys #Always on My Mind #All of Us Strangers

[relogioserelogios]

Singer Reimagined introduces the Track 1 SKLT Carbon Edition, a limited edition of only 25 pieces with a 43 x 15 mm forged carbon case and an open dial. The model is equipped with the acclaimed AgenGraphe, automatic chronograph movement with central indications. 💰 60,000 Swiss Francs . A Singer Reimagined apresentou o Track 1 SKLT Carbon Edition, uma edição limitada de apenas 25 peças com caixa de 43 x 15 mm em carbono forjado e um mostrador aberto. O modelo é equipado com o aclamado AgenGraphe, movimento de cronógrafo automático com indicações centrais. 💰 60.000 Francos Suíços 📷 @singerreimagined • • #singerreimagined #track1 #singerreimaginedtrack1 #track1skltedition #agengraphe #agenhor #finewatchmaking #hautehorlogerie #relogioserelogios https://www.instagram.com/p/ChZ8vHouwX6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#singerreimagined #track1 #singerreimaginedtrack1 #track1skltedition #agengraphe #agenhor #finewatchmaking #hautehorlogerie #relogioserelogios

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

THE PRETTY RECKLESS Shares Acoustic Version Of 'Harley Darling' From 'Other Worlds' Collection

THE PRETTY RECKLESS will release a new collection of music, "Other Worlds", on November 4 via Fearless Records. The effort sees the group delivering its first proper acoustic recordings, unexpected covers and other reimaginings.

Today, the band has shared the visualizer for the acoustic version of "Harley Darling". Watch it below.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS dressed down this favorite from the band's latest album, "Death By Rock And Roll", to its bare essence with a stirring and striking acoustic performance.

"'Harley Darling' is a love letter to [late THE PRETTY RECKLESS producer] Kato Khandwala," says singer Taylor Momsen. "It's as simple as that. So many of us have stories of losing loved ones, especially now, and I hope this song can be used in other's healing as it was in my own."

"Other Worlds" collates striking acoustic renditions of personal favorites accompanied by some very special guests. The recording of Elvis Costello's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding" served as Momsen's first cover originally performed for the "Fearless At Home" livestream in the midst of COVID. As another pandemic-era cover, Matt Cameron played guitar and sang as Taylor powered an airy and lithe reimagining of SOUNDGARDEN's "Halfway There" from "King Animal", generating hundreds of thousands of views on its initial post. Iconic multi-instrumentalist, producer and artist Alain Johannes handled guitar on THE PRETTY RECKLESS' pensive and poetic interpretation of "The Keeper", originally by Chris Cornell, while David Bowie pianist Mike Garson performed a stirring piano movement for THE THIN WHITE DUKE's "Quicksand".

"For a long time, we've been trying to figure out an alternative way of releasing music, including songs we love that didn't make our records, covers, and alternate versions," explains Momsen. "We found a way to do this coherently and consistently with 'Other Worlds'. We're a rock band, so there are lots of electric guitars on our records. However, we've gotten incredible feedback from fans about our acoustic performances, and we'd never put those out in any real format. So, this is a different take on the traditional format of a record and a stripped back version of us that our fans haven't really heard before, but it's still us."

"You get to hear a different side of Taylor's vocals," adds guitarist Ben Phillips. "It was a chance for us to see what she would sound like singing songs by people who have inspired us. It also gave us some perspective of where we need to go and what we need to be if we want to be that good."

"Other Worlds" track listing:

01. Got So High (remix) 02. Loud Love 03. The Keeper (feat. Alain Johannes) 04. Quicksand (feat. Mike Garson) 05. 25 (acoustic) 06. Only Love Can Save Me Now (acoustic) 07. Death By Rock And Roll (acoustic) 08. Halfway There (feat. Matt Cameron) 09. (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding 10. Harley Darling (acoustic) 11. Got So High (album version)

"Death By Rock And Roll" was made available in February 2021 via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

Upon release, "Death By Rock And Roll" topped multiple sales charts — including Billboard's Top Albums, Rock, Hard Music, and Digital charts. The record also yielded three back-to-back No. 1 singles — "Death By Rock And Roll", "And So It Went" (featuring Tom Morello of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) and "Only Love Can Save Me Now" (featuring Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron of SOUNDGARDEN). The band has tallied seven No. 1 singles at the rock format throughout its career.

"Death By Rock And Roll" is THE PRETTY RECKLESS's first album to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS formed in 2009 and is rounded out by bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins.

Last year, Momsen — who rose to fame portraying the character of edgy little sister Jenny Humphrey on The CW's "Gossip Girl" — described "Death By Rock And Roll" in an interview with ABC Audio as a "battle cry for life and for hope."

"I think that that's something that we can all use a little bit more of, especially right now," she said. "We could always use a little more hope, and we could always use a little more rock and roll."

#Taylor Momsen #The Pretty Reckless #Death By Rock And Roll #Harley Darling #2022 news

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (1-7 May 2022)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

😊👂 Poirot Investigates (Hercule Poirot #3) (Agatha Christie, author; Richard Armitage, narrator)

😊 Blue-Eyed Monster (Only_1_Truth) - 118K, 00Q, canon-divergent AU - very slow burn; Q just a skosh on the woobie side of the scale but really enjoyable & good

😍 Brooklyn Bakes (Oh_i_swear, author; britbrit99, artist) - 54K, shrinkyclinks AU - love this! Pre-serum baker!Steve, WS-Avenger catdad Bucky, an entire pine forest - good characterizations, great textile art

😍 You Have [1] New Message (torikabori) - 55K, Star Trek canon-divergent You've Got Mail fusion - LOVED THIS!

😍👂 The Poisoned Chocolates Case (Anthony Berkeley, author; Gordon Griffin, narrator) - FANTATIC, such a great examination of the detective novel plotting, super entertaining with a surprising but welcome lack of period-typical casual racism/antisemitism, barely any misogyny!

😊 Chef's Kiss (TJ Alexander) - fun book about a grumpy cis chef falling for the new sunshiny nb test kitchen manager. i was charmed and stayed up WAYYY too late finishing this.

💖💖+112K of shorter fic 💖💖

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Grace & Frankie - s7, e8-16

Star Trek: Discovery - s2, e5-8

Our Flag Means Death - s1, e1-4

Lingthusiasm - #30: Why do we gesture when we talk? - usually listen to this as an audio podcast but obviously an ep on gestures had to be video

🎧 PODCASTS🎧

Lingthusiasm - #55: R and R-like sounds - Rhoticity

Hit Parade - I Got Five on It

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Hashima Island

Lingthusiasm - #01: Speaking a single language won’t bring about world peace

Hit Parade - The Bad Moon on the Rise Edition

Switched on Pop - Belle and Sebastian on the value of staying "young and stupid"

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Benin Bronzes

Shedunnit Book Club - Death By Chocolate

Lingthusiasm - #02: Pronouns. Little words, big jobs

Hit Parade - The Imperial Elton and George Edition

Lingthusiasm - #66: Word order, we love

You're Dead To Me - Genghis Khan

99% Invisible #489 - Pandemic Tracking and the Future of Data

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Upton Chamber

Partners - Kim Malek & Tyler Malek

Song Exploder - Arooj Aftab - Mohabbat

Ologies with Alie Ward - Acoustic Ecology (NATURE RECORDINGS) with Eddie Game

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum

Strong Songs - "Wichita Lineman" by Jimmy Webb & Glen Campbell

Lingthusiasm - #34: Emoji are Gesture Because Internet

Hit Parade - Le Petty Prince Edition

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Eurovision 2022 All Songs

Presenting Willow

Rebel Girls: '90s Visionaries

Greatest Hits [Ricky Nelson]

Presenting Creedence Clearwater Revival

My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult

Presenting George Michael

my "Take Me To The Pilot" playlist

Rocketman (Music From The Motion Picture)

Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Singers

Reimaginator [Rock Sugar]

ReInventinator [Rock Sugar]

Journey

Presenting Tom Petty

#sunday reading recap #bookgeekgrrl's reading habits #bookgeekgrrl's soundtracks #golden age of detective fiction #the poisoned chocolates case was new to me and really knocked my socks off #that star trek you've got mail fusion was *chef's kiss* #fanfic ftw #chef's kiss by tj alexander #a very satisfying ending to grace and frankie tho #was fantastic to see dolly back in a scene with them! that nostalgia buzz was real! #i realized the reason i don't love st:disco more (and to be clear i do love it a lot) is that michael is a heavy whisperer #and i have a very low tolerance for a whisperer esp a ~dramatic~ whisperer #but anyway it's fun #strong songs podcast #hit parade podcast #lingthusiasm podcast #99% invisible podcast #shedunnit podcast #ologies podcast #switched on pop podcast #atlas obscura podcast #you're dead to me podcast #song exploder #partners podcast #rock sugar #journey #'take me to the pilot' #my life with the thrill kill kult #ricky nelson

[fuckyeahvanhalen86-95]

Sammy Hagar has shared his hard-rocking cover of Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up”, taken from Crazy Times, his second studio album with Billboard chart-topping supergroup, The Circle. You can watch the song’s official video, directed by Travis Detweiler, below.

Taken at face value, Costello’s new wave classic might not seem like an obvious track for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame-inducted, Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, performer, entrepreneur, and New York Times No.1 best- selling author to reimagine. However, as Hagar says in an exclusive interview with uDiscover Music, “Pump It Up” is a song he’s loved for many years.

“Well, that’s a hard rock tune and it’s a rock of a tune too!”, he says with some relish. “I’ve been trying to do that song for a long, long time – ever since I started Chickenfoot in 2008.”

“I played with Elvis Costello on a TV show in 1977 or ’78, somewhere in England and we were hanging around together all day”, Hagar adds. “Elvis played “Pump It Up” on that show and seeing him live in a studio and being around him all day had a big effect on me. I just loved “Pump It Up”, I thought it was the greatest punk song. I think [our version] is a pretty cool cover. I love singing it.”

"Pump It Up" is one of the key tracks on Hagar and The Circle’s new album, Crazy Times. To put the new record together, Hagar, along with fellow Hall of Famer and longtime bassist Michael Anthony, Grammy-winning drummer Jason Bonham and Grammy-winning guitar virtuoso Vic Johnson travelled to Nashville to record the album with 8-time Grammy Award winning producer Dave Cobb at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A. The album is set for release on September 23 and its title song was released as its first single on July 29.

“It’s hard for me to talk about this album with as much passion as I feel without sounding like I’m hyping it or bragging about it or trying to, you know, get people to buy it”, Hagar recently told uDiscover Music. “I love this f_king record. I mean, I just don’t, I don’t even know how the hell we made it because this band we’ve been together almost 10 years, but we’ve only recorded once before. But yeah, we did it. I think this song and this record holds up. I’m very proud of it.”

Pre-order Crazy Times.

For the latest music news and exclusive features, check out uDiscover Music.

#post van halen #michael anthony #sammy hagar #the circle #vic johnson #jason bonham #2022 #pump it up #elvis costello #news #yahoo #uDiscover Music #Dave Cobb #RCA Studio A #Travis Detweiler #video #music video #youtube

[watchilove]

Singer presents the new Track 1 Endurance Edition 24h chronograph

Unique, limited-edition watch celebrates Singer’s involvement in the 2023 World Endurance Championship and the 100th edition of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. Singer Reimagined is the Official Watch Partner for Hertz Team JOTA, the new Hypercar motor racing team sponsored by Hertz, Singer, and Tom Brady’s BRADY™. Singer Reimagined, the Swiss-based luxury watchmaking arm of Singer Group, today…

View On WordPress

#independent brand #independent watchmaking #news #Press release #Singer #Singer Track1 #Track 1 Endurance Edition 24h chronograph

[biglisbonnews]

Dove Cameron Is Re-Introducing Herself It’s not uncommon for a former Disney star to successfully navigate pop stardom on their own terms as an adult, but Dove Cameron has spent the last year determined to take the artistic reins back with a vengeance. After coming to prominence on Disney Channel show Liv and Maddie and releasing music of her own as far back as 2019, Cameron made the decision to remove her prior solo output from streaming and pivot to something that felt more true to her — a set of bolder, biting singles clued into the current pop music landscape. In February 2022, the multi-hyphenate released the first of these singles: the dark, alt-pop-influenced swing of “Boyfriend,” which put a boastful (and unabashedly queer spin) on a tale of fatal attraction. Following the track’s success — it’s been certified platinum and has accumulated over 1 billion global streams — she shared singles “Breakfast,” “Bad Idea” and a gender-flipped cover of Edwyn Collins’ 1994 hit “A Girl Like You,” retitled “Girl Like Me,” all of which will appear on her debut solo album Celestial Bodies (which she estimates will be finished and out in the world by “late fall”).Related | Dove Cameron Reimagines a Post-Roe World With 'Breakfast'Now, she’s sharing the video for the album’s fifth single, “We Go Down Together,” a pulsing torch ballad and duet with Khalid. While it exists in the same sonic universe as other recent material, it unveils a more emotional side of the new Dove Cameron, serving as an eerie ode to a battle-tested love. The accompanying video sees Cameron and Khalid performing on a spare, monochromatic set, leaving Cameron’s pale blue gown as the one burst of color against their otherwise muted backdrop. It’s a shadowy, striking visual companion to the actress and singer’s most vulnerable release yet.To mark the video’s release, PAPER caught up with Cameron to chat about the creative process behind the song and video, dealing with imposter syndrome and what people can expect from her forthcoming full-length debut.Take us through the creative process of “We Go Down Together” as a song. It feels like a departure from what we’ve heard from you before, like we’re seeing a more emotional facet of you as an artist. How did the collaboration with Khalid come about? The song was written by my collaborators, Connor [McDonough] and Riley [McDonough], who I work with quite a lot and who I have a bunch of stuff coming out with soon. As we were beginning to work on my album together, they played this for me and they were like, “We've had this for ages and we really want to hear your voice on it.” They were singing on the recording I heard, so I was like, “It sounds beautiful as it is! It's so stunning, I would never want to take this from you.” We just did it on a whim one night, and it was so obvious that we were having a magical experience recording the song.We were imagining who we would want the male vocalist to be, and Khalid was obviously the first person to come to mind. We were so lucky, because we sent it to Khalid’s team and he felt the same way. There’s something about this song to me that feels so otherworldly. It sounds dramatic, but when I listen to it and close my eyes, I feel like I'm tumbling off the face of the earth with the love of my life. It's so rich, and almost spooky and eerie. So, I was really excited to get our boy Khalid, who’s a really wonderful guy, and I was really lucky that Connor and Riley gave me the song. It feels like such a big moment for me, because I’ve never released a ballad.After that magical recording process, what were the conversations like surrounding the video? What was it like coming up with a concept that complemented the specific atmosphere of the song? We knew that we wanted a video that was just going to be all about the visuals. I'm really big on doing narrative videos, as people probably have come to see. I try to make short films that last three minutes because I think that's really fun. I love getting a story across, but for this one, it just felt like we wanted to focus on the emotion of the song. We wanted to focus on creating a haunting atmosphere where you could feel the dissonance between all of these clashing elements. It’s definitely got this postmodern thing where it feels like you’re on another planet. It's definitely a strange combination of elements that our director Audrey just came to us with. She had this idea of sand falling from the sky and making it feel near-apocalyptic, like this “last night ever” kind of romance. I think she was really able to bring that off-putting element out while maintaining the beauty of it. It's really dreamy and I think it fits the song and the narrative perfectly.Do you think you’re attracted to things that have that dissonant quality when you’re creating?This is gonna sound funny, but as someone who’s like, a highly traumatized human [laughs]... I think that everything that I respond to has to feel like we're making something emotionally resonant in secret, small ways. Anything that is too straightforward in its execution just doesn't really bump me in any way that sticks with me. As much as possible, we should be communicating emotionally with each other. Otherwise, what's the point in making music or movies or anything? It's not like anybody’s doing cartwheels in the video, and we're not, you know, rewriting the Declaration of Independence, it's not complex [laughs]. But I wanted there to be space, because the story of the song is actually more complex than a normal love song.There are these lyrics, like, “Sometimes we fly, sometimes we fall/ Sometimes I feel like we're nothing at all.” How I hear that is that the love that these two people share is so intense that it's all-consuming. Sometimes, that's not always a positive thing in a relationship. A lot of people have been there, to the point where it almost knocks your life off course. It’s asking, Is love so multifaceted that it can’t be contained? I've definitely experienced all kinds of different loves, and some of them have brought me great joy and some of them have brought great complexity. Some of them have brought my issues to the surface, and some of them have done all three. I definitely think we were able to show that in this music video because of the simpler concept. There was a lot more pain in the eyes that we were able to exhibit, which is really important to me, because if you’re not showing that human experience, even in small ways, then it’s just a fucking music video, you know?Do you feel like your experience as an actor plays into expressing those emotions in your videos? Does that skill set transfer from one medium to the other?I’ve never actually thought of it as linearly as this, but the songs do fit into my own story, so the line between acting and purely existing and emoting as the character that is me is pretty blurred. We are telling a story, but I'm not pretending to relate to these lyrics as a character. I really am relating to these lyrics because, often, they're my words. It’s a funny thing that I think about a lot. It’s like, what's the line between a musical artist who's telling their own story and allowing people to see that experience played emotionally for them on camera, and then an actor who is able to play the role of the music artist for the music video? It's kind of both. Luckily, I’m so naturally an actor that it feels like the same thing for me.Has your comfort level changed over time in terms of how vulnerable you’re willing to get in your work?Yeah, definitely. For years, I had a high level of imposter syndrome. What a lot of people don't know about impostor syndrome is it can have absolutely nothing to do with your actual career, and it has more to do with your identity and your experience of your own life. I read about this a lot, and a lot of people with complex PTSD have an inherent, ridiculous amount of imposter syndrome. Obviously, it can exist for a multitude of reasons, but that's been something that has plagued my life to no end. I can intellectually understand and dismantle those feelings every day, but my brain is always on a setting that says, You don’t know what you’re doing. One day, everybody's gonna find out that you're a full-blown freak and everything's gonna burn to the ground.But, I definitely feel that since “Boyfriend,” because it wasn’t premeditated and I couldn’t have reverse-engineered the kind of success that record had, it’s been good for me to realize, Oh, this thing was completely out of your control. That was actually a huge stroke of luck, because it helped me with just like a piece of evidence that maybe I actually can write music. Maybe it's only me who's telling me that I can't do it. So now, I’ve definitely gotten out of my own way, which is nice, because at the end of the day, we're all doing what we're doing for some form of self-actualization and to feel more connected to people around us. That's really what this music has been doing for me and that's really exciting.Now that you’re in the middle of writing and recording the album, what about it do you think will surprise people about it when they finally hear it? Well, I definitely still have a romance with big sound. “Boyfriend” was a great first hit for me to have, because it gave me permission to do singer-songwriter stuff. It gave me permission to do romantic music, sexy music, big sound, pop, jazz or even slightly dubstep-influenced stuff. It kind of touched on so many genres that there aren't too many things that I could follow it up with where people would be like, “What the fuck is that?” [laughs] It didn’t pigeonhole me. You can definitely still expect that kind of sound from me, but maybe less than you would think. I think the thing that’s going to surprise people most is that a lot of what I’ve been working on has been influenced by Daft Punk, Justice and a lot of French pop artists. I wouldn’t say that the album’s going to lean that electronic, because that would be misleading, but I would say there going to be more of that French funk with this huge sound and distorted horns and all that.Then, on the other hand, there’s going to be this very hard left turn into, genuinely, my first time ever talking about like my trauma, my mental health, my depression, my anxiety, my eating disorder... I'm going to be openly speaking about things that in the past I've been afraid to speak about. People think that trauma is something that you talk about in therapy, and then you go to sleep and you maybe have a nightmare, but the rest of it is fairly normal, and that's just not true. Trauma permeates absolutely everything. It's in every small decision. I didn't give myself permission to talk about that because I was like, Who am I to talk about this? I live such an incredible life now and I'm living my dreams. But if I don't talk about it, there's 70% of me that people just don't have access to. My label has been really supportive and has been like, “You gotta learn to put this shit down and trust people with it and give it to the audience because it's who you are. Until you do that, you won't feel honest as an artist.” I think that's really true, so some of the tracks will be very dark and honest, and for people who don’t know me, that will probably seem like a big departure.I’m grateful that everyone has been so generous with me in this big second half of my career where I’m constantly just trying to play catch-up. [Laughs] I'm learning fast and I'm trying to sort of get to the juiciest part of myself as a human. I want to be able to develop the craft of putting myself into the music as honestly as possible and I’ve had to really retrain myself to not apologize for speaking about my life experience. It’s been like learning how to walk in heels backwards or ride a bike up a hill. [Laughs] I'm really, really grateful that everybody has been so kind to me about it all, and right now, I'm excited for everybody to hear this song and see the video. Photography by Ashley Osborn https://www.papermag.com/dove-cameron-we-go-down-2659397174.html

#Music #Khalid #Interview #Disney #Disney channel #Mental health #Dove cameron #Elise Soutar #PAPER

[crownat4]

#crownat4 #wwwcrownat4com - NOVITA' [C@4]: SINGER REIMAGINED TRACK 1 FLAMBOYANT RED EDITION #singer #singertrack1chronograph - https://www.crownat4.com/2021/11/27/singer-track-1-flamboyant-red-edition-prezzo-price/?feed_id=177&_unique_id=61a201f7e8fc3 https://www.instagram.com/p/CWxnNNjo6OJ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#crownat4 #wwwcrownat4com #singer #singertrack1chronograph

[your-dietician]

Britney Spears Thanks Elton John for Giving Her ‘Confidence’ With Their Hit Duet ‘Hold Me Closer’

New Post has been published on https://medianwire.com/britney-spears-thanks-elton-john-for-giving-her-confidence-with-their-hit-duet-hold-me-closer/

Britney Spears Thanks Elton John for Giving Her ‘Confidence’ With Their Hit Duet ‘Hold Me Closer’

Britney Spears took to social media Monday (Oct. 10) to share her gratitude for the success of her Elton John duet “Hold Me Closer.”

On Instagram, the pop princess posted a faux cover art mock-up for the collab of herself posing atop Elton John‘s piano, writing, “Thank you @eltonjohn for giving me the confidence and believing in me to do such a cool song !!! Hold Me Closer went top 10 on the @billboard charts and #1 on the @itunes charts !!!”

Combining elements of Sir Elton’s past hits 1971’s “Tiny Dancer” and 1992’s “The One,” the danceable bop has so far peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Thanks to its top 10 debut, the song marked Spears’ highest-charting single since 2012’s “Scream and Shout” with will.i.am.

“Hold Me Closer” has also given both singers new milestones on Billboard‘s various radio charts, including top 10 on Adult Pop Airplay and the top spot of Dance/Mix Show Airplay.

Just last week, Spears and John shared the first official remix of “Hold Me Closer,” featuring a reimagining by British DJ and producer Joel Corry.

Check out Brit showing love for “Hold Me Closer” below.

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[nwdsc]

(▶︎ DUO | Claudia Acuñaから)

DUO by Claudia Acuña

Reflection and re-dedication are steady themes in the life and work of Claudia Acuña. Following her dynamic debut on the NY scene in the 1990’s she recorded five albums as a leader, and then stepped away for a decade to raise her son and restore her power. Returning refreshed and reborn in 2019, Acuna delivered the Latin Grammy nominated album Turning Pages, representing reclamation, recovery, and documenting a major creative leap. As 2020 rocked the world we all experienced our own version of such a journey, asking ourselves important questions of intent and purpose. Claudia returned to a long time desire - to record a duets album of songs from her homeland, Chile. As the world slowed to a crawl, Acuna took this time to remember the past, to find the core of her dedication and the power of music. The result is DUO, 9 songs recorded with some of the finest musicians in the world. Entering the studio with the likes of Fred Hersch, Christian McBride, and Kenny Barron for an intimate recording put her in a vulnerable spot, but the ease and comfort of the experience set the tone. The simplicity of just two, feeling the music and letting it flow through them, brought her to a new place as a singer. Seven of the songs on DUO come from composers hailing from Chile, Cuba, Argentina, and Mexico, and one from the great Chick Corea. The final track is Acuña’s sole original composition, and speaks of her relationship with Mother Earth. ‘…at the end of the day we all walk alone, and we can discover our beauty when we see Earth and us as one’ Born July 3, 1971 in Santiago and raised in Concepcion, Acuña established herself on the Chilean jazz scene in her early 20s. When she arrived in New York City in 1995, Acuña quickly gained recognition as a leading voice on a scene rapidly being transformed by a wave of brilliant Latin American musicians. Part of the roiling scene centered on Small’s, she plunged into collaborations with masters such as Jason Lindner, Harry Whitaker, Arturo O'Farrill, Guillermo Klein, Avishai Cohen, Branford Marsalis, George Benson, Louie Vega, Danilo Perez, and Tom Harrill. Her five albums as a leader established Acuña as a creative force, from 2002’s Rhythm of Life (Verve) and 2004’s Luna (MaxJazz) though 2008’s In These Shoes (Zoho Music) and 2009’s strikingly beautiful En Este Momento (Marsalis Music). Whether putting her stamp on popular Latin American ballads, reimagining jazz standards from a South American perspective, or bringing infusing Afro-Caribbean material with a wide rhythmic sensibility, Acuña stands out as a passionate and emotionally incisive singer with a gleaming, burnished bronze tone. For much of the past decade she’s put her recording career on the back-burner to focus on raising her son. Instead of touring, she’s stayed closer to home, where her keen intelligence and intrepid spirit has made her the vocalist of choice for many of jazz’s most creative figures. クレジット2022年9月23日リリース 1. Medianoche Piano: Kenny Barron by: Patricio Manns & Horacio Salinas 2. Eclipse de Luna Bass: Christian McBride by: Margarida Lecuona 3. Razón de Vivir Piano: Carolina Calvache by: Victor Heredia 4. Jurame Piano : Fred Hersch by: Maria Grever 5. Manifiesto Violin: Regina Carter by: Victor Jara 6. Verdade Amarga Guitar: Russell Malone by: Agustin Lara 7. Piensa en Mi Piano: Arturo O'Farrill by: Agustin Lara 8. Crystal Silence Acapella/voice solo by: Chick Corea 9. Yo Bombo Lehuero: Claudia Acuña Voice: Claudia Acuna by: Claudia Acuna Producer's : Claudia Acuña & Marc Urselli Executive Producer : Kabir Sehgal Recorded & Mixed by Marc Urselli at EastSide Sound Additional Recording by Duff Harris Kenny Barron appears courtesy of Steinway & Son Fred Hersh appears courtesy of Steinway Piano & Palmetto Russell Malone appears courtesy of High Note Christian McBride appears courtesy of Mack Avenue Records / Brother Mister Productions Photo cover, art : Hollis King Clothing: Jahnkoy Hair and Makeup : Calwell Assistants : Izac Sissoko , Leslie Jean Bart Photo in the studio by : Tracey Yarard Thank you to all the amazing people who helped and encouraged me to make this album possible . You know who you are Gracias a todos los que me ayudaron a hacer este maravilloso álbum , ustedes saben quienes son .

#JZ #2209

[coghive]

[Album] Overcomer: Deluxe Edition - Tamela Mann

GRAMMY award-winning Gospel superstar Tamela Mann releases the highly anticipated Overcomer: Deluxe Edition album across all major digital streaming platforms. The new version of her critically-acclaimed album Overcomer features both reimagined renditions of fan favorites and all-new music, including the newly released streaming single, “Superheroes Prayer” featuring Yolanda Adams and the new live version of “Finished,” impacting gospel radio Monday, July 25.  In addition to Tamela’s masterful vocals soaring throughout the project, additional special guest features include industry heavy-hitters Wyclef Jean, Kirk Franklin, Tim Rogers & The Fellas, and Todd Dulaney. Overcomer: Deluxe Edition is distributed by The Orchard, and available as a digital only release. Today, fans can also tune in to Kirk Franklin’s Praise channel on Sirius XM for a special ‘Live Sanctuary Session’ performance by Tamela of both classic hits and new music, as well as an exclusive interview, beginning at 1pm ET/12pm CT. “I made this album to be a reminder that we are more than conquerors, we’re overcomers. It’s something I try to say and live by every day,” said Tamela Mann. “I hope these songs bless everybody and encourage them to do that too.” Marking her sixth studio offering, Overcomer: Deluxe Edition is heralded as some of the superstar’s best work. Propelling upon the original version’s themes of resilience, strength, purpose and the beauty of faith, with an offering of both all new tracks and intimate live renditions of fan favorites from Overcomer. Tamela Mann recently made history as the first gospel artist to chart nine No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart, with her third consecutive No. 1 from the Overcomer album: the track “He Did It For Me.”

Tamela Mann was recently named both the Contemporary Female Artist of the Year and the Albertina Walker Female Artist of the Year at the 37th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards held in Atlanta, GA. Tamela’s son, David Mann Jr. also took home the award for Music Video of the Year, for his creation of the music video for Tamela’s hit song “Help Me,” featuring The Fellas from the original version of her album Overcomer. Adding to the excitement, last week a special ceremony was held to celebrate Tamela, who was presented with the Crown Jewel of Excellence at the world-renowned Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame (BMEWOF). A joint initiative by the Black American Music Association (BAMAssoc) and Georgia Entertainment Caucus (GEC), the BMEWOF honors iconic individuals and organizations that have impacted Black culture and community alongside those who continue to lead us into the future. The Crown Jewel of Excellence emblems are permanently installed on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, in front of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in historic downtown Atlanta, GA, where they are preserved to be seen by generations to come. Other inductees this year included Prince (Legacy), NAS (Hip Hop), Bob Marley (International), Patti LaBelle (Legacy), RUN DMC (Foundational), Steve Harvey (Mogul), Angela Bassett (Actress), Charlie Wilson (Mainstream), The Clark Sisters (Gospel Group) and more. Overcomer: Deluxe Edition is the latest accomplishment in Tamela’s storied career. An accomplished songwriter, producer, actress, and businesswoman, Tamela has amassed a Grammy Award, BET Award, Billboard Music Award, and multiple NAACP Image Awards and Stellar Gospel Music Awards. Her Billboard No. 1 album Best Days garnered three consecutive No. 1 singles including the No. 1 platinum single “Take Me to The King” and received Billboard’s “Album of the Decade” for 2010-2019, in the Gospel category. Tamela’s Billboard No. 1 album, One Way, garnered two No. 1 singles, including “Change Me” and “God Provides,” which earned the singer her first Grammy Award in 2017. In 2018, Tamela and her husband, NAACP Image Award winning actor David Mann, released their first book and joint album, Us Against the World. The book won an NAACP Image®Award for Outstanding Literary Work and the album continues to garner top-charting singles including the Urban AC track, “Ups & Downs.” Tamela and David together helm Tillymann Entertainment. They starred in the NAACP Image Award-winning docu-series “The Manns,” the hit comedy “Mann & Wife,” and are currently starring in “Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living” and “Mann Family Dinner” on their MANNTV YouTube channel. Tamela’s athleisure apparel and shapewear line, the Tamela Mann Collection, is available at TamelaMann.com and in select retail stores. https://open.spotify.com/album/08cvalavBpPKGh23e97pt3?si=1f74dd659722405c Production Credits: Executive Producers: David Mann Sr, Tamela Mann, Tillymann Music Group Inc. Producers: David Mann Sr., La’Tia Mann, Justin Pearson Produced by: Kirk Franklin, Tamela Mann, Philip Bryant, Jevon Hill, Travis Greene, Dontaniel Kimbrough, Todd Dulaney, Shaun Martin, Rickey “Slikk” Offord, Stanley Green Read the full article

#TamelaMann

[relogioserelogios]

Singer Reimagined introduced the Track 1 SKLT Edition, a limited edition of only 15 pieces with a 43 x 15 mm yellow gold case and an open dial. The model is equipped with the acclaimed AgenGraphe, automatic chronograph movement with central indications. 💰 90,000 Swiss Francs . A Singer Reimagined apresentou o Track 1 SKLT Edition, uma edição limitada de apenas 15 peças com caixa de 43 x 15 mm em ouro amarelo e um mostrador aberto. O modelo é equipado com o aclamado AgenGraphe, movimento de cronógrafo automático com indicações centrais. 💰 90.000 Francos Suíços 📷 @singerreimagined • • #singerreimagined #track1 #singerreimaginedtrack1 #track1skltedition #agengraphe #agenhor #finewatchmaking #hautehorlogerie #relogioserelogios #genevawatchweek https://www.instagram.com/p/CdeE4hbOahC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#singerreimagined #track1 #singerreimaginedtrack1 #track1skltedition #agengraphe #agenhor #finewatchmaking #hautehorlogerie #relogioserelogios #genevawatchweek

[watchilove]

An open-worked dial from Singer Reimagined Singer Reimagined was created with a mission to reimagine the sports chronograph. This was made possible with the help of our award-winning movement, the Agengraphe. One side of the Agengraphe has always been visible through the caseback of the Track1. A frequently asked question was “where is the oscillating weight that powers the watch?” The answer is that the rotor was relocated to a position underneath the dial, allowing an unobstructed view of the Track 1 movement through the caseback. Here it remained hidden, seen only by watchmakers. With the skeleton front, the full movement is revealed. https://www.instagram.com/p/ChhTkAsLmPc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sagehaleyofficial]

HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED THIS WEEK (8.11-8.17.21):

NEW MUSIC:

- Machine Gun Kelly revealed the title of his upcoming new album, Born With Horns. The singer was seen getting a new tattoo alongside Blink-182's Travis Barker bearing the phrase in an Instagram post, with the pair later dropping the single “Papercuts.” - Ice Nine Kills dropped another music video from the upcoming new album The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood. The song is titled “Assault and Batteries,” inspired by the movie Child’s Play. - Hawthorne Heights dropped the title track of their upcoming new album The Rain Just Follows Me, out October 22. The song follows the release of their previous single “Constant Dread.” - Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes released the latest track from their upcoming new album Sticky titled “Go Get a Tattoo.” The song features the vocal talents of pop artist Lynks. - Halsey revealed the full track listing of their upcoming new album If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power. Produced by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the album is set to be released on August 27. - Thrice released another track from their upcoming new album Horizons/East titled “Robot Soft Exorcism.” The new album is out digitally on September 17, with a physical release on October 8, via Epitaph. - Chase Atlantic released a visual accompaniment to their track “Ohmami.” The track is the first music the band have released since their full-length Beauty in Death at the start of the year. - Dragged Under released a new collab with Underoath’s Spencer Chamberlain titled “Brainwash Broadcast.” The band released their debut album The World is in Your Way last year via Mascot Records. - Black Veil Brides released a new video for their latest single “Torch.” Their upcoming album The Phantom Tomorrow is set for release on October 29 via Sumerian Records. - Crown the Empire released a new track called “In Another Life” featuring Courtney LaPlante of Spiritbox. The song is the first new music from the band since last year's acoustic release 07102010. - This Wild Life revealed the details of their new full-length album Ever Blossom, their first since setting out once more as an independent band. The announcement comes with their new single “If It's Cool With You I'm Cool With Being Through.” - Normandie shared an acoustic version of their track “Hostage” from their most recent album. It's the latest in a long line of acoustic versions that the band have been releasing as of late. - Anxious revealed that they have signed a record deal with Run for Cover Records, as well as released a new single titled “Call From You.” The track follows on from a two-track EP called New Shapes that they released earlier this year. - Real Friends shared a new cover of the Smashing Pumpkins' 1995 hit “Tonight, Tonight.” The band also recently released reimagined versions of their tracks “Nervous Wreck” and “Storyteller.” - Mayday Parade shared a new song titled “Bad at Love.” The song follows on from their previous single “Kids of Summer,” which serves as an ode to their Vans Warped Tour days.

TOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS:

- Neck Deep announced a pair of warm-up shows ahead of their main stage appearance at Reading & Leeds festival later this month. The band are set to perform at Wrexham's William Aston Hall on August 24 and in Chester at The Live Rooms on August 25. - Architects revealed that they have rescheduled their upcoming tour of the UK/Europe to later in 2022. The tour will now kick off on May 2 in Leeds and end on May 20 in Frankfurt. - Bring Me the Horizon frontman Oli Sykes joined Yungblud onstage during his show at London's O2 Kentish Town Forum last week. The performance marked the pair’s live debut of their collab song “Obey.” - As It Is announced two warm-up shows ahead of their appearance at Slam Dunk Festival next month. The band will play Brighton's Patterns venue on September 1 and Swansea's Sin City on September 2. - Reading & Leeds Festival announced that Spiritbox, Gallows and Cleopatrick will no longer be playing. In addition, the festival added Dinosaur Pile-Up, Holding Absence and Loathe to the lineup. - Yungblud delivered a cover of David Bowie's classic track “Heroes” at Great Britain’s Olympic homecoming concert. It was the second time this year that the singer has covered Bowie, taking on “Life On Mars” at a recent celebration concert. - Palaye Royale are set to play a free acoustic show in Los Angeles this coming Saturday at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Wilcox Avenue. The band will also be playing at The Wiltern on October 1, with support from De’Wayne and Mothica. - Foo Fighters announced that they will be making a return to the United Kingdom next summer. The band will play three shows in June and one London show in July with multiple guests. - All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth joined Blackbear onstage at his show last night in Texas for a performance of their smash hit “Monsters.” They also performed the song last week at Sad Summer Fest in Anaheim, California.

OTHER NEWS:

- Mindless Self Indulgence's James Euringer, aka Jimmy Urine, is being sued for alleged sexual assault of a minor, according to reports. Rolling Stone reported that a lawsuit was filed in New York City last Monday. - The nominees for the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards were revealed, with Evanescence and Foo Fighters nominated for Best Rock. The nominees for Best Alternative include Twenty One Pilots, Machine Gun Kelly and WILLOW. ___ Check in next Tuesday for more “Posi Talk with Sage Haley"!

#sage haley #posi talk #machine gun kelly #ice nine kills #halsey #black veil brides #crown the empire #mayday parade #neck deep #bring me the horizon #yungblud #palaye royale #all time low #Hawthorne Heights #frank carter and the rattlesnakes #thrice #chase atlantic #dragged under #this wild life #normandie #anxious #real friends #architects #as it is #foo fighters #mindless self indulgence

[bananaofswifts]

B+

By : Katie Moulton

The Lowdown: “For years I asked, pleaded for a chance to own my work,” Taylor Swift wrote in a 2019 social media post after her longtime label, Big Machine, sold her master recordings without her consent. Swift had been unable to gain control of her first six albums through contract negotiations, and then Scooter Braun, who’d demonstrated public enmity with the singer-songwriter, was collecting the checks. (Braun’s company has since sold the masters to Shamrock Holdings for $300 million.) What’s one of the world’s brightest superstars and the preeminent pop poet of a generation to do?

The answer: Do it all again.

Swift has begun to re-record her back catalog, and the first release is Fearless (Taylor’s Version) from 2008. (For the Swiftian numerologists, with the new version of Fearless released on 4/9, Swift now owns 4 out of her 9 albums.) This pop-country juggernaut, her second album, was the most awarded in the history of country music, sweeping up honors from Album of the Year at the Grammys to Best Female Video at the MTV Music Awards. (Her VMA acceptance speech was notoriously interrupted by Kanye West, marking one small step for that Moonman, one giant leap for petty celebrity scandals.) Taylor’s Version includes new recordings of all 19 original tracks from the “Platinum Edition,” plus six never-before-released songs “from the vault.”

It also creates a soundalike alternative for both discerning fans and industries (from advertising to radio) to decide which album they play and license – the one owned by an investment firm or the one owned by the artist herself. In that way, Swift is asking (if not pressuring) us to choose. She’s also playing chess. For the critical listener, the questions are: How closely can Swift recreate beloved songs recorded 13 years ago (13 = big number in Swiftian lore)? How might she reimagine or even improve these songs? And how does one analyze an album when the album is also a chess move?

The Good: Damn, this album holds up – not only to the hype of its initial release, but despite that, beyond that. At the time of the initial release, the public was hung up on the figure Swift struck as a precocious ingenue in boots and ballgown, swinging an acoustic guitar with a knowing twinkle in her omg! expression. And Fearless still evokes that moment, but it emerges as a classic account of youthful romance, drama, and fantasy. “Love Story” remains a touchstone of Swift’s lyrical quirks and worldview but continues to stand out as a universally appealing pop song. (Put it on the next Voyager golden record, beam it into space.)

Swift has never been shy about mining her diaries and blowing up the most fleeting of feelings into emotional epics, but one can imagine the trepidation of a 31-year-old singing songs which are not only written by a teenager but so deeply ensconced in teenagehood. What cringe awaited us! These re-recordings, however, mostly escape cringe by playing it straight and allowing us, as the best songs do, to fill in the spaces. For example, much of the charm of bittersweet ballad “Fifteen” was the precocity of its delivery by an 18-year-old who perceived herself to be already so distant from adolescent innocence, but who still clearly felt its hurt so sharply. Now sung by “Pretty Grown Up” Taylor, the song conveys a different pathos: the knowledge not only of her own coming of age, but a protectiveness over the millions – multiple micro-generations – of fans she has witnessed come of age alongside and behind her.

But this is knowledge the listener brings to the listening, not a change that’s made explicit in the re-recordings. The arrangements remain faithful to the original, with plenty of heart-plucking banjo and cinematic fiddle, which belies both Swift’s confidence in the catalog and her honoring of fans’ commitment to these songs.

The most noticeable difference is Swift’s vocal ability, which has been deeply strengthened and expanded as an instrument, both by age and her force of will. Her command as a singer means that the high-flying hiccups and breaks and urgency of the original recording are gone. When she recreates these youthful flourishes – the twangy pronunciation of “Fee-uhr-less,” the laugh in “Hey Stephen” – the longtime listener recognizes them as recreations. But Swift’s fuller, smoother vocals on rage-romp “Tell Me Why” (hold that grudge, girl!) and “The Way I Loved You” (stay high on that drama, Tay!) inject these B-sides with new life.

The Bad: There is so much content in the Swift universe, and apparently in her bottomless Vault, that it can be (to quote “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”), exhausting. We could do without any of the “dance” remixes of songs like “Love Story”, for example. The six “From the Vault” tracks are solid, but it’s obvious why they didn’t make the final album cuts. The vibey electronic atmospherics of “Don’t You” and “Bye Bye Baby” sound like they come from a later era than Fearless. (The Vault exception might be upbeat breakup song “Mr. Perfectly Fine”, which resurrects Swift’s delightfully petty side. By the way, did she have to pay RuPaul for using the line “Sashay away”?)

While the fealty to the original recordings is understandable and even admirable, I wonder if there are missed opportunities for further reimagining of this collection. For example, could Swift re-order her at-times confounding tracklists for future releases or choose different singles to showcase previously overlooked songs?

The Verdict: There’s a chance that, based on the success of this release, Swift reaches a deal with the current holder of her masters and won’t re-record her entire back catalog. This is probably just the latest interesting thing she’s done in music and business, but it’s worth our consideration since it’s been undertaken with such care and could pave the way for other artists.

Swift has always been a masterful writer of short fictions, able to swell a small feeling or moment to contain an era, a relationship, a universe (a skill she continued to develop on folklore and evermore by drawing even more overtly from literature and film). Yet, this project of re-recording her catalog requires her to become a memoirist: re-examining her former selves and reinhabiting her former voice. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate the time-tested strength of the original music, but there was also an opportunity to re-evaluate previous positions and experiences, to reveal what they meant in the longer run. But Swift seems to resist passing judgment on her younger self. Instead, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) states boldly, simply and perhaps, generously, that this is a story still worth telling – and a fight worth fighting.

Essential Tracks: “Love Story”, “You Belong with Me”, and “Tell Me Why”

#taylor swift #review #fearless