Albums that Have Defined My Life, By Years

In conjunction with just posting the album that defined my 2016, here are other albums that have defined my years, with brief explanations. I started with 2008, since that seemed like the most adult-ly year to start with. Though I wrote their descriptions in chronological order, I started the list with the most recent. Interesting how life plays out when you count the steps backward.

What music defined your life at the same time these defined mine?

2015 -- White Light by The Corrs

Equipped with the tools from The Artist's Way, I continued to heal, reading several more books that supported my spiritual awakening and emotional/mental renewal. Grief was subsiding as I approached acceptance. I felt very akin to The Corrs' latest outing, which was greatly influenced by the passing of the sibling group's father. Their healing and life-affirmation spoke to my journey.
How old was I this year? "27 years/Not long enough to learn from your tears.../You gotta live long enough to learn how to live" ('White Light').

2014 -- Seventh Tree and Tales of Us by Goldfrapp; Under the Tuscan Sun Original Soundtrack by Christophe Beck

Delving into the creative recovery home course The Artist's Way while house-sitting in California for my parents gave the self-exploring alone time I needed. It was my own spiritual retreat. I finally started to heal and put my demons to rest. I blogged for six months about my creative recovery in Am I Grown Up, Yet? Goldfrapp was the peaceful reflection I needed. And Christophe Beck's soundtrack gave me a romantic bounce to pick me up.

   

2013 -- This Delicate Thing We've Made by Darren Hayes; Impossible Princess by Kylie Minogue

Frantic aftermath of the tragedy of the previous year. Looking for footing. My friend's death was a catalyst for evaluating my life and the world. In what ways was I standing in my way? What is this society, this world that we've organized -- and disorganized? Why did we make it that way -- what was the point of any of it? How did I fit into the narrative? How had I fit into the narrative? I was awakening and illusions were shedding. Not too different an inward journey than explored in Darren's and Kylie's albums. I listened to them. I sang their songs. I knew their experience.

  

2012 -- Secret Codes and Battleships by Darren Hayes

My dearest friend committed suicide in March. I had planned to attend another year of college, but experiencing complicated grief, I cannot tell you how many times that fall semester I nearly packed up and didn't finish that 1.0 credits I needed to graduate. I wouldn't have made it through that semester without the bubblegum dance-pop of Carly Rae Jepsen's 'Call Me Maybe' and Kylie Minogue's 'Timebomb.' No joke.
My world had changed. My outlook changed. My perspective changed. Everything changed. It had to. Nothing I knew was safe. And I didn't know where to go. Darren Hayes' entire album summed up my emotional journey, but nothing expressed how I felt better than 'Black Out The Sun.'
Also, at the beginning of that fall semester, both of my grandmothers passed...

2011 -- Body Talk Pt. 2 by Robyn

A good friend died at the beginning of the year. I moved out of my sister's house and closer to campus -- first time living out of "home." I attended summer classes. I felt I was growing exponentially as an actor. I began a thirteen month run of constantly being involved with a play. An emotional, busy, trekking year. Robyn gave me comfort and grounding, yet courage to explore.

 
2010 -- Light Years by Kylie Minogue

Life was coming together. I had a readjusted, optimistic attitude. I even started my first blog: Adventures of a Flunking Honor Student. I was given reign to research my passions for school projects. Particularly, Kylie Minogue... There was a lot of Kylie going on, and her library probably has nothing more shamelessly cheerful as Light Years. Known as her comeback album, it was perfect for my "comeback" year, as campy as that sounds.

2009 -- Borrowed Heaven by The Corrs; The Chase by Marit Larsen

Confused by that love relationship and very much not coping well due to my youthfulness (*ANXIETY*), I ran away to Brigham Young University to start completely new. These folk-pop albums share that heartache, love, yearning, reflection, and empowerment. Though light in sound, they expressed deep, honest places for someone as light as myself.

  

2008 -- Talk On Corners by The Corrs

I fell in love, and not just with The Corrs (though I was obsessed!). Though my youthful foolishness and naivety was most of what complicated the relationship, what better way to express what I was feeling than with lovelorn ambient ballads by a hopeless romantic group.

Lately Listening: Deadmau5 x Alexis x Kylie

Nearly a year ago, I discovered Alexis Jordan's debut single "Happiness" from 2010 and was swept away by its techno (and sweet lyrics). The music video for the America's Got Talent contestant's track has been compared to the vid of "Can't Get You Outta My Head" by my personal favorite Kylie Minogue.

Interestingly, I recently found the unreleased track "Change Your Mind" from the bubbly Aussie pop princess's (2010) Aphrodite sessions that uses the same backing techno as Alexis's "Happiness." And with research, I found that backing track to be none other than Deadmau5's "Brazil (2nd Edit)" from Random Album Title (2008).

I know pop artist's do this a lot -- sampling, borrowing, and nodding to one another -- but it reminded me of the following year when Avicii's delightful "Penguin" was used as the basis for Leona Lewis's "Collide" and Avicii's own "Fade Into Darkness" (featuring Andreas Moe on vocals).

Anyway, Deadmau5's composition is gorgeous and dreamy and is only augmented by the beautiful vocal melodies and lyrics the two pop stars graced across it. They are a beautiful listen. Check them out! If hearing one of their songs isn't enough, there are always mashups of all three artists together: Deadmau5 meets Alexis meets Kylie.

Kylie's vid goes "Into the Blue" but safely

Kylie Minogue released her music video for lead single "Into the Blue" a month and a half ago, and now, we are merely a day away from Kiss Me Once dropping. So, if you haven't seen this video or heard this uplifting song, rev up by giving it a shot.

Generally, the vid plays it safe and comes off as a generic video, especially for a empowering song that seems to have enough meaning behind it that images of people breaking through the ordinary or stifling come to mind at first listen. However, what we are given are beautiful segments of Kylie rolling in bed and flirting with a man who later chases her down to apparently make up with her: generic.

Costuming is pretty good throughout, but a gold dress Kylie wears in a party scene is given a rich texture that nearly ages the ever-girlish pop star. Otherwise, it actually is a killer outfit. The rich gold is also touched on other set pieces.

My only other notable observation about the music video is that the man who plays her onscreen romance makes small acting choices and seems to always take Kylie's lead in their scenes together (perhaps, he is intimidated and star-struck to be featured with the enduring Ms. Minogue). The song appears to be telling more his story than hers, as he goes 'into the blue' by finally taking the risk of initiative to chase Kylie to win her back. Perhaps, it is for his subtlety that he was chosen for this part -- to make his move to chase her more significant.

In all, though, the video is sexy, and the 45-year-old Kylie is still gorgeous in the accompaniment to the anthemic song. Plenty of beautiful pictures are made to appreciate a view.

Kylie Minogue releases "Kiss Me Once" samples

The Kylie wait is nearing its end, as a week and a half ago Ms. Minogue uploaded a single Youtube video containing track samples from her upcoming album Kiss Me Once. The samples release comes a month before her album hits shelves. Kiss Me Once is Kylie's first studio release since Aphrodite in July 2010, though she still maintained a busy schedule touring and promoting K25 in 2012 to mark her twenty-five years in the music industry, which saw the release of compilation albums The Best of Kylie Minogue and The Abbey Road Sessions and single "Timebomb."

The sample has even caught the attention of other pop musicians, such as former Savage Garden frontman and fellow Aussie Darren Hayes, who tweeted his two cents:

On first listen - pop perfection. RT @kylieminogue: Today you can hear clips of every song from #KissMeOnce! http://t.co/B564rsDFgD
— Darren Hayes (@darrenhayes), February 17, 2014

And you can't say Darren is far off! The album opens with upbeat, inspirational lead single "Into the Blue" and takes off from there into what Kylie is famous for -- pop euphoria. The Pharrell-penned and -produced third track "I was Gonna Cancel" is striking with its very Pharrell signature sound, recalling Madonna's Hard Candy-era. Another famous songwriter who leaves her mark is another Aussie Sia, made famous in the U.S. with her David Guetta track "Titanium." Sia co-wrote the album's title song and "Sexercise."

King of Dance Enrique Iglesias also adds to the mix with co-writing his Kylie duet "Beautiful," the most down-tempo song on the album. "Beautiful" is slated to appear on deluxe and international versions of Enrique's album Sex + Love, which is set to release worldwide March 18, same day as Kiss Me Once in the U.S. Kylie lends her writing to the co-written final track "Fine." Personally, Kylie-penned tracks tend to be my favorite lyrics from her albums -- I connect with them the most -- and from what can be heard from "Fine," it may be no different for this album.

The album samples sound catchy, as well as sexy with titles as "Les Sex," "Sexercise," and "Sexy Love." It feels like almost torture for hardcore fans to have to wait a whole month to experience it in whole, but with album credits this promising, it will definitely be worth the wait.

Wednesday Review: "Electric" by Pet Shop Boys

Pet Shop Boys are known for their thoughtful lyrics set to dance music, and they don't disappoint with their twelfth album release Electric. In fact, the nine-track set is one of their finest!

The album marks a relatively quick turnaround release from their still recent Elysium, released near the end of last year, as the duo's first release not associated with Parlophone but with their own label x2. As such, Electric boasts tracks full of signature PSB sound and ideas with none other at the helm but producer Stuart Price, known for his associations with other dance acts as Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Electric sounds much like their first albums from the 80's, which early PSB fans will cherish, and the album's momentum never slows for a ballad or deeply reflective lyrics, a strength for the set.

While it is light on the pop hooks, except the chorus of "Bolshy," Electric makes up for this through its sheer brilliance in poetic lyrics and production. Actually, it is the production that catches you while being enlightened by the lyrics, especially in "Love is a Bourgeois Construct," "The Last to Die," and "Vocal." "Axis" works perfectly as an opening track with memorable and catchy production, despite it being an almost instrumental track. Its lack of lyrics prepares us to pay attention to the "electric energy" and clears our palate to listen to the intelligence of the lyrics yet to be heard. The sound of "Inside a Dream" lives up to its name and recalls a likeness to Darren Hayes' 2007 single "Step into the Light." "Thursday" features a rap performed by Example that welcomes a change in pace from what we've already heard.

Every track is definitive of the Pet Shop Boys but varies enough in their own personalities to make each one enduring. And though the Boys let most of their pop sensitivities go with this album, Electric recovers in its intelligent lyrics and production that is both original and signature.

Standout Tracks include opener and lead single, electric-city "Axis," middle-class reflection "Love is a Bourgeois Construct," and pop music insight "Vocal."

Would I recommend it? If you dug Pet Shop Boys' early work, your brain and heart will explode with this album! Others who may enjoy or appreciate this album even through at least one listen are those who markedly like thought and poetry behind musical lyrics and those looking for fresh electronic beats and journeys.

I give Electric 4 out of 5 stars.

Music Video Monday: "Turn Up the Radio" by Madonna

Nearly a month ago, Madonna Youtube released her latest music video for her single "Turn Up the Radio," which debuted a week ago. Surprisingly, the vid hasn't received a whole lot of attention, only garnering 4.5 million views as of today. Or is it not surprising?

For one, it premiered on her VEVO channel, which only has one-sixth the amount of subscribers as her official channel that houses ALL her other music videos, even her other two from album MDNA. Perhaps, she is trying to move to VEVO, since her own channel is flooded with uploads from highlights from her tour. Madonna isn't the only artist to do this in their return to music during the VEVO-era. Fellow pop-mogul Kylie Minogue has a library as large as Madonna, but only her two most recent videos are housed on her VEVO, while she uses her own channel for tour and other promotional highlights.

Further, it was released three weeks before its availability as a single. A bit hasty? Perhaps. Also, the vid seems to have had little promotion is other spheres. This may be that her company is busy with her world tour. Who knows?

Maybe it's the video itself. It doesn't flow into the extraordinary or the exceptionally exciting. It's a simple video, which isn't a bad thing if it's charming enough to keep people's attention, though even Madonna seems bored in it. Thanks to the filters of soft-focus lenses used throughout, Madonna looks half her 54-year age. The vintage look seems more like a fallback on the popularity of Instagram, though. Madonna has had an eye for trends, so this use is not surprising, even if it follows a similar move by Minogue (again) in her use of sepia tone for parts of her "Timebomb" video released a month prior to the filming of "Turn Up the Radio."

Basically, the video consists of Madonna fleeing Italian press and fans with her chaffeur, while picking up a few characters along the way, including her twenty-five-year-old boyfriend French dancer Brahim Zaibat (he's about my age...puts their relationship into perspective for me...weird...). Yep, that's about it. The vid's nothing more or less than that. In all, it is a fun video for a positive song that seems to have been a better choice for a lead single and Super Bowl headliner than "Give Me All Your Luvin'," but apparently, Madonna had hoped to capitalize on the stardom of collaborators Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. at the time.

No idea why "(Explicit)" is included in the title when there is nothing "explicit" in the video and there is no "clean" version to compare it to. Anyway, check it out. It's a fine vid.

Katy Perry Continues to Tie Records; Kylie Minogue Takes Over Dance

Katy Perry has tied Rihanna's record nine #1 singles on the Pop Songs chart with "Wide Awake" reaching the top spot this week. In August of last year, Perry tied Michael Jackson with the most singles from one album to top the Hot 100 when "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" from Teenage Dream became the chart's leader. Jackson had five turns at the top with singles from 1987's Bad.

This week "Wide Awake" also switches its third position on the Hot 100 with Maroon 5's "Payphone" to its new peak of #2. Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" keeps its ride at #1, matching Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" for the longest running chart leader for 2012, but if Perry keeps her momentum, she could very well run over Jepsen's heels to achieve her eighth turn atop the chart, since "Wide Awake" is still fresh in only its tenth week, as opposed to "Call Me Maybe"'s twenty-third week.

Also this week, "Wide Awake" gives up its top position on the Dance/Club Play Songs to Kylie Minogue's "Timebomb," giving the Goddess of Love her ninth #1 (sixth consecutive) on the chart, a welcoming tally for K25, the singer's year-long celebration of her twenty-five years in pop music. Minogue has been releasing celebratory surprises on the 25th of every month this year. "Timebomb" was May's gift and has already given Minogue her first rule atop the Australian Dance Chart. Her most recent surprise release, on July 25, was a montage video of her first single "The Loco-motion." Expect Jennifer Lopez's collaboration with Flo Rida, "Goin' In," as the chart's next topper.

Katy Perry "Wide Awake" on Dance/Club Play

Katy Perry achieves her tenth #1 (in a row) on Billboard's Dance/Club Play Songs Chart with "Wide Awake" on the song's eighth charting week. Congrats to her! This is her ninth run atop the chart from Teenage Dream. The pop princess's first #1 was One of the Boy's "Waking Up In Vegas" in 2009. "Wide Awake" also remains #3 on the Hot 100 and has been announced as the last release from her Teenage Dream era, as reviewed in its incredibly vivid music video that explores the journey of her dream for worldwide pop success all the way to her divorce from Russell Brand.

The top spot will likely be taken by fellow pop princess Aussie Kylie Minogue with "Timebomb" next week.

The "Wide Awake" video is wrought with symbolism. Videos like it are candy for me. Personally, I can't help but feel some Madonna influence in the song's production and video. The melody and lyrics are very Perry, though. The production is consistent with the rest of Teenage Dream, but, perhaps, it is the echoing synths that recalls Madonna for me. As for the video, part of me (heh heh) can't help but be reminded of Madonna's "Bedtime Story" and "Frozen." The Pop Queen's influence would not be surprising, since Perry has announced Madonna as one of her idols.

On another note, I recently watched Madonna's vid for "Open Your Heart" and felt like I could see Perry doing something similar. Does anyone else feel that?