BYOB: System Of A Down

With it's rapid, almost maniacal instrumentals accompanied by powerful lyrics, a catchy yet captivating chorus and a political message to boot, can its 2006 Grammy nomination and subsequent victory for 'Best Hard Rock Performance', really be argued at this point?

Upon it's face value, System of a Down's BYOB provides a tune which dares all heavy metal fans to do what they do best, 'mosh' like there's no tomorrow. Maybe i'll even go so far as to say that this tune is so infectious that whether your in a large auditorium listening to Serj Tankian himself, belt out a La la la la la la during a live performance, or merely in the privacy of your own room hearing it blast from a stereo, some form of violent, body gyrations are bound to occur whether you like it or not.

When dissecting the song and all of the components that make it the 4 minute masterpiece that it is, its composition can be said to be almost orchestral (only...100 times more violent and damaging to our hearing ability). When listening closely, what one might ascertain as dissonance in the harmony (or lack thereof), can ultimately be attributed as a constant change in tempo (fast in most parts but slow in some). This technique cleverly evokes the entirely 'anti-establishment' message embedded in the lyrics through fun, almost quirky and seemingly nonsensical musical arrangements. Creating a dichotomy between how listeners are meant to feel about the song's message and how listeners actually feel when they hear the song in its entirety- rhythm and all.

To put it simply, I give this track a 5-star rating purely because of its moxy and how well it differs from any other metal song I've heard. :)

With all the political debate on the state of Australia's natural resources being exported to maintain a global, insatiable need for materials (much like the sort I am typing this review on), there can be no doubt that in the music world, the influence of metal is thriving.

System of a Down, the Californian Rock band headlining the metal genre since 1994, released their first single, 'BYOB' (Bring your own bombs), in response to America's facical participation in the Iraqi War. The song won the 'Best Hard Rock' category in the 2006 Grammy Awards, and indeed, I agree this politically charged, stirring sounding music is deserving of all its enthusiastic reception into the music world.
Politically motivated, BYOB emphasises the superficial, unsustainable values operating in modern social atmospheres. Indeed, the chorus highlights the very core messages portrayed through the lyrics; condemning America's participation in warfare as removed from reality, part of the condensed, safe world of exclusive dance floors teeming with celebrity gangsters and spoilt 'biatches'.
I found the music stirring, the lyrics catchy, and the theme intelligent. In an industry intent on pumping out 3 minute hits that really generate as much awe an realising you've forgotten cheese and crackers on your annual comic theme picnic outing (god forbid!), System of A Down's BYOB keeps the light of talent alive and sparkling, as steady as a rock (or dare I say, metal?). This week, BYOB receives 4 out of 5 stars. 

Sunshine: Avicii Ft. David Guetta

They say that listening to the same tune and/or beat can trigger insanity in a human being... Well, if that's the case then I am about one incredibly underwhelming beat away from rocking back and forth in a straitjacket.

Sunshine, from Swedish House DJ Avicii and highly acclaimed DJ/Producer David Guetta, features nothing but the same mind-numbingly repetitive beat for the entirety if the song...layer upon layer....for 6 minutes (which for me, was time spent that I will unfortunately never be able to reclaim).

Usually my tolerance for the repetitive nature of anything and everything that is house music is quite high. I would even go so far a to say that I genuinely enjoy the feeling of getting lost in the layers of fresh and unique beats that meld together to form an exciting buildup for the next fearsome beat just waiting to be dropped in the next few seconds. To my disappointment however, Sunshine lacks all such qualities. The song comprises of unoriginal sounds that have been played and revisited million times before, only to lead up to a painfully anti-climatic build up. I credit this to the fact that once you are told to put your hands in the air, you're going to be too busy trying to stop your hands from pressing the the 'close button' on your media player.

For a track that's sole purpose is to excite and intrigue House lovers and club-goers alike, performed by two otherwise talented artists who are both considered to be credits to the genre, Sunshine is a disappointing letdown. I award this track with 1 star, purely out of respect for the past works of both Avicii and David Guetta that have not made me certifiable. 

'Sunshine' - David Guetta ft. Avicii

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind? More like the endless night for the drugged up raver. 'Sunshine', a collaborative project from superstar David Guetta featuring Avicii, is an epic of the dance genre - huge, building synths underscored by a persistent dance beat. it has a running time of 6 minutes with no vocals; quite the heavy listening experience. This makes it popular with the dance crowd, but its certainly not what I'd class as 'easy listening'.
I'm actually not too sure how I feel about this song; it's traditional dance construction making it entirely too familiar. It's also overly long, its 6 minute running time dragging you into a hypnotic state of boredom.
I give this 2 1/2 out of 5.

Avicii ft. David Guetta: SUNSHINE

Things have certainly taken an interesting turn this week; we find ourselves wrenched from the blocks of California from last week's hip hop genre, whirled through the recording studio and right onto the club dance floor. This week, things took a turn for the worse in my opinion, the droning bass and repetitive beats were, really, no more than an excuse to be lulled (involuntarily) into a sense that after a never ending buildup of sound layers, some explosive, original manifestation of music would compel me to my feet and twirl around the dance floor. I never left my seat. 

 For a song nominated in 2012 for the Grammy Award's 'Best Dancing' theme, it is no wonder why the status remained short of winner. 

To their credit, the beginning of the song does hold promise. Layers are precariously introduced into every loop of the song until, building tension that invariably overrides boredom of the monotonous do do do do do that continues throughout the entire piece. This buildup pauses, as a millitary-esque voice over demands the air to be abused by throwing up our arms, a command, I feel to be lacking any justification, as my arms were draped casually on the table with absolutely zero resolution to be lifted except perhaps to continue with my drink (straight whiskey by then). 

You see, I have nothing against club music; I enjoy it. However, relying on the state of one's mind to be completely inebriated before any real musical (if we can call it that) appreciation can be gained, then to my mind it is not a successful piece. Perhaps Sunshine could not compete with the artist's earlier, delightful work, however, what ever the reason for, or against, producing sounds that a child could sing into a microphone, I am sorely disappointed with the quality of music this week, and give Sunshine 1 star.

'Death Penatly' - The Game

As I was searching for this song, I stumbled upon results for a Californian ‘Death Penalty’ of a more literal sense. When I finally found our song; Death Penalty by The Game, I felt like I was strapped to an electric chair: An initial sense of anticipation, quickly followed by an impending doom that comes crashing down into a jumbled mess of rap verses that hold little musical ingenuity. The opening seconds promise us the world, the dance synth taking precedence here and constructing an aura of intrigue. But then the rap verses start, and it was all downhill from here.

I thought we left the ‘thugs for life’ era of hip-hop back in the 90’s, but apparently ‘The Game’ didn’t get the memo. It’s all about guns, drugs and prison; his AK47 ‘riding shotty’ as he cruises the ‘mean streets’. And forgive me for being insensitive, but hasn’t the whole ‘look where I came from’ angle been done to death by both rappers and now Hollywood, who transformed it into feature length films like Get Rich or Die Trying and Notorious? Lyrically, the song lacks depth; but that’s to be expected from a rap collaboration album. The slower tempo could have been incredibly effective, the deep, reverberating bass driving the songs tempo. But it is coupled by some seriously uninspired vocals, and the constant staccato chime of a hit hat hardly inspires excitement.

I give this a 1½ out of 5.

The Drill: Game ft. Ace Hood and Meek Mill (from the album California Republic)

As an individual whose entire experience with the 'hip-hop' genre wholly consists hearing the occasional track blasting from her younger brother's bedroom, I was a tad apprehensive about having to actually form an opinion on a song that pretty much defines the entire genre. I mean, who was I to comment on something I knew or understood very little about? And honestly, I thought this review would only consist of a long winded rant about how this song had no depth...
After actually listening to the entire track from start to finish, I sit here with my figurative tail between my legs and my head held down in shame.

It is so rare to find songs these days that actually tell a story and require more than one listen to grasp the gravity of the lyrics playing and let me tell you, this track does exactly that. 

If you are looking for a short but sweet catchy tune that will get you to unconsciously start moving your body along with the beat while grinning like a maniac, this may not be the track for you. But if you need something real to listen to, then sit back, relax and for once just listen...

...and maybe you will be able to hear the sorrow as Ace Hood raps about the terrible and unfortunate demise of his daughter and the triumph felt by Meek Mill as he explains that without rapping, he would either be starving on the streets or in prison. 

Needless to say, I genuinely enjoyed this track and have forever been swayed away from the previous bigotry I felt towards anything to do with hip hop. This track deserves my utmost respect for being able to break through the 'bitches, hoes and money' stereotype by putting itself out there and talking about issues that have plagued these very talented artists- five stars all the way :) 

- Dominique 

An interesting choice, over 30 hip hop artists are involved in the new single, 'California Republic,' released by THE GAME this week. This week, I chose to review the song, 'death penalty'. Featuring artists, Fabolous, Eric Bellinger and Slim Thug, this song has some wonderfully modern slants on electronic music, with layers of vocals and digital sounds that create a sort of Baroque or traditional Eastern European edge to the backing music. The song opens with the chorus, and indeed, I can almost visualise Dracula on the organ as the opening lyrics, 'for not being who you claim, you've been found guilty', immediately emphasise the darker theme behind the song's title. 

By the time the beat marks the first verse, reference to the underbelly of California is worked into the lyrics and is highlighted by the off-key notes of the music. A slow tempo allows the vocals to alternate between accentuated force, ‘I need God with me in these streets’, and faster paced, ‘In the club half a pill and half a full clip’. The tempo in verbalising these lyrics I think is an excellent choice and alternative way of showing the duality of the artist’s lifestyles; reflective, meditative and also intensely active.

Through the music and lyrics, death penalty is not only aesthetically delightful, but also mysterious and quite a musical experiment, drawing on international musical influences to highlight core themes within the lyrics. This week, THE GAME’s ‘Death Penalty’ receives four stars from me.