Icons are everywhere!

An icon is someone who makes an effort. Art makes an effort. Therefore art is an icon. Marilyn Monroe was and is an icon and a work of art as well. Hence Marilyn Monroe and art have a nature in common. Icon - Art - Marilyn is iconic.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

"Music Minute" - Natalia Kills "Trouble" - A track by track review.

It has been a long, long, long, long wait till Natalia Kills made her comeback with new music. Perfectionist hit me with a near to perfection and and I was excited for her new Album "Trouble" And now it has been released. 


And I have to admit: Im kinda am mixed about the album. But I don't want this to be understood as hate, since it actually is good, but I have some doubts about it. But lets not jump the steps but rather first have a look at the album song by song, to do it the justice it deserves. I mean we have all have waited for it so why not take time to analyze it? The album has 13 songs on it, and the ames of the songs are how I like them to be: bold pop culture genre fuck. 

Television
Lets dive right  in with the first track "Television". The song contains an intro to it and marks a good beginning. The intro sounds dark-ish and mysterious with that bell in the background and than then song takes it 180°s around. The song is rather fresh and spring like but in my taste has not got the boom point where there is a change. The guitar theme is nice but the break down at the end does not really do the deed for me. But still a good pop song. Im gonna give 7/10.


Problem
The next track "Problem" has been the lead single for Trouble, and Like I have already said, I like it. It is police sirens and rock attitude. But as well it lacks substance that we are used to Natalia's songs from "Perfectionist". The lyrics are all about bad girl, bad stuff in fashionable ways, smeared make up and well dirty nuances. Well bad girl does it for me since the bass is interesting in the mixture with the speaking voice thing. Over all a good, but nit GOOD pop song.  6/10.

Stop Me
Next one on our list is "Stop Me", that had me at the line "Darling, Darling". I like the fast beat and the mixture from bad girl needs help and I can never be stopped attitude mixed with the beat to beat club dance influence. But the song comes a bit short in its positioning on the album. But this one also lacks some depth for me as it seems a bit repetitive. But still a good song, so its a 7/10, bust still not an eight. But that might also be a taste level. 

Boys Don't Cry
Love the beginning until the beat comes in. And the lyrics. Not my business. But looking behind it its not that bad. But the rest of the song. Well this one was no keeper for me in my all time fav's of Natalia. Sorry to say so but this one rather is annoying. Still, being objective, I'm gonna give it a solid 5/10 since the production is very good. This one clearly is based on taste. So feel free to have a different opinion! Oh and FYI: Boys do cry. And I like em way more if they do sometimes.

Daddy's Girl
Okay this one is different. it has a kind of old school not so much pop beginning and this, I don't know CUNTry-Taylor-Swift thing to it that I like. I mean I don't like Taylor and her Music but I like a bitch that is like the cutsy one stuff. And Daddy's Girl has it for me with a La-La-La and a smart heiress thing in the lyrics. Basically the tell of rich girl running away from home since she does not get her pony. 7/10, since it not really is Nat's genre, but still a solid, good try. 


Saturday Night
Okay, Ill make this one quick and short since I have to say that this one stole my hear from the first time. Probably one of Natalias best songs ever. I mean come on the lyrics are tempting, the themes include youth decay and rebellion, violence, shattered future and hope and even innocence. Can you resist? I cant, because it just is like another Saturday Night, only like ten times better, with a mesmerizing sound to it. Make it a 9/10! Best sentence: You don't know what it's like, to be 17 with no place to go.

Devils Don't Fly
Okay, I would say it sounds like her try on hip hop and I must say: Gurrl, no. Not for you, well not at least in this way. This does not really do it for me.I would not even have put it on the album. And what is with the don't stuff? Sorry Nat , but Im not into the beat and the lyrics. Imma be a good bitch and make it 4/10 instead bitching and being unfair giving it only two or so. But this one is the weakest of the album. 

Outta Time
Natalia Del Rey, Lana Kills, Natalia Del Kills? I don't know but this one is Natalias Lana Del Rey moment on Trouble and I kinda like it. It is like that story of a small town girl, driving a car along the desert, singing and visiting country bars with truckers. Totally off topic from the rest and lyrically simple but good. A clear summer love like that earns her a good 7/10.

Controversy
Loved it, love it will always love it. Brilliant. This song for me is the second best one of the album and that song that defines, for me, what Natalia Kills is all about. Love the lyrics and the "fucking for McDonalds" part gives me the chills. I mean a pageant princess that pukes rainbows paired with that classical music intro and insulting Becky over the phone? What can you want more? That is 100% media anxiety, our generation drama and a fuck load of awesomeness. A clear 10/10.

Rabbit Hole
To describe Natalia as: "Alice in Wonderland went to a sex shop, is an art student that loves drugs and is bisexual meeting Disney fairytale while eating a burger and drinking champagne" is actually correct, and that song is the perfect example for that. And not only due to the title. My album fav that is a mirror for why Natalia is our pop-bad girl au naturelle and not a cheap Rhianna bad girl. 10/10. No discussion.


Watching You
Somehow reminds me of a Rita Ora song (I believe its Radioactive or so.) but definitely not a copy. A good pop song, but in my opinion to much a "boy is gone I miss him" song. Not a fan of such songs. As well this one seems a bit underwhelming compared to the two barn burners that have preceded it. But imma go ahead and say: 6/10.

Marlboro Lights
Love the title. Really, I am madly in love with it. But when it comes to the actual song I was pretty surprised to find a straight pop ballad. Well I'm not so much into ballads. Also I have to say it lack some depth and specialty. In the ocean of ballads there is better to be found. But still the lyrics are GOOD shit! So: 7/10.

Trouble
The title track, that actually has to stand up to high expectations by its name, is the last one on the album. And I have to say it does lack. It kinda flatlines for me since it is not that bang that such an album should go. And the pressure it has definitely does not do it good. Lyric wise okay, sound wise underwhelming. In whole still good pop but sadly not good enough. 5/10.

In summary Trouble has reached a total of 90 out of possible 130 points (Of a maximum of 10 points reachable by each song.) The album has some highlights that really lets it shine. Rabbit Hole, Controversy and  Saturday Night really carry it, but on the long range the album misses many opportunities and at some point really flatlines. And that is really sad. The songs average on 6.9 and I would have expected more. But all in all the album is good since it shows some development, but at some points a step back. Overall good but her debut was better. Lets see what her next album will bring, and hope it won't take that long to come out!

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