Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot
Jim and Greg take aim the year's biggest musical disappointments during the annual Sound Opinions Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot. Later, they review Lady Gaga, and Jim takes a trip to the desert island.
Music News
For years the record industry has been going after people violating copyright through piracy. But now, lyrics are under fire. The National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA) has sent a number of takedown notices to websites who put up song lyrics without permission. Lyrics Mania and Rap Genius are among those targeted.
Colonel Tom Parker knew that Elvis Presley's death wouldn't mean the end of Elvis Presley, Inc. And the big business of death continues with Michael Jackson. Even without the superstar's presence, the Cirque du Soleil production, "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour," recently became the number nine top-grossing tour of all time, earning $325.1 million.
Turkey Shoot
It's Turkey time! Let out all your holiday frustrations on some well-deserving musical turkeys. Here are the albums that most let Jim and Greg down in 2013 as part of our Thanksgiving Turkey Shoot:
Greg
- Jay-Z, Magna Carta…Holy Grail
- Nine Inch Nails, Hesitation Marks
- Kanye West, Yeezus
Jim
- Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2
- My Bloody Valentine, mbv
- The Flaming Lips, The Terror
Listener Turkeys
- Izzy from Carbondale IL: Kings of Leon, Mechanical Bull
- Peter from Newmarket, NH: Arcade Fire, Reflektor
- Mike from Chicago, IL: Boards of Canada, Tomorrow’s Harvest
Artpop Lady Gaga
"Anti-diva" Lady Gaga has just released her third album, Artpop. and it's headed for #1. The title is a brazen declaration of its content, but after a few plays, neither Jim nor Greg feel much like the album is "Art" at all. While Jim does think the music is still as groovy as ever, he can't get over the pandering, nonsensical lyrics., especially considering her attempts to empower her fans. So, Jim says Burn It. Greg refuses to step over the threshold, explaining that the music underwhelms with conventional, risk-averse EDM courtesy of big name producers like DJ White Shadow. Lady Gaga has built a career out of twisting the formula, but Greg doesn't hear any reinvention: Trash It.
Jim
Recently Jim's better half was watching VH1 promos of the new TLC biopic. It got him thinking about better R&B and hip hop groups from the '90s like Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue. The two came together in 1993 for "Whatta Man." To Jim, this is a girl group sound at its best—with En Vogue's "perfect" choruses and Salt-N-Pepa's witty verses over a sample of Linda Lyndell's original 1968 hit Jim wants this funky tribute to "a God-sent original, the man of my dreams" on his Desert Island Jukebox.
Featured Songs
- Pure Sunray, "Caramel," Pure Sunray, self-released, 2013
- Manfred Mann's Earth Band, "Blinded By the Light," The Roaring Silence, Warner Bros., 1976
- Michael Jackson, "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough," Off the Wall, Epic, 1979
- The Ohio Players, "Jive Turkey," Skin Tight, Mercury, 1974
- Jay-Z, "Picasso Baby," Magna Carta… Holy Grail, Roc-A-Fella/Universal, 2013
- Jay-Z, "Tom Ford," Magna Carta… Holy Grail, Roc-A-Fella/Universal, 2013
- Justin Timberlake, "Take Back the Night," The 20/20 Experience—2 of 2, RCA, 2013
- Justin Timberlake, "Amnesia," The 20/20 Experience—2 of 2, RCA, 2013
- Nine Inch Nails, "Copy of A," Hesitation Marks, Columbia, 2013
- Nine Inch Nails, "All Time Low," Hesitation Marks, Columbia, 2013
- Otis Redding, "I Want to Thank You," The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads, Volt/Altco, 1965
- ABBA, "Thank You for the Music," Thank You for the Music, Epic, 1983
- Kings of Leon, "Don't Matter," Mechanical Bull, RCA, 2013
- Arcade Fire, "Awful Sound," Reflektor, Merge, 2013
- Boards of Canada, "Reach for the Dead," Tomorrow's Harvest, Warp, 2013
- My Bloody Valentine, "If I Am," mbv, self-released, 2013
- Kanye West, "On Sight," Yeezus, Def Jam, 2013
- Kanye West, "I'm In It," Yeezus, Def Jam, 2013
- Kanye West, "Blood On the Leaves," Yeezus, Def Jam, 2013
- The Flaming Lips, "Butterfly, How Long It Takes To Die," The Terror, Warner Bros., 2013
- The Flaming Lips, "The Terror," The Terror, Warner Bros., 2013
- Dee Dee Sharp, "Mashed Potato Time," It's Mashed Potato Time, Cameo, 1962
- Lady Gaga, "Aura," ARTPOP, Interscope, 2013
- Lady Gaga, "Manicure," ARTPOP, Interscope, 2013
- Lady Gaga feat. R. Kelly, "Do What U Want," ARTPOP, Interscope, 2013
- Lady Gaga, "Applause," ARTPOP, Interscope, 2013
- Lady Gaga, "Jewels n' Drugs," ARTPOP, Interscope, 2013
- Salt-N-Pepa feat. En Vogue, "Whatta Man," Very Necessary, Next Plateau/London, 1993
- The Beatles, "Any Time at All," A Hard Day's Night, Parlophone, 1964
- Parquet Courts, "Master of My Craft (Live on Sound Opinions)," Light Up Gold, Dull Tools/What's Your Rupture?, 2012
- Van Morrison, "Madame George," Astral Weeks, Warner Bros., 1968
- Arcade Fire, "Here Comes the Night Time," Reflektor, Merge, 2013
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