Soundbites: the music column

written by Jerry Chen, 5C

I hope you are enjoying this first issue of Old Anniesland. This month, I review some of the major recent
releases and also recommend music which you may enjoy. Please be aware that my musical tastes are somewhat
sorely limited, but Im always open to widening my musical horizons. Feel free to send me any of your music
recommendations or albums/tracks you would like me to review at jchen@glasgowhigh.net.

REVIEWS
ALBUM REVIEW: Purpose - Justin Bieber
(3.5/5)
Genre - Pop, house, electropop
2015 was the year where it became cool to like Justin Bieber. After
spending a good few years in and out of the headlines for the wrong
reasons, Bieber made a comeback this year with multiple hit singles,
culminating in the release of his fourth major record, Purpose.
Lets talk about the positives first. Purpose does contain a good number of very solid pop songs.
Co-produced by Skrillex, the songs on Purpose are mostly well-produced, from the tropical house
of What Do You Mean? to the processed vocals and energetic synths on Sorry. Biebers vocals
are also extremely well-suited to the dance songs on this record, with a pleasing sweetness to his
voice. The songs do contain some personality rather than being run-of-the-mill EDM - and the
melodies are sensual and inspired by nineties R&B.
However, some of the lyrical content on Purpose can leave a lot to be desired. Some lyrics are
simply put, trite, such as in the track Children, where Bieber repeatedly asks What about the
children? and sings look at all the children we can change. On Sorry, he sings that he misses
more than just your body, which is a nice sentiment, but makes for an uncomfortable lyric - the
kind that makes you wonder why would you even include this line? Theres also a nagging feeling
that this record is too calculated - that Biebers trying way too hard to establish a redemption
narrative. All across the album, Bieber begs the listener dont forget that Im human, or apologises
profusely, or claims my lifes not easy, or pleads Im the only one to blame.
This enveloping sense of constant repentance and humility and Ive changed and Ive grown up
makes the tracks less believable as a result, but it doesnt take away from the fact that the songs
on this album overall are very, very strong indeed.

ALBUM REVIEW: Art Angels - Grimes

(5/5)
Genre - Electronica, art pop, experimental pop
Claire Boucher, known as Grimes, delivers in her stunning fourth album a
more accessible sound without losing her uniqueness and experimental
appeal. Her 2012 critically acclaimed album Visions was recorded solely
by herself on Garageband and featured hazy, textured vocals and

hypnotic, trance-like melodies. On Art Angels, Bouchers vocals are clearer than ever, and the
songs are more catchy and appealing than before. That being said, Boucher did not rely on
hitmakers such as Max Martin or Ryan Tedder, opting to produce and engineer the album by
herself, whilst learning to play the guitar, drums, ukelele, keyboard and violin in order to widen the
musical direction of the album.
There are plenty of songs on here which are simply excellent pop songs - REALiTi is a gorgeous
track with an infectious hook and Flesh Without Blood is a sublime diss-track with layers upon
layers of guitar, beats, and vocals. Kill V Maim features a cheerleader style chant (B-E-H-A-V-E
aggressive!), screaming, and a spectacular chorus where her vocals are artificially elevated to an
ecstatic howl. On the other hand, we also have tracks like SCREAM (feat. Aristophanes), where
Mandarin verses from the Taiwanese rapper are punctuated by terrifyingly piercing howls from
Boucher. Its easily one of the most disturbing songs Ive ever listened to. All of the tracks on this
album are unique and spectacular in their own way. Its unapologetically electropop, but Grimes
intelligent lyricism shines through in tracks such as Pin, where she simultaneously references
Shakespeares play A Midsummer Nights Dream and the title of her previous album Visions, or
in the track Belly of the Beat, where she sings about the nature of death and fame.
On the final track Butterfly, written from the perspective of a butterfly in the Amazon whilst trees are
being cut down, Boucher asks, Why are you looking for harmony? There is harmony in
everything. Cohesive yet eclectic, intelligent yet unpretentious, disturbing yet appealing and
rewarding, there really is harmony in these fourteen stellar tracks. Art Angels redefines what it
means to be a pop album - Grimes has created a modern classic and theres simply nothing else
quite like it today.

ALBUM REVIEW: 25 - Adele

(4/5)
Genre - Soul, pop
Hello, its me, declares Adele on the first track and now ubiquitous lead
single from her latest album 25, which broke sales records worldwide
after release. Adele has become internationally known for her soulful
and passionate vocals, and on that level, 25 certainly does not
disappoint.
The vast majority of songs on 25 are emotional and dramatic - in other words, quintessentially
Adele. One of the most divisive tracks on the album is the second one, the Max Martin produced
Send My Love (To Your New Lover). An upbeat kiss-off, the guitar-based cheerful instrumentation
makes it perfect for radio, but is rather jarring and out of place in terms of the album as a whole.
The excellent I Miss You feels like a Florence + The Machine song - indeed it was co-written and
produced by Paul Epworth who has worked with the band - but Adeles delivery is what makes that
song and indeed the whole album shine. When We Were Young, the next single off the album, is
a heartbreaking ballad about lost youth, where she exclaims, My God this reminds me of when we
were young. Million Years Ago is a definite highlight of the album, with lovely Spanish guitar
instrumentation and lyrics examining the nature of fame and time (life was a party to be thrown but that was a million years ago). Across these songs, there is a real sense of maturity,
melancholy and world-weariness that you wouldnt really expect from a twenty-something.
But the key to 25 is that all of it is believable - all of it really is believable and we want to believe
because of that special voice. Her undiminished and emotive voice carries everything on this
record - 25 may not be particularly innovative musically or thematically - but Adele has created a
collection of immaculately beautiful songs.

RECOMMENDATIONS
ALBUM: Carrie and Lowell - Sufjan Stevens
Genre - Indie-folk, indie-pop, baroque pop
American singer-songwriters seventh album Carrie and Lowell is one of
the most deeply personal albums of 2015. Sparse orchestrated, the focus
in each of the beautiful tracks is on the emotion in his voice and in
particular his lyrics, which encompass themes from heartbreak, death, and
longing to his own personal faith. Stevens hauntingly heartfelt songwriting
and rich, intimate voice make this album one of the finest in recent times.
Shouldve Known Better is a heartrending stand-out track where Stevens
explores the death of his mother and the impact of this event on his life,
ending with a poignant, hopeful look on the future.

TRACK: Paradise // Le Paradis Nous Trouvera - Josef Salvat

Genre: Pop, electropop
Josef Salvat is one of my favourite emerging artists, and this latest
single preceding the 2016 international release of his album Night
Swim sparkles with reverb, soulful vocals, gorgeous synths, and one of
his catchiest, most indelible melodies yet.