2008 Woodie Awards
New Vibrations
Issue date: 10/9/08
ARTIST: TV on the Radio
ALBUM: Dear Science
LABEL: DGC
RELEASED: Sept. 23, 2008
On first listen, Dear Science seemed to carouse past in a whirling barrage of lyrics, hand claps and trumpet flares, an upbeat hurricane which, but for a few calm tracks, sweeps you up and spits you back out onto your chair feeling a little disappointed. How could this be? TV on the Radio's last album, Return to Cookie Mountain, was universally acclaimed as one of 2006's best. It does not follow that Dear Science would be any kind of let down. It demands a second, third or fourth listen, upon which its true merits shine through.
Dear Science has lost none of its predecessor's energy. The songs are more focused, but they still have an expansive feel to them, due in large part to Kyp Malone's ever-present rough-and-tumble vocals. Dear Science is also more experimental, especially when it comes to said vocals. For example, the third track "Dancing Choose," is sung in a rollicking spoken-word style purposely similar to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." In a stroke of artistry, however, TV on the Radio has remade the song to better fit our modern era, a time of breakneck pace where immediacy touches everything we do - even our music. Fittingly, the song's lyrics roll by quickly towards the climactic chorus which feels like a long, grateful breath.
Speaking of lyrics, it is this aspect of the album that finally reveals just how much TV on the Radio has matured since Return to Cookie Mountain. Whereas Dear Science's music is still upbeat and rhythmic, the album's lyrics have grown denser and more meaningful. The band's writers, Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe, write like a ghetto-hipster-turned-preacher-turned-poet and stargazer. The songs range from political to poetic, from angry to optimistic, and parts of some are flabbergastingly beautiful.
"Family Tree," is a gem of mellow pop. Its chorus is one of the best on the album, lyrically and musically.
Other stand-out tracks include the catchy "Golden Age," the haunting "Stork and Owl" and the airy "DLZ."
Dear Science is the kind of album that grows on you. It is an album of uncommon depth and energy. It is an awesome, mature album on par with, or even better than Return to Cookie Mountain.
- Will Chen
ARTIST: T.I.
ALBUM: Paper Trail
LABEL: Grand Hustle
RELEASED: Sept. 30, 2008
The release of T.I.'s sixth album drew much hype, mostly due to the hit single "Whatever You Like," which hit number one in Billboard. The self-proclaimed "King of the South," T.I. is certainly showcasing his newfound personal and musical maturity in his new album. This is the first time he has decided to write his lyrics down on paper since his first album I'm Serious, an effort that could be seen clearly in songs such as "Dead and Gone," featuring a chorus by Justin Timberlake and "Slide Show," with a chorus by John Legend.
The album begins with "56 Bars." This could be seen as a reference to his criminal past, a stereotypical beginning to any rap album, but rather the song is a basic declaration of his peaking career, sans the usual catchy hook.
"Ready for Whatever" takes on a more serious tone. The track can be summed up in the verse "I did wrong, I broke the law, I deserve to be punished, I understand that … but listen man. I got a house full of kids, a mama and an old lady, whose life is my responsibility." Here, T.I. is proclaiming his escape of the fate of his former lifestyle.
This seems to be the theme of a few songs on the album, such as "Slide Show," "No Matter What" and "On Top of the World." The first combines a sentimental piano melody with the usual bass, a pairing that shows throughout the lyrics, making it perhaps the most atypical track on the album. John Legend's crisp vocals stress the point of the album that "Life is like a slide show" while T.I. states that one should take the chance to better one's life whenever that snapshot, no matter how brief, presents itself.
Besides the autobiographical songs, the album is sprinkled with songs like "Porn Star" and "Swing Ya Rag," perhaps the least thoughtful and artsy tracks on the album.
These songs are easily balanced by distinctive tracks such as "My Life Your Entertainment." A topic not many rappers seem to complain about, T.I. proclaims that his life is "just here for your amusement." Then there's always the remixes every rap album seems to require. These are seen in the songs "Swagger Like Us" and "Live Your Life." Yes, the former is taken from the song made popular by the summer 2008 movie Pineapple Express and no, the T.I. version is not nearly as catchy. He splits apart the original beat between raps by Jay-Z, Kanye, and Lil Wayne. Somehow having four of the hottest rappers in the world on the track does not pull it out of its rut.
He brings on another big name in this track in the form of Rihanna. Her initial chorus flows out of the initial beat of "Dragostea Din Tei," perhaps the only use of it in the entire track, a very good decision on his part. Overall, Paper Trail, proves to be a big step in T.I.'s rap career and in his message to the youth. While at times clearly enjoying his success and letting us know it, he continues to show us he will never forget his roots nor the responsibility that comes with his success.
-John Prendergass
ARTIST: Jack's Mannequin
ALBUM: The Glass Passenger
LABEL: Sire
RELEASED: Sept. 30, 2008
Jack's Mannequin would be nothing without front man Andrew McMahon. And after his leukemia diagnosis just days after their debut album's release in 2005, the possibility of existing without McMahon became quite real. Mannequin's sophomore album, The Glass Passenger, marks McMahon's re-entry into both the music world and a cancer-free life.
"The Resolution" starts off The Glass Passenger on a more melodramatic note than necessary. McMahon sings, "I'm alive and I don't need a witness to know that I survived," and although it does pluck the listener's heartstrings a little as he references his battle with cancer, the heavy repetition of those lyrics don't add to the poignancy. A single mention of his survival would have been more powerful than the many references in nearly every track. The swelling music lends itself more to the end of the first act of a musical than this over-the-top anthem.
"Spinning," "Lullaby" and "Bloodshot" are typical of Jack's Mannequin but lack anything noteworthy. Like the teacher from Charlie Brown, all that McMahon sings seems to have the same sound and meaning. With lyrics that have the depth of a cardboard box, and melodies that could be interchangeable, Jack's Mannequin lingers on the line of boredom and repetitiveness.
The only instance of humor on this album occurs in "Suicide Blonde." However the lines "she's a suicide blonde/dyed by her own hand" are only sprinkled in amidst the verses of social criticism.
Complete with a pop-rock chorus, "American Love" starts off as a nice reprieve from the death-related lyrics of previous songs. But amidst the pop choruses are lines that reference standing in one's own grave. McMahon can't seem to help referencing his near death experience, but perhaps this would be more effective if he took the Anthony Kiedis route and just wrote a book.
Finally, Jack's Mannequin takes a three-minute break from McMahon's saccharine inspirational yet irritatingly heavy lyrics with "What Gets You Off." Complete with trailing vocals and an overwhelming amount of "oh oohs," this song can potentially be filed away in the "Songs to Make Out to" category right next to Dashboard's "Hands Down." It lacks, however, the soulful quality of Something Corporate's lyrics and will have Corporate fans wishing for something more similar to "I Want to Save You."
"Crashing" lends insight into McMahon's mental struggle with his illness. He sings "And even if your voice comes back again, maybe they'll be no one listening," voicing his worries that even as he steps outside the hospital walls, no one will care. It's more humanizing than his other lyrics of triumphant recovery and if McMahon had written all songs with this vulnerability, perhaps more people would end up listening.
For die-hard fans, this album won't entirely disappoint but may leave some wondering whether they have accidentally purchased his debut album, Everything in Transit. The Glass Passenger relies on simple piano chords and McMahon's illness to maneuver it up the charts, but even that is questionable. Sadly his return to the music scene pales in comparison to his battle with cancer and The Glass Passenger resembles a mediocre attempt to recreate Everything in Transit.
-Christina Warner
ALBUM: Dear Science
LABEL: DGC
RELEASED: Sept. 23, 2008
On first listen, Dear Science seemed to carouse past in a whirling barrage of lyrics, hand claps and trumpet flares, an upbeat hurricane which, but for a few calm tracks, sweeps you up and spits you back out onto your chair feeling a little disappointed. How could this be? TV on the Radio's last album, Return to Cookie Mountain, was universally acclaimed as one of 2006's best. It does not follow that Dear Science would be any kind of let down. It demands a second, third or fourth listen, upon which its true merits shine through.
Dear Science has lost none of its predecessor's energy. The songs are more focused, but they still have an expansive feel to them, due in large part to Kyp Malone's ever-present rough-and-tumble vocals. Dear Science is also more experimental, especially when it comes to said vocals. For example, the third track "Dancing Choose," is sung in a rollicking spoken-word style purposely similar to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." In a stroke of artistry, however, TV on the Radio has remade the song to better fit our modern era, a time of breakneck pace where immediacy touches everything we do - even our music. Fittingly, the song's lyrics roll by quickly towards the climactic chorus which feels like a long, grateful breath.
Speaking of lyrics, it is this aspect of the album that finally reveals just how much TV on the Radio has matured since Return to Cookie Mountain. Whereas Dear Science's music is still upbeat and rhythmic, the album's lyrics have grown denser and more meaningful. The band's writers, Kyp Malone and Tunde Adebimpe, write like a ghetto-hipster-turned-preacher-turned-poet and stargazer. The songs range from political to poetic, from angry to optimistic, and parts of some are flabbergastingly beautiful.
"Family Tree," is a gem of mellow pop. Its chorus is one of the best on the album, lyrically and musically.
Other stand-out tracks include the catchy "Golden Age," the haunting "Stork and Owl" and the airy "DLZ."
Dear Science is the kind of album that grows on you. It is an album of uncommon depth and energy. It is an awesome, mature album on par with, or even better than Return to Cookie Mountain.
- Will Chen
ARTIST: T.I.
ALBUM: Paper Trail
LABEL: Grand Hustle
RELEASED: Sept. 30, 2008
The release of T.I.'s sixth album drew much hype, mostly due to the hit single "Whatever You Like," which hit number one in Billboard. The self-proclaimed "King of the South," T.I. is certainly showcasing his newfound personal and musical maturity in his new album. This is the first time he has decided to write his lyrics down on paper since his first album I'm Serious, an effort that could be seen clearly in songs such as "Dead and Gone," featuring a chorus by Justin Timberlake and "Slide Show," with a chorus by John Legend.
The album begins with "56 Bars." This could be seen as a reference to his criminal past, a stereotypical beginning to any rap album, but rather the song is a basic declaration of his peaking career, sans the usual catchy hook.
"Ready for Whatever" takes on a more serious tone. The track can be summed up in the verse "I did wrong, I broke the law, I deserve to be punished, I understand that … but listen man. I got a house full of kids, a mama and an old lady, whose life is my responsibility." Here, T.I. is proclaiming his escape of the fate of his former lifestyle.
This seems to be the theme of a few songs on the album, such as "Slide Show," "No Matter What" and "On Top of the World." The first combines a sentimental piano melody with the usual bass, a pairing that shows throughout the lyrics, making it perhaps the most atypical track on the album. John Legend's crisp vocals stress the point of the album that "Life is like a slide show" while T.I. states that one should take the chance to better one's life whenever that snapshot, no matter how brief, presents itself.
Besides the autobiographical songs, the album is sprinkled with songs like "Porn Star" and "Swing Ya Rag," perhaps the least thoughtful and artsy tracks on the album.
These songs are easily balanced by distinctive tracks such as "My Life Your Entertainment." A topic not many rappers seem to complain about, T.I. proclaims that his life is "just here for your amusement." Then there's always the remixes every rap album seems to require. These are seen in the songs "Swagger Like Us" and "Live Your Life." Yes, the former is taken from the song made popular by the summer 2008 movie Pineapple Express and no, the T.I. version is not nearly as catchy. He splits apart the original beat between raps by Jay-Z, Kanye, and Lil Wayne. Somehow having four of the hottest rappers in the world on the track does not pull it out of its rut.
He brings on another big name in this track in the form of Rihanna. Her initial chorus flows out of the initial beat of "Dragostea Din Tei," perhaps the only use of it in the entire track, a very good decision on his part. Overall, Paper Trail, proves to be a big step in T.I.'s rap career and in his message to the youth. While at times clearly enjoying his success and letting us know it, he continues to show us he will never forget his roots nor the responsibility that comes with his success.
-John Prendergass
ARTIST: Jack's Mannequin
ALBUM: The Glass Passenger
LABEL: Sire
RELEASED: Sept. 30, 2008
Jack's Mannequin would be nothing without front man Andrew McMahon. And after his leukemia diagnosis just days after their debut album's release in 2005, the possibility of existing without McMahon became quite real. Mannequin's sophomore album, The Glass Passenger, marks McMahon's re-entry into both the music world and a cancer-free life.
"The Resolution" starts off The Glass Passenger on a more melodramatic note than necessary. McMahon sings, "I'm alive and I don't need a witness to know that I survived," and although it does pluck the listener's heartstrings a little as he references his battle with cancer, the heavy repetition of those lyrics don't add to the poignancy. A single mention of his survival would have been more powerful than the many references in nearly every track. The swelling music lends itself more to the end of the first act of a musical than this over-the-top anthem.
"Spinning," "Lullaby" and "Bloodshot" are typical of Jack's Mannequin but lack anything noteworthy. Like the teacher from Charlie Brown, all that McMahon sings seems to have the same sound and meaning. With lyrics that have the depth of a cardboard box, and melodies that could be interchangeable, Jack's Mannequin lingers on the line of boredom and repetitiveness.
The only instance of humor on this album occurs in "Suicide Blonde." However the lines "she's a suicide blonde/dyed by her own hand" are only sprinkled in amidst the verses of social criticism.
Complete with a pop-rock chorus, "American Love" starts off as a nice reprieve from the death-related lyrics of previous songs. But amidst the pop choruses are lines that reference standing in one's own grave. McMahon can't seem to help referencing his near death experience, but perhaps this would be more effective if he took the Anthony Kiedis route and just wrote a book.
Finally, Jack's Mannequin takes a three-minute break from McMahon's saccharine inspirational yet irritatingly heavy lyrics with "What Gets You Off." Complete with trailing vocals and an overwhelming amount of "oh oohs," this song can potentially be filed away in the "Songs to Make Out to" category right next to Dashboard's "Hands Down." It lacks, however, the soulful quality of Something Corporate's lyrics and will have Corporate fans wishing for something more similar to "I Want to Save You."
"Crashing" lends insight into McMahon's mental struggle with his illness. He sings "And even if your voice comes back again, maybe they'll be no one listening," voicing his worries that even as he steps outside the hospital walls, no one will care. It's more humanizing than his other lyrics of triumphant recovery and if McMahon had written all songs with this vulnerability, perhaps more people would end up listening.
For die-hard fans, this album won't entirely disappoint but may leave some wondering whether they have accidentally purchased his debut album, Everything in Transit. The Glass Passenger relies on simple piano chords and McMahon's illness to maneuver it up the charts, but even that is questionable. Sadly his return to the music scene pales in comparison to his battle with cancer and The Glass Passenger resembles a mediocre attempt to recreate Everything in Transit.
-Christina Warner
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