Place between Carly Rae Jepsen and Lorde.
đ” III (Banks)
While the brooding pop singer canât always shake the anodyne songwriting that plagued her past work, III is still Banksâ best album to date.
What I like about this album is how the production compliments the lyrics. The brooding angst is as much carried by the blips and beeps as it is by Banks’ voice.
Welcome to another month of Read Write Respond, a newsletter of ideas and information associated with all things in and out of education, mined and curated for me and shared with you.
Although July started slowly with the mid-year break, it certainly made up for this at the end with everything seemingly happening at once.
On the family front, Ms 3 has taken to letter and number recognition with gusto. There has been a lot of eye spy this letter or that. She then scowls all the visible words for traces. Ms 8 on the other hand has been asking a million questions about rocks. This has stemmed from her fascination with Minecraft. She is also translating this into the physical world, with an interest in getting outdoors to explore.
At work, I was inundated after the break with schools inquiring about attendance and reporting. Although it would be nice if they asked earlier, it is still good that they are asking.
Personally, I was inspired by Future Tense to read Brave New World. I listened to Thelma Plumâs debut, Beyonceâs Lion King inspired album, Of Monster and Menâs return and Bankâs continued brooding.
In regards to my writing, I posted a reflection on what constitutes ârealâ work:
I also documented a recent exercise using Google Sheets to collate and curate data across teams:
Here then are some of the links collected from around the traps:
Learning and Teaching
What does success look like? card-playing edition
Dave Cormier asks the question, what constitutes success in education and how does this relate to intrinsic motivation?
Reading Lessons
Irina Dumitrescu reflects on her experiences with reading overtime. She explores how it has developed and changed based on different situations and circumstances.
Island Survival: A Cooperative Game
Emily Fintelman shares an activity around survival designed to help students work collaboratively.
Expand Your Horizons
David Truss celebrates the world of anywhere, anytime learning and what impact this has both in and out of education.
What Marathons and School Have in Common: repeated choices
Joel Speranza explains how larger choices are in fact a series of smaller choices combined. He provides a number of strategies to support learners with appreciating this.
Education is not broken. Teachers do not need fixing.
Deborah Netolicky pushes back on Mark Lathamâs call for performance-based pay for teachers, arguing that what we should focus on trusting and empowering the profession.
Technology
Building trust helps the most in keeping our kids safe online
Dan Donahoo argues that rather than focusing on safety designs and managing screen time, we need to build trusting relationships with our children.
TADA â A New Look At âDATAâ
John Philpin takes a dive into the world of data. He discusses some of the dangers, articulates some of the complexities, pushes back on various analogies, and argues that data is best understood as a form of energy.
The Internetâs Carbon Footprint
Manoush Zomorodi explores the environmental impact of the internet.
On TikTok, Teens Meme the Safety App Ruining Their Summer
Louise Matgakig looks into the work of Life360 and the culture of surveillance that it supports.
Interoperability: Fix the internet, not the tech companies
Cory Doctorow makes the case for interoperability as a solution for fixing the internet. Rather than focusing on breaking up the platform capitalism, Doctorow argues that we need to open up applications to more engagement from the outside.
Reflection
In Patriarchy No One Can Hear You Scream: Rebecca Solnit on Jeffrey Epstein and the Silencing Machine
Rebecca Solnit discusses the culture that often surrounds and supports rape.
The Invention of Money
John Lancaster looks at the invention of money and its influence on todayâs economy through two historical figures: John Law and Walter Bagehot.
50 years after Apollo 11: what will we do in space for the next 50 years?
Bryan Alexander celebrates fifty years of since man first landed on the moon by wondering what the next fifty years might bring.
The art of noticing: five ways to experience a city differently
Rob Walker shares five strategies for noticing more in the city.
Tell the World
Sophie McNeill reports on the rise of the surveillance state in China to suppress the Uyghur people in western China.
Mark Ronsonâs Songs of Pop Perfection (Take 5)
Mark Ronson gives insight into what defines a perfect pop tune.
Read Write Respond #043
So that is July for me, how about you? As always, happy to hear. Also interested if anyone has any thoughts on the changes I made. Rather than including a range lengthy elaborations, I have taken to providing a short summary and links to my bookmarks. Does this work? Feel free to let me know.
Cover Image via JustLego101
Also on:
Emilia Petrarca discusses the innovation and opportunities provided through the use of The Messina, a mixture of software and hardware, created by Chris Messina. This was inspired by the vocoder and the Prismizer. This sound/technique has not only been used by Bon Iver, but also Banks.
Marginalia
A reflection on the music that represented my soundtrack for 2019.
I enjoy the exercise of looking back at the music that stood out to me across the year. Here then are my thoughts on 2019.
Better in Blak (Thelma Plum)
Produced by Alex Burnett and David Kahne, Better in Blak has the pop hooks and melodies to quickly drag you in. However, once there Plum users this platform to challenges the listener. In songs such as Better in Blak, Homecoming Queen and Woke Blokes, she opens up about race, gender and identity. Although she tells many stories of injustice and heartbreak, the album always manages to remains positive. As Caitlin Walsh explains,
Additionally, Cyclone Wehner captures Plumâs style suggesting that,
For me, Better in Blak is an example of what Damian Cowell describes as treating the listener to an anchovy. Maybe this is why she abandoned her original album? There were quite a few albums of this ilk that caught my attention in 2019. That is, they hooked in the listener, while also serving up some deep questions.They included Monaigneâs Complex, King Princessâ Cheap Queen and Banksâ III.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExMjEwymQ3A%5D
Lost Girls (Bat for Lashes)
Lost Girls is a soundtrack that stemmed from a script that Natasha Khan was/is writing telling the story of a vampire girl-gang chasing a mortal protagonist in Los Angeles. It is loosely based on the 80âs film, Lost Boys. Andrew Trendell explained that,
With these cultural references, the albumâs palette of rich synth sounds is also deeply based upon the past. This can be interpreted as a case of using the past and nostalgia to make comment on the present. As Ryan Leas suggests
I think that Joe Goggins summarises the album best when he describes it as, âdoomy disco for dark times.â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm3Xg289qTM%5D
About Us (G Flip)
I remember first hearing (and seeing) G Flip (or Geor Flipiano) as a part of the the ABCâs âThe Night is Yours Concertâ. She played with so much energy, I was hooked. I was also intrigued when her EP came out a few months later. Although the drums were present, the power and punch was made way for the emotion of the songs. The album continues with this balance. She could easily have gone overboard with the production, but instead holds back, providing what feels like enough of everything. Overall, it carries a certain pop subtlety. As Simone Ziaziaris describes:
Similar to how Lordeâs Melodrama captures a particular period of her life, many of the songs document a time in Flipianoâs life when she was falling in and out of love with her girl friend. She also received help from some big names, including Ariel Rechtshaid (âI Am Not Afraidâ), Justin Tranter (âStupidâ) and Scott Hoffman (âTwo Millionâ). This reminds me of Missy Higgins talking about her experience of working with different writers on the Inspired podcast. I am going to assume that is how the music industry works?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CD0DggtZVk%5D
Norman Fucking Rockwell (Lana Del Rey)
Rather than hooking the listener in with sweet choruses and succinct pop songs, Norman Fucking Rockwell is an album which washes over like waves lapping on a beach. Before long, you are lost within a world. I think Sam Sodomsky sums it up best, saying,
In an interview with Joe Coscarelli, Del Rey provides some insights into the choice of Jack Antonoff as producer and why it is time for protest songs. There is something ironic about Antonoffâs inclusion. Some may call out another failure to present anything original, yet Del Reyâs attempt at raw honesty seems prime for collaboration with the âsuperproducerâ (what is a superproducer?) As Antonoff once stated in an interview with Zane Lowe:
Although Ann Powers questions her reference to noir and where Del Rey sits within the panteon of other female artists, such as Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple and Tori Amos, I think the success of the way in which is drags you into a world. As Powersâ describes,
Coming back to Antonoff, it is also interesting to consider that this album was released a week after his other significant production effort for 2019, Taylor Swiftâs âevolutionary rather than revolutionaryâ Lover.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soRjcajliHE%5D
Late Night Feelings (Mark Ronson)
Mark Ronsonâs Late Night Feelings has the usual polished rhythm and feel that you would expect from Ronson, however gone is the sense of fun present in past tracks such as Bike Song and Uptown Funk. Instead we are left with a collection of âsad bangersâ. As he explained in an interview with Jordan Bassett,
For Ronson, the contrast of the upbeat nature of the music with the melancholy of the lyrics is something that harks back to the blues.
Peyton Thomas also places it within the tradition of âSad Girlâ genre, where the portrayal of female sadness is actually a strength to be recognised.
Some critics have questioned the seemingly hit and miss nature of the album, however I feel it is one of those albums where the whole is greater than the parts. It can be easy to get confused at supposed fillers like Knock Knock Knock, but like Fitter Happier on Radioheadâs OK Computer, such tracks serve a wider purpose in creating a particular world.
I think this also touches on the reality that Ronson is first and fore-mostly a DJ. When discussing the making of Covers, Ronson once stated that his intent was to make music to DJ to. This album is a continuation of that. In some ways it can be heard as a set in its own right. Although it isnât as blended as something like Madonnaâs Confessions on a Dancefloor, moments like the bridge in Late Night Feeling or the constant of the bass throughout give it that feel.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5mlu5GPqyA%5D
I have completed this activity for a few years now. What is interesting is that a theme always seems to present itself. 2017 was Jack Antonoff, 2018 was musical reimaginings. This year it was about the female voice. Each of the albumâs was driven by a strong female presence. What is intriguing though is when you dig into each of the albumâs, there are still a plethora of men producing? Alex Burnett, Charles Scott IV, Jack Antonoff and Mark Ronson. Other than those who self produce, where are the female producers?
So these are my highlights for 2019, what about you? What were the albums that stuck with you? As always, comments welcome.
If you enjoy what you read here, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter to catch up on all things learning, edtech and storytelling.
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Music of 2019 in Review, or The Year Girls Ran the World by Aaron Davis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Also on:
A reflection on the music that represented my soundtrack for 2019.
I enjoy the exercise of looking back at the music that stood out to me across the year. Here then are my thoughts on 2019.
Better in Blak (Thelma Plum)
Produced by Alex Burnett and David Kahne, Better in Blak has the pop hooks and melodies to quickly drag you in. However, once there Plum users this platform to challenges the listener. In songs such as Better in Blak, Homecoming Queen and Woke Blokes, she opens up about race, gender and identity. Although she tells many stories of injustice and heartbreak, the album always manages to remains positive. As Caitlin Walsh explains,
Additionally, Cyclone Wehner captures Plumâs style suggesting that,
For me, Better in Blak is an example of what Damian Cowell describes as treating the listener to an anchovy. Maybe this is why she abandoned her original album? There were quite a few albums of this ilk that caught my attention in 2019. That is, they hooked in the listener, while also serving up some deep questions.They included Monaigneâs Complex, King Princessâ Cheap Queen and Banksâ III.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExMjEwymQ3A%5D
Lost Girls (Bat for Lashes)
Lost Girls is a soundtrack that stemmed from a script that Natasha Khan was/is writing telling the story of a vampire girl-gang chasing a mortal protagonist in Los Angeles. It is loosely based on the 80âs film, Lost Boys. Andrew Trendell explained that,
With these cultural references, the albumâs palette of rich synth sounds is also deeply based upon the past. This can be interpreted as a case of using the past and nostalgia to make comment on the present. As Ryan Leas suggests
I think that Joe Goggins summarises the album best when he describes it as, âdoomy disco for dark times.â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm3Xg289qTM%5D
About Us (G Flip)
I remember first hearing (and seeing) G Flip (or Geor Flipiano) as a part of the the ABCâs âThe Night is Yours Concertâ. She played with so much energy, I was hooked. I was also intrigued when her EP came out a few months later. Although the drums were present, the power and punch was made way for the emotion of the songs. The album continues with this balance. She could easily have gone overboard with the production, but instead holds back, providing what feels like enough of everything. Overall, it carries a certain pop subtlety. As Simone Ziaziaris describes:
Similar to how Lordeâs Melodrama captures a particular period of her life, many of the songs document a time in Flipianoâs life when she was falling in and out of love with her girl friend. She also received help from some big names, including Ariel Rechtshaid (âI Am Not Afraidâ), Justin Tranter (âStupidâ) and Scott Hoffman (âTwo Millionâ). This reminds me of Missy Higgins talking about her experience of working with different writers on the Inspired podcast. I am going to assume that is how the music industry works?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CD0DggtZVk%5D
Norman Fucking Rockwell (Lana Del Rey)
Rather than hooking the listener in with sweet choruses and succinct pop songs, Norman Fucking Rockwell is an album which washes over like waves lapping on a beach. Before long, you are lost within a world. I think Sam Sodomsky sums it up best, saying,
In an interview with Joe Coscarelli, Del Rey provides some insights into the choice of Jack Antonoff as producer and why it is time for protest songs. There is something ironic about Antonoffâs inclusion. Some may call out another failure to present anything original, yet Del Reyâs attempt at raw honesty seems prime for collaboration with the âsuperproducerâ (what is a superproducer?) As Antonoff once stated in an interview with Zane Lowe:
Although Ann Powers questions her reference to noir and where Del Rey sits within the panteon of other female artists, such as Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple and Tori Amos, I think the success of the way in which is drags you into a world. As Powersâ describes,
Coming back to Antonoff, it is also interesting to consider that this album was released a week after his other significant production effort for 2019, Taylor Swiftâs âevolutionary rather than revolutionaryâ Lover.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soRjcajliHE%5D
Late Night Feelings (Mark Ronson)
Mark Ronsonâs Late Night Feelings has the usual polished rhythm and feel that you would expect from Ronson, however gone is the sense of fun present in past tracks such as Bike Song and Uptown Funk. Instead we are left with a collection of âsad bangersâ. As he explained in an interview with Jordan Bassett,
For Ronson, the contrast of the upbeat nature of the music with the melancholy of the lyrics is something that harks back to the blues.
Peyton Thomas also places it within the tradition of âSad Girlâ genre, where the portrayal of female sadness is actually a strength to be recognised.
Some critics have questioned the seemingly hit and miss nature of the album, however I feel it is one of those albums where the whole is greater than the parts. It can be easy to get confused at supposed fillers like Knock Knock Knock, but like Fitter Happier on Radioheadâs OK Computer, such tracks serve a wider purpose in creating a particular world.
I think this also touches on the reality that Ronson is first and fore-mostly a DJ. When discussing the making of Covers, Ronson once stated that his intent was to make music to DJ to. This album is a continuation of that. In some ways it can be heard as a set in its own right. Although it isnât as blended as something like Madonnaâs Confessions on a Dancefloor, moments like the bridge in Late Night Feeling or the constant of the bass throughout give it that feel.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5mlu5GPqyA%5D
I have completed this activity for a few years now. What is interesting is that a theme always seems to present itself. 2017 was Jack Antonoff, 2018 was musical reimaginings. This year it was about the female voice. Each of the albumâs was driven by a strong female presence. What is intriguing though is when you dig into each of the albumâs, there are still a plethora of men producing? Alex Burnett, Charles Scott IV, Jack Antonoff and Mark Ronson. Other than those who self produce, where are the female producers?
So these are my highlights for 2019, what about you? What were the albums that stuck with you? As always, comments welcome.
If you enjoy what you read here, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter to catch up on all things learning, edtech and storytelling.
A reflection on the music that represented my soundtrack for 2019.
I enjoy the exercise of looking back at the music that stood out to me across the year. Here then are my thoughts on 2019.
Better in Blak (Thelma Plum)
Produced by Alex Burnett and David Kahne, Better in Blak has the pop hooks and melodies to quickly drag you in. However, once there Plum users this platform to challenges the listener. In songs such as Better in Blak, Homecoming Queen and Woke Blokes, she opens up about race, gender and identity. Although she tells many stories of injustice and heartbreak, the album always manages to remains positive. As Caitlin Walsh explains,
Additionally, Cyclone Wehner captures Plumâs style suggesting that,
For me, Better in Blak is an example of what Damian Cowell describes as treating the listener to an anchovy. Maybe this is why she abandoned her original album? There were quite a few albums of this ilk that caught my attention in 2019. That is, they hooked in the listener, while also serving up some deep questions.They included Monaigneâs Complex, King Princessâ Cheap Queen and Banksâ III.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExMjEwymQ3A%5D
Lost Girls (Bat for Lashes)
Lost Girls is a soundtrack that stemmed from a script that Natasha Khan was/is writing telling the story of a vampire girl-gang chasing a mortal protagonist in Los Angeles. It is loosely based on the 80âs film, Lost Boys. Andrew Trendell explained that,
With these cultural references, the albumâs palette of rich synth sounds is also deeply based upon the past. This can be interpreted as a case of using the past and nostalgia to make comment on the present. As Ryan Leas suggests
I think that Joe Goggins summarises the album best when he describes it as, âdoomy disco for dark times.â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm3Xg289qTM%5D
About Us (G Flip)
I remember first hearing (and seeing) G Flip (or Geor Flipiano) as a part of the the ABCâs âThe Night is Yours Concertâ. She played with so much energy, I was hooked. I was also intrigued when her EP came out a few months later. Although the drums were present, the power and punch was made way for the emotion of the songs. The album continues with this balance. She could easily have gone overboard with the production, but instead holds back, providing what feels like enough of everything. Overall, it carries a certain pop subtlety. As Simone Ziaziaris describes:
Similar to how Lordeâs Melodrama captures a particular period of her life, many of the songs document a time in Flipianoâs life when she was falling in and out of love with her girl friend. She also received help from some big names, including Ariel Rechtshaid (âI Am Not Afraidâ), Justin Tranter (âStupidâ) and Scott Hoffman (âTwo Millionâ). This reminds me of Missy Higgins talking about her experience of working with different writers on the Inspired podcast. I am going to assume that is how the music industry works?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CD0DggtZVk%5D
Norman Fucking Rockwell (Lana Del Rey)
Rather than hooking the listener in with sweet choruses and succinct pop songs, Norman Fucking Rockwell is an album which washes over like waves lapping on a beach. Before long, you are lost within a world. I think Sam Sodomsky sums it up best, saying,
In an interview with Joe Coscarelli, Del Rey provides some insights into the choice of Jack Antonoff as producer and why it is time for protest songs. There is something ironic about Antonoffâs inclusion. Some may call out another failure to present anything original, yet Del Reyâs attempt at raw honesty seems prime for collaboration with the âsuperproducerâ (what is a superproducer?) As Antonoff once stated in an interview with Zane Lowe:
Although Ann Powers questions her reference to noir and where Del Rey sits within the panteon of other female artists, such as Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple and Tori Amos, I think the success of the way in which is drags you into a world. As Powersâ describes,
Coming back to Antonoff, it is also interesting to consider that this album was released a week after his other significant production effort for 2019, Taylor Swiftâs âevolutionary rather than revolutionaryâ Lover.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soRjcajliHE%5D
Late Night Feelings (Mark Ronson)
Mark Ronsonâs Late Night Feelings has the usual polished rhythm and feel that you would expect from Ronson, however gone is the sense of fun present in past tracks such as Bike Song and Uptown Funk. Instead we are left with a collection of âsad bangersâ. As he explained in an interview with Jordan Bassett,
For Ronson, the contrast of the upbeat nature of the music with the melancholy of the lyrics is something that harks back to the blues.
Peyton Thomas also places it within the tradition of âSad Girlâ genre, where the portrayal of female sadness is actually a strength to be recognised.
Some critics have questioned the seemingly hit and miss nature of the album, however I feel it is one of those albums where the whole is greater than the parts. It can be easy to get confused at supposed fillers like Knock Knock Knock, but like Fitter Happier on Radioheadâs OK Computer, such tracks serve a wider purpose in creating a particular world.
I think this also touches on the reality that Ronson is first and fore-mostly a DJ. When discussing the making of Covers, Ronson once stated that his intent was to make music to DJ to. This album is a continuation of that. In some ways it can be heard as a set in its own right. Although it isnât as blended as something like Madonnaâs Confessions on a Dancefloor, moments like the bridge in Late Night Feeling or the constant of the bass throughout give it that feel.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5mlu5GPqyA%5D
I have completed this activity for a few years now. What is interesting is that a theme always seems to present itself. 2017 was Jack Antonoff, 2018 was musical reimaginings. This year it was about the female voice. Each of the albumâs was driven by a strong female presence. What is intriguing though is when you dig into each of the albumâs, there are still a plethora of men producing? Alex Burnett, Charles Scott IV, Jack Antonoff and Mark Ronson. Other than those who self produce, where are the female producers?
So these are my highlights for 2019, what about you? What were the albums that stuck with you? As always, comments welcome.
If you enjoy what you read here, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter to catch up on all things learning, edtech and storytelling.
A reflection on the music that represented my soundtrack for 2019.
I enjoy the exercise of looking back at the music that stood out to me across the year. Here then are my thoughts on 2019.
Better in Blak (Thelma Plum)
Produced by Alex Burnett and David Kahne, Better in Blak has the pop hooks and melodies to quickly drag you in. However, once there Plum users this platform to challenges the listener. In songs such as Better in Blak, Homecoming Queen and Woke Blokes, she opens up about race, gender and identity. Although she tells many stories of injustice and heartbreak, the album always manages to remains positive. As Caitlin Walsh explains,
Additionally, Cyclone Wehner captures Plumâs style suggesting that,
For me, Better in Blak is an example of what Damian Cowell describes as treating the listener to an anchovy. Maybe this is why she abandoned her original album? There were quite a few albums of this ilk that caught my attention in 2019. That is, they hooked in the listener, while also serving up some deep questions.They included Monaigneâs Complex, King Princessâ Cheap Queen and Banksâ III.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExMjEwymQ3A%5D
Lost Girls (Bat for Lashes)
Lost Girls is a soundtrack that stemmed from a script that Natasha Khan was/is writing telling the story of a vampire girl-gang chasing a mortal protagonist in Los Angeles. It is loosely based on the 80âs film, Lost Boys. Andrew Trendell explained that,
With these cultural references, the albumâs palette of rich synth sounds is also deeply based upon the past. This can be interpreted as a case of using the past and nostalgia to make comment on the present. As Ryan Leas suggests
I think that Joe Goggins summarises the album best when he describes it as, âdoomy disco for dark times.â
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm3Xg289qTM%5D
About Us (G Flip)
I remember first hearing (and seeing) G Flip (or Geor Flipiano) as a part of the the ABCâs âThe Night is Yours Concertâ. She played with so much energy, I was hooked. I was also intrigued when her EP came out a few months later. Although the drums were present, the power and punch was made way for the emotion of the songs. The album continues with this balance. She could easily have gone overboard with the production, but instead holds back, providing what feels like enough of everything. Overall, it carries a certain pop subtlety. As Simone Ziaziaris describes:
Similar to how Lordeâs Melodrama captures a particular period of her life, many of the songs document a time in Flipianoâs life when she was falling in and out of love with her girl friend. She also received help from some big names, including Ariel Rechtshaid (âI Am Not Afraidâ), Justin Tranter (âStupidâ) and Scott Hoffman (âTwo Millionâ). This reminds me of Missy Higgins talking about her experience of working with different writers on the Inspired podcast. I am going to assume that is how the music industry works?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CD0DggtZVk%5D
Norman Fucking Rockwell (Lana Del Rey)
Rather than hooking the listener in with sweet choruses and succinct pop songs, Norman Fucking Rockwell is an album which washes over like waves lapping on a beach. Before long, you are lost within a world. I think Sam Sodomsky sums it up best, saying,
In an interview with Joe Coscarelli, Del Rey provides some insights into the choice of Jack Antonoff as producer and why it is time for protest songs. There is something ironic about Antonoffâs inclusion. Some may call out another failure to present anything original, yet Del Reyâs attempt at raw honesty seems prime for collaboration with the âsuperproducerâ (what is a superproducer?) As Antonoff once stated in an interview with Zane Lowe:
Although Ann Powers questions her reference to noir and where Del Rey sits within the panteon of other female artists, such as Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple and Tori Amos, I think the success of the way in which is drags you into a world. As Powersâ describes,
Coming back to Antonoff, it is also interesting to consider that this album was released a week after his other significant production effort for 2019, Taylor Swiftâs âevolutionary rather than revolutionaryâ Lover.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soRjcajliHE%5D
Late Night Feelings (Mark Ronson)
Mark Ronsonâs Late Night Feelings has the usual polished rhythm and feel that you would expect from Ronson, however gone is the sense of fun present in past tracks such as Bike Song and Uptown Funk. Instead we are left with a collection of âsad bangersâ. As he explained in an interview with Jordan Bassett,
For Ronson, the contrast of the upbeat nature of the music with the melancholy of the lyrics is something that harks back to the blues.
Peyton Thomas also places it within the tradition of âSad Girlâ genre, where the portrayal of female sadness is actually a strength to be recognised.
Some critics have questioned the seemingly hit and miss nature of the album, however I feel it is one of those albums where the whole is greater than the parts. It can be easy to get confused at supposed fillers like Knock Knock Knock, but like Fitter Happier on Radioheadâs OK Computer, such tracks serve a wider purpose in creating a particular world.
I think this also touches on the reality that Ronson is first and fore-mostly a DJ. When discussing the making of Covers, Ronson once stated that his intent was to make music to DJ to. This album is a continuation of that. In some ways it can be heard as a set in its own right. Although it isnât as blended as something like Madonnaâs Confessions on a Dancefloor, moments like the bridge in Late Night Feeling or the constant of the bass throughout give it that feel.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5mlu5GPqyA%5D
I have completed this activity for a few years now. What is interesting is that a theme always seems to present itself. 2017 was Jack Antonoff, 2018 was musical reimaginings. This year it was about the female voice. Each of the albumâs was driven by a strong female presence. What is intriguing though is when you dig into each of the albumâs, there are still a plethora of men producing? Alex Burnett, Charles Scott IV, Jack Antonoff and Mark Ronson. Other than those who self produce, where are the female producers?
So these are my highlights for 2019, what about you? What were the albums that stuck with you? As always, comments welcome.
If you enjoy what you read here, feel free to sign up for my monthly newsletter to catch up on all things learning, edtech and storytelling.