I guess you must really need to be into industrial music if you expect to find this project relevant in the least bit. M.I.A. may only be recognizable to Americans with the song Paper Planes, which was a huge dance hit back in 2008...more so later on because the song was sampled on Jay-Z's and T.I.'s Swagga Like Us featuring Lil Wayne and Kanye West earning them a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group...not to mention a nomination for Best Rap Song of the Year. Internationally, this Sri Lankan-British performer is well known for singles like Galang, Boys, and Sunshowers. Unfortunately, the only "real" thing M.I.A. is bringing to the table with her latest album is more weirdness and graphic controversy.
The gruesome video to the lead single from MAYA (stylized as /\/\/\Y/\) entitled Born Free conquers a very unwelcome subject when it comes to music...politics. As a matter of fact, the entire album has a centralized theme of "information politics" as expressed by M.I.A. herself. To me, that's not the reason why I dislike the album...if we can recall a few months ago, NAS and DAMIEN MARLEY, JR. made an album of the same sort and I heavily praised it. This "industrial" sound that even M.I.A. describes as "schizophrenic" just seems a little over the top. It's very difficult to digest and it left me scrambling to fast forward through the album because of the pain it was causing my ears. Coming from someone who allegedly received death threats against her and her son because of comments she made towards search engine Google, M.I.A.'s boldness doesn't necessarily put her at the top...it makes her more vulnerable. The only tracks I enjoyed were XXXO and It Iz What It Iz, with the exception of two others...NOT because she did anything special...but because they were actually easier to listen to than anything else on the album.
It seems artists conjure up thoughts in their minds of being "untouchable" by the time they begin recording their third album. I see it all the time...and M.I.A. (whose middle name is actually MAYA...in case you were wondering where the album title comes from) is no different. It's too bad for her...here in the United States, a lot of people aren't going to be open to that type of harsh music. I may not speak for the United Kingdom or where ever else...but M.I.A. needs to come back with something a little bit less crazy if she wants to catch the attention of radio once again.
Songs that I Somewhat Enjoyed from /\/\/\Y/\:
• Steppin' Up
• Story to Be Told
From M.I.A.'s newest album "MAYA", here's the track "XXXO..."
BONUS TRACKS
(Limited Edition Release)
• Internet Connection
• Illygirl
• Believer
• Caps Lock
M.I.A.
Born Free
From the /\/\/\Y/\ albums
Directed by Romain Gavras
(9.05)
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.
Written by Felix-Lee "Campbells" Andrades, III
No comments:
Post a Comment