Marina & The Diamonds!

First heard her quite a while ago, loved "Mowgli's Road" (sounds like Dr Who theme tune) and "I am not a robot" for some reason took ages to completely bowl me over but now it's one of my most-listened to tracks.

I got her confused with Florence & the Machine when she/they came along but Marina's so much lovelier.

Florence seemed to come out of the gate with all her shit together, which is fine. It's good shit. But I love watching Marina evolve.

I'm really hooked on "I am not a Robot" right now.

― _Rudipherous_, Friday, January 22, 2010 8:44 AM (2 days ago) Bookmark

^^ This.

But I kind of wish I hadn't just watched that video.

still love this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwfCjYv7gVQ

I'm obsessed with the mess that's Marina (well not really obsessed):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2010/jan/25/marina-and-the-diamonds-gonzales

I actually think this song is the weakest, or at least the most problematic, of the bunch, but in another way it's kind of hard to resist.

I think my biggest problem with "Hollywood" is the whole "Oh my god" segment, which isn't funny enough to justify her over-the-top mimicking. It seems too much like a Valley girl imitating another Valley girl or something. Does she imagine more distance from herself than the target of her mockery, or is one finger also intentionally pointing back at herself? I don't really know.

That could become an issue in general: she is not necessarily so distance from what it is that she is distancing herself from. Of course, that can also potentially lead to interesting tensions. To quote one of her own myspace comments again: "Can you be within popular culture without becoming it?" Answer: no, or at least generally no. Is that what she wants to do?

Her site just got professionally revamped, and they seem to have swept away almost all of her more curious/candid blog posts. Shame on you, 679/Atlantic records.

Booooo!

I'm having a hard time maintaining any concern about whether "Hollywood" makes any sense because on repeated listens I'm actually more and more bowled over by the overall sound. (I bet it would sound better if I didn't understand English though. Not that she doesn't come up with some good lines and stuff.)

I'd be really surprised if she doesn't blow up pretty big in the U.S. (but then again I may not understand the pop world enough to be so sure).

Hollywood has some cringe-worthy lyrics, but I've been able to overlook them because I, too, am into the overall sound.

She's too weird for US chart pop (even charts where Grizzly Bear and Vampire Weekend have #1 albums). Her fame will be fueled by BBC dj's and blogs.

"Obsessions" is still a little lower for me than most of the other songs I've heard (which is just a few) but my favorite part of that is the nonsense syllables in the middle.

Incidentally, it would potentially be great for me if she did end up digging into her Greek heritage and stealing some ideas from Greek music, because there's a lot of accessible greatness in that music. Also, I'd be curious to know more about distinctively Welsh music (which seems to have a lower profile than Irish or Scottish music, for instance).

Of course, she could be just fine without delving into those things--I'm just thinking they could add interest for me in the future.

http://www.covershut.com/covers/Stereophonics---Keep-Calm-And-Carry-On-2009-Front-Cover-22131.jpg

?

I've been hearing a lot about her over the last year but somehow managed to not actually hear any of her songs. After going through this thread and watching her video's I'm really impressed. Marina seems like she's doing a similar kind of thing to Florence & The Machine but with much better songs and a much better voice.

Her vocals on Hollywood remind me so much of Lene Lovich which is no bad thing.

The rework/rearrangement she did with Gonzales make me like "Hollywood" quite a bit more than before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP6JdJddn08

Here's an album sampler video too (that I made from the iTunes clips). If you're on the fence about looking forward to the album, this will push you one way or the other. If you don't want to ruin your first impressions, do not click the play arrow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK8UOR9Nx1Q

I don't have enough discipline to want to be surprised.

Hmmm. Hard to tell what I'm going to think of these other songs based on the snippets. "Numb" sounds promising. "Shampain": most 80s sounding track of hers yet? "Girls" is a bit ironic for me since I sent a link to some Marina to a female friend who made some nasty comment about Marina being a girl and not liking girls. (She generally doesn't like female vocalists, and in fairness to all parties, listens to even less pop than I do. I mean, I didn't really expect her to like Marina at all, so it was somewhat pointless on my part.)

Shampain has been my favorite song of hers for a long, long time. Numb sounds so wonderfully fleshed out now compared to its demo form, though. It could become a favorite.

I wasn't sure if I was going to get this album but it's currently listed at 4.99 on Amazon so I couldn't resist. Free postage too.

I think Hollywood is my least favorite of the singles she's put out so far, it does have me wanting to play my Lene Lovich albums though.

4.99

Assuming you mean GBP? The lowest I can find it on import to the US is 13.99 USD (which is really good for an import, btw).

She's on Jonathan Ross this week, but I'll have to wait another week until it airs on BBC America.

Yes, Lene Lovitch.

She was on GMTV this morning, Marina I mean.

One of those "I'll mention America in my lyrics, and slightly suggest it's not all wonderful but not as much as would put off the USA from me"

She wrote a blog a long time ago (which Atlantic/679 handlers have conveniently wiped from existence) about she really is obsessed with America, everything good and bad about it. Not in a political sense or anything, but in the consumer and pop culture aspects. Especially the things that are glorified in movies like cheerleaders and muscle cars.

Yeah sorry, should have made that clear it's on Amazon.co.uk. I'm not sure if it's a mistake that's a ridiculous price but I got my order in straight away.

The single is apparently just outside the top 10 at the moment so hopefully Jonathan Ross will push her into the top 10.

I saw the performance on GMTV this morning, she was pretty good despite the awkward interview before.

The lowest I can find it on import to the US is 13.99 USD (which is really good for an import, btw).

Crap, I just pre-ordered it for several dollars more than that. Where did you see that price? (I don't generally pre-order things either, but I just pre-ordered the new Tokyo Jihen, so I am on a roll. Any CDs I'm going to get this month, I'm going to have to wait for I guess. Unless I want to spend money I don't want to spend, but nope, I don't.)

I read something where she said her father listened to nothing but classical Greek music (and choral church music--or maybe that was her mother), so I'm curious now what she means by that. Does she really mean classical music, or does she mean classic Greek singers like Kazantzidis and Marinella?

CDWOW is where I buy most of my UK imports... reliably cheap.
http://www.cdwow.us/search?q=marina+and+the+diamonds&t=all

It's a really good album: I'd managed to be aware of all the press without ever hearing a note of music, and I wish I'd paid attention as the singles came out. They are the standouts, as someone hearing the songs for the first time all together, but the rest isn't just filler. Like Mark G, my first thought was Lene Lovich, mannered in the same way, but Marina manages to make it coquettish rather than harpyish, and she uses the mannerisms to serve the songs.

I still haven't heard the whole album, but I like Alex Petridis's review (!): http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/18/marina-and-the-diamonds-cd-review

Although it looks like maybe the whole thing is now streaming on her myspace? Anyway, I'm once again listening through what's there to stream, which is a lot more than what was up before.

don't think there is a bad song on here

I do find that my ambivalence still tends to just get rolled right over by the quality of the songs.

(Mostly talking about the music, and not the lyrics, though they lyrics are by no means all bad or lacking. Some interesting stuff there as well.)

music is great, but her persona, presence, and of course voice, is what does it for me

That Petridis review is terrible. He's getting to the stage where his wacky comedic routine completely crowds out any sense he may or may not be talking:

You could argue that this kind of thing represents a reaction to the post-Mariah-Carey-heavily-melismatic-Waaah!-Bodyform! style that X Factor voters seem to believe represents the apogee of distaff vocal achievement. The more cynically minded might suggest that, at root, it's actually no different: a load of irritating ­vocal tics designed to convey a depth of ­emotion that, if it ­actually existed in the ­performance in the first place, wouldn't need a load of irritating vocal tics to convey it. Certainly, you could argue that it's equally predictable. Just as you know that sooner or later the female singer who tends to the heavily-melismatic-Waaaah!-Bodyform! style will sing a song about reachin' for her dreams, so within ­seconds of The ­Family ­Jewels' opening, you're gripped by the absolute ­certainty that, at some point, this album will feature a Brecht and Weill-influenced oompah-oompah song in which the I'm-a-bit-nutty staccato is deployed as if it's about to be declared ­illegal

This is not the work of a man I consider qualified to talk about irritating tics.

Yeah, well I'm not going to expend any energy defending him, for sure, and I read it quickly, but I thought he got at some of what I am ambivalent about in Marina & the Diamonds.

I should add that some of the time I really like what she does with her vocal theatrics. Once I get the CD I may sit down and figure out when I like them and whether it matters and whether it remains consistent. The bit of friction and ambivalence may actually work to make her retain my long term interest. I don't know.

(This sounds like a surprisingly conservative aesthetic coming from him, but then again he does sometimes surprise me with such comments: a load of irritating ­vocal tics designed to convey a depth of ­emotion that, if it ­actually existed in the ­performance in the first place, wouldn't need a load of irritating vocal tics to convey it. Not necessarily saying I strongly disagree, I just am surprised he would make a comment along those lines. I'm sure I talk that way sometimes, but speaking of emotional depth as somehow "existing in the performance" is leaving oneself open to some pretty tough questions about the place of artifice and the importance (or not) of what a performer is experiencing emotionally during a performance.)

Petridish is a cock, a.p.u.

I'm sorry I mentioned his name on this thread, since it becomes too much of a red flag.

I feel really loyal to the kind of 'bbc pop' axis this belongs to - this and Mika and Little Boots and maybe La Roux feel very unashamed of what they are, smart quirky pop from people of my age of my age and musical background (Alisha's Attic/ Indie Teenhood/ Raving and Xenomania) - it's flattering to me to imagine someone fifteen, hearing those songs and thinking that path wise and full of mystery.

I'm sort of kicking myself now for downloading and listening to the leaked album. It would've been so much more fun to snag this out of the mailbox, hop in the car, and tear down the road listening to "Shampain" at full blast.

That said, I love this record.

went to see her live last night. the diamonds were a little polished and perfunctory, I felt. sometimes they felt like a seasoned pub ska band...not a vibe I've got from any of the recorded stuff. was kind of anticipating/hoping for a little extra oomph and dirt in the live setting.

but marina herself was fantastic - really strong, confident performer, and her voice is utterly magnificent. and she came on dressed as a sheep. victory!

Since she's pretty much it and there is no identifiable band to speak of, it doesn't surprise me that her live backing band might be an issue.

Suprisingly good album - I haven't heard the EPs before, just thought the here's the new Florence Welch, but Marina is much better. Her voice in 'Are You Satisfied?' is totally Ari Up.

yeah, ari up and finish (!!!!!!)

Timing. I'm thinking timing is one of her big strengths musically (and I mean timing in the music, not timing of career moves or whatever). Maybe I mean pacing, but I think I mean timing in a broader sense. I think it's one of the ways she extricates herself from the problematic corners she sometimes backs herself into. But I just woke up.

Inspired specifically by the sudden switch in "Hollywood" when she sings: "Your mind is just like mine. . ."

charming little track

The album is called Love & Fear and it's split into two 8-song halves. Fair enough. A sixteen song album will undoubtedly be too much album, especially when one of the tracks on "Love" is that fucking Clean Bandit song which is literal padding.

lol I didn't even bother reviving the thread for this last song, but here's the next one. Every one is lamer than the last.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYKaBHbTuvQ

I was really looking forward to this album after how much I loved Froot but these songs aren't really doing it for me at all. She sounds so bored.

iirc she went to university after the Froot tour ended and now she's in her mature period, but it really sounds like she's just attempting to get on the radio.

So, she just released the first half of the album (Love) a few weeks early. It's really not very good at all. So sad to hear her phoning it in over these generic songs.

Yeah, I can't even be bothered to listen to it based on what I've heard so far. If someone discovers a really good song, let me know.

Now Fear is out as well, I really can't remember the last time an artist lost just about everything that made them interesting in such a drastic way. I mean, that CHVRCHES album last year was a big step down from the previous one, but I never liked them as much as I liked Marina during the Froot era. That was such a strong album full of her character and great distinctive songwriting. Love & Fear has none of that. Just an endless run of bland trend-chasing mid tempo Spotify pop. Some really shocking lyrics too. She has absolutely nothing to say. So depressing that she's been talking about how this album is supposed to be close to the real her. In that way it's her Britney Jean!

it's still kinda wild to me that she went to university to study psychology in between album cycles and she came out of it with a song where the hook is "sit back and enjoy your problems, you don't always have to solve them, 'cause your worst days, they are over, so enjoy your life"

like..."ignore your problems, and just be happy!" seems like such bad advice particularly from someone so allegedly enlightened!

A psychology degree isn't about how to solve your happiness problems
It doesn't help you 'read minds' either :)

"I really can't remember the last time an artist lost just about everything that made them interesting"

Not that it was interesting to start with, but this is as drastic a shift as when Michael Bolton went from aping KISS to making adult contemporary gloop. Worked well for his bottom line, though, so we'll see if she's on to something.

this is an awfully long album considering how fucking boring it is.

"orange trees" is on repeat as hold music for a clothes retailer and it is very boring
I thought it sounded like Marina but didn't really believe something of hers would be so very dull

New single!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obxFWNeGDOg

an improvement, at least

It's a bit on the nose but sounds like a return to form to me

yeah i tuned out the lyrics. the music is a step up from whatever nonsense she was putting out last time

Read a brief interview with her that says she's once again doing what she wants rather than being handled by a team. That last album sounded focus grouped into the ground, and she knows it.

On board with the overall sentiment here. I'm not sold on the song, but it's definitely a move in the right direction. I'm hoping there are more upcoming singles, or even an album soon.

Always find it astonishing, given how I regarded them ten years ago, that Charli would end up winning this one

lol @ "the planet has a funny way of stopping a fight"

great tune this

this new song is not good

by which I mean this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5u3kP85LYI

it's actually better than I was expecting! Sounds more like the earlier stuff, well at least a little bit. Can't bear the lyrics.

the lyrics are the problem, good god I did not want serious quarantine references from Marina

musically it's more engaging than the last album, I'll give it that.

Yesterday on twitter she made a post with the album cover and release date and one reply said FINALLY YOUR FIRST NEW ALBUM IN SIX YEARS and all the weird stans who for some reason give Love & Fear a pass got furious.

I like this song a lot btw, lyrics and all. She's got a very singular way of writing a song. I'd never mistake anything from albums 1, 2, 3 and (what I've heard from) 5 for anyone else.

She tweeted about being on a podcast talking to a psychologist about fandoms/standoms because I think she wants to make sense of the weirdness of it. I'm listening to it now, but I haven't gotten into the meat of it yet. However, you look at the replies to her tweet and there are a thousand people saying "yasssss drag us to hell queeeeeeeen."

I'd fucking quit if I somehow attracted these motherfuckers.

Oh hey this album's actually pretty good!

Got about half way through and decided to pre-order the vinyl...which doesn't ship until February of 2022 lol so that'll be a nice surprise because I will absolutely have forgotten I did that.

yeah on second song and this is better than I expected. Rubbish album cover and aesthetic though; and I'm still going to skip that song I hated when it comes up. But in general this is more like the albums before Love and Fear.

However, you look at the replies to her tweet and there are a thousand people saying "yasssss drag us to hell queeeeeeeen."

I'd fucking quit if I somehow attracted these motherfuckers.

This reminds me, what the fuck is this shit: "xxxx it's a cultural reset, a reason to breathe, and an escape from this cruel world blah blah blah" that is incessantly copypasted into 80% of replies to any tweet by any female musical artist? Fuck I hate fans, twitter and the entire world.

Nothing of note, but I've watched a couple of her instagram clips from the current tour and damn she's a fully formed rock star at this point.