oh look, she's gone all lana del rey
not enough explicit criticism of the male gaze for me tbh - while there's something despairing (and desperate) about the way she sings + the synth drone, it still seems all too besotted with phallocentricity of objectification
absolutely no idea how it is 'phenomenal' - although it is not bad - but perhaps i'm not viewing it through a selena gomez career arc lens
the music is ultimately not exciting enough to befit that word
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Monday, 27 July 2015 00:27 (eight years ago) link
i liked the wibbly bit in the middle
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Monday, 27 July 2015 00:28 (eight years ago) link
i have been informed that the song is, in fact, phenomenal. sorry.
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Monday, 27 July 2015 00:36 (eight years ago) link
informed by whom? socratic daimon?
― drash, Monday, 27 July 2015 00:42 (eight years ago) link
you could call her that
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Monday, 27 July 2015 00:46 (eight years ago) link
:)
― drash, Monday, 27 July 2015 00:49 (eight years ago) link
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 01:14 (eight years ago) link
listen to it on good headphones.
yeah i like it more the more i think about it - it is really tragic
― gawker's psychotic monkeys (imago), Monday, 27 July 2015 01:16 (eight years ago) link
the production
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 01:18 (eight years ago) link
i heard this twice on the radio in the car today, and had no notion it was she…with this and "the heart wants what it wants," she's very much trying to corner the market for dysfunction tunes, huh? I haven't much fucked with Lana del ray…is she all about "you treat me like shit, but I love you" kinda thing?
― veronica moser, Monday, 27 July 2015 01:52 (eight years ago) link
i've only listened to Lana thru my bf, but her singing voice is p weak.
is the heart wants what it wants good? i need 2 listen
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 02:05 (eight years ago) link
there's nobody on the radio who has less presence, who sounds less like they should be singing at any kind of professional level. this song is less horrifying than her others but still pretty bad.
― teenage good-ass kinja turtles (some dude), Monday, 27 July 2015 02:15 (eight years ago) link
Selena has a bunch of classic songs, but I admit they don't criticize phallocentricity
― Matt Armstrong, Monday, 27 July 2015 02:39 (eight years ago) link
"Who Says" is the only one i ever thought was decent
― teenage good-ass kinja turtles (some dude), Monday, 27 July 2015 03:00 (eight years ago) link
i prefer her "i will survive" refix
― soyrev, Monday, 27 July 2015 03:01 (eight years ago) link
why's everything "cool" of the past six years always all minor key and †dark† anyways
― soyrev, Monday, 27 July 2015 03:02 (eight years ago) link
i like "come and get it" a lot, even though it's basically a rihanna song (as some dude pointed out, it was written for rihanna: http://www.thefader.com/2015/06/24/songs-written-for-rihanna-that-were-passed-on).
― jaymc, Monday, 27 July 2015 03:16 (eight years ago) link
her voice on this is really quite a performance - it has the passion and commitment of a true singer, and her icy falsetto/higher register cuts like a knife.
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 03:19 (eight years ago) link
i was confused about A$AP Rocky having a guest credit on this because he's not in the video and i thought he only produced it, but then i heard it on the radio the other day with a verse from him. man he's not much of a rapper at all, huh.
― teenage good-ass kinja turtles (some dude), Monday, 27 July 2015 03:39 (eight years ago) link
yeah i dunno, i haven't really formed an opinion. he's gotten some good girls tho.
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 03:40 (eight years ago) link
this song is indeed good for me
― niels, Monday, 27 July 2015 09:27 (eight years ago) link
still listen to 'love you like a love song' weeklythis song is p nice
― nxd, Monday, 27 July 2015 09:28 (eight years ago) link
surm otm itt
― regret it? nope. reddit? yep. (Noodle Vague), Monday, 27 July 2015 09:39 (eight years ago) link
http://image.spreadshirtmedia.com/image-server/v1/designs/12547030,width=178,height=178/Golden-Dollar-Sign.png
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 13:20 (eight years ago) link
Man this is lovely and a beautiful vocal performance imo
― Classic Man (albvivertine), Monday, 27 July 2015 13:52 (eight years ago) link
she sounds good, not much of a song though
― the naive cockney chorus (Simon H.), Monday, 27 July 2015 13:54 (eight years ago) link
the song (structure and melody) doesn't really go anywhere but I like her vocals which are heavily processed but still vibrant.the rap break is pretty bad and pointless, though.
― AlXTC from Paris, Monday, 27 July 2015 13:55 (eight years ago) link
she has absolutely no presence on this and the song relies on this fact, it's like rachel stevens
― for sale: baby shoes, never worn your ass (katherine), Monday, 27 July 2015 13:55 (eight years ago) link
she has more presence on this song than 85% of hot 100 songs i've heard in the past year
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 13:59 (eight years ago) link
and her enunciation on "good" is presence enough for the whole track.
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 14:00 (eight years ago) link
she always enunciates like that
idk i don't like this song
― dyl, Monday, 27 July 2015 14:38 (eight years ago) link
it's not even just her, it's very similar to what miley cyrus does with the verses of wrecking ball
― for sale: baby shoes, never worn your ass (katherine), Monday, 27 July 2015 14:48 (eight years ago) link
i'm still surprised that a good friend of mine was able to get me into Wrecking Ball. but it's more for the chorus and not the verses
― surm, Monday, 27 July 2015 14:51 (eight years ago) link
"Wrecking Ball" is an amazing song imo, but yeah i guess the chorus is the killer
― regret it? nope. reddit? yep. (Noodle Vague), Monday, 27 July 2015 14:53 (eight years ago) link
definitely my fav Selena since "Love Song" - it's more convincing without the dead-eyed video imo
― List of people who are ready for woe and how we know this (seandalai), Monday, 27 July 2015 21:12 (eight years ago) link
yeah, my fav since Love Song too
― surm, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 09:15 (eight years ago) link
The more I listen to this, the more I like it (except the rap that still sucks and breaks the atmosphere and charm).the "hmms" in the verses are great.there's definitely something missing in the construction of the song to make it really great but it's very nice.
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 09:46 (eight years ago) link
The video version's sparer and doesn't have the rap, I think it's prob better
― Classic Man (albvivertine), Tuesday, 28 July 2015 09:59 (eight years ago) link
oh really ? I have to check that then !
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 10:13 (eight years ago) link
video is pretty cool. she is v v v pretty. "doin' my hair up real real nice" might be my favorite line
― surm, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 10:57 (eight years ago) link
also that white t-shirt is Kate Moss/CK circa 1994 all over again.
― surm, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 10:59 (eight years ago) link
OK, the video is nice and this is much better without the rap !very exotic and sensual (which is a tour de force considering it's a very minimalist electronic track with processed vocals !).It's a perfect hot summer evening track. btw it made me think there's no big ubiquitous summer jam this year, is there ? (I mean "get lucky", "blurred lines" big level).
― AlXTC from Paris, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 11:18 (eight years ago) link
lovin you right now
― surm, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 11:19 (eight years ago) link
i put in a good word for it on the summer jamz thread
― surm, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 11:27 (eight years ago) link
the idea of a summer jam is primarily music industry horseshit fwiw
― welltris (crüt), Tuesday, 28 July 2015 11:51 (eight years ago) link
tbh i have considered that opinion carefully over the years and now steadfastly disagree. some songs just sound hotter, like summery. summer jams. summer jammy.
― surm, Tuesday, 28 July 2015 12:09 (eight years ago) link
video is weird to me tbh. katherine's blurb over on TSJ which described it as like footage of when you're hungover and restless on the couch was otm
― carly bae jepsen (monotony), Tuesday, 28 July 2015 13:21 (eight years ago) link
also just in terms of aesthetic the vibe i get from this is closer to shakira in ballad mode than LDR, especially when you consider "honeymoon"
― carly bae jepsen (monotony), Tuesday, 28 July 2015 13:23 (eight years ago) link
not enough explicit criticism of the male gaze for me tbh
― usic ally (k3vin k.), Tuesday, 28 July 2015 13:31 (eight years ago) link
I'm not digging that one as much.....
― Don’t yell ‘Judas!’ in a crowded theater (morrisp), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:07 (four years ago) link
"Crowded Room" (feat. 6LACK) is nice. Her voice is so thin -- I think the more minimalist tracks suit it best, somehow.
― Don’t yell ‘Judas!’ in a crowded theater (morrisp), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:19 (four years ago) link
I think I'm allergic to her sonic preferences ("Bad Liar" excepted)
― bold caucasian eroticism (Simon H.), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:20 (four years ago) link
not feeling this but it was prob the wrong move to listen to it after the poppy record
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:24 (four years ago) link
like Ariana Grande, she's taken with brevity, to my relief.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:26 (four years ago) link
I am pretty into this
― totally unnecessary bewbz of exploitation (DJP), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:26 (four years ago) link
I'm taken with the way she and her producers use bass.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:27 (four years ago) link
omg i'm excited, i was just talking about her this AM
― surm, Friday, 10 January 2020 19:27 (four years ago) link
Me too
"Fun" is also a kinda cool track. I feel like she goes in a for a lot of Swift-isms...
Nothing else on here comes close to the opening track for me (sadly)!
― Don’t yell ‘Judas!’ in a crowded theater (morrisp), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:28 (four years ago) link
That calypso-ish beat just kills me
― Don’t yell ‘Judas!’ in a crowded theater (morrisp), Friday, 10 January 2020 19:34 (four years ago) link
new album is really good!
― sean gramophone, Friday, 10 January 2020 19:46 (four years ago) link
really into Crowded Room
― surm, Friday, 10 January 2020 20:40 (four years ago) link
bottom heavy album for sure! i'm into it!
― surm, Friday, 10 January 2020 20:53 (four years ago) link
It's Selena Gomez ffs, not Huggy Bear.
― does it look like i'm here (jon123), Saturday, 11 January 2020 13:01 (four years ago) link
gimme more phallocentricity with a side of objectification
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 11 January 2020 13:22 (four years ago) link
The Target version of this CD tacks on “Bad Liar,” “Fetish,” “Wolves,” and a few others. It’s tempting...
― Don’t yell ‘Judas!’ in a crowded theater (morrisp), Saturday, 11 January 2020 16:18 (four years ago) link
Love this on first listen.
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Saturday, 11 January 2020 16:34 (four years ago) link
it's really very solid, if a little quaint. still, it's her signature. it works!
― surm, Saturday, 11 January 2020 17:35 (four years ago) link
Found myself in Target with some extra $$, so... I’ve been listening to the CD as I drive around today. After the fantastic opening track, it’s pretty mediocre (IMO) until around track 9 or 10 — where it hits a good, final stretch. She’s such a limited vocalist; the best tracks find a way to take advantage of what she offers (in addition to just being good songs). The Target CD is worth buying for the bonus tracks (FYI, it’s $11.99 on Target.com; they’ll price-match in store).
― Don’t yell ‘Judas!’ in a crowded theater (morrisp), Sunday, 12 January 2020 02:34 (four years ago) link
Just want to back up Johnny Fever who very early on praised “Lose You To Love Me” which sounds so incredible to me while playing through this as a whole. You were an early adopter and it is truly amazing.
― gman59, Sunday, 12 January 2020 04:52 (four years ago) link
kind of a martina topley-bird feel to this, maybe? track more than vocal
― like, I’m eating an elephant head (katherine), Sunday, 12 January 2020 05:28 (four years ago) link
i was just going to ask how people rate "lose you to love me" now, several months later. admittedly i never really warmed to it.
― dyl, Sunday, 12 January 2020 06:52 (four years ago) link
It does nothing for me, I’m surprised it performed so well. Clearly I don’t have my finger on the pulse, lol
― Don’t yell ‘Judas!’ in a crowded theater (morrisp), Sunday, 12 January 2020 07:07 (four years ago) link
― dyl, Sunday, January 12, 2020 1:52 AM (thirty minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink
still an extremely boring piano ballad propped up by an unconvincing fake narrative
― like, I’m eating an elephant head (katherine), Sunday, 12 January 2020 07:22 (four years ago) link
Im kind of a sucker for this sort of a ballad. Anyway, didn't mean to start anything but sounds beautiful to me. Loving "Rare" and "Crowded Room" too.
― gman59, Sunday, 12 January 2020 16:44 (four years ago) link
Whoa - there’s a songwriter demo of “Rare” that sounds almost identical(?)
― stop creeping my instagram storiez (morrisp), Monday, 13 January 2020 03:03 (four years ago) link
there usually are, the question is whether they ever become public
― like, I’m eating an elephant head (katherine), Monday, 13 January 2020 13:33 (four years ago) link
i like lose you to love me cuz i just went thru a breakup and i totally feel her sentiment
― surm, Monday, 13 January 2020 15:33 (four years ago) link
xp Does that mean the credited producers on the track also probably worked on the demo (for it to be so fully produced, with all the same sonic touches etc.)?
― stop creeping my instagram storiez (morrisp), Monday, 13 January 2020 17:43 (four years ago) link
Wow! Just finishing up my first listen though this. Think there may have been a couple plodding pop-by-numbers kinda tracks in the middle, but the last few tracks are strong! Good record to start off the year with.
― ☮️ (peace, man), Monday, 13 January 2020 21:36 (four years ago) link
the last few tracks are strong! to the point where i start thinking i'm really getting into the album and then it's over lol
― american bradass (BradNelson), Monday, 13 January 2020 21:59 (four years ago) link
Yep! The singles are the weakest links imo
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 January 2020 22:03 (four years ago) link
in today's country industry a large proportion of hits are written and produced entirely without the input of the artists that go on to record them... so it's quite common for demos submitted for consideration by artists/management/a&r to be essentially completed tracks w/ v high production values, all the bells 'n' whistles, etc, just w/o the artist's vocal. i remember reading an interview with a (non-artist) songwriter or producer about how that goes, and how the nearly-finished quality of such demos is almost considered necessary to stand out among all the other submissions.
i assume the situation is similar in pop as well, at least when it comes to pitching to artists who contribute little-to-nothing as songwriters (tho in some cases the recording artist will also end up getting credited as a songwriter even if the finished product doesn't differ at all from the demo besides the vocal)
xp
― dyl, Monday, 13 January 2020 22:04 (four years ago) link
I love it
― winters (josh), Monday, 13 January 2020 22:14 (four years ago) link
i am also pro-"lose you to love me" so i don't completely agree with alfred
― american bradass (BradNelson), Monday, 13 January 2020 22:26 (four years ago) link
xxp Thanks, dyl (Gomez does indeed have a songwriting credit on the track).
The production work on "Rare" is so fantastic, I think it deserves a breakdown (probably by someone better than me, but here goes):
0:00 - a little bongo trill fades in - the first thing you hear - telegraphing rhythmic elements that will reappear later0:01 - that (acoustic?) bassline; that distant, muffled beat... the foundations of the track; love them both0:18 - more of the rhythm comes in (bongos), but it's still not fully fleshed out0:34 - the chorus hits, along with some additional background tones, and a more booming (but still subtle) bassline. And yet, the track's STILL not yet in full bloom, until...0:51 - boom! the tinny trap-lite / calypso beat is in full effect - it's so lovely1:08 - after the chorus, everything drops out, leaving just the acoustic bassline again1:21 - echoing "ah-ahhs" and other backing vocal embellishments add to the mood2:15 - great bridge... the song feels organic, each section flowing naturally from the previous one2:42 - these ominous little background drones sound like they may have been inspired by Taylor Swife"Call It What You Want"(?)3:38 - final bongo trill. fin.
― stop creeping my instagram storiez (morrisp), Monday, 13 January 2020 23:30 (four years ago) link
The (excellent) guitar solo in 'Cut You Off,' I realized, reminds me of something from Haim's first album.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 14 January 2020 03:52 (four years ago) link
Is it just me or does anyone else think "Crowded Room" owes more than a bit to Cassie's "Me & U". Not a criticism.
― daavid, Friday, 17 January 2020 21:28 (four years ago) link
lately i've taken to listening to "lose you to love me" on repeat and crying
― american bradass (BradNelson), Friday, 24 January 2020 21:11 (four years ago) link
― daavid, Friday, January 17, 2020 9:28 PM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink
yes i realized this on second listen of crowded room for sure
― surm, Friday, 24 January 2020 21:12 (four years ago) link
no thread for Rare on its own? Late pass but the deluxe version is gonna be top ten for sure for me.
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Sunday, 12 April 2020 19:25 (three years ago) link
I love the album
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 12 April 2020 19:28 (three years ago) link
things i can pass on the deluxe album: lose you to love me, crowded room, sweeter placethings I love: everything else.
changemymind.jpg
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Sunday, 12 April 2020 19:39 (three years ago) link
This is my distilled / must-hear version of the deluxe album:
RareCrowded RoomVulnerableRingCut You OffKinda CrazyFun
― bagel in the streets, donut in the sheets (morrisp), Wednesday, 21 October 2020 21:38 (three years ago) link
The new Saved by the Bell series apparently has some background graffiti saying “Does Selena Gomez even have kidneys?” — so the Selenators have got RESPECT SELENA GOMEZ trending
― meditate in my direction (morrisp), Saturday, 28 November 2020 18:04 (three years ago) link
Just danced to "Rare" and "Ice Cream" in Just Dance 2021... pretty great
― babe for the weekend (morrisp), Tuesday, 9 February 2021 22:28 (three years ago) link