Is it right or is it wrong?

Nu Music Monday #19 / 19-04-2021

Apr 19, 2021

Hey there,

I’m Red, and welcome to Nu Music Monday. Glad to have you here.

Every week I write quick bites about some of my favorite tracks released in the past seven days (-ish). I also go into the latest music news when I feel like it and share stuff I think is worth your time.

This Monday is about ARTPOP’s rebirth, a collection of incredible Sharon Van Etten covers and brand new tracks to vibe to.

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ARTPOP’s Second Coming

We’re inching eight years since Lady Gaga’s third full-length release and in only the past few weeks ARTPOP has climbed tooth and nail atop the global iTunes charts thanks to a full-blown #justiceforartpop campaign orchestrated by her fandom.

Gaga had her work cut out for her when she delivered her album in 2013 after the records broken by The Fame and Born This Way: while ARTPOP did not reach the standards set by her two previous releases, the album resonated deeply with the Monsters. Many blamed a lackluster promotional rollout on her label’s part, others attributed the (comparatively) ‘lesser’ sales to its more experimental sound: both certainly factored in. Whatever the reasons, this Gaga era whizzed by (read: fizzled out) and the pop superstar subsequently joined Tony Bennett for show tunes covers.

A second act to ARTPOP is rumoured to exist in the ether somewhere (read: on someone’s hard drive) and fans have launched a change.org petition for Gaga and Interscope to release it to the public. Oh and Gaga has signed it herself and it’s now edging 50,000 signatures. Fast forward a couple of days and ARTPOP is charting in more than 40 countries and Gaga and DJ White Shadow have decided to link up and see what they can do about those unreleased tracks when she’s done filming House of Gucci in Italy.

It’s not the first (nor the last) time a superstar’s fanbase move the needle significantly when it comes to an artist’s chart positions and sales long after the original record was dropped. Mariah’s Lambily re-vamped her film soundtrack’s charting numbers with a #JusticeForGlitter campaign, Britney’s fans sent Glory to number one and Madonna’s Bedtime Stories rose from the ashes.

Pop fans have become more organized and strategically minded in recent years. There’s reason to believe, we’re now just seeing the top of the iceberg of what they can do. Remember K-pop fans ruining attendance at a Trump rally last year? The fun and games would be worth celebrating if it weren’t for the many smear campaigns and online vitriol that’s become habitual as Twitter users decide who to stan (and who to not).

The ARTPOP II campaign is still free from controversy so there’s no reason not to enjoy the ride wide-eyed as Gaga reaches far and deep into the vault to give the world a second helping of her daring third act.

And if you’re in the mood for a reminder of what that damn album was about you can read my review of ARTPOP:

“I’m not a wandering slave, I am a woman of choice.” If it wasn’t clear enough, Gaga reminds the listener of ARTPOP who’s in charge within its first couple of minutes. Her third studio album, decidedly geared for club exposure, had large shoes to fill: Gaga promised something brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique - setting herself and fans up for disappointment. ARTPOP is certainly no Hounds of Love. Now, it’s also far from the disaster-meme it’s been turned into upon closer inspection. Gaga oozes confidence amongst a busy soundscape ready to take over at any sign of vocal weakness. Luckily, she’s not known for those. ARTPOP’s Achilles’ heel is ambition: execution doesn’t always match the vision - which might in itself not have been 20/20 from the jump.

Read my full review of ARTPOP on my blog.

Album Review: Sharon Van Etten // epic Ten

Sharon Van Etten celebrates the tenth anniversary of her lauded Epic with a collection of covers that underscore the nuances of the original material

2010’s Epic marked a turning point for Sharon Van Etten, as she moved from her sparsely orchestrated first full-length release into the limelight of the indie circuit. It was then that the folk singer played with a band for the first time and subsequently kicked her career into high gear with an opening slot for The National on tour after signing to Jagjaguwar. Since then, Van Etten has established herself as one of the most confident voices in indie rock and folk both at home and abroad, most notably perhaps with 2019’s soaring Remind Me Tomorrow.

Read my full review of SVE’s epic Ten in Riot mag.

Track of the week: Keep your Enemies closer they said

The track of the week is brought to you by UK R&B/hip-hop up-and-comer Jords, traphousejazz smooth talker Masego and London rapper kadiata. It blends an old-school nostalgia and club feels in a mix that’s very intentional: it’s meant to get you moving and yearning, yearning while moving or moving while yearning. It’s the type of collab where each artist goes in willing to set the ego aside for the chance at a better piece: the concerted effort to make something cohesive doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s the best way to shed light on new talent to the inattentive ears. Give in.