Marina & The Diamonds!

I like her, but am still sorting out how much. She definitely produces some very catchy songs that have become stuck in my head quite quickly. I'm tired and I've said more about her on other threads, but I hope I'll be back with something more to say on this one.

"Seventeen" is also pretty good, imo. There's a lot of variety in her songwriting, but along with that I get the sense that she is really flailing about trying to figure out what she wants to do musically; but she's got talent so the sort of mish-mash that the songs some times sound like to me is interesting. I guess I should save this for her official thread which I see you started.

― _Rudipherous_, Friday, January 22, 2010 6:24 AM (9 minutes ago)

Yeah, there's definitely some stylistic variety, but I think that comes from (what I perceive as) a reticence to listen to older music. Based on some of her blog posts, she's not at the point yet where she's really curious about music older than she is. Feels unfair to label her another in a long line of Kate Bush clones, because it's not clear to me she's all that knowledgeable of Bush's catalogue.

from Nialler:

What music did you listen to when you were growing up?
I listened to very little when I was growing up. The only music i remember making a connection with was No Doubt’s first record. Haha! And I remember standing by the fireplace and singing ‘Wonderwall’ and feeling very passionate/ dramatic. Haha!

The songs you’ve shared thus far are quite dramatic and definitely have an air of Kate Bush which rings through more than other people in the last few years who have been compared to her. Do you mind? Are you a fan? What are your favourite Bush songs?
I don’t mind. I don’t give it much thought. Not to say I don’t appreciate it, I am very flattered. When people started comparing me to her about three years ago, I was like ‘Who’s Kate Bush?’. Can you imagine?! Anyway, I got mum to send me six songs of hers in the post. ‘Babooshka’, ‘Running Up That Hill’, ‘Wuthering Heights’.. I definitely fell in love instantly. An instant click, it felt like she was my sonic sister and in a very genuine way. Not because I had every tried to sound like her. I really can’t imagine doing anything worse.

there's definitely some stylistic variety, but I think that comes from (what I perceive as) a reticence to listen to older music

That's not what I would have expected, because to me it sounds like she is listening to lots of older music, so that's interesting if true. Of course, there's a lot that one can absorb by osmosis, which I suspect is what is going on in her case, though maybe she is simply re-inventing things in certain cases.

I'm a little nervous that her ambition to be a pop star could undermine her, in her specific case, because it sounds to me as if she has real talent as a creator and doesn't need to be industrialized.

She doesn't sound that much like recent pop music to me, though I am certainly not tuned in enough to really say with any confidence. As I said before, her vocals do remind me of Shakira at times, and I don't particularly like when she gets into that territory, but it doesn't bother me enough to make me tune out (for now).

Since I'm not much of a Britney fan, I'm not thrilled with the prospect of Marina working with Britney's producer (or one of them or whatever that article I linked to before said), though I'm certainly willing to give the results a listen.

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

I think people can be forgiven for imagining a Kate Bush influence at 2:16 on "Mowgli's Road" if nowhere else, haha. (Not saying there is, just saying it's easy to see why people would make that comparison.) Funny thing: I keep hearing "Mowgli's Road" in my head mashed up with the chorus of Janelle Monae's "Come Alive." Okay, I probably should get off this thread, since my presence may be a kiss of death, or it might at least temporarily stunt the thread's growth potential.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_oMD6-6q5Y

I Am Not a Robot was one of my favourite songs of 2009, and she's got a lot of raw talent. There's a lot of stylistic discrepancy and I don't think she has a firm sense of herself as an artist yet, but I like most of what she ends up doing.

Seventeen is wonderful. Hollywood is...um...good, but confused?

Honestly, my biggest fear is that she'll end up catching a lot of flak over things extraneous to the music. While she cops to not being incredibly well-informed about certain things, she seems very thoughtful (both on her website and in her songs) - by which I mean, she's using her music as a place through which to puzzle out how she feels about herself, society, etc. etc. But viz. Hollywood, it doesn't always happen in the most coherent or accurate fashion - a little didactic at times. And if 2009 taught us anything, it's that people are generally looking for an excuse to prove that buzzed-about pop women are stupid (see: Quietus and Florence) or otherwise objectionable (see: La Roux).

So while it seems perverse to me to punish the kind of musician who will publicly reflect on, for example, Shakira's video for 'She Wolf', her own reaction to it, and how that slots into her own concerns about marketing herself/her sexuality/image, it's likely going to happen. And it won't be pretty.

I'm kind of sad that I didn't hear some of my favorite singles from 2009 until after I had submitted my ballot. I would have voted for "Mowgli's Road," and for that matter I probably would have at least also nominated "I Am Not A Robot." But there's next year to vote for the album, assuming I like it enough overall to want to do so. (And anyway, not sure why I should really be wringing my hands over silly ILM EOY poll.)

Alex is right. One of the things that's endeared her to me the most, besides the music itself, is that she does everything out in the open. She thinks out loud. It will most certainly add fuel to the fire when it comes time for the backlash, but in the mean time I look forward to seeing her put the pieces together.

All I know is she's got songwriting talent in spades and I just hope she doesn't let it get crushed by other people with their own ideas of what she should sound like. (It's not as though that should even be necessary for commercial success, since she's certainly very accessible.)

That "you don't know fuck about my family" reminds me of a fight I heard a couple of my neighbors having earlier this year, since a lot of what the woman in the couple was saying was very much along those lines, in content and expression.

Also that phrase "hotly tipped" (which seems to be in the press kit or something) sounds really silly to me, and vaguely obscene, making me want to use it myself.

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

very late to the show.

really like the drums on this album - esp on Forget but also on other tracks.

ONE OF US

new song just released with clean bandit, way to conflict an imago.

she's dead to me

This isn't terrible.

Also, Róisín Murphy did a lot of dayplayer work like this before coming back with some super strong work of her own, so we'll see.

she's dating one of clean bandit iirc

and yeah I think this song is kinda old also? Like wasn't it being performed live ~2 years ago?

She's officially dropped "And The Diamonds" from the name, and I'm feeling a type of way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTez3e69Srk

It's a nice song. Is it a nice Marina song? I'm unsure yet. It has no edges.

I enjoyed the verses more than the chorus which seems a bit uneventful. It is beautifully produced. Could well grow on me like most of the last album did.

This is great! But she sings the title too much. That's the only flaw

haha I tend to hate that in songs

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.