Fair: Not a carnival, not a dispensation of justice, not a rating. Just a pretty good collection of songs gleaming with the promise of the future

I could see a killjoy reviewer saying something like, "'All Is Fair' is just that. Fair. Not bad, not great, it's all just fair." That was the thought running through my head as soon as Anoop Desai announced the title of his indie EP.

People, I was afraid. Mortified. I heard the first single, and indeed its got a modicum of swagger and tongue in cheek finessed pretty darn well, so I breathed a sigh of relief. A solid first outing, but I was teetering on the edge of dishing the fair verdict myself.

Although an unabashed fangirl to the max, for someone of my analytical temperament, I cannot love without problematizing in all honesty. The EP drops tomorrow May 4th, and I found some acoustic versions of the album tracks in full.

My favorite cut is "Lost and Found". Its a great slice of sensuous babymaking soundtrack. Especially in this raw acoustic form. In the previews mix I've heard a snippet of the produced version and they're all a bit too slick for my liking, often borderline cheesy, and slightly detract from Anoop's phrasing, musicality, and the catchy melodies. Still, I understand well enough, that very production is his argument that he is can be relevant in the current pop music market.

But I can't help but be a bit angry at the addicted to your drug trope that is so worn and tired and so obviously cribbed from the Ne-Yo playbook. So minus that, this is like a scintillating Neruda poem set to music.



But here's what I love about this performance too: Anoop breaks his smoldering delivery to comment, presumably on someone in the audience, "That's right you can do that." and then jumps right back into the sexy. It's why Desai is one of my faves, his range from humorous candor, to verbal acuity, to utterly focused loverman, all the while rocking the geek specs with unheard of hawtness. He never takes the stud thing too seriously and that moment shows it. Woe were he to be so committed to trying to be the ladies man that he could not see his unapologetic nerdiness is so integral to his charm. So while it is unlikely that All is Fair will be a tour de force it is a good first foray in a serviceable direction. He's well on his way to breaking through the pop charts, I just hope he keeps pushing the envelope and works the quirks without going gimmicky. I'll be watching and rooting him on.

Bonus pick n' mix:

Carnival by The Cardigans:



D.A.N.C.E. by Justice:



Fairly Oddparents:

Hotel to Motel to poppin' like a toaster

Supreme apologies for the lengthy absence from posting. Still fairly out of commission owing to computer problems and suddenly being insanely busy again, but I figured it was high time for a post.

I've just returned from a trip that started in Northern Italy, took me to Istanbul, Turkey (and I was staying in the Hilton HOTEL) and ended in an amazing weekend back in Rotterdam.

In due course I hope to make the photos from the trip available for your perusal, but right about now just had to rave about the festival weekend I had in Rotterdam. There was a great slate for Motel Mozaique.

The music lineup

Here are the artists that were definite highlights for me:

Mulatu Astake and Heliocentrics. Such a gentleman onstage. Hypnotic and groovy pentatonic goodness, my concert buddy Martijn particularly enjoyed Mulatu's "yeah I'm in the groove" facial expressions.

Kaki King (sadly she was sick, which affected her voice but it resulted in this hilarious on stage banter about sounding like present day Marianne Faithful and an old grandma, wherein she proceeded to rant like a senile elderly woman). Damn, woman's got axe skills (thanks for telling me about her Simone!). Also check her cover of LoveStoned por ejemplo.



Daedelus. I saw him in college in the basement Smith Campus Center or Walker (can't remember which) 5 or 6 years ago and it was pretty low key. Was more preoccupied chatting with a friend that night. But the particular set last weekend was frenetic, nonstop, beat-tastic, and brimming with energy. And the crowd was so into it. There wasn't a body left still. Then, the next day I saw him while I was on the walking tour(see below) stolling down the street by himself, licking on an ice cream cone ostensibly chillaxed out.

Into the wee hours there was also plenty of booty shaking and simultaneous observation of the rhythmically challenged courtesy of an impressive program of DJ's spinning.

But in addition to all this great music there was also a load of art exhibits, some people could sleep overnight in museum and gallery spaces throughout the city, and on the Sunday, bleery-eyed from all the previous night's partying, I did a blind tour of the city getting to know my temporary home of Rotterdam by other sensory means without the aid of sight, touching buildings, trees, railings, sculptures, etc. inhaling scents in the air, and becoming hyperaware of the terrain beneath my feet. Was also privy to a beautiful little hidden public garden nestled in the city center where we had homemade chocalate cake and discussed Rotterdamse gentrification in Dutch. Well, I mostly listened because I've reached the stage of language learning where you understand a lot more than you can respond to fluently.

Motel Mozaique: Def worth a repeat.

Addendum: Pop Tart

In other news, Mr. Anoop Desai dropped his first single. Much has been made about the lyrical cheese, which was largely intentional aping of the male bravado. I could expound at length as to the Bhangra influence and what that might mean in addition to other aspects of Noopy D's first official post-idol pressing, but I unfortunately havent the energy at the moment. My critical essay regarding the evolution of his career has been shoved deep on the backburner as other preoccupations must take over. Nonetheless, I wouldn't be doing my job as a fan were I not to share some of his shizz and admit that I highly enjoy what auditory gifts Anoop proffers. Loving this acoustic rendition:



The sexiest R & B geek in the game.

The tour is over, but don't say goodbye...

because the greatness of season 8 idols remains.

Allison Iraheta is on fi-yah!!!!!!!!! Can't wait for this fierce young woman's album to drop. Step aside disneylettes, this is the real teenage phenom ish.



Anoop just keeps bringin' it. Le Sigh.



Things like this make me think that he could be an awesome mix of Wayne Brady, Jamie Foxx, and Jon Stewart on his own TV show. The self-effacing dry humor? HAWT.

And the final frontier in genre blending awesomeness: Noop-velle Vague. It's orgasmic. Two things I flove coming together. Behold.

The new crown prince of R&B geek chic and Belmondo/Karina? My mind is blown.

It should have been a dogg.

Source: http://twitter.com/Anoopdoggdesai

And that made this get stuck in my head:




Guess I'm getting no sleep tonight.

David Ruffin=Raphael Saadiq=Anoop Desai=Left Eye

Optically speaking of course.

Here's the original recipe:



The revivalist:

Raphael Saadiq - Love That Girl from Artists Den on Vimeo.

The futurist:



The feminist:

Aint 2 Proud 2 Beg


Nerd specs:The great pop music equalizer.

Like I needed another reason to heart him

And you wonder why he's smokin':

Boogie nights: Idol does disco--some song picks

Next week's Idol theme is Disco week.

I can't help but think first about my fave, Anoop. He might be able work the stage right if he doesn't go apeshit with the prancing and snarling. But as much as I was irked that Kara's rather well-aimed "frat boy" tear-down was kinda on the money, he might take it into consideration,and find the right swagger balance he so desperately needs. I think the the lukewarm-to-negative responses from the judging panel since the finals, and the tepid showing from the voting public indicated by the B3 appearances, makes me think it could be tough for him to muster the confidence. Although his "c'mon Ryan!" on results show night gives me hope that he'll lose it (in a good way). I think he needs an element of rawness and abandon to make a connection and have an electrifying performance.

Oh yeah, and he needs to bust out a really nice dandified suit. The layering thing is not doing him any favors. I love that he is unafraid of color and has (mostly) avoided the vomitrocious screen print graphic trap. But every week I wince when I see his shirt un-tucked and he can't seem to perform in anything but jeans. There are no tailored pieces. No proper trousers. He's been using Kanye as a style inspiration. Time to ditch Kanye and think more Andre 3000. There's a palpable difference between their takes on hip hop prep. A strong sartorial statement may be the best antidote to the disco chesse.

I know the perfect Beau Brummell for him: Ozwald Boateng. Impeccable tailoring mixed with a playful color sensibility, and Black Britannia cool:



C'mon Miles Siggins, Idol stylist(I saw you in the background)! Hook Anoop up with Ozwald like you did with Ryan!

As for song, he could go safe with McFadden and Whitehead's "Ain't No Stoppin' us now." Although it's a song I also see Danny choosing for inspiration purposes. However, I think Anoop could really bring the heat with Earth Wind and Fire's "Fantasy."



While no one can compete with Philip Bailey and co., I think Anoop's got the vocals to handle the song and it will stretch him. I really want to see him do uptempo falsetto ( I know he can). This would be a real risky challenge but, if he did it right, molded it to fit him, perhaps threw a new twist in there by riffing on the slow parts that were originally just music, this could be the breakout for him. Plus he's got the great glory notes at the end if they arrange it cleverly. Moreover, the song is so inherently groovetacular and the non-come-hither lyrics mean that he can't do that "hey ladies" shizz that he doesn't always pull off with aplomb yet.

I sincerely think he could do even better than Clay, for sure.



Okay, this is a strange Me'Shell NdegeOcello cover of it, too schizo for my taste really,but it does show how far you can take the tune.

I think Kris Allen could also pull off EWF's "September" or Patrice Rushen's "Forget me nots" with a a sweet little uptempo acoustic.

Also how great would it be to see Allison rock Evelyn "Champagne" King's "Shame"? It's got a touch of gritty that suits her perfectly. It would also be great esp since Miss King was also a teenage phenom when she did this song. Or my personal fave Cheryl Lynn and her hit "Got to be real" ? Or will Lil attempt it? Could either of them really handle it? I wonder.

Wait...Adam could do it! He can do anything and he will cause combustion into flames of fierceness.

Sweetest Anoop

Dear Anoop,

Please DO NOT do this song for next week's "year you were born" (1986) theme:



I have a sick feeling in my tum-tum that you will pick it. That spells D-A-N-G-E-R -Z-O-N-E (another '86 song, a highway to where you should avoid). You dressed for it last week (erm), so if you're gonna go Maverick on me, you can always do this. But it's one of those things that could either be sheer triumph or absolute suicide.

I know Stevie's your hero, but don't do "Overjoyed." It's overdone. You're smarter than that. Right?

However, I would LOVE to see you do this song:



Soooo easy to make contemporary because of the beats, plus the gender crossover always helps you win easy originality points. Smoldering yet earnest. You can be sexy without all the chest puffing and strutting.

Even Les Nubians gives you something to work with that's more recent:



Languorous enough to show off the smooth vocals, but nice n' mid-tempo to keep the energy up.

Do it baby, slam dunk.

Love,

Em

P.S. Found this after the initial post: LOOK! What did I tell you? You got this.

Will the real Roald Amundsen please stand up?

Yes, people. I am get getting suckered into American Idol more than ever. It's his fault:



Last night he kicked ass. Michael Slezak, Entertainment Weekly's AI "expert", and the only Idol pundit really worth following, also pointed out that Anoop's sly implementation of the word "impetus" on America's #1 rated TV show was a coup for all us vocabulary-starved word fiends. I was a little excited about Ramiele last season, but my enthusiasm for Anoop Desai has gone way beyond that (see previous entries).

Let's be honest though, Idol isn't all about singing, it's largely about image. And I'd like to talk a little about the styling. I am surprised that in the commentary I've combed, with so much well-deserved derision dished out about Danny Gokey's jacket, nobody noticed that Anoop already wore almost the exact the same jacket last week, in a less blinding shade of camo green. According to InStyle online, Anoop's is from H & M, while the official AI website indicates Danny's is from Macy's . But they are just too alike with the popped collar, four large square front pockets, and the epaulets. Stylists, don't think you can get away with a recycle like that!

Mod

or

"God"?

C'mon he sang "Jesus Take the Wheel"

Simon was hilarious when he said to Gokey, "it looks like you're going on a polar expedition*" I was ROFL. Gokey admitted on the telecast that even scarf-swaddled (ugh) Matt "Justin Timberfake" Giraud was perceptive enough to point out to him that he looked like he was ready to pull a parachute ripcord. Amazing how color choice and the person wearing something can make such a huge difference.

As one comment from this site says, "I totally agree about Danny's clothes. Unless you're an angel choir, I'm not sure anyone should ever sing about Jesus while wearing white. It's creepy. And that jacket made me afraid he was suddenly going to do this:

The White Jacket of Glory"

Haha.

As much as I like the Michael McDonaldy sound from Danny Gokey, his attempts at "style" with his ever-changing spectacles (I'd like to see him try a monocle!), along with insufferable pelvic thrustings are wearing me thin. I feel for him and the loss of his wife, but the evangelist streak rubs me the wrong way. I think I was duped into rooting for him in the earlier rounds because I liked his friend Jamar, who faintly reminded me of a soulful, quirkier Pharrell. It's harder to pull for him now, and the Gokester made matters worse for me trying to rip off part of Anoop's look this week. There should've been an Us Weekly-esque "Who wore it best?" And I think you know who would win the poll.

I recall in an interview with Wes Anderson, Robert Evans said (I'm paraphrasing here) that if multiple people only notice a single item you're wearing that such a compliment must be dismissed (the exact quotation is at 31:20). If more than one person pointed out that they liked his tie, for example, he said he would throw it out the next day. Why? They are only noticing that item rather than YOU (in all your totality) looking good. Interesting. In other words, your personality is what should shine through and the rest is mere background. Just as an idol's song choice can mean that either they own the song or the song owns them, the same can be said of any fashion choice.

I think that Idol's stylists are hardly inventive. Not that I believe for a second that they are trying to be. As one "Idolatry" commentator quips, it just looks like Adam Lambert shops at Hot Topic. Alexis Grace can't seem to wear anything but black ( I guess it was a symbolic death knell which lead to her elimination this week), and Allison (though I love her spitfire ways) bathes in red and red alone.

Also, why do the stylists continue to ply horrible screen print graphics on ALL the male contestants? Like, is that supposed to be rock n' roll or chic? I personally feel those meaningless screen print cotton basics don't do anyone favors. They always look like some adolescent boy's binder artwork or something that should be slapped on the bottom of a skateboard deck. Even Anoop, who could make some natty choices (he seems to be okay playing with color, especially some vibrant blues, and could certainly work the height to his advantage in sartorial matters), fell prey to the awful graphic print on a couple of polo shirts. We all know that even when a stylist offers you choices, you ultimately make the call. As such, the contestants do bear some responsibility too. What a shame that no one really impresses with their fashion sense so far. Please Idol men, you can say NO to the needless graphic print embellishment.

Also, did anyone else find the idea of the idols being in the hot tub together a bit unsavory? At least the way Lil' Rounds described it...Looks like the Village Voice agrees.


*Note: Simon must be into Norway or something. Last night he alluded to polar expeditions, and the greatest explorer of the polar regions was Norwegian. Second, in reference to the evening's first performer, Michael Sarver and his garbled Garth Brooks gobbledygook, Cowell remarked, "You could have been singing in Norwegian."

Texan twins: bon voyage-worthy aesthetics?

Check out the YT discussion on Arthur's theme regarding American Idol.

Then take a look at one of the top 11 contestants for Idol, Michael Sarver, who actually beat out my fave Anoop by a mere 20,000 for the third voted-in spot for the finals (Thankfully A.D. did come back as a wild card). What America was smoking when they picked Sarver over Desai? Anoop is clearly a better vocalist (a fairly excellent vocalist actually). Although I am terribly biased because I find him pretty fetching...

But I suppose anything is possible when the country elects and then re-elects someone like W. for president. A guy that the "heartland" can latch onto, but who simply doesn't deliver. Then, only when starved for competency, do the voters mobilize for something better. Which gets me thinking, will the AI electorate eventually make a similar transition? Take a look at the zealous campaign that's being waged by rabid fans and 'Noop's homeboys. Honestly, this might be too much, even for me. Mr. Desai does have a strong pre-AI empirical track record, but with mixed results since hitting the big stage, he still has a lot to prove. Funny enough, I find myself viewing the current administration with a similar hope restrained by analytical skepticism. Either way, can we please avoid the Bobby Jindal comparisons? Soooo NOT in the same boat.

But back to another representational issue, Michael Sarver and Christoper Cross: are they not doppelgangers? Plus, they are both from Texas.

One cannot count someone out just because they don't have a conventionally pretty face. C.C., for one, was a veritable music factory. Did you know: "his self-titled debut album, Christopher Cross (1979)...garnered him five Grammy Awards [and that] he is the only artist to personally receive all of the "Big Four" Grammy Awards (Best Record, Song, Album, and New Artist) in the same year"? That is a feat yet to be matched. He also won an Oscar for co-writing the aforementioned "Arthur's Theme (The Best That You Can Do)." It was likely that his musical output was not his ultimate undoing. Instead it was probably the advent of the 80's and MTV killed his career and now he plays cruise ships, county fairs, etc. According to Idol starmaker Simon Cowell, Sarver, while also not possessing a prototypically marketable look, does have an appeal for the blue collar worker suffering in the recession, a story middle America can identify with. Or at least root for.

Unfortch, both of these guys similarly fail to produce any "wow" factor, and that has nothing to do with their looks. Just their rather underwhelming vocals. But Cross was more a mildly talented songwriter/musician than a star anyhow. Truth be told, I will occasionally dip into the guilty pleasure trough of AM gold "Sailing." (Haha, his guitar!). There is some real talent there, even if it's of the castrated easy-listening sort. Sorry to say I can't defend Sarver in the same way at this juncture. There is a serious lack of supporting evidence.

Will Sarver hang in the music game, looks be damned? Or will he be sailing away? Stay tuned to find out how tyrannical the majority becomes.

Addendum, April 2, 2009: Apparently, Sarver's quite the prolific songwriter. A really sweet fellow too. Whoops on the W. analogy. He's waaaaay more clued in than our former president.

False Idols: Yes I worship them, call me a sinner

I'll admit it openly. I occasionally watch American Idol. Bad reality television is important bonding time with my mom, and I get swept up in it a little bit too. For one, in seasons past, it's the only time I ever see Filipino Americans on network television with regularity and name recognition--and there is more racial diversity than I can say for most of whitewashed American TV with its token characters of color. Some of its finalists have some stories that reflect how America is made up of many transnationally and complex globalized identities. However, for its quasi-populist potentialities, its a duly awful corporate machine, and the track record on representation is far from stellar. This pretty good LA Times article puts Idol's identity politics on the table quite plainly. Moreover, music from its competitors is never very good if you want to talk about true artistic merit. Ultimately, they produce de-clawed pop gunk.

But when Anoop Desai delivered a badass performance, of "My Prerogative", with his innate cuteness/nastiness (this is a great commentary about authenticity), it was enough for me to take notice. Digging around a bit, it was easy enough to find his past body of work on You Tube. I am a big Ne-Yo fan, and this smooth lil' cover and all the rest was enough to convince me that he would bring home the R & B bacon.

Everyone rightly seems to recognize that he doesn't have the utmost chops, but he does have a pretty sweet voice nonetheless, and a way of selling it that 's irresistible. It somehow delicately tows the line between campy fun/sexiness without being gimmicky, which is totally enthralling to watch. Not to mention the eyebrows of Peter Gallagher proportions that he manages to work. His likability factor and teenybopper obsessive fanbase (check out the deliciously fun fansite) have carried him in the face of some modicum of adversity, and I just hope he can provide more performances akin to this:



I just hope Chippendales doesn't call. We all know how a stripteaser went down last season.

On top of that, the personal details that initially emerged in his audition just made it easier for me to like him. Folklore/American Studies grad student who did his undergrad honors thesis on barbecue? Hawt. An Idol contestant who's actually articulate with a scholarly bent toward cultural anthropology? I'll say it again: hawt. Parents of the South Asian diaspora, with his mom hailing from South Africa? Yes on repping for the Desis. Southern college boy prep? Charming without being icky. Former mock trial competitor who named his HS a capella group Chiefs of Staff? It don't get any smotter (smarter+hotter). I did mock trial too, baby. Don't knock the mock til you've tried it.

And this week it looked like he would come out swinging. He managed to look better with the snazzy new haircut: enough added sex appeal to make a girl squeal, but nothing so OTT that he lost his geek chic essence.

But his rendition of MJ's anthemic "Beat It" proved disastrous.



Man, he's been put through the ringer. First cruelly being denied a much-deserved spot in the finalist group by a hair's breadth, then being the last wildcard chosen (though he was not the weakest in the bunch by any means), to being the supposed last-minute thirteenth add-on, the producers seem hellbent on victimizing him in a way that, for me at least, only breeds increased sympathy. Especially in light of having recently lost one of his close friends to a tragic murder. While he did mention it in some interviews, he didn't make it integral to his narrative in a publicity-whore manner (yet) as some contestants did.

From stage bravado and subsequent humility before the judges, it was thus all the more heartbreaking to see his response to the acerbic panel's scathing remarks. Not just merely saying he wanted another chance to prove his worth and "show y'all what I got", he even took Kara's comments to heart, uttering a defeated "Yes m'am." He appeared supremely deflated, after having boogied his butt off despite an abysmal song choice that failed to showcase his strengths. It made his attempt and the histrionics of a triumphant finish all the more saddening. But he miraculously evaded elimination this week. So I am still really rooting for him, and I can only hope there is some sort of redemption song next week.

Maybe I'm biased, but this is scorching (and I much prefer it to JT):