Music

"Fairytale"

Sara Bareilles

Epic Records © 2008

So much for happy endings.—Ya know, those fairytale feel good endings we believed in as kids? According to music artist Sara Bareilles such stories don’t match up with real life. Disappointing and hurtful relationships, especially of the romantic type, are no new issue in our postmodern world. In 2007, Bareilles released her first major label album, Little Voice, which contained the song “Fairytale.”

The song “Fairytale” reveals the well-known fairytale princesses and makes a mockery of their stories by telling them with a postmodern twist. Cinderella has been drinking and her prince “doesn’t come home anymore.” Sleeping beauty would rather keep sleeping and dreaming then have a prince who is a jerk and doesn’t really care... “The story needs some mending and a better happy ending,” sings Bareilles. The princess should be free to do what she wants to do and be who she wants to be, since “She's only waiting, spent the whole life being graded on the sanctity of patience and a dumb appreciation”—She’s been waiting around for a prince, holding onto the idea that there is a beautiful ending.

Bareilles, well known for her top hit “Love Song” (also on Little Voice), tries to write down-to-earth, real life songs that also reflect her life. Her pop style has been said to be similar to Nora Jones and Fiona Apple. She has a classy, melancholy voice that matches well with her talent on the piano.

On her website, Bareilles wrote about her album Little Voice. “This record was really about me learning to trust my own instincts, and more importantly, recognize how desperately I needed to learn to listen to myself, however inexperienced and naïve I may be. It sounds cliché, but that little voice is sometimes the only voice that's speaking the truth.”

In “Fairytale,” Bareilles sings,” Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom, Man made up a story said that I should believe him.” Although it seems to do with fairytales, could this also reflect Bareilles’ religious beliefs? Maybe God is a made up reality and heaven is a happy-ending story we’ve been fed? Whatever the case, it’s not definite that she doesn’t believe in God. But her self-trust may suggest a spiritualistic worldview.

“Fairytale” addresses the unrealistic dream of modern fairytale ideals and the reality of a postmodern society where pain, distrust, and selfishness reign, instead of a prince and princess for

[writen by] Erin
[back] to pomo media

“Disturbia” by Rihanna

© 2008 Def Jam

Rihanna is a girl who has shot to the top of the music charts in just the last several years. No one expected that this young, twenty-year-old Barbados girl would be tied with the likes of Mariah Carey and Beyonce in the Billboard charts for most songs making it to the number one spot in this decade. In 2003, at the age of 15, Rihanna received her big break when one of her friends introduced her to record producer Evan Rogers. Rogers, along with his partner, Carl Sturken, helped Rihanna record material in the U.S. which was sent to various recording companies. One copy of Rihanna's work was sent to Jay-Z, who eventually signed her to Def Jam Recordings. This gives a brief overview of Rihanna’s climb or rather “leap” to fame. However, what is more important for our conversation is answering the questions: What is Rihanna trying to communicate? What does her songs have to say about culture today in America? More specifically, what does this song Disturbia have to say about culture? Disturbia is Rihanna latest number one best seller receiving a whopping 13.5 million and counting Youtube views. Unlike her predecessors, Carey and Beyonce, this new diva of the post-modern, abandoned youth culture has a much darker message to share.

One viewing of this music video will leave you quickly wondering what is going on in pop-culture today. The video is filled with demonic-type images and persons that are constantly “attacking” Rihanna and they seem “too close for comfort” yet Rihanna cannot get away from them. This thief in the night, disturbia, has “creeped up inside” Rihanna, and disturbia has now locked Rihanna up in chains which she cannot remove herself from (as shown in the music video). Rihanna wishes to be “released from this curse [she’s] trying to maintain” but she cannot free from the effects of disturbia in her life. Though Rihanna is fairly unclear about what disturbia actually is (not surprising among pop-artists), it seems that disturbia is some sort of controlling figure in her life, whether that be a person, spiritual forces, or some sort of depression. This figure she can’t seem to shake; this is made evident throughout her music video and song lyrics.

So what of worldview? Can a worldview be identified in this song? With most pop-art it is a little tricky to figure out what specific worldviews artists are coming from because they want to appeal to as broad of an audience as possible. However, it is very true that Rihanna is coming from a very sad, dark place that involves some sort of depression. This attraction to darkness, this loss of hope, this feeling of entrapment and abandonment are all symptoms of postmodernism. It would be safe to say that Rihanna is at least a postmodern of the youth culture. And if this “thief in the night” is a spiritual force, she is definitely involved in a darker spiritualism. However, through her lyrics it seems that the “thief” chose her, and tempted her, she did not willingly accept disturbia. In conclusion, this song, being one of the most viewed music videos, gives a dark portrayal of where culture has not only moved in the “undergrounds” of youth culture but it has become the norm of pop-culture. Songs like these continue to show some of the more disturbing affects of postmodernism.

[written by] Joe W

“Handlebars” by Flobots

© 2008 Universal

“I can ride my bike with no handlebars” is the recurrent line in the song “Handlebars’ by the Flobots. While seeming like such a simple message, the progression of the song reaches far beyond kid tales of riding a bike with no handlebars and heads straight for a form of atheism known as naturalism.

In naturalism, there is no God. This is seen throughout the song by prominent “I” themes. Lines like “I can design an engine… I can keep rhythm with no metronome… I can make anyone go to prison” point to the individuality of the song. No one matters in this world but me and what I’m capable of accomplishing. Another notable line is “Look at me, look at me” which comes through several times in the song. It’s obvious that the song is solely about the individual.

Additionally, naturalism is all about personal evolution and individual survival of the fittest. The song begins with such lines as, “I can show you how to scratch a record,” and, “I can tie a knot in a cherry stem.” This seems innocent enough. However, the song progresses in what the person is capable of, and yet regresses in terms of what the individual is actually doing. The singer says people can accomplish anything, they can hand out a million vaccines or let everyone die, they can guide a missile by satellite, and finally end the world in a holocaust.

Delving further into naturalism, the multiple references to the science, technology, and medical fields, forces the listener to face squarely into the potentials and “accomplishments” of naturalism. Yet there is an ironizing, angry tone adopted toward these achievement. And it is this stance that moves it from the confident optimism of modernistic naturalism into the jaded, cynical, postmodern version.

The song devolves from something innocent and normal abilities into an passionate rant, both musically and lyrically. It is an angry song, but it’s an honest song and, more than that, it’s a very sad song. It speaks openly about insipid modernism and speaks volumes about the cynical, postmodern atheistic worldview.

[written by] Toni

Rise Against

DGC/Interscope © 2008

“Hero of War” is the latest release from the new album of the group Rise Against, Appeal to Reason (2008). While politically charged songs are expected from any Rise Against release, this particular song has created its own following. “Hero of War” follows the homecoming of a soldier who has fought in Iraq, and addresses the experiences of war and the stories that come out of politically induced bloodshed. In the words of Tim Mcllrath, the writer and lead singer of Rise Against, “Hero of War” is the story of one soldier, not all soldiers, as he battles not just the war around him, but the war that rages within. Inspired by true events, we were given the choice to either document the tribulations of these times as they unfold around us, or ignore them. To ignore these problems, in our opinion, is letting down the brave men and women who risk everything” (punknews.org).

While the band insists that they have no opinion on the war, the lyrics of the song paint the negativity that is brought on though mass-destruction. One line reads, “They took off his clothes/ they pissed in his hands/ I told them to stop/ but then I joined in.” This line was addressed by the band in a interview done with The Red Alert, an online column. Mcllrath says, “Simply donning a uniform doesn’t make you a perfect or noble person. There are people who did some serious wrongs in this war and they did them in uniform”. This statement could be seen as a negative comment meant towards those in the armed forces, but Rise Against maintains that they are merely “asking people to give each other a chance in a world free from injustice” (theredalert.com). While Rise Against lyrics can be misconstrued as target practice for all those with differing political views, they insist that they mean to show their opinion, not offend their listeners.

With their power chords and raw guitar riffs, it is easy to get lost in the sound of Rise Against instead of focusing on their thoughtful lyrics. With each of their songs from this album (“Savior,” “Re-education”) or from past albums (“Song of the Refugee”), the lyrics of Rise Against consistently address issues that are politically charged. Rise Against writes for themselves and their fans. With this in mind it is safe to say that it is easy to find one songs of theirs which provoke and incite the listener, whether in agreement or disagreement.

“Hero of War” is just a song, yet one that expresses a widespread perspective in our culture, namely, that we don't really know what’s going on within our government. Rise Against writes in a way that asks for both answers and changes in the system that they see, a call that is half-anarchy and half- American pride.

The music video of “Hero of War” is likewise powerful and perhaps even more thought provoking. At this point in American history, everyone knows someone who has or will be affected by the war. Whether or not we are personally supportive of the war, this song does remind us that we still need to be supportive of the plight of our soldiers who find themselves there, and who sometimes struggle to “find themselves” again once they return, often filled with ambiguities and self-doubt. They see and live things that are intense and traumatic, and “Hero of War” shares one of those stories with the mass public. In the music video viewers get to witness the flashbacks of a stateside solider and the damage the war had on his life. It is a grinding, back-to-reality expose on the damages and pain that war can cause, not just on the enemy, but on its victorious “heroes.” The song and music video will leave you both questioning all war in general, and strangely much more sympathetic to those who are compelled to experience it firsthand.

LINKS:
"Rise Against an Interview with Tim Mcllrath." Interview by Adam McKibbin. The Red Alert. Oct. 2008. Web. 26 Sept. 2009.
Band Statement. Raw data.
Rise Against. "Hero of War; Lyrics." Appeal To Reason. Lyricmode.com. Web.

[writen by] Heather
[back] to pomo media

Four students of the Sibelius-Academy of music formed Apocalyptica in 1993. Their initial style was doing covers of Metallica in various music venues. They were signed right after performing at a metal club and released their debut album in 1996. They gained immediate popularity by selling over one million copies worldwide, and since then have been touring and performing all over the world doing shows in 50 different countries and utilizing the talents of people such as Dave Lombardo of Slayer, Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour, Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace, Ville Valo of HIM, and Till Lindemann of Rammstein.

The easiest way to describe the worldview of Apocalyptica is as post-modern. They are a band that has vast experience in music and are all exceptional musicians. They relate their music to classical and metal and show how there are great similarities in both genres to each other. Their music can range from very powerful and epic using instruments only, all the way to incorporating vocals with songs that are very heavy in both instruments and meaning.

One particular song is “I Don’t Care,” with performing vocals by Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace. This song moves between very angry and an apathetic approach to the situation. Some of the lyrics include:

I try to make it through my life
In my way
There's you
I try to make it through these lies
And that's all I do...
If you were dead or still alive
I don't care
I don't care
Just go and leave us all behind
Cause I swear (I swear)
I don't care