From Yes

Lana Del Rey, What's a Girl Supposed to Do?

2012-01-31T16:25:00.000-08:00

Lana Del Rey's Born To Die captures the challenge girls (and some boys) have to negotiate in a pop world that follows many waves of feminism and sexual liberation. Del Rey's music allows us to see how traditional images of sex and femininity push against fifty years of social evolution. Lana is a pin-up, but she knows the trouble of her predicament; her obsessions will give way to despair, and her sadness provides resonance to what otherwise appears a retrograde portrait of love and relationships.

Of course, Lana Del Rey has not made any new statements, but rather performed the seminal pop move by re-fabricating old statements with her own tastes. In fact, her penchant for "Hollywood sadcore" (her term, not mine) creates tension in the same way Katy Perry's humor, Britney Spears' initial innocence, and Madonna's discussions of her "art" transform their music from being mere provocation. By creating contradictions, the songs become the intersection of our culture's conflicting values. "Video Games" became a sensation because it painted the portrait of a helpless creature who knows she is abused but feels apathetic about her position; she is frustrating but relatable.

The album also creates interesting paradox through production, pairing retro images with hip-hop beats. On some of the most intriguing songs--including the infectious "Off to the Races," "Diet Mountain Dew," "Dark Paradise" and the title track--thumping instrumentation gives the melancholy some rap swagger, and allows the singer to move from declarations of love to images addiction, from cutesy rap to baby-doll coo and straight-up laments.

That said, Born To Die has its problems. The depressed pace and subject matter cause some songs to sag. For example, in "Carmen," Del Rey delivers another tale of fame gone wrong on the heels of "Radio," a better track on the same theme. "Million Dollar Man" feels like a sluggish and less visceral re-envisioning of "Off to the Races;" "Man" lacks pulse and Del Rey gives us a list of trite phrases rather than the images and signifiers she opts for earlier in the LP. "Summertime Sadness" also feels redundant; it tells us Del Rey feels sad, like we did not know already.

We do get to leave the album on a high note: "This is What Makes Us Girls," which again shows the singer's ability to create heartbreaking images about girls doomed by their love and bad behavior. It is tracks this good that makes one wonder why the singer and her producer did not opt to trim out the weaker and more sluggish songs in favor of creating a punchier nine-track record. (Not to mention, the artist or her label made the unfortunate choice of offering a deluxe edition with two subpar tracks tacked onto the album that ruin the atmosphere created by "This is What Makes Us Girls.")

Nonetheless, Born to Die builds a captivating if exhausting world unlike anything else on pop radio right now. Lana Del Rey will not steal the alt-pop crown from Fiona Apple anytime soon, but she has created a persona that mirrors the contradictions pop music and its many commentators are peddling these days. Perhaps that is why critics and bloggers are having such a difficult time facing this fascinating and flawed experiment.

Video Genius: Hood by Perfume Genius

2012-01-28T06:56:00.000-08:00

In anticipation of his new album, Put Your Back N 2 It, Perfume Genius released a new video for the single, "Hood." An advertisement for the album that features a scene from the video has also caused a mini-controversy. Perfume Genius is known for making short emotive piano-driven songs, and his lovely new work continues in that tradition.

Interview: Heather Bartlett on Bleeding Yellow Light

2012-01-22T07:05:00.000-08:00

I posted this interview with Heather Bartlett on the blog a few years ago to celebrate the publication of her chapbook, Bleeding Yellow Light with From Yes Press. In trend with the blog's retrospective mood this year, I wanted to revisit this conversation with a gifted poet . For more about Heather and her chapbook, please visit the press website.

Bleeding Yellow Light makes strong allusions to confessional poets, particularly Sylvia Plath. Can you talk about what poets (both classical and contemporary) influenced writing the poems for the collection?

Sylvia Plath is certainly someone whose work I admire and am inspired by, not just as a confessional poet, but as a strong female voice. I tried to pay tribute to that with the poem, “Obituary.” When writing these poems I was also very moved by the contemporary voices I was reading - Marie Howe and Cornelius Eady, in particular.

In the collection, there is a poem called “Dear Reader” that directly addresses the poem’s audience. Do you see the poem as a conversation with the reader?

Yes, a conversation between speaker and reader, speaker and self, reader and subject, poet and speaker…

Andrea Yates has a strong presence in this collection. What compelled you to use her as a character in the poems?

I was actually searching for a way out of the BYL poems, for a new voice and subject matter, and I had just read Cornelius Eady’s Brutal Imagination, in which he takes on the voice of the man Susan Smith claimed kidnapped her children. The way in which he inhabited this space, created persona and voice, really struck me; the poems are so haunting and moving. I remembered Andrea Yates – the headlines, the trials – and how haunted I had been by her story. I thought by taking on this voice that both fascinated and terrified me, I might be able to discover a “new” voice of my own.

How do you think the title, "Bleeding Yellow Light," defines the collection as a whole?

I don’t think it defines the collection at all, really. As you know, I struggled to find a title for the chapbook. I tried to designate a title poem in here, but as these poems speak to different kinds of pain and trauma, it didn’t feel right to try to define it all in such a way. I think (I hope) the line “bleeding yellow light” resonates throughout the poems, and helps to link together the separate narratives that run through here without making any one more important or relevant than another.

The last line of the collection is one word: “Look.” What do you hope readers see in the poems?

Something they recognize. These poems are about pain, but they are also about beauty. I hope readers will look for that.

Retro Review: Cyndi Lauper's Tribute to Her Gay Audience and Disco on Bring Ya to the Brink

2012-01-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

Over her long career, Cyndi Lauper has been a voice of sexual liberation ("She Bop") and empowerment ("True Colors"). She has also devoted her music to speaking up for gay men ("Boy Blue," "Ballad of Cleo and Joe"). Though often under-appreciated, Lauper has remained a smart and affecting political songwriter because she filters her political sentiments through personal experience--she is Boy Blue's friend; she witnesses our true colors, even if no one else will. So it is fitting that as her profile as a gay rights activist rose, she released her most exuberant album about gay life: the ecstatic Bring Ya to the Brink. Released in 2008, the album is a quirky, blippy dance record that highlights the singer's considerable gifts.

Bring Ya to the Brink is not Lauper's most overt statement about gay culture, but the gay experience permeates the record. In the album art, Lauper cleans a disco ball, wearing rubber gloves, standing in a vintage 70s kitchen. Is she commenting on disco culture giving way to the AIDS epidemic and the resulting mainstream homophobia? Perhaps.

More importantly, though, this is an album about learning from the past and moving forward. Take, for example, the album-defining track, "Lyfe," in which the singer chants, "Life. It could shake ya. / It could break ya. / It could bring ya to the brink," amidst choruses about living "two steps forward / one step back." In light of such tracks that find Lauper looking over her shoulder, singles like, "Into the Nightlife," carry an unexpected resonance. In this quintessential gay anthem about shaking the dust off and dancing your blues away, Lauper acts as a wise guide, calling "I'll take you till you're all spun up / and in love." She continues this trend on "Same Ol' Story," in which she calls a lover out on his lies.

Similarly, "Set Your Heart" begins with a Barry White-esque intro, then breaks open to straight-up Studio 54 dance music about persevering against social pressures; again, in the track Lauper acts as a friend and guide to the lost ("When your heart is beating black and blue / and the whole world's looking down at you / and you're starting to become unglued, / don't go there baby. Come on / You know I love you.") She could be pulling a friend (or her listener) away from suicide, or perhaps, simply, despair. She is trying to save as many people as she can.

Beyond anthems, the album also fluctuates between moments of melancholy and disappointment. "Raging Storm" criticizes the media--namely its mishandling of Britney Spear's mental breakdown. "Rain on Me" hearkens back to who her Hat Full of Stars wistfulness, though the track sounds more akin to the ballads on She's So Unusual. The song is about accepting hardship. While Lauper often highlights adversity, both personal and public, she addresses such challenges as surmountable. In the wake of Prop 8 and the religious right's championing of bigotry, "Rain on Me" feels essential; it also provides a bitter-sweet conclusion for the record, and may be the classic Cyndi moment for longtime fans.

Bring Ya to the Brink failed to reintroduce Lauper to the mainstream. Though it scored a Grammy nomination and two number one dance singles ("Into the Nightlife" and "Same Ol' Story"), it remained a fringe novelty. This may be due to the left-of-center production, which favors nostalgia over the trends of the time. However, the album's interesting hybrid of house and 70s disco revival with flourishes of 80s new wave synth, is what makes it such an enigmatic and durable release. Even after four years of significant dance music evolution, Lauper's album still sounds fresh and surprising. In this case, her insistence on following her muse makes for a fascinating if forgotten album that holds its own in a chaotic genre.

Pop Poem: Reading in Bed by Ellen Bass

2012-01-15T07:38:00.000-08:00

In this feature, I highlight poems that are accessible but stick with you. Like a good song, a pop poem goes down easy, but you also want to hum its lines over and over again.

"Reading in Bed" by Ellen Bass

Delivered in Bass' friendly voice, this poem explores the escapism we find in books. Even in suburban comfort, reading provides a necessary portal to step out of everyday worries.

From Yes and 2012: Looking Back (and Forward Too!)

2012-01-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

I have decided the focus of From Yes' 2012 coverage will be retrospective. Which is to say, I want to revisit now "old" music and poems in the light of how we think about both art forms in 2012.

Because it is so easy to access new art, it is also easy to become overwhelmed with keeping up as both a fan and blogger; I often forget to revisit the great things that already exist in the worlds of music and poetry. This year, I will be introducing a new feature called "Retro Review" in which I visit older albums and books, considering how the work holds up. This, of course, is not a new idea, but I think it is an important exercise in remembering.

However, this is not to say that all of the discussions on the blog will be retro in nature. I am anticipating great new projects, particularly Cher's new album (her first in about a decade), the speculated release of Fiona Apple's fourth album, and, this summer, Alanis Morissette's new album (and possible book!). There are interesting newcomers emerging as well; for example, what is the reaction going to be to internet sensation Lana Del Rey's new LP, Born to Die? Just check out the title track; there's a lot to chew on:

Referencing the past may not only be a trend on this blog, but rather a sensibility for the year in general. We will have to wait and see.

In poetry, I am looking forward to Matthew Hittinger's Skin Shift--which, my guess, will be a mix of contemporary queer culture and nods to imagism. I am also interested to hear who will win the Walt Whitman Award and BOA Editions' Poulin Prize. The publishing world is a bit slower and quieter with its announcements and promotion, so I am hoping for some delicious surprises.

Of course, there will be new "Pop Poems" featured and lots of music videos too. Stop by again soon, and I hope, for all of us, the year is full of happiness, good music, poetry, and conversation. As it were, full of "Yes!"

A Song to Dance Out the Year

2011-12-30T09:52:00.000-08:00

From her fabulous EP, Beth Ditto's "I Wrote the Book" is fifty percent heartbreak and fifty percent swagger. It's also a great piece of 90s throwback dance music. Vogue your heart out. Happy New Year!

Pop Poem: Loveliest of Trees by A. E. Housman

2011-12-30T09:38:00.000-08:00

In this feature, I highlight poems that are accessible but stick with you. Like a good song, a pop poem goes down easy, but you also want to hum its lines over and over again.

"Loveliest of Trees" by A. E. Housman

A classic poem about the passing of time, Housman begins his poem in spring but ends it in winter. This nostalgia makes it a great piece for thinking about the ending of one year and the beginning of another.

Taking Stock: Publication and Generosity

2011-12-29T06:58:00.000-08:00

In typical end-of-the-year fashion, I am thinking about the surprises and blessings that came my way during 2011. Many of them were unexpected gifts, and the more I live and write, the more I realize that the best things arrive out of the blue. For me, this has been (surprisingly!) the best publishing year I have ever had, which has me thinking about the generosity of publication. Editors do a writer great kindness by publishing his or her work, and the editors that gave my work an audience deserve some praise for the important job they do. Their kindness has encouraged me to keep writing, and hopefully, dear reader, you might consider supporting some of these fine publications.

In late 2010, I received word that three of my poems would appear in the alumni issue of Moon City Review 2011. I worked for this publication as a graduate student at Missouri State University and watched it grow from an in-house publication to a nationally distributed annual. There is great pleasure in having people you once you studied with support your new work; it is similar to the feeling you get as child when you show your parents a drawing you've made and they hang it on the fridge. Volume Editor Marcus Cafagna, Book Series Editor Lanette Cadle, and Faculty Reader Jane Hoogestraat are all wonderful poets in their own rights. They were important mentors for me when I was a student, and their continued support of my work is remarkable. Plus, their publication of my peers has allowed me to check in on some of the people I studied with to see the wonderful work they are doing. Moon City Review 2011 is a compelling publication.

My biggest surprise this year came in the acceptance of ten of my poems for Issue Four of Assaracus, published by Bryan Borland of Sibling Rivalry Press. Borland may be the kindest and most engaged editor I have ever worked with. His support of my work came at a time when I was doubting the value of my poems. For him to not only publish my poems, but to also welcome me into the press family and invite me to participate in a reading has been wonderful. Borland has created a unique and important space for queer writers with Assaracus and Sibling Rivalry Press. It is an honor to be in such good company.

I also owe a great amount of thanks to my friend, Melanie, of Reclusive Bibliophile, for inviting me to review YA novels for her blog. What started as a little experiment in reading and writing has turned into a pleasure; I enjoy discussing and promoting novels that explore the LGBTQ community. Without Melanie's urging, I would have never taken on this task. Nor would I have the pleasure to review books for Lambda Literary, which just published my first piece, a review Steve Brezenoff's Brooklyn, Burning. I have enjoyed participating in the discussion of books about queer characters, and I hope my reviews encourage readers to seek out, enjoy, and think about some inspiring pieces of writing.

Many people decry publication as a reinforcement of vanity (see: Emily Dickinson acolytes). However, I see publication (as well as blogging and book reviewing) as a way to create a network of support for writers you appreciate. 2011 has been a year in which I realized the rare pleasure it is to be published at all. So to all the editors and publishers who have supported my work this year (and in the past!): thank you; your generosity has meant the world to me.

My Favorite Album of 2011: Patrick Wolf's Lupercalia

2011-12-20T14:48:00.000-08:00

Patrick Wolf's fifth album, Lupercalia, is the epitome of a perfect pop record. In a focused forty minutes, the singer walks us through the ups and downs of love. Each song is a carefully chosen pop gem--whether that be the hooky anthems, blatant dance tracks, or swooning ballads. And, Wolf has never been in better voice; as he continues to mature, his smooth baritone develops more texture, depth, and resonance. Lupercalia is a delightful listen.

Unlike some of his peers, Wolf has created an album that is both quintessentially queer as well as universal. In part, the album is a tribute to his partner, William, and their engagement. A listener familiar with Wolf's skepticism about love can tell his mood has changed with the kickoff track (and first single) "The City." However, while the album revels in its love story about two men, it also works to strike a more universal chord. We see this best in "Bermondsey Street," which presents both a straight couple and gay couple falling in love and getting engaged; Wolf sings "Love knows no boundaries/ It sees beyond sexuality./ Holds the sun in the palm of its hand,/ laughs down on the cynical man." The songs are both extremely personal and archetypal.

Wolf has also made sure that the album goes somewhere, which is to say he has given the project an arc. Such a narrative allows the album to transcend emotional repetition (as we hear, for example, in Adele's wonderful but redundant 21) to create a complex view of love: domestic bliss ("House"), hope ("The Future"), heartbreak ("Time of My Life"), loneliness ("Slow Motion"), longing ("Together"), and, ultimately, redemption ("The Falcons"). The album not only creates its own romantic landscape, it also journeys the ranges of that landscape.

Already a critical darling, Patrick Wolf continues to better himself with each record. This year's release is his third stellar pop album in a row (following 2007's The Magic Position and 2009's The Bachelor). He is a talent to continue to watch, and a talent who seems to be settling into his gifts with grace and precision. Now, if only Top 40 radio could give him some much deserved love.

The Year of the Concept Album

2011-12-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

Perhaps to make a case against a singles-driven market, many artists in 2011 embraced the long-form concept album. Groups like M83 and the Roots provided atmospheric and narrative albums that are meant to be listened to in their entirety, with each song working to tell a story or build on a unifying theme. The two most interesting concept albums this year were released by art pop queens, Tori Amos and Kate Bush. Both albums are piano-driven mood-pieces that find the singers in excellent voice and recording some of the best music in their heralded careers.

My favorite concept album this year is Amos's brilliant Night of Hunters, a narrative song-cycle with compositions inspired by classical music. The record presents a woman in crisis after her lover leaves her, and she goes through an evening of self-reflection and mystical experiences. Spirits and shape-shifters visit her to provide guidance--these creatures performed beautifully by Amos's daughter and niece.

Yes, this sounds like pretty twee stuff, but the album is surprisingly accessible and warm. Amos is no stranger to concept projects, and such projects have yielded her most engaging material; 2002's Scarlet's Walk is the best example of a concept grounding her and inviting a compassionate performance. On the other hand, her other concept albums, like 2007's American Doll Posse, come off as strident, abrasive, and inscrutable. Fortunately, Night of Hunters finds the singer in fine voice, her piano playing crisp, and her songwriting at its most inviting. This is certainly her best album in nine years.

Similarly, Kate Bush's 50 Words for Snow also finds her experimenting with mysticism and at the top of her game. Bush's album is thematic rather than narrative, the entire project set in winter. However, like Amos, Bush brings in her child to duet with her. Her piano is also the central feature of her album, helping to create what may be her most stripped-down and spacious productions thus far. The cavernous feeling of these songs--most of which are eight minutes or longer--feel like hiking through the Himalayas; each tune rambles and takes surprising turns. Not to mention, the first single, "Wild Man," may be Bush's strangest (which is saying something!) yet best single in the new millennium. 50 Words is a quirky but remarkable achievement.

Critics have worried that the album may be dead. However, this year has proven quite the opposite. In fact, artists seem to be making longer and more intricate projects than ever before. Both Amos and Bush have released records that clock in at more than an hour, and really are best listened to straight through. And they are not the only ones interested in creating discrete musical worlds. Even mainstream pop artists like Drake released grand projects in 2011; his almost 80 minute opus, Take Care, took critics by surprise not only for its length, but also for its masterful creation of a concrete musical persona. The album is alive and well, and that should be celebrated.

My Favorite Singles of 2011

2011-12-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

This has been a great year for electronic music. With the exception of Adele's "Someone Like You," the best singles of 2011 show how flexible and varied electronic music can be, particularly dance and house music. (And to be fair, Adele's song was remixed into a charting dance single.) Whether that be the chilly solitude of James Blake's "The Wilhelm Scream" or Britney Spears' hedonistic trance on "Till the World Ends," dance music has reinvigorated the pop scene in an exciting way, incorporating elements of house, dubstep, shoegaze, and electronica into hooky, chorus-driven tunes. My top spot this year goes to M83's "Midnight City," which brims with roll-down-the-windows optimism and nostalgia. Who says a good beat can't make you make fall in love and break your heart?

8. James Blake's "The Wilhelm Scream"

7. Britney Spears' "Till the World Ends"

6. Junior Boys' "Banana Ripple"

5. Katy Perry's "The One That Got Away"

4. Robyn's "Call Your Girlfriend"

3. Patrick Wolf's "Together"

2. Adele's "Someone Like You"

1. M83's "Midnight City"

Pop Poem: Perseid Meteor Shower by Heather Bartlett

2011-12-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

In this feature, I plan to highlight poems that are accessible but stick with you. Like a good song, a pop poem goes down easy, but you also want to hum its lines over and over again

"Perseid Meteor Shower" by Heather Bartlett

Bartlett draws us into the melancholy of a long-distance relationship. The poem takes place on the phone, with two lovers hoping to find common ground.

Katy Perry: Her Generation's Cyndi Lauper

2011-11-13T11:06:00.000-08:00

Two days ago, Katy Perry released the sixth single from her juggernaut sophomore album, Teenage Dream. "The One that Got Away" highlights Perry's singer/songwriter days in small clubs. The single also reveals yet another parallel between her and a pop icon from another generation: the ever-amusing, talented, and lovable Cyndi Lauper. Perry is carrying the kooky-caring-pop-singer torch forward for a new generation. Just check out how much these two women have in common.

Girls just wanna party (and wear fun clothes!).

Girls just wanna be sexually liberated.

Girls just wanna fall in love.

Girls just wanna remember the ones that got away.

Girls just wanna celebrate your true colors.

Girls just wanna indulge in some fantasy.

The Holiday Album Problem

2011-11-07T16:15:00.000-08:00

While there is nothing wrong with a seasonal release per se, holiday records often suffer from poor artistry. This mediocrity comes in the form of bland productions and half-hearted interpretations of winter tunes. To her credit, Carole King attempts to remedy these issues on A Holiday Carole, her first studio recording in a decade.

King and her producer, daughter Louise Goffin, have created a project that feels true to King's persona as a nostalgic pop icon. The album highlights her warm, raspy vocals with piano-driven productions. The best songs are the Goffin co-penned tracks. (This is the first album in King's catalog where she exclusively covers tracks written by other artists.) The latin-flavored "Christmas Paradise" has a charming production and highlights the singer's career-spanning interest in latin music. The urban-pop inflected "Christmas in the Air" boasts the best pop hook King has recorded in some time. Best of all is the closing track, "New Year's Day," a moody piano-ballad about gratitude and friendship in the vein of "You've Got a Friend" and "Now and Forever."

The album's treatment of classics is more mixed. While "My Favorite Things" plays well, "Carol of the Bells" is clumsy both in performance and production. "Sleigh Ride" and "Do You Hear What I Hear" also lack personality. Fortunately, the sexy, big-band sound of "Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday" comes off as playful and fun, as does the Hathaway/McKinnor standard, "This Christmas."

At its best, A Holiday Carole shows that Carole King is still an engaging vocalist who deserves attention. Not to mention, her most popular tracks have long cast her as both wistful and affectionate, which allows her to carry much of the seasonal material with grace. The feeling the album cannot shake is how wonderful it would be if King were to release a straight-up pop record again. Here's to hoping this album can tide fans over until then.

New and Improved

2011-10-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new and improved From Yes blog! I started blogging in this space about three and half years ago. At that time, I was interested in talking about the things I liked and sharing them with whomever would visit the site. I started From Yes with the goal of saying "yes" to things that brought me joy. With that sentiment still at heart, I decided it was time to remodel the blog, clean out the archives, and refresh the design.

So what will you find here?

With luck, you will find some interesting chatter about poetry and music. My hope is that you find art that interests and uplifts you. If you are looking for commentary and recommendations from other places, you might also visit my friends and neighbors by clicking on the tab above. Also, you can check out some of my poetry, reviews, and commentary through the "Poems" and "Clippings" tabs.

Stop by again soon!