IN DEFENSE OF:
Show Reviews Oliver Tree
Great Scott 02.28.19
Etcetera
BY LADY GAGA Designer: Sara Hartleben (Graphic Design)
Spring 2019
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From the opening vocal bars of “Aura,” the hotly anticipated ARTPOP definitively ushered in a new Lady Gaga. It was a Gaga that was no longer here to make a name for herself – she had been doing that and more since her humble 2009 days when she was known essentially by a singular platinum blonde aesthetic – and a Gaga that was ready to start taking that inevitable step in any burgeoning pop superstar’s career: the experimental phase. It was also a Gaga that disappointed critics and fans alike, even the diehard little monsters. ARTPOP may have signaled the inescapable turn into concept-ville to anyone with a passing interest in the character of Lady Gaga (her version of Sia’s 1000 forms of Fear, if you will), but the music archeologists of the future would later go on to realize that for Gaga, this phase was not limited in scope to a single LP. It was the comparatively simple beginning of a multi-media journey of innovation and experimentation across many genres that would reinvigorate Gaga’s career in the diametric opposite way that critics believed it would be her undoing of relevancy. It was not so much a phase as a turning point. Now it is all well and good to argue the artistic merit that goes into creating a highly publicized project like ARTPOP, but you could easily make the argument that much of that matters little when, for an artist with a profile like Gaga’s, the commercial reception and sales figures need to do at least some of the talking. And on what are commercial figures and public reception based if not simply how
enjoyable (read: catchy) the album is as a whole? Many argue that ARTPOP was greater than the sum of its parts (although most weren’t even that generous), believing that most of the single releases and other individual songs lacked the pop bite that characterized past hits. And while it’s true that “Applause” notoriously underperformed against Katy Perry’s “Roar,” released the same day, and that some of the album’s more tender moments like “Dope” and “Gypsy” fell a bit flat to some due of their laughably overperformed nature, I contest that ARTPOP has more than enough peak to balance out the trough. Along with the aforementioned lead single and opener, tunes like “G.U.Y” and “MANiCURE” see Gaga just as she was before, the voice of some damn memorable earworms of unadulterated female empowerment. But ARTPOP is more than just a collection of radio-ready track; it was the perfect career move at the time. Gaga already had her foot in the door of the dance-pop zeitgeist for long enough after The Fame Monster and Born This Way established her as a reliable hitmaker. She was one step above a household name, and it was time to get a lot more creative, conceptual, and unabashedly weird. To say that Gaga’s previous efforts were not any of these things would undermine their commercial and critical success, but it’s worth noting that with ARTPOP you can palpably feel that Gaga felt far less shackled to convention or pressure from a label or any other corporate overlord. Going back to “Aura,” this feeling is clear from the get go
when the experimental pop/mariachi hybrid glitches from line to line like Gaga was convulsing in the studio with every word. It stays catchy as all hell while overstatedly all over the place, a motif that runs through to several other tracks like “Swine,” “Jewels N’ Drugs” and fan-favorite deep cut “Donatella.” It’s this chaotic feeling on the majority of tracks that contrast so well with the simple nature of the lyrics that give ARTPOP that deceptively difficult to attain quality of “so wrong it’s right,” which in its wake was unfortunately shortened for many to “so wrong.” ARTPOP is just as much visual as it sonic, with intentional contrasts between musical content and album imagery creating a feeling that is distinctly Gaga: messy as all hell but just as infectious. Deliberately thematically immature, ARTPOP’s lyrics juxtapose the sophisticated mythological and cosmological imagery of the albums artwork and music videos beautifully. It may seem odd to attach a Greek astrological motif to lyrics stomping the overtrodden grounds of hot takes on fame, sex, fashion, and drugs, but by infusing that aesthetic with a core sense of “reverse Warhol” and subversions of traditional pop culture, Gaga creates a unique aura all of it’s own. ARTPOP creates a compelling visual story from essentially nothing more than superficial musings on pop roads frequently traveled. It’s that kind of artistic vision and execution that won her an Oscar in 2019, so who’s winning now, Katy Perry? • Jason Levy (Marketing)
I was fortunate enough to attend concerts from two members of meme-music’s Mount Rushmore within weeks of each other, starting with Filthy Frank turned sad boi crooner, Joji, before professional scooter rider Oliver Tree’s sold out performance at Great Scott. While there are obvious comparisons to be made between the appeal of the crude absurdism their personas bring, both Joji and Oliver Tree represent two distinct sides of the constantly blurred spectrum of memes and music. Where the success of Joji’s music career completely branched off from his YouTube career and remains serious in tone, Oliver Tree’s focus on creating quality music that is boosted by meme-infused backdrops has led him to viral success. His music is definitely enjoyable by itself, but I was curious to see how Tree would translate the impact monster trucks, scooter tricks, and bowl cuts has on his studio recordings. It was quickly apparent that the 240-capacity room could barely contain the confidence and swagger of the solo cup design wrapped, karate chopping,
25-year-old that perfectly translated his character from screen to stage. Tree’s opener, Abhi the Nomad, delivered a strong opening set of pop-rap interspersed with stand-up that played well with the crowd. His goofy dancing and oneliners perfectly matched the tone of Oliver Tree’s music and left me wanting more. As I waited in the sea of dad hats and clout goggles for Oliver Tree to take the stage, his hype-up playlist of hits like “We Like to Party” and “I Want It That Way” helped prepare us for what was to come. As the playlist’s finale, “Sandstorm,” came to a close, his two-person band set up their instruments and began the title track off his EP, Alien Boy. The bandmates’ outfits were wrapped in the 90s solo cup design, Oliver Tree’s signature, and as he took the stage, he was quick to flex on the crowd with his custom solo cup yeezys. Almost immediately, I could feel the floorboards of the venue bending to the beat, the entire crowd belting out lyrics. Oliver Tree commanded the crowd like he was headlining Madison Square Garden,
completely disregarding the intimateness Great Scott brought. His over the top persona played incredibly well with the crowd, and as he changed outfits from fedora to safety vest to full ski gear, Tree transported us into his world. He was able to cover most of his discography quickly into his set, so I was pleasantly surprised when he performed several new tracks off his upcoming LP, Ugly is Beautiful. Tree’s trademark vocals and rap-rock influence are still present in full force on his new record, and his cherry red Flying V guitar added character to his mostly electronic sound. Oliver Tree’s live show proves that he is more than just a meme, and I am ecstatic for the scooter champ’s upcoming release.
mixing Robyn and her label mate’s music between the likes of Björk, Kacey Musgraves, and Beyoncé. Both acts kept the crowd impressively engaged until Robyn came on shortly after 9pm. Adorned by heavenly-white drapery and furnishings, Robyn allowed her opening song to commence before she even took stage. Opening with successive tracks “Send to Robin Immediately,” and “Honey,” Robyn allowed the tension and intensity of her presence percolate before shifting gears into “Indestructible,” a pounding Body Talk classic that commanded the to audience sing as assertively as the track itself. Every movement and conversation with the audience (the latter of which was minimal)
evoked a roaring response from the crowd, signaling unbridled approval and affirmation at Robyn’s every whim. Seven songs into the concert, Robyn momentarily exited the floor for a costume change and left the stage vacant for Theo Canham-Spence, an English dancer whose contortionist storytelling accompanied Robyn’s music for much of the remaining set. The pair’s chemistry came together most during “Between the Lines,” during which their playful chasing of one another on stage matched the absurdist notes of the song itself. The succession of Honey’s two more spirited dance tracks followed by “Love is Free,” and a remix of “Don’t Fucking Tell Me What To Do” transformed the venue into a
Max Rubenstein (Entrepreneurship)
Robyn
House of Blues 03.11.19 For over a decade, Swedish dance pop artist Robyn has captivated her cult-like fan base with her dance-and-sob style of music. Last year, Robyn released her first work after an eight year absence emerging in the form of Honey, an album more polished and precise than the forcefulness of her earlier albums. Later, Robyn announced a North American tour that would begin in Los Angeles and later bring her installation of the Robyn Honey Tour to Boston. An hour after doors opened and as fans waited for Robyn to join the stage, longtime Robyn-collaborator Kindness and L.A. dance up-and-comer Channel Tres opened. Kindness played first for about half an hour, only to return for a second DJ set
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