Pumpkin Lips Public Enemy new singles
New singles from three of my long time favorites this week are on the internet now.
I am a big fan of the Smashing Pumpkins and Flaming Lips overall. However the two latest singles and videos are an exception.
Smashing Pumpkins “CYR” single and video.
This is a song and video that has just puzzled me. It seems like the Pumpkins are trying real hard to bring the sound of Adore LP and merge it with new wave. A couple points that are problematic. I see the band members who each play instruments. However when I listened to the track it doesn’t sound like human drums and the guitars are present. In fact they are minimal or absent.
If you love Jimmy Chamberlin and Billy Corgan as players, “CYR” leaves one wondering where’s the goods?
In the video Billy, Jimmy and others seemed to be forcibly made to dance. Was this intentional ? I haven’t got a fucking clue. But Billy is still doing the Cenobite thing that is : bald head long triangular robe. Apparently I must be no fun. The chatter on certain media leads me to believe the fans enjoy the comical dancing and music.
Billy Corgan and Jimmy Chamberlin are my Smashing Pumpkins heroes. Corgan for guitar playing and Jimmy for drumming. I don’t know what’s going on in CYR, but there is a dearth of drum and guitar.
I understand that after as long as they’ve been going maybe they don’t want to do a guitar saturated song with crazy jazzy drum fills. Reasonably, I am not expecting a return to Siamese Dream or older material. My expectation would be if you are going to make a song like “CYR”, throw the audience for a loop. A guitar or synth blast maybe? Something that is more than peculiar forced dancing set to Billy Corgan performing dance driven electronica. Conversely , to the credit of “CYR” if you happen to love dance music and you are ever drunk in a club it is a catchy dance number. The chorus and background vocals work with the song quite well. “Stare down your masters” is an intriguing lyric. I just can’t back this one. Catchy and pop doesn’t always agree with me.
“CYR” lacks the mystery and depth of the electronica that started with Lost Highway’s “Eye” or “Adore” record.
James Iha looks like he would rather be doing anything but being in that video. The high contrast negative shots don’t do much except make the video look dated. Contortionists and various provocative women dance. It just looks like fashion runway transposed to music video (Don’t get me started on that)
The other single The Colour of Love” is a slightly a better rehash of new wave in which the ghosts of all the artists Billy probably listen to peek through. I know Corgan at one time worked in a record store and I can hear all those wonderful 80s synth pop bands in this track. It’s still not amazing at first or second listen. Alas , if you are an SP fan many of them will probably dig these two songs. Given the length of Corgan’s career it is impressive that he keeps making music. I hope the new record will be, if nothing else, diverse in sound. It is likely that it will not be all synth pop you would hear on major radio stations in the 90’s.
Flaming Lips – “Mother Please Don’t Be Sad” and “Will You Return / When You Come Down”
The two latest singles / videos are filmed quarantine style. Steven Drozd has a mask on and there is plastic ” walls” that divide the band members from each other. A formidable portion of the Flaming Lips material contains their branded existential sadness woven through it. This causes me to have feelings in which there are no appropriate words to capture said feelings.
“Mother Please Don’t Be Sad” just falls ever so slightly short. It’s just sad, the sense of bittersweet wonder from “Giant Baby” “How Can A Head” and previous work is almost there, but not quite. They have a previous video in the same space “Will You Return / When You Come Down ” that hits the mark right on. The melodies are gorgeous. The accompaniment of the acoustic guitar lends organic steel string tone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgWaChX1cno
The electric guitar slides call to mind Spoonful Weighs A Ton Soft Bulletin Lips sound. It’s like a sucker punch in my gut. Due to the melody and the dual call and response vocals. If you’re really into The Flaming Lips you might disagree on “Mother Please Don’t Be Sad” being lackluster and you might also find some treasures that they already released from American Head. The horns and he piano that kick off “Mother” offer promise. So What is good? The writing is not bad on “Mother”. Both videos showcase some predictable gear and some unique pieces that the Lips use. A baby xylophone, piano, horn, etc.
What is problematic? It could be the lyrics about a son apologizing for dying on his mother that trouble me. How does this make sense? Am I analyzing this too hard?
We are talking about a band who have song titles called ” I Want To Kill My Brother; The Cymbal Head”, “Feedaloodum Beedle Dot” and more. So perhaps I am being too analytical
The song and video abruptly just stop. Intentional ? Probably. Trying to simulate death arriving suddenly? I don’t know. All things considered I still love Flaming Lips and their entire body of work still resonates deeply for me. Although “Mother Please Don’t Be Sad” is not awful or terrible, I don’t want to listen to it as much as some of the other American Head tracks already. “My Religion is You” and “Flowers of Neptune 6” are worthy opponents. https://meatsheetfanzine.com/flaming-lips-my-religion-is-you/
https://meatsheetfanzine.com/flaming-lips-flowers-of-neptune-6-new-single-and-video/
It may be easier to employ the number system. If you think your favorite Lips song as a 9 or 10 … “Mother Please Don’t Be Sad” is a firm 6 . “Will You Return / When You Come Down ” feels like a 9 to me. Compare the videos and new singles here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgWaChX1cno https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaxkJMmECZw
Public Enemy New Single Fight the Power 2020 remix
The last of the new singles for August is a remix of 1989 classic. P.E. re releases Fight The Power. I’ve loved P.E. since 1988 and unlike “STFU State of the Union” single, FTP2020 is more on target. Both carry heavy messages indeed but if you didn’t know English and you took the music for what it is, I’d have to prefer Fight The Power 2020. https://meatsheetfanzine.com/public-enemy-state-of-the-union-stfu/
Nas and the other guests like Rapsody, Black Thought, spit with urgency that transcends all language barriers. STFU just repeats itself like alot of hip hop. The work that DJ Premier puts in may just save the track (STFU state of the union).
Although the skeleton of the original FTP song is there, one can argue that this remix is over done and needs a rest. I go back to saying it’s the guests and message together that makes this track really good. I wouldn’t say great. Great is reserved for the original mix and “Powersaxx” a Fight the Power remix featuring killer horns by Branford Marsalis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJs__P–DI0
This remix is worth, if nothing else a few listens, if not many, Rakim says plenty. Look for the new record pictured above soon. “What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down” Features a ton of guests, too numerous to name and is out later September ’20