[powerpress]
The Album Effect episode 19 reviews Sweetener by Ariana Grande, Thank You for Today by Death Cab For Cutie, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You by Aretha Franklin, America by Thirty Seconds to Mars, and a listener submission from singer-songwriter Teisan for his new album, Headspace, plus more. Hosted by Manny, Nick, Dave, and Britt.
Check out and listen to Teisan’s Headspace at teisan.bandcamp.
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Episode 19 Albums:
Sweetener (2018)
Ariana Grande
Singer Ariana Grande comes from the tried and true tradition of teen idols turned pop stars. Having begun her theatre career as a child starring in plays like Annie and The Wizard of Oz, she hit the public consciousness in 2010 when she was cast in the role of Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious. Even while filming this series, she made it known that she was more interested in a career in music, and would often post videos of herself singing pop covers to YouTube.
It was Grande’s vocal range – often described as similar to that of Mariah Carey – that caught the attention of Republic Records CEO Monte Lipman, who signed her to a recording contract. Grande’s first studio album, Yours Truly, was released in 2013 and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. After scoring a multitude of hits on two subsequent albums, Grande began work on her fourth studio album in 2016. However, after a deadly terrorist attack took place at the Manchester stop of the singer’s Dangerous Woman tour, production of her new release was put on hold, as Grande became hesitant to record new material.
Eventually released in 2018, Sweetener is made up of songs that reflect the singer’s personal journey over the past few years, which also included a very public breakup with rapper Mac Miller, and subsequent engagement to comedian Pete Davidson, of whom she named a track after. She subtly addresses the aftermath of the attack on several tracks as well, including her ensuing struggles with panic attacks and desire to move forward from this trauma. Musically, the album is a bit of a departure from previous efforts, with Pharrell Williams’ production adding his signature 808 drums and synths to Grande’s trademark sweeping vocal melodies.
Thank You For Today (2018)
Death Cab For Cutie
Death Cab For Cutie might be the band most associated with the early 2000s mainstream explosion of the indie scene. There was a time around 2003 when it seemed that nearly every film was accompanied by an indie rock soundtrack, and bands like Death Cab, Modest Mouse, and The Shins were all over tv and radio. Roughly six years beforehand, Death Cab for Cutie was formed in Washington as a solo project from singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard. After releasing a surprisingly successful cassette, You Can Play These Songs with Chords, he expanded into a full band, bringing in lead guitarist Chris Walla, as well as Nick Harmer and Nathan Good on bass and drums, respectively.
The band’s first album as a four-piece was 1998’s Something About Airplanes, which was a modest success in the indie scene. However, it was their fourth release, 2003’s Transatlanticism, that introduced Gibbard’s unique vocals and wistful lyrics to the masses, producing numerous hits and leading to a long-term deal with Atlantic.
Now on their ninth album, Death Cab for Cutie has undergone a few changes since 2015’s Kintsugi. Produced by Muse and Interpol producer Rich Costey, Thank You for Today is the band’s first album not to feature Walla, who left the band in 2014. Guitarist/keyboardists Dave Depper and Zac Rae were added to the lineup, having previously appeared on 2016 single “Million Dollar Loan.” Despite the personnel changes, Gibbard expressed a desire to bring back some of the elements present during the early days of the band with this release. Many critics noted that a sense of nostalgia flows throughout the record, whether Gibbard is longing for lost love on tracks like “I Dreamt We Spoke Again” or pining for the early days of his Seattle hometown in lead single “Gold Rush.”
I Never Loved A Man The Way I Loved You (1967)
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin’s storied career began in the gospel arena when she started singing as a child at Detroit’s New Bethel Baptist Church, where her father was a minister. Nicknamed the man with the “million-dollar voice,” Aretha’s father, C. L. Franklin, was hugely influential on her early career, taking her with him to perform at his gospel caravan tours across the country. Aretha’s home was frequently visited by celebrities and national leaders, thanks to her father’s community status, and at 16-years-old she had the opportunity to go on tour with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Aretha embarked on a career outside of religious music at 18, when she signed with Columbia Records, where she experienced only minor success.
In 1966, Franklin’s career took a major turn when she moved on from Columbia, signing a new deal with Atlantic Records. Here, she began work with Jerry Wexler, a music journalist turned producer, who brought out a side of Franklin previously unseen, with music that pulled from her gospel roots, while incorporating modern R&B and rock elements. What resulted from their initial sessions was the song “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” which became Franklin’s first top ten pop single.
The subsequent album, her tenth studio work, contained what would be the artist’s signature song, a cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect.” A number one smash on both pop and R&B charts, the song established Franklin as the queen of soul and became an anthem for both the civil rights and feminist movements. The album itself would go gold, containing two more top ten singles, “Baby I Love You” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.”
America
Thirty Seconds to Mars
Founded in 1998, Thirty Seconds to Mars is the musical project of Suicide Squad actor Jared Leto and his brother Shannon. The duo had been creating music since they were kids, but only began playing club shows in the late 90s, with their first studio album released in 2002. Musically, the band’s initial style was a mix of progressive metal and alternative rock with elements of programming and synthesizers weaved throughout. Their debut didn’t make a huge splash initially, but it did become a success over time, eventually selling more than two million copies globally. Though Leto was well known at the time, mostly from his role on 90s teen drama, My So-Called Life, he did not want his acting career used to promote the band at all in these early years.
Thirty Seconds to Mars’ fifth album, America, was released in April 2018. Their first work since 2013’s Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams, the album was preceded by single “Walk on Water,” which gained popularity as the theme for ESPN’s coverage of the 2017 College Football season. Upon release, America entered the Billboard 200 at number two, marking the band’s highest chart debut yet. Described as a concept album delving into themes such as fame, sex and politics, America represented a shift in the band’s sound into softer, more pop-oriented fare. The album garnered mixed reviews, with some critics praising its thematic content, while others derided the music’s glossy new sound and felt that its concepts weren’t fully realized.
