Happy Birthday, Gwen!

Gwen Stefani turns 44 today. In honor of this Pop/Rock/Fashion star—and expectant mom for the third time—I’m posting 4 in the Morning, which features my favorite scene of Stefani style at the 2:25 mark, as she leaves her apartment, rockin’ a high ponytail in academy-prep-school attire, with her big bag draped over her right forearm.



But then, I remembered Cool and The Sweet Escape, two more videos that I’m always amazed by. Quite literally, every shot of Gwen is framed beautifully. From “Marilyn” in a blue sweater, to sipping tea with an ex and his new girlfriend, to sitting in a gold-plated jail, Stefani balances natural beauty and tailored chic. BSo

Paris Is Still Burning: Ballroom Voguing Prevalent in Icona Pop’s Current Video and Gaultier’s Latest Show

The Swedish Pop duo, Icona Pop has followed up their massive hit, I Love It with their equally catchy single, All Night. The inspiring video features the duo performing at a drag ball, where two “houses” are observed by a table of judges to see which “family members” strike the fiercest fashion poses, otherwise and obviously known as Voguing.

This fashionable duel was best captured in the fascinating 1990 documentary, Paris Is Burning, which takes viewers way, way underground into the cutthroat world of the New York drag-ball culture. Although the film and Madonna’s Vogue, which made “strike a pose” mainstream, are both 23 years old, the overly presentational dance style has been making a bit of a referential comeback as of late.

A clip from Paris Is Burning:



Icona Pop’s All Night (with corporate sponsorship made evident)



Jean-Paul Gaultier’s Spring/Summer 2014 fashion show was held recently, where the catwalk sported a table of three judges, one of whom is the Spanish actress and model, Rossy de Palma, seen in the black bob and striped shirt. (De Palma was best known for appearing in six of Pedro Almodovar’s films and is a muse for the French fashion designer.) Models paraded in front of the judges, before they headed down the runway. The judges, as expected, held up cards to visually express their critique. One fashion model in particular, Karlie Kloss, was serving silhouette realness, as she literally struck several poses before heading down the runway, much to the ecstatic satisfaction of the judges. Kloss posed to the Scissor Sisters’ Let’s Have a Kiki. As some would say in the ball culture, Kloss “turnt it out.” BSo

Karlie Kloss:

Target is the Drug For Me: New Commercial Spots Trends, Evokes Classic Roxy Music

I’m sure you’ve been seeing the latest Target (Style) commercials, which use a fashion show as a way to highlight the latest trends, everything from embellishments and a tailored silhouette, to bold lips and wavy hair. This new campaign showcases Target’s consistently sleek and accessible brand, yet it’s the soundtrack that always reminds me of Roxy Music’s 1975 song, Love is the Drug. (The band was led by the singer, Bryan Ferry, who was partly known for his fashion sense, particularly his ties and tailored suits.) For the record, the song in the ad is entitled, Pussyfooter (Ju.Do Remix) by Coco Electrik, an Australian Pop duo, consisting of the singer, Anne Booty and the producer, Paul Harrison. BSo

Oh, Lorde! Singer Reflects on Suburban Reality Vs. Unattainable Riches on “Royals”

The brilliant song, Royals, by the New-Zealand singer, Lorde, has been in heavy rotation on VH-1, and on KFOG here in San Francisco. VH-1 has honored her as their “You Oughta Know Artist” for September.

Lorde, born Ella Yelich-O’Connor, sports a mature-sounding voice, well beyond her 16 years. On Royals, she sings about the reality of a suburban lower-middle-class existence, compared in stark contrast to the excessive (entitled) lifestyles of the rich and bling-worthy, often presented in Pop, Rap, Hip-Hop, and Sports cultures.

“In a torn-up town, no postcode envy

But every song’s like:
Gold teeth
Grey Goose
Trippin’ in the bathroom
Bloodstains
Ball gowns
Trashin’ the hotel room … we don’t care
We’re driving cadillacs in our dreams

But everybody’s like:
Cristal
Maybach
Diamonds on your timepiece
Jet planes
Islands
Tigers on a gold leash … we don’t care
We aren’t caught up in your love affair

And we’ll never be royals (royals)”. She simply states, with self-assured self-acceptance, “That kind of luxe just ain’t for us.”

The slightly eerie video pulls you into the suburbs, capturing the stagnant life of two teenage boys in the townhouse jungle, passing time either sitting around, shaving their heads, or sparring in the living room, a far cry from Justin Bieber, racing his Ferrari through his gated community. The mostly vacant faces convey a longing for something more, indicating that maybe, just maybe, that luxe is something they want badly.

Royals, as a Pop song, is fantastic. It’s smooth with a head-bobbin’ beat, tribal-inspired harmonies, a touch of electro-synth, and an addicting syncopated hook you want to memorize and spout off without stumbling. With Royals, Lorde is ruling the airwaves. BSo

Put Your Hands Up, Make ‘Em Touch: Lady Gaga’s “Applause” Deserves Nothing But

Lady Gaga opening this year’s MTV VMAs was definitely a highlight. Full of fearless abandon, she took the stage and performed her latest infectious single, Applause. She donned four costumes and one barely-there costume during her set. It was inspiring to see art and Pop on the same stage once again, in the form of Gaga.

Applause, the lead single off her forthcoming release, ARTPOP, is signature Gaga, as she layers in several hooks throughout. If the slight pause before the explosive chorus doesn’t get you, the one-two-one-two handclaps will, or the synthesized spelling of A-R-T-P-O-P at the end is sure to do it.

The energetic video is a moving canvas, with Gaga as painter and sometimes the canvas itself, smudging colors all over her mime-inspired face. It’s also modern performance art, with Gaga as the lead, decked out in several different outfits (or not much at all) in various scenarios. Just two of the many striking images: The surprising final reveal, after she ascends from a large top hat; Gaga as an ostrich in an egg, where she sings:

“Pop culture was in art
Now art’s in pop culture in me”

Gaga begins the chorus with, “Give me that thing that I love…” She certainly has.



Gaga’s vocal delivery in the verses can’t help but remind me of her doppelganger, Dale Bozzio of the ‘80s Pop group, Missing Persons, singing, Words. BSo

Miley’s “We Can’t Stop”: A Good Pop Song Gets Even Better as a Doo-Wop Cover

Excluding Miley Cyrus’ disturbing video for We Can’t Stop, and certainly that desperate “performance” on the MTV VMAs, I’ve found the single itself to be quite good, meaning catchy. Granted this isn’t Lennon-McCartney, the construction of this Pop song is smart, as it’s full of starts and, ironically, stops. Lyrically, not a fan of the many (club) drug references: “Dancing with Molly” and “… trying to get a line in the bathroom…” There is the deeply synthesized voice, singing one of the many hooks, which adds a welcome dose of funk.

The Original (Audio Only):



Postmodern Jukebox’s Doo-Wop Cover, featuring The Tee-Tones, sans “Molly” lyric. Isn’t it convenient how Molly sounds like Miley? BSo

Kid Learns Life Can Be Sour, But One Thing Makes It Delicious

Many life lessons can be learned while sitting around the kitchen table. The new commercial for JELL-O proves this to be true, as a father teaches his son why pudding cups can soothe and comfort life’s big stings. In the end, the son’s empathetic takeaway proves another lesson: sharing is caring.



(Note: The boss in this commercial reminds me of Gary Cole’s Bill Lumbergh from the spot-on film, Office Space.) BSo