A Producer’s Award. (Artists names appear in parentheses.)
JACK ANTONOFF
• Arizona Baby (Kevin Abstract) (A)
• Lover(Taylor Swift) (A)
• Norman F***ing Rockwell! (Lana Del Rey) (A)
• Red Hearse (Red Hearse) (A)
DAN AUERBACH
• The Angels In Heaven Done Signed My Name (Leo Bud Welch) (A)
• “Let’s Rock” (The Black Keys) (A)
• Mockingbird(The Gibson Brothers) (A)
• Myth Of A Man (Night Beats) (A)
• Southern Gentleman (Dee White) (A)
• Walk Through Fire (Yola) (A)
JOHN HILL
• Heat Of The Summer(Young The Giant) (T)
• Hundred(Khalid) (T)
• No Drug Like Me (Carly Rae Jepsen) (T)
• Outta My Head (Khalid With John Mayer) (T)
• Social Cues (Cage The Elephant) (A)
• Superposition(Young The Giant) (T)
• Too Much (Carly Rae Jepsen) (T)
• Vertigo(Khalid) (T)
• Zero (From “Ralph Breaks The Internet”) (Imagine Dragons) (T)
FINNEAS
• When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (Billie Eilish) (A)
RICKY REED
• Almost Free(Fidlar) (A)
• Burning(Maggie Rogers) (T)
• Confidence(X Ambassadors Featuring K.Flay) (T)
• Juice(Lizzo) (T)
• Kingdom Of One (Maren Morris) (T)
• Power Is Power (SZA Featuring The Weeknd & Travis Scott) (T)
• Tempo(Lizzo Featuring Missy Elliott) (T)
• Truth Hurts (Lizzo) (T)
• The Wrong Man (Ross Golan) (A)
Wow – so much to get through in this category. Five nominees, 14 albums and 14 tracks. I have listened to these nominees, and will discuss the recordings and production.
JACK ANTONOFF has quite a range. Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift are polar opposites in many ways – Taylor is aiming for hooks and attempting to entertain her audience, while Lana Del Rey seems hell-bent on being as uninviting and uninteresting as possible. I can’t fully express my absolute hatred of Lana Del Rey’s output. I’m not sure my dislike of her is particularly relevant or interesting, but I have rarely run across an artist that irritates me as thoroughly as her music does.
I went to a songwriting seminar once when I lived in Nashville and entertained thoughts of writing songs for a living, and something the leader of the seminar said has really stuck with me through the years. Don’t write something unless it’s of interest to anyone else. Give a song the “who cares” test. I can confidently say I didn’t care about anything she chooses to write about.
Taylor Swift was much more interesting. She lived with a guy for three years, then she had a crush on another guy, then she was mad at intolerant people. Both of these albums have waaaay too many songs. I suggest editors for everyone. The Taylor Swift record has 18 tracks. It’s exhausting. Just release singles and e.p’s. The one track I listened to multiple times was the title track, Lover. Someone’s been listening to Cowboy Junkies. I also liked The Man.
Red Hearse was a real treat. I loved Half Love, Violence, and You Make It Easy. Very solid dance / pop / rock with great melodies and production. It sounds nothink like the Taylor Swift or Lana Del Rey records. This producer has range!
The Kevin Abstract reminded me of Andre 3000 from Outkast – kind of derivative, but with a twist. The artist is openly gay and raps about it. I don’t do any homework on these releases, but I did just look up this guy and see no Andre 3000 involvement. Again, the production on this is a million miles away from the Lana Del Rey. Very impressive.
Now on to my favorite of this bunch, DAN AUERBACH. Where to begin? I never liked his band, The Black Keys. I’ve always been opposed to bands with no bass players. Well, except for a semi-embarrassing period where The Doors were my favorite band – until Talking Heads rescued me from that pretentious quagmire of rock. But Flat Duo Jets, White Stripes, Black Keys to hell with ’em. Pffft. Get a bass player!
Then one night while delivering newspapers I heard a review of two albums produced by DAN AUERBACH that had just been released. The Hacienda and JEFF the Brotherhood records I heard reviewed that night were fantastic, so I started looking up other stuff he had produced, and I liked all of it. That’s rare for me, because I hate everything. Hanni El Khatib Head in the Dirt is also great. But anyways, let’s talk about these records.
The Leo Bud Welch record is pretty good – old dude who does some spirited Gospel and Blues. The Black Keys record is fantastic – first thig I’ve ever liked by them, even though they still have not hired a bass player. Very engaging pop and roll with tons of catchy melodies and interesting songs. Great production as well.
The Gibson Brothers record was a little too precious and self-aware for my taste. they have a nice brother harmony thing going, but it’s so Laurel Canyon – and the last song about being a junkie – not interesting!
Night Beats was a little late 80’s sounding – there were a few standout tracks but overall it was average. Same for the Dee White and Yola records. They were fine, and I liked them more than many other releases in this group, but not great.
JOHN HILL seems to make things designed to be hits. Nothing wrong with that, and there were a few catchy ideas amongst the LOUD SONGS I LISTENED TO BECAUSE EVERYTHING MUST BE LOUD. The only thing I enjoyed here was the Cage the Elephant record – made it all the way through. Check it out! But nothing here grabbed my attention while going about my daily chores.
FINNEAS has a nice computer and uses it to record his sister in his bedroom. She uses interesting harmonies but is otherwise not very interesting. Reminded me of an EDM Carpenters, only with bad songs.
RICKY REED has quite a portfolio. Ross Golan is very pleased with himself – he wrote a rap concept album about sleeping with a lady and then going to jail or something. There were so many cringe worthy moments in the first three songs I just couldn’t take it any more. The worst album I’ve heard in a decade. Fidlar was also very tedious. RAWK with some HIPPITY HOP designed for your next visit to Hot Topic. The Lizzo track Tempo was fantastic – nothing else here stood out.
the lee show 