Last week on The Voice, a singer named Erin Martin landed in the Bottom 3 on Team Cee Lo. She was sent home after a last chance ballad performance that showed off her vocal timbre and unique musical interpretation. She…
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Music criticism, news and views at Sketchy Details
Album Review: Pink Friday…Roman Reloaded by Nicki Minaj
by Robert • 4 April 2012 • 1 Comment
I love Nicki Minaj because of her silliness. Her lyrics are tight even if the ever-growing cavalcade of characters is hard to keep track of. If you think she’s being serious (beyond the aesthetic quality of her music), you’re missing…
The Rise of the DJ/Producer
by Robert • 29 March 2012 • 0 Comments
A few years ago, I thought the success of Timbaland’s Shock Value album was a novelty. Producers can have success, but they’re just not meant to be household names if they can’t do something else. That his Shock Value II…
The Miseducation of Justin Bieber
by Robert • 27 March 2012 • 0 Comments
I’m not as put off by the existence of Justin Bieber as I think I should be. I think he’s a talented young man who is being pushed to pursue music that doesn’t suit him. Judging by the response I…
Album Review: The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
by Robert • 21 March 2012 • 0 Comments
Normally, when you’re dealing with a concept or companion album inspired by a big blockbuster film, you’re in for a bad time. A label gets the rights, throws a bunch of barely connected songs together, adds in the one or…
The Library: “When in Rome” by Nickel Creek
by Robert • 5 March 2012 • 0 Comments
The Library is a recurring feature here at Sketchy Details where I take an in-depth look at a song I think could fit in nicely with anyone’s music collection. Nickel Creek was an acoustic folk trio comprised of Chris Thile,…
Chipocrite Explains Chip Music
by Robert • 28 February 2012 • 0 Comments
One of the guests at MangaNEXT was Chipocrite (aka Paul Weinstein), a chip music artist. Chip music is an interesting and often misunderstood way of producing music. I avoid the term style for good reason: it’s not one. It’s more…
Evolution: “I’ll Take Care of You” by Bobby Bland to “Take Care” by Drake feat. Rihanna
by Robert • 21 February 2012 • 0 Comments
How far down the rabbit hole have we gone if artists like Florence + The Machine are covering a song by Drake? A song that is adapted from a dance remix of a cover of a blues standard by Gil…
What You Missed: The 54th Annual Grammy Awards
by Robert • 13 February 2012 • 0 Comments
I have to give credit to the Grammys for one big thing: they tried this year. They really tried to make a fun and exciting ceremony for television. The telecast played like a concert, not an awards ceremony, and the…
Listen: Lil Wayne feat. Bruno Mars “Mirror”
by Robert • 2 February 2012 • 0 Comments
There’s a reason Lil Wayne has been a big force in music the past few years. He’s a rapper who understands the need to balance entertainment with honesty. Sure, he’s released a few singles that are nothing more than sex…
Nicki Minaj on the Offensive (NSFW)
by Robert • 23 January 2012 • 0 Comments
Almost a year ago, I wrote up a rather questionable song from Lil’ Kim slamming Nicki Minaj. Here’s what I said then: The problem is this: it’s not a well-done track. Her lyrics are predictable bites against someone else…It’s tired.…
Listen: “…Back Home” by Gym Class Heroes feat. Neon Hitch
by Robert • 20 January 2012 • 0 Comments
What happens when two very well-defined artists collaborate on a song? It depends on the artists. If they get along or the track plays to their strengths/lets them record separately and never see each other again, it can be great.…
Music Work: “Ophelia’s Song”
by Robert • 13 January 2012 • 0 Comments
I mention it occasionally. When I’m not writing, I work as a music director/arranger for educational and community theater groups. Yesterday, the posts were lacking because I was working at a Shakespeare festival a local school puts on every year.…
Breaking it Down: Best Short Form Music Video
by Robert • 4 January 2012 • 0 Comments
One of my favorite Grammy categories that doesn’t even make the telecast is Best Short Form Music Video. Isn’t that counter-intuitive? You put together a broadcast awards show and ignore the most visual category? But I digress. The award goes…