6 -- Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

0I

Dyeing for aesthetics
and beauty

RCA
"I can't be tamed."
Miley misses mark

'm restless in almost every-
thingI do, and when I was
13, this manifested itself
in a self-proclaimedneed for
change. I begged my mom to let,
me dye my
hair - just
once - to a
shiny, lus-
cious deep
brown. I
was tired of
being a dirty
blonde; I ANNA
wanted to re-
root with a
darker tone.
She
warned me that it wouldn't y
stick, that going darker is
almost always a terrible idea,
that I would probably look even
paler than I already do. But I
was like, "You don't know, Mom
... maybe it will change my life."
She caved eventually, and I got
to live out my13-year-old dream
for $18.99.
If any moment in my life were
a Taylor Swift song, it would be
the moment I stepped out of the
shower and saw my newly char-
coaled head. It was like "I Knew
You Were Trouble" was written
about our soon-to-be tumultu-
ous relationship. Not only was
my mother right and I looked
like an emo vampire, I was
clearly that poser girl who dyed
her hair trying to be "edgy."
Needless to say, I was in
love. I knew it was wrong - so
wrong - butI didn't care. Soon,
though, the color faded, I grew
tired of the murky brown and
set my sights on a new desire:
bright red streaks.
Some things don't change;
people will always want what
they don't have. Women in the
middle ages shaved their hair

back in
sion of
hair w
symbo
proper
wore a
everyo
what ti
to sayc
begant
everyv
18th ce
deredN
sion of
The
back a
though
ritual,
Africa:
than 11
what it
oring o
art; of

order to create the illu- race of aesthetic seekers. We
a larger forehead - their chiseled sculptures, painted
as considered an erotic countless portraits, created
1 and was the official music in order to satisfy our
ty of their husbands; they need. It only makes sense that
veil to cover it. Then, we present ourselves as a piece
ne stopped caring about of art as well.
he Catholic Church had The fine art in makeup, hair
on the matter and women dyes and fashion comes from
to show off their locks the incessant need to look
which way. During the as beautiful as we want the
ntury, people wore pow- things around us to be. There's
wigs to give off the illu- a reason entire museums are
milky white tresses. dedicated to the life work of
need to decorate goes artists devoted to fulfilling the
long way - cosmetics are aesthetic needs of the world.
it to be the oldest human There's an insatiable quality to
dating as far back as the the way we devour things that
n Middle Stone Age, more are pleasing to the eye - men
00,000 years ago. And and women dress up for dates,
s hair dyeing and lip col- wanting to present themselves
,ther than forms of body in the best light. We go to the
self-portrait? gym, trying to maximize our
attractiveness and health. We
flip through magazines, trying
1 - to assess the latest style, the
13-year-old s latest trend.
version of It's engulfing; even for those
that pride themselves in being
fine arts. above the shallow pursuit
of "beautiful," we all choose
how to look based on what we
think is best. Rarely do people
e people paint on a can- actively go against what they
d for some, that canvas believe to be aesthetically
r body. We tattoo, pierce, pleasing.
dye and bleach ourselves, It's not all about what other
ting new, better, different people believe or that you
ns of ourselves each time. want to make others see how
why? For some, it's to wonderful you look with dark
heir best." To go to a brown hair. It's the same feel-
wearing an awesome ing that drives us to value fine
with awesome hair and art, a really important piece of
me makeup. For oth- film and literature. It's about
to hide perceived flaws connecting with other people's
plight "good" angles. need for beauty, and appreciat-
eople who change their ing it.

No smash hits for
Cyrus's 'Bangerz'
without 'Wrecking'
By GREG HICKS
Daily Arts Writer
Bangerzseeksto recreate Miley
Cyrus as a new-and-upcoming
hip-hop artist rather than high-
light the former
Disney singer
as an artist
who has merely Bangerz
matured in her
work. Cyrus Miley Cyrus
expressed dis- RCA
dain over all
her material
before this fourth studio album,
stating that she views Bangerz
as her first true album. Why is it,
then, that so much of this record
sounds very familiar?
The Bangerz ballads ("Adore
You," "Maybe You're Right")
could have easily found a place on
the then-Disney star's previous
album, Can't Be Tamed - a record
that proved Cyrus couldn't be
tamed or successful. Both albums
contain awkward song disparities
brought on by leisurely innocent
music behind tasteless, beat-
heavy tracks.

"4x4" combines the Nashville
roots of Cyrus's upbringing with
a bit of synth, which might have
been original if it hadn't also been
attempted on "Two More Lonely
People" from Can't Be Tamed.
The song predictably includes
Nelly, who - between "Cruise"
and "4x4" - has some newfound
fascination with features on
country-pop songs that involve
automobiles.
The album's filler tracks are
vapid even for filler tracks. The
uninspired "Adore You" is barely
worthy of being a Walmart Spe-
cial Edition bonus track, let alone
the lead track on the album. It's
beyond groundless to tear your
reputation to shreds to establish
yourself as a grungy hip-hop art-
ist, only to have the first song on
your album be a lovelorn lullaby
worthy of a spot on Hannah Mon-
tana2:Meet Miley Cyrus.
The production and writing
credits raise an eyebrow over
Bangerz's major pitfalls. Mike
WILL Made It produced eight of
the 16 songs, while Pharrell pro-
duced four others. In theory, this
should be a very coherent hip-
hop album. Yet, here we are, with
Pharrell producing a country jam
("4x4") and Mike WILL Made It
producing a seemingly gospel-
I-

RELEASE DATE- Tuesday, October 8, 2013
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influenced piano ballad ("Maybe
You're Right") - aspoor utilization
of two trendinghip-hop/R&B pro-
ducers during aship-hop boom.
Though it's one of the more
basic pieces on the album - oblig-
atory, given that it's Dr. Luke's
handiwork - "Wrecking Ball"
is Bangerz's savior. Decent chord
progressions, airy verses with a
smashing chorus and no cringe-
worthy lyrics; it's a safe power
ballad, but despite its simplicity, it
still sounds like an adult pop song.
This second promotional single
awarded Cyrus her first No. 1
song, as well as a record-breaking
number of views for the track's
music video.
Bland as her record might be,
the "We Can't Stop" singer has
mastered the art of promotion.
Cyrus truly "can't stop" find-
ing new ways to stir up thrills
and chills in anticipation of this
musical rebirth. Racy photo
shoots, risqu6 performances
and a curiosity-piquing collabo-
ration from the legendary Ms.
Britney Spears will drive major
album sales for Bangerz's open-
ing week. Long-term success
isn't likely, but this record will
surely usher in the new era that
Miley Cyrus has dreamed up for
her career.
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Sadovskaya is getting her
hair done. To come with,
e-mail asado@umich.edu

'Name' rises to top tier

By JOSH FRAZIER
For The Daily
The opening salvo from Pusha
T's long-awaited solo debut My
NameIsaMy Name sees the Bronx-
born rapper
recognizing
the gravitas of
the moment. My Name Is
"This is my
time, this is my My Name
hour," he thun- PushaT
derously pro-
claims. Pusha GOOD music
T, whose given
name is Ter-
rence Thornton, has been a rap
music fixture since the release
of 2002's Lord Willin', which fea-
tured Pusha rapping alongside his
brother. The Thorntons released
their early material under the
moniker of Clipse, and after three
positively received albums, the
duo disbanded to focus on solo
material. Despite Pusha T's years
of rap credibility, he has never
had the chance to break out into
the mainstream and seize the
spotlight as a solo artist. My Name
Is My Name is an album that
attempts to transition Thornton
from slept-on cocaine rapper to
rap-industry heavyweight.
Even the most casual rap fans
will recognize Pusha T's name
from his thunderous guest verse
on Kanye West's "Mercy," one of
the mostubiquitous songs of 2012,
or his scene-stealing feature on
"Runaway," one of the lead singles
off of West's My Beautiful Dark
TwistedFantasy. West, who heads
Thornton's label, G.O.O.D. Music,
has an obvious influence as the
album's executive producer, pro-
viding production on seven songs
and uncredited backing vocals
on "Hold On." Thornton is char-
ismatic enough, however, to step
out of West's shadow and culti-
vate his own unique personality
as the street-smart ex-drug deal-
er. This persona allows him the
canvas for distinctive storytelling,
and Thornton demonstrates his
significant lyrical ability across a
variety of records.
The lyricism is an obvious
highlight of My NameIsMy Name.
Pusha T's effortless rhyming style
sees him dropping double and tri-

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endres alongside extremely big-name guest star. "King Push,"
storytelling. "Nosetalgia," the opener, rewards listeners with
he album's strongest tracks, snarling lyrics filled with bragga-
s Thornton and Kendrick docio and an unconventional beat
rapping about their expe- that ignores the conventions of
with cocaine over a sim- generic beatmaking.
bassline. The opening lines Holistically, the production on
to the complexity of Pusha My Name Is My Name is univer-
rkly poetic wordplay: "20 sally strong. Ominous, minimal-
ears of selling Johnson & ist beats with swelling basslines
)n / I started out as a baby- allow Thornton the opportunity
onster / No wonder there's to swagger from track to track.
rash on my conscience / The heavyweight lineup of pro-
thing ring was numbed by ducers including West, Pharrell
nsense." The juxtaposition Williams, Swizz Beatz and Hud-
en childhood innocence son Mohawke have given Pusha
iling drugs is exacerbated T the chance to do what he does
clever use of puns in his best: glorify and discuss the reali-
Lamar also gives a stellar ties of street life, and arrogantly
'erse, one that stands out on boast about his greatness.
um that includes many big- Thornton's pride in himself
eatured artists. is evident from the title of the
record. Thornton appropriates
a quote from "The Wire," which
sha rnfocused on life in the projects
of Baltimore, among other dark
nye's shadow. themes. Calling his debut album
My Name Is My Name is very fit-
ting for Pusha T's gritty raps, see-
ing as the quote is adopted from a
ha T's clout in the rap drug dealer to whom reputation
ry is exemplified by the means everything.
tude of the guest appear- On My Name Is My Name,
on My Name Is My Name. Pusha T attempts to fight the per-
ed verses are turned in by ception that he's a top-notch rap
of rap music's most recog- artist, but not quite a superstar
e acts, including Lamar, on par with Lamar, Ross or West.
an, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross and Due to distinctive beat selection
Jeezy. The vast majority and nearly impeccable lyricism,
guest verses complement My Name Is My Name makes a
s thematic concepts and strong argument for Pusha T's
style, and Thornton man- ascent to superstardom as a solo
hold his own againstevery artist.

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