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17 Jul 2010 17:03

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Music: One-word album reviews: M.I.A. disappoints the hipsters, guys

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Jul 2010 23:24

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Music: Pitchfork plays turncoat on M.I.A. and her new album, /\/\/\Y/\

  • Right or wrong, the social contract is simple: If you bring the hits, we’ll put up with your #(&@. With
    /\/\ /\ Y /\, M.I.A. has broken that contract. And she could not have chosen a worse time to do it.
  • Pitchfork reviewer Matthew Perpetua • Ruining M.I.A.’s entire week with a 4.4 album review that simply savages the wildly experimental political rapper. She’s not had much good press of late, what with a New York Times Magazine article that simply did not put her in a good light (and a huge fight that revolved around truffle fries – no joke), and this review will likely compound her problems. When you fall from 8.9 to 4.4 on Pitchfork in the span of an album, it’s not helpful to your career. Just ask Travis Morrison. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Jun 2010 12:01

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Music: M.I.A.’s prison is YouTube, based on her new album cover

  • Youtube just got the avant-garde treatment. MIA has pretty much always been the most out-there pop star in the best way possible, and the cover for her new album “/\/\ /\ Y /\” (that’s “Maya,” for the non-hipsters) looks like it’s going to keep up that trend, putting her behind a wall of Youtube players. See the symbolism? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

27 May 2010 22:44

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Music: M.I.A. doesn’t handle long-form interviews very well

  • The messages have mostly been from people trying to hook up with M.I.A. If she wants to get together with John at Bard next week, I have his number.
  • New York Times staff writer Lynn Hirschberg • Regarding what happened to her after the pop star, angry about the very interesting, exhaustive piece Hirschberg wrote about her, posted a phone number on Twitter claiming it was hers, like so: “CALL ME IF YOU WANNA TALK TO ME ABOUT THE N Y T TRUTH ISSUE, ill b taking calls all day bitches ;)” In reality, it was Hirschberg’s, and her voicemail totally filled up as a result. Listen. M.I.A. is an awesome musician who deserves a lot of respect for her art, but this is pretty much the worst possible way to handle a situation like this. You’re 34, not 12. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Aug 2009 19:02

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Music: Saturday mixtape: Considering musical activism, post-Obama



Activism needs a direction. As music fans, we've noticed a severe decline in politically-inclined tunes in recent months. Barack Obama's election drew huge support from the indie rock community, but with him in office, it's in need of a reboot. We have some thoughts, in mixtape form.
  • 1. Looking outward: A few years ago, Ted Leo pulled off a neat trick with “The Ballad of the Sin Eater,” turning in solid commentary of America’s place in the world during the height of the Bush era. With the Iranian election still fresh, it’s a line of thought in need of reevaluation.
    3. Questioning the spiritual: Fucked Up’s “The Chemistry Of Common Life ” was an amazing, vitriolic statement on spirituality, with “Twice Born” playing centerpiece. From Sufjan Stevens to The Thermals, religion plays a huge role on both sides of this debate.
    3. From the outside in: M.I.A.’s done more to bring radical politics to the mainstream than any other modern musician – especially the Sri Lanka conflict. Songs like “Sunshowers” excel at exposing audiences to political opinions outside of guy-with-a-guitar rhetoric.
    4. Indifference: Not having an opinion is still an opinion. Cass McCombs analyzes the nature of indifference with “Don’t Vote,” which plays like a modern “Okie from Muskogee.”
    5. Going conservative: If you look around the internet for the phrase “republican indie rock,” you’ll be surprised at how little shows up. Cold War Kids may be the best example of a well-known indie band whose lyrical politics lean towards conservatism. As Obama’s poll numbers decline, could we see more of this? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 May 2009 12:07

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Culture, World: M.I.A. calls out clothing companies with Sri Lankan ties

  • Since the end of the war in Sri Lanka (and heck, even during it), M.I.A. has been outspoken against human rights abuses happening there – and has strongly supported the Tamil rebels who lost. source
  • The pop star took to her Twitter feed to inform her 30,000+ readers of clothing companies who produce clothes in Sri Lanka – and many of them are brands you wear, like Nike and Ralph Lauren. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Apr 2009 10:16

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Music, World: M.I.A. is ticking off the Sri Lankan government again

  • Many have already perished from starvation and preventable disease. We cannot ignore these genocidal conditions, and if the aim of the SL Government is to protect the lives of the civilians, then this ship will reach its destination and lives will be saved.
  • M.I.A. (a.k.a. Maya Arulpragasam) • Who’s put herself in the middle of a conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the U.K.-based Act Now organization, which is trying to send aid to the country which is supposed to be for civilians caught in the conflict between Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers, but the Sri Lankan military fears may be headed for Tamil forces. She’s ruffled these feathers before. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

23 Feb 2009 01:06

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Culture: “Slumdog” wasn’t slumming at the Oscars

It won “Best Picture.” And many of the major non-acting awards. Whoo! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink

15 Feb 2009 20:25

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Music, Offbeat: M.I.A. had her baby. Then she posted this weird video.

We think you have to fly like paper and be high like planes to truly enjoy it. (BTW, congrats Maya!) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Feb 2009 11:06

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Music, World: Is M.I.A. an apologist for the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka?

  • She’s unknown at home Despite her massive critical acclaim, the ubiquity of her hit “Paper Planes” and her recent Grammy and Oscar nominations, she remains fairly unknown in her homeland, Sri Lanka. Those who do know her claim she’s an apologist for the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group which has fought a lengthy civil war for independence. source
  • She’s unknown at home Despite her massive critical acclaim, the ubiquity of her hit “Paper Planes” and her recent Grammy and Oscar nominations, she remains fairly unknown in her homeland, Sri Lanka. Those who do know her claim she’s an apologist for the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group which has fought a lengthy civil war for independence.
  • In her words M.I.A., born Maya Arulpragasam, recently commented on the crisis in an interview on Tavis Smiley’s PBS talk show. “Being the only Tamil in the Western media, I have a really great opportunity to sort of bring forward what’s going on in Sri Lanka,” she said “There’s a genocide going on.” source
  • She’s unknown at home Despite her massive critical acclaim, the ubiquity of her hit “Paper Planes” and her recent Grammy and Oscar nominations, she remains fairly unknown in her homeland, Sri Lanka. Those who do know her claim she’s an apologist for the Tamil Tigers, the separatist group which has fought a lengthy civil war for independence.
  • In her words M.I.A., born Maya Arulpragasam, recently commented on the crisis in an interview on Tavis Smiley’s PBS talk show. “Being the only Tamil in the Western media, I have a really great opportunity to sort of bring forward what’s going on in Sri Lanka,” she said “There’s a genocide going on.”
  • Fighting art with art Many Sri Lankans who have seen M.I.A.’s videos claim that her imagery either glorifies or supports the cause. M.I.A. says she doesn’t support terrorism, but at least one rapper has taken her head-on: DeLon, a Sinhalese rapper based in L.A., put up a video remix which directly attacks the singer’s stance. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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