MARINA (and The Diamonds)

[delreyfreak 5,342]

Here are my two cents on the era so far (since everyone else is sharing their thoughts)...

 

Baby - This song is a BOP. Yes, it's a little more "basic" compared to what she usually releases but I think her voice sounds amazing and the melodies are very catchy.

 

Handmade Heaven - I loved this song from the first play. I felt that the lyrics in the chorus were a tad repetitive but it's continued to grow on me and I can say it is overall a really beautiful song with a great message. The music video, although simple, is beautiful. I think it was a great way to officially start the era.

 

Superstar - I can't say I absolutely love this song, but I also can't say I hate it. Overall it's a really good song, however, compared to Marina's usual standard I can't help but feel the production is a little cheap and, while the lyrics are sweet, they lack the emotional depth I usually expect to see from Marina. Overall I still like the song though.

 

Orange Trees - I really love this one! I will admit the lyricism is a little weaker in this one too - there is no profound statement, no social comment and nothing deeply interesting about the lyrics. However, I'm enjoying seeing this lighter side to Marina. The song is fun, lighthearted and brings a smile to my face. The bridge is fantastic - the melodies and production at that point within the context of the song really stand out to me. Sure, the song is more "generic" compared to what Marina usually creates but I still sense the quirky and eccentric Marina we've always known and loved in the "oo-oo-oo-orange" parts of the song. Also, the music video is FUCKING GORGEOUS. Y'all should repent for saying the music video is ugly. These are her most stunning aesthetics.

 

 

My overall thoughts - I like the thematics of this album so far. The aesthetics and the messages of Handmade Heaven and Orange Trees seem to be quite nature-centric which I absolutely love, especially at a time of great environmental destruction. I think Marina has been influenced by the political context surrounding climate change and intentionally wanted to reconnect with nature in her music, and using that as an avenue to "return to her roots", so to speak. The LOVE side of the record so far feels very fresh, light and nature-centric. I'm guessing some of her darker and more intellectual songs will be saved for the release of the full album. Songs with titles like To Be Human, Soft to Be Strong and End of the Earth sound like typical "Marina"-esque titles that will explore heavier topics. Am I a little disappointed by what I've heard so far? Yes. Because I miss the emotional depth and social critiques offered by Marina on most of her other tracks. However, I recognise these are just the first few songs of the album, and I'm sure there is still a lot more to expect, especially as we've heard nothing of the FEAR side of the album. 

[renaissance 8,330]

I just think like it's not that deep - Love contains most of the bubbly mainstream pop songs of the album and Fear will contain more of the deep/emotional ones. What I will always respect about Marina is that she ALWAYS switches it up and tries new things. All of her albums have been vastly different, and because of this of course her music is going to be polarising. Again, it's not that deep - I personally didn't like FROOT as much but I'm loving what I've heard from this album so far. Of course I'd love her to go back to the TFJ sound but the more I think about that the more I kinda don't want that - she did that sound so perfectly back in 2010 and we have an amazing album to show for that so if I ever wanna hear that sound I can just ..... listen to that album???

[Ultra Violet 19,028]

Here's my hot take on this era so far, since everyone's doing it 

 

I personally think that Love + Fear may end up being my least favorite album by her. I love Marina and have a great deal of respect for her as an artist, but this contemporary pop aesthetic just feels kind of weird to me, and like she maybe isn't putting the best music that she can make anymore. I thought Handmade Heaven was beautiful, but everything else we've heard has been kind of subpar? I'm not really a fan of the overly simplistic production (if ARTPOP was "overproduced" then this is definitely underproduced) and I think the lyrics are quite basic compared to a good amount of material she's released or scrapped in the past. 

 

And I don't even think it's that she can't write a good pop song; she pulled it off brilliantly with songs like Blue. Blue has somewhat basic lyrics like Orange Trees and Superstar do, except Blue pulls it off extremely well by being super catchy and having a unique sound with an instrumental reaching it's full potential. Superstar in particular feels like a really watered down version of I'm A Ruin, without any of the charm. I don't know, that's just my opinion.

I agree with all this too

 

But I have hope that her singles are just the ones she liked the best and that the rest will really blow me away

[evalionisameme 13,899]

and what is this "quality norm" you are expecting? This is a genuine question, I'm curious to know

the melody is all over the place, there's no catchy hook and it has no memorability or anything within it that is innovative to the music industry-take for example songs like umbrella by rihanna or even primadonna girl all she had to do was add empowering lyrics that hint at her past transgressions like handmade heaven.

I just can't see how this represents her best work subjectively when I feel like you don't have to dumb your lyrics down to be happy, look at lily Allen for example there's still her personality input on those songs-I don't see any on the new songs they could of been done by zebra larsson.

[Charlottexseax 8,012]

the melody is all over the place, there's no catchy hook and it has no memorability or anything within it that is innovative to the music industry-take for example songs like umbrella by rihanna or even primadonna girl all she had to do was add empowering lyrics that hint at her past transgressions like handmade heaven.

I just can't see how this represents her best work subjectively when I feel like you don't have to dumb your lyrics down to be happy, look at lily Allen for example there's still her personality input on those songs-I don't see any on the new songs they could of been done by zebra larsson.

U lowkey served some hot tea, the melody is so dried... like there is no build up and there is no release, which not every song has to have but it’s defo the easier the way to make a pop song that bops (example: Chandelier, Someone Like You, Starring Role).

On top of that the melody itself is not that creative. I highly doubt people are going to go back on these songs, there’s just no interestin factor besides the initial hype.

[sweetie 6,628]

Orange Trees is fresh and beautiful. The production is fantastic - that bass SLAPS. The background vocals are stunning. The chorus is so lush and catchy. 

 

It's a grower. Y'all wait and see. 

 

[Zetterberg 1,879]

Orange Trees is fresh and beautiful. The production is fantastic - that bass SLAPS. The background vocals are stunning. The chorus is so lush and catchy. 

 

It's a grower. Y'all wait and see. 

 

 

https://i.imgur.com/YYyGZqV.gif

[cherryblossoms 10,431]

This album is her Lust for Life

[Off To The Races 2010 demo pls 19,336]

This album is her Lust for Life

well, we know LFL is her worst album but it had Heroin, so Marina's best song is coming

[WildMustang 14,771]

Oranges Tree's verses give me such a Justin Bieber vibe, I dont even know why

[deepseafishing 2,115]

well, we know LFL is her worst album but it had Heroin, so Marina's best song is coming

fantastic point....i'm waiting for it miss marina.

[OverYourHead 6,278]

Gays really getting butthurt over this album. Grow up.

[Flowerbomb 65,595]

Gays really getting butthurt over this album. Grow up.

 

It's called having an opinion. Grow up.

[Off To The Races 2010 demo pls 19,336]

anyways

 

leak handmade heaven demo

[SparkleJumpropeNoose 8,750]

My unwanted thots on the singles: I REALLY hate Baby, Handmade Heaven is good, I deadass never fully listened to Superstar, but Orange Trees might be worse than Superstar somehow for me now that I'm gonna finish listening to Superstar

[Veinsineon 77,727]

Orange Trees is fresh and beautiful. The production is fantastic - that bass SLAPS. The background vocals are stunning. The chorus is so lush and catchy. 

 

It's a grower. Y'all wait and see. 

 

 

Let them know.

These tasteless bitches will soon enough love it

 

[Off To The Races 2010 demo pls 19,336]

Handmade Heaven

 

Lyrics: 8/10

Production: 11/10

Vocals: 10/10

Cover: 6/10

Music Video: 8/10

 

Superstar:

 

Lyrics: 6/10

Production: 7/10

Vocals: 9/10

Cover: 9/10

 

Baby:

 

Lyrics: 8/10

Production: 9/10

Vocals: 9/10

Cover: idk

Music Video: 10/10

 

Orange Trees:

 

Lyrics: 7/10

Production: 5/10

Vocals: 8/10

Music Video: 8/10

[Charlottexseax 8,012]

/

 

There are much more interesting things to take into account than covers, e.g. melodies... after all covers and mvs fall into the same category of visuals. But anyway a 7/10 for OT?? When you give a mark you should establish an example with 10/10 characteristics and one with 0/10. These hold no water

For example, 10/10 might be Froot, and compared to that none of them reach Froot’s level.

A 10/10 production might be Primadonna or Lies, and they are nowhere near as carefully crafted as that

 

These marks should not exist in a vacuum but should have some sort of comparability (is that even a word) to the rest of her discography

[I Come In Peace 3,478]

Superstar should have been a sweet-soft ballad in terms of production

[Dynamite State 1,127]

Does anyone have an alt cover for Love + Fear? All of the songs are really colourful to me, black & white doesn’t fit the mood of the songs.