best of ?Reinvention's Sticky & Sweet Top 25 | #1

[Bubble Tea]

7. Close Your Eyes
- Kim Petras

 

I never knew that Halloween-themed pop was something I truly needed but the second it arrived it made perfect sense - we all love "dark" pop with growling, sexy voices, haunting lyrics and spooky, ominous pounding synth bass. So when Kim launched the TURN OFF THE LIGHT, PT. 1 EP out of nowhere was wig was ripped CLEAN off my scalp leaving my follicles, raw, damaged and bloody. It's just that good. Now I know it's a CATASTROPHE to stan Kim's music because the production is Dr Luke's and we all KNOW he is trash (already elaborated on Kim/Like at #15), BUT despite her questionable judgement I am a fan of her voice, persona and the final music quality which is BOMB.

 

"Close Your Eyes" is the first proper track after a 1:39 lengthed intro that builds up hype for this smash song to eventually LAUNCH into action, and that it does. For me it's the crowning jewel of the EP cause it's just such a good pop track, but I'd HAPPILY hear opinions that other songs are the best cause the facts are they're all so damn good. 

 

If you appreciate good EDM - this EP is what you need to listen to, from start to finish. It's very cohesive and conceptual. I love that "Close Your Eyes" leads into the thudding, stompy beat of interlude-track "TRANSylvania" which is both perfectly named and perfectly sounding.

[Legend E]

I still have to listen to her  

[lhdang2000]

I keep forgetting to listen to her. 

ATRL hypes her a lot tho, so maybe she does serve some gay bops. 

[Bubble Tea]

6. Shallow
- Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

 

I mean, how could this not be on my list of best songs of 2018? It's somewhat undeniable. It's incredible for so many reasons - an original song, lead vocals from a well-established actor who has never sung professionally before, a completely new sound for Lady Gaga, unlike anything trendy at the time of release. Plus the way it's presented within such a phenomenal film - ugh everyone who worked on that film's minds!! It was just a perfect recipe and it's such a heartfelt, gut-deep kinda song that punches you in the gut and makes you feel something.

 

It was a timely reminder that Lady Gaga will NEVER be a flash in a pan artist because she is not a fad and not a gimmick, she's an ENORMOUSLY talented artist that has mastery over so many types of art that it does make A LOT of people very mad. How can this woman sing, write, act, perform, dance, help run a charitable foundation, tour and take on enormous projects like the Super Bowl and the a Hollywood film while managing a pop star career? And how dare she occasionally be proud of and acknowledge her own talent that she has spent her entire life perfecting? It gets a lot of people shook. Oh - and on top of all that, she's also a fashion LEGEND and is happy to wear haute couture, as well as jeans and a cowboy hat, and then occasionally outlandish meat and bubble dresses. She can do it all.  

 

"Shallow" is THAT song and A Star is Born is THAT film, undeniably as a result of Gaga's involvement in the film. Like Madonna with Evita, Gaga also managed to win over a whole new audience of naysayers and doubters that dared to question her authenticity and her talent. Once again, Gaga reminded the world that she is that bitch.

[potent]

Shallow is amazing  I really didn't expect something so great from Gaga this year!

[Bxtch]

Girl Of The Year and Close Your Eyes  two of the best pop tracks of the year 

[TheWayWeWere]

I don't really care about Kim except for Heart to Break

Shallow almost top 5  this song is everything  I need Blu-ray NOW

[Bloodflowers.]

On 12/16/2018 at 7:32 AM, Reinvention said:

15. In The Next Life / Boo! Bitch!
- Kim Petras

 

These are actually two tracks that I've decided to combine because "Boo! Bitch!" flows so directly on from "In The Next Life" and I CBF writing about "Boo! Bitch!" alone but it is SUCH a smash EP outtro that it deserves to be on my top 25. So these two tracks are both from Kim Petras' Halloween-themed EP titled TURN OFF THE LIGHT, VOL. 1 and it is BRIMMING with absolute jams. The downside of my stanning is that all of Kim Petras' stuff (except her latest Cheat Codes collab) is produced by Dr. Luke aka. hideous producer with a well-documented terrible attitude, known for his alleged (but let's be real probable) raping of Kesha, and more recently being sued by his other prodigy Becky G for forcing her to promote his bottled water line without payment. Not to mention Kelly Clarkson and P!nk have both spoken out against his character. However despite all of this, and his bullying of Kesha and mocking her figure, many people still for some reason side with Luke and I guess it ultimately comes down to not liking Kesha so choosing to believe she is a liar rather than objectively looking at the facts and thinking about what is more likely.

 

So the moral of that story - he is absolute trash and I HATE him. HOWEVER - I am a damn sucker for a sexy female voice over a fantastic sparkly synth-rich production, and that is what Kim consistently has served time after time after time. "In The Next Life" is a fantastic smash bop and I LOVE how it's sung both in English and Kim's native language, German. It just goes off. I swear if I was drunk in a club and this bop went off I would be POUNDING the floor absolutely losing my ****. 

 

Then, just as the song wraps up, or so you think, "Boo! Bitch!" BLASTS serving the world's most infectious beat, littered with Kim's trademark "woo-ah"s and serves as a brilliant outtro for both "In The Next Life" and the EP as a whole.

 

I couldn't recommend this EP more highly - check it out.

 

On 12/18/2018 at 7:45 AM, Reinvention said:

 

13. Mariners Apartment Complex
- Lana Del Rey

 

After absolutely stanning Lana in her hey-day and OBSESSING over the album Ultraviolence (*insert memories of me driving around alone at night in Hokkaido, Japan, crying here*) then I found both Honeymoon and Lust for Life a bit of a snooze and I kinda checked out from what she was up to.... UNTIL suddenly one day I felt a strong wind in the air, and suddenly an enormous gust picked up and snatched my wig FRESH from my scalp - and yes, that triumphant gust was Lana's return to form on legendary track "Mariners Apartment Complex."

 

I think it's a very sophisticated song - it tells a story, it's weirdly location specific, it paints an image of the character's involved in the song's love story and I love the way the song rises and falls between verse and chorus. Plus the lengthy piano intro is very theatrical and the way it leads into the gentle guitar strums ugh - it really just reminds me that music is art, not just disposable sounds for gays to bop to. People actually spend a lot of work making sure these songs sound nice and have pleasant melodies and lyrics - and yet we give our faves so little credit for our gurls and their artistry. I guess some people who claim undeserved songwriting credits or aren't particularly involved in the production of their music give the rest of the gurls a bad name. (I think it's fine to have songwriters - god knows not every amazing songwriter can also have a stunning voice, but just be honest about it - from both sides.)

 

Anyway - Lana won me back, and then she also released "Venice Bitch" which I love (but isn't on my top 25 sadly, but definitely would've made my top 50). 

 

On 12/23/2018 at 4:05 AM, Reinvention said:

7. Close Your Eyes
- Kim Petras

 

I never knew that Halloween-themed pop was something I truly needed but the second it arrived it made perfect sense - we all love "dark" pop with growling, sexy voices, haunting lyrics and spooky, ominous pounding synth bass. So when Kim launched the TURN OFF THE LIGHT, PT. 1 EP out of nowhere was wig was ripped CLEAN off my scalp leaving my follicles, raw, damaged and bloody. It's just that good. Now I know it's a CATASTROPHE to stan Kim's music because the production is Dr Luke's and we all KNOW he is trash (already elaborated on Kim/Like at #15), BUT despite her questionable judgement I am a fan of her voice, persona and the final music quality which is BOMB.

 

"Close Your Eyes" is the first proper track after a 1:39 lengthed intro that builds up hype for this smash song to eventually LAUNCH into action, and that it does. For me it's the crowning jewel of the EP cause it's just such a good pop track, but I'd HAPPILY hear opinions that other songs are the best cause the facts are they're all so damn good. 

 

If you appreciate good EDM - this EP is what you need to listen to, from start to finish. It's very cohesive and conceptual. I love that "Close Your Eyes" leads into the thudding, stompy beat of interlude-track "TRANSylvania" which is both perfectly named and perfectly sounding.

 

On 12/24/2018 at 2:25 PM, Reinvention said:

6. Shallow
- Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

 

I mean, how could this not be on my list of best songs of 2018? It's somewhat undeniable. It's incredible for so many reasons - an original song, lead vocals from a well-established actor who has never sung professionally before, a completely new sound for Lady Gaga, unlike anything trendy at the time of release. Plus the way it's presented within such a phenomenal film - ugh everyone who worked on that film's minds!! It was just a perfect recipe and it's such a heartfelt, gut-deep kinda song that punches you in the gut and makes you feel something.

 

It was a timely reminder that Lady Gaga will NEVER be a flash in a pan artist because she is not a fad and not a gimmick, she's an ENORMOUSLY talented artist that has mastery over so many types of art that it does make A LOT of people very mad. How can this woman sing, write, act, perform, dance, help run a charitable foundation, tour and take on enormous projects like the Super Bowl and the a Hollywood film while managing a pop star career? And how dare she occasionally be proud of and acknowledge her own talent that she has spent her entire life perfecting? It gets a lot of people shook. Oh - and on top of all that, she's also a fashion LEGEND and is happy to wear haute couture, as well as jeans and a cowboy hat, and then occasionally outlandish meat and bubble dresses. She can do it all.  

 

"Shallow" is THAT song and A Star is Born is THAT film, undeniably as a result of Gaga's involvement in the film. Like Madonna with Evita, Gaga also managed to win over a whole new audience of naysayers and doubters that dared to question her authenticity and her talent. Once again, Gaga reminded the world that she is that bitch.

y'all smell that? I love the perfume of TASTE Ms. Reinvention is wearing

 

[Green]

Shallow is fantastic. One of the best songs of Gaga's career   

 

Also Bradley Cooper as a singer was a nice surprise. I didn't know he could sing that well.

[MP2K]

Ashamed to say this but I somehow managed to escape from hearing Shallow, ever. Not on purpose but yeah...never heard it. I'm waiting on a friend to take me to this movies firsts ?

[Legend E]

whew the essay about Ms. TABS  

 

Shallow is amazing. She and Bradley did that.

[Jet]

Shallow is a cute girl  

[collin]

I like some of Kim's stuff but not really the Halloween EP  

Shallow  

[touch]

8 hours ago, AvrilLaQueen said:

"Shallow" is THAT song and A Star is Born is THAT film, undeniably as a result of Gaga's involvement in the film. Like Madonna with Evita, Gaga also managed to win over a whole new audience of naysayers and doubters that dared to question her authenticity and her talent. Once again, Gaga reminded the world that she is that bitch.

I FELT THAT Also Bradley's voice sounds so good. 

[Temporal]

Totally agree with what you said about In The Next Life, the German bit is just

Shallow is nice, but I've never *loved* it, that may be because I haven't seen ASIB  

[Bubble Tea]

5. no tears left to cry
- Ariana Grande

 

Starting off my top 5 is with one of the year's most memorable, catchy and truly iconic bops - "no tears left to cry". I know I was waiting very eagerly to see what the first song from Ari would be post-Manchester bombing. That event was extremely horrific - I remember I was a little late to hear about it cause the day it happened I was extremely busy at work, and when I finally found out it was like a PUNCH in the gut. Holy hell - WHO is attacking my own personal place of worship, pop music and a pop concert? I think for many ATRLers, little else is as exciting as the opportunity to witness a monolithic concert performed by our faves where months (or years!) of rehearsals, costumes and staging have gone into create the best visual delights imaginable.

 

These Ariana fans entered this concert expecting to let loose, feel free and enjoy one of the hottest, most popular pop stars of the moment. And we know the opposite of that happened, with many losing their lives, more injured and thousands left terrified that they had been so close to such a traumatising event. It was just really sick and felt like a personal attack - and of course I couldn't help but think "AN ARIANA CONCERT!" The majority of the audience would be so young, so excited and losing their minds over seeing such a prominent, influential celebrity. I hate that their experience was so butchered.

 

When this song was announced I was definitely expecting some kind of ballad about heartbreak and what-not, but I am so glad that she decided not to go with the "this is so sad and evil" route and she took the ultimate high road and classily announced to the world "this won't keep me down any longer - we are stronger than any evil in the world! We will keep living our lives and being happy!" And I love that Ari managed to send that message so nicely, as it is a fine line between respecting the victims and sending a big F-you to the perpetrators. 

 

The song clearly implies she has been very sad, but now she's sick of being sad - exhausted from it. It's time to move forward from sadness, "picking it up" and moving on. And on top of that - it's an infectious bop with a phenomenal video. She snapped!

[Lazuli]

Shallow and NTLTC better SLAY  

[Alldeezy]

NTLTC

[-mUsIcLoVeR-]

Right now I'm in a state of miiiiinnnnnnd   A euphoric chorus  

[Legend E]

NTLTC  

[oceans]

NTLTC such a good song

[TheWayWeWere]

NTLTC in top 5 whew, TASTE, one of the best pop comeback single in a while

[lhdang2000]

NTLTC is so different that I initially thought it'd be. 

I don't mind tho. 

 

Shallow is good, i just don't think it's as excellent as everyone thought.  

 

[Remmy]

Girl of the Year, Close Your Eyes and no tears left to cry WHEW! We love gay bops!!!  Shallow slays of course

[madonnas]

Close Your Eyes is def not my fave from the petras album, but it knocks.

Glad you gave NTLTC props, it really should have been given more credit when it was released!!!! I think she handled the situation perfectly.