It took the full album leak to hear where M.I.A. went with her third album, /\/\/\Y/\, because the first tracks we heard were so different: the aggressive, Suicide-sampling “Born Free,” the luxe Europop of “XXXO,” the industrial grind of “Steppin’ Up“,” the playful club track, “Teqkilla.” It was true of her second album, Kala, (listen to “Boyz,” “Jimmy,” and “Paper Planes,” and decide what M.I.A. “sounds like”). This is what we love about M.I.A., seeing her make those leaps and landing, however unsteadily, right on the mark. So you expect a collage of styles and genres, political potshots and anti-corporate sloganeering. But what you don’t expect from M.I.A. is an album as muddy as this. The pre-album buzz focused on her politics and authenticity. And on /\/\/\Y/\, the way she explores and addresses both are sharp as ever. Unfortunately, the songs don’t match.
M.I.A. thrives under constraint; Arular was ingenious and self-confident despite a lack of money and her relative obscurity, while Kala was the wonderfully messy result of an invalid travel visa. The resources available to her this time around — producers itching to work with her, a personal studio at her disposal, designers and artists ready to execute her vision — have taken care of those constraints. But this master adapter had to then adapt to her freedom, either finding new problems or inventing them. The first, major one that forms the backbone: the Internet. Opener “The Message” sets the stage with the sound of a clacking keyboard and a clumsy mantra: “iPhone connected to the internet connected to the Google connected to the government.” It is less a song than an idea, a proof of concept. That happens a few times on /\/\/\Y/\. On “XXXO,” connectivity takes a more personal turn, because her lover’s “….tweetin’ me like a tweety bird.” (With his iPhone, naturally.) “My lines are down,” she sings during closer “Space” (released, in a different form, as “Space Odyssey“). Here she sounds dreamy and relaxed, either relieved to be rid of the nightmare of communication, or simply glad she doesn’t have to listen to anyone else talk. It’s easy to see why she’s become a bit of a conspiracy theorist. The New York Times made her new residence in L.A. sound more like a compound than a home. The record that emerged from that luxury walled fortress reflects a paranoia bred by isolation and high-speed connectivity.
She’s got a love/hate relationship with these connections. “I got something to say,” she declares on “Born Free.” But though she’s saying something, it’s never clear what that thing is, or who it’s directed against, or what exactly the song’s controversial agitprop video is suggesting about whoever it is that’s doing the thing, whatever it is, she doesn’t like. The nursery rhyme-esque “Story To Be Told,” which begins with a plane taking off (or missiles launched, who knows), and a bit of false modesty: “All I ever wanted was my story to be told.” And though she wants to blame YouTube for not getting her message through, sometimes she doesn’t seem to know what she wants to do with her platform. Listen to “Tekqkilla,” a less serious, alcohol brand-dropping dance track, and you’ll struggle to hear what she’s saying at all. As with the rest of the album, her voice is buried in the mix, becoming part of the song’s sound collage and reflecting an uncharacteristic lack of confidence. For all its obscurity, this may be the record’s most revealing moment. Miller’s contribution “Meds + Feds” began as a Sleigh Bells demo, and contains the album’s theme she mentioned in a Rolling Stone review, the “digital ruckus” she wants to create. You get the feeling she’s disappearing behind smoke bombs. “Lovalot,” the suicide-bomber-inspired love story wrapped in politics, is far more focused, the samples and beat retreating to give her some space. It’s one of the better tracks on /\/\/\Y/\.
It’s perhaps unfair to view every song through the lens of M.I.A.’s money, what she ordered off the menu, or her struggle with her own authenticity. But just taking what she says on /\/\/\Y/\, it’s obvious that she’s thought about it, way more than you have, and she has trouble with it, too. “It Iz What It Iz” sounds as exhausted as its title. “They all got issues, but I got a bit more. I put it in boxes and I put it in a store. I have you really like I can do you some more” and her voice sounding tired. Arulpragasam’s made clear that she wants the platform of a huge pop star, but she’s also made clear that even she wouldn’t know quite what to do with it. That goes for the songs as well.
She’s pooled some of the best producers here: Diplo, Blaqstarr, Rusko, Switch. The best M.I.A. songs, at their core, are a mix of strident and dull, a chaotic, worldsmart college backing her serious deadpan. It’s hard to put a finger on just one thing, but there’s something flat and undifferentiated about the record, though it teases and tests different genres across its dozen tracks. One of album’s best tracks “It Takes A Muscle,” (produced by Diplo, a partial cover of Spectral Display’s single of the same name), has Arulpragasam singing “It takes a muscle to fall in love,” over soft pop reggae. Any pop star of the last 30 years could have written and sung that line (and, you know, someone did). But when it comes out of M.I.A’s mouth, suddenly it sounds surprising. We get only glimpses of M.I.A. the unapologetic pop star, and they’re more convincing than anyone would have expected five years ago. But she hasn’t convinced herself yet.
/\/\/\Y/\ is out 7/13.
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“meds + feds” did not used to be a sleigh bells demo…it samples miller’s riff from sleigh bells’ “treats,” which is on the sleigh bells album.
“It’s perhaps unfair to view every song through the lens of M.I.A.’s money, what she ordered off the menu, or her struggle with her own authenticity.”
Hey Stereogum, guess who’s phone number’s going to be posted on twitter?
pretty sure this album is shit.
XXXO is best song by far….not alot else to get excited about….the goose is cooked.
I’m surprised she doesn’t have a song called 30 Dollar on this album.
I think this is the first ever Premature Evaluation I’ve read that expresses mostly negative sentiment.
You forgot this one: http://stereogum.com/8381/premature_evaluation_tapes_n_tapes_-_walk_it_off/franchises/premature-evaluation/
And a bunch o’ others.
Oh, I didn’t need to go that far back: http://stereogum.com/344482/premature-evaluation-the-hold-steady-heaven-is-whenever/franchises/premature-evaluation/
Fair enough; you guys have been doing PE pretty consistently for over three years, so it’s very likely I haven’t read a good number of them, positive and negative.
No worries. Just wanted to make sure you knew about our curmudgeonly side(s)…
I remember that one well because there were Tapes N’ Tapes banner ads all over the site that day!
Also: http://stereogum.com/53531/premature_evaluation_u2_no_line_on_the_horizon/franchises/premature-evaluation/ posted shortly after we were allegedly purchased by Interscope
I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get past the lazy pile of diarrhea that is that cover art.
no shit. did she let some retarded blind kid play with her photoshop? fucking horrible.
The cover art makes me want to puke. The songs make me want to plug my ears. Gosh, its just terrible.
Oh My God. Rollngstone gave this album 4 stars! Are you kidding me rollingstone.
Agree with the evaluation after hearing a leak this weekend. There is just nothing there that grabs you like her first two records. Some great moments, mostly lyrically but musically the album is all over the place and kind of a mess. Granted, the version I heard was no high quality but still, nothing made me want to rush out and spend money on this album. I admire that she’s doing something really different but it feels like way to much happening to zone in on an overlapping theme, feeling or concept. I loved the line in the write-up “But though she’s saying something, it’s never clear what that thing is, or who it’s directed against, or what exactly the song’s controversial agitprop video is suggesting about whoever it is that’s doing the thing, whatever it is, she doesn’t like.” That pretty much sums up my opinion of M.I.A. at this point.
I’m afraid that people who know little about her,or from “Paper Planes”,but anyone who’s heard the first two albums,and then the tracks leaked from her new album,knows she’s being truly adventurous with this new outing.
XXXO is bloody amazing,and perhaps one of the best mixed I’ve heard,ever.
And Teqkila,despite her incoherent mumbling and the general noisiness of the track,is hellishly catchy and alive.The sad thing is that her nonsensical comments and general idiocy when it comes to interviews will greatly outshadow the album..
Nikolai, you are the first person I’ve seen say anything positive about Teqkilla! I think that if you like Sleigh Bells than you’ll probably like Teqkilla too. And if you like Peaches than you’ll love Teqkilla because when I hear those snares and squelchy bass lines all I can think of is Miss Piggy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aGTNS13SDU
This album is a big bummer. Half the songs are slow, plodding, and uninteresting, while the other half are noisy messes that are borderline unlistenable. Born Free and the non chorus parts of XXXO are good, though.
I miss the old “Arular” M.I.A. with the bangin’ beats and jungle flow. Not even the Diplo-produced stuff on this new record is remotely danceable.
Weird. This is the only board I frequent where the majority seem to dislike it. Personally, I like it. About 3/4ths of it I like a lot. Arular>/\/\/\Y/\>Kala, imo.
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This album is fantastic in my opinion.
Its rambunctious as hell, it follows a pretty fluid anti-technology theme. I mean its her being playful as hell while ranting about the issues (atleast the issues as intepreted by Maya). Its tongue in cheek too.
I’ve listened over 20 times and Im not tired of it. This is goooood. I wouldn’t rank it against her other albums but this holds its weight.
Maybe its a pitchfork review away from convincing you folks.
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14434-y/
That’s gonna convince quite a few people, I’m sure. They tear her to shreds.
well then.
That didn’t help much
:-/
This album is so amazing it’s amazing that it’s that amazing. Why? Because M.I.A as an artist just created a new piece or work and like most great art it uniquely evokes many different emotions in any listener. It’s not “noisy-ness” your hearing, thats creativity. In case you couldn’t hear it, I suggest adding headphones. I agree the album flows in different directions, but isn’t that better than every song sounding the same? Like lets say Lady Gaga’s album. (don’t be mad at me pop girls and homosexual men) Her rebellious lyrics and rapping/singing style could never be copied and done as well as she does it. It reminds me of writers like Jim Morrison or Bob Dylan both whom (if you’ve ever listened to either of these great musicians, you would know) never cared what the status-quo thought about their lyrics regardless of how crazy they may be. (on one of Bob Dylan’s I can’t understand one word he’s saying, but i like it.) To say that it’s not danceable is insane. Some of the best dance producers/dj’s worked on this album and I think they may be a little offended. Think about this. You might just not know how to dance. Smart Dj’s and rappers will be remixing and using these songs for the rest of the summer so get ready. All I’m saying is, how can you call this album a disappointment it’s well produced, rebellious, creative, and unique. I wonder what pitchfork’s saying about this album? Just sayin.
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14434-y/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Thats what they’re saying.
I’m almost positive this is a joke.
Album is pretty bad and a huge disappointment. I guess I was expecting too much after her first two albums. Anybody know when the new Major Lazer album is coming?
Does anyone else find it funny that Stereogum is completely covered in ads for this album?
Stereogum or Pitchfork don’t deserve any credit for those reviews. they’re just talking shit out of their asses. Rob Sheffield wrote a review for Rolling Stone about this album and like it or not, Rob Sheffield knows what he’s talking about. Stereogum and Pitchfork are both blogs, nothing more than that, they have no intelectual value. Even if the album sucked, americans can’t criticize her.
Rolling Stone is a terrible source for reviews.
“Even if the album sucked, americans can’t criticize her.”
wait what?
USA
“Even if the album sucked, americans can’t criticize her.”
This has to be the most insane closing sentence ever.
Also check out Rob Sheffield’s wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Sheffield
“Rob Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is a horrible excuse for an American music journalist and author. He somehow is currently a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, writing brown-nosing, hip-hop-slanted music reviews and assorted ranting drivel on pop culture with tendencies to insert awkwardly-placed confessions of his pot-smoking tendencies in an attempt to connect to younger demographics he has long since been a part of. Prior to that, he was a contributing editor at Blender before the print version of the magazine folded in 2009, and at Spin Magazine. His work has also been featured in Mutants Weekly. A native of Boston, Sheffield attended a Comicon convention and the University of DC Comics.”