mikesweeney

Starting out the 2010s as a cinematic, unconventional indie pop singer shrouded in vintage enigmas, Lana Del Rey finishes up the decade with her most down-to-earth, literal release. Del Rey's first three major label studio albums: 'Born to Die', 'Ultraviolence', and 'Honeymoon', were largely introspective but melodramatic and movie-like. They had a timeless sound that made Del Rey a persona of a woman in the eyes of her audience, and ultimately, her signature style has made her one of the ... read more

Heartbreaking and riveting, 'MAGDALENE' is the product of a revolutionary at her best. Following a high-profile break-up and a surgery that removed painful fibroid tumors from her uterus in 2017, we find FKA twigs rebuilding herself from utter physical and emotional dismantling on 'MAGDALENE'. Album opener "Thousand Eyes" is a five-minute hymn of an introduction to the album, with FKA twigs singing about how it feels to be completely exposed when the world is watching you: "If I ... read more

Dropping "And The Diamonds" from her stage name, 'Love + Fear' also seems to drop everything that once made this popstar special. Ten years before the release of 'Love + Fear', Diamandis was just starting out, releasing singles from what would then become her debut album 'The Family Jewels'. "Oh my God! You look just like Shakira; no, no, you're Catherine Zeta! Actually, my name's Marina", Diamandis teased in a smug, sarcastic tone on 2010 breakout single ... read more

Five and a half years after previous studio album 'Lotus', 'Liberation' is a monumental comeback from the 2000s child star-turned-pop diva. Always seemingly ahead of her time, Aguilera's "Can't Hold Us Down", released in 2002, was a R&B/hip hop feminist anthem featuring Lil' Kim that mirrors lyrical and sonic content of pop songs being released today. At the time, the song grew harsh criticisms from music reviewers for its lyrical content and sound. Aguilera's 2010 studio album, ... read more