M.I.A. - Paper Planes

M.I.A. has made a video for Paper Planes and has found the song hitting roadblocks with the censors. Apparently, the gunshots used in the chorus are too much for America to handle and the meaning of the song has been convoluted into a pro-violence mantra - which is all too ironic.

M.I.A. performed the song on Letterman and during the middle of her performance, realized that the gunshots had been "censored". Watch the performance on YouTube. It is obvious that she was unaware of the change from her earlier sound check because she turns her head to the DJ during the first chorus as if to inquire about what was going on. MTV also joined in on the skewing of ideals by censoring out the gunshots in the official version of the video as well. She responded to it all on her official MySpace blog.

More

• M.I.A. Official Website
• Arular album review at All Music

Related

• M.I.A. on the Asian Pacific Post

Check Out This Music

If you like sampling new music, have a gander through my suggestions below. All music has value to me and on paper, songs are just bars and notes. Most of the time the production makes an album and that is what truly creates the idea of what the songs are personally. Whether arranged for live performance or for over-indulgence in the studio, production is the expression of the musical artist while song writing is the source.

Generally I will give an album four spins before establishing an opinion and most times this method has kept me from disregarding music by mistake. New music is like a new haircut in that it deserves the time for the newness to wear off on you before you can truly decide if you like it or not.

• Beirut - Flying Cup Club (website | iTunes)
• Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre (website | iTunes)
• Bruce Springsteen - Magic (website | iTunes)
• KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic (website | iTunes)
• M.I.A. - Kala (website | iTunes)
• Bat For Lashes - Fur & Gold (website | iTunes)
• Tegan & Sara - The Con (website | iTunes)

A Week of Fantastic Music

Last week was an overdose of live music that I thoroughly enjoyed. Starting off the week, I shook my thang with M.I.A. at Hogg Auditorium on UT campus and then parked it at Stubb's on Tuesday and Wednesday for Regina Spektor and Tegan & Sara.

I have spent such significant time and money at concerts that I have started to contemplate which career move would subsidize my love of music. Until that happens though, you can read about my concert experiences here - as an amateur.

Tegan & Sara @ Stubb's BBQ, 7 Nov 2007, Austin, TX

I am a recent disciple of their music though I've heard their name and have had other friends recommend them for years. I am disappointed that I didn't pick up an album sooner.

They opened the show with Dark Come Soon and finished with a three-set encore which included Rihanna's Umbrella. Covering Umbrella solidified their greatness in my heart and head.

View the Images
View the Videos

Regina Spektor @ Stubb's BBQ, 7 Nov 2007, Austin, TX

Usually I am irritated when I turn up at a concert and the artist performs an entire acoustic set. It tends to be boring and monotonous to the point of demystifying how seven notes can create millions of different songs. But Regina was an exception and she held my interest as she softly walked the audience through the musical manifestations of her brain.

Regina Spektor's music is interesting and "alternative' in how it is written and performed on the recorded CD. She uses her voice in a stylistic and somewhat quirky way that is fast becoming her trademark. When you hear her music live, it takes on a new layer of interesting and, yet, the songs sound more conventional and straight forward.

View the Images
View the Videos

M.I.A. @ Hogg Auditorium, 7 Nov 2007, Austin, TX

M.I.A.'s stage show leaves something to be desired and I think she should go by way of Bjork and produce her sound live. With only a single DJ, there was man power to play MP3s of her music minus the vocals, layered with sounds of gunshots and other politically influenced noise controlled by said DJ. The output is great like her albums, but the argument here is really about expectations and necessities around a live show's energy.

M.I.A. consistently moved about the stage and worked every minute of the show to get the fans involved and dancing. Hogg auditorium presented its own challenges as well by having irremovable seating in the floor area. Like a true professional, M.I.A. made due and improvised by bringing everyone up to the stage for a song or two instead.

Overall, M.I.A. was excellent and the concert was mash-up.

View the Images
View the Videos