Descubriendo a HALSEY VIII The Great Impersonator

En principio no es mi rollo musical ni de lejos, pero sin duda es la artista o artisto que más me ha llamado la atención dentro de este nuevo pop electrónico....

Y aunque no sea mi rollo, repito, tengo la certeza de que cuando un artista determinado me hace el "click", es porque tiene algo....

Además, si otros foreros rockers pro como Borope han abierto hilos para sus idolatradas Taylor Swift y compañía, yo no voy a quedarme con las ganas.

Solamente conozco los temas del último disco Manic, pero, para hacer bien la retrospectiva, sugiero que empezemos por el principio, y avancemos cronológicamente...........¿de acuerdo?

Y el principio es un EP de finales del año 2014, llamado Room 93, donde aparecen estos temas...

1-Is there somewhere
2-Ghost
3-Hurricane
4-Empty Gold
5-Trouble

Y su primer single/video es Ghost

Estoy aprendiendo que Halsey compone sus temas, y desde sus inicios los defiende prefectamente en versión desenchufada, como la de la misma canción anterior Ghost......



I'm searching for something that I can't reach
I don't like them innocent
I don't want no face fresh
Want them wearing leather
Begging, let me be your taste test
I like the sad eyes, bad guys
Mouth full of white lies
Kiss me in the corridor
But quick to tell me goodbye
You say that you're no good for me
'Cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve
And I swear I hate you when you leave
I like it anyway
My ghost
Where'd you go?
I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me
My ghost
Where'd you go?
What happened to the soul you used to be?
You're a Rolling Stone boy
Never sleep alone boy
Got a million numbers
And they're filling up your phone, boy
I'm off the deep end, sleeping
All night through the weekend
Saying that I love him but
I know I'm gonna leave him
You say that you're no good for me
'Cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve
And I swear I hate you when you leave
I like it anyway
My ghost
Where'd you go?
I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me
My ghost
Where'd you go?
What happened to the soul that you used to be
I'm searching for something that I can't reach
My ghost
Where'd you go?
I can't find you in the body sleeping next to me
My ghost
Where'd you go?
What happened to the soul that you used to be

Una característica de los tiempos recientes es que, si un/a artista lo peta desde el principio, como Halsey, seguro que todas sus canciones tendrán versión en video, y algunas de ellas podrán tener muchas versiones, la original, la unplugged, la lyrics, la presentación en late show, la de festivales tipo MTV Awards, como veremos más adelante.

Ahora sigamos con los temas del primer EP Room 93, y llega un huracán arrasando con todo...



There's a place way down in Bed-Stuy,
Where a boy lives behind bricks,
He's got an eye for girls of eighteen,
And he turns them out like tricks

I went down to a place in Bed-Stuy,
A little liquor on my lips
I let him climb inside my body
And held him captive in my kiss

And there's a storm you're starting now
And there's a storm you're starting now
And there's a storm you're starting

I'm a wanderess
I'm a one night stand
Don't belong to no city
Don't belong to no man
I'm the violence in the pouring rain
I'm a hurricane
Ha ah ah ha ah ah ah
I'm a hurricane
Ha ah ah ha ah ah ah
I'm a hurricane

I went down to a place in Brooklyn
Where you tripped on LSD
And I found myself reminded
To keep you far away from me

And there's a storm you're starting now
And there's a storm you're starting now
And there's a storm you're starting

I'm a wanderess
I'm a one night stand
Don't belong to no city
Don't belong to no man
I'm the violence in the pouring rain
I'm a hurricane
Ha ah ah ha ah ah ah
I'm a hurricane
Ha ah ah ha ah ah ah
I'm a hurricane

He says, "Oh, baby, beggin' you to save me.
Well, lately I like 'em crazy.
Oh, and baby, you could devastate me.
Little lady, come and fade me."

I'm a wanderess
I'm a one night stand
Don't belong to no city
Don't belong to no man
I'm the violence in the pouring rain

Come and fade me
Come and fade me
I'm a hurricane

Al igual que con Ghost, también Hurricane tiene su versión stripped o desnuda.

Plugged o unplugged, Halsey fue una debutante con gran magentismo...



Los temas de las canciones hasta ahora, son los propios de la edad, aquí Halsey todavía no ha cumplido los 20, ya veremos como la veta socio-política va llegando posteriormente...

Pero toma empoderamiento....

I'm a wanderess
I'm a one night stand
Don't belong to no city
Don't belong to no man
I'm the violence in the pouring rain
I'm a hurricane


Una entrevista en la misma sesión del video anterior, de Vevo Discovery

Siguiendo con ese EP debut "Room 93" nos encontramos con otra joya, Trouble.

Estoy tratando de utilizar siempre videos oficiales con historia o imagen, pero en el caso de este tema parece que no se produjo ninguno.......Mejor! Sin la  distracción que producen las imágenes se puede apreciar mucho más la calidad de ese temazo que es Trouble.



con temática realtiva a las relaciones tóxicas, con violencia ejercida por una de las partes ("I bet you kiss your knuckles
Right before they touch my cheek")

Would you bleed for me?
Lick it off my lips like you needed me?
Would you sit me on a couch?
With your fingers in my mouth?
You look so cool when you're reading me

Let's cause a little trouble
Oh, you make me feel so weak
I bet you kiss your knuckles
Right before they touch my cheek

But I've got my mind, made up this time
'Cause there's a menace in my bed
Can you see his silhouette?
Can you see his silhouette?
Can you see his silhouette?
And I've got my mind, made up this time
Go on and light a cigarette, set a fire in my head
Set a fire in my head, tonight

Would you lie for me?
Cross your sorry heart and hope to die for me?
Would you pin me to a wall?
Would you beg or would you crawl?
Stick a needle in your hungry eyes for me?

Let's cause a little trouble
Oh, you make me feel so weak
I bet you kiss your knuckles
Right before they touch my cheek

But I've got my mind, made up this time
'Cause there's a menace in my bed
Can you see his silhouette?
Can you see his silhouette?
Can you see his silhouette?
And I've got my mind, made up this time
Go on and light a cigarette, set a fire in my head
Set a fire in my head, tonight

Don't forget me, don't forget me
I wouldn't leave you if you'd let me
Hmm, when you met me when you met me
You told me you were gonna get me

Don't forget me don't forget me
I wouldn't leave you if you'd

And I've got my mind, made up this time
'Cause there's a menace in my bed
Can you see his silhouette?
Can you see his silhouette?
Can you see his silhouette?
And I've got my mind, made up this time
Go on and light a cigarette, set a fire in my head
Set a fire in my head tonight, tonight, tonight
Set a fire in my head tonight

Si parece que al final hubo video oficial de Trouble, pero no apareció nunca.....

El caso es que solo se publicó un teaser, un anticipo..........pero años después, los fans seguían preguntando a Halsey en youtube ¿qué pasó con el video completo?

Han pasado 6 meses y todavía estamos en 2014, desgranando el EP con el que inició la brillante carrera de Halsey...

Hoy es el turno del tema con que inicia dicho EP, del cual no existe "official song video", pero si hay un video de un concierto en vivo de la época, que nos va de perlas para ver qué tal funcionaba en directo y.......¡menudo crowdsurfing!

Lo tiene, lo tiene...



You were dancing in your tube socks in our hotel room
Flashing those eyes like highway signs
Light one up and hand it over, rest your head upon my shoulder
I just wanna feel your lips against my skin

White sheets, bright lights, crooked teeth, and the nightlife
You told me this is right where it begins
But your lips hang heavy underneath me
And I promised myself I wouldn’t let you complete me

I’m trying not to let it show, that I don’t want to let this go
Is there somewhere you can meet me?
Cause I clutched your arms like stairway railings
And you clutched my brain and eased my ailing

You’re writing lines about me, romantic poetry
Your girl's got red in her cheeks
Cause we’re something she can’t see
And I try to refrain but you’re stuck in my brain
All I do is cry and complain, because second’s not the same

I’m sorry but I fell in love tonight
I didn't mean to fall in love tonight
You’re looking like you fell in love tonight
Could we pretend that we’re in love?

Empty Gold es el quinto tema y último que me faltaba citar de este primer EP de Halsey. Al igual que ocurrió con Trouble, también se publicó en Youtube un teaser de Empty Gold..........pero el video completo jamás ha aparecido.... y algun@s fans siguen preguntando por el mismo, 6 años después... (ver comentarios en youtube)

De todas formas, a pesar de ser parcial, ese minuto veinte es suficiente para quedar enganchado a ese fantástico estribillo tribal.....



I, I must confess
How hard I tried to breathe
Through the trees of loneliness.
You, you must confess
How hard you need to see
Through the heart beating out my chest.

Feel like we've been falling down
Like these autumn leaves.
But baby don't let Winter come,
Don't let our hearts freeze.

If the morning light don't steal our soul,
We will walk away from empty gold.

Dark as midnight sun,
Smoke as black as charcoal
Fills into our fragile lungs.
Cause when our demons come,
Dancing in the shadows,
To a game that can't be won.

Feel like we've been falling down
Like these autumn leaves.
But baby don't let Winter come,
Don't let our hearts freeze.

If the morning light don't steal our soul,
We will walk away from empty gold.
If the morning light don't steal our soul,
We will walk away from empty gold.

We're the underdogs in this world alone
I'm a believer, got a fever running through my bones.
We're the alley cats and they can throw their souls
They can brake our hearts, they won't take our souls.

We're the underdogs in this world alone
I'm a believer, got a fever running through my bones.
We're the alley cats and they can throw their souls
They can brake our hearts, they won't take our souls.

If the morning light don't steal our soul,
We will walk away from empty gold.
If the morning light don't steal our soul,
We will walk away from empty gold.
We will walk away from empty gold.

A falta de video oficial completo, siempre nos quedan los directos. Hay muchos oficiales de Halsey tanto en TV como en concierto, pero no de Empty Gold, tal vez porque Halsey dejó de interpretarlo tras el primer año...

Así que tiramos de video fan, un fan muy bien ubicado en la sala. Además su grabación permite revivir perfectamente el ambiente de aquellos clubs donde actuaba Halsey en sus inicios. ¡Y qué ambientazo! Podría decirse perfectamente que la audiencia co-interpreta la canción.



Qué mágico resulta ver a artistas en el momento de despegue, todavía en formato reducido....

Y hago hincapié en el video, porque........en el próximo video de Halsey en directo......veremos un salto sustancial en cuanto a audiencia.......y tan solo habrá transcurrido un breve espacio de tiempo entre ambos...

Tras el generoso repaso al primer EP "Room 93" editado en 2014, llega el momento del álbum debut, denominado BADLANDS, publicado el verano de 2015



Citando la wiki:
Badlands (stylized in all caps) is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Halsey. It was released on August 28, 2015 through Astralwerks.

The name "Badlands" refers to Halsey's state of mind while writing the album, to give a physical place as a metaphor for a desolate and lonely mind. Musically, the album is mainly rooted in electropop, dark pop, alternative pop, and synth-pop, and features industrial undertones.

According to Halsey, Badlands is a concept album focusing on the fictional dystopian society known as The Badlands. A desert wasteland surrounds the city, keeping the inhabitants of The Badlands captive.The album was inspired by post-apocalyptic films such as The Fifth Element. After writing the first few songs, Halsey realized the entire concept was a metaphor for her mental state. Halsey states she created the Badlands to escape from her real-life struggles. In her opinion, the metaphor was even with no escape, there is still hope there is somewhere else to go.

Halsey wrote every song on the album when she was 19, while production was handled by a number of producers.


Destacar lo de que Halsey es autora de todos los temas a sus 19 años....

Como teaser se publicó el siguiente trailer promocional....



Había pensado secuenciar los temas en el órden del álbum, pero he cambiado de opinión, y seguiré mejor el órden cronólogico de publicación, ya que hubo bastante adelanto de singles.....

Me parece interesante esta entrevista que le hacen para Billboard en un evento MTV, en los mismos dias de la publicación de Badlands......juventud y frescura

Me gusta mucho el último, esto es una estrella, la ultima hizo un wizink, hoy sería cabeza en cualquier festival del país.

Degu escribió:Me gusta mucho el último, esto es una estrella, la ultima hizo un wizink, hoy sería cabeza en cualquier festival del país.

Vaya, llevo un par de semanas intentando reemprender la secuencia histórica, apremiado por el nuevo lanzamiento que se viene y......ya no lo demoro más.....

Celebro que tengas tan buen gusto musical, todo y nuestras diferencias en el hilo del covid....

Voy a reprender la historia en 2015, tras su debut en EP el año anterior, ahora con el lanzamiento de su primer álbum BADLANDS.....

Inicialmente pensé en repasarlo siguiendo el orden del disco, pero creo que mejor será respetar el cronológico de apariciones, teniendo en cuenta que hubo singles de adelanto.....

Y el primer single fue una nueva versión de un tema ya aparecido en el primer EP, Ghosts, con un nuevo video con sugerente ambiente nipón.....

The album was preceded by the release of two singles: "Ghost", which was also a re-released single from Halsey's introductory EP Room 93 (2014), and "New Americana"

Defendiendo el mismo tema en un directo de la época....

Ayer escuché el disco con Torreznor y suena GENIAL!!

ion escribió:Ayer escuché el disco con Torreznor y suena GENIAL!!

Pues me ha gustado. Está bien el contraste de los sonidos relativamente sucios de Trent con la voz de Halsey.

Me mola más que lo que hizo con su mujer.

Vuelta a 2015, siguiendo con el histórico, repasando los temas de Badlands....

Wiki:
Badlands was certified two-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for U.S. sales of 2,000,000 units.[50] Four singles were released from the album: "Ghost", "New Americana", "Colors", and "Castle", all of which were certified Platinum in the US.

Pitchfork:
When Halsey’s first album, 2015’s Badlands, took off, “New Americana” was its designated hit. The track is a self-conscious attempt to define a generation “high on legal marijuana/Raised on Biggie and Nirvana,” a flimsy but easily digestible thesis statement for critics who saw the Tumblr-poet-turned-pop-star as a “millennial built in a lab,” as a New York Times profile put it then.



Cigarettes
And tiny liquor bottles
Just what you'd expect
Inside her new Balenciaga
Viral mess
Turned dreams into an empire
Self-made success now she rolls with Rockafellers

Survival of the richest
The city's ours until the fall
They're Monaco and Hamptons bound
But we don't feel like outsiders at all

We are the new Americana
High on legal marijuana
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana
We are the new Americana

Young James Dean
Some say he looks just like his father
But he
Could never love somebody's daughter
Football team
Loved more than just the game
So he vowed to be
His husband at the altar

Survival of the richest
The city's ours until the fall
They're Monaco and Hamptons bound
But we don't feel like outsiders at all

We are the new Americana
High on legal marijuana
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana
We are the new Americana

We know very well
Who we are
So we hold it down
When summer starts
What kind of dough
Have you been spending?
What kind of bubblegum
Have you been blowing lately?

We are the new Americana
High on legal marijuana
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana
We are the new Americana

We are the new Americana
High on legal marijuana
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana
We are the new Americana

Y la versión solo con voz, piano y coros.......

muestra como su voz es capaz de cubrir un espectro amplio.........



Y esta presentación en la MTV .....todo estilo..

crancranc escribió:

ion escribió:Ayer escuché el disco con Torreznor y suena GENIAL!!

Pues me ha gustado. Está bien el contraste de los sonidos relativamente sucios de Trent con la voz de Halsey.

Me mola más que lo que hizo con su mujer.

jajaja yo he pensado lo mismo!! que el de How To... pintaba bien a priori y al final menos un par de temas lo recuerdo como un soberano muermo, y este, algo parecido en concepto me ha resultado mucho más entretenido... (quizás por que al final todo es más pop).

Me ha gustado mucho, quizás me anime a ir hacía atrás que hasta ahora ni saber que existía

Vamos a ver si Pitchfork pasa la prueba del forobot:

Pues nada, a raíz del último enganchadisimo al primer EP y LP, que temarrales Ghost, Hold Me Down, New Americana, Drive, etc

Seguiremos con atención los análisis de Intruder

El Puto Fary escribió:Pues nada, a raíz del último enganchadisimo al primer EP y LP, que temarrales Ghost, Hold Me Down, New Americana, Drive, etc

Seguiremos con atención los análisis de Intruder

A mi me parece muy pop mainstream lo anterior, pero el de Torreznor tiene un equilibrio bien interesante. Es curiosos que haya trabajado con una artista así.

ion escribió:

El Puto Fary escribió:Pues nada, a raíz del último enganchadisimo al primer EP y LP, que temarrales Ghost, Hold Me Down, New Americana, Drive, etc

Seguiremos con atención los análisis de Intruder

A mi me parece muy pop mainstream lo anterior, pero el de Torreznor tiene un equilibrio bien interesante. Es curiosos que haya trabajado con una artista así.

Porque Halsey no es una artista "mainstream" al uso....

Precisamente en el último tema comentado, "New Americana", la letra lo refleja perfectamente.....

We are the new Americana
High on legal marijuana
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana
We are the new Americana

Solo que, efectivamente, hasta este cuarto disco solamente había mostrado su faceta de "música urbana"......(supongo que ese Biggie es un cantante de hip hop)

Y ahora se adentra en el "lado oscuro"...

Intruder escribió:

ion escribió:

El Puto Fary escribió:Pues nada, a raíz del último enganchadisimo al primer EP y LP, que temarrales Ghost, Hold Me Down, New Americana, Drive, etc

Seguiremos con atención los análisis de Intruder

A mi me parece muy pop mainstream lo anterior, pero el de Torreznor tiene un equilibrio bien interesante. Es curiosos que haya trabajado con una artista así.

Porque Halsey no es una artista "mainstream" al uso....

Precisamente en el último tema comentado, "New Americana", la letra lo refleja perfectamente.....

We are the new Americana
High on legal marijuana
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana
We are the new Americana

Solo que, efectivamente, hasta este cuarto disco solamente había mostrado su faceta de "música urbana"......(supongo que ese Biggie es un cantante de hip hop)

Y ahora se adentra en el "lado oscuro"...

Hombre, no digo lo contrario, pero es una artista pop. En el disco con Reznor y Ross hay momentos incluso de rokear duro, pero las melodías se nota que es lo que es. No obstante una grata sopresa

como fan de NIN, estaba obligado a escuchar el disco, y me ha gustado, sorprendido gratamente

A mi las seis primeras me encantan, luego se me pierde un poco el fuelle con las tres siguientes, que son como las más mainstream y menos nin para mi gusto, y vuelve a remontar al final. Pero eso, el inicio me parece apabullante

total_13 escribió:A mi las seis primeras me encantan, luego se me pierde un poco el fuelle con las tres siguientes, que son como las más mainstream y menos nin para mi gusto, y vuelve a remontar al final. Pero eso, el inicio me parece apabullante

total_13 escribió:A mi las seis primeras me encantan, luego se me pierde un poco el fuelle con las tres siguientes, que son como las más mainstream y menos nin para mi gusto, y vuelve a remontar al final. Pero eso, el inicio me parece apabullante

Flechas máximas

Easier than Lying es un temazo

Intruder escribió:

ion escribió:

El Puto Fary escribió:Pues nada, a raíz del último enganchadisimo al primer EP y LP, que temarrales Ghost, Hold Me Down, New Americana, Drive, etc

Seguiremos con atención los análisis de Intruder

A mi me parece muy pop mainstream lo anterior, pero el de Torreznor tiene un equilibrio bien interesante. Es curiosos que haya trabajado con una artista así.

Porque Halsey no es una artista "mainstream" al uso....

Precisamente en el último tema comentado, "New Americana", la letra lo refleja perfectamente.....

We are the new Americana
High on legal marijuana
Raised on Biggie and Nirvana
We are the new Americana

Solo que, efectivamente, hasta este cuarto disco solamente había mostrado su faceta de "música urbana"......(supongo que ese Biggie es un cantante de hip hop)

Y ahora se adentra en el "lado oscuro"...

Biggie es The Notorious B.I.G., un icono para casi cualquier chaval que creció en USA en los 90.

"Colors" is a song by American singer and songwriter Halsey from her debut studio album, Badlands (2015). It was released on February 9, 2016, through Astralwerks as the album's third single.



Explica Halsey que:

"My song 'Colors' is about being in a relationship with someone and kind of watching the vibrancy slowly start to leak out of them, watch the colors start to fade, whether they're falling victim to drugs or falling victim to work or any sort of negative behavior that's kind of taking them away from the bright and lively person that they used to be. You can kind of see them start to fade to gray, and you wish you had them back the way that they used to be".

Pero lo gracioso es que la trama del video..........no tiene nada que ver con ese significado de la canción...

The video received a positive reception upon release, with critics mainly focusing on the video's plot twist. Nylon contrasted the song's "dreamy nature" with the video's roller coaster storyline.

Plot twist sería cambió de guión, dreamy nature sería la letra naif del tema, y el termino "roller coaster", a mi me suena a montaña rusa de parque de diversiones, pero a lo mejor coloquialmente significa un "culebrón".

Your little brother never tells you but he loves you so
You said your mother only smiled on her TV show
You're only happy when your sorry head is filled with dope
I hope you make it to the day you're 28 years old
You're dripping like a saturated sunrise
You're spilling like an overflowing sink
You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece
And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink
Everything is blue
His pills, his hands, his jeans
And now I'm covered in the colors
Pulled apart at the seams
And it's blue
And it's blue
Everything is grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means
And he's blue
And he's blue
You were a vision in the morning
When the light came through
I know I've only felt religion when I've lied with you
You said you'll never be forgiven 'til your boys are too
And I'm still waking every morning but it's not with you
You're dripping like a saturated sunrise
You're spilling like an overflowing sink
You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece
And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink
Everything is blue
His pills, his hands, his jeans
And now I'm covered in the colors
Pulled apart at the seams
And it's blue
And it's blue
Everything is grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means
And he's blue
And he's blue
You were red and you liked me 'cause I was blue
But you touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky
And you decided purple just wasn't for you
Everything is blue
His pills, his hands, his jeans
And now I'm covered in the colors
Pulled apart at the seams
And it's blue
And it's blue
Everything is grey
His hair, his smoke, his dreams
And now he's so devoid of color
He don't know what it means
And he's blue
And he's blue
Everything is blue
Everything is blue
Everything is blue
Everything is blue

El video fue publicado en Febrero de 2016 y ha tenido, hasta septiembre de 2021, más de 236 millones de visualizaciones...y más de 81 mil comentarios....

Respecto del cambio de trama del video respecto a la letra, es muy divertido leer algunos comentarios, con ver los 20 primeros ya tienes..."When you want her to be your wife and she wants to be your stepmother"

Ya es costumbre poner, tras el video oficial, un video en vivo del mismo tema. En este caso, una fantástica interpretación "stripped", acompañada sola al piano, en una entrega de premios Billboard de aquel mismo 2016.....

Halsey está tan nerviosa.......que creo que se le olvida la letra y a partir de medio tema se pone a repetir el estribillo una y otra vez hasta el final....

fakefish escribió:

total_13 escribió:A mi las seis primeras me encantan, luego se me pierde un poco el fuelle con las tres siguientes, que son como las más mainstream y menos nin para mi gusto, y vuelve a remontar al final. Pero eso, el inicio me parece apabullante

Flechas máximas

Easier than Lying es un temazo

Si, a mí también me lo parece cuando se pone "rockera", pero no deja de ser curioso, porque las melodías son muy pop, como si Trent hubiera producido a Taylor Swift. Me gusta bastante el disco pero sin esta producción no se si me hubiera gustado... Si tengo que hacer un paralelismo en el foro, esto es mucho mejor que la movida de Zahara que de repente ha gustado a tantos foreros. Pero tampoco me matan de placer ciertos toques, no obstante, lo pongo como uno de los mejores del año. En fin Halsey / Reznor >>>> Zahara / Perernau

jajaja

Para mi gusto, el tema que abre el disco, pero que pongo en cuarto lugar por orden de aparición de singles, es el pelotazo definitivo de Halsey, no ya en cuanto a audiencia, sino en madurez de sonido.... a sus apenas 20 años.....

The fourth and final single, “Castle”, was released on April 9, 2016 as part of the soundtrack for the film The Huntsman: Winter’s War which features an alternative version of the song.[24] The music video later premiered on April 13, 2016 and peaked at number one on the Bubbling Under Hot 100[19] It was certified Gold in Australia and Platinum in the US.

El tema fue regrabado con vistas a su aparición en la BSO de la película The Huntsman: The Winter War. El video es por tanto una constelación de estrellas, entre las cuales....Halsey ya está de pleno derecho......ese look que recuerda mucho a Florence Welch era Ceremonials....



Como el tema fue escrito y publicado antes de ser empleado en el film, hay algún elemento "moderno" que "choca" con la época de la película...

Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise
Tired of all these cameras flashing, sick of being poised
Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride, so there's no use crying about it
I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle
Oh, all these minutes passing, sick of feeling used
If you wanna break these walls down, you're gonna get bruised
Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it
Already choking on my pride, so there's no use crying about it
I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle
There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it
There's no use crying about it
I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle

Creo que no existirá jamás una interpretación tan especial de Castle como la de la fiesta de entrega de los premios Nobel, arropada por orquesta sinfónica que acentúa el dramatismo del tema. Fantástico como su voz rompe el tema al atacar la parte final. Y un detalle importante, los dígitos 1:20 del dorso de su cazadora hacen referencia a la proporción mujer / hombre en los galardonados con los premios Nobel, todo un símbolo reivindicativo que acompaña su carrera hasta nuestros días (hay que ver lo que se aprende en los comentarios de YouTube).

De todas formas, con apenas un EP y un LP publicados, con 21 años y ya estar encima de ese escenario.........pues es un subidón ¿no?

Una maravilla de video...

Halsey, Trent Reznor y Atticus Ross conversan sobre el nuevo álbum If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power en los Capitol Studios. Moderado por Lizzy Goodman.

Es divertido como, por causa del anterior ritmo lento del hilo, se están entrelazando el repaso a la discografía de Halsey con las noticias de su lanzamiento actual..........Me pone presión para ir más deprisa.....

Quinto tema de Badlands, Hold Me Down.....

copio de un comentario en YouTube:

For all who keep wondering what the song is supposed to be about, this is right out of her own mouth word for word after a 2015 show:
"I was meeting a bunch of mean, old men who thought they knew better than I. And I met this one guy in particular, a certain asshole who inspired this song. This song is a reminder that no matter how small you are or how small people may make you seem, you should never let anything hold you down."

No existe video oficial "con historia", así que elijo dos grabados, uno en concierto y otro para TV, este último con versión reposada del tema.....



My demons are begging me to open up my mouth
I need them mechanically make the words come out
They fight me, vigorous and angry, watch them pounce
Ignite me, licking up the flames they bring about

I sold my soul to a three-piece
And he told me I was holy
He's got me down on both knees
But it's the devil that's tryna

Hold me down, hold me down
Sneaking out the back door,
Make no sound
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

Hold me down, hold me down
Throw me in the deep end, watch me drown
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

Selfish, taking what I want and call it mine
I'm helpless, clinging to a little bit of spine
They rush me, telling me I'm running out of time
They shush me, walking me across a fragile line

I sold my soul to a three-piece
And he told me I was holy
He's got me down on both knees
But it's the devil that's tryna

Hold me down, hold me down
Sneaking out the back door,
Make no sound
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

Hold me down, hold me down
Throw me in the deep end, watch me drown
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

Hold me down now
Hold me down now
Hold me down

I sold my soul to a three-piece
And he told me I was holy
He's got me down on both knees
But it's the devil that's tryna

Hold me down, hold me down
Sneaking out the back door,
Make no sound
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

Hold me down, hold me down
Throw me in the deep end, watch me drown
Knock me out, knock me out
Saying that I want more, this is what I live for

No he encontrado video oficial de DRIVE, el siguiente temazo (todos los 6 que llevamos) de Badlands, así que echaré mano de esta aparición en el Loollapalloza de 2016, acompañada de teclados, guitarra/bajo y batería.....

Halsey told Popjustice that this was the first happy song she ever wrote:
It’s a sweet song, it’s about being in a relationship, being in love with someone and not knowing how to tell them. […] It’s so ironic that it’s called ‘Drive’ because it symbolizes this departure from the Badlands—this point where I drive away. I leave.



My hands wrapped around a stick shift
Swerving on the 405, I can never keep my eyes off this

My neck, the feeling of your soft lips
Illuminated in the light, bouncing off the exit signs I missed

All we do is drive
All we do is think about the feelings that we hide
All we do is sit in silence waiting for a sign
Sick and full of pride
All we do is drive

And California never felt like home to me
And California never felt like home
And California never felt like home to me
Until I had you on the open road and now we're singing

His laugh, echoes down the hallway
Carved into my hollow chest, spreads over the emptiness
It's bliss

It's so simple but we can't stay
Over analyze again, would it really kill you if we kissed

All we do is drive
All we do is think about the feelings that we hide
All we do is sit in silence waiting for a sign
Sick and full of pride
All we do is drive

And California never felt like home to me
And California never felt like home
And California never felt like home to me
Until I had you on the open road and now we're singing

Roman Holiday, otro trallazo para variar, parece hecha para salir a la carretera, escapar de la ciudad, partir de vacaciones....



Do you remember the taste of my lips that night
I stole a bit of my mother's perfume
Cause I remember when my father put his fist through
The wall that separated the dining room
And I remember the fear in your eyes
The very first time we snuck into the city pool
Late December with my heart in my chest and the clouds of my breath
Didn't know where we were running to
But don't look back

We'll be looking for sunlight
Or the headlights
Till our wide eyes burn blind
We'll be lacing the same shoes
That we've worn through
To the bottom of the line
And we know that we're headstrong
And our heart's gone
And the timing's never right
But for now let's get away
On a Roman holiday

Could you imagine the taste of your lips
If we never tried to kiss on the drive to Queen's
Cause I imagine the weight of your ribs
If you lied between my hips in the backseat
I imagine the tears in your eyes
The very first night I'll sleep without you
And when it happens I'll be miles away
And a few months late
Didn't know where I was running to
But I won't look back

We'll be looking for sunlight
Or the headlights
Till our wide eyes burn blind
We'll be lacing the same shoes
That we've worn through
To the bottom of the line
And we know that we're headstrong
And our heart's gone
And the timing's never right
But for now let's get away
On a Roman holiday

Feet first, don't fall
We'll be running again
Keep close, stand tall

We'll be looking for sunlight
Or the headlights
Till our wide eyes burn blind
We'll be lacing the same shoes
That we've worn through
To the bottom of the line
And we know that we're headstrong
And our heart's gone
And the timing's never right
But for now let's get away
On a Roman holiday

La obsesión con Badlands me está empezando a preocupar


Obra maestra del Synthpop o como queráis llamarlo, hit tras hit, que barbaridad

No sé si entrará algun fan de Coheed and Cambria por aquí pero hay muchas melodías que me recuerdan horrores a las de Claudio, una de ellas la del tema que acabas de comentar, Roman Holyday

El Puto Fary escribió:La obsesión con Badlands me está empezando a preocupar


Obra maestra del Synthpop o como queráis llamarlo, hit tras hit, que barbaridad

No sé si entrará algun fan de Coheed and Cambria por aquí pero hay muchas melodías que me recuerdan horrores a las de Claudio, una de ellas la del tema que acabas de comentar, Roman Holyday

Descubrí a Halsey sin saber ni quien era ni como se llamaba, por una actuación impresionante en una de esas entregas de premios MTV, allá por 2017 o 2018..... Pero no fui más allá.....

Un par de años después la volvì a ver en otro evento similar, creo que en Sevilla, otra vez brillando con un tema brillante (Graveyard) y ya me puse a indagar un poco.....

Al poco apareció Manic, su tercer LP y ya me lo empollé en su momento, aunque no terminó de deslumbrarme....

Y ya entonces, con el pretexto de descubrir el pasado a través de este hilo, me puse con Room 93 y Badlands y, a pesar de escucharlos en condiciones auditivas nada óptimas, ya me dije: joder, aquí hay madera de la buena....

Y para escuchar Badlands en su plenitud, hace un par de semanas que me compŕé la edición de luxe, que será la que seguiremos aquí

De hecho, ni he escuchado el segundo álbum, espero a terminar la reseña de Badlands, y tengo el feeling de que no me gustará tanto como éste. Ya veremos....

Intruder escribió:De hecho, ni he escuchado el segundo álbum, espero a terminar la reseña de Badlands, y tengo el feeling de que no me gustará tanto como éste. Ya veremos....

Ya te digo que no, llevo unos días escuchándolo, hay buenos temas y se mueve en distintas direcciones pero es que el nivel estaba altísimo. Me quedo antes con el último que si que me parece mucho más acertado y los toques oscuretes de Torreznor le sientan muy bien. Le daré un respiro antes de ponerme con Manic

Strange Love, Octavo tema que reseñamos de Badlands........¡Y octavo temazo! Por Dios ¡qué capacidad de crear estribillos geniales....!

Strange Love no tiene video oficial, así que echo mano del mejor que he encontrado, de su concierto en Manchester, febrero de 2016, gira europea de presentación de Badlands.... Inicio atmosférico a cargo de la banda, audiencia coreando a tope y los breaks de garra de Halsey...



Everybody wants to know
If we fucked on the bathroom sink
How your hands felt in my hair
If we were high on amphetamines
And everybody wants to hear
How we chainsmoked until three
And how you laughed when you said my name
And how you gripped my hips so mean
We wrote a story in the fog on the windows that night
But the ending is the same every damn time, no, no, no
We wrote a story in the fog on the windows that night
But the ending is the same every damn time
They think I'm insane, they think my lover is strange
But I don't have to fucking tell them anything, anything
And I'm gonna write it all down, and I'm gonna sing it on stage
But I don't have to fucking tell you anything, anything
That's the beauty of a secret
You know you're supposed to keep it
That's the beauty of a secret, oh oh oh
That's the beauty of a secret
You know you're supposed to keep it
But I don't have to fucking tell you anything,
Everybody's waiting up to hear if I dare speak your name
Put it deep beneath the track, like the hole you left in me
And everybody wants to know 'bout how it felt to hear you scream
They know you walk like you're a god, they can't believe I made you weak
We wrote a story in the fog on the windows that night
But the ending is the same every damn time, no, no, no
We wrote a story in the fog on the windows that night
But the ending is the same every damn time
They think I'm insane, they think my lover is strange
But I don't have to fucking tell them anything, anything
And I'm gonna write it all down, and I'm gonna sing it on stage
But I don't have to fucking tell you anything, anything
That's the beauty of a secret
You know you're supposed to keep it
That's the beauty of a secret, oh oh oh
That's the beauty of a secret
You know you're supposed to keep it
But I don't have to fucking tell you anything, anything
These days I can't seem to get along with anyone
Get by with anyone
These days I can't seem to make this right, well, is this fine
Will it be alright?
They think I'm insane, they think my lover is strange
But I don't have to fucking tell them anything, anything
And I'm gonna write it all down, and I'm gonna sing it on stage
But I don't have to fucking tell you anything, anything
That's the beauty of a secret
You know you're supposed to keep it
That's the beauty of a secret, oh oh oh
That's the beauty of a secret
You know you're supposed to keep it
But I don't have to fucking tell you anything, anything

Como curiosidad, he encontrado este video del mismo tema, en Razzmatazz Barcelona, apenas un par de semanas después de Manchester. Hay que ver la euforia cómo la audiencia acompaña el tema. Era para haber estado allí........

El único alivio para mi pena...es que en Marzo de 2016 yo todavía no vivía en Barcelona......ni conocía la música de Halsey...

Noveno tema, noveno temarral...........Coming Down

Tampoco hay video imagen oficial pero echamos mano otra vez de Lolapallozza 2016, la versión es impresionante, empieza acústica en tono muy bajo (a diferencia de la versión del disco) y acaba en derroche vocal, muy sobrada....



I found God
I found him in a lover
When his hair falls in his face
And his hands so cold they shake
I found the Devil
I found him in a lover
And his lips like tangerine
In his color coded speak
Now we're lost somewhere in outer space
In a hotel room where demons play
They run around beneath our feet
We roll around beneath these sheets
I've got a lover a love like religion
I'm such a fool for sacrifice
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
I've got a lover and I'm unforgiven
I'm such a fool to pay this price
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
I found a martyr
He told me that I'd never
With his educated eyes
And his head between my thighs
I found a savior
I don't think he remembers
'Cause he's off to pay his crimes
And he's got no time for mine
Now we're lost somewhere in outer space
In a hotel room where demons play
They run around beneath our feet
We roll around beneath these sheets
I've got a lover a love like religion
I'm such a fool for sacrifice
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
I've got a lover and I'm unforgiven
I'm such a fool to pay this price
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
Down, down, down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down, down, down
Down, down, down, down, down
Every single night pray the sun will rise
Every single time make a compromise
Every single night pray the sun will rise, but
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
I've got a lover a love like religion
I'm such a fool for sacrifice
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
I've got a lover and I'm unforgiven
I'm such a fool to pay this price
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
Every single night pray the sun will rise
Every single time make a compromise
Every single night pray the sun will rise, but
He's coming down, down, I'm coming down
He's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
He's coming down, down, I'm coming down
It's coming down, down, I'm coming down
He's coming down, down, I'm coming down

Me pareció interesante el siguiente comentario en el video oficial de Coming Down en YouTube de hace 6 años, al momento de salir Badlands...

its going to be so sad when halsey stops being our little secret and suddenly our fandom expands but at the same time it will be so great and beautiful to see people respecting and falling in love with her like we did <3 so many mixed emotions rn but i love badlands omg halsey i am so proud of you for all the determination, the hard work and the immense talent put into these meaningful lyrics for each gorgeously written song. much love from us all x

Haunting, décimo de tema de Badlands....otro hitazo, ya son 10 de 10, creo que cuando termine el repaso a este álbum de debut voy a buscar si existe un hilo de mejores debuts y, si existe, hacer los honores correspondientes...

Haunting es con toda seguridad el tema más "disco" y "ambient" de Badlands. Como pongo videos con imagen, también nos toca uno en vivo, y ahí se pierde bastante toda el ambient electrónico......pero ganamos con la voz de Halsey....y esa presencia....ese paseillo, su porte y esa mirada de tigre........no se puede ser más chula ni estilosa...



Keep on haunting
Keep on haunting me
Keep on haunting
Keep on haunting me

I was as pure as a river
But now I think I'm possessed
You put a fever inside me
And I've been cold since you left
I've got a boyfriend now and he's made of gold
And you've got your own mistakes in a bed at home
I'm hoping you could save me now but you break and fold
You've got a fire inside but your heart's so cold

'Cause I've done some things that I can't speak
And I've tried to wash you away but you just won't leave
So won't you take a breath and dive in deep
'Cause I came here so you'd come for me

I'm begging you to keep on haunting
I'm begging you to keep on haunting me
I'm begging you to keep on haunting
I know you're gonna keep on haunting me

We walk as tall as the skyline
And we have roots like the trees
But then your eyes start to wander
'Cause they weren't looking at me
You weren't looking for me

'Cause I've done some things that I can't speak
And I've tried to wash you away but you just won't leave
So won't you take a breath and dive in deep
'Cause I came here so you'd come for me

I'm begging you to keep on haunting
I'm begging you to keep on haunting me
I'm begging you to keep on haunting
I know you're gonna keep on haunting me

'Cause I've done some things that I can't speak
And I've tried to wash you away but you just won't leave
So won't you take a breath and dive in deep
'Cause I came here so you'd come for me

I'm begging you to keep on haunting
I'm begging you to keep on haunting me
I'm begging you to keep on haunting
I know you're gonna keep on haunting me

Haunting quiere decir hechizante, y, bajo el hechizo de Halsey y esta canción.........no puedo resistirme a otro video, de la misma gira, pero ahora en Lollapalloza 2016

Así como el tema anterior HAUNTING me parece el más "ambient" o "disco" del álbum, este onceavo tema CONTROL me parece el más dark, más oscuro, tanto musicalmente como temáticamente, con referencias a desórdenes mentales, demonios interiores, y voces que te hablan cuando estas solo/a.....

He escogido un video de una actuación de enero de 2015, esto es, medio año antes de la publicación de su álbum debut. Se nota por el look con pelo largo, diferente al corto de la gira Badlands posterior...... Y el motivo de la elección del video...la  interpretación de Halsey es impresionante............



They send him away to find them a fortune
A chest filled with diamonds and gold
The husband's away,
The shadows and monsters
They always echoed and glowed

And I sat alone, in bed till the morning
And crying "they're coming for me"
And I tried to hold these secrets inside me
My mind's like a deadly disease

I'm bigger than my body
I'm colder than this home
I'm meaner than my demons
I'm bigger than these bones

And all the kids cried out
"please stop, you're scaring me"
I can't help this awful energy
Goddamn right, you should be scared of me
Who is in control?

I paced around for hours, I'm empty
I jumped at the slightest of sounds
And I couldn't stand the person inside me
I turned all the villains around

I'm bigger than my body
I'm colder than this home
I'm meaner than my demons
I'm bigger than these bones

And all the kids cried out
"please stop, you're scaring me"
I can't help this awful energy
Goddamn right, you should be scared of me
Who is in control?

I'm well acquainted
With villains that live in my head
They beg me to write them
So they'll never die when I'm dead

And I've grown familiar
With villains that live in my head
They beg me to write them
So I'll never die when I'm dead

I'm bigger than my body
I'm colder than this home
I'm meaner than my demons
I'm bigger than these bones

And all the kids cried out
"please stop, you're scaring me"
I can't help this awful energy
Goddamn right, you should be scared of me
Who is in control? [x3]

Hoy cumple 27. ¡Felicidades!

Happy 27th Aniversary, Ashley!! .......... Menudo carrerón

Hemos terminado los 11 temas del Badlands original, con el resultado de 11 temazos........... ahora llega el turno de los bonus tracks de la edición de luxe, a ver que sorpresas deparan....

Mientras podemos ver un video resumen, primera parte, de su gira Badlands, visita al médico incluida...

Al relacionar los 11 temas de la edición original de Badlands, se me coló Strange Love que es un bonus track en la edición de luxe...

En su lugar debí haber incluido Young God aunque, en este caso, tratándose de otro temazo, no importa el orden....... 12 de 12

Otra vez debo sacrificar un poco el audio para poder mostrar un video más animado.....

Como siempre, los comentaristas youtubers siempre son una fuente inestimable para el significado de los temas:
Basically two people in a relationship. The male is power hungry and tells the female to join him and together they’ll rule over everyone. Later, the male forces her into sex because having power over everyone else isn’t enough to satisfy him. Now he wants power over her as well. The irony is how she felt powerful attacking others, with him by her side, but in the end, she is the one being attacked by him (sexually) and no longer feels like a god but more so like the people she use to hurt.



He says: Oh, babygirl, you know we're gonna be legends
I'm the king and you're the queen and we will stumble through heaven
If there's a light at the end, it's just the sun in your eyes
I know you wanna go to heaven but you're human tonight

And I've been sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool
For a while now, drowning my thoughts out with sounds

But do you feel like a young god?
You know the two of us are just young gods
And we'll be flying through the streets with the people underneath
And they're running, running, running
But do you feel like a young god?
You know the two of us are just young gods
And we'll be flying through the streets with the people underneath
And they're running, running, running again

(And we'll be running, running, running again)
(And we'll be running, running, running)

He says: Oh, babygirl, don't get cut on my edges
I'm the king of everything and oh, my tongue is a weapon
There's a light in the crack that's separating your thighs
And if you wanna go to heaven you should fuck me tonight

And I've been sitting at the bottom of a swimming pool
For a while now, drowning my thoughts out with sounds

But do you feel like a young god?
You know the two of us are just young gods
And we'll be flying through the streets with the people underneath
And they're running, running, running
But do you feel like a young god?
You know the two of us are just young gods
And we'll be flying through the streets with the people underneath
And they're running, running, running again

(And we'll be running, running, running again)
(And we'll be running, running, running)