The David Chronicles

Smokin’

marlie7 — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 02:42:35 +0000

The only thing I have to say is to quote JR:

“he’s young enuff to be my son, he is young enuff to be my son….

~marlie7

Album Art as Allegory

Rascal — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:33:22 +0000

It would be pointless to try and pretend that I am not ridiculously impressed by this album cover art.

Where to begin? Perhaps first and foremost, this cover art strikes me – just like Something ‘Bout Love – as a smart, professional take on David’s own preferences. In other words, I believe we are seeing more of David in this photograph – in all the choices that add up to such a critical “brand” decision – than in any previous release of an official image.

The cover art for the self-titled debut album was a smart strategic choice for that moment in David’s career (one of the only smart strategic choices in that period) because it showed that David could pull off a pop, youth appeal for which many thought him unsuitable. The edgy, rock-and-roll red tee-shirt shot against a crumbling brick wall in the hippest neighborhood on the planet was the right concept, but, let’s face it: it wasn’t really David. David has about as much in common with the trend-setters in Williamsburg, Brooklyn as he does with, well, any homogeneous grouping of people with common values and attributes. David is a one-off. Completely unique. We all know that. It’s one of the main reasons he has such a devoted fan base. What is obvious from just the first glimpses of his sophomore effort is that David has finally had enough of letting others define him. We are clearly getting more of David in every aspect of his work, now, and that’s about as smart a strategic choice as could possibly be made.

Footwear. Oh, but the boy doth loveth him some footwear. There is something undeniably sexy about anything strappy around the ankles, for either gender, and the short boot has always been a dashing choice for men. And don’t even try to suggest that these were some stylist’s selection. No, sir. If I am dead certain about any item of attire in this picture having come from David’s own closet it’s them what’s on his feets. And while we’re starting at the bottom, let’s not ignore the fact that this set-up is a rather clever way to get a full-body shot that is more casual than contrived. Why a full-body shot of the Archeletor? Let’s just acknowledge that he has been workin’ that bod and deserves to show it off, shall we?

The ripped jeans and the dark, fitted sport jacket are a staple for young guys wanting to appear both classy and blithe. We might even go so far as to say that the combination symbolizes the demographic extremes of his fan base, unique for an artist not yet twenty. Was that a conscious juxtaposition? Doesn’t matter. It works as one. It’s the tee-shirt, though, that comes as a welcome surprise, and which is the one choice I might acquiesce to the stylist. David tends to favor graphic tees (or, at least, once did), and the use of a simple gray one here makes all the difference in keeping the entirety of the image and its graphical context modern and sophisticated. Indeed, it’s the overall sophistication of this image that is marvelously appealing – and completely David.

Songs could be written about David’s smile, and this one would certainly serve as premier fodder for such an effort, but the aspect of this image that stands out to me, the one element that strikes me as something of a genius choice, is the chair. Why, you ask, the chair? Out of all the chairs that could have been chosen for such a purpose, this one offers a rather specific cultural reference to anyone with more than a passing interest in entertainment. I can’t say whether this was a conscious choice or not, it is perhaps impossible to know, but this is the style of chair that is most closely associated with theater and cabaret. Maybe the fact that it’s such an iconic design for entertainment purposes makes it a staple in most photography studios and, as such, suggests it was less of strategic choice than a practical one, but it really doesn’t matter how it got there. It suggests the deeply-embedded theatrical legacy of the performer and, even more specifically, the singer. And amidst all the modern, minimalist elements composing this enormously appealing image, the bentwood cabaret chair is a vivid yet subtle reminder of what is truly unique and special about David Archuleta. It is rather a wonder of a choice, intentional or not. The precarious aspect of the chair, tilted onto two legs, is also easily apropos: David is putting himself on the line more than he ever has before; he is set to take some risks; to gamble on the success of his own, more personal decisions.

Those of us in the devoted category know full well that the more David is David in his work, the more successful he will be. It’s fun to think of it as a risk, but as David himself so often likes to suggest: being true to yourself is its own reward, and the only way to authentically connect with others. I would suggest that those of us lucky enough to have felt that connection can see quite plainly that this image may well become one of the most iconic in the Archuleta legacy. Congrats, David, it’s brilliant.

–Rascal

P.S. And as to how well the color palette of the new album cover matches that of TDC… Coincidence?

Countdown to #1!

Rascal — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:38:49 +0000

Join us in watching the countdown to #1! Last night around midnight Something ‘Bout Love was released on iTunes and at 1:30 AM was tracking at #117 on the iTunes Pop Chart. 15 minutes later, it was tracking at #75. Overnight the song continued to rise and at this writing sitting at #44 on the Pop chart, and broke the #100 level on the Overall Music chart to place #99 at 8:30 AM.

Keep watching and post results below – when David reaches #1, let’s party!

…from pop prince to soul diva to Texas two-step, all wrapped up neatly and smart in one summery bubble that should bounce awfully easily out of cars and convenience stores all summer long.

Read the entire Rascal review here.

Click to listen (but go buy!):

Something ‘Bout Love

Now, That’s Not Fair.

Rascal — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 01:23:18 +0000

Sometimes I think David knows what we know. He knows how much we see in him. He knows that his sophistication makes us forget that he is a teenager and expect too much from him. And he lets us know he knows by giving us that look, but only every once in a while, and thereby, of course, proving that all of our outsized expectations of him are entirely justified and absolutely true. I sound like Orly when I say that David is nothing but a tease. Alas, I am resigned to the fact that it will be years before I hear him sing “Isn’t It a Pity” and “So Easy to Love,” and the Jimmy Webb catalog, and Elton John. But in the meantime, I’ll take this pic, and interpret it to mean, “patience; there’s a lot more to come.”

– Rascal

Photo from Single – Album news, too!

marlie7 — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:31:56 +0000

From www.davidarchuleta.com:

Hey Everyone,

We’d like to announce a date change on the release of David’s new single. It will now be available everywhere on July 20th, not the 13th. The change was made because David wants to give his fans WAY more than just a single, and needed an extra week to do it, but trust us it will be worth it.

On July 20th, right here on the site, you will be able to pre-order David’s brand new, upcoming album! When you pre-order you’ll be able to receive “Somethin ‘Bout Love” as an instant download, but that’s not all. Also on the 20th, you’ll be able to pre-order a very special fan edition of David’s new album! We’ll give you all the details on what it is soon!

So, instead of just a single, you’ll be getting the whole package! Stay tuned for the big day, and in the meantime, check out the single artwork for “Somethin’ Bout Love” right here!

And the photo on the single – good lord, they finally got it right! More than right – it’s “Dreamy David”. Lovely!

~marlie

Deseret Book @ Henderson, NV – 07 July 2010

jackryan4da — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:33:22 +0000

Contents
01 Interviews & special coverage
02 Fan videos on the book signing frenzy
03 Pictures!

Interviews & special coverage

DA Interview w/ KVVU Fox5, Nevada (July 06, 2010)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3we0hLdpwt4

02 Fan videos on the book signing frenzy

DA singing CRUSH & ANGELS acapella thanks to brandibunn1

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSXwp2gfS70

DA talking before CRUSH thanks to azacc460

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBNLqQfdtNQ

DA singing CRUSH HD thanks to justmellowdee

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv8Rtfh9Bas

DA talking before ANGELS thanks to azacc460

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRkU8rZtRMw

DA singing ANGELS acapella HD thanks to azacc460

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5T4d5pNTKQ

DA singing ANGELS acapella HD thanks to justmellowdee

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKH5QlIMZnM

DA singing ANGELS acapella thanks to hannicad

www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9OWf6Rkjf4

03 Pictures!

01 Pix from Vegas News
02 oceanUP Photogallery: David Archuleta Desert Book Store Vegas
03 JustJared: Deseret Book Signing!
04 Blaykee’s Pix
05 Twitpics by hushbench
06 DavidArchuletaFan92 slideshow

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSxVJJgy1IQ

Something ‘Bout David

Rascal — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:34:05 +0000

The only adviser David will ever need is his own ear.

I don’t know whether this song will hit or not, no one does; it doesn’t matter. It very well could, and it should, but it doesn’t matter. With this frothy, jumpy, deceptively edgy single, David proves his seriousness as a pop craftsman, in range of best-of-breed targets from Abba to Michael Jackson. And I’m not even talking about the performance. David has gone meta.

Despite the overly glossy producer polish, inevitably aggravating those of us who hunger for The Voice (autotune? really?), this feels like more of a David Archuleta production than we’ve had so far in this category. It is interesting that a faction of the fan base are claiming that it “doesn’t sound like a David song,” because I would argue that it actually sounds more like how a pure-pop David Archuleta song should probably sound than any previous production has. No, this is not Salt Lake City soul, or boy balladeer, but it is more successful on its own terms than anything he has previously offered in this genre. David is letting us see just how clever he can be in this game, and he’s not even using his most obvious talents to do it. Oh David, you phenom, you.

Certainly the skills of co-producers Sam Hollander and Dave Katz, with their slick interpretations of emo declarations, offer a uniquely appropriate fit with David’s own sensibilities, and David himself may have capitulated to his more commercial inclinations (nothing wrong with that), but I detect more of David in the mix this time, and not just from the standpoint of singer. You can feel a deeper comfort level, a stronger confidence in the material. Indeed, careful observation of David’s notoriously inscrutable tweets suggest important advances in his role as leader, not just collaborator. This is terribly exciting, especially when the results are so on-the-mark without being completely on-the-nose.

And therein lies the Archuleta genius that is beginning to emerge in his pure-pop confections. There is that strange but unmistakable coolness, something not quite sunny, even in the midst of all the celebration. David knows that emphasizing the brightwork requires shadows. This underlying sense of gravity is becoming an Archuleta trademark; that hint of pathos that David has always had in his favor, and which keeps him from becoming too diaphanous. For as fey as his style may sometimes seem (and for which which many of us treasure him), he is no lightweight. Even in the creamiest of commercial fare David never loses touch with the ground, with the source of the soul. I think that’s where the jumping thing comes from; the Zero Gravity experience is clearly baked into this piece.

The difference here, the evolution of The Archuletor in this instance, is that he is now experimenting with this rich juxtaposition in aspects of music-making other than his voice. The dimensions of David’s own musical intelligence are quite evident in Something ‘Bout Love, from pop prince to soul diva to Texas two-step, all wrapped up neatly and smart in one summery bubble that should bounce awfully easily out of cars and convenience stores all summer long. This is one impressive piece of commercial cargo, and I strongly suspect it is so not because David has succumbed to the likes of Sam and Sluggo, but because he has expanded his role as helmsman of his own work.

– Rascal

Click to listen:

Something ‘Bout Love

ronaldsf — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:50:44 +0000

NEW: FULL-LENGTH VERSION AT DAVIDARCHULETA.COM!

http://www.davidarchuleta.com/news/listen-something-bout-love-now

Oh. My. Gosh. It’s here.

David has just sent out a message via Twitter and to those who get his text-message updates, that a preview of his next single can now be heard at his hotline, (801) 386-8196.

It’s hard to pass final judgment when the audio is so poor, but if first impressions are any indication, the song sounds like it can be a hit and that it will satisfy the fans. It’s got an upbeat pop vibe, it’s catchy, David’s vocals are front and center, and it has a nearly Zero Gravity-like energy. Most of all, something about David’s vocal communicates the full feeling of joy mixed with pain that love brings: “Something ’bout love just breaks your heart… woah oh oh oh….”

NEW! High-quality 30-second snippet at FMQB: 30-second clip

Give it a listen:

Here’s a link to good-quality MP3, captured by MJ’s Big Blog.

Given that this preview is only a taste of the fully-mastered studio version in all its glory, this has gotten me not only salivating but also bouncing off the walls in a frenzy.

So… WHAT DO YOU THINK?

David Archuleta in Concert – June 18, 2010

marlie7 — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 00:06:33 +0000

It has literally been months since we’ve had the pleasure of seeing, in person or on video, a full concert by David. We have all been whining, longing, aching, begging and generally feeling deprived of our favorite songs, the hunkerdown, and a growl or two.

Fans have been scouring youtube looking for any new video of David in concert – perhaps one by a fan that just didn’t get to uploading until the drought caused them to remember the video still on their camera from Atlantic City in November or Hershey in August.

Recently we’ve been treated to some fabulous, gorgeous (I’m fan girling), incredible a cappella versions of Lean on Me, I’ll Be, God Bless the Broken Road, and a stunning rendition of The National Anthem. The drought seemed to be getting a few sprinkles, a shower or two, and now, perhaps a good soaking rain with tonight’s conert at BYU’s Hart Auditorium.

It’s time….we’re ready…. we’re begging! A single in July, and the CD in (potentially) September – maybe a tour is right around the corner. Oh, for a heavy downpour of David Archuleta LIVE!

So….as for tonight …. is everyone ready? Everyone excited and filled with crazy anticipation? Wondering what David will sing? Wondering what those “surprises” will be that he mentioned in a recent interview? Me, too!

We’ll be posting videos, tweets, twitpics and anything else we find as soon as possible tonight, so stay tuned!

~marlie7