Cos I like you so much better when you're naked! I like ME so much better when you're naked!
July 1, 2011 5:53 AM Subscribe
Ida Maria is a 26-year-old Norwegian pop-punk-rock musician whose music is both catchy as shit and surprisingly vulnerable. Her lyrics are simple but sometimes uncomfortably honest. Her first album had two big hits with excellent music videos: I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked and Oh My God. Other songs off the album that I'm fond of: Queen of the World (my personal favorite); Louie; Keep Me Warm. Her second album, Katla, has a more eclectic sound, ranging from the vintage pop-inspired Quite Nice People to the horn-driven I Eat Boys Like You For Breakfast to the dirty Bad Karma to the sillier Cherry Red.
Yeah! I came across Oh My God in the trailer for It's Kind Of A Funny Story. Good stuff.
posted by Xere at 6:07 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by Xere at 6:07 AM on July 1, 2011
I saw her play at the Cockpit in Leeds a few years ago. She was awesome and her band looked like characters in Rock Band. Super fun show.
posted by cilantro at 6:16 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by cilantro at 6:16 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Just listened to the new songs linked here- I am disappointed! Not nearly as catchy as her previous album.
posted by cilantro at 6:28 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by cilantro at 6:28 AM on July 1, 2011
Love this! Thanks!
(She really reminds me of someone, vocally, but I'm not awake enough yet to think who. Whoever it is, I like them, which makes me like her even more.)
posted by rtha at 6:30 AM on July 1, 2011
(She really reminds me of someone, vocally, but I'm not awake enough yet to think who. Whoever it is, I like them, which makes me like her even more.)
posted by rtha at 6:30 AM on July 1, 2011
Totally charming, thanks! I'm with rtha on the "oddly familiar" thing -- is it Carol Van Dyk she's reminiscent of? It's not Nina Persson. . . . ooo, this is gonna bug me all day.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:39 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:39 AM on July 1, 2011
Cilantro — it's a less poppy album, for sure. Oh My God might be one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard; the verses just repeat the same phrases over and over again, so ten seconds in you know all the lyrics (slight exaggeration). But I think the songwriting is even better, and the arrangements are more imaginative. Cherry Red's been in my head for two days now.
posted by Rory Marinich at 6:40 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by Rory Marinich at 6:40 AM on July 1, 2011
Love it. I shall purchase some of this directly.
posted by Happy Dave at 6:42 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by Happy Dave at 6:42 AM on July 1, 2011
"I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" popped up on random yesterday in the car. This both reminds me that I need to add that to my driving mix and that it's a dangerous song to have on in the car. Due to the excess speeding, not immediately removing my clothes. I'd already done that.
posted by yerfatma at 6:43 AM on July 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by yerfatma at 6:43 AM on July 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Taking this moment to post my friend's video of her dancing to Oh My God.
It's fun.
posted by CharlesV42 at 6:45 AM on July 1, 2011
It's fun.
posted by CharlesV42 at 6:45 AM on July 1, 2011
ate the link- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5dA2MncTeo&feature=player_embedded
posted by CharlesV42 at 6:46 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by CharlesV42 at 6:46 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
(She really reminds me of someone, vocally, but I'm not awake enough yet to think who. Whoever it is, I like them, which makes me like her even more.)
Oh hey, maybe a vague similarity to Regina Spektor? Very different vibe and material.
Well, whatever, Ida Maria is a lovely thing unto herself.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:50 AM on July 1, 2011
Oh hey, maybe a vague similarity to Regina Spektor? Very different vibe and material.
Well, whatever, Ida Maria is a lovely thing unto herself.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:50 AM on July 1, 2011
She is excellent. And yeah, her voice sounds like Spektor's quite a bit.
posted by DU at 6:52 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by DU at 6:52 AM on July 1, 2011
There's one moment in "Queen of the World" — the line "lonely this year" where she sounds like Bjork, at least in my head. Listen to her pronunciation of "year". That's almost entirely why that's my favorite song of hers: something about that line sounds lonely and pathetic, so what would be a vaguely unhappy pop lyric instead sounds like a window into her private life.
posted by Rory Marinich at 6:54 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Rory Marinich at 6:54 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Fantastic, thanks thanks thanks.
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 7:15 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 7:15 AM on July 1, 2011
Yeah, I definitely got the Björk Guðmundsdóttir vibe from her too. It's the Scandanavian phrasing, innit?
posted by SPUTNIK at 7:16 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by SPUTNIK at 7:16 AM on July 1, 2011
She really reminds me of someone, vocally, but I'm not awake enough yet to think who. Whoever it is, I like them, which makes me like her even more.
Well part of "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" is very, very similar to the Banana Splits theme. Vocally, she reminds me of Johnette Napolitano from Concrete Blonde (you can really hear it in the chorus), only a bit raspier.
Yeah, not too shabby, Norway.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:16 AM on July 1, 2011
Well part of "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" is very, very similar to the Banana Splits theme. Vocally, she reminds me of Johnette Napolitano from Concrete Blonde (you can really hear it in the chorus), only a bit raspier.
Yeah, not too shabby, Norway.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:16 AM on July 1, 2011
Oh yeah, totally Concrete Blonde.
posted by benito.strauss at 7:21 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by benito.strauss at 7:21 AM on July 1, 2011
How catchy is shit, exactly?
posted by Grangousier at 7:25 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Grangousier at 7:25 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Well done, although I like a little less angst with my coffee. Her voice doesn't have the range or subtlety or Regina Spektor's. I can hear your point, though.
posted by kozad at 7:33 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by kozad at 7:33 AM on July 1, 2011
What that has to do with punk I have no idea. "Bad Karma" sounds like somebody trying to copy Aerosmith or one of those seventies Zep knock-off bands. Then there are a couple of wimpy ballads, an almost-catchy, bouncy pop sort of thing and... I dunno.
posted by Decani at 7:34 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by Decani at 7:34 AM on July 1, 2011
Her debut on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Best.Radio.On.The.Planet.
posted by Xoebe at 7:36 AM on July 1, 2011
Best.Radio.On.The.Planet.
posted by Xoebe at 7:36 AM on July 1, 2011
> How catchy is shit, exactly?
All depends on how you throw it.
posted by scruss at 7:43 AM on July 1, 2011
All depends on how you throw it.
posted by scruss at 7:43 AM on July 1, 2011
It's funny -- when I first heard her studio stuff, I didn't care for it. But I saw her at Coachella a couple years ago (and about a couple months after listening to her studio stuff) and I really, really dug it. I think, for me, Fortress Round Your Heart was too slickly produced; she needs rough and edge (which is what the live show had in spades). If the new one is more rough sounding -- more like a punk album and less like a pop album[1], I'm definitely gonna love it.
[1] My best friend LOVES Ida, and couldn't get why I didn't like her. And I mentioned that same thing once I'd come around on her, and mentioned that she's not really a Pop Artist, and he thought I was being down on pop. And my explanation was this: Lady Gaga is awesome. And she's REALLY GOOD at pop. And she's quite talented. But if Lady Gaga were to do a metal album, it probably wouldn't really work, since that's not really her metier. Despite both Gaga, Pop and Metal being awesome. Same thing for Ida Maria. She's awesome. Punkier stuff is awesome. Pure pop is awesome. But her voice isn't particularly good at the pop side of things, where her voice is perfectly suited to more rockin', harsh sounds.
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 7:55 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
[1] My best friend LOVES Ida, and couldn't get why I didn't like her. And I mentioned that same thing once I'd come around on her, and mentioned that she's not really a Pop Artist, and he thought I was being down on pop. And my explanation was this: Lady Gaga is awesome. And she's REALLY GOOD at pop. And she's quite talented. But if Lady Gaga were to do a metal album, it probably wouldn't really work, since that's not really her metier. Despite both Gaga, Pop and Metal being awesome. Same thing for Ida Maria. She's awesome. Punkier stuff is awesome. Pure pop is awesome. But her voice isn't particularly good at the pop side of things, where her voice is perfectly suited to more rockin', harsh sounds.
posted by Rev. Syung Myung Me at 7:55 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
God love the internet. In 30 minutes I had found this post, listened to the links, downloaded the album (Fortress) (from iTunes, because Amazon's mp3 downloader is PISSING ME OFF, but that's an upcoming askme) and put it on my phone so I could listen to it on the way to work.
Word of warning: listening to this caused me to drive pretty fast and play drums on the steering wheel.
Also, I woke up enough to think of who she kind of reminds me of: Concret Blonde, yes, and also Nina Nastasia, and Susan McKeown.
posted by rtha at 8:20 AM on July 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Word of warning: listening to this caused me to drive pretty fast and play drums on the steering wheel.
Also, I woke up enough to think of who she kind of reminds me of: Concret Blonde, yes, and also Nina Nastasia, and Susan McKeown.
posted by rtha at 8:20 AM on July 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
"I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked" was a staple in my car stereo last year. Mrs. Maaik and I would jump around the living room, scaring the cats, and singing along. Thanks for the post! I'll have to pass this along to her!
posted by Maaik at 8:35 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by Maaik at 8:35 AM on July 1, 2011
Her voice's got balls. The newer material I found quite appealing.
posted by Meatafoecure at 8:42 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by Meatafoecure at 8:42 AM on July 1, 2011
Oh My God was re-recorded with Iggy Pop, complete with strange music video featuring cartoon chest hair on the filmed rock star.
The song is also featured on Rock Band 3, with pro guitar and a piano part and harmonies and all the other stuff that being in a rhythm game means now.
I'll be listening to the new album as soon as I get a chance, but my first impressions are that it's a good followup.
posted by sandswipe at 9:34 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
The song is also featured on Rock Band 3, with pro guitar and a piano part and harmonies and all the other stuff that being in a rhythm game means now.
I'll be listening to the new album as soon as I get a chance, but my first impressions are that it's a good followup.
posted by sandswipe at 9:34 AM on July 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
wow - it's been a while since a straight up rock band got me - discovered We're All Going to Hell thanks to this post.
posted by victors at 9:43 AM on July 1, 2011
posted by victors at 9:43 AM on July 1, 2011
She really reminds me of someone, vocally, but I'm not awake enough yet to think who. Whoever it is, I like them, which makes me like her even more.
I only listened to one song up there, so maybe I need to hear more, but I immediately thought she sorta sounded like Kim Carnes.
posted by rainperimeter at 10:59 AM on July 1, 2011
I only listened to one song up there, so maybe I need to hear more, but I immediately thought she sorta sounded like Kim Carnes.
posted by rainperimeter at 10:59 AM on July 1, 2011
Holy crap, she's Norwegian? I'm Norwegian and I didn't even know that - been living in the States for way too long, apparently. And I love Ida Maria!
Yeah, not too shabby, Norway.
Can't link to youtube from work, but can't resist the opportunity to list some other fantastic Norwegian artists:
Røyksopp - MeFi favorites - try Remind Me
Ane Brun - check out The Treehouse Song or Don't Leave
Kate Havnevik - Timeless gets a lot of repeat play in my house
Bel Canto - their Shimmering, Warm & Bright album is a must for late-night driving
Kings of Convenience - try I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
OK, I'll stop here (sorry, can't bring myself to add a-ha to this list).
Wow, I've become the worst kind of expat - all I'm missing is an Uff Da bumpersticker...
posted by widdershins at 11:02 AM on July 1, 2011 [4 favorites]
Yeah, not too shabby, Norway.
Can't link to youtube from work, but can't resist the opportunity to list some other fantastic Norwegian artists:
Røyksopp - MeFi favorites - try Remind Me
Ane Brun - check out The Treehouse Song or Don't Leave
Kate Havnevik - Timeless gets a lot of repeat play in my house
Bel Canto - their Shimmering, Warm & Bright album is a must for late-night driving
Kings of Convenience - try I Don't Know What I Can Save You From
OK, I'll stop here (sorry, can't bring myself to add a-ha to this list).
Wow, I've become the worst kind of expat - all I'm missing is an Uff Da bumpersticker...
posted by widdershins at 11:02 AM on July 1, 2011 [4 favorites]
I'll add the groovy psych-pop stylings of the (erstwhile) Dipsomaniacs -- these would be the ones from Trondheim, not NJ.
posted by FelliniBlank at 12:08 PM on July 1, 2011
posted by FelliniBlank at 12:08 PM on July 1, 2011
(She really reminds me of someone, vocally, but I'm not awake enough yet to think who. Whoever it is, I like them, which makes me like her even more.)
Joan Jett. You're thinking of Joan Jett.
posted by BYiro at 2:31 PM on July 1, 2011
Joan Jett. You're thinking of Joan Jett.
posted by BYiro at 2:31 PM on July 1, 2011
Aw, sweet, new Ida Maria. I've seriously dug her stuff for a while... even though I first tripped across her when I found her Oh My God while looking for the Kaiser Chiefs song of the same title...
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 3:10 PM on July 1, 2011
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 3:10 PM on July 1, 2011
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