Outkast

OUTKAST AND THE LOVE BELOW: ANALYZING THE POP CONCEPT ALBUM is a new book by writer/performer David Reiser (City College, CUNY; University of Michigan). Outkast's double disc, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, won the 2004 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, and included the critically acclaimed, Billboard Hot 100 #1 hits, "Hey Ya!" and "The Way You Move." This book explores the character-driven compositional choices that make The Love Below a pop concept album in the tradition of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Each and every track on The Love Below is comprehensively examined with theoretical analyses and musical transcriptions, while the thematic characters and narratives are examined to illustrate the cohesive concept of the album. Outkast's career growth is examined in comparison with that of The Beatles, revealing fascinating parallels between these innovators of Hip-Hop and Rock. OUTKAST AND THE LOVE BELOW: ANALYZING THE POP CONCEPT ALBUM is sure to excite anyone looking to delve deeper into popular music studies, and whether you are a music theory scholar or simply a music fan, this book will give you a new appreciation for music, The Love Below, and Outkast.