There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
I have never been excited for an Eminem album but it is hard not to get excited when this is the first single and the knowledge that the album is being co-produced by Rick Rubin (who did this song and pops up in the video to grow his beard out and just weird out) and Dr. Dre. And then he release this video with other cameos by Kendrick Lamar and Kid Rock as well as references to the two artists he samples, Billy Squier and Beastie Boys (for you youngin’ go check out the video for So What'cha Want for that reference).
I have to admit that I do not completely hate this song which is saying a lot because that is basically the second nicest thing I have ever said about a song by Katy Perry (I file Teenage Dream under "begrudgingly enjoy"). Sure, as everyone has pointed out it completely rips off Brave from Sara Bareilles (I am surprised no one points that extending the title in the chorus blatently rips off Umbrella, and does it poorly at that), but it is so stupid, it is hard to hate. And the musc video is enjoyable… for obvious reasons.
I was a bit surprised Safe and Sound by Capital Cities ended up being the break out indie hit of the summer, it was all right, but not as good as many of its peers that toiled in obscurity. Now the duo is back hoping to avoid being one hit wonders (this song will probably will not be it) and the whole animal heads on human bodies is totally freaking me the frack out.
Alice in Chains put out two music videos last week and though Voices is probably a better song and is only notable for Jerry Cantrell’s accountant haircut (apparently friends do let friends get friends haircuts), while the video for The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here is much freakier. Not animal heads on human bodies freaky, but freaky nonetheless.
Skylar Grey released her first album under the name Holly Brook back in 2006, a year before the female singer-songwriter boon launched by Sara Bareilles. But the Wisconsin native was much more moody than the others that came out of Southern California. Seven years, a name change and a bunch of singles that did about as good as her previous iteration, her sophomore album Don't Look Down is finally out.
Not surprising since Grey has made the in between years writing and singing hooks for rappers like Dr. Dre, Diddy and most famously wrote the Rihanna part for Eminem’s Love the Way You Lie, the new album takes on a more electric feel compared to her predominately acoustic debut (the piano only album closer White Suburban is the only song here that would not sound out of place on the Holly Brook album) . There are guest spots from Big Sean, Angel Haze and Eminem even repays the favor. Except none of those songs work especially the Eminem assisted C’mon Let Me Ride which aims for the charts with overly charged double, and a couple single, entendres but just comes off as embarrassing even if the song was meant to be either semi or fully ironic.
Though the music has taken a decidedly more hip-hop songs which rely heavy on drum loops, vocally and lyrically, the new album sound very similar to her debut (with decidable more expletives littered throughout the album). The songs oscillate between moody and sweet effortlessly (which the exceptions of whenever a rapper shows up to take you out of the mood). The best of the former is Final Warning where Skylar goes where many before her in the past decade have gone before by taking revenge on a former boyfriend. But where Carrie underwood is cute when she talks about taking a baseball bat to a dude’s pickup truck, when Skyler talks about picking up a knife, says, “Somebody’s gonna get hurt and it’s not gonna be me,” and then taunts him with some na na’s, you actually fear for the guy. And yourself a little.
On the nicer side of the album, Sunshine is an upbeat song and if you strip away the drum machine and add some banjo, the song could easily become a country radio hit. Don’t Look Down can be a bit schizophrenic at times, but Skylar Grey is turning out to be much more interesting than Holly Brook.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
As theatrical as Taylor Swift has been, it is a bit surprising that this is the first music video with an overblown two minute monologue that is not part of the original song to start a video. And of course it is presented in widescreen. But I am not sure we needed the Taylor Swift version of Trainspotting, she should go back to making rom-com style videos.
Speaking of unnecessary intros, Alicia Keys has to deal with some skeevy director in her new video. Maybe he was the one who forced her to wear that horrible Barbara Streisand / A Star Is Born wig. She was right to rip it off.
I did not even realize that was supposed to be an animated version of Brandon Flowers until I saw him with the rest of the animated The Killers. I am still not completely sure that is supposed to be him. And if that is not confusing enough, apparently the old dude is the old Brandon. Then to make it even more confusing Eric Roberts shows, which I guess this makes it a sequel to Mr. Brightside? Does that make Mr. Brightside and Miss Atomic Bomb a couple? The band must have felt very reminiscent this week because they also released their second Tim Burton directed video (but not stop motion animated but just as weird as Bones) for Here with Me. The video makes me wonder when Hollywood is going to get around to a Mannequin remake.
I liked Skylar Grey when she was a moody indie chick, but this, oh goodness no. This song is horrible even if it is supposed to be semi-ironic, which I am not even sure it is supposed to be.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
When I first heard this song I thought, “Prince better get his lawyer on the phone because someone totally ripped off Take Me with U.” As it turned out Prince just ripped off himself.
What happened to 50 Cent? His debut posed to make him the greatest rapper of the decade but just kept releasing crap after that. 50 says in this song that this is his comeback, but I do not know. Eminem destroys him on his on song and a the chorus is pretty weak.
I had to laugh when Christina Aguilera said Chris Mann was the most commercially successful artist ever produced by The Voice considering Dia Frampton’s debut sold four times more albums than his over the same time period (even Javier Colon and Xenia put up better numbers). I always liked Dia and thought her album was criminally overlooked so it was nice to see the show has not forgotten her promoting her new music video this week even if it is just a glorified Kia commercial. Chris Mann did not even get a Kia product placement video, even Tony Lucca and Juliet Simms both got one.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Not to self: do not let Regina Spektor house sit for you. On a serious note, if I were to do one of those silly Best Songs of the First Half of 2012, this would probably be number two on the hypothetical list.
Foster the People may not have scored that elusive second hit yet, but at least they are making some entertaining music videos why they try, even if their latest is a bit creepy. Although watching it begs the question, when is a Weekend at Bernie’s reboot coming?
It is odd that the first two minutes of the new Slaughterhouse video is dedicated to Eminem who is not even featured on the track (note Slaughterhouse is signed to Eminem’s label)
If you had asked the sixteen year old version of myself who would have a better career, The Offspring or Green Day, I would have smacked you for suggesting Green Day would ever be better than The Offspring. Yeah, the sixteen year old version of myself got that prediction horribly wrong. I am not sure if this song and video are supposed to be semi or fully ironic like Pretty Fly for a White Guy, but is does not work either way.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
Last week “Weird Al” Yankovic released his painful to sit though Lady Gaga parody (I am pretty sure that is what the Nazis say when they opened the Arc of the Covenant), thankfully Al is already cleansing the mind pallet with his new video where a Taylor Swift look-a-like (I am assuming that since I Belong to You is the song getting the Weird Al treatment) gets harassed by TMZ.
What the frack Eminem? Is there supposed to be some big deep meaning behind this video that I am not seeing, or did you just film this video as an excuss to hook up with Sasha Grey?
I am getting a strong George Michael / Faith vibe from the latest Matt Nathanson video. The both feature a solo artist in blue jeans and jacket playing an acoustic guitar. Even musically they utilize the same famous Bo Diddley beat.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
After his triumphant triumph of Recovery, Eminem has been quick for a follow up with Bad Meets Evil with his buddy, but I have to say if this were a rap battle I may have to give it to Royce the 5’9’’. But I got a little depressed at the chorus because it is hard not to wonder how better it would have been if Nate Dogg was still around to sing it.
It is a shame that the latest R. Kelly album is not getting as much love as it should be because it is easily his best non-Trapped in the Closet work in over a decade. Speaking of Trapped in the Closet, when are we going to get new chapters Kells, it has been over three years since the last one. I need to know what the package is.
There is no shortage of women done wrong songs in recent years, but this one from Eisley may be the most spiteful with each lyric more biting than the previous one. And the song gets better with every listen because of it.
I remember getting press releases from NBC about The Voice and checking song of the songs I liked being performed, one being Bubbly by Colbie Caillat. When I click on the link to see Dia Frampton I said to myself, “wait a second I know that girl, she’s from Meg and Dia.” I cannot say I was a big fan of the group’s emo rock chick music that ended up being popularized by Paramore. After Dia’s killer performance of Heartless last week I decide to reexamine the group and found this gem that they released earlier this year which is the catchiest pop song I have heard in a while with its Beatle-esque chorus and killer piano breakdown before the bridge which sees the sisters playfully sing against each other and I love the line “I am proud of my temper” which is ironic now that she has been dubbed The Quiet One on The Voice.
I also had a very lengthy post that I was going to post yesterday about The Voice, but I granted the first run somewhere else and they have taken long than I thought to publish it, so I have to wait until they post it first, hopefully I can repost it later today for a rare double post, but here is a little preview that I did not put in the post for the other site regarding Dia’s previous record deal and being on The Voice:
There have been a lot of complaining how many of the contestants on The Voice have already had record contract; seven of the remaining singers by my count seven, almost half of the finale sixteen, have released albums. I say to those who make that complaint: screw you hippies. One of my many reasons why I have never watched American Karaoke is that I believe if you have talent, you would not need a reality show to score a record contract, and considering American Karaoke and its strict no professionals rule is currently batting two for nine, I seem to be right. And though talent may land you a record deal, it does not always equate into stardom, you still need the right marketing. So having a show with season veterans like Dia or Javier Colon who never manage to get that breakout hit, The Voice can be that great marketing tool to get their music to the masses and makes for a better show.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
After a decade long layoff, I really do not need an introspective Dr. Dre song as the second single (fifth maybe if the first four are bangers), I need Dre to be the soundtrack of me getting my drink on, my smoke on, then go home with something to poke on. And I do not even do two of the three (okay, I really do not do any of them).
Seriously, they really need to put old people making out warning front of videos these days, first Parenthood and now Hanson. This trend really needs to stop.
MTV released their second “Supervideo” and juts like their first one it features a hot young actress (this time Emma Roberts subbing in for Anna Kendrick) and the video they made for Cults is just as nonsensical as the one they did for LCD Soundsystem.
I always enjoy a good music video in reverce, and you can tell from the messy first frame that this would be a good one, but I wished Peter Bjorn and John would have at least tried singing backwards so it syncs up, that always makes a video in reverse.
Quote of the Week: Here’s what I wonder about zombies: what happens if they can’t get any human flesh to eat, they can’t starve to death, they’re already dead. (Raj, The Big Bang Theory)
Big News of the Week: Super Bowl Shuffle 2011: It’s clear that if go around raping chicks that referees will no longer give you the same home cooking that let you win your previous championships (well at least in the NFL, NBA refs apparently have short memories). And in the first yea in a while, the commercials were just as good as the game thanks to Darth Vader, dog destroying doors and Eminem. Unfortunately the same could not be said about the halftime show where The Black Eyed Peas managed to limbo under the low bar The Who set last year. Here is a suggestion for next year: Dave Matthews Band; they are only the biggest touring draw of the past decade.
Gratuitous Token Hot Chick picture of the Week
Free Download of the Week: Your Pick: Scooter's Note: This offer is no longer available, check back later for more free offers. Nothing really caught my eye on the free front this week so I will be giving away two free songs via Amazon MP3. Just e-mail me (ScooterKSU(at)aol(dot)com) what song you want by 5:00 PM tomorrow (Sunday) and I will be sending two people the song they picked tomorrow. Note this is only available for people with an American account and make sure you e-mail me, with subject line Free MP3, with the account that is linked to your Amazon account.
New Album Release of the Week: Go-Go Boots - Drive By Truckers
Video of the Week: And for anyone who managed to miss it, here is the previously mentioned Eminem Super Bowl ad.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Survivor: Redemption Island, Wednesday at 8:00 on CBS: After drawing it out longer than they should, Survivor unveiled the worst kept secret in that they were bringing back Boston Rob and Russell, neither of which are the redeemable especially Russell who just got caught spoiling the previous two seasons he was on. Should make for an interesting reunion show if Jeff Probst brings it up. Hopefully they are both out early (keep I mind the only time they brought back two previous contestants, one went out early while the other made it to the final tribal) and get booted promptly from Redemption Island soon after that. My preseason pick is Andrea Boehlke.
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on my 
, she should go back to making rom-com style videos.
remake.
homage! Although if I did the math correctly, Max Headroom predates the birth of 
, when are we going to get new chapters Kells, it has been over three years since the last one. I need to know what the package is. 
- Drive By Truckers