There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. 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.
Waiting On the World to Change - John Mayer
Who would have thought it would be John Mayer that would best sum up Generation X/Y’s thoughts on the current state of the world? But politics aside it’s cool how the blue tint syncs up John’s deeper decent into the blues. Though it is still a little weird looking at the New York skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge and not seeing the Twin Towers. The graffiti in the video but it was kind of cheesy that they put that disclaimer at the end. More on this song when I review his new album Continuum in September
Original Fire - Audioslave
Yeah, the video has been done many times before (but this time with red tint!) the video is cool, not as cool as the simplistic firework themed Cochise, but cool nonetheless. But what’s fun with videos like this is questioning who gets pictured (is that the dude from Quiet Riot near the end) and people who didn’t make the cut (did I miss Bob Marley somewhere). More on this song when I review Audioslave’s new album Revelations in early September.
Far Away - Nickelback
Yeah, Nickelback still sands for everything that’s wrong in rock music today, but this is one of their songs that sucks the least. And music aside, the video is cool and hard not to get rapped up in the story.
Listen!!! - Talib Kweli
After review some extremely boring rappers lately, it looks like quality rap is making a comeback with The Roots coming out with an album soon as well as Ear Drum coming soon from Talib Kweli. Much like the Audioslave video, the graphics are cool, but just as the song title suggests you should just listen. Just shows you how bad rap on the radio has become.
Shelter - Kelly Clarkson
As I mentioned in my review of The Last Kiss Soundtrack (see All These Places Feel Like Home) Ray LaMontagne may most be known for have Kelly Clarkson cover one of his songs at a Katrina Benefit and here is that performance. I’m sure all the phone numbers running across the screen are still active and since New Orleans still looks like Hell even as we come upon the one year anniversary. Which is why I posted this video instead of the one of a drunken alcoholic Clarkson at a Metal Skool concert which is the funniest video I’ve seen in a while (and begs the question who took the bigger credibility hit: the dude from Yellowcard for hanging out with Clarkson, or Clarkson foe hanging out with the dude from Yellowcard). Well maybe not as funny as Denis Leary’s anti-Mel Gibson tirade at a Red Sox game. Or Neil Young on the Colbert Report. Or any interview Samuel L. Jackson has give for Snakes on a Plane. Okay maybe the Clarkson video isn’t that funny except when they rag on Britney Spears.
Obie Trice is the only rapper worth listening to in Eminem’s camp ever since 50 Cent turned into the very thing that he grew an audience dissing, Ja-Rule. But in a bit of Murphy’s Law, Obie got little cross-over success even with the infectious and humorous Got Some Teeth off his first album Cheers. But a lot has happened in the three years since that album dropped first and foremost was when Obie was shot in the head while driving around his native Detroit last year and then his running buddy at Shady Records, Proof was also shot, but this time was fatal. These two events made Obie’s sophomore effort Second Round’s on Me a more morbid album.
The production, mostly by Eminem and Obie himself, echoes the darker direction of the album. The beats are more sparse and grittier than their predecessors. But a few of the beats get too fast for Obie and just can’t keep up like on Lay Down or Out of State which sounds like a leftover beat from a nineties OutKast album. Obie is at his best when he has beats that bring out his laid back delivery. Aside from the darker themes, Obie even took a different approach to recording this time around as instead of writing his lyrics down he flowed freestyle much of the album and makes his already distinct voice even more distinctive.
As for the actual song, Obie slips into many rap clichés. The most annoying of which is the anti-snitching sentiment behind Snitch although Akon’s chorus does make the song almost interesting. Then he raps about the worst waste of money ever rims on 24’s. Someone really needs to sit these rappers down and have them listen to Chris Rock explain the difference between being rich and being wealthy. And when he avoids the typical rap clichés, the rest of the album is typically mediocre.
Aside from Akon, the first half of the album is basically just Obie, but second half of the album is jam packed with other guest appearances. Brick & Lace, who are quickly becoming the go to hook singers when a rapper can’t get a name R&B singer, bring down Jamaican Girl. The always reliable Nate Dogg helps out on All of My Life. Trey Songz has hook duty on two songs one of which (Ghetto) is much better than the other (Mama). And Obie brings out the heavyweights with Eminem, along with Big Herk, on the Detroit anthem There They Go while 50 Cent, who much like his last two albums sounds bored on Everywhere I Go. Speaking of rap clichés, Obie even samples Scareface, the movie not the dude from the Geto Boys, on Kill Me a Mutha, and that is just way too many clichés for one album.
Song to Download - Cry Now
Second Round’s on Me get a ![Terror Alert Level: Elevated [YELLOW]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-iVFV0hXCTSYP16K_V0Rrxp3GqFrtBIJKeTUyQ2LpxZQ9XKHFj6QGtqqa7oxhLadLV8vUj8R84AftD8IKUSfN0u_u0CYDtJwhrpCPN2DBWquAIDv0jbVlhZL0mDFKlPKluGyxw/s400/small_elevated.png)
on my Terror Alert Scale.
When devising this site, early on I decided there were three types of albums I wouldn’t review, Greatest Hits, Live Albums, or Soundtracks. I put a moratorium on Greatest Hits because everyone knows all the songs anyways and really the only reason to talk about them is to discuss what was left off (think I’m on Fire missing from Bruce Springsteen’s) and Live Albums are pretty much Greatest Hits just, well, played live. Soundtracks are a different beast because they fall into two different categories, a collection of older songs that everyone knows then there are films will lower budgets who just stick nameless bands that record labels pay to put on for promotional purposes. Really there hasn’t been a soundtrack worth listening to in the past decade. Well except for one: the Garden State Soundtrack.
The soundtrack for Grammy winner Zach Braff was so good it turned a decent movie into a much better one. Who new the dude from Men at Work was still making music and good music at that? Yeah, the song that was supposable supposed to change my life didn’t really do so; the soundtrack to his second movie, The Last Kiss is still worth talking about. It does look like since the success of the last album, Braff got a little more money as he has a couple more visible names this time around. Coldplay are back, but Braff dipped into there second album this time for one of the standout tracks from A Rush of Blood to the Head, their best album to date, with Warning Sign. Chocolate off of Snow Patrol’s Final Straw starts off the soundtrack and my favorite Fiona Apple song not named Never Is a Promise, Paper Bag from the album whose name is so long it would double the length of this post also makes an appearance. Also the always solid Aimee Mann makes an appearance.
Coldplay aren’t the only Garden State overlap as Carey Brothers, who’s Blue Eyes was one of the better track, is back with the not as good Ride as he goes in more of a psychedelic way opposed to the more singer-songwriter vibe of Blue Eyes. Other notable tracks include Star Mile by Joshua Radin that could have easily fit on the Garden State Soundtrack. Turin Breaks deliver a great snooty English acoustic song, Pain Killer. El Salvador by Athlete sounds like if the Barenaked Ladies were British. The sadly overlooked Rachel Yamagata gives one of the best performances on the album with the piano driven Reasons Why. But the label of the best goes to Ray LaMontagne, who may be best know for having the original karaoke queen, Kelly Clarkson, sing one of his songs, Shelter, at the televised Katrina benefit ReAct Now: Music and Relief, or his great version of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy that is making it’s round across the internet and qorth hunting down. LaMontagne’s song here Hold You in My Arms sound’s straight of the singer-songwriters heyday of the sixties but without sounding dated. (Also look for a review of his latest album soon here on the 9th Green.)
Remy Zero is another Garden State holdover, but its nineties alternative rock track Prophesy, even though decent, doesn’t fit on the soundtrack. Amos Lee puts on a stellar performance with the stripped down Arms of a Woman, but it can be easily overlooked with the superior LaMontagne track, which has the same vibe, on the same album. Filling in the virtually unknown actress who also sings role of Bonnie Somerville is Schuylar Fisk, who you should remember as the female lead in Orange Country finishes off the album with a duet with Joshua Radin which is neither memorable nor bad.
But the album is not without its flaws. Imogen Heap delivers a weird acapella song Hide and Seek whose layered vocals just don’t stack together well. Then there Rufus Wainwright, who I can never get into because I can’t get past his lisp/slurred speech singing style, with Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk. But overall the soundtrack makes me earger to see the movie which won’t be out until September 15th. But for those that want a sneek peek, check out the video podcast where Zack Braff talks little about the movie, but some of the segments prominently feature Rachel Bilson, who definitely isn’t Natalie Portman, but is still easy to look at anyway.
Song to Download - Hold You in My Arms
The Last Kiss Soundtrack gets a ![Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebDZ0qqwOVKMZj7oFSUe8Hm3ax54U9Hp1fThJPgiddTyzcdwx_5SV6E3b7hkKyxbaDiym4COmUXT2YJnsKCUjBHI_a2xZtNoY7qFQRslP5AGO5gLkJwn2ZbO0wIF80ycbKrgPPA/s400/small_high.png)
on my Terror Alert Scale.
A couple weeks ago I brought to you a list of Blender’s 25 Biggest Wusses and now another publication has gone even further by listing the 111 Wussiest Songs Ever. I’m not sure what it says about me, but of the 111, forty of them could be found on my iPod (one of which I can even play on the piano, two bonus points to anyone who guesses that correctly), although I don’t have number one, Shiny Happy People even though I do have that REM album.. So I whittled those down to twenty-five for this month’s lyrics quiz. Now I won’t give you a link to that list as it would make things easier (but once all the songs have been guessed I will) and if you have come across this list, please don’t reference it to help yourself. Also please don’t use search engines as you don’t actually win anything, just pick your own brain (or a brain of a friend if you want). As always, put both the song title and artist in the comment section and if you are right, I will un-bold the song and give you credit. Be sure to come back later if you want the link to see the complete 111 song. Now onto the quiz:
As I mentioned in the paragraph above, the songs were compiled from a list, well here's the list and you are more than welcome to look at it to help you in answering the remaining songs, 111 Wussiest Songs of All Time.
1. But I wonder does he know, has he ever felt like this and I know that you’d be here right now if I could have let you know somehow. (Every Rose Has its Thorn - Poison; guessed by Dane Bramage)
2. I’ll bring fire in the winters; you’ll send showers in the spring. (Longer - Dan Folelburg; guessed by Dane Bramage)
3. If its love you want from me, then take it away. Everything’s not what you see, it’s over today. (Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club; guessed by Katy)
4. You know just what to say and you know just what to do, and I want to tell you so much, I love you. (Hello - Lionel Richie; guessed by Monique)
5. No matter the distance I want you to know that deep down inside of me you are my fire. (I Want it That Way - Backstreet Boys; guessed by Mel)
6. See I was on the verge of breaking down sometime silence can seem so loud. (I Believe I Can Fly - R. Kelly; guessed by MC)
7. I wonder how we can survive this moment but in the end if I’m with you I’ll take the chance. (Right Here Waiting - Richard Marx; guessed by Mel who also got the bonus question correct)
8. There’s something about the way the hair falls in your face, I love the shape you take while crawling towards the pillowcase. (Your Body Is a Wonderland - John Mayer; guessed by MC)
9. I wish I could carry your smile in my heart for times when my life seems so low, you make me believe what tomorrow could bring when today doesn’t really know. (All Out of Love - Air Supply; guessed by Monique)
10. Only a man in a phony red sheet looking for special things inside of me. (Superman (It Ain't Easy) - Five for Fighting; fuessed by MC)
11. What would you say if I took those words away, then you couldn’t make things new just by saying “I love you.” (More than Words - Extreme; guessed by MC)
12. I used to think maybe you loved me now baby I’m sure. (Walking on Sunshine - Katrina nd the Waves; guessed by Dane Bramage)
13. Love can touch us one time and last for a lifetime and never let go until we’re gone. (My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion; guessed by Dane Bramage)
14. I still can’t believe you’re gone, give anything to hear half you’re breath I know you’re still living you’re life after death. (I'll Be Missing You - Puff Daddy; guessed by MB)
15. I’m trying hard to figure out just how I ever did without the warmth of your smile, the heart of a child that’s deep inside, it keeps me purified. (God Must Have Spent a Little More Time On You - *NSYNC; guessed by Dane Bramage)
16. People can be so cold. They’ll hurt you and desert you, they’ll take your soul if you let them, but don’t you let them. (You Got a Friend - James Taylor; guessed by Dane Bramage)
17. I had to settle down, now I’m playing it real straight and yes I cut my hair. (Hip to be Square - Huey Lewis and the News; guessed by Natsthename)
18. Need to know that you will always be the same old someone that I knew. What will it take for you to believe in me the way I believe in you. (Just the Way You Are - Billy Joel; guessed by RHCP)
19. There’s no love like your love, and no other could give more love, there’s nowhere unless you’re there, all the time, all the way. ((Everything I Do) I Do it For You - Bryan Adams; guessed by MC)
20. You sing a sad song just to turn it around. (Bad Day - Daniel Powder; guessed by Lisa)
21. Sweet Freedom whispered in my ear, “You’re a butterfly and butterflies are free to fly; fly away, high away, bye-bye.” (Someone Saved My Soul Tonight - Elton John; guessed by Dane Bramage)
22. Hold on little girl, show me he’s done to you, stand up little girl, a broken heart can’t be that bad. (To Be with You - Mr. Big; guessed by Lisa)
23. She was there through my incarceration; I wanna show the world my appreciation. (Angel - Shaggy; guessed by RHCP)
24. I’m standing on the edge of time; I’ve walked away when love was mine. Caught up in a world of uphill climbing, tears are in my eyes and nothing is rhyming. (Mandy - Barry Manilow; guessed by Dane Bramage)
25. Would you run and never look back? Would you cry if you saw me crying? Would you save my soul tonight? (Hero - Enrique Iglesias; guessed by Mel)
Also for those who are interested, my sister site, Scooter McGavin Takes Pictures has a press release on the latest season of America's Next Top Model, so check that out to see the names of this year's girls and a group picture.
In a story I broke yesterday, this blog hit the big 5-0-0 and in the year and a half I’ve been doing music reviews there has seemed to be a resurgence of mid-nineties frat rock as in that time I have reviewed albums by Better Than Erza, Hootie and the Blowfish, Spin Doctors, Live, Oasis, and Blues Traveler as well another mainstay of the time Jewel (click the band’s name to go to my reviews). Well it hasn’t been that much of a resurgence because none of the bands seem to make much of a dent on the radio aside from a minor hit from BTE. Next up to try to revive their nineties dominance is the reunited Gin Blossoms with their new album Major Lodge Victory. Now if only we can get Toad the Wet Sprocket and the Refreshments back together and I’ll feel right back in high school.
Now of all the bands listed above, I’d put Gin Blossoms at the bottom of the list and really I’d only put them above Matchbox Twenty from that time period although I seemed to amass a few of their earlier albums. When it comes down to it they were able to write a bunch of good songs, but they were lacking that one great song that I could latch onto. I’m sure we can easily list our favorite song from the other bands but how many can do that for the Gin Blossoms? Didn’t think so. (For the record, I’d go with Until I Fall Away).
It’s much of the same on Major Lodge Victory with a bunch of good songs, but nothing great. But that’s actually an improvement above some of the over nineties refugee’s latest who struggled to even write a good song. Whereas those bands can’t seem to find their signature sound anymore, the Gin Blossoms’ latest album southern rock with a modern twist sounds like it was a lost album that could have been released between New Miserable Experience and Congratulations… I’m Sorry.
Half of the songs here could have found its way onto the radio a decade ago with their breezy, laid back rock much like Learning the Hard Way or Someday Soon, but unfortunately you have to have a reality show to get on the radio these days. End of the World is a decent mid-tempo song they mastered earlier in their career. The band even expands on that sound as Come on Hard has a cool overlapping vocal in the middle of the song. Super Girl is where the band expands the most with a chorus that can easily get stuck in your head.
That’s not to say the album is perfect. Heart Shaped Locket is kind of cheesy with it’s lyrics about Cleopatra and Sandra Dee. Let’s Play Two sounds like it was commissioned by a minor league team and the band didn’t bother to put much time on it because it was for a couple hundred fans in Duluth. Jet Black Sunrise is a slow song that just gets boring after a while; in fact the last couple songs just fall flat. But when it comes down to it, if you never like the Gin Blossoms, this won’t be the album to change your mind, but if you find yourself hoping for a third volume of I Love the 90’s so you can here Hal Sparks wax poetic on Hey Jealousy, then you should pick up this album. (Did VH1 really skip over them or am I having a brain freeze and forgot the segment?)
Song to Download - Super Girl
Major Lounge Victory gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.
This post you are reading marks the 500th post here at the 9th Green. Yippie. I really don’t have anything to celebrate the occasion even though I realized I was coming up on the milestone over a month ago. And in lieu of cards, presents, or money, really all I ask of you the reader is to take three minutes out of your day and watch the video below courtesy of YouTube. If you venture the blogs I do, no doubt you have seen it already, but this promo is more for people who haven’t seen the show the video promote. So everyone please give it a watch. And for those keeping track at home, the song in the second half is The Killers All These Things That I've Done.Okay, I do have a small, but very cool announcement; “Weird Al” Yankovic has a new album coming out next month. Pre-order your copy of Straight Outta Lynwood from Amazon below. I’m a little worried about the quality considering he had to reference an almost two decade old record. But as long there is a polka or two on it, I’ll be happy. There is no track list yet but expect parodies of Chamillionaire, Green Day, Usher, R. Kelly (I’m not sure he can top Dave Chappelle’s parody, link definitely not safe for work) as well as some karaoke winner and the duel disk also contains six new music videos. One parody you won’t here is one of James Blunt, but you can still download it from Weird Al’s website. Oh, and if you really, really want to congratulate me by sending gifts or money, I guess there is really no way foe me to stop you.
Scooter Update: It just came to my attention after watching the latest episode of Flavor of Love that season one of the show will be available on August uncensored so you at home can watch the spit seen round the world in crystal DVD imaging rather than watch the grainy YouTube version (again link not safe for work or for people with class). “Weird Al” and Flavor Flav: what more can a man ask for? (And yes both are on my wishlist over at Amazon.)
Where the music industry fail at every turn when it comes to the internet, television on the other hand seems to get everything right. And no one is above the curve more than ABC. They were the first to put up their shows on iTunes and also were one of the first to give viewers the ability to stream shows for free after they aired with very little commercial interruption. They have also been out in front promoting their cable outlet ABC Family last month giving people a chance to download their new series Kyle XY (which I skipped on account that the no belly button dude creeped me out) for free and continued that trend with its latest series Three Moons Over Milford (click image above to download it yourself). Much like The Amazing Screw-On Head (see my First Impression), I probable would have never scene the show had it not been available on the internet. Now if only the music companies would take note and stop suing people and make the music more accessible not less.
Three Moons Over Milford focus on a small town in Vermont where all the townspeople think it’s the end of the world as they know it (and they don’t feel fine) after an asteroid hits the moon splitting it into three segments, one of which is forecasted to hit squarely on the town sometime in the future, when no one is really for sure. Most specifically, the show centers around a family in the small town whose post-moon split was affected the most when the patriarch, some big science dude with a major company, decides to spend out the rest of his days in a teepee. A very high tech teepee. It’s not very clear if he and his wife, played by Elizabeth McGovern (She’s Having a Baby), got a divorce because of the spilt and I’m not sure if the townspeople know either as one asked if he should call her Ms. or Mrs. (she did reply Mrs.).
The kids in the family seem to be spiraling out of control with the eldest just getting his license and he wants to make the most of what may be his short life. This includes getting involved with a worker at his dad’s company who was most likely in high school when he was born, not that she knows this as he lies to her and tells her that he was in college (keep in mind this is airing on ABC Family). The there is the younger daughter who turns to witchcraft (keep in mind this is ABC Family) in hopes to put the moon back together, but things don’t go well for the novice. Rounding out the cast is the resident lawyer/plumber (which isn’t as cool as Ed’s layer/bowling ally combo) played by Rob Bolton (nothing you would know) and Saturday Night Live veteran Nora Dunn as a ruthless real estate agent, and surprisingly business is boom despite the whole end of the world thing.
Despite the interesting concept of people facing the end of the world (beating out the CBS the end is near show Jericho by a couple weeks), at heart it’s still a small town dramedy, but unlike similar shows like Northern Exposure, Everwood, Gilmore Girls, and the previously mentioned Ed, there is a sever lack of quirky characters to play off the straight lead. Also there is something to be said about the show being on ABC Family with it’s un-family like storylines like statutory rape, Wicca’s, and the occasional swear word. Ever since ABC took over the channel from Fox, they have treated it more like a secondary channel outlet than an alternative for families. Seriously, what family sits down to watch The Bachelor marathon? But when it comes down to it, Three Moons Over Milford is too edgy for families, but really not edgy enough for regular viewers.
Verdict: There is a possibility that the show could get better, but unless it continues to be free to download at my convenience, it’s not something to go out of your way to watch. Three Moons Over Milford airs Sundays at 8:00.
Most people will know Nina Gordon by the nineties alternative band Veruca Salt. But much like the other female led alt-girl bands of the era (think The Breeders) I really didn’t care for them and didn’t mind that they went back into obscurity as quickly as they escaped it (although I did like Belly). But after leaving the band, Gordon drifted more into the silly named adult alternative genre and released one of my favorite songs of 2000 with Tonight and the Rest of My Life (coming in at number eighteen in my end of the year list) that feature a more mature artist that got rid of the bratty persona that her former band was named after (think Willy Wonka). But that was six years ago and now Gordon is back with her sophomore effort Bleeding Heart Graffiti.
It’s easy to compare Nina Gordon to Liz Phair as both were indie-rock chicks who have morphed themselves into more of a pop/rock acts, but where Phair has started to come off as an older version of Avril Lavigne or a better singing Ashlee Simpson which means more catchy songs but tend to be disposable, Gordon has transitioned herself more gracefully as her music is accessible without losing any integrity like an Americanize version of Sarah McLachlan. Bleeding Heart Graffiti is an album in every sense of the word with the mood setting intro of the title track all the way to the short outro of The Crickets Sound like Sleigh Bells which really isn’t a holiday song much like Christmas Lights early on the album.
There are plenty of stand out tracks here like the previously mention Christmas Lights that hits all the right notes and when she sings the line, “Tonight I’ll sing out as loud as I can like a die hard fan for my favorite band, loud as I can,” you want to be there stand right beside her. The vulnerability in Gordon’s voice on Don’t Let Me Down can melt your heart. The song Turn on Your Radio is exactly what you should do with this song if you ever find yourself driving on a country road at night in the summer time. It also doubles as a great post-break up song with lyrics like, “I wanna write a song that will break your heart.” The guitars that start off and end When You Don’t Want Me Anymore have a cool Baby I’m Amazed feel to them. Bones and a Name starts as a slow moving introspective acoustic song that builds and builds only to be brought back down to the bridge and crescendos again for the end of the song.
There are a few songs though that are skipable. It may be the chauvinist pig in me, but Suffragette (much like The Man Show dudes, I think we should put an end to the suffrage) just didn’t do for as it seemed a little too poppy for me. Pure is a little sappy, but the track does finish up strong with its overlapping vocals. But even though nothing on this album as good as Tonight and the Rest of My Life (there is an acoustic version of the song on the iTunes version of Bleeding Heart Graffiti), there are plenty good songs that much the album worth listening to.
Song to Download - Bones and a Name
Bleeding Heart Graffiti gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.
The movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith will always be remembered more for what happened off the set with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie then what happened on screen. But since this blog doesn’t deal with salacious news, I won’t comment on any off the off screen happenings or the irony that the movie that stared Jennifer Aniston’s future ex-husband also featured future (alleged) husband. Nope, not gonna talk about that kind of stuff.
The plot features something I’m sure more than a few people can relate to with a married couple in a stale marriage that is filled with lies, except their lies are a lot bigger than most couples in that they both are hired assassins. In the beginning we spend some time watching their mundane lives which is, well mundane to watch. I know I said this when I reviewed The Matador (see my review - Oh, So Now Killing People is a Good Time), but movies about assassins should never be boring at any point. Seriously, is it that hard when you run into a down spot to just randomly have a cut scene with some dude getting off-ed in some creative way?
Another problem early in the film was the introduction of the Adam Brody from The O.C. as some random dude who seemed important and just disappeared. His storyline gets resolved late in the movie, but I spent the middle part wondering if I missed something. Also not given enough screen time was Vince Vaughn as ironically Pitt’s buddy/co-worker. Another way they could have solved the mundane scenes was inject more Vaughn throughout the movie. At least he faired better compared to Jolie’s buddies/co-workers who had less screen time and then had divide the time with four other actresses. How you don’t exploit a group of female assassins in beyond me.
But with all those complaints, when the movie did kick into high gear it was gripping. Each action sequence is more jam packed then the next all peppered with the right amount of humor and violence. This is highlighted by when the Smiths go after each other in there own home. And when they both lose their weapons there, the battle only gets better because well, guns are for wusses; real men (or women) will beat you down with their hands. There is also a great car chase where with a soundtrack of oddly enough of Making Love Out of Nothing at All (which the person I watch it with wrongly tried to argue Meatloaf when I said it was Air Supply; a lesson to all, never question my knowledge of cheesy music). Mr. and Mrs. Smith may have some down points but at the very least it’s a good waste of ninety minutes.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.
Things are definitely changing in the music business with new ways to find artist the biggest of which is the social networking site MySpace. Now I have never been to the site on account that dudes my age on the site tend to end up on Dateline NBC. But anyways. For the most part the site has catapulted bands into record contracts before they have ever played live. But now the site has its first R&B success story in Cassie who sparked a bidding war after she uploaded some demos to her space including the current hit, Me & U. Unfortunately for Cassie, Bad Boy ended up winning because Diddy is notoriously (pun intended) for not properly promoting his artists that don’t change their name every six months and with his own album slated for the fall it’s only going to get worse.
So to capitalize on her MySpace buzz, a self titled album was rushed to supply the demand and the rush job shows as every song on the album sound pretty much the same and Cassie’s singing on Prozac sound doesn’t help. She makes Rihanna’s vocal stylings sound like Mariah Carey in comparison. Throw in the uber-short run time, I have EP’s that are longer, and the album isn’t worth it at any price. Well maybe except for free. Cassie only switches things up on Long Way to Go where she goes the Promiscuous pseudo-rap route, but comes off a lot less catchy. Cassie also brings in some other singers to duet with on Kiss You, Just One Night and What Do U Want but the nondescript dudes are just as anemic as she is.
The songs are your basic run of the mill R&B lyrics that are slightly changed to protect against plagiarism charges while the beats are barely tweaked from song to song. The only lyrics that stand out are on two songs (in not necessarily good ways). Fist there is Ditto, a song based on a cheesy movie that is probable older than Cassie herself. Then on Call U Out (what’s with all the numbers and letters in the title, who does she think she is, Prince?) where she proclaims, “I’m the illest chick you ever met you know that’s a fact. I’ll cut you up in a minute if you made me.” Whoa, slow down chica. When Carrie Underwood admitted to destroying some guy’s car for cheating is understandable (see my review - Oh, There's Nothing Like Oklahoma), but can’t be going around cutting dudes. That right there makes Cassie undateable. Yeah she’s attractive, but I could go down to the local dormitory and find five to ten co-ed that are hotter. And there in lies the problem with MySpace (asides from the previously mentioned dudes who show up on Dateline) wherein marginally attractive chicks (or pseudo-punk bands) with no discernible talent can score a record deal just because the have enough “friends” on the site.
Song to Download - About Time
Cassie gets a ![Terror Alert Level: Low [GREEN]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5jUNMqnrEt-A-laO7HQcvH_2mssvEmU-3Ljc21QB95bE8gBS-ozxxmgUMEDQnUAPq4VYFmBlF5RIkGoiRjdCR8euNAtMTAaPmay8ZF4Lg3LY4TNqjAOq_3qDmalmC9AxLMIoVw/s400/small_low.png)
on my Terror Alert Scale.
My sources tell me that Flavor of Love (see my First Impressions) wasn’t the only Celebreality show to debut last night on VH1 as Celebrity Fit Club also started its fourth season last night. Although it was obvious which show the channel cared more about as a running clock let us now just how much time until Flavor of Love started (get it, a clock, so you know what time it is, oh never mind). But Celebrity Fit Club, albeit without ghetto fighting within the first twenty minutes, is more educational as you can take actual health tips away from the show.
Celebrity Fit Club first started out basically as a Biggest Loser clone but with Surreal Life level celebrities (or lower) filling in for regular people as the compete to see who can lose the most. But instead of people getting booted every week until there is a winner; Fit Club instead splits the pseudo celebrities into two teams of four to see which team loses the most weight. And although there hasn’t been any ghetto fights in Fit Club history, each season has been good for a meltdown or two (see the fat Baldwin, Kenickie, and the other guy from Charles in Charge not named Scott Baio).
In the beginning, it looked like it was hard to fight eight overweight celebrities, even the lower level ones, to come on the show and they even had to re-use the Snapple Lady twice. But now it seems like not only are they able to fine worthy celebrities for the show but many of this season’s cast even contacted the show in hopes to get on. This season on one team we have captain Bone Crusher, who it would nice to call a one hit wonder because it would be saying Never Scared was an actual hit. Hanging out with Bone is Angie Stone who’s Wish I Didn’t Miss You still gets play on my iPod. Rounding out the team (no pun intended) is NYPD Blue and Baywatch vets Nicholas Turturro and Erika Eleniak. Hopefully I don’t have to tell you which one is which.
On the other side of the isle is the other captain Carnie Wilson who is quickly returning to her Wilson Philips weight even after her much publicized gastric bypass surgery. Hopefully she is much better at keeping off the pound the real way as apposed to the hard way. Also on her team is not surprisingly Tina Yothers who was always referred to as the chubby one on Family Ties, that can’t be good for the psyche. Then there is the aptly titled Big Pussy who apparently wants the moniker to become ironic like having a bodyguard named Tiny. Filling out the team (again no pun intended) is some dude from the 70’s, but unlike VH1, I did not love that decade so I really don’t know the guy.
The first episode ran let every previous season with the contestants having one last splurge (which I always find to be a bad idea, but it does make for good TV) followed by an actual workout so they can assess the participants abilities. This led to the funniest moment with Big Pussy taking a face plant while attempting the long job but I was a little disturbed by Angie Stone’s four-plus minute quarter mile. For those keeping track at home, that’s over a minute per hundred meters. Then they had the first official weigh-in which was overseen by host Ant, the unfunniest gay dude ever. He should take notes from the gay dude from Will & Grace not named Will.
Verdict: As long as VH1 shows repeats of the show constantly, I’m sure I’ll see every show if I wanted to or not and sadly I’ll most likely be watching with a box of Ho-Ho’s and a bottle of Gatorade beside me.
There is no rapper more quotable than DMX especially when you need a good insult or need to describe a female that won’t be mistaken for a lady my personal favorite being, “You’re walking around like a brand new chicken about to be plucked” (there’s an unedited version of the same line that is arguably better). DMX also holds the distinctive honor of being the only rapper (possible only artist at that) to have their first five albums debut number one on the charts, and he is quick to let you now this at the start of his sixth Year of the Dog… Again.
The latest album can be divided into two different camps. For most of the first half of the album is classic DMX with club banger one after another. But the later half of the album is bogged down with over-semimetal song like on Goodbye where X gives his last farewells just in case. Now a couple of these types of songs are good for the diversity of the album, but when theirs is a bunch and all put in the back of the album, it just makes it seem long especially for a rap album.
But the first of the album will definitely get your heart pumping starting with the Intro that is too good and long just be labeled as on with the house party staple of call and response. And X brings in plenty of friends (maybe too many) to help him keep the party going. Long time collaborator Swiss Beatz plays the hype man on the first single We in Here. Busta Rhymes, always good for a classic guest appearance, shows up and cranks out the best track Come Thru (Move). Amerie plays the token R&B hook singer on the borderline cheesy Dog Love. The Lox, who were on X’s first hit, show up again on It’s Personal. DMX even brought in newcomers Big Stan for I Run (Expletive Deleted) (I could make a Happy Gilmore type joke here, but X scares me) and Bizarre Royale for the rock track Wrong or Right (I’m Tired).
Besides the latter track that bring done the album, the other aspect of the album that keeps Year of the Dog… Again from being as good as its predecessors are its beats, none of which come close to the ones on Get at Me Dog or What’s My Name? The one’s here are nondescript at best. The beat behind It’s Personal sounds like a second rate Dirt Off Your Shoulder while the rock track just fall flat. Maybe DMX needs to bring in some more producers the next time around to finally bring back his past glories.
Song to Download - Come Thru (Move)
Year of the Dog… Again gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.
