I love to both read and write. This blog will cover a variety of topics including music, pop culture, movie reviews, and travel. I am an avid movie watcher and I love listening to many kinds of music. Growing up in New York, I have been fortunate to attend many Broadway shows, which has sparked my love of theater and culture in New York. My goal is to become an entertainment journalist, because the job combines two of my favorite things, writing and pop-culture.
In Rio de Janeiro, there is a landfill that is the largest in the world.Named Jardim Gramacho, the island of garbage is filled with catadores, Brazilian garbage pickers who troll through the trash in search of recyclables.Halfway across the world, Vik Muniz makes art in Brooklyn.He has done well for himself, focusing mainly on the photography of images made from quirky materials like chocolate syrup and sand.He decides that his next project will be working with the catadores to give back to the region.This is Waste Land, a startlingly moving film that recently made the Oscar Documentary shortlist.The movie quietly arrived at the Kendall Square Theater on Friday, but it is the type of film that should really be greeted with the type of attention garnered by the new Harry Potter.Equal parts about the importance of recycling and the interpersonal connections that can be shared by the creation of art, Waste Land is a stunningly breathtaking movie that explores just how easy it is to bring joy where there previously was despondency.
The mere mention of Kanye West one year ago would surely elicit a sneer, while Nicki Minaj’s name might bring about a furrowed brow with a “who?” It’s funny how so much can change in just one year. Minaj is now the queen of the rap world: her first single “Your Love” peaked at 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and conquered the Rap Charts with a number one position. Just last month, Minaj became the first artist to have 7 songs on the Hot 100 chart at one time. Artists like Christina Aguilera, Diddy, and M.I.A have featured her on their songs. This summer it was almost impossible to turn on a rap radio station without hearing Minaj’s trademark growls.
The best kind of Saturday, in my opinion, is one filled with movies. I decided to take a recovery day from my hell-week and Saturday morning, lazing out of bed at noon, felt an inexplicable urge to crawl right back under the covers with a good movie. My choices were endless (thanks for the Netflix password, Dad!). Should I go classic and watch something like Antonioni’s Blow-Up, a film I had just spent the last two weeks discussing in Italian class. Or should I finally get around to watching The Kids Are All Right, which for some reason I just haven’t worked up the will to watch since it was released to much critical acclaim this summer.
Drake serenades Rihanna on the island-flavored "What's My Name"
Anyone who has noticed Rihanna’s demeanor as of late can tell that the singer is back to business as usual. Traipsing around the globe to promote her hit single “Only Girl in the World,” she seems happier than ever, the likes of which echoes throughout her satisfying new album Loud. A follow-up to the commercially unsuccessful but artistically bold Rated R, the album is really quite good. It is hard to call the disc excellent, what with the plentitude of quality music that has been floating around lately. However, it nestles in a sizable notch above the rest of the Top-40 hits that populate the iTunes charts today. On Loud, Rihanna returns fully rebooted and ready for a good time.
I've been thinking about doing a post about Rihanna for the last several weeks. What with her appearance on both Saturday Night Live and Britain's X-Factor, the singer has certainly been keeping busy.
On Tuesday, October 5th 2010, I had the opportunity to sit down with M.I.A.’s mentee and opening act Rye Rye moments after her set finished. The following is an account of our meeting:
Q-What were your first experiences with music? Did you play an instrument or sing as a kid?
A-I never played anything but I used to watch music videos with my sister and I would imitate the dance moves I saw. I used to write a lot of poetry and my sister was friends with Blaaqstar [ed. note: M.I.A.’s frequent producer and collaborator] so she hooked me up with him. I called him up and left him a voicemail with a one verse on it that had started as just one chord, you know? I turned it into a whole song and just left it on his voicemail [laughs]. I didn’t know if he liked my voice or something but obviously it worked out!
Q-I know you’re a big dancer, you put on these amazing live shows where you’re basically flying around the stage. Do you think you prefer dancing or singing and why?
A-You know, sometimes I like dancing more because I feel like that’s what my plan in life is. It’s one of those things that I just have in me that’s such a big part of me. But at the same time, I love to make music that makes me dance. So I’d say if I had to choose really I’d pick dancing, but I’m not saying I don’t love rapping!
The crowd in Bryant Park was buzzing with electric delight as the stars of the evening’s secret (((artist’s den))) show, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, took the stage at 7:30 last Thursday night. I personally was expecting my socks to be blown off based purely on the pure perfection that is the band’s third, self-titled album. Little did anyone in the roughly 200-deep crowd that not only were Ms. Potter and her Nocturnals about to blow everyone’s socks off their fee, but would also be redefining what a live concert experience should be in its most perfect form.
As he sheepishly batted his hands at the audience in embarrassment, Keane’s lead singer Tom Chaplin mumbled, “thanks guys” under his breath, clearly taken aback by the overwhelming applause. Keane had just finished playing their new single “Stop For a Minute” for a captive audience of about fifty people in Webster Hall’s musty basement. As Chaplin sang “and if I stop for a minute / I think about things I really don’t wanna know” the audience swayed along, eyes glued to the stage, the general feel of the whole afternoon.
Last Saturday, I had the true pleasure of attending what was shaping up to be one of the best concerts of the year. Headlined by the truly ingenious rapper M.I.A. and featuring a slew of openers’ whose genres ranged from hip-hop (the delicious Rye Rye) and electro-rock (Sleigh Bells), the festival was, for the most part, a fantastic experience. However, perhaps M.I.A. should next time pick different artists the next time she headlines a festival, as nearly every opener heartily upstaged the supposed main attraction.
Last week, I had the opportunity to check out Broken Bells' secret, acoustic show at Webster Hall. Ah, the perks that come with my incredible summer internship...
The last week or so has been RIDICULOUSLY chock full of fantastic music releases.
Janelle Monae's new album The ArchAndroid is a wonderfully clever idea and it has been executed perfectly. Her duet with of Montreal, "Make the Bus" is a match made in indie-heaven. Their voices mesh together beautifully and harmoniously. The rest of the album is filled to the brim with equally quirky pop-soul songs, the best of which, "Tightrope," comes with a killer video to boot. Check that out and more after the jump.
Best known for her hit “100 Days, 100 Nights,” Sharon Jones is one of the hardest working yet most underappreciated artists in the music industry. She is always on tour, whether or not she has a new album to promote. She pops up on shows like “Saturday Night Live” to sing with Michael Buble. She is even featured on David Byrne’s new album Here Lies Love. On I Learned the Hard Way, joined once again with horn section The Dap Kings, Jones shows that she knows how to turn an album full of songs about heartbreak into a fun, upbeat journey. Here, she more than borrows from soul artists of the 1960s; she creates her own R&B classics with exciting results. Packed with tight, gripping tracks, Hard Way is the best example of funk and soul this side of the 1960’s.
Other songs focus on Jones playing the part of the wronged woman. On the title track, a thumping, angry drumbeat leads into her feisty musings about how “Now it hurts me inside just to hear your name.” On the slinky guitar infused track “Better Things to Do” there are peals of laughter as Jones howls and growls at the man who did her wrong. Sticking it to the man who dumped her, she proudly proclaims that “I’m a better woman than I have been / ‘cause I don’t think about way back when.” The aforementioned guitars pop up again on “She Ain’t a Child No More,” a surprisingly dark tale of a woman who’s husband drunkenly beats her every night. Jones maintains her staunchly powerful demeanor as she croons “Her heart still soft, but her skin got bit, she ain’t a child no more."
The band only departs from its “love hurts” format on a few songs. One, “Money,” finds Jones wailing about the cruelty of wealth as she cackles, “Without money, what would we do? Money is the root of all evil but ain’t nothing evil about money!” It shows true innovation when an artist can mix a blast of neo-retro soul with a message about today’s economy. It creates a lovely time-warp effect that brings together the sounds of the present day with back in the day. At first glance, instrumental track “The Reason” is just that, a song that doesn’t feature the album’s storyteller. Upon further listen, it becomes easier to pick up on the bluesy saxophone telling its own tale about despair, dripping with heat on a street corner in a city. The soulful wails of the Dap King’s horns tell their own story, providing a worthy counterpart for the heartbroken Jones.
The only flaw on the album is also its greatest triumph: I Learned the Hard Way doesn’t deviate from the formula of the group’s first three albums. With its bouncy groove, saucy vocals and bubbly horn interjections, the album is another stellar notch in Sharon Jones’ belt.
Marina and the Diamonds is the moniker for Welsh powerhouse Marina Diamandis. She stomped onto the music scene in February, guns blazing, with her amazing debut album The Family Jewels. This is the first album in a long time that I find myself able o listen to the whole way through repeatedly. Her songs are absolutely infectious; are they pop, dance, electro, soul? She keeps us guessing with her mix and match tracks. They are filled with snappy lyrics, versatile vocals, and pounding beats. She takes all the best parts of Lady Gaga, Kate Bush, Lilly Allen, and Florence + the Machine, throws them in a blender, and makes them all her own.
The best track on the album is “Oh No!” in which Marina wails about only wanting success in life as she sings, “I know exactly what I want and who I want to be!” At 24, that’s quite a hefty achievement, but she proves it on every single track. If this is who she wants to be, god bless her future endeavors; if only all albums could all be as fresh and wonderful as this! Her voice is silky and gorgeous; it reaches heights and depths like nobody else her age can possibly hit. Her vocals alone convey an amazing breadth of emotion, and her lyrics only lend to that cause.
Some amazing remixes of her sparse, haunting track “I Am Not a Robot.” The best, by Passion Pit, takes what was essentially an acoustic track and ships it straight to the dance floor. It is quite literally the best of both worlds. Passion Pit initially seems like an odd choice to rework Marina’s tracks, but on further inspection it makes perfect sense; the band knows how to work a synthesizer to their advantage and work it they do on “Robot.” The second remix, by Lovers and Gambles (anchored by electro princess Little Boots), also transforms the single into a dance smash, but a smooth, sexy, synthy anthem.
Passion Pit:
Lovers and Gambles:
And the original for comparison:
I would like to personally thank whoever was responsible for signing Marina Diamandis to her record label and for believing in such a fantastic, exciting record. I would also like to thank her promotional team for successfully picking singles that slowly expose audiences to her genius. I can’t wait to see what Marina has up her sleeve next.
On the hottest day of the year so far, a fiery haired goddess swept into the Paradise Rock Club in Boston and put on such a big show, the club could barely contain it. I’m speaking of the British band Florence and the Machine, and with all due respect to the musicians, this concert was all about lead singer “Flo” as she likes to be called. She is quite an odd little character. With shocking red hair and creamy white skin, she looks like a porcelain doll. Before she went on, the stagehands scattered flowers all over the stage and the instruments, furthering the sweet image surrounding the girl. When Florence Welch stepped foot on stage, the audience went absolutely insane, knowing full well what it was in store for. It was like people were bracing themselves, and rightfully so; as soon as she opened her mouth, Florence blew the roof off the club. Her voice is so powerful and absolutely gorgeous in complete opposition to her looks; you expect sweet, she gives you brash and boisterous.
Starting with the vocal roller-coaster ride “Howl” was a bold move, as it literally runs through every note that Florence can possibly hit. I almost wondered how she could top it, but as she powered through her album, she proved that she was a truly diverse and engaging artist. This was the only the second concert that I’ve been to where I really felt like it was a true “rock experience”, the first being fellow—yet quite different—British songbird Little Boots. Perhaps they do a better job of teaching manners on the other side of the pond, because Florence made each and every audience member feel special and unique. She bounced around the stage with the energy and vivacity of a hyperactive child, but knew how to restrain herself too. Whenever she would howl, the audience screamed, feeding her immense voice. Whereas in other shows that I’ve seen at the Paradise, the artists’ hits were greeted with the biggest applause, each and every one of Florence’s songs—even the one off of the “special deluxe box set. I swear I’m not trying to sell you shit!”—were heralded with wild applause. Big winners were “You’ve Got the Love” which the entire audience sang along to, “Kiss With a Fist”, and “I’m Not Calling You a Liar.” Vocally, the woman is unparalleled in the music industry. Nobody can hit notes and hold them as amazingly as she can, and still continue to sing right after wailing like that! Thin-voiced pop stars like Rihanna and Miley Cyrus cant even hold a candle to this remarkably talented songstress.
Florence showed off her charm and quirk in between her songs. She really couldn’t thank us enough, and whenever she did, she seemed so genuinely gracious. She came close to tears when the encore ended as she said “Really though, Boston, you’ve opened your hearts to me and I hope that it seemed I did the same to you. You’re all so truly lovely!” I, for one, can’t wait to have her back.
Here's a medium quality video of Florence + The Machine doing "Howl":
On a chilly Sunday night in Boston, surfer rock met electro on stage at the Paradise Rock Club in the form of Beach House, the phenomenal band who is currently on tour in support of their new album, “Teen Dream.” Kicking things off with the haunting “Walk in the Park”, singer/keyboardist Victoria Legrand waxed poetic about a past love. Accompanied by guitarist Alex Scally, the longhaired Legrand crooned how “in a matter of time, you will slip from my mind” as five sparkly, diamond shaped objects twirled around on stage. Long, shiny streamers that looked like jellyfish drifting through the water were draped from all the corners of the stage. Some people looked around in confusion, possibly wondering where the energy was, but the whole point of a Beach House show is escapism. The band provides a calm but ebullient retreat from everyday worries. While singing dreamy crowd pleasers like “Zebra” and “Norway” Legrand smiled knowingly; their two biggest hits off of Dream, the songs brought on an audience sing along. Legrand’s amazingly mysterious chanting completely drowned their voices out. As she sang “anyway you run, you run before us / black and white horse, arching among us” you couldn’t help but wonder where this angelic voice was coming from, spinning tales of romantic woe and distress. Equal parts smoky, otherworldly, entrancing, and velvety smooth, her vocals proved the perfect cure for the rainy-day blues of the outside world. Her only problem was her stage presence: after having seen concerts with Lady Gaga, Allison Mosshart (of The Kills and The Dead Weather), and Patti Smith, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something lacking in Beach House’s show. Albeit, their music is highly different than the three aforementioned artists: think The Beach Boys meets MGMT meets Fleet Foxes on a beach wearing hoodies. However much she was able to connect with her songs, with her head bobbing and feet stomping, Legrand never seemed altogether there. Perhaps the mysticism of her music had swept her away too, but nonetheless, Beach House’s nearly perfect show was the right way to start off a week.
White Noise (Mike McCourt) is a mashup artist from Long Island, NY. His latest mix-tape Spoiler Alert! features songs that give away major plot twists from blockbuster flicks. In this one, from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, he brilliantly blends together the following songs:
·Miley Cyrus - Party In The USA
·Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
·Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
·Sum 41 - Fat Lip
·Kanye West - I Wonder
·Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California
·Drake ft. Kanye West - Forever
·Coldplay - The Scientist
The whole album is a brilliant inside joke from the inner workings of a musical genius—it’s clear that White Noise knows his movies and music inside out. He also has a blog, where he recently posted “Stuntin Like Mufasa” a ridiculously hilarious but surprisingly good mash of “Just Can’t Wait to Be King” from The Lion King and songs by T.I. and Jay-Z. Who would’ve guessed that it would turn out so brilliant, but with a smattering of “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga, the song proves itself a perfect throwback.
“My Chick Bad (Remix)”—Ludacris feat. Diamond, Trina, and Eve
One of the best rappers alive, Ludacris takes the back seat on this remix of his massive hit featuring the up and coming Nicki Minaj. The concept of Luda’s latest album, entitled Battle of the Sexes, is just that; each track features either a male or female vocalist in addition to Ludacris. On this remix, the women take center stage. “Fresh” rapper Diamond from Atlanta kicks off the song in fine form, but the real stars of the track are the Miami-born Trina and Philadelphia’s Eve. Trina and Minaj, the original guest on the song, are known to not get along in rap circles, so this is Luda’s sly wink at their feud. She spits insults like “I’m the baddest chick and they don’t call me that for nothin” which is a jab at Minaj’s rising star; “Light grey eyes, hourglass frame, still got the crown for best ass in the game.” Does Nicki intimidate Trina? The answer after this song is a resounding no. Eve finally returns to the game after taking an extended hiatus, making time to appear on the family friendly hit show Glee. She demonstrates her phenomenal abilities while she raps “Still reppin Philly, still the Eve of destruction…” The song shines with camaraderie, something unseen in the hip-hop community except for Lil Wayne’s Young Money crew.
“Kick Ass”—Mika
Frequently called the reincarnation of Freddie Mercury, Mika is actually quite unique. He balances his upbeat, poppy hits with ballads that plumb the depths of his voice. In this song, from the upcoming movie Kick Ass, Mika examines that same range with brilliant results. The chorus echoes “We are young, we are strong, we’re not looking for where we belong. We’re not cool, we are free, and we’re running with blood on our knees” prove the perfect accompaniment to the film that revolves around everyday people who want to be superheroes. His voice is lush and beautiful; he hits his falsetto notes (the ones that bring on chills) with such ease. When I saw him in concert last October, he proved that he wasn’t the product of a record label’s autotune: he can belt like the best of them.
Last week, Lady Gaga and Beyonce's Telephone music video premiered with a bang. Other quality videos got shuffled off to the side in favor of the megastar Gaga's newest work of art, but I thought it would only be fair to discuss some OTHER music videos instead.
Rude Boy by Rihanna
Rihanna is in fine form here, dancing around to the beat and having an all around good time. Yes, it's true she basically lifted her entire video from M.I.A. (see "Boyz" video below). However, Rihanna looks great, sounds great, and has produced a killer video. One can only hope that because of the similarities people will watch M.I.A.'s video and discover that she does indeed have songs other than "Paper Planes."
Boyz by M.I.A.
Giving Up the Gun by Vampire Weekend
The best song off their new album, Giving Up the Gun features wacky cameos by Jake Gyllenhal, Joe Jonas, Lil Jon', and RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. Decked out in their hipster, preppy digs like always, Vampire Weekend have created a video featuring hints of Daft Punk (check out the two astronauts), a dash of self doubt, and eventual triumph. The masters of self promotion, the band manages to slip in a ten second segment from their next single "Holiday."
This Too Shall Pass by OK Go
OK Go knows how to make a music video, which is clearly obvious in their simple but elaborately choreographed "Here It Goes Again." Here, the band has outdone itself, creating a Rube Goldberg machine spanning an entire two story warehouse. It is truly mind-boggling and requires a second view. Oh, and the song is pretty catchy too.
If there’s anything I’ve learned from American Idol over the past nine years, it’s that Randy Jackson has a very limited vocabulary and that America doesn’t appreciate singer-songwriters as much as manufactured pop artists.Last week’s batch of new AI episodes proves this point perfectly.Even though we lost some stars, I’d still hedge my bets on this being the “girls’ season.”
Two weeks ago, we saw a breakout moment from bouncy haired blonde Katelyn Epperly.Transforming Coldplay’s song “The Scientist” into a beautiful and melodic piece of art, Epperly brought the audience and the judges to their feet.Sure, Ellen DeGeneres said it put her to sleep, but I discount everything that woman says: she needs to drop the “I’m speaking for America” act and fast because it’s quickly getting old and contrived.They hired her because she has years of showbiz experience under her belt; she knows how to command an audience as demonstrated by her daily talk show, so she had better start giving good, constructive advice or I’ll start muting her part.Her aside, the panel adored her lush, exciting take on an already good song.This week, she put her spin on “I Feel the Earth Move” by Carole King, giving it a smoother and more laid back feel.It wasn’t her best performance to date, but it was FAR superior to fellow contestant Paige Miles rendition of “Smile.”Chock full of pitch problems, the song plodded along at a snail’s pace.The judges uniformly agreed that it was both an awful song choice and performance, yet she made the Top Twelve, leaving a dumbstruck looking Epperly in Miles’ undeserving dust.
I do have to give props to America for “embracing the weird” that is contestant Siobhan Magnus.Her interview bits are deliciously awkward and strange.A glass blower from Sandwich, MA, Magnus has one of the most unique and surprising voices on the show.Last week, she (some thought unwisely) took on Aretha Franklin’s “Think.”The first half of the song was full of bum notes, but she comes along after the first chorus ends.Then, out of nowhere, her mouth opens and out comes a note sent straight from heaven.The audience screamed, the judges screamed, hell I screamed.“That sort of sound should NOT be coming from a tiny little white girl” I found myself thinking aloud.This week, she proved she’s no one-trick pony with her stirring “House of the Rising Sun.”She brilliantly reinterpreted the song in honor of her father.“He taught me how to sing”, she declared in a monotonous voice as she blew the song about a house full of prostitutes out of the water.She is definitely one to watch.Save the glassblower, America.
Crystal Bowersox, I love you, but you are quickly becoming overhyped.Your brilliant song choices, what you so ingeniously do with them, and your general “Screw this show, I’ll do what I please” attitude have me tickled silly.The only problem is those meddling judges who need to learn to NOT shower contestants with the likes of “you’re the one to beat” before we even hit the Top Twelve.Cool it, Simon.
Crippled early on by an unfortunate mullet and a terrible stage fright, Alex Lambert had slowly begun to grow into his shoes on the Idol stage (or as DeGeneres put it, he was a banana that was slowly ripening).Kara put it excellently (sorry, shivered a little. Didn’t feel right typing that sentence) when she told him that he was growing from week to week.With last week’s “Everybody Knows”, Lambert proved that he deserved to be in the competition.To keep guys like Aaron Kelly (looking like a member of N-Sync, sounding like that guy from your high school cabaret show) or Tim Urban (take away Justin Timberlake’s charm and talent) in the competition instead of the always exciting and super unique Lambert was a travesty.Shame, shame America.
One of the best rappers currently in the game, Cudi slows things up with this mellow jam featuring the master of cool Snoop Dogg. Spitting lyrics like “I’m living in my own world…I chill back and spread peace and love” this is a new, relaxed Cudi that we haven’t seen before. We’ve seen an angst filled, guilt ridden, stressed out “lonely stoner” version of the hip rapper on his debut Man on the Moon: The End of Day. Then, just last month, a track called “Cudderisback” dropped, which was Cudi rapping over Vampire Weekend’s “Ottoman.” Shortly afterwards, he was thrown off Lady Gaga’s “Monster Ball” Tour because of an attack on his fans. Perhaps the few months off have relieved some stress and inspired a new creative spark in the man, because this song is fresh and exciting (especially when he breaks from form and sings during the last verse). Snoop is in fine form here, cracking jokes about “waking and baking…getting hella high.”
Allison Iraheta—“One More Reason”
American Idol may unleash some terrible artists on the world (think Clay Aiken or Danny Gokey) but last season produced one of the most formidable talents the show has seen in years. No, I’m not talking about Adam Lambert. Rather than taking the outlandish, theatrical route of Mr. Lambert, Allison Iraheta stayed true to her rock roots throughout the entire competition, landing her a fourth place slot behind (gulp) Gokey. Her debut album “Just Like You” didn’t sell nearly as many copies as Lambert’s or winner Kris Allen’s did, but it was a creative and vocal powerhouse. Yesterday, the album was released in Japan with bonus track “One More Reason.” Take one listen and you’ll wonder why this girl hasn’t cracked the Top 40 yet. Her voice, both unique and gorgeous, is equal parts Joan Jett and Kelly Clarkson. The song snaps with sass and wit; while the chorus is somewhat similar to far less talented Miley Cyrus’ “7 Things”, Iraheta is believable. When she sings about the “one more reason why [I] hate you”, she snarls sarcastically with the wisdom of someone much older.
Crookers ft. Yelle—“Cooler Couleur”
Off their new album Tons of Friends (which is excellent, I might add), Crookers expertly weaves French electro-pop star with his pounding beats and haunting synthesizers. Switching between French and English, Yelle showcases her strong and melodic voice, rising above the crowded music. Unlike other Crookers songs, “Cooler” focuses more on the vocalist than the music. When they slow the song down and allow Yelle to sing almost a cappella, the results are breathtaking. The only problem is in Yelle’s emotional attachment to the lyrics. Yes, she sounds excellent here, but perhaps it’s difficult to pick up on that emotional connection because English isn’t her native language. Nevertheless, it is a brilliant song.
