Rihanna's 'Loud' Packs a Peppy, Poppy Punch

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.

Queen Rihanna

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.

Go! Pop! Bang! The Story of Rye Rye

On Tuesday, October 5^th 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 Heights - An Independent Frame Of Mind

Hey everyone, please read my newest article! It's my second weekly column for The Heights and I'm really excited about it. Enjoy!

The Heights - An Independent Frame Of Mind

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals-What a Refreshing Throwback

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.

Keane Anything But a "Bad Dream"

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.

M.I.A. Crashes Her Pop "Plane" on Governor's Island

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.