Rebecca Black Threatened Over a Song?
April 20th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-oc-rebecca-black-friday-threats,0,4377564.story
Really?
I’m beginning to feel sorry for this girl. She records a music video and is ridiculed to no end because it’s a little cheesy. And now she’s getting threats. This is going too far.
This may be shocking but she is not the first tween to release a cheesy pop song.
Why is the world so focused on hating her? Is it because of all the publicity she’s receiving? Do people not realize that their hating is the cause of the publicity?
The more attention you give something, the bigger it gets. If you really hate it and want it to go away, ignore it. It’s pretty simple.
Invented, Hurley and the Problem
October 6th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
So, I've been listening to the new Jimmy Eat World album, Invented. All in all, it's a solid effort but there's something that's been bothering me about it. It's the same problem I have with the new Weezer album, Hurley. Both albums seem to suffer from an issue with consistency.
As with most albums they both have their high and low points. That's not really what I'm talking about though. It seems as though each band could have made two albums out of the material they put together to form one album. They would make for short albums but from beginning to end they would at least sound like the same band.
On Invented, Jimmy Eat World, has several songs with a more acoustic vibe. It works well for them, but when you mix it with rockers like My Best Theory it makes for a disjointed listening experience. With Hurley, Weezer suffers from the same issue. All in all I think it's one of Weezer's better efforts as of late with Rivers vocals actually showing emotion without sounding over produced, but there are songs that just don't go together.
It seems to me that bands aren't seeing the bigger picture these days and are more worried about producing singles than an album of material, but for some reason I was hoping that these two bands, bands that have produced classics like Pinkerton and Clarity, would have worked a little more on the flow and feeling of the album as a whole.
Invented isn't terrible. And, I'm probably over analyzing it. But, in listening to it, I can't help but wish for the album that could have been. It's so close.
I'll keep listening and maybe it'll grow on me more but those are my two cents for now.
15 in 15
September 16th, 2010 § 2 Comments
I don't normally participate in these internet memes but this one was right up my alley.
15 in 15
The "Rules": Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen albums you've heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag fifteen friends, including me, because I'm interested in seeing what albums my friends choose. (To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your fifteen picks, and tag people in the note.)
- Jimmy Eat World – Clarity
- Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
- Queen – A Night at the Opera
- The Who – Tommy
- Weezer – Pinkerton
- Rilo Kiley – More Adventureous
- Nirvana – In Utero
- The Beatles – Abbey Road
- Death Cab for Cutie – Transatlanticism
- Elliott Smith – XO
- Arcade Fire – Funeral
- Nick Drake – Pink Moon
- Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath
- Buddy Holly – Buddy Holly Lives
- The Doors – The Doors
Old Weezer
September 16th, 2010 § 1 Comment
Listening to Weezer's latest album last night caused me to pull out some of the old stuff that I hadn't listened to in a while.
I think some of my favorite Weezer songs are the b-sides and rarities from the Blue Album/Pinkerton era. There's some good stuff there. If you haven't heard You Gave Your Love to Me Softly, Mykel and Carli, Devotion, Velouria, Susanne, Jamie and I Just Threw Out the Love of My Dreams you are truly missing out on some of Weezer's best.
Stay tuned for my thoughts on Hurley.
I Used to be a Fan of Christian Music
September 2nd, 2010 § 4 Comments
I used to be a huge fan of Christian music. It was safe. And, it had a good message.
Over the years "safe" became boring, and the "good message" became tame and watered down. During that time I came to the realization that I found more inspiration and comfort in music that wasn't expressly labeled "Christian."
I identified with the struggles.
I could empathise with the pain.
I could rejoice in the victory.
I found beauty as others explored their innermost feelings in song. It just felt more real.
It didn't matter to me if an artist sang about their idea of God, or something else. I could see God's beauty in the music they created.
And that's where I still am today. I'll admit there are exceptions. But, I find more inspiration from secular music than I do from it's Christian counterpart.
