Showing posts with label Selena Gomez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Selena Gomez. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

I Want My Music Television: 5/8/13



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.


Come and Get It - Selena Gomez


If her role in Spring Breakers was not evidence enough, Selena Gomez has moved into her mature part of her career. This song and video is reminiscant of Mandy Moore, who a decade ago was also a second tier pop starlet who was better at acting than singing, and released an grown up Indian influenced In My Pocket to set hr apart from her peers. But In My Pocket is a bit catchier and like Moore, I hope Selena starts focusing on acting for the next couple years. And if the Mandy comparison continues (they both dated humongous douchebags during their teen starlet days), I will look forward to Gomez releasing a folk influenced album in five years as she transitioned into a classier era in her life.


Mosquito - Yeah Yeah Yeahs


When the Yeah Yeah Yeahs released the album art for Mosquito, it was met with a resounding, “Huh?” They have just released a music video for the title track and I have a feeling it will get the same reception.


New Day – Alicia Keys


Apparently Alicia Keys is going with the spaghetti approach to a new single as she really has not had one catch fire (no pun intended) from her new album because she has released two new music videos in as many weeks. I definitely prefer the one with Maxwell to this one. And if you are going to stretch one word out ten syllables, avoid lip-syncing because you are just going to look silly.


Q.U.E.E.N. – Janelle Monae featuring Erykah Badu


Considering the song involves both Janelle Monae and Erykah Badu and I wanted to like the song more than I do. But maybe it will grow on my like many of their past songs have done. But the music video is instantly awesome.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Best of the Week - 1/19/13




Quote of the Week: But I don't even trust the way you just now said I could trust you. (Winn Duffy, Justified)

Song of the Week: (They Long to Be) Close to You – Carpenters (as sung by the Bee Girl, House of Lies)

Scene of the Week:


Big News of the Week: Lance Armstrong Is a Lying Liar: Also how bizarre is the Notre Dame Football player / fake girlfriend story? Way too many inconsistencies to believe. Just a bad week for sports as a whole especially considering the AFC will be sending to the Super Bowl one of my three least favorite teams. Guess I will be rooting for the NFC like usual.

Preview Picture of the Week:

Bunheads "I'll Be Your Meyer Lansky" Monday at 9:00 on ABC Family

Free Download of the Week: Introduction – Holly Williams (Noise Trade)

Deal of the Week: $2.99 Albums: Amazon is having an unadvertised sale with a lot of classic albums for only $2.99 including Thiller, Born in the U.S.A., At Folsom Prison, and Under the Table and Dreaming. So stock up while you can because thesale may end as soon as it started.


New Album Release of the Week: 12-12-12 The Concert for Sandy Relief (2 CDs)

New DVD Release of the Week: The Men Who Built America

Video of the Week: Almost two decades ago Harmony Korine wrote a warped script about kids in America called, well, Kids. He was not far removed from being a kid himself at a time. Now forty, he has written (and this time directed) another film about kids, but instead of casting relative unknowns, this time around he raided the Disney line up with Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place), Vanessa Hudgens (High School Musical), and Ashley Benson (Pretty Little Liars, which airs on ABC Family which is also owned by Disney). Spring Breakers looks glossier than Kids, but looks like it will be just as warped. Oh yeah, it also stars a cornrowed James Franco.


Next Week Pick of the Week: Parenthood, Tuesday at 10:00 on NBC: If it seems like every season of Parenthood gets shorter and shorter, you are not paranoid, this season comes to a close this week after only fifteen episodes, three less than last year and seven less than season two. But as the cable model shows longer is not necessary better and the show remains the best drama on network television and hopefully returns next season to defend its title.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

I Want My Music Television - 11/22/11


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.

The Broken Ones - Dia Frampton



I was not that enthused with the orginal song Dia Frampton sang on The Voice and this is slightly better, but not as good as anything on Cocoon. The Peter Pan meets Lord of the Flies video. Does that make Dia Wendy or Simon?


Our Day Will Come – Amy Winehouse



Posthumous music videos are a weird proposition; you either have to go archival footage or someone do the lip-syncing instead. Seeing old Amy Winehouse videos and pictures is still a bit unsettling especially when her upcoming album seems like a pure cash grab.


The Shrine / An Argument - Fleet Foxes



A couple years ago, Fleet Foxes released a cool video for Mykonos and the new video looks to have the same animation style but with a more linear story. Just do not ask mean what it actually means.


Hit the Lights - Selena Gomez & the Scene



I wonder what is more ironic, that the new Selena Gomez & the Scene video looks like a glossier version of The Naked and Famous Young Blood video, that it sounds like every other pseudo-disco pop song on the radio right now, that she blatantly stole a line from Teenage Dream, the verses sound like leftover lines from a certain Alanis Morissette song, or that I kind of like it.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

I Want My Music Television - 6/28/11


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.


TMZ - "Weird Al" Yankovic



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.


Space Bound - Eminem



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?


Love You Like a Love Song - Selena Gomez & The Scene



Holy Max Headroom homage! Although if I did the math correctly, Max Headroom predates the birth of Selena Gomez. That really makes me feel old.


Faster - Matt Nathanson



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.

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Ten Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2009


Usually at the beginning of each quarter I list what albums are coming out chronologically, instead, this time I am counting down the ten albums I am most looking forward to listen to this fall. Then the rest I sorted by release date. If you are interested in pre-ordering the record from Amazon, click the album name (or the album cover where available). Click the artist name to be taken to their iTunes page to grab their current work. And as always, all dates subject to change.

1. Battle StudiesJohn Mayer (November 17): When I get around to making the Greatest Albums of the 00’s list, you could make an argument for any of his first three albums to land near the top of the list. Hopefully he goes four for four with Battle Studies.

Kamaal the Abstract - Q-Tip2. Kamaal the Abstract – Q-Tip (September 15): This should have been on the Most Anticipated Albums of Spring 2002, but the album got shelved by Arista. The record takes the jazz samples of A Tribe Called Quest to the extreme of live instrumentation and even sees Tip sing long before Andre 3000 or Kanye with production from the late J Dilla.

Draw the Line - David Gray3. Draw the Line – David Gray (September 22): Even though he hasn’t gotten the mainstream following after striking it big with Babylon, Gray has put out consistently good music since. And from the signs of the first single Fugitive, it looks to continue.

4. Everything Comes and GoesMichelle Branch (November 10): Branch started off her career by making what may end up being the greatest pop album of the decade. Like many other artists this decade, she went country with her duo The Wreckers. Now back with her first solo album in six years, it sounds like she will continue straddling the pop / rock / country fence.

5. Kiss and TellSelena Gomez and The Scene (September 29): Just kidding, making sure you are paying attention. But seriously, their first single is disturbingly catchy. Don’t tell Chris Hansen I said that though please.

The Seventh Seal - Rakim6. The Seventh Seal – Rakim (September 22): Another rap album that has been taking too long to be released. I have been anxiously waiting for this album ever since Dr. Dre signed him to his Aftermath label back in 2000. He left three years later to sign with Dreamworks that folded shortly after. Hopefully there are no more snags between now and the 22nd.

7. I and Love and YouThe Avett Brothers (September 29): I was first introduced to the band when Friday Night Lights used it as the soundtrack to the Landy/Tyra coupling. Now with a Rick Rubin produced, they are posed to be the breakout rock act of the year.

Play On - Carrie Underwood8. Play On – Carrie Underwood (November 3): Unlike #5, this is no joke. Her debut was the guiltiest of guilty pleasures and the follow was exactly what you expect, save the last track Wheel that pushed her boundaries outward. From the sound of the first single Cowboy Cassanova she might be pushing further with the song co-written by Mike Elizondo, one of Dr. Dre’s co-producers.

Man on the Moon: The End of Day – Kid Cudi9. Man on the Moon: The End of Day – Kid Cudi (September 15): Consider me skeptic about a five act rap concept album, the recent three acts from Green Day was heavy-handed. But Make Her Say may go down as the best hip-hop track of year. And bonus points for being from Cleveland.

10. How I Got OverThe Roots (October 20): You would think after agreeing to be Jimmy Fallon’s house band, The Roots would rest on their laurels, but just a year after releasing their last album comes a new one.

Here are some other albums you can expect to drop sometime before Christmas. If I missed anything, let me know in the comments or tell me what fall release you are looking forward to:

September 15
The ResistanceMuse
So Far Gone - Drake

September 22
BackspacerPearl Jam
Attention DeficitWale
Monsters Of FolkMonsters of Folk
Last Train To ParisSean “Diddy” Combs

September 29
Black Gives Way To BlueAlice in Chains
Brand New EyesParamore
Memoirs of an imperfect AngelMariah Carey
Can't Slow DownForeigner

October 6
Do What You Want, Be What You Are:The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (Box Set)
Hello HurricaneSwitchfoot
Escape RouteJoe Budden
Is and Always WasDaniel Johnston
Have Guitar, Will TravelJoe Perry
The Listening - Lights

October 13
Christmas In the HeartBob Dylan
She WolfShakira
Evolution of a ManBrian McKnight
Dead by Sunrise – Chester Bennington
SliceFive for Fighting

October 20
Til the Casket DropsClipse
Colour Me Free - Joss Stone

October 27
Raditude – Weezer
Strict JoyThe Swell Session
Save Me San FranciscoTrain
If On A Winter's Night...Sting
Live At The O2 - Kings of Leon
Live At The OlympiaR.E.M.
The Essential Weird Al Yankovic
Halford III – Winter Songs – Rob Halford (this is a Christmas album. No, seriously.)

November 3
Before I Self Destruct50 Cent
In Love & WarAmerie

November 10
Untitled – Avril Lavigne

November 17
The FallNorah Jones

November 24
Stronger – Mary J. Blige

Date Not Yet Announced
Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 1 – Beastie Boys
TBA - Alicia Keys
Lasers – Lupe Fiasco (December)
TBA - Vampire Weekend
Malice in Wonderland – Snoop Dogg
Light and Darkness - Christina Aguilera (November)
Relapse 2 – Eminem
TBA - Barenaked Ladies
Rise Up – Cypress Hill

And now for the obligatory, this may be the season that Dr. Dre releases Detox. Hey, we got Chinese Democracy last year so maybe it is possible.