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8Feb/120

Grammy Award Winners: My Predictions

The Grammy Awards are this coming Sunday as the list of performers continue to grow. Confirmed so far are Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Foo Fighters, Rihanna and Chris Brown, among many others. Before that, however, I figure now is a good time for me to actually predict what I think could happen as far as the wins are concerned.

Record Of The Year

It's easy to conclude that any category with Adele in it is an award for Adele. I won't jump to that conclusion just yet but this award does follow that frame of thought.
Should win: Adele
Will win: Adele

Album Of The Year

I feel like any competition from Adele would come from either the Foo Fighters or Lady GaGa. Stranger things have happened but I doubt Bruno Mars or Rihanna stand a chance. Not as clear cut as Record of the Year but Adele will have this one too.
Should win: Adele
Will win: Adele

Song Of The Year

Song of the Year is more of the wildcard among these first three categories. I could see Mumford & Sons taking this one but I still think Adele is the more obvious choice. But if there's an award she won't get out of these first three, I think it would be this one.
Should win: Adele
Will win: Adele

Best New Artist

This is a tough one mainly because, as we saw last year, it's not always the most popular choice that wins the award. I think this one might actually be split between Bon Iver and The Band Perry, with the latter edging out.
Should win: Nicki Minaj
Will win: The Band Perry

Best Pop Solo Performance

I feel like this might be one that Adele might not completely own. Although the competition isn't nearly as competitive as it could be. Past Grammy favourites like Beyoncé aren't mentioned here this year. I might even lean toward Pink grabbing this one...except who am I kidding?
Should win: Adele
Will win: Adele

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

This one is a difficult one because there are no clear choices in this mix. My thoughts are, Tony and Amy should get this one because of who they are except Body And Soul isn't really a pop song in the modern form of the word. So it depends on the perspective of the voters. I wouldn't be surprised to see Coldplay steal this one.
Should win: Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse
Will win: Coldplay

Best Pop Vocal Album

I think Born This Way should get this one. Not because I don't think 21 isn't deserving, nor because I think Adele shouldn't win everything she's nominated for but because I think as a pop album, Born This Way defines the genre perhaps more suitably.
Should win: Lady Gaga
Will win: Adele

Best Rock Performance

It's nice to see the Decemberists in here, although I think This Is Why We Fight is the better song of what they could have offered up for the category. Needless to say, the Foo Fighters have this one and rightfully so.
Should win: Foo Fighters
Will win: Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song

Keep in mind that the Best Song categories are awarded to the songwriters while the Best Performance/Record categories are to the performers and producers. They look at different aspects of the song. The same five songs, no less. I think Mumford & Songs should have a chance at this one but I also think the Foo Fighters will take it.
Should win: Mumford & Sons
Will win: Foo Fighters
I'll add that I'm a bit surprised the Foo Fighters have never won in this category before despite being nominated 4 times in the past.
And I'll add even more that I think the Foo Fighters will also take away the Best Hard Rock Performance.

Best Rap Performance

This one is between Chris, Wayne and Busta or Jay-Z and Kanye with the latter taking it.
Should win: Jay-Z & Kanye West
Will win:Jay-Z & Kanye West

Best Rap Song

I'm thinking Kanye has this one. Not the song with Jay-Z but the one with everyone else.
Should win: Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie
Will win: Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Album

While I'd like to see Nicki get this one because she's so great, Pink Friday isn't her best output. Her best recording instead appears on Kanye's album, which should win but instead I think the hype for the more recent Watch The Throne will push that into the end zone.
Should win: Kanye West
Will win: Jay-Z & Kanye West

Those are some predictions for the categories I'll be watching out for. Check back on Sunday night for ongoing updates, comments and shockers when I liveblog the Grammy Awards. Or hit me up on Twitter.

Tagged as: 2012, awards, Grammys, predictions No Comments

7Feb/120

Movie Review: Chronicle

Movie Poster for Chronicle

Chronicle could have been a superhero film as it depicts the newfound ability of telekinesis in three teenagers, only they don't choose to be superheroes. And that simple fact is highly refreshing for this movie.

Steve (Michael B. Jordan), Matt (Alex Russell) and his cousin Andrew (Dane DeHaan), a social outcast, stumble upon a weird substance in a tunnel while attending a rave. Within a few weeks, it's discovered they have the ability to move objects, including themselves, with their minds. A power that intensifies over time, starting with lego blocks and expanding to larger objects such as cars.

This film is presented as found footage, which in itself continues to grow as its own type of movie format. However, rather than relying on the perspective of just one person, we see things from two different cameras. Andrew's, as a way of self-protection from his abusive father (Michael Kelly) and occasionally from Casey's (Ashley Hinshaw), a girl from school who often videorecords everyday events for her video blog. The filming from these two cameras is placed together chronologically for this film, which in a way might be cheating but for the purposes of telling the story, it will do.

There are elements of the story that could have been explored, should director and writer Josh Trank, along with co-writer Max Landis have decided to do so. The source of their newfound powers was never explored other than later discovering the tunnel itself had caved in and was blocked off by the police. Instead, the focus is mostly on Andrew and his instability as a result of both his home and social life. Dane DeHaan explores that character on an intimate level as we see him slowly losing control while realizing just how powerful he can be. This once again reveals that human nature presented on film is fascinating. And, as I thought following the film, how such an ability can have different consequences depending on the person carrying them.

One of the strongest aspects of the film, other than DeHaan, is the realism in the storyline. As I mentioned before, this could have been a superhero movie. But it isn't. It takes into account the likelihood that would apply to most of us, should we ever discover ourselves to be able to move objects with our minds, that as teenagers we would most likely use those powers to excel ourselves first before deciding that maybe, just maybe, we can use them to help others. Whether that means in typical superhero fashion, or by breaking into banks and stealing money to pay hospital bills.

Tagged as: Chronicle, movie review, review No Comments

6Feb/121

Music Review: Born To Die

Album cover for Lana Del Rey's Born To Die

Lana Del Rey is in what one might call popularity limbo as the release date of her first full length album arrives. Following the buzz of her initial musical output in 2011, Lana was dubbed one of the singers to look out for in 2012. The hype surrounding her seemed to match that of Adele just a year earlier. However, her much-publicized and criticized Saturday Night Live appearance brought everything to a halt at the most critical point, mere weeks before the release of the record Born To Die. So much so that her chance at mainstream success could be tarred by that one performance before she even has a chance to begin. Is there a way for Lana to fix it? I think there is. What she needs to do is do another prime-time performance that is so incredible, there's no way everyone can't be won over. Of course, this task may be nearly impossible as her critics may be looking for any and every opportunity to point out her flaws. Despite earning name-recognition, most of it is surrounded by negative reviews. It's an uphill battle but one I'm taking personal interest in to see whether she can overcome and how.

Of course, the saying all press is good press may also work here. Her name is perhaps one of the most recognizable amongst newcomers in music at the moment so if anything, the curiosity factor is there. So even if the live performance on SNL bombed, maybe there's something more in the recorded work. Curiosity worked on me so I decided to give Born To Die a chance.

In using one word to describe the record, dreamy might be what comes to mind. But it's such a limiting word as a quality that really only applies to a couple of tracks, and even then, only musically. Essentially, what Born To Die is made of is the fusion of dreamy, ambient pop with electronic and hip-hop influences. At first, it's refreshing to hear so many styles blended together but eventually, this mix feels forced and awkward as the album goes on. It's as if this style was kept for songs that didn't necessarily need this blend and wasn't suitable in the best interest of those songs. In a sense, it's part of an effort to try to come off as being edgy, more so than she needs to be, such as with Radio.

Some of the best examples of this blend of musical fusion come with the new single, and title track Born To Die, which has a curious beat that cuts through the floor of strings supporting Lana's reverberated vocals. When listening to this song for the first few times, the arrangement of the words in the pre-chorus reminded me of a song that I couldn't quite put my finger on... and I had to wreck my brain for days before I realized it was Laughing With by Regina Spekter. I might be the only one to ever notice that but I thought it was a neat comparison.

Without limiting myself to just one word, describing Lana Del Rey might involve saying she is the vocal-twin of Nicole Atkins, along with her dreamy musical backdrop mixed with a hint of M.I.A., as seen in National Anthem, topped off with the sauciness of Kate Nash as channeled through Nellie McKay as is heard in Off To The Races. That's a mouthful!...resulting in a record that doesn't have as much life as one would expect with so many sounds combined into one. There are times when Lana sounds bored and disinterested. The aforementioned National Anthem might be the album's best song and should be the focus of this new artist rather than trying to break into the American mainstream with ambient pop songs like Video Games. Lana has strengths that are met on this album. They just don't necessarily coincide with the same audiences that were won over last year by Adele's vocals. In time.

Tracklisting
1. Born To Die
2. Off To The Races
3. Blue Jeans
4. Video Games
5. Diet Mountain Dew
6. National Anthem
7. Dark Paradise
8. Radio
9. Carmen
10. Million Dollar Man
11. Summertime Sadness
12. This Is What Makes Us Girls

Tagged as: Born To Die, Lana Del Rey, music review, review 1 Comment

5Feb/120

Luvstar

Just a quick post. Last night I made a quick mashup of Give Me All Your Lovin' combined with Hello and Big In Japan by Martin Solveig and Dragonette, with lines from Madonna, Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.. It's not that great and I might fix it up at some point but I figured I'd throw this out anyway. It's called Luvstar. Enjoy!

Luvstar mp3

Tagged as: Big In Japan, dragonette, Give Me All Your Lovin', Hello, Luvstar, M.I.A., Madonna, Martin Solveig, mashup, Nicki Minaj No Comments

3Feb/126

Give Me All Your L.U.V.

It seems that majorly-hyped singles never seem to meet the level of anticipation one has for them. Such is the case with the new Madonna song Give Me All Your Lovin', the first single from her upcoming new album MDNA.

The song seems to take a page from Gwen Stefani's book which boasts the kind of cheerleading persona that made Hollaback Girl the recognizable hit it was. While Hollaback was its own distinct song, Give Me All Your Lovin' doesn't have that that sort of quality to it. It doesn't quite stand out so much in that sense. It's just there...enough to blend in with the current pop music landscape. Admittedly, the chorus works as an earworm and gets instantly stuck in there, serving as more of a mildly annoying space-saver than a pleasantry. You know the song isn't that good but you can't help it anyway.

"L! U! V! Madonna! Y! O! U! You wanna!?"

I, for one, would be okay to look beyond it all and conclude that it's simply a fun song, used to promote Madonna's upcoming appearance at the Superbowl this weekend, and to a lesser extent, her new album coming out at the end of March. The video came out the same day as the song, which never happens these days. Usually, everything is timed to the second to ensure the greatest amount of drawn-out success or strategized to get as high on the charts as possible. Madonna and her label Interscope are laying everything out immediately, all in the same weekend. The song hits radio and iTunes, the video hits the internet and a few days later, the Superbowl appearance. That's pretty much it. How the song does in the next week and a half is probably where it will end.

Madonna's Celebration compilation on CD, Vinyl and DVD

But I can't help but wonder about Madonna's recent interviews in which she doesn't seem to hold back on just how highly she thinks of herself. A Newsweek article from this week quoted her as saying, "Start saving your pennies now. People spend $300 on crazy things all the time, things like handbags. So work all year, scrape the money together, and come to my show. I'm worth it." On one hand, it's refreshing that she doesn't fake her opinion on herself in interviews. Why pretend to be modest when you really aren't? But on the other hand, if you hype yourself up, people will look for any and every fault to knock you down. And the first fault I find is with Give Me All Your Lovin', a song where Madonna sounds like she's either becoming a lazy singer or is just bored. It really only picks up during the last minute with (too)short verses from Nicki Minaj and M.I.A.

But folks, I haven't given up on Madonna. Today, I proclaimed it my own personal Madonna Day where I put on my Ultimate Madonna playlist and enjoyed my favourite tracks from the Queen from 1984 up to the present as I made my way downtown to pick up a vinyl copy of her Celebration collection - 36 songs over 4 LPs. While listening, I decided it would be fun for me to make an attempt to pick out my favourite ten songs from her. Here goes, in alphabetical order:

Bedtime Story (1995)
Die Another Day (2002)
Frozen (1998)
Human Nature (1995)
I'll Remember (1994)
Live To Tell (1986)
Like A Prayer (1989)
Music (2000)
Ray Of Light (1998)
Secret (1994)

Filed under: Other 6 Comments

2Feb/121

Movie Review: The Woman In Black

Movie poster for The Woman In Black

Daniel Radcliffe stars as Arthur Kipps, a widower, father and lawyer in the 19th century who is sent to settle the legal affairs of a recently deceased woman, Alice Drablow (Alisa Khazanova). He leaves his son (Misha Handley) in the hands of his nanny as he travels by train to a small village several hours away. Here, the local residents act strange and unwelcoming to his presence as they try to persuade him to leave. After finding no room is left for him at the local inn, he is invited by Sam Daily (Ciarán Hinds) to stay with him and his wife (Janet McTeer).

Kipps makes several visits to Alice Drablow's estate which is located on a small island and is accessible only during low tide. During these visits, he begins to experience strange happenings as if there are other people in and around the house. The most striking of which is the sight of a woman in a black dress and veil (Liz White).

The film is based on a novel of the same name by Susan Hill and directed by James Watkins, whose only prior directed film was Eden Lake (2008), though he has been involved in writing other horror movies. While the setup to the main plot is well done, the scaring tactics used are very traditional. You know when to expect something is going to happen and in a lot of cases, what it is going to be. Demonstrating that Watkins' is still new to the game. So much emphasis is placed on executing these points that the focus seems to be take away from the plot itself.

Part way through the film, there's a sense that it might go from a classic-styled horror movie to something slightly more gory. The thought seems to rise, literally, under the sheets, but nothing really comes of this. These several incidents may be tantalizing for someone that might want more but for those who like a more realistic horror (despite the supernatural and spiritual occurrences), the line has been crossed. Is it serious or is there a sense of humour behind it now?

While The Woman In Black is a satisfying offering and a genuinely decent film for those who enjoy traditional horror films, don't expect intense storyline or to be frightened out of your wits. It's not mind-blowing in any sense but it's not bad either. And while I was going to write this without making a single reference to the elephant in the room, it should be noted that it didn't take too long into this film to be able to visualize Daniel Radcliffe as a character other than Harry Potter. For his first movie role after the 8-film HP franchise, it is commendable work and enough to anticipate Daniel's next role.

Tagged as: Daniel Radcliffe, movie review, review, The Woman In Black 1 Comment

2Feb/121

Strike!

As Halifax is in the midst of its first transit strike in 14 years, first since I've been here, and there's an immediate noticeable difference once you step through the door. First there's the effect on traffic, no buses and more cars. Therefore, more traffic. Next, if you're like me, you do rely on the public transit system to some degree. While I do live within what I consider to be walking distance from the places I need to be (work and school are within a 40-minute walking radius of my house), I do tend to use the buses for timing purposes.

Another instantly noticeable thing for anyone that views Facebook or Twitter are the number of comments from locals. The ones I find most alarming and often downright silly that those that are so incredibly misinformed and just plain wrong. Now, I'll admit I'm not the most informed when it comes to most issues. I consider myself to be on an average scale as far as knowing what's actually going on with most issues. At times I consider myself so oblivious to something that if it catches my attention, everyone should already know as much as I do. So when I read comments like ones I've seen, I'm floored by their ignorance.

Faux pas #1: It's about the money. Not really. One of the things that I have read in statements from representatives of the drivers is that it's not about the money or wanting a raise but merely about job security. Of course, when someone says the word "strike", the weak-minded will immediately shout that it's about the money. It's a cop-out reason to justify why you disagree with the strike. Just admit you know nothing about the strike, you're selfish and that the drivers should be serving your needs before putting their own family's first.

Faux pas #2: They run an essential service and shouldn't be allowed to strike. I'm certainly not pleased that there'll be a strike but when you really think about it, is anyone? Though when I think about what it would be like if the situations were reversed, most of us would be pretty angry if our employers came to us and told us they are cutting our hours, telling us we can only work part time so won't qualify for benefits and that seniority means nothing anymore. The difference is, most of the people bitching wouldn't have the option to fight back but if they did, they certainly would. But then, what would the rest of us do? Where would we get our coffee, prescription drugs and clothes? The coffee shops are gone, fast food is shut down, drug stores are closed and shopping malls are locked. Plus, correct me if I'm wrong but while on strike, aren't the drivers still supposed to show up anyway and "walk the picket line"?

Essentially, my point is that I'm amazed at how much perspective so many people lack on something that is relatively simple if you spend more than the reactionary 10 seconds thinking about it. Money isn't everything and I think it can be argued that job security might be more important. That's what they're fighting for. In that case, that's what I'm supporting. Because I know if I were in that position, I would feel the same way.

However, if there's one good thing that can come from this transit strike is that for those in support of the argument that more public transportation equals less traffic, that'll be proven this week. If it were summer, you'd also likely be seeing more walkers and bikers as well. But it's not so instead there are efforts put forth to try to organize a carpooling system through social networking sites. Good luck, transit users! Now I just hope it doesn't rain before I have to leave and walk...

Tagged as: Halifax, metro transit, strike 1 Comment

31Jan/121

Dragonette’s return

Martina Sorbara - The Cure For Bad Deeds

My autographed copy of The Cure For Bad Deeds by Martina Sorbara

The album I call perhaps my favourite album of all time is The Cure For Bad Deeds by Martina Sorbara. It was the last CD I purchased in 2002 before I moved to Halifax so in that sense, it concluded that period of my growing up. It was the CD I listened to on the journey to Nova Scotia and the CD I listened to while I explored Halifax during my first weeks and months here. So while it likely serves as sentimental music more than anything else, it's still one my reliable choices ten years later. It was very soothing and comforting and even now listening to it relaxes me and brings me back.

Martina never did record another solo album in the same vain as The Cure For Bad Deeds, much to my dismay. But in 2005, her official website announced that she had been kidnapped by electronic music and posted were three songs. Two of which were her final recordings as a solo singer/songwriter and the other was as part of a newly formed band Dragonette called I Get Around. A few years later, I Get Around would be their first hit and the opening track on their debut 2007 album Galore.

In 2008, they did their first performance in Halifax and my first time seeing Martina since her 2002 visit promoting her solo album. It was a very different experience. Her solo performance consisted of her playing folky songs with acoustic guitar or piano accompanied by just a drummer while her band appearance was delicious electro-pop and in a sweaty club with lots of liquor.

My autographed copy of Galore by Dragonette

In 2009, they put out their second album, and the one that finally won me over after what I would consider a subpar debut. Fixin' To Thrill was definitely a more complete sounding record with better developed songs and a much smoother flow. Dragonette had finally grew into the sound they were aiming for on their first album but I had never gotten a chance to see them perform those songs. Just a few weeks ago, it was announced that they were doing a show in Halifax which took me by surprise as they hadn't been on tour since last year. Following the success of their hit Hello, produced by future-superstar-producer Martin Solveig, who knew if they would ever come back to Halifax. There's also a third album supposed to be out rather soonish as well so maybe we'll get a chance to hear a sneak peak of some new songs off of that.

So in a way, the return of Dragonette is everything coming around full circle. I doubt there'd be any remnants of Martina's solo songs in here but there's always still that hint of sweetness in her vocals no matter what type of songs she sings and the music of Dragonette is perhaps more up my alley in recent years anyway. This could very well be the music event of the year! Dragonette at Pacifico on March 29th.

Tagged as: dragonette, fixin' to thrill, galore, martina sorbara 1 Comment

27Jan/120

Music Review: People And Things

Album cover for Jack's Mannequin, People And Things

Andrew McMahon hasn't recorded an album with his original band Something Corporate in nearly a decade but in that time has lessened his focus on their emo-rock style in favour of a much lighter rock sound of Jack's Mannequin.

With a centralized piano-rock song in the vein of Gavin DeGraw or perhaps a more upbeat Coldplay, Jack's Mannequin continues to fill that certain void between the arena rock and piano pop sounds, rather, fusing them together for a style that Jack's Mannequin can almost call its own. In each of the first two albums, this sound had found its niche but being it seven years since the release of Everything In Transit, the sound carries that sense of been-there, done-that.

That's not to say that People And Things is a step down from either of the previous two records. Though there seems to be nothing adventurous going on with the record as a whole, there's nothing disappointing either. Songs like Release Me can fit comfortably next to Swim and I'm Ready, while Hey Hey Hey (We're All Gonna Die) takes an uncertain, philosophical look at not knowing what the future brings ("hey hey hey, we're all gonna die someday") while relaying this realization and perspective as McMahon toured for the previous album, The Glass Passenger: "Through the lens of my Polaroid camera/The label looked proud/the New York shows sold out."

Jack's Mannequin is in a good place right now as a band. Their last two albums entered in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 chart so they have a solid fan-base, however, they haven't reached that status that allows them to be considered a household name. I would argue that with them, that's perhaps a good thing. The music that makes up this album hasn't been compromised with over-production. Even after three albums, Jack's Mannequin still has the natural sound that sets them apart from other pop/rock bands. Should they ever suddenly get a hit that places them at Train or OneRepublic-like popularity, the same stigma that many music fans might place on those aforementioned bands would be placed on Jack's Mannequin. As of right now, it's not so they can have their cake and eat it too.

People And Things offers the familiar sounds that Jack's Mannequin brought to the table with their first two releases. A good mix of lighter soft rock and upbeat piano rock, they continue to be dependable with their musical offerings.

Tracklisting
1. My Racing Thoughts
2. Release Me
3. Television
4. Amy, I
5. Hey Hey Hey (We're All Gonna Die)
6. People, Running
7. Amelia Jean
8. Platform Fire
9. Hostage
10. Restless Dream
11. Casting Lines

Tagged as: Jack's Mannequin, music review, People And Things, review No Comments

25Jan/122

What’s ten years to one person?

It's funny when I consider the things that I own now and then look at the things I only dreamed of when I was growing up. For example, an iPod. Something that can actually hold digital versions of every CD I own, plus thousands more songs that can be accessed in just seconds, holds playlists, can shuffle anything and everything and can be carried with me wherever I go without any additional trouble. Such a device when I was in my teens was unimaginable to me. I remember always wanting something that was portable that could play more than just a few CDs worth of music. I got a discman when I was 16 that I used for my last two years of high school so 45 minutes on a bus each way was filled with music but only whatever I felt like bringing with me that day. So if I wanted variety, I'd have to bring my CDs with my in addition to my discman.

When I was even younger, and more TV obsessed than I am now, I dreamed of having a TV screen in the car imbedded in the seat in front of me when I sat in the backseat. That would make those longer car rides slightly more reasonable being able to watch cartoons. Today, I have the option to bring my MacBook or iPhone with me to do that.

Even more modern things such as computer file organization and website development advancements that I have learned in recent years would have blown my mind and saved me many hours back at the end of the 90s and early 2000s. Even simply having a laptop would have been a big deal while I was in university (the first time) rather than relying on taking notes and ensuring I remained organized with my papers and notebooks.

What I do find odd is that while I can imagine my younger self not having these convenient technological devices but imagining their existence with my young mind, it's rather difficult to imagine a time before Facebook. Not that I'm personally relient on Facebook to get through my everyday life but as a means of minor socialization, keeping up to date with people that otherwise I would only see when running into them coincidentally on the street, it is something that has become imbedded in everyday life as both a way to keep up with acquaintances or to just read thoughts, ideas and perspectives of whoever we are "friends" with. But then I *do* think back to what it would have been like to have Facebook in high school.

Things would be so much different. Because I can remember a time when they didn't exist, I'm definitely appreciative of these time-saving and useful(-in-their-own-way) devices because I know how helpful they truly are but at the same time, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to grow up with these things already. Would I be able to appreciate them the same knowing what it's like to have to carry CDs and a discman (or cassettes and a walkman), have to sit through a car ride counting the trees and poles until I get home and having to manually sift through text files looking for something specific while having to write out old HTML character-by-character with limitations based on what most modems can handle. I can only imagine what conveniences will exist in ten years from now. No really, I can imagine because if there's something I wish existed now, it most likely will soon.