**Sadly, the video was removed to do "copyright" violation". That's was stupid on the label's part. I'm pretty sure the gays have made Britney Spears what she is today. Tsk tsk.**
Ryan James Yezak released his latest music video parody today for Britney Spears' 2011 track, "Hold It Against Me". For those who have seen his parodies before, you automatically expect to see a dozen gay men having fun, dancing, and kissing. Sorry, but that isn't the case this time around. Donna Hood stars as Britney in a less comical visual portrayal of the tune. There are more women featured, which is actually refreshing. I enjoyed the video, so take a look!
Don't worry boys....there is still some eye candy to keep you entertained.
Check out this new track from Mad Decent's own Savage Skulls and Douster, "Bad Gal", featuring the always beautiful Robyn. Anything showcasing her is worth watching. It's a fun, upbeat electro club hit with an almost tribal/afro/reggae feel to it. Plus, the video features outrageous car chases, tennis matches, Robyn "dancing on her own", Mexican wrestling masks, and so much more.
I think I would go straight for Robyn. Is that weird?
If you are gay and know anything about the gay porn industry, there is a very good chance you have heard of Zeb Atlas (born Andy Bick). He has become sort of an icon in the community with his obnoxious muscular physique. I really don't understand the attraction there. I know plenty of men have a fetish for the bodybuilding type, but Atlas is on another level of steroid. Someone should have told him to stop while he was ahead, but that is neither here nor there. I mean, he still has a very successful career to wave in our faces, so kudos to him. Apparently he used to stick solely to softcore porn but finally had his man cherry popped on film. I feel like that would just be utterly awkward to watch. He would probably look like a hippopotamus ravaging an unsuspecting victim.
Everyone has heard Diana Ross' "Love Hangover". It's a 1976 disco classic and is still prevalent in today's generation. When musicians decide to cover a song that has been so tried and true, the goal is to put their own perspective into it without tarnishing the original qualities that made it such a definitive song. Atlas has done the complete opposite of that. He is accompanied by singer/diva Pearly Gates (wow, really?), who featured the porn star in a previous music video for "Stop For Love". Luckily, he only starred in that one and wasn't given a singing role. I think he gained some inspiration from Kim Zolciak (Real Housewives of Atlanta) and decided to hit the recording studio himself. The end product: Zeb Atlas attempting to sing "Love Hangover" and try to appear sexy...it is absolutely horrible, horrendous, lackluster, off pitch, etc. I could add a few more adjectives, but I think you get the picture. If you have a strong stomach, watch the video below.
Sorry Zeb, but you should stick to your day job. Regardless of what I think, I'm sure there are enough men out there who are performing their own "solo acts" to this music video.
Denton-born singer/songwriter Sarah Jaffe made her way to McConigel's Mucky Duck in Houston for a very small, intimate performance last Thursday. Being a Texas-native, she isn't a stranger to the Space City. Having never been to Mucky Duck before, I was intrigued to see what type of concert experience it would provide. Mucky Duck is an Irish pub, but dually serves as a supper club and venue. They have quite an extensive wine list, and a decent pub food menu to complement it. What makes it a "supper club" per se is that you have the possibility of sitting at a table with another party. My friends and I were accompanied by three other lovely people, which led to a completely different experience. It is refreshing to be forced to interact with strangers, as strange as that sounds.
Bosque Brown (also from Denton, TX) was the sole opener for Jaffe. Bosque Brown was started by singer/songwriter Mara Lee Miller while she was attending University of North Texas. It wasn't that her talent was shoddy or lackluster, but I wasn't in the mood for such a minimal, almost repetitive, performance. Also, there was absolutely not interaction with the audience. I mean, none. I think I heard crickets before I took a smoke break. Maybe I should give her another chance?
Around 9:00 pm, the lady of the hour hit the stage. Her set only lasted about 50 minutes or so, which was a tad disappointing. Nonetheless, I was still entranced by her performance. I've been a fan for a good while now, and it was great to finally see her in person. Her voice resonated just as powerfully live as it does on her recordings. You could not only hear the passion in her voice, but you could see it in her face as well. Jaffe sang a mix of previously recorded tracks and some brand new ones that had never graced an audience's ears. Popular songs such as "Clementine" and "Vulnerable" received very positive reactions from the audience. A newer song that stuck out to me was "A Sucker for Your Marketing". After those words left her lips, I immediately thought to myself, "story of my life." Jaffe was very charismatic and had a certain candor about her. Compared to the opening act, it was refreshing to have so much artist interaction. If I wanted to hear an album with no interruptions, I can stay at home and listen to my iPod. Jaffe even handled her own merch table. My favorite quote from her was, "If I can hear you smiling, you need more water." I'm pretty sure everyone can relate to that statement. I might have to borrow that phrase next time I'm out with my lushes friends.
With all of the accolades and buzz she is receiving from the indie music world, seeing Sarah Jaffe in a setting such as this was definitely special. I have a gut feeling that she is going to explode in 2011. Texas might be one of the reddest states in the country, but at least we have a damn good music scene.
Really? Inception didn't win an award for anything? Stop the f*cking presses. I'm not going to lie, that was quite a shock for me. Yes, I saw The Social Network when it was in theaters. Was I entertained enough to leave the theater without regretting spending $10 to see it? Yes. Was I blown away? Not at all. Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal as Mark Zuckerberg was of good stature, but I don't think it was enough to help warrant a near Social Network sweep. In all honesty, he started to become more of an annoyance in the film. Just as a side note, I'm happy that Natalie Portman won Best Actress for Black Swan. She played her role phenomenally and deserved the Globe. I still don't think the film was as mesmerizing as the critics say. Yes, I was entertained. Yes, I was somewhat mentally engaged most of the time. No, I didn't have to put my jaw back in place from it falling on the floor. I probably would have put it ahead of The Social Network, though. The only nominated film that left me speechless was Inception. The storyline, the visuals, the special effects, the intricacy, and the acting (I actually enjoyed Ellen Paige's role, and that's saying something) made it a film to remember.
Naturally, the awards I care the most about are for original song and original score. I think those are the only two award presentations I just happened to catch before heading out for a plate of soul food and live jazz music. As far as the Best Song category is concerned, I'm not shocked that a song from Burlesque took home the Golden Globe (look what they had to choose from). Let's be real: the gays run things in Hollywood. Every major player has their own "gay" by their side, telling them what to do.
Onto the category for Original Score. I feel as if I'm more distraught by Trent Reznor's appearance than the film winning yet another award. I couldn't even recognize him, and I was watching the acceptance on a rather large television screen. Since when did he clean up THAT much? Yeah, it's the Golden Globes but stick your roots, man. The original score for The Social Network is indeed worth listening to. It's very unique and outside-of-the-norm compared to most films that win this award. Nonetheless, I have an affinity towards the Inception soundtrack. I was rooting for you Hans [Zimmer].
Check out a live performance of "Time" by Hans Zimmer. The intensity of it is absolutely beautiful. It's difficult to explain. Maybe the band nerd side of is just making a special appearance. Just watch and listen. You won't be disappointed. Scout's honor.
If you enjoyed that, and you appreciate a good remix, listen to what I've posted below. I usually don't value remixes of orchestral/classical music, but this is an exception. My favorite of all time is still DJ Tiesto's remix of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings".
Gregg Gillis, better known as mashup-king Girl Talk, made an appearance in Houston promoting his latest party starter, All Day (which you can still download for free on the official website). It's almost unreal how much the popularity for this man has grown since his solo project was birthed into the world. The show was originally scheduled to take place at the House of Blues, but because it sold out so quickly, Livenation decided to move the event to a more appropriate venue. Either way, I knew I was going to be forced to shell out $8 - 10 per beer/cocktail. To compensate for this, I fulfilled my quota of Red Bull and vodka drinks beforehand at a friend's apartment *Kids, don't drink and drive*.
If you haven't seen Girl Talk in person, you are missing out on something....ridiculous. Hundreds (often thousands) of partygoers + alcohol + eardrum blowing music + flashing lights + confetti + balloons + a stage full of dancing hipsters = a good time for all. This was my fourth go around. His show's are more of a production than a actual "concert" per se. We missed the opening DJ, but I'm not losing sleep over it. Occasionally, I was able to recognize specific tracks from All Day, but when you see a Girl Talk show, it doesn't really matter. You're there to drink and dance. It's as simple as that. Gillis spun for about an hour and half, which is what I expected, and didn't disappoint the 3000+ concertgoers. Girl Talk attracts a very intriguing combination of people. You've got your hipsters, underage kids, fraternity/sorority douchebags, and preps. I went to Nocturnal Music Fest last year (Girl Talk also performed there) and experienced the same type of clusterfuck audience. One of the more surprising crowd pleasers was an extended version of Otis Day's "Shout". There is a small blip on All Day, but Gillis was smart to create a sing-a-long towards the end of the show. I can't lie, I was blowing out my vocal chords with the rest of them. Gillis truly knows how to maintain a high energy level throughout a performance.
As mentioned before, a stage full of dancing hipsters always makes for a more entertaining, and often humorous, show. I've graced a few concert stages with my drunken presence, but I decided to sit this one out. That, and they had preselected a large number of underagers. Funny story of the night: a 16 year old kid not only brought a flask on stage but also felt comfortable enough to let the entire audience know he had it. Oh, it doesn't end there. Apparently, he felt the need to accost his lady friend's vagina....on stage. C'mon guys....discretion. Do you know the definition of that word? Needless to say, he didn't make it to the end.
Whenever Girl Talk pops on my iTunes/iPod, I have think to myself...how did this music style become so sought-after? In no way do I intend to downplay how much work it takes Gillis to create an album, but when you logically think about....an hour of mashups consists purely of an ungodly number of songs that have been already created by someone else. My opinion: Girl Talk is society's answer to MADD (Music Attention Deficit Disorder). I include myself in that population.
Despite the excessive cost of alcoholic beverages at the venue, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was even complimented on my dance skills. Check out the picture of me that made it onto the Houston Press website here.
PEE.ESS. I took several videos from the concert, so be on the look out for those soon!
Check out the official video for Digitalism's latest and long-awaited track, "Blitz". It mostly consists of random trees, grass fields, and live concert footage. Nonetheless, it is a badass song. You don't need a artistic video to tell you that.
While perusing my normal music blogs, I discovered Italian-born/London-based Banjo or Freakout few weeks ago. The man behind the moniker is Alessio Natalizia, and he has been creating beautiful songs, mixtapes, covers, and remixes for a few years now. I feel as if I'm "behind the curve" when I discover great music like this but better late than never, right? Above, you will find his most recent music video, "105", showcasing a day in the life of an angsty teenage schoolgirl. It is very intimate, hazy, pop rock and all kinds of wonderful.
Who knew an overpriced luxury clothing retailer/record label could produce such magnificently orchestrated albums? It's refreshing to see such variety in a compilation. When I first discovered these mixes, I expected nothing but hipster electro and stereotypical indie rock. Luckily, I was dead wrong [Well, there is a good amount of electro, but it's the good kind.]. I've discovered countless new artists through the Kitsune Maison music collection.
Kitsune released the tenth installation of their popular series, and I am not disappointed with this playlist at all. No, I'm not in love with every single track, but I don't detest any of them (and that's saying something). Right from the start, I was blown away with the first track, Cascadeur's "Walker" (Early Remix). It is hauntingly beautiful and heartbreaking and has quickly become a favorite of mine. Everyone knows I love depressing music. Does that make me somewhat of a masochist? Cascadeur's music is full of piano and synth, and emits a very ethereal, calming vibe. Do yourself a favor and listen for yourself. Grab a box a tissues while you're at it.
Other memorable tracks include: Strange Talk - "Climbing Walls", Black Strobe - "Me & Madonna" (The Twelves Remix), Digitalism - "Blitz", Yelle - "La Musique", Housee De Racket - "Chateau", and Two Door Cinema Club - "What You Know" (Mustang Remix). It would require far too many words to describe every song on this two disc compilation, and I don't possess the attention span right now for that. I'll just pick three more to discuss.
"Climbing Walls" comes from Australian synth-pop group Strange Talk. They are a relatively new indie band (what band isn't these days), but I'm a fan of their sound. It doesn't come from out of the blue, but it's very comfortable to the ear. If you adore Phoenix, you'll appreciate these guys.
Digitalism isn't a foreign name to those of us who are passionate about electro/dance parties, but if you haven't listened to them before, check out "Pogo". You won't be disappointed by the song or the video. I know this is a very bold statement to make, but they're kind of Daft Punk-ish. Don't kill me for saying that. I love Daft Punk just as much as the next person. Digitalism is actually signed to the Kitsune label, so it isn't a surprise to find them on here. "Blitz" is their latest, long-awaited single. It will pretty much explode through your computer/iPod/"insert Apple technology here" and put you in a music coma.
"Me & Madonna" has two things going for it; Black Strobe AND The Twelves. The Twelves have produced an unimaginable number of remixes, and I haven't listened to one I didn't like, including this one. The Parisian dance rockers Black Strobe have been around since 1996, and "Me & Madonna" is over eight years old. Although a great track in its original form, The Twelves have just freshened it up for a newer generation of music aficionados.
I can vividly picture this entire album being amplified over the speakers of a trendy clothing boutique full of twenty-somethings. I guess that's part of the purpose? Nonetheless, I would play this album at a gathering of friends anytime. Creating playlists is a skill I pride myself on. I've stared at my laptop countless times as I try to perfect the perfect mix for whatever event was approaching....but if I can avoid that hassle, I am more than happy to do so.
Kitsune Maison 10: The Fireworks Issue is unquestionably worth checking out, but don't assume you will love all twenty-five tracks. You'll like some, you'll love some, but you probably won't scoff at any of them.
