Songs i'm digging right about now...

Rihanna "Skin"

I'm just kinda getting into this song, don't judge me. But I love how much confidence she sings with on the track, and how the production just kinda bounces along effortlessly.

Foo Fighters "Rope"

Love the Foos and i'm loving this, the first track from their impressive new and (rather successful) album, Wasting Light.

Chris Brown "Oh My Love"

If "Look At Me Now" is any indication, (and the fact that his new album has been recently been certified Gold) people seem to be liking CB again. And for good reason. Love this song, one of the non-single tracks- it eats.

TV on the Radio "Will Do"

I was so despondent when I heard that band member Gerard Smith had passed away, but it has to be said that while he was alive, he helped to make some beautiful music with TVOTR. This is no exception.

Lykke Li "Get Some"

Lykke Li is a wild spirit, and this song exemplifies that, sounding like something deeply tribal, familiar, vintage, pretty weird, but absolutely fun.

Lil Wayne feat Cory Gunz "6 Foot 7 Foot"

A huuuuuuuge Weezy fan, i'm super-excited about Tha Carter 4, and "6 Foot Seven Foot" makes me even more excited. The song sounds much like "A Milli" in how he just spits almost freestyle-like over the track's entire running time, but it's also funny as shit. Love it!

Lady Gaga "Judas"

Although it's pretty much "Bad Romance Pt.2," Gaga's "Judas" doesn't reach those giddy heights. Still, if you can ignore what she's saying, and pretty much focus on the chorus and the breakdown before the bridge, (and ignore that god-awful music video) you'll find much to love.

Beyonce "Run the World (Girls)"

Initial reaction to this song has been pretty tepid so far, with quite a lot of people straight-up disliking it. I still think it shouldn't have been a first single considering it sound exactly like Major Lazer's "Pon di Floor" two years ago, but with that said, i'm loving its energy. Bee is fee-yace and she brings heat and lots of personality, to a track that while isn't exactly memorable for hum-ability, still slays.

Pink "Fuckin' Perfect"

Sharing this song with one of my friends today, I commented how much I feel like Pink wrote it for me. I wish. I love Pink, words can't describe, and while it took me a long while to actually even listen to it, (no clue why) I love it now! Hurry up with that new album! :)

Radiohead "Lotus Flower"

My favourite band in the whole wide world releases new music. What more could one possibly ask for?

Katy Perry feat Kanye West "E.T."

I don't like Katy Perry, but maaaaaan! This is one super-massive song! The beat stomps and pounds into quick submission, and the chorus is as more contagious than a virus. Kiss me, k-k-kiss me...

They May Be Wasting Light, But They Are Hardly Wasting Any Sounds Here

4 stars (out of 5)

Foo Fighters is one of those rock bands that can be easily hated, and really, they are. Having directly descended from the lineage of Nirvana, some hipsters write them off for not being authentic or hard enough, or arena-rock sell-outs. But really, the Foos are consistent. I can't point to one genuinely bad album in their discography, though of course, like most other modern rock bands out there, they have more than their share of disposable tracks. Some people think they're a little too safe, but you know what? Some people like a little safety and comfort in their music; it's why Coldplay have sold tens of millions of albums with just a handful of LP's.
Now before you start accusing me of comparing Foo Fighters to Coldplay, (I'm not.) let's get to the matter at hand- the former's brand spanking new album, their seventh studio record headed straight for the top of the US charts in just a few days, the one that kindly kicked off Adele from her 11-week perch on the UK album charts. Produced by Nirvana producer, Butch Vig, the album was described as the band's heaviest album yet before anybody had even heard it.
Lead singer Dave Grohl states that "with Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace, [their last album] we were too concerned with being musical. Now it's time for us to be a rock band again." Well, to be honest, the album rocks hard as fuck; there are no two ways around that. But to call the album unconcerned with being musical would be incorrect.
Starting with "Bridge Burning," the album kicks off into high gear- "These are my famous last wooooooooooooooords!!!!" Dave Grohl screeches, in true Dave Grohl fashion. I'll be damned if the song's melody isn't good enough to dance to; in fact, it IS- "It's all coming down, your bridges are burning down," the chorus goes as drums pound and pound, creating one noisy, really terrific melange of sound. First single "Rope" is next, and if you haven't heard it or seen the video anywhere, then too bad for you. Aside from "The Best of You," it may the first Foos single that I instantly loved on first listen. The whole dance-y vibe of the first track is carried over, too, and I totally dig the melodic shifts right through.
Bob Mould, guitarist for Hüsker Dü, provides backing vocals and guitar on "Dear Rosemary," but it is the song after, the terrific "White Limo," that is one of the album's true stand-out moments. Reminding me of System of a Down's "Prison Song," "Limo" muffles Grohl's vocals a bit, (I hardly hear a thing he's singing) but the thing that is most remarkable about this song is how much confidence the band exudes. Here is where things really start to get interesting.
"Arlandria," with its Queens of the Stone Age-esque rhythm section, brings back Grohl's vocals into clear view. The song has what is maybe my fave line from the whole album- "Use me up, spit me out, let me be your hand me down." The bitterness continues with "These Days," a track in-line with the Foos' trademark style: a soft, melodic beginning that eventually explodes into a giant chorus about love and loss. But it isn't until the track after, "Back and Forth," that the album is pushed above and beyond, quite possibly, anything that they have done before. Sure, it shares common ground with the band's hardcore roots, but this is rougher, more daring than them simply trying to top each other in the studio. The last four songs, though not bad by any means, don't add up to the middle section of the album (especially "Matter of Time" and "Miss the Misery") but luckily, they don't subtract from what is a tremendous wallop of an album, one of the best rock records released so far this year.
It has to be said that Foo Fighters is one of the most honest-to-goodness rock bands operating today. They're far from the best, but Wasting Light is one of their albums that prove that Dave Grohl and the guys have it in them to be enjoyable, visceral and relatable. They're never gonna pull off, or even attempt, a Radiohead kind of mid-career genre experimentation, but that's fine, we don't need or want them to; we already have Radiohead for that.

Is He Back?

3.5 stars (out of 5)

Graffiti, Chris Brown's 2009 disc, was a commercial and creative dud; there really are no two ways around that. So my expectations for this new album, F.A.M.E. which arrives in stores in the US today, were decidedly low. Brown isn't one of those artistes I bought into when he first burst onto the scene with hit single "Run It!" (his voice was way too nasal for my liking) and to be honest, i'm still far from his biggest fan. So imagine my surprise having listened to the album and actually liking it.
Following his break-up with Rihanna, Brown got real famous, real fast. We all know why, so no need for me to re-hash all that mess. I've read far too many reviews online that spent way too many words on his personal life than the actual music on the album, and to call that a little distasteful would be an understatement. No, i'm not excusing him of anything, but there really should come a time when we can judge or consider something on its own merits, namely an album or body of work. Furthermore, while Graffiti was ill-advised, containing way too many uncomfortable quasi-apologies, hence possibly justifying the need to mention his personal troubles for which he was apologizing, F.A.M.E. seeks to re-establish Brown as the R&B star and hit-maker he once was. Having gone to the top of the R&B charts with "Deuces," first track here and first released from his 2010 Fan of a Fan mixtape, it seems he may finally be getting back on track where that is concerned. Which brings me to the album...
I admit the title is kinda dubious, (the acronym stands for "Forgiving All My Enemies" *eyeroll*) positing Brown as the victim of who knows? Media assault? Radio backlash? *shrugs* But really, even I have to admit that the music inside is pretty good and deserves to be heard. With everything from Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne collaborations to production from dance stalwart Benny Bennassi, the 13-track album (if you buy the standard issue) really has something for most everybody.
The album starts with "Deuces," and really, I don't need to even describe the track- playing seemingly everywhere, (car stereos, radio, the clubs) everybody's heard it. I have to say this though- I wasn't a big fan of the song when it first came out. Now, I can't really remember or even explain why, but really, it was a good move of Brown to include it on the album- most people who may have written him off at the time of release probably didn't stop to actually consider it the good song it is. The laid back R&B vibe continues through-out "Up 2 You" and another track that was included on his Fan of a Fan mixtape, "No Bullshit." They're far from the best songs on the album, but at least Brown's voice sounds good.
Album stand-out "Look at Me Now," while most critics have written it off as the bragging track it really is, with its space-y, minimal bleeps courtesy of Diplo, is a winner. The beat eats! Chris tries his hand at rapping, but um... The REAL reason to hear this song is Busta Rhymes- dude is a beast! Maybe this should have been his song... My fave song on the album comes next, "She Aint You" with its deft Michael Jackson ("Human Nature") by way of SWV ("Right Here") sample- "When she touches me," Brown sings, "I'm wishing they were your hands." Hmmmm... I wonder who he's singing about... (Yea right!)
"Say It With Me," another album stand-out, is one of those club songs Brown does well. Produced by H Money, the beat pounds and pounds so awesomely, it would be futile to resist. Put simply, it would be a terrific track to be heard pumping out of some massive club speakers.
"Yeah 3x" is next, and really is nothing more than an attempt to cash in on the current electro/Euro-dance trend, not that that's a bad thing. With its big, heavy synths and video-game type beats, it's a feel-good track, one akin to one of his own singles, "Forever" from 2008. Having produced "Crawl," (one of the few good songs on Graffiti) The Messengers are back with "Next 2 You" featuring Justin Bieber. It's an ok song, nothing really brilliant, and the production is crisp, but the song that is more in the vein of "Crawl" would be the next song, "All Back." Put simply, it's absolutely beautiful- "You never miss a good thing till it's gone, and now I want it all back." Having been in love a few times with relationships come tumbling down around me, I can relate so much to this song. The arrangement, besides Brown's plaintive vocal delivery, is what really resonates with me most of all. In fact, as an instrumental track, it would be perfect as it is; Chris' vocals are just icing.
Featuring Ludacris, "Wet the Bed" with its drip-drops and background guitars, (not to mention sexual content) reminds me of a song R. Kelly would do. I'm not sure if this is good or bad, (I think it would depend on your personal taste or how much of a prude you are) but maybe he should have left this type of track to a lesser like Trey Songz. Just saying. At least Ludacris adds a little humour to the whole proceedings name-dropping Toni Braxton and Sammy Sosa along the way. As soon as he's done with his verse though, just skip ahead to "Oh My Love." It's another track that features Brown rapping, but this one is a bit more effective than his attempt on "Look at Me Now." The beat is sickkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!! Brown is an awesome dancer, so i'm sure he would go AWF to this live, I can just see him crumping his ass off already!
If you have the standard issue, the album ends on the shimmering "Beautiful People." Featuring and produced by the afore-mentioned Benny Bennassi, the song sounds like something left off of Kelis' Flesh Tone- it's THAT good! Reportedly, it's the next single, and one would think that's a pretty good move; he may have a giant pop/dance/club hit on his hands.
As for me? I want the deluxe issue. Why? Three of the tracks here- "Bomb" feat. Wiz Khalifa; "Rock, Scissors, Paper," produced by and feat. Timbaland; and "Love Them Girls" feat. The Game, produced by Polow da Don- are really good. They're all hip-hop/club tracks, but i'll be damned if they aren't three of the best songs on here.
Ok, so the album's done and I didn't write a bad review of it, but even I can't sit here and pretend it's a perfect album as good as it is. With Chris throwing his hats in so many different circles, (R&B, pop, hip-hop, dance) the album's cohesion suffers, and with too many sappy R&B songs, the album is bogged down. But, I have to quickly add that even if you wanna ignore what he's singing for more of the album it still remains good because the production is top-notch right through-out, and in all honesty, that's what saves the album from being merely OK.

Late Nite Playlist

So I didn't get to home last night, which meant that I was stuck here with @DMarcAnthony who is one of my very best friends. Still, he went to sleep leaving me to my own devices and suffice it to say, he's now rolling and stretching about in bed while i'm here, still awake writing this blog post.
So what did I do last nite, you ask? Well, in between all the flirting with random strangers on Facebook and the stream-of-consciousness tweets, the BBM-ing and naturally, the porn, I listened to music of course. Here's a little playlist I made with most of what I was singing along to:

- Florence and the Machine "Heavy in Your Arms"

- Beyonce "Hello"

- Robyn "Indestructible (Acoustic)"

- Rihanna "Fading"

- Janelle Monae "Cold War"

- Fever Ray "Coconut"

- Christina Aguilera "I Am"

- Sia "My Love"

- Adele "Rolling in the Deep"

- Bjork "All is Full of Love"

- Bruno Mars "Grenade"

- Katy Perry "Not Like the Movies"

- Pink "Glitter in the Air"

- R. Kelly "When a Woman Loves"

- Radiohead "Lotus Flower"

- Kanye West feat Paul Wall and GLC "Drive Slow"

- Grizzly Bear "Ready, Able"

- Lykke Li "Sadness is a Blessing"

- Christina Aguilera "Impossible"

- Madonna "Justify My Love"

- Justin Timberlake "Cry Me a River"

- Chris Brown "Crawl"

- Rihanna "California King Bed"

- Radiohead "House of Cards"

- Arcade Fire "City With No Children"

- Sarah McLachlan "Angel (Live)"

- Beyonce "Listen"

- Britney Spears "Everytime"

- Alicia Keys "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart"

- Whitney Houston "Call You Tonight"

- Jay-Z "Song Cry"

- Bjork "Who Is It"

- Christina Aguilera "Beautiful"

- Adele "I'll Be Waiting"

- Maxwell "Pretty Wings"

- Kate Bush "This Woman's Work"

As you can see, I personally love Rihanna, Christina Aguilera and Radiohead, but I do hope I introduced you to some new music or reminded you of some music you already love. As usual, thanks for reading.

Wise Beyond Her Years

4 stars (out of 5)

Way back when Adele dropped her album 19 two to three years ago, I was one of the very few among my friends who was constantly talking about her. Sure, there was plenty of buzz around her, having gone 3x platinum in her home country, plus she was nominated for the Mercury Prize, but no one on this side of the world really started buzzing about her till after she performed on Saturday Night Live. The rest, as we say is history- that album has almost sold a million copies in the US, and Adele is now a two-time Grammy winner. But all of that certainly couldn't prepare me (or Adele for that matter) for the runaway success 21 is enjoying- breaking records seemingly everywhere, it's already 4x platinum in the UK, having spent a whopping 7 weeks at the top spot. Add to that the fact that in only two weeks the album has already sold half of what 19 did in the US, and well... Adele is now a bonafide, certified mainstream success. (Take that Amy Winehouse!) All of that would really be kinda pointless though, if the album didn't hold up, but oh how it does.
Towards the end of last year when first single "Rolling in the Deep" had leaked, I got word that Adele would be working with Rick Rubin; my heart skipped a beat. Having worked with Jay-Z, Johnny Cash, Justin Timberlake, Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Dixie Chicks in recent years, Rubin is somewhat of a chameleon as far as production goes. Unlike, say, Timbaland, he doesn't have a particular sound, and really isn't tied down by genres. So far so good. But then I read the credits for the album, and my heart sunk- Adele worked with Rubin on only 4 songs. WHYY????!!!!!!! Still, my faith in her never wavered, and with bated breath, I clicked play on the internet stream. I was blown away. Blown. Away.
Starting with the afore-mentioned "Rolling in the Deep," (you must be living under a rock if you haven't heard THAT by now) the album never relents on its themes of heartbreak and anger one experiences after a nasty break-up. Sure, 19 dealt with those very same themes, but the difference this time around is Adele's song-writing maturity and indeed, the structure of the songs themselves. Take "Rolling in the Deep," starting with a simple guitar strum, Adele's voice comes into clear focus- "There's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark; finally I can see you crystal clear, go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your shit bare." The song builds and builds, breaking into a full gospel romp at the 2:30 mark, replete with hand claps and "whoa oh"s. Put simply, this is one of the most brilliant songs i've heard in a VERY long time.
The old-school soul feel continues on the Phil Spector-esque "Rumour Has It," another stand-out on the album- "She is half your age, but I guess that's the reason that you stayed..." Adele sings cattily atop a mesmerizing wall of sound. But one of the other reasons why this song stands out is the bridge that reigns everything in; Adele has clearly learned how to write proper songs. And did I mention that the song was produced by the dude that produced Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love?" Yea, i'm shocked too.
"Turning Tables" is really just Adele and some strings, but it has another one of those glorious bridges- "Next time I'll be braver, I'll be my own savior when the thunder calls for me/next time I'll be braver, i'll be my own savior standing on my own two feet..." With its tambourine, "He Won't Go" (one of the songs produced by Rubin) sounds exactly like a song Aretha would have done in her heyday, while "Take it All" moves one to tears with its gospel tinges.
My fave song on the album has to be the song that comes next though, "I'll Be Waiting." It is one effing terrific wallop of a song! "Hold me closer one more time," it begins, "Say that you love me in your last goodbye, please forgive me for my sins, yes, I swam dirty waters, but you pushed me in." Produced by Paul Epworth,  (Florence and the Machine, Cee Lo, Kate Nash, Bloc Party) the song is just... Sigh... I'll just type the lyrics of the chorus here- "I'll be waiting for you when you're ready to love me again, I put my hands up, I'll do everything different, I'll be better to you, I'll be waiting for you when you're ready to love me again, I put my hands up, I'll be somebody different, I'll be better to you." Unfortunately, all those tears that I was trying to hold back come bursting out when "One and Only" follows. I just can't. I can't!!! "Will I ever know how it feels to hold you close and have you tell me which ever road I chose you'll go?" Why must Adele do this to me? WHY?!
"Lovesong" provides some reprieve from all those tears and sniffles, but in all honesty, it can be skipped. It's one of two tracks on the album (the other is "Set Fire to the Rain") that while isn't terrible, just doesn't stack up to the best here. It's a cover of a song by The Cure, and if you're familiar with the original (you can listen it here if you're not) you know that Adele really doesn't add anything to the song, kinda like what she did with Bob Dylan's "Make You Feel My Love" on her first album. As I said, it isn't terrible, (I kinda dig the bossa nova vibe) and I at least hope it inspires some interest in The Cure. But you know what? Just when you think Adele has nothing left to say, the albums ends, rather perfectly, on "Someone Like You," a song about how Adele has to witness the lover she hasn't gotten over move on with his life. It's just Adele and a piano and it is fantastic. Get those hankies and Kleenex, it is a genuine weeper- "I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited, but I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it, I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded, that for me it isn't over."
Over the course of 11 songs, Adele Adkins covers so much emotional terrain, drawing on country, soul and gospel influences; and while some earnestness and sentimentality remain, (she is 21 after all) the song-writing she displays here far supersede other performers her age. *cough* Taylor Swift *cough*
Personally, I would have loved a little more genre/sonic experimentation (there's a little too much reliance on the piano and other strings) but even when this album tips over into the maudlin, it is saved solely by the best and most powerful instrument on the entire album- Adele's voice.

Top tracks: Rolling in the Deep; Rumour Has It; I'll Be Waiting; One and Only; Someone Like You

Verdict: Buy it

My Wish List

Apparently some 3.5 mil world-wide saw the Sticky and Sweet Tour making it the most profitable tour by a single artiste in like ever. Luckily for us, they captured it on DVD and CD- I WANT!

I WANT I WANT I WAAAAAANT!!!

Lost my physical copy months ago; I think it's time I got it back.

Currently Getting Into...

Wasn't too interested in this one when it was selected by Oprah as one of her new Book Club selections, (I have a mental block against non0fiction) but after the whole controversy of it being revealed as made up, I was a bit intrigued. Still, I wasn't spending my hard-earned money on it. Thank u mom, for that. Will read soon.

Another one mom gave me, I sift through it every night.

Some days, it comes down to this- lunch or Vogue? Seems I made a good choice this day.