MaestroBlog Update

Now that I've cooled off from Miley Cyrus, it's time to give you your monthly update!

So August started out really good: a post every day, plenty of reviews mixed in with other segments (I finally got around to a new "Song of the Day"!!). Music news won't be happening (obviously), and playlists will come out as I think of new ones, which may be once a month or so from this point on. Towards the end of August, however, I had to get prepared for my sophomore year of college! This past week I've been busy with band camp (and health issues, but we won't get into those...), so I've had zero time to blog or do anything besides eat, sleep, and march.

But with 13 posts, how did August turn out? As of writing this, MaestroBlog has received 6752 views, up 833 views from last month. My views-per-post average is now 31.4, up exactly 2.0 views from last month. Each day brought in a healthy amount of viewers, so no one day spawned a massive count, but I'm glad views are now getting consistent!!

Since the summer is now officially over (for everybody going back to school, anyway), I will have more or less time to blog than I did during the summer. It all depends on my schedule and how much free time I have.

Remember, the MaestroBlog one-year anniversary is November 12 (one day after the release of Lady Gaga's "ARTPOP"!!). I still have to think of a way to celebrate, do ya'll have any ideas? Don't hesistate to suggest!

I might do a Fall Music Preview sometime early in September (I'll keep you informed!). Other than that, it'll be business as usual, unless you have other ideas (once again, don't be afraid to suggest...but don't request "Wicked" or anything...I already have a plan for that).

With all that said, here's to another eventful school-year!

Musical Dissection-Miley Cyrus

Oooook, get ready for a healthy rant!

So ever since 2008, whenever a conversation was centered around her, all I ever heard was "OMG Miley Cyrus is such a whore, and a slut, and like, she's growing up too fast and she's sending the wrong message to little kids!" But recently, all of this fervor came to a peak when she twerked against Robin Thicke's crotch at the 2013 VMAs. And let me tell you, if you don't know this already, people are PISSED. I think I've seen more Facebook posts about her VMA performance than anything else this week. I wasn't able to watch the VMAs when they were on, but I did see the performance the day after, and my first thought was:

"This is what people are freaking out about?"

I get it. She twerked on a married man (with a child!) who's 16 years older than her, she wore nude underwear and took a foam finger to places that should never be touched with a foam finger. I get it. What I don't get, is what was so incredibly shocking and tragic about it. Have you seen the "We Can't Stop" music video? Have you seen that video where she's smoking a bong? Have you seen any of her recent behavior? How was that VMA performance a huge leap from any of that? Furthermore, what's so incredibly raunchy about her twerking, as compared to the sexual romps of Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj? Or, I hate to say this, but at least she didn't do the performance naked, unlike Lady Gaga who's showed more skin than most performers. Also, I'll obviously reference Madonna's 1992 "Erotica" era, where she delivered sexually charged songs, videos, and a soft-porn table book for good measure. So, why aren't Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Lil Kim, and Madonna being labeled as a downward spiral?

Ohhhh, you're going to play the age card? That all four aforementioned singers were in their mid-twenties to early-thirties, and Miley is only 20 years old? Let me tell you something, I'm in college, there are lots of 20-year olds breaking the law and grinding up against random strangers at a club or bar (fake IDs for the win!) (also, sorry kids, but if you're under 21, it's against the law to drink alcohol). I mean, twerking on a 36-year old man is kind of extreme, but Miley's antics, when put in perspective, aren't that different from any other girls her age. Trust me, I would know. Just because she's doing it in the public eye, doesn't mean she's any worse than any other 20-year old girl. I mean, come on, she could be alot worse, she could be drinking on stage, smoking in all of her appearances, and not wear any clothes at all. And I do personally know several girls (and guys), who are a LOT more vulgar than she is, and I would rather be around her than them. 

Then there's the fact that everyone's freaking out, saying that she's going to be the next Britney Spears or Amanda Bynes. Oh really? Miley is smashing cars with umbrellas, posting hateful and hurtful comments on Twitter, throwing bongs out of her apartment and telling a photographer to go on weight watchers? For real, Miley is lucid, she knows what she's doing and has never pretended to be something that she's not. We may not like this new version of Miley, but at least she owns it. It would be more annoying if she did all of this, and then tried to clean up her image and save face. If you don't like her, that's fine, she doesn't care if you do or don't. 

So, now let's get to the actual dissection of this (no, the above wasn't it). First off, is Miley Cyrus a bad example? Question is, a bad example for whom? If you're thinking little kids, the ones who like Hannah Montana, guess what? She ain't Hannah Montana anymore, she has absolutely no responsibility to be a role model to little kids, nor does she have to be a role model at all. I know we all look up to celebrities as our guide to morals and life, but that fact right there proves how misplaced our values are. No celebrity is required to be a role model for anyone, that's not part of the job description. I don't recall Miley ever claiming she wanted to be a role model for young girls everywhere, and if you do, think about this: her Hannah Montana audience is growing up with her, meaning, if they were 12 when they first watched it, they're 19 now, old enough to realize right from wrong, smart from stupid, and subtle from explicit. Not every single thing Miley does has to be copied, if her Hannah Montana audience doesn't want to do it, then they don't have to. I'm not saying that smoking and twerking older men is good, because it's not, I'm not condoning her behavior, but cut her some slack.

Think about it: did you have to be sold as a product for half of your life? Did you lose most of your childhood to TV cameras, recording studios, magazine covers, film cameras, paparazzi, internet scrutiny and product placement? Were you constantly pressured by everyone to look 100% flawless, basically the perfect human being? I don't even know if Miley was ever given a chance to find herself, and that's very hard to do in Hollywood when you're constantly force-fed an image of who you should be. So, in simple terms, she's rebelling against everyone who ever treated her like a plaything, not a human being. Or in even more simpler terms: she's 20 years old, that's what they do (the teenage rebellion can last a couple years past 19, btw). And honestly, she's not doing anything different than any other pop star in the mainstream (must I refer you to Katy Perry's outfits or Madonna's video for "Justify My Love"?). She's using sex to sell music, about 95% of artists are doing that right now, just because Miley was Hannah Montana and one point, doesn't mean she can't do something different now. 

Futhermore, I can't help but think that there are a couple double standards at work here. The first one, is that whenever anybody else twerks or does something sexually explicit, it's okay, hell, even celebrated. But as soon as Hannah Montana...er, I mean Miley Cyrus does it, then it's completely wrong and she's the biggest whore on the face of the planet. If Ke$ha did the exact same thing at the VMAs, the only response would've been "haha, there goes Ke$ha being raunchy again!" And now here's the big one: what if Miley was a guy? Would we be getting so heated up if she was man posting wet shower pics, going on stage half-naked, grabbing his crotch and rubbing up against other women? No, we wouldn't, it's the same old thing: when a guy acts slutty, he's a champion, but whenever a girl does it, then she's a bad person who should be condemned for her ways. If Miley was a man, all we would care about is how well she's doing her job (even though she's not doing it well, it's just that the public thinks that anything with sex in it automatically makes it good). Actually, a good example of this is Robin Thicke himself: how many of you are offended by "Blurred Lines", both the song and the video? The song is about objectifying women, calling her an "animal", and the music video is just naked women moving back and forth. And even Robin at the VMAs, he's married with a kid, but he was completely comfortable with a 20-year old grinding on his crotch, he even seemed to enjoy it! Why aren't more people getting pissed with him, calling him a train wreck and a downward spiral? Think about it.

In the end, however, people need to realize that Miley is not the one with the problem here, it's YOU. Her antics are trying to prove she's not Hannah Montana anymore, that's obvious, but it's not for her sake, it's for you to realize that the last episode of Hannah Montana aired 2.5 years ago, it's old news, so get over it. Also, the VMAs are on MTV, the same channel with Teen Mom and Jersey Shore, little kids shouldn't be watching it anyway, and their parents should have control of what they watch. Also, you too have a choice of what you can see and hear. Once again, if you don't like Miley Cyrus, stop giving her attention, it's only going to make her act out more. The more you talk about her, the crazier she's going to become. 

I know this isn't the opinion you were looking for, but this is how I personally feel. I just can't get myself to hate this girl, if anything, I feel sorry for her. She's not acting in the best way, I'll agree, but we don't know what's going on in her life or through her mind, and it's none of our damn business anyway. I do think she should realize that her actions will receive backlash, and that she shouldn't lash out at the haters just because that's how they feel, but I still feel like ya'll need to calm down and instead of getting worked up over a 20-year old girl, focus on your own life and make yourself a better person, instead of tweeting and facebook-ing a stranger to. Just because you know of Miley Cyrus, does not mean you actually know her as a person. Until you do, why don't you cool it with the names and the comments, alright? This is Miley Cyrus 2.0, get used to it:

                                                                                                                                                      

2013 VMAs-Who Should Win

So the MTV Video Music Awards are celebrating 30 years this Sunday, August 25. This is no small feat, since the VMAs are the only music-related show MTV plays anymore (TRL closed down in 2007). As always, there will be alot to look forward to: Lady Gaga opening the show (!!!), Katy Perry closing the show (!!!), other performances include Miley Cyrus, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Justin Timberlake, Robin Thicke, and Bruno Mars (!!!). The show is rumored to be hostless like it was in 2011 (Kevin Hart kept things going, so this year won't be affected either). Presenters include (but are not limited to): A$AP Rocky, Selena Gomez, Emeli Sande, Kevin Hart, Jared Leto, Taylor Swift, and Jimmy Fallon. But enough about the "details", who should win their respective categories? This is only my opinion, so I realize yours will differ, such is life! So without any further adieu:

Best Male Video: Robin Thicke, TI, and Pharrell-Blurred Lines

Best Female Video: Demi Lovato-Heart Attack

Artist to Watch: Zedd and Foxes-Clarity

Best Pop Video: Miley Cyrus-We Can't Stop

Best Rock Video: Fall Out Boy-Light Em Up

Best Hip-Hop Video: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Can't Hold Us

Best Collaboration: Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding-I Need Your Love

Best Direction: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Can't Hold Us

Best Choreography: Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull-Live It Up

Best Visual Effects: Capital Cities-Safe and Sound

Best Art Direction: Lana Del Rey-National Anthem

Best Editing: Justin Timberlake-Mirrors

Best Cinematography: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Can't Hold Us

Best Video With a Social Message: Kelly Clarkson-People Like Us or Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Same Love (I couldn't decide on one, they're both awesome!)

Best Song of the Summer: Miley Cyrus-We Can't Stop

Video of the Year: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis-Thrift Shop

(I like Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, so what?)

Also, did I mention that Justin Timberlake will be receiving the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award? :)

Katy Perry -vs- Lady Gaga: Who's New Single is Best?

Ok, so now that "Roar" and "Applause" are officially on the market, ya'll are probably wondering "Maestro, what do you think of them?" (you probably weren't thinking that, but as always, I'll let you know anyway). Well, after a couple days thought, listening to both songs on repeat, I've come to realize that actually, I love both songs. I think they're equal in quality too, but in vastly different ways.

But before I dissect them, I will state that no, I do not think that the premature leaks of both songs were a publicity stunt. Since we've had to wait over a year to hear new material from both Katy and Gaga, there were going to be some impatient fans out there, ones that couldn't wait a second longer. It is so easy to hack someone nowadays, so I'm not surprised at all that the songs were leaked, I'm really excited actually. But even so, the hackers suck, it costs the artist and the consumer money.

Anyway, back to the discussion at hand, what do I think of both songs? 

Let's take apart "Roar", first, shall we?

I'll first address the chief criticism lodged against it, that it sounds exactly like Sara Bareilles' "Brave". When hearing both songs, I definitely knew where this criticism comes from, but I do not think that Katy intended to rip off Sara. Mainly because of the simple fact that both songs were released in only a couple months of each other, and both artists made their 2013 albums at the same time, so I think that the comparisons between "Roar" and "Brave" are purely coincidental. However, I will point out one thing, the big reason why both songs sound the same (this also applies to "Born This Way" and "Express Yourself"...but I will never say that former is a rip-off of the latter): "Roar" and "Brave" have the exact same chord progression. This actually explains it all, since both songs move in the same way, obviously alot of their sounds and accompaniments are going to sound similar as well. But anyway, "Roar" by itself I think is both good and bad. What I like about it, is that it's one of the few songs when Katy doesn't sink to crass and rude depths just to sell a track. Like "Part of Me" and "Wide Awake", "Roar" is a harmless self-empowerment song that does what it's supposed to. It has a catchy chorus, a throbbing beat, and can I also point out that it captures her best singing ever??!! I've never heard Katy this confident in her vocals in well, ever. All of its good moments overshadow the fact that "Roar" doesn't sound that different than her old material. Also, it's kind of disappointing that this is the best that she could come up with after three years between albums (and over a year between singles). She said that she's evolved and that she went through a change in the past year, which is reflected in her mood and message, but not in her music. If anything, "Roar" is brought down a bit by how slow-burning it is. It has to grow on you before you can truly appreciate it. But then again, that's also part of its brilliance, how un-immediate it is makes it one of her best songs. 

Now on to Lady Gaga's "Applause"

So Lady Gaga also faced some significant shifts in her life over the last two years. After "Marry the Night" flopped in late 2011, she embarked on the Born This Way Ball Tour, but had to cancel it prematurely due to synovitis. This also had an impact of the recording of "ARTPOP", her third album, as the release date was pushed back several times. We finally received word of an official release date in July, and because of the built-up anticipation, the lead single "Applause" was leaked one week before its scheduled release. Obviously, there was alot of hype surrounding the song, as it's given the duty of setting up "ARTPOP" for us. At least, that's what lead singles are supposed to do. Unfortunately, "Applause" was under so much hype, that there was a guaranteed sense of anti-climax upon the first listen. Since we're in the thick of the EDM era, Lady Gaga follows suit and "Applause" is a standard issue EDM track, tricked out with weird pop culture references, analogies, and an 80s vibe for good measure. Once again, the song does what it's intended to do, it's chorus is insanely catchy, it's going to be a club hit within the next month or so, and there's no audible auto-tune here, so it's not like Gaga's chasing down modern trends, she's just willing to use them for her benefit. I have to say I love the ending, it's in your face and unabashed, typical Gaga traits. However, that can't be said for the beginning, which is kind of depressing, since its so formless and bland. The verses are ok, they're not effortless like "Poker Face" or "Bad Romance", and it seems that Gaga might be trying a bit too hard to be left-field. That's the main source of disappointment with "Applause", it's not out-there or experimental like Gaga was promising "ARTPOP" to be, and she might be in trouble if this song is the best that she could do. But as I said before, just because it's a lead single, doesn't mean that's the entire album, and honestly, I think more varied and layered material awaits us on "ARTPOP", Gaga just wanted to further build anticipation for it. I don't know about you, but I'm still excited!!

From reading Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, I can tell that generally, the masses are a little let down by both "Roar" and "Applause". But that's to be expected when you hype an artist so much, it gets to the point where nothing they do will be good enough. Like I said, they're both great songs, they're not fantastic, but after a 1-2 year wait, I'm pumped for both Katy Perry and Lady Gaga's returns. According to Billboard, "Roar" is eyeing for a number one debut on this week's Hot 100, "Applause" is looking for a top-ten debut. Unsurprisingly, Katy will edge out Gaga as far as performance their singles go, because everybody loves Katy Perry, Lady Gaga is debated, not loved by all the masses. It could also be because of the fact that Katy isn't looking to be on the vanguard, she just wants to make fun music. But Lady Gaga wants to be more, she wants to be a trendsetter and revolutionize. Needless to say, in regards to what was expected of both songs: "Roar" satisfies, while "Applause" fails. 

In the end though, after listening to them on repeat, I will give them both a solid

Sarah McLachlan-"Laws of Illusion" Review

Seven years have passed since Sarah McLachlan's last album, 2003's "Afterglow". In that seven years, her life...pretty much stayed the same. She had another child and successfully revived Lillith Fair, but these changes seem subtle and subdued considering how much could have changed in three years short of a decade. "Laws of Illusion", music, cover art, title and all, makes this point all to clear. It's just as soothing and as melodically sturdy as McLachlan's previous work, but it's also unsurprising to know that she doesn't forge new ground. In 2003, when other folk-pop artists like Jewel were still relevant, she was able to get away with it. But now at the turn of a new decade, with Lady Gaga and Rihanna making up the mainstream, there's only so far soothing and gentle can get her. That's not to say that "Laws of Illusion" is weak, because it isn't, but it's also not a triumphant return that it could've been, making the revival of Lillith Fair seem kind of unnecessary. Some may call that reliable, as McLachlan stays reliably engaging throughout "Laws of Illusion". Some may also call it predictable, and much of the album is by-the-books Sarah McLachlan, mixing new-age atmospheres with singer/songwriter-isms. Either way, "Laws of Illusion" ends up as fine, not horribly solemn, not too over-the-top, just another fine addition to McLachlan's catalog. In fact, the only misstep she made was saving "Bring on the Wonder" and the piano version of "Love Come" at the end of the album. The former is a lush, layered ballad that features of chorale of McLachlan's, much in the style of Enya. The latter is an acoustic remix of "Love Come", which appears in the middle of the record, but even though the two versions have the same title and lyrics, they are distinctly different songs. The piano version is the superior cut, as it's much for affecting that the original, and it, along with "Bring on the Wonder" also hint and what "Laws of Illusion" could have been. Maybe if Sarah would have stripped the arrangements bare, accessorize at will, and moved the songs outward, she could have created an entirely new sound. It's actually quite unfortunate, because while there are other great moments on "Illusion" --the opener "Awakenings" glides on a steady rock pulse, "U Want Me 2" captures McLachlan's mythos of love very consistently, and "Out of Tune" is a livelier, more refreshed concept of her earlier work-- it could have benefited greatly from any change of pace. The pacing, as charming as it is, is also too languid to interest the masses. More patient listeners will find rewards upon multiple spins, but the stiff nature of "Laws of Illusion" as a whole makes it a bit tough to find them. In the end, what's made perfectly clear is that McLachlan will never reach her mid-90s peak again, but she can still deliver her required load of tuneful, soft rock songs. And it's really hard to dismiss this album or McLachlan, as the beats are wider, the vocals are effectively soft, and the production is clean and new. This record doesn't offer anything significantly different from its predecessors, but it's still a good thing in this case.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Awakenings                   2. Illusions of Bliss                3. Loving You is Easy

4. Changes                             5. Forgiveness                       6. Rivers of Love

7. Love Come                        8. Out of Tune                       9. Heartbreak

10. Don’t Give up on Us      11. U Want Me 2                12. Bring on the Wonder

13. Love Come (Piano Version)

Miranda Lambert-"Four the Record" Review

Like Michael Jackson and TLC before her, Miranda Lambert was faced with quite a difficult task when following up the record that made her a superstar, 2009's "Revolution". However, unlike Michael and TLC, her worldwide success was not in the masses, it was still pretty much contained in the strict country market. So, now with several accolades and a couple number one singles under her belt, Lambert is feeling pretty comfortable in 2011, and instead of working overtime to stay abreast her own popularity, she lets herself breathe a little. This could possibly be due to the fact that she married fellow country star Blake Shelton in mid-2011, but rest assured, this is not her marriage album, built on syrupy sweetness and twangy goodness. Lambert pretty much gives that away in the ingenious album title "Four the Record" (a reference to the fact that this is her fourth album, as well as a clever indication of what to expect). While it's true that Miranda has mellowed a little, enough to pull off the excellent and vulnerable closing ballad "Oklahoma Sky", she's not about to settle down. She's still ready to hell-raise on the rocker "Fastest Girl in Town", ready to start a commotion with "Mama's Broken Heart", and is more than ready to kiss-off her ex-lover by referring him to the "Baggage Claim". This is a Miranda Lambert album, complete with one-two shuffles ("Easy Living"), light mid-tempo cuts ("Safe"), and a couple cynical ballads to boot ("Dear Diamond" and "Over You"). But what separated "Four the Record" from the rest of Lambert's albums is that it not only relies heavily on other songwriters, but the music is among her best and most accessible. Lambert has no intention of leaving country behind and heading towards pop, but she's also canny enough to realize just how stuffy the genre can be. Letting in other songwriters opens these songs up, and with her primary focus not on the words, Lambert shifts her focus to the music, which is relaxed and varied, spanning from neo-Traditionalist styles in the ode to diversity "All Kinds of Kinds", to, oddly enough, electronic elements. Notice the second track "Fine Tune", where Miranda's vocals are all phased through a vocoder. Notice the aforementioned "Mama's Broken Heart", where a synth is heard embellishing the transition from the chorus to the verses. Or take note of "Easy Living", which begins and ends with TV static, bordering on electroclash. These moments are subtle, but they give "Four the Record" a considerable depth. It's Miranda's poppiest album, without ever sounding like country-pop. She builds her songs in contemporary country, and flirts with modern trends at will. All her efforts pay off, and she's wound up with not only her best album, but also the best country record of 2011. The melodies are engaging, the songwriting is strong, Miranda's vocals are reliably confident, and it ultimately maintains her wicked sense of humor as well her cross cultural appeal. All of this proves that she remains as endearing as she ever has, perhaps even more so.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. All Kinds of Kinds       2. Fine Tune              3. Fastest Girl in Town

4. Safe                                    5. Mama’s Broken Heart

6. Dear Diamond                   7. Same Old You       8. Baggage Claim

9. Easy Living                    10. Over You             11. Look at Miss Ohio

12. Better in the Long Run  13. Nobody’s Fool     14. Oklahoma Sky

Daft Punk-"Discovery" Review

After a full four years after their debut fell out of the clear blue sky, Daft Punk (French house duo Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo) return with 2001's "Discovery", which rushes in with color and style. As they so ingeniously depict on the album's cover, "Discovery" is a subtle, shiny state-of-the-art electronic album that's as every bit rainbow-dappled as it is simple. Proven by the lead single "One More Time" (one of the best, if not the best, party song ever recorded), Daft Punk are blindingly talented producers who give their songs melodic hooks while keeping the driving bass-lines intact. They also know how to vary their loops (which there are too much of), giving each song a distinctly different character than its surrounding material. But ultimately, what makes "Discovery" a better record than its predecessor is that it captures Daft Punk's 70s/80s obsession more consistently than their debut. Notice the cool, synth-driven "Nightvision" (one of eight instrumental tracks here), which sounds like it was ripped off an out-take from one of Madonna's albums in the early 80s. Then there's "Veridis Quo", a song that is very reminiscent of one of the first Mario games with its MIDI orchestra and baroque hook. Then there's the misleadingly named "Face to Face" (there's hardly any danger of Daft Punk removing their helmets any time soon), which appears near the end of the record and is one of the best retro-pop songs here. But with all of its obsessions, "Discovery" does offer a few sounds that are straight 2001: the ludicriously anthemic "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is a perfect fit for the clubs, while "Aerodynamic" is a progressive, synth-drenched electronica that perfectly defines Daft Punk in this moment. It shows that while their era of inspiration may be far behind, they're not afraid of hauling old ways into the present, while at once using it to push music of their era forward. That's not an easy feat, as any artist of the new millennium would wish to make music that glides easily but runs deep. This makes "Discovery" a lush and widely accessible album that's one of the most individual records of this decade.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. One More Time             2. Aerodynamic                    3. Digital Love

4. Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger                          5. Crescendolls

6. Nightvision                        7. Superheroes                      8. High Life

9. Something About Us        10. Voyager                           11. Veridis Quo

12. Short Circuit                   13. Face to Face                14. Too Long  

Selena Gomez & The Scene-"Kiss & Tell" Review

After passing the ripe old age of 17, Selena Gomez was faced with quite a bit of pressure to release her debut album. Taking into account that "Kiss & Tell" was released in the fall of 2009, when her best friend Demi Lovato already released her sophomore album, and a widely panned performance on Dancing With the Stars, some cautionary measures were essential into making Gomez's debut album a testament that she could be a successful actress and singer. The first, and most obvious, was realizing that she wasn't going to be musically successful on her own, so she hired a back-up band called The Scene to help her out. And since this is an album from a Disney actress released in the late 2000s, there are also several other collaborators on board (Gina Schock from The Go-Gos gets three writing credits here, as well as FeFe Dobson and Hollywood Records regulars Antonio Armato and Tim James). So much effort is used because so much effort is needed, as that cringe-tastic performance on DWTS proved, Gomez may be convincing on television, but her on record persona is hollow, showing not a sliver of a tangible personality. Adding fuel to the fire is the simple fact that Gomez is an actress first, her vocal abilities are slight and limited, not able to take on big, blown-out productions as seen on other Disney efforts. 

But she lucks out in one regard: her writers and producers are canny enough to realize all of her flaws, so they create a setting in which her voice can fit in with the production. With the loud opening guitar riff aside, much of "Kiss & Tell" is a tempered set that never over-indulges in drippy emotions or garish production, it perfectly glides on a electro-rock pulse. Selena is fortunate enough to have skilled people behind the booth that can mask her vocal deficiencies while dressing her in a formulated personality so all she has to do is lay her voice down. As with any Disney album, "Kiss & Tell" delivers its required payload of fun, frothy teen-pop. "Falling Down" is a pretty good kiss-off to bullies, while "Naturally" is a shiny dance-pop confection that's easily the most well-formed and best track here. That's "Kiss & Tell" at its best; at its worst, however, it feels like Selena is just being dressed in pop hand-me-downs. There's the fifth track "Crush", which could of easily been lifted from Demi Lovato's debut, while "Stop & Erase" is essentially a harder, colder version of Aly and AJ's "Sticks and Stones". That's not to say that they're executed poorly, but the problem is that they have been done before, and by better singers. Then again, this isn't entirely Gomez's fault, as she's hardly in control here; her face is on the cover, but she's not at this album's center, she's simply the face of a carefully calibrated pop machine. The younger version of Britney, if you will (a comparison driven home by the ballad "The Way I Loved You", a vapid, cheesy, and vocally displeasing song that's easily one of the worst ballads ever recorded). All this calculation means that nothing is left to chance, "Kiss & Tell" is a Disney album and hits all the marks that a pop album in 2009 should. Since Kelly Clarkson released her sugar-coated "All I Ever Wanted", Ashley Tisdale brought back early 2000s teen-pop with "Guilty Pleasure", and of course Demi Lovato put out her pop-rock extravaganza "Here We Go Again", Selena follows the path of her peers to get her mark on the already cluttered Disney map. However, without all the calculations, she wouldn't have wound up with such a sturdy pop album. It thankfully doesn't crumble under the weight of its high-fructose confections, it may drag in the middle (due to that turgid ballad), but it doesn't detract from what's otherwise a fun, breezy blast. Bottom line, this is neither a great nor poor album from a Disney actress; it's decent, just like the rest of them.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. Kiss & Tell             2. I Won’t Apologize        3. Falling Down

4. I Promise You      5. Crush                                 6. Naturally

7. The Way I Loved You     8. More                      9. As a Blonde

10. I Don’t Miss You At All            11. Stop & Erase    12. I Got U

13. Tell Me Something I Don’t Know

Song of the Day-"On The Wing" by Owl City

As long as I've got Owl City on the brain, I want to share one of his songs that I've come to fall madly love with. As you probably guessed, it's called "On The Wing", a song from his sophomore album, 2009's "Ocean Eyes". There are several reasons why I feel the need to talk about this specific song because, more than anything he's every recorded, "On The Wing" has syrupy sentimental lyrics and heavily synthesized, electronic music; but it clicks. Also, Adam Young brings the melody to the foreground, while adding more harmony and background effects with each passing minute. It's the kind of song that's equally affecting as it is musically enriching. Coming from Adam Young, this is quite an accomplishment. It stands as a highlight from his entire discography because it's the type of melancholy let peppy music that Adam tries to make, but never quite achieves. Everything about "On The Wing" works, and at some point during the middle, it sucks you into its sway, making you feel that you too are above the ground in a giddy sense of wonder. 

So, with all song dissections, let's start from the beginning. The background harmony is introduced first, and then the melody arrives, followed by Owl City's signature glitchy effects. The music subsides for the opening verse.

"Breathe and I'll carry you away

Into the velvet sky, and we'll stir the stars around

And watch them fall away, into the Hudson Bay

And plummet out of sight and sound

The open summer breeze, will sweep you through the hills

Where I live in the Alpine heights, below the northern lights

I spend my coldest nights alone awake and thinking of

The weekend we were in love"

So it looks like Adam has love in mind. It's not surprising, seeing as how that's his main source of inspiration. He once again uses pastoral imagery as a metaphor of sorts, describing the high you can feel when you're truly in love. After this, the melody and harmony collide again, and this leads into the next verse.

"Home among these mountain tops, can be so awfully dull

A thousand miles from the tide

But photos on the walls, of New York shopping malls

Distract me so I stay inside

I wish the rocket stayed, over the Promenade

Cause I would make a hook and I

Would fish them from the sky, my darling she and I

We're hanging on so take us high, to sing the world goodbye"

More images, more metaphors, more stream of consciousness lyrics that don't really add up to anything specific. They only emphasize the feeling Adam wishes he could have once more, to feel that giddy whirl when his girlfriend and he were so madly in love. This verse then leads directly into the chorus.

"I am floating away, lost in a silent ballet

I'm dreaming I'm out in the blue, and I am right beside you

Awake to take in the view

Late night and early parades, still photos and noisy arcades

My darling we're both on the wing, look down and keep on singing

And we can go anywhere, are you there?"

Probably the most concrete part of this song (yes really), Adam cuts to the chase (sort of), and tells his girl that they're still in love, he's still filled with joy and that they can do anything. In the end, however, he wants to know if she agrees, if she feels the same way. The question "are you there?" is fully explained as we're segued into the bridge.

"Are you there? Or are you just a decoy dream, in my head?

Am I home? Or am I simply tumbling all alone?"

So it's not that simple. "Are you there" is essentially asking if his girlfriend is there at all. Was he just dreaming of spending more time with her? Is he with her, or is he just dreaming of her and in actuality, he's all alone? This is definitely the hardest verse to decipher, since it really could mean anything. But then again, the good majority of Adam's music is based on vague topics and words that don't seem to be connected to each other, thus leading the listener through a song that could have any number of meanings. 

Now for the next 46 seconds, we're treated to a symphony of sounds. Strings, synths, percussion, all building upon each other moment by moment until it leads to a triumphant overture of joy and sound. Needless to say, this is the best part of the entire song, it's aural candy that can pleasure just about anyone. Best of all, it's where Adam succeeds in making music that's other-worldly, beautifully sculpted and wonderfully cheesy. 

The rest of the song repeats the chorus and ends on that same question: "Are you there?". This time, though, it's more of a happy note. Adam's basically inviting his girl for the ride, the journey of love and its dizzying peaks. The music ends on a reprieve of that digital symphony, fading to black as it twirls into nothing. 

I've heard many well written, well produced songs, but I've never witnessed a song as gorgeous as "On The Wing". It definitely takes a few spins to sink in, but as I said before, eventually, you get sucked into its grand, sweeping emotions and feel like you're above the world with Adam. Definitely check this one out, it's one of my favorite songs ever recorded, really.

Playlist: Owl City

Welcome to a new segment, simply called "Playlist". It's the time of the week where I share with you a playlist (...duh) that is usually centered around a certain artist, topic, or sound. This week, it's all about Owl City. Despite my somewhat negative reception to his albums as a whole, I do admit there are very good moments where his escapism and electronic music clicks. These are 17 songs that best showcase his production abilities (lyrics are both good and bad, as with any Owl City song). 

Playlist-Owl City
Duration-59:41

1. Dreams and Disasters
From "The Midsummer Station" (2012)
Choice Lyric: "We won't turn around, we will not slow down. Follow the line through the dreams and disasters"

2. Cave In
From "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "I've had just about enough, of quote "diamonds in the rough", because my backbone is paper thin. Get me out of this cavern, or I'll cave in"

3. The Real World
From "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (2011)
Choice Lyric: "Reality is a lovely place, but I wouldn't want to live there"

4. Deer in the Headlights
From "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (2011)
Choice Lyric: "Didn't you know that love could shine this bright? Well smile because you're the deer in the headlights"

5. Umbrella Beach
From "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "I think dreamy things, as I'm waving goodbye, so I'll spread out my wings and fly"

6. Dreams Don't Turn to Dust
From "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (2011)
Choice Lyric: "When diamonds boast that they can't be crushed, let 'em go because dreams don't turn to dust"

7. I'm Coming After You
From "The Midsummer Station" (2012)
Choice Lyric: "You've got the right to remain right here with me, I'm on your tail in a hot pursuit. Love is high speed chase racing down the street. Woo woo woo, I'm coming after you"

8. Speed of Love
From "The Midsummer Station" (2012)
Choice Lyric: "Oh oh oh like a streak of light. Oh oh oh let the world slide by. Oh oh oh rev your engine up, everybody's racin at the speed of love"

9. Good Time (feat. Carly Rae Jepsen)
From "The Midsummer Station" (2012)
Choice Lyric: "We don't even have to try, it's always a good time"

10. The Bird & The Worm
From "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "To all my pals who live in the oceans and the seas. With friends like these, well, who needs enemis?"

11. Honey and the Bee
From "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (2011)
Choice Lyric: "If the green left the grass on the other side, I would make like a tree leaf. And if I reached for your hand would your eyes get wide? Who knew the other side could be so green?"

12. The Saltwater Room
From "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "You can hear the waves, in underwater caves, as if you actually were inside a saltwater room"

13. On The Wing
From "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "I am floating away, lost in a silent ballet, I'm dreaming I'm out in the blue and I am right beside you, awake to take in the view. Late nights and early parades, still photos and noisy arcades, my darling we're both on the wing, look down and keep on singing"

14. Plant Life
From "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (2011)
Choice Lyric: "I'd rather waltz than walk through the forest. The trees keep the tempo and they sway in time. Quartet of crickets chime in for the chorus, if I were to pluck on your heartstrings, would you pluck on mine?"

15. Vanilla Twilight
From "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "And I'll forget the world that I knew, but I swear I won't forget you. Oh if my voice could reach back to the past, I'd whisper in your ear "Oh darling, I wish you were here""

16. Fireflies
From "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "To ten million fireflies, I'm weird cause I hate goodbyes, I got misty eyes as they said farewell. But I know where several are, if my dreams get real bizarre, cause I saved a few and keep them in a jar"

17. Tidal Wave
From  "Ocean Eyes" (2009)
Choice Lyric: "The end is uncertain, and I've never been so afraid. But I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope, and that makes me feel brave"

Evanescence-"Evanescence" Review

'Tempered' has never been a word associated with Evanescence's music, but it applies to their eponymous third album, arriving five years after 2006's "The Open Door", quit often. Then again, this is not surprising, seeing as how Amy Lee is now the only original member of the group. So, it's actually quite interesting why they would self-title their album now in 2011, well after the blockbuster success of 2003's "Fallen" was over. Perhaps this was meant as a starting fresh move of sorts. While there's certainly no danger of Amy removing her thick mascara, she does feel refreshed in this new line-up. This could also be due in part to a change in producers, from Steve Lilywhite to Nick Raskulinecz. The latter manages to do what seemed to be impossible: retain the intent and mood of Evanescence, while at once expanding their sound and emphasizing the melodies, not the dramatics. Raskulinecz opens the group up, giving Amy's voice plenty of room to roam while the rest of the group subtly adds depth and shade to each passing song. This change of pace comes as a great relief from the oppressing murk of "The Open Door", in which the drama of Ben Moody's departure, and the the songs, was paramount. As aptly depicted by the album cover, "Evanescence" is still plenty dark and dramatic, but there are now hues of blue and purple to create the illusion of warmth. This results in what could be Evanescence's lightest and most consistent album, as there's not one sappy ballad to ruin the mood, no millennial choir to try the listener's tolerance for over-dramatization. Each song, from the excellent opener "What You Want" to the brooding mid-album cut "Sick", is driven by electric guitars and once again, Amy Lee's affecting voice. And while this is not as varied as "Fallen", "Evanescence" is a wonderful sequel to "The Open Door", as now the weight of pretention is behind Amy, which turns this record into the band's most satisfying listen since their debut.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:

1. What You Want           2. Made of Stone       3. The Change

4. My Heart is Broken     5. The Other Side     6. Erase This

7. Lost in Paradise                8. Sick                       9. End of the Dream

10. Oceans                             11. Never Go Back    12. Swimming Home

All Time Hot Billboard 100!

In celebration of The Billboard Hot 100's 55th birthday, they have constructed an All Time Top 100 Songs list. This list only features songs that charted on the Hot 100, and they are ranked by an inverse point system. This means that a song gets 100 points for every week spent at number 1 and vice versa, gets 1 point for every week spent at number 100. Since different eras of the chart had different chart rules, some songs were weighted differently to account for turnover rates over various periods. 

100. Usher-You Make Me Wanna (1997)
Peak: 2

99. fun. and Janelle Monae-We Are Young (2012)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

98. Emotions-Best of My Love (1975)
Peak: 1 (Five Weeks)

97. Maroon 5-One More Night (2012)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

96. Phil Collins-Another Day in Paradise (1989)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

95. BJ Thomas-Rain Drops Keep Fallin on My Head (1970)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

94. Puff Daddy with Faith Evans and 112-I'll Be Missing You (1997)
Peak: 1 (Eleven Weeks)

93. John Cougar-Hurts So Good (1982)
Peak: 2

92. Roberta Flack-Killing Me Softly with His Song (1973)
Peak: 1 (Five Weeks)

91. Elvis Presley-Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1960)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

90. Foreigner-Waiting for a Girl like You (1981)
Peak: 2

89. Mary J Blige-Family Affair (2001)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

88. All 4 One-I Swear (1994)
Peak: 1 (Eleven Weeks)

87. Sinead O'Connor-Nothing Compares 2 U (1990)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

86. Lionel Richie-All Night Long (All Night) (1983)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

85. The Knack-My Sharona (1979)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

84. Lionel Richie-Say You, Say Me (1985)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

83. Wild Cherry-Play That Funky Music (1976)
Peak: 1 (Three Weeks)

82. Carly Simon-You're So Vain (1973)
Peak: 1 (Three Weeks)

81. Michael Jackson-Billie Jean (1983)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

80. The Steve Miller Band-Abracadabra (1982)
Peak: 1 (Two Weeks)

79. Coolio and LV-Gangsta's Paradise (1995)
Peak: 1 (Three Weeks)

78. Donna Summer-Hot Stuff (1979)
Peak: 1 (Three Weeks)

77. Shania Twain-You're Still the One (1998)
Peak: 2

76. Marvin Gaye-I Heard It through the Grapevine (1968)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

75. Nelly and Kelly Rowland-Dilemma (2002)
Peak: 1 (Ten Weeks)

74. Bruno Mars-Just the Way You Are (2010)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

73. The Archies-Sugar, Sugar (1969)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

72. Diana Ross-Upside Down (1980)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

71. Dionne and Friends-That's What Friends Are For (1986)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

70. Paula Abdul-Rush, Rush (1991)
Peak: 1 (Five Weeks)

69. Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder-Ebony and Ivory (1982)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

68. Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera-Moves Like Jagger (2011)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

67. Tag Team-Whoomp! There It Is (1993)
Peak: 2

66. The 5th Dimension-Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (1969)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

65. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts-I Love Rock'n'Roll (1982)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

64. Stevie B-Because I Love You (The Postman Song) (1990)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

63. Brandy and Monica-The Boy is Mine (1998)
Peak: 1 (Thirteen Weeks)

62. John Lennon-(Just Like) Starting Over (1980)
Peak: 1 (Five Weeks)

61. J. Geils Band-Centerfold (1982)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

60. Ace of Base-The Sign (1994)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

59. Timbaland and OneRepublic-Apologize (2007)
Peak: 2

58. Kanye West and Jaime Foxx-Gold Digger (2005)
Peak: 1 (Ten Weeks)

57. The Monkees-I'm a Believer (1966)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

56. Ke$ha-Tik Tok (2010)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

55. Kenny Rogers-Lady (1980)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

54. Bee Gees-Stayin' Alive (1978)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

53. Mario-Let Me Love You (2005)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

52. Blondie-Call Me (1980)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

51. The Black Eyed Peas-Boom Boom Pow (2009)
Peak: 1 (Twelve Weeks)

50. Boyz II Men-End of the Road (1992)
Peak: 1 (Thirteen Weeks)

49. Whitney Houston-I Will Always Love You (1993)
Peak: 1 (Fourteen Weeks)

48. Alicia Keys-No One (2007)
Peak: 1 (Five Weeks)

47. Elton John-Candle in the Wind 1997 (1997)
Peak: 1 (Fourteen Weeks)

46. Carly Rae Jepsen-Call Me Maybe (2012)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

45. Andy Gibb-Shadow Dancing (1978)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

44. The Beatles-I Want to Hold Your Hand (1964)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

43. Tommy Edwards-It's All in the Game (1958)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

42. Dawn and Tony Orlando-Tie a Yellow Ribbon... (1973)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

41. Nickelback-How You Remind Me (2002)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

40. Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson-Say, Say, Say (1983)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

39. Queen-Another One Bites the Dust (1980)
Peak: 1 (Three Weeks)

38. Bee Gees-Night Fever (1978)
Peak: 1 (Eight Weeks)

37. Marvin Gaye-Let's Get It On (1973)
Peak: 1 (Two Weeks)

36. Wings-Silly Love Songs (1976)
Peak: 1 (Five Weeks)

35. Savage Garden-Truly, Madly, Deeply (1998)
Peak: 1 (Two Weeks)

34. Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men-One Sweet Day (1996)
Peak: 1 (Sixteen Weeks)

33. Johnny Horton-The Battle of New Orleans (1958)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

32. Bobby Lewis-Tossin and Turnin (1961)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

31. Adele-Rolling in the Deep (2011)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

30. Irene Cara-Flashdance...What a Feeling (1983)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

29. Gotye and Kimbra-Somebody That I Used to Know (2012)
Peak: 1 (Eight Weeks)

28. The Police-Every Breath You Take (1983)
Peak: 1 (Eight Weeks)

27. Next-Too Close (1998)
Peak: 1 (Five Weeks)

26. Andy Gibb-I Just Want to be Your Everything (1977)
Peak: 1 (Four Weeks)

25. Flo Rida and T Pain-Low (2008)
Peak: 1 (Ten Weeks)

24. Rihanna and Calvin Harris-We Found Love (2011)
Peak: 1 (Ten Weeks)

23. Survivor-Eye of the Tiger (1982)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

22. Bee Gees-How Deep is Your Love? (1977)
Peak: 1 (Three Weeks)

21. Chic-Le Freak (1977)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

20. Percy Faith-The Theme from 'A Summer Place' (1960)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

19. Boyz II Men-I'll Make Love to You (1994)
Peak: 1 (Fourteen Weeks)

18. Bryan Adams-(Everything I Do) I Do It For You (1991)
Peak: 1 (Seven Weeks)

17. Jewel-Foolish Games/You Were Meant for Me (1997)
Peak: 2

16. Rod Stewart-Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)  (1976)
Peak: 1 (Eight Weeks)

15. Diana Ross and Lionel Richie-Endless Love (1981)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

14. Kim Carnes-Bette Davis Eyes (1981)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

13. Usher, Ludacris, and Lil John-Yeah! (2004)
Peak: 1 (Twelve Weeks)

12. Toni Braxton-Un Break My Heart (1997)
Peak: 1 (Eleven Weeks)

11. Mariah Carey-We Belong Together (2005)
Peak: 1 (Fourteen Weeks)

10. The Beatles-Hey Jude (1968)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

9. Debby Boone-You Light Up My Life (1977)
Peak: 1 (Ten Weeks)

8. Olivia Newton John-Physical (1981)
Peak: 1 (Ten Weeks)

7. Los Del Rio-The Macarena (1996)
Peak: 1 (Fourteen Weeks)

6. The Black Eyed Peas-I Gotta Feeling (2009)
Peak: 1 (Fourteen Weeks)

5. LMFAO, GoonRock, and Lauren Bennett-Party Rock Anthem (2011)
Peak: 1 (Six Weeks)

4. LeAnn Rimes-How Do I Live? (1997)
Peak: 2

3. Bobby Darin-Mack the Knife (1959)
Peak: 1 (Nine Weeks)

2. Santana and Rob Thomas-Smooth (1999)
Peak: 1 (Twelve Weeks)

1. Chubby Checker-The Twist (1960,1962)
Peak: 1 (Three Weeks over Two Chart Runs)