The Year of 50 Challenge – Albums – Blink 182, Hugh Laurie, LMFAO, and more
10/11/2011
Filed under Albums, Entertainment, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: Blink 182, Hugh Laurie, Jay-Z, Kanye West, LMFAO, Matt Nathanson, Simple Plan, Year of 50 Challenge
Here a quick recap of some of the new albums I’ve checked out in my quest to listen to 50 new albums this year.
Album #12 – Simple Plan’s Get Your Heart On!
I’ve been a Simple Plan fan since day one. This album really shows a lot of musical growth that I haven’t heard in previous albums. That excites me a lot! Lyrically, it’s about the same as their previous efforts. No real growth there, but they never really struggled in the lyric department anyway. I enjoyed it a lot overall, but I think you I have to like this kind of light punk rock in order to appreciate it. If you are a Plan fan, you’ll love it. Download: “Can’t Keep My Hands Off You” because it’s the best track on the album (IMO), and “Anywhere Else But Here” if you liked “Addicted” from their first record.
Album #13 – LMFAO’s Sorry For Party Rocking
I hate to say it, but I’m losing patience for this kind of electro-pop. I loved it before EVERYONE started doing it. I used to be a GoGo dancer, so I pride myself on having sharp robot ears (meaning that I can separate the good electronic music from the stuff that’s just shit). LMFAO’s “Sorry for Party Rocking” has good and bad moments. The good moments certainly make up for the bad ones though. And even the bad ones aren’t that bad. For a commercialize dance record, it’s pretty tight. Download: “Sorry for Party Rocking” if you like dubstep. “Sexy and I Know It” if you liked “Party Rock”.
Album #14 – Matt Nathanson’s Modern Love
It’s a little poppier than Jack Johnson, but not quite as pop as Maroon 5 or OneRepublic. It’s a happy medium somewhere in the middle, and it’s good. Some of the lyrics are kind of juvenile, but you get that with just about any pop album. I’d recommend it if you like pop music. If not, skip it. Download: “Room at the End of the World” if you like pop ballads. “Queen of (K)nots” because it’s the best song on the album, with “Kept” finishing in a close second place.
Album #15 – Hugh Laurie’s Let Them Talk
I think I had the same reaction as the rest of the planet when I heard the Hugh Laurie had put out a blues record. Really? I decided to give it a whirl though because I love blues music and I love Hugh Laurie. It’s not a bad first record. Musically, I think it gets kind of messy and boring in places, but it’s a good album overall. I still can’t wrap my head around the idea that it’s him singing because it sounds NOTHING like his speaking voice. Not that everyone’s singing voice sounds the same as their speaking voice. It’s still weird though. Download: “After You’ve Gone” and “Let Them Talk” because they’re the two best songs on the record. Don’t think that the rest of the album will be as good though. These are huge peaks in an album of highs and lows.
Album #16 – Blink 182′s Neighborhoods
Man, I couldn’t have been more excited to listen to this album. I’ve been a huge Blink fan since I was a teenager. Look at the site name for crying out loud! Jenrose182 has been my username for everything for years. Anywhoodles, this album is a career best for them IMO opinion. Their earlier albums were more musical than lyrical. The albums falling in the middle of their career were more lyrically grand. Their last album before going on hiatus was a great mix of the two. Neighborhoods is an even more perfect mix of musical genius and great lyrics. I have a great appreciation for any album that I can put on, completely ignore the lyrics, and still have a great time listening to it. This is one of those records. GOD I’m glad to have them back on the scene! Wanna hear my only complaint? They get a little F-word happy throughout the album, but that’s just my opinion. I don’t like stuff like that when it’s in excess. Download: “Ghost on the Dancefloor”, “After Midnight”, and “Snake Charmer” just to entice yourself to buy the album because the whole thing is great!
Album #17 – Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne
I’m a fan of both of these artists, but I think they lose a little bit of their magic when they’re together. Don’t get me wrong. This is a great album, and some of the tracks are career bests for the both of them. I just feel like their styles are so different that I just spend the whole album thinking about which of them is the better rapper. However I realize that this is just my opinion. I recognize that it’s a great album. Download: “Welcome to the Jungle”, and my favorite track “Niggas in Paris”.
The Year of 50 Challenge – Albums #8 – #11
07/26/2011
Filed under Albums, Entertainment, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: bon iver, David Cook, owl city, tedeschi trucks band, this loud morning, Year of 50 Challenge
Since I don’t have the internet in my apartment right now, I’ve been falling behind with blogging about the albums/movies/reading I’ve been checking out. Here’s a quick recap of the albums I’ve listened to recently:
David Cook’s This Loud Morning –>Thumbs way up for his sophomore effort. I love the album’s concept. You fall asleep and enter a dream world only to be sharply woken to a not-so-pleasant reality. This idea is rounded out very well by the opening track “Circadian” and closed just as appropriately by ending track “Rapid Eye Movement”. My favorite tracks somewhere in the middle are “Paper Heart” and “The Last Goodbye”.
Bon Iver’s Bon Iver –> Thumbs somewhere in the middle for this one. It’s halfway up and halfway down. (That’s what she said.) The music is beautiful, but I can’t understand the lyrics half the time. My favorite track is “Minnesota, WI”.
Owl City’s All Things Bright and Beautiful –>I have to give this one a thumbs down. It’s not that it was really bad or anything. The tracks are individually not so bad. However the album is exactly the same as his first. If you’ve heard that, then you’ve heard this new album. We don’t need a total reinvention, but SOMETHING different or new would be nice. Well…I guess there was a duet which is kind of new. Not enough though.
Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Revelator –> Thumbs way up for this one. This may be one of the best albums I’ve heard this year. I don’t think there’s one bad track on it. My favorite tracks are “Midnight in Harlem”, “Bound for Glory”, and “Until You Remember”. You could download any of them, but this album is worth the money. Go buy it.
The Year of 50 Challenge – Album #7 – Michael Grimm
07/11/2011
Filed under Albums, Entertainment, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: album review, michael grimm, Year of 50 Challenge
For those of you who don’t keep up with reality TV talent competitions, Michael Grimm is last season’s winner of America’s Got Talent. And rightfully so! From the first time I heard him sing, I knew he would win. The man has the voice of a blues God. For this reason, I found myself patiently awaiting his debut album for almost a year.
In all its beautiful blues glory, the album is amazing. From the first track to the last, I love it. Maybe it’s because I’ve been in the mood for blues music lately, but I really just think it is because he’s an unnaturally talented musician.
There is a wonderful rendition of “Stay With Me” by Lorraine Ellison on the album. No one could pull off such a good version of a beloved classic without having a voice filled with heart and soul like Michael Grimm.
If you’re skeptical, check out “Gasoline and Matches”, “Red”, and/or “No Other Love”. You could download any of the album’s tracks and probably be convinced to buy it. Those are just my favorites.
The only song that I’m not crazy about is “Simple Man”. When I first listened to the song, I didn’t know that it featured Travis Tritt. When he started singing halfway through the song, I thought that Michael Grimm’s voice had suddenly changed A LOT. Call me an idiot if you want. Regardless, I just don’t think it’s as good as the rest of the tracks on the album.
Big thumbs way up for Michael Grimm. What a strong debut from an artist who clearly has a long amazing career ahead of him!
The Year of 50 Challenge – Album #6 – Hanson’s “Shout It Out”
07/01/2011
Filed under Albums, Entertainment, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: album review, hanson, shout it out, the walk, Year of 50 Challenge
Okay, I’m gonna make this quick so that I don’t get a lot of shit for listening to this one. This album was terrible.
I’ve been a Hanson fan since before I hit puberty. I’ve followed the band all the way from Middle of Nowhere (literally and figuratively). They’ve gotten progressively better and better with every album. The Walk, which is the predecessor to Shout It Out, is an amazing album that I wish everyone would check out.
But don’t get this P.O.S. pictured to the left.
I hate being so brutal. It feels like kicking a tiny puppy in the nuts. However, it’s just bad. Something must have happened between The Walk and this album to make them lose what little edge they had.
There are a few good tracks, but they aren’t worth mentioning because I don’t want you to get the album.
I also might be a little bitterly biased considering that they play “Give A Little” on a loop on our lobby TVs at work.
The Year of 50 Challenge – Album #5 – Matthew Morrison
07/01/2011
Filed under Albums, Entertainment, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: album review, Glee, jc chasez, kris allen, matthew morrison, sting, Year of 50 Challenge
The self-titled debut album from Matthew Morrison was one I had been looking forward to for a while. I love Glee and I’ve always thought Matthew was one of the show’s more talented performers. I had high hopes for this album.
Some of the songs exceeded my expectations and others fell short. I especially love “Hey” which shows a playful energy I really liked hearing from him. I should have known that would happen as soon as I read that one of the song’s writers was JC Chasez, who has a tendency to write those flirtatious, fun songs. It felt kind of like “Summer Rain”, but a little less goony.
The album’s two best songs are easily “Still Got Tonight” and “Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot”. The latter is the album’s pinnacle, but how could you expect less from a song by Sting? I was surprised to see Kris Allen getting a writing credit for “Still Got Tonight”, but I’m not sure why. He’s a great songwriter, so I shouldn’t have been shocked.
I feel like the album was tent-poled by these few really great songs. The rest were just okay. None of them sucked, but they weren’t hit singles either.
Mr. Morrison, I give you a thumbs up on your first try at record making. I know you can do something extraordinary though, and this wasn’t it. You’ll get there…
The Year of 50 Challenge – Album #4 – Jennifer Hudson’s “I Remember Me”
06/16/2011
Filed under Albums, Entertainment, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: album, I Remember Me, Jennifer Hudson, Year of 50 Challenge
I’ve been a fan since American Idol. The girl is amazing, no doubt about that! However, this album fell slightly short of my expectations just as Esperanza Spalding’s album did. It was an entertaining album to listen to. There are several great songs on it, but I just feel like she never lived up to her full potential on any of them. Except maybe “Where You At”. Or “No One Gonna Love You”.
I think you would be safe with downloading those two songs and skipping the rest. This one gets somewhere in between a thumbs up and a thumbs down. It’s not terrible, but it could be better.
The Year of 50 – Album #3 – Esperanza Spalding’s “Chamber Music Society”
06/16/2011
Filed under Albums, Entertainment, The Year of 50 Challenge
Tags: album, Chamber Music Society, Esperanza Spalding, Year of 50 Challenge
As the winner of this year’s Grammy for Best New Artist, I expected a lot more out of this album. Don’t get me wrong. The girl is insanely talented. However, this album is insanely boring. I put it on in my room and I couldn’t stop walking out of the room to do something else. I just didn’t care.
There are a few song’s that aren’t as bad as others, but it’s just a boring album to me. Sorry, Esperanza! You may be a great talent, but this one gets a thumbs down from me.
The Year of 50 Challenge
I really want to start blogging more often. However, I have been struck with a severe case of writer’s block. I like to write about my experiences and pop culture, but lately I’ve been slacking on having new experiences that I can share. I’m also slacking on getting engaged with today’s pop culture.
I think I may have come up with a way to change that.
I keep seeing all of these different “challenges” that blogs invite you to do as a way to give you something to write about. For example, the 100 day photo challenge that I just completed on Facebook. Post a picture every day for 100 days. It gives you a chance to reminisce and tell stories while others get the opportunity to learn more about you. Simple and fun! And this is just an example of many of the “challenges” that the internet welcomes bloggers to attempt.
Some of them are just a little unrealistic though. I saw one today that was “500 Movies in a Year”. I’m not saying that this isn’t doable, but I work in a movie theater and even I don’t think I could pull it off. Even if short films count, it’s still kind of an unrealistic goal for anyone who isn’t irrationally obsessed with movies or hates their social life.
SO…I’m going to create a challenge for myself. It’s going to be one that I think I can tackle without wanting to shoot myself in the face. At first, I leaned toward doing something simply related to movies because that’s my true passion. Then I remembered that I had umpteen books sitting around that I haven’t read yet. Watching a ton of movies wouldn’t allow me time to read them. I am also constantly listening to music, and I am not one of those people that can read while music is on. How do I manage to find the time to watch a ton of movies, read all of my books, AND listen to tons of awesome new music?
Easy squeezy. Create a challenge that encompasses all three.
It’s called “The Year of 50 Challenge”. Starting today, I have one year to watch 50 new movies, read 50 new books, and listen to 50 new albums. I think this is a very fair number. The only two rules are 1) that I have to blog about my experience and 2) I can’t read, watch, or listen to a book, movie, or album that I’ve read, seen, or heard before. If you want to do this on your blog too, feel free. It’s about time someone made a challenge that was actually doable!
Check back to see how my progress is coming along.
