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London Roundup

Posted by John on May 17, 2009
Posted in: personal, songs, travel, videos, youtube. 12 Comments

DSCN0084I was thinking that me trying to stay away from blogging for a whole week would be difficult, given how music-centric this trip was going to be, but I stayed busy enough that it wasn’t an issue. There will be several posts upcoming that were inspired by the trip, but here are some quick thoughts and observations.

– Much thanks to everyone who made suggestions about where to go and what to do while there. Special recognition goes to XO for pointing out Video and Music Exchange, where I found a lot of good stuff, including souvenirs for friends at home. Record shops ended up being a bit part of the trip.

– Speaking of record shops, I got to spend Wednesday afternoon with Paul, talking music and other assorted topics. Great to meet someone in person and find that they are just as cool in real life as they are online. For some reason, I didn’t even think to take a picture until after the fact.

– Good Lord…is Star Pilots really going to be a hit? Because I heard that track A LOT!

– I have been fully won over to “Number One” and “Tiny Dancer”. In the end, resistance was futile.

– “Heartbreak Make Me a Dancer” sounds amazing on the radio. If there is any pop god in the world, they need to ensure that this is a proper hit.

– In a small souvenir shop in Sluis, Netherlands, I heard Lily Allen’s “Fuck You” uncensored on a local radio station. Instantly I loved the Netherlands.

– Much disappointment in the fact that several releases I would have bought (Gary Go, Daniel Merriweather) weren’t coming out until well after my departure.

A Seven Nations Army Couldn’t Hold Me Back

Posted by John on May 3, 2009
Posted in: upcoming, videos, youtube. Tagged: , . 4 Comments

This has to be heard to be believed. Courtesy of Dan over at Country Universe, the Oak Ridge Boys (you know…”Elvira”?) appear to have followed in the footsteps of Johnny Cash by covering an alternative classic. Rather than Nine Inch Nails, they opt for the White Stripes classic “Seven Nations Army”. Check out the original if you’re not familiar (shame on you!), and then the Oak Ridge Boys’ cover.


The fact that I have referenced the Oak Ridge Boys and the White Stripes in the same entry is surely a sign of the apocalypse. However, I really like the cover. Now, if I didn’t know the original, I’m sure I would despise this version, but it works. Look for the Oak Ridge Boys single on Tuesday, and the full length drops on the 19th.

Video Notables – Elliott Yamin

Posted by John on May 2, 2009
Posted in: american idol, new releases, upcoming, videos, youtube. Tagged: , . 7 Comments

Elliott Yamin Fight For LoveI know I’ve done a few of these video entries lately, but this one goes a little deeper than “oooh, check out this video”. Elliott was my pick all through American Idol Season 5, going all the way back to his Hollywood Week performance of “A Song For You”. This is an example of what can happen when the Idol producers stay out of the mix, letting the music and the performers speak for themselves. While Elliott was eliminated during the Top 3 week, it was the closest margin in the history of the show, with all three (Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee being the other two) receiving just over 33% of the vote.

I don’t want to call it revenge, but sometimes life corrects itself. Elliott ended up with the biggest record of the top 3 that season (“Wait For You”), his debut has already been certified Gold, and he still has his original record deal, which the other two don’t. His second full-length is called “Fight For Love”, and it drops this coming Tuesday. The title song hasn’t exactly set the world on fire yet, but I am really liking this new video. Maybe I’m crazy, but I see Elliott and Shayne Ward going in the same direction, and could easily see Shayne singing this song as well. Judge for yourselves…

Video Notables – Adele

Posted by John on April 27, 2009
Posted in: videos, youtube. Tagged: . 6 Comments

adele-bannerAdele has released an American version of “Hometown Glory” that currently is only available through VH1.com (WordPress and MTV apparently don’t play well together), but this is actually the third video that I am aware of. Granted, video #1 wasn’t actually official, as it was pulled from the BBC2 show “Sound”, but for many people, this was the first visual they had for Adele (over 4,000,000 views so far).

Video #2 was official, and is a lush performance piece that Adele looks amazing in. I love the parting shot of the mic, but the whole piece has a great impact.

So what is the verdict on the new video? “Lovely” is the first word that comes to mind, and for once, I mean it as a compliment. If there was an award for best cinematography for videos (does MTV even bother with that anymore?), this one should already have it. I don’t really care for the way it ends, but the other 98% of the video is brilliant. Thoughts?

Video Notables – Jada

Posted by John on April 25, 2009
Posted in: videos, youtube. Tagged: . 6 Comments

Mel has been a big champion for these ladies, but courtesy of Smokin’ New Music, here is their first video for “American Cowboy”. The video is a typical “girls at the club” video, but the fact that a girl group is even getting buzz in the US is a sign that the next wave of pop and dance music I’ve been talking about will just keep getting stronger. It’s not breaking any new ground, but it’s a good track.
"American Cowboy" Music Video

Video Notables – Eminem

Posted by John on April 7, 2009
Posted in: videos, youtube. Tagged: . 6 Comments

The whole idea of an artist releasing multiple singles before the full-length drops is becoming more and more common, and Eminem is utilizing that strategy with his upcoming “Relapse” project. Single #2 is “We Made You”, and it’s also the first video from the album, directed by Joseph Kahn. It’s Eminem doing his pop culture raunch, skewering Jason Mraz, Sarah Palin, Star Trek, Rock of Love, Jessica and Romo, Britney’s Circus, and even Rainman. It’s overkill, but any video with Bobby Lee in it can’t be all that bad, right?

There’s no denying that Eminem is a lyrical genius, but a lot of his mainstream success relies on brilliant hooks that catch the non-hip-hop crowd, and this one’s not really as strong as past hits. Given how the first single did (#1, then plummet), he’s got to be hoping this one has a lot more longevity.

Video Notables – David Cook

Posted by John on April 1, 2009
Posted in: videos, youtube. Tagged: . 4 Comments

It’s got to be a given that I’m going to post a new David Cook video, right? Here’s the clip for “Come Back To Me”, which I have a feeling is going to be bigger than “Light On”. For a guy that’s in his mid-20s, he has a look of someone more worn down by the world, and that may be part of his appeal to me. The audio’s a bit off of the video, but you’ll get the basic gist. (And this may very well get yanked, but I’ll repost as it is available) I like it, although it’s kind of a music video cliche that’s been done before. What’s your verdict?

Where You Been?

Posted by John on March 27, 2009
Posted in: new releases, personal, videos, youtube. Tagged: . 3 Comments

Hey folks…sorry for the delay absence. Between work, school, and life in general, I haven’t been inspired (or mentally equipped) to post the past week. I’m hoping lightning strikes this weekend, as I can’t just rely on Video Notable entries to tide me over. We got hit with a foot and a half of snow yesterday, and so things aren’t boring here by a long shot. But life is okay…just hectic. I seem to be in a perior of reprioritizing at the moment, which isn’t really a new thing, but rather a resurfacing of issues that have been lingering for the past six months.

As always, it seems that music comes along that really fits my mood at the moment, and at the moment, it’s the Indigo Girls CD that came out on Tuesday. Excellent effort that I will have more to say about in the next couple of days. Here’s a live performance of “Sugar Tongue” at Criminal Records in Atlanta this week:

Video Notables – Ciara

Posted by John on March 19, 2009
Posted in: videos, youtube. 4 Comments

A preview of Ciara’s “Love Sex Magic” popped up on the web tonight (h/t to Mr. Ali), and I’m hoping this is a gag. This video makes the “If You Seek Amy” video look like “Thriller”. The track is cool, but wow. Why even bother with a video? And no trace of Justin, either. Verdict, please?

David Cook Comes Back

Posted by John on March 13, 2009
Posted in: concerts, new releases, singles, videos, youtube. Tagged: . 4 Comments

It’s a pretty good time to be David Cook right now. His debut self-titled CD passed the 1 million sold mark this week, less than four months after release, he’s in the middle of his first headlining tour, and the video for single #2 is in the can. Following in the footsteps of Beyonce (okay, not really), he’s releasing “Bar-Ba-Sol” to rock radio, and “Come Back To Me” to pop radio. Excellent move, and not one I figured on. When I saw that his tour was called the Declaration tour, I figured the next single would be “Declaration”, but “Come Back To Me” was one of several gems I discovered on the CD, and makes perfect sense as a follow-up to “Light On”. David’s current tour of the eastern half of the U.S. rolls on through April, and there are already dates booked at fairs and festivals through the summer. Just none in Colorado…