Posts Tagged ‘Pop’

That is Ridiculous…ly bad! The Second Encounter!

Posted: June 27, 2012 by acelancin in Band Spotlight, List, Ridiculous
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Oh goodness. I am going to step on some toes today… I’ll be honest, I am almost afraid to do this one, but I must. Too many people think this person is talented and fantastic and awesome and beautiful. I disagree with all points. What use is what I think? Why should my opinion matter? Like my bio says: I attended Musician’s Institute. I spent almost two years surrounded by amazing musicians. I got to sit in practice rooms with some of the best singers I have ever heard. I sat in on vocal classes during my free time to get a sense of what was and is a good singer. I have played with men and women that could sing the pants off of any, ANY!, pop/rock/rap singer on the radio. I live and breathe music. I KNOW MUSIC! It might be all I know, but I know it…

So… Now that that is out-of-the-way…

That is Ridiculously Bad!

Lady Gaga

If I wanted to watch a cheap, trashy, far less talented version of Madonna… wait, who am I kidding, I wouldn’t even listen to Madonna, so why would I subject myself to something worse?

If I pumped myself full of that much auto-tune, I too could sound half decent. But I can’t sing, and neither can Gaga. You know what Lady Gaga is in the music world? A rogue back-up singer. She can carry a tune, but can’t SING.

We’re talking about a girl who quit music school because she thought she was better than the other people there.. A girl who says things like, “I just wanted to do it alone, so it was me and my piano.” SOURCE! [1] Is this sound reason for dropping out of music school? no.  That just sounds like a whiny little girl who didn’t get along with her music instructors.

Now my opinion of her beauty is, let’s face it, my opinion. so let’s just leave it at I don’t find her pretty.

NOW! The one thing I will give this tiny little freak, is her music videos are astounding. Visually. They are very VERY well done. So kudos on the visuals Lady Gaga. But lay off the “singing”.

Okay! That is all I will say about that.

-Ace (soon to be murdered by a raging Gaga fan) Lancin- RIP

Exclusive Interview with Former American Idol Contestant Scott MacIntyre

Posted: April 3, 2012 by Kevin Collier in Interview
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Thomas Nelson

When Scott MacIntyre was a contestant on American Idol, in season eight, I watched it every week with my friend Christina. She told me the story of how her childhood friend Scott had made it into the top 36 and she encouraged me (and all my friends) to vote for him every week. Little did I know one day she would marry her childhood friend and that he would attend my wedding. After hearing Christina, then Teich, talk about him all the time, I finally had the privilege of meeting him at her college graduation. I found Scott to be a pleasant and kind person and actually quite funny as well. After they got engaged, I had the opportunity to go to dinner with them in Los Angeles while they attended an episode of American Idol last season. Scott and Christina attended my wedding and even invited me to theirs.

Scott took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some of my questions. Between touring and preparing for the release of his autobiography, By Faith, Not By Sight, I was surprised he was able to get back to me at all. So, thank you Scott and Christina for granting me this interview. So, without further adieu, here is the interview transcript.

Kevin Collier: I saw you tweeting about The Voice the other day. What are your thoughts on the show’s format? If you were a contestant on the show and had all four coaches turn around, who would you choose and why? Do you think you would have an automatic advantage in the blind audition portion of the show?

Scott MacIntyre: I’ve really enjoyed the unique approach The Voice takes to the reality singing competition genre of tv shows. If I were a contestant on that show, I’d probably pick Adam or Blake as a coach. They both clearly understand how to nurture natural talent to grow on its own and they appreciate a unique artist. I enjoy the “blind audition” part of the show because the judges are experiencing the same performances as I am as a viewer.

KC: I know your mother sings, too. Do you think we’ll see her as a contestant on The Voice?

SM: Well she has a great voice, but you’d have to ask her.

KC: Have you been watching American Idol this season? Do you have a favorite contestant?

SM: Yes, I have been following Idol this season and really enjoying the talent. It’s hard to single out any one contestant at this point, but there are definitely several who are, in the words of Randy Jackson, “in it to win it!”

KC: What are your thoughts on the controversy over Colton Dixon’s overtly Christian comments on the show? Did you feel any pressure to downplay your faith when you were on the show?

SM: I never felt uncomfortable about sharing my Christian faith on Idol, but my experience was that I didn’t have to say much before people realized there was something different about me.

KC: We saw your younger brother Todd audition for American Idol this year, do you think your sister Katelyn will audition at some point?

SM: We’ll see. Actually, my brother, sister, and I all auditioned for season 8 of American Idol together. We were hoping that one of us would get through, and when it turned out to be me, Todd and Katelyn got behind me 100 percent.

KC: That’s awesome! Prior to American Idol, you sang with your brother, sister and mother in the appropriately named MacIntyre Family Singers. What is it like collaborating with your siblings and mother?

SM: It was fun sharing a common bond through music. I think we grew closer because of it, and we had some amazing performance opportunities along the way, including our Kennedy Center debut.

KC: You know, I’ve actually heard your wife Christina sing; have you ever thought of recording a duet with her?

SM: Well, all our duets are private. But, I’ve written a lot of songs for her, some of which are on my new CD Heartstrings.

KC: I have started reading your book, By Faith, Not By Sight. What was the biggest obstacle for you in the book writing and/or publishing process?

SM: The hardest part of writing this book was choosing a title. When I sat down and thought through everything I’ve experienced in my life so far, I realized the common theme running throughout all of it was living, overcoming, and dreaming by faith, not by sight. So often we get swept away in the confusion of life’s challenges. But God is faithful to guide us through the darkest places, if we will only trust Him.

KC: Is there anything you wrote that didn’t end up in the book? Any stories that didn’t make the cut?

SM: For sure there are stories I left out of the book, but I think most everything I wanted to include was included. Writing a book, you’re always going to have to let go of certain anecdotes that, while you may love them, may not speak to the theme of the book. There are some stories that I do touch on in the book but which could also be expanded upon in later books, like the story of how I met the love of my life.

KC: What do you want to accomplish with this book? What do you want readers to take from it?

SM: Through this book, I want to show my readers that they can overcome any obstacle and reach their biggest dreams.

KC: You have toured all over the world. What was your favorite place you visited on tour?

SM: So far, my favorite place to tour has been Japan. The fans there are so excited and devoted, and I can’t wait to go back.

KC: What was your favorite memory from your time on American Idol?

SM: My all-time favorite American Idol moment was when Ryan Seacrest tried to give me a high-five after my audition. The very next day, there were pictures of it in almost every magazine. It was the high-five heard around the world.

KC: Yes, that was a very memorable moment. What was it like to tour with the rest of the Idol contestants?

SM: Touring with the Top 10 was an incredible experience. We performed in 52 arenas across North America and finally got to meet tens of thousands of fans who had supported us on the tv show. I personally enjoyed living on a bus and being around others who enjoyed music as much as I did. Being blind, the tour was also a great experience for me. On the tv show, I obviously couldn’t hear the millions of people cheering me on from their living rooms across America, so being able to have ten thousand people under one roof with me every night on tour was a completely different experience.

KC: Tell me about the Women of Faith One Day tour you are currently involved with.

SM: It’s the very first Women of Faith One Day Tour, and it’s incredible. I get to share the stage with speaker Sheila Walsh and comedian Ken Davis. I am also talking about my life and the experiences I write about in my new book By Faith, Not By Sight. You can find all my tour dates at http://scottmacintyre.com.

KC: Congratulations on your new marriage. What was it like having your wedding announcement in People magazine?

SM: It was an honor to have our engagement and wedding featured. People still come up in the security line at airports and say “Congratulations!”

KC: Do you find that you deal with the spotlight, attention and paparazzi any differently now that you’re married?

SM: I don’t think too much has changed in that regard. I’m careful to have that part of our life that’s reserved just for us, but at the same time, I know fans appreciate a glimpse into our day-to-day life now and then.

KC: Do you have any words of wisdom for all the struggling artists out there? Is there anything you wish you knew years ago that you’ve learned about the music business?

SM: It’s all about polite persistence. You have to be proactive to get ahead of the game, and diligent to keep in touch with the people you meet.

Scott MacIntyre’s inspirational autobiography By Faith, Not By Sight is available on Amazon.

For more information on Scott, his current tour, album and book, go to www.scottmacintyre.com. You can like him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/scottmacofficial and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/scottdmacintyre. Also, check out American Idol’s announcement of the book release here.

Free Music! Converse Presents 3 Artists, 1 Song

Posted: February 24, 2012 by Kevin Collier in List
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Update! 1/21/2013: Added PeepShow and On the Go

I was listening to KROQ today on the way home from work and I heard about Converse’s 3 Artists, One Song concept. It’s simple. Take three different bands/ artists, put them in a studio and have them produce an original song together. Then they release the songs for free on their blog. Yes, this is Converse, the shoe company.

So, without further ado, check out the songs. First, there’s a collaboration between Gorillaz, Andre 3000 of Outkast, and James Murphy called “DoYaThing”. Click the link here to download the song for free, or stream it from the site.

The next collaboration is “I’m a Goner” by Matt & Kim, Andrew W.K. and Soulja Boy. Check it out here.

Then there’s the combination of Kid Cudi, Vampire Weekend’s lead singer Rostam Batmanglij, and Bethany Cosentino from Best Coast. Their collaboration is called “All Summer” and you can find a live stream, free download and music video right here.

There’s also this track from Paloma Faith, Graham Coxon, and Bill Ryder, entitled “Desire”, complete with a trippy music video involving an octopus. Seriously, check it out.

Then, from the UK, we have a collaboration among former Joy Division Guitarist/vocalist Bernard Sumner and up-and-coming UK artists Hot Chip and Hot City. Check out “Didn’t Know What Love Was” here for a taste of British dance pop.

Thanks to Zach for pointing out one I missed, the teaming of Santigold, Pharrell Williams and Strokes’ frontman Julian Casablancas for “My Drive Thru”, which can be found here.

Then there is “Warrior” the newest release, from Kimbra (probably best known as the female voice on Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know”), Foster The People’s Mark Foster, and DJ A-Trak. I found out about this one on Spotify. Here is the link to the track.

“PeepShow” comes to us from Korean artists Jaurim, Aziatix & Idiotape. The song combines rap, indie and electronic genres to create a catchy, unique sound. Check out the track here.

Converse employees are not exempt from the mix. Converse heard respective demos from artists/employees Julie G., McWolf and Shane Willz and flew them out to its studio to meet and record the track entitled “On the Go.” Hear the track right here.

So, thank Converse for some very interesting free, original music and bringing together artists that you might not expect to be hanging out together. Check out the links and I’ll be sure to let you know the next time I stumble upon some really cool music.

- Kevin

Fun. – Some Nights: A Review

Posted: February 23, 2012 by Kevin Collier in Album Review
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Fun. - Some Nights (2012 Fueled by Ramen Records)

To understand how fun. got where they are today, you would have have to go back to The Format. You would have to go back to 2009 and the release of fun.’s debut album Aim and Ignite. You would have to go back to 2010, where they opened for Jack’s Mannequin, Relient K, and Paramore. To enjoy their latest release, Some Nights, you need only listen.

Personally, I didn’t listen to The Format when they were around. Then in 2008, when The Format called it quits and one of its founders Nate Ruess formed fun., I still wasn’t aware of what I was missing. It wasn’t until 2010 when a friend was wearing a fun. T-shirt and I asked about it that I finally checked out Aim and Ignite and ultimately watched them in concert in Las Vegas, opening for Paramore. I was blown away. I found they were aptly named and their live performance reflected that.

I really enjoyed their debut album. I knew they had something special there. I was eager to hear their new album and I didn’t really know what to expect. What I got was a sound that, upon reaching my ears, instinctively brought a smile to meet them. The album begins with “Some Nights (Intro)” an intro that brings to mind Queen’s famous “Bohemian Rhapsody”, with a piano backing reminiscent of Gary Jules’ version of “Mad World.” That they managed to pack so much fire and grandiosity into an intro only slightly longer than two minutes is a testament to the band and a great way to start off the album.

This transitions into the mighty title track, “Some Nights.” This song is Vampire Weekend meets autotune and I love the choral quality of the backing vocals harmonizing so well with the lead vocals of Nate Ruess. The song begins a cappella and features a driving percussion that makes me want to dance. Nate Ruess can hit some amazingly high notes. Lyrically, it explores the life of an artist traveling and pursuing the dream of a music career and what sacrifices must be made.

The next track has been in circulation since last year. “We Are Young” features Janelle Monáe, a very unique artist known for wearing tuxedos and a pompadour haircut and creating an alter-ego Cindi Mayweather, who just happens to be an android. Her inclusion alone should turn some heads, but the song was also covered by the cast of Glee back in December. I know a lot of people will probably hear about fun. through Glee and maybe check out more of their music and that’s awesome. While I personally stopped watching Glee a few months back, it’s a phenomenon and a new forum for songs to become popular to a whole new audience. I prefer fun.’s version of the song because there is so much power in Nate Ruess’s voice and the addition of Janelle Monáe’s voice is complementary. The song has mass appeal and there is a reason for that: it’s great.

“Carry On” provides a nice change of pace. A few strums on an acoustic guitar and a beautiful melody on the piano set the tone for Nate Ruess’s calm vocals. Of course, the song only begins slowly. Nate Ruess’s voice, if I may wax synesthetic for a moment, is bright as the sun at times, particularly evident on this track.

“It Gets Better” is Death Cab for Cutie meets Blink-182 meets ‘80s pop on crack. A marching drum beat dances its way into a synth electric infectious ‘80s vibe. If you’re reading this, know that none of this is a bad thing. Lyrically, it’s basic, but that makes it easy to sing along with and ultimately makes it a song that’s hard to get out of your head.

Next up is “Why Am I the One”. This is an interesting story song about a lover feeling that his relationship may not be what it once was. It’s not the most outstanding track on the album, but it explores an emotional depth that the listener can relate to. I really like its crescendo into a kind of background noise outro, which fades into the next song.

“All Alone” beautifully serves as a male counterpart to Katy Perry’s “Mannequin”, describing a female lover as a toy. I love the line “how do you cry with inanimate eyes? You’re never going to smile with the way that you’re wired. Sadly, along with the last song, I can relate to the feeling of having a distant, aloof, girlfriend and I’m so glad to have gotten past that, but I love the way this song is crafted lyrically and it sounds so happy and upbeat musically, but it’s a sad story. Wonderful dichotomy here by fun.

Okay, I’m beginning to sense a theme here. “All Alright” is about a broken heart. “I’ve got nothing left inside of my chest, but it’s all alright,” sings Nate Ruess in the chorus. This song plays like an anthem for anyone who has ever had a broken heart, which most people can relate to. It’s positive, possibly sarcastic and surprisingly upbeat given the subject matter.

“One Foot” has all the brass and beats of a school marching band. Ruess sings about the inevitability of death and the importance of being yourself and trying to make your way in this life. The lyrics speak of rejecting religion and a profound respect for his father. It’s an interesting song that, like I mentioned, immediately brings to mind an image of marching, which I’m sure was intentional, based on the lyric “I put one foot in front of the other one, I don’t need a new love or a new life, just a better place to die.”

“Stars” is a heavily auto tuned track that evokes the feeling of a live concert encore. There is a crowd clapping and cheering, a touch also present on the album’s intro, complete with faded vocals drowned out by the crowd. What follows is another interesting look at life on the road, a summary of what it feels like to be famous on a daily basis. It’s the opposite of Nickelback’s “Rockstar”. This song touches on the idea that rock stars are revered as heroes or gods, but in reality they’re just broken people who will disappoint you. The longest track on the album at nearly seven minutes is an excellent closer.

Of course, the album doesn’t end there. “Out on the Town” is included as a bonus track. A rapid drum beat drives this song, with instrumentals that again invoke a feeling of nostalgic ‘80s pop. It’s a John Hughes movie in song form. It also reminds me of Wilco somewhat. All in all, not a bad inclusion on the album.

If you’re looking for something easy to listen to that will most certainly bring a smile to your face, check out the latest offering from Fun. If you like this album I would strongly encourage you check out their first album Aim and Ignite as well.

Check out: “Some Nights” and “One Foot”