Archive for the ‘itunes’ Category

The Reviews Are Rolling In On ‘Backout’

Wednesday, October 24th, 2007

Well, it looks like Brit can kick back and relax, reviews for Blackout are coming in and they’re all good. To be expected. She’s such a mess to watch attempt to function in everyday life, but empty enough to make a successful pop album (where she contributes basically, just her name and a little vocals).

She’s mailable and I don’t think that there is a producer that could go wrong with the fame that swirls around this girl. Hype is half the success.

IGN reviewed ‘Blackout’ and gave it a 6.9. There’s a great breakdown of each song on their site. Here is an interesting excerpt of the full review, on the production of Brit’s Blackout.

From a production standpoint Blackout is pretty sweet. The sheer amount of layering and overdubs create a full, rich vocal palette for Spears and when listened to on headphones even induce mild bouts of hypnotic euphoria. Ultimately, however, this is just corn syrup saturated ear candy that goes down easy and then is ultimately forgotten. A retro post-new Wave rush encapsulates “Heaven on Earth,” which again features breathless Britney working her seductive magic. Yet when coupled with all the “out of shape” photos we’ve been assaulted with in the tabloids, it’s hard to get aroused by the slinky sway of the song. Visual connotations aside, the track is actually one of the more solid offering on the album, Spears keeping her vocals pretty consistent, going for a sultrier, richer approach than her normal shrill demeanor. The chorus itself is incredibly enthralling, lilting along with melodic supremacy.

…Makes you want to hear it, eh? October 30!!!

[IGN, britneyspearsblackout.com/]

Britney Spears A Hit

Friday, August 31st, 2007

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Looks like after all of the hair, wardrobe and parenting mishaps, Britney may come back on top…. again! She has a new hit that dropped today and it’s not a parked car. “Gimme More”was produced by the same guy that churned out two monster albums last year. Nate ‘Danja’ Hills is a Timbaland protégé, that was introduced to Timbaland through a childhood friend in 2005, who produced Nelly Furtado’s successful comeback record, Loose and Justin Timberlake’s, uber successful SexyBack. See what you think, you can hear it here at Perez. It doesn’t have the dance pop that “Toxic” maintains, but it will for sure be a hit, especially after all the fanfare surrounding this mess the past year. She has been asked to perform at the MTV Video Music Awards, Sept. 9, but Timbaland, this years musical director for the event, thinks that her performance will overshadow the other performers. Timbaland tells E! Online that, “He thinks it would be too much drama, and that she is going to take away from the other performers.” It is rumored that she is to open the show in a vanishing act that would lead her in and out a series of mirrors, vanishing and reappearing. This is said to be the reasoning behind her late nights with Chris Angel. Okay that makes sense, but why the hell are so many other Hollywood starlets hanging out with this out-of-touch magic man? I wish he would make the silver rings, bandannas and pukka shells disappear! Now that’s a show I would watch. Chris Angel on What Not To Wear, but I digress. Back to Britney, no matter what she sings or wears, it was reported today that her monthly income is an average of $737,868, so can she really fail? She tries!

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Cat Power Wins 2007 Shortlist Music Prize

Wednesday, June 13th, 2007

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Cat Power (whose real name is Chan Marshall), has become the first woman to be awarded the Shortlist Music Prize. The singer/songwriter won with her newest release and best work (in my opinion) “The Greatest”. The album beat out veteran Tom Waits and eight other finalist’s releases such as Band of Horses, Beirut, Bonnie Prince Billy, Cat Power, Girl Talk, Hot Chip, Joanna Newsom, Regina Spektor, and Spank Rock.

The album, “The Greatest” opened last year at No. 34 on The Billboard 200, which was recorded in Memphis with veteran session musicians Teenie and Leroy Hodges, and Steve Potts. The album was released in January 2006 on Matador Records, the label she’s been with since 1996.

The Shortlist Prize honors acts that have made sterling albums released in the US, but have not yet hit the mainstream. The prize is determined by votes amongst peers. This years judges were Gary Lightbody (from Snow Patrol), Ronnie Vannucci (The Killers), Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips), KT Tunstall, Franz Ferdinand, and Panic! At The Disco.

In Los Angeles, where the awards are held, Sigur Ros was the first to be awarded the prize in 2001. Other winners include N*E*R*D, Damien Rice and TV On The Radio.

Chan pronounced (shawn), says the album marks a new chapter of sobriety in her life. Noticed by her much stronger stage performance, which was sometimes impaired by her abuse of drugs and alcohol.

here’s a link to her website where you can hear her album “The Greatest” streaming:

http://www.catpowerthegreatest.com/

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