Sunday, December 25, 2011
Winter Movie Round-up
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Top 10 Albums of 2011
This post comes to you from OUTER SPACE. Well…not really. I’m writing this on an airplane, so I’m closer to outer space than normal, but not quite there yet.
INTERJECTION: This fucking geezer in the seat in front of me just leaned his seat back. I don’t know if you know this about me, but I am super duper tall. This is unacceptable. I want to cut the cord on his oxygen tank.
Ok, he doesn’t have an oxygen tank. But oh, if he did…
Anyway, back to my space fantasy/list. Here are my top 10 (technically top 11, yes I cheated) albums of the year. Although it starts on a super poppy note, I think you will be surprised to see how adventurous this list is. And by adventurous, I mean still super poppy with like four other albums thrown in. That’s about as far out of the mainstream as I’ll ever get. UGH CAN HE PLEASE LEAN FORWARD. If he dies on this flight, I’m going to be mad. I have a tight layover
10 (tie). Femme Fatale by Britney Spears/Born This Way by Lady Gaga
A good year for pop, overall. Brit turned in one of her strongest showings, and Gags released an album that didn’t infuriate me (like I thought it would beforehand). Kudos ladies. Before I cheated, I couldn’t decide which I wanted to put in the list. Brit’s showing is very solid across the board--a tight album with no real lags (well, except Big Fat Bass, but I’ll let that slide). Gags’ album is a lot longer and feels more uneven, but seems to be more ambitious that Brit. Some of the things that she tries for are pretty clever. So I decided to cop out and call a tie.
9. Heaven by Rebecca Ferguson
Just go out and listen to her CD. Short and sweet, like a great CD should be. Not that there aren't great CDs out there that are also long. I don't really know what kind of point I'm trying to make. Anyway, this is retro-soul magic. Most reviews are calling this the greatest album to come from an X Factor winner, which is incredibly faint praise...BUT TRUE.
8. 21 by ADELE
CLICHED OBVIOUS CHOICE ALERT. But yes, this album is the tits. I hope her throat heals.
7. City of Refuge by Abigail Washburn
Since this album is like the perfect folk disc, I thought a Google image search of "folk music" would be an appropriate tribute. I shit you not this was one of the first things to pop up:
It's also her album in a nutshell.
6. Wounded Rhymes by Lykki Li
Lykke Li is one weird ass chick, but I love her music. She was the only non-mainstream (assuming you include UK mainstream) artist to make my singles list. Also, this CD makes me more nostalgic for Amy Winehouse than most other obvious choices. Not sure how to explain that one.
5. On a Mission by Katy B
I'm not going to lie. If you played a random song from this CD there's like a two percent chance I could name it. But this CD is gdamn seamless. Each song just perfectly flows into the next. Also, it's super sassy Eurodance music. So bonus points for that. Short sentences reversion. Stylistic writing, yo.
4. Helplessness Blues by Fleet Foxes
MORE FOLK! MORE PELICANS WITH A GUITAR! I actually dove a little deeper into the Google image search for "folk music" (aka I looked at the first 15 pictures that came up) and decided to post this picto-review for Fleet Foxes:
Monday, December 12, 2011
Top 10 Singles of 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
TV Review: Top Model All Stars
Friday, December 2, 2011
TV Review: X Factor
1. I'll ever be able to post as much as I did when I worked for my university.
2. I'm deluding myself into thinking I feel bad about this. Ok, maybe a little bad. Wait, no. That was the delusion again.
The premise of the show is simple. American Idol+Performance Production Value+Judge Mentorship-Hosting Ability-Age restrictions=X Factor. Contestants perform each week with guidance from one of the judges, the public votes, and then the bottom two sing for their lives and the judges decide who goes home. The decision regarding who to send home is usually based on wildly inconsistent criteria. Frequently vocal talent isn't part of the criteria.
Let's recap who the judges are:
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
TV Review: 2 Broke Girls
So it's been a little while since I posted here...life has gotten pretty hectic at work, more than I ever could have imagined. Since my new roommate has had some issues with weirdos stalking her blog and bringing it up to her in real life, I won't use this as an opportunity to vent about the ONE thing that is making work incredibly miserable. But I can pinpoint it. Believe me. I can.
Anywho, before this turns "ahhhhh my feelings" on you, faithful reader (singular), I'm going to jump into a quick review of a new tv show (and I'm going to work my way through the other new shows I watch, slowly but surely).
2 Broke Girls stars someone who I thought (at first) played Janis Ian from Mean Girls (but didn't) and some preppy chick I've never seen before. They play waitresses forced to live together by circumstance who come from different worlds. Yes, that last sentence was probably the first sentence of the pitch to CBS, nbd. It's littered with sex humor, which is surprising given that the average CBS viewer lived through the Great Depression. Anyway, these two characters are a classic odd couple, with Janis being the sarcastic one that hates the world, and whats-her-name is the more positive, spoiled counterpoint. They're trying to raise money for a bakery. That plotline comes up infrequently.
As of right now, they are really the only two characters. The show also features some pretty racially stereotypical portrayals of an Asian guy and black guy, which is surprisingly backwards of the show. Is it backward or backwards? I dunno. Grammar. But yeah, it's kinda racist. Not enough to offend me though, because I am an average-to-just-plain-bad person. I've made peace with it.
Nevertheless, the two stars are endearing and even though the show seems to be trying too hard for a punchline every 30 seconds, the chemistry between the lead ladies holds it together.
Worth watching. At least for a few episodes. Did I mention that there's a horse? Because there is. This may seem random and tangental to this blog post, but the horse is random and tangental to the show. So it works.
Rating: 3/5 stars.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Album Review: 4
In honor of the title of Beyonce's new album, I will share the four main observations I have about this disc:
1. I like 1+1 as a song, but I sincerely hope she's recovering from the mini-stroke that convinced her to release it as a single. Even if it was just for a hot second before she realized her mistake.
2. It should come as no surprise to people that Love on Top is my favorite song. This is largely due to the song's FOUR key changes. Seriously, this song probably has more key changes than The World's Greatest or the Free Willy song. Pause for me to confirm this fact...YEP! I mean I skimmed through the Free Willy song, but I think that one only had three key changes. So yes. Four. Amazing.
3. Sure, it's not as dance-friendly as her previous efforts, but there's something I really like about this CD. I can't really put my finger on it. Which is what makes me such an awesome reviewer. Just trust me on this one.
4. Current single, Best I Never Had, is currently being called Irreplaceable part 2. I guess that song is replaceable after all OH PUN. But no. It isn't. There can only be one. Although this B+ substitute is pretty solid. Short sentences. Yes.
So, fittingly, i would say:
Rating: 4/5 stars. SEE WHY THAT RATING IS FITTING?!?
Single Review: Today is Your Day
Or is it? Anyway, this latest effort, albeit autobiographical/inspirational/blah blah etc, is a bit...repetitive. And if you listen to it, tell me if you can resist breaking into the chorus of Bubbly, by Colbie Callat. Surely this effort isn't preceding an album of Come On Over-esque greatness (seriously, that album is timeless), but I anticipate a decent CD. And if there's a track called "Fuggo Bitch Stole My Husband" then even better.
Rating: 3/5 stars.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
TV Review: Parks and Recreation
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Album Review: Born This Way
Thursday, May 19, 2011
TV Review: American Idol Season 10
Movie Review: Bridesmaids
Riha Reviews Update
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Bests (and Worsts) of 2010: Movies
In keeping with this trend of actually blogging, I'm blogging. I don't know if I'll go blog crazy like I did before switching jobs, but I'm gonna blog whenever possible. Blog. Also, I've forgotten how to write. Slash blog. Blog again. Blog. Ok, I'll stop now.
Anyhizzle, I never did 2010 justice with any "best of" lists, so I'm going to try and do that here. I'll also throw in some "worsts" just for comedic value. Let's do this.