Up and Coming

So much coming up in the near future. Some movies not quite as worthwhile as others, but still worth watching.

3.31.10 - Band of Skulls @ Bowery Ballroom

4.01.10 - Band of Skulls @ The Music Hall of Williamsburg
4.02.10 - Clash of the Titans
Dexter Scott album release
4.03.10 - Moonchildren Presented by Atlantic Theater Company, Directed by TODD THALER!
4.04.10 - Bonobo @ The Music Hall of Williamsburg
4.16.10 - Death at a Funeral
Kick-Ass

4.28.10 - VV Brown @ Bowery Ballroom
4.30.10 - Nightmare on Elm Street

6.07.10 - La Roux @ Terminal 5
6.30.10 - Passion Pit @ Governors Island
9.17.10 - Vampire Weekend

Films that I still need to see:
The Runaways
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

"boom shakalaka"

Wow. Just got home from the Brooklyn Bowl and I must say, I just had one of the best nights I've had in some time.

Amazing music and even better company -E Math, thanks for being born today!

Golden Filter put on an incredible show. Their energy was contagious, their sound original.

And I loved every minute of it.

Must say, the Bowl is a pretty damn awesome venue. I expected a night of bowling and cheap bar food, but arrived to a trendy vast and comfortably crowded bar/concert venue.

On a separate but equally legitimate note, I'd like to state, for the record, that there are some unbearably attractive people in Brooklyn.

(Image courtesy of http://greenjar.net)

Musical Stylings and Other Such Things

Not gunna lie, I'm pretty excited for the next few month...

movies are coming out, concerts are coming up... (and best of all, the Oscars are getting closer by the day!)

Tuesday February 9th - Yesayer

Friday February 12th - Wolfman and Valentine's Day open in theaters

Friday February 19th - Shutter Island opens in theaters

Saturday February 20th - The Golden Filter (Happy Birthday Emma!)

Friday February 26th - The Crazies opens in theaters

Friday March 5th - Alice in Wonderland opens in theaters

Friday March 19th - The Runaways opens in theaters

Tuesday March 23rd - Alphabeat

Friday April 2nd - Clash of the Titans

Welcome Back

Sade is back - her new album set to be released February 9th. An incredibly talented singer with a unique sound, Sade is deserving of a triumphant return to the industry.

She has gone approximately nine years without producing an album, but Soldier of Love is set to be a success. Quoted from guardian.co.uk, "Sade is an artist who creates music purely on inspiration."

However, the music video for the title track "Soldier of Love" is completely uninspired.

Stylistically, Sade seems to be stuck in the 90s. The choreography is reminiscent of Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation." But unless you're Rihanna (see "Hard"), it seems time that the military marching dances get pushed to the back of the movement closet. Yes, the song IS about being a "soldier"... in a desert... But we get that. There's no need to push the idea with clichéd visuals.

The video also brings up memories of Janet's "Love Will Never Do Without You." Yes, every woman looks glamorous with the wind blowing through her hair, while dancing and frolicking in the sand with a handsome man, or a horse for that matter. But hasn't it been done a million times before? Everything about the video is overly stylized. It's almost as if Shakira's "Wherever, Whenever" director took acid with the cinematographer from "The Climb" - and the bedazzled the shit out of everything before coming down.

The song itself is great - good beat, engaging hook, etc... But Sade's gotta step it up if she's jumping back onto TV with the big fish like Beyonce, Gaga, Alicia, Leona, Taylor, Pink... okay, you get the point. But hey, if Whitney and Mariah brought themselves back, things could be leaning in Sade's favor.

MTVU - The Missing Channel

MTVU, one of the many MTV channels, is characterized by "college music, activism, shows and activities on campus" (website heading). It hosts a series of exemplary programs, including Dean's List, where every episode a different student hosts a top ten countdown of their favorite artists and videos.

One of the few stations which still plays music videos, MTVU manages to effectively intertwine rock, alternative, hip hop, pop and eclectic music - giving equal attention to each genre. While clearly aimed at the college-aged crowed, MTVU continues to prove itself as a valuable tool for students and musicians alike.

Unfortunately, MTVU is only accessible on college campuses. For those of us who have recently graduated, the network's original "I want my MTV!" rings painfully true. Left to our own devices, finding new and upcoming artists has become more of a chore than an enjoyable experience. With MTVU in the background while doing home work, preparing for a night out, or simply relaxing in a dorm room, artists like Santigold, B.o.B, Oren Lavie, and others become sudden favorites. Tuning into MTV or MTV2 regularly results in disappointment and resentment. Neither satisfy the desire for good music, let alone anything new or interesting.

As far as I can tell, the viewing public over the age of 18 is sick of the terrible reality shows, the categorized music hours featuring horrible classic rock or unbearable hip hop, and the repetitive video countdowns. MTVU has news updates. It shares information about what's going on at colleges around the country. Exciting artists that aren't (yet) played on the popular radio stations are introduced and given a chance. If only MTVU could get the same opportunities from the programming gods...