Pop Culture Buzz

I love the retro-new wave sound that New Young Pony Club has. Much like last years terrific single “Tony the Beat” from The Sounds, “The Bomb” is a catchy breath of fresh air. Check out the fun music video below:

PETER, BJORN & JOHN - “AMSTERDAM”

CALVIN HARRIS - “ACCEPTABLE IN THE 80′S”

HILARY DUFF - “WITH LOVE (HOUZE CRUSHERS RADIO EDIT)”

CAMILLE JONES - “THE CREEPS (FEDDE LE GRAND REMIX)”

FEIST - “I FEEL IT ALL”

MARK RONSON - “JUST”

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM - “TRIBULATIONS (TIGA REMIX)”

MASON Vs. PRINCESS SUPERSTAR - “PERFECT”

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS - “DO YOU KNOW (THE PING PONG SONG)”

GROOVE ARMADA - “SONG FOR MUTYA”

JUST JACK - “STARS IN THEIR EYEZ”

NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB - “ICE CREAM”

David and Victoria Beckham are set to take on America to become America’s next “it-couple, move over Brangelina! Personally I think these two are much more hotter than them two. Don’t agree with me? Check out the pics below and decide for yourself. I mean, when did Brad and Angelina ever do a soft core porn photo shoot for a major magazine?

Forget Brad and Angelina, Posh and David Beckham are the most beautiful celebrity couple in the world in my opinion. Personally I am pretty excited to get this inside look at the Beckham family next Monday on “Victoria Beckham: Coming to America” on NBC.

Posh seems like a really fun person to make a reality show about and she doesn’t come off as such a Hollywood nut job. Although she can eat a sandwich (the girl is WAY too skinny)! Check out the preview below:

Calvin Harris may not be known very much over here in the U.S.A. but currently he is tearing up the U.K. and European music charts. His electro-dance music is perfect for booty shaking and awesome to listen to while you are working out. Check back here next week where I will be reviewing Calvin Harris’ c.d. on this blog.

GRADE: B -

Kelly Clarkson has proved that the “American Idol” format does work and that it does help nurture great talent. I wasn’t a big fan of her first c.d., but loved her single “Miss Independent” and all the remixes that followed. Her second album “Breakaway” was a huge success due to one of the best pop songs of the past 20 years, “Since U Been Gone” (just in case you have lived under a rock for the past 3 years). In “My December”, Clarkson throws away the old tricks and tries to show her darker more authentic side, and it works…kind of.

I say “kind of” because a lot of “My December” takes it’s sound from bands I loathe like “Evanesance” or Avril Lavigne. The whole pop-punk thing has now been diluted with Emo-rock and even an adult contemporary vibe (another American Idol, “Daughtry” comes to mind). The hard rock edge doesn’t come off convincing enough to make it “hard rock” basically. What I did enjoy are the dance infused tracks on this c.d.

“One Minute” will most likely become another top 10 hit for Clarkson if she releases it as her next single. “Never Again” is the hardest song on the c.d. and it actually works better than “Hole”. “How I Feel” has an underlined catchy melody which could make it a hit. “Judas” is another up-tempo track with radio potential. Her ballads, “Sober” and “Maybe” would have bored me if it weren’t for the flawless range Clarkson can show off. The bluesy “Yeah” borders on Joss Stone, but it is a welcome oddity on the c.d.

I like this c.d. much more than Clarkson’s debut c.d., but not as much as her biggest hit yet “Breakaway”. I guess it isn’t fair to compare Kelly Clarkson’s hit status to the ones on “Breakaway”, that album was a surprise global phenomenon. This time around Clarkson has found her groove and her own voice, she has definitely grown up from her old “Idol” days and that is a great thing. Kelly Clarkson still remains to be the most talented person to ever come out of that show and one of the best voices in pop music today.

LISTEN TO NEW STREAMING KELLY CLARKSON MUSIC FROM “MY DECEMBER” BELOW:

“SOBER”

“NEVER AGAIN”

CHECK OUT THE “NEVER AGAIN” MUSIC VIDEO BELOW:

After the success of “Harry Potter” and “The Chronicles of Narnia” more and more children’s fantasy books are being made into feature length features. “A Series of Unfortunate Events” was a big disapointment, but “The Golden Compass” looks very good. This movie could be a toss up. The genre is getting a bit over loaded if you ask me.

The creator of “Independence Day” and “The Day After Tomorrow” has created another effects heavy extravaganza for the Spring of 2008. This film actually looks very good and pretty well made. Hopefully there will be more substance to the story and better acting in this film than in Emmerich’s last two films.

I am still a huge fan of Steve Carell even if his latest movie “Evan Almighty” is getting rotten reviews. When I was a kid I watched “Get Smart” on Nikelodeon and I loved the slapstick comedy and acting of Don Adams. Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway are perfectly cast in what could be a great adaptation. I guess we will have to wait and see!

After watching the first two ingenious live action teaser trailers for this film, it is fun to finally get a peak at the animation and comedy of Jerry Seinfeld’s “Bee Movie”. I love animation and this film has already made me laugh a lot more than some of the most recent animated train wrecks Hollywood has had to offer.

The Chemical Brothers are at it again! This song is so fucking hot, I can’t stand it! It drives me crazy in a good way and makes me want to go dancing. This video is out of this world and fantastic! I love the way their music and videos always have an element of fun and silliness to them.

I have seen The Chemical Brothers live in concert 3 times so far and they deliver like dominos each time. I am very excited to listen to their new c.d. out this month. I will be reviewing it on this blog as soon as it does. These guys are good at their jobs, that is for sure!

The market has officially become saturated with female British pop singers. Not that I mind that much, but some of these ladies are stretching the creativity of pop music’s limits. This song is catchy enough, but it hasn’t won me over quite just yet.

Kate Nash has the number two song in the U.K. right now with “Foundation”. I don’t see this Lily Allen sound alike making much of a splash across the pond though. Check it out below:

GRADE: A

“Breach” is one those pleasant DVD rentals you didn’t think would turn out so good to watch, but surprises you at every turn. The reviews for this film were across the board terrific when “Breach” was released this past Spring. Unfortunately not many people turned out to watch it in the theaters. Hopefully “Breach” will find a bigger audience on DVD. I enjoyed every tense scene and quiet moment captured on film in “Breach”. Besides being entertained I learned more about the biggest breach of security in the history of the U.S.A.

I found myself getting caught up in the cat and mouse game Chris Cooper and Ryan Phillippe’s characters play. We are slowly introduced to each character with great detail and set up. We find ourselves conflicted much like the characters are in the film about what is real or not. We get a great in depth look at the inner workings of the FBI and CIA in “Breach”. The movie doesn’t need the gloss and glamour of other spy films like “James Bond” or “Bourne Supremacy”, it is much smarter than those films.

“Breach” is a great adult espionage thriller and it is a shame that it will get lost in the hustle of the Academy Award season. Chris Cooper gives a mind blowing performance as the conflicted traitor Robert Hanssen. And for once, Ryan Phillippe doesn’t walk around like a dufus in this film. He is given a great role to show off his acting chops. Laura Linney is another brilliant actor in “Breach” that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I recommend this film very highly to those movie lovers that like smart, realistic portrayals of modern history with great acting.

GRADE: B-

Rufus Wainwright has always been a progressive “out of the box” pop star. His music is a pleasant blend of folk, pop, opera and Broadway. Each of his albums have been back to back critical successes, “Release the Stars” continues this tradition of quality work. Some people may not warm up to Wainwright’s singing voice, I have to admit it is an aquired taste. This time around Rufus does another great job at showcasing his theatrical side and showing off his vocal range.

Wainwright is always at his best on his up tempo songs. “Rules & Regulations” is a funky little charming song with a great chorus. “Going to a Town” gives us a peak at Wainwright’s political leanings. As a gay Canadian, he doesn’t have many nice things to say about the U.S. as is obvious by the line, “I’m so tired of America”. Both music videos for these songs are over the top and dramatic, each one has that fun tongue in cheek quality we have come to expect from Wainwright.

I am obviously a big fan of Rufus Wainwright’s unique style of music. He has become a gay icon and he is a genius musician in my book. That said, this album is my second least favorite c.d. of his, behind “Want Two”. “Release the Stars” does show Rufus growing up a bit, but I miss the conflicted songwriter that wrote such songs like “My Phone Is On Vibrate”.

I appreciate the experimental nature of some of his ballads, but in the end some of these songs drag a bit. The one shining slow song on the c.d. “I’m Not Ready to Love” is gorgeous in the way it uses a country guitar twang with a sweeping orchestra to make an exquisite melody. It has a haunting quality that is pretty and heartbreaking at the same time.

Rufus Wainwright once again does a great job as a witty lyricist and songwriter, but this is not his best work to date. Besides a couple of obvious catchy tunes, this c.d. is just o.k. in my opinion. Maybe after multiple listening “Release the Stars” will grow on me. Check out the Rufus Wainwright “Release the Stars” music videos below.

THE “GOING TO A TOWN” MUSIC VIDEO:

THE “RULES & REGULATIONS” MUSIC VIDEO:

I like the look of this video but am not a big fan of this song. Sara Bareilles is making some serious waves over on the U.K. music scene at the moment, which normally means within a few months she will be hitting it big over here in the states.

The music scene is cluttered with skinny little piano playing hippie chicks at the moment which doesn’t bode well for Bareillis’s chances here in the U.S. I think she sounds a little too much like Regina Spektor for my taste, what do you think blog readers?