Album Review: Katy Perry, "PRISM"

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One of the most anticipated albums of this fall must have been this one. Katy Perry has been omnipresent on pop since "One of The Boys", circa 2007, and we have never looked back. This is the case of the church-girl-going-to-superstar we have witnessed several times (Whitney, Beyoncé, et al), but in this case, she decided to strip away of that persona (sometimes, on a literal way), and embrace her pop roots and become the brand that we all now love.

And then, "Teenage Dream" came, and boy we never saw that one coming. Five number one songs, more than 5 million copies sold worldwide, and a great great world tour (which I've attended, luckily), the stakes were so high that she needed to deliver. Did she do it?

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Well, first off: this is no "Teenage Dream" 2.0. While that album was goofy, unpretentious and straight-to-the-head pop, this album actually conveys a lot of styles and genres, all well crafted and bottled into tiny pieces, especially designed to stuck in the mind of the listeners and oblige them to stuck on repeat, until the lyrics acquire some meaning and you're able to sing along on your house, your car or whatever place you are listening to them.

But then, was that Katy's intention? She said about this album that she wanted to go to a "darker place", definitely inspired by the failed marriage she had with Rusell Brand. But then, love struck again in the form of Mr. John Mayer, and clearly influence part of this record.

Songs like "Legendary Lovers", with its bhangra style, or "Double Rainbow", a Sia-assisted collaboration, approaches the subject of her new found happiness, while adding some elements of new age and introspection into its lyrics. Meanwhile, "Ghost" recalls the infamous breakup with Rusell, turning this song into some cathartic experience for her, in a mid-tempo ballad that sounds both haunting and reassuring.

I have to say, "Roar" as a first single, as much derided that has been because the similarity with Sara Bareilles' "Brave", and its really, really goofy video, disappointed me at first. But then, as formulaic as it seems, it grown on me until it became my personal anthem for empowerment and self-assurance. Which I believe it was the smartest plan, because Katy seems to be aware, more than anyone, what kind of artist she is and her limitations, but most of all, her strenghts.



This album could be viewed as a double feature: for the first part, a string of sure-to-be hits, including two promotional singles that have my heart (and my replay button) stuck on repeat: the 90's Ce-Ce Peniston-like throwback "Walking on Air" (please, view the iTunes Festival presentation for maximum effect) and the trappy, strip-club-ready "Dark Horse" that is indeed the dark horse of the album, and I think it would be a potential hit, a-la "E.T." of "Teenage...", despite the atrocious rap of Juicy J. Minus that, this song is  a pop tiny masterpiece.

The second part is more ballad-oriented, with the themes of breaking up and empowerment hinted in the first part, going full in this second one. Katy is not very proficient delivering heartfelt ballads, but "Love Me" and "This Moment" feel more on her wheel, and definitely made a case for her, being this stablishing her as a more mature artist.

There are hints of the bubbly persona of "Teenage..." era, like "Birthday" with its anthemic vibe, and "International Smile", which it could very well have fit into "Teenage..." tracklist. And then, you got "This is How We Do", another 90's revival that flirts with lite hip-hop and have the goofiest and most certainly truest line of all: "Mariah Karaoke-y". Because, you know, Mariah and karaoke are certainly a match made in heaven. And props to "International Smile", an ode to all traveling people and the one that mentions Mexico, of all places. (Thanks for that, Katy). And of course, the Daft-Punk-y bridge that it certainly made me smile.

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While "PRISM" IS a great pop album, it certainly falls short to live up to Katy standards. Now she is a pop tour-de-forcé, and we certainly expected more from her. But then again, she has always been very humble and clear of what to expect of her. She is very aware of her pop persona, and she has never intended to find the Holy Grail of pop, whatever that is. And we appreciate that: that despite all of her flaws and misconceptions, Katy is very down to earth and relatable. And that's why we are very happy for her success.

My rate: 8 out of 10. What's yours?

Is Britney still relevant...?

Judging from the success of her new song, I should dare to say: YES.

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There was a time in history that Brit Brit was undoubtedly a tour-de force in pop music, when it first came out with "...Baby, One More Time". She established as a pop star that gradually and eventually took over the world, without seemingly too much effort.

 

And then it came all of her struggles, because that's what happens with every other Disney princesses every now and then. But she, like a phoenix, returned to her former glory and eventually gained back her throne, which has been disputed for several times and apparently no one can take it from her.

 

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Which brings us to the subject on hand. After 15 years of more hits tan misses, do we still care about what Britney does in life? After she has been accused several times of lip-synching, not dancing as well as before, and basically being a shadow of the great Britney she once was?

 

Let's do the music do the talking this time, please:

So fine, "Work Bitch" is not even remotely the best song from Britney. In fact, it is quite underwhelming, compared to other first-singles from previous albums ("Oops"? "Womanizer"?). But it quite enjoyable and in tune with what is "cool" and "fashionable" in this day and age.

Which frankly, is one of her best assets. Being one tiny step forward of all her peers, always offering something that feels new and fresh, amid all the disposable music that plagues the airwaves (or bandwidth, to be more precisely).

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For the first time in years, Britney looks alive and more like a human being, instead of that robotic image she has been sporting lately. And even we all know she can't dance as well as she used to do it circa 2001, at least she is doing her own moves, which mostly consists in jazz hands and being standing still or laying on the floor.

 

But we cannot deny that Britney has something appealing on her. And we enjoyed every little thing she does. That's why, after all these years, we are still attracted to her allure, despite her many, many flaws, and I think that in itself is quite an achievement.

 

 

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So, for me, it is a yes. A definite yes. It's up to her to improve her legacy, now with the residency she's about to head up on Vegas. And a new album on December. So yes, we still have Briney for a  while, bitch.



What I really think about Miley Cyrus...

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I think I came late to the party that has been the VMA presentation of Ms. Miley Cyrus, but hell no! It's still being talked about, despite it has taken place two weeks ago. The span of news, especially entertainment news, in an era where attention is clearly not a luxury in a large term, has been really an indicator of something. Whether if this is good or bad, it's left to each individual to decide.

 

But let's recap, shall we? In case you have been living under a rock or in a cave, in which case you're probably NOT reading this blog, please take a look at the performance of Miley and also, Robin Thicke, in case you forgot about him:

Ok, only a few things before I give my piece of thought about this. First of all, I've never been a fan of Miley and less of Hannah Montana. It wasn't on my teenage phase, and I always have find her a bit obnoxious and phony. So yes, you can say I'm a little bit (or a lot) biased, and you're probably right, but despite everything, I really like her new song. "We Can't Stop" is really amusing, although the lyrics seemed particularly silly and out-right provocative, for a former Disney Star.



So, what's the big deal about this?

1. The presentation blows. As simple as that. It's not good, neither as a satire or parody, nor a mere shock-value entertainment piece, or even as a "I'm-a-grown-up-now-look-at-me" thing that others have successfully tried and successfully pulled up.

2. Miley is, at most, a decent singer. Not in this one. She only yells and loses her breath mid-presentation, which is just nuts, considering...

3. She's just not a great dancer. The "twerking" thing, one of the most derrailed thing about this presentation, is not even being executed properly. She seems like  a white clumsy american girl that just started to hang out with black people just as a fashion, and trying to unsuccessfully emulate what other girls do.

(Aside: Please, do not make this into a racial thing. For once, I'm mexican, so I don't think I'm the one with authority about this issue. And two, I really don't think this is about racism. I'm just stating a fact of a performance that is clearly a celebration of the "twerking" culture, a thing very ingrained on black culture).

4. And please, do not make talk about her buttocks. I think the Internet has said enough.

Which one looks better?... (Via)

 

 

 

5. And the tongue. Please, Miley, what's up with that? Were you on Molly or what?

 



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6. Then they just butchered "Blurred Lines". I mean, it's not the song of the millennia or the century, but it is a great song (better than the abhorrent "Best Song Ever", indeed). There were not chemistry between them, not musically and visually. In fact, Robin looked like this father, so probably that was made the whole thing so uncomfortable to watch for so many people. I just think it was fake and contrived.

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7. And Robin disappeared. Nobody care about his performnce. This was the only time for Robin to shine on the VMA's (let's face it, I don't think he's going to succeed as great as "Blurred Lines"), and all was surpassed by her female companion.

 

I  just left behind all of the accusations of Miley being anti-feminist, a whore, etc. I don't think a female exposing her body like that is anti-feminist or misogyny or whatever. People should appreciate the female body and I'm not into double standards, and my pop girls can do what they want as long as they are fresh, entertaining and clever while doing it. Miley  certainly was none of those things.

 

But I think my rection of the performance can summarize in this now inmortal meme:

 

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Clearly, that mix of contempt and indifference is something Rihanna can do so, so much better.

 

And your thoughts are...?

It was meant to be a showdown... Katy vs. Gaga, so WHAT HAPPENED??

 

 

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So for all diva-pop lovers out there, last week was really a great week, for it saw the birth (at least on our ears) of the two most anticipated releases of Summer-Fall 2013: Katy Perry's "Roar" and Lady Gaga's "Applause".





So this should be great, right? Two of the most important pop acts of the recent years decided to go head to head and show their best assets, in order to appeal their respective group of avid fans and show them how they have evolved into something more substantial than your flavor-of-the month-type-of-hit and establishing themselves as a mature pop act.

But actually, for me, it was somehow disappointing.

And don't get me wrong: both songs are very, very good. For another artists, they would be excellent and prime first singles. But for all the hype surrounding both releases, I think they come as a kind of off-putting songs and not punch-you-in-the-face great singles.

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Let's start with the one that, for me, takes the cake. "Roar" is your quintaesential powerful song, make-you-feel-good and definitely poppish single that you can expect from Katy. Not exactly what Katy have had hinted at us a while ago. I mean come on. "Roar" can perfectly be a great third single for "Teenage Dream". And I say this while I adore this song, with its sing-along feeling and upbeat message, I feel a little bit fooled into it. If Katy had indeed buried the "Teenage" era, this single would have been very, very different.

 

And then you get the comparisons with Sara Bareilles' "Brave".

Honestly, the only thing alike between these songs is the intro. But frankly, I find myself enjoying Sara's better than Katy's. Why is that so? Like I said before, this song is great for an artist with not much expectations like Sara, and I don't mean this as direspectful for her. It is just that she's as indie and not mainstream as Katy, but I consider her to be as a honest and heart-warming as it gets.

My rating for Roar: 8 out of 10. Great song, not first single material.

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Oh, GaGa, GaGa. How can I say this delicately? If Katy was hyping her song, GaGa definitely was promising the next Holy Grail of music, the new Bible of pop, and so on. Instead, we get this "The Fame" B-side, which obviously is great (that album is for me one of the best debut of any artist EVER), but not what "ArtPop" implied. It's a very danceable track geared towards GaGa's fan base (obviously, Little Monsters) and deals with the same fame concept of her first album. And the video itself is pretty artsy and over the top, as usual GaGa. But let's be honest: after the meat dress, I find it hard to be shocked about what GaGa will do next.

Besides, let's be honest: The whole "ArtPop"experience, with an App and everything involved, is something that has been done before. Does someone remember "Biophilia"? And apparently, Björk is now the center of "affection" of GaGa, since the team of directors of her new video is the same for Björk's "Hidden Place", back in 2001.



(And no, I'm not implying GaGa is plagiarizing Björk. She could NOT pull that off NEVER IN LIFE).

My rating for Applause: 7 out of 10. "The Fame" revisited, not in "ArtPop" way.

So, as of today, Katy is the clear winner of this showdown. She had succeeded GaGa outselling "Applause" in nearly the double of digital copies, which is the new way to measure this thing, along with the You Tube number of views. And plese, don't get me started on the desperate attempt of GaGa of getting more downloads and You Tube hits, which of course is as lame as it sounds and a signal that she's definitely NOT confident about her own choice of a first single.

But, in all seriousness, there is no winner at all. I'm expecting more of their next singles, and the albums. So far, I'm not really impressed.

What is your favorite single of these two? Let me know in the comments!

Justin vs Robin: Crooners of the decade, but who is the best?

So definitely you have heard that song that is so good, well produced and with an excellent collaboration, with this white guy singing smooth R&B over an infectious beat. And of course, a controversial video, with nude supermodels dancing arond and the fully clothed singer strutting around like he just doesn't care, with innuendos and lyrics deemed "rapey" by some hardcore feminists.

Now, make a guess: which artist I'm talking about?

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It is so common on pop music, and for that matter in any musical style, that comparisons between two seemingly similar artists arise, especially if those artists are almost indistinguishable one from the other. And no, I'm not saying this is the exact case between Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke, but oh boy it has been a fun summer trying to spot the differences (if there's any).

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Of course, credit goes where credit is due. Robin was the first one back in 1999 to start experimenting with this suave R&B formula that ultimately became his signature style. First as a producer of several songs for mainly pop acts (including one of my faves from Christina Aguilera's debut album, "When You Put Your Hands on Me"), and then started a solo career that took off with the release of "When I Get You Alone", a fine and excellent mash up of R&B and classical music courtesy of Beethoven. If you haven't listened it, please be my guest. It's just amazing.

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Meanwhile, Justin was on the top of the world with 'NSync and the whole boy band hysteria of the 2000's. But somehow, it was very clear that his fate was not meant to be attached to those guys for long (pun totally intended). So in 2002 he embarked in a solo adventure, with a huge pay-off. "Like I Love You", his frist single and a clear homage to Michael Jackson, both musically and stylishly, met his ready-for-stadiums appeal and his R&B influences, and get a positive response. However, "Cry Me a River" was THE song, after a much publicized breakup with then beau Britney Spears, that launched him on superstar-level.






It is clear that the most successful of those two has been Justin, but clearly this is no Robin's fault. Each album he has done have been consistently good and improving on every aspect. But no doubt about Justin power on music, and he has developed a certain charisma that only superstars can achieve.










(I deliberately put songs similar in style so you can spot very well how these artists have been doing for the past years, and how a person with no knowledge of music and celebrities can easily confound them).

Frankly, I always thought Robin deserved much more attention and recognition. Fortunately, that pretty much changed this year when "Blurred Lines" hit the airwaves, and of course, that infamous video came out. How exactly the video has been helpful to the success of this song? I would dare to say that on a great scale. The song itself is excellent. With the help of Pharrell (who seems ubiquitous this season, don't you think?) and T.I. and a kick ass rhythm, this is the quintaessential summer tune. But the video, with three topless supermodels, certainly made his own indelible mark on pop culture and certainly put Thicke on the A-List of pop music, a place that I'm sure he won't let go for a while. I'm not going to discuss if the video is anti-feminist or derogatory to women; if you take a look on his work pre-Blurred Lines, you will know he's the crooner by excellence, always singing love songs with a smoothness that shows us how devoted he is to the feminine figure, so in my mind, this is just an attempt to reach a wider audience through controversy and of course, talent. Which he certainly achieved.



And then, Justin, which was on a hiatus on music trying to achieve a decent film career, came with the glorious and mature album "The 20/20 Experience", a concept album with sound going from pop, R&B, soul, and many influences, and instantly became a hit. Many people realised that this more stylish approach was very Thicke-influenced, but then the third single "Tunnel Vision" came out and well, we are talking some major blurred lines over here. A state-of-the-art video featuring (just wait) naked woman, over an infectious beat, summer-ready and definitely, the comparisons over the years became so much clear. To be honest, the Tunnel Vision concept is more stylized, and really a great video, but it's clear that whatever muse has inspired these two, is clearly giving them pretty much the same advice.



Let's just list the similarities:

1. Both songs refers to a very serious eye-related conditions.
2. Both songs are very R&B influenced.
3. Both songs are produced by very-recognised hip hop and  R&B producers, who also happen to made a cameo in the corresponding video and sang certain lines in it.
4. Each video has been censored by You Tube for "sexual content", and later reinstated "because of the art" (?).
5. On both videos, all women appear nude, meanwhile men are fully clothed and stylish.
6. Both songs mention on their lyrics stuff that has infuriated feminists, accusing them of being "misogynists" and "disrespectful towards women". The lines? "I know you want it" (Robin) and "I know you like it" (Justin).
7. Both song are really great.

So, who's to blame for all of this? Have they realized about this whirlwind that they created? Are they comfortable with this situation? And ultimately, who cares? There's plenty of room for every other artist, and if they decided to improve musical scenery by making excellent pop music, so let them. Maybe they will provide inspiration for many other male acts and that will be great, since it has been rough times for a male pop act to really stand out on the pop scene in a while.

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But on the meantime, you have to decide which one is the best for you. For me? I guess I can easily spend some quality time with both of them and enjoy making music together. Oops... I guess that didn't come out as expected. (Again, pun totally intended).

So shut up and enjoy their music. With the lights off, please.

10 years of being "Crazy In Love" with THAT song!

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I'm thinking every pop connoisseur like myself remember exactly where we were when we first heard this GLORIOUS song. Me, I was at an Internet café, which were very popular at that time (10 years from now! I'm getting so old). Looking up on the web, I encountered the announcement that Beyoncé song was available for download, so I proceeded to did the obvious, and oh, boy, I've never looked back since.

 

 

 

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I have to be honest: I didn't immediately dig it. A song so atypical of that time, with horns, trumpets, and the like, and a very 70's vibe so unlikely for that era. I mean, not the current sound on the charts (mostly filled with hip hop collaborations and R&B contemporary sounds). But then, this song and the magnetic sample courtesy of the Chi-Lites changed the face of the pop, R&B and hip hop music, for sure.

 

 

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The song gradually grown on me and everyone else, and it was a matter of time for it to reach number 1 on the Billboard charts for eight straight weeks. That's an accomplishment itself, but being the first single as a soloist, Beyoncé really knew how to made an impact on the public. Of course, Jay Z's rap was also responsible for its success (I'm very proud of the fact that, still to this day, I'm able to sing the Jay Z's part in its entirety).

 

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Rich Harrison was the producer of this gem, and of course his popularity went through the roof with this one. Many artists worked with him, and he produced several hits trying to revive the success of this sound, but none of them took him to the levels that this song reached. And that's fine, so many great songs and artists came out of this effort. Just to name a few:

 

 ...and so many others.

 

The legacy of this song, besides the fact that established Beyoncé as a global superstar, is that brought a breath of fresh air to the sound of the 2000's, so plagued with disposable rappers, hip hop collaborations and a declining on pop music. So basically, this song, using a sample of a 70's song, established a model to be followed by many artists and a sound so fierce, as her moniker Sasha Fierce would tell us years later.

 

Of course, this song has been covered many times, but my favorite is the current version of Emeli Sande and the Bryan Ferry Orchestra, in a 20's spirit and it showed this song is indeed timeless.

 

Oh, Beyoncé, this song of yours is already unforgettable. Here's to another 10 years of being 'Crazy in Love' about it! 

Who is Paulina Rubio and why is she a new judge on The X-Factor USA?

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Recently the line-up of new judges on that disaster called The X-Factor US has been known, and among past judges Simon Cowell and Demi Lovato, two new stars has been announced as a regular on the series: Kelly Rowland, former Destiny's Child member and judge on the UK version of Factor, and Paulina Rubio.

 

Many american people -and possibly around the world - were like: who the heck is Paulina Rubio? Me, being Mexican, I'm very familiar with her and I think is my duty to explain why an otherwise obscure artist to most English-speaking world has been granted such a role on this program, supposedly replacing the likes of Britney Spears, nonetheless.

 

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At least in Mexico, Paulina has been a star since she was a child. Member of the 80's group Timbiriche, she has always been a household name but not always on a good way. Being regarded as obnoxious and diva-ish, Paulina is either loved or hated; no middle ground about her.

 

After Timbiriche she became a soloist and release several mediocre albums, with two or three good songs and starred on several telenovelas, all forgettable (maybe you should check Baila Conmigo on You Tube, to see a mexican take of the 50's and 60's era. Be warned). After that, she decided to expand her horizons and contracted several composers and producers to record a great album called Paulina, circa 2000.

  

Of course it was a hit. The best album she has come up with. For 2000's standards, this was such a breath of fresh air, on Mexico and all Latin America. Always syrupy ballads, midtempo numbers and then some girl defy the chances and made an album into dance-meets-latin pop and we all go nuts. even a ranchera-hip hop hybrid was on point.

Then, the crossover was inevitable. And indeed, with the latin boom on the US, this was a no brainer. Then Border Girl came, and although it wasn't a real success on America, at least established her as a real power on latin music and a force to be reckoned with. And if you check the video of "Don't Say Goodbye", you will realize it served as an inspiration of various pop divas on their own videos (looking at you, Shania Twain and Britney Spears, of all people).





After nothing happened on the US, she continued to amaze us with incredible music and videos. Pau-latina, her next effort, was a consistent album well ahead of the Latin Pop market at that time, and rightly so. Excellenet music and videos, like the ones above, made her a well-established name in Mexico and Spain, where she had made a good career pretending to have an Spanish accent and marrying washed up wannabes from that country.





An aside: Do you find something oddly familiar in the Algo Tienes video?

Yep, Lady Gaga took inspiration from her for the "Telephone" video. Now, people would say: "Lady Gaga doesnt even know who Paulina is" and I will say for Gaga, that is a great advantage. Taking fashion and inspiration for obscure artists is something Gaga knows what to do very well, right? Besides, who look better on that outfit? End of aside.

So, it's safe to say that even if Paulina is certainly not that talented and great singer as many other latin artists, she has a certain je ne sais quois to her advantage. It doesn't hurt that she always chooses songs very infectious and fun, and made them her own.







Besides, she has an experience being a coach on musical talent shows. Before the X-Factor gig, she was a coach during the second season of The Voice Mexico version, and on "The Voice Kids" on the US. So she had a minimal experience in these kind of shows, something that can work on her advantage (not that she was the best coach, either, but definitley one of her alumni is right now the most happy person in the world. Just saying).

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So, I'm gonna say: Simon Cowell could be as egotistical and maniac as he is, but sure he knows what he's doing. Bringing something as big as Britney, but equally lifeless and boring didn't work on the long term, so maybe it's better to bring some sort of D-listers (as much as he was back on the day on American Idol), and turn the show into something tolerable and fun. Hopefully, he will get it.

 

 

So, for the record: Yay for Paulina for getting this big opportunity on the US. As a mexican, I'm proud of that. But she better does a great job, or else I'm going to deny everything I said in this post!

 

 

And finally, a photo so you can get to know all of Paulina Rubio (including her camel toe):

 

 

You're welcome.

 



Songs That I'm Currently Obsessed About...

Here are a list of the songs that are on heavy rotation on my iPod and my Spotify account (BTW, there will be a ost about this great, great program, I promise!). In no particular order:


1. "Radioactive", Imagine Dragons. I mentioned it on a previous post, and I will say it again; this is golden pop. This group, although indie on their basis, made such a great pop electronica blend in this track, that it's irresistibly delicious. The video, I'm no fan of it, but it's fun nonetheless. I predict great things for this band if they continue on this route. Amazing, haunting and provocative song.




2. "Get Lucky", Daft Punk. The return of this excellent electronica band,after a 3 year hiatus, is salted with an ode to the pop made at the end of the disco era and the beginning of the 80's. Like I said on a post on the You Tube video: "It's kinda ironic that this song, with a sound so reminiscing of said era, sounds so feriouciously refreshing among the bland pop of the Justins, Rihannas and Harlems out there". And I stand for that sentence. This is the sound of an iconic band.




3. "Come & Get It", Selena Gomez. I know, I know, Selena is pre-manufactured, Justin Bieber's hearthtrob, how on earth, bla, bla, bla. And yet, this song is so infectious with their Indian influences and slick move dances courtesy of this fine young lady. Many people would say this is a desperate attempt to stay relevant in a market filled with easy-forgettable pop young acts; I say, for a girl that is developing a sense of growing up without betraying her roots, this is a great pop song, as it is.





4. "I Love It", Icona Pop. There's a fact that states some of the best dance music comes from Sweden. So it's no surprise that this duo of girls stormed the scene with this club banger, rightfully entitled "I Love It", aware of the meaning of that phrase. We really came to love this song. Really powerful, and of course this is only the beginning for these girls. To get ready for the dancefloor.





5. "White Noise", Disclosure Feat. AlunaGeorge. Granted, EDM is taking over the world one beat at a time. So DJ's are now the rock stars of this era. And this duo of UK DJ's did a great job with this gorgeous song. Mesmerizing since the first listen, it goes well for both club hungers and indie folks alike, who would appreciate the take of Aluna George and the lyrics. A really playful and marvelous track.





6. "Can't Hold Us", Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Feat. Ray Dalton. Some people would accuse this this singer of being another cheap and lame Eminem impersonator. I said: "back off!" This is the real deal. Macklemore sure is clever and current, and his music is actually cool, giving odes to some old school a-la 70's music. This song, appropiately using a black guy on the chorus, gives me a warm sensation and made me feel good when I listen to it. And that what songs should do for us.





7. "Sail", AWOLNATION. Definitely not my type of music, but there's a hypnotic quality on this song that it is imposible to resist. Rock and electronic music always make a great combo, and this epic song futher proofs that corollary, and then some. Not a geniune blast like other songs, and it get a few listens to be liked, but this is something you better not overlook.





8. "#thatPOWER", Will.i.Am Feat. Justin Bieber. Everything that Will did wrong with Britney, now it is done well, except for the horrendous title (seriously, people should stop using the # sign, it only looks well on Twitter). Justin sounds decent, but the production of this sure-to-be pop anthem for the 2013 summer is spot on, and the video is really amazing, with the choreography and all. Again, not the best song out there, just a funny one.





9. "Suit & Tie", Justin Timberlake Feat. Jay Z. Now a married man, this fine gentleman is delivering some serious music that still manages to sound cool and breezy - the 'breezy' part courtsey of the music mogul Jay Z. The beginning of the song could well be on the loop of my iPhone ad-infinitum, and the video is really well executed and precious, on a black-and-white motif. All in all, a great comeback for Justin.





10. "Poetic Justice", Kendrick Lamar. The only thing that does for me in this song? The Janet Jackson simple from "Any Time, Any Place" song. Whatever thet has Janet's signature on it, it's a yes-yes-yesss on my book. And if it is as clever as it is in this song, that's a bonus. And of course, Drake, that man is ubiquitous, and rightfully so. He's so tight in all these collabos, really amazing.



Hope you like them all!

Fashion disasters at the MET Gala?? And a Kylie and Madonna reunion, why not??

I'm not a fashion expert, but this morning I saw some pictures of the MET Gala 2013, a yearly event that takes place obviously on  The Metropolitan's Museum and gathers the creme of the creme of Hollywood. And of course, this being a fashion event, you would think people would be more aware of what they dress because this is THE event for it. Not even The Oscars had this exposure regarding fashion, but judging from the pics I've seen, so many people definitely missed the mark, dropped the ball or didn't read the memo, whatever analogy works best for you.

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Apparently, that grim face was part of the Kristin Stewart attire.

The theme of the night was Punk: Chaos to Couture, because there has to be a theme in these things. And obviously, punk was the attitude all the attendants needed to demonstrate through their clothes and all. Some of them got the look right, and definitely showed the fashionista that lies within them.

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Emma Watson and Miranda Kerr, being cute and fierce.

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Rooney Mara

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Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Watson, Anne Hathaway & Taylor Swift

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Kylie Minogue, being Kylie Minogue. That is, regal.

What these artists show was a very good sense of simplicity, a thing not too many of the Hollywood stars are known for. And obviously, it worked. Those gals looked amazing and although some of them (like Jennifer Lawrence) were not as punk as they should, they definitely hit the mark and passed the fashion test.

Others? Not so much.

Kim Kardashian:

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Seriously, this woman knows no limits. Whoever that said pregnant woman can't be fashionistas, obviously got inspired by this woman. I mean, not nitpicking her weight (it is obvious that a pregnant woman can be that big), but using a dress that accentuates you weight is just plain wrong. It looked like a table cloth, and a cheap one.

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...or a sofa. With an integrated cushion

She knows that there's a thousand ways a pregnant woman can deliver on the red carpet, but she seems to think nobody will notice this mess of a dress. Or maybe she knows and she's teasing us. Either way, this is not the look of an entepreneur and a 'celebrity' (not sure how to call her), so this will go into history as an utterly failure. Again, it's not her body weight, it's the way she didn't accept it as an aside from being pregnant.

Nicki Minaj

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Obviously, Ms. Minaj is particularly known for her fashion style, bordering into the ridiculousness. So a MET Gala inspired in punk could seem like a perfect setting for a bold statement on her part. Instead, she definitely missed the mark by being way too tame by her own standards, let alone the punk standards. Afro looked way out of tune, and definitely this attire didn't look well on her. Maybe it's the waistline. She looked so out of place. And I hope one day women understand that those tatoos don't look so well on dresses (looking at you, Rihanna).

Beyoncé

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Beyoncé is Beyoncé, a force of nature to be reckoned with. And yet, this is so dissapointing. Aside from the fact that this is not punk at all (being punk an attitude more than a dress), it seemed a little bit excessive from her. And God, I'm not sure if those dark hair roots are on trend now, but they look so awful. She can do better than this.

Madonna

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I really, really love Madonna. Why wouldn't I? But this? Let's face it: she is no longer a thirty something to rock these outfits, and although she looks fit and glam, this is way too much for her to handle nowadays. For a woman with a punk and fuck you attitude, this comes cheap and underwhelming. And the bob, so much Edna Mode resembling, was also something so wacky. But then, who can assure this is what Madge intended for it to be? If that's what she was all about, well, mission accomplished.

Ashley Olsen

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Now, entering the realms of the ludicrous. Like a moth to a flame.... This has written 'absurd' all over the place. This posture tries to make sense for this dress, but God it's awful. I know she's rich and all, and this is vintage and all, but seriosly, can someone advice these young starlets regarding haute couture, please? Won't somebody think of the children??

Of course there were plenty of dreadful dresses, but these are the ones that really drive me to write on this subject. I'm not usually a savvy fashionista (I don't consider my style fashion as a 'style', per se) but I know what looks good and bad on myself and others.

A corollary for this Gala: if Lena Dunham somehow manages to look better than you, consider it a big fail on your personal style.

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I wonder if she can manage those high heels.

And get this consolation prize: Madonna and Kylie Minogue, together in this gala. Pop royalty on the same roof! Amazing, isn't it? The Queen and The Princess of Pop. Besides the fact that Madonna's boy toy photobombed the pic blocking Kylie, this is pure bliss right here.

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Seriously, whats-his-name. You're blocking a historical moment. Shit head.







Who was the best and the worst dressed for you on this Gala? Sound off in the comments!