Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts



My Thoughts On The Grammys...

Written by Colton K
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Lady Antebellum
Last night shocked me in more than one way. First of all, I loved how the Country trio "Lady Antebellum" dominated the record and single of the year. As an avid Country listener, I was very pleased to see them win. However, I do believe that their songs are more crossover than solely country. My reasoning for saying this: I'm listening to the local pop/rock radio station and "Need You Now" starts in while Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" finishes up. So, is their popularity stemming just from Country roots? Or are they hugely famous, now, because of their pop "aspirations" or "influences"? I think the latter, but I'm still love them and I will never change the station upon hearing their voices just because they are pop AND country. Some people discriminate when a singer/group's songs dominate both charts. I know that people especially get disgusted with Taylor Swift (who's often in the same situation)... but a really good artist can be played everywhere, and I believe that's what Lady Antebellum has accomplished. They've earned their wide listenership, especially after last night. Congrats Lady A.

Gaga in her "Egg"
As for the other "Lady"... what was she thinking? Her new single "Born This Way" is a very catchy tune, but I found her dramatic entrance to the Grammys in her Egg a bit tacky. I guess she is known for her tacky, over-the-top clothes and entrances, but I found it quite annoying. And what did she have on her shoulders and face? Horns? What the hell? Anyways, I thought her win last night was well-deserved for "The Fame Monster". Nevertheless, hopefully people don't get tired of her over-the-topness. But, I guess if she's always surprising everyone, then that's something she won't need to worry about.


Best New Artist - Spalding
Out of all of the surprises last night, the two largest ones, in my opinion, were the winners of Album of the Year, and Best New Artist. Best new artist was the most shocking thing I've ever seen on the Grammy's. My top two choices were a showdown between Mumford and Sons and Justin Bieber.  I didn't used to be a Bieber fan, but recently I've felt partial to his music. I don't know why, but the more I listen to his music, the more I like it. Don't ask why, this was definitely against my wishes. Nevertheless, I thought Justin Bieber would have won Best New Artist, FOR SURE. He's one of the largest artists on the planet and has only been around since 2008. I thought it was a Gimme. Then when they announced Esperanza Spalding, the first thing that popped into my head was "Is this a joke?" and "Who in the hell is that?". I can't say much about the woman, but I have no idea who she is nor what she's sang or what she sounds like. Can the academy choose somebody that so few people have heard of? I guess last night proves that they can, but I'm still shocked. Bieber or Mumford & Sons; either should have won. I guess this would be a good time to listen to Spalding on iTunes and decide if the Academy could possibly be right.

Suburbs - Arcade Fire
As for the last shock of my night: Best Album. It was a tough choice from my end. The nominees were Arcade Fire's 'The Suburbs', Eminem's 'The Recovery', Lady A's 'Need You Now', & Katy Perry's 'Teenage Dream'. My choice was between Lady Antebellum and Eminem, but Arcade Fire took home the Grammy. That was a shock to me. I have most of their albums, but I've never really liked their music. I hadn't heard their 'Suburbs' album yet, so I couldn't judge last night. This morning, however, I pulled up their album on iTunes, and I LOVE the album. So I definitely think they rightfully won Album of the Year, but I still think it's a shocker. Such a small, alternative band winning Album of the Year? What an honor. Congrats Arcade Fire, I'm sorry I underestimated you!

What do you think about the winners?

Blog Later.



2011 Grammy Winners

Written by Colton K
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For the first time in my life, I sat on my couch and watched EVERY minute of the Grammy's this year. So, as a member of Tumblr, a blog I follow posted the winners of the Grammy's. So I'm "reblogging" their post here.

Album of the Year: The Suburbs, Arcade Fire
Record of the Year: “Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum
Rap Album: Recovery, Eminem
New Artist: Esperanza Spalding
Song of the Year: “Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum


POP:
Pop Vocal Album: Lady Gaga, The Fame Monster
Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Train, “Hey, Soul Sister (Live)”
Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Michael Bublé, Crazy Love
Female Pop Vocal Performance: Lady Gaga, “Bad Romance,” The Fame Monster
Male Pop Vocal Performance: Bruno Mars, “Just The Way You Are,” Doo-Wops & Hooligans
Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Imagine,” Herbie Hancock, Pink, India.Arie, Seal, Konono No 1, Jeff Beck & Oumou Sangare, The Imagine Project
Pop Instrumental Performance: “Nessun Dorma,” Jeff Beck, Emotion & Commotion
Pop Instrumental Album: Take Your Pick, Larry Carlton & Tak Matsumoto

R&B:
Female R&B Vocal Performance: Fantasia, “Bittersweet,” Back to Me
Male R&B Vocal Performance: Usher, “There Goes My Baby,” Raymond V Raymond
R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Sade, “Soldier of Love,” Soldier of Love
Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: John Legend & The Roots, “Hang On In There,” Wake Up!
R&B Song: John Legend & The Roots, “Shine,” Wake Up!
R&B Album: Wake Up!, John Legend & The Roots
Contemporary R&B Album: Raymond V Raymond, Usher

RAP:
Rap Song: Jay-Z & Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind,” The Blueprint 3
Rap/Sung Collaboration: Jay-Z & Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind,” The Blueprint 3
Rap Performance by a Duo or Group: Jay-Z & Swizz Beatz, “On to the Next One,” The Blueprint 3
Rap Solo Performance: Eminem, “Not Afraid,” Recovery
Urban/Alternative Performance: “F*** You,” Cee Lo Green

ROCK:
Rock Album: Muse, The Resistance
Solo Rock Vocal Performance: Paul McCartney, “Helter Skelter,” Good Evening New York City
Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: The Black Keys, “Tighten Up,” Brothers
Rock Song: “Angry World,” Neil Young, Le Noise
Hard Rock Performance: New Fang, “Them Crooked Vultures,” Them Crooked Vultures
Metal Performance: “El Dorado,” Iron Maiden, The Final Frontier
Rock Instrumental Performance: Jeff Beck, “Hammerhead,” Emotion & Commotion

COUNTRY:
Country Album: Lady Antebellum, Need You Now
Female Country Vocal Performance: Miranda Lambert, ” The House That Built Me,” Revolution
Male Country Vocal Performance: Keith Urban, “‘Til Summer Comes Around”
Country Song: “Need You Now,” Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters (Lady Antebellum) (Need You Now)
Country Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals: Lady Antebellum, “Need You Now”
Country Instrumental Performance: Marty Stuart, “Hummingbyrd” (Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions)
New Age Album:Miho: Journey to the Mountain, Paul Winter Consort
Contemporary Jazz Album:The Stanley Clarke Band, The Stanley Clarke Band
Jazz Vocal Album:Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee, Dee Dee Bridgewater

LATIN:
Latin Pop Album: Paraiso Express, Alejandro Sanz
Latin Rock, Alternative or Urban Album: El Existential, Grupo Fantasma
Tropical Latin Album: Viva La Tradición, Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Tejano Album: Recuerdos, Little Joe & La Familia
Norteño Album: Classic, Intocable
Banda Album: Enamórate De Mí, El Güero Y Su Banda Centenario

JAZZ:
Contemporary Jazz Album: The Stanley Clarke Band, The Stanley Clarke Band
Jazz Vocal Album: Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee, Dee Dee Bridgewater
Improvised Jazz Solo: “A Change Is Gonna Come,” Herbie Hancock (The Imagine Project)
Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group: Moody 4B, James Moody
Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Live at Jazz Standard, Mingus Big Band
Latin Jazz Album: Chucho’s Steps, Chucho Valdés and the Afro-Cuban Messengers

GOSPEL:
Gospel Performance: “Grace,” BeBe & CeCe Winans, Still
Gospel Song: “It’s What I Do,” Jerry Peters & Kirk Whalum, songwriters (Kirk Whalum & Lalah Hathaway), The Gospel According to Jazz Chapter III
Rock or Rap Gospel Album: Hello Hurricane, Switchfoot
Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album: Love God. Love People, Israel Houghton
Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album: The Reason, Diamond Rio
Traditional Gospel Album: Downtown Church, Patty Griffin
Contemporary R&B Gospel Album: Still, BeBe & CeCe Winans

DANCE:
Dance Recording: “Only Girl (in the World),” Rihanna
Electronic/Dance Album: La Roux, La Roux

TRADITIONAL/ALTERNATIVE/WORLD:
Alternative Music Album: Brothers, The Black Keys
Americana Album: You Are Not Alone, Mavis Staples
Bluegrass Album: Mountain Soul II, Patty Loveless
Traditional Blues Album: Joined At The Hip, Pinetop Perkins & Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith
Contemporary Blues Album: Living Proof, Buddy Guy
Traditional Folk Album: Genuine Negro Jig, Carolina Chocolate Drops
Contemporary Folk Album: God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise, Ray LaMontagne and the Pariah Dogs
Hawaiian Music Album: Huana Ke Aloha, Tia Carrere
Native American Music Album: 2010 Gathering Of Nations Pow Wow: A Spirit’s Dance, Various Artists
Zydeco or Cajun Music Album: Zydeco Junkie, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
Reggae Album: Before The Dawn, Buju Banton
Traditional World Music Album: Ali And Toumani, Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté
Contemporary World Music Album: Throw Down Your Heart, Africa Sessions Part 2: Unreleased Tracks, Béla Fleck
New Age Album: Miho: Journey to the Mountain, Paul Winter Consort

VISUAL MEDIA:
Short Form Music Video: “Bad Romance,” Lady Gaga
Long Form Music Video: “When You’re Strange,” The Doors
Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling): The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Audiobook)
Musical Show Album: American Idiot (Featuring Green Day)
Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Crazy Heart (Various Artists)
Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: Toy Story 3, Randy Newman, composer
Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: “The Weary Kind” (From Crazy Heart), Ryan Bingham & T Bone Burnett, songwriters
Instrumental Composition: “The Path Among the Trees,” Billy Childs, composer (Billy Childs Ensemble), Autumn: In Moving Pictures Jazz—Chamber Music Vol. 2
Instrumental Arrangement: “Carlos,” Vince Mendoza, arranger (John Scofield, Vince Mendoza & Metropole Orkest), 54

CLASSICAL:
Engineered Album, Classical:Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony; Deus Ex Machina, Giancarlo Guerrero &Nashville Symphony Orchestra
Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost
Classical Album:Verdi: Requiem, Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus
Orchestral Performance:Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony; Deus Ex Machina, Nashville Symphony
Opera Recording:Saariaho: L’Amour De Loin, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin
Choral Performance:Verdi: Requiem, Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Chicago Symphony Chorus
Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra):Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 23 & 24, Mitsuko Uchida (The Cleveland Orchestra)
Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra): Paul Jacobs, Messiaen: Livre Du Saint-Sacrement
Chamber Music Performance:Ligeti: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2, Parker Quartet
Small Ensemble Performance:Dinastia Borja, Jordi Savall, conductor; Hespèrion XXI & La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Classical Vocal Performance:Sacrificium, Cecilia Bartoli (Giovanni Antonini; Il Giardino Armonico)
Classical Contemporary Composition: Michael Daugherty: Deus Ex Machina, Michael Daugherty (Giancarlo Guerrero), Daugherty: Metropolis Symphony
Classical Crossover Album:Christopher Tin: Calling All Dawns
Surround Sound Album:Britten’s Orchestra, Michael Stern & Kansas City Symphony

CHILDREN:
Musical Album for Children: Tomorrow’s Children, Pete Seeger with the Rivertown Kids and Friends
Spoken Word Album for Children: Julie Andrews’ Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies, Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton

OTHER:
Comedy Album: Lewis Black, Stark Raving Black
Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): “Baba Yetu,” Christopher Tin, Soweto Gospel Choir & Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Calling All Dawns
Recording Package: Brothers, The Black Keys
Boxed or Special Limited-Edition Package: Under Great White Northern Lights (Limited Edition Box Set), The White Stripes
Album Notes: Keep An Eye On The Sky, Big Star
Historical Album: The Beatles (The Original Studio Recordings), The Beatles
Engineered Album, Nonclassical: Battle Studies, John Mayer
Producer of the Year, Nonclassical: Danger Mouse
Remixed Recording, Nonclassical: “Revolver” (David Guetta’s One Love Club Remix), Madonna



Oh How I Miss The 90's

Written by Colton K
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I was a 90's kid. So the music I grew up listening to was the music of the 90's... duh. So my newest podcast is a composition of several different songs of the 90's. They aren't all complete songs, but there are a few.

Some of my favorite 90's songs aren't going to be on the podcast because of time issues. But below, I've included a list of all of the songs I love along with links to the music (youtube).

Top 3 Artists of the Decade? (And yes I was young so I am partial to these)

1) Hanson
2) Savage Garden
3) N*SYNC

As for the list of favorite songs:

Tearin' Up My Heart - N*SYNC

Wonderwall - Oasis

You Learn - Alanis Morissette

Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve

I Believe I Can Fly - R. Kelly

Crash Into Me - Dave Matthews Band

Good Riddance - Green Day

Jumper - Third Eye Blind

Cryin' - Aerosmith

Better Man - Pearl Jam

One Headlight - The Wallflowers

Higher - Creed

I Try - Macy Gray

Waiting For Tonight - Jennifer Lopez

Drive - Incubus

Baby One More Time - Britney Spears

Sweet Dreams - Nas

3 AM - Matchbox 20

Fly - Sugar Ray

She's So High - Tal Bachman

Weird - Hanson


So there you have it. My list of favorite 90's songs! Hope you enjoy!



You might be a favorite if... I play your album 50 times in a week!

Written by Colton K
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I have listened to so much music this past week. It's the time for the first wave of tests during this semester of classes, so when I'm studying, I start up iTunes and listen to music- nonstop. The music I listen to varies so much from genre to genre. I like it all- mostly. Sometimes I'm in the mood for hip/hop and rap, but hardly. I love country, rock, pop, classical, alternative, and everything in between. Right now, my iPod just went through a Miley Cyrus song onto Adam Lambert. Yes, I'm not afraid to admit that I have a few songs from Miley. It's good studying music; easy and definitely not deep (no puns here).  And as controversial as Adam has been, I'm not afraid to say I love his music also.

Let's just skip through the next few songs and see what I have next: "Animals" by Neon Trees, "I Wont" by Colbie Callait, "The Incredible Machine" by Sugarland, and "Resistance" by Muse... all songs I love. But out of all the music I've been listening to, there's a guy whose album I've looped over and over for a full week straight.




David Gray. I have yet to skip a song of his. He's a singer/songwriter who caught my eye on iTunes. I downloaded his latest album, Foundling, and was amazed. He's got upbeat happy music. And he's got slow thoughtful music. Everything that I like in an album. Because I was so impressed with this album, I thought I'd share my joy of it on my blog. I mean, it's a blog for my "favorite" things in life. And if you don't constitute a 50 play count on every song in this album for one week a favorite, then I'm not sure how much I'll need to listen to it. So ultimately if I were to rate this artist and his music 1 out of 10. I would say David gets a solid 8.



Click here to listen to some songs.

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