Review: Lady Gaga- Born This Way

There are things to be commended about Lady Gaga. Her desire to advocate individualism is to be admired. Some have said that she tries to become way too controversial for her own good, and write her off because of that. In my honest opinion, I feel her Madonna inspirations are outweighing a lot of her other assets. But hey, the most important part is the music, right? While her first album, The Fame, and her EP The Fame Monster(I'm sorry, but I'm still convinced it was an extended play, and not an official second album) were tolerable, I wasn't as into them as a lot of other people were.

Born This Way, however, while not the evolution I was hoping it would be, is still an evolution forward for her both musically and thematically. Gone are songs with lyrics that have to do with disco sticks. While there are some very odd lyrics here and there, there are more songs with actual points to them and less to do with sex like so many other songs. "Judas", contrary to popular belief that this song is against Jesus and she loves Judas, is actually a song about clinging to the things that are bad for you when you should be embracing the good.

Gaga sings all these songs with an amazing vocal range coupled with a predominant heavy electronic theme, with a few eccentric instruments thrown in here and there(the saxophone bits were very cool, I thought). Tracks like "Bad Kids" start off with a heavy rock tune, and transition into an electronic beat. A lot of people who arn't fans of the 80's might find some songs to be not as enjoyable as others. One of the biggest 80's inspirations "The Edge of Glory" sounds like its straight out of the end credits to a summer blockbuster. Actually the sound is best compared to any of Madonna's 80's material. The title track, "Born This Way" has even gone through legal troubles of sounding exactly alike- both musically and thematically- "Express Yourself" by Madonna(fyi, in Weird Al Yancovic's parody "Perform This Way", he even samples a small bit of "Express Yourself" as a minor jab). The 80's sound doesn't bother me though, and I think people complaining should get over themselves.. 80's pop music sounds 10x better than most pop music nowadays, anyway.

There are a couple of underwhelming songs on here though. "Hair", while the message is decent enough and overall not a bad song, is probably the weakest lyrically. "Government Hooker" is another that just kind of feels like a b-side and not at all consistent with the other songs on the track. Luckily, neither of those small nuances are enough to ruin the album in the least bit, and again... "Hair" is still decent enough, and even if the lyrics are more suited to young teenagers, it's still fun to dance to.


One thing I must give big compliments to, was that I was very surprised to see was that there wern't any "guest stars" on here. Most pop albums, the majority of tracks will have a guest star of someone like Kanye West or Akon. The only guest here is Brian May, the guitarist from Queen, lending his talent on a few tracks here and there and mostly on the country reminiscent sounding "You and I". It makes a big difference, and shows you don't have to have big rap stars ruining your perfectly fine already music to get it to sell.

When all is said and done, I don't believe that this is the end all be all of pop music albums, but to me it still sits high among what is out there and that it is a good album. Naysayers, give it a listen... I bet you will be surprised at how into it you get.

RATING: ****- Pretty Damn Sexy

April 2011 Music Reviews

FEATURED THIS MONTH: Foo Fighters, The Airborne Toxic Event, Hollywood Undead, TV On The Radio, The Kills, Gorillaz, Silverstein, , Thao and Mirah, and Panda Bear

Hollywood Undead- American Tragedy

Genre: Rap rock

Did the Backstreet Boys become a rapcore metal group? There's so much mix-match of genres here it's ridiculous. I don't even know who this is supposed to be appealing to! I mean if the "hardcore" rap audience listens to this they are going to be confused by songs like "Coming Back Down", which starts off as a very whiny ballad, much like a modern Linkin Park song, but worse if that's possible. Then you have this amazing track called "Gangsta Sexy", which sounds like a song from the 90's you'd hear on MTV or something trying to play off the gangsta rap fad. Oh and most of their songs are about smoking weed. This album is horrendous.

RATING: IT'S DOO DOO!

The Kills- Blood Pressures

Genre: Indie rock, garage rock revival

The Kills release their 4th studio album, Blood Pressures, and I consider it one of their best yet. If you want my best description of what they sound like, they sound very similar to bands like The White Stripes and The Black Keys. The album is a very big mix of psychedelic and blues, which I don't doubt is a result of Alison Mosshart's time with Jack White's band The Dead Weather. Much like The White Stripes, The Kills only consists of two members: The previously mentioned Allison Mosshart and Jamie Hince. What's awesome is while it's only two people, they're able to create such a great sound that it sounds like a much larger set of people making the music. This band has a lot of energy and power and this album is definitely proof of that.

RATING: EARGASM

Foo Fighters- Wasting Light

Genre: Alternative rock, post-grunge

Foo Fighters are back and better than ever with Wasting Light, their best album since The Color and the Shape(1997), which isn't to say they havn't put out anything great since that album, I just consider that their best. With the exception of one song, "White Limo", the entire album is a great ride from finish to end. The only reason I don't like that sound that much is the obnoxious screaming that ensues during the track. Not anything I can't tolerate, just not something I prefer. A lot of people may be surprised that I'm giving a mainstream rock band such praise. Well, I consider Foo Fighters to be the best of all the mainstream rock bands out there. Well, after Smashing Pumpkins of course. They actually put effort into making a good album and expanding their sound unlike bands like Nickelback and Shinedown who prefer to stick to what makes them sell... which wouldn't be so bad if it didn't sound like the same thing and the lyrics didn't have the same exact meaning. If you like rock, then you will love this album. If you don't there's something wrong with you and you should probably get that checked out.

RATING: EARGASM

Foo Fighters- Medium Rare

Genre: Alternative rock, post-grunge

In addition to a new album, The Foo Fighters also released a collection of covers from across their career on April 16th to celebrate record store day. The covers here include: Wings, Cream, Thin Lizzy, Prince, The Ramones, Pink Floyd, The Zombies, and a lot others. They're all done with that awesome Foo Fighters twist, and definitely add a unique twist to their versions of the songs. Definitely a treat for both Foo Fighters fans and fans of the bands listed in general for curiosity sake.

RATING: SPECIAL

Panda Bear- Tomboy

Genre: Experimental, Psychedelic pop, Electronic, Ambient

Panda Bear, aka Noah Lennox and also the header of the band Animal Collective, releases his 4th album on his solo discography. Anyone who knows anything I just mentioned previously knows that Lennox loves to make very experimental music, sometimes to the point where its too experimental and very hard to listen to. On the other hand it can be very soothing and thrilling to listen to, such as the case on Animal Collective's last album Merriweather Post Pavillion, which in my opinion is their most accessible album they've release. It seems Lennox decided to keep that tradition here, releasing less of an experiment album and something a lot more accessible. That might seem like something that could push away his already established audience, but I think most of them will be surprised at how good this sounds.

RATING: SPECIAL

TV On The Radio- Nine Types of Light

Genre: Art rock, indie rock, funk

I just got into TV On The Radio, and sadly, too late. Their bassist, Gerard Smith, unfortunately passed away on April 20th, 2011. My opinion on this album is what I've listened to as of now as opposed to listening to their other albums and then having an opinion based on that, but from what I've heard of this album this band seems like they're all about having fun, but know how to be serious at the same time. The first song "Second Song" starts off very soft, but then transitions into a very funk-oriented track and has you dancing all the way to the end. The album transitions into different moods, being very energetic and then settling down. I will have to listen to the other albums to see how this one compares to those but this album gets a grade A from me.

RATING: ORGASMIC

Gorillaz- The Fall

Genre: Alternative hip hop, Electronica

Gorillaz just released an album last year, but that didn't stop them from releasing another one not even hardly a year later. This was originally a digital download but has now been released on physical format. The album was recorded on member Damon Albarn's Ipad and is definitely a different sound for them than most fans are probably used to. There are a lot of experimental electronic and acountic tracks on here, and a lot less hip hop than you would expect on this album, which means not so many guest spots, but that doesn't mean there arn't any guest spots. There are a couple, notably Bobby Womack and Mick Jones. Fans expecting another Plastic Beach or even Demon Days are going to be surprised. I myself enjoyed it a lot, and I hope you do too.

RATING: SPECIAL

Silverstein- Rescue

GENRE: Sreamo, hardcore

Silverstein is one of those bands that I shouldn't like but can't help liking. There's just something about the way they make their music that entices me to listen more, and they've been doing that for almost 6 years now(I started listening to them on their sophomore album Discovering the Waterfront). Even though there is plenty of "I STUBBED MY TOE AND IT HURTS REAL BAD AND WHAT THE HELL WHY'D YOU KICK ME IN THE BALLS" screaming, I really like Paul Koehler's vocals and he mixes the screaming and normal vocals together in a consistent manner that doesn't get annoying like most music in the genre. The music is also very melodic, making it very easy to get into. Enough about that though, let's talk about the album. The new album starts off pretty dramatic, eventually kicking into the kick off track "Medication". The album seems to be a mix between their first album, but also what they have evolved into from that album. While some of the tracks are pretty pop punk in their own sense, the album is a majority of decent songwriting, and melodic music... with the exception of the screaming vocals of course. If you like this kind of music, these guys are definitely some of the best at it.

RATING: YAY!

Thao + Mirah- Thao + Mirah

Genre: Indie rock

Thao Nguyen and Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn are two artists who have made a great name for themselves with their solo careers. They come together to release an album, while essentially a good album, is weighed down by way too many layers of instruments that make it seem like there are two songs playing at once. The duo play great together vocally, of course and that gets some very high points right there, but I think next time they need to use less instruments and focus more on how great songwriters they are and how great of a duo they are.

RATING: YAY!

The Airborne Toxic Event- All At Once

Genre: Indie rock, alternative rock

The Airborne Toxic Event are a band that use storytelling to write their songs, and are sung very beautifully, complimented greatly by the bands orchestra-like instrumentals. A friend of mine introduced me to this band not too long ago, and I fell in love with them. I was very glad to find out that they were releasing a follow up not too much later! Think of them as The Cure meets Bruce Springsteen. The production values are a lot higher on this album than their debut, as they are now part of a much larger label. That doesn't stop them from being amazing in the least bit. Mikel Jollett's vocals are a real draw in and make you want to continue to listen to his voice long after the album is done playing. Trust me when I say you will not be dissapointed with this album.

RATING: EARGASM

Summer 2011 Movie Preview

Summer, the first section of the year where Hollywood pulls out its biggest guns(the holidays is part 2). I have to say this is probably one of the best summer's I've seen in a while. There are some stinkers of course, but overall there is a consistent amount of movies each month to keep everyone entertained, whether at the drive in or the theater(if you can go to the drive in as much as possible, they need the support!) Anwyays, let's take a look at what's coming out! Be sure to leave a comment to tell me what you're looking forward to this summer!

MAY:

Thor

Release: May 6

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOddp-nlNvQ

Much like Iron Man, I was never really into the Thor comics or mythology... he was just kind of a super hero I knew about and that was pretty much it. But if Iron Man taught me anything, it's that Marvel knows how to make even the lesser known superheroes into some great movies, and judging by the trailer, this looks no different. This will definitely be a must see for me, and I'll probably go see it opening night. Who's with me?

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Opening Night

Hobo With A Shotgun

Release: May 6

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssHEAOrAdCU

For those of you who havn't watched it, there was a movie called Grindhouse back in 2007 helmed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, which was a homage to the old exploitation films of the 70's. It was a double feature, complete with, at the time, fake previews for just as ridiculous coming attractions sandwiched in between the two films. Well, last year one of those fake previews became a movie called Machete, and it seems that all the other "fake" films are getting the same treatment with Eli Roth doing Thanksgiving sometime this year. It doesn't seem too far a stretch that at some point Edgar Wright(Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim VS The World) will at some point adapt his Don't trailer into a film as well(I can care less about Rob Zombie's... as cool as the concept is, I have yet to like anything that guy has done). Little do a lot of people know, there was also a contest for indie directors to make their own fake Grindhouse--style trailer, and the winner was Hobo With A Shotgun, which is now going to be a film as well. The title tells you all you need to know. It's about a hobo with a shotgun out getting justice for all the wrongdoing in this world. Unfortunately, I doubt our theater will get it. So this will have to be a movie I have to wait until later to see or drive to Springfield to see it. None the less, I want to watch.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Theater

Daydream Nation

Release: May 6

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDlv4Ooyjas

Kat Dennings is such a cute and awesome actress, I've pretty much enjoyed her in everything she's been in, even if the movie itself wasn't that great. From her small role in 40 Year Old Virgin to her starring role in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, she has always been a treat to watch. This movie will be her own though, and kind of seems like a more indie version of Easy A(and much less like a re-imagined Juno, like the trailer proclaims). The movie does look really good, and I do want to watch it, but it's something I can wait for on dvd... not to mention the fact that this is another film our theater probably won't be getting anyway.(side not on Kat Dennings, she'll be in Thor as well, so look out for her!)

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: I'll wait for the dvd(or torrent it)

Priest

Release: May 13

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8lvOWt-jp4

Apparently, this is based of a critically acclaimed graphic novel that I've never heard of. Meh, is all I have to say... it feels like the same ol' vampire hunter story you've seen many times before, but hey.. without a Twilight movie this summer, they had to get some kind of vampire story in there. I'll reserve judgment for when I see it, but for now this is definitely one that seems like one I'll check out at the drive-in or on dvd.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Drive-in movie

Bridesmaids

Release: May 13

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrRd2QSsGc4

On one hand, this film claims to be a chick flick a guy can enjoy, produced by Judd Appatow. On the other hand, that trailer is horrible and seemed like a more toilet humor version of Sex and the City, and I didn't laugh once. Having said that, I think it's possible it's one of those trailers that is trying to appeal to the dumb crowd who can be entertained by anything, and there actually is a decent movie built around those very unpleasant parts. Whatever the case, I'll wait for the dvd.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: DVD or TORRENT

The Beaver

Release: May 20

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQUVlxzGYYs

Jodie Foster directs this movie about Mel Gibson talking to a beaver hand puppet. If that alone doesn't get you excited then watch the trailer. Still not excited? Well screw you then. I want to see it.Seems like it could be a pretty good film, and its got Anton Yelchin(Charlie Bartlett, Middle of Nowhere, Star Trek) and he's always great to watch on screen. If it comes to our theater I'll definitely go.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Theater

Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides

Release: May 20

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZTtvYLvCRI

I enjoyed the first two Pirates, but the third one left a really bad taste in my mouth. I'm indecisive about this one... since it's kind of it's own film and only loosely connected to the last three, I feel that this is a fresh restart and could be really good. But then again, I'm worried they'll just make another At World's End and screw me over once again. None the less, it will be one I wait for at the drive in.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Drive in

The Hangover Part II

Release: May 26

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1eFEMNLtao

I loved the first one, even though it got annoying to hear people quoting it way too much(and not even the actual funny parts, just parts of the movie cause it was cool). When they announced they were doing a second one, I felt it was unnecessary, but I'm sure they could do a pretty good follow up, regardless. After watching the trailer, I still want to see it, but it seems like the same exact film as the last one. Still, just because it's the same essential plot, doesn't mean that there arn't going to be some new experiences and laughs to be had. It'll definitely be one I see in the theater.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Theater

Kung Fu Panda 2

Release: May 26

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GHT-TSiZio

I didn't see the first one but I've heard it's really good so I'll check it out at some point. The sequel, however, doesn't really interest at all. Even Jack Black doesn't sound interested and seems like he's phoning his lines in based on the trailer. I'll check it at the drive in if nothing else.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Drive in

The Tree Of Life

Release: May 26

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo6ES_omdRk

"Oh my God!" is all I can say about this trailer. Disregarding the fact that the movie just looks amazing, one of the awesome things about this trailer is that it doesn't give you much information about the movie, and leaves some mystery and anticipation, which is what a trailer should do in my opinion. This is a definite must see for me, and I REALLY hope we get it here. If not I will drive to whatever the closest theater playing it! I must see movie!

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Opening Night!

JUNE:

X-Men: First Class

Release: June 3

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ultpzoSgyyg

After the last two X-bombs, this X-men film promises to tell the story of how Magneto and Professor X became enemies, and how they worked with a lot of other X-Men that havn't yet been introduced into the series yet. Looks pretty good, but I have a feeling, knowing Fox, that they're going to make the same mistakes as the last two X-Men films, relying way too much on introducing unimportant characters to please fans, and focus way too much on special effects instead of the story. I could be wrong though, and I will see it regardless, whether it be the theater or the drive-in.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Want to see

Submarine

Release: June 3

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CAntLzsQ74

While I'm sure I'm one of the few people looking forward to this british comedy/drama, it is one I can wait for on dvd, mostly because I am 99.9% sure it's not coming to our theater. Having said that though, it does look awesome, one of those comedies that don't rely on cheap laughs and actually has something to say. The humor looks like it's going to be pretty dry, which I prefer anyway, so again. There's just all kinds of awesomeness to be had in this movie.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: WANT TO SEE, BUT ILL WAIT FOR THE DVD

Beginners

Release: June 3

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0o9430ZcSA

Maybe it's just because it has Ob-Ewan Mcgregor in it, or maybe it's because it's a father/son story, but for some reason this reminds me a little of Big Fish albeit without the fantasy bits. That being said, Ewan has always been a great actor, and I love to support the work he's been in. This seems like a pretty touching story, and one I would definitely be interested in. But alas, I'll wait for the dvd.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: WANT TO SEE BUT I'LL WAIT FOR DVD

Super 8

Release: June 10

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiJ0Ksg5FDE

This trailer awakens the kid in me, the kid who grew up watching Spielberg movies, which makes sense as Spielberg produced this. JJ Abrams directs, and I honestly think this guy is the next Spielberg anyway, as he seems to be a guy who likes to challenge our imaginations. I want to see this movie so bad... it reminds me of a mix between E.T. and The Iron Giant. I have high hopes for this, and I don't think I will be disappointed. This is definitely a day 1 for me.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: OPENING NIGHT

Green Lantern

Release: June 17

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_axLoYlwwmU

While most of the superhero movies this summer are all Marvel oriented, DC has one of its own to offer, and that's The Green Lantern. The trailer looks pretty solid, and it seems like it will be a very entertaining film. Not something I particularly want to rush out and go see right away, but I will catch it eventually during it's run. Probably drive in at the least.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: DRIVE IN

Mr Poppers Penguins

Release: June 17

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBVTtaJbMUI

I loved this book as a kid, and when I heard they were doing a film version, it got me excited. Jim Carrey plays Mr. Popper, and while this seems to be a very play to the crowd type of film, it'll be good to see Jim Carrey do some mainstream comedy again, as Yes Man wasn't exactly that great of a film(he was also in the very excellent I Love You Phillip Morris, but unfortunately I don't think many people got to see that film). I just hope this doesn't end up being something like Happy Feet though, that would disappoint me.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: DRIVE IN

Cars 2

Release: June 24

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGHwlExcaqU

Pixar has not let me down yet, and even though I should be skeptical about the fact that their last movie this movie, and their next(Monsters Academy, prequel to Monsters, INC.) are all sequels/prequel, I still have faith in them. Even if you didn't find the first Cars to be groundbreaking, it was still a good film, and I think that this film will touch on themes that will tear at your hearts just like they've always been able to do. I have great faith this will be a good movie. I just hope that after Monsters , they start doing original movies again like Up and Wall-E.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: WILL SEE IN THEATER

Bad Teacher

Release: June 24

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VihlsPKMh4U

Ew. Why did they pick Cameron Diaz for this movie, there are a whole lot of other very attractive ladies they could have gotten and they choose this chick? C'mon... and while I have gained quite a lot of respect for Justin Timberlake as an actor after The Social Network, this brings it down a great notch. This looks like poop.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: SKIP IT

JULY:

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Release: July 1

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg_eEnm_QsU

I don't have high hopes for this movie at all. Even if you disregard the crapfest the last one was, reading all the news reports about this movie leading up to it(like the fact that after Megan Fox quit, Michael Bay got a Victoria's Secret model with no prior acting experience to play the love interest), and even the title itself(Dark of the Moon? SERIOUSLY???) this movie still looks like it's gonna suck big time. I predict it's gonna be all special effects and very minimal story, and what story it has is gonna contradict itself and leave numerous plotholes, and there's going to be a ton of racist jokes and dumb toilet humor with robot vaginas or robot diarrhea or what not. Sadly, this is probably going to be one of the top summer blockbusters.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: SKIP IT

Larry Crowne

Release: July 1

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mERICxC7R9c

Tom Hanks directs and stars in this comedy that seems kind of like Billy Madison only in a college setting instead of grade school-high school. I always loved Tom Hanks in his comedic roles, and while the premise isn't the most original idea ever, I think it'll be good fun. Maybe not worth rushing out right away, but I will at some point during its run.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: CATCH IT IN THEATERS

Zookeeper:

Release: July 8

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak-pN_ZwvG4

Hey, here's a concept we've never seen before... talking animals. This one was helmed by Adam Sandler, and stars Kevin James. Adam, c'mon, are you even trying anymore? My God, man... what happened to the good ol days of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore and hell I'll even give you Bulletproof! And why do you like Kevin James so much, there is nothing funny about that guy... no not even the fact that he's fat. Stop it.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: SKIP IT

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Release: July 15

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cdfbWjx8J0

There's a lot of good movies coming out this summer, but I think for a lot of people this one is going to be the main event of the summer. For most Potter fans, all the answers were revealed 4 years ago, with the final book. There are some people who either refuse to read or just prefer cinema over literature, and it's all good. For those people, the ones that have been keeping up with the Potter movies since the beginning, all your questions will finally be answered this July 15. Even though I know how it all ends, I still am very excited about this adaption, as Part 1 was to me one of the best Potter movies since Azkaban. Part 2 I feel will be just as good, if not better. I've been a fan of both the books and the movies, and have seen every movie opening day in theaters since the first one. This will not change, and hopefully some of you guys will come with me.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: OPENING NIGHT

Winnie the Pooh

Release: July 15

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNkNI-Ot7sk

Yeah... I'm totally gonna see this. Winnie the Pooh is awesome... and no I don't mean that CGI bullshit on playhouse disney, I'm talking about the old school Winnie the Pooh I grew up with, and this is a throwback to that Winnie the Pooh. They even went hand drawn, and I am so happy they did and makes me have even further faith in Disney that they're really trying to gain back their image that doesn't involve just Hannah Montanna or High School Musical(except for that dumb prom movie coming out... what the hell is that all about?). This is another one I will be seeing in theaters.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: CATCH IT IN THEATERS

Captain America: The First Avenger

Release: July 22

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J3HfllvXWE

Yet another superhero movie coming out this summer, but this is defintiely going to be one of the better ones. Captain America is Marvel's equivalent to Superman, and this is the first serious film adaption(there was one back in the 70's or something like that, but it wasn't very good at all). This takes place in World War II, and from the trailer we can see it has continuity with the other Marvel films, with Tony Starks father making an appearance. My only disappointment is that this would've been the perfect film for 4th of July weekend, but because Michael Bay's a pompous bitch and has to secure that date for his giant robot movie, we have to wait til the end of the month to watch it. Oh well, will definitely be seeing this.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: WATCH IT IN THEATERS

Friends With Benefits

Release: July 22

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJS-wWqVAyk

Um....

....

So is there some kind of headquarters that controls Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman that was like, "Okay, you can be in this ballet movie, but you both have to star in seperate films with the same plot."

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: Skip it

Cowboys and Aliens

Release: July 29

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NKWhhrv288

First off, both James Bond and Indiana Jones are starring in the same film together. That should get you excited right off the bat. Second, that title is just awesome, and should get you even more excited. Third, watch that trailer, and tell me that doesn't entice you to want to see that film. This looks like it will be a fucking awesome ride of a film, and I will definitely be adding this to my list of must see films this summer.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: WATCHING IN THEATERS

Crazy Stupid Love

Release: July 29

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK68Y3oMEk8

I don't know about this one. It's got a pretty strong cast, so I could get behind that but the plot seems pretty generic, and from the trailer doesn't seem to be a big comedy fest. I think I'll wait for the dvd on this one or the drive in.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: DRIVE IN

The Smurfs

Release: July 29

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ1tTwpPNGk

Coming this summer, James Cameron's newest epic Avata- oh wait, that was another blue people movie. I wish parents wouldn't support these old cartoon-live action movies. You'd think after George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Wright, Rockey and Bullwinkle, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Yogi Bear, and Scooby-Doo, they would have learned by now. I like how they even added the whole "replace word with smurf" joke in there too. -______-

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: BOYCOTT!!!

AUGUST:

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Release: August 5

Trailer: No trailer yet...

Well I guess since the remake back in '01 didn't work, they decided the next best thing to do would be a prequel to the original 1968 film. Seems like it could be good, especially since it's gonna start James Franco. Just wish more info would be released, like, y'know... a trailer? Anyway... I'll either wait for the dvd or watch at the drive in.

ANTICIPATION: DRIVE IN

Conan The Barbarian

Release: August 19

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9PA0DiH1_E

While I feel this remake is completely unnecessary, especially now that the original Conan is available to reprise the role now anyway, but this Jason Momoa remake looks like its going to be pretty awesome regardless. I will definitely be catching this in theaters, but I can live without seeing it opening night.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: CATCH IT IN THEATERS

Spy Kids 4: All The Time In The World

Release: August 19

Trailer: no trailer yet

Finally! I've been waiting to see if Robert Rodriguez would revisit this franchise! I mean it's been far too long and we totally need another Spy Kids movie 8 years after the original, right? Am I right or am I right? Yeah... while seeing Jessica Alba in spandex would be nice to see, I think I will be skipping this. Make Machete 2 Robert!

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: SKIP IT

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Release: August 26

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emhD5nlfhxE

Finally we get some horror this summer... And one from one of the best in the industry at it(though mostly known for his foreign horror films). Written and produced by Guillermo del Toro(Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy), this is sure to be one scary film. The trailer alone was pretty freaky, so I'm sure the film is definitely going to be 10x that. Definitely a must see!

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: OPENING NIGHT

Final Destination 5

Release: August 26

Trailer: no trailer yet

Hmmm... wasn't the last Final Destination supposed to be the last? I guess that didn't stop the Friday the 13th series, which had two films claim it was the final chapter(Part IV and Jason Goes To Hell). The first Final Destination was a really original and inventive horror film, but all the sequels that followed were pretty much trash. But I guess most people go to see what inventive deaths they come up with.... this time the MAIN EVENT that causes chaos for the rest of the film is going to be a suspension bridge accident. Okay, airplane, freeway accident, roller coaster, race track, and now suspension bridge. Looks like they're going backwards instead of forwards for awesome catastrophic events. What's next, a family dinner gone wrong? Like the daughter has a premonition of like a dinner role accidentally getting launched into her dad's throat which cause with to hit a spoon that just happened to have a fork leaned on the end of it, and that launches the fork into her mother's eye and that causes her to fall forward and... okay I don't know how far you could go with that actually. Forget I said anything.

ANTICIPATION LEVEL: SKIP IT

____________________________________________________________________________________________

So there you go! What are you all looking forward to?

Top 50 Albums of 2010

Hello, and welcome to my top 50 albums from this fine year of 2010! It really was a great year for music... I don't think there was one month that went by that didn't have at least one amazing album! There was actually enough great albums out this year to probably make a top 250. But I decided to pick my 50 favorite from this year. Just an FYI: This is my opinion, not yours. I encourage constructive criticism, but if your only criticism is "I's never heard that before where Taylor Swift?" then you don't need to post at all because this isn't what the mass majority considers to be the best albums this year, this is what I consider the best albums this year.

With that out of the way, let's begin, shall we?

50. MGMT- Congratulations

MGMT's third album, and one that divided alot of fans of their first two as this one had more of a mainstream sound than they previously had. I'm on the side that loved it however, and while its no where near as great as their first two albums, it's still a pretty strong outing with some great catchy tunes.

Listen to "Brian Eno" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5O0ex1XSyA

49. Action Action- The Ones Who Get It Are the Ones Who Need Not to Know

Action Action are a synth rock band that are not very well known. They've been around since 2004 and they sound a lot like Tears For Fears. Their third album is probably their most defining work, and with good reason as all signs point to it being their last. I hope that isn't the case, but regardless, this remains a great album by a great band.

Listen to "Electronic Perspective" (unfortunately I wasn't able to find anything from their new album online to listen to, so you'll have to do with one of thier older songs: "Analogue Logic" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVRXY2cZzkg)

48. Jaguar Love- Hologram Jams

Jaguar Love's sophomore release, this time focusing on electronic sound instead of the energy rock themed first album. That doesn't mean there isn't any energy on this album, it's pretty full of it! Johnny Whitney still has his ferocious vocals(sounding honestly alot like a hair metal singer from the 80's, and I mean that in a good way), screeching over the synthesizers that accompany him making a very fun and crazy album.

Listen to "I Started A Fire" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nqq7AF9G00

47. Against Me!- White Crosses

Punk rock has become a lost cause for the most part due to the "emo scene" that happened over the last decade(I mean no offense by using that term, to anyone that might get offended by it... but that was what the music was unfortunately labeled). Most "punk" rock bands are formulatic: get a whiny singer, write some lyrics about how you're girlfriend left you, make a metaphor about how it makes you feel like killing yourself, then get some guys to back you up using the simplest blink-182 like riffs. Against Me!, while still straying into mainstream territory with songs like "I Was A Teenage Anti-Christ", sounds a lot more like the punk rock of yesteryear. Tom Gabel's vocals really make this worth listening to, as even when the band does do a modern radio pop-esque song like "We're Breaking Up", his voice makes you actually want to listen to it instead of sticking an ice pick into your ears like when you listen to a band such as Secondhand Serenade, where the singer sounds like someone kicked him in the balls 200x while he's trying to sing.

Listen to "Spanish Moss" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBV4YY1wCHk

46. LCD Soundsystem- This Is Happening

Listening to LCD Soundsystems newest album is like listening to a sound system on LSD. A majority of the music to me sounds like a huge hybrid of sounds blended together to make up the instrumentals. Not one song sounds the same and sounds like a lot of different genres combined. While the ADD crowd might have a hard time listening to songs that range from 6-8 minutes long, the rest of us can enjoy some really great music.

Listen to "Pow Wow" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRSYU4YSISA

45. Anberlin- Dark Is The Way, Light Is A Place

I don't think Anberlin will ever make something quite like their masterpiece "Cities" from 2007. It was their last album they made before they went mainstream and I really think that it had the most care and effort they could ever put into an album. "New Surrender" was a huge dissapointment, but still pretty decent. This is as close as they will come to getting to that amazing sound they had on "Cities". While a lot of the album consists of ballads, there's the songs like "To The Wolves" and "We Owe This To Ourselves" that have that gritty raw tension that most Anberlin fans are used to. They also have a great ballad that compliments Cities "The Unwinding Cable Car".

In fact, that's the song I want you to listen to "Down" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwAJ7saOcBk

44. Of Montreal- False Priest

Of Montreal returns again with a fun-filled album, this time being all funky! While there are still some of the awesome psychedellic tracks that made them who they are in the first place, most of the album is filled with dancy-rnb numbers. Not a bad thing at all, especially since they did this all the time on their previous albums, this time it's just the main focus!

Listen to "Enemy Gene" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIbd7kMwSek

43. The Young Veins- Take A Vacation!

You a fan of the Beatles? What about The Beach Boys? You should listen to these guys. Coming from two former members of Panic at the Disco, this is surprisingly a very awesome album, and you can tell why the band split due to creative differences. I can tell you right now you really can't tell this was made in 2010 and really does seem like it came straight from the 60's.

Listen to "Everyone But You" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWQcEFDTt-s

42. Sleigh Bells- Treats

Sleigh Bells basically is just a lot of different noises rolled into one big noise with a girl with a pretty voice singing hip-hop like vocals over it. And I love it! There's so much high energy and liveliness in this album, it just makes me want to jump around all over the place!

Listen to "Riot Rhythm" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ld-0na1mpI

41. My Chemical Romance: Danger Days-

While I would have definitely preferred another "The Black Parade" what I got was still a great album. Hoping to abandon the image they have been associated with over the last decade, MCR completely revamp their sound, mostly focusing on an 80's stadium rock sound, yet it still feels like My Chemical Romance all the same.

Listen to "Party Poison" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmw7iJd-TlU

40. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists- The Brutalist Bricks

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists are a rock band that have been around for a while, and are pretty fast paced in terms of pacing in their music, from both lyrics to instrumentals. This is their 6th album, and while I liked Shake the Sheets alot better than this and album before this Living With the Living, this album still rocks my speakers!

Listen to "Mourning in America" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P2IE4izBa0

39. Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Are you surprised? Kanye West actually made my Top 50? How did that happen? Well, by Kanye West not sucking this time and making an album that doesn't rely on freaking auto-tunes and crappy lyrics and more on emotional depth and experimenting with sounds to make this probably the pinnacle of his work.

Listen to "So Appalled" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF0v9gOkocc

38. Brandon Flowers- Flamingo

While I still think this sounds way too much like the Killers, and that there really wasn't a need to go solo if that was what the end result was going to be, the Killers are an awesome band anyway, and anything close to being the Killers is still awesome. The thing that does differentiate this from the killers is the hint of country intertwined between the synth-pop we've come accustomed to from Mr. Flowers.

Listen to "Crossfire" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCEQR-f8u70

37. Two Door Cinema Club- Tourist History

Two Door Cinema Club is a band that will rotate between soft melodies to electronic beats to hard guitar riffs, backed up with very strong vocals from the bands lead singer. They can sound a little poppy, but it's still better than a majority of pop you hear nowadays.

Listen to "This Is The Life" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN5LM55EZKk

36. Matt and Kim- Sidewalks

Matt & Kim feel alot like a pop punk band, but instead of guitars they use synthesizer. They also use a lot of hip hop-like beats for the percussion parts, and couple that with the Depeche Mode/Tears for Fears style vocals, it makes it a very fun and unique experience to listen to and to dance to. The lyrics are fun and simple and are easy to sing along to as well, which should give some accessibility to new listeners.

Listen to "Red Paint" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaYiDZnq2FM

35. The Dead Weather- Sea of Cowards

This is one of Jack White's many bands, who's first album debuted last year, and their follow up is just as good as their first. For those of you who follow Jack White through the White Stripes, this project is a lot more blues-y and psychedelic sounding than The White Stripes, sounding a lot more like The Doors/CCR.

Listen to "Hustle and Cuss" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsNUuMipAAo

and "Jawbreaker" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hPsvZ5RM84

34. She & Him- Volume 2

Zoey Deschanel returns with the second part of her amazing debut album. If you don't know who Zoey Deschanel is, then you need to go watch Elf again and be drawn in by her beautiful voice. While this isn't anywhere near as good as Volume 1, there were still a lot of great songs on this album that are simply just wonderful showcases of how engaging her voice is.

Listen to "Sing" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2kSgWh_8lk

and "Lingering Still" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj45HUNX8Lk

33. Kid Cudi- Man On The Moon II: The Legend of Mr Rager

Rap is slowly making its way to becoming a proper form of music expression again. Kid Cudi proves that by mixing psychedellic sounds with hip hop vocals and singing. There are a lot of cool guest starts on here, including Cee Lo Green and Kanye West.

Listen to "Scott Mescudi vs the World" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYfbOCtOr2U

and "The Mood" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPvo5Vu3TyI

32. Gorillaz- Plastic Beach

Another great foray into the world of hip hop, where experimenting with different types of sounds and music can make it a very worthwhile listen! This is a very different album than their last two albums, but there are still songs on here that are reminders of what their past. While I liked Feel Good, INC alot better than this one, there was definitely alot here to love.

Listen to "Empire Ants" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nX-A061-9k

and "Superfast Jellyfish" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsMrtWAgTnE

31. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Mr Pink provides us with a very excellent experience calling upon different music styles ranging from the 60's to the 80's. I will warn you before hand, all of the music is recorded and mixed in Mr. Pink's bedroom so the sound quality probably will not seem up to par with a lot of the music you usually listen to, but it isn't that noticeable and I can guarantee you will still enjoy it if you're willing to try them out.

Listen to "Bright Lit Blue Skies" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcS0oJwlz_Q

and "Fright Night(Nevermore)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMNPWT6WDJQ

30. Morcheeba- Blood Like Lemonade

At first glance, the name of the band and the title of the album would make you think this is some vampire-esque metal band. On the contrary, it is quite the opposite. It is a very immersive soul album that really sucks you in as you're listening to beautiful voice of Skye Edwards. I highly recommend it, even if you don't particularly enjoy soul... her voice is worth it alone.

Listen to "Blood Like Lemonade" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyRxTTegjXM

and "Recipe for Disaster" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YduTNnrNElA

29. Girl Talk- All Day

I had some debates with myself to include this on my top 50 list, as it isn't technically an album, and more of just a lot of mash ups. I decided to go ahead and put it on here though because it is probably one of the best mash up bands you will ever here. There are so many different awesome songs mixed together ranging from "Blue Oyster Cult" to "Lady Gaga" to "The Arcade Fire".

Listen to "Steady Shock" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1pd69r1Il8

and "Make Me Wanna" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DBmMoW5lSs

28. The Hold Steady- Heaven Is Whenever

The Hold Steady is a very fun and energetic rock band that usually will incorporate small stories into their songs in spoken word form. This is their 5th album since their inception in 2004, and probably one of my favorite albums by them. Think of their sound as classic rock with a modern take on it.

Listen to "Our Whole Lives" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QqKM9zgZIQ

and "Hurricane J" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG4ABgTuCqA

27. Animal Collective- ODDSAC Soundtrack

This is meant to be a visual album, and I highly recommend listening to it with the visuals otherwise there may be a few tracks that confuse you and may even creep you out a little. There's a lot of ambient tracks here and not very much in the vocal department but it's meant to be that way for the sake of the film. You can download the audio and listen to it just the same, but I'm telling you it isn't the same without the visuals.

Listen to "Kindle Song"

and "Screens"

No videos were available for those...

26. Tokyo Police Club- Champ

Tokyo Police Club's second studio album is a rock album that transitions between slow steady melodies to really catchy and fun. Each track really draws you in between the amazing instrumentals and Dave Monks' captivating vocals.

Listen to "Bambi" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smqNtBXN5Mc

and "Big Difference" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX2lmH7T7GU

25. Spoon- Transference

Spoon's seventh album, and while it's not their most innovative album to date, it's more of a return to some of their more classic sound from the beginning of their career. Their last album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, had a lot more energy and exploration, but Transference is a little more moody and softer. Not a bad thing at all, and it still makes it one of their best albums to date.

Listen to "Mystery Zone" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUJKOYTe2h8

"Written in Reverse" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZn1_EyQMlw

and "Got Nuffin" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Q9zngV52U

24. The Apples In Stereo- Travelers Through Space and Time

The Apples In Stereo, like Of Montreal, have always been a throwback to 60's psychedelic music, usually writing very positive and uplifting lyrics. This time, they have chosen to do a throwback to 70's funk while still incorporating psychedelic riffs into the mix as well. While you could compare previous works by them to "The Beatles", this album is more comparable to "Electric Light Orchestra", while still feeling like it belongs in the Apples catalog.

Listen to "Hey Elevator" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRwOdOs_mhY

"It's All Right" no video

"No Vacation" no video

23. Born Ruffians- Say It

Born Ruffians sophomore release, and while it's no where near as great as their debut album "Red, Yellow, and Blue", the Ruffians decided to take a simpler and more softer tone this time around and the results are definitely worth it, creating a very uplifting and chillworthy album.

Listen to "Sole Brother" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ThzywBwVRk

"What To Say" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chnxxRj5nJ8&feature=related

and "At Home Now" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr50K93YODA

22. Cee Lo Green- The Lady Killer

"The Lady Killer" focuses alot on lyrics about love and night life in the city, but Cee Lo sings those lyrics with such energy and power it makes those two cliches seem new again. The music here ranges from upbeat and fun ("Fuck You"), to slow soul("Old Fashioned") and makes it quite possibly the best rnb album I have ever heard. You would be a fool to miss this one.

Listen to "Fuck You", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAV0XrbEwNc

"Cry Baby" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSDknLMfrbk

and "Old Fashioned" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7iCa8Rsnjw

21. Broken Social Scene- Forgiveness Rock Record

Broken Social Scene is a band that can range anywhere from 6 to 16 members playing at a time. This time around(their 4th time around to be exact) we have special guests from Emily Haines(of Metric) and Sebastien Grainger(of Death from Above 1979) making this a very wonderful listening experience. The songs range from slow pace, to fast paced, to steady paced never seeming out of place at all. A lot of different instruments and song structures are used here to make this one hell of an album.

Listen to "Texico Bitches", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQr4E2NEWz0

"Art House Director" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b2P6_tyZnA

and "Ungrateful Little Father" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn1WjSyHwZk

20. Minus the Bear- OMNI

Minus the Bear is an alternative rock band that mixes cosmic rhythms and 70's groove into the mix. Their sound gravitates from steady, to soft, to all out rock. There's even a techno-like trance song on there as well that at first listen might seem out of place compared to the rest of the record, but when you listen to the record in full it fits in perfectly. While some may consider this a more mainstream album than their previous records, I feel this is one of their defining works and a true evolution of them as artists.

Listen to "Summer Angel", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzXN8ytoSJo

"Secret Country" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4-JlFFc514

"Dayglow Vista Road" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTEJLnwWd38

19. Ben Folds and Nick Hornby- Lonely Avenue

Ben Folds returns with a very interesting and fun album, mixing alot of different sounds together, all the while still retaining Mr. Folds piano skills. The lyrics were penned by a novelist named Nick Hornby who's bibliography includes such novels as High Fidelity, About a Boy, and A Long Way Down. Ben does a great job at creating some amazing music to go along with Hornby's amazing lyrics, which are especially evident in such songs as "Picture Window" and "Your Dogs". Ben as always, does a fantastic job at showcasing how talented he is as both a vocalist and a pianist.

Listen to "Picture Window" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz964tpwBbo

"Doc Pomus" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dPFrS_4puI

and "From "Above" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlQ1xxpMmNE

18. Eels- Tomorrow Morning

The third part in The Eels "trilogy" of albums that started last year with Hombre Lobo(with the theme of love), continued earlier this year with End Times(with the theme of loss), and now ends with Tomorrow Morning(this being the theme of redemption). All three albums have been nothing short of amazing, but this one I think Mark Everett outdid himself. This is just one of those albums you can listen to when you feel down and it just lifts you right up. I recommend all three of these albums to anyone who is going through a tough time, and I assure you will not be dissapointed with the results, especailly with Tomorrow Morning.

Listen to "Baby Loves Me", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HqEMFQptl0

"Spectacular Girl", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzW4HsGWjQA

"Swimming Lesson" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjrl93pQ_Dw

17. Belle and Sebastian- Belle and Sebastian Write About Love

Oh how this band never ceases to amaze me with their songwriting. Even when they're writing about one of the biggest cliche's in songwriting, they make it extravagantly captivating, and that's coupled with the amazing instrumentals that go along with the vocals. Even if you have never listened to Belle and Sebastian before(you are missing out on a great duo), you will not be disappointed after listening.

Listen to "I Want The World To Stop", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgtR3DAHj5E

"Write About Love", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdOD1HSeDNM&feature=related

and "I Can See Your Future" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPoCNHDqO84&feature=related

16. 180º South Soundtrack

A friend of mine recommended me both this soundtrack and the documentary it's based off of. The documentary is definitely a very inspiring story, and I will definitely be covering it in my film overviews soon enough. Ugly Cassanova did a lot of the score for the soundtrack, whether it be just instrumentals or adding in vocals as well. We also have other artists such as Mason Jennings, James Mercer, and even Jack Johnson!

Listen to "Machines" by Mason Jennings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGMbvV71HPk

"Here's To Now" by Ugly Cassanova http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVHxMn8trOk

and "Coconut Flakes" by Love as Laughter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiwCGZMEPpA

15. The New Pornographers- Together

The New Pornographers decide to take a foray into a more power pop induced album this time around, and while it's no "Twin Cinemas", we get a very vibrant album from the Pornographers. If you've never heard of them before, let me give you a little example of what you might expect. Their name comes from back in the 60's when rock and roll was considered a new type of pornography. Basically that means, that their sound is more of a modern take on rock and roll from the 60's and 70's. If you like that kind of music, you will enjoy this.

Listen to "Crash Years", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KZANuDcRO4

"Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVrh9uxc7_8

and "Valkyrie In The Roller Disco" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7diX7eExL8

14. Jenny and Johnny- I'm Having Fun Now

This is Jenny Lewis' new project with her boyfriend Jonathan Rice, and together they make a sound that should make people do a happy dance! I really liked the pacing of the songs on the album, where songs like "Knowledge of Good and Evil" and "As a Sprout" are alot more catchy and fun, there are other songs such as "Really Very Small" and "Wild Is the Wind" that are alot slower and pretty. "Wild Is the Wind" is especially captivating, due to its dream like nature(which judging from the lyrics, was probably intended). As the title suggests, this is a very fun album to listen to.

Listen to "Little Fly",

"Chacarera",

and "As A Sprout"

No videos...

13. The Black Keys- Brothers

A very blues-y album calling upon the rock of old- Led Zepplin, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Dylan, etc.- and if you're a fan of any of those bands you are definitely in for a treat. What I really loved about this is that you really feel like this could have been produced back in the 60's as it really does sound like it came straight out of that era! Now having said that, that does mean the sound quality isn't going to sound crystal clear, but it was meant to sound that way, so you audiophiles can shh.

Listen to "Howling For You", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpxbWoDhVxw

"Too Afraid To Love You", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZSbB8G0A6w

and"I'm Not The One" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XbcsUremO4

12. Blue Giant- Blue Giant

Blue Giant is definitely one of the best imitations of the classic country of yesteryear mixing in some pretty psychedelic sounds all over the place creating a really awesome album, which is pretty awesome considering it's their debut. Sometimes there's more of a country overtone and then other times there's more of a Beatles-esque overtone.

Listen to "Blue Sunshine", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k3YHGVhxAg

"Go On", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYovQO8GFlk

"The Void Above The Sky" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-24qZ-wSzA

11. Wolf Parade- Expo 86

Wolf Parade are a pretty fun and very Modest Mouse-type band that consists of members from other high prolific bands(see wikipedia for reference). This is their third album, and while most people say that the third album is the one that defines your sound as a whole, I don't see that happening with this band. I feel that they're going to evolve even more as time goes on and that's a good thing. If you like bands like Modest Mouse, you will definitely enjoy these guys.

Listen to "What Did My Lover Say", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quLhxVrCZoo&feature=fvst

"Ghost Pressure", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv_nkVC4yH8and "Yulia" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQgqNwfMDYk

10. Scott Pilgrim VS The World Soundtrack

Oh wow! A good soundtrack to a really awesome movie! Some of the bands on here are fictional, such as Sex Bob-Omb, which is actually none other than Beck. Alot of the songs were picked by Bryan Lee O'Malley, the author of the graphic novel series, such as "Scott Pilgrim" by Plumtree, which is actually, according to O'Malley, the inspiration for the story. There's some pretty cool things thrown in there too such as intros from the movie itself and an 8-bit music version of "Threshold" by Sex Bob-Omb(Beck). If you havn't seen this movie yet you need to see it, and then get this soundtrack. Cause it's fuckin' Scott Pilgrim!

Listen to "Scott Pilgrim" by Plumtree, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaxuDUcu55M

"Threshold" by Sex Bob-Omb(Beck), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AirZDtIMTM

"Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl" by Broken Social Scene, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl3PyTqsc5c

and "Ramona" by Beck http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmE9CCZXXaU

9. Kathryn Calder- Are You My Mother?

Kathryn Calder of The New Pornographers' solo project, and it's just as good as anything she did for The NP. It doesn't have the classic rock vibe that New Porn does, but her voice is still just as extravagant as ever, and it rings over a variety of different sounds ranging from slow to fast. I hope she does more solo projects in the future because this was definitely a treat to listen to.

Listen to "Low",(no video)

"If You Only Knew", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wodytj3OrS4

"Down The River",(no video)

and "So Easily" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccQ94y-VJuM

8. Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin- Let It Sway

After a rather disastrous sophomore attempt, SSLYBY return to form with "Let It Sway". If you love rock from the 90's, this is definitely something you will enjoy. Their lyrics are very positive and upbeat and just make you feel good while listening to them. A cool little FYI this band originates from Springfield, MO so you should do your damndest to support them!

Listen to "Sink/Let It Sway", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0SEzcA8rdY

"My Terrible Personality", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuC8roSj32s

"Critical Drain", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vGd5Sneq88

and "Phantomwise" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfJDWCB-PPU

7. Band of Horses- Infinite Arms

This is Band of Horses third album, but according to band leader Ben Bridwell, he considers it technically to be the first "true" BoH album as its the first time the permanent line-up has come together to create something. And create something they have! If you like bands such as Flaming Lips and My Morning Jacket, then you will absolutely love these guys! They definitely have a hint of country to them- and not the crappy country on the radio- and a lot of their songs have a very calming atmosphere to them. Very great album, and I hope you give them a chance if you haven't heard of them before.

Listen to "Compliments", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPYIwZfga94

"On My Way Back Home", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmfqeXznNuU

"Dilly", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpRtY4aHReQ

"Older" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xLatHZlwQU

6. Electric President- The Violent Blue

This year, Electric President created an album that takes you away into a dreamlike state, where you stay until the final track hits its last note. I don't think there was one song on this album that I did not like, and thats sometimes very rare to find in most albums nowadays. The tracks range from ambient and quiet to a little more upbeat and swingy.

Listen to "Mr Gone", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V0U2UisuwQ

"Feathers", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fSurcF0Qp8

"Circles", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz16EnSuQMk

and "Eat Shit and Die" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tk7b27jVsE

5. Kate Nash- My Best Friend Is You

Kate Nash is a very energetic british pop singer, who can best be compared to Lilly Allen, only she's a lot better than Lilly Allen. Her lyrics are very dark and sarcastic and fun, yet she can also be very inspirational as well on songs like "Don't You Want To Share The Guilt" where she goes into a spoken word schpeel about all the things she wants to do with her life. It's just such a fun and beautiful album, and I doubt you will not like at least something that this album has to offer.

Listen to "Paris",

"You Want To Share The Guilt ",

"Do-Wah-Doo",

"Take Me To A Higher Plane",

and "Early Christmas Present"

No videos :/

this album covers kind of hard to see but if you can make it out its a pretty beautiful album cover!

4. Beach House- Teen Dream

Like the album title suggests, this album is very dream like in substance. I can lay in bed and put it in and all these images start coming into my mind and I feel like I'm floating. Compared to their last two albums, I would definitely say that this is their most accessible. That's not to say that their last two albums were bad, not at all... in fact I prefer Devotion to this album, but for most people I just feel there's a more engaging feel to this album, especially the feeling of being young again which is what the theme of this album is.

Listen to "Silver Soul", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIGvqxN--aY

"Used To Be", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgdPXp5phNY

"Lover of Mine" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw5hkqTiAPI

and "Ten Mile Stereo" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-rYQRxzaJM

3. Drivemouth- Pink & Blue

This is an album from a member of a forum I visit quite frequently(3dmm.com- a website dedicated to a now 15 year old kids program called 3d Movie Maker)- Tom Breed. He does everything for this band, with the exception of the female vocals, by recording everything seperately and then overlaying everything later. You can download the album (legally) for free at this website, http://drivemouth.bandcamp.com/

Listen to "The End of the Beginning",

"Snares and Stripes",

"Home Cooking",

"Pillows and Stuff"

all songs can be listened on the website I provided

2. Sufjan Stevens- The Age of Adz

This is Sufjan Stevens first music album since 2005, and what return! There is just so much to this album, so much depth and care, that it just seeps with amazing. The one thing that will put a lot of listeners off, and it really shouldn't but people are impatient, is that the closing track is 25 minutes long. It is the best song on the album, however, and you just get so immersed into it that you don't even realize how long it is until after you're finished with it. Sure the ADD induced won't give it a chance, but I hope that others will. Get this album!

Listen to "Too Much", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0g7R3xqdcM

"Get Real Get Right" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jVPaaTlhHg

"Vesuvius", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTsDcjHj54M

and "Impossible Soul" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6sJCkcKiSI (PT 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6sJCkcKiSI(PT 2)

1. Justin Bieber- My World 2.0

Justin Bieber debuted this year with her new CD My World 2.0 and it is probably one of the greatest albums I've ever heard! I mean seriously... she just knows how to sing about all the things going on in her life and seems to have gone through a lot, especially to justify her claim that she's the Kurt Cobain of this generation. Oh by the way, in case you havn't noticed I'm bullshitting you. Also, yes I'm aware that Justin Bieber is a dude, but he might as well be a chick.

Okay funs over, now for my real number 1:

1. The Arcade Fire- The Suburbs

You all saw it coming, this is definitely my number 1 album this year. While I still think the theme of this album isn't as strong their previous albums such as death and religion, there is a lot of depth to what this album is all about, and it's the growing fear of what the future holds for the youth of the future. The opening song sings the following: "So can you understand?/ Why I want a daughter while I'm still young/ I wanna hold her hand/ And show her some beauty/ Before this damage is done". Our world is growing more and more disastrous as time goes on, and it's a sad thing to see happen, especially when you see the reminder of the simpler times being destroyed almost every day. While the theme of the album isn't as huge as death or religion, the more I listen to this album I've come to the conclusion that this is probably their best album, beating out, yes, even Funerals. This will remain a classic album for me for many times to come, if anything to remind me in my later years, if things continue the way they have been, that there was once a better time.

Listen to "The Suburbs", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAitZuh4ueg

"Ready To Start", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvokOD-EnMw

"Modern Man", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gxAYuiqOEU

"Empty Room", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJIilmx-wGI

"Half Light II(No Celebration)", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhWliEQRTFg

"Suburban War", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNdqoQWz34E

"Deep Blue", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDIRT_NEMxo

"Sprawl II(Mountains Beyond Mountains)" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH_7_XRfTMs