Archive for May, 2010

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Back in July of last year, one of my entries was dedicated to singer/songwriter Tamar Kaprelian, after discovering her music and falling in love.

Now, almost a year later, Tamar has dropped the official music video for her single New Day. And like the majority of her music, it’s beautiful.

On the positive message behind the song Tamar says: “It’s about struggling, persevering, and being in a situation where you don’t know how you’re gonna dig yourself out of it. And at the end of it, life is like a road—you don’t stop in the middle of it. I really want people to listen to this record and get a sense of hope from it.”

The song is taken from Tamar’s debut album, Sinner Or A Saint, due out later this summer on Interscope Records. Check it!

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

This kid knocks it out of the park!

Sixth-grader Greyson Michael Chance recently rocked his middle school with a performance of GaGa’s Paparazzi that has the internet buzzing and many saying it outshines the original. The viral video has a few million hits (and counting).

Now, many of you may have already seen this kid but for all of you have yet to witness his genius, I knew I had to post for everyone to soak up the awesomeness that is his version of Paparazzi. What is great about his spin on the song is that it’s meshed in a way that makes the song have an actual emotional reaction.

According to his YouTube page, he apparently loves Augustana (a favorite of ours). The kid is mega-talented and clearly has good taste. Give it a few years kid, and I am sure you will be on your way.

Watch Greyson’s appearence on Ellen plus the original viral performance, below.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Although not as big as The Rolling Stones, Green Day really Rips This Joint. I witnessed this go down on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where they kicked off a week of special performances devoted to celebrating the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street reissue. Green Day popped the cork of the festivities with an amped up take on Rip This Joint.

The frenzied “Joint” is definitely the most punk rock song on Exile, and the trio gave the song a superfluous dose of batter and velocity, that in my opinion, took flight. Billie Joe Armstrong did a great job of keeping up with Mick Jagger’s original pulse, for he is a hard act to compete with. It seemed as if the boys had been singing the Stone’s for years.

In other news, both Green Day and The Rolling Stones are vying for the title of the greatest band logo of all time in a Gigwise poll.

It’s cool that television is recognizing timeless acts with devotion. Green Day are perhaps the concept of full-size time rockers having something to say about the world, and watching them cover other views is quite gripping. Whether a fan of The Stones, Green Day, Jimmy Fallon, or none of the above, it’s a cool vibe for all. A faithful performance in all detail, down to the lyrics we still can’t completely make out. ’Round and ’round and ’round we go.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

There’s just something about Drake.

Drake (for whatever reasons) has always held my attention. Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s different in the hip hop world, you know, being a Jewish black boy and all. Yes, his differences make him refreshing but I think it’s more than that–I think underneath I can see his true colors and I’m getting the vibe that he’s a total nerd at heart (and who doesn’t love a hot nerd?). Hell, he even admitted his affection for Taylor Swift earlier this year. Yep, sounds like a boy you could bring home to the rents (don’t let that whole “I’m a rapper” thing fool ya).

All playfulness aside, the dude has charisma, is incredibly talented, and from what I’ve seen in interviews, also incredibly humble. Talent and humility are always sexy in my book.

Drake recently launched the video for his second single Find Your Love co-produced by Kanye West and I must say, it’s fantastic. Directed by Anthony Mandler, the video was filmed in Kingston, Jamaica and stars dancehall artist Movado.

In an interview with MTV News Drake said that he felt the song should have been performed by a woman, stating: “Find Your Love is an extremely vulnerable song. And it’s actually a huge risk. It almost feels like the song should be performed by a woman. I’m just hoping that men really hear the song and they’re honest with themselves. I know a lot of men feel that way.” <--So men can't sing vulnerable songs? Shut up Drake, we all know you're a teddybear on the inside.

Drake went on to tell MTV News: “We went to Kingston, we went to this ‘hood. They call it the ‘gully’ side. It’s bad out there, real bad. They had ‘Young Money’ sprayed on the gates, ‘Drake and Wayne,’ ’cause I came to shoot the video out there. I’m talking about you drive by people’s homes, they had ‘Drake,’ ‘Young Money,’ ‘Drake, Welcome Here,’ ‘Drake We Love You’ — crazy sh–, man. It was so crazy. This dude was like, ‘Original Weezy tha God! You tha boss! Weezy tha God!’ It’s crazy. They love us, ’cause we show love out there.”

The video is epic. Check it!

[Note: For mature audiences, NSFW]

Drake – New Music – More Music Videos

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Whew! That’s a mouthful.

May 6th was quite a day for me. I had been working on a project and was hoping it would see the light of day and in the midst of it all, I forgot what the day meant for me. May 6th is my anniversary of giving up the bottle, marking two years of life lived without alcohol.

Now, don’t worry, I’m not going to get too preachy. I just wanted to write a more journal style entry (which I don’t often do) to get a few things off my chest (while of course keeping with the theme of BTB, which is music).

For the record: I did not have a Courtney Love rehab moment, nor did I wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy brushing my teeth with a bottle of Jack. But it could’ve happened at the rate I was going…

Without going into extremely personal territory or depth, I simply felt that alcohol was a distraction for me and wanted to refocus my energy. I also wanted to get fit and to be as healthy as possible. With that being said, the first couple of months without drinking were really weird. Like super weird actually. If you’ve ever gone to a bar/club drinking only seltzer water/Shirley Temples you may know what I mean when I say this. The most sobering thing I experienced was going to a place I would normally go to drunk and seeing it for what it truly was and what I saw was not all that cool (like I had imagined) to begin with.

A huge lesson I’ve learned from this is that if you’re used to drinking til’ you can’t feel your face, give it up for a month or so and I promise you, you’ll quickly find out who your real friends are. Drinking often gives the illusion that you are super connected to these buddies that you get wasted with, but when the lights come on and the music ends and you drop the bottle, you realize that some of those connections are true but most are pretty surface. Alcohol may give you confidence to feel more comfortable on the outside — around people — but it will never give you the confidence to feel comfortable within yourself.

I know, I know — what does this have to do with you or music. I just wanted to make a statement (to anyone, but specifically teens/young adults who feel pressured into drinking to fit social norms) to say that you shouldn’t give in if it’s something you do not want to do. It will not make your problems disappear and it will not make you a better person. If drinking is something you want to try, then try it but do it responsibly. Because I know from experience how messy a freakin’ bottle of Jack can be (no wonder Ke$ha thinks her name is spelled with a dollar sign instead of an “s”).

Besides social pressure (along with numerous other variables), chaos & heartbreak are also major reasons behind heavy drinking, which leads me to the MIA JoJo, who has had a hard time with finding stability at a label the past couple of years. Talk about the need for tequila! I kid.

In late 2009 she signed with Interscope Records and began working with Chad Hugo, Pharell Williams, Jim Beanz, and Timbaland (among others). The first single is slated to be released this summer, but I won’t hold my breath, as her label keeps going back and forth. I hardly ever listen to the radio but when I do, I wouldn’t mind JoJo thrown into the mix. Afterall, the girl’s got chops and usually sings about things that aren’t shallow as crap. Plus, the song you’re about to hear is pop perfection and reaffirms the reasoning behind why I could use a new JoJo record.

I guess this long ass post can be summed up by saying — We’re often told to forget, to forgive, and to move on from pain, tests, and heartbreak but my motto is this: HOLD ONTO IT and USE IT to better yourself. And if you decide to be a sloppy hot mess, do it by mistake, not because someone pressured you, you think it will make you more confident, fix your issues, or because you think it’s the “cool” thing to do. The always cool thing to do is to be your own person and to follow your own damn route.

Much love, everyone. And thank you for supporting BTB, I truly appreciate it.

Aiiight, I’m done!

Check out a leaked track from JoJo’s new unreleased record, below.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

My inner teenager constantly has me reminiscing back to the days when Gin Blossoms, Counting Crowes, Vertical Horizon, and Train were fluent names on the charts. Ashamed to admit you love it, too? Don’t be; good music is timeless. 90’s bands are resurfacing, and Tonic is the latest act to do so, and the time is right. Don’t call it comeback…but more like reconnecting with an aged pal after a long hiatus. New self-titled release shows that the guys have not forgotten their roots, while making it a main-stay on your playlist.

They’ve mellowed a bit from their electrified shock beginnings, and Tonic is their most unified album to date. Song Release Me reveals how they are ready to be back in the spotlight, “Come and release me, I want to know where the deepest parts of life will go,” This cd helps the mission. It drops as if they’ve never left. Constant change is the premises of the music business, but that hasn’t fazed Tonic from doing it again.

Six Top 10 singles. Over 4 million records sold. Grammy nominations, platinum albums, abundant awards and hit songs around the world, Tonic is back, and more carbonated than ever. Merging the raw honesty of rock to unabashed melody…and ushering rock n roll into a new time period. Check out this effortless cohesion with which they play on these distinctive new songs, for it’s a treat for Tonic fans. After all, if you could only see, the way, they love us, may be you would understand.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Girl can saaang!

A lil backstory: Charice was born in the Philippines where she and her little brother were raised solely by their mother, who left their father when Charice was only three years old due to domestic violence. To help support her struggling family, she began to compete in amateur singing contests at the ripe old age of seven. But it wasn’t until years later, in 2007 that Charice would gain worldwide recognition after an avid supporter began to post videos of her live performances onto YouTube where the videos went on to receive millions and millions of hits. And the rest as they say is history.

Vocally she’s been compared with Whitney Houston and Celine Dion. Her self-titled international debut album with Warner Records label is scheduled for a May 11, 2010 release.

Check out the music video for Pyramid ft. Iyaz, below.

Charice – New Music – More Music Videos

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Look out, plastic pop princesses. Esther O’Connor can knock you into the next millennium without even stressing her vocals. Hailing from Scotland, this is a full-service, fully poetic, exceptionally gifted woman. Not only does she run her own record label with her husband, but she creates spellbinding music that can easily pass over oceans.

When I stumbled across her music, I felt like I came across gold. Each song is delicately arranged, dipped in a coating that spikes your heart with a gentle meditative trance. Her voice is melodious and crooning, and her lyrics are stuck in poignancy. It all has a naturally soothing air to it- the perfect accompaniment to a breezy day of soaking in nature or contemplating days gone by.

Out with two albums and tweeting about a third, Esther was literally born into a musical atmosphere. Her father was bassist for the Wet Wet Wets, and her mother is into writing lyrics.

But you can’t chock up all her talent to genetics. Her music carries inspiration from classic 60’s and 70’s singers, but is tweaked for the modern generation, and she manages to express the most extreme of emotions in a packaging of subtle simplicity.

You know how music, and being surrounded by people who love it, can have a supreme affect on you? When you’re in a room full of slaves to the beat, nothing else is quite as real. Anything not belonging to the world of harmonies becomes less solid. These tried and true music junkies are just the kind of people Esther’s music caters to.

In her bold, emerald-coloured eyes, one can sense a mark of true poetry, of soulfulness, of spirit. In one verse, she has more depth than a washed out celebrity singer can have in an entire album. Sometimes she’s rock, sometimes she’s folk, but her ingenuity is constant.

Esther’s voice is sensual and soft, paired with maturity and experience, and her music matches it. Everything about her has made it clear that she’s got something to sing about.

You can watch the music video for her song Lost Innocence below.
　

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Meshing the funk of blues, soul and old school rock from the sixties and early seventies, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals stick out like a sore thumb. I recently stumbled upon this music video for Tiny Light and instantly fell in love. The video is beautifully shot, gorgeous in a raw epic setting with a vintage feel to the lens.

And man! Just wait until you reach the 2:48 mark, the note Grace hits is OOC (out of control)! Girl’s got made pipes, I’m talking Aguilera level. And what a surprise that was — the video at first, same as the song, takes on a more mellow soulful vibe but the last two minutes are nothing but chaotic rock n’ roll, Janis Joplin reincarnated with a flare all their own.

The art direction, the song, the cinematography, it’s all on point and it’s all working pure magic for this band, which you must check out!

Check out the beautifully shot video for Tiny Light, below.

By: Caitlin Hoffman
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

They’ve spun up deliberate rock anthems, tear-choking love songs, and bubblegum punk melodies that can keep the party going all summer. Hedley has vigorously explored different musical corners, and done it with style. Upon getting acquainted with their 2009 album The Show Must Go, I’ve found myself harnessed by Hedley’s continuous flavour and animation. If I’m looking for a cd to listen to when the sun is shining and energy is humming in me, this is the album I’m going to choose.

In their latest album, Hedley continues to exhibit their cheeky flair of an attitude, yet some of the songs still have soulfully romantic components. From twisted relationships to good times with friends to corporate hypocrisy, Hedley covers all the bases. Each album always has at least one song bursting with sensitivity, and at least one song that serves the urge to rock.

You might think that this album is just a new piece to their old routine, but this time, they’re taking their pop punk roots to heart while freely embellishing with some electronic inputs (a mating of genres that seems to be common these days). Even though they’re playing in the dance-music lane, they still stick true to their lovable nature, energetic stage presence and succulent lyrical content.

Jacob Hoggard’s vocals once again engage the listener in their versatility, proving that his start in Canadian Idol certainly hasn’t diminished his talent, nor fashioned him to be a sellout.

On the contrary, it seems if anything he lashes out at the way he made his start, and even makes fun of it in their music video for Cha Ching. In fact, the entire video is all about mocking the modern world of music and reality tv, cleverly exhibiting how every show contestant and celebrity wannabe is just a pawn to the businessmen that dictate the industry.

Hedley is snappy, opinionated and riotous, with attitudes and personas that cater to the fun-loving freak in all of us. It seems that The Show Must Go has been elected to be my summer soundtrack. Give it a listen, and it may become yours too.

Check out the aforementioned music video for Cha Ching below.
　

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Paramore frontrunner Hayley Williams recently covered the smash Bad Romance in a whole new light, and I must say, it’s the bomb. She’s more famous than peanut butter, and this video makes her look like an ordinary girl, yearnin’ for her vocals to be heard. I love a good remake, and this is so damn good!

I’m not here to praise the chick, we all know how great she is…just to provide you an awesome rendition of a smash hit. Hayley stated in an interview she loves the song, so hell, if ya like than you shoulda put a twist on it (Beyonce plug, holla). It’s scary beautiful; it’s raw, it’s uncut, and most importantly, it’s real. The firey-haired ball of energy has given me a new interpretation of the song. Paramore is a pop-punk flavored bank, and it’s nice to see the softer side.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Hey y’all, Miley’s got news for ya: she’s no longer a tween wearing a bad wig. She’s a big girl now, who is a full-feathered peacock!

I’m only playing…kinda sorta. I’m a fan of Miley and I have no shame in saying that but when I first watched this video I literally said: WTF? The approach for the video was taken extremely literal as Miley emerges as Avis Cyrus (a diva-like cockatoo). And of course, she’s in a damn cage since the song is Can’t Be Tamed! Get it?! A bird in a cage since the song is about being tamed?! How clever. It’s such a thought-provoking piece of breathtaking art.

NOT.

But what it is though, is pure entertainment. And this is mainstream pop we’re talking about, so thought-provoking can be thrown out the window. The video is fun nonetheless and definitely interesting with great choreography.

What are your thoughts on Miley’s new video? Is it age appropriate? Do you love it? Hate it? Think it should be in a cage hidden in the mountains of Southeast Asia? Sound off!

Check out Avis Cyrus in full wingspread glory, below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

THIS IS SICK! And no, not cool sick but literally SICK!

Ok I’ll admit it, PETA can sometimes get on my last nerve. With that being said, this has nothing to directly do with PETA but it does have to do with unneccessary cruelty towards everyone’s favorite mammals: the gay sharks (aka dolphins). So when I see things like this, it helps me to better understand and respect all those who battle to protect the rights of animals (yes, even the often borderline crazies from PETA). But when I saw what you’re about to see, I felt a sense of anger and shock and sadness that is probably what most animal rights activists feel on a regular basis (IE no wonder organizations come off as nutjobs sometimes, I mean, wouldn’t you?!).

A few good celebs (including BTB favorite Jason Mraz) have come together to help the creators of the award-winning documentary The Cove encourage people to support the end to dolphin slaughter and dolphin captivity in the new PSA My Friend Is…

The Cove is a documentary that exposes the slaughter of more than 20,000 dolphins off the coast of Japan every year, and how their meat, containing toxic mercury levels, is being sold as food in Japan and Asia, often labeled as whale meat. The majority of the world is not even aware that this brutality is happening.

Close to a million people have signed on to the campaign, but the fight has just begun. The stupid murderers (oops, I mean fisherman) are getting rattled by the focus of the petition, but haven’t stopped the killings.

Please sign the campaign here.

You can watch the heartwarming (yet eye-opening) PSA, below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Oh Betty, how we love thee.

“I’m thrilled to hear he’s going to be on the show because he’s the hottest thing since sliced bread, but I certainly enjoy him. I hope we’ll get along well,” White told reporters about her upcoming SNL appearance (with musical guest Jay-Z). “Yes, [I have listened to his music]…I have no idea [if we'll work together]! But I’m game to try anything. This is an adventure!”

Perhaps Betty can bring out her inner Beyonce and do a little diddy with the rapper? Any ideas? Let’s just hope they don’t throw her in a black bikini and make her do the Single Ladies dance. Not that it wouldn’t be awesome but it’s been done way too much. Either way, whatever SNL creates for Betty, I’m sure will be great TV.

Until SNL airs this weekend, you can check out Jay performing Young Forever (at Coachella) with wifey BK, below.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Bullet for My Valentine’s new album Fever is fire; after all bullets go deeper when they’re smooth. Fever seems to pick up exactly where Bullet’s last effort left off; also providing me with the hardcore melodies I had been searching for. I was eagerly anticipating this album for months, and it was worth the wait. Like most of their work, it’s heavy yet calms down throughout, leaving a great balance for the listener. Still, it’s raucous enough to make your friends concerned for your ears. But shit, that’s the point of music, isn’t it?

Welsh thrash/metal-core rockers have sold tons of albums from the start, and will continue to do so with this one. Many are opposed and deaf to heavy music, feeling as if it shouldn’t be a genre. Song Your Betrayal is heavy and committed, stating “I was told to stay away; those two words I can’t obey”. We’re glad they can’t, kicking off the album with a colossal chugging-guitar and drum-pounding combo. The band’s melodies and noise are modified for a radio and arena audience.

Other noteworthy tunes are A Place Where You Belong, a contagious power ballad, as is Bittersweet Memories. Bullet for My Valentine are a love ‘em or hate ‘em kind of act, and we will lean towards love. The songs pour together well, and the pacing is refreshingly odd. It seems to run fast, slow, repeat. I hear it in a constructive light, for it leaves a notion of something for everyone.

Check out this album, for it will further push the group into the metal spotlight. If you’re not into the heavy shiz, don’t judge them instantaneously; with as much as they have put into this CD they deserve the attention they hunger for. One cannot run faster than a bullet, so let the boys prevail.