Pop Reject » pop

Drake’s had it with these motherfucking snakes on the motherfucking screen!

Michelle — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:59:50 +0000

Lately, whenever I encounter hip hop fans I find myself asking… “So wait, do you LIKE Drake?”

That’s because I simply can’t comprehend his overnight transformation from Jimmy the cripple in Canadian tween franchise Degrassi into Drake the totally legit international hip hop/R&B sensation. His debut is due out this June, though he’s been the thug to watch ever since signing to Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint last summer. You’d think being a filthy rich child star from Toronto would make you damaged goods in the hard knocks world of hip hop. Anyway, he’s got a new video for the single “Over” and that’s what I’m here to talk about.

Save for a couple quick shots of girls (“Who the fuck are ya’ll?”), “Over” is pretty much all Drake all the time (“I’m doin’ me”). Well, Drake, and laser beams, flashy lights and projected footage of busting people, traffic, fire, snakes and Drakes! “Over” is a different side of Drake, and, to borrow the tagline of Degrassi, it’s 100% intense! It’s quite the opposite of “Best I Ever Had” in which Drake coaches a jiggly basketball team called Team Drake which I’m pretty sure doesn’t exist but I don’t follow the WNBA. He may still be that coach in “Over” but it seems after a long day of objectifying women, he’s staying in tonight, just sitting on the edge of his bed rapping and showing off some moody facial expressions. Maybe he’s bummin’ cause Team Drake lost a big game… which is to be expected, really, from a team of busty broads banned from wearing bras, right?

Fefe Dobson Returns with Joy

Michelle — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:12:53 +0000

Call it a comeback or call it coming full circle, Fefe Dobson’s sophomore album Joy is due out May 4th on Island Records, 7 years after her debut!

After finding mainstream success with her 2003 self-titled debut, the Canadian pop/rocker became a major label casualty and was quietly dropped by Island Records. Her intended 2006 follow-up, Sunday Love, never got released, and although the lead single “Don’t Let It Go To Your Head” failed to make any noise on the charts, it did get some new life when both Lilyjets and Jordin Sparks covered and released the song themselves.

Since being dropped, Fefe has recorded an album full of completely new material titled Joy, including the Joan Jett-esque “I Want You,” already a TV/soundtrack/commercial staple. It turns out, during production of Joy, Fefe’s fair weathered friends at Island came crawling back and resigned their former rogue pop princess.

After 7 years of enduring the turbulent business side of music, the now 25 year-old Fefe probably has a lot to say on her new album and it looks like Island is really ready to let her say it this time.

Lady Gaga Goes Diamond!

Michelle — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 02:29:00 +0000

Talk about losing the battle and winning the war! Lady Gaga’s mega hit album “The Fame” may have lost out for Album of the Year at the GRAMMYs, but it’s officially certified DIAMOND, selling 10,000,054 copies worldwide.

Diamond certified albums are extremely rare these days, with only 9 albums reaching that status since 2000, the last one being Usher’s Confessions in 2004.

Until then, albums hit the 10 million mark once a year or more, which makes Lady Gaga’s ability to defeat all the implications of digital music (stealing, streaming, buying by the track, etc) in recent years that much more of an accomplishment. While other labels pull back on their online streaming practices, IGA and Gaga obviously used it to create, well, “a Monster,” in the best possible way.

The Veronicas Remake “4ever” to Show Dangers of Drug Use

Michelle — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 06:18:07 +0000

Sure, the Veronicas aren’t the first pop starlets to take the good-girl-gone-bad route… they’re not even the first twins to do it (yeah I’m looking at YOU Mary-Kate and Ashley O). But after the release of the Veronicas’ debut “The Secret Life of…” in the US, the Aussie twins became over-sexed, over-gothed and WAY under-nourished, emerging for their second album “Hook Me Up” looking as if they had arrived to vie for the attention of Bret Michaels on “Rock on Love.”

Anyway, this is all old news… what I’m here to discuss is “4ever 2009″ – a new version of their very first single “4ever” – which really shows just how much has changed in only 4 years. They look about 10 years older, sound like they’ve been smoking a pack a minute, and look like they’ve snorted enough booger sugar to build a snowman. The only similarity is really the lipstick. For the record… I actually don’t hate these girls. But the transformation is just too uncanny to not point out. See for yourself:

The Veronicas “4ever” (2005)

The Veronicas “4ever 2009″ (2009)

Butch Walker – “You Belong With Me” (Taylor Swift cover)

Michelle — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:45:03 +0000

Think you hate pop music? Butch Walker will change that. Listen to Butch’s cover of Taylor Swift’s silly little jam “You Belong With Me.” It will give you a whole new perspective…

Adam Lambert “For Your Entertainment” Songwriters May Be Solid Gold Gumbo

Michelle — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:54:42 +0000

The songwriters behind Adam Lambert’s debut album “For Your Entertainment” are about as diverse as and Idol finalist line-up itself. And just as deliberately so.

1 “Music Again” 3:16 – Rob Cavallo, Justin Hawkins of the Darkness
2 “For Your Entertainment” 3:35 – Claude Kelly/Dr. Luke
3 “Whataya Want from Me” 3:47 – Pink, Max Martin
4 “Strut” 3:29 – Adam Lambert, Kara DioGuardi
5 “Soaked” 4:33 – Muse
6 “Sure Fire Winners” 3:32 – Rob Cavallo
7 “A Loaded Smile” 4:04 – Adam Lambert, Linda Perry
8 “If I Had You” 3:48
9 “Fever” 3:26 – Lady GaGa
10 “Sleepwalker” 4:25 – Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsey, Ryan Tedder
11 “Aftermath” 4:26
12 “Broken Open” 5:03
13 “Time for Miracles” Bonus Track 4:43 – Rob Cavallo

Glambert managed to nab the biggest names in pop and rock (Pink, Lady Gaga, even an unreleased Muse track), the biggest names behind the biggest names in pop and rock (Dr. Luke, Claude Kelly, Max Martin, Rob Cavallo), and plenty of wildcards ranging from country songwriting powerhouse Aimee Mayo to career makeover guru Linda Perry to 70’s-revival rocker Justin Hawkins.

So will the album be a cohesive work for Adam Lambert or a Frankenstein mess of awesome collabs that just don’t gel? The verdict is still out. But just like Lambert’s mothership American Idol, this something-for-everyone diversity serves one main purpose: it’s got us all perking up and paying attention, even if just to root on our fave.

Bell Biv Dafoe? NOW You Know

Michelle — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:24:16 +0000

Because I’ve been neglecting my bloggilicious duties… have yourself a chuckle:

Butch Walker November Residency in LA!!!

Michelle — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:01:20 +0000

Most artists can’t even keep my attention for one full set these days. I don’t know, I guess I’m getting old.

But Butch Walker? Wednesday night residency all November at Hotel Cafe in LA? Four shows, walking distance from my home? Sign. Me. UP!

And we’re not talking 4 weeks of the same old song either. Butch is performing a full album each week. Which means… every week is totally different and every week is a must see event!

Nov 4 Letters
Nov 11 The Rise and Fall…
Nov 18 Sycamore Meadows
Nov 25 Fan Selected Set! (submitted via Twitter!)

Plus every week will include a cover that fans will also request through Twitter, and a bonus new song from his upcoming album “I Liked It Better When You Had No Heart” due out early next year. This just reminds me of why I ~~steal~~ don’t often buy music these days… so I have money in the bank for occasions like this.

Check out Butch’s Myspace blog here for more!

Live Nation Club Passport: Promoter offers $50 season pass at club-level concerts

Michelle — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 19:23:41 +0000

Los Angeles-based concert promoter Live Nation is introducing a sort of season pass for club-level concerts, allowing fans to reserve a spot at non sold-out shows for the rest of the year by purchasing a “passport” for $49.99.

LA fans will probably benefit most, as Live Nation runs 5 area clubs – the Wiltern, the Hollywood Palladium, the Avalon and the House of Blues clubs in West Hollywood and Anaheim. Most cities may only have one.

Here’s a current list of participating LA Live Nation club shows (more will be announced each Monday pending availability):

The Wiltern:
Snow Patrol (Oct. 19 only)
Moby (Oct. 14)
Billy Squier (Sept. 26)
Los Enanitos Verdes (Oct. 3)

The Hollywood Palladium:
Brand New (Oct. 18 only)

Avalon:
Brazilian Girls (Oct. 19)
Ladyhawke — Perez Hilton Presents Tour (Oct. 3)
The Get Up Kids (Sept. 24)
White Tie Affair (Oct. 13)

House Of Blues — Sunset Strip:
Dinosaur Jr. (Nov. 5)
Dragonforce (Friday)
Saosin (Nov. 6)
Caspa (Saturday)
DJ Quik (Sept. 25)
BET’S 106 & Park Tour (Sept. 29)
— with Trey Songz & Mario
Better Than Ezra (Sept. 24)
Revolting Cocks (Sept. 27)
– with Jim Rose Circus & more
Tech N9NE & Slaughterhouse (Oct. 23)
Sippy Cups (Nov. 7)
KC & the Sunshine Band (Dec. 30)

House of Blues — Anaheim:
The Psychedelic Furs & Happy Mondays (Saturday)
Motorhead (Oct. 7)
Gov’t Mule (Sunday)
Citizen Cope (Sept. 23)
Murs (Oct. 9)
Los Lobos (Oct. 16)
Randy Travis (Oct. 1)
State Radio (Oct.
Lights – A Premier Tribute to Journey (Sept. 26)

Rivers Cuomo Explains Weezer’s “Raditude” Problem

Michelle — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 22:30:55 +0000

When Weezer announced Raditude as the title of their upcoming album, music nerds far and wide had a serious Raditude problem and thought the band needed a Raditude adjustment. We don’t know what fans expected… this is a band that has released not one, not two, but three eponymous albums so far, the last of which featured their fearless lead Weez-er in a cowboy hat and mustache on the cover. Tongue-in-cheek is the name of the game and album titles are just another place for Weezer’s silliness. Face it: long gone are the heart-on-sweater-sleeve days of Pinkerton.

Nonetheless, Rivers Cuomo explained just where their Raditiude came from in an interview with a Spin… and it turns off The Office’s Rainn Wilson, Cuomo’s sometime collaborator, had a hand in it: “He has a super-rock persona,” Cuomo said. “When it came time to find a title for the Weezer album, I asked him what he thought the ultimate album title would be and he said ‘Raditude.’”

“The sound of Raditude is fun, high energy pop rock,” Cuomo said. “‘I’m Your Daddy,’ has an up vibe with the same, heavy Weezer guitar riff but with a little electro influence. And ‘The Girl Got Hot’ — that’s kind of a witty, party jam.”

Raditude strikes October 27.