image: Bauer-Griffin

The track was written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster (who recently worked on Charice’s “Note to God”) so I knew what kind of song to expect.  The first thing I noticed was that Whitney’s voice sounded stronger than it has in a while and I think that, in itself, is a positive sign.  Next, the fact that this was not going to be a “power ballad” became quite clear and you know what?  I think it’s appropriate!

I know some people are going to be critical of the fact that she didn’t blow us away with those dynamic pipes that made her so famous but it’s been years since she sang like that and she’s been through a lot (she left her abusive husband, Bobby Brown, and got off drugs).

If you’ve ever played an instrument, you will know that if you don’t practice for a few years you might be a little rusty.  If you were an incredible pianist, for example, you might even find that with age, your fingers don’t quite move the way they used to.  I don’t think singing is much different – her voice is her instrument.

I really appreciate the fact that the lyrics focus on the emotion that I’m sure Whitney is feeling right now.  I’m sure that she had to dig deep and find strength that she didn’t even know she had to get through the tough times.  I’m happy for her and I hope that this is the beginning of a miraculous comeback.

The picture above was taken on July 2, 2009 and it shows a much healthier looking Whitney at LAX with her 16-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina.  Welcome back, Whitney!!

Anyway, enough of my rambling – listen to the song and decide for yourselves:

Post from: She Plays Music

She went on to say the following:  "[Andy] Warhol said art should be meaningful in the most shallow way.  He was able to make commercial art that was taken seriously as fine art… [and] that’s what I’m doing too.  When you listen to a song like ‘LoveGame’, is it communicating my soul to you? No… I make soulless electronic pop. But when you’re on ecstasy in a nightclub grinding up against someone and my music comes on, you’ll feel soul."

Ahhh, so that’s the secret!  I need to be taking some sort of recreational drug to fully appreciate a Lady Gaga song!  It makes so much sense.

Okay, before I get carried away with my sarcasm and pointed comments, I want to say that I think it’s perfectly fine to like Lady Gaga.  I have a soft spot for French group Daft Punk even though their music contains virtually no lyrics.  It’s great to dance to and sometimes that’s all that matters.  I just don’t want to go along with the theory that Lady Gaga is producing some earth-shattering contribution to the music industry. 

What’s more is that I think she is attention-seeking and I don’t find that appealing in any way.  At least she knows when to draw the line.  She said: "Everybody wants me to show my vagina to the world.  And the truth is, I don’t have to."

I’m glad she said that but I’m guessing she didn’t take a close look at the images of her from the 2009 MuchMusic Awards in Toronto (Google them!).  I definitely spotted a little something…

image: Zuma Press

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I think that this song works even better as an unplugged track than the studio version.  The girls gradually built it up by first starting with just a guitar accompanying their beautifully harmonized voices. 

Eventually, shakers and another guitar were added and the ladies really upped their vocal intensity in those last few bars.

I really respect when artists sing a song that was originally recorded by someone of the opposite gender since I think it does require some creativity.  It can be a real disaster but sometimes it works (like Mariah Carey’s reworked version of Phil Collin’s Against All Odds). 

Watch the video and tell me what you think!

image: Total Assault Press

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I’m not completely in love with this song but it gets better every time I listen to it.  I like the lyrics and I think that Ne-Yo and Kanye work well together and with Keri’s voice but sometimes it feels like there’s too much going on and it detracts from the message and vocals.  It feels like there are 100 layers being used at the same time during the chorus but I guess it works for a great summer single.  I really do prefer the simpler parts of the song, though, when the music pulses out the chords and melody (when the verses begin) but, then again, it’s nice when the song gradually builds up.  See what I mean?  I just can’t decide how I feel about this one!

Listen to it and tell me what you think!

Check out the lyrics to Keri Hilson’s “Knock You Down” – you’ll notice that, coincidentally, the words contain a reference to the recently deceased King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Heh, not again
Ohh, this ain’t supposed to happen to me

Keep rockin’, and keep knockin’
Whether you Louis Vuitton it up or Reebokin’
You see the hate, that they’re servin’ on a platter
So what we gon’ have, dessert or disaster?

I never thought I’d be in love like this
When I look at you my mind goes on a trip
Then you came in, and knocked me on my face
Feels like in I’m a race
But I already won first place

I never thought I’d fall for you as hard as I did
(As hard as I did, yeah)
You got me thinkin’ bout our life our house and kids, yeah
Every mornin’ I look at you and smile
‘Cause boy you came around and you knocked me down
Knocked me down

Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)
Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)

I never thought I’d, hear myself say, ooh, ya’ll gon’ head
I think I’m gonna kick it wit my girl today, kick it wit my girl today
I used to be commander and chief
Of my pimp ship flyin’ high, flyin’ high)
Til I met this pretty little missile that shot me out the sky
(Oh shot me out the sky)

Hey, now I’m crashing, don’t know how it happened
But I know it feels so damn good
Said if I could back, and make it happen faster
Don’t you know I would baby if I could
Miss Independent, ohh, to the fullest, the load never too much
She helpin’ me pull it
She shot the bullet that ended that life
I swear to you the pimp in me just died tonight
Girl sometimes love

Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)
Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)

Tell me now can you make it past your Caspers
So we can finally fly off into NASA
You was always the cheerleader of my dreams that
Seem to only date the head of football teams
And I was the class clown that, always kept you laughin’

We, were never meant to be baby we just happen
So please, don’t mess up the trick, hey young world I’m the new slick rick
They say I move too quick, but we can’t let the moment pass us
Let the hourglass pass right into ashes

Let the wind blow the ash right before my glasses
So I wrote this love letter right before my classes
How could a goddess ask, someone that’s only average
For advice, OMG, you listen to that bitch?
Whoa, it’s me, baby this is tragic
‘Cause we had it, we was magic

I was flyin’, now I’m crashin’
This is bad, real bad, Michael Jackson
Now I’m mad, real mad, Joe Jackson
You should leave your boyfriend now, I’mma ask him

Say you gotta put the good with the bad, happy and the sad
So will u bring a better future than I had in the past
Oh Cause, I don’t wanna make the same mistakes I did
I don’t wanna fall back on my face again
Whoa, whoa, I’ll admit it, I was scared to answer love’s call
Whoa, whoa, and if it hits better make it worth the fall
(When it comes around)
Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)
Sometimes love comes around
(Love comes around)
And it knocks you down
Just get back up
When it knocks you down
(Knocks you down)

Won’t see it coming when it happens, hey
But when it happens you’re gonna feel it, let me tell you now
You see when love knocks you down

Won’t see it coming when it happens
But when it happens you’re gonna feel it, let me tell you now
You see when love knocks you down
Yeah

Songwriters: Araica, Marcella; Cossom, Kevin; Hills, Floyd Nathaniel; Hilson, Keri; Smith, Shaffer; West, Kanye

Post from: She Plays Music

Yesterday she released the Voltaic CD/DVD set which is a compilation of live recordings from her Volta tour at the Olympic Studios, in Paris and in Reykjavik. 

Disc 1 features 11 audio tracks including “Army of Me,” “Hunter” and “Vertebrae by Vertebrae” among others.  Disc 2 consists of 21 video performances. 

If you’re looking for new material from Bjork, you might be in for a long wait.  During an interview with Pitchfork in October 2008, the singer said that it would probably take her three or four years to come out with her next album. 

I’m glad she’s taking her time with it.  I know that Debut (1993), Post (1995) and Homogenic (1997) were released in quick succession but it took her four years after that to release Vespertine (2001), three more years to put out Medulla (2004) and then another three years for Volta (2007).  She also had her daughter Isadora in 2002 so I’m sure she took a little longer because she was spending time with her new baby (she also has a son named Sindri who is 23 years old). 

Either way, I wouldn’t want her to rush since she’s such a unique artist.  She’ll know when the time is right to put another album out there.

image: Amazon

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I remember that “Heartbreaker” had two Mariahs in it (I loved the fight scene between the two in the bathroom!) so this isn’t the first time she’s taken on multiple roles in a video.  At least she’s getting creative.  So much of what I see on MTV today is so bland and predictable.  I hate how little effort some artists are making today.  Anyway, check out these photos!

images: INF and Newscom

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image: Zuma Press

Her first album, In a Perfect World… debuted on March 24, 2009 and, so far, she has released four singles –”Energy,” “Return the Favor” (feat. Timbaland), “Turnin’ Me On” (feat. Lil Wayne) and “Knock You Down” (feat. Ne-Yo) which has been her most successful song, reaching #3 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

M.I.A. won for “Best Female Hip Hop Artist” and Jazmine Sullivan took home the “Centric Award.”

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I think she deserved to win both of those awards since “Single Ladies” became a phenomenon.  It’s so basic but I think the bare-bones, no frills video of just choreographed dance moves appealed to fans and soon, people all over the world were posting YouTube videos of themselves doing the dancing.  It was incredible!

To pay her respects to Michael Jackson, who died last week, Beyoncé sang “Ave Maria” and Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel.”  It was a touching tribute and she definitely sounded filled with emotion.

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She left the stage and Ne-Yo and Jamie Foxx performed Michael Jackson’s classic hit “I’ll Be There.”  You could see tears streaming down the faces of some of the people in the audience.  I’m sure it was a very emotional experience for everyone at the Shrine Auditorium. 

Post from: She Plays Music

image: Zuma Press

I haven’t been able to find a video of this performance yet but I did uncover this interview from the event.  She talked a bit about what it’s like to be performing at Glastonbury (her grandmother actually passed away during the festival last year) and revealed that she’s actually staying in a tent-like structure while she’s there.  She also explained that the glove is a “little Michael Jackson tribute.”  Despite the fact that the blonde wig was a bit distracting, I thought it was a fun interview.

Post from: She Plays Music