Album Review: Emiliana Torrini – Me and Armini

Posted on April 25, 2010 Written by ripitup

Emiliana Torrini - Me and Armini album cover. Image from: http://diekopfhoerer.files.wordpress.com

The moment I heard Jungle Drum, I was hooked. If you haven’t heard this catchy and lively tune yet, I dare you to go to you tube, and write emiliana torrini jungle drum and check the song out. It is fun and it makes me dance. So naturally, I wanted to get a hold of the other songs as well. If they were nearly as fun, I’d be in for a real treat. Don’t get me wrong, the album isn’t bad. It is just not my cup of tea. And there are no other songs like Jungle Drum in the album. Gun is OK and so is Fireheads. But if I am going to be tempted by quality pop beats, it either has the rock element like Roxette songs or it should have the irresistibly upbeat and addictive nature of Jungle Drum.

Most of the songs are too slow and a little too monotonous for my taste. The beats are too repetitive. Sure, if you like that particular beat, it is cool. If you don’t, the song ends up being boring or annoying.

It is more like a headache album. I am not saying it gives you a headache. It should be listened to when you have a headache. Slow. Relaxing. Comforting. It is also a good album for meditating. But of course you have just read the review of an avid rock fan who complains when Bon Jovi gets too many “romantic” songs in the albums. Also, my favorite Guns’ N Roses song is Paradise City. Not Don’t Cry, not Patience or November Rain. In fact Patience is what I call a headache song.

But…it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting bored of Jungle Drum anytime soon. In fact, I am just turning it on to dance. See you at my other posts!

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Actor musicians and musician actors, part 3: Shane West and David Bowie

Posted on October 28, 2009 Written by ripitup

You might find it odd that I am writing about Shane West and David Bowie in the same post. Their fame levels and target audience might seem different but they fit the criteria of the post and I guess there can be people who know and like them both, since I’m one of them.

DAVID BOWIE

David Bowie is a cult musician. His songs are featured in over 200 films. His first album was released in 1967 so it is safe to say he has been around for over 4 decades now. His music is influential and his songs have been sung by other artists, such as Nirvana. Given Nirvana is probably the most popular grunge band and Bowie’s unique rock/pop sound has influenced them also, it becomes quite clear he is a universal idol. Do I like all his songs? No. They are all so different from each other. But there is a Bowie song to be found to suit all your moods and a Bowie picture to fit any kind of fashion statement; from contemporary to glam and flamboyant. But Bowie’s artistic talent is not limited to singing and song writing. He has also appeared in many films. I last saw him in the 2006 movie The Prestige, playing the role of Nikola Tesla. He has also appeared in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976), The Hunger (1983), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Basquiat (1996); in addition to many other film and TV appearances. He has even played Andy Warhol, the leading man of the pop art movement. Sure, his acting might be critically praised but his name will probably never be mentioned as one of the most influential actors. But to this day, he remains as a musical icon. Below is The Hunger movie poster.

SHANE WEST

Shane West is a young and promising actor. He is singing and playing the guitar for the band Jonny Was. Now, Shane isn’t insanely famous neither as a musician nor an actor, but he is building a strong movie resume bit by bit. He is only 31, and he has a bit of a baby face that gives him the advantage to play younger parts if he wants to. He totally passed for a high schooler in A Walk to Remember, at the age of 24. He has gotten to play Tom Sawyer alongside Sean Connery in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and he has scored one of the major roles in the long-running hospital drama ER. He has played in Echelon Conspiracy – an action movie that has quite a clever script, which is not so easy to find nowadays. This year he has starred in The Lodger, a high-paced thriller. So he has proved that he can undertake many different characters, and not just a romantic sweetheart, like he did in A Walk to Remember. Shane has a long way to go as an actor but things have been promising so far.

As for his band, I am not sure how many of his fans are just from the music scene only. I really enjoyed A Walk to Remember, an adaption of the best-selling Nicholas Sparks novel. The movie’s soundtrack was quite good, despite some of the songs were sung by Mandy Moore. Which reminds me she does act and sing, but her music is too standard pop for my taste. This soundtrack, however also contains a song by Shane’s band, known as Average Jo back then. It is modern rock with some punk energy in it and it is fun. Nothing you haven’t heard of before but it is the stuff I’d like to hear when I’m out with my friends and just want to dance and have a good time. And Shane’s movies are good for pure entertainment.

Shane is right in the middle, posing with his band Jommy Was — Shane is right in the middle, posing with his band Jonny Was

Actor musicians and musician actors, part 2

Roxette: Swedish Pop-Rock

Posted on July 7, 2009 Written by ripitup

I have always liked Roxette. But the funny thing is I didn’t find out that they were Swedish until 4 years ago. I was in Norway and was chatting with the guy from the record store and that’s how I learned. I had always thought they were American. It is a sound thing, I guess. But I consider Norway to be my second home and Sweden is a close 3rd. So I like the fact that this popular band of the 80s and 90s (I am not too big a fan of their new songs) is Swedish.

Roxette

Roxette consists of Per Gessle (I had been suspicious of his name to be honest-I had never heard of such a name-but than again I haven’t met anyone named Per in Scandinavia either…) and Marie Fredriksson. They share the vocals and Per also acts as the lead guitarist. Other instruments are played by others who are not officially a part of the band.

They have done so many songs that I loved. I am not a fan of their romantic songs in particular- but I just love the lively,rock n’roll songs. To name a few Dressed for Success, Joyride, The Look, Sleeping in my car…

Then Roxette did what most bands do as they get older: they turned more and more into pop, combined more electronic elements into it- which is shame because Per’s voice has that husky & fun rock n’roll vibe to it.It’s of course not just Roxette. Bon Jovi added too much pop into some later albums, so did Def Leppard. But I guess the difference is those bands started with hard-rock and/or glam rock so even when they soften the sound, it is still rock-mostly.

Oh well…I’ll just keep listening to that lovely old songs and dance to them. They have written wonderful stuff about love, dreams, sex and relationships. They are also great motivators. I can’t help but singing Dressed for Success:

I’m gonna get dressed for success- shaping me up for the big time, baby-get dressed for success- shaping me up for your love…for your love-yeah yeah yeah!!!

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Look what the cat dragged in: POISON

Posted on June 15, 2009 Written by ripitup

Poison in their glam days-not that they have completely left it : ) — Poison in their glam days-not that they have completely left that phase: )

Poison was founded in the early 80’s by drummer Ricky Rockett and front-man Bret Michaels (the second guy from the left).

I am sad to admit that I have discovered them only about 8-9 years ago; but have been one of their biggest fans ever since.They offer everything I look for in a band: Great rock sound,lovely vocals,amazing guitar riffs, good lyrics…They also look the part.You might think that hair-metal phase is over but I’m glad Poison did not join the “fashionable” musicians who cut their hair and had a wardrobe make-over one by one.Today Poison wear much less make-up and this is not necessarily a bad thing but other than that, they still kick ass.

I haven’t seen them live yet but I am dying to.

You see, I grew up with Poison. Forget about the grunge age,the supposedly dead old school rockn’roll and fashion-wise frowned upon clothes.I love my jeans torn and ripped.I love leather,mini skirts and leopard skin patterns on my clothes.I adore red lipstick and electrifying guitar rips.I love my men with long hair.I have a soft spot when it comes to rockers. I wish I had the talent,the luck and the guts to try and become a rock star.I don’t.However learning to sing and learning how to play the guitar are on the top of my list. And although I am grateful the Internet made it much more easier for us to reach songs,I will kinda miss the time when I first discovered them and made it my mission to find all the songs they have ever recorded.Mind you,we had entered the new millennium and people worshipped computer-generated music and considered rock lovers/headbangers about to be extinct.Not that most people you run on the street today don’t think the same and throw you weird looks.But that’s why we have the rock concerts.Nothing like a great gig in town to for my kind of people surface and rock with our fav. musicians…

California,2000. I have spent this amazing time in Santa Barbara and found my love as far as places on earth go.I have seen a lot of places after that but California remains my first love.It also did wonders at helping me discover new bands.As much as I adored Bon Jovi,liked Guns n’roses and enjoyed some modern rock (Goo Goo Dolls,Third Eye Blind,etc…), I longed for faster,harder rock.It hadn’t helped matters that Bon Jovi had softened their sound and come up with songs like “Thank you for loving me” and “Say it isn’t so”- from the Crush album whose half had crushed me…)Anyways,so I buy these two records called Monsters of Rock 1 & 2.I met Poison, Alice Cooper,Ratt,Great White,Whitesnake…OK, before you start telling me I was too freaking late and where the hell I was when these people came out…OK,well-I wasn’t born!!!!!!! I had the misfortune of being born in 1984. I didn’t get to know rock until mid 1990s and after that it was all about Pearl jam or Metallica for people. But then I travelled to California and realized once more that rockn’roll was a hell lot more than just a phase for me.

So the records had the most popular hits of course. But I shan’t be judged for falling for all of them.Every rose has its thorn is a gem and Alice’s Poison is amazing (I have heard of these on VH1 for sure but hey,I was reminded once more to go record-hunting). And then my long quest began.Some of the record shop assistants didn’t know who they were and some were shocked by my age.My friends teased me on the “weird” bands I listened to all the time.But who gave a shit? I was having a great time with my Whitesnake and Poison records.And it turned out,those hits were not even that good next to all the other great stuff they had done.

While I discovered that the men I believed to be so hot turned out to be ugly after the massive haircuts they got,I was also thinking:If rockers follow fashion-instead of creating it-the world is even a shittier place than I thought.I loathed people trying to dictate what I could or could not wear.I still have jean mini skirts and own a black leather jacket.Why?I look hot in them! Who cares it was popular 10 years ago or will come back in another 10?

So I was so pleased to see Bret Michaels‘ on MTV cribs one day.His hair was still long,he was wearing black leather pants,a black t-shirt,one of his trademark hats and the silver that completed a rebel’s look.He was in his mid-40s,looked damn great and hadn’t joined the flock of short-haired 0h-so-updated musicians.Yes,I know they all resembled each other back in the day.But it doesn’t matter how many people you follow or how many follow you-it’s all about whether or not you are doing it because you like it.Then,it just looks natural.