Disney Crew of Singers CANNOT Hang

I cannot go anywhere without hearing something about the Disney's Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus, and I hate to burst every one's bubbles, but they are seriously the most annoying children to ever grace us with their presence.

First of all, I am pretty sure Miley Cyrus is trying to be this decade's Britney Spears, and in my opinion, she is not doing too well of a job. Brit may not be the best singer, but she can dance circles around Cyrus any day. Every time I see Cyrus she looks like she is dressing to be a new member of the Desperate Housewives crew, and the girl is only 16. I mean, really why on earth do you want to look so old Miley? Please dress your age, cherish your youth.

I don't think that I can honestly tell you how much more annoyed I get when I hear a song from the Jonas Brothers, or even more so, see them getting interviewed by somebody as prominent as Barbara Walters. What is this world coming to when a news journalist has to interview a bunch of prepubescent boys who sound like they are pooping when they sing? Their voices are whinny and sound like nails on a chalk board to me.

In my opinion the Jonas Brothers are a sad downgrade to the 90's band Hanson and can never compare to them. Cyrus needs to stop dressing like she's 30, and realize she will never be as big as Britney was, so just let it go.
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TV On The Radio's "Family Tree"

Music is moving. It's emotional. It is partly because of this that people always consider their music the best. It simply must be because everyone's favorite artists are their own cup of tea, the certain strumming gee-tahr or soothing melody that makes them feel alive.

I was raised on good music and I have always told people I can tell within 10 seconds if I love a song or not. TV On The Radio's new album "Dear Science" is good, but one particular song has got IT.

That it? The first time I heard it, I was moved near tears. It chronicles a relationship, two lovers it seems that have found whatever is perfect for them.

Just listen. Take a trip to TV On The Radio's MySpace and invest the 5 minutes and 34 seconds to let the raw emotion envelope you and tell me you didn't feel something. Anything. If not, you are a robot. A heartless robot.

Or maybe it's not your certain something that moves you. For a real look into the song, here is a fan video of "Family Tree" live in Atlanta, GA at the Tabernacle.

Beautiful. Be moved.



Briana Monasky can be reached at bmonasky@statehornet.com. Continue Reading>>

Lily Allen, balloons, and social change.

Lily Allen is back and I could not be more excited. Periodically, Allen has been posting a track here and there on her MySpace, sweet little surprises for her fans to give a listen before the release date for her much-awaited sophomore album.

On Dec. 4, she went above and beyond, releasing her new music video for "The Fear," which was previously titled "I Don't Know" when she gave her sneak peek on her website.

Here is the video in it's entirety, chock full of balloons and dancing presents.



I've always loved Allen for her ability to produce sugary sweet pop with an underlying message, whether it was the line from "I wanna be able to eat spaghetti bolognese and not feel bad about it for days and days and days," or now with her commentary on the need to be thin, to shamelessly cover herself in blood diamonds, calling herself a "weapon of massive consumption. This song is exactly what it needs to be - catchy, sing-songy pop. Upon closer inspection and bears the same type of messages she needs to address. Continue Reading>>

Follow-up: Maybe Coldplay copied Satriani, after all

In our most recent episode of Sac in Stereo, we discussed songs that sound similar to each other (click here to listen). One of the similarities we mentioned was Coldplay's megahit "Viva la Vida" and the two other songs that sound suspiciously like to it - Creaky Boards' "The Songs I Didn't Write" and Joe Satriani's "If I Could Fly."

Maybe Satriani's lawyers were listening. The day after our podcast was posted, Satriani officially sued the British band for copyright infringement.

The guitar icon said hearing Coldplay's song was instantly very painful for him.

"I felt like a dagger went right through my heart. It hurt so much," Satriani told MusicRadar.com. "The second I heard it, I knew it was (my own) 'If I Could Fly.' "

He said the most painful thing about Coldplay's alleged ripoff was the fact that his song took over 10 years to craft, and was a love song dedicated to his wife, Rubina.

During, the podcast, we played the following mashup track, courtesy of YouTube user Matt Bethel, aka iGotSpaceLikeNasa:




During the podcast, I suggested that maybe all these musicians just happened upon this fairly simple melody in a bit of coincidence. Satriani and Bethel seem to disagree, and more and more people have been hearing their case: Bethel's original video comparing the two songs has been viewed almost 1.5 million times.

Coldplay hasn't officially commented on the lawsuit, although frontman did "promise" in a recent Q&A session (video at the bottom of the page - skip to 3:30) the band didn't borrow the melody from anyone whose name "rhymes with Moe Batriani."

Oh, and Joe, if you'd like to tell us what you think of our comparison, our e-mail address is podcasts@statehornet.com.

[photo courtesy flickr user Giandomenico Ricci] Continue Reading>>

Jazz singers compete for place on Ben Folds album

A couple weekends ago, I managed to catch Sacramento State's jazz vocal ensembles perform at JB's Lounge at the Red Lion Inn.

It wasn't the first time I saw the program's ensembles and it probably won't be the last. After all, the versatile vocals of the entire CSUS vocal jazz program may very well be coming to a Ben Folds Five album near you soon.

Those familiar with the program know that they prefer a forward-thinking brand of vocal jazz underpinned by an inclusive aesthetic espoused by Kerry Marsh, director the jazz vocal ensemble program.

Marsh seems to encourage his students to embrace pop influences, from Biz Markie to Radiohead. That night a couple weekends ago, C-Sus, the program's flagship ensemble, performed a pretty deft take on "How to Disappear Completely."

So when Ben Folds said he was looking for college a capella groups to contribute to a forthcoming album, it was no surprise then that Marsh and Co. jumped at the opportunity.

The video above was the vocal jazz program's official entry and damn if they don't have a good chance.

The next jazz vocal concert is December 12 at the music recital hall in Capistrano Hall on campus. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for students.

As soon as we learn more about the contest, we'll let you know. And catch them now so you can say you saw them before they were famous.
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Tejano Rock Concert: Raul Midon

Raul Midon opened for Los Lonely Boys and played for one of the largest crowds this semester in the Union Ballroom on Thursday. Midon has been playing guitar since he was six years old. Midon created his own style he describes as 'classical Flamenco jazz guitar,' using pop lyrics, and improvisational percussion beats on his guitar as well as making trumpet sounds with his mouth.

Midon is more well known in countries in Europe and Asian. His "not jazz, not rock" genre has made it difficult for him to air on radio stations in the U.S., but Midon says "I am fortunate to be a full time artist and be recognized anywhere for what I do. If your not sure if you want to be and artist, don't do it. It is brutal and unfair, but if it's your calling it is the most rewarding experience."

Midon hopes that the acceptance he has been met world wide will eventually be the same in America. He has three albums out and continues to play small venues where he can in the states.




Photo Credit: Claire Padgett Continue Reading>>

Britney Spears' new single 'Womanizer' doesn't suck

I thought I'd never say it. I like a Britney Spears song. It's embarrassing. I claim to know about music and I can't get this song out of my head.

Here is a link to the smokin' (literally) video of Spears in her glorious and freshly fit state:



Now take a minute, and if you haven't watched it, do it now. If you've already seen it, watch it again. See that product placement? Nice phone, huh? Cool calendar it has, yeah? What about that camera on it. It's the Nokia 5800 Music phone, cleverly placed for your consumer salivation. iPhone competition much? Capitalism win. Sneaky!

Besides being marketing saavy, the video is definitely sexy. But didn't Spears do this 'dance' before in a video? Wasn't she a flight attendant or something? That's right. She was. 'Toxic.' Search it on youtube.com and see for yourself.

Seeing the repetition from her music videos got me thinking. How many times is Spears going to have a comeback? How many times is she going to pull one over on us? Or is she not really having a comeback any of these times?

Sometimes it feels like the money hungry record labels force these comebacks on us. It certainly is them signing the checks that get this girl on the airwaves in the first place.

They could have been the ones to blame for her downfall, that embarrassing chain of events that made Spears a laughing stock, and not just because she got drunk and married that guy she went to high school with in Las Vegas.

The one thing to remember when watching these videos or listening to her songs on the radio - even in snippets - is that this still is the troubled girl that 'wigged' out with that infamous VMA performance, ended up in rehab and had her sons taken away - and not necessarily in that order.

It obviously doesn't make her a bad person, but it certainly means that this 3nd supposed comeback should have taken longer than the methadone to wear off.

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