Jennifer's blog

This week's music from Glee was quite the eclectic mix, but supplied the perfect soundtrack for the "Born This Way" episode.

Glee really brought it with the music this week. I truly enjoyed every track, but the absolute standout for me was the mash-up of West Side Story's "I'm Pretty" with TLC's "Unpretty," which was sung by Lea Michele (Rachel) and Dianna Agron (Quinn). GLEE: Lauren (Ashley Fink, L), Kurt

and Mike (Harry Shum, R) perform for Rachel (Leah Michele, third from L) in the super-sized 90 minute "Born This Way"

I usually am not a huge fan of Agron's vocals, but this mash-up really worked for her. "Unpretty" needs a soft and vulnerable vocal to make it work, and I thought she pulled it off well. I really enjoyed the contrast of her voice with Michele's and the interchanging "I feel pretty" lines. Both ladies sound fantastic, and it was nice to hear a duet from them.

Cory Monteith (Finn) took on Sammy Davis Jr.'s "I've Gotta Be Me." After listening to this track, I found this to be the best that Monteith has sounded vocally all season. It's a very clean vocal from him, and his personality is infused throughout the song. I was taken aback a little bit when I saw this song on the track listing this week, but after seeing the episode last night, I concluded that the song was a great choice for not only Monteith's voice, but the overall theme of the "Born This Way" episode.

One of my very favorite songs, "Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane, was sung by Darren Criss (Blaine) and the Dalton Academy Warblers. Seriously, what can't this dude sing? Criss has a way of emotionally connecting to every song that he sings. With "Somewhere Only We Know," the listening audience gets to hear a very vulnerable and sincere vocal performance from him. I definitely think Glee did this song justice. And of course, shout out to the Tufts University Beelzebubs for the great backing vocals.

Chris Colfer (Kurt) returns to the solo spotlight with "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Broadway's Sunset Boulevard. Colfer's vocals on this track are just stunning. The track is truly just absolute ear candy. I am hoping since Colfer's character has now returned to the New Directions that we will be treated to a couple more solos before the season's end.

When I found out that Glee was planning on using Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" for this episode, I thought the song was just too new to utilize for the show. But, what do I know anyway, since this song fit this week's episode like a glove. With Colfer, Amber Riley (Mercedes), and Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina) on lead vocals, Gaga's "Born This Way" was hit with a dose of attitude and sass-Glee-style. I am all for uptempo group numbers, and "Born This Way" delivers in a big way.

I think this week's bundle of Glee music may just be the best of the season, or at least a close second after the music from the episode "Never Been Kissed." Hats off to Glee's music producers and music supervisors; the song choices and overall production were very much on point this week.

These days, the million-dollar question isn’t, "who is Bruno Mars?" it’s, what is Bruno Mars poised to do next? Yes, it’s great to be young Bruno Mars, the gifted, smooth, and soulful Hawaiian-born crooner/producer, who’s been enjoying a magical run in the pop world since listeners and critics fell for his honey-coated hooks on tracks by ascendant rapper B.O.B (“Nothin’ on You”) and bad-boy hip-hopper Travie McCoy (“Billionaire”).

But it appears that Mars’ shot at solo stardom, his real shining time, has finally arrived, what with the release of his keenly anticipated debut, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (Elektra/Asylum), a refreshing and appealing 10-track concoction of radio-ready and catchy pop tunes, flavoured with everything from reggae and blues to soul and funk. Throughout the record, Mars (25, born Peter Gene Hernandez) projects emotions that reel you in, as well as a boyish innocence, and a sensitivity that serves to ratchet up the effervescent energy and the authenticity of his lyrics.

Lead single “Just The Way You Are,” a piercing ode to unconditional love, is already a major Billboard hit, fresh on the tongues of both puppy-love schoolgirls and grown men. Then there’s the pulsating groove “Grenade,” steeped in the pleasure, passion and pain that regularly characterize intimate relationships.

But the real standouts on the disc that must be highlighted include the luminous mid-tempo smash “Liquor Store Blues,” a melodious boom-box joint that wonderfully, if humorously, explores addiction (“I take one shot for my pain, one drag for my sorrow/Get messed up today, I’ll be okay tomorrow”). You simply can’t get lyrics more droll or brainer than that. The track is made all the more alluring thanks to a great cameo from reggae superstar Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley.

The guest appearances continue with smart contributions from Cee-Lo Green (for whom Mars penned the new hit “F-ck You”) and B.O.B on the anthemic album closer “The Other Side.” Another favourite, the beautifully written “Talking to the Moon,” finds Mars waxing poetic about love and longing – a forte that the singer employs with great results in his work.

n short, there’s hardly anything to complain about on Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Bruno Mars has a bonafide hit album on his hands that fans and investors in good music will lovingly appreciate. The multi-talented Mars makes ample use of his gifts as writer and vocalist with remarkable results, blending an appealing outside-the-box approach with modern relevance and James Blunt-esque sensitivity.

That said, the singer has a promising future that appears set to capitalize on not just his deft songwriting but also his amazing singing talent. Delivering a playful sense of humour and terrific vocals, while repping for the females (‘doo-wop’ grooves) and the fellas (‘hooligan’ joints), Mars’ debut release is nothing if not an impressive success for the rising star.

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/music/article/music-review-bruno-mars-doo-wops/#ixzz1LAFaJNT0

TOP 11 WORST SONG IN 2010



Willow Smith - I Whip My Hair

Okay, it was bad enough that 2010 brought us the Karate Kid remake with Jaden Smith, but now Will Smith's other spawn is getting into the celebrity act. And let's just say that she sings about as well as her brother acts. "I Whip My Hair" is a nightmare of a brain-drill that's no better than what you'd hear in a junior high talent contest in Oklahoma. But her dad's famous, so Jay-Z signed her to Roc Nation.


BrokenCYDE - Teach Me How To Scream

Emo: bad. Screamo: worse. Whatever the living hell BrokenCYDE is: the absolute worst ever. The "crunkcore" trio from Albuquerque, New Mexico have been universally reviled by just about every living human being in the world, but there are still enough pre-teens who hate their parents out there to make their album debut at #86 on the Billboard Top 100.


Countess Luann - Money Can't Buy You Class

People who shouldn't have music careers: reality show "personalities." Special negation goes to Countess Luann duLesseps, star of Bravo's atrocity The Real Housewives Of New York City. Some genius decided to put her on wax with a horrendous auto-tuned monstrosity called "Money Can't Buy You Class," which is rich coming from a nightmare of this caliber.


Lil Wayne - Paradice

It's fair to say that Rebirth was one of the worst albums of 2010. Lil Wayne's pre-jail attempt to venture into rock music was a desperately bad idea, with Wayne proving that his trademark languid rhyming style really doesn't translate to dramatic rock singing. Like, at all. We could have picked just about any track off of this one, but "Paradice" might well be the worst.


Ke$ha - Blah Blah Blah

Where to even start with Ke$ha? "Tik Tok" dropped at the very end of 2009, introducing the world to the horrible trashbag songstress, and 2010 just brought song after song of her atrocious auto-tuned garbage to the airwaves. Every song was bad, but "Blah Blah Blah" was probably the worst - there's barely even a melody, let alone lyrics.


Soulja Boy - Pretty Boy Swag

Okay, I have to admit I felt a little affection for Soulja Boy earlier this year when "Bitch I Look Like Goku" dropped - the ridiculous rapper comparing himself to Dragonball Z was hilarious in the best way. Unfortunately, his year-ending single "Pretty Boy Swag" is hilarious in the worst way. Tell'Em hasn't gotten any better behind the mic since his debut with "Crank That," and he may have actually gotten worse.


Jackyl - Just Like A Negro

Yes, that Jackyl, the horrible 90s metal band where the singer used a chainsaw on stage. I guess that gimmick doesn't work in the 2K10 because they've moved over to horrendous versions of racially inappropriate songs. "Just Like A Negro" was originally recorded by Atlanta funk band Mother's Finest in the 70s. Let's just say that this cover isn't an improvement, despite the presence of DMC vainly trying to capture the Aerosmith spark in a bottle again.


Travie McCoy - Billionaire

What kind of spectacular pussy do you have to be to go by "Travie?" Like, seriously, you might as well be a Cabbage Patch Kid. But the lead singer of the Gym Class Heroes (a band that sucks) proved that his music is just as pussified with this solo outing, featuring the overexposed Bruno Mars and the most sub-Beach Boys reggae riff. Seriously, lyrics this stupid have rarely been released into the atmosphere without bursting into flame.


Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be

The Black Eyed Peas are Not A Good Band. I'm sorry, they're just not. Ever since "Let's Get Retarded," they've specialized in extruding the most nondescript, odious, radio-friendly Soylent Green the music industry has to offer. 2010's entry in their hall of shame was "Imma Be," which is exactly the kind of content-free crap that made them so famous, but this time with future cars and robots. I used to like future cars and robots.


Jedward - Under Pressure

Okay, America doesn't have a monopoly on horrible music. Britain's The X Factor unleashed this horror on the Earth last year. Jedward are a pair of identical twins who captivated that bad-toothed island nation with... well, I don't know. Who knows? So they got a record contract and proceeded to put Vanilla Ice on their first single, a nightmare mashup of Queen's "Under Pressure" and Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." It's as bad as it sounds.


YG - Toot It And Boot It

So hip-hop is basically dead, right? I know that us old people have been saying it for a million years but 2010 was the last shovel of dirt on the coffin. How else can you explain the existence of "Toot It And Boot It" by YG, a 19 year old MC from Compton with a massive Myspace following? I get it. You have sex with girls and you make them go home. That's cool. Could you just, I dunno, get some flow or something? You rap like Stephen Hawking skateboards.

1. "Baby" featuring Ludacris - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
"Baby" was the first single from Justin Bieber's second album My World 2.0. It has a soaring chorus that gives a nod to classic doo-wop while the guest rap from Ludacris keeps "Baby" firmly anchored in the present. The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2010 and was ultimately certified double platinum for sales.

2. "One Time" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
"One Time" was Justin Bieber's first single. It is a confident performance that many compared with Chris Brown's debut on "Run It!" "One Time" peaked at #17 in the US and sold over a million digital copies.

3. "Somebody To Love" - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
"Somebody To Love" moved Justin Bieber into club dance territory. A remix and accompanying video that featured his mentor Usher is now considered by many to be the definitive version of "Somebody To Love." The song peaked at #15 on the charts.

4. "One Less Lonely Girl" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber demonstrated that he knows his way around a pop ballad with the release of "One Less Lonely Girl." The romantic video shows him tracking down a girl for a date. Ultimately Justin Bieber is successful. "One Less Lonely Girl" hit a chart peak of #16 and was certified gold.

5. "Eenie Meenie" with Sean Kingston - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
This collaboration melding the pop-R&B sound of Justin Bieber with the island reggae pop of Sean Kingston buoyantly led the way into the summer of 2010. There is clear, fun chemistry between the pair in the accompanying music video. "Eenie Meenie" peaked at #15 on the charts and was certified platinum for digital sales.

6. "U Smile" - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber the blue-eyed soul crooner shows himself on "U Smile." He dedicates this song specifically to his fans. "U Smile" would likely charm older music fans as well as his teen base. The single peaked at #27 on the charts in late summer 2010.

7. "Love Me" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber heads in a playful electro direction here. "Love Me" borrows from the Cardigans' classic "Lovefool." It was released as a digital only single and peaked at #37.

8. "Never Say Never" featuring Jaden Smith - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
Justin Bieber invades the world of movie soundtracks with this inspirational track from the soundtrack to the 2010 version of The Karate Kid. The movie's star Jaden Smith adds in a rap. "Never Say Never" hit a chart peak of #33, and the title was used for Justin Bieber's biographical film due in theaters in early 2011.

9. "Never Let You Go" - 2010

Courtesy Island Records
"Never Let You Go" was released as a digital only single by Justin Bieber. It has been compared to Chris Brown's hit single "Forever." "Never Let You Go" peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

10. "Favorite Girl" - 2009

Courtesy Island Records
"Favorite Girl" was released as a digital only single from Justin Bieber's first album My World. The song is firmly in an R&B groove. "Favorite Girl" hit #26 on the pop chart.

1. E.T by Katy Perry Featuring Kanye West
Teenage Dream

2.Rolling In The Deep
Adele
21

3.Just Can't Get Enough
The Black Eyed Peas
The Beginning/The Best of the E.N.D.

4.S&M
Rihanna
Loud

5.Down On Me
Jeremih Featuring 50 Cent
All About You

6.The Lazy Song
Bruno Mars
Doo-Wops & Hooligans

7.On The Floor
Jennifer Lopez Featuring Pitbull
Love?

8.Look At Me Now
Chris Brown Featuring Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes
Look At Me Now

9.Blow
Ke$ha
Cannibal

10.F**k You (Forget You)
Cee Lo Green
F**k You