VMA 2010: My Favorite Moments

Yesterday was MTV's biggest night of the year. It was also a big night for several artists.  With Chelsea Handler hosting, the show was a mixed bag.  The first problem was Chelsea Handler.  I'll just get to the point, she wasn't funny.  The audience also seemed to be forcing fake laughter.  Ellen Degeneres' few moments onstage were better then Handler's.  The show did have several highlight's that made it worth while.  Here are my favorite moments.

Florence + The Machine performs "Dog Days Are Over"
This performance was by far the best, vocally.  Florence Welch's powerful voice was accompanied by a slew of dancers and lights.  The production of performance was also spot on.  This appearance may have sealed Florence + The Machine's success in the US.

2010 MTV Video Music Awards - More VMA Video

Taylor Swift sings "Innocent"
This was a moment that had received a lot of gossip before the show had even started.  Taylor wrote and performed "Innocent" from her upcoming album, Speak Now.  The song wasn't about how Kanye was a terrible person and she was still mad.  Instead she sang a tale of forgiving encouragement.  I thought it was great.

2010 MTV Video Music Awards - More VMA Video

Paramore, Bruno Mars, and B.o.B take the stage for a medley
This segment started with Bruno Mars singing the hook to "Nothin' On You".  The song then switched to "Airplanes" as Hayley Williams took the stage.  B.o.B then sealed the deal and connected the songs with his verses.  After the trio did their hip-hop piece, Hayley joined the rest of Paramore for a rendition of "The Only Exception".  The performance was full of hit singles and worked incredibly well.

2010 MTV Video Music Awards - More VMA Video

Lady Gaga sets records and reveals her next record
The winner of the night was Lady Gaga. She won eight awards, which beats Madonna's previous record.  The final moon man that she won was for Video Of The Year.  "Bad Romance" proved to be her key video.  As she took the stage, wearing a dress made of meat, she revealed to the world the title of her next album.  Holding back tears she announced "Born This Way" and sang a few lines of a new song.

2010 MTV Video Music Awards - More VMA Video

Those were the moments that stood out to me.  Many of the big names that took the stage sadly failed to impress me.  Do you agree with my choices?  Leave a comment telling me your favorite moments.  Did you like Kanye West or Nicki Minaj?  What about Eminem?  Which of Gaga's dresses was your favorite? Let me know!

"Careful" & "Alejandro" Music Videos

Earlier this week, two music videos were released.  Both were by some of my favorite musicians.  The first was "Careful", by Paramore.  The video confirms that "Careful" is indeed the upcoming fourth single from Brand New Eyes.  The video features behind the scenes footage of the band, along with live concert clips.  While it isn't one of their best videos, the sudden release was a pleasant surprise.  Check out the video, here.

The second video was Lady Gaga's "Alejandro".  After weeks of anticipation, she finally revealed the sexual militaristic themed video.  At almost nine minutes long, the video isn't something you see everyday.  Since its release, the video has received criticism, being accused of inappropriate symbolism.  You can watch the video below.

Lady Gaga - New Music - More Music Videos

B.o.B - Airplanes (Feat. Hayley Williams)

B.o.B, also known as Bobby Ray, is an American rapper.  He released his debut album, B.o.B Presents: The Adventures Of Bobby Ray, last month.  Since then, he has been receiving critical praise over his ability to fuse genres and create original music in an ever so dull rap scene.

"Airplanes" features Hayley Williams from the alternative rock band, Paramore.  She sings the catchiest hook featured in a rap song since Alicia Keys on "Empire State Of Mind".  In between her chorus, are B.o.B's verses.  Unlike many of today's hip-hop and rap artists, B.o.B uses absolutely zero auto-tune or vocal distortion.  This is very refreshing, especially compared to the standards of Lil Wayne and Kanye West.

The instrumental is also more than just a beat.  The track features a piano melody that is run through out the entire song.  Add this to a bass filled beat, and you have a mainstream masterpiece.  The song's chord progression is reminiscent of an upbeat pop ballad.  While that may seem out of place in a song of the rap genre, it works perfectly.

"Airplanes" has the potential to become a summer anthem.  It's light enough for pop radio, but at the same time, rap and hip-hop stations will play it as well.  It's already climbing the charts at an incredible pace.  Both B.o.B and Hayley Williams are great in "Airplanes".  I would check out the single, or B.o.B's album, if you're a fan of modern rap or pop.  This song can really reach out to fans of different genres.

52nd Grammy Awards Preview

Well, tonight's the night.  The famed Grammy Awards are taking place this evening.  With a slew of awards to give out and plenty of performances, it's sure to be an exciting event.  The one question that everyone's asking is, "Who will win Album Of The Year?".  This year, most of the major categories consist of the same artists.  Lady GaGa, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift are all nominated for the three biggies (Album Of The Year, Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year).  The major competition will be between those three artists.  Hopefully, there won't be a "Kanye" moment.

Who do you want to win an award?  Personally, I hope that Paramore, Imogen Heap, and The Ting Tings win where they're nominated.  As for the three main awards, I would like to see Lady GaGa win something, but Taylor Swift will probably win them all.  Leave a comment telling me who you would like to win...

I'll be tweeting throughout the entire show, commenting on whatever performances or upsets happen.  You can follow me here.  Also, look for a recap post tomorrow.  May the best music win...

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

In late 2007, I discovered what would soon become one of my favorite bands. I was listening to your everyday top 40 radio station when Paramore's biggest hit Misery Business came on. The song caught my attention immediately. My initial reaction was that the song actually stood out between the usual pop and hip-hop that's played. It was something that I wouldn't usually expect to break the into the regular radio rotation, aside from alternative and rock stations which are non-existent where I live. Soon after hearing the song, I bought their 2007 album, Riot!. Then, soon after that, I discovered their debut, All We Know Is Falling. I just bought their third album Brand New Eyes, and it's being played constantly.

The lead single, Ignorance, was featured in my very first playlist. It's as close to Riot! as you're going to get. The rest of the album is more mature than their sophomore release. Paramore goes deeper with more complex lyrics, and even a couple acoustic songs. Riot! was a bundle of energy, fun, and anger. Brand New Eyes takes some of that energy, but at the same time slows down for the moments which stand out the most.

The Only Exception and Misguided Ghosts are stripped down ballads. I feel that they are some of the strongest lyrical content that, singer, Hayley Williams has produced. Misguided Ghosts is an almost-folk song which is comprised of mostly an acoustic guitar, played by guitarist Josh Farro, and vocals. The song comes right before the album closer, All I Wanted. All I Wanted truly proves the power of Williams' vocals.

I always found it hard to name Paramore's best album, and with Brand New Eyes being released, it's even harder. Each album has it's own style. All We Know Is Falling is the most raw and distorted. Riot! is their most energetic album and was their break into the mainstream. Brand New Eyes is Paramore's more mature and defining album. Their previous albums almost seem like steps leading to Brand New Eyes. If you're unsure, I would definitely check out this album. If you thought Paramore was too poppy, they've changed. Brand New Eyes introduces the new, more mature, Paramore.

Upcoming Releases

I have a few highly anticipated albums coming out later this year. Some of them have no set release date, so I can't be sure how much later this year they will be released.

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

This one might be the album I'm most excited about. I still listen to Riot! on a regular basis, and the single is a good sign. Brand New Eyes comes out Sept. 29.

Vampire Weekend - TBA

This album has no determined release date or title, but it's coming this year. I'm listening to their debut album as I write this, and I hope their next release will have a similar sound.

Flyleaf - Memento Mori

Here's another album without a definite release date. It seems to be flopping back and forth between Sept., Oct., and Nov. Anyways, a single is scheduled for this month.

Muse - The Resistance

I reviewed their single, Uprising, in another post. Read the review if you want to know about this album. The single kind of has me on the edge. I'm not sure if I like the synth focused style. The three part symphony at the end of The Resistance should be amazing. The Resistance is released on Sept. 15.

I'm sure there will be more albums announced later that I'll pick up, but these are on my "buy it on release day" list.

Recent Finds

Here's a list of some music I've been listening to lately. Some of it's fairly new, while others have been out for a quite some time...

Haste The Day - Mad Men

First, let me say that this is a bit heavier than what I tend to listen to. With that put aside, I don't know why this song stands out. This song is from their album Dreamer, which came out last year. It's just an awesome metal song to head bang to.

Metric - Help I'm Alive

This song is from Metric's newest album, Fantasies. The song has a great beat to it. The beat kind of mimics the lyrics, "Help I'm alive. My heart keeps beating like a hammer." Overall the song has a pounding feel to it, which makes me keep coming back to it.

Anberlin - Feel Good Drag

Awesome Song. The verses are very smooth, and then BOOM, the chorus comes in. Feel Good Drag has an unusually catchy guitar riff which pops up through out the song. I had heard of Anberlin previously and was never really interested, but this song is great. It's from their newest album, New Surrender.

Paramore - Ignorance

I'm a huge Paramore fan, and their most recent single does not disappoint. Ignorance is from their upcoming album Brand New Eyes, which is released on Sept. 29, later this year. The song picks up directly where Riot! ended, with angst and emotion. The song is a combination of Fences (the chorus) and Misery Business (the verses), from their previous release.

There you have it, my list of recent finds in music. If you're interested, download a couple. You might even want to pick up an album. Hope you enjoy. If you feel like it, leave a comment with your opinions on the playlist and what your recent discoveries are.