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  • This Year-The Moonmen Bring Sexy Back

    The MTV Video Music Awards are pretty formulaic. To the surprise of no one, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce walked away with the lion’s share of nominations, with seven apiece. Not to say Justin didn’t deserve his…”What Goes Around…” was a pretty damn good video! But nothing about any of the videos B made in the past year really turned my crank, unless you count that “Beautiful Liar” video with Shakira, which was just as good with the sound off, if you catch what I’m throwin’ atcha.

    Last year presented a few surprises because the awards were wholly voted on by the fans, which meant that bands like My Chemical Romance and Avenged Sevenfold got face time they may not have gotten otherwise. This year is also fan-voted, so let’s hope that they get creative this year as well. It would be nice to see the multi-nominated Amy Winehouse win some awards, not only because she’s excellent, but because I imagine her salty acceptance speeches would enliven up the show a bit. Hell, Kanye’s good for unpredictability, and while I’m not sure why he’s nominated (didn’t “Stronger” just come out, like, a couple weeks ago?)…I anticipate his performance, and hopeful acceptance speech.

    Looks like they’ve eliminated the genre-specific categories this time around (guess that makes it easier, considering how little videos MTV actually plays nowadays), but if you’re going for a little bit of not-as-mainstream love, there are still some bubbling under acts that got some MTV love (hey, the station still wants to be known as being at least a little edgy amid all the “Laguna Beach” marathons). French band Justice is nominated for their clip “D.A.N.C.E.”, which won the Vid of the Year award at the MTV Europe awards and caused a drunken Kanye to go on an ODB-style tirade. Swedish newcomers Peter Bjorn & John are nominated for Best New Artist for “The Young Folks”. Hey, even Best Group nominees Gym Class Heroes could be considered underdogs.

    Anyway, find the full list of nominees at www.mtv.com.

  • Hip-Hop Clash Of The Titans: 2007 Style!!!

    50 Cent bullets

    Kanye West as an angel

    50 Cent and Kanye West both have new albums coming out on the same day in September (the 11th, which I personally don’t think is the most tasteful day to release an album, but oh well…), and this should be an interesting match up. Of course, 50 is rap’s reigning commercial champ, with 12 million sold of his two albums. Kanye has sold half of that (which is still not shabby at all), but has made up for the sales oversight by winning critical raves that elude 50, as well as picking up a slew of Grammy awards to 50’s big fat zero. While neither artist has songs that are setting airwaves on fire, don’t estimate the power of either performer to generate a controversial pop culture moment that will have people flocking to the stores in droves.
    50’s now on his fourth single from the upcoming “Curtis”, as his label, Interscope, is frantically searching for a sound that will connect with radio listeners. This has got to be an album pre-release record. 4 songs? That’s anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of the album already floating around a month and change before the release date!! The aforementioned fourth single, “Ayo Technology”, features Justin Timberlake, which should help it’s fortunes somewhat. I wonder how 50’s boss Eminem feels about 50’s use of an artist Em has spent almost his entire career making fun of.
    As for Mr. West, his “Cant Tell Me Nothin’” has stoked interest for it’s unforgettable hillbilly themed video, while second single “Stronger” finds Kanye getting airplay on alternative rock radio for the first time, thanks to the song’s usage of a Daft Punk sample. Both videos can be viewed on Kanye’s website: http://www.kanyewest.com/.

  • Friday Throwback – Criminal

    When I was in college, I worked at Blockbuster Video. At Blockbuster, we had to play these promotional tapes that were created simply to promote Blockbuster the brand, movies and games that were out at the time, and for some odd reason, music videos. While running tapes one day (putting them back on the shelf) I noticed a skinny young woman with these mesmerizing eyes on the TV screen. I’d heard her music before, but never knew what she looked like. Fiona Apple’s Criminal was playing and I was oddly attracted to this 95 pound woman without an ounce of curve in her body. It was all because of this video.

    • Is it me, or is this the same set as her Sleep To Dream video?
    • She’s been a bad, bad girl, you know.
    • Girls who break boys just because they can aren’t nice.
    • The tank top like pajama look with the purple stockings isn’t a good one.
    • But the purple panties is.
    • That man nearly cut her neck with his toe nails.
    • I wonder if she was comfy with being in her underwear the entire video.
    • Great video until she squirts whatever that fake stuff is out of the bottle.

    With three hot albums in 10 years Fiona Apple is one of those artists that can consistently put out great music without having to stay in the public eye or feel the need to record constantly. She gives us a chance to miss her. Even though The Extraordinary Machine was her worst selling record, I’m sure she’ll be back with a vengeance. And hopefully we’ll see the purple panties again.