As Seen On Blogcritics – Page 9

Music Review >> Gavin DeGraw – ‘Sweeter’

Proving to be at the top of his game, Gavin DeGraw returns this week with his fourth studio album, Sweeter.

On this new album, DeGraw worked with esteemed producers Eric Rosse (Sara Bareilles), Ron Aniello (Matt Nathanson), and Butch Walker (Weezer). The singer-songwriter sought to expand and experiment with his sound this time around. He decided to change it up by working with co-writers for the first time.

“I was happy with the way the writing was going. I just felt like I needed someone to rattle my cage and try different things,” DeGraw told me last week during our interview.

He reached out to fellow songwriters that he had wanted to work with, Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic) and Andrew Frampton (The Script). DeGraw’s latest hit, “Not Over You,” is the result of his collaboration with Tedder.

“I really felt strongly that it was a nice blend of what both of us kind of do musically,” DeGraw said of his lead single from Sweeter.

Tedder also contributed to the title track, “Sweeter,” which has a pop-funk kind of vibe, which I thought was a great way to kick off the album. The guitar in the beginning gets in your head to the point that you cannot help, but groove along to it throughout the song. There’s a confident, yet sexy swagger to the track, as DeGraw sings about wanting to get with another guy’s girl.

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Gavin DeGraw Discusses His New Album, ‘Sweeter’

Gavin DeGraw on his new album: “I really feel that it’s the best piece of art that I’ve ever been affiliated with.”
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Music Review >> Jack and White – ‘Gemini’ EP

In the vein of old school 1970s duo of Buckingham/Nicks and the more modern pairing of She and Him come the pairing of Brooke White and Jack Matranga as Jack and White.

Initially coming together to work on a song for White’s follow-up album to 2009’s High Hopes and Heartbreak, the pair found themselves hitting it off creatively from the start.

“When I sat down with Brooke, it was clear from the beginning that all we cared about was creating awesome music and nothing else,” Matranga said in a press release.

“Songwriting can be labor at times, but we were creating so quickly, because we didn’t need to force anything.”

Their co-write turned into six distinctive songs that make up their new release, Gemini.

The EP kicks off with the title track, “Gemini.” What I appreciate about this song is that it’s pretty contemporary in comparison to the rest of the album. It’s a little bit different from what White’s fans are used to hearing from her and to be perfectly honest, that makes listening to Gemini exciting.

“Telephone Games” is a definite standout on the EP. The way White utilizes her voice while in her upper register really elevates the overall emotion to the song. The harmonies between White and Matranga on this track are simply fantastic. The contrast between their voices in higher and lower register create something special when combined.

Another standout track is “Smoke and Mirrors.” I like this track so much, because it has a bit of an attitude to it. There’s an assertiveness to how the notes are hit in the chorus, which really drives home the overall message of the song of knowing when somebody is not what they’re claiming to be.

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Music Review >> Trevor Hall – ‘Everything Everytime Everywhere’

Everything Everytime Everywhere, the latest album from Vanguard Records recording artist, Trevor Hall is set to be released this week.

The 11-track album was produced by Jimmy Messer and boasts such musicians as Aaron Dugan, who has longtime played for Matisyahu (guitar), Brian Lang (bass), and Aaron Sterling (drums).

Influenced by his musical heroes Ben Harper and Bob Marley, Hall showcases his ability to write songs about life, love and community set to pop/rock/reggae beats that should appeal to the masses.

Everything Everytime Everywhere is the follow-up to Hall’s self-titled album, which was released back in 2009.

“With the last album, I was exploring more,” Hall said in a press release. “I was going through a struggle with myself, and all that grittiness came out. With this one, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I had much greater conviction.”

Look no further than Hall’s lead single, “Brand New Day,” to find the conviction he speaks of. The pop-rock anthemic tune speaks of letting go and embracing the present. The uplifting song is a great track to lead off with, because it paves the way for Hall’s lyrics to leave their musical message.

Standout tracks on Everything Everytime Everywhere include “Fire,” “Te Amo, and my personal favorite, “Dr. Suess.” What I like in particular about these three tracks is that they highlight the the vocal versatility of Hall’s voice. There’s a unique quality to his voice that truly separates him from other male singers today.

“Fire” is one of those tracks that as soon as you turn it on, it’s gonna make you want to move. The overall feel to the track is rock with reggae flavor thrown in for good measure. Cherine Anderson lends her voice as she throws down an impressive lyrical flow.

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Music Review >> Glee Cast – ‘Glee: The 3D Concert Movie (Motion Picture Soundtrack)’

What’s better than listening to your favorite Glee hits? Listening to live performances of your favorite Glee hits, of course!

Earlier this week the Glee: The 3D Concert Movie (Motion Picture Soundtrack) was released, and the album contains 23 tracks from the upcoming Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, which is out this Friday, August 12.

I like that Glee released the live tracks from the movie, because it gives the fans a chance to not only sing along to their favorite songs, but also appreciate the cast of Glee for their tremendous live vocals.

Lea Michele (Rachel) is the star of this collection by far. From her chill-inducing duet with Chris Colfer (Kurt) on the classic “Happy Days Are Here Again”/“Get Happy” and her standout solo of “Don’t Rain On My Parade” to the bubbly “Loser Like Me,” Michele proves she has the vocal capability of singing just about anything.

And speaking of Chris Colfer, his live rendition of “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” is simply moving. His performance of the song during the “Grilled Cheesus” episode of Glee was very touching, and hearing the performance live, you truly get a sense of the emotion he’s projecting.

I have to give props to Cory Monteith (Finn). I feel that his vocal ability is often underrated, which is unfortunate, because he truly has a great natural voice. Singing his solo number “Jessie’s Girl” along with his lead verses on “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Loser Like Me,” Monteith’s soft, raspy-yet-quality pop vocals add to the unique blend of voices that make up the cast of Glee. Even live, he and Michele’s voice complement each other perfectly.

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Music Review >> Scotty McCreery – ‘American Idol Season 10’

American Idol season 10 winner, Scotty McCreery was handedly the most consistent singer this past season, which made his studio tracks a treat to listen to. And for someone who doesn’t entirely care for country music, I cannot deny this kid’s seemingly effortless talent.

McCreery’s run on Idol was indeed ballad heavy, but luckily his uptempo numbers were sprinkled throughout this Idol compilation.

On the show, I felt like the country singer proved he could be a contemporary artist when he backed off the ballads, and rocked out on Montgomery Gentry’s “Gone.” Hands down, this is my favorite of McCreery’s studio tracks. He sounds like a well-seasoned singer, not a 17-year-old kid that is just in the beginning stages of his music career.

Unabashedly, another one of my favorite tracks off of McCreery’s collection of music from Idol is his take on Elvis’ “That’s All Right.” This song really allowed the singer to show a more personable and youthful side to himself. Plus, it’s really fun to sing-a-long to.

On the flipside, my favorite ballads include “Can I Trust You With My Heart,” “Always On My Mind,” and McCreery’s debut single, “I Love You This Big.”

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‘Glee’s’ Darren Criss Headed To Broadway

Darren Criss is definitely on a roll! Going from YouTube fame to being recently promoted to a full-time cast member on Glee, it was announced today that Criss will make his Broadway debut replacing Daniel Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch in a limited three-week engagement of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying early next year.

“Daniel gives an extraordinary performance eight times a week and we knew finding someone to fill his shoes would be nearly impossible. When we learned of Darren’s dream of performing on Broadway we knew we had found our Finch but presumed his Glee schedule would eliminate any chance to work with him,” said the Broadway show’s director/choreographer Rob Ashford.

“We are ecstatic and grateful to Ryan Murphy and his Glee team at 20th Century Fox TV for helping to make both Darren’s and our dream come true.”

Criss’ limited three-week engagement will run from January 3, 2012 through January 22, 2012. Tickets are on sale now.

For more information, check out the official website for How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying.

Photo credits: Kristian Dowling/Picture Group for FOX

Originally posted on Blogcritics.

Amy Winehouse Found Dead At London Home

Multiple news sources in the U.K. are reporting that singer Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her apartment in London.

According to the Daily Mail, the 27-year-old singer was “apparently found at the property by emergency services at 3:54 p.m. this afternoon. Her death is being treated as ‘unexplained’ by police.”

Winehouse had struggled with drug and alcohol addiction for years and had headed back to rehab this past May.

In June, the singer was booed off the stage in Belgrade, Serbia after mumbling the words to her hit songs and stumbling around. The disastrous show resulted in the cancellation of the singer’s planned 12-gig comeback tour.

A statement was released in the aftermath of that event, which said, “Amy Winehouse is withdrawing from all scheduled performances. Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best and she will be given as long as it takes for this to happen.”

Earlier this week, Winehouse made a surprise appearance at the iTunes Festival during goddaughter Dionne Bromfield’s set in Camden.

In 2006, the singer took home five Grammy Awards for her multi-million-selling album, Back to Black.

Originally posted on Blogcritics.

Backstage with ‘American Idol’s’ Stefano Langone

Before the Top 11 contestants from the tenth season of American Idol took the stage at the HP Pavilion in San Jose on July 13, I had the opportunity to sit down for a one-on-one interview with Washington native, Stefano Langone.

Langone and I talked about the current tour, his post-tour plans, and his advice for the American Idol season 11 hopefuls.

How has the tour been going so far?

The tour’s been going great. We’re getting some great reviews. Just trying to establish myself as one of the top-notch performers. Everything’s been working out.

So you tried out for Idol initially in San Francisco, and now you’re performing tonight in the Bay Area, how does it feel to kind of come full circle?

All of my family’s from the Bay Area. I’m really, really pumped to perform tonight. There’s going to be a lot of Langones in the house.

Stefano Langone live in Oakland, CA - credit: Karen Datangel What has been the most fulfilling part of the tour so far for you?

Just getting to see the crowd’s reaction, and getting to see the fans after the show. My goal really is to make a name for myself, and really show people who they voted for and just making more fans, you know? Creating a buzz and making sure I establish what I want to do after the show. Unfortunately I didn’t get to pick the songs that I wanted to do, and I didn’t get to perform in the way I wanted to, but I’m taking what I’ve got and I’m making the best of it. I’m going out there and giving great performances and that’s number one.

Having to perform the same set every night on tour, how do you stay amped for each show?

It’s the crowd. The crowd keeps you hyped up; you can always count on that. You can’t get sucked into the, “Ugh, I’m doing this again.” You can’t get sucked into it; you’ve got to realize what you’re doing it for and why you’re here. It’s about the music and about your performances.

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Backstage With ‘American Idol’s’ Paul McDonald

Last Wednesday, hours before the Top 11 from American Idol season 10 took the stage at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, I had the opportunity to talk with one of the more unique and interesting voices from this past season.

Cool, calm, and collected, 26-year-old Paul McDonald from Nashville, spoke candidly about the American Idols Live! Tour, including which contestant fell victim to the first tour prank of the summer, and working on his solo music while out on the road.

How has the tour been going?

It’s been excellent so far. We’re only like, I think, five shows in, and we got about a thousand more to go. [laughs] We go through September, and we do a handful of Canada dates, maybe one or two. Then they take us over to the Philippines.

Wow, I’m pretty sure that’s a first with taking the tour overseas. What has been the most fulfilling part of the tour for you so far?

Oh goodness. I guess it’s just the whole vibe of pretending that we’re real rock stars for the summer. We’re singing karaoke and stuff, but the production is like a huge tour. We have six buses, six semis, we have catering, we have the whole VIP kind of like a very pro tour. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, unless you’re the Rolling Stones, or Bruce Springsteen, or Carrie Underwood, or one of those, you know? So, it’s kind of cool to be in that for just a little bit and see how this grand scale of venues and touring works. It’s cool.

Do you have any kind of fun bus stories from the tour so far?

Fun bus stories? Oh gosh, I’m trying to think. We really don’t hang out on the bus too much, because they literally have us working from [about] noon. This morning I got up at like eight-thirty, we went to the Ronald McDonald House, me and Casey. We did some charity, we hung out with the kids, came back and had hair and make-up, which I don’t do any of that stuff. After that we have lunch, and then we have sound check. We go from normally from 12 noon to 12 at night. The only bus time is after the gig we go in there and like have a drink and pass out, but there has been a good story.

The first gig in Salt Lake City, Jacob Lusk decided to take a shower in the locker room — we’re playing all these big basketball arenas and stuff — and I was like, “Let me show you how it’s done fellas.” This is like “Band Pranks 101.” I got the bucket of ice, and all of us, Scotty and everybody, filled it up with ice-cold water. Jacob’s in the shower singing, you know, doing his thing. We walked in there and Casey’s filming it, and came in and just busted him with an ice cold bucket of water, and he was like, “Ahhhhh!” I was like, day one, the tour pranks begin.

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