Maroon 5 at Super Bowl LIII – Review

Dale Zanine, USA Today Sports

If you had no knowledge of Maroon 5 and tuned into the Super Bowl halftime show last night, you’d have thought Adam Levine was a solo act. That’s a shame, especially since I’ve seen Maroon 5 live, and the only good part of the show is lead guitarist James Valentine. Mr. Valentine is the extremely well-dressed, long-haired gentleman who can play. He’s often lost in the shadows of Levine, who is less than generous to his band. When I saw them perform live at The Forum, his band was barely visible behind the ridiculous light show and stage placement. If you’re curious what it looks like when a lead singer is generous to his fellow musicians, go see Bruce Springsteen live. I realize that no one compares to The Boss, but given his performing prowess, one might expect that he too would steal the spotlight at the expense of his band — and he does the opposite.

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Maroon 5’s ‘Overexposed’ Music Review — It’s Good

I’ve never claimed to be a music critic, even though The Dishmaster is heavily centered on music. My very basic reviews are exclusively based on whether I’d like to listen to an album while driving down the Pacific Coast Highway on a beautiful Los Angeles day. So when I read the extremely intricate (and sometimes hilarious) assaults on Maroon 5’s new album, ‘Overexposed,’ I just assumed I’d hate the record. “How could so many critics be wrong,” I thought. And given my hatred for Adam Levine’s egotism, I also assumed I’d find pleasure in disliking his record. But I loved it. It is genuine and enjoyable, and the tracks are just the right mix of workout-out-worthy up-tempo and imagine-a-man-is-singing-this-to-me low-tempo. Listen below to “Sad.”

The Best Judge on ‘The Voice’ — Blake Shelton

If I were a contestant on The Voice, it would take me one millisecond to choose Blake Shelton as my mentor. The reason? He’s the only judge with post-show loyalty. It’s not about winning the show, it’s about what happens after you win the show, and a huge part of an artist’s success is whether other artists with more fame promote them. And Blake Shelton constantly promotes Dia Frampton and Xenia, two contestants from the last season of the show. Sure Adam Levine won with Javier Colon, but does he invite him to sing at Maroon 5 concerts? In fact, Dia Frampton is joining Blake Shelton on tour. You can’t beat that type of exposure. There is no way Christina Aguilera would make that same type of offer.

Adam Levine and Anne V: Naked and Ridiculous

Is there any man more in love with himself than Adam Levine? He’s constantly finding excuses to get naked, and I’m sick of it. He’s that skinny nerd who became a gigantic douchebag after his band hit it big. “Look at me! And look at my hot girlfriend!! Isn’t she super hot?! Aren’t I the best looking douchebag ever!?” Remember when he was actually a musician? He should go for coffee with John Mayer. Those two have a lot in common.

Maroon 5’s Album is Incredible — I’m Sorry, Adam Levine

If you follow my blog, then you would know how often I pick on Adam Levine for his annoying personality.  In my most recent post on the topic, I claimed to stop listening to his music based solely on this terrible personality.  Well, even The Dishmaster can eat crow.  Thanks to Grooveshark, I was able to listen to his entire new album, Hands All Over, before buying it — and it’s incredible.  I’ll repent for my sharp tongue by actually purchasing the album.  Who says I’m immature?

Adam Levine Poses Naked — Proves He’s In Love With Himself

There’s only two singers I’ve stopped listening to solely because of their terrible personalities. If you read my blog, you could easily guess that the lucky singers are Adam Levine and John Mayer. I stopped listening to John Mayer when he began to act ridiculous in interviews, and the Jessica Simpson debacle officially put the fork in him. I banned Adam Levine for just about the same reason. I’m aware that he’s only one member of an entire band, but he’s annoying enough for me to cut off Maroon 5 as a whole. He’s in love with himself, and his new naked ad is no exception. I’ve pulled a quote for your enjoyment. Levine said, “I spend most of my life naked. In fact, I often have to be told by the people around me that it’s inappropriate to be as naked as I am. But I live in California, where it’s always warm, so why not?” First of all Adam, I also live in California, and I can assure you that I wore a very heavy jacket today because it’s too cold for nudity. Second, aren’t you secretly a dorky Jewish guy that couldn’t get laid for most of your teenage life? I don’t know for sure — but I’m guessing.  Maybe I just get angry when the Jewish guys date blond chicks — because you know — us Jewish brunettes are more attractive.

Music Spotlight On: Erik Hassle

Erik Hassle

I’m always looking for new music. I dig through Pandora and Grooveshark looking for an artist that I won’t immediately get tired of. This week, Erik Hassle joins Kate Nash and Florence + The Machine as my new find. He’s from Sweden, and his debut album, Hassle, reached #2 on the Swedish pop charts. He actually sounds a bit like Maroon 5, which I regret to admit, considering I find Adam Levine to be incredibly annoying. In fact — the less I know about Hassle the better — because everyone annoys me eventually. I’ve attached some of his songs below for your enjoyment. I recommend Don’t Bring Flowers.