For years Jennifer Lopez has fought her difficult-diva-reputation in Hollywood. It’s impossible to decipher whether she’s actually a demanding celebrity, or whether she’s surrounded by a team of people with ridiculous demands on her behalf. Sometimes actors are completely unaware that their teams make them look bad, and by the time they figure it out, the damage has been done in the press. When Lopez decided to take the judge job on American Idol, I was initially against it. I thought her star-power was too big for the show, and it would ruin her brand. After watching the clip below, I’ve changed my mind. Lopez had to reject a contestant with a heart-breaking back-story, and she didn’t take it well. After the rejection, she cried (you know — the ugly cry where you’re embarrassed for people to look at you) and told Randy Jackson and Stephen Tyler that she felt “she didn’t say it the right way” and she just “didn’t want to say no.” It’s fair to say that I officially like Jennifer Lopez, and I think it was a good choice to judge American Idol. It chisels away her ice-queen reputation (pun intended), and it makes her likable.
Category: Music
Ronnie Dunn’s New Song — Bleed Red — It’s Incredible
It’s no secret that The Dishmaster loves country music. So it’s only an added benefit that a close family friend writes country music for a living. When I heard he wrote Ronnie Dunn’s new single, I almost fainted. If you don’t know Ronnie Dunn, then you’re not a country music fan, and if you’re not a country music fan, then I feel sorry for you. Dunn recently split from Brooks and Dunn, and he’s releasing a solo record. The first single off the record, Bleed Red, is incredible. The song was written by Andrew Dorff and Tommy Lee James. Dunn said that when he first heard it he noticed it “sounded like U2” and he thought, “Okay, so what if Conway Twitty were to come in and put a vocal on this anyway and cut the song?’” You can download the song starting February 8th, and the album will be released later this year. Take a listen.
Music Spotlight: Lykke Li
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I’ve recently discovered my affinity for Swedish musicians. First, Erik Hassle, and now Lykke Li. Sure, they have much different musical styles, but perhaps Sweden is churning out some really good musicians. As per my usual routine, I discovered Lykke Li on Pandora through my Florence + The Machine station. I then went to Grooveshark and listened to her entire Youth Novels album, which is incredible. She has yet to achieve mainstream success in the United States, with the exception of her appearance on Last Call With Carson Daly in 2009 (yes, Carson Daly is still alive) and a performance at the 2009 Lollapalooza Music Festival. Listen to her music below. I recommend Little Bit.
[soundcloud]http://soundcloud.com/lykkeli/sets/lykke-li[/soundcloud]
American Idol Is Officially Done — Sucks Without Simon Cowell
Well, it’s official. Start saying your goodbyes to American Idol. I watched the show tonight and hoped for the best. But it just doesn’t work without Simon Cowell. The ship needs a captain, and the captain can now be seen on X Factor, which will soon trounce American Idol in the ratings. I know this not only because I’m a genius, but also because that’s exactly what happened in England. Simon Cowell started in England on a show called Pop Idol, which exploded in the ratings. When he left Pop Idol for X Factor, Pop Idol tanked, and X Factor became an immediate hit. Why? Because Cowell is a necessity, and without him, it’s just another talent show. So Simon — if you’re reading this — I missed you tonight, and I found myself waiting for you to appear at the table. I’ll see you soon.
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?
Music Spotlight On: 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.
Kate Nash — Music Recommendation
I’m always searching for new, non-mainstream music — and it’s no easy task. While listening to Florence + The Machine on Pandora, I discovered the very gifted Kate Nash. Nash’s lyrics are so literal, I find myself amazed that she gets away with it in such an effortless way. Alright — I just vomited at my music review. Clearly I wasn’t born to write for Rolling Stone. How about this — she’s fucking brilliant (and yes mother, sometimes I curse). Nash was born in Ireland and grew up in London. Her incredible album, Made of Bricks, was number one in the UK and went platinum. I’ve posted two songs below. Foundations was a huge hit, and if you’ve ever been in a failed relationship, I would encourage you to listen to it. It’s a post-breakup-anthem. The second song I posted, Merry Happy, didn’t chart well, though I think it’s one of the strongest songs on the album. Enjoy!
Music Recommendation: Florence + The Machine
When I first watched the Eat Pray Love trailer, I became so obsessed with the title song, I immediately Shazammed my television screen (yes, I’m that tech-savvy). I discovered the song is Dog Days Are Over, by Florence + The Machine. It never occurred to me that the the entire album would be just as great as the single. I assure you it is. If you don’t believe me, go to Grooveshark, and listen to the all of the Lungs album — I promise you won’t be disappointed. The “group” is actually composed of one member, British indie rock vocalist — Florence Welch — with other artists backing up her voice. Listen to two songs below.
When Did Enrique Iglesias Start Recording Britney Spears Music?
Nothing saddens me more than when a talented person conforms to their deficit. Translation? I don’t like a sell-out, especially when its unnecessary. That brings me to Enrique Iglesias, who can actually sing, but you would never know that if you listened to his current single. It’s so abominable that I found myself yelling out loud when I heard it. “Enrique, are you serious!?,” I said, hoping he was listening outside my door. I seriously wonder whether he got this overly produced track from Britney Spears’ rejected pile of music. I know he has to put food on the table, and I know the current state of music is horrible, but this is unforgivable. I’ve posted his current video below, and I’ve also posted one of his best, older songs, called Experiencia Religiosa. After listening to the second song, I hope you’ll join me in my outrage.
Television Rule: You Can’t Bash a Show You Never Liked to Begin With — Hear that TV.com Glee Bashers?
I read a scathing review of this week’s Glee on TV.com and halfway through the review the writer disclosed that he hates the show. That brings me to my new rule about television critics: if you were never a fan of the show to begin wtih, then you don’t get the privilege of bashing it. Why? Because no matter what they do you won’t like it, which means you’re just a biased prick that likes to arbitrarily bash television shows for sport. It’s okay if it’s not your cup of tea. It’s not okay if you spend two pages of a review explaining why you hate the show, when it was never meant to appeal to you. In case you’re wondering, I did not come up with this brilliant theory on my own. I’ve spent many hours of my life watching television interviews (in training to become the next Barbara Walters), and Mariah Carey brought this up years ago while promoting one of her albums. She was asked if critics bother her, and she said that they only bother her if they are fans of her music, but didn’t like a particular album. She said there is one specific critic that has never been a fan, so no matter what she does he won’t enjoy it, which means it’s pretty senseless to take his critique seriously. And there you have it. Thanks to Mariah for the idea, and thanks to myself for expressing it in a genius way. Alright — my next post will be self-deprecating — I promise.