Music Reviews . . .
OCTOBER 25, 2008
KELLIE PICKLER IS LIVING SOME OF THE BEST DAYS OF HER LIFE AS SHE DROPS HER SELF-TITLED SOPHOMORE ALBUM.
(By: Bessie Sorge)
The highly anticipated follow-up to the success of Kellie Pickler’s debut album is finally here. Those who have followed Kellie’s career since her days on American Idol know that she has been through an emotional rollercoaster ride over the past two years. Kellie has finally put pen to paper co-writing five of the album’s ten tracks to bring her fans along for the ride in her newly released self-titled album. The album sends its listeners through a plethora of emotions from start to finish, which Kellie explains, “this album is me, this is who I am and where I am.”
It’s no secret that Kellie has been through a few ups and a lot of downs in her life. The whole world cried along as the emotions poured out during her performance of “I Wonder” at last years CMA Awards. Kellie’s time to shine in the spotlight came to a halt when everything she was holding onto inside poured out in tears and through her voice. Kellie confesses that “in order to have good come into your life, you have to let go of the bad in your life, and trust that good will find room, and come in.” While it may have seemed that everything was crumbling around Kellie, that performance turned into an award winning smash hit video that has be replayed on CMT and even won Kellie a CMT Award for Best Performance of the Year. In case you have been living under a rock this past year and have not seen this video, click here.
The first single off Kellie Pickler’s self-titled sophomore album is already a smash hit. “Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful,” shot up the billboard charts during its release and currently sits at #23 on the Hot Country Songs and at #10 for Hot Video Tracks chart. The success continued upon the album release on September 30, 2008 as it debuted its first week in the #9 spot on the Billboard Top 200 chart and currently maintains the #7 position on the Top Country Albums chart.
Taylor Swift joins Kellie with background vocals in “Best Days of Your Life,” a song which the two wrote together while on tour with Brad Paisley last year. This is one of our top three tracks featured on the album. Taylor and Kellie makes sure that the men in their past realize that the best days of their life has already come and passed them by. I bet those boys are kicking their feet around now!
During the one of the final tour dates with the Rascal Flatts, Kellie was presented with a gift card to Sacks Fifth Avenue with an “obscene amount of money,” Kellie explains. Her obsession with Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo shoes and Sacks Fifth Avenue was the inspiration behind her soon-to-be-hit single “Going Out In Style.” This track is a perfect closing for the album.
The track listing for the album is as follows:
1. Don’t You Know You’re Beautiful
2. I’m Your Woman
3. Rocks Instead of Rice
4. Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You
5. Lucky Girl
6. One Last Time
7. Best Days Of Your Life
8. Somebody To Love Me
9. Makin’ Me Fall In Love Again
10. Going Out In Style
If you were a fan of Kellie’s debut album, then you will absolutely love her new self-titled album. Her vulnerability and sincerity make it easy for her fans to relate and live through the highly publicized trials and tribulations of her life as if they are living through it themselves.
You can order your copy of Kellie Pickler’s self-titled album by visiting amazon.com.
OCTOBER 24, 2008
MILEY CYRUS BREAKS OUT OF THE HANNAH MONTANA REALM AND ENTERS MILEY WORLD!
(By: Bessie Sorge)
With the release of her first full length album outside of the Hannah Montana facade, Miley Cyrus proves that she is still at the top of her game. Her new album entitled “Breakout” has already made this young starlet climb back up to the top of the music charts with the release of the first single “7 Things.” You may be surprised to find out that this multi-talented actress and singer is also a gifted songwriter. In fact, out of the twelve tracks featured on the new album eight of them were co-written by Cyrus, including the hit single “7 Things.”
Another song that is making its way through the radio circuit is “Fly On The Wall.” This song has definite rock star potential and is one of the best tunes on the album. Not only are the lyrics well written, but Miley provides vocals to the track reminiscent to Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” in the 1980’s. On the outside this song is about a girl upset about a potential boyfriend’s insecurities, constant questioning, and sneaking around to find out information. If you do not think you can relate to the celebrity fandom that Miley has entered into at such a young age, then listen closely to the lyrics to this song! It seems as though Miley may have emphasized a little symbolism of how she feels about the media and paparazzi always pondering for information about her life, “don’t you wish that you could be a fly on the wall . . . all my precious secrets, yeah, you’d know them all.”
Miley shows off her devotion to the environment in “Wake Up America.” This edgy pop tune is guaranteed to make you get off your feet and do something to help save our mother earth. Miley calls out to all her young fans and spreads the message that “everything you do matters in some way.” We concur with Miley, “it’s our home so lets take care of it.”
Other tracks featured on the album that were written by Cyrus include “ Full Circle,” “Bottom of the Ocean,” and “Goodbye.” The album also features a Rock Mafia Remix of “See You Again,” a song from the Hannah Montana soundtrack which made Cyrus soar to the top of the music charts in 2007.
The tracks on the album include:
1. Breakout
2. 7 Things
3. The Driveway
4. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
5. Full Circle
6. Fly On The Wall
7. Bottom of the Ocean
8. Wake Up America
9. These Four Walls
10. Simple Song
11. Goodbye
12. See You Again (Rock Mafia Remix)
Miley Cyrus is an unstoppable force of nature having headlined a nationwide tour to a sold-out crowd, starred in her very own television show on the Disney Channel, and successfully surpassed her father’s height of stardom, all before she even celebrated her sweet 16 birthday. There is nothing this girl can’t do.
It’s no surprise that she has graduated from Hannah Montana to Miley Cyrus in her current album release. Miley’s vocals are more powerful the ever before in songs such as “Wake Up America,” “7 Things,” and “Breakout.” There is no doubt that we will be hearing a lot more of Miley Cyrus for many years to come.
You can purchase your own copy of the album through amazon.com.
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OCTOBER 20, 2008
SKARLET BLUE ROCKS HOLLYWOOD WITH THE CONCLUSION OF THEIR U.S. TOUR
(By: Ginger)
Skarlet Blue, a new up-and-coming band from Melbourne, Australia has just concluded their tour in the U.S. Fortunately, I was able to attend their last two events in Los Angeles.
On Saturday, October 11, 2008, Skarlet Blue rocked the Knitting Factory in Hollywood. Skarlet Blue did an awesome rock rendition of "Daydream Believer" by the Monkees, which possessed a unique quality that immediately captured the audience’s attention. By the time they were on the third song, I couldn’t help but notice that the audience had doubled in size. The tremendous amount of energy that these musicians possess on stage attracted a wide variety of music-lovers, and their music keeps them entertained to the very end.
On Sunday, October 12, 2008, Skarlet Blue played at the Cat Club in Hollywood for their final performance in Los Angeles. Once again, the show was packed and everyone who attended fell in love with their music, which is pretty much expected. They performed songs from their debut album, “Headlights”, along with a new song from their second album titled “ L.A. ”, which was inspired by their tour in the US. Their second album is still in progress and more information to come on that release.
Members of Skarlet Blue:
Anthony Salce: Vocals and Guitar
Ryan Di Cecco: Bass Guitar and Background Vocals
Adrian Perri: Keys and Back-up Vocals
Joe Torrz: Drums
If you missed out seeing them on their U.S. tour then we suggest you stop by their official myspace page at www.myspace.com/skarletblue and sample their music. If you would like to purchase your own copy of their debut CD “Headlights,” be sure to visit their official website at www.skarletblue.com.au. Look for Skarlet Blue to return to the U.S. in early 2009. Tour dates will be announced as soon as they are set.
Special thanks to Anthony, Ryan, Adrian, and Joe for inviting me to your shows!
For questions or comments about this article, please email Ginger at music@hollywoodteenzine.com
SEPTEMBER 11, 2008
Kate Voegele gives her fans an unforgettable show at The Roxy.
(By: Bessie Sorge)
The crowd anxiously waited for Kate Voegele to take the stage at The Roxy on Wednesday night. The guitars began, the curtain rose and the crowd went wild for this petite 21 year old Ohio native as she began to belt out the lyrics to the first song of her set. It is always surprising to find how such a tiny person can have such a powerful voice. Not only is Kate's voice powerful, but it is also very captivating and unique, which makes her the perfect vehicle for Myspace Records to launch their label. Her sound reminds me a lot of Michelle Branch in the early years. There was plenty of fun to go around as Kate's energy was present for the duration of her set, keeping the audience involved and the music flowing from song to song. Many young girls were sitting in the front row mouthing the lyrics to each of her songs. In between songs, Kate was very personable with the audience. At one point, she talked about the horrible events leading up to the show, i.e. her guitarist getting hit by a car while crossing the street on Sunset Blvd. Luckily, he was cleared to play the gig. Being the dedicated musician he is, Sam Getz sat on the stage and played the guitar with his leg wrapped in a boot during the entire show. Afterall, the show must go on right? Aside from being a talented singer, Kate is also an award-winning songwriter. There is something to say about songwriters performing their own music; the emotions are present in their performance because each of the songs have a personal meaning to the artist. You may have heard some of Kate's songs featured on various episodes of the hit CW TV series "One Tree Hill". This was by far one of the best concerts we have attended over the last few months. We strongly believe that Kate Voegele is a name you will be hearing a lot more of in the near future! The "Back 2 School" tour is sponsored by the University of Phoenix. There are 19 shows left on the tour. To see if Kate Voegele is coming to a city near you, check out our Tour Schedule section of the site.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2008
"Another Cinderella Story" soundtrack is certain to bring out your best dance moves.
(By: Bessie Sorge)
The soundtrack for "Another Cinderella Story" features a number of tracks from the film’s stars including Drew Seeley and Selena Gomez, who is best know for her role on The Disney Channel’s hit tv series "Wizards of Waverly Place". The entire soundtrack is an upbeat jam session that will make you want to dance from start to finish.
Selena Gomez appears on a total of three studio recordings and one live recording on the album. Selena's solo songs, "Tell Me Something I Don’t Know" and "Bang A Drum," will definitely have you moving to the beat. "Bang A Drum" is a fun and catchy tune with a slight rock edge that may leave you banging to the beat while dreaming of becoming a rock star.
Selena also appears with Drew Seeley in a studio and live version of a track called "New Classic". Drew is featured in three other songs on the album. One of our favorite tracks is a song called "1st Class Girl", a deut Drew collaborated with Marcus Paulk.
Another one of our favorite tracks on the album is a song by Tiffany Giardina called "No Average Angel". This song is about a young teenage girl who doesn’t care about designer jeans, high fashion, being the most popular girl in school, or who is in her top 8 friends on Myspace. She tries to make the boy she likes see her for who she is but he is too distracted by the "drama queen making a scene an air brushed model on the silver screen". Music is a great way to send positive messages to children. Tiffany's song states the importance of staying true to who you are and understanding that material things are not really that important after all.
TRACK LISTING:
1. Tell Me Something I Don't Know - Selena Gomez
2. New Classic - Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley
3. Hurry Up and Save Me - Tiffany Giardina
4. Just That Girl - Drew Seeley
5. Bang a Drum - Selena Gomez
6. 1st Class Girl - Marcus Paulk and Drew Seeley
7. Hold 4 You - Jane Lynch
8. Valentine's Dance Tango - Twins
9. No Average Angel - Tiffany Giardina
10. Don't Be Shy - Chani, Lil' JJ, , Small Change
11. X-Plain It to My Heart - Drew Seeley
12. New Classic [Live] - Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley
13. Another Cinderella Story [Score Suite] - John Paesano
We think that this is a must have album in your collection, so we are giving away 5 copies in our contest corner. The contest ends on September 10th. Be sure to get your entries in today!
To purchase a copy of this soundtrack please visit Music Space.
JANUARY 17, 2008
The show was completely sold out. Shawn Parr and Robin Banks from Los Angeles’ new country music radio station, Go Country, introduced Taylor Swift and the crowd went wild. Taylor opened the show with "I’m Only Me When I’m With You." After the opening song I knew we were in for a great concert!
Taylor communicated a lot to the audience throughout her entire set, explaining the songs and how she got to where she is today. She told the audience that her favorite thing was when everyone sang her songs with her. Then the violin (fiddle?) played the introduction to "Our Song" which immediately sparked everyone in the audience to stand up out of their seats and sing along with the lyrics, "I was riding shotgun with my hair undone in the front seat of his car . . ." The response from the audience was so explosive I think it took Taylor aback.
Next on the set list was another crowd favorite. The introduction to this song was Taylor’s explanation about people who cheat, they "Should Have Said No." The audience sang and stood through this song and the next two, "Teardrops On My Guitar" and "Stay Beautiful."
It was now time for Taylor to get a little up close and personal with the audience. She asked everyone if it was okay if "we have a little one-on-one" time and her band left the stage. It was now just Taylor and her Taylor guitar on stage as she starts to sing an acoustic cover of a song made famous by Rhianna, "Umbrella."
Taylor explained that she landed her record deal when she was just eleven years old and that "if you really want something you have to go for it." The guitar strings start and Taylor starts singing "I don’t know what I want . . ." from another crowd favorite song called "A Place In This World," a song she wrote when she was 13 years old.
Next up is another heartfelt acoustic performance of "A Perfectly Good Heart," and all the guitarists in the band came out to joint in on the song.
The next song Taylor wrote when she was 12 years old. She explained her move to Nashville and getting started in the music business and began singing the lyrics to "The Outside."
The reason behind the next song was all due to Taylor’s neighbors when she first moved to Nashville at the young age of 13. Taylor explained that sometimes love can last a lifetime. Her Nashville neighbors instilled a belief in her that love can last a lifetime. They were the inspiration behind the song "Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)."
The cell phones came out during the next song, "Tim McGraw." Of course, that was at the request of Taylor herself. She wanted everyone in the audience to pull out their cell phones and wave them in the air while she sang (along with everyone in the audience) her hit that landed her in the spotlight.
The next song was introduced as "I really try to be a nice person, but if you break my heart, or hurt my feelings, or be mean to my friends from California, I’m gonna write a song about you." Before she could get the introduction out, the crowd went wild. Everyone stood as Taylor began singing "A Picture to Burn" and sung along with her.
Taylor thanked everyone in the audience for coming out and looked around as she received s standing ovation from the crowd. Everyone was screaming and clapping their hands. I’ve never seen an audience this enthusiastic before, and I think it’s safe to say that neither did Taylor. She stood there for approximately 7 minutes just staring around the room with her hands placed over her heart. Finally, she started shaking the many hands that were reaching out for her and then disappeared with her band behind the curtains. The crowd didn’t stop cheering, in hopes that there would be an encore. Taylor made her way back to the stage with her band to sing the final song of the night, a cover song originally by Tyler Hilton (the guy from her music video "Tim McGraw") called "Missing You."
Overall, I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the show, even if it meant missing the end of the Hannah Montana premiere to catch the concert on time. Taylor put on an awesome show and the entire audience seemed to enjoy themselves as much as I did. Afterwards Taylor did a meet and greet with all her fans in the front lobby. The line was so long that it wrapped back into the theatre. Her merchandise table was selling out like hotcakes. There were a slew of girls personating Taylor’s trademark fashion, sporting their little dresses, cowboy boots and curly or crimped hair. The rest of the audience was showing off their newly purchased tour shirt, which I am sure many had Taylor autograph during the Meet and Greet.