Aw, Crystal

I stumbled upon this video and thought I'd share. Here's Crystal Kay, pre-恋におちたら, pedaling her earnest songs and even doing a cover. I've already established I'm not a real Hikki fan; I don't know if she did Deep River any justice. Maybe you know?? (J, I'm lookin' at you). The video quality isn't too great, but the sound's fine so, enjoy ^_^.

Oh, Hikki - Heart Station Album Review

I'm not the biggest Utada fan. I know whenever she releases an album she shuts the game down, but this is the first album of hers that I've listened to in its entirety and so, I'm not in the position to compare Heart Station to any of her other efforts. With that said, after listening to this album, it's obvious why Utada is always on top; she's just that much more talented than damn near everyone else in j-pop.

Continue reading...

The album starts off with the brilliant Fight the Blues. The song has so much attitude and flair that you almost understand why it was released to Japanese radio as her seventh single from this album. Almost. Next up is the title track Heart Station, which I loved upon first listen. Flavor of Life, originally released as a single over a year ago, still holds up as one of the best songs on the album. Kiss & Cry took a while to grow on me, but grow on me it has; with it's saucy beat, it's one of the few songs on the disc that get me moving. Stay Gold, the standout track on the album for me, is a light, pretty ballad with lyrics reminiscent of those from Simple and Clean. It's simple and beautiful and I can never listen to it just once.

Even when Heart Station flounders, you only notice because it isn't up to par with the rest of the album's sheer brilliance. The second half of the album isn't as strong as the first, with the exception of Prisoner of Love. I didn't connect with Celebrate or Niji-iro Bus and honestly, since it was released way back in 2006, I think Utada could have gotten away with excluding Boku wa Kuma from the tracklist altogether. The sing-songy nature of the song doesn't mesh with the overall tone of the album and it deserved the bonus track treatment more than that other, lamer version of Flavor of Life.

Some artists are successful because they fill a certain niche really well. But, there's something about Utada's talent that's so left field. She doesn't sound like anyone, no one could hope to sound like her; there's only one Utada Hikaru. So, with this album, I'm officially a fan. It's astounding the number of hits included on the tracklist, and Utada is vocally and lyrically on point. I doubt I'd have to recommend this to anyone already into the j-pop scene, but if you're not, this is a great starting point.

Come harder, Roma!

Roma Tanaka has another video out, this time with melody., for his fifth Japanese single Boyfriend / Girlfriend. Frankly, I think the song's rubbish. The video as well. Something about it...no, everything about it just screams 'GIMMICK.' I don't really care much for melody., but I actually liked Roma's first album, Keep On. So far, it seems his upcoming mini-album will not be of the same caliber. I prefer his first single with Thelma Aoyama, Forever Love, but even that was lackluster. And that video was crap, too. I don't know what it is but, Roma has the strongest gayface I've ever seen. It's just incredible. At first, I thought he was trying to hide it by teaming up with random j-pop ladies, but he is set to play Angel in the Japanese production of RENT later this year. So, idk. Anyways, check out the video for yourself below.

All New Skins Cast?!

Skins, my favorite show this season (don't worry, Gossip Girl, you're a close second), is dropping their entire cast next season and I'm in shock. Apparently, with the cast going off to university at the end of the current season, the show will focus on an entirely new crew for season three, and there are future plans for integrating the two casts somehow. Honestly, I think it's a cool idea to keep the show fresh and interesting, but losing the characters I've grown so fond of is such a jarring concept. Usually, I don't like when a show tries to wring every last drop of drama out of sometimes stagnant cast relations, but everyone on Skins is so deliciously f***ed up, I thought the writers were set for at least three more seasons. Well, seems it's more like three more episodes. Sigh...I don't know about this...

More Leona...

Yes, another post on Leona. I've been listening to the leaked track Misses Glass on repeat for the last half hour. Leona's people knew that her ballad-ridden album that's as bland as pasta with no sauce was going to need some umph if she wanted any play on American radio after Bleeding Love. And Madd Scientist, who also produced the hot Super Villain for Nicole Scherzinger, really delivered on this new track for the American release of Spirit. The beat is a jumper, but doesn't necessarily sound like everything else on the radio; it has character. And the song is clearly another one of her introspective ballads -- which honestly may be the closest thing to a personality or signature style Leona can muster -- just sped up. Misses Glass is slated to be the follow-up to Bleeding Love and I think Leona's onto another hit.

#8 is not good enough!

Leona zooms to #1 on this week's Hot 100! Meanwhile, Mariah still hasn't cracked the top ten, actually falling a spot to #15 this week. Mariah's album will definitely be better and probably perform better on the album charts when the ladies release their albums next month, so Leona better enjoy being on top while it lasts!

So, yeah... About those album impressions...

So, I've been sitting on HEART STATION for a week now. And, I've heard the entire album, it's just I haven't really listened to it yet, ya know? I keep hitting Stay Gold and putting it on repeat; that song is beautiful. So, in the meantime, I thought I'd share with you some funny videos from YouTube. They're both hilarious, but for very different reasons. Hope you like 'em as much as I did. ^_^ I love babies and drag queens!

Daaaaamn!

It has landed. I showed everybody I know who is even remotely into gaming Montyoum's original Dead Fantasy video. That shiz was awesome. And, I've been pretty curious to see how he would top it. Well, he did. Enjoy Dead Fantasy II below.

Sorry, Donnie...

Donnie Klang, the kid from Diddy's Making The Band series who didn't get offered a spot in the male R&B group Day 26, but instead was given a solo record deal, is finally out with his first single. And, I'm sorry, it's whack. And corny. Diddy's inclusion on the track doesn't help. From what I can remember, Donnie can actually sing, but on Take You There, he's too busy trying to be sexy and whispering "Panties, drop" to bother with laying down any real vocals. The lyrics are horrible: "We don't even need a car/If you wanna go to Mars," and Diddy's are even worse. I know Donnie couldn't have said "No, that's alright, Diddy, I got this." But, I'm sure he wished he could have; the song is mediocre but it would have been better without Diddy's contribution. He's just so whack as an artist in general.
With all that said, I still wouldn't be surprised if the song manages to have some success. When Diddy actually cares, he knows how to push a record. His girls Danity Kane are set to top the charts next week with their new album Welcome to the Dollhouse. And even though I can't imagine not changing the station if the song came on the radio, I also can't guarantee I wouldn't pop to it in the club; pump that bass line up loud enough and we're in business. So, I won't write him off. Hopefully he comes harder next time.

Go, Leona, Go!

Bleeding Love jumped from #21 to the #8 spot on the Hot 100 this week! Seems like she's finally building steam. For the sake of the rivalry I've been playing up, Mariah is moving up the chart as well, currently at #14 with Touch My Body. I've been playing Bleeding Love for months now, so it's a little weird that it's going head to head with the new Mariah single, at least for me. But, I'm glad it's catching on; it's a great track. Which single do you like better?

Some Much Needed Support

For those of you bitching and moaning about the lack of third-party support on the Wii (myself included), I'd like to showcase two upcoming titles that actually look like someone, somewhere spent time on them. And they're both ports! Crazy, no?

First up, Okami. Originally released on the PS2 late 2006, this Capcom title garnered much acclaim but was kind of a cult hit. It sold moderately well, but was completely overshadowed by that other game with a wolf that came out at the same time. You might have heard of it. That million-seller, Twilight Princess. Superficially, the games do look pretty similar. But, apparently that's just looks being deceptive. I've never played the game for PS2, but game reviewers practically wet themselves over it and it would seem that Nintendo fanboys have been clamoring for a Wii release for nearly two years now, claiming the gameplay mechanics naturally lend themselves to the Wiimote's innovative controls. Lucky for them, and Wii owners in general, Capcom listened, and have ported the game, reportedly without taking any shortcuts. The game's cel-shaded art style is absolutely beautiful and looks great on the Wii version set to hit shelves in the US next month. Reviewers seem poised to wet themselves all over again, noting that Okami is a rare example of a port done right, and are appreciative of a solid third-party effort on a system dominated by first-party affairs. Capcom has already proven that a third party can find success on the Wii with their Resident Evil series and the critically acclaimed Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure and hopefully other publishers and developers will start to take notice. Take a look at some footage from the game below, courtesy of IGN.



Next up is this game called Death Jr.: Root of Evil. Originally a game for PSP (I know, right?), Grim Reaper's son is bringing his scythe to the Wii. DJ caught my eye because I feel like it's a cute concept, and I don't think there are enough games that make you laugh. The game is part platformer, part melee combat, and part shooter. And though it's not as visually stunning as Okami, it's clear that Eidos is taking the project seriously. I'm really intrigued with both; at least one of these two games may be my (admittedly) first third-party purchase for my Wii. Check out some Death Jr. gameplay below, again courtesy of our friends at IGN.

Utada Hikaru

Hikaru's newest album, Heart Station, released this week and I've finally found time to sit down and start listening. I'll be sharing my impressions of her effort soon (so far, so good ^_^). But, as a sort of preemptive strike, I'd like to give those of you less familiar with the greatness that is Utada Hikaru a little introduction. The Japanese music industry, at least in my opinion, is marred by even more posers and hacks than America's, but this girl is top tier, the real deal. Her voice is unique and naturally brilliant. And her music is made for more than just getting to the top of the charts, though she manages that as well. This is a video of Hikaru performing what is possibly her most popular song here in the States, the theme song of Kingdom Hearts, Simple and Clean. She's so cute at the beginning! Enjoy.

Buffy's Dawn to join Gossip Girl

The web's abuzz with rumors of Buffy alum, Michelle Trachtenberg, joining the cast of Gossip Girl. The show returns to airwaves in April if I'm not mistaken, after being screwed over by the writer's strike. I'm excited; I love Dawn! I hope she plays a bitch and f**ks with Serena's s**t!! Can't wait ^_^

E=MC²

The official cover for Mariah's upcoming album. I think it's way better than the rumored cover, back when her album was still entitled That Chick *shudders*. But, I still don't actually like it, 'cause Mariah still hasn't actually gotten over her aversion to clothing. What do you guys think?

C to da Kay

Crystal Kay recently performed at the Space Shower Music Video Awards (whatever the hell those are). Even though she's one of my favorites, I have no qualms saying she still needs to work on singing and dancing at the same time. She doesn't sound bad, though, and I'll never knock a girl for trying, especially when lip-synching frauds saturate the industry *cough, Beyoncé, cough*. She looks really pretty, despite the poofy yellow thing she's wearing. And, when she slows it down to sing 恋におちたら, she sounds great. LOL at the 4:44 mark when she breaks it down. Work it, girl.

*Update: Credit to my blogger buddy, Random J, for the video ^_^

Crystal Kay's SSTV video music awards '08 performance
Uploaded by Random_J

Abysmal...

Mariah Carey is on the promotion trail for her upcoming album due out in April, and she performed on SNL this weekend. And, I have to be blunt. She was horrendous. She honestly looked like a new artist who just got a record deal; there was something so amateur about her performances. Though first single Touch My Body has definitely grown on me, her rendition was far from stellar. I'll take the studio version, thank you. Rumored second single Migrate sounded awful, and I don't even think the studio version will be any better. With lackluster singles like these, I think it's safe to say she won't be enjoying the success that Mimi brought her in 2005. Mariah has absolutely no stage presence and she all but refuses to sing until the very end of the tracks. And, who the hell is her stylist?! She looks so tacky. The thing with Mariah though, is that she has such a huge fan base that will keep her afloat regardless. But, I do hope she gets a kick in the ass from somewhere, 'cause this just won't suffice.

Danny Noriega

I haven't seen an episode of American Idol since season two, but it's hard not to know about the fabulous, Jessica Alba look-alike that is Danny Noriega. I was actually sad when Danny got booted from the show. He's definitely not the greatest talent America has ever seen, but he just may have been the gayest, and that's worth something, I think.
Watching his performances on YouTube, I'll admit I cringed a bit at his mannerisms, but I was embarrassed of myself after I thought about it. I love that he was able to be himself with no apologies or disclaimers and put himself out there on the most-watched show in the nation. Even within the gay community, you can be called a fag for being too effeminate, and I think it's awesome that Danny was able to say f*** what everyone thinks, and just be Danny. Deliciously queer Danny. Check him out on Ellen below, and don't be surprised if you're checking out his CD soon, too. I'd be shocked if he wasn't signed, even after being eliminated so early on the show.

And, I'm Back!

Whoo, it's a been a bit, huh? Well, hello again, dedicated few. It's been just about a week since I've posted, so let's recap.

Last Friday, MODA, the sole organization on the University of Chicago campus keeping fashion alive, threw it's annual Spring fashion show, Hyde and Chic. The majority of the pieces shown were created by student designers. I was actually quite impressed with some of the designs; the bridal line, by Ariya Sasaki, in particular was amazing. I got the opportunity to model for Akira, an up-and-coming retail chain based here in Chicago. There's little in this world more validating for your gay soul than getting your make-up done and looking ferocious as you strut down a runway. I had a smashing time and am totes looking forward to doing it again. Ew, I typed "totes."

So, the fashion show explains my absence on Friday. The rest I can blame on a little thing called Brawl. The first few hours were very humbling to say the least; my skills from Melee did not translate very well at all. But, after playing the game in my every spare minute, I have vastly improved and am on the track to beastly. The game, duh, is awesome. It's beautiful, one of the best looking Wii games to date, which is impressive if only because of the sheer amount of crap going on at any one time. I've played through the Subspace Emissary and though it is a bit repetitive, I loved the cut scenes. Totally worth going through it just for them...and to unlock the characters of course. The stages are really inventive this time around, and just in case you're the one percent who doesn't think so, you have the option to invent your own. Fight mechanics have changed, some drastically from Melee. I'm still getting used to the removal of L-canceling and the ability to function after air dodging. I'll stop now. I won't tell you to go buy it, 'cause you probably own it if you want it. You should anyway.

Rock With Her

Here's the video for the second single off of Janet's new, top-charting album, Discipline. I love love loooove the choreography; Janet is gettin' it.

9.5...?

So, IGN has posted their review of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and have rated it a 9.5. That bothers me. Ultimately, I know it doesn't matter, as IGN could give the game a 3, and that wouldn't deter anyone from making the purchase. But, it bothers me anyway. Here's why...

• Melee got a 9.6. We know for a fact that Brawl is a better game, but IGN has this thing against sequels...
• IGN hates on the Subspace Emissary, but it's clearly a step up from Melee's adventure mode, what with the awesome cut scenes and eight hours of gameplay
• Claims the entire StarFox clan is made up of clones, when in reality they each have unique movesets
• And how much do they know about Smash anyway if they don't know that air dodges were introduced in Melee?

Maybe I'm just nitpicking but, that's how near and dear Smash is to my heart. Check out IGN's video review of the game below.

It Ends Tonight...

Or, at least it should. Voters in Vermont, Rhode Island, Texas, and Ohio are choosing today between Obama and Clinton. There's a lot of pressure on the Clinton campaign for her to perform well today; she stands to lose a lot of support from the Democratic party if she can't pull off some victories. Many in the party are rallying for her to stand down even now amidst worries that with McCain already locked in as the Republican candidate, he will be in a position to throw stones at an ongoing, lengthy Democratic primary.
Frankly, I believe all Obama has to do is hold steady. Even if Hillary does manage wins tonight in the big states Ohio and Texas, it's highly unlikely that she'll rack up enough delegates to take the lead away from Obama. Though it is rather lame to be called out of the fight before you've been knocked out, I honestly do feel that it's time for the Democratic party to rally behind a candidate, take aim at McCain, and ensure that our candidate gets into office. Hopefully, Obama can prove tonight that he should be that candidate.

It's March, B****es!!

Yay! Spring is in the offing! ...Maybe. This month, Japanese pop superstar Utada Hikaru is releasing her fifth Japanese studio album, Heart Station. Utada's literally been releasing singles from this album since 2006, and so it'll be interesting to finally listen to the finished package. Of the five singles already released, I'm a fan of Flavor of Life and Heart Station; check them out, arguably J-Pop at its finest.

I had the lovely pleasure of meeting the very hot Sean Faris earlier this week at a screening for his new, upcoming fight flick Never Back Down. Sean was super nice and very gracious and all he asked in return was to spread the word about his movie. And, spread the word I shall. Though not nearly Academy Award worthy, Never Back Down is solid entertainment for a Friday night that guys and girls will enjoy (for completely different reasons, mind you). The fighting scenes are pretty cool, Djimon Hounsou is pretty awesome, and Sean Faris reportedly broke a bone in his back from being body slammed so hard during rehearsals. And besides, he's so dreamy...

My girl Raven-Symoné has her new movie, College Road Trip with Martin Lawrence coming out next week. It looks like your run-of-the-mill comedy, but I'm giving it a mention just because Raven is one of the few comediennes with the ability to make me laugh with her face alone. Raven also has a new album in the works, which I believe is slated for a Spring release.

And, the best for last. Brawl drops in a week, and I am foaming at the mouth at this point. This is pretty much going to be the only week in March in which I can be considered among the living. After the 9th, people would be lucky to see me before April.

Happy March, everyone!

That Clumsy B****!