Archive for December, 2007
2007 Wrap-Up: Album Recap
Monday, December 31st, 2007I listened to a junkload of new music in 2007, thanks in part to the wicked gift I got from all of my friends for my birthday (an 80gb iPod!). So much great new music, in fact, that I’m getting sleepy just thinking about explaining to you why I liked it all. Mostly I find music reviews/descriptions completely unhelpful as I just need to hear everything for myself.
For some of these albums (Radiohead, M.I.A., Justice, LCD Soundsystem) I was right there experiencing the album release as it happened, and for others (PJ Harvey, Dan Deacon, Digitalism), I was late in the game catching up with the music. Plus, there are some albums released this year that I still haven’t given a proper listen.
Anyhoodle, here’s a list of albums that I wore out entirely on my iPod and stereo in 2007, with standout tracks listed for each. Clearly electronica/dance was the genre that rocked my brain the most in 2007!
FAVOURITEST
I put these in alphabetical order only because I can’t possibly quantify my love for them with an ordered list rating…
Gui Boratto Chromophobia (Mr. Decay, Scene)
Chromatics Night Drive (The Killing Spree, Healer)
Daft Punk Alive 07 (Around The World/HBFS, Television Rules The Nation/Crescendolls)
Digitalism Idealism (Zdarlight, Pogo)
Enter Shikari Take To The Skies (Mothership, Jonny Sniper)
Calvin Harris I Created Disco (Acceptable In The 80s, Girls)
PJ Harvey White Chalk (The Devil, Silence)
Justice Cross (Waters Of Nazareth, Phantom II)
Klaxons Myths Of The Near Future (Two Receivers, Gravity’s Rainbow)
LCD Soundsystem Sound Of Silver (All My Friends, Someone Great)
M.I.A. Kala (Boyz, Bamboo Banger)
Miracle Fortress Five Roses (Beach Baby, Little Trees)
Modeselektor Happy Birthday! (Godspeed, 2000007, The White Flash)
Radiohead In Rainbows (Reckoner, All I Need)
Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad (Umbrella, Breaking Dishes)
Roisin Murphy Overpowered (Overpowered, You Know Me Better)
Simian Mobile Disco Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release (Hustler, Wooden)
Sunset Rubdown Random Spirit Lover (The Mending Of The Gown, Winged/Wicked Things)
Yeasayer All Hour Cymbals (Wait For The Summer, No Need To Worry)
GENERALLY UNDERWHELMING
Kylie Minogue X
Celine Dion Taking Chances
Kaiser Chiefs Yours Truly, Angry Mob
The Cribs Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever
Alicia Keys As I Am
Kanye West Graduation
Editors An End Has A Start
Linkin Park Minutes To Midnight
MOST ANTICIPATED IN 2008
And looking forward to 2008, we have the following albums to anticipate. Personally I am QUITE pumped to hear new music from all of these bands!
Ace Of Base
Blur
Mariah Carey
Coldplay
Doves
Franz Ferdinand
Hot Chip
Alanis Morissette
Nada Surf
The Postal Service
Portishead
Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
Oasis
The Verve
Posted in Music & Videos | 8 Comments »
2007 Wrap-Up: The Best & Worst Chocolate Bars
Monday, December 31st, 2007
Earlier this month I went to a house party, and at around 3am during said house party a friend went on a snack run - she came back with a Bounty bar. I was outraged - I said to her: “Of all the confectionaries you could choose from, Bounty is the one you picked? I can name 50 chocolate bars right now that are better than Bounty!” and proceeded to make the list (keep in mind this is my personal list of faves).
In the week that followed I relentlessly pursued my hypothesis that Bounty was among the worst chocolate bars ever created. I queried my friends, I posted Facebook surveys, I even interviewed store clerks (for the record, they listed Snickers & Kit Kat as the most purchased chocolate bars, and Bounty & Eat More as the least popular). I wanted to perform a test with as little bias as possible.
Here at MuchMusic.com we conducted a blind chocolate bar taste testing of sorts - 40 chocolate bars, cut up into chunks and labelled in cups. Wendy and I searched high and low for the most obscure chocolate bars, and naturally included all of the basic Halloween ones. Each person had to try a piece, rate it from 0-5 and identify it from the list of chocolate bars (Dan and Neil correctly identified the most bars).
The top 3, based on scores highest to lowest:
Twix
Snickers
Crispy Crunch (I was surprised by this one!)
Following closely behind: Mars, Kit Kat, Coffee Crisp, Caramilk, Skor
The bottom 3, based on scores lowest to highest:
Look!
Payday
Eat More
Following closely behind: 100 Grand, Big Turk, Curly Wurly, Crunchie, Whatchamacallit
So yeah…apologies to my friend Jen B. for being so harsh about Bounty. It isn’t in the bottom 3. In fact, it’s not even in the bottom 10 (it’s the 13th worst). But that doesn’t mean I don’t still hate it!
What are your faves/least faves?
Posted in Just For Fun | 13 Comments »
2007 Wrap-Up: Ringtones Of The Year
Friday, December 28th, 2007So you got a new phone for the holidays and you’re tired of that lame-o default ringtone? Don’t fret because we are your #1 source for getting rid of that embarrassing ringer.
I get a lot of slack around here for my Beck Girl ringtone that sounds like a pager from 1993. Truth be told, I should get something a little more modern. So I’ve thrown together a list of some of the top ringtones of the year mixed with some great oldies and hidden gems…If you dig them don’t forget to click ‘embed’ to add to your Facebook, MySpace, etc.
TOP TONES
Timbaland f. OneRepublic - Apologize
Not a surprise. This track has been doing amazing and makes a great ringer.
Rihanna - Don’t Stop the Music
This was defintely the year of Rihanna. Umbrella was one of the best kick off singles released from an artist in ages. But our statistical and factual research dept. here has watched ‘Don’t Stop..’ climb the ringtone charts for the last few months. This is going to be a strong one going into ‘08. Come back from the winter break with this track and you will get noticed.
Crank That (Soulja Boy) [Robocop]
I still can’t figure out why no one is concerned with the proliferation of ‘Supermanning’ and ‘Robocopping’ into kids’ vocabulary this year. Look it up people! Anyways…you can’t argue that Souja Boy came out of nowhere and had you dancing like a tripping Weeble all over the place. This is a crazy hot ringtone too. So make sure you Robocop this tone and Superman that phoooooooone.
Gimme More - Britney Spears
There is nothing wrong with watching trainwrecks…or assigning them as ringtones. The Brit ‘comeback’ single sounds amazing coming out of a 1/2 inch cellphone speaker. Buy it now and make sure Britney gets a little more money to buy Fresca and Slice for her kids’ baby bottles.
MSTRKRFT, Justice and Daft Punk took over the DFA1979 reigns as this years dance-punk heroes. All of their tracks make amazing ringtones and definitely should be checked out.
MSTRKRFT - Street Justice
Justice - D.A.N.C.E.
Daft Punk - Da Funk (Alive 2007)
Oldies But Goodies
Instant cred when your phone rings. Who needs Timbaland when you’ve got BBD…and who knew Rick Rubin would cut great ringtones 20 years ago!
The Beastie Boys - (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party)
Randoms
‘The Office’ phone - If you want to give your friends and co-workers the impression that you are taking that next big extra-white non-fiber paper order for Dunder Mifflin make sure to get this awesome tone and you will be Assistant to the Regional Manager in no time.
And if you’ve made it this far…why not grab a piece of 1995 and download this gem for your car phone.
Posted in Just For Fun | 6 Comments »
2007 Wrap-Up: Best Reunions
Thursday, December 27th, 20072007 was very much focused on the future. Questions arose as to what was to become of the war, how do we stop global warming, what will I be when I grow up. Then who would have guessed that in the world of music, 2007 was all about the past?! It was reunions galore as one musically blast from the past after another proclaimed they would be getting back together! And so of course we must countdown the 10 best.
10. Genesis
Now this is kind of cheating since the Phil Collins fronted band actually announced their reunion at the end of 2006, but they are sort of what started what would be the “reunion trend” of 2007. Plus their concerts brought in a cool $47.6 million. Not too shabby. Then match that with a bizarre Cadbury Dairy Milk ad in which a gorilla drums along to “In The Air Tonight”, the last 12 months have been Phil Collins overload.
9. Aqua
It’s been 10 years since Aqua’s Ken doll suggested, “Come on, Barbie. Let’s go party.” I know. 10 years. But I guess it’s time to get the party started again! In October, Aqua held a press conference to state they are coming back for a tour (that may include Canada!!!). Oh, to hear the dance-able duet Dr. Jones live…. candy-coated bliss to my ears. Unfortunately they have gotten off to a slow start - the tour won’t be until the summer of 2008. That is why, Aqua, you land at number 9. Now get organized!
8. Ace of Base
Even though they recently lost Malin Berggren from the group (and she has subsequently been taken off all promotional material on the band’s official website), Ace of Base announced that they are back in the studio working on a new album, and they also performed a few European shows in November of this year as a warm-up for a planned world (!) tour in 2008. Count me in!
7. Crowded House
This one is for those from the Land Down Unda’. Early in the year, Aussie band Crowded House announced they would record a new album, however they needed a new drummer and after weeks of auditions, they recruited Beck drummer Matt Sherrod. This new band formation worked in their favour, resulting in a low-key album that rivals anything they released 20 years ago.
6. The Eagles
And this one is purely for my parents. Hi, Mom and Dad!
5. Rage Against the Machine
Politically-charged rock band, Rage Against the Machine, made their return by headlining the final day of Coachella 2007. And of course, in true RATM style, they weren’t there just to play music - they had a message as well. Guitarist Tom Morello told NME at the time that the reunion was politically motivated: “Is it a coincidence that in the seven years that Rage Against The Machine has been away that the country has slid into right-wing purgatory? I think not… It occurred to all of us that the times were right to see if we can knock the Bush administration out in one fell swoop, and we hope to do that job well.” So for stickin’ to your guns, RATM, you land in the Top 5.
4. Van Halen
The Van Halen reunion was as tumultuous and full of drama as the band’s past. During all of 2006, there were rumours of a reunion, then in early 2007, Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame which shone the spotlight on them once again. After this induction and after many more on-again-off-again rumours, Van Halen (with David Lee Roth) confirmed what everyone already knew: they will be getting back together. Yay! Jump! This news was followed by a sold-out show in North Carolina in September which garnered positive reviews. Their tour will rock on into 2008.
3. The Police
Ok, I’m going to say it: I’m not a huge Police fan (but before you all jump down my throat, I appreciate what they’ve accomplished). My mom loves Sting, so I’ve heard my share growing up. And it seems a lot of others love Sting as well since The Police 2007 reunion tour took in upwards of $131.9 million over 54 shows with an average ticket price of $114.32. Woah! So overall, they may have taken the top spot on tickets sales, but my apathy towards them knocks them down to number 3 on this lil’ list o’ mine.
2. Led Zeppelin
Having two older rock n’ rollin’ brothers, Led Zeppelin has been blasting through my ear drums for as long as I can remember. They are what all bands aspire to be. I mean, without Jimmy Page there would be no Slash, no? So if this band is so important to music, why are they only number 2? Well I’m happy you asked and the reason is this: they just can’t seem to get their act together. Their highly-anticipated one-off reunion concert earlier this month in London was over 2 hours, full of hits, and the reviews of both fans and critics could not have been better. But are they actually doing an extended tour? No one will confirm one way or the other, and this is what confirms them a spot at number 2.
1. Spice Girls
If one group has their act together, it’s definitely the Spice Girls. The amount of time it took for them to announce their reunion, rehearse, star in reality TV shows, and get their butts on stage for their opening show in Vancouver, is mind boggling. But it seems that 10 years after their split, “Girl Power” is still all the rage, as these shows are selling out in mere minutes, dates just continue to get added, and Toronto has been deemed the ultimate Spice City due to its dedicated fans. So for showing us some Canada lovin’, I give it right back by putting these cheeky Brits at number 1. Holla!
So there you have it, folks. Who will reunite in 2008? Honestly, are there any bands even left?
PS: Although they are great, Smashing Pumpkins did NOT make this list simply because they announced their reunion back in 2005. Tsk tsk tsk. Reunions that take over 2 years will not be praised. (This is me exercising power that I don’t actually have and making decisions just because I can).
Happy New Year!
Posted in Celebrities & Pop Culture | 12 Comments »
2007 Wrap-Up: Best Much Moments
Thursday, December 27th, 2007
So I sat here for a few minutes, thinking to myself that 2007 was a pretty dry year when it comes to excitement at Much. No K-Fed rabblerousery, no Leah live TV falls, relatively quiet MMVAs. BUT WAIT, says I - there was a healthy portion of excitement this year! My brain is just broken! And in a very particular order, here are the best Much moments of the year!
8. Slash on MOD
A legend stopping time in an environment saturated with teenage Disney-fied hysteria, Slash dropped by for an MOD interview and showed way more class than the product-spewing Gene Simmons did only days later.
7. Hedley In General
Jacob didn’t come to the MMVAs, but a blow-up doll did in his place. The guys didn’t really get into a heated argument with a fan on MOD, but it sure looked like it. And Jacob didn’t really like when Leah broke out the S&M gear during their Live@Much, but it sure looked like she did. Once again, Hedley remain the kings of Canadian rapscallion-rock in ‘07.
6. Live Earth
Broadcast live from Much HQ, 150 artists on 7 continents spent 24 hours trying to show the world that little changes can make a difference in climate control and global warming.
5. Miley + Hilary = LOVE
Hans Montans thought it was just any other ordinary phoner question, but when she found out that it was in fact her idol Hilary Duff, she freaked out a little. Okay, a lot. There was something special in the air that day … *tear*
4. Avril Tears & Used Swears
Now, here were two stand-out moments at this year’s MMVAs - one emotional, one just plain rock & roll. When Avril won her People’s Choice award, she couldn’t contain her happiness and burst into tears onstage. And when The Used were about to perform “The Bird And The Worm”, Bert led the crowd in a profanity-laced chant of, “f**k! F**k! F**k!”
3. V-Festapalooza
From Vancouver and Toronto, we brought you live video, blogs and tons of photos while experiencing festival fabulosity at its near best. We were dirty, tired, hot, cold and sore, but it was all worth it. Enter Shikari, Bjork, The Killers, M.I.A. and Metric were all stand-outs in 2007!
2. Oooooh, Zac!
With our fingers apparently far from the pulse of pre-teen pop culture sensations, we had no idea what kind of ruckus Zac Efron would cause when he visited MOD with the cast of Hairspray. Culminating with possibly the most awkward make-out session since Liza Minelli and David Gest several years ago, this was hysteria at its sugary best.
1. Winehouse Goes MIA
In May, it wasn’t quite fully established that Amy was as messed up as we’ve come to realize. I mean, we knew she had some demons, but she was still touring and scheduled to perform on MOD. Soundcheck went well and apparently sounded amazing, but come showtime, Wino was NOWHERE to be found. Sources spotted her wandering around Queen street with her husband Blake! With minutes left before the show ended, and all hopes dashed of a live performance, the woman ambles in, sits down, and starts to sing. Amazing. I can’t believe I was on vacation for this sh*t. Undeniably the best moment of the year!
Posted in Concerts & Events | 5 Comments »
2007 Wrap-Up: Most Memorable Videos
Tuesday, December 25th, 2007Hundreds and hundreds of videos later and I’ve managed to narrow down a list of videos that I thought were the most memorable of 2007. We’re not talking about the melodramatic Hedley videos or the sleezy Britney Spears videos, we’re talking about videos that were so outlandishly good that you when you saw them you stopped dead in your tracks. With that in mind, let’s get to it!
Bat For Lashes - What’s A Girl To Do
Directed By: Dougal Wilson
Hands down Dougal Wilson has to be one of my favourite music video directors around today. Much like famed music video director turn film director Spike Jonze, Wilson is a risk-taker - he experiments with a variety of shooting styles and is able to successfully capture the raw essence of the artist on screen. Rarely ever will you ever see two Dougal Wilson videos that look alike. So when you pair a burgeoning new artist with a craftsman like Mr.Wilson you know you’re in for a treat. This hauntingly addictive video will have you hitting repeat in no time. A bike gang roaming the dark streets at night with mascot heads? AMAZING.
LCD Soundsystem - Someone Great
There’s something so sweet yet so heartbreaking about this video. We follow the mystery girl through the motions of her day and regardless of how mundane some of the tasks appear you can’t help but be engrossed in the character and her surroundings. Not since Pulp’s ‘Disco 2000′ have I loved a grocery store scene - brief it maybe, but the all-black silhouette matched with the bright colors of the stocked canned goods is jaw-droppingly good.
Rooney - When Did Your Heart Go Missing?
Directed By: Benny Boom
Is it just me or is this video ridiculously sexy? In a very unconventional way, this video screams sexy! Perhaps, it is the easy going beach bum vibe that’s got me all riled up – But it’s safe to say that Benny Boom has done it once again. Though, this time round he’s added his sex appeal to Californian outfit Rooney’s latest video - Seriously, you can’t deny the song and video’s addictive quality.
Jay-Z - Roc Boys
Directed By: Chris Robinson
Chris Robinson, consider me impressed. If there’s one thing that Mr. Robinson is good at, it’s making his subject look damn good. And well, he definitely succeeded at that in Jay-Z’s latest ‘Roc Boys.’ Nas, Jay, Puff and Mariah look real dapper in this throwback piece. We follow young Jay’s life in the late 80s with his current Christalle popping life - the glitz and the glamour work. In fact, the slick cinematography, the stylin’ wardrobe and the well executed narrative story makes this video one of the best in ‘07. Kudos, Chris and Jay!
Timbaland ft. The Hives - Throw It On Me
Directed By: The Saline Project
I LOVE THIS SONG and it’s safe to say that I LOVE THIS VIDEO. It’s unfortunate that this song did not get the pickup I thought it was going to get. But it’s the end of 2007 and if you haven’t seen this video then you’re in for a treat. The Saline Project takes a visual cue from Frank Miller’s Sin City but instead of nabbing Jessica Alba and Rosario Dawson, they managed to score the ladies of the WWE. This comic book gem of a video will have you in awe. Sit back, relax and enjoy the slick cinematography in this video.
Talib Kweli f. will.i.am - Hot Thing/In The Mood
Directed By: Bernard Gourley
OK, some people maybe sick of the whole HP commercial schtick but when you watch this video you can’t help but revel in its genius. Popup never looked so good until…
Shitdisco - Ok
Directed By: James Price
We’ve seen the whole popup book concept in music videos before but unlike the thirty second blips we usually see, James Price manages to extend this concept to its full length…And well, it works! This clever little video is a real page turner…The simple graphics and the clever popup trickery will have you itching for more.
Feist - 1234
Directed By: Patrick Daughters
Thanks to a little thing called the iPOD, Feist’s sweetly choreographed video 1234 is getting the pickup that it deserves. Feist’s number one man, Patrick Daughters, steps behind the camera once again for this sparkly and colorful video. The big question at the end of the video is, where did all the dancers disappear to?
The Shins - Turn On Me
Directed By: Michael
A cautionary tale at what too much fake and baking can do to the skin. Consider this a warning, Lindsay, Britney and Paris. Thirty years from now you may look like the leathery old woman in this finger lickin’ video.
Posted in Music & Videos | 10 Comments »
Tim: Happy Holidays
Monday, December 24th, 2007All right! Yes, that is an exclamation mark because today is Christmas Eve. There is absolutely no one in the building. Well that’s a lie - there are still people in the building - but very, very few. I just happen to be one of those few. But I had a week off and only work Monday, Thursday and Friday of this week so I’m not worried. But I just wanted to say you guys are all amazing and I hope you’re enjoying the Holiday Wrap shows. I’m on a few of them and loved working on them so I hope you love watching them!
But it’s the holidays so go out and eat too much, have a little eggnog, go play in the snow, and have as much fun as you can…cuz that’s what I’m doing! But I also know the holidays can be really hard for some families and just wanted to say to those people to stay positive and really try and make your holidays what you want them to be. See you all in the new year!!
P.S.: I slipped on the ice like 5 minutes ago…embarrassing yet hilarious!
Posted in Just For Fun | 9 Comments »
Caption This: Gerard Way
Monday, December 24th, 2007This is your final chance to caption a pic and win one of Samsung m510 phones!
Post your caption in the comments, and also email your name, age, address and phone number (along with your caption for reference) to redhot@muchmusic.com so we can get in touch with you if you’re a winner! And read the rules & regs or someone’s gonna get dropkicked.
Gerard Way…do you hear what I hear?
P.S.: Allll the other chances to enter - 11 of ‘em!
Caption This: Zac Efron
Caption This: Amy Winehouse
Caption This: Rihanna
Caption This: Foo Fighters
Caption This: Nicole Scherzinger
Caption This: Andy Samberg
Caption This: Marianas Trench
Caption This: Keira Knightley
Caption This: Billy Talent
Caption This: Miley Cyrus
Caption This: Moustachios
Posted in Caption This! | 16 Comments »
2007 Wrap-Up: Best Wedge Worthy Videos
Monday, December 24th, 2007Most “OMG THAT VID IS SOO GOOD I’M GONNA GO WATCH IT AGAIN, CUS IT WAS DIFFERENT TOO” Wedge style videos of 2007!
This year, there was some good, there was some bad. Let us focus on the awesomely ace & visually stunning videos that went beyond the usual music video “formula”…
Beirut Elephant Gun
Fits the song perfectly. Watching this makes me want to break into dance and run away to a place unknown. The song is something beautiful, as is lead singer Zach. The elephant trunks, confetti and empty wine bottles and dancing are key. It’s one of those videos I want to escape in, especially at the end on the beach. How lovely!
Watch: YouTube
Battles Atlas
Good song. Good times. Their album’s title (Mirrored) comes into play a tad as the video is the band in a glass/mirror cube…in space (or something). The first time I have to say I thought the song and vid were kinda strange and weird, but the thing is, after you watch it you can’t get it out of your head. I now love it.
Watch: MuchAXS
Bat for Lashes What’s A Girl To Do?
Donnie Darko meets ET. Natasha’s eerie voice draws you in as she bikes down a dark street when suddenly some animal type creatures appear. You have to watch to understand - it’s creepy yet romantic, strangely. The song just blends into the video in a very good way.
Watch: MuchAXS
LCD Soundsystem All My Friends
Simplicity done right. James Murphy dons some face paint and sings to us about “How it starts” in spot on lighting. Watch the emotion on his face. The song is oh so catchy, too (Franz Ferdinand even covered it)!
Watch: MuchAXS
Arctic Monkeys Brianstorm
Quick cuts, flashing lights, dancers, photo stills, colour, and black and white. It may be my fave Arctic Monkeys vid to date. Plus they rhyme “jacuzzi” with “use me”. Enough said.
Watch>: MuchAXS
Justice D.A.N.C.E
Before Kanye got to director So Me, (who does all the art direction for Ed Banger Records) and made Good Life, Justice made D.A.N.C.E. Who doesn’t love a song with spelling? I wish I had an animated t-shirt. My summer song.
Watch: MuchAXS
Shitdisco OK
POP-UP BOOK PUPPETRY! Hells yes.
Watch: MuchAXS
Klaxons (any of their videos, but particularly) Golden Skans
Things don’t get any more epic than this. The new rave Brits float in ribbons and rhinestones. Fire and water also involved.
Watch: MuchAXS
Hot Chip Ready For The Floor
Does this count even though it’s so recent? I’m just so excited for their new album! This video has a lot of camera trickery and bright colours that I am fond of. Best part? When paint is thrown and you go “Whoa! There are people there!” Sidenote: Is he half the Joker?
Watch: YouTube
Posted in Music & Videos | 3 Comments »
Caption This: Moustachios
Sunday, December 23rd, 2007Hey jerks! This is the second last (PENULTIMATE) chance for you to win a Samsung m510 phonamajig! Our gift to you, our favourite person. So why don’tcha go ahead and post your caption in the comments, hmm!?
Don’t forget to ALSO email your name, age, address and phone number (along with your caption for reference) to redhot@muchmusic.com so we can get in touch with you if you’re a winner! And read the rules & regs. Because we say so.
Uhh… nice look, Matte & Leah.
P.S.: Other chances to enter:
Caption This: Zac Efron
Caption This: Amy Winehouse
Caption This: Rihanna
Caption This: Foo Fighters
Caption This: Nicole Scherzinger
Caption This: Andy Samberg
Caption This: Marianas Trench
Caption This: Keira Knightley
Caption This: Billy Talent
Posted in Caption This! | 13 Comments »
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