Speak the Hungarian Rapper

Everybody Dance Now

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:04:52 +0000

Music has always played a huge role in my life. I grew up playing musical instruments and dancing and both of those revolve around music. Now that I must do things like work full time, keep a house clean, and occasionally cook dinner for my family, music has kind of fallen to the wayside. I still love it though and I have a confession, I love to just dance in my living room in my socks or in my head while I am going for a daily run. The thing is that you cannot simply dance or run to just any music. I have certain songs and artists that just boost my mood and even help me run faster.

Ke$ha has to be one of the strangest and eccentric people on the planet, but the moment one of her songs comes on I want to “go insane, go insane, throw some glitter, make it rain.” (Those are lyrics from one of her songs just in case you were unaware.) The beats make me want to dance and when I am running I find that I definitely pick up speed when I hear Ke$ha.

If I am in the mood to really shake my booty, then Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz “Get Low” usually is the song that does the trick. Plus it makes me laugh for a couple of reasons. One, it is so ridiculously stupid, and two because Sandra Bullock and Betty White sang it in the movie The Proposal. Pretty awesome stuff right there.

Neon Trees are a band that have all sorts of feel good songs, plus these feel good songs are super fun to run to. I love the amped feeling and boost of energy that comes over me once one of their songs come on the iPod.

What are your favorite songs to dance or workout to?

Astro Loses His Cool

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:46:54 +0000

Last night on the X Factor, season favorite Astro found himself pitted against 42 year old Stacy Francis in the bottom two, and being at the bottom didn’t settle well with the promising young rapper. After having to be persuaded by his coach and mentor, LA Reed, Astro gave a reluctant and lackluster performance of “Never Can Say Goodbye.” When challenged by all of the judges for his bad attitude, Astro remained mostly silent. That is, until Simon Cowell gave the 14 year old a piece of his mind, to which Astro replied:

“No disrespect to you or this show, but I just feel like if you’re going to put me in the bottom two, I don’t want to perform for people who don’t want me here.”

Whether this childish display of unabashed pride will set Astro back next week is unclear, but it’s likely he insulted many of the fans whose votes throughout the competition got him where he is today. ADT Security is great for home security, but when a person’s insecurities get in the way of his drive to compete, it can be problematic. Check out the video of last night’s X Factor performance featuring Astro’s temper tantrum:

That’s The Spirit!

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:10:18 +0000

The end of October and early November usually means that will be some new Christmas and holiday albums coming out to add to your holly jolly holiday collection. With retailers jumping on the Christmas bandwagon one week before the Halloween holiday, it gets kind of difficult for me and others that I know to hold off on playing some “Jingle Bells” and other cheerful tunes. This year I had vowed to at least wait until Thanksgiving day to turn on some of my favorite Christmas jams, unfortunately there are just too many new Christmas albums out for me to hold off. The good news is that I did at least get past Halloween. That is good, right? So, what albums will I be playing until December 26th? Let’s take a look…

Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album Volume 2 – Twelve tracks, with two original songs all sung by the Glee club members that we all love. What could be better? The cast performs some of their favorite holiday songs like “Let It Snow” and “All I Want For Christmas is You.” One of my favorite tracks is Naya’s rendition of “Santa Baby.”

A Very She & Him Christmas, She & Him – Zooey Deschanel’s classic and soulful voice paired with M. Ward on the acoustic guitar singing Christmas songs is just perfect. This has got to be one of my most favorite Christmas albums of all time. Everything about it just makes me feel warm and puts me in the spirit. Their version of “Blue Christmas” is amazing!

Christmas, Michael Buble – Ahhhh…talk about a voice that makes me melt. Michael Buble has got such a smooth way about him that just captivates me. This is a great album for any Christmas music collector, as you are sure to love his versions of some true classics. Another bonus on the album has got to be the duet with Shania Twain on “White Christmas.”

Lee DeWyze Dropped From RCA

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:25:51 +0000

Maybe selling paint worked out better for the Season 9 American Idol winner Lee DeWyze. While he can sing, he still has not been succeeding in the music business. For instance his debut album was the lowest selling of any past Idol winner with only 168,000 copies selling. After the release of the album Live It Up DeWyze was pretty hard to find. He only toured here and there and there were no singles to really make it big on the charts. So his record label, RCA decided to drop him.

Now Lee DeWyze is not the first American Idol winner to have ever been dropped. If you recall the season 5 winner, Taylor Hicks was also dropped after releasing just one album. While it’s pretty sad, it’s been said by a rep that he is in a good place and that he is planning his wedding to the model Joanna Walsh. Let’s just hope he can hold on to her.

In a tribute to Lee DeWyze, I bring you the video for “Sweet Serendipity.” Honestly if you watched that season of Idol you might notice that he sounds a little different in this single. I miss the raspy and raw sound to his voice from the show. Maybe that’s why he didn’t fare so well.

Parents: Influential Masters

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:07:18 +0000

Our parents are huge influences on our lives. Think about it, these are the people that you see day in and day out until you decide that it is time to move out on your own. Early on in life how we learn to talk, walk, act, and do everyday things comes from our parents and how they teach us and show us. After that we pick up on their mannerisms and actions. We even choose how we live the rest of our lives based on our parents to some extent. For example, when I decided to go to college I wanted my masters in leadership because that’s the degree my father got from the same university many years before. Since our parents play such a huge role in influencing who we become, it only makes sense that they would have some influence on our musical tastes too, right?

Definitely. We grew up listening to the music of our parents’ choice. Now whether your current musical interests are exactly opposite of your parents’ due to the fact that you were rebellious and couldn’t stand what they liked or if they are eerily similar to the same thing your folks listen to, you were influenced. Take a look at this infographic and see if it has a match for you. Follow the questions and it will give you the results of what you listen to. It’s pretty comical.

On The Verge: Phantogram

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:24:26 +0000

On tour with West Coast electronic dub-definers The Glitch Mob, Phantogram is now getting ready, along with tour partners TGM and Com Truise, to take on the now Chicago based Lollapalooza Music Festival. As street beat as the duo’s sound is, Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter are actually from rural upstate New York, having been friends since childhood in Saratoga Springs. But even though their edgy heavy hitting synth pop sound comes across as definitively urban underground, you can tell that they have un-folk woodsy roots in Barthel’s swirling keyboard rhythms and echoey vocals that teeter the line of psychedelic. And when you hear that they record 45 minutes outside of Saratoga Springs in an old barn, their songs seem to come together for the listener even more.

The trance-y sound on their only LP, Eyelid Movies, incorporates reverb recorded in a remote lodge, the thumping drums and smashing guitar sequences are there to sharply contrast the woodsy ooh-ahhs and Metric-like chill vibes. The essentially rock and roll street sound reminds us not to confuse Phantogram as just another MGMT or Phoenix, but they really stand out in their own category, that might be defined as the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s with more electronic loops and hip-hop beats.

While gaining a strong following after touring with and being directly promoted by The Glitch Mob band members themselves, Phantogram seems primed to have packed audience at Lollapalooza especially after being featured on SPIN’s Lollapalooza 2011 album Park Life. The New York duo have even caught the attention of Jay-Z’s team, who despite being Top 40 mainstream products, are true indie-rock and roll connoisseurs, and gave big props to the band on Jay-Z’s own Life & Times blog. Their innovative sound is so diverse musically as to let them tour with and support almost everyone from Minus the Bear and Caribou to Ra Ra Riot, Yeasayer and more, while still being distinctly definitive of their own background. We applaud Phantogram, who tours with drummer Tim Oakley to make a live trio, and wish them all the best this weekend. Not that they need it. Check out their music on your DIRECTV Music Channels, as their songs are often featured there.

Find Your Muse

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:48:03 +0000

Writing songs can be something that you do for a while, and then it seems like you have lost all of your ideas and feelings. It can be hard to get back to writing until you hear or come across something incredibly inspiring. The only problem is that a lot of song writers have got to keep writing song lyrics to keep food on the table. So, how do professional song writer do it? Do they really just have that much to say? The thing is that you have to make every single experience and minute a brainstorming session. If you are not always brainstorming then ideas can become stale and difficult to interpret.

Always have your notepad. There is nothing worse than a lyric popping into your head and yet you don’t have pen and paper near by. If you claim your are a writer of any type, then you are lying if you are ever without a notebook or pad of some sort. Inspiration can strike at any moment, and you have to be ready to capture it immediately so that it does not flutter away. Even if your ideas that you jot down are not perfect lyrics, you might be able to grow them and turn them into something else. You can also write down everyday ordinary things to grab ideas from when you are in your happy writing place.

Create a writing sanctuary. It is necessary that you have a place where you can let out all of your thoughts, feelings, emotions, and words at once. This cathartic way of writing will allow you to put emotion into the song. The meaning will become greater and you will find that the compelling words will touch listeners also. So, make yourself a writing sanctuary where you can meet with your inner muse. Make sure you have plenty of water prior to entering your sanctuary, and if you are like some writers, snacks so you do not have to escape the safe place for food. Some writers prefer to burn herbal incense. Whatever it is that encourages you to open up and let out your emotions will get you writing like you never know that you could.

Awesome Music Playlist

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:41:29 +0000

What am I listening to this week?

It is summertime, friends! So, roll down the windows in the car and turn up the music to jam out. There is nothing better than some loud music while you’re out driving around in the summer heat. I have my weekly playlist set, and I am so excited about it. On it you’ll find some old tunes along with some recent chart toppers. I find a lot of my inspiration from Direct TV Network Music Channels. I like my music to be fun especially since I have such a long commute to and from the workplace. So, here’s what’s on my playlist this week:

Don McLean – “American Pie”

I just love the lyrics to this song, and I truly love the story it tells. It’s an amazing tale of the United States during McLean’s childhood. I just like story-tellers, and that is exactly what Don McLean is, an honest to goodness story-teller. Plus, it is a great tune to crank up and sing along with.

Adele – “Rolling In The Deep”

Let me begin by letting you know that this song has been on the Billboard charts for over 20 weeks now. I cannot get enough of this song. Her voice is pure and unique, and I find myself trying to belt it out with her, of course my voice is awful in comparison). One of my favorite songs, probably ever. Adele is amazing, and I think she’ll be on my playlist for a long time.

Bruno Mars – “The Lazy Song”

This is not the only Bruno Mars song on my playlist this week. I found another one that I dig, but I’ll tell you more about that one farther down the post. ”The Lazy Song” has quickly become my daily theme song. I wake up and all I can think is, “Today I don’t feel like doing anything…” Unfortunately, I have to work, but it is nice to dream, right?

Corey Smith – “Carolina”

I love me some Corey Smith. This guy’s style is just so cool. I love his country folk voice, and the lyrics to all of his songs are so easy to relate to. The song “Carolina” is a feel-good song that I love to play when I’m heading home from work. It makes me think of vacationing on the beach, and if you’re like me you need a vacation, so at least this will give you the vibe.

Bruno Mars – “Somewhere in Brooklyn”

I’m not sure why I like this love story of a song, but it is so catchy and it constantly gets stuck in my head, so it’s on my playlist this week. This song, while not quite as chill as “The Lazy Song,” still has the same cool Bruno Mars tone. It is fun to listen to and it puts me in a good mood.

A life filled with Metal Music

admin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:16:31 +0000

The music that I’ve listened to over the years has not really changed that much. I‘ve always liked heavy metal music, because there is always a certain energy about it that just grabs you and dares you not to notice it. It’s probably one of the main contributors to the “air guitar” player phenomenon if ever there was one.

What other type of music can you mention that causes its fans to raise their hands in a sort of inverted and devilish peace sign, in salute to the band that is playing their favorite songs on a stage engulfed in mountains of dry ice and pyrotechnics? The only thing that’s changed over the years with the music that I live for is the members of the bands themselves.

Over the years, as I’ve grown a bit older, so have my heroes. Bands such as Kiss, have not only gotten older, but have performed sans their kabuki war paint makeup. Original band members have gone on other musical paths, only to come back into he fold, reigniting the passion that fans like myself had for the original band lineup, makeup, fire breathing, blood spitting, and over the top theatrics, only to see that all go away again.

I have also seen some of my heroes, resurrected from what were career changing events, only to rise again like the legendary phoenix of ancient myth. Bands such as Def Leopard, who today claim that they were never a hard rock band, still suffered several tragic incidents in their history involving current and past members.

The most notable of them is drummer Rick Allen’s loss of his arm during a car accident, which would leave Allen in very dire straits. His left arm was severed from his body due to the accident and while doctors were able to reattach the arm, due to infection had to remove it entirely. It was thought that Allen would never play again, but that would prove not be the case as, with the help of band members and the use of a custom designed electronic drum kit, Allen would return as the band’s drummer.

Australia’s ACDC would suffer the loss of their original lead singer, Bon Scott due to an incident where Scott was on one of his infamous drinking binges after a performance, and the next morning was found dead in his own vehicle. The band was thought to be over with Scott’s death, but instead they found a new voice in singer Brian Johnson, and came roaring back onto the music scene with the album Back in Black, an album that was more of a tribute to their dead friend Bon. A great tribute was aired a few months ago on the direct tv international channels.

The record would be one of the bands most commercially received albums also, with hits such as the title track “Back in Black”, “ You Shook me all Night Long “, and “Hell’s Bells.”Today in any ACDC performance, the crowd always waits for the toll of the bell that signals the opening chords to the song Hell’s Bells, which to this day is a strong crowd favorite.

And with every comeback from one of my favorite bands, usually comes a new CD of new material for me to bang my head with, along with a new tour to go to and enjoy along with other metal heads. While my youth is slowly fading, and my heroes slowly grow older, we do so together. Older, louder and heavier than ever, all banging our heads in unison, as the sun goes down on a lifetime of listening to the metal.

Tips for the New Music Arist of 2011

admin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:15:56 +0000

Have you ever wondered how much easier it is to make a stamp in the music business today as opposed 10-20 years ago? With the power of utilizing social networks like twitter, facebook, and youtube, young teenagers have turned themselves from Joe Smchoes, to over the night celebrities. Take a look at Rebbecca Black and her hit online viral song “Friday”. The young teen Pop star went from working with an independent music company (Ark Music Factory), to appearance on Good Morning America within a few months. It seem talent is not playing as much of an important role to stardom as it did a decade ago. One can start their claim to fame just by making a small investment (sometimes no investment if you have the right friends) into their money making music career.

The first step most newcomers face is finding a brand or image to makr yourself or your band. Hip-hop mogul Lil B. (Brandon McCartney) made a mark for himself with obscene lyrics such as “based-god”, and witty rap tunes such as “Ellen Degeneres” and “Charlie Sheen”, which attracted millions of youtube viewers. Sometimes finding your niche can be as easy as 1…2…3, or it could just be a test of trial and error. Get involved and let your friends, family, and others critique your music or performances. Remember not to take constructive criticism in the wrong way, as your music will progress and become better as you gain experience. Always try to be very professional, and present music that you feel will captivate your target audience. cableinternetbundles.com

The next step to getting exposed is to find or invest in a studio, instrumental music, and create songs that are favorable to you. It was common years ago to purchase one piece of studio equipment for $10,000, but a daily trip to Guitar Center and research through tweakheadz.com could help make a pre-production studio for under $1000. If you have change to spare like Rebbecca Black’s parents, companies like Ark Music Factory or local independent music companies could provide studio time to record songs and shoot a music video in one package. Remember not to try and take every musical hat in the industry at once. If you are a guitar player, perfect your craft first in that realm, and then you can experiment with other instruments, or even take a shot at producing or songwriting.

The final step to make it in the music business today is to promote, promote, promote! Tons of free services offer these services with the touch of button (twitter, myspace, facebook, soundcloud just to name a few). Performing at shows and show-casting your music to listeners are effective ways to get you name out there. Make a youtube account and mailing list to keep your fans and viewers up to date with all of your music gigs and activities. Not only can this stream income with time, but it can be very lucrative to getting your name out to millions of people across the world. Always remember to be creative, and create the type of music you are comfortable with and love.