The Academy Is... - Santi

Bio
The Academy Is... is a band from the midwest and this is their sophomore album with their main members being William Beckett and Michael Carden.

Overall
On my first listen to the album, i wasn't exactly too happy. i thought it wasn't their best stuff. i felt like they were struggling to find a way to present themselves. but after another listen, i figured that they were doing this on purpose. that this weird funky experimental way of music was their way of expressing themselves and another direction that they were happy with. and after realizing that, i noticed that the music came together really well. the album has grown on me really quickly after a second listen, i began to appreciate it. it's not as catchy as their first album but it is a great album to listen to.

Instrumental
The Butcher is pretty nice in this one. they have a new guitarist he seems to be pretty decent. i think what made this album different from their first album was the vox. they took a different approach i think. it sounds compressed? it doesn't sound like a raw singing voice that i was accustomed to in their first album. his voice seems to be altered alot. sometimes its the raw voice, sometimes its really compressed or sometimes it feels like they but on some weird airy effect on it. the band is complete. you cant complain about the band. this is a band that knows what they are doing. but no one is a SUPERSTAR. i guess.

Recording & Studio Magic
as i said before, most of the studio magic seems to be on the beckett's voice. recording is done well and the sound is very well produced. cept in one song, bulls in brooklyn. im not sure if the drums are suppose to sound like that in the beginning... its just seems like blown out speakers that they used on that portion. but im gonna assume they did it on purpose cuz it happens in the intro drum beat of that song.

Live Potential
personally, i was never sure how this band was live... so i went on youtube to look for any live footage. there wasn't much on youtube, which i found suspicious. but i did find a few and they knew how to make the crowd go wild. with just seeing that, i think they'd be a band worth watching once but maybe not again... they aint no jimmy eat world or anything but i think they are worth a concert or two.

In Retrospect
im happy with this album. kinda like the way incubus evolved from their first album to their current album, its only the beginning for the academy is and their evolution is going to fuel them to be better and better.

Album Info
Released – March 27, 2007
Number of Songs – 11
Album Length - ~40 Minutes
Singles – We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands
Recommended Songs – Same Blood, Sleeping With Giants, Neighbors, You Might Have Noticed
www.theacademyis.com

Ratings
Lyrics – 8
Melody – 8
Instrumentally – 8.5
Recording – 8.5
Studio Magic – 6
Originality – 9
Live Potential – 8.5
Overall - 8.5
WJOD - 8.5

Explanation of the Ratings
Rating is from 1-10. 1 is the lowest and 10 is the highest.
Overall is NOT an average of the other ratings.
This is similar to grading system. A 7 is a C. etc.
WJOD = worth dl/jacking off danny.

Mute Math - Typical

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b13rc6DY74A



Mute Math is a band from florida i believe.

i have never heard of them until i was at a tech blog site and they showed this video on their site.

the reason why the music video was on the site was cuz the band learned how to play the song backwards on their instruments and the lead singer learned to sing/mouth the words of the song backwards. and then they recorded their song backwards and reversed the video to make it normal.

people have done this before. Coldplay did it with scientists i believe and jack johnson did one too.

but the difference is that this video was shot with on one take (thats mute math's claim) and the lead singer doesnt seem awkward singing backwards.

the video seems to be a ok go music video. the usual one camera in a room video. cept backwards. the video is fun to watch.

i believe someone on american idol this season sang this song. i think it was the fat white guy.

i also found that someone took the video and reversed it. meaning they did the reverse of the reverse making it the original version. the original video seems so boring and wierd. making it the reverse makes it soo much more interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7lB0WAt_HM

Incubus - Dig

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hME7uyoNseo



incubus did a thing where they had some video clips of them performing and allowed fans of incubus to make a music video with the clips. you can add your own things etc etc. there were tons of results and at the end the grand winner was chosen.

the video above was the winner. the video is very cinematic, professional. the girl is beautiful and fit the music well. however i thought it was too cliche. they have scenes of the girl and boy happy, them fighting, and then the girl packing and leaving. honestly i didnt find it too creative.

the video editing though was interesting. using different tones for the video as well as the whole light balance thing. that i thought was impressive.

the video below was the runner up and i personally think this one should have won it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9l17XR74Ts



the director uses the original art from the album booklet where the picture is just the wierd faced girl digging into a big head. i felt like the the video had more meaning and made me understand what the directors point of view was. sweeet...

The Academy Is... - We've Got A Big Mess On Our Hands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzUoGD1G6LU



i kinda really getting tired of calling things cliche... i think i should make another word up...

so yea thats what i think about the video. the only thing slightly clever is how he calls someone from another reference from another video. but thats is. and if this is the best song on their coming album... i dunno how this album is gonna be. their freshie album was def a rocker. i hope for the best on this one.

Fall Out Boy - Thnks Fr Th Mmrs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWHf_vYZzQ8



the video has its moments. but i think its kinda cliche. i mean the monkeys are cute. especially when going wild on the drums. i hate how the video was paid off by TAG. too comercial. bad move on FOB's part.

i hate how they always compare themselves to panic at the disco! fall out boy is better than PATD! especially in the live category. i dunno how a band could be so bad live...

the song is a good song. i would say its the second best song on the album.

the story line takes too much away from the song. but i guess the things i do like about the fueled by ramen is the synergy. yea they mention PATD! but they also sorta hint on The Academy is newest video. you guy should def be able to spot it if you watch both videos back to back.

Vanessa Hudgens - Say Ok featuring Zac Efron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV230lOijvA



Vanessa hudgens is the girl from high school musical. i have never watched it or anything. but i guess the show was really popular for high school kids and pre-teeners. i think she's 17 years old. she's def a cutie. good potential to be the next big hit if she plays the right cards and knows when to fold unlike certain celebrities...

the song is catchy i guess for a high school chick. but i think the disney channel logo might turn off the rebel slutty girl thing. Zac efron i think was a costar on the high school musical thing. im not even sure who he is. i guess i dont care.

the video is ehhhh. i mean good thing i like bowling. and brunettes. the video is only worth to watch to get a feel and taste for hudgens. seems like a sweetheart but who knows. she may have a britney inside her....

Ne-Yo - Because Of You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAP08LIeStA



did you know that ne-yo is a year older than me? he's an 82. damn. its not that he's a superstar and stuff that im impressed about. its cuz he's actually more of a songwriter than most of the r&b crew.

he wrote Rihanna's "Unfaithful", Mario's "Let Me Love You", Mario Vazquez's "Gallery", Paula DeAnda's "Walk Away (Remember Me)" and Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable". he has also said that he has written songs for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias for their upcoming albums and that he will write songs for Usher, Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, and on Michael Jackson's upcoming album. (ew) but with that said the kid's got talent.

the video is composed of 4 or 5 scenes and 2 girls. song goes on about its because of you blah blah blah. i think his dancing scenes are kinda weak but the girls are def hot. i always wondered where they find these girls. cuz they dont seem to exist in real life. but like they said in entourage - music video chicks are sluts. i guess they are all in cali. hahaha. song is catchy so his sophomore album might do pretty well when it comes out

Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30w8DyEJ__0



Artic Monkeys were on the news a few months ago for being one of the fastest selling albums in the UK. now onto their music video.

their music video seems pretty cheap to make. dancing girls with a 80's wierd colored backdrop. band jamming in the dark. music video was kinda pointless but i do have to say that their song is pretty awesome. i def enjoyed the song more than the video. if anything the video takes away from the song. i believe that music videos should act as a plus to the song not as something negative or even worse does nothing for the song.

there were many many camera angles in this video. but the whole thing was in the dark and the only parts where there were anything visible were the girls and the random pictures and video clips.

give the song a listen. just make sure to close your eyes instead of looking a the screen.

Tokio Hotel - Scream

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EK2GV0Nv0s



Tokio Hotel is a band from Germany and are a set of twins and two other friends. these twins are YOUNG (89) not even 18... gosh.

these guys were so successful in Germany that they took the german album translated and transformed it into english and will be releasing their album in the states on May 21 of this year.

the video is a black and white again... i guess the in thing is really black and white. the video didnt really say much but it did speak loudly for the band. a young energetic band who i would be lead to believe that they would be pretty awesome live. their song is a song that sounds like it would be really fun live, fun to perform and fun to get crazy to.

so take a listen and see if this how this german band does.

Aiden - We Sleep Forever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj-zSJ9qRdU



Aiden is a band from seattle and consists of 5 members. they have a very similar sound to Hawthorne Heights but lacking.

they have been criticized for copying off AFI. now i hate AFI. they went from hardcore to lamecore.

the video is interesting. its a dark horror minimovie but kinda boring. i hate those chucky dolls crap. they could have made it cooler by adding some more into the story than that but i guess thats what happens for a wannabe band...

i guess i shouldnt hate on a band until i heard their albums. or listened to them live. but then again what kinda band releases 3 cds in one year? i guess they did just copy off other people. who knows?

Rich Boy - Boy Looka Here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxFwWsZPiQc



the song is quite similar to his "throw some ds" but only cuz its that southern rap thing. the song is not as catchy as that song.

the video is the typical southern rapper video with a band, cars, rapping in a crowd and "crazy" parties...

all ima say is money rappers are no better than boy bands. not really sure if rich boy is a money rapper. we'll see.

Hard Fi - Cash Machine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsRkU7FV4aw



hard fi is a english band and sorta a post punk revival, mixing punk, pop and disco. this songs sounds like a the killers meet panic at the disco! they def have a unique sound and it takes some time to get used to.

their music video shows that they know how to have fun. they seem really goofy and their sound matches the video.

because of the british cast, it sounds serious at the begining and funnier at the end because of the accent. the song is worth a listen. but the video is something that i feel like already has been done. kinda lilke lock stock and two smoking barrels ish thing.

i'd love to hear their other songs. but we'll see what happens. they recently signed from an independant label to a major one (atlantic) so they will have major backing. they may stay within their own market in the UK but they may have some life in the USA if they come in at the right time.

good luck to them.

Tila Tequila - I Love U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-0m1Dg_rVE



ummm... soft core porn.

yum.

but stick to myspace. some people arent made out to be musicians. i wouldnt call this music anyway. looks dont equal talent. i do wonder how many people bought this song off itunes...

if i find the results i will update this post.

Bone Thugs N Harmony - I Tried featuring Akon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG5ReXP0SSg



bone thugs are back. i mean they are missing bizzy. and fleshn is still in jail. they wont be the same but what can i say. ima miss bizzy spitting out crazy lines and such.

i've always been a btnh fan. i love how they really know how to sing and to harmonize. they are like the dixie chicks of rap (but GANGSTA). i know the industry gives them mad respect. their new album features many famous hip hop artists.

the video works well and shows the typical btnh video with the similar lyrics. i love how akon is featured in this song. his unique voice adds more to the song with the btnh vox. its like bizzy is gone. so they needed akon. its all good.

the video is different from the nowadays hiphop music videos. but typical in the sense that its a btnh music video. the video isnt tacky like their previous video of "change the world"

im enjoying the song and looking forward for the new album which is coming soon.

Anberlin - Cities

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH8-8h18ATU

Bio
Anberlin consists of Stephen Christian (lead vox), Deon Rexroat (bass), Joesph Milligan (lead guitar and background vox), Christian McAlhaney (guitar) and Nathan Young (drums) formed in 2002 in Florida.

Overall
Their album, Cities, is a "Man vs. World" themed album. Their previous album called "Never take Friendship Personal" was considered to them as a "Man vs. Man" album. This new album takes a new approach than the sophmore album. their first two songs have the same feel as their hit songs on the second album. but the rest of the album is quite experimental and it seems as if it is showing a sadness that enveloped their band.

The album takes a little bit to get used to. at first i thought it was mediocre. there were no songs that stuck out as songs in their previous album did. but slowly, i began to realize the potential of a few songs.

Instrumental
The majority of the instruments are pretty mediocre but i do have to comment on their lead guitarist. he has mucho talent and rip up the guitar like nothing else. bass lines are def fun to listen to.

Recording & Studio Magic
The album uses has more studio magic than their previous album. they seem to use a lot of "techno synthesizer" noises as a part of their songs. but other than that, there is a good amount of compression on the instruments but not too much on the vox.

Live Potential
I have been to a concert about a year ago. they were better than expected live. Vox is pretty hard to attain because of his high notes and the singer did go off key once in a while. instruments were pretty much kick ass and the front man knew what he was doing on stage.

In Retrospect
The album did take some time to grow on me but its an album that i can listen to here and there. I actually preordered this album so i was very much looking forward to it. i honestly a bit disappointed that the album was mediocre.

Album Info
Released – Feb 20, 2007
Number of Songs – 15
Album Length - ~58 Minutes
Singles – Godspeed
Recommended Songs – Alexithymia, Inevitable, Dismantle.Repair.
www.anberlin.com

Ratings
Lyrics – 8.5
Melody – 8.5
Instrumentally – 8
Recording – 8.5
Studio Magic – 4
Originality – 7
Live Potential – 8.5
Overall - 8
WJOD - 8

Explanation of the Ratings
Rating is from 1-10. 1 is the lowest and 10 is the highest.
Overall is NOT an average of the other ratings.
This is similar to grading system. A 7 is a C. etc.
WJOD = worth dl/jacking off danny.

Gwen Stefani - The Sweet Escape

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMUOg7BebKE




Gold is the obvious color theme of the video. the video looks very fun. i mean gwen stefani rolling around on the floor on a bed in short shorts, high heels.

and oh yes japanese girls bringing the k-pop dance moves. on a serious note, the dancing is very k-poppy.

i guess there is a decent story to the vid but its def targeted towards teeny-boppers and those that wished they were ballers and can afford japanese slaves.

Lene Alexandra - My Boobs Are OK!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44f7BewqNqA




I honestly would not have watched this video if i didnt see the "Music Video" as part of the title. maybe you're thinking "yea right, you clicked it cuz of the title" personally i would not watch a video called my boobs are okay. cuz if i wanna watch boobs, they better be pretty awesome not just OKAY. lame

so this lene alexandra is a norwegian model who is 25 years old and somehow "impressed" a record label and got a deal with them.

this is the thing it says on her myspace profile:

"Love all the motherfuckers who hate you because they are your biggest fans"

hahahaha. the video is worth a watch because it features her Dnormous boobs. school girl/cheerleader, corporate bitch, miss boob winner, nurse and car wash girl.

im not sure who the target audience is for this song. is it for teeny boppers?i guess it is. cuz they wanna think their undeveloped boobs are okay.

man the music is horrible...

GO BOOBS!

Nine Inch Nails - Survivalism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiE1d96oe3w



black and white seems to be the IN thing now.

obviously a "big brother" and "lost" ish music video.

the video is kinda boring but the interesting point of this video is that they were handing out drm-free mp3s and videos in USB drives in a London concert. though their label is drm-freaks, they wanted to give something to the fans and decided to give out usb drives with their videos on it.

maybe the video is a tribute to the anti-drm and anti-government.

who knows?

there is a nekkid asian chick in the hidden cam scene putting on make up in front of a mirror. too bad you cant see anything.

oh yea, there is also gay love hidden cam scene in it too which they seems to focus on more than the other scenes.

R. Kelly - I'ma Flirt featuring T.I. & T. Pain

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5v3JwqXTmM



i actually prefer the chappelle's pee on your remix rather than this video. video is another typical rap/hiphop/r&b video. after the first minute i thought, hey girls and money. no cars... hmmm. and then there is one quick shot of r. kelly singing with two cars and two girls. man they need to get more original.

its at a club, they have some interesting shots but its all things done before. the starry hot girl camera look, the slow mo crawling girl.

i do have to say the girls probably look better than the paul wall video.

so yea. the song is decent but thats the only reason why i would watch the video.

Paul Wall - Break 'Em Off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea8M0WtU7vs





in terms of a rap video, its probably the most typical and most unoriginal video ever.

the three things in rap videos

1) cars
2) girls
3) money/bling

the video has all three.

the scenes are all regarding a car wash. girls wash the car. girls have big tits and big asses. they shake the asses, they touch their boobs and they bend over, while they wash the car etc.

the video has a color focus on yellow. most of the girls are wearing yellow. the signs for the car wash are yellow. not only is the color focus on yellow, there is also a color hue on yellow giving it the "vintage" look with the vintage/ghetto car wash.

the video is composed of basically three or four basic themes. first is the car wash, secondly is in the car, third is the kodak film reel and lastly are two scenes outside the carwash (one is daytime the other is night time).

not really original.

now we understand what it means when nas says "hiphop is dead"

My Chemical Romance - I Don't Love You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO9Lj0T93Xk



First off, Gerard Way (lead vox) cleaned up BIG TIME. this music video is def arsty (pretty obvious cuz of the black and white) than their usual music videos but still along the same lines of their "horror" theme.

there is a very clean look to this video and even the slo-mo of the jamming scences are clean. the mic getting thrown off the mic stand was pretty fun to see. and of course things blowing up is pretty awesome. seems like tim burton would be a perfect director for the job.

it makes you wonder why the gear was blown up the way it was... did the girl (who probably represented the clean, untainted virgin look) kill the guy (who was obviously the dirty std infested person)?

if you wanna see how much the lead singer cleaned up, watch this video and compare it to the video above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSNKCfxcYvE