Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Some Pop, Crackle and Electro?

DAN BLACK


So when and where did I find out about Dan Black? Well I was sat in my room looking for fun things to watch on the BBC iplayer and finally decided on a programme called The Cut - a drama about some children for children - you can see the appeal it has for a disillusioned 21 year old. Anyway, I heard the opening track and it was Dan Black's U+ME= which is just one of those classically good pop songs and I immediately needed his album! which I got a few months after as it had not been released at the time! The album has a variety of tracks that all seem to follow the same sort of format except for one which uses the infamous Rihanna drum beat from Umbrella, sadly that song doesn't please me but that may have more to do with the fact that Umbrella was overplayed and overhyped! Anyway, I think that Dan Black is set for great things as he has a classic yet quirky pop sound that has been missing for the past few years! Anyway I think you should go and sample his delights and here is one I got extremely excited about as it is Dan Black and friends performing U+ME= live, in a bedroom and I was shocked that it sounded so good! So have a little click and give your senses a good time!  

A Sprinkle of Fashion Dust !!

ROMANCE WAS BORN


A design duo comprising of Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett make up the up and coming kitch Australian clothing brand Romance Was Born (think Heatherette meets the New Romantics meets a crazy rainbow fairy in the forest.) With collections entitled Yeti Magic and Wierd Science it is evident that this duo are a new force of cool that will soon become a dominating fashion house! The new S/S11 collection called... wait for it: Renaissance Dinosaur! proved just that at Australian Fashion Week in mid-May.

So lets begin with the mise en scene of the show. The mood lighting was set to a deep shade of purple with undertones of a deep blue not forgetting the classic touch of Romance Was Born's glittery swirls of light and dust dotted everywhere. The catwalk itself was very much constructed like a forest in the Jurassic period - with wild trees and stones lining the sides of the runway. The music choice again was suitable quirky as Sales and Plunkett chose to include The Jurassic Park film theme tune within the show! A great move in my opinion, especially to sell the vision of the Jurassic Renaissance that is if the models posing with claws wasn't enough! As much as it is an odd concept the fashion did show both aspects of the vision and they did not seem odd together nor did they contrast to the point of distraction.

The highlights of the show would have to be the Volcano Dress a very well constructed and realist construction of a volcano. Not something you would wear in a club but a great visual piece for the catwalk. And of course the finale dress! Although I do think that this may have had more to do with the fact that the dress was essentially worn by a woman wearing a man with both wearing the dress (that makes about as much sense as the concept as a whole)  but visually it was magnificent! - especially the silhouette from behind as it really did look like one extremley tall woman!

Oh A Little Dose of Reality T.V !!!

The Final Season of The Hills
Episodes 1 -2


Okay so they new season of The Hills began on the 30th of May! Thanks so much MTV for deciding to start an addictive series when some young soon to be adults have exams and University work to be doing. Fortunately, I got to watch the first episode on a visit back home to Birmingham (thank goodness for sky+) But now in my eager anticipation I have had to make do with the little snippets you can get from mtv.co.uk (how unfair is it that they never put on full episodes? I guess it is for copyright purposes - but that doesn't stop it being very annoying)

For those reader's who have been under a rock for the past few years all you need to know for now is that the name you probably associate with The Hills if anything at all has been Lauren Conrad (who was on another reality show called The Real O.C --she certainly seems to love them-- ) however, she gave up her place on The Hills for the final few series' as she is feeling pretty well accomplished and rightly so, what with her various book and magazine deals as well as a promising fashion line... anyway, she has paved the path for a fellow The Real O.C chick Kristin  Cavallari who is one of those bad girls that you love to hate, but secretly wish you could be!

EPISODE 1: "Put On A Happy Face"

How much drama can one episode of The Hills have? Please do not get me started, we have accusations of drug addiction (by Stephanie Pratt), contraversial romances blossoming (between Brody and Audrina) and a walking, talking and very much in pain - plastic barbie (Heidi Pratt)... of course everything points to a big showdown which comes to a head in the second episode.

I have to admit as much you want to hate Kristin as a character you have to admire her gutsy ways. Which girl can honestly say that she would be fine walking into a room of girls that she knew were (for want of a better word) bitching about her and ask them what their problem was? Yes, maybe in hindsight you would wish you had asked them but in reality, in the moment I think very few would share the same reactions as Kristin does...and good for her! I wish I was a little more like her dare I say it!

I don't know if it is just me but don't people who have plastic surgery all look like clones?! I had read in Heat Magazine a long time ago that Heidi was considering having plastic surgery but I honestly believed it was a publicity stunt! I mean when you are in your twenties do you really need face enhancing surgery? - I don't think so! My mom tells me that your twenties are when you are at your prime- what a waste of a face! (I am not sorry about the pun!) This comparison is just so scary to look at it is interesting that even her mom had to admit that she looked like a barbie. It is just so upsetting that she felt she had to completely change her image to like herself.

EPISODE 2: "Rumor Has It"

I said that episode 1 left you with a feeling that a showdown was just around the corner but surely we were expecting it to be a massive argument between Kristin and Stephanie for spreading rumours about a supposed drug addiction... but instead it was a sibling showdown! And who doesn't love one of those? especially when it's between our two favourite Pratt's (what a fitting surname)

I think the quote of the episode would have to be from Heidi in regards to her boob job: "I might get them bigger actually, I want H's for Heidi" ....seriously? she looks like barbie does that mean she has to think like her too! Anyway, back to the plot... both Stephanie and Spencer were invited to Kristin's BBQ and before leaving Stephanie plucked up the courage to say goodbye to her older brother who had a massive psychotic turn that made him revert back to being a child! causing Stephanie to run out crying. This was the most dramatic showdown solely based on Spencer's eyes, he looks pretty scary on screen so god knows what he looks like in the flesh when he is angry! For once I actually felt sorry for Stephanie she is his younger sister after all! However, the showdown between Kristin and Stephanie was pretty boring the only part that was remotely fun to watch was them both leaving down different sides of the street. How very artistic! (yes I was being sarcastic)

I know that Reiki Masters believe that crystals hold healing powers but it was evident from the  self confessed 'crystal addict' that they don't always work.... especially if you are crazy! Watch this clip of Spencer at a time when the crystalsare just not working! Its hilarious!



Thursday, June 17, 2010

Emerging Artist Alert!!!

ANJULIE

She is a singer/songwriter from Canada whose music has featured on shows such as The Hills and I was lucky enough to grab an interview with her just before her album was distributed to Starbucks all over the USA. I believe that Anjulie's sugar coated melodies and poptastic lyrics will soon be contagious. Her album "Boom" is yet to be released in the UK but you can buy her music on itunes!


Here is her first single entitled Boom:
 
Anybody who happens to be in their early 20's or older may remember a certain Mr Apache Indian and a certain song called Boom-Shakalaka. Inspiration maybe? If this song is not feautured in a rom-com within the next year I'll eat my hat! I can see it now a nice bar scene, two eyes meet and boom (excuse the pun) this song will reverberate in your mind for the rest of the week.
 
As I said earlier I was lucky enough to get an interview with her and here are a few of her answers which give you a better sense of her character and muscial direction.
 
Has your music being showcased on MTV shows thrown you into fast stardom?

Yes I'm the brown Lady GaGa. No, I'm kidding I wouldn't consider myself being thrown into stardom, although when I was in NYC a couple weeks ago I was recognized by the NYPD. I was such a geek about it I think I was more excited that he knew who I was than he was!!

How would you describe your sound?

Like caramel popcorn without the guilt of an after taste.
 
What/Who influenced you throughout your life?

My mom introduced me to female singer/songwriters at a very young age. I remember every night I would sleep in her bed and she would play her favourite songs until we fell asleep. She loved Carole King, Sinead O'Connor and Carly Simon which led to my love affair with artists like Missy Alanis and Lauryn Hill

● How did your family respond to you becoming a music artist?

They didn't like it, in fact, when I was 19 and moving to NYC to start playing shows and shopping my demo I told them I was going to Montreal to visit a family friend! It was a really tumultuous time in my life but it made me a lot stronger because proving yourself to your parents makes proving yourself to the music industry look like a piece of cheesecake!
 
What artists have influenced your music?

Two records that changed my life are 'Jagged Little Pill' by Alanis and 'The Mis-Education' by Lauryn Hill
 
Does music dictate fashion or vice versa? What sort of clothing do you like, any particular styles? Do you prefer designer or high street fashion?

I like both. I love mixing vintage with modern designers. I'm really into accessories and mixing metals like gold chains with silver necklaces and fake crystals. I am to be on the most confusing dress list.
 
Does the fact that MTV have listed you as one of the artists to watch out for motivated you to succeed or added to the pressure of succeeding within the industry?

Everything motivates me: failure, success, even cheesecake. It's a strange disease.

Well there you have it. The self-confessed new Lady Gaga with a caramel popcorn taste. What do you say to a slice of that cheesecake?

....guess who's back... back again...??



Yes it is me... Pav! (tell a friend) So I have decided to write yet another blog. However, this one will be dedicated to the things that interest me which means it will be composed mainly from my three loves: Fashion, T.V and Music. (so maybe I will be able to keep it up for longer!) I hope to be one step ahead of the game and give you readers (or just my mom) up to date information and critiques of the latest trends and hopefully dot in a few interviews with emerging artists that I believe will be a success in the future.