5/29/09

Stuck In My Head...

This has been on constant repeat in my head for two days...make it stop!I love Sondheim!I like the film version of this song better than the original(I know blasphemy!)

5/27/09

Band/Artist of the Week-May 25-30 2009

This weeks Artist of the Week is Bas Bron a.k.a Bastian(my fave version),Seymour Bits,Comtron,or Fatima Yamaha. Each alter ego has a different sound. How creative is that. Soul/Funk/Electro at it's best! Here's a video from a Bastian album, called Sturdy. Read more about Bas Bron here, and listen to his different personalities here.

Under Construction

I just wanted to state that obviously my blog is under construction...so that it won't look like the mess it looks like now..stay tuned!Oh and shout out to my two first followers!!Thanks!

5/22/09

Band/Artist of the Week-May 17-23 2009

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I know I'm incredibly late with this but artist of the week is Yaw. Beautiful soulful sounds. Pleasing and mellow to the ear. Enjoy! Check him out here.
Yaw EPK performance montage

Playlist for May

ENJOY!!

Get a playlist! Standalone player Get Ringtones

I love these chicks!

This video is such a guilty pleasure of mine...These girls have style..I like them I can't help myself. I might recreate one of the makeup looks in this video.So fly!

5/13/09

Band of the Week-May 10-16 2009

This week's band of the week in OperaChik universe is Laura Vane and the Vipertones. So FUNKY!!!!Check them out here.

5/9/09

Chrisette Michele-Epiphany

Let me preface this post by saying that yes,this is a review. Also, let me also state that I adored Chrisette's last album, I Am, which garnered her a Grammy. But oh my, I did not enjoy her latest release Epiphany.
What can I say, something about the overall sound was a bit too...processed.I can listen to the entire album in the background without paying attention to it at all. For some listeners this is a good trait but for me, that just means there is nothing exciting about the music to grab me. Don't get me wrong, Chrisette's instrument is outstanding, the woman has a beautiful voice. Perhaps my ear has been leaning on the side of eclectic lately and I am turned off by traditional syrupy r&b. There was something about her first album that seemed organic; the music was genuine and wasn't run down by formulaic tunes.Because it is Chrisette,and I adore her, I can't completely hate the album because it includes her voice, but man, I was expecting more.I just want gritty material to match her voice. She doesn't seem like the traditional soul type, and the first album reflected that. This album seems like more of a compromise than a creation that was truly the artist's vision. I suppose it happens to every artist, oh well. grade:B-

Song by song review:

Epiphany-4/5
-This song is Chrisette's first single. Dealing with the familiar theme of ending a relationship.Even though the hook is catchy and the "pop-like" track has a bit of a groove...it is a far cry from the greatness of her first single. It does nothing to show off the uniqueness of her voice(which of course to a fellow vocalist is of the utmost importance). So because the song is not skip-worthy, I consider it a bit better than some of the other songs.

Notebook-2.5/5
-I just don't care about this song.It bores me for some reason, I just can't put my finger on it. Something about the traditional swing of it will undoubtedly inspire plenty of girls with crushes on their classmates to sing along with hairbrushes...but I'm an adult. Considering the fact that Chrisette and I are the same age,this writing is way too immature. I expected this song to come from a 15 year old new artist with no original ideas.Next please.

What You Do-3/5
-Neyo is featured in this song,whatever. It's not like I care about Neyo. Moving on,another radio-friendly song,about the old adage "actions speak louder than words".Oh yeah did I mention Neyo is there? Next.

Blame It On Me-4/5
-The girl can sing, and this song showcases her vocal ability. Hallelujah!Of course, this is one of the songs co-written by Chrisette herself( She only co-writes on 3 songs...unbelievable,and unfortunate.).This song is about blaming the dissolution of a relationship on one's self.

All I Ever Think About-3.5/5
-Another regular ballad that focuses on Chrisette's voice, it's a good idea that's decently executed.

Playing Our Song-3/5
-More of an uptempo/midtempo song(I suppose to give some variation from all of the ballads). This sounds like something I've heard before.This sounds like something I've heard a 100 times before actually.Next.

Another One-2.5/5
-I started paying attention to this midtempo song, but quickly lost interest.The song ended and I didn't notice. Not good.

On My Own-3/5
-Midtempo/Semi-Ballad. Gets another half a star simply because the vocal performance is quite beautiful and delicate.Moving on...

Fragile-3/5
Mr.Right-3/5
Porcelain Doll-2.5/5
-All of these songs passed and I didn't notice them.They didn't suck,but they weren't great either.

I'm Okay-3.5/5
-Nice showcase of Chrisette's vocals.End of story. I will say that it is quite fitting for an album closer.

5/7/09

"Classical/World music any real musician should listen to" May 2009

Maurice Ravel(March 7, 1875 – December 28, 1937) was a French composer and pianist of Impressionist music known especially for the subtlety, richness, and poignancy of his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects. Much of his piano music, chamber music, vocal music and orchestral music have become staples of the concert repertoire(Wiki).
`Read more about Ravel here
Most famous(I guess)Bolero:

My fave: Le Tombeau de Couperin-Menuet(my fave movement...but I adore the entire thing)
Orchestral

Piano(orig.version)

Jeux d'eau

THIS IS THE COOLEST THING EVER

5/4/09

What people with too much time on their hands do...

besides blog...
For me I start painting the visage...
Barbie Inspired:
Photobucket
You Can't Be Me I'm A RockStar:
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I love the 80's(Strikes Back)
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I'll post the products used later...peace.

Albums you should hear before you die:Bjork-Debut(1993)

So I've been on a Bjork kick this past week...even though I've had her albums for a long time...I never really listened to "Debut" outside of the singles very often( that's what happens when you have like 20,000 mp3s...my fave album is Post). Why did I sleep on this?This album is officially made of awesome!
Wiki post:Debut


Debut