200 KM/H In The Wrong Lane

Alright, This album is totally old school. It came out when I was about to enter High School, I got it then and I still have it!  t.A.T.u’s 2002 release of 200 KM/H In The Wrong Lane. This Russian duo have been known to cause controversy in Russia and yet was still able to be on top of the charts there and in the USA.

The first U.S. single to ever be released by the duo was “All The Things She Said” the video was known for its suggested lyrics and the provocative video, that MTV had to limit its airtime in the day, and limit the content during the late night airtime. But if and when you saw the video it was really good. Here’s the video from the duo

After the release of the video, they duo hit it big on the United States bringing along the rumors and the trouble. Now the duo say that they are Lesbians, and that caused a fire storm. Conservatives groups wanted the group to be band. Some tabloid reports said that they were lesbians, while others didn’t think so. either way the duo became popular. Yet the band, was still big. Even if you didn’t want them to.

The Album to me has its upbeat Russian techno beats. The music can be very mellow and dramatic such as “All The Things She Said” and “Stars” which is about them coming out to their parents and leaving. The Entire Album is danceable. Even in the United States they released Russian version of the first two songs.

When it comes to recommending this album, I would say get it. Get it if you are not freaked out by two Lesbians singing about their “love” for each other. Get it if you like the lyrics and beats..

Until Next Time….Stay Fly

Courtney A.

Beastie Boys: To the 5 Boroughs

Yes! My favorite album in the underground hip-hop scene. The only group I know that has gone mainstream and still stayed true to the game. The Beastie Boys!!!!!! Yay! Released in 2004, ‘To The Five Boroughs’, brought the best out from the three New Yorkers! Yet unlike there previous albums, the Beastie Boys have kinda gone political. Some of their songs have been used as a political waker to the younger generation. Some of there song have been on number one charts for a while. I an super excited to tell you, the viewer about it.

Once you put the album you notice there infectious and danceable music, with the song “Ch-Ch-Check It Out” the Beastie Boys haven’t missed a beat since there last album in the late 1990s. They waste no time in making fun of themselves and their strange love for Star Trek. They get right into the groove of the politcal scene with songs as “Right,Right, Now, Now” and “We Got The” urge for young voters to bring up their voices and vote, which just happens to be a pivitol moment for all voters this election year.

Here’s a clip of ‘Ch-Check It Out:’

I love the Beastie Boys, both old and new . I love how they tend to mix all kinds of music into their lyrics. The Lyrics tend to speak to everyone and anyone who would listen, it becomes poetry and sometimes people live by it. In some of their older albums, The Beastie Boys tend to rap about the normal stuff rappers would rap about, drinking, and women. Now they tend to use politics and yes, they still  diss other rappers. I mean why try to step up to them… It’s the Beastie Boys!!!!!!!

So go out and grab “To the 5 Boroughs” It doesn’t matter if they came out before your born, or whether  you were a fan from the very beginning.. This album will get your ‘body movin’….and fix yourself some “brass monkey” to get you in the mood….

 

Until Next Time…Stay Fly

Courtney A.

The Pierces: 13 Tales of Love and Revenge

This duo has become my favorite group, due to their infectious melodies and voices. I view them as rising stars in the folk and even mainstream music. The group is called The Pierces…

 

13 Tales of Love and Revenge

 

This group really isn’t a group to begin with. It’s a sister act. They hail from Alabama, but reside and record in New York City. The children of musician they began to hine thier skills while attending Aurburn University. They soon began to work on albums and moved to New York City. Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge is really there third studio album, the first two albums were flops and no one really noticed them. Until about 2007, the group was on the brink of giving up until they were offered to preform their song “Secret” from Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge on the new hit television show.. “Gossip Girl”

Here’s a video of the Song:

After this preformance then the release of their album came out in the fall. The claims and prasies from critics everywhere.

There album,in case you haven’t notice, is about  love and revenge… The tunes of the song go from falling in love with someone such as(Song), to keeping a secret from someone such as ‘Secret’, to getting even with someone like ‘Kill,Kill,Kill’ and ‘Sticks and Stones’ , they even take the time out and make fun of celebutanes like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan with ‘Boring’. you will love every single minute of this moment song. With their infectious use of banjos and guitars, the melodies will be imprinted in your mind for a while…

I would recommend this song to any girl who is either in love, just broke up with someone and you want to grieve or get even. The Pierces’s songs hit a tone with everyone…GO GET IT NOW

Until Next Time….Stay Fly

Courtney

Sufjan Steven’s Illinois

Alright. My first music review is on a guy who’s music has been used in many movies and is well known in the Indie Music Scene: Sufjan Steven’s

Come On Feel the Illinois

Sufjan Steven (pronounced Soof-yawn) has been making music for several years now and is now considered a veteran in the indie and underground pop scene. But what is unique about Sufjan is that he isn’t your typical artist you would hear on the radio or even at a underground club. He is known for using all intrusments in his music. Anything from banjos, xylophones, trumpets, you name it and he has used it in his music. He has even has gone as far as to use a whole Orchestra in some of his songs.

Many of Sufjan’s songs have undertones and have meanings behind them. He writes a lot of his songs based on his life growing up and even on people. For example, the song “John Wayne Gacy Jr.’ Sufjan wrote about the notourious killer of the same name. In case you don’t know, the real John Wayne Gacy Jr. was jailed for the killing thirty-three young men and boys under the alias Pogo the clown.

Illinois are songs based from cities in the state in the same name. Chicago to Bloomington even Decatur Sufjan has written songs about them. Sufjan has been rumored to be writing either albums or song about all fifty states! North Carolina will be coming out soon, hopefully!

But I digress, Sufjan wrote this song because one, it happened while he was growing up and two, since he wanted his listeners to understand his meaning behind the song. If you were to listen to the song you would completely forget that the song was written about the a serial killer due to its very mellow and drone. But if you are looking for a historic and very light and poppy song then listen to “They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!”  its historical reference to Zombies and Ronald Reagan and other dead presidents and how they come back to life are really noticeable to the listeners.

Whether you are in a mood for a slow and mellow song or a light and airy song. Sufjan provides it in classy not tacky way. He is not your ordinary folk artist. You will be seeing me write  A LOT about him in the near future. If you have any sense you will go out and download(legally, of course) his album.

Until Next Time…Stay Fly,

Courtney