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Review of “We sing, we dance, we steal things” - Jason Mraz

• 21/07/2008
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• Tags: 2008, 5/5, jason mraz, music, review, Stuff, we sing we dance we steal things

I would not say, that “We sing, we dance, we steal things” is Jason Mraz’s best album yet. It is just so hard to pick a favorite. I would say it most certainly is Jason’s cleanest album, maybe also his most varied (with many influences, from funk, jazz, R&B, folk, rap and electro), although “Mr A-Z” was quite varied already. The tracks on this album differ quite a bit from what you would hear live from Jason, much more than they did on the previous albums, perhaps it is just because his style is changing (or expanding), and I’m not quite sure how I like it. Don’t get me wrong, all the songs are great, I love this album. Like many great albums it needs some investment to really love, but the songs are steadily getting better, the more you listen to them, this is a quality that is very rare, especially concerning pop albums, so I’m glad Jason pulled it off.

5/5

1. Make It Mine (3:08)

A very clean, optimistic, upbeat song, nicely instrumented, an inspiring trumpet (?) solo (did I mention, that I love solos?). There certainly is no flaw in this song.

2. I’m Yours (4:04)

The already famous “I’m Yours” (from Jason’s live performances), the lyrics are just ingenious and so funny, the first time I heard the song live (in Lucerne) i had to laugh. This version is not as playful, as others I’ve heard, never the less a great song, extremely catchy melody, there’s very sunny, almost Jamaican feel to it. A live gem, that finally got the attention it deserved.

3. Lucky (3:10)

A smooth, harmonic duet (with Colbie Caillat) about nothing less than the perfect love. I especially like the flow of this song and it’s kind of “old” feel to it.

4. Butterfly (5:00)

An ode on sexual chemistry. Very funny lyrics again, this song just rocks, underlined with a fitting brass section, quite funky and extremely catchy. I just love those horns.

5. Live High (4:12)

I’ve heard this for the first time as a version that Jason sung walking through some French city, and absolute loved it. This version of course, is not as acoustic, not as raw, but it still is quite brilliant. An empowering refrain, cool background choruses. Overall: Strong, at times almost ecstatic and very optimistic.

6. Love for a Child (4:06)

A wonderfully melancholic track about having your parents divorce. “And they never to check to see my grades, what a fool I’d be to start complaining?”. With this song Jason once more proves how good a storyteller he is. With this song he proves once and for all, that it’s not just all about the wordplay.

7. Details in the Fabric (5:46)

It starts off a little like “Plane” (maybe it’s just because of the distorted (radio-like) voice) and becomes a guitar-heavy ballad. Sometimes it sounds like Damien Rice, or David Gray. It is somewhat too depressing a first, but I find it gets better as the song progresses.

8. Coyotes (3:38)

Just another new facet, Jason and electro-pop, certainly not my taste, but oddly enough it fits. In the end there are actually some kinds (or so it sounds to me) singing (or rather shouting) with him, which is just great, and gives this song just so much more power. (The multiple choruses in general do.) And there is also some opera singing (like in Mr. Curiosity)

9. Only Human (4:03)

“The planet’s talking about a revolution”, Jason’s hint in the direction of environmentalism, but without blaming anyone, it makes you think though. Primarily it’s just a good song, with a great chorus.

10. The Dynamo of Volition (3:37)

Definitely my favorite. Another tongue twisting wordplay.

I do not keep up with statistics
I do not sleep without a mistress
I do not eat unless it’s fixed with
Some kind of sweet like a licorice
My home is deep inside the mystics
I’m known to keep diggin’ on existence
I’m holdin’ in the heat like a fish stick
And my phone it beeps because I missed it

Just ingenious because of the mad and sometime unexpected rhyming, (this is modern poetry).

11. If It Kills Me (4:34)

I’m never quite sure whether this piano ballad (highlighted with strings) is optimistic (I find it is at most times) or melancholic - I suppose it’s a little of both. But I certainly like it.

12. Beautiful Mess (5:36)

A beautiful ballad, a little like “Please Don’t Tell Her”. Jason’s flawless voice turns this song into a masterpiece.

Joss Whedon’s “Dr. Horrible” - Part 3

• 19/07/2008
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• Tags: 4/5, dr. horrible, joss whedon, review, Stuff, video

And there goes the happy ending. ;)

Captain Hammer has everyone fooled, and marks the great hero. Where he has to give a speech about his work for the homeless (which he despises) Dr. Horrible amushes him, freezes him with his freezeray and tries to kill him with his newly invented deathray, but he can’t. The freezeray malfunctions and Captain Hammer (unfortunately) can move again, he hits Dr. Horrible in which course the deathray gets damaged, which Captain Hammer des not notice, so then, when he pulls the trigger to finally kill his foe, the weapon is destroyed in an explosion, and Captain Hammer feel pain for the first time and runs away like a whyning baby. Penny gets hit by debree and dies. Dr. Horrible has now lost everything holding him back on his evil path (And I’m sure Penny’s last words “Captain Hammer will save us” gave him the rest). Dr. Horrible finally can join the evil league (because of Penny’s death) and he now does evil things…

He’s so evil, to even exchange his white coat with a red one.

This last part was alright, but not as good as the first two, because there was no letter from “Bad Horse”, because Dr. Horrible turned evil, because Penny died, and because this episode (in my opinion) was less humorous than the other two.

4/5

Joss Whedon’s “Dr. Horrible” - Part 2

• 17/07/2008
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• Tags: 5/5, dr. horrible, joss whedon, part 1, review, Stuff, video

Today the second part of Joss Whedon’s  “Dr. Horrible” came out.

Dr. Horrible’s Arch Nemesis “Captain Hammer” (played by Nathan Fillion) is stealing Penny’s (Dr. Horrible’s true love) heart and Dr. Horrible slowly shifts to the evil side, he’s already on. His atempts do denounce Captain Hammer and win back Penny fail horribly, so he then decides to kill Captain Hammer, ho have him out of he picture, and to finally become a member of the evil league.

In this episode, we get to know a little bit more about Captain Hammer, wo really seems to be all about his strength (and nothing else, apparently). Dr. Horribles fall into evilness continues (can he still be saved?) and with his freze-ray complete he now posesses a weapon worthy of a superhero.

5/5

The final part will air on the 19. July.

Joss Whedon’s “Dr. Horrible” - Part 1

• 16/07/2008
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• Tags: 5/5, dr. horrible, joss whedon, part 1, review, Stuff, video

Yesterday the first part of Joss Whedon’s (Creator of the unreached Firefly and the Buffy- and Angel Series) “Dr. Horrible” came out, and is viewable for free until the 21. July on the Dr. Horrible Website.

It tells the story of the social-incapable, evil genious “Dr. Horrible” trying to talk to the woman of his dreams (Penny, who he sees every Wednesday and Saturday in the laundry house) and become a member of the evil league, headed by “Bad Horse”.

It’s funny, at times totally hilarious, greatly scripted and just well done. Allthough some may think it is over-hyped, I think it’s not, its just a extraordinary piece of (what schould I called it?) film, that get’s the recognition it deserves.

5/5

The next part will go on air tomorrow.

Review of “Gavin DeGraw” - Gavin DeGraw

• 15/07/2008
• 1 comment
• Tags: 2008, 4/5, gavin degraw, music, review

With his incredible debut album Gavin DeGraw set the stakes very high, and now, sadly, fails to deliver. There are some songs, that are almost as good as the ones on “Chariot” (the debut), but there are also the mediocre titles, such as “Let it Go” or “We Belong Together”. The album is a little over-produced, too mainstream and often lacks the ingenuity and soul of “Chariot”.

All this doesn’t make “Gavin DeGraw” ab bad album, not even a mediocre one. It undoubtedly is a good album. There are several very catchy, good songs, but there are also songs, that disappiont. But compared to “Chariot” it just isn’t as good.

4/5

1. In Love With A Girl (3:27)

This song is about the power of love and it rocks (no surprise, they made it a single). It’s loud, fast and there are a lot of drums and heavy guitars.

2. Next To Me (Wait A Minute Sister) (3:26)

One of my favorites, a very catchy song about a (possibly) unfulfilled love.

3. Cheated On Me (3:39)

A ballad about how jealousy can drive loved ones away, unfortunately, in my opinion a little uneventful and definitely more mediocre songs on this album.

4. I Have You To Thank (3:27)

Starts almost the exact same way as “I Don’t Want To Be” from Gavin’s first album and then turns in to a cool, funky, strong tune. I especially love the bridge and the ending.

5. Cop Stop (3:24)

This song starts terribly, but gets much better with an ingenious, powerful refrain.

6. Young Love (4:08)

A ballad again, very melodic, starts of quite slow, dramatic, but in the last third it thankfully gets a little more exciting.

7. Medicate The Kids (3:19)

Probably one of the best songs on this album, about parents drugging their children. This songs really stands out not just because of the lyrics (they’re funny in a very concerning way ;) ) but also because it is extremely catchy melody and great bridge.

8. Relative (4:12)

A great, rocking song with a little funky lyrics, an awesome (”Jason Mraz”-like) bridge.

9. She Holds A Key (3:50)

This is my favorite song, a wonderful, strong, emotional ballad with great lyrics, rhymes and a superb ending.

10. Untamed (4:00)

A poppy tune, with a great bridge (again), and a very catchy, feel-good ending (with a little guitar solo - Oh I love those…).

11. Let It Go (3:49)

Sleeping pills? At least that was my first impression. Definitely much to depressing and slow, then there is this annoying refrain. This is by far the worst song on the album, the only one, that actually made me wind forward.

12. We Belong Together (5:30)

It’s a littley too clichéd and over-produced for me.