Category Archives: Entertainment

Good Girl (Single Review) – Carrie Underwood

It’s been a year since Carrie Underwood had a solo single on country radio, her last one being Mama’s Song, which peaked at #2 on the country charts.

Taking her time with the preparations for her upcoming album, set for a May 1st release date, Carrie Underwood has been building the momentum for both her lead single, Good Girl, and her album. The anticipation for the lead single has reached stratospheric proportions among country audiences, especially following an Amazon clip and a teaser that Carrie posted on YouTube.

And now Good Girl is here. Was the long wait for new Carrie music worth the wait? I guess you’ll have to read the remainder of this review to find out. Who am I kidding? Good Girl is way better than I thought Carrie’s lead single would be. Add to that my already very high expectations and the scenario becomes: this is a knockout blow delivered by Mrs. Underwood (or is it Underwood-Fisher now?).

The song opens with a killer guitar riff to a backdrop of drums and hand-clap percussion to which Carrie starts: “Hey good girl with your head in the clouds. I bet you I can tell you what you’re thinking about. You’ll see a good boy, gonna give you the world. But he’s gonna leave you crying with your heart in the dirt….” Then she takes it up a notch vocally to growl the rest of the first verse: “His lips are dropping honey. But he’ll sting you like a bee. So lock up all your lovin’, go and throw away the key. Hey good girl, get out when you can I know you think you got a good man…”

And then she starts signing the chorus, which has a very different melody, creating a hook in itself in the transition between verse and chorus: “Why, why you gotta be so blind? Won’t you open your eyes? It’s just a matter of time till you find he’s no good, girl. No good for you. You better to getting on your goodbye shoes and go, go, go. You better listen to me he’s low, low, low….” It doesn’t hurt that Carrie kills the rocking chorus vocally as well. Starting with heavy tempo, it turns to simply Carrie’s voice to a backdrop of drums as she sings “he’s no good, girl, no good for you.”

The tempo then picks up again for the second verse: “Hey good girl, you got a heart of gold. You want a white wedding and a hand you can hold just like you should girl, like every good girl does. Want a fairytale ending, somebody to love.” Then she takes it up a notch again for the second part of the verse – all with a killing line to end it: “But he’s really good at lying girl, yeah, he’ll leave you in the dust cause when he says forever, well, it don’t mean much. Hey good girl, so good for him, better back away honey, you don’t know where he’s been.”

Carrie then repeats the chorus before going into a pure rock bridge that will leave you absolutely stunned. “He’s no good, girl. Why can’t you see? He’ll take your heart and break it. Listen to me, yeah…“

The bridge starts with a shout and ends with a falsetto. Enough said, right? I was hoping for a bigger chorus, but this one delivers just right.

The song then ends with another version of the chorus which ends with Carrie singing “he’s no good girl, no good for you. You better get to getting on your goodbye shoes” acapella – nothing to back her up on it. And the song ends.

Perhaps the correct title for the song should have been “Damn Girl” because Carrie Underwood is back and she’s not messing around with anyone. From the second the song opens, you know this isn’t like anything Carrie has given her audience before. The fact that this is probably the best she has sounded on a recorded track only helps to elevate Good Girl from the hit that it is to a truly amazing song. It’s absolutely brilliant to see such vocal versatility with Underwood. She can literally sing the phonebook (or one of my medicine books) and get you absolutely interested in what she’s singing. Her vocal ability translates onto Good Girl and then some more. And on Good Girl, she sings with the song’s production, not on top of it.

The song is also different structurally from what Carrie Underwood’s fans are used to. There’s no three-verse storyline. There are no lyrics which can be considered sappy. It’s all in your face. Who would have thought a Carrie Underwood song would contain the line: “Better back away honey, you don’t know where he’s been?” No one. And yet it feels so natural to have such strong lyrics in Good Girl. Why? Because the song demands it. And Carrie delivers.

The country-rock sound is also a very welcome change for Underwood. This is also the most rocking she has been in a song before, with the song still having much needed country elements. Her detractors will shout “she’s not country” at her new offering. But who cares when you’ve got such a song on your table? You simply don’t. You welcome it and you listen to it with a smile on your face because it’s just that awesome.

Carrie Underwood is back, ladies and gentlemen. And she’s here to reclaim that #1 spot at the top of the charts like a good girl does.

10/10

You can get Good Girl on iTunes here.

Listen to Good Girl:

Good Girl (Lyrics) – Carrie Underwood

These are the lyrics for Carrie Underwood’s brand new single: Good Girl!

For my review, click here.

[Verse 1:]

Hey good girl

With your head in the clouds

I bet you I can tell you what you’re thinking about

You’ll see a good boy

Gonna give you the world

But he’s gonna leave you crying 

with your heart in the dirt

His lips are dripping honey 

But he’ll sting you like a bee

So lock up all your lovin’

Go and throw away the key

Hey good girl

get out while you can

I know you think you got a good man

[Chorus]

Why, why you gotta be so blind?

Won’t you open your eyes?

It’s just a matter of time till you find

He’s no good, girl

No good for you

You better get to getting on your goodbye shoes and go, go, go

you better listen to me he’s low, low, low

[Verse 2:]

Hey good girl

you got a heart of gold

You want a white wedding and a hand you can hold

Just like you should, girl,

like every good girl does

Want a fairytale ending, somebody to love

But he’s really good at lying girl,

Yeah, he’ll leave you in the dust

Cause when he says forever

Well it don’t mean much

Hey good girl

So good for him

better back away honey

you don’t know where he’s been

[Chorus]

Why, why you gotta be so blind?

Won’t you open your eyes?

It’s just a matter of time till you find

He’s no good, girl

No good for you

You better get to getting on your goodbye shoes and go, go, go

Yeah yeah yeah, he’s low

yeah yeah yeah

[Bridge]

he’s no good, girl

Why can’t you see?

He’ll take your heart and break it

Listen to me, yeah…

[Outro]

Why, why you gotta be so blind?

Won’t you open your eyes?

It’s just a matter of time till you find

he’s no good, he’s no good

won’t you open up your eyes?

It’s just a matter of time till you find

he’s no good, girl

he’s no good for you

you better get to getting on your goodbye shoes

Adele Dominating The Music Charts

It comes as no surprise at all that Adele is currently reshaping the music sales scene almost by herself. Her second album, 21, which recently won album of the year at the Grammy’s, has sold more than 6.6 million copies in less than a year. Adele has also won 5 other Grammy’s on Sunday, becoming the second female artist to do so in one night, the first one being Beyonce. It’s more impressive to consider that Adele’s Grammy wins come after it was decided to cut down the number of awards.

In a time when musicians are struggling to sell a million copies of an album with a release frame of 2 years per album, she has sold 6 times that much in less than half the time. And get this, almost a year later, 21 is set to have its best sales week ever with estimates of about 600,000 copies sold this week in the United States alone, bringing Adele’s tally to more than 7 million copies sold in a single week.

Astonishing.

Not only that but Adele became the only artist in history to have a number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Hot 200 simultaneously 3 times. Rolling in the Deep was #1 when 21 was #1 back in June, likewise with Someone Like You  (December) and Set Fire To The Rain (January).

21 has been #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 20 weeks, going on even more as no other new releases are getting close to dethroning Adele. There’s even an online game called: “Knock Adele off the charts and win!” In fact, 21 will soon become among the few albums that spent their entire year in the Billboard Hot 200’s top 10. It spent only one week outside the top 5, actually. And with an upcoming release of Rumour Has It, Adele will keep selling and selling.

Her success goes to show that making great music will get you places, regardless of how radio-friendly those songs may be or how “weight-appropriate” the artist is.

The Vow – Movie Review

Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) are a happily married couple living in Chicago and as with all couples, they are deeply in love. That is until a car accident takes place and Paige goes into a coma from which she wakes up with amnesia, not remembering any of the past five years: her years with Leo.

Struck by the fact that his own wife doesn’t remember him, Leo decides to make her fall in love with him all over again. Simultaneously, Paige’s parents: Bill (Sam Neill) and Rita Thornton (Jessica Lange) try to use this new opportunity that life gave them in trying to mend bridges with their daughter. Leo, however, doesn’t necessarily fit in their plan of getting their daughter back to law school and into the arms of a man they approve of.

What’s refreshing about The Vow is that it is actually based on a true story and as such the events that take place in the movie, albeit sappy and cliche at times, have an element of sincerity to them that other movies of the same genre lack. Apart from annoying voice-overs by Channing Tatum about moments in life and other useless balderdash, the movie doesn’t feel annoyingly sweet like your usual over-sugary romantic comedies.

Channing Tatum, however, is dull throughout. Even the moments where he has to express emotion come off as flat. He’s also in tears almost all the time. It gets grating at times. Rachel McAdams is the movie’s real draw. She’s a great actress who commands every frame she is in like child’s play. You keep rooting for her character even when she gets slightly annoying by falling for her ex-fiance, whom she doesn’t recollect breaking up with. Sam Neill and Jessica Lange, as Paige’s parents, are great in whatever screen time they get.

Simply put, if you are a guy wanting to take out your girl for a movie this Valentine’s day and you know she’s into romantic comedies, The Vow will work wonders with her without getting you to want to rip your hair off. If you’re into a light movie that will entertain you for its duration and the theatre you went to has no other options, then The Vow isn’t necessarily that bad. Although it might feel like been there, done that (imagine a romantic version of Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore’s 5o First Dates), you can’t but give the movie some slack for being a true story as is shown by the last frame before the credits start rolling.

6/10

2012 Grammy Predictions

I may not be staying up to watch the Grammy’s but I figured I’d give in my 2 cents as to what will be awarded big time tonight. Some of the categories are a lock, others are more of a toss-up. Either way, it should be interesting.

The night, however, will be tainted by the passing of Whitney Houston. I’m not sure if a last minute tribute will be planned for her.

Without further ado, and after checking out the nominees, here are my predictions for some of the categories:

Record of the Year: Rolling In The Deep – Adele

This it the year’s biggest hit. None of the other nominees comes close in terms of critical acclaim and public reception. Add to it Adele’s contestants being Bruno Mars and Katy Perry and she becomes more than a lock. Sure, the Grammy’s do not always reward the most successful act. But Adele managed this year to bridge critical acclaim with commercial success. It will translate in a few trophies tonight, this being the first.

Album of the Year: 21 – Adele

With other nominees including Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, Rihanna’s Loud and Bruno Mars’ Doo-Wops & Hooligans, not only is Adele’s critically acclaimed and biggest selling album of the year a lock for this, but it would actually be absurd to think anyone else has a chance. What gives Adele an edge over any of the other nominees in this is that she is an artist the Grammy’s can feel safe in showering with awards. She has album of the year in the bag.

Song of the Year: Rolling in the Deep – Adele

As I said, the Grammy’s this year will be Adele-domination night. She will be winning everything. End of story. The fact that this was the biggest crossover hit in the United States in the past 25 years will only add fuel to Adele’s dominating fire.

Best New Artist: The Band Perry

Country acts usually have an advantage when it comes to being awarded best new artist at the Grammy’s because they are usually the ones with the most secure future ahead. Case in point: in the last five years, 2 country acts have won this award: Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band. Other winners include Adele, Amy Winehouse and last year’s Esperanza Spalding. Why I think The Band Perry will win is because the Grammy’s tend to overlook pop/hip-hop acts that make it big (Nicki Minaj) and The Band Perry have a great hit under their belt in the form of If I Die Young. A very close second would be Bon Iver.

Best Pop Solo Performance: Someone Like You – Adele

Seeing as this is a category that rewards the vocal performance of a song, it’s easy to see how one can overlook Katy Perry’s Firework. Among the other songs/artists, no one has as big a momentum as Adele. Therefore, it should be an easy win for her – not to mention that Someone Like You is a stunning song as it is.

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Body and Soul – Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse

You know the Grammy’s will want to award Winehouse a final time, four years after choosing her for Best New Artist, through her last studio recording.

Best Pop Vocal Album: 21 – Adele

She’s going to win album of the year. There’s no way she won’t win this.

Best Rock Performance: The Cave – Mumford & Songs

The fact that this is nominated for both record and song of the year gives this category away. My favorite is Radiohead’s Lotus Flower, though.

Best Rock Album: Come Around Sundown – Kings of Leon

This album may not have found the success proportions of their previous offering but I still see it winning this category.

Best Alternative Album: Torches – Foster The People

Although I prefer Radiohead’s The King of Limbs, it’s easy to see how the success of Pumped Up Kicks would translate into a win here.

Best Rap Performance: Look At Me Now – Chris Brown, Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes

Because Busta Rhymes’ verses are almost impossible to sing?

Best Country Solo Performance: Mama’s Song – Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood is what they call a Grammy’s darling. She has performed five times at the Grammy’s in the past six years, four of those being in four consecutive years. And when she attended, she never left empty-handed. With the Grammy’s merging several country vocal categories and Mama’s Song finding its way to a nomination, I think Carrie will win this. It doesn’t hurt that Mama’s Song is a great performance.

Best Country Album: My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean

Following a win at the CMAs for this award and beating the same nominees, Jason Aldean should win this as well.

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: Don’t You Wanna Stay – Jason Aldean & Kelly Clarkson

Similarly to the album category, this duet has won this same category at every country award show. Those wins should carry over here.

Best Folk Album: Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars have this in the bag. Their album has garnered critical acclaim and found its way to mainstream success, despite being part of an indie label.