This album includes 14 new songs, starting with the title song “Mylo Xyloto.” The album is a concept album which attempts to tell the story of two people who fall in love, and, fortunately, have a happy ending.

Mylo Xyloto is definitely different from past Coldplay albums. The instruments and beats are more intense than before. The artistic transitions from a completely intense song to a sweetly calm song are stunning.

All of the songs flow quite well throughout the entire album. The first song, “Mylo Xyloto,” is completely instrumental and sets the stage for the rest of the songs. A melody is introduced in this song which is repeated several times throughout the album, weaving the songs together in a creative and beautiful way.

Several songs on the album such as “M.M.I.X” and “A Hopeful Transmission” can be described as transitional songs which lead to different moods in the album.

The upbeat songs include “Hurts Like Heaven,” “Charlie Brown,” “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall,” and “Don’t let it break your heart.” Some of the good slower songs include “Us Against the World,” “U.F.O,” and “Up In Flames.”

The song “Paradise” was reminiscent of older Coldplay albums. This song evoked the same feelings of “Viva la Vida” because of the violin and string harmonies, but included a stronger beat with more piano and synthesizer.

Additionally, this album included the song “Princess of China,” which was a collaborative work with artist Rihanna. The song was an interesting pairing of the alternative style of Coldplay fused with Rihanna’s hip hop style.

Overall, Mylo Xyloto was a great album that was worth the three year wait. The style is new and fresh, but still is cohesive with past Coldplay music.

Photo from Free Code Source

After taking an “indefinite hiatus” since 2005, alternative band Blink-182 released its sixth album, Neighborhoods, on Sept. 27.

Blink-182 is best known for songs such as “What’s My Age Again?” and “All the Small Things.”

The 14-track album featured a wider range of music than usual, and was more mature, in regards to both sound and lyrics, than the band’s past albums.

About half of the songs stayed mostly true to Blink-182’s typical upbeat, punk-like sound. These songs were “Ghost on the Dancefloor,” “Natives,” “Up All Night,” “Hearts All Gone,” “Kaleidoscope,” “Mh 4.18.2011” and “Even if She Falls.”

The other half was what stood out the most in the album. These songs are mostly responsible for the album’s maturity.

“After Midnight,” was the slowest, most romantic song in the album. This song was also the most popular in the album, according to iTunes.

“Heart’s All Gone (Interlude),” as well as “This Is Home” and “Love Is Dangerous” were a little somber and slow as well. All four of these songs were more about the serious aspects of love, such as the pain of breaking up.

However, the most different songs of the entire album were “Snake Charmer” and “Fighting the Gravity.” “Snake Charmer” was darker than the typical Blink-182 song and had a slight flavor of metal music to it. “Fighting the Gravity” sounded dreamy and ambient, and was probably the most experimental song on the album as well.

All in all, this album was significantly different from previous Blink-182 albums. The most obvious difference was that only half of the songs even sounded like typical Blink-182 songs.

Songs that did not fall into this category were generally more slow and serious. Two hardly even sounded like Blink-182 music at all.

The album was also lyrically different from those in the past. One fan, John E., said “Almost every song here mentions death in [one] way or another, but because of the generally poppy feel to the music, it falls lightly enough to not send the listener into a whirl of depression.”

This was a great album because of the musical variety and maturity of the songs. It was certainly worth the five-year wait to allow the band members, and their music, to grow and progress.

The country concert at the HP Pavillion was a colorful confection perfect for her audience of mostly young girls.  From the second the curtain was drawn, the screaming crowd was transported to a far away land of a fairytale and they never stopped dancing.

With half of a dozen dancers behind her and glitter falling from the ceiling, Swift certainly looked the part of a princess. She changed outfits at least every other song and each was gorgeous. At the start of the show, she wore a sparkling gold flapper dress to get the entire audience’s attention. Each following outfit, of course, was highly fashionable. However, the best one was the beautiful blue gown donned when she slowed down the concert by playing “Back to December” on the piano.

She started the night off strong, rising up through the bottom of the stage singing “Our Song,” a definite crowd pleaser. The second she began singing, the crowd did as well. Most of the playlist came from her latest album, “Speak Now,” released in 2010.She mixed in a few songs from her first album, however, it does not matter how old a Taylor Swift song is because it never actually ages.

Towards the end of the concert, Taylor walked across the pavilion to a slowly spinning platform where she sat and played songs solo. She was given a ukulele, instead of a guitar, and surprised the audience by singing “Good Riddance” by Green Day, which happened to be better than the original.

After “Good Riddance,” she performed the song “Better than Revenge,” which was possibly the most enjoyable song of the evening. As she sang, sparks lit up the stage. The crowd gave the applause that song deserved by cheering more than any of the other songs she performed. Following was the song “Speak Now,” which was appropriately acted out by playing a pretend wedding on stage.

Right before the encore, she belted the song “Long Live.,” which she explained to the audience was different than her other love songs. This particular song is about preforming for fans and how much she enjoys it. It was a good performance, but not good enough to convince the crowd that the show was officially over.

Almost the entire stadium stayed in their seats, cheering, after the song was sung. She came out again to nobody’s surprise and ended with “Love Story.” She ran around the stage while the dancers hung from the ceiling by ropes doing tricks. It was the perfect way to end such an amazing night.

Her connection to the audience and the genuineness of her words truly made the concert great. Each time a love song was performed, the audience could feel her pain, hate the men who made her cry and love the ones who made her smile. Swift sang her life away on that stage and it was noticeable. Her entire heart was put into making a great show and teaching girls to not make the same mistakes as she had.

Swift gave thanks continuously and showed much love to her fans. Unlike most other artists, she seemed to really mean it. Her embarrassed face every time the crowd roared let the audience form a connection. She was not just an incredibly famous star that night. She was a sincere and real person who everybody could relate to.

Even though her voice was naturally getting weaker as the concert went on, she never gave up trying to sing her hardest. When her voice got quieter, the crowd saved her. It seemed like every person in the pavilion knew every word to every song, even the old ones.

Taylor Swift’s fans seemed to be more than pleased at how the concert played out. She is an amazing performer and a dedicated singer. That night at the HP pavilion will always be remembered by nothing other than magical.

Renegades – Jay-z ft. Eminem

This first song is a familiar rap song from two of the genre’s biggest entertainers. The music is a mix of heavy beats and violin, and the contrast is very compelling. The lyrics talk about being from the “ghetto” and coming from nothing to build something for yourself. This could mean that Mr. Blightman believes that he is “ghetto” at heart, or that he is making his mark on teaching by coming to Presentation to educate the next generation. The song also talks about being able to say whatever you want whenever you want, which could be saying that Mr. Blightman is fairly outspoken and enjoys sharing his knowledge with his students.

Soundtrack 2 My Life – Kid Cudi

The next song on his list is a slower rap song that talks about a life with issues that no one can see that stir up a lot of emotions in him. The Voice came to believe that there are many issues in Mr. Blightman’s life, but it is believed that these come with the job of math teacher. These issues could be that he feels underappreciated since math is not many students’ favorite subject, or his issues could be the test scores that his students receive after going over that concept a million times. Either of these possibilities could bring up strong emotions of frustration, which is clearly displayed in the song.

Slow Dance – John Legend

The title of this song really sums everything up. John Legend sings about loving to dance and wanting to dance instead of doing anything else. This could mean that, even when teaching algebra, Mr. Blightman wants to dance. Or maybe he’s preparing for his wedding in July.  A suggestion from The Voice: a dance break in the middle of class would allow Mr. Blightman to be able to get his dancing fix for the day and allow his students to stretch their legs after a long day of practice problems with the quadratic equation.

Elevators – Outkast

This is a rap song that tells many different stories of the rappers’ upbringing. One story talks about watching ceiling fans with his pencil and paper. That’s dedication–even the songs Mr. Blightman listens to have connections to school and teaching. Also the word player is used frequently in the song–they could be talking about being basketball players as Mr. Blightman is the varsity assistant coach.

4th Chamber – GZA

And finally, that last song on his list is a rap song that showed us something very interesting. This song has quite a few references to historical people and events, is it possible that Mr. Blightman wanted to be a history teacher at one point; specifically ancient history, as the song references the Dark Ages, Constantine, Genghis Khan and even Henry the Eighth. Another word that The Voice was interested in was the mention of ninjas. Could Mr. Blightman be keeping a secret? He is quite smart (math teacher), he is athletic (basketball), and he is tall, all of which seem like qualities of a ninja to us. Is Mr. Blightman really a ninja? We may never know.

The legends of modern day rock have returned after a hiatus of three years. Hailed and even worshiped by critics as the saviors of rock and members of the garage and post-punk rock revival, The Strokes are set to headline the major festivals this summer like Coachella, Bonnaroo and Madison Square Garden and are geared up to be a band again after inner-band drama and solo projects.

For those not familiar with their brand of raw, effortless and forceful rock and filthy stressed leather looks, now is the time to acquaint yourself. The New York native band of Julian Casablancas, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture and  Fabrizio Moretti is the favorite and inspirational force behind waves of current popular bands and even film directors like Sofia Coppola. They are most comparable to Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, The White Stripes and the Velvet Underground.

Sadly, I have to admit that Angles is not quite comparable to their previous albums, having a strained feel to it, which is understandable with a band that has just reconvened after bitter fighting with one another. The Strokes have noticeably changed, with more use of keyboards in songs like “Games” and “Machu Piccu,” which are nods to bands like MGMT and Vampire Weekend. Longtime fans need not to worry about too much change to the band though; Julian’s tortured vocals still can be heard butchering vowels and syllables in songs like “Life is Simple In the Moonlight” and “Under Cover of Darkness.”

Although it is sad to not have lightning in a bottle like Is This It, Angles is still a really great album and worth buying. The Strokes have also announced a fifth album is in the works, having much more work and left over material from Angles to piece together into a complete set list. So keep your eye out for the fab five on late night TV music spots, soundtracks and as concert season begins because their influence in rock culture has become ubiquitous and you don’t want to miss seeing this type of history in the making.

Gimme Some by Peter Bjorn and John

Peter Bjorn and John may sound familiar to you from their 2006 hit “Young Folks” off their their album Writers Block. The Swedish indie band has kept busy the past few years working with Drake, Lkkye Li, Depeche Mode and performing at concerts like Lollapalooza. They also released both Seaside Rock and Living Thing after Writers Block, refusing to be washed away as one-hit wonders as many often are.

As you can guess, the band consists of Peter Morén (vocals, guitar and harmonica), Björn Yttling (bass guitar, keyboards and vocals) and John Eriksson (drums, percussion and vocals). The trio formed in 1999 with low expectations, “just looking to make music for their own amusement” and struck gold. PB&J’s new album, Gimme Some, is a rather bascially composed album compared to their previous electronic/alternative influenced tracks like “Nothing to Worry About” and “It Don’t Move Me.” Driving with the window down on a warm sunshiny day comes to mind when listening to the solid organic drumming and guitar rifts, a perfect summer album. The first track, “Tomorrow Has to Wait” has already found its way to my all time favorites, chanting “I don’t think you’re sorry for what you did” with a anthem-y drum beat reminiscent of the feeling of your feet pounding pavement as you sprint and followed by a classic Peter Bjorn and John catchy chorus.

So if you find yourself lacking in spirit to make it through the mountains of books, tests, papers, group projects and tournaments that are left to conquer this school year, and need a reminder that there is good in this world just give yourself a break and get yourself some PB&J.

Welsh songstress Adele has found success again with her sophomore album. She may sound familiar to you from her first album 19, released back in 2008 with chart topping hits like “Hometown Glory,” and “Chasing Pavements.”

Her new album, 21, keeps her flame burning strong with passionate ballads like “Rolling in the Deep,” a song that she describes as her “musical equivalent to saying things in the heat of the moment and word vomiting” and as an angry reaction to being told that she was “only boring, lonely and rubbish and a weak person for not staying in a relationship.”

The overarching theme of the album of forgiveness and acceptance mirrors Adele’s own growth in her personal life and relationships. Tracks like “Rumor Has It” sear with sass, “Don’t You Remember” reminisces and humbles the heart and “I’ll Be Waiting” lifts you up.

Adele’s versatility and vocals have survived the sophomore slump, grabbing your heart with her soulful jazz and pop sound that sets her apart from her competition. I would recommend this album for those who are fans of her past works.

Palo Alto by James Franco

“Hmmmmmmmm, let me guessss,” said the elderly man behind the counter of Borders in the middle of the afternoon as I approached the register, “another James Franco book!”

“Yes,” I admitted, laughing lightly but avoiding eye contact, setting Palo Alto: Stories by James Franco for Gary of Borders to ring up for me. Apparently I fit the part of a cliché teenage girl enamored with James Franco. Maybe if I had some Voltaire or Shakespeare in my hands I would earn his seal of approval, but not that day.

That day I wanted to find out for myself if the Oscar-nominated actor, handsome, charming, hilarious and local Franco of Palo Alto, California, had any skill after years of studying English.

For those who do not know, the successful film star has studied English with a concentration on creative writing at UCLA, taken Columbia’s MFA writing program, attended NYU’s Tich School of the Arts for filmmaking, went to Brooklyn College for fictional writing, commuted occasionally to Warren Wilson College for poetry and is currently a Ph.D. student in English at Yale with plans to go to Rhode Island School of Design. All of this has happened within just 6 years. Wow is right. Franco is not the slacker he came off as at the Oscars this month or in his many roles in movies as slobs, stoners, or rich kids.

“He’s a very education-minded person. We used to laugh because in between takes he’d be reading The Iliad on set. We still haven’t read The Iliad. It was a very difficult book. With him, it was always James Joyce or something,” said Judd Apatow, who directed Franco in Pineapple Express back in 2008.

So has all of Franco’s hard work paid off?

Yes and No.

Yes, Franco’s style is made apparent with his strong imagery describing teenage life, set in his hometown of Palo Alto around the 90s, and bits of humor peppered into depression. The characters, which drop in and out of 11 short stories in 196 pages are apathetic to the law and consequences of their actions, but not in a pillow fluffed way. Car accidents, drugs, vandalism, and fights slip into the pages with details that make film for the mind and shake you out of your comfort zone.

        A warning, however: those who like to read stories about good people or people who change for the better will be unsatisfied with the vast majority of these stories. And this book is not for the faint of heart–graphic descriptions are rife while vulgar language and slang abound.

        Franco does not hold back in making his characters unlikeable.  As I teenager, I’m happy to see someone highlighting the evil of teenagers in a modern setting that does not have some romanticized or fantasized element in the plot. The characters are quite unforgivable at times and often pathetic by even the most average standards.

        This is all that can be said generally about the characters because their actions and dialogue are pretty much what defines them in our minds. Their appearance, thoughts and reactions are either not present or very weakly established.

         What I enjoyed the most of the book however were the plots of each story that caught my attention for their unique storyline and perfect length that neither bored me nor frustrated me.

         My favorites include Lockheed, the story of the reluctant math genius daughter of a Silicon Valley engineer who experiences her first love and party the summer she does a student program at Lockheed Martin, and April: Part II, Wasting where a smart boy named Teddy who is doing everything in his family and social life wrong finds that he can do something good.

         I would definitely recommend this book to those who are looking to be surprised by something new and even disturbing. I would not list it as one of the best books I’ve read, but one that I know I could not put down for a day and was thrilled by and found enjoyment in. I certainly look forward to seeing Franco’s style to improve and grow in the future.

The Voice: When did you start playing music?

MS: I became interested in independent music, non-mainstream, non-major label music in my junior and senior years of high school, which has profoundly influenced me as a music-maker and as a thinker. I had been into mainstream alternative bands like Radiohead, but started finding out about relatively lesser known musicians like Elliot Smith and Aimee Mann, mostly through soundtracks to movies.

I didn’t play a lick of music growing up. What a shame! Pick up an instrument, ladies, if you haven’t already! Form a girl group. Write your songs and sing your heart out. It’s been the most liberating experience for me, and I truly think that every person should try their hand at music, as we are all inherently musical creatures.

I have only been playing music for three years now. In around March of 2008, I started teaching myself keyboard and just allowing myself to play and have fun and experiment–experimenting is key–and the songs just started flowing out. The poetry was there. And that’s how I started Lady Lazarus. Three years ago in my San Francisco studio apartment, playing & singing in my bedroom, and putting songs up on MySpace–and getting encouragement from strangers!

The Voice: How did you first get into the music industry?

My first collection of songs I made into an EP called Home Recordings, and put it up for sale on CD Baby. I like to complete projects fully, so I thought I’d try to get some reviews for it. I emailed some music reviewers and sent the CD out. I had faith in my music, but it was really fascinating to get positive responses from complete strangers, and to even have a handful of people around the world purchase my music.

Even now that I’ve gotten this exposure from Pitchfork, Stereogum and other notable sites, I’m not profiting from my music endeavor just yet. It basically funds itself. I made up my own label, Apartment Life Records, which anyone can do, and put out my first full-length album Mantic on Band Camp. What’s difficult is getting it out there. So with some money I had saved up from working, I hired a PR person (which is something to be very cautious about, but it can benefit you as an artist). That helped get my name out there a bit more with this album release. Lady Lazarus had already gotten some wonderful organic press from a track review Pitchfork did of “The Eye in the Eye of the Storm.” My brother, Andy, who has no music business connections, on a whim sent my music to Brian Howe of Pitchfork. It’s still a total miracle to me, but somehow my music got through. I think some of it has to do with luck, but a lot of it has to do with passion I put into my music.

I’m a typical starving artist, but you know, it’s all worth it because I’m creating and committed. I’m being true to myself and doing what I love–and nothing less.

The music industry, though, can be a treacherous place. It’s a strange thing when you are putting your spirit into your music and then selling it as product. The temptation to sell out and sell your soul even is there–and it’s a real test to be true to yourself, through and through.

The Voice: An article on sterogum.com said that you are a multiple instrumental musician, what instruments do you play and when did you begin to play each of them?

MS: I’m a self-taught musician, so anything I pick up, I tend to think I can play or use in some way that interests me musically. That’s how I approach the keyboard anyway, as a tool I’m trying to figure out and just explore. So the other instruments I’ve picked up to use are piano, harmonica, accordion, glockenspiel, the organa, and I used a mbira, an African thumb piano that my roommate had, and some hand bells in some songs on Mantic. Perhaps I’ll explore some more as I make new songs, but for some reason I’m very drawn to keyboard and piano.

The Voice: I understand that you are an independent artist; does this allow you more artistic freedom than if you were to sign with a record company?

MS: Right now, I’m incredibly free to do what I want because it’s all my own thing; it’s a solo project and I’ve been running my own show on my label. I think that if I were to get on an independent label, things might change a bit. Some labels give you more freedom and it really depends on what you’ve achieved as an artist.

I can’t really say what it would be like for me at a label. I think it would help with touring and getting my name out there more. But in some ways, I’m a little fearful of it, because if you’re on a label they will take a cut of what you make–and it’s tough to make much anyhow!–and there will be some level of obligation… but they are also there to support you artistically and financially; it really depends on the terms of your contract. But essentially, you are an investment.

I don’t really think about the major label world, because I don’t know if I’ll ever be a part of it, or if I’d want to be. But the universe is a very strange place, and you never know what will come your way.

The Voice: What is it like to write, produce, and record an album?

MS: I don’t have any children just yet, but it’s a little like having a child I would think. It is a holistic labor and it’s something that when you begin it, you need to get it out. You want it alive and shared and in the world. I’m very proud that I’ve been able to navigate the different aspects thus far of putting my music out there. I can say proudly that this album is almost entirely my own effort–I wrote all the songs, played all the parts, did most of the recording, designed the album art, and liner notes. As a woman and as an artist I’m happy that I’ve made a complete art object and given myself the opportunity to be heard.

The writing process itself was very intuitive and in the moment. I didn’t have a plan for the album, but as I explored the keyboard in my experimental and personal way, the music and lyrics started to shape themselves as something cohesive. Most often the words just flow to me at the keyboard and I sort of just received them. It’s a very intuitive process, that’s the essential thing, just like writing poetry or painting for me. It’s all about feeling and listening to the muse and shutting off the part of you that says no.

As for recording, I record at home, so I was very hesitant about going into a studio to re-record the songs. I actually started to work with a friend at his higher-tech home-recording studio in downtown San Jose, but I went back to my four-track, Fostex recordings on like 90% of the songs because I loved the warmth and how they felt. They felt real and I didn’t want to lose that with more clinical sounding recordings. Anyhow, it’s a lot of trial and error with recording I found and you have to ultimately be in touch and true to that internal voice that knows what the right artistic decision is and what the wrong one is. Again, it’s very much about intuition.

To produce this album it cost me around $1,400, which included recording with my pal and printing 300 albums. That doesn’t include the PR costs and shipping albums out to people and tour costs, but you can see how making an actual album doesn’t have to be that expensive. You can really do it yourself by saving up money or maybe having people donate to your effort through things like kick-starter.

The Voice: What is it like to be on tour? Do you ever get lonely being away from home for extended periods of time?

MS: I moved to Savannah, GA in mid-October last year because I’ve always been a person that has enjoyed travel and experiencing new places. I could never see myself living in one part of the country or world forever. I do get lonely sometimes and have been quite homesick lately actually!

I do like the adventure though. I sometimes joke that I’m like a rock n’ roll truck driver, driving around from town to town. It’s fun to be one of the wild ones out there on the road, though. Perhaps a little like Jack Kerouac. I’ve admired the free roamers of life, perhaps for awhile but I was hesitant on joining that circus. I tell you though it’s a lot of fun.

The Voice: As a student at Pres, you were a member of the newspaper staff, what did working for “The Voice” teach you about working in the real world?

MS: Working for “The Voice” was the first opportunity I had to express my writing in a public forum, so that was really a life-changing experience for me. I knew I wanted to be a professional writer in some way, that writing would always be my back bone. I’m truly thankful for that experience.

I felt encouraged too by my peers on staff and teachers who genuinely seemed to admire my work. Our advisor, Mr. Howe, was a really an illuminating figure. He knew a lot of good music and was also there to help open our eyes a bit to how the media works and to more independent voices in journalism. We actually were the first class at Pres, the Class of 2001, to start “The Voice,” crazy right!?

The Voice: You said that you are influenced a lot by poetry. What is your favorite type of poetry?

MS: I really like Theodore Roethke and Native American poetry, Joy Harjo, Louise Erdrich. Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Sylvia Plath, and Anne Sexton. Right now I’m really into Raymond Carver. I like free verse. I need to read more poetry though! And everything else too.

The Voice: How did your time at Presentation influence your music?

My time at Pres made me an incredibly independent and strong-minded woman. I think it had mostly to do with the books we read, the opportunity to write, my trials and tribulations at school there, and also my unrelenting creative spark and curiosity. High school can be an incredibly hard and confusing time, but I think it helps to remember that we all blossom and grow in different ways, and you’ll eventually find out who you are and all the things you can do. Definitely remember the power of possibility. And above all things love yourself, to quote Nick Cave.

The Voice: What is your favorite song that you have written?

MS: Hard question because they all mean a lot to me for different reasons, but “Via Elysian Fields: Lake Pontchartrain” is very special to me. It’s about when I visited New Orleans and went up to the lake on my train trip. I realized so much about my spirit on that trip and what I want to do in life. How I’m an adventurer, a wanderer, and how important the human spirit and the life spirit is to me. It’s really fun to play that song too because I hit the keys really hard and get to feel powerful.

The Voice: What inspired your name “Lady Lazarus”?

MS: My project, Lady Lazarus, is inspired by the poem of the same name by Sylvia Plath. In the poem, Plath talks of this Lady Lazarus character, most likely herself, who has attempted suicide again and is rising like a mummy from the dead. I chose the title because I related to the idea of death and resurrection, of struggling and ascending. Art can truly heal old wounds and can give you a positive outlet for difficult emotions–it also felt a little like reinvention to me. Not entirely like a Lady Gaga reinvention, but a very positive, spiritually-focused reinvention.

The Voice: What advice do you have for aspiring musicians?

MS: You can do it! It’s worth it, and always be true to your vision. Be a good person in the practice and business of music just as you are a good person in your life and positive things will come to you. It’s karmic.

The Voice: Where is your music for sale?

MS: Http://ladylazarus.bandcamp.com, all major MP3 distributors, and soon to be available through Amazon in hard copy. People can also stay updated on my project if they like through http://www.facebook.com/ladylazarusintheory and http://www.myspace.com/ladylazarusintheory.

Photo credit: Creative Commons

This month’s issue of iPod Psychoanalysis is on the great English teacher, Mr. Garbo, and his musical tastes. His top songs are from mixture of many different genres of songs from country to hard rock. Through these songs, we can get a better look into Mr. Garbo’s overall personality and his outlook on life.

1. Led Zeppelin–”Going to California”
Mr. Garbo truly is reminded of the greatness of California from this song. This song should be retitled as “Staying in California” to represent Mr. Garbo’s love for the golden state. Because this song was actually inspired from a poem by Jimmy Page, the guitarist of Led Zeppelin, we can see how attached Mr. Garbo is towards finding some variation poetry in many aspects of life including music. The positive vibe yet mellowness of this song represents his go-with-the flow outlook on life.

2. U2–”Angel of Harlem”
This jazzy U2 classic has a soul beat throughout it. The lyrics are mostly a mash of non-matching words, “Birdland on fifty-three/ The street sounds like a symphony,” but the more underlying theme of the song is heart, soul and angels. This song was written as a form of tribute to Billie Holiday, the actual Angel of Harlem, a Jazz singer who moved to Harlem as a young adult. This song was also written to glorify not only Billie Holiday but also the great variety of Blues, Jazz, and Gospel music they heard while on tour in America. This powerful emotional energy carried throughout the song is similar to the energy Mr. Garbo brings to the classroom when talking about Holden Caulfield.

3. Jimi Hendrix–”Purple Haze”
Mr. Garbo likes this song because, “It’s Jimi!” This hard-rock song is probably the song he rocks out to as the frustration of grading so many critical research papers builds up. This song gives us a sense that there is a feeling of a purple haze or confusion in Mr. Garbo’s mind as the song describes the perplexity of life, “Purple haze all around/ Don’t know if I’m comin’ up or down/ Am I happy or in misery?”

4. Kool and The Gang–”Summer Madness”
This relaxing song does not really have a deep theme attached to it so don’t try to read between the lines because there are no lyrics. This instrumental song is a de-stressing song for Mr. Garbo. He may be learning to acquire a cool and relaxed attitude from this trance-like song. This song could help Mr. Garbo get ready for a relaxing summer after two hard semesters.

5. Willie Nelson–”Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys”
Mr. Garbo wishes his mamma didn’t let him grow up to be a cowboy. So that is where that rebellious view on life comes from! You better not mess with this man of the Old West, or you might get challenged to a duel. This song is about the rough and tough attitude of a cowboy and how it will cause them to be “alone” and “hard to love.” This country song’s hearty and down-to-earth tone symbolizes his want to fully embody his inner self, his inner Buckaroo.

Commonly known for her Christmas hit All I Want For Christmas is You, Mariah Carey released her second Christmas album called Merry Christmas II You on October 29 this year. Along with a new, more upbeat version of All I Want For Christmas is You, the album includes the traditional holiday songs Here Comes Santa Clause, O Come All Ye Faithful and Charlie Brown Christmas. There is no question that she is able to hit a note, but compared to her last album E=MC2, she sings with a much softer and more whispery tone. If you are a fan of her original style, you may not enjoy this album; however, there are some songs definitely worth listening too. She delivers a very energetic version of Auld Lang Syne and a snappy and upbeat version of Oh Santa! She makes both of them truly unique with her one of a kind voice. B+

Lady Antebellum

Following the release of their very successful album Need You Now, which also happens to be the title of their number one hit, in late January this year, Lady Antebellum came out with their Christmas CD, A Merry Little Christmas. Although they released a Christmas single, Baby It’s Cold Outside in 2008, this is their first full Christmas album. While this CD contains mostly traditional holiday songs like Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! and Silver Bells, it also has some songs that not as traditional, such as Blue Christmas which was written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. Elvis Presley’s performance of it in 1957 turned it into a rock and roll hit; now Lady Antebellum has now made it a country hit. It has a fun tune to it and it is always the song I listen to first. Lady Antebellum brilliantly delivers each song with their own twist, but still keeping it recognizable. I would recommend this CD to those who love country music and even those who do not.  A+

Now 4

Following the consistent release of a holiday themed collection, the Now albums have another member to add to the list. This year’s album is a perfect combination of modern holiday renditions and classic Christmas favorites. No matter what your type of music genre you prefer, there is a Christmas song in every style. With their wide variety of artists, one of your favorite singers is guaranteed to be there. Artists who recently came out with albums of their own and even those who have not been in the spotlight too much recently feature a song on the CD. Some of the performers include Rihanna, Colbie Caillat, Carrie Underwood, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, and yes, even Lady Gaga. Christina Aguilera displays the same strong and attention-grabbing vocals seen in her performance in Burlesque as she sings with in her version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Relive the 1970s push for peace with Maroon 5’s version of John Lennon’s Happy Christmas (War Is Over). With the great assortment and the artists’ talented and personalized versions of the songs, this will be everyone’s favorite CD during the holiday season.  A+

Glee

We have seen the cast of Glee perform almost every kind of song, so it seems inevitable that Glee would release their own Christmas CD. With a simply fabulous deliverance of each song, the Glee Cast unites each of their unique voices to make them sound genuine and truly fun to listen to. As you listen to each song, you can just picture the kind of scene that is going on, whether it is Rachel (Lea Michele) singing to Finn (Cory Monteith) or just the whole group singing together. In the group’s version of O Holy Night, you can clearly hear Michele’s strong and powerful voice hit all the right notes. The group also performs a unique version of You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch. Along with singing the song, they also include parts of the book, which gives it a clever and entertaining twist. If you enjoy the show, you will surely love this CD. Even if you do not particularly like the show, you may be surprised and enjoy listening to all Glee has to offer on their album.  A

Longtime fans of Maroon 5 will be surprised to hear the new sound from the band’s long-anticipated album. Hands All Over is Maroon 5’s third album after It Won’t Be Soon Before Long (2007) and their debut album, Songs about Jane (2002). The band worked with legendary producer Robert “Mutt” Lange, who produced albums for rock bands like AC/DC and Def Leppard. That may be why Hands All Over deviates from the normal pop-sound that fans are used to hearing from Maroon 5.
The album starts with the hit single “Misery,” which sounds similar to the band’s upbeat and catchy earlier works. As soon as “Misery” ends, however, the band launches into its alter-ego. Particularly, the songs “Hands All Over,” from which the album gets its name, and “Stutter” sound nothing like the old Maroon 5; their rock-and-roll feeling is a change from Maroon 5’s usual catchy love songs.

Adam Levine takes center stage in Hands All Over, and much of this album’s success depended on his performance. His voice seems to fill every square inch of music, leaving no room for instrumental bridges. Unfortunately, that’s not a good thing. After “Misery” and “I Can’t Lie,” the rest of the songs are uncharacteristically forgettable.

The entire album seems like a filler to keep Maroon 5 on the music scene. Perhaps the one gem in this entire album is Adam Levine’s cover of “If I Ain’t Got You,” available on the deluxe edition. Levine’s soulful voice is perfect for this Alicia Keys cover, and the songsounds almost as good as the original.

The album as a whole, however, falls short of expectations. Critics and fans alike have given mixed reviews on the new album. Fans of Maroon 5 will be either left disappointed or intrigued by this experimental branching out of sound. If Maroon 5 wants to leave the shadow cast by Songs about Jane, they will have to try again with their next album.

Doo-Wops and Hooligans by Bruno Mars
Genre: Hip-Hop/R&B
Released: Oct. 5, 2010

The voice behind the smash singles “Nothin’ on You” by BoB and “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy has stumbled upon greatness with his solo album, Doo-Wops and Hooligans. Bruno Mars’ new album is, without a doubt, a contender for best album of the year. Despite the negative press about his recent arrest for drug possession, Doo-Wops and Hooligans reveals a paradoxically light-hearted and dark facet of Bruno Mars.

The album kicks off with “Grenade,” an extremely powerful song about a one-sided relationship. Mars retells the story of a girl for whom he was willing to do anything, but who wouldn’t put the same effort back. Next, his single “Just the Way You Are” has made its way to the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 since it was released in July. Another notable song on this album is “Liquor Store Blues.” The song stands out from this album filled with songs about love and relationships, and instead takes an introspective look into the darkest corners of Bruno Mars’ mind. In the song, Mars sings about how he tries to drown out his pain and sorrow with alcohol. Paired with an interestingly upbeat reggae sound, the listener is able to see into the sorrow and numbness of Mars’ soul through his lyrics.

Perhaps the only miss in this album is “The Lazy Song,” which sounds exactly as the title suggests. However, every other song in this album has its own powerful story, and each song depicts a different musical style. The album’s musical influences vary from sensual R&B, to Doo-Wop, and to a Hawaiian-like laid back style. Very rarely do artists experiment with so many different types of music in a single album, but the mosaic of music that Bruno Mars creates in Doo-Wops and Hooligans is an absolute masterpiece. The songs in this album are simple yet relatable, and Bruno Mars’ talent truly shines through his works.

Upcoming Releases:
Come Around Sundown by Kings of Leon (Oct. 19, 2010)
Sale el Sol (The Sun Comes Out) by Shakira (Oct. 19, 2010)
Wonders of the Younger by Plain White T’s (Oct. 19, 2010)
Speak Now by Taylor Swift (Oct. 25, 2010)
Strip Me by Natasha Bedingfield (Nov. 19, 2010)
Loud by Rihanna (Nov. 12, 2010)
Nothing Like This by Rascal Flatts (Nov. 16, 2010)
Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys by My Chemical