Friday, September 9, 2016

Serving Donna Summer Realness: Lady Gaga

Dancing Queen
Lady Gaga
"It wasn't love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (Perfect illusion)
Mistaken for love, it wasn't love
It was a perfect illusion (Perfect illusion)" - Perfect Illusion, Lady Gaga


After a powerful ballad, 'Till It Happens To You that should have won the Oscar over that anemic Bond Theme crooned by Sam Smith, and a cracker jack collaboration with Tony Bennett - Lady Gaga is back to pop music with a vengeance. Her latest single Perfect Illusion has dropped!

This is powerhouse dance, pop stuff with a twist of rock thrown in for good measure and the smartest thing our Lady has done? She took a cue from the late great Donna Summer, let me explain.

I was never a huge fan of disco/dance in the eighties, but Ms. Summer was the exception to that rule. Why you are asking? Because of really excellently produced, written and most of all sung dance music, "yes" her powerful vocals were the focal point of the music, Perfect Illusion is that kind of dance music, simply the best the genre can offer.

You go Gaga! If this is any indicator of what the rest of the album is going to be like, well count me in! Teaming up with Mark Ronson does a Lady good!!!

Listen to Perfect Illusion after the jump!



Go Gaga at:
www.ladygaga.com/

Thursday, September 8, 2016

No Pretending, The Pretenders


Have you ever seen Pretenders live? I have, If you haven't you should! 

Pretenders has announced the release of its long awaited new album. ALONE (BMG) arrives everywhere on October 21. ALONE is available for pre-order now, with all orders joined by an instant download of the album’s electrifying first single, “Holy Commotion."

ALONE was recorded with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach at his Easy Eye Studio in Nashville and mixed by Tchad Blake (The Black Keys, Elvis Costello, Richard Thompson). The album was initially conceived as follow-up to legendary bandleader Chrissie Hynde’s acclaimed 2014 solo debut,STOCKHOLM, but as its songs and sonics took shape, the collection soon revealed itself as the first all new Pretenders LP since 2008’s BREAK UP THE CONCRETE.

ALONE sees the one and only Hynde backed by a team of what she proudly calls “real people playing real instruments,” helmed by the multi-talented Auerbach and featuring Nashville session luminaries including bassist Dave Roe (Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Sturgill Simpson), pedal steel pioneer Russ Pahl (Blake Shelton, Don Williams, Luke Bryan), and guitarist Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Lana Del Rey, Ray LaMontagne), as well as keyboardist Leon Michels and drummer Richard Swift – both charter members of Auerbach’s adventurous garage rock combo The Arcs.

Hynde and Auerbach made for ideal foils, two idiosyncratic songwriter/musicians each possessing a deep knowledge and even deeper love of rock ‘n’ roll, both of course hailing from the City of Invention itself, Akron, Ohio. Though neither remain, Akron continues to inform both artists’ work, the Rubber City’s long history of progressivism and ingenuity, hard work and musical experimentation, are all very much present in their first full-length collaboration. 

ALONE indeed bears all the trademarks of The Pretenders’ legendary canon – raw and rollicking riffs, poignant balladry, taut hooks and indelible melodies, all in service of Hynde’s heartworn, ever-unsentimental songcraft. Nearly four decades on from The Pretenders’ epochal 1980 debut album, Hynde’s instantly identifiable voice is perhaps more emotional, more aggressive than at any other time in her career as all the vocals were recorded in 48 hours. That extra bit of edge only serves to add fire to new Pretenders classics like the brutally candid “I Hate Myself” and the defiant title track, a spiky rocker that sees Hynde extolling the joys and virtues of solitude.

“We were in the studio hanging out,” Hynde says, “and the guys were talking about their families and their wives and I said, ‘Well, I do everything alone. I go to the cinema alone. I go to restaurants alone. I live alone. I pretty much do everything on my own. I don’t mind.’ Dan says, ‘Write a song about it.’

“The more I thought about it,” she continues, “I thought, I’ve heard 1,000 songs in my life, they’re all about, I am so tired of being alone. I can’t live without you. Since you’ve left my world has fallen apart. When am I going to see you again? Marry me and be with me for the rest of my life. I have never heard anyone celebrate being alone in a song. I couldn’t think of one.”

Other highlights include “Roadie Man,” a softly sung paean to the hard working touring crew that has been kicking around Hynde’s unrecorded songbook for more than 25 years, the seductive “Let’s Get Lost” (co-written with songwriting superstars Amanda Ghost and Dave McCracken), and “Never Be Together,” featuring an inimitable contribution from legendary twang bar hero Duane Eddy.

“As soon as you hear one note you know who it is,” says Hynde. ‘I don’t get real excited about vintage guitars and stuff but I do if someone else is playing them that brilliantly.”

ALONE marks Hynde’s first musical effort since her extraordinary 2015 memoir, RECKLESS: MY LIFE AS A PRETENDER, hailed by the New York Times upon its release as “honest and distinctive…first and foremost, a love letter to rock and roll.” “RECKLESS is more than a well-written, thoughtful memoir,” raved the Huffington Post. “It’s a cultural history of the rock scene in the 60s and early 70s, told by an astute observer who, perhaps unwittingly, reminds readers that improbable dreams can come true.” Hynde “(writes) with the sort of candor and humor rarely found in bookss,” declared the Boston Globe, noting, “Bad girls sometimes finish first.” “(Hynde] writes just like she lives,” wrote the Daily Beast, “and just like she makes music. She does it her way, which is an inimitable multiplicity of things: impulsive, untamed, ragged, proud.”

The Pretenders begin a North American tour with Stevie Nicks on October 25 at Phoenix, AZ’s Talking Stick Arena and ending December 18 at The Forum in Inglewood, CA. The complete tour dates are below. All tickets can be purchased via ticketmaster.com.

THE PRETENDERS NORTH AMERICAN TOUR WITH STEVE NICKS OCTOBER

25 – Phoenix AZ – Talking Stick Arena
27 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
29 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
30 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center

NOVEMBER
2 – Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
4 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – BB&T Center
6 – Atlanta, GA – Phillips Arena
7 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
10 – Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Arena
12 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena
14 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center
15 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
19 – Bethlehem, PA – Sands Bethlehem Event Center
20 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
23 – Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
25 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
27 – Detroit, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills
29 – Toronto, ONT – Air Canada Centre

DECEMBER

1 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
3 – Chicago, IL – United Center
5 – Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena
6 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
9 – Vancouver, BC – Pepsi Live at Rogers Center
11 – Seattle, WA – Key Arena
13 – Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
14 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center
18 – Inglewood, CA – The Forum


Pretenders at:
thepretenders.com/

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Lee "Scratch" Perry "Must Be Free"


From the man who brought you Bob Marley...

On "Must Be Free", the Grammy-winning artist, songwriter, and producer doesn't hesitate with his unexpurgated commentary on his spirituality, good and evil, the human condition, and aliens. Featured styles include reggae, dub, dubstep, acid jazz, and electronic music. Special guests include Subatomic Sound System, The Groovematist, and IAmPhloboi.

Perry was one of the pioneers in the development of dub music with his early adoption of effects and remixing to create new instrumental or vocal versions of existing reggae tracks. He has worked with Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Murvin, the Congos, Max Romeo and many others.
Perry has over 60 albums to his name, can read minds, once put a curse on the BBC for not playing his records, and was turned into Superman by Haitian zombie drugs. He's the kind of cosmic entity that has inspired everyone from the Beastie Boys, Andrew WK, Animal Collective, to Keith Richards with some of his mystic dub magic.

"Must Be Free" Track Listing
Psycho Dread
Rat Race
House of Sin
Isabel
Jungle Tongue
No Evil
No Sorrow
On Nigeria
Strip Off
Too Much Is Too Much
Therapist
Must Be Free
House of Sin (Remix)

The CD can be ordered now at the MVD Shop or on Amazon.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Just Because, Anderson Cooper

It's Not Easy Being Green
Anderson Cooper
With the last fling of summer officially over, it's now back to the ole daily routine. Ya know work, making things in your world happen, yeah that.

Sometimes do you ever think to yourself  "I wonder what Anderson Cooper did over Labor Day Weekend?" Sure you do!

Guess what I'm here to give you an answer. He went to a fair in Goshen, Connecticut and was surrounded by aliens, Trump supporters don't freak out, they are of the otherworldly kind. 

Cooper is out numbered! Luckily there was no abduction involved!

Anderson Cooper on Instagram:

Monday, September 5, 2016

Burn Baby, Burn

Pretty Tongue Contest
Scott Eastwood & Cara Delevingne

Happy Labor Day from Burning Man! No, I'm not there, I  wish, but apparently Cara Delevingne & Scott Eastwood are.

Black Rock City, Nevada is a Hollywood hot bed, pun intended, this year with celebrities wanting to feel the burn (another intentional pun) and check out for a few days.

When Scott collided with Cara there he did what anyone else would do, took a photo for his Instagram account and posted it with this caption:

 "Look at this little gem I found in the Burn. @caradelevingne I had an amazing time there. I recommend it to anyone who wants a life changing cultural experience that will expand your mind."
Mind expansion is the new black. Enjoy your Holiday!
Scott on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/scotteastwood/?hl=en 

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Double Vision: Shay Mitchell

Seeing Double
Shay Mitchell
It's no secret that I am a big fan of Freeform's Pretty Little Liars. Can you believe that summer finale?! When Noel Kahn got beheaded it was shocking and funny all at once, "yes" I laughed, really hard!

What I can't believe is they are going to make us what until Spring for the final ten episodes of the series. April to be exact. I cry foul, the show usually returns in January. Oh, well what is one going to do? Keep up with the "Liars" on social media naturally. 

It seems like only yesterday I was Tweeting, in fact it was when this fun image of Shay Mitchell came through on my feed with the caption: "Never Stop Smiling" which, yeah, made me smile : )

Shay for those of you who aren't aware plays Emily Fields on PLL. Speaking of Emily, I was intrigued that she and Alison DiLaurentis poartrayed by Sasha Pieterse on the show seem to be coupling.

Personally I would love this! Also there is a fan theory out there that actually makes sense. In one of the episodes Emily decides to donate her eggs to make money. They end up stolen, Alison reveals to Emily she is pregnant in the summer finale. The theory is somehow the egg in Ali's womb belongs to Emily thus her unborn child is... Well you get the idea. This is one fan theory I think is going to prove true.

Keep Smiling!

Shay on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/shaymitch  

Saturday, September 3, 2016

The Horror: A House Is Not A Home


Only 58 more days until Halloween, are you ready???

Following a limited theatrical run, MVD Entertainment Groupwill release A House Is Not A Home, a DeInstitutionalized LLC production, on DVD and digital platforms on September 27th. The film stars Bill Cobbs (Night at the Museum),Richard Grieco (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 21 Jump Street), Eddie Steeples (My Name Is Earl, Raising Hope),Aurora Perrineau (Jem and the Holograms, Equals),Diahnna Nicole Baxter (Scandal), Gerald Webb (Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Sniper: Special Ops), Melvin Gregg(3.7 million Vine followers) and is directed by Christopher Douglas-Olen Ray (Mercenaries). The diversely cast horror film premiered at the Burbank International Film Festival to rave reviews taking top honors as the Best Horror Feature.

In the film, Ben and Linda Williams move the family into a dream home in a last ditch effort to save their troubled marriage. Despite their good intentions, they cannot shake the feeling that they are being watched by something. Their unimaginable fears are realized when things inside the house take a supernatural and sinister turn. Ben and his family flee for their lives, but it is too late. The house isn't finished with them, trapping the family in its labyrinth. The Williams must come together as never before to fight for their family, their lives and to escape.

Gerald Webb, DeInstitutionalized Managing Partner, says:
"Rarely are diverse films, that fall outside of a very narrowly defined Hollywood mold, green lit by tradition studios and distributors. We created A House Is Not A Home as a direct challenge to those industry stereotypes to fill the void lacking diverse horror and thriller feature films. We are very pleased that MVD's progressive team has the foresight and commitment to diversity to join us in releasing this groundbreaking film. With the industry currently grappling with diversity issues, A House Is Not A Home's release is a needed win for diversity and fans of horror and thriller films everywhere."

DeInstitutionalized is a production company based out of Burbank, California. Partners Chris Ray and Gerald Webb have been working together in various capacities for nearly a decade. In conjunction with producing their own original content, the members have also provided production services to other highly reputable television and film companies.

Eric D. Wilkinson, Director of Home Video Sales and Acquisitions at MVD, says: 
"I'm thrilled to be working with the team at Deinstitutionalized on the release of the thriller "A House is Not a Home". MVD Entertainment has a long history of successfully supporting independent films and independent filmmakers and Christopher and Gerald have crafted a fun thriller with a diverse cast that I look forward to bringing to the marketplace across all platforms."

The DVD can be ordered now at the  MVD Shop or on Amazon