The Return Of Lee DeWyze

Yep, he's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack....!

April 22, 2013 – Singer/songwriter Lee DeWyze, will return to the American Idol stage on Thursday, April 25^th to perform his new song “Silver Lining” - the first single from his upcoming summer release on Vanguard Records.   Thursday’s appearance will mark DeWyze’s first  performance on American Idol since he was crowned winner of Season Nine in 2010. American Idol airs on Fox TV Wednesday and Thursdays at 8:00pm Eastern/7:00pm Central.

DeWyze’s premiere of “Silver Lining” will offer the millions of Idol fans and viewers a preview of what’s to come on his new album spotlighting his gift as a distinctive songwriter as well as an accomplished musician.  DeWyze is currently in the studio wrapping up his Vanguard debut.

Lee DeWyze will formally launch the pivotal next stage of what is already a high-profile musical career with the release of his label debut. “This past year, I hunkered down and wrote an album,” the Chicago native explains. “I wanted to take it back to what I’m really about, which is writing emotionally charged, meaningful songs. It wasn’t like I wanted to find a label and then decide what kind of album to make. I knew what kind of album I wanted to make and knew I could make. It’s going back to the kind of music I’ve always loved. The way I see it, everything that’s happened throughout my career has happened so that I can make this record.

Lee will be hitting the road this summer in support of his new album.  Tour dates listed below with more cities to be added.
06/04/13     Columbus, OH - The Basement at Promowest
06/05/13     Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
06/06/13     Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
06/08/13     Indianapolis, IN - Rathskeller
06/11/13     Nashville, TN - High Watt

There's always a "Silver Lining" at:  www.facebook.com/leedewyze

https://twitter.com/leedewyze

R.I.P: Chrissy Amphlett "Pleasure and Pain"

Chrissy Amphlett

The 53-year-old Australian singer died at her home in New York City after a battle with breast cancer and multiple sclerosis.

My first exposure so to speak to the music of The Divinyls was a kinky little ditty bearing the title "Pleasure and Pain": 

"Please don't ask me how I've been getting off, No, Please don't ask me how I've been getting off ,It's a fine line between pleasure and pain, You've done it once, you can do it again"... 

Needless to say the Divinyls had me at the title. I rushed out and bought the "What A Life" album on, time to date my oldness, cassette, and loved it!

Of course that was sort of an indie/edgy/underground type of song, their biggest hit "I Touch Myself" a blatant ode to masturbation was huge...I guess because it did not involve the "Pain" part with the "Pleasure".

Chrissy had one of the best pop rock voices ever! Her delivery cut like a knife no matter what she was singing. 

Not to be crass, but from the sounds of her death she was living the title of my favorite Divinyls song "Pleasure and Pain" let's hope there was some of the former mixed in with the later, her body is now at rest. Hey Chrissy, I hope you are still kicking vocal ass in the great beyond...!

                                                  The Divinyls: "Pleasure and Pain"
                                       

You Will Know Her Name: "Carrie" 2013

Chloe Grace Moretz & Julianne Moore "Carrie"

"I was told I was too pretty for "Carrie" - Chloe Grace Moretz

That being stated, while some may still think that Ms. Moretz has made a career out of playing outsiders, much like her attractive Academy Award Nominated co-star Julianne Moore, so let's shove that shit theory out the window.

After all Chloe has portrayed a prepubescent expletive spewing assassin named Hit Girl in "Kick Ass" uttering such zingers as "Fuck you, c#nt" and a 12 year old vampire with a thing for a 12 year old boy in the American re-make of "Let The Right One In".

So get over the "pretty" thing and get past it, now.

When I initially heard about this project, I had some hope, I mean hey two of my favorite actresses in the leads and Directed by Kimberly Pierce of  "Boys Don't Cry" fame...I was excited! "Carrie" after all is a female story and with a strong female Director would give a quite provocative and Feminine twist on it. Translation, no gratuitous lawn scenes below the female waist, and teenagers who are not 25-30 years old.

And let's not forget bullying with updated technology.

Don't get me wrong, I love the Brian DePalma film, it's a classic for sure, but...

Margaret & Carrie White, Hitting the PR Trail

There is always something new and unique that can be done with everything in the correct hands.

With the release of the present full length trailer, I am way more cautious about the prospects of this adding anything that is truly new or necessary.

My problem? With the exception of a few twists, the scenes they show in the trailer look like an almost shot for shot remake of the original.

Please don't disappoint me and millions of other fans of the horror genre and the original. Don't let this turn out to be a piece of dreck redo like pretty much all the others.

Proceeding with caution at this point, so much so, it will have to get really good reviews to compel me to pay at the box office, if the reviews are unfavorable, I will wait for video, perhaps.

Check out the trailer and see what you think...

PS - MGM and Sony have definitely come up with a great marketing campaign, kudos.

You Will Know Her Name, Maybe: http://www.carrie-movie.com/

Pentatonix: The Evolution of Music

Starting in the 1600's with "Beethoven's 5th Symphony" and ending in the 2000's with "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye. Pentatonix's "The Evolution of Music" is a departure from their usual covers and mash ups.

Taking a mere snippet of their song favorites from each decade only whets PTX fans appetites for a full length version of each and every one of these songs through the ages.

My top three I want to see PTX do full covers of? "Beethoven's 5th Symphony", Avi Kaplan front and center singing all of "Old Man River" would be amazing and Kirstie Maldonado giving her spin on the Aretha Franklin classic "Respect" would be off the hook!

Give it a listen, enjoy the vibe and imagine what the full PTX treatment of your favorites in the bunch would sound like...

Better yet, let them know, there are no guarantees, but PTX does pay attention and use fan input, so if you put it out to them and the universe to lay a whole track down Pentatonix style of your pick, the forces of music out there in the great beyond might grant your wish!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T....PTX at: http://www.ptx-official.com/

R.I.P: Annette Funicello "Jamaica Ska"

"Do You Know How To Jamaica Ska"?

This quite urgent question was posed by Annette Funicello in the 80's revamp of her 1960's Beach Party Movies with Frankie Avalon, "Back to the Beach".

While too young for the originals, I was not too young for their repeated showings on weekend TV, the Beach Party Movies were something both my parents enjoyed and liked watching together.

Thus I was Beach Party Movie adjacent. I also was exposed to Ms. Funicello via old "Mickey Mouse Club" reruns, she was truly the most beautiful Mouseketeer and the one who, uh filled out quite nicely.

However my very personal memory of Annette will always remain "Back to the Beach" - My college friend Jenny DiMartino of the groovy band The Drews and myself decided to head out and see it one afternoon on a lark.

Settling into the theatre we hoped for the best. What a wonderful tongue in cheek treat we got, with a very game and fun loving Annette and her Co-Star Frankie.

My favorite musical Annette moment will always be her deadpan delivery of the line: "Do you girls know how to Jamaica Ska"? Like it was the most important thing anyone on earth could know, or say...

Now it's time to say goodbye....thanks for the memories my lovely Annette....xoxo

WebTV: In Bed With Joan

Sarah Silverman & Joan Rivers

While watching the reality show "Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best" on WE tv Joan, while performing her duties as a Guest Star on a radio talk show gets inspired by the DJ's who encourage her to start her own Internet Talk Show, because first and foremost she can do and say what she wants, without having to answer to Network Executives - You guys had Joan hooked from "doing anything she wants"...

Thus "In Bed With Joan" was born, to all you Rivers fans, of which I am one, this is brilliant news from the First Lady of Comedy.

Luckily for us, the first Guest who Melissa Rivers, Joan's daughter and Executive Producer booked, the notorious Kato Kaelin bailed. He seemed to think shooting a show on a bed and coming out of the closet as Joan's Guest Star was beneath him.

Uh, really Kato? That cheap bleach job you get must be seeping through your skull and giving you brain damage, I mean who are you really anymore and WTF else are you doing that this irreverent and entertaining show is "beneath you", loser?

So who ends up being the first Guest Star? None other than the amaze balls Sarah Silverman, thank you very much, take that Kaelin.

While sometimes I find Joan Rivers downright offensive, when she hits the nail on the head there is no one funnier! But that is what is appealing about her too she is not afraid to "go there" at the risk of offending or failing with a joke.

Ms. Rivers is a machine at the ripe old age of 80! I for one want to have her stamina and energy, but not her face lift, when I reach that age.

As a fan of her reality show - "In Bed With Joan" is a welcome return to The Talk Show format for The Queen of Gab.

Soon to be a Internet sensation (it's well on it's way) check out the latest episode of "In Bed With Joan" with "Entertain Me" friend and staple Margaret Cho.... Hey Joan, "Can We Talk"?

Get your gab on, and crawl into Joan's bed at: http://www.youtube.com/user/inbedwithjoan

Tom Goss + Macklemore & Ryan Lewis = "Can't Hold Us"

Tom Goss

Performer/Songwriter/Musician Tom Goss is back! After causing quite the stir with a strategically placed clock in the video for his last song "Make Believe"

Jump to that here! http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2012/11/make-believe-with-tom-goss.html

Tom brings us an acoustic cover of the red hot Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's "Can't Hold Us".

Being someone who is just becoming aware of their popularity and music, I asked Tom to expand on his love of them...Go for it Tom!

"I've found a new artistic lifeblood in watching Marcklemore & Ryan Lewis work. I have always loved hip-hop music but I have always been disappointed that rappers weren't using their influence to promote positive social change. In fact, I'm pretty disappointed with the whole industry in that regard. That's a big reason that I write music.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are more true to their artistic expression then any artist I have ever seen. Because of that, they are able to put everything they have into creating something authentic and wholly their own. As a result, they take the artistry to a new level entirely.

Watching them, and their success, has reinforced my own artistic drive. I understand that in order for me to be the best artist I can be, I need to be uncompromising, in my message, approach and execution.

Watching Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Otherside." It will change the way you see hip-hop and music videos. Hopefully, someday I can create something as beautiful."

Well Tom judging by your take on "Can't Hold Us" I think you just did...

Grab Hold of Some Tom at: https://www.facebook.com/tomgossmusic