Courtesy of popchunch.com From appearing in well-received films such as "A Walk to Remember" (2002) and "Saved!" (2004), to releasing her sixth studio album, "Amanda Leigh" (2009), on May 26, Mandy Moore has had a storied career and she's still only 25.
With two well-received albums, a plum role on the "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008) soundtrack and an appearance at the Grammys mere days before giving birth, M.I.A., born Maya Arulpragasam, is getting a lot of credit for her too-cool cultural cachet.
Courtesy of Amazon.com Despite a substantial cult following and widespread acclaim for his work in innumerable Priceline.com advertising campaigns, one must admit that William Shatner's career is light years away from its heyday when Shatner was on the Starship Enterprise. It would seem that he has been too busy cultivating his music career to care about the widely hailed new "Star Trek" film. Yes, you read that right.
Jewel, the renowned songstress of the late 1990s, takes on a soft and unassuming tone in her newest effort, "Lullaby" (2009). Not the unforgettable firebrand feminism of "Pieces of You" (1995), nor destined to become the background music to a razor commercial (remember "Intuition" from "0304" (2003), made famous by Schick razors), "Lullaby" is a pleasant listen, but ultimately skippable. Released in partnership with Fisher Price, "Lullaby" is a collection of children's music and lullabies (though in interviews, Jewel has said she prefers to call it "mood music"). Although there is value behind many of tracks, especially those in which her voice shines through, the almost waif-like quality of most of the songs reminds the listener how far Jewel has fallen. Take "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," the 12th track on the album.
In the storied annals of the FOX hit reality show "American Idol," there are the Jennifer Hudsons and the Kelly Clarksons, for whom life after Simon, Paula and Randy has led to extraordinary success and fame.
Courtesy of Amazon.com Correction appended Dylan, Ben Folds singing a cappella and a Streisand retrospective -- with all three of these albums being released today, it's like Christmas, the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving all falling on your birthday. Bob Dylan: "Together Through Life" Multiply my age by two, add six for good measure, and you'll have the number of albums Bob Dylan has released (46). Dylan's newest album, coming after the well-received "Modern Times" (2006), focuses on seductive romance and struggling relationships. Highlights include accordion playing -- the instrument is included on every track -- and the song "Life is Hard," which was produced for French director Oliver Dahn's forthcoming film "My Own Love Song." Also included in the album is a disc containing an episode of Dylan's radio show. Will Dylan once again prove he's still the same bard he was over four decades ago? Has his trademark gravelly voice deteriorated from passionate croon to I-spent-the-day-at-the-concrete-factory? The answers to these questions remain to be seen, but I believe there is every reason to believe that this dinosaur of American music might just have done it again. Ben Folds: "Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella" On his official web site, Ben Folds explains the genesis of his newest effort. "Music education has been atrophying," Folds said.
My ninth grade English teacher has been vindicated. On my off term in Prague, Czech Republic, I recently came across the modern equivalent of the sirens' song, proving my teacher's contention that the Odyssey has relevance to modern life.
After eight seasons of unparalleled ratings success, superlatives come easily to "American Idol:" 'most popular talent competition of all time' and 'emblem of the reality TV world' are just two examples that come to mind.
I recently perused a list of the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, who were announced last Saturday. Metallica?
Ah, traveling abroad. At the risk of sounding like a poster child for the Office of Off-Campus Programs, I'll admit that I've already had a life-enriching experience in my first few days living and studying in Italy: watching the ridiculous but undoubtedly original Italian television show, "Amici" a cross between "American Idol," "So You Think you Can Dance?" and "America's Got Talent." "Amici" opens as a menage of acrobats, hip-hop dancers and ballerina-stripper hybrids prance onto the stage with techno music blaring.