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ALBUM REVIEW: Denizen Tenant by Joseph Williams
This is a two part review. Check out our review of I Found The Sun Again by Steve Lukather. When you hear the name John Williams, what typically comes to mind is Superman, Star Wars, or Indiana Jones. What’s remarkable about the elder Williams’ career is how iconic it is, permeating all parts of pop culture and cementing the modern orchestra as something cinematic. His legacy is one that few artists ever achieve. And yet, his music is not his only legacy. John’s youngest son is Joseph, who also happens to be the frontman of Toto. Joseph Williams is one of those guys who puts it all out there when…
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ALBUM REVIEW: I Found The Sun Again by Steve Lukather
This is a two part review. Check out our review of Denizen Tenant by Joseph Williams. One of the greatest guitarists of all time is a man you probably don’t know by name. He’s played on over 1,500 records for names like Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Elton John, Kenny Rogers, Cher… and that’s not even the highlights. Chances are one of your favorite 80’s tracks has him on it. Steve Lukather, ladies and gentlemen. is a living legend. And then there’s Toto. TOTO, MAN!!! For four decades, Luke’s been the lead guitarist for the band that spawned “Africa,” “Rosanna,” “Hold The Line,” and more. Anytime the man plays, it’s exciting.…
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The Weeknd’s transformation into Daft Punk is a win for music
Warning: this article discusses depictions of violence and abuse. Reader discretion is advised. One of the most unique musicians working today is Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd. His work is catchy, memorable, and above all, deeply visceral. He brings a veneer of class to lyrics of melancholy and heartbreak. He’s off-putting to some, and to others a lyrical genius, spitting fresh R&B with falsetto highs. The Weeknd began a stride in 2016 at the 58th Grammy Awards, winning awards for Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best R&B Performance, and wrapping the year with the release of his triple platinum album, Starboy. Starboy was a work that draws its strength from…
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How HAMILTON’S Lost Song Changed Everything
If you listened to the cast album of Hamilton, you pretty much had the entire play pumped into your ears long before the musical landed on Disney+. There are minor differences you’ll notice when watching it up close for the first time, like King George’s damp performance in You’ll Be Back or how My Shot is referenced (visually) in The World Was Wide Enough. The album is fantastic and alone is one of the greatest works in Broadway’s history. However, it missed one song and that one song recontextualizes everything. Miranda intentionally cut Lauren’s Interlude (Tomorrow There’ll Be More of Us) from the album. Saying he wanted: “at least one…
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The 10 Best Songs from HAMILTON
Hamilton hits Disney+ this weekend, and millions will be watching the show for the first time. The Broadway production has been around for five years and produced some fantastic songs. Today, we’re going to rank the Top 10 Songs of Hamilton. 10. Yorktown (The World Turned Upsidedown) The Seige of Yorktown is a massive moment in our nation’s history. In this showstopping number, we see just how that battle went down. The music is incredible and creates a feeling of action and excitement. Hercules Mulligan’s rap is easily the best part, but the whole number feels like a grand finale. The immigrants got the job done. 9. Alexander Hamilton A…
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Review – Hamilton: An American Musical
Hamilton is a hip-hop musical based on the life of the United State’s first Treasury Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda). The film shows us the life of Alexander. A young, scrappy, and hungry teenager is willing to give his life for his country’s freedom. We see his early years to his death. Without going into spoilers [can you spoil history?], Hamilton is a film about legacies, ambition, sacrifice, and loss. The rivalry between Alexander and Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.) is the plot’s driving force. Two different world views from very flawed individuals. The entire cast is phenomenal. Leslie Odom shines as Burr and delivers the film’s best performance. Then we…
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Don’t Go It Alone: What to Watch, Play, and Listen to During the Coronavirus Outbreak
Unless if you’ve been living under a rock, you know allllllllll about COVID19 aka Coronavirus aka the greatest threat to mankind since memes. Most of the globe is currently under quarantine or social distancing, and that can get boring very fast. My good friend Michael already made a list of 14 shows to watch while self-quarantining, but there’s a lot of content out there. So here’s my own list of media to catch up on while you survive our microscopic buddies. Star Trek: Picard (CBS All Access) Star Trek on TV has been in a lull since Star Trek: Nemesis. Sure, we had three great movies from Bad Robot, but…
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SONG REVIEW: “Ocean to Ocean” by Pitbull feat. Rhea
The most important thing to know about "Ocean to Ocean" is that "Ocean to Ocean" is not a song: "Ocean to Ocean" is freedom.
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SONG REVIEW: “Sunflower (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse)” by Post Malone & Swae Lee
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is less than two months away, waaaaah?! The film’s tie-ins are starting to drop, and at last we have the theme song for Mile Morales’ first theatrical outing. How is this collab between Post Malone and Swae Lee hold up? Let’s find out…. This track takes the form of a love song, which is intriguing for a movie about a bunch of Spider-Men and Women and Hams teaming up. The subject of the song is referred to as sunflower numerous times by Swae and Post: Then you’re left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya You’re the sunflower, I think your love would be too…
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SONG REVIEW: “Venom” by Eminem
It isn’t too often that Marshall Mathers drops a new sick beat. But these are uncommon times, and uncommon times call for uncommon measures. Take Sony’s latest motion picture: Venom, starring Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Trek: Nemesis) and Riz Ahmed (“Rogue One? Rogue One.”). Venom is a pretty good what if: What if Venom existed separate from Spider-Man? What if Venom was sorta-kinda-maybe in the MCU but also definitely-maybe-sorta not? And today, we have another what if to ask: What if Eminem contributed a song to a superhero film? Wonder no more, ladies and gents, for Slim Shady’s “Venom” has arrived. “Venom” is a pretty good movie…
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