In 2009, thanks to Glee, Lea Michele (playing the belting Broadway bound diva, Rachel Berry) burst onto the screen with a bigger than life style that would become her signature style. After the fading spotlight, Michele released her first solo album, "Louder" under Columbia Records. According to Billboard, it sold 60,000 units in the first week and debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200. Without a doubt, her legion of Gleeks are to thank for that. After several of her fellows Glee cast mates released albums under the radar, it was time before she would transition to a recording artist. Except for a handful of tracks, it disastrously backfired in her face. Michele is deeply talented, with a emotive voice that is flawless—but outside of the world of Glee, her perfection is less than spectacular as she produces song after song that are vocally identical, until the last track.
Showing posts with label Arts and Life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arts and Life. Show all posts
Album Review: Louder [3/5 stars]
By Abrahim Harb
In 2009, thanks to Glee, Lea Michele (playing the belting Broadway bound diva, Rachel Berry) burst onto the screen with a bigger than life style that would become her signature style. After the fading spotlight, Michele released her first solo album, "Louder" under Columbia Records. According to Billboard, it sold 60,000 units in the first week and debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200. Without a doubt, her legion of Gleeks are to thank for that. After several of her fellows Glee cast mates released albums under the radar, it was time before she would transition to a recording artist. Except for a handful of tracks, it disastrously backfired in her face. Michele is deeply talented, with a emotive voice that is flawless—but outside of the world of Glee, her perfection is less than spectacular as she produces song after song that are vocally identical, until the last track.
In 2009, thanks to Glee, Lea Michele (playing the belting Broadway bound diva, Rachel Berry) burst onto the screen with a bigger than life style that would become her signature style. After the fading spotlight, Michele released her first solo album, "Louder" under Columbia Records. According to Billboard, it sold 60,000 units in the first week and debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200. Without a doubt, her legion of Gleeks are to thank for that. After several of her fellows Glee cast mates released albums under the radar, it was time before she would transition to a recording artist. Except for a handful of tracks, it disastrously backfired in her face. Michele is deeply talented, with a emotive voice that is flawless—but outside of the world of Glee, her perfection is less than spectacular as she produces song after song that are vocally identical, until the last track.
Album Review: ARTPOP [4.5/5 stars]
By Abrahim Harb
"The Fame," is about ambition, "The Fame Monster" is about her inner demons, Born This Way is about acceptance on a bigger level and "ARTPOP," Lady Gaga’s latest pop offering is a confession of a pop artist. Lately, she has been stripping away the layers, wearing less make-up and wigs, consistently toning it down, but by no means is she letting her fashion influence deteriorate. Upon first listen, the “art” part of "ARTPOP" could be seen as missing, other than a few name dropping lyrics—with an overdose of “POP”. But it’s not! The art is in her pop music, listeners have to dig for it. On a basic level, it resides within her presentation of a live performance. Gaga doesn’t drop an album without any thought. Despite the sonically appeasing tracks on "ARTPOP," the title track should function as an intro track or even a prelude to the album. It's a pop formula to have the track the album is titled after the first track on the album - but in this instance it's befitting - the message of this song will perfectly segway into “Aura” and the entire album. Instead, Gaga buried it eight tracks in.
Album Review: Prism [4/5 stars]
By Abrahim Harb
Katy Perry’s third album under Capitol Records, "Prism" hit shelves last week. The 13 songs (plus a bonus track) are a departure for Perry who is certainly ditching her colored wigs and bubblegum pop jingles for a darker, 80’s inspired rock/pop sound. Perry wants listeners to see other sides of her on this album - and she succeeds with those efforts by never straying too far from what Perry is good at!
Other critics rated it either on one end or the other. Using a grading scale of A-F, Elysa Gardner for USA Today gave her an A, saying "[her] lust for life itself [is] genuine and endearing enough," whereas, Jon Dolan for Rolling Stone gave Prism a C- calling her ballads “larded with Alanis-ian poesy she can’t pull off".
Album Review: Bangerz [5/5 stars]
By Abrahim Harb
Miley Cyrus, now free of the Disney machine and her image as Hannah Montana, came out with her fourth studio album, "Bangerz" this weekend. This is the debut of the real Miley—the rap-loving, almost profane embracing, often self-mocking, cheeky Miley Cyrus. She can finally sing about what she wants to and work with whatever collaborators she wants to. At first I was annoyed by the songs, but after giving it another listen, they are clever and never lazy. She goes from a female rebel to a scorned female. The album consists of many repetitive themes, but each song stands on its own as she sings each song with zero doubt and an abundance of confidence. Many artists feel the need to publicly display their sexuality once they turn 20, but Miley is showing off her sexuality because Cyrus wants to and she has the personality to back up the hefty bangerz. Although it is filled with party bangerz, it also succeeds in functioning as an empowerment album as well.
Miley Cyrus, now free of the Disney machine and her image as Hannah Montana, came out with her fourth studio album, "Bangerz" this weekend. This is the debut of the real Miley—the rap-loving, almost profane embracing, often self-mocking, cheeky Miley Cyrus. She can finally sing about what she wants to and work with whatever collaborators she wants to. At first I was annoyed by the songs, but after giving it another listen, they are clever and never lazy. She goes from a female rebel to a scorned female. The album consists of many repetitive themes, but each song stands on its own as she sings each song with zero doubt and an abundance of confidence. Many artists feel the need to publicly display their sexuality once they turn 20, but Miley is showing off her sexuality because Cyrus wants to and she has the personality to back up the hefty bangerz. Although it is filled with party bangerz, it also succeeds in functioning as an empowerment album as well. 
Album Review: The Blessed Unrest [3/5 stars]
By Abrahim Harb
"The Blessed Unrest" is Sara Bareilles' fourth album. This album functions as more of a transitional album, a collection of 12 tracks that cater to adult contemporary radio. Some of the risks she took don't pan out, but she can be commended for extending her wings outside of cranking out tracks that contain her own vocals layered over a piano led sound. She remains nuanced in her vocal and musical orchestration choices. The singer-songwriters poetic expositional tracks are always poignant in some form.
Each track transitions to the next in lyrical content and lingers in some thoughts. While each song isn't necessarily a hit, she has fleshed out the concept—it's not always about bells and whistles. Her unrest may have blessed her, but this album is not the best in her discography.
Album Review: Side Effects Of You [4/5 stars]
By Abrahim Harb
Fantasia Barrino, American Idol winner, turned actress has overcome her fair share of hurt and disappointment, coming out stronger after each moment. She has conquered all the necessary to-do’s of the Entertainment industry: She has her own Lifetime Movie (Life Is Not a Fairytale: The Fantasia Barrino Story), starred on Broadway (The Color Purple), had a reality show (Fantasia For Real) and been accused of breaking up a marriage among other things. Assuredly, after each step forward, she takes 3 backwards, leaving her with little confidence and a bruised ego.
Her 4th studio album, "Side Effects of You" sticks all she has been through since her last album into a blender and delivers a vintage rock soul album, co-writing 7, of the 13 tracks.
Album Review: havoc and bright lights [3.5/5 stars]
By Abrahim Harb
Singer-songwriter Alanis Morrissette's eighth album, "havoc and bright lights" (intentionally stylized in lower case) features a softer, freed side, rarely pulling out her harder rock side. This album stays afloat as she keeps on consistently producing vocally appeasing soft rock songs or ethereal vocal and sonic arrangements. This is her first album in 4 years and is a re-introduction to Morrissette as she shows off the more spiritual and healed side of herself, leaving behind the the jagged little pills of her entanglements.
The first track, "Guardian" consists of a strong vocal and killer chorus, a breezy arrangement of soft rock guitar notes; successfully creating a vessel for an open dialogue about acceptance. A roughly three minute long rant, in musical form, that blasts misogyny is the albums second track, "Woman Down". Two songs later, she changes her ethereal demeanor yet again, in "Celebrity," a song attacking the fame seeking, twenty something's that yield for stardom.
The first track, "Guardian" consists of a strong vocal and killer chorus, a breezy arrangement of soft rock guitar notes; successfully creating a vessel for an open dialogue about acceptance. A roughly three minute long rant, in musical form, that blasts misogyny is the albums second track, "Woman Down". Two songs later, she changes her ethereal demeanor yet again, in "Celebrity," a song attacking the fame seeking, twenty something's that yield for stardom.
Stage Wright Presents: The Physicists
Stage Wright’s production of "The Physicists" by Swiss playwright Friedrich Durrenmatt, directed by Patrick Ham runs through April 23, 2012 at Wilbur Wright College. The script itself is strange, but the message in the end is timeless. The first moments of the play start with a death of the second nurse in a few months and Inspector Voss questioning the famed psychiatrist Doktor Van Zhand. Van Zhand runs a sanatorium, an idyllic home for the mentally ill. The story focuses around three characters, Herbert Georg Beutler (Richard Rosary), who believes that he is Sir Isaac Newton. The second patient is Ernst Heinrich Ernesti (Joshua Bomba), who believes he is Albert Einstein. The third patient is Johann Wilhelm Mobius (Robert Puig Cuevas), and he believes the biblical King Solomon visits him. They reside in a sanatorium, during the 1961 nuclear scare and the production is plentiful with sci-fi nods and injected with moments of hilarity.
Stage Wright Presents: Rocky Horror Picture Show
The 70’s musical comedy horror cult classic “Rocky Horror” written by Richard O'Brien, played at Wilbur Wright College from October 26-29, 2011 with 7 pm and 10 pm shows, as well as, Nov 3-5 at 7 pm. The phantoms (played by Joshua Bomba, Kris Ortiz, Kasia Mossakowski, Marie Gaor, Danielle Joy and Caitlyn Lamantia), wander around the theater, mingling with the guests in the audience. Staying in character from the moment they entered the theater, as they roam around, looking at each person as if they are a piece of meat. This is the first of many, acts of raunchiness, which kicks the show off on a good note. The phantoms, although funny, are mediocre singers. But rightfully mediocre, this show isn't meant to be performed perfectly. Bomba wore a fur vest that made him look irresistible & Ortiz wore skimpy shorts, with a see-through shirt making him eye candy for both sexes. Lamantia & Mossakowski wore dresses showing off their legs. Their makeup concept was confusing—it seemed as if a child had made markings on their faces, and they had dyed hair to match.
Wright Playwrights' Creations Alive With The Classics
The Wright Times (Vol. 17 Iss. 5 / P 12) Feb. 2011
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