WW Catchup: VMA recap

OK so I know I missed a Wednesday, so attempts to regularise posts can already be classed as fail.
I thought instead I'd just write about the performances at the VMA's which were over a week ago, but I only got a chance to watch the full thing this week.

'The Video Music Awards' are probably one of the biggest music awards around (bar a few exceptions).
It's always an interesting show and I thought this one didn't disappoint.
There were quite a lot of excellent videos up for nominations and apart from Lady Gaga's 8 out of 13 wins, the rest were pretty hard to call. What everyone was most looking forward to was obviously the return of  Kanye West.

As we all know, after last year's VMA incident, he has been keeping a pretty low profile. But he was back with the honour of ending the show. Both he and Taylor Swift performed songs from their new records and predictably were about the incident. I was quite intrigued to see how this would play out....and it was quite surprising actually.
I thought it would be really cringe-worthy to watch, but both songs (I thought) were pretty good (and definitely listenable), in fact some have even gone as far to say that Kanye's song was his 'best single yet'.

While Taylor's song 'Innocent' was probably more obviously based on the incident, apart from a few lines ('32 and still growing up now') it was a surprisingly subtle approach from an artist who is known to in effect 'name-and shame' her 'enemies'.
Kanye's song 'Runaway' seemed to be more about the mistakes throughout his life with an apologetic tone and he didn't disappoint as the final performance really made the end of the show.

If we're honest, it's hard to know whether that was the end of all that drama and a sceptic would say it's all about publicity (which I don't deny).
Taylor got her apology and Kanye got his career back. Publicity stunt or not....Either way it's a win-win ...right?

[Performances are only viewable from the MTV website if you live in the US.]
[Taylor Swift's song 'Innocent' will be on her latest album 'Speak Now' which will be released onto iTunes (UK) next month.]
[Kanye West's single 'Runaway' is available to the US in a week, UK release set for November]

WW: Not Like The Movies

Ok, so cutting it close, but you know, it's just about still Wednesday here in the UK... (not that anyone really cares)


But moving on...
This week's WW is from the newly released album (well newly released here in the UK) 'Teenage Dream' by Katy Perry.

Well of course, practically everyone has heard 'Teenage Dream' by now and seen the video as well as for 'California Gurls' (and if you haven't....well no offence... but have you been under a rock?)
However, this song is a total contrast....a slow, sad song that is totally different....think more like 'Thinking of You' and you're along the right lines.
I love everything about this piece, the muted percussion to the lyrics and melody lines.

'Not Like the Movies' is probably one of the most understated songs on the album...but always worth a listen.

http://www.myspace.com/katyperry/music/albums/teenage-dream-16437145

Enjoy.

WW: Brooklyn

Ironically the first song of WW is by a band called Wakey!Wakey!
Well technically it's a band, but they are mostly known by their frontman, Michael Grubbs.

It's hard to put them into a certain genre....though I guess 'indie' would best describe it?

Anyway, Wakey!Wakey! are the kind of band which you would hear as the soundtrack to 'One Tree Hill' and infact, their song 'War Sweater' was the opening song for the finale of season six.[which for all OTH fans is one of, if not the saddest episode]

Their frontman, Michael Grubbs is actually in OTH season seven as the bartender 'Grubbs' and their music features again in season seven and one of the pieces featured is 'Brooklyn'.

It's one of those dramatic pieces, with big melodic lines and its definitely one of my current favourites.

If you're a fan of big romantic-style piano solos, this is surely worth a listen.

They released their latest album 'Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said The Last Time I Saw You' early this year and it also has some great songs.


http://wakeywakeymusic.com/

http://www.last.fm/music/Wakey%21Wakey%21


Enjoy.

WW: Wildcard Wednesdays

Ok, so in an attempt to make this blog a little more regular than it is, I decided on the idea of posting a song/band once a week.

So every Wednesday I'll let the 'shuffle' setting on my iTunes decide what music to share.

So yeah. That's all I have to say for the moment...keep you posted.