Video Blog: blog-a-day – 25th Dec, 2009 (Here Comes Xmas).

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 24th Dec, 2009.

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 23rd Dec, 2009.

And I thought I’d share this photo I took last year, with you, because it fits in well with today’s video.

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 22nd Dec, 2009.

I’m back – and in print!

No video from me, today, but I have been awake for 31 hours, so forgive me for nodding off and not wanting to edit myself rambling on about my last ever trip to Borders! But after that depressing event, I went to the hospital, as usual, and was delighted to find the Ward’s magazine all printed out and being passed around. So, here and here are two very crappy mobile phone pictures of my contribution to “Ward 94″.

As always, I couldn’t help myself when reviewing Lady GaGa’s The Fame Monster, and went way over and the amount of words I was allowed. So, for your pleasure, here’s my full, unedited review!

This is a review of Lady GaGa’s entirely new creation, The Fame Monster. Firstly, the technical details: It’s presented in a double-disc edition, featuring 8 fresh songs on disc one, and her debut album, The Fame, on the second disc. Prices vary, but you should be able to pick up the standard version for no more than £10. The alternate “Digipack” version will set you back a bit more, but includes additional artwork, and a bonus track on disc two. Now, for my review…

If you haven’t already heard Bad Romance, firstly, where have you been and why are even reading this! Secondly, you are in for a real treat. Not since Poker Face infected clubs has a dance song been so well received and prepared to say, “Get the **** up out of your chair and claim the floor as your own!” I’m not going to deny there’s still a familiar resemblance to Poker Face, but it’s in the lyrics where this song differs, and sets the scene for the whole album. This is not only a foot-stompingly good EP, it’s a thoroughly well-written story about the darker side of fame, and a deeper look into the past, present and future of the new Queen of Pop, Lady GaGa!

From the first track, you can imagine a musical journey beginning to take place. Whilst Alejandro is still familiar ground, the jaunty pace sets the tone for a more exotic location. Gone is the dance club, instead replaced with a smoky jazz bar in the hot sunshine drenched depths of Mexico. It’s almost as if these eight tracks got lost along the way when the album was first being made, and were suddenly rediscovered and polished off to present them as their own entity. No more so is this present than in the title track of the album, Monster. Imagine Poker Face, but with a darker, gothic sound added to it. Coupled with the callback to Just Dance in the lyrics, this is sure to be a future single, and an undoubtedly phenomenal video.

The most toned down song of the album is by no means boring. In fact, Speechless is some of Stefani Germanotta’s best ever writing, and has been with her since the first ever performances of it under the title of Lady GaGa. It’s a story of her father and herself; the most sincere and open she’s ever been in a song, which is ironic given the song’s title. An electric orchestra, reminiscent of GaGa’s original influence, Queen, backs up what would have been just a simple, elegant piano-ballad, to zap life into the song and help it keep up pace with other seven songs.

Dance in the Dark is a good example of what we can expect Lady GaGa’s sound to evolve from in her next album. More power to the synths, more passion in the lyrics – definitely the best track of album, and possibly the best pop song in years. Taking an almost satirical cue from on the rap of Madonna’s Vogue, the song still succeeds in imprinting a distinctive name for itself – some may argue, as the best pop single in decades.

The last standout track of the album, Telephone, was originally written by GaGa for Britney Spears, in 2008. The song was rejected by Spears’ label; but GaGa had now made a name for herself, and when the opportunity arose for her to release it instead, Beyoncé stepped up. But once you hear these two together (and you already should have, as they’ve just worked together on Beyoncé’s new single, Video Phone), these past details shouldn’t matter, as I don’t think you’ll be able to imagine anyone else backing up GaGa’s vocals better than Beyoncé does. Anticipate this rising high in the charts, come 2010!

It had to fault somewhere! But whilst it’s not a spectacular song, So Happy I Could Die would have fitted in perfectly on the second, in between the glitz and the glam of The Fame. It’s appearance on The Fame Monster seems unfortunately out of place, and lessens the impact of the last song, which is by far most diverse GaGa song. The viciously titled Teeth, with its Eastern European influences and catchy lyrics (backed up by a constant foot march – read into that what you will), is sure to leave you feeling fulfilled, and should go a long way to justifying the purchase of an album you already own!

And, for any of you aching to know the answers to my crossword puzzle… you know where to get a hold of me!

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 18th Dec, 2009 (Waste Management Booklet).

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 17th Dec, 2009.

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 16th Dec, 2009.

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 15th Dec, 2009 (Xmas Tree).

I’ve been struck down with illness – again! So, no video blog from me today, as I’m all snotty and icky, and I know most of you don’t like looking at me on my good days, so God knows what you’d make of me if I appeared on camera, today. However, in keeping with this Hundred Days pledge, I have a video to post that I spent all night working on, probably for twelve hours straight!

“Waste Management” is the English version of t.A.T.u.’s 3rd Russian language album “Vesyolye Ulybki”. However, the presentation is completely brand new, and has been described by the band as “pinkfloydish”.

“You should listen to this version of our LP non-stop at least once to feel what we tried to create.” Explains Lena Katina. “Pink Floyd was not the only band who did it this way, but we can say it was them who inspired us. Waste Management has got all songs bound together by short instrumental interludes composed by our author Evgeniy Matveitsev. This version of the LP is one continuous music trip”.

Taking this concept of continuity, dubbed “Waste Management Transcendent Version”, I composed a short megamix of all three singles from the album. In actual fact, the music was composed over a year ago, albeit in Russian. Using the 30-second previews made available online, I transposed the mix into Russian, and edited together a unique presentational video, intended to virally promote the album. The album’s history is very colourful, if you’re interested in reading. Originally planned for release in 2008, the album would serve as accompaniment for the movie “You and I”, which is based on the novel “Finding t.A.T.u.”, and stars Mischa Barton and Anton Yelchin. However, post-production of the movie delayed the release, and as such, the album was postponed for a time when there could be a full promotional drive… which apparently, is now! The album secured distribution rights in Latin America, as well as t.A.T.u.’s home country of Russia; and is available Worldwide online at iTunes store and AmazonMP3. If you like the sound of all this, then please find your relevant place of purchase from the links below.

Waste Managment:
AmazonMP3
UK | USA | FRANCE | GERMANY
iTunes
WORLDWIDE (available 15.12.09)

Waste Managment Transcendent Version:
AmazonMP3
UK | USA | FRANCE | GERMANY
iTunes
WORLDWIDE

Video Blog: blog-a-day – 11th Dec, 2009 (Game Day).