The Ting Tings is another group that I liked in… 2008? Their debut was one of my fun albums of that year, thought that’s worn out due to overexposure as well. Very much like Maroon 5, The Ting Tings’ suffered from That’s not my Name exposure… with a bit of Shut Up and Let me Go. But “not my name” was everywhere, the duo was even included in the first few episodes of Japanese drama Sunao ni Narenakute (aka. Hard to Say I Love You) earlier this year. By that time, I was already fed up.
But here they are, preparing for a new album. And their YouTube Vevo page is not letting me stream their videos, so F U. I’m posting some other source. I’m tired of them not letting me stream content.
I promised myself I would keep up with music… at least the one I used to follow, but don’t have time for anymore. I used to be a huge Maroon 5 fan – along with a friend… thank you illegal downloads – before radios began overplaying them in 2005. I’m literally sick of She Will Be Loved and This Love.
And just so you know, I did get them through… I think it was Limewire or Kazaa that time. Circa 2002? Anyway, I liked them so much that I paid a John Mayer concert to see them open the show. LOL
Anyway, they’ve got a new album… and someone’s offered to review it, so it’s saving me the trouble! xD
So… Give a Little More sounds pretty much like your average funky catchy Maroon 5 song. The video is nice too, with warm hues and all. I thought the song was a bit slow at first, but luckily it picked up.
Ahh… this still makes me laughs. Specially the 180/360 degree shot of Juri’s frozen-falling snot and the face of Shihori Kanjiya as she sees the impending snot falling on her. LOL
Juri was in S.Korea promoting Nodame Cantabile, of course. However, I’m getting excited for her turn on her first NHK Taiga drama — I thought about it today as I watched Ryomaden xD which brings me to… Shihori Kanjiya who was also on Ryomaden… and Yuta Hiraoka who still can be seen on Ryomaden xD
You really should use a stool [1][2]… or a chair. And a nice old school microphone – instead of just standing there in front of your teleprompter. You remind me of school and how we did awkward presentations moving up and down. xD We didin’t have teleprompters, so we had a piece of paper that we rolled in our sweaty palms. xD
Having said that, I’m glad the audio was fixed after your first song. You sounded so much better afterwards, and I’m glad you sang some songs from Time. Especially Season. I’m also glad that I get to have an opinion on how you sounded because that means you don’t sound exactly the same as in the album, and that you’re singing live. I’m also glad you don’t sound like a robot.
Ahh, that’s how I like my commercial pop. Slick and spoon-fed to me. It’s super surprising to see 2NE1 releasing 3 singles at a time — with music videos and promotions. From this 3 singles and the early Try to Follow Me, I can guarantee passing marks for the album already without listening to it yet. xD
I have to admit, however, LOVED Clap your Hands as a song. Liked Go Away as a video, and by the third Can’t Nobody, I was beginning to feel tired… but by the middle of the song I was at it again. It’s something about these girls — how old are they anyway? They must be in their 15s it feels — having fun. It’s hilarious to see them playing around.
First impressions~
Clap your Hands, I must admit… gave me a bit of a reggaeton vibe (in the fake forest scene, what’s up with that? Came out of nowhere… xD That’s CL, right? Haven’t learned their names, ha!) – it’s the autotune, the instrumentation, and the whole production – but the fact that I can’t understand what they sing about, and they look completely adorable and cool at the same time, it makes me take in the song in a whole different way. It’s slightly disturbing seeing them saying “let me rock your body” while swinging their hips that way.
I’m not the biggest Meisa Kuroki… enthusiast. Never seen her on a drama, and she was okay in a rather okay-ish Mamoru Oshii Assault Girls with Rinko Kikuchi (does Rinko Kikuchi EVER speak???). Anyway, I digress. Kuroki, however, seems to populate my entertainment news reading, and well… I won’t complain about her. She won me over when she told actor Koji Yakusho (54) that she’d rather play his daughter than his lover. Snap! All the respect to Yakusho-san and his acting talent, but that was creepy. Dude. DUDE! Get a grip.
So… as a result, I was mildly interested in LOL! – First, OMG? Isn’t that Miley Cyrus’ movie or something? And… WTF is up with LOL! as a song title. xD The song sounds different to general commercial Jpop, and I daresay seems more influenced by commercial Kpop instead — is this the work of DBSK, Big Bang and all the other K-stars crossing over? — and I even dare to say that it gave me a lot of Lee Hyori vibes, which isn’t bad. Japan needs a little love for the bubbly personality that is Hyori. Ooh! Can there be a collaboration? xD Imagine all the sex appeal in that video~
Anyway, off topic once again! While listening to the song, I couldn’t help but laugh at it… when she autotune-sings “laughing out loud, out loud, out loud” I would burst out laughing because it’s so silly. Right? And the song… and the look on the video, they don’t match, right?
I know someone who likes her *coughJulzcough* and someone who will find her hot *coughErickcough*. So you guys, better brush off on your Spanish. Turns out Okinawan Meisa Kuroki’s dad is half Panamanian. Try to say that fast Panamanian. Again, Panamanian. xD
Oh, Julz. Now that Kuroki has a Twitter account, you can hit on her in Spanish. LOL
Anyway, I’m not a really huge Deftones follower, but they’re mellow, aren’t they? I’m pretty sure their stuff was louder, but this one… is actually… soothing? And it’s got pretty lights too! I doubt it will win Best Pretty Lights against Vital’s Airport, but it could definitely win Best Gay/Lesbian themed? xD
Ahhh, fashion and perfume commercials are the coolest, even if I don’t buy any of it — if I had the money, I’d probably would, because let me tell you… Jude Law hasn’t looked this good in ages.
Of course, this is all about style. This is hustling with style xD Guy Ritchie probably got paid a nice amount, and Jude got a nice check. For some reason, when you do this type of commercials, you don’t end up looking cheap. On the other hand, it seems you gain some sort of “classic Hollywood” status. At least for Law, I mean.
If you need to hustle and are cheap, you end up like this. Or like this, or this. LOL I’m sorry, I had to post those ProActiv commercials on TV and they were even DUBBED! Badly-dubbed commercials! LOL
Anyway, Jiang Yingrong won last year’s Supergirl (yeah, that same contest that found us Chris Lee, BiBi and Jane Zhang… thankyouverymuch), and it just goes to show you the changing tides in the cpop scene. In her third single Bad Angel (aka. Hui Tian Shi – but, you know, Bad Angel is so much easier), she looks a little bit Zhao Wei, a little bit Rihanna, and a little bit Natalie Portman on V Mag by Mario Testino — yeah, I just pulled that out because I know a lot of NP’s photoshoots…
plus, you know, it’s Testino. xD
She sounds a little too electronic on it too, so you won’t be able to judge much.
Not really feeling Bad Angel, but I really REALLY dug her first single (was it the first? or second?) titled Ba Wo Ni de Mei… or you know, subbed – Seize your Beauty. It’s really catchy, and the hook “everything” line is funny. Everysing xD Everysing.
