http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBR4Cn86luk
An epic story of love, loss and betrayal. And of N*SYNC bobbleheads
THE CHRISTOPHER EXPERIENCE
Or If You'd Had One, YOU'D KNOW IT: A Peripheral Perspective On People, Places & Things
Tag Archives: music
Me Eating Pop Eating Itself: SUP, SPOTIFY PLAYLIST? HOW YOU DOIN?
You want to know what I really think of the songs on my Spotify “Housecleaning Mix”? Fine. Just don’t blame me when they end up stuck in your head.
“SCREAM AND SHOUT”, will.i.am featuring Britney Spears:
I generally do my best to ignore the “music” of will.i.am. but I cannot deny the charms of this infectious club stomper. When an unsurprisingly auto-tuned Britney declares “When we up in the club – all eyes on us, all eyes on us…” it’s both an observation and a command. A command to surrender to the robotic, candy-coated beat. This song makes me feel gayer.
“MIRRORS”, Justin Timberlake:
JT splits the difference between earlier smash “What Goes Around…Comes Around” and his safer, boy band instincts on this second single from this month’s long-awaited “The 20/20 Experience”. It’s unexpectedly epic, unapologetically saccharine and unmistakably Justin. It may not tread any new ground but it certainly proves Justin hasn’t lost his ability to gussy up his R&B influences with enough pop panache to please the masses.
“SUIT & TIE”, Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z:
With its rote 70s soul flourishes and surprisingly underwhelming Jay-Z cameo, “Suit & Tie” proves, at first listen, to be far less earth-shattering than the sum of its parts – an oddity of a lead single. But just like the less accessible moments of JT’s “FutureSex/LoveSounds”, it begs for repeat listening. The suavity of his falsetto as it grooves along a refreshingly unadorned arrangement will have you humming along and tapping your toes in no time. He’s not necessarily bringing sexy back with this one but when he asks you to let him “show you a few things about love”, think of it as the multi-media darling’s way of very sweetly asking you out on a date. The real show – the date itself or, in this case, forthcoming album, is yet to come. “Suit & Tie” is foreplay, plain and simple – it’s titillating enough but leaves you wanting more. Now that’s a leadoff single.
“TROUBLEMAKER”, Olly Murs:
“Why does it feel so good but hurt so bad?” sings UK talent-show export Olly Murs as he attempts his own British Invasion. Also not a bad way to sum up a track that cribs it’s driving riff from Maroon 5’s “Misery” and its vocal inspiration from that same group’s not-as-cute-and-soulful-as-he-thinks-he-is Adam Levine. Still, Murs’ earnestness combined with Flo Rida’s groovilicious cameo and a certain disco majesty in the faux string embellishments elevate this one above the category of retread.
“I DON’T DANCE”, Lucas Grabeel and Corbin Bleu:
Disney HAS to know what it’s doing. There’s no other explanation for this. The ubiquitous “High School Musical” franchise has already given us Zac Efron – a performer seemingly created out of the fantasies of gay men – and on this official remix, Disney gives us the sound of HSM mainstays and Tiger Beat-faves Lucas Grabeel and Corbin Bleu fighting their attraction to each other while using baseball/dancing as a metaphor for homosexual attraction. Aside from that, Grabeel and Bleu show some truly smooth vocal stylings in this track co-written by in-house Disney uber-producer Robbie Nevil. Nevil is, of course, better known to this target demographic’s parents as the blue-eyed soul singer behind such 80s and 90s hits as “C’est la vie” and “Just Like You” – both of which are echoed in the chorus of this highlight of the otherwise bland HSM2 soundtrack.
“JUST GIVE ME A REASON”, Pink featuring Nate Ruess
Sometimes knowing the real-life inspiration behind a song can add some emotional heft to an already moving song. Case-in-point: Pink’s “Just Give Me A Reason”, a duet with fun. frontman Nate Ruess that references the early marital troubles and triumphs of Pink and Carey Hart. The jaggedness of Pink’s familiar rasp and Ruess’ flawless emo delivery combine for this heart-wrenching account of lovers losing each other and finding each other again – just like the pop chanteuse and her motorbike-riding hubby who have overcome those early difficulties and become parents.
“DANCE AGAIN”, Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull
If only the Auto-Tune sanding that’s shaving the edges off J-Lo’s typically thin vocals could buff away Pitbull’s typical crudeness. It wouldn’t really save this by-the-numbers, wannabe club anthem. Even through the layers of production, J-Lo, you and your reliably sleazy cohort struggle to sound as though your hearts are in it
THE CHRISTOPHER EXPERIENCE 
ME EATING POP EATING ITSELF: It’s Backstreet Boys Birthday Week As BSB Turns 20
1) Have sold 130 million albums worldwide which makes the group history’s best-selling boyband and the 41st biggest-selling act in the United States.
2) First group since Sade to have its first seven albums reach the top 10 of the Billboard 200.
3) From 2006 to 2012 was a quartet. Kevin Richardson chased a successful career on Broadway during his hiatus from the group.
4) A.J. McLean, with his gruff, melodramatic baritone stylings, was the first Backstreet Boy. Clean-cut tenor Brian Littrel, cousin to member Kevin Richardson, was the final boy to sign on for Backstreet duty.
5) Played first live gig as Backstreet Boys on May 8th, 1993 at SeaWorld Orlando.
6) Named after Orlando, Florida’s Backstreet Market that was located near a popular teen hangout spot.
7) Their self-titled 1997 American debut was actually a hybrid of their first two international releases.
8) Hit “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” was not included on initial pressings of BSB’s self-titled debut – it was added for later versions. The reason BSB seemed to be announcing its “return” on what was their first album was because the track was culled from it’s second international release.
9) When BSB released third album “Black & Blue” in 2000 they scored a then-record worldwide debut with sales of five million.
10) Have been nominated for eight Grammy awards.
11) First artist since The Beatles to score back-to-back million plus debuts.
12) Have released eight studio albums and 25 singles.
13) Have scored six Billboard Top 10 hits, 12 Billboard Top 40 hits and 16 Billboard Hot 100 hits.
14) Have sold more than double the number of albums by chief rival N-Sync.
15) Nick Carter was named Sexiest Guy In The World by CosmoGirl magazine in 2002
16) To promote the release of 2000’s “Black & Blue” the group flew around the world in 100 hours stopping to play shows in Stockholm, Tokyo, Sydney, Cape Town, Rio de Janeiro, and New York.
17) Both members Nick Carter and A.J. McLean have sought treatment for substance abuse issues.
18) Kevin Richardson is the only member not to release a solo album. Nick Carter’s 2002 “Now Or Never” is the highest-selling BSB solo effort with worldwide sales of 550,000
19) Though they feuded frequently in the 90s and 2000s after N-Sync joined BSB as a label mate at Jive Records, the two groups have since mended their relationship. N-Sync’s J.C. Chasez even produced a track on BSB’s 2007 “Unbreakable” album.
20) Member Nick Carter collaborated with comic book legend Stan Lee on “Backstreet Project”, a one-off comic title in 2000 that depicted the members of the group as themselves as well as superheroes.
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