Happy Halloween, Mavenati!

To lots of tricks, treats and any combination thereof.

xW and billy

Below are some pics taken before the Halloween festivities down in The Village here in Toronto. My good friend Habeyah and I decided to dress up as famed reality television couple Jon and Kate Gosselin of Jon & Kate Plus 8. We were a hit amongst the lesbian and seniors demographic. Cheers to that!

NEW MUSIC: ADAM LAMBERT - FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT

American Idol season eight runner-up Adam Lambert premiered his debut single For Your Entertainment this morning on The Ryan Seacrest Show. The single is produced by the amazing Dr. Luke who brought us recent hits like Katy Perry's smash double of I Kissed a Girl and Hot N Cold, Kelly Clarkson's Since U Been Gone, Britney Spears' Circus and P!nk's Who Knew.

For Your Entertainment picks up where Sam Sparro left off on his single Black & Gold with that signature Goldfrapp shuffle beat. Sparro has found much recent success with his track finding a second life in appearing on trailers and soundtracks. My initial thoughts are that something is missing here, perhaps melodically. The production undeniably is very polished though. Lambert's vocals of course, are stunning and that mixed voice he has mastered in those effortless high notes has me in complete awe. I'm just not sold that Lambert is at his best here doing what his voice was made for and honestly I don't foresee this single replicating the success Dr. Luke had with some of his other collaborators. Keeping a tab on the next single. I much prefer season eight alumni Allison Iraheta's Friday I'll Be Over U, previewed a couple weeks ago here.

Listen to Lambert's single in full below courtesy of Sony/BMG Records:

SUSAN BOYLE AT #1

If early numbers are any indication, Britain's Got Talent runner-up Susan Boyle's debut album I Dreamed a Dream is set to break records. Amazon.Com (U.S. and Canada) has released an official statement proclaiming that the album, named after the Les Miserables tune which propelled her into overnight stardom, has received a record number of pre-orders. In fact, it is still at number one on their album sales chart and it isn't even out for a month.

The Sony/BMG release is due in-stores November 24, 2009, but don't expect a cakewalk for Boyle. She will be facing some very stiff pre-holiday competition starting with American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert who is also releasing his debut album For Your Entertainment that day. As blogged about previously, that album's cover is outright hideous and this just may hinder sales. And it doesn't get any easier for anybody aiming for the top as dueling princesses of pop Lady Gaga and Rihanna both have new releases due that day also. The former is re-releasing her multi-platinum debut album re-branding it The Fame Monster, while many eyes will be on the latter as she is releasing her new studio album Rated R. And let's not forget the amazing Shakira album She Wolf, reviewed here recently.

Although it looks to be a tough one, I'm putting my pocket change on Boyle for the win.

REVIEW: ROBBIE WILLIAMS - REALITY KILLED THE VIDEO STAR

Reality Killed the Video Star is international megastar Robbie Williams' eighth solo studio album. Always full of wit, results were admittedly lacklustre on Williams' last effort Rudebox. That album leaned more in an electropop direction, not necessarily the best fit for his charismatic voice which is better set against thicker orchestration.

This album is perhaps Williams' best work yet and my expectations have been exceeded. He has hit his best stride as a songwriter – the melodies stick and his lyrics are brimming with insight. He took a full three years to flesh out ideas at his home studio with producers like Trevor Horn and Guy Chambers. The former was part of the band The Buggles, which were responsible popular hit Video Killed the Radio Star and this album’s title pays homage to it. With the current and perhaps passing public fascination with reality television including Idol/X-Factor, a title like Reality Killed the Video Star certainly rings true, making one ponder what might be next. Ironically, first single Bodies’ chance at a number one debut was foiled by recent X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke’s single Bad Boys in the UK.

Bodies was produced by a team of all-stars including Horn, Chambers and Mark Ronson. It has tons of bouncy pizzazz, touching upon public fixation on perfect body image and Williams goes on to play a game of word association taking the theme to great extremes from “Bohdi Trees” to “Body of Christ”. It is understandable why an up-tempo number as this was chosen to launch a comeback, but Bodies only skims the surface of the great things on this album.

TAYLOR, HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU

We live in a world which passively encourages girls to misread queues from guys and to become homewreckers. These messages are often conveyed in pop songs. Don’t get me wrong – I love Taylor Swift’s new track You Belong With Me. Perhaps even more than I adored Love Story (Pop Edit) and that was my guiltiest pleasure of 2008. But if I were to give the teen pop icon a bit of relationship advice, with a nod to He’s Just Not That Into You and The Rules Book, I’d have to tell her “Girlfriend, he’s just not that into you.”

On You Belong With Me, Swift obsesses over a male friend who she hangs out with. Well firstly, if a guy hangs out with you and doesn’t take initiative in making advances, he definitely isn’t interested. Swift goes on to sing how she is “Dreaming about the day when he’ll wake up and find/That what he’s looking for has been here the whole time”. I’m sorry, but in the real world men just don’t function this way. Nobody with an ounce of dignity should have to dream about someone realizing they have feelings for them. Men are simple. Either they have feelings or don’t have feelings for you. It shouldn’t be a guessing game and on the same token, feelings don’t just suddenly come out of nowhere. But who am I to tell someone what they can and can’t dream about? X

Swift goes on to commit even more flagrant violations against the rules of dating! This male friend is in a relationship with somebody else already we soon learn. It seems that he comes to her as a confidante with his relationship problems as she mentions that his girlfriend is “mad at him over something he said”. I'm by no means a relationship expert, but I know enough to say that two of the most fundamental rules in dating are: 1) staying away from men in relationships 2) not letting a guy go on about his ex. Even if you do manage successfully to conquer a guy’s heart, he is a strong candidate to stray from you if doesn’t have enough decency to end a bad relationship before pursuing a new one. Triple X

REVIEW: THE DAMNED UNITED

Although I missed my chance to see The Damned United at TIFF recently, seeing it today finally was well than worth the wait. Welsh actor Michael Sheen has quickly earned himself a place among the great leading men of cinema. His firey portrayal of journalist David Frost in Frost/Nixon and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen were magnificent. Both films went on to garner Oscar nominations and since then he was cast in New Moon, the next film in the wildly successful Twilight franchise. This undoubtedly will boost his visibility in North America. Sheen's turn as English football team manager Brian Clough in sports drama The Damned United eclipses his already accomplished recent work.

Clough along with assistant Peter Taylor (Timothy Spall), manage to take the underperforming Derby football team from obscurity to the top in winning a league championship title in 1972. Every hero has its tragic flaw though and Clough's flaw is arrogance. He has no hesitations in claiming full responsibility for his team's success and manages to clash with Sam Longson (Jim Broadbent), the chairman of the Derby team who tries persuading Clough to stage a deliberate defeat to the archrival Leeds team. Refusing to cooperate, Clough then resigns from his position as Derby's manager and this causes a divide in his friendship with partner Taylor who sacrifices his career for his friend.

Two years later, Clough is given the opportunity to play for the enemy, in managing the Leeds team. This however, presents many issues including the fact that he fails to gain their respect in having been their opposition previously. Clough then reaches a crossroad in his career leading him to face his own biggest demon. That is, putting his pride aside and acknowledging that he was never able to reach his greatest success without Taylor.

The Damned United is a touching story which is always conscious of its primarily male audience. It manages tells a very human story with just the right amount of sensitivity, without bordering on saccharine territory. Ultimately though, the film is a one man show and Sheen puts forth an amazing level of committment to his character. I've seen a few of the much-buzzed Lead Actor performances recently including those of George Clooney (Up In The Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man) and Matt Damon (The Informant!). I can say with confidence though that Sheen is well ahead of the pack. This may just be his year. The Sony Pictures Classics film is now in theatres. Grade: A

WEEKEND OF HORROR

With a masterfully executed promotional strategy, Paramount Pictures scores big this weekend with Paranormal Activity, which I reviewed last week. It lands in the number one spot at the Box Office after a very steady climb and earned $22 million from 1,950 theatres.

It was a very competitive weekend for horror flicks with Saw VI, the latest installment in the popular Lionsgate Films franchise, debuting at number two with $15 million. This is the annual series' poorest showing in quite some time as previous installments debuted at number one. Perhaps this will queue the studio to quit it finally! Warner Bros.' Where The Wild Things Are continues to do well, now recovering back half of its production costs. The film took in a respectable $14 million in third place. Summit Entertainment's animated adaptation of popular cartoon Astro Boy. The film entered the Top Ten at number six earning $7 million, which is well below its $65 million budget. Expect this film to fare better internationally with its loyal worldwide following, as it has only seen a North American release thus far.

Also noteworthy was Fox Searchlight's Amelia starring Oscar winner Hilary Swank, which fared respectably coming in just shy of the Top Ten. The Amelia Earhart biopic, reviewed earlier this week, garnered $4 million from 800 theatres.

REVIEW: THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE

R. J. Cutler's The September Issue was screened as part of Toronto's LG Fashionweek festivities last night. The documentary centers around the creative processes behind the most important issue of the year for fashion authority Vogue. We also see firsthand, editor Anna Wintour's meticulous involvement overseeing it all. The audience gets a behind-the-scenes peek at the many creative differences that often surface over the final approval process including photo conceptualization, selection and placement.

Wintour is said notoriously to be uncompromising and extremely particular according to fashion industry insiders. She is rumoured to be so difficult in fact, that a top-selling novel by Lauren Weisberger and successful film adaptation, The Devil Wears Prada have been made on the matter. In The September Issue, we get glimpses of Wintour's personal life where we learn about her upbringing in a very Victorian home where she interacted little with her parents. In contrast, we also see her interact with her daughter Bee Shaffer lovingly. Shaffer surprisingly has no aspirations to be in the fashion industry instead wanting to break into the legal profession. Later in the film, we see Wintour on the verge of tears when she talks about her relentless need to be respected by her sibilings. Although she has been called the single most important figure in the fashion industry, it is clear that she still feels she has much to prove to her own family. Heartbreaking.

We also get to know Grace Coddington, a former model whose career ended after a tragic car accident which resulted in her requiring corrective plastic surgery. Coddington went on to become the Creative Director at American Vogue. There is no question that she is the heart and soul behind the magazine after watching this documentary. The audience watches her internalize each creative rejection from Wintour. Her vision is dead-focussed and we cannot help but feel for her seeing her pour her heart into the conceptualization process, only to have ideas ix-nayed in the end. We learn through Coddington that introducing celebrities as feature subjects in Vogue was actually Wintour's idea and being a bit of a puritan herself, Coddington still seems very much against this idea. The audience quickly sees why this is the case when the team at Vogue exerts quite the joint effort in making September 2007 issue covergirl Sienna Miller look glamorous. Regardless though, Wintour and Coddington are a winning team - the former balancing the business aspect of the magazine, the latter balancing the creative.

WILL QUOTED ON E! ONLINE

It is with great pleasure that I was interviewed by popular U.S. television network/website E! yesterday and today I was quoted on their blog by Joal Ryan. Click here to read the article. I was interviewed on my opinions about the overuse of auto-tune on the cast's vocals.

Some of you may remember this posting I did a while back on the matter and I am humbled at the amount of hits this article gets still. And glad to see I'm not the only one out there who hopes the show's producers are listening.

Thank you to all of you who continue to read my blog on a daily basis and a big, warm welcome to all of you just discovering it today. Hope you'll stick around!

REVIEW: AMELIA

I just attended an advanced screening of director Mira Nair's Amelia, a biopic about legendary female pilot Amelia Earhart. The film begins from the point Earhart meets eventual husband George P. Putnam (Richard Gere), who helps guide her into becoming America's premiere heroine during The Depression. The film ends at the point of her disappearance, after almost completing an ambitious flight around the world.

The amazing thing about this film is the effervescent Hilary Swank, who remains one of my favourite actresses of all time. Her Oscar-winning turns in Boys Don't Cry and Million Dollar Baby both left a deep impression on me and sometimes in life when I reflect on what it is I want and how far I am willing to go to achieve it, Swank's deeply-affecting performances come to mind. Her convincing portrayal of Earhart is pretty much the only remarkable thing about the film, above the fantastic costumes and cinematography. Unfortunately, Nair fails to bring out the best from the quality cast and this in effect hinders Swank's chances in the Oscar race for Best Lead Actress, which appears to be what Fox Searchlight Pictures is gunning for.

NEW MUSIC: RIHANNA - RUSSIAN ROULETTE

The debate on who actually owns the title as "Princess of Pop" is very much a heated one. Some will say it belongs to Lady Gaga. Others feel Rihanna is deserving of the title and rightfully so. Her recent highs include three number one Billboard Hot 100 Chart singles off her Good Girl Gone Bad album and winning her first Grammy for monster smash Umbrella in 2008. These victories were overshadowed though by her name being splashed allover the news after a violent altercation this past February with then-boyfriend Chris Brown. And let's not forget about the surfacing of those self-taken suggestive photos on the internet.

Rihanna's big return single Russian Roulette from upcoming fourth album Rated R (November 23, 2009) isn't quite what I was expecting. The Ne-Yo-produced single shows a much darker side of Rihanna we aren't accustomed to and perhaps this is simply a phase the singer is encountering at this stage in her life. Early press releases from Universal/Def Jam have hinted this album will showcase a maturer side of Rihanna and this single is about her "passing her most difficult test" yet and having to do it publicly; she is "terrified".

This track is definitely a grower, although I won't deny that I'm a little underwhelmed. I do appreciate its lyrical honesty and that she is sharing a piece of her heart with us. I will also point out that Rihanna's vocals have improved significantly since her poor showing on earlier single Unfaithful. I look forward to hearing more off this album.

For a full preview of Rihanna's Russian Roulette (courtesy of Universal Music/Def Jam) listen below:

NINE: AN EARLY LOOK

NINE from choreographer-turned-director Rob Marshall, might not be opening until December 25, 2009 but here's a gorgeous shot photographer Annie Leibovitz got of the film's sexy female cast on-set last December. The photo can be found along with a fantastic write-up by Plum Sykes' (Bergdorf Blondes) in the November issue of Vogue (U.S.).

The musical is based on the life of Italian director Guido Contini played by the always excellent Daniel Day-Lewis. It is adapted from director Federico Fellini's acclaimed film 8½ and centers around the Contini's struggles to balance the many important women in his life in addition to some creative roadblocks he faces as a filmmaker reaching a midlife crisis. The Weinstein Company film boasts a female cast of Marion Cotillard, Nicole Kidman, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson and recording artist Fergie.

In Sykes' write-up we learn many fun things about the cast. Apparently Cruz, Hudson and Fergie shared a flat together while filming and they would go on four hour eating binges after a rigorous day on-set. Fergie had to gain weight for the role of Contini's prostitute lover and ate strictly fried foods. And Cotillard had nothing but praise for Day-Lewis in saying that his technique inspired and brought out the best in the ladies. This coming from one Oscar winner to another.

As often is the case with all-star cast films, too many storylines can lead to muddiness, but I'm banking on this one being a winner. Although he is relatively new as a director, I am already a huge fan of Marshall's Oscar-winning CHICAGO and misguided Memoirs of a Geisha. Rob Marshall can do no wrong in my books. Can't wait.

NEW MUSIC: LADY GAGA - BAD ROMANCE

Thus far I've previewed two new tracks off Lady Gaga's The Fame Monster re-release due November 23, 2009. Despite my irritations with her on-going cry for attention, I cannot deny that the tracks are outright irresistible. Next single Bad Romance is set to be released to radio this week and I cannot describe it any better than esteemed blogger XOLondon did in saying that it is like "Bon Jovi in Ibiza". It really is.

The melody here sounds Bon Jovi circa You Give Love a Bad Name. The type that universally can inspire a stripper to do his/her best work or cause mass havoc in a banquet hall wedding reception after the dessert platter has been brought out. The little speaking bits are Madonna circa Erotica/Bedtime Stories. The arrangement and production would pretty much get a dance floor going anywhere you go in the world and one cannot help but draw parallels to her number one hit Poker Face with its Boney M. referencing "ro ma ro ma ma ma... oh la las". Another track I previewed, Alejandro, will be touched upon later when I receive a full preview copy of The Fame Monster, but I will sum up the track in three words: ACE OF BASE.

Give Bad Romance by Lady Gaga a listen below, courtesy of Universal Music/Interscope:

ONE WILD WEEKEND | REVIEW: PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Spike Jonze's $100 million opus Where The Wild Things Are performed extremely well this past weekend at the top of the box office, taking in $32.5 million. The Warner Brothers' film is an adaptation of the popular children's book of the same title with an all-star cast which includes Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Chris Cooper and newcomer Max Records in the starring role. The arthouse fantasy has been garnering some strong reviews overall with its main critique being that its tone is perhaps too dark to be a truly faithful adaptation to its original story.

Law Abiding Citizen headlined by the hunky duo of Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx also performed very well in second with $21.5 million in ticket sales. On any other weekend, this would've propelled it into top spot. The thriller has received some scathing reviews, citing that it includes some absurd storytelling, yet this still wasn't enough to deter moviegoers from getting their fix of Mancandy.

Closing out the top three was Paramount Pictures' Paranormal Activity which is easily this year's biggest sleeper hit. It continues to pull in some impressive numbers as it expands into more theatres. From just over 700 theatres alone this weekend, it earned $20.1 million in ticket sales. To put this into perspective, Law Abiding Citizen earned just over $1 million more having opened in 2,900 theatres.

Couples Retreat which slipped from first to fourth position this week, is still doing well enough bringing in $18 million this weekend. The Stepfather from Sony Screen Gems, which brought us the positively amazing Obsessed earlier this year, accounted for fifth spot with $12.3 million. Not bad considering it was made for $20 million. The film stars Gossip Girl hunk Penn Badgely and undoubtedly received a boost from that show's demographic of fans.

NEW MUSIC: LEONA LEWIS - I GOT YOU

Leona Lewis is the UK's third female pop act ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and she did so in 2007 with international smash hit Bleeding Love. Subsequent singles off Lewis' debut effort Spirit didn't fare as well, although her cover of Snow Patrol's Run remains one of my favourite tracks of all time.

A new track from the X-Factor winner has just surfaced and it is titled I Got You. It is written and produced by Swedish pop god Max Martin, whose other recent works Friday I'll Be Over U (Allison Iraheta) and 3 (Britney Spears) were featured on my blog recently. This track is pure pop gold and in my opinion, much more solid than Bleeding Love and current single Happy. It is distinctly Lewis with its delicate femininity, but its organic rock elements in ways make it like a ladies' version of With or Without You (U2). Yes, it's that good.

Lewis' sophomore release Echo will be released via Sony/BMG November 16, 2009 in the UK and the following day in North America.

Give I Got You by Leona Lewis a full listen below:

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN?

No, this isn't a sketch composite of a pedophile lurking in your neighbourhood. My friend Audrey posted this on her Facebook profile and being the inquisitive one, I decided to click on the accompanying link. This Man appears in hundreds of peoples' dreams every night around the world and he is a bearer of advice in times of hardship apparently. What does this all mean though and what are the theories behind this phenomenon?

In 2006 a "well-known psychiatrist" in New York had his patient draw a sketch of a man who kept appearing in her dreams. The drawing was conveniently lying around and another patient visiting the office claimed to have seen this man also in a dream and so on and so on... Some of the testimonials seem genuine, some more comical on the website. Regardless of whether there is any validity to these theories, it is a mild form of entertainment. Have you seen This Man?

REVIEW: TINA TURNER - TINA LIVE

Although it went completely under my radar, the release of TINA Live is a wonderful surprise. Having seen Tina Turner's final tour last December, I can say that I have witnessed her greatness firsthand and to have a copy of it documented onto something I can hold onto and relive over and again is delightful. Turner is cut from a completely different cloth from this generation of female vocalists. She sings with utter conviction and when she delivers a song about pain, it isn't about that superficial level of hurt you get when you don't get called back by that hook-up you had two weeks ago. Turner taps into a well of gut-wrenching pain that very few can express, but many can appreciate as onlookers.

What makes this release so positively amazing is that it is a combination DVD and CD. You can imagine my surprise when loading Disc One onto iTunes and scratching my head profusely in figuring why the program wouldn't recognize the disc. I then scanned the back of the collection and realized that it was actually the full TINA Live concert on DVD. It is the second disc however, which features audio highlights recorded from her show at GelreDome in Arnhem Holland last year. Turner indicates that she chose this show to record in particular because she recalled her fans being most enthusiastic here. This DVD and CD format has proven very successful in parts of Asia where it is very common for artists, but still underused generally in North America.

Disc One is mesmerizing. It is 26 tracks spanning the career of Turner. Her vocals are on-point from beginning to end despite her very challenging repertoire. She shows no signs of wear and tear nor does she show any hint of fatigue throughout the show. The concert starts off on a sultry note with Steamy Windows, then followed by Typical Male and a slightly slowed-down but still amazing delivery of the classic River Deep Mountain High. Better Be Good is sped-up for this show, but believe me, Turner can keep up without breaking a sweat. She then divides the men and women up in a battle of the sexes on What's Love Got To Do With It to see which is able to sing the chorus with the most passion. She struggles slightly on Private Dancer where she falls a little flat on the higher notes, but nonetheless she puts on a very good performance. And wait til you see the headgear and wig Turner dons in her rendition of We Don't Need Another Hero. Money can't buy the hours of entertainment one can get from that.

Later in the show, the audience is given a string of cover versions with Let's Stay Together (Al Green) reigning finest of all, while her cover of Addicted to Love (Robert Palmer) is also a rockin' good time. The biggest highlight of the show however, is her performance of The Best, one of my favourite Turner tracks. Proud Mary is the stuff of legends and she replicates the choreography we've all seen on television with her team of female dancers who look absolutely thrilled to be on stage with her. The show ends on a high note (literally, as she is propelled over the audience on a crane) with self-penned Nutbush City Limits and lastly, Be Tender With My Baby.

MY LESBIAN LOVE INTEREST

Good God, can somebody just call off the race for Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series right now? Ditto for the Emmy win as Best Supporting Actress, Comedy? We have a clear winner.... I think.

The road to her shining moment has been a long one, but Jane Lynch is definitely on fire. She was hilarious as the sex-crazed store manager in The 40 Year-Old Virgin. She was a wildly inappropriate camp counselor in Role Models and more recently, she brought out some chuckles as Julia Child's younger sister in Julie and Julia alongside Meryl Streep. Looking back further in her career though, the roles weren't always so illustrious. Lynch had many one-time/recurring roles on television shows like Married With Children, 7th Heaven, Gilmore Girls, Dawson's Creek and more. She also had minor roles in popular films like The Fugitive and Collateral Damage.

Lynch brings her A-Game as Sue Sylvester, the prejudiced and domineering cheerleading coach on Fox's Glee. She is an undeniable audience draw for the Wednesday night show, posing a serious threat to Will Schuester's (played by Broadway actor Matthew Morrison) title as Glee Club coach. It is the tension of this story line which ignites the show with fiery momentum. Her delivery is pitch-perfect. She makes being a villain look so good that I struggle to dislike her. Lynch fully embodies Sue Sylvester as that woman we all know who is remarkably and ruthlessly driven. Although she is questionable in her execution, somewhere beyond her tough exterior we want to know and understand her back story truly. That my friends, is good acting.

Watch Lynch talk about her character on a recent Fox promotional piece for Glee below:

If you still haven't caught on to this show, please do yourself a favour and watch it. I mean, the music alone is reason enough. Thanks.

MARIAH SAVES THE GAY

.... yet another reason why I love Mariah Carey. I kept hearing about this video floating around the net but completely forgot to check it out, so thanks Habeyah for the reminder!

These two Toronto gentlemen flew into Carey's Las Vegas show this past weekend and got to join her on stage, where one proposed to the other in front of the audience. Apparently one of them works for Virgin Radio here in Toronto. Carey is completely supportive of the couple and loving it up. And of course, self-absorbed as always. Love her.

Now that's what I call a well-executed proposal! Take note.

REVIEW: SHAKIRA - SHE WOLF

International pop sensation Shakira's third English studio album She Wolf is everything Madonna's Hard Candy should have been. Sorry, Madonna. This album has Shakira picking-up where massive worldwide hit Hips Don't Lie left off - a sound that is rhythmic and urban with a nod to her Latin/Arabic roots. She keeps things melodic and cohesive with zero filler on the album. Each of the 9 English tracks, and 3 Spanish translations belong on the album.

The album's electropop first single She Wolf has been well-reviewed, needing little introduction. It has already reached the Top Five in Canada and the UK; it is a fraction of a millimetre from cracking the Top Ten in America. The gems just keep coming one after the other, with a Pharrell Williams-produced three-peat led by confirmed second single Did It Again. Musically, the track sounds like something that came off Gwen Stefani's epic Love.Angel.Music. Baby album but it is Shakira's lyrical metre that gives the track that extra bit of uniqueness other artists might not possess. Long Time is reminiscent of Hips Don't Lie and I could not help but want to dance along to the bongos and throbbing bassline at first listen. Why Wait sounds like some of Williams' earlier work with Britney Spears during her I'm A Slave For U era. Men In This Town asks amusingly, where all the real men are since Matt Damon isn't for Shakira. This proves that even gorgeous women have it tough. There is only one ballad on the album and it is co-written with Beyoncé collaborator Amanda Ghost. Sitar-driven Gypsy beautifully tells us how Shakira has transcended beyond the hurt in her life and I bought it completely. One of the She Wolf's best tracks is presented late and it is an homage to Off The Wall-era Michael Jackson Wyclef Jean collaboration Spy. Mon Amour is the last of the English tracks on the album and it is a reminder to us that Shakira was indeed a bona fide rock star before she decided to try her hand at dance pop.

Listen to a full version of Did It Again (courtesy of Sony/BMG) below:

Shakira's She Wolf will be released November 17, 2009 in North America. I can say without hesitation that it is one of the best female pop albums to be released this year. I am delighted and actually would consider seeing her on tour based on the strength of this new material alone. Grade: A-

NEW MUSIC: MICHAEL JACKSON - THIS IS IT

Premiering at midnight on his official website, Michael Jackson's first posthumous release This Is It has finally surfaced after much ink on the matter. The track features backing vocals by his brothers and will be featured on the two-disc set This Is It from Epic, slated for an October 26, 2009 release. The song will be featured during the ending credits of the film of the same name, based on footage from Jackson's 02 Arena rehearsals. This Is It hits theatres October 27, 2009.

To be honest, the song isn't much. It's a mid-tempo number which doesn't sound quite complete or anywhere near as polished as the work that we have become accustomed to in Jackson's back catalogue. It certainly isn't a grand finale fit for The King of Pop. Perhaps stronger tracks will be surfacing shortly as there are rumours of albums' worth of material from Jackson who was plotting a major comeback prior to his untimely death.

To hear This Is It in full (courtesy of Sony/BMG), listen below:

PARANORMAL WEEKEND

As expected, Universal Pictures' Couples Retreat collected alimony from movie goers this weekend taking in a whopping $35 million at the box office. The comedy boasts an all-star cast including Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman (!), Jon Favreau, Kristin Davis, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell and more. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but will do so tomorrow likely. Reviews are atrocious, but honestly, what were people expecting?

Last week's top film Zombieland is still hanging strong, pulling in a healthy $15 million in second. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs continues to impress in third in it's fourth week in the Top Ten at $13 million.

The most intriguing film in the Top Ten this weekend however, was Paramount Pictures' Paranormal Activity in fifth. The film expanded into only 159 theatres and made $7.1 million dollars, which is almost unheard of. This led me to look into this film further and I learned that it is a small budget horror flick with a cast of unknowns. It has gained its buzz mostly from the internet, as little advertising has been done otherwise. Reviews are almost all positive and it looks to be this year's big sleeper hit. May be worth checking out in time for Halloween.

I'm still rooting for Whip It to make its splash, although it doesn't look like the buzz is amounting to much, placing in eighth this weekend. It made $2.8 million, still not recovering half of its $15 million production budget in its second week. Oh well... I tried.

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!

REVIEW: MICHAEL BUBLÉ - CRAZY LOVE

I wish I had all the time in the world to obsess about love all day like Michael Bublé apparently does. Like many of us, I don't and this is why I resort to escapist means of getting my fix. The Vancouver native's fourth studio album Crazy Love from Warner Music oddly was released on a Friday (October 9, 2009) and like his previous albums, we know pretty much what to expect of him. That sultry baritone, silky smooth runs and licks, cover versions, luscious David Foster arrangements and as indicated earlier - love, love, love. This album treads absolutely no new territory, but then again you probably should've gotten that memo by now with three prior albums' worth (20 million sold worldwide) of forewarning.

Crazy Love starts off on a dramatic note with Arthur Hamilton-penned classic Cry Me a River just like his 2005 album It's Time did with Feelin' Good. Bublé has a go at Georgia on My Mind made most popular by Ray Charles, but his version is very understated and doesn't necessarily take the song to a new level. The album's title track, originally by Van Morrison, is full of warmth and has a place on Adult Contemporary radio alongside previous hit Home; surely this will be a single off the album. Current single I Haven't Met You Met has already broken airplay records in the Canadian Adult Contemporary radio format, debuting in the Top Five; he co-wrote the track with Alan Chang and Amy Foster-Gilles (Foster's daughter). Not bad, but not great.

The second half of the album picks up after a few lulls earlier on. Its finest moment is saved mid-sequence with Hold On, a track showcasing Bublé not just as a crooner but also a great songwriter. Its climax is magical. A pleasant surprise on this collection was a big band interpretation of The Eagles' Heartache Tonight, dead-aimed at Bublé's primary fan base with alarming precision. Tear-inducing At This Moment by Billy Vera & The Beaters is one of my favourite ballads of all time and I was thrilled to hear its inclusion here also. Stardust showcases Bublé's wide emotional range and features beautiful vocal arrangement. The listener is sent-off with a bonus track, a Bossa duet version of Whatever It Takes with Canadian great Rox Sexsmith. Very satisfying.

Listen to the track Crazy Love (courtesy of Warner Music Canada) in full below:

Crazy Love is available in both Standard and Special Editions. The latter includes a second disc of remixes - a very wise marketing move and proof of Bublé's widespread popularity among various demographics. Grade: A-

AN OPEN LETTER TO LADY GAGA

Above are the just-leaked covers for Lady Gaga's November 24, 2009 album re-release. The Fame Monster covers are one part homage to The Munsters and one part Man Ray's portraits of Russian ballerina La Nijinska. Look below:

Can you handle the truth though? Because if I were to write Lady Gaga a personal e-mail, it would look something like this....


October 11, 2009


Re: Best Career Advice


Dear Lady Gaga,

Please stop trying so hard. It's way too much and none of us want to see you reach the point of over-saturation this early in your career. So pull back a little. Please.

The blood on the face at your MTV VMAs performance. The outfit made of decapitated Kermit The Frogs. The black mask you wore while doing an interview on German television. The metallic orbit contraption which kept getting in your way while playing the piano on Saturday Night Live. Your hair wrapped like a bow tie on your head. Your improvised non-melodies when performing your greatest song, Paparazzi live. I'm all for art, but all of this just comes off contrived. "Look at me, I'm different!".

You are so talented and you don't need the gimmicks and adage. Less can be more. Try it - just once. You'll like it. Honest.

Thanks.


xW
http://mrwillw.com

p.s. A true friend would tell you the same.

KYLIE MINOGUE: TORONTO REVIEW

Kylie Minogue in Toronto - Novembe 2009

Two words describe Kylie Minogue's Toronto Show: outstanding and overdue.  I had the pleasure of seeing Minogue's X Tour last summer at London's 02 Arena and enjoyed it immensely. Little did I know that just over a year later, I'd be seeing her again live in Toronto - her first visit to Canada since the launch of her music career in 1987. She charms with her girl-next-door innocence and has fought with warrior-like resilience in an industry which hasn't always been so kind to her. Minogue delivered a selection of her biggest hits this evening in a reduced-size Air Canada Centre, with a near sold-out crowd in attendance. The audience, a vast majority of which were gay men, were on their toes from start to finish.

The set began with Giorgio Moroder-esque Light Years, where the audience saw Minogue descending upon the stage on a giant metallic skull, like she had done on her previous tour. The skull concept keeps in line with fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier's aesthetic. He of course is responsible for overseeing the show's stunning outfits. She then went on to perform Speakerphone from her X album where she was followed closely by a tight team of Robo-dancers. The set had kicked into high gear with Minogue's '90s House-inspired rendition of Spinning Around (written by Paula Abdul), her big comeback hit in 2000. Can't Get You Out Of My Head, which she sometimes rearranges, was presented in an identical manner to how the song was originally recorded. This was just fine according to the audience's enthused reaction. Red Blooded Woman had four handsome male dancers scantily clad in red towels, hovering around Minogue who was in Goddess mode; the jealous audience ogled. A cheerleader-inspired version of Heart Beat Rock/Wow was brought out again on this tour, although Minogue opted to wear a more conservative form-fitting black bodysuit for this number whereas on her X Tour, she donned a full cheerleader outfit.

NAME THAT CELEBRITY - CANADIAN EDITION

Bell Canada annually hosts its Celebrity Gala at Metro Convention Centre in Toronto. The event has celebrities from all around the country in radio, television, film and sports come in to help raise money for Sick Kids' Hospital.

This year's star-studded line-up included Canada's favourite comedian Russell Peters, who just signed recently with the same agent that represents Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in America. Yes, he's that big a deal and you will hear of him soon if you haven't. I got to chat with Peters for a bit tonight and he's hilarious. We have a running joke of him calling me Lloyd, because he insists I remind him of that character from HBO's Entourage which I have never watched. But a few people have told me that before so he can't be that far off I suppose!

The event was headlined by UK's Natasha Bedingfield who flew in specially to perform a four-song acoustic set consisting of mega-hits These Words, Pocketful of Sunshine, Wild Horses and Unwritten which garnered her a Grammy nomination. My friend Christine and I got to hang with Bedingfield a bit before her performance and she was lovely in-person. We exchanged hugs and kisses and talked about her debut album Unwritten which I still hold in high regard. She is completing work on her third album now she says and it will be released early 2010 via SONY/BMG. She even personalized my CD with a cute note. Love her.

Here are some candid shots taken from earlier this evening of Bedingfield, Peters and me:

It was also a pleasant surprise seeing Beverly Hills, 90210 heartthrob Jason Priestley in person with his wife Naomi. He's working on a television show here in Canada now and he was very nice. Hands down, the fiercest of the ladies was City TV personality Dina Pugliese who hosts Breakfast Television. She is an absolute doll and we even exchanged e-mails. Perhaps you'll be posting these pics on your show tomorrow, Dina? She was dressed by hot local boutique, Fashion Crimes, which did a stellar job on Dina, Naomi Priestley and another highlight of the night, Ivana Santilli.

WILL & MERYL

WARNING: Ultra High Resolution Photos to follow. LOL

Tickets were sold out weeks ago for Meryl Streep's Q&A on Celebrity at Royal Ontario Museum. Being the opportunist I am, I still went ahead and tried getting a last minute ticket to the event tonight. I befriended this lovely couple, Laura and Chris, who drove 90 minutes to see her and us three die-hards waited at the front door in the off-chance tickets would become available. Chances looked slimmer and slimmer as we saw the audience begin to fill their seats in the foyer.

The event finally started at 7 PM and this Italian couple had to leave for emergency reasons and offered to sell me a ticket - at half price. The goodness in my heart couldn't bear to see them separated, so I let Chris and Laura have the tickets despite Chris insisting that I have the ticket. So there you have it, my one chance to get up close and personal with Meryl Streep at this ultra intimate affair. Dashed.

Thankfully for the zoom lens on my camera, I was able to take some positively outstanding, crystal clear shots of Meryl from 100 metres away. I kid. She looked good at least!

Oh well, one day. Hoping for good karma....

NEW MUSIC: MARIAH CAREY - I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS (REMIXES)

Although I realize this quickly is becoming a Mariah Carey tribute blog, I want to present to you a couple remixes which just got released for her latest single, a cover of Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is. After receiving word that her album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel failed to reach #1 on this week's Billboard Hot 200 Album Chart, uncharacteristic of Carey, I figured she could use all the support she can get.

These two radio edits are from UK-based producers. The first remix is most outstanding, by up-and-comer Cutmore. It is soulful house, which is where Carey sounds most at home. The second is by disco-house duo Moto Blanco who are absolutely on fire right now.

Listen to full versions of both below, courtesy of Universal Music:

Mariah Carey - I Want To Know What Love Is (Cutmore's Radio Edit Shakedown)

Mariah Carey - I Want To Know What Love Is (Moto Blanco Radio Edit)

To hear more remixes of the track, visit Arjan Writes. Arjan seems to be loving the Chew Fu mixes of the track. Mark my words - these will tear up the clubs, boys.

NEW MUSIC: ALLISON IRAHETA DEBUT SINGLE

For me, season eight of American Idol wasn't about eventual winner Kris Allen, nor was it about Adam Lambert - both talented singers, no doubt. My personal favourite was 17 year-old Californian Allison Iraheta. I knew she didn't have a chance in hell in winning with the publicity machine working against her favour, but any A&R rep doing their job could tell easily that Iraheta possessed a world of potential. Vocally, she is of the same caliber as P!nk and season one winner Kelly Clarkson, but we all know that singing is only a part of the big picture as an entertainer. Jive Records, which signed Iraheta, is pulling out all the stops in making this a successful career launch. Debut single Friday I'll Be Over U is an '80s inspired glam electro-rock production by Swedish pop god Max Martin and it will be on iTunes October 20, 2009. A very strong indication of good things to come. The still-untitled debut album hits stores December 1, 2009. With Clarkson reportedly feuding with her label over creative differences once again, the timing couldn't have worked out any better in Iraheta's favour to fill that void.

Preview the single in full below (courtesy of Sony/BMG):

*Special thanks to my sister bloggers Jennifer and Brad (well no, not that Jennifer and Brad... Angelina would not be impressed if it were) for their technical guidance in getting this media player set-up!