Owner: poptopia! URL:http://poptopia.wordpress.com Join Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:13:10 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Poptopia is the place for the latest in Music, Movies, Comics, Video Games and whatever is happening in the pop culture nation. This blog is live from Montreal. Site statistics:Click here
Under the Covers 2007-08-09 15:39:24
The young woman pictured above is Jonna Lee hailing from Stockholm. She’s relatively unknown (well to me anyways) and this is the first song I ever heard from her. Needless to say I’m more than impressed. She covers The Postal Service’s The District Sleeps Alone Tonight in a quieter, more subtle and moving fashion. Her voice is perfect for the song and the emotion that the lyrics invoke. Do you remember Robyn from back on the radio in the 90’s? Well just cause she isn’t a mainstrem success anymore doesn’t mean she’s not making good music. 2005’s Be Mine was one of my favorite tracks that year and here she takes a new spin on Kelly Clarkson’s equally infectious Since U Been Gone. And lastly is a little AFI just cause whenever I hear this song it tugs on my heart strings. For real. They do The Misfits right with their cover of Last Caress my absolute favorite song from them. To you it might be twisted but to me I hear a love song. We Read more:Covers
The Rant: Spider-Man Movies 2007-08-14 19:02:57
I can recall the first time I saw the trailer for Spider
-Man in 2001. I was more than excited following the success of the X-Men movies. So I went in to see it opening day and I left disappointed. The Green Goblin looked like an idiot, there was too much crying and Kirsten Dunst is the worst actress ever but at least the suit was spiffy. That whole Aunt May praying scene is beyond laughable. I was hoping for more and maybe that’s why I ended up feeling disappointed. My expectations might have been too high.
Then came 2004’s sequel and again, after the trailer I was looking forward to it. Then I saw it. And again disappointment. The villain wasn’t really a villain, Kirsten Dunst still fucking sucked and all the whining and crying was way too much for me. There were cool moments like the Doc Ock scene in the hospital and the Goblin appearance but too few and far between.
The nail in the coffin was this years third installment. I really should have learned my lesson fro
Under the Covers 2007-08-14 15:22:40
Tristan Prettyman has an unfortunate last name. It makes her sound sort of conceited but if she is she definitely has reason to be. She’s pretty and pretty talented and now that she’s dumped that douchebag she can move forward making better music. Anyways she does a respectable cover of The Cure’s Just Like Heaven, a song that has been slightly tarnished by Reese Witherspoon. The OC brought us many things and one of them is this Oasis cover by Matt Pond PA. The Pennsylvanian natives do the song justice but I still have no bloody idea what the title means. Last but not least is a classic done perfectly. Jim James and My Morning Jacket may actually trump the original singer/songwriter Elton John on this cover of Rocket Man, one of my all time favorite songs. James’s voice is perfect for the song and it almost makes you forget that this is a cover song.
Tristan Prettyman - Just Like Heaven (Cure Cover)
Matt Pond PA - Champagne Supernova (Oasis Cover)
My Morning Ja Read more:Covers
BB 8 Update (MASSIVE spoilers): Dustin wants Dick (haha) 2007-08-13 19:22:57
Alright if you watched Big Brother last week you saw fireworks…nay C4 explosions. Dustin
and anti-semitic Amber flipped the script on Dick and Daniele sending Kail packing. Sunday showed the Jameka/Dick Holy War but the best is coming this week. Jessica wins HOH and puts the father/daughter up for elimination. But here comes the best part: Dick wins POV and he uses it on Daniele. And Jess puts up Dustin. Dick “knows” he’s leaving so he’s been explaining to everyone that he went nuts on them because he wanted to direct heat away from Dani and onto him. So let’s do a vote count. To keep Dustin: Amber and Jameka. To keep Dick: Daniele, Zach and Jen (if they keep their word). Eric will vote the way America wants
him to. And most likely it’ll be for Dick to stay. Is Dustin or Dick done? Intriguing next few days to say the least. What do you watchers think?
Read more:Update
Dying to Listen 2007-08-13 15:08:18
Besides having one of the best album covers of 2006, Sweedens The Sounds had one of the best releases of that year. Tony the Beat is an amazingly, danceable track and it immediately lead me to search for more. It was also the 43rd best song of 2006 in Rolling Stone’s annual best of list. Lead singer Maja Ivarsson oozes with charisma and was named one of Blender’s “hottest women of rock” and who am I to disagree? To demonstrate just how hard working this band is, last year they played over 200 shows (including the main stage at Warped) all in support for Dying
to say This to You. The version of Tony the Beat below is the video version of the song as opposed to the album version. The slight difference is at the start of the song. I’m eagerly waiting a new album, or single at least, but after all the hard work they put forth in 06 I’ll understand if they need a break. They deserve one.
The Sounds - Tony the Beat
The Sounds - Night After Night (Alternat Read more:Listen
In pop! We Trust (August 7th - August 12th) 2007-08-12 20:09:58
At the Movies
Kind of a slow week this week as summer is winding down. There’s only one big release this week and there’s no chance in hell that I’m recommending you see Rush Hour 3. Instead I’m going to go for a smaller release entitled Rocket Science. If it’s playing near you. It’s directed by Jeffrey Blitz who did that wonderful documentary Spellbound. The story revolves around Hal Hefner, a high school student with a stuttering problem that joins the debate team after being recruited by a girl named Ginny. It’s a coming of age story for a nervous teenager (weren’t we all one at some time?) except that this teen has a speech impediment making it that much harder. Check it out if it’s open around you or just watch the trailer.
On the Tele
I’ll admit it. I’m completely intrigued and interested in the world of modeling and high fashion (if the Canadian models in the right column didn’t already give me away). I gu Read more:August
Gone, But Not Forgotten: Boomtown 2007-08-12 07:40:54
Damn you. It seems like all the best shows get canceled way before they should. NBC’s 2002-2003 critically acclaimed show is one of my all time favorites. The shows premise was one crime seen from the viewpoints of everyone involved. The investigators, the paramedics, the media, criminals, etc. all had a piece of the large puzzle. It was a refreshing and unique style of telling a story and I immediately was drawn to it. The acting was superb especially from Donnie Wahlberg (a detective), Neal McDonough (the district attorney) and Nina Garbais (a reporter) and the stories ranged from bum fights gone extreme to an outstanding story of an actor who’s hit rock bottom. The show was perfect from it’s dazzling opening credits and theme music right to it’s sometime shocking conclusion but could just never find an audience. And when season 2 came around, the producers abandoned the unique style and went more conventional as well as changing the cast up (exit Garbais, en Read more:Forgotten
Sister Act 2007-08-17 12:03:48
The Pierces are a sister duo hailing from Birmingham, Alabama that I have only recently come across. I heard their first single Bored and was a little shocked to find out they were labeled as “folk”. As it turns out their previous two releases, 2000’s The Pierces and 2005’s Light of the Moon are different from this years Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge which is a departure from their lighter sounds. I’ve heard a bit from their previous album and I have to admit I enjoy their new sound better. It’s easy to get lost in a mix of great, female folk singers so their evolution as a band helps set them apart. The lyrics to Boring are definitely of a more mature fare, but the song itself isn’t strong enough to be a lead single in my opinion. I enjoy the sound but the hook doesn’t really hook me in. But Lights On clicks in every way for me. Again the lyrics are more Guyville Liz Phair and less Sarah McLachlan and it works. If you’re loo
BB 8 Update (potential spoilers): Dustin Gets Dicked 2007-08-17 07:16:23
It’s hard not to laugh at this. Last night Dustin
got evicted on CBS’s Big Brother 8 and his reaction was priceless. After all the lies and scheming the karma finally came back to sideswipe him. Eric finally adjusted his game to what America wants and he and Jessica joined with the Donatos (Dick and Daniele) to form one hell of a powerful alliance. Legion of Doom perhaps? It comes as a surprise to me that it took this long for Eric to make this move. he knew that America hated his herd. It’s finally time to start playing to win and stop with keeping people you want. Keep people you need. To make the night even better, Dani beat out a shaken up (surprise!) Amber to be the new HOH. She even got a letter from booted out fellow showmancee Nick. So the plan is set. Eric, Jessica, Dick and Dani in the final four. Can this alliance last? Let’s hope so because they can cause serious damage in the house.
Read more:Update
Guilty Pleasure: Paramore 2007-08-15 15:22:31
Goddammit. These are always the hardest to write. Anyways, i admit it: I kinda sorta dig Paramore
and their non threatening array of pop punk. The Franklin, Tennessee natives first made a splash in 2005 with All we Know is Falling. I first caught wind of them while reading a certain super biased magazine and decided to look them up. Their music ended up growing on me for the entire year (what can I say, their damn catchy) and I actually went out of my way to download the entire Riot! album before its release. Lead singer Hayley Williams is chock full of charisma and has a pretty sweet voice that hopefully won’t deteriorate with age and stress. Much like the R&B groups of the 90’s, fans of the band will more then likely remember her then anyone else. Even the female contingent, which I assume is most of their fan base. I’m just wondering when she’s going to figure out that she doesn’t need the group dynamic and she can so this by herself. Because let&r Read more:Guilty
Review: Justice League of America # 0-12 2007-08-15 14:42:15
Today JusticeLeague
of America
#12 came out and with its release ended Brad Meltzer’s run on the book. When I first heard he and artist Ed Benes were relaunching the book after the God awful Infinite Crisis I was excited mostly due to Meltzer’s previous DC work, Identity Crisis. Issue 0 was mostly about situations from the past and potential situations of the future for the League and seeing what could happen made me impatient for this run to begin.
Issues 1-6 were entitled The Tornado’s Path, as Red Tornado successfully became human but it turns out it was all a set up by Solomon Grundy and his cohorts. The story had it’s fair share of action, but the big three (Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman) spent a lot of time deciding on members (most of which never even join). The highlight for me was the joining of Roy “Red Arrow” Harper as one of the Titans had to graduate. Reading Meltzler’s Archer’s Quest you just knew he had a soft spot fo Read more:Justice League
Review: In our Bedroom After the War by Stars 2007-08-19 19:59:06
This might come off as hugely biased because of my deep love for this band. They’re from my home city, they draw influence from some of my favorite bands and I’ve been into them for years now. I can remember dating this girl that was totally into hardcore and I made her listen to Your Ex-Lover is Dead and she hated it. Then it was “cool to be indie” and all of a sudden the cunt “loves” Stars. Well if you’re reading this: Fuck you. You’re fake.
So what was the point of that rant? Don’t like this band because it’s the “in” thing. I covet them. This is why I was a little apprehensive in my excitement for the follow up to Set Yourself on Fire. They couldn’t possibly get better, could they? Fuck yes they can. And did. The intro, entitled The Beginning After the End is the first intro that garnered repeat listens since the intro on Brand New’s Deja Entendu. The next two songs are The Night Starts Here and Ta Read more:Bedroom
In pop! We Trust (August 12th - August 19th) 2007-08-19 14:53:13
At the Movies
I’ve known about Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen’s comic genius for some time now. I was one of the only human beings to watch Freaks & Geeks when it originally aired. The duo is on a roll lately and their latest effort Superbad has hit and it should satisfy the juvenile in all of us. The loving story of two kids that want some before they split for college has it’s fair share of gut splitting laughs and also sweet ass moments. I have noticed a pattern in Apatow/Rogen films though. The middle parts always seem bogged down. I don’t know why that is. Anyways, the huge hit in the film (some will say McLovin) is George Michael himself Michael Cera. This kid is the future of comedy and he does it in the most subtle of ways. We’re going to be hearing a lot from him.
On the Tele
I admit that I don’t watch MTV’s The Hills but it does peak my interest sometimes. I did however happen to catch the third season premiere of it and I&rs Read more:August
Review: Inland Empire 2007-08-19 14:21:00
There are usually two schools of thought when it comes to director David Lynch. There’s the attitude that he’s out of his fucking mind and everything he does has no purpose. And then there’s the other side which believes Lynch to be a genius. Count me in as one of the latter.
Available since last Tuesday (or Wednesday depending on where you live) is Lynch’s latest effort, InlandEmpire
and I can see where the argument for the former comes from. I think that some people watch a film like this and hate Lynch because he makes you feel dumb. But the beauty in a film like this is the mystery of the meaning. I can’t really say what Empire is about but I’ll echo Lynch: “It’s about a woman in trouble”. Oh if it were only that simple.
Laura Dern hits it out of the park with her beyond stellar performance. Lynch seems to able to get the best out of his principals like Naomi Watts in Mullholand Drive. And speaking of Drive, Empire works as a Read more:Inland Empire
Recommend Site To A Friend
