NEW ALBUM: Justin Bieber - Believe

First of all, let me just say, it took me TWO years to get to this point, nevertheless here I am. I am giving Justin Bieber a second chance. For all of you who have been following and reading my reviews for the past two years, you know how much I’ve taken every opportunity to degrade this underserving boy. And for that, I will personally apologise to Justin (if you’re reading this): I AM VERY, VERY SORRY. You didn’t deserve it; I was bias and immature.

With that done, let’s move forward and let me tell you why I got to this point. You know when you listen to a song enough times it either becomes the ‘Best Song Ever’ or ‘Worst Song Ever’ – well As Long As You Love Me was one of those songs. At first I was disappointed that it wasn’t a Backstreet Boys cover, but after a few times, I actually enjoyed listening to it. After seeing Justin preforming it LIVE on Australia’s Got Talent I was convinced that I had to give Bieber’s music another chance. And I’m glad I did! So much so, I even ‘YOLO-ed’ and bought the DELUXE version of the album.

I’ll do the ‘overall’ section here because I think it’s better that you know what I think of the album as whole before I break it down song-by-song. First of all it’s an eclectic album ranging from Pop, R’n’B, Hip Hop, Dance and Techno. In a world where nothing fits into one particular genre, it’s not too surprising. One thing that many have already noticed is Bieber’s maturity from his first single ‘Baby’ (2010). Believe is a massive step up from My World in the sense that he wrote 11 of the 16 songs on the deluxe version and co-writing 2 other songs on the album. Adding his own flair to his music, the majority of his album is written so that it can dance to, showing that Justin and his producers weren’t just thinking about what it would sound like, but also what the album would look like on stage. Believe has shown Bieber to be following the footsteps of his mentor, Usher along with Usher’s idol, the late Michael Jackson. It’s reminiscent of Jackson’s classics and Usher’s 2004 album, Confessions. Featuring big names such as: Ludacris, Big Sean, Drake and Nicki Minaj, it shows the scope that Bieber’s derived from and made his own.

Let’s break this down…

Believe by Justin Bieber

All Around the World ft. Ludacris

The first song on this album is a definitely a summer-party club anthem. It’s one of those songs that you pump through your speakers when you want to get the party started and set the mood for everyone to have a good time. That feel comes from the techno beats that encompass the entire song. Lucacris’ rap supports the lyrics of the song about loving that one person who’s beyond compare. It’s a nice reunion since Baby.

Boyfriend

This first single from the album got tweens all over the world saying, “Oh I wish!!!” Who wouldn’t want a boy with ‘swag’ wooing them with the thought of being their boyfriend? (Especially, if it’s Justin Bieber!) The verses are seductively said-sung and the chorus oozes with Bieber’s iconic falsetto. Since the lyrics are so simple it’s catchy and leaves you singing along no matter where it’s played. I particularly like the, “Na, na, na” ending.

As Long As You Love Me ft. Big Sean

As I’ve said – THIS IS MY FAVOURITE SONG on the album. It’s Bieber’s current single and it’s got this beautiful arrangement where the silences and the fullness of its musicality holds the song in the balance of both completion and moments of anticipation. I’m not sold on the rap that breaks through the song; I don’t particularly like the lyrics and I think it takes away from the song rather than adds to it. Nevertheless, this song is still my favourite song.

Catching Feelings

Fourth song in and we get a break from the techno beats and settle for an acoustic serenade. It’s light on the ear as Bieber sings about slowly falling in love. It’s not ‘cutesy-ootsy’, it’s actually pretty mature lyric wise as it covers the persona’s caution in knowing the danger of losing the girl altogether as a lover and a friend. The lighthearted combination of percussion and acoustics mirrors the wooing nature of the lyrics and the idea of swooning.

Take You

Bringing together the techno beats for a bit of a dance and the beauty in the laid-back dimension that the acoustic guitar has, this song has a Spanish feel to it. It’s like the tango and the samba all in one. It’s a real dance between the two different sounds and it’s strongly supported by the lyrics and falsettos. Justin doesn’t even sound like Justin in this song!

Right Here ft. Drake

Reminiscent of Usher’s tunes, you almost forget that this is Bieber’s album! Drake complements Justin so well in this song that it’s more of a duet than a ‘feature’. It’s a song that you can slow dance to as it talks about making promises to be each other’s one and only. Soothing and simple, it’s one that anyone can sing to and really enjoy.

Fall

A song that’s full of ‘anothers’. It’s another acoustic song; only this time the acoustic guitar is only accompanied by the bass and snare drum, along with the occasional cymbal – leaving room for the vocals to control the song. It’s another love song about falling in love with your bestfriend, except this time the girl’s been scared by previous relationships and the boy is trying to convince her that he’s different. And it’s another song that I really like. It’s simple and the lyrics are amazing.

Die In Your Arms

Resonant of the Jackson 5’s, “ABC” (only a little slower), this song carries a soul vibe that keeps you tapping your feet. It’s an easy-listening song that takes you into that summer feeling. The choir in the background lifts the dynamics of the song a bit more as they support the cheekiness of this song. It’s about loving someone so much that it hurts bad enough to dying in their arms would be heaven. It’s a cute song that has a 50s feeling to it.

Thought Of You

This song is about the whole idea of ‘love at first sight’ and the power of imagination and thought. The persona is in love with the thought of the girl that he’s perceived. It’s got a fast paced nature to the accompaniment that paints the picture of being in a dream and running with the imagination before it disappears and reality kicks in. It’s literally a song about infatuation where you can almost see Justin chasing a girl and doing a metaphorical and literal dance of the heart.

Beauty And A Beat ft. Nicky Minaj

Another dance anthem that has very strong influences from Minaj’s own sound. But what I love about this song is that Justin makes it his own and it really defines the whole artist and featuring artist boundary – i.e. defining the line that says, “This your part in my song.” Minaj’s rap stays true to her cheeky personality and compliments the lyrics of the song about life being complete with that one person and a dance.

One Love

This song is another one of those songs of only having (as the title suggests) one love. It’s another catchy song that’s simple and demands you to sing it out loud and dance to. Coincidently it’s another one of my favourite songs on the album. (How many is that now?!)

Be Alright

Through away the decks and the drums; and stripped it down to an acoustic guitar. That’s exactly what this song does. Talking about being away from home and letting the people you love that you miss them and you’re doing just fine, this song gives a glimpse of tour life for Justin. You can almost see him alone in his hotel room playing his guitar and composing this song to keep him grounded when he’s away from home.

Believe

A ‘thank you’ song to primarily his mum (and now also to his fans), this song talks about the one person who’s been there from the beginning. It’s about the voice that’s kept him going and encouraging him to dream big and leave out that dream. The choir is brought back and it gives it this uplifting dimension as you listen to Bieber’s simple thanks. It’s so humbling to listen to and to think that everyone has a person or persons who do believe in them no matter how big or small their dream is. And yes, it’s another favourite of mine.

Out Of Town Girl

This song has a bit of attitude to it from the first beat. It’s definitely written to be danced to as a pair on the stage. As the title suggests, it’s literally about falling for a foreigner. So the lyrics talk about getting to know as much as you can about the girl. Not my favourite song, but I can hear the appeal to the possibilities of what choreographers can put on a stage.

She Don’t Like The Lights

Another song I don’t really like, but then again it’s another one with potential to look better than it sounds. The added layer of camera snaps really brings the lyrics and title of the song to life, but otherwise they’re really annoying – which is probably the point. It’s another dance anthem, but not one that you’d pump anywhere. The layers are really for performance rather than clubs or parties.

Maria

Written from a real life experience (as the media snippets at the beginning of the song state), this final song talks about a lie that spun Bieber’s world into havoc. Written about a fan who claimed that Justin was the father of her baby, this song simply says, “Why? Like, seriously, why?” Not just ‘why’ to Maria, but also ‘why’ to the press. Why on earth would you believe this girl? It’s got a ‘Billy Jean’ feel throughout it and was first thing that I thought of when I heard the chorus. Again, this is another one of my favourite songs.

sL Star Rating: 4 Stars

Next on sL: TBA

BAND AND ALBUM REVIEW: Broadway Mile - Now You Know

Broadway Mile

“Broadway Mile is a Newcastle-born, 90’s inspired pop-rock trio. The boys have supported the likes of You Am I, Bluejuice, Gypsy & The Cat and Sparkadia in the last year.” (http://www.facebook.com/broadwaymile)

I first heard of Broadway Mile a few weeks ago when Brendan (their drummer) added me as a friend on Facebook. He linked me to their Facebook page and let me know that their next EP was coming out really soon; he also linked me to their merch site to purchase their current EP. I liked what I heard and promised to review the new EP once it comes out, but for now, I thought, “Why not purchase Now You Know and spread the word?”

So here we go:

Now You Know

It’s a rocky break-up song that is worthy of being belted out and head-banged to. The guitar riffs are excellent and really give a great boost in the dynamics of the song. Tim, their lead vocalist, has a strong voice that resonates with Creed’s Scott Stapp. His got this deep raspy-ness to the way that he sings that beautifully stirs the song perfectly into the rock genre. Musically, the dynamics complement the lyrics, vocals and the overall mood of the song. This song was definitely written for a live setting.

For A Better Deal

Singing about leaving the life he’s lead for, as the title states, ‘a better deal’, this song is another rock song that’s worthy of being played live. It has Queen’s, ‘We Are the Champions” feel with its chants and chorus-like introduction. This one’s a lot more up beat as it pulls back on the accompaniment to let the vocals and the drums shine. The guitar solo in this song is amazing – totally worthy of being on Guitar Hero, so kudos Jutty!

‘Til The End

I have to say this is my favourite song on the album. It’s a change of pace to the first two songs in that, it crosses over to the country genre. It’s a perfect song to put right in the middle of the EP to change things up a bit. The acoustic guitar dominates in this song along with what I think is a keyboard (correct me if I’m wrong when you purchase your copies). There’s a clapping rhythm throughout the song that gives it this livelier hoe-down-like feel.  The lyrics resonate with Taylor Swift’s, “Change” or “Long Live” with the whole idea of camaraderie and joyfulness of being there for each other.

Walk On By

The electric guitar reappears, along with the lyrics about pining over or having your heart broken by the girl of your dreams. I love the vocal dynamics between the lead and the backing vocals. You can definitely hear Jutty a lot more in this track than the previous tracks, which is great, because he compliments Tim really well. The musical gymnastics between the drum/guitar solos and full band impact is amazing. Another one you can bang your head to and belt out.

Break My Fall

This last song is a love song. It’s a lot softer than the previous songs, which is fitting as a final song. It sounds like something you’d hear on a movie soundtrack. In saying that it’s a lot softer, it doesn’t lose its rock essence. You still get amazing guitar riffs and the drums are still as strong as they have been throughout the entire EP. I’d have to say this is another favourite track on the EP.

This EP is available on iTunes as well as: http://www.broadwaymile.bigcartel.com/ - if you purchase it on their site and mention my name on the “Message to the Seller”, you’ll receive an extra track via e-mail. So go to their website, purchase the EP and say, “Anvie sent me” and get your free track!

sL Star Rating: 4 Stars

Next on sL: Believe - Justin Bieber

FILM: The Amazing Spiderman

Family secrecy, abandonment, adolescent angst,self-discovery – it’s the journey of any ‘normal’ superhero right? Peter Parker(Andrew Garfield) knew there was something strange about the way his parentsleft him with his Aunt and Uncle that stormy night, but you can’t blame a kidfor continually trying to figure out, why, right? Why all the secrecy? Why allthe coded language? Why all the precaution? Why did they leave and never comeback? So many questions, so limited places to search for answers – even Google has its limits.

One chance encounter with someone who could have the answerturns into a science experiment from hell! And Peter still doesn’t have theanswers he needs. I suppose it doesn’t help when Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) iseverywhere you…swing.

The Story

Ok, let’s face it, you can’t really change too much for asuperhero franchise that’s had threeprior box-office success, but you make do with what you have. So first thingthat’s got to go (for now) is Miss Mary-Jane and introduce Spiderman’s first love, Gwen Stacy. By comparison,Gwen is a smart and ambitious laboratory intern at Oscorp and also so happens to be in almost all of Peter’s classes.Unlike Mary-Jane, Gwen is a lot bolder and is not much of a damsel in distress– I guess it works when your dad is the Captain of the NYPD. Superheroes alwayshave pool of nemeses that film writers can pick up and write in, so I suppose The Lizard a.k.a. Dr Curt Connors (RhysIfans) is another no brainer for someone that Spiderman has to encounter.

One thing I did like in this reboot of the Spiderman franchise is the twist ofhaving Spiderman as a vigilante by the police force rather than the tabloidslike the previous films have done. As viewers you begin to question whether ornot Spiderman is or isn’t the hero that he claims to be andknow him to be.

I have to say there isn’t anything too ‘new’ that this filmdoes story wise, but it was entertaining to see how they’ve made it differentenough to be enjoyed by a new generation.

The Graphics andCinematography

This area of the film disappointed me, but not to the extentthat I hated it. There were just times I got really dizzy with some of thefocuses in the panning shots at the beginning. It usually happened when thecamera was following a character and slow motion was added to the shot. Thefocus at times was unclear and your eyes drifted between the surroundings andthe back of the character’s head trying to find what the director wants you tosee.

Seeing the trailer, I was already disappointed with thegraphics. I thought they looked like they were pulled out of the video game(which is possible) and placed into the film with dubbing. But I have to say,once I saw them in context, they weren’t too bad. I thought some of thewebbing-through-the-city sequences were a little messy, but they were alright in the scheme of it all.

I have to talk about the web generation. I don’t actuallyknow if the web came from Peter or from Oscorp.He steals the device that shoots out the web, but I’m not sure if the samedevice also provides the source. There’s a scene towards the end where Connorsdestroys the device so Peter cant produce his web, so I’m a little confusedabout why ‘Spider’-man doesn’t genetically produce his own web…

The Cast

Andrew Garfield –“Awkward by nature”, as he describes himself, Garfield brings another quirkyand lovable aspect to the man behind the mask. Toby McGuire brought a strongwilled and shy Peter Parker, but Garfield brings a socially awkward and ingeniousPeter Parker. He redefines Peter and Spiderman as both humorous and dangerous,rather than just the overall hero at the end of the day.

Emma Stone – Comicrelief as always in the films she’s in, but she’s also very good at thedramatic end of the spectrum. She has such a strong screen presence thatbalances the awkwardness that Garfield relays to the audiences. Though she’snot your Megan-Fox-like action female lead, like I said, she’s more of aside-kick rather than a damsel in distress.

Rhys Ifans – Myjaw dropped when I recognised Anonymousstar Rhys Ifans on my screen! I was so excited because he was brilliant in Anonymous and let me tell you, he was nodifferent in this film. He was the perfect balance villain and torturedscientist. Unlike Norman Osborn, Curt Connors just wants to make the world abetter place, but similarly his tortured by the opposing voices in his mind.Ifans was brilliant in playing with the viewer’s emotions – he wasn’tcompletely bad, but he also wasn’t completely good either.

Overall

Overall, there’s nothing too new besides the cast, a twistin the characters and the reason behind why Peter Parker was orphaned.Everything else is pretty familiar, but different enough to enjoy. So go seeit!

sL Star Rating: 4Stars

Next on sL: "Now You Know" EP by Newcastle band, Broadway Mile.

INTERVIEW: Laura Jumps for Eyes Alight

Early last year we met five lovely ladies (McFlyDares) to were travelling around beloved UK band, McFly, on their Above the Noise Tour to raise money for BIRT's Eyes Alight appeal. This year, I want to add another amazing lady to the generous list of people volunteering for a great cause. I want to introduce you guys to Miss Laura Abbott.

In April this year Laura decided to face her fears and 'jump for Eyes Alight'. That's right, she decided to jump out of a plane and soar through the sky to raise money for this humble charity.

So let's get to know Laura:

What drew you to Eyes Alight?

As a McFly fan, I saw Harry talking about the charity and so I decided to find out more information about BIRT. I discovered what an amazing charity it is and that Eyes Alight makes people's wishes come true. As it was a small charity, I decided I wanted to help out as much as I could. I work as a support worker for disabled adults, so I know how much these sorts of charities can help them.

What was the process of elimination like when you were deciding what to do to raise money?

I always knew I wanted to skydive, so there wasn’t really a process of elimination!

What was the mental prep like? I mean, were there times where to found yourself trying talking yourself out of the jump or were you just so excited that you wanted 'Jump Day' to come ASAP?

I was very nervous about doing the jump as I have a phobia of heights, but I didn’t want to do anything easy for charity – so the skydive was perfect! I had to wait almost a year after booking it because I wanted plenty of time to fundraise money. The wait made me even more nervous! Also, if the weather was bad on the day of the skydive there was a good chance that that I wouldn’t be able to jump. So I didn’t want to get too excited just incase it got delayed, but thankfully weather was perfect on the day!

This jump was about facing your fears, how did you feel when you were about to jump?

Even though I’m petrified of heights, I felt strangely calm on the day. Even when I climbed in the plane I felt very calm - my parents who came with me to watch were my nervous than me!

When you were travelling through the air, what was going through your mind?

I actually couldn’t believe I had done it! It felt so surreal travelling through the air and I felt really emotional because I had conquered my fear and raised so much money for an amazing charity!

If you could do it all over again, would you?

For a while after the jump I was so sure I would never want to do a skydive again, but now I kind of want to do another one!

Leading up to the jump and afterwards, you had an auction going for a signed Saint Kid t-shirt, how much did you raise for that auction?

I raised £460 from the auction! (That's $704.82 AUD!)

What next? Are you planning to do another fear-factor-like experience to raise money for this amazing cause?

I would love to do something else for Eyes Alight. I just don’t know how I can beat skydiving – but I’m open to suggestions!

Now that you've conquered one fear, what would you like to say to people who have their own fears in life?

Never ever let them hold you back. By facing my fear not only did I help raise money for charity, but I also gave myself a much needed confidence boost.

Who would you like to thank most of all for making this experience worth 'the jump'?

There isn’t one particular person; I want to thank everyone who donated and everyone who sent me messages of support. I also want to thank Izzy who set up Eyes Alight and for sending me a lovely thank you message after I did the jump. And of course, I want to thank my skydiving instructor for keeping me alive and not laughing at me when I screamed like a girl whilst flying through the air! ;)

CLICK to DONATE to BIRT

CLICK to DONATE to EYES ALIGHT

Next on sL: The Amazing Spiderman

FILM: Snow White and the Huntsman

Once upon a time in a land far away…

Yeah, ok, we all know the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, so there’s no real point in me repeating a beloved fairytale to a generation who knows it so well. But the big difference with this modern adaptation is the focus on the Huntsman, and the whole idea of why the evil Queen wants Snow White’s heart. Dipping into the roots of the darker side of the fairytale realm and moving away from the light-hearted Disney sing-along, this Grim-brother-like portrayal provides a new twist for a generation that is calling for adventure and independence.

The Story

As a whole, the film stayed true to the idea of a self-obsessed evil Queen who wants the reassurance that she is indeed “the fairest of them all” - that is, until a young girl named Snow White comes along smashes that image altogether. I don’t recall the Disney version having the Queen as Snow White’s stepmother (kind of like a Cinderella reference), but in any case, in this film (along with the ABC Studios television series, Once Upon A Time) she becomes her step mum.

Now we’re all familiar with, “and the Seven Dwarves,” but this 21^st century adaptation re-titles the fairytale to, “and the Huntsman.” I personally have no complaints considering Mr Huntsman is none other than Aussie star, Chris Hemsworth, but one does have to wonder why that is the case. Nevertheless, the dwarves don’t loose their importance in this film, which is a great relief because we love those guys! They provided the comic relief in this film and still play a major role in the progression of the plot.

Changing the title also changes the focus in terms of protagonist and roles. Suddenly Prince Charming (a.k.a. “William” – Sam Claflin) is casted to the shadows and the Huntsman is the saviour of the day. This ruffles a few feathers in  regards to staying true to the fairytale. But hey! This story IS still about the belle of the ball – Snow White. She’s feistier in this film than the written story would have it - practically says goodbye to the whole idea of being stuck in a glass coffin waiting for true love's kiss. Instead, she leads the kingdom into war and defeats the Queen.

If you’re annoyed that I’ve seemingly spoiled the film, can I just say, you weren’t missing out on much if you’ve never heard a fairytale in your life. At least when you sit in this film it’s actually worth reading the original tale.

The Cast

Charlize Theron – Amazing performance from Miss Theron. She was the coldest evil Queen I had ever seen on screen. She was both beautiful and deadly, conveying a sense of understanding and hate in terms of emphatically viewing this film. You were both repelled by her and yet you were also drawn to her because of her mysteriousness.

Chris Hemsworth – Stepping away from the British accent from his role in Thor, Hemsworth takes on a Scottish accent for this role. He was both humorous and endearing in this role. Rugged and handsome to the core, his portrayal of a tortured widower brought to life an excellent contrast to Theron’s iciness and a delicate balance to Stewart’s courageousness and confidence.

Kirsten Stewart – For those you who have been reading my reviews, you know I’m not a big fan of Miss Stewart, but I have to say I did not mind her in this film. She faltered with her British accent at times, but nevertheless, her non-verbal performance did work in her favour as she played a beloved princess. And when she did speak, it was worth listening to be cause she delivered her lines with power and excellent conviction. Kudos Kirsten!

Overall

The film as a whole is worth seeing. It’s not at all love-dovey; actually there are more combat and gory scenes than heart-fluttering moments. I will say the graphics in this movie are fantastic, but there aren’t too many to talk about in full. I recommend it for all ages - but if you’re going to take your children I need you to know that this isn’t your typical fairytale. Like I said, it’s a lot darker than the animated version or even its competition, Mirror Mirror (starring Julia Roberts).

sL Star Rating: 4 Stars

Next on sL: The Amazing Spiderman or an interview with a great girl for a great cause!

PS. IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK!!!