Here is a breif recap of the past weeks in the world of MidPoints music...
MUSIC VIDEOS:
Passion Pit - Little Secrets
Any music video with bright colors and journeys through space is a winner in my book. Way to make it happen, Passion Pit. Unfortunately, the embed feature is locked on this video, but it's definitely worth checking out. Watch the HD "Little Secrets" video on YouTube.
One Sentence Reviews:
The xx - xx
Rating: 92/100
Dark, sexy and simple, The xx's debut album is one of the most finely crafted indie-pop records of the year and it proves that minimalism can still be both stunningly complex and dramatically infectious.
High Point Tracks: "Heart Skipped A Beat", "Crystalised"
Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk
Rating: 82/100
Like most super-groups, the more you enjoy the collected of works of Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket and M. Ward, the more you will enjoy the Monsters of Folk's eclectic and satisfying debut album.
High Point Tracks: "Say Please", "Slow Down Jo"
Michael Jackson - Dangerous
Rating: 76/100
The most surprising and condemning aspect of Dangerous is the fact that it is by far his most dated sounding album, though the stand out tracks are as good as anything the King of Pop has ever released.
High Point Tracks: "Black or White", "Will You Be There"
Long, bizarre and dancey as shit "Bye Bye Bayou" is typical LCD Soundsystem in the best way possible. New album drops in March of 2010 and it can't come quickly enough.
WATCH THESE VIDEOS:
ONE SENTENCE REVIEWS:
Lil Wayne - No Ceilings
Rating: 77/100
It's been a while since Weezy has released anything really noteworthy and it looks like it could be years before we get Rebirth or Tha Carter IV, but until that day arrives No Ceilings serves as uncharacteristically sleek and focused addition to the Lil Wayne mixtape canon.
High Point Track: "I Gotta Feeling"
Michael Jackson - This Is It (Special Edition)
Rating: 95/100
Contrary to what it would seem This Is It, is NOT the live recordings from the film or the rehearsals but rather just the original recordings of the songs that appear in the film making it essentially another greatest hits collection although the new song "This Is It" and the surprisingly incredible bonus disc demos make this a must-have for serious MJ fans.
High Point Track: "This Is It"
FILM REVIEW:
Michael Jackson's This Is It
So I went and saw This Is It this past weekend and it offered an immensely fascinating look inside the final months of the legendary entertainers life. The film is entirely comprised of rehearsal footage for MJ's 50 show residency at London's O2 Arena and clearly was never meant to be an actual feature length film as much of the footage is lo-fi and incomplete. That being said, the film perfectly illustrates the eccentric genius of Michael Jackson. As I walked out of the film I came to the conclusion that he is essentially a mad scientist; as bizarre and bat-shit crazy as he is meticulous and intelligent. His approach to his music and his show was unlike anything I have ever seen. The film outs Jackson as a perfectionist (to put it lightly) but it simultaneously shows us that the results of his process are truly unparalleled in popular entertainment. In one of the most insightful and intriguing scenes, Jackson discusses his music with the show's sound director and he explains that the music must sound exactly as he wrote it. Rather than updating or reorganizing his timeless compositions, MJ wanted to his show to be a flawless replication of the original recordings; demanding that the audience hear it precisely how they have been listening to it for years (this explains why the This Is It album is the just original recordings). Had the This Is It concert series ever actually made it to the stage, it would have been everything he promised: a show that is entirely dedicated to the fans. Decades after his prime, the man still could dance and sing exactly as he was able to in the 80s and he even looked pretty much the same although I have a sneaking suspicion that he has had some work done. Overall, the film was enormously satisfying and anyone who has ever enjoyed his work would be wise to see what he was planning for his own personal finale. Unfortunately, This Is It ends essentially the same way Jackson's life did: abrupt, unexpected and sadly incomplete.
Here is a breif recap of this past weekish in the world of MidPoints music...
SCATTER POINTS #1: Mid/Late Octoberish
10/20: Black Eyed Peas & U2
This past Tuesday I was finally able to fulfill a long standing music wish. The first CD I ever remember going to purchase was U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind back in 2000 and ever since then they have been one of my favorite bands. It was a long 9-year wait to see them live, but it absolutely lived up to my expectations. They played an epic two and a half hour set, on the biggest stage ever built, and ran through just about all of their hits. It was easily one of the best shows I've ever been to.
U2 Setlist:
1. Breathe
2. Get On Your Boots
3. Magnificent
4. Mysterious Ways
5. Beautiful Day
6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
7. Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
8. No Line On The Horizon, Elevation
9. In A Little While, Unknown Caller
10. Until The End Of The World
11. The Unforgettable Fire
12. City Of Blinding Lights
13. Vertigo
14. I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
15. Sunday Bloody Sunday
16. MLK
17. Walk On
Encore 1:
18. One
19. Where The Streets Have No Name
Encore 2:
20. Ultra Violet (Light My Way)
21. With Or Without You
22. Moment of Surrender
Pics:
ONE-SENTENCE REVIEWS:
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
Rating: 68/100
Five-years after Green Day's American Idiot opus, the American punksters return with an album is only for those with a long standing loyalty to the band, and even then don't expect to hear anything you haven't heard before.
High-Point Track: "East Jesus Nowhere"
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Rating: 83/100
While it is both louder and noisier than the band's debut, Veckatimest is one of the more interesting records of the year, blending pop sensibilities and harmonies not unlike Pet Sounds era Beach Boys, with the twist of modern distortion and sonic exploration.
High Point Track: "Cheerleader"
T.I. - King
Rating: 75/100
Clearly inferior to last years Paper Trail, this is an album that hints at greatness to come and although it is often lacking strong lyrical content, it offers it's fair share of truly original and memorable tracks.
High Point Track: "You Know Who"
The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Rating 81/100
This album is f***ing strange, but stick with it and after each listen the pieces will start to come together and add up to a true album experience in the most classic sense of the format.
High Point Track: "The Ego's Last Stand"
Michael Jackson - Off The Wall
Rating 79/100
Despite a being fun, memorable and genuinely classic pop album, Off The Wall proves just how far MJ was able to take both his music and the entire pop genre in the span of four years with this album's incomparable predecessor Thriller.
High Point Track: "Burn This Disco Out"
Thanks for stopping by ScatterPoints, check back next week!
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