I Geeked On Your DC Reboot! A Rant

And begin...

This September DC Comics is "relaunching" their superhero line of comics, their goal is to pump up their readership by modernizing their characters and trimming the fat that is their convoluted histories. Come September, DC will be launching 52 (yes, 52) number 1 issues, many of which are of their current titles/characters that exist now, some are of new concepts & directions, and the rest are of titles that haven't been produced in some time.

I will be honest when I first read the letter DC sent to us retailers, I had a lot of mixed emotions. The fanboy in me was jumping up and down wanting to know more. What was being changed? What directions the books/character I love would be going? Now, the retailer in me was freaking the fuck out. 52 new series, WHAT THE FUCK!!

As of Friday, DC has revealed all 52 new series and I'm more pissed off than excited. Yes, my heart belongs to Marvel Comics (especially the X-Men) but for the last 10 years or so I've collected a healthy amount of DC Comics, I've suffered through Infinite & Final Crisis took part in Blackest Night and call the Teen Titans my second favorite team book; my love for Donna Troy has NO bounds. With that said, a few of my favorite DC series are not part of the new relaunch, I will miss you Secret Six, Gotham City Sirens, and Zatanna, I will miss you most of all. Characters like Donna Troy, Raven, and the younger generation of JSA members are now in character limbo, insert sad panda face here.

Now here's The New 52 (in order of reveal) Note: BOLD Titles represent new series that are currently not being produced. I've added blurbs to the titles I'm most interested in.
Note: Cover art has been attached for certain titles at the end of the list.

52) Justice League by Geoff Johns & Jim Lee
I love Geoff Johns when he's writing a team book, his run of Teen Titans and Justice Society are amazing, and the Justice League is DC premiere team and really only succeeds when the Big 3 (Superman, Batman, & Wonder Woman) are among their ranks. The current incarnation has the archetypes that make up a great team but pale in comparisons. So, with this creative team at the helm Justice League should return to the top of DC's sells. Problem through is Jim Lee is notorius for lateness and not finishing projects (do you remember All Star Batman & Robin?) The question I ask as a retailer is how long will Lee be on the book and when he leaves how many people will remain with the series??

51) Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello & Cliff Chiang
Oh, Diana how you need a great creative team to bring you back into the light, fingers crossed Azzarello is the right man for her.

50) Aquaman by Geoff Johns & Ivan Reis

49) The Flash by Francis Manapul &Brian Buccellato

48) Fury of Firestorm by Ethan Van Sciver, Gail Simone & Yildiray Cinar

47) Savage Hawkman by Tony Daniel & Philip Tan

46) Green Arrow by JT Krul & Dan Jurgens

45) Justice League International by Dan Jurgens & Aaron Lopresti
You had me at the lineup which includes Booster Gold, Fire, Ice, Guy Gardner, Vixen and Batman. I'm okay with multiple team titles, the JLA has a healthy roster similar to Marvel's Avengers & X-Men, and I love my DC D-listers I'm glad they have found a home. Now if only Donna Troy was amongst their ranks...

44) Mister Terrific by Eric Wallace & Roger Robinson
Of all the JSA characters, Mister Terrific is not one of my favorites. Honestly, I'm not sure how long this title will last.

43) Captain Atom by JT Krul & Freddie Williams

42) DC Universe Presents by Various

41) Green Lantern by Geoff Johns & Doug Mahnke/Christian Alamy

40) Green Lantern Corps by Peter J. Tomasi & Fernando Pasarin/Scott Hanna

39) Green Lantern: New Guardians by Tony Bedard & Tyler Kirkham & Batt

38) Red Lanterns by Peter Milligan & Ed Benes
I could see this as a 4 to 6 issue mini, not an ongoing series.

37) Swamp Thing by Scott Snyder & Yannick Paquette

36) Justice League Dark by Peter Milligan & Mikel Janin
Since I won't be able to read Zatanna's solo adventures anymore, her membership into the Supernatural JL should keep me happy, fingers crossed Milligan doesn't fuck it up.

35) Animal Man by Jeff Lemire & Travel Foreman/Dan Green

34) Demon Knights by Paul Cornell & Diogenes Neves/Oclair Albert

33) Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE by Jeff Lemire & Alberto Ponticelli

32) Resurrection Man by Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning & Fernando Dagnino

31) I, Vampire by Josh Fialkov & Andrea Sorrentino
I like Vampires so I will be checking this out, but not expecting the title to run long.

30) Voodoo by Ron Marz & Sami Basri

29) Batman by Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo

28) Detective Comics by Tony Daniel

27) Batman & Robin by Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason

26) Batman Dark Knight by David Finch w/Jay Fabok

25) Batgirl by Gail Simone & Adrian Syaf/Vicente Cifuentes
I fucking love Barbara Gordon! When I used to watch the reruns of the 60's Batman show as a kid, I seriously wouldn't watch the episode if Batgirl wasn't in it, well unless the villain was Catwoman.
Barbara lost the use of her legs after being shoot by the Joker and created a new identity for herself as the computer mastermind Oracle. This new relaunch has Barbara regaining the use of her legs and donning the cowl once more. Here's where things start getting all conflicted with me, as much as I want to see Barbara in her Batgirl outfit, I love what DC has done with Oracle. Gail Simone is an amazing writer and loves Barbara has much as I do, so here's hoping this series is amazing.

24) Batwoman by J.H. Williams & Haden Blackman/Amy Reeder
Finally, after months of delays, Batwoman number 1 is hitting the shelves.

23) Catwoman by Judd Winick & Guillem March

22) Birds of Prey by Duane Swierczynski & Jesus Saiz
This is NOT the Birds I know and love, I'll be reading issue one but am sad that Oracle, Black Canary, Huntress, and Lady Blackhawk aren't gonna be the cast.

21) Nightwing by Kyle Higgins & Eddy Barrows

20) Red Hood & the Outlaws by Scott Lobdell & Kenneth Rocafort

19) Batwing by Judd Winick & Ben Oliver

18) Legion Lost by Fabian Nicieza & Pete Woods

17) Legion of Superheroes by Paul Levitz & Francis Portela

16) Teen Titans by Scott Lobdell & Brett Booth/Norm Rapmund
After years of bad writers and artists, the Teen Titans finally found themselves in the hands of a writer (JT Krul) that got them and a lineup that felt like the Titans. But, alas JT will not be behind the relaunch. I was a huge Lobdell fan when he was writing for the X-Men, so I have hope that the book will be good, and Brett Booth knows how to draw hot guys; so there's a plus. Even through Red Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, and Superboy are among the cast, main strays like Raven and Beast Boy are gone, even the newest addition to the Titans, Solstice, didn't make the cut. The Teen Titans is my book, and it's now wait and see. And the new costumes have grown on me.

15) Static Shock by John Rozum & Scott McDaniel & Jonathan Glapion

14) Hawk & Dove by Sterling Gates & Rob Liefeld

13) Stomwatch by Paul Cornell & Miguel Sepulveda

12) Blackhawks by Mike Costa & Ken Lashley

11) Sgt Rock & the Men of War by Ivan Brandon & Tom Derenick

10) All-Star Western by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti & Moritat

09) Deathstroke by Kyle Jiggins & Joe Bennett/Art Thibert

08) Grifter by Nathan Edmondson & CAFU/BIT

07) OMAC by Dan Dido & Keith Giffen & Scott Koblish

06) Suicide Squad by Adam Glass & Marco Rudy
What have you done to my Harley Quinn?? Instead of the Secret Six, I get this? Boo to you DC, boo to you!

05) Blue Beetle by Tony Bedard & Ig Guara/Ruy Jose

04) Superman by George Perez & Jesus Merino

03) Supergirl by Michael Green & Mike Johnson & Mahmud Asrar

02) Superboy by Scott Lobdell & RB Silva/Rob Lean

01) Action Comics by Grant Morrison & Rags Morales
The big reveal with the release of Morrison's Action Comics is that Superman was the first Superhero in the new DCU, what exactly this means will have to wait till the issue hits stores.

There you go 52 new number 1's, now the next question is just how many issues 12 will we be seeing come August 2012? (I stole this from somewhere, just can't remember where).

END

I Geeked on Your X-Men First Class Review!

Thank Xavier for midnight screenings! As a long time X-whore I have been anticipating the release of First Class for months, I needed my X-movie fix. And all I can say is that this film delivered the goods. Will I call it the best of the series, Hells yes I will! The bad taste that was Wolverine Origins has been washed away (love you Hugh, but that movie was shit, just keeping it real).

Now, this film is labeled as a reboot/revision of the X universe, I personally took this film as a stand alone starting point clearing out the history we were given by the original trilogy. With that said, as a starting point for new X lore the foundation that Matthew Vaughn and crew created is rich and complex.

The film follows the "Bromance" (God, I love that word) between James McAvoy's Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender's Erik Lehnsherr. Both men are at two different points in their lives and are forced together based on a combination of their genetic makeup and Sebastian Shaw (played perfectly by Kevin Bacon). Since this is the 1960's mutants are "in the closet" and are not publicly known. With the help of the CIA's Moria MacTaggert (Rose Byrne) and the Man in Black (Oliver Platt) Xavier & Erik gather the first group of potential X-Men to halt Shaw's plans of coordinating a Nuclear War between the US and Russia.

Death, betrayal, love triangles, and acceptance (by the general public and ones self) all play a role in shaping these characters into what will become the first versions of the X-Men and the Brotherhood. The final 40 minutes or so are among the best moments of the film. Stand out performance goes to Michael Fassbender, his Magneto was brilliant, complex, and true to the source material. For me, the weak link was January Jone's Emma Frost. Yes, she looked the part, but her delivery wasn't there, truthfully she needed to be a bigger bitch.

The films comes in at around 2 hours and 11 minutes and I loved every second of it, the setup for more stories set in the 1960's is there, but I do hope that the rumors of the next "First Class" film being set in the 1970's is true; just to have a Disco dancing Dazzler on screen would be pure nerd joy.

Overall, this X-Men film had what I need, a compelling story, mutant on mutant fight scenes, character development (Mystique's arc is heartfelt and one of the films highlight's), uniforms that resembled the comic versions, and a cast that was fun to watch.

Lastly, there is no bonus scene after the credits but the films does have a few special cameo's that made my fan boy heart go a flutter. Now, go see this movie!

~Harry Envy

I Geeked On Your X: X-Men First Class Character Teasers (Now updated w/Mystique)

Hello Everyone and welcome to yet another division of the ever changing Haus of Envy. Now, let me x-plain what my title "I Geeked On Your X" comes from. Back in the early 1990's when I first discovered comics the only comics I picked were the X-Men and their related family of titles and if I was ever forced to stop collecting comics (I don't want to live in that world) but could afford just a few comics those few would be my precious X-Men. But this section will not just be devoted to the X-Men but to all things that fall under the Comic Book umbrella.

Yesterday, MTV.com released character teaser trailers to the upcoming feature X-Men First Class which featured Havok, Beast, and Banshee. This X fan is now more excited for this, June 3rd can you hurry up and get here, thank you.

Updated with the new Mystique Character Teaser...

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Idol Envy: Top 9 - Rock & Roll

Sorry I've been MIA as of late. A wedding down in Redlands, bonding with the niece and nephews, Wondercon (comic convention in the city, which I worked) and just plain being tired have kept me from focusing on the blog. But what a results show!

This week the Top 9 honored the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame and these guys and gals brought there A game.

Here's the breakdown of Songs from last night

Casey Abrams - Have You Ever Seen the Rain
It was nice to see a more controlled Casey, this toned down version of himself is what will keep him in the competition, but the next time he goes a little aggro on stage America will not be calling in.

Hayley Reinhart - Piece of My Heart
I like Hayley and want to see her stick around, she gave a great performance, it wasn't perfect but she is fun. When she hits her mid range she sounds stellar, love the growls.

Jacob Lusk - Man in the Mirror
Jacob has a great voice and really is a Diva trapped in a man's body. He gave a great performance but was a little overshadowed by having Siedah Garrett (who co-wrote the song) as his "duet" partner, did this help or harm him??

James Durbin - While My Guitar Gentle Weeps
This is James's "Mad World" moment, we get to see his softer side. When the song began I wasn't sure if I was gonna love it, but by that end note there was no doubt. I loved the performance and I think this will be the first Idol download of the season for me.

Lauren Aliana - (You Make Me Feel Like a ) Natural Woman
Lauren, maybe this wasn't the best choice for this week. Lauren has been compared to one Miss Kelly Clarkson all season and for those of us that watched that first season, we remember Kelly's performance and how much she rocked that song. There really should be a rule that says if a past winner sang it, off limits because comparisons will be a coming. With that said, I thought she did a good job, but will be calling like a mo fo to keep her around because I do like this girl.

Paul McDonald - Folsom City Blues
I don't know what to think of Paul. I like that his has this unique voice and out there personality, but when I'm shopping for music will I be adding his to my cart?? Thinking back on last night's performance, Paul did a great good, being in the Bottom 3 really does scare the shit out of you. I still don't think this was the right song for him, there are plenty other Johnny Cash songs out there that I feel would have worked better for him.

Pia Toscano - River Deep Mountain High
Well, after 2 weeks of being asked to give us an uptempo number Pia delivered with the Ike & Tina Turner classic, "River Deep, Mountain High" I freaking love this song (as well as the Glee version), but wasn't feeling Pia. Yes, she sounded great and hit those notes but I wanted just a little bit more from this performance, Tina had this energy when she was on stage that Pia doesn't have yet.

Scotty McCreedy - That's Alright
I'm bored with Scotty, each week it's the same performance for me. He has yet to wow me, Middle America & the South must love this kid, but he still isn't getting one of my votes.

Stefano Langone - When a Man Loves a Woman
Why are you still here?? Of all the guys, Stefano is the weakest. Remember last week's result song group numbers, when he performed with James, Paul, and Casey? When he's singing with another person who's voice is better you can definately hear that his isn't quite up to par, hence why America didn't vote him into the Top 12.

On a side note, the website votefortheworst.com has chosen Paul McDonald as their Idol poster boy, I personally think Stefano is way worst but that's just me. Past vote for the worst Idol hopefulls include Sanjaya and last season's cutie Tim Urban.

My votes went to James, Lauren, and Hayley

My guesses for the bottom were Stefano, Scotty, and possibly Lauren and boy was I WRONG!

Results Show quick recap!

Ryan brings 3 contestants up at a time, revealing that one is in the Bottom 3

Group 1: Stefano, Lauren, and Casey - my guess is that Stefano is not safe this week and I'm right.

Group 2: Paul, Scotty, and Pia - my guess would be either Scotty or Paul; Ryan reveals Pia is in the bottom for the first time.

Group 3: James, Jacob, and Hayley - My guess would be either Hayley or possibly Jacob and it is Jacob.

The Bottom 3 stand as Stefano, Pia, and Jacob. My hope is that Stefano finally says goodbye, but I'm shocked as the rest of America when Ryan reveals it's the end of the road for Pia. I honestly thought she was gonna be the Last Girl Standing and making it as far as the Final 3. Pia was asked to perform a swan song and she chose "I'll Stand by You" and gave one of the best Swan Songs in the competition. I bet the judges are kicking themselves for saving Casey 2 weeks ago.

Till next time, Envy Out!

Idol Envy: S10 Top 12 - Song List & Results Show

The night started on a serious note, in light of recent events in Japan all proceeds from Itunes downloads of last night's Idol performances will be going to the American Red Cross, so you should go download at least one song from last night to help the cause.

Now onto the show, last night's theme was Songs the contestants birth year, with the oldest contestants this year being 26!

Naima Adedapo started the night off with the Tina Turner classic "What's Love got to do with it" from the year 1984! I like that Naima is taking risks by doing these big songs, but I don't think this is where she's most comfortably. She was pitchy throughout the performance, and I was worried when she started because it was terrible; she so much better than what she's been giving us. Girlfriend is in trouble this week because being inconstant sends you home.

Also from 1984 comes Paul McDonald with the Elton John hit, "I guess that's why they call it the blues". Now Paul was under the weather and he did struggle a little bit with some of the notes, but overall he did a stellar job. He has amazing stage presence and I can easily see him as a front man for some band.

Thia Megia took me back to my freshmen year of high school (1995) with her rendition of Vanessa Williams "Colors of the Wind" from Disney's Pocahontas. What Thia had going for her with this performance was that it was beautifully staged; she gave a steady/solid performance but it was safe and boring. I'm waiting for her to show us more than just the ballads. I know you have a beautiful voice, let's see some personality, sing outside the box. Thia will last another week, so hopefully we'll get to see a different side to her.

James Durbin, born in 1989, gave us some Bon Jovi with "I'll be there for you". Now, I know the boy has been compared to Adam Lambert and tonight that's who he was channelling (naughty thought just popped in my mind... hee hee hee) okay back to business, overall I was not in love with this performance, but his killer high note was awesome and the fact that Steven Tyler said he'd sing with James if he made it to the final is reason enough to vote in through another week. and Steven said it best, James is a rich vein of inner crazy.

Okay, Hayley Reinhart brought the first of the two Whitney Houston songs that were featured last night. When I had Whitney and 1990 my mind went straight to The Bodyguard and I Will Always Love You and I was like please don't try and tempted that. Lucky for me, she didn't and went with "I'm your baby tonight", which is one of my favorite songs by Miss Houston. And honestly, Hayley was all over the place, very pitchy and sounded off, and poor girl was having lipstick malfunctions to boot. The best part of the performance was the bridge and her end notes, but I don't think that will be enough to save her from tonight's bottom three.

Oh, Stefano Langone, I don't want to like you, I don't know why you bug me, you just do. But damn it, was that not a fracking amazing performance?? Stefano killed Simply Red's 1989 it "If you don't know me". That was the best performance of the night and guaranteed him through to next weeks show.

Pia Toscano also had a great performance with the other Whitney Houston classic, 1988's "Where do broken hearts go?" But honestly, thinking back, it's this performance I can't remember. Pia has a great voice but isn't quite as memorable as some of the other contestants, she'll last but not sure how long.

And then there's Scotty McCreery, who of course did country proud with his version of Travis Triat's 1993 song, "Can I trust my heart?" Of all the guys I think Scotty has the best tone,but if you close your eyes and just listen Scotty's voice sounds like every other male country artist out there, so I'm torn with this guy. I do want to see him tackle other genres and countrify them, especially Disco.

Karen Rodriquez, doing her better J-Lo impression, sang Taylor Dayne's 1989 hit "Love will lead us back" I'm sorry, Karen, but love ain't leading you anywhere but the bottom 3. The girl is trying... way to hard to be J-Lo, I get it she's her Idol, but enough I want to see more Karen. Aside from the weak performance, the outfit was awful and did not work with her song choice, if she was singing Disco, she had the outfit. Even through this performance was a slight and I mean slight better performance than last week, girlfriend is in trouble.

Casey, Casey, Casey, took balls taking on Nirvana's first hit 1991's "Smells like teen spirit". Was it a risk that paid off? Not quite sure, the combination of the stage lighting (which was a cool yellowish color), Casey's intense facial expressions and the fact he has a red beard made it kind of a creepy performance. I wonder if you play that performance backwards what would happen??

Lauren Alaina went to Melissa Etheridge's classic "I'm the only one" as you birth year song (1994). I love that she brought a country feel to the song and Lauren was twenty times better than she was last week. I loved it and she made a fan out of me.

We end the night with Jacob Lusk and Heart's "Alone" (1987). This is a big song and Jacob has the voice to do it proud but something was off. The arrangement was off to me and Jacob struggled to keep the pace, even the high note didn't work. I don't know what Randy was listening/watching because I felt Jacob missed the mark with this one.

My guesses for the Bottom 3: Karen, Hayley, & Naima

My votes went to James and Lauren.

AND THE RESULTS.....
So, I missed the actually show and in my search to find a video, which I couldn't find because no one's posted anything yet, I found out who got the boot.

My guesses for the bottom 3 were on the money this week and of the 3 Karen was my choice to say goodbye and she was! No judge's save tonight (thank you judges). So here's to next week...

~ENVY OUT

Idol Envy: Top 13 Results Show

After sleeping on last night's performances and trolling the interwebs and reading what others had to say about the show, I've decided to name the following three as tonight's potential Bottom 3: Karen Rodriguez, Lauren Alaina, and Paul McDonald (I think he's safe and won't be in the bottom 2). Am I right? Let's watch and see....

8:02 pm So, we learn the Judge's Save is back this year, and if they use it tonight will be a shocker. Musical guests are Dirty Diddy Money and Adam Lambert

Now on to a video rubbing it in to all those cut last week. The tour of their Beverly Hills Mansion sponsored by Ford (that pool table was sweet though).

Oh look the first Idol group performance of the season. A tribute to Michael Jackson, and here's the interesting things I noticed with this performance
- For Scotty having such a deep voice, why could I not hear him??
- Karen sounds ten times better, but is still in trouble from last night.
- Stefano please go home, that was bad I'm switching him for Paul.
- Naima & James were awesome

8:13pm And now the Ford Focus commercial were the kids get to practice their lip syncing skills

8:15pm Hello Amanda Seyfried, you go push your movie

8:16pm More push to have us see the Twilight inspired Red Riding Hood, which I will probably end up seeing.

8:18pm okay down to business for the week.
Ryan calls Jacob, Karen, and Stefano to the center of the stage. If only one is in the bottom, Karen's performance was probably the worst of the three so my guess is Karen, but I hope it's Stefano.

8:21pm As I thought Karen is revealed to be one of tonight's bottom 3

8:22pm Adam Lambert after a word from our sponsors

8:26pm And we are back. Welcome back Adam. Aftermath is one of the few songs I enjoyed from his album (overall wasn't totally in love with it). But I did love this performance.

8:30pm I love it when Ryan flirts with Adam

8:35pm Can we get this show rolling?? Okay, Lauren, Ashton, and Hayley are called. Of the three, Lauren probably had the weakest performance going first is not always a good thing especially on a 2 hour show. I am liking the fact she's admitting she made a mistake and thank you Ryan for not dragging it out (Lauren is safe). So, I hope Ashton is in the bottom because I did like Hayley more.

8:40pm Ashton & Hayley are in the bottom, and everyone else is safe. I feel cheated now that was too fast. Stupid two musical guest cutting in on my nervous Idol time. Anyway, last night I had guessed Karen and Ashton were in trouble and I was right. But of my choices for tonight's bottom three I was 1 for 3.

8:45pm Diddy Dirty Money performance, this I could have done without.

8:55pm Okay who's going home... Not Karen (I thought it was gonna be her)... Not Hayley so it's Ashton!!

8:56pm Ashton is given another chance and has decided to sing Diana Ross again and it sounds worse tonight for some reason. This is your time to shine, this performance was so dim. If the judges use the save tonight they are stupid, it's way to soon in the competition and besides America did not vote her through last week for a reason.

8:57pm Song is done and onto the Judge's

8:58pm The judge's final answer is... Not to use the save

8:59pm Here is Ashton's final montage and David Cook's rendition of the classic Simple Minds hit "Don't You Forget About Me"

IDOL ENVY IS BACK!!!

That's right kids, I'm back. And just in time for this week's Top 13 performance. Now, I did watch last week's results show and got a chance to listen to the "wild cards" sing and honestly the only one that caught my attention was Naima. So with a fresh ear, I'll be giving you all my thoughts on the lucky 13.

This week's theme was to sing a song by the contestants personal Idol, let's see how they did.

Lauren Alaina
Idol: Shaina Twain & Song: Any Man of Mine
Not the best way to start the show, it was kinda karaokeish. I think You're Still the One would have been a better song to sing since that song would have showcased her tone. If Lauren does stick around she will need to take it to the next level, a pretty voice only gets you so far in this competition.

Casey Abrams
Idol: Joe Crocker & Song: A Little Help From My Friends
I'm not a fan of the beard, but I can overlook that since you gave a damn fine performance. Casey is a natural on the stage and has great charm/charisma. A very solid performance, Lauren dear, I'd be worried.

Ashton Jones
Idol: Diana Ross & Song: When You Tell Me You Love Me
I'm gonna be honest, Ashton did not wow me last week with her version of And I'm Telling You and tonight was the same. She's trying to hard to give us Diva, honey just sing. Yes she has great stage presence, a lovely voice and can hit a Power Note when she needs to, but her lower registry is just so/so. There is a good chance she'll stick around but not quite sure just how long.

Paul McDonald
Idol: Ryan Adams & Song: Come Pick Me Up
Okay Paul, I'm not a fan of Ryan Adams and I'm pretty sure most of Middle America has no clue has who he is too, so I'm gonna be worried about this week.
The pros: very nice and unique voice; looked great; he's different
The cons: boring performance

Pia Toscano
Idol: Celine Dion & Song: All By Myself
You know there are certain songs and singers you get tired of hearing butchered of shows that this and Celine is probably number 1 on that list. I will say Pia sang it well but to me there was nothing new brought to the song. Again, Power Notes were her friends and she will most likely return next week.

James Durbin
Idol: Paul McCarthy & Song: Maybe I'm Amazed
I believe I found my Idol crush for the season, what a freaking cutie!
And he can SING!! A boy after my own heart. This was a solid performance and yes, he is this season's Adam Lambert (which isn't a bad thing). James is very diverse and am looking forward to what he'll do next. Oh, and I totally loved when he smiled and winked at the camera, swoooooon!

Hayley Reinhart
Idol: LeAnne Rimes & Song: Blue
I mentioned earlier about Power Notes and how some of these ladies rely heavy on them, while Hayley here doesn't need to. This girl can sing and I was loving the roughness/scruffiness in her throat. Great tone.
Randy said he thought the song was sleepy, my response, take a nap!

Jacob Lusk
Idol: R. Kelly & Song: I Believe I Can Fly
Here's another one of those Idol song that seem to pop up every year at some point in the competition, but Jacob did try to make it his own. He started off a little shakey but found his footing. Man, this boy has a crazy range and can give Ashton and Pia a run for their money in the Power Note department. Best day in church ever!

Thia Megia
Idol: Michael Jackson & Song: Smile
What Thia has going for her is an amazing tone that is beautifully showcased when she goes Acapella. She has a lot of potential and will do well. But I do believe the pressures of this show is going to take a toll on her sooner rather than later. You saw last week when she was getting her results how shaken up she was and again tonight in her post performance interview her nerves were showing. Being 15 and on a competition like this is never a good combination.

Stefano Langone
Idol: Stevie Wonder & Song: Lately
Again, I wasn't blown away with his "wild card" performance from last week and didn't think he should have been given a spot. So, with that said I think he'll make it through because he did an okay job with the song and was hitting those Power Notes. I do think the dance beat was out of place and I was not surprised when Jennifer praised his performance.

Karen Rodriguez
Idol: Selena & Song: I Could Fall In Love
Chicana Pride! When I heard she was doing Selena I kinda wanted her to sing Bidi Bidi Bom Bom; maybe she won't have struggled so much. There were a lot of problems with the performance and honestly was not feeling it at all, she's gonna be in trouble.

Scotty McCreety
Idol: Garth Brooks & Song: The River
His voice kinda freaks me out, damn that is DEEP! His voice aside, Scotty gave a very solid performance. He is country all the way and I am not the demographic that will be calling in for me.

Naima Adedapo
Idol: Rihanna & Song: Umbrella
Okay, I'm super surprised that Rihanna is her Idol. That aside, the song was pitchy. but I so enjoyed it. Loved the dance moves, loved the Jamaican rap in the middle, and I loved the energy that she was giving us. It ended the show nicely. Whether she makes it through will be up to you America!

Okay kids, final thoughts are that the Guys brought their A game tonight. Like every season song choice is always key, why can't they remember that??

I can see the following in danger to go home tomorrow: Paul, Stefano, Ashton, Lauren A, and Karen.

My precious votes went to James and Naima!

ENVY OUT!

Ear Candy: Favorite Albums of 2010 part 2

And now the rest...


#10: GLEE!
Come on, did you honestly think I'd skip the goodness of Glee?? Not only did the show release 3 full length albums last year, (Glee the Music vol. 3 & 4 and The Christmas Album) we were also treated to 3 EP's for the episode's The Power of Madonna, The Journey to Regionals, and The Rocky Horror Glee Show. Now, if you love the show these soundtracks are a must, but like the show, not everyone will enjoy you blasting these songs over the loud speaker on repeat. Now some of my favorite songs to sing along too didn't make it on these soundtracks, but can be easily downloaded via Itunes/Amazon. Chris Colfer's version of Le Jazz Hot will not disappoint.


#09. Rihanna: Loud
Rihanna's Loud brings her back to the Pop world with a bang, as much as I enjoyed her last release, Rated R, it's nice to see/hear a softer Rihanna. Don't get me wrong, the girl still has some edge and can be a bit naughty, as seen in the track S & M, which starts the album. Besides having some pop gems like Only Girl in the World and What's My Name, we're treated to a reggae infused Man Down and a more Rihanna centric version of Emenim's Love the Way You Lie, which brings this release to its close.


#08. Blood Red Shoes: Fire Like This
This listing is dedicated to my gal pal, Tamara. If it wasn't for her, I would not have discovered the Blood Red Shoes or got the chance to see them perform this past October. Fire like This is the duo's (Laura Mary Carter & Steven Ansell's - he's such a cutie, oh how I heart me English boys) sophomore release and is the perfect mix of modern and classic rock. Both band mates do their fare share of vocals, as heard on these Ear Candy worthy tracks: Heartsink, When We Wake, Don't Ask, Light It Up, and One More Empty Chair.


#07. Simon Curtis: 8Bit Heart
I did a little post on Simon Curtis a while back when his self-produced album 8Bit heart was originally released. I loved it then and am still loving it now. Major props to Mr. Curtis, not only does he have an amazing voice with a killer range, he's uber talented and is a force to be reckoned with. 8Bit Heart is a perfect pop album filled with beats that will get your ass moving. Personal favorites: Delusional, Beat Drop, Super Psycho Love, and the title track 8Bit Heart. I can't wait to see what the future holds for this guy.


#06. Zac Poor: Let's Just Call It Heartbreak
Not only is Zac Poor very easy on the eyes (can you say swoon?), but on the ears as well. I fell in love with his voice when I first heard She'll Be Hearting Hearts, which is an amazing good pop song, but he also can makes me melt, especially while listening to Silver Screens. Let's Just Call it Heartbreak is a 7 track EP which perfectly showcases his voice/range. If you're able to track this disc down, it's a must to own (I purchased mine through Itunes, but it has mysteriously disappears from their databases???) My other faves from the disc are I Don't Wanna Be Alone Tonight and Meet Me By the Stairs. Like Simon Curtis, Zac Poor has a very very bright future ahead.

IT'S THE TOP 5, BITCHES!!!!


#05. Scissor Sisters: Night Work
Thank you Scissor Sisters for returning to your Disco Pop roots! Night Work is pure gooey pop fun, filled with tons of fucking rhinestones! This is one of those albums that just gets better with each new listen, I discover new favorites every time. Jake Shears is a force of energy that will not be tamed. Key tracks for your listening pleasure: Invisible Light, Skin Tight, Fire With Fire, Sex & Violence, and Whole New Way.


#04. Goldfrapp: Head First
Allison Goldfrapp, I love you! Head First is a nostalgic trip back to the era of leg warmers, head bands, neon colors, and blue eye shadow called the 80's; filled with synthpop beats that give you those feel good feeling only the songs on 1984 can give you. It's like listening to a soundtrack from a cheesy teen comedy where the only saving grace was the music. Do you feel me? Head First is filled with wonderful gems including Rocket, Dreaming, Believer, Alive, and it's title track, Head First.


#03. Janelle Monae: The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monae is a breath of fresh air, I say this because I feel every song on the radio of late sounds identical, with the same auto tuned voice singing to the same backing beat. So it was nice to actually hear an artists voice and Janelle Monae has a beautiful one, which she uses to bring you into the futuristic world of Cybergals and star cross lovers she's created for The Chase Suite (the overall concept for this album and her previous EP Metropolis). I miss concept albums. The ArchAndroid showcases just how talented Janelle Monae is, tracks that are worth a listen; Wondaland, Mushrooms & Roses, Tightrope, Locked Inside, Cold War, and Sir Greendown.


#02. The Limousines: Get Sharp
Get Sharp is a wild ride (get it, cause they are called The Limousines... oh forget it), taking the listener on an emotional journey. From start to finish this album does not disappoint. The album could be broken into two halves (Side A and B), with Side A on the "lighter side"; yes, I do see the irony in this with a song like Dancing at her funeral as track 2. But take a track like Very Busy People, here we find a perfect example of what I'm talking about, the entire song is about getting together and enjoying the friends you have and the new people you will meet along the way. And Side B is a little darker and harder, as you can hear on songs like Get Sharp, Fine Art, and my personal favorite Swrdswllngwhr (wishing well). These later tracks channel the New-Wave, Electro-Pop goodness my goth heart craves. So, whatever your mood calls for Get Sharp is the perfect disc to ease you through the day.

and my favorite album of 2010 goes to...
MARINA & THE DIAMONDS: THE FAMILY JEWELS


It's no surprise that Marina and the Diamonds got the number 1 spot, since discovering her I've listened to this album countless times and have forced many people to listen along with me. Marina and the Diamonds' debut album The Family Jewels is an amazing piece of pop music. I loved it after the first listen and still love it with now with my (infinity number) listen. Marina has an amazing voice, it's beautiful and mesmerizing as displayed on these jewels; Mowgli's Road, I Am Not a Robot, Oh No!, Hollywood, and Rootless (this track is only available on the deluxe version). If you are lucky enough to see her perform live, you will not be disappointed. Marina is an amazing live performer.

Until next time, Envy Out!

Ear Candy: Favorite Albums of 2010 part 1

Now that we're two weeks into the new year, I find this to be the perfect time to start my list of the albums I overplayed, warn out, and annoyed everyone I know with. Now without further ado here is The Haus of Envy's favorite albums of 2010 part 1 #20-#11.



#20. TIE: The Vampire Diaries Soundtrack & Twilight Saga: Eclipse Soundtrack
Vampires were big this year (really when aren't they big?) and these two soundtracks found there way into my collection, damn them for having some amazing songs.
Personal favorite: (VD) Goldfrapp's We Radiate
Personal favorite: (TSE) Florence & the Machine's Heavy In Our Arms (this song by the way was my absolute favorite song of 2010).


#19. Karen Elson: The Ghost Who Walks
This was one of those albums that I picked up, enjoyed, but never really came back to. The title track is haunting and beautiful and worth taking a listen too.



#18. V.V. Brown: Travelling Like the Light
British Pop/Soul singers have become the rage the past few years and V.V. Brown is one to watch out for. Travelling like the light is a fun ride, check out the following ear candy delights: Back in Time, Game Over, and Shark in the Water. I'd also recommend tracking down her amazing cover of The Smith's classic This Charming Man.


#17. Nicki Minaj: Pink Friday
Anyone who knows me, knows that Hip-Hop/Rap is not a genre I frequent in, so I was pleasantly surprise to find myself picking up Pink Friday. Honestly, I didn't think I was gonna like it at all, but by the second go around I found myself enjoying Ms. Minaj, she's quite the character. Her voice is beautiful and hard, my favorite tracks include Save Me, Your Love, Fly, Check it Out, and Blazin'.


#16. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Soundtrack
If you loved the movie, the soundtrack was a must have, an awesome collection of new and old. Plus, I got my first listen to the band Blood Red Shoes with their amazing rock track It's Getting Boring by the Sea and Metric's version of The Clash at Demonhead's song, Black Sheep, is an must have download too.


#15. Neon Trees: Habits
I love me bands with a heavy new-wave influence and the Neon Trees definitely channel the 80's bands I love. This 8 track EP is filled with some great gems, that you will easily find yourself humming along too. Ear Candy goodness includes, Animal, Boys & Girls in School, In the Next Room, 1983, and Calling My Name (the later was a free download if the disc was purchased through Hot Topic)


#14. Robyn: Body Talk
Robyn, had quite the year. She released 3, yes 3, albums throughout the year, all of which are amazing pop albums. Her latest release Body Talk brings together the best tracks from her previous two albums (Body Talk pt. 1 & 2) with 5 brand new tracks. Your body will be moving along to the beat. Tracks that will get you moving: Dancing on my Own, Hang with Me, U Should Know Better, and Indestructible*.
*An acoustic version is on Body Talk pt. 2, I highly recommend giving it a listen.


#13. Kylie Minogue: Aphrodite
Kylie and Pop music are two tastes that were made for each other, and Aphrodite is truly an amazing piece of pop music. From the opening tracks of All the Lovers and Get Out of My Way, through Illusion (the standout track and I'm not just saying that because it so happens to be my favorite) to the finale of Can't Beat This Feeling, Kylie takes you an a Pop ride that will bring a smile to your face.


#12. Dragonette: Mixin' to Thrill
Dragonette is one of those bands you come across and think why haven't I been listened to them? They are amazing! This past summer saw the release of Mixin' to Thrill, a remix album of the band's 2009 release Fixin' to Thrill, which once discovered was on an endless loop on my Ipod, that's how good it is. But, I digress, along with a ton of new remixes, Dragonette also included 3 new tracks (Volcano, Our Summer, and My Things) to Mixin' to Thrill and they are filled with all the electro pop goodness a kid could ask for. Two Thumbs way UP!


#11. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson: Original Cast Album
Musical theatre is one of my passions, I just can't get enough of it. So, a musical about our 7th president, Andrew Jackson (he's on the $20, people) wasn't exactly high on my list, but once I did a little research and discovered it was set to modern rock music ala Spring Awakening I was intrigued. So, how happy was I to be given this cast album as a gift this year?? Very! Now, the albums running time is around 30 minutes or so, but it's so damn good, you want to hear it again. If/when this show starts touring I'll be line buying up seats and you should be too.

Check back later for #10-#1
~ Envy Out