We hear Heidi Montag is cooking her first Thanksgiving dinner for Spencer Pratt, Ashley Tisdale plans to chow down, and Audrina Patridge plans to keep her cravings under control this Thanksgiving Day. Check out PopSugar Rush to find out what some of the other stars are up to and what they're thankful for!
There were plenty of well-dressed gentlemen attracting attention on the red carpet last night at the American Music Awards in LA. Kris Allen, Jay-Z and Pete Wentz were all decked out, while Keith Urban had Nicole Kidman to keep him company on the red carpet — click through to see all the guys!
There's been a little dust-up on the Internet surrounding the new Weezer album cover (pictured above), as some bloggers assumed it was a joke because it looks . . . a bit weird. The band's publicist had to make an awkward statement to the contrary, saying, "Yes, that's absolutely the cover. It's what they chose. They looked at a bunch of mockups, and that's the one they decided to go with. It's not a joke."
I'm glad people actually care about this and that album art is not dead in the mp3 age. When done well, it adds to the overall effect of an album. When done poorly? Well, then it's either totally hilarious or just plain awful. Of course, this made me think of some of my favorite ludicrously bad album covers. Seriously, check out that Dolly Parton album art: Dolly's head is bubbling up from a pool as Dolly herself looks on.
And Blake. Poor Blake. What the heck was he thinking? Idolator once nominated his visually assaulting cover the worst of the year. As for Paula Abdul, I didn't remember her Spellbound art right away, but I took a wild stab in the dark that she'd have a ridiculous cover out there somewhere. Bingo!
Which album covers make you laugh — or, worse, make you stay away from the music?
Ever since I was pleasantly surprised by the first two tracks off American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis' debut album, I've been curious to check out the full album to see if it lives up to the insane energy of "Break Anotha." The album, Audio Day Dream, hits stores today, but if you can't wait to buy it — or just want to take a listen before committing to a purchase — the full album is streaming right now on AOL.
So far, the album is definitely meeting — if not exceeding — my expectations, despite its atrocious cover art (seriously, Blake, what were you thinking?). Like the two tracks that leaked early, especially "Know My Name," the album is a bit of a mess, with tons of loops and beats and tempos and musical styles packed into each track. But being boring would have been a much greater sin; the album shows the eclectic side of Blake that managed to peek out around the edges of his Idol performances. The verses of "Gots to Get Her" remind me of a hip-hoppy "Puttin' on the Ritz," and "Surrender" owes a lot to '80s power ballads — and that's just the start of the myriad influences here. Some of it's a little cheesy for my taste, but I can also hear a ton of songs that could (and probably should) be big hits.
One of my typical problems with Idol first albums is that they're too safe. This is anything but, and that makes me excited for what Blake could do long-term. Check out the album, then let me know: Are you on board with Lewis' Day Dream?
First Listen: Blake Lewis, "Break Anotha" Hey, remember Blake Lewis? The beatboxing American Idol contestant who made women everywhere swoon? We haven't heard much from ol' Blake since he finished second to Jordin Sparks in the Idol finale, but now he's prepping his first album, Audio Day Dream, scheduled to hit stores in early December.
Hey, remember Blake Lewis? The beatboxing American Idol contestant who made women everywhere swoon? We haven't heard much from ol' Blake since he finished second to Jordin Sparks in the Idol finale, but now he's prepping his first album, Audio Day Dream, scheduled to hit stores in early December.
His first single, "Break Anotha," is now streaming on AOL's PopEater, and after listening to it a few times through, I ... kinda like it. It has hints of Blake's signature beatboxing, but it's more outright danceable than anything he performed on Idol, with a pretty great beat backing Blake's falsetto chorus. Just over two minutes in, the song gets all crazy with a horn section break and synth-y vocal effects. It's kind of the sonic equivalent of a strobe light, and I'm not sure I love it, but I respect how weird it is.
Idolator also has another leaked Blake Lewis track, "Know My Name," which is also a strange musical soup. This one is a lot heavier on the synthesizers, and it reminds me of how a slightly lamer Justin Timberlake might sound if backed by a college a capella choir. Which is not to say it's bad. I mean, it's kind of a mess, but it's a mess I'm oddly compelled to listen to, which must mean something.
Check out the songs and let me know what you think. Is this how you expected Blake's album to sound?
