“Don’t Trust Me” by 3OH!3 (Download of the Day)

I usually pride myself in enjoying music that makes some kind of sense.

However, there are times when I indulge in some rampant stupidity.

Say hello to 3OH!3’s “Don’t Trust Me”.

I’m going to be frank here. “Don’t Trust Me” is ridiculous, and stupid, and a bit offensive to feminist historians. It joins Asher Roth in depicting the degradation of our popular culture. Yet, with all of its obvious faults, I almost can’t help but enjoying, thanks to its instant impact and catchiness. Sure, its stupid, but ignoring the song’s hook is impossible. The chorus is so easy to sing to, it’s almost anthemic.

While the electro-punk style sounds fresh and radio-friendly, but the lyrics don’t. In all honesty, a group of frat boys drunk off their butts during spring break could’ve penned most of these lyrics (except for the Hellen Keller bit; as rude as it may be, it’s kind of brilliant). Still, that seems to be the appeal. This songs fits like a screw into the playlists of spring break iPods. It’s one of those songs that probably shouldn’t be thought about too hard (which booze-guzzling college kids won’t be doing) in risk of being annoyed by it. Sometimes, it’s okay to sit back, put in those earbuds, and enjoy the mindlessness seeping into your brain.

And then afterwards, when the song gets old, delete it immediately and pretend (and deny) you ever listened to it.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

On The Verge Of Collapse, The Pussycat Dolls Release Their New Single “Hush Hush; Hush Hush”…

By now, everyone knows about the extremely tense issues occurring within the infrastructure of The Pussycat Dolls. As you would expect, the controversy surrounds Nicole Scherzinger, who received a “featuring” credit on their last single “Jai Ho!”. The same is happening with their newest single “Hush Hush”, and apparently the band members are rightfully furious. Melody Thornton let that known during a concert this past weekend, where she directly called out Nicole and the “featured” drama.

At this point, splitting is inevitable, but before that happens, the girls have released a new single from their sophomore album Doll Domination. “Hush Hush” was originally fashioned as an ordinary R&B ballad. For the single release, the song has been remixed into a disco anthem featuring an inexplicable sample of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”.

Sure, its really easy to dance to, but the song’s remix is frankly unnecessary and adds nothing to the track, which was pretty decent the way it was.  Then there is the verse from “I Will Survive”. There is nothing on Earth that can explain that, at all. It’s not even indulgent; it’s just really stupid.

Finally, there is the “featuring Nicole” issue. From what I understand, Nicole sang this song alone on tour, so the fact that it’s a single is a not-so-subtle way of making her the Diana Ross of her generation. Unfortunately for the label, Nicole is nowhere near Diana Ross in terms of voice or presence. You would’ve thought they had gotten the memo when they released FOUR of her singles before her debut album Her Name Is Nicole was shelved and all of them flopped miserably. Hell, even “Jai Ho!”, a really good song, kind of flopped and that had her name on it as well. It’s like her name is poison or something, so stop trying to push her.

Anyway, the song is already being played on Z100 and other stations, so maybe this song could save the struggling girl group.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10

Check out the song below:

Cheryl Cole Chosen As the “World’s Sexiest Woman”

I couldn’t agree more with this.

Girls Aloud singer and X Factor judge Cheryl Cole has come out on top of FHM Magazine’s annual “Sexiest Women in the World” poll.

Nearly 10 million people voted in the 15-year old poll, and Cole came as the victor, becoming the first Briton to top the chart in three years. Last year, Transformers vixen Megan Fox topped the list, and came in second this time around.

Cheryl Cole has seen her public profile boosted in the last year. Her footballer husband Ashley Cole’s infidelities garnered her much public sympathy. An appearance on Will.i.am’s “Heartbreaker” helped catapult the single into the UK Top 5. Her fame reached a fevered pitch when she was chosen by Simon Cowell as a judge on the hugely popular reality show The X Factor, where she mentored the season winner, Alexandra Burke. Her success on the program has prompted rumors that Cheryl is planning a launch in the US with Simon’s help. It was confirmed this week that Cheryl would be recording a solo album during Girls Aloud’s downtime.

Also in the Top 10 are Britney Spears and Slumdog Millionaire star Frieda Pinto.

My Favorites From Britain’s Got Talent (So Far)

Thanks to Britain’s Got Talent posting their own YouTube videos up without embed block, I can now post videos from my favorite BGT contestants up!

First off, there is Shaheen Jafargholi, a young Welsh boy who nearly got his dreams dashed when Simon Cowell stopped him a few seconds into his first performance of “Valerie”. He then stunned the crowd with an excellent version of Motown classic “Who’s Lovin’ You”.

Then, there is the newest kid sensation, who performed this past week. Hollie Steel, a 10-year old ballerina, started off dancing, but it was her spectacular voice that was the most memorable of the performance.

It’s performances like these that make me wonder why Simon has put together a British version of “America’s Next Best Dance Crew”. This group is called Flawless (which they are).

This next performer, Fabia Cerra, could teach some of the young ones a thing or five about striptease (I have NEVER seen a full-figured woman do a split EVER IN MY LIFE). By the way, since the Union Jacks are covering her, she is wearing nipple tassels.

Then finally, of course, the woman who needs no introduction, Susan Boyle.

If you’re in America, keep checking Britain’s Got Talent YouTube page for more performances from the contestants at http://www.youtube.com/show?p=AmTY70fF2Ys

It’s Time For a New Girls Aloud B-Side!

With the official release of Girls Aloud’s 21st single this Monday comes the highly anticipated b-side.

You see, along with great single, the British girl group have an amazing ability to deliver some hot b-sides that make you wonder why they weren’t on the album in the first place

Now, with news that the girls are taking time off to focus on solo projects, the b-side for “Untouchable” is even more important, since this is the last new music we will hear from together until next year. So of course, the expectations are pretty high (especially after Download of the Day “Hoxton Heroes”).

And of course, the expectations are met. Switching things up, the girls have ditched the mellow, glittery disco of “Memory of You” and returned to the energy-filled electro stomp that see them at their feistiest. Everything about this song is great. The vocals (although annoyingly vocoded) are very sexy, the chorus is perfectly catchy and perfectly pop, and the rock-edged production is ace. Yet, it is the synthed-out bit after the chorus that will really light a fire under people and get them dancing.

So, add this with “Models”, “Blow Your Cover”, “Memory of You”, “Hoxton”, “She”, um, seriously, why aren’t these songs on the album?

The “Untouchable” single release is tomorrow. “It’s Your Dynamite” is on the CD single, so don’t forget to check that out.

Cover This: Lines, Vines, and Trying Times by Jonas Brothers

This is the cover of the new Jonas Brothers album Lines, Vines, and Trying Times, out for release on June 15th.

I just have one question: why the HELL are they releasing a new album already?

I mean, come on. They just released A Little Bit Longer in August, which means they released this record less than a year ago. And that is just studio albums, since they released the soundtrack to their flop concert movie just a few months ago. Combine this with their new television show airing on Disney Channel in May, the three brothers are quickly approaching overexposure status. In fact, the conspiracy theorist in me believes that Hollywood Records (their label) is anticipating their demise and just wants to release as many products as possible before they burn out. It seems like the excitement of being pop stars has blinded them to the possibility. As I’ve said before, they want to maintain any career into the future, they need to cut Disney loose, now.

Anyway, the album’s lead single is reportedly “Dynamite”, with a release date of May 15th. And about the cover, I’ve got to admit, it’s not terrible.

R.I.P: Golden Girls Star Bea Arthur Passes Away at 86

Thank you for being a friend...

Those iconic words will forever be linked to popular television and stage actress Bea Arthur, who passed away at the age of 86 this past weekend.

Arthur is probably best known for two roles. She played Maude Findlay on All in the Family and its spin-off series Maude, for which she won her first Emmy in the 70s. Her most memorable role is as Dorothy Zbornak on the iconic 80's sitcom The Golden Girls. She won her second Emmy for her role in that series as well.

Just last year, Arthur's mother on the show, Estelle Getty, passed away at the age of 84.

Along with television, Bea Arthur was known for her acting in theater. She starred in many productions, including Plain and Fancy, Fiddler on the Roof, and Mame, for which she won a Tony Award in 1966.

"Let's Get Excited" by Alesha Dixon (Download of the Day)

Sure, she scored her biggest hit with the mellowed "Breathe Slow", but everyone knows that Alesha Dixon's home is on the dancefloor.

That's why her third single "Let's Get Excited" is a full-on hyper dance track. It's not as inventive as "The Boy Does Nothing"; the song consists of a tinny background, hand claps, and some rightfully sassy lyrics. Still, what it lacks of creativity, it makes up for in its ability to get a crowd moving. Even a person without a rhythmic bone in their body will be shaking something to this track. Alesha may not have the best voice in the world, but the personality she exhibits is boundless and infectious. You can hear how much fun she is having, and with that, you'll find that you're in the same boat. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10

"Better Off As Two" by Frankmusik (Download of the Day)

Frankmusik has been a name thrown around in pop music circles for awhile now. While a master of the EP (the electro version of Lil' Wayne, essentially), he has yet to release a proper single or album.

Until now.

"Better Off As Two" is the first single from Frankmusik's first full LP, Complete Me. Packed with more energy than Nature Valley bar, this electro stomper is one of the better offerings from the pop world this year. Even with pop music's recent resurgence, this song sounds like nothing on the radio right now. The production is injected with an unexpected amount of joy, with a thumping beat blanketed by some spectacularly arranged synths. Glue that together with Frankmusik's surprising vocal range, and you have one of the most guaranteed club smashes of the year.

Rating: 8 out of 10

American Idol 8: Movie Night Flops Big Time!

Let me get this straight:

There are literally MILLIONS of songs from motion pictures to choose from, and yet somehow, TWO people perform Bryan Adams? Who the hell is helping them choose these songs?

Proving that this season will go down as one of the worst, the movie theme failed to bring out anything new in our Top 7. The most compelling moment of the night was Lil Rounds fighting back against Simon's downright cruel criticism.

Points have to be given to Kris Allen. Unlike his fellow contestants, Kris decided to be a bit more original, choosing the "obscure" (as Kara put it) Academy Award-winning song "Falling Slowly". It was a simple and understated performance, while delivering his best vocal yet. I didn't even know he could hit some of those notes. Listening back, it was definitely the best performance of the night. Falling somewhat in Kris' footsteps is Adam Lambert, who pretty much has this season in the bag. He chose "Born To Be Wild", which was a bit disappointing (I finally understand what Simon means when he says "indulgent"). He needs to go back to performances like "Mad World" and "Tracks of My Tears". That's where the gold is.

Alison Iraheta and Anoop Desai may have chosen predictable songs, but the performances were pretty solid. Alison's choice of "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith had me raising an eyebrow at first, but she did her thing. Anoop's choice of "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams (the first of two by him) really had me worried, but he proving himself to be quite the vocalist. It was a very strong performance from him, but I unfortunately doubt its ability to keep him from the Bottom Three.

In the second most shocking song choice of the night, Danny Gokey chose "Endless Love", the duet by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. I honestly have no clue why he would choose that, of all the movie love songs in history. His vocals are, without a question, srong, but once again, the performance was boring.

The worst performance of the night goes to Matt Giraud, who hasn't truly wowed me since the first week of the finals. He chose the second Bryan Adams song of the night, "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" from Don Juan Demarco. The song was a mess, and his voice didn't even make up for half of it.

What everyone will be talking about tomorrow is Lil Rounds, who may have just sung her last song on the Tuesday stage. Once deemed a front-runner, she has endured weekly complaints from the judges about her lack of "artistry". Apparently, she thought choosing "The Rose" by Bette Midler would prove once and for all she had that.

Seriously, though. "The Rose"? What the hell?

Anyway, I thought she did a good job of the song, showing off her considerable, although under-utilized, vocal chops. She even injected some gospel into the song. That wasn't enough for Simon, who skewered the shrinking diva with this cutting remark: "you are not the artist I believe we met seven or eight weeks ago". That finally caused Lil to snap, arguing that she did what the judges asked of her. Simon's reply? "But it was Bette Midler". Frankly, I think the judges and their "artistry" complaints this season are full of BS, but that's for another post. Either way, Lil's performance just wasn't up to snuff for the judges.

With such a broad theme, this week, like last week, was ridiculously uninspiring. If this show did anything, it really highlighted how the former mighty have fallen and how the current mighty can be stagnant.

Who's in the Bottom Three: Matt Giraud, Lil Rounds, Anoop Desai

Who's Going Home: Lil Rounds

Scotland's Secret Shame: Outrageous Acts of Animal Cruelty

The picture is so shocking and disturbing, that I won't repost it on this blog.

The picture I speak of is a dog from Scotland, tied to a fence and deliberately starved to death.

Some monstrous sicko tied an innocent dog to a barbed wire fence in the middle of the Scottish woodlands and left her there to die. The dog was found last month, tragically emaciated and in early stages of decomposure. Later examination from the Scottish SPCA showed he dog attempted to remain nourished by eating wood and soil near its death spot.

But this isn't the only case of animal cruelty in Scotland. According the SPCA, 126,000 emergency callouts were made to help victimized animals in 2008 alone, a 20% increase from 2007.

The Scottish Sun has launched a campaign to fight the perpetrators of such horrific violence after their published picture of the dead dog inspired global outrage.

To see the devastating picture and learn more about the Scottish Sun's campaign, follow this link: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/article2375970.ece

Here are more (less graphic) images of Scotland's secret shame (courtesy of The Sun website):

"Britain's Got Talent" Watch: The Surprisingly Excellent Susan Boyle!

If you were ever wondering if there was a female version of Paul Potts, your question has been answered.

Listen to this remarkable performance from Susan Boyle on last weekend's Britain's Got Talent:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

This woman is evidence that you should never judge a book by its cover.

Hannah Montana Beats Goku at the Box Office

This weekend, Goku's Kamehameha was no match for Hannah Montana's sparkly microphone.

Hannah Montana: The Movie took top spot at the box office, bringing in a respectable $34 million over Easter weekend. The total bested that of the Hannah Montana concert film, which brought in $31 million in its first weekend.

As for Dragonball: Evolution, bad reviews an little interest bogged the film down greatly. It brought in a weak $8 million over the weekend, coming in at #8 among all the films released. Considering the movie cost around $100 million, its safe to say that it is an "absolute, unmitigated disaster".

Pop Geniuses Xenomania Working With Leona Lewis?

The potential of this is mind-boggling!

Miranda Cooper of Xenomania, the pop world's premier production group, revealed to the UK's Daily Star that she has penned FIVE songs for Leona Lewis' upcoming album, due by the end of the year.

Of the collaboration, Cooper said, "We are not going to change Leona's style but it's interesting for us to do something downbeat; tragic songs with a twist."

Just in case you didn't know, Xenomania is behind some of the UK's best pop songs. Ever. In fact, they had a hand in all of Girls Aloud's 20 consecutive Top 10 singles. Their production credits include Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, Sugababes, Alesha Dixon, and Cher.

Can you imagine: Leona Lewis singing something like "Call The Shots" or "The Loving Kind"? Can you imagine how EPIC that would be?

So, Was Doctor Who's "Planet of the Dead" Easter Special a Complete Disaster?

Last night, BBC One aired the first of four highly-touted specials to aid David Tennant's exit as The Doctor. An estimated 8.4 million people tuned into the Easter special titled "Planet of the Dead". Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if they thought afterwards, "why the hell wasn't I watching Britain's Got Talent instead?"

Indeed, "Planet of the Dead" is a massive stepdown from previous specials, particularly the always-excellent Christmas specials of years past. While those had significance that reverberated throughout the series, this one-off was a pointless as The Doctor's assistant this time around, Lady Christina.

Kylie Minogue can now breathe a sigh of relief; Christina, played by Michelle Ryan, will likely be remembered as the worst Companion in recent Doctor Who history. Nothing about her was compelling, funny, or interesting at all. At least Astrid (Minogue's character from the Voyage of the Damned special in 2007) has some kind of identifiable wish. Christina served virtually no purpose at all. Sure, she could steal things well, but so could the Daleks. Doesn't make the good, does it?

All of the blame shouldn't be laid on her, though. The plot was shockingly weak, in complexity and entertainment value. Seriously, how much fun can a person have watching a group of mildly interesting people on a double-decker in an endless desert for a good 40 minutes? The swarm of metallic stingrays are straight-up non-villians, and the fly-like aliens inhabiting the desert are pathetic compared to past extra-terrestrials. There is really no impending danger or anything. No suspense. No anything. The episode was virtually barren, like the desert they were stuck in.

Except for the interesting little tidbits delivered in the end, missing this episode was nothing to shed tears over. Considering the anemic quality of the plot, I'm surprised the BBC comissioned this as a whole Easter special, when this wouldn't even tide over viewers of a Children in Need mini-episode. It was a fantastic waste of a timeslot, to be honest, and truly not fitting as part of a tribute to the excellent tenure of David Tennant as Time Lord.

Rating: 4/10

Here's A Brilliant Idea That Won't Ever Happen: Girls Aloud + Doctor Who = Promotional Gold

Ok, remember my previous post about Girls Aloud's newest single "Untouchable"?

Well, there is a lyric that is quite the corker, as my friends across the Atlantic say: "Like beautiful robots dancing alone".

Following me so far?

Remember another post that I wrote called "Why I Hate Ryan Mason for Making Me Watch Doctor Who"?

Well, I have been continuing my introduction to Doctor Who, having just finished the 2007 Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned" starring pop icon Kylie Minogue. I loved the episode (a review may be coming soon).

With that episode in the back of my mind and just having finished writing the "Untouchable" review, an interesting idea came to me: what would it be like if Girls Aloud and Doctor Who team up?

Sounds crazy, no?

Well, think about this:

In preparation for the transition from David Tennant to the Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith, the television show has planned a series of specials, including an upcoming one for Easter. Well, "Untouchable" is released on April 27th. The timing is perfect.

So, how would this work?

Well, Girls Aloud and Doctor Who could come together for a long form music video (Michael Jackson-style). The girls could be a doing a concert (the Out of Control tour commences on the April 24th) and suddenly, they are transported from the stage to the TARDIS. It seems as if The Doctor called them for help with the Cybermen, who are threatening to run rampant during their concert. So, the girls and David Tennant run around, trying to stop another Cybermen invasion, while the "Untouchable" song plays in the background (I'm sure Russel T Davies can come up with a better script).

So, what benefits are the massive music video going to have for both?

Well, promotion for "Untouchable" is stagnant, at best. Following the almost-criminal promo for "The Loving Kind", they need something huge to push this song into the Top 10. Right now, what's huger than Doctor Who? On top of the single, there is still the album, which can surely use a boost. There's even the Greatest Hits package, which is still in the UK Top 40. Then there is the tour, which will be primarily featured in the music video. I mean, how awesome would it be, during a performance of "Untouchable", a group of Cybermen were to come on stage?

As for the legendary sci-fi series, a drop of pop culture relevancy never hurts (the Kylie special brought the highest viewing figures for the program since 1979). Plus, they have a series of specials to promote. Now if the BBC were to release the Easter special, or all of the fourth season, in a special package to coincide with the release of the music video, you've got another thing to promote.

So, you've got nearly ten projects to promote in ONE music video promotion. If that's not enough, think about the sales options. If you release the single with the music video apart of the tracklisting, sales will likely shoot through the roof (or in the case, to the top of the UK Singles Charts). You'll have buyers from both fanbases coming together to take this single to the top. It's a sales bonanza waiting to happen.

Plus, we'll finally get that image of beautiful robots dancing.

So, what have we learned from this?

Girls Aloud + David Tennant x Cybermen = Massive promotional tool.

So, how the hell has this idea not been thought of before?

UK Download of the Day 4/9: "Untouchable" by Girls Aloud

Leave it to the excellent Girls Aloud to improve on an already excellent song.

"Untouchable", the fan favorite, six minute-long pop opus, has been chopped up and glossed over for its release as a third single. Despite the initial reservations that would cause, the song's beauty remains intact. In actuality, it has been enhanced somehow.

Originally an ethereal, synth-styled epic, "Untouchable" is now a full-stop, electrifying club smash. The editing of the song has done wonders; the synths are more present and powerful, the lyrics are more emotional, and the chorus and it's build-up, the song's bread-and-butter, are twice as massive as they were before. Hell, even the unnecessary Auto-Tuning of the girl's voices (lord knows Nicola and Nadine don't need it at all) help make the song stronger than it was. Combined with the space music video, it's as if a brilliant Martian was sitting at the turntable.

(Extra points for keeping the excellent lyric: "like beautiful robots dancing alone")

Rating: 8.5/10

Download of the Day 4/5: "Smash Into You" by Beyonce

The first disc of I Am... Sasha Fierce is chock-full of ballads, quite the curious choice since Beyonce has found the most success in the booty-shaking hip-hop dance field (a.k.a., the second disc).

Many of the ballads aren't very interesting. They're your typical "allow Beyonce fill-in-the-blank minutes to vibrato the song to death" trcks, which can get really boring after a few listens.

However, some of the songs are really something to click repeat on iTunes about. Alongside "If I Were a Boy" and "Halo" is the deluxe edition track "Smash Into You".

The song was originally written for Jon McLaughlin's record OK Now as "Smack Into You". After he rebuffed the track, composers The-Dream and Christophr "Tricky" Stewart gave the song to Beyonce, who made a change to the title to make it her own (a.k.a., get a songwriting credit).

The song being in her hands, of course, meant it was going to be pretty great. Her version, although virtually the same as McLaughlin, has a few more dramatic flourishes as the song progresses to its powerful climax. Remarkably, the flourishes don't come from Beyonce's voice. Instead of ripping the song to shreds as usual, Beyonce restrains herself. While she does allow herself room to interpret the thoughtful lyrics, she doesn't take it to a level where you wonder when her vocal chords are going to bust. Clearly she recognizes the wonderful melody, because she essentially follows it to the tee. Even her power notes near the climax are still held back, allowing the listener to remember why we fell in love with the pop diva years and years ago.

Kudos to Beyonce for realizing that less really is more.

Rating: 8.5/10

Note: "Smash Into You" is available only on the Deluxe Edition of I Am... Sasha Fierce

Artist Essentials: En Vogue

It's hard to believe that R&B girl group En Vogue are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year.

The brash and sassy ladies spent a better part of the 90's teasing and tantalizing fans with their breathtaking sex appeal, crystal clear voices, and gorgeous outfits. The girls did everything in style; they even made withholding sex sound cool.

In celebration of their reunion, I have put together a list of their best tracks, the ones that will withstand another 20 years.

"Hold On" (from 1990's Born To Sing)
The song that put Cindy, Maxine, Terry, and Dawn on the map. The acapella intro by Terry, the funky, New Jack Swing groove, and their pitch-perfect harmonies were irrestible, just like they were. Of course, this song was only the beginning for the Fab Four.

"My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" (from 1992's Funky Divas)
Don't. Ever. Cross. En Vogue. The wholesome image they portrayed on the first album was good as dead when this song was released. They came hard with this blast against cheaters, claws and all. Even their harmonies had a bite to them, warning off any scrubs. One of the best songs from the 90's.

"Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (from 1992's Funky Divas)
Yes, they're funky. But this top 10 showed that they can be painstakingly sultry too. Dawn leads this Aretha Franklin classic with a quiet power and in-your-face sexiness, and the other three girls add more wood (no pun intended) to this slow-burning fire. A great song requires a great video. After watching that, you'll understand why most of the guys in the clip are slipping their wedding rings off.

"Free Your Mind" (from 1992's Funky Divas)
En Vogue's response to the Rodney King riots was a powerful and memorable one. This rock-drenched song has the girls in top form, using their wonderful voices for a cause. The girls roared lyrics against unfair prejudice, furthering cementing their status as pop music's most harmonic divas. Don't forget the funky part, either.

"Don't Let Go (Love)" (from 1996's Set It Off soundrtack)
Fierce, powerful, and just a bit creepy, this song is a tour de force. The most successful single of their career (and the last to feature Dawn), "Don't Let Go" has all the girls getting their shot at vocal showboating, resulting in an almost earth-shattering display of vibrato, harmonies, and runs. Still, the message isn't lost, and matches perfectly with the movie.

Dragonball: Evolution Is An "Absolute, Unmitigated Disaster", Says Anime News Network

See the difference?

Webster's Dictionary defines unmitigated as "being so definitely what is stated as to offer little chance of change or relief".

This means that, according to leading anime news source Anime News Network, the live-action version of the hugely popular Dragonball metaseries is so horrible, that there is no possibility for any kind of good to come from watching it.

Last week, the website, which specializes in bringing the latest information about anime to English-speaking audience, released their review of Dragonball: Evolution, the much-maligned film produced by 20th Century Fox. Originally blasting fans for criticizing the film before anything came from it, the website admits that the otaku turned out to be right in this case: the movie really did suck.

"It's clear that a metric ton of material was hacked out, but this thing would need another 30 minutes rise from 'unforgivably retarded' to 'only mostly retarded'", says reviewer Zac Bertschy. "[It] might be fun when you're hammered and surrounded by friends. Or suicidal, and need something to push you over the edge."

The scathing review isn't a good sign for the film, which, according to star Justin Chatwin, already has a sequel in the works. Then again, it was kind of expected. You could tell from the teaser posters this movie was going to be a tragedy.

Now, we just confirmation.

Dragonball: Evolution will be released on April 10th.

Cover This: Fantasy Ride by Ciara

This, folks, what happens why ugly design happens to beautiful people.

I could list all the things wrong with this cover, but that would take awhile. I will simply pose this question:

If Ciara is a superhero, why did it take Justin Timberlake to save her album?

Fantasy Ride will be released on May 5th.

The Clear Your Head Series: "What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)" by Kylie Minogue

My life has been extremely stressful lately. Whenever I'm stressed, I tend to escape into music, finding something to take the edge off.

That has inspired a new music review series at BWU, titled "Clear Your Head". The songs featured in this series are simply perfect for taking you away from life's difficulties for awhile. They may not offer complete answers, but sometimes we just need some solitude to regroup, right?

A song like Kylie Minogue's "What Kind of Fool" is perfect for such a purpose.

The song was released in 1992, off of her first Greatest Hits package. Considering past and future hits, the song was pretty much a flop. Kylie even admitted in a recent interview that she didn't like it.

So, what's it good for?

"What Kind of Fool" is actually a perfect song for clearing the recesses of a troubled mind. Like much of her early music, this song is clear, straight-through bubblegum pop. It's a sickeningly happy record that is pretty easy to fit into a DJ's 90's throwback playlist. It's lyrics are empowering, making it all the more danceable. Kylie's voice on the song is typical: innocent but indomitable somehow. Essentially, it's a generic PWL track that probably should've been chucked out the window, but the mindless fluff of "What Kind of Fool" is endearing enough to warrant a listen.

Soon after a few more spins on repeat, the song will have completely erased the troubles from the mind. Like a duster, the jumpy synths and Kylie's happy voice sweep away the troubles, leaving a happy feeling in its wake. It may not last as long as you would hope, but it's an escapist song; an audio aspirin.

We all need one once in awhile.

(Re)Introducing...The Lewis Chart

Longtime readers of BWU will remember that I launched my own music chart in June of last year, called the BWU Hot 25. That quickly expanded to the BWU Hot 40, and was rebranded the BWU Chart before it was rendered defunct in January (blame computer issues).

Now, after two months, I have decided to bring the music chart back in a new form, titled the Lewis Chart (named after my last name).

The Lewis Chart is completely different from the BWU Charts, in terms of its points system and the number of positions (25 on the main chart, 5 on the Could Be chart).

To see all of the chart rules, and the full chart itself, visit the currently revamping BWU Website at http://sites.google.com/site/thebestworstandunbelievable/.

Here is the current Top 10:

1. Poker Face - Lady GaGa
2. Untouchable - Girls Aloud
3. Don't Upset The Rhythm - Noisettes
4. Gravity - Sara Bareilles
5. Sugar - Flo Rida
6. Love Sex Magic - Ciara
7. Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
8. Day 'N' Nite - Kid Cudi
9. Not Fair - Lily Allen
10. Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny) - A.R. Rahman and the Pussycat Dolls

Anime Action: FUNimation To Stream New Fullmetal Alchemist Series Starting April 9th

Hello Anime Lovers!

As you may or may not know, the new Fullmetal Alchemist series is premiering this weekend in Japan. Fans all over the world are rejoicing, but its doubtful that those not living in Japan had an idea to actually see it (there are ways though, but it requires a bit of Googling).

There is a solution!

FUNimation, who brought the original Fullmetal series to North America and is also responsible for shows like Dragonball Z and One Piece, announced Friday that they will be providing high-quality streams of the Japanese episodes of the new series (with subtitles, of course). The stream will be available starting April 9th, four days after the original premiere. The company also announced that they have purchased the broadcast, digital, DVD, and merchandising rights to the series, fully titled Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. There is no date set for the the English-language release.

It's being reported that the new Fullmetal series will be a reboot of the extremely popular franchise, following the manga more closely this time around.

For those living in Japan (or those able to watch it in Japan), the series begins airing on MBS/TBS stations Sunday afternoon at 5 pm (about 4 am EST).

New Music Alert: "Roll The Credits" by Paula DeAnda

If you have a good pop music memory, then you probably remember Paula DeAnda.

If you don't, she had a pretty minor hit in 2007 with the single "Walk Away (Remember Me)" and even a more minor hit before that one with "Doing Too Much" (the former entered the Top 20).

The Puerto Rican beauty is having another go at the charts, this time with new single "Roll The Credits".

With a title like that, it's pretty easy to assume that Stargate produced this. Not too sure, but all of the elements there, including the impossible-to-escape hand claps.

Like most Stargate songs, the song takes something plain and metaphorizes to represent a relationship. This time, it's about a movie. While it doesn't really add anything new to the game (it's Stargate, after all), it's a pleasant song and Paula sounds prety good (she lost a bit of that precociousness from her past songs). Only time will tell whether it will surpass "Walk Away", but this should gather some success.

Eight Reasons Why I Hate Ryan Mason For Making Me Watch Doctor Who

My best friend Ryan Mason (owner of http://acollisionofthoughts.blogspot.com) is a huge fan of BBC series Doctor Who. I mean HUGE. I mean, watching a debate about whether Doctor Who is rubbish, huge.

Being his best friend, I thought it only fair that I figure out what was so special about this show.

Well, let's just say I did, and I hate Ryan for it.

Over the last few weeks, I have been watching the first two seasons (series in the UK) of the rebooted Doctor Who episodes. I just finished the 2006 Christmas episode (the one starring the freakin' hilarious Catherine Tate) and am about to start season three. So, here's what I've gathered from my viewing experience (also titled "Reasons Why I Hate Ryan Mason For Making Me Watch Doctor Who"):

1. David Tennant (the Tenth Doctor) is my new favorite actor (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he's leaving the show)

2. Billie Piper is all kinds of awesome (Why it makes me hate Ryan: she's been gone)

3. The Cybermen are the hokiest-looking villains ever (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he neglected to tell me I would be encountering them in TWO two-part specials)

4. "The Girl In The Fireplace" and "School Reunion" are my second and third favorite episodes, respectively, because David Tennant's acting is brilliant in them  (Why it makes me hate Ryan: see #1)

5. The last 15 minutes of "Doomsday" left me absolutely wrecked, and it ranks in the top 3 best moments of television I have ever witnessed, ever (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he neglected to mention that the episode, and the series for that matter, were so damn emotional!)

6. Catherine Tate's appearance at the end of "Doomsday" was a pointless, daft mood-killer (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he neglected to mention that the series interrupts emotional moments on the show with women dressed in wedding dresses)

7. Speaking of Catherine Tate, her sketch with David Tennant for Children in Need was ace (Why it makes me hate Ryan: he doesn't like Catherine's character Lauren. Bovvered? Hello!)

8. And finally, from what I've gathered from these episodes so far, Doctor Who is well-deserving of its status as national treasure in the UK. It's quickly ascending to the top 10 of my favorite shows, ever. In fact, the only show ahead of it is Friends. Rose and The Doctor are also in the top 10 of my favorite TV relationships. (Why it makes me hate Ryan: First off, why didn't he introduce this show to me earlier? Second, why did he introduce the show to me, just when the awesome Tennant was leaving? And finally, he won't let me keep the DVDs!)


So, those are the reasons why I hate Ryan Mason for getting me into Doctor Who (aka, "Why I Love Doctor Who" and "Some Reasons Why Ryan Mason is My Best Friend")

Stay tuned for more BWU Doctor Who coverage!

Classic Download of the Day 4/5: "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson

Considering all of the news surrounding MJ lately, you would've thought I had done one of these already.

Nope, and in fact, the upcoming tour wasn't even the inspiration behind this post.

No, it was my English teacher, out of nowhere, deciding to play this song toward the end of a lesson on poetry.

Truthfully, I had been thinking about writing a Michael Jackson-related Download of the Day post, even doing a whole series, but I never had the time or energy to do it. Leave it to Mr. Kinory to light a fire under my butt.


In a career that has spanned nearly 40 years, its safe to say that Michael Jackson's catalog is way too expansive to warrant a "signature song" (like Whitney's "I Will Always Love You", for instance). If you even wanted to travel down that road, you would have to make a playlist of sorts. Near the top of that list would have to be the excellent "Man in the Mirror".

From 1987's Bad album, "Man in the Mirror" is one of Michael's most moving, poignant, and popular songs ever. That's because the song is virtually perfect; every element this song brings to the table is excellent. Even the staunchest of pop haters will find criticizing this multi-layered anthem very difficult. The lyrics, about looking into oneself to find compassion for others,are filled with grace and thought, lacking the schmaltz that have dogged similar, future singles. The music is exceptional. Ever the trend-setter, Michael pulled a choir onto the track, infusing gospel into a pop ballad with a drumbeat. The combo gives the song a soulful rhythm that should inspire hand clapping. If that doesn't do it, then Michael himself, performing like he's in a church on Sunday, should definitely do the trick.

Michael's true gift is his ability to unite people with varying music tastes together. With this song, he used that gift to inspire goodness. For that reason alone (although the ace musicality this song possesses also contributes), this song ranks in the top tier, not only of his career, but of all time.

Rating: 10/10

Queen Elizabeth II Creates Sensation After Hugging Michelle Obama

British and Americans alike have been thrown into a tizzy over a seemingly harmless hug.

Only thing is, the hug was between two of the most visible women in the world, one of whom is notorious for her rigid public stance.

Quen Elizabeth II and America's First Lady Michelle Obama shared a surprising embrace during a G20 function at Buckingham Palace. The Queen reportedly made the first move, placing her hand at the small of Michelle's back. In return, the First Lady place an arm around the Queen's shoulder.

The ten seconds of contact has sent the media on both sides of the pond into a tizzy. Why? Because Her Majesty is known for her strong adherence to formality, which reportedly doesn't include physical touch, except for hand shakes, of course.

Queen Elizabeth II has never publicly embraced anyone, and attempts to embrace the Queen have been met with heavy scorn and ridicule. In 1992, Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating caused outrage whn he placed his hand on the Queen's back during an official visit to Australia. The incident earned him the moniker "Lizard of Oz".

Reports first questioned whether Michelle broke the royal protocol, but after it was learned the Queen moved first, the reports quickly changed to highlight a newly-forged friendship between the two women.

The Times of London called the embrace a "touching moment", while the Daily Mail called it "electrifying".

The question is, was this a one-off moment of mutual affection, or is the Queen ushering a new era of personal interaction?

Lady GaGa Enters Record Books With "Poker Face"

Any doubts about Lady GaGa's status as a star have been effectively squashed.

Her second single "Poker Face" has topped this week's Billboard Hot 100, breaking Flo Rida's six-week streak at the top with "Right Round".

This latest achievement has now put GaGa in very prestigious category. She is now the first female artist in a decade to have her first two singles top the charts. The last to that was Christina Aguilera, and before her was Mariah Carey, who had her first five single chart at #1.

Congratulations Lady GaGa!

FBI Launches Investigation Over Wolverine Film Leak

Yesterday, an "incomplete and early version" of the highly anticipated film X Men Origins: Wolverine was leaked to the Internet, inciting both fury over at 20th Century Fox and an FBI investigation.

The film, not due for US release until May 1st, was posted on various file-sharing websites yesterday. 20th Century Fox, the studio distributing the movie, confirmed that the copy has been removed.

The Hugh Jackman flick leak has caused so much outrage that now, the FBI is launching an investigation. A spokesperson from the studio said about the investigation: "The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Those who haven't seen the leaked version aren't missing much. According to BBC News, the leaked version was missing scenes, sounds, music, and the crucial CGI effects.

BREAKING NEWS: CBS Soap Opera Guiding Light Is Cancelled!

We probably all knew it was coming, but its sad nonetheless.

Legendary soap opera Guiding Light has officially been cancelled by CBS, according to various sources, including Soap Opera Digest and daytime blog Daytime Confidential.

The news comes a day after it was revealed that plans were reportedly being made for a replacement. The 72-year old soap will officially end its run on September 18th.

Guiding Light is the second show in the last three years to be cancelled, and the fifth in the last decade. Since the cancellation of NBC's Passions in 2007, the soap has been in the bottom of the ratings, with average viewersship floating about the two million-mark. The show, in an effort to reverse its fortunes, changed its entire production model. The change faced rather harsh criticism.

In the last few months, Guiding Light also brought back fan favorites to boost ratings. The most high-profile was Grant Aleksander's return as Phillip Spaulding; the veteran was shockingly fired in 2004.

The cancellation of such a prolific soap leaves the entire industry, which has been in a downward spiral since the 90's, completely in question.