Cobra Starship

Cobra Starship is baaaaaaack.

/ Lisa

I must have been living under a rock. That wouldn’t be hard lately, actually. I have had a one track mind.

Anyway, turns out Cobra Starship is making some beats again. Today I came across the single “You Make Me Feel” ft. Sabi.

No idea who this Sabi person is and I don’t really care to find out, she is definitely nothing spectacular.

And the new single doesn’t really go anywhere for me. It doesn’t have the same energy that past singles have had, like “Good Girls Go Bad”.

However Cobra Starship has the tendency to create songs that don’t sound so great when you first listen to them and then one day you realise, actually this is amazing. That’s what happened with their last album for me.

So with the new single they also have a new album Night Shades. Even thought I’m not completely wowed by this first single, if I know Cobra Starship, the album will most likely be pretty good, even if it doesn’t wow you on the first listen.

I might listen to “You Make Me Feel” a few more times before obtaining the soundtrack – it’s got to be worth the money, yanno? So watch this space for an album review, but in the mean time here is the new single.

Month of massive gig madness. Mean.

/ Lisa

Paramore at Waitakere Trusts Stadium

In what happened to be one of the best months I have had in a long time. March was filled with numerous international acts. Unfortunately I was unable to get to all of them, with my restricted income. Namely that of The Pixies. Now of which I find out the gig they announced in Christchurch is the same day as 30 Seconds To Mars. And as I cannot be in two places at once (lets admit, that would be pretty fucking cool) I once again miss them. Because there ain’t no way this bitch is missing Jared Leto and his tight tight jeans.

Anyway, the month of March contained a whirl-wind trip to Auckland for Paramore. Then the following weekend of insane madness for Backstreet Boys, Cobra Starship and Lady Gaga.

Paramore: It was totally awesome to finally see these guys live. We’ve only been waiting, oh, four years or so. Their albums do not do them justice. They are a band. Bands need to play live. ‘Nuf said. They sold out the first Auckland venue on the first day of ticket sales. It was then announced they were to move to a second venue and another allocation of tickets were to be sold. These also sold out promptly. Of course there was also the Christchurch gig the next night, which I hear was just as awesome. They played the usual hit singles – Misery Business, Brick By Boring Brick, Crushcrushcrush… ya get the picture. Also was a throw back to their first album, All We Know Is Falling. The Jury and the Saints opened for them. Another stand up Kiwi band. I personally love their catch phrase: “When you find someone else who hates The Beatles, U2 and Coldplay just as much as you. Start a band with that person.” – That’s my type of band. So first gig of the madness run was successful.

Backstreet Boys - chair dance!

Backstreet Boys: Oh swoon. If you thought these guys were awesome back in the ’90s, nothing has changed. They managed the same level of singing and dancing at this concert, that I expect they were doing 10 years ago. Afterwards, my voice was worse for wear from all the childlike girlish screaming and my eardrums were bleeding from everybody else’s childlike girlish screaming. They played the favourites – Everybody, Backstreet’s Back, Larger Than Life… But they also played the new from their latest album This Is Us (most of which I didn’t know, because I haven’t listened to their new album. Shocking, I know.) Overall, a good night of girlish fun spent with my sisters-from-other-misters (you know who you are!)

Good girls go bad at Cobra Starship.

Cobra Starship ft. Owl City: What a combo. Owl City opened. They were pretty fucking awesome. With their mini string section and shiz. Total respect there. But the fun really started when Cobra took the stage. This was the second time I’d seen them play (the first was with Panic! back in 2008) and I think they got better. Their third album isn’t the best – it has it’s moments, but their stage presence has most definitely improved. And being in the Auckland Town Hall was amazing. It was such a weird place to have a gig like Cobra, but that is what made it awesome. The only downside was the floor. I would suspect it is a dance floor, which has the extra bounce put underneath to give dancers help with their jumps. Unfortunately when you fill the floor with a mosh pit of people, you get an experience like being double jumped on a tramp. Uncomfortable. Fun, yes, but uncomfortable.

Mz Gaga.

Lady Gaga: OHEMGEE. Semi Precious Weapons opened for Mz Gaga. Rather fitting as they are just as provocative as she is. The most amazing part of the entire concert were the costume changes. I think it was 16 in total. Her singing was amazing, the full stage setting was amazing and the fact I got almost within touching distance of her, made it magical. Her stage show and presence were nothing like I have ever seen before. If you ever get a chance to see her, it is a must. It will change your life forever. EVER.

And that wrapped up the end of the massive weekend/month of gig madness I have ever been to. Needless to say I was exhausted. I could barely move without aching. I was sleep deprived and my voice was fairly non-existent. But as I like to think, if you still have your voice the next day, you didn’t scream loud enough.

She’s got her inner fierceness down.

It’s been a while…

/ Lisa

As the headline says, it has been a while. My first post in… (actually, I can’t be bothered looking at the date of my last post) a few months, at least. So just a few musings…

AVATAR: It has become the highest grossing movie of all time. I honestly don’t know what all the fuss is about. Went to see it in 3D, which was barely a redeeming factor, because there totally could have been more stuff coming out at you. The storyline was barely existent and very reminiscent of Pocahontas. I agree that the CG animation is amazing and if Avatar wins Oscars for its special effects, good on ’em. However, if it gets best picture, which is highly likely, I will be ashamed of the entire human race. I like movies which actually have a plot and storyline, flashy blue aliens just don’t do it for me. But, I can understand why people are going to see it in their droves – as James Cameron says in January’s issue of Empire: “Controversy is more interesting than agreement. Controversy fuels curiosity.”

BIG DAY OUT: A week before I was to drive to Auckland I was very much contemplating selling my ticket. Until about 9pm I still wished I had. But then Muse took the stage. A-MAZ-ING. I loved seeing them play super massive black hole live and the amount of energy they exerted on stage was addictive to watch and listen. A redeeming act to the hot, sweaty, un-exciting, day that was the Big Day Out. Oh and Rise Against were rad to see again, but the sound on their stage was unbelievably shit making it difficult for them to be amazing.

UP IN THE AIR: Two words: George. Clooney. And another: SWOON. Personally part of me wants to live like his character Ryan Bingham – nothing in my backpack because I burnt it all (you’ll get this reference if you go see the movie) and I totally want one of those awesome 10 million miles cards. What could be better than flying all around the US and staying in totally sweet hotels and getting paid for it? Anyway, it’s about a company that fires people, that is the business. So with the economic down turn, their business is booming. Anna Kendrick plays his protege of sorts Natalie Keener. She proves she is so much more than Twilight and will probably still be making movies when K-Stew has used up all her Twilight fame. Definitely worth a watch, if not several.

MY SISTER’S KEEPER: I was so frikin’ angry they changed the ending. HOW DARE THEY. Bad Hollywood etiquette. Changing a novel’s end to make it more film worthy. BAD HOLLYWOOD, BAD.

THE INFORMANT: WTF? Adds new meaning to Matt Damon (said in that retarded-team-america way). What a fucking idiot. Has an Austin Powers feel to it, but ultimately the movie is just bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES: ZOMG. So good. 19th Century period England where they all fight zombies and were taught by ninjas. BRILLIANT. And of course there is Mr Darcy. Set to be turned in to a movie with Natalie Portman as Elizabeth. Can’t wait. Everytime I watch the 2005 film version of P&P I keep expecting zombies to jump out.

GLEE: TV Programme: amazing. Soundtrack No 1: amazing. Soundtrack No 2: amazing. Can’t wait for the second season. It’s like High School Musical but for adults. Oh and Cory Monteith who plays Finn is 28. Playing a 16-year-old. That’s just weird.

ANNOUNCED GIGS: Pixes announced a side show at The Powerstation on the 11th March and it sold out in 2 minutes. I didn’t even have a chance. However I have better things to do then, like The Backstreet Boys concert that’s happening at Vector. Then Cobra and Gaga. It will be a busy weekend. Paramore gig transferred locations to Waitakere Trusts Stadium in order to open up some more tickets because it sold out on the day and then the extra tickets sold out too. I am lucky enough to have one. Weeee! But still, gig’s now out west and not south, still does not make travel easy.

FALL OUT BOY: Chatter all week about Fall Out Boy officially breaking up because of some tweets sent by Pete and the gang saying they quit. Every band has to have a break at some point and that is what they are doing. They’ve recorded CD after CD and done nothing but tour for the last seven years. They’re on a break and they don’t know how long it will last. I’m going to take the come-backs-are-very-popular route. It gives me hope.

And hopefully this set of rants will have reinstated the weekly rant-athon and more regular postings.

Lisa out.

Getting my rant on – week 2

/ Lisa / 1 Comment

So, finally Paramore have announced the dates for their New Zealand tour – March 4 and 5, Auckland and Christchurch. What I want to know is why are they having the Auckland gig at the Telstra Clear events centre? Seriously hard to get to much?

Owl City have been announced as openers for Cobra Starship’s Auckland gig. Now at first I had no idea who this guy was but on further investigation found he is actually super awesome. Think a young Postal Service = RAD. Single “Fireflies” is definitely worth a listen.

Also realised Cobra’s gig is the same day as The Pixies – wonder which I will go to? Probably Cobra as I think Pixies is sold out.

This Is It – finally went to see it, in its last week of viewing. MJ is amazing and it is hard to believe that he was having so many problems in the lead up to his death. I would imagine anyone doing as much dancing and singing as he was, would not have insomnia.

The biggest controversy of this week has been Adam Lambert’s performance at the American Music Awards. After searching Google and YouTube for hours and unable to find a video to show me what actually happened (thanks Dick Clark Productions making copyright claims – you make my life so easy), I came upon a crappy TiVo-ed video camera-ed version. What was supposed to be a S&M-themed performance of Lambert’s debut single “For Your Entertainment” has caused controversy because he kissed a male, fondled his back-up dancers and apparently gave the fingers to the audience (I totally didn’t see that). All I have to say is: GET OVER IT. IT’S NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL. As for his song, didn’t really like it, but I may buy his album, just for shits and giggles.

Oh joy. The Feelers are doing another summer tour. Yawn.

Stan won Australian Idol. If you didn’t want to know who won till Friday, tough. Not like it’s been kept a secret. TV One ran a piece on Monday, it was a trending topic on Twitter and 20/20 has a piece on Stan’s past. The media has not made it easy to avoid finding out. I’m just thankful that blond chick didn’t win, because seriously, she butchered a Fall Out Boy song a few weeks ago and didn’t deserve to win.

Loving Miley Cyrus “Party in the USA” – it’s just so catchy. But you don’t gain any cred for mentioning Jay-Z or Britney.

Also bought Gin’s album, still haven’t really listened to it, but what I have, it is really good.

Cobra mess up.

/ Lisa

This review was published first in AUT University’s student newspaper Te Waha Nui.

Cobra Starship’s third album Hot Mess is just that, minus the hot.

It gets off to a great start with Nice guys finish last and Pete Wentz is the only reason we’re famous. Both songs have superfluous amounts of energy.

To tie off the beginning and best part of the album Good girls go bad with Leighton Meester, from TV’s Gossip Girl, is a smash hit. There is no denying it is a great song, great single, and people love it.

But once those three songs are said and done, the energy dissipates like air out of a balloon.

The remaining eight songs, one would think there is something good, when you have some of the biggest names in music, writing and producing the majority of your album.

When Pete Wentz, Patrick Stump, Kara DioGuardi, Kevin Rudolf, and the biggest surprise of all, pop duo Daryl Hall and John Oates litter the liner notes, some form of magic has to be going on. Alas, this is not Harry Potter.

Although You’re not in on the joke brings back sounds of Snakes on a Plane, those sounds do not stick around, unlike that tune.

You are pulled in to a false sense of ending well, when ultimately all it does is fail with The world will never do.

Written on the back of the front cover booklet is “Cobra starship is still a band”…well maybe they shouldn’t be.

Maybe that is a little harsh; they do have a keytar player, so they already stand apart from most other alternative bands in existence.

But for being one of the up and comers, who produce an amazing live act, this album is a let down.

Perhaps the down fall was titling one of their songs Pete Wentz is the only reason we’re famous, at least they have been consistent in the Decaydance record label of having obscure song titles.

It does have potential to be one of those hidden treasures that with time, and maybe a little bit of torture, can be rather enjoyable and even great.

But for now, if this is how their live shows are heading too, there will be one less fan in the crowd come March.