Twilight

Am I broken?

/ Lisa

Ok, so. Just went to see New Moon and the one word I can think of to describe it is “meh”. I feel nothing for it. It was not good, it was not bad. I am neutral. If Switzerland could have an opinion of New Moon – I would be Switzerland.

But this does not make sense! I am not a hater, I am one of the many obsessed fans of The Twilight Saga. I was the one that made my friends read the books and now they are more excited than me. And in the first paragraph there is already a Twilight reference! FFS.

My level of obsession is large, maybe not as large as some, but it is decent. I have lost count of how many times I have read the books. I saw the movie five times while at the cinema, then bought it on DVD immediately and it lived in my player for the next few months. So it is safe to say I have lost count of how many times I have watched the movie. The soundtrack lived in my CD player for the majority of the year and some of my favourite songs come from that soundtrack. I follow several of the actors on twitter. I have posters and calendars and the five ticket stubs from the cinemas are kept in a box of trinkets!

This is not the behaviour of someone who thinks New Moon is “meh”. I’m having trouble liking the soundtrack, even though I love the majority of the artists on there. Could it be that I overexposed myself to the hype of Twilight and now there is nothing left to give to New Moon – absurd! Or could it be that I am squarely in the Team Edward camp and because New Moon revolves mostly around Jacob and the wolf pack, I have become disillusioned with the hype. Um, no. I love New Moon just as much as the other books.

Could I blame the fact I was in the second row of seats and struggled to make my eyes focus, therefore could barely watch at all? I don’t think so, I like sitting up the front and do so frequently – I sat up the front for Twilight.

So what could it be? Maybe it could be that it seems everyone has jumped on this bandwagon and I was an original fan before the release of the movies? But that just means I would have more people to obsess with! So that cannot be it.

Could it be the movie actually was just average? WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP. Or perhaps I am just a bigger fan of the books than the movies and that is the way it will always be – just like Harry Potter. Or, maybe I need to go and see it a second time before I make any hard and fast decisions. Or could it be that Jasper just looked creepy this time round and I am secretly hiding the fact I am Team Jasper instead of Edward?

Or, am I broken? So for now, after all my ranting, I will reserve judgment of New Moon for another day – the day that I have watched it again. Because there is no way someone with my level of obsession can think New Moon is “meh”.

Getting my rant on.

/ Lisa

Paramore – having finally announced an NZ show, they still haven’t come up with the candy.

Over the last week or so there have been several music related things that have just ground my gears – I feel this may become a weekly thing, a series perhaps? Yay or Nay?

Chris Brown – Lil Wayne is not going to revive your career and if I can transform ya is a metaphor for your career, stop now because there is no way anyone will respect you any more, no matter what Phil Bostwick says. You sucked in the past, you suck in the present and the future doesn’t look very bright either.

Paramore are coming to NZ – the announcement came last week over twitter, but any details are still forthcoming. You’ve announced. You’re fans want to know the deets. Hurry up already. People have been waiting a long time for this – I know I have.

And what was with that pitiful second announcement for the BDO? Are they serious? They needed to announce a few more big headliners and everyone knows that the third announcement won’t have anyone big, just the little Kiwi and Aussie bands, which most aren’t worth seeing. This round – I’m only keen for Jet and The Veils. Then there is the controversy with Beanie Man – are they going to announce another act to replace him? Seriously. FFS.

Sean Kingston is back. I wish he wasn’t. Especially when he is number eight on the NZ top 40. Say what!? And what is up with the video? A cartoon version? Someone help us.

However, absolutely loving Gin “Oh My”. Enough said.

Finally picked up the New Moon soundtrack. First listen I wasn’t that impressed, but it is growing on me slowly. The music is different from the Twilight soundtrack, but as New Moon takes a sudden turn, the music fits the 180. Look forward to seeing the movie later in the week (!!!). Will post reviews of both when I get around to it.

Rant: DONE.

Not just another brick in the wall.

/ Lisa

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

Brand-New-Eyes-paramore-6866084-600-600

When Paramore announced they were cancelling six shows on a European tour because of “personal issues” it looked like the end for a band that was only just making the big time. But with a break and another member added to the group they are back with their third album that blows all doubt about their existence out of the water.

Brand New Eyes shows Paramore aren’t just another band trying to stay in the lime light after their break-through album Riot! It shows they are here to stay, so move over No Doubt, you’re old school. Meet your replacement.

The first single off the album, Ignorance, is set to take over the summer airwaves as the song to rock out to. As the song goes “ignorance is your new best friend” – if you haven’t heard it yet, get to know it intimately as it’s going to be around for a long time.

As any album produced by Rob Cavallo, who has fashioned such albums as Green Day’s American Idiot and My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade, it holds great expectations – ones that are met and exceeded, exponentially.

Brick By Boring Brick has been announced as the second single off the album, but yet to hit airwaves. It is definitely not a boring brick. Everything about it creates imagery that many a song never manages. The line “ripping wings off butterflies” serves as the inspiration for the album cover.  These guys really know how to pick their singles – it is a great follow up to Ignorance, making two of the strongest songs on the album probably the two best songs to rock the summer with.

Brand New Eyes is a great mix of the typical Paramore rock, but they show their fluffier side with The Only Exception and Misguided Ghosts by going acoustic.

Fans will be happy to know Decode, the song Paramore wrote for Twilight, is a bonus making up this 12 track album.

Brand New Eyes is more adventurous than Riot! and is Paramore’s re-invention album, which cements them as one of the best bands of current times.

This is the summer album, if you don’t have it; you’re just another boring brick.