Showing posts with label the voice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the voice. Show all posts
April 7, 2021
Male Fail #5
November 27, 2017
A Darn Good Coach
Believing in giving a "Good Job!" when its due, Jennifer Hudson is a very, very good coach on The Voice. I think she gives Adam Levine and Blake Shelton a serious run for their money. Much like Alicia Keys did. I really don't like how often she seems to bring everything back to her and her career journey, but as far as doing a great job at supporting and developing her team, she's pretty darn good!
September 30, 2017
Ruining The Voice
Before tomorrow's post honoring the 35th Anniversary of EPCOT Center / Epcot / "IPcot"(to be coming our way sooner than I'd like), I just have to address something on my mind regarding "The Voice". Yes, it's one of my favorite television shows. The live music aspect is fun and the hook of judges initially not seeing the contestants brings some great surprises. However, this season is lacking in a few ways. Or perhaps there's just excess. Excess Miley Cyrus, admittedly slightly more subdued than the past; and excessive anger or something going on with Jennifer Hudson. Does the woman ever really relax or smile? The intensity level just slices off any sense of fun when she's on the screen. And shouldn't a show like this be fun for both judges and contestants? Thank God for staples Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. Otherwise, I'd be gone. Bring back Gwen, or Pharrell, or anyone for that matter- except CeeLo. He's just creepy.
June 10, 2017
New Music from The Voice's Christina Grimmie
Her music lives on! And how! Check out Christina Grimmie's new album "All is Vanity". There's a powerful message there... and some really good music!
One of the finalist's on The Voice, she had it all. Even holding her own with coach Adam Levine on "Somebody That I Used To Know". But there's more to her than her voice.
Check out her youtube page full of videos and music here.
May 24, 2017
Stars are Born
This is the year. NBC's The Voice has struggled since inception to have a break out major artist discovered a la Carrie Underwood and American Idol. But no longer.
Can I brag that I accurately predicted the order of the Final 4? Jesse Larson was an easy number four as he had been in the bottom three before. Equally gifted Aliyah Moulden was my guess for number three. Still young and developing- and her final performances were not as riveting.
That left Lauren Duski and Chris Blue. Both incredibly gifted and consistent in their performances.
Lauren's cover of Billy Dean's Somewhere in My Broken Heart is now one of my favorites. It's beauty strengthens with each play. Her voice is at once classic and unique. Beautiful and understated. The Dance was equally gorgeous. Even ending the series at number two, Lauren will have a long career in the music industry.
Chris Blue. Wow! 24K Magic was great- the man has the moves of Michael Jackson and much stronger pipes- but I longed for his take on Uptown Funk. It took Kirk Franklin's gospel gem Take Me to the King to predict and claim that he should be number one. Rhythm Nation was just the icing on the celebratory winner's cake.
Now, we all know the NBC executives have money on their mind. So, let me add my few cents. This is the first season of The Voice in which I've purchased their songs on i-tunes more than one or two times. Fourteen songs in fact by these top four. And I'll definitely be buying the discs from Duski and Blue.
April 4, 2017
Up to the Mountain with Brennley Brown
Let me say it simply: A country star is born with Brennley Brown and her amazing rendition of Kelly Clarkson's lovely Up to the Mountain. Adam Levine said it best: It's a Grammy winning performance. Watch it below.
January 19, 2017
Just One Happy Family
One of the cleverest commercials I've seen in a long, long time! Gotta love the fact that Gwen Stefani is back and replacing the obnoxious Miley Cyrus. Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, and Alicia Keys carry on with Carson Daly. Love The Voice's new season crew!
June 11, 2016
Goodbye Christina
Fans of The Voice know the talented Christina Grimmie was killed by a deranged fan while in Orlando. What sad news! Her version of Somebody That I Use to Know with show mentor Adam Levine was one of my favorite duos from the show. (See here.) It takes quite a talented artist to hold their own when matched up to Levine's star power- and she did. Still on my i-pod and in my car. Yes, there is evil in the world...
March 26, 2016
Class and Trash Come to The Voice
February 4, 2016
The Legacy of Karen Carpenter
The opening lines from the Carpenters' hit "Yesterday Once More" seem to ring of days gone by. In fact, it was 33 years ago the world lost the greatest female voice of the seventies and of her generation. On that day, Karen Carpenter passed away, but the very memorable music she crafted with her gifted brother Richard continues to reach new fans every decade since.
Unfortunately, her death from anorexia nervosa overshadowed her art in the earliest years, but the public has moved on to finally first recognizing her as the amazing artist she was- a once in a lifetime vocalist. With brother Richard as arranger, songwriter, producer, and musical partner, the Carpenters were a recording act for all time.
"Close to You", "We've Only Just Begun", "Rainy Days and Mondays", "Superstar", "Goodbye to Love", "A Song For You", "Top of the World", "Only Yesterday", "Please Mr. Postman", and of course, Karen's favorite "I Need to Be in Love". Playful or serious, these incredible recordings defined music in their time and are still played today. Even as the duo's popularity waned, the least of their best selling albums contained instant classics. Enough hits to fill two full discs of music without a trace of filler.
Karen's voice was instantly recognizable, the mark of a great artist. Pure tones without having to scream to make an impact. No studio tricks in order to make you listen. Just talent. Intimate, engaging, richly deep, and sensual. All those wonderful multi-tracked vocals of the brother and sister displayed Richard's genius in arranging the songs and producing Karen's voice.
Do you ever wonder why you don't hear covers of Carpenters songs on The Voice or American Idol? Easy. Although Karen made it all sound simple, in reality, the songs were very difficult to perform, and only the finest vocalists would attempt them. Yet, Karen's voice along Richard's production combined to make their versions definitive. Even Christmas songs became theirs. When no one else was recording these favorites, they set the new standard for holiday music with their 1978 release of "Christmas Portrait".
Photo from her long delayed solo album.
As part of a duo or a solo artist, there's only one Karen Carpenter. The woman could sing, and she could sing anything. Try out one of these lesser known, non-single, favorites from their/her catalogue-
Album Title: Song
Ticket to Ride/Offering: All of My Life
Close to You: Baby It's You
Carpenters (aka Tan album): Hideaway
A Song For You: Road Ode
Now and Then: Our Day Will Come
Horizon: Desperado
A Kind of Hush: Boat to Sail
Passage: B'wana She No Home
Made in America: Strength of a Woman
Voice of the Heart: Ordinary Fool
Lovelines: Kiss Me The Way You Did Last Night
As Time Goes By: Karen's medley with Ella Fitzgerald
Karen Carpenter: Still Crazy After All These Years
For those of you new to the duo or to Karen, what wonderful discoveries await you! For those of you already familiar with their work, it will be a trip down memory lane. Want more Karen and Richard? To date, there's over 80 more posts on this blog, including album reviews, very rare photos, and much more.
Follow this link if you want to read about Karen's last hours and the documentary that was made about it.
This is part of a continuing series on the albums of Karen and Richard Carpenter. There are so many stand alone posts highlighting different aspects of their career, recordings, rare photographs, and life that I've lost count.
Below is the list of my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews of each album and then my initial ones a decade earlier. Each have different photos and clippings about the creation and promotion and success of each disc.
My Revisited / Fresh Look at the albums:
My Initial Reviews of the albums:
December 29, 2014
Best and Worst of 2014
The Worst:
- The killing of young black men all over America, both by the police and by black on black violence
- Young black men (and all people) choosing to break the law, placing themselves in the position of having to encounter police
- Meryl Streep's ridiculous swipe at Walt Disney
- Losing my job
- The continued move of American business operations to overseas locations at the cost of jobs for our citizens
- Disney's continued characterization of Epcot. Losing Norway to Frozen
- Maroon 5's latest album
- Lame plans for Disneyland's 60th Anniversary
- Middle Eastern thugs terrorizing the nations and beheading innocent civilians
- Joel Osteen and his brand of "Christian" wealth and prosperity doctrine. Sure worked for Jesus and certainly works for most of the Christians suffering all over the world- yeah, right!
- Americas continued reliance on abortion as birth control
- Hollywood's seeming emphasis on dumb, over the top, sex fueled entertainment
- Continued genocide all over the world
- The state of disrepair at Disneyland Paris
- High prices for cars and high fees to use public transportation
- Texting when a conversation deserves face to face communication
- The continued high price of airline tickets
- Frontier Airlines' website
- Too many reality television shows
- Remaking Disney animation classics into Live Action films
- Over the top greed in the business world. CEO salaries out of control
- When friends disappoint and show their true colors
- No Friends movie in the future
- Thugs posing as athletes in professional sports
- Sports leadership making excuses for such behavior and being slow to respond appropriately
- "Naked" television
- Excessive awards shows on television
- Putin's moves toward a new Soviet Union
- The new Polynesian Village Resort Lobby at Disney World
- The number of broken effects at Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and all over the park in places you'd never expect
- The high cost of health insurance and the mess of Obamacare. When will our government understand its never better or cheap to add even government layers of oversight to a social service?
- News stations that interpret the news versus delivering it
- Kim Kardashian's exposed butt. Niki Minaj's too. Should I add Miley Cyrus' self-degradation to this list?
- Musical artists that have to swear and use highly crude sexual language to sell their music
- Parents not disciplining their kids in public and giving into their every whim
- Big Hero 6 not being the breakout hit it deserves to be
- Suits at Disney refusing to give Frozen an E Ticket attraction in the Magic Kingdom where it belongs
- The price of Disney one day park hopper tickets
- The legalization of marijuana in Colorado
- School shootings continue on
- The infiltration of humanism in the Christian church
- The devolution of Epcot
- Fewer Caribou Coffee locations
- The French air traffic controllers strike during our vacation
- The lack of an Avengers film this year
- Having to book attraction and meal times far in advance at the Florida Disney parks
- No new original, non-IP based attractions at the Disney parks
- A wet and green summer
- Losing Shakira on The Voice
- Seeing friends lose their children and their parents
- Not enough time to give this blog the attention it deserves
- Shoddy concept art by Disney for new additions
- Disney's focus on more retail and restaurants than creating groundbreaking attractions in its parks
- The overall dumbing down of America by bringing culture to the lowest common denominator
The Best:
- Everyday heroes serving in their communities
- The announcement of Incredibles 2
- More grandchildren
- Cleaner air
- Films that value family, such as the Thousand Foot Journey
- The addition of Ratatouille to Disney Studios Paris
- The return of old school R&B music
- The continued excellent maintenance of the exterior of the show buildings at Disneyland
- A hot cup of coffee and a quiet morning to read and pray
- Picking apples with my grandsons
- The transformation of California Adventure and the hope of the suits finishing the job in the original areas of the park
- The new and overdue investment into the Africa section of Disney's Animal Kingdom
- Adam Levine and Blake Shelton bromance on The Voice
- Watching my son in law get baptized
- Alain Littaye and the Disney and More website
- God's continued faithfulness even when I do not understand what He allows
- The excellent refurbishment of Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- A trip to Switzerland- almost free
- A supportive wife and family
- Having more than enough to be able to give to others
- Tim Tebow on Good Morning America. A great match of human interest stories and good-hearted host.
- A new job
- Seeing Christians boldly live out their beliefs by following Jesus at all costs
- Longer movie previews
- Finding personal joy and fulfillment even while making less money
- Chipotle and their barbacoa tacos
- Better treatment of immigrants
- Lower gasoline prices
- Aging gracefully and without plastic surgery
- Rumer and Harriet making new music
- The overall good sportsmanship at the World Cup
- Old albums finally coming to compact disc
- The generosity of friends and family at unexpected times
- Removal of the Hat at Disney's Hollywood Studios
- George Benson
- Watching our favorite local Chinese restaurant survive the economic downturn
- Visiting our son, daughter in law and grandson in Kansas City during game six of the World Series
- Universal's new Harry Potter attractions and the transformation of both the Studios and Islands of Adventure
- Having four living parents, especially as we are grandparents ourselves
- Walking along the beach in Laguna
- Praying for physical headings that would take God doing a miracle- and seeing it happen
- The forums at A&M Corner and WDW Magic
- H&M comes to Denver
- The return of Downton Abbey
- A night of Ticket to Ride with family and friends
- Great Reads by David Platt and Francis Chan
- Five Guys' french fries
- The new Union Station in Downtown Denver
- Discovering great BBQ in Orange County
- Finding new friends when you least expect it
- The upcoming details for the remake of Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Having faithful and wonderful readers of this blog!
- ...and so much more
May 31, 2014
Taking a Second Look
The last few weeks have been a rather difficult one for the Insights blog. Due to absolutely no fault at all of the Disney News Central site- and certainly all the fault of my own, my blog posts would not show up on the list. My friend Alain Littaye and I worked very hard to fix the problem. Thankfully, he figured it out, so I am back up to date! (Update: Problem is happening again!)
Here's a direct link to each post you may have missed, and there's some gems: concept art for unbuilt Epcot pavilions, the lost mountain of the Magic Kingdom, art for Disneyland's unbuilt Haunted Mansion on Main Street(!) and the most extensive history of Disney's Hollywood Studios I have ever seen- concept art, trip report (over the 25 years) and more.
Enjoy! And thanks for your patience!
Walt Disney World's Unbuilt Fire Mountain
Children in the Grass
The Problem with the Magic Kingdom
Seven Dwarf's Mine Train Game
Kodak Map of Disneyland
Shag-a-delic Fantasyland
Thank You Veterans!
Disneyland's Rocket Rods
Missing Whitney Houston
Somebody That I Used to Know
Disappointment Again
C'est Magnifique
Main Street's Haunted Mansion
Sizing Up The Voice
Odds and Ends: Disney and More
Tim Delaney and Shanghai Disneyland
America Sings Once Again
Brazil Showcase at Epcot
The United Kingdom Showcase That Never Was
The Story of the Teal Shoes
Rivers of Light to Flow at Animal Kingdom
25 Years of Disney's Hollywood Studios
May 21, 2014
Missing Miss Whitney
Wrapping up this season's reality vocal competitions makes me think of what a tremendous loss it is to no longer have Whitney Houston with us. Sure, her life ended poorly, but I find when I watch shows like The Voice and American Idol, I find myself looking for the next version of her. And that will never be.
Mariah Carey sings wonderfully, and Christina Aguilera is a powerhouse, but something is missing when I compare both of them to a young and talented Whitney. There's a charm and wit that she had that cannot be duplicated. And when you put Whitney in front of the camera, she sparkled without having to be blatantly sexual. It had a mesmerizing effect on me... and it still does.
Whether it was I Will Always Love You, I Believe in You and Me or I have Nothing, (three of my favorites), Whitney was believable. If she was just a very good actress, well, she convinced me. Her latter years were filled with mostly mediocre material and relatively poor vocal abilities, yet nonetheless, Whitney will always be firmly implanted in my mind as she was at her peak. Rest in peace, Miss Whitney.
May 20, 2014
Levine & Grimmie: Somebody That I Used to Know
Let's be honest here: Adam Levine's star power is shining brightly- and his lower range vocals on this Goyte remake are fantastic. That said, Christina Grimmie holds her own next to him. Her upper range is delightfully wicked. When they harmonize, it's a duet made for television and for the sales charts. This could actually be the very first major hit for The Voice. Hit as in actually launching a long term career. In our house, it's a tie between this young lady and Josh Kaufman. So, we'll see what happens...
May 14, 2014
Sizing Up The Voice Performances
I continue to be impressed by the talent on The Voice. In fact, this could be one of the television show's most impressive line-up of singers, even rivaling the talent of judges Usher, Adam Levine, Shakira, and Blake Shelton.
The true test of the appeal of the talent will be if the cash registers ring with sales. Aside from a few i-tunes purchases, I just haven't found an artist whose album I would buy.
This may change with Josh Kaufman. His blend of soul and rock hit the spot. I'd even go out on a limb and say Monday night's performance of the new tune by One Republic is even better than the group's version. That's saying quite a bit.
On that same vibe, Tuesday night's debut of singles by Will Champlin and Jacquie Lee left me cold. Their producers don't seem to know who these artists are, and the singers themselves seemed disconnected from the songs. Tessanne Chin, however, really rocked with a number that felt like a modern Whitney Houston tune without Whitney's unfortunate gruffer edges that she attained after years of abuse.
So back to Josh. And a plea of him. Please find the right producer who understands who you are and brings the best out. You may have found him in Usher. Just ask him- you never know.
May 13, 2014
Odds and Ends: Disney and More
Where to begin? There's not enough at this point in time for a single topic post, but there is just enough for a variety of comments regarding Disney news and More. So, with apologies to my friend Alain Littaye...
A return to the name Polynesian Village Resort? Great move. Usually when Disney suits play on nostalgia, it is accompanied by lots of retro merchandise. It's a clever way to acknowledge the buying power of long term fans, make a few bucks, and take their eye off the fact most of the Walt Disney World property is much ado about nothing compared to Universal Orlando. A demolished waterfall lobby? Bad news- no question. The iconic center and heart of the resort is now under wraps. And it is a tragedy. Not like real human loss, but it is an aesthetic loss to be sure. Trader Sam's whatever-they-are-going-to-call-it. Um, ok. If it's a great retro 60's thing, it may work well. I'll wait to see it for myself.
Michael Jackson. A previously unreleased track, Love Never Felt So Good is really... good, almost great. And why shouldn't it be? Either version, with or without Justin Timberlake, sparkles. The production is top notch, but it is Michael's understated vocals that pull no punches and set it apart. Recorded after the Off the Wall sessions in 1983, it fits on that disc, and it is instantly better and more danceable than anything off Thriller.
The glut of Christian themed films leaves me mixed. Noah plays nothing like the Biblical truth. Heaven is for Real entices with a great story, and Son of God puts in a good word for Jesus. Yet, if you really want to know what God has to say about Himself and the state of mankind, pick up a Bible and begin with the book of John in the New Testament. Don't rely on someone else- do your own reading, your own research, and make up your mind on your own. Your choice for all eternity is on the line.
After a brief visit to the Disneyland Resort as few weeks ago, I am convinced that the California Kingdom is in much better shape than its counterpart in Florida. The hotels and Downtown Disney looked terrific- especially the shopping area's new Starbucks- and just a quick peek into California Adventure shows it to be a park with much potential now that there's been an awakening of sorts with its extensive remodel. I didn't do into either park, but I can guarantee Disneyland's once majestic Tomorrowland is still well overdue for a revisioning.
Back on the East Coast, I am loving the look of the new Lion King theater at Animal Kingdom. Not only does it belong in Africa as it has from the opening of the park, it looks appropriately authentic. Let's just hope the crowds don't overwhelm the area of this already underdeveloped, low attractioned, but exceedingly beautiful theme park. It has all the potential to be my favorite park in Florida. But let's be honest, however beautiful Avatar / Pandora might be, it will not be enough. Rivers of Light will be a nice addition as it allows guests to tour in the evenings when the parks are usually their most beautiful, yet it still needs something. More charm, more hidden little attractions, something.
After seeing the completed Seven Dwarf's Mine Train and the effect is has on the entirely opened New Fantasyland, I am starting to think this Magic Kingdom may eventually surpass Disneyland in the beauty category. Not the attraction count or quality, not the shop and restaurant options, but the physical look of the place. The vast expanse of concrete that once was is now a beautiful, almost mesmerizing piece of placemaking. Even though there's fewer dark rides, the foliage is lush, and the opportunity to enter the worlds of Belle, Gaston, Ariel and Eric is hard to pass up. There's no New Orleans Square here and Liberty Square has lost some of its unique offerings, but Tomorrowland is much more cohesive in theme and execution- and it has the Transit Authority. However, Adventureland is a mixed bag, but its made up in Frontierland by no pirates on Tom Sawyer Island and the venerable favorite, Country Bear Jamboree.
The current state of Sports and Politics generally leaves me disgusted, so I'd best go back to the realm of entertainment...
The Voice's on the show's namesake are much more gifted this year than most of those found on American Idol. I'll miss Shakira, and I don't get Adam Levine's new blond do, but the judges are much more engaging than the three on Idol. I do like them individually, but the chemistry is not there.
Why The Voice can't build a superstar like Idol can is something I do not understand, but they have yet to produce a Carrie Underwood or even a Chris Daughtry. Or even an Elliott Yamin. (And what is he doing, by the way? The man can sing.) There's just not much else to enjoy on television, and Downton Abbey isn't back for another seven months. It's good. It's time to be outside anyway.
There is one good thing on television these days- the commercials for the Harry Potter expansion at Universal Studios Florida. I've seen exactly one film and read none of the books, but my wife and I agree that our next visit to Florida will mean two days away from Disney so we can visit both the Studios and Islands of Adventure. The Mouse had better get going. Universal has upped the ante by adding attraction after attraction in a speed that Disney only uses for building out timeshares and new restaurants at Epcot.
Oh, my beloved Epcot! What a shadow of its former glory. The Future World paint scheme does reveal how out of touch the suits are with the purpose of the park, trading its former glory for the latest trends in Disney films. Ratatouille in France? I don't believe it for a moment. Another bakery perhaps, but an attraction in World Showcase? Nope. Restaurants and bars are all they build there these days. And speaking of Ratatouille, what is it with building a French themed attraction in Paris? Isn't that akin to building a California themed park in California? ;)
Well, enough ranting. I'm going to go back and enjoy my family. Time passes much too quickly, and I have other places to explore. Our next trip will be to Switzerland and France- without a Disney castle in sight. I cannot wait!
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Most photographs by Mark Taft.)
March 4, 2014
I'll Be Your Adam If You'll Be My Shakira
Like the title of my catchy new song? I think it'd easily sell a million copies on i-tunes. Let's face it: The Voice is THE music television talent show. And who could be more fun to watch than Adam Levine and Shakira? Is it time for a duet? I think so!
February 22, 2014
Unimpressive Idols
American Idol Season 13 is certainly unlucky! After viewing a handful of episodes, I am thoroughly unimpressed. The judges are probably the best mix since the original ones. Jennifer Lopez always displays her soft side (except on stage!), Keith Urban is kind but honest, and surprise hard nose Harry Connick Jr. is generally as dead on as Simon Cowell. The show is past its prime when greats like Carrie Underwood and Daughtry made a splash. We won't see artists like them again. It's time for The Voice to return.
(Photograph by Michael Becker, Fox)
November 25, 2013
The Voice's One to Beat
James Wolpert showed incredible chops and finesse doing Queen's great Somebody to Love, but it is Jacquie Lee that's the one to beat.
Her incredible version of the Jackson5's classic Who's Lovin' You - wow- nothing short of stellar. Sets her apart for The Voice crown.
May 4, 2013
Missing Two Old School Divas- Donna and Whitney
Sure, both American Idol and The Voice provide viewers and listeners with some new and great talent- and actually, Idol is far more successful at this than The Voice.
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