Skye Sweetnam: Sound Soldier Album Review

 Yesterday I reviewed Skye Sweetnam's first album, "Noise from the Basement", today I'm reviewing her second album, "Sound Soldier".  "Sound Soldier" was released 3 after Skye's first album and was mainly produced by the production team, "The Matrix", who worked on Avril Lavigne's first album.  Very strange when Skye had felt she was "Avril-lyte" in "Hupocrite" and had an "Anti-Matrix" sticker on her guitar.  The album was much different from her first album but very enjoyable to listen to nonetheless.  Here's my track by track review:

1) Music Is My Boyfriend: This song is about how Skye considers music to be her boyfriend and doesn't need anyone else.  The song had a video that Skye herself directed.  The song as well as the video are strange and I feel it is a weak song.  5/10

2) Human: The first single from the album.  The music video was inspired by the film "Tank Girl" which was also the inspiration for Avril Lavigne's "Rock N Roll" video a few years later.  How interesting.  The song is basically saying that "we're only human" as well as using things to market products is is shown obviously in the second verse.  It was a great choice as the first single.  10/10

3) Boyhunter (featuring Ak'Sent): This is my favorite song on the album.  Skye talks about sneaking out night meeting boys but you get caught.  Rapper "Ak'Sent" makes an appearance on the song and her verse is perfect.  Wish it was a single.  10/10

4) Ghosts (featuring Tim Armstrong): One of the few songs on the record that wasn't produced by The Matrix.  This song was produced by Tim Armstrong who is not only from the band "Rancid" but is also featured on the song.  I love the lyric, "there's some things you're gonna miss, going up in a small town like this" but that being said I have no clue what the song is about!  9/10

5) My Favorite Tune: In this song Skye compares her lover to her favorite song.  I'm sensing a theme with this album.  It also feels like it could've been on her first album, given that it's a straight forward pop/rock track.  10/10

6) Scary Love: The only ballad on the album.  The song is beautiful in some parts but a little "scary" in other parts.  It's about finding that one person that you love but you're afraid it may end given your previous relationships.  Really cute.  10/10

7) (Let's Get Movin') Into Action (featuring Tim Armstrong): The second and final single from the album.  There are two versions of this song.  The version that's on this album and the version that was a single on Tim Armstrong's album "A Poet's Life".  The song is a weak to me and a bad choice as a single.  5/10

8) Cartoon: This song is a little strange with the "pretty kitty" lyric but that being said the song is really good.  I wish it had a video.  I loved it from the first time I heard it and I still love it to this day.  10/10

9) Ultra: Another strange song.  I kept thinking she was saying "knuckles" in the chorus but it was actually "not girls" and "not guys".  I love the part where she sings "my river runs deep but your quite a big fish, if you're willing to try and understand me."  Her vocals on that part are amazing.  10/10

10) Make-Out Song: This song is very in your face.  It is completely different from Skye's previous record.  I don't know how else to describe it.  7/10

11) Kiss a Girl: In this song, Skye is so sick of her boyfriend being annoying that she's tempted to kiss a girl because she feels it's be less drama.  I didn't listen to the song that much at first but I like it now.  Strange how a few months after this album was released, Katy Perry released "I Kissed a Girl" and both artists were signed to Capitol Records at the time.  Coincidence?  10/10

12) Babydoll Gone Wrong: This song had a video that Skye directed herself.  The lyrics are a little creepy and it makes me relieved that there aren't any dolls in my house.  But that being said I still like the song.  10/10

13) Girl Like Me: This song was a bonus track on the Japanese version of the album.  In this song Skye is saying "what you get is what you see" with a girl like her.  Despite being a guy I like the song and I wish it was a single given that it's a strong song.  10/10

 Skye had said that "Sound Soldier" was meant to be Britney Spears meet Nine Inch Nails, while I'm not sure if that's how the record is I still like that she tried something new.  My favorite songs on the album are: "Boyhunter (featuring Ak'Sent)", "Cartoon", "Human", "Girl Like Me", "Babydoll Gone Wrong","Kiss a Girl", "Ghosts (featuring Tim Armstrong)", "Scary Love", and "Ultra".  Out of 130 points I give the album 116 points which is 89%, a B+.  Awesome job Skye!

Skye Sweetnam: Noise from the Basement Album Review

 Ten years ago Skye Sweetnam released her first album "Noise from the Basement" in 2004.  Since then she's had a cameo on a tv, directed a couple videos, released a new album and is now the lead singer for a band called "Sumo Cyco.  Today I'll be reviewing "Noise from the Basement" so here's my track by track review:

1) Number One: The third and final single from the album.  The song initially starts off slow in the beginning but quickly becomes fast paced after the a couple seconds.  This is my favorite song on the album.  It's just an upbeat pop/rock song that makes you want to jump and dance like a fool, or maybe that's just me.  10/10

2) Billy S.: The first single from the album as well as the first single from the "How to Deal" soundtrack.  The S. stands for Shakespeare and the song is about rebelling, which is kinda the theme on this record.  I think the song is awesome and the video is really cool.  10/10

3) Tangled Up in Me: The second single from the album.  To date it is her most successful single.  The video featured Skye performing with her band while there were also shots of her being tangled up in wires.  I remember when I was 13 the song's video came on and I sang along to the song into a light bulb not knowing that my siblings and babysitter at the time were watching me from behind.  Scared for life!  10/10

4) I Don't Really Like You: The song title says it all!  The song is about unrequited love where someone wants to be with you but you don't feel that way about them and they can't take a hint.  Awesome song.  10/10

5) I Don't Care: Another song title that says it all.  Like "Billy S." this song is also about rebelling.  It talks about not wanting to be perfect and wanting to be an individual.  Perfect song for teenagers to listen to but not as catchy as the previous songs.

6) Heart of Glass: We all know this song is a cover.  It was originally performed by the band Blondie.  Skye's version is shorter and has a rock spin on it.  I think she did a great job on it given that it's hard to cover a Blondie song and make it sound good.  10/10

7) Sharada: One of the one poppier songs on the album, "Sharada" tells the story about a girl who is daydreaming about being famous.  I think the song is really good and relatable.  I wish it had a video though.  10/10

8) It Sucks: Ever crush on someone who's not available?  This song is about that.  It's strange because when I heard the song for the first time, I hated it.  Then junior year of high school came and I could relate to it.  Like the song says in it's lyrics "it's so frustrating".  10/10

9) Fallen Through: I hated this song when I first heard it.  But nowadays I like it's lyrics are really good and relatable.  It talks about looking back on a relationship and wondering why you were ever with someone who was a complete jerk.  This album is becoming very relatable with each track.  9/10

10) Hypocrite: In this song Skye is telling people not to label her a "hypocrite" because she'll do what she wants to and not care what other people say about her.  The lyric "Avril-lyte" in the first verse was clearly pointed at the people who compared her to Avril Lavigne.  10/10

11) Unpredictable: This song is about wanting to be different because being the same gets so boring.  The song used to be my favorite song on the album but I think because I listened to the song too much, it got a little boring.  9/10

12) Shot to Pieces: Another song that's about a jerk.  It is also the shortest song, as well as the most fast paced, on this record.  The guitar parts are awesome but I wish the song was longer.  9/10

13) Smoke + Mirrors: This song is a slow ballad.  It talks about being strong and not letting other people bring you down.  It's a great song with an amazing message.  9/10

14) Split Personality: This song feels like Skye is singing from two different sides of herself.  While she sings the chorus and the verses, it feels like her darker side sings the "gotta getcha" and parts of the chorus.  I used to like the song but now I find it kind boring.

 These next four songs are on the Japanese version of the album:

15) Imaginary Superstar: Skye directed a video for this song.  Like "Sharada" it also talks about daydreaming about being famous.  The difference is "Sharada" is a little better.  7/10

16) Sugar Guitar: This song was recorded for tribute to the anime "Nana" soundtrack.  While I've never seen it, I love how different it is from the rest of the album and it's also a guilty pleasure song of mine.  10/10

17) Tidal Wave: I don't really listen to this song much.  While it was a b-side for "Tangled Up in Me", it is kinda boring.  5/10

18) Shattered: This song was most likely the first song Skye recorded for the album since she sounds so young on it.  On top of that there's a video of her singing it when she looks like she may be 14.  Still a good song though.  8/10

19) Superstar: This song is a bonus track on the Korean version of the album.  It is also on iTunes as a standalone single.  The beat for the song was originally used by japanese group S.H.E. for their song also titled, "Superstar" but sung in japanese and Sweetbox's song "Chyna Girl".  Whether Skye's version is the english version of S.H.E.'s song is unkown and very unlikely but the song is one of my favorites.  Skye also shot a video for this song as well.  10/10

 While Skye hasn't achieved the success she deserves, she makes awesome music.  My favorite songs on this album are: "Number One", "Superstar", "Billy S.", "Hypocrite", "Tangled Up in Me", "Sugar Guitar", "Shot to Pieces", "Heart of Glass", "Sharada", "Unpredictable" and "I Don't Really Like You".  Out of 190 points I give the album 171 which is 90%, and A.  Awesome job Skye, can't wait for your next album!

Rihanna: Rated R Album Review

 Not too long ago I review Rihanna's album, "Loud".  Today I'll be reviewing her fourth album, "Rated R".  "Rated R" is Rihanna's darkest album given it's production, lyrics, and the fact that the album was released the same year as the "incident" between her and Chris Brown.  Me being a fan of Rihanna, I was shocked when heard about that when it happened.  I was even more surprised that she was releasing an album later in the year.  So here's my track by track review:

1) Mad House: Given that this song is an intro, I won't grade it out of 10 points.  The intro is however, very dark which sets the mood of this album.

2) Wait Your Turn: Rumored to have been titled "The Wait is Ova", this song was the third overall single from the album, being released everywhere except the U.S.  The video was done in black and white and showed Rihanna in many different outfits.  One of which she was wearing a black eye-patch.  Although the song was different from the stuff on her previous three albums, I thought it was somewhat okay.  8/10

3) Hard (featuring Jeezy): The second single from the album.  This is my favorite song on the whole album and I love the lyrics.  It's different from Rihanna's previous singles as it talks about being strong and I loved the military themed video.  10/10

4) Stupid in Love: After the first two tracks being upbeat and in your face, we get to a ballad.  You can feel the sadness in Rihanna's vocals.  There are 4 versions of this song in total.  The version on this album, a remix, and two demo versions done by R&B singer "Brandy" and R&B singer "Ne-Yo" who co-wrote this song.  The song talks about the point where you've had it with the person you're with and although you still love them, you just can't be with them anymore.  9/10

5) Rockstar 101 (featuring Slash): The fifth overall single from the album.  I was surprised that this song became a single instead of "Fire Bomb".  While the guitar solos from Slash are good and the song fusing dub step with rock music is pretty cool, I think releasing the song as a single was a huge mistake.  8/10

6) Fire Bomb: One of my favorite songs on the album.  The guitar solo in the beginning is pretty cool and the song was a favorite not just from a lot fans of Rihanna, but it was also a favorite of Rihanna's herself.  It was rumored to be the fifth overall single at one point but that didn't happen, which is a shame because it would've had an awesome video.  10/10

7) Russian Roulette: The first single from the album.  The song was a dark ballad and a risk to release as the lead single.  Although it sends a chill down my spine with the gun shot at the end of the song, it is kinda a weak song.  The video however was great.  7/10

8) Rude Boy: The fourth overall single from the album.  When I first heard it, I questioned why it was on the album when it was poppier and happier than all the other songs on this album.  After awhile I got over that and thought it was a great song.  The video was a little strange though.  10/10

9) Photographs (featuring will.i.am): Apparently this song was supposed to be for "The Black Eyed Peas" album "The E.N.D." but Rihanna decided to record it for her album.  At first I thought the song was boring because it felt like it was repeating the same line from start to finish but after a couple listens I thought it was a pretty great ballad.  10/10

10) G4L: The title stands for "Gangsta For Life" and like "Hard" is a tough song.  In fact some of the lyrics scared me at first.  The opening line especially, "I lick the gun when I'm done, cause I know that revenge is sweet".  DAMN!  9/10

11) Te Amo: The sixth overall and final single from the album.  The song is much different from the rest of the album and was actually one of the earlier songs that leaked, except this one made the album.  "Te Amo", which is spanish for I love you, is about a woman who is falling in love with the narrator but the narrator feel the same way.  Who can relate to that?  10/10

12) Cold Case Love: The longest song on the album being 6 minutes and 4 seconds.  It was also a favorite of Rihanna's and was co-written by "Justin Timberlake".  Rihanna admitted that this song was about Chris Brown.  Despite that I feel the song is too long and I get bored of it quickly.  8/10

13) The Last Song: Funny enough this song was the final song recorded for the album.  While Rihanna's vocals are amazing on this song, the overall track is kinda weak but it was still a good way to end the album.  7/10

 "Rated R" was a completely different album than Rihanna's previous ones at the time and still remains one of my favorite albums.  My favorite songs on the album are: "Hard (featuring Jeezy)", "Fire Bomb", "Rude Boy", "Te Amo", "Stupid in Love", and "Photographs (featuring will.i.am)".  Out of 120 points I give the album 106 which is 88%, a B+.  Awesome!

Girls Aloud: Ten (Deluxe Edition) Album Review

 I mentioned Girls Aloud when I was reviewing Cheryl Cole's "A Million Lights" album awhile ago, so it's no surprise that I'm reviewing one of their albums.  For those of you who don't know who Girls Aloud, they are (well were since they broke up last year) a girl group formed by the show "Popstars: The Rivals".  The band consisted of Cheryl Cole, Nicola Roberts, Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle, and Sarah Harding.  The group released 5 studio albums and 2 greatest hits albums, along with all but 2 of their singles becoming top 10 hits in the U.K.  Today I'll reviewing the deluxe edition of their album "Ten" which was the second greatest hits album as well as their final album before splitting up.  Here's my track by track review:

1) Something New: The first single from "Ten".  It was the group's first single in 3 years and was a perfect song to comeback with.  Kimberley and Nicola even rap on the first verse.  The video was also perfect.  10/10

2) The Promise: The first single from the group's fifth album,"Out of Control".  The song was different from the group previous singles but in the end it became one of their biggest hits.  Not only did it reach number 1 in the U.K. but it also won a BRIT award.  The video had a 50's/60's vibe.  10/10

3) The Loving Kind: The second single from "Out of Control".  This song is one of my favorite songs from the group.  Funny enough the song wasn't supposed to be on the group's album.  The song was supposed to be for the band "Pet Shop Boys".  I'm glad it was given to Girls Aloud in the end.  The song does however, sound almost exactly like their single "Call the Shots" but prefer this song over "Call the Shots".  10/10

4) Untouchable: The third and final single from "Out of Control".  The song was originally a long song being 6 minutes and 42 seconds, but when it was released as a single it was remixed and shortened to 3 minutes and 49 seconds.  The song is mostly known for being the group's first single to miss the top 10 in the U.K. by peaking at 11.  While that's not a bad chart position it did break the group's top 10 streak.  The song is still really good though and the space themed video is pretty cool.  10/10

5) Sexy! No No No...: The first single from the album the group's fourth album, "Tangled Up".  The song begins with Cheryl's vocals being vocodered making the song sound a little creepy.  In the video the girls are in dresses only to be in catsuits which works when they sing the part "Sexy, sexy".  10/10

6) Call the Shots: The second single from "Tangled Up".  The song was supposed to be on the group's album, "The Sound of Girls Aloud: Greatest Hits" but didn't make the cut.  It did better than "Sexy! No No No..." in the U.K. and was also Cheryl's favorite song on "Tangled Up".  Their single "The Loving Kind", which was released a year after this song is very similar to this but like I said earlier, I prefer "The Loving Kind" more.  8/10

7) Can't Speak French: The third and final single from "Tangled Up".  The video featured the girls in costumes that were Marie Antoinette inspired.  This song is probably one of my least favorite singles that the group has released but it is beginning to grow on me a little.  7/10

8) Something Kinda Ooooh: The first single from the group's first greatest hits album, "The Sound of Girls Aloud: Greatest Hits".  The song is very catchy but the video was kinda boring with the girls driving sports cars.  Cheryl herself had admitted that it wasn't the group's best video.  10/10

9) Biology: The second single from the group's third album, "Chemistry".  I'm still confused on what the hell this song is about.  Despite that it still became a hit and it's video was somewhat boring.  Just a strange song.  Not much else to say.  7/10

10) The Show: The first single from the group's second album, "What Will the Neighbors Say".  The video for the song showed the girls working in a salon called "Curls Allowed", a play-on of the group's name, where they treat their male customers horribly.  Despite the video being hilarious, the song is kinda boring after while.  8/10

11) Love Machine: The second single from "What Will the Neighbors Say".  The group did not want this song being released as they feared it would end their career.  In the end the song was released as a single and became a hit.  The video featured the girls in a nightclub as well as doing a little dance routine.  8/10

12) I'll Stand by You: The third single from "What Will the Neighbors Say".  It is also a cover that was originally performed by "The Pretenders".  Despite it not getting positive reviews, it still became a number 1 in the U.K.  The video featured the girls in a desert with a storm coming later on in the video.  9/10

13) Jump: The fourth and final single from the group's first album, "Sound of the Underground".  It is also a cover that was originally performed by "The Pointer Sisters" and was originally called "Jump (for My Love)".  The song wasn't on "Sound of the Underground" originally so the album was re-released with this song on it.  It was a huge success and the video showed part of the film "Love Actually" since the song was on the soundtrack for the film.  10/10

14) No Good Advice: The second single from "Sound of the Underground".  Although Brian Higgins, the man who wrote a majority of the group's songs with Miranda Cooper, wrote the song about a failure of Xenomania signing a deal with London Records, the song feels like it could be about not wanting to fear anyone's opinion on what you should or shouldn't do.  I think a lot of people can relate to the lyrics of this song.  10/10

15) Sound of the Underground: The title track and first single from "Sound of the Underground".  This song is one of their most well known songs since it not only debuted at number 1 in the U.K. but also made Girls Aloud win "Popstars: The Rivals".  It is also my favorite single from the group.  The video showed the girls performing the song somewhere underground which works with the song title.  10/10

16) On the Metro: The second new song on this album.  It was co-written by Nicola and was also performed by the group on the final tour "Ten: The Hits Tour".  The song has a J-pop sound to it but it works.  It's a shame this song wasn't released as a single since it's a really great song.  10/10

17) Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me: The second and final single from "Ten" as well as the group's final single all together.  Despite being a beautiful pop ballad and having a great video, the song peaked at number 97 in the U.K., making it their lowest charting single.  10/10

18) Every Now and Then: The fourth and final new song on this album.  The song starts off slow and by the 1:22 part the music becomes more upbeat song.  It's a perfect song to end the standard edition of the album.  9/10

 Since this is the deluxe edition of the album, there are ten more tracks.  These tracks were chosen by the groups fans.

19) Graffiti My Soul: This song was on "What Will the Neighbors Say".  This song was originally given to Britney Spears' fourth album, "In the Zone" but wasn't included although she did record a version of the song that has still not seen the light of day.  The song is one of my favorite songs that the band has ever done.  It was supposed to be the fifth and final single from "What Will the Neighbors Say" but it was cancelled so the group could record their album "Chemistry".  That annoys me so much.  The version on this album is said to be a remix but I don't really hear a difference between this and the original.  10/10

20) Wake Me Up: The fourth and final single from "What Will the Neighbors Say".  The song was supposed to be the first single from that album but the label that it was too hard and waited to release it later.  It's a little rockier than the previous singles from "What Will the Neighbors Say" but it's really good and had an awesome video.  Glad it was put on this album.  10/10

21) Wild Horses: A song from their album "Chemistry".  I don't really listen to this song that much and would've preferred "Racy Lacey" from the same album, to be on here instead of this song.  7/10

22) Swinging London Town: This song was also on the "Chemistry" album.  Despite it being one of Nicola's favorite songs, I don't like it that much.  I wish that the group's cover of "Wicked Games" that never got released was on here instead of this song.  6/10

23) Whole Lotta History: The fourth and final single from "Chemistry".  This was my favorite song and single from "Chemistry".  It's a beautiful ballad about reminiscing about an old relationship.  The lyrics and the groups vocals are perfect and video was terrific.  10/10

24) Crazy Fool: A b-side from the single "Whole Lotta History".  I don't really listen to this song that much at all.  I wish that "Nobody but You", the b-side from "Biology" was on here instead of this song.  6/10

25) Girl Overboard: A song from "Tangled Up".  Rumors are that this song was almost the first single from the album until "Sexy! No No No..." was released instead.  Thank goodness for that because I don't really like this song that much.  I would've replaced it was "What You Crying" from the same album.  6/10

26) Black Jacks: Another song from "Tangled Up".  Despite it being a good track vocally, I still find it a little boring.  I wish that "Revolution In The Head" from "Out of Control" was on here instead.  7/10

27) Hoxton Heroes: The b-side from the single "Can't Speak French".  I find this song to be way better than "Can't Speak French" though.  It talks about how some bands are all the same despite them claiming they're the next best thing.  I love this song and wish it was released as a single.  10/10

28) Memory of You: The b-side from the single "The Loving Kind".  It is a trance-like track originally called "Japan" was originally done by the trance project "Candace" with vocals by "Louise Griffiths".  New verses were written for the song, which would explain it's name change.  It should've been a single since it's really good and was also covered by Nicola herself as a b-side for her single "Yo-Yo".  10/10

 That's probably the most tracks I've ever reviewed for an album.  But I don't mind since Girls Aloud were a great band.  My favorite songs on this album are : "Sound of the Underground", "The Loving Kind", "Graffiti My Soul", "Whole Lotta History", "On the Metro", "Sexy! No No No...", "something Kinda Ooooh", "Something New", "Wake Me Up", "Untouchable" "The Promise", "Hoxton Heroes", "Memory of You", "Jump", "No Good Advice", "I'll Stand by You", "Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me", and "Every Now and Then."  Out of 280 points I give the album 248 which is 88%, a B+.  Awesome!  It's a shame they broke up but they're all doing well.  Sarah's working on her debut solo album, Nadine just had a baby, Kimberley is now pregnant, Nicola's working on her second album and writing songs for Cheryl's fourth album, and Cheryl's working on "X Factor" as well as working on her fourth album.

Taylor Swift: Fearless Album Review

 I seem to be reviewing Taylor Swift's albums in backwards order.  I reviewed "Red" first, then I reviewed "Speak Now" and today I'm reviewing "Fearless" which won album of the year at the Grammys back in 2010.  Here's my track by track review:

1) Fearless: The title track as well as the fifth and final single from the album.  Before the album's release Taylor sang an acoustic version of the song while she was touring.  The song was released as a promo single before being released as an actual single later on.  It's a great song but I was really annoyed with the video.  I wanted the video to have a storyline but instead it was just shots of her on her tour.  10/10

2) Fifteen: The fourth single from the album.  This song was my sister's favorite song on the album at the time of it's release.  I thought it was a good song until Taylor sang the song with Miley Cyrus at the Grammys.  After that I didn't like the song.  While the song tells a good message and has a great video, I wish this song wasn't a single.  7/10

3) Love Story: The first single from the album.  In this song Taylor sings about being with a guy that no one approves of.  It also uses Romeo and Juliet references, with the exception of it being a happy ending.  The song became one of Taylor's biggest hits and was a perfect choice as a lead single.  10/10

4) Hey Stephen: This song was written about Stephen Barker Liles from the country band "Love and Theft" who opened up for Taylor Swift while she was touring.  Like "Love Story" the song was completely written by Taylor herself.  It's a really happy, lovey dovey ballad (yes I said that but it's true).  10/10

5) White Horse: The second single from the album.  This song initially wasn't going to be on "Fearless", in fact Taylor wanted to wait and put on her third album, which became "Speak Now" but the executive producers of the show "Grey's Anatomy" wanted to include some of Taylor's music on the series.  She played "White Horse" for them and when the producers responded, "White Horse" was put on the album.  It is completely different from "Love Story" lyrically and musically.  A very sad song that took me awhile to like it.  The video also made me cry, yes I admit it I cried!  10/10

6) You Belong With Me: The third single from the album.  While I thought the video was amazing, I felt that the song was repetitive once it was released as a single.  It's sad because I liked the song when got the album.  The song was her biggest hit in the U.S. until "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together".  6/10

7) Breathe (featuring Colbie Caillat): This is my favorite song on the album.  It is also the one I relate to the most.  The song is about the end of a relationship or friendship but no one is to blame for it.  Colbie Caillat sings background vocals on the song which makes it more amazing.  It was also nominated for a grammy and there is a video on youtube of Taylor and Colbie recording the song.  10/10

8) Tell Me Why: This song is the angriest song on the album.  It reminded me a little bit of "Picture to Burn" from her first album.  I love the lyrics and kinda wish it was released as a single.  10/10

9) You're Not Sorry: Another angry song.  This song was about a partner who's been lying and keeping secrets.  The song also remixed when it was on an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" which Taylor guest stared on.  While Taylor was great on the episode the song, and it's remix, weren't as good.  7/10

10) The Way I Loved You: You know how relationships are complicated, well that's what this song is about.  It also talks about wanting to be with a guy that drives you insane but you love them over someone that is completely perfect.  It's a pretty good song.  8/10

11) Forever & Always: This was the last song recorded for the album.  Before the album's release, Taylor went on "Ellen" and mentioned that the song was about her ex-boyfriend Joe Jonas who broke up with her over the phone.  OUCH!  Despite it's lyrics being sad and angry the song is very upbeat.  It should've been the album's fourth single instead on "Fifteen".  10/10

12) The Best Day: Taylor wrote this song about her mother.  It's a really cute song and even had a video.  I like the song and I'm glad it was on the album.  8/10

13) Change: The song was originally one of the theme songs for the 2008 Summer Olympics and was later included on the album.  The song is very empowering and even had a video.  Despite this I don't listen to it as much as the rest of the album.  7/10

 "Fearless" was re-released in 2009 and won album of the year in 2010 at the grammys like I had already typed earlier.  My favorite songs on the album are: "Breathe (featuring Colbie Caillat)", "Fearless", "Forever & Always", "Love Story", "White Horse", "Tell Me Why", and "Hey Stephen".  Out of 130 points I give the album 113 which is 86%, a B.  86%?  Really?  Funny I thought it'd be more but a B is still good nonetheless!

Orianthi: Heaven in This Hell (Deluxe Edition) Album Review

 Orianthi is mostly known for her amazing guitar skills.  She's played with artists such as Carrie Underwood, Alice Cooper, and even the late Michael Jackson.  Although she released her first album, "Violet Journey" in 2007, it kinda went unnoticed.  It wasn't until she released her first single, "According to You" that she gained success as a solo artist.  Her second album, "Believe" was released soon after in 2009 and was also a success.  The album was re-released in 2010 with 4 new tracks and few remixed.  It wasn't until 2011 that Orianthi released her first ep "Fire" which contained 5 new songs that would be on her third "Heaven in This Heaven" which was released in 2013.  Here's my track by track review of the album:

1) Heaven in This Hell: The title track.  This song was one of the 5 songs that appeared on the "Fire" ep.  It starts off with a speaking part from Dave Stewart who has produced the whole album.  The song is much different from the pop/rock songs on "Believe" and is a great why to start the album off.  It is also the only song in the album that got a video.  I love the second verse and think the song is amazing.  10/10

2) You Don't Wanna Know: Orianthi played a part of the song acoustically on her youtube channel, so I was thrilled to see this song on the album.  The song is one of my songs on the album and I love listening to the first verse.  The song feels like a mixture of rock, blues, and country all in one.  10/10

3) Fire: This song was the title track on the "Fire" ep.  Orianthi sings a little lower on this song and it took me awhile to like this song.  I thought it was boring in the beginning but it has grown on me.  8/10

4) If U Think U Know Me: This song is a little different than the previous 3 songs because it sounds more pop/rock.  I feel like this song could've been on the "Believe" album.  I love the song and feel it's a little empowering and makes feel like you're not alone, in a good way though.  10/10

5) How Do You Sleep?: This song was also on the "Fire" rp.  This song is a little slower.  This song talks about a how your lover is lying and not caring about you.  It is a sad song but I don't listen to the song as much as the other songs on this album.  7/10

6) Frozen: The first single from the album.  The album version is more rockier than the single version.  When the song was released I automatically loved it.  The song is my favorite song on the album and I love the part where she sings "But don't be too suprised, when I'm haunting your mind.  I'm the hurt in your kiss, I'm the frost on your lips".  10/10

7) Rock: When I first saw this song on the album I thought, okay it's a rock album but having a song named rock?  That's a little much.  Then I listened to the song and was completely wrong!  The song is about how you have a friend who is always depressed and how you can't keep being that person that saves them.  I can relate to this song.  I've been the person who's tried helping a friend out and I was the one who needed someone to help me when I was depressed.  It has more of a country-ish sound than the rest of the album.  10/10

8) Another You: This song is a ballad.  Lyrically a great song but I think it's the weakest song on the whole album.  It's sad because it's a song that a lot of people can relate to.  7/10

9) How Does That Feel: This song was also on the "Fire" ep.  I find this song a little weak as well.  7/10

10) Filthy Blues: This song is very different from any of the songs on the album.  It's filled with a lot of guitar sounds and feels a little too short but I still love this song and I'm glad it was put on this album.  10/10

11) If U Were Here With Me: I'm gonna but honest, when I went to review this album, I completely forgot about this song.  It was on the "Fire" ep, don't worry that's the last time I'm gonna type that.  Lyrically and vocally great but I find it very forgettable.  5/10

12) Sex E Bizarre (featuring Steven Tyler): The second and so far last single from the album.  It is also the first new song on the deluxe version of the album.  While Orianthi had performed the song by herself while on tour, the studio features the one and only Steven Tyler who is the lead singer of the band "Aerosmith".  The collaboration is amazing!  Great song.  10/10

13) Better With You: Another bonus track.  This song actually leaked around the time the original version of the album was released.  It was also played on Radio Disney.  The song also feels like it could've been on "Believe" and is a happy song which is different from the rest of the album but a great change and amazing song nonetheless.  10/10

14) Another You (Alternative Radio Mix): I already said that I felt that the original version of the song was weak but this new mix is amazing.  It feels more believable and gives me chills.  I'm glad the song was remixed because it makes the song perfect.  10/10

 "Heaven in This Hell" is an amazing album.  Not only is it a great rock album, but it's original unlike most stuff that's played on radio these days.  My favorite songs on the album are: "Frozen", "Heaven in This Hell", "Rock", "You Don't Wanna Know", "Better With You", "Filthy Blues", "If U Think U Know Me", "Sex E Bizarre (featuring Steven Tyler)" and "Another You (Alternative Radio Mix)".  Out of 140 points I give the album 124 which is 88%, a B+.  Orianthi posted a clip of a new song back in December so hopefully new music from her will be coming soon!

Marié Digby: Breathing Underwater Album Review

 The first time people heard Marié Digby was when she posted videos on youtube of her singing covers.  One of her covers was Rihanna's "Umbrella" which Hollywood Records later released to iTunes.  In 2008 her first single "Say It Again" was released with her first album, "Unfold" following shortly after.  A year later she released her second album, first in Japanese, "Second Home".  It seemed everything was going well for Marié, who at the time had finished her second english album, "Breathing Underwater" which was much more mainstream than her first album was.  However that's when things went downhill.  The album's release date was supposed to be in May 2009, but it was pushed back until she found a manager at Hollywood Records, to make matters worse the whole album was leaked in April 2009.  "Breathing Underwater" was eventually released in September 2009 but because of the album's leak 5 months prior, the album was not as successful as "Unfold".  The album did get a movie however which was a 17 episode music series with the same name as the album, and it showed how Marié got to make the album.  Here is my track by track review of the album:

1) Daybreak: This is my favorite song on the album.  The song talks about how you're worried that things in your relationship with the one you will change despite them reassuring you that they love you everything will be fine.  The drum parts in the beginning are amazing.  10/10

2) Avalanche: The first single from the album.  I'm gonna be honest, I wasn't a fan of hers until I heard this song.  The song talks about how you feel you giving everything in a relationship and you feel the other person isn't doing anything and you want to tell them that.  The video for the song was her performing the song in front of a crowd.  It was also used in a promo for the show "Lincoln Heights".  10/10

3) Breathing Underwater: The title track.  The song is one of the two songs on the album that Marié didn't write on.  While "Daybreak" is about fears in a relationship and "Avalanche" is about a relationship that's falling apart, "Breathing Underwater" is about the joy of being in love with the person you're with.  It's a really beautiful song.  10/10

4) Should've Been Simple: I remember reading one review somewhere that said that this song sounded the most like the stuff on "Unfold".  I kinda agree and feel it could've been on "Unfold" but I'm glad it's on this album.  The song is about ending a relationship and how you wish it was easy to do it but it is extremely hard.  Who can't relater to this?  10/10

5) Know You By Heart: This one is more dance pop than the rest of the songs on the album.  It has amazing lyrics but I didn't like the song when I first heard it.  It wasn't until I saw the "Breathing Underwater" movie where Marié sang the song acoustically.  After that I loved the song.  I prefer the song being acoustic then the dance version on the album but it's still good.  10/10

6) Feel: When I first heard this song I didn't like it and ignored it.  I though that the music was too depressing and that the lyrics were boring at the time.  Then it was released as a promo single with a video and I was annoyed that it had a video and "Daybreak" didn't.  A few weeks later I got depressed and this song was the only song I'd listen to and nowadays I still listen to it and I like more than I did when I first heard it.  10/10

7) Come Find Me: The song is about being ready for a relationship.  That being said I can't stand this song.  I feel compared to the rest of the album it's weak.  This song was also compared to Jordin Sparks' song "No Air".  I have no idea why though.  6/10

8) Symphony: This song was the second and final single from the album.  Sadly because it didn't have a video and didn't get much promotion, it kinda went unnoticed.  The song has yet to grow on me despite it being released almost 5 years ago.  5/10

9) Machine: I think out of all the songs on this album, I relate to this one the most.  The lyric that always stays in my head is "barely alive, how did I survive, one day just like the other".  I interpret this song as almost an empowering song by it saying you're human and you aren't going to be controlled by other people.  It should've been a single!  10/10

10) Overboard (featuring Livvi Franc): This song features Livvi Franc who is most known for co-writing songs for Kelly Clarkson, Ciara, and Rihanna.  The song begins with an awesome guitar solo and I would've loved to see a video for the song.  10/10

11) Love With a Stranger: This song is a very dark one.  I ignored this song for a long time until I got bored one day and gave it a listen.  I was shocked that Marié not only sang this song but co-wrote it as well.  Wow.  She the first two verses very softly and the song becomes more upbeat beat during the third verse.  I always get chills when I hear her sing, "I'll disappear into the night, I'll vanish like a ghost".  I wonder what inspired her to write this song.  Hmmmmm.  10/10

12) Come to Life: I love this song.  I feel like it would've been a hit on Radio Disney.  It's just a beautiful song and Marié performed part of the song acoustically in the "Breathing Underwater" movie.  10/10

13) Crazier Things: "So why am I holding back, 'cause crazier things have happened", ain't that the truth?  This was the other song on the album that Marié did not write on.  Like a couple of the songs I've already mentioned on, I ignored this song.  It wasn't because it was bad, it was because I only listened to the beginning part and thought it was gonna be boring.  Boy was I wrong!  Great lyrics, amazing music, flawless vocal performance, and a great way to end the album.  10/10

 While "Breathing Underwater" wasn't the hit album it should've been, it still remains one of my favorite albums of all time.  My favorite songs on the album are: "Daybreak", "Machine", "Overboard (featuring Livvi Franc)", "Breathing Underwater", "Love With a Stranger", "Feel", "Breathing Underwater", "Should've Been Simple", "Avalanche", "Crazier Things", "Come to Life", and "Know You By Heart".  After "Breathing Underwater", Marié released her fourth album "Your Love" in 2011 and last November she released her fifth album "Winter Fields" to iTunes, which has an amazing song called "Wait For Love".  Out of 130 points I give the album 121 which 93%, an A.  Awesome job Marié and I love the new album "Winter Fields"!