Fred Dancekowski - Live @ Semana Cultural de Ciencias, Teatro Sa da Bandeira 17-02-11

Becoming an aspiring music blogger is pretty amazing sometimes because there is a potential for achieving a minor amount internet fame. I received an email earlier from a DJ in Portugal asking me to check out a live DJ set he had done a month ago. I took off to my handy dandy soundcloud app to listen to the track. I have to say that for a recorded live production, it is good. There are a few parts in the track where it waffles but for the most part, I would absolutely drop this track at a party and let it play. Take a minute and listen to the track. It's not a bad bit of artistry and mashing up.

Fred Dancekowski Live @ Semana Cultural de Ciencias, Teatro Sa da Bandeira 17-02-11 by Fred Dancekowski

secrets (episode 23)

Episode 23 came out today and here is a spoiler free breakdown of the episode.

Until recently, Donovan has been more concerned with what's the best for everyone else but recent events have changed that and we get to see more of his dark side. I hear they have cookies on the Dark Side so it can't be that bad.

Marco, still my least favorite homewrecker (still not happy with him breaking up Keith and Tyler) and Gina are trying to locate Keith.

Keith is trying a little good old fashioned Stockholm Syndrome on his Johnny's new watchdog.

I like the direction Donovan is going and I like the fact that Damien has the ability to throw enough shade to pull this off like it's a cakewalk.

secrets is still my favorite new obsession and I wait every week to see the new episode. Trust me when I say, shit is gonna get good, y'all.

Top 10 Songs ...

In a feature I haven't done in a LONG time, I am going to be bringing back my Top 10. And in this installment, we are talking cover songs. Now I don't mean some version of a song that was done by your local KISS tribute band, I'm talking mainstream hitting the big time cover songs. So without futher pomp and circumstance, my top 10 list of cover songs. After the jump that is...

Matt Zarley - Had I Known

For those of you that know me, you know that my partner of 11 years died suddenly last January. It was a situation that came from out of the blue and I had no time to prepare. As time went on and the healing process kicked in, I started listening to music again. I started letting it back into my life and learning more and more about new artists. One of the things I learned was about gender specific pronouns. Up until that point, I was totally ok with love songs sung by a man to a woman as long as he didn't say girl or woman or she or whatever feminine pronouns he could find because I could easily subsitute myself in for said female. It wasn't until I heard Levi Kreis sing that I knew how important those pronouns were. So I became obsessed with gay artists and started buying up everything I could. Levi, Jay Brannan, Josh Zuckerman, Colton Ford, Brian Kent, Kendall...it didn't matter I wanted this in my life. I needed this in my life.

So it wasn't until tonight that I ran across Matt Zarley. I found him through a new blog I've started reading called Deep Dish. There was an exceptionally well written interview with him and it featured several songs/videos of his. I decided to watch the above video and much to my surprise, it was everything I've felt over the past year and some change. It amazes me how much someone can touch you when they don't even know you. How much they can express every thought and emotion you're feeling and they've never met you or your situation.

If I had watched this video 6 months ago, I think I would be in the floor as a puddle right now. The emotion, the videography, the meaning....I am in awe. All I can say is thank you for this song and I hope that you never have to experience these feelings.

The Go! Team

This is another artist that was recommend to be because I liked some other artist. Right now the jury is still out for me because I am just learning about them. I have their most recent album, Rolling Blackouts and I've listened to it. I need to listen a couple more times so that I can make a proper judgement but right now I will say that is sounds like a marching band and a cheer leading squad ran into each other while filming a 70s action sequence. That's a good thing. It's unusual and in most of the songs, really fun. I know they are a British band which immediately moves them to the front of my line. They have a handful of instrumental type tracks on the album which kind of works like the pickled ginger you get with your sushi. It cleans your palate and gets you ready for the next song. I will check back when I have another go with the album and give a proper review but for now, enjoy the video and check them out on youtube.

Set Fire Run - Man Down

Man Down by Set Fire Run

I'm not sure what's in the water in Sweden but with the steady flow of quality artists, I feel they could potentially take over the world if they combined their powers together. Set Fire Run has very quickly become one of my most favorite groups in the world. I've been a fan since they were Dyno and as an act that has not released an actual album, they are (in my opinion) one of the most talented groups in the past 15 years. Alexander, Kim Logan and Thomas make up this 3 piece group that has the ability to grab a hold of you emotionally speaking, as it were, and take you where you need to be. Whether it's reminiscing over what could have been or it's making the realization that what some consider love and affection is actually suffocation and restraining orders.

These guys can do things that I don't feel many artists can do, they can captivate. I think it's this ability that will propel them to superstardom. I feel like they are working on this huge grassroots movement to build up a fanbase before they release an album. If this is true, I give them massive credit. Having people there ready and able to buy the album when it drops is amazing. Now if we as fans can only help do our part buy becoming involved, I think the stage will be set.

This track is a little bit of a sidestep from their previous offerings. The vocals are much slower which gives the song a much heavier edge and I think the methodical nature make this a different variation to what we've heard before and it is an extremely important step. Each song they put out takes you one step further down the path and you realize that it's a trip you don't mind taking at all, as a matter of fact, you wonder why you haven't taken this trip before. I don't feel as if the guys have slipped up yet and I am always hungry for whats coming next.

Do it Like a Dude - Jessie J

I've talked about her on Facebook but this is my first official post here. Jessie is an artist from Redbridge London and what most people are going to be shocked is that she is an exceptionally accomplished songwriter. She's written for Christina Aguleria, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys and she penned a little song titled Party in the U.S.A for Miley Cyrus. Why this is important is because she has chops and she's demonstrated them. I am falling in love with her because she has not only a bad ass take no prisoners attitude but she seems to have a sincerity and an deep felt honesty about her that carries through her public persona. I think she is definitely an artist to watch out for because she is doing big things and she is freaking gorgeous.

What impresses the hell out of me in the video above is that it does seem that she is singing live. And if you had any doubt in your mind whether or not my girl can wail, check out this video (Which is the title track from her first studio album):



Make sure you watch out for her because I feel she deserves your attention.

21st Century Girl - Willow Smith

Here's my take on Willow Smith.  Her parents are powerhouse entertainment moguls that aren't going to let her make a misstep in her career.  That being said, I have to give her credit for busting onto the scene with not one but 2 singles that are laser sighted on her demographic.  Young girls and tweens should be eating this up with a spoon.  I'm not mad at Willow and as a matter of fact, I will be honest and admit that I'm a fan.  The girl has talent that is waiting to be molded and shaped into the next hot commodity.  I hope that she doesn't peak before puberty ends because I think there is a potential for a long career in entertainment for her.

As far as this song goes, the only amount of dubiousness I see in it is thinking that she is the type of girl who likes to rock the beat.  Is she old enough to rock the beat?  Can she rock the beat before bedtime?  It's a catchy track that has mass market radio appeal and fits right in with Avril and other girls making girl positive pop music.

I was going to give this a solid 7 out of 10 but I'm gonna throw in an extra .5 for the cameo from the wolves in the video.  So a grand total of 7.5.

secrets

Bear with me as I deviate from the format again and talk about something new I've discovered. I'm not going to pretend that I'm new to soap operas because that would just be a lie. I've never been a huge devotee but I can tell you that there have been 2 actors that played Bo Brady on Days of Our Lives and I have attended Lucy's Nurses Ball on General Hospital. They never really held my interest for more than a whole season but a week or so ago, I found an online soap called secrets. Nothing has captivated my attention like this soap. It's an independently produced show created by Boy 9 Productions and revolves around the Sabitino family in Center City. The main cahracters are Donovan Kendall (screen writer, college professor), Marco Sabitino (Long lost prodigal son of the Sabitino clan) and Gina Sabitino (Scheming sister to Marco). The episodes are broken up into easily digestible 10 minute increments and are paced in such a way that once you start watching them you don't want to start.

The writing is as good as any mainstream soap opera and make you want to keep watching. The acting can be exceptionally strong in areas and in some it is a bit weak but it's an independently producced show so when you step into the role of a viewer, you are fully aware that it's mostly likely not going to be Academy Award Winning drama but it is compelling.



Damien Tracy as Donovan Kendall works exceptionally well and he delivers his lines with a equal amount of bile and disgust when he needs to and he is able to show the sincerity he needs to as well.

Rob Paluso as Tyler is one of my favorite actor/character combinations. I think he does an extremely good job with the material.

Robert J. Miller as Logan does not disappoint when on screen and has come into his own throughout the course of the show.  In the beginning it felt like what he lacked in acting ability, he made up for with pectorals but by the time you get to know Logan, you see that Robert has some chops and isn't just a pretty face.

Christopher Ackley portrays a convincing Private Investigator and can give as good as he gets when dealing with the conniving Gina Sabitino.

If you are a fan of soaps, gay themed shows or independently produced programming, I highly recommend this show. The story is on par with any other soap and it continually reminds you how dangerous secrets are to keep.  My only disappointment is that I am now caught up and will have to wait for new episodes to be released online.