Brittany Spears, True to Her Redneck Nature
I am sooo over Brittany Spears, the diva of the last decade. Yeah I am glad she is married and having children, I may not be all that comfortable with the concept of her chosen mate being Kevin Fedderline but maybe, just maybe it could have been worse.
It is funny though. The media are on her like stink on a monkey's ass. They expect her to be a perfect mother and a perfect wife, and for Kevin, poor clueless Kevin to be a perfect husband. Perhaps they were supposed to disappear to the Hills of Beverly or the Streets of Belle Aire and then be the poster children and perfect models for the media that follow them everywhere they go.
I have known a couple of famous peeps in my life. Occasionally it happens to someone you knew back when or even knew when it was happening. Fame may be fickle and it may be fleeting but when it happens it is anything but forgiving. Brittany has been in the limelight for quite a while and frankly my only comment is that I have issue with her just because she seems oblivious to the incessant scrutiny. Sheeesh. Wake up!
It is not just that she is a redneck woman. Hell's bells she is from where? Mississipi? Hello! Others wonder why she puts up with her husband's apparent infidelity. Duh! She is a redneck. Her father probably was even worse. It is expected, perhaps. She knows her place and is apparently embracing it. She was supposed to be barefoot and pregnant throughout her 'baby makin' years. Granted it is like she is the Twenty First Century version of a Beverly Hillbilly, but you know what - we made her whatever she is. If we created a monster mother that drives her SUV with an infant in her lap, then so be it. We allowed her to get this much power. Did anyone arrest her for child endangerment? Despite the clear evidence, the public outrage and all that, what happened? She got pregnant again?
I think we all need to step back and take a deep breath. Brittany was incredibly hawt and disireable in teens and she stimulated many an adolescent to middle agedmale's fantasy. So was like Bo Derrick in the movie "10". Neither truth lingered past the moment to be true into the present. Everyone has flaws, okay. I am even okay with allowing 'stars' their flaws as well. It is just that I have trouble seeing all the coverage about Brittany et al in the press and knowing full well that beneath all the hype and glitter they will always be what they were born to be. Even if they have acquired great wealth due to their fame, in the end the roots will out.
Do not expect anything more than what you started out with. In life bonuses are pretty damned rare.
E
Us and Them - Shinedown Review
Shinedown is on fire!
For the past couple of years, as I drive to work each day, it was a frequently wonderful experience listening to "Leave a Whisper", Jacksonville, FL-based Shinedown's first CD offering. From "Fly From The Inside" to "Forty- Five" the band's first offering was amazing. I have to admit that with "Us and Them" I skeptically had expected the sophomore jinx of the music world to prevail over their considerable if not formidable talent.
I was more than pleasantly surprised as I risked a listen.
Just like "Leave a Whisper", you really can leave "Us and Them" it in the CD player and enjoy it time and again. None of the songs grow old as you listen to them time and again . Every song is a solid work that can stand-up definately shaking a fist as it is played over and over again. Whatever magic formula Shinedown used on their first CD release is not only still with them but it has actually grown in power as the band has matured into a solid, cohesive ensemble that is in a single word is 'tight'.
If there is any justice in the music world this CD will win the band a Grammy. Although it is a different sort of music and perhaps even directed at a different sort of music audience, I would put it in the same category as as Green Day's "Dukie" or "American Idiot" as it is a defining accomlishment in that the entire CD is not only listenable but every song could easily become a favorite regardless whether it ever gains airplay as a hit on commercial radio.
Yes, Shinedown is THAT good.
Each track is well contructed. The lyrics are the exact compliment to the instrumentation, balanced in an attention-grabbing way. The current hit single "I Dare You" demonstrates careful craftsmanship in composition that one might expect for a more seasoned band. Still, it is the artistry of the lyrics that stands out. The first single from the CD, "Save Me" expresses the sensitive soul of the band, simpathizing with the plight drug addiction. With the second single, "I Dare You" the group's intricately woven tapestry of instrumentals accompanies a very strong vocal that is never overpowered by the combined force of the other musicians.
Those who wish to sample other notable works from Shinedown should check out "Tie Your Mother Down" from "Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen." With all due respect to the legendary Freddie Mercury and Brian May I actually think Shinedown's performance might be equal to if not better than the original. They also added a cover of Lyndyrd Synyrd's "Simple Man" to later versions of the "Leave a Whisper". If you bought one of the original releases, you may have missed it. One would expect a band from Jacksonville to periodically pay homage to other great bands from the city and Shinedown does an admirable job of recreating the magic of the original version.
Shinedown is currently on the Sno Core Tour 2006 and will appear locally as a headliner in Orlando at the Earthday Birthday concert April 30th at Tinker Field.
Band Members: Brent Smith -Vocals, Jasin Todd - Guitars, Brad Stewart - Bass, and Barry Kerch - Drums.
Enjoy.
E
