Glee - Vitamin D

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 4 Minutes

Halo/Walking on Sunshine
Buy it here and support our blog

It's My Life / Confessions Part II - 8/10 - This is the first mash-up ever on Glee.  Whoa.  Anyways in the episode they have a battle of boys vs. girls and each group has to take two songs and make them into one song.  This is a mash-up of It's My Life by Bon Jovi and Confessions Part II by Usher. I like this song because it took a classic song and mixed it with a more unknown song and it actually does sound like it could be a song on its own.  All of the boys sound good on the song I just don't love it.  I like this but I don't love it, which is why it gets an 8 out of 10.

Halo / Walking on Sunshine - 9/10 - In my mind I think that the girls won this battle.  In the episode all of the girls took performing enhancement drugs so that they could beat the boys (who did the same thing).  This is a mash-up of Halo by Beyonce and Walking On Sunshine by Katrina & the Waves.  This song sounds less like a real song than the boys but I like listening to this one a lot more.  The girls have beautiful harmonies and the voices really seem to work off one another.  At the end of the song Rachel hits this note that is.....very high.  Every time I listen to the song I'm not sure if I like the note or not but it's very impressive.  If you bought one from the episode this one is the one to buy but they are both really good.

Real Teen Rating ~ B: Check it out but, really, there's no rush

Real Teen Download: Halo/Walking on Sunshine

Read More

Glee - Preggers and The Rhodes Not Taken

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 20 Minutes

Since they only sang one song in Preggers I decided to combine the episode with the episode after.

Maybe This Time
Buy it here and support our blog

Taking Chances - 9/10 - This is the only song from the episode Preggers.  Before I write anything about the song I just have to take a moment to say how talented Lea Michele is.  In this episode Rachel has decided to quit the Glee club and audition for the school musical and this is her audition song.  Up to this point her songs had just been OK and they didn't really show off her voice but finally with the song it does.  I love how it starts off slow in the beginning and then begins to pick up as it goes.  I like her version because it isn't dramatized like the original.  Lea Michele does a great job with this song and I'm always pleasantly surprised when I find it on my iPod.

Maybe This Time - 11/10 - I'm in love with this song.  When they first sang it on Glee I bought it right when the episode ended and I'm pretty sure that I listened to it on repeat for hours.  This song is duet between April Rhodes (Kristen Chenoweth) and Rachel.  They both sing about how they never win but maybe this time they will win.  Anyways this song is amazing.  Both Kristen and Lea sound great on the song.  In the very end they sing together and the harmonies that they create send shivers down my spine every time I listen to it.  Like Taking Chances it starts off slow and mellow and then as the song goes on it picks up and keeps adding layers.  This is definitely one of my top favorite Glee songs and every time I listen to it, it makes me want to get up on a stage and sing along with them.  Seriously go listen to it right now.

Alone - 7/10 - If you have ever heard the original version of this song then basically no cover will ever compare.  In the episode April and Mr. Shoe (short for Mr. Schuester) go to a bowling alley and sing karaoke because in high school Mr. Shoe always wanted to sing a duet with April.  As far as duet songs go I'm not sure this was the smartest decision.  The verses of the song sound fine but neither of them sound amazing on the chorus which is the best part or even in the harmonies.  In the harmonies all I can hear is Kristin Chenoweth which is sad because Matthew Morrison sounds good.  Parts of this song are good but as a whole it's just so-so.  I don't love it but I don't hate it either.

Last Name - 6.5/10 - Oh Glee doing a Carrie Underwood song, here we go.  In the episode April gets drunk on the stage at a huge performance while the glee club sings back-up.  I just don't think this is the right song for Kristin Chenoweth's voice.  It doesn't sound horrible but it doesn't sound great either.  There are a lot of better songs they could have picked her to sing drunk on the stage.  The way that she sings it is way too cutesy when it's supposed to be regret and confusion.  It reminded me of a concert where the singer just sings the song but doesn't perform it.  Don't bother listening to it.

Somebody to Love - 9.5/10 - I love Queen.  With that said this version does not even come close to the original.  Even though it doesn't compare it's actually a pretty good cover of the song.  In the episode they sing it for the community to show them what glee club is all about.  One of my favorite parts of this song is that a lot of people get little solos to sing instead of just one person singing the whole thing by themselves.  My favorite part of the song has to be when they cut off and then come back in slowing chanting "find me somebody to love" and it keeps building and building and building with more and more people singing until it reaches the peak.  Then Mercedes sings her part and then the whole song finishes strong.  If the beginningish was as fantastic as the end I would give it a 10/10 but it is definitely worth listening to.

Real Teen Rating ~ B+ : Check it out sometime!

Real Teen Download: Maybe This Time

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Taking Chances - 10/10 - This is one of my early favorites. It's soft and sweet, and in the beginning it has a quality like a lullaby. Then it starts to get faster after the first chorus, and it starts to sound more intense. This song shows off both the high and low register for Lea Michele, and it's absolutely beautiful. I know they need diversity on the show, but I think if they just did songs like this, I'd still be watching.

Maybe This Time - 7/10 - I know this is a duet, but for the beginning half of the song, either I can't distinguish voices, or it's just Kristen Chenoweth. Which is totally ok, because she's so talented. I'm not sure it needed to be a duet at all though. There's like one harmony in the whole thing, and it isn't super necessary. Not to say this is a bad song, because it's very pretty. But it's never been my cup of tea.

Alone - 9/10 - North Star is right when she said that no cover can compare with the original. Although people insist on covering it. The duet aspect made it interesting, because originally the song is sung by just a woman, and adding a male voice makes it stand out. Rock duets are so edgy and exciting and fun to listen to. I've always loved this song, and this is actually the best cover of it I've heard. Of the two duets this episode, this is the better one.

Last Name - 5/10 - I didn't like this song when it first came out. I don't know why, but something about it didn't click right with me. This version doesn't make me like it any better. I love Kristen Chenoweth, but this isn't her song. She sounds good on it, but there's nothing behind it. The spoken lines are the best part of it, because she sounds so little and confused, and it's kind of funny. And it just drags on and on forever. She doesn't sound awful singing, I just always hate this song.

Somebody to Love - 9/10 - I remember singing this song in the car with my friends. It's an incredibly well done choral arrangement of a classic song, mush like Don't Stop Believin' was in the first episode. This song highlights a lot of different singers, which is nice to hear. It's one of those songs that makes you want to stand up and rock out like a total dork, and that's ok. The bridge is really awesome, starting out quiet and getting loud and intense, with a few soloists riffing throughout it. This is all around a nice song to listen to.

Real Teen Rating ~ B-: Not bad

Read More

Glee - Acafellas

Reviewed by The North Star

Song Time: 10 Minutes

Bust Your Windows
Buy it here and support our blog

Mercy - 7.5/10 - This is the second song that Vocal Adrenaline sings.  It's very similar to Rehab with the harmonies and no one ever having a solo.  I like this one less than Rehab but it's still good.  It doesn't seem to go anywhere and is one note the whole time.  Other than that it's a good rendition of the song but don't bother buying it anytime soon. 

Bust Your Windows - 9/10 - This song is awesome! In the episode Mercedes is in love with Kurt (Chris Colfer) who is very obviously gay.  She sings this song after finding out that he doesn't have feelings for her.  They're at a car wash and when she finds out she smashes his car window.  This is song is really intense though.  Mercedes really gets into the song and shows off her vocal range.  This song is really good because it was an unknown song that Glee took and made it their own and it actually fit with the plotline.  In short, buy it for the vocals but also look up the scene on YouTube because it's worth it.   

I Wanna Sex You Up - 3/10 -  The only part of this song that I like is Mr. Schuester's part.  He is the only one that doesn't sound awkward when singing the song.  In the beginning of the song they have this weird part where they're singing something really strange and I can't quite make out what they're saying but it sounds off.  It is supposed help make the song a capella but it doesn't work.  I think that they should have just picked a different song because as I said above no one sounds good except for Mr. Schuester.  No one should buy this song. Ever. 

Real Teen Rating ~ D+ : Only one song worth listening to

Real Teen Download: Bust Your Windows

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Mercy - 7/10 - This is kind of the exact same thing as Rehab. Cool harmonies, always a full choir. It's interesting, and fun to listen, but nothing that blows you out of the water. It gets kind of boring once you realize that half the time they're saying the word mercy on the same note. The voices are good, but the song isn't so much.

Bust Your Windows - 8.5/10 - I actually thought the scene for this song was stupid. It seemed pretty implausible that she couldn't tell he was gay, and that's coming from someone who has absolutely no sense of that sort of thing. The song, however, is good. I used to listen to this song a lot. It's got a jazzy sort of feel, which fits Amber Riley's voice perfectly. She has a great higher register, which she gets to flaunt in this song. It makes you want to move.

I Wanna Sex You Up - 3/10 - I literally did not remember this song at all when I read the title. And then I realized why. It's when Mr. Schuester tried to form a boy band. Whether I forgot because it's been so long since I watched the show, or because I intentionally blocked it from memory, is for you to decide. What I can say is this is one of the most awful songs I've ever encountered. Listening to it felt like physical pain. The harmonies are ok, the melody is ok. For an a capella group, it's not impressive. It's really kind of sad, because if this group of singers had picked any other song, it would have sounded good. But they picked this, and it's just bad.

Real Teen Rating ~ D: Ugh.

Read More

Glee - Showmance

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 12 Minutes

Gold Digger
Buy it here and support our blog

Gold Digger - 9.5/10 - This song always cracks me up because in the episode Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) is trying to teach the kids how to dance and sing at the same time and by the end they all learn...except for Finn.  Anyways, I really like this song.  The song itself is talking about girls who are gold diggers but if you ignore what the lyrics are actually about this is a really great song.  I love how it starts off with Mercedes (Amber Riley) singing and the Mr. Schuester comes in and if you have ever seen him he is not who you would picture singing this song, but he pulls it off.  The whole glee club if you look at them if not who you would be picture to be singing this song but like Mr. Shoe, they pull it off.  In the end, this is definitely one to download.

Push it - 6/10 - One of the only reasons that I like this song is because me, Dream Catcher, Living Destiny and ShoreWhisperer have an inside joke about it.  The scene in which they perform this song is hilarious.  They're trying to get people to join glee club so they think by singing this song that people will join.  The song itself.....not great.  Unlike gold digger in which they rap successfully in Push It they do not.  The only reason it's getting a good grade is because of the scene in which they sing it and the inside joke, other than that I don't like the song at all.

I Say A Little Prayer - 4/10 - I can't stand this song.  I only bought it because it was on the episode and back when Glee first came out I had to buy every song.  Quinn (Dianna Agron) sings this song to get into the glee club.  This song is all about God and a couple and how every time the singer does something she says a little prayer.  No matter who sings this song I hate it, so the fact that this song is getting a 4 is a mini miracle. The reason that it isn't getting a 1 or a 2 is because of Dianna Agron.  She has a great voice and it is honestly the only thing that makes this song tolerable.  

Take a Bow - 9/10 - I always forget about this song.  I'm not crazy about the original but I think this version is a lot better than the original.  This song is in the perfect register for Lea Michele and so her voice sounds really great on it.  Even in the recording you can hear the emotion in her voice and I think that is really hard to do when you can't see the singers face.  She brings an innocence to the song that Rihanna takes away.  In the original it seems more like Rihanna could have been in the wrong but in the glee version you feel bad for Rachel/Lea which is the point.  This is definitely a version to buy.

Real Teen Rating: C- : Don't waste your time listening to the whole episode

Real Teen Download: Gold Digger

Reviewed by Living Destiny

Gold Digger - 6.5/10 - Matthew Morrison rapping is probably one of the funniest things in the world. It's especially funny because he actually isn't bad at it. Amber Riley riffing at the beginning is the best part of the song though. She has a ridiculous voice. After that, it's ok. If you know the original song, you know that they cut out the more inappropriate parts, which is fine but they try to replace them with choral harmonies, which is less ok. I really like Matthew Morrison, and that's where this grade is coming from.

Push It - 7/10 - This is also hilarious. And it's not even that it's a good song, I just love it. It's not a song you can sing along to, or one that is particularly well done, but every time I hear it, it makes me smile. Kevin McHale's little rap part is the best part of the song, and over the course of the first season, he proves himself to be the best rap singer in the show. Cory Monteith is probably the worst, and his part sounds so awkward it's entertaining. Not the best song musically, but one of the most enjoyable.

I Say A Little Prayer - 8/10 - This is so catchy! It's not that I find the song to be great, because I think it's kind of a lame song. But it's just so catchy. And this version of it is really well done. The harmonies are good, and Dianna Agron is stellar. It gets stuck in my head, and I'll end up singing it for days. While I agree with North Star that I really don't like the song itself, I love this version, and I can't agree with her grade. I think this song is awesome.

Take a Bow - 9/10 - This song is beautiful. It's soothing, sad, and it seems a lot less harsh than Rihanna's version of it. Not angry or defensive, just sort of resigned. Interestingly, this song is at least as high as Lea Michele's first solo, but she sounds much better on it. Whether her voice matured very quickly, or it's just the fact that she isn't belting, this is a nice high register song for her. The bridge is fantastic, with the long high note. Definitely my favorite from this episode.

Real Teen Rating ~ C+: You could go either way on this...

Read More

Glee - Pilot Episode

Reviewed by The North Star

Don't Stop Believin'
Buy it here and support our blog

Song Time: 15 Minutes
So I've been watching Glee since it first aired in 2009.  It has had it's ups and downs but I really wanted to review the music.  I figured the best way to do this was by episode.  These are the singles that came out of the first episode (there may have been other songs but I will mainly be reviewing the songs they sold as singles).

On My Own - 8/10 - While writing this review it feels like forever ago that this show started. This was Rachel Berry's (Lea Michele) audition song for the glee club. This was also the only audition song that they released as a single. First off, I just love this song in general and you can't deny that Lea Michele has an amazing voice. This isn't my favorite version of the song but it's still pretty good.  I wish that she had sang this song later in the series when her voice developed more because listening to it now there are some parts that you can tell it's hard for her to reach.  Besides that I really like this song and I never skip it when it comes on but I never seek it out.

Can't Fight this Feeling- 7.5/10 - Even though I don't really care for the original I kinda like this version. The lyrics are cheesy and the song itself isn't good.  Finn (Cory Monteith) doesn't even sound that amazing on it.  I think I like it mainly because it reminds me of how good Glee used to be and how I wish it could be good again.  The first 50 seconds of the song are really good and after that the song goes down hill. It's a classic Glee song because it's the first time that Finn sings and he doesn't sound half-bad.  So if you don't intend on watching the show don't bother.

Rehab - 8.5/10 - Every time this song starts I think that it's a church song because they added a little part in the beginning where they sing "Ohio".  Anyways, this song is always entertaining.  It shows the complete opposite end of show choir.  They take a popular song and then make it as if it was a chorus song with crazy harmonies.  There aren't many solos but the choreography is amazing.   Whenever I hear it I always feel the need to get up and dance.  You can't compare this version to the original because the original wins every time but it's a good show choir song and in context of the show it's even better. Like Can't Fight this Feeling, if you don't intend on watching the show don't bother buying the song.

Don't Stop Believin' - 10/10 - I have never gotten sick of this song.  I remember sitting on my couch and hearing this song for the first time in a commercial for the show.  The second that I heard it I was hooked and I patiently waited for the Pilot.  This is the very last song in the episode and it gives me chills every time.  I love that it starts off a capella and then moves into half a capella, half back up band (meaning the characters are still singing as if it's a capella but a band is also playing).  To me this song perfectly describes the show.  It took an old song that used to be huge and then made it somewhat their own.  This is MUST HAVE on anyones iPod, Mp3 Player or phone.  It's classic Glee and is a good rendition of the song as well.

Real Teen Rating ~ B+ : Check it out sometime! 

Real Teen Download: Don't Stop Believin' 
(make sure you don't buy the Regionals version)

Reviewed by Living Destiny

On My Own - 6/10 - I'm not blown away by this rendition of the song. The notes get screechy or whiny at times, and it's obvious that when this song was recorded, Lea Michele simply didn't have the register for the song. It's especially evident in the big, climactic line, "the world is full of happiness that I have never known". It's almost cringe-worthy. I've heard a lot of versions of this song, and while this isn't the worst, it's definitely not the best.

Can't Fight This Feeling - 10/10 - I remember first watching this episode, and thinking this was the best song. And I still do. It has really nice, subtle harmonies, and Cory Monteith is a very talented singer. Yeah, it's a little cheesy, but I just can't get enough of it. I love this song, and there is literally nothing wrong with it.

Rehab - 8/10 - Funky choral harmonies in this one. This song was our first glimpse, as viewers, into the deep dark world of show choir. Not a solo audition, or a song in the shower, but a real, talented choir. It's interesting. I think the harmonies overpower the melody a lot, and that's not something I'm a fan of. It's good, but not fantastic.

Don't Stop Believin' - 10/10 - What a classic. When it first starts out, the vocals make you want to get up and move. The show did a great job of taking a famous song, and turning it into something fresh and new. When you hear it, you can't help but love it. The harmonies are spot on, there's a great guitar solo after the first verse, the ending is chilling, and all the voices sound really good together. Honestly, in four seasons of music, it's still one of the best that came out of Glee.

Real Teen Rating ~ B: Check it out but, really, there's no rush.

Read More

+ (Deluxe Version) - Ed Sheeran

Reviewed by Living Destiny

+ (Deluxe Version)
Buy it here and support our blog

Song Time: 61 Minutes and 47 Seconds
I stumbled across Ed Sheeran while searching for music to use in a project for filmmaking. Some app on Spotify was giving me songs similar to some other song, I don't really remember, but Firefly by Ed Sheeran came up. I listened to it and realized three things. One: it wasn't the song for our project. Wrong mood for our story. Two (and this was hardly a new realization): Spotify is fantastic. The new part of that was that it can now introduce me to new music. Third, and most importantly, I was quickly in love with a young British ginger who has a stellar voice and can handle any music genre you can think of. Except maybe country, I haven't heard him try country yet, but no one can really handle country music anyway.

The A Team - 8/10 - This is his most famous song, and it's played on the radio a lot. But I don't think it's his best song, which is why it's getting the lowest grade. It's not that it doesn't deserve to be on the radio, I just think he has better songs. This one is good though. The lyrics are almost funny in a way. People seem to think that Ed Sheeran only writes sappy love songs, and at first glance that's what this is, but the lyrics are actually about a teenage prostitute on drugs. Why that makes a good song topic I'm not sure, but it sounds pretty!

Drunk - 9.5/10 - Another not-quite-sappy song, it's basically all about getting drunk to get over a girl. But again I have to talk about his lyrical prowess. The words he writes just sound nice. Stuff like "I wanna hold your heart in both hands/Not watch it fizzle at the bottom of a Coke can" is beautiful. It opens new ways of thinking about things. This is a good song to sort of bob your head awkwardly to, as I'm doing right now in the hallway. It has a gorgeous musical part. It isn't a slow song, but not a fast one either. Just an enjoyable song.

U. N. I. - 9/10 - I think this is about him going to university (college) and leaving a girl. He does a lot of leaving a girl, I guess. I really love the very beginning to this. A quiet crescendo, and then humming three notes. It's incredibly effective without being overdone. The bridge of this song is great too. Simple vocals go a long way, and if a singer is talented, he doesn't need excessive music in the back. He has an incredible vocal quality that just makes you feel nice. And his accent is fun to listen to as well, because it gives his music that edge of something different. The ending is a mirror of the beginning, with three short guitar chords. This easygoing simplicity makes for a cool song that feels like it belongs on a rom-com soundtrack.

Grade 8 - 11/10 - This is one of my absolute favorite songs on the album. It has an edgier, harder tone than the first three songs on the cd. This one is a love song, but it isn't sappy either. I learned recently that grade 8 isn't actually a reference to school, but to a difficult chord on guitar. So that's a pretty neat simile he makes with "You're strumming on my heart strings like you were a grade 8". This song is fast paced and upbeat, and as usual it has stunning lyrics. It's one of those catchy melodies that can easily get stuck in your head for days.

Wake Me Up - 10/10 - Super slow song coming right after an upbeat one. I love how songs on albums are ordered. The main element of this song is the vocals. It's only accompanied with a piano, so the singer and the lyrics are really highlighted. I think all of his love songs - and most of them are love songs - have a twist to them, where it's love but life isn't perfect. And that's how life works. Anyway, this song is fantastic because it shows what a talented voice Ed Sheeran has. It's pretty much an acoustic song. The chord progression in the background is nice, but it really is the vocals that makes this song great.

Small Bump - 8.5/10 - This gets one of the lowest grades on the album for one reason only. It's really sad. It's a gorgeous song. The music to it is a little playful, with some harmonizing voices and what sounds like a weird xylophone-like instrument in the chorus, as well as Sheeran harmonizing with himself in the rest of the song. It's just gorgeous. But the lyrics are so sad. And that's why it's one of my least favorites. The song is a dad singing about his unborn child, and how much potential the child has, and how much the child is loved. And then at the very end of the song, the child is miscarried. Four lines, and the song becomes devastating. Pretty, but sad.

This - 9/10 - The guitar line in this song is the most striking part of it. It's calming and smooth, and pairs well with the melody of the song. It's a very mellow, slow song that somehow feels like curling up by a fireplace in the freezing cold winter. Cozy. My favorite lines of it are "You are the earth that I will stand upon/You are the words that I will sing". This is probably one of his more legitimately sappy songs, but even this isn't an idealistic love song.

The City - 11/10 - Another one of my favorites. This song is not a love song, and is basically about a guy who moved to a new city, and is trying to get used to it. It has a harder sound to it, but it gets soft in the bridge. Any song that says "woo" in it is cool in my book, and this one does. The lyrics make you want to get up and travel somewhere new, see something you've never seen. I can't actually pick favorite lyrics from this song, because they're all great. So I guess I'll leave it with the last lines of the chorus: "If the city never sleeps/Then that makes two".

Lego House - 11/10 - The first little guitar line of this song sort of sounds like the guitar part of It's Not Over by Daughtry. That's where the similarities stop. It's upbeat, but soft. Sometimes I think it's a love song, but then I watch the music video and I'm not sure. The lyrics in this song are fantastic. The words are the best part of this. They're all so powerful, but I really like "And it's dark in a cold December, but I've got you to keep me warm/And if you're broken I'll mend ya/And keep you sheltered from the storm that's raging on". Brilliant stuff. Plus, the video has Rupert Grint from the Harry Potter movies in it, and I'm not entirely sure why, so that's a bonus.

You Need Me, I Don't Need You - 10.5/10 - This song is essentially perfect. I don't know if you've ever listened to a white, redheaded guy from England rap, but it's amazing. And I really don't know what else to say, because it's a rap song. The lyrics are really good, which is typical of Ed Sheeran. It's a rap, but it's not a stereotypical beez-in-the-trap-style rap song. It tells about his story, and how he became famous. The background music is catchy, and the song in general makes me want to sing along - which isn't pretty, because I can't rap. My favorite lines are "Suffolk sadly seems to sort of suffocate me", and the last line of the rap. It's a wicked fun song.

Kiss Me - 10/10 - Alright, this one really is a 100% sappy love song. I read recently that he wrote it for his two godparents, who were getting married and asked him to sing one of his songs at the wedding. It's a beautiful, heartfelt song. The instrumentals are gentle, and include what I think is a violin. They help to highlight the words of the song, which are a bit sappy, but the whole song is so pretty, you can get over the love song lyrics. It would probably be a brilliant song to get married to.

Give Me Love - 9/10 - Someone asked me what I was listening to once, and when I let them listen in, they asked why I was listening to The Lion King. And ok, the end of the song does get a little tribal sounding, but it also sounds really cool, so I don't mind. The last two minutes are for sure the best part. The chorus comes in, but instead of being calm, as it usually is, it gets intense and powerful, and then the quasi-tribal part comes in, and it sounds passionate and raw and just wicked awesome. The beginning is good too, of course, but the ending is what makes this song.

The Parting Glass - 9/10 - This is actually a hidden track on the album, stuck onto the end of Give Me Love after an awkward thirty seconds of silence. When I first heard it, it reminded me of a Christmas carol, and I don't really know why. I think it's the way the melody sounds. Not necessarily joyful, but it's got that old school Christmas thing going. It starts out with just breathing. That should be creepy, but it's actually pretty chilling. Then it's a simple, beautiful melody and awesome harmonies. One repeated line, "Good night and joy be with you all", is a nice sentiment and also probably the real reason I think of Christmas carols. This hidden track is almost better than the track it's attached to.

Autumn Leaves (Bonus Track) - 9/10 - This song is so beautiful. It's one of those songs that I'm not totally certain what the lyrics mean, and that's ok. It can mean whatever you think it should. Ed Sheeran's voice is incredible. I think I've been gushing about him a lot, but he really is that good. This is kind of a driving around in the rain at night song. It's very peaceful, and when the lyrics say "float down" the instrumental music almost makes you feel like floating. My favorite lyric is "My symphony played the song that carried you out".

Little Bird (Bonus Track) - 9.5/10 - This song is one of the more fast paced ones on the album. It starts off with a strong guitar line, and stays quirky and upbeat. It's a great song to sing along to, because it's so much fun. The lyrics are about a guy trying to get a girl to stay with him. The lyrics are fantastic. The comparisons and descriptions are so creative, like in the chorus where it says "And if I kissed you/Will your mouth read this truth/Darling how I miss you/Strawberries taste how lips do". It just sounds interesting.

Gold Rush (Bonus Track) - 10.5/10 - This is my favorite bonus track. It's definitely a summer song, one that I can picture listening to at the beach as soon as it gets warm enough to actually do that. There's an excellent guitar solo right before the last chorus that makes you want to get up and dance, before it gets slow and a little more serious for just a bit, then right back into the playful melody it has for most of the song. It's a fun, summery track with an upbeat feel and, once again, killer lyrics. One of my favorites.

Sunburn (Bonus Track) - 9.5/10 - This one, I think, is written about an ex of his. Actually I think most of them are, but this one says "Alice" in the lyrics, and that's her name, supposedly. I should really keep up. Anyway, a nice mellow song to finish off the album. The bridge is the best part of this song. He goes up into falsetto, and a good falsetto always wins me over. It's a song about missing someone, and it's something everyone can relate to, because everyone has missed someone at some point. It's a calming song, and it's one you could listen to before you go to bed to soothe you to sleep. I know I do.

Real Teen Rating ~ A+: Look it up right now!!!

Real Teen Download: Grade 8, The City, Lego House

Read More

Katy Perry- Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 1 hour and 17 minutes

The Complete Confection
Buy it here and support our blog

Teenage Dream- 9/10- This song is at least 2 years old but for some reason I still listen to it when it comes on the radio singing along in the car and I am not a big Katy Perry fan.  The song is weirdly catchy and I always have it stuck in my head.  It is going to go down as one of those legendary songs that when our generation is older it will be played on the "oldies" station.  This is one of those songs that it is really hard to not sing along to in the car.  If you are reading this and you haven't listened to the Glee version of this song then go look it right now.  I am not going to deny that Glee has had its problems recently but this is back when Glee was watchable and the songs were well thought out.  If you haven't heard this song, despite your feelings about Katy Perry or newer age music you should still listen to it because it will be one of the biggest songs of the decade.    


Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)- 6/10 - I am not crazy about this song but I will admit that it is catchy and I often find myself humming it wherever I go.  This song reminds me a little too much of Rebecca Black's song Friday.  Not much about this song is appealing to me.  The lyrics are not well thought out the beat/rhythm of the song sounds very similar to almost every other song on the radio.   One of the only things I like about this song happens to be the music video.  It is fun and fits the song perfectly but a separate review on that will come soon.  Back to the actual song, when it comes on in the car I almost always change the station but the second I get out of the car the song is stuck in my head so I guess the rhythm is catchy. Other than that the song doesn't have much going for it, especially the weird chanting towards the end of the song.     

California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg)- 6/10 - The original song was originally off a previous CD but for this release they redid a lot of songs with various celebrities.  When the original song came out I remember it was HUGE and you could not go ANYWHERE without hearing this song at least 6 times.  It got to the point that most people could recite the lyrics perfectly without any music playing.  I haven't heard this song in a while because newer songs have come along but I think that I can still recite the lyrics without any help.  As for my opinion of the song, I am not that crazy about it.  To me it sounds just like every other Katy Perry song with the exception of a few songs.  At first I did like the song but then it became overplayed and then I started hating it.  I don't think that it sends a good message at all, to the younger generation that is listening to the song and singing at the top of their lungs at school dances.  I wish the lyrics were more meaningful but I guess you have to have a fun meaningless song every once and a while.  Snoop Dogg also does not add much to the song and his part is kind of pointless.  In short, listen to the song if you haven't heard it (which would be nearly impossible) but don't expect genius.


Firework- 8.5/10- For some reason I really enjoy this song.  Every time I hear it I feel the urge to just starting singing as loud as I can along with the lyrics.  I'm not sure if it is the message or how it was composed but I really like it.  The message of the song is basically that you are who you are meant to be and that is all anyone can really ask for and to not worry because everyone is special at something you just have to find out what that is.  I think that is one of the most important messages to send to kids, especially ones who in this generation tend to feel less special.  Just everything about this song works and I don't think that is the greatest singer in the world but on this song she sounds really great.  When she was at a radio concert a couple of years ago this was her best song and it seemed like she really got into the emotions of the song and believed in the lyrics that she was singing.  One of the better Katy Perry songs.


Peacock- 3/10- I REALLY do not like this song.  The whole point of this song is that a girl wants to see a man's blank.  It is very inappropriate and instead of coming out and saying the actual word she says peacock but brakes it up so you definitely get the point.  The song is not funny, well produced or well written.  When I first heard this song I skipped over it after the first line because I couldn't believe what I was hearing.  Then when I finally listened to the whole song I wish that I could have unheard it because all of the lyrics are obscene and I do not want to know what drove someone to write this song, let alone record it.  If I were Katy Perry I would not have recorded it.  The only somewhat redeeming quality is that at points if you aren't listening to the lyrics the arrangement in the background is nice.  This is only though if you can get past the rest of this awful song.  It is labeled explicit for a reason.


Circle the Drain- 7/10- This is one of those songs that the second that you start listening to it you know that this is one of those songs that you would hear a club and people would love because of the hard bass and beat.  I cannot see this being one of the popular Katy Perry songs that is played on the radio 24/7.  I'm sure people love this song just for that reason alone but for me it really is not my cup of tea.  It isn't that I don't love this song but it is very high energy and in your face so unless I was at a club or going for a workout this song is kind of weird to listen to.  So if you love in your face music that gets you pumped up then I would say to check out this song because you will most likely like it. :)


The One That Got Away- 6.5/10-  When I first heard this song, I HATED it.  I remember talking to Dream and asking if she had heard the new Katy Perry song and just going on and on about how much I hated this song.  As I was forced to hear this song more and more I started to like the more and more every time that I heard it.  With most Katy Perry songs this seems to be the case.  I hate them the first time I hear it, love it after a while and then end up hating it after I have heard the song 15 million times. This song is OK.  It isn't great and it is awful.  There is nothing bad in the song which is a refreshing change and there isn't anything substantially profound.  The good thing about this song is that a lot of people can relate to it and think of that one person that they wish things had gone different with.  On that note the song is relatable but there is nothing then what you hear on the first time through. The one thing that I will say is that give it a few tries because maybe you will be like me and like a lot more the more you hear, just make sure you don't overplay it with yourself.   


E.T.- 2/10- I cannot stand this song.  At the concert where we saw Katy Perry she was trying out the song on our audience to see if we liked it before she released it.  When she started singing I became confused because it was SO different from everything else that she sings.  I remember thinking to myself that there was NO way that this song was going to become popular.  A couple of months later I was in the car and I heard this song and could not believe it! No matter how much I hear this song I will never ever like it.  There is absolutely no point and I really don't why people like listening to it....I really really don't.  I could go on for ages about my hatred for this song but I am going to leave it with never look up this song and listen to it you will want the 3 minutes of your laugh back.


Who Am I Living For?- 10/10- I had never heard of this song before I bought the decided to listen to the entire CD.  When I saw the title I was expecting to hate the song because I was expecting it to be really cheesy but it is the exact opposite.  It is more about someone's inner battle with themselves to define who they are.  Although this premise of a song also sounds cheesy it is not at all.  The song is all synthesizers, which in some cases works, but it is all very electronic and really like how it is strong it comes across.  This different approach to a very common song topic made me really have a new respect for Katy Perry but also gave me a song that I really ended up liking.  Even the lyrics to the song are great. I can feel a phoenix inside of me; As I march alone to a different beat; Slowly swallowing down my fear.  Those are the opening lyrics to this song and it really creates the whole feel of the entire song. I would highly recommend buying this song and just appreciating a really good song.  


Pearl- 6/10- This is one of Katy Perry's slower songs.  I have mixed emotions about this song.  At points I really like this song and then at other points I could really care less about it and would rather turn it off.  One bad thing about this song is that her vocals on this song don't sound the greatest.  It always seems like she is a little off.  Another thing is that the chorus is completely awful.  It is one of those parts that I just keep wishing was over.  It feels as if it doesn't know whether it wants to be a ballad or a techno song.  The versus' are really what carry this song all the way through.  If the whole song was like the versus' then this would be a great song but unfortunately the song wasn't written that way and that stinks.  Another good thing about this song is the message.  This song is basically about a girl that was pure and sheltered but then she meets someone who completely messes her up and tears her down but how she rises up from that and she realizes that she is worth more than he made her feel.  I think that is a great message to send especially for people that went through something like that or for any friend who knows someone going through something like that.  I just wish actually listening to the recording of the song was as strong as the lyrics.        


Hummingbird Heartbeat- 7.5/10- This the perfect example to show where sometimes I think Katy Perry needs to hire a new lyricist.  "Let's pollinate to create a family tree; This evolution with you comes naturally; Some call it science, we call it chemistry; This is the story of the birds and the bees."  I think when people read the title to this song they realize that it is going to be about birds, the lyrics do not need to be so literal.  Lyrics aside though, this song is catchy.  After reviewing this song I'm sure I will have the chorus stuck in my head for a good hour.  I would not be surprised in the least bit if this is the next single off of her album.  I can just picture everyone singing this song while walking down the hallways and in the car.  It is only a matter of time until this song is everywhere.        



Not Like the Movies- 7/10- This is probably the slowest song of Katy Perry's next to Thinking of You. When I first listened to this song I was very surprised that it hadn't already been on the radio.  This is exactly the song that teenagers love and love to relate to.  It is all about how relationships should be like all the romantic movies because romantic movies always have the perfect relationships.  If this song was on the radio I know that it would be extremely popular and every teenage girl would download it and have it on their iPod for when they encounter a break-up.  To me, this song is just OK.  The lyrics are average and same with the tune and composition of the song.  As I said above if you are a teenage girl then download this song because I'm sure that it will come in handy one day.  :)


The One That Got Away (Acoustic)- 7.5/10- This is the same song as above but instead of all the synthesizers in the background it is just Katy Perry and a guitar singing the song.  I like this version so much more because it is a stripped down version of the song which is really nice and it just sounds so much better.  Although this song isn't very deep for some reason the acoustic version makes the song sound really meaningful.  If you were looking at buying the CD and didn't know which version to pick, I would say to pick this version because it is so much more heartfelt and connects more to something that isn't quite there.  I often listen to this version and I don't often listen to the other version.  This one is definitely worth the $1.29.


Part of Me- 6/10- I don't really care for this song.  I am in the third stage of popular Katy Perry songs which is that now I am just sick of it and how overplayed it is.  This song is about not letting anyone bring you down and that you need to always stick up for yourself.  This is a great thing to sing about because it is an important thing for people to realize about themselves and to apply to every day life.  Again though, this song sounds like every other popular Katy Perry song.  If you try and dig deep and look for meaning in the lyrics then you probably won't find anything there.  One of the Katy Perry classics but not necessarily a great song that is to be remembered.


Wide Awake- 9.5/10-  This is Katy Perry's newest single that is played all over the radio.  Just like the One That Got Away when I first heard this song I did not like it at all.  Again, I heard it more and more and now I am in the middle stage of really liking the song.  Every time I hear it I turn up the volume and start singing my heart out.  I believe that this song is about someone coming off of a high of some kind and explaining what it feels like coming off of that high.  It is never really established completely what the high comes from which I really like.  This way if you listen to this song you could take it to mean whatever is more personal for you.  For whatever reason I really really like this song and so if you are buying the album, don't forget to buy this one.  It is a really good song.

Dressin' Up- 5/10- It seems like this whole album is divided into two very separate parts. One half is the club songs that are very electronic and the other is the popular pop stuff that gets played on the radio.  Then there are the couple random songs that don't seem to fit in either category.  This song falls in the very electronic group.  Since this song was probably expected to play in clubs they didn't really focus on lyrics so they are really silly and pointless.  In a club or at a party everyone would be so busy with their own stuff that they wouldn't even notice the lyrics so they don't need to be great.  For a party this would be a great song but just for listening when you are trying to do your homework or read it probably isn't the greatest.


E.T. (feat. Kanye West)-1/10- Read review above of the original song.  The only difference is that this version is worse because it envolves unnecessary rapping.


Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) [feat. Missy Elliott]- 3/10- I think this song is a lot worse than the original and I wasn't even that crazy about the original.  It is basically the same song except for every time there is a versus then Missy Elliott takes over and does her little rap and then when it gets to the chorus Katy Perry takes back over.  Also at random points in the song Missy Elliott will add a word or phrase.  To me it doesn't seem like they should have wasted the time rereleasing the song for just adding a few lines that actually make the song worse.  Not worth ANY of your time or money.


Tommie Sunshine's Megasix Smash-up- 8.5/10-  To start off this song is 7 minutes long.  A DJ basically took his favorite six Katy Perry songs and made a great track for a party.  I almost never like remixes of songs just for whatever reason but I really like this mash-up.  If I were ever to have a party this would be the number one song on the playlist because the way that Tommie Sunshine mixed the songs made everything sounds really great together.  Even the Katy Perry songs that I don't like sound really good in this song (like E.T).  If you are looking for a song with a great beat then this is definitely one to check out.

Real Teen Rating~ D+: Only a handful of songs worth listening to


Real Teen Download: Wide Awake, Teenage Dream & Tommie Sunshine's Megasix Smash-up

Read More

Mumford and Sons- Sigh No More

Reviewed By The North Star
Song Time: 48 Minutes and 33 Seconds

Sigh No More
Buy it here and support our blog

I've been hearing the Mumford & Sons CD ever since it came out last year but I never knew who it was that I was listening to.  I had heard their singles "The Cave" and "Little Lion Man" on the radio all of the time and I always meant to look them up but always forgot by the time that I got to the computer.  Then someone had introduced their song "Roll Away Your Stone" to me and I asked the band name.  The second I got home I bought most of their songs and have had them on repeat ever since!  Mumford and Sons is a British folk rock band who's first album (Sigh No More) came out last year Febuary 16th, 2010.


Sigh No More- 9.5/10- The interesting things about CDs nowadays is that when people buy CDs they just listen to the songs they heard on the radio or listen to the whole thing out of order.  I'm not positive but, I'm pretty sure that record companies put the songs in an order for a reason.  This song is really mellow but has meaningful lyrics and has big insight about how the whole CD is going to be like.  This song is all about a guy breaking up with a girl and he is trying to explain to her that it isn't the end and she will find someone else because he was never fully in the relationship and she deserves way better.  The beginning of the song is extremely slow and then half-way through it picks up and you feel that you have to start bobbing your head along with the music.  The beat of this song is great and as said above it kind of samples from the different types of songs on the CD so if you choose to listen to this CD, please listen to it in order, it is worth it.


The Cave- 11/10- This was one of the first singles off of the CD and became one of those songs that no matter what station you listened to you heard and hopefully learned to love like I did.  One of the things I love about Mumford and Sons is the lead singers voice.  His voice is exactly what is described above, rock and folk at the same time and I have never heard anything like it before.  This song is all about someone who is going through some really tough times but the singer is going to help them out because they were once in that situation too.  The great thing about this song is that the first couple times you listen to it, it is such a great song that you get rapped up in the lyrics and then after listening to it a couple more times you've learned the lyrics enough to sing-along.  So, no matter when you listen to this song it is equally awesome!

Winter Winds- 8.5/10- This is one of those songs that I can see people putting on summer playlists and listening to at the beach.  Even though this song is talking about the winter it is also talking about coming into spring.  Overall the tone of the song just screams summer because of a bunch of different reasons.  The saxophone solo is really nice and tone of the song is very upbeat and seems like something you would hear in a movie when someone was going on a journey.  I don't love this song but I do find myself singing along to the song when I hear it and I did put it on my summer playlist, so this is one to look out for to be on the radio but it isn't a must buy if you are buying the entire CD.


Roll Away Your Stone- 12/10- This is definitely my favorite song on the CD!  The second that I hear this song come next on shuffle or in the car I get excited and start singing along with the banjo in the beginning and never stop singing with it until the song is done.  I first heard this song in a dance class where the teacher played it for a warm-up song and from that moment I have loved the song and never got sick of it.  The song is (like most Mumford & Sons songs) perfect for listening to in the car.  This is a song that you can blast in the car and sing your heart out, whether you are by yourself or you are with a group of friends.  The lyrics of this song are also really deep so beyond the fact that the song sounds nice it has a meaning and at points in the song I can definitely relate.  In short, go on iTunes right now and buy the song!


White Blank Page-8 /10- This song shows the mellower side of Mumford & Sons, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  This song is about a guy that is in love with this girl and he gave her his entire heart because he thought that is what she wanted when in fact she didn't have any feelings for him at all.  Now he is wondering what the point of it all was, if there even was one.  I really like this song because the subject matter is usually the other way around, about a girl that gives her heart but guys do this too and get burned but that story is never told.  I also like how in this song it starts off really slow and with a lot of feeling, but then as the song goes along it gets louder and more intense as the lyrics become more angry.  I like this song but I don't always feel like listening to it so, no a must buy but still very interesting.  


I Gave You All- 7/10- This is another song that shows the slower deeper side of Mumford and Sons eve more so than White Blank Page.  This song is about a man that gives his all to a women and she tears him apart and afterwards he can't find himself caring about anything because she is all he ever cared about.  If you are reading this you are probably thinking that Mumford and Sons are a really depressing band, but they aren't.  They really try and hit at the heart of peoples feelings through music and they do, do that even if it means that it comes out a little depressing.  The great thing about Mumford and Sons is that their lyrics are good but along with that they manipulate their instruments to sound sadder and Marcus Mumford, lead singer, really get into the song as well so you feel the weight of the words that he is singing.  I don't usually listen to this song because you have to be in the right mood to listen to is because it is so sad but besides that it is still a quality song.  


Little Lion Man- 11/10- This is the song that put Mumford and Sons on the map.  This was the first song that I had heard by them and I always heard it right before I went to bed at night and would fall asleep what amazing band had sung that song because I really liked it.  As Mumford and Sons grew bigger and so did the song I figured out the song name and bought it on iTunes.  I don't know exactly why but I really really love this song and I can never get enough of it.  Although it is sometimes overplayed on the radio, every time it comes on I don't change the channel because I want to hear it again.  Even singing it in the car is fun because it does swear and usually with songs the swear is completely random, but with this song it works for some odd reason.  From the lyrics to the instruments this song has it all and I really can't complain anything about it and I can almost guarantee that when you listen to this song you are going to love it from start to finish.  Just go and buy it you won't regret it!   


Timshel- 6.5/10- I'm not crazy about this song.  I think that this song is really cute in the lyrics because it is talking about a guy who is willing to do anything for a girl because she deserves it and that he is there and that she is not alone.  This song is very slow and stays slow the entire time and it is just a little boring.  Like, I gave you all you have to be in the right mood to listen to this song, but I can see it being in a movie when a couple is first getting together or anything having to do with a romantic.  Not my cup of tea but it could be someone else's favorite of song of the CD so give it a shot you might like it.


Thistle & Weeds- 6/10- The problem that I have with this song is that I feel that it is trying to hard to be different and out there.  The vocals are spot on as they always are but the rest of the song just isn't good.  The arrangement is boring and weird at the same time and is not enjoyable to listen to.  I almost never listen to this song unless I happen to be doing something and the music is more background noise  or if I decide to listen to the entire Mumford and Sons CD.  There is nothing special about this song and only buy it if you happen to be buying the entire CD.


Awake My Soul- 9/10- For some strange reason I really enjoy listening to this song.  The lyrics are really meaningful but they are also really funny at the same time.  He is singing about some deep things and his views and then he starts singing har har har har.  It is a good song because it really good me to think but then laugh at the same time.  To me this song is more about the love of a friend rather than the love of a lover and I like that a lot more because most songs nowadays don't talk about friendship and sometimes those can be the most powerful songs.


Dust Bowl Dance- 6/10- I don't know how to feel about this song.  It is very strange and sort of tells a story.  Listen to this song and tell me what you think.


After the Storm- 9/10- This is a really good song in general but I like it so much more because it is the last song on the CD and it sums up the whole feeling of the CD in one song.  The whole song is about moving on and how something good is just around the corner so, there is no need to worry about anything.  The song starts off slow and then picks up a tiny bit as the storm is "over".  The guitar is also a slow speed and just all around the perfect mood for the song.  The song itself is good but not fantastic but it is nice to listen to once in a while.  In short, this is the perfect way to end a CD.


Real Teen Rating ~ B+ : Check it out sometime! 


Real Teen Download: Roll Away Your Stone, Little Lion Man, The Cave

Read More

David Cook- This Loud Morning (Deluxe Version)

Reviewed by The North Star
Song Time: 56 Minutes and 14 Seconds
While watching American Idol people tend to attach to one person once it gets down to the top 12 and then they root for them to whole way and want them to win and are really sad when they get kicked off (unless they win).  When the seventh season of Idol started almost no one predicted David Cook to win, but as more contestants got kicked off and you had to pick someone else to favor David Cook became very popular.  Then once he won, everyone rejoiced and said that once his album came out they would be waiting in line for the doors to open to buy the CD.  Sadly, David's second album didn't get much publicity when it actually was pretty good!

This Loud Morning
Buy it here and support our blog

Circadian- 8.5/10- This song to me is all about how things a lot of the time are thrown to chance and how a lot of the time the things that most people to believe to be not true are actually in fact, true.  When I first heard this song all I did was listen to the background music to the song because the beat of the drums and guitar really compliment each other and provides this nice ring.  The beginning also has a little music box playing and I really liked that because it was different.  The more that I listened to this I heard the lyrics and just enjoyed the song that much more.  The couple things that I didn't like about it was the repetitive nature that it had at points but other than that a good song!


Right Here, With You- 7.5/10- David Cook is the master at having great guitar parts playing behind him but this song lacked for me.  I'll listen to it if it comes up on my iPod but I would not go searching for this song.  This sounds like a song they threw together to play to the teenage girl listeners, but David Cook wasn't too crazy about it.  The lyrics are cheesy and it sounds like a million other songs but, the guitar part is amazing!

We Believe- 9/10- This song isn't the greatest instrumental wise (mainly because it sounds like every song on the radio) but the lyrics to this song are AWESOME! The beginning of this song sounds like a U2 song and I was really confused at first but then I realized that it was a David Cook song. My favorite lyric is: We believe there's a reason that we're all here, that every doubt will disappear.  I'm not sure why that is my favorite line in the song but ever since I heard it I can't get it out of my head.  All in all, if you are looking for a song with good lyrics this one is a winner.  

Fade Into Me- 7/10- I'm not to crazy about this song.  The instrumental isn't creative and the lyrics are also lame.  I think the song is supposed to be about this guy and he is saying that him and his love are so perfect for one another that they feel everything together so if one hurts then the other one hurts and also how since they have this connection the other half can sense it and make them feel better, because they feel it themselves.  It is an interesting song concept but it wasn't executed very well and I think could have been done A LOT better.  I do not recommend this song.

Hard to Believe- 8.5/10- The versus' of this song are very weak but I can never get enough of the chorus.  The lyrics aren't even that good at the chorus but the music with David Cook's voice mixed in, it makes a perfect blending and it sounds awesome.  The rest of the song is just eh and sounds like a lot of the other songs on his CD.


Take Me As I Am- 6.5/10- The sad thing about this song is that if it were a single I would like it a lot more (meaning I hadn't heard any of the rest of the CD).  After listening to the CD as a whole it doesn't seem as special anymore.  The lyrics don't stand out and neither does the music.  It sounds exactly like 3 other songs on the album but not done as well.  Don't get me wrong, it is a good song but it doesn't match up to the high standard that the other songs have on the table.


Time Marches On- 8/10- This song is just kind of there for me.  There is nothing bad about it, nothing great about it either. If it came on while listening to songs on shuffle I wouldn't skip it and I would probably end up singing with the song by the end of it.  One to look at if you really enjoyed David Cook music.


The Last Goodbye- 9.5/10- This was the first single off of this CD and I was really excited when it first came out because it was a new David Cook song and it had been a long time since his last album had come out.  The lyrics don't quite make sense at first but they are just kind of catchy and after hearing the song a couple of times it really grew on me and now every time it shows up on the radio it is a pleasant surprise and I turn up the volume! One to keep your eye on, I feel that it might get it's chance on the radio one of these days! Worth the download!


Paper Heart- 12/10- This is by far my FAVORITE song on this CD! The song is perfect from beginning to end.  The versus' are emotion filled with great lyrics and are slower on the mellow side, but then he hits the chorus with power and I can't help but sing out when I hear it no matter where I am, and if I am in a place where it should be quiet I mouth the words and I do get some strange lyrics.  Paper Heart is one of those songs you dance to in your room pretending to be the lead singer in a band with the guitar strung around your shoulder.  In general, awesome song!


4 Letter Word- 9/10- I like this song, despite it's extreme cheesiness.  When I first saw the title to the song I could predict the 4 letter word and I think that anyone who reads it can guess what it is, but it is a cute little song.  Although it is extremely cheesy it is more rocky so it sets it apart from the stereotypical love ballad.  One to buy if the iTunes money is sitting in your account but, not necessary.


Goodbye to the Girl- 11/10- This is one of my favorite songs from the CD!  Most of David Cook's music is heavy and metallic sounding but this one is on the mellow side and you can start to hear why he won American Idol.  His voice is so pure and with this song it feels like he is really getting into it and feeling what the lyrics are saying and not just singing them as if they are words on a page. Great Job David!


Rapid Eye Movement- 8/10- This song is exactly like the song Time Marches On to me, it is OK it is just kind of there.  Fun Fact: This is the song that he says the title of the album!


This Is Not the Last Time- 6.5/10- This and Let Me Fall For You were bonus tracks on this CD.  I have found that after listening to a lot of bonus tracks of CD's they are either the best part of the CD or not so great.  This song falls under the category of not so great.  Literally sounds exactly like another song on the CD so much that if you played them next to each other you probably wouldn't notice when the song switched over.  The only redeeming quality of this song is the bridge because it is different and not the same old same old.


Let Me Fall For You- 9.5/10- As the second bonus song on the CD I would expect the song to be as bad as the first bonus song but this one was actually really good.  The thing that set this sound apart from all the other ones was that in this song he used a piano which is extremely rare in David Cook songs.  He also uses a lot of repetition in this song but it actually works.  I actually like this song because it about a girl that is very secluded and does not want to let anyone in but this guy is singing about how she should let him in because he would never hurt/break her and she should just let him fall for her.  I like that because it is a different scenario that almost no one sings about.


Real Teen Rating:On the fence of C+: You could go either way on this. . .


Real Teen Download: Paper Heart, Goodbye to the Girl and The Last Goodbye

Read More

Christina Perri - A Thousand Years

Reviewed by Living Destiny

A Thousand Years
Buy it here and support our blog

Song Time: 4 minutes and 45 seconds


I heard this song on the radio about a week ago, and immediately knew it was Christina Perri.  She has such a distinctive voice, and I love all of her songs and listen to them obsessively, so it was easy for me to tell.  I fell in love with it after hearing it once, and when it ended the radio announcer told me that it was on the Breaking Dawn - Part 1 soundtrack.  Which I saw twice in theaters and never noticed this song.  Oops. I think it was the credits song, which I didn't pay much attention to.  Well, anyway.  It got stuck in my head, and I found myself singing it for the next few hours.  I kept looking it up and playing it, trying to learn all the lyrics, and hear we are.  So.  


Just to get it out there, Christina Perri is one of my favorite artists.  Her sound is...I think the best way I can describe it is 'melancholy'.  She sounds reflective and a tiny little bit sad, even if the song has positive lyrics, like this one.  Her voice is really clear and smooth, and she has a great range.  I love singing her songs, because her lyrics are original, and more thoughtful than most songs nowadays (example: check out the lyrics to Last Friday Night.  Pure gold right there.  Not).  Her songs are simple, and don't have overpowering instrumentals or vocals.  It all just meshes really beautifully.  I LOVE HER!


Now that that's over with, the song I'm actually talking about.  A Thousand Years.  At first glance it almost sounds sad, like most of her songs, because it is slow and has downplayed instruments.  However if you look at the lyrics, that's not the case.  The song is about a girl loving someone completely, and finally being with them.  It talks about always knowing there was someone out there for her to love, and finally finding him.  the lyrics remind me of the idea of soul mates, where there is one person you're meant to be with, and when you found them it's like you've always known them and loved them.  I'm totally fascinated by that idea, and it's not one that people touch on in music very often.  Teen romance books, yes, but not music.  The lyrics to the chorus say "I've loved you for a thousand years", which is so poetic and lovely.  Music was originally poetry, and the way lyrics sound now is a disgrace more often than not.  This song definitely isn't a disgrace, and the lyrics are moving, and they make me hope to find my soul mate.  

The melody is so pretty.  It gets stuck in your head, but not in an annoying way, in a way where you kind of dance around to it without minding at all.  It's not an upbeat song, so it's not really a dance around song, but it's one you can listen to over and over and not get bored with.  It's just calming, and the message is so hopeful.  I'm a very cynical person, but this song makes me think a little differently.  My favorite lyrics are either "how can I love when I'm afraid to fall", "I have died every day waiting for you", or "I have loved you for a thousand years/I'll love you for a thousand more".  That's a lot of lyrics, but I really like them all, so that's as narrowed down as it gets.  Love this song.  Truly love it.  I've been listening to it non-stop for two hours, and I still love it.  Christina Perri is my idol, and this song rocks, even if it was made specifically for Breaking Dawn.

Real Teen Rating ~ A+: Look it up right NOWWW!!!!!

Read More

Spotify-App

The Gist
Spotify is an application for your computer, iPod or really anything that lets you listen to all of your favorite music for free.  You can make playlists, share music with your friends, find new songs related to artists that you like and so much more.  


What We Think
Reviewed by The North Star
I first heard about Spotify from my mom when she told me about this application that was HUGE in Europe that was coming over to the USA. When I got home I looked it up and you had to be invited to try it because it wasn't open to the public yet.  I requested to get an account and it was granted.  Ever since then Spotify has basically taken over my life.  Spotify is an ingenious mixture between iTunes, Pandora and GrooveShark.  Spotify is actually an app like iTunes you download to your computer and keep there forever.  Then once you have set up an account and password you type in the search bar the song that you would like and make a playlist and then simply drag and drop.  Like Pandora, once you look up a song in the search bar you can click on the artist's name and then there is a little biography on the artist/band and it tells you their top hits, albums, singles and where they appear.  From there you can click related artists at the top and it will tell you artists that you will most likely like because they are similar to that artist.  Then you can also click Artist Radio where (like Pandora) Spotify will pick songs that are similar to the artist you looked up and they will also tell you what artists they will play so you can look up related artists that way as well.

One of the things that I like the most about Spotify is that you can either pay for it or you can use it as free.  If you pay for it Spotify basically becomes your new iTunes but for cheaper.  You can also get it for free which means you have to "suffer" through some ads but most of the time it is no more than a min or 2 for about 30-45min (which isn't bad if you ask me).  The good thing about paying is that if you had to travel everyday on a train, subway or bus it would be perfect because you just download the app to your phone and then you have all the songs you could possibly ever want and no boredom on your way to work or wherever!  But, for people that don't need to buy the full version can enjoy the free version at their leisure.

One other great thing about Spotify is that it connects with Facebook so you can follow your friend's playlists.  This feature makes sharing great music with your friends just that much easier because you can also "e-mail" your friends new songs that you find or old songs that you rediscovered.  This is a great tool because you can share within Spotify to one or a few or your friends, you can post it to Facebook share or you can tweet it to twitter and let all of your followers know of a great song.  I really tip my hat to the creators of this site because they truly thought of everything and made this site reach its full potential and they are still creating new features that no one has ever thought of before.  There are many more things that I love about Spotify but this post would end up being waaaay to long.  In short, just get an account I guarantee you will love it after the first couple days of using it!

Real Teen Rating~ A++++++: The second after you read this, go make an account....seriously! 

Read More

Mouthful of Diamonds - Phantogram (Single)

Reviewed by Dream Catcher

Mouthful of Diamonds
Buy it here and support our blog

Phantogram is one of those bands you hear by chance and are glad you did. I was listening to the different songs from Mtv's Teen Wolf soundtrack and heard this. I didn't really remember hearing it in the show, but I didn't care. Because I just liked it. I don't really know why. It was a song I'd never heard of by a band I'd never heard of. But it's one of my favorite songs at the moment. I don't deny that I have a new favorite song pretty frequently, but that doesn't mean the song isn't good. This song has an interesting vibe, very different. That's the music I've found I like recently. I'm always trying to find good songs by random bands I've never heard of, lately. It's weird. Like I'm trying to find my new favorite band by chance or fate or destiny or something. That may not happen in the near or distant future, but I've found that I do discover a few good diamonds in the ruff every so often. Example: this song.

It starts off choppy and fuzzy, kind of weird, but that's fine. Then there's some funky almost techno noises and they kind of become the background when the guitar starts. Then the singer starts up. This is probably a weird way to describe this song, but bear with me (I've always wondered...is it bear with me or bare with me...?). I'm a little delusional, but usually that makes an interesting review. I think I just write whatever I'm thinking when I'm tired, so the whole thing comes out in a long and very random rant that really has no relevance to the review, like what I'm writing now...Back to whatever I was saying before. The sounds of the song. Yes, it's kind of techno...to use the term loosely, I guess. I don't know exactly how to describe it, but it sounds different and cool. Perhaps not what everyone likes, but that goes along with anything, not just music. The singer is mellow, like most of the song, really. You can tell the singer's probably not the greatest singer in the world, but you don't have to be to sound good on this song, and the singer certainly doesn't sound BAD or anything. Sounds perfectly fine. Good. The chorus is my favorite sounding part of the whole song because it slows down a little and the singer has some eerie harmony which is pretty cool. The chorus blends together really well, which kind of balances out the rest of the song, which is kind of choppy - or at least choppier.

Lyrics. I won't try and convince you that they're genius song-writers. Because I'm not convinced they are either. But the lyrics aren't bad and I love the chorus. I love the lyrics because they're different. They're not exactly the type of things you hear everyday. I love that kind of thing in a song. When the lyrics are abstract and there are a few different ways you can interpret it. The lyrics really go with the sound of the song, too. I hate when there are these really sad lyrics to happy tunes or vice versa. Here they were fitting, I thought. I just think the lyrics were all-around pretty good. There's this one line that always stands out to me, whenever I look at it, but not in a bad way. It's "I wish I could believe the devils won't take you back out to the salty seas". I think it's the word "salty". It stands out. Not because the seas aren't salty, because they obviously are, but because I haven't heard people describe them as that. It's unexpected, but I like it. I think that describes the whole song, for me. Unexpected, but I like it!
Favorite Line: "You've got a mouthful of diamonds/ and a pocketful of secrets/ I know you're never telling anyone".

Real Teen Rating ~ A : Worth Buying!

Read More