A "New Found" Interest...in some old "Friends"

A Day to Remember - New Music - More Music Videos

The time for a pulsating, insanely addicting song of the summer is almost here, and with the musical landscape not dominated by a single genre unlike years past, the field is wide open for an act to take charge of the radio airwaves. New Found Glory has stepped up to the starting gate with their new single "Listen to Your Friends", and the title alone makes it worth a listen. After all, friends don't lead friends in the wrong direction, right?

In the midst of the Fall Out Boys, the Panic! At the Disco's, Good Charlotte's and the countless other pop/rock punk bands out there, it's easy for a group without a hit in recent memory to fall into the abyss of one-hit wonders. (Bowling for Soup, anyone?) However, they're back and in full force with an energetic number that will be played at more proms, homecomings, and high school dances then necessary. That just might be the point, after all if the kids latch on to a song, the general public just might be a little more interested. The song isn't revolutionary, and pretty much sounds like the rest of "Glory's" catalog, but as long as radio spins it, the kids are happy, and the band has been plucked from obscurity, then this single should be checked off as a job well done. It isn't groundbreaking enough for song of the summer, but this is the great start of a potentially beautiful friendship

New Found Glory's sixth album "Not Without a Fight" was released February 20.

Video Vantage Point

"If You Seek Amy"



Britney Spears may be a lot of things, but shy and reserved is definitely not one of them. Her personal troubles have certainly been well publicized in the last few years, but now the focus is back on her music. By no means is she the deepest artist in the sea of musical fish, but she's figured out what works for her, and if she has to make fun at her own life while batting her eyes the other way, then she will. "If You Seek Amy" garnered a lot of controversy over it's suggestive lyrics, as well as the double meaning of the song title (If you don't get it, say it really slowly), and in true Britney fashion, set the stage for what would inevitable be a media field day. She called herself "Miss Bad Media Karma" in the single "Piece of Me", but maybe she should reverse that title, because her media karma just may propel this song up the charts.

On to the video. She still possesses her blatant, teasing sexuality, but instead of flipping her hair, hips, and other body parts in front of a million back up dancers in an anonymous club somewhere (as the teen pop formula for successful videos had long required), she's picked up her come-on's and taken them to suburbia. This is the time where the kids need to leave the room. "Amy" is set in a typical suburban home that has been taken over by drunken, promiscuous partiers. Spears emerges as the lone vixen, and as she wanders through the remains of the night before, we see flashbacks of Britney doing what she does best, putting on a show. She certainly proves in this video, that the sexiness of past years, has not gone anywhere, and if anything, mature Britney has become more tantalizing to fantasize about.

While the video is considerably less choreographed than many of her older (and more infamous videos), her dancing is still there, although Britney has moved her mindset into the world of double meanings. The video cleverly ends with a June Cleaver-esque Spears stepping out of her house with her two children and husband and greeting a voracious paparazzi, news media mob. Translation? What goes on behind closed doors, is not always what you get in front of your face. If anything, this works for her "Amy" persona, because that is who the world is looking for; sexy Britney writhing on tables and beds in bustiers, with an apparent reckless abandon. Instead what we see is a modern-day Stepford woman. I'll bet money that Britney would rather stay inside if she could. Can you really blame her?

I want....

Adidas Ecstasy Mid

Adidas is celebrating their 60th anniversary this year, so look for a lot of retro styles to hit store shelves soon. These shoes scream dopeness and freshness, and I need them. I mean come on! Maybe I'll continue the retro revolution with a hi-top fade and a kangol hat. Or maybe I won't.







Y-3 2009 Collection
I don't care that these are most likely well over $200. Yohji Yamamoto is quickly becoming one of my favorite shoe designers, and he's proof to others (cough Kanye cough) that slapping a hefty price tag on bullshit that can be found at any swap meet from here to Alaska is not gonna go over well. The price of men's sneakers has always been a little overkill, but if the style is there, the durability is also present, I'm all for spending a little bit of money for a good pair of shoes.

Just make sure your bills are paid and you have a roof over which to store your shoes. Because I know I'm not about to begin begging for food and money while looking like I stepped out of an advertisement for the good life.

Thanks to Sole Collector for the images.

Fresh (RE)lease

Kelly Clarkson is a pop mega star, and a reality show winner. The two aren't exactly synonymous, but Clarkson proved that her insanely powerful voice was a forced to be reckoned with. Three albums and two Grammys later, Kelly is back with her fourth CD titled "All I Ever Wanted. It's being pegged as a more mature of her multi-platinum album "Breakaway" and less of the singer- songwriter vibe that was found on her less commercially successful, yet critically acclaimed third album "My December". What we have here is a track from the new album named "The Day We Fell Apart." Normally, I'm not a fan of super cheesy pop music, and thankfully this isn't that type of the song. Kelly's voice is in prime form, and the drum line in this song is so powerful that it becomes an instant rocker. The best part about her performances is when she sings, she makes sure you feel everything that she's feeling, which makes for an even better experience. A catchy melody, strong verses, and an emotion-filled delivery prove that not only is Clarkson back, but is securing her place as one of the greatest pop singers of the new millennium.

"All I Ever Wanted" is slated for a March 10, 2009 release.

Video (RE)View

John Legend- "Everybody Knows"

John Legend's third album release "Evolver" had him go in a different, more upbeat direction than his first two records. While his forte is piano ballads, the first single off of the new album "Green Light" featuring Andre 3000 of OutKast proved that Legend is a truly versatile artists and in fact has the chops and musical ear to pull of more groove-able songs. "Everbody Knows" is a very nice mid-tempo song, with drums and acoustic guitars being the main instruments on the song. His vocals are good as usual, and the smooth, almost reggae vibe of the song makes it a very easy listening track. As my favorite song off of the album, I'm even more excited about hearing it on the radio.

The video for the song is simple and well-shot, and not lacking in a plot, nor is it overloaded in unnecessary scenes. The video follows several couples in their various romantic settings, along with solo scenes of Legend around the city. The most interesting part of the video are the scenes where Legend is alone in a dark room and has various words appear all over his body. His creativity is becoming more evident in each video and overall it is an interesting video.

Y-3 Spring/Summer 09 Collection

Yohji Yamamoto, the creator of the Y-3 line, an extension of the Adidas company bothers me. At the same time I'm in awe of the guy. He is a genius at creating urban acessories and clothing that are appealing to most people, (guys especially) but the high fashion in him makes these prices so completely unrealistic for the masses, like myself. So that's more of a personal gripe, but come on man! It's a recession, throw me a bone, slash some prices!

But about the accessories. The Spring/Summer 09 Collection is actually very good. Although I'm not a bag/accessory type of person, when I find a tight bag, the earth should shake. Because it's a rarity. I mean like finding a four-leaf clover rare. Thanks to Hypebeast, I can give you a sneak preview of the collection and for those of you who can spend Y-3 cash, more power to you. Just make sure to send me some stuff. Beggars can't be choosers, so I'll take whatever!








Those are the three pieces that I was the most interested in.
Check the rest of the preview here at Hypebeast

Flyness with a Purpose

Converse. Chucks. Whatever you call them, you know they're simple, classic, and most importantly fresh. My Chucks are my favorite shoes because I don't have to worry about beating some people up for stepping on a pair of shoes I wasted an entire paycheck on. And don't act like I'm crazy because you know people (myself included) lose their minds when they get a scratch on their shoes. And I'm just lazy and don't want to match everything I wear with my shoes. I'm convinced it's a sick cycle. If you can't match your clothes, you go out and waste more money on shoes until you do. But that's another issue.

Back to Converse. Maybe I've been living under a rock or something, but apparently they've been building up their brand. And I'm not talking about those ridiculous Ed Hardy Converse shoes either.



1Hund(RED) Artist #58 Steve Monti ($76.99)
First off, the Product Red movement is amazing. Although society tends to only praise these social movements for as long as they're 'it' issue, some really great artists have come out of this project. Steve Monti's design is completely dope and something not found anywhere else. The people cutouts surrounding the shoe equal complete freshness. And whenever the proceeds go to help people in need it's a bigger plus.



Matt and Kim #66 ($54.99)
Once again, Converse's idea to have one hundred different designers for their Product (RED) campaign was complete genius. Matt and Kim, whoever they are, created what can only be called walking art. The building photo on the side of the shoe gives me Warhol-esque feelings and I'm digging it.



Mike Schall #33 ($54.99)
The pipelines around the shoe has a really modernistic art feel to it. I think I might need these.



Chuck Taylor All-Star Big Plaid ($50.00)
It's plaid. It's fresh. It's Converse. As corny as that is, there's not really much more that needs to be said. Freshness all around.



Jeff Hamada #24 ($55.00)
The whole "we are the world" thing with the hands is really creative, and does more to drive home the emphasis of the (RED) campaign. I'd like brighter colors or at least bolder colors but the design is still fresh.

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