Morgan Cameron Ross - Hey There Darling Video

So Morgan C Ross is a pretty wicked dude who's got a lot of heart and a heck of a lot of soul...Especially when it comes to writing and performing his beautiful music. As you all know, I'm a big fan of bands like Hedley, Marianas Trench and so on but there's just something about this guy who makes me absolutely love the music and him as a person! His lyrics are personal and meaningful and the music is catchy and easy to get caught up in when listening to it wherever you may be.

I was introduced to him by a friend of mine (*cough* Zebraprintsky *cough*) and I've been forever grateful ever since! Just yesterday Morgan released a video for his new song "Hey There Darling" which is set in the 1960s in a diner. This is one of my favourite songs off his most recent self-titled album and I'm excited to share the new video with you guys!

So check it out!

- T

Maroon 5: Overexposed? Heck No.

Some people may not hesitate to agree that Maroon 5 has been around the block one too many times, but those people would be wrong - or right? Depends on their perspective...but that's besides the point. Overexposed is actually the title of Maroon 5's new musical masterpiece.

I've been listening to Maroon 5 for more than a few years now and they've always been catchy, upbeat and addictive. Pretty sure front man Adam Levine is the object of many women's sexual fantasies as well - which helps A LOT in my opinion as to why the band is so successful. Anyways, the album is exactly what you expect: pop-tastic, sexual-tension releasing, delicious music to your ears. No lies.

I think the only two songs that you may have an issue with would be "Moves Like Jagger" and "Payphone". And the only reason that could be possible would be that you listen to the radio way too much...or it's on a CD at work that's on repeat constantly (like me).

The rest of the album have a mix of dance addictive, catchy, and even heartfelt tunes that will definitely get you moving and/or swooning to the beat. Adam's voice is smooth and sounds as good as ever, and the music behind the words is cohesive and melds together well with everything.

As with every good album, there's always a mix of smooth, ballad-like songs that go along with the dance-y, upbeat music and this album is no different. Songs like "Sad" and "Beautiful Goodbye" are good examples that remind me of Maroon 5's Songs About Jane album and make me love the songs even more.

Overall the album is addictive, and definitely on my summer playlist and it should be on yours too. It's currently available for pre-order on itunes (it's available June 26th!).

Happy Listening,
Taryn

P.S. Check out the video below of their newest video for "Payphone" ft. Wiz Khalifa (warning it's got swear words...so if your sensitive, get over it!)

MMVA 2012: Winners

While the last post was more about my thoughts, here is a full list of last night's winners...just in case you weren't paying attention or if you had better things to do on a Sunday night!

Video of the year:
Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call me Maybe"

Intl video of the year, artist:
Katy Perry, "Last Friday Night"

Intl video of the year, group:
LMFAO, "Sexy and I Know It"

Intl video of the year by a Canadian:
Justin Bieber, "Boyfriend"

Pop video of the year:
Marianas Trench, "Haven't Had Enough"

Post-production video of the year:
Down With Webster, "Big Wheels"

Cinematography video of the year:
Marianas Trench, "Fall Out"

Director of the year:
Danny Fernandes ft. Josh Ramsay and Belly, "Hit Me Up"

MuchLoud rock video of the year:
The Sheepdogs, "I Don't Know"

MuchVibe hip-hop video of the year:
Drake ft. Lil' Wayne and Tyga, "The Motto"

MuchFact indie video of the year"
City and Colour, "Fragile Bird"

UR fave artist or group:
Justin Bieber

UR fave intl artist or goup:
Katy Perry

Most streamed video of the year:
Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call me Maybe"




All I have to say is...if you were my boyfriend....I'd cut you loose. Sorry Jbiebz, but you're SO overrated.

MMVA 2012: Likes and Dislikes

Well it looks as if another year of the MMVAs has successfully completed itself. For the second time in three years I wasn't accepted into the media room due to "high quantities" of people applying. In non-professional words they were pretty much telling me that I wasn't important enough to warrant and in-person invitation.

Anyways, I decided that I would just watch the show this year instead of spending countless hours watching a live feed and "trying" to get my questions answered over all the other journalists there in person. So, my thoughts? I felt that compared to last year's show, this one was a lot more successful than before. And by successful I mean that the music SOUNDED great on TV, and the performances (for the most part) were really well done. The only issue I had didn't really have anything to do with the actual award show itself.

Things I liked:
- LMFAO's co-hosting duties and performance were 100 % above par. They were hilarious, they sounded great and they interacted with the crowd and the other presenters extremely well.
- Carly Rae Jepsen's performance and surprise performance with Flo Rida. She has shot up SO fast over the last year and she has thanks to Justin Bieber and his label for that. I remember seeing this shy girl in a mall with Faber Drive in Port Coquitlam way back in 2009. Since then she's blossomed into a quirky girl who can make every celebrity and fan sing religiously to "Call Me Maybe"
- I know I may be a little biased, but I felt that Hedley's performance of "Kiss You Inside Out" was one of the best performances of the night. I think the only issue I had with this was the camera was pretty much trained on Jacob Hoggard the entire time. Note to Muchmusic cameramen: Hedley is a band. It's not Jacob Hoggard and the Hedley Boys.
- Katy Perry in general. She had such a cute walk down the red carpet with all the mini Katy Perry's and her set on stage was probably the most extravagant and beautiful. She did such a great job.
- Kelly Clarkson was the powerhouse of the night. It's crazy that she was the very FIRST person to ever win American Idol and she is still going strong.
- Lucy Hale. I love that girl. She's beautiful, funny, and I feel to be a great role model.
- Ed Sheerhan surprised me to no end. I didn't really even know who he was but then I listened to his performance and I was enthralled. His performance was hands down the best of the night. I think everybody should just go acoustic and belt it out. Then we'd be able to string out the real talent from the fakes.

Things I disliked:
- While everybody else just LOVED Marianas Trench's entrance, I felt that it was just a little obnoxious. Did they not get the memo that the theme was classy? Sorry, I am a HUGE Trench fan but they just seemed to irk me this time around. And continuing with the Trench theme, their performance was terrible. Sure people will probably say it sounded better in person, but with most of the other performances sounding great on TV, I highly doubt it. I know from experience that Josh has some bad singing days, and I'm guessing last night was one of them. Oops.
- Nelly Furtado. She looked gorgeous in that beautiful white dress, but that's where it stops. Her performance was lackluster and she sounded SO nasally. I had to turn down the volume at one point because her voice was annoying me. She should have surprised the audience with K'nann and sang their song together.
- Justin Bieber. Sorry but why hasn't he washed out yet?
- Okay, again this may sound a little mean, but why did Carly Rae have to win all the awards? Yes I get that you can't control the UR Faves, but what about the others? There were SO many talented bands and musicians out there that didn't get recognition because Carly was the one who "blew up" and became an international sensation. Muchmusic used to be about supporting ALL musicians, not just the ones who made big names for themselves.

So that's what I thought of this years awards. Please leave comments and opinions if you will. I know I'm bound to have some disagreements but hey, that's why I'm a blogger and you're the reader.

Life: The Paradox of Our Time

This was posted by someone on facebook and it's been through the internet ages for some time now but it's definitely something we need to think about. It's all true and as much as you want to deny it, we all need to take a step back and breathe. Remember that we only get one chance to get this right and then...what? The afterlife is a mystery, nobody really truly knows what's next and as much as it scares me (and probably scares MANY others), it's inevitable. It's going to happen. Read this, pass it on, and remember what you really need to do.




---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness. 

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. 

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things. 

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. 

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorces, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete... 

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. 

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, ' I love you ' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. 
Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: 

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. 

- George Carlin

Toronto Eaton Centre Shooting and Luka Rocco Magnotta

You'd think Canada making international headlines would be something amazing to talk about at the dinner table. Except this time it's less amazing and more horrifying news. Canada is known to be a pretty safe and friendly country to live in but with two events this past week spotlighted in newscasts all over the country and the world, it's hard to see such a great country.

Photo from The Toronto Star. L: Justin Lin, R: Luka Rocco Magnotta

At first it was just a gruesome discovery. If anybody's thoughts were similar to mine they'd think it was just a sick prank to throw off the Conservative Government. I mean, there are plenty of people who aren't exactly fans of Mr. Harper or his government. Instead it turned into an international manhunt to find one Luka Rocco Magnotta. A wannabe porn star and  former Toronto resident, became the lead suspect in a gruesome murder investigation. Turns out there are/were six body parts in total sent through Canada Post to various people all over the country. Police then discovered the torso of Justin Lin shoved into a suitcase and left on the side of the road. What's worse is there were notes with the parcels that claimed that he would kill again.

While it's not 100 per cent that Magnotta is even the right person that Canadian law enforcement is looking for, Magnotta became even more suspicions when he fled the country. Many countries all over the world and Interpol were on the lookout for this crazed man in hopes he was found sooner rather than later. Luckily with the help of loyal citizens, Magnotta was captured in Germany today. I'm sure the process of getting him back on Canadian soil to proceed with proper prosecution measures will be long and grueling but it's a huge relief to know that he's no longer out in the public where, if he had chosen to do so, could have killed again.

I won't post any of the grotesque details that all media outlets have been doing; I'm sure you've already gotten the point. It's scary to wonder what could possibly cause somebody to do something to another human being. Sure there are murders out there, they happen on a semi-regular basis, but ones of this nature are rare and disturbing.



The second headline that made international news was a gunman opening fire in a busy food court in the Eaton Centre in Toronto this past Saturday evening. Without warning a man pulled out a gun killing one man, and wounding seven others before running off. It's bad enough to hear that a shooting in such a great city has occurred but for it to happen in such a public place where both Torontonians AND tourists like to visit on a regular basis, it's just insane. I myself was there in that exact area not even two months ago. This just proves that it can happen ANYWHERE.

Photo from The Toronto Star taken by a bystander

Four of the victims were lucky to have minor wounds and were let go from the hospital. One 23-year-old man, who got shot in the neck still remains in critical condition, while a 13-year-old boy visiting Toronto with his family, is listed as in fair condition.

It turns out that the alleged shooter Christopher Husbands, turned himself into police in the early hours of the morning today. Whether it was guilt for what he had done or pressure from people around him, I'm glad he made the decision to turn himself over.


And these are only Canadian headlines. I realize that stuff like this makes headlines all the time, but because it's so close to home and the fact that it not exactly a "normal" headline, may be the reason why it's so nerve-wracking. There seems to be a string of violent attacks all over North America lately and it's kind of bone-chilling. It's almost as if there's been one to many episodes of Criminal Minds - except it's real. For example the man who was shot dead by police after found eating another mans face off. Or another man who sliced open his gut and threw his intestines at police officials. A new drug called "Bath Salts" is to blame, but it's still such a bizarre occurrence that it has got everybody talking! Anybody ready for a Zombie Apocalypse?

Lots of writing today, I'm sorry. I hope you took the time to read all this and if you have any comments feel free to share your thoughts and opinions!

- Taryn

*all facts and photos were grabbed from The Toronto Star and CBC. Everything else is just my opinon!

MMVA 2012: Performers

Muchmusic has finally released this year's list of performers (or some of them anyways) so I am here to give you a quick update as to who you can expect to see on this year's stage!

So as we all know Katy Perry and LMFAO will be co-hosting this giant downtown party as well as performing their latest hits on stage!

Recently added to the performance roster includes the likes of Nelly Furtado, up-and-comer Carly Rae Jepsen, Marianas Trench, and the one and only Justin Bieber!!

When I covered the MMVAs in 2010, Marianas Trench AND Justin Bieber were both present and they've both become bigger than they ever have before! With MT performing from their November 2011 release and Justin promoting his newest album (set to be released the Tuesday after his MMVA performance), it seems like all you listeners/watchers/concert goers are all in for a genuine treat!

Nelly Furtado has been off the charts for awhile but she's recently released a new song "Big Hoops" and her new album titled "Spirits Indestructible" will be out sometime soon.