Death to False Metal [sound recording] by Weezer

Bibliographic Information: Weezer. Death to False Metal [sound recording]. Santa Monica, CA : DGC, 2010. 1 sound disc : digital ; 4 3/4 in. Compact disc. UPC 602527394718. Issue # B0014309-02 DGC.
Genre: Rock, Alternative
Age Level: 13+
Curriculum ties: Television music, Rock music, Popular music
Performer(s): Weezer
Producer: David Geffen Company
Note: Lyrics in container insert.

Reader’s Annotation: Weezer’s follow-up album to their 8th album, Hurley (2010), made up entirely of songs that never made it on any other album.

Contents: Turning up the radio — I don’t want your loving — Blowin’ my stack — Losing my mind — Everyone — I’m a robot — Trampoline — The odd couple — Autopilot — Unbreak my heart.

Critical Evaluation: In this collection of unreleased Weezer songs, the band stages a comeback. Death To False Metal is not a traditional collection of b-sides or songs from the vault, but an entirely original album that was created by using the basic tracks of 10 previously unreleased recordings (including a cover of “Unbreak My Heart” by  Toni Braxton) to assemble this record. There are very few songs on this album that will not become chart toppers. Weezer’s popularity stems from their assimilation of a variety of musical genres including Wax (a pop-punk band), Cymbols Eat Guitars (indie rock), Nirvana (grunge) and KISS (hard rock). Weezer incorporates their own sound mainly by distorting the guitar riffs and experimenting with other electric sounds on this album. This record will definitely begin Weezer’s comeback into the music scene. Their earlier album The Blue Album (1994) gave a very laid back, vibe that became the anthem for many teenagers then and even today, this album has been revive by games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero.

Booktalking Ideas: N/A
Challenge Issues/ Defense:

Challenge Issues: none

Challenge Defense Ideas: There are no apparent challenge issues associated with this compact disc. In the case that a challenge comes up, there are some things that you can do to start. You can visit the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) has always sought to be supportive of:
The artist’s right to free expression,
The parent’s right to identify entertainment with explicit content, and
The retailer’s right to handle explicit content according to how each believes they can best meet the needs of their company and communities.
Website: http://www.narm.com/services/parental-advisory/

Why was this item included?: Weezer is a band that have been loved by many different genres and ages because of their quirky musical stylings. Also appeals to the Rock/Alternative crowd.

Band Biography: Weezer are a popular Californian college-rock band fronted by geeky singer Rivers Cuomo. Their self-titled debut album (identified by its blue cover) was a big hit in 1994 thanks to the two lead singles and their videos. Both directed by Spike Jonze, the videos for “Undone – The Sweater Song” and “Buddy Holly” won regular airplay on MTV and won awards, boosting the band’s profile substantially. The Blue Album was critically acclaimed and went on to sell over three million copies.

Their second album Pinkerton (1996) divided opinion sharply. It originally didn’t sell well and some critics derided it. However, over time it has gained more acceptance and some now see it as Weezer’s greatest achievement. A particularly stark example of this turnaround can be found by comparing the views of Rolling Stone readers in 1996 and 2002: originally the readership voted Pinkerton the second-worst album to be released in 1996, but six years later the same demographic voted it the 16th greatest album of all time.

After taking a long break, the band returned to touring in 2000 and released a third album in 2001. Also self-titled, it became known as The Green Album because of its cover art. It sold twice as many as Pinkerton, buoyed by more cautiously positive reviews, and the success of singles “Hash Pipe” and “Island in the Sun”. Maladroit (2002) was Weezer’s least successful album yet, with mixed reviews and poor chart performance. Make Believe (2004) was another that sharply divided opinion, with some critics hating it while others loved it. Weezer released their so-called Red Album in 2008, to more difficult reviews.
(Band Biography retrieved from Amazon.com. Retrieved from: http://www.amazon.com/Weezer/e/B000APYT4S/ref=ac_dpt_sa_bio).

Doo-wops & hooligans [sound recording] by Bruno Mars

Bibliographic Information: Mars, Bruno. Doo-wops & hooligans [sound recording]1 sound disc : digital ; 4 3/4 in. Compact disc. Elektra, 2010. UPC 075678912153.
Genre: Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop, Rap
Age Level: 14+
Curriculum ties: Music
Performer: Bruno Mars, vocals and instruments; with acc.
Producer: Dwayne “Supa Dups” Chin
Note: This work was nominated for the Echo award in the category of Most successful newcomer of the year, 2011.

Annotation: Bruno Mars offers upbeat pop hit that you will dance to all day and night.

Contents: Grenade — Just the way you are — Our first time — Runaway baby — The lazy song — Marry you — Talking to the moon — Liquor store blues (ft. Damian Marley) — Count on me — The other side (ft. Cee Lo Green & B.o.B.).

Critical Evaluation: What I enjoy about this album is that it has plenty of diverse songs including reggae, hip-hop, rock, pop, and R&B styles and lots of collaborations with artists just like his new album that is coming out soon. The majority of the songs are upbeat, chart topping dance hits like “Grenade” along with his more romantic love ballads like “Just the Way You are”. Most of the tracks are current chart toppers and are widely recognizable. Mars combines a soulful piano style with a hip hop/pop feel in this album that is uplifting. Teens, both boys and girls both gravitate to Bruno Mars. Boys appreciate his style, swagger, and dance abilities. Teen girls are smitten with his smooth vocal stylings, his good looks, and his flirtatious dancing. This CD is definitely one to upload to your iPod and play when you need a little pick me up.

Booktalking Ideas: N/A

Challenge Issues/ Defense:
Challenge Issues: Song with Cee-Lo entitled F***you.
“F*** You!” was released in various versions. The radio edit of the song is called “Forget You”, while another edit is simply entitled “FU”.[4][5] All the versions can be found at the US iTunes store. The original and “clean” versions and the accompanying music video and lyric video are included in an extended play, entitled “F**k You – Deluxe Single”, available for sale in the iTunes store.[6] The original version was released on August 19, 2010, the clean version on September 14, 2010 and the “FU” version on September 21, 2010[7] to the US iTunes store.
Why was this item included?: A popular singer that appeals to both boys and girls, a representation of Hip hop & R&B music in the collection.
Author Information: Mars is a multitalented singer, songwriter, producer and musician who feels most at home when he’s performing. Born to a musical family in Honolulu, Hawaii, he was practically raised on the stage. His father, a Latin percussionist from Brooklyn, organized a Vegas-style revue that featured the entire family, including his mother, a talented vocalist. When a four-year-old Mars observed his family performing Motown hits, doo-wop medleys and impersonations for enthusiastic crowds all over his native Waikiki Beach, “I was jealous!” says Mars with a laugh. “My dad put me on stage and I remember singing an Elvis song and that was it. Ever since that moment, I’ve been addicted.”
Rich in diverse music from all over the globe, Honolulu was an exciting hometown for the budding singer/songwriter. On one end of the spectrum, his home was filled with the 1950s classics that were his father’s passion. Meanwhile, the city is rich in traditional sounds, including reggae, rock and folk music, as well as the latest pop hits. “Hawaii is basically in the middle of the world, so you’re exposed to every type of music over there,” explains Mars.
As soon as he graduated high school, Mars left Hawaii for Los Angeles with dreams of launching his career as a performer. Those dreams got put on hold, however, when The Smeezingtons, the songwriting/production team he founded with Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine, suddenly took off. The pair has crafted major hits for a diverse roster of talent, including Flo Rida’s “Right Round”, Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire”, Brandy’s “Long Distance” and K’Naan’s “Waving Flags”, which is the theme song for the upcoming World Cup.
(Author biography obtained from author website. Retrieved from: http://brunomars.us/index.php/bruno/)

Glee: The Music, Volume 4

Bibliographic Information: Paltrow, Gwyneth. Glee. Volume 4 [sound recording] : the music. New York : Columbia, 2010. 1 sound disc : digital ; 4 3/4 in. Compact disc. UPC 886977921421.
Genre: Popular music
Age Level: 13+
Curriculum ties: Television music, Rock music, Popular music
Performer(s): Glee cast ; with acc
Producer: Ryan Murphy
Note: Glee (Television program). Season 2. Selections.

Reader’s Annotation: Your favorite Glee songs from Season 2 performed by the Glee cast.

Contents: Empire state of mind (4:38) (Sung by: Artie, Puck, Finn, Mercedes, Santana) — Billionaire (3:32) (Sung by: Finn, Artie, Puck, Sam) — Me against the music (3:45) (Sung by: Brittany, Santana)   — Stronger (3:23) (Sung by: Finn, Artie, Puck) — Toxic (3:24) (Sung by: Will, Rachel, Brittany) — The only exception (4:26) (Sung by: Rachel) — I want to hold your hand (2:36) (Sung by: Kurt) — One of us (4:01) (Sung by: Tina, Finn, Kurt, Rachel, Mercedes, Quinn) — River deep, mountain high (3:32) (Sung by: Mercedes, Santana) — Lucky (3:07) (Sung by: Sam, Quinn) — One love (People get ready) (2:34) (Sung by: Artie, Puck) — Teenage dream (3:40) (Sung by: Blaine) — Forget you (feat. Gwyneth Paltrow) (3:42) (Sung by: Holly, Mercedes, Artie) — Marry you (3:46) (Sung by: Finn, Rachel, Sam, Quinn, Brittany, Artie, Tina, Mike) — Sway (3:09) (Sung by: Will) — Just the way you are (3:37) (Sung by: Finn) — Valerie (3:35) (Sung by: Santana)  — (I’ve had) the time of my life (4:37) (Sung by: Quinn, Sam).

Critical Evaluation: This CD highlights most of my favorite songs that have been featured on Season 2 of the television show Glee. Although omitting a few of the more popular renditions (“Umbrella/Singing in the Rain” and “Don’t Cry for me Argentina”) it does includes Gwyneth Paltrow’s rendition of Cee Lo’s hit “Forget You” and Blake’s rendition of Katie Perry’s “Teenage Dream”. It also offers a diverse mix of songs from ballads group numbers. I could have done without Mr. Schuster’s rendition of “Sway” but overall, it was entertaining.

Booktalking Ideas: N/A
Challenge Issues/ Defense: N/A

Why was this item included?: It is a popular music item that reflects the pop culture interests of today’s teens.

Producer Information: Ryan Murphy-Born in Indianapolis, Ryan Murphy began his career as a journalist, writing for publications such as The Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News and Entertainment Weekly.
He began writing for film in the late 1990s, co-authoring a short called The Furies (1999). At about the same time, Steven Spielberg purchased his romantic comedy Why Can’t I Be Audrey Hepburn?, although the script wound up sitting on a shelf for awhile.
His first claim to fame was as a creator/producer of the offbeat WB teen comedy/drama series Popular. His next screenplay, a comedy titled St. Sass (2002), was produced as TV movie on the WB network, starring Delta Burke and Gregory Harrison. Murphy made his directorial debut with the short Need (2005), which he also wrote.
But his greatest success to date came as the creator/producer/director of FX’s original drama series Nip/Tuck. The series was an immediate hit, winning a 2005 Golden Globe, while Murphy received a 2004 Emmy in the Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series category for the pilot episode.
Murphy made his feature film debut as director/producer/writer of Sony Pictures’ Running With Scissors (2006), starring Annette Bening, Alec Baldwin and Gwyneth Paltrow. He’s currently dusting off his screenplay, Why Can’t I Be Audrey Hepburn?, which he’ll direct for DreamWorks.
(Producer biography obtained from tribute.ca. Retrieved from: http://www.tribute.ca/people/ryan-murphy/16123/).