Showing posts with label jones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jones. Show all posts

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Ranking Project Runway Designers #2 [193-204]


Hey, y'all! So I'm back with the next post in my series ranking all of the Project Runway designers! As I said in the last post, this is a new 18 post series on my blog, with each post consisting of the next 12 designers. 

Here's my disclaimer again: Any and all comments are my opinions on them based on the way they presented themselves on the show (and of course, the way the show was edited) and in no way is a reflection of how they are in real life. The way a contestant presents themself on a show, combined with the editing of the show, is not necessarily the way they are outside of the show, and because I don't know these people personally, I can only go based off of the way they were portrayed on the show. 

Also, I feel like this is a little obvious, but I'll go ahead and say it anyway. If you don't want to be spoiled for what happens in the show or what order people go home, don't read any further. Because I will mention what place the person got. And I'll be talking about All-Stars placings too, if applicable, so just bear that in mind before continuing to read on. So let's just jump right into the next 10 on the list.

204. Vanessa Riley
Season 1- 9th Place

Vanessa was just very annoying. She thought she was this amazing designer and was so full of herself, but she couldn't sew super well and didn't really make anything noteworthy. On top of that, she was loud and annoying and always had to make his presence known. And possibly worst of all, she felt the need to cut down her other designers and the show once she was done with it, and that's just not cool. She literally stormed out of the reunion halfway through. What??


203. Elisa Jimenez
Season 4- 10th Place
All Stars Season 1- 13th Place

Oh, Elisa. She's one of the craziest people to ever be on Project Runway, if not the absolute craziest. I'm all for being weird, but she was crazy. She thought she was from a different planet. She wrote backward and upside down. She put spit marks on her fabric. What even?? And on top of all of that, I just didn't think that she was a good designer. I thought her designs were just really kooky.


202. Andrea Katz
Season 10- 14th Place (Quit)

Right off the bat, she quit. And she didn't just quit, she left in the middle of the night without any warning. What? On top of that, she just wasn't a pleasant person. She didn't really handle criticism very well, and her designs were just.........

WHAT EVEN? I just don't get it and I think it's kooky. I just didn't like her aesthetic and thought she was an unpleasant person.


201. Carmen Webber
Season 4- 13th Place

Once again, first off, I thought that she wasn't a good designer. On top of that, however, she didn't really seem to get the show. When she saw people discussing her in their confessionals, she took everything extremely personally and got extremely easily offended. Haven't you seen the show? People are going to talk about you! That's how it works! On top of that even more, her personality was just really annoying. She's one of the other people who reminds me of a person I know and gives off the "overly put together but yet somehow naive/oblivious to the 'rules' of Project Runway" vibe. In Carmen's case, it wasn't that she was oblivious to the rules, but rather naive enough to think that she wouldn't get bashed in confessionals. It sucks, but it's gonna happen and you have to have thick enough skin to expect it and know how to handle it. 


200. Pamela Ptak
Season 7- 15th Place

Pamela might be another one that you forgot about as well. But as with Lantie and Carmen, I didn't forget her because I really didn't like her. She just seemed like such a ditz and she was a total type A personality, which is not my fave in the slightest. I just got really annoyed by her. Like Carmen (and of some other designers on this list), she gave off that same "overly put together but yet somehow naive/oblivious to the 'rules' of Project Runway" vibe, and I think that's part of the reason I really disliked her. 


199. Kirsten Ehrig
Season 2- 14th Place

Oh look! Just like Carmen, Lantie, and Pamela, Kirsten gives off the "overly put together but yet somehow naive/oblivious to the 'rules' of Project Runway" vibe. In her case, she had this scarf that meant a lot to her that she was forced to use as part of the challenge. And she refused to use it in any form or fashion because she didn't want to ruin it... but she could've figured out a way to use it without ruining it. And on top of that, I really didn't like her designs. And when she needed to use her own clothing for a design, she was completely not creative with it, and she refused to adapt to the challenges.


198. Ping Wu
Season 7- 14th Place

Oh, Ping. She was just a mess, wasn't she? I just didn't get her designs at all. The judges seemed to at least get her aesthetic, but I just didn't. On the challenge where she and Jesse had to work together, I just got constantly annoyed with her because she was a bad team player and she made stupid decisions (when she could actually manage to make a decision). And that was just one episode. The rest of the time, I just constantly got annoyed by how all-over-the-place she was.


197. Patricia Michaels
Season 11- Runner-up
All Stars Season 4- 14th Place

I'm just not a fan of Patricia's designs, and I thought that her personality was slightly annoying. I thought that her designs were just really crafty and not high-fashion. And like I said, I wasn't a fan of her personality.


196. Ken Laurence
Season 12- 8th Place
All-Stars Season 5- Top 3 (currently ongoing season)


I actually really liked Ken at first. I thought that he was strong and funny and sassy. But then he just became a real jerk. He was difficult to work with, he lashed out at several people, and he was just plain mean.


195. Gretchen Jones
Season 8- Winner

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. Gretchen was just a mean girl. The sad thing is that if she'd had a more likable personality, she'd actually be significantly higher on this list because I actually liked several of her designs. Like, the first three challenges, I thought she was really solid. However, her entire time on Project Runway is marred by her badmouthing people and just being really catty. Plus, she just went downhill after a while and I honestly didn't really like her finale collection very much. Just... ugh.


194. Irina Shabayeva
Season 6- Winner
All Stars Season 3- 6th Place

Clearly, Irina is not this low on the list because of her designing ability. However, I do think that she got lucky. I think that if she had competed on most of the other seasons, she wouldn't have won. Season 6 is my least favorite season, and I think it's also one of the weakest seasons. Plus, I'm just definitely not a fan of her design aesthetic. Anyway, Irina was just really full of herself and a bit of a jerk to everyone else on the show. I just really didn't like her.


193. Heidi Standridge
Season 2- 15th Place


Yet another person who I wasn't upset to see leave in the first episode! Because I have the DVD set of season 2, I've also seen all of the casting videos for each of the contestants. And some of my dislike of her comes from that. One thing that you have to understand with me is that when someone is too happy or enthusiastic, because it comes off as kinda dumb and insincere to me. So for me, she was way too easily excited and way too enthusiastic. I got annoyed after only a few seconds. She went on and on about how she liked to design funky things, and literally nothing that she made was funky. Fortunately, the judges called her out on that, and she was eliminated quickly.


So, those are the next 12 designers in my Project Runway designer rankings! I'll be back soon with the designers who got places 181-192! Who are your favorite and least favorite people to be on Project Runway? Let me know down in the comments!

Previous Post: Ranking Project Runway Designers #1 [205-216]
Next Post: Ranking Project Runway Designers #3 [181-192]

Check out my links below!


Thanks for reading! If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow so that I know you're enjoying what I'm posting! See y'all soon!

Saturday, August 16, 2014

McFly- Radio:ACTIVE

Hey, y'all! It's time for me to talk about another CD on my shelf! As always, I put my iTunes on shuffle, and the CD containing the first song that played is the one I'll be talking about!

Also, just wanted to give you a heads up that this is a super special post. You'll find out why further down on this post!





Release Date: September 22, 2008
Genre: Alternative, Pop Punk

When I bought the CD: If I remember correctly, I bought all of McFly's discography in either December 2008 or January 2009, so that's when I got this.

Track Listing
  1. Lies
  2. One For The Radio
  3. Everybody Knows
  4. Do Ya
  5. Falling In Love
  6. POV
  7. Corrupted
  8. Smile
  9. The End
  10. Going Through The Motions
  11. Down Goes Another One
  12. Only The Strong Survive
  13. The Last Song
(Also, side note- once again I just listed off the track listing perfectly without looking at my iTunes. Clearly, I've listened to this CD a lot)

McFly is:
Tom Fletcher- lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, piano, ukulele
Danny Jones- lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, producer
Dougie Poynter- bass guitar, vocals, guitar
Harry Judd- drums, percussion



L-R: Dougie, Tom, Danny, and Harry

About McFly: 
I've talked about McFly several times in past CDs On My Shelf posts, so most of this is copy/pasted from past posts...
They were formed in 2003, and have had the same lineup for a decade. They've released 5 studio albums: Room On The 3rd Floor (2004), Wonderland (2005), Motion In The Ocean (2006), Radio:ACTIVE (2008), and Above The Noise (2010). Their other albums are soundtracks, live, and compilations. Each of their CDs has a distinct sound. Room On The 3rd Floor, their debut album, actually broke a Beatles record in 2004. McFly became the youngest band whose debut CD debuted at #1 on the UK charts. A little obscure and seemingly unimportant, but it's a small victory. This album definitely has a Beach Boys vibe. 2006's Motion In The Ocean & 2008's Radio:ACTIVE are the most similar of their albums, and are my personal favorites (Radio:ACTIVE is my personal favorite album ever). These two definitely showcase the band's rock side. Above The Noise, their 2010 release, is more of an electropop album, and the weakest, in my opinion.

My Opinion about McFly:
(Once again, mostly copied from the last one) As I said on my last post, they're my absolute favorite band. Not many Americans know about them, but I love them. I actually first saw them when they were in Just My Luck. I forgot about them and then in 2007 (my Jo Bro obsession time) I was watching an interview with the JoBros where Nick said his favorite song was Transylvania by McFly. I watched the video and thought it was weird, and again, I forgot about them. (Transylvania is now among my all-time favorite McFly songs!). It wasn't until I discovered that the Jonas Brothers got their song, Year 3000, from the band Busted that I actually started listening to McFly. The Busted guys are close friends with McFly, which is how I really discovered McFly. And when I realized that they were the band in Just My Luck, everything really clicked. Anyway, long story long, it was a weird winding road to discovering them, but I really love them, and I love all of the members. Tom is my favorite, though. Yes, Tom of the wedding speech fame. I've told everyone for years that Tom is perfect, and now people understand. McFly is also the exception to the dumb blonde rule. Tom, the only natural blonde, is the brain, and Danny, the only one who's been brunette for 99% of the time he's been in the band, is the lovably dim-witted front-man. (OK, he's not really dumb, but it IS a running joke that he's the slow one... Because he thought an egg was a vegetable. Poor boy)

About the CD:  
This is one of the two McFly CDs that have what I consider to be the "McFly" sound. They've gone through several different sounds, but this one is their more alternative/ rock sound, and it's my favorite of their sounds. This is also their first CD that they released on their own record company, Super Records.

IMHO: 
OK, are you ready to know why this post is so special? It's because Radio:ACTIVE ... is my favorite CD of all time. EVER. So yeah, this post is pretty special. And this'll probably be my favorite CDs On My Shelf post.

As always, I'm going to give each song a rating out of 10 and then give a brief explanation of why it got that rating. 


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

Lies- 10/10. This is my favorite McFly song, and I find that kinda funny because Danny sings most of it and I prefer Tom's voice. But I love the brass, and I super love the bass solo. I just really love this song and I think it's a really great opener.
One For The Radio- 10/10. Oh, you don't like McFly? Guess who has 8 thumbs and doesn't give two craps? McFLY. Very sass. Much love. "Don't pretend you hate us and then sing our songs."
Everybody Knows- 10/10. I generally prefer the music to the lyrics in pretty much any song, but in this one especially. The music really makes this song. I really love the guitar. And that cowbell tho.
Do Ya- 9/10. Originally, this was one of my favorite songs on the CD, but it has since fallen down on my list of favorites, partially due to how repetitive it gets. But I do really love all the harmonies it has in it. Also, this song will forever make me think of Christmas because of the music video. And also zombies. But you should probably just watch the video.
Falling In Love- 9.5/10. This is actually the opposite of Do Ya. Originally, I wasn't a big fan, but it's become more and more of a favorite. It's certainly not the most complex McFly song, but it's very chill and I really enjoy it. Also, the harmonies are cool again. That's one of my favorite things about McFly- they always have great harmonies.
POV- 9.5/10. This one was right on the bubble as far as rating, but I put it up instead of down. I really like the piano part. It's really recognizable. The chorus is definitely the star of the song, and it's a nice contrast between the emotional chorus and the very soft verses. I really like this one.
Corrupted- 9.5/10. This one is interesting. The verses have an almost creepy vibe, probably just because of the way Tom is singing, and its sound is unlike any other McFly song. However, the chorus has a very "McFly" sound. The juxtaposition between the two is really cool.
Smile- 9/10. I like that the beginning is a capella and that the vocal accompaniment continues throughout the song. Also, the brass. My only complaint is that it tends to be just the slightest bit cheesy.
The End- 9/10. This one is my least favorite on the CD, but that's not really saying to much, given that all of the songs are really great. I still enjoy the song and know every word. I think the reason that it didn't get higher is just because as far as McFly songs go, it's very predictable. There wasn't anything particularly new or surprising.
Going Through The Motions- 9.5/10. This is probably one of McFly's most "rock" songs. This must be really fun to play live because it's just constant excitement and speed and intensity, both instrumental and vocal. Harry's probably exhausted after this song. But it's really cool.
Down Goes Another One- 9/10. This song is the sequel to "She Falls Asleep," an orchestral/vocal song from McFly's Wonderland CD. She Falls Asleep is one of my all-time favorite McFly songs, and I've always been incredibly impressed by it because Tom Fletcher composed it when he was my age or slightly younger. I wish I had that skill. Anyway, I just don't think that this quite lives up to the original (as sequels tend to do). It's good, of course, but I don't love it quite as much as She Falls Asleep.
Only The Strong Survive- 10/10. Just yesterday, I discovered that this song was added onto the CD just to make it 13 tracks, and that makes me really sad because it's one of my favorite songs on the CD, as well as one of my favorite McFly songs, and it's clearly one that they don't care about much at all or think is very good. That bums me out. Anyway, I still really enjoy it. Especially that bridge.
The Last Song- 10/10. This one and Only The Strong Survive go back and forth for the second place spot on Radio:ACTIVE, but currently, I think that The Last Song has it. This one is kinda what sparked my love for this CD. For a long time, I skipped this song whenever it came up on my iPod, because the slowness of it didn't interest me too much, but one day I actually ended up listening to it all the way through and fell in love and wanted to listen to the rest of the CD. This song was written with the mind-set that if you were going to sing one last song, you'd want it to have a little bit of everything, and that's what this has. It's really epic, and such a great ending to the CD. 

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


This time, rather than to name the top and bottom songs, I'm going to just list them in order from favorite to least favorite. But they're all beautiful.

Lies. The Last Song. Only The Strong Survive. One For The Radio. Everybody Knows. Going Through The Motions. Falling In Love. Corrupted. POV. Down Goes Another One. Smile. Do Ya. The End.

Video! 

Here ya go. The full CD. Enjoy.

Rating: 10/10. It's not like I could give my favorite CD any less!


Hope you liked my newest "The CDs on my Shelf" post! Have any questions? What are your opinions on McFly? Let me know in the comments. If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow, because it lets me know y'all are liking them! Hope you enjoyed! Comment, comment, comment! I love feedback! Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

McFly- Wonderland

Hey, y'all! It's time for me to talk about another CD on my shelf! As always, I put my iTunes on shuffle, and the CD containing the first song that played is the one I'll be talking about!



Release Date: August 29, 2005
Genre: Pop Rock, Alternative

Track Listing
  1. I'll Be OK
  2. I've Got You
  3. Ultraviolet
  4. The Ballad of Paul K
  5. I Wanna Hold You
  6. Too Close For Comfort
  7. All About You
  8. She Falls Asleep Part 1
  9. She Falls Asleep Part 2
  10. Don't Know Why
  11. Nothing
  12. Memory Lane
McFly is:
Tom Fletcher- lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, piano, ukulele
Danny Jones- lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, producer
Dougie Poynter- bass guitar, vocals, guitar
Harry Judd- drums, percussion


L-R: Danny, Dougie, Tom, Harry

About McFly: 
I've talked about McFly several times in past CDs On My Shelf posts, so most of this is copy/pasted from past posts...
They were formed in 2003, and have had the same lineup for a decade. They've released 5 studio albums: Room On The 3rd Floor (2004), Wonderland (2005), Motion In The Ocean (2006), Radio:ACTIVE (2008), and Above The Noise (2010). Their other albums are soundtracks, live, and compilations. Each of their CDs has a distinct sound. Room On The 3rd Floor, their debut album, actually broke a Beatles record in 2004. McFly became the youngest band whose debut CD debuted at #1 on the UK charts. A little obscure and seemingly unimportant, but it's a small victory. This album definitely has a Beach Boys vibe. 2006's Motion In The Ocean & 2008's Radio:ACTIVE are the most similar of their albums, and are my personal favorites (Radio:ACTIVE is my personal favorite album ever). These two definitely showcase the band's rock side. Above The Noise, their 2010 release, is more of an electropop album, and the weakest, in my opinion.

My Opinion about McFly:
(Once again, mostly copied from the last one) As I said on my last post, they're my absolute favorite band. Not many Americans know about them, but I love them. I actually first saw them when they were in Just My Luck. I forgot about them and then in 2007 (my Jo Bro obsession time) I was watching an interview with the JoBros where Nick said his favorite song was Transylvania by McFly. I watched the video and thought it was weird, and again, I forgot about them. (Transylvania is now among my all-time favorite McFly songs!). It wasn't until I discovered that the Jonas Brothers got their song, Year 3000, from the band Busted that I actually started listening to McFly. The Busted guys are close friends with McFly, which is how I really discovered McFly. And when I realized that they were the band in Just My Luck, everything really clicked. Anyway, long story long, it was a weird winding road to discovering them, but I really love them, and I love all of the members. Tom is my favorite, though. Yes, Tom of the wedding speech fame. I've told everyone for years that Tom is perfect, and now people understand. McFly is also the exception to the dumb blonde rule. Tom, the only natural blonde, is the brain, and Danny, the only one who's been brunette for 99% of the time he's been in the band, is the lovably dim-witted front-man. (OK, he's not really dumb, but it IS a running joke that he's the slow one... Because he thought an egg was a vegetable. Poor boy)

About the CD:  
Compared to the rest of McFly's CDs, Wonderland has a lot more of an orchestral sound, and actually includes an orchestral piece composed by Tom. Around the time this CD was being made, the band was in the movie Just My Luck, and much of the music from this CD is also in the movie.  

IMHO: 
Of McFly's 5 CDs, this one ranks at #4 for me. It's a great CD, but three of their CDs are just better. It seems like I've been saying this quite a bit lately, but this CD has some of the best McFly songs ever. However, it also has quite a few of my least favorite McFly songs.

As always, I'm going to give each song a rating out of 10 and then give a brief explanation of why it got that rating. 

I'll Be OK- 8.5/10. This was one of their singles from this CD, but I wasn't incredibly impressed.
I've Got You- 8.5/10. This was one of the biggest singles from Wonderland, and it was definitely VERY prominent in Just My Luck, but I really just don't think it's one of their best songs.
Ultraviolet- 9.5/10. I really like how the verses have a really unique sound and how they contrast with the choruses. It's definitely one of their more unique songs.
The Ballad of Paul K- 8/10. This is honestly one of my least favorite McFly songs... ever. Obviously, I don't dislike it, because it's 8/10, it's just not their best.
I Wanna Hold You- 9.5/10. I really enjoy the chorus of this song. To me, it's one of the most fun songs on the CD for sure.
Too Close For Comfort- 9.5/10. This is definitely a fan favorite, and there's a reason. It shows off Tom and Danny's ranges and is a little slower for them, and really impressive.
All About You- 10/10. This song is simple adorable. Tom wrote it to be a Valentine's gift for then-girlfriend (now wife!), Giovanna. But it ended up becoming a McFly song, and one of their best songs. I especially love the use of the orchestra in this.
She Falls Asleep Part 1&2- 10/10. This is one of my all-time favorite McFly songs. Tom Fletcher composed this orchestral piece when he was only 19 or 20 and it's absolutely beautiful. It has such a deep meaning and his voice shines. I wish I could write such a great piece of music!
Don't Know Why- 9/10. I really like the verses in this song. So cool!
Nothing- 8.5/10. I really like the harmonies on this song. It's really great.
Memory Lane- 8/10. It's not exactly the most interesting song on the CD.

Favorite Songs: She Falls Asleep, All About You, I Wanna Hold You, Ultraviolet, and Too Close For Comfort

Least Favorite Songs: The Ballad of Paul K and Memory Lane, definitely!

Video! 

All About You music video

She Falls Asleep live

Rating: 9/10. The average is spot on a 9, and I definitely think that's accurate. I love it because it's McFly, and because some of my favorite McFly songs are on this CD, but overall it's not their best CD.

Hope you liked my newest "The CDs on my Shelf" post! Have any questions? What did you think of McFly? Let me know all of this in the comments. If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe/follow, because it lets me know y'all are liking them! Hope you enjoyed! Comment, comment, comment! I love feedback! Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

McFly- Motion In The Ocean

Hello, again! Did you miss me? First of all, you may have noticed that this blog has been moved to a new account. YES, it is still me! This is simply my normal account. Putting it on my main account makes it easier for me to get it written. And I can cross-promote my blogs easier as well ^-^ 


Release Date: November 6, 2006
Genre: pop rock, pop punk
Track Listing
  1. We Are The Young
  2. Star Girl
  3. Please Please
  4. Sorry's Not Good Enough
  5. Bubble Wrap
  6. Transylvania
  7. Lonely
  8. Little Joanna
  9. Friday Night
  10. Walk In The Sun
  11. Home Is Where The Heart Is
  12. Silence Is A Scary Sound (Hidden Track)
McFly is:
Tom Fletcher- lead vocals, guitar, keyboard, piano, ukulele
Danny Jones- lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, producer
Dougie Poynter- bass guitar, vocals, guitar
Harry Judd- drums, percussion

About McFly: A lot of this is copied from my post about their Greatest Hits album. They were formed in 2003, and have had the same lineup for a decade. They've released 5 studio albums: Room On The 3rd Floor (2004), Wonderland (2005), Motion In The Ocean (2006), Radio:ACTIVE (2008), and Above The Noise (2010). Their other albums are soundtracks, live, and compilations. Each of their CDs has a distinct sound. Room On The 3rd Floor, their debut album, actually broke a Beatles record in 2004. McFly became the youngest band whose debut CD debuted at #1 on the UK charts. A little obscure and seemingly unimportant, but it's a small victory. This album definitely has a Beach Boys vibe. 2005's Wonderland is definitely a lot more orchestral, and actually includes an orchestral piece composed by Tom. 2006's Motion In The Ocean & 2008's Radio:ACTIVE are the most similar of their albums, and are my personal favorites (Radio:ACTIVE is my personal favorite album ever). These two definitely showcase the band's rock side. Above The Noise, their 2010 release, is more of an electropop album, and the weakest, in my opinion.


My Opinion about McFly: (Once again, mostly copied from the last one) As I said on my last post, they're my absolute favorite band. Not many Americans know about them, but I love them. I actually first saw them when they were in Just My Luck. I forgot about them and then in 2007 (my Jo Bro obsession time) I was watching an interview with the JoBros where Nick said his favorite song was Transylvania by McFly. I watched the video and thought it was weird, and again, I forgot about them. (Transylvania is now among my all-time favorite McFly songs!). It wasn't until I discovered that the Jonas Brothers got their song, Year 3000, from the band Busted that I actually started listening to McFly. The Busted guys are close friends with McFly, which is how I really discovered McFly. And when I realized that they were the band in Just My Luck, everything really clicked. Anyway, long story long, it was a weird winding road to discovering them, but I really love them, and I love all of the members. Tom is my favorite, though. Yes, Tom of the wedding speech fame. I've told everyone for years that Tom is perfect, and now people understand. McFly is also the exception to the dumb blonde rule. Tom, the only natural blonde, is the brain, and Danny, the only one who's been brunette for 99% of the time he's been in the band, is the lovably dim-witted front-man. (OK, he's not really dumb, but it IS a running joke that he's the slow one... Because he thought an egg was a vegetable. Poor boy)

 About the CD:  It was released in 2006, just a year after they released Wonderland and the soundtrack to Just My Luck. Motion in the Ocean shows a relatively large change from the sound of Wonderland. In my opinion, the Motion in the Ocean sound is the one that they held onto the longest, and the one that I consider to be "their sound." Both this CD and their 2008 CD, Radio:ACTIVE, have more of a rock sound than either of the ones before or after.   

IMHO: It's my second favorite McFly CD, after Radio:ACTIVE. I do, however, feel that it has some really high highs, and some pretty low lows. For example, of the 12 songs, 4 of them are among my top 15 (if you want the breakdown, 2 of them are in my top 5, 1 is in 6-10, and 1 is in the 11-15 range). HOWEVER, about 3 of them find themselves among my all-time least favorite McFly songs... which still isn't a bad place to be, since I love all of their songs, but there is quite a distinct range there.

Favorite songs: Sorry's Not Good enough and Transylvania are both in my top 5 McFly songs ever ('Sorry' finds itself at #2, and Transylvania is #4). Star Girl is either 6 or 7. Bubble Wrap falls somewhere between 11 and 15, but I can't remember where. All four of those are just amazing. 

Other gems: I absolutely LOVE Little Joanna. Friday Night is also a fun one. I also like Please, Please and We Are The Young.

Video!

Sorry's Not Good Enough music video


Transylvania music video

Rating: 9.5/10. This is one of my all time favorite CDs. Some of my all-time favorite songs are on it, and it's just overall really awesome. Even the worst songs on the CD are really good.

Hope you liked my newest "The CDs on my Shelf" post! Are you glad to see me back? Want to know more information about the CD? Less? or just different info? Or is what I put good? What did you think of McFly? Let me know all of this in the comments. If you like my posts, I'd really appreciate if you'd subscribe, because it lets me know y'all are liking them! Still taking comments on the time they're posted, because if you haven't noticed, I schedule them to post at the same time, as I'm either asleep or at work at noon! Hope you enjoyed! Comment, comment, comment! I love feedback! Thanks for reading!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

McFly- Memory Lane (The Best of McFly) [Deluxe Edition]

Finally, a CD I love... My favorite band's newest Greatest Hits CD!!!
Release Date: November 26, 2012
Genre: pop rock, pop punk
Track Listing
Disc 1:  
  1. Love Is Easy 
  2. Shine A Light 
  3. Party Girl 
  4. Falling In Love
  5. Do Ya 
  6. Lies                                                               
  7. One For The Radio                                        
  8. The Heart Never Lies                                    
  9. Transylvania                                                  
  10. Friday Night                                                 
  11. Star Girl
  12. Don't Stop Me Now
  13. I'll Be OK
  14. All About You
  15. Room On The 3rd Floor
  16. Obviously
  17. Five Colours In Her Hair
  18. Do Watcha
  19. Cherry Cola
  20. That Girl (Original 2003 Demo)
  21. Obviously (Original 2003 Demo)
  22. Memory Lane
Disc 2:
  1. Umbrella (Studio Version)
  2. Lola
  3. The Guy Who Turned Her Down
  4. Get Over You
  5. You've Got A Friend
  6. No Worries
  7. Silence Is A Scary Sound
  8. Sunny Side of the Street (Home Demo)
  9. Memory Lane (Original 2003 Demo)
  10. Surfer Babe (Original 2003 Demo)
  11. Ignorance
  12. Down Down
  13. Mess Around You (Unreleased Demo)
  14. Rockin' Robin
  15. POV
  16. She Loves You
  17. Mr. Brightside
  18. Little Joanna
  19. Bubble Wrap
  20. Five Colours In Her Hair (US Version)
McFly is:
Tom Fletcher- lead vocals, guitar, piano, ukulele, songwriter
Danny Jones- lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, producer, songwriter
Dougie Poynter- bass guitar, backup vocals, occasional lead vocals, songwriter
Harry Judd- drums, percussion

McFly, L-R in both pictures: Dougie, Tom, Harry, Danny

About McFly: I could say way too much about these guys, but I'll try not to. They were formed in 2003, and have had the same lineup for a decade. They've released a lot of CDs, but generally I just say 5 because those 5 are the regular studio albums. The others are soundtracks, live, and compilations. Each of their CDs has a distinct sound. Room On The 3rd Floor, their debut album, actually broke a Beatles record in 2004. McFly became the youngest band whose debut CD debuted at #1 on the UK charts. A little obscure and seemingly unimportant, but it's a small victory for Galaxy Defenders (I'll explain this term in a bit). This album definitely has a Beach Boys vibe. 2005's Wonderland is definitely a lot more orchestral, and actually includes an orchestral piece composed by Tom. 2006's Motion In The Ocean & 2008's Radio:ACTIVE are the most similar of their albums, and are my personal favorites (Radio:ACTIVE is my personal favorite album ever). These two definitely showcase the band's rock side. Above The Noise, their 2010 release, is more of an electropop album, and the weakest, in my opinion.

My Opinion about McFly: They're my absolute favorite band. Not many Americans know about them, but I love them. I actually first saw them when they were in Just My Luck. Yeah, that Lindsay Lohan movie from back in 2005. My boys were the band in that. And Harry almost hooked up with Lindsay in real life. And their song Please, Please is about her. But that's a whole different story... moving right along! I forgot about them and then in 2007 (my Jo Bro obsession time) I was watching an interview with the JoBros where Nick said his favorite song was Transylvania by McFly. I watched the video and thought it was weird, and again, I forgot about them. (Transylvania is now among my all-time favorite McFly songs!). It wasn't until I discovered that the Jonas Brothers got their song, Year 3000, from the band Busted that I actually started listening to McFly. The Busted guys are close friends with McFly, which is how I really discovered McFly. And when I realized that they were the band in Just My Luck, everything really clicked. Anyway, long story long, it was a weird winding road to discovering them, but I really love them, and I love all of the members. Tom is my favorite, though. Yes, Tom of the wedding speech fame. I've told everyone for years that Tom is perfect, and now people understand. McFly is also the exception to the dumb blonde rule. Tom, the only natural blonde, is the brain, and Danny, the only one who's been brunette for 99% of the time he's been in the band, is the lovably dim-witted front-man. (OK, he's not really dumb, but it IS a running joke that he's the slow one... Because he thought an egg was a vegetable. Poor boy)

About the CD:  Memory Lane is the 2nd Greatest Hits album they've released, and includes a lot of demos/ unreleased songs, along with a few new ones. The opening track, Love Is Easy, is their most recent single. I believe it's also their only single that was not from a studio album.

IMHO: I love the nostalgia of some of my favorite tracks, but some of the best were left off. And I'm not so sure about some of the new ones. My favorite new one that they've been performing, Red, isn't on here. So it had better be on their next studio album or I will have a heart attack.

Favorite songs: Lies is my all-time favorite McFly song. Transylvania is in the top 5, as is Five Colours In Her Hair (NOT the US version).  

Other gems: Love Is Easy, Falling In Love, Star Girl, Obviously... OK, just 1-17 on the first disc... minus 2&3. All 17 are from studio albums... 2&3 are Above The Noise tracks that I'm not as fond of. Sunny Side of the Street. I'm not sure why POV, Little Joanna, and Bubble Wrap are randomly near the end of this CD, but those are also from McFly studio albums and those are really good as well.

Video!

 Music video for Love Is Easy
Acoustic Love Is Easy, Dougie version!
Red live. Sorry, not the best quality. There's a much better one on youtube, but I couldn't get it to link on here.
About the Galaxy Defender thing I mentioned earlier: it comes from a line in Star Girl. "Galaxy Defenders stay forever". It has basically become the saying of the fans of McFly. McFly's fans are Galaxy Defenders, and we stay forever!

Rating: 9/10. I love all of McFly's songs. The only reason it's only 9 is because I'm frustrated that they released another greatest hits when all their fans really want is a new CD. And because the 2nd disc is a bit of a repeat of their earlier Greatest Hits.

Hope you liked my newest "The CDs on my Shelf" post! Sorry if I said a bit too much, but I just really love McFly!!! What did you think? Want to know more information about the CD? Less? or just different info? Or is what I put good? What do you think of McFly? Let me know all of this in the comments. Also, any opinion on the time? I have them automatically set to post at 12. Unless I get any other preferences or info, they'll be posted at 12- maybe not every day, but many days. Hope you enjoyed! Check back at noon tomorrow to see if there's a new post! Thanks for reading!




Monday, May 27, 2013

30 Day McFly Challenge

I really couldn't help myself with this one. McFly is my favorite band, and I can't just waste an opportunity to obsess over them! So here it goes!
My boys, from L to R in both pics: Dougie Poynter, Tom Fletcher, Harry Judd, Danny Jones.  The older one is from about 2004/05, the newer one is... sometime in the last couple years.


Day 01 – Your favourite song: 
Lies!
Day 02 – Your least favourite song:
Hypnotized.
Day 03 – A song that makes you happy:
I would have to say that Love Is Easy makes me happy really easily!
Day 04 – A song that makes you sad:
She Falls Asleep. It's absolutely beautiful, and I can't believe Tom composed it when he was 19/20. It's such a beautifully sad song.
Day 05 – A song that reminds you of someone:
Honestly, I can't think of any songs that make me think of someone specifically. One For The Radio makes me think about all the people who bash McFly. But that's about it.
Day 06 – A song that reminds you of somewhere:
Every time I listen to The Last Song, it takes me back to my sophomore year of high school, sitting in a car late at night on a long car ride. That was the first time I listened to the whole song. Before that, I'd only ever listened to the first bit and got bored and skipped it. When I heard the fast part, I fell in love with it, and that's what caused me to fall in love with that whole CD. 
Day 07 – A song that reminds you of a certain event:
I listened to End of The World quite a bit on 12-21-2012 haha ;)
Day 08 – A song that you know all the words to:
Uh... That would be every single McFly song. Not even kidding. 
Day 09 – A song that you can dance to:
I guess Shine A Light. But that shouldn't be an accomplishment, boys!
Day 10 – A song that makes you fall asleep:
I actually often fall asleep to their music because the more familiar something is, the more I can listen to it and fall asleep to it. And I usually just turn on Radio:ACTIVE on shuffle.
Day 11 – A song where you love the vocals:
I'll Be Your Man... the stripped down version. Not the album version. The album version totally ruined it. Seriously.
Day 12 – A song where you pay more attention to just one instrument:
Definitely Five Colours. That guitar intro is just awesome. Also, their new song Red... I'm currently obsessed with Tom's guitar part on that. It's brilliant. 
Day 13 – A song with embarrassing lyrics:
I'd have to go with Please, Please, because it's about Lindsay Lohan. 
Day 14 – A song that no one would expect you to love:
Well, my first instinct is to say none, because everyone knows my obsession with McFly... but I guess if I had to choose one, I'd say Nowhere Left To Run. Above The Noise is clearly their weakest album, with as poppy as it is, but Nowhere Left To Run is my favorite on that one (If we're not counting I'll Be Your Man's overproduced album version).
Day 15 – A song that describes you:
Hmm... I guess Smile? Or Only The Strong Survive? Or We Are the Young
Day 16 – A song that you used to love but now ‘hate’: 
I don't 'hate' any McFly songs, but I definitely lost quite a bit of love for Above The Noise. When it first came out, I was willing to accept the change reluctantly, but at this point, I don't like the change. Uhhh... I guess the biggest one apart from that would be Do Ya. It was one of my favorites on Radio:ACTIVE when I first started listening to it, but now that I'm really familiar with the album, it's one of my least favorites on the album. 
Day 17 – A song that you hear often on the radio:
I'm American, and they don't get played in America :(
Day 18 – A song that makes you feel proud of them:
Hmm... as far as their growth, definitely Red. Out of their recent songs, that one stands out above them all, because I feel like the quality is way better than Above The Noise, and even Love Is Easy, and certainly better than the two newer ones from Memory Lane. But as far as overall... probably Bubble Wrap, because it's one of their best slow songs, and it's so emotional. 
Day 19 – A song from your favourite album:
Everybody Knows, off of Radio:ACTIVE, which just happens to be my all-time favorite CD ever.
Day 20 – A song that you listen to when you’re angry:
Only The Strong Survive or Going Through the Motions.
Day 21 – A song that you listen to when you’re happy:
Hmmm... Little Joanna... Star Girl... yeah :)
Day 22 – A song that you listen to when you’re sad:
Definitely She Falls Asleep.
Day 23 – A song that you want to play at your wedding:
So, obviously everyone's gonna say All About You, but I'm gonna take a different path. I'd want I'll Be Your Man acoustic (or maybe my husband singing it to me?) and The Heart Never Lies. 
Day 24 – A song that you want to play at your funeral:
The Last Song. Maybe A Walk In The Sun... I think it's fitting, but it's not one of my favorite McFly ones. 
Day 25 – A song that makes you laugh:
That Girl, because during the guitar solo, I always picture Danny in the music video breaking the ceiling... and also Please, Please because of its music video... and Star Girl because of its music video... and Transylvania because of its music video. 
Day 26 – A song that you can play on an instrument:
I can do the intro to Five Colours on guitar. 
Day 27 – A song that you wish you could play:
All of them! But I am learning the ukulele and I want to be able to play Love Is Easy by sometime soon.
Day 28 – A song that makes you feel guilty:
Guilty? I never feel guilty listening to my boys!
Day 29 – The first song you ever heard of them:
This is a tricky one, because I'm not sure of the timeline on this. I have like... 3 separate incidents.
#1- Five Colours, because I saw Just My Luck before I started listening to them.
#2- I was watching a Jonas Brothers interview (I loved them so much) and Nick (my favorite) said his favorite song was Transylvania by McFly and so I looked it up. I thought it was weird. Idk if this or me seeing JML came first, but I know that I didn't mentally connect the incidents until I actually started listening to them.
#3- Through the Jonas Bros, I discovered Busted and fell in love, and just like all of my music obsessions, I found them on youtube and then watched suggested youtube videos, including McFly! I think the first one I heard by them through this was Five Colours. So I'd say that overall, my first McFly song was Five Colours.
Day 30 – Your favorite song at this time last year:
Still Lies. Lies has been my favorite for a long time. I also love Sorry's Not Good Enough, Five Colours, Transylvania, and That Girl. Those are my top 5. But I love all of their songs. Seriously.