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Posted by on Nov 4, 2009 in Music, Television | 17 comments

Glee’s “Defying Gravity” disappoints

Glee’s “Defying Gravity” disappoints

In a nutshell: I heard the Glee Cast’s version of “Defying Gravity” (from “Wicked”) on YouTube and was let down.

As you know, the Fox TV show “Glee” is one of the hottest new properties on television. (At least online.) The cast of relative newcomers, including Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Cris Colfer and my personal fave, BBBW Amber Riley, dish out new songs week after week in this show about a high school glee club. Some particular tracks, including Somebody to Love, Bust Ya Windows, and Can’t Fight This Feeling, were fresh and inspired. So when I heard they would be doing Defying Gravity from the Broadway musical Wicked, well, I just sat up and said this would be interesting.

Then I found a video on YouTube containing the audio of the song. And was disappointed.

I wasn’t expecting much, but I was hoping for some fireworks, knowing Lea Michele’s vocal capabilities. (I was also a bit puzzled as to why Cris Colfer was selected to do the duet with her, when I think a Diana Agron matchup would’ve been more appropriate, you know, the whole Elphaba-Glinda setup.) In the defense of the two, there’s no denying their vocals do mix together beautifully. I’m also tickled by how theatrical Kurt sounds (especially when he belts out “but ’til I try, I’ll never know). but I think the letdown here, at the end of the day, is a saccharine arrangement and too much auto-Tune. I’m curious as to what the full song sounds like – as you know, iTunes won’t let us download songs, and I’m really on the fence with the whole “download somewhere else” setup – but the lack of a bridge also makes it difficult to judge in its entirety.

Having said all that, I still think Lea’s voice is beautiful, and I say “nice try, but meh.” What do you think?

Update: I want to clarify that I am reacting to the duet version of Defying Gravity that is available for purchase on iTunes. I wrote this particular blog entry before seeing Wheels (the episode featuring Defying Gravity), and am making the comments based on this particular song. I am aware of the existence of individual versions by both Colfer and Michele, and while I still stand by my assertion that the song pales in comparison to the original, I admit that my love of the song and my enjoyment of Glee may have helped me warm up to the song. On November 14, Defying Gravity leaped from #4 to #1 on my personal top 10 chart.

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Posted by on Sep 21, 2009 in Pop Culture, Television | 4 comments

“Put Down That Remote” by Neil Patrick Harris is the best Emmy opening I’ve ever seen

“Put Down That Remote” by Neil Patrick Harris is the best Emmy opening I’ve ever seen

ZD YouTube FLV Player

Put Down The Remote (lyrics after the jump) was the Broadway-inspired opening number delivered by Neil Patrick Harris, star of How I Met Your Mother, that kicked off the 2009 Emmy Awards. By far, one of my favorite opening salvos of any award show and probably the best Emmy Awards ceremony opener I’ve ever seen! It was quick, fun, inspired, catchy, and set the mood for a night of merriment (that unfortunately did not end with an Emmy in the hands of Barney Stinson).

All the same, Neil Patrick Harris’ Put Down The Remote was a lot of fun, and a great way to start the evening.

Put Down the Remote lyrics after the jump.

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Posted by on May 29, 2009 in Featured, Pop Culture, Television | 3 comments

This boy is over “Boys Over Flowers”

This boy is over “Boys Over Flowers”

Last night, Cathy started watching Boys Over Flowers, the hottest Asian telenovela airing on local shores. The show revolves around a young, independently strong female student who becomes the object of attention of the most powerful student in the most exclusive school in Korea. He attempts, together with his two best friends – there is a third, to complete the foursome known as F4, but he does not participate – in making this girl’s stay in their school a living nightmare.

Boys Over FlowersWe’ve viewed three episodes so far, and I am not pleased. I dislike the way the schoolkids treat this young lady; it seems almost unnatural that an entire class can gang up on one student. Obviously, the real world can work like this, but it doesn’t appeal to me. If I wanted to be stressed out by aggression and violence, I’d watch a suspense-thriller, not a soap opera.

The flow of the soap is also quite slow; I find it dragging, especially if I compare it to Cathy’s two previous soap opera dalliances, My Queen and Fated to Love You. The girl is not pretty enough to tempt me; the four boys annoy me by reminding me that I am neither young nor fit. The sensitive young man is almost effeminate in his manner; the protagonist male is largely a ham actor at best. Jerry Yan of F4 years gone by would swallow this pretender up in two bites.

I have no desire to continue watching this show. As soon as I get a copy, I fully intend to move onto either Mad Men or Medium, a DVD copy of which I have at home gathering dust. Two successive entries on Asian soap operas? I’d better move onto more manly pursuits or risk losing my ManCard.

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