Write Here, There, And Everywhere

Wow, I haven't posted here in a bit. Well, let's do some catch up.

I have added another site to the places I write for. It's called Blinded by Sound and it's an awesome music site run by Josh Hathaway. You can find a link to my profile in the sidebar.

Well, here's everything I've been up to online since my last post:

Blogcritics

Reviewed Cee-Lo Green's latest album called The Lady Killer

Listed my Favorite Albums of 2010

Checked out a collection of Tweety & Sylvester cartoons on DVD

Reviewed RJD2's first album under his new alter ego The Insane Warrior called We Are The Doorways (a song is embedded below)


Reviewed the latest (and potentially final) Go! Team album called Rolling Blackouts

Blinded by Sound

My inaugural review for this site takes a listen to Daft Punk's score to Tron Legacy

My goal for 2011 is to create more content versus 2010. With three sites to contribute to (Blogcritics, Blinded by Sound, and ThaHipHop), I just might achieve it.

Here's What You've Missed

It's been a while since I've posted here. I haven't quite had the urge to do so but that doesn't mean I haven't done at least a little writing. So, here's the stuff I've done since the last post...

The first review is that of the re-issue of Passion Pit's debut album Manners. It was on my fave albums of 2009 list and the new version adds two bonus tracks. Here's an excerpt from the review which was first published on Blogcritics back in May:

The biggest test of an album is how it holds up over time. My opinions of some albums have changed over time and not necessarily for the better. Fortunately, Manners remains excellent nearly a year after its initial release. The three bonus tracks may not be enough for fans to double-dip but this release is perfect for anyone just discovering the group.

Next up, is a review of Janelle Monae's debut full-length The ArchAndroid. It's a likely shoo-in for one of my favorite albums of 2010. Here's an excerpt from the article which was first published on Blogcritics in June:

Monae tackles a wide variety of styles on this release from R & B/soul to rock, pop, and electronic. While it could have been a disjointed mishmash of an album, instead it's wonderful from start to finish. The ArchAndroid is endlessly creative and marks the official arrival of a unique voice in music.

Then, for a change, a DVD review. This one is of the Tom & Jerry: Deluxe Anniversary Collection. The H-B cartoons are great. Everything else is a little questionable. Here's an excerpt from that review also first published on Blogcritics in June:

To mark the occasion, Warner Bros. has released a new Deluxe Anniversary Collection DVD featuring 30 cartoons that span nearly every aspect of the Tom & Jerry legacy. Animation enthusiasts and collectors who have picked up the Spotlight Collection releases will probably be a bit disappointed. However, if you're a fan who just wants some cat-and-mouse antics at a reasonable price, this set is for you.

Finally, here's my most recent review. It's of The Chemical Brothers newest release Further. Further is not only a departure for the electronic duo...it's their best album in years. Here's an excerpt from that review which was first published on Blogcritics just a couple of days ago:

In a bold move, their new album contains just eight songs and no featured guest stars. Relying only on themselves (and a sparingly used female vocalist), the duo has crafted one of their best albums in years and an experience best enjoyed as a whole.

Well, that gets you up to date on my writing activities. I want to get back to blogging in the near future. I won't make any promises because when it comes to this blog, I usually don't keep them. Instead, I'll ask you to keep watching this space.

CD Review: More Malice by Snoop Dogg

In December 2009, Snoop Dogg released the full-length album Malice N Wonderland. It was a solid effort from the rapper spawning hits such as "I Wanna Rock," and "Gangsta Luv" featuring The Dream. Just a few months after releasing this album, Snoop returns with the new EP More Malice. Containing mostly new material, More Malice is more of a mixed bag than its predecessor.

More Malice contains eight tracks with five of them being brand-new. Three tracks are repeats from Malice N Wonderland. Two of them are remixes of songs that feature added guest stars ("Gangsta Luv" appears in its original version) . Fresh off The Blueprint 3, Jay-Z makes an appearance on "I Wanna Rock (The Kings G-Mix)." He pays tribute to "It Takes Two" in his verse, which is appropriate since "I Wanna Rock" samples the hip-hop classic.

Bun B joins Soulja Boy Tell 'Em on the G-Mix of "Pronto," one of the worst songs on Malice N Wonderland. Bun B does elevate the proceedings a bit but this track remains pretty bad. The main problem with this song is the terrible chorus by Soulja Boy Tell 'Em. Some voices still sound okay with Auto Tune but Soulja Boy's does not. Any momentum the verses have is killed every time the chorus is played again.

Kid Cudi joins Snoop Dogg on "That Tree," the best of the brand-new tracks. The unlikely duo work well together on this surprisingly fun song fueled by wonderful production by Diplo. "You're Gonna Luv Me" has Snoop showing a bit of his softer side. “So Gangsta” is notable mainly for its appearance by Butch Cassidy who tries mightily to fill Nate Dogg's shoes.

Things take a harder turn on "Protocol" and "House Shoes." Both tracks feature Snoop by himself rapping with no hook for at least three minutes. "Protocol" is more interesting lyrically with a dismissal of rappers who use Auto-Tune ("We hit licks and gang bang / You on some T-Pain shit") and a comment on the lack of recognition for West Coast artists ("How the fuck ya'll gonna keep havin' all these award shows on the West Coast but ain't no mother fuckers from the West Coast winning no awards?"). "House Shoes" has a more interesting sound with some Arabian-style strings mixed with some sparse drums.

While it's nice that More Malice isn't a re-release of Malice N Wonderland, there isn't enough here to warrant a purchase. The G-Mixes are kind of unnecessary especially when one of them is of a bad song. The new songs are the highlights of the release but most of them (apart from "That Tree") don't make much of a real impact. More Malice might be an okay purchase if you get the CD/DVD version or if you want just the singles from Malice N Wonderland. Otherwise, Snoop fans should just buy a download of "That Tree" and wait for his next full-length album.

Music Review: The Colossus by RJD2

Three years after taking a detour into pop/rock with The Third Hand, artist/producer RJD2 returns with his new album The Colossus. The first album released through RJD2's own record label, The Colossus is his first major album to feature hip-hop in six years. While it isn't without some missteps, this album is a welcome return to form.

The album kicks off in grand fashion with the excellent instrumental “Let There Be Horns.” The song, with its forceful horns and strings, is a bit of a proclamation of RJD2's return. The track even ends with a chorus of cheers and applause in the background.

The other instrumental tracks fare pretty well too. Live flute courtesy of Heather Fortune give “Tin Flower” a mellow feel that gets utterly destroyed by the end of the song. “Small Plans” is a sort of controlled chaos as vocal samples, electronics, and other instruments shift around each other. Vocal samples are also put to good use on “The Stranger,” the creepy cousin of “The Horror.”

While The Colossus has RJD2 returning to hip-hop, it is not without some pop elements. Fortunately, he seems to have learned from his previous album and handed off most of the vocal work. Kenna is a welcome presence on “Games You Can Win.” Their styles work well together and hopefully, this is not the last time they collaborate.

Phonte Coleman of Little Brother and The Foreign Exchange shows off his singing chops on “The Shining Path.” The song has a nice, old-school R & B feel to it complete with some nice harmonies. There is also one vocal hip-hop track, “A Son's Cycle” featuring The Catalyst, Illogic, and NP. The lyrics aren't much to write home about but the production is amazing. The beat doesn't stay the same and changes to fit each MC.

The Colossus falters mainly whenever RJD2 decides to provide vocals. “Gypsy Caravan” is a failed attempt at 1960's-style rock. It's out-of-place to the point that it is almost unintentionally funny. On the other hand, “The Glow” is polarizing. It's a song you kind of like and hate at the same time. There are elements here that could make a great song but they're spoiled by silly lyrics. The main refrain of “Got the glow! / Got the glow!” is a little annoying but manages to stay in your head. What “The Glow” seems to be going for is better achieved in the album's closer “Walk With Me.” That track, with its bouncy, old-school beat is genuinely fun from start to finish.

If there's one theme that runs throughout The Colossus, it is acknowledging your past and looking towards the future. The album is balanced between the hip-hop fans have come to expect and the pop leanings of his more recent work. It contains a sequel to “Salud,” an interlude from Deadringer as well as subtle reference to that album's “Introduction.” It is a solid album from one of the more interesting and innovative artists out there, hip-hop or otherwise. There's no telling if RJD2's next work will be more pop-oriented, more hip-hop oriented, or something else entirely. However, as long as he focuses on making good music, we will be anticipating what's next.

DVD Review: Big Windup! – Part One (Episodes 1-13)

The new anime series Big Windup! is one of the select few sports-related anime series to ever get released in America. Based on the manga by Asa Higuchi, the show is now available on DVD in a Part One set collecting the first 13 episodes. This drama about a fledgling high school baseball team is filled with appealing characters, good sports action, and strong character development. Whether you're an anime fan, a sports fan, or neither, Big Windup! certainly entertains.

The story begins with Ren Mihashi, a student who has transferred from the private Mihoshi Academy (which his grandfather owns) to the public Nishiura High School. As the ace pitcher for Mihoshi's baseball team in middle school, he was blamed by the team for their losing record. Many felt that nepotism was the only reason Mihashi was the ace in the first place.

Mihashi is a character you will either feel sorry for or hate with a passion. He's a bit of a mess who startles easily, acts awkward around others, and is prone to crying. When he's recruited for Nishiura's new baseball team, he's paired with the team's catcher, Takaya Abe. Abe is pretty much the complete opposite of Mihashi. An intelligent, confident player, Abe is easily annoyed by Mihashi's quirks. However, he's also the one who realizes the true extent of Mihashi's talent.

One of the major strengths of Big Windup! is the way it handles its characters. The first major arc of the series, where the team takes on Mihashi's former teammates at Mihoshi Academy in a practice game, is a good example of this. The show doesn't take the easy way out and completely vilify the Mihoshi team. Instead, it shows things from both teams' perspectives. It lets us get inside the characters' heads and find out their thoughts. As a result, the arc's ending has a bit more resonance than just simply a win or a loss.

Fortunately, the show is not too serious for its own good. There is a good amount of humor, much of it coming from the awkward relationship between Mihashi and Abe. They clash, as one character notes, “like an old married couple.” There are also some homoerotic undertones that produce both intentional and unintentional laughs. Things don't get too silly as to disrupt the drama, though.

This DVD set contains both English and Japanese language tracks (with available English subtitles). The English dub is quite good and the voice actors are well cast in their roles. Listening to the show in English makes some of the more technical scenes easier to digest. The extras on the set are few, consisting only of textless versions of the opening and ending along with some trailers.

Watching Big Windup! makes you wonder why more sports-themed anime aren't brought over. It makes the sport of baseball appealing in a way that's not unrealistic or over-the-top. It also gives non-fans and casual fans a good idea of how much effort really goes into the game. This Part One set definitely leaves you wanting more and with the Part Two set also available, you don't have to wait long.

If you're interested in checking out the show without buying the DVD set, the first four episodes of the show are available to view on a number of sites including Hulu, YouTube, Anime News Network, and Funimation.com.

[Note: Look for the review of the Part Two DVD set to appear on Blogcritics very soon.]

Movie Review: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs

Based on the children's book by Judi and Ron Barrett, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs gleefully takes the simple idea of food raining from the sky to ridiculous, over-the-top proportions. What could've been a flashy but uninteresting movie is instead filled with humor, heart, and action. An amazing voice cast, wonderful animation, and a nice 3D presentation all help make this movie a lot of fun.

The story revolves around Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader), an inventor whose creations always seem to wreak havoc in his hometown of Swallow Falls. The town, housed on a small island “under the 'A' in the Atlantic” Ocean, has fallen on hard times. The town's sardine canning plant has closed down and now the residents live only on the leftover sardines.

Hoping to save the town, Flint invents a machine that turns water into food. In an attempt to get the machine working, he launches it into the stratosphere. This destroys the theme park the town banked on to draw tourists. Suddenly, cheeseburgers rain from the sky and everything changes. No one has to eat sardines any longer and the town has something to put it on the map. However, when the machine starts to get overworked, even stranger things start to happen.

When a movie features the credit “A Film By A Lot of People,” you know that it doesn't take itself seriously. Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs has a hip, fresh feel without seeming forced or edgy. There are a lot of great gags throughout the film, including many background gags that callback to things seen earlier in the movie. The movie also pokes fun at Jerry Bruckheimer-esque blockbusters, especially in its action scenes.

The proceedings are also helped by an all-star cast of supporting characters. Anna Faris voices the female lead, Sam Sparks. She is an intern at Weather News Network who gets her big chance covering the food weather of Swallow Falls. There is more to Sam than meets the eye as she and Flint have more in common than you'd expect.

James Caan voices Flint's father Tim, a gruff widower who doesn't really know how to communicate with his son. Mr. T voices the energetic and ultra-athletic cop Earl and Bill Hader's SNL castmate Andy Samberg voices Brent, the town's local celebrity. Other voices include Neil Patrick Harris, Al Roker, Bruce Campbell, Will Forte, Lauren Graham, and Benjamin Bratt, who is hilarious (and unrecognizable) in his small role.

The animation in this film is top-notch. The movie has a cartoony style that fits the material. The animators do a great job with everything thrown at them whether it's a tornado made of spaghetti or a flying car evading slices of pizza. The digital 3D presentation is very nice as well. The whole “objects flying out the screen” cliché is thankfully not overused. The 3D isn't a must but it certainly makes the movie a little more fun to watch.

First-time feature directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller (best known for the animated series Clone High) have crafted a really fun and delightful film in Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. They packed a lot into the movie's short running time but it all works. This is another winner for Sony Pictures Animation after the supremely underrated Surf's Up. More movies like this and they'll provide some real competition for the Disney/Pixar, Dreamworks, and Blue Sky trifecta.

CD Review: The Ecstatic by Mos Def

In recent years, Mos Def has become more well-known for his acting than his music. His latest album suggests that it should be the other way around. With a unique sound all its own, The Ecstatic is one of the more intriguing hip-hop albums released so far this year. While its quirks take some getting used to, this album is certainly worth your time.

The feel of this album is quite different from a lot of hip-hop efforts. Most of the tracks on the album (nine out of sixteen) are less than three minutes long. Three of those tracks are less than two minutes long.

However, don't let the length of the tracks fool you. None of them are pointless interludes or skits. Every track actually feels like a song. “Priority,” with its deceptively simple beat courtesy of producer Preservation, is both a highlight of the album and its shortest track.

Working with a variety of producers, Mos Def has created some interesting sounds for The Ecstatic. One thing that stands out is the use of Eastern music samples. “Supermagic,” gets the album off to a rousing start with passionate sampled vocals and some funky guitar. The stellar “Auditorium” glides over some beautiful strings with a Bollywood feel. The Madlib-produced track is aided by the appearance of hip-hop legend Slick Rick.

“The Embassy” starts off as a skit taking place on an airplane and becomes something else entirely. A smooth beat is interchanged with a jangling, Eastern music sample. Other tracks on the album sound closer to what many would expect of Mos Def. He reunites with Black Star colleague Talib Kweli on “History,”and teams with Georgia Anne Muldrow on the R & B-tinged “Roses.” The album's closer, “Casa Bey,” has him riding a jazzy track.

The Ecstatic is a solid album from start to finish. The production is top-notch and its sound makes it stand out from a lot of other hip-hop albums. Mos Def thankfully spends more time rapping than singing as well. The only thing about this album is that it can take some time to get into. Traditional song structures are thrown to the wind on some of the tracks here and that can be jarring.

However, this is an album that gets better with each listen as you begin to appreciate what Mos Def is doing. If you are a Mos Def fan or someone looking for hip-hop that's a bit more artistic, you should check out this album.

CD Review: We Are To Answer by Ancient Astronauts

After spending years remixing for others, German duo Ancient Astronauts have dropped their debut album We Are To Answer. Featuring hip-hop tracks alongside songs from other genres, this album has a surprising amount of variety that will appeal to hip-hop and non-hip-hop fans alike.

A mix of vocal tracks and instrumentals make up the 13 tracks of We Are To Answer. "I Came Running" is the first real song on the album and it's a dark, somewhat enigmatic instrumental. Moody vocal samples and keyboards help set the tone. While it is a very good song in its own right, it also feels like it could be the perfect backdrop for the right rapper.

"Everybody," another instrumental that appears later on the album, is almost the complete opposite of "I Came Running." It's an upbeat and funky crowd-pleaser. The drums are quite forceful here and the use of other types of percussion liven things up. The pace is quicker and less deliberate. The song floats by so quickly, you'll be surprised when it ends.

The first vocal track on We Are To Answer is "Classic" and this song very nearly lives up to its title. Imani and Bootie Brown of legendary hip-hop group The Pharcyde appear on the track, which is one of the best moments on the album. A great beat and well-timed scratches courtesy of DJ Icewater make this song instantly appealing, especially to fans of the earlier days of hip-hop. Raashan Ahmad of Crown City Rockers appears on the album's other standout vocal hip-hop track, "Risin High." The rather low-key beat lets Ahmad's lyrical gifts shine easily.

There is more than hip-hop to be found on We Are To Answer as Ancient Astronauts dabble in other genres. The instrumental "Dark Green Rod" is a drum and bass song benefited by Ulf Stricker's live drums. Two vocal tracks feature reggae sounds. The better of the two is "All of The Things You Do," featuring Tippa Irie. It's a fun, catchy track with a deeper message than you expect. Another instrumental track, "Lost in Marrakesh," has a smooth world music sound reminiscent of Thievery Corporation.

Kabanjak and Dogu, the members of Ancient Astronauts, have created something that will appeal to hip-hop fans and beyond in We Are To Answer. The duo's ease in shifting from hip-hop to reggae to electronic music in the short span of this album is quite remarkable. Works like this can often have a disjointed feel that can frustrate listeners. Even with a couple of missteps, that feeling is nowhere to be found here. We Are To Answer is an immensely enjoyable album and further proof of hip-hop's global reach.

DVD Review: Death Note - Volume 2 Box Set

The anime version of the popular Death Note manga concludes in the Death Note Volume 2 Box Set. The series comes to an end but not before a flurry of new characters, twists, and shocking character deaths.

[Note: If you are not familiar with Death Note, you should probably check out the review of the Volume 1 Box Set first to learn about the characters and premise.]

When we last left the characters of Death Note, Light had relinquished ownership of his notebook in order to lose all his memories of it. He did this in order to gain L's trust and eliminate suspicion that he was Kira. He even arranged it so that another person, an exec at a large corporation, could continue killing as Kira in his absence. The episodes on the Death Note Volume 2 Box Set begin with L and Light working together to find the current Kira.

The current Kira is caught in dramatic fashion but when Light touches the man's notebook, all his memories involving the notebook return (as well as his evil personality). Light kills the current Kira and resumes his plans to stop L from within his organization. L and the task force also learn of the existence of shinigami, the gods of death that normally use Death Notes.

Much happens over the course of the episodes on this set. Light triumphs against one foe only to gain a brand new one just as suspicion of him grows in the Japanese anti-Kira group. He grows colder and more sinister in his attempts to keep enemies off his trail and further his goals for a new world. He manipulates a shinigami's feelings to make it do his dirty work. He exploits the affections and admirations of two different women to get them to kill as Kira. He considers killing his own sister when her kidnapping threatens his plans. He even uses his own father to attempt to kill one of his enemies. The scene with Kira in the hospital with his father shows how evil Light has truly become.

These episodes also give us a look at how the world has reacted in the years since Light first used the Death Note. Tasteless TV producers make programs appealing directly to Kira and his fans. One man even claims to be Kira's official “spokesperson” and organizes a riot against the headquarters of the new group going after Kira. People's names make them vulnerable as criminals refuse to reveal their names and kids threaten bullies with the promise of putting their names on the Internet. Even whole countries aren't immune to Kira. The President of the United States receives a call from Kira and gives in to his demands.

There are many interesting themes and questions within Death Note. However, the simplest one is that absolute power corrupts absolutely. At the beginning of the series, Light is a brilliant young man with a bright future. By the end of the series, he is a shell of his former self. He has become a sociopath with a God complex who is hellbent on ruling a new world with only those he judges worthy. The contrast between the the young man he was and the man he has become are what make the final sequences of the series so haunting.

The five-disc Death Note Volume 2 Box Set is packaged in a handsome digipack with a slipcover that mirrors the Death Note Volume 1 Box Set. Inside, you will also again find representations of the instruction pages of the Death Note (the text is different this time around). The first four discs of the set contain the episodes. The fifth disc is a brand-new bonus disc exclusive to this set.

The excellent presentation from the last set is carried over to this one with little to complain about transfer-wise. The episodes are available with both Japanese and English audio with available English subtitles. Unfortunately, the ridiculously long sequence before the main menu remains on these discs. However, the sequence is also skippable like the previous set.

There are a nice amount of extras on this set. The first four discs each feature a behind-the-scenes featurette with voice actors for the English dub of the show, audio commentary on one episode each with people involved with the English dub, and production art. The first disc also has the clean version of the show's second opening and ending.

The extras on the fifth bonus disc revolve around the original Japanese version of the show. There is a behind-the-scenes featurette with the Japanese voice actors along with an interview with the the show's animation director and character designer. There are also conversations with the Japanese cast and crew as well as the original Japanese interstitials and a larger gallery of artwork.

If you enjoyed the first Death Note anime box set, then you will likely enjoy this one too. These episodes leave you at the edge of your seat until the very end. Although things get a little confusing at times, the journey to the show's conclusion is often exciting. While this is the end of the anime series, there is plenty more Death Note out there including three Japanese live-action films, a companion novel, the original manga series, and a Hollywood remake potentially on the horizon. This is likely not the last time you'll ever hear of Death Note.

Brief Thoughts on Dragonball Evolution

Last weekend, my sister and I went to see Dragonball Evolution. This movie was about 10 years too late to be a success but I enjoyed it. There were some changes to the original story (the word "saiyan" is never uttered once, for example) but a lot of things were kept in. I really thought they were going to change Bulma's last name but, no, they didn't. It was funny to hear Emmy Rossum introduce herself as Bulma Briefs.

The fight sequences were pretty decent. I enjoyed the opening "fight" between Goku and Grandpa Gohan. There's also a nice one which consists entirely of Goku avoiding attacks by a group of bullies. Also, the fight between Piccolo and Goku featured DBZ's trademark "punching at high speed at close range."

Overall, it's a nice PG-rated action flick that took me back to the days when I was a DBZ fan.

CD Review: Junior by Röyksopp

After a long hiatus, Norwegian electronic duo Röyksopp return with their third release Junior. Teaming up with a variety of intriguing female vocalists, they have created an album of wonderful, immersive electropop. Whether you are an electronic music fan or more of a casual listener, this album offers up some great music.

The album begins with “Happy Up Here,” a wonderful, upbeat track that recalls the breezier portions of Röyksopp's debut, Melody A.M. combined with a little bit of the moodier elements of their last album, The Understanding. The result is light but also intoxicating. The song itself is as fleeting as the feelings it brings as it is less than three minutes long.

It is followed up by “The Girl And The Robot,” a decidedly darker track. Sweden's Robyn provides the vocals as she pines for her workaholic “robot” to be with her. This track pairs a pulsing beat with dark atmospherics such as strings and haunting background vocals to make it one of the album's highlights. It's a bit over-the-top but also so enjoyable that you'll want to sing along with the chorus: “In the night I call you up and / Wanna know when you're coming home / Don't deny me / Call me back / I'm so alone.” Indie darling Lykke Li brings her unique vocals to “Miss It So Much,” a lovely little track. The music's bubbly synths and heavy bass pair up well with Li's understated performance.

Anneli Drecker, who previously worked with Röyksopp on their first album, appears on three tracks. “Vision One” is an excellent reworking of the bassline of Stevie Wonder's “Too High.” Drecker's vocals keeps things steady as the melody goes off into bleepier directions. However, her best vocal performance is on “You Don't Have A Clue,” a mellow treat with a dark undertone. The somewhat dreamy quality of her vocals is put to good use and her refrain of “You're hiding from yourself / Yes you are / Yes you are” resonates. The one misstep is “True To Life,” but that's not her fault. That song is a bit clunky compared to the rest of the album.

Another previous Röyksopp collaborator featured on Junior is Karin Dreijer-Andersson of The Knife. Previously appearing on “What Else Is There?” from The Understanding, she is featured on two tracks. Both tracks use her abilities in different ways. “This Must Be It,” has more of an upbeat, celebratory feel. “Tricky Tricky,” on the other hand, is a lot angrier. There is a purposely cold feel to the music here and it's a credit to Andersson that she could sing the following line without making you want to laugh: “Is six afraid of seven cause seven ate nine? / I'm about to lose it a second time.”

Each Röyksopp album has had an epic instrumental and the one on Junior is one of their best. “Röyksopp Forever” is sort of a mini-journey through their career. The song starts off with a more minimal, relaxed feel (it samples Skylark's “Suites For My Lady”) and things steadily get more grandiose. At its high point, the song has a triumphant feel with insistent strings, ethereal background vocals, and a nice bassline hidden under everything else.

When Röyksopp released The Understanding, it was a dramatic departure from Melody A.M. Junior is not so much a departure from The Understanding as a melding of its sensibilities with that of Melody A.M. The result is an album that definitely deserves to be in their company. Röyksopp have crafted a great album of electropop that not only pleases fan but also manages to be accessible to nonfans. With rumors of a companion album called Senior, we may get to hear more from the duo soon. Even if we don't, whatever comes next will likely be worth the wait.

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A Short Review of Coraline

I saw Coraline last Sunday with my sister. Although it wasn't the best animated film, I really enjoyed it. The artistry on display in this film is amazing. There are some really beautiful and creepy sequences. The climactic sequence with the villainess is just amazing to look at.

Although this movie is PG-rated, it's not a film I'd take a little kid to see. However, I think older kids would enjoy it. I saw the movie in 2D and I can imagine that this movie is fantastic in 3D.

I definitely recommend checking this movie out before it leaves theaters.

CD Review: Universal Mind Control by Common

After two critically acclaimed albums with Kanye West at the helm, Common goes in a different direction with his new album Universal Mind Control.  Executive produced by Pharrell Williams and produced entirely by The Neptunes and Mr. DJ, this album isn’t without its charms.  However, it's also not nearly as good as Common's previous work.

The first thing that sets Universal Mind Control apart from Common’s previous two albums is the sound.  While his recent music has been more organic, the music on this album is very electronic.  In fact, there are no samples to speak of on the entire album.  Fortunately, that doesn’t mean that the beats aren’t good.

The Neptunes provide most of the production on the album and come up with some interesting, unusual sounds.  The title track has a futuristic sound complete with spacey synths, artificial drums, and Pharrell Williams’ robotic vocals.  “Punch Drunk Love” floats on an odd combination of 1980’s sounds, a variety of layered vocals (both normal and auto-tuned), and Kanye West on the chorus. Even with its hard-hitting drums and synths, “Gladiator” has a quirky feel thanks to a weird piano bridge and horns that seem to come out of nowhere.

If you’re looking for examples of Common’s lyrical prowess, you’ll have to look elsewhere.  Lyrics take a back seat on Universal Mind Control and this, more than anything, sinks the album. “Sex 4 Suga” actually features this terrible line:  “But I don't mind being behind / 'Cause I'ma touch you where the sun don't shine.” More often than not, the lyrics are just pretty shallow.  The exception is “Changes,” a track produced by Mr. DJ and geared towards young people. This is the only song on the album that's close to the type of music fans expect from Common.

Universal Mind Control can probably be best described as a diversion, a chance for Common to make some lighter, more party-oriented music.  It's reminiscent of Q-Tip's debut solo album, Amplified, in that respect.  The problem with the album isn't that Common decided to make this type of music...it is that the music itself isn't that good.  It's unfortunate that smart artists like Common feel that the only way to make a party album is to dumb things down.  This album isn't nearly as bad as some hip-hop but for Common it's a bit of a letdown.

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Music Review: Feed The Animals by Girl Talk

In an era where mash-ups, remixes, and mixtapes are plentiful, it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd. Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis) certainly does so on his newest album Feed The Animals. Drawing from an unbelievably wide variety of songs and genres, Gillis has not only crafted a great party album but also one of the best albums released in 2008.

For those who are unfamiliar with Girl Talk's work, his style of music involves combining elements from many different songs into something new. It would be easiest to describe it as a "mash-up" but it's really something quite unique. While most mash-ups are meant to be singular tracks, the songs on Feed The Animals are really meant to be listened together as a cohesive work. Each one flows easily into the next one, like a DJ mix.
However, with over 300 songs sampled across the entire album, it's a lot more intricate than most mixes. Many dance/DJ artists sample obscure tracks or make familiar samples unrecognizable. Girl Talk does neither. If you have been a fan of popular music at any moment in the last 20-30 years, you will probably be able to recognize at least one or two of the songs sampled.

All the samples used don't matter unless the music made with them is good and fortunately, Feed The Animals is very good. It's immensely entertaining from start to finish. The music is always changing and songs progress in unexpected ways. Some of the album's best moments come from successfully combining hip-hop tracks with ones from very different genres. "Set It Off" pairs Jay-Z's "Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)" with Radiohead's "Paranoid Android" which gives Hova's lyrics a darker tone than the original celebratory beat that surrounded them. One can't help but laugh at the combination of Eminem's raunchy "Shake That" with Yael Naim's sweet, Apple-approved "New Soul" in "No Pause." The hard-hitting drums of Lil Mama's "Lip Gloss" are replaced with the hard guitars of Metallica's "One" on "Like This" for a combination that works far better than it should.

While the clever combinations of samples are what drives the album, it's the actual construction that makes it great. A lot of the samples used on Feed The Animals are small and are used to transition to the album's larger moments. The opening drums of "In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins lead to the Busta Rhymes/Police combination on "What It's All About." A very short clip from OutKast's "Ms. Jackson" leads to the Vanilla Ice/Jackson 5/Rihanna/Queen sequence that ends "What It's All About." It's these smaller elements that keep things moving and help make everything else seem that much better.


No matter what kind of music you like, Girl Talk's Feed The Animals will keep you moving. It makes unfamiliar genres palatable whether it's classic rock for a pop fan or heavy metal for a hip-hop fan. It's the perfect album for the music lover who is likely to have anything and everything on their MP3 player. It's detailed in its construction but still insanely fun to listen to. If you haven't heard it yet, it's worth checking out.

Feed The Animals is available in a variety of formats from Illegal Art.

The Other "Lost" Review

I wrote the following review of Missy Elliott's album Under Construction back in 2002. Like the review of Cee-Lo's debut album, it was published in Blackboard. It's never been published on the Internet before today. I'm posting the review in its original form, which is noticeably easier to read than the Cee-Lo review. Enjoy!

CD Review: Missy Elliott - Under Construction
(Originally written in 2002 and presented in its original version)

In the past few years, Hip-Hop has lost many artists: Biggie, 2Pac, Big Pun, Aaliyah, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and most recently Jam Master Jay. It is fitting then that Missy Elliott’s fourth album “Under Construction” is dedicated to them. Plain and simple, this album is a celebration of Hip-Hop at its most fun, creative, and innovative.

Missy and Timbaland look back to move forward in creating the music on this album. Most of the songs contain at least one sample from classic Hip-Hop songs ranging from Run DMC’s “Peter Piper” on “Work It” to Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” on “Funky Fresh Dressed.” A whole song is “reimagined” with “Bring The Pain” which samples the classic Method Man song and even has him contributing a verse. However, this doesn’t mean that the duo’s innovation isn’t present. Timbaland brings the electro-funk to songs like “Ain’t That Funny” and “Slide.” “Play That Beat” sounds only faintly of Timbaland, with its traditional drum pattern and horn sample.

Missy’s lyrics have always been her weakest point, but she continues on her twisted, sometimes silly, yet sexy path for the most part. Beyonce Knowles lends her voice to “Nothing Out There For Me” which has Missy trying to convince Beyonce to go out partying (and leave her man in the process). “P***ycat” isn’t as nasty as the title implies and has Missy worrying about trying to keep her man sexually. When Missy changes it up, she succeeds. “Gossip Folks” (featuring Ludacris) has Missy responding to the various rumors about her in a Cee-Lo-esque flow. “Can You Hear Me” is an emotional collaboration with TLC that pays tribute to both Aaliyah and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes. The mutual sadness is evident when Missy sings “I know you in real good hands/With God but damn I miss you/Aaliyah if you see Left Eye/Will ya tell her me and Boz miss her too.”

While not as instantly accessible as her last album, “Miss E...So Addictive,” “Under Construction” is much more personal. Missy openly gives us her thoughts on everything from the meaning of the album title to the controversy surrounding her racier songs in the spoken interludes scattered throughout the album. Her love of Old School Hip-Hop shines through in the samples, shouts of “Missy Elliott exclusive” (a la DJ mixtapes), and the overall party vibe of the album. This all combines to bring a Missy who has changed in many ways, both physically and emotionally, and is as she says “A work in progress.”

The Review That Started It All

I've been writing music reviews on this blog since it started but the very first one I wrote wasn't posted here. In fact, I wrote it before I started blogging.

My first music review was of Cee-Lo's debut album Cee-Lo Green And His Perfect Imperfections and it was published in Northwestern University's black student magazine Blackboard back in 2002. Now, I'm posting it online for the very first time.

My writing style has changed in the six years since this review. If I were to review this album now, my review would probably be longer, more spaced out, and probably a little less positive. I apologize ahead of time for the really long paragraphs. Still, it's fun to look back.

CD Review: Cee-Lo - Cee-Lo Green And His Perfect Imperfections (Originally written in 2002 and featured here in its original version)

Cee-Lo’s last album appearance was on Goodie Mob’s lackluster “World Party” CD. Now almost 3 years later, he returns with his solo debut “Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections.” It’s a big departure from Goodie Mob’s stuff, and one of the best albums released so far this year.

A major difference between this and Cee-Lo’s earlier work is that he sings about as much as he raps. By doing so, he joins artists like Lauryn Hill and Missy Elliott in combining elements of hip hop and R&B music. Cee-Lo takes this fusion in innovative directions by adding other musical genres into the mix. “Closet Freak” is an homage to 70’s P-Funk from the use of real horns, to the freaky lyrics (and even freakier video). “Live (Right Now)” has Cee-Lo singing over a rock track that owes more to Fishbone than Linkin Park. “Country Love” has a minimalist down-home flavor with Blues Traveler’s John Popper providing his harmonica skills. Dance influences are evident in “Microhard.” “Bass Head Jazz” is as smooth and mellow as the name implies. However, don’t think the album is all about fusing different genres together. “Suga Baby,” featuring Big Gipp and Backbone, could have been a song on a Goodie Mob album. “Spend The Night in Your Mind” is a full on R&B slow jam, and a song that he handles amazingly well.

Themes of freedom, growing up, spirituality, and hope run throughout this album. “El Dorado (Super Chicken)” tells a tale of a bird wanting to fly: “I can’t let nobody hold me down/This is my life and that’s my sky/I was born to fly.” “Gettin’ Grown” deals with getting older: “I remember the good old days/Broads and boxes of blunts to blaze/Now I got three children to raise.” “Live (Right Now)” encourages people to keep going, but not without being careful: “And don’t you let anybody tell you what you can do/Ain’t another minute promised to you/You better live.” Cee-Lo shows his spiritual side proudly on the album like proclaiming his “mother is nature” and that his “father is God” on “Bad Mutha.” In addition he acknowledges his darker side on “Medieval Times (Great Pretender)”: “A thin line between between divine and killing machine/A dark side of the light that no one ever should see.”

All in all, this is a great album. Whatever flaws there are are nitpicks: it’s long with a running time of almost 74 minutes, the fast songs should have been a little more spread out, the interludes are unnecessary, and etc. Cee-Lo took some big risks with his debut. He could have easily made a platiunum album by getting the hottest producers, collaborating a lot with his fellow Goodie Mob members, loading up on the guest stars and rhyming on 90% of the album. However, he decided to make an album that clearly represents him and not his image. In self-producing the entire album, using live instruments on many songs, dabbling in other genres, and singing for much of the album, Cee-Lo takes chances even OutKast hasn’t taken. The result is a near flawless album that defies categorization. Whether or not this means commercial success is uncertain. Yet, Cee-Lo joins a growing group of artists including N.E.R.D., Mos Def, OutKast, and Common, that take hip hop into new directions and keep it from becoming a stagnant artform.

CD Review: Verve Christmas Remixed

After four acclaimed collections, the Verve Remixed series finally gets in the holiday spirit with Verve Remixed Christmas. This new collection lets loose a variety of remixers on holiday tracks by jazz greats like Nina Simone, Count Basie, and Ella Fitzgerald. While purists will probably bristle, fans of compilations like the Christmas Remixed series or Merry Mixmas will find another great disc to add to their not-so-traditional holiday music collection.

Remix collections like this can often be a tricky proposition. It's quite easy to turn a classic song into something unlistenable and uninspired. Thankfully, the producers and remixers involved with Verve Remixed Christmas mostly avoid this...even when they sometimes stray very far from the original material.

Some of the remixes enhance and modernize the spirit of the original song. The album opens with The Real Tuesday Weld's Clerkenwell remix of "Good Morning Blues" by Count Basie. He brings the piano of the song to the forefront while adding light electronic drums and strings to create a relaxed, somewhat dreamy mood that doesn't feel out of place. The band The Heavy remixes Louis Armstrong's "'Zat You Santa Claus?" and adds some energy with some well-placed guitar licks and horns. They fit perfectly with Armstrong's charismatic vocals.

Other remixes put wonderful but radically different spins on the songs. Billie Holiday's take on "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" is given a dub/reggae twist by production duo Yesking. Mel Torme's voice is twisted in a number of ways on the electronic remix of "The Christmas Song" by Sonny J. Despite this, the song doesn't deteriorate into a techno mess. Instead, it has a futuristic sheen that somehow works.

Producer Oh No takes Jimmy Smith's version of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and turns it into an instrumental hip-hop banger. It's one of the few Christmas tracks that would sound great on a loud stereo. The Brazilian Girls give Dinah Washington's version of the normally somber "Silent Night" a surprising (and danceable) samba-influenced groove. Washington's voice is barely used here, though, so it's probably one of the more "controversial" remixes.

Not all of the remixes work well. The one in particular that really doesn't is The Orb's remix of Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World." "What A Wonderful World" is one of two non-Christmas tracks included on the collection (the other is Nina Simone's "Chilly Winds," remixed by Fink). The electronic elements The Orb adds to this all-time classic feel kind of slapped on. The fact that Louis Armstrong's voice is pushed to the background a bit certainly doesn't help things. It's almost as if they didn't really want to remix the song in the first place. It's by far the most disappointing track on the album.

However, the album's standout track is the amazing remix of Ella Fitzgerald's "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by Mike Mangini and Adam Pallin. They turn this relaxed, big-band song into a soaring, romantic epic. This song sneaks up on you at first but then it grows as the sweeping strings move in. This is a track that almost begs to be used in a romantic holiday movie.

If you're looking for something fun and hip to add to your holiday music collection, Verve Remixed Christmas is definitely worth your money. With a nice variety of tracks and remix approaches, this collection stands apart from other Christmas remix collections. If you're someone who is appalled at the idea of these remixes, don't worry. There is also a Verve Unmixed Christmas collection available featuring the original versions of all the tracks on Verve Remixed Christmas. Comparing the remixes to the originals would probably be a really cool thing to do at your holiday party.

DVD Review: Death Note: Volume 1 Box Set

If you had the power to kill anyone just by knowing their name and face, what would you do with it? That's the premise behind the anime series Death Note, now available in its first box set. Containing the first 20 episodes of the series, this set takes you on an dark and entertaining ride.

Based on the manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note focuses on a brilliant Japanese high school student named Light Yagami. Despite his popularity, considerable intelligence, and loving family, he is bored with his life and the world. Things change, however, when he finds a mysterious notebook called a "Death Note." Inside the book, he find instructions to use the book to kill a human. All that's needed is a name and that the person writing that name in the book have the person's face in their mind. Conditions, causes, and even time of death can be dictated by writing them next to the name. If nothing else is written, the person dies of a heart attack within 40 seconds.

Curious about the note's power, Light tries it out first by writing down the name of a criminal holding a school hostage. Although the criminal dies just seconds after he writes down the name, Light isn't really convinced until he uses the note to kill a man attempting to rape a young woman in front of his eyes.

When he realizes that the note truly works, he becomes mad with power and decides to rid the world of all the people he thinks are bad. He writes down the names of many major criminals and, in an attempt to gain notoriety, has them all die of heart attacks. Light's deeds bring him a visit from the Death Note's actual owner, a shinigami (god of death) named Ryuk. With Light coming into possession of the Death Note, the two are connected. Only Light and those who have touched the Death Note can see Ryuk.

As Light continues to kill criminals, the world at large starts to take notice. People take to calling the unseen force "Kira" and devote websites to him. The U.N. brings in a mysterious, freelance detective known only as "L" to find and capture Kira. What follows is a war of wills as L and Light try to stay one step ahead of the other. In the process, Light's father, the Japanese police, the FBI, and even a "second Kira" are all caught in the crossfire.

Death Note could have easily been a disturbing horror series (imagine what someone like Jigsaw could do with a Death Note) but it works well as a suspenseful drama/mystery. The show has a very dramatic feel from the use of choral music in some scenes to surprising camera angles. There are times when it almost veers into self-parody (a scene involving Light and a bag of potato chips has to be seen to be believed) but the show doesn't take itself too seriously to keep it from being entertaining.

Apart from the sometimes twisty plot, the various character relationships are what makes this show good. The unusual connection/not-quite-friendship between Light and Ryuk is unique. Ryuk stays pretty neutral but is amused by what Light does. He's the only person Light can talk to about the perils of being Kira, although that doesn't stop Light from trying to manipulate him when he needs to. Then, there is the relationship between Light and L. The two of them are similar in that they are brilliant minds who can't be themselves and must stay a bit detached from the rest of the world.

The animation, done by famed studio Madhouse, is pretty good for a TV series. The character designs match the manga well and the color palette is surprisingly varied at times for a show like this. The English dub is solid with good vocal performances all around. If there is one gripe to be had, it is about the opening menu on each disc. The menu takes far too long to get to the main screen. Fortunately, it can be skipped.

The Death Note Volume 1 Box Set contains the first 20 episodes from the 37-episode anime series across five discs. The discs are housed in a handsome digipack with the inside artwork replicating instruction pages from the Death Note. All the episodes feature either English audio or Japanese audio with English subtitles.

There are a good amount of extras in this set. Each disc features a behind the scenes featurette with a different English voice actor from the series and production artwork from the series. Each disc also has one episode available with audio commentary by people who worked on the English dub. In addition to the extras mentioned, disc one features clean versions of the opening and ending, disc two features an interview with the Japanese director and character designer, and disc five has a trailer for the live-action movie version of Death Note.

The Death Note Volume 1 Box Set is great for fans of dark, suspenseful drama or those who may have missed the show when it aired on Adult Swim. Considering that it packs the first five individual volumes in one set at a better price, it's also a great deal for fans of the show who have yet to pick it up on DVD. By the time you finish this set, you'll be looking for the rest of the show just to see how it all ends. The inevitable Volume 2 Box Set can't come soon enough.

DEATH NOTE based on the comic "DEATH NOTE" by Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata
originally serialized in "WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP" published by SHUEISHA Inc.
© Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/Shueisha
© DNDP, VAP, Shueisha, Madhouse

Book Review: Garfield Minus Garfield by Jim Davis and Dan Walsh

Garfield is one of the most popular comic strips in the world and in its 30-year run has spawned beloved animated specials and series, live-action and animated films, and tons of merchandise. However, the strip takes on a new life when the title character is removed in Garfield Minus Garfield. This collection of strips culled from the popular (and Jim Davis-approved) site garfieldminusgarfield.net is a fun example of addition by subtraction.

Fans (and non-fans) of Garfield have always found ways to tweak the strip. The Garfield Randomizer lets visitors create their own strips out of random panels. Images of strips with Garfield's thought bubbles removed or Garfield replaced by a silent, realistically-drawn cat have been circulating online for years. Dan Walsh, creator of Garfield Minus Garfield, went one step further by removing Garfield from the strip entirely.

Without Garfield's wisecracks, the focus is squarely on Jon, Garfield's perpetually single owner. While it's always been clear that Jon's a bit of a nerd, Garfield Minus Garfield really highlights Jon's lonely, strange, and sometimes sad life. The humor found in these modified strips comes from different places than your typical Garfield comic. Some strips have a dark, existential feel reminiscent of Stephan Pastis's Pearls Before Swine. Some have a randomness to them that let your imagination run wild. Some are hilarious simply because you immediately empathize with Jon's situation. There are also strips that feel more dramatic than funny.

Each page of Garfield Minus Garfield is arranged with the modified strip on top (in color) and the original strip on the bottom (in black and white). Seeing the modified and original strips together for the first time (only the modified strips are posted on the website) is quite an eyeopener. What you realize as you read them is that Garfield's appearance in the original strips actually hampers them. Garfield's thoughts make some of the strips seem mean-spirited and in others, he adds nothing to the proceedings but a punchline. Most of the strips in Garfield Minus Garfield come from the duller years of the comic and none of the original strips feature Odie or any other characters apart from Garfield and Jon. This is probably why removing Garfield works so well.

The most intriguing aspect of Garfield Minus Garfield, however, is that the book is actually split into two parts. The first part features the strips modified by Dan Walsh, the site's creator. The modified strips are presented as they were on the site. Little mistakes in photoshopping, such as leaving Garfield's pinch marks on Jon's cheek or being able to see Garfield's outline on a guitar Jon holds, are left intact. In addition, Walsh's strips sometimes go beyond simply removing Garfield. There are strips where Jon's dialogue is edited or even removed for effect.

The second part of the book features strips modified by Garfield creator Jim Davis. The strips Davis picks aren't quite as appropriate for the treatment as the ones Walsh picks. Many of these strips don't really gain anything by not having Garfield. The originals are actually pretty decent and work just as well with Garfield as without him.

Garfield Minus Garfield is a fun book and a great alternate take on the popular comic strip. It gives the long-running strip a new lease on life and undoubtedly will inspire a generation of fans who may have written it off a long time ago. Creators could learn a thing or two from the way Jim Davis handled all of this. Instead of lawyering it out of existence, he embraced it and will now profit from it. Here's hoping we get another collection sometime in the future because there are a lot of great strips on the site that aren't in this book.

DVD Review: Ouran High School Host Club: Part One

After a two-year wait, Ouran High School Host Club finally comes to DVD from Funimation Entertainment in a Part One DVD set. Containing the first half (13 episodes) of the 26-episode series, this set will delight fans and nonfans of shoujo anime/manga with comedy, romance, great characters, and sly in-jokes.

Based on the manga by Bisco Hatori, the show takes place at the prestigious Ouran Academy where Haruhi Fujioka is a scholarship student. Looking for a quiet place to study, Haruhi stumbles upon the Ouran High School Host Club, a group of young men dedicated to pleasing female patrons.

Each guy plays up certain traits to appeal to young women. Tamaki, the “king” of the club is a traditional gentleman. Mori is a “strong and silent” type while his companion Honey looks a lot younger than his age. Twins Hikaru and Kaoru hint at a “forbidden” relationship between them and club director Kyouya is cool and calculating.

Haruhi gets mixed up in the host club after accidentally breaking an expensive vase. Unable to pay the exorbitant debt, Haruhi ends up working for the club as a host. However, unlike the rest of the members, Haruhi is actually a girl.

There are a lot of very funny moments in Ouran High School Host Club but what makes the show stand out are the sly ways it parodies traditional shoujo anime/manga conventions. It is to shoujo anime what Scream was to slasher flicks. Even if you're not familiar with shoujo anime or manga, there is still plenty of wacky humor to enjoy. A lot of humor is mined from the class difference between the rich host club members and “commoner” Haruhi. One hilarious scene has the group being shocked by the idea of instant coffee.

Haruhi herself doesn't act like your typical shoujo anime heroine. She doesn't care if people mistake her for a boy. She refuses most attempts to make her more of a “girly girl.” Tamaki is the one who sometimes gets flustered regarding Haruhi, not the other way around. The relationship between the modern Haruhi and more traditional Tamaki is a lot of fun to watch as are the ways the other guys react to her.

The 13 episodes on Ouran High School Host Club: Part One are spread out across two discs housed in clear thinpak cases. Both Japanese and English audio are available along with English subtitles. Those who watch dubs will be happy to know that English dub is pretty good. The actors get into their roles quite well and the dialogue is close to the original Japanese. Certain Japanese terms and honorifics like “senpai” and “-chan” are left in. These terms are not used enough in the series to confuse those unfamiliar with them.

There are a decent amount of extras on this set as well. Three episodes on disc one get audio commentary with some of the English voice actors. The rest of the extras are contained on disc two. Pages from the original manga version published by Viz are featured. There are over 15 minutes of dub outtakes included as well as textless versions of the show's opening and closing and some trailers for other Funimation properties.

If you are a fan of shoujo anime/manga, you should definitely check out Ouran High School Host Club: Part One. If you're not a fan, it's still worth checking out for the comedy, high production values, solid English dub, and likable characters. With five hours worth of episodes on this set, there's more than enough to get you hooked.