Top 15 in '07 Part V - Country Music

I can't really say Country Music as a whole, it's mainly just that Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts both put out albums this year. Good albums (you can see them both on the right).


Carrie's "Carnival Ride" picks up where her last album left off, but she's better prepared this time to serve up a great album. Her voice is the best it's ever sounded (in her vast, what, 2 year career?) and it really shines on tracks like "I Know You Won't" and lead single "So Small". "Last Name" is this albums "Before He Cheats" and that's fine by me. She runs the gamut from snarly-attitude-girl on "Flat on the Floor" to country crooner with pipes of gold (and stunning range/control) on "Just A Dream". Like her first album every song is sing-a-long-able, but these songs are just slighter better; you can tell she spent quality time choosing her songs and songwriters.

Rascal Flatts' "Still Feels Good" kind of took me by surprise, literally. I was looking at CD release dates and theirs popped up...I knew somehow that I'd known about it, but it just came so fast! And then I found that their first single, "Take Me There" was already released, with a video and everything! Anyhow, it made it a little more awesome being surprised cause I didn't have to wait as long for the album to come out!

"SFG" isn't the Flatts' at their ABSOLUTE best, but they're still doing what they do really well: providing very slickly produced country-pop for the masses. Standouts include the title track, "No Reins", and the Jamie Foxx duet "She Goes All The Way". On my first couple listens I thought there were too many slow/mid-tempos on here, but the more I listened, the more I grew to like almost every single song (I still listen to "Bob That Head", unlike Brandie...)

In other 2007 country-ness I discovered Alison Krauss' "Maybe", The Wrecker's released a live CD/DVD, Kelly and Reba did an ok version of "Because of You", and aside from her pretty good "Nothin' Better To Do", Leann Rhimes did a duet with Marc Broussard on her "Family" album.

Top 15 in '07 Part IV - Concerts

I didn't see as many concerts this year as I have in years past, HOWEVER, the ones I did see were quite good and fun and they all shared a central theme - the woman.

That sounded weirder than I meant it, nonetheless, it's true. Back in March for our first Wedding Anniversary Brandie and I saw Christina Aguilera at the Honda Civic Center in Anaheim. Xtina's been one of my favorite voices for a while now, and I was stoked to finally see her live. The disappointing part is that she lip synched a couple songs, probably to save her voice cause she went all out on almost every number. We had a great time, and Bran got to hear her favorite, "Fighter", as the finale.



Then in May, we saw Brooke Fraser at Hotel Cafe in LA. It was a very intimate show and so very awesome cause Brooke's from New Zealand and NEVER comes to the States except to sing with Hillsong. I posted on this trip earlier in the year so check that out (plus more on Brooke in the coming posts...)

In August I had the random opportunity to see Beyonce when she was in Fresno. I also posted on this concert experience, but I will say again, that she put on a really really good show. Vocally she was just crazy. I know a lot of people hate her, but I was impressed.

Then.....

The opportunity of a lifetime....

December 7, Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA: The Spice Girls Reunion Tour

Yes I said it and I will gladly admit that Brandie, myself and our good friend Noelle saw the Spice Girls. I was a fan when they were huge, who wasn't? But Brandie and Noelle share a special bond with the Spice Girls. They watched their awful movie countless times together in Jr. High...need I say more?

The girls actually sang live the whole time (with backing tracks of course), and each girl had their solo time (which for Victoria Beckham consisted of putting on a cape and walking down the catwalk, haha). Of course we had a blast, and it was a great way to cap off our concert year.

Miss You Love You

Two years ago today my cousin and friend Laura Pope died in a car accident. Laura was such a happy person, and I give her all the credit for my Pop Music obsession, I know I'd be doing her proud. It's still hard to conceive that she's gone, but I'll always have the memories of all the great times we shared. Love you Laura, miss you every single day.


Laura and I at Coachella 2005

A quick detour.....

The Lost Season 4 trailer!! Jan 31st can't come fast enough

Top 15 in 07 Part III - Harry Potter

This was definitely the year of Harry. The seventh and final book of the Potter saga "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" came to a dramatic, exciting and sad end. Sad if only for the fact that it's over, and that a ton of people die (oops, spoiler alert).


The UK cover is way cooler than the US one

Also "The Order of the Phoenix" movie came out this summer and it's in battle for my favorite Potter film (it's on "Azkaban!").




Brandie and I joined the Pensiero's once again and the Popes (first timers!) for the movie. "Phoenix" might have to go down in history as one of the best book-to-movie adaptations because it did a really good job of keeping the spirit of the book while being very accessible for those who hadn't read; throw in some awesome action, teen angst, and of course an emotional finale and it's the perfect Potter experience.

Top 15 in 07 Part II - Feel Good Movies

This year I decided that I don't like seeing movies in the theaters that much anymore. However, there are always those movies that come out every year that you just HAVE to go see. The ones that stood out the most to me were:


Enchanted

Hairspray

Ratatouille

The latter possibly being my favorite movie of the year.


These three films made the theater-going experience worth it, because you just felt so good when they were over...heck, I almost wanted to GO BACK to see some of them! (In fact, Sean, Allie and I did go back to see Hairspray a second time, this time with Brandie).

I used to want to see all the studio dramas and cool indies that I read about in magazines, but they're out for such limited times, especially here in Fresno, and I don't have that much time unless I want to go by myself; it's just not worth it (plus my good friend Bittorrent is just a few clicks away :))

Hairspray and Ratatouille are now out on DVD, so if you haven't seen them yet, I strongly advise that you do, and Enchanted is the winter's must-see movie. These movies remind me of what it was like seeing movies as a kid: exciting, enthralling, and just fun! (Even my DAD'S bumping the Hairspray soundtrack these days!)

15 Most Entertaining Things in 2007 Part I - The Wii

*Top 15 are in no particular order*


This year marked a momentous occasion - I purchased my first video gaming system since Super Nintendo. The Nintendo Wii!





I was originally obsessed with getting a Wii because Super Smash Bros. Brawl was supposed to come out waaay back in March (right around when I got mine). HOWEVER, this game has been postponed to February of '08, almost a whole year later! Nonetheless, the Wii has provided me many many hours of enjoyment. Whether it was tennis with Brian, countless bowling matches at get-togethers with friends, Mario Party 8 with Sarah and Jeremiah, or more recently the awesome Guitar Hero III and DDR, the Wii deservedly is one of my most entertaining.

What's so great is that the Wii is the gift that keeps on giving - Brawl WILL come out eventually, as will countless other games that I'm sure I will enjoy far into the future. Also, you can purchase classic Nintendo games straight from the console itself and revisit your childhood.

So thank you Nintendo for reintroducing me, my wife, my family and friends to gaming, and if you haven't got your hands on one of these things yet, come on over, I challenge you to a match of tennis.

It's the most awesomest time...

Tonight Brandie and I busted out our Christmas decorations. It's our second Christmas as a married couple and we have some awesome decorations if I do say so myself. We haven't gotten our tree yet, much to my disappointment, but Brandie has a good point in that if we wait just a little bit more it will last longer and hopefully not give us as much grief in the clean-up department as our tree last year did (NOT good times...)

So here are some pics, just imagine Amy Grant Christmas music playing in the background and you'll get a feel for what this evening was like

(Keep an eye out for the 3rd Wiseman in the Nativity Scene. Guess Dollar Tree thought 2 Wisemen were enough)

2007's Most Entertaining

Today I received the newest Entertainment Weekly in the mail, which is a momentous occasion in and of itself, but this issue is the 25 entertainers of the year. Which inspired me to do something similar with my blog.

So coming soon are my "15 Most Entertaining Things of the Year" (25 was aiming a little too high)

By years end hopefully everything that has entertained me will be summed up while I look forward to an equally entertaining '08

I couldn't breave

Everyone knows I love me some pop music, well i got some more coming your way. It's a song from american idol winner Jordin Sparks (who never impressed me very much; no one really did last season) featuring Chris Brown. Like i said, I like me some pops, which chris brown usually doesn't do, he's more on the almost hip hop with featured rappers spectrum. HOWEVER i can't get this song out of my head, it's quite good. Very good actually.

Enyoy