Motion City Soundtrack's Fourth Album 'My Dinosaur Life'.

I admit, I've always been a fan of Motion City Soundtrack. Their quirky sound and attractive methods have had me listening for years now. My Dinosaur Life is their 4th album, and first album on a big label (Epitaph Records, you know, the punk label that houses Alkaline Trio). So. Moving on to the review:

TOTAL RATING: 8/10.

My highest rating yet! The lead singer writes all his own music which helps to add points.

Songs To Notice

Track 1: Worker Bee - From the very first track, Justin Pierre hooks you almost immediately. If you are any fan of the band whatsoever you'll recognize the sound and turn up the volume. Fun with the guitar solo in the last thirty seconds as well.

Track 2: A Lifeless Ordinary (Need a Little Help) - Not many times I go from 1 to 2 without skipping, but the track follows up the last one decently well. It has Rivers Cuomo sound feel to the beat if you can get the reference.

Track 3: Her Words Destroyed My Planet - This is the single released first by the album. This is an early review so this is the only single known to date yet. You'll notice his voice is a little down to normal on this track and there are a few he does this one.
 
Track 6: History Lesson - This one is a quick song with an acoustic start to it (Starting with, "What are you asking me for, it's not my goddamn history.") Then quickly breaks into song from there, but has a good background to it if you listen and made my favorite list.

Track 7: Stand Too Close - Probably my favorite song on the album. It's a slower one with another little acoustic feel to it. They give their thoughts on love in a fast 3 minute run with thoughts such as "But then the magic fades into an awful hue of dismal views and a pessimistic attitude."

Songs That Suck

Track  9: @!#?@! - Yeah you read that right. It's just a bunch of symbols. It's supposed to represent the built-up punk kid 'teen angst' inside. And it's really my only complaint on the album. It was too 'Good Charlotte' for me, and I didn't like the feel.

Other Songs
Disappear, Delirium, Pulp Fiction, Hysteria, Skin and Bones, and The Weakends. (This one gets an honorable mention, it was a good closing song as the last on the album.)

Chris Brown's 3rd Album 'Graffiti'.

Chris Brown. You either love him or you hate him. Or you are getting punched by him. One of the three. On December 7th, 2009, he released Graffiti. Now I'll tell you which ones to download, so you don't give this guy any alimony funds. (Obviously they weren't married, so this is just a private joke for myself. I laughed.)


TOTAL RATING:3/10.

Yeah I said. 3 out of 10. It's pretty bad. But I'll highlight what I can for you to let you hear the good ones.

Songs To Notice

Track 1: I Can Transform Ya (Feat. Lil' Wayne) - I'm going to start by mentioning the singles. This doesn't mean I like them, it just means you need to notice them. This song features Lil' Wayne, and that's about all it has going for it. Produced by Swizz Beatz, he's done a lot better. (Lyrics like "Ciroc and lime, give it a lil' time, and she can transform ya like Optimus Prime" make me sick.)

Track 3: Crawl - Now don't get me wrong. I do like this song. It's a slow beat but the hook has a certain good feeling to it. But it's still a pathetic excuse for a single. (Another sing by Chris released after Transform Ya) Autotune level = 8/10.

Track 8: I.Y.A - FINALLY. A genuine song on this album that I like. It has that certain electronica beat to it that just makes me smile. And yet, they never pick the good ones for singles. Figures. (Although the Autotune level is high on this one. 9/10!)

Track 9: Pass Out - The newest single going to be released soon for the album. This song is the only other song on the album that I'll listen to. (I enjoyed the 'Call On Me' background hook.) The last one I'll mention in songs to notice. Time for the bad ones.

Songs That Suck

Track 5: What I Do (Feat. Plies) - If it wasn't for Plies horrible voice, I'd probably let this one slide. But it's just bad. Some of the lyrics are music to my ears, as long as my ears have been sliced off and left for dead in an old cheesy horror flick. It's your typical rap song about having plenty of chicks and nothing to do. (Lyric sample: "There's a 9 on me, that's no iPod, you want my watch homie, give me five bricks for it" by Plies, which doesn't even try to rhyme.)

Track 6: Famous Girl - Not only is this song annoying, but it's just trying to capitalize on Rihanna and his 'I'm sad after all my breakups in this world' attitude. No thanks.

Track 12: Fallin' Down - With the hook just repeating 'down' over and over again, how can I not just fall in love with this one? Well somehow I didn't, and it's another song you should leave to die.

Track 14: Girlfriend (Feat. Lupe Fiasco) - WORST SONG ON THE ALBUM. Don't say you haven't been warned. It's an upbeat song about 'not wantin' ya girlfriend, cause she's like lalalalala', whatever the hell that means. It's just a filler song and absolutely horrible.

Just Songs
Sing Like Me, So Cold, Take My Time (Feat. Tank), Wait, Lucky Me, and I'll Go.

Timbaland's Third Solo Release 'Shock Value II'.

I gotta admit, I was very skeptical from him announcing his so-called 'retirement'. But with all I've listened to, I tried it out.

TOTAL RATING: 5/10.


The beauty of Timbaland is you don't actually have to hear him much. His featured artists do the work for him. Sadly the featured artists on this collaboration leave much to be desired.

Songs To Notice

Track 2: Carry Out (Feat. Justin Timberlake) - This song was one of the released singles of the CD. It's decent. Some lyrics are silly but what rap isn't it? ('Cause it's me, you, you, me, me, you, all night. Have it your way, foreplay, before I feed your appetite' to just name one). The Timberlake vocals are good so I rate this song higher than most.

Track 3: Lose Control (Feat. JoJo) - This is the best song on the CD. Hands down. It's not even featured as a single release, yet the background music/beat and the vocals of JoJo are actually so catchy you'll find yourself listening to it over and over. I'm just amazed it wasn't a single. I rate this the reason the CD even got 5. (It sounds like Paul Wall at the end but it's just Timbaland without autotune.)

Track 5: Say Something (Feat. Drake) - Let's face it. Drake's hot right now. So obviously this song was a single from the CD. And obviously I think it's pretty good. My second favorite on the album. Autotune level = 7/10.

Track 7: We Belong To Music (Feat. Miley Cyrus) - I just have to mention this one. The fact that Miley Cyrus can do every single style of music and make it sound catchy is crazy. Don't get me wrong. This song is VERY silly. But at the same time, I can't deny how it has me tapping my feet.

Track 8: Morning After Dark (Feat. Nelly Furtado) - Mentioning the singles of the album, this is yet another one. It's not bad. It's not good. It's just meh. The hook is the only part of it I found myself liking.

Track 9: If We Ever Meet Again (Feat. Katy Perry) - The last single from the album. Only mentioning this because it's a single. I like Katy Perry, I love her breasts, and I love her body. But I'm not a fan of this song. That's just the truth.

Songs That Suck
Track 6: Tomorrow In The Bottle (Feat. Chad Kroeger) - Uh. Nickelback = Horrible. The sooner you realize that the better. This song is completely pathetic.

Track 14: Long Way Down (Feat. Daughtry) - Oh my God. I didn't buy this album for you to collaborate with shitty rockers. And it doesn't even sound good.

Track 11: Ease Off The Liquor (FEAT. NO ONE?!) - It's just Timbaland. With his hands on Autotune. It's a horrible none-combination of him and no one. So I just ended up turning this song. I'm sorry Tim, you gotta get a featured artist.
Autotune level = 9/10.

Other Songs
Meet In The Middle (Feat. Brandy), Can You Feel It (Feat. Esthero), Undertow (Feat. The Fray), The One I Love (Feat. Keri Hilson), Symphony (Feat. Attitude), and Timothy Where Have You Been (Feat. Jet).