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CD Review: THE BODYGUARD soundtrack (3,500 edition)

By DANIEL SCHWEIGER 12/16/2012

THE BODYGUARD soundtrack | ©2012 La La Land Records

It’s a great thing to be a composer on a diva-driven film whose soundtrack will go through every precious metal LP there is to hang on a best-selling wall. Not so much for score fans hoping to hear the underscore amidst the pop hits, but for the musician who has one or two contractually mandated cuts that will give him a taste of the platinum pie. Now twenty years after the release of THE BODYGUARD, and several months after the sad death of its superstar Whitney Houston, those who are equally enamored of Alan Silvestri have finally gotten their complete […]Read On »

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THE X FACTOR Season 1 Recap: Nothing to Crow about as Rachel Crow gets her heart ripped out by Nicole Scherzinger

By CARL CORTEZ 12/09/2011

Rachel Crow (pictured here with host Steve Jones) is eliminated from THE X FACTOR - Season 1 - Top 5 week | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

Network: Fox Original Telecast: November 30, 2011 Here’s the problem with having 13, 14, or 15 year olds competing on reality programs – they’re not mature enough and emotionally not ready to take on the big hurdles these kind of shows present. And THE X FACTOR has proven all season, its youngest contestants may be talented, but to be thrust into the dog eat dog world of the entertainment industry is a dangerous, slippery slope. First, we had the arrogance of Astro refusing to perform when he was in the bottom one week. Last week, the judges unfairly ousted Drew […]Read On »

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TV Review: THE X FACTOR – Season 1 – “The Top 5 Perform” Recap

By CARL CORTEZ 12/08/2011

Chris Rene in THE X FACTOR - Season 1 - "The Top 5 Perform" | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

Network: Fox Original Telecast: December 7, 2011 THE X FACTOR is down to the Final Five, and I’m so bored with the remaining contestants, going into the latest episode, I was prepared to be bored to tears. After Drew got the boot last week (my fave singer), the five remaining have a lot to prove. Usually I list the judges comments, but it doesn’t matter what they really say tonight. Last week they proved they’re in it for themselves – not for voting for who is most deserving. Yet, even more so, what is necessary now, is to determine and […]Read On »

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THE X FACTOR Season 1 Recap: Astro beats it, and sadly, Drew does too

By CARL CORTEZ 12/02/2011

Drew (next to her mentor Simon Cowell) is eliminated on THE X FACTOR - Season 1 - "The Top 7 elimination" | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

Network: Fox Original Telecast: November 30, 2011 THE X FACTOR did its second week of double eliminations during “The Top 7 Perform – Michael Jackson Tribute Week,” with one person who you expected to be booted off and another who was a complete surprise. The four people that made it through easily – Chris Rene, Melanie Amaro, Josh Krajcik, Rachel Crow. Then, came the automatic booting off of Astro. It was finally his time and surprisingly he was grateful, even as he was ushered off the stage (a complete about face from his attitude two weeks ago). This left Marcus […]Read On »

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TV Review: THE X FACTOR – Season 1 – “The Top 7 Perform” Recap of Michael Jackson week

By CARL CORTEZ 12/01/2011

Drew in THE X FACTOR - Season 1 - "The Top 7 Perform" | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

Network: Fox Original Telecast: November 30, 2011 I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. PLEASE put a moratorium on “Beatles” week and “Michael Jackson” week on these competition shows. It’s overdone. Yes, there’s a Michael Jackson Vegas Cirque du Soleil thing going on in Vegas right now, but do we really need to need more butchering of Jackson’s music? Thankfully, there weren’t a lot of obvious songs in the mix on this week’s THE X FACTOR which is now whittled down to The Top 7, but where was the singing? Once again Astro raps (yes, I get that’s all […]Read On »

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TV Review: THE X FACTOR – Season 1 – “The Top 9 Perform” Recap

By CARL CORTEZ 11/23/2011

Melanie Amaro performs on THE X FACTOR - Season 1 - "The Top 9 Perform" | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

Judges: Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Antonio Reid, Nicole Scherzinger Network: Fox Original Telecast: November 22, 2011 THE X FACTOR was all about giving thanks this week, with the contestants picking songs that mean something to them and inspired them the most. Of course there was the good, the bad and the emotional – and picking on singers now feels like I’m taking cheap shots with it being an inspirational week, but with two people going home this week, there isn’t time for people to skate by. Every note, every song choice, every statement uttered is going to determine he should […]Read On »

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THE X FACTOR Season 1 Recap: The Stereo Hogzz are turned off during latest elimination

By CARL CORTEZ 11/11/2011

The Stereo Hogzz are eliminated on THE X FACTOR - Season 1 - "The Top 11 Perform" | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

The Top 11 went down to 10 last night on THE X FACTOR which saw the second “group” eliminated from the talent competition. Last week, Intensity went home, and this week two groups landed in the bottom two – The Stereo Hogzz and Lakoda Rayne. This brings up the issue of whether or not audiences HATE groups in these kind of competition or if they’re severely punishing Paula Abdul who is managing the groups. Ironically enough, both The Stereo Hogzz and Lakoda Rayne are by far better than some of the solo performers on the show. And both could be […]Read On »

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TV Review: THE X FACTOR – Season 1 – “The Final 11 Perform”

By PETER BROWN 11/10/2011

Rachel Crow performs on THE X FACTOR - Season 1 - "The Top 11 Perform" | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

Cast: Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, Antonio Reid, Nicole Scherzinger Network: Fox, airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays Original Telecast: Nov. 9, 2011 It was movie night on the world’s second, third, fourth, fifth greatest karaoke competition, THE X FACTOR and with one group already gone from the show, will the others rebound or will Paula Abdul only have one contestant left after this week? So they are going with a theme night, eh? Hmm seems familiar. Oh yeah, AMERICAN IDOL has done it for a decade. If they really want to separate itself from the other Fox singing competition I think […]Read On »

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