Underground Bands and Indie Music Reviews

Perez Hilton, the infamous celebrity blogger, has struck out against Will.i.Am by publicly dissing him on Billboard.com.

As you guys know, Perez Hilton was invited to be a presenter at the the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto. Hilton claims that he was assaulted by Black-Eyed Peas member, Will.i.Am, while partying after the show. The alleged attack stemmed from Perez’s negative posts/opinions about the band and their latest single. Though reports and claims have been filed, nothing has been solidified.

So, to get back at Will.i.Am, Hilton made a video inviting the Black-eyed peas member to his Perez Hilton Presents tour which will be featuring artists like Ladyhawke, Semi Precious Weapons, Ida Maria, and more. He says, “I am inviting will.i.am to my tour,” Hilton tells Billboard. “Will, go to any of the shows on me, for free, and you can check out some artists that are better than you!”

Harsh much?

Personally, I think that Hilton is just a diva looking for some press. But love him or hate him, he knows how to stir up drama. Check out the video promoting his tour (and extending the invite). P.S. Excuse his language.

Check out tour dates to find a show nearest you.

Love Drunk album cover

Here’s what the critics have said about Boys Like Girls newest album, Love Drunk:

• “Its self-titled debut was pop-emo at its dimmest, but Love Drunk is, in places, a pleasant improvement, with the band’s brattier instincts tamped down. Produced by Brian Howes… it’s appealingly diverse.” – The New York Times
• “Boys Like Girls’ self-titled debut album was an unexpected success, eventually going gold. Devoid of any hit singles or a truly distinctive sound, the album seemed to catch on because it was a perfect distillation of the emo pop sound with no rough edges to scare people away.” – All Music Guide
• “If Love Drunk’s overall enthusiasm and high-energy pop doesn’t win over even the snarkiest of reviewers after a few listens, then they probably don’t have a heart. Everyone else will love it anyway. Pop-rock like this is popular for a reason.” – Alternative Press

I do agree that Love Drunk is better than their last self-titled album. They were able to mix up their sounds quite a bit, which is evident in “Real Thing” and “The Shot Heard Round The World.” These two songs have an 80′s pop- rock twist, coming close to imitating the style of the Ramones. One song, Two is Better Than One, feat. Taylor Swift, is a slow ballad that seems to cater to a more mainstream audience through a very formulaic melody.

BLG is known for being able to  capture their listeners with catchy bridges and sweet, glossy choruses that are easy to sing along with. And this album does just that. “Heart, Heart, Heartbreak,”  “She’s Got a Boyfriend Now,” and “Contagious” are fun, energetic and can make anyone start moving to the music. Simply put, these songs are pop-punk at their best. Though their album isn’t necessarily original, I applaud BLG for testing their own personal limits and expanding their  musical horizons. It’s definitely not what one would expect.

Case in point, I’m a fan. Tell me what you think.

Chris Merrit (known for pop-piano music) will be playing in Provo’s venue Velour on Friday, September 19, 2009.

From the biography on his website:

“Chris is a light-haired man.  He was born from a woman, like all other men before him.
Chris enjoys most foods, and doesn’t appreciate candles.  Merritt finds himself critical-minded and focused while watching animated cartoons, but confused or worried during many sporting events.
Others tend to like some of his pants and friends.
Sometimes Chris touches buttons that produce tones and yodels into a microphone carefully.  He suspiciously remains optimistic that this activity will amass him great wealth.
He has one dad and two cats.”

Check out his song, Turning Machine:

Here’s an idea of what you can expect: