Criticism and blame goes to the discovery that Jamie Lynn Spears, sister of Britney Spears, was pregnant at the age of 16. Sources who have settled on this explanation are not named, but in either case, the Simpson team was not able to receive the fanfare that they had wanted that wednesday.

It is believed that the third album of Ashlee Simpson will be the last one if they don’t sell well. Her second album, “I Am Me” only sold 844,000 copies, so the third album must be absolutely perfect.

For this tour they’ll be bringing in a second stage for an acoustic band to play along with their regular rock show, a change to certainly be welcomed for hardcore fans who’ll be able to enjoy the concert all the more.

I’ll be sure to keep you updated on future tour dates and locations of the Foo Fighters as they promote their latest album, “Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace”.

Do you need a presale password for tickets to the Foo Fighters? This link might help.

Eleven different vocalists were used in the making of Dawnseeker. They are as follows: Kirsty Kawkshaw, Caroline Lavelle, Harland, Kristy Thirsk, Jody Quine, Kyoko Baertsoen, Nicola Kitchcock, Roberta Carter Harrison, san.drine, Jerry Eckert, and Lauren Edman. Truly experts at their craft, each song is weaved with emotion, meaning, and an unforgettable soundscape to boot.

There are 13 tracks total, all of which will be given a brief review in regards to what I personally like about them. It’s up to the listener however in regards to what they like the best.

Eurydice is the first song, sung by Jody Quine, and what an opener it is! Following the ancient Greek myth of Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus. She’d died from poison, and Orpheus traveled all the way to the Underworld to find her, if only to lose her once again. It’s a memorable, if not saddening song if one recalls the myth that it’s about, and gives the listener a very good idea as to what the next songs will be like.

Desire of Ages, featuring Shelley Harland, is my absolute favorite out of the tracks. It’s absolutely beautiful from start to finish, with powerful vocals and strong sounds to accompany it. This is one of those unforgettable songs that I need to listen to at least once a day for the sake of enjoying it’s spectacular way of making everything so peaceful and awe-inspiring.

You Did a Good Thing is a sad piece that transcends the boundaries of what today’s songs could never manage. Each syllable is voiced with a voice promising to always be there, no matter how time changes everyone and everything. Somehow, though the singer (Nicola Hitchcock) repeats the phrase ‘You did a good thing’, throughout the song, it never once gets old.

Just Say It is the next track on the list, and though not one of my favorites out of the song, it’s also one of those pieces that truly carry a heavy emotional weight. Again, the singer brings about the sound of conflict, of the heartbreak that comes from a Lover who is unable to admit their love but who can’t let go just yet.

The Chauffeur is more modernized than the previous songs seem to be, involving what else but a Chauffeur and his lady. It’s a cover of the popular classic that was originally written by Duran Duran . The music video for the song explains it the best, but it’s a neat way to slowly but surely mold the ancient sounds from the beginning of the cd, to something more relatable but still ethereal.

Tenuous is next, and certainly containing that same beauty that Eurydice had. Both were sung by the ever-talented Jody Quine, who is one of the best singers when it comes to creating almost haunting soundscapes. Even with the sounds going on in the background, it’s the powerful vocals that bring this otherwise peaceful song justice.

Sublunar (Sweet Angel) is yet another track that I’d definitely recommend out of the thirteen here. It is a terribly sad piece that is so moving. From beginning to end, the disheartening tale of lost individual who tries to hide how she broken she really is can bring tears to a person’s eyes. It’s as tender as a lullaby, and one of the most emotional tracks within Dawnseeker.

Nightjar is another emotionally moving piece, the title coming from a bird that’s symbolically well known for it’s failure in life. If you haven’t noticed already, each piece within the album features a different singer (albeit Jody Quine, who has three songs), mixed with atmospheric sounds and melodies to further intensify the overall mood. This one was quite the sad one- but definitely worthy of a listen.

These tracks, though terribly beautiful, have a tendency to be rather sad. Fire from Heaven is no different, though instead of love, like the majority of the songs have been written about, this one speaks of the world we live in. How could we be so forsaken indeed.

The Metro is the very first song that actually got me into listening to the rest of the songs and then buying the cd soon after. It’s definitely got more of a ‘pop’ sound than the rest of them do, with just enough dose of technologic to make it perfect. I won’t be surprised if they make a dance remix of this song, as it definitely carries a lighter note then the rest, while all the while retaining the glory that the previous songs have had.

Kiss to Savor is the final song sung by Jody Quine, and certainly one of the best. Out of the three, this one takes the cake for being my favorite. Jody Quine has come to be one of my favorite singers after listening to this song, that is full of the notion of loving someone, and just how special they are.

Afterthoughts is the second to last song within Dawnseeker, and certainly on a more positive note. One can notice now how the cd had seemed to go from utterly dismal, to something more dreamy, more hopeful, than the others.

Finally, there’s Entre Ciel Et Mer, the finale, sung in french. The English translation titles it as ‘Between Sky and Sea’, and proves to be as powerful as the opening song had been, entailing the search for someone lost. It’s a fantastic way to end the cd, leaving me happy and content at my taste in Albums.

Sleepthief is a project that will hopefully continue making such compelling songs in the years to come. It’s been years since I’ve been so satisfied with a single album, unable to find anything wrong with it except that there should be even more songs for the hungry listener. As it stands, I can only avidly await the next cd to come out, knowing for sure that it’s worth buying. Dawnseeker is the beginning, and the perfect example of music at it’s finest.

Related Links:

http://www.sleepthiefmusic.com/

http://www.musicaldiscoveries.com/reviews/sleepthief.htm

He explains that Spears needs nurturing more than the harassment of being prey to the cameras that watch her every movement.

Unfortunately, it’s true that Spears has become something of a childhood dream gone askew. Gaining popularity and being considered at a young age as a singing sensation- that was the height of Britney’s life. Now, it seems as if the media that had so loved watching this child star grow up, has done nothing but bash and pry at the life of a celebrity that has fallen on hard times.

I blame the media for Brittany’s current actions more than anything. Ever since becoming a mother, she’s been watched and scrutinized for every move she’s made. Sure, she’s not the best mother around, but no one is perfect, and that includes celebrities. It was a big deal because a celebrity did something that the public didn’t agree with.

To add to that stress, a divorce was soon to follow, as well as drug rehabilitation problems and parent counseling. This girl has gone through most of the things that a good portion of people have also gone through, but it’s much more important when it’s about Spears. I’d go off the deep end too if I had cameras in my face day in and day out, and I most certainly wouldn’t mind smacking a reporter around with an umbrella if I could get away with it too! Even now, while Spears tries to continue her performing, she is judged on how her body looks, how she sings, and how she performs. Brittany just can’t get away from the cameras, and that’s a sad, sad thing.

But I do agree with Nigel Lythgoe, only in that Spears needs help, and more importantly, she needs to get away from the public eye for a while. It’d help her greatly.

(All information here can be found courtesy of http://www.vh1.com)

• 1926- R&B singer Big Mama Thornton is born in Montgomery, Alabama. She was the original creator of “Hound Dog”, which Elvis Presley had covered in a Rock n’ Roll version only three years later.
• 1940- Songwriter David Gates is born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He’s best known for being the lead singer in Bread, a band that consisted of Robb Royer, Jimmy Griffin, and later included Mike Botts and Larry Knetchtel.
• 1946- Tony Brown is born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He’s played bass for several stars, the best known being John Martyn and Bob Dylan.
• 1957- Jerry Lewis marries his 13 year old second cousin, Myra Brown while still legally married to his other wife. This event caused quite the uproar, especially for those concerned about Myra’s age and blood relationship to Jerry.
• 1960- Aretha Franklin, nicknamed “The Queen of Soul” or “Sister Ree”, performs live for the very first time at New York’s Village Vanguard.
• 1964- Justin Currie, the founding member of the band Del Amitri is born in Glasgow, Scotland.

You can grab the rest of the December 11th list at http://www.vh1.com/news/rock_clock/12_11/index.jhtml, so be sure to check it out!

Here’s a quick reminder of Avril Lavigne’s final concerts for the year! You won’t see this gal on tour again till March of 08, so if you haven’t already gotten tickets to these shows, you’ll just have to wait!

12/10/07 - The Arena at Gwinnett Center - Dulith, GA
12/13/07 - Paul E. Tsongas Arena - Lowell, MA
12/14/07 - Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
12/15/07 - Sovereign Bank Arena - Trenton, NJ

I am not a big Metal fan as you’ll come to find out. My taste tends to go towards mellow and soothing melodies. However, over the years I’ve come to love a certain type of Metal genre that tends to keep itself separate and unique from bands like Alice in Chains and Nirvana. This specific style is known as Power Metal, a genre that has grown very popular in European countries but is slowly but surely being heard more often in the States.

The themes of Power Metal are what originally drew me to them. The songs of these bands ring of hope and friendship, emotional conflicts, and mythological creatures and legends. It depends solely on the bands you listen to, but it’s rare to find any anti-religious themes in Power Metal. The band that drew me to investigate Power Metal is called Sonata Arctica, who sings of personal struggle and mythology. Their songs “Full Moon” and “Ain’t Your Fairytale” both depict the stories of Werewolves, a rather unique subject to explore. Being a wolf lover, I just couldn’t resist! There are several more bands besides Sonata Arctica also, each unique in their own themes, so it’s worth exploring the different types.

The sound of Power Metal also leaves the genre much lighter-sounding than that of the ever-popular Death Metal, which is often considered to be its counterpart. It’s much faster, excelling at speedy guitar riffs and clean vocals, which is a big relief to me. Growling vocals have always been a pet peeve of mine. The lead singers are normally tenors, able to reach extremely high notes without fear of their voice breaking.

Those who play Guitar Hero 3 will find that one of the hardest songs within the game is “Through the Fire and Flames” by Dragonforce, a prime example of the Power Metal Genre. It’s through games like Guitar Hero that people in America are starting to hear more and more Power Metal Bands.

With that said, this article can end on a positive note. Here’s a video of just a few of the popular Power Metal bands that are currently out, with some music samples so you can search for them anytime you like!

Feist was a name that the greater portion of the United States had not even heard of until a simple marketing campaign greatly boosted the popularity of this Indi Artist. No, it was after the hit song “1234″ featured on the iPod nano commercial that a majority of Americans were finally able to listen to the sensation that had been more popular in both Canada and Europe since the 2001.

Now, skyrocketing in popularity, one might wonder what differentiates Feist from most of today’s music. The answer is rather simple. This lady knows that successful songs mean having three key points: Great sound, memorable lyrics, and the voice of a Siren.

Feist incorporates many genres of music into her songs, but she’s best known for delving into alternative and folk music, and merging both types together to make catchy, original music. The most popular single so far is “1234″, which is #8 on the US Hot 100 and #34 on the US Modern Rock Chart. Personally, I like “My Moon My Man” better, but both songs prove one thing: This gal has talent and deserves the popularity she’s deserved.

For more information about Feist, you can check her website at http://www.listentofeist.com/, and can also check out her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/feist.

The singer already has one child, six-year-old Rene Charles with husband Rene Angelil, but is keen to add to her family.

Dion insists any baby-making plans will have to wait until the end of her Taking Chances tour, which will see the singer perform over 100 dates in 85 cities.

She says: “If I had a child now I’d never want to go back on the road again.” Dion’s tour begins on February 14 and finishes in January 2009.