All My Life in the Ghetto - Jay Rock

3 stars out of 5

I was really vacillating on my opinion of this song. Some parts, I’d listen to it and think, “This is just some wanna-be rapper.” But other times I’d start loving the beat and the rhythm. So it was two-fold.

The rapper Jay Rock caught fire through underground mixtapes. The song “All My Life in the Ghetto” is a biographical tale of Jay Rock’s childhood. One of the aspects of the song that iTunes points out is that “Lil Wayne drops a sick, 16-bar cosign.”

Okay, I don’t know who writes the iTunes reviews, but I doubt it’s a teenager who loves rap. There’s something about saying the word “sick,” which is so colloquial and such a slang word, and incorporating that into the official iTunes review, that just annoys me. As much as they can try to be ghetto, they're just not. Period.

The song starts off sounding like a bunch of machines that are not working the right way and are creating weird tech-y noises. So I started off with a bad impression. And then Jay Rock started singing. Let’s not even go there. But when the drummer finally decided to provide a good beat, I started thinking, “Hey, this is not so bad!” Anyhow, I liked the idea that the song actually had meaning. They weren’t just rapping about “stuff” in general; even though theme is still “ghetto,” I can tell it resonates with the artist. If there was a stronger beat throughout the entire song, not just in certain portions, I’d like it a lot more. The song features Lil Wayne as well as Will.i.am.
To watch the video, go to: http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=all%20my%20life%20in%20the%20ghetto%20jay%20rock&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv

One Day - Juan MacLean

1 star out of 5

This song is so weird. Normally, I’d be fine with new-ish music. But obviously not this one. ITunes said, “This week we’re entangled in the Juan MacLean’s love triangle.” This better be a joke, because I honestly don’t see how this could ever happen.

There is a monotonic electronic bass line and occasional drum fills. It is not the “dance-y house beat” that iTunes describes this as. The music video is unusual, too. It seems kind of futuristic, which seems to fit, because the new album “The Future Will Come” is being released soon. It is very electronic, with the distinctive guitars, along with other instruments. Even if you’re really electronic, I still doubt that you would like this song.
If you don’t believe me, watch the music video: http://www.prefixmag.com/media/the-juan-maclean/one-day-video/27154/

Intro to the Barre – Learn to Play 2000’s Rock

5 stars out of 5

Ever since I first hear the sound of the guitar, I’ve always wished that I could be the one producing the melodious music. (Evidently, that never happened.) For those of you who are having the same plight as I am having, you will love this video. This video is actually free…and it’s 16 minutes and 54 seconds (yeah, I know). So get it.

The video is extremely informative and takes you step by step in order to help you understand the “barre” concept. In order to reach this goal, it explores more advanced left and right hand techniques, but at a basic enough level that you can follow along.

This collection of iVideosongs demonstrates and explains how to play an assortment of songs throughout the genres. Included are “Hanging By a Moment” by Lifehouse, “Suddenly I See” by KT Tunstall, and “Twenty-Four” by Switchfoot. Every note, chord, and technique is thoroughly explained. By describing the finger, the fret, and the string to pluck for each chord, the student can be sure to get a full understanding of how to play the song.

Download it for free from iTunes!

Understanding the Dollhouse – Dollhouse Extras

4 stars out of 5

This would be the kind of thing that you would watch if you are looking for more information about the specifics of the show, rather than a preview like they normally feature. This video is only 3:02, yet it is free, and it is definitely worth it.

“Dollhouse,” the hit TV series, shows each Friday at 9 p.m. on Fox. The Dollhouse Extras take “inside looks” at the making, uncovering more drama, mystery, and intriguing. In this extra, Dollhouse creator Joss Whedon joins an ensemble cast including Eliza Dushku, Olivia Williams, Dichen Lachman, and Fran Kranz for an inside look at the hit TV series.

The cast members describe their relations with the director and their preparation process in order to play the character. They go over everything from what drew them to the script to exactly how doll-y the dollhouse was supposed to be.

The main idea of the science fiction TV series begins with a group of people known as “Dolls.” The Dolls have had their personalities brainwashed, so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas. However, this persona is an amalgam of different, existing personalities. They live in a futuristic dormitory/laboratory, a hidden facility nicknamed “The Dollhouse,” where they plan out how to attack the particular assignments they have been given, whether they are crimes, fantasies, or good deeds. The actors go over how they portrayed such versatile characters, and go into details about the making of the show.

MLB.com Fantasy 411 Season Preview 2009

4 stars out of 5

I’m not surprised that iTunes only gives out the previews for free, rather than the actual video that people would want to see. I understand that it’s a money-maker, but somehow it’s not as satisfying as I would like. But like all other previous previews, it definitely did it’s job.

Obviously (although this took me a while to figure out), MLB stands for Major League Baseball. (Of all the sports out there, baseball is the only sport that I don’t like watching.) The video says that you will “get the 411 on the steals and deals you should look for when drafting your 2009 fantasy baseball team from the MLB.com experts.” And that’s exactly what it does. The only problem is that it’s not very intriguing, yet at the same time it features the highlights of the season.

This preview takes an in-depth look at the players and teams from two perspectives. The preview follows the league, both division-by-division and team-by-team. The Fantasy 411 crew gives you what they call “expert insights” on who to draft and who to ditch for your fantasy baseball team.

Enjoy in the national pastime of baseball! The 30 minute and 8 second video is free on iTunes.

Nora Roberts Collection Preview

5 stars out of 5

“Nora Roberts Lifetime Movies” stars at 9 PM each week beginning Saturday, March 21. The 2009 collection has four new movies: Nora Roberts’ High Noon, Nora Roberts’ Midnight Bayou, Nora Roberts’ Northern Lights, and Nora Roberts’ Tribute. The interview with Nora Roberts is free on iTunes as well.

Since this is only a preview, it definitely highlighted the highest points in the show, which is filled with romance, mystery, and passion. High Noon tells the story of a hostage negotiator who is stalked. Midnight Bayou features a lawyer who is entangled in a mystery after moves in a New Orleans mansion, possibly harming the lives of those he loves. Northern Lights is the tale of a former police officer who is faced with a dilemma when his new girlfriend’s father is found dead. Tribute is the story of a former child star who begins to grow deep affection for her handsome neighbor, yet she is haunted by dreams of her long-lost grandmother. The preview made the collection intriguing, yet subtle, giving away just enough of the plot to interest the audience.

One new movie is available each week on iTunes.

Inside Breaking Bad

3 stars out of 5

“Breaking Bad” is an American television drama series that is broadcast in the United States and Canada on the cable network AMC. It is currently in its second season, and the “Inside Look into Breaking Bad: Season 2” is given out for free on iTunes.

“Breaking Bad” follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), a struggling high school chemistry teacher with a pregnant wife (Anna Gunn) and a handicapped teenage son (RJ Mitte). When White is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, he succumbs to a life of crime and sets up a meth lab. “Breaking Bad” has won two Emmy Awards.

For CSI fans, you will definitely like this. The plot is easy to follow, and it contains just as much suspense as any other film would. The inside look does its job in that it teases the upcoming season, yet it does not provide much information to comment on, as it is merely the inside look. Check it out and see if you want to follow the season! (Personally, meth labs aren’t my thing, but if they’re yours, enjoy!)