Snippets

Single Review: “Selfish” (2024) vs. “Selfish” (2011)

Posted on January 28 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

You may have heard the pop music buzz this week about a rivalry that seems to have come straight out of 2002; Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake are battling it out.

No, not on the dance floor (I don’t know if that post-breakup dance floor battle ever really happened, but it was a fun rumour after they split), but on the iTunes chart.

The whole thing started when Timberlake released his first solo single in six years, “Selfish.” Spears fans decided to stream her 2011 song, “Selfish”, and the end result was Spears’ 13-year-old song beating Timberlake’s on the iTunes charts.

But which is the better song?

Album Review: Jamie Cullum, “The Song Society Playlist” (2018)

Posted on January 18 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

I’m not a big fan of cover albums. In fact, I sort of loathe when an artist relies on simply doing a note-for-note rendition of what was usually a superior original version; just, what is the point?

However, when Jamie Cullum released his compilation The Song Society Playlist in 2018, I was interested to see what he had to offer. Cullum has been doing covers of jazz standards and modern songs since the start of his career, and even better, he always tends to put a fresh twist on the original. I can actually credit his excellent cover of “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” to leading me to my long love affair of Jeff Buckley’s music.

Cullum’s “Song Society” started as something he was doing on Facebook Live – covers of top 10 hits with his pop/jazz-inspired spin. In December 2018, he recorded the best tracks for digital release.

Album Review: Lily Allen, “Sheezus” (2014)

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

When she first came out, I was a huge fan of Lily Allen. I thought her brand of Brit pop/punk music was clever and refreshing, and I devoured her debut album. In fact, I remember my best friend and I listening to “Alright, Still” the whole time during an 8-hour road trip from Reno to Los Angeles- that’s how much I liked it. I thought her second album was just as good, though I probably didn’t listen to it as much. Still, I enjoyed it quite a bit, and definitely considered myself a big Lily Allen fan. Then, she just sort of faded away.

Album Review: “The Music of Nashville: Season 1, Volume 1 (2012)”

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

I have Netflix to thank for getting me into Nashville. Initially, I didn’t really think it’d be my kind of show. I’m not a huge fan of country music in general, though I’m tolerant of a few songs and artists. Still, the concept of the show was a tiny bit intriguing, and I’m a fan of both Hayden Panettiere and Connie Britton. Let’s just say that it’s been a few weeks since I started the first episode, and I’ve been obsessively catching up with all the seasons since then.

Album Review: Taylor Swift, “1989” (2014)

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

It’s hard for me to say this, but: I am now a Taylor Swift fan. A reluctant fan, but still a fan, nonetheless. What else can I call myself when I downloaded her latest album the same day it was released? What else am if I actually enjoyed said album and listened to it on repeat for weeks after its debut?

Concert Review: Sufjan Stevens, Sydney Opera House (May 23rd, 2015)

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

Seeing Sufjan Stevens in concert has been a dream of mine for a long, long time.

I’ve been a fan of his music for nearly a decade, and though I’ve loved all his albums and watched countless live performances on YouTube, I’ve never had the opportunity to see him perform live. He doesn’t tour incredibly often, and whenever he did, it was always in places too far from home. However, when it was announced that he was performing live at Sydney Opera House this May (for the annual Vivid Festival), I ~~lost my shit, signed up for pre-sale and bought the most expensive/closest tickets to the stage I could find~~ calmly went to my computer and purchased a ticket.

Album Review: Beyoncé, “Beyoncé” (2013)

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to review Beyoncé’s eponymous album. Like millions of people, I downloaded the disc as soon as I found out it had been dropped in the middle of the night in December 2013. I listened to it pretty heavily through the end of 2013/beginning of 2014, and still listen to it on occasion. In fact, I’d say it’s my favourite Beyoncé album – not that there are many, but I digress. At any rate, for some reason I’ve forgotten to review the album, but hey, I’m here now.

Album Review: Ásgeir, “In The Silence” (2014)

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

I came across Ásgeir’s music by chance; I was scrolling through Twitter, when I happened upon the page of singer, Vanessa Carlton, who was recommending his music by comparing him to a mix between “Phil Collins and Bon Iver.” The description intrigued me, since I’m a fan of both of those artists, and soon I found myself falling in love with Ásgeir’s Spotify page.

TV Review: How I Met Your Mother: “Last Forever”

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

I started watching How I Met Your Mother because I had to get my tonsils out. That sounds strange, but it’s true; I had a tonsillectomy in 2010 and needed a show to watch during my recovery time. Friends had been going on about HIMYM for a while, so I decided to finally check it out. I binge-watched the first season within a day, and from then I was hooked.

***MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD***

Album Review: Ed Sheeran, “X” (2014)

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Brittany Brown-Doherty

I’m a big fan of English singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran’s debut album, “+.” When it came out in 2011, I listened to it repeatedly and it became a soundtrack to my life at the time. In fact, I can scarcely hear those songs without thinking about my life then; many fond memories are attached to that album, and it always makes me feel nostalgic.