StyleWhipped

Jennifer Corcione: It All Comes Down To An Album

When I think of Album of the Year, I picture it being the biggest honor any musician can have bestowed upon them. (I mean, besides the Lifetime Achievement Award…which I will get into with my regular column later this month!) It means that everything about the artist and their musical masterpiece was perfect. From the songs, to the production team, even down to the delivery of the album to the public. It’s probably one of my all-time favorite categories to watch, especially since I really love a strong album over a hit single any day; and the nominees are certainly winners!

Foo Fighters brought rock back into the forefront with Wasting Light; their first single “Walk” makes me reminisce about how I felt when the band first emerged on the scene. They have come so far in their career and still manage to keep making rock a staple in our music collections.

Rihanna surprisingly has come into her own this year with Loud. Before her separation from Chris Brown, I had no interest in her music or who she was. But after growing and evolving from her relationship through her songs, particularly with Loud, I can’t help but want to want to hug her in ”Love the Way You Lie” or assert a darker, more decadent side with her in “S&M.”

Lady Gaga is always in a category of her own, especially with Born This Way. Gaga’s music always pushes the envelope and encourages us to be who we are and accept it. Granted, I can’t always get into her music the way many others have, but the message from her title track makes for a great campaign to stop the bullying and have some self-acceptance.

Adele has been on fire with several Grammy nominations (as you have read in previous columns!) Her sophomore album 21 really embodies the spirit of a woman who struggles and pushes through her life with dignity and just a little humility. Instead of making love all about flowers and rainbows, her broken heart bleeds into her lyrics.

Finally, we have Bruno Mars, who shines through with Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Just about every single that has been released from this album has been magical. Mars knows how to keep the balance between the smooth R&B, yet reinvent the modern-day crooner. 

So who wins? Who takes home the coveted award? While Arcade Fire may have secured that win last year, I don’t think it will go in the same direction this year.

Jenn’s Pick: Adele. This has really been her year. She’s been through so much with her music and her health that she has earned it all. 

Who will most likely win: Lady Gaga. She’s been pushing the envelope with her music, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see her win this for her avant-garde style.

The Wild-card: Foo Fighters. While they’re not my favorite rock band (or one I’d go to as a staple in my collection), their 2011 release deserves recognition. They have had a previous Grammy nod with their 2007 album Echoes, Silence Patience & Grace; but this year it’s their time to shine and bring rock back into the fold.

***Tune into CBS on Sunday, February 12th night at 8/7c for the 54^th Annual Grammy Awards!*** 

~Jenn

 

Jennifer Corcione: All About A Song...

Song of the Year and Record of the Year appear to look like the same category, yet they’re not. While the “Song” award is given to those who wrote the single that catapulted the artist into the spotlight, the “Record” is given to those who produced the song (i.e., the producer & sound engineers). But since both focus on the singles, I thought it would be fun to talk about them together!

Song of the Year is always a tough choice for me…well, tougher this year for sure. I normally can locate my favorite by the number of times that particular track has played on my iTunes. But this year, it’s difficult to pick a clear winner; each and every artist nominated has brought their A-game to the table in 2011. Choosing a winner almost feels like which of your children do you love the most.

For Adele, her big hit “Rolling in the Deep” has topped just about every chart and played every time I turned on the radio. She’s broken all stereotypes with her style, attitude, and image; the role of strong female performer became her theme in 2011.

Then again, you also have Mumford & Sons competing against her with their biggest hit, “The Cave.” Coming from across the pond, these boys are bringing back a folk/bluegrass-style of music to the mix; something we haven’t heard in a long time amidst the haze of hip-hop & club music anthems. Bon Iver adds his indie vibe to the fold with a haunting melody about redemption, “Holocene.”

On the other side of the music spectrum, you have Bruno Mars with “Grenade” & Kanye (& Co.) with “All of the Lights.” Mars has brought the soulful male singer-songwriter more into the spotlight, while Kanye has kept up with just doing his thing and raising the bar in the hip-hop industry.

Song of the Year is more of a popularity contest than anything. If you’ve heard the song enough times to need a hiatus from their music altogether, it’s almost a guarantee that they’re taking home that coveted gramophone.

Jenn’s Pick: Adele’s “Rollin’ In the Deep.” That song has made 2011 in more ways that we can even understand; she's earned it!

Who will most likely win: Bruno Mars “Grenade.” Everyone loves a cutie that can pen an angsty love song and sing it almost effortlessly.

The Wild-card: Mumford & Sons “The Cave.” The music scene has been making some huge changes within the past year and I wouldn’t be surprised to see these boys take home the Grammy Gold.

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Record of the Year, while featuring the singles nominated, really focus on the quality of the recording and those who help make the song sound pleasing to our ears. And this particular culmination of artists will certainly make my selection process a little difficult!

Just a disclaimer to this category, when it comes to the production/engineering end of music…it’s more like unchartered territory! I probably wouldn’t know who The Smeezingtons (minus Bruno Mars) or Marcus Dravs (Mumford & Sons) was if they passed me on the street. I’m a writer, not a sound engineer or a music producer. Fortunately, I do know (and love) music and the quality of what I listen to are important to me, especially when I suggest music to all of you. (I’m also quick on learning about the competitors’ strengths & weaknesses in their industry, even if I am not as learned on the subject.)

Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” has such a distinguishable sound, one that can be attributed to Paul Epworth, who has earned his credits working with U.K. acts. (Think Florence + the Machine and Kate Nash.)  Then again, Bon Iver’s “Holocene” also brings a different sound to the table, especially with lead singer Justin Vernon being responsible for the producing & engineering on the album.

Bruno Mars went with his production team that he runs with Philip Lawrence & Ari Levine, The Smeezingtons; Mumford & Sons had their folk/bluegrass sound ‘rocked’ out a little by Marcus Dravs, also known for his work with Coldplay on their most recent album, Mylo Xyloto. And last but not least, we have Katy Perry for her work with Swedish production team Stargate (Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen), who earned a 2008 Grammy nomination for Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable."

So who has the best production team? Is it based on experience or how the industry feels about the music itself? Or maybe it's more about the quality...we'll see.  

Jenn’s Pick: Mumford & Sons “The Cave.” Markus Dravs (the producer) worked with last year’s Album of the Year winner, Arcade Fire. He’s proven that when it comes down to the wire, he knows how to make a band sound Grammy-worthy.

Who will most likely win: Bruno Mars “Grenade.” The Smeezingtons are known for their work with Cee Lo Green on “F**k You” and B.o.B’s “Nothin’ on You”; this production team has been a strong one, as their work has now earned them a third Record of the Year nomination.

The Wild-card: Adele “Rolling in the Deep.” Paul Epworth has worked with a lot of talented artists (in and out of the mainstream) and is also just as deserving to be recognized for this work. (Not only has Epworth worked with Adele and the above mentioned artists; Cee Lo Green, Bloc Party, & Foster The People are just a few on his list of clients.)

***We still have one more category to go! (The big one: Album of the Year.) Stay tuned!***

~Jenn

"Time to Do Some Good" Continues...

Yesterday, my "Letter From the Editor" explained our awareness of "Random Acts of Kindness Week" and our continuing spotlight on charities we support throughout this week. Today's is compliments of our Bridal & Party Planning columnist Danielle Aspromatis. Danielle has chosen the Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown, NJ to highlight. Danielle has personally volunteered at this ahead-of-its-time organization, and wanted to share with you one of their important missions:

Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown, NJ: This organization has a "healthy choices...healthy lives" program that is geared toward providing food for people in need that have dietary concerns such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Through monetary donations and donations from retailers such as Whole Foods, fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain products are given out. This organization stresses that nutritious food, and not just food in general, is important for those in need. Please visit www.cskmorristown.org.

Thank you for checking it out!

~ Alison & Danielle

Jennifer Corcione: A Grammys Draft Pick Worth Sharing!

Although I have never really shared this with anyone, I think you, my trusty reader, should be in on my little secret: I prep for the Grammys the way a football fan preps for the Super Bowl. While I haven’t always watched it every single year (trust me, I try), mainly due to other pressing engagements, when it comes to the season for music awards, I am ready. I read every category over, familiarizing myself with the artists that the industry deems worthy of recognition. I know their strengths, weaknesses, best singles, worst moments, and everything in between!

I always calculate that the Best New Artist is more than likely going to be the one nominee that I’m not familiar with, while the Album of the Year is one that I haven’t bought yet, but would pick immediately. (And I normally hit the mute button on the Country category, sorry. Just not really my type of music; I am getting better though!) But that doesn’t deter me, because I still have my thoughts and opinions as to who should win….and who will win. Therefore, as a special treat this week, I will present to you a little mini-series of my picks for the top four (since weighing in on every one will take a whole year) categories! (I promise, you’ll love it.)

First and foremost, let’s start with Best New Artist. (I’m saving the big one, Album of the Year, for later.) While hip-hop and rap have not made it onto my radar in years, I can’t discount its ever-present influence in the category with two phenomenal nominees (that I have never really listened to—well, ever.) I mean, they have to be great if they’ve made it here, right? But then aside from Nicki Minaj & J. Cole, there are three completely different genres to choose from. You have The Band Perry (country), Skrillex (Electronic Dance), and my personal favorite Bon Iver (indie folk).

So who has a chance? Well, if we were going purely on name, Nicki Minaj could clearly take it. I’ve heard snippets of her hit songs and while I’m sure to her fans she is a genius, (even though her music just doesn’t appeal to me.) J. Cole embodies the rap/hip-hop scene that currently influences most of the music we hear on the radio today. But then there’s also something to be said for The Band Perry, since country always carry the allure of great story-telling…and they’ve been on fire this year with their big hit, “If I Die Young”. The music is actually quite good, something I would not normally place on my iPod, but still good. DJ Skrillex has quite the following as part of the club scene. Strangely enough, his avant-garde metal approach to the electronic sound really draws me in. He takes the role of a DJ and creates rhythms and beats unlike those I have ever heard. And of course, Bon Iver has really come around with their 2011 self-titled release; the genre of folk finally having more of a voice in the Grammy scene pleases me greatly.   

Jenn’s Pick: Bon Iver. Justin Vernon has put in his dues and I want to see them shine, enough said.

Who will most likely win: Nicki Minaj. Clearly, she’s popular and while it breaks my rule of not knowing the artist who wins, the trend of female artists might grant her a better chance to snag the coveted award.

The Wild-card: DJ Skrillex. With the way music has been moving, the lines between genres have been blurred. From people remixing his songs with artists such as Adele and Katy Perry, there seems to be no limits to his music. (As an added treat, to hear a killer mash-up of Adele’s “Someone Like You” and Skrillex's remix of “Cinema” by Benny Benassi, please go and check out this link: http://soundcloud.com/coinjar/someone-like-you-adele-vs.)

 

~Jenn

 

***Stay tuned as I share more picks with all of you throughout the week!***

 

Letter From the Editor: Time to Do Some Good

In my world, pretty much the only thing anyone is talking about right now is the upcoming start to New York Fashion Week. While this is exciting, it isn't exactly going to save the world, cure cancer, or find homes for stray puppies. In fact, most of us get way too caught up in whether we have a front-row seat at the fashion shows, how we're going to wear our amazing new 6" heels to eight shows in a row without keeling over, or how we're going to survive on miniature "fashion food" for over a week. But serendipitously, coinciding with part of NYFW (from February 13th-19th) is "Random Acts of Kindness Week." Now this actually encourages us to help save the world, cure cancer, find homes for those stray puppies, or just make one small difference in someone's life...

Here at Stylewhipped, while we love all things fancy, fabulous and exciting, we are also involved in our communities, trying to make a difference, and love hearing about new non-profit organizations that truly help those in need. We volunteer, have been known to produce charity events for free, and want everyone to be touched in some way by our help. Personally, I specifically support any organziations that encourage arts education, give reformed prisoners a second chance, find loving homes for animals, and offer much-needed assistance to our wounded veterans returning from Iraq & Afghanistan. Everyone on the Stylewhipped team supports a wide variety of charities and organizations, but we have one thing in common: we want to share them with our readers so that we can all "do some good"...and what better time to share them with you than in preparation for "Random Acts of Kindness Week"?

Today, I'd like to share columnist Rebecca Gordon's charity of choice with you, as well as my own. And each day for the rest of the week, another of our team's favorite organziations will be highlighted. Whether you decide to visit their websites or are just inspired to help a charity of your own choosing, we will be happy...

Rebecca Gordon, Stylewhipped's "Girl About Town" columnist:

The Doe Fund: The Doe Fund's mission is to develop and implement cost-effective, holistic programs that meet the needs of a diverse population working to break the cycles of homelessness, addiction, and criminal recidivism. All of The Doe Fund's programs and innovative business ventures ultimately strive to help homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals achieve permanent self-sufficiency. Please visit www.doe.org.

And me, Alison Stewart, Stylewhipped's Editor-in-Chief:

The Wounded Warriors Project: The Wounded Warriors Project exists to honor and empower Wounded Warriors who incurred service-connected injuries on or after September 11, 2001. With advancements in battlefield medicine and body armor, an unprecedented percentage of service members are surviving severe wounds or injuries. With the mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors, WWP offers a variety of programs and services, and is equipped to serve warriors with every type of injury – from the physical to the invisible wounds of war. Please visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org for more information, or help me personally by supporting my husband's participation in an upcoming Tough Mudder race, which directly benefits The Wounded Warrior Project. A former Marine himself and the brother of a current active duty Marine who served in Afghanistan, his personal fundraising page can be found at https://www.raceit.com/fundraising/donate.aspx?event=7380&fundraiser=r2247359.

Thank you!

~ Alison.

 

Appearance Announcement: The Mentor Fund to Ring the NASDAQ Closing Bell!

Cindy and I (and my husband!) both sit on the Board of Directors of an amazing new non-profit organization called The Mentor Fund. Founded by my father, Richard Rodman, a financial expert and author, The Mentor Fund is going to provide loans and business mentors to entrepreneurs who otherwise wouldn't have access to financing...Veterans, the poor, the disabled and the unbanked. Besides the mentoring aspect, we stand to be a uniquely self-sustaining non-profit organization because all of the loans granted will be repaid to The Mentor Fund with interest.

Today at 4pm, The Mentor Fund has been invited to ring the closing bell of the NASDAQ.  You can watch the bell-ringing ceremony at 4pm sharp on CNBC or any channel broadcasting the close. My father will speak about the mission of the organization as well as about our need for an initial $1 million endowment to get started. His speech will be viewable on the NASDAQ website, and our own website, www.thementorfund.org will be up later today if you'd like more information!

~ Alison

A Conversation with Designer & Advocate JACK MACKENROTH!

Today I had the wonderful pleasure of talking with designer and Project Runway-alum Jack Mackenroth.  As I'm sure you remember, Jack had to leave the show early because he was ill, but what we did get to see was so impressive.  Jack is an incredible designer...and as it turns out, maybe an even more incredible person. As I'm sure you also remember, Jack is not only openly gay, but openly HIV+ (and healthy!). After the show was over, Jack did an interview with Advocate magazine, and when they asked him what he wanted to do next, he mentioned that he wanted to get more involved in HIV advocacy.  The great people at Merck Pharmaceuticals read the article, and after teaming up with Jack, a truly important organization called Living Positive By Design was created.

According to Jack (who, by the way, couldn't have been nicer on the phone - open and honest and adorably funny...), the main components of Living Positive By Design are "fighting the stigma of living opening with HIV" as well as serving as "a call to arms to get together with a doctor and figure out a regiment that works."  Jack also told me a bit about the great importance of achieving an undetectable viral load when HIV+, which is impossible if you don't get proper treatment.  Now, the way that Living Positive By Design is going to acheive all of these great things is through Jack's speaking engagements (he recently spoke at the huge U.S. Conference on AIDS in Fort Lauderdale, Florida), at which he will be accompanied by doctors and specialists who are local to each venue.  The U.S. AIDS conference, along with an appearance Jack made in conjunction with the AIDS Walk in Atlanta, GA, were leading up to an event here in NYC tonight.  Jack and the Gay Men's Heath Crisis have partnered to produce the GMHC's annual fundraising effort, this year called "Fashion Forward."  Guests will be treated to a runway show, a cocktail party, and special gifts like the red scarf Jack designed (his "spin on the AIDS ribbon"), and Living Positive By Design will officially kick off!

I asked Jack how StyleWhipped readers could get involved with Living Positive By Design. He told me that at this point, it is truly an "educational campaign" and that he just hopes "more and more people visit the LPBD website and show their support through personal stories and by attending events." So make sure to keep an eye out on Jack's website as well for updates on where he will be speaking!

Now, Jack isn't only working on the amazing LPBD.  He is also still designing, and is on his way to Los Angeles to pitch a fantastic design show co-starring Kevin Christiana, his fellow Project Runway alum and good friend. (Obviously, we'll update you when the show is actually on the air!). Jack also just designed a dress completely out of chocolate for the NY Chocolate Show, and even created a wedding dress entirely out of condoms for the Condom Couture Runway Show to benefit Project Inform.  Needless to say, Jack's been a little busy since Project Runway...so I'm sending him a huge thank you for taking the time to chat and fill me in on the amazing work of Living Postitive By Design!

~ Alison