Since the first Star Wars film was re-released on VHS in 1981, director George Lucas has changed at least one element of every film with each new release, often causing a stir among the most loyal fans of the franchise. With the release of the 9-disc special edition Blu-Ray of episodes I-VI on September 16, Lucas has upset fans once again by making a number of changes to episodes IV, V, and VI.

Some of the most controversial changes are the addition of the word “NO!” two times to Darth Vader’s dialogue when he throws the Emperor over the edge in Return of the Jedi, the Ewoks’ eyes now blink, and Obi-Wan’s fake “Kryat Dragon” roar has been changed.

Not since Lucas decided to make Greedo shoot Han first in the Cantina in episode IV for the 1997 Special Edition have fans been so upset about the changes made to one of film history’s most popular series. Twitter has exploded with commentary on the subject, and there are even a number of Facebook pages dedicated to voicing their dissatisfaction with a number of Lucas’ decisions.

One of the most upsetting aspects of the changes is the fact that the original versions won’t be available on Blu-Ray. In 2006, after years of strong protest concerning the 1997 revisions, the original trilogy was released on DVD, but the quality of the picture was not improved.

Lucas has made it clear that he does not want the originals to be preserved. In a 1997 interview with American Cinematographer he stated that “[a] hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the [Special Edition] version.” This view has left fans looking to purchase old copies of the original VHS tapes as a part of their protest against this mentality.

Despite the strong dissatisfaction with many of the content changes, there are still a number of additions and revisions that have been mostly accepted by fans. Notably, the decision to change the puppet version of Yoda in episode I into a CGI version that more closely resembles the original trilogy has met general approval, both for continuity and visual appeal.

George Lucas has been on a quest to make his films better than they were originally, and to include aspects of the film to help make his newer Star Wars films match more closely with the original trilogy. The problem with this mentality is the huge number of fans that liked things the way they were, even with all of the flaws and mistakes.

Who knows, perhaps t-shirts protesting Darth Vader’s comical “no!” will become just as popular in a few years as “Han shot first” t-shirts are today. But unless Lucas makes a sudden change of heart, or loses the creative rights to his films, fans will have to accept whatever creative decisions George Lucas makes.

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Even though Beyonce may be rather quiet about her love life in interviews, she has no problem airing out her feelings in her track, “I Care”, off her studio album 4, released June 28. Produced by Jeff Bhasker, the track finds the captivating songstress singing about a relationship turned sour over some ominous notes. Beyonce puts all her cards on the table; however, the one who has her heart has swept them to the side. She belts out, “I told you how you hurt me, baby/But you don’t care/Now I’m crying and deserted, baby.” This song is a power ballad that recalls slow jams like the ones Phil Collins used to spill his heart in. She lets her voice own the song as the instrumentals crescendo around her.

MTV says it perfectly: “Lady Gaga is political, Britney Spears loves to party, and Beyonce knows all about matters of the heart.”

Her second track, “Party,” featuring Andre 3000, is the song that would have most likely been played at a house party in the mid-90s, As Beyonce sings, “So in love/I’ll give it all away/Just don’t tell nobody tomorrow,” listeners will be transported back to a time when pop princesses cared more about the heart than anything else. “Rather Die Young,” another track off her album has more of an “old-school” groove to it. Beyonce collaborated with Luke Steele of the electronic group Empire of the Sun.

The song is about how you can’t fight what the heart wants, even if it isn’t right. Comparing her lover to James Dean, it’s all about the “sexiness” of bad boys and the good girls who love them. But, she still keeps the sound soft. This track is really something beautiful, as Beyonce sings about being completely devoted to her man.

However, the most surprising song on her album is “Countdown.” Beyonce gets a bit sassy and futuristic on this track, which isn’t like the other songs on the album, but still has a “check on it” vibe. As MTV says, the singer gives fans a musical kick to the head during “End of Time,” a bombastic track, complete with “in-your-face bass line and a marching band. Beyonce keeps things melodic, sharing lines like. “Take you away from here/There’s nothing between us but space and time.”

Metacritic gave 4 an overall score of 70, saying that her fourth album has both “dance-floor-ready jams and down-tempo tunes that are a bit tamer than those in the last album.” Consequence of Sound said “between doing more of the same old goodness and boiling everything down to its most essential lethality, Beyonce also makes room on the album for more grandiose tracks that would sound right at home in Broadway musicals”, giving 4 a score of 90. On the other hand, both NOW Magazine and The Guardian agreed with a score of 60.

Now Magazine asserts that on 4, Beyonce’s missing a real sense of vulnerability but steps out from “behind club jams with beautifully nuanced mid-tempo production. Likewise, The Guardian had only statement about this album “it’s hard not to feel that what it might have been sounds better than what it is.”

Beyonce’s new album is a definite change of pace for this R&B queen. 4 is more relaxed and personal and emphasizes ballads and showcases the singer’s nuances. An album like this comes in a singer’s career when he or she feels like she has nothing left to prove. 4 is definitely the album where Beyonce pours out her feelings, expressing breakups, love, and her most intimate feelings of her love life.

She is not afraid to let the world know what she has been going through. Every song has power behind it. Beyonce sings her ballad songs beautifully and with feeling, guiding listeners through the pain and joy that is her life.

Track list
1. 1+1
2. I Care
3. I Miss You
4. Best Thing I Never Had
5. Party (featuring Andre 3000)
6. Rather Die Young
7. Start Over
8. Love on Top
9. Countdown
10. End of Time
11. I Was Here
12. Run the World (Girls)

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Selena Gomez & the Scene is back in 2011 with its third studio album, When the Sun Goes Down, released June 28, 2011.

The first single, “Why Says” had its world premiere on the radio show On Air with Ryan Seacrest on March 8 and was officially released on March 14. The accompanying music video, directed by Chris Applebaum, premiered on VEVO on March 11. “Who Says” was co-written and produced by Emanuel Kiriakou and Priscilla Hamilton. The song was met with generally positive reviews from most music critics, with many praising its theme of self-empowerment. Bill Lamb of About.com even called the band “the most consistent Disney pop hit-maker in recent year. The single was moderately successful, debuting at No. 24 on the Billboard’s Hot 100 and has gone to sell close to 900,000 copies in the U.S. The song also reached No. 17 in Canada and No. 15 in New Zealand, becoming the band’s highest charting single in those countries.

“Who Says” follows a succession of several self-empowerment anthems including “Firework” (Katy Perry), “Perfect” (Pink) and “Born This Way” (Lady Gaga). According to Gomez, this song was intended to inspire people and fire back at the “haters,” particularly those involved in cyber-bullying.

This single, “Who Says,” marks a distinct departure in sound for the band, as it has an acoustic and organic feel, compared to their other dance-pop and club-oriented singles. Gomez sings in the chorus: “Who says you’re not perfect/Who says you’re not worth it/Who says you’re the only one that’s hurting/Trust me that’s the price of beauty/Who says you’re not pretty/Who says you’re not beautiful/Who says” inspiring listeners not to listen to the gossip and hateful words spread about them. What matters is what you think of yourself. However, while Bill Lamb stated that the band is consistent in sound, this song lacks in originality, and said that it was another pop song with a theme of self-esteem.

Gomez wants to party with title track, “When the Sun Goes Down” as the up-tempo kicks off with a stuttering synth melody and an electric guitar riff energizing the opening verse as Gomez sings about looking forward to the evening after a long, tiring day. By the time the infectious chorus enters, Gomez sings “The party doesn’t start ’til the sun goes down/That’s when everything starts moving/Everybody up when the sun goes down/The music isn’t on ’til it’s way too loud/That’s when everybody starts dancing/Everybody shout when the sun goes down.” This song definitely sounds like the perfect way to kick off Friday night and dance through ‘til morning.

USA Today claims that in this album, Gomez takes on a bit of Britney Spears’ clubby femme fatale and a little of Katy Perry’s sexy role tweaker (both who contributed songs on this album), but she hasn’t turned her back on the young female audience that look up to her as a role model. Even the album’s most overtly sexual song, “We Own the Night,” tells a story with tame language. Compared with recent Top 40 hits, lyrics like “is it all right if I’m with you for the night” sound positively modest and the least bit risqué. Her undeniable catchy singles “Who Says” and “Love You Like a Love Song” suggest that Gomez is on the right track as she transitions into adulthood.

Track List

1.            Love You Like a Love Song

2.            Bang Bang Bang

3.            Who Says

4.            We Own the Night (featuring Pixie Lott)

5.            Hit the Lights

6.            Whiplash (written by Britney Spears)

7.            When the Sun Goes Down

8.            My Dilemma

9.            That’s More Like It

10.          Outlaw

11.          Middle of Nowhere

12.          Dices (Who Says-Spanish Version)

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Matt Nathanson, an American singer-songwriter, is known for writing songs with a blend of folk and rock music. In addition to singing, he plays acoustic (usually a twelve-string) and electric guitar, and has played both solo and with a full band. Nathanson has become more known for his platinum-selling song, “Come on Get Higher,” off his sixth studio album, Some Mad Hope (2007). He has recently released his seventh album, Modern Love, on June 21, 2011, which will be the second album under Vanguard Records, following his success with his last album. He released the first single from the album, “Faster,” as a free download to his fan mailing list in March.

Nathanson sat down with Spinner to chat about touring with Sugarland, leaving major label Universal, and the inspiration for his new album. Describing his album, Nathanson states that it’s a bunch of short stories about people he knew and of himself.

“Right before I started writing for the record, I felt like everybody I know went into crisis,” Nathanson said. “Either [they] were having affairs or were getting divorced … there were all these sort of volatile things happening. So, all the songs are sort of informed by that idea.”

He started with the idea of keeping a groove steady throughout a song. He said that he “wanted things to breathe and hang off these songs in a way that defied the fact that they were written on an acoustic guitar.”

The lead single, “Faster,” has a bubbly, burst of energy and sound, while talking about the heart beating faster and the excitement of love. As stated in the chorus—“You make my heart beat faster/Own me, you own/you rattle my bones/you turn me over and over/’til I can’t control myself” –this is definitely a love song, but filled with craze and passion. His second track “Run,” which features Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, shows the singer-songwriter’s sexier, romantic side. In the opening lyrics, — “I wanna watch you undress/I wanna watch you glow/let hair down, all around/and cover us both,” — just proves his ability to sing romantically. The combination of his vocals with Nettles’ intensifies the song’s overall chemistry and emotional connection.

Entertainment Weekly gave the album a 67, stating that this is “more of the inoffensive same [type of music] from the friendly folk-popper.” This score does not give justice to this album. The songs may as well be the summer’s theme songs. With provocative lyrics, Modern Love is the album to be played all summer long, to dance to, and to continue to enjoy all types of love.

Track List
1. Faster
2. Modern Love
3. Love Comes Tumbling Down
4. Room at the End of the World
5. Kiss Quickly
6. Mercy
7. Kept
8. Run (feat Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush of Sugarland)
9. Queen of (K)nots
10. Drop to Hold You
11. Bottom of the Sea

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Simple Plan are back again with their fourth studio album Get Your Heart On! released June 21, 2011. If the album can be described in two words, it would be “feel good.” The album has catchy and songs with hooks that will be stuck in your head for days.

Before any specific information was released about the latest album, two demo tracks: “Famous for Nothing” and “Just Around the Corner” were leaked. However, when the album track listing was officially announced, the record company had confirmed that neither leaked tracks would be on the album. Prior to the release of the album, Simple Plan began playing the song “You Suck at Love” live during the Bamboozle Roadshow Tour in June 2010.

One year later, the band released a preview clip of the studio version of their song on its website and YouTube page. On March 30, the band launched a new official website until the “actual new website” is launched, with a new video discussing the first list of their new song “Can’t Keep My Hands Off You.” On April 20, it was announced that the first single off the album would be “Jet Lag” featuring Natasha Bedingfield. To help promote the song, a program was set up on the website titled, “JetLag Airlines,” which released news, lyrics, track lists, and videos regarding the album.

Simple Plan has been known to produce songs while “keeping up with the times,” but has not been known to drastically change its style of music. Since the release was just this week, there haven’t been many reviews. According to Metacritic, Alternative Press gave Get Your Heart On! a 70 stating that while the album may not be “the true return to form the band envisioned, it is ultimately worth the wait.” All Music Guide said that the album is every bit as tuneful as the group’s debut, giving the score of 60. On the other hand, Sputnikmusic gave the album a 40 claiming that while the album is the poppiest release yet, it is also the band’s least catchy, indistinct and forgettable.

“This Song Saved My Life” is a powerful song, which is about everyone who stood by the band over the years. The song begins with a nice piano intro and ends with what sounds like a group of Simple Plan fans.

A noteworthy track is “Can’t Keep My Hands Off You,” which features Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo. This song has the “summer” vibe to it, painting a picture of sitting in the backyard enjoying some beers and BBQ. Get Your Heart On! has a plethora of guest singers, from Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low to Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo to Natasha Bedingfield. This is definitely a summer album by a band that sounds like it was made for the summer too. If you love pop-punk bands, then you will surely love Get Your Heart On!

Track List

1.            You Suck at Love

2.            Can’t Keep my Hands Off You (feat Rivers Cuomo)

3.            Jet Lag (feat Natasha Bedingfield)

4.            Astronaut

5.            Loser of the Year

6.            Anywhere else but here

7.            Freaking Me Out (feat Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low)

8.            Summer Paradise (feat K’naan)

9.            Gone Too Soon

10.          Last One Standing

11.          This Song Saved My Life

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Eurodance, a genre of electronic dance music, originated primarily in Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and Italo-Disco. Songs as such are perfect for dance clubs and parties, bringing the crowd out and enticing a great time. Among the different artists can be found played at clubs, Cascada has definitely made its way in.

After the hit single, “Every time We Touch” released on January 5, 2006 in the US, the group became very popular. However, the breakthrough happened in June 2009, after the group released “Evacuate the Dance floor.” The song featured German rapper Carlprit and debuted at No. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart for the week of July 5, 2009. It also became the group’s third No. 1 single on the US Billboard Hot Dance Airplay chart and second top 40 hit on U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Coming back on June 19, 2011 in the UK with their fourth studio album Original Me, the group is definitely kicking it up a notch.

Cascada, founded in 2004, is a group of three musicians: Natalie Horler (singer), DJ Manian (DJ/Producer) and Yanou (DJ/Producer). This group is widely considered one of the leaders in bringing Euro-dance music stateside and adding in the transition to a more electro-pop oriented mainstream sound. Cascada has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and about 15 million digital downloads.

After receiving much criticism of its previous album, mainly the lack of cohesiveness linking the album as a whole, the group decided to experiment with a new release strategy, planning to produce and release different singles and then attempting to bind them all into an album.

The group released its first single, “Pyromania,” in Germany in March 2010, continuing their electro-pop sound. Cascada’s second single, “Night Nurse,” was a promotional single featuring guest vocal from male singer, “R.I.O.” It was released in Nov 2010 on a U.K. compilation CD.

“San Francisco” was released as the album’s lead single on June 3, 2011. The song had originally premiered on Cascada’s official YouTube account in a music video on April 28, 2011. The video features Horler with a group of people dressed up as modern-day hippies out on a night in San Francisco for a party, ending with them having a party on a rooftop.

Horler begins the song with “I take you back to 1969/Let’s hit the city of freedom like old times” taking listeners back to the days of hippies in “city of freedom.” “San Francisco” has been met with generally positive reviews from critics, though it continues to be compared to Katy Perry’s “California Gurls”, with allegations that Cascada “ripped-off” Perry’s song. Despite these claims, the song has become the most successful single since “Evacuate the Dance floor” in countries like Austria, Germany and the Netherlands.

The latest album will be released in four European countries in June before making its way overseas to Canada and the United States on July 5, 2011. On June 17, the album was released in the Netherlands followed by digital releases in U.K. (June 19), Australia (June 21), and Germany (June 24). Since the album has yet to be released in US (July 5), there have been no album reviews. But, after listening to the album leak and at first glance, all the songs continue the electro-pop sound. However, their second track “Au Revoir” sounds like a mixture of Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus. Horler’s voice sounds like Cyrus’ until the chorus when it turns into a mixture of Spears’ and Cyrus’ voices combined.

Overall, Cascada uses different styles apart from electro-pop with a slow melodic song “Unspoken” back to its genre. Now we just have to wait until July 5 for more in-depth music reviews.

Track List

1.            San Francisco

2.            Au Revoir

3.            Unspoken (feat Carlprit)

4.            Pyromania

5.            Enemy

6.            Independence Day (feat Carlprit)

7.            Stalker

8.            Night Nurse

9.            Sinner on the Dance floor

10.          Original Me

11.          Hungover

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