Music News You Can Use: Bitter Breakups and Semi-Sweet Reunions

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

rihanna-chris-brown-pictures

If it ain’t Ike, it’s Breezy … Chris Brown, who is under investigation for beating up his pop singer girlfriend Rihanna last week, is now being compared to past wifebeater Ike Turner, among others. Many speculate that the Pretty Boy’s image is in jeopardy, as more details on Rihanna’s “horrific” injuries, including bite marks, a split lip, and swollen-shut eyes, have been revealed from the police report. Not only that, but Rihanna told police that the relationship has been an abusive one in the past. Wrigley has since pulled its Doublemint gum ads featuring Brown, while the singer and his former gf have also canceled upcoming appearances in Phoenix and Malaysia. We’re guessing mom’s playing the valentine for homeboy this year.

Watch out Jo Bros, the bad boys are back … While the Jonas Brothers are getting major crap for proclaiming their good, clean innocence, it seems as though excited Bizkit and Blink fans are coming out of their shells for reunion tours and new albums. Fred Durst and the rest of Limp Bizkit have joined forces once again because they were “disgusted and bored with the current state of heavy pop music.” (Heavy pop music? Umm, okay) Blink 182 has also confirmed rumors, as they came out together on the Grammy stage last week. Bizkit fans might have to wait for dates, however, while Blink has given a rough tour time of Summer 2009.

MC Weirdo …. Actor-turned-MC Joaquin Phoenix made an unusual appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman Wednesday night, sporting a shaggy beard and hipster shades to go with his new persona. Mumbling one-sentence answers and seemingly annoyed by Letterman and his audience, Phoenix was definitely killing it. Check it out below:

Previously on Lost: Holy Smokes!

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

425maderlost020708

“Well, let’s get started.” And so it was a beginning that comprised the end of last night’s episode of Lost. As the show so adeptly does, episode five left us with one hell of a cliffhanger:  Ben, Sun and Jack — and Desmond, who came on his own mission — convened in a candle-lit church, hosted by none other than the mysterious “Eloise” we’ve heard so much about. It seems Daniel Faraday’s mother has something spiritual and mysterious in store for them (Locke’s funeral, perhaps?).

It was an episode of many reunions, both happy and not-so. The smoke monster, Lost’s B-moviest of “characters” — made his triumphant return to the island, claiming the life of two Frenchmen. A not-dead Jin reunited with the increasingly emotional Sawyer and his island friends, and Locke took a painful fall down a well and ran into Jack’s dad (also Claire’s, lest you forget!).

It was in some ways the most linear of episodes (there were no actual story-line flashbacks) and least (what’s with all the languages — French, English and Korean?). It was one of ever-changing loyalties. Ben convinces his would-be murderer, Sun, to come along to the Island; Kate decides Jack really isn’t on her side; Charlotte, the unofficial star of the episode, tells us her beloved Daniel had many years ago warned her to never come back to the island. And then she died.

Few reveals were made, but the new details we did get were juicy ones. Jack’s dad has been on the island this whole time, seemingly waiting to lead Locke to his imminent martyrdom. Eloise Hawking is in cahoots with Ben (again, who doesn’t this guy have power over). Charlotte spent childhood years on the island, which her mother told her never actually existed, thus inspiring Charlotte’s life’s work of proving her wrong.

The moments leading up to Charlotte’s death were some of the most sweetly sad Lost has yet seen. The flashes had clearly taken their toll on her brain, and so she began mumbling incoherent thoughts. Among them: “You know what mom would say about you marrying an American;” “Turn it up, I love Geronimo Jackson;” and her dying words: “I’m not allowed to have chocolate before dinner.”

We, as Lost viewers, are used to getting our treats in a mixed-up chronological order. It’s what entices us to sit through the equivalent of plot-line vegetables — seriously, network TV should not require so much on-screen translation — and so greatly rejoice in those sweet reveals.

So, let’s get started getting back to the island shall we? See you at Episode Six.