Site News: GaoSalad On New Pop Music Critic Panel

Recently, I (GaoSalad, this site's lead blogger) was invited by a friend of mine to join a group of talented writers to examine pop music and discuss it beyond just saying "Oh that is a flop/Thats a total smash." Check out the full article via David's website Vertigo Schtick.

 

A few of them I knew beforehand, a few I am just getting to know, but I am honored to know that I was selected. Dean, David, Sarah, Gregory, Minna and Techno School are all talented writers, some of which I actually look up to. I will continue to show my support for the underdog (it's in my nature) and probably end up disagreeing with the other panelists most of the time, but that's what makes it fun. This month we reviewed Adam Lambert, Cheryl (who I am the only fan of, apparently), Queen of Hearts, and more.

The panel will be a monthly project, posting the first Thursday of every month. I will continue to write on this "Popologist" post for as long as David continues to ask me back. I had a great time working on this edition, and the future looks even brighter. 

As for other news with the site, I am back from vacation, and posting will resume tomorrow (possibly with multiple posts in one day to catch up). I have a few album reviews, a few returning segments, and a couple of surprises up my sleeve. Stay tuned, folks!

Guest Post: Top Five Anime Openings of 2011

Today, I have enlisted the help of my friend Sarah, amazing manga and anime blogger and reviewer to do a post for me because I'm a bad anime fan and haven't been keeping up with the new wave of shows. Trust me, this girl knows her stuff! But because I'm a bully, I made her focus on the musical side of anime (this is a music blog, ya know!), and she's produced a list of the best anime openings of the year.

Oh, 2011. You turned out to be a very uneven year for anime in terms of quality, especially in the winter season; I'm still gagging on what little of Guilty Crown I forced myself to watch. And the less said about Fractale, the better for everyone. But what you lacked in quality series you made up for in quality music. Some of the best opening sequences I've seen in the last couple of years premiered this year - and yes, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica is on this list, did you have any doubt in your mind it wouldn't?

Note: These videos are all hosted on YouTube, which means that in an effort to avoid anime companies shutting down their accounts, some users will actually flip the video as a means of protecting themselves against being served with legal papers. So if some of the videos seem literally backwards, that's why. Sorry for the inconvenience!