Crushable » Maroon 5

Video: ‘Moves Like Batman’ Is A Fun, Geeky Tribute To ‘Moves Like Jagger’

Natalie Zutter — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:04:07 +0000

Maroon 5‘s “Moves Like Jagger” is an ode to the weird rooster dance that Mick Jagger is known for. Similarly, “Moves Like Batman” is a tribute to the gravelly, badass hero Batman… but also (I think) a nod to Maroon 5 and their infectious jingle. It’s not like the song is Rolling Stones, but it’s catchy, which means any parody set to it would benefit from that.

Case in point: At first I thought this wasn’t that funny. Performers Chad Nikolaus and Angie Griffin sing a bit off-key, and their costumes are Halloween-grade stuff, not resembling the Christopher Nolan Batman movies that have become our new canon. But that cheesiness actually helps them, because if you put aside the minor flaws, you see that they had a hell of a lot of fun making this video.

Chad’s moves as Batman are hilarious, partly because it’s the Caped Crusader dancing outside a Target but also because he’s a genuinely good dancer. But the greatest geek touch is the throwback to the “nanananana Batman!” song in the chorus. Plus, all the people who join in dancing! Really fun.

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Glee Report Card: Yes But No But Yes

Natalie Zutter — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:10:42 +0000

If this lovey-dovey episode is Glee‘s idea of a winter premiere, then we’re excited to see what they actually come up with for Valentine’s Day next month! In “Yes/No,” Will and Emma decide that they both want to get married, but it’s not as easy as that. He enlists the glee club to come up with different musical performances for the perfect proposal… only to realize, after talking to Emma’s parents, that he may not want to spend the rest of his life with an “incomplete” person.

Meanwhile, Finn, Rachel, and Kurt struggle with feeling like they’ll never get out of Lima, Ohio, with Kurt and Rachel obsessing over college and Finn wanting to enlist. Becky Jackson (who has an awesome British inner monologue) sets her sights on Artie to be her boyfriend. While this episode was really sweet, the songs were kind of lackluster.

“Summer Nights”
Performed by Sam and Mercedes
Originally performed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease

This is the kind of number that I would’ve expected to see earlier in the series, so it seems a little shallow compared to the emotional development of the last few years. It was more of a quick “let’s recap the Sam/Mercedes romance” while cementing that she’s with her current guy, Shane. Much more effective was a moment later in the episode when Sam, newly a member of the synchronized-swimming team, gets slushied and Mercedes tenderly wipes him off. But back to the song: It’s great to see Mercedes in the solo role, but all the Grease comparisons got to be a bit much.

Grade: B+

“Wedding Bell Blues”
Performed by Emma, with backup by Sue and Beiste
Originally performed by Laura Nyro

Even though it fits Emma’s character to be singing old-timey songs, I think that Jayma Mays is better served on newer — or at least peppier — stuff. I would’ve liked to see her express her desire to marry Will with more than breathy sighs and passive lyrics. Sure, Glee‘s already done “Put A Ring on It,” but that’s more what I think could’ve worked for Emma. Still, it was lovely to see Sue and Beiste provide the backup; can this trio sing together more often?

Grade: B-

“Moves Like Jagger/Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
Performed by Artie
Originally performed by Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera

Artie’s proposed proposal song (hee) is of course the best of the bunch: Upbeat, sexy, and sure, ripped from the top of the charts. But as you can see in the video, it gives Will a chance to document his dance moves without being a creepy white guy. For what it was, it was great: Our weekly dose of confident, cool guys putting new spins on chart-toppers.

Grade: B+

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Mash-Up: ‘Top Of The Pops 2011 – WTF’ Favors Britney, Rihanna, And Maroon 5

Natalie Zutter — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:04:58 +0000

Mashup-Germany has debuted its video mix for 2011, combining the 28 most successful songs of the year into one super-pop song. Seeing as the mash-up is called Top of the Pops 2011: What the Fuck, it’s definitely tongue-in-cheek and even a little critical of American music. As the man behind Mashup-Germany, BenStilller, explains, [2011] brought us revolution, catastrophe and finance crisis all over the place on the one hand and shallow commercial music all over the place on the other hand. Obviously the majority of people are, more than ever, desperate for easy melodies and music that sounds all the same.

That works against him in some ways, since this mix, while fun, isn’t as compelling as DJ Earworm‘s stuff. But what we’re most interested in is how some songs we think are pretty awful nonetheless made it in. Consider that the two “base” songs seem to be Britney Spears‘ “Til the World Ends” and Maroon 5‘s “Moves Like Jagger.”

Of course, it’s not all bad. Adele‘s “Rolling in the Deep” was a shoo-in, and David Guetta earned three spots for his various collaborations with Usher, Sia, and Flo Rida. “We Found Love” and “S&M” put Rihanna on the list, as did “Pumped Up Kicks” for Foster the People.

In terms of the superstars, Lady Gaga is included, for “Judas,” but it must be a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment because I didn’t catch it. And where was Justin Bieber? Guess he got more attention for his Never Say Never concert movie than his actual music this year.

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Adam Levine Faces Off With Fox News In Epic Battle Of Intellectual Giants

Jamie Peck — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:56:42 +0000

Like most sensible people in this world, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine hates Fox News. So when he heard a song of his ring forth from that most atrocious of networks, he didn’t mince words, no sir, but tweeted this pearl of wisdom right quick:

What ensued was a tremendous battle of tremendous wits that could only be described as epic. Just kidding, I’m surprised either is able to breathe, but Fox News’ take is particularly cringe inducing, especially considering how easy it is to mock Maroon 5′s awfulness and actually be funny about it. Here are Levine’s exchanges with Fox toadies Andy Levy and Greg Gutfeld:

Levine: “Dear Fox News, don’t play our music on your evil fucking channel ever again. Thank you.”
Levy: “Dear @AdamLevine, don’t make crappy f*cking music ever again. Thank you.”
Gutfield: “Dear adam, That’s not music.”
Levy: “Maroon 5′s bio strangely fails to note the band was developed by the CIA as part of its enhanced interrogation techniques program.”
Gutfield: “fun joke: why did Maroon 5 cross the road? because crappy music is legal there! @adamlevine”
Gutfield: “names that sound alike: Maroon 5 and crap @adamlevine Names that sound alike: @kelseygrammar and @chelseahandler.”
Gutfield: “better than your music @adamlevine just saw a plastic bag blowing in the wind.Pretty sure it’s NOT the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
Gutfield: “Maroon 5 is just bad music @adamlevine “golf is a good walk spoiled.” -Mark Twain”

And here is an extremely shitty video of Fox attempting to make fun of him some more:

Now go re-read your copy of Gravity’s Rainbow before all your brain cells jump ship.

(Via Popdust)

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Maroon 5′s Adam Levine Is A Huge Hypocrite

Jamie Peck — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:42:57 +0000

The lyrically brilliant artiste who brought us “Moves Like Jagger” and appears on edgy, non-commercial public access television program The Voice has drawn a line in the sand with regards to MTV’s Video Music Awards. This past Saturday, he posted a well-reasoned statement of objection via that most intellectual of avenues, his twitter account:

In which sand is he drawing that line? Is it located near the Hollywood Hills mansion he purchased in 2005 for three million of the many dollars he’s made off of being a famous musician people watch on MTV?

The station responded just a few minutes later with this pithy tweet:

Snaps! And yet, he persisted with these cutting retorts:

So raw and honest, that Adam Levine. Which important cause will he take on next? Celebrities who think they can flout the law just because they’re celebrities? The excessive pompadourification of our nation’s youth? Or perhaps America’s over-consumption of oil? He always keeps us guessing, that one.

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Gallery: Maroon 5′s Adam Levine Gets Shirtless For Out Magazine

Jamie Peck — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:16:23 +0000

I know we’ve said some unkind things about his music in the past, but at the end of the day, Adam Levine is a tasty bit of man candy, is he not? In a recent interview with Out Magazine, Levine said some things that actually made sense (“I’ve got the moves like Jagger” wasn’t one of them), in addition to many things that did not. Sure, we’d like him better if in addition to rock hard abs he had Adam Scott‘s personality, but the fun thing about celebrities you are never going to meet is you can look at pictures of them and make pretend they have whatever type of personality your spank bank requires. Maybe don’t read the quotes from the interview if you’re going to do this.

(Via Out Magazine)

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A Discussion of Maroon 5′s ‘Move Like Jagger’ Music Video

Liana Maeby — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:38:44 +0000

Maroon 5 just released their new video for the song “Moves Like Jagger,” which has Adam Levine comparing himself to none other than the legendary Mick himself — and it’s enough to make a person gather up all their records and throw them in a bonfire while “Rocks Off” plays from a boombox at full volume. Understandably upset, I enlisted the Gchat account of Kasey Anderson, a terrific musician in his own right, to help me make sense of the video. I’m not sure either of us managed to do that.

Liana: Question: Adam Levine has moves like Jagger. Yes/no?

Kasey: No. I mean, I can’t imagine he does. I haven’t ever witnessed Adam Levine’s “moves,” but I don’t know that anyone has moves like Jagger. That particular shimmy is pretty distinctive.

Liana: Wait, you haven’t watched the video? Kasey, the point of this thing is that we are suppose to talk about the video.

Kasey: I was kind of hoping I could just talk about it in the abstract. But I guess this is not a freshman year philosophy class.

Kasey: This video is marked “explicit!” I will NOT look at Adam Levine’s inner thighs.

Liana: Don’t worry, there is a single woman’s breast. That’s all that’s explicit about it.

Kasey: Is the video just old Stones footage? Listening to it with the sound off, so far it’s gre–NEVERMIND.

Liana: Here’s how I’ll describe Adam Levine’s “moves”: You know how you’re at like someone’s house party and the lights are a little too bright but everyone’s kind of drunk and Chromeo or some shit comes on? And your buddies start to dance, and it’s totally fine, it’s cute, but then you look at their faces and they all have that, “I’m so sexy I appear to be in pain!” expression and you just feel kinda bad for them?

Kasey: Levine is barely moving at all (I have had to look away thirteen times in three-minutes-and-twenty-four-seconds so far). Far as I can tell, one or two of the women in costume are able to approximate Jagger’s moves. Is he saying, “Kiss me through your junk?”

Liana: I believe he’s saying, “Kiss me til you’re drunk,” which seems to me to qualify as a form of date rape. “My tongue is made of Rohypnol!”

Kasey: This is the dancing equivalent of the worst Austin Powers impression I have ever heard.

Liana: It’s like a 10-year-old Russell Brand trying to impersonate Freddie Mercury.

Kasey: “Kiss me ’til you’re drunk” is only slightly less nonsensical than “Kiss me through your junk,” which actually will end up as a Stones lyric, at some point.

Liana: Should we tell Levine that having Jagger’s “moves” implies a sex addiction?

Kasey: I think it’s telling that Jagger wouldn’t appear in the video. This is the same man who willingly took a pie in the face for Bette Midler’s cover of “Beast of Burden.”

Liana: Guess who was responsible for supplying the footage? Ding! Ding! Jagger! He has sanctioned the video. Which is basically like ME having a mid-life crisis.

Kasey: Yeah, but sending over a clip package of Stones stuff is a far cry from dancing alongside this tattooed ponce.

Liana: Hey, have you seen his, “Who the fuck is Mick Jagger?” shirt?

Kasey: Yeah, there’s a very famous picture of Keith Richards wearing that shirt.

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Video: Watch a Babyfaced Adam Levine’s First Public Performance

Liana Maeby — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:06:16 +0000

Adam Levine wasn’t always the suave, tattooed hunk of a frontman we see singing into the souls of young women at Maroon 5 concerts. Nope, he was once a child, who wore geeky sunglasses and 80s jeans. This karaoke-style performance cropped up on last night’s episode of Jay Leno, and Adam explains that it was the first time he ever sang in public. We sort of wish he’d kept the aesthetic.

(via)

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Parting Tweet: Adam Levine Has Deep, Contradictory Thoughts About Music

Liana Maeby — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 22:30:05 +0000

Okay, let’s break this down:
1. Air is that which sustains us and keeps us alive.
2. Music is no different from air, therefore music keeps us alive.
3. Music keeps us alive, however music is not to be taken seriously.
4. That which keeps us alive is not to be taken seriously.

“Staying alive is not an important thing at all.” – Adam Levine

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Hot Shot Gallery: Here Are Some Photos Of Adam Levine

Liana Maeby — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:53:33 +0000

Gratuitous? Maybe. Delightful? Hell yes! Here are some shots of Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine looking crazy hot — which, honestly, is what he does best. Cheers!

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