QUiRK TALES!

A place where quirks convene to talk music, more music, and other things that we like to indulge in. - http://quirktales.com

[quirktales]

VIDEO: "PRINCESS OF CHINA" - COLDPLAY FEAT. RIHANNA

I make sure I hear this song multiple times a day and I LOVE the visual for this! Rihanna better channel Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon like she knows how!

[gq]

Amen! D’Angelo Is Back!!

Sh-t. Damn. Motherf—ker! If you love D’Angelo like we do, this one’s gonna give you chills. GQ presents the neo-soul legend’s first extended interview and his first photo shoot in more than a decade. Here’s a brief bit of GQ correspondent Amy Wallace’s spellbinding profile, and click here to read the whole thing.

Shame, guilt, repentance—D’Angelo knows them well. To say that he was raised religious doesn’t begin to capture it. He’s the son and the grandson of Pentecostal preachers. To D’Angelo, good and evil are not abstract concepts but tangible forces he reckons with every day. In his life and in his music, he has always felt the tension between the sacred and the profane, the darkness and the light.

“You know what they say about Lucifer, right, before he was cast out?” D’Angelo asks me now. “Every angel has their specialty, and his was praise. They say that he could play every instrument with one finger and that the music was just awesome. And he was exceptionally beautiful, Lucifer—as an angel, he was.”

But after he descended into hell, Lucifer was fearsome, he tells me. “There’s forces that are going on that I don’t think a lot of motherfuckers that make music today are aware of,” he says. “It’s deep. I’ve felt it. I’ve felt other forces pulling at me.” He stubs out his cigarette and leans toward me, taking my hand. “This is a very powerful medium that we are involved in,” he says gravely. “I learned at an early age that what we were doing in the choir was just as important as the preacher. It was a ministry in itself. We could stir the pot, you know? The stage is our pulpit, and you can use all of that energy and that music and the lights and the colors and the sound. But you know, you’ve got to be careful.”

[Photograph by Gregory Harris]

[quirktales]

Two woots for second chances and soul music!

[quirktales]

[QT!] HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CB! STUNTIN' IS A HABIT

The Internet was made to display the most stuntastic efforts of users and celebrities stunt the most. Chris Brown is no stranger to this but he does it with a slightly different artillery - tee-pees and friendship bracelets included.  Check out some of Chris's most stuntastic Instagram flicks.

[quirktales]

[QT!] HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CB! - THE MANY FACES OF BREEZY

Since CHRIS BROWN created his Instagram [fuckyopictures], his feed has been filled with international sights, artwork, and a sneaker collection that many would throw hands for. In the midst of this, Breezy manages to post some of the best self-expressions that the paps could never capture and we've picked the best of them right here for your viewing pleasure along with funny captions.

Happy birthday, Chris!

[quirktales]

[QT!] LAURIANA MAE LAUNCHES #MONTHOFMAE WITH WEBSIODE + "SUICIDE BOMB"

R&B singer LAURIANA MAE just launched her digital campaign entitled #MonthOfMae and kicked it off right with a webisode that features her gearing up for a show at the MGM Grand at the Foxwoods alongside James Blunt. If you haven't heard of Miss Mae, PLEASE do yourself a favor and get into her - I saw her live earlier this year and she's fantastic. Such a sweetheart with pipes you'd kill for, and a shoe game that also slays.

Head over to our site to check out "Suicide Bomb", a track she debuted this week as well!

[quirktales]

RITA ORA PERFORMS "HOW WE DO" AT SOBs

I just love her, she's awesome and seeing her in person last night confirmed what I already knew: RITA ORA is a star. Check her out performing her single, "How We Do" in her Coogi sweater and beanie. She's so cute; check out what I thought about her debut showcase at TheNext2Shine!

[quirktales]

OUT AND ABOUT: YUNA & EMELI SANDÉ AT MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG

I ventured into Brooklyn last night on assignment for TheNext2Shine and thoroughly enjoyed myself as YUNA and EMELI SANDÉ dazzled me with their immense talent. Head to TheNext2Shine to read what I felt about the show and hit QUiRK TALES! for some video; more is posted on my YouTube channel.

Fun stuff!

[quirktales]

COMMENTARY → WHY YOU SHOULD SEE "THINK LIKE A MAN" | QUiRK TALES!

[quirktales]

WANTED: DOPE NYC/NJ VIDEOGRAPHER WHO EDITS!

Hey guys; I'm working with a renaissance woman who does many, many things and she needs someone who's willing to chronicle her journey! If you're someone who cannot be separated from your camera and can edit the amazing footage you capture masterfully, then hit me up at [email protected] and we'll talk.

By the way, you have to be in the NYC/NJ area to be considered because there may be times where you're needed on short notice. Get at me!

[quirktales]

VIDEO: "BLACK GIRLS" - CHESTER FRENCH

With rappers out here shooting videos that are chock full of women who vary in Spanish heritage and Iggy Azalea roaming the streets with the largest ass a white girl has ever possessed, it's nice when an artist pays homage to the black woman and admits his love for that chocolatey skin tone. It's even nicer when two white guys are doing the proclaiming. CHESTER FRENCH is back and is coming strong with their first single off their new album. Check out "Black Girls", brought to you by Karmaloop but be careful, your boss might not appreciate the art of the black booty ... or maybe he will but will reprimand you for the sake of saving face in the workplace. Either way, just keep your mouse hovered over the minimize button and cover yourself.

[quirktales]

[QT!] MUSIC MONDAY: "ALL ALRIGHT" - FUN.

Fun. is such a fun band and their album Some Nights is great to indulge in while you're getting ready to go out. It's also great to listen to when you're busy doing whatever it is you do on Mondays.

buy: amazon | itunes

[quirktales]

[QT!] MUSIC MONDAY: "HEAVEN" - EMELI SANDÉ

I love her! I'm in love with Emeli and there's nothing nobody can say that will deter me. "Heaven" is awesome and I love that every Monday, I happen to hear her voice on VH1 during their reality show line-up. It's awesome and I am anxiously awaiting a full LP from her, which drops in the U.S. this upcoming June.

buy: amazon | itunes

[quirktales]

[QT!] MUSIC MONDAY: "GONE AND NEVER COMING BACK" - MELANIE FIONA

This shit rips through my heart and soul every time it plays, so I had to share it with you all today. I was never a Melanie fan, I will admit, but this album - The MF Life - is IT and I love listening to it regularly.

buy: amazon | itunes

[quirktales]

[QT!] MUSIC MONDAY: "HANDS ON THE WHEEL" (FEAT. A$AP ROCKY) - SCHOOLBOY Q

I'm all for listening to dope music throughout my day and with Tumblr implementing the union of Spotify and Soundcloud for a more diverse music library for posting, I had to take advantage!

I checked Q out at SOB's this past Wednesday and had a ball - he's a great performer and this closed out his set. While Rocky wasn't there to assist him, it still jammed. Check it out for your Music Monday.

buy: amazon | itunes

[quirktales]

MUSIC: “TILL I DIE” – CHRIS BROWN FEAT. BIG SEAN & WIZ KHALIFA « QUiRK TALES!

[quirktales]

Suggestion Box

Alrighty, I'm brainstorming ideas for this week's commentary. Anyone have any ideas, input, or suggestions?

[quirktales]

COMMENTARY → ENTERTAINERS VS. SINGERS - THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, FOLKS