PCL Music: 2013

Review: Shining On - Ron Littlejohn & The Funk Embassy

For any of our readers out there who love funk music, we have a new band for you to check out. Hailing from Canada, Ron Littlejohn & The Funk Embassy deliver that feel good music that will have you hooked after one listen. The band first came together in 2009, when Thierry Matrat solicited the best singers and musicians he could find on Craigslist. That's where he connected with vocalist Ron Littlejohn. While Ron Littlejohn & The Funk Embassy have only been around for four years, they're no amateurs to this business. In the past, some of their members have opened for legends like James Brown and The Roots.

If you're a fan of artists like HAIM, Arcade Fire, Radiohead and Tame Impala, it's time to check out The Walking Sticks. This band, based out of Maryland, is comprised of lead vocalist Chelsea Lee and twin brothers Spencer and Max Ernst. Since taking off in 2011, they've been delivering a dream pop/downtempo sound that's completely unique from anything else you'll hear on the music scene today. Now The Walking Sticks are ready to share more of their music with the world.

Canadian artists are dominating the music charts. From Justin Bieber to Michael Buble, you can't go anywhere without hearing their music blasting from the radio. Well get ready, we're about to introduce you to some Montreal natives you won't want to miss out on. If you love that old school rhythm & blues vibe, you need to check out The Ria Reece Band.

Written by Regan Brown

Hayden Panettiere is getting ready to say, “I do”. The Nashville actress became engaged to Ukrainian professional boxer, Wladimir Klitschko. The former Heroes actress decided to announce her engagement publicly when she appeared on, Live With Kelly & Michael, on Wednesday, Oct. 9.

Written by Regan Brown

It appears that the book-to-film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey has a hit a road bump. It has been revealed that actor, Charlie Hunnam, will NOT be portraying the dark, tortured billionaire that is Christian Grey after all. Apparently this is due to scheduling conflicts of Hunnam’s hit show, Sons of Anarchy. Universal Pictures and Focus Features released a joint statement commenting on the news.

Written by Regan Brown

Once Upon A Time two actors met on a show where a budding romance soon followed. Now because they appeared on the same show together, the two decided to keep their relationship from the public eye until April 2012. As time went on, the couple managed to keep a low profile until a few days ago. On Friday, Oct. 11, it was known across the land that the couple had announced their engagement to each other. Who are they? On their show, the two play Snow White and Prince Charming respectively, but in real life they are, Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas.

Written by Regan Brown

On Thursday night’s episode of Glee, the cast bid farewell to one of the show’s most beloved characters, Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith). Even though this is a TV show, we all know that the tears shed were real. The love for Finn extended way beyond that of just some fictional character. This by far was one of the best episodes in Glee history because tackling the heartbreak and devastation of losing someone you love and care about is universal and this episode dealt with it beautifully.

Recap of Glee: “The Quarterback”

Remember when Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger got married and the world went crazy? Talk about a random pairing. Well the two lovebirds recently released a duet, titled "Let Me Go." The song is a piano ballad, where the former Nickelback frontman sings about losing love and finding it again with someone else. The two first met when Kroeger helped write parts of Lavigne's fifth studio album, which comes out November 5th. For now though, check out "Let Me Go" below:

YES! looks like Glee is taking on Billy Joel in episode 5x06. Joel is a legend and we know that the cast will do him justice. We can't help but be bummed though that we won't get to hear Cory Monteith's beautiful voice on this music. There's no word yet on what the episode will be titled, however the rumored songs that will be featured have hit the web. Check them out below:

For obvious reasons, everyone can't stop buzzing about this week's episode of Glee. However, possible spoilers for episode 5x05 hit the web yesterday, leaving Gleeks excited for the show's future. The episode, titled "The End of Twerk", will in fact feature a song from the twerk queen herself, Miley Cyrus. And of course, what's twerking without "Blurred Lines"? Check out the rest of the rumored song choices for "The End of Twerk" below:

Miley Cyrus is constantly in the news for her crazy antics. Whether it's twerking on Robin Thicke or swinging naked in her "Wrecking Ball" music video, people can't stop talking. One star that's coming to Cyrus' defense is former Disney star Demi Lovato. In a recent interview with Fox 31 Everyday, Lovato said "I know Britney [Spears] and Miley very well, Miley has been one of my best friends growing up, and so I'm happy for her." Lovato later went on to say, "She's doing what she wants to do, and this is her time to break out and figure out what she wants to do in her career, and her image and everything." Aww. It's nice seeing Lovato stick by her friend's side. Check out the interview below:

Any and every Glee fan knows that this Thursday's episode is going to be tough to watch. Episode 5x03, titled "The Quarterback", will focus on the life and death of Finn Hudson. This of course is a product of actor Cory Monteith's death back in July. One of the moments from "The Quarterback" that audiences are already buzzing about is Lea Michele's cover of "To Make You Feel My Love". Glee creator Ryan Murphy spoke out about this song choice, commenting, "She’s ultimately the person who approved and chose that song. She wanted to do something personal. I don’t think she’ll ever share why she chose that song. It was very sad; everybody was wrecked. It was really hard.” Honestly, we don't think there's enough tissues in the world to get through "The Quarterback". Check out what else Murphy had to say about Michele and the episode below:

Written by Regan Brown

Katy Perry’s third studio album, PRISM, is due to be released this month, but that doesn’t mean she’s not giving fans a sweet taste of what they can soon expect to hear. We’ve heard her ‘Roar”, we got to hear a somewhat darker side to her as she came running at us like a “Dark Horse”, and now she’s leaving ground and “Walking On Air”.

Written by Regan Brown

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a very Glee-full moment. Gorgeous singer/actress, Naya Rivera, best known around the world as ‘Santana Lopez’ on Glee is officially off the market! While she may play a lesbian on the show, in real life, Rivera has been in a relationship with rapper, Big Sean, for the past six months (as far as we know). Now, it has been confirmed that the two are indeed engaged!!

Written by Regan Brown

It’s prom night on Thursday night’s episode of Glee. Rachel gets some exciting news concerning her future. Santana has found love once again. Tina runs for prom queen with devastating consequences. Sam’s got a new crush. Demi Lovato makes her first appearance. And Beatles week is still in full effect!

Recap of Glee: “Tina in the Sky With Diamonds”

I think we can all admit that the Blake Shelton cheating rumors are getting a little out of hand nowadays. If you believe any of these insane stories, he's been romancing everyone from Sheryl Crow to Cher. Yes...Cher. This doesn't seem to bother his wife, Miranda Lambert though. The country singer has stuck by her man through all of the crazy tabloid articles. Now that a new season of The Voice has kicked off, it looks like the tabloids are setting their sights on his fellow judge Christina Aguilera. There are reports that Lambert is "furious" ever since she found out Shelton is crushing on Aguilera. No worries though. According to GossipCon, a source close to our favorite couple told them that the story is "ridiculous". Do you believe this rumor? Sound off!

Source: GossipCon

Cory Monteith's Final Death Report

Can you believe its been over two months since Cory Monteith passed away? All this time has flown by and yet the news hasn't gotten any easier to swallow. Today the final report of his death has been released. According to the coroner's report, Monteith's official death was a "mixed drug toxicity, involving intravenous heroin use combined with the ingestion of alcohol." You might be thinking 'we knew this already', but did you know that "a spoon with drug residue and a used hypodermic needle, along with two empty champagne bottles and glasses" was found at the scene? His alcohol level was 0.13, which is considered a "moderate" level of intoxication. The coroner's report also mentioned his "history of illicit drug use", and how his tolerance to the drug could have been lowered thanks to his rehab treatments and abstinence from drugs for months or years.

Source: Cambio

Once Upon a Time: 3x01 - The Heart of the Truest Believer Recap

Written by Regan Brown

On Sunday, Sept. 30, the highly anticipated third season of, Once Upon A Time premiered. A villain, a pirate, a prince, a princess, and a mother are going to have to team up and learn to get along with one another if they expect to survive and come out as heroes. Peter Pan finally finds the heart of the truest believer, and in another realm, a man desperately tries to find a way home with a little help.

There’s a place far away where there are no parents and children never have to grow up. It’s called…Neverland!

Recap of Once Upon A Time: “The Heart of the Truest Believer”

Written by Regan Brown

Hey all you “gleeks” out there, your favorite musical comedy show, Glee, is back!! The Golden Globe award-winning series about everyone’s favorite show choir kicked off its fifth season last Thursday night. A new couple was formed, a marriage proposal was in full effect, Broadway dreams were within reach, there’s a new (evil) principal taking over McKinley High, and to top it all off…it’s all about The Beatles!!

Recap of Glee: “Love, Love, Love”

We love Tina Fey. The 30 Rock actress is returning to her old stomping grounds this weekend as Saturday Night Live's host for their season premiere. Like they do every week, the comedy sketch series released some promos featuring the host (Fey) and Kenan Thompson. If you recall from Sunday night's Emmys, Fey suffered a tiny wardrobe malfunction, so naturally she had to poke fun at herself. You have to watch this. Check out the SNL promos featuring Tina Fey below:

It looks like Lady Gaga has set her sights off of Perez Hilton, and onto Adam Levine instead. Recently Levine tweeted, "Ugh..recycling old art for a younger generation doesn't make you an artist. It makes you an art teacher." He then went on to tweet, "I unabashedly love writing and performing pop music for both myself AND everyone around me. That's It. It doesn't need any extra sauce." While Levine didn't call her out by name, it seems like the "Applause" singer took offense because she tweeted, "Uh oh guys the art police is here." When a fan later asked if she was who Levine tweeted about, she replied, "That's us. changing the world. twisting the panties of one pop star at a time." Whose side do you take on this Twitter feud? Sound off below!

Source: Cambio

Glee: The Quarterback Spoilers

When Cory Monteith passed away back in July, we all knew Glee was never going to be the same. While there were rumors swirling the Internet on how the series would handle the death, Fox ultimately announced Finn Hudson would be killed off. How though? While no one knows for sure yet (Monteith's tribute episode won't air until October 8th), some spoilers have leaked online. Check out the synopsis for episode 3, The Quarterback, below:

It looks like Justin Bieber is back in the news...and he was doing so well there for awhile. This time it's because he kicked his friends Lil Twist and Lil Za out of his Calabasas mansion. According to TMZ, the pop star made the decision after he noticed some of his pricey jewelry stolen while out on tour. To be honest, we don't blame him. Between their DUIs, weed smoking and assault charges this summer, they definitely aren't the best influences. No wonder Bieber's manager Scooter Braun has been trying to get the BFFs to all split up. Check out what TMZ is saying below:

Last week marked We Day in Toronto. The annual event, which focuses on sparking social changes and developing education, attracted more than 20,000 students at the Air Canada Centre. Of course since We Day is part concert and part leadership convention, there were performances from popstars like Demi Lovato and the Jonas Brothers. Glee star Darren Criss even hosted the event. Our favorite moment of the day when Lovato and Criss performed "Skyscraper" together with the Kenyan Boys Choir. You're not going to want to miss this. Check out the performance below:

Is anyone as excited as us for the new Romeo and Juliet movie? The tragic love story is making its way to theaters on October 11th, but we have you first look at the trailer for it. Romeo and Juliet stars Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Paul Giamatti and Stellan Skarsgard. Even though this film is a timeless story, it should be interesting to see how it does at the box office. Will the younger generations still find Romeo and Juliet relevant? Are you excited to see this film? Check out the trailer below:

If you're a One Direction fan, you know that the guys are releasing their third studio album on November 25th. The album, titled Midnight Memories, will be completely different from anything they put out in the past. One Direction even described the CD as having an edgier, rockier tone. If November 25th seems too far away though, one of their songs off Midnight Memories leaked online today. Click here to get your first listen to Diana. What do you think?

Did Zac Efron Suffer From a Cocaine Addiction?

Did you know that Zac Efron left for rehab five months ago? Well he did, and ever since then the public has been speculating what caused this stint. When the news first broke out, there were reports stating that the High School Musical star was "happy and not drinking," making most assume that he was in there for an alcohol addiction. Now according to TMZ, Efron allegedly went to rehab to fight his cocaine addiction. TMZ is reporting that the actor's addiction got out of control while filming the movie Neighbors with Seth Rogan. Insiders at TMZ said that Efron wouldn't show up to work for a few days, with one source commenting, "It was common knowledge that he was struggling with cocaine." Well whatever the reason is that Efron went to rehab, we truly hope he got the help he needed.

Source: TMZ

Emblem 3 Chats with Cambio About One Direction

Doesn't it feel like Emblem3 are everywhere nowadays? The former X Factor finalists stopped by Cambio recently to chat about everything from their upcoming tour with Selena Gomez to their new album, Nothing to Lose. Our favorite moment of the interview came though when the guys were asked who they're fans of from the X Factor. Of course they had to mention Fifth Harmony (the girls came in third on Emblem3's season) and One Direction. Who doesn't associate the reality competition serious with the British boyband? Read what Wes had to say about One Direction below:

Written by Regan Brown

You know what the downside is when it comes to having a huge crush on a huge celebrity? You know in your head that the chances of that crush ever turning into something more are very, very slim. However, it’s nice to know that regular people like us don’t have to experience this alone, celebrities can share the painful realization as well.

For example, actor Daniel Radcliffe has made it loud and clear that he’s got a huge crush on pop star, Katy Perry. The downside? The “Roar” singer is currently linked to singer, John Mayer (the couple even recorded a duet, “Who You Love”, which appeared on Mayer’s latest album).

Interview by Regan Brown

Not too long ago, I introduced a new song called “Glow” by up-and-coming band, Chevonne and The Fuzz. Now the pop rockers are gearing up to release their debut EP, Fire at Will on September 17^th. PCL Music recently had the opportunity to ask the band a few questions regarding how they came together, what keeps them together, what the experience was like working on the EP, and of course, what fans can hope to expect from them in their future plans.

Check out the interview with Chevonne and The Fuzz below:

The world has been speculating for months that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are no longer together. Today it became official. Reps for both stars confirmed to People magazine that the two have called off their engagement. The couple first met in 2010 on the set of the movie The Last Song and went on to get engaged in May of 2012. Everything was going well until Cyrus and Hemsworth postponed their wedding earlier this year. Then Cyrus was spotted without her engagement ring on, only fueling rumors of the breakup. Things seemed to be getting better though when the two were spotted together on the red carpet at the premiere of Hemsworth's film Paranoia. Well that was until yesterday when Cyrus unfollowed Hemsworth on Twitter. This is a shame. What are your thoughts about this split?

Source: People

Stevie Nicks Reaches Out to Glee Cast Following Cory Monteith's Death

If you're a fan of Glee, you may recall Stevie Nicks visiting the set back in 2011. She spoke candidly with the cast about what a huge fan she is of the show and how inspiring the series is for today's youth. That's why it's not surprising to hear that Nicks reached out to the cast once again after Cory Monteith's death back in July. The Fleetwood Mac singer spoke to Sunday Telegraph's newspaper about the tragedy, saying "When what happened to Cory happened, I just was sick for days. Honestly, just sick. It's just so prevalent. It's everywhere. It's worse than when we were young.'' She later went on to the news outlet that she wrote a heartfelt letter to the cast expressing her deep sympathy. Nicks is no stranger to drug addictions. She previously had a 10-year cocaine habit, as well as a sedative clonazepam addiction. Check out some of what Nicks had to say in her letter to the cast below:

Miley Cyrus has been all over the headlines lately. This time around it's for good news. The "We Can't Stop" singer will be performing this weekend at the hugely popular iHeartRadio music festival in Las Vegas. Cyrus will perform her new single "Wrecking Ball" for the first time. Hmm. That song is so beautiful that we really hope Cyrus just sings it straight through. Please no more silly antics. Are any of our readers attending the iHeartRadio music festival this year?

Source: People

Britney Spears Releases New Song

Written by Regan Brown

It’s been a while since pop princess, Britney Spears, has graced our ears with a new song. But I’m sure her loyal fans will be pleased to hear her newest song was released today on iTunes.

As we reported last month, Carrie Underwood will be starring as Maria Von Trapp in NBC's live holiday production of The Sound of Music. Underwood will play alongside True Blood's Stephen Moyer as Capt. Von Trapp. The three-hour special will air on December 5th. Today Underwood tweeted out a first look at herself in the iconic role. Will you tune in? Check out the promotional poster for The Sound of Music below:

Written by Regan Brown

Calling all Harry Potter fans…the magic still lives on!!!

J.K. Rowling, author of the legendary, groundbreaking series that became legendary films, which became a prominent symbol of my generations’ childhood, is not quite ready to hang up her wand just yet.

Rowling is again partnering with Warner Bros. Entertainment. Only this time around it will be for a Harry Potter spin-off series based on the Hogwarts textbook, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” by fictional author, Newt Scamander. If you remember, this textbook was introduced in Harry’s third year for his, ‘Care of Magical Creatures’ class.

It's happy news for one of our favorite couples in Hollywood. Emily Blunt is expecting her first child with husband John Krasinski. Blunt's rep confirmed that The Devil Wears Prada star is due in just a few months. A source tells US Weekly that, "They both couldn't be more excited." In fact, the couple recently moved to a larger home to start a family. The source said, "It's one of the reasons they got a bigger place, in a neighborhood you can raise a family." The two got married in Italy back in 2010. Yay. We can't wait to see pictures of Blunt's baby bump.

Source: US Weekly

Carlos Pena Announces Engagement to Alexa Vega

Do you remember Alexa Vega from the Spy Kids movies? Well now she's all grown up and apparently engaged to Carlos Pena. Yesterday, the 24-year-old Big Time Rush member tweeted out a picture of Vega showing off a ring on her left hand. In case you still had your doubts after this, Vega then tweeted a picture of Pena with the caption "Hello fiance..." If you've been following Pena's Instagram account, it looks like the happy couple went on a long road trip when Pena asked for Vega's hand in marriage. This is Vega's second marriage. The two have been dating for a year and are absolutely adorable together.

Source: Q102

Is Lil Twist Getting His Own Reality Show?

If you're a Justin Bieber fan, you know who Lil Twist. If not, here's a brief rundown. Lil Twist is Bieber's BFF who was photographed smoking weed with the pop singer. He was also the one who got pulled over by the cops while driving the Biebs' car. Oh wait, there's more. Lil Twist was even the friend who was accused of battery at the "Beauty and a Beat" singer's home. Phew. It's no wonder Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, kicked him and their friend Za out of Bieber's Calabasas home. Now Lil Twist is pitching his own reality show to MTV. The show would center around Twist pursuing his rap music career and have appearances time to time from Bieber. Anything with Bieber's name attached to it would probably do well, but still. Would you watch?

Source: Cambio

Lucy Hale and Graham Rogers Break Up

Another one bites the dust. US Weekly is reporting that Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale and her boyfriend Graham Rogers have split. According to the magazine's source, the two were dating for about three months. Hale first opened up about their relationship back in June. She had nothing but good things to say about Graham, commenting, "He is a good guy. And I am past the bad-boy stage. He is such a sweetheart. We are having a good time." Aww. They seemed like such a good match. Remember when they vacationed in Hawaii back in July? Who do you want to see Hale with next?

Source: US Weekly

Show Me Love - The Wanted

The Wanted have been all over the news lately. Last month, we learned that band member Nathan Sykes is dating Ariana Grande. Now the guys released their new single, "Show Me Love". The song, which is co-written by Sykes, talks about a relationship coming to an end. Hmm. We wonder who that's about. "Show Me Love" is off their upcoming album Word of Mouth, which is set to come out on November 4th. Will you buy a copy? Get your first listen of "Show Me Love" below:

Taylor Swift's love life has been awfully quiet recently. Well...until now. According to the New York Post's Page Six, the singer was seen talking with hot, Australian actor Brenton Thwaites at the Toronto International Film Festival. The two were reportedly chatting in a booth at the private party until late into the night. One of the news outlet's sources claim, "It looked like they were on a date all night." They went on to say, "It was like everyone else melted away." Around 2 a.m., Swift and Thwaites were eating burgers and playing "peek-a-boo". We don't know about the "peek-a-boo" part (is that the new way to flirt?), but it definitely seems like these two have potential to be the next "it" couple.

Source: New York Post

Kanye West Disses Ray J on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

Earlier this week, Kanye West stopped by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to perform his song "Bound 2". Naturally it wouldn't be a Kanye performance without some kind of controversy. This time around the rap star took a jab at Kim Kardashian's ex-boyfriend, Ray J. West referred to Ray J as "Brandy's little sister" in the line, "Brandy's little sister lame man he know it now...When a real brother hold you down you 'sposed to drown." We can't wait to see what Ray J fires back with...because you know he's going to say or do something. If you missed it though, check out West's performance of "Bound 2" below:

Now that the summer is officially over, it's time for fall tour announcements. Beginning on October 23rd in Baltimore, you can catch Tonight Alive on their headlining tour. The Downtown Fiction, For the Foxes, and Echosmith will each lend their support to The Other Side tour. The tour will hit all the major cities like Nashville, New York City, Seattle and Los Angeles, before wrapping up in San Diego on November 23rd. Check out the full list of tour dates below:

Review by Stephanie Coffey

Fans of electronic rock, take note of MiXE1. While this band first started out as a solo project for songwriter Mike Evans, it soon evolved into a full out band that's been compared to the likes of Blue Stahli, Deftones and Linkin Park. Now with Evans on vocals and synth, Lee Towson on guitar, Lee O'Brien on drums, and Marcos Farias on live bass, these UK natives are ready to change the music scene. In July, they released their digital EP titled Lights Out.

Written by Stephanie Coffey

Miley Cyrus is back at it again with the music video for "Wrecking Ball". No, she's not twerking in this video but that doesn't mean she's still not causing quite the buzz. This time around Cyrus is seen naked swinging from a...wrecking ball. Then there's the scenes where she's making out with a sledgehammer. Are we the only ones who wish Cyrus went subtle for this music video? She just caused a huge commotion at the Video Music Awards, that it's time for her to have us focus on the music alone and not the craziness that surrounds it. If she keeps up antics like these, no one will ever be able to take her art seriously. Well in case you missed it, check out Cyrus' music video for "Wrecking Ball" below:

Written by Stephanie Coffey

It's that time of the year where all our favorite shows return to television. This of course includes Saturday Night Live. In a press release that NBC sent out today, we found out just which hosts and musical guests we can expect on this season of the comedy program. To name a few, we'll be seeing Miley Cyrus (she will be the host AND musical guest on October 5th), Bruce Willis, and Katy Perry. The 39th season of SNL kicks off on September 28th with Tina Fey as host and Arcade Fire as musical guest. Will you be tuning in? Check out the press release below:

Written by Stephanie Coffey

All weekend long, Demi Lovato has been hinting on Twitter about big news. Today, she finally filled her fans in on her next project. Lovato is releasing a new book titled Staying Stong, which will be a collection of all her favorite, most inspiring quotes. We can't wait to pick up our copy when Staying Strong comes out. Lovato posted a keek today with the exciting announcement. Check it out below:

Review by Stephanie Coffey

EdTang & The Chops is one band you won't forget. This aggressive folk rock/indie group from New Jersey has not only garnered local support since starting out, but radio recognition as well. They've been a featured artist on Sirius XM's The Loft, as well as Rich Russo's "Anything Anything" free form radio program. Earlier this year, EdTang & The Chops released their full-length album, Goodbye, Zen5, Sushi Dinner.

Written by Stephanie Coffey

When we hung out at Warped Tour last July, one band that really stood out to us was Tonight Alive. This Australian pop rock band has us hooked with their catchy tunes and strong vocals. Not only that, but we also love that Jenna McDougall is their lead singer. These female vocals give them an edge on the rest of the bands in their genre of music. Now they're ready to release new music. Their new album, The Other Side, will come out on September 10th. Recently they put out a music video for their single "Lonely Girl". Watch it below:

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