411 Music Fact or Fiction 02.08.12: Madonna's Super Bowl Show, Coldplay's New Video, More

Posted by Joseph Lee on 02.08.2012

Was the Madonna Super Bowl halftime show entertaining? Did we enjoy Coldplay's latest music video? Was firing Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul and Steve Jones from X Factor the right decision? 411's John Downey and David Hayter debate these topics and more in this week's 411 Fact or Fiction: Music!


Welcome to another edition of Fact or Fiction: Music. I'm your host, Joseph Lee.

This week we have John Downey taking on David Hayter.

Round 1
1) The Super Bowl halftime show was very entertaining.
David Hayter: FACT. Madonna was very entertaining. I don't think there's any doubt about this, the entire performance was one giant spectacle; crazy dancers, great guest spots, terrible guest spots (LMFAO), a bit of manufactured controversy (by the media not M.I.A.), and some of the biggest pop songs around…what's not to love? To be perfectly honest, I thought the first half of the show fell flat. "Vogue" is a classic but it lacks punch live (thankfully the ludicrous Egyptian Goddess theme more than compensated). "Music", on the other hand, while a key part of Madge's oeuvre hasn't aged particularly well. However, the show really picked up with "Gimmie All Your Luvin". The verse may be tepid, but it upped the energy count, and Minaj and M.I.A added some character to a glitzy but otherwise characterless spectacle. Then "Just Like A Prayer" happened. No silly dance remixes were aired, Madonna played it straight, and the strength of the track won the day. Whether Madonna won with quality of performance or strength of spectacle doesn't really matter. It was a big show. It got everyone talking. It worked. World Peace.
John Downey: FACT. Last year, I spent a couple hundred words in my column dressing down the Black Eyed Peas's showing at the Super Bowl. Fortunately, this year's halftime show was an improvement, to the point that I'd say it was one of the better halftime shows I've ever seen. Madonna's dancers put on a show, we got two surprise guests in Cee Lo and M.I.A., and I lost count of Madonna's costume changes. I wouldn't call it the best halftime show ever, but it was entertaining.
Score Card: 1 for 1

Round 2
2) It was a good decision to fire Paula Abdul, Steve Jones and Nicole Scherzinger from The X Factor.
David Hayter: FACT. I don't watch either the American or British version of The X Factor but I've never found Pauala Abdul interesting and I'm adamant in the belief that there is a more intriguing personality out there than Nicole Scherziner, who would make better use of a prime time tv berth.
John Downey: FACT. I haven't seen the show, but from what I've heard, the judges have been dull as dishwater and have made some poor decisions on the show. Besides, no one takes Paula Abdul or Nicole Scherzinger seriously, and I shouldn't have to look up Steve Jones to know that he's the host of the show. I feel as though the show should be canceled and the money and effort put into making the show go towards something more worthwhile, but if the show has to stick around, this seems necessary.
Score Card: 2 for 2

Round 3
3) You enjoyed Coldplay's latest music video for "Charlie Brown".
David Hayter: FICTION. Ah "Charlie Brown" Coldplay's waltz Disney Arcade Fire track. The video is very nicely shot, it looks very slick, but it lacks the spirit of the underclasses that Rihanna's "We Found Love" so brilliantly captured. Instead, "Charlie Brown" is big, polished, charming and remarkably warm; the perfect video for the new day-glo Coldplay but nothing to get overly excited about.
John Downey: FICTION. The song is okay, but the video crams in a shit ton of cliches. It's a concert video! It's a love story! It's a laser show! It's an orgy! Fireworks! I'm not impressed.
Score Card: 3 for 3

SWITCH

Round 4
4) The Black Sabbath reunion won't be the same without drummer Bill Ward.
John Downey: FACT. You can't have a reunion without the original members of the band, and that includes Bill Ward. I'm sure that Sabbath will find a suitable replacement. C'mon, it's Sabbath, many musicians will kill for a chance to play in the band. But it won't be a proper reunion, and there's no way to get around that fact.
David Hayter: FACT. Don't get me wrong, I'll be going bananas with 50,000 others in front the Download main stage this summer, but this news is just frustrating. There really is no real reason why the original Black Sabbath line up can't work this out. Bill wants pen put to paper, and I can't blame him, this is the music industry, people get screwed. It happens. He's just trying to protect himself. If they're making a new record together I don't see how they could possible have avoided inking some kind of deal. This is a real bummer for someone like me, who has waited along time to see the original Sabbath together, and now, I'll be subject to a decade of "oh you didn't see the real Sabbath" from fellow fans…ugh.
Score Card: 4 for 4

Round 5
5) It's disappointing that Bon Iver won't be performing at the Grammys.
John Downey: FICTION. Because, you know, I was hoping that he would try to further shove "Beth/Rest" down our throats.
David Hayter: FACT. I'm always disappointed to miss a Bon Iver performance, especially one on such a high profile stage. To be honest I find the gesture pretty vacuous as well. It's hardly rebellious or interesting statement in 2011. Still Justin Vernon has managed to stay on two smaller record labels and if he wants to cultivate his personal image at the expense of introducing his sound to thousands of potential fans that's his decision. I've always thought an artist should reject the award or the nomination, and play the show. Get the platform to perform your music, avoid the industry backslap, and give the many fans who couldn't get tickets to one of your sold out shows the chance to see you upstage the rock and pop elite.
Score Card: 4 for 5

Round 6
6) The Darkness' latest song "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us" is a good one.
John Downey: FICTION. Chalk this up to me simply not caring for the band's sound. I can respect that their new song is a return to form, and that anyone who has been a fan of the band in the past should have reason to look forward to their latest album. I'm not one of those people. Sorry.
David Hayter: FICTION. I really don't have all that much to say about this track. I thought it was truly tepid. No huge vocal hook, no buoyant power chords, and no imperious solo. Hardly an impactful return.
Score Card: 5 for 6

Anything you agree with? Disagree with? Sound off in the comment section.

Almost a perfect score, but not quite. I didn't watch the Super Bowl, so I didn't see Madonna's show. Since I'm not a fan, I wouldn't have liked it anyway.