First Look: Red by Taylor Swift

Disputably this fall's biggest album, Red from Taylor Swift, makes it's debut next Monday, but we've got the first look at this hot new album. Does it pale in comparison to Fearless and Speak Now, or surpass them? Read on to find out!

1. State of Grace - The album gets off one on of the best possible notes it can. Of the numerous singles released prior to the album's release, this one might be my favorite. It's got an epic feel to it that'll have her fans singing along in stadiums and for good reason. It's just such a good song, from the instrumentation to the lyrics (Swift's strongest suit) and the vocal delivery (pretty good here!). Great first song.

2. Red - This song flows pretty well from the first track. It is a little more pop (mostly the "Re-e-e-ed" refrain during the chorus) but that's okay. The lyrics here are good, but the best parts are the colors that Swift only uses in the chorus. If she had continued that trend throughout the verses, this song might have benefitted. Still, it's pretty good.

3. Treacherous - This is another song that shows Swift's growth as an artist in the country realm. It's got a very country feel to it that builds to something a little more. It's kinda alt-rock mixed with country and it's interesting. This track in particular is a change of pace from the first two tracks. If you can stick with the song through the build to the end, you'll be pleased with it as a whole.

4. I Knew You Were Trouble. - Probably the biggest departure from Swift's normal sound on this entire album, but I love it. The vocal delivery is just fine, and the lyrics are great, but of course the most interesting part of the song is the dubstep element, which works extremely well here. It shouldn't, but it does. While some may complain that it doesn't fit into Swift's style, I'm not one to believe in pigeonholing an artist, and no one is going to argue that other twenty-something artists are underusing dubstep. It's a favorite for me.

5. All Too Well - A song that gets to show off Swift's lyricism, here's another track with country influences in an otherwise alt-rock setting. It's a sound that Swift is pulling off very well on this album. I think a lot of people complained that Swift was going severely pop music with this album, but tracks like this just show that she's switching up her sound and it's working out in her favor.

6. 22 - Swift's attempt to write a song NOT about an ex-boyfriend and it's...half successful. She's still singing to some guy, so it doesn't work entirely well, but as far as the song itself, it's another experiment  like I Knew You Were Trouble. This one is extremely poppy, but the relatable lyrics for the just barely legal crowd will make this one an anthem for sure. The lyricism present in the previous song is pretty much gone here with very innocent lyrics, and she still manages to make a song about being 22 without mentioning drugs, sex, and alcohol (take note, pop stars of today!).

7. I Almost Do - The country Swift you remember is back in this track. It's strictly country, no hint of any other genre.  It's the first real ballad on the album and it's good, my only complaint being that the lyrics aren't as strong here as in other songs ("Every I don't, I almost do." Um.), but it's a good song anyway.

8. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together - Do we really need to go over this one? The pop sound makes more sense when it's accompanied by other poppy tracks here. It works for me, so...that's that.

9. Stay Stay Stay - Still carrying the light air of the previous track, but with a completely different message: this time Swift is begging her man to stick by her side. The clap-along chorus is cute enough, and the entire song is for that matter. It's light and airy, and it reminds me of some of Swift's younger songs. It's got an Ingrid Michaelson feel to it, and that's good to me.

10. The Last Time - Fans might be caught off guard at first when the song opens up with a male voice. That's Gary Lightbody, lead singer of Snow Patrol, and that makes this the album's first duet. It's an interesting song. It's a little darker and you can hear some of the influences from Lightbody's band. The build to the end is highly rewarding. This is another deviance from the country genre, and it still works well.

11. Holy Ground - A jump back into upbeat. This song was produced by Jeff Bhasker who produced fun.'s album Some Nights, and that might explain why I'm digging this sound. Additionally, it's a Swift solo write, and those songs tend to have a special something to them. This one has a little electronic sound to it, and it's pretty funky. If anything, this one is a surefire toe-tapper.

12. Sad Beautiful Tragic - Going with the pattern of the album, we're slowing things down with this one. It's the most mellow song on the album. It's mostly just a strumming guitar and Swift's haunting vocals. It's the most simplistic song on the album and that's a welcome change of pace after earlier pop-heavy songs.

13. The Lucky One - Alright, this one is just kinda boring for me. It's rather plain and not in a good way. The lyrics are just alright. This one is filler for me.

14. Everything Has Changed - This is the much hyped duet between Taylor and Ed Sheeran and of course it does not disappoint. As an Ed fan, I can certainly pick up on his influence here. The "know you better" repeat reminds me of songs like "Give Me Love" from his album, +. The kick drop beat at the chorus is very...him. So, yeah, I really like it. And any exposure for Ed is fine by me.

15. Starlight - Yeah I like this one. It's got a good feel to it. It's apparently about the Kennedys (she's dating one of them, so why not write a song about their family?). It's got a really cool feel to it, despite being about the 40s and sounding very 90s. There's something about it, I don't mind it at all.

16. Begin Again - Probably my least favorite of the singles released before the album's release, but not bad at all. My only qualm is that I'm not sure I understand why this song is the last track on the album. Maybe because it's "begin again" shows "moving on" which Taylor said (very early in the process) was the theme of this album. It's a mellow note to end the album, but then again, T. Swift has been partial to these kinds of songs ending albums (Long Live, anyone?).

So the final conclusion? Well, I can't say right now where this album ranks compared to her others, mostly because it is a big departure in sound, but Taylor is right in place with these changes. The album works very well as a mix of many different genres. I think fans will eat this right up because there is enough to appease everyone here.

Favorite songs: State of Grace, I Knew You Were Trouble., All Too Well, Everything Has Changed

What do you think? Liking this new T. Swift? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!

Evan

We Need to Talk

Hi everyone,

If you're still visiting the blog, I hope you read this. As you can tell, I've been crazed. College has finally hit me head on and I'm busy 95% of the time. Unfortunately, that leaves me very little room for the blog. As much as I enjoy writing and putting it out there, it's very hard to find time to write about these things. I'm going to try to update as much as I can, but it's very hard with the overwhelming load I have. I hope you can understand :)

Evan

First Listen: Halcyon by Ellie Goulding

One of my most anticipated albums of the fall is almost here! Ellie Goulding, hot off the success of Lights this summer, is back this fall with her second studio album, Halcyon, and I have the first listen. Check it out!

1. Don't Say a Word - The song has a tribal feel to it and it's an energetic start to the album. The first minute or so is a bunch of "ooh"-ing and very little instrumentation, before it jumps into the driving drum beat. It sounds like a Florence + the Machine song, always a compliment. It's just eerie enough to draw the listener's interest and gives a good indication of what's to come, although Ellie fans know that it is truly impossible to label her music.

2. My Blood - Ellie's personal favorite on the album, and it's not hard to see why. The verses are poignant, but understated. Then comes the soaring chorus, which features great vocals from Ellie and shout-worthy refrains. The instrumentation sounds light, but is actually quite heavy. It's clear this one will be a favorite among fans.

3. Anything Could Happen - The first official single from the album, it takes some time to get used to, but it's insanely catchy and danceable. While the lyrics are a little hard to symbolically decipher, they're easy to sing along to. It's a shame this song hasn't caught on at radio like Lights has, but there's still hope, especially with the full album coming out next week.

4. Only You - The pulsating drums drive the beginning of this song and it sounds a lot different than the beginning of this album. This one is definitely one to dance to. The pounding piano during the chorus reminds me a bit of the piano from Rolling in the Deep, and it's my favorite part. Ellie's vocals start off soft and then go to full belt by the end of the song. This one is more direct at the scorned ex unlike My Blood, which makes it just a little more fun.

5. Halcyon - This one has a signature Ellie touch on it. It could have simply been guitar and piano, but those light, airy electronic noises make it sound like an Ellie sound. Her shivering vocals sound great here. This one just makes you feel good, but maybe that's just the repeated refrain of "It's gonna be better." This one is just very light, it's a good change.

6. Figure 8 - Speaking of change, this one is the most drastic departure from the album. Before this song, I didn't love dubstep. But this might be my favorite song on the album. The verses are dark and intense and when the beat finally drops on the chorus, it's just awesome. It's a true jam and if all dubstep was like this, I would jump on the bandwagon immediately. Love this song.

7. Joy - Following Figure 8, we get a huge step back. Joy is a really reserved ballad that shows hints at growing, but stays right where it's at. Honestly, that's okay because it works really well by being understated and calming. And that's really what this song is: calming. It works being placed here.

8. Hanging On - When Ellie released this song as a promo single this summer, fans cried foul when they heard Tinie Tempah's rap verse, which didn't entirely mesh into the song that well. So it's a huge welcome that the album version is without Tinie. With that aside, this song is really freaking awesome and the dubstep incorporation is pretty cool.

9. Explosions - Apparently (maybe), this is the second official single from the album, but maybe that's internationally, maybe not. Anyway, this is another ballad, but unlike Joy, it builds, and that's what gives this one the edge. It really is beautiful, starting with the simple piano line, and the lyrics, helping a friend out with a rough time, are pretty universal. Maybe this could work as a second single...

10. I Know You Care - Okay, I take it back, this is the most reserved ballad on the album. A repeating piano line, some "ah"s and a simple chorus, that's all it takes. But it works. It's a pretty sad piece of music (it's currently being used in a movie about childhood cancer), but it's effective. It doesn't slow down the album too much.

11. Atlantis - A much needed pick-up. It's got an infectious "Where'd you go?" earworm and an easy beat that still doesn't make this song a ballad, but more of a mid-tempo jam. It's brighter than the previous track, which is much needed to make sure the album doesn't go tired.

12. Dead in the Water - A pretty sad and somber end to this album. Well, "unofficial" end. This is where the official version of the album ends, even though the official version also includes two bonus tracks, and the deluxe version includes much more than that. Anyway, this song is completely sad and kind of turns the end of this album on it's head. It leaves you thinking, though, so maybe that's what the idea behind making this the last track was.

13. I Need Your Love - Technically, this is Calvin Harris' song featuring Ellie Goulding, but it gets to be on her album a month before his album comes out. Hooray! This song could very well end up being Ellie's next big club hit and it's not even her own song. It's the most danceable song on this disc, but Ellie's songs are only really club-ready after they've been remixed. No remix needed here, unless that remix is an extended version because this song almost feels too short to truly enjoy. Hence, it sticks on repeat...alot. Catchy, love it.

14. Hanging On (feat. Tinie Tempah) - I already discussed this above, but if you like the rap verse, this is your version. If not, skip it.

15. Lights - Included for the US fans who worship this song, not much needs to be said that hasn't already been stated.

16. Ritual - A tribal beat to go with a song called Ritual? Coincidence...I think not. Anyway, this song is a jam, at least given that driving beat. It's a lot different from the rest of the album, perhaps sounding most like Don't Say a Word. It's interesting...cool harmonies, really cool instrumentation and Ellie's vocals are spot-on.

17. In My City - This is another up-tempo one as Ellie talks about what she loves about her hometown: it's like an upbeat Hometown Glory (shoutout to original Adele fans!). Still, this one is mostly pretty fun because it's got a good beat and it's easy to sing along to. It's easy to understand, though, why it made the deluxe version only.

18. Without Your Love - Another song with really cool instrumentation and a cool chorus ("Without your love, I'm getting somewhere"). I think the reason Ritual and this song made the deluxe version is because they don't mesh very well with the overall sound of the album. Still, it's a fun song and it shows Ellie moving on, a fitting end to an album.

Favorite tracks: My Blood, Only You, Figure 8, Hanging On, I Need Your Love

What do you think, readers? Have you heard the album and do you love it? I sure do! Let me know your thoughts and favorite tracks in the comments section below!

Evan

Where Have You Been?

I know it is the question on everyone's mind, so I figured I would put you at ease! It was Parents and Families Weekend here at Penn State, so I spent the past three days with my mom and dad, showing them around, going out to dinner and getting to sleep in an extra bed at their hotel room (yay for showers without flip-flops!). Tonight was also the Homecoming concert at PSU, so that's where I've been since Thursday. I'm trying to keep a good balance of everything and schoolwork is always a first, but I love writing for this blog, so I'll definitely be back in full force this week! Hope you'll be ready :)

Evan

The Voice Week 3 Recap

Welcome back to another week of recapping The Voice! Let's get started.

Episode 6
Michelle - The night starts off strong with Michelle, a very fun bank worker with an almost-NFL player  husband. I just like her personality a lot, and it only gets better when she starts singing. Her rendition of "Proud Mary" is just right, and clearly, it works. Blake is the only judge that doesn't turn around, and after all the bickering, Michelle claims a spot on TEAM ADAM.

Diego - The first "sob story" of the night is that of Diego, a Latin singer born with a hip disease that left him unable to walk for a few years when he was younger. Now, he's on the voice singing "Animal," and that Latin vibe is certainly powering through here. Apparently, only one coach sees it (even though the girls really love this guy) and Diego joins TEAM CEE-LO.

Lauren - Lauren's audition started with a lot of promise, or at least her package beforehand did. Lauren is very pretty and has two sad stories: she was diagnosed with dyslexia and her uncle, her best friend who also had dyslexia, recently passed away. Still, that doesn't translate to a good performance. Lauren is flat and doesn't hit those big notes that someone singing "Cowboy Casanova" should. It seems Lauren will have to chase her dream just a little longer.

Suzanna - One of my favorites of the night is Suzanna, a Stevie Nicks look-and-sound-alike. She's got a really good personality and her voice was absolutely perfect for "Landslide." Adam and Blake both vie for her, and she sides with everyone's favorite country star, becoming a frontrunner for TEAM BLAKE.

Next, we get tiny snippets of two TEAM BLAKE contestants: Michaela and Ryan. We didn't really hear enough for me to form a good opinion.

Dez - Oh Dez...after winning the hearts of millions of girls in less than 90 seconds last season, a lot of people were upset that this young heartthrob didn't make a coach's team last year. Could that change? If Dez's performance of "Sara Smile" means anything, I'm going to say he's back and much better than before. He just sounded better all around, and that certainly picked up the attention of Cee-Lo, Blake and Christina, who tried to get Dez on her team at the last second in season two. Apparently, everyone's favorite eye candy (Cee-Lo egged the girls in the audience on while Blake was full on crushing on our guy) remembered Christina's attempt, so he now joins TEAM XTINA.

VJ - Of course, for every high, there is a low. VJ comes out, a big Cee-Lo fan, singing "Forget You" and it just doesn't compete. It doesn't even compete with Nakia's version from season one (remember him?). The performance is "Forget"ful except for Cee-Lo's duet with the young singer, which just proves that he's got one of the most fun attitudes in the music industry.

Alexis - Once again, we get another sob story. This time, our friend is lamenting about her losses from Hurricane Katrina, and she's here today hoping the exposure from The Voice will help her family rebuild their lives. Well, it worked in some capacity. She sings "Go Your Own Way," the second Fleetwood Mac song of the night (woohoo!), and it's just okay. It's enough to turn Cee-Lo around, so Alexis now on TEAM CEE-LO.

We get three more singers who also only turn around one coach: Sam is on TEAM ADAM, Laura joins TEAM XTINA, and Leila becomes a member of TEAM BLAKE.

Brandon - And what's his story? He grew up in violence and had to leave his hometown, but he carried his music dream with him (of course!). He's singing "I Wish It Would Rain," and he's doing a pretty good job. His voice is solid. Then, we hit his falsetto and that's the sweet spot. Of course, because of that, it should come to no surprise that although Cee-Lo and Xtina vie for this soulful singer, Brandon sides with TEAM ADAM.

We get a few failed performances before we get to the final two performances of the night, two of the strongest of the night.

Jordan - Woah! That was my first reaction to seeing ex-Disney star Jordan Pruitt on the show. After having a pretty successful career as a Disney Channel star back when I was a youngster, the now-20-year-old Jordan is looking to transition to a more mature career (hmm...what other coach did this?!). She comes out singing "The One That Got Away" and it doesn't look like she's stopped performing at all. She sounds good, and starts her really solid riffing, and that sells it for Xtina, who had been lamenting that she  couldn't find any good divas. Surprisingly, no one else makes a bid for Jordan, so she joins TEAM XTINA, and I would guess that, because of her "sorta" fan base, she's a frontrunner.

Terisa - The most surprising segment of the night is Terisa's performance. Her pre-performance package has "SASS" written all over her, and I'm praying she delivers a helluva performance to match that diva attitude. Thank God she does! Rifing is Terisa's middle name, and "Someone Like You" is her game. Still, Blake has to persuade Xtina to hit her button, because clearly this is an artist cut out just for her. Yet, when Terisa learns about Xtina's hesitations, she actually picks to be on TEAM BLAKE, and it might just be a game-changer.

Episode 7
Sylvia - The first contestant of this episode is Sylvia, originally from Egypt, who is here to pursue her mother's dreams of a singing career (women couldn't sing in Egypt, because of oppression). Sylvia's got attitude when she performs "Only Girl (In the World)" and she turns around every coach, except Adam, but she goes with the pretty obvious choice and joins TEAM XTINA.

IJ - Damn, this kid's voice is high! That's the only thing you can really notice about him at first. But maybe that'll be a good thing right? Not exactly. Even with a voice like that, IJ is straining for notes on "Virtual Insanity," and can't get any coaches to turn around. Poor guy.

Charlie - Smog technician Charlie is hoping to finally break out of the car shop onto the stage, and his performance of "Home" indicates he's got pretty good chances of that happening. He's voice, ironically enough, is clear and clean. Adam and Blake certainly think he's got it, and after a heated debate, Charlie goes with TEAM BLAKE.

Amanda - The second Amanda says she used to be a backup singer for Adele, I...am...SOLD. She's perfectly fine with her version of "Valerie," and only gets Cee-Lo to turn around, so she joins TEAM CEE-LO.

Yolanda - In one of the night's more surprising moments, this 50-something bus driver/cruise singer doesn't make it onto a coach's team! Why? Well...it's actually really hard to say. Singing "Get Here," Yolanda sounds like she should easily turn around some chairs (I'm looking at you, Adam and Christina!) and the coaches really really like her. So why not turn around?! It's a shame, I would've liked to have seen Yolanda this season.

Cassadee - On the other hand, the final singer of the night completes the rare feat of turning all four chairs around. Just like Jordan from Monday's episode, Cassadee might also be familiar to some viewers: she was the lead singer of a pop/rock band Hey Monday. I've listened to some Hey Monday music for a while, although not recently, so it's not surprising when Cassadee says the band broke up and she's looking to go solo. Her crystal voice shines on "Torn," and gets everyone amped. So who does she pick? While Xtina says she knows how to make solo careers work, and Adam says he knows what it's like to work with a band, Cassadee decides to become a major player for TEAM BLAKE.

Overall, I really thought the selection of singers from this week's episodes were much better than what we've seen in the past and I thought we saw a lot of frontrunners emerge. Who did you like this week? Let me know in the comments section below!

Evan

First Listen: Babel by Mumford and Sons

Ah, yes! It's here! Mumford and Sons too long awaited sophomore album, Babel, is being released Tuesday, September 25th, but I'm here to give you a first listen to the album, which is sure to satisfy fans that have been craving music for almost three years!

1. Babel - The album starts with this driving anthem. Marcus Mumford (the Mumford of Mumford and Sons) is back with his signature growl, and the instrumentation is beautiful and very forward. The band's music is always great on the first listen, and this song is no exception. It's so different from everything else we're hearing nowadays, between Marcus' gruff voice, the folk instrumentation, and the honest lyrics: "I know that perhaps my heart is farce, but I'll be born without a mask." Great first song!

2. Whispers in the Dark - This one is a little more upbeat, and it's a true Mumford and Sons song. The driving beats are infectious, and the lyrics are wonderful, of course. My favorite line so far: "My fingers tap into what you were once, and I'm worried that I blew my only chance." There's a little rock hint at the very end which shows a bit of a shift in direction, but it's not too evident. It's a great song, of course.

3. I Will Wait - I'm sure everyone has already this one, so I won't go into details. Classic Mumford. I love it.

4. Holland Road - This one is a little bit slower compared to the first couple of tracks, but it's a little more serious, so it makes sense. I love the instrumental on the chorus. This song's dealing a little more with reaching personal lows, and the lyrics are great. The last minute or so of the song, I love it! "When I've hit the ground, neither lost nor found/If you'll believe in me, I'll still believe," it might be one of my favorite lines on the album and I'm only four tracks in.

5. Ghosts That We Knew - This one is a definite change of sound compared to the beginning of the album. Nearly acoustic, the harmonies really shine here. It's such a somber sound, and it offers such contrast to the rest of the album.

6. Lover of the Light - This one's got a bit more of that rock beat I picked up on earlier, with a drum backing beat. It's interesting. I really like the chorus and the song sounds like a Mumford song with a bit of a modern-y edge to it. Hmm...interesting.

7. Lover's Eyes - It's got all the classic elements of an epic Mumford and Sons song, so of course I love it! The harmonies? Impressive. The instrumentation? Perfect. The lyrics? Great. This is more in line with the Mumford sound that started the album off.

8. Reminder - This song is so short, it feels like an interlude. It's just the guitar and Marcus, and it's still a really nice song. There's not much you can say about it since it's barely there.

9. Hopeless Wanderer - Might be my favorite song on the album. There are so many different sounds, energies, vocal styles, and it all just works somehow. I just really dig this one. It's got a different sound to it, and I really like it alot.

10. Broken Crown - This one is angry. It's awesome. The instrumentation is like a fast approaching storm ready to attack. Marcus is angry as hell. The lyrics are intense too: "In this twilight, how dare you speak of grace." A bit of a change of tone.

11. Below My Feet - This one has more of a universal tone, almost naturalistic and religious. It's a little understated with more rock elements than we've seen in this album. I definitely pick up on the religious undertones here: "Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn." It builds until the end, a Mumford necessity, and I like it.

12. Not With Haste - The final track on the standard edition. First thing I notice is the line "learn me right," which is the title of the song Mumford and Sons helped make for Disney-Pixar's Brave. Then, I realize the lyrics are lyrics from that song. Yes, it's a different slowed down version of the same song that Birdy sang, with a little bit of a change. Instrumentally, it's stripped down. Not sure how I feel, especially since I loved the original version. There are some differences in these versions, mostly the verses being changed to be slightly more mature. Still, you can decide which version you prefer.

13. For Those Below - What stands out most about this song is that we hear the other members of the band singing! The harmonies are beautiful and there's something particularly great about this one, at least I think so. I really enjoyed this one.

14. The Boxer - This is a cover of the Simon and Garfunkel song. This song has a soft rock edge to it, a hint of electric guitar. It picks up in the second verse with the addition of more voices. The song features Jerry Douglas and Paul Simon, so I wonder what roles they played in helping out with this song. The song is pretty good.

15. Where Are You Now? - Chasing after lost love is the theme of the last of the deluxe edition tracks. It's pretty simple, even down to the lyrics: "Do you ever think of me in the quiet, in the crowd?" Nice quiet end to the album.

My favorite tracks: Babel, Whispers in the Dark, Holland Road, Lover's Eyes, Hopeless Wanderer, For Those Below

The album comes out tomorrow so make sure you pick up your copy! Let me know what your favorites are in the comments section below!

Evan

Primetime Emmy Awards 2012 Recap

Hi everyone! Just a quick follow-up on last night's Emmy Awards ceremony. If you're looking for more info, you can check out my live blog from last night!

Starting with comedy, these winners were mostly expected. The writing and directing wins (Louis CK for Louie and Steve Levitan for Modern Family, respectively) were a little odd, considering I was predicting CK for directing, I thought Lena Dunham was a clear favorite in writing, and I didn't think Modern Family had a chance in the directing category. Still, deserving winners, I guess. Eric Stonestreet's win was definitely well-deserved, but I thought Ty Burrell or Jesse Tyler Ferguson would win the award this year (and to a lesser extent, I thought Max Greenfield might surprise). Julie Bowen's win was also predicted, although I thought Kristen Wiig's final nomination for Saturday Night Live might prevail, and I also feared that Kathryn Joosten might be posthumously rewarded for Desperate Housewives.
In the night's biggest WTF win, Jon Cryer took home the Lead Actor award. Methinks this has more to do with behind-the-scenes drama than his actual performance. Julia Louis-Dreyfus expectedly won the Lead Actress award, although a part of me was rooting for Amy Poehler with all my heart. Their little speech mishap was one of the highlight's of the show, though. Finally, Modern Family's win for Best Comedy Series was trite and expected, but fine nonetheless. Still, the show needs to have a great fourth season to keep up the winning streak as Parks and Rec, Girls, New Girl, The Big Bang Theory, and the final seasons of 30 Rock and The Office look to up the ante this year.

The reality winners were basically expected. The Amazing Race wins this award once again, and no one cares. Tom Bergeron wins Reality Host, after the only person to ever win this category, Jeff Probst, wasn't even nominated this year.

The variety winners are kinda there and don't add much to the show. Louis CK picked up another award for writing for his stand-up special. Glenn Weiss, who was directing this ceremony while winning an Emmy, made for some fun moments. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart wins Variety Series, making it a decade of winning, and my God, is that boring! Still, Stewart keeps it alive with that funny brawl with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon.

The TV movie/miniseries winners were also pretty expected, for the most part. Game Change was the big winner here, taking writing, directing, and lead actress (Julianne Moore), in addition to the big award: Best Miniseries/TV Movie. American Horror Story only picked up one win in the main ceremony for Jessica Lange, but there's no surprise there. Tom Berenger and Kevin Costner picked up a pair of wins for Hatfields and McCoys.

Finally, on the drama side of things, we had a mix of the expected and welcome surprises. Boardwalk Empire took home the directing award, inexplicably, considering the much stronger episodes it was up against. Maggie Smith won Best Supporting Actress, and that's not a real surprise either, considering she was one of the frontrunners and she's Maggie freaking Smith. Aaron Paul provided Breaking Bad with the night's only win for Breaking Bad, even though many thought Paul's co-star, Giancarlo Esposito, would take home the award (I thought Paul's tape was better, but Esposito's buzz couldn't be conquered, and unfortunately, I was wrong!).

However, the big news of the night came from newcomer Homeland which took home awards for writing, Lead Actress (the incomparable Claire Danes), Lead Actor (Damian Lewis, finally getting well-deserved recognition), and a Best Drama Series win. That's right - Mad Men's streak was finally broken! It wasn't a good night for that show, by the way. In addition to continuing it's acting losing streak to 0-25, the show went 0-17 this year, making it the show with the most nominations and no wins in a single year. Ouch! The shimmer of this once unbeatable show seems to be gone, and now, this race got interesting. It'll be back next year, in addition to hot new seasons of Homeland and the still unrewarded Breaking Bad, in addition to Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, The Good Wife, and other potential nominees.

Overall, it was a good ceremony. Host Jimmy Kimmel was pretty good, having equally good and bad moments. The opening was pretty good, but none shall ever beat the Born to Run opening with that eclectic group of TV stars (featuring Tina Fey, Joel McHale, and the cast of Glee, among others) from 2010. Little pre-taped bits were pretty good, especially the Breaking Bad-Andy Griffith show mash-up and the Modern Family bit about the terrorizing little girl that plays Lily. What did you think of the ceremony and, more importantly, the winners?! Let me know below in the comments section!

Evan