I have always liked Shakira’s CDs, her mainstream pop ones that is. Even though they have some songs all in Spanish and I have no clue what she’s singing, I still enjoy them. I didn’t really want the deluxe version, but iTunes only had that version. I think the difference is I got some videos and a making of video, which I could do without.
Anyway, this is a great get your ass up and dance CD. Each song is upbeat and if you listen to the lyrics, is kind of insightful. Everyone knows ‘She Wolf,’ which is such a great song. I think every girl has a little bit of a she wolf in her, which is portrayed in the song. Best line, “I’m starting to feel just a little abused like a coffee machine in an office.” Who hasn’t felt like that at one point in their life or another?
Breakdown: She Wolf - As stated above, just a great song all around. Good to dance to, good to sing to. Did It Again – About taking a leap in love and messing it up, yet again. Again, who can’t relate to this one? “And all the mistakes that went on too long, wish there was some way I could delete it.” Long Time - It’s got a funky beat. Hmmm… I think this one is about sex. “I wish that I had long legs so that I could fasten them around your body…” Why Wait – hmmmm sex again. Why wait for it, I guess. This is my second favorite on the album. “Why wait for later? Obey my intuition…” Good Stuff – It’s got a great Latin beat to it. I think it’s about relationships and all the good stuff that goes on. “My new resolution is to trust you…” hmmm Men in this Town - “Where are all the men in this town?” Enough said. Gypsy - This is my other favorite on the album (besides the ones that are on the radio). About relationships too and life in general. Just getting through life and all the shit that it hands you. “I won’t back down just because life’s bit me…” Spy – It’s got a funky beat and catchy chorus. But I could see how it gets annoying. Not the best song on the album. “There’s a spy by my window, I know it’s you, you like to keep an eye on me…” Mon Amour - Damn, jealous much? Clearly about someone who broke up with her and she’s still not over it. Again, who can’t relate to it. The lyrics are kind of funny. “Hope you’ll miss me and someday you’ll see that I put my trust in you and you turned your back on me…” Read them all here, they are good! Loba – She Wolf en Espanol. Lo Hecho Está Hecho – Did It Again en Espanol. Años Luz – Why Wait en Espanol. Give It Up To Me – Great beat. Good club song to dance to. “Anything you want can make it yours…”
Then there are some remixes and live versions of songs. The She Wolf video, the Making of She Wolf, and two live videos of songs.
After The Beatles called it quits in 1970, all of the members went on to do solo work. Aside from maybe Lennon´s Imagine album, Harrison´s double effort All Things Must Pass is probably the most satisfying. I recently discovered this album, and in my yuletide joy I´de like to share my favorite track with you.
MP3 George Harrison – Ballade of Frankie Crisp (Let it Roll)
If you grew up listening to bands like Saves the day and The Starting Line, i highly recommend you Pre-order this album. This young but seasoned Philly band dropped a bomb on the pop-punk world with this album, and i just can’t stop listening. Also, check out their back catalog – full of gems.
Man, that title is creativ as hell.
Somehow I listened to a lot of music in 2009 but that effected how often I listened to one album. Even the albums I liked didn’t get the chance to be heard more than once or twice and I regret this. Even though I’m always looking for good new music I have to take a few steps back in 2010. Still, I managed to make a little Top 15 list of my favorite albums by asian artists or from asian labels (you know, there’s always this one exception…) but you have to wait some more hours or days for it.
Here, in part 0, I will write about some western releases that I liked or wanted to like or just took notice of. There aren’t many because… the west of the world seemed surprisingly uninteresting this year.
—–
Lady Gaga’s The Fame and The Fame Monster
(I just add The Fame because it comes with The Fame Monster and stuff, you know? xD) Does it surprise you to see her albums on this list? I think I could have avoided listening to her music if I wanted to but I’m just so damn open-minded when it comes to music. Especially when some friends are listening to it. So I gave her a listen and I really liked the first half of The Fame. You know, the one where like all the later released singles were from? I could be wrong but I think that sums it up. Well, I like her dance songs and so on but I would love to see a lot more genres coming from her. In some tracks I just thought she should do jazz or something. Would be interesting to see how it turns out. And of course I’ve also listened to The Fame Monster but I just keep listening to Bad Romance because of those great rolling R’s at the beginning. Feels like home <3
Best Songs: Bad Romance, Just Dance and LoveGame —–
Paramore’s Brand New Eyes
I feel so guilty when I look at the cover. I was so looking forward to this release and in the end I listened to it and missed almost half of the songs because I was doing something else and didn’t even care to listen to them again. But at least I know it wasn’t a bad album. A friend told me it was more like their debut album All We Know Is Falling (which was like a little fear of mine, don’t like it that much) but for me it continued the style of Riot!. I just need to listen to it again and hope that this time some song catches my attention. I need songs that stand out because an album that feels like one asslong song isn’t an album in my world.
Best Songs: There sure are some on here. I guess. —–
Boys Like Girls’ Love Drunk
Boys Like Girls’ debut album was released back in 2006 and even though I listened to it the first time in January 2007 (thanks last.fm) it still was a long time till they released their sophomore effort, and the one thing I can tell you is that they’ve changed. After such a long time with one album where you fall in love with every single one of them even though they often sounded very similar it was a bit surprising to see them having changed so much. Although I should have expected it. I mean, who stays the same after three years? They are more elctronic and more rockish and not as romantic as before but that’s okay. I will get used to it because it isn’t bad. Just different.
Best Songs: Love Drunk, The Real Thing and Heart Heart Heartbreak —-
Pinboys’ Simple Art
That was something I really waited for. Because my sister wanted to give it to me as a present on my birthday but she was broke at that moment, so I had to wait. But the wait was worth it. The album is good and they still make good use of their two vocalists. Male and female, it is such a great combination. And listening to the album made me realize how bad I wanted to go to one of their concerts again. I discovered them as Fall Out Boy’s support and they are live so much better than on CD. I’m curious how the ballad on the album would turn out live.
Best Songs: The Story of Their Lives, Murder, The Truth and You, My Everything ——-
Lily Allen’s It’s Not Me, It’s You
This was a surprising one. She was really popular here when Smile was released. So popular that her music was kind of annoying and so I never listened to her debut album. But this year, after a friend said that her new album was really good, I put my prejudices aside and listened to It’s Not Me, It’s You and i have to say it’s so fantastic that I’m really sad that Lily only wants to act from now on. The music on this album is good but what I liked even more were the lyrics. That’s new to me since I normaly listen to music I don’t understand >_< Maybe she will be back for a third album. I will be there (but now I think I will take a look at her first album).
Best Songs: Chinese, Who’d Have Known and Not Fair ——-
The Lonely Island’s Incredibad
I have to admit that I mainly listen to the tracks that were featured on SNL but damn, they are funny. If I find the time I’ll listen through this album while I’ve got the lyrics in front of me because to understand some of those only by hearing is not as easy as I wish it to be. And I think I need some intrumental versions. The beats are great~ I love that part in Who Said We’re Wack before the “Raise your hands up!”. Can’t wait for the next songs.
Best Songs: Jizz In My Pants, Who Said We’re Wack and Like A Boss —–
Rammstein’s Liebe Ist Für Alle Da
I was a bit afraid of this album because the 2005 album (it has been a long time o.o) Rosenrot is for me the best Rammstein album to date. It’s just so romantic, I love it. So I listened to Liebe Ist Für Alle Da without any hopes or anything and I was pleasently surprised. It’s not as good as Rosenrot but it’s still a very good album. There could have been more ballads but the idea to use the same melody twice gave it a touch of musical. I love it when they tell stories. I know that sounds weird from someone who said that Ayu’s Sunset/Sunrise single was recycling but Rammstein simple does it better. And the best part ist: Now I’m 18, I can go to their concerts!
Best Songs: Haifisch, Führe Mich and Frühling In Paris
So, that’s it.
Now let me tell you what I’m looking forward to in 2010. The new Head Automatica album, the new hellogoodbye EP and the third album by Panic! at the Disco. I didn’t like Pretty.Odd but you never know what happens after some member changes.
One of my favorite holiday songs brought to wonderfully creepy, multi-track resonant life by super-hot fave Nicole “lionface” Atkins.
Nicole Atkins – Blue Christmas
All photos from Ellen Von Unwerth featuring Ana Beatriz Barros. “Merry Me,” V Magazine Iss. #32 (2004).
“Blue Christmas,” music and lyrics by Jay W. Johnson and Billy Hays, 1947. The holiday rock ‘n roll classic was originally recorded by Ernest Tubb, 1948, charted by Elvis Presley in 1957 and again by the Beach Boys in 1964.
I’ll have a blue Christmas without you
I’ll be so blue just thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree
Won’t be the same dear, if you’re not here with me
And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That’s when those blue memories start calling
You’ll be doing all right with your Christmas of white
But I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas
And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That’s when those blue memories start calling
You’ll be doing all right with your Christmas of white
But I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas
I’ll have a blue, blue *Christmas
* the girl can yodel like Wanda Jackson and Patsy, even. God, I love her.
“44 gatti” (44 cats) is one of best italian songs ever.
That song, after taking part in TV broadcast “Zecchino d’oro” - ‘The pure gold‘ – to see many italian children’s songs go here -of 1968, became so popular that even today you can hear it whistling down the street by people.
I remember well that only a few months ago, while I was working in a factory some workers, to pass the time, sang this song while their were working.
This news certainly does not pass on the pages of the media, but I am sure that ‘44 gatti’ – 44 cats – is one of the most popular songs in Italy, despite having been 40 years of age.
The success of that song, as You can see in the video belove, it’s easy to understand: the girl who sing that song is only 4 years old, the text isn’t easy to remember and to sing; but she’si too sweet; awesome!
44 gatti in italian language:
Nella cantina di un palazzone
tutti i gattini senza padrone
organizzarono una riunione
per precisare la situazione.
Quarantaquattro gatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
si unirono compatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
coi baffi allineati,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
le code attorcigliate,
in fila per sei col resto di due.
Sei per sette quarantadue,
più due quarantaquattro!
Loro chiedevano a tutti i bambini,
che sono amici di tutti i gattini,
un pasto al giorno e all’occasione,
poter dormire sulle poltrone!
Quarantaquattro gatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
si unirono compatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
coi baffi allineati,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
le code attorcigliate,
in fila per sei col resto di due.
Sei per sette quarantadue,
più due quarantaquattro!
Naturalmente tutti i bambini
tutte le code potevan tirare
ogni momento e a loro piacere,
con tutti quanti giocherellare.
Quarantaquattro gatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
si unirono compatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
coi baffi allineati,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
le code attorcigliate,
in fila per sei col resto di due.
Sei per sette quarantadue,
più due quarantaquattro!
Quando alla fine della riunione
fu definita la situazione
andò in giardino tutto il plotone
di quei gattini senza padrone.
Quarantaquattro gatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
si unirono compatti,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
coi baffi allineati,
in fila per sei col resto di due,
le code attorcigliate,
in fila per sei col resto di due.
Sei per sette quarantadue,
più due quarantaquattro!
44 cats in english language:
In the basement of a tower block
all kittens masterless
organized a meeting
to clarify the situation.
Forty-four cats,
six in a row with the rest of two
joined compact
six in a row with the rest of two
aligned with the mustache,
six in a row with the rest of two
tails are twisted,
six in a row with the rest of two.
Six to seven forty-two,
plus two forty-four!
They asked for all children,
who are friends of all the kittens
one meal a day and on occasion,
to sleep on the chairs!
Forty-four cats,
six in a row with the rest of two
joined compact
six in a row with the rest of two
aligned with the mustache,
six in a row with the rest of two
tails are twisted,
six in a row with the rest of two.
Six to seven forty-two,
plus two forty-four!
Of course all children
all queues potevan pull
any time and at their pleasure,
toying with everyone.
Forty-four cats,
six in a row with the rest of two
joined compact
six in a row with the rest of two
aligned with the mustache,
six in a row with the rest of two
tails are twisted,
six in a row with the rest of two.
Six to seven forty-two,
plus two forty-four!
When at the end of the meeting
situation was defined
went into the garden throughout the platoon
those kittens without a master.
Forty-four cats,
six in a row with the rest of two
joined compact
six in a row with the rest of two
aligned with the mustache,
six in a row with the rest of two
tails are twisted,
six in a row with the rest of two.
41. Mya. Pink,Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim And Missy Elloitt –Lady Marmalade
42. T.I –What Ever You Like
43. John Legend -Ordinary People
44. Daniel Powder –Bad Day
45. Mariah Carey -Shake It Off
46. Black Eyed Peas -My Humps
47. Twista Feat Kanye West & Jamie Foxx -Slow Jamz
48. Jay Z -Izzo (H.O.V.A)
49. Eminem -The Real Slim Shady
50. Gwen Stefani -Hollaback Girl
51. Drops Of Jupiter -Train
52. Justin Timberlake Feat T.I -My Love
53. Robin Thicke -Lost Withou You
54. Staind It’s Been A While
55. Destiny’s Child –Lose My Breath
56. Jason Maraz -I’m Yours
57. Mario -Let Me Love You
58. Alicia Keys I-f I Aint Got You
59. Shakira Feat Wycelf Sean- Hips Don’t Lie
60. Ludacris -What’s Your Fantasy
61. Enrique Inglesis -Hero
62. Nickelback -How You Remind Me
63. Crazytown -Butterfly
64. Dirty Vegas –Days Go By
65. Kanye West -Stronger
66. The Killers -Somebody Told Me
67. Terror Squad -Lean Back
68. Eminem -Stan
69. Norah Jones -Don’t Know Why
70. Macy Gray -I Try
71. Los Lonley Boys -Heaven
72. Eve Feat Gwen Stefani -Blow Ya Mind
73. Ciara -Promise
74. Daughtry It’s Not Over
75. Coldplay -Yellow
76. Chris Brown -Forever
77. John Mayer -Your Body Is A Wonderland
78. Damien Marley Welcome to Jamrock
79. Lady Gaga -Poker Face
80. U2 Vertigo
81. R. Kelly Ignition
82. Pink Get -The Party Started
83. Beyonce -Me Myself & I
84. Madonna -Hung Up
85. Creed -Wide Open
86. Luther Vandross -Dance With My Father
87. Tweet -Oops Oh My
88. Aaliyah Feat Timbaland -We Need A Resolution
89. T.I -Bring Em Out
90. UGK -International Players Antherm
91. Young Jezzy -Put On
92. Rihanna -S.O.S
93. Jet -Cold Hard Bitch
94. Carrie -Underwood Before He Cheats
95. Kelis -Milkshake
96. Outkast -Ms. Jackson
97. Black Eyed Peas -Lets Get It Started
98. Destiny’s Child -Independent Women Part 1
99. Beyonce -Single Ladies
100. Vanessa Carlton -A Thousand Miles
This is a list of the best 200 songs of this decade staring from (2000-2009). It contains music from all genres Pop, Rock R&B, Hip Hop, Reggae, Country and Jazz. Timbaland and Beyonce both have the most songs on the list with seven each Jay Z second with 5. All the songs on the list had to be singles to qualify. Alicia Keys Fallin is number one the reason is because it’s a song that really set the tone for the decade that talent was what people wanted. It was very well composed and sung. It also launched the career of this decade most influential artist, Alicia herself . Crazy in love is number two the song is just banging and gave us a stark introduction. to Beyonce. This decade is not as good as the 90’s (to me) but overall had some pretty good music.
Click Read More for the full List
1. Alicia Keys -Fallin
2. Beyonce feat Jay z -Crazy In Love
3. Outkast -Hey Ya
4. Gnarls Barkley –Crazy
5. Eminem Just Lose It
6. Mariah Carey We Belong Together
7. Jay Z -99 Problems
8. M.I.A -Paper Planes
9. Green Day -Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
10. Rihanna feat Jay Z -Umbrella
11. 50 Cent -In The Club
12. ColdPlay -Clocks
13. Kanye West Feat. Jamie Foxx -Gold Digger
14. Britney Spears -Toxic
15. Plain White Tees -Hey There Delilah
16. Nelly -Ride With Me
17. Kelly Clarkson -Since You Been Gone
18. Usher -Yeah
19. Missy Elloitt -Get Ur Freak On
20. Justin Timberlake -Cry Me A River
21. Aaliyah Feat Timbaland -Try Aagin
22. Evanescence -My Immortal
23. Jonny Cash -Hurt’
24. White Stripes – Seven Nation Army
25. Britney Spears Slave 4 U
26. Beyonce -Irreplaceable
27. One Republic -Apologize
28. Christina Aguilera -Beautiful
29. Rich Boy —Throw Some D’s
30. Amerie -1 Thing
31. Fergie -Glamorus Life
32. IIO -Rapture
33. Kylie Minogue -Can’t Get You Out Of My Head
34. The Game Feat 50 Cent -Love it Or Hate It
35. Imogen Heap -Hide & Seek
36. The Dixie Chicks -Not Ready To Make Nice
37. Camillionaire -Riding Dirty
38. The Fray -Out Of My (Head Cable Car)
39. Snow Patrol –Run
40. Lil Wayne -Lollipop
41. Mya. Pink,Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim And Missy Elloitt –Lady Marmalade
42. T.I –What Ever You Like
43. John Legend -Ordinary People
44. Daniel Powder –Bad Day
45. Mariah Carey -Shake It Off
46. Black Eyed Peas -My Humps
47. Twista Feat Kanye West & Jamie Foxx -Slow Jamz
48. Jay Z -Izzo (H.O.V.A)
49. Eminem -The Real Slim Shady
50. Gwen Stefani -Hollaback Girl
51. Drops Of Jupiter -Train
52. Justin Timberlake Feat T.I -My Love
53. Robin Thicke -Lost Withou You
54. Staind It’s Been A While
55. Destiny’s Child –Lose My Breath
56. Jason Maraz -I’m Yours
57. Mario -Let Me Love You
58. Alicia Keys I-f I Aint Got You
59. Shakira Feat Wycelf Sean- Hips Don’t Lie
60. Ludacris -What’s Your Fantasy
61. Enrique Inglesis -Hero
62. Nickelback -How You Remind Me
63. Crazytown -Butterfly
64. Dirty Vegas –Days Go By
65. Kanye West -Stronger
66. The Killers -Somebody Told Me
67. Terror Squad -Lean Back
68. Eminem -Stan
69. Norah Jones -Don’t Know Why
70. Macy Gray -I Try
71. Los Lonley Boys -Heaven
72. Eve Feat Gwen Stefani -Blow Ya Mind
73. Ciara -Promise
74. Daughtry It’s Not Over
75. Coldplay -Yellow
76. Chris Brown -Forever
77. John Mayer -Your Body Is A Wonderland
78. Damien Marley -Welcome to Jamrock
79. Lady Gaga -Poker Face
80. U2 -Vertigo
81. R. Kelly -Ignition
82. Pink Get -The Party Started
83. Beyonce -Me Myself & I
84. Madonna -Hung Up
85. Creed -Wide Open
86. Luther Vandross -Dance With My Father
87. Tweet -Oops Oh My
88. Aaliyah Feat Timbaland -We Need A Resolution
89. T.I -Bring Em Out
90. UGK -International Players Antherm
91. Young Jezzy -Put On
92. Rihanna -S.O.S
93. Jet -Cold Hard Bitch
94. Carrie -Underwood Before He Cheats
95. Kelis -Milkshake
96. Outkast -Ms. Jackson
97. Black Eyed Peas -Lets Get It Started
98. Destiny’s Child -Independent Women Part 1
99. Beyonce -Single Ladies
100. Vanessa Carlton -A Thousand Miles
101. Simple Plan -Perfect
102. Mario Winans -I Don’t Wanna Know
103. Fran Ferdinand -Take Me Out
104. The White Stripes -Icky Thump
105. Good Charlate -Girls & Boys
106. Turth Hurts Feat Rakin -Addicted
107. Faith Hill -There Youll Be
108. Jennifer Lopez Feat Ja Rule -I’m Real (Murder Remix)
109. Janet Jackson -Feedback
110. Justin Timberlake Feat Timbaland -SexyBack
111. Rihanna -Dusturbia
112. The Ying Yang Twins -The Whisper Song
113. Lady Gaga Feay Colby O’Donis -Just Dance
114. Britney Spears -Opps.. I Did It Again’
115. Chingy -Right Thurr
116. Kanye West Feat Syleena Johnson -All Falls Down
117. Young Jeezy -Thug Motivation 101
118. Three 6 Mafia -Stay Fly
119. Christina Milian -Dip It Low
120. Christina Aguilera -Fighter
121. Toya -I Do
122. Tamia -Stanger In My House
123. Amerie -Why Can’t We Fall In Love
124. Budda Sparxx Feat Timbaland -Deliverance
125. Jimmy Eat World -The Middle
126. Missy Elloitt -Work It
127. Nelly -Hot In Here
128. Avril Lavigne -I’m With You
129. Snoop Dogg Feat Pharell -Drop It Like It’s Hot
130. Jadakiss -Why
131. Isyss -Single for the Rest Of My Life
132. Aaliyah -More than A Woman
133. Ashanti -Foolish
134. Brandy -Who Is She 2 U
135. T.I -What You Know
136. Linkin Park -In The End
137. Timbaland Feat Keri Hilson & D.O.E -The Way I Are
CHERYL Cole is top of the calendar charts with these sensational pictures taken from her official 2010 calendar, writes David Jarvis.
The X Factor judge’s debut calendar has outsold those of Take That, Kylie Minogue and the Hollyoaks babes to make her a hit for official calendar maker Danilo. The 26-year-old Girls Aloud singer’s calendar is the third best seller in the pop category, behind only boy band JLS and Michael Jackson, and comes in fifth overall.
The official Cheryl Cole 2010 calendar is on sale at all good stationery shops and available to buy online at www.danilo.com now.
Percussionist Daniel de los Reyes was recently on a couple tour dates as of Dec. 9th & 12th with Whitney Houston in Russia.
Check out these videos.
Be sure to visit Daniel’s Official sites:
www.myspace.com/danieldelosreyes
www.youtube.com/user/DanielDeLosReyesDrum
If you would like to be notified about Daniel’s personal appearances, latest news, YouTube video releases, and more, please sign up on his mailing list by emailing us at danieldelosreyes@drumjungle.com .
It’s a well-known fact that adversity in an artist’s life can often lead to their most inspired work. Amy Winehouse wrote the album of the decade while coked up to the eyeballs, and Mary J Blige similarly was at her highest point artistically when she was at her highest point narcotically. Alicia Keys, newly ensconced in a relationship with producer Swizz Beatz, may well prove an exception to this rule with her fourth album, The Element of Freedom. Her loved-up status oozes from practically every note.
Fortunately, Alicia is too classy let the album descend into an outright cheesefest. Like her previous albums, Element merges a piano-heavy neo-soul vibe with hip-hop beats. This time out though, there are forays into other genres with a little faux reggae on the almost anthemic opener, Love Is Blind, and pure, military-beat driven pop on Put It In A Love Song, a duet with the ominpresent Beyonce which is ready for the singles chart Top 10. The mellow slow-jam Unthinkable (I’m Ready) seems to channel 80s Anita Baker.
It’s not entirely a shiny, happy album however. There’s musings on the perennial downside of being a tourist artist – separation from a loved one – on the retro This Bed and outright yearning on the sublime Distance and Time. Even the songs of heartbreak allude to missing a lover, exhibit A being the stunning single Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart. Here her breathy vocals ride hip hop beats enveloped in lush atmospheric synths, culminating in the most beguiling piano breakdown since the last Keys album. Doesn’t Mean Anything received criticism for being a weaker reheat of her massive hit No One, but the mournful piano and plaintive vocals work much better in the context of the album than on the radio.
There are a couple of filler moments (Love Is Like the Sea springs to mind) and Alicia’s lyrics, while on point can’t hold a candle to the clever if sometimes impenetrable musings of, say, Winehouse. Vocally, however, Keys sounds more comfortable these days, working within what range she has. She’s not a belter, but the fragility and her vocal shadings make this a far more personal and moving record than most of her contemporaries have released recently. So while heartbreak may be good for artistic output, Alicia proves there can be no greater inspiration than good love.
Tomorrow night we are visited by the lovely Amanda Baisinger. From her living room debut at age 11 to her staple monthlies at Rockwood Music Hall, The Cutting Room, and our own Cafe, Ms. Baisinger has been cultivating a warm hybrid of Jazz and Pop woven through the patchwork poetry of her own experience. She hails from Sunnyvale, CA, travels to us by way of Billie Holiday and Joni Mitchell, and lands smack in the City this Thursday night. Featuring Mike Moreno on guitar, Pete Rende on piano, Peter Slavov on bass and Jordan Perlson on the drums. Doors at 8:30pm, Cover of just $10.
–
Just a few blocks south, SoHo is teeming with frenzied shoppers locked in battle for merchandise. The crowds swell for one week more, until the Christmas Climax. But what comes after? What will you do when the hazy glow of errant tinsel and shimmering giftwrap fades away? Why, you’ll eat of course. Submitted for your consideration: Cornelia Street Cafe’s Christmas Dinner for 2009.
Christmas Dinner (which in fact begins at 2pm) is one of our most renowned culinary touchstones, on par with our madhouse Thanksgiving bonanza (432 served this year) and our peerless New Year’s Eve experience. Chef Dan, master of sea, land, and everything in between, will be in constant motion as he prepares such delicacies as our Down-East Smoked Salmon, Black Angus Steak au Poivre, and Pumpkin Creme Brulee. Delicious prix-fixe food, plus our masterfully curated wine list and the warm ambiance of our brick-walled Village hideaway. Call it one more gift, too big for under the tree. Best to reserve soon, lest the mad crowds beat you to it.
Watch this space for more from Chef Dan about his Christmas masterpiece…
Winter is upon Montréal. It’s not that cold…yet. Negative 16 with bouts of snow but nothing like the -40 my home town of Edmontontians are suffering from. I find myself naturally going for specific albums during the winter time. Among these wintery albums is good ol’ Rufus Wainwright. This native Montréaler started when he was 6 and hasn’t quit.
He’s a vibrant live performer (if you haven’t seen him live in concert yet, do it, his voice is exponentially more amazing live than on record) who is always making jokes, cracking at heterosexuality, and has a plethora of costumes which I will happily forever keep in my mind.
His music on the other hand, is a compliment yet a contradiction to his onstage demeanor. His albums are filled with deep love songs, about heartbreak, about sex, lust, loss, and all the in betweens. Not only are his lyrics unbearably heartwarming, lovely, and wonderful in all the ways lyrics should be, but the way he sings, his voice, I swear I could hear only this without all the instrumental accompaniments and be equally if not more happy to have more of something so immaculately good.
The beauty of winter, the snow, the people, the collective cuddles and silenced complaints amidst a white winterland can only call for the joie de vivre and melancholy that is Rufus Wainwright. So, I share three songs from one of my favorite albums of his, Want One released in 2003.
P.S. I know I said the updates will be coming more often, but truth is I am in the process of making ridiculously awesome New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day mixtapes for you guys, as well as my top lists…so there will be music GALORE here soon. I just don’t wanna share all the good stuff just yet
Her full name is Barbara Trzetrzelewska, and I have to remember that it’s pronounced che-che-lev-ska. She was born in Poland 55 years ago on September 30. Basia came into my consciousness with the CD Time and Tide; I love her voice. It’s both sophisticated- and youthful-sounding–a child woman singing jazzy pop. Whenever she happens to come on the radio, my heart just soars along with her three-octave voice. I was in love with someone when this CD was released, of course, and so I remember that time and how alive I felt.
Sure enough, according to Basia trivia, Time and Tide was about Basia’s love affair with Danny White, her longtime collaborator. (White is the brother of Peter White, who was the keyboardist for Scottish singer Al Stewart of Year of the Cat fame, and supposedly, another progenitor of the smooth jazz idiom.) London Warsaw New York, however, chronicled the breakup of that relationship.
White continues as Basia’s collaborator.
Basia alternates among ballads, bossa-nova influenced songs (she digs Astrud Gilberto), jazz and pop. I find it interesting, at this writing, that Basia appeared about the same time as Sade, another smooth jazz vocalist I like, and groups like Everything But the Girl and Swing Out Sister whose early work defy easy definition and wasn’t so easily mainstreamed.
This is from Basia’s second album, London Warsaw New York,, which also features an amazing cover of “Til You Come Back to Me, That’s What I’m Going to Do,” “Brave New Hope,” and my favorite, “Not An Angel” (which, unfortunately, is not on You Tube). Basia has made a recent comeback after leaving music in 1998. The reason: she didn’t feel like singing anymore. Some say that it was because she suffered many personal losses in the Nineties, including the deaths of her mother and older brother. Her newest CD is called It’s That Girl Again, on the Koch label, and it was released in March of this year to great excitement and acclaim in the U.S. It’s her first since 1994’s The Sweetest Illusion fifteen years ago.
Matt Bianco, eh? One of those ’80s groups you just accepted the existence of without really paying much attention to. This near-mint copy of their debut album had been lying around unloved in the local PDSA shop for weeks, yet it hadn’t occurred to me to actually buy the damn thing. It’s like I had a blind-spot on Matt Bianco. Then last week it just suddenly occured to me – hey, it’s only 49p, so why not give it a go?
Matt Bianco were one of those groups, along with the likes of Modern Romance and Everything But The Girl, who tried to graft a bit of the old latin magic onto the new dance pop of the ’80s, bringing those South American grooves back in from the cold after they were so thoroughly vanquished during the disco-boom of the mid-late ’70s. The title track of this album, along with “Half A Minute” and “Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed” were big hits back in the day, very familiar to me and consequently high on instant nostalgia gratification. The rest of the album keeps up a pretty high standard – listening on headphones I’m particularly enjoying the densely layered percussion of “Matt’s Mood” and the sequenced basslines are surprisingly fat and funky throughout- is that the tell-tale swerve of a TB-303 I hear on “Sneaking Out The Back Door”?
I reckon the male vocalist, Mark Reilly, was outclassed by the rest of his group, but there’s no mistaking the talents of the female vocalist Basia Trzetrzelewska, who’s super-clean spangly harmonies really lift the roof off. All round, a surprisingly enjoyable experience.
Renaissance is a release by the Disco Fad group The Village People. Released in 1983, it was an attempt to go from the Disco ‘Queens” to the New Wave Kings….thus the lack of costumes for the photo shoots. The release was a dismal failure for the band and label, although it has gained in popularity in the past few years. Despite the favor of two singles from the release, the result of this output is rather dismal.
Do You Want To Spend The Night—-Full of just enough keyboard and enough disco ball feel, the song also has a plenty Toto sound to the chorus that is contagious and classic. The synth just seems to grow larger and larger as the song continues…the vocal is remarkable…this is great AOR material that was way under the radar and missed the spot it should have gotten.
5 o’Clock In The Morning—-OK…the only reason I have this release is because an old boyfriend put this song on a mix tape for me in my freshman year in college. I fell in love with this song…I love it even more today. This is classic…one of the best songs of the 80’s in my book and one of the tracks on my top 20 singles on a deserted island list. This is fantastic…head to my Facebook page for the video. This is full of emotion, pop mentality and divine delivery…only bias kept it from being huge. This is a masterpiece!!!! This is like…..blues tinged disco????
Fireman—-Funky and fun with a nice infectious beat, the quality of the song ends there. the vocal is different and the premise is absurd…look at the tiltle….ok!!! This is silly and could never pass the limits of society even in 2009. This is too long, too drawn out and too non sensical…even for a gay man!!!
Jungle City—-Bass heavy from the onset, the song enters with a sense of promise…even as the synths become more dense. The vocal and lyrical content let the song down…don’t get me wrong, this is far more acceptable than the previous song…the chorus is this huge affair that again reminds me of Toto. This is great!!! It grows on you, but the lyrical impact is less than zero.
Action Man—-This is waaaaayyyyy to Devo from the opening works to even think about working. The vocal is a huge perverted interpretation of Devo meets The Knack…..this is pretty terrible…I make no excuses…I don’t know them!!!
Big Mac—–Ok…..the title is bad news, the song is bad news and the second 3/4 of this release is bad!!! The desperate New Wave leanings are too lame and come across as uninspired and rehearsed…this is pretty bad…the chorus is mind numbing, bang your head on the wall, give me a 22 to shoot myself with fare. A waste of earth’s material.
Diet—-This is some kind of Richard Simmons theme song gone wrong…this is senseless and stupid!!!!
Food Fight—-Whatever…..this is not the Ramones and The Village People could never be punk rock,,,,they should have put this shit on SNL!!!!
Splicing New Order’s patent Mancunian brand of indie disco intellectualism with the unbound, arms aloft euphoria of Orbital or the Chemical Brothers, Delphic are the next top drop in a long line of UK acts to make timeless pop music from sonic fragments of the future.
Delphic deliver the epic anthem Doubt in all it’s glory; straight to the point and full of kick.
Little cubes, bubbles, and spikes cover the beautiful bodies in this special effects-laden clip from the UK dance rockers. Check it out below!
3 is an Evil Number – Master of Song Fu #5 shadow entry
I’ve been interested in the Masters of Song Fu contests since early this year. A bunch of talented and creative people are butting heads trying to write the best songs in various challenges, with the winner getting the honor of writing head to head against ‘Masters’. Think Iron Chef for the songwriters out there.
In my head, I’m going – this is going to be easy. Block out a few hours, pound out a song, and send it in. Who cares if I have no musical talent, current working studio, or a clue how to do it?
I think I found out the hard way. Luckily, Allan Morgan felt sympathy, and joined forces with me to create this entry into the fray. Al is one of the founders of Pop Machine, and co-founded the campus comedy show ‘Null and Void’ at Syracuse University – with BYD Scott Mercer.
(Check out Al’s 365 song blog – it’s full of 20 years worth of original music from Pop Machine, Mindflux, Osmium, and their movie soundtrack tunes. And you can also check out the Pop Machine best of CD on iTunes here)
In any case, I am now suitably humbled by the daunting task of writing and producing a song – and this one I consider a parody – it’s not even from scratch because of the source material.
If you get a chance, drop by the Masters of Song Fu board, and vote for your favorites – we’re not eligible in this one, but hoping to join the next one. And comment on the song – I’m wondering if people actually get it, or just think we’re devil worshiping pagans who have lousy rhyme and meter.
Toronto based Crystal Castles is an experimental electronic music band consisting of producer Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass. Kath got the moniker from the name of She-Ra’s dwelling in the He-Man and Masters of the Universe cartoon series; it’s also the name of a 1983 Atari video game, which is oddly appropriate, considering that a key component of the band’s distinctive sound comes from a keyboard modified with an Atari 5200 sound chip. Fusing low-res electronic noise and punky-pop hooks so, their sound is similar to that of Justice and Simian Mobile Disco. So go check out Crystal Castles…Hurry up meow!
This is the long awaited cover for VIBE’s big relaunch after they folded earlier this year. However I’m not really feeling it to be honest, I dont know what it is possibly the retouching but I feel like Chris’s face doesnt look entirely relaxed, this could be because he supposedly asking the question “R U Still Down” but compared to the preview which I showed you guys in early november I think that would have been a much better shot. Saying that it’s not a bad cover, just I’ve seen better from him and I have no doubt that he took better shots than the one they picked.
Check out the cover preview below:
The issue goes on sale December 8th along with Chris’s new CD “Graffiti”, be sure to get yours.
01 – overture
02 – no sense makes sense (instrumental)
03 – …it was a big and beautiful dream…
04 – charlie (title song)
05 – bad vibrations (one too many afternoons)
06 – these three holes!
07 – mechanical man
08 – cafe 666
09 – this upside down river
10 – strangle a tree
11 – the pass where the devil can see
12 – creepy crawl
13 – healter skelter
14 – august 9th
15 – buzzsaw twist
16 – folie a’ famille
17 – all the good things (we could have done)
18 – i am just a reflection of you!
19 – we watch you as you sleep
20 – light fires in your cities
21 – live freaky! die freaky! (your blood will set you free)
Download Here!! // Bajar de Acá
No es la película (que por cierto es muy muy mala), es la banda de sonido, en donde aparecen las voces de varios músicos conocidos
John Roecker ha creado una de las cintas más llenas de excesos y saturada de situaciones controversiales (como el uso de drogas, el sexo excesivamente explícito y un lenguaje arteramente vulgar y ofensivo) que podría haber convertido a sus actores en candidatos a no poder trabajar nunca más en cintas financiadas por Hollywood. Afortunadamente, a los actores de John Roecker ésto les tiene sin cuidado: son muñecos de plastilina. Sin embargo, a pesar de que parte del talento de los monitos de Roecker radica en la manipulación de su creador, la otra parte es de una magnitud estelar pues no les importa mucho en emistarse con la industria hollywoodense, porque su actitud siempre ha sido “punk rock”.
Estamos hablando de Billy Joe Armstrong (cantante de Green Day), Tim Armstrong (cantante de Rancid y The Transplants), Travis Barrer (baterista de Blink 182 y de The Transplants), John Doe (guitarrista de X), Davey Havoc (cantante de AFI) y en fin, una verdadera concentración de estrellas del mundo punk que han prestado sus voces para darle vida a una sátira situada a mitad de un futuro desolado desde donde se cuenta a manera de “flash back” los sucesos ocurridos en el libro Helter Skelter (para aquellos que no conocen el libro quizá el nombre de Charles Manson les ayude a ubicarse). La cinta más repugnantemente revolucionaria llena de una actitud punk rock y que al igual que las mejores de John Waters no tiene empacho en usar el exceso como arma para separarse del aburrido “establishment” del aburrido cine “artístico”. Además, el CD contiene la música de la cinta tanto del soundtrack compuesto entre Tim Armstrong y Roddy Bottum como canciones interpretadas por Billy Joe Armstrong y Jane Wieldlin, entre las que se destacan “Mechanical Man” y “The Creepy Crawl.
When is an electro record not an electro record? Probably, listeners of Junior Boys’ Begone Dull Care might answer, when its idiosyncratic brand of nonchalant ennui provokes, not the floor-filling ‘2003′ vibe elicited by some of it’s more rambunctious cousins, but a soporific, hypnotic foot-tapping.
Indeed, the retro haze achieved by Canadian duo Jeremy Greenspan and Matt Didemus on their third album seems like it was only realised via the discovery of some ancient synthesizers — such is the feeling of scrap-book polaroids and disco-chic cool achieved here.
The song writing is less articulate than on their previous two records, yet there is much on offer to please fans of indie-styled electro. The album is named after Norman McLaren’s 1950 pulsating, abstract animation and, while this explains the superb minimalism of Begone Dull Care, 1980s sexual groove is still its overture. “Work it baby, work it,” hushes Greenspan on the seductive Work.
Hazel, the standout, potential radio-botherer, is the only moment where Greenspan’s vocals raise to anything above a hushed aside. Elsewhere, The Animator conveys a similar marriage of laid-back disco and breezy, detuned, electronic pop which can only be described as Boards of Canada playing electro in a 1980s cocaine’n'cocktails bar.
The arpeggiated bass-lines, basic synth bleeps, and languor-inducing vocals are enough to keep heads nodding as much as anything served up by the ubiquitous Postal Service or the aberration that are MGMT. Although this is a few steps ahead in a watered-down genre, its lackadaisical approach may see it lose out to more obnoxious pretenders when vying for the attention of the dance-floor.
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“44 gatti” (44 cats) is one of best italian songs ever.
It’s a well-known fact that adversity in an artist’s life can often lead to their most inspired work. Amy Winehouse wrote the album of the decade while coked up to the eyeballs, and Mary J Blige similarly was at her highest point artistically when she was at her highest point narcotically. Alicia Keys, newly ensconced in a relationship with producer Swizz Beatz, may well prove an exception to this rule with her fourth album, The Element of Freedom. Her loved-up status oozes from practically every note.
Toronto based Crystal Castles is an experimental electronic music band consisting of producer Ethan Kath and vocalist Alice Glass. Kath got the moniker from the name of She-Ra’s dwelling in the He-Man and Masters of the Universe cartoon series; it’s also the name of a 1983 Atari video game, which is oddly appropriate, considering that a key component of the band’s distinctive sound comes from a keyboard modified with an Atari 5200 sound chip. Fusing low-res electronic noise and punky-pop hooks so, their sound is similar to that of Justice and Simian Mobile Disco. So go check out Crystal Castles…Hurry up meow!
