Category: music suggestion

five song friday – september 21

Wow, it has been a hectic week. I had a stats quiz that had a question on there that wasn’t covered in the material that we were given to prepare. Freak out! Turns out, it was a mistake, and the professor totally gave us credit anyway. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t have stress BEFORE that revelation. Then, I have been preparing all week for my anatomy test, and I took it yesterday, and got a B. I am some how disappointed by that though; it was frustrating, because her questions were random, and some of them were on things that were literally only mentioned on like one illustration in the book. Crazy. Either way, this week has been crazy, and I for one am glad that Friday’s here!!

Now, on with the music!!! This week’s five song Friday is going to be a little different from last week, in that there is going to be a noticeable “dance” vibe to many of this week’s tracks. There were two great albums that I discovered this week (one of which came out this week), and as such, I have to represent. To prevent any more anticipation, let’s get to it, shall we?

J.Lo – Do It Well
Now, I am going to start off by saying something nice. J.Lo has had some banging hits in her day, and I have always generally liked a lot of her music. There are a couple of songs (one in particular being a fabulous remix of her song “I’m Real”) that I could literally listen to on repeat. However, with the good, there to comes some bad. Lately, J.Lo has really strayed, and has completely dropped off of my radar screen altogether. And then… she put out Do It Well. That’s why this song sits here today… it marks the “comeback” of the J.Lo that I missed! I love a great dance track, and this one is fierce! J.Lo, I am glad to see you getting back to dancing, and “doing it well”. This is a great song you can definitely move your feet to!

Booty Luv – Don’t Mess With My Man
Now ask yourself, how many gay men out there couldn’t get into a group called Booty Luv??? EXACTLY!!! And with songs like this, the answer is: none that love a great dance track! In all seriousness, these girls are fresh from the UK, and their album Boogie 2 Nite came out this week. I have been enjoying this song for a while now, and I was so happy to get my hands on their full length album, which is a great dance album. I must say, that the covers are fantastic, and it kept me dancing in my chair from the beginning until the end. If you are craving some great dance music, you have found it. Booty Luv is here (well, in the UK, but you get the picture)!!!

Ricki-Lee – Can’t Touch It
For this song, we have to travel to the land down under; Ricki-Lee was a contestant on Australian Idol, where she proved her chops as a power singer. I became familiar with her when I fell in love with a little collaboration she did with some of her fellow Australian Idol ladies, called the Young Divas. Naturally, when my buddy Stu showed me this video of Ricki-Lee BUSTING out on her own (again), I was jumping up and down and loving everything I heard. This song is a great dance track, and definitely highlights the reason why we should pay more attention to the artists coming out to Australia! There is some real talent down there, and Ricki-Lee proves that there are definitely some people that can SING down under! I wanted to put this song in this week’s five, because I recently got her new CD “Brand New Day”, and have been enjoying it all week. I am glad to be exposed to songs like this that I really enjoy, and I hope that bringing them to you will get more attention to artists like Ricki-Lee!

Sugababes – About You Now
The Sugababes are a great girl group from the UK (one of my favorites), and with this new single, they show that they are still a force to be reckoned with. Seriously, this song is fantastic, and I can’t wait to see what their new album has in store for us! If it is anything like this, I know that I am going to be pleased as pie! If you love the Sugababes like I do, hearing this song will have you wondering why in the hell these girls aren’t popular on this side of the pond. Either way… I can import the CD dammit! I love my Sugababes, and this is another great single from this great girl band.

Kate Nash – Mouthwash
I have probably saved this best for last this week; Kate Nash is seriously one of my favorite artists right now. Her CD, Made of Bricks, I have talked about before, but I can’t stress this enough; it is one of the best albums of the year. Hands down. Seriously, I love everything about Kate, and I can’t speak enough lovely things about her!!! If there is any justice in the world, Kate is going to be huge, and I am glad that I was with her from the beginning!!! Do yourself a favor and check out Kate Nash. The entire CD is a solid listen, and every song is so good. I personally love her, and you should too. I do want to mention that I chose this song over “Foundations”, because I wanted to show that she is definitely more than a one it wonder… Foundations is a great track, and so is the rest of the album; now check it out already!

Well, there you have it. The second installment of Five song Friday. I really hope that you enjoyed these songs, and let me know what you guys are listening to!!! There is way too much music out there for us to find it on our own, so we have to work together! Have a great weekend everyone!

five song friday

I was riding into work this morning, and I thought, hey, why not do a music suggestion post today; but instead of the usual “listen to this”, why not pick some stuff you can actually listen to… via the magic of you tube! I really haven’t been a big you tube post person in the past, but after posting the brenda home clip the other day, I was seriously questioning why not!

So here it is: the First Five Song Friday! Y’all ain’t ready for this!

The format’s simple: I post 5 you tube clips of songs that I think are totally worthy of you checking out. Usually, it is going to be stuff that I am currently listening to (which can also be found here), and it will always be stuff that you should be checking out. Without further adieu…

Esthero – We R In Need Of A Musical Revolution

Now, I picked this song, not only because it is amazing, but because I was organizing my CDs the other night, and noticed my Esthero CD, and realized I hadn’t listened to it in forever! In fact, I think I never gave it the chance it deserved, because she is quite brilliant, actually. I bought the CD based solely on the genious of this song, and upon finding it the other night, I am giving the rest of the CD the chance it deserved. I can say this… I am liking what I hear, and wondering why I occasionally neglect certain CDs. Weird, really, because it is random, and without reason… yet it still happens. As long as I come back around to it, I guess it doesn’t really matter, right?

Rilo Kiley – Silver Lining
Wow. I have heard about Rilo Kiley before, and was always like “meh, I’ll get to them eventually”, and I never realized that I should have been saying, “hey wait, let me listen!”. This song is amazing. I love everything about it, and ran out and bought the CD because of it. I am enjoying the CD, even though nothing is quite as catching as this song is, but that is because it is pretty damn close to gold. Great form Rilo Kiley!

Peter, Bjorn, and John – Young Kids
Oh how I resisted this song… but no longer. I remember the first time I saw the video, and I was all, “that’s a cute video”, but I honestly didn’t care that much for the song. Cut to earlier this week: I was at Decatur CD, and they were playing the Peter, Bjorn, and John CD because they were performing that night. Unlike the first time I saw the video (seriously, it has been a long time), I was really bopping my head to what I heard. Now, I can’t get enough, the whole CD is a good listen, full of these great beats. Be warned though, this song WILL get stuck in your head. (The beat makes me moist.)

Brandi Carlile – The Story
Oh, Brandi, how I love you. Seriously, this song is her powerhouse, but the whole CD is magnificent. If you are a fan of bands like the Indigo Girls, then you have got to check out Brandi. I absolutely love how she manipulates her voice, and uses it to just pierce you with emotion. The whole album is heartfelt and well crafted. If you like this song, just know that it is pretty much the “hardest” one on the record, as she is a bit more acoustic in her style (again, think Indigo Girls). I personally think it is one of the better albums to come out this year.

Kanye West – Stronger
Ah… Kanye West. Yes, I do think he is a great musician, but he is pretty much a bitch. I mean, how much do you need people to love you and bow before your feet before you stop complaining about all of your fame and fortune? Apparently, Kanye needs more. That aside, he can turn out some great music. Maybe I included this one because the CD came out this week… who knows. I have been listening to his CD all week, and while there are some gems, I don’t think overall it is as solid as his last album. That being said… I like him. And this song is great… but I think that it is great more because of Daft Punk… and I freaked when I heard that he sampled it… I was all “I’m IN!”. (cos I loves me some Daft Punk!)

Hope you guys enjoyed this first installment of a hopefully, sort of regular, music suggestion post. Five song Friday is on! Enjoy the music, and enjoy your weekend! Let me know what you guys think of my suggestions, and hell, make some of your own!

who really cares?

Everyone’s raving about another defecting Republican, who got caught giving in to his homosexual tendencies… but really, who cares? I mean, this guy goes up in an airport restroom to score some cock, and everyone is all abuzz about it. Please. I am so sick of the “news” covering stories like this one, or this and that about Britney Spears’ night out on the town; what is really going on in the world? Tell us that stuff!

Seriously. I mean if you really want to look at it, he didn’t even do anything but proposition the guy! No gay sex was involved!! What a freak, and what a non-news situation. Seriously, find something important to talk about, for crying out loud.

I do, however, think it is funny that so many of these anti-gay jerks find themselves in a restroom somewhere begging for a bit of man on man action… which really makes it clear that the more homophobic you are, the more you are covering up your own homosexuality; and honestly, that’s just sad.

I just wish people could be happy with themselves, and the world wouldn’t judge you because of what you do between the sheets. Perhaps people like this would be able to express themselves in a healthy (and more legal?) manner, and instead of being so against our “agenda”, they could just join us in place where you can be happy for who you are, you can enjoy personal acceptance, and people will understand and accept you for you. Man, wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing; and potentially, something actually worth reporting (for a change)?

Who knows… Now back to your regularly scheduled Michael Vick update… wait… I don’t give a shit about that either! HA!

In duane-related news… I have been really working hard at Statistics, which, if you are not a math wiz, is seriously another language. I just hope that I can pull out some magic knowledge or memory, and somehow score an A in this class. It is, after all, the only math class I have to take. At least I am getting it out of the way first!!

Finally, I don’t now if anyone is actually taking my music suggestions seriously, but here is another fantastic one: Kate Nash, Made of Bricks. Wow. She is a little bit Lily Allen, and I love her! The whole CD is a great listen, and I love her writing style. The song “Foundations”, is seriously infectious, and so well written. I have been listening to it on repeat for days. Do yourself a favor, and check it out! This CD is definitely one of my favorites of the year!

going oot for work

I am going out of town (oot) for work this weekend. Gah, going out of town is bad enough, having to deal with airports and whatnot, but going for work is just double gah. At least our work session lets out at 3 on Saturday! What… we got to look at something positive, right?

So yeah, I will be available by mobile and text. I still haven’t fixed my email capabilities on my phone, since every time I call verizon I have to explain everything to them, and apparently, it is really rare to have your own email account that isn’t yahoo, gmail, or one of those other ones. Maybe I will take care of that while I am there… who knows? Either way, I will be able to get emails, I just won’t be able to send them. Man, that was a long way of saying that!

Oh well.

Since I will be oot, and I will be relying heavily on my ipod for entertainment and companionship, I figured I would give you my listening suggestion for the week, since I haven’t already. This week, I have slowly, but surely, been falling in love with Ms Brandi Carlile. If you are a fan of bands like the Indigo Girls, please do yourself a favor and check out Brandi’s new CD, The Story. It is beautiful, and well done. I love her voice, and her sound is so (as my friend Stu would say) “lesbionic”, that there is no way that I couldn’t have fallen for this chick. Seriously, it’s a good listen all of the way through! Let me know what you think, won’t you?

Have a good weekend folks… stay out of trouble!

weekly music suggestions: will young, tracey thorn, and the pipettes

In keeping with the music suggestion thing that I started last week, I wanted to bring a few suggestions for you to check out. I hope that everyone that gave Great Northern, Imogen Heap, and Silversun Pickups a listen are still enjoying those mighty fine CDs; I know that I am (and more so with each listen).

This week, I want to suggest something a little different. All of the suggestions from this week come to us from across the pond, which (at least for me) continues to be a great source for great music; the UK!

The first, is the most recent CD by Will Young, Keep On. While I am sure that most people haven’t heard of Will here in America, I can assure you that he is pretty big in other parts of the world; specifically in Britain, where he won the first Pop Idol competition (their American Idol equivalent). I bought Will’s CD quite a while back, and didn’t really feel it at the time, and as a result, dismissed most of the disc. The couple of songs that I got it for pleased me enough for me to focus solely on them, and not give much thought to the rest of the CD. Recently, a friend of mine played a Will Young song for me that I hadn’t heard (from his first CD), and I liked it, so I gave the CD another listen (also, renting Mrs Henderson Presents helped… he is in the movie and sings quite a bit in it). The result: a newfound love of Keep On. I honestly can’t believe that I didn’t like it before, because it is actually quite wonderful all of the way through. I suggest you check it out. It also houses one of my favorite songs, All Time Love, which literally gives me chills every time I hear it. Let me know what you think of this sadly overlooked disc. It is on heavy rotation for me, after realizing my mistake in passing over it.

The second suggestion for this week is the solo CD from miss Tracey Thorn, who many may know as the beautiful voice of Everything But the Girl. I have been a huge fan of Everything But the Girl for years now, and when I heard that Tracey was releasing a solo disc earlier this year, I was chomping at the bit to get a listen. Initially, I was only slightly impressed, which I believe was mainly due to my mood during my first go round. Sometimes, you really have to be in the mood to fully enjoy some music, and this was definitely the case. Upon several more listens, I have been enjoying this disc more and more. Tracey proves that she has more than just a beautiful voice with her solo effort, and manages to re-invent much of what I loved about the electronic sound from EBTG. I for one, am sorry that I let this one sit for months, because it is clearly one of the best CDs to come out this year. If you are a fan of EBTG, do yourself a favor and check this out.

Finally, I want to suggest a CD that I have literally been in love with for quite a while now, and yet, it still has the ability to stay fresh, and keep surfacing time and time again; the Pipettes: We are the Pipettes. This girl group take you back to the pop sounds of the 50’s, hearkening a sound from a basement party, and the result is a damn good time. Many of these songs are so catchy that you will find yourself humming them days after you listen to them. It really is hard not to love the Pipettes, so that is why I am suggesting that everyone check them out. I heard about them initially from my buddy Dewey, and I have to say, I realize now, that I should have taken his advice wholeheartedly, and embraced them immediately, because they are fantastic. Instead, I waited a few months, shrugging them off as nothing special, only to realize that I couldn’t have been more wrong. Thank God I came around!!! Also important to note about this CD, is that it just might be the perfect CD to work out to. I know that it can get me through a tough workout with a smile on my face and a increased beat in my step! Check it out!

As always, these suggestions aren’t meant to be a one way exchange. Let me know what you are listening to, as I am always searching for the next song/artist/CD that is going to calm my insatiable craving for good music. So let me have it! I need more music!!! Let me know what you think of these suggestions too, alright?!

alright monday… move on, now…

Today seems to be dragging a bit; perhaps I have a case of the “Mondays”? Either way, I can’t wait to get home this evening. Ah, relaxing… the joy of life.

A few jumbled, scattered, smothered, and covered thoughts for you to swish around your brain today:
Because everyone else is doing it, here is my “personality” profile; which is based on some pretty random questions. I expected pretty much everything, I have done a Myers-Briggs before, so nothing too unexpected, I guess… One thing I did get excited about, was that Nurse was listed as one of my career matches; maybe I should have taken this little test while I was in college? Either way, that is good to know that it will mesh well with my “advocate” personality style. I don’t really think these things are 100% accurate, but I do see how they can be pretty good generalizations.

All I have to say, is BWAHAHAHAHA!: Paris Hilton loses her $60 million inheritance because of her dumb ass behavior. Her grandpa is like, look Paris, too much ass, drinking, and going to jail is tainting my name, so you aren’t getting my dough! I wonder if she will have to work and earn money like the rest of us? If so, I fear for her, because I have seen the Simple Life, and if she has to rely solely on her “skills” (or lack thereof), she is royally fucked. I don’t think that she would even be able to get enough money to buy food for herself, if she actually had to work for a living. Poor, poor Paris… However, we all know that she will come out on top somehow; people like her always do for some reason.

Just because there are some people that still think the people of Iraq are all “Islamic extremists” out to kill us, which has nothing to do with any of our actions against them, their land, or their way of life; here’s more compelling evidence that all we are doing over there is making things worse (for us and them). I don’t get why pointing out the obvious stain that you made on the rug, and suggesting that it be cleaned up, is such a “radical” and “scary” observation and strategy for change. The shit has more than hit the fan, and it is pretty crystal clear that there are more and more people, who are just getting more and more angry at us for the very reason illustrated in the article; we are doing more harm than good, and always have. I have an idea, why not stop doing all that “destruction and death” mumbo jumbo, and focus on what we are SAYING really matters; helping the people of Iraq and ending terrorist plots against the US? I suggest this, because we are currently not doing that at all, and instead, our presence is making it worse; both for the Iraqis, and for us, because we are giving them more and more reasons to hate us. Another “revelation” courteous of the “omg this is so fucking obvious” news.

I was thinking as I was driving in to work this morning that I want to start what I hope will be something of a regular here: weekly music suggestion(s), that we share, explore, and recommend to each other. I am always hungry for new music, and often times, it can be hard to find. So, in the spirit of getting this thing going, I am going to recommend a few selections for you to check out this week. As evidenced by today’s selections, the recommendations do not necessarily have to be “new” as in “just out”; if it is new to you, it counts as new! Also, if it is something that you have heard and like, maybe it will just make it a rediscovery for you!

Here’s your music suggestions for this week:
Imogen Heap: Speak For Yourself (I popped this back in the CD player this morning on a whim, and was reminded at how fantastic this disc is!)
SIlversun Pickups: Carnavas (this CD is so awesome; I wish I would have discovered it sooner)
And sort of in the middle of the two: Great Northern: Trading Twilight for Daylight (fyi… this is a myspace link, which I am convinced is the only reason that myspace should even exist: marketing) (This IS new, and I am currently listening to/getting into it. Initial listens are definitely yielding a positive vibe… I am feeling that same little tingle in my body that I get when I hear Silversun Pickups… it’s a good thing.)

This whole “music sharing” idea was further pushed by my stopping by a little CD shop during my lunch break, and my finding Jude’s King Of Yesterday CD in the $1 bin. I had heard the song “King of Yesterday” on Felicity years ago, and remembered that I really liked it, and so I picked up the album. Always good to check out new things, right?

Now that you have your “Music Assignments”, hook me up with some suggestions too; this ain’t a one way street bitches!!! Bring on the music! Bring on the noise!

is APWBWGTTD dead? and listen to this!

First of all, tonight was supposed to be the monthly meet up of the APWBWGTTD, which has been a monthly tradition for more than a year now, and unfortunately, due to only one other potential attendee, I have decided to cancel it. So what does this mean for the future of APWBWGTTD? Well, you tell me. Do you want this monthly Atlanta blogger meet up to continue? Do you wish to see it resurrected in a different venue, on a different day, or under different circumstances? Now is your chance to chuck in your two cents on the whole thing, because we are literally marching towards the funeral here, and if you want to save it, you have to speak up. I for one am kind of sad that it might potentially be over, because I have made some amazing friends through these meet ups, and have always looked forward to them.

Many people complained about Manuel’s being the regular spot for the meet ups, but no one suggested different places. If this was your barrier, please, suggest somewhere new, or suggest some ideas for what you would like to see, in order to participate in future meet ups. Also, there was always talk of people’s schedules being too full, and being unable to meet up, and I understand that this will always be an issue; so how about suggesting some alternatives to the current one meet up, one time, plan? Would it be better to have two meet ups a month on different nights? Would it be better on the weekend? Let me know what you guys think.

I for one, hope that we can do some CPR on our dying friend, and save our APWBWGTTD, because I would honestly be sad to see it pass away. Since today was the day our meet up was scheduled, today is a good day to get to talking about planning the future of APWBWGTTD. Speak up please!!

Also, I just got the new CD Riot!, by the group Paramore, and I cannot stop listening to it! It is fantastic!!! It is like a little bit Weezer, with some Letters to Cleo, and a little of the type of rock those other All American Rejects-type bands churn out, peppered on the top. The lead singer also gives it a feel of Shiny Toy Guns, who are a band that everyone who listens to me, knows I freaking ADORE. The whole CD is a great listen, and is full of energy, and great songs. I rarely run out and buy a CD after checking it out initially, but this one is a definite exception! Be sure to check out my favorites: That’s What You Get, crushcrushcrush (OMG SO GOOD!), and, well I like them all, but these I listen to repeatedly. Now, go out and get it, and have some fun; I know I am! Apparently, there is a video too, so check it out!

well, it’s friday… wait, what?

So this week has really gotten away from me. Perhaps it was the combination of the pain killers, the muscle relaxers, the inability to get around without pain, the back spasms, the cabin fever, and the myriad of other distractions that have somehow kept me sane in my bed this week. Thank god for wireless internet, movies, music, working from home, a snuggly dog, the internets, and my lovely husband (who does, unfortunately, have a pretty shallow threshold for dealing with things like this, and occasionally needs to disappear; which is annoying, but sometimes understandable). Overall, it has been a relaxing week, but I just can’t believe that it is over, and I am still pretty uncomfortable.

I know that a lot of people are still wondering why I haven’t gone to the doctor, and thanks for the advice that everyone has provided, but at this point, I don’t see a need to go in, wait an hour, pay my copay, and hear him say I have a pulled muscle in my back and tell me to continue taking the muscle relaxers he has already provided me with. If it gets any worse, I will definitely head for the nearest medical professional, but as long as I continue on my path to progress (see my LONG path to SLOW progress), I will just keep the routine of relax, rest, take pills, sleep, and try not to move in a way that will activate a back spasm (as I did this morning, and triggered the aggravation all over again… nice).

I just hope that this weekend can include some time outside of this house… I am beginning to get a little stir crazy. I have to say though, it has been nice having time to spend watching all of these movies, and repeatedly listening to Sara Bareilles‘ new CD (which again, is WONDERFUL). I have also spent a little time getting to know my netvibes page, which I am obviously not using to its fullest potential. I still want to add more cool shit, so if you have an suggestions, I am all ears.

Final interesting note: I noticed that the picture that I took of my friend at pride was getting a TON of attention yesterday, and I finally found out why; it made reddit at some point during the day. What does that mean? Try 20k+ views and around 30 some odd favorites and comments. Nice. At least it was flickr’s bandwidth and not mine, right? Still, I love that such an awesome “protest” of the protesters is getting so much positive attention; they really do ruin things like pride.

Hope everyone has a great weekend… you’ve got red on you.

the wait is over: Sara Bareilles – Little Voice in stores TODAY!!!!

Alright kids, I may still be held up in the bed today, but that will not stop me from shouting my extreme excitement and praise for today’s release of this year’s BEST CD (Seriously, it is amazing), Sara Bareilles‘ delightfully and ironically titled debut, Little Voice.

As I have said many times before, I have been a huge fan of hers for years now, and not only am I completely honored to have met her, but I literally cannot say enough wonderful things about this amazing artist. If you are looking for the next big thing when it comes to music, look no further, because Sara is it. She blends perfect lyrics with pop harmonies that will blow you away. If you take a little bit from each of the following: Sarah McLachlan, Fiona Apple, Vanessa Carlton, and Regina Spektor; and mix it up a bit, polish it, refine it, and make it more sincere and beautiful, you would have Sara Bareilles.

I had the distinct privilege of discovering Sara’s amazing talent and music a few years ago, and I have been hooked ever since. I am elated to see that she is finally out on a major label, and if there is any justice in the world, she is going to be huge. Do yourself a favor, and go out today, and pick up the best album of 2007. Seriously, this is it, you guys… you won’t be sorry. Sara is amazing, and I am so excited to be able to tell you all about her, and better yet, be able to get her new album!!!

it’s all about promotion, baby!

Two HUGE promotions today folks… are you ready?

First of all, I want to promote the intensely amazing news that Sara Bareilles‘ single, Love Song, is the free download of the week on iTunes!!! This is great news, because it will definitely give people an opportunity to discover her amazing talent for free!! I hope that this will garner the sort of attention that it has for many people whose singles were featured there in the past.

Click on this banner to take you to iTunes, where you can download the single Love Song for free!! (but hurry… it’s THIS WEEK ONLY!) I know you will love it (!!):

Additionally, there is a special pre-order deal going on right now; if you order her upcoming debut CD, Little Voice, over at the Sony music store, you can get a free hand-numbered lithograph of either the lyrics for the amazing song Gravity, or for the aforementioned single, Love Song! I went ahead and ordered mine, and I can’t wait for it to get here!! The CD comes out on July 3rd, so pay attention to this amazing artist, because she is going to be huge if there is any justice in this world!

The second promotion I want to blog about today, is the grand opening of the new tattoo shop, Ink and Dagger Tattoo, owned by my amazing tattoo artist, Russ Abbott. Russ did the amazing half-sleeve that I have, as well as some other work, and I can definitely say that he will be the one that I go to, in order to get any future work for me! He’s amazing! He’s actually doing a piece for me tomorrow, which you will just have to wait and see when it is complete. I will be dropping by the shop to check it out tonight, and I am so excited for him, that he has his own shop now! If you are in need of an amazing tattoo, look no further than Ink and Dagger Tattoo in Decatur, GA, because both artists at the shop (Russ and Malia) are top of the line, and will give you a work of art that you can cherish for the rest of your life.

Whew! Now that is a lot to be excited about!! Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday, and make sure you check out these people I am promoting… you will love them! I certainly do!