It may not be the last Friday of August, but it IS the last Friday of my 20s. The end of a decade, and the beginning of another. My thirtieth birthday is quickly approaching this Tuesday, but I find myself not really focused on it. I want to hang with friends and have a good weekend (and next week), but nothing over the top. As for the music this week, I have a couple of new, hot tracks, and a couple of “oldies” that I recently rediscovered; one that takes me all of the way back to high school!! Let’s do this!
Solange – Sandcastle Disco
Holy shit, this song totally took me by surprise. I mean, I remember Solange’s last effort to take the music industry by storm, and to step out of Beyonce’s HUGE shadow, and needless to say, it fell a little flat. After hearing this gem the other day, I really believe that Solange has a chance for the second go round. Her CD is full of fun songs like this one, with that throw-back sound that everyone seems to be trying to do these days. I have to say, that it is almost impossible to listen to this song and sit completely still; I am tapping my toes and bopping my head as I listen to this right now. Also, be careful about this one, because it is a major grower, and will get even better with each listen… and the chorus WILL get stuck in your head! Bay-B-B-B-baby! I love it! Great choice, Solange!
Oakenfold feat. Britanny Murphy – Faster Kill Pussycat
I heard this song randomly on the radio again the other day, and instantly, I was like, “OMG! I remember this song… it is GREAT!”. As such, I have been listening to it all week, and totally wanted to “bring it back” and post it this week. This song is a thrill ride of a club track, and is totally fun. I am honestly surprised that more didn’t come from Britanny after this song, because her vocals are HOT on this track. The beat is banging, and the riff is delicious. This song is pure energy, and sounds like it should be a backing track on a race car game… it is fast and furious! Also, I have to say, that I love when sexy women laugh all seductively in a song, and Britanny does that in this one… swoon. Seriously, bring us more music, Britanny! All the other actors are doing it these days! If that never happens, at least she gave us a killer track to show us that yes, she has the goods… even if she is currently keeping them mostly to herself.
Juliana Hatfield – Universal Heart-beat
This is one of the songs that I literally listened to on massive repeat when I was in my first years of college. I was majorly into alternative music, and this song was one of those alterna-indie tracks that I really got into. I even managed to see Juliana in concert, and she was fantastic. This song came out of retirement for me this week when I noticed that Juliana had recently released a new CD. Naturally, seeing her name sparked the memory of this song, which I haven’t heard in probably a decade. After scouring the internets, I got my hands on it again, and I was taken right back to those days when I would ride around in my ’87 Sentra jamming out to Juliana. This song is awesome, and totally stands the test of time; and it really, really brings back some fun memories.
Lindsay Lohan – Bossy (Mike Rizzo Funk Generation Radio Edit)
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_822_lindsaylohan-bossy(mikerizzo).mp3]
Okay, it was probably a couple of months ago that Lindsay’s new song, Bossy hit the internets, and I have to admit that I didn’t initially like it that much. However, it really grew on me, and I have been enjoying it thoroughly. However, it wasn’t until I heard Mike Rizzo’s AMAZING remix that I really fell HARD for this track. The disco feel that he gives to this song makes it PERFECT for dancing and having fun on a Saturday night. I love this mix, and I just had to share it. A special thanks to Mr. Popmuse for hooking me up with it!
Brandy – Right Here (Departed)
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_822_brandy-rightheredeparted.mp3]
A couple of weeks ago, a new Brandy track leaked, and I have to say, that I was super happy to hear Darkchild doing his signature announcement at the beginning… I sat up and listened intently at that point. I have always been a fan of Brandy’s, and have seen her through some major ups and downs. I am really glad that she has a potential hit on her hands here, and I have been enjoying it, letting this track marinate, and it has only gotten better with each listen. I am curious to see what her next record will bring, because Brandy is actually capable of some hits if she puts her mind to it… she’s done it before, and I believe that she can do it again. I for one, am looking forward to the future of music for Ms. Norwood. The song ends and then does this weird re-loop thing for some reason, so please ignore the very end.
And with that… I leave you for a four day weekend. I’m not working the day before, or the day of my birthday… I think that I’ve deserved some time off!! Hope everyone has a great weekend, and if you live in ATL, let’s have some fun this weekend, shall we?
Well, the inevitable has happened: The Fame has officially leaked onto the internet. I have been talking about Lady GaGa’s debut for months now, and have been touting it as my most anticipated release of 2008, so of COURSE, I had to get it. Now that I have had a few listens, I am going to make a grand statement, and declare that it is the best pop record of the year so far. This record is MASSIVE.
, ladies and gentlemen. 
Lykke Li is another one of those artists, like Duffy, that has been getting lots of praise from other music bloggers, but for whatever reason, I was waiting on something else from her. Well, her record, Youth Novels finally came out this week, and I will admit that it has some great gems on it. Specifically, this song really has me tapping my toes, and reveling in the beauty and gentle, child-like nature of Lykke’s voice as she sings about dancing. I have to say, that Lykke is another shining example of how Sweden really is an epicenter of fantastic music, and in particular, fantastic pop music. Seriously, there are so many fantastic things happening with there, it really makes me want to move to Sweden already!!! Sweden is to pop what Seattle was to grunge/alternative! I love it! If you like this song, check out her record… I will warn you though, some of the tracks near the end of it are kind of strange… but hey, we take what we can get, right?
First off, I am going to say this: FANTASTIC form P!nk. Bravo. Cheers. I love you! Seriously, this song is so fucking catchy, and amazingly well done, that it is hard to do anything other than love it, and in turn, heap loads of praise on P!nk for bringing it us! This is the second song that I heard this past weekend that I was literally burning to get on this blog for you! P!nk’s last album made me a fan of hers for life because of how great it is, and this song just shows that she is an artist that we should definitely keep paying attention to, because she has A LOT more up her sleeve. One of my FAVORITE things about P!nk, is that she has such talent as far as being an artist, that she was able to overcome the typecasting her record label insisted on using against her (typecasting her as a hip hop singer for her debut, when she is more of a rock star; as indicated clearly by her subsequent follow up albums), and she not only managed to prove that she had the talent to back it up, but that she was even better than they gave her credit for. She is a passionate singer, and a great song writer, and I am elated that the leaked single from her upcoming CD is so freaking amazing; it really has me wiggling in my seat in anticipation for the record’s October release!! If her album is anything like her previous effort, I know that I am going to enjoy it… and if this single is any indication of what we have to look forward to, then I think that I am going to LOVE it! Also, need I mention how fucking HOT P!nk is? Jeebus!
This week, Keane sent out an announcement that you could download their newest single, Spiralling, for free from their website. Well, being the curious cat that I am, I went ahead and downloaded it, and I have to say, that after several listens, I like it more and more each time I hear it. It is a funky track for Keane, and has me very interested in what they have in store for their upcoming release, Perfect Symmetry. I loved that song Somewhere Only We Know when it came out many moons ago, but I got a bit played out on it, and as such, lost interest in Keane. Well, I can definitely say that Spiralling has renewed that interest in hearing what they have to say.
I was in the car with my buddy Deb yesterday, and this song came on the radio, and each of us instantly agreed that it was a great song. I ran home to try and get it, but low and behold, it isn’t on iTunes, but I was lucky enough to find it on the interwebs. Why is great music so hard to obtain sometimes? Based on how much I like this song, I am sure that I want to know more about the Script, and I will be doing whatever I can to get more of their music (I will definitely snag their album when it goes out on August 12). I love how the lead singer’s voice has a definite likeness to Sting’s beautiful voice; perhaps that is what I was drawn to initially. Either way, I really like this song, and the chorus is one of those that really begs to be played at a pivotal scene in a movie. 
I don’t know what brought this out, but the other day I was looking through my music, and I realized I didn’t have Kosheen’s CD in my collection anymore. I instantly had to have it, because I remember some of the amazing tracks that they had back in 2001 that just blew me away. The haunting vocals of the lead singer really match the electronic beats and fast pumping melodies in their songs. This song in particularly was a favorite of mine at the time, and really takes me back to many of those nights dancing in the club, having the time of my life. I checked their wikipedia page, and I see that they have a couple of other albums, so I will probably have to check them out at some point in the near future. I’m glad to have been reminded of this random piece of the past… this song is really amazing, isn’t it?
This song was a total random find…. I downloaded this massive “indie” playlist a while back when I was trying to get an mp3 copy of Uh Huh Her’s amazing song so that I could feature it a few weeks back (I bought the track on iTunes, but my mp3 player on the blog doesn’t like DRM protected formats… foo). Well, I finally sat down to see if this playlist had any other gems, and I actually managed to find a few. One of those gems was this head bopping hit by the Infadels. I checked out a few other songs from their most recent release, Universe in Reverse (great cover art!!!), and they reminded me a lot of a group I LOVE, the Kaiser Chiefs. I haven’t had the chance to delve deeper into their record, but I am hoping to hear more great tracks like this one.
I first heard this song because it was featured as a free download of the week on iTunes. Every once and a while, iTunes has a very, very good selection (most of the time, not so much), and this is definitely one of the better ones I have gotten free. After several listens, I get the same satisfaction out of this song that I get with other acts like City and Colour and Hayden. I love folk/acoustic music. I think that should be clear by now; and as such, here’s another group I can check out because of their great sound. Also, it should be noted that I really love the vocal stylings that these guys use; it is just purty.
This is the song that my friend Deb introduced me to. I downloaded the record, and this is definitely my favorite song from the record thus far. I like the pumping beat, and the rock n’ roll nature of this track. I always regret not listening to her suggestions right away, because usually, they are really good, and I end up kicking myself down the line for not listening sooner, so I am glad that I paid attention this time. I love the intro to the song, because it totally sounds like it is going to be a big house number or some big old diva is about to hit the stage, and instead, they hit you with a marching beat, and some sweet lady-vocals. Nice track. 
I almost posted their song Ghosts, because that is the song that initially attracted me to Ladytron. However, I think that I enjoy this track much more; mostly for the beat and the distortion in the backing instruments. It’s funny, because every time I describe Ladytron, I end up saying that they are what the Cranberries would sound like, that is, if they Cranberries were better. Hear me out… I used to like the Cranberries, but the songs Linger and Zombie pretty much ruined it for me; Deloris O’Riordan’s screeching vocals repeating the same stuff over and over (Linger, linger, do you haf-to, do you haf-to; and Zombey, zombeieieieieieieiiieeeee) just makes me wish it would end. The reason they remind me of Ladytron, is because the lead singer’s voice is slightly reminiscent of Deloris’; but mostly because of the lady-Irish-y accent. Unlike the Cranberries, however, I am having a good time listening to Ladytron, however, so that is definitely a positive that I wanted to pass along to you guys.
I’ll start by being honest about this song; I only downloaded their record because of how cute the cover was. Well, after listening to this song, I am glad that I took a chance, because they are fantastic!!! The lead singer almost sounds a bit like Paul Simon, although at times, he sounds more like the lead singer of Fountains of Wayne. Together with the female vocals, and the sweet melodies and gentle guitar, they craft a truly beautiful sound, and weave it throughout the record. I’ve only had the chance to listen to it a couple of times, but I am definitely liking what I hear with each subsequent listen. A great random find, if I do say so myself! 
If I could describe Lee Brice in one word, it would be GORGEOUS. I don’t normally fall so hard for country songs, but this one is sweet, and beautiful; just like the singer. This boy is MORE than easy on the eyes, I am literally in full on swoon mood when I see his 
This song is so simple, and so beautiful, and Jake’s voice is so hardened by contrast, that it is surprising when you first listen to it. His voice has this worn quality that really makes you listen to what he is trying to say. As he sings about his heart, and how he longs for love, you really get the sense that he has had some heartbreak in his life; which is again echoed in the well-worn nature of his voice. I love simple piano tracks like this one, and I am glad that I found this one to add to my music collection. Great song.
Oh man, I can’t believe that I re-found this one recently. This song was one of those break up songs for me, because the lyrics completely summed up how I felt, “you’ll never see me trying, because our love is so past tense.” Damn. I love Tina Arena’s vocals in the song, and love the beat. It was a moderate dance hit back when it came out, but I prefer this original version much better, because there is an emphasis on the lyrics, which are completely awesome. This is the ultimate kiss off song, so all of you that think I am hating on Katy Perry’s half-assed-bigoted attempt at the same, listen to this one and take note. Just the line, “I don’t even want to be your friend”, is the ultimate fuck you, ex-boyfriend. This song got me through some hard times, and I was glad to recently rediscover it in my music that was gathering too much dust anyway.
I actually stumbled upon Jamie’s new record JIM by accident; the cover looked interesting, so I downloaded it. I wasn’t expecting to hear what I did, however, because this guy has a ton of talent. There are jazzy, hip-hop influenced, and even soulful bluesy songs littered throughout his record. His voice reminds me a lot of Marc Broussard, but with a touch of Jay Kay from Jamiroquai mixed in. In fact, there are a couple of songs that sound like they were influenced by Jamiroquai, and they are fun, and well executed. Overall, the record is a great listen, and this is my favorite song from it. 
I seriously cannot get enough of this song. I randomly looked up something else (I can’t even remember what), and I saw a mention of Uh Huh Her, and how it was Leisha Hailey’s new band. Well, I LOVE her on the L Word, so I had to see what the buzz was about. What I found was a fantastic song, and upon listening to their previously released EP, I found a band that I am definitely interesting in getting to know more. This song is interesting, because of the distortion that they used with the synthesizers, it’s almost a little eighties, but at the same time, it isn’t. I can’t explain it. All I know is that I fucking LOVE this song, and I am having to stop myself from pressing repeat every time it comes up on my ipod. I cannot wait for their CD release, which is only a short time away; August 19th. 
Alright, this one totally caught me by a huge surprise. Those of you that use iTunes know that they randomly feature people on the main page, and occasionally, I will go and see what they are all about. Well, this guy had done an iTunes exclusive, and I saw his picture and though, “hey cutie… I want to see more of you!”. Well, I checked out his most recent record, Bring Me Your Love, and what I found was one of the best records of 2008. Seriously, there isn’t a bad track on it. His acoustic style is one of my favorite types of music, and I love the tenderness in his voice. This is my favorite song from the record, even though the subject is a bit macabre. Overall, I am glad my appreciation of a hot guy with a beard has led me to fantastic music… who would’ve thought?
I am very pleased to feature another out gay artist today (Leisha Hailey of Uh Huh Her is an out lesbian), especially being that it is Shortbus star Jay Brannan. After seeing Shortbus, I heard that Jay was a musician, and even heard a few songs by him, but nothing substantial was released until recently. His recently released CD goddamned is out on iTunes as of a week or so ago, and this song, which is the first on the CD, has me CAPTIVATED. I love the simplicity of the rhythm, and I love his tender and sincere voice. This song is great not only because it sounds great, but because of the realization that he can’t have it all, and the frustration from that he explores in the lyrics. Just a note for those of you listening at work, he does say fuck a few times in the song, so just be aware of that, okay? Man, I love this song.
First up today is a leaked song by the AMAZING Lady GaGa. I have been going gaga over this lady since I instantly fell in love with her infectious HIT Just Dance, and I have anxiously been awaiting new stuff to satiate my appetite for all things Lady GaGa. Well, I found this little gem out there on the internets, and I have been loving every second of it. So far, Lady GaGa’s record is my most anticipated record of the year; this song shows me that she is a huge talent that is going to really deliver. I can’t wait for the The Fame! Until then, I am MAD about Boys Boys Boys!!! (And how appropriate, a song about loving boys on Pride weekend!)
This is a definite blast from the past for me. I was thinking that I wanted to search my dance-music dominated past, and come up with my favorite song, and I will tell you that it was hard. I have a HUGE collection of dance music, and there are so many that really get me moving. However, when I heard this remixed version of Jessica Folcker’s hit, I knew I had to choose this one to include this week. Perhaps I will add more dance songs in nostalgia in the future after rediscovering this amazing song. I can still remember how I came to know this song… my friend Matt (a DJ) used to make CDs for his friends. Well, he handed me a CD one night, and told me simply, that the first song would make me cum. It was Jessica Folcker’s To Be Able To Love, and I can tell you, that I squealed with delight when I heard it. This song is dance music at its best.