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5SF: october 31

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I guess this is the Halloween edition of five song Friday, not because it is Halloween themed, but simply because it is happening on Halloween this year. I am wearing a cute orange shirt today that has three ghosts on it, and when you turn off the lights, the word boo glows in the dark. It was too cute to pass up… and it was orange! I guess Halloween should be a favorite holiday of mine, since orange is everywhere, and it is an excuse to eat lots of candy, but I never really get into it to be honest. We are going to give out candy, and check in on our neighbor’s party, but that’s about it. Whatever you are up to this ghoulish “holiday”, rest assured that I have some great songs for you today, none of which have anything to do with Halloween, but are great nonetheless. Alright, here it goes…

Horse Feathers – Curs of Weeds
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_1031_horsefeathers-cursofweeds.mp3]
I first heard Horse Feathers on the indie channel of XM, and I thought they were mellow and delightful. I downloaded their most recent release, and after hearing this song once, I freaking loved it. The vocals remind me of the smoky/raspy vocals of artists like Ray LaMontagne, which are coupled with a backing female vocal that take something beautiful and make it gorgeous. The delicate nature of this song just makes me want to close my eyes and absorb it all. The violins are achingly beautiful, and the tenderness and composition of the instrumentation is fantastic. The rest of the record is quite good, and being that this song was such an instant favorite, I am happy that I could share it this week. I love discovering stuff like this.

Nicole Scherzinger Pussycat Dolls – I Hate This Part
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_1031_pcd-ihatethispart.mp3]
Now, I was originally a skeptic of PCD, but they wouldn’t go away, and eventually, I was lured into their pop web, and ended up becoming somewhat of a fan. Given that I loved the first single off of Doll Domination (When I Grow Up) so much, I had to give the rest of the record a chance, and in my time with it, I have found several great songs on the record. However, my favorite BY FAR, is this amazingly beautiful ballad that pretty much proves what we knew all along; not only is Nicole Scherzinger the voice behind the Pussycat Dolls, but she pretty much NEEDS a solo career. Seriously. Watch the video for this song. She’s definitely carrying this group, and that doesn’t bother me; so as long as they make fantastic songs like this one. I just hope that Nicole is happy, and keeps bringing the goods like she is doing here. Damn she sings the shit out of this song; just listen at about 3:10 in… wow.

P!nk – I Don’t Believe You
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_1031_pink-idontbelieveyou.mp3]
As I mentioned earlier this week, I was excited to snag P!nk’s newest album, which came out on Tuesday, and I will say that this record is definitely a grower. With the first listen, I liked it, but with each subsequent listen, many of these songs are really sticking with me in a great way. This song in particular is beautiful, heartbreaking, and perfect for her smoky voice. I have liked P!nk for a long time now, and with this record, she has just further solidified her fan base; it is a great album, and is already among my favorites of this year. I hate that she had to endure a break up, but at least she was able to channel some of that energy into making Funhouse such a great record.

The Saturdays – Work
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_1031_saturdays-work.mp3]
I was originally skeptical of the Saturdays (lots of skepticism this week!); mainly because I felt like they were a bit of a Girls Aloud wannabe. However, their first single, If This Is Love, found it’s way onto my ipod, and I found myself really liking it, and even featured it on a previous five song Friday. My buddy Stu (thanks Stu!!!!!) insisted that I check out the rest of their record, Chasing Lights, and I am VERY glad that I did. There are some very well produced pop songs on that record, and Work, by far, is my favorite. That chorus is just fierce. Girls Aloud have definitely got some competition from these beauties; but I am willing to bet that the world has room for more than a few studio-produced girl pop super groups, right!? With songs like this, I know that I definitely have room for them on my ipod!

Lady GaGa – Starstruck
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_1031_ladygaga-starstruck.mp3]
Okay, it is no secret that I love Lady GaGa. I gushed yesterday about her amazing performance on Wednesday night, as well as her CD’s release earlier this week (FINALLY!), and since it was such a GaGa week, I felt compelled to bring at least one more track from her amazing record to the table. This song was the song that she closed with the other night, and she fucking tore it up! In fact, since the show, I have been playing this banger on repeat. This song is a new song for fellow GaGa fans; it was one of the two new songs that she put on her already impressive record for release here in the states. I have to say, that she definitely has my vote for best new talent of 2008, and if she keeps churning out impressive pop like this, she is going to be bigger than huge. I am so glad that I got to see her live in such an intimate setting, and I was (and still am) starstruck by the amazing Lady GaGa. Also, make sure you go and check out the video for Poker Face, the second AMAZING single from The Fame… it is FIERCE!

Well, there you have it; another week on the books, and five more songs to tantalize your ears. This week ranged all the way from the acoustic to the banging-est beats, and I hope that everyone found a little something that they enjoyed. As always, let me know what you are listening to, and let me know what you think of these tracks! Have a safe and happy Halloween!!!

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CD review: Sara Bareilles: Between the Lines – Live at the Fillmore

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As I posted about yesterday, there were some pretty major releases coming out this week, and while I was very excited about all of them, there was none that I was more excited about than the release of Sara Bareilles’ live CD/DVD, Between the Lines – Live at the Fillmore. When I first heard that she was going to be releasing a live album, I was immediately ready to plunk down the cash as soon as it hit shelves, because if there is one thing that is true about Sara, is that she is not only an impressively talented musician, but she completely delivers live (not to mention that I am a HUGE fan of hers).

Now, I have traditionally not been a fan of live recordings. I don’t feel like they maintain the quality of the show, and fail to capture the energy and presence of the artists; at least, that has been my experience in almost every recording that I have come across. However, with regards to Sara, the very first time I saw her live, I bought her first independent release, and on it, there were several live versions of her work, and all of them were impeccable. In fact, you could say that almost all of those songs were indistinguishable from her studio work, other than the clapping and audience involvement. I’ll say it again: she really delivers live. Having seen her many times over the past few years, and thoroughly enjoying each show, I became very excited at the prospect that she would be capturing one of the most amazing parts of her talent, her live performance, for me to listen to at any time I chose.

Well, after a couple of listens to Between the Lines – Live at the Fillmore, I can definitely say that she has managed to capture something beautiful, and wholly Sara in this recording. If you close your eyes when you listen to this CD, you get what I really believe is as close to an experience of seeing her live as you possibly can without actually being there. The emotion, the talent, the fun; it’s all there. On this disc, she has delivered a brilliant live performance, and has provided fans with an album that she should be very proud of for making.

If you have seen Sara live, then you already know about the raw power she has in her vocals, and the sincerity that she portrays in her performance, and I am pleased to say that it is present on this recording. I am very impressed with this album, and I am extremely happy that it came out as well as it did. Having the accompanying DVD is definitely the best icing on an already amazing cake, and it makes it impossible for me to find anything negative to say about this release. This album/DVD set is a solid five out of five stars (), kids, so run out and pick it up today. This is definitely one of the best live performances I have ever heard recorded, and it has definitely made me think that there is hope for live albums after all.

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chipped

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Sydney put on his Halloween sweater today, headed out to a dog festival, and got micro-chipped.
ready for halloween!
James said that he wasn’t happy when they pricked him with the chip, but I am glad that he has it now. I have been thinking about getting him chipped forever, and it was only $10, so I figured we should go ahead and do it. Hopefully, this makes him just a little bit safer, in case he ever gets lost.

He does look incredibly adorable in that sweater though, doesn’t he?!

mixed media, show the love

fall tv thoughts, as of right now

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So far, the shows have been coming back, one by one, and I have been setting the tivo to capture all of the action. There are some newbies that are going pretty strong, and some oldies that have my a little lost, so I thought I would punt out a few thoughts here, and see what everyone else is thinking about the fall lineup so far.

First up, we watch Prison Break, even though they are no longer in any kind of prison. Either way, it is a great show, and has come back strong. I am enjoying this season, and since this show has an amazing ability to go batshit crazy at the last second, I can’t wait to see where we will be going with Schofield and Boroughs this season. We also just recently caught up by watching the first season (we started watching in the second season), and it was really awesome; which pretty much got us really amped about this season coming back.

Next, and perhaps the most notable, is the debut of Fringe. Holy shit, this show is fantastic. I have seriously LOVED all three episodes, and really like the way they are building the interweaving plot about “the Pattern”; which is something that J.J. Abrams is very, very good at doing. I really like all of the mysterious elements, and I can tell that this show is definitely going to keep getting better with each new episode. It’s rare when new shows are this good, and I am glad that this one has lived up to the hype. I also must say, that Joshua Jackson has really grown up well; he is fucking HOT. (Just look at this picture… see what I mean? WOW. I think that I am in love.)

Other shows that have come back, like the Sarah Connor Chronicles, and especially Smallville (great season premiere!!) have also been very well done, and have really shown even more potential for another great season. I am looking forward to Brothers and Sisters, Desperate Housewives, Pushing Daisies, Reaper (PLEASE COME BACK!), Chuck, and Ugly Betty coming back as well. All of these shows kept my interest up until the writers strike, and some of them didn’t get a full season to really deliver the goods; I am REALLY hoping that they all can come back, and really deliver (especially shows like Pushing Daisies and Reaper).

I have to say, that after watching the season premiere of Heroes this week, which I did really enjoy, I was, well, rather lost. I think it is because so much time had passed between the mini season and this premiere, and as a result, I forgot most of what happened last season. Well, worry no more… I picked up season 2 today on DVD, and I am going to give James and myself a crash course before next week. Heroes is one of those shows that just keeps going in different directions, and taking chances… and it leads to great TV.

Other than that, there are only a few shows that I want to watch but for whatever reason never do, like 30 Rock, but I guess I can torrent it or something. We also watch a few reality shows, but most of those are just for info (like how it’s made), or gossip (like the soup); although, I will own up to it, and admit that I am enjoying the most recent cycle of Top Model. Fun stuff, that Tyra, isn’t she?

So, now it’s your turn to spill… What are you all watching? What are you most excited about?

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viva pinata: pocket paradise… first thoughts

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in the mail today...As a MAJOR fan of the Viva Pinata game for XBOX 360 (in fact, it is the reason I got an XBOX instead of a PS3), I was super excited when I heard earlier this year, that they were making a similar version of Viva Pinata for DS. Well, the game is out, and I eagerly got it as quickly as I could (damn pre-order on amazon… I want it now!), and after playing for an hour or so, I am here to sing it’s praises.

First of all, if you are a fan of the original Viva Pinata, you probably have several things that you wanted changed, because I know I did. I thought that a lot of the ways that you navigated your shovel, seeds, and other tools was too complicated (you had to remember where they were to pull them up with just the d-pad, which you tend to forget when you are worried about watering your new banana tree!!!), and the menus to get to people like Lottie at Costalot’s store were just too fumbled. Well, the DS version has taken care of every issue that I had with the XBOX version! I haven’t been playing that long, and already, I am pleased to see that they made these changes. A really, really nice feature, is that in the information screen for each pinata tells you exactly what the pinata needs, not only to romance, but also to make variants of that pinata; something that was annoyingly missing from the original. YAY FOR THAT!

Other notable changes; the annoying Leafos is gone. Sorry, she is sweet and all, but especially in the beginning of the game, she really was a hand-holder, and all I wanted to do was get to making my garden great, and attracting new pinatas. She made such pomp and circumstance about everything, that I got frustrated with her really quickly. Funny thing is, that you could hit her with your shovel if you got annoyed with her (like I did), and she would say, “nuh uh uh!”. If you hit her too many times though she took away the shovel, which pretty much made you powerless. Needless to say, I am glad to see that she isn’t running things in pocket paradise.

Another great surprise, is that they made the pinata’s the front and center main attraction! This is awesome, because they are the reason you are playing the game, and you get your tutorials from them. That was a great touch.

So far, I have set up my garden, and I am actively romancing the new members. I cannot wait to see how my garden grows, and what great pinatas I can bring inside. I don’t know the mechanics of having multiple gardens yet, but I am sure that it will have similar capabilities of the XBOX game, because that feature made it great for organizing your pinatas, and keeping the ones that incessantly fight separated from one another.

Needless to say, I am thrilled that I get to take this amazingly wonderful game with me, and that I can play when I get bored during my travels. The best part about this game, is that every time you do something (plant something, build a building, romance pinatas, etc), that you are bound to get a slightly different garden, and with experience, you can really customize things, and really keep making the game more fun. This is a game that was HIGHLY anticipated for the DS, at least for me, and so far, it has VASTLY exceeded my expectations. If you are a fan of the original game, you must get this new one… Viva Pinata indeed!!!! (there was also a recent release of Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise, a new version of the original sim for XBOX, and I will definitely be getting that one at some point… but I am still having a fantastic time with my original gardens, that I don’t want to abandon them just yet!).

HUGE UPDATE!!!!!!: I just got a Taffly (for those of you that had the game, you know that they are annoying, because they eat your flowers, and don’t really give you anything… unless you burn them to evolve them, and then sell them; but that is getting outside of the point…), and they have done the best upgrade ever on an ordinarily useless pinata! When he eats something of a certain color, he produces that color fertilizer!!! No more buying that shit! (literally!) It also appears that the color fertilizer thing is more intuitive this time around as well!!! HUGE YAY for that, because I can’t tell you how frustrating the fertilizer thing was in the original game. Alright, sorry to keep gushing, but this feature is too great not to mention!!!!

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reflecting on a few news items

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First up, something wonderful, because the last things are very, very disappointing. A couple of times, I have written previously about how I was really proud of athletes in the Olympics, specifically Michael Phelps, but there was one guy that I am beaming over even more. Matthew Mitcham is an Australian diver that took the gold in his event; even though it was highly favored to go to the Chinese (as all 7 other medals in diving did). One small thing… he’s gay! He was actually the only out gay male athlete to win a medal at the Olympics, and it was not only an upset victory, but he took home gold! After his medal ceremony, he ran up to the stands to embrace his mother and his partner. It’s great that the gay community can embrace another positive role model; an Olympic champion! Woo hoo! Make sure to check out the video of his performance and his medal ceremony, which apparently caused some controversy, because it wasn’t broadcast in full, and which is posted below:


Inspirational, to say the least!

Next, this harrowing revelation that HIV infection rates continue to not only soar, but that they are soaring at an even higher rate in New York City. We are more than 25 years into this disease; when are people going to take testing, safe sex, and prevention more seriously? I know that it is hard to do, but it is clear that people are ignoring something, because the increase in HIV rates cannot be described by “mistake” alone… get tested, and be safe people! YOUR LIFE depends on it!

This makes me feel so ill, that I want to violently puke. Seriously. Such a raping of human rights is disgusting, and should not be tolerated; especially in a country that we are currently occupying!!! What are we doing America? If we really want to make things better for the people of Iraq (which is continually touted as our mission), why not ALL Iraqi people?? Do the gay ones just not matter to us? It disgusts me that gay people are being treated so horribly, and being hunted in Iraq. Why can’t we offer them asylum? Why can’t we offer them protection? What are we even doing to help them? We have GOT to do something; these are freaking human beings, and they clearly have been put into a worse situation because of our actions. I can’t believe that things like this are allowed to happen; it really, REALLY lowers my faith in humanity. I will never understand how people can, a) be so cruel to their own people, and b) why we can’t do something to stop it if we are already there, ESPECIALLY since the situation they are in is a direct result of our military actions in Iraq? It’s not just gay people either, but they are actively being hunted… and it’s wrong! It just makes me shake my head, and hope that those gay people facing this “hunt” are lucky enough to get out with their lives intact. I will never ever understand religious fanaticism; it always seems to do way more harm than good.

Finally, a great piece of graffiti. Damn, sometimes, you just have to reflect, and feel good about the things that are going right in life; things could be worse.

is it just me?, listen up!, music musings, music suggestion, show the love, venting

leaked: the fame

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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.

The massive talent that Lady GaGa has for crafting pop gem after pop gem is clear and present throughout her debut, and I can’t wait for this CD to officially drop in the US. I will say this, if you think Just Dance is a great track, just wait until you hear the rest; the record exudes energy, disco, glamour, poptrash, and all things pure and unadulterated pop. I am very, very impressed. I will wait until the CD gets released to give it an official rating, but from what I have heard on the leaked version, it has earned a “unofficial”, solid 5 out of 5 stars , ladies and gentlemen.

Everyone will bow to the Haus of GaGa; the new princess of pop has arrived. An interesting thing about Lady GaGa that has come to my attention, came in a revelation that a friend of mine pointed out: how her voice does bear some similarities to Gwen Stefani (who you all should know by now that I completely abhor). While I do see what he is talking about, I think that the stark difference is that Lady GaGa (and the irony of Lady GaGa’s real name being Stefani is not lost here) is what Gwen would sound like if she were more talented in the realm of pop music. I cannot forgive Gwen for the serious misstep that was Holla Back Girl (*shivers*), and frankly, I haven’t heard anything that would be worthy of redeeming her in my eyes. So, I hear the similarities in voice, but seriously, Gwen doesn’t have anything on GaGa, and that is just fact so far as I’m concerned.

Finally, one thing that is sort of related to the whole leaking of GaGa’s CD, is the eventual backlash from the RIAA that I can naturally foresee. But what I don’t get, is why they would release a CD in August in Canada (eh!), and then have a release date for the same CD in the US almost 2 full months later. I mean, do you think that people aren’t going to leak it? Dumb. Just release the damn thing at the same time all over the place, and we will flock to the stores like your puppets as you want us to anyway, and fork over our hard earned money for the goods.

I guess it makes me irritated to have to deal with attitudes on downloading music because of the major bullshit like this release issue. I was in Decatur CD not too long ago browsing the CDs, and I overheard this conversation a “record exec-type” was having with the owner. He was literally bashing the hell out of anyone that would “dare” download music, and after he pretty much equated downloading music to the 11th greatest sin, I just got so frustrated that I put down the 2 CDs I was going to buy, and I left. Don’t these morons know that the people that download music actually buy a majority of the records that are released? If it weren’t for downloading music, I would miss about 80% of the stuff that I love, and I just don’t see how learning about new music, and then going out and buying it is such a bad thing. Whatever. Just a gripe of mine. There, it’s been said; but let’s not let it take away from the amazingness of Lady GaGa… who’s record is B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T. Now… just release it so I can get it!

civil rights, happenings, near and dear, show the love, that is so gay

congratulations are in order…

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First off, to Michael Phelps for becoming the first person to win 8 gold medals in one Olympics. Is there anything this guy can’t do?? I can’t help but feel this amazing sense of pride for him, because of everything he has worked for, and has now achieved. What an awesome story, and what a great achievement!!! Congratulations, Michael! You rock buddy!

Secondly, a HUGE congrats to one of the only A-list gay couples in this country on getting married this weekend!!! Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi have said their “I dos”, becoming one of only A-list MARRIED gay couples in America! All my best to Ellen and Portia, who make a fabulously beautiful couple, as well as a beautiful set of role models for all of the gay community. Being an out couple, and one with such a positive image at that, makes me so happy that they represent our community. Through their publicity, and continued positive exposure as a couple, these two amazing women help to make being gay more of a normal occurrence in this world. I hope that they had an amazing day, and I wish them love, life, and happiness together. Congratulations, Ellen and Portia!