As horrible as things are for gays in this country right now, it is hard to want to write about anything else. I am so disgusted that not only is there so much hatred for our relationships that people want to prevent us from getting married, but that there are actually states where gay people cannot adopt children. That is sickening, and any “Christian” that stands behind that belief should be totally ashamed of themselves; one truly cannot actually believe that they are doing good by preventing a child from having a parent (or two parents) that loves them, rather than forcing them to grow up in foster care, can they? With each thing that comes out in regards to our second class status, I am more and more disappointed with people in this country, and I just have to focus on other things like music, to keep from seriously melting down. That being said, I have five great songs today that have been helping me numb out some of the thoughts about this hatred, and I hope that they distract you for a short time, and make your Friday just a little better (through good music) as well.
Agnes Carlsson – Release Me
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_117_agnescarlsson-releaseme.mp3]
This is just what we need to bring us some good spirits; a new gay anthem, right?! This song is amazing, and I am in major music debt to my friend Stu for this one. He simply told me that I had to hear it because it is amazing, and well, he is right… it is utterly amazing and the only bad thing about it, is that it isn’t longer. It is so feel good and has the perfect dance beat. It doesn’t get much gayer than this; it is practically it’s own gay pride float!! Agnes is another one of those amazing Swedes bringing us the best that pop has to offer, and she was a winner of Swedish idol to boot! Play this song on repeat for a little while, and you will definitely be dancing around and have a smile on your face… trust me; I’ve been playing it on repeat all week long!
Tami Chynn – Frozen
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_117_tamichynn-frozen.mp3]
Okay, I have to admit that I have been holding this one back for a few weeks now. I love the song (it seems that Red One and Akon can do no wrong these days, production wise, eh!?!), but I couldn’t find an mp3, so that I could feature it on one of these five song Fridays (damn you iTunes and your mp4’s!). Well, I managed to scrounge one up, because I had to bring something peppy and fun for this week; especially with the aforementioned stuff swirling in my brain. Tami Chynn has had a couple of hits in her home country of Jamaica, but this is her first one to try and capture the US market. I have to say, that this song has taken me by storm. It is a great hip-hop flavored dance jam, and should definitely deserves to be on the radio. I can’t wait to see what else we have to look forward to from Ms. Chynn.
Laura Marling – Ghosts
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_117_lauramarling-ghosts.mp3]
This is unfortunately one of those songs that I was told about in the past, but I never got into it; only to hear it again later and be instantly taken by it. I hate when I am like that, because I really love sharing stuff with other people, and I really like getting recommendations myself; it’s just that sometimes I am out to lunch for whatever reason, and I guess if it doesn’t click then, I forget all about it. Well, lucky for me that I came back to this one, because the chorus is catchy, and will stick with you (even if it doesn’t the first time around!!). Laura brings us her great folk-pop from the UK, proving yet again that there is a ton of great music coming from those islands. It’s crazy to me that she’s only 18, because she definitely sounds older than that in her vocal styling. This is such a great single, and I absolutely love that chorus.
Semi Precious Weapons – Semi Precious Weapons
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_117_semipreciousweapons.mp3]
To quote Christian Siriano, “what a hot tranny mess!!”. Yet in this case, I mean nothing negative at all… this is hot tranny in the GREAT way!!! I heard about Semi Precious Weapons through Logo, and really enjoyed their kitschy style, and the way that they marry hard rock riffs with their own take on glam-rock. This song reminds me a lot of the energy from bands that I love like the Darkness and Scissor Sisters; and I bet these guys would be awesome live. I love music acts that don’t take themselves too seriously, and actually sound like they were having a kick ass time while they were recording the track. Semi Precious Weapons definitely have that vibe on this track, where it just sounds like a pretty party was going on in the studio; and by the looks of the video, I bet it was!! Be aware that he says fucking a lot in this song, so it probably isn’t a good idea to blast it over your computer speakers if you are at work.
Jamelia – Beware of The Dog
[audio:http://www.duanemoody.com/audio/fsf_117_jamelia-bewareofthedog.mp3]
Okay, I will admit openly that I am posting about Jamelia this week because of something that I wrote on Jiingo, where I compared this track to Hilary Duff’s most recent single release, titled Reach Out. See, both songs use a sample from the Depeche Mode song Personal Jesus, but this one does it so much better, and it was released a full two years before Hilary’s copycat song. Given that Hilary will most likely get more glory for her version, I wanted to spread the word even more about the fabulous Jamelia, and her superior use of the sample. If you haven’t heard of her before, you have now, and you must do yourself a favor and check out the rest of this record… it’s hot, and it really makes me wonder why she isn’t huge; both in here and across the world. She is a huge asset to pop music, and I can’t wait to hear more from Jamelia.
Well, writing about these songs has definitely put me in a better mood, and has given me a little while to focus on something that I love, rather than on someone that hates me. I hope that everyone has a great weekend, and make sure to let me know what you are listening to! We will continue to fight, and we will prevail. Civil rights aren’t just for some; they are for ALL OF US.
Hear me out. I will admit that I was never that big of a New Kids fan. I thought Hanging Tough was a bit silly, but I had the tape. Cut to earlier this summer when we heard the news that the New Kids were releasing a new CD. Okay… what can we expect? After hearing the first single Summertime, I was sure that we shouldn’t expect too much; it isn’t very good. Yet, being the lover of all things pop that I am, I couldn’t ignore the whole record because of one dud lead off single. So, I downloaded it, and I saw that Ms. Lady GaGa, diva of all things pop, was on the song Big Girl Now. Needless to say, I was happy to see her name, and I knew that she could bring the pop to the New Kids… and she DOES. This song is catchy and fun… and it has Lady GaGa, who you may or may not know that I have a slight infatuation with… I may have mentioned her once or twice on the blog here before (Jesus release her CD already!!!!). Regardless if the rest of the record is a dud or not (currently, I don’t know, I haven’t really given it a proper listen yet), this song is undeniably HOT.
Another Sugababes record, in just a year?!?! YES PLEASE!!! Their previous record was one of their best to date, and after hearing this horny song (no not that kind of horny!), I am tapping my feet and bobbing my head; all the while, even more excited about a new Sugababes record!! This song didn’t initially hit me, however, so I suggest that you give it a few listens… it is a grower, and it really is a great single. I have to say, though, that I have one major issue with this song… are they saying “here comes the girls?”, because that is what it sounds like. I doubt that is the case, it is probably one of those things that you hear incorrectly in songs (like “when I grow up, I wanna have boobies”), so I will just let that one go with nothing more than a mention. Either way, the Sugababes are back with more fantastic pop… and I am even more excited about the record now!
I read that this song was used on Scrubs, because Zach Braff is such a fan of Radin’s music, but I will admit that I only first heard this song last week. Remember the clip of Ellen and Portia’s wedding that I posted about? Well, this is the AMAZINGLY beautiful song that is playing in the background. How beautiful!!! I love that he performed it at their wedding as well… how perfect. Seriously, though, there is nothing bad that I can say about this song; other than it stays in my head, and begs to be played on repeat. It is an extremely beautiful track, and I love it so very, very much. What a wonderful, albeit unexpected discovery. I love finding amazing music like this!!! Thanks Ellen!
Talk about surprises… I downloaded this on a whim, for reasons I can’t recall, but after one listen, I didn’t go back. Well, enter the new, invigorated interest in using my ipod nano… as a result, I have been paying more attention to exactly what is on my ipod (as opposed to dumping 30GB on there, and sorting through, which makes for too many choices, and MANY things being overlooked). Well, I gave this record a go the other day, and I literally kicked myself after hearing this gem. Not only that, but the rest of the record is actually quite good!! I guess I was in one of my usual “I’m not in the mood for this” moods at the time I first heard it, but I am definitely enjoying it now. The lead singer’s voice reminds me a lot of what I like in the lead singer of Switchfoot’s voice, and compliments the piano-twinged rock elegantly. This song is so ready for the radio, and throngs of screaming fans… it is really, really, really good! Like the Stills, it reminds me a lot of what I loved about Melee’s record; which again, is really good as well… in fact, I want something new from those guys; but I digress… this is about My Favorite Highway!! (Note: these guys are what I think the Jonas Brothers are going for… and they are nailing it, whereas the JB are well… not).
After really enjoying their song Time To Pretend (and featuring it one Friday long ago), I was pretty quick to write off MGMT as a one hit (in my book) wonder. Well, last weekend, I was hanging out with some friends at Smith’s Olde Bar in Midtown, and Electric Feel came on the jukebox. I thought to myself, “self, I have heard this before… and I LOVE IT! But who is it?!?!”. Well, my buddy dave whips out his iphone, uses the amazing program that you can’t use on the ipod touch (BOOO!!!!!) called Shazam, and a few seconds later, I am informed that the song that I am loving is ANOTHER brilliant track by the very MGMT that I had written off only months before. Shame! Shame on me! Well, needless to say, I quickly put that album back on the ipod, and have been listening to it for other gems. It has a few, and I will gladly admit where I was wrong; and I definitely was in this case. If you liked Time To Pretend, this one is a bit different, but definitely the electro-twinged rock that they did so well in that first track. I love the flute-sounding instruments that permeate the track… they are so much fun for my ears! (NOTE: It is annoying that videos get embedding disabled by request. WTF, is up with that shit?!?! /stupid “copyright” related rant)
SURPRISE is the name of the game on this one!!! I downloaded Sarah Connor’s (no, not 
First, there is something I need to get out right away: I HATE when people spell words in song titles like you’re with just a “UR”. It doesn’t make it more cool, and it doesn’t show that you are hip; it makes it look as if you are too lazy to worry about proper grammar. Ugh. Alright, with that said, I actually have been digging this song lately. I actually heard about Annie quite a long time ago from such power music blogs as 
Jem, you’ve done it again! The first song off of Jem’s upcoming release, Down To Earth (release date, September 16th) leaked a few weeks back, and I must say, as much as I loved her first record, I wasn’t actually digging On Top of The World as much as I would have liked. With her last record being so dynamic and innovative, I had high hopes for her sophomore effort, but by the sound of On Top Of the World, I was worried that I was going to be let down. Cut to this week, and the official release of Crazy as a single on iTunes… yeah, Jem still has it. This song is every bit as energetic and magnificent as her first record. She builds on her sound with this track, and proves that she has more to say with her music. Also, I cannot get enough of the banjo in this song!! Such a great use of a non-traditional pop instrument. Good form, Jem, I can’t wait for the record! 
First off, it says fuck a lot in this song, so if that isn’t your cup of tea, you have been warned. I love, love, love Lily Allen, and given the events of this week (RNC), I thought a fun political FU song was appropriate; especially since I only recently heard it. As much as I loved Lily’s first record, I have been chomping at the bit to get more stuff from her, and I was happy to find a few songs last week to satiate my appetite. This song is catchy, and I do think it is cool when people speak up for their political views, because you are always taking a risk; sometimes you get shunned for it (The Dixie Chicks), and sometimes you get praised for it (P!nk). With this silly track, Lily is saying what a lot of young American’s are thinking about our not-so commander and chief, and she will definitely get praises from me for putting it out there. I also cannot ignore the brilliant opening notes that are totally a throwback to the Carpenter’s massive hit Close To You; it really makes me smile to hear it throughout the song. I can’t wait for more new stuff Lily! 
I recently hooked my spin class teacher up with a bunch of “old” dance music that I have sitting on my hard drive, and I literally smiled from ear to ear yesterday when this track came blasting out during class. This song is one of those songs that originally, weren’t very good… Then, a MASSIVE producer (oh how you are missed, Thunderpuss!!!) gets their hands on it, remixes it, and then you have a dance-floor filler that is so much fun that it is hard not to shake your booty all night long. This was exactly what I needed to boost my energy in class, and I was reminded of how much I originally loved this remix. It’s a gem from all the way back in 2000, but to me, it sounds just as great today as it did so many years ago. I can tell you, that if this came on the club, I would need to clear a spot on the floor to break it down… let’s get fierce! 
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. 
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.
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 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.
Here’s the song I mentioned above, that comes from the group I couldn’t stand before today… before seeing those damn itunes commercials featuring Viva La Vida, I literally HATED Coldplay. Seriously. What is it about them that I hate? Perhaps the smugness of Chris Martin, and how it totally comes through in each of the songs that have FLOODED the airwaves for the past several years? (yeah, that’s it!) However, there is no denying that this song is pure genius. I will gladly consider myself a Coldplay fan for this song; it is catchy, brilliant, and begs to be played on repeat. Also, not really related to the song, but a note about one member of the band: Will Champion, the drummer, is smoking HOT. Seriously, I want to have lots of babies with him. Alright, I will stop drooling over Will, and drool over this song, because it too, is hot.
I don’t really like putting two songs by the same artist two weeks in a row (I like to keep things fresh, and mix things up a bit), but there are times when there are two really stand out tracks that just capture my attention, and beg to be shared. This is one of those times. I featured Cyndi’s club banger Into the Nightlife last week, but after giving the whole (pretty decent) record a listen, I stumbled on this fragile ballad near the end of the CD. I must say, that instantly, I got chills. This song is beautiful, gentle, and totally reminds me of some of her amazingly moving hits like True Colors. This song is quintessential Cyndi for me, and it is an amazing track that begs for much deserved attention. Cyndi, you clearly still have it honey, and I couldn’t be more proud of you.
Missy Higgins is one of those artists that most of you may not know about, but you really should. She is big in Australia where she is from, and has recently had a hit with Where I Stood (an emotionally driven amazing ballad that I featured a long time ago back when 5SF was just getting started). Since I got my ears pierced, I have been listening to radio on my computer a bit at work (when my ears hurt too much to continue using the torture devices also known as ear phones), and one site that I have been listening to is Pandora. The basic premise, is you enter an artist you love, and they play stuff that is similar. Well, this was one of the songs that they suggested to me, and it reminded me that I needed to get Missy’s first CD, because of how much I LOVE her most recent release, On a Clear Night. Well, after snagging her first album (that contains this track), I have realized how much I really do love this artist, and I just wanted to get some more out there about her. I am definitely impressed with both of her albums, and consider myself lucky to have found such an amazing artist for my music collection. This is a beautiful song, and is definitely indicative of what you can expect from the amazing Missy Higgins. Also, not to gush too much, but that violin riff is simply amazing. 
It is with sheer excitement that I type these next words: Weezer’s new self titled album, or as it will affectionately be referred to because of previous self titled albums, the Red Album, hits stores on Tuesday. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy, and this song is one of those songs that makes me wonder why so many “fans” gave up on Weezer after Pinkerton. If you aren’t familiar with Weezer’s history, Pinkerton was an amazingly candid and totally honest look into Rivers Coumo’s heart, and as such, it is one of the most beloved records by Weezer’s fans. However, maybe he felt that he said too much, and as such, has not shared as much depth, at that level, since (at least, many would agree that he hasn’t). Well, this song proves to me that Rivers is still the emotive boy that needs love and feels that love enough to put it into song; and proves that those “fans” shouldn’t have given up on this amazing band. I love Weezer, always have, and I am truly excited about the new album; and with tracks like this and the catchy as hell Pork and Beans, why not, right? Weezer is back for all those that thought they left, but those like me know that they never really went anywhere; they were just keeping the emotion in check. 
This beautiful ballad comes off of Pink’s 2006 release, I’m Not Dead. I was listening to XM recently, and this song came on, and it reminded me of how great that album really is. This song is definitely one of the best tracks on the record; if not the best one. It was nice to hear this song and be reminded of a record that made my 2006 list, but one that I haven’t listened to in a while. I always love being reminded of something great that doesn’t get enough attention in my music collection.
After such a glowing endorsement of Death Cab’s new record, I found myself hard pressed to find a favorite song out of the lot. I literally love each track on the record, and each have their own nuances that make me like them. However, for whatever reason, this song stands out just enough, that I wanted to include it this week. If you are a fan of Death Cab’s earlier work, I am curious to hear what you think of the new record. I think that it takes elements of Transatlantacism, and builds on them; without abandoning their trademark Death Cab sound. Perhaps that is why I fell instantly in love with the record (well, that, and the fact that it is simply an amazing album)… either way, let me know what you think, Death Cab fans, won’t you?
Finally, another song that has fire in the title!! That wasn’t a conscious choice. I have been listening to Augustana’s most recent release, and I find myself enjoying it MUCH more than their debut. Perhaps I was put off by their first single (which I was), but I have had more enjoyment with their new record. There are a few ballad-y type songs that stand out to me, and this one just screams at me. I love how his voice waivers when he gets to the chorus, showing some emotion that was strong enough to prevent it from being smoothed out during production. Sometimes it is small flaws that really make something worth listening to. Also, the note that he holds at the end of the song is impressive. 