It’s been almost two years since Melinda Doolittle shrugged her way into my heart during her great run on the sixth season of American Idol. She was always my secret favorite, even though I knew she didn’t have much of a chance against Jordin Sparks’s indomitable cuteness or Blake Lewis’s bubble-butt. Still, third place ain’t bad and a month or so ago her solo album was finally released. Entitled Coming Back to You, it’s a charming collection of diverse covers (from standards from the 30’s to Celine Dion), all of which show off Melinda’s brilliant interpretational skills and amazing vocals.
For those not paying attention, the music world is in the midst of a spectacular R&B/soul/doo-wop revival, especially in the UK (Amy Winehouse, Duffy, Adele, Estelle, and many more), and Melinda is the latest American artist to participate in the trend. These artists not only revel in the old styles, they also revel in recording the songs with as little production as possible, perhaps to capture the live feeling of so many of the great albums from the past. Melinda’s arrangements, when they aren’t appropriately sparse, are full of big-band brass and whispering strings, and the vocals, obviously, are absolutely pristine.
Since Melinda Doolittle famously got her start as a back-up singer, it’s no wonder that many of the songs on the album feature exuberant backing vocals, a quality that probably catches Melinda’s immediate attention. Nowhere is this more obvious than on her first single, It’s Your Love. Personally, the back-up vocals are the hook to this song – I tend to sing along with them more often than the melody…
Here’s the video:
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
It should be a National Holiday…
Today is the release of Kelly Clarkson’s 4th studio album, All I Ever Wanted. I’ve listened to it already (legally, I might add) and It. Is. AWESOME! Welcome back, Kelly. And congrats!
I’ll probably have my headphones glued to my ears all night so it might be best to call me later in the week.
And since I haven’t posted it yet, here’s the video for the first single: My Life Would Suck Without You.
I’ll probably have my headphones glued to my ears all night so it might be best to call me later in the week.
And since I haven’t posted it yet, here’s the video for the first single: My Life Would Suck Without You.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
MVD 2-19-09 The Bird and the Bee / Love Letter to Japan
How dumb is it that I’m calling this a Music Video of the Day when I haven’t posted an MVD since last June? That’ll learn me to start things I have no intention of finishing.
Anyway – I’m obsessed with this song. It’s off The Bird and the Bee’s second album, entitled Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future. If you haven’t heard of The Bird and the Bee, it’s a pair of indie pop artists named Greg Kurstin and Inara George. Inara is the vocalist and her stylings are breathy and seductive and sweet, qualities which are very appropriate for the retro, throwback vibe they’re going for, but also ironic and satirical when she sings songs with lyrics like, “Would you be my f*cking boyfriend?”
Most of their stuff is a kind of mélange of retro styles (lounge, psychedelia, folk, jazz) infused with electro-pop and dance. In other words: heaven. Today’s selection, however, falls into the pure pop category.
I’ve been humming and singing and caterwauling the chorus around the office for the past week or so, and my co-workers are none too pleased. I think they’re having flashbacks of the Womanizer era, a time when not even the hounds of hell could stop me from constantly chanting the chorus of Britney’s first single from Circus. After a brief, yet exhaustive meeting (we meet about everything, don’t you know?), they decided that although this new phase was annoying, it was infinitely better than before, because at least this song has a few more words besides ‘womanizer’ and ‘oh, oh, oh’. While they credit me for my personal growth, I was warned that this junk would most definitely be coming up on my evaluations. I wonder: is it illegal to discriminate against one’s pop music preferences?
Anyway – I’m obsessed with this song. It’s off The Bird and the Bee’s second album, entitled Ray Guns Are Not Just the Future. If you haven’t heard of The Bird and the Bee, it’s a pair of indie pop artists named Greg Kurstin and Inara George. Inara is the vocalist and her stylings are breathy and seductive and sweet, qualities which are very appropriate for the retro, throwback vibe they’re going for, but also ironic and satirical when she sings songs with lyrics like, “Would you be my f*cking boyfriend?”
Most of their stuff is a kind of mélange of retro styles (lounge, psychedelia, folk, jazz) infused with electro-pop and dance. In other words: heaven. Today’s selection, however, falls into the pure pop category.
I’ve been humming and singing and caterwauling the chorus around the office for the past week or so, and my co-workers are none too pleased. I think they’re having flashbacks of the Womanizer era, a time when not even the hounds of hell could stop me from constantly chanting the chorus of Britney’s first single from Circus. After a brief, yet exhaustive meeting (we meet about everything, don’t you know?), they decided that although this new phase was annoying, it was infinitely better than before, because at least this song has a few more words besides ‘womanizer’ and ‘oh, oh, oh’. While they credit me for my personal growth, I was warned that this junk would most definitely be coming up on my evaluations. I wonder: is it illegal to discriminate against one’s pop music preferences?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
… Reacts to the American Idol Top 36 Group A
Just so you know, I’m typing this about one hour before watching the results so my commentary isn’t colored by the outcome. It’s more honest that way, no?
Aside: this is Kara Diogaurdi's first live show. How are we feeling about her? I think I like her. She's a little bit of lucidity sitting between two lumps of dumbass. By that I mean, she compensates for Randy and Paula without preventing us from enjoying their altogether pointless, but occasionally entertaining, presence. Well played, show... well played. /Aside.
A blanket comment about the six girls who performed: they all sucked. If I had my way, not a single one of them would move on to the Top 12. The worst offender was definitely Stevie Wright, who had the worst performance I’ve ever seen on live television. Poor dear, bless her heart, I truly felt sorry for her, which is something I try very hard never to do, especially when it concerns a contestant on Reality TV. She was nervous and scared and totally in over her head, and the arrangement and key she chose didn’t do her any favors, either. She seems like a great girl, so I hope she can move on from this without taking it too much to heart. The others were forgettable and bad; Casey, Anne Marie, and Jackie gave us weak vocals paired with awkward stage presences (Jackie also decided to wear her crazypants, which… unhelpful). Their performances were so awkward, in fact, that I was unable to sit through any of them without my finger poised over the mute button, which I pressed every time I could no longer handle the horror (often). Tatiana, meanwhile, gave a decent performance of a song I just adore, but, just like everyone else in the world, I couldn’t get her behavior during Hollywood week out of my mental periphery. Thus, she is doomed, despite of all her efforts to corral her crazy. I think Alexis is the sure-fire choice for the Top 12, even though I wasn’t particularly enthused with her Aretha Franklin tribute. She was certainly the best of the worst, though.
The men, thank GOD, were a different story. I didn’t like Stephen Fowler’s Michael Jackson cover. However, I heard enough to recognize his potential. His failure was his song choice, which is unfortunate, but hey… that’s life. Brent Keith is certainly easy on the eyes, and I applaud his (attempted) strategy of singing something sincere and true to the artist he wants to be, but his nerves got the best of him. Michael Sarver is a personal fav of mine from the auditions and Hollywood, but I can’t say I enjoyed his very karaoke version of Gavin Degraw’s I Don’t Wanna Be. Having said all that, all of those guys were better than every girl, in my humble opinion.
Ricky Braddy was a revelation and I can’t understand why the show would throw him to the wolves like they did. As good as he is, we had never really seen him until last night, so he’s cannon fodder. I can’t help but feel like the show sabotaged an amazing singer. A singer they didn’t sabotage is Anoop, who I’m totally in love with, you guys. I loved his song choice – it was unexpected but welcome – and he interpreted it very well. Anoop would be the obvious choice for the Top 12 if it wasn’t for Danny Gokey.
Ya’ll, I have beef with this guy (do not yell at me, please). I can’t deny that he is talented, but I can’t get over how much Show is manipulating me into liking him. I mean, talk about favoritism. He has been given the pimp treatment from the very first time he said ‘dead wife’. I wish this show wasn’t so desperately transparent about where it would like us to park our emotional RVs. Like, why does his sad story make him more likeable (and more deserving of screen time and positive edits) then any other contestant? Of course, I’m sorry that his wife died… that is, well… it’s awful. But I’m not sure I can appreciate using that terrible circumstance as his hook. I realize that Show might be more guilty of exploiting his wife’s death than he, because I don’t think anyone would consciously do it, but I… I don’t know… it makes me squirm. And then he decides to sing Hero and dedicates it to all the people going through hard stuff (which is everyone, true, but he’s really referring to himself), and I’m like, I GET IT! I KNOW! You’re a GOD DAMN INSPIRATION! You’ve been through HELL but now you’re RISING ABOVE and don’t we all WISH we were as CAPABLE of surviving CRIPPLING GRIEF with that kind of GRACE??!
What I’m asking: would America like him AT ALL if he didn’t have his sob story? True, he has a great voice and he’s cute and his bromance with Jamar was ingratiating, but really… would he be any kind of front-runner if the show hadn’t decided to constantly mention the untimely passing of his spouse (over and over and over) at the expense of all the other contestants, who may or may not have lost loved ones recently, but perhaps decided not to cry about it in front of a camera? Does it make you like him any LESS if you let it sink in that he might be using his wife’s death as a way to connect with the voting public, ie the entity that controls his fate on a gameshow? Does it make you at all uncomfortable that the odds are you wouldn’t even know his name if he hadn’t decided to talk about his dead wife the very first chance he got, regardless of his intentions? Without the fortunate ingredient of pity added to his storyline, would we give a crap about him at all?
My answer is yes, of course I would. He’s obviously a good person and the boy can sing. I loved (LOVED) his performance of Hero – after all, it was one of the few performances off the night that didn’t make me wince or choke or any other kind off unpleasant, involuntary muscle spasm - and I’m completely on board with America if America so chooses to put him in the Top 12. The truth is, I’m not a heartless bitch – and I don’t think he would ever exploit his situation for personal gain. But I do think he is using American Idol as some sort of platform, whether it’s building awareness about the disease that took his wife, or simply giving people hope or whatever… but that is not, I mean, really not, why I watch this show. Call me cynical, but I like my reality t.v. trashy and unwholesome and fame-whorey… you know, the way things used to be...
So: there’s no way Danny Gokey won’t claim the first spot in the Top 12, and I'm sure he will be followed by Alexis (by default). Since they are going to make me choose, I want Anoop to grab Spot No.3, while also reserving a Wildcard Spot for Ricky Braddy.
Woot! I finished just in time for the results show!...
… Reacts to the Results of American Idol Top 36 Group A after the jump...
2 out of 3… not bad, not bad. I winced just a little bit when Michael Sarver beat out Anoop, but I’m not unhappy. Michael is incredibly sexy – totally my type – and I think he’ll be great in the competition, IF (note, big if) he can pick the right songs.
I’m crossing my fingers Anoop can sneak in with a Wildcard.
Oh, and how disappointing that Tatiana mostly kept it together as the ax came down. HOW DARE SHE RETAIN HER DIGNITY! Is it weird that I think I’m going to miss her?
Adieu, crazy lady, adieu… your insanity is matched only by your entertainment value.
Monday, February 16, 2009
It’s time to play catch-up…
You Guuuuuuuuyyyyysssss….
I can’t believe I haven’t posted since Aretha totally stole Obama’s thunder at the inauguration, although her beautiful mug (and that glorious piece of madhattery) isn’t the worst thing that has stalled at the top of this humble blog in its history. Indeed, this particular hiatus was entirely unintentional. Well… maybe it was a teensy bit intentional, but only because I’m a damn sloth. It used to be I had hours upon hours everyday to plan, meditate and write for this blog, but you see… times have changed.
My new job is fantastic. For the first time since I’ve worked for my company, I’m actually busy. Like, balls to the wall from clock in to clock out. I have even found myself, and dare I say it?, totally STRESSED OUT! I come home at night completely wiped, with just enough energy to cook dinner and check my email. After that, it’s only a matter of time before I lose consciousness, and I usually fill that little bit of time with mindless television or listening to a new playlist on my iPod. Oh, I’ve tried to write some things, but after a couple of sentences, my prose descends into madness, and if that’s the kind of stuff you like, you might as well just read something like this.
What a terrible time to be braindead! So much has happened in the culture of pop…
1. The Feasts of Fug that are the Grammies and the Golden Globes came and went…
2. Speaking of the Grammies, Jennifer Hudson totally makes me cry… like, every time I see her, I’m reduced to a quivering, slobbering mess…
3. Christian Bale went off on some poor lighting techie and got parodied more than the Single Ladies video…
4. I still haven’t seen any of the big contenders for this year’s Academy Awards (except for Dark Knight), but I still plan on watching the ceremony because of HUGH JACKMAN…
5. I did, however, see New in Town, which was kind of horrible (better luck next time, Harry Connick, Jr.) …
6. Kelly Clarkson’s new single came out and I, predictably, couldn’t love it more if it was wrapped in bacon and served on a Krispy Kreme…
7. In other music news, there is no news. We’re in the dead time between the holiday blitz and summer singles, and the only bright spot is, yep, Kelly Clarkson (album releases March 10 [write that down])…
8. We're ankle-deep into the best season of Supernatural EVER!! Are you watching? Well, why the hell not!?
9. American Idol has finally slogged through the audition rounds and the Top 36 duke it out for spots in the Top 12, starting this week. Personally, I’m on Team Anoop…
10. The new cast of Dancing with the Stars has been announced and I think I actually miss Cloris Leachman (and I can’t believe I just said that)…
11. The Amazing Race 14 and Survivor 18: Tocantins (toe-can-sheens) (alt. token-cheese) (alt. toucan-jeans) are up and running, the former looking mighty entertaining and the latter looking zzzzzzz…
12. And Chris Brown totally beat the crap out of Rihanna and the rumors are flying -- kind of like his fists! Was it a STD? A love triangle? Was Chris passing bad checks? Did Rihanna forget the safeword?
In personal news…
1. I just shelled out a nice wad of cash to join a gym, which is great news for my health and well-being, but very bad news for this blog…
2. I, along with some friends at work, have started a bookclub, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. We picked The Memory of Running as our first selection…
3. Happy Belated Birthday to Li’l Sis, who turned 22 (red velvet cupcakes, mmmm…) and Happy Belated Birthday to Niecikins, who turned 0.5. I heard she celebrated by attempting to crawl for the first time, although she only managed to scoot backwards a little bit. THEY GROW UP SO FAST!! I guess this means I should probably get cracking on that baby blanket I promised to have done by the time she turns 1.
4. The weather is turning warmer and that always brightens me up. I’m even more pleased that I managed to get through most of the winter without getting sick. Big hugs to all of you suffering out there; I’ve heard this year’s flu strains are particular menacing. Here’s a virtual bowl of chicken soup.
I’m crossing my fingers that I feel inspired to start posting again consistently, even if it’s just to comment on the reality T.V. shenanigans. But if I don’t, you can always yell at me by email… reevadubois@gmail.com
I can’t believe I haven’t posted since Aretha totally stole Obama’s thunder at the inauguration, although her beautiful mug (and that glorious piece of madhattery) isn’t the worst thing that has stalled at the top of this humble blog in its history. Indeed, this particular hiatus was entirely unintentional. Well… maybe it was a teensy bit intentional, but only because I’m a damn sloth. It used to be I had hours upon hours everyday to plan, meditate and write for this blog, but you see… times have changed.
My new job is fantastic. For the first time since I’ve worked for my company, I’m actually busy. Like, balls to the wall from clock in to clock out. I have even found myself, and dare I say it?, totally STRESSED OUT! I come home at night completely wiped, with just enough energy to cook dinner and check my email. After that, it’s only a matter of time before I lose consciousness, and I usually fill that little bit of time with mindless television or listening to a new playlist on my iPod. Oh, I’ve tried to write some things, but after a couple of sentences, my prose descends into madness, and if that’s the kind of stuff you like, you might as well just read something like this.
What a terrible time to be braindead! So much has happened in the culture of pop…
1. The Feasts of Fug that are the Grammies and the Golden Globes came and went…
2. Speaking of the Grammies, Jennifer Hudson totally makes me cry… like, every time I see her, I’m reduced to a quivering, slobbering mess…
3. Christian Bale went off on some poor lighting techie and got parodied more than the Single Ladies video…
4. I still haven’t seen any of the big contenders for this year’s Academy Awards (except for Dark Knight), but I still plan on watching the ceremony because of HUGH JACKMAN…
5. I did, however, see New in Town, which was kind of horrible (better luck next time, Harry Connick, Jr.) …
6. Kelly Clarkson’s new single came out and I, predictably, couldn’t love it more if it was wrapped in bacon and served on a Krispy Kreme…
7. In other music news, there is no news. We’re in the dead time between the holiday blitz and summer singles, and the only bright spot is, yep, Kelly Clarkson (album releases March 10 [write that down])…
8. We're ankle-deep into the best season of Supernatural EVER!! Are you watching? Well, why the hell not!?
9. American Idol has finally slogged through the audition rounds and the Top 36 duke it out for spots in the Top 12, starting this week. Personally, I’m on Team Anoop…
10. The new cast of Dancing with the Stars has been announced and I think I actually miss Cloris Leachman (and I can’t believe I just said that)…
11. The Amazing Race 14 and Survivor 18: Tocantins (toe-can-sheens) (alt. token-cheese) (alt. toucan-jeans) are up and running, the former looking mighty entertaining and the latter looking zzzzzzz…
12. And Chris Brown totally beat the crap out of Rihanna and the rumors are flying -- kind of like his fists! Was it a STD? A love triangle? Was Chris passing bad checks? Did Rihanna forget the safeword?
In personal news…
1. I just shelled out a nice wad of cash to join a gym, which is great news for my health and well-being, but very bad news for this blog…
2. I, along with some friends at work, have started a bookclub, which is something I’ve always wanted to do. We picked The Memory of Running as our first selection…
3. Happy Belated Birthday to Li’l Sis, who turned 22 (red velvet cupcakes, mmmm…) and Happy Belated Birthday to Niecikins, who turned 0.5. I heard she celebrated by attempting to crawl for the first time, although she only managed to scoot backwards a little bit. THEY GROW UP SO FAST!! I guess this means I should probably get cracking on that baby blanket I promised to have done by the time she turns 1.
4. The weather is turning warmer and that always brightens me up. I’m even more pleased that I managed to get through most of the winter without getting sick. Big hugs to all of you suffering out there; I’ve heard this year’s flu strains are particular menacing. Here’s a virtual bowl of chicken soup.
I’m crossing my fingers that I feel inspired to start posting again consistently, even if it’s just to comment on the reality T.V. shenanigans. But if I don’t, you can always yell at me by email… reevadubois@gmail.com
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Holiday debriefing…
Since this year’s holiday plans did not include traveling, I decided to make a to-do list of vacation activities, not only to avoid boredom, but to give me crap to blog about. It went like this…
1. Clean apartment from top to bottom
Not a particularly fascinating blog topic, but since we’re here… I did clean from top to bottom (bottom to top) and once I recovered from the headache caused by my very liberal use of bleach in the bathroom, I was quite pleased with the result. It didn’t even take that long. Having my own place has made me much neater, although I’m still prone to clutter (magazines, books, clothes). What I’m not so good at is dusting and organizing. I still think dusting is a waste of precious time, but organizing is always a good thing because it helps me gain control in a world of chaos.
2. See at least one movie in a theatre
Li’l Sis and I took in Twilight (finally!). It was alright. I thought the girl playing Bella did a good job, in that she was just as frustrating on screen as she is in the book. I mean, I don’t pretend to understand the hearts and minds of teenage girls, but would any self-respecting emo, hormonal, impressionable, high school girl act like Bella? Granted, Robert Pattinson is swoon-worthy, but he eats wild animals, sparkles, and doesn’t seem to own a hairbrush. Love is great and all, but not when bodily harm is involved. In other words, JUST BITE HER ALREADY! Anyway, I did like the movie, but only because I’ve decided not to let my dissatisfaction with the conclusion of the series color my appreciation for the first book.
3. Start a new knitting project
I can’t say I succeeded here. I thought about it a lot; I looked through all of my patterns and books, organized my yarn, etc… but I didn’t actually settle on anything. I crave a massive project, but looking at all the barely started, half-finished, sitting in a bag, never to be seen again projects next to my yarn stash gave me pause. I should probably finish some of those before starting something else, but I couldn’t find the motivation. Therefore, this holiday activity will have to rollover.
4. Listen to all the CDs I’ve purchased this year
So THAT’S where all my money goes! I have a terrible habit of buying music and then not listening to it, which is just CRAZY, considering how much I’ve spent. I managed to plug through everything between lots of walks and mindless internet-browsing, and I was very proud of myself when I was finished. However, since I listened to almost 50 albums (I know, it’s ridiculous) practically back-to-back, I don’t remember any of it. Perhaps it wasn’t really worth it?
5. Read the entire Harry Potter series
I’ve actually been meaning to do this for quite some time. I was so exhausted after the build-up, release, and manic speed-read through the final book two summers ago (god, has it been that long?), that I figured I needed a break. And since movie 6 comes out this summer, it seemed like I was ripe for a review. I’ve read the first four books more times than I care to admit (actually, I can’t admit anything because I’ve lost count), but prior to this holiday Potter-blitz, I’d only read the last three books one time each. I know, I’m a bad Potter-fan. I thought this would be an easy thing, but I underestimated how long and involved these books are. I have just now finished reading all seven, and it is one week past Christmas vacation. I’m really quite tired.
Since this was my first complete read-through of all seven books, I was able to take in the entire scope of the series. It really is an amazing feat of literature. Some of the best fantasy fiction being written today is absolute GARBAGE compared to Harry Potter. Often times, these huge, sprawling epics are littered with unworthy installments. Even The Lord of the Rings has been criticized for the plodding and drama-leaking second book (The Two Towers), and that’s frikkin’ JRR Tolkien, for god’s sake. But all seven books in Rowling’s series are gems; perfect within themselves, and yet perfect parts to the whole, too. One of my main goals after this re-read was to be able to confirm which one of the seven is my favorite. It’s still The Prisoner of Azkaban, but now that I see how they all fit together, The Half-Blood Prince almost caused an upset.
I love PoA because of the seamless blend of magic, mystery, and action. While the first two books are genius, I feel like the darker tone and thrilling twists of this third novel make it the one in which the series begins to take off. But H-BP is really amazing, too. I didn’t fully appreciate it the first time through (all those years ago), but it really is a masterpiece. Such a fitting prelude to the final book…
Finally, I’m glad I did this because now I can say I actually like the last book. I won’t lie… when I first read it, I was a tad disappointed. I suppose I thought it would end differently (too many nights spent on fan-sites soaking in all those theories about how the series would end kind of backfired), and I found so much of it to be frustrating (why are we still camping!? DO SOMETHING!). I’ll also admit that I was incredibly confused at the end when I read it the first time, which probably informed my bad attitude about it. This time, I followed the twists and turns much better, so it was fascinating rather than tedious. But let’s be real: all those horcruxes and all those hallows – that’s a lot to keep up with. No wonder I was lost. But now that I understand everything, this book is a tremendously entertaining climax to a tremendously awesome series. I doubt very much that any series will ever be as good, or as universally beloved. That is, unless she plans to do a spin-off. Personally, I think she is. How else do you explain that awful, awful epilogue?
(and don’t get snippy with me. You know that epilogue was bad. Unnecessary, sentimental, pointless… awful)
Oh, and as a sidebar: I also read the recently released Tales of Beedle the Bard. Very cute.
6. And finally… get a root canal
My mouth added this one to the list last-minute. See what had happened was… one of my wisdom teeth had a bad day and decided to end it all by coming down hard on a stale pretzel and breaking in half. OH THE PAIN!! So, yeah, I got a root canal. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. It was almost pleasant. Just kind of sat there for 20 minutes with some dude’s hand in mouth. No biggie.
1. Clean apartment from top to bottom
Not a particularly fascinating blog topic, but since we’re here… I did clean from top to bottom (bottom to top) and once I recovered from the headache caused by my very liberal use of bleach in the bathroom, I was quite pleased with the result. It didn’t even take that long. Having my own place has made me much neater, although I’m still prone to clutter (magazines, books, clothes). What I’m not so good at is dusting and organizing. I still think dusting is a waste of precious time, but organizing is always a good thing because it helps me gain control in a world of chaos.
2. See at least one movie in a theatre
Li’l Sis and I took in Twilight (finally!). It was alright. I thought the girl playing Bella did a good job, in that she was just as frustrating on screen as she is in the book. I mean, I don’t pretend to understand the hearts and minds of teenage girls, but would any self-respecting emo, hormonal, impressionable, high school girl act like Bella? Granted, Robert Pattinson is swoon-worthy, but he eats wild animals, sparkles, and doesn’t seem to own a hairbrush. Love is great and all, but not when bodily harm is involved. In other words, JUST BITE HER ALREADY! Anyway, I did like the movie, but only because I’ve decided not to let my dissatisfaction with the conclusion of the series color my appreciation for the first book.
3. Start a new knitting project
I can’t say I succeeded here. I thought about it a lot; I looked through all of my patterns and books, organized my yarn, etc… but I didn’t actually settle on anything. I crave a massive project, but looking at all the barely started, half-finished, sitting in a bag, never to be seen again projects next to my yarn stash gave me pause. I should probably finish some of those before starting something else, but I couldn’t find the motivation. Therefore, this holiday activity will have to rollover.
4. Listen to all the CDs I’ve purchased this year
So THAT’S where all my money goes! I have a terrible habit of buying music and then not listening to it, which is just CRAZY, considering how much I’ve spent. I managed to plug through everything between lots of walks and mindless internet-browsing, and I was very proud of myself when I was finished. However, since I listened to almost 50 albums (I know, it’s ridiculous) practically back-to-back, I don’t remember any of it. Perhaps it wasn’t really worth it?
5. Read the entire Harry Potter series
I’ve actually been meaning to do this for quite some time. I was so exhausted after the build-up, release, and manic speed-read through the final book two summers ago (god, has it been that long?), that I figured I needed a break. And since movie 6 comes out this summer, it seemed like I was ripe for a review. I’ve read the first four books more times than I care to admit (actually, I can’t admit anything because I’ve lost count), but prior to this holiday Potter-blitz, I’d only read the last three books one time each. I know, I’m a bad Potter-fan. I thought this would be an easy thing, but I underestimated how long and involved these books are. I have just now finished reading all seven, and it is one week past Christmas vacation. I’m really quite tired.
Since this was my first complete read-through of all seven books, I was able to take in the entire scope of the series. It really is an amazing feat of literature. Some of the best fantasy fiction being written today is absolute GARBAGE compared to Harry Potter. Often times, these huge, sprawling epics are littered with unworthy installments. Even The Lord of the Rings has been criticized for the plodding and drama-leaking second book (The Two Towers), and that’s frikkin’ JRR Tolkien, for god’s sake. But all seven books in Rowling’s series are gems; perfect within themselves, and yet perfect parts to the whole, too. One of my main goals after this re-read was to be able to confirm which one of the seven is my favorite. It’s still The Prisoner of Azkaban, but now that I see how they all fit together, The Half-Blood Prince almost caused an upset.
I love PoA because of the seamless blend of magic, mystery, and action. While the first two books are genius, I feel like the darker tone and thrilling twists of this third novel make it the one in which the series begins to take off. But H-BP is really amazing, too. I didn’t fully appreciate it the first time through (all those years ago), but it really is a masterpiece. Such a fitting prelude to the final book…
Finally, I’m glad I did this because now I can say I actually like the last book. I won’t lie… when I first read it, I was a tad disappointed. I suppose I thought it would end differently (too many nights spent on fan-sites soaking in all those theories about how the series would end kind of backfired), and I found so much of it to be frustrating (why are we still camping!? DO SOMETHING!). I’ll also admit that I was incredibly confused at the end when I read it the first time, which probably informed my bad attitude about it. This time, I followed the twists and turns much better, so it was fascinating rather than tedious. But let’s be real: all those horcruxes and all those hallows – that’s a lot to keep up with. No wonder I was lost. But now that I understand everything, this book is a tremendously entertaining climax to a tremendously awesome series. I doubt very much that any series will ever be as good, or as universally beloved. That is, unless she plans to do a spin-off. Personally, I think she is. How else do you explain that awful, awful epilogue?
(and don’t get snippy with me. You know that epilogue was bad. Unnecessary, sentimental, pointless… awful)
Oh, and as a sidebar: I also read the recently released Tales of Beedle the Bard. Very cute.
6. And finally… get a root canal
My mouth added this one to the list last-minute. See what had happened was… one of my wisdom teeth had a bad day and decided to end it all by coming down hard on a stale pretzel and breaking in half. OH THE PAIN!! So, yeah, I got a root canal. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. It was almost pleasant. Just kind of sat there for 20 minutes with some dude’s hand in mouth. No biggie.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
This cover would suck without Photoshop…
Behold! The cover of Kelly Clarkson’s new single, slated for release on January 19, 2009.
Note the return to blonde highlights and bright colors and sense of fun and sexy. It appears that Kelly has decided to return to her pop/rock image a la Since You Been Gone, and my reaction is all kinds of THANK GOD!
Don’t misunderstand me. I really liked her previous effort, My December, even though many considered it a failure. That album got caught up in some serious PR drama that prevented it from getting the recognition it deserved. Yeah, it was dark and serious and a tad self-indulgent, but there was also some skillful song-writing and amazing singing. And I just can’t knock someone like Kelly, who won her career on a TV show, for wanting to add a little bit of credibility to her portfolio, even if her sales suffer.
But let’s not kid ourselves, Breakaway was AWESOME, and My December didn’t even come close.
It isn’t exactly safe to assume that her new album, All I Ever Wanted, will be closer to Breakaway than My December, but the cover certainly implies a return to form…
To be honest, I was almost CERTAIN that her next album would be country. I mean, you don’t spend two years with Reba McIntyre without developing a twang. But all the insider gossip alludes to a fun, light, rockety-poppety release and I’m ecstatic. The album drops on March 17 [marks calendar with giant permanent marker].
Note the return to blonde highlights and bright colors and sense of fun and sexy. It appears that Kelly has decided to return to her pop/rock image a la Since You Been Gone, and my reaction is all kinds of THANK GOD!
Don’t misunderstand me. I really liked her previous effort, My December, even though many considered it a failure. That album got caught up in some serious PR drama that prevented it from getting the recognition it deserved. Yeah, it was dark and serious and a tad self-indulgent, but there was also some skillful song-writing and amazing singing. And I just can’t knock someone like Kelly, who won her career on a TV show, for wanting to add a little bit of credibility to her portfolio, even if her sales suffer.
But let’s not kid ourselves, Breakaway was AWESOME, and My December didn’t even come close.
It isn’t exactly safe to assume that her new album, All I Ever Wanted, will be closer to Breakaway than My December, but the cover certainly implies a return to form…
To be honest, I was almost CERTAIN that her next album would be country. I mean, you don’t spend two years with Reba McIntyre without developing a twang. But all the insider gossip alludes to a fun, light, rockety-poppety release and I’m ecstatic. The album drops on March 17 [marks calendar with giant permanent marker].
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Ho-ho-hum...
Rather than write some long-winded to-do, I'm just going to post this video of one of my favorite Christmas songs...
It's a little dark, a little sad... it's Christmas.
Merry Christmas to all my readers and friends!
It's a little dark, a little sad... it's Christmas.
Merry Christmas to all my readers and friends!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Britney and her Circus…
First off – why has my traffic dropped off so much lately? Are ya’ll tired of my obsessive posts about Beyonce? Do you find me boring? Is the magic already gone? At first I was depressed, but now I’m just pissed. This stuff is frikkin’ FASCINATING!!
I suppose one of the reasons for the slump in traffic might be my erratic posting… sometimes it’s three times a week, sometimes it’s three times a month. What can I say – maybe I’m manic-depressive when it comes to blogging, which is odd because I’m not moody in real life at all (HA!!).
One should not assume, however, that just because I’m not blogging in any kind of predictable way means that I’m not gorging at the pop-culture buffet. Quite the opposite is true. I’ve been reading and watching movies and listening to good music just as much as ever. I have noticed a steep decline in my TV watching, which I consider a good thing, although I’m not sure how it happened. I stopped watching just about everything – Pushing Daisies, Ugly Betty, Survivor – all of it. Wait… I just realized something. I stopped watching TV altogether when the last Supernatural of the year aired. Apparently, without the Padalecki and the Ackles to lure me in, I have no need for the tube whatsoever. I’m Ok with that.
Aaaaanyway… the business at hand…
Britney Spears / Circus
Let it be known throughout the land that no one was invested in Britney’s comeback more than I, not only because I’ve been a fan since the days of the Mickey Mouse Club (ah, memories), but also because I love a good underdog story. There will never be enough interviews, E! True Hollywood Stories, or MTV documentaries to accurately explain her painfully rapid and epically entertaining spiral into baldness and forced hospitalizations, at least to my satisfaction, but if one assumes she did hit rock bottom sometime around that horrific display at the 2007 VMAs, I think her new album and it’s reception by the critics and the masses is nothing short of miraculous. And I say, well done, Britney. Well. Done.
But let’s be real. She still ain’t all there. And this album ain’t all that great.
I’m willing to concede that my expectations may have been a trifle high. I LOVED Blackout and she was barely conscious when she slapped that album together. Maybe I thought lucidity and sobriety would help Britney get to a whole other level, and while I’m certain that some aspects of her life have improved, this album was kind of disappointment. What I’m saying is that I expected to love this album. I’d even made a spot for it in my Top 10 albums of all time, that’s how sure I was about it. Alas, I was premature, and a perfectly good album that under any normal circumstances I would be raving about, turned out to be just OK for me (and I’m sorry for invoking Randy Jackson there).
Down to the nitty-gritty: I love the singles, Womanizer and Circus. Womanizer and the accompanying Toxie-esque video makes sense as the perfect comeback vehicle; a return to the Britney as Dancing Vixen Bent On Revenge formula. The song, however, is pretty weak… repetitive and dull. Circus is much better, though. The circus metaphor, while a tad predictable (and maybe even a little lame), is mighty appropriate for Ms. Spears, and it gives her every opportunity to shine. And it’s hands-down a better song.
Elsewhere on the album, the high points are few and far between. I really like the first ballad, Out From Under. For one thing, it’s real singing, which I’ve missed from her. That’s not to say her vocals have improved, but I’m all about honesty and legitimacy. And let’s be realz, if we cared about vocals in a serious way, Madonna wouldn’t have a career, but at least Madonna attempts to sing, so I’m happy to see Britney following suit. Secondly, it’s a poignant reminder of what Britney has been through, and I’m not just talking about KFed but ALL OF IT and it’s good that she addresses it. Of course, the song implies that the bad times are behind her now, and… baby steps, BritBrit… baby steps.
Kill the Lights is yet another kiss-off to the paparazzi, and you know… I’m getting confused. Here’s a girl that swears up and down in interviews that the fame and the attention and the pictures and the tabloids really mess with her head. I’d go as far as to say that she blames fame for most of her problems, and yet, here she is again, playing up to the whole idea. It’s like she’s saying, “I really get tired of the whole fame thing, so now I’m going to sing a song about how awesome it is and how awesome I am for being able to live with it.” Maybe I’m reading into it. But whatever, it’s a good song.
The rest of the album is kind of vanilla, except for maybe If You Seek Amy, which is pretty juvenile (very middle school) once you get the joke. And while I really can’t stomach My Baby, a tender ode to her babies, I’ll hand it to her for putting a personal song on the album. I think she needs all the humanizing she can get. All the rest are passable pop fare… the technical term is filler.
So all in all, Circus is a perfectly good album. It’s my fault for expecting something earth-shattering. I think she’ll get some big hits out of it, some of which may join Baby One More Time and Toxic in the Greatest Hits category, but I think time will prove that this album was more about her than the music, which, since it’s Britney, may be the way it’s supposed to be.
I suppose one of the reasons for the slump in traffic might be my erratic posting… sometimes it’s three times a week, sometimes it’s three times a month. What can I say – maybe I’m manic-depressive when it comes to blogging, which is odd because I’m not moody in real life at all (HA!!).
One should not assume, however, that just because I’m not blogging in any kind of predictable way means that I’m not gorging at the pop-culture buffet. Quite the opposite is true. I’ve been reading and watching movies and listening to good music just as much as ever. I have noticed a steep decline in my TV watching, which I consider a good thing, although I’m not sure how it happened. I stopped watching just about everything – Pushing Daisies, Ugly Betty, Survivor – all of it. Wait… I just realized something. I stopped watching TV altogether when the last Supernatural of the year aired. Apparently, without the Padalecki and the Ackles to lure me in, I have no need for the tube whatsoever. I’m Ok with that.
Aaaaanyway… the business at hand…
Britney Spears / Circus
Let it be known throughout the land that no one was invested in Britney’s comeback more than I, not only because I’ve been a fan since the days of the Mickey Mouse Club (ah, memories), but also because I love a good underdog story. There will never be enough interviews, E! True Hollywood Stories, or MTV documentaries to accurately explain her painfully rapid and epically entertaining spiral into baldness and forced hospitalizations, at least to my satisfaction, but if one assumes she did hit rock bottom sometime around that horrific display at the 2007 VMAs, I think her new album and it’s reception by the critics and the masses is nothing short of miraculous. And I say, well done, Britney. Well. Done.
But let’s be real. She still ain’t all there. And this album ain’t all that great.
I’m willing to concede that my expectations may have been a trifle high. I LOVED Blackout and she was barely conscious when she slapped that album together. Maybe I thought lucidity and sobriety would help Britney get to a whole other level, and while I’m certain that some aspects of her life have improved, this album was kind of disappointment. What I’m saying is that I expected to love this album. I’d even made a spot for it in my Top 10 albums of all time, that’s how sure I was about it. Alas, I was premature, and a perfectly good album that under any normal circumstances I would be raving about, turned out to be just OK for me (and I’m sorry for invoking Randy Jackson there).
Down to the nitty-gritty: I love the singles, Womanizer and Circus. Womanizer and the accompanying Toxie-esque video makes sense as the perfect comeback vehicle; a return to the Britney as Dancing Vixen Bent On Revenge formula. The song, however, is pretty weak… repetitive and dull. Circus is much better, though. The circus metaphor, while a tad predictable (and maybe even a little lame), is mighty appropriate for Ms. Spears, and it gives her every opportunity to shine. And it’s hands-down a better song.
Elsewhere on the album, the high points are few and far between. I really like the first ballad, Out From Under. For one thing, it’s real singing, which I’ve missed from her. That’s not to say her vocals have improved, but I’m all about honesty and legitimacy. And let’s be realz, if we cared about vocals in a serious way, Madonna wouldn’t have a career, but at least Madonna attempts to sing, so I’m happy to see Britney following suit. Secondly, it’s a poignant reminder of what Britney has been through, and I’m not just talking about KFed but ALL OF IT and it’s good that she addresses it. Of course, the song implies that the bad times are behind her now, and… baby steps, BritBrit… baby steps.
Kill the Lights is yet another kiss-off to the paparazzi, and you know… I’m getting confused. Here’s a girl that swears up and down in interviews that the fame and the attention and the pictures and the tabloids really mess with her head. I’d go as far as to say that she blames fame for most of her problems, and yet, here she is again, playing up to the whole idea. It’s like she’s saying, “I really get tired of the whole fame thing, so now I’m going to sing a song about how awesome it is and how awesome I am for being able to live with it.” Maybe I’m reading into it. But whatever, it’s a good song.
The rest of the album is kind of vanilla, except for maybe If You Seek Amy, which is pretty juvenile (very middle school) once you get the joke. And while I really can’t stomach My Baby, a tender ode to her babies, I’ll hand it to her for putting a personal song on the album. I think she needs all the humanizing she can get. All the rest are passable pop fare… the technical term is filler.
So all in all, Circus is a perfectly good album. It’s my fault for expecting something earth-shattering. I think she’ll get some big hits out of it, some of which may join Baby One More Time and Toxic in the Greatest Hits category, but I think time will prove that this album was more about her than the music, which, since it’s Britney, may be the way it’s supposed to be.
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
All my viral ladies…
Now put your hands up!
I just knew Beyonce’s single, Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), was going to be HEE-uge. And GOD I love it when I’m right.
A few short weeks after the video became available, the internet exploded with tributes and imitations, resulting in a frenzy of promotion that culminated in several fantastic live performances of the song on T.V. What Beyonce has figured out, along with Madonna, Lady Gaga, and P!nk, is that in order to actually sell records, the whole package has to be stellar – the very top of their game. Well, Beyonce has surely outdone herself with this single.
Great Song? Check.
Amazing Video? Check.
Brilliant live performances? Check.
Message that connects with her audience? Check.
All of the above perfectly packaged, mass-produced, and reasonably priced? Check, check, and check.
When I first saw the video, which may be my favorite video EVER!!, I remember thinking, “How is she going to recreate this in live performances?” I mean, I practically passed out afterwards, and I was just watching. How would Beyonce pull off singing and dancing this incredible routine?? The answer seems to be, by not singing and dancing. Well, more like, half singing and half dancing. I thought it would disappoint me, but after watching the SNL performance and her show-stopping turn on the American Music Awards, I think I’m totally OK with it.
My favorite part? Oh yes…
Don’t pull too hard, though, lest you pull out your weave, girl.
Beyonce’s ability to shine with this song in a live setting just confirms for me that this song will be a huge phenomenon. I got further proof today when I saw some of my co-worker’s playing around with the choreography in the break room. Get this: these co-workers are a 50 year old black woman, a thirty something white woman, and their assistants (two twenty something black girls). That white woman held her own, and it was obvious that the 50 year old woman not only knew the choreography, but had studied it in depth. For a moment, I didn’t feel weird about how many views I had logged on the video’s YouTube page. Clearly, I’m not the only one.
And yes, of course I joined them!
Indeed, this video/song/dance routine has struck a collective nerve across all ages and backgrounds. But no particular group loves it more than the gays on YouTube. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, hence the literally hundreds of videos of gay men strutting their stuff on the internets. Among all of them, I think my favorite is this one…
Applause, applause, applause. ALTHOUGH do put some clothes on, sister, because your man might be hard-pressed to put a ring on it if it’s wrapped in tissue in a zip-loc bag on its way to the ER to be re-attached to a blackened nub. Just sayin’.
I just knew Beyonce’s single, Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), was going to be HEE-uge. And GOD I love it when I’m right.
A few short weeks after the video became available, the internet exploded with tributes and imitations, resulting in a frenzy of promotion that culminated in several fantastic live performances of the song on T.V. What Beyonce has figured out, along with Madonna, Lady Gaga, and P!nk, is that in order to actually sell records, the whole package has to be stellar – the very top of their game. Well, Beyonce has surely outdone herself with this single.
Great Song? Check.
Amazing Video? Check.
Brilliant live performances? Check.
Message that connects with her audience? Check.
All of the above perfectly packaged, mass-produced, and reasonably priced? Check, check, and check.
When I first saw the video, which may be my favorite video EVER!!, I remember thinking, “How is she going to recreate this in live performances?” I mean, I practically passed out afterwards, and I was just watching. How would Beyonce pull off singing and dancing this incredible routine?? The answer seems to be, by not singing and dancing. Well, more like, half singing and half dancing. I thought it would disappoint me, but after watching the SNL performance and her show-stopping turn on the American Music Awards, I think I’m totally OK with it.
My favorite part? Oh yes…
Don’t pull too hard, though, lest you pull out your weave, girl.
Beyonce’s ability to shine with this song in a live setting just confirms for me that this song will be a huge phenomenon. I got further proof today when I saw some of my co-worker’s playing around with the choreography in the break room. Get this: these co-workers are a 50 year old black woman, a thirty something white woman, and their assistants (two twenty something black girls). That white woman held her own, and it was obvious that the 50 year old woman not only knew the choreography, but had studied it in depth. For a moment, I didn’t feel weird about how many views I had logged on the video’s YouTube page. Clearly, I’m not the only one.
And yes, of course I joined them!
Indeed, this video/song/dance routine has struck a collective nerve across all ages and backgrounds. But no particular group loves it more than the gays on YouTube. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, hence the literally hundreds of videos of gay men strutting their stuff on the internets. Among all of them, I think my favorite is this one…
Applause, applause, applause. ALTHOUGH do put some clothes on, sister, because your man might be hard-pressed to put a ring on it if it’s wrapped in tissue in a zip-loc bag on its way to the ER to be re-attached to a blackened nub. Just sayin’.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
My latest purchazzies…
Wall-E
With the possible exception of Sex and the City, Wall-E is my favorite movie of 2008. It seems fitting that this film was the first movie I ever attended in the theatres solo. It felt like a personal experience. For once, I didn’t have to defend my opinion about it afterwards, which helped me retain my first impression of complete and total adoration.
As far as animated movies go, Disney has always worn the anthropomorphic crown, and this movie adds another jewel. Even though Wall-E communicates only in clicks and whistles, he is a fully-realized three-dimensional character, capable of owning the screen for more than half of the movie by sheer charm and wit. I’d say he is more relatable than most screen actors are, and they have the advantage of being, like… real and stuff. I loved him so much by the end of the film; I wanted to cuddle with him like a stuffed animal, if such a thing wouldn’t result in bruising and smashed-in teeth.
When I watched the movie for the first time, I barely noticed the environmental messages, which seemed to take over the discussion during the movie’s run. Maybe it didn’t take a whole lot of suspension of belief on my part to be convinced that the planet may, at some point in the future, be overrun with garbage… enough garbage to necessitate a full-scale evacuation of the human race. I don’t know – it just doesn’t seem farfetched to me.
Maybe I was just glad that Wall-E was a nice trash-collecting robot after somehow developing sentience. If it were me, I would have been pissed.
Enya, And Winter Came
Umm… WOW!!
Have I said it enough? I love… love… LOVE this lady. I knew in my gut that she would totally own the Holiday genre, and sure enough, this might be my favorite Christmas album of all time (sorry, Mariah).
There are only two traditional Christmas songs on the album: O Come, O Come Emmanuel and Oiche Chiuin (Silent Night). Both are exquisitely arranged in that they are true to the originals but indelibly marked by Enya’s unique sound and aesthetic. I’m particularly enraptured by Oiche Chiuin, which is a deceptively simple chorale arrangement of the hymn. Gaelic is such a beautiful language as it is, but with Enya’s trademark swelling and harmonies, it’s almost other worldly. This is what I want to hear right before I’m welcomed into the Magical Discotech in the Sky.
Also on the album are some attempts at original Christmas carols, including White Is in the Winter Night and One Toy Soldier. The first is all sleighbells, mistletoe, and other holiday references; an upbeat celebration of the sight and sounds of Christmas. One Toy Soldier is a fantastic piece which conjures the warm memories of Christmas morning, complete with brand new toys waiting under the tree. Another stellar track is Last Time By Moonlight, in which two lovers pause during a stroll under the stars and beg one another to remember this moment forever, because no one knows what lies ahead.
Throughout the album, Enya and her lyricist, Roma Ryan, continue to be fascinated by colors, nature scenes, and the seasons of the year. The album feels like a natural progression of all her preceding albums, which seems to corroborate with my theory that Enya is actually writing a massive song-cycle that we won’t really understand until her entire body of work is released. God, I hope I never see that day.
Will and Grace: 8th and final season
I’ve been waiting patiently (or not so patiently, akshully) for the final season of Will and Grace to be released ever since I let it get past me when it originally aired. I think I might have been waiting tables, and there’s yet another reason to be bitter about that.
Most of my favorite memories of college are locked up in this show *winks at Erin*, so rifling my way through these final episodes was a very sentimental experience, to say the least. I can’t begin to explain how much this show informs my own humor and sensibilities, but if I ever have to tell people what I find funny, this show is always the first example.
The last season, unfortunately, is probably the weakest opus in the set. It’s understandable, I suppose. The actors seem bored, the writing is tired, and the jokes just don’t hit like they used to – probably because most of them are the exact same jokes as before. From Season 4 through 6, this show seemed to rely on stunt-casting to keep it fresh, with decent results (there were only a few misfires (Madonna (yeah, I said it))), but by the time Taye Diggs was brought in to play Will’s love interest, it felt desperate… even though I love me some Taye Diggs.
All that said, I thought Season 8, along with the amazing finale, wrapped my favorite show up satisfactorily. That finale was something, wasn’t it? I know a lot of people hate sentiment in finales, especially from characters who don’t normally act sentimentally, but this show always had a chewy, creamy center, so why not let it end sweetly? The finale tried to answer the question that hung over the show since its inception: can a gay man and a straight woman really have a life-long friendship (that isn’t completely unhealthy and destructive to both)? The idea of Will and Grace seems to say, “Yes, it can”, but I think what it’s trying to say is, “Yes, I hope it can.” The obstacles facing a hag and her fag are unique and kind of unexplored in mainstream culture. The show did explore many of these obstacles through its run, and all of them ended well for the most part, which, let’s face it, doesn’t happen in real life. Trust me. The finale presents us with Will and Grace facing the classic killer of relationships such as thiers, which is: despite all their efforts to be everything for the other, neither will ever feel complete without non-platonic love.
In the finale, Will and Grace face this challenge, and for once, they do as they should: they fall apart and lose touch. Such is the life-cycle of a fruit and his fly. Buuuut, since it just can’t end like that, Will and Grace meet up again later in life, because, of all things, their kids meet in college and get married. Yeah, like that would ever happen. But it’s sweet and fantastical and SOBS.
As for me, I do believe a gay man and a straight woman can be life-long friends. That is, as long as both parties are mature and stable and relatively independent. I’m sure those kinds of people exist, although I can’t say I’ve met one. The truth is, and I believe Karen Walker said it best, “Every relationship between a gay man and a straight woman has an expiration date.” I can testify that truer words have never been spoken. Heartbreaking… but true.
What isn’t heartbreaking? My collection, which is now…
... complete.
Please forgive me posting a picture of my Will and Grace collection, of all things. When did I get so nerdy?
With the possible exception of Sex and the City, Wall-E is my favorite movie of 2008. It seems fitting that this film was the first movie I ever attended in the theatres solo. It felt like a personal experience. For once, I didn’t have to defend my opinion about it afterwards, which helped me retain my first impression of complete and total adoration.
As far as animated movies go, Disney has always worn the anthropomorphic crown, and this movie adds another jewel. Even though Wall-E communicates only in clicks and whistles, he is a fully-realized three-dimensional character, capable of owning the screen for more than half of the movie by sheer charm and wit. I’d say he is more relatable than most screen actors are, and they have the advantage of being, like… real and stuff. I loved him so much by the end of the film; I wanted to cuddle with him like a stuffed animal, if such a thing wouldn’t result in bruising and smashed-in teeth.
When I watched the movie for the first time, I barely noticed the environmental messages, which seemed to take over the discussion during the movie’s run. Maybe it didn’t take a whole lot of suspension of belief on my part to be convinced that the planet may, at some point in the future, be overrun with garbage… enough garbage to necessitate a full-scale evacuation of the human race. I don’t know – it just doesn’t seem farfetched to me.
Maybe I was just glad that Wall-E was a nice trash-collecting robot after somehow developing sentience. If it were me, I would have been pissed.
Enya, And Winter Came
Umm… WOW!!
Have I said it enough? I love… love… LOVE this lady. I knew in my gut that she would totally own the Holiday genre, and sure enough, this might be my favorite Christmas album of all time (sorry, Mariah).
There are only two traditional Christmas songs on the album: O Come, O Come Emmanuel and Oiche Chiuin (Silent Night). Both are exquisitely arranged in that they are true to the originals but indelibly marked by Enya’s unique sound and aesthetic. I’m particularly enraptured by Oiche Chiuin, which is a deceptively simple chorale arrangement of the hymn. Gaelic is such a beautiful language as it is, but with Enya’s trademark swelling and harmonies, it’s almost other worldly. This is what I want to hear right before I’m welcomed into the Magical Discotech in the Sky.
Also on the album are some attempts at original Christmas carols, including White Is in the Winter Night and One Toy Soldier. The first is all sleighbells, mistletoe, and other holiday references; an upbeat celebration of the sight and sounds of Christmas. One Toy Soldier is a fantastic piece which conjures the warm memories of Christmas morning, complete with brand new toys waiting under the tree. Another stellar track is Last Time By Moonlight, in which two lovers pause during a stroll under the stars and beg one another to remember this moment forever, because no one knows what lies ahead.
Throughout the album, Enya and her lyricist, Roma Ryan, continue to be fascinated by colors, nature scenes, and the seasons of the year. The album feels like a natural progression of all her preceding albums, which seems to corroborate with my theory that Enya is actually writing a massive song-cycle that we won’t really understand until her entire body of work is released. God, I hope I never see that day.
Will and Grace: 8th and final season
I’ve been waiting patiently (or not so patiently, akshully) for the final season of Will and Grace to be released ever since I let it get past me when it originally aired. I think I might have been waiting tables, and there’s yet another reason to be bitter about that.
Most of my favorite memories of college are locked up in this show *winks at Erin*, so rifling my way through these final episodes was a very sentimental experience, to say the least. I can’t begin to explain how much this show informs my own humor and sensibilities, but if I ever have to tell people what I find funny, this show is always the first example.
The last season, unfortunately, is probably the weakest opus in the set. It’s understandable, I suppose. The actors seem bored, the writing is tired, and the jokes just don’t hit like they used to – probably because most of them are the exact same jokes as before. From Season 4 through 6, this show seemed to rely on stunt-casting to keep it fresh, with decent results (there were only a few misfires (Madonna (yeah, I said it))), but by the time Taye Diggs was brought in to play Will’s love interest, it felt desperate… even though I love me some Taye Diggs.
All that said, I thought Season 8, along with the amazing finale, wrapped my favorite show up satisfactorily. That finale was something, wasn’t it? I know a lot of people hate sentiment in finales, especially from characters who don’t normally act sentimentally, but this show always had a chewy, creamy center, so why not let it end sweetly? The finale tried to answer the question that hung over the show since its inception: can a gay man and a straight woman really have a life-long friendship (that isn’t completely unhealthy and destructive to both)? The idea of Will and Grace seems to say, “Yes, it can”, but I think what it’s trying to say is, “Yes, I hope it can.” The obstacles facing a hag and her fag are unique and kind of unexplored in mainstream culture. The show did explore many of these obstacles through its run, and all of them ended well for the most part, which, let’s face it, doesn’t happen in real life. Trust me. The finale presents us with Will and Grace facing the classic killer of relationships such as thiers, which is: despite all their efforts to be everything for the other, neither will ever feel complete without non-platonic love.
In the finale, Will and Grace face this challenge, and for once, they do as they should: they fall apart and lose touch. Such is the life-cycle of a fruit and his fly. Buuuut, since it just can’t end like that, Will and Grace meet up again later in life, because, of all things, their kids meet in college and get married. Yeah, like that would ever happen. But it’s sweet and fantastical and SOBS.
As for me, I do believe a gay man and a straight woman can be life-long friends. That is, as long as both parties are mature and stable and relatively independent. I’m sure those kinds of people exist, although I can’t say I’ve met one. The truth is, and I believe Karen Walker said it best, “Every relationship between a gay man and a straight woman has an expiration date.” I can testify that truer words have never been spoken. Heartbreaking… but true.
What isn’t heartbreaking? My collection, which is now…
... complete.
Please forgive me posting a picture of my Will and Grace collection, of all things. When did I get so nerdy?
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Return the Favor – Keri Hilson
Well, Timbaland has done it again. God, this guy is good to me.
This girl, Keri Hilson, is everywhere – and has been for almost two years. She’s like one of those actors you see in every other movie but never know her name. From cameos in other artists’ videos, to songwriting credits on tons of tracks, to collabs with all the hot male pop stars… she has certainly worked her way through the industry. She first caught by eyes and ears when she worked with Timbaland on his solo album, especially The Way I Are (possibly my favorite song on that record), so I’ve been looking forward to her solo debut for what seems like forever.
Forever is exactly right. Get this – her album, entitled In a Perfect World had an initial release date of 3rd quarter 2007, so my question is: what’s the hold up, girl? I’m really curious to find out what is going on at her label. She keeps building up good press and then…no record. Hardly good for business.
Anyway, Return the Favor is actually the second single from the album, the first being Energy, also produced by Timbaland, and also a terrific track. I think this one is better, though. First of all, the synth hook is SICK; it catches me immediately and sucks me in. So much so I don’t even mind the inane Hey-Hey-Hey’s that make up the bulk of the song. And far be it from me to critique Timbaland, since I apparently love everything he does, but why does he have to look so creepy in the video? He’s got a lecherous next door neighbor, illegally hooking up cameras in her bedroom window kind of vibe happening, which I could totally do without. Now that I think about it, that might have been the whole point, but it’s still creepy.
I’m pulling for Keri big time. I mean, I can never have enough pop divas, now can I? Also, she seems like a good blend of Rihanna and Nelly Furtado, and she writes her own material, which is a bonus.
This girl, Keri Hilson, is everywhere – and has been for almost two years. She’s like one of those actors you see in every other movie but never know her name. From cameos in other artists’ videos, to songwriting credits on tons of tracks, to collabs with all the hot male pop stars… she has certainly worked her way through the industry. She first caught by eyes and ears when she worked with Timbaland on his solo album, especially The Way I Are (possibly my favorite song on that record), so I’ve been looking forward to her solo debut for what seems like forever.
Forever is exactly right. Get this – her album, entitled In a Perfect World had an initial release date of 3rd quarter 2007, so my question is: what’s the hold up, girl? I’m really curious to find out what is going on at her label. She keeps building up good press and then…no record. Hardly good for business.
Anyway, Return the Favor is actually the second single from the album, the first being Energy, also produced by Timbaland, and also a terrific track. I think this one is better, though. First of all, the synth hook is SICK; it catches me immediately and sucks me in. So much so I don’t even mind the inane Hey-Hey-Hey’s that make up the bulk of the song. And far be it from me to critique Timbaland, since I apparently love everything he does, but why does he have to look so creepy in the video? He’s got a lecherous next door neighbor, illegally hooking up cameras in her bedroom window kind of vibe happening, which I could totally do without. Now that I think about it, that might have been the whole point, but it’s still creepy.
I’m pulling for Keri big time. I mean, I can never have enough pop divas, now can I? Also, she seems like a good blend of Rihanna and Nelly Furtado, and she writes her own material, which is a bonus.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Reeva Dubois's Depression Survival Kit: Part 3 - Enya
I have to be careful with my Enya albums when I’m depressed. Depending on where the needle on the Doom-o-meter is pointing, a few hours of Enya could make me feel worse. However, if I can somehow strike up the Orinoco Flow when my mood is in an upswing, she goes a long way towards helping me bounce back completely.
Enya has been on my mind a lot lately, and not just because I’ve been listening to her stuff practically non-stop for three weeks, but because she has a new album coming out later this month. I pretty much live for new Enya albums. I was lucky enough to catch on to her in the early 90’s, so I was only a few albums late to the party. Thus, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of enjoying the suspenseful anticipation of five new albums, and lemme tell you, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – as gratifying as walking into a record store on the release date of a new Enya album and blasting it full volume in the car on your way home.
If you’re a fan of Enya, you know that she has a distinct sound. I own everything she has ever produced, but even if I didn’t, I’m pretty sure I could recognize something by Enya immediately. The haters try to say that all Enya songs sound the same, and you know, I can understand that sentiment, but that doesn’t mean it’s true. Enya is working in a medium, like how some artists work in oil or charcoal. The elements of her work are usually the same from piece to piece, but each piece is unique and masterful. I credit her melodies for this. She really is a genius when it comes to melody. They are all so simple and straight-forward, and yet sublime… it’s pretty amazing when you think about it. She is equally gifted when it comes to chord structures and harmonic motion, and I think that explains how she is able to make these melodies transcend their simplicity and bloom into grand musical gestures that send chills up and down my spine and maybe even make me cry.
A personal example of my deeply affectionate relationship with Enya’s music can be found in the song Angeles, from the album, Shepherd Moons.
I’m not usually one for superstition, but I’ve had a ritual with this song for as long as I’ve known about it, and it’s never let me down. I’ve listened to this song before many of the more trying moments in my life; when I’m anxious, nervous, stressed out beyond belief, really angry, terrified, you name it… I put on this song and just sit still and it centers me. The combination of the words and music is so incredibly peaceful and comforting… it’s kind of like a tranquilizer. All that said, I avoid this song if I’m sad, because one minute of it is like being pushed on to the train tracks of hysteria in front of a raging locomotive of doom and it’s a long way back from there, so it’s better just not to go there at all. You know?
Aaaanyway, here we are again, a new Enya album. It’s a winter-themed album, which is just so marvelously appropriate for Enya, I’m surprised she hasn’t done it before. Titled, And Winter Came, it was apparently conceived as a Christmas album, but as the work progressed became more of a seasonal collection about the cold, the death/life cycle, and the holidays in general. Why am I explaining this when Enya released an interview laying it all out for you? Do click here… it’s a fascinating interview and she’s so pretty, isn’t she?
The first single is called Trains and Winter Rains, and as usual, it’s breathtaking.
After the jump, a few more of my fav Enya tracks, just for kicks…
Enya has been on my mind a lot lately, and not just because I’ve been listening to her stuff practically non-stop for three weeks, but because she has a new album coming out later this month. I pretty much live for new Enya albums. I was lucky enough to catch on to her in the early 90’s, so I was only a few albums late to the party. Thus, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of enjoying the suspenseful anticipation of five new albums, and lemme tell you, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – as gratifying as walking into a record store on the release date of a new Enya album and blasting it full volume in the car on your way home.
If you’re a fan of Enya, you know that she has a distinct sound. I own everything she has ever produced, but even if I didn’t, I’m pretty sure I could recognize something by Enya immediately. The haters try to say that all Enya songs sound the same, and you know, I can understand that sentiment, but that doesn’t mean it’s true. Enya is working in a medium, like how some artists work in oil or charcoal. The elements of her work are usually the same from piece to piece, but each piece is unique and masterful. I credit her melodies for this. She really is a genius when it comes to melody. They are all so simple and straight-forward, and yet sublime… it’s pretty amazing when you think about it. She is equally gifted when it comes to chord structures and harmonic motion, and I think that explains how she is able to make these melodies transcend their simplicity and bloom into grand musical gestures that send chills up and down my spine and maybe even make me cry.
A personal example of my deeply affectionate relationship with Enya’s music can be found in the song Angeles, from the album, Shepherd Moons.
I’m not usually one for superstition, but I’ve had a ritual with this song for as long as I’ve known about it, and it’s never let me down. I’ve listened to this song before many of the more trying moments in my life; when I’m anxious, nervous, stressed out beyond belief, really angry, terrified, you name it… I put on this song and just sit still and it centers me. The combination of the words and music is so incredibly peaceful and comforting… it’s kind of like a tranquilizer. All that said, I avoid this song if I’m sad, because one minute of it is like being pushed on to the train tracks of hysteria in front of a raging locomotive of doom and it’s a long way back from there, so it’s better just not to go there at all. You know?
Aaaanyway, here we are again, a new Enya album. It’s a winter-themed album, which is just so marvelously appropriate for Enya, I’m surprised she hasn’t done it before. Titled, And Winter Came, it was apparently conceived as a Christmas album, but as the work progressed became more of a seasonal collection about the cold, the death/life cycle, and the holidays in general. Why am I explaining this when Enya released an interview laying it all out for you? Do click here… it’s a fascinating interview and she’s so pretty, isn’t she?
The first single is called Trains and Winter Rains, and as usual, it’s breathtaking.
After the jump, a few more of my fav Enya tracks, just for kicks…
Book of Days from Shepherd Moons
China Roses from The Memory of Trees
Pigrim from A Day Without Rain
If I Could Be Where You Are from Amarantine
Friday, October 31, 2008
Reeva Dubois’s Depression Survival Kit: Part 1 – Pop Divas
I shouldn’t have to explain how or why I love Pop Divas. I’m gay so it’s kind of a given. I think it’s in the by-laws.
It’s been a huge year for my favorite female pop acts. Earlier in the year, we had new stuff from Britney, Madonna, Robyn, Kylie and Cyndi Lauper. Now, I have the pleasure of sifting through new stuff from Britney (prolific, isn’t she?), Lady Gaga, Michelle Williams, Jennifer Hudson, Christina, Pink, Keri Hilson… and (SQUEEEEE) Beyonce.
The new videos and singles have been shooting out of my computer like poison darts of pop pleasure, and I’ve been hard pressed to keep up. I’m tempted to do a massive video post (which I’ll probably do later), but now I just want to talk about Beyonce. Why? Because her new video for Single Ladies is, like… the best video I’ve ever seen.
This video is like crack for me. Seriously. I have to watch it once an hour or so. The first time I saw it, I was sitting at my computer with my eyes bugging out of my head, maybe with a little bit of drool coming out of my mouth, paralyzed by the FIERCE!
The Song
To be completely honest, the song barely registered with me at first; I was hypnotized by the amazing legs and Beyonce’s crazy metal glove. But I gotta say, this song is insanely catchy – it’s like Beyonce sneezed and then shook my hand. I didn’t know it was happening, but now I have the song totally memorized.
The Styling
The matching black leotards against the black, white and gray backgrounds are sharp and sleek. The hair piled on top and flowing down the back is simultaneously sexy and super-classy. The decision to film in black and white on a bare soundstage is genius; all the attention is on the choreography.
The Choreography
Shut up! I mean, just SHUT UP! Best choreography I’ve ever seen. There isn’t a single arbitrary step. Every movement reflects the words. Every series of movements reflects the music. There is inevitability to the motions, from the opening steps to the final pose. It’s all about the ring and what this crazy man is missing because he didn’t put it on Beyonce.
The Concept
Ok, so the idea of a Diva with two sexy hench-ladies isn’t new, but the amazing chemistry these three ladies have together quite literally blasts out of the screen. Not to mention all three are amazing dancers with killer bodies. I’ve already mentioned the legs, but I can’t emphasize it enough – those stems almost made me straight. Anyway, what I love about all of it is this: everything makes sense. Every creative choice, from the lighting, to the camera movements, to Beyonce’s one bare shoulder – it’s all flawless. This is a case of everything just working. Don’t you love it when that happens?
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice. I’m learning the choreography so I can show it off at the clubs. I’m pretty sure that’s in the by-laws, too.
Who am I kidding? I’m not even close to being done with this. Here are some of my favorite moments…
It’s been a huge year for my favorite female pop acts. Earlier in the year, we had new stuff from Britney, Madonna, Robyn, Kylie and Cyndi Lauper. Now, I have the pleasure of sifting through new stuff from Britney (prolific, isn’t she?), Lady Gaga, Michelle Williams, Jennifer Hudson, Christina, Pink, Keri Hilson… and (SQUEEEEE) Beyonce.
The new videos and singles have been shooting out of my computer like poison darts of pop pleasure, and I’ve been hard pressed to keep up. I’m tempted to do a massive video post (which I’ll probably do later), but now I just want to talk about Beyonce. Why? Because her new video for Single Ladies is, like… the best video I’ve ever seen.
This video is like crack for me. Seriously. I have to watch it once an hour or so. The first time I saw it, I was sitting at my computer with my eyes bugging out of my head, maybe with a little bit of drool coming out of my mouth, paralyzed by the FIERCE!
The Song
To be completely honest, the song barely registered with me at first; I was hypnotized by the amazing legs and Beyonce’s crazy metal glove. But I gotta say, this song is insanely catchy – it’s like Beyonce sneezed and then shook my hand. I didn’t know it was happening, but now I have the song totally memorized.
The Styling
The matching black leotards against the black, white and gray backgrounds are sharp and sleek. The hair piled on top and flowing down the back is simultaneously sexy and super-classy. The decision to film in black and white on a bare soundstage is genius; all the attention is on the choreography.
The Choreography
Shut up! I mean, just SHUT UP! Best choreography I’ve ever seen. There isn’t a single arbitrary step. Every movement reflects the words. Every series of movements reflects the music. There is inevitability to the motions, from the opening steps to the final pose. It’s all about the ring and what this crazy man is missing because he didn’t put it on Beyonce.
The Concept
Ok, so the idea of a Diva with two sexy hench-ladies isn’t new, but the amazing chemistry these three ladies have together quite literally blasts out of the screen. Not to mention all three are amazing dancers with killer bodies. I’ve already mentioned the legs, but I can’t emphasize it enough – those stems almost made me straight. Anyway, what I love about all of it is this: everything makes sense. Every creative choice, from the lighting, to the camera movements, to Beyonce’s one bare shoulder – it’s all flawless. This is a case of everything just working. Don’t you love it when that happens?
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice. I’m learning the choreography so I can show it off at the clubs. I’m pretty sure that’s in the by-laws, too.
Who am I kidding? I’m not even close to being done with this. Here are some of my favorite moments…
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
You might want to sit down for this one…
No really, are you sitting down?
Good.
I have to tell you something and I don’t know how you’ll react. This is very scary for me because I hate feeling judged and your opinion of me means everything, so please, no matter what comes out of my mouth, promise you won’t think less of me.
Ok, here goes. *deep breath*
I bought the New Kids On The Block Album and I LOVE IT!!
*SMACK*
OWWWWWW! What the … Did you just throw your SHOE at me?? GAWD, it stings… am I bleeding?
Reeva defends himself, after the jump…
Come on, you’ve done things you’re not proud of, too. We all have. I didn’t know I would love this album. And I definitely didn’t think I’d love it enough to come clean with you – in public, no less – so give me some credit.
Let’s go back in time to, say, second grade (maybe third), when NKOTB ruled the world with their bedsheets and fruit snacks and rat-tails. They were seen everywhere, on and in and on top of and behind everything – an apocalyptic product of the American pop culture machine, The Five Bedazzled Horsemen. I think they also sang and stuff, but perhaps we will never know, because very few actually heard them perform music, and why? Because of all the screaming.
Oh, the screaming… the interminable, mind-numbing, ear-splitting screaming. Yes, the schoolgirls of my generation broke their figurative lust-hymens (not to mention their voiceboxes) against the glossy visages of Jordan, Jonathan, Joey, Donnie, and Danny in their Tiger Beat magazines. Many believe the irrepressible, animal-like sexuality of these five beings caused the premature and spontaneous onset of puberty in millions of teenage girls, from the US to Japan to Europe to the Moon and back, affecting the tides and causing mild but nonetheless devastating shifts in the world’s supply of scrunchies.
The adults, at the time, were powerless against the legions of horny, over-sexed teenage girls, and many believed it was the end of days. Who can blame them really? Those girls were monsters. Meanwhile, I, along with every other boy of 10-12, was all, “Huh?”
I didn’t get it. But then again, I didn’t have a vagina (still don’t, if you’re wondering), so maybe I wasn’t supposed to get it. All I knew was: these guys kind of suck. It wasn’t until several years later that I started to sort of get it, thanks to the late, but potent development of my gayness. So, ok, they were sort of cute (esp. Joey), but even I knew that the music was crap.
Fast forward to high school, a magical time of repression and bad poetry, and the era of the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. At this point, I hadn’t quite claimed my gayness, but it was most certainly present, especially when there were flags to twirl or pink polo shirts to wear. Again, I was asked to stand aside while my friends (yep, all girls) whipped themselves into a frothy, frenetic frenzy over a group of carefully chosen, not-yet-old-enough-to-shave, male archetypes. Except this time… I would not be left out. I loved the boy bands in secrecy and silence. Maybe I couldn’t scream myself hoarse about it, and maybe I had to pretend I hated them to avoid being slammed into lockers, but in my heart of hearts… I loved me some Justin Timberlake.
Boy bands are like herpes… they come and go. Now that I’m out and proud and totally unashamed of my tacky tastes, I’ve been waiting patiently for the next iteration, and I promised myself that this time I would totally scream my 27 year old lungs out. I’m making up for lost time, you see… Unfortunately, all I’ve been given so far is The Jonas Brothers and… no thanks. But all of this goes a long way to make you understand WHY I was moved to lift the new NKOTB album off the shelves, and WHY I walked with it all the way to the checkout (any number of people saw me), and WHY I was able to purchase it without turning beat red under the judgmental eyes of the salesgirl.
This is about justice. This is about righting what was wrong. I was meant to love this boy band, and by GOD, I will love them.
Of course, I didn’t think for a second that the album would be any good. In fact, I was prepared for it to be a complete aural disaster. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This album is FANTASTIC.
*ducks*
Did you just throw your OTHER shoe!? What’s with you today? If you have no more podiatric projectiles, may I continue? Thank you.
When the boys announced their reunion back in April, I was dubious. I think I might have thought it was a joke. Like, I specifically remembered channeling Wayne Campbell, as in, “Sha… right!” In my assessment, the resulting enthusiasm from the populace had more to do with nostalgia, rather than excitement about new material. But, you know, I didn’t have that problem (if you can call it a problem). I have no fond or sentimental feelings about the music these boys put out 15 years ago, and when pressed, I can only name three or four of their songs. I’m actually more attached to Weird Al Yankovic’s satiric spin and ode to Oreos, The White Stuff. Indeed, I came into this venture with a completely open mind.
That open mind has served me well, apparently, because this album, while still very much in the boy band aesthetic, is totally current. With the help of some of today’s hottest producers like Akon, Ne-Yo, RedOne, and Timbaland, the boys have placed themselves directly in the music trends of the day, and they pull it off. As an aside, I’m starting to hate Timbaland a little bit. His influence on hip-hop and pop music is so overwhelming, and his sound has become so recognizable, that I’m starting to feel guilty loving every single song he produces. I’m starting to think I’d like just about anything as long as he’s behind the wheel. Anyway, back to the point… I think the boys deserve some credit for having their fingers on the pulse, because it would have been easy to just schlock together some retro sounding crap that recaptured their glory days. It was smart to move towards the light, lyrical hip-hop dominating the charts these days, because their slightly more grown-up subject matter and still excellent harmonies lend themselves perfectly to the genre.
The first single was Summertime which, I’m not going to lie, is not my favorite song on the album. I like the sound of it enough, but I don’t think it could be any cheesier. Like you could totally serve this on nachos. The video is also kind of ridiculous. I mean, I’m a little creeped out by five 30-40 year old guys singing about summer flings. There’s something statutory about it, yes? Anyway, here it is. But before you clickie… I’m just going to go out a limb and advise you not to watch at all. I mean, this video is so corny that I’m afraid it could debunk everything I’ve been rambling about since I started this post, namely, that this CD is good. So take my advice and hit play, minimize like the wind, and play mindsweeper or something. Or Freecell if you prefer. (Solitaire? That’s not even challenging…).
The next single is called, strangely enough, Single, and this song I totally love. Good harmonies, good beats, and not quite as pedo. Again, though, this video… I don’t know. The boy band posturing, most egregiously perpetrated by Jordan Knight, is just not attractive on guys this age. But I suppose this is what the nostalgic fans want to see, because it takes them back to when that crap was hot.
The album has even better stuff on it. My personal fav is Twisted (this is the Timbaland joint). Click the link to listen – I’m not responsible if the video has been removed – you have to act fast ‘round here.
There are moments of genius, too. The track with Lady Gaga entitled Big Girl Now is a calculated and very appropriate shout-out to their fans, now full grown women in their 20s (or even older). I think it was smart to recognize the fact that their demographic has matured and moved on to other things, but also prove that they have, too, and are perfectly capable of making the ladies dance and sing and scream and carry on just like they did in ‘92.
Full discloje: there are some clunkers here and there. The Pussycat Dolls collaboration is trash, for one. And all the lyrics on the album are pretty generic and cliché, when they aren’t uproariously inane, like the song Full Service, an extended metaphor in which the girl is a car and NKOTB is the fueling station (I know, ew). And there are two, I said TWO, songs dealing with the act of videotaping the act of love. And then there’s the song called Sexify My Love, which… whoever wrote that lyric wasn’t even trying. All of that said, the music is really great. I tend to be lenient on these pop albums because I’m not much for lyrics anyway, but if you are, well… just pretend it’s in Spanish or something.
And so, to end in that shallow place in which I spend the majority of my time, I will say that Joey is more attractive now than he was when he was posing for Tiger Beat, and that’s something I can appreciate.
And they’re all looking good here… I vehemently approve the suits. God, guys are so sexy in suits.
Good.
I have to tell you something and I don’t know how you’ll react. This is very scary for me because I hate feeling judged and your opinion of me means everything, so please, no matter what comes out of my mouth, promise you won’t think less of me.
Ok, here goes. *deep breath*
I bought the New Kids On The Block Album and I LOVE IT!!
*SMACK*
OWWWWWW! What the … Did you just throw your SHOE at me?? GAWD, it stings… am I bleeding?
Reeva defends himself, after the jump…
Come on, you’ve done things you’re not proud of, too. We all have. I didn’t know I would love this album. And I definitely didn’t think I’d love it enough to come clean with you – in public, no less – so give me some credit.
Let’s go back in time to, say, second grade (maybe third), when NKOTB ruled the world with their bedsheets and fruit snacks and rat-tails. They were seen everywhere, on and in and on top of and behind everything – an apocalyptic product of the American pop culture machine, The Five Bedazzled Horsemen. I think they also sang and stuff, but perhaps we will never know, because very few actually heard them perform music, and why? Because of all the screaming.
Oh, the screaming… the interminable, mind-numbing, ear-splitting screaming. Yes, the schoolgirls of my generation broke their figurative lust-hymens (not to mention their voiceboxes) against the glossy visages of Jordan, Jonathan, Joey, Donnie, and Danny in their Tiger Beat magazines. Many believe the irrepressible, animal-like sexuality of these five beings caused the premature and spontaneous onset of puberty in millions of teenage girls, from the US to Japan to Europe to the Moon and back, affecting the tides and causing mild but nonetheless devastating shifts in the world’s supply of scrunchies.
The adults, at the time, were powerless against the legions of horny, over-sexed teenage girls, and many believed it was the end of days. Who can blame them really? Those girls were monsters. Meanwhile, I, along with every other boy of 10-12, was all, “Huh?”
I didn’t get it. But then again, I didn’t have a vagina (still don’t, if you’re wondering), so maybe I wasn’t supposed to get it. All I knew was: these guys kind of suck. It wasn’t until several years later that I started to sort of get it, thanks to the late, but potent development of my gayness. So, ok, they were sort of cute (esp. Joey), but even I knew that the music was crap.
Fast forward to high school, a magical time of repression and bad poetry, and the era of the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. At this point, I hadn’t quite claimed my gayness, but it was most certainly present, especially when there were flags to twirl or pink polo shirts to wear. Again, I was asked to stand aside while my friends (yep, all girls) whipped themselves into a frothy, frenetic frenzy over a group of carefully chosen, not-yet-old-enough-to-shave, male archetypes. Except this time… I would not be left out. I loved the boy bands in secrecy and silence. Maybe I couldn’t scream myself hoarse about it, and maybe I had to pretend I hated them to avoid being slammed into lockers, but in my heart of hearts… I loved me some Justin Timberlake.
Boy bands are like herpes… they come and go. Now that I’m out and proud and totally unashamed of my tacky tastes, I’ve been waiting patiently for the next iteration, and I promised myself that this time I would totally scream my 27 year old lungs out. I’m making up for lost time, you see… Unfortunately, all I’ve been given so far is The Jonas Brothers and… no thanks. But all of this goes a long way to make you understand WHY I was moved to lift the new NKOTB album off the shelves, and WHY I walked with it all the way to the checkout (any number of people saw me), and WHY I was able to purchase it without turning beat red under the judgmental eyes of the salesgirl.
This is about justice. This is about righting what was wrong. I was meant to love this boy band, and by GOD, I will love them.
Of course, I didn’t think for a second that the album would be any good. In fact, I was prepared for it to be a complete aural disaster. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This album is FANTASTIC.
*ducks*
Did you just throw your OTHER shoe!? What’s with you today? If you have no more podiatric projectiles, may I continue? Thank you.
When the boys announced their reunion back in April, I was dubious. I think I might have thought it was a joke. Like, I specifically remembered channeling Wayne Campbell, as in, “Sha… right!” In my assessment, the resulting enthusiasm from the populace had more to do with nostalgia, rather than excitement about new material. But, you know, I didn’t have that problem (if you can call it a problem). I have no fond or sentimental feelings about the music these boys put out 15 years ago, and when pressed, I can only name three or four of their songs. I’m actually more attached to Weird Al Yankovic’s satiric spin and ode to Oreos, The White Stuff. Indeed, I came into this venture with a completely open mind.
That open mind has served me well, apparently, because this album, while still very much in the boy band aesthetic, is totally current. With the help of some of today’s hottest producers like Akon, Ne-Yo, RedOne, and Timbaland, the boys have placed themselves directly in the music trends of the day, and they pull it off. As an aside, I’m starting to hate Timbaland a little bit. His influence on hip-hop and pop music is so overwhelming, and his sound has become so recognizable, that I’m starting to feel guilty loving every single song he produces. I’m starting to think I’d like just about anything as long as he’s behind the wheel. Anyway, back to the point… I think the boys deserve some credit for having their fingers on the pulse, because it would have been easy to just schlock together some retro sounding crap that recaptured their glory days. It was smart to move towards the light, lyrical hip-hop dominating the charts these days, because their slightly more grown-up subject matter and still excellent harmonies lend themselves perfectly to the genre.
The first single was Summertime which, I’m not going to lie, is not my favorite song on the album. I like the sound of it enough, but I don’t think it could be any cheesier. Like you could totally serve this on nachos. The video is also kind of ridiculous. I mean, I’m a little creeped out by five 30-40 year old guys singing about summer flings. There’s something statutory about it, yes? Anyway, here it is. But before you clickie… I’m just going to go out a limb and advise you not to watch at all. I mean, this video is so corny that I’m afraid it could debunk everything I’ve been rambling about since I started this post, namely, that this CD is good. So take my advice and hit play, minimize like the wind, and play mindsweeper or something. Or Freecell if you prefer. (Solitaire? That’s not even challenging…).
The next single is called, strangely enough, Single, and this song I totally love. Good harmonies, good beats, and not quite as pedo. Again, though, this video… I don’t know. The boy band posturing, most egregiously perpetrated by Jordan Knight, is just not attractive on guys this age. But I suppose this is what the nostalgic fans want to see, because it takes them back to when that crap was hot.
The album has even better stuff on it. My personal fav is Twisted (this is the Timbaland joint). Click the link to listen – I’m not responsible if the video has been removed – you have to act fast ‘round here.
There are moments of genius, too. The track with Lady Gaga entitled Big Girl Now is a calculated and very appropriate shout-out to their fans, now full grown women in their 20s (or even older). I think it was smart to recognize the fact that their demographic has matured and moved on to other things, but also prove that they have, too, and are perfectly capable of making the ladies dance and sing and scream and carry on just like they did in ‘92.
Full discloje: there are some clunkers here and there. The Pussycat Dolls collaboration is trash, for one. And all the lyrics on the album are pretty generic and cliché, when they aren’t uproariously inane, like the song Full Service, an extended metaphor in which the girl is a car and NKOTB is the fueling station (I know, ew). And there are two, I said TWO, songs dealing with the act of videotaping the act of love. And then there’s the song called Sexify My Love, which… whoever wrote that lyric wasn’t even trying. All of that said, the music is really great. I tend to be lenient on these pop albums because I’m not much for lyrics anyway, but if you are, well… just pretend it’s in Spanish or something.
And so, to end in that shallow place in which I spend the majority of my time, I will say that Joey is more attractive now than he was when he was posing for Tiger Beat, and that’s something I can appreciate.
And they’re all looking good here… I vehemently approve the suits. God, guys are so sexy in suits.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Missing Li’l Sis…
I’m feeling kind of bereft right now… so I’m posting this video to make myself better.
Backstory: this is one of our favorite songs to turn up really loud in the car and sing our guts out. We don’t even care if people see us.
*sigh*
Backstory: this is one of our favorite songs to turn up really loud in the car and sing our guts out. We don’t even care if people see us.
*sigh*
Monday, September 15, 2008
BIG NEWS!!
Britney was all over the news today, and for good reason, I suppose. Her comeback is right on track – she didn’t embarrass herself at the VMAs this time, she won three awards for her Piece of Me video (which, really?), and she’s been getting consistently good press. Today, or maybe yesterday, she officially confirmed the release date for her new album, entitled Circus. It will drop on December 2, 2008 (earlier than expected), and the first single will be on the radio by next week.
Clearly, I’m super-mega-falling-over-myself excited about all of this. But I was never one of those people who doubted her. I’ve always had faith in my girl. And seriously, there was nowhere to go but up.
So, there’s that. And I don’t mean to steal Britney’s thunder or anything, but I ran across something else today, which made me jump out of my chair and babble incoherently. It might have looked like I was having a seizure. (Between us, my office-mate is still shaking). Check it…
That’s right. There’s another Diva releasing an album in the coming months, and her name is Enya.
What a year… new Madonna, new Britney, AND new Enya. And they say God has no love for the gays. READ THE SIGNS PEOPLE!!
Clearly, I’m super-mega-falling-over-myself excited about all of this. But I was never one of those people who doubted her. I’ve always had faith in my girl. And seriously, there was nowhere to go but up.
So, there’s that. And I don’t mean to steal Britney’s thunder or anything, but I ran across something else today, which made me jump out of my chair and babble incoherently. It might have looked like I was having a seizure. (Between us, my office-mate is still shaking). Check it…
That’s right. There’s another Diva releasing an album in the coming months, and her name is Enya.
What a year… new Madonna, new Britney, AND new Enya. And they say God has no love for the gays. READ THE SIGNS PEOPLE!!
Monday, September 08, 2008
Can't Stop the Music...
Welcome, dear readers, to another episode of I Have Nothing Better To Do At Work, a thrilling new spinoff of the hit dramedy, Desperately Trying to Appear Occupied.
I’m in the habit of going to Amazon.com about once every two weeks and checking out the upcoming releases in music. You’d be surprised how very little the major recording studios promote their artists nowadays. Maybe I’m just feeling old, but I remember a time when new albums were anticipated, like Christmas or the day George W. gets heaved out of office. Now, it’s like if I don’t stalk my favorite artists like a psycho, I will miss what they’re up to. I like too many artists to follow all those MySpace pages… I mean, who has time for that? But Amazon makes it easy by listing them in handy monthly groupings, and displaying them in the order of buzzworthiness. Knowing what’s coming out helps to guide my purchazzies (for example, when Jason Mraz’s new album came out, it prompted me to purchazzie his second one, thus completing my collection), and it also gives me a reason to live. I can get through anything if I know there’s a new Britney Spears album coming down the pipeline.
This summer has been a dry spell for me music-wise. Come to think of it, I haven’t purchased anything new since, like… June. That’s a long time for me. Wait, I just lied straight to your face. I did buy Janelle Monae’s Metropolis: The Chase Suite a few days ago, but that’s just an EP so I don’t count it. Anyway, the fourth quarter is gonna be awesome, though, and expensive. I hope my debit card’s magnetic strip can make it through.
September
Jessica Simpson – Do You Know (9/9)
Ha! I will probably not buy this album, but I did want to mention it. In a bizarre way, I’m actually curious about her foray into country/western, and at this point the critics are divided, which makes me even more curious. I’ve heard a few of the songs and I’m not impressed, but (and I can’t believe I’m saying this) I’m pulling for Jessica.
Jem – Down to Earth (9/16)
I discovered Jem thanks to one of Mia Michael’s routines on So You Think You Can Dance, and I love her first album, Finally Woken. The song, 24 (thanks, Mia), is totally worth the cost of the entire album. I hope history repeats: her new song, It’s Amazing, featured on the Sex and the City Soundtrack is one of my favorites of the year, and not just because it samples Bach (That’s right, Jem, you thought you could stump a bitch… but no, this entire song is based on Prelude in f minor, Book 2, The Well-Tempered Clavier). Frankly, girlfriend is kind of obsessed with that prelude, the song They from her first album also quotes it (and even more emphatically). Here's the video.
Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer? (9/16)
Ok, so it took me a few weeks to figure out that Amanda Palmer is the same girl who fronts the Dresden Dolls, one of the best cabaret/rock/baroque pop bands out there. The Dresden Dolls are certainly out there, as in just a little bit twisted. I might not be dysfunctional enough to really appreciate their stuff, but it certainly taps into the inner goth kid that never got a chance to break out the black lipstick and fishnets in high school. I don’t know if this solo album is going into different territory, or what, but I’m going to buy just because it’s her and her makeup is always flawless. One of the first singles is Runs in the Family...
Jenny Lewis – Acidtongue (9/23)
Jenny Lewis is just like Robin Thicke in the sense that I don’t typically like the style of music she does. It has a tendency to veer towards country when I would rather it veer towards good, but for some reason, I don’t even mind. I think it’s her voice. I could listen to her sing anything, I think, and her songwriting is always thoughtful, sexy, and just a little bit dirty. Also, killer harmonies. The title track is the first single, and I'm loving it... (the little introduction is only kind of cute and funny, fast forward through it if you must...)
Pussycat Dolls – Doll Domination (9/23)
Ugh! I have never, nor will I ever, buy a Pussycat Dolls CD. They’re too manufactured… even for me. (And that’s saying a lot). (Full disclosure: I did buy the song Buttons, but that’s not the whole album, so I can still look myself in the face.)
Jennifer Hudson (9/30)
Super excited about this one. It’s been a long time coming – I figured she would have dropped an album closer to her Dreamgirls triumph. As it is, this album has a lot of potential and a lot of good buzz. Spotlight is an excellent track that has grown on me significantly in the last few weeks.
Robin Thicke – Something Else (9/30)
Oh, the supreme almighty power of hotness. I don’t usually like the style of music that Robin Thicke dabbles in, which is that kind of dark-room, atmospheric, take-off-your-clothes, makin’ babies music, and not because I don’t like those things, but because that music tends to get boring and doesn’t suit for you know, driving to work or washing the dishes or any other everyday activity. But I love him, so I’m willing to overlook the cheesiness. His previous album, The Evolution of Robin Thicke, was enjoyable enough, but I can’t pretend: I buy these albums because he’s hot. Here's the first single, Magic.
To look forward to in October: Jon McLaughlin, Michelle Williams, Oasis, Keri Hilson, Keane, Ingrid Michaelson, Pink, Lady Gaga, and Snow Patrol.
I’m in the habit of going to Amazon.com about once every two weeks and checking out the upcoming releases in music. You’d be surprised how very little the major recording studios promote their artists nowadays. Maybe I’m just feeling old, but I remember a time when new albums were anticipated, like Christmas or the day George W. gets heaved out of office. Now, it’s like if I don’t stalk my favorite artists like a psycho, I will miss what they’re up to. I like too many artists to follow all those MySpace pages… I mean, who has time for that? But Amazon makes it easy by listing them in handy monthly groupings, and displaying them in the order of buzzworthiness. Knowing what’s coming out helps to guide my purchazzies (for example, when Jason Mraz’s new album came out, it prompted me to purchazzie his second one, thus completing my collection), and it also gives me a reason to live. I can get through anything if I know there’s a new Britney Spears album coming down the pipeline.
This summer has been a dry spell for me music-wise. Come to think of it, I haven’t purchased anything new since, like… June. That’s a long time for me. Wait, I just lied straight to your face. I did buy Janelle Monae’s Metropolis: The Chase Suite a few days ago, but that’s just an EP so I don’t count it. Anyway, the fourth quarter is gonna be awesome, though, and expensive. I hope my debit card’s magnetic strip can make it through.
September
Jessica Simpson – Do You Know (9/9)
Ha! I will probably not buy this album, but I did want to mention it. In a bizarre way, I’m actually curious about her foray into country/western, and at this point the critics are divided, which makes me even more curious. I’ve heard a few of the songs and I’m not impressed, but (and I can’t believe I’m saying this) I’m pulling for Jessica.
Jem – Down to Earth (9/16)
I discovered Jem thanks to one of Mia Michael’s routines on So You Think You Can Dance, and I love her first album, Finally Woken. The song, 24 (thanks, Mia), is totally worth the cost of the entire album. I hope history repeats: her new song, It’s Amazing, featured on the Sex and the City Soundtrack is one of my favorites of the year, and not just because it samples Bach (That’s right, Jem, you thought you could stump a bitch… but no, this entire song is based on Prelude in f minor, Book 2, The Well-Tempered Clavier). Frankly, girlfriend is kind of obsessed with that prelude, the song They from her first album also quotes it (and even more emphatically). Here's the video.
Amanda Palmer – Who Killed Amanda Palmer? (9/16)
Ok, so it took me a few weeks to figure out that Amanda Palmer is the same girl who fronts the Dresden Dolls, one of the best cabaret/rock/baroque pop bands out there. The Dresden Dolls are certainly out there, as in just a little bit twisted. I might not be dysfunctional enough to really appreciate their stuff, but it certainly taps into the inner goth kid that never got a chance to break out the black lipstick and fishnets in high school. I don’t know if this solo album is going into different territory, or what, but I’m going to buy just because it’s her and her makeup is always flawless. One of the first singles is Runs in the Family...
Jenny Lewis – Acidtongue (9/23)
Jenny Lewis is just like Robin Thicke in the sense that I don’t typically like the style of music she does. It has a tendency to veer towards country when I would rather it veer towards good, but for some reason, I don’t even mind. I think it’s her voice. I could listen to her sing anything, I think, and her songwriting is always thoughtful, sexy, and just a little bit dirty. Also, killer harmonies. The title track is the first single, and I'm loving it... (the little introduction is only kind of cute and funny, fast forward through it if you must...)
Pussycat Dolls – Doll Domination (9/23)
Ugh! I have never, nor will I ever, buy a Pussycat Dolls CD. They’re too manufactured… even for me. (And that’s saying a lot). (Full disclosure: I did buy the song Buttons, but that’s not the whole album, so I can still look myself in the face.)
Jennifer Hudson (9/30)
Super excited about this one. It’s been a long time coming – I figured she would have dropped an album closer to her Dreamgirls triumph. As it is, this album has a lot of potential and a lot of good buzz. Spotlight is an excellent track that has grown on me significantly in the last few weeks.
Robin Thicke – Something Else (9/30)
Oh, the supreme almighty power of hotness. I don’t usually like the style of music that Robin Thicke dabbles in, which is that kind of dark-room, atmospheric, take-off-your-clothes, makin’ babies music, and not because I don’t like those things, but because that music tends to get boring and doesn’t suit for you know, driving to work or washing the dishes or any other everyday activity. But I love him, so I’m willing to overlook the cheesiness. His previous album, The Evolution of Robin Thicke, was enjoyable enough, but I can’t pretend: I buy these albums because he’s hot. Here's the first single, Magic.
To look forward to in October: Jon McLaughlin, Michelle Williams, Oasis, Keri Hilson, Keane, Ingrid Michaelson, Pink, Lady Gaga, and Snow Patrol.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Le Sigh...
I haven't been feeling very organized lately. Seems like the perfect time for a list...
1. My job negotiations started today. I met with my new supervisor, her supervisor, and HR. It started out bad - they told me I wasn't going to get a raise. Well, CLEARLY they don't even know me. Like, at all. After an hour, I managed to convince them that a raise was not only a good thing, but the right thing. The good news is I'll probably get the raise I've been hoping for. The bad news is they have to start the process all over again to make that happen. I may have to wait up to six months before any salary change takes place. HR fell over themselves promising it wouldn't take that long, but I've been around enough HR people to know that I shouldn't expect anything until, oh... Christmas. Well, a raise is a pretty good present, I suppose. Meanwhile, I need to stay positive and keep my attitude in check and NOT focus on the fact that a lot can happen in six months - a very hard thing for yours truly.
2. I've been knee-deep in Alanis Morisette for the past couple of days. I celebrated her new album by listening to all her others before going to buy it. It was like my own personal Angst-by-Alanis Fest. Her lyrics are soooo amazing, even if they do make me giggle sometimes (I mean, talk about overwraught!). The new album is, as expected, incredibly wonderful. For me, it harkens back to her first two albums, in that it's so intimate and emotional. Alanis is one of my favorite song-writers because the emotions are so raw... she somehow manages to find that perfect emotional clarity... one can't help but relate. In fact, the new album is so deeply personal that I kind of feel uncomfortable at times. She's brave to expose herself through her music like she does. And seriously, if I dated Ryan Reynolds for even a hot minute and he dumped me and got engaged very shortly thereafter, I promise you I wouldn't be writing an album about it. I'd be too busy stalking him (I mean, have you seen him? Maybe I'll stalk him anyway!) and sending hate-poetry to Scarlett Johansson.
3. Have you heard of the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer? The receptionist where I work turned me on to them and I really hate to admit it, but I might be obsessed. Why am I embarassed? Well, it's young adult fiction for teenage girls. I don't have anything against young adult fiction (Helloooo... Harry Potter), but the fact that I love these books so much convinces me that I have the sensibilities of a 14 year old girl. I'm two steps away from prank-texting my crush and getting a subscription to Tiger Beat. There's hope for me, though - I'm still not into the Jonas Brothers. Let's hope I stay strong.
4. Let's talk about Garbage. Everyime I think I'm getting the hang of this domestic stuff, life throws me another foul ball, and by foul, I mean FOUL! Li'l Sis and I made fajitas the other night (they were fabulous, btw), and I was really stupid and threw the cooking waste into the garbage and forgot about it. Well, I got home today from work and the smell... Good GOD the smell... It was like an olfactory bitch-slap! I immediately took out the trash, but my apartment still REEKS! I Febreezed and everything, but now it just smells like Febreeze and Trash, which is not a good combo. I opened up my porch to air the place out, but I had to close up after killing the 9th giant bug. The worst part is I think the smell burned the inside of my nose. I smell landfill all the time now, regardless of where I am. Tomorrow I'll be paranoid that the smell is following me.
5. I'm super-pumped about *Wall-E* and am now accepting applications for a movie buddy. Bachelors Degree required. And please have all your teeth. I'll buy the popcorn if you'll drive.
1. My job negotiations started today. I met with my new supervisor, her supervisor, and HR. It started out bad - they told me I wasn't going to get a raise. Well, CLEARLY they don't even know me. Like, at all. After an hour, I managed to convince them that a raise was not only a good thing, but the right thing. The good news is I'll probably get the raise I've been hoping for. The bad news is they have to start the process all over again to make that happen. I may have to wait up to six months before any salary change takes place. HR fell over themselves promising it wouldn't take that long, but I've been around enough HR people to know that I shouldn't expect anything until, oh... Christmas. Well, a raise is a pretty good present, I suppose. Meanwhile, I need to stay positive and keep my attitude in check and NOT focus on the fact that a lot can happen in six months - a very hard thing for yours truly.
2. I've been knee-deep in Alanis Morisette for the past couple of days. I celebrated her new album by listening to all her others before going to buy it. It was like my own personal Angst-by-Alanis Fest. Her lyrics are soooo amazing, even if they do make me giggle sometimes (I mean, talk about overwraught!). The new album is, as expected, incredibly wonderful. For me, it harkens back to her first two albums, in that it's so intimate and emotional. Alanis is one of my favorite song-writers because the emotions are so raw... she somehow manages to find that perfect emotional clarity... one can't help but relate. In fact, the new album is so deeply personal that I kind of feel uncomfortable at times. She's brave to expose herself through her music like she does. And seriously, if I dated Ryan Reynolds for even a hot minute and he dumped me and got engaged very shortly thereafter, I promise you I wouldn't be writing an album about it. I'd be too busy stalking him (I mean, have you seen him? Maybe I'll stalk him anyway!) and sending hate-poetry to Scarlett Johansson.
3. Have you heard of the Twilight Series by Stephanie Meyer? The receptionist where I work turned me on to them and I really hate to admit it, but I might be obsessed. Why am I embarassed? Well, it's young adult fiction for teenage girls. I don't have anything against young adult fiction (Helloooo... Harry Potter), but the fact that I love these books so much convinces me that I have the sensibilities of a 14 year old girl. I'm two steps away from prank-texting my crush and getting a subscription to Tiger Beat. There's hope for me, though - I'm still not into the Jonas Brothers. Let's hope I stay strong.
4. Let's talk about Garbage. Everyime I think I'm getting the hang of this domestic stuff, life throws me another foul ball, and by foul, I mean FOUL! Li'l Sis and I made fajitas the other night (they were fabulous, btw), and I was really stupid and threw the cooking waste into the garbage and forgot about it. Well, I got home today from work and the smell... Good GOD the smell... It was like an olfactory bitch-slap! I immediately took out the trash, but my apartment still REEKS! I Febreezed and everything, but now it just smells like Febreeze and Trash, which is not a good combo. I opened up my porch to air the place out, but I had to close up after killing the 9th giant bug. The worst part is I think the smell burned the inside of my nose. I smell landfill all the time now, regardless of where I am. Tomorrow I'll be paranoid that the smell is following me.
5. I'm super-pumped about *Wall-E* and am now accepting applications for a movie buddy. Bachelors Degree required. And please have all your teeth. I'll buy the popcorn if you'll drive.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
MVD 6-19-08 Cyndi Lauper / Into the Nightlife...
I’ve never been a huge Cyndi Lauper fan, which is weird because I was most certainly a child of the 80’s. And of course I love Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (I have the ringtone!). I guess I just didn’t know much about her.
When her new album, Bring Ya to the Brink came out a week or two ago, I bought it on a whim because Amazon described as a dance/pop/club album, and I’m such a sucker for dance music. Ya’ll – best. Impulse. Purchazzie. EVER!
My favorite song on the album (and the first single) is called Into the Nightlife. Plug in the earphones, turn up the volume, close your eyes…
You can ask any of my friends – I don’t do clubs, but if the music is always like this, I would definitely like them more.
And seriously, I love that lyric:
Shirtless wonders wreck my sight… I’m now officially a Fan!
BONUS!
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
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