He lost his soul to a woman so heartless

Anyone who knows me, is fully aware of my undying musical love for Kanye West. His music is just so damn addicting--it's like crack, I swear.

Anyways, yesterday I said I wasn't aware of the current happenings in the music world, so today I thought I'd remedy that, and am I oh so glad I did! Kan-yeezy has released a million songs since I've been away! Okay, so I exaggerated a bit, he's released six from what I gather, two featuring Lil' Wayne, and one featuring Jeezy. Crazy dumb good! Can 808's and Heartbreaks drop this instant? Please?

And I know there are haters out there. The tracks do depart from typical Kanye fare, less hip-hop and more electronic with their heavy synth, but they're still dumb good. Seriously. I mean, if "Love Lockdown" isn't stuck in your head after one good listen, then there is something flipping wrong with you.

I'd love to yap on about my love of Mr. West's latest efforts, but there are two things beckoning me away, 1) last night's True Blood (yes, I watch that crap STFU), & 2) sleep, since I keep the opposite hours of the rest y'all. Also? Having scored Britney Spears latest, Circus, prepare yourselves for a nice update, and perhaps even a few treats.

ENJOY!

Kanye West -- Love Lockdown

Kanye West -- Heartless

Kanye West -- Coldest Winter

Kanye West feat. Young Jeezy -- Amazing

Kanye feat. Lil' Wayne -- Tell Everybody You Know

Kanye feat. Lil' Wayne -- See You In My Nightmares

Mashing! Not Just For Potatoes, Vol. 9

Yelle vs Kanye -- A Cause De Kanye

DJ Geometrix -- Intergalactic Takeover (Beastie Boys vs DJ Khaled)

DJ Zebra -- Roxanne Should Be Dancing (The Police vs Bee Gees) *fucking love this*

Divide & Kreate - Every Bleeding Breath (Leona Lewis vs The Police vs Snow Patrol)

The Whites Stripes vs The Eurythmics -- Sweet Dreams Are Made of a Seven Nation Army *must listen!*

The Hood Internet -- Can't Believe It's Life Like (T-Pain vs The Rosebuds)

The Kickdrums & The League -- Electric Touch (MGMT vs Justice vs Kanye West

Goldsmith -- Thriller Genesis (Michael Jackson vs Justice) *so seamless it hurts*

My smile will mislead you

Long hiatus, eh? I'm not going to promise you I'll update more, since I've promised you many times before, and have yet to do so.

As of late, instead of discovering new tunes and acts, I've been re-discovering some old favourites: Third Eye Blind, New Found Glory, Incubus, Nirvana, etc. Third Eye Blind has definitely hit me hard, their self-titled album is pure pop-rock brilliance in a 90 minute package. Seriously. Though the sound can be pinned to the 90's alt-rock movement, the lyrics lose none of their intelligence and potency.

Released in 1997 with killer singles like "Jumper," "Semi-Charmed Kind Of Life," and "Narcolepsy," that album followed me throughout my formative years: 7th to 12th grade. Yes, I was a mega Backstreet Boys fan, but Stephen Jenkins was that older, jaded college boy who played guitar--and how is that not attractive to a thirteen year old who grew up with two older brothers who idolized Kurt Cobain? Yes, while Jenkins has never been, nor will he ever be Kurt Cobain, you can see the connection my hormone-addled brain made. And come on, at thirteen, any guy with a guitar is hot by default, it's written down somewhere, I know it is.

Anyways, that album at twelve and thirteen didn't mean as much to me as it does now and when I was sixteen and seventeen. Re-discovering an album can be magic in what you take away from it after listening to it again. Lyrics take on a whole new meaning as your world gets bigger, and the trove of your experiences deepens. Lyrics that went above your comprehension level suddenly become prophetic if only because they've grown more relatable.

And in the current music climate, I'm afraid the magic of rediscovery is slipping. No one buys albums anymore, with iTunes selling songs separately, people download what they know and that's it. Albums are meant to be journeys, not hot spot vacations.


Ignore the fact that it says "Eric Valentine" as the artist, it's a lie.

But you're just a boy, you don't understand

Stripped of the booty-shaking riffs, given the opportunity to showcase her vocal range, and filled with enough relationship and gender angst, "If I Were A Boy" is shaping up to be an autumnal anthem for the ladies. Beyonce sounds amazing on the track, the only thing amiss are some of the lyrics--not to mention the interesting (for lack of a better word) video for the song. Some of the lyrics thrown in are a little "what the hell?" Granted, Beyonce has never been known as a brilliant songwriter, but still. Regardless, the track has definitely increased the anticipation for her upcoming album, I Am.

A broken heart that's still beating

Lifehouse, a band whose debut album saw me through my first major high school crush and my first love. Seeing as those events happened over half a decade ago, I feel old. Well, at least that is how I felt yesterday when I heard their latest single, "Broken," for the first time. The song is a solid broken-heart power ballad, and Jason's soulful voice provides that extra oomph in it. A song that I can definitely connect to.

I guess that is why this song is so potent for me. Loving and losing is hard business, a business made all the more bearable when given an anthem. "Broken" is my anthem. Now excuse me while I dig out Lifehouse's first album and relive the olden days.










And I apologise for being m.i.a. as of late, compliments of another move, and then balancing a hectic work schedule, and a busy social calendar, a girl just ain't got the same time to blog. I promise some kick ass tunes though, for realsies.

50 years of Excellency

Pardon being m.i.a. for the last month, between moving, working, and catching up with friends, this girl hasn't had time to catch her breath, let alone blog.

Why the return today? Well, the pop love of my life, Michael Joseph Jackson turns the big 5-0 today (also a birthday shout to mi amigo Dan, who runs am.fm.pm). Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson. While most don't understand you, my ears love you and are grateful to your 40+ year career. Owning all of your work from the Jackson 5 to the Jacksons, and all of your solo work (early releases like Ben included)--I just can't get enough of you.

Not having access to either of my personal computers, I can not celebrate proper, linking you all to my previous MJ posts. Everyone needs a little MJ in their life. Also to make up for lack of superb celbratory posting, I shall share a Jackson related mishap today:

Showering today, I decided to blast some MJ. Spazztic as I am, showering, singing, and dancing at the same time is not a bright idea. "Rock With You" was the culprit, sending me out of the shower and onto the floor. Embarrassing, yes, but completely and utterly hilarious.




Respects Not Given It's Earned

The Visually Delicious 5

MJ Edition of Cover Me This, Cover Me That

Thriller 25

Cover Me This Cover Me That:: The Eighth Edition

Black Keys -- No Fun (The Stooges)

Keane -- With or Without You (U2)

The Morning Benders -- Dreams (Fleetwood Mac)

Kate Nash -- Irreplacable (Beyonce)

Bridges and Powerlines -- Song #1 (Fugazi)

Two if By Sea -- Transmission (Joy Division)

Alicia Keys & Adam Levine -- Wild Horses (Rolling Stones)




Bonus!Video!Jam!
Georgie Michael -- I Can't Make You Love Me

Mashing: Not Just For Potatoes, Vol. 8

The Faint -- The Geeks Were Right (Boys Noize vs D.I.M. Remix)

10000 Spoons -- Walk teh Phant0m!!!1 - (Justice vs. Was (Not Was)) [way fun]

Flosstradamus -- Overnight Star (Twista Vs Sigur Ros)

Ursula 1000 -- Sweaty Wet Cream (Frederico Franch vs Gameboy Gamegirl vs 2 Killa Queenz)

DJ Gaston -- I Fought The Punk (Vampire Weekend vs. The Clash)

Immuzikation -- One More Time To Pretend (Daft Punk vs MGMT vs The Doors)

Starters -- Cream Your Friends (Justice vs Wu-Tang Clan)

Mix: Do I Need This?

The fact that the title of this mix has the potential to open a philosophical discussion speaks volumes 2to me at the moment, especially with the predicament I presently find myself in concerning all sectors of my life.

I am suppose to be sifting through my belongings (once again). Deciding what to scrap and what to keep, because frankly, this moving business is for the dogs, and the less I have to carry, the happier I'll be (Philosophical jump-off point number 2). Instead of sorting through my things, I am here, dicking around on the internet. C'est La Vie!


Jared Fumari -- Stay Awhile

The Young Republic -- Comes a Time


Little Teeth -- Japanese Candy [the best and worst song I have ever heard]

The Dance Party -- A List (Ambience Remix)

Bonus!Video!Jam!
Ernie and Aaron Neville -- I Don't Want to Live On the Moon

My heart is a-tellin' me I love ya still

Bob Dylan--keeper of my heart. My musical lover is playing Prospect Park on August 12th. I'd kill for tickets. Ok, maybe I am too much of a lover to ever kill anything, the point is: I want to go. Problem? Too poor. The tickets are steep, $55 for the lawn, but it's friggin' Bob Dylan.

I am actually kind of surprised tickets are still available. Last year I saw him at Bethel Woods, a venue much bigger than the Bandshell, and it sold out. The tickets were also cheaper, but that is another story.

The schemer in me says I should ask mi familia for an early Birthday present. The realist in me says it ain't gonna happen.

So this post isn't completely devoid of purpose, I present you with my one of my top five Dylan tunes, "Abandoned Love."


Bob Dylan -- Abandoned Love

Why does my heart keep singin' these rhymes?

If you're into singer-songwriters, then here is a name you need to know: Peter Bradley Adams. A little Bob Dylan-esque, a little Damien Rice, and a whole lotta good, Peter Bradley Adams is destined for big things, and I encourage you all to check him out. He's a heart and soul with a guitar, I don't know how else to describe it. Adams's songs transport me back upstate, to the long weekend drives through Pennsylvania and the Catskills. It's feel-good music that doesn't rely on phat beats and Timbaland production skills--it's simple and heartfelt.

Interesting story about Peter:
"Peter wrote a song called "So Are You To Me" for his sister's wedding. Peter had so much demand for the sheet music for weddings that now he freely gives it out to any askers on MySpace. The eastmountainsouth version of this song has sold over 17,000 downloads without a speck of promotion or a single radio spin.... Now Peter has recorded his own version of the song for Leavetaking."

How is that for impressive?

Peter was a co-founder of eastmountainsouth, a band signed to DreamWorks by Robbie Patterson (yes! THAT Robbie Robertson). Peter has since parted and released his debut solo album in 2006, Gather Up. The release of his follow-up album, Leavetaking, is scheduled for release on August 5th. Below is a song off Leavetaking, "Always."


Peter Bradley Adams -- Always


Because I know you love what you hear, check out his MySpace for more tunes, Peter Bradley Adams @ MySpace. Hell, even if you don't love what you hear, check out the rest of the songs on his MySpace page. They're amazing, personal favourites being "Longer I Run," "I'll Forget You" (reminiscent at times of Dylan's "In My Time Of Dying"), and "Under My Skin" and "Queen of Hearts."

His official site: www.peterbradleyadams.com