Tag: music

recent purchases:
garbage – beautiful garbage
carole king – tapestry

currently spinning: ryan adams – gold
ask me in a week what I think of it. i’m enjoying it so far…

current wish list:
the strokes – is this it
starsailor – love is here
jimmy eat world – bleed american

song of the hour: john mayer – no such thing

on another note, bad music manages to find its way to the ears of many a listener everywhere, especially if it’s performed by a singer as good looking as Britney Spears. I heard “Not quite a girl, not yet a woman” or whatever that stupid song is called tonight at islands. And again, I must pronounce another Britney Spears work as trash.

.. not to say that she doesn’t have her merits! It’s not possible to deny that teen pop does have its place, especially in karaoke bars across the nation. While I personally feel that “Stronger” is a great song on its own, it’s definitely not as fun to belt out drunkenly as “Hit me baby one more time” or “Lucky,” that pathos-laden too-superstar-for-U anthem. And what’s this “I’m a slave for U” business? If you’re going to do soft core, take it off already. I won’t stand for any of this “look at me wear my underwear outside of my pants!” nonsense.

throughout her career, there was at least a sense of mystery to what she was doing, that she was having fun with her image and teasing people with her “is she, or isn’t she?” question. now, that “is she or isn’t she” question is moot: it doesn’t matter what she actually is, she’s trying so very hard to be “isn’t” that there’s no use playing games anymore. before it wasn’t clear whether she wanted you or not, and that made things interesting. now you know she wants you, and the fun just isn’t there anymore!

With her new album, Britney’s thrown all measure of self-respect out the window. Instead of simply playing her role in the media as a sexy teen pop songstress, she’s actually becoming the image she’s trying very hard to portray. Sure, it’s fine to go along with her manufactured “sexpot Britney” image, but she seems to be buying into it a whole lot more than she reasonably ought to. Once you believe your own hype, you are so over. Once you start believing you are who people say you are, instead of maintaining a clear sense of self, she becomes just the boring image and not a real person with mysteries one feels like he could discover. There’s nothing keeping people guessing, and this renders her as uninteresting to watch as the next half-naked smiling blonde.

which, as most people feel, isn’t really that uninteresting anyway! but had she played her cards right, she might have been the next madonna, whom she so clearly idolizes but very obviously doesn’t have the strength of character to carry out. I’m curious to see how long she’ll last. >_

song of the hour: ryan adams – new york

Ok, I know I said I wasn’t going to any concerts this quarter, but Ryan Adams (no, not Bryan Adams!) is performing at the El Rey Theater in February. The former lead singer of Whiskeytown has a second solo cd out called “Gold” which is on my “cds to get when I actually have money” list. =) He’s been getting some radio play — his notable song is “New York, New York.” You can listen to it here.

Your House by Jimmy Eat World

when you’re on, i swear
you’re on
i think the whole room can hear me clear my throat
then out of nowhere you put me right back there
we know what happens when we get to your house
you’re winning me over with everything you say
when i let you closer,
i only want you closer

you rip my heart right out

i throw away everything i’ve written you
anything
just keep my mind off it
thinking how i had you once
no, i can’t forget that
sometimes i wish i could lose you again

if you still care at all don’t go tell me now
if you love me at all please don’t tell me now
if you love me at all
don’t call

(no real application to my life right now, but still suuuuch a good song…)

band of the moment: jimmy eat world
song of the moment: the middle

song of the hour: Jewel – Standing Still
normally I think Jewel is pretty darned annoying, with her superfluous vocal acrobatics, but this song finds her unusually restrained.. and because of this, you can actually hear how pretty her voice is!! go jewel!!

other songs of the hour:
U2 – Miss Sarajevo
Released on the “Passengers: Original Soundtracks Volume 1” CD. it’s not listed as U2, since it’s U2 with Brian Eno. Miss Sarajevo features a bridge performed by the great tenor, Luciano Pavoratti. They lyrics are beautiful.. I have them in my AIM profile right now. =)

… in Italian…
Dici che il fiume
Trova la via al mare
E come il fiume
Giungerai a me
Oltre i confini
E le terre assetate
Dici che come fiume
Come fiume
L’amore giunger
L’amore
E non so pi pregare
E nell’amore non so pi sperare
E quell’amore non so pi aspettare

…. rough translation….
You say that the river
Finds the way to the sea
And as the river
You’ll come to me
Beyond the borders
And the thirsty lands
You say that as the river
As the river
Love will come
Love
And I cannot pray anymore
And I cannot hope for love anymore
And I cannot wait for love anymore

U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
Look for the version of Rattle and Hum… it’s an awe-inspiring gospel version. :)

U2 – Please
Stripped down and raw, this is a gut-wrenching song finding a new audience in a post-september 11th world.

U2 – Kite
Moved me to tears when Bono played it. It’s a song about letting go, and Bono dedicated it to his recently passed away father…

song of the hour: DJ Tiesto – In My Memory

something I forgot to mention in the earlier posting: i’ve falling in love with rufus wainwright. =)

currently spinnings (for the past few weeks):
pj harvey – stories from the city, stories from the sea
modest mouse – this is a long drive for someone with nothing to think about
weezer – pinkerton
jeff buckley – grace
tarzan soundtrack
disney classics – volume 1
some at the drive in (does anyone have a cd I can borrow?)
weezer – blue album
travis – the invisible band
travis – the man who
travis – good feeling
judy and mary – random mix cds my friend dave made for me
U2 – live at notre dame (thanks, deeps!!! :D)

recent acquisitions:
sarah mclachlan – remixed
bush – golden state
JJ72 – JJ72
basement jaxx – rooty
joe 90 – dream this (this band opened for a counting crows show I saw a couple years back. they were pretty good!)

currently intrigued by:
ryan adams, the strokes (they’re so hyped up, i’m kinda curious to see if they’re worth it), at the drive in, remy zero (who had a great opening set at the travis show last week), STARSAILOR (they’re getting airplay on M2~!! whoohoo~!!)

happy that they’re starting to make it: STARSAILOR. they have a song called “good souls” that’s pretty spiffy. :)