SIMONE Track 16

Test #1

Test #2

Test #3

ERASURE

Check out this megamix:

http://smallmusic.info/2008/08/erasure-megamix-2008_22.html

It's awesome (in some places, just OK in others), but it is FREE!

or check out this one:

http://eleven11music.com/Megamixes.html

SHE DOES IT AGAIN!

Super-hot duet (one of two) with Beyonce... check it out, when you get the chance!

HOW MUCH DO WE LOVE...

The new Lady GaGa single?

AT LONG LAST... VICTORY!

Like all people, from time to time, I get a song stuck in my head and can't get it out. If it isn't a song or album I already own, I simply go to the iTunes store, or GoMusic.com and purchase/download the track, and... problem solved!

When a new song comes out, I may have difficulty locating it (or the exact version I want), but I almost always prevail - music, you see, is one of my main "things."

But there's been this song... on the tip of my tongue, in the back of my mind, in the corner of my consciousness, for years. Yes, years. I only knew the (end) of the chorus and the basic melody. Oh, and I can hum the unusual instrumental section like nobody's business. But (for years), tracking the song down has eluded me. You see, when somebody doesn't know a song, or only knows a few (wrong) lyrics, I'm the guy the come to. I can often point them in the right direction if I don't own the song myself. But who do I turn to when I'm stumped?

After several (useless) Google searches of the lyrics, I was even more lost, if that was possible. So I went about it methodically: I remember the song from junior high. (The 1980s.) I only heard it on KROQ. Luckily, I found a list of all the yearly countdowns of KROQ music (here). I guessed the year (1987), and went through the list.

And there it was: "Alone Again Or," by the Damned. There it was, with its strange FX, garbled lyrics and extended trumpet solo, exposing a counter melody almost too-dense for a pop song.

And now I own it, and don't just have to listen to it in my head.

ALBUM REVIEW: "Annual 2009"

I used to buy Ministry of Sound's Annual Collections every year, without fail. It was, hands-down, the best place to find hot, new dance tracks. It was one of the ways I stayed tuned-in to the club scene when I couldn't go out.

On my last trip to Amoeba Music (site here), I came across the "Annual 2009" two-disc collection in the used stacks, so I picked it up. Boy was I sorry I did that.

Maybe I'm just too "mature" for what's going on in club music... or maybe the kids over at Ministry of Sound have totally lost the plot, I dunno. What I do know is that this tweaky, grindy crazy collection of tunes didn't do it for me.

But the album wasn't a total loss. Some standout tracks include:

"Into the Nightlife" by Cyndi Lauper - listed as a remix, but it isn't

"When You Touch Me" by The Freemasons - can this group do no wrong?

"Hi Friend" by Deadmaus feat MC Flipside - a tech house/hip-hop masher

and

"Let Me Think About It" by Ida Corr vs Fedde Le Grande - awesome track, no matter how deeply you bury it in a crap album. Seriously, though... it was like a diamond hidden in a turd.

GREAT FOOD, GREAT SERVICE

It's no secret, I love Carl's Jr.'s Western Bacon Cheeseburger. And I love the commercial Top Chef's Padma did for them. (You can watch it here.)

What I didn't say is how much I love the music in the commercial. I sent an email to the company (via the Hardees site), asking about it. This was about a week ago. Today, I got an email from them. Turns out the song is called "Round the World" by Chris Winston featuring Aisha Francis.

Not only did they respond to my crazed-fan mail request, they did it quickly and professionally. I know the founder of Carl's Jr. is a right-wing nutjob, but kudos to his employees for the awesome food and kick-@ss customer service.

Unlike Staples (long story for another day), Carl's has a customer for life.

ACCORDING TO FACEBOOK...

Every day I find myself with a new Facebook Quiz. Sometimes, I take them. Most of the time... I don't.

I took the "What Madonna Song Are You?" Quiz. And like all the other Facebook questionnaires, this one was riddled with spelling and grammar mistakes. No, not mistakes. Crimes against humanity.

But I looked past the horrible grammar and "creative" spelling and answered the questions. According to Facebook, the Madonna song I'm most like is:

DID YOU SAY GAGA or CACA?

There's a lady artist (or maybe a m'lady, not sure about this) named Lady GaGa who seems to have penetrated every facet of my life in the last few months.

I first hear her/him/hisr a while back on the radio, without knowing who she/he/shim was. I remember thinking, Wow, this beat is hot, but who is this horrible vocalist? And is singing about being too drunk to keep her clothes on?

Then, at the gym, I saw a video for "Poker Face" which (again) had me thinking, What an interesting tune... and what a horrible tranny mess of a vocalist.

Against my better judgment, I went digging on the interwebs and iTurds and found Lady CaCa. And since then, she's been on the video screen at the gym, on MTV Tr3s (yes, they still show music), was featured in an episode of one of my fave new shows (Dollhouse) and has been on the two pop radio stations I listen to on the way to school.

Let me be clear: I don't like her. I almost hate her, and her trashy, horrible music. But her tracks have kind of become part of the defacto soundtrack to my life right now.

I'm not sure how to feel about this...

THE TIDE IS HIGH...

But I'm holding on!

I've had this song stuck in head/stuck in a replay loop for the past several weeks. But it wasn't until I loaded it into iTunes that I noticed something odd. The artwork says Kardinal Offishall feat Keri Hilson, but the version I have clearly features Rihanna.

What gives? Why the two versions? I'm awake a little earlier than I would like to be, for a Saturday morning, and these are the things I ponder when that happens.

I'm not sure which version I like better. There's a post on Officially Hip-Hop.com that explains this a little better, here. Any thoughts/comments out there?

REALLY? GRAMMY EDITION

Really, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences?
The Jon-ass Brothers with Stevie Wonder? They were trying to do one of those groove-in-your-face kind of things, and all I could think was, He's blind! You can groove in his face, and he won't ever know it... so what's the point?

Really, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences?
T.I.? 'Nuff said.

Really, T.I.?
I heard your bellyaching about how "character will take you places money never will," and all I could think was, Funny, 'cause your character is about to get you sent to jail.

Really, Whitney Houston?
You looked like you were off the drugs... looked. But you sounded like you'd been huffing paint.

Really, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences?
Horrible show. Next time, don't have "The Rock" give the 'humorous' speech about how much he loves the Grammys.

JANUARY TUNES

I haven't done a post like this in a long time, but here goes... rockin' my pod this month (in no particular order):

Circus [Album Version] Britney Spears - Yum

Whatcha Think About That [Stonebridge Club Mix] Pussycat Dolls feat Missy Elliott - Love, love, love this hot remix of an so-so track

Magic [Album Version] Robin Thicke - Great track (too bad it already came out, in another version in the 70s)

4 Minutes [Bob Sinclair Space Funk Mix] Madonna feat Justin Timberlake - A new take on a hot track

The Creeps [Ganga Mix] Camille Jones - A slick, hot little version of one of my favorite tunes

When You Touch Me [Freemasons Club Mix] Freemasons - Disco house funk groove booty shaker

Breakin' Dishes [Soulseekerz Club Mix] Rihanna - Great little remix of a lesser-known Rihanna song

F**cking Boyfriend [Ralphi Rosario Remix] The Bird & The Bee - Dirty song title, great song on the treadmill

I Think He's Gay [Album Version] Pussy Tourette - Wishful thinking on my part, I guess

Defying Gravity [Original Cast Recording] Wicked! The Musical - This one always makes me feel like I'm soaring

U R SO CUTE!

The other night, my older sister (lesbian, flight attendant) mentioned she thought Katy Perry was a one-hit wonder. ("I Kissed A Girl" was playing on MTV Tr3s.)

"No, she isn't," I shot back.

"Well, she only has one song, and it was a hit, so..." she responded.

I told her about "Hot N Cold" and how cute the video was. But then I began wondering about what her next single was. I did a little e-search, and discovered there was a discrepancy as to what her actual "next" single was.

It seems she released two songs, at the same time, after "Hot & Cold." One of those tracks was "UR So Gay." While not as catchy, as her other singles, I have to say I liked it. It did take me a second to 'get' the song. (Lyrics include, "you're so gay, and you don't even like boys.")

For a funnier, alternate version of the cover art, click here.

I'VE BEEN SHOWERING TO:

Deee-Lite's World Clique, and I noticed some minor (but undeniable) similarities between track #3 and Madonna's "Rescue Me."

I'm just saying...

I'VE BEEN ENJOYING

Tears Roll Down, Tears For Fears' Greatest Hits CD.

MUSIC MILES

One of the few (and only) decent singles from Madonna's last album was "Miles Away," now her newest single. I love the original, but was a tad let down by the remixes. (You can sample them here.) I usually like remixes from Jacques Lu Cont (remixing here, under the name Thin White Duke), but it's the Vicious Remix I liked the best.

For some strange reason, iTunes doesn't feature this single (at least, not yet).

ILL-TYPE SOUNDS

I've been rockin' an old Mixmag Promo CD, Instant Party, mixed by Krafty Kuts. It's a blend of supa ol'skookl jams and 90s electro, and it rocks hard, and takes no prisoners. I've listened to every day this week, and some days, it was the only CD I listened to both to and from campus.

Just remember - it ain't ol'skool if you still livin' it.

MMM... TASTES LIKE THE 90s

I love that both Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera have albums/singles out at the same time... just like the old days, a double serving of yummy in my tummy pop music.

I have noticed, however, how similar Womanizer and Keeps Gettin' Better sound - they both have that 6/8, swing sort of feel.

I don't care, though, I still love it!

OH SEND A MAN...

I spent a better part of last week on the couch, watching TV. I caught part of the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, with Pierce Brosnan and the delicious Renee Russo (IMDB for the film here).

The final sequence features a performance of Sinnerman (Wiki page here) by the incomparable Nina Simone. The song is a "traditional" spiritual (show me a non-traditional spiritual, and I'll remove the quote marks), but Simone puts her one-of-a-kind stamp on it.

Here is the song, as it appears in the movie (check out the cameo from Sex & The City's The Turtle):



I've had this song in my head the past few mornings - it's been overcast - Simone's haunting, gorgeous vocals just seem to fit my mood, and the weather.

MUSIC TRACKER

If you're a Nip/Tuck fan, like I am, then you're pretty jazzed about the start of Season 6 this January. (Actually, January is shaping up to be an incredible month for TV, so I'm glad I'll have some time off. But more on that later.)

If you've seen N/T's new promos, you're also wondering who performs the song in the spot. And it is "Flashing Lights," from "Graduation," by colossal douche, ego-maniac Kanye West.