So, And Thus...

So, And Thus... 5 Years!

LA LA LA LA LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

5 Years!

(Well, yesterday it was 5 years.)

Thank you for coming to visit the website. Making some decision this year. We'll see what happens.

 

2010 - The Year in Music

2010 was really a great year for music. It seems that everyone was on their game... well, almost everyone (As Madonna would say, "you'll see").

Again, I have my friends and the "internets" to thank for exposing me to some hidden gems. There's only so much you can discover on your own.

Attention all bloggers: Keep up the great work!

My Top 10 Albums for 2010

1. Goldfrapp - Head First
   • 

     "Head First" (Goldfrapp)

   • They top my list... again! Solid melodies and fun arrangements on this 80's flavored album. I love how this group isn't afraid to change it's sound. These songs will stick in your head.
2. Kylie Minogue - Aphrodite
   • 

     "Aphrodite" (Kylie Minogue)

   • Great dance record. Kylie doing what Kylie does best. Executive producer Stuart Price was a great choice.
3. Deluka - You Are The Night
   • 

     "You Are The Night" (Deluka)

   • Dance +  rock +  punk = all fun! Solid songs. I swear I can I hear Deborah Harry in her voice.
4. Pipettes - Earth vs. The Pipettes
   • 

     "Earth Vs the Pipettes" (Pipettes)

   • Fun , fun, fun, fun, fun! There are hints of the 60's sounds used on the first album, but this one takes on an 80s feel, possibly because of producer Martin Rushent (who produced Human League). The trio of original members are all gone, but the duo, sisters Gwenno and Ani Saunders, are perfect for the groups new direction. Think of Bananarama with more pizzaz!
5. Marina and the Diamonds - The Family Jewels
   • 

     "The Family Jewels" (Marina And The Diamonds)

   • Love how creative she is. Lot of character to her voice. Could she be the daughter of Lene Lovich?!
6. Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
   •  
   
              "All You Need Is Now" (Duran Duran)
       
   
   • This album just came out, but it made such an impact on me. Glad to hear them go back to their roots. Mark Ronson did a great job producing the album with the group.
     
   
   
7. School of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire
   • 

     "Disconnect From Desire (Dig)" (School of Seven Bells)

   • Another group with sisters (Claudia and Alejandra Deheza)! Album feels like it could have been from late 80s, early 90s. Reminds me of groups like the Cocteau Twins and Voice of the Beehive. I really miss this type of music. This album probably should be higher on my list, but I though it would be appropriate to keep it at number 7.
8. Seal - Seal 6: Commitment
   • 

     "6: Commitment" (Seal)

   • Seal returns to his Art-Pop sound on this one, though there is a lot on this album suited for adult contemporary audiences. David Foster Captures the essence of Seal's early sound, stretching more than I've every heard him in the past. Foster's production might not be as adventurous as Trevor Horns' production, but it's clean and it works.
9. Tracey Thorn - Love And Its Opposite
   • 

     "Love & Its Opposite" (Tracey Thorn)

   • More of an acoustic setting compared to her last album. Much of this album reminds me of Everything But The Girl in the late 80s, which could never be wrong.
10. HURTS - Happiness
    • 

      "Happiness" (Hurts)

    • Love the mood of this album. It's grand and cold, like a landscape of ice.

 

Honorable Mentions:

• The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting The Maters Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates
  • 

    "Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates" (The Bird and the Bee)

• Dragonette - Mixin' to Thrill
  • 
    "Mixin' To Thrill" (Dragonette)
    
    
• Fibes, Oh Fibes! - 1987
  
  • (ok, I know this came out last year, but I discovered it this year)

    "1987" (Fibes Oh Fibes)

• Gabriella Cilmi - Ten
  
  • 

    "Ten (Incl. Bonus Track)" (Gabriella Cilmi)

• Katie Melua - The House
  • 

    "The House" (Katie Melua)

• Robyn - Body Talk Pt. x
  • 

    "Body Talk" (Robyn)

• Scissor Sisters - Night Work
  • 

    "Night Work" (Scissor Sisters)

• Shelby Lynne - Tears, Lies & Alibis
  
  • 

    "Tears, Lies, And Alibis" (Shelby Lynne)

• Shena - 2079
  • 

    "2079" (Shena)

Moments this year:

• Alexis Jordan - Happiness (Dave Aude Mix)
• Chris Sorbello - So Lonely
• Deluka - Cascade
• Donna Summer - To Paris With Love
• Dragonette - Easy (Buffetliber Mix)
• Dragonette - Our Summer
• Duran Duran - All You Need Is Now
• Gabriella Cilmi - Hearts Don't Lie
• Gabriella Cilmi - On A Mission
• Goldfrapp - Alive
• Goldfrapp - Rocket
• HURTS - Wonderful Life (Freemasons Mix)
• Incognito (featuring Chaka Khan & Mario Biondi) - Lowdown
• Katie Melua - The Flood
• Kelly Rowland - Commander
• Kylie Minogue - All The Lovers
• Kylie Minogue - Get Outta My Way
• Marina and the Diamonds - Oh No!
• Marina and the Diamonds - Shampain
• Mark Ronson - Bang Bang Bang
• Mary J. Blige - Whole Lotta Love
• Matt Alber - End of the World (Morgan Page Pop Mix)
• The Pipettes - Call Me
• Robbie Williams - Starstruck
• Robyn - Daning On My Own
• Scissor Sisters - Invisible Light
• Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Bittersweet

 

Biggest Disappointments:

• Sade - Soldier of Love
  • I was SO disappointed with this album. There was nothing memorable for me. Nothing matched even the poorest of songs from their previous albums. Yes, the album is safe to put on a background music, but it doesn't hold any interest for those who want to listen intently.
• Sia - We Are Born
  • There are moments on this album that are great (Like her version of "Oh Father" and the upbeat "You've Changed"), but the rest of the album just didn't hit me.. and I really tried to like it.

Russ Rose Develops Characters

If you don't following volleyball, then you might not know that the Penn State Women's Volleyball team has been breaking records over the past 4 season. This season, they became the first team ever to win four national championships in a row. Last year, the were the first team to win three in a row.

Their coach, Russ Rose, became the first coach to win five NCAA titles.

I have a lot of respect for Russ Rose. He knows how to get results. He understands that it take all kind of players to make a team.

Penn State coach Russ Rose: Developing character ... and characters - espnW

"I'm different than a lot of other people. I'm not judgmental in any way on anything. People might avoid kids that don't look like they play well with others or have eating issues or sexuality issues. I don't care about those things. The world is made up of a lot of different groups. If you want to go somewhere and do something, you can do it here."

"I think you can only be your best when you're the most comfortable. If you have to live in a closet, life's really hard. You're alone. Life's tough enough when you have to interact with people. It's really tough if you have to do it alone."

After reading this, my respect for him grew even more.

I wrote an email to "Coach", congratulating him on the win. He responded with a nice note.

The 2010 Holiday Video Card

Koala Holiday 2010

 

Hope you enjoy it.

Did you know...

• These is no "video" for 2009 since I was majorly stressed.
• Ein Oso makes cameo appearances in this video.
• La Magnifica makes a cameo appearance in this video.
• Koala works so hard on these projects that sometimes he doesn't eat.
• I've discovered that there aren't a lot of fun Christmas songs out there.
• No koalas were harming durning the making of this video.

New Song-writing Reality Show

Looks like Bravo has a new show with former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi:

AP News | Star-Exponent

"Going Platinum" will be a song-writing competition that pits contestants against one another as they live together, all vying for a $100,000 grand prize.

DioGuardi will be head judge of the 10-episode series. Singer-songwriter Jewel will serve as host.

Can someone write some new teeth for Jewel?

No More Walkman

I didn't even know there were still making these things:

Goodbye Walkman, thanks for the iPod | Apple - CNET News

Sony has announced it will retire the Walkman tape player in Japan, marking the sad end of one of the most successful consumer gadgets of all time.

I had quite a few Walkmans (Walkmen?) when I was growing up. My favorite was my splash-proof yellow one, complete with hand grip! People now take it for granted that you can access a ton of your music whenever you want, but back then, it was such a great new concept.

My Walkman really helped me through my parent's divorce. I wanted to be alone and walking was how I spent most of my time. I walked so much during that time and remember two albums in particular that helped me through a tough time: Steve Perry's "Street Talk" and Prince's "Purple Rain".

Another Golden Girl Gone: Rue McClanahan

Boy does this make me feel old. So sad to see our Golden Girls pass on. They really did bring a lot of laughter to my life.

AP News | Culpeper Star-Exponent

NEW YORK (AP) -- Rue McClanahan, the Emmy-winning actress who brought the sexually liberated Southern belle Blanche Devereaux to life on the hit TV series "The Golden Girls," has died. She was 76.

Her manager Barbara Lawrence said McClanahan died Thursday at 1 a.m. of a stroke.

Melissa Etheridge Separates From Partner

Life Happens.

AP News | Culpeper Star-Exponent

Rocker Melissa Etheridge and her partner, actress Tammy Lynn Michaels Etheridge, have announced their separation. In a statement Thursday, they asked for "consideration and respect for our family as we go through this difficult period."

It's sad to hear when couples separate. Of course, it could be the best thing for both of them, but that isn't the first thing most of us think about when we hear "separation". Maybe I romanticize relationships too much and think that every relationship starts with the hope that it will be "the one".

Part of me wishes gay couples in the public eye wouldn't have any problems and would stay together forever. I want to show non-supporters that we can make it through anything. But I know that gay relationships no different than straight relationships, and that means anything and everything can happen.

Good luck, girls.

Ohm Studio - Online Music Collaboration

This looks like a great way to collaborate with other musicians.

Ohm Force unveils Ohm Studio - Real Time Collaborative Music Software - MacMusic

Ohm Force is announcing the first real collaborative music workstation in the history of music production: the Ohm Studio — a project with which they aspire to redefine the meaning of online music collaboration.

We're talking about real time collaborative MIDI/audio editing, envelopes, a piano roll, audio effects, and virtual instruments: the very same tools we computer based musicians already enjoy, but that you'll now be able to use with your friends, online.

This is basically a portal for an online community. You will be able to post a profile and search for other musicians.

Right now, Ohm Studio looks like it can only handle midi information and effects. I hope they would develop a way to get audio into the system to open up collaboration with vocalists and instrumentalists.

It would be nice to see other music production companies work on collaboration tools like this.

Toy Story 3

Some Highlights from Daniel Terdiman's take on an advanced screening of Toy Story 3.

Pixar's 'Toy Story 3' a very big winner | Geek Gestalt - CNET News

Let me just say it now: "Toy Story 3" is fantastic. I saw an advanced screening Thursday night, and going back over the notes I took in the dark theater at Pixar's headquarters here, I find this that I wrote about a third of the way into the film: "I already know it's a BIG hit."

At Pixar's request, those of us in the room for the screening are constrained about what we can say. Director Lee Unkrich, who spoke prior to the film along with producer Darla Anderson, pleaded with the audience not to reveal anything about the plot and to "preserve the specialness" for the rest of the world to discover for themselves when "Toy Story 3" opens on June 18.

...

In one scene, a horde of small children at the day care center burst through a door and within seconds absolutely overtake our toy heroes. In my notes, I wrote, simply, "One of the best chaos scenes ever!"

...

"Toy Story 3" seemed like it would be a natural stumbling moment. After all, as someone wrote me on Twitter this evening, "When was the last time (was there a last time) when any movie [with] a '3' at the end was great?"

...

A convert
Now, after having sat through "Toy Story 3," albeit a version that's not 100 percent complete--Unkrich, Anderson, and their team still have about five weeks to work on it, after all--I can say without reservation that I am a full-on convert. They hit it out of the park, and as a viewer, you know that's true within minutes.

How? Well, through great storytelling, through finding the exact right way to send Andy off to college, and yet still leave room for a "Toy Story 4." By keeping us on the edge of our seats with great drama and by really making us care what happens to these, well, toys. Again.

I can be emotional sometimes, and I'm not ashamed to say that the end of the movie made me cry. I know I'm not the only one because I heard someone in the row behind me say to their friend when it was over, "stop crying." But how could I not? Pixar, yet again, has managed to turn animated silliness into top-tier filmmaking that tugs our heartstrings, that makes us laugh time and time again, that gives us white knuckles, that will appeal to kids and their parents--and even those without children--and yet, unlike most of its competitors, manages to do so without stooping to scene after scene with little more than tired scatological jokes.

Pixar makes movies that you can watch again and again (ask my husband) and still be entertained. They have some of the most creative people in the world working at the company. It just amazes me how they haven't run out of ideas.

I can't wait to see this movie!!

The Clinton School Speaker Series - Rachel Maddow

Most of my friends know how much I looooooove Rachel Maddow. She's smart, fair, well-spoken and has this uncanny ability to hold so much information in her head. I also find her very funny!

I watched this video the other day (an hour long) and found myself wishing it were longer. She's a real person who really wants to share the truth.

Rachel Maddow - Rachel Maddow - The Clinton School Speaker Series - Inspiring Ideas and Action

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, host of “The Rachel Maddow Show,” discusses health care reform, politics and other topics as part of the Clinton School Speaker Series. Other topics discussed included her upbringing in suburban California, her academic studies in Oxford and her transition from radio to becoming America’s first openly gay cable news host. "The Rachel Maddow Show" features her take on the biggest stories of the day – political and otherwise – including lively debate and interviews with guests from all sides of the issues.

I would love to meet her one day.

Goldfrapp - Head First

Leave it to Goldfrapp for bringing me back to my blog.

"Head First" (Goldfrapp)

This week, Goldfrapp released "Head First", their 5th studio album. As with their other albums, Goldfrapp shows they are unafraid to take chances by changing styles.

It's apparent from the very first listen that the duo was having a lot of fun making this album. If you're looking for an "up" album, this is the one. Each song is so memorable and melodic, I bet you'll be singing a chorus or two in your head while you're trying to go sleep at night (yes, and it drove me crazy). Needless to say, I've been playing it like crazy.

As far as the songwriting goes, Goldfrapp basically kept to their style. What sets this set apart from previous releases is the 80s production. Not only did they master the feel of the era, but they improved it. I'm not sure if Goldfrapp meant to be obvious, but I can definitely hear specific 80s songs use as influences. In fact, this could almost be seen as a remake album. Sorta.

So the next time you take a listen to "Head FIrst", think about these songs and how they might have influenced the duo:

• Rocket - Van Halen "Jump"? or perhaps a Pointer Sisters' song?
• Believer - "Young Turks" by Rod Stuart. Even the chorus borrows from the synth hook at the start of Rod's song.
• Alive - Mixes two songs by Billy Joel, "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me" (rhythmic patter of melody in verse) and "My Life".
• Dreaming - ok, I can't come up with one for this. Maybe Book Of Love?. If you can think of a song this one sounds like, post the title.
• Head FIrst - ABBA all over the place!
• Hunt - Mixes Art of Noise "Moments In Love" with Eurythmics "Who's That Girl".
• Shiny And Warm - Prince "Let's Pretend We're Married". Bass line and even the claps are there.
• I Wanna Life - Mixes Taylor Dayne "Don't Rush Me" and Corey Hart "Sunglasses At Night".
• Voicething - um... um... um... um... not sure.

Music - The Science Of Why We Like It

Just why do we like music? Can it be easily explained?

The science of music fascinates me. Ever since I was told that I have perfect pitch, I wanted to understand why each of us hears things differently. I wanted to know if tone deaf people enjoyed music the same way I did. I wanted to know why some people were tone deaf and what were my best options for keeping them away from me during a sing-along. I wanted to know how experience with music changes our taste in it.

According to this Abstract on ScienceDirect, when we're listening to music, our brain is predicting where the melody is going to go.

From Musical Predictions by Jonah Lehrer (via Andrew Sullivan):

The paper consists of a computational model and and an experiment. The model essentially demonstrated that statistical predictions based on our personal listening experience - because I listen to Bruce Springsteen, I'm able to predict the melodies of John Mellencamp - was much better at simulating the mind than a rule-based model, in which our expectations are fixed and inflexible.

Basically, since almost all music has been based on a traditional Western tuning since the 1600s, we've gotten quite used to it. We know how melodies usually go in terms of phrasing and structure. If you think about it, there are a finite number of melodies that we can create since we limited to 12 notes (traditionally speaking). Melodies are bound to repeat themselves. Sounds depressing, does it?

The experiment was more compelling. The scientists measured the brain waves of a twenty subjects while they listened to various hymns. It turned out that unexpected notes - pitches that violated the previous melodic pattern - triggered an interesting sequence of neural events and a spike in brain activity.

More than just a violation in a melodic patter, I believe when the function of a note (in a certain key) changes,  a spike in brain activity would occur. Leaning notes or passing notes would be examples of a change in a melodic pattern. But a change in harmony while keeping the melody pattern the same would then change where the note would fall in the implied new key. Jobim's "One Note Samba" is a good example of this.

There are two interesting takeaways from this experiment. The first is that music hijacks some very fundamental neural mechanisms. The brain is designed to learn by association: if this, then that. Music works by subtly toying with our expected associations, enticing us to make predictions about what note will come next, and then confronting us with our prediction errors. In other words, every melody manipulates the same essential mechanisms we use to make sense of reality.

So somehow, through our exposure to music, we've learned that there are patterns to melody. We subconsciously know were melodies are supposed to go. Does hearing what we anticipate gives us a sense of satisfaction?

The second takeaway is that music requires surprise, the dissonance of "low-probability notes". While most people think about music in terms of aesthetic beauty - we like pretty consonant pitches arranged in pretty patterns - that's exactly backwards. The point of the prettiness is to set up the surprise, to frame the deviance. (That's why the unexpected pitches triggered the most brain activity, synchronizing the activity of brain regions involved in motor movement and emotion.)

Ah! It's the surprise that we like! I would like to add that finding the melodic "home" after a deviance does bring about that sense of satisfaction. Just the other day, I was talking to my hubby about something similar to this. I told him how much I enjoyed dissonance in music and how it was necessary in order feel a sense of resolution.

Can we enjoy music if we are not stimulated? Sure. Even I like some Bananarama every once in a while. But constantly listening to music that doesn't deviate from a diatonic scale would start to bore me quickly. To me, there are different ways to listen to music, some ways are more active than others. I believe musicians and listeners who innately understand music function and structure tend to be more active in their music listening even when they are not aware of it.

And just who supplies my brain activity fix? Classically, it's Debussy and Poulenc. In popular music, to name a few, it's Basia, The Bird and the Bee, Brenda Russel, Carly Simon, Goldfrapp, k.d. lang, Kate Bush, Seal, Swing Out Sister, Vanessa Daou, Wendy & Lisa... (I know, I said a few. Sorry! There are so many more I want to mention...)

In terms of popular music, I guess my years of music training have jaded me a little. For my "active" listening, I've become an "album track" guy. I gravitate towards the songs that the A&R guys don't release. I appreciate a good verse more than a predictable chorus. I enjoy the suspension of a bridge (pun intended!) before it settles into something familiar. And most of all, I savor a great middle section that takes a grand departure!

New Bird and the Bee - Hall and Oates Tribute Album

Caught this on Twitter from @MrSteveAnderson and found info on this blog:

This Is My Happening: The Bird and the Bee Salute Hall and Oates

Regarding the upcoming Hall and Oates tribute album, band members are squelching rumors of hipster tongues implanted in cheeks. Greg Kurstin said, "There’s definitely no irony. They’re great songwriters and these are great songs.” and Inara George adds, “It was exciting to discover what an amazing singer Daryl Hall is.”

The upcoming tribute album, Guiltless Pleasures Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates will be released on Blue Note Records March 23.






Guiltless Pleasures Volume 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall And John Oates track list:

1. Heard It On The Radio
2. I Can’t Go For That
3. Rich Girl
4. Sarah Smile
5. Kiss On My List
6. Maneater
7. She’s Gone
8. Private Eyes
9. One on One

Does Greg Kurstin ever take a break?! I'm glad he doesn't, 'cause I enjoy his work immensely. The Bird and the Bee had done quite a few excellent covers over the years. Take a listen to the Rihanna cover "Please Don't Stop The Music" and the Bee Gees cover "How Deep Is Your Love" to get an idea. This is going to be great!

Avatar Officially Becomes All-time #1

Makes you feel all blue inside.

'Avatar' breaks 'Titanic' worldwide record

After six rounds on the foreign circuit, "Avatar" is now the biggest-grossing film of all time, as earlier predicted.

Distributor 20th Century Fox said the James Cameron mega-budget blockbuster's worldwide cume -- excluding Puerto Rico -- was through the weekend just $2 million shy of "Titanic's" global boxoffice record of $1.843 billion. (Boxoffice in Puerto Rico, although generated offshore, is considered by Fox as part of its domestic total.)

The distributor confirmed that "Titanic's" historic benchmark fell as of early Monday.

"Avatar" rolled up an overseas cume through Sunday of $1.292 billion, exceeding by $50.1 million "Titanic's" 13-year international boxoffice record of $1.242 billion. The foreign record actually fell Saturday, as earlier predicted.

James Cameron is just amazing. Congratulations.

AT&T And iPhone To Have An "Open" Relationship?

Relationship status change: It's complicated.

AT&T Insiders Report iPhone Exclusivity Going Away On Wednesday - HotHardware

According to an inside source close to the going-ons involved in all of this, a new tablet of some sort may not be the only thing on deck for next Wednesday though. We have been led to believe by an inside source that AT&T will lose their iPhone exclusivity on the same day, though it's not yet clear what other carrier (or carriers) will be stepping in to also carry the phone.

This blog is talking about the Apple event schedule for Wednesday, January 27.

Of course we won't really know if AT&T will lose their exclusive carrier rights until this Wednesday, but there has been so much talk about this for quite some time now, I would tend to believe the rumor.

So all you old Verizon customers out there, please switch back so our network won't be so taxed!

So, And Thus... 4 Years!

(I like Koala's beauty mark)

Grab a beer and celebrate with us! So, And Thus... 4 Year!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by!

New Star Blazers Trailer. (Space Cruiser Yamato.)

From my/our childhood a beloved classic is "reborn."  Along with Speed Racer and Kimba the White Lion, Star Blazers (Space Cruiser Yamato.) was a 70's Anime T.V. series that introduced adult themes and storylines to American children. (As well as the incredibly cool "Wave Motion Gun.")

I liked the second trailer best especially the robot's voice (LOL.)

Hat Tip: io9
http://io9.com/5350661/after-seeing-this-new-star-blazers-trailer-were-definitely-off-to-outer-space

Spider-Man Film Franchise Changes Direction

No more Sam Raimi (director) and Tobey Maguire.

AP News | Culpeper Star-Exponent

The 34-year-old actor and "Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi will not be returning to the superhero franchise next year. Instead, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios announced Monday that a new "Spider-Man" film based on a script by James Vanderbilt that focuses on Peter Parker in high school would debut in the summer of 2012 with a new cast and filmmaking team.

"I am so proud of what we accomplished with the 'Spider-Man' franchise over the last decade," Maguire said in a statement Monday. "Beyond the films themselves, I have formed some deep and lasting friendships. I am excited to see the next chapter unfold in this incredible story."

"Working on the 'Spider-Man' movies was the experience of a lifetime for me," Raimi, who directed all three "Spider-Man" films, also said in a statement Monday. "While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job."

Spidey in High School? Well, I guess this is a new way to bring this character to a younger audience. I hope this means the annoying Kirsten Dunst won't be in the film.

Chick-less?

New music from the two sisters in the Dixie Chicks.

AP News | Culpeper Star-Exponent

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Two members of the Dixie Chicks - minus lead singer Natalie Maines - are preparing to release a new album this year.

According to CMT.com, sisters Martie Maguire and Emily Robison are working on a project to be released on Columbia Records.

However, Lloyd Maines, Natalie's father, tells CMT.com that the three girls are "definitely still an entity." He says the sisters are "cutting some demos" and that Natalie recorded "a little something with them" about a year ago

I want to know where they'll start working on the next Dixie Chicks album.

Cover for New Goldfrapp Album "Head First"

I... can't... wait!

album cover « Goldfrapp - Blog

My Top 15 Albums of 2009

2009 is over! It wasn't a bad year, just a little difficult. Glad I had great some music to get me through.

So what was I listening to in 2009? Well, thanks to handy-dandy iTunes, I was able to group all my new music for the year and see how frequently I listened to certain songs and albums. I just love databases! (it's the geek in me.)

Thank you to all my friends and to all the bloggers out there that kept an ear out for the good music.

And now, here are my top 15 album for 2009. Though most of the list is not in any specific order, the first 4 albums listed below definitely topped my list.

1. Pet Shop Boys - Yes
2. 
   "Yes" (Pet Shop Boys)
   
   
   What a great pop-dance album. Xenomania's production was perfect for the Boys. What would make this album even better? Get rid of "All Over The World" and add "We're All Criminals Now" and "This Used To Be The Future", both from the bonus disc.
   
   
   
   
   
3. The Bird and the Bee - Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future
   
4. 
   
   "Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future" (the bird and the bee)
   

   Superb pop songs, killer arrangements, thick vocal harmonies... It's like biting into a York Peppermint Pattie! I love Greg Kurstin's work. He's a great songwriter and producer. Inara George, who co-wrote and co-produced the album, has such a sweet voice. Just prefect. The chorus to "Diamond Dave" still sends chills up my spine!

7. Robbie Williams - Reality Killed the Video Star
   
8. 
   
   "Reality Killed the Video Star" (Robbie Williams)
9. 
   
10. This is one of those classic Trevor Horn albums that we'll be talking about for years. I feel like Horn was inspired by his own best productions when he worked on this project. There were elements of Art Of Noise, ABC, Seal, and Pet Shop Boys woven into all over these songs. And the beautiful string arrangements by Anne Dudley just sent me over the top. Williams' lyrics seem to have taken on a new direction. They can still be very tongue in cheek, but I sense that he wants to be taken seriously.

1. Skye - Keeping Secrets

   

   "Keeping Secrets" (Skye)

2. I just love the feel of this album. It just flows along. Skye's voice is so soothing. Even on the upbeat songs "The Shape I'm In" and "Almost Killed Me", Skye sounds like she's gliding on water. She is an artist who concentrates on the craft of good songwriting. I wish more people knew about her.
   

3. 
   
4. Dragonette - Fixin To Thrill
   

5. 
   
   "Fixin to Thrill" (Dragonette)
   

6. Fun fun fun fun fun! 80s influence all the way!

9. Lily Allen - It's Not Me, It's You

10. 
    
    "It's Not Me, It's You" (Lily Allen)
    

11. I really didn't expect Allen to deliver an album like this, but it was "The Fear" (lead single) that made me take notice. "F*** You" became the unofficial answer to the Bush administration. How could I not love her?!

14. Yeah Yeah Yeas - It's Blitz!

15. 
    
    "It's Blitz!" (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
    

16. The Yeahs took a page out of Giorgio Moroder's book on this one. I felt that the songs on this album were more accessible than on previous albums. Karen O's voice and her delivery are so unique. Love her!

19. Gossip - Music For Men
    

20. 
    
    "Music for Men" (Gossip)
    

21. Raw aggression. An unconventional lead singer. Dance-punk feel. Love the album title. I can see this entire album being remixed and re-released: "Music For Queens".

24. Leona Lewis - Echo

25. 
    
    "ECHO" (Leona Lewis)
    

26. The only reason I bought this album is because it was on sale. But Wow! What a solid pop album! I think she is going to be the one who fills the void that Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion left behind. I'm glad the powers that be went for a pop-R&B feel and not a pure R&B sound. ECHO has one of the best hidden tracks I've ever heard: the dramatic "Stone Hearts".

29. Mica Paris - Born Again

30. 
    
    "Born Again" (Mica Paris)
    

31. What a nice surprise to hear some good music from Mica! Her last few albums were such disappointments that I had almost written her off. And she still has pipes! A lot of the album has a 60s/ 70s R&B feel (Motown and Philly), which fits perfectly with her voice. Among the gems on this album is a beautiful acoustic version of "My One Temptation", one of my favorite songs from her first album. Welcome back, Mica.

33. Eliane Elias - Bossa Nova Stories

    
    
    "Bossa Nova Stories" (Eliane Elias)
34. 
    
    Not as good as Dreamer (2004), but still such an enjoyable collection. Her vocals have really matured since she first started singing on her albums.
35. 
    

    Annie - Don't Stop

    
    
    "Don't Stop" (Annie)
36. 
    
    Nice to see this finally released. I had an unreleased version a year ago and listened to it all the time. Now that she has an official release (with a few new songs), I wanted to include it in my list. If you want fun dance-pop that you can sing along to, this is the album.
    
37. 
    
    
    
    Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
    
    

    "Two Suns" (Bat for Lashes)
    

    
    

    She reminds me of Kate Bush, Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos and Vanessa Daou... that's why I like her! Very moody.
    
38. 
    
39. 
    

    Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

    
    

    "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" (Phoenix)
    

    
    

    You know those commercials that have fun music? The ones where you realized that you're bopping your head around to it or that you're singing the song all day long? This is a whole album of that.
    

    
    

    
    

Ok, so there weren't 15 albums. Since I didn't know which one to pick for the last one, I decided to lump them all together in this list below.

Honorable Mentions:

• A Fine Frenzy - Bomb In A Birdcage: Catchy songs and a nice voice.
• Basia - It's That Girl Again: Do I like this album? Yea, yea, yea!
• Karine Hannah - Karine: What a powerful voice! Oh, and my song is on it too.
• Morrissey - Years of Refusal: A nice offering.
• Norah Jones - The Fall: Great first single. I just love the feel of her albums (expect for Not Too Late). There was a lot of hype about the change in her sound, but it wasn't that much of a change.
• Passion Pit - Manners: Very creative.
• Shakespear's Sister - Songs From The Red Room: I guess Siobhan didn't do too well releasing material under her name, so it makes sense for her to go back to using Sister. Is this the future of alternate pop?
  
• Tegan & Sara - Sainthood: Going more mainstream, and I like it.

Singles:

• Agnes - "Release Me": Great song. Even moms would like it.
  
• Amanda Lepore - "Cotton Candy": Silly fun. Yay!
  
• Annie Lennox - "Shining Light": Perfect for Annie. I always feel good when I hear this song.
  
• Beyoncé - "Halo": All about the remix for me.
  
• Ciara - "Love Sex Magic": I didn't want to like this song (because of Timberlake), but it was infectious.
• David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland - "When Love Takes Over": The song of the summer in Provincetown. I like my friend's version of the lyrics, "Constipated, always is..."
  
• Freemasons Feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - "Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)": Great combo.
  
• Röyksopp - "Happy Up Here": I love the sounds they use. Great video.
• Saint Etienne - "Method Of Modern Love": Feel-good song of the year.
• Tina Arena - "Night Fever": Great remake. Tina is an incredible singer.

2009 Disappointments and Reality Checks

• Prince: Whatever. I have no interested in your music anymore. Go away.
  
• U2 - No Line On The Horizon: I hate when bands go on about "this is the best work we've ever done" and then the album sucks so bad. How many songs did they record and they ended up with this?
• Diana Krall - Quiet Nights: I like Diana Krall, but her voice didn't fit the Brazilian style from this album. It was just wrong. She should have listened to the title of this album.
• Vanessa Williams - The Real Thing: No emotion in her delivery at all. Flat performance. Boring.
• Whitney Houston: No matter how much hype there was for her new album, there was no hiding the fact that her voice is gone. "Million Dollar Bill" was a fun song, but it wasn't enough. Her live performances were painful to watch, just hearing her scream to get a reaction from the audience. That's not singing.
• Mariah Carey: Here's a neat trick! Go to a Google and start typing either "Mariah Carey voice" or "Mariah Carey what happened" and see the suggestions that come up. Quite fitting. Never been one of my favorites, but I though she could sing. Live performances were uncomfortable at best, be it for her attire, the worried look on her face, or the fact that she couldn't find the right notes to sing.

iPhone Users To Pay Even More?!

AT&T hasn't been doing well lately. This is NOT going to help.

Tiered AT&T pricing to target heavy data usage | Signal Strength - CNET News

AT&T wants its iPhone users to use less wireless data, and it plans to introduce new pricing models to curb users' data usage as it tries to keep up with growing demand.

At an investor conference in New York on Wednesday, Ralph de la Vega, AT&T's head of wireless, announced that the wireless operator plans to introduce new pricing for heavy wireless-data users.

...

iPhone users on average consume five to seven times more data per month than average wireless subscribers, according to analyst firm Sanford Bernstein. And all this usage is clogging the network, causing many iPhone users, especially in large cities such as New York and San Francisco, to experience dropped calls, slow 3G service, and issues connecting to the network at all.

AT&T has been reluctant to admit that there is a problem, but recently, the company has acknowledged that problems exist. According to The Wall Street Journal, de la Vega admitted that New York and San Francisco have been experiencing service issues. And the company recently launched an iPhone application that allows users to report service problems.

AT&T has been upgrading its network to the next generation of 3G wireless service to increase network capacity. But now the company is saying it needs to actually curb usage in order to get a handle on demand.

So why do they advertise all that you can do on an iPhone when they can't handle it? In reality, the iPhone for AT&T has been a mix blessing. Of course they wanted new subscribers, but they can't handle them.

I'm guessing when the iPhone is no longer exclusive to AT&T, a lot of folks are going to bolt. That would automatically help alleviate AT&T's network. Will Verizon encounter the same problems? Who knows, but I'll have to stick with AT&T since I signed a contract.

Springsteen Supports Gay Marriage

... and this is another reason why we love The Boss (no, not song by Diana Ross):

AP News | Culpeper Star-Exponent

Bruce Springsteen posted a statement on his Web site urging support of the gay marriage bill that's up for a vote in New Jersey's Senate on Thursday.

Springsteen wrote that he's long believed in and has "always spoken out for the rights of same-sex couples."

The native son says he agrees with Gov. Jon Corzine that marriage equality is a civil rights issue.

I am so glad that more and more public figures are talking about gay marriage being a civil rights issue.

Attention Geeks, Here is something to add to you Christmas List!

This is just too funny and also rather sad...

ThinkGeek :: Tauntaun Sleeping Bag


That's right, ThinkGeek.com offers this Tauntaun Sleeping Bag at $99 and it is currently so popular it is back ordered and customers are also limited to only 2 Tauntauns.  The sleeping bag is complete with "saddle, printed internal intestines and a plush lightsaber zipper pull."

A Pill to Get You Drunk?!

Leave it to the Russians...

Your request is being processed...

Alcohol Pill Can Get You Drunk Without Drinking, Researcher Says

Thanks to a new technique developed by Russian professor Evgeny Moskalev, now you can get drunk without drinking.

Moskalev has created an "alcohol pill" using a method that transforms alcohol into a powder, which can then be packed into potent pills.

"We have developed a technology that allowed us to turn any liquid solution into powder," Professor Moskalev said.

He reports having tested his technique on liquor "containing as much as 96% alcohol content," notes MyFoxSpokane.

Moskalev claims to be able to create an alcohol pill from just about any boozy beverage, including whiskey, cognac, beer, and wine, the Times of India reports.

Goldfrapp - "Head First"

New Goldfrapp album due in March! (via Towleroad)

Goldfrapp - Blog

my god its a crazy fast world! news gets out on the net soooo fast. we are still here in the west country mixing the album but in case you havent seen stuff on the web today the album now has a title ‘Head First’ and comes out in march, the single titled ‘rocket’ is also out around the same time.

Can't wait!!!

Carrie Prejean: Porn Star?!?!

If this is true, it's just another example of just how hypocritical the religious right really is. She's only pushing this agenda for the advancement of her career. What a loser.

Prejean Goes XXX | News | Advocate.com

An extremely graphic sex video starring Carrie Prejean is the reason the conservative former Miss California has dismissed her lawsuit against the pageant. Editors for the website TMZ.com, who claim to have seen the tape, say that within 15 seconds of being shown the tape by a lawyer representing the pageant, Prejean decided to walk away from the suit without a settlement.

Of course, it's hard to keep an unbuttoned blouse closed when you're holding a bible in one hand...

Analogies & Metaphors

I love stuff like this!

(from an email I received today)

Every year, English teachers from across the country can submit their  collections of actual analogies and metaphors found in high school essays. These excerpts are published each year to the amusement of teachers  across the country.

Here are last year's winners.....

1. Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
2. His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free.
3. He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
4. She grew on him like she was a colony of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature Canadian beef.
5. She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
6. Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever. 
7. He was as tall as a six-foot, three-inch tree.
8. The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM machine.
9. The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
10. McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
11. From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and Jeopardy comes on at 7:00 p.m. instead of 7:30.
12. Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
13. Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
14. They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth.
15. John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds  who had also never met.
16. He fell for her like his heart was a mob informant, and she was the East River.
17. Even in his last years, Granddad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
18. Shots rang out, as shots are wont to do.
19. The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
20. The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
21. He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame, maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
22. The ballerina rose gracefully en Pointe and extended one  slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
23. It was an American tradition, like fathers chasing kids around with power tools.
24. He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a garbage truck backing up.

Halloween Costumes

The Washington City Paper has compiled a list of The 10 Worst Sexy Halloween Costumes.

Among the horrible costumes are these gems:

The Spaghetti Penis Costume



and my favorite... The “Down for the Count” Costume. WTF?

Another site to check out is WTF Costumes: The Crazy & Sexy Halloween Costume Archive.  Here are a few from their site:

The Drunk You-Tube Guy

Office Space Costume

The Toy Soldier

The Price is Right Costume

Interesting Twister Costume

Hovering Boba-Fett

And for El Marveloso and his friends...Dora the Explorer