Flashback Friday: Holler

I was thinking a lot about girl groups of my generation. Probably because the Spice Girls announced a reunion tour. I know at least one person who secretly listens to Spice Girls on their ipod but would never publically admit to liking their music. And since I am admitting it now, you know it's not me :D !

The Spice Girls have had their share of critics. I honestly don't think they're music is as bad as people make it out to be. Just because some music is mass marketed doesn't necessarily mean it's bad-- that's just what characterizes pop music. Anyway, I put this song on all my road trip CDs and frankly, I'm surprised that I haven't gotten sick of it after so many years. It's a great pop song. This comes from the Forever album, so there is no Ginger Spice. In the video, note the late 90s/early 2000s fascination with technology that seemed to be an ubiquitous theme for a lot of videos in that era. I remember when I first saw this video, I thought, "Man, I really wish this machine existed..."

The Duff Stuff

I’m not even going to rationalize my new love for Hilary Duff. Yes, Hiilary Duff. I’m all over that new album of hers. I think I just have a soft spot for scorned women who feel the urge to express their pain through scintillating dance-heavy pop songs. “Girl, I feel your pain!”

“Stranger” is the third single from the Dignity album. Co-written by Duff, the song is reportedly about her father’s extramarital affair with another woman. At the time the album premiered, Duff had broken up with long-time beau Joel Madden of the power pop punk group, Good Charlotte, so it was rumored to be about their relationship, and their subsequent break up since he left her for Nicole Ritchie. See, I don’t know why I know all this arbitrary celebrity information. Too much popsugar I guess.


Hilary Duff- Stranger (link expired)
(Buy the album: Dignity)

I'll have some BOOM with that toast.

After Sofiblu showed me a Flight of the Conchords video, I realize I really need to pay my cable bill because I am missing out big time. All this needs is a stiff drink and I'm ready to start the day. (Ahem, it's called "Irish" coffee....)



Flight of the Conchords- She's so hot, BOOM

Official site

"Fat, ugly, and shittier than Winehouse."

This week's New York magazine did a bio on Lily Allen on the aftermath of the the myspace blog where she called herself "fat, ugly, and shittier than Winehouse." Apparently, her album, Alright, Still which blew up in England isn't doing as well in the States, whereas Amy Winehouse's Back to Black is blossoming. Lily Allen haters called her blog post a cry for attention, and a publicity stunt for her clothing line, Lily Loves, for women sizes 6-16 (the website for the clothing line is currently unavailable).

Maybe the girl really does feel fat, ugly, and shittier than Winehouse. If my album was taking a nosedive, and the media was constantly debating my weight, and my skinnier, but equally alcoholic peer was rocketing to stardom, I'd feel pretty shitty too.

However, she's famous for not being too tough on herself for too long. Since that post, she's relocated to New York to work on her second album but admits that so far she's only gotten around to "making youtube videos for other people's songs," On the upside, she's "still eating like a fucking pig." Her words, not mine.

There's the Lily we know and love :)

Lily Allen- Everything's Just Wonderful (link expired)
(Buy the Album: Alright, Still)

Photo credit: Cass Bird for New York Magazine

It's time's like this

*Edit- Sorry! The link for the song wasn't working earlier. Everything should be working now.*

A bonfire on a mountaintop.
A wedding under a tree.

The mosquitoes! The spiders!
The bonechilling cold!

It’s times like this when….

Jeff Buckley- I want someone badly (link expired)
(Buy the Album: Grace)

C'est un jour d'eté...

I am a writer
I am a dreamer
I am lovely
I am brilliant
I am a force
I am mine
I am yours
We are here
mais... Je suis...

Another random find, and I am so glad I found this. Amel Bent is a French singer who rose to fame on "Nouvelle Star" a French version of American Idol. This is a song from her first album, Un Jour D'Eté (A summer day). Her second album, 20 Years, was released on June 18th. She has a beautiful voice that makes me dream about wandering the streets of Paris, madly in love with a Parisian, smiling awake with coffee and lavender, deliriously happy, French rolling off my tongue because that's what happens when you're in love: Naturallement, tu parle francais.

I will be away again this weekend so no posts till Monday.

The music made me do it #1

I wake up with my eyes
semi glued together
with night time eye crust.
My hair a mess. But I am
Stunning, beautiful, I know and I
smile in wonderment with my
arm draped over your body.

We are a sea of sheets and
I am half opened staring
into your back, drilling holes.
You are a tree and I am taking samples.
Your soul is sturdy and sweet like maple wood.
I know we will have pancakes for breakfast.

Sigh... the music made me do it. Written at home.

Inspired by...

Broken Social Scene- Swimmers (link expired)
(Buy Album: Broken Social Scene)

Feeling kind of FEISTY

In my first attempt to bring you this video, I fell asleep at my computer and woke up to 300 pages of ddddddddddd. I’m thinking this means I need an assistant. If interested, please send me your resumes. I can only afford to pay you with gratitude and cashews, so if you are nuts about nuts, let me know!

Sometimes it takes time for me to warm up to an artist. Everyone had been raving about Feist for awhile, but I wasn’t completely sold. But after I saw this spectacularly cheesy video for “One Evening,” I was floored. This is storytelling at its finest, using the art of interpretive dance and a low-budget lightshow. Just goes to show you that you don’t need a ton of money to make a great music video. For the past several days I’ve been suppressing the urge to do this dance everywhere: At the office, waiting for the light to change at the corner, while in line at a movie, buying tomatoes… the list goes on. Featured in this video with Leslie Feist is Buck 65, a Canadian rapper whom you may remember from the song “Wicked and Weird.” I think it was one of those songs that caused a blip on the radar, and then was destined for eternal airplay at the Abercrombie & Fitch. So here's Buck busting a move with Feist:

And we're back!

I spent this weekend helping a friend (my best friend’s older sister, whom I pretty much consider family as well) pack as she will be moving with her husband upstate at the end of the month. I’m going to miss her place. She lets her sister, and her sister’s best friends (i.e: me) hold impromptu sleepovers and we would use up her expensive pore-refining clay masks. Just like the old days when she’d invite us to sleep over in her dorm room and we would use up her Neutragena face wash. At the time, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. A dorm room! Face wash! My gosh, how adult! I’m really going to miss her. You can never be too old to look up to someone. However, she’s given us an open invitation to spend weekends upstate. I’m sure we’ll end up slathering ourselves with her face cream.

Afterwards, we went for hot rock massages which by the way, feel amazing. Then we got Pinkberry frozen yogurt, which by the way, tastes amazing. We then dragged our broke-asses window shopping, which does not amaze me at all. Oh money… why do you not grow on a tree.

Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (link expired)
(Buy Album: She’s So Unusual)

Flashback Friday: Come on down!

I'm posting the Friday post early today because I will be away this weekend and can not provide you all with the sweet sounds of kick-ass music. You're sad aren't you. I know... ::pats head:: poor babies.

Speaking of sadness, today will mark the end of the Bob Barker super-era at the Price is Right. Barker has hosted PIR for 35 years and announced his retirement late last year. Virtually nothing has stopped the game-show juggernaut from fulfilling his hosting duties-- not old age (he's 83), strokes (2 of 'em), or sexual harassment charges from models on the show, the "Barker Beauties." PIR has taught me the actual retail price of things I will never buy, and made me desire things I can't explain (hmm, where to park that RV). My only regret is I never got the chance to "come on down!" and talk into Bob's freakishly long microphone. The show will continue with a TBD new host, but it just won't be the same will it?

The Postmarks- Goodbye (link expired)

(Buy Album: The Postmarks)

Viva Brazil!

I’m fairly convinced that the members of Bonde do Role were just a teensy bit loaded when they taped this, but that’s okay by me.



I can’t help it. I’m in love with this song. It’s kitchy fun. If the people who hold copyrights on James Bond ever feel like giving up the British spy thing and decide to turn him into a Brazilian playboy, this should totally be his theme song. Get Bonde do Role to follow him around and perform it. Then everyone break out into uninhibited booty shaking and body thrashing. Cachaça shots all around!

Bonde do Role- James Bonde (link expired)
(Buy Album: With Lasers)

Another job rant

The longer I stay at my current employment, the more I am convinced that I have sold my soul for sub-par wage and mediocre benefits. If I am to truly sell my soul to a corporation, at least line my pocket with a nice wad of cash! What happened to that desire to live to work rather than work to live? My “job performance” suffers because I don’t care about my job. I drag myself through the drudgery of administrative work knowing very well that it’s just not my cup of tea. My eyes glaze over. I look at the clock. I look again. So what do creative-minded people do to make a living? How do I find a job that makes me feel like a whole person again? I need my heart to swell and to know I’m breathing life into my work. But I can’t do that unless I am alive.

If you happen to come across my soul, tell her to come back to the body so we can figure out what to do.

Death Cab for Cutie- When Soul Meets Body (link expired)
(Buy Album: Plans)

Billboard Interview with Interpol: “There is no I in Foursome”

Interpol’s third studio album, “Our Love to Admire” is schedule for release July 10th (oh how I count the days) by Capitol Records. An additional track, titled, “Mind Over Time” will be included in a pre-order launch campaign from iTunes says Sharon Lord, Capitol’s senior vice president of marketing. A Letterman show is also scheduled for a “street date.”

I have no idea what that means. Whatever it is, it better be soon! Since we failed to get Interpol tix at Bowery Ballroom, I've been itching to see them.

On the band, and on the new album, Daniel Kessler tells Billboard, “One thing about us that's been consistent is that it's not just one guy making decisions. It's always four people…That's the only way we can exist."

There was also a new picture of the band-- a promotional photo, I’m sure. Carlos D’s mustache has developed into a beard. I’m sure we all want to know if they were all in unison when Carlos D decided to grow a beard. Is this the new gun holster? He better be packing heat in there.

I’ll just marvel at this photo of them during simpler times… sans beard.

(Photo by Lorne Bridgeman)

Thank you for being a friend

My weekend was spent watching Golden Girls reruns. Are you a fan? I love The Golden Girls. I have many fond memories of watching this show as a kid with my great-grandmother. She didn’t speak English, and neither did I. I was too young for pre-school, but I picked up lots of English from television. We used to call this show “Those 4 Women” since I didn’t learn to read yet. But we watched The Golden Girls religiously. It was like having all the grannies over for tea.

Even today The Golden Girls are significant. It’s astonishing to see the resemblance between their lives and my life in college. It's a lifestyle I wouldn't mind having again someday. I mean, having your closest friends under the same roof, staying up all night talking over cheesecake and coffee-- that sounds pretty wonderful. And I can’t count the number of times I’ve done that in college. If you scrap the cheesecake for chicken wings, and the coffee for beer, it's like looking into a mirror. Jane Magazine's Stephanie Trong thinks this is a brilliant idea too. There’s a ton of pressure in your 20s to live up to career, social, and relationship expectations. How do you do it? The answer is so simple: marry all your friends.

Golden Girls Theme:



Andrew Gold- Thank you for being a friend

Fall in love with "Once"

When you write a movie about a street musician/Hoover vacuum repairman and his relationship with a mysterious, musically gifted Czech girl in the streets of Ireland, how can you not have one spectacular soundtrack to back it up? I recently saw “Once” in theatres and it was unlike anything I ever saw, or could expect from a film. Many of the scenes were shot with a long lens camera so passerbys had no idea a movie was being filmed, and both actors are actually musicians by trade. Starring Glen Hansard of The Frames, and Czech musician, Markéta Irglová, the film is a sweet love story rooted in a shared passion for music and the complications of heartbreak. More importantly, music is integrated so fluidly in the film, that plucking a guitar on a bus, or an impromptu performance in a piano store seems like the most natural occurance. If music is the language…why would you need to speak another word?

View the trailer



"Once"- Falling Slowly (link expired)
"Once"- When your mind's made up (link expired)
Buy the album: (Once: The original soundtrack)

Flashback Friday: The original Dr. McDreamy

Ocean's Thirteen opens in theatres today. If you live on another planet, you might not know that this third installment stars George Clooney, and 12 other famous and talented people who I haven't bothered to learn the names of because my attention span on a Friday is dangerously short. But George Clooney...sigh, he is all that and a bucket of peanuts--at least back in the day when I was a huge ER fan, and also went to see Batman & Robin (twice, I'm afraid). I thought he was the hottest person on earth, up until I said this to some girl in junior high and she said, "My mom loves George Clooney." My cool factor went down 10 points that day.

But Dr. Doug Ross was the original Dr. McDreamy. He made me believe hot doctors with cute smiles and salt and pepper hair existed, and of course I’d be horribly disappointed if I landed in the emergency room at my local hospital and have to wait four hours only to be poked and prodded by an overworked chain-smoking, puffy-eyed jaded doctor. Oh well. Dr. Ross, We’ll always have County General.

Have a good weekend and netflix the first five seasons of ER... stat!

Salt-N-Pepa- Whatta Man (link expired)
(Buy Album: Very Necessary)

Fitter. Happier. More Productive.

I adjust my skirt.
No runs in pantyhose
These orthopedic shoes are good for my arch.
All things in moderation.
Laughter included.

Wake up.Wake up.Wake up.

Music from the West Coast

I'm doing my best to focus and find direction in everything I do. When it comes to my life, my career, and even this blog, it feels like my brain is a mishmash of Belgian waffle toppings, and everyone knows all you really need for a good waffle is maple syrup. I need the cerebral equivalent of maple syrup.

Anyway, I'm contemplating purchasing this wicked album, AM- Troubled Times. It's also streamable on his website. AM, originally of New Orleans, is a Los Angeles based musician who sounds like a mix of Mat Kearny, John Mayer, and Chris Martin. His initials are AM, but I'm having trouble finding out what they stand for. And according to Nic Harcourt and his interview with AM on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic, AM is "virtually un-google-able." So true... I have tried- ha! There seems to be some buzz surrounding him, especially on the West Coast. His song, "Playing the Game" was also featured on the television show Men in Trees, which I happen to be huge fan of, and AM says in that same interview that many of the songs from the Troubled Times album are featured in some television show or independent movie, so his music might sound familiar to you. Right now however, his song "Home" is really growing on me.

All troubles pass in time
And we can make it through
You tell me that it's not what I say, but what I can do

I also have this quote tacked on the wall: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it,"- Goethe. I think I'm going to put the AM's lyrics next to it. Inspiration from all sources is appreciated.

Check out AM's official website and myspace page
Listen to a live set and interview from KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic 10.5.05
(Buy Album- Troubled Times)

2007 ALMA Awards on ABC: Calle 13

Funky beat. I’m loving this song by Calle 13 which was performed at the ALMA awards, but unfortunately, my Spanish sucks and I haven’t the faintest clue what is the name of the song. The performance was high energy and had three women dressed like grannies who then threw off their moo-moos and got their groove on. That’s the only way to party you know.
But you don’t have to be multi-lingual to know a good thing when you hear it. Calle 13 is a Puerto-Rican fusion effort of reggaeton, salsa, bossa nova, jazz, and some electronic undertones, headed by René Pérez (“Residente”) and his step-brother Eduardo José Cabra Martínez (Visitante). I’m going to get my musical metal detector and go search for treasure.Wish me luck! Hopefully I’ll find out soon. Until then, make your ears happy with this great Calle song.

Calle 13- Tango del Pecado (link expired)

(Buy Album: Residente o Visitante)

A goddess

When I was a teenager, when instant messaging was just at its onset, my screen name was Artemis****. There was a boy who I more or less grew up with, and I had the biggest crush on him. Sometimes he would talk to me about his problems. He said I was different than other girls. I was reserved, practical, and dependable: gee, the three words every girl wants to hear. For all I know, he was comparing me to UPS pick up.
One day he got home from school and he IMed me.
“Hey, we learned about Artemis in school today. You’re exactly like her.”
At first I took it as a compliment. After all, he was comparing me to a goddess. But then it occurred to me, quite some time later, that he would never see me as anything more than reserved, practical, and dependable. Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt. She is the protector of children and animals. When she was three years old, she asked her father, Zeus, to grant her eternal virginity. She vowed to remain chaste forever, and would shoot any man who tried to go near her.
He compared me to a goddess who protects the weak, but would essentially remain alone forever. What girl wants to hear that? She’s no Aphrodite. I couldn’t make him go weak in the knees, but I watched as other girls turned his knees to jelly, and there I was—the true protector of the weak-- dependable old me. As we grew older, we grew apart, and we no longer keep in touch.
And you know, I’m not a goddess. I’m just a girl who hopes that one day there will be a man out there whose throat gets a little dry when I’m around. His knees will shake, and his palms will get clammy. And when he looks deep into my eyes, he won’t tell me how practical and dependable I look.
Maybe he will call me strange and beautiful...

Susan Cagle- "Dream"

Shabs and I first stumbled upon Susan Cagle a couple of months ago during our rush through Union Square. We stood for one song before we really had to dash, but our platform was right by the staircase where she was singing, so lucky us! She’s got a wonderful bright, effervescent quality to her, much like Corrine Bailey Rae, except with more sweeping guitar riffs. And she was also featured on an episode of Oprah! Recently she was signed to Columbia Records, but I think she still occasionally plays in the New York City subways. Maybe the next time you’re rushing to get somewhere you’ll stop and give her a listen. I can’t seem to find this song on a streaming player so bear with the youtube vid.




Lately I’ve just been obsessed with songs played on acoustic guitars and live music. You know, I just need to be inspired. I need music to move me to action, and for my skin to tingle and feel alive. I have to feel like I’m in an episode of Felicity, in a turning point movement set to a sappy, yet optimistic soundtrack. Yeah, that’s it. Or maybe I just watch too much TV... yeah, that could be it too.

It was the summertime...

The city is sweltering! Oh, it's so not a good time to not have air conditioning. Will have to find other ways to cool off. But it's weather like this when life should slow down drastically. I imagine spending a lazy Saturday hanging out with friends, blasting the car stereo, driving around looking for something to do, or sipping lemonade and tossing a frisbee in the park. I have a song for that- Sublime- Doin' Time (link expired) (Buy Album here) Yesterday I took a walk in the park with a friend, and got coconut and cherry icees from the street vendors. I haven't had a coconut icee since elementary school! They are still good as gold, although, the prices are starting to look like gold. Remember when icees only cost 50 cents? Inflation- its reach is far-- even to the woman who sells icees.