Shit.
I just wrote and incredibly long post about why I can’t understand how people are going to let ignorance get in the way of the facts in voting this election, but apparently, my CPU usage has been exceeded, and when I tried to save it, WP ate it.
Mainly this sudden desire to talk politics again (the frequency of which has been marred by a past of ridiculous conversations with some readers) was sparked by a very ignorant conversation with my mother last night, who proved to me that Americans really only listen to what they want to hear, and then they make decisions based on only those observations. So this morning, I wanted to be sure that I was informed. I went to McCain’s website, and his wikipedia page, and read his stance on the issues. I also read Obama’s stance on those same issues. After I read both stances, and compared them, I really began to think about how our “society” is supposed to work. I can’t imagine that you would want to make things worse off for anyone; because, after all, isn’t this supposed to be a free and just society? Yet, after seeing how flawed many of McCain’s plans are with respect to the average American, as well as considering who he is as more than a candidate, I can’t help but wonder why there are tons of people out there that are willing to ignore injustice that will certainly affect them, just because they see one small feature of something in one candidate (fear?), that makes them choose him over the other.
I have not only read about McCain, but I have also watched how he uses fear and anxiety, much like Bush does. I feel even more like he is disconnected from the average American, and as such, cannot understand why people cling to stupid shit about Obama (like that he was born into a Muslim household, even though he isn’t Muslim now, and why that should matter; and what is wrong with Muslim’s anyway?), true or not, and let that make their decision for them. Vote for whomever you want to; I respect the fact that you are even voting, and I know that most of you have already decided. I know I have, and it isn’t for McCain. There are MANY reasons why not, but the main one, is because when I hear him speak, and I read his stance on the issues, I see more and more how disconnected he is from the general American public, and I don’t feel like he represents me at all; I don’t think he represents the majority of us. I have given him the mic, and now that I have heard what he has to say, I will say that he was unable to scare me into voting for him.
With all of this being said, I will say this: It is paramount that the strong help carry the weak. It is a fundamental trait of a successful society. It has been this way since man first grouped together and settled down on the first farms; and even before then, it was a requirement for us to survive as hunters and gatherers. It has allowed us to grow and flourish on this planet, and it is only through pulling together, and watching each other’s backs, that our problems are going to be solved, and things are going to get better. If we make decisions based solely on being the first one to the top of the ladder, our entire society will suffer; except the ones at the top. Those are the very ones that care more about dollar signs than they care about people and are currently the ones that are taking everything they can, and running the rest of us into the ground.
So again, after reading McCain’s stance on the issues, and judging him based on what he says and does, I can’t help but wonder, why should we hand the reigns over to another guy that shares the same values? I personally just don’t understand that at all. If you don’t see that, that’s something that escapes me, because I really did try to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. It isn’t his fault that he is rich; but what he has said about his plans for our country has definitely indicated that he is not right if we want things to get better for the average Joe/Jane. He has some good ideas, so please don’t think that I think he has all wrong notions, but the bad certainly outweighs the good, and I really hope he doesn’t have the chance on unleash them on this country; I honestly don’t think that our society will survive. We are cannibalizing ourselves, and electing another cannibal as our leader is a really bad idea.
McCain is far beyond what I can even comprehend as what one would call rational or even informed. He doesn’t think beyond a certain point, and even when he is given more information, he ignores it. It is why he still supports a war on Iraq, and it is why he will not answer the call to those screaming for help. If you need more convincing as to how out of touch he is, watch this:
I am just baffled at the willful ignorance he employs, and that of those that support him. I just hope that enough people are paying attention, listening, and finding out for themselves how wrong he is for President, and they get over any issue they have against Obama, and vote for him instead. Since this is a two party system, voting based on principle, history, or made up/incorrect character flaws is not only ignorant, it is dangerous and you will feel the consequences.
As I said, vote for McCain if you must, I respect your decision; just make sure that you are doing it for the right reasons, and that you are fine with all of the bad that will most likely come with your decision. If you aren’t a member of the upper crust who definitely does benefit from his plans and ways of working our society, can you do me a favor, and tell me, honestly, why you think he is the one to lead?
Hear me out. I will admit that I was never that big of a New Kids fan. I thought Hanging Tough was a bit silly, but I had the tape. Cut to earlier this summer when we heard the news that the New Kids were releasing a new CD. Okay… what can we expect? After hearing the first single Summertime, I was sure that we shouldn’t expect too much; it isn’t very good. Yet, being the lover of all things pop that I am, I couldn’t ignore the whole record because of one dud lead off single. So, I downloaded it, and I saw that Ms. Lady GaGa, diva of all things pop, was on the song Big Girl Now. Needless to say, I was happy to see her name, and I knew that she could bring the pop to the New Kids… and she DOES. This song is catchy and fun… and it has Lady GaGa, who you may or may not know that I have a slight infatuation with… I may have mentioned her once or twice on the blog here before (Jesus release her CD already!!!!). Regardless if the rest of the record is a dud or not (currently, I don’t know, I haven’t really given it a proper listen yet), this song is undeniably HOT.
Another Sugababes record, in just a year?!?! YES PLEASE!!! Their previous record was one of their best to date, and after hearing this horny song (no not that kind of horny!), I am tapping my feet and bobbing my head; all the while, even more excited about a new Sugababes record!! This song didn’t initially hit me, however, so I suggest that you give it a few listens… it is a grower, and it really is a great single. I have to say, though, that I have one major issue with this song… are they saying “here comes the girls?”, because that is what it sounds like. I doubt that is the case, it is probably one of those things that you hear incorrectly in songs (like “when I grow up, I wanna have boobies”), so I will just let that one go with nothing more than a mention. Either way, the Sugababes are back with more fantastic pop… and I am even more excited about the record now!
I read that this song was used on Scrubs, because Zach Braff is such a fan of Radin’s music, but I will admit that I only first heard this song last week. Remember the clip of Ellen and Portia’s wedding that I posted about? Well, this is the AMAZINGLY beautiful song that is playing in the background. How beautiful!!! I love that he performed it at their wedding as well… how perfect. Seriously, though, there is nothing bad that I can say about this song; other than it stays in my head, and begs to be played on repeat. It is an extremely beautiful track, and I love it so very, very much. What a wonderful, albeit unexpected discovery. I love finding amazing music like this!!! Thanks Ellen!
Talk about surprises… I downloaded this on a whim, for reasons I can’t recall, but after one listen, I didn’t go back. Well, enter the new, invigorated interest in using my ipod nano… as a result, I have been paying more attention to exactly what is on my ipod (as opposed to dumping 30GB on there, and sorting through, which makes for too many choices, and MANY things being overlooked). Well, I gave this record a go the other day, and I literally kicked myself after hearing this gem. Not only that, but the rest of the record is actually quite good!! I guess I was in one of my usual “I’m not in the mood for this” moods at the time I first heard it, but I am definitely enjoying it now. The lead singer’s voice reminds me a lot of what I like in the lead singer of Switchfoot’s voice, and compliments the piano-twinged rock elegantly. This song is so ready for the radio, and throngs of screaming fans… it is really, really, really good! Like the Stills, it reminds me a lot of what I loved about Melee’s record; which again, is really good as well… in fact, I want something new from those guys; but I digress… this is about My Favorite Highway!! (Note: these guys are what I think the Jonas Brothers are going for… and they are nailing it, whereas the JB are well… not).
After really enjoying their song Time To Pretend (and featuring it one Friday long ago), I was pretty quick to write off MGMT as a one hit (in my book) wonder. Well, last weekend, I was hanging out with some friends at Smith’s Olde Bar in Midtown, and Electric Feel came on the jukebox. I thought to myself, “self, I have heard this before… and I LOVE IT! But who is it?!?!”. Well, my buddy dave whips out his iphone, uses the amazing program that you can’t use on the ipod touch (BOOO!!!!!) called Shazam, and a few seconds later, I am informed that the song that I am loving is ANOTHER brilliant track by the very MGMT that I had written off only months before. Shame! Shame on me! Well, needless to say, I quickly put that album back on the ipod, and have been listening to it for other gems. It has a few, and I will gladly admit where I was wrong; and I definitely was in this case. If you liked Time To Pretend, this one is a bit different, but definitely the electro-twinged rock that they did so well in that first track. I love the flute-sounding instruments that permeate the track… they are so much fun for my ears! (NOTE: It is annoying that videos get embedding disabled by request. WTF, is up with that shit?!?! /stupid “copyright” related rant)
SURPRISE is the name of the game on this one!!! I downloaded Sarah Connor’s (no, not 
First, there is something I need to get out right away: I HATE when people spell words in song titles like you’re with just a “UR”. It doesn’t make it more cool, and it doesn’t show that you are hip; it makes it look as if you are too lazy to worry about proper grammar. Ugh. Alright, with that said, I actually have been digging this song lately. I actually heard about Annie quite a long time ago from such power music blogs as 
Jem, you’ve done it again! The first song off of Jem’s upcoming release, Down To Earth (release date, September 16th) leaked a few weeks back, and I must say, as much as I loved her first record, I wasn’t actually digging On Top of The World as much as I would have liked. With her last record being so dynamic and innovative, I had high hopes for her sophomore effort, but by the sound of On Top Of the World, I was worried that I was going to be let down. Cut to this week, and the official release of Crazy as a single on iTunes… yeah, Jem still has it. This song is every bit as energetic and magnificent as her first record. She builds on her sound with this track, and proves that she has more to say with her music. Also, I cannot get enough of the banjo in this song!! Such a great use of a non-traditional pop instrument. Good form, Jem, I can’t wait for the record! 
First off, it says fuck a lot in this song, so if that isn’t your cup of tea, you have been warned. I love, love, love Lily Allen, and given the events of this week (RNC), I thought a fun political FU song was appropriate; especially since I only recently heard it. As much as I loved Lily’s first record, I have been chomping at the bit to get more stuff from her, and I was happy to find a few songs last week to satiate my appetite. This song is catchy, and I do think it is cool when people speak up for their political views, because you are always taking a risk; sometimes you get shunned for it (The Dixie Chicks), and sometimes you get praised for it (P!nk). With this silly track, Lily is saying what a lot of young American’s are thinking about our not-so commander and chief, and she will definitely get praises from me for putting it out there. I also cannot ignore the brilliant opening notes that are totally a throwback to the Carpenter’s massive hit Close To You; it really makes me smile to hear it throughout the song. I can’t wait for more new stuff Lily! 
I recently hooked my spin class teacher up with a bunch of “old” dance music that I have sitting on my hard drive, and I literally smiled from ear to ear yesterday when this track came blasting out during class. This song is one of those songs that originally, weren’t very good… Then, a MASSIVE producer (oh how you are missed, Thunderpuss!!!) gets their hands on it, remixes it, and then you have a dance-floor filler that is so much fun that it is hard not to shake your booty all night long. This was exactly what I needed to boost my energy in class, and I was reminded of how much I originally loved this remix. It’s a gem from all the way back in 2000, but to me, it sounds just as great today as it did so many years ago. I can tell you, that if this came on the club, I would need to clear a spot on the floor to break it down… let’s get fierce! 
Wow. You know what, I’m going to say that again; Wow. This song is amazing. Beautiful, thoughtful, powerful, peaceful, and again, amazing. I have been listening to the City and Colour CD for a while now, and for whatever reason, this song just hit me like a brick wall the other day. It reminds me of How My Heart Behaves by Feist, and when that one hit me when it did. Powerful. This song is one of the most amazingly beautiful songs that I have heard in a long time, and it is proof positive of why City and Colour’s 2008 release Bring Me Your Love is a solid 5 star album, and that it will definitely find itself amongst my top records of the year. I am seeing him with Tegan and Sara in a month, and I cannot freaking wait. The rest of the CD is great too, so make sure you do yourself a favor and get it now!
I posted a track by the Infadels a few weeks ago, which I randomly found on a indie playlist. After listening to that song, and getting into it, I snagged the record, and after several listens, I have been introduced into a fabulous record. This song comes from another one of the solidly 4 star rated albums that are sure to be amongst my top records of the year. These guys remind me a lot of the Kaiser Chiefs, yet with their own pop edge, kind of like Melee (a smidge). Either way, I have really enjoyed getting to know this record, and I am glad that I stumbled on this random find. This is probably my favorite track on the record; that chorus is just massive, and I can’t get enough! “Our love’s so good… yeah, it’s chemical…” you know what, so is this song!!!!!
After falling HARD for the first single, Not A Love Song, I pre-ordered this album, eager to hear what else Uh Huh Her was sure to dazzle me with. A week before it was released, they streamed the record online, and it was great; my anticipation only increased. However, when I got it, I was not really in the mood for it or whatever, so I didn’t really get into it as much as I had hoped. Well, that all changed with each new listen. This record is crafted masterfully, and each song is so well written and woven together with melody and beat that it really creates a beautiful music landscape for you to enjoy; again, and again. This is one of my favorite songs from the record, and it is one of those songs that really sticks to your ribs; you will be singing that chorus over and over hours after you hear it. The best part, is each time I hear this album, I love it more; it is a solid 5 star record, and I am glad that it has grown on me as much as it has. I love their writing style, lyrically, as well as how they craft their sound. This is definitely a group to check out if you haven’t done so already… one of the best records of ’08 people!
This track is a recent “leak” from Jon McLaughlin’s upcoming release Ok Now, which I am EAGERLY anticipating. I LOVED his last CD, Indiana, even ranking it amongst my 
This track is one of those tracks that I heard quite a while ago, and instantly fell in love with. However, after not hearing anything substantial about a release from the artist over a long period of time, I naturally forgot about how much I enjoyed this track; as I often, unfortunately do with singles. Well, some recent buzz I have seen on the internets about Isabel made me go back and give this one a listen (as well as some of her other stuff), and low and behold, this song is just as good this go ’round. I really, really hope to see a full CD release from her, because this song is amazing (read A-M-A-Z-I-N-G), and I can’t wait to see what else she can do. I have been, and definitely will be, listening to this love song on repeat!
Okay, it was probably a couple of months ago that Lindsay’s new song, Bossy hit the internets, and I have to admit that I didn’t initially like it that much. However, it really grew on me, and I have been enjoying it thoroughly. However, it wasn’t until I heard Mike Rizzo’s AMAZING remix that I really fell HARD for this track. The disco feel that he gives to this song makes it PERFECT for dancing and having fun on a Saturday night. I love this mix, and I just had to share it. A special thanks to Mr. 
A couple of weeks ago, a new Brandy track leaked, and I have to say, that I was super happy to hear Darkchild doing his signature announcement at the beginning… I sat up and listened intently at that point. I have always been a fan of Brandy’s, and have seen her through some major ups and downs. I am really glad that she has a potential hit on her hands here, and I have been enjoying it, letting this track marinate, and it has only gotten better with each listen. I am curious to see what her next record will bring, because Brandy is actually capable of some hits if she puts her mind to it… she’s done it before, and I believe that she can do it again. I for one, am looking forward to the future of music for Ms. Norwood. The song ends and then does this weird re-loop thing for some reason, so please ignore the very end.
Well, the inevitable has happened: The Fame has officially leaked onto the internet. I have been talking about Lady GaGa’s debut for months now, and have been touting it as my most anticipated release of 2008, so of COURSE, I had to get it. Now that I have had a few listens, I am going to make a grand statement, and declare that it is the best pop record of the year so far. This record is MASSIVE.
, ladies and gentlemen. 
Lykke Li is another one of those artists, like Duffy, that has been getting lots of praise from other music bloggers, but for whatever reason, I was waiting on something else from her. Well, her record, Youth Novels finally came out this week, and I will admit that it has some great gems on it. Specifically, this song really has me tapping my toes, and reveling in the beauty and gentle, child-like nature of Lykke’s voice as she sings about dancing. I have to say, that Lykke is another shining example of how Sweden really is an epicenter of fantastic music, and in particular, fantastic pop music. Seriously, there are so many fantastic things happening with there, it really makes me want to move to Sweden already!!! Sweden is to pop what Seattle was to grunge/alternative! I love it! If you like this song, check out her record… I will warn you though, some of the tracks near the end of it are kind of strange… but hey, we take what we can get, right?
First off, I am going to say this: FANTASTIC form P!nk. Bravo. Cheers. I love you! Seriously, this song is so fucking catchy, and amazingly well done, that it is hard to do anything other than love it, and in turn, heap loads of praise on P!nk for bringing it us! This is the second song that I heard this past weekend that I was literally burning to get on this blog for you! P!nk’s last album made me a fan of hers for life because of how great it is, and this song just shows that she is an artist that we should definitely keep paying attention to, because she has A LOT more up her sleeve. One of my FAVORITE things about P!nk, is that she has such talent as far as being an artist, that she was able to overcome the typecasting her record label insisted on using against her (typecasting her as a hip hop singer for her debut, when she is more of a rock star; as indicated clearly by her subsequent follow up albums), and she not only managed to prove that she had the talent to back it up, but that she was even better than they gave her credit for. She is a passionate singer, and a great song writer, and I am elated that the leaked single from her upcoming CD is so freaking amazing; it really has me wiggling in my seat in anticipation for the record’s October release!! If her album is anything like her previous effort, I know that I am going to enjoy it… and if this single is any indication of what we have to look forward to, then I think that I am going to LOVE it! Also, need I mention how fucking HOT P!nk is? Jeebus!