In Twilight Regalia: Squeak!

Recently giddy over:

Wo De Di Pan
Jay Chou: Common Jasmine Orange
And now for something completely different. No one cribs music with more wacked style than China. Jay Chou is a huge star over there on the pop circuit, and he's taken some cues from Wang Lee Hom on combining American rap and hip hop with Chinese music, something Wang Lee Hom termed "chinked out" music. This tune is a catchy hip hop with a patchwork of rhythms and even some classical piano and celeste in the break. Strangely engaging.
Man
The Bird and the Bee: The Bird and the Bee
Imagine a smash of Beck-ish Tropicalia with Suzanne Vega and top it with some cool Brazil 66, you might get this interesting pair, who are the pure-voiced Inara George (Lowell George's progeny! Who knew?) and Greg Kurstin, producer and keyboardist. It's electro-popish, but so much more diverse. Their newer live album not yet listed with Amazon has just been released (Live from Las Vegas at the Palms) on iTunes, which proves I'm no longer under a rock.
How Do You Say Goodbye?
Engineers: Engineers
I have four favorites of this atmospheric, Alan-Parsons-ish band: Thrasher, One in Seven, Home, and this one. I can't choose among them; they are all sumptuous moody lusciousness. Naturally any band I adore has the wrong picture come up on Amazon (at left is incorrect!). You can find them on iTunes.
Zombie
Nellie McKay: Obligatory Villagers
Looks: Dinah Shore. Sounds: Blossom Dearie or Dinah Shore. Content: Siberry meets Morrisette meets Mitchell. I've obviously been under a rock as I've only bumped into Nellie now. She's a well educated jazz singer (and pianist) who also writes a lot of poppy angst (where she sometimes wears thin), but her paintbrush of creation is loaded with new synthesis of old riffs. This one is just plain daffy and I adore it.
All at Sea
Jamie Cullum: Twentysomething
This is a guilty pleasure song; I don't profess to like everything he does. But this is strangely echoing a number of old tunes from my schooling times... freedom without any borders... Some of Seal, some of Coldplay, some of what we grew up with that harkens to Motown and Jazz. But it blends into a neat watercolor.
Angelhead (feat. Lili Hayden)
Supreme Beings of Leisure: 11i
Mysterious chemistry indeed: Indian melodies, a great black female lead singer, smooth triphop beats. I heard them on an ad for some liquor or something and found them to be a nice addition to my Massive Attack-type-genre. The other favorite is "Never the Same" on their self-titled album.
An End Has a Start
Editors: An End Has a Start
The Editors just make me want to go run out into the street and just keep going until I lift off. The band being almost entirely carried by Tom Smith, I was surprised it kept so energetically charged. But they need visuals to match his wonderful voice.
Never Give Up On the Good Times
Spice Girls: Spice World
I discovered this guilty pleasure very late, and I like it only because it reminds me of a DeBarge tune. Wonder if he had a hand in it. Sure does bounce.
The Bones of An Idol
The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema
I honestly don't know what I like about this song. And it isn't an obnoxious stick-in-your-head thing. And yet it just does. Their stuff does that. Noble? no. Superior musicianship? Not really. Just damn interesting.
Cante E Dance
Pink Martini: Hey Eugene!
This is a bossa nova gem done by Pink Martini - the huge Portland-based cabaret/ orchestra/ I-Love-Lucy-Ricardo-latin-band band. They are not always to my taste, but salvage up so much good stuff from the past you can't help sing their praises. The translation is loosely: "Sing and Dance, What will come God only knows, but follow the light."
Let it Whip
Dazz Band: 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Dazz Band
I got an itch for some retrofunk and found this waiting to pounce on me and make me into boogymaterial. Why were they so unfamilliar a name to me when they have Earth Wind and Fire rhythms, vocals a la Rick James, and a Princelike groove that's unstoppable?
Lithium
The Polyphonic Spree: Wait
This is the most peculiar thing. It's an honest cover of the famed Cobain song -- and I hate covers unless they are amazing new twists. Here there really isn't a twist, but it's so sincere and dorky (while staying firmly devoted to the original) that it holds a great geeky power. I adore it.
Yuhi Chala Chal Rahi
Shahrukh Khan, A.R. Rahman, Ashutosh Gowarikar, and Javed Akhtar: Swades [Soundtrack]
A great Road Trip song -- in Hindi! I'll post the lyrics and encourage everyone to see the film, SWADES, about an Indian NASA scientist who returns to India to find his birthplace. And, no, this is not the album cover. That's Amazon's stupid fault.
Emily
Joanna Newsom: Ys
Don't let her voice scare you away, and it Will Scare You. Just read the words and listen: she makes jewels of harp and poems. She's one of the best poets and most interesting crafters of song to come along since early Dylan. And I can't pass up someone who actually looks like an elf. She makes things you've never heard before.
Blues in Hoss' Flat
Count Basie: The Swingin' Machine, Live!
Ah, magical Basie. If you've heard a lot of student jazz bands, you'll really be surprised by this. I had heard it played so many ways, and forgot to check the original. It was much MUCH better, so light, so carelessly tight like a well-toned dancer. It's best! I don't go for "old" music. This will never get old.
Deep Impact
Dragon Ash: LILY OF DA VALLEY
Yes, my older friends will think I've lost my marbles. But I love Dragon Ash. I mean, listen to these speech rhythm patterns. Listen to it abstractly. It's a really great piece of work, and it's fun, and it's a trip to hear Japanese hip-hop anyway. The Best Way to hear it: you should see the video (it's posted on You Tube). I can't resist the jingle bells.
Just For Now
Imogen Heap: Speak for Yourself
Yes I know. A SECOND one of Imogen. But it's the audible condensation of my favorite Christmas film, "Home for the Holidays," which has Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr. Have a listen and kvetch with the rest of us.
I Wanna Take You Out in Your Holiday Sweater
Pas/Cal: StarTime International Presents: Super-Cuts
This thing sounds like 70s TV shows. And Glitter. And the giddy stuff of holiday romances, which .... we kind of need more of.
The Moment I Said it
Immogen Heap: Speak for Yourself
This whole album is a stunner. Although entirely electronic-based, Imogen wrote and produced this richness all by herself (w/Apple of course!) and it is warm, breathing, delicate, and heart tugging. I adore the bubbly "Goodnight and Go", which is popular. But this "Moment" is the most incredible auditory description of a catastrophic argument I have ever heard. I could not have thought this one up. Immi is a wonder.
I Can't Sleep
The La's: The La's
This is true original old style gut Brit-pop. You can tell because you can make out about five words in the whole thing, and you're suddenly overtaken with the urge to buy some serious dancing boots and go stomp.

I had a good day. A really unexpectedly good day. And I'm continuing it for a few days.... after I get rid of the indigestion.
For some reason everyone knew it was my birthday this year. And I really didn't think about it at all (I hadn't celebrated birthdays for most of my life and still don't put a lot of stock in it. After all, what kind of thinking person would really evaluate themselves by how many times their planet rolled around the sun? )

It started out with a kiss goodbye for my husband who woke up right out of sleep and said Happy Birthday Honey! before his eyes had even fully opened. Then when I walked into work, my attorney (my WOMAN attorney, of course!) waved immediately and had this ENORMOUS smile and sang out HAPPY BIRTHDAY! and I was like oh my! I hadn't known she even knew. Oh that's right, I guess I put everyone's birthdays on the calendar...

She gave me (along with my other attorney -- who I think put money in but forgot otherwise) an enormous box of BELGIAN cream chocolates. HOW DID SHE KNOW??. The woman has class, obviously.

Then there were brownies, the chewy good kind, from my nextdoorsikeh, who has been on a baking frenzy lately. Brownies! Breakfast of champions!.... of.... something. They all know I'm a chocoholic.

Then I got a card, and later in the day a phone call telling me I had FLOWERS in the lobby. From the guy who flubbed Christmas! Woohoo. Nice ones, purples, blues, and some deep pinks. He paid attention! No yellows. No oranges. He knew!

Went to a nice sushi buffet dinner, had some outrageous birthday cake, and got my present -- a brand new tiny sleek camera/video combination I had wanted. Now for the learning curve. It took me a while to locate the memory card slot.... But it's GRAND.

What did I do to deserve all this???

Oh yeah. I whined a lot.

Places you should go.

How to Get the Weight of Your Own Head
....Without decapitation of course. Would it make you feel better in your diet battle to leave it out of the picture? Some very humourous physics postulations and retorts.
Wendy Waldman - My Last Thought
An accoustic, almost folky warmth from Wendy - but much more complex. She's only available on Longhouse Records, so I'm presenting her video on YouTube instead. Gorgeous song with subtle changes from an old friend, mentor, and solid composer.
Mooncakes Fascionable
I stumbled across this page too late for last September, but MAN these look fun. Will try to find them next time around.
Another Fun iPod Story
This soldier's story had better not be fabricated. I'd love it if it were really true. Could be!
Godiva Mocha Gets My Vote
This reviewer is funny but he seems to like the product only somewhat; I absolutely ADORE (and should not have) it. Just don't think of it as COFFEE. It's not.
All My Sick Friends...
will like this silly penholder. Just gave me a chuckle.
Is Corn Fuel a Joke?
This blog has some pretty interesting figures. If this is true, I would go with good old solar collectors. Er, well, new ones.
Made in Taiwan: Flourescent Pigs
Yup, you can get just about anything in Taiwan, but you won't find these in the food markets. Not yet anyway.
Why snowflakes do what they do
Somehow I never bumped into an explanation of this atmospheric phenomenon. It's so logical! Of course! Duh! Why didn't I think of it.
A SNOW Museum??
YES!, and where else, but in Japan. Lovely pics, from a CalTech-er.

Much Ado About Nothing:

Symphony 4: America's Mercy War
Emily Wells: The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties
Musicianship she may well have; presence and a good show she may present - I'd have to see her to say. But on listening without seeing her, I'd say it's just an updated Melanie, and her symphonies are just pop music with quartets and some rough edges. People who like Devendra Banhart and Joanna Newsome will find her roughness appealing. The thing is, that grows tiresome if there's no amazing writing. Newsome and Banhart are fine writers. I don't think Emily is, sorry.
1234
Feist: The Reminder
I knew it was a Mac commercial ditty, but expected some substance upon examination. What I found was Joni Mitchell Lite in the vocals, and lyrics that made only a vague hint of sense. Then there's the scary multicolored people in her video.... just pretty much of nothing.
5:55
Charlotte Gainsbourg: 5:55
I have always loved Charlotte as an actress, what with her Patti Smith-like quirky looks and serious, soft voice. So I tried her album. A few tunes are nice, but I found it surprisingly unsophisticated musically (for a person who I suspected might be) and rather too Claudine Longet. Nothing but a soft breath of frost, and it dissipated too quickly.
Miss Murder
AFI: DECEMBERUNDERGROUND
Can I just say how old they looked and plasticly made to younger on SNL? It was just Wrong. Worse, they've been lame not just lately, but for years. WORST, they snagged the cover artist that did The Birthday Massacre's album art and STOLE THEIR RABBITS!!
One Road to Freedom
Ben Harper: Fight for Your Mind
Bleghhhhhhh. Badly executed, uninteresting, and shamelessly promoted. I think I had someone else in mind (whose name was it then?) when I chose this freebie.
Atlantic
Keane: Under the Iron Sea
I adored the opening section of this tune -- magical drama. But it was suddenly dragged away into Queenland/Rufus imitation, like most of the rest of their stuff. I tried, guys, I really did.
Thinking Underage
Teddy Geiger: Underage Thinking
I feel sorry for this uncontestably beautiful child of 17 who has been fed media all his life, spat it back cleverly, and been packaged like a Calvin Klein ad when he is really not very special. I would hope someday he will be, but signs point to "no". He will have a lot of lucky groupies, though.
Bom Bom Bom
Living Things: Ahead of the Lions
This was described as "glam" in feel. Uh, what unresearching 20 year old decided that? It was also described as an anti-war protest, and that the band is iconoclastically political enough to get banned from the Viper Room in L.A.. That falls when you listen to the lyrics. It's sarcastic, but I could just as easily see it be used by a film like Jarheads, glorifying as well as not. And most of all, it's a lame 70s riff that's not been tweaked at all. BOSTON would have been more original than this. Plus side: Lead singer Lillian Berlin (who used to have a boy's name back in Missouri) has a beatiful husky dark voice. Maybe they'll get better with time, but I'm bored.
Bliss
Muse: Origin of Symmetry
Queeeeeeeeen!! QUEEN! Have I mentioned before that Muse makes me CRAZY? Have I mentioned they are a fuzz pedaled revamp of Queen tunes? This piece is purely that. I like two of their later tunes, and that's about it. Not this album.
Pistol of Fire
Kings of Leon: Aha Shake Heartbrake
Garage band raw dry recording, rehashed traditional rock structures, and a vocalist I don't care about. That being said, I think they'd be very fun in concert. But nothing I want to buy, really. Everything Secret Machines is truly, this band is falsely. This doesn't seem synthesized into a new form, it just feels cribbed.

In Twilight Regalia

Reparations of Ondelyn and Further We Hope

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