New Music December 4th (30 days ago!)

December 4th

This week blowed. All singles or reissues or best of’s or ‘live’ albums, nothing extra-ordinary. Blake Lewis is the only album I reviewed that is an original. Go Blake. However, Rufus Wainwright released his live album at Carnegie Hall dedicated to Miss Judy Garland. Wow. I actually BOUGHT it from iTunes. I hardly ever buy from iTunes anymore. I like the real deal – I just haven’t had the time to look for Rufus’s new album in the stores, and sites I normally download off of didn’t carry his new album (appalling) so I broke down and paid for it through the big bad Apple. Love it.

“The Blowers Daughter – LIVE” from Damien Rice newly released album “Live from the Union Chapel”. I love this song. Sometimes it makes me cry – yes, ME cry. I know. I don’t cry at anything (normal). I cry when my dinner doesn’t turn out right, when my iPod doesn’t load in time for me to go to workout, or if its Christmas morning… ok that last one doesn’t make sense. Does any of it? No. Blow me. Or the daughter. The Blowers daughter, that is. This live version is just as chilling as the original. I bet it was amazing to hear live in a chapel. Jealous…


“Slow Down” by Wyclef Jean featuring T.I. “Carnival Volume II: Memoirs of an Immigrant”. Yeah Wyclef can hold his own outside of the Fugees. This track is a bit like the Marley family… in a good way of course. They sing about the world being in a war zone. When hasn’t it? Can you name one time where there hasn’t been a war someplace? Ok – that’s a challenge everyone! GO!

“THE WHOLE ALBUM!” from Rufus Wainwright: Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall. Ok. So I actually downloaded this whole album. Yep. Rufus is fan-friggen-tastic. He played here a while back and closed his show with “Get Happy”, and the audience did get happy. If you’ve never seen Sir Rufus live, check out this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDoy2UkhRAE&feature=related
Wainwright covers some well known hits as well as obscure ones like “You’re Nearer” and “Rock a Bye Baby with a Dixie Melody”. He of course added “Over the Rainbow” to the collection and it too is a incredible rendition.

“Up the Bracket” from Libertines: Time for Heroes - The Best of the Libertines… Well I actually due own four Libertine songs… and I do like the Libertines, I really do. But does their history really warrant a “best of” album? I guess so! These lil punk tykes are on their way. Totally.

“Let’s go get stoned” from “James Brown: The Singles, Vol. 4: 1966-1967”. Oh if we must. Call me, James… 

“Crash and Burn” Pink: I'm Not Dead (Deluxe Edition). I’m bummed cuz I bought this cd last year and I didn’t get these extra songs – damn! I actually am a big fan of Pink. She ain’t dead – and she proves it on the album. So I missed out on this song plus two more. I may buy them – they are pretty killer. Appropriately titled fourth album of hers, she lets us know how she feels about the other ‘celebrities’ her age in the song ‘Stupid Girls’ which I immediately fell in love with… and in “Dear Mr. President” (which features the Indigo Girls – yay!) she pours out her thoughts regarding YOU know WHO. I was expecting a sassy bitchy song, buts its actually soft, angry, and sad. Plus she has an amazing voice and I’m hoping she is still considering playing Janis Joplin in a movie. I’m pink with overjoyment.


“Carcinogen Crush”, AFI’s new single. I think the song is actually good! BUT I really don’t like Davey Havok’s voice. I thought I liked AFI before, but every time I hear them I say “Ew, who is THAT?” Sorry, there is no ‘A Fire Inside” here. Other than that, the song itself, music and lyrics, is surpasses what I’ve heard from them previously. Poor kids.

“Know my name” by Blake Lewis (featuring Lupe Fiasco) from his debut album “Audio Day Dream”. I’m loco for Lupe. He’s a Muslim rapper from Chicago. How Blake got cool enough to include Lupe is beyond me. Don’t get me wrong, Blake has got talent. He just can’t SING sing. He’s more of a bee-bopper. Hip hop saved their lives, you know.

“Santa Clause is coming to town” - Bucky Covington’s new single. Holy crap. That’s the best way I can describe this winner. And yes, I am being sarcastic. Oh Bucky, stick to what you know. Please don’t try to country-ize a Christmas song and make it your own… and speaking of Christmas singles from former idols….

“Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel” - Clay Akin’s new single from his Christmas EP. Whats ironic is that he is getting old enough to get away with singing like Barry Manilow. But the hair??? And when is he finally coming out of the closet already? All in all, this holiday EP is better than Bucky’s sad attempt, and you can take that any way you want (I’m sure Clay will…).


“Please come home for Christmas” - Josh Gracin . Now Josh gets the country-izing factor right for this holiday hit, unlike our dear idol Bucky. I can’t believe I’m recommending Josh Gracin… country ain’t my thing, folks. He also released the single: “The Virgins Lullaby” which is the epitome of why I don’t listen to country. Blech.

“Christmas in Dixie” - Trent Tomlinson’s new holiday single. Thank God the holidays are over, so I don’t have to review shit like this anymore. Good Lord. He doesn’t like his women drunker than he is – just a heads up to y’all alcoholics.