She's A Betty

Music Finds: Brown Eyed Girls "Abracadabra"

Sorry I have gone missing--have spent the last few weeks cleaning, working, with family, watching True Blood (thanks Tyia!) & reading the entire Southern Vampire mystery series. I am on Team Eric.

Because, like...damn.

Below is a video by South Korean group Brown Eyed Girls. I'm not in love with the video itself--it's heavy on the male fan service, which is not my thing--but I like the group, like the styling, and the song, "Abracadabra," is one of the best dance songs I've heard in awhile. Let me know what you think:

Ella Fitzgerald & Jo Stafford's Love Medley

A bit of fun for 2009 (if you want more, check out the first part):

Lily Allen's "The Fear"

Just wanted to join the internet love fest over Lily Allen's new video "The Fear" (below, from her next album It's Not Me, It's You, out February 2009). Everyone's ashamed to admit they like Lily Allen, but I don't see why; she does catchy pop songs, and there are far worse things. She produced this album with Greg Kurstin, of The Bird & the Bee, and if you like the sound, definitely check out some of his other work--"So You Say," "Again & Again," & "F*cking Boyfriend" are good songs to start with.

John Legend's "Nutmeg" & a Thanksgiving Surprise

John Legend's filthy, filthy take on nutmeg was my favorite part of Stephen Colbert's Christmas Special (video below).

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

A Colbert Christmas: John Legend

Ron Paul Interview
Bob Barr Interview

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

And for those of you who didn't watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, you only missed this.

Open New CDs in 20 Seconds

Sorry for the lack of updates! I'll post more info soon.

For those of us who still buy CDs...

Find a nice hard edge (I used the kitchen counter). Slide the CD case's bottom side (i.e. the side without the sticker) against the sharp edge, hard enough to shred the plastic seal. Peel off the plastic wrap.

Undo the case hinges and open the case as shown. Separate each part of the case from the sticker, taking care to keep the sticker intact. Snap the hinges back in place, and you're done.

P.S. That's the Santogold album I've been going on about. Love it and her!

Music Finds: 08/04/08

New music hasn't bowled me over lately. Coldplay's Viva La Vida is good, and the new Jason Mraz is surprisingly slick, but...eh.

One group I am excited about is The Knux, made up of two brothers from New Orleans (thank you, Ambika!). Comparisons to Stankonia-era OutKast flow freely among journalists describing the group's sound, and I can't think of higher praise. The Knux's debut album Remind Me in 3 Days comes out October 14; check out their singles "Bang Bang" and "Cappuccino" (video below) for now.

More artists/songs to check out (YouTube links, all):

• Santogold, "Lights Out" & "Say Aha." I just bought the album from Amazon for $8, the best price I've seen. Previously mentioned here.
• Leela James, "A Change Gonna Come."
• Bitter:Sweet, "The Mating Game."
• Enur featuring Natasja, "Calabria" (though it's now in a Target commercial, the final stage in any song's life cycle).
• Maurice Williams & the Zodiacs "Stay," one of the sexiest songs ever.
• The Weepies, "Antarctica." Album previously mentioned here.
  
• Devendra Banhart, "Carmensita" (via Free People). I'm still confounded by the video (which stars Natalie Portman)--do I like it? Is it from hipster hell? I don't know. The song's catchy, at least.
  

Music Finds: 06/09/08

1) Santogold, "L.E.S. Artistes." I'd noticed the album cover at work, but it took NOGOODFORME's post on her for me to get hooked. She reminds me vocally of Karen O (a good thing), and I like both the lyrics & her style:

A few others I've got on repeat:

• The Crystals, "Then He Kissed Me"
• Fat Boy Slim, "Wonderful Night"
• The Blow, "True Affection." The beat sounds like the opening for D4L's "Laffy Taffy," but with a totally different effect.
• Previously: Music Finds: 05/28/08.

Finally, just for kicks: the Bill O'Reilly meltdown dance remix (includes many, many f-bombs).

Music Finds: 05/28/08

I'm not sure how to classify the stuff I've been listening to recently. It's mostly pop, with strong electronic influences & plenty of experimentation. Some favorites (YouTube clips below):

1. Gnarls Barkley, "Going On," from 2008's Odd Couple. Such an awesome song, and the video does it justice: it's beautifully shot, with great dance moves to copy and even some fashion inspiration (puffy skirt and neon red hair streaks? Yes, please).

2. The New Pornographers, "The Laws Have Changed." Not a new song, but it's got strong hooks, intriguing lyrics, and Neko Case's vocals. Be sure to avert your eyes as soon as the white guy starts dancing, lest they bleed.

3. Christian Falk featuring Robyn & Ola Salo, "Dream On." I like both Falk & Robyn, and this particular collaboration fuses nightmarish lyrics with a clear, Cornelius-like sound. Even though Robyn's "Konichiwa Bitches" video made the blog rounds last fall (watch it if you haven't), I've been surprised at how much big media love she's received (so far I've seen her in Marie Claire and Entertainment Weekly). It's pretty cool.

More from the play list (with YouTube links):

• M.I.A., "Come Around"
• Regina Spektor, "Hotel Song"
• MGMT, "Time to Pretend"
  
• The Bird & the Bee, "Again & Again" (nice video, also check out "F*cking Boyfriend" from the same album)
• Vampire Weekend, "A-Punk"
• Ladytron, "Destroy Everything You Touch" (ditto nice video)
• Stars, "Elevator Love Letter"

Finally, I want to mention the new Duffy album, which is now on rotation at work. I'd give it a B, mostly for Duffy's voice & the overall retro feel. The lyrics, though, are predictable, and the only track that stands out at first listen is her single "Mercy." But I'm always happy when it comes on.

Music Finds: The Jazz Age

Image via Vintage Lulu, found in Flappers & the Jazz Era photo pool.

Jazz Era music is fun. A little goes a long way (some songs were only meant for dog's ears), but when it's good, it's really good--and the lyrics can be v. amusing (e.g. "You Gonna Look Like a Monkey When You Get Old"). Four online sources for Jazz Age swing:

1. One good bet is the WFUV's The Big Broadcast, a weekly radio show featuring music from the '20s & '30s. Hosted by Rich Conaty, the show plays every Sunday from 8 pm to midnight; the last two broadcasts are available online as streaming audio. Conaty also has a nice set of web recommendations (via getTRIO).
2. One commenter recommended the similar WAMU 88.5's Hot Jazz Saturday Night, which features jazz from the 1920s through '40s.
3. Fans of Bertie Wooster's singing will appreciate this set of links. Unfortunately, the official Jeeves & Wooster soundtrack has been removed, but you can still catch some of the songs on YouTube (e.g. "47 Ginger Headed Sailors").
4. Metafilter also has a good set of pre-1950s music links.

Finally, here's a YouTube clip of Josephine Baker's "Don't Touch Me Tomatoes." It's not quite the right decade, but I love her voice and the silly lyrics:

Music Finds: 04/11/08

Lately, my radio's been alternating between rap hits & soul singers. It's the artists from the latter category that need more exposure; presumably you don't need any help finding Flo Rida's "Elevator," etc. Some nice discoveries:

1. Madeleine Peyroux, "Don't Wait Too Long."

2. Betty Lavette, "Let Me Down Easy." Actually found this several months ago. It's a song where as soon as she opens her mouth, you know it's going to be great. 

Other recommended artists/songs (YouTube links): Adele's "Right As Rain", John Legend's "Slow Dance", India Arie's "There's Hope."