Wink at the Devil - Bubonik Funk Flirts with Fire

Just because mom gave away your catholic school uniforms and the shards of high school have been dusted off your shoulders doesn't mean your band has to be thrown in the box labeled "High School Memories" along with them. If that were the case, half of the bands you have on your ipod wouldn't exist. It's risky, life-consuming, and difficult, but Bubonik Funk holds their swagger through it all, and are ready to flirt with the future in their latest EP, Wink at the Devil.

For their follow-up to their 2008 release, OTB, Bubonik Funk took their old school funk to a realm of reflection, evident especially in "The Feeling Is" followed by "Love." The EP was produced alongside Dustin Hofsess. Singer Dylan Ellett's material ecompassses a figurative and curiously creative atmosphere where signs of personal growth leak through "Hybrid," sort of a love-themed, Lennon-tinged "Day in the Life."

Guitarist Stefan Kallander keeps a surprisingly quiet strength throughout Wink, every so often bursting out articulate, glass clear licks on "Position of Power" and effortlessly melting faces on "Hybrid" and "Wrath of Brad."

One thing I am happy to hear from Bubonik Funk is control. Bubonik Funk's earlier work had perfectly entertaining breakdowns of grainy and messy solos, but the fresh and refined sound from Kallander's strat on Wink brings a new depth to BFunk's vibe. Drummer Daniel Allison and bassist Nick McOwen stay cool and calm throughout Wink, going forth with subtle bravado and simplicity throughout the EP.

Now I can't make everyone appreciate the type of music that Bubonik Funk writes, as the guys seem to be a bit transgenerational from what we often hear today. Thank goodness for those who still appreciate the energy that funk music brings to the table, making listeners tap toes and get that feeling, whatever it may be.

Wink at the Devil will be available this December, and if you're in Charlotte tonight, head down to Neighborhood Theatre where Bubonik Funk will be performing with SOULIVE.


Key Tracks: Wrath of Brad, Jungle, Position of Power, Hybrid


http://myspace.com/bubonikfunk

Yo Mama So Phat...

Tonight, I'll be working a show for Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band and Major Magick CD release party. Yo Mama's is from Asheville, NC, and have a substantial lineup of shows in North Carolina coming up this month. Major Magick is releasing their new album tonight and have shows in Tennessee and NC to back it up.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow, and maybe...pictures?! Until then, Moby and Stevie Ray Vaughn have been circling my head today, and it may be worth your while to check out some stuff. Have fun with random music tonight!

http://www.myspace.com/yomamasbigfatbootyband

http://www.myspace.com/majormagick

Song of the Day

**10/28/09
The Damnwells - Bastard of Midnight
-------------Sometimes the hardest thing to do is confess: clear the innermost secrets out of your locked chest where your heart thumps endlessly, and sometimes restlessly. "Bastard of Midnight" isn't an easy admission, yet it's relieving to hear. Take it from the one throwing her fingers at the keyboard - fessing up is only one letter away from messing up. For those of us not strong enough to admit how we feel, The Damnwells are a damn good tag-team. Get "Bastard of Midnight" from The Damnwells One Last Century.

http://www.myspace.com/thedamnwells

...The version I have in my library is simply acoustic guitar and Alex Dezen. When it's the writer and his instrument, the song instantly becomes intimate. It's an inescapable connection, like you're sitting on the couch where he wrote the song. I apologize from the bottom of my heart that I can't find the album this version is on, but if you can find it, please let me know.

Song of the Day

**10/27/09

Taio Cruz - Break Your Heart

---------------Third time's a charm - an expression that wills people to be patient, continue searching or keep flared tempers at bay for at least another try. Such was the case as I perused the U.K. charts this morning, when I found a bitter taste in my mouth from the first couple of pop morsels tasted. Taio Cruz's dance club ode of honesty "Break Your Heart" was the sweet surprise of the charts. You may not have heard of U.K. R&B singer-songwriter Taio Cruz, but when you hear "Break Your Heart," you'll agree that his music is the missing child of pop radio who just wants to hang out with siblings like Akon, Ne-Yo, and Sean Kingston. Get "Break Your Heart" from Taio Cruz sophomore album, Rockstarr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOg_IHwXWsk

Song of the Day

**10/25/09

Pretty Lights - Finally Moving Remix

-------------Complexity can be a beautiful thing, especially when that complexity requires one to stop what they are doing and pay full attention to it. That amounted to my first time listening to Pretty Lights, a Fort Collins, Colorado electronica/hip-hop group that compose songs as detailed and meticulous as a classical symphony.

Derek Vincent Smith and Corey Eberhard throw their cutting edge party beats and Daft-Punk style songs into a whirlwind of robotic harmony. Electronica hardly ever ceases to impress me, and Pretty Lights couldn't make digital music more, well, pretty! "Finally Moving (Remix)" from the 2008 album Filling Up the City Skies.

Pause! Want some free Pretty Lights? You can download their latest album, Passing By Behind Your Eyes for free on their website:

http://www.prettylightsmusic.com/

http://www.myspace.com/prettylights

Seven Tracks for Tailgating

Well zim-zam hot damn it's time for some football! Yes, dear readers, in case you've been living underneath your Skullcandys since August, Americans are well into the throes and throws of the season. Break out your favorite, cheap beer, brats and that weird beanbag toss game!

The food, friends, and refreshments are all well and good, but the music you blast from your post has a pivotal effect on your tailgating experience. The songs must be bad ass while not mom-drops-the-potato-salad offensive. Dad and uncle Bob want to hear some heartland rock n' roll tracks from their own glory days tossin' the pigskin. Friends want to feel cool enough at your tailgate, period.

Seems like a ton of pressure, but not to worry. Here are seven songs to get your tailgate mix started - consider it the first bag of Lays chips or the first chugs to kick off Miller Time (but if you're like the robust warrior in the above photo, I'd keep the consumption to a few sips).


1. Norman Greenbaum - Spirit in the Sky
---You want the big man upstairs to have your team's back. The guitar riff screams "Amuuurrica!," and it's from Remember the Titans, a personal favorite among sports movies.

2. The Hives - Tick, Tick, Boom
----Enough Brit-rock energy to keep you amped up for the game. There are plenty of "YEEEAAAHHHSS" to get your voice warmed up for booing refs and cheering for touchdowns.

3. Missy Elliott - Jump On It (Remix)
----Take a Sir Mix-a-Lot classic and throw in Missy Elliott - you can't go wrong. Play this one when the relatives are in line for the Porta Potty's so they won't have to pretend to other parents that they know you.

4. The Beastie Boys - Fight For Your Right
----Um, hello? The Beastie Boys are every Dude-Man-Bro's favorite white punk hip-hoppers. And the chorus speaks for itself in intimidating "don't mess with me man, I'm CRAZY!" lyrics.

5. Rock and Roll Part 1 - Gary Glitter
----I know, you've never heard of this song in your life. But you have - to put it simply, it's the one that goes "da-da-daaaa-da HEY! da da da..." repeat. People get up and clap for this one as if a string was pulled on their backs. Who knew a band with the word "Glitter" in it could write something so commanding and disgustingly simple?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH5zsYZbANE

6. Guns n' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
----Rock and roll and football are as harmonius as ketchup and mustard. While GNR is a little more 80's hair metal, there is no way you won't hear this before, during or after the game.

7. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
-----This song wonderfully pollutes every halftime, seventh-inning stretch, and tailgate. It's one of those come-together-y kind of songs, so everyone at your tailgate will feel a sappy, sentimental bond right before you walk through the gates.

Song of the Day

**10/21/09

The Goodnight Anthem - Forgetting How to Feel

----------------First, an order of gratitude: If you're a devoted reader of this blog (and I know you are!), you'll see my link to The Hint's blog, who were gracious enough to give a shout out to yours truly. Needless to say, I was as stoked as a sixteen-year-old who just scored a six-pack of brewskies from his older bro.

Now of course, The Goodnight Anthem. These guys know have made their latest EP Costco-sized with their eight-song deluxe EP released back in January. "Forgetting How to Feel" admits to being senseless in the expression of love, presumably a result of too many bruises and bumps from the past. A noteworthy admission, and it's certainly backed up by perfectly delightful vocals and a bop-worthy acoustic-electric hybrid. Get "Forgetting How to Feel" from The Goodnight Anthem EP Nights to Know You.

http://www.purevolume.com/thegoodnightanthem

http://www.myspace.com/thegoodnightanthem

The Hint - Thanks For Taking It!

--------------A special thank you, gracias, and grazie to The Hint, for their blog post about, well, my blog post. Once again, the song is called "Deep Blue Sound" from their album, I Am The Hint.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=1477852&blogID=515062279

Song of the Day

**10/20/09

Coldplay - Don't Panic

------------Just don't. We live in a beautiful world.

Oh, we're sinking like stones,

All that we fought for,

All those places we've gone,

All of us are done for.

We live in a beautiful world,

Yeah we do, yeah we do,

We live in a beautiful world,

Oh, we're sinking like stones,

All that we fought for,

All those places we've gone,

All of us are done for.

We live in a beautiful world,

Yeah we do, yeah we do,

We live in a beautiful world.

Oh, all that I know,

There's nothing here to run from,

And there, everybody here's got somebody to lean on.

Song of the Day

**10/19/09

The Hint - Deep Blue Sound

--------------I realised about three seconds ago that I have been neglecting the beautiful new discoveries that Myspace has if you just look in the bulletin bar. My posting about The Hint is taking place in BeansTalk, my home away from home that has the most delicious cup o' joe I've ever sipped in my limited, ADD memory.

The Hint are bound to sound a tad familiar to those who favor The Cure and a select number of slow-jam pop punk balladers, but what gets me about The Hint is their mellow aggression in their metaphorical montages. "Deep Blue Sound" contains everything from butterflies to ships running aground to describe the fall of fancy, and the movements include soaring synth and even a wailing guitar solo. To some it may be a bit cumbersome, but to others it is a thoughtful effort to exercise musical abilities. Get "Deep Blue Sound" from The Hint's third album, I Am The Hint.

http://thehint.bandcamp.com/track/deep-blue-sound

http://www.myspace.com/thehint

Music Turf: CD Alley

While visiting my sister in the town of Chapel Hill, we spent the day wandering around various locations on Franklin Street, the main area for university hubbub and brou-ha-ha like shopping for collegiate regalia, digging through thrift stores and buying archaeic things such as CDs and vinyl.

The last time I was at a record store, I had enough room to do roundoffs in it (that's a fancy-schmancy cartwheel, just to be obnoxious like that). But CD Alley was a crawlspace of floor-to-ceiling CDs, with rows and rows of music jutting from the walls and filling up every corner. Without any objective searching, I strolled a satisfied stroll out of this treasure trove of tunes with:

Nick Drake - Pink Moon

Vivian Girls - Vivian Girls

Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil

Not a bad find from a store I wanted to spend hours in, but couldn't afford such a luxury. If you crouch underneath the sagging shelves of discs, you can find rows of vinyl can be a pain in the rear to look through if you aren't sitting indian-style and have loads of patience. But that's protocol for records - the ones you love the most are diamonds among a Sahara-sized rough.

The next time I'm heading to the Hill, I'll be making a visit to CD Alley once more for some hellagood used CDs. It was, I have to say, one of the most pleasant surprises of my weekend, and anyone who's in the neighborhood should check it out.

Song of the Day

**10/17/09
Black Lips - Vendi Vidi Vici
---------------A thousand apologies for the brief post from last evening - I've been enjoying the company of family and friends for the past few days and I've found myself pleasantly distracted. My sister showed me around her college town, and we made a stop in a fantastic record store called CD Alley, which I'll be raving about in a day or so once I've formulated a worthy expose.


For now, I'll blabber on about Black Lips and their song "Vendi Vidi Vici" from their album, Good Bad Not Evil. Seems like any relatively indie band has to include a song called "Vendi Vidi Vici" in their catalogue, but Black Lips' rendition has some stylish clap-clap percussion and a drawling chorus that separates the Atlanta flower punk band from the rest. I'm pretty sure right before the guitar solo kicks in, Cole Alexander actually howls - killer! If you find yourself howling along to this song, go for "O Katrina!" and "Bad Kids."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4mfVyLxYu8&feature=PlayList&p=DF265A9074849337&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=38

Song of the Day

**10/16/09
Jason Derulo - Whatcha Say
------------------So I've been chilling out in Chapel Hill visiting my sister, who's in an A Capella group called Cadence. She's notating this Imogen Heap R&B sampler, "Whatcha Say." I'm about to enjoy some pokey stix, so enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBI3lc18k8Q

Song of the Day

**10/15/09

Christina Aguilera - So Emotional

------------------After channel surfing through three rotations of cable TV, I finally rested on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90's. Most of the songs were a lollipop sweet return to the past, and I decided to take one of my own favorites from this decade (though I don't think I know enough 90's songs to pick a top 100). Nostalgia rang true and clear in one of my favorite pop bells, Christina Aguilera. I'll never remember how to spell her last name, but everyone should remember her name in pop music.

When Christina's self-titled debut was released, I'm pretty sure I was still shopping in Limited Too and getting rides to basketball practice in my mom's Chrystler minivan. But hey now - that didn't mean I wasn't crushing on the superstar stud of my fifth grade class and didn't get all torn up inside - Christina spoke to me!

"So Emotional" offers no solution to the troubled mind of a preteen exactly, but the tug-of-war motif of the song against Aguilera's angelic voice makes any dilemma seem alright. Get "So Emotional" from Christina Aguilera's 1999 chart-topping debut album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCwPYZFY7yU

Song of the Day

**10/14/09

Eminem - Beautiful

---------------It's always interesting to hear an artist say what his favorite song is, especially the favorite among his own work. But Eminem openly admits that "Beautiful" is the song that humbles him from his album Relapse, which he penned during a stint in rehab. Marshall gets a lot of flack for simply being, but with lyrics like those of "Beautiful," respect has to be paid. I've posted a link to them for contemplation, comisseration, and to put perspective to the song. Christina Augliera may have sung her own "Beautiful" against piano and songstress soul, but Eminem has his own, somewhat similar way of saying the same things. It's like divas and Detriot flavor in perfect, paradoxical harmony. Get Marshall Mather's "Beautiful" from Relapse.

**And also, welcome, new followers! Hope you enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfnmCOUieLw

Lyrics: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/e/eminem/beautiful.html

Song of the Day

**10/13/09

Asking Alexandria - If You Can't Ride Two Horses At Once, You Should Get Out of the Circus

------------------Something tells me Asking Alexandria wanted to drag you into listening to "If You Can't..." by making the song title both very clever and confusing. This ambient hardcore band's latest album, Stand Up and Scream features an interesting ambient-techno-hardcore combo that I couldn't help but get up and dance to. The interlude "Hiatus" leads into "If You Can't..." with a surprisingly kick-ass danceclub beat. "If You Can't..."'s lyrics may not be about partying all night long, but you'll appreciate it all the same for it's ferociously stark energy. Get it from Stand Up and Scream.

http://www.myspace.com/askingalexandria

Song of the Rainy, Cold Day

**10/12/09

Aqualung - Take Me Home

--------------Unless you are new to my musings, you have probably noticed that rainy days are ones that I rarely look at with a soggy mood (unlike my poor feet, which even wrapped in tube socks and fugly Uggs are still numb). Some of my favorite Zzz's are caught and most delicious coffee's are drunk while listening to the hypnotic diminishes of Matt Hale's piano. Under the nom de plume "Aqualung," Hale's tragically pretty "Take Me Home" sounds perfect against a backdrop of fog and underneath a toasty warm throw. Can ya tell I'm looking forward to an afternoon nap here?!

Well, if you've been blessed with fair weather, pair it with "Brighter Than Sunshine," a sweet symphony of violins and piano, and Bambi-esque "suddenly you're mine" lyrics. I'm pretty sure my heart murmers with joy every time I listen to this one. Get both songs, no matter what the weather, from Aqualung's Still Life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVAE2g5p_F4 - Take Me Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q536JTSe40M - Brighter Than Sunshine

A Lady Gaga Menage a Triosga

Ok, I know I'm probably going to lose a couple of fans on this one, but seriously, ever since Lady Gaga blew everyone's mind at the VMA's (but no one remembers, thanks Kanye) by performing a disturbingly genius version of "Paparazzi," I give her a thumbs up.

Here are three of Gaga's works that I have gone, well, Gaga over. And ne'er fear, I will explain why they're worth your time.

1. Boys Boys Boys

---------------Who doesn't want to hear like they taste like glitter and rock n' roll or go see the Killers and make out in the bleachers?! "Boys Boys Boys" screams to every fly female and gay bar around the world, and the disco club essence of The Fame tells stories of getting lost in Ferarris and dancing all night long in retro sneakers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXH36Juzwkk

2. Paparazzi (Live at the 2009 MTV VMAs)

---------------Like I said, the performance at the VMAs is the reason for this post. If you don't immediately understand the wheelchair or the blood, then looking at the real music video will help. But basically, the man she canoodles with pushes her over the edge, and the story goes from there. And her wig starts to fall off while she plays piano!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzQYhb90WcI

3. Beautiful Dirty Rich

--------------At first listen, or at the title, you would assume this song could be the theme song to Gossip Girl. But in reality, all the fun has cut back the funds, and what's a fabulous wealthy socialite to do?! Even if the answer is unclear, you can still just dance...it'll be ok...dada doo doo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvhwIpspk-w

Song of the Day

**10/11/09

The Whitest Boy Alive - Burning

----------------Friends, romans, countrymen - lend me your ears! I have come to proclaim a new website introduced to me - 8Tracks.com. To put it simply, you create a mix of eight songs or roughly 30 minutes of music and you share and compare with others. My friend Nicki created a mix that included The Whitest Boy Alive, a group based in Berlin led by Erlend Oye. Imagine The Strokes and Beck making passionate yet mellow love and concieving a subtly funky babe wrapped in swaddling yet trendy clothes. Open up a door to The Whitest Boy Alive 2006 self-titled album, and create your own tracklist on 8Tracks.

http://8tracks.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAWurnyKZUM

Seven Songs For the Weekend

So...I'm pretty confident that this weekend is going to be a good one. And why in the name of all that is poppin' lockin' and droppin' would I listen to something low key and plain jane? *Scoff* ne'er!
Believe me, I had a bit of a laugh compiling this list, especially watching the risque, avant garde, and macabre "Paparazzi" by my girl Lady Gags. If you already have something else on your turntables (I know, it's probably just an ipod, but run with it) for this evening, try out one or two of these suckers anyways. You either won't regret it or you won't remember it *wink, wink*

1. Swizz Beatz - No Money in the Bank

2. Timbaland - Bounce (Remix)

3. House of Pain - Jump Around

4. Lady Gaga - Paparazzi

5. Ray J - Sexy Can I

6. R. Kelly feat. Jay-Z - Fiesta

7. M.I.A. - Pull Up the People

Song of the Day

**10/8/09

Placebo - Because I Want You

---------------------Spent the day with a rent-a-puppy named Kujo in honor of the humane society here at school, and I want him so badly! No one can think of a puppy without smiling or feeling a warm spot in their heart. Placebo's "Because I Want You" may not be written about a precocious pooch, but there's definitely a fear of being alone and the need for a company that could never be replaced. Think of Placebo as a modern-day Smiths with a little more alternative punk blended into rich, often dark lyrics. Whether it's man's best friend, man's best drink, or man's soul mate, "Because I Want You" from Placebo's Meds is a perfect midnight companion.

This Is Forgery!

...Nay, it's music swapping! I'm uploading a cornucopia of albums from my dear and Placebo-obsessed friend, Shari. Her CD case is sitting in my lap and I wish iTunes would upload the music faster, because I'm anxious to open my ears to the fresh airs of new tunes. So what's the first album I have listened to from this collection? Get ready, nostalgics of drama pop punk...Dashboard Confessional's Swiss Army Romance. It was at the forefront of the case, so I had to take a listen, and I dig...I dig very much.

Here's a list of what my already morbidly obese library will be consuming tonight...Hope it doesn't need a stomach stapling!

Dashboard Confessional - Swiss Army Romance

Placebo - Once More With Feeling

Placebo - Meds

Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing

The Smiths - The Queen is Dead

Blink -182 - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket

The Brunnettes - Holding Hands, Feeling Ducks

AFI - DecemberUnderground

Weezer - Maladroit

Streetlight Manifesto - Somewhere in Between

The Stitch Up - Attitude Adjuster

Dazed and Confused Soundtrack

Fall Out Boy - Carry This To Your Grave

Flogging Molly - Swagger

Dropkick Murphys - The Warriors Code

Atreyu - Lead Sails Paper Anchor

Jake Troth

Dispatch - Bang Bang

Song of the Day

**10/6/09
Mimicking Birds - The Loop
---------------Whew! Ok, I've gotten all of the icky feelings out of my system and I'm ready to redirect my attention to the joys of music rather than become A.D.D. with trivial problems.
Mimicking Birds...I can't recall where or when I heard about this band, but it's scribbled on a Post-it note on my laptop among other acts to check out. Couldn't help but give the nod to this band because of their swooning instrumentals and quirky, dancing ambience. It's almost as if The Postal Service and Nick Drake had a baby who grew up to be Mimicking Birds.
"The Loop" is not as restless as (the highly recommended) "A Perfunctory Clockwork Yawn" and may not hum like "Rivers, Veins, and Roots," but what it does contain is an arresting guitar melody that knocks your energy out into a blissfully calm stupor.

http://www.myspace.com/natelacy

Band Aids

Just to start off, I'm not one that likes to incorporate personal baggage with them on their musical airplane. But hey - no one's got it all together, and that's as normal as a delicate setting on a washing machine. That's a face of music that not everyone wants to see, but you're grateful it's around whenever things get you down.

Whenever I'm in a funk, I gravitate towards hip hop and rap. It's a genre I can appreciate because what constitutes as an obstacle to me is eons away from the real problems these artists have seen. It is a humbling respect for true struggle that puts my problems in perspective. So here's a random compilation of Band Aids, and if you just take a minute and let it breathe (like K'naan), you create medication out of your own tribulations.

1. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - The Message

2. Kanye West - Never Let Me Down

3. Gang Starr - Moment of Truth

4. K'naan - Take a Minute

5. Tupac - Keep Ya Head Up

6. TLC - Waterfalls

7. Lupe Fiasco - Hip Hop Has Saved My Life

Song of the Day

**10/5/09

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band - Roosevelt Room

-------------------I was reclining in my rollaway chair in my Rock Lyrics class listening to my peer's lyrics projects and scribbling notes on index cards criticizing each presentation. My ears were sick and tired after hearing the third Dave Matthews Band song, but then someone saved me with some killer Omaha Oberst side-project magic. Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band supposedly said goodbye at the end of August, but honestly, I would have loved to hear more of this band's stuff. I dig Oberst when he's pensive and moody, but my ears love getting drunk off of a big, massive draft of ADD guitars, vagabond timbre, and a little political spite to chase it down. Get "Roosevelt Hotel" from Outer South.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn7UQRE7cF4

Song of the Day

**10/4/09

Maylene and the Sons of Disaster - Listen Close

-------------Had a beautiful surprise from a few wonderful friends this weekend, and I found myself constantly preoccupied and honestly, unwilling to plop myself down for longer than three seconds.

It's somewhat peculiar and cliche to mention, but you never truly understand an experience until you, well, experience it. Being kept together by highways and telephone lines may seem crazy and unusual, but songs like "Listen Close" by the Alabama Maylene and the Sons of Disaster erase any lines drawn over a perfect canvas. Maylene and Sons features former Underoath frontman Dallas Taylor singing longingly for a far-away muse, and the lyrics (which I have so conveniently posted for your sing-along pleasure) dig deep into a missed love, but also of scarier doubts (i.e. the final lyric of the final verse " I've been gone so long I'm afraid I might be losin' you." Get "Listen Close" from Maylene and the Sons of Disaster III.

=Verse 1=

It's been awhile and a million miles

Since I've seen the sun shine on your face

A long time coming but now I'm runnin' back home

Southern pines and neon signs and every backroad between the two

Out of sight don't mean out of mind to me
=Chorus=

Carry on this way

I'm singin' to you from somewhere tonight am I getting through?(Is it getting through?)

I choke on every word and it never comes out right

This would be so much easier standing next to you
=Verse 2=

I didn't know what I was lookin' for

But I found it when I took your hand

The cheshire smile still cuts me down to the bone

Preacher says it's for rich or poorWe see a lot of the latter of two

I've been gone so long I'm afraid I might be losin' you
=Chorus=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRYM0dQ9_M

The Blueprint 3

So I know I'm a little behind on this one, but I bought (with that green papery stuff called cash) The Blueprint 3 Jay-Z's latest encore released officially-ish on September 11th.

I had a leaked copy of the album, but the inner music geek inside of me wanted the plastic, the celophane wrapper, and the album artwork. To get these treasures of tracks, I shelled out a phenomenal $17 for a copy (you're welcome, Jigga Man and Atlantic). This small fortune is now sitting amongst my very haphazard collection of cassette tapes, vinyl, and cds that are temporarily on my desk until I can move them to my collection.

Many of the tracks are produced by Timbaland and Kanye West, and a line of artists longer than Saturday morning at the DMV appear on collaborative tracks. Rihanna's chorus-belting role and Alicia Key's sultry cry take hold of "Run This Town" and "Empire State of Mind," respectively. Pharell, Kanye, Drake, and Kid Cudi take hold of the B-Sides.

I still haven't formed a definite yay or nay to this one. It may take me a few more listens, for while I may acquire leaked tracks early on, I sometimes forget that I have them and the necessity to revisit material rears its head.

What do you guys think? Is Jay-Z's latest the greatest, or can you find way more than 99 problems with The Blueprint 3?

Song of the Day

**10/2/09

State Radio - Bohemian Grove

---------------A reggae group from Boston may seem unusual at first, like a Jamaican Bobsled team or an ice cream truck creeping through cul de sacs in December. But State Radio have delivered since 2006, when Dispatch frontman Chad Urmston, Chuck Fay, and Mike Najarian put out their first album, Us Against the Crown. They have an armload of tour dates this winter to promote their latest release, Let It Go. State Radio is part rascally Boston-punk and part reggae, making Let It Go an interesting yet enjoyable album for all moods. "Bohemian Grove" takes to the soapbox for social minorities through tinkering drums and simple, earnest lyrics.

http://www.myspace.com/stateradio

Silversun Pickups

Some terrible scene girl pictures with my point n' shoot Canon Powershot! These are the best of the worst from a music fan who could never call herself a photographer, even if she had a Nikon D90 weighing down her neck.

Basist Nikki Monninger sings with an ethereal, demure disposition, but she wails on the bass like nobody's business. Brian Aubert and drummer Christopher Guanlao delivered an impassioned, aggressive performance that would knock the Wayfarers off any indie listener.

The set was everything I expected and more. Where I anticipated a clean performance onstage, I didn't think it would be a near synonym of their mastered recordings. Even the chaos of synth breakdowns and mixing from Joe Lester and Tony Hoffer were organized.

Here's the set list, so kindly passed on to me by Nikki Monninger:

Growing Old is Getting Old

Well Thought Out Twinkles

Sort Of

There's No Secrets This Year

The Royal We

Little Lover's So Polite

It's Nice to Know You Work Alone

Future Foe Scenarios

Kissing Families

Catch and Release

Panic Switch

Lazy Eye