Three flavors of new in 2009 so far

I wouldn’t lick any of these artists.  Just sayin’.

KKCK:

Akon “Beautiful”
This is one of the few five minute radio edits one will see.  A few guest stars spice up the track, which is a pretty common Akon track.  I’m actually a bit surprised at how much it reminds me of his last track.  I’m always up for more Kardinal Offishal guest spots, and this song helps in that category.  It is impossible for an Akon song to do poorly around here, so this will be big here, and probably top ten nationwide before it’s all said and done.

Leona Lewis “I Will Be”
I spent some time with this song in hopes of being inspired to write something about it.  Really, there isn’t a lot to say about it.  Leona Lewis came out of the gate with music that couldn’t be more mainstream and radio friendly.  Sure, it’s a bit bland and it doesn’t stray far from her last single, but “I Will Be” has a more uplifting title than “Better in Time” and “Bleeding Love”.  Leona is running the show now, so we might as well get used to it.

Theory of a Deadman “Not Meant to Be”
Even when my favorite cranky cannuck rockers go for the ballad, they can’t stop being bitter.  If Chad Kroeger wrote the lyrics to this music, we’d get another “How You Remind Me” or “Photograph”.  Instead, we get Tyler Connoly’s lament about a dysfunctional relationship.  Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman couldn’t be more similar and different if they tried. 

Pick for clicks: Akon

With all the hype building up for the re-release of the 1989 Beastie Boys record Paul’s Boutique, I dug out my first print cassette tape and listened to the album for the first time since probably 1990 or 1991.  When I heard it back then, I was wanting more Licensed to Ill raps about rhymin’ and stealin’, girls, party right fights and not sleeping until Brooklyn.  What I heard was not even close to another Licensed to Ill.  I gave it a few tries, but songs like “Eggman” (though I loved “Hey Ladies”) were just a bit too off the wall for my brain, which was living on a steady diet of Motley Crue, Dangerous Toys, Warrant, and ZZ Top just to name four.  This weekend I popped in the album, and I enjoyed it so much I listened to it twice.  It actually freaks me out a little bit to think about how much I didn’t like it then, compared to how much I like it now.  Sometimes I think about all the old cassette tapes and CDs I have, and how many of them I didn’t like back then that I might like now.  Has anyone else rediscovered an album that they didn’t like at first?  I know I’ve written about this sort of thing before, but will there ever be a point where it doesn’t weird me out a bit? 

Too much f***in’ perspective man.

2009 is going pretty well so far.  No complaints on my end.  Kate and I are hoping to hit Sioux Falls this weekend.  We could use the day to ourselves (big thanx to grandma for watchin’ Braeden) so hopefully the weather cooperates.

Sunday I packed up my NES, SNES, and PS1 and moved them upstairs for quick assembly if the mood hits.  I can’t even remember the last PS2 game I played.  I received Lego Batman for my birthday, and I haven’t even opened it yet.  Kate thinks this means I’m growing up or some such nonsense, but I tend to go in streaks for video games.  This off streak has been a lot longer than most.  A lot of my part-time hobbies are falling away as more of my time is spent with Braeden and Kate, or I’m working on my writing.  It’s coming up on five years since I started writing here, and almost a  year since I went a bit wordpress nuts.  If anything, it’s making me want to do it more.  I wonder if SMSU will give me a do-over for a degree.

Yeah, probably not.  Good thing I like what I do for a living.

Have a good rest of the week.  Comments are always welcome.