Three songs for the ages?
January 28, 2009
Notice I didn’t say what ages?
KKCK:
Nick Lachey “Patience”
While Nick and Jessica were the toast of MTV, I had no idea that Nick would still be getting songs onto CHR while Jessica went to country music. Mostly I just wanted them to go away, but Nick is proving himself to be quite resilient. Since Take That don’t do well in the States, why not take a big song of theirs and bring it over? It sounds like a plan with no drawbacks, and for Lachey fans it is a song with few drawbacks. For those of us who don’t hang on Nick’s every move, it’s a passable pop song with a bit more guitar that we’re used to hearing on Nick’s singles.
Kings of Leon “Use Somebody”
We toyed with the idea of playing “Sex on Fire” but instead opted to wait for a single with a slightly less racy title. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the song or the album it’s from. KoL are just one of those bands I can’t get into for some reason. Why can’t science solve that problem, or at least explain it? I feel so out of the loop when, for example, musicians/music fans I respect start talking about Radiohead. I just don’t get it, and I feel: a bit stupider/less refined/out of some kind of loop that I cannot penetrate/all of the above. So…I do like how the song starts. Is that a start?
K’naan “If Rap Gets Jealous”
As far as rappers go, this one probably knows more about mean streets and death than anyone with Dr, Lil’, Young, or Cent in their name. If you don’t know, K’naan grew up in Mogadishu, Somalia, and got out on the last flight in 1991. I had no idea who he was until we added the song, and the more I read and listen the more interesting his story and music become. We’re probably early, but that never stopped us before (like when we played a track from M.I.A.’s Arular back in the day). It’s worth checking out, but if you’re in listening range don’t expect to hear it until a bit later. Even the radio edit is a bit on the “night only” side.
Plork to clork: Kings of Leon
I saw a story this week that Facebook had passed MySpace in total users, or something like that. Facebook seems to be a lot more happening these days, but my blogs are only on MySpace and WordPress. I had feed to Facebook, but it was turned off by FB for some reason. Maybe I’ll hook it back up one of these years.
Battlestar Galactica has been so frakin’ good during the “final episodes” run. During the first half of season four I was of the mind it was time, but now it’s really making me want more. Good thing SciFi wants them to do a few movies, and maybe that prequel series. Then, there’s Knight Rider. I want NBC to bring it back, just because it might be one of the more undeserving renewals of all time. The fight between KITT and KARR last week should have been the high point of the season, but it was over in about three minutes. Plus, the filming was inspired way too much by the Bourne movies AND the fight was in the dark no less. I had to watch parts of it three times on the DVR just to see what the heck happened. The cast is really doing their best with a bad show, and it could be a show that finds better footing if given more time. The next (and last) four episodes of the season were made in hopes of courting fans of the original show. We’ll see how that goes.
Nicktoons was on this morning, and I found a new cartoon to list among my new favorites. “My Life as a Teenage Robot” had snappy jokes, heart and I really liked the overall look of the show. I don’t think new episodes are in the cards, but I have plenty of reruns to catch up on. This really is a good time for cartoons, especially superhero/scifi cartoons. “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” is getting better every week. “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” has been pure win every week, especially last week with an appearance by the Blue Beetle (I’m talkin’ Ted Kord, not the new guy…no offense kid). “Wolverine and the X-Men” looks like an interesting take on the characters, and “Iron Man: Armored Adventures” starts up in April. “Spectacular Spider-Man” has new episodes coming back in March, and so does “Transformers Animated”. I didn’t even mention the DTV “G.I. Joe: Resolute” that’s on the way. Safe to say Braeden won’t have a problem finding a cartoon to watch with his old man in a few years.
Things in the old town are going mostly okay. The Schwan Food Company has been shedding management everywhere, including some people I know. Quizno’s closed up shop, and I got freaked out at Kmart because damn near everything was on clearance (no worries…that I can find out about). The station’s home show should be a good barometer of how bad the area is doing.
I don’t have a lot else on the brain, other than what I’m going to write in a few other blogs. We’ll reconvene here next week, or maybe sooner. I know I say that a lot, but maybe this is the week it happens.
[It is time for this week's MySpace blog simulcast]
I wouldn’t want to anyway. Seattle weather for the block!
KKCK:
Plies w/Ne-Yo “Bust It Baby (Part 2)”
This summer…get ready…for the ultimate hip-hop big budget team up. Plies…Ne-Yo…in a sequel so big..it…okay I’m done. I’m not watching any more summer movie trailers. I have a hard time believing that the busting was such that a sequel was really necessary. The good thing about this song is the copious amount of Ne-Yo in it. To me anyway, Plies sounds like he’s had too much syrup or booze or some mix of both. I expect to hear drunk-sounding vocals in concert, not in the studio. Heck, Dave Mustaine can’t remember recording a few of the early Megadeth albums and he at least sounds sober on them.
Safetysuit “Someone Like You”
I get the safety angle here. The song is equal parts mid-90s power rock and mid-00s power rock. I don’t like to bust a band’s balls for not being original, but these guys bring nothing new other than their name. Even their wikipedia page is boring. Now, the suit angle would be different, but not really that different thanks to the Hives. On the plus side, the song is doing well, and there isn’t anything about it that’s bad. It’s a vanilla cone of alt-rock, and some people like those. I prefer my vanilla cones to be the real kind, but that’s just me.
Adele “Chasing Pavements”
Some have called her the next Amy Winehouse. Amy, if you’re still alive and they’re looking for the next you, they don’t expect you to live very long. I hope Adele avoids flashing the camera, getting arrested, addiction, racist rants, more addiction, stumbling through concerts, and more addiction. She still lives with her mom, so unless her mom is Amy Winehouse she’ll be okay. I don’t disagree with the comparisons to Amy Winehouse, but she owes her music more to the style of Duffy with less of the slick production of Duffy’s slower songs.
Pick to click: Plies with Ne-Yo
If you pick one show to catch up on via DVD and/or torrenting, make it Battlestar Galactica. Sure, some episodes, like the first chunk of season four, are a bit slow and nothing seems to happen. Then you have episodes like last week that take all the slow plot threads and give them a yank that leaves you with a threadbare Colonial uniform. [minor spoiler alert...stop if you don't want it NOW]When Adama and Roslin saw each other again, after what they had each realized each other, it was one of the most real, heartfelt, emotional moments of any TV show I’ve ever seen. Of any movie I’ve seen. Of any anything I’ve ever seen. I’m not ashamed to say it almost made me tear up a little. Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell will probably not win Emmys because the show is science fiction, and that is damn, damn shame.
I wrote another blog about my feelings on AC/DC going the Wal-Mart route, but I posted that here. I revised and reread it a lot, but I’m still not sure I’m happy with it, nor am I sure it says everything I want to say. This is what happens when I get the idea to post something I whipped up with a font download and MS Paint before figuring out what I’m going to write about.
Things at the household are going well. Almost all the stuff I had in the nursery room is now elsewhere, and the few things that are left won’t take up much room. We’ve finally got Mac off to the vet to get fixed, so we’ll be dodging the loud heat-meowing from now on. Eileen hasn’t been fixed, but she’s easily distracted(aided by the fact she’s not as smart as her dad, who won’t win any “smartest cat” awards) when she’s in heat. Since both boy cats have already been clipped, there’s not a kitten concern.
Kate has been packing for her eventual hospital stay in a few months. I’ve been thinking about what to pack as well. I know that there will be some time for me at the hospital to hold and comfort the new arrival, and I know the mom suites at hospitals these days have a DVD player. So, I’ve been debating what to imprint on the young un’s psyche at an early age. G.I. Joe or Transformers (I’m leaning “Revenge of Cobra” unless I get some of the new show on DVD)? Batman or Superman (I’m leaning towards Supes here, since his show actually has an origin story, where the Bat-show didn’t)? Star Trek or Star Wars (probably Trek)? I’m pretty sure one of the first things he’ll get is “The Trouble with Tribbles”, since that is widely regarded as a Trek classic, and it doesn’t have any awkward moments where Kirk gets it on with anyone. Also, he’s due in September, so I won’t be watching the baseball playoffs alone this year. I wonder if he’ll be drawn to the World Series winner when he’s older. Oddly enough, one of the first baseball teams I liked, when I was old enough to buy one or two packs of cards, happened to be the Oakland A’s.
I sometimes think I’m going to talk to the little guy so much his first words will be “shut up”.
Speaking of shutting up, I’ll sign off for the week here. Write at’cha later.
