Where do i begin?! Well I’ll start from most recent and work my way back. Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” video….freaking amazing. I liked her when she first surfaced, didnt like the whole album but most of the singles played on my system quite a bit, especially paparazzi, poker face and just dance. But with this new song, I think I love her in a whole new way. She has quite a vision and puts it together so well. I still cant ignore the similarities between her and Roisin Murphy. However, I will not say gaga is ripping her off..but there are some things that make you go hmmmmmmm. Bad Romance is an epic electronic pop song where she intensely showcases all sides of her artistry..her voice, her quirks, style and sexuality.

Imogen Heap at The Henry Fonda Theatre. Was pretty awesome! Tim Exile killed it opening up for her using his home made instruments and doing the sing then sample, make a sound then sample thing that Imogen is known for. Imogen herself was a bit awkward at times, she admitted to having the show tight then a week before bought a bunch of new gear and still wasnt familiar with it. She forgot lyrics the new songs often, had some tough to follow audience participation moments with Just For Now and had trouble keeping track of where to start a song. I, personally, enjoyed watching her figure it all out.

3oh!3…like their Dont Trust Me song, but fell for them even more with Starstrukk with Katy Perry. Its such a hot, fun song! Their album is pretty solid, its got sick beats and synths and they actually have decent rapping skills! Its different and energetic.

MASSIVE ATTACK “Splitting The Atom” EP!!!! Its gotten some poor reviews, but I really dig it. Here is my thing with massive attack…they may not be making groundbreaking music like they did with blue lines or mezzanine and people tend to shit on them for that, but they do continue to make solid, true to form music that is still quite listenable and very interesting. As a huge fan, they have yet to disappoint me…well aside from not coming out with music often enough. The EP contains two songs original versions and two songs reworked by the fever ray producers. I am excited to hear what Psyche sounds like on the actual LP, because I am a bit obsessed with the version on the EP. Martina Topley Bird and Massive Attack..shouldve happened a long time ago!! Also, Hope Sandoval from Mazzy Star is set to be on the LP as well….now we have to wait til February for that!

Fever Ray at the Henry Fonda…quite the experience! A bit monotonous at times, but she set such a solid vibe. At times i felt like i was in the woods at some pagan rave watching the high priestess perform. Such a great live show! If you get the chance you must see her…for the lazer usage alone!

Thats it for now…hopefully more to come soon! Listening to the new Flyleaf and obsessing over Florence + The Machine as well…Florence is a MUST get for ANYONE who likes my recommendations! She deserves her own post cause I saw her live too and it blew me away!!

Shelley Harland. Its looooong over due, but here is my review of the album, Red Leaf. Its obvious Im a huge fan and she has done no wrong in my ears, this is no exception. So I will try to keep the gushing to a minimum. From the opening song Wonder, to the closing title track, Red Leaf, this album does not disappoint. I cant help but see the beautiful changing leaves of Fall in my mind with every note of this album. Its such a powerful, crisp piece of music magic. Shelley shines with her lyrics and melodies more than she ever has. She has grown so much, I cant wait for her to dominate the US! Every song will get stuck in you head and your heart, they will trade places selflessly. Different moments of each song stand out with every listen, moments you didnt notice the last time. For me, the stand out track…which says a lot because each and every song on this album could be a single…is Panic To Control. Its been years since I’ve hear such a personal anthem. This song makes me feel strong and capable, its reassuring. If you ever feel doubt about yourself or something you want to do, listen to this song. You’ll be holding your head up with your shoulders back! Its a powerful song about, taking risks, believing in yourself and fighting for your dreams! It has hints of some of her earlier work in the “programming”…the approaching echo of her hum in certain bits give me chills. Wonder, Hourglass, Blue Bells, Sorry and Stranger(the new single) are all stellar songs. Youd be doing yourself an injustice by not getting this album. I am naming it THE PERFECT FALL ALBUM of 2009. Even though “Friday” was one of my summer jams…the LP as a whole just breathes Fall. Shelley, if you read this, ONCE AGAIN..thank you for putting out such an important album. You are one of a kind and a force to be reckoned with.

PS…the melodies and lyrics people!! I cannot stress their brilliance enough…I just cannot!

You can buy the album here(its WELL worth every penny and comes from Australia..one day itll be out in the states, but I dont recommend waiting!):

http://www.jbhifionline.com.au/music/pop-rock/red-leaf/437479

I heart shelley harland!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TvLsJY-X0w

Ok, I am not ashamed to admit I actually like Shakira’s song She Wolf. Its a great pop/dance track and I love the vocoder usage. THEN..i saw the F’in video. She looks amazing..but the dancing is strange (maybe I’m missing something!), it had potentia for an actual storyline..then the rooftop part at the end..oh, its a mess. Guess you cant have it all haha.

Watch for yourself..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aEW_Z5Va5s

I first heard Anouk back in the day! 1998 maybe…perhaps 97, I was in Milan, Italy and saw the video for Nobody’s Wife. I loved it. When I got back to the states I bought Together Alone, the album Nobody’s Wife is on. I liked it, but it didnt get a of play as a whole…just several songs. But her voice captivated me, its so strong and raw, yet it still is vulnerable and beautiful. I always like to check on her, see what she is putting out musically..but never really bought more of her albums. The other day I heard this song and it made me stop in my tracks and listen. Now I am making it a goal to try and get all her albums, because I have been relistening on youtube and stuff and I fear I have really been missing out! Its so cool how music can just strike you. Even if its something youve heard before but never really payed attention, then one day you hear it again and maybe its cause it relates to you life more now or something, but you really LISTEN and you just get it. I think the reason why I never really got her music as it came out was I just didnt get it then. I recognized the amazing talent, but it didnt resonate with me after Nobody’s Wife…until now. It also has a lot to do with the fact that she isnt really well known here at all in the states…its harder to follow artists when their music isnt very accessible…well, thats obviously less of a problem now. I could start a whole new post about how most of the best music in the world right now…is NOT happening in the states. I love that the last album was called Who’s Your Momma?!

Oh and PS…she is freakin ridiculously gorgeous.

Anyhoo, Im done rambling..Anouk is awesome..listen and love.

Three Days In A Row: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHh-b0bDMyM

Nobody’s Wife: http://www.youtube.com/user/anouktv#play/user/17E0ACE195B3E7FC/15/PB339StDUB0

Oh yes! it almost out! but listen here before it is!! I like what I hear…not as “different” as she was making it seem in the vblogs, but then again, I’ve only listened once so far!

My first faves are Tidal, Swoon, 2-1 and A-ha!

Yeah..thats how close I was at the Pioneertown show..

wow, how time flies! Its been almost a month since I posted..been at the internship a lot, working on my own music, etc. Anyway..i went to eh Peaches show here in LA. The Sunday one. I loved it, She was great when i saw here at the Fonda years ago…but wow, has she grown as a live performer. I actually danced, quite a bit! The crowd was great, energy was great and she was out of control! Crowd surfing and even standing straight up on the crowd while singing at one point! here i the set list:

1. Show Stopper

2. Trick or Treat

3. Hit it Hard- this is where she took off her blowfish outfit..lol she was wearing some frilly pod like thing.

4.Operate- one of my classic FAVES

5.Mud- one of my new faves! This is song is sick!

6.Serpentine

7.Hot Rod

8.Shake Ur Dix- this had a cool live breakdown/bridge

9.Lose You- beautiful song, she sounded great singing this live..i wasnt sure if she was gonna pull it of, she did!

10.More

11.Boys Wanna Be Her-this was fun, she talked about how cool Cali is except for prop 8. Then she brought a bunch of couple on stage and married them!

12.Talk to Me-single from the new album, its awesome..its rock n roll..she had these cousin IT things comes out and I swear one of them was Carmen Electra!! They wore these HUGE blond wigs that covered ther entire face and she was the only one who kept revealing her face..as if to say “hey..its me Carmen Electra..recognize me?” I could be wrong..but im no the only person who thought so. Cause I saw the show again the next day in the desert and the two ITs didnt show their faces.

13.BILLIONAIRE-some hate it, some love it…i LOVE it..and Shaunda K came out and did her part! Wonder whats up with her..at the desert show, she wasnt there and someone in the peaches camp was wearing a “free shaunda K” shirt..hmmm

14.Set it Off rock remix-this si where she demanded everyone take their shirts off..no one did..she said more people did that in…er..i forget…some random conservative town..haha

15.Kick It_one of my all time favorite peaches songs…gotta love Iggy Pop!

16.Momma Complex-she had this cool green lazer that i think was triggering MIDI, she seemed to be controlling music with it…or she was just making it look like it was the hi-tech.

17.F**K The Pain Away-one of the ones that started it all!

ENCORE

18.Lover titts

19.I feel Cream- awesome song, awesome performance..her hair cape wings and a giant fans blowing at her…very epic, well..for Peaches.

ENCORE 2

20.Tombstone

ENCORE 3 (yes THREE!)

21. Take U On

At the desert show, i was a bit too drunk to worry about keeping a track list..however it was a WAY shorter set and she let her backing band play two of their own songs in the middle of her set. They were great. The venue was amazing..IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT…literally…nothing around. Pappi & Harriets in Pioneertown. It was a BLAST, people were so cool and it was amazing to watch a show while surrounded by the desert mountains and underneath the open desert sky!

LA ROUX! She has been enjoying lots of success over seas and hasnt quite been able to break here, I mean not in a BIG way. I first heard her song In For The Kill a few months ago. I’ll be honest, my initial reaction was “what the hell is this crap?!” I felt it was someone trying to ride the wave of the GOOD 80’s influenced artists of today(ie: Ladyhawke). Then a very strange thing happened, I couldnt stop thinking about the song. Usually I was thinking about it in a negative way, trying to remind myself of all that I thought was wrong with it….BUT I was thinking about it a lot. I listened again, and again and again…now it’s one of my favorite songs of the moment. Her voice is shrill and takes some getting used to, it has an Imogen Heap like quality to it, just not nearly as inviting. However, on her other songs its not as shocking. I really LOVE the song Bulletproof and the video is quite amazing as well. So In For The Kill is available on US itunes as of yesterday and so is the Quicksand EP. I dig quicksand, but I suggest buying In For The Kill now, Youtube-ing the Bulletproof video a LOT and buying the album

Bulletproof Video

In For The Kill Video

He used to scare the crap out of me in my early years of high school. Then Mechanical Animals came out and I did a complete 180. I couldnt get enough, it was and still is a brilliant album. Marilyn Manson had some hits after that, but most of his albums since have gone under the radar. Most of which really deserved more praise. Golden Age of The Grotesque was glitchy and dark…it was great for those F U days where I just wanted to run around like the meathead im not and break stuff. Eat Me, Drink Me was pretty good too. With songs like If I was Your Vampire and They Say That Hells Not Hot, It got quite a lot of spins in my car and apartment. But it lacked some inspiration at times. Its strange to say this, but I felt like it lacked heart. This new album, The High End of Low, is something else! Its got this apocalyptic cowboy vibe on some songs, like Four Rusted Horses. Although I have only listened twice, this is one of the standout to me. Then theres the dark beat and growl I have come to love from him on WOW and 15. The sensitive yet gutter-y feel of Running To The Edge of The World. Then the anthems! Arma-goddamn-muthafuckin-geddon and Were From America just make you want to pump your fists and throw yourself around. I feel like getting out the guy-liner haha. Lyrics like “everyone will come to my funeral to make sure that I stay dead” and “forbidden in heaven and useless in hell” shows that he still writes from that dark, absinthe soaked, loathy corners of his soul. If you havent payed attention to his music in quite some time, this would be a great album to reintroduce yourself with! I dig it. The video for the first single, Arma-goddamn-muthafuckin-geddon, is a bit uninspired but looks like a mix of 90’s manson videos meets videos from the post mechanical animals era. It not horrible at all, but I was hoping for some a bit more rage-y. OH and i totally dig the billy idol guitar (sort of) sample in the song…love it!

Enjoy…

Oh yeah, still wearing out the new tori cd. Just got my tickets today…very excited.