"lock and key" || lilofee || 2009

When Outkast released the single "Hey Ya" in the first part of this decade, my dad told me, "Your generation now has its theme song." I agreed with him until I heard this song on the radio this morning.

It's always seemed to me that generations before mine were so easy to define! Kids of the '60s / Vietnam era were hippies and flower children, there were new wave kids and preppies in the '80s, and you had Generation X in the '90s. Our generation just seemed too ambiguous to define.

The singer proclaims herself (himself? it's hard to tell) a member of "generation sexually ambiguous," then goes on to describe the nightly process of swapping clothes before hitting the party / club scene. There's even talk of sharing eyeliner, and a nod to the fact that it's more than okay -- in fact, normal -- for girls to kiss other girls.

This generation is sexually liberated, but it's not what defines us. Lilofee seems to have used, perhaps unintentionally, the idea of sexual ambiguity to describe a generation that is difficult to define. A generation defined by its ambiguity, if you will. I can only thank them, and ask where I can buy the CD.

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Current Country :: What's Awesome And What Blows

It's no secret that I'm a country radio deejay, so I'm very much in tune with what's current in that market. Here are a few hits and several misses from the last couple of months:

AWESOME:

• "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift



This is a really great little tune! Swift has grown on me a lot as an artist in the last year. "Tim McGraw" and "Teardrops On My Guitar" were high school heartbreaker ballads, so I didn't pay too much attention. "Our Song" made me raise an eyebrow as an above-average attempt at high school cuteness, but was still too lyrically naive for me to take seriously."

"Should've Said No" impressed me. Quite truthfully, I haven't heard such poignant (and relevant) youthful angst since Alanis. "You Belong With Me" intrigues me in the same way, tapping into parts of the adolescent brain that aren't usually so well articulated. ("You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset / She's going off about something that you said / Cause she doesn't get your humor like I do")

I honestly haven't a clue whether Taylor will have staying power in the music biz, but right now, I'm enjoying her contributions.

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• "Big Green Tractor" by Jason Aldean



His best song since "Amarillo Sky." It's a redneck slow jam, but for Aldean, it just works. The lyric toward the beginning where he actually recounts telling his dogs, "y'all get down," is hilarious.
I'm not sure exactly what's so thrilling or romantic about riding around on a big green tractor, but Aldean manages to make it seem that way. I think that's pretty cool.

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• "Sissy's Song" by Alan Jackson



Ordinarily, the mention of religion in songs immediately makes me lose interest, so I really didn't give this song a fair chance on the first listen. After a second spin, though, I realized that moments of raw, unguarded emotion in music are, when genuine, very rare. This is one of those moments.

Jackson wrote the song about a housekeeper that passed away, and his love for and attachment to her sit softly in your ears during this song. I really like that the song is a bit shorter than most radio singles; it serves as a reminder that pain from death is often very quick and very direct, as are the song's lyrics.

Songs like this do not come along often, but they always become massively successful when they do, because they reach very personal areas of the heart.

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SUCKS:

• "Love Remembers" by Craig Morgan



Country radio is still playing the crap out of this song, and I honestly can't figure out why. Much like Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts, Morgan oversings almost every one of his songs. Toward the end, he crescendos so dramatically singing the song's title that he sounds like an old wolf in the throes of an orgasm. It's disgusting.

I will note what I see as this song's one redeeming quality: It reminds you not to take any moment with your lover for granted.

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• "One In Every Crowd" by Montgomery Gentry



My finger cannot move fast enough to turn this song off every time it comes on. It's a salute to being that loud, drunk guy at a party who thinks everyone loves him, when in reality, they want to light him on fire with their minds. I wouldn't hate the song so much if I thought that MG got the joke, but I know they didn't. They have no clue that everyone hates this guy. The result is just plain annoying.

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"that beep" || architecture in helsinki || 2009

Australia has done it again!

Brunswick's Architecture In Helsinki has stolen my heart with this cute little song about being hopelessly devoted to a crush. I'm still trying to figure out exactly what "that beep" is that she so desperately wants. Is it a phone call? Even better, a ring on the pager? (If she still has a pager, no wonder no one is "beep"ing her -- no one remembers how to use them.)

I'm not going to ramble this time about well-hidden meaning in a silly pop song, because if it exists here, I haven't found it yet. It's really just an insanely cute song, and the world needs more of those.

Listen for some awesomely '80s drum and synth samples.

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MySpace

"undress to the beat" || jeanette || 2009

I don't know much about Jeanette, or why she apparently hasn't been making music for the last few years, but I do know that I'm glad she decided to return to the studio.

Jeanette Bidermann, aged 27, is a German electro-pop singer. She reminds me of a more club-oriented Annie. I like that I can't decide whether or not her music is good pop or good club, so it must be both.

This new single, just released today, hooked me in about 15 seconds. It's got great synth, an excellent baseline, and sexy lyrics. You honestly can't ask for more.

I'm now looking very forward to her new album!

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"my life would suck without you" || kelly clarkson || 2009

Upon seeing the cover to the single release of this song about a month ago, Kelly Clarkson finally got my attention. I wasn't ignoring her per se, in fact, I think she has one of the top 5 voices in current pop music, but I never found any of her songs relatable as a college-aged male.

I waited with bated breath to hear the actual song, though, since amusing single covers don't necessarily make good songs. Luckily, this was most definitely not the case.

The song delivered, and I'm very pleased. It only takes one listen to figure out the feeling that Kelly is describing, and if it's something that you've seriously felt before, you already know what she's talking about just from the song's title.

The music is very effective in carrying the lyrical buildup. The lyrics and music both begin with a soft, pensive and almost disappointed tone, as Kelly's lover has just re-entered her life. She seems frustrated. When the chorus hits, the music builds up and the lyrics convey an internal emotional explosion. It's perfect sync.

Nice work, Kelly, and since you've named your new album after this track, I have high expectations. Don't let me down!

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traxxlisting #4 :: top 11 of 2008

I've been putting off this post in the interest of debating which songs earned these chart positions. I'm now happy with my list, and proud to share it with you!

11. "Euphoria" by Hydra Productions



This album hasn't yet earned the recognition it deserves, which is a shame, because it's very cool for a couple of reasons. First, it includes vocals from numerous '80s pop tarts: Tiffany, Gioia Bruno (Exposé), Jade Starling (Pretty Poison), and the queen herself, Stacey Q. Canadian pop singer Kim Esty also appears. (A few of them even collaborate on the last track!)

The seriously cool thing about this record though, is that the two musicians who put it together have never been in the same room with one another. In fact, they did it from different continents Shane Condo is a musician who lives in Australia. Shawn Winstian is a songwriter who lives in Pennsylvania. They met on a website. Then they released an album together.

"Euphoria" is my favorite cut on the album not just because Stacey Q does vocals in the chorus. It reminds me of roller rinks from the early '90s and the skating parties that I went to as a kid. When I hear it, I feel like I'm in a dark roller rink, lit only by a rotating disco ball, and I can hear the faint clicking of joysticks on the arcade machines that are positioned near the rink. In fact, if this song had been released in 1993, it probably would have been Top 40 material. For now, it can live in obscurity and make the people who are smart enough to notice it smile.




10. "Can't Shake It" by Kate Miller-Heidke



I have super high hopes for this lady. This song should be a total floor filler at clubs and college parties alike, and sadly it hasn't gotten much US attention at all.

Perhaps it will live in obscurity as a college radio classic, but it's definitely one of the best pop songs I've heard in a long while, and I look forward to the US release of her album so I can snag a copy.

She kind of reminds me of a young, Aussie version of Kate Bush. Maybe that's why I like her so much.






9. "Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" by Lady Gaga



Lady Gaga exploded this fall, and not without reason. She's a pop music guru. A listen through her album is proof enough that she's studied pop trends very carefully, and she certainly knows what makes a quality pop song. It's no wonder her album is so successful; she's brilliantly blended elements that equal success into a smorgasbord of cheerful yet dirty pop.

This is my favorite song on the record, because it's pure pop. Every single element of this song, from the hear-it-once-sing-it-the-second-time hook, to the spry melody, to the opening "cherry cherry boom boom," is deliberately placed, and the result is a song that's sweeter than vanilla frosting. This is ironic, too, because the lyrics to the song are quite biting, but masked behind a playful beat, much in the manner that they would be delivered in a real-life situation.

I wish Ms. Gaga the best on her way.






8. "Makeup Artist" by Marching Band



Ah, glorious college pop. Everyone has songs that take them back to a specific moment and place in their lives, and I can say that this will, without a doubt, be one of those songs for me. I'll think of being a college radio deejay in the fall of 2008 every time I hear this song, for the rest of my life.

Personal meaning aside, it really is a great song. Who can't relate to a tune about a lying bitch? The play on words is just icing on the cake. (I'm really into the whipped topping references tonight, huh?)






7. "I Know UR Girlfriend Hates Me" by Annie



The wait for Annie's new material was worth it. I fell in love with this track as soon as I heard it, and if you love pop music, how couldn't you? It's great stuff!

Annie has a knack for singing bitchy pop songs in such a cute voice that you don't even realize that they're bitchy. Her 2005 single "Chewing Gum" was a knock at someone who "thinks they're chocolate when [they're] chewing gum." I mean, it's an insult, but would you really be hurt if a cute girl said that to you?

"Girlfriend" is more of the same stuff. It's a direct shot at someone for having a shitty girlfriend. Annie manages to demean the chick and give the guy reason enough to ditch the dead weight and be with her, all in under three minutes. That's impressive.






6. "Dino Damage" by Miniature Tigers



Not since Steve Miller's "The Joker" has the world heard such a cool instance of a talking guitar. In the former, Miller used his guitar to wolf whistle. Charlie of Miniature Tigers uses his to emulate a baby dinosaur. Cute, right?

Well...sort of. The song is actually about how you should release your pet dino before he gets big enough to mutilate you in various grotesque ways, all of which are spelled out in graphic detail. It was probably written as a profound allegory for releasing something that you love and letting it off into the world to grow and be itself, but to me it's a precious song about not getting your fingers chomped the fuck off.





5. "Shake It (Lenny B.'s Radio Edit)" by Metro Station



I love love love love love love love love love this remix. It's a kickass floor filler, equally suited to nights driving around town, shaking it in clubs, or kicking it in cramped apartments with friends.

The original was an okay song, but it's targeted toward Hot Topic sceney-boppers. No thanks.

Lenny B.'s reworking of this song steals the show. Good remixes don't lay vocals over a completely different beat; they amplify the good elements of a song and expand upon them. That's exactly what Lenny B. did, and the result was one of this decade's best dance songs.

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4. "Funplex" by The B-52's



They're back!

Gosh, it makes me so happy that The B-52's can still write songs like this. They've grown so much as a band in the last 30 years, but they have always been true to their signature sound, and this latest record is absolutely no different.

The members of the group have always been caricatures of themselves, which lends itself to a sense of self-parody. This track is about being old and cranky while trying to shop (or work in) the mall. It's a perfectly logical next step in their career: Noting their age, but not backing down a single step.

The only other thing I can think to say is that I hope I'm still that cool when I'm angrily pushing my way through the mall one day.






3. "Sounds So Good" by Ashton Shepherd



Until I took a job at a country radio station in June, I didn't know a thing about country music, except that Garth Brooks was like Michael Jackson to fans of the genre. Artists like Toby Keith and Trace Adkins had always repulsed me from bothering to give any country music a fair shot.

After forced exposure to country for a few months, I figured out that there is true artistic merit to be found in the genre, and it lies within the songwriting. Some of the greatest storytellers can be found in country music lyricists. (Jamey Johnson's "In Color" and Reba McEntire's "Fancy" are both great examples, if you're interested.)

You don't necessarily have to tell a story to write a great country song, though, and thus is the case here. Shepherd is 22 years old, and her songwriting ability is at an amazingly seasoned level.

There is something infectious about this song. I can't tell you what it is. I can tell you, however, that it was good enough to make me purchase the first and only country music CD in my music library, and that all my friends, to whom country music is a complete joke, love it just as much as I do and will sing along to it in the car.

Okay, okay, it sounds like she says "cooter" in the chorus. Hardy har. It's still a great song.

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2. "Crimewave" by Crystal Castles



There's simply no denying the originality of Crystal Castles. They've created a unique sounds that hipsters, geeks, and sorority chicks alike simply can't get enough of.

"Crimewave" is without a doubt their masterpiece thus far, and it'll remain an underground dance classic forever. It's another classic example of a song that you'd have missed unless you 1.) paid attention to college radio, or 2.) hung out with people who pay attention to college radio. I'm honestly kind of surprised that the hipster garbage scene latched onto this group. I think the draw to that crowd is probably the band's noise-oriented tracks like "Alice Practice," whereas dance music nerds like myself latched onto the cuts like "Untrust Us" and "1991." "Crimewave" is a perfect blend of both the bands sounds, guaranteed to make anyone dance.

It's totally hilarious to me that even though nobody can get enough of this song, no one can sing along with it, either.



I would like to note that lots of cool music came out of Canada this year, and even though this was the only Canadian act that made my list, I was very impressed with many other Canadian bands. So you, up there, keep up the good work.





And the #1 song of 2008 is...




1. "Boyfriend" by Alphabeat



It's a perfect pop song, off of a very impressive, solid album. The lyrics are perfectly simple, and the beat is undeniably danceable. It's cutesy enough to get played on TV screens in trendy clothing stores, but indie enough to be called "college pop" by me. It's simply a perfect song.

Most people I've played the song for assume that it's from the '80s, which I don't really understand. The song definitely has a retro feel, but I'd never have mistaken it for an older tune. (Perhaps that's due to my own knowledge of music from that era, though.) I suppose the song just has a timeless sound.

This album is a super fun journey through various areas of pop, much like Lady Gaga's record, but without overlap. These Danes explore europop and indie pop, all without being cliché or unoriginal.

This band has an amazingly bright future in pop music if they keep up releases like this one.

That's the list! Here's to lots more great music in 2009!

"paris is burning" || ladyhawke || 2008

Another Aussie that excites me!

Ladyhawke's sound is a perfect blend of '80s new wave and modern chick-indie rock. Her vocals and the drum rhythms are all modern, but the synth in her songs gives them a perfect retro tinge without being obnoxious. It's no wonder that she's captured the heart of every thirtysomething gay guy who listened to The Motels and 'Til Tuesday in middle school.

Again, my hat is off to you Australia. Please keep this great music coming our way!

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MySpace

"can't shake it" || kate miller heidke || 2008

Here's a lovely lady from Aussieland who's showing a lot of promise.

Whatever has inspired Australia to make such awesome music as of late, please, keep it up. I think the government must be adding something to the water that's giving them the ability to make fabulous danceable music, which is always something that the world needs.

I stumbled across Ms. Heidke online and fell in love with her gorgeous voice immediately. She is very obviously inspired by Cyndi Lauper in both voice and style (check out the clock in her hair!), but Lauper is an inspiring soul, so that's certainly not a criticism. Her latest single, "Can't Shake It," is a total college party song. It's about being self-conscious about one's own dancing ability; a spiritual successor to Genesis's famous 1992 hit, if you will. I heard it at about 9 a.m. one morning a few weeks ago, and it was in my station's rotation by lunchtime. Yes, it's that good.

According to anchor commentary before her live performance on the Aussie morning-TV show Sunrise, Heidke abandoned a folkier sound for this record. I've yet to hear her previous material, but I'm gonna take a leap of faith and say that this is a step in the right direction. Let's just hope she doesn't pull a Goldfrapp and improve her sound drastically for one album, only to return to completely inaccessible music on her next record.

I look forward to hearing lots more from her. And hey, check out her Sunrise performance to hear her do some super cool live vocals. This girl can sing!

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MySpace

"boyfriend" || alphabeat || 2008

Hooray for well-crafted European pop music!

I'm sad that I haven't stumbled across Alphabeat before now. They've apparently been making records in Denmark for a few years now, but I just came across "Boyfriend" about a month ago. It took the song a few spins to stick with me, but now I'm addicted.

Definitely a throwback to mid-'80s pop music (no complaints from me), "Boyfriend" almost sounds like it was written by a modern girl-pop group in a "write an '80s song" contest.

When the song started, I was digging the groove of the music, and then I was thrown off-kilter by the singer's vocals. They were warbly, just like all modern female pop singers, but not warbly enough to make me turn off the song. (Warbly girl vocals almost always make me immediately shut off a song during the first listen.) The song is also in a minor key, which gives it a very moden touch.

The Europeans are masters of melodic pop music. I'm absolutely exhausted with American pop, because it's all spawned from R&B music, which I've had enough of, and the vocals all suck. Europe seems to put more emphasis on vocal ability, but more importantly they spotlight producers and bands who know how to write quality pop music. That's why Europop doesn't suck.

One final point I'd like to say about modern USA pop vs. modern Europop: If you hear a pop single by a European group and then go buy the album, you're likely to find an album filled with quality songs. This doesn't seem to hold true with modern USA pop albums. For an example, compare Alphabeat's album alongside Madonna's latest Hard Candy. I can get through MAYBE two songs on Hard Candy, but I can find something redeemable about every song on this album.

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"i'm always manic (when i'm around you)" || a big yes and a small no || 2008

Another song that falls into this "college pop" genre that I discussed in the previous post.

This is a surefire college radio classic. The first time I heard this tune, I complimented our station's music director on what I thought was the best song she'd chosen since taking the position four months ago.

College radio is built for tunes like this one. You'd never hear this on MTV, or on your local Top 40 station, but for college radio, it's a superhit. (If you're looking for another great example of college radio superhit, check out the song "Beard Lust" by Natalie Portman's Shaved Head from just a few posts back.)

Another tune that falls somewhere between indie rock and ska, "Manic" leaves you feeling sugary and delightful. It almost sounds like a tune that would have played in the background during an episode of Ren & Stimpy. I could just be saying that, however, because it makes me think of angular furniture, cookouts, and shag carpeting, but in a totally cool way.

If I were making compilations of college radio classics about 10 years from now, I'd include this track on my first release. I think it's a perfect milestone for this moment in modern music, and a song that should be tucked in the backs of anyone's mind who works in college radio during this era.

A final thought: The title of their album will make you smile.

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"makeup artist" || marching band || 2008

Songs like this serve as reminders why college radio is the place to find the coolest music that you'll never hear anywhere else.

"Makeup Artist" is deliciously infectious, from its agreeable drumline and guitar riff to its dainty sing-along hook. There's definitely a heavy ska influence, but without the undertone of douchiness that usually comes with ska tunes.

I must admit that I feel a bit dirty liking the song, because liking it puts me on the fringe of indie hipster territory (to use a scientific term). The song is carefully crafted to be neither a ska song nor an indie rock song, instead landing safely in the middle. It's one of those tunes that's cool enough for the skater crowd and mellow enough for the singer-songwriter acoustic crowd. It sounds like a college party.

I'm glad that this is one of the prevalent sounds in college radio, because it's taking the idea of "pop" to a new dimension. When examined alongside another trend in college radio, rock music with powerful electronics (mainly drum machines and synths), I'd say that the whole lot could be grouped into a "college pop" category. This stuff is today what the Spin Doctors and 4 Non Blondes were in the '90s.

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Buy it here

"i know ur girlfriend hates me" || annie || 2008

While Crystal Castles' "Crimewave" remains my favorite song of the year thus far overall, I think this is now my favorite pop song.

A friend of mine sent this to me about two months ago, and I started playing it on my club/dance radio show. It's now very easily my most-requested song.

Annie has a knack for making songs that seem to spill over you like cool milk. She's cute, she's sleek, she's Swedish. What's not to love?

"Girlfriend" is a perfect follow-up single to "Chewing Gum," from her last album, which has a similar feel, but is slower. This song cranks it up a bit, making it more likely to hit club floors across the countries. It's about having a guy friend with an overprotective girlfriend, a topic to which I was even able to relate as a male. Nobody likes a bitchy girlfriend.

For some reason, I can't help but make a comparison between this tune and the so-called "sophisti-pop" sound that was cool in the '80s for acts like Swing Out Sister and Scritti Politti. I feel like if those groups were to make modern electropop, it would sound like this.

This song will land in the annals of music as an underground electropop classic. It's just too cute not to love.

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Available On:
I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me	CD5"	Buy It Here

the traxx that defined my summer

Enjoy these songs that were critical in defining my summer. Some have received previous Traxx entries, so if the title is a link, it'll take you back to the post where it was previously featured. Enjoy! Lots more Traxx coming in the next few days!

• "Crimewave" by Crystal Castles

I got this CD right at the beginning of summer, and it didn't leave my car stereo until mid-June. It's the most solid album I've heard in years. It remains consistent from start to finish, but not too consistent, as is the fatal flaw of many electronic albums. There's enough variation in the tracks to establish a mood and a character for each song, yet they all share similar qualities that tie them together as an album. "Crimewave" is the masterwork, and I know that any time I hear it for the rest of my life, I'll be instantly transported back to this summer.

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• "Breakout" by Swing Out Sister

A friend of mine asked me about this song toward the beginning of summer, and although I've known this song since I was a little kid, I hadn't thought about it in a long time. It's a really great tune, and I'm glad that it re-entered the forefront of my mind.

Swing Out Sister is an exceptionally unique group. They took the "sophisi-pop" sound that brits like Scritti Politti and Spandau Ballet had been playing for years and gave it a more jazzy twinge. They also have very colorful outfits and crazy, stylish music videos. "Breakout" is the shining star of their first album, It's Better To Travel, but if you did contemporary jazz that uses electronics without becoming smooth jazz, then you'll like the entire album. I don't think American audiences were open at the time to swallowing jazzy pop music, which is probably why Swing Out Sister stuck to their guns in the UK and not here. With modern acts like Norah Jones and Colbie Caillait though, who knows? Maybe they should give it another crack.

The video for this song is a riot. The way my friend describes it, it's as if two well-dressed mobsters kidnap a seamstress and put her in a fashion show. I think my favorite part about it is the extremely uncomfortable look on singer Corinne Drewery's face when her bandmates shuffle in from either side to help her sing the song's chorus. Priceless!

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• "Johnny & June" by Heidi Newfield

This was one of the first tunes that I latched onto when I started working at a country radio station at the beginning of summer. I still think it's a timeless love song that will become a country classic.

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• "That Song In My Head" by Julianne Hough

Another song that I know because of country radio, but that doesn't stop it from being a quality pop tune. I remember playing this on the jukebox at Froggy's one night, and all the waitresses were quite shocked that this was my choice, but I think they thought it was cute.

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• "Beard Lust" by Natalie Portman's Shaved Head

This is Revolution 91.7's superhit of the summer. This goofy little indie electro band has come up with a catchy tune about facial hair, and you could not ask for anything more perfect for college radio. The lyrics revolve around the singer's lamenting the costliness of maintaining quality facial hair, an issue which never occurred to me, but I suppose it's true. Who wants to look at a nasty, scraggly beard or a moustache that's unkempt and has food stuck in it?

These guys will probably never have another superhit, but this one is worth it. They've created a college radio classic, and I hope every college kid drops their Weezer disc and buys this album, even if they just buy it to have this song. The band has earned it.

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• "I Kissed A Girl" by Katy Perry

This song should be on everyone's summer 2008 playlist, if they were awake. Every summer has this song. Summer 2007's song was Rihanna's "Umbrella," and this was our song this summer.

I'm really proud of Katy Perry. I first heard her last October or November, when the station got a copy of her "Ur So Gay" single. I found the title track and its remixes atrocious, but her cover of The Outfield's song "Your Love" was incredible, and I hoped that she'd do more great things like that.

She did, and now she has a #1 single to her name. In fact, here's a random bit of music trivia: "I Kissed A Girl" is the 1,000th song to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. I think that's pretty freaking cool.

And hey, extra cool points to Katy for bringing some lesbian action to the mainstream.

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• "Downtown" by One 2 Many

This is one of the many artists to which I was alerted by my good buddy Nasty G over at The Isle Of Failed Pop Stars. I snagged this album from his blog because it was a later project of one of the members of Norwegian powerhouse a-ha (yes, the "Take On Me" guys). When I heard this song, I was in love.

"Downtown" combines all the best elements of power pop, pop rock, and a general '80s pop sound, all while remaining very Norwegian. It starts with a bright piano riff, but very quickly builds up and makes you want to slam your foot up and down to the beat. The rest of the album is pretty synth heavy, which is great, but this single was obviously the band's shining moment. It's a shame there wasn't a follow-up album.

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• "All I Need Is A Miracle" by Mike + The Mechanics

A few weeks ago I was with some friends in a very southern bar. I was tired of hearing Skynyrd and Soundgarden playing from the jukebox, and for some reason, I had this song caught in my head. After looking through 50 CDs (no exaggeration), I found it. After thirty minutes of other requests, it played, and we all sang along happily.

I've since tracked down Mike + The Mechanics' first two albums, which are much more heavily into the synth-pop/power pop sound than I would have guessed. In my mind, they were always a lite rock band with a couple of uptempo tunes, but the opposite turned out to be true. It just so happens that a few of their lighter tunes ("Silent Running" and "The Living Years") were released as singles. The albums as a whole are actually quite danceable.

As an added bonus, the song has a story music video that I'm sure you'll enjoy.

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As summer comes to an end, this is always a very important reflection. Now, I turn to you.

What were your traxx for summer 2008? What traxx will you hear in 20 years and remember this summer?

traxxlisting #3: A Review Of 7 Current Country Hits

One genre of music that I've certainly neglected thus far in my blog is country. However, a couple of months ago I started working at a country radio station, so now I'm pretty much an expert in the current music of a genre about which I had previously known next to nothing.

In an effort to expand horizons in all ways possible, I now offer you:

A Review Of 7 Current Country Hits

1. "Johnny & June" by Heidi Newfield

I'll start with one of my favorites from our rotation. This is Heidi's lead-off single; she's been the vocalist for country group Trick Pony since 1996 and has just launched her solo career. As you may have deduced from the title, it's (sort of) about Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. The singer expresses a desire to have a "love like [theirs]," complete with "rings of fire, burning with you." She even adds that "when you're gone, I wanna go too."

What makes the song extra cool is to know that it isn't written from a distant perspective. Newfield was actually a friend of both Johnny and June in the last few years of their lives, so she witnessed their relationship firsthand. She then wrote the song with two other songwriters.

The lyrics and guitars are both a little strong for a country song, making them an interesting contrast to Newfield's very soft vocals. The song almost sounds as if it were written as the most-definitely-necessary power ballad on an '80s hard rock album. Don't be mistaken though: It's definitely a country song.

This is a hell of a lead-off single for Heidi, and I sure hope to hear more from her in the years to come.

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2. "Good Time" by Alan Jackson

He's the king of honky-tonk and has been for years, thanks to songs like "Chatahoochee" and "Don't Rock The Jukebox." Alan's latest single certainly isn't about anything serious; he's just looking for a party when he's off work. The song does wonders to capture the spirit of being off work on a Friday night and wanting to nothing more than kick back and hang out with friends. We've all been there, right?

I do have a problem with one of this song's lyrics: "...beer on ice / Just like 'ol Hank taught us about." I mean...did Hank Williams really have to clue you in to the fact that beer is better cold? How did that conversation happen?

Extra cool points to Alan for shooting the video on the Kentucky / Tennessee border, right near where I live!

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3. "All I Want To Do" by Sugarland

This song would be cuter if the vocals weren't so annoying. It appears to be the summer song of choice for fans of country radio, so I guess I can't argue with that. It's not about anything, in the sense that it's about a desire to do nothing. No depth here, so this one gets a short review.

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4. "Every Other Weekend" by Reba McEntire & Skip Ewing/Kenny Chesney

Reba's latest album is a collection of duets. On the album she sings this one with Kenny Chesney, but the single version (with which I am familiar) is done with Skip Ewing, who co-wrote the song. It's about a divorced couple who see each other only every other weekend, when their children transition from one house to the other.

I have a really hard time relating to country music of this nature. I guess I can't comprehend not expressing my feelings for someone if they were as strong as these folks' seem to be. It's still a well-written song, and it does seem to make many callers happy, so obviously there are plenty of people out there relating to it. For that reason, I'm glad it was written, and I hope that it's giving hope to someone who may have lost hope.

Listen<--This is the Kenny Chesney version.



5. "In Color" by Jamey Johnson

It's no secret that country singers (males especially) love to write about old shit. They love to sing of the way things used to be, the way things were when they were kids, or when their kids were kids. Country music has an overwhelming longing for the past, which makes sense considering the primary listening audience.

This Jamey Johnson tune seems like a nice diamond in the rough among those other songs of that nature. The tune begins when the singer comes across an old picture of his grandpa as a young teenager. The grandpa proceeds to explain to him what life was like back then, down to small details like what the weather was on his wedding day. Each set of details concludes with, "You should have seen it in color."

I'm just glad to know that I'm not the only person who has deeply pondered on what the world used to look like, complete with vivid colors. I think it's a really interesting thought, and I'm glad someone else agreed enough to write a song about it.

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6. "International Harvester" by Craig Morgan

I'm trying really, really hard to like this song. It seems like it should be likeable, and I should sure as heck like Craig Morgan for all the charity work that he does. I'll be honest though; I'm struggling.

Craig is a veteran of the US Army; he served in the 101st Airborne Division (same as my grandpa!), and he still helps raise money for veterans' affairs organizations. So what's the problem? I think his songs are annoying as fuck.

This one, to me, is a total takeoff of Dolly Parton's "9 To 5." Maybe it's intentional, but I haven't seen documentation anywhere to prove it. And, I mean, come on: Does Morgan really look like he's a combine driver who drives a p-p-p-p-plower? I'm just not buying it, dude. If I watched the video and saw a guy who looked like a farmer, maybe I'd be more in on the joke, but Craig just looks like a manager at Hollister to me.

The song is cute for what it is, I guess.

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7. "Last Name" by Carrie Underwood

After "Before He Cheats," I never thought that Carrie would release another single that would make me smile. I was wrong.

This song is sort of a spiritual predecessor to "Before He Cheats," telling the story of how she met the dude whose 4-wheel drive she'd later beat to pieces. What makes the song so cute is the subtlety with which the story is told. Pop songs are usually spelled out as if they were written for a child (because, I mean, they usually are), but this one isn't quite as insulting to the listener, and I certainly appreciate that about it.

Having said that, it's still a Nashville pop song, which distances it from "true country music" to most fans of the genre. I totally understand this sentiment, but I can't really wag a finger for it. Carrie, like other Nashville poppers (Taylor Swift, Ashton Shepard, even Sugarland, etc.) is just trying to appeal to a wider audience. Who knows? Country music may gain a new listener from hearing a song like this and doing some deeper digging into the genre.

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That's the list! Hope you enjoyed!

"dancing on my grave" || ghostland observatory || 2008

Another cool modern track that fits nicely into this blog.

Ghostland Observatory are an indie electro group from Austin, TX. Robotique Majestique is their third album, and by far their most solid work.

This song sounds like it's the missing track from the soundtrack to The Return Of The Living Dead. It's part punk, part electro, part party, and definitely very '80s.

All in all, a fun song that I hope becomes a classic.

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Available On:
Robotique Majestique	Trashy Moped	TMR-004	CD