iPod Music Playlist - Radio Rock-fort Cheese

Because watching the numbers going back and forth is totally nerve racking, I'm throwing this totally frivolous post to distract myself and anybody else who doesn't want to see a lot of red tonight and will wait until blue prevails!

So, there's a few songs that I hated after hearing it for the first time but now I LOVE THEM. (Basically, nothing we all haven't heard about a hundred times on the radio already, so like nothing obscure). And most of them are as cheesy as Roquefort cheese ("a white, crumbly and slightly moist, with distinctive veins of green mould. It has characteristic odor and flavor with a notable taste of butyric acid; the green veins provide a sharp tang. The overall flavor sensation begins slightly mild, then waxes sweet, then smoky, and fades to a salty finish" Oh yum!)

The Killers - "Human" - LOVE this song now! The Killers are back in my good books again! I don't think I've been this excited about them since I saw them at the Koolhaus.

The Killers - Human
Uploaded by The-Killers

David Cook - "Light On" - This can't take away from Archuleta's mind-numbingly awesome crack-addict "Crush" song but I'm slowly getting addicted to actual winner David Cook's first new single.


Gavin Rossdale - "Love Remains The Same" - I keep forgetting it's not a band that sings this, let alone a bad one (I keep thinking this is a Staind song), yet there's something about Mr. Gwen Stefani that makes the croony melted cheese rock just enjoyable enough as Brie.


Lady Gaga - "Poker Face" - Maybe this works better in a club full of hot boys but it's dance cheese like a tangy havarti ready to party (wow. THAT was bad!).


Beyonce - "If I Were A Boy" - Okay, I loved this from moment I heard this. Odd since I'm not a HUGE Beyonce fan. I just always feel like singing with my fists pulling down yearning for something when I hear this song.


Ne-yo - "Miss Independent" - The lyrics are total cheese but I LOVE that beat with the doot doot doot part. He get's points for sticking Gabrielle Union in the video too!


Nickleback - "Gotta Be Somebody" - The kings of rock-fort cheese (think of the french "fort") are back with a song that I keep bopping to in the car. Oy, that's like the second Nickleback song I've liked in 2 years now. I really need to go on a diet.


Jesse McCartney - "It's Over" - May rival David Archuleta for pubescent teen love cheese (even though I know Jesse is technically all grown up now) but damn, let these two cuties fight it out if they can keep churning out pop cheese like this.


Finally, I may as well throw this up again, since I'm seriously ADDICTED:
David Archuleta - "Crush" - My Top cheese pick this year!

More After the Jump...

iPod Music Playlist - Pick the Song of the Summer 2008

In Toronto, the sign that summer is officially over is when The Ex opens and this year, it happens this Friday. More officially known as The Canadian National Exhibition, it's our town fair that runs in the last 2 weeks of the summer ending on Labour Day and every year, every Torontonian says the same thing "What? The Ex is opening already? Where did summer go?".

Yes, as we hit mid August and summer is nearly over (that segue worked better in my mind), by now there's usually a clear winner for the song of the summer, but this year, there's more possibilities than a clear winner, and that might be a good thing (because have you still gotten "Umbrella" out of your head yet? Joe at Low Resolution made a similar post questioning this years songs and nicely lists previous Songs of the Summer). This summer, I can turn on the radio and very few songs make we want to rip out my hair (and again, this is the year that introduced TWO new Billy Ray Cyrus offsprings to the radio and I didn't want to kill myself) so I'm throwing out my nominations for Song of the Summer and letting YOU pick the winner in my first poll EVER on Tapeworthy!

The poll is on the sidebar (look right and scroll to the top):

And if you don't see a song you think should be on the list, write it in the comment. So what is the Song of the Summer for 2008? As Joe so succinctly put it "what song dominated your life in X summer? Oftentimes against your will. And you can leave your music snobbery at the door, okay? This stuff goes beyond taste -- it's the cultural zeitgeist." (The odd thing I just realized is that Joe now lives across the waters from Toronto and since I often listen to their stations, we might be influenced by the same radio ad nauseum repeats!). I'm also going to add one more factor which is the So You Think You Can Dance influence. If they've danced to it, it usually adds more points to the song.

So here are the songs I'm nominating (in no particular order) and if you don't most of them, what cave do you live in and why are you even reading my blog? (I posted the videos after the jump anyways just in case):

"I Kissed A Girl" - Katy Perry - If the song of the summer meant it was played every 10 minutes on every radio station, I think this would clearly win it, but I think the titillation and hook of the song will sound annoying in years to come and the song of the summer must endure years of worthiness. Or at least until next summer.

"American Boy" - Estelle feat. Kanye West - This is almost too good to be the song of the summer and is probably one of the best songs of the year, yet it never caught on as it should have. Still, it's really good so it's on the list.

"Dangerous" - Kardinal Offishall feat. Akon - Considering the 60 year old woman I worked with last month knew all the words, it obviously caught on far more than I imagined and as annoying as it is, I constantly find myself humming the song. Damnit. GET OUT! (Bonus points for being from Toronto! Who knew!?)

"The Time Of My Life" - David Cook - It's schmaltzy with a touch of edge and I love it. In fact, it reminds of the time when Kelly Clarkson had to sing HER Idol song... so is Cook to be the boy successful version of Clarkson (last album notwithstanding)? If he is, I can't wait to hear more!

"Forever" - Chris Brown - The lines "Its like I've waited my whole life for/ This one night it's gonna be me you and/ The dance floor cause/ We've only got one life/ Double your pleasure/ Double your fun and dance" does it all (in some kinda porn doublemint gum fantasy) yet somewhere the song goes off the rails from being the perfect summer song but those few lines are pure perfection!

"Leavin'" - Jesse McCartney - I loved this song right from the start (way back when there was still snow on the ground) but I never thought it would take this long to peak, but it finally peaked in the summer and I STILL love this song (and it's MY PICK for the song of the summer).

"Disturbia" - Rihanna - Just because Rihanna needs to be nominated every summer, this is her entry for this summer (although narrowly beating her Maroon 5 duet) although it probably got released too late to make a real impact like "Umbrella" did last summer.

"Viva La Vida" - Coldplay - I think "Violet Hill" was supposed to be the song that took off but clearly this was the better (and catchier) song from an established and somewhat respected band (at least from white people).

"One Step at a Time" - Jordin Sparks - It's a minor song but it slowly chips away at the brain... well... one step at a time... and I can't get it out. It's like I'm suffocating... with no air... badaboom!

"Shake It" - Metro Station - Who would have thought an off-spring from Billy Ray Cyrus would produce a song that's actually catchy AND kind of cool?

"Fly Girl" - Tara Oram - My one country entry this summer and while it's too new to be a hit at this point, or even that widely known, it's a perfect summer song that is both fresh and fun. (Oh, and I just realized she's from Canadian Idol after thinking she was from the south this whole time).

"Bleeding Love" - Leona Lewis - This actually peaked too early to be a song for the summer but it came back on my radar when Mark and Chelsie amazingly danced to it and changed my perspective of the song. This will probably be more of a song of the year contender than a summer song.

"Just Dance" - Lady Ga Ga feat. Colby O'Donis - Another song that kinda played on the background on the radio all the time as it slowly wormed its way into our head until they finally made an appearance on SYTYCD making us realize this band was for real.

"Burnin' Up" - The Jonas Brothers - Because in the summer where The Jonas Brothers starts taking over the world (or at least the minds of every teenage girl in the universe), I've got to give them one song and while this entry might be too late to gain the momentum for the song of the summer, it's definitely a catchy little ditty that explains their future world domination. Also, if I were a 15 year old girl, Nick would totally be dreamy... but I'm not.

These songs never made it to the list (but might have in another time in another year...):

"Summertime" - New Kids on the Block
"Fall For You" - Secondhand Serenade
"Closer" - Neyo
"If I Never See Your Face Again" - Maroon 5 ft. Rihanna

Here are the videos for the nominated songs of the summer:

"I Kissed A Girl" - Katy Perry:


"American Boy" - Estelle feat. Kanye West:


"Dangerous"- Kardinal Offishall feat. Akon:


"The Time Of My Life" - David Cook:


"Forever" - Chris Brown:


"Leavin'" - Jesse McCartney:


"Disturbia'" - Rihanna:


"Viva La Vida" - Coldplay:


"One Step at a Time" - Jordin Sparks:


"Shake It" - Metro Station - Video here since I can't find any unembedable videos. I hate that. I almost want to unnominate the song for that.

"Fly Girl" - Tara Oram:


"Bleeding Love" - Leona Lewis:


"Just Dance" - Lady Ga Ga feat. Colby O'Donis:


"Burnin' Up" - The Jonas Brothers:

More After the Jump...

iPod Music Playlist - An Ode To Straight Love Edition

Here's a new batch of love and anti-love songs that I'm enjoying. I didn't say I LOVE these new love songs. Just like. For now. Until something better comes along.

(And if you notice the devolvement in negativity for love as you scroll down past the jump, that's just coincidental... hey, I didn't write about straight love, you all did! I'm really a romantic at heart (I know, hard to believe. Shut up!))

(Plus Josh Kelley's brother has a band! Yah! Josh Kelley. Who? Aw fergedit... just check the last video in this post)

Gavin DeGraw! Where have you been? I almost sent out a search and rescue party! So I've been hearing his new song on the radio for a while now and it (like all his songs) is totally getting into my head.

He appears on One Tree Hill tonight to plug the new song. I guess he has to repay them for taking one of his songs as the theme song and catapulting him from obscurity.

Gavin DeGraw - "In Love With A Girl":

I'm also loving this country song from newcomer James Otto. It's got quite the monotonous beat which is what I think i love about it the most.

James Otto - "Just Got Started Lovin' You":



I love practically the whole Colbie Caillat album CoCo but they really did pick another great single to put out.

Colbie Caillat - "Realize":



I don't know who this guy Nathan Angelo is but I'm liking some of his stuff. He reminds me of a Josh Kelley type.

Nathan Angelo - "Playing Through Me":



You can download a few of his tracks here (user name: nathan, password: angelo)

Sporty Spice! Mel C. is already moving on from the Spice Girls reunion throwing out a new solo single and like all her stuff, I kinda like it but don't love it, but still like it enough.

Melanie C - "Carolyna":



In possibly one of the worst band names I've come across, the look of the band was not what I was expecting. It's not the best song but it's kind of a catchy country song, and if there's a measurement of a decent country song, it's that I can picture myself listening to it while driving on a road trip across America.

Plus, I don't usually dig beards but the lead singers beard and hair is kinda rowr...(OH, he's Charles Kelley, brother of Josh, brother-in-law of Katherine Heigl, Wow, no wonder he's got such a deep sexy voice)

(again, not a look I expected to hear from a band named:)

Lady Antebellum - "Love Don't Live Here Anymore":

More After the Jump...

iPod Playlist - I Changed My Mind, No Joke Edition

This is not an April Fools Day joke (plus it wouldn't be funny to anybody, not even me).

I've reconsidered and I'm liking these songs/artists now (for now) (plus a second iPod list this week! (basically as filler for not writing anything real this week)):

I have to give Kanye West credit for making some pretty good music but then he speaks publicly and I'm turned off all over again. Until this song. I don't know who Estelle is, but I LOVE her voice and I love the beat, plus Kanye seems to poke fun at his own persona.

Estelle featuring Kanye West - "American Boy":




When it came down to Jordan Sparks vs. Blake Lewis in last years American Idol finale, I preferred Blake. (In fact, I preferred Melinda Doolittle over Jordan). Not that I don't like Jordan, she just doesn't excite me. Then when "Tattoo" and "Break Anotha'" came out, I still preferred Blake Lewis' single (even though it's gone nowhere but I still stand by it). But I'm loving Jordan's duo with Chris Brown (who himself, is gaining a lot of speed between decent singles and his surprisingly charming appearance on The OC last year).

Jordan Sparks Featuring Chris Brown - "No Air":




Miley Cyrus - "Start All Over":



Does't her guitarist look like a younger Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueler's Day Off, Spin City)? And does the guy she "go to" remind you of her father a bit? Creepy.

But the song is catchy, as odd as Miley is to me. She is kinda odd isn't she? Or is it just me (and now against the throngs of tweens out to get me)?

I actually even love her other song EVEN MORE ("See You Again", video after the jump below plus videos from Taylor Swift). In fact, I thought it was a Dragonette (or some band like that) song. Yikes. Cause as "artists", they couldn't be more different.

Miley Cyrus - "See You Again":




And to a certain degree, I've changed my tune on Taylor Swift. I never hated her, but she was horrible singing live on one of those award shows and I just sort of ignored the youngun. She's young. She's pretty. She sings country, and she's a marketers dream. I had to ignore her.

Plus they made a pop version of her country song "Teardrops On My Guitar". I hate that. I always like the country versions better. Until this one. The country version is good but I think I actually like the pop version more. (Both below)

Taylor Swift - "Teardrops On My Guitar" (Original Country Version with Tyler Hilton):



Taylor Swift - "Teardrops On My Guitar" (Pop Radio Remix Version):



In fact, I LOVE her whole album. It's been within my non-stop mix I've been playing for the last couple of months.

Taylor Swift - "Our Song":



Taylor Swift - "Tim McGraw":

More After the Jump...

iPod Playlist - The Week Of The Junos Edition

The Juno Awards (not to be confused with the American movie filmed in Canada starring a Canadian as the lead title character, Juno) are on later this week on Sunday on CTV live from Calgary this year (starting at 8pm EST, calculate from there and then gripe about how everything revolves around EST and then shove it).

For those of you not living in Canada, or even for those of you that do, the Juno's is our big music awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy's.

If you release an album that qualifies as "Canadian", you will probably be nominated for a Juno Award.

It's just that easy!

If your music actually hit it big in the states (see Nelly Furtado, Celine Dion, Michael Buble, Feist, Arcade Fire, Avril Lavigne, Rufus Wainwright, Nickleback, Sum 41 etc.), you are GUARANTEED to win.

If you show up, you're going to SWEEP.

That being said, I actually enjoy the Juno telecast WAY more than the Grammy's, especially since they reinvented the event a few years back when they started to present them as a concert like setting in a different Canadian city every year. Plus, their choices of hosts have actually usually worked out better than one would think. Nelly Furtado, Alanis Morisette, and Shania Twain were all surprisingly fantastic in their years. Pamela Anderson was not as bad as you would have thought (though got booed for denouncing the seal hunt but that just made me love her more). Brent Butt was dryly funny as always (he's a Canadian comedian with a hit Canadian sitcom. The only hit Canadian sitcom).

This year, the host for the Junos is Russell Peters! RUSSELL PETERS!!!

I know. This probably doesn't mean anything to many of you, especially the white folks, but the rest of us ethnics LOVE Russell Peters. Hmm... in fact, I think I'll post more on him later this week. You're going to love Russell Peters, if only because it shows how diverse you are!

Anyways, back to music. So like the Grammy's, there are WAY too many nominees to even wrap your brain around, but here are two bands (both nominated for Best New Band) that I've been liking for a while:

Faber Drive - "When I'm With You":



Then there is Dragonette, kinda like Scissor Sisters goes lesbian (I don't know if they are, I'm just saying, it feels that way):
Dragonette - "I Get Around":



Here are a few others that I've liked throughout the year that probably never made it across the border.

Aaron Lines - "Somebody's Son" (Best Country Recording) (Plus he's real purty, yes, I'm shameless):



Justin Nozuka - "Mr. Therapy Man" (Best New Artist):



Jully Black - "Seven Day Fool" (Best R&B/Soul Recording, Single of the Year) (she's also a great guest host on the very white Chum FM morning show):

More After the Jump...

iPod Playlists - New Songs From My High Rotation Favorites Edition

It's been a while since I've done one of these posts, probably because I've just been repeating the musicals Bare: A Pop Opera/The Album, Parade and 13 ( which got nominated won all over the LA Drama Critics Awards last night) and Glory Days over and over again, with a splash of John Mayer's "Say" and Lucas Grabeel's "Go The Distance.

While I finally heard the new Madonna/Justin Timberlake song "4 Minutes To Save The World" (it's okay if underwhelming, there are moments of brilliance and then there's a lot of repetitive droning (or really, it is Timbaland's song with some vocals that kinda sound like JT and Madonna)), I just heard two new songs today (via Popwatch) from two singers that have two of the most played songs on my iPod.

Jesse McCartney (seriously, stop laughing at me, I like the Galactica android look) and his addictive song "Beautiful Soul" (video after the jump) and Josh (I married Katherine Heigl) Kelley's "Almost Honest".

Now they have new songs coming out. Love the Jesse one, liking the Josh one (but not as strong as "Almost Honest" or "Amazing" (or even "Old Time Memory")).

Jesse McCartney - "Leavin'" :



Josh Kelley -"Unfair":



Other favorites from Jesse McCartney and Josh Kelley after the jump:

Jesse McCartney - "Beautiful Soul":



Jesse McCartney - "Just So You Know":



Josh Kelley - "Almost Honest":



Josh Kelley - "Amazing":



Josh Kelley - "Old Time Memory":

More After the Jump...

Critics Be Damned, I Like It Okay?

Um, I'm LOVING OneRepublic's new single "Stop and Stare" (hear it after the jump below), I really enjoyed 27 Dresses far more than I probably should have, especially since I KNOW it was not a great movie, and, um, in my most embarrassing confession, I actually REALLY REALLY enjoy watching Carpoolers. So yes, when I highlighted it in green on the list of remaining TV shows left because of the writers strike, it wasn't a mistake.

So let's just get down to it.

27 Dresses (written by Aline Brosh McKenna, directed by Anne Fletcher) is technically not great. The shmaltzy dialogue and Dr. Phil type speeches, every cliche in the romantic comedy book (outlined brilliantly by Manuel at A Blog Next Door), and no real standout scenes that are original and/or hilarious, yet, um, I kinda really liked it.

Hey, if the romantic comedy formula works? Why not? Why change it? I was charmed and sucked in and felt more compassion for these characters than the movie probably ought to have. And much of that credit goes to a finely tuned cast that milks their own personal charms for all its worth. I mean, starring roles for Katherine Heigl who is on a roll from winning the Emmy for Grey's Anatomy and surviving the boys in Knocked Up. I've been a fan since Roswell, which is one of those shows where I want to see everybody do well.

Then there's James Marsden, the man that never wins the girl. If there's someone who is always the bridesmaid and never the bride, it's James Marsden, who up until last year, was just a pretty face to me. A very pretty face, but a pretty face, but with his double whammy of Hairspray and Enchanted, I've gained a whole new respect for him.

Plus, as a TV fan, its fun to spot our favorites Maulik Pancholy (Weeds AND 30 Rock), Melora Hardin (Jan from The Office) and of course, Judy Greer (Love Monkey, Arrested Development, 13 Going on 30 etc etc) who at this point deserves a show AND movie of her own. You know you can save your movie slightly with some credibility by just adding Judy Greer into the mix, and she throws her acerbic wit around neutralizing some of the overly sugary movie.

Plus Malin Akerman who is both pretty and can make a total fool of herself. Always a lovely mix! And while Edward Burns is always kind of a tool to me, he's a pretty pretty tool.

Yes, the whole cast is just very pretty. I'm a sucker for that okay? (And apparently the rest of the audience as well when the entire theatre collectively sighed every time James Marsden or Edward Burns came onto the screen. Hilarious).

I will write this as full disclosure though, I probably liked the movie far more than I should have because as my friend had whispered to another, Heigl's character really is a female version of me. I think I've been to over 40 weddings since 2000 (I actually lost count), 12 weddings last year alone (and I missed 2 on top of that). I don't know what to do with my Saturdays anymore when I don't have to throw on a suit and make small talk to new people or friends I haven't seen in a long time (but don't get me wrong, I do love it and still get misty eyed, I just wish the spending on gifts weren't racking up so fast). So I get 27 Dresses, it's my life. I'm just still waiting for my James Marsden to walk in one day.

27 Dresses = probably should be a C+ but I'm giving it a B

Meanwhile, I'm LOVING this song:

OneRepublic - "Stop and Stare"



Finally, um, I've been catching up with Carpoolers. It now takes the slot vacated by Reba and Freddie.

Created by Kids in the Hall's Bruce McCullough, the series isn't as kooky as it could/should be but kookier than a typical sitcom and Scott Thompson has already guested as a rival carpool so that's a bonus!

Meanwhile, I kinda love the cast, with Fred Goss (Sons & Daughters) as the straight laced guy in the carpool, Jerry O'Connell (Crossing Jordan) as the womanizer, Jerry Minor as the whipped black guy, and Tim Peper as the young naive goodie-two-shoes. Plus you have Allison Munn (That 70's Show) and Faith Ford (Murphy Brown, Hope and Faith) as wives, and throw in an overgrown son who seems to be off in his own world, and I laugh far more than I probably should.

In theory Jerry O'Connell should annoy me but I think I have a soft spot for him since My Secret Identity days, which I've been watching at the gym now that SUNTV in Canada is replaying it. I have the same soft spot for Faith Ford since playing Corky on Murphy Brown, and then you add the very funny Fred Goss and Jerry Minor and the cute as buttons newlywed couple Munn and Peper and Carpoolers has more to work with than first imagined.

Anyways, they somehow spin the show about carpooling as a device into these four guys lives and the show seems to be getting slightly more eccentric, I think with McCullough easing up on the "normal" now that ABC has let it run this long, and the more eccentric this show gets, the funnier it is. It's no 30 Rock but I secretly enjoy it enough to tape it and watch it when I have the time.

Oh, plus, you have to give points to Jerry O'Connell for this Tom Cruise mockery that's been flying around the net (and directed by Jerry Minor):

More After the Jump...

iPod Music Playlist - Just Cause They Were Emailed To Me Edition

I don't know why I've been sitting on this, but I wrote this a week ago and just haven't been bothered to publish it. Anyways, work has been crazier than I thought it would be (considering, again, we are supposed to winding DOWN to nothing and yet have had MORE work to do than ever. I'm. Annoyed. What is this? Work at work? Blasphemy.). Anyways, here's just two new songs this time around. Both were emailed to me and I'm just posting it just because.

John Mayer - "Say"



Teatro - "Music of the Night" - Another Il Divo type boy band. Note the "look" when they gaze into the camera. Hilarious! Not bad considering I hate this song. It warms my heart in that Westlife way.

ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDcQmYn_gPQ

More After the Jump...

iPod Music Playlist - My iPod Is Alive But While It Was Dead I Listened To the Radio Until They Pounded These Songs Into My Head Edition

YEY! My iPod is fixed. The "genius" at the Apple Genius Bar couldn't fix it but instead of leaving it with Apple and another $200, he secretly sent me to iRepair which did the exact same thing for $40 (maybe the apple guy was a genius!). Thank god. I was in no mood to shell out more needless money right now. I have better things to do with it, like buy the actual music and DVD's.

So here's the songs that I have been humming in my head because I've been listening to the radio and the songs playing repeatedly have been permanently ingrained into my head so I have no choice but to love them. Or go nuts. Or maybe both.

Colbie Caillat - "Bubbly":




RyanDan - "The Face" - I keep laughing that twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky were from that HORRIBLE Toronto boyband B4-4. I'm not sure this schlock is better but I always had a soft spot for this kinda Josh Groban meets Westlife schlock. In fact, I kinda love it. There's still no official video yet even though the album was released in Canada today, but here's a clip of the song played over scenes from The Lion King after the jump. Why not?




Daughtry - "Over You" - I gave up. I end up singing to it everytime I hear it in the car. I'm such a loser!:




One Republic featuring Timbaland - "Apologize" - I know it's officially Timbaland featuring One Republic but whatever. That's such a crock:

More After the Jump...

iPod Music Playlist - I Think My iPod Died Edition

Shoot. There's an iPod with a frowny face icon on my iPod. That's not good. I think it may have just died on me. Where's Ned? I need him to touch it (that sentence could be taken as any way you want). I'm supposed to bring it to the stupid Genius Bar at the Apple store but it right now, seems like the exact same way my friend's iPod died. Shoot. I would love the new ones with video (mine's only 3 years old but in iPod world, that's forever apparently. My screen isn't even colour) but I don't really feel like giving them another $300 right now.

So, while I've been meaning to put out another iPod music playlist post... well, now I have no iPod. So I can't hear Rihanna and Neyo's "Hate That I Love You" over and over again. Oh wait. Let me turn on the radio...

On some brigther news, Westlife has another album coming out! Over covers AGAIN (boo). And they are taking a "break" from each other after that. (boo, though I'm shocked they lasted this long already). Seriously, this is my favorite of all the boy bands and the ones with the best harmonies. Now if only they had better writers for songs (or any at all). Also, I just realised T.R. Knight looks like Kian (the blonde straggly haired one).

Here's Westlife ripping off Michael Bublé's "Home"


A bit more after the jump:

So, I can't find an embeddable version but I've always been a big fan of Josh Turner's, who yes, I know is country, but what a country it is! You can see his newest video here for "Firecracker". It's been out for a while but again, haven't had time to post stuff yet but LOVE that deep voice. He's not too shabby looking either, in that shabby looking way.

There's new Jimmy Eat World too! Their new album Chase This Light is out in stores now, and I found this clip so far.



Um, that's it for now. I'm still mourning my iPod at this point.

More After the Jump...

iPod Playlist - The Boys of (the End of) Summer Edition

It's been a while since I've done a iPod post (and I'll soon try to get that music BOX up again) so here's the latest stuff I'm loving on repeat. And yes, the Backstreet Boys are BACK (Sadly, that gets me really excited, even with only 4/5th's of Backstreet Boys back)! I'd also add in High School Musical 2 soundtrack but that's obvious!!! :P

James Blunt - "1973"

I know. People fear/hate him now because the radio overplayed "You're Beautiful" but don't hate him for that. This catchy tune has just the right amount of white funk in it that I'm totally digging it!



Quietdrive - "Time After Time"

I know, the gays must be having a heart attack for emo-punking this classic Cyndi Lauper song and in theory I should hate it but I absolutely love this version from Quietdrive.



Faber Drive - "Tongue Tied"

Their first single "Second Chances" was cute but I think this will be their break-out song for this Vancouver band.


Backstreet Boys - "Incosolable"

It sounds just like their last album but that's a good thing since I actually loved their last album "Never Gone". Yes yes, you can make fun of them since technically ALL their songs sound the same but whatever, I'm excited!

I'll put the clip up when I find it.

OneRepublic - "Apologize"

This was that song that everybody was asking about when the guy played So You Think You Can Dance and everybody was like, WHO? Or at least I was.

More After the Jump...

So You Think You Can Dance - Nope. Not This Week

So there was no So You Think You Can Dance (hence why I was able to go catch up at the movies) this week because of the silly little thing called Independence Day. Boo Fireworks are boring. Next week, Adam Shankman, director of the upcoming Hairspray movie musical, and former choreographer will guest judge. Until then, here are some of my favorite dances so far from this season as well as how I would rank everyone so far. Seriously, I'm thinking about this WAY too much.

Remaining Boy Dancers From Favorite to Least: (basically, I have to have those top 5 in the Final Top 10)

1. Kameron
2. Pasha
3. Dominic
4. Neil
5. Hok
6. Danny
7. Cedric

Remaining Girl Dancers From Favorite to Least: (I have to have the top 4 in my Final Top 10. The last spot could go either way to the remaining three).

1. Lacey
2. Sabra
3. Sarah
4. Shauna
5. Jaimie
6. Lauren
7. Anya

Best Couples as of the Top 16 (counting all weeks) from Favorite to Least:

1. Lacey and Kameron
2. Sabra and Dominic
3. Sarah and Jésus
4. Jessi and Pasha
5. Jaimie and Hok
6. Anya and Danny
7. Lauren and Neil
8. Shauna and Cedric

Here are some of my favorites so far from Season 3:

Here's the video clip for Lacey and Kameron's Contemporary performance from the Top 20.


Lacey and Kameron


Here is the video clip from Sarah and Jesús' Pop Jazz routine from the Top 20.


Jesus and Sara


Here is the video clip of Jessi and Pasha's Smooth Waltz routine from the Top 20:


Jessi and Pasha


Here is the video clip of Shauna and Jimmy's Broadway routine from the Top 20:

Shauna and Jimmy


Here is the video clip of Sabra and Dominic's Contemporary routine from the Top 18:


Sabra and Dominic - Contemporary


Here is the video clip Jessi and Pasha's Jazz routine from the Top 18:


Jessi and Pasha - Jazz


Here is the video clip of Lauren and Neil's Hip Hop routine from the Top 18:


Lauren and Neil - Hip Hop


Here is the video clip of Sabra and Dominic’s Rumba routine from the Top 16:


Dominic and Sabra Week 3


Here is the video clip of Jaimie and Hok’s Jazz routine from the Top 16:


Hok and Jaimie Week 3


Here is the video clip of Jessi and Pasha's Cha Cha to "Let's Get Loud" - Jennifer Lopez from the Top 16 Results


Pasha and Jessi Week 3


And just because of Neil and Lauren's performance, I'm loving "The Way I Are" from Timabaland (Feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.) even though McDonald's is now using it to shill their McNuggets and other sawdust materials (Oh, You Know I Love It).


Timbaland Feat Keri Hilson & D.O.E. - The Way I Are
Uploaded by Wonderful-Life


For More on Season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance:
Check here for the most Recent current postings and Latest News on So You Think You Can Dance
Top 16 Results
Top 16 Performance
Top 18 Results
Top 18 Performances
Top 20 Results
Top 20 Performances
For So You Think You Can Dance Season 2:
Favorite Video Clips
Song List
Live Tour - Toronto
Live Tour - Buffalo, Pics, More Pics

Unless stated otherwise, SYTYCD Videos Uploaded by mickeymcc

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iPod Music Playlist - The Boys of (Last) Summer

It's summer in one hour! So here's a bit more to The Boys of Summer iPod Music playlist from earlier this week.

Really, this was the boy of LAST summer but Justim Timberlake is only NOW releasing "LoveStoned/ I Think That She Knows" which is the best song on the album Futuresex/LoveSounds .



Here's "Waitin' for the Wonderful" from country's Aaron Lines that was released last year. He has cute songs but really, the whole point is just to watch him in the videos.



Canadian Country band Emerson Drive has never really lived up to its potential. Good look (again, cute-ish songs at best, REALLY cute lead singer who kinda looks like US Queer As Folk's Gale Harold), good vocals but their songs are always a little bleh. Here is their new song "Moments" which is actually from this year but sounds slightly dated but whatever, it's their best attempt so far at a hit, and it's really for the visuals again.

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iPod Music Playlist - The Boys of Summer

Here some of the songs I've been liking lately, and uh, I noticed they are all boys...

Jon McLaughlin - "Beautiful Disaster"



Michael Bublé - "Lost" - I've been playing this on repeat since I got the album and I finally heard it on the radio last week. YEY! It's the new single!



Faber Drive - "Second Chances" - I've seen this video for, like, ever now (last fall or winter I think at least), and it was always enjoyable though not screaming as a hit, but I'm a little surprised it's only starting to get more airplay now. Anyways, it's still enjoyable enough and seems to grow on me.



The Plain White T's - "Hey There Delilah" - Not that this needs anymore airplay, since the Buffalo station seems to be pumping this up a LOT. Who do THEY know at LiveNation?



Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - "Face Down"



Ten Second Epic - "Old Habits" - I don't know why but I find this video kind of adorable somehow. Okay. Maybe just the band.



I also saw a band the weekend before this past one in Montreal called The Dress White's. While usually I cringe at being brought to see friend's or friend's friend's bands (where then you have to smile and lie through your teeth telling them that they sound great as you try to plug your ears hands free), this one actually stood out because they were just poppy enough to be fun and not all artistic and self-involved and pretentious (I'm talking to you The Arcade Fire) and the songs were well written with just enough hook to maybe get radio airplay but with lyrics that weren't dumbed down.

Here's all I could find so far on youtube.

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iPod Music Playlist - Shut Up and Sing Edition

After playing them over a month, I'll finally admit that I love the new albums from Mika and Amy Winehouse, even though as people, they really really bug me.

I know Mika is apparently the next coming of (of what? I don't know), but I'm not buying and maybe it's his cockiness, but give me the Melinda Doolittle fake humility any day. He bugs me in interviews and he bugs me in his own videos but I will admit, his album Life in Cartoon Motion is mightily catchy and fun to listen to. Here's a homemade video courtesy of AfterElton of kids dancing to Mika's "Lollipop" which is just the cutest thing ever.




Amy Winehouse does NOT come across well in interviews. She does not come across the red carpet well. Usually I would support someone that likes to go "f u" against the grain of this popculture ritual but this girl really really bugs me and everytime she speaks, I want to yell "shut up". Yet I will finally admit that her album Back to Black is pretty good since I find myself listening to it more and more, but still. Amy Winehouse. Shut Up and sit properly please, crossing your legs might be nice, because it's too much information. Something other than a snarl would be nice too. Still, "Rehab" is totally fab. I know it came from the depths of your misery but whatev. I'm still not sure I believe that that singing comes from the same annoying rebel you portray yourself to be.




I've already blogged about Enrique Iglesias' song "Do You Know (Ping Pong Song)" and while I really have no opinion of Enrique, good or bad, I do like the addictive song, but seriously. Mike Boogie? In the video? Shut Up Mike Boogie. Janelle rules!

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iPod On-The-Go Music Playlist - Songs I Kinda Hated And Now Kinda Love Edition

Last month, I did the playlist of songs I like now but I'm sure will annoy the hell out of me by the end of the year (if not already).

Here's a few current songs that initially annoyed the hell out of me and now I kinda love (after a good beatdown of repeated radio airplay until I had no choice but to admit defeat and learn to love the bomb or else go insane).

Hellogoodbye - "Here (in your arms)"



Fergie featuring Ludacris - "Glamorous"
I know. I lasted this long hating solo Fergie and for destroying The Black Eyed Peas but I'm tired of fighting it.



Fergie - "Big Girls Don't Cry"
Like I said. I'm tired of fighting it.



Enrique Iglesias - "Do You Know (Ping Pong Song)"
Somehow I'm a sucker for songs with brackets in them, even though they should be a big warning sign.

Look, I never said I was PROUD of my selections. I think the new warm spring weather is relaxing my brain too much but this sh!t is perfect for nice sunny driving weather.

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iPod On-The-Go Music Playlist - CanCon / LoveStoned

Michael Bublé's new album (do people still call them CD's? Discs? Now that they are on the outs and practically everything is digital these days?) Call Me Irresponsible hits stores tomorrow (May 1st 2007). Loving his new song "Everything".



Fellow Canadian Feist also drops her new disc The Reminder. Here's her new single "1 2 3 4" which is getting a lot of airplay on the radio these days here in Toronto. I wonder if it's cause we have better radio stations (not owned by one bigass corporate conglomerate but instead owned by several smaller Canadian (and thus less powerful) corporate congolomerates) or that they just needed to fill their CanCon quota's (Canadian Content, for the Americans who don't know). Whatever, Canadian Music is the one thing I can deal more with sometimes (see City and Colour for example, not Celine Dion (though I don't actually hate her and still like that Titanic song)).



And here's the latest Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila (and the only winner to really do well), with her really cute song "Fallin' For You" from her Somewhere Else CD. It's no Kelly Clarkson but it's cute enough (and better than Kelly's new song, which I'm kinda hating right now, which makes me sad).



Also, "Lovestoned/i think she knows" is SOOOO ADDICTIVE. I LOVE THIS JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE SONG. I know. I'm about 6 months behind the times at this point. Deal with it.

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iPod Playlist - The Insulin Edition

I heard about Anthony Callea a few weeks back when he came out, so of course I went to check out some of the Australian Idol's songs and now his whole catalogue is on high rotation on my iPod (when it isn't playing Spring Awakening of course). It essentially continues the traditions of Take That, Westlife, Boyzone, Ronan Keating, Bryan McFadden, Rob Mills, Brian Litrell, Backstreet Boys etc. etc. in good clean pop that is so sweet and sugary it'll give you a diabeteic seizure. LOVE IT!

Here's his version of "The Prayer".




"Addicted To You"




"Live For Love"




"Hurts So Bad"




"Rain"



(Okay fine. Maybe I should be dieting.)

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Music To Annoy By The End Of The Year

Bye Bye Hot Pants Haley Scarnato, apparently the hornballs weren't in force the other night, perhaps busy doing other things with their hands instead of dialing the phone. (And since Chris R. was in the bottom 3 again, neither was the gay hornballs or the horny teenage girls, or they threw all their votes to Blake).

Okay, that group "Bailamos" performance was really funny in a sad way. I mean, it's not like it's a good song to begin with and as representation of Latin Night, kinda sad, but really? That was worst than a solo Sanjaya performance.

J. Lo looked like she belonged in the futuristic bomb that is We Will Rock You (I quote from a colleague: "it was Suck-Ass-Tastic") with that silver shading of the eyes.

So I was wrong though, as I thought LaKisha might end up in the bottom 3, and I totally thought Phil was going this week but I guess it'll be next week after the Country. Hmm... that girl must be totally starving by now right? She must look a lot like Hilary Duff by now, or worse, the Olsen twins but put together. No one can look that bad as looking like a single Olsen.

Do they only show clips and not the singing in the goodbyeseeyalater montage at the end, all while droned out by Daughtry telling you to go "Home"? I can't remember now but we never actually got to hear any of Haley's earlier vocals... things that make you go, hmm...

To be honest, she wasn't THAT bad. At least not worse than Katherine McPhee who was really only a pretty face last year that somehow made it to the finals (then again, as I've said before, Taylor won, so that was a whole joke in itself).

That being said. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Katherine McPhee's song on the radio "Over It". I didn't like it at first and then all of a sudden last night when I heard it on the radio again (not realising it was her), I loved it, and now I'm all over it.



I just heard Elliott Yamin's CD and damn, it's pretty good actually (I mean, in that middle of the road R&B for people in the burbs kinda way but hey, it works to sell) and I forgot how much I loved his voice.



While we are at it, Daughtry's album Daughtry (how original!) has that perfect mix of solid mainstream cheese rock perfect to croon to while driving a truck across some wheat field in a square state. I say that as a good thing. Much like how I found that I liked a lot of Nickelback's songs in their last album, Daughtry isn't actually great but I find myself humming a lot of them. There IS a little white trash in me! How cool!

Akon performed (again) on last night's American Idol, and I was just about write about him on my iPod Playlist, but god, now I don't think I can like him anymore! While last year I could not STAND his chipmunk song, I do like "Don't Matter" which joins my current list of songs that I currently like cause they are a bit different but will probably annoy the hell out of me by the end of the year.

This list includes Gym Class Hereos' "Cupid's Chokehold" which is a blatant remake of Supertramp's "Breakfast in America" and while I'm not totally against remakes or "sampling" (as they say), they apparently chose it becase they thought people wouldn't recognize it and know it. Wow. Lazy. Yet as much as I don't want to like them, I still like the new version of the song. Damnit.



I haven't talked about Fall Out Boy in a while but LOVE LOVE LOVE their new song "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" and I just need to get the album now which I've heard and is as excellent as all the reviews have been. I have a feeling though that I won't get annoyed at this song even though it sounds like it could totally be.



Finally, Maroon 5. Ah. Adam Levine. I LOVED their last album when it first came out, then it got big and I got annoyed by its overplay (um. I do that. see James Blunt, Seinfeld, John Mayer, 24 etc. etc. etc). But I have to admit, I like the new song "Makes Me Wonder".



Okay, enough with all the big artists that don't really need my plugs. Back to work...

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