A Little Holiday Magic

If you want to hear something beautiful, I suggest giving Pentatonix's version of Mary, Did You Know a listen.

It isn't often that I can say a song is like a religious experience, but this version of this song is just that.

A full review of their holiday album will be forthcoming

The State Of Pop Music

Here are some random musings from the Music Whore...

Bubblegum music is not dead...Have you heard Katy Perry's Roar? This song is proof that bubblegum music is still alive and well and not always made by tweenybopper stars. Thank god for that.

Katy Perry's music is never going to change your life, but when you listen to it, you can't help but feel good.  Plus her videos are the best ever.

I am not embarrassed at all to say, I love this song. It makes me smile and sing a long every time I hear it.




Next up let me talk about Miley Cyrus. Sometimes I wish this girl would just go away. The things she's done for shock value aren't really so much shocking as they are nauseating, but they got the world talking and taking notice, something they didn't do with her last album.

So now they are talking..and guess what....Wrecking Ball isn't a bad song. It isn't a fantastic, groundbreaking song, but it does prove that Miley is more than just a Disney pop tart. She's a regular ole' pop tart now.

I only wish she wasn't trying to be Madonna, or Gaga or Britney.

Seriously...I don't need to see your camel toe..and everyone should stop twerking...especially with men that are almost old enough to be your dad.

But again..the video aside, which is rather bleh...Wrecking Ball won't make your ears bleed. And the video really is tastefully done. I'm more of the mind that the people fussing are just jealous they aren't built like Miley. Hell, I wish I were built like Miley.

As for her VMA performance..that was just fucking weird..but a totally awesome PR stunt that worked perfectly.

And parents, get over the fact that she was Hannah Montana. She's old enough to make her own decisions.

Plus a little FYI celebrities should in no way be considered role models for your kids, m'kay...same goes for athletes. (If they want to do commercials for fast food..its a free country..they are allowed...get over  yourselves!)



Now let's talk real music....the kind that doesn't need PR or flashy stuff to get you talking.

The Lumineers Ho Hey...is truly one of the best examples of folk/Americana...ever. I have to admit..I've labeled this band as Starbucks music. It makes me want to curl up with a book and a pumpkin spice latte and read while my foot taps in time with the music



Lastly...I've been loving on Mika again. How can you not love Mika? Underwater is one of the most beautiful videos I've ever seen and seriously...it sounds like vintage Duran Duran...

The Song I Love The Most Today: Mika - Popular Song

I'm really annoyed that The Tonight Show doesn't have the clip from his performance on Oct 1st up on the site.

Seriously, Mika, you should have got on Jimmy Fallon!

But I love this video...it is so Burtonesque

Eclectic Beatles Cover

I'm not usually a fan of Beatles covers where the original song is unrecognizable, but I have to say, Deni Bonet has really taken Please Please Me down a rather trippy, gypsy like road.

The song is definitely different from what most of us are used to hearing, but it is really good.



Somehow I except to see Johnny Depp's character from Chocolat make an appearance here. Or maybe Cher?

A Thing Of Beauty

Elvis Costello covering Penny Lane

Giggle, Drool and be Informed!

This song will be stuck in my head forever!

Weekend Tunes

I discovered Schuyler Fisk this weekend and one of the songs I've totally fallen in love with is called Paperweight, which she recorded with Josh Radin. It appears on the soundtrack for Dear John and The Last Kiss.

Have a listen to a live version and fall in love with



Oh and lastly...Mika can sing anything...and he can sing it in French...

When SNL Gets It Right

Okay, everyone has probably seen these. And Lonely Island, I'm sure, is for some walking a fine line between ridiculously hilarious and over-the-top and obnoxious. But frequently, they're spot on. Plus they guest stars they've gotten are insane.

Michael Bolton as Jack Sparrow?



Akon talking about the beauty of sex?



Insane, star-studded angst?



And perhaps best of all, the third installment of our favorite "Dick in a Box" bros.



I consider "Mother Lover" to be the sophomore slump.


Then there's the John Waters and Nikki Minaj cameos in "The Creep."

What fun will the new season bring?

A True Work of Horror

I don't scare easily. I laughed during The Exorcist and was almost entirely unphased during Paranormal Activity. But a YouTube series that's probably cheaper than dirt to make has me entirely freaked out, even though I know the entire thing is fake. It's Marble Hornets, and if you're familiar with Slender Man lore on the internet you know all about it. If not, don't turn to Google - just watch the introduction and Entry #1 and see what happens.

It's like a combination of H. P. Lovecraft, Signs, The Ring, and a good version of The Blair Witch Project. Really unnerving, scary, and a well-done mystery.

The Prodigal Wench

I've been gone a long while, I know. Somehow I had no time over the summer, & even less now that I'm back at school. But I have returned, & hopefully I'll be able to be around more often.

Let's talk about Conan O'Brien, shall we?

He's back on TV, & it feels like he never left. In a good way, of course. It's nice to see him. The jokes & bits are funny & the guests were great. The most interesting was probably Jack White. For one thing, it's nice to see Conan singing & playing guitar because he's actually quite good, & Jack White is an interesting collaboration. Over the summer, they actually got together & recorded an album full of just straight-up rock while Conan was in the middle of his tour.

And since I wasn't around all summer, I'd like to talk about the tour a little too. He managed to do some pretty neat stuff, & not just in terms of comedy. Enjoy, & prepare for YouTube overload.

First, the funny: the tour's opening video.



And before Stewart & Colbert were holding rallies, they were having dance-offs:



Honestly, the more memorable parts of this tour very well may have been the musical ones.

"Seven Nation Army":



Eddie Vedder turns "Oh Yoko" into "Oh Coco":



And last, but not least, one of the most epic covers ever. Eddie Vedder brings it once again with The Who's "Baba O'Riley":

Tubesday Top 3: Internet Music

Happy two-day belated Tubesdays, internet! I think from now on, I'm going to alternate between Tubesday and Blog Roll Day, as to avoid such lengthy gaps in posting. Anyway, onward to this edition in which folks post music on the internets.

First up is a cover of the jazz standard Summertime by a set of not-quite-teenage brothers on melodica and uke. Now I'm a sucker for anything with a melodica, but good gravy! This cover is so good it brought a tear to my eye.



Next up is a one-man multi-tracked a capella version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme. Now I don't have a complete boner for either a capella or my lost childhood of cartoons like a lot of folks my age, but I've got to give this dude props for his video ingenuity.



The last entry isn't internet music per say, but it's geeky enough to fit in. Along with the Home Movies Franz Kafka musical, this may be one of my favorite TV music moments. Earlier in the MST3K episode Pod People, the actual movie showed a similar music video with indeciferable lyrics. Here, Joel and the bots try to decipher them.



Happy Belated Tubesday, Wenches!

God Bless YouTube.

You may recall my District 9 review from a few weeks ago. Turns out, it's an unexpected source of simultaneous nerdery & hilarity on the internet in the only way a sci-fi movie could be. All out of love, of course, www.fookinprawns.net being my favorite so far.

Not to be outdone, YouTube is getting in on the fun. Who knew that baby prawns were in such need?



I'll help those baby prawns. Sign me up!

Confession: I'm Obsessed with Brokeback Mountain Spoofs

Confession: I'm Obsessed with Brokeback Mountain Spoofs

Yep. Now, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, don't get me wrong. It's just that for some reason, I will almost always find any Brokeback spoof funny. Especially when Brokeback is combined with any other movie I enjoy. Honestly, I think it all started when one of my brilliant friends found the gem that is "Harry Potter & the Brokeback Goblet."



Oh the beauties of creative & clever editing. And that theme.

Other favorites, straight from my YouTube account:

Brokeback of the Ring!



Star Wars: The Empire Brokeback!



Brokeback Island!



I waste too much time watching these.