On most days at work, I listen to The Howard Stern Show. It's usually about a five hour show, and I can pause it, so it usually lasts me just about my entire work day. Don't get me wrong, I loves me some Howard Stern, but sometimes I feel like it's more of an addiction than a pleasure.
Last week, the show was on hiatus, so I was
stuck listening to music. I listened to some great stuff. It felt so good for my soul. I wonder if I should cut back on Howie for a while.
Here's what I listened to:
M.I.A. - Maya
Before this album came out, I could tell by the marketing for it, that it was going to be interesting. If I recall correctly,
jpinsd posted a video for the first single, Born Free.
It's a very wild video where Gingers are rounded up to be executed.The album itself is indeed very interesting. It begins with a paranoid chant that connects your iPhone to Google to "The Government". I read an interview about the album. The producers freely admitted that M.I.A. has no discernible talent, and the album is all about production. I have no problem with this. The production is spot on. Maya is album-of-the-summer for me.
Max Tundra - Parallax Error Beheads You
cpratt gave me this one. I have one other Max Tundra album, and the two are very different from each other. Like most great albums, Parallax takes a few listens to get in to. It begins with a very dissonant chord progression and continues its weirdness throughout the album. But, under the surface, it's actually poppy and fun. There is one song where he talks about meeting girls through various social media sites. One is Friendster. Friendster?
The other Max Tundra album I have, Some Friend You Turned Out to Be, sounds like Tortoise's later albums... except it's good.
In the Heights - Original Cast Recording
I saw this play a few weeks ago. I had seen a song from it performed at the Tony's this year, and I was very afraid. Broadway San Diego presents a lot of great plays, but they consistently present their share of stinkers as well.
It won me over quickly. In the Heights is basically a poor-man's Rent, minus AIDS and minus gay. What makes it unique is seamless inclusion of rap in most of the songs. I know what you're thinking, but the rapping works!
There are a few songs, like Blackout and When Your Home, that really move me. I got misty-eyed while listening to the cast sing about fireworks lighting up the night sky the other day. (Did I mention I'm a complete musical-fag?)
ceo - White Magic
This album, came out of nowhere for me... well, technically, Sweden. I was playing White Magic for some friends, and they came to the concussion that ceo sounds like Pet Shop Boys. I'm fine with that. If you are super in to 80's music, I'm sorry to hear that. But if you want to hear some new stuff that kind of sounds like your old stuff, you might consider checking this one out.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
This album
haunts me. If I start thinking about it, I can't get these songs out of my head for days. The latest song stuck in my head is
Sword of Damocles. "It ain't no crime!"
NOTE: I typed all of this while listening to Howard Stern. Oh well…