he's a god, he's a man, he's a ghost, he's a guru

God, it's good to be back. I almost stumbled into an ill-timed bought of writer's block but luckily Lexie was to the resue, demanding "a list of your ten fave albums/singles/artists/however you want to post this from 2009".
Do-able!

I'm not sure if she means my favourite albums/singles/artists prominent in 2009, or just the songs I was most into in 2009. The is latter is way too hard so behold, in no particular order:

My Top 10 Favourite Albums/Singles/Artists of 2009


"Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga (video)
My ''relationship'', if you will, with Lady Gaga seems to be repetitive. I hear her new single and think "Eh, not quite on par with the last one". Then I see the video and enjoy it so ferociously that my obsessive YouTube viewings of it cause me to fall in love with the song. The best of her videos? "Paparazzi". It reminds me of a Jacqueline Susann novel (specifically Once Is Not Enough). Glamour on an extreme, histrionic level. The wheelchair and neckbrace were truly the icing on the cake.


"LoveSexMagic" by Ciara (song & video)
I don't know what it is, but I've always had a strong love for Ciara. Perhaps it's that her song "Promise" is one of the most beautiful Prince rip-offs I've ever heard, but I'm always interested in her new single. This one did not disappoint (as so, so many have). And, as much as I can't stand Justin Timberlake's cocky attitude, the video is killer too. I'm a sucker for a good afro.


"For Your Sorrow" by Big Boi feat. George Clinton and Too Short (song)
When I hear there's an OutKast song featuring George Clinton, you'd practically need industrial strength bungee cords and about three ounces of strategically placed SuperGlue (use your imagination) to hold me back. This one did not disappoint (besides its lack of Andre). From George's opening wheeze of "This is the dope on dope, smoke but don't choke on, its the shit. Plenty bloody junkies have been known to croak, but let's still toke up, it's the bomb" (I'm just guessing here...it is George, afterall) to Big Boi's "Stank you very much", this song is the sleazy Parliakastament Thang we've all come to know and love....from their one other collaboration.


This Is It by Michael Jackson (movie)
I'll say it flat-out ("with love", as MJ would say): the song blew. It is truly tragic that Michael Jackson's final single would be so mediocre. And that's the last I'm going to say of it, because out of extreme respect for Michael, I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist. The film, however, was fantastic. Tasteful, loving and revealing, it shows Michael how we should remember him: as a musician through and through. It is astounding and fascinating to watch him direct the musicians. He just knows music so well. For me, its still a toss-up between Michael and Prince as to the greatest performer of all time, but to anybody who enjoys pop music, this documentry will not disappoint.


"D.O.A." by Jay-Z (song)
2009 was also the year that I fell in love with Jay-Z and, despite my preference for his first album Reasonable Doubt, this cut proved he still got it.
"This ain't a number one record...this is practically assault with a deadly weapon"


"Red Right Hand" by the Arctic Monkeys (song)
I still haven't copped Humbug (though Christmas is tomorrow...) but I've been quite impressed with the Arctic Monkeys' new-ish sound. "Crying Lightning" was awesome too, but I think I slightly preferred this one.


"Honey" by Erykah Badu (song & video)
I know I've raved about this gorgeous soul song before, but you really must see the insidious and oh-so-clever video. You know 00:51 is my favourite moment. (If you didn't catch the reference, check it)

"3" by Britney Spears (song)
Ever since I got into Britney Spears a couple years ago (and that was a weird enough adjustment in itself), I've felt like the holiday season was truly her time. The past two Christmases my sister's present to me was her new album. Unfortunately, her "new" album this year is a greatest hits compilation, so I just went straight for the filthy single.
It's about threesomes, nuff said.


"Rockin' That Shit" by The-Dream (song)
I flat-out love this Prince rip-off. The explicit version is necessary, even though I adore the word "thang", because the clean version cuts out "bra". What fresh hell...?


"Drink in My Cup" by Electrik Red (video)
Electrik Red is to The-Dream what Vanity 6 were to Prince (on a much, much smaller scale of course), so you know I was intrigued. Most of their shit didn't blow me away, but I cannot get enough of the divine trashiness of this video. Why am I not getting into barfights and stealing chicken drumsticks from the kitchen? Oh yeah, cuz I'm not old enough to get into bars yet.
Still, that is no excuse. Bathroom stall dance sesh in T-minus, 5, 4, 3...

tell me something good, tell me that you like it

I had fully intended on blogging last week, but the very sudden and shocking death of one of my favourite musical artists left me simply too distraught. The irony of a day that I have dreaded for years (the day of Michael Jackson's death) coinciding with a day that I have excitedly anticipated for years (my 18th birthday) would have been comical had it not been so devastating. I don't really feel like doing a long tribute to MJ, as I can't imagine what I could possibly add to the many tributes done by casual fans.

Instead I will celebrate my birthday and graduation with an old Ashcan Rantings favourite - the songs that have been rockin' my world the hardest the past little while.

10 Songs I'm Into At the Moment

1. "If I'm In Luck, I Might Get Picked Up" by Betty Davis
Betty Davis is a bad mama-jama...I've fawned over her and her pure awesomeness before, but she continues to surprise me with her all-killer, no-filler albums. I got her self-titled debut for my birthday (thanks, Nicola!), completing my Betty Davis collection. This is the track I can't stop listening to.
"So all you lady haters, don't be cruel to me/Ah, don'tcha crush my velvet, don'tcha ruffle my feathers neither/I said I'm crazy, I'm wild/I said I'm nasty"

2. "Red Hot Mama" by Funkadelic
It's the spoken word introduction, first high-speed then screwed, that makes me turn this song on, but it's the heavy, badass guitar work (does Eddie Hazel ever let you down?) that keeps me from turning it off once the music drops.
"A luscious bitch she is, true/But it's not nice to fool Mother Nature/The proud Mother of God, like all ho's, is jealous of her own shadow"

3. "Worried Dream" by Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
I'll emphasize once again that this is very different from Stevie Nicks' Fleetwood Mac - it's blues and this is a B.B. King cover. Anguished guitar and beautiful vocals, it's probably moved up to be one of my absolute favourite Fleetwood Mac songs. Listen to the version linked above rather than the one in the playlist - or, you know, both!

"It may sound silly to you, woman/Baby, but tell me my dream was not true"

4. "The Glamorous Life" by Sheila E.
It's no secret that I love Prince, and I love most of the music he's written for protegées, but this one in particular is a favourite. Sheila E stands out among his protegées as a strong woman who is actually talented (!) - she's a kickass drummer. Vocally, she's just mediocre, but, as with most pop music, it's all about the production.
"She said, I need a man's man, baby/Diamonds and furs/Love would only conquer my head"

5. "Respect My Conglomerate" by Busta Rhymes feat. Lil' Wayne and Jadakiss
I love Busta Rhymes, I love Lil' Wayne and I love any collaboration they make together.

"It's Bus Rhyyyymes, and I'm back/with the crack, and the thugs, and the drugs/ Nigga BLACK"

6. "If Tha Mood" by Esthero
Filthy and taunting and wicked - how could I do anything but love it?
"She won't fuck you like I do/She's not into that wild shit"

7. "Cherry Red" by Earthless
I know...I'm all over the place. But I love heavy, hard rock, and this band does not disappoint. You like Sabbath? Check 'em out.

8. "Give It to Me Right" by Melanie Fiona
You know, from the fact that it dares to sample the Zombie's immortal "Time of the Seasons", I assumed I was going to hate this song. I ended up really digging it, probably because I love this chick's voice. I think the sample was tastefully done and where I'm at right now, I'd rather be listening to this than the Zombies version! Blasphemy, yes, but I cannot tell a lie.
"I'm not, I'm not trying to run your life/That's why, that's why I'm nobody's wife/But when I want and when I want it, you gotta be ready"

9. "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus
Not gonna lie - this song makes me think of That 70's Show, but really, that's not a bad thing. It's so purely joyful and, I must say, Kayla Hyne-esque. I can't get into most 70's funk bands because they all pale so profoundly when compared to P-Funk, but this song has definitely been sung by me on multiple occasions in the past month, often in public.
"Tell me something good!/Tell me that you like it, yeahh"

10. "My Dick" by Mickey Avalon feat. Dirt Nasty and Andre Legacy
"My dick...nuff said"

july 2/09

don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times...blame it on the boogie

I know it might be a bold statement, but I think I'd consider the Jackson 5 to be the greatest pop group of all time. In terms of what pop music is generally considered to be, nobody does it like them.
On top of their musical talents, they were extremely snappy dressers. When shopping for menswear for my online vintage store, I often ask myself, "Would the Jackson 5 wear this?" If not, no dice.
So, without further ado, I bring you

My Top 5 Favourite Jackson 5 Songs:

1. "The Love You Save"
Everybody knows I'm a very loyal Michael Jackson fan, but what makes a lot of Jackson 5 songs for me is Jermaine. I love his voice and it can feel like a cool drink of water after the scorching(ly awesome) sun that is Michael's more high-pitched voice. They go together beautifully. Jermaine really steals the show around the 2 minute mark, and then again at 2:43.
It took me literally about 4 years to understand what they meant by "Stop, the love you save may be your own", until somebody finally explained to me that it was a play on a seatbelt campaign of the time that used the slogan, "Stop, the life you save may be your own." Ahh....gotcha.

2. "I'll Bet You"
When I first heard George Clinton had written a song for the Jackson 5, I was a little bit frightened. It was too good to be true...how could so many forces of excellence bind together without diminishing in awesomeness. Once again, I played the fool: I always forget that, in the immortal words of T-Pain, "Greatness plus greatness equals great greatness", and that "too much of a good thing" is a myth. Both the Jackson 5 version and the Funkadelic version are fantastic, but as a long time Jackson family, uh, interest-taker, it was fun to hear all the boys take their turns on lead vocals.
And, it must be pointed out, once again, Jermaine's voice is like a beautiful ray of sunshine through a cloudy day.

3. "Blame It On the Boogie"
Okay, I know technically this is The Jacksons, but I love this song so much I had to throw it on here. One of the best dancing songs I've ever heard, it also features a more mature-sounding Michael...1978 to be exact, so he was 20.
Plus anybody who knows anything about MJ's personal life knows that it's ironic for him to be complaining that his girlfriend is "always dancing/and it wouldn't be a bad thing/but I don't get no lovin'/And that's no lie".
Still, you can hardly blame the girl with a bassline like this.

4. "The Life of the Party"
Another late-era Jackson 5, this ridiculously fun track is, as promised, an excellent party track. I always end up liking disco a lot more than I think I do, and I've been dancing around my kitchen to this one on a daily basis the past month. This one also reinforces my theory that Michael Jackson is the best ad-libber to ever live, though I gotta admit, it's weird hearing him call a girl a "sexy mama" - we all know MJ ain't like that.
And, as usual, Jermaine adds a lot with his more gospel-style voice.

5. "I Want You Back"
Ha, you thought you were gonna make it through the list without "I Want You Back" didn't you? No such luck...I know I've been bestowing superlatives on the Jacksons left and right, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't suspect that this song might be the greatest pop song of all time. Top 5, at least. My only complaint?
Not enough Jermaine.

JACKSON 5
(Click on the link to hear the songs in their entirety)

fly free, baby, fine with me - i'm in love with a bumblebee

10 Songs I'm Into At the Moment

1. "I'll Bet You" by the Jackson 5
Fun fact: George Clinton wrote this piece, and it shows - it's definitely a bit darker than most Jackson 5. With a killer bassline (my favourite kind) and a pass-the-baton vocal style that lets all the boys shine, this song just reminds you what a stellar pop band the Jackson 5 were.
You should also check out Funkadelic's version, which is badass.

2. "Honey" by Erykah Badu
I'm starting to suspect Erykah Badu must be one of the coolest women alive. First of all, the song by itself is awesome. I love the lyrics and her voice is incredible. But the bonus? Click on the link above and enjoy the insidiously funny, beautifully shot video. My favourite allusions were the Funkadelic reference at 00:50 and the play on her ex-boyfriend Andre 3000's "Hey Ya" video at 2:40. I can also definitely get behind the "SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL RECORD STORE!!!!!" moral too.

3. "Need a Boss" by Shareefa

I know this song's pretty old (as in...2006) but, like "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", it reflects an innermost desire that lives within us all. Who among us doesn't need "a boss like hey/who's flossin' like hey"? Especially when we're walking in slow motion away from a large explosion, our asymmetrical haircuts blowing in the breeze. But don't confuse the "need" of the title with anything but feminism: "Anything I want I cop it/I just want somebody to get fly wit/I got what I need, but can you top it?"
Word, Shareefa. Word.

4. "I Call My Baby Pussycat" by Funkadelic

The studio version? No good. (And by "no good" I mean "infinitely better than 99% of the music currently in existance but not in my top 50 Funkadelic songs") The 1971 Live at Meadowbrook version? I sat here for five minutes staring at the screen trying to think of words to describe the pure awesomeness of the live version of "I Call My Baby Pussycat." That first guitar riff sends a shiver of ecstasy to my core.

5. "I'm So Green" by Can
Looking for the perfect song for spring? I gotcha covered! This experimental German band brings you this freak-rock track, with a laboring groove and far out lyrics. Special bonus of having "green" in the title.

6. "Bret, You've Got It Goin' On" by the Flight of the Conchords
It's a shame really that it took me so long to get into the Flight of the Conchords. But, like nobody in my family ever really seems to say, better late than never. This is my favourite song of theirs, and just for the record? Bret does have it goin' on. I'm feelin' a little needy for a weedy, shy guy.

7. "From the Bottom of My Soul" by Eddie Hazel
Eddie Hazel never fails! Except, er, those years he spent in prison for assault and drug possession. But no mind - this gorgeously soulful track was previously unreleased, but I snagged it on vinyl as a bonus track of a "Maggot Brain" EP. In fact, I sort of think of it as being a "Maggot Brain" of the voice - instead of baring his soul through his guitar, he does it vocally. I didn't find out until a few months ago that Eddie Hazel actually has an incredibly singing voice, and he definitely proves it here.

8. "Gee" by SNSD (Girl Generation)
This video is the most adorable thing I have ever seen. I've never really listened to Korean pop music before, but this video made me love the song. My favourites are the two with blue pants. I generally prefer not to refer to people over the age of 5 as "cute", but with these girls, there's no other way. And make sure you pay attention to the English subtitles translating the lyrics! "Your heart is so pretty, I was captured at first glance, caught so closely/I can't touch it because it's so hot, I'm engulfed in love's fire completely" is a personal favourite.

9. "(Fooled Me Again) Honest Eyes" by Lady Gaga
I maintain that I'm more of a fan of Lady Gaga's image than her actual music, but this song impresses me. Her voice sounds excellent on this Freddie Mercury-esque track and the lyrics are great.

10. "Physical Love" by Bootsy's Rubber Band
The third song on this list featuring guitar by Mr. Eddie Hazel! This kinky track is filled with classic Bootsy humour. This album was made using Bootsy's alter ego Casper the Ghost ("kind of friendly when I want to be, and funky otherwise"). Good hedonistic fun!

april 21

getting to know you is something that i chose to do

A blogging pal of mine from way back when, Crazy Eddie, has tagged me in a fun sort of getting-to-know-you (cue tremendously cool Parliament song "Gettin' To Know You") tag that (even though I've been blogging for close to - yikes - three years and some of you probably know me better than I know myself) might offer some insight into my being.
Here are my thoughts, feelings and opinions on...

Music

As you may have noticed, I do enjoy listening to music every now and then. I'd tell you that I love music or that I live for music or that I would be a completely different person without music, but I don't think I have to. It's almost like telling you "I breathe air". Your response (to both questions) would be, "Yeah, so what, me too." In terms of what music I listen to, I think it's no secret that Parliament/Funkadelic rocks my world to no end. The other artists that I've loved most consistently over my life are Prince, Marvin Gaye, Outkast, Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin and Jefferson Airplane.

Humour

Like Eddie, my life would be a sad tale without the inclusion of humour. What tickles my funny bone most often are Doonesbury, Will Ferrell, Seinfeld, 30 Rock (and most specifically Dr. Spaceman ["Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing where the heart is. See, every human is different."]), South Park and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Cosmopolitan, other blogs (maybe even yours!) Demetri Martin and a well-timed "That's what she said" will do it for me as well.

Video games

I don't even give a fuck, I love Sims and I don't care what you think.

Family
They're alright. My dad saw the Grateful Dead a bunch of times.

Bacon Double-Cheeseburgers
Yesss, please.

Dudes

I do enjoy the company of the odd male species, though my blog is specifically a blog that avoids talking about my personal life and most importantly that aspect of my personal life. (Nothing against blogs that are about that, cuz it is entertaining, but I'd be way too worried that someone would say what I'm saying about them!) In terms of fantasy, my ideal man would probably a combination of Andre 3000, Mick Jagger, Hyde, Alex Turner, Glenn Goins and Lester Bangs.

Lindsay Lohan

I have hated on her in the past, but the truth is that there is something about her I find charming. Not a big fan of most of her movies and definitely not a fan of her music, but I like a lot of her style and think she has a very cool speaking voice. Also, Perez Hilton kind of pisses me off, so I have taken to starting to actually like a lot of the celebrities he picks on, just because I think he's obnoxious.

Corny sunsets

Love 'em. How can you not! The colours, the atmosphere - it's just an all-around good feeling.

Dark art

Well, now that you mention it, I do have some pictures saved onto my computer that if they were people, I would consider them "not to be trifled with." If you're talking dark art as in witchcraft, well, I'm going to have to plead the Fifth on this one (even though I'm Canadian).

My heritage
I am Canadian, as I just mentioned (for those of you with ADD, or short-term memory loss, or the like), but my father is American and my maternal grandparents immigrated from Holland. So, pretty much, I would consider my heritage to be Dutch.

This was such a fun little tag and I won't get all exclusive and tag specific people. If you feel like introducing yourself to your readers a little more (especially if you're a new blogger!), I definitely suggest trying this out.

make me want you, make me miss you, make me wonder where you are, then forget you

You thought you'd heard every song they'd ever made a billion times...

Deep Tracks by Overexposed Artists:

"The Lady in My Life" by Michael Jackson

Okay, it's on Thriller, so it's probably the "deep track" most people have heard. Still, this is the song that proves my longtime belief that Michael Jackson is the best ad-libber of all time. (And here I'm using 'ad lib' to mean all the "ooh", "baby", "yeah", etc.) I usually start this song at the 2:30 point, as the last two and a half minutes are all gorgeous adlibbing. MJ 4 Eva y'all!

"Why Should I Be Sad" by Britney Spears
My favourite track off Blackout, this slow - but not, God forbid, a ballad - number is pop genius. Clearly intended as a kiss-off to K-Fed, I think it's beautiful. The one included on the playlist below is slightly slowed-down, but still fantastic.

"She Lives in My Lap" by OutKast
The B-side to the equally-genius "Prototype" (which I've raved about before), this dreamy song featuring voices and laughs from Rosario Dawson is quirky, sweet, creative and eccentric. I'm glad it wasn't played eight trillion times on the radio a la "Hey Ya" - it's much more meaningful this way.

"Wavin' Bye to the Train or Bus" by the Arctic Monkeys
This is another case, in my opinion, of a song that has kickass verses and a weak chorus. But the verses? Kickass indeed! Maybe one of my favourite Arctic Monkeys lines ever with the "Oh, baby, I'm wantin' to do you a swap/I'll give you anything, yeah, in return for them noises you've got"

"Distant Lover" by Marvin Gaye
I used to really dislike this track from Let's Get It On, in fact, it was the only song I didn't love off that album. However, suddenly one day, I listened to it and realized its genius and beauty in one flash. Especially the "please, please, baby" at 1:03.

deep tracks...