Hall of Sound

Okay. I know. It’s been too long. There’s no excuse. Except for that my band started playing the wrong song, and that I had gastric reflux. Other than that, I’m back!

Back again… guess who’s back – it’s Marshall Mathers, his new album and the most brilliant marketing ploy I have EVER heard of. Slim -- and what I assume will be several hundred if not a few thousand of his most loyal fans-cum-delegates -- will congregate in New York City’s <A href="href=" AddComment?from='0"' 1026 entries HallofSound tamarsuperstar journals.aol.com http:>">Roseland Ballroom Thursday for the first of what I hope will be many Shady National Convention. My faith in politics has been restored. Speaking of restorative powers, apparently Em’s got those too, as his music roused a 12-year-old girl from a coma. Apparently he also roused Michael Jackson from his on-again off-again seclusion long enough to blast Em for the cold MJ dis in his new video, 'Just Lose It.' (Just watch it here.) Rad! Now if only Marshall could do something about those dust bunnies plaguing my apartment!

Speaking of politics: Watch with a voyeuristic-like enthusiasm as John Edwards gets his hair did. Then, find out what George Bush’s cousins think of Dub Jr.'s campaign. (Yikes!) But most importantly:

* Rock the Vote
* Vote or Die, as Diddy commands
* Choose or Lose

Whatever. Just vote.

Still confused about who to vote for? (Hint: one is very good, one is very very bad. He’s a very very bad man.) Check out the facts, policies, see who's cuter, whatever. Just make up your mind, and take the 5 minutes on November 2! The clock's a-tickin'!

Next: 2K4 is drawing to a close, which means soon it will be time to compile, memorize and have at the ready your top 10 lists for the year. Top 10 Singles (‘Hey Ya,’ uh, duh), Movies ( 'Maria Full of Grace' fer sher on that list) and Albums (Interpol’s 'Antics,' definitely). Oh, and hey, ever curious about what the heck Paul Banks is muttering about bracelets, subway pornos and culinary eyes? Please refer to Top 10 Worst Lines Off Interpol’s First Album.

Oh yeah. This is supposed to be more about music...

Stuff I’ve enjoyed of late:

* Jin: Chinese Ruff Ryder from Miama
* Arcade Fire: Sentimental, macabre mood music :/
* Futureheads: XTC revisited + also British + 2004 = dance, dance, dance

Stuff I’ve downloaded lately:

* Many freestyle R&B tracks that remind me of the years 1985 – 1990. Ahhh. Those were salad days.

Okay. What are you downloading, how are your early top 10 lists looking, and WHAT'S THE DEAL with the election?

Talk to me. Peace.

tamarsuperstar at 4:26:43 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

                             

 

Hi. I’ve been delinquent in my blogging. I PROMISE that I’ll be better (this whole work thing is really getting in the way of my blogging), just as I solemnly promise to you that I had the ULTIMATE celebrity spotting today at lunch.

I walked into the Verizon store, and who should be lingering by the nationwide calling display, but CARRIE BRADSHAW! Yes, I saw Sarah Jessica Parker. Picking out a phone. Like a normal person. Like me! And I picked that photo not just because it was one of the first ones that Google images search spit out, but also because I felt like I had won the Slebbing of the Day Award. And I did! Okay, I’ll stop gushing like a loser now.

Onto more music-related missives: I am seeing Wilco tonite! At Radio City! Could I use any more exclamation points! Yes!

Next: I scored tickets to Interpol at Hammerstein Ballroom next month -- yay! -- and finally, Good Charlotte waylaid Webster Hall plus were totally nice guys, and I have the pix to prove it. (Missed the show? Check it...)

Finally, woah, Brit. Let the cat out of the bag. What’s up with this super secret soul cleansing letter? And what’s in it that’s worth $25 bucks? Here are a few of my ideas:

+ The actual definition of “Strong Britney”
+ Chicken wings vs. Jalapeno poppers: a critical evaluation
+ The Pixies album that had the biggest influence on her most recent album
+ The actual definition and location of “The Zone”
+ Her favorite type of snack food: Cool Ranch Doritos or Cheetos Puffs
+ Her favorite Exxon bathroom
+ The symbolism and allegory inherent in the song “E-mail My Heart”
+ A brief explanation of this Saturday’s Torah portion
+ Victoria's Secret Second Skin Satin vs the Body by Victoria Secret seamless t-shirt bra
+ Kerry’s plan to negotiate bilaterally with North Korea
+ Her favorite stanza from “The Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock”
+ An open apology to Bobby Brown
+ An open apology to the state of Louisiana
+ Her favorite lip gloss

What in the name of all that's good and holy could she possibly come clean about? You tell me.

Finally, if you STILL don't believe Le Brit got married, this ebayer has the knickers to prove it! Happy bidding, y'all!

PS -- I want this shirt!

tamarsuperstar at 6:26:38 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

                        

Blast and damn it, Britney! Are you laughing because you’re so psyched that the wedding caterer served your favorite type of cheese puffs, or are you laughing because you maybe, possibly TOTALLY PULLED ONE OVER ON US????

This wedding. Is it a sham? A mystery wrapped in an enigma wrapped in several layers of flimsy white chiffon and crinoline? Even J.Lo let the cat out of the bag on Primetime Live last night. I'm not saying you have to go back on Diane Sawyer and bawl like a baby. Like last time. Remember? I'm just saying, give us something to go by! Give me a sign! Hit me, baby!

Until then, there's THIS EXTREMELY QUESTIONABLE FAUX PRE-NUP. Or a pre-pre nup or something? God I'm so confused! On the reals though, did we just get served?

 

<Jam of the moment: .22: "Are You Still There, Cherie?" >

tamarsuperstar at 1:51:57 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 3 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

                                    

OMG! I know! I’m freaking out too over here! I TOTALLY cannot believe that Mariska Hargitay from Law and Order got married!! I heard the news and I was like Oh no she didn’t! Then I was like “Oops! She did it again.” I kid, of course. Ahhh, Brit. Are your days of hitting Exxon bathrooms barefoot, stuffing thyself with Cheetos and Mountain Dew and overtanning gone forever? God, I hope not. Who would 14 year olds have to look up to? Norah Jones? Joss Stone? More importantly, if you could give le Brits a wedding present, what would it be? For me, it'd be one of those giant tubs of cheese balls that they sell at like Sam's Club. You know the ones that are the size of a pony keg. Yeah, that.

All I know is that I wish I’d have had the foresight to pick a flower, stick it in a Ziploc and made a cool grand. (Hurry! Offer ends soon!)

* Next: I made the long, long haul out to Hoboken, New Jersey (conclusion: it’s that state’s Georgetown, only without the Exorcist stairs and also without Madeline Albright’s house) to Maxwell's to see a fantastic new(ish, to the scene anyway) band called Paris, Texas (not the place -- ahh what a difference a hyphen makes -- or the movie). They’re straight up power pop with serious punk leanings. The show rocked harder than your grandma sittin' on her favorite chair on the porch. Lead singer Scott Sharpe (who’s totally cute by the way, ladies. Um, I maybe shouldn’t have said that since my boyfriend is friends with them, but whatever. He doesn’t read this. I hope) is an attention magnet, and he’s got the voice to match his larger-than-life stage hijinx. Bassist Matt Tenneson is sweeter than Georgia peaches, and for that reason alone, you should go buy their album and see them on tour with those hottie Swedish style hounds from Sahara Hotnights. And you should buy it because it’s a totally great album. And because the album title is hilarious: "Like You Like An Arsonist." (*Note: I do not endorse arson. I'mconfident the band doesn't either.)

* Dudes, September is more than halfway through, and you know what that means. It’s almost time for ROcktober! And you know what ROcktober means. CMJ, y’all! CMJ is like Christmas, to me, partially because I don’t celebrate Christmas but mainly because it’s like receiving a bountiful stocking stuffed with musical goodies. And open bars. But it’s really about the music, right? The bleepin’ schedule isn’t out yet, and the bands I want to see are too numerous to enumerate, but this oughta give you an idea.

Also, Interpol tix are on sale! Who wants to be a love and buy me some as a present? For my birthday. Which is in August. What? Come on! You know I'd do it for you! Fine then!

Next, if you’re smart, and I know that you are, you know that the Faint completely rule the dance floor, even if the dance floor is the floor of your bedroom. They have a new album out, and you can read all about it in an interview here.

Dat’s it. Now go download some free mp3s.

<Jam of the moment: "Ears Ring," Rainer Maria>

<Pic of the moment>

<Question du jour: Who do I see at CMJ? Holla>

Bye.

tamarsuperstar at 6:03:44 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

 

              

Ok. Remember how in 'High Fidelity,' Rob had all of those top five lists? Top five things I miss about Laura? Top five dream jobs? (1. New Music Express journalist, 1976-1979 2. Producer, Atlantic Records, 1964-1971 (approx.) 3. Any kind of musician (apart from classical or rap) 4. Film director 5. Architect) Well, Jamie, aka Pop! Goes Culture, loves 'em too. Me thinks he's seen or read the aforementioned a FEW too many times? Nevertheless, it's cool because who doesn't love lists?

He challenged me to the Top 5 Fave Albums of the 21st Century so far, as in up through today, 4:54PM EST 9/17/2004.

His list.

I countered with:

1.) Modest Mouse -- The Moon and Antarctica (2000)
2.) The Postal Service -- Give Up (2003)
3.) Interpol -- Turn On the Bright Lights (2003)
4.) Spoon -- Kill the Moonlight (2002)
5.) Outkast -- Stankonia (2002)

EXTREMELY close runners up, which made the competition EXTREMELY DIFFICULT:
The Shins -- Oh, Inverted World (2001)
Deathcab for Cutie -- The Photo Album (2001)
Clem Snide -- The Ghost of Fashion (2001)
Wilco -- Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2003)

Yours?


* Speaking of the Postal Service: the band's playing at the US Postal Service's (the REAL one) annual convention. Haa!

* Saw Radio 4 about two weeks ago at Bowery Ballroom. Tons ah fun. These dudes are like the thinking man's jam band only punk and not sucky, fronted by a post-modern Paul Simon lookalike. Plus, the keyboardist looks like Eric from 'That '70s Show.' They mainly performed stuff off of 'Gotham,' and their new CD, 'Stealing of a Nation,' which sounded exactly like 'Gotham,' which is a good thing. Live it.

* I HOPE you didn't miss the Nelly Broadband Rocks show last Monday at Webster Hall, because it was off the hiz. Surprise guest Diddy? Whuuuut? Watch it here!

Quickly, on the TV tip... Is anyone watching the Surreal Life? Is anyone's mind blown by Flava Flave and Brigitte Nielsen? And is she not Anna Nicole Smith in five years? It will take years of therapy to undo the image of her, half naked, save an apron and white paper hot dog vendor hat that's now, unfortunately, engraved onto my brain.

Oh, and Joey? Ehhh. I don't know. Just... ehh?? I watched the first episode, and it was painfully slow. Like, set to the wrong speed slow. I kept waiting for any of the other five to walk on.

Like, woah! Before I forget. The whole point of this entry was to talk about my BREAKTHROUGH top 5 Madonna songs, which, after no minor amount of mental anguish, I FINALLY crafted. And look, it was hard enough to come up with this list. So, please don't ask me to put them in any order. Here there are, in no order at all:

TOP 5 FAVE MADONNA SONGS EVER!

True Blue
Cherish
Crazy for You
Deeper and Deeper
Borderline

Please file any praise/ complaints HERE.

tamarsuperstar at 4:45:44 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

                     

 

Ok. So quickly, I think by now it can safely be said that the VMAs were horrific and possibly the most boring EVER. The production value was so shoddy that it looked like the whole thing was shot by a junior high AV club. I turned it off halfway through the show, figuring that while I’d lost an entire hour and a half of my life, at least I wouldn't have to live with the regrest of having sacrificed a full three hours to this oh-so unworthy cause. Anyway, here are a few quick superlatives I crafted and awarded (if only in my mind):

* Most Shameful Celebrity P.Diddy Hanger-On: Bruce Willis

Most Possibly Not Sober: Mase

Artist Not SO In Need of a Comeback: Mase

Best Umbrella Handling, Even Sans Umbrella: Farnsworth Bentley

Most Awkward Denial of Band Breakup: Outkast

Least On-Stage Chemistry By a Hip-Hop and Pop Duo: Nelly and Christina Aguilera

Most Desperate Attempt to Cling to Waning Career: Jimmy Fallon

Most Depressing Silent Cry for Help: Chaka Khan

Most Likely to NOT Be on the Cover of the September '04 Issue of GQ: Usher

Couple Most In Need of Coming Out of the Closet: TIE: J.Lo & Marc Anthony and Usher & Alicia Keys

Band That You Just KNOW Smells: Jet

Biggest Supergrass Rip-Off: Jet

Most Derivative Band Possibly EVER: Jet

Most In Need of Stylists: Polyphonic Spree

Group Most Likely to Not-So-Secretly Be a Cult: Polyphonic Spree

Most Underrated Act: Kanye West

Biggest Over-all Wardrobe Malfunction: Beyonce Knowles

Celebrity Siblings Who are a Seriously a Bizarro Version of the Simpson Sisters: The Duff Sisters

Most Likely to Have Turned Down a VMAs Invite, Opting Instead to Watch the Show From Her Couch While Eating Cheetos, Drinking Red Bull and Rum and Planning a Doomed Child-Bride Wedding: Britney Spears

Next:

* I’ve been listening to the advance of the new Cake album, ‘Pressure Chief.’ It’s totally good and definitely a departure from their previous stuff, though JohnMcCrea’s deadpan, monotone articulations as well as the lovely horns are all still very much there. Andno, I’m not embarrassed that I just said that I like Cake.

* Scariest Craigslist postingever, this one thanks to a waning 44-year-old male musician in the Chicagoland area looking for his similarly waning Liz Phair. This thing speaks for itself.

* Got 4 Grand? Wanna buy a latchhook rug in the likeness of Alan Greenspan? Well then, go right ahead. But I got dibs on the CEO of JC Penney.

* Apprentice 2 fans – if you can be a fan of a show and cast that hasn’t even aired yet – can leave Friendster testimonials for Apprenti you don’t even know, again, for a show that hasn’t started yet. That is if you still Friendster. Have fun with that.

* Lastly, I must praise the R&B/ Neo-Soul stylings of John Legend (aka John Stephens, but he wisely changed his name after that carrot-topped grinning mongrel on American Idol won the patent on that name). He’s been around for quite awhile – singing back up for Lauryn Hill, writing for Alicia Keys and working with artists like Kanye West (he was playing keyboards during Kanye’s VMA performance, though he may’ve been eclipsed by Chaka). He’s sorta like a one-man Neptunes, but for R&B, and he doesn’t do Sprite and Taco Bell ads. Oh yeah, and he isn't totally overexposed. Anyway, he has an album out on Sony called ‘Used to Love U,’ and it’s hotter than July. Seriously. Don’t be put off if you hate on Neo-Soul, because this guy is a multi-talented genius, and if you like stuff like The Roots, Badu, Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, then you must give him the love, and – to shamelessly use a pun that will be overused in reference to him in about two weeks --  the man’s a living legend. On the reals. Listen!

tamarsuperstar at 11:36:40 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

 

First of all, I must say, I am not a Dave Matthews Band fan. I will admit, about 10 years ago (God, I feel old), I was. Yes, I used to stare at my cassette of "Remember Two Things" trying to make out that stoner pixelated photo, and much to my chagrin, I was only able to see it like, once. Nevertheless, I wisened up, and now their music makes me want to plunge a screwdriver into my ear canal. Living in Virginia for 10 years will do that to you.

Anyway, the reason I mention this is because while I'm not a fan of their music, I do respect Dave Matthews (the guy) for using his position as an influential celebrity and being outspoken about many causes which I too feel are important -- mainly politics and the environment. That's why I find it so hard to believe that his tour bus dumped 800 pounds of the doo-doo browns onto some innocent Chicagoans.

I'm sorry the sh*t storm happened. That couldn't be any fun, but come on. The man has supported Farm Aid, the Amazon Rain Forest, over 20 environmental groups -- including American Rivers, The Ocean Conservancy and the freaking Clean Virginia Waterways, plus I'm pretty sure he even lives in a tree house on mountain in Seattle or something like that. Surely the drive-by bunz bomb was either an accident or executed by a DMB lookalike. I'm sure amongst the DMB fans, conspiracy theories will abound. But man, you guys sure have some other views: Dave Matthews Band

Next, check out the trailer for Wes Anderson's upcoming film, 'The Life Aquatic.' It basically looks like the B-Side to 'The Royal Tannenbaums,' minus Gwyns. Whatever. I'm there.

Lastly, I STILL haven't seen 'Garden State,' which I can't believe, but furthermore, I'm even more ashamed that I haven't picked up the soundtrack yet.  Hi, it's got not one but two Shins tracks. AND one of my mostfavoritest Simon & Garfunkel tracks, "The Only Living Boy In New York."  I weep!

tamarsuperstar at 10:34:24 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

                                   

 

Today's post is brought to you by Rockwell, one of my favorite '80s one-hit wonders, who sang the song "Somebody's Watching Me," which featured a fire-hot hook by Michael and Jermaine Jackson. The song featured Rockwell walking through his house, which he feared was haunted and was basically a self-contained environment for his more global paranoia, which included the fictitious movie characters, the IRS and of course, the mailman. The song was great then but listen to it today, and it's ironically still relevant. Homeland security anyone? The good thing is, today we can channel our paranoia through Paxil instead of pop songs. Okay, gotta go seal off my windows with duct tape and plastic sheets to prep for the Republican National Convention.

Wait, before I go: New York City isn't ALL that bad these days. I mean, after all, Deborah "Debbie" Gibson is performing live at the Culture Club, where she'll be resurrecting such hits as "Shake Your Love," (a personal fave) and the power ballad "Lost In Your Eyes." I'm welling up just thinking about that cathartic key change.

And lastly, let's pause for a moment, shall we, to remember Pebbles for the ultimate '80s R&B recording artist that she was. Mercedes Boy lives on, if only in my dreams.

tamarsuperstar at 4:29:44 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 2 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

YES!

October Wilco tix scored -- orchestra section of Radio City!!

tamarsuperstar at 7:14:54 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

                                

 

Okay. I've been a slacker and a very busy girl, so my apologies for my tardiness. If anyone has been sitting glued to their computer, anxiously awaiting an alert pop-up from me, I'm more than flattered and assuming this is so, I'll try to be a more diligent blogger. But based on the AOL-J journal awards going around out there -- and congrats to you all! -- I've got some real catching up to do!

* First: I saw Rilo Kiley last week. Totally blown away. For those of you who don't know them, they're a lady-fronted LA indie pop band (they originally grew out of the Omaha, NE Saddle Creek collective) with a lot of alt-country leanings infused with just enough pop to avoid a rootin' tootin' country showdown, if you fear that sorta thing. The lead singer, Jenny Lewis, aside from being the size of most people's thumbs or pinkie fingers, accounting for varying degrees in body type and size, packs a wallop with a voice that sounds like Patsy Cline after a bloody breakup. I adore their '02 album, 'The Execution of All Things,' which really helped put them on the map. I'd listened to their latest, 'More Adventurous' and didn't think much of it until I saw them perform, and it all just came alive. This is definitely an album best enjoyed live. Oh yeah, and you also may recognize Jenny Lewis from her earlier acting days in such films as 'Troop Beverly Hills' (who doesn't love that movie?), the horrifically written and acted 'Foxfire' -- totally bizarre considering it's based on a Joyce Carol Oates book -- or 'Pleasantville,' which I watched part of the other day after revisiting 'Pretty In Pink' on my birthday and basically weeping when Duckie's in his squalid bedroom listening to The Smiths' "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want." Who hasn't been there? Sigh. Duckie...

                                       

* Next. I'm starting to hear good things about indie band Rogue Wave. The Hamburglar (or is it Mayor McCheese?) backgroundof the "Band" page of their site is enough to make me want to hear more of this Shins-esque band. Anyone on this train yet? Or did I miss the train already as, admittedly, I so often do.

* Movies: The only movie I've seen recently is 'Maria Full Of Grace,' which is a really harrowing but wonderfully acted film about a young (and I mean young, like 17) Colombian woman who becomes a drug mule. Highly recommended, but it's definitely the feel-bad movie of the summer.

I haven't seen Garden State (the film written and directed by "That Guy From Scrubs," who also stars in the film) yet, but friends are telling me it's wonderful and are even going back for seconds.

Open Water -- I'm a little petrified to see this, though I know if I wait until it's on video, as I so often do, I will have defeated the purpose of even seeing it all.

The boards have spoken and while Sale930 (aka the Ebay Lady -- check out her site -- she teaches folks how to use Ebay, which I think is really pretty cool) was both depressed and intrigued by the true story behind the events which inspired the movie, Good0lDave gives you a scuba diver's scoop. More on that convo here. Plus, EW's Owen Gleiberman gives it a an A. I think the bottom line is, see it on the screen before the video version turns the choppy, deep blue sea into a tepid kiddie pool.

* Final thought: But do you love Hilary Duff THIS much?

And that's all I got for now.

tamarsuperstar at 2:22:53 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 3 comments: Show Recent | Add your own