日志

When I was a kid, MTV showed these 3-4 minute chunks of images set to music called - oddly enough - “music videos.” One of the videos that got a lot of airplay back in the day, Annie Lennox’s “Why” from her debut solo album Diva, truly frightened me for some reason. It was a completely irrational fear . . . I recognize this now as a fairly well-adjusted adult. Still, whenever I see the video I get this slightly uneasy feeling. Perhaps it is the image of the naturally beautiful Lennox slowly turning into this exaggerated, hyper-feminine drag queen Vegas show-tranny. Perhaps it is her deadened, almost possessed-looking gaze that remains constant throughout. Who knows? What I do know is that the song itself is absolutely gorgeous and it resonates with me now more than ever as I get older. It is the ultimate chick anthem – a Blue Nile song from a female perspective is how I would describe it. It is a response to“The Downtown Lights. …

Rock has obviously been dominated by male vocals, so most of the bands i listen to have male vocalists. But here are some of my all-time favorites... these include mostly singles, songs that have a video that may or may not have gotten much airplay, & many that you see normally on Karaoke lists that i love to sing... along with many others i'd luv to see at karaoke (they really need more Siouxsie & Concrete Blonde!!). They're listed basically in chronological order. There won't be nearly as many 2000's songs listed as there are 90s, sadly... it seems to have stopped there for alternative rock.

1980s

Blondie - Heart Of Glass
The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
The Pretenders - Tattooed Love Boys
Joan Jett - Do You Wanna Touch Me
Joan Jett - I Love Rock n Roll
The Pretenders - Message of Love
The Pretenders - I Go To Sleep
The Pretenders - Talk of the Town
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Sin in My Heart
Siouxsie & the Banshees - Spellbound
…

So... I meant to do a year-end journal about my 2009 listening trends. I failed. So, I'm going to do the 30,000 post, and feel satisfied.

Here's my Top 20 tracks, as they stand now.

Born Losers

You Are The Best Thing

For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti

Skinny Love

Happy Ending

Great DJ

Head Over Feet

If You Were Here

La Discoteca

Daniel

Sleepyhead

I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

Hometown Glory (Radio Edit)

Falling Slowly

Hunger Strike

Get Up And Go

Fade Into You

Romulus

Death of Me

Naked as We Came

Why

You may have noticed that there are 21 tracks here. "Why" and "Naked as We Came" tied for the #20 spot, so they both got on here.

There are definitely some changes from 10,000 songs ago, but Matthew Good is still holding strong. I guess I'm most surprised by "Great DJ" being so high on my list, but it's on a lot of my mixes, so it kind of makes sense.
…

1 - DeBargeAll This Love
2 - Carly SimonJust Like You Do
3 - Diana Ross & Marvin GayeStop Look Listen (To Your Heart)
4 - Bee GeesOur Love (Don't Throw It All Away)
5 - Phil CollinsAgainst All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)
6 - Annie LennoxWhy
7 - Diana RossMissing You
8 - Dire StraitsYour Latest Trick
9 - Bee GeesHow Deep Is Your Love
10 - Blue MagicSideshow

Last.FM Milestones100th track: (16 Aug 2009)
Crowded House - Something So Strong
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/206456.jpg500th track: (21 Aug 2009)
今井翼 - Do Me Crazy
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/207961.png1000th track: (27 Aug 2009)
exist†trace - VANGUARD
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/38826431.jpg1500th track: (02 Sep 2009)
DIR EN GREY - DOZING GREEN (Before Construction Ver.)
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/35842779.png2000th track: (12 Sep 2009)
the GazettE - LEECH
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/23245739.jpg2500th track: (22 Sep 2009)
ANZA - 扉をあけて
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/98864.jpg3000th track: (30 Sep 2009)
愛内里菜 - Mint
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/36625239.png3500th track: (06 Oct 2009)
中島美嘉 - I DON'T KNOW
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/6621525.jpg4000th track: (18 Oct 2009)
DIR EN GREY - 艶かしき安息、躊躇いに微笑み
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/252/35842779.png4500th track: (26 Oct 2009)
…

It's impossible to pick my most favorites... but I feel like I'm getting close:

01) Jóga - Björk
02) Woodstock - Joni Mitchell
03) A&E - Goldfrapp
04) Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) - Kate Bush
05) Breathe Me - Sia
06) Silent All These Years - Tori Amos
07) Destiny - Zero 7
08) Weird Fishes/Arpeggi - Radiohead
09) Frozen - Madonna
10) Why - Annie Lennox
11) Head Over Feet - Alanis Morissette
12) You Look So Fine - Garbage
13) Never Is A Promise - Fiona Apple
14) Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper
15) Pagan Poetry - Björk

Wed 18 Mar – Girl Talk, Daedelus, Joker, Fabulous Diamonds, cleckhuddersfax

Before I get going on my monthlies (read into that what you will), I'd just like to give a passing mention to the rather fabulous night held at the Scala by organisers Upset The Rhythm, who managed to book the DJ responsible for one of my favorite albums of last year at the venue for quite the evening out with two of my closest friends. The reason I have to mention it in passing is because the night itself was a joyous blur, the kind of night when so much good stuff was going on, musically and socially, you sort of lose your concentration with the gig itself, which happened to throw up a few surprises of its own.

Firstly, the combination of the venue (a rather weirdly constructed affair featuring all manner of staircases, passageways and Mediterranean tiling most often found all over the Costa del Sol) and the deluge of American students who had excitedly arrived to support their Mash-Up Master provided welcome…

New entries:
Lil Wayne - Mr. Carter featuring Jay-Z
Rihanna - Take A Bow (Subkulcha Club Mix)
Debby Holiday - Surrender Me (Wayne G & Andy Allder London Calling Club Mix)
Ne-Yo - Closer (StoneBridge Radio Edit)
Delerium - Silence 2008 (Niels Van Gogh Vs. Thomas Gold Remix) featuring Sarah McLachlan (thought this song had been worn out but this is a damn good remix)
Imogen Heap - Hide & Seek (Tiesto's In Search Of Sunrise Remix)
Joop - On Top Of Things

Re-entries:
Madonna - This Used to Be My Playground
Annie Lennox - Why
Jay-Z - Fuck All Nite
Nas - Destroy & Rebuild
Cam'ron - 357
Lauryn Hill - Sweetest Thing
MOP - 4 Alarm Blaze featuring Jay-Z
Patra - Romantic Call featuring Yo-Yo
Fiona Apple - Angel
Wu-Tang Clan - It's Yourz
Jay-Z - Renegade featuring Eminem
Snoop Dogg - Vapors
Macy Gray - Still
Canibus - Uni4m featuring Ras Kass & Heltah Skeltah