Manly Music Monday

I think I've told y'all about The Format before... pretty sure at least. Anywho, doesn't matter now cause they broke up (heartless bastards). But hope springs anew! Nate Ruess formed Fun. last year and released their first album on the 25th. And it kicks ass. Not just some ass, every ass within a 14 county radius. And every ass that has the misfortune of wondering within aforementioned radius. It is that good. Admittedly I am biased. I had a huge man crush on The Format and was quite sad when they went downhill. But Aim and Ignite is significantly more mature and, I believe, a better album than anything The Format did. Nate's previous work, while splendid, was somewhat one dimensional. Again, I was very fond of that dimension, but this album is so much more complex and robust it is astonishing. Nate and his new cohorts, Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff weave so many sounds and moods into their songs that if it wasn't for the cohesiveness of Nate lyrics and voice the album would seem scattered. Some of the songs feel very throw back, some as far back as the 60's and some only back to the 80's, but thru it all the trio keeps it sounding contemporary and.. well.. fun. In any case, I'll shut up now and let you listen. They self released this album so we probably wont be getting any videos any time soon, so you get still images with the music. Keep in mind as well that to avoid Cleo coming over and killing me while I sleep I only included a few songs. These are not my favorites. Well, they are when I picked them but there is not a single song on the album I don't love so please, PLEASE, go give Nate a leg up and buy the bad boy on iTunes and listen to the whole thing start to finish. I promise you wont be disappointed. Well, you may be. I'm not psychic. But you probably wont be disappointed. Unless you don't like good music, then you might be. But that's not my fault and I cant be held responsible for you lack of taste.

The Return of Manly Music Monday Part Deux...Them Crooked Vultures

Dave Grohl from Foo Fighters on drums. Josh Gromme from Queens of the Stone Age on vocals and guitar. And John Paul Jones from Zeppelin on bass and keyboards.





Playing all the British festivals right now. Hopefully in a pub near you soon!


Manly is back!!

The Return of Manly Music Monday

Walter Meego. A guitar, a synthesizer, and girls in bikinis and short shorts.

Manly is back.

Gingers Pick of the Week....Cyndi Lauper

So I had a couple of things that I wanted to post about, but after a long night with Amber I've decided to go with this one. I have already taken the liberty of posting my love for Pat. Now, I want to share probably one of the greatest chick singers of all time. And if you think you have to sit through a bunch of Madonna videos now, then you don't know me very well.

When I was in the 4th grade my dad gave me a silver walk man for my birthday. You know one of those old ones that only had fast forward, so if you wanted to rewind you had to pull the cassette out, flip it around, fast forward it then put it back in. Along with it was, Cyndi Laupers She's so Unusual. Yes, this was my very first ever cassette tape. Everyday when I got home from school I would put on my roller skates, pop that bad boy in the walk man and be gone until the street lights came on. We weren't allowed to play outside after the streetlights came on. For safety reasons, of course. I was absolutely in love with this song. I burnt out that fast forward button rewinding it.



As I got a little bit older my fascination with Cyndi didn't fade. While all of my friends were using sharpies to draw Madonna moles on their faces,I was using orange kool aid packets to dye my hair. I don't remember if the color took as I was being beat to a bloody pulp for ruining my mothers towels. Note to reader...Kool aid stains terry cloth. Just thought you should know.

Then one of the greatest movies of all time came out. Back before Sean Astin was a fat little hobbit...he was Mikey Walsh in The Goonies, and frankly, he was adorable. Best Line.."Oh, you idiot!!! You glued it on upside down. If God made us like that, we'd all be pissing in our faces." Classic..but back to the music. Cyndi and her wrestler friends made an appearance once again with "Good Enough".



You have to scroll in about 2 minutes to get past all the dialogue. And just for the record, I would have been smokin' hot with hair that color.


Now, I'm not going to pretend that she isn't kooky, because she is. But, I think that was part of the appeal for me. Plus, she's just fantastic. You will never hear another person and say..."WOW! She sounds just like Cyndi Lauper." I don't foresee that ever happening. Ever! So, one more song. Probably my most favorite. I can listen to it on repeat for days. Believe me, I've done it.



I think Jay Leno also got his hair inspiration from Cyndi. Just sayin...

Cleo's Pick o' the week - Sick Puppies "My World"

I like this one... It's a wee bit heavy, but I like it nonetheless. I was introduced to Sick Puppies by a coupla cool friends. (They're like totally obsessed. I would so never get all crazy over some band. Seriously. What a bunch of weirdos.) I must admit that while I'm old and must be in the mood for some of their stuff- I like the sounds these Sick Puppies make. And no one has ever feat=ured them on the blog before... so that pretty much makes me the coolest.

I will be totally shocked if Gingie doesn't like this. Chops- well, they aren't a bunch of lesbians singing folk songs, so the jury's out on him, but he just might surprise me. Mrs. McGee would love it though, of that I'm fairly certain. Amberd and Cdahle- well, it apprears that they have fallen off the face of the earth (which makes me sad, BTW) but I think Cdahle for sure would like it.

Anywoo- here ya go....

Oh and Captain- you should be plenty familiar with these Aussies, no?

Sick Puppies - New Music - More Music Videos

My musical tribute to John Hughes

Thanks for making a bunch of gawky pre-adolescent girls feel pretty.

Don't cry Captain.

She would change everything for a happy ever after...

A few weeks ago Cleo made a comment disparaging Chopsies "Ladies" play list on his ipod. I am here to redeem Chops' honor by saying that I have a similar play list on my ipod titled..."Da Boyz". Maybe redeem isn't the right word because in all honesty this could just make things worse for our poor Chops and myself because Cleo can be brutal!!!

I just need to put this out there in case you didn't know...I like men...a lot!! And if they can sing, well, that just bumps them higher up the list. A little vice I picked up in high school that I haven't quite been able to shake after all these years. It causes me to overlook certain character (Tyson Ritter not showering but twice a year), and cosmetic (Gary Lightbody's wretched teeth) flaws that I would normally find revolting.

Anyway...back to men. I scrolled through my play list about 5000 times and tried to narrow it down to my top 5. It was excruciating, but I'm feeling good about the results.

Okay...so I am already prepared for Cleos grief on this one, but I don't care. I love Damian Rice and I think he does an amazing job on this song. How many people sound this fantastic live? Love him, love him, love him!!!!



James Morrison is going to be representing my British boys today. Just take life as it comes. Sometimes you need a good storm to appreciate the calm. Please Don't Stop the Rain.



The first time I heard Mat Kearney sing I thought he was Adam Duritz from Counting Crows. This is his latest single Closer to Love. This song is a testament of how much we need people in our lives. We drift, we fall and a lot of times we suffer alone. It's an amazing thing to have someone you can always turn too.



I listened to this song on repeat for about a week and a half straight when I first heard it. So great. And unfortunately, so true. Jon McLaughlin...Beautiful Disaster.



And number 1...drum roll please... Jason Mraz. And I have to say that this was exceptionally difficult for me. I would like to post every note that has ever come out of the mans mouth, but we already have one exceptionally biased blogger, who may or may not, over post her favorite band.



And there they are...my top 5 favorite men folk. Next to Chops and cdahle, of course.

This is how Cleo's feelin'.... "Help, I'm Alive" by Metric

I've had a really crappy week. Like, super, duper crappy.
These song lyrics are perfect for me this week.

I tremble
They're gonna eat me alive
If I stumble
They're gonna eat me alive

Can you hear my heart beating like a hammer?
Beating like a hammer?
Help, I'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer
Hard to be soft
Tough to be tender

Come take my pulse, the pace is on a runaway train
Help, I'm alive, my heart keeps beating like a hammer
Beating like a hammer





yeah, whatever.

Why I love Cleo....

Message sent on August 2, 09 @ 8:25 pm... "Tell me I can do this." Message received on Aug 2, 09 @ 9:07 pm..."I have total and complete faith in you. I always have. You are wonderful. You can do this. xoxo" She gives me hope.

After landing on her ass from a two story window and I ask the ridiculously stupid question of..."Did that hurt?" She stands up, brushes off her ass, smiles and says..."nope." She lied. But she makes me brave.

After an enormous amount of nagging on my part for some Jamocha Almond Fudge ice cream for my birthday party. Yeah...we weren't 12, this happened last week. "I ain't gonna judge you, but I am not going to enable you to make bad decisions." Alright, so she may not have been talking about just the ice cream. She helps me do the right thing, even when I don't want to.

Just because..."OH! HELL! NO! You are a triflin' fool and I will kick you in the throat for even suggesting that I be needin' some pink lemonade Metamucil. I take care o' my junk in da monin'. you show some RESPECT to ya eldas. Talk about some metamucil... shoooooot. And don't you be talkin' about some fried chicken. I will give you some fried chicken. Right upside yo head. Ummm-hmmm." And yes that is a direct quote. She makes me laugh with her uncanny impression of an angry black woman.



After 18 years the bonds of friendship are wound pretty tight. But never suffocating. When I feel like I just can't take it anymore, I always call Cleo because she knows exactly what I need to hear, oftentimes when I don't even know. There really aren't words to describe how precious her friendship is to me. I would strangle any one of you with hot pink snuggie and bury you in my back yard if she needed me too. I hope Josh can get the feeling across.

I love your FRICKIN guts girl!!!