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Tag: P!nk

  • PAUL’S TOP 100 OF 2010 – PART 5: #60-51 “Is it a sin to love too much?”

    The Top Ten of the Bottom Half:

    #60
    #60: “DYNAMITE” by TAIO CRUZ.
    Every time I hear a Taio Cruz song, I feel like I’ve just looked into the eyes of the Borg. Resistance – violent resistance even – may be the thinking person’s natural reaction to a song like this. But against Taio Cruz, resistance truly is futile. Just give in already. Don’t make this harder on yourself than it needs to be. Ayo. Time to let go.

    #59
    #59: “HERE LIES LOVE” by DAVID BYRNE & FATBOY SLIM featuring FLORENCE WELCH.
    That would be the Florence of Florence + the Machine, singing the glorious title song of David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s glorious song cycle on the life of Imelda Marcos, the Phillipines’ own Evita. The title is taken from Imelda Marcos’s epitaph. The album features an impressive roster of women (and Steve Earle) singing one or two songs each, portraying different characters and different aspects and ages of Imelda on her journey from simple country girl with a dream to the world’s most famous shoe collector. Incidentally, David Byrne went out of his way not to make any references to the famous shoe collection in any of the album’s two dozen songs.

    #58
    #58: “JUST THE WAY YOU ARE” by BRUNO MARS.
    I see me drivin’ round town with this song I love, and I’m like, f*ck yeah. Any current R&B or pop artist who can count The Students and The Flamingos among his influences is all right in my book. The fact that Bruno Mars has a sweet face, a sweet voice, an awesome 50s hairdo, and a weakness for singalong melodies just makes me love him that much more (and hope that Las Vegas cocaine possession thing really was just a one time bit of nouveau-pop-star hooliganism).

    #57
    #57. “HANDS TIED” by TONI BRAXTON.
    My favorite Toni Braxton ballad since “Un-break My Heart”. Unfortunately, the rest of her latest album “Pulse” is pretty weak.

    #56
    #56: “SMOKE A LITTLE SMOKE” by ERIC CHURCH.
    In which the rising country star confronts one of life’s greatest dilemmas. Namely: “Go, get her back” vs. “Find my stash”. I think Eric’s vote goes to stash-finding.

    #55
    #55: “CLUB CAN’T HANDLE ME” by FLO RIDA featuring DAVID GUETTA.
    I think that right now Flo Rida is the leading manufacturer of three minute guilty pleasures. I hate – HATE – that I love his music. But the joy in this song is absolutely relentless. I should never listen to this in the car. When he says “Put your hands up!”, I feel this automatic need to comply. It’s, like, the law.

    #54
    #54: “CARRY OUT” by TIMBALAND featuring JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE.
    “Do you like it well done ’cause I do it well…” You may want to check the nutrition facts on this one. It has a dangerously high double-entrendre-per-second count.

    #53
    #53: “SECRETS” by ONEREPUBLIC.
    From Timbaland to Timbaland’s apprentice, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder. For as “everywhere” as his songs are, Ryan Tedder should really be a bigger star in his own right. Still, it’s nice to know that an actual band that plays actual instruments and stuff still has a place on Top 40 radio. Not to mention movie soundtracks and TV commercials.

    #52
    #52: “RAISE YOUR GLASS” by P!NK.
    Oh my gosh. Seriously. Where was P-exclamation point-nk 20 years ago when I needed her most? Back when I was a loud, nitty-gritty, dirty little freak who was too school for cool? This little manifesto comes from P!NK’s just-released greatest hits album. And really, 10 years ago when you first heard “There You Go”, did you think that this was an artist you’d still be caring about in 2010?

    #51
    #51: “HEAVEN AND EARTH” by BLITZEN TRAPPER.
    My favorite version of this song is the one where I’m listening to it in my car really late one hot July night after picking my son up from school after his band trip. “Your life is like a bolt of lightning seen across the sky so high and clean…” This is one of my favorite lyrics of the year, and I love the way the lines of the verses spiral out of each other. This is probably the most meditative track on the Portland OR band’s latest album Destroyer of the Void which sounds like a cross between Wilco (circa 2004) and Electric Light Orchestra (circa 1974).

    Coming up in the next installment: We march. We trip. We run away.

  • SonicClash Handicaps The Grammys IV: Disturbia?

    mraz

    Welcome to the pop section of the 2009 Grammy Awards, where wily veterans duke it out with hot young guns. It’s the only place you’ll find James Taylor and Ne-Yo in the same category, for what it’s worth. I won’t spend half the article building up to these categories, so here they are…

    Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: “Chasing Pavements” (Adele)/”Love Song” (Sara Bareilles)/”Mercy” (Duffy)/”Bleeding Love” (Leona Lewis)/”I Kissed a Girl” (Katy Perry)/”So What” (P!nk)

    Will Win: Leona Lewis

    Should Win: P!nk

    Adele, Duffy and Bareilles are all still sort of bubbling under. A lot of Grammy voters still haven’t heard of these three. “I Kissed a Girl” is viewed by many as a novelty record, which leaves P!nk and Leona Lewis. While P!nk’s snotty reaction to her divorce, in an ideal world, would result in the singer’s third Grammy, I say this one goes to big-voiced junior diva Leona Lewis, in order to make up for not including the huge hit “Bleeding Love” in the Record of the Year category.

    Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: “All Summer Long” (Kid Rock)/”Say” (John Mayer)/”That Was Me” (Paul McCartney)/”I’m Yours” (Jason Mraz)/”Closer” (Ne-Yo)/”Witchita Lineman” (James Taylor)

    Will Win: Kid Rock

    Should Win: John Mayer

    John Mayer, who has won twice in this category, is always a threat, as is James Taylor, who has also taken this category a few times. The only two artists that are officially out of contention are McCartney (for a song that was released on a limited-release project) and Ne-Yo (who’s considered too much of an R&B artist to get a pop award). Jason Mraz could sneak this one away, but Kid Rock’s hit was so huge (and a big FU to digital retailers-as the man sold 3 million records without one digital download), you have to honor the guy. Besides, “All Summer Long” is hella catchy.

    Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group: “Viva La Vida” (Coldplay)/”Waiting in the Weeds” (The Eagles)/”Going On” (Gnarls Barkley)/”Won’t Go Home Without You” (Maroon 5)/”Apologize” (OneRepublic)

    Will Win: Coldplay

    Should Win: Gnarls Barkley

    This is Coldplay’s night. They’ll win this category in a landslide, although I’d love to see Gnarls Barkley get some props for their unfairly overlooked CD “The Odd Couple”. Where are these guys in the Urban/Alternative category?


    Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals: “Lesson Learned” (Alicia Keys & John Mayer)/”4 Minutes” (Madonna, Justin Timberlake & Madonna)/”Rich Woman” (Robert Plant & Alison Krauss)/”If I Never See Your Face Again” (Maroon 5 feat. Rihanna)/”No Air” (Jordin Sparks & Chris Brown)

    Will Win: “Rich Woman”

    Should Win: Pick ’em

    Sparks & Brown are out for their teenybopper duet, as are Maroon 5, for stripping Rihanna’s vocals onto an already completed song. Any of the rest of these folks could snare the Grammy. However, the older voting bloc will in all likelihood tip the odds in favor of Plant & Krauss, who won this category last year.

    Best Pop Album: “Detours” (Sheryl Crow)/”Rockferry” (Duffy)/”Long Road Out of Eden” (The Eagles)/”Spirit” (Leona Lewis)/”Covers” (James Taylor)

    Will Win: The Eagles

    Should Win: This is not a good batch.

    Sheesh, talk about five lame-ass albums. I don’t even CARE who wins this one. Smart money’s on The Eagles or JT, although I think if Leona wins the Pop Female category, she might have a chance here too.

    Best Dance Recording: “Harder Better Faster Stronger” (Daft Punk)/”Ready for the Floor” (Hot Chip)/”Just Dance” (Lady GaGa & Colby O’Donis)/”Give it 2 Me” (Madonna)/”Disturbia” (Rihanna)

    Will Win: Rihanna

    Should Win: Rihanna

    “Just Dance” would have had a shot if it hadn’t taken so long to become a hit. Hot Chip isn’t well-known enough and Daft Punk is nominated for a live version of a VERY old song. Madonna’s “Hard Candy” was a bit underwhelming (and “Give it 2 Me” was one of its’ worst tracks), so hand-deliver this one to Rihanna.

    Best Dance/Electronic Album: “New York City” (Brazilian Girls)/”Alive 2007″ (Daft Punk)/”Bring Ya to the Brink” (Cyndi Lauper)/”X” (Kylie Minogue)/”Last Night” (Moby)/”Robyn” (Robyn)

    Will Win: Kylie Minogue

    Should Win: Robyn

    For her first album after emerging triumphant from a battle with breast cancer, Kylie Minogue will take this one home, although the cheeky and talented Robyn deserves this one. So what if her album wasn’t really “dance”?