Touched by the Veronicas

Have you ever heard a song that gives you a sensory memory?

I am all about that Veronicas' song "Untouched". It's not just because it has a rockin' beat. It's not just because there is no way you can sing to the chorus and not shake your head like a wanna be 80's punk rocker (go ahead and try, I dare you). I love that this band is two sisters singing their hearts out. That song totally takes me back to when I was ten years old, dancing in my parent's living room with my sister.

Every time I hear it I flash back to this Paula Abdul song "Two Steps Forward". Back in the day, when MTV played videos and not reality TV, that song's video had Paula and a cartoon fox dancing with each other. At the time, my sister had an imaginary friend Robin who just so happened to be a fox. Not the "oh my he's hot" kind of fox, but the actual red tail, four legged critter fox. So of course after we saw that video we HAD to dance like it. She was always Paula and I was always the fox (kind of prophetic, since I'm so foxy! *cough*). It is one of my greatest memories, rocking out with my sister.

I know there is nothing musically similar between these two songs, but I love how hearing these sisters sing makes me think of my sister. I think it's really cool that they not only make good music, but they still have fun with each other. They make me remember a simpler time, when dance contests really did rule the world.

I may have to call my sister for a little dance off....

All American Rejects cover Spears' "Womanizer"

I have just one word for you: accordian.

The All American Rejects have done a hilarious rendition of Brittany Spears' "Womanizer". Have you ever wondered how Brittany gets her hits? She buys them. No, it's true. Before any of you Spear's fans start yelling and telling me that she has a gift, hold up. Pop artists notoriously don't write their own music. Brittany Spears doesn't, Rihanna doesn't, Mariah Carey doesn't, Jessica Simpson doesn't. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not theirs. For the most part, they hire someone to make write their music, and then they find a way to make it their own. It's not to say that what they do doesn't require skill. If their music fell into different hand's you'd be hearing something completely different.

That's what the All American Rejects are doing here. They are showing us that the pop pizazz isn't found in the words, it's found in the show. And there is nothing to reject about the show this band is putting on.

Follow the link to check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzJVpkTTrVo

Does This Book Make Me Look Fat?

Does This Book Make Me Look Fat? Stories about loving - and loathing- your body edited by Marissa Walsh

What does that song by John Mayer say? You're body is a wonderland? That's for sure. Some day's I wake up and am having the best hair day ever, where my skin is fantastic and my lashes look long and luscious. Other days I want to put a bag over my head and walk around in pj's. For those of you never really know what side of the mirror you are waking up on, this book's for you.

This book is great collection of short stories written by a bunch of people, both men and women, who are either loving or loathing their bodies. Some stories will make you laugh until you cry, others will just make you cry, but either way, you are in for a great read. Besides, who doesn't love a short story? I may not always have time for a 300 page novel, but I can usually squeeze 4 pages of fun into my day.

If I'm not selling this book, and the title isn't enough to make you run for your library card, let me show you their dedication. It was written by none other then the biggest diva ever, Miss Piggy herself: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary form time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye".

Enough said, enough read.

Judging Coraline

Being the time of love and romance (Happy V-day, by the way) I know it's socially appropriate to be saying we like what's within, and that image isn't everything. That is good advice for people, but I have to admit, I totally judge a book by it's cover. But I mean actual books and actual covers. It's my firm philosophy that if a publishing company doesn't want to invest money for an interesting cover, then they probably don't have much faith for the content within.

My love of the superficial is what attracted me to Neil Gaiman's Coraline. I discovered this book at an outlet bookstore about five years ago, and I'll be honest, if it wasn't for the creepy image of girl holding a candle I probably wouldn't have given it a second glance. What sold me on it, (quite literally, in fact, this book is in my personal collection) was the craziest review printed on the back cover from one of my all-time favorite authors, Terry Pratchet. He said, "this book will send a shiver down your spine, out through your shoes, and into a taxi to the airport". There was no way I could pass up a book with that review!

A little love goes a long way, and I'm really glad to see the movie industry showing some love to Neil Gaiman. It's about time someone realized how fantastically creepy his work is and made something into a film. Talk about paying it forawrd, thanks to the film launching, they just releaser the Coraline graphic novel and audio book.

I'm doing my part to spread the joy. I am going to this movie in a matter of hours and am stoked. I am so pumped I re-read the book this morning. I'm dying to know if the movie's look matches the book.

Barack Obama "If You Voted For Me" Spoof

Be prepared for the
FUNNIEST VIDEO EVER!

I love that we live in a nation where we can poke a little fun at people. Did you see Barack Obama dancing on Ellen? I think we were all a little surprised that he couldn't give Justin Timberlake a run for his money. That two-step-side-step is tricky. Seriously though, he wasn't bad, but he sure didn't have mad skills.

The video of the week pokes a little fun of the Pres and his love for Beyonce.

Oh, oh, ohhhh, oh, oh, o, oh, oh, ohh, oh, oh, ohh....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PqI12R8YNU

Take home a Grammy

I got so lost in my disgust for Chris Brown's actions before the Grammy's that I completely forgot to talk about the Grammy's themselves! Ugh, I need to get him out of my head! Talk about a waste of energy.

I was really glad to see Jennifer Hudson rock the house with her performance, and even more happy to see her take home a Grammy. Take that Simon! But the thing I was the most happy for was to see Adele win Best New Artist of the Year. I love her sound. It is classic but still really fresh. I am crazy for her song, "Right as Rain" and I don't know about you, but I need to be refreshed. This song is uber refreshing. It's just as Fleetwood Mac says "when the rain washes you clean then you'll know". The line may be dated, but it is so true.

So get your vibe washed clean, and if afterwords if you feel nostalgic about this year's Grammy's, check out these other 2009 winners:

Album of the Year: Raising Sand by Robert Plant and Alison Kraus

Best Rap Album: The Carter III by Lil Wayne

Best Rock Album: Viva la Vida by Coldplay

Best Country Performance by Duo or Group: "Stay" by Sugarland

Best R&B Album: Jennifer Hudson by Jennifer Hudson

Best Instrumental Performance: "Peaches En Regalia" by Frank Zappa

Best Metal Performance: "My Apacolypse" by Metalica

Best Solo Rock Performance: "Gravity" by John Mayer

Best Alternative Music Album: In Rainbows by Radiohead

Best Pop Vocal Album: Rockferry by Duffy

Best Pop Instrumental Performance: "I dreamed there was no war" by the Eagles

Best Contemporary R&B Album: Growing Pains by Mary J. Blige

Best R&B Song: "Miss Independent" by Ne-Yo

Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: "Superwoman" by Alicia Keyes

Best Compilation Album from a Motion Picture: Juno

Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: The Dark Knight by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer

Best Electronic Dance Album: Alive 2007 by Daft Punk

Best Long Form Music Video: "Runnin Down a Dream" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Best Short Form Music Video: "Pork and Beans" by Weezer

Best Female Country Vocal Performance: "Last Name" by Carrie Underwood

Flavor Challenge

Any one else want to take the Flavor Challenge?


Read at least two books that are the flavor of the month.


What is the Flavor of the month?!


Well… MPL is picking a different genre of books each month to highlight in displays in the main lobby and in the Teen area. February’s Flavor is of course Romance. Lucky for us Teen books have quite the variety of flavors with the flavor of the month. So I can read a great funny book like Son of the Mob, or paranormal Vampire Kisses, or even pick up the beautiful art in Nana and still be reading within the Flavor of the Month.

Here are some other suggested titles to try this month:
Fiction:
Nick and Nora’s Infinite Play List by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Graphic Novels:
Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa
Kare Kano by Masami Tsuda
Tail of the Moon by Rinko Ueda

Book banning Chris Brown? I think not!

What is wrong with people!?!

96.5 KISS FM has joined Wrigley's by giving Chris Brown the boot. I think this is fantastic, but apparently their are plenty of people who disagree. Every time I hear people calling the radio station and complaining, all I can think is, are you kidding me? Here's the thing, if you still want to listen to a man who made his girlfriend unconscious, that's your business. If his being in jail doesn't at all make you think less of his music, I guess on some level I get it. One doesn't necessarily have something to do with the other. Seriously, no one really cares that Lil Wayne has gone to jail a thousand times. What bothers me about all the gripping I'm hearing is that people are bothered that a radio station is taking a stand.

A competing new station has said that KISS is just trying to boost their ratings with this controversy. I seriously doubt it since Clear Channel has a history of not playing shady people before (does anyone remember their stance on R. Kelly?) but even if they are, so what? They are a private company. It's their choice to play what they want.

Some random listener actually compared KISS to book banning. You have got to be joking. I'm just going to assume that's because that genius doesn't understand what book banning actually is. Just because one radio station decided not to feature an artist isn't the same as a government preventing people from purchasing books or regulating ideas. KISS has not suddenly created a law saying that you can no longer access Chris Brown from iTunes, or by his CD from Target, or even check him out from us. They are just saying they aren't going to help this guy get rich and famous. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't they selectively choose what music they play? When we don't hear Mastodon or ZZ Top on their station, do we think they are infringing on our civil liberties? NO! They have the right to play what they want, or not play what they want. That's what happens with private companies. The only people they need to rectify their playlist to is their sponsors and themselves.

And if it is some big advertising stunt, I say good for them. How can any one think taking a stand against domestic violence as a marketing tactic is a bad thing? I can think of far worse.

What do you think? Has KISS taken it too far? Are you still listening to Chris Brown?

Kicking Chris Brown to the Curb.

I think everyone knows why Rihanna and Chris Brown didn't make it to the Grammy's this year. As much as I want to talk about how despicable and horrendous I find Chris Brown's behavior to be, as much as I want to say that I will NEVER listen to his music again by choice, I am going to refrain myself. Instead I want to say good job to Wrigley's Gum.

As soon as they found out what went down yesterday, they stopped running Brown' s "Doublemint" commercial. I'm glad that Wrigley's thinks that bite marks only belong on their gum, not their spokespersons girlfriend. It's nice to see a company who wants their reps to be decent people. They want their image to be sold by a person who is worth looking at. It's about time we saw a business look out for humanity and not just their profits.

I wasn't a gum person before, but now thanks to their morality I will be. I didn't know major corporations still cared about individuals and are willing to say that violence is not the answer. Now that's what I call Doublemint Fun.

Chewing the fat on Jessica Simpson

Does anyone else think that Jessica Simpson is getting a bad rap?

I know she's not the smartest, funniest, or most talented person to walk the earth, but of all the things she isn't, fat is one of them. There has to be a serious problem with our world when a woman who tops at 135lbs has gossip websites and style experts calling for gastric bypass surgery. Seriously, if we hadn't seen her in her Daisy Dukes, this wouldn't even be an issue. The gossip around her is disgusting and complete lunacy. There is no big mystery to what happened here. She's not depressed, she's not going through a crisis, she a woman who no longer feels the need to starve herself to feel hot. Correct me if I'm wrong, but she is still smaller then Marilyn Monroe, and isn't Mar still a fashion icon for women every where? And isn't a major reason why women deprive themselves from a healthy lifestyle is so that they can attract a man? I don't see Tony Romo having a problem with her figure, so perhaps, World, men aren't nearly as shallow as society wants them to be.

Let's tell it like it is. Having some curves is not the same thing as being fat. Jessica Simpson is no Santa Clause, so let's stop pretending this is some great tragedy. The only thing tragic aboutJessica Simpson is that she thinks it's trendy to wear Mom jeans.

The Pussycat Dolls are making me a hater

I think the Pussycat Dolls are making me a hater.

Seriously, lately I've been noticing how that I've been flippin for things that talk about hate. I just finished this amazing book, Hate That Cat, and I have to admit I was digging the angst. I really think this started when I really began liking the song "I Hate This Part".

I kind of hate that I like that song. I am so not a big fan of the Pussycat Dolls. I have never been into groups that are together because a producer told them to be. While I boycotted Making the Band on MTV, I thought it was absolutely ridiculous that there was a TV show on the CW for the Next Pussycat Doll. What is even more ridiculous that the "winner" isn't even really one of the Dolls, so what did she win exactly? It makes my blood boil that music is more of a business of being a show then making good music. The Pussycat Dolls are the truest form of that business. I think music should be written by the people performing it. I think music should be performed by people who have been together for more then a second. And I really think music should be performed by people wearing more clothing then a bathing suit. Call me crazy but I will never understand the relationship between pleather and good vocals.

But yet here I am, downloading the single and turning up the volume to full blast every time "I Hate This Part" comes on. Never before has a song said so simply how I feel about the end of a relationship. I hate it. And I love this song for saying what I can't, even if deep down I hate myself a little for starting to dig this band.

Fall in love with a little hate

Hate That Cat by Sharon Creech

Ever heard the phrase "poetry in motion?" Sharon Creech is moving poetry to the next level. This book tells the story of Jack, his teacher, and a cat that he despises. He has good reason to hate that cat; it is the example of all of the cruminess that is in his life. The cat is nothing but trouble. What makes this book more then just a story about a boy and his rage is how it is told. At first, it looks like a diary, but then you realize each dated entry is a poem. Really, really cool poems.

Creech is an author who knows how to reinvent the obvious. I knew she wrote good stuff after reading her Newberry Medal winner Walk Two Moons, but I can't help but feel Hate That Cat knocks Moon out of the water. It transcends the typical limitations of the novel and makes you think that perhaps poetry isn't just for weird people who were beret's and dress in black. As an added bonus, at the end of the book Creech gives a list of other great finds poetry-wise that are equally as interesting.

Do you think poetry should be heard and not read? This novel also comes in audio book form. Be sure check out either and fall in love with a little hate.