Just for fun, a forgotten classic from the greatest of all time (and one of the best names of a song ever, lol). From 1993, LL Cool J's "Pink Cookies in a Plastic Bag Getting Crushed by Buildings"
And, for a little Christmas cheer...from 1987, here's Run-DMC's "Christmas in Hollis"
and from 1994, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You"
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday Night Music Club - 12/16/09
We here at the Podium are big music fans (funny how I refer to the Podium as a group, but it's just me). While hip-hop, heavy metal, classic rock, blue-eyed soul, and new jack swing are just a sample of what is on our playlist, the Podium has grown to really like Celtic Woman.
Celtic Woman is a quartet of beautiful Irish women with AMAZING voices that harmonize so well together. They've moved from traditional Celtic music to doing interpretations and interpolations of more recent and recognizable tunes, but they still mix in more traditional Celtic music as well. Luckily for us, they will be performing at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville on February 19th. I may be there if Christmas, New Years, and my birthday (which all fall in a 4 week span) doesn't drain the fun funds before then.
You can tell that these women take their music seriously, and put a lot of effort into what they do. Their pure talent and vocal arrangements are as good as it gets, in my honest opinion.
Here is Celtic Woman performing "O America", a beautiful song that was written specifically for the group. Despite being Irish, they have a strong affinity for America (they broke into the big time here first, as I've been told).
Here is quite possibly the most incredible performance of "Amazing Grace" I have ever seen and heard in my life. Also, here is their performance of "Níl Sé'n Lá", and a performance of Sting's beautiful "Fields of Gold" (which is a hard song for anyone to cover and get kudos from me). Enjoy.
The "Amazing Grace", "Níl Sé'n Lá", and "Fields of Gold" performances are from the "Songs From the Heart" CD and DVD that will be out in January, and the concert DVD is currently showing often on PBS (WVPT for us Valley folk).
NOTE: I do realize that this was posted early Wednesday morning, but it was Tuesday night when I started this post and found the YouTube clips.
Celtic Woman is a quartet of beautiful Irish women with AMAZING voices that harmonize so well together. They've moved from traditional Celtic music to doing interpretations and interpolations of more recent and recognizable tunes, but they still mix in more traditional Celtic music as well. Luckily for us, they will be performing at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville on February 19th. I may be there if Christmas, New Years, and my birthday (which all fall in a 4 week span) doesn't drain the fun funds before then.
You can tell that these women take their music seriously, and put a lot of effort into what they do. Their pure talent and vocal arrangements are as good as it gets, in my honest opinion.
Here is Celtic Woman performing "O America", a beautiful song that was written specifically for the group. Despite being Irish, they have a strong affinity for America (they broke into the big time here first, as I've been told).
Here is quite possibly the most incredible performance of "Amazing Grace" I have ever seen and heard in my life. Also, here is their performance of "Níl Sé'n Lá", and a performance of Sting's beautiful "Fields of Gold" (which is a hard song for anyone to cover and get kudos from me). Enjoy.
The "Amazing Grace", "Níl Sé'n Lá", and "Fields of Gold" performances are from the "Songs From the Heart" CD and DVD that will be out in January, and the concert DVD is currently showing often on PBS (WVPT for us Valley folk).
NOTE: I do realize that this was posted early Wednesday morning, but it was Tuesday night when I started this post and found the YouTube clips.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
The Heart of the World Skipped a Beat
With tensions between Iran and the U.S. getting even more strained, a blowout turnout in New Hampshire for the presidential primaries, and the price of oil continuing to put a strain on American wallets, one story has made the world pause and pay attention for 5 seconds...
Hannah Montana uses a body double in concert. *gasp!*
Well, OK, Miley Cyrus only uses the body double for about a minute or two between switching from her "Hannah Montana" image/persona to her real self as Miley Cyrus. However, this has suddenly become an "all the rage" news item.
Glad to see the world has things in perspective...
Anyway, New Hampshire results should start coming in within the next hour or so, I'll get some early returns and thoughts up as soon as possible.
Hannah Montana uses a body double in concert. *gasp!*
Well, OK, Miley Cyrus only uses the body double for about a minute or two between switching from her "Hannah Montana" image/persona to her real self as Miley Cyrus. However, this has suddenly become an "all the rage" news item.
Glad to see the world has things in perspective...
Anyway, New Hampshire results should start coming in within the next hour or so, I'll get some early returns and thoughts up as soon as possible.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
A Break From Politics: Top 10 Songs/Albums of 2007
Let's take a second to get away from politics for a moment, and step into my boombox ;)
My 12 favorite albums of 2007, in no particular order (some of these are 2006 releases that were more relevant in 2007)
Amy Winehouse - "Back to Black"
- C'mon, this album put Winehouse on the map in a huge way, providing a new mix to a classic sound.
Linkin Park - "Minutes to Midnight"
- One of the most anticipated albums of the year, very good...not quite as good as "Meteora" or "Hybrid Theory", though.
Norah Jones - "Not Too Late"
- Smooth, mellow...the perfect soundtrack for romantic moments and/or smoky, dimly-lit jazz clubs.
Nas - "Hip Hop Is Dead"
- Nas continues to cement his status as a hip-hop icon with this album. One of the best rappers ever.
Modest Mouse - "We're Dead Even Before The Ship Sank"
- Fun indie rock, I've been a fan of Modest Mouse since the first time I heard the first line of their hit "Float On" a few years ago. Solid album by these guys.
Rihanna - "Good Girl Gone Bad"
- The best pure mainstream pop album to come down the pike in a while.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Is Is"
- A 5 song EP makes this list? You bet. This band is that good. If you haven't discovered the goodness that is Yeah Yeah Yeahs, pick up this album or 2006's "Show Your Bones".
Chamillionaire - "Ultimate Victory"
- Got lost in the noise that was the 50 Cent/Kanye album release battle...but is a better album than both. Also, if you look at the album cover...no "Parental Advisory" sticker. That's right, not only is it a really good hip-hop album, it's also a CLEAN hip-hop album.
The White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
- Can this band ever put out a "bad" album? Or a "mediocre" album? I'm convinced they can't.
Common - "Finding Forever"
- The best hip-hop album of the year, period. This is the album you play to people who don't like hip-hop and convert them.
Timbaland - "Timbaland Presents Shock Value"
- Timbo has gone from one of many "well-known" producers to THE top producer in hip-hop and pop music within the past decade. Timbaland is causing a shift in pop music's sound.
will.i.am - "Songs About Girls"
- Probably the only other "blown up" hip-hop producer that's working in pop-music production besides Timbaland. The leader of Black Eyed Peas puts out another great solo effort that has mostly simmered just under the radio radar.
My Top 12 Songs of 2007, again in no particular order...
Chamillionaire (feat. Slick Rick) - "Hip Hop Police"
- Great video, solid rhymes with a good back-and-forth between Cham and himself (as a police officer), Cham and Slick Rick...just great hip hop thats been sorely lacking over the past few years.
Justin Timberlake - "LoveStoned/I Think That She Knows (Interlude)"
- Funky, well-produced pop music. Being someone who is still nostalgic for New Jack Swing, funky dance pop/R&B like this gets my head nodding.
Killswitch Engage - "This Fire Burns"
- Although it was first released in the middle of last year, it became notable this year due to it being the theme song of pro wrestler CM Punk. One of my five favorite metal songs of all time.
Maroon 5 - "Wake Up Call"
- Any song that talks about catching your woman in bed with another man, and then you "shoot him dead" (as the song goes) works for me. Great song.
Fergie - "Fergalicious"
- The production on this by will.i.am alone makes this a frickin' good song. The heavy sampling the old-school classic "Supersonic" by JJ Fad kicks a good-time nerve for old schoolers like me ;)
Avenged Sevenfold - "Bat Country"
- This song is 2 1/2 years old, but was getting HEAVY rotation until this past summer. Hell, they put out a new album 2 months ago, and this song still gets played on rock radio more than their new stuff. Epic metal.
Shop Boyz (feat. Lil Wayne, Jim Jones, and Chamillionaire) - Party Like a Rockstar (Remix)
- Hip hop meets heavy guitars and southern bass...and Lil Wayne puts out one of the most off-beat verses this side of Kool Keith (I'm heartless and iced-out see/I've got an icebox where my heart used to be)
Joss Stone (feat. Common) - "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now"
- Stone's epic, soulful voice combined with Common's smooth flow equals hip-hop/soul goodness. Stone's voice is a cut above the rest in a crowded pack of wannabe female crooners.
Timbaland presents OneRepublic - "Apologize"
- 2007 was Timbo's year, and he tops it all off by giving us a remix to a song by an Alternative Rock band, OneRepublic, that had only been a "buzzworthy" band up until the release of this song.
50 Cent - "I Get Money"
- Look, I'm not Fiddy's biggest fan...but any song that pays tribute to Audio Two's "Top Billin'" like this song does will work for me. It's fun to just nod your head and let Fiddy tell you how rich he is in this song...where it usually becomes tiresome in other songs.
Paramore - "Misery Business"
- This is real "girl pop-punk", not Avril Lavigne, got it? Actually, this band sounds like Jimmy Eat World with a female lead. Nonetheless, it's loud pop-punk and extremely catchy...like many other artists signed to Fueled By Ramen who have gone on to big things.
Mastodon - "Colony of Birchmen"
- This band picks up the baton dropped when Pantera broke up 4 years ago. It is probably the only real "metal" metal song I've seen in real rotation at MTV, and for good reason...this song ROCKS.
My 12 favorite albums of 2007, in no particular order (some of these are 2006 releases that were more relevant in 2007)
Amy Winehouse - "Back to Black"
- C'mon, this album put Winehouse on the map in a huge way, providing a new mix to a classic sound.
Linkin Park - "Minutes to Midnight"
- One of the most anticipated albums of the year, very good...not quite as good as "Meteora" or "Hybrid Theory", though.
Norah Jones - "Not Too Late"
- Smooth, mellow...the perfect soundtrack for romantic moments and/or smoky, dimly-lit jazz clubs.
Nas - "Hip Hop Is Dead"
- Nas continues to cement his status as a hip-hop icon with this album. One of the best rappers ever.
Modest Mouse - "We're Dead Even Before The Ship Sank"
- Fun indie rock, I've been a fan of Modest Mouse since the first time I heard the first line of their hit "Float On" a few years ago. Solid album by these guys.
Rihanna - "Good Girl Gone Bad"
- The best pure mainstream pop album to come down the pike in a while.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - "Is Is"
- A 5 song EP makes this list? You bet. This band is that good. If you haven't discovered the goodness that is Yeah Yeah Yeahs, pick up this album or 2006's "Show Your Bones".
Chamillionaire - "Ultimate Victory"
- Got lost in the noise that was the 50 Cent/Kanye album release battle...but is a better album than both. Also, if you look at the album cover...no "Parental Advisory" sticker. That's right, not only is it a really good hip-hop album, it's also a CLEAN hip-hop album.
The White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
- Can this band ever put out a "bad" album? Or a "mediocre" album? I'm convinced they can't.
Common - "Finding Forever"
- The best hip-hop album of the year, period. This is the album you play to people who don't like hip-hop and convert them.
Timbaland - "Timbaland Presents Shock Value"
- Timbo has gone from one of many "well-known" producers to THE top producer in hip-hop and pop music within the past decade. Timbaland is causing a shift in pop music's sound.
will.i.am - "Songs About Girls"
- Probably the only other "blown up" hip-hop producer that's working in pop-music production besides Timbaland. The leader of Black Eyed Peas puts out another great solo effort that has mostly simmered just under the radio radar.
My Top 12 Songs of 2007, again in no particular order...
Chamillionaire (feat. Slick Rick) - "Hip Hop Police"
- Great video, solid rhymes with a good back-and-forth between Cham and himself (as a police officer), Cham and Slick Rick...just great hip hop thats been sorely lacking over the past few years.
Justin Timberlake - "LoveStoned/I Think That She Knows (Interlude)"
- Funky, well-produced pop music. Being someone who is still nostalgic for New Jack Swing, funky dance pop/R&B like this gets my head nodding.
Killswitch Engage - "This Fire Burns"
- Although it was first released in the middle of last year, it became notable this year due to it being the theme song of pro wrestler CM Punk. One of my five favorite metal songs of all time.
Maroon 5 - "Wake Up Call"
- Any song that talks about catching your woman in bed with another man, and then you "shoot him dead" (as the song goes) works for me. Great song.
Fergie - "Fergalicious"
- The production on this by will.i.am alone makes this a frickin' good song. The heavy sampling the old-school classic "Supersonic" by JJ Fad kicks a good-time nerve for old schoolers like me ;)
Avenged Sevenfold - "Bat Country"
- This song is 2 1/2 years old, but was getting HEAVY rotation until this past summer. Hell, they put out a new album 2 months ago, and this song still gets played on rock radio more than their new stuff. Epic metal.
Shop Boyz (feat. Lil Wayne, Jim Jones, and Chamillionaire) - Party Like a Rockstar (Remix)
- Hip hop meets heavy guitars and southern bass...and Lil Wayne puts out one of the most off-beat verses this side of Kool Keith (I'm heartless and iced-out see/I've got an icebox where my heart used to be)
Joss Stone (feat. Common) - "Tell Me What We're Gonna Do Now"
- Stone's epic, soulful voice combined with Common's smooth flow equals hip-hop/soul goodness. Stone's voice is a cut above the rest in a crowded pack of wannabe female crooners.
Timbaland presents OneRepublic - "Apologize"
- 2007 was Timbo's year, and he tops it all off by giving us a remix to a song by an Alternative Rock band, OneRepublic, that had only been a "buzzworthy" band up until the release of this song.
50 Cent - "I Get Money"
- Look, I'm not Fiddy's biggest fan...but any song that pays tribute to Audio Two's "Top Billin'" like this song does will work for me. It's fun to just nod your head and let Fiddy tell you how rich he is in this song...where it usually becomes tiresome in other songs.
Paramore - "Misery Business"
- This is real "girl pop-punk", not Avril Lavigne, got it? Actually, this band sounds like Jimmy Eat World with a female lead. Nonetheless, it's loud pop-punk and extremely catchy...like many other artists signed to Fueled By Ramen who have gone on to big things.
Mastodon - "Colony of Birchmen"
- This band picks up the baton dropped when Pantera broke up 4 years ago. It is probably the only real "metal" metal song I've seen in real rotation at MTV, and for good reason...this song ROCKS.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Music Supporting The Troops
This is a nice change from the usual anti-military entertainment industry crap.
John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting) has been put together a compilation album that will be a musical "Thanks" for our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The CD is entitled, simply "CD For The Troops".
The artists on this album are some pretty big names in their genres: Billy Joel, Brooks and Dunn, Goo Goo Dolls, Jewel, Josh Groban, Los Lonely Boys, Melissa Ethridge, the Neville Brothers, Sarah McLachlan, the Lt. Dan Band, Montgomery Gentry, The Fray, and of course Five for Fighting.
While I have to admit that there are some names on that list that aren't really my cup of tea in terms of music (I'm not a huge Josh Groban or Five for Fighting fan, same goes for the Neville Brothers), but I think I will at least make a few trips to iTunes this weekend and show a little extra support for the ones I do like and purchase a few more songs. It's my way of saying "thank you" to these artists who decided to say "thank you" to our brave men and women of the military.
John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting) has been put together a compilation album that will be a musical "Thanks" for our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The CD is entitled, simply "CD For The Troops".
The artists on this album are some pretty big names in their genres: Billy Joel, Brooks and Dunn, Goo Goo Dolls, Jewel, Josh Groban, Los Lonely Boys, Melissa Ethridge, the Neville Brothers, Sarah McLachlan, the Lt. Dan Band, Montgomery Gentry, The Fray, and of course Five for Fighting.
While I have to admit that there are some names on that list that aren't really my cup of tea in terms of music (I'm not a huge Josh Groban or Five for Fighting fan, same goes for the Neville Brothers), but I think I will at least make a few trips to iTunes this weekend and show a little extra support for the ones I do like and purchase a few more songs. It's my way of saying "thank you" to these artists who decided to say "thank you" to our brave men and women of the military.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
