Merry Christmas!

Here's a classic account of Jesus' birth by one Arthur Shepherd (Peter Cook), as told to a reporter (Dudley Moore) from the Bethlehem Star. :)

Hugs, love, and cheery bye, Scarlett

The Best Music Of 2008 - Part 2

And now we come to the best singles of 2008! :D

The Best Music of 2008

The 30 Best Singles of 2008

Catchy, memorable, and downright fantastic - that's what makes a song one of the best singles of 2008!

1. Love Is Noise - The Verve Coming in at #1 is this comeback single from the recently reunited The Verve! This was my favorite single of the year because a) it features the fab Richard Ashcroft's distinctive vocals, b) it is catchy as heck, and c) it's a perfect mix of pop and rock that will get you moving. :)

2. 4 Minutes - Madonna
You can love or hate Hard Candy, but you can't deny that Madonna knows how to create a wicked single. The brass! The beats! The Timbaland! Madonna, Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland collaborated on this still uniquely Madonna track that I often find myself singing along with!

3. Disturbia - Rihanna
Lyrics that imply something dark and, yes, disturbing, are supported by simple but so effective dance production. Listen closely and you'll hear a synthesized scream under the chorus. Who knew that mental distress could make such a hot song?

4. Europa - Mónica Naranjo
An ambitious, larger-than-life epic, "Europa" mixes the grand gestures of opera with the best of dance, pop, and rock music. Don't speak Spanish? Doesn't matter. Just let the awesome music do the talking. ;)

5. Womanizer - Britney Spears
You couldn't escape this song this year - and why would you want to? It's Britney, bitch, doing what she does best: making fabulous pop music! This energetic lead single was one of my most played tracks this year on my iPod. :)

6. The Promise - Girls Aloud
Inspired by the girl group sounds of the sixties but updated with fresh production, Girls Aloud heralded the release of their newest album with this catchy confection! It's impossible to listen to this song and not feel happy.

7. Not A Love Song - Uh Huh Her
The coolest electro-pop song of the year, "Not A Love Song" is both melodic and danceable. Pretty vocals, zippy synths, and great bass made this the best debut single of the year. And what's even better is that the album matches up to the promise shown by the lead single!

8. Poker Face - Lady GaGa
Lady GaGa's media blitz this year kicked off with "Just Dance," but it's her lush electro ditty "Poker Face" that made me love the gal. Infectious beats, hard synths, and Lady GaGa's fun vocals made "Poker Face" one of the most memorable songs of 2008. Check this tune, 'cos it's marvelous!

9. Bamakom Hachi Namooch Be'e Tel Aviv - Dana International
Dana knows how to bring it! In this electro-disco cover song, which translates to "In The Lowest Place Of Tel Aviv," Dana delivers the lyrics with feeling as the beats rush on. This was a great summer song this year!

10. Dégénération - Mylène Farmer
Somehow, Mylène singing about comas managed to be... sexy! A chilly, minimal techno track is topped by Mylène's ice queen vocals. Absolutely hypnotic.

11. Mercy - Duffy
Duffy had a great debut year thanks to this throwback that never devolves into pastiche thanks to great production. That bassline and the "yeah, yeah, yeah"s are cool enough on their own, but add Duffy's rich vocals, and you've got something special! I had fun bopping around campus last spring listening to this on my iPod. :)

12. Shut Up And Let Me Go - The Ting Tings
Probably the most polarizing sensation of the year (you either love 'em or can't stand 'em), The Ting Tings gained wide exposure when this song was used for an iTunes (or iPod, I forget which) ad. I love this punchy pop tune! It's simple, but it works so well. The guitar licks will get stuck in your head, and the driving beat will get you up and dancing.

13. Rock With U - Janet Jackson
I had a hard time choosing between this and "Feedback" - on the one hand, "Rock With U" is a hazy, hypnotic disco track, but on the other, "Feedback" has the epic line where Janet claims she is "heavy like a first-day period." Good taste won in the end. :)

14. Up - The Saturdays
The Saturdays followed in the fine tradition of Girls Aloud and other danceable girl groups by releasing this pure pop single. Though I wasn't impressed by The Saturdays' album, "Up" is so fantastic that I haven't given up hope on them - they've got fab potential!

15. Dancefloor - Crystal Waters vs. Speakerbox
What a diva! Crystal Waters throws it down with this half-rapped, half-sung dance tune. Crystal extolls the virtues of the dancefloor, a place where she can "throw my wig down and let the booty go." I love this girl! :D

16. Can't Shake It - Kate Miller-Heidke
Quirky but so very listenable, "Can't Shake It" is about dancing, too - but in this case, the singer can't dance! References to booties seem to have been popular this year: it turns out that with regards to being unable to dance, Kate notes that "the perpetrator lies between my back and my thighs." :)

17. Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Beyonce
Taking on the moniker of one "Sasha Fierce" for some reason, Beyonce came out with this, well, fierce diss to a former lover. "If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it" she declares as waves of synths blare and beats bump. The former lover should now consider himself thorougly pwned.

18. Don't Believe In Love - Dido
A fine return to form after several years without a peep, this song reminded us how much the music scene lacks when Dido's out of commission. Dido sings of love and independence in this beautiful, bass-heavy tune. Next time, don't leave us waiting so long between releases! :)

19. Love Lockdown - Kanye West
Artfully auto-tuned vocals and really minimal production characterize this single from Kanye's new album. Tribal beats come in at times to beef up the sound, but the beauty of this track is that it doesn't try to be "big" - it just is.

20. I Decided (Part 2) - Solange
Beyonce's little sister made a name for herself this year (luckily it wasn't Sasha Fierce, or else Beyonce would've been mad!) with "I Decided," a song equally at home in a 1960s lounge or on MTV. Part 2 is actually remixed by the Freemasons, who gave the song thicker production and heavier beats than the original Neptunes work. I like the original just fine, but there's something really great about Part 2!

21. Trains And Winter Rains - Enya
Enya's signature sound is in wonderful form on this magical little tune. After a couple of years without an Enya release, this song is very welcome indeed!

22. Violet Hill - Coldplay
I know, "Viva La Vida" was the big Colplay song this year. But I loved this song, with its banging piano and trudging beats. "If you love me, won't you let me go" Chris Martin pleads at the end of the track, but you'd be hard pressed to let this gem of a tune go!

23. American Boy (feat. Kanye West) - Estelle
Estelle proved to be one of the most refreshing voices of the year with this playful ditty that features a fun rap by Kanye West. It's a bit lounge-y and a bit dance-y - and completely great.

24. Dita Dimone - Pop Levi
Squelching synths and handclaps gave this song an infectious sound, and Pop Levi's engaging, electric vocals made you want to sing along with him! Another great summer tune, this one. :)

25. Under My Skin (T.S.O.B. Mix) - Sarah Connor
Rather sexy and ultra-danceable, "Under My Skin" is what got me listening to Sarah Connor (even though I'm not exactly the dancing type! ;) ). What makes the song excellent is the grungy, dirty pop production.

26. Save The Lies - Gabriella Cilmi
Gabriella's just a teenager, but she's got a voice beyond her years. In this funky, 70s-sounding track, she demands that her man "save the lies... you better be good to me!" This girl is one to watch!!

27. C'est La Vie - HK119
HK119 (or HK 119, I'm not sure which way is correct!) is actually Heidi Kilpelainen, but the barcode-like "HK119" suits her eccentric, sci-fi-inspired electro sound perfectly. The song tells the story of HK119, sent to Earth to find out about... love! "You've got to be human" to understand it, HK119 concludes, amidst bleeps and squidgy synths and cool beats.

28. The Tears - Robots In Disguise
Deep piano strikes, frantic electric guitar, and a kicky beat underscore this distraught tale of red lights and "panic, terror, error!" My favorite song from their latest album. :)

29. So What - P!nk
P!nk puts on a tough front in this witty divorce anthem, but she lets her vulnerable side show through for a second when she sings "you weren't there, you never were... you let me fall." True to her self-confident form, though, P!nk gets right back to being fierce while that awesome guitar riff chugs along. Cool.

30. L.E.S. Artistes - Santogold
A steadily plucked bass (or guitar, whatever) keeps this nifty debut single rolling along. Atmospheric production and Santogold's intriguing vocals gave this tune a really neat sound. Definitely an artist to keep track of!

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Merry Christmas 2008!

I'll get back to my "year in review" tomorrow - first, here's a holiday gift from me to you! :)

I hope the holiday season is treating everyone well. To further enhance your Christmas experience, I give you my annual Christmas compilation! It's largely unchanged from last year's edition - I removed a South Park tune ("Oh Holy Night," as sung by Cartman!) and added in two others by Sarah Brightman (a cover of "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)") and Britney Spears ("My Only Wish (This Year)").

And So This Is Christmas [2008 Edition] (m4a)

1. Jingle Bells (Bing Crosby)
2. Happy Xmas [War Is Over] (John Lennon)
3. Wonderful Christmas Time (Paul McCartney & Wings)
4. Christmas Angels (Clannad)
5. December Will Be Magic Again [Bongo Version] (Kate Bush)
6. I'm Gonna Spend My Christmas With A Dalek (The Go-Gos)
7. Oíche Chiún [Silent Night] (Enya)
8. All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey)
9. Santa Baby (Kylie Minogue)
10. Silent Night [Ghost of Oxford Street Version] (Sinéad O'Connor)
11. Christmas Day (Dido)
12. Carol of the Bells (Moya Brennan)
13. Jingle Bells / Jingle Bell Rock (The Muppets)
14. Last Christmas (Wham)
15. Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (Boney M)
16. I Wonder As I Wander (Jewel)
17. I'll Be Home For Christmas (Dannii Minogue)
18. Thank God It's Christmas (Queen)
19. Christmas Don't Be Late (Alvin & The Chipmunks)
20. Christmas Eve / Sarajevo 12/24 (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)
21. Sleigh Ride (Spice Girls)
22. Christmas Time Is Here Again (Ringo Starr)
23. Merry Xmas Everybody (Girls Aloud)
24. Wonderful Dreams (Holidays Are Coming) [Radio Version] (Melanie Thornton)
25. The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole)
26. White Christmas (Bing Crosby)

BONUS TRACKS ("Bonus" because they aren't hugely essential tracks to me, but they're pretty darn spiffy anyway!)
27. Christmas Time Is Here [Vocal Version] (Vince Guaraldi Trio)
28. Happy Christmas [War Is Over] (Sarah Brightman)
29. December Will Be Magic Again [Single Version] (Kate Bush)
30. A Dream In The Night (Clannad)
31. Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth (Bing Crosby & David Bowie
32. My Only Wish [This Year] (Britney Spears)

Enjoy! :) Cheery bye, Scarlett

The Best Music Of 2008 - Part 1

Okey-dokey! Now I've got more time on my hands, as I have successfully completed the Fall 2008 semester and am on break. :) So to kick off my being "back" (although I never truly left!), let's take a step back in time!

The year is swiftly coming to an end, so that means it's time to take a look and a listen back at the music that provided the soundtrack to the year 2008. The layout of this "best of" list will be a little bit different to last year's list - all the categories will be there (except for "best group reunion," as no groups that I like reunited this year!), but this year I'm splitting the list into three posts - the first will be the "top 15 albums of 2008," the second will be the "top 30 singles of 2008," and the final post will be all the rest of the "best of" categories like best remixes, best videos, best compilations, etc.

Without further ado, here is:

The Best Music of 2008

The 15 Best Albums of 2008

A pretty self-explanatory category!

1. Tarantula by Mónica Naranjo: Back in May, I noted that Tarantula was my favorite album of the year so far. It turns out that nothing else this year could top the delicious excess of Mónica's masterpiece. Beginning with the operatic, epic "Europa," and going out on a high note with "Revolución," Tarantula finds the perfect, dramatic balance between dance, rock, and pop. Though I don't speak a lick of Spanish, Tarantula needs no translation - the music speaks for itself.
2. Out Of Control by Girls Aloud: My love for the album has only increased since I reviewed it! Decidedly more melancholy (though still dance-ably so) than any of their previous albums, Out Of Control has overtaken Chemistry as my favorite Girls Aloud album. And that's saying something! Highlights like the bluesy "Love Is The Key" and incredible "Untouchable" are indicative of the album's quality as a whole. Pop has never sounded so good!
3. Circus by Britney Spears: Personally, I think Britney still needs a lot of time and love to recover from her lowest points. By all appearances, she hit rock bottom, and for a lot of people it's not an easy climb back up to stability. Like a lot of fans and even casual observers, I just want her to be happy and healthy. Now, about the music - if you look back at the last few years in Britney's life, you wouldn't have expected 2007 to result in an awesome album like Blackout, and you certainly would be shocked to discover that lightning struck again with this year's Circus. Circus leans more toward classic pop than its predecessor with the three-ring antics of "Circus" and the naughty romp "If U Seek Amy," and even gets in a few sweet ballads, like "Out From Under" (and I must be one of the few that rather likes "My Baby"!). Say what you want about Britney - she still makes a darn good pop record.
4. Hard Candy by Madonna: Perhaps I was a little over-excited about the album in my review of it in May... but I still just can't get enough of Hard Candy. Admittedly, I skip "Candy Shop" on most listens because it really is atrocious. But all the way from the too-much-fun "4 Minutes" to the haunting "Voices," Hard Candy really is a treat. This urban-tinged pop album has gotten a bit of a bum rap with fans and critics alike, but don't write it off completely - a little bit of Hard Candy can't be too bad for you!
5. Curiouser by Kate Miller-Heidke: A late addition to my "top albums of 2008" list, Curiouser is wonderfully weird, with Kate's operatic squeal working its way into many of the tracks in strange and fun ways. I even compared "Politics In Space" to my one true musical love Kate Bush's "Them Heavy People" in an October review. Curiouser might strike some as a bit too saccharine, but for those with a sweet tooth, the album should hit the spot.
6. The Fame by Lady GaGa: I started off kinda disliking Lady GaGa, but with a few more listens to The Fame, I fell under her spell. Songs like "Love Game" (with its infectious rap about a "disco stick"!) and the dark dance beats of "Poker Face" make for a fun, electrifying listen.
7. I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too by Martha Wainwright: We take a break from the dance pop that has characterized the last few entries in this list with this sort of alt-folk album. I've really enjoyed this album since I first heard it - the melodies and instrumentation, not to mention Martha's distinctive light vocals, make each song something special. Songs like "Jesus And Mary Chain" and "So Many Friends" may sound dark, but there's a warmth there, too. A beautiful album.
8. Common Reaction by Uh Huh Her: I wondered, in my thoughts on this album in this post, if Common Reaction would end up in my "top 5 albums of 2008." It's a few places down, but that doesn't make Common Reaction any less of a refreshing electro-pop experience! Singles "Not A Love Song" and "Explode" demonstrated that you can join electro sounds with pop sensibilities, and the rest of the album consistently reaches the heights set by those tunes.
9. Forth by The Verve: In August I reviewed this album, and I stand by my declaration that when Forth "is good, it's glorious!" Low points like "Numbness" and "Columbo" are forgotten in the dense psychedelia of "Sit And Wonder," while lead single "Love Is Noise" might just get you up on your feet and dancing! Though patchy in parts, Forth is ultimately a great listen.
10. Home by Maple Bee: I first found out about Maple Bee awhile ago thanks to the awesome (but on hiatus) Electro/Retro, and her new album, Home, is definitely worthy of attention. The lush, lively opening track and lead single "While You Were Sleeping" sets a high standard that the rest of the album matches, from the quietly intense "No Place" to the beautifully anguished "This Face This Name."
11. Safe Trip Home by Dido: Safe Trip Home is a mature progression from the meaningful downtempo of her first two albums - the songs are still low-key but there are some new and interesting twists. Lead single "Don't Believe In Love" is surprisingly funky, "Grafton Street" features lovely Irish notes, and the sprawling, special, almost 9 minute long "Northern Skies" never wears out its welcome.
12. Sexy As Hell by Sarah Connor: I'd never listened to Sarah before this album, and now I wonder what else I've been missing! This is fun urban-electro-pop from beginning to end, with a few quite lovely ballads in between. Club bangers like "Under My Skin" and "Sexy As Hell" are just that - sexy as hell! - and other highlights include the bouncy 80s-inspired "Beautiful View" and the vocoded but sultry "Touch." Good stuff!
13. Never Never Love by Pop Levi: My "find" of the summer, Pop Levi's Never Never Love brings glam rock and kicky electronica together to make one heck of a catchy album. Heavy tracks like the guitar-and-bass-driven "Wannamama" and "Dita Dimone" and its grinding synths share space on the album with slower tunes like the pretty "You Don't Gotta Run." An eclectic, engaging listen!
14. We Started Nothing by The Ting Tings: Starting out with ultra-catchy single "Great DJ" and ending with celebratory jam "We Started Nothing," The Ting Tings' debut album (which I reviewed in May) is full of fun 'n' punchy electro-pop. Music snobs think they're too trendy, too contrived - but give 'em a listen, and you'll hear why The Ting Tings are so much fun.
15. We're In The Music Biz by Robots In Disguise: RID's punky brand of electro-clash-pop is in fine form on this, their best album to date. Not only can the Robots do fast-and-fierce tunes like "Can't Stop Getting Wasted" and the title track, but they can also slow it down and come up with less party-minded songs like the delicate "The Tears" and the theological thinker "I Don't Have A God."

Hopefully I'll get the next post done tomorrow! :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett

Quick update!

More reviews and such will definitely be coming - I've been a bit busy with end-of-the-semester studying! :)

Cheery bye, Scarlett