You know how sometimes you discover something that completely blows your mind? Maybe it’s a melody or a lyric; perhaps it’s a cover of one of your favorite band’s songs that makes you hear the original in a completely new way.

Well, I had my mind blown this week by a parody of a Muppet. Sad Kermit is the thing on which I’m currently fixating.

Now, as someone who grew up in the ’80s, Muppets were a fixture in my life. Sesame Street was the place I wanted to visit, while The Muppet Show seemed like the most awesome place on the planet. And when I got the chance to see it, Fraggle Rock looked pretty cool as well. Needless to say, my interest in Muppets has pretty much been hardwired into my brain.

...read full article...

I can’t front: I’m really stuck trying to find something to write about. I’ve been wracking my brain for over an hour trying to think of something music-related to post. I’d sworn that I had some ideas of things to write about this week, but I guess none of them stuck, or had the legs to build an actual column around.

So I’ve decided to just write about the random thoughts relating to music that I had this week. But be warned both 50 Cent and Sufjan Stevens will be making appearances…

...read full article...

I sort of enjoy holiday music, not so much because it gets me in the holiday spirit, but rather because I work at a place that plays the same essential mix, year-round. No matter what time I get to work I’m practically guaranteed to hear either Indigo Girls or John Mayer within 15 minutes of arriving.

But right around Thanksgiving those kind folks at Muzak begin to mix in some holiday songs. It’s pleasant, not only because it’s an influx of songs my coworkers and I aren’t sick of, but also because it’s not uncommon for us to start singing along. But that’s not enough.

I really think that we’ve got to start creating some Thanksgiving songs. Personally, I think that there should be festive songs from November all the way though to the new year. And if you include Halloween songs, you could even start at the end of October. I know that it’s a lofty goal, but I really do think that it’s feasible. And I’ve got an idea of how you could create an amazing Thanksgiving album.

...read full article...

Through a convoluted series of events, I picked up Drake’s debut EP, So Far Gone, this week, and I’ve finally made my mind up about the guy.

Actually, they weren’t that convoluted, I guess. I’d seen an ad for The Shield complete-series box set, which both intrigued and irked me. I mentally committed to buying it despite owning all of the individual seasons. I went to The Sound Garden to trade in my individual seasons and got store credit. As I was shopping, I saw Chris Walla’s Field Manual with a “2 for $10″ sticker and I looked for something else to complete the deal. Eventually, I found So Far Gone, which has helped me form my opinion of Drake.

Basically, I’m not a fan.

...read full article...

So Weezer’s new album came out this week and I’m still debating whether or not to pick it up. On one hand, I consider myself a Weezer fan; I love their debut and Pinkerton, and was bumping them both before the resurgence of Weezer in the new millennium.

On the other hand, in the post-Matt Sharp era, I can’t say that I’ve really connected with any of the band’s material. Sure, there have been some catchy singles and songs here and there, but I really don’t think that I could fully recommend a Weezer album other than one of the first two.

...read full article...

OK, so a couple of months back, I recounted that my cousin had rediscovered some old mixtapes that she’d made and one rather unfortunate one that I’d made.

A quick recap: I made this mix for myself to listen to on the bus ride from Baltimore to Pennsylvania. It’s composed mostly of songs that I was either digging at the time or singles/albums that I’d recently picked up. Here’s the pretty respectable hip-hop side.

But there’s also an unfortunate alternative side that hasn’t aged nearly as well. In honor of Halloween, I present: The Horror.

...read full article...

This week I got into a discussion at work about the legacy of “The Roc.” I’ve got a coworker who is probably the biggest Jay-Z fan that I know. She loves Jay-Z the way that I love The Roots: she’s got all of his albums and appearances, she can recite all of his rhymes and she’s been front row at his shows when he comes to town.

OK… maybe she loves him more than I love The Roots.

Anyway, she threw up the “Roc” diamond and I, rhetorically, asked, “what’s that mean?” Actually it wasn’t really rhetorical. I mean, I knew what it meant, but what I meant was what does that sign mean now? The Roc is in shambles. As a brand, it’s as strong as Cash Money, No Limit, Bad Boy, Ruff Ryders, Rawkus or Loud.

...read full article...

A week ago, I got my latest issue of Entertainment Weekly in the mail. As usual, I immediately flipped to the music section to (a) read the reviews and (b) see which albums were about to be released.

I was greeted with the sight of Thom Yorke’s mug. Now, his visage isn’t for everyone, but to me it elicits elation, because I’m a fan of his. Then I saw Death Cab for Cutie, and then the words “various artists” and “soundtrack.” But then I saw a title that made my blood run cold—”New Moon.”

...read full article...

In the last 24 hours I’ve listened to both Blackout 2 and Only Built for Cuban Linx… Pt II. They both came out this year and they’re both long-overdue sequels. And by “long-overdue,” I mean that most of the original diehard fans had long ago given up hope for proper follow-ups.

Yet they both arrived and I’ve got to say that I’ve really got two very different opinions for each album—one sounds dated and stale while the other sounds like a throwback and harnesses the energy of an era.

...read full article...

I can’t front; I really couldn’t think of anything to write about this week. I’ve been listening to the usual amount of music, it’s just that nothing really grabbed me; I’m not that passionate about anything at this very moment.

So I decided that I was just going to go though my collection, randomly pick out an album, and try to defend it. But then I heard something that got me thinking.

I’m a fan of jingles. I think that jingles and television themes are American art forms that should get the same respect that jazz gets. In fact, I’m such a huge fan of jingles (and TV themes) that I’ll never forgive TVT for branching out from compilations of themes and jingles and giving Lil Jon a career.

...read full article...