Songs I Actually Leave on the Radio

I don't often listen to the radio. If I'm in the car, sure, but there's not much music that's too appealing to me on there. Lately, however, I don't know if my taste has been altered or if there's just better music on the radio, but I find myself enjoying a bunch of songs I'll hear on z100...and I actually like it.

American Idol winner Jordin Sparks' most recent hit "No Air" is very catchy to me, and I'm not even an avid Idol fan. I mean, her last song "Tattoo" was even pretty good.

Now, I have felt a little bit of confusion with Rihanna's new song "Take A Bow." Other than her song "Breakin' Dishes," which I haven't heard on the radio, I believe it's one of her best. The thing is, she's talking about dropping her cheater boyfriend...isn't that a little hypocritical, Rihanna? I mean, you did sing "Unfaithful" and all... Anyway, moral to the story is that "Take A Bow" is something I have since downloaded and have played on my iTunes quite a few times.

"Run the Show" by Kat DeLuna is an upbeat hit incorporating Latin roots into popular music appealing to many radio listeners today. This song was on our lacrosse warm-up C.D. and when it was blasting over the speakers you couldn't help but get your body moving.

So there you have it, a few songs I've noticed are worthy of mentioning on my blog. That takes a lot. Enjoy your radio hits and I'll hopefully be finding some more with my station surfing soon.

"Biznizz Ethics"

Just kidding, the "Billy Madison" reference really doesn't have to do with unethical or ethical situations in my beat...but I love that movie. So when I was thinking about my blogging and what I would find easiest to blog about, I thought about maybe talking about the recent musical performances at Wall High School including "Rock Away Hate" and "Wallapalooza." The thing is, my brother (Mr. Camano) played at "Rock Away Hate" with his band Chemtrail and my other brother Dan played at "Wallapalooza." Besides being left the only musically declined Camano child, I was left with the situation of whether I could blog about those performances without being bias. The situation has left me torn and I think I'll wind up excluding them from my blogs...until later notice. I'll hopefully blog about the rest of the performances, but I hope this blog throws out a disclaimer for me totally NOT wanting to sound like all I listen to is my brothers' music. Not true. My job is just to spread around the love of good music...and that's what I'm going to do.

Unethical even for Britney Spears

I don't really want to blog about Britney Spears or anything, I think she's talked about enough. What I really want to accomplish here is how I believe her paparazzi boyfriend Adnan Ghalib is using her to make a few bucks off of his photos of her. Honestly, I know that some things are meant to be, but how is it possible that this guy isn't unethically using the time he spends with Britney to take photos of her and sell them. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's one of those things that are meant to be, but it seems a little sketchy to me that once she begins to make news all the time again, this paparazzi guy is dating her.

Check it out for yourself... "happily" dating?

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1579490/20080111/spears_britney.jhtml

Bloggers 'R Us

Seriously. You can go anywhere and find a blog. My favorite is of course John Mayer's, whose entries are often so intricately written that I'll have to read them a few times. I think that's the way a blog is supposed to be, though, almost like a stream of conciousness. It's easy for a musician to describe their feelings through song or words, but it's still good to look at a musician's personal writing and just see what they do time to time. It's like looking through a hole into their lives, living the dream of fame along with them while most importantly making note that everyone's human. In his incredibly human blog, I have found more respect for artist Matt Nathanson, who writes sometimes of random things on his mind or just experiences he had that day. I thought it was worth mentioning, that people don't just blog about celebritites. They blog too.

Matt Nathanson's Journal:
http://www.mattnathanson.com/journal




and just because I have to throw it in....
www.johnmayer.com/blog

As I Am is worth much more than the $9.93 I paid for it.

Most definitely. For participating in a study by the Eagleton Institute of Politics, I was rewarded two $5 gift cards to Amazon.com. After much debate, the verdict of what to spend my free money on was this - Alicia Keys' album "As I Am." I've mentioned it before and said that I'd review it when I finally got around to purchasing it. With pleasure, I present what my blog has aimed to do all along - relay my feelings about music to others.

"As I Am" is a powerful album. It's strong but petite. When the music is quiet, it speaks loudly about being loved or being lovesick. When it's loud, Keys' voice contains a tone that still feels calm and conserved. The notes are hit well and the beats are catchy. It's smooth but still rough around the edges, in the best way possible.

"As I Am [Intro]" - a melodic piano solo in which I had to double check I turned on my Alicia Keys cd rather than some classical music. Nearly a minute in, the bass begins to pump and the rhythm and blues R&B stands for are soon to follow.

"Go Ahead" - The words explain it all; the life of a woman who realizes her rights allow her much more than anyone could ever control her to do. If you just read the lyrics, they're not nearly as strong as the powerfully swaying chorus speaks.

"Superwoman" - A while ago I called this as being the next solo off of the album. Turns out I was wrong (see later tracks), but if I was a radio broadcaster I would choose "Superwoman" to play any day on my station. Again, Keys chooses to show her strength as a successful African American woman, but eventually the song speaks to all those "fighting for better days to come," and the fact that they can get through the day.

"No One" - The first of the solos from the album as well as the first track about being in love. She assures her listener that "everything's gonna be alright," no matter what others say. Good vibes connecting much to the invincible stage of love.

"Like You'll Never See Me Again" - Second album single. At first I thought I was hearing "Take My Breath Away" by Jessica Simpson(?) and didn't understand exactly what I was listening to. Turns out to be much more bluesy and continues along the love song path.

"Lesson Learned" - What do you get when you combine my favorite male and female vocalists? Musical perfection. John Mayer and Alicia Keys are always a winning combination...always.

"Wreckless Love" - Sporadically placed staccato words followed by the sound of a horn repeated create a beat like none accomplished thus far on the cd. It's a song you'd put on and dance strangely around your room with abrupt movements just because you're in a good mood.

"The Thing About Love" - I can see many people relating to such a song. Even though love will build you up then pull you down and make you feel like "you're the only one going through it all," people still go look for it again, and this song provides a push to keep looking and that "it's the time for you to shine."

"Teenage Love Affair" - Synonym: puppy love. Ah...what a funny way to approach this topic. It's what you'd say you'd never do, but teenagers do it all the time - think their first love's "the one." It's interesting to look at the way love changes from this song to more "lovesick" songs about being broken up with or being hurt.

"I Need You" - I love the lyrics. Contrasting so many different things all leading up to one.. "North needs South, East needs West and no needs yes yes yes, up needs down, life needs death and no needs yes yes yes - I need you."

"Where Do We Go From Here" - It's more about the end of a relationship or the stage known as "Trouble in Paradise." Something's gone wrong, but it's surely not this song.

"Prelude to a Kiss" - In the search of something higher to guide her elsewhere, Keys' second-shortest song on the album still has power and explores her dynamic sound and range just as much as any other.

"Tell You Something (Nana's Reprise)" - I almost feel strange writing about this because I'm sure it was written with the most heartfelt nature. It's unfortunately true for many, however the way it can speak to us may even make it better.

"Sure Looks Good To Me" - A song about living life to the fullest every day, no matter what. It's about throwing everything out there and not wasting one minute of it. Pretty empowering stuff.


So there you have it, a cd that could actually be summed up in one word: quality.



- Ashley

GREY'S ANATOMY IS COMING BACK

That's a big deal. Thursday April 24 at 9 p.m., I will be avoiding all homework and sitting down to enjoy my favorite television show. Actually, other than The Soup on E! I don't watch t.v. (except news of course!), but this is a big deal. Ever since the writers' strike began, I was cringing every time a new episode ended, worried that I wouldn't be given the teaser clips from next week's episode. Well, eventually the unavoidable truth came and I didn't get footage from the next week's episode. But thanks to the magic of patience and speedy writing from Shonda Rhimes, the 24th (that's next Thursday!), I'll be enjoying my Grey's fix.

Moral to the story here is that beyond the unrealisitically goodlooking doctors at Seattle Grace Hospital, there is music that is chosen to perfectly fit the tension of the show. There are so many artists that Grey's Anatomy has introduced me to that I never would have heard about, but now love. The sountracks to seasons 1 and 2 are both equipped with some of the best solo artist songs I've ever heard. Or bands with names I can't pronounce correctly. Whatever it is, it's worth listening to.

These artists/songs have reached the top of my "Top 25 Most Played" on iTunes, or are getting preeeetttty close, all thanks to this delightful drama about scalpels and scandals:

Ingrid Michaelson
Finally someone was smart enough to put "The Way I Am" on the radio. It's simple and calm. It's easy to work to. The words are most definitely relative to anyone's lives, in the way that it describes the way someone would do whatever it takes for someone else in love.

Kate Havnevik
Usually during the most tense of scenes on Grey's, Kate Havnevik's extremely light voice relaxes but is somehow able to keep with the intensity of the moment. "Grace" was on the tearjerker season 2 finale, and I don't exactly remember which season or episode "Unlike Me" was on...but still very good (plus I heard it at Max Brenner's in NYC on Thursday...Mallory was there!)

Keane - "Somewhere Only We Know"

Rilo Kiley - "Portions for Foxes"

The Cardigans - "Live and Learn"

Thirteen Senses - "Into the Fire"



11 days until I hear more music to recommend!