Most Unreal Hip-Hop Lines

10. "all you gotta do is watch me, look what I can do with my feet" -Chris Brown
10. "How could you be so Dr. Evil? You're bringing out a side of me that I don't know" -Kanye
9. "I pray for patience, but they make me wanna melt they face away" --T.I.
8. "I'll be like your medicine, you'll take every dose of me. It's goin down on isle 3, I'll bag it like some groceries" -Young Jeezy
7. "you can pay for school but you can't buy class" -Jay-Z
6. "brains so good, could have sworn you went to college" -T.I.
5. "all I wanna do is--bang bang bang--and a click click--and cha-ching" -M.I.A.
4. "I gave Bill Gates some binoculars and said look out for me......I married the streets and Atlanta's been my best man"-Ludacris
3. "with the spirit of a hustler, and the swagga of a college kid" -T.I.
2. "pirate skulls and bones, sticks and stones and weed and bongs" -M.I.A.
1. "makin' the possible, possible" -T.I.

top 4 reasons not to use steroids in 2008

This diagram highlights a lot of the malformations that using anabolic steroids can cause. This is why, neither in 2008 or any other year of my life, i will ever use steroids to get ahead in life. I thought about it once, but when i started doing research, i came up with my top four reasons to stay away from the stuff.

4. An Accidental Muscle over load

sure, this probably isn't real. but it could be. and i have the type of personality where i just don't know when to say when... so i'm sure i'd end up looking like this.

3. Itty Bitty Boobies

Sick, right? Besides the lack of breasts, this lady doesn't even look like a lady. Plus, i hear once you get really strong and muscle ridden, you can't wear normal bikinis. i like normal bikinis.

2. Acne Attacks.

This is sick to me. This would cause anyone to think twice. Severe acne, in my opinion, is a hidden risk or anabolic steroid usage - up until my research, i never heard of this being a pitfall.

1. Bread butt.

I do not want my ass looking like a loaf of bread.

Favorite Music of '08...for me

All the usual disclaimers are included. I am not a musical expert. There are still 10,000 albums released this year that I haven’t heard. These are simply favorites. I make no claim to these being the best of anything, besides a favorite list for me. And I’m sure there are 10-15 others I could have thrown on here with a little more thought and my last.fm would look a bit different had it not been running for only 2 months and I could get that damn iPod scrobble to work...ever. That being said, this list is waaay too long already. A few thanks (for either introducing or making an album available)…to Manley for The Bad Plus, Right Away, Great Captain!, and Torche…to Josh Hurst for The Bug and Steinski…and Ryan Ohlerking for Squarepusher. No discernable order here with the exception of the first entry.




The Gaslight Anthem - The ‘59 Sound - Last years “Sink or Swim” was an outstanding cross of a younger Springsteen with Against Me! as a backing band. This time around the song-writing is better and Brian Fallon and the rest of the band seems to have come into their own.


Chuck Ragan and Austin Lucas - Bristle Ridge - It’s Chuck Ragan, what else do I need to say?



James - Hey Ma - Best known, if known at all for their single “Laid” in 1994, James’ first album in 7 years is equally catchy, heartfelt, and political.


Squarepusher - Just a Souvenir


Koushik - Out My Window

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan - Sunday at Devil Dirt - Lanegan’s second collaboration this year is with Belle and Sebastian’s, Isobel Campbell. Campbell left the group around 2002, but her second record with Lanegan is thing of beauty that most B&S fans would enjoy.

The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia - The second that includes Mark Lanegan. Known to most as the singer of Screaming Trees, who, though they were definitely among the best of the Seattle bands in the early 90’s, they never really caught on found big success like so many others. Lanegan, however, has gone on to do some really nice solo work as well helping out with Queens of the Stone Age and this duo with former Afghan Whigs singer, Greg Dulli.

Good Old War - Only Way to Be Alone

Fucked Up - The Chemistry of Common Life - How can I not like a band whose name describes the current state of my life? Oh, the album is really good too.

Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll!!! - It’s nice to see Green Day go loose on this (though I think they still had plenty of fun with American Idiot).

The Grand Archives - The Grand Archives - I know everyone went apes hit over Band of Horses a few years back. Admit it, you did, lol. Guitarist Mat Brooke left after their first album, and formed TGA. Personally, I am preferring TGA, but don’t mind BOH.

The Drones - Havilah - Some reviewer, I think it was on sputnikmusic, described them as a mix of Neil Young, Black Flag, and Tom Waits. Better than I could do. That, along with excellent lyrics make for a nice little combination.

Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark

Damien Jurado - Caught in the Trees - Damien’s new album is very good. I have yet to find the “Denton, TX” for this album (I.e. - something I put on repeat and play again and again), but I like the open band arrangements as a nice counter to the more sparse stuff of the past.

Calexico - Carried to Dust - Introduced but still not gotten by many thanks to their split with Iron and Wine. This still garners a response from many of “Didn’t they do that one thing with Iron and Wine?” Calexico are definitely an acquired taste, but one worth acquiring.

Asher Roth - Don Cannon and DJ DRAMA present The GreenHouse Effect Vol. 1

Aimee Mann - @#%&*! Smilers

Dear and the Headlights - Drunk Like Bible Times - Though I’m not quite understanding the tours with bands like Jimmy and Paramore (other than possibly trying to extend their audience), every about this band's second album resonated with me. Plus, who doesn’t want to get drunk like Bible times?

Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid - Kinda slow, Britpop stuff I guess you could call it. Always been a fan and the new album doesn’t disappoint.

Dillinger Four - CIVILWAR - Compared to Portishead, I only had to wait 6+ years on this one. However, in the punk community with generally tiny attention spans, that is a lifetime. Some have complained that they are following more of punks new trends and that they are singing about being middle-age. Hmmm. Last time I checked they are hitting middle-age and frankly, I don’t like a lot of punk’s new trends.

Butch Walker - Sycamore Meadows - You may disdain him for previously being the front man of the Marvelous 3, but this guy’s songwriting ability is pretty amazing (to me). And the fact that he is top-notch producer doesn’t hurt either. This shit just sounds great.

Ray Lamontagne - Gossip in the Grain

The Notwist - The Devil You and Me

Paul Baribeau - Grand Ledge - In the vain of folk punk like Andrew Jackson Jihad, only its actually better, and those guys are pretty good.

Portishead - Third - Hmmm…let’s see, how long did we have to wait for this? 11 years? Is it as good as that? Of course not. But is it still pretty damn good and yet different from the first two as well? Yes.

Right Away, Great Captain! - The Eventually Home

Son Lux - At War with Walls and Mazes - It feels like this should only be background music, but somehow manages to transcend that.

Steinski - What Does it All Mean? 1983-2006 Retrospective - It means the best of this turntable genius.

The Tallest Man on Earth - Shallow Graves

Tom Gabel - Heart Burns - Against Me! front man doesn’t take a break in the year following “New Wave”.

Torche - Meanderthal - Doom metal with pop sensibilities played to perfection. Incredibly catchy.

Various Artists - The Wire: And All the Pieces Matter - Five Years of Music from The Wire - Various music selections from the what is possibly the greatest and least rewarded television drama in history. Plus its got some nice snippets of memorable lines from episodes, plus Tom Waits’ theme song from season one, plus 3 other versions from ensuing years (why Steve Earle’s from season 5 was used on his own album and not this is beyond me - but it‘s worth checking out as well).

The Wood Brothers - Loaded - Like it wasn’t good enough for Chris Wood to be playing in Medeski, Martin and Wood. He had to go create this nice little folk act with his brother Oliver.

The Bug - London Zoo

Bob Dylan - The Bootleg Series, Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs - Rare and Unreleased 1989-2006 - Well, first of all, it’s Bob Dylan. But seriously, there is some really good shit on this, and to think that this stuff didn’t make the albums. Plus it has two versions of “Dignity”, one of my favorite Dylan tunes of all-time.

Bears - Simple Machinery - Indie-pop from Cleveland, OH that resonates very well with me.

The Bad Plus - For All I Care - Favorites from Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Wilco and others jazzed-up in the best ways possible.

Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal - Not sure about the pointy shoes, but the songs are quite good.

Able Baker Fox - Voices - I like the collaboration that Small Brown Bike and Casket Lottery did 6-7 years ago. This seems like a pretty logical step forward with both bands now being defunct.

Top Ten Singles of 2008 - as i see it

10. Lykke Li - Dance. Dance. Dance.
I haven't heard a more feminine voice since the dawn of time. These intricate melodies drip with nectar from the heavens - she's a precious soul who articulates well within these musical boundaries.. the undertones speak to the most primal of beats in my bee bop heart and laced with her coy voice - this song is one of the best. I can't wait to intimately know this album, as it is a newcomer to my list.


9. Girl Talk - No Pause
As it is, I know it won't do Greg Gillis justice if i call him a genius, but words fail me for this man. Let it be known that I am a filthy, filthy person who never can be described as lady like -- one of the main reasons why I can't get enough of missy elliot -- the sample Work It in No Pause really plays to the true me. Another history making segment in this song is when New Soul's beats camouflage so well under Eminem's nastiness, that's when a person knows that this song was meant to be.


8. The Tallest Man on Earth - Sparrow and Medicine
I can listen to this song any time, any place. A lot of albums are a place-in-time kind of inspiration, but this is an anytime kind of music. The percussion, faint and wonderful in the background, busy and consistent, really holds the whole thing together for me. I don't know why - but it's a thing i hear in my blood -- and the lyrics make me want to move to a farm and start tilling land and praying to the God of it all.


7. Frightened Rabbits - Good Arms vs. Bad Arms
The first 35 seconds of this song captivates all of my attention - it makes me all kinds of melancholy in probably the best way ever -- in the i can't decide kind of way. Scott Hutchison's voice is very difficult to descirbe - this song made it's debut in my life at a weird time... which might be the biggest tug on my heart to add it to my list.


6. Fleet Foxes - Meadowlark
Robin Pecknold's voice is pure and promises me down home and out in the sticks inspired lyrics. I want to say that this song is muddy with a pristine clarity, but i'm afraid all of those words will get lost in translation, but i'm going to say it anyways. Everything about this song is a hushed, and serious kind of folky that makes my heart fly with the wind. No one really has to say anything about this band... honestly.


5. Death Vessel - Block My Eye
Does this song remind anyone else of Christian Siriano? This entire song just puts me in mind of him. It's odd. But the moment i realized that i loved Christian Siriano, it made my skin get goosebumps and this song has the effect, too. Every. Time. I. Hear. It. I sing very loud to the song in my car - it's the most beautiful love song that's sang by a girl that is actually sang by a boy. The lyrics "moth eaten moon" destroys everything i know about the english language: it's amazing and makes me wish i could fashion words similar to this... Death Vessel makes me want to be a better person... not really, but kind of.


4. She and Him - Black Hole
Zooey, Zooey, Zooey. That twang takes me far away... there's a terribly wonderful, nearly sultry aspect to this woman's voice. It makes me want to run through a creek with bare feet and also do jumps in the air. Her voice does that to me, it's sick. They pull on folky themes and as far as i'm concerned, do it with grace and ease.


3. Kanye West - Love Lockdown
I know what you all are going to say... and yes, the vocorder might be over done in the hip hop world, MIGHT. T-Pain brought it around commercial hip hop and tons of artists picked it up, and carried it, ran away with it and never looked back. Kanye, however, did those things with an amazing artistic vision. I don't know what that vision is, because really, he's a genius, but what i'm saying is... this song mixes with the chemicals in my heart and my soul explodes.. The thing about Kanye is, I can never get enough of him. Ever.


2. The Avett Brothers - Murder in the City
Sometimes, i try to tell people who i love that i love them. It's hard to sometimes -- i can't find words. It's difficult to say things that make us cry when it's about love and family and what loving family is all about. This song does that. It does it well. I can't stand it -- i cry and cry and cry when this song is on. It's raw and is as serious as the warm ground in august. When my grandfather's dad died, everyone was a mess... for various reasons, but my papa was very sad.. i told him once when we were on the phone and he was talking about his dad and how much he missed him, i said to think that "there was nothing worth sharing like the love that let us share our name" - and i meant it. and we both cried. and that's what amazing songs do -- they make you feel from the core of your being and it sends vibes, grabs everyone within ear shot and kisses them on the forehead.


1. Estelle Ft. Kanye West - American Boy
TA DA! As soon as i heard this song, it was my number one. I don't need to explain why. i mean, just listen to it, more than listen, feel it. My heart pumps these beats, my veins resonate with the dancey jive... Kanye's break down makes me LOSE MY SHIT -- and maybe, just maybe his cocky little attitude places this byotch right at number one.