Twilight :: Numeriklab

NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Theme Song:
Twilight by Numeriklab

No - this song is not about the popular vampire book series turned movie craze (Twilight). Instead, this is the theme song to my very new, very favorite TV show called: NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service). Like many of you, I enjoy watching TV shows that deal with mystery and crime solving - where the good guys always get the bad guys (i.e. Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, etc.) , and the writing is always a little bit cheesy and predictable - where the chief says to the ADA, "You gave him bologna and he made himself a sandwich!".

However, NCIS is an entirely different show altogether. This show is based in Washington DC's Navy Yard and has this really great team/comradery dynamic that, I would argue, totally blows Detective Stabler and Dectective Benson from Law & Order: SVU out of the water. Plus, this show is actually really funny - AND - intelligent. Sure, the plot is pretty formulaic just like every other Crime/Detective show, but the dynamics that all the characters have with each other really keep this show going. Not once has there been a main character introduced that I haven't enjoyed, whereas in other shows, there's always your favorites and your not-so-much-favorites-at-all...

Anyway, the theme song is pretty short and kinda jazzy (not in the literal jazzy sense, but more of a do a little dance to the theme song jazzy). I found an extended version as well...so take your pick!

The End.
Love,
Meggo.

Short:


Not as short:

Twilight - Numeriklab

Renegade :: The Dance Party

Hey all! I'm subbing my post with my friend Vincent's guest blog! Enjoy, because he is rockin!!!!
The End.
Love,
Meggo.
-----
In the spirit of summer dance parties, I want to draw attention to The Dance Party. DC is not particularly known for its indie music scene, but I learned about The Dance Party skimming through upcoming shows at the Black Cat--my exact thought process was as follows: "The Dance Party? Hmm. I love dance parties." [click.] [click.] [commence booty shaking.] The band hails from College Park, MD and is comprised of Mick Coogan (vocals/guitar), Danny Hoag (bass), Jeff David (drums), and Kevin Bayly (guitar), and their music falls more appropriately under "power-pop" -- whatever that means.

Regardless, be forewarned: this album is a sweat inducer.

This particular song, Renegade, is not representative of the foot thumping, head rocking, booty shaking that follows after approximately 19 seconds of playing the first song on the album ("A-list"). I do have my criticisms though...The album is ripe with words half-screamed in syllable form, repeated as if I missed it the 13th time; teenage angst one-liners sung in falsetto; and even worse dancing as exemplified in the youtube video bleow, reifying what we know as "that (white) guy" trying too hard at the club. Nonetheless, the band has awesome beats-- I will bet on the Lindbergh baby that it won't fail to get you dancing. So, know that the album is amazing--but I want to talk about "Renegade."

"Renegade" is one of the slower songs on the album, but it somehow still manages to get me playing air drums. This song speaks to me particularly because of these lyrics:

It's such a gas
When you're living fast
And your friends don't know your name

Spinning 'round
Down in District town
I do believe I lost my way

This summer has been ridiculous for me. And I know none of you know (or care to know) who I am, but I'm going to tell you anyway. I just graduated from American University in May and I've since been putzing around DC trying to find a job in this broke-as-shit thing some call the "economy" (unemployment jumped to 26% in July!). I'm interning at the same place as Meghan and I make barely enough money to pay bills and party. I suppose this song captures more than just this summer--I think it represents the on-going incapacitated state of ridiculousness the was my last two years in college (thanks KT!).

But I feel attached to the song because it pays homage to my inner child, only to finally say: "Vincent, get it together!" I like the idea of being a renegade--being a living testament to the rejection of social expectations of a college graduate. But, truth be told, there is something comforting in the daily 9-5 hum. In the interest of sparing you my personal dilemma's, I'll end this entry here.

I hope you enjoy the band!


(Blading for non-violence...)

Click HERE for the Black Cat schedule. Playing Sept. 6.

Renegade :: The Dance Party

Close my eyes
For the big surprise
Make a wisher look around

Spinning 'round
Down in New York town
And everything just seems all wrong

Police man
Wanna shake my hand
Ask me how I feel today

I said I'm doing fine
But my friend and I
Do believe we lost our way

Coming down
Don't count unless you mean it
Back, get back to it
Back, get back to it

Getting down
Don't count unless you feel it
Back, get back to it
Back, get back to it

Killing time
On your daddy's dime
Gonna make you a man someday

I grab my coat
And she grabs her coke
The disco's just two blocks away

Uncle Sam
Wanna shake my hand
Tell me "Son, you're doing just fine"

Hey, thanks man
But you don't understand
All I do is waste my time

It's such a gas
When you're living fast
And your friends don't know your name

Spinning 'round
Down in District town
I do believe I lost my way

RIDICULOUS (WHITE) MAN DANCING:

Anyone But You :: Dana Wilentz

Hello folks - I have to admit that I was in error (or at least in ignorance) when I made my posting two weeks ago - and my apologies for not posting last week. My last post was about the D.C.-based teenage indie band Lemonface, and their unfortunate disbanding earlier this year. I encouraged people to visit the Myspace page of the two members who remain together as a group, Richard, the guitarist, and Brendan, the drummer. However, after posting, I discovered that Dana, the bassist is also working on music as a soloist. Her music is very different from the pop-punk-rock of Lemonface of Richard and Brendan - she's apparently coming into her own quite phenomenally as an acoustic singer-songwriter. Four of her recordings (three originals and one live cover) are up on her website, Myspace.com/danawilentz. I could say that her songs are great considering her age (She's seventeen), but the age disclaimer isn't even necessary. These songs are good. End of story.

At any rate, my favorite of the moment is "Anyone But You," so head over to myspace.com/danawilentz and have a listen! Her vocals are amazing and I think she's headed to big places - we'll be hearing more from her for a lot of years to come, of that I am sure.

Love it.

Explode :: Lemonface

Hello folks - it's Friday again and you know what that means. Sumnah time. This week, my blog entry slightly saddens me. This song, called "Explode" is by a local indie band from the D.C. area. Lemonface is actually a group of three extremely talented high schoolers. When I first saw them, it was almst two years ago at a street festival - Adam's Morgan Day 2006 in Washington, D.C. I was wandering the food stands with my friend Rebekah when we stumbled upon the smaller music stage at the end of the block. Three kids were on stage tuning up. The guitarist looked particularly tiny and Rebekah and I debated with each other about whether or not he was actually going to play or if he was just hanging out up there waiting for the real band. When it became clear that these kids were in fact the entire band by themselves, Rebe and I sat down on the curb to watch thinking it was going to be cute as hell. They started playing and the tiny guitarist came up to the mic and starting roaring out lyrics in what was certainly an adolescent voice, but ith no sounds that could be described as "cute." They were amazing. Rebe and I turned to each other in shock and we both just said, "Whoa." I used to listen to them fairly frequently on myspace last year at work, but in the past six months or so I hadn't stopped by their page to see what they were up to, so this week I decided to check them out again. To my great disapointment, I discovered that Lemonface was no more! Although the guitarist (no longer quite so teeny tiny), Richard, and the drummer, Brendan, are still playing together (I would HIGHLY recommend giving them a listen at myspace.com/richardandbrendan), the bassist, Dana has left the band. At any rate, they're still keeping up their myspace page and stil selling their awesome EP, so head over to myspace.com/lemonface and give them some love. Like always, I'm a sucker for catchy melodies and tight harmonies and they are phenomenal at both. It's just good powerpop. At any rate, this video is a live performance of the newest song they have up on myspace (which is not on their EP), but I would really recommend heading to the page itself and listening to the studio recordings bcause they're very good and the sound quality on this video isn't the best. Enjoy!

Lemonface, "Explode" (Be sure to listen to Danas vocal part during the chorus - the girl has some pipes!)


Until next week!