(ALBUM REVIEW!) Some Nights :: FUN.

Long time no post!

Over the last 2 weeks, I have been listening to FUN's album Some Nights. If you haven't, I recommend you get on Spotify or Youtube and check them out!

The song that is most popular on the radio (I shit you not, I literally heard it 6 times in a 3 hour time span on 2 different radio stations, during my indoor softball games, and from random people passing by humming the tune) is their single We Are Young featuring Janelle Monáe.

However, I highly recommend taking 50 minutes out of your day and listening to the whole album from start to finish.

Many artists have a style that they stick to...a sound that is uniquely theirs and hard to break away from. This isn't that big of a deal because if you like their sound, you stick with them.

But what sets FUN. apart from other bands is the fact that their sound is still uniquely theirs and each song is so uniquely different. This is not something that many artists can do. It's hard. It's complicated. But it is also super freaking amazing. It's almost as if Queen's Freddie Mercury has been reincarnated and reinvented.

Anyway, enough reading. Get to listening!

Rhythm Nation 1814 :: Janet Jackson

As many of you already know, I LOVE Janet Jackson. Meggo Trivia: Who owns every single album she has put out since her music career began in the early 80s? Answer: Me. I owe my appreciation of Ms. Jackson (if you're nasty) to my mom and her feminist taste in pop music during my upbringing (Madonnna, Janet, Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benetar, Stevie Nicks...you get the drift). This particular album was one of the first cassette tapes (along with Madonna's True Blue album) that I took from my mom's personal collection to play in my room so I could pretend I was an entertainer in front of my mirror with a hair brush. There's just something about Janet's music that makes me want to get up and DANCE. But this particular album is a favorite of mine for many reasons that move beyond my love of dancing around in front of mirrors and lip-syncing.

Not only does this album include R&B, Rock, Dance-Pop, and Funk styles, it was conceptualized to be a social justice album, which Janet intended to deliver a socially conscious message to people - strong enough for people to notice and take that first step of activism, listening. I would like to think optimistically and think that the fact that this album made history by becoming the ONLY album to have 7 top 5 hit singles ("Miss You Much", "Rhythm Nation", "Escapade", "Alright", "Come Back to Me", "Black Cat", and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)") AND the ONLY album ever to achieve number one hit singles in three separate calendar years (89-91) as evidence enough that Janet's message got through to SOME people...

Here's to Janet and one of my all time favorite albums!
The end.
Love,
Meggo.

Here's my favorite music video for this album:

Janet Jackson - New Music - More Music Videos

Creed:
Music / Poetry / Dance / Unity

Pledge:
We are a Nation with no Geographic Boundaires
Bound together through our beliefs
We are like-minded individuals
Sharing a Common Vision
Pushing toward a world rid of color lines.

With music by our side
To break the color lines
Lets work together
To improve our way of life
Join voices in protest
To social injustice
A generation full of courage
Come forth with me

People of the world today
Are we looking for a better way of life
We are a part of the Rhythm Nation
People of the world unite
Strength in numbers we can get it right
One time
We are apart of the Rhythm Nation

This is the test
No struggle no progress
Lend a hand to help
Your brother do his best
Things are getting worse
We have to make them better
Its time to give a damn
Lets work together, come on now

People of the world today ( Rhythm )
Are we looking for a better way of life ( Rhythm )
We are a part of the Rhythm Nation ( Everybody sing it )
People of the world unite ( Rhythm )
Strength in numbers we can get it right ( Rhythm )
One time
We are apart of the Rhythm Nation ( Whoo )

Say it People, Say it Children ( Rhythm Nation )
Say it if you want a better way of life
Say it People, Say it Children ( Rhythm Nation )
Say it if you want a better way of life

(Rhythm)
People of the world today
Are we looking for a better way of life ( Say it )
We are a part of the Rhythm Nation ( Whoo )
People of the world unite
Strength in numbers we can get it right
One time ( Sing it up now )
We are apart of the Rhythm Nation (Rhythm Nation sing the story)

Say it for the People( Rhythm Nation )
Say it for the Children
Say it for the Babies
Say it for the People( Rhythm Nation )
Say it for the Children
Say it for the Babies
Say it for the, Say it for the, Say it for the.....
( Rhythm Nation )

We are apart of the Rhythm Nation

Random Trivia thanks to Wikipedia!: The album's title was a composite of Jackson's pledge, "We are a nation with no geographic boundaries, bound together through our beliefs. We are like-minded individuals, sharing a common vision, pushing toward a world rid of color-lines" and its supporting creed, "Music, Poetry, Dance, Unity". 1814 referred to the year "The Star Spangled Banner" was written; in addition, 'R' is the 18th letter of the alphabet and 'N' the 14th, hence Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814.

The Beat :: Ima Robot

happy tuesday everyone!!! i'd like to continue onto my happy summer music theme of a couple of weeks ago...and with the theme of jammin! i came across this lovely rock group from LA called Ima Robot. i first heard this particular song of theirs on pandora.com - an online radio 'do-it-yourself' station (which if you haven't checked it out, you totally should!). i had created a 'Cloud Cult' radio station and Ima Robot popped up after a couple of days of groovin. i found myself bouncin around in my office chair while i was putting together a media hit list and organizing some invoices.

Anyway...

Ima Robot put out their first full length album in 2003 - but have been makin sweet sweet music since the late 90s. They've also toured with some rockin bands like Hot Hot Heat, and The Sounds (two groups we need to blog about soon!!!) which must have been super fun.

this particular tune comes from their second album Monument to the Masses, which was released in 2006. what is fun about this particular group is that their really diverse in terms of style - and they're funny. you can't go wrong with people that can make fun music that can also make you laugh and feel giddy and silly and....summery :)

so, enough with my talkin! get to jammin. hope y'all enjoy Ima Robot as much as i have been!
the end.
love,
meggo.



(video disclaimer: i tried my hardest to find a video/audio version of this song that was from the band, but after trying various audio/visual websites, this was the best thing i could come up with! so, hopefully this person's fun-times pictures will accompany the song in an exciting way!)



The Beat :: Ima Robot
Julie’s clocking out at the station
hurry up and get your pay
a two day vacation
Friday, Saturday
down in the basement
shower up in the sink
throw on some lipstick and
look pretty in pink

short skirts in the cold
to the club
oh the night is waiting
getting closer you feel it shaking
on the dance floor

this is the beat, the beat we fight to
this is the beat we live and die to
here’s to the kids that get it off
we work all week to sweat it off

this is the beat we beat the pressure
throwing away the world with pleasure
we’re working hard to burn it off
so dj won't you turn it up

beat beat, beat beat
beat beat, beat beat

julie's doing shots at the counter
thinking 'bout his great escape
from his stupid job telemarketing
but he never can shake the weight
a little tap on the shoulder
the prettiest girl in pink
"Oh no, I can’t dance," he told her
as she dragged him from his drink

freeze frame in the heat
she moved
oh and it’s close to shaking
so close but the crowd is breaking
on the dance floor

this is the beat, the beat we fight to
this is the beat we live and die to
here’s to the kids that get it off
we work all week to sweat it off

this is the beat to beat the pressure
throwing away the world with pleasure
we’re working hard to burn it off
so dj won’t you turn it up

and we can be for city boys
and summer girls who dream
just like the kids with chinese rocks
and beating hearts
thank you boys

make some noise
make some noise

this is the beat, the beat we fight to
this is the beat that we get high to
this is the beat, the beat we fight to
this is the beat we live and die to
this is the beat, the beat we fight to
this is the beat we live and die to
here's to the kids that get it off
we work all week to sweat it off
this is the beat to beat the pressure
throwing away the world with pleasure
we're working hard to burn it off
so dj won't you turn it off

BONUS SONG!!! (just for fun!)
Hello I Love You :: Ima Robot

True To Me :: Metro Station

So, I have been wanting to post a song by Metro Station for a while now (ever since Dylan posted their Shake It song, I've been a little hooked on the group)...but I needed to wait so we wouldn't be too redundant...I figure that a couple days over a month is ok :) I don't know what it is about emo-punk boy bands, but I've been totally diggin them this year - especially now that it's summer! they just make me want to have a dance party outside, fully equipped with a pool, a bbq, margaritas and friends :) doesn't that sound like a good time?

Actually, as I write this blog, I am starting to reflect on what kinds of music I listen to during the different seasons and it's sorta funny and predictable...Spring/Summer time = happy fun dance around rockin music...Fall/Winter = slower, calm, folky music.

ANYWAY....

Metro Station is pretty sweet. They're relatively new, and sweet combo of electronic and pop. Plus, two of the band members have an odd connection...Trace Cyrus and Mason Musso are the older siblings of Miley Cyrus and Mitchel Musso (who star in the Disney show Hannah Montana)...seems like the Cyrus siblings are having a better go a the music industry than their pops - and that's totally fine by me :) I dig their music more than i dig country, so hurray for that.

Oddly enough, Metro Station will be touring on the Soundtrack of Your Summer tour (I just looked this up and got creeped out that the reference to Summer...). So, with all this neat-o background info, here's another song from Metro Station!

Enjoy.
The end.
<3,
Meggo.






True To Me::Metro Station
She turned me on
But now I'm shaking
She shoots it in
And I keep taking

They don't see
She's down with me tonight
(Time to push off)

She's such a rush
She's such a crush
She's one in a million
She's such a rush
Can't get enough
She's pumping through my veins
She's too fun to be so gone with me
Too good to be true to me

She's over my head
She's all I need
I'm so strung out
She's out of my league

They don't see
She's down with me tonight
(Time to push off)

She's such a rush
She's such a crush
She's one in a million
She's such a rush
Can't get enough
She's pumping through my veins
She's too fun to be so gone with me
Too good to be true to me

Oh, oh, she's too good to be true
I'm hooked up and ? too
Can't you see she's the sweat on the sheets?
Can't you see she's all that I need?
Can't you see she's all that I see?

She's such a rush
She's such a crush
She's one in a million
She's such a rush
Can't get enough
She's pumping through my veins
She's too fun to be so gone with me
Too good to be true to me
Too good to be true to me
Too good to be true to me

Bonus Song!!!! This one goes out to Kelsey :)

Noticed :: Mute Math

my sincerest apologies for being entirely late with this post...but as of today, i am no longer a student! i have completed my master's degree program in sociology so now it's time to find a job...so, hopefully i will be on time from now on!

anyway, i want to talk about a (new to me) band that my roommate passed onto me. this group is called Mute Math and they're from New Orleans, Louisiana. if you have a special place in your heart for the 80's and the music that era produced, then you will hopefully dig this group!

this group caught my attention upon the first 4 seconds of hearing them for many reasons, including the following:

a driving drum beat
catchy lyrics and melody
kickin bass lines
sweet guitar licks
counting out loud
and last but not least...a keyboard guitar


hopefully y'all will enjoy this song and this band as much as i do. special shout out to my roommate for passing this group onto me!!

the end.
<3,
meggo.




or...check out this sweet live video!


Noticed::Mute Math
Careful when you open
It's easy to be broken
In the strangest fashion
You start a chain reaction
When you look my way
Something's pounding away
And I wonder if I ever felt this before

And all this time oblivious to what you make so obvious
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

You are reaching for something that is beating
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before
Over and again racing out of my skin
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

At least it was never until I noticed you
And your ways capture what I've misplaced
In the perfect fashion
Just watch my hearts reaction
This point of view is nothing that I'm used to
But I won't close my eyes cause they're onto you

And all this time it was staring me blind
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

You are reaching for something that is beating
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before
Over and again racing out of my skin
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

At least it was never until I noticed you
Woah-oh
The only time I ever noticed my heart was when I noticed you-yeah
The only time I ever noticed my heart was when I noticed you-yeah
You-yeah, you YEAH!

1-2-3!

You are reaching for something that is beating
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before
Over and again racing out of my skin
I can't believe I never noticed my heart before

Till I noticed you-yeah
I noticed you-yeah
You, yeah
When I noticed you-yeah
I noticed you-yeah
That's the only time I ever noticed my heart before



Check out more Mute Math!!!

Shake It :: Metro Station

This song goes out to all present (and past, and future I suppose) members of Luther College Pride in all it's incarnations (Aware, GLBTA Flag). If you were fortunate enough to either attend the MBLGTACC conference in a car of Luther kids, or if got to shake your booty at Drag Ball 2008 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," you have probably heard this song before. Or you might just be really cool and on top of your music.

Metro Station are a myspace success story. Founding members Trace Cyrus and and Mason Musso actually recruited Blake Healy and Anthony Improgo through myspace, and then they quickly climbed to the top of the myspace unsigned band's charts. Columbia's Walking Eye program found them through myspace, and signed them shortly after. Since then they've toured with Cobra Starship, and opened for Panic at the Disco.

This particular track was an iTunes free song of the week back in October, and as anyone familiar with apple can figure out, any group that gets selected to have an iTunes free song of the day is probably going to hit it big shortly after that. (Feist, Yael Naim, countless other songs used in apple ads and given away as free tracks of the week).

As I mentioned earlier, it's been a big hit with certain Luther folk this semester, and has made it into the coveted top five of my "Getting Ready in the Morning" playlist. So without further ado, Metro Station's "Shake It"



Let's drop!
Yeah, come on

I'll take you home
If you don't leave me at the front door
(Leave me at the front door)
Your body's cold
But girl, we're gettin' so warm
And I was thinking of ways
That I could get inside
(Get inside)

Tonight you're falling in love
Let me go now
This feeling's tearing me up
Here we go now

Chorus
Now if she does it like this
Will you do it like that?
Now if she touches like this
Will you touch her like that?
Now if she moves like this
Will you move her like that?
Come on, shake, shake
Shake, shake, shake it

Shake, shake
Shake, shake, lets shake it

Shake, shake,
Shake, shake, lets shake it

Shake, shake,
Shake, shake, lets shake it

Shake, shake,
Shake, shake, lets shake it

Your lips tremble
But your eyes are in a straight stare
(In a straight stare)
We're on the bed
But your clothes are laying right there
And I was thinking of places
That I could hide
(I could hide)

Tonight you're falling in love
Let me go now
This feeling's tearing me up
Here we go now

Chorus

I saw you dancing
And I couldn't get you off my mind
I could tell that you could tell
That I was taking my time
But I was thinking of ways
To get you to stay tonight
Body's shaking
Tell me off so I can turn off the lights

Chorus

Top 5 Butt-Rock Anthems

In no particular order:

"Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake



[The floaty ethereal chick is the singer's real-life wife. awww]

"Cherry Pie" by Warrant



[Haha this is some person playing it on Guitar Hero. Much better than the actual video.]

"Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi



[Bon Jovi w/long hair= butt rock.]

"We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister



[Total queer liberation! Gender-bending.]

"Every Rose Has It's Thorn" by Poison



[One song twenty years ago, and this dude gets his own reality show...]

Better People :: Xavier Rudd

Guest Blogger::Emily

I was first introduced to Xavier Rudd by a close friend of mine. On a very random night, I met my (soon to be) friend, an Irishman who was stopping through the US on his way to live and work in Australia. He had no job lined up, no place to stay, no real plan, just $600 in his pocket and a dream. Three years later, keeping in touch only through text messages, we reunited and he brought me a gift of all of Xavier Rudd’s CDs. We were only together for a week, but he said that I would learn a lot about him while he was gone by listening to Xavier’s music.

So I did, and I want to share it with all of you. Xavier has an amazing sense of the intersection between humanity and nature. He seems to be a man who knows himself and who is in tune with the echoes of the earth on which we live. He is a native Australian, and many of his songs pay tribute to the Australian Aboriginal people (see: “Land Rights” and “Anni Kookoo” on his White Moth album). He plays all of his own instruments, including the didgeridoo. His website describes his music as an “amalgamation of folk, reggae, rock and world music”.


Really, all of his songs are good. I chose to write about “Better People” (off the album, White Moth, because of its sense of honesty, beauty, inspiration, and hope in a (at times) dreary, hopeless, and mean world. As he points out, there are some people who don’t listen or care, but there are lots of people who do care and are working to heal each other. Our earth is wounded, but there is overwhelming beauty in nature and humanity.

From a musical stand point, he really uses his voice as an instrument. He does not just talk or sing over the music, he and his words become a part of the music. I really like his infusions of different styles and the music quality in general. It’s unique.

Let me know if you want recommendations of others songs of his. Also, more information about Xavier, his music, and his mission can be found HERE.

Enjoy and pass along!




Better People::Xavier Rudd

you people saving whales,
giving your thanks to our seas
my respect to the ones in the forest,
standing up for our old trees

them giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...

what I have could be a message
or just some words from my heart
my respect to the ones making changes
for other lives they’ll give their own

like giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...

well our world it keeps spinning
round and round it goes
human nature keeps spreading its disease
and our children keeps growing up with
what they know from what we teach
and what they see
and it’s only a question of the time we have
and the lives that our children will lead
they can only keep growing up with
what they know from what we teach
and what they see

like giving food to the hungry
giving hope to the needy
giving life to a baby
giving care for free
cause there is freedom around us
we have everything we need
i will care for you
because you care for me
we all have opinions
some of them get through
but there’s better people
with more good to do
good to do...