Charon

[b][u]Tegan & Sara:[/u][/b] Catchy pop rock. With a little bit of Ani-DiFranco-style folk. That's pretty much all I can say to really describe them. I love every song they've every written, and, while this may not apply to everybody, you might at least be able to appreciate their simple songwriting (you're bound to get "Walking with A Ghost" stuck in your head at least once). Each of their 3 albums have been noticably different stylisticly, and I think that's a good song; I'm sick of cookie-cutter bands that all sound the same.Their live shows (which are terrific) are sprinkled with random stories, and they just seem like fun people. [b][u]Good Songs:[/u][/b] "Walking with a Ghost", "Speak Slow" "Where Does the Good Go?", "You Wouldn't Like Me", "My Number" (I could go on and on until I named just about every song, but I wont...)

I kicked a butterfly. I had no idea what got into me. I mean, there were these two butterflies slowly hovering around me (I guess they were mating) and I just had the erge to swat it. I couldn't reach it with my hand, so I used my foot. I mean, I kicked a fricken butterfly! What did it ever do to me? I am full of guilt about it. A butterfly, of all things...

Gilmore Girls! I can't say enough good things about it. That show is one of the best written shows on television; I hope they finally win some Emmys this year. All the high-speed, witty dialogue is tremendously entertaining, and the shouting matches between Emily and Lorelai are some of the best arguments on television drama. The first episode of the show that I saw was the finale of season five, and right now I'm a third of the way through season two. Regardless of knowing the "future" the DVDs are still enjoyable.

"All 'N My Grill" by Missy Elliott, Nicole, and Big Boi [from the album, Da Real World] This song is crazy. The strings were so dramatic for a Missy Elliott song, and Nicole's adlibs added something special (although she does get whiney near the middle). Big Boi's rap could have been left out, since it disrupts the smoothetivity (my new word) of the vocals, but it's entertaining in some aspects. The album was dissappointing to me, although some heralded it as the best thing she's ever made. Da Real World, in my opinion, was her worst album.

The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo! I have a deep urge to watch that for the sake of nostalgia, but I'm sure it's probably a hundred times less entertaining than I remember. And I hardly remember any of it all... Needless to say, Nickelodeon had some good ol' kid shows.

I'm a little sad to see them break up. I'm not an extremely big fan, but their last album had some pretty good songs ("Through With Love" and "Lose My Breath). I figured they were gonna break up eventually, but still...as drama-fied and commercial as they were, those girls were talented. Beyonce will continue to have a good solo career, I'm sure; Michelle has a gospel music audience that she'll dominate, but Kelly...I wonder where she'll fit in.

[QUOTE=satan665] I think that Gwen thinks she's so very cool and stylish, but is basically just exploiting that Japanese subculture...Its like some retarded form of slavery where you just throw money around and get people to do what you want. Stefani is an idiot (have you ever heard her talk in an interview?) who has the brain of a 14 year old. Its weird if people here start having "Harajuku style" which is just an extreme copy of American style in the first place.[/QUOTE] Don't you think that's a little harsh? I mean, slavery? It's basically just a group of back-up dancers with extra camera attention. As for Gwen, I don't really think it's fair to call her an idiot. Regarldess of how articulate she is in interviews, the Harajuku girls are just her muses of the moment. She's just inspired by them. It really isn't a complex issue.

Demon Days is the only Gorillaz album that I like; I just prefer Danger Mouse over The Automator. The spacey-synthesizers, sequenced drums, and trashy guitar are much more appealing (in my opinion) than the raw sounds of their debut. When it comes down to which album is "better", it just depends on personal preference.

The new Carl's Junior advertisement is the best I've ever seen. Paris Hilton just cracks me up. This sent me into hysterics for 10 minutes. I think any company that can sell a product (in this case, a burger) without showing it [frequently] in the add is genius. (Abercrombie, anybody) Car-wishing, rich, beautiful, blonde, and ditzy celebrities. What more does someone needs? [A burger?].

Courtney Love. Great rockstar, bad (and I mean [i]bad[/i]) parent. With all the drugs, custody battles, and law suits, it's easy to judge her. But as I said before, she's a great rockstar. I don't really listen to her music (I only like two of her songs), but I feel some respect for her as a musician.

This one Tegan & Sara song has puzzled me for the last few months. I can't quite figure out what it means, and it drives me crazy everytime I hear the song. But it's a great song, nonetheless. In fact, that album ([i]So Jealous[/i]) is probably one of the best alternative/rock albums of 2004. [i]No matter which way you go No matter which way you stay, You're out of my mind, out of my mind Out of my mind, out of my mind I was walking with a ghost, I said please, please don't insist. I was walking with a ghost, I said please, please dont insist [/i]

To describe a friend, simply think of the friends you have now. Make a list of all the general qualities you think are important to your relationship. Friendship needs vary from person to person, but they all go along the same general lines as what's already been said.

[quote name='Touma Seguchi][COLOR=RoyalBlue][FONT=Palatino Linotype]I think that Naima has the potential to win, why? She takes good photos most of the time, and she has that attitude about her that makes her seem rather sophisticated.[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] So did Yaya from Cycle 3; In with that in mind, I think it'll come down to Brittany and Naima and Brittany will win. That's pretty much how last season played out...but then agian, ANTM does favor short-haired people.

I think countdown lists of "best _________" aren't really applicable; Going by record sales is one thing, but everything else is just opinion. I could just call my favorite CDs "The Best Albums Ever", and I'll expect someone to disagree with me.

I love this show to pieces. The Covergirl aspect is starting to annoy me; The whole-edgy-Paris-runway ideas from Seasons 1 and 2 are being ditched for a Covergirl contract. In that way, it's starting to lose it's touch fashion-wise, but Janice Dickinson still manages to crack me up. I want Kahlen or Brittany to win. Naima takes the best photos, and for that I appreciate her, but she just isn't very interesting watch. [quote]and well, she sucked[/quote] Shandi did [i]not[/i] suck.

Rice pudding! Kozy Shack's European Style Rice Pudding is the best fricken thing on the planet. There are generally 6 servings for the big containers, but I'll end up usually find myself halfway through in about two minutes. Goes good with Coca Cola.

Well, as I child, I always wanted to do something creative: art, animation, design. Now I've set my sights on the same creativity, but in a more musical direction. I've always wanted to be rich and famous, though. That part hasn't changed. I also have a desire to own and run a coffee shop. I hate coffee though. I just like idea of having a coffee shop. What's not to love? Besides coffee?

Soul music! (Including my favorites: Macy Gray, Angie Stone, Floetry, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Tweet, Raphael Saadiq, early B.E.P., and Teedra Moses) Soul is so organic, and comes in such variety. The whole "neo-soul" tag placed with many of the above artists I think was more of a movement that a sound genre. I think neo-soul was just a bunch of like-minded artists, sick of the early 90s cliche R&B. It's a pretty broad genre, mixed with a little bit of everything else. It's a kind of aqquired taste; It took my awhile to grow fond of it, but one summer I took a chance and bought Angie Stone's "Stonve Love" and was hooked. Most importantly, the genre is full of real talent. No Ciaras or Hilary Duffs.

As you can probably infer from the title, what albums are you looking forward to hearing in 2005? [i]MTV Unplugged[/i] [b](Alicia Keys)[/b]: Her live shows are killer, and I've heard great things about her accoustic performances. I own all of her albums, and I can't wait to add this to my collection. She's a true artist - anything she does is terrififc. Sometime this spring, maybe summer. Not quite sure what she's going to preform. [i]Khulami Phase[/i] [b](Lauryn Hill)[/b]: I've been waiting for info about this album. She filmed a music video in August, worked with Kanye West earlier this year, and, according to a supposed track listing I found on the internet, Kelis, Beyonce, Stephen Marley, the Wailers, and the Fugees all make appearances. Apparently, the album is headed for a reggae/soul/R&B direction, unlike the Grammy-winning hip hop of [i]The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill[/i]. After hearing what Kanye did with John Legend (incredible album), I expect great things. No release date yet; hopefully by this summer. I hope she hurries up and finishes so they can get to work on another Fugee album (as Wyclef hinted); the two recently preformed Fugee songs at a tsunami benefit concert in Maylasia (I think). [i]Monkey Business[/i] [b](Black Eyed Peas)[/b]: [i]Elephunk[/i] was my favorite album of 2003. I'm expecting the same thing from them again. Collaborations include James Brown, John Legend (few people know he sang the chorus on [i]Elephunk's[/i] "The Boogie That Be"), and some other guitarist guy. I was little dissapointed they didn't get to collaborate with the Darkness like they planned. That would have been crazy. Album will be released sometime in May. [b]New single available on iTunes![/b] "Don't Phunk With My Heart' is a great song, but their sound has evolved so much since their first album. But if I like it, I like it. Missy Elliot: No title available yet. Missy is one of the most incredible hip hop artists of this day. I was dissapointed that This Is Not A Test was her only album not to go platinum. I thought that was one of her best yet. The only album of hers I did not like was [i]Da Real World[/i]. It was a little boring, since it followed a similar style of [i]Supa Dupa Fly[/i]; But after [i]So Addictive[/i] came out, everything is original and fresh. I can't even begin to imagine what she's going to pull off next. Hopefully however, the material she contributed to Gwen Stefani's album (that never made the final cut) will be on her album. Ciara (who, by the way, was never a hermaphrodite) is going to rap on it, and Fantasia might be on it. She claims this is her best album yet. Due to June 28th (finally, a date on this list).

Alicia Keys. It was incredible. She sounds so much better live than on the record, which is what really seperates the true artists from the fake. She made you feel like you were the only one listening, worked the crowd for her upbeat songs, and is just such a talented person in general. Even if you are not a big fan in general, but are at least somewhat interested in her music, go see her live; You'll come out totally inspired. Tegan & Sara were pretty good too. They're quite entertaining between songs, and I just love the sound of their voices.

It's more than five...but who cares? These are some of my favorites. 1. India Arie I have a lot of respect for India Arie. Accoustic Soul was an amazing album; it was raw, organic, and soulful. She was the sole reason I picked up the guitar, and for that I am eternally gratefull. 2. Tom Dumont No Doubt is perhaps my favorite band of all time. The ska-punk from the Tragic Kingdom days is incredible; I have a lot of fond memories of No Doubt in my life, and this is my way of paying tribute to my favorite band. 3. Chad Hugo The quiet half of the Neptunes, and lead guitarist for N*E*R*D, Chad Hugo has made some great rock songs. "Truth Or Dare" (by N*E*R*D), "Young, Fresh 'N New" (by Kelis), and 4. Wyclef Jean His guitar on the Fugees' "Vocab" is amazing. Raw beats and an unplugged guitars made the Fugees (along with great lyrics) an amazing group. You don't hear much accoustic guitar in hip hop music very much, if at all. 5. The Edge It's U2; they need to be on every rock list. Honorable mention: Courtney Taloyr, Van Hunt, Raphael Saadiq, Lenny Kravitz, and D'Angelo

1. No Doubt I love No Doubt. I wish they'd go back to the Tragic Kingdom Era, because since Rock Steady, they have totally left the ska punk thing behind for a electronic pop-rock sound. Regardless anything they make is good enough for me. Gwen's side project was incredible; I loved every single song on that album, although she got a little carried away with the Harajuku girls (so did I). 2. The Sounds The Sounds rock my world. There's really not much else I can say. They got some crap for giving solos to synth player. but it's nice to find something other than the over-played pop/rock poster bands of the radio. 3. The Fugees I'm not sure whether they're really a band, but Wyclef plays guitar so that's gotta count for something. Lauryn is probably my favorite female MC next to Missy Elliot, because of her insane delivery. Any version of the song Vocab showcases this. I've heard they're going to try working on a new album once Lauryn finishes her second solo record (FINALLY!) I've been waiting for years. I got a little worried after the mess of her MTV unplugged, but now that she's worked with Kanye, and after I found a possible track listing of the CD (appearences by Kelis, Beyonce & Fugees), I'm on the edge of my seat. She filmed a music video in august, but Sony appearantly is waiting to release the album.

UNDER-RATED (In no particular order): 1. Miss Dynamite: I love this girl. Her rhyming style is aggresive without getting all angry and gangster, and as a person she is very socially conscious regarding the music industry and political issues. She's not that bad of a singer either, but her approach is so hard hitting you really don't care that much about her voice (like on the song "Put Him Out") 2. Van Hunt: This guy is like Hendrix/Kravitz/D'Angelo put in a blender with a dash of Austin Powers flavor. I guess he's not really underrated as he is unknown, but 3. Tegan and Sara: I love the song "Walking With the Ghost". Their whole album (So Jealous) was this raw, free-spirited approach to rock. I'm not that much of a die hard fan, but the sound of the singer's voice is terrific. As for over-rated: 50 Cent: His arrogance is getting on my nerves. Cassidy: Anyone can be a rapper as long as you can rhyme to words together. A record deal should not be based on whether a person can use a thesaurus or talk rhyme party with Bacardi. Chingy: Same as above. Fabolous: See Cassidy. Maroon 5: Joss Stone should have won best new artist. Adam Levine's voice is annoying, and is even worse live (like at the Grammys). Bowling for Soup: They're not that special; It's the same old pop-punk stuff.

I doubt anybody has heard of Jean Grae. The Cameo Queen got her name from the numerous appearances in the underground rap circle. As an artist from the OkayPlayer network, she's collaborated several times with the Roots. If you're purchased their latest, you hear her rap on "Somebody's Gotta Do It". Regardless, she is one of the best MCs of our generation, and I'd love to argue one of the best ever. [I]This Week[/I], her latest studio effort came out on Sept. 21st, and it took me awhile to find it, but I've been listening to it nonstop since. Anybody of fan of hers? If not, check out "My Crew" from her Bootleg of the Bootleg EP. If you're fan of real hip hop music, you'll be hooked the moment you hear it.

Who could forget the psuedo-lesbiean Russian school girls who make out on stage almost all the time? Of course, they levels of talent and entertainment are very different. I think you could grab almost any teenager off the street, have them squeal out high-pitched songs with mediocre-produced pop-rock and you have another t.A.T.u. I still find them and their music entertaining.