The Single Life....August 5, 2006

This has been way overdue, but pickins have been slim lately... links to webpages are on the artists' names...

Heartland - "I Loved Her First" I guess we didn't get enough sap in "Butterfly Kisses" to make this necessary. Perfect for your promise-ringed daughter's wedding but not much else. Diabetics beware. Grade: D+

30 Seconds To Mars - "The Kill (Bury Me)" It's a good thing I listened to this before I knew this was Jared Leto's band. I'd give it good marks for a actor-cum-singer vehicle, average in the angry-emo department otherwise. Grade: B-

Audioslave - "Original Fire" Tom Morello has finally broke the shackles of Rage Against The Machine's legacy and gotten funky. It helps to have Brendan O'Brien, the producer also behind Stone Temple Pilots, to guide this project. A good, if lightweight, change of pace. Grade: B

Jewel - "Good Day" A much better, though more quirky, followup to Jewel's "Again & Again", a breezy yet thoughful love song. Time changes not seen much anymore in adult pop. Much props to the video as well. Grade: B+

Jessica Simpson - "Public Affair" The credits give notice to Ashford & Simpson for the ahh-ahh-ahh's from "Someday We'll Be Together", but the real crib is from Madonna's "Holiday". As different to ex-hubby Nick Lachey's "What's Left Of Me" as you can get. Meow.
Still a good time, since we're not expecting Bob Dylan here. Grade: B

RuPaul - "Supermodel (RuMixes)" It was only a matter of time. Gotta give RuPaul love for who he is, but the remixes here aren't really that inspiring. The "Encino Edit" and the "Havenhurst Vocal" just succeed in making the song louder, and the "Funky Junction Mix" is different, but I can't really place why. The "There I Got Rocked" version adds incongruous guitars, trying to make this a power-pop song it ain't, and the "El Toya Jam" brings back the sound of the likes of "Whoomp! There It Is", nuff said. Also included are two mixes of "Love Sees No Colour" which I couldn't tell if it was Ru or Cher I was hearing. Grade: D

Roger Sanchez - "Lost (12" Mix)" This track takes the indie dance-siren vibe and puts the low end on some steroids. Takes a looong while to get started but once the background kicks in, it's not bad. Grade: B-

Adam Freemer - "Underground, Baby! (Adam's Original Twisted Mix)" I knew we were overdue for an innocuous tribal track. Great for those who don't want their bass and percussion hindered by any sort of melody. Grade: D+

Alan Jackson - "Like Red On A Rose" Let me first say I think usually Alan can't go wrong. This is a classy, yet understated ballad, which is a welcome break from the recent glut of country music histrionics. Grade B+

Landon Pigg - "Can't Let Go" Pigg has the voice like he came off the Radiohead/Coldplay tribute tour. I can imagine this lovelorn stuff being what the O.C. kids graduate into. Grade: C+

Hinder - "Lips Of An Angel" OMG. Nickelback now has left a legacy. 'Nuff Said. Grade: D+

and as an added bonus, here's the song which in a perfect world would share the "Song Of The Summer" title, along with Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man"...

listen to "Mama's Room" by Under The Influence of Giants by clicking here.

and watch the video below.



now go to I-Tunes and go buy the EP and remixes! Pronto!