Twostepcublog

Hey guys, it's time for my tunes for the week. After nine weeks Maroon5 finally gets displaced by Keith Urban, while Rihanna (pictured above) makes a big move in the top-10. This week sees big jumps by Enrique Iglesias, The White Stripes, Fall Out Boy, Stevie Nicks, and Pink, while The Killers and Lola drop off the list. Happy 6 months, SB! This Week Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. I Told You So - Keith Urban (2) 2. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon5 (1) 3. Rehab - Amy Winehouse (4) 4. Paralyzer - Finger Eleven (6) 5. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson (3) 6. Umbrella - Rihanna (9) 7. What I've Done - Linkin Park (7) 8. Wrapped - George Strait (8) 9. U & Ur Hand - Pink (5) 10. Home - Daughtry (10) 11. Dig - Incubus (14) 12. Lost In The Moment - Big & Rich (16) 13. 4 In The Morning - Gwen Stefani (17) 14. Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's (21) 15. Because Of You - Ne-Yo (

In the years following the “death” of disco, dance music became the most “underground” genre, even eclipsing the cresting punk movement. Kept going by the gay clubs, the soul of disco morphed into a cleaner, more robotic groove influenced by new wave. Compilations of this music are hard to find, and they’re mostly on independent labels. Such is the case with Gay Classics Vol V: Heading Out , one of a series of obscure dance records on obscure labels by obscure artists on Hot Productions records. And it is a somewhat harder listen than a normal dance record. Underground it may be, but very derivative, especially in its reliance on covers, with Heading Out featuring three, a disjointed take on “ Do You Know The Way To San Jose ” which doesn’t fit the pace or phrasing, a megamix of gay icons Bronski Beat/Communards tunes called “ Commumix ” (though I got to hand it to the singer for keeping up with the falsetto), and a passable version of “ Touch Me In The Morning ”. There were few “st

First off, I never saw Cars . Odd, then eh, having the soundtrack? No, since for this Pixar flick the soundtrack included a top-20 pop and country hit, lite-country stars Rascal Flatts and their version of (irony aside) “ Life Is A Highway ”. The CD itself, though has a dual personality – roughly half music-artist contributions and half Randy Newman ’s score. Sheryl Crow ’s “ Real Gone ” starts things off with a seemingly happy tune that I felt listening to the lyrics to be a commentary on the Dixie Chicks bashing affair – who she’s worked with before – but I may be wrong. Rascal Flatts does an adequate workman’s version of Tom Cochrane’s “ Life Is A Highway ”, though it’s undetectably any more “country” that way. Brad Paisley has two songs here, both which could be left-offs from his last album, though entertaining nonetheless. “ Behind The Clouds ” is wistfully dreamy, while “ Find Yourself ” is mildly inspiring. James Taylor submits a by-the-book soft-rock of “ Our Town ”, w

Hey boys and girls, already time again for the tunes for the week. This week Maroon5 makes it nine weeks at the top, while Finger Eleven (pictured above), who I'll be seeing August 23, makes a good jump within the top-10. Billy Currington and Alan Jackson drop off the list, while Gwen Stefani, Enrique Iglesias, Martina McBride and Fergie make some of the biggest jumps. Happy Birthday, Jeffie! This Week Title/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) ---------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon5 (1) 2. I Told You So - Keith Urban (3) 3. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson (2) 4. Rehab - Amy Winehouse (6) 5. U & Ur Hand - Pink (4) 6. Paralyzer - Finger Eleven (9) 7. What I've Done - Linkin Park (8) 8. Wrapped - George Strait (10) 9. Umbrella - Rihanna (16) 10. Home - Daughtry (13) 11. Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood (11) 12. I Could Fall In Love With You - Erasure (7) 13. The Other Side Of The World - KT Tuns

Sorry about the light posting this week, still getting back into the groove. Though after the idiocy of the Plame trial outcome, I needed to post a little KO.

I'm back from my trip to Colorado, and pictures are forthcoming...until then I'm playing catchup, and here's my tunes for the week. This week Maroon5 is on top for an eighth week, while British punk-diva Amy Winehouse (pictured above) makes a big jump within the top-10. Big moves are made by Rihanna, Kim English, Enrique Iglesias, Erika Jayne, Fall Out Boy, and Kenny Chesney, while Rocco DeLucca, 30 Seconds to Mars (again), and Ultra Nate fall off. Cowboy up! This Week Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon5 (1) 2. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson (3) 3. I Told You So - Keith Urban (4) 4. U & Ur Hand - Pink (2) 5. The Other Side Of The World - KT Tunstall (6) 6. Rehab - Amy Winehouse (10) 7. I Could Fall In Love With You - Erasure (8) 8. What I've Done - Linkin Park (9) 9. Paralyzer - Finger Eleven (16) 10. Wrapped - George Strait (11) 11.

Some Gwen Verdon gettin' all down in the hood.... Damn you!

Witness journalism in action as David Shuster, filling in for Chris Matthews on Hardball , shows what it's like to do a real interview, and not a one-sided puff piece, as neo-nutjob Fouad Ajami is taken to task for his writings on the Libby case. Thoughtful, researched, and forceful, Shuster proves there's just no beating calling a spade a spade. He debunks all his accusations, from the "no crime" crap to the "hero" crap. Ajami is a major slimy dick. And a snake. And hopefully he'll learn. But probably not.

Hey folks, dang if this vacation week went by too quickly, it's time already for my tunes of the week. This week Maroon5 stays at the top for a seventh week, while KT Tunstall (pictured above) moves up in the top-10. There's big jumps by Gwen Stefani, Jacinta, Jon McLaughlin, Green Day, and the White Stripes, while there's an exodus from the list, as Justin Timberlake, John Mayer, Mika, The Fray (with 2 songs!), Samantha James, S-Blush, Sugarland drop off. Happy Live Earth Day! This Week Song/Artist (Last week's position in parentheses) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon5 (1) 2. U & Ur Hand - Pink (2) 3. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson (3) 4. I Told You So - Keith Urban (4) 5. Ticks - Brad Paisley (6) 6. The Other Side Of The World - KT Tunstall (7) 7. Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood (5) 8. I Could Fall In Love With You - Erasure (9) 9. What I've Done - Linkin Park (1

No one’s accused Perry Como of being too cool. Making Pat Boone look like a hooligan, Como was the stalwart from the 40’s that was dragged kicking and not-so-screaming into the rock era. In fact, according to the liner notes, he had this to say about Elvis himself: “When I hear ‘Hound Dog’, I have to vomit a little, but in 1975 it will probably be a slightly ancient classic.” Bitter a little, eh? Well like Sinatra, Martin, and Davis, Como persevered in the 60s (though to less success than Frank), before hitting big again with a short early-70s comeback. The Essential 60’s Singles Collection puts together his singles from the decade to fill in a gap in the major artists’ career. And as representative of the adult contemporary music of the time, most of the collection comes up blander than expected. Starting off with “ Delaware ”, a novelty march of puns that belongs more on a Barney album, doesn’t set the tone well (though it was huge in England and to a lesser extent here in th

Hat-tip to Noel ....

Hey boys and girls, it's time for my tunes of the week, a little late (a trend, eh?) due to the fact that I'm on holiday week (woohoo!). This week Maroon5 spend a sixth week at the summit, while Keith Urban (pictured above) jumps into the top-5 with his third single from his latest album. Snow Patrol, Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts, Lily Allen, and Carrie Underwood all have songs leaving the list, while iio, Jennifer Lopez, Nickelback, Jacinta, and The White Stripes make the biggest moves. And the links are back! Click on any highlighted name of the artist to go to their website for more info, clips, music, and more....Party on! This Week Song/Artist (last week's position in parentheses) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon5 (1) 2. U & Ur Hand - Pink (2) 3. Never Again - Kelly Clarkson (3) 4. I Told You So - Keith Urban (9) 5. Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood (5) 6. Ticks - B