The Laid-back Twinkly Music Extravaganza!

Today is beautiful outside in Tuscaloosa. I swear, the sun is out in the clear blue sky and the trees are shining green and everything is just so lush and I'm not even sneezing at it all. It's like magic, really.

So let me take a little time before I go right back out there to drop some music recs your way. It's been a while since I made a playlist for you anyway.

The Ultra Laid-Back Music Extraordinaire

• Start off with "Bottle It Up" by Sara Bareilles. Pretty mainstream but with enough of her own flavor that it tastes great. Chill and happy, meant for sunny days.
• Now take the energy down a notch with Melody Gardot's "All That I Need is Love". Kinda cynical but idealistic too? You'll get it once you listen. The woman's voice is smooth and husky and lovely. Yes, it's jazz, but people better get off that whole "omg jazz sucks" kick, mostly because it's completely untrue. You ever hear of Miles Davis or John Coltrane? Yeah, that's what I thought.
• Follow that with "Play In Reverse" by Lex Land. Kinda twinkly, but very very pretty. The lyrics are a little sad, but the music is chill. So chill-sad? I don't know. It's a good song about just letting go of an unrequited love.
• Next is "Sugarcane" by honeyhoney. Medium-paced with a kick to it and kinda wistful.
• Moving to slow acoustic wistful with the Fray's song "Unsaid" off their EP Reason. Great song. Perfect acoustic. All acoustic songs should wish to be this one.
• Kicking up the chillax feelings and tempo a notch with "Al Fin" by Florencia Ruiz. It's in Spanish but regardless of language, the song just resonates with closing your eyes and enjoying the breeze and the sun.
• Getting back into mainstream oldness with Anna Nalick and "Breathe (2 AM)". What, you guys didn't love this song? Whatever. I love it, and that's really all that matters. It makes me feel like I'm having an epiphany moment in a movie or a prime-time TV show. Swear, that's what this song is made for.
• Aaand then we have Michael Cera and Ellen Page's version of "Anyone Else But You". Shutup, I love this version. It's all guitars and quiet singing and Michael freaking Cera. ♥ Michael Cera, if you're reading this (yeah right), I am so in love with you it hurts. In every single movie of yours. Ellen Page, if you are reading this (ahahahaha), you are awesome incarnate. Like Kat Dennings and Emma Stone. Those three actresses are like the trifecta of awesome movie hits, trufax.
• Now more upbeat stuff! "Fantasy" by Anya Marina is next. Yeah, I know she didn't like this singer-songwriter album, but it's still one of my favorites. Hell, you could probably listen to this whole album and chill out to it. (I do so frequently, as a matter of fact.) C'mon, Anya, "Sociopath" was genius! It's my theme song, I swear!
• Next stop: Eleni Mandell's "Girls". It's cute and funny and about crushes! This is the song I listen to when I'm wearing pigtails. (...which I'm totally not wearing right now, no way. Yeah. Mm.) I need to get the rest of this album, especially now that I have Bittorrent.
• Quieter and slower to ground you back down is another Lex Land song (shutup, she's great and folky, my favorite two things) called "What I Want from You". Good for rainy days, sunny days, evenings, afternoons, whenever. And the lyrics! Aaaah. Perfect. Yes, I have a Lex Land crush, but then again she is the shiz.
• So after that five minute song, something short and sweet: "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson. Damn, I love this song. It's adorable. And catchy as all hell, really.
• Now for real twinkly: Snow Patrol actually added a music box to "You Could Be Happy" to give it that sound they needed. This one's kinda sad (okay, more than kinda) but it's so twinkly and chill. And it's quick, so if you must you can skip it.
• Ganking from The Last Kiss's excellent soundtrack: "Paperweight" by Schuyler Fisk and Joshua Radin. I have to be in just the right mood for this song, otherwise I just listen to the previous track (which is "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk (Reprise)" by Rufus Wainwright, an excellent song), but when I am in the mood, this can only be listened to once. It's a moment you can't really reproduce, you know? Putting it on repeat just cheapens it, I think.
• But "New Road" by AM and Meiko can be put on repeat to savor and draw out the moment forever, srsly. It's ridiculous. But so good. And yeah, I enjoy Meiko. Leave me alone.
• We finish our chill time with Yael Naim (aaaaah) and "Far Far". Easily my favorite song on her album, and I think a good ending note. Very fresh and lovely and uplifting.

There. You have yourself your very own Dominique-created playlist for any sunny chill day of relaxing. If anyone likes, I can burn you a copy if you can't find it all for yourself, I just have to fix my CD drive (ahem, Techie Boyfriend...?) - and I do mean anyone from all over the vast internets. So that way there can be no complaining that some of my music is too obscure. If you'd like to hear only the tracks that can be found on Playlist.com, here's the playlist (although I promise, it's much better with all of them together):

Comments? Opinions? Suggestions for another playlist? I really enjoy putting these together, as evidenced by the overdose of playlists on my iTunes, so I hope you enjoy listening to it.

Why I have such a hate-on for Gretchen Wilson and her ilk

First thing: I enjoy country music. Quality country music, of course. Garth Brooks, Lee Ann Womack, Emmylou Harris, Brooks and Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Josh Turner... people who demonstrate actual talent in crafting songs and real music. I catch some teasing from friends about it sometimes, but I do see quality in country music, just like there is quality in any kind of overcommercialized music *coughhiphopcough*

Gretchen Wilson is not quality.

Let's not delude ourselves - nobody ever said she was. But I'll be damned if my ire doesn't pique every single time I hear that "classic" "Redneck Woman". It offends every single sensibility of mine in the lyrics alone.

Because I have such a burning hatred for this song, I'll show you and explain the lines that make me incoherent with rage. Fun!

Well I ain't never
Been the barbie doll type
No I can't swig that sweet champagne
I'd rather drink beer all night

The beginning of the song, ladies and gentlemen. The beginning. And already I want to break her beer bottle and stab her in the eye with it. What she does here is set it up nicely to explain that all women get divvied up into two categories:

1. "Ah don't b'lieve in bein' some uppity girl who cain't take a li'l beer now and again! Hey, wanna arm wrestle?" and
2. "Like, check out my BMW, girrrrrrls! But be careful you don't break a nail! *giggle*"

Seriously, Gretchen, fuck you. Some of us have never been from the country and quite frankly have absolutely no desire to - and are not perfectly-sculpted Barbie dolls that swill champagne. There are myriad other categories that women alone fall under that don't involve those two. How about the woman from the inner city who's worked her whole life to get somewhere? How about the hipster girls at the poetry slam? How about the moshers at the Nine Inch Nails concert? Way to acknowledge any of them - or, even worse, imply that all of those women are "the barbie doll type" simply because they aren't down-home country like you. Let me tell you, if somebody told my friends I was the Barbie-doll type, they'd laugh until the tears were streaming down their faces.

Worse, we're supposed to agree that she's inherently better because she's country. Uh, no, actually. I think I'll pass that one because it is just too easy.

I'll stand barefooted in my own front yard with a baby on my hip

You do that, sweetheart, but others kinda wince at the imagery of a barefoot pregnant woman. It's not like that's inflammatory or sexist at all, nope.

Also, I have nothing against having children, but seriously? Some of us would like to get some education before we go down that long hard road that is parenting. And maybe some of us don't want kids, for whatever reasons. (I know that having children is something I have to think seriously about because depression is hereditary and look at all the problems I've had with it. Not saying I don't want kids, but for anybody with a mental illness, it's something that requires thought.) Not everyone wants to live in a trailer with their infants chucked on their hips. Actually, if you can point out to me anyone who thinks that's desirable or a great goal in life, I'll... well, I'm not actually sure what I'll do. Probably bang my head on my desk repeatedly.

Cause I'm a redneck woman
And I ain't no high class broad

Extra "fuck you" for calling anyone not like you a broad (I hate that term with a passion). And ooh, if they ain't homegrown like me, they must be puttin' on some high-class airs! Not. Reality check, girl: there's a huuuuuuge middle ground between "redneck" and "high-class".

And I keep my Christmas lights on, on my front porch all year long

This is just a personal pet peeve, but that offends my sense of aesthetics. Have some pride in where you live, please.

Victoria's Secret
Well their stuff's real nice
Oh but I can buy the same damn thing on a Wal*Mart shelf half price
And still look sexy
Just as sexy
As those models on TV
No I don't need no designer tag to make my man want me

No, actually, you cannot buy Victoria's Secret-quality at Wal-Mart. And you never will. My Wal-Mart bras have all fallen apart at this point - it's the stuff I got at department stores that's still holding up. And I will be damned if a Wal-Mart bra gives you half the push-up that Vicky's gives me. Also: does Wal-Mart sell that sexy little lingerie hiding in my drawer? I didn't think so. Until they do, I don't take that section seriously.

And come on, no man gives a shit about the tags on your bra or lingerie, and saying that they do is stupid. Does anybody here know a man who cares if the bra you have on is xhiliration or Frederick's? But the quality does and should matter. If you can't afford it (god knows I can't), then that's fine, but don't sit there and tell me that it's all the same and nobody gives a damn. Well, I give a damn, because I like my stuff to last a long time. I'd rather buy one bra that'll last for years than a cartful of bras that'll last for six months max. (And if you really need to save, go buy Target or head to the mall and get something from a department store. It's still inexpensive and the quality's better. Maybe not as cheap as Wal-Mart, but when I say cheap, I mean price and quality.)

...and then the rest is mostly a lot of "hell yeah"s, to which I can only say, "woo."

Do you see now why I can't stand this song? I mean, I know I was just fucking around with that last part, but it's the absurd set up that women can either be down-home girls with babies and no education or airheaded bimbos with pneumatic tits and pouty lips. I happen to be a slight, intelligent woman going to college to further myself who loves learning and despises both of those stereotypes, mostly because they simplify women too damn much and partially because both of those types of women don't even care about taking the time to get educated.

Don't believe me?

"In 2007, [Wilson] completed the GED program."

You mean to tell me she had all that time, all that fame and money, and only recently bothered to get her GED? Ridiculous. And don't throw that "she comes from poverty, okay?" excuse at me, because if you want something hard enough, you'll do what it takes. My high school best friend came from poverty and frequently did not have enough money for essential things. There was no way in hell she could pay for college. But she worked hard and did what it took to be able to go. We've since fallen out, but if I'm correct she's still at college, working for her scholarships and loans. Do not tell me that Gretchen Wilson did not have the opportunity to go to a public high school where everything is funded for you and get her high school diploma.

Yes, I am intolerant of those who deliberately pass up education as an option and deride it as something for the elite. Education is for everyone. There is no excuse not to get one. Maybe it's my privilege speaking, but guess what? I went to public school too. I come from a lower-middle-class family who has had to strain and push for every penny we earn. There was no way my family could help me pay for college, and there was no way I could pay on my own. I had to bust my ass for scholarships and ended up landing a sweet one. I know what it's like to have to work hard in order to further myself.

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate this song because of Gretchen Wilson. I hate Gretchen Wilson because this song is a complete insult to any intelligent, thinking woman who uses her brain to do something other than hit the keg with the good ol' boys.

You might think I'm trashy
A little too hard core

Trashy? Yes. As for hardcore... darling, I know high school freshman more hardcore than you'll ever be. You are a woman who thinks "broad" is an acceptable term to call another woman. Any "down-home" thing you do is mostly to get the boys to love you because you aren't like those "sissy girls", undoubtably. There is absolutely nothing hardcore about you. Now go put that GED to some use, for the love of god.

The Breakup Song Extravaganza

This has been a few days in the making, but now that I'm back in the mood for breakup songs, I can finally write this.

So have you been dumped lately? Good, because if you were the dumper this list is not for you. I mean, I have those songs, but today we don't want to listen to those because here, you are not in control. She just doesn't love you anymore, he needs space, or maybe you just aren't "the one". Maybe you were the one, but they changed their mind. Yeah, life bites like that. Now you're just standing there, feeling like something is crumbling inside of you, wondering why you feel so numb, waiting to get home so you can cry your feelings into a pint of ice cream (regardless of gender). I know Greg Behrendt says to put away that ice cream, but I'll let you have it because I know how that feels and sometimes ice cream and some sad music are just what you need.

If anyone, anyone at all, tells you that you shouldn't have any time to mope, fuck their shit up and go spend a day inside your covers. Everyone, doesn't matter who, needs at least one day to cry and reminisce and sob out loud, "Why me? I thought everything was going so well!" After that one day, though, you get up out of your Bed of Sadness and start living again. Before you ask, no, I have not had my one day yet, and I think it just might be today.

Now that we have that in order, it's time to figure out your Official Breakup Playlist. If you think you don't need this, just try to keep those tears going without some horribly sad fuel and then get back to me. I'm giving you one day, so you better get it all out now so you don't break down in the line at the bank or something.

I know not everyone shares my taste in music, despite the fact that I listen to everything, so these are just my personal recommendations. But lemme tell you, they are tested, tried and true, and they work damn well for all of your broken-up needs.

Now you can listen as you read along!!

• First of all, country music produces some of the saddest music ever. I don't care if you think country music is for hillbillies and rednecks, you cannot deny that their breakup music is moving. Some of it is angry, some of it is refreshing, but most of it is fucking sad. If you want some music that is guaranteed to make you cry, start here.
• On that note, Lee Ann Womack has some great hits. I like "Does My Ring Burn Your Finger", "I May Hate Myself In The Morning", "Someone I Used To Know", "A Little Past Little Rock", "Why They Call It Falling", and "Painless". If you can get her version of "Ashes", DO IT.
• "Miss Me Baby" by Chris Cagle. If you don't have this song, you're missing out on some primo sobbing time. It is perfect.
• "Neon Moon" by Brooks and Dunn is pretty good. Nice and slow, melancholy, kinda depressing. "That Ain't No Way To Go" is great as well.
• "I Can Still Feel You" by Collin Raye. A little upbeat but it works. A song all about how they never go away? How do you not add that?
• I'm a sap, so I have "Tonight I Wanna Cry" by Keith Urban on mine. Slow, sad, all about how you just want to cry because everything is too hard. Sappy, again, but goddamn it gets the job done. DO NOT listen to this song while you're walking around in public. You will break down and have to find a convenient bathroom stall to cry in. Keep it to your room.
• "Bring Me Down" by Miranda Lambert is beautiful and sad. "Sweet like a kiss, sharp like a razor blade, I find you when I'm close to the bottom..." Don't pass this one up.
• However, the ultimate song that I put on repeat is: "Settle for a Slowdown" by Dierks Bentley. Gender doesn't matter here - this song is perfect. They left you and all you want is for them to just show that they just might miss you. All you're asking for is a slowdown. It's depressing and perfect for a sobfest under your covers.
• There are plenty more country songs, but these are just my favorites. Particularly that last one. Trust me, country music is a goldmine of any and all breakup songs that you need.

Moving on past country music....

• You remember how I said "Bouncing Ball" by honeyhoney was that indie song they play after everything's gone to hell and you're watching everyone stumble around all sad and contemplative? Turns out it's great for breakups too.
• "You Could Be Happy" by Snow Patrol. If you don't believe me, listen to it and then come here and tell me it doesn't work. In fact, there's a lot of Snow Patrol songs that are perfect. This one is just my favorite.
• The old-school fave, "Don't Speak" by No Doubt.
• "You Are Goodbye" by Holly Conlan. Folky and acoustic-y.
• "Favorite" by Lex Land works regardless of gender. If you are of the female persuasion, try "As Much As You Lead". It will not disappoint.
• "Lo Imprescindible" by Shakira. You know what, shut up, I freaking love Shakira, and this is a dark song about how important it is for someone to come back. So listen to it and then shut up.
• If you really want to be angry, "You Oughta Know" will always be perfect. Warning: it only really works if you're female.
• "Wreck of the Day" by Anna Nalick will always, always be appropriate.
• "Back at Your Door" by Maroon 5. Also "Goodnight Goodnight", but I'm iffy on that one. The former is great, though.
• "Where I Stood" by Missy Higgins. Shut up, it's good.
• "Clean and Sober" by Anya Marina. Oh my god, this song. It may not make you cry, but it's still got that ring of, "oh my god, this is my life."
• Whatever anyone says, "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt is fucking gold. If you know it (and you should), you'll understand. If you don't, what the hell is wrong with you?!
• Carole King's "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?"
• I guarantee that "How to Save a Life" by the Fray will make you cry like a baby. I guarantee.
• "Papercuts" by Gym Class Heroes is good, albeit not for the "I want to sob in my bed like the world is ending" subset.
• For the ladies in the room: "Dumb Girls" by Lucy Woodward is angry and sad and self-deprecating. Listen and enjoy.
• "I'm The Only One" by Melissa Etheridge. This song will never not be perfect. Play it over and over and belt it out from your bed. Not only is it fitting, it is angry and sad! Bonus!
• "Goodbye to You" by Michelle Branch is great if you are super sappy.
• Unknown: "Before the Worst" by the Script. All about how you wish you could go back before everything started fucking up and just stay in that happy place.
• I personally have "Lullaby" by Shawn Mullins and "If It Makes You Happy" by Sheryl Crow on my playlist, but the former is my general depression song and the latter fits the circumstances. Still great songs, though.
• Ooh, try out "Like You, Only Sweeter" by William Tell and then let me know what you think. Nice rebound song.
• "Reason Why" by Rachael Yamagata. Just... listen to it.
• Another one that is actually kind of a happy song but can be corrupted to a sad one given the circumstances: "Universe & U" by KT Tunstall. I have the acoustic version, so bonus!
• "Hopelessly Devoted to You". Yeah I love Grease, shut up. If you can find something even better, show me.
• Oh, I take it back - "Without You" from Rent. Yeah. Try not crying at that song. Or even "I'll Cover You Reprise". Oh my god, that song.

I probably have more, but these are what's on repeat over here in Dom's-heart-is-breaking Land. "The Trouble With Love Is" by Kelly Clarkson is a staple, maybe "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls if you're really masochistic, but other than that, this list hits all the basic needs.

WARNING: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES listen to "your" songs. That is not what we want here. Yes, they'll make you cry, but we want sad songs about what you're going through. Avoid those songs like the plague until you can stomach them again.

You know what? I'll post the playlist.com version of what I could find here, and anything that's not here, you'll have to find elsewhere and verify how amazing it is.

Good luck on your brokenheartedness. I'm getting back to my comfy bed and early weekend before everything gets worse than it already is.

Live from the Student Center Computer Lab!

I was just at the student Starbucks (shut up) listening to a guy play guitar and various percussion instruments live. Yeah, I know, it sounds like a standard coffeehouse staple, but he didn't sound like your standard Starbucks music fare. Probably because he was brought in by our University Programs group, but just stick with me here.

His name is Doug Wood and he spent a lot of time performing on the streets in Boston, making a living off of that, which I have to give him super kudos for because I cannot imagine living like that. Well, I can, but it's mostly influenced by Rent and some other miscellaneous movies about people who play guitar on the streets (like a very specific movie that I'm thinking of but cannot remember the name of it. It had a great soundtrack and was about this Irish guy and a Bulgarian or Romanian or Hungarian woman meeting in Dublin, but the woman had a husband back in the former-Soviet country she was from, but they fell in love anyway, and it's all there in the music, and if you remember what that movie is I will reward you in some way that is yet unspecified. Possibly cookies).

Anyway, back to what I was trying to say. He has the clear markings of "street performer who plays guitar" and it shows, but that's good in my book. He's very chill and makes jokes and slightly self-deprecating. He also has this vague Celtic-y vibe in his music, which would usually scare me away but I rather like it here. It's not all new-agey and overbearing, like other Celtic-types who are all, "I worship the waning and waxing of the moon because the Goddess lives within her and she is the Goddess and we are all one with nature," which gives me the urge to take a bat to someone's head (not in small part because that music also gives me a headache). No, his Celtic-y sound is more like, "I heard this and tried it out, and it worked, but I limited it. Also, wanna grab a coffee later?", which is a lot more inviting and chill. It's a lot easier to handle than "I dance around in my backyard naked chanting poems to the Lady while playing this song". (<----way intimidating and a good way to scare me off of a CD forever) He also has a song he plays called "The George of the Jungle Jam". Seriously. And it's fun and bouncy and has lots of percussion. How can you not like it? Seriously, though, he definitely knows his way around a guitar. He actually tries out a lot of things with it that impresses me because it just sounds so good. I don't know how else to say it without sounding horribly cheesy and cliched, but honestly, the chords were surprising but went well together and if he had just played the guitar, even without all of the excellent percussion he did, I still would have been mighty impressed. As it stands, I am plus-one approving. Here's a clip so you can get a feel for his music:

The only problem I personally have with this kind of music is that, while I love it live, I don't usually buy it because I have little patience with it when I'm listening to recorded music. Yeah, it's picky, but it's just the way I am. I'd have to get used to listening to it recorded before I could buy it or really think about buying it, actually. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the free coffehouse jam and I'd like to hear more from this artist, so Doug Wood, if you're Googling yourself (like me) and you come across this blog, I was the chick in the back of Starbucks at Alabama knitting and applauding and you were fantab.

Blog-wise: tonight I'll probably post a new blog about breakup music and my selections, because let's face it, everyone needs a breakup playlist on their iPod just in case (look how handy mine came in, after all). Have a good afty and I'll see you tonight.

Another reason why I love Katie White

According to Wikipedia, the Ting Tings' song "Impacilla Carpisung" in sung in Simlish.

*worships* Katie, you don't know how absofuckinglutely amazing you are. Rock on.

Do you like blues/folk/jazz/indie/all of the above? Then do we have a deal for you!

I bought honeyhoney's debut album (ugh, I can already feel the pretension coating me. "Debut album"? I fucking hate that term. Let's try that again) or rather, their first CD, First Rodeo today. Today was even one of those days that calls for a new album - the sky was clear, the sun was bright, it was brisk and coldish, I was humming tired old songs that I've overplayed horribly but still manage to love... you know those days. So anyway, I'd already seen the "Little Toy Gun" video and played it to unending repeat on iTunes (and somehow it never gets old!) and I felt it was probably time to invest in their CD.

Color me not disappointed. I am developing some serious feelings about this CD, and it's pretty safe to say that they're reciprocated and that I might get a prom date out of it.

So because this is easier, we'll take it track by track and break it down:

"Black Crows": Nice intro to the CD as a whole. The music (Ben Jaffe) is super-jazzy with more defined guitar and drum additions. So kinda jazz-piano-meets-upbeat-folk. The vocals (Suzanne Santo) are amazing. Kinda bluesy on this one, like folk if more folk singers had more power to their voices (I notice that they tend to be lacking on that front).

"Little Toy Gun": Oh, this song. Still my favorite song on the album. Upbeat, fun, and about a girl and her gun. You really can't go wrong with that combination! It's kind of poppy, but pop like the Raconteurs, not pop like Britney. It sounds like something that could infect the radio and nobody would complain.

"Sugarcane": Slower, quieter than the first two songs. The music is still on that folky kick with sharper drums. Suzanne sounds jazzy here. She reminds me of Norah Jones here, but (again) with more power to her voice. Norah's kind of wispy sometimes, but that's never a problem with Suzanne. She also has a lot of emotion in her voice - when she does the fun songs, you can tell she's getting into it, and with the slower ones she pours her heart into her voice.

"Not for Long": Sounds like something off of the Wreckers's CD (remember them? Michelle Branch's new project where she got all countrified?), but with a kick. Bluesy as all hell, it's about moving on and getting over someone. There is an honest-to-god fiddle in this song - not like a country fiddle or an Ocean Avenue fiddle, though, which makes it that much better. Short but sweet.

"Bouncing Ball": This sounds like one of those songs that plays in an indie movie after the main conflict has happened and we're watching a montage of the characters all doing their own thing, just brooding away, and we know that somehow they will all patch this up later. Trufax, guys. I love it and it's perfect to walk home to in the cold as the sun's about to set, but it really is that song. Think Juno where she's having that breakdown in her car after Mark was a douchebag. This song totally could have played there.

"Come On Home": More blues! I kind of love this blues-jazz-folk-indie-pop sound they have going on here. This song is blues/folk if Billie Holiday added her vocals.

"Give Yourself to Me": Got the same kind of upbeat vibe as "Little Toy Gun" with less of the radio-star vibe. It's fun and bouncy as hell, though. I could hear a more standard alternative band do this, but with less of the violin and acoustic guitar. Song is made for mad dancing in your bedroom.

"David": Quiet, quiet, quiet. Another Norah-esque song with that folky kick and rock-ballad drums. I like it and could see this hitting the indie market hard (if it hasn't already, I don't know, I don't keep up with that stuff very well).

"Slow Brains": Kinda sarcastic. More of that kind of Raconteurs sound, like "Steady As She Goes" but a little slower-paced (only a little). I'd describe the genre sound, but I have a feeling you have already guessed it and I hate to be repetitive.

"Under the Willow Tree": V. whimsical and with more of that jazz sound in the vocals. If it was sung against just a jazz piano, it could be sung in a jazz club or something to that effect. As it stands, with the muted piano and drums, it gives it another, somehow more friendly vibe.

" Oh Mama": Final track! Soulful and emotional, set against a piano and the barest hint of drums and an acoustic guitar that starts out way in the background but slowly takes over. She sounds so moving here, almost mournful, but it ends the CD well.

Go listen if you are into that whole indie-blues-folk sound, and even if you aren't, I'll bet you'll like "Little Toy Gun" and the accompanying video (which stars and was directed by Kiefer Sutherland. WTF? Don't worry, Kiefer, you'll always be Jack Bauer to me). If you hate that, well, you have no taste in music or perhaps you just don't want to try anything new, in which case you still suck.

Alright, I've spent too long breaking this down for y'all, and it is off to my normal life. My roommate has vacayed the room because I "type too loudly", apparently (wtf that means, I will probably never know), and my stomach is vying for my attention with loud grumbles like I just called its mother a whore or something. Enjoy your night/day/wherever it is where you are.