Seriously? Seriously...

Bush is reading from a dead soldier's letter to his family? What is wrong with him?

I've missed Sam & JD so much!!

Hooray OLN!!!

Shriek-tastic Success

Read about the phenomenon that is the Arctic Monkeys here. Or maybe in the current NME as their album - released last week - is named one of the top 100 British Albums ever. Or here from the Beeb. Who knew all the cool kids read my blog? Right...

Shriek of the Week, Vol. 9

The best way to introduce this week's artist is via his lyrics. These are from the title track from his debut U.S. release Twentysomething and were a stiff competitor with "1983" for the official theme song of this blog...

"After years of expensive education,
a car full of books and anticipation,
I’m an expert on Shakespeare and that’s a hell of a lot
but the world don't need scholars as much as I thought.

"Maybe I'll go traveling for a year,
finding myself or start a career.
I could work for the poor though I’m hungry for fame
we all seem so different but we're just the same.

"Maybe I'll go to the gym, so I don't get fat,
aren't things more easy with a tight six pack?
Who knows the answers? Who do you trust?
I can't even separate love from lust.

"Maybe I’ll move back home and pay off my loans,
working nine to five answering phones.
Don't make me live for my friday nights,
drinking eight pints and getting in fights.

"I don't want to get up, just let me lie in,
leave me alone, I'm a twenty something.

"Maybe I'll just fall in love that could solve it all,
philosophers say that that’s enough,
there surely must be more. Ooooh

"Love ain’t the answer nor is work,
the truth eludes me so much it hurts.
But I’m still having fun and I guess that's the key,
I'm a twenty something and I'll keep being me."

These words fall from the genius mind of jazz-pop hottie (sorry, it had to be said, he's way cute and british and we all know that I love just about anything with a british accent) Jamie Cullum. Twentysomething is an eye-opening blend of modern catchy pop with classic jazz, including songs like the one above and updated versions of standards like "Singin' in the Rain" and "I Get A Kick Out of You." He even includes modern covers of diverse songs like Radiohead's "High and Dry," Jeff Buckley's "Lover You Should Have Come Over" (the Buckley cover is probably my favorite song on the entire album), Hendrix's "Wind Cries Mary" and Pharrell's "Frontin'," and amazingly, his piano and bass driven take on these songs sounds wonderful.

His original work covers emotional ground familiar to those of us who can relate to the lyrics above. "All at Sea" is a tribute to being alone with your thoughts, "These Are the Days" addresses the joy in life, and "Next Year, Baby" is about growing up and acting like an adult:

"Next year, things are gonna change
Gonna drink less beer, and start all over again
Gonna read more books, gonna keep up with the news
Gonna learn how to cook, spend less money on shoes
I’ll pay my bills on time,
and file my mail away, everyday
Only drink the finest wine,
and call my Gran every Sunday.

"Resolutions, baby they come and go
Will I do any of these things? The answer's probably no
If there’s one thing I must do, despite my greatest fears
I’m gonna say to you, I felt all of these years"

I'm still getting to know his follow up record, Catching Tales, but so far it's got a similar feel, with a bit more original work and a different, more daring approach to the standards he covers. I absolutely above all else recommend Twentysomething with all of my being. He recently did the second half of an Austin City Limits with Lyle Lovett that's a sight to be seen so check that out if you can; his live act shows that he clearly loves the music and hopes to challenge his audience and produce something new each time. He's touring the U.S. at the moment, check his site for tour dates (just don't buy tickets for the DC show just yet, let me get mine first!). There's also a song player on his site if you want a preview before you buy.

Enjoy the Cullum, and let me know what you're thinking about my Shrieks so far... questions, comments and thoughts are greatly appreciated by the blogger. Danke.

Update: My tickets have been purchased, buy away...

So Much To Say

This is a brief detour from a big post coming later to summarize the last two evenings, but it must be done. I woke up this morning and was reading about the concert in Salzburg, Austria held to celebrate what would be the 250th birthday of Mozart. In the middle of the article (it's in the NY Times, registration required but free), I ran into this:

"The concert was broadcast around the world on radio. It was also televised in most of the civilized world, which evidently no longer includes the United States. It was not picked up by Channel 13, PBS or — to the knowledge of itsdirector, Brian Large — any other American outlet: a slight made all the more remarkable by the expected presence of two noted American singers, Ms. Fleming and Mr. Hampson."

Seriously? Is the U.S. that backward that not a single media outlet picked up the Vienna Philharmonic paying tribute to Mozart on his 250th birthday?!? This is heartbreaking. I really like classical music, I'm thrilled that there's a real classical station in DC, and that the opera and other cultural activities are actually accessible via the Kennedy Center, but it's a real letdown that so few of my peers feel the same way (apparently this ambivalence and sometimes outright dislike spans generations given the news above). Come on people, would a little culture kill ya? Give it a chance! Start here, check out your local arts scene, and let the strings take you away...

End of PSA. Stories of the drinking smoking chatty madness of the last two nights coming soon.

The effects of concert-going on the morning after...

Don't you hate it when you buy a CD at a show and then get home to discover that it sucks?

What I intended to accomplish this morning:
*Wash dishes
*Eat a reasonable breakfast
*Enjoy coffee and happy thoughts of approaching weekend
*Give some thought to ways that a presentation on sampling could be more fun
*Put on actual makeup
*Check e-mail
*Post to blog about awesome Evan Dando show last night and how surprisingly good the opening act was
*Iron skirt so I'd look nice at tonight's soiree

What I actually accomplished this morning:
*Woke to new CD from opening act, decided it sucked, rolled over and slept an extra hour
*Ironed skirt to save last shred of dignity

Mei Xiang must be Chinese for jungle gym...

It's been a while since I've updated everyone on the exploits of the panda, but he's been very interesting lately. I was watching him last night, and poor Mei Xiang was trying to get some decent sleep, but Tai was having none of it. He was climbing all over her, she'd swat him off and he'd come right back and climb some more, and this morning he was doing the same thing. She would start working on some bamboo and he climbed all over her. So she'd walk away and Tai would hang on, front paws on her back while walking sideways on his hind legs. He followed her all over the yard, and whenever he did actually succeed and make it all the way to her back, he'd slide right off. So cute...

Went to go see him with George and Meg on Sunday, he was awake and being totally playful, the weather was awesome, it was such a nice day at the zoo. That's my favorite picture from that day, little Tai lounging on a tree... aw... Thanks to George for the picture!


A non-aw moment from the last few days... did anybody see Ryan Whitney stab Alex Ovechkin in the crotch last night??? Seriously uncool. From ESPN.com:

"Ovechkin was also at the center of mini-controversy. Pittsburgh defenseman Ryan Whitney received a spearing major and a game misconduct as time expired in the second period for shoving his stick into what appeared to be Ovechkin's midsection.

The 20-year-old laid on the ice for several minutes after the hit while Whitney fought Brian Willsie and the officials handed out penalties. But Ovechkin returned for the third period.

'I don't know if its cheap shot or not,' Washington defenseman Brendan Witt said. 'We'll have to see the replay. Ovi's a tough kid. It takes a lot to get him down. If it's a cheap shot, we play them on the 11th [of February].'

Ovechkin declined to speak with reporters after the game."

The replay's pretty clear, it was definitely a cheap shot. It's not good hockey to stab a guy in the nuts, and it's not good hockey to play a dirty game in retaliation. This sort of play can escalate to Bertuzzi-like proportions and undermine the amazing things an Ovechkin v. Crosby game can produce. I just hope the coaches can talk some sense into their fourth lines before Feb. 11 rolls around.

An Addendum to the Shriek...

I should mention that Aimee is completely worth seeing live. I've done it just about every year for the past three or four (can it really have been that long?), and she puts on quite a show and usually takes audience requests for her encore. It's a good time. If you can't actually get to one of her shows (there's a tour section of her web site, but I can't link directly to it because it's flash and I'm not entirely sure it's up to date...), there's a live CD/DVD called "Live at St. Ann's Warehouse" that's a reasonable substitute and includes a whole bunch of the tracks mentioned below, so it's a bargain way to get the best of Aimee experience.

Shriek of the Week, Vol. 8

This week, I shriek a singer/songwriter who is truly sublime, Aimee Mann. While possibly best known as the voice of 'Til Tuesday, she has since worked hard to build a loyal following for her solo career, and won critical acclaim and accolades including an Oscar nod for her work on the Magnolia soundtrack. Her music nearly always tells a story and draws on complex emotional relationships that are just about the opposite of, say... anything in a Pussycat Dolls song. I shudder at the thought.

I was first introduced to the magic of Aimee Mann with her third solo release, Bachelor No. 2 or the last remains of the dodo. She released this album on her own, sold it through her web site until she had the ability to start her own label. Then came Lost In Space, a melancholy masterpiece wrapped in gorgeous packaging. Her most recent release, The Forgotten Arm, is essentially a rock opera about a fading boxer and his girlfriend and their fight through drug use and legal troubles.

I'd really have to include the lyrics for the entire songs to convey the true genius, but here are a few snippets from some of my favorites.

Bachelor No. 2 focuses on endings, largely of the unhappy variety, but without all the tears. She focuses on characters who see the flaws in those around them and can do nothing to stop them, except tell them what's wrong and move on:

From It Takes All Kinds:
"I'm surprised I even thought I had half a chance,
I was just one in a million of also-rans,
who was sure to be your victim of circumstance.
Once you were just our dear friend Ron,
selling the soul you swore upon,
spreading the word that you've become
what you hated."

From The Fall of the World's Own Optimist:
"Well, I could have objections
which you could override
But what's the point we're only flogging the horse when
the horseman has up and died."

And from the opening track, How Am I Different:
"And just one question before I pack -
When you fuck it up later do I get my money back?"

Such a great album. Even if you're not pissed off or dumping someone, the lyricism and the beauty of her voice and the arrangement just swallows you right up. I don't want to ruin them all, because you should really run right out and get them all right now, but be sure to check out Red Vines from Bachelor No. 2, This Is How It Goes, Invisible Ink and The Moth from Lost In Space, the entire Magnolia soundtrack, and her turn as a nine-toed nihilist in the Big Lebowski.

If only a soapbox were enough...

Mongolia. Liberia. Latvia. San Marino. Panama. Haiti. Burundi. Chile. Bangladesh. What do these countries have in common besides being hard to locate on a map? They have all elected female leaders. Last week's election in Chile of an agnostic single-mother and the swearing in of Liberia's new female president to end the horrors of the Charles Taylor era brought me such joy which quickly turned grim when I thought once again about the sad state of affairs in this country when it comes to elected female leadership.

We have a female president on TV, but even she wasn't elected. We haven't ever had a major party nominate a woman as its candidate for the presidency. We've only had one legit female vice presidential candidate. It breaks my heart.

And it doesn't get much better in other branches of the federal government or in state and local governments. Women are 51% of the American population, yet according to the Center for American Women and Politics, women make up only 15% of the U.S. Congress, hold 25% of statewide offices and fill only 23% of the state legislative seats in the nation. Only 12 of the 100 largest American cities have female mayors.

The American debate about women in public office too often focuses on PMS and motherhood, and not often enough on the qualities and policy positions that make a great leader. It is well past time to stop talking about the effects of estrogen on a commander-in-chief and start talking about the real issues. In a political world dominated by self-funded millionaire candidates, our parties need to break the cycle and start encouraging women to run for office in their communities, building a strong roster of candidates with the experience to hold higher office, so that our government can look more like our population and less like the world's most exclusive club.

Contact your party, get involved in local politics, and support groups like The White House Project and EMILY's List (and if anyone knows what the Republican equivalent is, lemme know and I'll post it), and maybe someday America can inspire the kind of joy that Chile and Liberia already do.

One other thing will make me post during the day....

Ice. Cream.

Things that make me want to hurl...

The entire first six minutes of the Golden Globes. WTF?

Dammit advertising!

I haven't eaten McDonald's since lent in 2003. This doesn't mean I've given up fast food entirely, I'm slowly working other fast food out of my diet, but I seem utterly incapable of giving up, say, Mexican Pizzas from Taco Bell and Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers at Wendy's. In any case, I eat the stuff far less frequently than I used to, and I'm pretty happy about that, as is my tummy.

But lately, I have had the most ridiculous cravings for a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and they are driving me completely fucking insane. I can get fantastic burgers anyplace else, burgers infinitely better than the semi-meat from poorly treated cows processed in meat packing plants that don't care about their employees on a bun that McD's is serving up, but I can't seem to shake this hankering. And every time I see one of those commercials, especially the one with the guy that has a whole plate of double QPC's for his football-watching friends, it's like I'm looking at the holy grail. I can only fear the havoc that reintroducing such a thing to my system after nearly three years would induce, and that seems to be my main deterrant. That and that the golden arches are hard to come by in the District. But my willpower is fading fast. Quick, someone show Super Size Me!!

Top 10 Song Sighting (hearing?)...

Watching the U.S. Grand Prix of Snowboarding from Mt. Bachelor, OR, and there in the background of the Sweet Spot profile of Danny Davis was "Ain't No Easy Way" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The harmonica part... man I love it.

What I'm Not Doing Right Now

Is watching #11 raised to the rafters. How could they not nationally televise this game?!? ARGH! The Rangers Web site has a link to watch online, but it's at full capacity. Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! Hopefully they'll archive it so I don't have to wait until George gets here with the DVD to actually watch it. :(

Like A Villain

Yesterday was my first day of Chill (support the Chill-ness!!), and it was a thrill. I'm exhausted, and I worked hard, but I have that whole feel-good thing going on today. I left my office a few minutes later than originally planned (report deadlines don't care if you're doing good, unfortunately), but I still made it up to the mountain a little after five, despite a quick stop for gas and an aborted attempt to change that resulted in me driving the rest of the way wearing Hot Chillys and kitten heels (is there anything hotter than that?). Tried to finish changing in the parking lot, but of course someone parked right next to me, so then I was walking around in my work shirt (luckily, a rather benign turtleneck) and snow pants. Getting hotter! Turns out I was not supposed to go to the base lodge, oops, but they had a bathroom where I could lose the turtleneck and put on proper snowboard attire. Thank gawd.

Turned back around and after switching out one snowboard boot for a shoe I could drive with, headed to the "stone house," easily identified by the big ass bus out front, and amazingly, wasn't all that late. Even better, the other volunteers were awfully nice, and not all 21-year-old brats, hurrah! Of course, one was named Ben and the Bennifer jokes flew fast and furious. I can never date a Ben. Damn you Ben Affleck. Damn you.

My first task was to get the kids each a board. Now, this is a cool moment. It's what they've been waiting for... they get a board to call their own for the next six weeks! But, this task makes for a quick get to know you, as the first thing you have to do is turn the kids around, make them stand up straight and look at the bus, and then give them a good shove. This is to see which leg they catch themselves with to determine if they're regular or goofy, and is kind of like snowboard hazing.

Then, I had to find a board of the right height and with bindings big enough for their feet and headed in the right direction. Turns out pre-teen boys have GIGANTIC feet even if they're not very tall. Who knew? Anyway, there were other folks around with screwdrivers and wrenches to put new bindings on for those kids. Then, had to show them how to use the bindings and how not to drag it across the concrete (it's like nails on a chalkboard, EEK!).

Once everybody had a board and successfully loaded it on the bus, it was back up to the mountain to meet our instructors and learn how to turn. And I've got to tell you, these kids did WAY better than I did during my first lesson. I was scared out of my damn mind. They, on the other hand, were fearless. Well done kids!! I can't wait to go back next week, I bet they'll be ready to rock the lifts, so exciting!

One other thing to add, my favorite part of snowboarding, what I love oh-so-very-much, it's the new challenge every time. Pushing myself to do something I've never done before, and actually pulling it off, is the biggest thrill. If I can get one of these kids to feel that, it'll be worth all the driving and eating dinner at 10 and going into work early/staying late to make up the time.

Shriek of the Week, Vol. 7 (AKA I'm really trying to avoid getting sucked into the new season of the Bachelor)

This week, to start the new year off right, I shriek for a spankin' new band. Presenting... ARCTIC MONKEYS. I've heard two of their songs, both really kick ass, they have an EP out and the first album comes out towards the end of the month. AND they're my favorite type of band ever, BRITISH. The album'll be called "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not." So get on the wagon now before they blow up huge. You heard it here first...

And if you're wondering where little ol' me finds cool new bands like this, check out WOXY (the future of rock n' roll), Indie 103 (their morning show is the Mighty Morning Show with Dicky from the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Jonesy's Jukebox in the afternoon, coolest station in the country), WFUV (for all the folky/rocky/country-ish stuff) and the best thing to happen to Jersey since, well, me, G-Rock Radio, finally, finally, FINALLY streaming live. They're all available online and they rule. Give them a listen and maybe next year you'll be singing right along with my top 10 list.

Post-game Wrap

Hey, look at that... the Caps are winning! I probably just jinxed them too. I suck. But not as bad as the Giants did today. It wasn't a sharp, stabbing pain like that game against the 49ers, this was a slow, tortured death. This one feels worse.

Shriek of the week comes back tomorrow... later kids.

I overshot denial.

Straight to anger. We deserve negative points for this steaming pile of crap.

Now what?

So if we get six for a TD, can we get 18 for running it in?

All I know for sure...

Delhomme is still a bigger dork than Eli.

What the?

How is it that Goings can figure out when NOT to throw the ball, but Eli Manning can't? Twist the knife, why don't ya?

Ouch.

This sucks so much. And it hurts more than watching the Mets or the Rangers lose. My expectations for the Giants are so much higher, plus I love them more.

oh no....

They're using the skycam more and more as this game goes on. I really hate the skycam. Not quite as much as Joe Buck though.

Back to the action...

Even the montage sucks.

halftime

Hooray! Another dumb Hummer commercial... You would think that all football fans do is buy cars, no, trucks. Seriously, the millions of people who watch football every week must be a more diverse bunch than this.

Yes, the game is so mediocre, I'm talking about the commercials. Egad.

Are you fucking kidding me?

BULLSHIT! Catch the god damn punt or get the hell out of the way!!!

Two-minute warning

Wow. Giants Stadium will house one unhappy locker room at halftime. We can do better than this!!

Woo-hoo!

We crossed midfield. Yesssssss.

My neighbors must think I'm a sailor

I curse a lot during football! Especially when the other team scores first. Bitches. At least Eli likes coming from behind. Take that however you want to (dirty minds my friends have!).

End of the first quarter...

Still 0-0. Not sure if that's as bad as it seems. We haven't scored, but our awfully injured defense is holding up so far. It went too fast though. Did the Panthers really need to wear all white? It looks dumb.

Still hate punting.

A baloo is a bear

And a burner is a nerve injury of the neck.

What the hell is a burner?

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Why does it keep killing our linebackers?

Another reason to hate Joe Buck

He thinks the Panthers can go to the Super Bowl and he wanted to say it early. As if it isn't bad enough that we have to listen to his yammering during baseball playoffs, we have to hear him during football too? Argh. The Giants need to score so I stop being bitter.

Damn

Hate punting.

Screw it, I'm blogging the game

One and a half drives in, and Jake Delhomme is a huge dork.

Are you there god? It's me, Drunky McDrunkerson

Slept through church, and even if I had woken up, was way too drunk to be near an altar. Therefore, I pray via Internet...

Dear God, please be with the Giants offense today
Especially Tiki, Eli (really, really Eli), Plaxico, Amani and Jeremy
And keep the defense strong
May they all play like Osi Umenyiora
And help the officials keep those little yellow flags in their pants.
You know You like New York better than North Carolina anyway.
Thank you.

ACK. Need coffeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Saturday morning, at home?

It's crazy, I haven't been home on a Saturday in WEEKS (but not Kevin, BOOOOO). I don't know what the hell to do with myself. Except maybe watch some football, drink some coffee, clean up a little? It's weird. Birthday celebration later though, woo-hoo!

I had a good week though, kept up with my resolution not to be late (with a margin of error of +/- 5 minutes, I'm a survey methodologist, I NEED a margin of error), did a nice job of not spending ridiculous amounts of money on lunch or dinner, and I finally figured out where Scrubs lives in the NBC lineup, it was good.

Now tomorrow on the other hand, there are things to be done. Step 1, church, the early service so there's enough time to process my request. It's crass, but it's the playoffs, I'll be praying for the G-men. Step 2, work. Crosstab setup will surely take my mind off football until the game starts. Step 3, watch the game and try to keep my head from exploding. I might have to watch this in public so that I don't scream too loudly. Step 4, TBD. Depends on how the game goes. I'll let you know.

Happy wild-card weekend everybody!

Surviving an honest to god hump day...

And the first one of 2006 at that! I don't know what it is, but work has suddenly blown up into this crazy insane thing. I thought it was just a pre-holiday burst of stuff to do, but it hasn't ended. I really don't see an end to it either. I worked a little late Monday and Tuesday, then tonight I was there until almost 9. Nutty. At very least, I'm making up the hours I'll lose for Chill.

For those who don't know, Chill is a program started by Burton (one of the bigger snowboard companies) to help underprivileged and disadvantaged kids from inner cities get out to the mountains and build some self-esteem and skills (nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills...) that maybe they hadn't had a chance to build before. I'm volunteering to help teach the kiddies, which they do on weekdays, so I'll be leaving work early the next two Tuesdays. And possibly heading out to Whitetail this Saturday to help set up the gear room. There's a chance I'll be the only person involved over, say, 21, but I'm hoping there's at least one other adult there. Wish me luck. And if you're not a snowboarder and can't help out in a hands on way, please donate, it's a good cause, for rizzle (Practicing for hanging with the 21 year olds. Am I convincing?)

OK, time for a little late dinner and some Project Runway. Auf wiedersehn!

Playing Catch Up

Well, here goes, all the posts that have been swirling around my head for the last week and a half, or, at least as much of them as I'm willing to type.

2005 Year In Review: I can't do this nearly as well as Dave Barry, so I'll leave it to him, but a shout out to everybody who rocked this year: To the weather, for snowing me in at Mt. Snow to kick off '05. To Andy and Michelle for organizing a kick ass trip to Tremblant, and to Ben with the Birthday for teaching me the Kayak. To Darlene for reprising the role of Mama Stokes yet again. To Budapest for being full of wine. To Larry for being such an incompatible boss that I had to leave the state. To Nancy, John and Kate for saving me from Jersey. To Darren for not being too ticked that I left. To hockey for coming back. To Audioslave and Oasis for both kicking ass twice in one flippin' year. To blogspot for letting me ramble on to the entire world. To all my friends and my family, and maybe Jesus? Woo-hoo! 2005!

This Week In Review: Too... much... to... say. Losing... grip. I give up. But I think I bored my DVR into insubordination. It stopped recording the News Hour even though it's totally set up right! WTF!?!

The Moment You've Been Waiting For: My top ten favorite songs of 2005. Now, I really could do 20, because I had a very hard time whittling this list down, but I'm sticking to ten. In alphabetical order by song title. I wish I had some way to stream these, but I'm not that smart, so you'll have to link and figure out where the audio/video part of the artist's site is. Sorry kids.

1. Ain't No Easy Way, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Album: Howl. If there was any way to play this song louder than the stereo in my car/my iPod headphones already do, I would. It's phenomenal.

2. Catch My Disease, Ben Lee. Album: Awake Is The New Sleep. Best use of a toy xylophone ever.

3. Doesn't Remind Me, Audioslave. Album: Out Of Exile. This song doesn't remind me of anything. Except awesomeness.

4. L'Via L'Viaquez, The Mars Volta. Album: Frances The Mute. This one is actually 12 minutes long, but somewhere in the middle (about 40 seconds in) is an amazing five minutes or so that I could listen to 100 times and never get bored. Possibly because I don't understand any of the lyrics.

5. Looking At The World From The Bottom Of A Well, Mike Doughty. Album: Haughty Melodic. It was very hard not to pick Busting Up A Starbucks just for its title, but this really is the standout song on this one. Totally rocks.

6. My Doorbell, The White Stripes. Album: Get Behind Me Satan. Is anyone else starting to be strangely attracted to Jack White? Anyone? Bueller?

7. Perfect Situation, Weezer. Album: Make Believe. "All I have to do is swing and I'm a hero, but I'm a zero." Tell me about it... sheesh.

8. Pressure Point, The Zutons. Album: Who Killed the Zutons? Way better than the jeans commercial it wound up in.

9. Road To Joy, Bright Eyes. Album: I'm Wide Awake It's Morning. OK, it's gimmicky, but I LOVE it.

10. The Beast and Dragon Adored, Spoon. Album: Gimme Fiction. Hooray piano sounding dark!

A few honorable mentions because like I said, this was hard!
Back To Me, Kathleen Edwards. Album: Back To Me.
Breakdown, Jack Johnson/Handsome Boy Modeling School. Album: White People.
Country Boy, Tyra. Album: The Entertainer.
Do You Want To, Franz Ferdinand. Album: You Could Have It So Much Better.
E-Pro, Beck. Album: Guero.
Everything Is Alright, Motion City Soundtrack. Album: Commit This To Memory.
Feel Good Inc., Gorillaz. Album: Demon Days.
Galang, M.I.A. Album: Arular.
Hate It or Love It, The Game. Album: The Documentary. I can't find his flippin' web site. You try googling Game.
Love Like A Bomb, Oasis. Album: Don't Believe The Truth.
Touch The Sky, Kanye West. Album: Late Registration.

See, now you have an awesome mix tape sitting here and all the hard work is done. Support the good stuff, go buy these! Talk amongst yourselves.