New M.I.A. XXXO

The fantastic music site No Genre brings us M.I.A.'s latest leak from her upcoming July album, XXXO.

If you're like me, you'll listen to anything M.I.A. records.  So what do you think of this one? 

Heavy Rotation, Week Ending May 8th, 2010

I am writing this at 30,000 feet somewhere above Missouri, or at least the rout the pilot mentioned earlier. On my way to Seattle for what sounds to be a fancy meeting with fancy people. I’m honored to be included, and that’s not snark.

If you want to picture me, I’m in row eight on the 6:10 PM Alaska Airlines flight from Atlanta to Seattle. Alaska is much more humane ordeal than the onerous Delta that I usually fly. I still paid six dollars for a bag of tortilla chips, but at least I got off handedly got comped an extra vodka soda by the cool like that flight attendant. They haven’t had much to eat, but they run three drink services so I’m happy even though I showed some discipline and skipped the second. Meanwhile, in flight Wifi? You’ve been flirting with me for months now, I’m ready to get to first base at least.

On to Music Monday, a Twitter tradition that doesn’t get nearly as much respect or mainstream play as it should. Here’s what’s been burning up my iPod the last week or so, a little new, little Gen-X, and one that’s little really, really old, but I bet you haven’t heard it.


Born Free - MIA

Yes, I have heard. There is a video. So true. But forget about that because this song absolutely rocks. MIA creates, the industry follows and I’ll listen to whatever she decides to gift us with. You think it’s easy to write a song that gets played in Hip Hop club and a mosh pit? Think about even having the idea to try.

Avoid the 'Auburn' Hair Dye When Making Your Highlight Choices

M.I.A. makes two points in her new video 'Born Free', avoid the color red when picking your newest hair color, and pop music can still be Rock and Rock.

Punk Rock, in your face, with graphic violence, nudity, and a political message, M.I.A. takes on the casual horror of ethnic cleansing.

Pitchfork Media calls this 'EXTREMELY GRAPHIC AND VIOLENT AND NOT SAFE FOR WORK'. Whatever. You're a big kid now and can make your own viewing choices.

M.I.A, Born Free from ROMAIN-GAVRAS on Vimeo.

The Taylor Swift Massacre

Does it matter that a mainstream cheese-factory like the Grammy Awards so obviously blew it in awarding Album of the Year to Taylor Swift? I think it clearly does as it reflects our society’s increasing fetish for settling on the safety of possible options even if that choice is the worst of the possible options. We may not agree on which one of Beyonce Knowles, The Black Eyed, Peas, Lady GaGa, or The Dave Mathews Band is the best choice, but surely we should all be able to agree that Taylor Swift was the worst. It’s not a coincidence that in the same month providing Health Care Reform went from inevitable to impossible (in the eyes of pundits at least) because of the loss of a single Senate seat, that the Album of the Year gets awarded to the choice that is most fully denuded of soul, passion, or sexuality. Congratulations Taylor Swift, you were the least offensive. Enjoy your Grammy.

Even if Beyonce and/or the Black Eyed Peas trigger a race panic in you and Lady GaGa makes you feel ‘a little funny’ down there, why pick Taylor Swift over Dave Mathews? Because he’s weed smoker? That used to be a feature not a bug in rock performers. It just doesn’t make sense. Not that the Dave Mathews Band hits my favorites list on my iPod, and obviously I think any choice of Beyonce Knowles, Lady GaGa, or the Black Eyed Peas would be a better choice, but at least the dude has an extended track record, can flat out play, and has a little bit of soul to him.

Yes, I am weirdly finding myself playing the part of Kanye West. How the hell did that happen? But does anyone out there think ‘She Wears Short Skirts, I wear T-shirts’ represents some type of landmark achievement, or even that it’s going to light up throwback stations 30 years from now? There is something wrong with a world in which Stevie Nicks is forced to stand second fiddle while she listens to a girl wanly trying to find the key of her classic ‘Rhiannon’. Gen Y, don’t be a hater here, listen to what that song actually sounds like yourself and tell me if your Tween pop-tartlet lives up to the standard. Yeah . . . I know! That’s the point.

If it's wrong, I don't want to be right

If embedding YouTube performances in your blog is wrong, then I don't want to be right. From the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Show, Bono, Mick, and Fergie, Gimme Shelter . . .