The Songs Of 2008

This blog is out of date cos I'm into writing in my own language. But I'll post this list cos I want the ho to read it.

The Bubbling-Under:

20. "Like You'll Never See Me Again" by Alicia Keys/"Lamento" by Céu
Although the former sounds like a song played in any Felicity episode, it swayed my best and lonely soap-opera-ish moments. The later was one of my faves at the psycodelic moments and sunsets during the year.

19. "Wikked Lil' Grrrls" by Esthero
Esthero was one of the most scrumptious discovers of the year. This song, that blends Hip Hop and Jazz, had the charming Canadienne singing in so many different voices that she sounded like a whole girl band, but better harmonized.

18. "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo" by Le Tigre
I've had an Electroklash momentum and Le Tigre is the best band for me. This song is deliciously poser joke about the cult of fame.

17. "Let Me Know" by Róisín Murphy
The most sensual woman from the [Dance] Electronica scene. LMK is one of the most romantic and sexy Pop songs and has one of the coolest videos I'd seen this year.

16. "Warwick Avenue" by Duffy
Yes, I prefer Duffy than Winehouse and this song comes on the peak of my drama-queenism.

15. "Rapture" by Blondie
Including one of the coolest raps from Pop Music history, "Rapture" is the opening song of my imaginary band.

14. "Let's Reggae All Night" by CSS
For months my moto was "if you want, my friend, we can drink in the afternoon". Result: after several alcoholic months, one day I ate a light sandwich and spent the night puking. Conclusion: keep junkie. Viva CSS!!

13. "Boyz" by M.I.A.
May it be "missing in action" or "missing in Acton", these two terms aren't enough to summarize who owns this alias: Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam. "Boyz", from her second album Kala, is the aesthetic ideal blend of Dance, World Music [although this is a poor category to box M.I.A. in] and political lyrics.

12. "Like A Drug" by Kylie Minogue
Minogue is part of a group of artists that never lets me down. This sexy and suggestive track, from X, was the one that mostly reverberated this year.

11. "Modern Love [Mark Moore & Kinky Roland Vox 12" Mix]" by Kish Mauve
Mima makes me think of artsy divas like Edie Sedgewick or Twiggy. She has the cold sexiness and beauty that Ladyhawke forgot in New Zealand.

Top 10:

10. "Migrate" by Mariah Carey
Factum #1: I don't like Mariah Carey.

Factum #2: I'm never that rough when what she does at least amused me.

This year Carey released the sequel from her ultra-hype 2005 album, The Emancipation Of Mimi, the E=MC². It got mixed reviews and didn't please the fans so much; as for me, luved it!, perhaps cos in her attempt to show that she has the brains in her head and not in the boobs, playing with Einstein's mass–energy equivalence, Mariah doesn't seem much like the annoying and boring Mariah we know.

"Migrate" has one of the nicest openings of 2008 Pop; besides it has Carey doing what she does best: self-celebratory lyrics that are actually fun.

09. "Black And Gold" by Sam Sparro
My favorite male discovery: Sparro is talented, hot, Aussie and gay! lol Not that the latter is a premise for me liking an artist, but it's way more real to fancy sexy with him than with Julian Casablancas, for instance. "Black And Gold", best track from his debut album, has ultra-romantic lyrics that always kills me and it was one of the best ElectroPop singles of the year; it also swayed my trip to Rome.

08. "American Boy" by Estelle
Spoken as 2008's Hip Hop revelation, Estelle was the first artist of the genre that i actually became fan. After her I opened myself to the wonderful land of Hip Hop.

Featuring Kanye West [gênio!], "American Boy" is one of those radio songs you're not afraid to admit you love, cos it's actually pretty good!

There I was at the backseat of my cousin's ex-husband's backseat, on my last night in Italy, beside my [cute] cousin's son listening to a "mix-tape" he made and I couldn't help feeling fuzzy inside when we sang it from top to bottom.

07. "Je Veux Te Voir" by Yelle
Finding Yelle was one of the most fun things of the year. Like every French girl, she's chic and glamourous, but it was her deprived and blasé features that got me hooked. Pure IndiePop fashion and naughty songstress, Yelle's music are exciting for its explicit lyrics, but above all, for the wonderful production worthy of any dancefloor.

06. "Electric Feel" by MGMT
Indiest moment of the year, MGMT was recived by me with some resistence. The hype around them irritated me at first because the psychodelic album Oracular Espectacular sounded like nothing more than a faux-modernization from 1970's Prog Rock. The way indie world copies the past and unashamedly call it retro always pissed me off, but in the end I lost cos the duo's music is actually pretty.

"Electric Feel" is about the shocks we feel when we see the creature we have a crush on... and Lord knows how much I'm addicted to them.

05. "Paparazzi" by Lady GaGa
This year's most recent addition is Lady GaGa, my current Pop adoration object. "Paparazzi", according with Germanotta, is indeed a stalker song, but much more about our daily obsession with the celebrity life, perpetuated by the loved/hated paparazzi. For me it's romantic, dramatic and lovely to sing-along, like every Pop song should be.

04. "That's Not My Name" by The Ting Tings
Jules De Martino and Katie White, The Ting Tings, are the current personification of cool. Best ElectroPop release of the year they are posers, but talented - that's why I talked a lot about them during the year.

"That's Not My Name" is a genius Electro song that always puts everyone rocking, plus it has fun lyrics about the contempt the industry has on artists that don't follow their patterns. The lyrics also synthesizes the duo bio, they were discarded by labels until they reached Britains pop-charts with this track.

03. "Womanizer" by Britney Spears
Yes, she's been one of the most trashed human beings of the past year, but in 2008 Britney Spears REALLY returned!!! Although she's not as complete as I wished, I can't deny how much she's evolved as an artist. Circus IS one of the best albums of the year and is the proof Spears are capable to do real good stuff. I had noticed with 2007's Blackout, but only when I wrote Circus's review that I could express arguments about Spears's evolution: it's like she's finally lived and now has tales to tell.

Although nowadays Womanizer isn't my favorite track from "Circus", it was important as the mark of Britney's return to mainstream.

Britney's top 5:
a. Womanizer
b. Kill The Lights
c. If U Seek Amy
d. Phonography
e. Shattered Glass

02. "My Love Is Better" by Annie
I spent most of the year following Annie. When I read she was producing her sophomore album and that it'd be released this year, I revesited her discography, searched her references and craved for every track tht leaked. 2008 was the year that being an Annie fan became important for me, because I realized the underestimated maturity she has as an asrtist. Unfortunately Don't Stop [although being fully leaked on the web] will not be released this year and risks not seeing the daylight: Island Records did to Annie what Mercury Records did to White and De Martino. And now, labeless, she keeps writing and producing songs for her new album, that I really hope is released.

"My Love Is Better" [produced by Xenomania] is an essentially Pop track, with catchy chorus, LSD-ish synths and Diva pose.

Annie's top 5:
a. My Love Is Better
b. I Know Ur Girlfriend Hates Me
c. I Can't Let Go
d. What Do You Want [Breakfast Song]
e. Marie Cherie

01. "Heartbeat" by Madonna
I was one of the people that trashed Hard Candy at first. Last week I read an article from the Washington Post that explained this weird relationship Madonna's fans X Madonna's new work: when Madonna releases a new album [and consequently a whole new artistic and imagetic proposal] most of the fans spend hours explaining why they hate the new album, to then have a change of heart and buzz at friends' ears saying why they now love it.

With me and "Hard Candy" was the very same thing. I coudln't understand how there could be a Madonna album in which she wasn't the one and only star. By working with mega-hyped producers and not with the Industry's underworld beings, she got out of her comfort zone and shared the spotlight. What mostly comforts me as a critical human being is that not only the fans but also the media didn't get that like many other, this was totally predicted move in her career.

In 2008 Madonna turned 50 and once again the world demanded a certain behaviour from her, and once again she refused to accept it. Months after the album's release, she started touring with her Sticky & Sweet Tour. It was when I heard the repertoire's musical reinventions and read about the show's concept that I finally understood that Madonna wasn't the same, thank G-d!

The concert was conceived as a musical patchwork quilt, like a Hip Hop album/show, using samples and various visual references. The self-celebration was more than comprehensible, after all, like a friend says "Madonna is a person that immortalize images"; and she is now in a moment of life [third age] in which not only a woman's image but everything about her is rejected by society. Still Madonna not only proved she has a lot to say and do, that she is stil able to drag our attention with exactly what is said to be disposable on a woman of 50: the image.

"Heartbeat" is for me the best track from HC. Pharrell showed it ready for Madonna, containing the vocals of one of the Pussycat Dolls's strippers ; Madonna loved, but she reworked on the lyrics that was like every other Pop/R&B song about love and sex, turning it into an ode to dance and music. In the beginning, Madonna wanted to be a dancer and with this track she explains why. "Heartbeat" is the best description of how music and dancing are capable of turning any mortal into gods, like Madonna herself.

I like to think this as a sequel to Michael Jackson's song Off The Wall, that has the same premise. What makes Heartbeat a better sequel is that it is simple and straightforward; somehow, this serves as a hymn to the nightlife and dancefloor lovers.


Madonna's top 5:
This year I also fulfilled my dream of seeing Madonna live. She finished S&S with five shows in Brasil; I was in both of her Rio de Janeiro dates. They were the most incredible experiences I had in life till now; much more important than getting into college or having sex. That because I saw in front of me and felt with all my body the reason I have Madonna as a main reference in life. Therefore, all of the Sticky & Sweet's setlist could easily be on the list.



Honorable Mentions:

- "Echo" by Cyndi Lauper: it's my week's addiction and the song with potention of turning me into a Lauper admirer.

- "Off The Wall" by Michael Jackson: this year I became a Jacko's music lover. I always accepted him as King of Pop, comprehending his phenomena and acknowledging his importance to Pop Culture. But this year I stopped, sat my ass down, listend to his music and got up to dance. "Off The Wall", the album, is my favorite of his as a solo artist - I even think it's better than his greatest trademark, Thriller; the song remits me to a déjà vu that I love having when I hear a song: the one you simply feel and the more you try you can't find where it came from.

- "Déjà Vu" by Beyoncé: DI-VA!! Beyoncé is the true 21'st century Diva; a person that is born to a fan embedded to her hair couldn't be anything less! "Déjà Vu" Bey's song I mostly like to play - it's shrill, paranoid and terribly romantic. However what mostly attracts me to Beyoncé is her appeal: no matter how wrong her artistic choices seem, you can't help find yourself loving it; and it's not only on the superficial, her works' references and aesthetic quality have become each time more intereting. May come Sasha Fierce!!

It's G-d's Fault.

I'm loving to watch the Olympic games on TV. I don't care about sports but the Olympic games are mostly fun, because it's not only soccer. But well, this Brazilian gymnast that was a promise of gold medal to Brasil fell to the floor on the last movement of his routine and lost all the medal hopes. To the reporters he said drenched in unstoppable tears [yes, it was like that cos we're dramatic even in Beijing]: "I trained for four years and have been through dengue, surgery, assault, car accident and got here well prepared but in the end I fell. I couldn't believe I fell, but I did... I guess G-d wanted that way."

Although most people don't have much conscious when they say such thing, it instantly remits to the "it's G-d's fault" thought. But I don't wanna go on that now, I wanna use what happened to the gymnast "to tell my story about a girl I used to know, always cried into her pillow..." nah it's about me again.

The city's Winter Festival happend this weekend and I was excited about because Luis would come to Conquista. Last night I learned from him he's not coming for he got a new job that needs him full time. I was planning, saving money and making plans... well you know me. But he's not coming anymore and it's very easy to say that G-d wanted it that way... but you see, although I believe he's not coming at the last hour is a sign of something, I don't wanna see as negative: so when I deeply ask myself what I should do, my inner self tells me a should move on and look for another chance with him - the most logical and practical one being: go to his city, pay a visit and see how things go.

For a long time I've been sitting here waiting for things to happen, and although I'm always struggling for not being exasperated I don't think that letting oportunities go is what I need. If until the end of the week I get things needed to go to Itabuna - that being: money and a beacon of his desire of me going - I will go to Itabuna by the end of the week, even if his new Strega-boss calls him the whole weekend.

[Song: Black And Gold - Sam Sparro]

"Say Goodbye..."

Here I go towards another life-changing trip.

Going to Italy isn't anymore a wanderlust extravaganza, Lucas is on the verge of the end of an era. When I return from Europe college will start and responsabilities I've taken on this first semester will be so real they'll be knocking on my door, demanding for action.

It all feels like growing up, but surprisingly or not, I'm not scared by it anymore as my Blogger profile says. I'm actually looking forward for maturity and all its implications. As for falling in love - well it still scares the shit out of me, and it seems I'm on for a rollercoaster ride again... It's silly to be deposit hopes in one place, but I'll be trying my best to have the best of funs in this trip to Italy and enjoy whatever kicks in. W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R!

Wish me luck and good trip y'all!

[Song: Chasing Pavements - Adele]

Miss Lucas Says

Yesterday I was feeling like shit, so I decided to watch a movie that would probably make me cry. I chose Joe Wright's Pride & Prejudice, it's a romantic epic movie - it'd help me to release my chest, plus there was a hidden intention that'll be explained ahead.

Bottom line is that I didn't cry, I actually felt even more restless as the movie ended. One of the things I mostly love about Jane Austen stories is that no matter how romantic they seem, there's always one particular character that brings you down to reality, the one who always punches you in the guts and kicks you in the ass. In Pride & Prejudice it's Miss Charlotte Lucas [played on the movie by the scrumptious Claudie Blakley].

Always put aside by Lizzie's mother, who never watches her tongue, she's the modest thing you barely notice, but once you get out of your egocentric shell you see how grand she is. On this last screening one of her lines gave me an interesting epiphany. But first a backstory.

Saturday I hooked up with this guy I've had a crush on for almost a year. It was never a hopeless crush because he lives in another town, so I'd only feel it whenever he came to Conquista to visit the friends [me and everyone else in my party]. On the Sunday we hooked up again and, minutes after he left the rock festival he came back to pick me up so I could spend the night with him - he was leaving the city on the following morning.

Knowing my mind you're probably aware of how I'm feeling right now. So, secretly I decided to watch P&P because I was feeling in a Jane Bennet/Charles Bingley situation. I'm shy when it comes to showing my feelings and guys - I mostly suck in coming on the boys and letting them know I'm wanting them. This guy, well, he's worst than me! So, at one moment, Lizzie and Charlotte were talking at the Bingley's private ball and it hit me:

"Lizzie [about Bingley and Jane]: I think he likes her very much.

Miss Lucas: But does she like him? Few of us are secure enough to be in love without proper encouragement. Bingley likes her enormously, but might not do more if she does not help him on it.

Lizzie: She's just shy and modest. If he cannot perceive her regard, he is a fool.

Miss Lucas: We are all fools in love..."

So Lucas [meaning me this time] what's next to do?

[Song: Mr. Donut - Saint Etienne]

Kabbalah Says

"Make a list of your desires. Put down everything that comes to mind no matter how small or how foolish it may seem.. [...] Without knowing your true desires, you don't stand much of a chance of attaining them. So be honest!"

["When you've done that, write next to each desire how you think you might feel if you attained it. How might your life change?"]

- To have a boyfriend that loves me as much as I love him. [Fulfillment.]

- To have a good relationship with my mother. [Serenity.]

- To be patient. [Duuh!]

- Think less about the 50million possibilities of life and work more with what I have in front of me. [I'd be less anxious.]

- To keep having wonderful and fulfilling friends. [I'd be more calm and sure of myself.]

- To be a famous artist. [Happy to show my truth for a larger number of people.]

- To see Madonna live. [That'd just leave me happy.]

- To go through Madrid withour dramas*. [Relieved.]

- To be less pessimistic. [Self-confident.]

- To be stronger and more willing. [I'd feel more alive and less bored.]

- To be less prejudiceful and more tolerant. [Would make me feel more open about my human relations.]

- To be as self-confident as I aparent to be. [I'd feel more honest.]

- To travel the world. [I'd feel wiser.]

- To help humankind more concretely. [I'd feel less guilty.]

- To do what I preach. [I'de feel even less guilty.]

- "To love and to be loved in return." [Once again: fulfillment.]

[Song: The Youth - MGMT]

NoobTimes: Stalker Song - Conquista Rock Festival Day 2

Yesterday we played rock; not because we felt retracted by the bad response from the Metal people, but simply because we were in the mood of rocks. That is why we opened our DJing with Caetano Veloso's Rocks*. Once again we were implicitly doing an unspoken protest against the scene's strictness; Caetano was disdained by the closed-minded rockers when he released he's Indie Rock album two years ago - however the critics praised and the real lovers of good music saw the beauty of it.

So there we were, playing by their numbers, but with our own abacus. However the audience was different; the Metal people were in short number and who were there seemed open to new stuff. Purki heard from an acquaintance [who happens to be a long-time rocker] that he loved when we played Yelle's Je Veux Te Voir*, an aunt sent him her album and he was loving it; some girls begged us to play Ecos Falsos* again, a Brazilian indie band that made quite a rush on our DJing the day before; and a woman told us she was pissed when they cut us out at the moment we were playing The Smiths's How Soon Is Now.

Somehow, all the darkness that surrounded the end of Saturday's night seemed to dissipate and we were having way more fun than were worried in pleasing.

*On the BitchyList

NoobTimes: Stalker Song - Conquista Rock Festival Day 1

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NoobTimes: Stalker Song - Nothing But Your Local DJ

Saturday was another historic date for me. It's dang cliché to say such thing of such a thing, but I say it so because I've got no other words to describe egocentric-hard-porno's debut.

An hour before my debut on the theatre, I was heartraced and shitting myself. But somehow Saturday was a more serene day for me than to my co-workers Purki and Clarinha, that were times worried about technical stuff, times nervous with the premiere. The butterflies in me were constant, but there was a warming optimism that actually surprised me a little.

We got at the club an hour and a half before the party's official time, to solve some structural problems and, majorly, to get ourselves drunk: when it finally started, we were alcoholized enough to relax and do our things.

The DJing was started by our "teacher" Tony, that made some testing while we prepared ourselves to play: we were the first. However, not even half of our friends were there yet and, THAT made me nervous, I'd say irritated. But soon enough not only our mob-esque and devilish godmother Marco Antônio [who got us into the party's line-up] was there, but everyone else that mattered.

Tony beckoned me to get up on the stage and prepared my cue: Ray Of Light; Madonna was the main muse of practically the whole egocentric-hard-porno's formation process, and the moment the song's first chords echoed on the floor, the fags all got in the dance. My excitment was so huge I wouldn't stop singing and jumping.

The crossfado to my dalings The Ting Tings's That's Not My Name was so perfect that got me some compliments from Tony. Then, adrenaline hit the Everest top and Clara took the pick-ups over as I insanely danced to one of my favorite songs of the year. I could feel the crowd's heat, that jumped along with me, open to new dancefloor possibilities. Clarinha got everyone down with an ususal mash-up: Justin's SexyBack and Britney's Get Naked - raising a tabloid-esque and faux discomfort between the celebs [lol, as if they were there!] on the floor.

In the meantime, Purki mixed such lisergic videos that I avoided staring at them in order to keep focus on my part. I returned to the pick-ups with the duo that makes me feel the slutest of the sluts: London Brige and Give It 2 Me. Whatever you say about Miss Ferguson, and I also think she's a bit trashy, if there's something genius in her life it is "London Brige"; and when Pharrell's magical synths in GI2M were heard for the first time at the party, I felt a marvelous chill on my backbone as the whole dancefloor population happily wow-ed and worked-up the sweat with the greatly known song - but it was my momentum. Everybody got crazy with My Love Is Better and Modern Love [from Kish Mauve], two completely unknown to most of the Conquistenses.

When our brief "show" was over [we'd play at least 20 tracks if the let us], we received great compliments from the friends, everyone else and the party's staff. According to Dann, one of our closests friends, our setlist left a "gimme more" taste, and not trying to bragging, but already doing it, it wasn't uncommon afterwards being asked when we would re-take on the pick-ups; some even made requests. That was genius to our egos!

=)

In the end, we left the place with delicious sensation of mission accomplished. Later, during Tony's set, Purki melted everyone's faces with a sequence of Madonna videos filled with breathtaking psychedelic effects. At each scene people would cheer and shout along with the song and wouldn't let go hard's videos, that surely stole the gogo dancer's show.

When we good-byed, the guys from the Morgana collective [aka our bosses] said we were on for the next rides.

PHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW... guess I can finally die now lol. brinqs

EHP's Setlist from 12.07.2008 - Morgana Mix:

1. Ray Of Light - Madonna

2. That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings

3. SexyBack - Justin Timberlake

4. Get Naked - Britney Spears

5. London Brige - Fergie

6. Give It 2 Me - Madonna

7. Little Less Conversation - Elvis vs. JXL

8. In My Arms - Kylie Minogue

9. My Love Is Better - Annie

10. Modern Love (Mark Moore & Kinky Roland Vox 12" Mix) - Kish Mauve

11. Eo Eo Eo [Tema da Banheira do Gugu] - Dream Water

12. Let Me Think About It - Fedde Le Grand vs. Ida Corr

Bold = on the white box on the blog's top, on the fold Stalker > 07 - Nothing But Your Local DJ.