A Happy Song...

...Just to inform you that I passed on the vestibular again!
Behold the future best Journalist from Brasil!! hehe

The Joy Of Dancing

We've been worried about our Indie-nization of the past months, but why worry about it when we have a woman that can bring joy even to the depressing moments. After this I'll never walk a treadmill normally again!

The Songs Of 2007

2007 itself was really crappy in music. Obviously I didn’t ignore music this year, I just wasn’t tapped into current music when most of the music that hooked me was released before 2007, which made my pre-lists very rich. So, although it wasn’t so hard to know which artists and songs would make it, it was hard for me to restrict them to only ten songs; then I decided to do a top 20. Last year I divided the list in fields but now I’m just too lazy for that and just separated them in two: the first part with brief comments and the second with longer and more elaborated ones. There are ties, which yeah ho was a way for me to shove more songs into the list; but what can I do, I dig on ‘em!

I have Samba and a lot of Indie stuff here, like a Canadian belle with the smoothest of voices, an androgynous Brit with one of the most wonderful voices and a filmstar turned rockstar with a fun-to-hear voice; alongside with the good’ol’ mainstream Pop. Dance music makes itself very present with a firmed G-d and a new Diva [to me], and a new G-d is raised on my altar, even though she’s not so keen on G-d.

The Bubbling-Under:
20. "Like A Star" by Corinne Bailey Rae
The song of lonely moments...
19. "Crippled And The Starfish" by Antony And The Johnsons
I have pleasure to say I’ve seen him playing it live!!!
18. "Tema de Não Quero Ver Você Triste" by Erasmo Carlos e Marisa Monte
One of the most romantic songs you will ever hear.
17. "20 Year Old Lover" by Juliette And The Licks
The monologue by the end makes me cum a million cums.
16. "Ever Fallen In Love" by Nouvelle Vague
Foreign Bossa Nova/Samba – you can be sure I’ll gladly listen.
15. "Amado" by Vanessa Da Mata
One of the most romantic songs you will ever hear – part deux.
14. "Get Naked (I Got A Plan)" by Britney Spears
Delicious self-indulgent songs from Tinseltown’s ex-Pop Princess and now promising stripper. YAAAAY!! And LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!!!
13. "Divine Gosa" by Bonde Do Rolê
Crazy and funny lyrics combined with Carioca funk and Eletronic and Rock elements. Count me in!!
12. "Os Novos Yorkinos" by Bebel Gilberto
Me and my friends’ theme. We turn this small shitty town [Conquista] into New York.
11. "Don’t Look Back" by Télépopmusik
A perfect trip hop love song. Angela McCluskey’s voice is beyond lovely.

Top 10:

10. "Don’t Stop The Music" by Rihanna
I still think her voice is awful, but man, what awesome music this woman made this year!! From the Micheal Jackson sample to the exciting background claps.
- "Friday Night" by Lily Allen
Allen’s drunken nights and fights in clubs really made my fun early in the year.

9. "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse
Early in the year this was a fever, I loved it to death; now it bores me. But I chose it to the top 10 because it’s a good picture of this decade’s culture. I mean, it was released last year but it was still all over the place in early 2007; but now, it feels like it’s a hundred years old. Things are very ephemeral lately; every week is a new technology, a new fashion, the best rock band of all times… kinda boring right?

8. "HeadTurner" by Joss Stone
The songs from Stone's third album swayed my early year; HeadTurner, the slut song – as the ho and I call it, - is my favorite from the album, because it makes me feel like a natural ho. Another song from her album that made me cum this year was Bruised But Not Broken – but I chose “Turner” instead because of the not depressive tone.

7. "Wuthering Heights" by The Puppini Sisters
The Puppini Sisters were my ultimate gay delight… okay there was Rihanna, but you know what I mean: three beautiful women playing vintage music and wearing 1930’s looks – and one of them is Italian, hello!!
Playing Jazzed Pop hits they are all I love about artists: fun, competent and poser. And the things they did to the songs are wonderful, listen to their I Will Survive and The Smiths’s Panic. But to feature here is their mesmerizing version of Kate Bush’s classic, Wuthering Heights. The harmonized vocals, the theatrical performance, the arrangements make me shudder with excitement as I behold delicious reinventions.

6. "Hands On Me" by Vanessa Carlton
I’ve always loved Nessa Carlton and suddenly one day I woke up with this song’s demo version on my mind and remembered her third album was to be released. The album was reviewed here a while ago, but this is definitely my favorite song.
It's so romantic in a kind of bitter way, having a Carlton singing about an obsessive behavior towards a romance. Sounds familiar? Lol.
There they go climbing Tibetan mountains and crossing deep oceans, when they actually never met yet. And in the end when you think it's obsession enough, she goes and begs “just put your hands on me!” This desperation is both sweet and funny; and considering how Carlton has always been very centered on her love songs, I can't help loving such sarcasm.

5. "One Evening" by Feist
“When we started, both brokenhearted. Not believing, could begin and end in one evening.” Isn’t it the dream of everyone who ventures in dates and one-night-stands? The delicious thing of the song, however, is the fact she keeps herself very grounded on the following verses.

Feist became an instant sensation on my playlists; the same happened with Saint Etienne last year and Feist’s folk quality brings a sort of cynical Indie aura to me. The whole Indie movement is kind of a bore, especially because most Indies think they’re better than anyone because they love unmainstreamed things [even if they’re now the mainstream]. But Feist is thrilling with her soothing voice and wonderful way of arranging music. She’s nomed as Best New Artist from the Grammies, for this year’s The Reminder; but her solo career start is dated from 1999… that was so Indie of me. *hehehe*

4. "Belo Estranho Dia De Amanhã" by Roberta Sá
Although she's the only Brazilian Music representative on the top 10, for a period this year I have been addicted to samba and MPB. Roberta Sá was the main star of that phase; early in the year I got addicted to her first album and a while later her sophomore was released and what a marvel it is.
Bringing samba to a closer and more modern reality, on the Que Belo Estranho Dia Pra Se Ter Alegria album she proved herself as an exquisite performer and musician by showing she knows how to choose a repertoire. In both of her albums she sang songs by unknown artists releasing new composers on the market, or songs by already firmed writers but that are so rare that are practically new.
The song I chose is a delicious love song about forgetting all life’s troubles and stress and tapping to the simple and serene side of everything. By listening to it I long for such a love, one that makes me smile; better yet, it brings me hope that one day it’ll come along.

3. "In My Arms" by Kylie Minogue
The other day the ho and I came to the conclusion that we were never let down by Miss Minogue. Ever since I became a fan there was nothing from this woman’s creative and delicious mind that made me stick up my nose.
This year, after a delightful treat with White Diamond and the Showgirl Homecoming we had the excitement of having leaked some tracks from the new studio album. In My Arms came to me like a thunderbolt full of joy and hope. No longer kicking depression with dancing, this time she was coming filled with self-assurance and happiness.
Although it’s become tacky [but still is very common] mentioning her cancer every time she’s the subject, I can’t help saying that probably what she went through put her in a happier line in what it comes to her lyrics. Another track from her latest album, The One, is beyond romantic but in the end she goes and says “I’m the one, love me”, instead of “why’d you leave to find yourself, I can’t dance with no one else.”
Kylie’s top 5:
a. In My Arms
b. Please Stay
c. The One
d. Sensitized
e. Disco Down

2. "Today The Sun’s On Us" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
One morning in Salvador I woke up with Murder On The Dancefloor pumping into my head and had an epiphany: “hey, I don’t know much about Sophie Ellis-Bextor!” Nah it was not so theatrical, I simply got up and decided to download her discography after I saw a comment about Catch You on a blog. From the moment I started listening to her music and studying her career I knew I was a fool for having neglected such wonderful and genius artist.
With elaborate and joyous beats Ellis-Bextor has a Minogue quality when she comes with dark lyrics combined with ingenious dance hooks and layers [give a try on Move This Mountain from her debut album, or The Walls Keep Saying Your Name from her sophomore]. But when she gets optimistic as in Today The Sun's On Us she's heartwarming and bright. I lost track of how many times this song lifted me up from depressive moods and dark times.
Sophie’s top 5:
a. Today’s The Sun’s On Us
b. If I Can’t Dance
c. The Walls Keep Saying Your Name
d. I Won’t Change You
e. New York City Lights

1. "Wanderlust" by Björk
Despite the fact that she’s the most ubiquitous artist of my year [just check out my last.fm] and that this was the year I became a die-hard fan, it’s this track from her latest studio effort, Volta, that best defines my life and behavior in 2007. I last year moved to Conquista in the high hopes to move to Salvador; and after six unhappy months in Salvador I returned to Conquista. And engaging myself in planed or last-hour trips I’ve come to know places and have a bunch of experiences that fulfilled me in ways that were very new to me.
This song, with its sometimes scary brass section became a hymn to my new desire during my trip to Rio de Janeiro. Sometimes putting comfort aside and following intuition, I’ve come to see and feel things that pushed my own nature and brought self-awareness and reinvention. This song is definitely the best way to describe a fully colourful 2007.
Björk’s top 6*:
a. Wanderlust
b. Bachelorette
c. Unravel
d. Isobel
e. Possibly Maybe
f. Dull Flame Of Desire [with Antony]
*because I couldn’t help it.

Honorable [very late] mentions:
- Once Soundtrack
The one movie this year that touched me to the core. Every and each song of its soundtrack makes me teary eyed, but indisputably romantically hopeful. Highlights are: Falling Slowly, When Your Mind’s Made Up and Lies.
- "No One" by Alicia Keys
For me “No One” felt like a one-day wonder, one morning more specifically.
- "What Goes Around… Comes Around" by Justin Timberlake
Justin “Hot” Timberlake was very present early in March – but what comes around…
- "Thinking About You" by Norah Jones
Somehow she’s always around during my year.
- "Lenda" by CéU
Genius experimental Brazilian music. CéU has the voice of an angel combined with fierceness of a woman not afraid to try new things.
- "Grace Kelly" by Mika
Alright, he is beyond annoying now, but I really enjoyed him back in May.

The Songs Of 2005
The Songs Of 2006

Current Favorite Music Ladies Top 6

With a gloomy and cloudy day outside I suddenly woke up with a feeling I didn't have in a long time: introspection. Ever since I moved, most of my days were filled with nothing or not-exactly-fulfilling activities, but outside in the hype of the streets and between my lovely eloquent friends; today I don't feel like going out, apart from the Cinema Week that is going on in town.

So this moodiness made me feel like writing anything again; go beyond the thematic and just write about anything I want. And since I'm always writing about music here, here goes the list of the top 6 artists I'm listening the most. Not so surprisingly they're all women.

6. Juliette And The Licks

There's an awesome aura of coolness around Juliette Lewis and her band that they inspire me. I had to buy ribbons to imitate the lead-Lick's indian style. Plus her raspery voice and delicious posture as a rockstar makes me want to have my own band. *giggles* My favorite songs are 20 Year Old Lover, Bullshit King, American Boy and Hot Kiss. "Lover" and "King"'s dialogues by the end of the songs thrill me to the bone with its sass and rhythm, showing an attitude that is mesmerizing.

5. Britney Spears

"It's Britney, bitch!" Okay, I only have one thing to comment about this: who'd ever thought that in the worst moment of her career and life, Miss Spears would manage to release such a great and genius album?! Say what you want about the vocals, but this album has amazing beats and hooks... who cares about the lyrics? Radar and Get Naked are pure delight!

4. Kylie Minogue

There's this woman in Brasil called Erika Palomino who is told to be Brazillian's Anna Wintour; she's the best fashion reviewer, the one who all the models and designers want to be protogé of, the one who's the trend spreader... anyways, one day she was invited to a chat on a website and somebody quentioned her why wasn't she talking so much about Madonna anymore. Palomino replied that Madonna now was in another area in which her personal life was more important and she wouldn't become The Sun and publish every little thing Madonna said or did, "besides, it's Kylie Minogue's momentum!"

I couldn't agree more. Ever since the Showgirl Homecoming Kylie has been heating up the vaults of anticipation with her upcoming album. Early in the year several songs leaked and we had the pleasure of knowing the marvelous In My Arms; now 2 Hearts is everywhere and soon we'll have the full album in our hands. It's already leaked... but while I wait for The Ho to finally sending me everything, I feed my addictions to the following top 3 ladies.

3. Vanessa Carlton

Heroes & Thieves is such a singular and sweet piece that it could not be done by anyone else than Miss Carlton. Its body is more than the collection of songs that Carlton's previous albums felt like, and though at first you might twist your nose and think that it's more of the same, you'll be totally wrong if you stick to that idea. In H&T Vanessa is in her best shape as a songwriter and arranger, bringing songs filled with breezy percussions and drums always sided by her sweet and inspired piano. The lyrics are other joys to notice; her poetry is filled with even more honesty and imagery. My favorite ones are Hands On Me, My Best, Come Undone and More Than This.

2. Björk

Uhhh... is there anything to say about my complete fascination and addiction to this woman? After the concert I attended I have been unable to write freely about my experience, as if it's too overwhelming. But it's coming out, especially now that I'm discovering even more genius stuff by this G-d. Whoever uploads me the whole Family Tree collection I'll owe sexual favors forever!

1. Feist

[That's my favorite pic of Feist's, I'll definitielly imitate it.] If I'd known Feist before the Tim Festival I would've undoubtedly bought tickets to her concert and stayed beyond pissed when she cancelled her gigs due to labyrinthitis. Her sweet and somewhat hoarse vocals are enough to charm you and make you feel like you're in love. Some of the lyrics are pretty melancholic, but are arranged so beautifuly and yet very minimalistically that it's impressive. Right now I'm beyond addicted to her sophomore album, Let It Die, which features marvelous self-penned songs such as Gatekeeper, One Evening, Mushaboom, Leisure Suite and the tittle track, plus wonderful covers like Inside And Out and When I Was A Young Girl. I'm getting into her latest album as well, The Reminder; Sea Lion Woman is my favorite - one of the best arrangements ever done!

"You Can Be Henry Miller And I'll Be Anaïs Nin"

As Miss Feist has been telling to my years lately "the saddest part of a brokenheart isn't the ending as much as the start."

It's very cliché to be all melancholic after your heart is broken, and I can't even say if mine actually is, but once the "feeling of possibility" is dead you have to figure out ways to cope with that loss... because even if most of its existence was only in your head, it's still another thing of yours you'll not have anymore.

So on the last two days I've been on my bitchiest mode ever since comment guy, and guess why... a guy. There were no despressive period this time, because once I saw I was still able to leave the danger zone I made my path backwards. Hence the bitchiness. I realized that being bitchy towards the source of my afflictions is a good way to impose myself to myself. Being blasé keeps me from wondering of shoulda woulda couldas.

Last night it was clear to him I was particularly bitchy with him. He asked me why today... I obviously was evasive and said that it would soon be gone. Well, that is true... but why sheding my pride by being utterly honest and exposing even more my weakiness? Falling for an ideal - a wishful thinking - is very beautiful in arts, but in real life is tiresome. Playing the bitch with a good friend because you wrongly fell for him isn't exactly my ideal of pleasure, but for now it's necessary and it's being done.

Today's mood is better than the last days', but I don't know how long will the bitch mode will last. After he asked I offered him a Feist song, When I Was A Young Girl, and considering the lyrics it was an elegant bitchy move of me.

In the end I go back to the Feist's line from the post-top and think there's no better words to describe the silly state of mind I'm in lately. I feel like giving up on romance... surely this won't last forever, but for now I'm just feeling tired. Once again...

[Song: Let It Die - Feist]