Sugarland – Love on the Inside

Sugarland – Love on the Inside (Release date: July 22, 2008 )

My second favorite country album of 2008. It comes in very close behind Lady Antebellum’s release earlier this year.

There is something about Sugarland that I just love. I have liked their music since the first album, ya know, back when they were a trio. I liked them when they lost the third member and went on as a duo. I loved them when they put out that emotional STAY. And, now I love them even more. Jennifer Nettles looks and sounds great. Whenever I see her and bandmate, Kristian Bush, I smile. They look like they are enjoying everything that they have earned. They seem to appreciate life and are genuinely grateful for their successes. They are truly a joy to watch.

The new album, LOVE ON THE INSIDE, is one of their best. How do they just keep upping the status quo? This is the first album of Sugarland to be #1 on the country charts. If only Miley Cyrus did not exist, they would have taken the top spot on the Top 100 on Billboard. Damn her.

What do I not love about this album? I think the only track I could do without is Genevieve. Even still, I’ll listen. On the deluxe fan edition, I was thrilled to hear the live version of “Life in a Northern Town” that they performed with Little Big Town and Jake Owens as well as a live cover of a Matt Nathanson song, “Come on Get Higher”. Who would have thought?

So the true gems of this album are:

• “All I wanna do” – just a fun summer song and the video is great too
• “It happens” – I love when she says, “pshhh…..it happens” I think that was intentional. It was also intentional that it is my new ringtone. Ha
• “We run” – Just a great mid-tempo song. Sing sing sing.
• “Love” – wonderful ballad showcasing both Nettles and Bush.
• “Take Me As I Am”
• “Very last Country Song” – what if we didn’t have problems. Then this would be the last country song you’d hear. for sure.
• “What I’d Give” – a true longing
• “Fall Into Me” – another great ballad.

Another great thing about this album is that we get to hear more of Kristian Bush. Long time coming…

So, can you tell that I loved it? Some nice country pop. 10!

Whitney – Back and sounding great

So, who would have thought that Whitney would clean herself up, dump Bobby and attempt another comeback. She probably saw Mariah do it and thought, “what the hell? I can do that.”

The last I saw Whitney was on some BET awards show. She weighed about 9 lbs and sounded like trash. With the new track LIKE I NEVER LEFT with Akon, she sounds back to form. Maybe not 80s or early 90s Whitney, but at least late 90s and 2000s.

Take a listen and let me know what you think. I am somewhat excited to hear some more…

Sad Day..

As reported this morning, Randy Pausch has succumbed to pancreatic cancer at the age of 47. Apparently he died over night.  When I first saw The Last Lecture, I couldn’t believe that someone who had been dealt so many hardships was so positive and inspiring. I am sure many others felt the same way.

The dateline special with his family was equally as inspiring and the strength his wife showed was truly amazing. The world has lost an important person today.

If you have never seen it, please view THE LAST LECTURE below:

or the edited, Oprah version…

I hate some people.

So, I hate the people that live upstairs in the house that I live in. They are a brother and sister and they are idiots. They are disrespectful and irresponsible. The other night, they topped the list with their amazing antics.

We get a knock on the door around 8:30pm (not late, but still odd) and its the brother. He is soaked from the rain and tells us that he has lost his keys and can we let him in the back door so that he can break into his apartment. So we do, what are we gonna do, say no? Can’t do that. So, last night, the sister rings the doorbell and she is standing there soaked from the rain, guess what? Yes, she lost her set of keys too. So she needs to break in as well.

We share a common door that opens to a foyer that has our two doors. I don’t want that common door left unlocked. Is that too much to ask? They obviously haven’t had to work for all their possessions and don’t really care whether or not they are stolen. I just hate them.

Maybe I will go over all the other stories sometime…

HA. No words…Japanese Binocular Soccer

Need I really say anything?

Delta Goodrem – I Can’t Break It To My Heart

Well, she is back. My wannabe girlfriend Delta Goodrem has finally released her US album. I know it is comprised of previous hits from her other album, but I had to buy it and support her. I’m wondering why they aren’t promoting her and trying to help her blow up in the states. Hmmm….

For now, she has a new video and she looks AMAZING.

Delta Goodrem – I Can’t Break it to my Heart

She’s BACK! but maybe only for a bit

So as some of us know, maybe everyone, whatevs!

Jessica King injured herself (I think her knee) last week and will be leaving So You Think You Can Dance. Comfort Fedoke (my girl) is returning to the show and will be paired with someone new. This was news yesterday, so I am not sure how long Comfort will have to learn the dances. She may just be a placeholder until she is eliminated again on Thursday.

I think Its time for me to start voting since America is now deciding who stays and goes and not the judges. Maybe I can keep Comfort for another week?! It’s like Syesha all over again…

is gone…

is back!

I’m embarassed to say that this kinda works.

Ms. Jessica Simpson and her new country song COME ON OVER now on video. I have tried to not like this, but its catchy and I think it might just work out for her. I used to root for her pop career, so maybe I should jump on her bandwagon before everyone else does. The CD comes out Sept. 9, 2008.

Jessica Simpson – Come on Over

SYTYCD – 2 more gone

Are we shocked? Uh, no. It was very obvious who the judges wanted out this week. My Comfort went home and so did her partner Thayne. Now, I think that Nigel shouldn’t have said how he wanted to keep the guys and get rid of two girls instead, because now it has me and a few others thinking. They SHOULD HAVE.  We have seen guys dance together, maybe not ballroom cause that would be weird, but they could do some hip hop and other stuff like they do on the top 4 finale episodes.

Oh well, It won’t happen.

The group number was cool. I always like the group numbers on SYTYCD. They are always much better than the group numbers on American Idol.

Top 12 – Group Performance

Did anyone else notice how bad Katy Perry was? Plus, was she wearing panties? Hmmm…Garbage…

Katy Perry – I Kissed A Girl

Comfort and Thayne get the boot. Not surprising. What was surprising was that Michelle Williams’ new song THE GREATEST that was recently leaked was Comfort’s send off song. Weird…

SYTYCD – Top 12

First off, I want to ask why the judges hate Comfort and Thayne so much. It is like they have been out to get them since the beginning. I thought they had two decent, if not good, numbers and yet didn’t really get one compliment at all. Whereas we had Kherington and Twitch do a Tango and the judges said “we will just ignore the parts we didn’t like” which I believe in their words were the entire middle part or something like that. If you are gonna play favorites, make it a little less obvious and a little less insulting.

We have the hot Chelsie who can do no wrong with her crooked pinky partner Mark. I liked them on the first round, not so thrilled on the second round. I am getting bored with Jessica and Will. Apparently Will is trying to go with the fewest clothes ever on SYTYCD. Do you ever wonder if the girls junk is gonna slip out when they are raising their legs in the air and spreading them wide? I swore that Jessica’s was gonna flop right out in that “sex on the stage with our underwear on” dance. Katee and Joshua can also do no wrong so far this season. I also didn’t expect Joshua to be that fit. weird.

My favorite of the night were Courtney and Gev. They were great, plus I think she is mad hot. Like Rachel Bilson on the OC. YES! Ha.

I am pretty sure that the judges will give the boot to Comfort and Thayne.

My personal highlights…

Comfort and Thayne – Hip Hop (just to spite the judges)

Courtney and Gev – Jazz

Joshua and Katee – Bollywood