So, I know there are many skeptics who don’t like CSS (Cansei de Ser Sexy, Portuguese for “Tired of Being Sexy” for those who may not be familiar with the band) and I can partially understand that, because they are quite strange, and quite foreign and there really isn’t much to compare them to… but I honestly and truly love them, and not in a “well, they’re so funny or so bad that they are good sort of way. They make simple music, but it is lyrically entertaining and overall just very fun stuff. So for those of you who are not too sure, now is the perfect opportunity to give them a second chance.

They just released the (assumed) first single, “The Rat Is Dead (Rage)” from their upcoming summer release, Donkey. I was surprised at how different the track was from anything on their debut self-titled album. I think Lovefoxxx (yes, really, three Xs) has successfully progressed in her songwriting and singing abilities. She’s not exactly belting out ballads, but her voice isn’t quite as coarse as in the previous album, while still maintaining all of the energy. But perhaps the most amazing thing about this new song is the story. For the first time there is a real storyline involved in the lyrics that is pretty clear, and it is not just “do you want to drink some alcohooool?” I have to say, I am pleased with this track and can’t wait to hear the rest. Take a listen.

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Head over to http://www.csshurts.com/ to download the track for free. I believe they require you to enter an e-mail address, but you are not required to sign up for anything, although I believe you should sign up for their newsletter anyway, because it is quite humorous at times.

I never listen to the radio. (Don’t worry Ira Glass, I don’t mean that kind of radio.) It just doesn’t seem worth it to surf around until you come across the last half of a song I really like only to find it is followed by something i equally loathe. Perhaps working at Best Buy for so long has aided in this feeling. Once you see what kind of people come in to buy a Seether album it becomes impossible to have disdain for the band simply because they suck. That being said, my girlfriend sent me a message last night when she was driving to tell me she heard M.I.A. on the radio, because she thought it was weird. I am not aware of how long radio considered her friendly and easily digestible music, but I was a little surprised. Even more surprised when she told me it was part of a stations nightly top ten request count down. Okay, so granted it was Paper Planes, and a lot of people know it and it’s in the trailer for that one movie (Pineapple Express? I think?) but it still seems weird. And here is my sole point in this post, M.I.A. on the radio must make pretentious indie hipsters ecstatic. This is the PERFECT thing for them to complain about in an effort to prove their credibility. They were already in a grumble when so many magazines and radio shows named Kala the best or one of the best albums of last year. Now, everyone get to work!

“I liked her before she was on the radio, you know, when she was still making music.”

So… I haven’t updated at all this summer as a result of two.. i guess maybe three.. things.

1) I’ve been working about 50 hours a week and go many days without even turning on my computer

2) I couldn’t remember my user name to log in.

3) I have been too lazy/busy to hastle with getting my correct user name from my laptop (AKA tabletop to store DVD box sets on.)

Here is a brief list of things I intended to write about this summer but never did:

• Girl Talk back in Tulsa (fun show; even better than last summer)
• The New CSS album (good, different, not too different. I like it)
• Random observations in everyday office work (and its parallels with the internets)
• Batman
• The Roots Live (I have listened to many many live recordings, but was not prepared for the awesomeness. Black Thought is most certainly an MC in the truest sense of the term.)
• Phantom Planet live (decent. not their best show. one more reason why i hate festivals.)
• The Happening (a movie in which nothing ever happens)
• Every Single episode of This American Life (With the Exception of #5… I probably will write about this experience)

And probably many many other things i cannot think of at the moment.

I never listen to the radio. (Don’t worry Ira Glass, I don’t mean that kind of radio.) It just doesn’t seem worth it to surf around until you come across the last half of a song I really like only to find it is followed by something i equally loathe. Perhaps working at Best Buy for so long has aided in this feeling. Once you see what kind of people come in to buy a Seether album it becomes impossible to have disdain for the band simply because they suck. That being said, my girlfriend sent me a message last night when she was driving to tell me she heard M.I.A. on the radio, because she thought it was weird. I am not aware of how long radio considered her friendly and easily digestible music, but I was a little surprised. Even more surprised when she told me it was part of a stations nightly top ten request count down. Okay, so granted it was Paper Planes, and a lot of people know it and it’s in the trailer for that one movie (Pineapple Express? I think?) but it still seems weird. And here is my sole point in this post, M.I.A. on the radio must make pretentious indie hipsters ecstatic. This is the PERFECT thing for them to complain about in an effort to prove their credibility. They were already in a grumble when so many magazines and radio shows named Kala the best or one of the best albums of last year. Now, everyone get to work!

“I liked her before she was on the radio, you know, when she was still making music.”

I am sorry this is not exactly timely, but I was out of town when I got the news, and I hardly turn on the computer right now.

The time has finally come. Six months ago Nate Ruess of The Format left a lengthy but still somewhat cryptic message on the band’s site, myspace, and street team page. We were left only knowing that the band had broken up and would not be recording their next anticipated album. No word on whether the band could/would ever be able to consider getting back together in the future. The one lingering bit of hope was a quick statement that Nate would be working on a solo project; but for the past 6 months I have been trying to figure out how Nate could POSSIBLY make an album without Sam. For those of you who haven’t read the liner notes of Interventions & Lullabies, the only thing Nate is credited with, other than vocals, is handclaps, and even I have made it into the liner notes of an album for handclaps (seriously.)

Last week my question was finally answered. (And no, Sam is unfortunately in no way involved, but he is busy with his new venture, Hello Merch.) Nate posted a new message in the same places he posted the one of departure, but this time it is all about new beginnings. Andrew Dost, formerly of the incredible band Anathallo and Jack Antonoff, still of the incredible band Steel Train, have joined Nate to form the band, of sorts, simply know as fun.

Here is the only track they have made available thus far, the demo for a song called Benson Hudges.

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At this point I can tell you no more about the band than you can find out for yourself on the single message found on the band’s myspace blog at http://www.myspace.com/fun. Head over. Listen to the demo (again.. you know, to give them playcounts and such.) Have fun.