Ok, So 2011 - The Year In iTunes (Pt. 1.)

So, I noticed, after creating a list of music I had bought since the beginning of the year, that I haven't bought a lot of music.  In fact, this year, I have probably spent less money on music than I have in my entire life, or at least since I was about 14 years old.  Part of it may be because I'm just getting older, and part of it may be because I don't listen to the radio anymore.  I tend to listen to podcasts, or unless there is something that another show, friend or website I go to directs me to check out, I tend to ignore popular music at large.

As of right now, I have 75 songs downloaded, and that includes a couple of albums and EPs.  Songs range from the 1950s to today.  I thought I would occasionally post what songs I bought and what I thought of them.  1.) It's blog content, and 2.) It will give you all something to talk about (if you are, in fact, interested enough to read this.).  The song may have a review attatched to it, or it may just have a comment about where I was when I heard it or what not.  But all the songs have been bought in the last 9 months.

I say nine months because I'm already breaking my rules and going to talk about songs purchased after Christmas, 2010.  I used iTunes gift cards to buy them, and, come on, it's close to 2011, right?

12/25/2010 - Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
While I am not a huge Katy Perry fan, I seem to have a couple of songs of hers from her latest album.  It's hard to not compare this to Darren Criss' version from Glee, which personally I think it superior, but the song has a very beachy summery feel to it and, given  I do a lot of driving down near the beach for work, it's a nice laid back dance song. Reminds me of summers at the Jersey Shore back in 1990, 91(Grade: B)


12/26/2010 - Ben Sharkey - Try As I Might (EP)
I posted a couple of Sharkey's videos a few years ago and occasionally, I have gone back and watched them.  He's a cutie with a crooner's sensebilities, often singing covers of Buble or Sinatra songs.  He released a 4 track EP called Try as I Might and, while I like at least two of the songs ("Actually" and "Won't You Come Back To Me") the EP definitely sounds very home made.  It's just him and a guitar, but it doesn't have the polish you would hope for.  He has his own channel, but here is a version of "Actually"  It's got poor video quality, and that's a shame, because you REALLY want to go look at this guy! (Grade: B-, but because of production value)


12/30/2010 - The Bird And The Bee - Interpreting The Masters, Vol 1 (A Tribute To Daryl Hall and John Oates)  
The Bird and The Bee remind me of Nessa of Hello Nessa fan.  I bought this album at her recommendation, and I am SO glad I did.  I was never a big Hall and Oates fan, but I figured the tongue in cheek stylings of the two could be worth a smile or two.  Whenever these songs come on my iPod, I'm not sure what they are at first until the lyrics begin, but the intros are always so interesting they keep me listening though the whole song (I am a notorious Fast Forwarder).  While I love just about every song on the album (including "She's Gone," which is one of my least favorite songs of ALL TIME!), "Heard It On The Radio," the one original track is the one that has the most plays and is the song I find myself bouncing my head along to the most. (Grade: A+)


1/1/11 - Shirley Bassey - Get The Party Started - I truly have no idea what made me get this song, other than I had showed the video to Babaloo and he thought it was hysterical.  Taking the best of the P!nk song and the best of Bassey's 007 theme catalog and you've got a campy little ditty with a great video (which reminds me of a Target ad).  However, I tend to tune out when this song comes in the car. (Grade: C)


1/1/11 - Adam Lambert - If I Had You
Speaking of drag queens...
It's a fun song to work out to, though I hate how he enunciates his Rs and when he said all we need is "sumluuuv." And I think of Taffy every time he says "You...y--y-yy-y You!"  As that is her favorite part of the song...or she had a stutter.  I guess we'll never know.... (Grade B-)