Listening Assignments 5.26.08

1. Philadelphia Slick - Culture Industry - If you know where I can find the mother load of jazz-backed hip-hop in the chilly cool vein of this, please let me know. ASAP. (I found this on thesixtyone) [from Culture Industry|buy]

2. David Cook - Hello (Lionel Richie)- I don't know if I've ever really talked about American Idol here, and you might even love it that way. But m'lady and I did watch this season beginning to end. Can't believe this gent won, though he had some amazing highs (this song, for example). All-in-all, not an incredible vocalist, and most of the time simply mimics the inflections of Chris Daughtry and Scott Stapp. But "the rocker" finally won an Idol and they still stuck him with a sappy pop ballad as his first single called "Time of My Life". He even gets to sing "magic rainbow" in the second verse! Anyhoot, I think this should have been the first single instead. Yet another "finding your dreams" slow-rocker is enough to make me want to taste a barrel. [possibly from Analog Heart|info]

3. Laura Marling - Failure - Yes. Yes yes yes. Keep singing. Please don't stop singing. You're 18 going on 30. [from Alas I Cannot Swim|buy]

4. Athlete - Best Not to Think About It - I love Joel Pott's voice, though it's taylor-made for Grey's Anatomy. It's the usual sweeping and swelling, pop irresistibility from Athlete. [from Beyond the Neighborhood|buy]