Boys Like Girls - Self-Titled Album

I'm usually not susceptible to in-store marketing gimmicks with the exception of free shows, but a few weeks ago I had a breakdown in the SF Best Buy. I was there to buy the Britney Spears album for the company gift exchange (I had to buy a present with the initials BS), when I was thinking I needed new music. The little red sticker on the Boys Like Girls album saying that they were a SPIN artist of the year caught my eye and I took them home with me.

They are the All-American Rejects music with the vocals from The Used softened. On some tracks it works (like the hit "The Great Escape"), and on others it's less successful, see above. This may be the shortest review ever, but after playing the album in my car for about a week, I still couldn't tell the songs apart. There's a real lack of breadth in their sound, but it remains catchy.

As a side note, if you pause the video at 0:01, you can see a guitarist/bassist on the left in a really awesome T-shirt of a bridge. I happen to own that shirt as well, but it was so Urban Outfitters three seasons ago.

Final Note
HATE

Cobra Starship - The City is at War

HOTNESS ALERT!!! Cobra Starship has steadily been gaining popularity to my dismay. I recently tried to get tickets to their upcoming show at one of my favorite venues only to find they were sold out and tickets on e-Bay started at $50. This is more than a month in advance of the show and they're not that big....yet. It reminds me of The Killers, but I got my tickets for that 3 months in advance.

But with such danceable beats in their pop-punk, it's no wonder. And what Cobra Starship does best is add camp to the genre that felt it was so rebellious. Lyrics like "designer drugs and designer friends" with a video that substitutes pies for bullets and narcotics really adds a classic touch of happiness.

Cobra Starship, as the name might not imply, is sort of an All Star band. All Star in that each of the members has a full-time gig in another band. The lead singer is from Midtown, and Maja from The Sounds is involved and a few others. Their music, however, is not All Star quality. But as the name implies once again, this is about fun, not art, unless art is social commentary, and then it's still not.

But what have you, it's hot right now. So get on it.

Final Note
LOVE

Flo Rida - Low

If there was ever a song since "Drop It Like It's Hot" that made me want to pop my booty, this is it. I just want to pop-pop till I can't stop.

The song starts with a rather grandiose intro as though we're getting a gangster anthem, but then it breaks into a club beat. And that's when you hear about the Apple Bottoms, boots with the fur, sweatpants, and Reeboks with the straps.

The versus aren't very special. They kind of morph into the back like so many hip hop songs. I'm sure the lyrics rhyme, or something. But then the chorus comes back. I've so far made this my 2008 New Years Eve anthem and driven one of my roommates crazy and then to fall in love with the song.

I best be gettin' me to my local urban-apparel retailer for my ABs, know what I mean?

Final Note
LOVE