Category: Boys

An LGBT Christmas

12/25/2015

Merry Christmas bitches! It's the final day of the 12 Days of Bubbles. The marathon blogging spree is over. Exams are done. I'm with family.

…

And, when thinking about what the most religious, holy thing to talk about for Friday Favorites, I thought to myself “who are the most fucking gay celebrities that I love?” In this endeavor I have compiled a list of some pretty kick ass LGBT singers.

As wonderful as the LGBT community is our representation on radio is minimal at best. See Sam Smith and his lack of personal pronouns in all of his hits so he doesn't “alienate people”. Because, as we all know LGBT is offensive and gross and disgusting and the brave heterosexuals and cisgenders shouldn't have to put up with us. Least of all on the radio or their TV screens.

I'm going to be trying to include people that you might not be aware of. Some people you would have to do some research to find. Therefore as much as I love my gay boys, Elton John and Ricky Martin, they won't be on here. Similarly, everyone's favorite bisexuals Fergie, Madonna, and David Bowie did not make the cut.

Beth Ditto (Gossip)
Lesbian
“Obsession” would be an understatement for my feelings on Beth Ditto. Lead singer of rock band Gossip, she's the body positive LGBT icon you've been looking for. She's gorgeous. See my Snapshot Saturday I did on her (read here). And, more importantly a voice so distinctive, it's unlikely anyone could replicate it's wail.

She released a self titled EP full of four pop oriented tracks. Most of her work with Gossip is rock based. Standing in the Way of Control and Music For Men were there commercial break through. Specifically, their ubiquitous song “Heavy Cross”. Their last album explored an eighties pop melody and lived up to it's title of A Joyful Noise.

Buy"Heavy Cross"

RuPaul
Gay
Drag queen extraordinaire and also the topic of a Snapshot Saturday (read here). RuPaul has maintained an interesting music career. Since, his second studio album, Foxy Lady, he's remained an independent dance artist. His work is disco inspired empowerment and R&B.

His most popular song was “Supermodel (You Better Work)” when it almost went top forty in the nineties. My personal favorite album by him is Redhot and it's feel good anthem “Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous”. Recently, he's emerged an artist on the outskirts of mainstream with the self promotion through RuPaul's Drag Race. Making “Sissy That Walk” a surprise club hit and it's parent album Born Naked his highest charting since Supermodel of the World.

Buy "Sissy That Walk"

Troye Sivan
Gay

Arguably the most well known of all the celebrities on this list, Troye Sivan is the youtuber who started the trend of “coming out online”. He released his debut album The Blue Neighborhood this December. Without a hit in sight his album and EP sales are stacking up well against who are having top ten hits. Marking a clear need for any kind of LGBT representation in the music industry.

All of his music is experimental electro pop. The trend among hopeful pop stars who want to carve out their own niche in the industry without alienating the top 40. His single “Wild” notably marked him using male pronouns to address his lover.

Buy "Wild"

Tegan & Sara
Lesbians
Canadian duo Tegan & Sara have always been on the outskirts of pure mainstream success. They have quirky good looks and have slowly been building a fanbase since their debut album Under Feet Like Ours in 1999. Their biggest mainstream success in the United States came recently when “Closer” hit the radio long enough for them to have their first charting song.

Heartthrob marked their biggest mainstream attempt and is a good place to start investigating their discography that plays well against their pop/rock leanings. Funny enough their biggest success came with a collaboration with The Lonely Island for the Lego Movie Soundtrack. “EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!!!”

Buy "Closer"

Laura Jane Grace (Against Me!)
Transgender

A strong example of the lack of transgender representation in media, Laura Jane Grace made waves back in 2012 when she announced that she identified as a woman and was undergoing gender confirmation surgery to Rolling Stone.

It raised the profile of her band Against Me! and allowed for their biggest commercial success Transgender Dysphoria Blues that still only charted as high as 22 in the United States. Valid and to the point it's one of the most gripping punk rock releases of 2014.

Buy "True Trans Soul Rebel"

Halsey
Bisexual
Halsey is what the self deprecating cool kids listen to. Gorgeous. Sexy. Stunning. Breakout indie star of the year, she has a loyal and growing fan base. Her music falls into line with the moody electro pop that her contemporaries are favoring, yet doing something more with it.

There is a never ending list of amazing bisexuals. And, yet their sexual orientation is consistently erased and made to be either heterosexual or homosexual. Take Lady Gaga and Freddie Mercury. Halsey defied her record label's insistence on making her lover in “Ghost” a man and traded him in for a lush woman instead. Halsey spreading bisexual awareness one video at a time.

Buy "Ghost"

Charice
Lesbian

Filipino singer Charice was championed by Oprah. Had the highest charting album for an Asian act in the United States and all but disappeared. Her voice has the controlled range that Ariana Grande is praised for. Charice just lacked the right producers that shot other strong voiced divas like Mariah Carey to fame.

When announcing her sexual orientation, Charice said “that she understood if people didn't want to be her fan anymore.” As if that was an acceptable reason to dislike her. She's stayed mostly out of the public light, since then but she still has two strong albums full of ballads to capture you with.

Buy "Pyramid"

I hope you've found some cool LGBT singers to add to your playlist. If there's anyone you think I should add be sure to comment below.

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The Blue Neighborhood

10/30/2015

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Depending on how up you are on Troye Sivan's career you have a concept of what The Blue Neighborhood is. It's a film project, separated into three parts. Frankly, I think it's fascinating. It's three separate music videos promoting his latest EP Wild that he lauded as an album earlier this year.

Forewarning that this Friday Favorites is not an endorsement of Wild. I'm still listening to it. Giving it a few spins. I listen to it every time I go to work and I'm allowing it to really sink in.

This EP was promoted with the lead and titular title track “Wild”. I love this song. Much like Tryxe. The lead single “Happy Little Pill” is certainly the highlight. It's perfect mid tempo electro bliss. The music video for “Wild” is more boundary pushing.

Buy "Happy Little Pill"

I'm in love with the video and the song. The song is by far one of the best of 2015. Troye Sivan is one of everyone's favorite homosexual youtuber's. Besides me of course. He's the one who started this concept of coming out online.

Which, is why the video for “Happy Little Pill” was a little disappointing. It centered around a perfectly nice heterosexual couple. If that's what I wanted in a music video, I would just go to Meghan Trainor's vevo account.

“Wild” corrects that and makes Troye and this unknown the center of this love affair. It has the flashbacks to their childhood. Their two little boys who love each other. It's so cute. He nailed it. It's not even a question

Buy "Wild"

Troye said that he wanted there to be an innocent young gay relationship in a video and he certainly nailed that. He also said that he didn't want to skirt away from using personal pronouns like “he” and “him” from his music like Sam Smith does to reach a larger audience. It's a form of censorship and I certainly agree.

The follow up video was for “Fools”. Not one of my favorite tracks. I would have preferred “Ease” or even “Bite” being considered instead. But, we get what we get. In this video we get the fact that Troye Sivan's lover has an unaccepting family.

The video essentially ends with the two of them apart and his lover in a heterosexual relationship with his father's goading. For how much Troye wanted to break away from the mold of what music forces on relationships. It's interesting that he made the gay relationship unhappy. What a common trope. Homosexual relationships always end in tragedy.

Buy "Fools"

“Fools” ends with some product placement. Scenes show Troye Sivan at a funeral. I might have cried. I did cry. It was bad. I won't ruin the third installment for you. You can watch it to find out what happens.

Buy "Talk Me Down"

The Blue Neighborhood is cinematic in quality. Much like his lyrics. According to Troye these songs are built out of a love he has. It raises so many questions. Who is this boy? Are they dating right now? IS TROYLER REAL?

Troye should be releasing a full length album at some point. Although, I think this promotional strategy with five or six song EP's is a great way to introduce fans to his music. He's also going on a tour. And, worldwide enough in it's scope that you might be able to see Troye Sivan in your hometown.

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Quan To The Co

10/16/2015

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ABC is killing the game. Literally and figuratively.

In a highly inventive new television show Quantico there will be FBI recruits, sabotage, golden boys, and terrorism. All playing into America's deep rooted fears of a terrorist attack. The show is going to play with those conventionalities that have made Homeland such a runaway hit for Showtime.

The reason I discovered this show is because of actress Priyanka Chopra. I did a Snapshot Saturday on her entitled Drop Dead Priyanka (read here). I was trying to title it as a variation on “drop dead beautiful” and looking back on it I realize I didn't do a great job on that.

She is a beauty pageant queen. She was very successful at it. Imagine Vanessa Williams in the eighties. Priyanka is gorgeous. She's also a phenomenal actress and women's right's activist in India. She's really an amazing woman.

She will be starring as the lead Alex Parrish. From what I've been able to gather from the trailer, she is an independent woman. She is very confident with her sexuality.

This show is set up to be a thriller. The central concept is that it's a flashback to her days in training at Quantico. One of the people she trained with committed this terrorist act on American soil and she's been set up for it.

Over the course of the season it should focus on her times training and her current situation of trying to discover who set her up. There's the golden boy. The one who's beautiful to look at, but only got in because his parents are agents. Jake McLaughlin is set up to be her love interest. More then likely he will not be the traitor.

Jake McLaughlin

Graham Rogers

There's a whole slew of other characters here to misdirect and throw suspicion. It will be intersting to see if this show does well. It airs on Sunday's. A tough time slot to say the least. Pan AM, GCB, 666 Park Avenue were three shows canceled consecutively in the same time slot Quantico is set for.

This is going to be Priyanka's debut to American audiences who are widely unaware of her superstar status in India. She's tried to launch a music career here, but neither Pitbull assisted “Exotic” or Bonnie Raitt cover “I Can't Make You Love Me” clung to American radio.

If this show is the success it has the possibility of being, this could be what gives Priyanka a leg up in the music industry. See Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande for examples.

I haven't been able to watch it, yet. Tragically I work on Sunday's, but I have high hopes for it. Honestly, I'm going to catch up over the winter break and report back to you. Trying to keep up with Scream Queens and America's Next Top Model is the struggle right now.

Make sure to checkout Quantico on ABC. It airs on Sunday's at 10/9 central. They've only aired a few episodes, so there's still time to catch up before it's season finale later this year.

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Emotional Kiss

10/2/2015

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It's gotten to the point that I've gotten so frayed by this. There's this constant tearing down of Carly Rae Jepsen's first album Kiss and this over the top praise for Emotion.

This blog hasn't accurately reflected how much I like Carly Rae Jepsen. I've mentioned Emotion once or twice in compilation posts of other albums to buy, but I've yet to sit down and tell you in six hundred words or less how much I like Carly Rae Jepsen.

You know Carly Rae. The sweet voiced Canadian behind “Call Me Maybe”. The definitive song of 2012. Her own success hurt her. No one wanted to hear anything after this. Even, with synth goodness of “Good Time”, no one bought it's parent album Kiss.

Buy "Call Me Maybe"

I lived for this album. If I was blogging at this time I would have put Kiss as one of the best albums of 2012. This album came out the same week as P!NK's The Truth About Love. I know, because I had to choose which one to buy with allowance of $20 a month.

Kiss was just such a good album, but everyone over looked it because of how over they were “Call Me Maybe”. That was okay with me. I bopped to this album.

Now were here in 2015 and people are praising Emotion. Her latest album featuring the kind of hit “I Really Like You”. Even with a Justin Bieber appearance it couldn't reignite her hit status. But, everyone is praising this album. They all love it. Carly Rae Jepsen is a Queen now apparently.

Buy "I Really Like You"

This is my problem. I like Emotion. I like Emotion a lot. It's certainly one of the best pop albums of 2015. It's no Breathe In. Breathe Out, but I have been living. Carly Rae Jepsen herself has torn apart Kiss and I am just not about this life.

Kiss was a masterpiece. And, so is Emotion. But, there not even that different. It's not as if this a new Carly Rae Jepsen. It is not that. It's a vague update of the same eighties influenced pop she started out with. These albums are clearly by the same singer.

I'm just done with Kiss being torn apart. I love that album. I love every song on there. Maybe, not that duet with Justin Bieber. But, that album has a warm place in my heart. It's my baby.

I just need people to stop coming for Kiss and praising Emotion. These albums are gold and I'm sorry you missed out on it round one.

Letting you know right now that it's hard to see Emotion on a store shelf. It doesn't stand out at all. Right now my personal favorite song on the album is “Your Type”. Mainly because every single word describes my life. It was in that moment I realized I have the love life of a middle schooler.

Buy "Your Type"

The funniest track to me is “La Hallucinations”. It's catchy. It's good, but it's about the media and all the lies they've said about her. I know she's famous. But, she's always been squeaky clean to me. Like I've never heard of her getting naked with some boy. Breathing on some bong. I guess she needed to address the haters, but I didn't even know this was a problem. If you're watching TMZ, then your not really looking for quality reporting.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, buy Kiss and Emotion. Complete your Carly Rae experience.

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Every Day (Every Day)

7/10/2015

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The summer is upon us and I have done some reading. I recently finished David Levithan's Every Day. I don't talk about books very often (mainly because I don't have the time to read them), but I have a soft spot in my heart for David Levithan. He's an amazing young adult author.

Don't cringe at the words young adult. I spent the better part of my middle school and high school years avoiding young adult works. Now it's all I read besides Jackie Collins and smut. David Levithan has written with John Green. That probably means more to you then me. John Green is great and all, but he just kind of exists to me.

That book is called Will Grayson, Will Grayson. The Mayor and Miss Sara Bellum give it rave reviews. And, it's certainly on my list of material to catch up on. The book that started me on David Levithan was his work Boy Meets Boy. It's juvenile and completely sweet. The book is adorable. It's the traditional romance just gay. It's honestly surprising how refreshing and original it seems, because of that.

My favorite book by him is Two Boys Kissing. This novel is very real and honest and if you want to understand the gay experience I think this is a good book to pick up. It's well written, timely, and moving. I had to put this book down a few times I cried so much.

Now, the only reason I even read this particular David Levithan book Every Day is because Miss Sara Bellum let me borrow it. To be honest I hope she doesn't read this and remind me that I have to give this book back, but that is the trial of my life.

The premise of this book is that this person switches bodies every day, but every day they are in love with the same girl. The narrator does not have a gender or a sexual identity and David Levithan uses that to propel a lot of ideology. That we are all the same and that we at our core we have very few arbitary differences.

He uses this as a chance to address suicide, racism, family relationships, what it means to be transgender. It's a fast paced read and it really has a lot more to it then just surface level entertainment. Something that David Levithan is always incorporating in his works is acceptance of others. I feel like David Levithan would be a cool person to talk to. He's very conscious of social issues and he tries to address them.

The main character's name is A and the girl that this entity is in love with is Rhiannon. A does everything possible to be with her and talk to her and be a part of her life. The tragedy is that it's impossible for A to be there for her every day.

I don't want to give too much away other then to say you should read it. That it's a fascinating read and was one of the highlights of my breaks at work. If you need something to read over the summer I highly recommend checking out David Levithan's back catalog.

If your more of a magazine, sunscreen, lay out on the beach kind of person. There will be no judgment from me.

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Lick My Biscuit

5/1/2015

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“That's a metaphor for the vagina.”

But, is it though?

It honestly did not come as a surprise to me, but I was channeling English teacher when I finally realized the “biscuit” that Ivy Levan was talking about was her vagina. My professor makes everything sexual and I want to whip my chinese fan out at her and say NO.

I discovered Ivy Levan as one does. By looking at the dance charts. I liked her name and liked the name of the song. “Biscuit” just stands out in a crowd of “I Want You To Know” and “One Last Time”. The song is classified under “swamp pop” whatever the fuck that means and I am obsessed with everything.

Ivy Levan is a stunning deep voiced songstress that I feel intrinsically. I've watched all her music videos and she is a stunning ethereal goddess. Apparently Adam Lambert likes her and I like Ivy Levan. I can see this song being a breakout hit of the year. She certainly stands out in a crowd.

She's also a model. No surprise there. I love a good model. I just really like her look and her aesthetic. She has three music videos that play into this 50's screen siren look and I like them all. The music is not quite as catchy as “Biscuit”, but they don't disappoint.

My personal favorite is “The Dame Says”. It doesn't have a music video, but the lyric video is disturbing enough for all of us. Now, I haven't searched her name on Tumblr. I want to live for her music before I found out how problematic she is and all the reasons I shouldn't like her. And, she is a southerner. I'm sure they can find something.

Buy "The Dame Says"

This one girl I know is southern as fuck. She loves big trucks and boys with names like “Preston” and “Beau”. And, she told me I loved southerners and I was like no. The only southerner I actively love is Chris Crocker. The south is the kind of place you avoid unless you happen to run into a Golden Girls marathon.

Ivy has also convinced me that I need this sweater with the word “loser” emblazoned across it. I am not spending a hundred dollars on a sweater especially not when it's about to be miserable in anything but a crop top. That changes nothing. I want it. I want it all over my body.

I could be just as pretty as her. I just see stills of her and I'm like “Hot DAMN” (a title of one of her songs). No word yet on when or if she's releasing an album this year. But, we shall see.

Buy "Biscuit"

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Best Albums of 2014

12/27/2014

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Let's be really clear about this list. It is simply a review of the albums I have bought this year. I could never numerically list my favorite albums for a year. I could knock some out of the top ten, but let's be honest. I love music too much. Now almost all the music I got this year, I bought the day it came out.

You know I like my CD. That means some albums I may have talked about or have wanted, I do not have. RuPaul never released Born Naked in a physical format, Troye Sivan didn't release TRYXE physically in the United States, and Azealia Banks will be putting Broke With Expensive Taste out in January. It will make next years list.

I'm going to try to be a cold calculated bitch to my faves. Will see how well this goes. I'll give you a general rating out of five bubbles and include the song I played the most individually according to my computer.

Buy Lights Out

Lights Out: Ingrid Michaleson
3 ½ Bubbles
I bought this album as a spur of the moment seven dollar purchase at Target. I really do enjoy it's acceptable hit “Girls Chase Boys” and its a nice album. It's a good folk pop. It's not my favorite, though. Like, I think it's good album, but I don't listen to it very often. The ballads are what bring this album down. It just drags. That being said there are some standout tracks including “Warpath”, “Time Machine”, and “One Night Town”.

Most Played Song: "One Night Town"

Buy 1989

1989: Taylor Swift
4 Bubbles
Who else was shocked at how great this album was. I bought it the moment it came out. The Target staff was still putting it up and I had to reach past them to get it. This album is so much better then “Shake It Off” predicted. I know I said I wouldn't it. Of course I did. I'm so glad, I did. I am now a proud and out Taylor Swift fan. This album is everything.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Welcome To New York” and “Blank Space”

A.K.A.: Jennifer Lopez
3 ½ Bubbles
This is Queen J.Lo's latest album. I was hyped for it. I wanted it so badly. And, it was kind of a disappointment. One of my favorite albums ever was her previous studio album Love? A.K.A. Really wasn't going to top that. As much as I've listened to the album it's not my favorite. And, this rating is actually based on the standard ten track album. I really love this album until “Booty” ends and then it just slides down. If you're not a Jennifer Lopez fan and you want this album. Get the standard edition. Its a more solid performance over all, then the deluxe.

Most Played Song: “Booty” featuring Pitbull

Buy A.K.A.

Aquarius: Tinashe
3 ½ Bubbles
Critics adored this album. I think it's solid, but like many albums I don't enjoy listening to it per say. I see the artistry and I think it was executed well, but Tinashe wanted to be both an R&B starlet and an expiremental mix tape girl. She tried to make it work. I don't know if it did. Some songs I thoroughly enjoyed were the title track, “Bet”, “All Hands On Deck”, and “Wildfire”

Most Played Song: “2 On”

Buy Aquarius

Cheek to Cheek: Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
4 Bubbles
I bought it for Lady Gaga. Real talk. That's why the world bought it. This is a jazz album. I tentatively think it was well executed. I don't listen to jazz. When I do listen to this album I jam, but is it going to take the place of ARTPOP? Absolutely not.

Most Played Song: “I Can't Give You Anything But Love”

Buy Cheek to Cheek

Food: Kelis
4 Bubbles
This is an album. I don't listen to the songs individually when I listen to Kelis it is the full experience. This is a soul funk R&B album. I love it. It may not be for everyone, but it's an insanely well executed project.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Bless The Telephone” and “Jerk Ribs”

Buy Food

Flashing Lights: Havana Brown
3 Bubbles
I know technically this album came out in 2013, but the version I have of this album came out in 2014. So, I'm going to include it anyway, you know I love Havana Brown. That said it's surprising how not good I thought Flashing Lights was. Like it's everything to me, but I'm like wow this isn't actually tht good of an album. This happened, because of the lackluster quality of some of the filler tracks that are strung together four songs long. When this album is at it's high. It can't be beat. At it's lows it hurts. It also come as a surprise to me that the most played song I had was not “Warrior”, “We Run The Night”, “Big Banana”, "Naughty” or “Flashing Lights”. All songs I would say were better, but a song I would label as filler, but apparently incredibly enjoyable filler.

Most Played Song: “You'll Be Mine”

Buy Flashing Lights

Buy It's The Girls!

It's The Girls!: Bette Midler
3 ½ Bubbles
Legendary Bette Midler released yet another studio album. It is a collection of standard girl group songs. Executed well, not as well as other albums by her. I thoroughly enjoyed it.The album also offers great love advice.. Take the staggeringly over optimistic “Tell Him”. Sure just tell your crush you'll never leave him in his whole life. That you'll love him forever. That's not creepy. Side note do not go out of your way to get the Target edition. It's just two sappy ballads that are sub par for the set and don't add much to the record.

Most Played Song: “He's Sure The Boy I Love”

Going to Hell: The Pretty Reckless
4 ½ Bubbles
One of the best albums of the year. Obsessed. I love. Every song is almost perfect. It strays a little too hard rock for me at times, but that's because I'm not usually one of hard rocks biggest proponents. Buy this album. It's fronted by Gossip Girl alumn, Taylor Momsen, and man does she kill it as a provocative Lolita figure.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Heaven Knows”, “Why'd You Bring A Shotgun To The Party”, and “Fucked Up World”

Buy Going To Hell

Motion: Calvin Harris
4 Bubbles
DJ Calvin Harris has hit his stride. This album is everything you want, radio friendly pop fodder with plenty of bangers. The fantastic Big Sean feature with “Open Wide” or the Tinashe led “Dollar Signs”. He did a great job creating a flowing record. It also doesn't hurt that he back loaded the album with it's best songs. Another collaboration with Ellie Goulding hit home and you should check this album out before these songs hit the top ten.

Most Played Song: Tie between “Pray to God” featuring Haim and “Dollar Signs” featuring Tinashe

Buy Motion

Buy The New Classic

Nick Jonas: Nick Jonas
3 Bubbles
I wanted more from this album. There are no shirtless pictures in the booklet, so what the fuck Nick. But, just at it's core I'm not in love. It doesn't turn me off. I'm not opposed to buying another Nick Jonas album, I'm just not entirely bought into this Nick. The lyrics really do bother me on some of these songs. “If I can't have you, no one will”. It's kind of creepy. His duet with Mike Posner is disgusting. There are just some things that turn me off to this album. That said I was pleasantly surprised at how good the duet with Demi Lovato was, and you know I don't like her.

Most Played Song: “Numb” featuring Angel Haze

The New Classic: Iggy Azalea
2 Bubbles
I want to read this album, but the hits bolster it just enough for me not to tear it apart. I am not a fan of this album. The Reclassified is probably the shit. Streamlined with the best. All the effort was put into the hits. I don't know. She makes stabs at 'real' hip hop and it just doesn't strike home like her pop renderings. There were some album only songs that I adore like “Fuck Love” and the ridiculous “Lady Patra”. I even like “Walk The Line”. But, when paired against the hits. The other songs fall flat. This doesn't fulfill the joy of an album experience.

Most Played Song: “Fancy” featuring Charli XCX

Buy Nick Jonas

Platinum: Miranda Lambert
3 ½ Bubbles
Miranda is my country darling, I love her music. This is a rambling album and it works. It does, but as a rambling album some songs turn me off to the overall aesthetic. “Little Red Wagon” being the biggest put down. And, I read in a review that they consider it a stand out track, so I might just be missing something. There's her trademark humor in tow with “Old Shit” and “Gravity is a Bitch”. I am also not impressed with lead single “Automatic”. It's kind of condescending and it doesn't really sound like Miranda. It also must be known that I am overwhelmed with both “Smokin' and Drinkin'” and “Platinum”. They barely missed being the my most played song.

Most Played Song: “Something Bad” feauturing Carrie Underwood

Buy Platinum

Queen of the Clouds: Tove Lo
3 Bubbles
Another album I want to get into. I didn't it. It didn't click for me. “Like Em Young” did resonate with me. I just want to send this song to my crush anonymously and say how does this make you feel. The concept of splitting the album into three distinct parts of “The Sex”, “The Love” and “The Pain”. That was really cool. I know someone who loves this album. Give it a shot. I'm going to keep trying. Tove Lo as a pop star intrigues me.

Most Played Song: “Not On Drugs”

Buy Queen of the Clouds

That's Christmas to Me: Pentatonix
3 Bubbles
People went gaga for this acapella Christmas album this year. I bought it because of Mitch and Scott. It's acceptable Christmas fair. It does not compete with Celine Dion or Bette Midler. If you want it I say go get it.

Most Played Song: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”

Buy That's Christmas To Me

Shakira: Shakira
3 ½ Bubbles
Shakira did a stint on The Voice and tried her damnedest to get American radio play by throwing Rihanna onto the lead off single “Can't Remember To Forget You”, but never the less her latest album didn't produce a sizable hit in the United States. I enjoy this album. I don't think it's as good as say Laundry Service, She Wolf, or Sale El Sol. But, it's an easy breezy listen that stands up stronger then either part of the Oral Fixation series. I also thoroughly enjoyed her duet with country superstar, Blake Shelton that was trashed by more then one critic.

Most Played Song: “Can't Remember To Forget You” featuring Rihanna

Buy Shakira

Sex and Love: Enrique Iglesias
3 Bubbles
This is one of those weird albums that works, but I can't honestly tell you it's a good album. It's Enrique Iglesias. I've listened to this album numerous times and I love it. Also, the song I trashed when I compared him to Shakira is my most listened to song. This is just a thoroughly good ride. You can't take it as artistry, but more as good fun. Whether that be “Bailando”, “There Goes My Baby”, “Physical” or “Beautiful”. It works because Enrique plays off of his public persona. If you like his public image. You should really enjoy this album.

Most Played Song: “I'm A Freak” featuring Pitbull

Buy Sex and Love

Buy Sheezus

Sheezus: Lily Allen
2 ½ Bubbles
Thunder and J.Lo bought me this album for my birthday. I still like Lily Allen, but this album blends. Most of the tracks are too similar. There are definitely some songs I jam out to, but it's just not my favorite thing this year. I wouldn't avoid it, still it's not on the top of my list. Some of the songs I really enjoyed were the title track, “Close Your Eyes” and “Silver Spoon”. If you are a die hard Lily Allen. Buy this album. You need it as part of your collection.

Most Played Song: “Hard Out Here”

Sound of a Woman: Kiesza
3 ½ Bubbles
Solid and unique debut by dance singer Kiesza. This is artistic dance music in the highest regard. It doesn't hit home for me quite hard enough and some of the more R&B inspired tracks leave me bored. However, I like her and would look into her next album. If you didn't hear her almost hit “Hideaway” that's something you should get on.

Most Played Song: “Hideaway”

Buy Sound of a Woman

Super Critical: The Ting Tings
4 ½ Bubbles
The Ting Tings are one of the winners this year in music. True they are my favorite band, but this album got to me. First listen I was set on three bubbles. A few more spins later and this new disco sound was everything I wanted from The Tings. It's light fun filled and some of the tracks I initially questioned, I am now in love with. The only two that haven't quite clicked are “Wabi Sabi” and “Green Poison”, but I still like them. Of the two singles released so far, I believe “Do It Again” is the best.

Most Played Song: “Failure”

Buy Super Critical

Volume 3: Pentatonix
3 ½ Bubbles
3rd EP from acapella group Pentatonix it includes covers of some of the years most popular songs. When you play a game like that it comes down to whether you like the original version better or not. They usually hold there own when it comes to the covers. It's the original song “Papaoutai” that features violinist Lindsey Stirling that disappoints me the most. I had so much hopes, because it's Lindsey Stirling and it did not come through.

Most Played Song: “See Through”

Buy Volume 3

Ultraviolence: Lana Del Rey
4 ½ Bubbles
Moody songstress Lana Del Rey came out with her second album the same day as Jennifer Lopez. I like this album better. Maybe not at first, but it's sunk into my soul. Every song is a masterpiece. I've played each individually and I don't know what keeps it from being a five bubble experience for me. Lana Del Rey knew what she wanted for this album and she delivered. I would recommend it to anyone. My mother and Boomer both claimed that they preferred Born to Die better. I told them to never talk to me again.

Most Played Song: “Ultraviolence”

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The Voyager: Jenny Lewis
4 ½ Bubbles
Adore would be too light of a word for how I feel about Jenny Lewis. If you want to know what emotional state I was in for a better part of 2014, you can listen to this album. It's soft, modern rock. It's easy listening. The only reason it's not a straight five bubbles is that one of the final songs “Aloha & The Three Johns” just didn't quite sit well with me. If I was to tell you an album you need to buy this year, it would be this one. Both Cosmopolitan and Billboard included this album on their year end lists.

Most Played Song: “She's Not Me”

Buy The Voyager

Buy The Pinkprint

Sucker: Charli XCX
4 Bubbles
This album could be a grower or I could hate it. Do not be fooled by “Boom Clap” this is not a traditional pop album. Like it is, but this is kind of punk rock with pop thrown in. “Boom Clap” doesn't really fit the album that well. It was just a major hit. I enjoy this album, but I am on the fence. High on the fence, but on the fence none the less. Enter into this album at your own risk, but I think Charli created a winner. Fans of her last outing True Romance may be disappointed. It is not even close to the same release as True Romance and that came out just last year.

Most Played Song: “Break The Rules”

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The Pinkprint: Nicki Minaj
4 Bubbles
I really haven't had a chance to live with The Pinkprint. I am a huge Nicki fan, and I'm just so excited with the new Nicki music. It's introspective, but mantains that rap braggadocio, and there are some solid pop moments as well. The one that really stands out to me is “The Night Is Still Young”. Download it. It's going to be released as a single. Something I am holding against Nicki on this album is under utilizing Beyonce on “Feeling Myself”. Not that the song is bad, but you have Beyonce and this what you give us. What happened. At 21 tracks long, some of the songs could have been cut, but that's a hip-hop album for you. There are too many songs and it's too long and you love it. Queen Nicki, slayed it.

Most Played Song: “Bed of Lies” featuring Skylar Grey

Favorite Album of the Year: Tie between Going to Hell by the Pretty Reckless, Super Critical by The Ting Tings, Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey, and The Voyager by Jenny Lewis.

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Favorite Song of the Year: “Failure” by The Ting Tings

Buy "Failure"

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Omega, Alpha, And Beta

11/28/2014

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As usual I am behind the trends, I just started watching Teen Wolf. Isn't this a surprise. I am almost always talking about music, but this week here I am telling you about Kingdom and Teen Wolf. This is an anomaly.

Now I am obsessed with Teen Wolf. Much like Kingdom, I am not watching it for the quality story line. I'm just slowly realizing how much of a whore I am, and I'm okay with that. At this point in time you probably understand the general idea of Teen Wolf. There are werewolves, werewolf hunters, high school.

I actually started watching it, because of Tumblr. I just said this looks like my show. Hot boys and hot girls. What could possibly go wrong.

The four male leads are just take me now kind of hot. Tyler Posey is the main one. And, he is definitely attractive, but really it's his eyes. He has dimples and cute brown eyes. I'm just like slay me. He's just really cute.

Just like Dylan O'Brien. He is not hot in the typical sense. He isn't hot, actually. He's just cute child, that I can't even handle. I am also confused by his character. Is he bisexual or is he gay. I just don't know. In the show his character is obsessed with this girl named Lydia, but he asked this one gay guy if he was attractive. It real messes me up. Dylan O'Brien should be everyone's baby. I love his character. He is the only reason I went to see The Maze Runner.

Then, there is Colton Haynes. He is straight sex. I try to like his character, because he is so attractive. I just watch the show and I want him to take my body. Then, he opens his mouth and I'm not here for it. I was actually really feeling him towards the end of season 1, then he messed it up. Now, I'm trying to like him, so I can shamelessly be obsessed with him. If you follow me on tumblr you probably now how obsessed I am. Like all my tumblr was pictures of him for a minute there.

At the top of the food chain is Tyler Hoechlin. Now he is attractive, but he's such a father figure to me. He's kind of like a DILF. Which, I might add is the creepiest thing. Who started this as a thing. No. We should not want to have sex with people who we think of as our fathers. Just stop.

The women are just as cute. Crystal Reed and Holland Roden are everything to me. Their friendship is weird. I don't get it, but I like it. One of them plays the whore and I'm here for it. I just love Holland Roden as Lydia. Lydia is one of my favorite characters, although I did not start out liking her. Crystal Reed's character is the main love interest, but the thing is I just don't care about her love with Tyler Posey.

Holland Roden

Crystal Reed

This show is kind of like Orange is the New Black in that sense. No one really cares about the problems of the two main characters. It's kind of like, shut up about it already. I want them to move on.

The plot itself is basic. It kind of scares me. That's so embarrassing, but I cover my eyes when I watch this show sometimes. I'm not good at handling that kind of stress.

There are also a lot of wholes in the plot. In the first season this one character kept dying. There is blood coming from his mouth. He has to be dead. Next episode. No explanation, no one acts like it's weird that he is among the living.

Or the other time he gets shot multiple times with a bow and arrow, then shot in the heart with a gun. He is dead. The two killers are not even bothering with him. Then, the big bad werewolf comes along, and this character miraculously is able to take him down. Like how did he go from dead to I'm in perfect condition to beat up my stronger opponent.

Writers. Think through your life choices. I'm going to have to start reading fan fiction to explain all the gaping holes. That being said. It is actually enjoyable. It has substance. Unlike Kingdom, I really do like watching it.

If you judge me for watching it, I feel you, I understand. But, to be honest I'm not really watching it for the plot. And, I'm okay with that.

I see a lot of good plot.

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Mushrooms and Coke

10/18/2014

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I have owned this album for a good bit of time now. Actually, I bought the day of Boomer's going away party. That was what, the first Thursday of August? The second. Needless to say it's been a bit of a while.

And, I liked it when I bought it, but I'm obsessed now. I've been listening to it every day. It's everything. Jenny Lewis is everything.

And, I liked it when I bought it, but I'm obsessed now. I've been listening to it every day. It's everything. Jenny Lewis is everything.

You just cannot understand my love for Jenny Lewis. She is part of my childhood. She was sort of a child star. The really important part was that she was in my favorite movie as a child, well one of my favorites. It's a truly terrible film. It's called Troop Beverly Hills and it has Shelly Long from Cheers in it so that's exciting.

Actually it's not a bad movie. I have made so many people watch this movie. I still laugh. I still cry. I still love it. The basic premise is that Shelly Long is the recently separated mother of daughter Hannah Nefler (played by Jenny Lewis) and she takes over as the leader of her girl scout troop. But, instead of teaching them the ways of the wilds, she teaches them how to survive the wilds of Beverly Hills. And, of course there's Velda Plendor, who wants to get Phyllis Nefler out of the girl scouts. And toss her out on her butt.

It's funny. See it. Watch it. Enjoy it. Cringe, maybe. Just don't watch it with me, I can quote the whole movie. Needless to say I was watching my childhood favorite two years ago. And, I said to myself what has happened to everyone in this movie. Thanks to the power of wikipedia I soon found out about Jenny Lewis's singing career.

Before her solo career. She worked with this band, Rilo Kiley, now I have not investigated them. Jenny is no longer with them and I'm really just not that interested at this point. You see I would have bought Jenny Lewis's records two years ago, but I wasn't working. I subsisted on twenty dollars a month. So, you have to pick your priorities. That is Madonna, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, P!NK, Jennifer Lopez, Lana Del Rey, Gossip. And, the admittedly questionable purchase of Carly Rae Jepsen's debut album Kiss. Which, is not as bad as you think.

And, oh my god. 2012 was a good year in music.

So, I didn't end up buying a Jenny Lewis album. And, I religiously check the music charts every week. And, that's where I found out about it. I check them., so I know what's popular. I just don't mess with radio. I do not like it, I would rather put in a CD and have an experience. I mean occasionally I do, because sometimes you're just not in the mood for anything.

Recently, the struggle has been so real. I've been driving to school in my mother's car. I told you how my car has been broken down. Well, I can play CD's in the truck. But, not in the car. I only have the radio. However, there is air conditioning (Something the truck lacks) and it sort of evens out. I don't know.

One problem with the car, though, is that you can't see around anything. ANYTHING. I'm just used to be high off the ground able to see around cars. Mind you, I don't have one of those redneck, high rollers, southern boys are so found of. It's a mid size, comfortable little truck. It's also never clean.

I love how I forgot to tell you the name of the album. It's called The Voyager and I love the album cover. You can see it right there. I don't how to describe it musically. Light rock. No, that's not right. Everything is indie-rock now. Its very soothing. I like it.

This album is an experience, like ARTPOP or the 1975's debut set. It's amazing. What took me so long to just become obsessed is that it doesn't hit you in the face. This is not Katy Perry going for the jugular. This is an alt rock artist who knows she's not going to have a hit and that's okay with her. You have to connect with the words. And, I have finally done that.

There is quite a bit of drug references. It does tend to surprise you. I am still piecing together what these songs mean. “Just One of The Guys” has yet to hit me. There's one line where she says “I'm just another lady without a baby”, and I'm trying to figure out how that relates to it.

“Late Bloomer” I have worked out. It is about a young inexperienced girl who moves to the big city and proceeds to get involved with drugs. Beautiful, story there Jenny.

That's one thing I've noticed I feel comfortable calling her Jenny. Like, if I ran into the streets and saw Beyonce. I would not say Beyonce. I would say “Hey, Mrs. Carter”. I think Jenny and I are friends. We have to be. I feel connected.

Speaking of friends. Anne Hathway is even slick more obsessed with Jenny then I am. She appeared in the music video for “Just One of the Guys” alongside Kristen Stewart. It's basically everything. And to prove that Jenny Lewis is basically the most adorable human being on the planet and you most certainly should go out and buy The Voyager look at her response to being asked who the most attractive male is.

Buy "Just One Of The Guys"

If you don't want to buy The Voyager and you still need more convincing other then the fact that your favorite blogger has given you their full out recommendation. Here are my favorite tracks from the album you should check out: