U2 are looking more and more like aging Irish Porn Stars

PREVIEW: LISTEN to U2’s “No Line on the Horizon”

Just when you thought aging, self-absorbed rock stars couldn’t be more agonizingly full of themselves as displayed in the upcoming TV special of the 25^th Annual Rock Hall of Fame Awards/concerts — U2 strikes again in destroying everything that’s halfway decent about popular Rock music by headlining England’s Glastonbury 2010 Music Festival.

Despite the poor sales of this once-great band’s most recent album No Line on the Horizon, U2 still don’t know when to quit. Since playing on top of buildings in London and causing a carefully orchestrated and televised stir earlier this year didn’t work, perhaps Bono figures that their spanking new songs will resonate with an audience whose only relation to the band is that their parents had Joshua Tree playing in the background during their conception.

In the past few decades Glastonbury has had many classic and relatively younger bands headline at the main, “Pyramid” stage. The honor to perform such a slot is one which hot bands like Radiohead and Coldplay to Arctic Monkeys and Kings of Leon have thrived on. Aged and classic acts have played as well, but not as the focus of attention. Thanks to this usual past setup, it is clear that music festivals are for the young people and their newer music — a tradition that can be traced back to Monterey and Woodstock.

One would imagine that having a stage that looks like an alien weapon from the Halo video games might have suggested Bono and company were joining their outer space brethren after their current tour; however, to many a-one’s dismay they are headed to Glasto-organizer, Michael Eavis’ Worthy Farm. Either way, perhaps this is Bono and The Edge’s final attempt to communicate with aliens through crop-circles — or perhaps just a belated reference to the remake of the crap miniseries V.

– Charlie Weeks

Here is a parody of Kings of Leon’s Sex on Fire, sung by Goldentusk on youtube – California’s on Fire.

I think it’s cool when youtube fans make awesome videos, and I get to post them here on my entertainment site for your enjoyment!

Be sure to visit the youtubers who do all this hard work and post a comment of appreciation for them.

It will make them feel good and if you like their stuff, like I do, subscribe.

Característicos por su look de vaqueros ajustados, botas de piel y sombreros de ala ancha, los Kings of Leon pondrán a la venta una colección basada en su estilo: pantalones de franela rojos y verdes, chaquetas de cuero negro, cinturones trenzados, pañuelos y jeans con parches, entre otras prendas y complementos.

Foto: Jak & Jil blog

“Kings of Leon Vs. Lykke Li – Knocked up”

I love the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. Who wouldn’t love an entire day dedicated to giving thanks over a feast of meats, casseroles, and desserts galore. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Thanksgiving in my family is definitely an event. Whether it’s my father’s feast of meats, or my Grandmother’s casserole smorgasboard, I am never left unsatisfied. This year will be spent at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house in Oklahoma for the biannual Thanksgiving/family reunion. Every other year the entire family comes together from Oklahoma, Texas, New York, Salt Lake City, and Tennessee. It’s quite an event and I must say the food can’t get any better anywhere else. I can’t wait to take lots of pics on Thursday and share all of the good eats with everyone this weekend, but for now I wanted to share my favorite dish that has become a Hibbard family staple.

The origins of this recipe started with my amazing Aunt Janice. She was a wonderful woman full of spirit and love, and her Squash Casserole reflected all of the love she conveyed. The recipe has been passed throughout the family but for the most part has maintained it’s original flavor. I made just two small changes, even though it tastes amazing with it. You really must make this recipe, it’s the best casserole I have ever had!!

Aunt Janice’s Squash Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil a large pot of water. Slice the squash, onion, and jalapenos. Boil the squash in the water until slightly tender. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and saute the onions and jalapenos until tender.

In a large bowl mix together the cream of chicken soup and the next three ingredients, through the sour cream. Set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl melt the butter and mix the package of cornbread mix until coated.

In a 9×13 casserole dish spoon half of the cornbread mixture on the bottom of the pan or until covered, but not too thick of a layer. Drain the squash and add to the creamy mixture, along with the onion mixture, and spoon into the pan on top of the cornbread mixture. Top with the cheese, then top the cheese with the cornbread mixture, forming a nicely covered layer, but again, not too thick (you don’t want the casserole to be too dry).

Place in the oven, uncovered, on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly.

Enjoy!

Kings of Leon: I absolutely love this band. My old roommate first introduced them to me back in 2003 and I’ve been hooked ever since. These Tennesse boys can rock out to great tracks like “Holy Roller Novocaine” and “Red Morning Light”, then slow it down with songs like their newest hit “Use Somebody”, the video shown below. The following video is my favorite cover of Kings of Leon’s “Knocked Up”  by Lykke Li. Turn the sound up and enjoy!  

Cuando somos jóvenes, mentalmente jóvenes, llenos de ilusión y buena voluntad, saltamos permanentemente del negro al blanco, regidos por valores absolutos, pilares de nuestro comportamiento y de nuestras vidas. No nos damos cuenta de que la verdadera inteligencia está en dudar, en preguntarnos el porqué de cada decisión, de cada paso. Hay días en los que, a punto de dar el salto, el destino te enreda los pies y acabas dándote la ostia de tu vida en la zona gris. Un mundo de ambigüedad, de dobles sentidos, de intenciones solapadas y de vidas a medias. Jodido de aceptar, más aún de disfrutar, más aún de entender. Pero cuanto más te acercas a él y más aceptas la realidad, más puedes disfrutar las cosas que realmente existen.

Sólo somos presentes imperfectos, tan maravillosos como equivocados. No pretendamos ser más.

Vocês já notaram a quantidade de regravações de Use Somebody do Kings Of Leon???

Todo mundo parece que quer ter sua versão!As versões mais famosas ate agora são a do Paramore (minha preferida) e a da Pixie Lott.

Uma coisa muito cômica é que todos regravam com a gemidinha que o Caleb Followill (vocalista) dá na musica.

Isso me faz pensar: Será Use Somebody a musica do ano???????

Vejam algumas regravações e me digam qual a preferida de vocês:

.

.

.

.

I have decided to make a list of my favorite albums from the decade, since the decade is drawing to a close. These are in no particular order:

• blink-182, blink-182 – A pop-punk masterpiece.
• Green Day, American Idiot - A more mature side of Green Day and one of the only punk rock operas ever.
• Jack’s Mannequin, Everything In Transit – An album from Andrew McMahon that showcases perfect pop.
• Switchfoot, Nothing Is Sound - Talented alt rockers show their darker side.
• Kings Of Leon, Because Of The Times - Alt rock with a small twist of southern rock. Somehow it makes a great album.
• Audioslave, Audioslave - Former members of Rage plus Chris Cornell of Soundgarden make the perfect supergroup record.
• Angels & Airwaves, I-Empire – Tom Delonge of blink-182 makes yet another great record that is completely underrated
• Blind Pilot, 3 Rounds And A Sound – A folky, acoustic album that makes you hope this band will be around for years to come.
• Fall Out Boy, Folie à Deux – An band overlooked for being too poppy, they prove themselves for those willing to listen.
• Switchfoot, Hello Hurricane - The latest from Switchfoot, going from perfect alt rock songs to perfect pop songs all in the matter of 45 minutes…

It’s not every day that Lady Gaga loses, but thankfully for Cheyenne Kimball it was that day Sunday when her band Gloriana were recognized as the 2009 American Music Awards T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist. Cheyenne and Gloriana fought of fierce competition from Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon, and Kid Cudi amongst others in this AMA category that was determined by votes cast via T-Mobile text messages. This is an award category previously won by the Jonas Brothers in 2008.

Cheyenne is a new member of the Ford Models family as she joins our celebrity models division. We would like to extend our congratulations to Cheyenne and her band Gloriana for this award.

Cheyenne Kimball, AMA T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist of 2009

Watching the AMA’s the other night and there were all of these horrendous performances and dancers flying everywhere and artists that looked orange and were setting stuff on fire and then…out of nowhere…a little bird fluttered in and stole the entire freakin’ show. Just like she did the MTV Music Awards and the CMA’s and just about anything else she does. Taylor Swift has this country by the neck and is…not…letting….GO!

Look…I’m not a Taylor Swift hater. Honestly…I don’t know anything about her really other than she is SUPER popular and Kanye West obviously hates her videos. Other than that, I don’t own any of her songs and I know only what I hear about her on television or on the internet. I’m an old guy who loves rock n’ roll. But you know what she DOES have that appeals to an old fart like me who has been taking some serious crap from Lady GagGag fans? She is modest and unassuming and about as nice a young woman as you’ll ever find. And I find THAT to be appealing in pop music these days. And apparently so do many others.

Like I said…I don’t know much about her but what I have seen of her I like more and more. She comes across as a normal, everyday person who is working hard to get her music out there. She seems like she is very appreciative of her fan base. And, as far as I know, she has never lit her instruments on fire, worn a balloon costume or an owl costume or or a Kermit the Frog costume. I don’t think she’s ever hung herself onstage while dripping in blood…but I’d have to look that up. I’ve never seen her in a dominatrix suit, never seen her hump a dancer onstage or have pyrotechnics flare out of her bra. I’d even go so far as to say that she has never had to hide her true self behind anything other than her music.

 As a matter of fact, it seems to me that Taylor Swift has gotten so many accolades mostly due to the fact that she WRITES AND PERFORMS the kind of music that many people can appreciate. Doesn’t matter whether you like country music or not, Taylor Swift comes across as a class act and that says something in this day & age. “Class” is something that this generation of pop musicians have forgotten. Nowadays it’s all about who can top the other and that was painfully obvious in last night’s AMA performances. The music was below average and every artist was either lip-synching or those who chose to sing sounded out of key. It was horrendous trying to watch some of those guys onstage! And then Taylor Swift won “Artist of the Year” and I felt a little vindication. Sure…Kings Of Leon didn’t win (my choice). But neither did the spectacle known as Gaga or Michael Jackson, who hasn’t had a new album in forever or Eminem, whose latest album is all about drug rehab.

So I’m just gonna leave it at that. Even though I don’t know if I consider her to be the greatest artist out there right now (I’ll leave that one up for discussion), what I WILL say is that Swift appears to be in a class all by herself when it comes to knowing her fan base and her age group . With her, you get what she gives you…and that is pop-country music that is heartfelt and personal. And THAT, my friends, is quality music, no matter whether it appeals to you or not. It’s what music is all about. And sooner or later, the Gaga’s will disappear (they always do) and the musicians will remain.

Ok, before you jump down my throat, search for my coordinates on Google maps and hunt me down in my sleep, please hear me out.

First of all, I like Taylor Swift. I like that she’s sweet and wholesome, I like that she writes her own music, I like that they play her music all the time on the radio so I can turn it up loud when I’m driving and sing at the top of my lungs. I think she’s got awesome hair and love that she doesn’t let her 5′11 frame bother her.

I really do like her.

But all that being said, I also think the Taylor-mania is getting a little out of control. When she beat out Beyonce at the now infamous VMAs this past September, I agreed with what Kanye said. (And that made me rather unpopular, to say the least.) Sure, Taylor’s song was catchy and the video was cute, but it was not better than Beyonce’s jaw-dropping choreography for “All The Single Ladies.” The lyrics weren’t anything new or brilliant, the tune wasn’t anything we hadn’t heard before (assuming anyone ever listened to country music before…) and while the song was good, it was by no means the best.

And it was at that moment – when Kanye acted a fool – that people started looking at Taylor in a new way, putting her up on some pedestal that she never really deserved to be on.

Just last week Taylor beat out Martina McBride and Reba McEntire to take home the award for Entertainer of the Year at the CMAs. Then at last night’s AMAs, she took home 5 awards, even beating out Lady Gaga, KOL an MICHAEL FREAKING JACKSON for Artist of the Year.

Now, I get the love for T-Swift, but really?
Better than Michael?

This is a little much.

Taylor Swift has done a lot to bring country to the forefront of the music scene and she knows how to write a good sing-along jam (I can’t help but belt out some Love Story at the bar), but she is not the artist everyone is touting her to be. Her voice isn’t strong like Celine, she doesn’t dance like Beyonce and she’s not really pushing any envelopes like Gaga.

So what is all the fuss about? What is it about Taylor that is so effing great?!

I’m sorry, but she’s is just another run of the mill sugar coated pop star with a great PR team around her making us all believe she’s something that she’s not. And when she looks at those 10 new statues she’s taken home in the past 3 months alone, she better be giving thanks to the one and only Kanye West.

Homeboy handed her career to her on a Hennessy-soaked silver platter.

So like most people I love all types of music. I pretty much have my iPod or iTunes going all day. In the morning getting ready for work, on the way to work, at work (got to love iTunes at work), going home from work, working out, and sometimes at night when I just want to relax.

I appreciate good music, and I tend to like a lot of genre’s . One thing that really “grinds my gears” though, are music snobs. I admit there is some pretty awful music out there *cough* Miley Cyrus *cough* but people like what they like. Just because you like emo and someone else loves pop doesn’t make you better than them. Just sayin’. Music can be appreciated by all types of people, and all types of people can appreciate a lot of different music.

They (although I don’t know who the “they” is) often say music defines your style. To an extent that is true. Right now I am loving Muse, Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, Adele, the Noisettes, KOL, so my style is a little feminine (floral, flowing, and lace) mixed with a rock edge (boots, torn jeans, dark nail polish). With that in mind check out Polyvore.com. Here is an example of my styling choices for New Years.

Music is just so defining.  I can relate certain songs with certain points in my life, and when I hear the music it takes me back to those times. For example, on of my favorite songs when I was younger were “Gloria” by Laura Branigan & “Horse with No Name” by America. On the other side I have this cute little video of my dad singing “Walk Like an Egyptian” by the bangles, and I am just flailing my arms around in excitement.

One of the best Christmas memories I have was when I was about 5 or 6. My much older sibs were holding me up and would sing “Help,” then they would point to me and I would continue “I need some body . . .”

Elementary school was defined by the ever popular Spice Girls, Nsync, and Hanson.

High School went from B. Spears to 311, OAR and Sublime.

College was when I really expanded my listening pleasures. I have always loved blues but have become a bigger fan of it. As a kid I always loved “At Last” by Etta James (now made famous by the Obama’s), Billie Holiday, and BB King. I recently started to get back into it. I also enjoy musical show tunes. I used to love the songs from older movies such as South Pacific, the King and I, Oklahoma, Gypsy, Cry Baby. I also love Rent, We Will Rock You, Wicked, Grease, etc.

Anyway, I could go on forever. I will always be grateful for good music, old & new. It is what gets me through life.

Originally ran October 2008 in ENVY Magazine

The boys are back, rowdier than ever
WORDS ALMA VERDEJO

Kings of Leon have been famous in Europe’s musical landscape from, it seems, their very inception. Since 2000, these rowdy, raucous boys have toured religiously through cities large and small with their brand of early Southern ’70s rock paired with screaming lyrics and shake-worthy guitar solos. Having visited Australia, Japan and New Zealand, the band has burned through at least three passports apiece. American audiences are still discovering the moonshine-drinking, down-home boys born to a preacher man. And Kings of Leon plan on preaching their rock ‘n’ roll persona in both music and antics.

As children of a traveling preacher, the Followill boys grew up accustomed to being on the road constantly. They were homeschooled and grew up traveling the American South. In their later teen years, they traveled all over the world, which begs the question if all that movement prepared them for the onslaught of touring and promotional traveling.

“Umm, kind of. I mean, [on] the other hand, it makes it pretty fucking tough,” admits Jared. “It’s been our whole life now. It definitely prepared us to enjoy yourself at home and sit on your ass so much better.” He pauses and quickly adds, “Oh my God, I’d love to be home. I’d much rather be home than doing anything.”

A far cry from their early days of Youth and Young Manhood fame, Kings’ newest album, Only By The Night, is a sound almost unrecognizable. While critics and fans alike have loved their new tracks, it also has its naysayers. Personal blogs of “true” Kings of Leon fans speak of their early music, wishing that the boys would go back to it.

“I was 15; we were definitely kids,” Jared explains about the wild sound of their first album. “We just kind of grew out of the garage sound. We just kept getting better and better. I think we just wanted to make more professional songs to be [part of] our sound. The bands that we play with are a success; we kind of play in bigger places.”

He adds: “We’re starting to feel a bit out of place, like our old songs are out of place. Songs that we play, we felt kind of they just didn’t fit. Quirky, two-minute songs don’t fit into an arena … we just didn’t feel it would translate.”

This auditory transition is a precursor for their hope at American stardom. They’ve often commented on the strange feeling of arriving back in America, where they are unknown and not hounded by fans like they are in Europe. This might change with their fourth album, which has steadily built upon their above-negligible sales.

“Well, I would like it [this album] to [make us famous],” Jared admits, passionately. “I mean, we don’t want to be at the *NSYNC level, but I mean, at least, we would like to think of us to take over rock ‘n’ roll in America … There’s gotta be 40-year-old men, 50-year-old men out there thinking, ‘Jesus, what are these kids doing?’ They have no idea that there are still bands out there that sound relevant and cool and actually care about music and aren’t being pushed around by record labels and aren’t slapping on makeup and doing what nine-year-old girls want to hear.”

Jared isn’t quiet about his disdain for bands like The Jonas Brothers, though he admits Kings of Leon may have lacked “real talent” early on.

“We know we were pretty shitty on our instruments—and we thought that was kind of cool,” he readily admits. “That’s what we wanted to be; we wanted to kind of be a little punk band. Caleb would scream a lot, and we had short little songs, and Matthew knew how to play guitar a little bit—or the concept of playing guitar—and that’s how he made into the band.

“Rock is a sleeping monster,” he continues menacingly, springing to mind images of The Kraken of Icelandic lore. “And it’s being woken up by all those shitty bands that are out right now. I mean, there are so many different subgenres in rock ‘n’ roll. If you want real fuckin’ rock to melt your face off, go watch a Queens of the Stone Age concert— you’ll leave there turned on to what rock really is. Not only that—not even necessarily that will melt your faces—but just good music in the rock genre that doesn’t necessarily ‘blow your head off’ rock. Just good music with quality musicians and good songwriting.”

Aces in today’s music industy may be wild. But among these modern rock rebels rank Kings of Leon, boys that have become men, to whom rock ‘n’ roll has never been dead.
_____________________________

From their early, youngin’ days of “Youth and Young Manhood” fame, their newest album, “Only By The Night,” is a sound almost unrecognizable. Critics in fans alike have loved it, but as with everything else, it has its deterrents. Personal blogs of “true” Kings of Leon fans speak of the early music, wishing that the boys would go back to it.

“I was fifteen; we were definitely kids,” explains Jared. “We just kind of grew out of the garage sound. We just kept getting better and better. Making our music sound more professional, I think we just wanted to make more professional songs, to be our sound. The bands that we play with are a success; we kind of play in bigger places and we’re starting to feel a bit out of place, like our old songs are out of place. Songs that we play, we felt kind of they just didn’t fit. Quirky, two-minute songs don’t fit into an arena. The people’ we just didn’t feel it would translate.”

This translation is a precursor for their hope at American stardom. They’ve often commented on the strange feeling of arriving back in America, where they are unknown and not hounded by fans like they are in Europe. This might change with their fourth album, which has steadily built upon their above negligible sales. (Quote sales)

“Well, I would like it [this album] to [make us famous],” Jared admits, passionately. “I mean, we don’t want to be at the N’Sync level but I mean, at least, we would like to think of us to take over rock ‘n’ roll in America. …There’s gotta be forty year old men, fifty year old men out there thinking ‘Jesus, what are these kids doing?’ They have no idea that there are still bands out there that sound relevant and cool and actually care about music and aren’t being pushed around by record labels and aren’t slap on makeup and doing what nine-year-old girls want to hear.”

Jared isn’t quiet about his disdain for bands like The Jonas Brothers, though he realizes that Kings of Leon did lack any real “talent” when they first started. “We know we were pretty shitty on our instruments – and we thought that was kind of cool,” Jared readily says. “That’s what we wanted to be, we wanted to kind of be a little punk band. Caleb would scream a lot and we had short little songs and Matthew knew how to play guitar a little bit, or the concept of playing guitar and that’s how he made into the band.”

“Rock is a sleeping monster,” he continues menacingly, springing to mind images of The Cracken of Irish lore. “And it’s being woken up by all those shitty bands that are out right now; I mean, there are so many different subgenres in rock ‘n’ roll. If you want real fuckin’ rock, to melt your face off, go watch a Queens of the Stone Age concert you’ll leave there turned on to what rock really is. Not only that, not even necessarily that will melt your faces but just good music in the rock genre that doesn’t necessarily ‘blow your head off’ rock but just good music with quality musicians and good songwriting.”

And among those ranks is Kings of Leon, boys that have become men and to whom rock ‘n’ roll has never been dead.

Is your musical identity more informed by Seattle or Austin?

As a general rule, I don’t really think in those terms. But I would probably say I’m more of an Austin kid. So much of my identity is there. But what is the identity now in Austin? All the sounds are so global now because of the Internet. Identity isn’t regional anymore.

#49: Desaparecidos/Read Music, Speak Spanish (2002) — Conor Oberst can categorically be described as a hipster voice of this decade.  But save for a few tunes here and there under his Bright Eyes moniker, it was really his harder rocking outfit that got me between the eyes. Read Music… was a beautiful pastiche of fuzzed out guitars, atmospheric keyboards, and middle-class rants and raves.  Check out: ‘Man and Wife, the Former (Financial Planning),’ ‘Greater Omaha,’ and ‘The Happiest Place on Earth.’

#48: Depeche Mode/Playing the Angel (2005) — If there were ever a band who could come back from a bunt (Exciter, 2001) to hit a homerun again, it’s Depeche Mode. While the album could be summed up in one song (‘Precious’) it is again a summary judgment that propels this album into my Top 50 of the decade. Check out the ferocious opener ‘A Pain That I’m Used To’ the driving ‘Suffer Well’ or the silver lining of ‘Nothing’s Impossible.’

#47: Cure/Bloodflowers (2000) — At the start of the decade, the Cure unleashed what has been described as the third installment in a trilogy of albums (Pornography and Disintegration, making up the other two…) The lazy, almost seven-minute opener, ‘Out of This World,’ is classic Cure, replete with acoustic guitar, piano and jazzy drumming. From there, Smith and Co. launch into the 11-minute ‘Watching Me Fall,’ and fourth track, ‘Maybe Someday,’ is the melancholy pop-gem fans have grown to love. Epic closer ‘39,’ rounds things out in typical gothic muse. An easy selection for T50 of the decade.

#46: Radiohead/In Rainbows (2008) — As Radiohead worked to turn how we absorb music on it’s ear in 2008, what almost gets missed is the fact that this album was their most complete body of work since The Bends.  This is not to say they did not release some stunning music throughout the decade, but In Rainbows is just one of those apex points and culmination of their entire body of work.  Love them or hate ‘em, there are great tunes throughout.  Check out: ‘All I Need,’ ‘Reckoner,’ and ‘Videotape.’

#45: Audioslave/Revelations (2006) — it amazes me how great a songwriter and vocalist Chris Cornell is when he’s got a band behind him — when he strikes out on his own? Yeah, not so much. Audioslave’s stamp on the decade was only three album deep and two of them are absolutely essential. In the 45-spot, Revelations picks up where the self-titled debut left off – an amazing rhythm section, a great guitarist and soulful, funky rockin’ tunes from a former godfather of grunge. Check out: ‘Sound of a Gun,’ ‘Original Fire,’ and ‘Wide Awake.’

#44: Richard Ashcroft/Keys to the World — There are just some albums that you don’t listen enough to that you should. This is one of them…because every time I do, I say to myself ‘Damn, this is a great album!’ While Ashcroft’s first two solo forays post-Verve would not compare in any meaningful way to Urban Hymns, this is British pop rock in all it’s semi-brooding finest. It’s upbeat, driving and subdued. While Ashcroft may never get the solo success he feels he deserves, I for one thoroughly enjoyed this effort when I was about to give up on him. Check out: ‘Break the Night with Colour,’ ‘Keys to the World,’ and ‘Cry ‘Till The Morning.’

#43: Coldplay/X&Y (2005) — love or hate Coldplay, you have to admit they are some talented musicians. While, at times they can come off a bit pretentious, I’d challenge that their music is more heartfelt than anything Jack White’s done. Such is the case of apples and oranges or in this case, X’s & Y’s. This album upped the band’s ante and produced their most complete album of the decade. While overlooked from a Grammy standpoint, this album featured more heart than anything U2 has put out this decade – and you can quote me on that. Check out: ‘Fix You,’ ‘Speed of Sound,’ and ‘Swallowed in the Sea.’

#42: Killswitch Engage/Killswitch Engage (2009) — finally, on their third album, KSE live up to the potential I’d hoped they had. This is arena rock in 2009 in all of it’s anthemic glory. Howard’s vocals soar, Adam’s melodies outshine the darkest corners, and the drumming is spot on. Eff Roadrunner for not doing more with this record. These guys should be out on tour with either Metallica or Slayer right now. Check out: ‘The Return,’ ‘A Light in a Darkened World,’ and ‘In a Dead World.’

#41: Kings of Leon/Because of the Times (2007) — I remember getting this album just prior to my Placebo roadtrip with McCabe and Sarah and terrorizing them with it in the hotel room in Boston. I was just blown away by how good it was and wanted to play it over and over again. Any confusion as to whether this band was going to fall into obscurity after 05’s Aha Shake… were quickly dispelled. Caleb Followhill managed to learn how to enunciate just enough for listeners to understand what he was singing about and the backdrop of sound helped paint the stories. Check out: ‘Knocked Up,’ ‘Charmer,’ and ‘On Call.’

#40: Low vs. Diamond/Low vs. Diamond (2008) — I’m alive today because of this CD. They’re a more earnest/less pretentious version of the Killers. In the midst of a deep depression, this CD landed on my desk and kept me playing ‘air drums,’ and brooding on a pair of headphones until I snapped… out of it. It’s a theme record about recovery and lifting up the spirit and soul without being a Christian record. We need more bands like Low vs. Diamond. Check out: ‘Killer B,’ ‘This Is Your Life,’ ‘Actions are Actions,’ and ‘Song We Sang Away.’

A britek a kontinens legnagyobb fesztiválozói, ezt nemcsak az példázza, hogy a szigetországban van a legtöbb jelentős zenei fesztivál, de onnan zarándokolnak el legnagyobb számban külföldi eseményekre is a fiatalok. Éppen ezért kicsit sem meglepő, hogy saját fesztiváldíjuk is van, amit minden évben odaítélnek a legjobb rendezvényeknek, illetve előadóknak. Idén a legfontosabb elismerést az év elején visszatérő Blur kapta, a Glastonburyn nyújtott produkciójáért, Damon Albarnt pedig külön is jutalmazták egyéni díjjal, csakúgy, mint Lily Allent, akit a legjobb női fesztivál-előadónak tartottak idén…

Az év legjobb nagy zenei fesztje a Glastonbury volt, a legjobb külföldi rendezvény az ír Oxegen, a legjobb wc-k a T In The Parkon voltak, a legjobb közepes fesztivál a Bestival, a legjobb új fesztivál a Sonisphere volt. Az év himnusza a ‘Sex On Fire’, a Kings Of Leontól, a legjobb új előadó a Florence and the Machine lett.

-est-

Imágenes con pequeños comentarios sobre lo que estuvieron haciendo los artistas en la semana:

Alessandra Ambrosio extravagante en el Victorias Secrets Fashion Show

El gapísimo Alexander Skaarsgard en la gala para los hombres del año de la revista GQ

Mi novio el "Zorro plateado" saliendo del gimnasio

Anderson Cooper más arregladito, en laga de los premios "Heroes CNN"

La flacucha, y algo aguadita, Ashley Tisdale tomando el sol

Brads Pitt, cada vez más feo, en el aeropuerto de LA

Los aburridos Chad Michael Murray su prometida Kenzie Dalton, de compras en California

Que guapo Cory Monteith! El actor de "Glee" iba por un cafesito

Muy elegante Dowie Houser en la gala de los premios "Héroes de CNN"

Jared Followill y su hermano Calebde los Kings of Leon fueron al Victorias Secrets porque, como rockstar que son, salen con modelos

Eva Mendes se ve bien cuando se arregla. Aqui en los premios CNN

Familia feliz: Megan fox, Brian Austin Green y hijo del actor en LA

Fergie en el Victorias Secrets. Concéntrense en el cuerpo, traten de no verle la cara

No es un Victorias Secrets sin Heidi Klum

Jlo practicando para los "AMAS", que por cierto no le salió bien ese pasito

Jude Law y su bolsa caminando a su depa, por cierto el loco no soporta que sus vecinos lo espíen y les avienta naranjas

Julia Roberts, miserable como siempre, ni porque puede presumirno su ipod nano

Marisa Miller en el Victorias Scretes, con un bra de 3 millones de dlls

Matthew ha de hacer ejercicio hasta cuando va al baño

Megan Fox en el NY Times, mostrándonos como ejercita su chocha

Minka kelly y su novio, el candente beisbolista Derek Jeeter, disfrutando de la playita

Vemos desnuda a Miranda Kerr, más veces que su novio Orlando

No imprta Eva, vean que candente el hombre de atrás

Posh y sus hijos fueron por yogurt, claro que ella no comío

Sam Worthington nombrado "hombre del año" por GQ Australia

Hermosa y con estilo Suri Cruise

Suri se acordó que sus calzones no combinan con sus tacones

I’ve been roaming around, always looking down at all I see. Painted faces, fill the places I can’t reach. You know that I could use somebody, you know that I could use somebody. Someone like you, and all you know, and how you speak. Countless lovers under cover of the street. You know that I could use somebody, someone like you. Off in the night, while you live it up, I’m off to sleep. Waging wars to shake the poet and the beat. I hope it’s gonna make you notice, I hope it’s gonna make you notice.

Use Somebody; Kings Of Leon