Pop Life

In Sean's Mailbox: I love my job, etc.

2008-11-19T16:00:53-05:00

So I've been cranking out a flurry of fine fluff lately, all of which I'll slime you with soon enough. I finally got my manly chest, with its testosterrific thatches of rugged hair, back on TV. I'm gearing up to record a "bonus feature" for an upcoming Cheap Trick DVD (more on that later). Plus I just had a magical lunch with Steve "Spearsy" Spears, who we almost lost due to a wayward wasabi bomb. He's fine now, but we were seconds away from the kiss of life.

While things are going swimmingly, in the end, all a simple man needs are simple pleasures. And lemme tell you, my mailbox is all about making me happy these days. (Apparently, my mailbox also loves Taylor Swift, as I've been gifted with 4 copies her latest effort.) So here are my newest CDs and such, not counting the digital Chinese Democracy tracks trickling in. And no, there's nothing here from Sammy Hagar, so stop asking. If Sammy's people wanna send me a copy, I'll listen. But I ain't chasing that down, capiche?

Herewith, today's mail...

Johnny Cash -- Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: Legacy Edition (2CD/DVD, with both concerts from Jan. 13, 1968, plus unreleased cuts, a 90-minute doc and 40 pages of liners, photos and recollections)

Roy Orbison -- The Soul of Rock and Roll (4CD, 107 songs from 1955-1988, 12 previously unreleased songs, 98-page book, white-linen packaging for dorks like me)

Tom Jones -- 24 Hours (total Mark Ronson ripoff, but still fun)
Taylor Swift -- Fearless (who wants a copy?)
Seal -- Soul (all covers, A Change Is Gonna Come)
Various Artists -- Juno Soundtrack: Deluxe Edition (2CD, with "almost adopted songs")

Sam Roberts -- Love at the End of the World
Zac Brown Band -- The Foundations
Scott Weiland -- Happy in Galoshes
Trace Adkins -- X
Maroon 5 -- Call & Response : The Remix Album
Jeff Beck -- Performing This Week...Live at Ronnie Scott's

DALY TV: I was distracted!

2008-11-19T07:45:37-05:00

Right before taping last night's white-hot Lightning Round, friend and FOX anchor Mark Wilson gave me a gift. He's a huge guitar freak (making 'em, playing 'em). I'm a huge ladies man (repulsing 'em, boring 'em). So a few months ago, our interests converged, and Mark and I reminisced about the infamous picture to the left. I first saw it decades ago; he remembered it fondly as well. Anyway, right before the cameras blinked on last night, Mark presented me with a glossy copy of Miss Valerie Bertinelli with then-hubby Eddie Van Halen's mighty axe tucked between her wickets. Can you believe it? The greatest picture ever! How cool is that? Needless to say, I was delighted to see this life-affirming image from my past.

And THAT'S why I'm so spazzy during this Lightning Round. I have a legit excuse. For all the televised hyperactivity, click right HERE. And thanks again, Mark. You made my year.

Hottest picture ever courtesy of US Weekly (then US Magazine).

Katy Perry coming to St. Pete April 28

2008-11-18T11:56:37-05:00

Same-sex-snogging singer Katy Perry, one of the breakout stars of '08, will be coming to Jannus Landing in St. Pete on April 28, 2009.

This was a huge year for the California girl. The pinup throwback scored a No. 1 album (One of the Boys) and a No. 1 hit (I Kissed a Girl). This show is a make-nice from Perry, who played the Vans Warped Tour this summer, but skipped our local stop at Vinoy Park.

For ticket info, go HERE.

To watch Katy kiss a girl, go HERE.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

BLOG BATTLE! Beyonce vs. Janet!

2008-11-18T06:54:43-05:00

For most of the world, today is Beyonce Day, as Jay-Z's hotter half releases her third solo album, the double-disc I Am...Sasha Fierce. Ms. Knowles breaks down the release into soft (If I Were a Boy, LISTEN) 'n' sassy (Single Ladies, LISTEN), the latter represented by her club-banging alter ego, Sasha Fierce. With ample amounts of gush, froth and hullabaloo -- and maybe just a smidge of foofaraw -- I hereby declare Beyonce the Ultimate Entertainer...

...but basically just to tick off '80s apologist Steve Spears, who never fails to respond to my Beyonce love with a Pavlovian "WHAT ABOUT JANET JACKSON?!" Yep, things are getting ugly at the SPT, as old Spearsy just busted out his awkward "Nasty Boy" dance (nice Zubaz, dude!) and challenged me to an old-fashioned blog battle. Beyonce vs. Janet, for the title of Ultimate Entertainer! Feel free to play along at home...

Herewith, 3 Reasons Why Beyonce Beats Janet in Every Way (not counting JJ's awkward Good Times years, which would just be playing dirty)

1) I meet a lot of famous folks, and lemme tell you this: 99-percent of celebrities have giant heads and little bodies. Except for Miss 1 Percent, Beyonce, who is larger than life, especially those superheroic thighs. Kablammo! Janet Jackson, on the other hand, could get dunked on by a garden gnome.

2) Janet coos; Beyonce sings. Jackson has been busting out the same militaristic march-march-thrust dance since the Reagan administration; Knowles causes glorious seismic shifts with Aileyesque undulations and her Crazy in Love glute getdown. There is none shimmier.

3) In a day and age when class is rare and crass rules, Beyonce conducts herself with grace and mystery. Janet, on the other hand, causes a stir when she wears a bra. She's always showing it off. That's gonna be really awkward and creepy when she's 42. Oh wait...

For Spearsy's rebuttal, which is no doubt randy and entirely nipular, go HERE.

Legend coming to Clearwater Jan. 29

2008-11-17T12:52:57-05:00

Usually I can't get ANYONE around here to review a show for me. But all of a sudden, I'm getting bombarded by colleagues looking to "help a brother out" and review the just-announced John Legend show Jan. 29 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. Sheesh. The nerve of these people. I've seen Legend a few times, and the guy's a helluva performer. In fact, he's far more exciting onstage than on album.

Anyway, you can read my review of Legend's new album, the hit-or-miss Evolver, right HERE. And when tickets go on sale this Friday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m., you can buy those right HERE.

REVIEW: Taylor's Swift's "Fearless"

2008-11-17T11:13:58-05:00

Taylor Swift
Album: Fearless (Big Machine)
In stores: Now
Why we care: There's never been a more cynical time in pop music, at least from a critic's point of view. Not only do we assume most Top 40 tartlets aren't doing their own singing — we've accepted it, grading on cultural impact, art and integrity be damned. The 18-year-old Swift's pop-country pirouettes have all the weight of a dandelion crown, but she can sing and write a bit and flash a genuine smile. Ultimately, though, the Pennsylvania gal is one of the hottest things in music more for what she's not.
Why we like it: With feet-on-dashboard beats and innocent guitar strums, Swift's sophomore helping of country fluff (see first single Love Story) details the kind of drama and heartbreak crescendo that can devastate a kid...at least until after recess. Her voice is strong when it has to be, wispy and lilty in those quiet times. She knows catchy, that's for sure.
Reminds us of: The star pupil at Faith Hill's Camp for Exceptional Blonds
Download these: Love Story (LISTEN) and Fearless (LISTEN)
Grade: B

New Bruce Album Out Jan. 27

2008-11-17T10:28:46-05:00

Just in time for his Feb. 1 Super Bowl appearance in Tampa Bay, Bruce Springsteen will release the 14-track Working on a Dream on Jan. 27. This is the Boss's 24th album and his fourth collaboration with producer Brendan O'Brien. For a full track listing and more buzz, HERE'S the press release.

XOXOXtina

2008-11-16T15:45:16-05:00

Christina Aguilera |MTV Music

So I'm stuck at work on a Sunday, which pretty much sucks. At the very least, no one on the 4th Floor can hear me crank Keeps Gettin' Better, the new song/vid from Christina Aguilera. People often ask me if I really like so-and-so or what's-her-name. Lemme tell you, I really like Aguilera. And no, not just 'cause she's incredibly hot. Whether she's getting dirrty or vamping like one of the Andrews Sister, the 27-year-old is consistently entertaining. Plus can flat-out sing her tuchus off. I'm never bored with Christina. Never.

PODCAST TIME! Sorry, Sheena

2008-11-15T16:32:06-05:00

On this week's "Stuck in the '80s" podcast, I come to the startling conclusion that my entire life has been controlled by Foreigner lead singer Lou Gramm and/or angry singing dwarves. I'm still working parts of this theory out, but when I'm finished, Sheena Easton might have something to do with my cruel fate as well. If you're a huge Steve Spears fan, you should know your beloved Big Man is snottier than usual in this ep. In fact, said snot is running down the poor sick bastard's face. But cold, fever and all, he makes a valiant effort to entertain.

So...if you're wondering whether ONJ's Physical made the list of Worst Songs of 1981, you can find out by clicking HERE or downloading us for free on iTunes. Enjoy!

Wanna get "Physical"?

2008-11-14T07:46:08-05:00

Olivia Newton-John |MTV Music

Later today, Steve Spears and I will record a "Stuck in the '80s" podcast about the worst hits of 1981. There's nasty stuff on our Top 10 for sure (I'm looking at you Oak Ridge Boys.) But there's one tune I'm gonna have trouble bashing. In fact, I'm asking you if we should save it or slay it: Olivia Newton-John's Physical. Does ONJ's salute to soft-core calisthenics deserve to be on the list? I dunno. On one hand, the utterly disturbing video makes me want to shower with my shirt on. Then again, when Physical comes on the radio, there's a very good chance that, after rolling up the windows and making sure no one I know is within three car lengths, I'm singing it at the top of my lungs. Whattaya think? Is it one of the worst -- or best -- hits of 1981?

To snip or not to snip?

2008-11-13T08:39:13-05:00

On a very special episode of Pop Life...

We're dealing with an EXTREMELY sensitive subject today. In fact, I'm only posting this because my friend and colleague Ben is in such a pickle (so to speak). Here's the deal: In a matter of days, Ben and his beautiful family are expecting a bouncing baby boy. This, of course, is both stressful and exciting. So far, Ben has only been a father to girls (I feel ya, bud, I feel ya). But with a baby boy, he has new decisions to make, including -- yep, you guessed it -- whether his son should be CIRCUMCISED OR UNCIRCUMCISED? Ben's not sure; he's torn (so to speak).

Far be it from me to provide a cogent defense either way...howeva, I do prefer the streamlined, aerodynamic look. That said, the uncircumcised penis is supposed to be like some sort of explosive pleasure center, like a wicked cool arcade where all the games are free, like a lifetime of playing comped Galaga in a turtleneck sweater. I dunno. Like I said, I'm unqualified.

However, Ben truly values your opinion. "Ask your readers," he said. Of course, Ben also has a sense of humor. So along with your vote, your opinion, feel free to contribute to the CIRCUMCISED OR UNCIRCUMCISED PLAYLIST!

The Skin Game -- Janet Jackson
The First Cut Is the Deepest -- Cat Stevens
Happy Together -- the Turtles

Yes, really. Oh, I imagine at some point, the conversation in the comments section will get (1) heated (2) controversial (3) censored. And some of you are already shaking your head with disgust. But if we all behave, I see nothing wrong with today's debate. So peel back your inhibitions and help Ben!

HELP WANTED: Best "Pepper" Covers

2008-11-12T10:36:49-05:00

Hey kids, I'm caught in the muck and mire of a story-writing frenzy today, but you can help me with one of those suckers. With Cheap Trick doing their tribute to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in Clearwater next Friday, I thought I'd write up a small sidebar about the best all-time covers of songs from that '67 masterpiece. There's Joe Cocker's take on With a Little Help From My Friends of course, and Bono does a nice Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (LISTEN). But what else? What other Pepper covers are lurking on your iPod? If you must dig into the soundtrack from the 1978 Bee Gees "movie" tribute, so be it. I need all the help I can get...

Top 5 Bond songs of all time

2008-11-11T11:44:44-05:00

Cool, romantic, dead solid sexy. A good Bond song must sound slick as it plays over those undulating opening credits. A good Bond song must conjure images of conspiratorial canoodling and unforgettable Ursula Andress in a killer ’kini. Some 007 tunes do this particularly well (Tom Jones, Thunderball); some would have been better off in a Nair commercial (Sheena Easton, For Your Eyes Only); and some, well, we can’t remember at all (Sheryl Crow, Tomorrow Never Dies).

The new Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, opens this Friday. And its musical opener, the blaring, boastful Another Way to Die, is certainly dripped in hip, as ramshackle rocker Jack White and R&B stunner Alicia Keys play a noisy, nasty game of cat and mouse (LISTEN). But is the new cut good enough to make our Top 5 Bond Songs?

5) All Time High, Rita Coolidge (from Octopussy): Warm
'n' comfy like rumpled bed sheets, accompanies equally warm thoughts of titular cephalohottie Maud Adams. (LISTEN)

4) Goldfinger, Shirley Bassey (from Goldfinger): In your face like a Walther PPK or a pair of red lips. GolllldFINGAHH! (LISTEN)

3) A View to a Kill, Duran Duran (from A View to a Kill): "Dance into the fire!" The only salvageable thing from this Roger Moore stinker. (LISTEN)

2) Nobody Does It Better, Carly Simon (from The Spy Who Loved Me): The ultimate salute to Bond's ego — though this one's probably about Warren Beatty, too. (LISTEN)

1) Live and Let Die, Wings (from Live and Let Die): Symphonies, 'splosions, reggae breakdowns: It shouldn't work, but 35 years later, it's still a thrill. (LISTEN)

If you crave even more sexy Bond chatter, or would like to hear me croon a magical rendition of All Time High, download the newest "Stuck in the '80s" podcast right HERE or at iTunes.

LIVE REVIEW: The Black Crowes

2008-11-10T23:29:13-05:00

CLEARWATER -– One of the great mysteries of rock 'n' roll is how jammy stoner bands -- the Grateful Dead, Phish, Moe., puff puff pass – manage to swap out entire setlists show after show. Seriously, dude, they manage to remember 20 different epic tunes a night, but I bet they get lost on their own tour bus.

Eighteen years after debut smash “Shake Your Money Maker,” the Black Crowes now have the massive catalog and the Bic scars to rival such high-falutin’ company. What makes the Atlanta band different from the rest, however, is that bros Chris and Rich Robinson are (1) the rare angry, sparring tokers and (2) the rare angry, sparring tokers with a delicious pop sensibility. They might have lost their minds and their cool, but they never lost their hooks.

Touring in support of new album “Warpaint,” and sporting a secret weapon in guitarist-for-hire Luther Dickinson, the Crowes invaded the sober confines of Ruth Eckerd Hall Monday for a two-hour show in front of 1,959 fans. If you came expecting a satchel of hits, you were bummin'. But if you craved deep album cuts of kudzu-coated Southern rock (nodding along rather than singing along), it was a total score.

With the thick stink of incense wafting through the venue (and instantly taking me back to my disastrous first year of college), the Crowes opened with the grindy crunch of "Movin' on Down the Line." Looking like a cross between Ichabod Crane and a hobo, Chris Robinson (aka Kate Hudson's ex) led the way with a Jaggeresque shimmy and a vocal yelp that blended sweet soul and mystic space-out.

And per ususal, he provided a few classic quotes -- or "Chris-isms," as his diehards call them. He dubbed the show "a futuristic sock hop," but warned that "no robots are allowed." "I can say that, because this is America," he continued. "We are anti-robots here. And it takes a lot of courage to say these things." And with that, Chris continued rocking.

For the new "Goodbye Daughters of the Revolution," as joyously catchy as anything in the Crowes songbook, Dickinson took up the glass slide and slinked all over his guitar. On loan from the North Mississippi Allstars, Dickinson was a heaven-sent marvel, turning "Paint an 8" into a Deep Purple breakdown, Jurassic riffs chugging through the prehistoric sludge.

The middle of the show was (relatively) acoustic -- although the whole show was often brutally loud. The shaggy crew turned into sweethearts of the rodeo for a cover of "You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til the Well Runs Dry)" and a robustly silly take on Bob Dylan's "Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)."

Not until the end did they unload one of their own well-knowns, kicking into the piano boogie of "Jealous Again." That sucker goes way back to 1990, but the smirky, blissed-out Robinson remembered every single word. A mystery, I tell ya.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

Old Man Jenkins Sez...

2008-11-10T13:21:08-05:00

T-Pain
Album: Thr33 Ringz (Jive)
In stores: TUESDAY
Why we care: Just like Old Man Jenkins barking at the kids to stay off his lawn, I’m old-aging into my own cranky ways. For instance, Auto-Tune drives me mad frothy. Sure, everyone from Kanye (who I adore) to Kellie Pickler (who I like more than I should) opts for a lil’ digital fixing. But Tallahassee hip-hopper T-Pain, the man who famously fell n luv wit a stripper, uses the voice-altering gizmo as his primary, and soulless, gimmick. Heck, when wolfish rapper Ludacris shows up on new slow jam Chopped N Skrewed, Luda sounds like Sinatra compared to tin-man T-Pain. This guy's tracks are gonna age with all the grace of a Chipmunks album.
Why we like it: Look beneath the circuitry, and T-Pain (real name: Faheem Najm) is a master of the tight, tidy hook, a reason why he's the king of the ringtone and the dance-floor bomb. The man can sniff out what's gonna get stuck in the kids' heads as well as anyone on the hip-hop scene. The boogieable Freeze, with its staggery beats and general uplift, is gonna be a crazy-big hit. But with all that production nonsense, I found it tedious, and just not much fun, digging though a bloated 21 new tracks (and umpteen special guests) (oh, and what might be the dumbest 'tween-song skits in history) to find that occasional prize. With all that chilly, robotic foofaraw, it's like the hip-hop version of sitting through the Hall of Presidents.
Reminds us of: Seriously, stay off my lawn!
Download this: Freeze (feat. Chris Brown)
Grade: C-

World's Greatest Dad: The Results Show

2008-11-10T09:30:14-05:00

As testament to my newfound confidence as the World's Greatest Dad, on Saturday I won a neighborhood poker tourney with a 9-month-old baby on my hip. Let's see Phil Helmuth do that! All of you fathers who are routinely lost in the wilderness, I have parenting tips out the wazoo for you, all finely honed this weekend when the FF bolted for Mom's 72 Hours of Abandonment. For instance, feeding your 4-year-old mac 'n' cheese and Doritos (Cool Ranch, preferably) for breakfast is entirely acceptable as long as you follow it up with a Granny Smith and water for lunch. It's all nutritional balance, guys. Fanta orange soda and Laffy Taffy for dinner? That one doesn't work out as well.

Here are a few other SD Daddy Tips When Mom's Away:
1) There is no limit on the amount of crap you can cram into a dishwasher. That oversized pot used for a midnight munchie attack of red beans and rice? Just shove it on top, baby!
2) Don't leave the house until the toddler poops. And really don't go to Best Buy without a spare diaper.
3) That 2 a.m. showing of Poison Ivy 2: Lily starring an entirely legal Alyssa Milano? Yep.
4) When the neighbor guys, whose wives are away with yours, come over with their 17 kids -- "just to say hi" -- lock the door behind them. Because before you know it, the guys are gone, and you've been stiffed with a small nation of under-10s who have also been fed orange soda and Laffy Taffy for dinner. And you can't go looking for the Dads, 'cause as soon as you turn your back, you just know a wee Nike will be hurled at your flat-screen TV. And without the TV, man, you're screwed.
5) That 4 a.m. showing of H.O.T.S.? No. You're gonna need your rest, dude.

The Daddy Gauntlet

2008-11-07T17:23:39-05:00

It's Mommy Weekend for the Forever Fiancee. All the moms on the Party Block are going to the beach. That's right, they're leaving. It's, like, 72 hours of that nonsense. Which, of course, leaves me alone with the Junior Dalys, Kid Lulu and Mai-Mai, both of whom should be coming down with the flu and the mumps and combustible diarrhea and the bubonic plague and multiple personalities right...about...now.

Sure, you Moms out there are all "cry me a river" and "suck it up." But we Dads are built differently. We panic. We crack. It's not like I can load up on booze. When Lulu "accidentally" fires the nail gun into my thigh, I'm gonna need to be alert for the drive to the hospital. And another thing: When the FF is in charge, the kids are all calm and "let's watch a movie" and "let's read quietly for hours on end." But when it's just me, it's like Ringling Bros. in there, kids swinging from chandeliers, exotic animals all over the place.

I'm sorry, does this sound whiny?

I dedicate the following songs to me...

All the Man That I Need -- Whitney Houston
Superman -- Eminem
Breakin' Dishes -- Rihanna
Over My Head -- The Fray
Help Me -- Usher
Where Is My Mind? -- the Pixies
What's That Smell? -- House of Pain
Crash -- Gwen Stefani
So Tired -- Ozzy Osbourne
The Kids Are Alright -- the Who

But do they have "Up the Creek"?

2008-11-07T13:00:25-05:00

Cheap Trick |MTV Music

Yes. Yes they do. All hail Cheap Trick and MTVMusic.com!

They also have this...

Cameo |MTV Music

And this...

Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock |MTV Music

Yep, Sean found a new toy!

I'm so gonna cheat on YouTube...

2008-11-07T11:32:16-05:00

My delightful writing partner Stephanie Hayes just clued me into this treasure trove: After a decade of being mocked for basically ignoring its raison d'etre, MTV has resumed its love affair with the music video. Behold, MTVMusic.com! It's a totally badass library of the cable network's initial purpose, hundreds of thousands of vids, all free, all looking rather lovely. You can totally embed those suckers, too, which means I might be switching allegiances when it comes to entertaining folks here at Pop Life.

It's a smart, clean site, with a good search engine and columns dedicated to Vintage (Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood) and Top Rated (Once in a Lifetime by Talking Heads).

Just to make sure MTVMusic.com worked, I watched Britney's Womanizer video several times. Yeah, it works all right...

NEW MUSIC: Civet's "Hell Hath No Fury"

2008-11-06T16:51:01-05:00

Civet
Album: Hell Hath No Fury (Hellcat)
In stores: Now
Why we care: The four "femme fatale punk rockers" in L.A. band Civet look like an inked-stained cross between assassins and porn stars. (Note to self: Call Spielberg. Have awesome movie idea!) Singer Liza Graves, guitarist Suzi Homewrecker, bassist Jacqui Valentine and drummer Danni Harrowyn shred out three chords and 13 songs in little more than 30 minutes, leaving a trail of corpses and claw-his-eyes-out anthems. It's ferocious, streamlined and sexy as hell.
Why we like it: Whereas the Donnas talked tough but ultimately opted for sleepover silliness, power-rocking Civet seems genuinely interested in knocking your teeth out. Or at least stealing your car for a three-state crime spree. I like that in a band. Rancid's Tim Armstrong, who signed them to his Hellcat label, has made sure they're ready for hard-rock radio.
Reminds us of: The Ramonas? The Gunaways?
Download these: Son of a B---- (LISTEN) and Brooklyn
Grade: B+