Who knew..  I knew they had cds out but I did not know that I would like the Bacon Brothers…  Kevin is looking like Ren’s dad now instead of Ren but who isn’t!!  I just turned 42 and the gray is kicking in bigger than life.

GIve it a spin, I really like the bluey rock feel to this song.

As he puts it, this "a is a very petey year in review"…

Pete Mitchell is the front man and songwriter (with others) for No More Kings.  A wide smile and a child-like/devilish grin is what you get out of the online photos of him.  He seem (in a 2D kind of way) to be part rock dude and part granola.  Someone who would probably have both tofu and whole eggs for scrambles in his fridge when you come over for breakfast, just in case.  But since I have never met him, who knows.

Pete posted over the holidays two interesting things…  1) NMK’s has a CD coming out March 9th – YEAH!!  2) The top 10 songs of 2009 according to ‘The Pete’.  So I thought I would give a listen to the songs that one of my favorite lead singers thinks is good music.  At first glance I thought it should be interesting because most of the list would be new to me.  New music is good for the body and mind.  However…  Pete put Coldplay on his list.  Oh well so he isn’t perfect, but since I have not given Coldplay a listen in a while, I will listen anyhow. 

1. grounds for divorce – elbow
   •  At first listen I kept going over in my mind, "who does this guy sound like"…  I can’t put my finger on it.  Don”t you hate it when that happens.  Like when you are watching a movie and you ask the person next to you who that person is on the screen because I have seen them before.  Not until you get home and look up on IMDB did you realize it was some kid from Saved By The Bell…  Thank gawd you couldn’t remember and blurt that out in the theater!!    I like this song and the CD,  Not sure I would pick it up again but I think this group would be EXCELLENT live.  Just a guess.
2. lost – coldplay
   •  What is my problem with Coldplay you may be asking…?  I had the same issue with Phil Collins in the 90′s.  Too Much, Too Often.  In the 90′s you could not turn on a radio or MTV without hearing Phil.  He was everywhere.  I got so sick of hearing his voice.  Not because the songs were not good.  I had just had too much.  I feel the same way about Coldplay.  Very overexposed. Phil and CP have something else in common.  All their songs sound basically the same.  Good but the same.  Lost is nice, excellent lyrics.  I want to hear Tori Amos sing it real bad.  The link I have for this song is a fan video for the song.  There are tons fan videos out there.  This one is sweet.
3. modern guilt – beck
   •  Love it..  The video is add in that perfectly Beck kind of way.  I gave his new CD a spin once a while ago.  I think I need to get that back in listen to stack.
4. gran torino – jamie cullum
   •  Jamie’s MySpace page categorizes himself as "Pop / Jazz / Alternative".  I would say he is very eclectic musically.  Part Jason Mraz, part Rob Thomas, and part Frank Sinatra.  He goes from full tilt Jazz to singer-songwritter at the drop of a hat, and you want to know something.  WOW that is refreshing.  I like seeing artists that are round pegs in a square world.
5. i’m good, i’m gone – lykke li
   • Great beat.  Not for the dancer in you but would be create to listen to on a long drive – it is that type of music.  The Video is cool!  This Swed has a very distinct voice.  Not a CD I would buy but will be a good CD for someone who likes to step outside of the box for something that sits in it’s own genre.  
6. robots – flight of the conchords
   • FOTC are a self proclained "New Zealand’s fourth most popular folk parody duo".  Very funny guys.  Would love to see them in concert but their website does not appear to have been updated since 2006.  The song is about when the humans are finally killed by the robots and they are happy about.  Some great lines in the song…  "The humans are dead, I just sniffed one and it is for sure dead".  Looks like they have an HOB special out that I will have to check "On Demand" and see if I can find it.
7. another way to die – jack white + alicia keys
   • Who does not love a little Alicia Keys.  Jack White (White Stripes) has an amazing voice and two of them together sound like honey.  Honey laced with great guitar licks.  This is a very dramatic song that sounds like it is right off of the soundtrack of the would be Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome 2.  Not sure of the exact intent of this lyrics short of that our day may come at any little "drop of a water".  All I can say is that in listening to this list of Pete’s I listened to this one at least 10 times so far.  Check out the video, it is hot.
8. the scrolls – el rick haun
   •  I am going to start a new acronym now.  You can use it if you want.  For free even…  "NMCOT"  It stands for "Not My Cup Of Tea"…  Great musicians just NMCOT.
9. love save the empty – erin mccarley
   • Stunning voice, loved the song.  She paired herself up with great musicians and songwriters that is for sure.  See her EPK for more on this  Her voice is like a really good warm cup of hot chocolate.  Kind of a cross between Fiona Apple and Sara Bareilles.  Offically her CD releases tomorrow.  I WILL be giving that CD a good listen to.
10. ghosts – nine inch nails
    • Ok this one is interesting.  NIN created an all instrumental CD.  Some of which is really slash your wrists.  Others tracks are very industrial meets tribal.  I can not see myself listening to this CD on purpose again.  Interesting about this CD and also Lost by Coldplay (see above) is it seems that they have asked their fans to do fan videos.  Do we see a new trend here?

Ok…  Let me take my spin on this "very petey list"… My take on his list goes like this:

1. Another Way to Die – Jack White and Alicia Keys
2. Gran Torino – Jamie Cullum
3. Love Save The Empty – Erin McCarley
4. Robots – Flight of the Conchords
5. Grounds for Divorce – Elbow
6. Modern Guilt – Beck

NMCOT

• Scrolls – El Rick Haun
• Ghosts – Nine Inch Nails
• Lost – Coldplay
• I’m Good, I’m Gone – Lykke Li

So this was fun.  Thanks to Pete for the inspiration for this post.

Remember…  More Wag, Less Bark.

Britney’s CD is not due out until Dec 2nd but 103.5 KTU in New York is giving everyone a sneak listen.

 So how is it?  As far as pop music goes it is perfectly pop.  There are some radio fodder in there.  It is not un-likable.  However… If Britney has a voice for music why does it always seem like her voice has been enhanced?  Can she not just sing into a mike and lay it down onto a CD?

Give a listen and see if you agree.  I am not saying it is bad.  I am just saying how about a little less over producing and a little more reality?

Click Here for a listen. The radio station has removed the preview

Love this song, and of course ME LOVES ME SOME PINK!!