What We're Listening To: Hold Back McCain Edition

It's Tuesday, but we're still reeling from yesterday's Monday Upper. For every song that the McCain Girls do that is pro-McCain, we can come up with one that's anti. For example, an alternative version of a Duran Duran song? "Hold Back McCain" Let's get cracking on the video! Who has a karaoke machine?

In the mean time, we offer up six new 10-second music reviews below the fold to get you through the week: Mary J. Blige, Chris Pureka, Lupe Fiasco, Ladytron, The Roots and Pulp.


Mary J. Blige—Growing Pains

I've been following Mary for 15 years. She's always been accessible to gay men because she's been a fucking mess for most of that time, expressing her anguished searching through her lyrics. While I've been frustrated with her inability to get it together, her last couple of albums seem to indicate that she's maturing--mostly. I put away this album for about two weeks after listening to the song "Feel Like a Woman", where she seems to equate love with a man buying her clothes and shoes. I decided to give old girl another shot, and I'm glad I did. While the album feels a bit overproduced, the title track "Just Fine" is jump worthy and commanding the hour at Town (I saw this with my own eyes), and her hopeful relationship tunes "Hurt Again" and "Stay Down" are as heartfelt and powerful as her very best work. - Ben

Chris Pureka—Dryland

And in the grand tradition of the genre: lesbian singer-songwriter folk music -- I'm still listening to Chris Pureka's heartbreaking and brilliant 2006 effort Dryland. Word is that the Northampton guitarist is trying out new material in a series of low-key gigs, including this Friday's show at the University of Maryland's student union. It's been a long, long time since I've stopped into a booze-free college show, for good reason. But if you've never seen her, go and prepare to count yourself among the converted. - Jenny Miller

Lupe Fiasco—Superstar ("The Cool")

My brother introduced me to this song while I was home on spring break, and ever since it's been on heavy rotation on my playlist and I find myself singing it in my head all day long. One genre of music I like a lot is anything that can get me ready to go out and party, and "Superstar" fits the bill. I'm actually contemplating making it my cell phone ring, since "Party Like a Rockstar," (which replaced "P.I.M.P.") is starting to get kind of old. - Ms. Cavanaugh

Ladytron—Witching Hour

In anticipation of their summer tour and new album release, I'm listening Ladytron's 2005 LP, Witching Hour. Generating super-cooled synth pop since 1999, Ladytron sounds like their name: cold yet feminine, sterile yet organic. "Destroy Everything You Touch", "Last One Standing" and "Beauty*2" provide great examples of their unique sound. A new track, "Black Cat," is available for listening on their myspace page. - Michael

The Roots—Things Fall Apart

Like a good bourbon, the Roots' "Things Fall Apart" goes down smoothly with character and a hint of spice. In reloading some CDs into itunes this past weekend, I rediscovered just how good this album is. Though the Erykah Badu duet in the track "You Got Me" tends to garner most of the attention, I prefer the suave yet catchy sounds of "Step Into the Realm" and "Dynamite." Listen to those two tracks preferably while enjoying a night cap consisting of Makers on the rocks with a splash of water. - Robert

Pulp—This Is Hardcore

I've been listening to this album a lot in the last two weeks and trying to figure out why. When I was in 8th grade, I bought this album the same day I bought my first copy of Hustler from a newstand near my parents house. Two years later, I used to listen to its not-actually-that-cheerful ending tracks, "Glory Days" and "The Day After The Revolution" while getting ready for cross country meets and The summer after my college graduation I had a bad habit of staying up at night and getting high to the title track. Finally now, ten years after its release, this album works as a whole for me. It is velvet regret with killer choruses, and I'm sure that in ten years more years it will mean something else entirely. - Zack