The Happiest Girl Alive

Last month I saw The Whitest Boy Alive at Astra, which had its grand opening that night and is my new fave venue in Berlin. In fact, besides Cupcake and Monster Ronson's, it's the ONLY reason for a Mitte-Fuzzi to venture into Friedrichshain.

The Norwegian band The New Wine opened up for Whitest Boy. Erlend Oye's musical legacy was noticeable (but luckily not overbearing) in their sound. I was actually thinking their music kinda sounded like the love child of The Whitest Boy Alive, Cut Copy and Phoenix (minus any homoerotic undertones that might have possibly been evoked by that analogy).

The Whitest Boy Alive were as amazing as ever. Throughout the entire gig, Astra was filled with this incredibly warm, glowing and happy energy bouncing to the band's pop disco beat. I even feel like all my blurry, slow-flash pictures of the crowd accurately embody what it actually felt like to be there.

Highlights included (but were not limited to):
- Erlende jumping into the crowd with the cow bell,
- the keyboardist wailing on his keyboard like it was a guitar,
- and all the covers of my old school faves from back in the day (in addition to the usual suspect Robin S., The Prodigy's "Out of Space" and Daft Punk's "Around the World" also made my techno/house heart go pitter patter).

This was without a doubt my feel-good gig of the year. And it's seriously no surprise I left Astra the happiest girl alive.

Comfort Tune: Lucky Charm

This week (or rather month) has been a bit Friday the 13th meets April Fools. Among many other things, late last Monday night, caught in a non-confontational state of mind and mesmerized by midi-like music and color-coded lyrics, I let my phone get stolen at Monster Ronson's Karaoke by a lipsick les, a dyke and a cross-dressing Satan.

So now I'm trying not to wallow in too much self-pity but instead turn things around in a St. Patrick's Day kind of way. And what better way to start than with a fresh pot o' gold (aka tonight's 25 million-Euro lottery jackpot)! My rainbow (aka theme song) for tonight and the rest of the month is by my old childhood sweathearts and ABC-predecessors The Boys (whose record "Messages from the Boys", by the way, is the first I ever owned!):



God, how I love this video! The moves, the hair, the clothes, the Boardwalk scenes! Takes me back to all my middle school dances and family trips to Venice Beach.

SXSW 2008 Recap: Cut Copy @ IHEARTCOMIX/Mad Decent Party

I've got Aussie's on the brain this week. Most notably The Presets and Cut Copy (Bumblebeez get honorable mention). Saw The Presets at SXSW and Berlin Festival last year and Cut Copy two times at SXSW this year. And I had no regrets seeing either of them twice. In fact, Cut Copy's last set at the IHEARTCOMIX vs. Mad Decent Blowout Party gave me goosebumps. EsPECially when the enTIRE crowd started jumping in synch and i could feel the CEMENT floor moving up and down like a trampoline beneath me!

The Black Kids Domino Effect

This past weekend when I was at Melt! Festival (more about that coming up), one of the Berlin Battery DJs played a remix of Black Kids' "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend". It'd been ages since I'd last listened to them, so I spent all day at work Monday replaying their myspace playlist. And one earworm tipped off another. You connect the dots.

"Hit The Heartbreaks"


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Kate Bush "Don't Put Your Foot On The Heartbrake"



"I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend"


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Rilo Kiley "The Frug"



"Hurricane Jane"


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The Pippettes "Pull Shapes"

P.S. For more tangents, check here every Tuesday.

The The Chapin Sisters: How To Keep Cool This Summer

I just discovered The Chapin Sisters for myself. I really wish I had heard of them before and can't begin to imagine why I hadn't. At any rate. Despite midsummer's sweat-inducing temperatures, listening to them today gave me goosebumps. I'm sure their harmonized voices will send a hauntingly sweet chill down your spine too. Here's my favorite songs so far...

Kill Me Now:


Toxic (yes, it's a Britney, bitch):

Boderline (Madonna cover):

It's Baaa-aaack!

Thanks to Miss Modular, my old "American Boy" earworm is back with a new attitude...



and a vengeance...

Like Ghosts Under Rocks

I hadn't visited Ra Ra Riot(my favorite band from SXSW 07)'s myspace page in ages, but they're in The Virgins' Top 8, so after I had listened to the new Virgins album a few times, I decided to see if Ra Ra Riot had any new music up. And they did! I can't get enough of "Ghosts Under Rocks", which I'd only ever heard live before. Speaking of which, the only video I have of them performing this is like 15 seconds long! But here's a nice video of them performing it live at the Bowery this year.



I don't know what it is about this song, or this band in general. But I'm not surprised that they've listed their myspace profile under the categories "Healing" and "Easy Listening". Cheesy as it sounds, there's something in their music (and especially their live performances) that seriously just reaches deep into my soul. Like every song is a spiritual reawakening.

I was super sad that this is all I got to see of them at SXSW this year.



Mind you, this is with the zoom. Big tears.

P.S. Their debut full-length "The Rhumb Line" (recorded and mixed by Ryan Hadlock) is due out August 19. So forget yoga, fasting, whatever and just go out and buy the album this summer!

SXSW 2008 Recap: The Virgins @ NME Showcase

The Virgins were the last band I saw at SXSW this year. I'm still in the process of posting all my other delinquent SXSW recaps, but I thought I'd continue with them because ever since their whole album was featured on myspace last week, I can't get them out of my head (especially the song "Fernando Pando").

When I saw them live in Austin, I was seriously expecting some serious Strokes lookalikes or something. I even overheard this guy next to me in the audience telling his friend how he had seen the lead singer strutting around Williamsburg like an übercool hipster. But when they came out on stage, I was surprised at how they actually look like virgins (the lead singer in particular)! I mean, in person, they look NOthing like their sleek press photos (I didn't know whether to praise their stylists and hair and makeup artist for a job well-done or to sue them for false advertising!).

But in the end it's all about the music, which was without a doubt fun and catchy. Plus by the end of the set, I had pretty much gotten used to their nerdiness. It definitely made them seem more genuine, likeable, and dare I say cute (in an oddly attractive way)! Revenge of the Nerds V???







P.S. I couldn't put my finger on it, but Liz to the rescue again! She described their sound as "80's crooner pop." Spot on! And I think the singer's sexy voice is like beer goggles to his geekiness. *swoon*

Money, Money, Mon-nay. Mon-nay!

Sometimes my bank likes to transfer my rent money to my landlord's account a day or two early even though I have the automatic deposit set for the first of the month (gggrrrrr...). At my last job, my paychecks were deposited on the 27th of each month (no fail), so that never posed any problems. But at my current place of employ, I never know when I'm getting paid (double-gggrrrrr...). I usually expect the worst (the 2nd of the month) and hope for the best (the last of the previous month).

So I was absolutely ecstatic yesterday (the 27th) when I discovered that my benjamins were already in the bank! While celebrating at the ATM machine, Liz and I both blurted out the "Money, Money, Money. Money" line from the O'Jays song "For the Love of Money" at almost the same time. And now (surprise, surprise), it's stuck in my head.



These other songs are so money* too, and they don't even know it!








* That is, they either use the word "money" more than two times in a row or just repeat it a lot.

One-Line Wonders: That's Just The Way It Is

I don't know how in the world it got there, but it did. Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" interspersed with the line "Keep it in the Closet" from the semi-eponymous song along with the visual image of Naomi's glamazon legs (which makes me wanna run to the nearest ballet bar and do pliés till the cows come home) from the video of the latter.





So this was repeating itself in my head for most of the afternoon and the journey home from work. Is this what happens when single girls turn 29? Your mind starts conjuring up nostalgic lyrics from 90's easy-listening songs of memories you never actually had, and you start fixating on supermodel legs that will never be yours?! Oy vey.

And then! Between the U-bahn, the grocery store and the final walk home, I couldn't stop singing (in my head, of course) the alternating one-liners "Oooohhh, sex-y booo-yyyyy" (Air)* and "That's just the way it is" (Bruce Hornsby). Which I'm starting to think would make a really great Soul Wax-esque remix. I'm thinkin producer/dj in my next life? Oh yeah.





*Thanks to Liz for naming that tune! Cause all the googling and allmusic.com-surfing in the world couldn't help me figure out which band it was from. Of course it didn't help that I was ACtually singing "sexy boDy" and thought it was some mid-to-late 90s, alternative meets electronic band à la Veruca Salt/Hole/Elastica.

I think I'm pregnant.

So Tuesday I decided I was getting stuck in a bittersweet music rut and would not listen to any of my same old same old itunes playlists at work but only myspace music instead. I think I spent almost a whole day just listening to The Brunettes (so much for branching out!). But then I jump-started some Top 8 surfing yesterday, which sent me to Au Revoir Simone (who I hadn't listened to in ages), then Moshi Moshi Records (I just watched "Domicile Conjugale" last weekend and the "moshi moshi" scene was one of my favorites), on to Metronomy (where I was seduced by the Peter, Bjorn and John meets The Rapture meets Neue Deutsche Welle "My Heart Rate Rapid"), followed by The Teenagers, then a quick jaunt over toLadyhawke, and back to The Teenagers. Which is where I discovered and quickly fell in love with the "Love No" cover by Soko. I even liked it better than the original (Désolé, boys!). Intrigued to the T, I decided to finally scope her out her profile. And OMIGOD, she's amaaaazing!!!

I honestly thought Soko was Swedish and was pleasantly surprised to find out that she's actually French! Then after listening to all her songs, her lyrics, vocal delivery and acoustic melodies made me think she's equal measure The Teenagers, Jens Lekman and Björk all in one (with her whole being greater than the sum of her parts)! So I've basically been listening to the same five songs on her profile on repeat all day. My favorites are "I will never love you more" and "I think I'm pregnant". So honest and so giggle-inducingly funny.





Anyway, I'm super bummed because not only did I miss her playing White Trash last December, she's back in Berlin on my birthday. But I'm going to be in London!!!! Uuuggghhh...

For all my lucky London friends, she's playing an acoustic set at the Spread Eagle on Kingsland Road (next to no.one and across from Jaguar Shoes) tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. Please go so I may live vicariously through you!

Tell me, how can I abort my fat earworm? Ees getting beegga and beegga! Beegga and beegga!

Who Got the Funk? My Earworms Got the Funk!

I normally don't watch much TV, but the other week I decided to be more frugal and cancel my cable subscription--as soon as the Germany's Next Top Model finale has aired, that is! Until then, I guess I've subconsciously decided to get my money's worth cause I've started leaving the TV on in the background. When I got home from work today I set it on VIVA, which retriggered an ear worm I had completely forgotten about and sparked whole nother one.

Exhibit A:

"My Man Is a Mean Man" by Stefanie Heinzmann



It's almost hard to believe that 19-year-old, Swiss Stefanie is the powerful, raspy soul voice behind this song. When I first saw her perform on TV Total when Stefan Raab hosted a mock-German Idol competition, I think my jaw dropped to the ground in disbelief. She ended up winning, and I first heard her new single the night I spent packing for my U.S. trip. It was an immediate ear worm, and it was one of those rare occassions where I was actually happy to see a music video in heavy rotation. But once I got to the States, I had SXSW on my mind (and unlike Tokio Hotel, it'll probably be a while till she makes her U.S. breakthrough--yes, I actually did see Tokio Hotel on American MTV--at like 5 a.m. though). Anyway, it wasn't until I saw the video again tonight on Germany's Top 100 that my ear worm arose from the dead.


Exhibit B:

"Beggin" by Madcon




As soon as this Norwegian hip hop duo's song came on, I started bustin a move. If you ever need some motivation to get up outta your chair, then I'm sure this'll help do the trick. There's even some nifty old school dance moves in the video. Be sure to practice for the next time I hit the club.

SXSW Countdown: 1 Week Till Texas!

It's the final countdown! And the invites for most of my favorite parties are out: American Rag/Filter, Levi's/Fader, and IHEARTCOMIX (is Vice not saving Texas this year??). I RSVP'd for the IHEARTCOMIX party last year, but it got bust-ed before the official showcases had even ended. Here's hoping this year's different. At least this year it's downtown (aka easily accessible). And check this out:

DIPLO - MATT & KIM - SWITCH - DROP THE LIME - SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO (DJ SET) - CUT COPY - THE TOXIC AVENGER -

A-aaaaaaaannd...

COMPLIMENTARY BEVERAGES - 2 POOLS - 4 STAGES - HEARTSCHALLENGER ICE CREAM TRUCK - FIREPIT - VIDEO GAMES - SHUFFLE BOARD - LIVE VIDEO ART BY DEMONBABIES - EVERYONEISFAMOUS.COM - PHOTOBOOTH - LOUNGE - LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN - BBQ - MORE!

No wonder I've had Deichkind's "Remmidemmi" stuck in my head the past week and a half. ESP.



For those of you who don't know German, here's a loose translation...

Your parents are away at a tennis tournament?
You're throwing a party? How nice of you.
Impulsive people know no bounds.
Throw the furniture out the window,
We need some dance space.

Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus

A little gold and silver,
a little bling bling.
Don't you have anything to eat here?
I want pizza.
Your mother said "Don't track so much dirt into the house".
In the picture in the kitchen she looks like Katja Ebstein.

Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus

We're dancing on the tables.
The vibe is shitty.
I wanna be naked.
You can refresh yourself in the pool.
Gonna to take your Dad's speakers into the sauna with me.
Gonna the pour water on the stones with the maid.
And then I'm gonna turn it up.

Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus

Hey, don't be such a yuppie, man.
We just wanna experience something.
In the private home of rich parents, what could be better?

Hot Mess!

In the process of posting that last bit, "Flashing Lights" kinda grew on me and started taking over "American Boy"'s ear worm throne. And to top it all off, this brand new obsession just now led to me discover the R. Kelly remix (check it out for yourself at thefader.com). There's no more helping me now!

Still Looking for My "American Boy"

Just when I was finally getting rid of my "American Boy" earworm, they released the video.



But my friend Josh says the song's only "oookay" and insists that" Flashing Lights" is a better Kanye Jam.



I (personally) think it depends on who you have as your dance partner. In my humble opinion, "American Boy" is more for a group of single girls dancin around. But "Flashing Lights" is DEFinitely made for some downtempo freakin. Which brings me back to my original question: Who WILL be my American Boy?! Cause you know I can't Rome without Caesar!

bittersweet symphony

on valentine's day victoria posted this postcard she received from ryan jacob smith on her blog sfgirlbybay.



it's not only the cutest but also (for a complete hopeless romantic like me) the most heartwrenching card i've ever seen! for anyone else who would like to keep hope alive and believe that love can overcome all geographic odds, i recommend the following musical antidote: listening to "whole wide world" by wreckless eric and "have love will travel" by the sonics on repeat.

who'll be my "american boy"?!

this saturday my friend liz made the BIG mistake of introducing me to "american boy" by estelle featuring kanye west. less than 24 hours after this first introduction, my itunes tallied up more than 80 play counts (and still going)! i only expect excellence with liz and i know i have an addictive personality (which is why i never by chocolate in whole bars but only in small, individually-wrapped servings), but who'da thought it would go THIS far!

so what is it about this song that i just can't stop listening to it on repeat?! weeellllll...

• as liz put it, the song's lyrics make it like a sweeter version of the teenagers "homecoming"
• the lyrics get me psyched about my upcoming trip back to the states where i'll be hitting up chicago, austin and nashville (who'll be MY american boy?!)
• lines like "don't like those baggy jeans but i'm gon like what's underneath em"
• it has a catwalk-ready sashay-inducing beat that (when nobody's looking, of course) makes me too sexy for my shirt as i'm strutting down to the u-bahn station with one hand in my pocket à la madonna in "hung up" (da bruce would be proud!)
• at the same time, the bouncy beat also gives me the urge to sing out loud and stroll about as if i were lily allen in her "ldn" music video
• the bridge (somebody please correct me if i'm misusing pop music terminology!) is reminisent of the slow-motion sequence in madonna's "hung up" video and makes me wanna hump the nearest boombox or the next hot guy who comes my way (it's a shame that asian background dancer doesn't live in berlin)
• estelle's sexy, soulful, down-to-earth voice makes me (over)confident about my own singing abilities and i just can't help but sing along (they had better add this to the monster ronson's repertoire asap)
• oh yeah, and i can't stop smiling while listening to this song (good vibes, good vibes)

unfortunately, there's no video for the song yet, so this is the best i could do for now!...


and here are the other songs/videos i just referenced...

the teenagers "homecoming"


lily allen "ldn"


madonna "hung up"


current itunes play count since writing this post (not including my ipod): 106