songs to download & sing:
the delays, "long time coming": one of my favorite self-invented microeconomic is called, for lack of a better name, songs-that-could-have-been-in-80s-teen-movies. with a synth line that whistles like the breeze through one's hair and a petulant verse hook of "why'd you go and do that for?", the third single from britain's the delays is an archetype of the genre; that it mildly recalls both 80s and post-80s bands like tears for fears and the la's don't hurt either. and, yes, i've always been a sucker for songs that seem to be about returns or a desire for return after long absence (e.g. lovin' spoonful's "darling be home soon" or ltd's "stranger.")

the cure, "2 late": have i mentioned that i also enjoy "i will wait for you" themes as well? now, i'm not the biggest cure fan in the world -- what was it i once said? tuneless twat? -- but, as evidence of a kinder, gentler me, i'm listening to, of all things, cure b-sides, and i've really taken to this song, a b-side of "lovesong." perhaps i don't so much dislike the cure as i never seem to see eye-to-eye with their fans: i tend to prefer the cure songs, like "friday i'm in love," where happiness seems like an option, as opposed to the ones that last, on average, nine minutes in length and, in between the thudding drums and muted synths, read like pages torn from a hot topic employee's diary. (did i say "kinder, gentler?") "2 late" could be read rather bleakly, too, but i hear expectation, the desire to catch even a fleeting glimpse of a loved one, but not creepy in a clay aiken "invisible" kinda way. in addition, the music is lovely, smith's hopes borne aloft by beautiful guitar figures that sound like amplified sighs.

scissor sisters, "mary": "mary" is the kind of elton john pastiche-- or perhaps homage, as "pastiche" might be taken as a pejorative, that would make robbie williams lament parting ways with guy chambers. in fact, "mary" is better than 90% of the songs on don't shoot me i'm only the piano player, the elton album it most recalls. ("skyline pigeon" still has it beat, even if it was a bonus track.) will elton john be to '04 what the cars were to '03? and does anyone have a u.s. release date on the sisters' album? matthew?

...and one not to:
janet jackson, "love me for a little while": ugh. no wonder she had to bare a breast. in fact, it's going to take a lot more than that to sell this turd, media firestorm or no. janet makes her "rock" move. admirable though it is to try and broaden the pallette, especially after the mostly-disappointing all for you, "love me for a little while" comes off like a shania twain afterthought, with poorer production values -- i have to hope that jam & lewis had nothing to do with this. in 18 years, she's gone from "let's wait awhile" to "love me for a little while" and the new album, damita jo. promises to "expose her sexuality." (...) what one wouldn't give for a little chastity at this point.