IKEA, I-SEE-YA!

Yep, had to post about something that's going to rock the "town" of Atlanta for good.

Tomorrow at 9am is the official grand opening of the long-awaited Ikea store, one of the largest in the world and with a million and one giveaways and opening special offers (over their already everyday low prices - no pun intended, Walmart -), it's going to be a megaboom.

People, be patient. Don't crash into each others' carts, or cars that matter. Try to be civil. Sure, it's exciting to find a cool table lamp for $10.99, but the store ain't going away.

Though you can't help it but to "understand". Who doesn't love a great deal? And who's not going to check out a store that's been months delayed and overhyped to the max? I don't think I'll miss it. Maybe I'll just wait it out a few days till the crowds settle a bit and the inventory restocks, because as far as I see it, it will be a sellout next few days with everyone going goo-goo-ga-ga over everything (and anything) they can lay their eyes AND hands on.

So, there you go.

Congrats IKEA, you've reconquered another portion of the USA.

Cheers to that, Svenska!

:)
- djchaco

PS: Yeah, I know I owe you all a lot of posts, so bear with me and we'll get through this. So much good stuff to discuss: Live 8, Wing - the new Japanese phenomenon and yes, Bobby Brown. So, keep in touch and feel free to post about what's rockin' your world now. Chaco, Out.

CardioRadio & More!

Hey there!

How's everyone doing today? Fine, I hope?
I'm my usual happy self. Other than the hot weather today (God bless air conditioning), it's all good.

Quick note to self:



Get a copy of the upcoming "Cardio Radio Official Mix CD".

A delectable selection of pumped-up dance hits from primo DJ Mike B and everyone's favorite Atlanta on-air radio chick, the loveable Tracy St. George.

Here's the deal: Can't get it in stores. Can't get it online (not yet, anyway).
So make your way to Tracy's appearances and donate $10 to the bold Bert's Big Adventure fund, which we've mentioned before. It's a great cause: helping out the children of Atlanta with terminal diseases on a grand adventure to Walt Disney World. It's become an official tradition for the city of Atlanta and our favorite radio station, Q100. The place for all the hits.

So, check out the link above and make your mark. And oh yeah, get a great heaping of non-stop party hits courtesy of the one-and-only Tracy St. George.

I'll be back later with more fun posts:
1) Fresh reviews of tomorrow's hits.
2) Pre-Top40 huge hit charts.
3) You asked for it, you got it! We're Podcasting the hits very, very soon.
4) Geri Halliwell's crappy luck at the charts. (And at life, at that.)
5) Backstreet's back... uhm, alright?
6) ...blah, blah, blah... Mel B's scary again.
7) Mel C's got some "beautiful intentions".
8) It sounds like a Spice Girls, round-up, doesn't it? Wonder why? Maybe 'cuz Live8 will actually DO SOME GOOD for the music world and the former girls' careers. Discuss.

Keep posted!

Aye, aye kiddos.
-djchaco

Radar Time!

I promised a list of the Füturhits* to keep your eardrums peeled for, and here they are.

You wonder who's really flying under the radar these days? Well, there's a million and one great artists doing their thang out there now. Surely, this list is non-comprehensive, but vastly enlightening to all those of you that, as I, follow a pre-top40 doctrine. Yes, we all eventually come around to loving Ryan Cabrera after the umptieth play of "True" (in one of its 50 different acoustic versions), but there's more to life than Britney. Mind you, not always, but that just proves there's life after "Chaotic".

THE MUSICAL SHORTLIST or WHO'S HOT NOW? (That was my attempt at a Rocky & Bullwinkle double entendre/double title. Oops! I just did it again. Thanks, Britney.)



Gorillaz
"DARE"
Cartoons on electronic steroids. A bumpy, yet perfect 4 minute dancefloorfilla about doin' something. Yes, something, anything. Dare you? Dare I? "Demon Days" are here to stay with our odd 2D heroes in place.



Mylo
"In My Arms"
Scandinavian minds always come up with perfect sampling. Sunset Strippers made their own version, "Falling Stars", also noteworthy and a recent release. The difference is the "Bette Davis Eyes"-entrancing synth placed in for high kicks. Beating the one-hit wonder syndrome by good.



SoulDecision
"It Must Be You"
The perfect companion to any Hollywood teen movie soundtrack. Quite possibly the world's first tell-off that sounds so pop-perfect that it's an inviting trance to kiss that former love-of-your-life off for good, guilt-free with a poignant point in mind: **ck off. Love it. Go Trevor! Add-in: title track "Shady Satin Drug", another funky, "good to get high" (on love, for example, you doofus) mantra.



Charlotte Church
"Crazy Chick"
That, she is, indeed. A most welcome turning page and a new chapter for pop-happy former-child-operastar-turned-pop's-newest-rising-star (aka slut). Hooky, jumpy. And not just the barely 3-minute radio-perfect track. A breakout hit waiting to happen.



Gwen Stefani
"The Real Thing"
Lush, electronic ballad that redefines sensuality with good taste... a love plea in electro-minor. Plus, anything to make stations halt "Hollaback Girl" play is a good thing.



Daniel Bedingfield
"All Your Attention"
For God's sake, he's brilliant. When'd he lose his appeal? These are post-sister-Natasha times already (except for the US, where she deservedly is set to hit #1 with "These Words", a year after the rest of the world caught on her with rapture). This is one of his finest, exuding with 70's robust production. Rich in content and vocals, maybe this guy's duet with Lionel Richie left him with more than just inspiration. Daniel, well done mate!



Coldplay
"Talk"
Apparently the world's biggest band according to every reputable rock mag in the world, Chris and company have proven themselves mighty with the alright latest offering, "X&Y". Here's a growing ballad, much in the style of their classics. Yes, it's inevitable to compare this to "Clocks" because that's become their trademark style, but it's undeniable to state that it's damn good.


OTHER NOTABLE MENTIONS:
1) Black Eyed Peas Feat. Justin Timberlake "My Style" (Fergie in Spanish? Priceless. It's "Where Is The Love, Part Deux".)
2) Helena Paparizou "My Number One" (Eurovision, duh!)
3) Kristian Leontiou "The Crying" (Beat-fab, surprising inclusion from the Brit crooner.)
4) Kelly Clarkson "Gone" (Rock reteam: "Since You've Been... oh well, this is ANOTHER track.)
5) Natasha Bedingfield "I'm A Bomb" (Sure is, having exploded most everywhere and on a short fuse in most places.)
6) JoJo "Breezy" (Probably Anastacia's long-lost younger sister, once again boggling our minds with pitch-perfect delivery and an irresistible R%B beat.)
7) Backstreet Boys "Poster Girl" (Men singing about women in fantasies? Hmmm... note-worthy.)
8) Keane "This Is The Last Time" (Hope not!)
9) Moby "Raining Again" (Electroguru gets it right for the first time in a long time.)
10) Annie "Me Plus One" (Norwegian rap dreams come true.)
11) Jem "Wish I" (Unconsciously kitschy, irresistibly sweet and drawing: the Dido complex.)
12) Tina Cousins "Wonderful Life" (Brand new version injects soulful lyrics to a song that's been inexplicably covered several times over.)
13) Jazon Mraz "Wordplay" (Smart, playful track from the insanely-adept singer-songwriter. Someone's stocks are clearly on the mainstream high rise!)
14) Indra "Oublie Moi" (French pop tracks with English blends are always a smart idea. Sexy, sassy, catchy... Need I say more?)
15) Melanie B "Today" (Scary Spice no more. Liberated from pressures of most everything, she looks to a lighter side of pop and takes on acapella and acoustic for higher learning. Smart move artistically, though sales might slump.)
16) Izzy B Featuring Nikola Bedingfield "In Your Arms" (Not only the other track on this very list with a repeated track name, but also the most popular last name in the music business as far as we're concerned. Enter the arena the final of the three Bedder siblings, now as a Natasha voice-clone. Odd call.)
17) Timo Maas Feat. Kelis "4 UR Ears" (Master DJ doin' his thank with the fabulous ghetto R&B Mrs. Nas)
18) Axel F "Crazy Frog" (God, make it stop! One of the most plaging tracks in recent memory, its claim to fame has been to easily and inadvertently beat the overhyped Coldplay camp to #1 and become the year's most downloaded ringtone in a matter of days.)
19) Jessica Simpson "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" (God-awful version of the Nancy Sinatra stomper by the ever-talented singer, slated for the prime spot thanks the the Dukes Of Hazzard/Daisy Duke sex appeal factor.)
20) Kelly Osbourne "Suburbia" (MIDI-ridden 80's track that must've slipped off some lost Alphaville recording session, done justice thanks to robotic delivery and stonecold feeling that delivers to critise closed societies.)


Yes, these tracks are purchase-worthy and downloadable. Stick to iTunes for those glorious 30 second previews that can help you make your mind up easier. Free musical trials can be so much fun!

More tracks will be added in the days to come, so don't get lost in oblivion. Come back and share your new favorites too, post now!

Cheers!
-djchaco 8)

*As is overtly obvious, I have a thing for creating compound words in the most casual of fashions, thus this one derives from "future" and "hits", with the ü thrown in to look cooler, and maybe more international? Your call. Whatever the reason, just love it and understand it. This is "djchaco lexicon primer 101".

Next Stop: Backstreet Bleeeeech!

Highly innapropiate, but so weird I had to include the following image. (That's what you get for Googlin' your soul out.)



Yeah, "real mature you guys!" I guess Boys will be Boys, is that the lesson here?

Soon, a review of their comeback disk "Never Gone", which sounds like they have been gone for a long time and upon reconvening, strange things can happen.

...

And oh yeah, they're not in as much doo-doo as a band that was amazing a year ago, and now, isn't. A little insulting, too confident, and above all, very uncompromising. Introducing the BLEEEECH! Eyed Peas.



We unveil a social comment on "Monkey Business", which is not, as you may imagine a 300-page essay study on the mating habits of the Makookzu apes of Ghana, but rather djchaco's take on the all-too-normal follow-up to the brilliant, animal-fetish-title-inspired "Elephunk" of 2002 by the now-sorely-missed Black Eyed Peas. Yes, they deserve it. Sorry, Fergie. You guys are too smart for this.


Discuss.

-djchaco

Judgement Day.

Yup, it finally happened. No, we're over talking about the Michael Jackson verdict (well, at least for now until things start to pick up again at Camp Jacko).

And no, it's not the end of the world (at least no signs have surged yet for that to happen). But it's true. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. Well, not now anyway.



Kelly Osbourne: notorious overweight talk-alot, partygoer, drug addict, don't-give-a-**ck Brit reality show supastar.

What about her, you say? What in the world could make me stop and take a long, hard look at the (metaphorical) spawn of the devil (Ozzy, not Sharon)? No apparent talent, a zest for life, and several Guinness pints later... here she comes.

Her blatant rampage on the 80's through the awful debut disc "Shut Up" made us want to do just that: stuff a sock in her weighty mouth. Now, it's a distant memory and the aftermath of the Post-MTV Osbournes era has cleared our minds of just how much we loved to hear Ozzy say the F-word and hear the kids bitch and Sharon try to keep some order in the household and their careers. This dawn of a new era not only cleansed our minds, but it also made Kelly think long and hard that continuously trying reverse psychology on everyone by openly speaking about how disastrous and awful her singing was, apparently was a wrong way to nowhere.

Enter Mr. Pink Slip.
Mind clears.
Rolodex and Palm Pilot contact list in a search frenzy, Google-style.

Waddayaknow? Uber-producer and Gwen Stefani-solo-crafter, former 4 Non Blondes frontchick Linda Perry was free for a few days. Many crumpets and English tea cups later, the deal was sealed. Linda Perry took it upon herself to re-create Kelly from what seems to be the material Gwen scrapped from her over-Oriental solo debut, the ultimately fabulous "Love. Angel. Music. Baby." (Get it now, before they keep pouring out "Hollaback Girl" for radio burnout... Uh oh, too late. :O)

Who says you can't feast on scraps?

10 gorgeously crafty tracks compose Kelly's infectious "Sleeping In The Nothing", out now on her new home, Sanctuary Records.

It's like Felix Da Housecat's jukebox collection mashed with a little Kraftwerk, to say the least. Experimental, experiental, and... brace yourself, deep. Yep, pretty personal stuff she goes through that gets under your skin with such guilty-pleasurable beats and authentic 80's synthesizers, totally makes you forgive and forget those damn flat vocals that go perfectly with what should've been released on vinyl, not CD. This is the stuff that 1982 is made of. Hell, I was born that year, I should know. Brilliant chanteuse Miss Kittin, eat your heart out. It's a very convincing formula for success.

Lead single "One Word" is delightfully campy, down to the French voiceovers and the mechanical, almost robotic deliverance of a track that was originally inspired by a five-letter word, an obvious election for inspiration: K-E-L-L-Y. That was the word that carried her through depression in drug rehab and pulled her through to the light as her mother uttered it daily, filling her up with energy and restored faith in the future.

Yeah, I know a little corny, but apparently true. Listen to the lyrics, they really do make sense. We're not at a Jewel-the-poet-deep-level at any moment, but it's all stories on life the girl "sings" on. The album was recorded while she was in rehab, leaving the clinic only to work at the studio.

The subsequent tracks are the rockin' good and bouncy "Uh Oh"; next single "Redlight" which is a pop-rock ditty that'll make you think of Martika days past (dammit); sex rampage "Secret Lover" complete with a Buggles pre-chorus moment here and there; the rock ballad "I Can't Wait" with a killer guitar riff; the moody-then-wedding-keyboardish (oh-so-kitschy!) "Edge Of Your Atmosphere"; my favorite: "Suburbia", a social critique taking on one-track lifestyles and closemindedness, oozes with a primitive beat that is undeniably the year's ultimate MIDI guilty pleasure - mark my words, SMASH HIT ON THE WAY! (if you're willing to accept it into your system); the date rape-sensitive, angry "Don't Touch Me While I'm Sleeping"; the more direct "Save Me" is a plea for love (someone get this girl a steady!); the electroclash of "Entropy" is a welcome pop-rock anthem to close the album off nicely; if not for the Chris Cox Remix of "One Word" that's a standard (and welcome) bonus track to help clock the perfect-ten-track collection of radio-ready singles just over 43 minutes.

Sure, it's a brief affair, but all the more enticing. Miss Linda Perry's a true genius: managing to create a gem out of nothing much, but probably liner notes that the-artist-formerly-known-as-that-chick-from-No-Doubt left in the gutter. I guess that's what Fatboy Slim meant when he introduced the phrase a few years ago, "halfway between the gutter and the stars". Know what that is? Not earth, but somewhere above us mortals. And that's where this is, definitely way above average. While not an instant classic from day to night, it will take the girl some time to rebuild (or build from scratch in most cases) the credibility she states her case so plainly with through this collection of dance and rock bits'n'pieces that SCREAM 80's! Well-executed, you've gotta give her kudos for her wise production selection and gothy, Eurofreeze makeover.

I could've sworn I was on my own with this grave change of heart, favoring Kelly's work, but I'm not. What most critics can't conceive is how she pulled it off. She's not a singer, barely a performer, a definite entertainer on her own right. It's one of those projects that works so nicely, one shouldn't question it much.

Ironically enough, Kelly's album launch was preceded by another stint in rehab, from which we hope she re-emerges with a newfound sense of self and inspiration to keep the new waves a-flowin'. Jolly good, old girl. Damn good.

And so, the tables have turned. A few years ago, it was us from this end asking Kelly to "Shut Up" with her album. Now, it seems she's inadvertently inviting us to "Shut Up" already, as she's comfortably "Sleeping In The Nothing". She's surely waking up to a lot more than ever before.

djchaco's StyleRating: 8/10

:)
-djchaco

Favorite MuzakSites.

Oh, so many... But here's a list of a couple that have surfaced as my favorite.
Out of all fairness, I WILL NOT post itunes.com as one of our favorites, because what's the fun in saying that? Let it be known, it probably is my one-stop music shop, but there's gotta be more of a point to you guys reading this, right?



LET THE MUZAK REVOLUTION COMMENCE!

Stuck at work and need to opt-in to streaming audio? Fret no more. Here's 2 prime allies to help make the workplace or any wired spot your new favorite jukebox.


Frecuence3 (France)
En direct au Paris, France. Or something like that.

The French have done it again. A brilliant mix that has emerged as my all-time online favorite stream offers a unique, totally mainstream mix of global pop 24/7. Nee an iTunes stream, Frecuence3 is home to a non-stop hitparade of 90's, current, recent, and an 80's hit here and there. Avril Lavigne, Oasis, Kelly Clarkson, Basement Jaxx, Seal, Green Day, Modjo, All Saints, Depeche Mode, U2, George Michael, Alizée, Des'ree... you name it. They're here. Brilliant. Can't go wrong with this station.

PROS: Fairly commercial-free, it's good music in all the time. How many stations can say that?

CONS: Makes you want to kill yourself for going away 5 minutes and seeing that the previous song played was one of your all-time favorites. **it happens. So, don't miss a minute!


Soundic Radio (Sweden)
Svenska's Finest.

Sweden is synonymous with mainstream pop glory. Indeed, it's about time they launched an equally gratifying and cool station. Mostly 80's, somewhat 90's, highly electronic and experimental is the format for this one-off spot. The interludes in Swede are most welcome and brief. The home for brilliant new muzak from Rob Thomas and Alicia Keys and groundbreaking electronica from Milk Inc. and Danii Minogue.

PROS: Great production makes this station an easy listen. Rare commercial breaks last a minute, at most. Perfect in-stream option.

CONS: May seem too noisy at times, given its trance-clubey sound for certain "blocks" of time. For some, 30 minutes of free jammin' hits from the world's finest turntables may be a bit too much. However, it works out in the end when you're compensated with a great pop track from Sweden's own Robyn or Ace Of Base.


djchaco also recommends...

Virgin Radio UK (London, The World)
80's blow-out, unknown indiefest. Can't get enough of that Brit accent!

All The Hits Q100 (Atlanta, Georgia)
A personal favorite. Morningtime = Bert Show Time (food for thought). Noon = Tracey St. George's Cardio Radio gets you going with the mix. Afternoon= Dylan gets you going with entertainment news and top 40 hits. Nighttime= Gellar's hormones and insanity make the day end nicely. It's top 40 radio done right!


More favorites to come. Share yours!

Cheers,
- djchaco

Whaddayaluv?

I've talked about the Bert Show in Atlanta on prime FM spot Q100. These guys are the smart, endlessly-entertaining and ever-changing and surprising way to kickstart your weekday morning. Yup, they are.
An authentic guilty pleasure, tacky and sweet, absurd and intelligent at the same time.

Blimey, they had a good idea the other day. What if we could make a list of our top 5 things right now? The five objects/concepts/issues that rock our world now. I've never been one for few words or limited explanations, so I'm probably going to elaborate WAY past 5 objects over the next few days, but I want to make a list of some of my favorite things now. (Yes, guilty pleasures are shamelessly included.)

djchaco's list commences in our next post.

Feel free to suggest or make this space your own, too. List up your current favorite objects/people/events/issues. Go on! Put your brain to the test.

How easy is this? C'mon, give it a try.

Cheers,
- djchaco

Ref: Freedom.

RE-DEMP-TION.

That's what Michael Jackson's trial was all about. Proving the truth and setting the record straight. Did it work out?



As you can see, HE DIRELY NEEDED IT.
*Correction: NEEDS IT.

The man went through the trial, he proved himself, he didn't pay it off before hand as he did in '93. Definitely, redemption was the focal point behind the arduous process. Thomas Mesereau did his best, Sneddon didn't get the last laugh.

OJ or no OJ stigma present, the truth was loud and clear.
10 charges, none guilty and thus, innocence was proven.

The haters are doing their thing, as expected. Blah, blah, blah.

Did he really do it? Did he not?

Absurdity aside (yes, TRY to picture that for a millisecond), the situation was a media circus and got more attention than it should have. But now the question remains... what's next?

That's an issue that is, in my opinion, rightfully questioned publically everywhere. The King Of Pop must reclaim his throne somehow. Oblivion rules his music fans' world, which overcometh of "Thriller" passion (circa 1982).

Should things work out true, Island/Def Jam Records prez and Jacko buddy Antonio "L.A." Reid will live up to his word and sign on Michael as his next musical reinvention. This is, after all, the man who took on Mariah Carey Renaissance with a smashing vision and a homerun hit this year. He can do it again, no doubt.

What is next? A less public life? Is there such a thing?

George Michael may have tried to escape the media frenzy by publically saying he'd retire, but it hasn't worked. Now, to a more global scale, Camp Jackson would not dare do such a thing. The worst situation, though likely, would be for Michael to become a recluse.

Ain't happening. He's reportedly dug a financial hole so deep that work is the only way out.

Grab a Snickers bar, 'cuz he's here to stay.
Like it or not.

So, shut up already and smell the business of coffee. That's not Folgers in your cup. It's Jacko on the spot.

Michael's been freed. Now it's time for Michael to free the man.

It was never just about the music. It's the attitude, the personality, the overcreative approach... a supernatural latent talent. While the human has been freed, now it's time to let go of the creative forces that have been building up inside for years, time for a new revolution.

Pop world, brace yourself. All is anew.

Tabule Raza.
Clean Slate.

- djchaco

The Reason...

COMEBACK 1/2/3/4/5.

1) THE COMEBACK OF djchaco TO HIS BLOG.

About time! Yup, I'm here.

2) COMEBACK WONDERS.

...as Hoobastank so well put it to their hit single's credit last year, "the reason is you." Yes, you Tiffany.

NBC will kick off "Hit Me Baby One More Time" tomorrow night at 9pm. Can't hardly wait. Cameo, Arrested Development, Vanilla Ice, CeCe Peniston and yes, Tiffany, will get down and boogie like it's 1987, or something close to it. By singing their all-time hits and wowing audiences to vote, they will rekindle the hearts of their notably older (thus, un-mallratty-like) fanbase to the tune of thousands of dollars for charities. It's a cool concept we hope will fly.

3) COMEBACK: WELCOME.

Sunday night at 9.30pm will also welcome Lisa Kudrow into the HBO uber-realm of cool. A show about a show that features the comeback of a comeback. Follow me? Kudrow puts Phoebe way behind her and stars as loveable Valerie who's never actually made it big, but believes she's planning a comeback, but the real question is: what's she coming back to if she never went anywhere in the first place? A real head turner from the creators of Sex & The City and the deeply underestimated director of film comedic-noire masterpiece "Heathers", Michael Lehmann. You surely musn't miss it. Experimental, quirkly, smart. Let not the Phoebe facade leave you distraught. Tabule raza, dear bloggers. Clean the slate and get it together for Valerie. Give it up.

4) IDOL COMEBACK.

Will the Ruben 1st, Clay 2nd in show / Clay 1st, Ruben 2nd in sales trend resurge? Current amazon.com sales ranks for Bo Bice and Carrie Underwood sure seem to note the trend. Will Bo's badass rocker attitude hold for his sales? Will Carrie outshine and have the last laugh? We've yet to see. Cross-reference: The Fantasia Barrino-Diana DeGarmo files.

5) COMEBACK: OPERA TWEEN-TURNED-POP SENSATION.

Where'd the voice go? Long-gone are the days of yore when Charlotte Church was a pint-sized Briton singing to the likes or royalty and the Pope. Enter the new and redefined Church, now blooming 18 and singin' a Motown-infused stomper. And not a high note in sight. "Crazy Chick" is a blunt, speedy and instantly-loveable pop ditty. What a winner! Who would've thought the smoking, drinking, party-loving girl had that woman in her? She's not a girl, not yet a woman... but getting close to it. Britney, get a clue here. This week's best musical surprise. A most welcome comeback from a potent pillar in the music world, just barely getting started in what's surely her game. A darling, lovely crazy chick. Crazy, crazy, crazy. We love the new Charlotte Church.

OTHER NOTABLE COMEBACKS FROM THE RECENT HALL OF FAME:
- Best Comeback Actress: Jane Fonda (shame for her role, though)
- Best Comeback Actor: Burt Reynolds (shame of a movie)
- Best Comeback Clothing Label: Benetton (yeah, they're still around with the cool 80's double loop logo goin' strong)

Be back in a bit with the latest muzak recommendations.
What, you thought you'd be out of the doghouse with my hiatus? Riiiiight...

The comeback kid,
-djchaco