In the beginning of the episode, everyone’s favorite chior teacher Mr. Shuester tells the glee club that they will be singing songs from the easy listening genre.  The club is not excited.  Instead, the club suggests that they cover Britney Spears songs for a students assembly.  Mr. Shuester refuses, and then the club made an interseting argument.  They argued that America’s youth (I would say that this includes my age bracket) grew up with Britney Spears.  She is the voice of our pop music history, even more than new acts like Lady Gaga.

Begrudgingly, I have to admit that I agree.  I was in the last years of my elementary school and the beginning phases of my middle school year when Britney was having her hay day.  I can not begin to even count the number of times my friends and I jammed out to Britney Spears, or watched her wonderfully terrible movie Crossroads.  Even as we grew up and moved on to other genres of music most people my age still love Britney.  Britney Spears reminds everyone I know of an easier, more free time.  Finally, Mr. Shuester realized this and let his glee club cover some Britney tunes.  All was well in the world.

1.  The Misfits’s Halloween

2.  Rocky Horror Picture Show’s Time Warp

3.  Michael Jackson’s Thriller

Now, a response to the actual presentation topics:

I agreed with everything that Masnick said.  It is no secret that the old forms of marketing for the music business needs, or more accurately, needed to change.  Masnick says that the idea of just “selling music” needs to change.  With p2p networks, its more convenient for people to download songs if it is music and music alone that they are looking for.   Masnick, in essence, is telling the fine people of the NARM confrence to connect with fans and create and sell content, rather than selling just music.  Giving your customer’s a better reason to come back besides just music is the new way to market.

It was a good presentation–definitely well put.  However, this is not a new idea.  Music and extra content packages are becoming more and more popular.  We all know about Trent Reznor’s success with tiered priced packages with Ghost I-IV.  We’ve seen this concept work again and again (Amanda Palmer’s Radiohead cover album jumps to mind).   He did use some examples that I didn’t know about, and the best thing about his examples were that he purposely used artists that didn’t have a big following, unlike Reznor and Palmer.  While it was a good presentation that I could appreciate, he really wasn’t saying anything groundbreaking.

1.  The Loved Ones‘ Build & Burn

The Loved Ones’ sophomore release on Fat Wreck Chords is too short.  From beginning to end the songs are amazing, which makes the short run time of the album depressing.  ”Selfish Masquarde” and “3rd Shift” are easily my favorite songs on the album.  The Loved Ones have found the perfect balance of being a West Coast punk band without sounding too much like a West Coast punk band.  Its a great album to pop in on a summer drive.  Entertaining and exciting, everyone should check out this album.

2.  Neko Case‘s Middle Cyclone

I love Neko Case…end of story.  I think that Neko Case is the best female vocalist ever.  Middle Cyclone is not necessarily her best album as a whole, but there are so many great songs on this album.  Songs like “Prison Girls” and “The Pharoahs” are beautifully written, performed, and engineered.  Sonically, the album has the great big sound only an amazing echo chamber can give.  The last song on the album is a field recording of frogs croaking outside of Case’s home, and it somehow seems to fit.

3.  The Decemberists‘ Picaresque

I once read on article comparing Colin Meloy, The Decemberists singer and chief songwriter, to a high school drama teacher gone crazy.  I feel like that is a great way to describe the reason behind songs on Picaresque.  The songs all tell a beautiful, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, always comprehensive story.  If you can get down to folk…give the Decemberists a listen

I see this becoming more and more of a problem for social network over sharers.  It’s no secret that employers are now looking at potential employees social networks to see what kind of person this applicant is.  I know lots of people who would not appear to be a good future employee to companies stopping by their social networking pages.

And what about children who have now just started using the internet, where social networks, as far as they know, have always been around.  I’m concerned that if these young people are careless about what they put up on the internet, then eventually, it will be impossible for them to escape their childhood personas; as we all know, once you put something out on the internet, its there forever.

What does that mean for over connected children?  Will social networking be something that holds them back in life?  Google CEO suggests that children change their names later in life to escape their online persona.  We don’t yet know if this drastic of a measure will be necessary in the future, however, this maybe the future for over connected children.

While much has been made of a Tand Catholics.  Fifty-seven percent similar Pew poll) which showed the Mormon faith, compared Barak Obama is a Muslim and er words, 44% of Americans are correct, under Islamic law-the crything that’s happened to ridicule of the poll respondents antill don’t get it.  Skipped another part of the poll.  T, surveyed 1,002 adults-89% growing anti-Semitism in Americ likely voters-on Aug. 16-17.  Victims of most religion-based hat those who ridicule the poll and four Americans respect Jews and ly upset at the high respect for closely behind by respect for Chrnd we know that’s generally the Hmmm…why are liberals so upreligious in America have a they so anti-Semitic and anti-Chrve, dangerous organized religion respondents who believe in Obama id in this little aside in the article: same for these liberals, because ois widespread antipathy, 62% of While the poll revealed that prejually know a Muslim American.  Widespread, respect for other religonally known as American Respondents held the Jewish faithd the “American” part is just an professing to hold a favorable imp.  Than attitudes toward Protestants a Time magazine poll (and a say they have a favorable view of hat one in four Americans believe with 44% for Muslims.  So, in othas I noted, they are technically morons.  Depressing that after eve coverage and liberal media America in the last decade, they snd their answers has largely the poll, conducted by Abt SRBIthe Time poll shows that, despite of whom identified themselves as a (Jews, NOT Muslims, are the Given this, its very fair to say thate crimes), more than three in are upset by the results are probabthe Jewish religion, followed Jews and Christians in America.  Astains-Protestants and Catholics.  Case: liberals who hate organized oset by these results?  Why are strange love for the most opressiistian?  If they can call ther is: Islam.  And that’s reflectes Muslim, “bigots,” I can do the Despite (or perhaps because of) thf these poll results: respondents say they don’t person dice toward Mulsims is Um, I’m one of the 38% who persgious traditions remains sturdy.  Muslim (they are Muslim first, am in the highest regard, with 75% oression-just slightly higher.

1.  The Gaslight Anthem‘s The 59 Sound.

If punk and soul had a baby, it would be The Gaslight Anthem’s sound.  From start to finish, The 59 Sound is big and beautiful.  ”Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,” “Miles Davis and the Cool,” and “Casanova, Baby” marry a rich sound and intellectually pleasing lyrics.  I have yet to hear anyone meld two completely different genres with the success that The Gaslight Anthem has.  The combination of great writing, rich sound, and talent makes The 59 Sound my favorite forgotten loved album.

2.  Envy on the Coast’s Lucy Gray

This album is haunting.  Envy on the Coast are, at least to me, pretty genre-defying.  Each song tells a complete story and each story somewhat fits together to create an interesting vibe.  Songs like “Starving Your Friends” and “Lapse” have simple but charming arrangements.  Sonically, Lucy Gray has sharp and eerie tones that just add to the warped beauty of the lyrics.  Every few months I find myself coming back to Lucy Gray. When that happens its usually a full week before I feel like listening to anything else.  I would suggest to anyone listening for the first time, to listen to this album from start to finish.

3.  Deez Nuts‘ Stay True

When you’re in a horrible mood, put on this album and see your unhappiness fade away.  Stay True is chock full of catchy, humorous light hardcore.  ”Tonight We’re Going to Party Like There’s No Tomorrow” and “I Hustle Everyday” get even the most dour person two-stepping.  This album has great production quality.  I love the songs because it still hits like happy hardcore, but Deez Nuts don’t take themselves too seriously.  Listen and join the party.

This is one of the worst albums I have listened to in the last couple of years.  I hate to be negative about other peoples’ art, and at one time I was a big Against Me! fan, but…really Tom Gabel?

I feel I do need to justify my distaste for this record by saying that I truly respect and enjoy bands that switch up their sound for different albums.  To me those brave musicians (who risk not-so-loyal fanbases by doing something new) are true artists.   Against Me! is not one of those bands.

My biggest problem with this album was that I think that certain subject matter is better covered by certain vocal styles.  Cheesy pop gang vocals about being a teenaged anarchist doesn’t really work.  Piano heavy songs like “We’re Breaking Up” and “Because of the Shame” don’t fit either the album or anything Against Me! has done before. Lyrically and aesthetically, White Crosses’s bounces inexplicably between sounding like a teenaged scene kid’s diary, and an older, almost 80′s hairband revival.  At points, it sounds like the band was going for a sound almost like The Gaslight Anthem, but can’t pull it off.  ”High Pressure Low” sounds like an East Coast gutter punk b-side.  ”Rapid Decompression” is the only song that I could see the old Against Me! having on an album, and even then, it doesn’t have any grit or bite that I loved Against Me! for.

I listened to the album over again after I cleared my mind.  I tried to convince myself that White Crosses wasn’t an Against Me! album, but an album from a band I had never heard before.  It was still flat, disjointed, and a bit ridiculous.  At the expensive of sounding like one of those pretentious punk fans, Against Me! sold out.  The new label, sound, producer, etc. just is not working for them.

I am from a very small town in eastern Nebraska.  I graduated in a class of 43 if that gives a better indication of the size.  I’ve always loved a wide variety of music, which is semi-rare in the country heavy Cornhusker state.

I went to two different colleges before I came to IPR, and I majored in Pre-Law (horrible) and International Business (even worse).  I realized in one of my Pre-Law classes that when I should have been paying attention to tax law protocol and other enthralling legal topics, I was thinking about music and the music business.  Being a good, mundane mid-westerner, I tried one more year of schooling for a normal profession and finally decided that I owed it to my future self to at least give working in the entertainment industry a try.  I have been a much happier person since.

When I finish IPR, my long term hope is to become a tour manager and run live sound for the band I manage.  I also have found I really enjoy the promotion side of the industry.  Not to sound like I’ve been brainwashed, but I love IPR, and I feel like its giving me the skills I need to break into this industry being perhaps one step ahead of my competitors.

Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings-Let Them Knock

Band of Horses-The Funeral

Smoke or Fire-Patty Hearst Syndrome

Envy on the Coast-Headfirst In the River

Dead to Me-Something New

Fighting with Wire-Everyone Needs a Nemisis

Jakob Dylan with Neko Case-Nothing but the Whole Wide World