A stint in rehab is the new celebrity accessory! Simply throw one Chihuahua or lap dog of your choice into a custom-made D&G bag, rack up a drunk-driving charge or three, and you will have mastered this stylish new look.

A late-night stop by the L.A.P.D. and your D.U.I. glamor shot splashed all over the tabloids the following day used to be the final prerequisite for a quick, reputation-salvaging stay at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads treatment center in Antigua, but these days the rich and famous are checking into rehab like it’s the Chateau Marmont. Lindsey Lohan did it three times last year — the jury’s still out on whether the third time was a charm — while Jonathan Rhys Myers announced publicly he was checking into rehab even though none of us was aware he had substance abuse problems. Or indeed knew who he was.

In return for their suffering, we are inundated with photographs of tanned, serene-looking celebs, usually in an alpine setting, strolling to the gym for a quick fat-busting round of pilates. Colonics to soothe the soul! Is this rehab or a nice visit to a health spa for a quick karmic touch-up?

It’s easy to lose sight of how dreadful addiction is. Author Augusten Burroughs was suffering from similar delusions when he checked into a Minnesota treatment center for multiple addictions, including near-fatal alcoholism, which he recounts in the 2003 memoir Dry. And who could blame him? They all have such pleasant-sounding names: The Cirque Lodge in Utah conjures up the mystique of a Montreal-based performance troupe in a cool, shady forest setting, and Promises Rehab Center in Malibu…it’s just so full of, well, promise!

But Burroughs learned the truth the hard way. The Northampton native was in his twenties and working in advertising in New York City when his addictions came to a near lethal conclusion. He offers intimate, harrowing detail about his life as a two-bottles-of-Dewar’s-a-day (and then some) alcoholic. Yes, you will cringe at his stories of irresponsible sexual conduct, and balk at his most base denial of grief at his best friend’s death. Your liver will ache as you read the accounts of slurping seven martinis just to get a buzz, before retiring home with a couple of bottles of Scotch for quiet night in. But in typical self-deprecating Burroughs style, you can’t help but laugh when he recounts having to negotiate a debilitating hangover while facing a bewildered client as he guides him around an art gallery, discussing a Faberge ad campaign. If you’ve tried hiding from the boss after a couple too many at Thursday night happy hour, imagine trying to disguise the fumes from ingesting two liters of grain alcohol.

After years of such derelict behavior without any seeming retribution, Burroughs’ coworkers display amazing mercy by conducting an intervention instead of having him escorted from the premises. Within a week, Burroughs finds himself in the North Star State, the cold horror dawning of what rehab truly is: paper gowns lacking in modesty, inedible hospital gruel, public humiliation thinly veiled as healing rituals involving teddy bears. Despite the difficulties, it works, for a time, and after a few weeks a sober, slightly more resolved Burroughs emerges, and returns to New York where he must face his dirtiest secret: his apartment. Let’s just say it involves some three thousand empty liquor bottles. Think about how many times you’ve ashamedly snuck out to dump your empty booze bottles in the recycling before dawn so your neighbors won’t be awake to catch you disposing of the evidence from the night before. Then imagine your embarrassment was such that you hadn’t actually disposed of any of those bottles for several years. Oh, and multiply the amount you drink by several thousand. Not pretty.

Burroughs’ account of addiction and rehab is hopefully not much closer to your reality than posed photographs of celebs in rehab you’ll see in People magazine, but viewing it through Burroughs’ ever-wry lens is oddly endearing, and more often than not it will make you laugh. It was will also make you feel better about that time you went to the office Christmas party without eating, chased your vodka with red wine and hit on your boss before throwing up on his shoes.

–Julia Clarke

Did you catch Kathleen Edwards last night singing the Canadian National Anthem before the NHL All-Star Game? Pretty cool, huh? If you don’t know as much as you’d like to about Kathleen and her new album, Asking for Flowers, this video provides some great insight:

Check out the cool new video for “Goodnight” by Zox:

Happy New Year! We hope that 2008 is treating you well so far. We’ve had a terrific time reading everyone’s responses to the 2007 Shining Heads Poll, and we know you will too. Thanks again to everyone who submitted questions; we got tons of compliments on the poll’s spirit, its humor, and its look. We’re thrilled that so many of you elected to take a run through it — we got more than double the number of responses than we did last year.

If you read the results from the 2006 poll, you may remember that we wrote a big, long summary. Luckily, in the last year, they’ve made a lot of improvements to the software we use to create the poll, so this year we’re going to be able to provide you with a link to look at all the answers to each question, complete with all kinds of cool bells and whistles like pie charts and bar graphs. However, we’ll still sum up a few things here for those of you who don’t want to delve into the nitty gritty. We do recommend that you at least take a quick look at the link, though — it’s really pretty neat. You’ll get dozens of great tips about terrific restaurants, as well as books you might want to spend your Borders gift cards on. And of course, you don’t want to miss out on the chance to find out whether anyone wants you to sleep with them.

So, without further ado:
The Shining Heads Poll 2007 results!

Most of us are happy that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame exists, and feel that the Beastie Boys should definitely make it in, but the Monkees should not. Almost as many of us paid more than $5 for the new Radiohead record as waited for record company service or paid nothing. A whopping 52% of us chose the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl — how surprising is it that their opponent will be the New York Giants?

It’s a Cormac McCarthy kind of year. No Country for Old Men won the “best movie you saw this year” question by a long shot, but Into the Wild, Once, Juno, Knocked Up, Michael Clayton, The Departed, and American Gangster all got multiple mentions too. And McCarthy’s brilliant post-apocalyptic novel The Road was the book that moved the most of us this year, though several other great books got a handful of votes.

Some cool surprises: We are more excited about the prospect of a Talking Heads reunion than a Led Zeppelin one. There are positive signs that we’re finally getting with the program; at least two-thirds of us use social networking sites for something, and most of us are using podcasts and downloaded content more than any other source to get our news.

Don’t be alarmed if the prospect of Sean Coakley running the country terrifies you, or be terribly disappointed if you were convinced that The Eagles would win the “artist retirement” question hands-down. While the bar graphs at the link show them coming away with small victories, it turns out that a lot of people also added funny editorial comments that confused the tabulation system a bit. Bruce Warren actually got the most votes for President, and The Eagles won our derision by a landslide.

The final question was one of the last that we thought of, but we’re glad we did, because some of the answers were hilarious. (As a reminder, the question was “This Friday, every company in the world is having their Christmas party. You get to go to whichever one you want, and anyone will agree to be your date. Where do you go, and who do you take? [Sean’s taking Penelope Cruz to the Victoria’s Secret Holiday Bash, so don’t pick that unless you’re cool with running into him.]”) Here are some of our favorites:
“The Maker’s Mark holiday party. And I’m bringing another liver as my date.”
“the Oceans Thirteen Holiday Reunion with George Clooney”
“I’d be at the Oprah Christmas party, where there’s a new Prius under the tree for each guest. And I’d bring Courtney Love; I figure she puts out on the first date.”
“Melanie Shrawder and Grace Potter to the Last Unicorn cast reunion holiday party.” (Okay, so that one’s kind of an inside joke from Boulder. But trust me, it’s hilarious.)
“No date, and the party is the one in Eyes Wide Shut”
“I’d take Salma Hayek and George Clooney to whatever Mario Batali is throwing for his employees. Debauchery will abound.”
“Grace Potter to the Jim Beam Xmas Spectacular”
“I’d take Miss Scarlet to the Conservatory Christmas Party with a candlestick.”
“Eddie Vedder to the Cabot Cheddar annex in Stowe, VT. All the free cheese you can eat!”
“the Songlines Christmas party with Melanie and Julia on each arm”
“Mrs. Coakley to the Victoria’s Secret Bash and Ms. Cruz home from there”

Here were our favorite photo captions:

Drunk with power after mastering his underwater breathing technique, Nick Attaway declared, “I can now visit the stations in Atlantis, adds nobody else will get! And trust me, our artists need ‘em!”
Baby from cover of Nirvana’s Nevermind finds new career as sideshow freak.
Nick: “Help me, Please Help Me… I’m trapped in a bucket of water!” Radio Guy: Enough already, and let me guess it’s all over Hot AC with amazing callout. You’re not getting a ’sympathy add’ just because you’re trapped in a bucket of water!” Nick: “New Music Spin then?”
Merman Found Off the Coast of Three Mile Island
That record’s got no legs.
I figure if I stay under the water there’s no chance of accidentally hearing that new Eagles record.
This week, SpongeBob, Patrick and the gang unite against merciless destroyer of pineapples, The Unflushable.

The secret to working with Coakley is starting your day with a little nip!
That’s right Officer, I just had two.
Is a shot for breakfast frowned upon by the Triple A community?
Help, save me from these dreadful singer-songwriters with more booze!
Body shot?

I really wish they hadn’t served me in a frosted glass.
This convention was a lot more fun before the drug testing.
Ego Protector
I used to buy shirts with a little alligator but this is cooler.
“I’m just not sure the judges are going to get the whimsy of your design. I like the color you’ve chosen, but beer pockets are not New York. They’re very Midwest. –Tim Gunn, Project Runway
Who put me in this creepy guy’s pocket?
Man Lactating Urine Invents Colostomy Bra
Yeah, well, you should see where I keep my chocolate cake.
===============

And now, time for the link!

A footnote: The answers to the “put your iPod on shuffle” question were SO cool to look at, but they didn’t print up in a particularly readable way at the link, so we’re pasting them here.

1 2 3 This American Life TV Guide.com Podcast Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me Ice Cream Song - The Dynamics Conversation - Danielle Howle & The Tantrums Sandy Denny - Mark Olson (no lie!) Charles Mingus-Moanin’ Edwin Starr-War Nick Cave-Fable of the Brown Ape Spirit - “Ground Hog” Replacements - “Happy Town” Morphine - “You Speak My Language” Goldfrapp - “Ooh La La” Matthew Dear - “Hands Up For Detroit” Belle & Sebastian - “A Century of Fakers” I don’t have an iPod. Poor me. Ben Kweller–I Gotta Move Stanton Moore–Maple Plank Butthole Surfers–Goin to Florida 100% Truth…At the moment an intern is loading all of my music into one. Heart of Saturday Night- Tom Waits Tenement Steps- The Motors I Want You- Marvin Gaye A Love Supreme, John Coltrane London Calling, The Clash a bad demo “House We Used to Live In” - Smithereens “Please, Please, Please” - James Brown “Sitting in the Midday Sun” - Kinks I don’t own an iPod. Gnarls Barkley - “Crazy” Connells - “Fun and Games” Black Sabbath - “Paranoid” Michelle Shocked - “Don’t Mess With My Little Sister” Bob Dylan - “It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” Ain’t got an I-Pod! (thanks to my music-overload at my job) New Orleans is Sinking - Tragically Hip Monkey Gone to Heaven - The Pixies North Dakota - Lyle Lovett Drive By Truckers (Feb 14) Bob Marley (Natural Mystic) Lucinda Williams (Cant Let Go) ABBA “Dancing Queen” Wombats “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” Terry Jacks “Seasons in the Sun” don’t own one don’t own one (part 2) don’t own one (finale) Bob Dylan - The Times They are A Changin’ DevotchKa - Such A Lovely Thing Josh Ritter - Wait For Love Gillian Welch, Tear My Stillhouse Down Gandalf Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Flapjacks in the Sky Bruce Springsteen, For You Arcade Fire Babyshambles Dinosaur Jr A View To A Kill - Duran Duran What Goes On - The Beatles St. Louise Is Listening - Soul Coughing Grateful Dead “Loser” Pearl Jam “Down” Ryan Adams “Halloween Head” Ryan Adams “Halloween Head” Scissor Sisters “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing” Arcade Fire “Keep the Car Running” Pet Shop Boys “Where the Streets Have No Name” Foo Fighters - Stranger Things Have Happened Richie Havens - Tombstone Blues PJ Harvey - The Devil Dylan - anything Leonard Cohen - almost anything Tom Petty - solo or Heartbreakers Angelique Kidjo - Emma Greg Graffin - Regel’s Goodbye Jamie Lidell - You Got Me Up This Is What I Believe In - Adrian Belew Idiot Country - Electronic Ow - Charlie Parker Amy Winehouse - Me and Mr Jones Coheed and Cambria - Feathers Matt Nathanson - Curve of the earth Honestly… I don’t have an I-Pod. or anything that resembles one. Sixty Years On–Brandi Carlile [my God, my ipod knows me well] Secretarial–A.C. Newman Our Velocity–Maximo Park [not bad–it acquitted me well. I was afraid it would be Sister Christian. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder from the Motown Remixed album “The Last Dance” by Frank Sinatra from the Very Good Years album “Hang On To Your Ego” by The Beach Boys from the Pet Sounds reissue That VHS or Beta song Rolling Stones Bootleg stuff Something from John Coltrane Live From The Village Vanguard Ray LaMontagne-Hannah CASH-Pocahontas The Pixies-Gigantic Still Plays Vinyl XTC ‘King For a Day’ Elliot Smith ‘Waltz #2′ Eddie Money ‘Cool Water’ wow, that’s shameful You’re Breakin’ My Heart - Nilsson The Ass And The Hole - Mac McAnally Flakes - Frank Zappa Bob Marley - Lively Up Yourself Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe Miles Davis - So What Duncan Sheik, Genius Athenaeum, On My Mind Bruce Hornsby, Song F Read My Mind-The Killers Weird Fishes-Radiohead Summersong-The Decemberists hold ya - birdie bush blow wind blow - muddy waters hell in a bucket - Grateful dead Bach, Italian Concerto Ray Charles, Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’ Annie Lennox, No More I Love You’s Space Dementia - Muse Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O’Connor Our Swords - Band of Horses Glad and Sorry - The Faces Even Here We Are - Shawn Colvin Unknown Legend - Neil Young Lost In The Congo - Doyle Bramhall Portland Oregon - Loretta Lynn & Jack White Shoot You Dead - Slobberbone all for the love of a girl’ Johnny Horton sick again’ Led Zeppelin I Want to Know You ‘ Witchcraft “Invincible” Muse “Zuri” Tosca “Out Of Control” She Wants Revenge Levon Helm - Got Me A Woman Keller Williams - Freshies Reckless Kelly - Castanets Misterdobilina: Del The Funky Homosapien Johnny Cash: Man In Black (Live) Journey: Stone In Love i don’t have an ipod In Our Talons - Bowerbirds The Window - Steve Miller Band Whole Lotta Love - Ike & Tina Turner Drumming Up A Storm - Bob Holroyd Elmira St. Boogie - Danny Gatton Wait - The Beatles Humble Me - Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings Picture Show - Dawn Landes Here Come The Urban Ravens - Jackie Levin Never owned and ipod… ain’t that a bitch. no ipod here today peace bone the underdog widow city The Rosebuds “Night of the Furies” The Exploding Hearts “Shattered (You Left Me)” The Long Winters “Prom Night at Hater High” Rock Raccoon - Elton John WNYC Never Make Me Cry - Fleetwood Mac Wheat - This Wheat “Bachlorette” - Trip Shakespeare “Don’t Shut Me Out” - Kevin Paige “Alfie” - Lily Allen don’t like mp3’s, don’t own an ipod Jay-Z ‘I Love The Dough’ Nina Simone ‘Wild is the Wind’ George Michael ‘Father Figure’ One bourbon, one scotch, one beer - John Lee Hooker Solitude - Billie Holliday Learning to fly - Tom Petty Buddy Guy- My Time After Awhile The Roots- Don’t Say Nuthin’ The Kinks- Sunny Afternoon Fucked Up Ford - The Reverend Horton Heat Worms - Medeski, Martin and Wood I’m Sleeping in a Submarine - The Arcade Fire THE RAINCOATS - Fairytale In The Supermarket JIMMY CLIFF - Sitting In Limbo NATIONAL LAMPOON - Mr. Roberts Mark Ronson - Most Likely You’ll Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine Primal Scream - Country Girl Lady Sovereign - Love Me or Hate Me Comsat Angels “Will You Stay Tonight” Dan Wilson “Free Life” KC And The Sunshine Band “Shake Your Booty” Give Me Novocaine - Green Day Going Down - The Stone Roses You and Me and the Ten Thousand things - Peter Mulvey “Ways & Means” - Snow Patrol “Turn Out The Light” - Joan Armatrading “Dogs” - Pink Floyd doves “Snowden” UGK “Life Is (Too Short…)” Dixie Chicks ” Travelin’ Soldier” Ipod At Home The Gourds - Gin and Juice Iron & Wine - The Devil Never Sleeps Mark Geronimo & the Sluggers - Rex Bob Lowenstein “All Summer Long” Beach Boys “Off The Block” Black Lips “Bluebird” Alan Jackson it’s coming on christmas bach’s goldberg variations etta james Papa Mali - Do Your Thing G Love - Some People Like That Revolver - Venice Jimmy Eat World - Futures Smashing Pumpkins - Rocket fightin for Cross Canadian Ragweed The Jam - “Town Called Malice” Lee Parry - “Upsetter” dub Cordalene - “Back Where I Began” Van Morrison/Bobby Bland, Tupelo Honey Spanish Harlem Orchestra (best salsa CD in 10 years) Jason Spooner Procol Harum - “Simple Sister” Catherine Wheel - “Phantom Of The American Mother” TV On The Radio - “Wolf Like Me” dan wilson- easy silence eddie vedder- hard sun mary j blige - take that Evidence - Joseph Arthur “from Redemptions Son” Noodle Rave - Trey Anastasio “From Horshoe Curve” Carry Me Ohio - Mark Kozelek - From Little Drummer Boy John Hiatt, Stolen Moments Stan Getz and Mr. Gilberto ‘Girl from Iponema’ john Hiatt ‘Stolen Momments Stan Getz and Mr. Gilberto ‘Girl from Iponema’ Grateful Dead ‘Cumberland Blues’ The Smiths- The Boy with a Thorn In His Side Matt Pond PA- Halloween Huey Lewis & The News- Now Here’s You The Smiths- The Boy with a Thorn In His Side Matt Pond PA- Halloween Huey Lewis & The News - Now Here’s You Scorpions - “I’m Leaving You” - Love at First Sting Stereophonics - “Deadhead” - Live from Dakota Days Away - “Idea” - Mapping an invisible world I don’t have an ipod–honest! Ipod? I still play records Invisible Man Joe Jackson Too Tough Joe Jackson Rush Across The Road Joe Jackson I don’t own an ipod… and proud of it! Old 97’s W-I-F-E The Budos Band Ride Or Die Guided By Voices My Kind of Soldier Hallelujah - Tim Buckley Dazed and Confuzed - Led Zep That Kind of Love - Cliff Eberhardt I don’t own an i-pod I also don’t wacth TV; hence my non answers above Avett Brothers Talk On Indolence Magnolia Electric Co.-Northstar Okkervill River-Plus Ones Falling Slowly Please Read the Letter What Becomes of the Broken Hearted Maura McConnell - Waltzing for Dreamers PussyCat Dolls - Dontcha Josh Ritter - Rumors The Beta Band “Smiling” Asobi Seksu “Strawberries” Andrew Bird “Fiery Crash” Manchester Orchestra - wolves at night The National - BOXER Cassidy - Celebrate feat John Legend Don’t have an iPod. Don’t want an iPod. Why is iPod spelled with a lower case “i” then an upper case “P”? “If We Never Meet Again” - Johnny Cash “Kegelstatt Trio” - Nick Drake “I Can’t Win”-The Strokes dont have an ipod….. im in radio! Justice & Honor - Bill Frisell Money Jungle - Ellington, Mingus & Roach Forty Four - Howlin’ Wolf I can’t afford an Ipod Sun Kil Moon - Jesus Christ was an only child Cocteau Twins - Ups Iron and Wine - Wolves dont have one! Anat Cohen - “Hofim (Beaches)” The Shins - “Red Rabbits” The Meters - “Go For Yourself” what’s an iPod? seriously, what’s an iPod? I keep hearing about these iPod thingies… “nice work if you can get it” frank sinatra “sinatra - basie “ “got a feelin’ for you” kelly willis “what i deserve” foot of the mountain (live) paul weller “catch flame! [disc 2]” “Come on Up to the House” by Tom Waits “Award Tour” by A Tribe Called Quest “Outstanding” by the Gap Band Lily Allen - LDN Indigo Girls - Money Made You Mean Afroman - Because I Got High Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Weeping Song Ultravox - Vienna Led Zeppelin - Since I’ve Been Loving Yo Buzzcocks - Lipstick Linkin Park - P5hng Me A*wy Tupac - Changes I don’t have an iPod. not sure where my ipod is right now Idlewild “Modern Way of Letting Go” Nada Surf “Always Love” Doves “There Goes the Fear” Some Champions, Joe Henry, Kindness of the World Contact, Citizen Cope, Citizen Cope Even Song, Gomez, In Our Gun Thunderwing - T. Rex - The Slider Oh Lordy Mama #2 - Josh White - The Essential Doctor Wu - Steelie Dan - Katie Lied The Enchanted Sea Martin Denny Exotica! The Best Of Martin Denny I Don’t Want To Love Anyone This Much Again The Cornell Hurd Band Texas Fruit Shack Even Heroes Die Paul Thorn Mission Temple Fireworks Stand kanye west “stronger” San Diego Sonny Throckmorton Save Yourself Julian Coryell Where Do We Go Don Pedigo I’m probably the last person on the entire planet that doesn’t have an iPod : ( “Day After Day” - Badfinger “Bad” - U2 “Suite 23G” - James Taylor Tribute to Elmore James by Roy Buchanan Drive Back by Neil Young Six Blocks Away by Lucinda Williams “Lost” by Annie Lennox Rock ‘N’Groove” by Bunny Wailer “Needle” by Ben Taylor & Brandi Carlile bettye lavette roman carter wilco Satellite Radio - Steve Earle Can’t Hold my body Down - Mike Farris Polk Salad Annie - Tony Joe White i hate ipods i hate ipods i hate ipods Senor El Gato Kelly Hogan Lucky Number Lene Lovich Startin To Hate Country Asylum Street Spankers I’m probably the only living person in radioland that still does NOT have an iPod : ( Oscar Peterson “My One And Only Love” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings “One Hundred Days One Hundred Nights” Shawn Mullins “All In My Head” Band of Horses-Island in the Sun Radiohead-15 Steps Kanye West-Stronger I don’t own an iPod Merle Haggard “Wishing All These Old Things Were New” U2 “In God’s Country” Teddy Thompson “I Should Get Up” Cab Calloway “Everybody eat when they come to my house” Countdown Kids “Itsy Bitsy Spider” Black Eyed Peas “Shut Up” iDon’t Don Williams “I Believe In You” Willie Nelson “City of New Orleans” Grateful Dead “Estimated Prophet” Replacements- I’ll Be You Hooverphonic- 2wicky Tragically Hip- Ahead By a Century Midlake, “We Gathered in Spring” Steve Earle, “Red is the Color” Barbara Keith, “Shining All Along” “Long Tall Sally” The Beatles “Live At The BBC” “Doodlin’” Horace Silver and The Jazz Messengers “N.Y.C.’s No Lark” Bill Evans “Conversations With Myself” Come to Daddy-Aphex twin Multiply-Jamie Lidell Mexico-Incubus Pi - Kate Bush Romanza: Larghetto - Chopin’s Piano concerto No. 1 in Em, Op. 11 - Idil Biret, Slovak stat Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Stankovsky, C. Che gelida manina - Luciano Pavarotti The Doors The Doors engelbert Humperdinck DJ Logic - Afro Beat Rod Stewart - you wear it well Gang of Four - He’d Send in the Army Rancid - Ruby Soho Creedence - Midnight Special Jay Z - American Dreamin’ Mussolini Headkick- Get Out Marvin Gaye- What’s Goin’ On Matt Pond PA- So Much Trouble dont own one Spearhead, “Everyone Deserves Music” Marc Cohn, “Live Out The String” Sarah Vaughn “At Last” “Persephone” by The Hiders “Cold Irons Bound” by Tom Verlaine and the Million Dollar Bashers “Poor Boy a Long Way from Home” by Barbecue Bob Andrew Bird Fiery Crash Gomez Get Myself Arrested Miles Davis So What “I Saw You When I Met Her” by David Ruffin “Under The Hedge” by Ted Leo & The Pharmacists “Soul Emotion” by Jay Rhythm Bobby Fuller Four - “Only When I Dream” The Fray - “How To Save A Life” AC/DC - “For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)” I’m old school - my ipod don’t shuffle. We’re Both So Sorry by Mirah Don’t Bogart That Joint by Little Feat Morning Bell by Radiohead Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend” Great Northern “Home” Black Tide “Hit The Lights” Dylan, Cold Irons Bound Wire Strange Bobby Timmons, Moanin no ipod Gorillas, November Has Come RL Burnside-little babe (live) KISS-ladies room (AliveII) I’m still using my cassettes the bird and the bee - how deep is your love cat power / juno soundtrack - Sea of Love joe henry - civilians Yacht “track 9″ , Clearlake “amber” , Scott Walker “Cossaks Are” Soldiers Make Good Targets - Stereophonics Glamourous Indie Rock and Roll - killers Honey - Boston Tea Boys Muckrakers - When the Mornign Comes 3 Doors Down - If I could be like that Eva Cassidy - Somewhere over the Rainbow

Once upon a time, Bell X1 was a band called Juniper, and their frontman was Damien Rice. When Rice decided to depart to embark on a solo career, they changed their name, and kept making terrific music. They’re huge in their native Ireland, and virtually unknown stateside. But that’s all about to change, because their new record, Flock, is exceptional, and it’s in heavy rotation here at Songlines. Check out their sound in this edition of the Songlines podcast, and audition the single “Rocky Took a Lover” for your next music meeting.

 

 Bell X1 podcast [4:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (50)

Bell X1 will play on the World Cafe with David Dye on February 26. Click to find out when the program airs in your market.

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Foundations

Friday January 11th 2008, 4:48 pm
Filed under: Livewire
Posted by: Melanie

If I expect anything of Kate Nash walking into her show at the Bowery, it is perhaps that in person she’ll be a beer-swilling, shot-chasing sass with a mouth like a cab driver. Amy Winehouse sans beehive. But when she settles behind her piano in front of a full house, she is shy, gracious, and appreciative. She takes sips from a large mug filled with tea, rather than slugs from a forty of OE. There are no visible tattoos or gauntness from constant partying, instead she looks rather, well, wholesome. I think I hear her say her dad is there with her. Either way, there are plenty of men old enough to be her dad in the crowd, anxiously awaiting her set.

I’ve obviously been a little quick to judge, but after two days of listening to songs off her debut album Made of Bricks with titles like “Shit Song” and “Dickhead” delivered in a thick Cockney accent, tea-sipping girlishness just didn’t spring to mind.

In fact, Nash has good reason to be shy: at 19, nobody had heard of her; at 20 she has a #1 album in the U.K. Only one day after her CD made its U.S. debut, she found herself in front of a sold out New York crowd, packed to the hilt with not just fans but their bothersome expectations! I’d be nervous too. And as someone who didn’t even aspire to be a musician two years ago, yet has sold over half a million records worldwide today, humility might also be a sensible mindset to adopt.

On Made of Bricks, Nash sings about fairly common situations with a frankness that at times verges on crudeness, and her candor translates into accessibility. One might cringe at the sense of familiarity felt as she recounts the temptation to goad her dumbass drunk boyfriend at a dinner party to the embarrassment of her friends in “Foundations.” It’s a little too easy to think, “Well who hasn’t done that?” Many of us have even ended the night same way: with someone else’s puke on our new shoes. And her ordinary appearance in person only enhances the universal message of her songs.

Nash’s tunes often take the form of a conversation or argument between two people. The lilting acoustic number “Birds” paints a sweetly awkward picture of a teenage boy trying to find the poetry to tell his girlfriend how much he loves her, coming up with “…birds can fly so high and they shit on your head / Yeah they almost fly into your eye and make you feel so scared / But when you look at them and you see they’re beautiful / That’s how I feel about you.” To which she responds, dumbly: “Whaaaaat?” Her dynamic vocals always lend themselves well to this imagined interplay, but the technique manifests itself even better in her live performance. Once an aspiring actress, it’s here on stage that the acting classes pay off, as she effortlessly injects so much meaning into a simple “What?” using deep inflection, and throwing in just the right amount of extra syllables.

While it may not be such a stretch for a 20-year-old to sing about awkward silences, public displays, and juvenile courting tactics, Nash’s maturity shows in her fierce keyboard playing. Virtually all of the songs on Made of Bricks are piano-driven, high-tempo, frenzied arrangements in a style not dissimilar to that of Regina Spektor. Nash is a tornado on the keys. She has been playing since childhood, and the songs are fast-paced and unpredictable, yet she never misses a single note or beat.

By the end of the encore (“Pumpkin Soup”), Nash is on her feet. To wild applause, she raises both hands above her head, and slams them down on the keys again and again, working her way down the scale with the full force of her whole body, her red hair perhaps deliberately obscuring her face. Then she pants timidly, “This has been really fun,” and walks off stage.

–Julia Clarke

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