Better By Nightfall

I've noticed that my musical tastes have been rather eclectic lately. Unlike last summer and the summer before that (and probably the summer before that), I'm not just listening to emo rock. Indeed, the emo trend of music in my life has since abated. Although it resurfaces occasionally during those highly morose times of the year when such music seems to vindicate my feelings.

Regardless, I've found some great music worthy of checking out.

Custom - "Hey Mister" -- I haven't listened to anything else by Custom yet, but if the rest of his stuff is like this song it's probably not appropriate for the pious at heart. Lyrics such as: "It's not what you did / It's not what you didn't / God gave her a perfect body now I'm all up in it" basically sum up the overall message of the song. The song has a great rhythm and beat, though. It starts off subtle and soft and jumps into rock, then transitions back to soft subtly. Overall, the composition is rock'n and worth listening too if you don't mind that it's about sex. Personally, I think it's a great song regardless of what is being sung. The fact that it's raunchy, though, makes it that much better.

Say Anything - "Wow, I Can Be Sexual Too." -- (This song can be heard at their website on their music player at the top of their website.) Well, I think it's obvious what this song is about. This might not be for those who fear sexual innuendo in song. I still think you should at least listen to it though. The song is very melodic. It's got a bit of a "marching" feel to it due to the drumming and subtle electric guitar rifts and keyboard tones, but it flows nicely. Don't let the beginning throw you off, though; the ringing subsides and it gets much better. In some ways this song is "emo" (the reference to death, the narrators lack of female attention, etc.), but it feels more indie. It's totally got that vibe. I've been digging the following lines lately: "I called her on the phone and she touched herself; I laughed myself to sleep." I guess you just have to hear it.

I've also listened to Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous" off of her upcoming album Loose. (Two words [Promiscuous, Loose] that probably shouldn't be used in the same sentence.) While I'm a big fan of Nelly Furtado, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about "Promiscuous." I think Timbaland and Nelly Furtado kind of mesh on the track, but it feels manufactured and artificial. Lines like: "You think I'm jus' gonna let you hit it, but will you respect me if you get it" seem like something out of a shoddy episode of the overly dramatic Sex and The City. I'm not saying that it's bad, but it's not original. It sounds like all the other cheap and mass produced songs by the Black Eyed Peas. What? You don't think so? Two words: MY. HUMPS. Need I say more? I honestly think that Nelly Furtado's explosion from her first album has burned her in some ways. It sounds like she wants to get back to that original style (especially since "Folklore," her journey into more eclectic and folksy music, didn't do as well as "Whoa Nelly!") from Whoa Nelly!, but she's trying too hard. I also heard Nelly Furtado's remake of "Maneater" and I'm displeased to say that I turned it off after 30 seconds. It's horrible. I've never done that with any of Nelly Furtado's other songs, but I honestly couldn't stand that song. While I was enthusiastic to buy her new album, based on what I've heard, I don't think I'm going to buy it. Plastic albums for the dance scene and rump shaking just aren't my thing.