French Toast

Dear faithful, steamy TMC readers. I haven't been posting around these parts lately, and while Jess has turned a tour-de-force one woman performance, I do apologize for the reckless abandonment. I've spent the past five months in France, and while the French may sell themselves convincingly as the world's cultural capital, the country's taste in music is dubious in the very best of lights. Techno remix of Seven Nation Army? Check. Cheesy new-age "classical" concerts at the opera? Check. Awarding of literally the highest honors in the nation to Kylie Minogue and Celine Dion (not that they don't both have their moments...)? Check. I suppose this doesn't mean that there isn't mind-blowingly good music happening all over France, but I think some of the Eurovisionesque music has made that hard to find.

To give you a taste of what is the toast of France just at the moment, the following videos are currently both top-ten in the country:

What Planet U On? by Luciana and Bodyrox. I know nothing about them. This doesn't necessarily sadden me, though the actual planet sequence at the beginning is guilty pleasure-y .


Beeper by Kid Sister. Kid Sister is a Chicagoan rapper and she is definitely the high point of this song. The ironic beeper part drives me nuts. That said, the Kid Sister I've run into state-side is much more fun.
Download: Pro Nails by Kid Sister featuring Kanye West.
Buy Pro Nails here.

Regina Spektor on the True Colors Tour

It is officially summer, but I am still a prisoner of exams. This song, after a yearlong hiatus, has reappeared in my favorite playlists to suit the current mood. Regina Spektor's "Summer in the City" can be missed among all the other hits of Begin To Hope, but I think it's one her best.

Catch Regina Spektor, along with other big names like Tegan & Sara, Cyndi Lauper, the B-52s, and other LGBTQA artists/comedians, on the True Colors Tour passing through major cities throughout June. With this lineup, both the gays and straights will be battling it out for tickets. Sadly, I won't be in DC for the June 7th date at D.A.R. Constitution Hall, but it's good to see they've gone for a bigger venue this year.

Download The Mixtape About Nothing

Head over to 10.Deep to download Wale's Seinfeld-inspired mixtape for free. Haven't listened yet, but it's set to go on my Ipod. Serenity now!

Ode to Mac OSX

I've heard of The Bird & The Bee and the "Again & Again" is nice and poppy, but I'm posting it mostly because of their video, an ode to the Mac OSX. Mac lovers, prepare to glow with pride. PC users, grin and bear it. Here at TMC, it's a 2-1 Mac-to-PC ratio. But hey, as the PC-user, in this trio, I think I'm doing just fine.

W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.

Another reason to have pride in DC: DC's resident big-time rapper, Wale. This track is not part of the upcoming Seinfeld-inspired album, The Mixtape About Nothing, but it's good for creating some buzz. That's right. Seinfeld. Inspired. Album.

It's produced by Mark Ronson and set to drop May 30th. Also, Julia Louis-Dreyfus makes a cameo in a skit. In an email to EW.com, she comments, "Wale is my favorite artist because he's the only one who ever included me in a mixtape -- hear that, P. Diddy?” Schwing.

While you're counting down the days until you can get your hands on the album, read more about it here and check out "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E." and it's sweet video.

I know I'm an Internet Junkie When...

I recognize every YouTube spoof in the the new Weezer video for "Pork and Beans." It's a little bit alarming that I have so much useless pop culture knowledge packed in my brain. Nevertheless, it's a nice return to good ol' Weezer. They're not quite doing much differently, but it's good to see something new.

A few of my favorites in the video are: 1.) Dramatic chipmunk; 2.) gay Britney fan; 3.) Kevin Fed/Popozao. Ch-ch-check it out.

Lykke Li on Black Cab Sessions

Man, I forget to look at the Black Cab Sessions for a while and I miss a ton! Here's Lykke Li with "I'm Good, I'm Gone." I should be seeing her live in London in two weeks or so, and based on this little cab performance, she'll be good. Enjoy.