Lap Top Pop: Clicking this link will take you to a Flash site that has tasters from the upcoming Severed Heads album. I demand that everyone who comes across this link click on it RIGHT NOW and basks in the aural wonderment.

NNoWriMo update: I've written just over 1800 words and have gotten to a fairly gruesome double-murder. Ah, my evil scheme proceeds accoring to plan...

First impression: Aphex Twin - Druqks

Wow. This is a long-lost Squarepusher album.

Dirty little girls: Last night I heard Aaliyah's "Rock The Boat" for the first time. What an absolutely lovely song! The video alone is captivating; beautiful Caribbean scenery abounds as modestly-clad-by-modern-video-standards Aaliyah and dancers boogie on the world's largest catamaran and the world's sexiest beach. Through it all, the song burbles and bubbles like a drowsy sex kitten, setting up a melt-in-your-mouth gorgeous groove with Aaliyah crooning like a spoken-word poet in heat about the joys of heavy petting. It's really amazing, particularly since the songwriting itself is so abstract that I'm amazed that the record company had the courage to pick it as a single. Emotions are compounded by the uncomfortable knowledge that this slice of sexual bounce was the last thing she did before her fatal plane crash. At some points, I felt like I was watching the world's most beautiful snuff film.

In a similar vein, I felt like I needed to wash my brain out with soap after seeing the video for Britney's new single. With "I'm A Slave 4 U", Britney sheds the last vestiges of the naughty schoolgirl that has followed her since "Baby One More Time" and stampeded onto the scene as full-on club girl unafraid of getting down and dirty in the name of the all-holy beat. The belly-dancing, the groping and licking, the womanly figure bending and twisting and promising anything in the world as long as the music is playing... it's astonishing. Working with The Neptunes was quite possibly the best thing Britney could have done as far as shaking up her image is concerned. This is the first song of hers I've heard that didn't sound like it came with an implicit "Approvbed By Radio Disney!" stamp on the cover. I won't say it's more adult (although it CERTAINLY is more sexual), but it's the first single she's released that I've liked instantly.

THIS JUST IN... "Invasion Of The Gabber Robots" by The Laziest Men On Mars is one of the greatest songs in the universe: Discuss.

I am in love... The tingle of excitement, the quicking pulse, trembling finger reach out to turn up the volume as your heart leaps into you mouth and your brain can only form the thought, "That's my JAM..."

I love the feeling of discovering a great new artist. This month's honoree is Kenna. You've probably seen the wacked-out Claymation video for "Hellbent" on MTV2, and yes, that song is mind-blowing, but the other MP3s I've managed to scrounge are making me yearn for him to release his album. (Of course, if he can wait until I get a job, that would probably be for the best.)

Cure news: Click here to learn the details of their new single, "Cut Here". Cute detail I hadn't picked up on before; the single's title is an anagram of the band's name (CUTHERE). They're so precious! (Note to self: Stop mocking your idols.)

Perspective: The first update in a looong time. Funny how one's priorities change when you lose your job. I couldn't even bear the thought of writing about anything (let alone music) for a good long time. Having this happen in the aftermath of the World Trade Center catastrophe, particularly the same week that I attended a funeral for the husband of a friend who was on that plane, was a bit too much for me to handle. I came to realize, though, that I enjoy writing too much to willingly give up this little vanity project. This realization led me to sign up for NaNoWriMo. I don't know if I'll finish the novel or even if it will be any good, but it can't hurt to put some effort into this. I've always complained that I'm too easily distracted to write a novel; perhaps this will allow me chase one of my dreams.

On a side note: if anyone has any Java work they want done, feel free to drop me a line.

What is jihad? Sent to me via email:

What jihad is; what it isn't
Reuters News Agency


Cairo — A senior Afghan cleric said on Tuesday the ruling Taliban would
launch a jihad against the United States, but officials of the Islamic
movement quickly said that he was in no position to declare a holy war.

The final decision lies with a council of clerics due to convene this
week, officials said.

Afghanistan, which has given refuge to Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, the
top suspect in last week's devastating attacks in New York and
Washington, could be a target in case of a U.S. military reprisal,
possibly sparking a Taliban jihad in retaliation.

But what does the term really mean?


WHAT JIHAD IS
The Arabic word jihad is often translated as "holy war," but a more
accurate translation is "holy struggle." Islamic scholars say the term
"holy war" was actually coined in Europe during the Crusades to mean a
war against the Muslims.
In a purely linguistic sense, the word jihad means struggling or
striving. There are two different, unrelated words that mean war.
In a religious sense, as described by the Koran and teachings of the
Prophet Mohammed, jihad means striving for the benefit of the community
or the restraint of personal sins. It can refer to internal as well as
external efforts to be a good Muslim or believer. Scholars say it
primarily refers to efforts to improve oneself.
Jihad is a religious duty.
If jihad is required to protect the faith against others, it can be
performed using anything from legal, diplomatic and economic to political
means. If there is no peaceful alternative, Islam also allows the use of
force, but there are strict rules of engagement. Innocents — such as
women, children, or invalids — must never be harmed, and any peaceful
overtures from the enemy must be accepted.
Military action is therefore only one means of jihad, and is very rare.
To highlight this point, the Prophet Mohammed told his followers
returning from a military campaign: "This day we have returned from the
minor jihad to the major jihad," which he said meant returning from armed
battle to the peaceful battle for self-control and betterment.
In case military action appears necessary, not everyone can declare
jihad. The religious military campaign has to be declared by a proper
authority, advised by scholars, who say the religion and people are under
threat and violence is imperative to defend them. The concept of "just
war" is very important.
The concept of jihad has been hijacked by many political and religious
groups over the ages in a bid to justify various forms of violence. In
most cases, Islamic splinter groups invoked jihad to fight against the
established Islamic order. Scholars say this misuse of jihad contradicts
Islam.
Examples of sanctioned military jihad include the Muslims' defensive
battles against the Crusaders in medieval times, and before that some
responses by Muslims against Byzantine and Persian attacks during the
period of the early Islamic conquests.


WHAT JIHAD IS NOT
Jihad is not a violent concept.
Jihad is not a declaration of war against other religions. It is worth
noting that the Koran specifically refers to Jews and Christians as
"people of the book" who should be protected and respected. All three
faiths worship the same God. Allah is just the Arabic word for God, and
is used by Christian Arabs as well as Muslims.
Military action in the name of Islam has not been common in the history
of Islam. Scholars says most calls for violent jihad are not sanctioned
by Islam.
Warfare in the name of God is not unique to Islam. Other faiths
throughout the world have waged wars with religious justifications.

Details on new Lamb album: The new album is going to be called What Sound? and should be out in the UK October 8. The band are currently previewing three tracks on their website: "Sweet", "One", and "Heaven". I'll give impressions once I get to a computer with a sound card.

The Cure to re-record hits in acoustic form for new 'Best Of' album: The new single drops at the end of October: ROCK. I don't care how much the import costs; if that's the only way to get the bonus disc, I'm there. One thing bugs me about the track listing. I know it's a "greatest hits" package and all, but it just doesn't scan. How can they justify including "Mint Car", but leaving off "The Walk", "Fascination Street", and "A Letter To Elise"? What happened to "Killing An Arab"? (Although, in light of recent events combined with the average person's complete lack of Camus knowledge, it's probably for the best that they left that one off.)

My personal "greatest hits" compilation for the Cure would probably look something like:

Plastic Passion
Another Day
A Forest
At Night
Faith
Siamese Twins
The Figurehead
Let's Go To Bed
Lament
Shake Dog Shake
Piggy In The Mirror
Screw
How Beautiful You Are...
Like Cockatoos
Hot Hot Hot!!!
The Same Deep Water As You
High
From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea
Jupiter Crash
Gone! (Ultraliving mix)
Out Of This World
The Loudest Sound

Probably too long and definitely heavy on "downer" songs, yet still representative of their overall output and, most importantly, made up completely of songs which have, at one point or another, been my favorite Cure song. Still, I'd toss that aside in a heartbeat for an official B-side and rarity compilation. Or even a collection of the best versions of "Forever".

goose! This is clearly one of the best site on the web. Many thanks to MP3.com superstar Mike Hanle y for pointing this one out to me.

Nude Spock: The Blog This IL* regular has started keeping his thoughts in blog form. This is almost certain to be sarcastic and hilarious.

Clear Channel's List Of Songs With Questionable Lyrics: I thought this was a suspect thing when I first heard about it. Looking over the list merely confirms my initial reaction. Anyone who puts "Wipeout" by the Surfaris on a list of songs with questionable LYRICS is an idiot.

Umm... Am I the only person unsettled by the image of people in Nazi uniforms leading a theater full of people in singing "God Bless America"?

They want it that way: Forwarded to me via email:

The Backstreet Boys have spoken out against going to war. Here's Kevin's take on things: "I just think we're a little bit of an arrogant nation, and maybe this is a bit of a humbling experience... it raises the question in my mind, What has our government done to evoke or provoke this action, that maybe we don't know about?" Who knew the BSB could be more thoughtful than your average TV reporter?

Perhaps it's important to remember that, along with mourning and unity, now is also a time for introspection. I want justice, but not at the cost of the rest of the world.

The rumor's false: As I suspected, Whitney Houston is still alive. However, the picture accompanying the article denying the rumors goes a long way towards explaining why they surfaced in the first place. I never thought I'd see Whitney in such disarray. She looks like a crackhead; no wonder people assumed she was on the verge of ODing.

HUGE HONKIN' RUMOR: Someone just slipped me a rumor that Whitney Houston died of a drug overdose. I have found no confirmation of this anywhere on the web, so I find it highly suspect.

On a complete tangent, I'm listening to Craig David's Fill Me In and am mildly appalled at how much the song "Walking Away" sounds like U2's "One".

LondonIndieNYC: A group in London are attempting to put together a benefit gig for the victims of the terrorist attacks. Click the link for more info; so far, the only definite info is that it's going to happen on October 12.

Point to the terrorists: I'm frightened after all, but not of them. I'm frightened of what we're going to do to ourselves.