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FactWomen AreBecoming MoreEqual!

My sociology professor told us tonight about a phenomenon called, "the feminization of poverty and crime." What this means is that more and more women are committing violent crimes and falling below the poverty line than ever before. These formerly male-dominated fields are now becoming equal thanks to these brave modern women.

Take THAT, Glass Ceiling!

MusicAmendments to my Top 10 Albums of 2006 List

The time of the "Top 10" lists has long since passed and after having discovered music from other people's lists and having sat with my own for awhile, I've decided to make a few amendments to it:

1. Joanna Newson "Ys"
-I discovered this album after hearing that Joanna Newsom was going to be playing a free show in Madison. I wasn't able to make it to the concert but I downloaded the album to hear for myself what all the fuss was about. As soon as I listened to it I was hooked. I couldn't stop listening to it. Her voice is incredibly unique and her melodies and hooks are amazing. Each of the five songs on the album is about 12 minutes long, but they have so many different parts and movements that they are broken up really well. The instrumentation on the album is amazing, too. Her harp is beautifully accompanied by the string arrangements of long time Brian Wilson collaborator Van Dyke Parks. After living with this album for a few weeks, I would definitely say that it is my second favorite album of the year.

2. Hot Chip "The Warning"
-I should have listened to this album a lot sooner than I did because my friend Jonah was really into it earlier in the year when it first came out. But for some reason I kept putting it off and once I heard it I was really sorry that I hadn't listened sooner. The songs "And I Was a Boy From School", "Over and Over", and "Look After Me" are definitely some of my favorite songs of the year and the rest of the album is almost just as good. It's British Electropop at its best, and if that means something to you, then you should definitely check it out. I don't really know where it would fall on my top 10 list, but it's for sure somewhere near the top.

3. Ray LaMontagne "Till the Sun Turns Black"
-I was debating back when I originally wrote my Top 10 list whether or not to put this on there. Obviously, I decided against it. But now, after having gotten more into it, I realize that it really should be on there. I really like his first album, "Trouble," and I thought that "Till the Sun Turns Black" just didn't compare. Recently, though, I have really grown to love it. It's darker and more complex than "Trouble," and it's just better, overall. It's also really epic at times. The title songs transitions into the final song, "Within You," and just grows and grows. The first song on the album, "Be Here Now," is also a great builder of a song.

That's all for my amendments. There were a few honorable mentions, but nothing else that really jumped out at me.

MusicNew Arcade Fire

As I write this, leaked copies of the new Arcade Fire album "Neon Bible" are flowing across the creeks and streams of the internet, branching and dividing by the hundreds as peer-to-peer software works its communistic magic. Although I urge each and every one of you to purchase the album when it's released in March, I must admit I downloaded a copy two nights ago.

Here for your enjoyment are links to two standout tracks from "Neon Bible." Expect a full review here in the coming days.

Track #2 - Keep the Car Running

Track #11 - My Body is a Cage