Time to punch a dude in the ballsack!

After all these years, I still LOVE this damn song. It gets me.

Where the hell is Meredith Brooks these days, anyways? For real, someone else do the research for once. I’m cranky and on my period!!!

If you follow this blog, you will see Florence + the Machine (and Drake) on a consistent basis. They’re just that damn good. Once again, they’ve gone and outdone themselves. At BBC Radio One’s Live Lounge, the band broke out with a cover of Take Care by Drake featuring Rihanna. I was a fan of this track before, but now, it’s an absolute love affair.

Check it out for yourself.

Coldplay has freshly released Mylo Xyloto, fully compacted with assorted reviews and spiraling vocals and lyrics, solidifying why they were, are, and always will be one of the biggest bands on the planet. I totally dug the single Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, and enjoy the album as a whole. But one track sticks out like a sore thumb – Paradise. It balances the perfect style of vintage Coldplay and the new electric style Coldplay. And if you aren’t sold on the song right away, just watch the video below. It features lead singer Chris Martin dressed as an elephant on a journey to find other members of Coldplay, also dressed as elephants. Yes, I comprehend it’s a bizarre concept, but somehow it works.

This track pulses with a tantalizing force. Fan or not, no one can deny that Coldplay always experiments into new realms of music, complete with color and diversity. It is buoyant and beautiful, yet still finds a way to match itself with the deep, slow, and evocative jams. From their own lyrics, ‘In the night, the stormy night, she’ll close her eyes. In the night, the stormy night, away she’d fly.’

Go on, and let the music consume you, for this could be Paradise.

Last week, passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight were given an extra scrumptious treat (damn them!) when singer/songwriter/uber-cutie, Mat Kearney, busted out an impromptu performance mid-air. Apparently this has been on Mat’s bucket list for quite some time.

Says Mat: “I’ve always actually wanted to pick up my guitar in the middle of a flight and just walk down the aisle and play songs, but this is the first time I’ve ever actually gotten the chance to do it.”

Here’s the proof!

To celebrate the death of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, I thought I would post one of the songs that became a backdrop to my life when I was struggling with the idea of stepping out of the closet. It’s a beautiful song by Kendall Payne entitled Closer To Myself.

Surprisingly enuff (or not if you follow this blog on the regular), Kendall Payne is a Contemporary Christian artist. My jagged faith is important to me and this song not only represents a freedom but also a cage; I felt completely caged with everyone else’s idea of who I should be at the time (including the conservative church’s idea).

The line that particularly pierced was — “I’ve been everybody else, now I want to be something closer to myself.”

I’ve never been in military uniform (well, not my own at least — oh snap!) but I can only imagine that this is how each LGBT soldier feels when they serve our country with their lips sealed.

This is getting preachy McPreacherson so I’m gonna shove a cork in it before I go all Southern Baptist psychopath, so that’s pretty much it, kids. Be yourself. Love yourself. And do NOT, for any reason whatsoever, buy a pink Hummer.

And if this is too serious for ya, you can A. suck it and B. go watch hot soldiers dancing to Britney Spears by following the link below.

Thanks.

[Related Post: US Soldiers Grab Crotchsicles While Dancing To Britney]

His name is Jamie Scott and if you’re from London or a music trendsetter than you may have already called dibs, but I just stumbled across this video and instantly felt static cling. Beyond the surface remains a talent that stings just the same.

The style + art direction hits the bull’s eye.

Watch Jamie Scott in action below to see what I mean.

Graffiti6′s EP Free will drop on October 4th, so watch out!

Fact: Mat Kearney is uber-cute.

Fact: Mat Kearney is no longer for the taking. But you can still stalk him through the release of his music like a normal person slash groupie! (Not that I know or anything.)

Fact: Mat Kearney’s music is brilliant. Poetic verse thrown over a pop hop beat, his sound is as fresh as it is sensitive and heartfelt.

Listen to the new release + Mat with poet Anis Mojgani below.

ROB BRAYL: Let’s start off this interview randomly, shall we? What are you doing this exact moment?

CAROLINA LIAR FRONTMAN CHAD WOLF: I’m in my kitchen packing for a move, combined with some extra lunges so I can get an extra work out, while eating what shouldn’t be packed up… It’s a good day!

ROB: The new record, ‘Wild Blessed Freedom’ — in three words is about?

CHAD: A new approach.

ROB: As any other CL fan, I was moved by your breakout single ‘Show Me What I’m Looking For’ — do you feel the new album is full of similar emotionally charged content?

CHAD: Thank you! I don’t think it would be honest if it didn’t have that emotion. One thing I’m so grateful for is that ‘Show Me’ is and was as honest as it could be. When we play it live it comes from something deep inside.

ROB: I know that you’ve worked with Max Martin and other pop industry giants for your new and previous albums, and I wanted to get an opinion on something I recently read, an article in which Linda Perry called Katy Perry’s music “popcorn”, basically insinuating it wasn’t as authentic as say the new Adele. Any thoughts on this?

CHAD: Personally, I love popcorn. Some of the greatest moments of my life were shared with a big fat greasy box of popcorn. Those kind of comments seem silly to me. There are people who experience Katy Perry on the same emotional level that someone will experience Adele and both are great and very real. It all comes from where you are in your life — being “cool” can really skew perspective.

ROB: Is it true that you grew up in a Pentecostal household? (I have a similar background, also growing up Pentecostal in the South. Southern pride, what what!)

CHAD: Oh yes, I did! At one point I was looking into becoming a preacher but my mom told me I needed to work in music, that was my first love and always will be. But I’ve seen the Holy Ghost in action twice in my life and whatever that was, once you feel something like that you will always be Pentecostal no matter how far you get away from the church… right?

ROB: Which track do you feel is the standout on the new record? Care to provide the backstory to said track?

CHAD: ‘Beautiful People’ has got some special mojo. There is something so real in that song that I can’t quite put it into words. It was an idea that my friend Alex Kronlund had, and it got its start when me, my girlfriend at the time and Tobias Karlsson moved out of his house, and we all stopped talking to each other because of some drama that has long since been worked out. But he focused all of that energy into that song when we started working on this record. He played me what he started and I really came out of my skin. That song is a real gift.

ROB: I always ask this and it never gets old: What’s your current guilty pleasure? (Music and non-related musical items welcome.)

CHAD: Cooking and eating. I honestly cannot get enough of all this amazing food that is available right now. I mean we got some Sprinkles Cupcakes the other day, thinking that all the hype was just BS, but no no no. That is not the case. Those things are crazy.

ROB: Most played song on your iPod at the moment?

CHAD: Kvelertak ‘Utrydd dei Svake’ — it’s a great black metal band.

ROB: Do you guys plan to tour the US with this album? Specifically NYC? Pretty please.

CHAD: We are planning everything right now. We hope we will have the details on where and what we are up to before weeks end! We will come to NYC, there’s no way we couldn’t.

ROB: And finally, can you get me an job/internship with Max Martin or Diane Warren. I have no shame! Also, can you explain what it was/has been like working with these pop powerhouses.

CHAD: I’ll see what I can do — I’ll put in a five star reference at the least. Those guys have taught me that no matter how big and great you are, you are only as good as the moment that you are in and you have got to work every time you get a chance and have complete reckless abandon when it comes to your art! Let me get back to you on the jobs! Thanks for reaching out to us.

Carolina Liar’s new album, Wild Blessed Freedom drops September 27th.

Watch the video for Drown, the first single off the new record below.

It’s new. It’s breathtaking. It’s super ferocious and it’s what real music should sound like. It’s self-explanatory. It’s Florence and the Machine with What the Water Gave Me. It’s a hit.

Meow!

FYI: Anyone who says Hanson doesn’t create pitch perfect pop songs either doesn’t know pop music or is simply a hater! Proudly MMMBoppin’ fo’ life!

Don’t be a poser, you know I’m right.

Cue flashback in 3, 2, 1…