Nancy Werlin's Rules of Survival I always forget that I don't usually like National Book Award winners or nominees, and this YA novel about three siblings trying to survive their crazy mother was no exception. B-/C+.
Totally unrelated to this post, I have a music question for you. If you knew a cool tween girl who loves pop music (American Idol style) and has developed an interest in songwriting, and you wanted to give her a CD to broaden her horizons a bit, what would you put on it? Fun pop that's more interesting than American Idol but not too challenging. You are the queen of sweet pop music so I thought I should ask you :)
I haven't been up on the music scene for a couple of years, so some of these will be outdated, but I still like 'em! Also, I don't watch American Idol and am not sure what their pop music is like--Britney Spears ish?
--Definitely All Girl Summer Fun Band (maybe scan their lyrics--songs like "Later Operator" are secretly dirty--though tween girls may love that the concept is based on handclap songs like "Miss Mary had a baby"). The Sprites, Heavenly, and the Galactic Heroes are also in this vein, ie totally adorable.
--Maybe bands like the Clientele or the Shout out Louds? I'm trying to think of songs that are super catchy.
--J-pop? Shonen Knife? Puffy Amiyumi? (She may have had exposure to Puffy Amiyumi--they used to have a cartoon on Cartoon Network.) Swedish Pop? Acid House Kings?
--Other possibilities, based on my fave songs on itunes: What about the Beach Boys? Too outre? Beulah, Broken West, Camera Obscura, Lush, Mates of State, New Pornographers, Palomar, The Rosebuds, The Smittens, Trembling Blue Stars, True Love Always. Again, scan the lyrics.
I'll try and think of more--but some of those should work. Definitely Shonen Knife.
wow, great list! I was definitely thinking All Girl Summer Fun Band -- my favorite song of theirs talks about having a crush and just sounds so much like a girl about this girl's age. Puffy Amiyumi and Shonen Knife are perfect too. I don't know some of the bands you mention & will check them out on Sunday.
I don't watch American Idol either! The girl's father described it as sanitized, bubblegum pop. He was complaining that her music is so boring and when he was just a little older than her, he saw the Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" tour. I think he should be happy that his daughter is into safe music :)
3 comments:
Totally unrelated to this post, I have a music question for you. If you knew a cool tween girl who loves pop music (American Idol style) and has developed an interest in songwriting, and you wanted to give her a CD to broaden her horizons a bit, what would you put on it? Fun pop that's more interesting than American Idol but not too challenging. You are the queen of sweet pop music so I thought I should ask you :)
I haven't been up on the music scene for a couple of years, so some of these will be outdated, but I still like 'em! Also, I don't watch American Idol and am not sure what their pop music is like--Britney Spears ish?
--Definitely All Girl Summer Fun Band (maybe scan their lyrics--songs like "Later Operator" are secretly dirty--though tween girls may love that the concept is based on handclap songs like "Miss Mary had a baby"). The Sprites, Heavenly, and the Galactic Heroes are also in this vein, ie totally adorable.
--Maybe bands like the Clientele or the Shout out Louds? I'm trying to think of songs that are super catchy.
--J-pop? Shonen Knife? Puffy Amiyumi? (She may have had exposure to Puffy Amiyumi--they used to have a cartoon on Cartoon Network.) Swedish Pop? Acid House Kings?
--Other possibilities, based on my fave songs on itunes: What about the Beach Boys? Too outre? Beulah, Broken West, Camera Obscura, Lush, Mates of State, New Pornographers, Palomar, The Rosebuds, The Smittens, Trembling Blue Stars, True Love Always. Again, scan the lyrics.
I'll try and think of more--but some of those should work. Definitely Shonen Knife.
wow, great list! I was definitely thinking All Girl Summer Fun Band -- my favorite song of theirs talks about having a crush and just sounds so much like a girl about this girl's age. Puffy Amiyumi and Shonen Knife are perfect too. I don't know some of the bands you mention & will check them out on Sunday.
I don't watch American Idol either! The girl's father described it as sanitized, bubblegum pop. He was complaining that her music is so boring and when he was just a little older than her, he saw the Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" tour. I think he should be happy that his daughter is into safe music :)
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