Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Twilight Singers - Where Did You Sleep Last Night?


I saw The Twilight Singers three times in 2006. Two of those dates featured the incredible Mark Lanegan. There is nothing sexier than Greg Dulli's voice, in my book, but combined with the genius of Lanegan...it's an intense combination.

Watch these boyos tear through a cover of Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". Leadbelly's version was more downtrodden and mournful, and Nirvana's cover more desperate and frantic. Lanegan, on the other hand, growls out the lyrics with such sinister menace, it's downright frightening. And sexy. His voice sounds like it's been drowned in whiskey and cigarettes and then thrown in the drunk tank with a group of burly men from the Irish Mafia.

Check out a concert clip heeyuh.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Let's check out cheesy Arabic pop!

I've been studying Arabic for the better part of the last 2 years. So, of course, I acquired some cheesy Arabic pop music along the way. One day, while watching some videos, I discovered Dana. Who is Dana, you may ask?

Well, I don't quite know for sure. A websearch doesn't turn up mch information, except for the fact that she's 19, she's from Lebanon, she used to be a model, and she has had no plastic surgery whatsoever. Once you see her, it's impossible to forget her. This is probably because the lyrics of most of her songs consist of "I am Dana, look at me! I'm Dana!" She also likes to mention in her songs the fact that she's had absolutely NO PLASTIC SURGERY. NONE WHATSOEVER. She's all natural, baby!

Her having no plastic surgery is apparently a big deal in the Middle East, where Arab pop stars and celebrities have had as much work done (if not more) than your average Hollywood starlet. Plastic surgery is also a lot cheaper over there than it is here. I've even read stuff about wives in Egypt, Lebanon, etc. going under the knife to look like Haifa Wehbe or Nancy Ajram to get their husbands to pay attention to them.

So her video "Inta Min" comes on the telly. Dana comes bouncing on the screen wearing a black top hat, knee-high black boots, and black hot pants. And a white button-down blouse which was mainly used to thrust her boobs. She reminded me of a Vegas showgirl. Later on she changes into a skin-tight red dress and a skin-tight green dress in which she is housed down with water. For no reason. It was certainly the most skanktastically fabulous Arabic pop video I'd seen to date. Watching it, I got the impression that Dana was like a Lebanese Britney Spears (pre-shaved head days). A cute, thin, blonde thing that prances and rolls around and pouts and has no real purpose or talent other than pouting and writhing around and prancing.
Anyhoo, turn yourself onto some really awesomely bad music and check out Dana's video for her song "Doudou", which again has her prancing and writhing around in many different costumes. This video could also prove that maybe they're not as conservative over there in the Middle East as we think they are. I mean, if you can have young Lebanese starlets writhing around on the floor in low-cut, skin-tight catsuits, then maybe the world isn't such a bad place afterall.
By the way, that last statement was meant to be kind of sarcastic.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

the intro


I got bored with Livejournal, so here I am.


Chances are you were directed here because you're a friend of mine and I told you to come. If not...um...basic facts about myself. My name is Lindsey. I go to the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA and I'm majoring in anthropology with a concentration in Middle Eastern studies. I'm a music nerd and am addicted to both pretentious indie rock and crappy Arabic pop music. Ideally, I'd like to be the next Chuck Klosterman or make my living writing witty blips about pop culture. I'm also obsessed with Greg Dulli (of Afghan Whigs and Twilight Singers fame) and everything he creates or comes within 5 feet of. Also, I love baby sloths.