The new Mp3 player and win for Dad

So a few months ago Kristen and I gave Sloan an old beat up Mp3 player and loaded it with her music (which consisted of 90% Hannah Montana). It was on its last leg, so it didn’t last long after her numerous plays of “The Best of Both Worlds”, and it finally gave out on her. So I have dodged the subject for a while, until we found Kristen’s semi-new Mp3 player she no longer uses, and I spent this past Sunday once again brushing up on my Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus music knowledge with my six year old.

So the two of us sat down at my computer and started the process of loading her cds into her new Mp3 player. As of right now, I got her three new cds of the Jonas Brothers, the new Hannah Montana, and Miley Cyrus. (Yes it did kill me to do this) So we began loading her Mp3 player with her music. I did sneak some songs in there to make me feel better, such as Matt and Kim, Michael Jackson, and a few others. With her hovering over me the whole time, telling me what numbers (since she does not know all the names of the songs…….yet) and I took the orders of my daughter and put her songs on there.

As soon as I was done (to the numerous questions of “are we done yet?”) she quickly grabbed it out of my hand and started listening to the music we put on there. She lay down on the couch and sat there for easily an hour and listened to each and every song. Telling Kristen in a loud voice what song was playing, of course we had to tell her what volume to listen to it. I think I have forgotten to mention it was one of her “concert days” and she was dressed in her Hannah Montana costume the whole day. (yes even when we went in public) So this past week I went from the uncool Dad (I tried to give her a kiss and hug in front of her friends), to the coolest Dad ever with the gift of music.

Watching how she acted reminded me of the first time I got my first radio (boom box if you will), walkman, a portable cd player, and my first home stereo (and yes I just dated myself, while I am sitting here listening to 3 feet high and rising). I listened to my music like it was the first time I heard it, each time I got a new music player. I know deep down that my days of “Coolest Dad Ever” will not out weigh my days of uncool Dad, but I will take this week as a win for me. I know here in not long it will be hard to be the coolest Dad when the teens hit. Of course I have brainwashed Sloan to thinking she can’t date a boy until she is 20, so win for me so far.

(I just want to check in with some of my baseball friends and let them know, yes I am still alive. Yes I do know my Metropolitans are stinking right now, and are struggling as a team. Its ok, after this week’s all star game the season starts new again and I feel that they are going to do some good things. It’s the Mets, 1986 was the last time we were the best team in baseball, so be easy on us.)

New Music for this week:

I do this each week for a way to keep in touch with my friends that read this, and for us to know what we are listening to. I guess is some small way it’s a way to keep up with each other, I want to say this again, in know way am I an expert on music.

White Lies- To lose my life
This band had my interests when I say they would be at the ACL Festival the same day I was attending. So I decided to give them a listen to brush up and know some of their songs before I go to Austin in October. They remind me a lot of The Killers; I think it’s the voice of the lead singer. This album is wearing on me since I have been listening to them. Check out the song To Lose My Life and A Place To Hide.

The Black Keys
Last week I mentioned Gomez and put down their whole catalogue of music. The Black Keys are probably in my top ten bands I listen to constantly. I love these guys, and it just so happens Dan Auerbach (lead singer) is going to be at the ACL Festival the day I am going, so I am pumped to catch his set. If I gave you an album to start with I guess it would be their newest one, but every album they have is great. They are a great Indie-Blues band, how can you go wrong with blues from two white boys. Check out the songs Psychotic Girl, I’ll Be Your Man, When the lights go out, and 10 A.M. Automatic.

The Black Keys Albums:
Chulahoma
Thickfreakness
Rubber Factory
Magic Potion
The Big Come Up
Attack and Release

Mos Def- The Ecstatic
Ok, I am a hip-hop junkie, I grew up on hip-hop and I will probably be in the rest home with tattoos, wearing a baseball cap, and wearing some adidas. Sloan just has no idea what she has in store for her at that point. With that said, here is someone I love and forgot about. Mos Def release his newest album a few weeks ago, and I have to say it’s not bad. I love east coast hip-hop and always have, due to Run DMC, The Beastie Boys, Biggie, Jay-Z, De La Soul , and of course Mos Def. Listen to Auditorium, and Supermagic.

Street Sweeper Social Club
I can’t tell if I like this just because I am still having withdrawal symptoms from not having Rage Against the Machine around right now, or that I do love hip-hop. This is a little side project between Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine’s guitar god) and Boots Riley of the Coup. I do like it, but it makes me feel that Zack De La Rocha should be laying down the lyrics on the album. Listen to Clap for the Killers and Nobody Moves (till we say go).

Wilco-Wilco
So you guys are getting an album that just came out this pas week. My boy told me to listen to Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and I gave it a listen. (yes I know I am a horrible person for not listening to Wilco) An amazing album, I have to say. So I gave their new album a shot this week, and after the first listen, it is awesome. I will go out and say this could be one of the top albums of the year. I am sure there will be some more coming out (Pearl Jam), but so far this and Phoenix are in my list. Listen to Wilco (the song) and Sonny Feeling.