PrettyBaby

Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!! Bingo. First verse = Lorde, second verse = Taylor, Lorde+Taylor = "Riviera girls"? But halfway through second verse she turns her back on them and addresses the exec (or fans): "Tell me something nice about your favorite girl," who responds, "Need you baby like I breathe you baby..."

This totally works.

Because it's really "yayo..." "...yayo..."

The writing/tempo was more varied on BTD. And how can you say "how can you say UV is too same-y" without going on to give examples of how UV is not same-y?

I usually lean toward rock over pop, and I still prefer BTD. UV has a gorgeous sound, but it's a little too same-y. (I actually like eclectic albums. When I hear a project described as "cohesive," I immediately think "boring and repetitious.") I'll definitely listen to UV more than BTD in the coming weeks. But I'll have to be in the right mood. (Low-key trippy.)

Maybe I'm projecting, but I see Lana as being very brave, taking a stand for sensitivity, with her Ultraviolence era. I honestly can't tell whether it's just me getting older and hopefully wiser, or whether it really is a whole culture war going on since 2008 over toughness versus sensitivity. I see it everywhere, in the media, in churches, in conversations with family and friends: those who weathered the economic storm and who see it as a sign of their personal merit are very committed to assigning various sorts of blame to the marginalized, to the outliers, to anyone who fails to benefit from the system which rewards those who have successfully conformed. In such a system it can become vitally important for some people to hoard compassion as yet another commodity for the "deserving." No, cheating isn't cool. But it also isn't cool to pit women against each other, the "good girls" versus the "bad girls," on a societal level. It isn't cool to pit moralities against each other. We should be able to see all virtues as good, not competing. We should be able to embrace the Other. People speak of not letting the good become the enemy of the best. But I fear our society is far more guilty of letting the "best" become the enemy of the good. And there is something good, something likable, something valuable in everyone. I believe it is because every person is created in the image of the Divine -- but you don't need to be religious to see it. There is good in everyone, if you only have eyes to see. I think Lana Del Rey has eyes to see. And I think, whether calculated or not, she's trying to help the rest of us open ours.

I think any human organization can have the tendency to become cultlike. (That is, people engaging in group-think and gravitating around a charismatic leader leading to excessive attachment to the group's particular ideas. My thoughts, not an official definition.) I used to think of groups as three distinct categories: cult vs. legitimate mainstream religious organization vs. nonreligious organization. But now I believe "cultish" is really a question of more vs. less, and we all need to be careful how we communicate and respond to communication in group situations. Which isn't to say I'm advocating being rigid about it. I actually tend to be fairly imprecise when I'm talking out loud (vs. writing). It drives my husband crazy because he prefers greater precision. But I'm trying to help him understand how something can be figuratively true even when it isn't literally true, how misunderstanding on the hearer's part does not equal intent to deceive on the speaker's part, etc. I guess it all goes back to personality types and styles, again. Some people seem to have a model of communication in which all responsibility for clarity and accuracy is on the speaker, who should be trying to lead the hearer by the hand. But personally, I think communication works better when people take a more cooperative approach, with both hearers and speakers working toward understanding. My two cents.

Good to know :/

It was in the zip I downloaded... along with C-Note and a demo of Diet Mountain Dew... I thought everyone had the same collection of songs? Maybe they were added by whoever uploaded it to PcRockers.com; that's where I got it.

I believe that's the version from Young Like Me. I've been calling it Heavy Hitter (YLM demo).

What are the chances she'll do two songs - WC and SOC?

Catholic Boys Cut it Out Junk/G# No Trash Bag Crown/Christina (demo)/Apples & Cigs/We Did it Anyway/Baby Come Home Ugh I love so many... I think their earlier stuff tends toward dreamy 80s synth pop, while the LAS EP tends toward screechy 80s synth rock :/ it's like someone told them "hey Japanese Eyes was well received; go make more like that" When IMO it's the words and not the music per se of JE that makes the song.

I never followed these artists (well, maybe 80s Diana Ross ), so that's interesting to learn!

Exactly. I figure they're waiting for those orders to slow down :/

"Swimmin' pool, glimmerin' darlin'..." "Nothing more gorgeous than a hundred dollar bill..." "You're not a gangsta like I am..."

"My Best Days"?

Definitely Daddy Issues and Dum Dum, maybe Prom Song, not sure about Puppy Love and TIWMUG... Add Mermaid Motel!

Yeah, that sounds about right But "Lucifer" is a KJV translation of the Hebrew term that is elsewhere translated as "day star" or "morning star" ... http://biblehub.com/isaiah/14-12.htm It's amazing how translation choices can shape our inferences... But back to the Illuminati. I never heard they wanted to be worshipped as gods before. That sounds more like Scientology to me... or at least what I've heard about Scientology. (Hey, let's pool our ignorance about them next )

I don't think they have been added to the Scriptures per se. But church doctrine is indeed a powerful tool :/ Where have you heard this tale?

I'm slowly making my waY thru these latest incarnations of Sitar's playlists and yes, they are a great way to group them! South Beach Swing is the best it's ever been, and I'm loving Vulgar Darling.

New summer playlist: Mermaid Motel (Surf Noir 2014) 1. West Coast (Radio Mix) 2. Jump (demo) 3. Lolita (demo 1) 4. For K Part 2 5. Mermaid Motel 6. Heavy Hitter (James Dean Remix) 7. Hawaiian Tropic 8. Oh Say Can You See 9. Daytona Meth 10. Pin Up Galore 11. You & Me 12. Trash Magic 13. Black Beauty (demo) 14. Burning Desire 15. West Coast (Rob Ortin version) 16. Kill Kill

So how are we distinguishing this radio mix from the Dan Auerbach radio mix? "West Coast (German Radio Mix)"?