A Foggy Day

If you've ever listend to a mix CD while riding in my wonderfully Texan truck, affectionally heretofore referred to as "The General", then you probably know I have a particular affinity towards singers of the British and female persuasions.

It all began with Amy Winehouse... you know, before the beavers moved into her hair weave and started construction on a semi-aquatic rodent equivalent of the Empire State Building. Then came Adele, a more demure, introspective, sober, and yet no less soulful doppelganger of Ms. Winehouse. Just think of it as a mirror with two faces. You know, one squeaky clean and the other covered with dust. And by dust I mean cocaine. Next came Duffy... whose voice is just SCREAMING to sing the next Bond theme song. Sexy, gritty, sweepingly haunting. And just for good measure I've thrown in a little Shirley Bassey, who HAS sung Bond songs and could beat you to a bloody pulp with fabulousness and class and most likely a double prescription of Boniva. Take that Sally Fields!!! She's 73 and sings Pink better than Pink WISHES she ever could. I mean, "Get This Party Started" is veritable Cuisinart of Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut meets J. Strauss' Die Fledermaus meets Bond title sequence meets Snow White's "mirror, mirror on the wall" meets Marie Antoinette via Alexander McQueen. And that's quite a bit of introductions to manage concomitantly.

Now, though, I am completely ub-sessed with Florence and the Machine. Their CD "Lungs" is FULL of great songs. It's the rare type of CD in which I can listen to it over and over again and each time I think I have a favorite song until the next track starts. Well, to be frank I don't quite like track 2, but the rest are buh-rilliant.

Below is what I can only imagine is Florence and the Machine's ode to Rusalka, as well as videos from those other great dames of Anglo-Saxon singing mentioned above. It's all great, so WATCH THEM-- you'll be a better person because of it. Sure, some of these may been more antiquarian than au courant, but it doesn't make them any less amazing.

Florence and the Machine- You've Got the Love:



Amy Winehouse- Tears Dry on Their Own:



Adele- Hometown Glory:



Duffy- Mercy:



Shirley Bassey- Get This Party Started: