I've been enjoying keeping this blog so neat and clean, but I HAVE to start writing about new music again. The 100 fave albums list will still be updated daily, mind you - I hate blogs that start similar ventures and don't deliver and THAT AIN'T GONNA BE ME, BUDDY! There's just going to be more than that on here. I've been listening too far too much good stuff to only talk about one album a day.

Favorite Ten Songs Currently Found On The Singles Charts On Billboard.Com (excepting those found my Top Ten Singles Of 2003, which I still love with all my heart)

1) Ying Yang Twins, "Salt Shaker" - Dave's bud was bitching about how this song is redundant and insipid after "Shake it like a Polaroid picture" but he's playing himself. Where that line is a nice little addendum to a classic slice of ice cold - a mere joke, this song is wholly focused on two ass pirates' quest for booty. Arrrr. Perkyulate! Will somebody tell me what "skeet" means? Judging by the chorus metaphor I have to assume it means that when her going gets tough, the tough get going! Ho ho!

2) Britney Spears, "Toxic" - that Britney's FOURTH ALBUM SECOND SINGLE does Kish Kash better than Kish Kash reminds met yet again that pop is one sweetly unpredictable place. This is the first song she's ever released that I want to hear again. And again.

3) Offspring, "Hit That" - see it has this discoey octave-jumping bass line and that makes it better than everything. They are so Weird Al with edge! The album tracks I've heard sound like sludgy "Defy You"-style crap but it's probable I'd buy their greatest hits before Green Day's.

4) The Darkness, "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" - I've still got my qualms about these guys, but even if I'd prefer pop-metal artists to pop-metal clowns, this is infinitely more enjoyable than anything else on rawk radio today. Though its screams novelty hit, I really hope that the unashamed glee of this song infects the US FM dial. I have heard the Cult's "Fire Woman" twice this week on WQWK.

5) Linkin Park, "Numb" - I'm shocked how much mileage these guys still get out of synthesizing Vanilla Ice, Alice Cooper and Depeche Mode. Every single is like a slightly different shade of blue, with lyrics that justify the fact that they're still whining. Wanna know how to do the Chester? Just sway forwards and back while clutching your shirt with one hand and pointing outwords with the other. And cry. In slo-mo.

6) J-Kwon, "Tipsy" - Irv Gotti's in the club getting tits...and this isn't even a Murder Inc. track! Oh, that beat. It will, it will, rock you.

7) Mario Winans & P. Diddy, "I Don't Want To Know" - Sean John's still pissed that J. Lo implied he's a suffocating boyfriend, and evidently he always gave you extra cheese (this unexpected pizza factoid is possibly the first thing he's ever said that I can identify with), the unabashed Fugees lift - DJ Shadow he ain't! - reaffirms that Diddly Dong Dingus McGee hasn't lost his touch. Coupled with the striking lack of confidence implied by Mario's pleas for his girlfriend to cheat discreetly, "Satisfy You II: Electric Boogaloo" turns out to be superior to the original (better than the Fugees track too!).

8) Ludacris, "Stand Up" - I still prefer him in a third verse cameo context (see "Holidae In," "Gossip Folks," "Yeah!"), but he's animated enough here that I don't miss the variety.

9) Limp Bizkit, "Behind Blue Eyes" - I don't know whether I'm laughing or crying, but I'll attest to the bountiful rewards of discovering L-I-M-P. My pain always feels so small when I hear this song, and I'm grateful.

10) Clay Aiken, "Invisible" - if he was invisible, he would just walk into your room! It's the love theme from The Hollow Man! Don't be offended Ruben fans, I haven't heard "Sorry 2004" yet. But could it possibly be this hysterically absurd, right down to the bombastic false ending?