Guilty Pleasures Of Summer '09

Hi all. We all have dreams, I know I do. And one of those dreams is to live in a world in which the people would not have to hide from their guilty pleasures. But I also wouldn't want those pleasures to be exploited and practiced and praised to an unhealthy level. So maybe I'm looking for an even compromise that wouldn't help or hurt our guilty pleasures. That being said, this summer, while putting in mass shifts at Jersey Mike's Subs, I was subjected to hours upon hours of XM radio's pop/hits station. Some of the songs played grew on me, like a virus. It started out as a joke, until the songs became like a malignant cancer and consumed my soul (iTunes Top Played, to be exact). One even broke into the Top 10! Blasphemy! To get over this issue, perhaps expressing these tunes in a blog post will help me cope, if nothing at all. Allow me (and Jim will contribute soon), to present my Guilty Pleasure Songs of the Summer of Sin (2009).

3. Cash Cash - "Party In Your Bedroom"
I am a sucker for cheap electronic sound effects. Like the real generic upshots that no-name producers can belt out with the most primitive of downloadable audio applications. Cash Cash's "Party In Your Bedroom" is pretty much just that. It's cheap. But man, what a fun song. I really do enjoy it and I don't care if I start receiving scenester, O'Douhl's non-alcoholic beer party invitations for making that claim. "Party" is stimulating MySpace pop music that incorporates broken microphones and a steady clap machine. And it goes against anything I should ever stand for. However, It will make me hop around my room like a 12-year-old girl before getting ready for a day's work.

Cash Cash - "Party In Your Bedroom"

2. Cobra Starship (Feat. Leighton Meester) - "Good Girls Go Bad"
Another song that I hear at least 5 times a day at work. (See, if only the station selected by my boss had been death metal...). They're back. I think this is the highest charting single since "Snakes On A Plane (Bring It)". Ha. I really don't have a problem with liking this one. Guy perspective, girl perspective - all about making bad descions then writing a song about it. A fun chorus for douchebags to chant along to, and if that is so true, then I am among them. A co-worker told me she thought lead singer, Gabe Saporta, sounded like a sheep; so I responded, "Come on, it's not that BAAAAAH'd." I got a kick out of that knee-slapper. No one else did. The song has a cliche Gewn Stefani "Hollaback Girl" type clap-breakdown in the midst of the 3:18 jam, and ends high on the chorus. This song doesn't make me go wild, but I do like to tell everyone at work that "this song defines our generation" just for shits and giggles...and awkward stares.

Cobra Starship (Feat. Leighton Meester) - "Good Girls Go Bad"

1. Katy Perry - "Waking Up In Vegas"
Have I fallen victim as another indie rock blogger to adore Miss Perry and stalk her every step on the web? Not quite. But she is pretty cool and a down-to-Earth chick. She's a better Pink, I will say that. And what she lacks in live performances, is redeemed by her on-record sound. She can thank her producers for that. What could possibly be her final single off debut LP One Of The Boys, this song displays some really appealing guitar work. That's what I'm so drawn to. Lyric-wise, I don't really connect with (maybe because I rarely leave the East Coast?). I like the idea though; it fits the Katy Perry persona very well. And I believe she's credible for the most part; I mean, she does play the guitar every now and again, right? This truly is one of my favorite songs of the summer and hell yes, it is a guilty, guilty, and a million times guilty, pleasure.

Katy Perry - "Waking Up In Vegas"

Embarrassed for me? I wouldn't be. I've liked stranger tunes (Jim can attest for one of my favorite songs of all time: "Girls On Film" by Duran Duran). Speaking of which, your move, Jim. Let's see what you got. And hey, you guys, too! Let's make this a family affair. Comment and tell us your guilty pleasures. Because once we admit we have a problem, we're halfway to solving it.

Jim's Top Summer Guilty Pleasures

This is semi-difficult for me, since I swore off commercial radio a few years ago, I am not even aware of the existence of most Top 40 songs, although I hate that Cobra Starship song, thanks Mike. Nevertheless, I will try my best to put together 3 Guilty Pleasures that have ruled my summer, and I think I got 'em.

3. The Fray - "You Found Me"

Ever since I first heard this song in a promo for season 5 of Lost it's been in my head. It's catchy, the lyrics aren't horrible, and it has a good hook. Do I hate The Fray? Yes. Am I a sucker for everything involving Lost? Of course.

The Fray - "You Found Me"

2. Tastykake's Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes

Am I guilty about loving them? Not at all. But I went through about ten boxes of these myself in 2 months and that cannot be good.

1. MTV's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?"

I confess. MTV's attempt at exposing douchebags (isn't that their entire demographic) has me hooked big time. Hot Girls? Check. Douches? Check. People who FINALLY agree with you that these dudes are dicks? Check. Sassy British Voiceover Dude? Check. Man, you don't know what you're missing.