Treasures & tidbits from Yo Gabba Gabba!

I didn't use to be a fan of Yo Gabba Gabba! It ranked right up there with Teletubbies and Boobah for near-creepy shows for toddlers. But over the past week or so my youngest has become obsessed with the show (obsessed as in I've seen the four Yo Gabba Gabba! episodes currently on DVR about a thousand times each) and as much as I hate to say it, the show has started to grow on me.

Okay, so I still think some of those 3-second shorts between scenes are a little strange and the whole thing a little psychedelic BUT I have fallen in love with a couple catchy tunes. No, not "Try It, You'll Like It," though that does come in handy at dinnertime, or "Party in My Tummy"--okay that one just makes me laugh. I'm talking about some of the little treasures below. (The first two aren't anywhere near high def but you'll get the idea.)

The Little Ones singing "Hey, Won't Somebody Come and Play":



And The Postmarks singing "Balloons":



Which led me to watch their "Let Go" video also on YouTube:



Then you have one of my latest favorite tidbits, "I Found Love" performed by Trembling Blue Stars. Sorry about the overlap on this one but without it you wouldn't be able to push the play button!



(I found this little video here.)

So I am absolutely loving Yo Gabba Gabba! if for no other reason than introducing me to some pretty cool, previously obscure bands. I've gone on to check out more of their songs and videos and that may eventually lead to buying their CDs. So thanks, YGG, for promoting indie artists! --Emily

Diane Birch: Discover & Donate

I didn't know anything about Diane Birch until a recent #gno on Twitter and even now I know I still have much to learn about this rising new star in the musical world. Apparently her iTunes Single of the Week "Rise Up" was downloaded over 500,000 times! Bible Belt, her debut album, was released only a few days ago.

Diane's life experiences have made her aware of the great need for charitable work around the world and she's given fans a great way to support a variety of charitable organizations. Through Discover & Donate, Diane has teamed up with S-Curve Records so you can Discover her critically acclaimed album and Donate $1 to charity in the process.

To participate, visit the Discover & Donate page and choose a custom Diane Birch widget from one of six charities: Autism Speaks, March of Dimes, Keep A Child Alive, Share Our Strength, SOS Children’s Villages and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Then post the widget on your blog, website or social networking page.

Once you've done that tell your friends and family about Diane's new album; for each person that buys the album from either the iTunes or Amazon link through the widget you posted, a $1 donation per album sold will be made in your name. How cool is that! And get this: whoever raises the most money for charity through their widget by June 23rd will win a free private performance in the winner’s hometown!

What are you doing this weekend? I'm planning on checking out Bible Belt and spreading the word about Discover & Donate. Shouldn't that be on your to-do list too? --Emily

Project Playlist: the social media experiment

Have you ever stumbled upon a website that had a customized playlist of music (like the one you're listening to right now), or have you ever wished there were a way to listen to music outside your current collection--and do so legally? Playlist.com is the latest and greatest in the world of online music...and it's all legal.

Playlist.com is a lot like Google but strictly for music. Just like you search for sites, images and media on Google, you can use Playlist.com to find and listen to music legally online. But it's not just about you and your music. Playlist.com has a social aspect to it as well.

Once you create a playlist you can share it with friends, browse others' playlists and even post your playlist on your website. How is this legal? Playlist.com prohibits the uploading or downloading of songs to or from their site and does not actually host music files. The site only helps you find the files and listen to them. Your playlist on Playlist.com is simply a collection of hyperlinks pointing to music files located on websites throughout the Internet. Playlist.com's player allows you to stream the data in those music files.

Playlist.com isn't just about streaming music. The site also does what it can to support artists. If you find a song you like, you can legally--and easily--purchase it. (The site links principally to iTunes.) Playlist has a great video tutorial that tells exactly what Playlist.com all about. You can also read more about the company here.

I decided to have a go at creating my own playlist. I didn't have a lot of time (nap time is short around here) but here are ten songs I searched for and added...and I could have spent all day doing it so be forewarned. Playlist.com is addictive! Now it's your turn to create and share! --Emily

so glad the girls from Whatever Hollywood don't like to wait!

You're going to love today's wonderful web wednesday. Thanks to Hungry Girl I've discovered Whatever Hollywood, a compilation of fantastically entertaining shorts all produced, directed, and starring three wonderfully talented girls:

WhateverHollywood.com is the collaboration of three creative friends, Suri, Apple and Shiloh. Though the respective TV host, actress, and singer have each enjoyed considerable success, they deplored the slow and political prototype that they call 'Hollywood 1.0.' Simply said, these girls were bad... at waiting. So Whatever Hollywood! They'd upgrade and do it themselves in their studio apartment with the help of Final Cut Pro, sparkly fabrics, low-carb pizzas and lots of enthusiasm.

Though they no longer have the help of their low-carb pizzas (find out why in Love at First Bite) the girls from Whatever Hollywood work magic in front of a green screen (aka "the green sheet" from Joanne Fabrics). With spring around the corner and thoughts of Mystic Tan in the air, enjoy Whatever Hollywood's Spray Tan Rap (and be sure to check out the behind-the-scenes short...you'll definitely laugh out loud). --Emily

*** The Girls need your vote! They are in YouTube's Sketchies2 Top 20 , the biggest sketch comedy of the year. Check out their homepage for how you can help them make the Top 10 for a chance to win some serious cash. (Think of all the low-carb pizzas they'll be able to buy on the black market!) You can vote once a day so once you've got the voting system down make it a part of your daily routine through Wednesday, March 19th. ***

girl power!

I wasn't always a big fan of female singers. In high school my musical world consisted of bands like The Cure, REM, Erasure, Midnight Oil, INXS, Jesus Jones, Jane's Addiction, and countless one-hit wonders. The only female voice I can remember listening to was Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Over the past few years I've seen my taste in female singers grow (or is that mature?) and now my collection consists of some wonderfully talented voices with songs that help center me after a very long day. For thankful thursday I wanted to share with you those female artists for whom I'm most thankful!

• Sara McLachlan--I don't think there's a CD I don't like by her!
• Dido--Love her last two CDs and it looks like a new CD is coming out soon--yay! One of my fave songs is "Sand in My Shoes."
• Natalie Merchant--good ol' 10,000 Maniacs; love "These Are the Days."
• Norah Jones--Though her first CD is my favorite ("Come Away With Me" is one of my all-time favorite songs) her second one is pretty darn good too.
• Sara Bereilles--They might overplay "Love Song" but the rest of the CD is worth a listen. My other favorite is "Fairytale."
• Colbie Caillet--I'm sure you've heard "Bubbly" and "Realize" on the radio. I still don't get tired of these songs and Coco is a great CD.

Though my current CD collection is still male dominated (REM's coming out with a new CD in April!), it's a woman's voice that reminds me I too am a wonderful and talented woman. But aren't we all? --Emily

get in the groove!

Who doesn't love music?! It's for everyone, young and old. There is music to suit anyone's taste or preference. This thankful thursday is all about the music we love and why we love it. Music can lift or create a mood, it can make us fall in love, create atmosphere, or make us want to get our groove on (interpret as you wish). Just this morning as I put in a CD to bring the chaos from my kids down a notch, they got a little frustrated when one of them asked, "Where's the loud? It's not getting loud." Give thanks for music by putting in one of your favorite artists and let the music move you!

Here's what's in my CD player:

Mellow:

Paul Potts- My daughter listens to this every night.

Loreena McKennitt- All of her albums are great.

Jammin':

Madonna- Confessions on the Dance Floor, great dancing music.

The Killers- All of the albums are "killer" but my favorite is Sawdust.

Oldies but Goodies:

Abba

Beatles

Musicals:

Wicked

Hairspray

...and since it's still the month of LOVE, enjoy this from the Beatles. All we truly need is love!--LeShan