Itunes Top 50 11/18/06 20-16

20. Nelly Furtado- Maneater

TKG: Bone Machine covering Hall and Oates is a neat idea. But Furtado really doesn't have Tom Waits vocal range. I also think Waits would have better taste. He would know to cover "She's out of touch" or "Method of Modern Love". Bone Machine chanting along to the spelling parts of "Method of Modern Love" would be really haunting and great. This isn't.

PAS: The cover songs on this project have been pretty rough. Is this Timbaland? Man has there been some disappointing Timbaland tracks on this countdown. Is Timbaland losing all the weight and getting body sculpted the functional equivalent of Eric Clapton or Stevie Wonder getting off drugs?

19. Nickelback- Far Away

TKG: This really feels like the middle part of a power ballad as you're building to the rock out part. But instead of rocking out it segues into another boring middle part. Like the verse two couplets before Tesla shouts that "love is all around you" followed by the verse two couplets before Nightranger shout about "Motoring". It's like Nickelback keep on teasing that they're going shout "Motorin'" but it's all a tease until this becomes what would happen if Tesla were inspired by " Music for Airports". I'm giving this too much credit. This isn't nearly as cool as Tesla covering "Music for Airports".

PAS: This would actually make a good prom song, as it is the aural equivalent of the unsatisfying post-prom parking lot handjob. You keep thinking you are going to rock out, but nothing.

18. JoJo- Too Little, Too Late

PAS: So Tom and I were discussing the possible racial backround of JoJo, as we were trying to categorize this shockingly dull tune. I thought JoJo might be Black but Tom correctly identified her as a white girl trying to sing Black. It turns out that she was a vocal prodigy who was discovered by Bill Cosby and Oprah and now does supporting rolls in Robin Williams movies. Which makes her really anemic Star Searchish vocal gesticulating even funnier. Is this a prank by Oprah and Cosby? Are they trying to prove that white folks will embrace any caucasized version of black music no matter how obviously bad it is?

TKG: No this is not the Hailey brother. So this tune started up and first thought was is this an amazingly mediocre R&B tune or is this a weird country tune where Leanne Rimes is trying to imitate some Black Gospel tune her momma loves. I'm not a big fan of slick Babyface ballads. And not a fan of the Mariah, Whitney big over the top affected Broadway style singing. But well they have the chops to pull those things off. You could have replaced Jojo's melismas with Keith Urban's yodel and this would have seemed less discount. Even more boring than "Far Away"

17. Carrie Underwood- Before He Cheats

TKG: This actually may be the best modern country tune we've heard thus far. Maybe it just sounds great next to the dullness of Nickelback and Jojo. Unlike Nickelback when Underwood sets up for a rockin' out part she actually rocks out. For angry girl country this isn't as good as The Dixie Chicks stuff, but there are enough fun Alana Myles parts for me to dig. Listening to this couldn't help but fantasize about Underwood and Danita Kane getting into a fight outside a bar. Don't fuck with Kane's car.

PAS: I really liked the three opening couplets. All three open with "Right Now" and she does a real nice job describing the other woman, pointing out her flaws and contrasting them with Underwood's strength. "He's probably buying her some fruity little drink, cause she can't shoot whisky" In contrast one can assume that Underwood can shoot whisky and thus is superior. That is why we applaud the destruction of his 4x4. I think without the opening establishment sections, she just comes off like a vandal. Good solid songwriting.

16. Ludacris- Money Maker

PAS: This is pretty great, Ludacris at his best is as good as anyone. This isn't Ludacris at his best, but it is solidly B+ Ludacris.A couple of places he does inter-verse rhymes, and multiple word rhymes, which are pretty nifty tricks. I loved the orchestral opening, and the backround organ. Grew Up a Screw Up which is the second single is such a better song, that this is hurt a bit, but this is a really great rap song.

TKG: Ludacris can rap this well in his sleep. This does really feel like a lazy Pharrell beat. And I think it holds the tune back. I thought the Shondrae/Kelis tune really didn't work either. I never thought it worked when Babyface produced Janet or when Jam and Lewis produced Whitney. This isn't a failure on the level of those collaborations, nor does it have the creepy wife swapping feel. Still it really feels like Pharrell is holding Luda back. In 2004 hip hop was all about Lil Jon doing this modernized Hank Shoklee really dense production, while the Neptunes were all about modernized Showbiz and A.G./Freddie Foxxx spare beats that emphasized open spaces. It's 2006 and Nitty and Rick Rock have mastered non-dense production. Really doesn't feel like Pharrell should be this lazy with fucking Luda. I mean Nitty wouldn't half ass it if given the chance to work with Luda.