alonewiththemoon | hello my friend hello my friend yes it's me

Picked up M.I.A.'s album Kala last night and am loving it. The first half is a little stronger than the second half but all in all it's a solid album. Christgau's review for Rolling Stone is pretty spot-on. I particularly agree with this perceptive observation: "The eclectic world-underclass dance amalgam M.I.A. has constructed is an art music whose concept recalls the Clash as much as anything else -- the aggression of the early Clash and the reach of the late (who she samples)." Anyway, it's an excellent follow up to Arular, and stands just fine on its own strengths. I think it was good for the album that her visa was denied when she wanted to come to the US to work with Timbaland, I think this is much more *her* work as a result. The track with Timbaland is really the only weak part of the album, his "hey baby girl you want me" stuff is just so out of place and contrary to her overall message of empowerment.

Also found a used copy of Nancy Ajram's Ah wa Noss for cheap. It's good to have for her hit singles, but I was a little surprised by how saccharine some of the other songs were, like 80s ballad saccharine. Oh well.