My Top 5 Albums of 2010

1. ALMOST ALICE - VARIOUS ARTISTS

Almost Alice is a collection of various artists' music inspired by Tim Burton's film, Alice in Wonderland. The album was released on March 2, 2010. It debuted at #5 on the Billboard 200 US albums chart.

Standout tracks: "Alice", "Her Name Is Alice", "Painting Flowers", "Tea Party", "Topsy Turvy"

2. TEENAGE DREAM - KATY PERRY

Teenage Dream is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Katy Perry. It was released in the United States on August 24, 2010. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 192,000 copies in its first week. Teenage Dream has spawned three singles which attained chart success - lead single "California Gurls" featuring Snoop Dogg, "Teenage Dream" and "Firework" - all of which have peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100.

Standout tracks: "Teenage Dream", "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", "Firework", "The One That Got Away",  "E.T.", "Hummingbird Heartbeat"

3. SPEAK NOW - TAYLOR SWIFT

Speak Now is the third studio album by American country pop recording artist Taylor Swift. It was released on October 25, 2010 by Big Machine Records. Upon its release, Speak Now received positive reviews from music critics and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling approximately 1,047,000 units in its first week. All fourteen songs from the standard edition of the album have charted on the Billboard Hot 100, with the lead single "Mine" having the highest peak of number three.

Standout tracks: "Back To December", "Dear John", "Enchanted", "Innocent", "Last Kiss", "Long Live", "If This Was a Movie"

4. THE SELLOUT - MACY GRAY

The Sellout is the fifth studio album by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Macy Gray, released on June 22, 2010 in the United States. The album debut at number #38 on the Billboard 200 Albums, selling 11,000 copies.

Standout tracks: "The Sellout", "Kissed It", "Still Hurts", "Let You Win", "On & On"

5. A THOUSAND SUNS - LINKIN PARK

A Thousand Suns is the fourth studio album by American rock band Linkin Park. It was first released on September 8, 2010. A Thousand Suns is a concept album dealing with nuclear warfare and themes of war in general. The album's title comes from the Hindu Sanskrit scripture, the Bhagavad Gita: "If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one," a quote made famous by J. Robert Oppenheimer in reference to the atomic bomb. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 241,000 copies. In the second week, the album slid to number three with 70,000 copies, and two months into its release, in December 2010, it had already passed a half million in sales.

Standout tracks: "Burning In the Sky", "Robot Boy", "Waiting For the End", "The Catalyst"

♥Kimokeo

Emily Osment - "Fight or Flight"

Fight or Flight is the debut full-length album by American pop singer-songwriter Emily Osment, who you may know from her roles in Hannah Montana and the Spy Kids film series. The album features production from Toby Gad, Nellee Hooper, and Mandi Perkins, and focuses on alternative and electronic sounds and is laced with flashy dance-pop tracks and repetitive hooks.

I actually was not going to give this album a listen. My brother had had it, and played me "Marisol", the obvious standout track of the record, and I was very impressed by the beauty of the song and had to give the rest of the album a listen. The LP is very dance-able, energetic, and cleverly written. It has only two "ballads", which is sad because they are the high points of the record and leaves me to believe that down-tempo songs are her strong point.

"Let's Be Friends" is the albums lead single, released June 8th, and is a upbeat pop song that contains a strong use of drums and electric guitars, and lyrically boasting such risqué lyrics as "Let's be friends so we can make out," hinting at possibly friends with benefits relationships. One of my favorite songs off the album, "Truth or Dare", is the most dance ready track of the album, and makes my bottom naughty in a way that I never thought little Emily could make it!

The record is definitely worth giving a listen, and is proof that the Disney stars are stepping up their cookies and giving you what you need!

"I hope you are ready to dance because I am ready to make you."

--Emily Osment

♥Kimokeo

Rihanna - "Only Girl (In the World)" Music Video

Today Rihanna released the video to the first single of her comeback album after her controversial effort Rated R. "Only Girl (In the World)" is a up-tempo dominant dance-pop song that incorporates elements of Eurodance-pop and makes me want to shake my naughty bottom all over the place (but not as much as the David Guetta assisted "Who's That Chick" lol). The track has reached number one in six countries and has made it's way into the top ten in seven other countries as it dominates the sound waves with its sexy lyrics and powerful chorus.

I'd be lying if I did not say that this video is NOTHING like I would have expected it to be, but it's still really cute. I love the bold colors and the landscape. My favorite part is the scene with the fireworks! This video is really just visually pleasing and centers on her beauty. It's different, but in a good way and I like that. I would have liked to see a little dancing, but the video is still satisfying without needing to ask for more.

♥Kimokeo

Free In Your Faith

Religion has always been a topic of interest upon beings who need an explanation for the unexplained chaos that is life. Many have fought and died for their religion and their right to their religion, many have used propaganda and the means of violence and enslavement to cox others into believing their religion, and in the smoking fires of this deadening land below the graying skies, in the silence of a moonless night, many have given up on their religion, their faith, and their right to believe.

And now... I bring myself before electric eyes and state today that I am not a Christian. I am not a Jew. I am not a Hindu monk. I'm not even Atheist or Agnostic. I have taken it upon myself not to reside within and recognize only one religion because in doing so I am to believe it is the right religion, and I cannot believe that only one of these many religions are right. I feel that for most of them, they are all merely different interpretations of one central idea or belief that there is something, somehow, somewhere putting the pieces together of the grand puzzle that is life. We simply feel the need to find our link that pulls us into place.

We all want purpose and belonging. We all seek our refuge from the pains of the day from some higher power in hopes that some day we will be free from whatever it is that oppresses us, yet we oppress ourselves and others by forcing our believes upon one another. We are not satisfied in simply believing in what we believe; everyone else must believe what we believe until someone else enslaves us with his/her faith system.

Do not let the churches and the mosques and the temples fool you, they do not care about your faith. They are simply buildings, merely brick, cement, and stone.  Your faith is in your heart. Your faith is between you and your god, whoever that god may be, and no book or tongue can tell you that, neither can either take it away from you.

Be free in your faith because if you are confined to it.... What does it really mean to you?

♥Kimokeo

Miley Cyrus - "Who Owns My Heart" Music Video

Miley Cyrus will be releasing her second international single from her latest effort, Can't Be Tamed, on November 5th. The video premiered in Japan on September 29th via the Avexnetwork. Although Miley looks stunning in her skimpy ensembles and lace panties, the video lacks creativity, plot, or substance. I felt that beyond the video's cuteness there was still something left to be desired.

♥Kimokeo

P!nk - "Raise Your Glass"

Yesterday, P!nk released "Raise Your Glass", the first single from her greatest hits compilation album Greatest Hits... So Far!!!, on her official website. (Everyone should so hit that up!) This is so on repeat right now as I type this post! It is such a party song and is fun and energetic and has me shaking my naughty bottom everywhere!

♥Kimokeo

DADT: Who's Asking You To Tell?

I had been meaning to post about this topic in particular days ago, but I have been procrastinating. Yet after viewing Lady Gaga’s appeal on YouTube and reading some of the most ignorant comments, I was forced to take to my keyboard and write what I felt needed to be said.

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was introduced in 1993 as a compromise measure, as a promise to allow all citizens to serve in the military, but in my opinion it is a false promise. DADT is promising, “Yes, any citizen of America can serve in the military, as long as that citizen appears to be heterosexual.” which is also saying, “If you are not heterosexual or if you do not appear to be heterosexual, you may not serve in the military.” OR “If we, the government, become aware of your homosexuality you may no longer serve in the military no matter your rank, no matter your service, no matter your right to do so as an American citizen.”

These homosexuals who serve their country with pride and humility, I believe, do not wish to be view as homosexuals at war but as soldiers, servants of their country because it is their born right to do so with the same gratification as any heterosexual soldier. It becomes a problem and most certainly a concern, if a soldier who has served his or her country faithfully for twenty years is discharged because of a shear moment of honesty, but does one truth make all the other truths false. Does the truth of homosexual overshadow the other truths that have lead a soldier to the ranking position he or she were in before being discharge for homosexuality. Men and women grow up from boys and girls, sons and daughters of fellow American citizens, with dreams to serve their country. They have practiced and trained and meditated and prayed for the day to wear that hallowed uniform only for it to be snatched away from them because of their sexuality, a truth they did not ask for, did not pray for, did not train and work many seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years for.

It is apparent that America’s priories are misplaced and directed into the wrong brackets of society.

If you have not taken a moment to view Lady Gaga’s appeal I ask you to do so, and open your mind and your heart to what it truly means to be an American. It is not our job to force people to believe the beliefs that we believe, but it is our job be sure that they are aware and that we get our point across.

♥Kimokeo