Playlist

The last year of the decade has proven to be an interesting one. Lady Gaga's been all over the place, the late Michael Jackson took over the Billboard charts posthumously and country singer Taylor Swift is the top-selling artist.

That said it should be an interesting American Music Awards show Sunday night, so we'll be live-blogging it right here. The AMAs tend to be packed with performances, and this year's lineup includes: The Black Eyed Peas, Mary J. Blige, Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Eminem, Green Day, Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Gaga, Adam Lambert, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Shakira, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Janet Jackson will open the show.

Join Mario Tarradell, Samantha Urban and myself at 7 p.m. Sunday as we discuss all the action.

CBS News reports that Miley Cyrus' tour bus has been involved in a fatal crash - but the singer was not on board the bus at the time.

Virginia State Police said 10 people were on the bus when it went off the road and overturned. Cyrus was not on board and is not at the scene of the accident.

One person died, and another sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash.

The bus was heading to Greensboro, North Carolina where Cyrus is scheduled to perform on Sunday.

Tyme Machines, makers of licensed USB drives, has released a Cullen Crest USB thumb drive. The drive has a memory capacity ranging from 4GB to 16GB and is pre-loaded with the entire official New Moon soundtrack for easy plug and play. The drive is available on tymemachines.com for $29.99 - $59.99.

Talk about a cool piece of merchandise, especially if you're into the Twilight films, for which the crest was designed. (Right? I don't remember the mention of a crest in the books...)

Moreover, the soundtrack (featuring Death Cab for Cutie, Thom Yorke, The Killers and Muse) is one of the best albums of the year - that's right, I said it - and it would pretty awesome to get it AND a spare USB drive to take around. Consider this added to my Christmas list.

As if you need another iPhone application, right? But here's Wine DJ, the new iPhone app that combines music and vino. Read on:

Hope Family Wines, a family-run wine producer with over 30 years of grape growing experience in Paso Robles, Calif., is inviting consumers to drink to a new beat. Winemaker and President Austin Hope announced the launch of Wine DJ, the Liberty School iPhone application created to build a playlist of "Music to Match Your Spirits" based on mood, setting and which Liberty School wine is being consumed. The app is available for download free via Apple's app store and on Apple's iTunes.

Upon launching the app, users are prompted to choose a Liberty School wine and are then presented with a series of sliders to adjust variables that correspond with their situation. Users will choose from settings such as "Candle Light/Strobe Light" and "Flying Solo/Entourage" and the app will stream a custom-made playlist. With music sourced from GrooveShark.com, the potential for unique playlists are immense. The app comes bundled with extensive information on Liberty School including tasting notes (both "what the people say" and "what the experts say") and a map feature that shows the nearest retailers who carry the wine.

"The Wine DJ app offers something original, fun and valuable to our customers," says Hope. "Who hasn't wondered what wine to open on a date, or what music to play at a dinner party? The Wine DJ app facilitates any music and wine scenario, and will hopefully attract new wine drinkers to discover the Hope Family brands in the process," he adds.

Photo: The Wine DJ app (Courtesy of Jarvis Communications).

Bon Jovi's The Circle was number one on the Billboard 200 with 163,000 copies sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan. (More analysis at EW.com.)

Among the other new releases from Nov. 10, Flyleaf debuted at number eight, Switchfoot's Hello Hurricane was at 13 with 39,000 copies sold, and Dashboard Confessional took 19 with 30,000 copies sold of their new album.

How will this week's new releases rank? Tuesday saw the release of new albums from John Mayer, Norah Jones, Kris Allen and others.

EW.com is reporting that Amy Winehouse has been hospitalized again.

The singer checked in to the London Clinic on Sunday after some over-the-counter cold remedy adversely reacted to some other medication in her system.

Hoodie-wearers of all ages gathered at the Dallas House of Blues Tuesday night to hear alternative rock group Switchfoot.

Although the group is best known for singles from their 2003 album The Beautiful Letdown, Switchfoot opened the show by playing every song from their most recent album, Hello Hurricane, which was released last week. (Of these songs, "Hello Hurricane" was undoubtedly the most fun to hear.)

Frontman Jon Foreman noted the unusual nature of using their most recent album as an opening act of sorts and thanked the audience for putting up with it. He observed that it must not have been terrible for everyone, because many fans towards the front already knew the words to each song, despite the album's recent release.

Performing under plastic seagulls hanging from the ceiling, the group hit their stride when they began to play their hits such as "Meant to Live." The high point came when Switchfoot performed "Only Hope" (which Foreman said hadn't been played in Dallas before) followed by "Dare You to Move." (Fans of A Walk to Remember: Rejoice!)

The audience was made up of a small group of casual fans hoping to hear radio hits, but mostly die-hard fans who sang along, waved their hands and took pictures with their phones during each number. But by the time Switchfoot came out for an encore, everyone in the venue had been charmed by the band's unassuming charm and passion for their tunes.

Since "Just Dance" was nominated for Best Dance Recording last year at the Grammys, Lady Gaga is ineligible for the Best New Artist award this year, despite being quite the breakout hit-maker in 2009.

So who else should win? I'd like to see Owl City, Drake or Band of Skulls nominated. What about you?

EW.com is reporting that MTV Networks has acquired the exclusive U.S. TV rights to Michael Jackson's posthumous concert film This Is It. It will be available for broadcast starting in 2011 in a six-year deal that will allow for airing on all MTV networks, including MTV, VH1, and BET. The film will hit DVD in early 2010.

Are you excited about seeing This Is It every few weeks on VH1 or would you have preferred the movie rights have gone to a major network?

When I go see a group called Celtic Thunder, I can't help expecting something ... well, a little more Celtic. Alas, the Celtic Thunder show at Nokia on Monday night was a mismatched, disconcerting musical hodgepodge of everything from the Police ("Every Breath You Take") to 1960s pop ("Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen") to Don McLean ("Castles in the Air") to opera-esqe balladry ("Remember Me") ... and oh, yes, a little bit of Celtic rhythm thrown in for good measure. All told, perhaps a third of the two-hour show brought the pipes and drums and Irish-Scottish heat: "Ireland," "Caledonia," "Raggle Taggle Gypsy," "The Homes of Donegal" and "Yesterday's Men" were all splendid.

If only the quintet and their fabulous backup band had stuck to those types of songs and steered away from all the covers, which were mostly carbon copies of the originals with nothing inventive in the arrangements. The all-over-the-place musical variety was a little too Lawrence Welk Show for me (including the hilariously bad choreography -- seems like each singer was given his very own, trademark dramatic gesture, to be used at least 10 times in every song) -- all it needed was some bubbles and a few polka chords, and we'd have been good to go. Still, these boys have their ardent fans; the atmosphere at Nokia evoked a Jonas Brothers concert attended mostly by middle-aged women and their moms. And to paraphrase Fried Green Tomatoes, we have more money and we can buy better tickets and concert tchochkes.

For our full review, visit here on Tuesday afternoon.

PHOTO: Decca Records

By MANUEL MENDOZA
Special Contributor

It may sound counterintuitive, but have you noticed how the mellowest music can be made when there are a whole bunch of musicians onstage, and the most intense when it's just one or two?

That's what the Swell Season was like Saturday night at the Palladium. The show really took off during Glen Hansard's hard-rocking solo performance in the middle of the set - one passionate guy, one beat-up acoustic guitar.

After 17 years with the Frames, who remain his backing band, the Irish troubadour became an overnight sensation when he and his songs starred in the hit indie film Once. Hansard and co-star Marketa Irglova won the Oscar for "Falling Slowly" and have continued to work together as the Swell Season ever since.

(Photo of the Swell Season by Conor Masterson)

Shakira's new video for "Give It Up to Me" with Lil Wayne and Timbaland premiered online at 2 p.m., and these were my immediate thoughts:

Love Shakira, but
this apes Nelly Furtado's
"Promiscuous Girl."

Seriously, is this Timbaland's fault or someone else's? Still, can't be mad at Weezy for his part, or for Shakira for stepping and having back up dancers for the first time. But it's not better than her last video, "Did it Again," with its bedroom acrobatics. Watch that one after the jump, and try sharing your thoughts in haiku form.

The Associated Press is reporting that the renowned Grand Ole Opry in Nashville will stream live video for the first time Saturday... on MySpace.

Um, really? Who still goes to MySpace regularly? I haven't logged on to the site in a good minute, and will likely soon delete my profile. I don't think I'm the only one that thinks the joint is dying, but they're also set to live stream video from the red carpet at the Twilight: New Moon premiere. At least they know their audience is mostly middle schoolers.

That aside, it's still exciting news. Opry performances between 8 and 9 p.m. will be shown, including appearances by Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Rodney Atkins, Jake Owen and others. The Opry continues to be broadcast on the radio, at 650 WSM-AM and now Sirius XM satellite radio, as well as on cable TV and at opry.com.

But wouldn't Facebook have been a better platform. Or even YouTube, which some dub "the new MTV" and is where U2 streamed their Rose Bowl concert last month. Thoughts?

PHOTO: Carrie Underwood performs at this week's CMA awards in Nashville. (Mark Humphery/AP)

Regina Spektor has some loyal fans in Dallas and they were out in force tonight at Nokia Grand Prairie. Gaggles of young girls in skinny jeans, patterned leggings, tiny dresses, and printed scarves loitered at the merch table before the show started while misfit theater kids in vintage blue suede blazers and a plethora of black hung out just outside the auditorium doors. Hip, young couples and pretty coeds rounded out the scene.

Jupiter One opened for Spektor and seemed to have many fans of their own in the crowd. Not surprising considering their edgy sound and modern lyrics that partnered nicely with Spektor's own off the beaten path style.

Dressed in a knee length black and white tuxedo style dress, Spektor finally took the stage just after 9:00pm sitting at her grand piano with a drummer, violinist, and cellist behind her and opening with Calculation. The crowd filling the auditorium recognized the tune from the very first note as they seemed to do with every piece Spektor sang during the show. The songs Eet, Folding Chair, Ode to Divorce, and Machine followed and fans sang every word, every note, much to Spektor's delight.

And when the crowd cheers in the middle of a song and she smiles shyly and bows her head, you can imagine a young Spektor at the piano as a child imagining this very day.

She's one of those singer songwriter musicians who considers her voice an instrument to be used not just in the most obvious of ways but in a multitude of inventive ways, injecting a sense of surprise in all of the songs she sang tonight.

In fact, it can be hard to differentiate her voice from the string instruments behind her. It was so nice to be at a show where the performer sounds like she does on the CD for one simple reason - there's nothing manufactured about Spektor and it's a pleasure to listen to.

Spektor gets tongue tied on some of her own lyrics and giggles when she does, her trademark red lipstick framing her smile as she goes on to play Blue Lips, Anthem to the 80's (at the synthesizer), Bobbing for Apples (with her aqua guitar), and That Time. She also sang a really interesting piece acapella about, who would have guessed, eye color.

Between the layered, flouncy skirt of her dress, the black cardigan, cropped leggings, and simple flats, you can also imagine Spektor not in a huge theater, but instead in her living room, sharing her music with friends, especially when she sings, Apres Moi alone on stage seated on the padded bench at the grand piano.

The clarity, strength, and richness of her voice is truly impressive and downright refreshing really in this time of bubble gum pop, label created stars, and engineered voices.

At one point in the show, a stagehand brings out a single wooden chair and a drumstick. Spektor "plays" the chair like she was seated at the drums, though she continues to play the piano, tap her foot, and sing as well. Suddenly she is the strangest sort of one man band. Spektor goes on to sing Human of the Year, bathed in the glow of a single spotlight and Man of a Thousand Faces.

When Spektor then bows and leaves the stage, thanking the fans again and again, the entire audience is instantly on their feet awaiting her surely inevitable return. And just when you think the crowd can't get any louder, she sits back at the piano and they go even crazier. She plays Sampson and light emanates from Spekter literally and figuratively. "I loved you first," she sings and the violinist and cellist return to the stage. She hardly has a chance to play a note before the crowd is screaming.

She then plays Us (blue light flooding the stage), as well as Fidelity, and Hotel Song before she closed with what she calls her "country song." "I am in the middle of the country," she says. "I'll give it a try." Tonight at Nokia, she did more then give it a try, she gave one heck of a show.

If you go to see Son Volt for the first time, you will notice that singer and band leader Jay Farrar doesn't engage the audience very much. He doesn't have to -- he and his band let the music do the talking, and their fans don't seem to mind.

Son Volt played Granada Theater on Thursday night, performing tracks such as Dynamite, Down to the wire, Roll on and Cocaine and Ashes from its most recent album, American Central Dust.

Going to Son Volt tonight at the Granada? Here's a little something to get you in the mood: a video clip of the band performing Afterglow 61 on the Letterman show. Enjoy.

I'll be Tweeting tonight from the show so be sure to follow me at:

twitter.com/guidelive_goes

And, after the show, check back here for my blog review!

Taylor Swift undoubtedly had the most hype going into this year's CMA awards after Kanye-gate and her turn hosting Saturday Night Live over the weekend. She was the first female act nominated for the top prize, Entertainer of the Year, since Faith Hill in 2000.

Well if Swift's weekend was great, her CMA night was unforgettable. We live blogged the red carpet and award show. Relive it and or skim for the highlights so you'll know what to talk about at the watercooler.

Here's some of the noteworthy craziness awesomeness seen in Lady Gaga's new video for "Bad Romance": Sunglasses made out of razor blades. Metal gauze on her fingertips. Pods reminiscent of True Blood. Polar bear robes. Sparking bras. And, of course, product placement.

OK, one, I'm still a bit bummed Gaga's Monster Ball tour isn't coming anywhere near here. Second, the premiere of her much ballyhooed "Video Phone" collaboration with Beyoncé last Thursday evening was apparently postponed - you've got to love when there's a countdown to a video and then no video. But I already loved the new single, even more so after the singer connected the Alfred Hitchcock references in the lyrics to MTV's Alexa Chung (did you catch 'em?), so Gaga's making it up to me.

I also see allusions to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Liam Neeson's Taken, which goes with the rundown of the video's plot the singer gave MTV. See anything else in the clip?

You know it's going to be a party when the D-O-double G comes to town, especially if he has Method Man and Redman in tow (how high, indeed). Evidence of that was plenty at House of Blues on Sunday night.

1. Almost a dozen dancers from XTC Cabaret ("What people don't understand is it's just a party.") helped to get the party started on the boardwalk of the Music Hall.
2. The bartenders were hopping even more than usual.
3. I saw more than one drink thrown at the crowd (and spilled) and no one seemed to mind.
4. That couple -- yeah, you know who you are -- would rock out, then kiss, then rock out, then, well, you get the picture.
5. Girls wore T-shirts, ironically of course, proclaiming "I'm in Love with a Gangsta" and "Thugs Need Love, Too."

I rest my case.

Snoop didn't hit the stage until 11:39 p.m., but the crowd was ready and had even grown, jumping to their feet as soon as they saw him. And that was just on a video screen with Snoop put in various movies, from The Godfather to The Blues Brothers in what turned out to be an add for yoostar.com and Snoop's soon-to-be-released album, Malice in Wonderland.

(Photo of Snoop Dogg in July 2008 at Superpages.com Center taken by Vernon Bryant)