Brant's April 2014 Playlist

Well, my Mayor has been arrested and my Governor probably isn't too far behind.  But I am determined not to let my personal governmental tragedy impair my ability to do good playlists - so here's April!  This one is heavy on the Rock Music (Classic and Alternative) but I still left some room for some 80s divas who have put out new material and some other booty-shakin' stuff.  Let's dig in!

To listen on Spotify, click HERE.  Image is DJ Black Rabbit by Jasinski.

1.  Waves (Sleeper Agent) - Upbeat alt-rock from Kentucky band!

2.  I See Stars (La Honda feat. Rumer) - Given the success of Rumer, it's no surprise that someone dug up her earlier recordings with a former band.  Her vocals are recognizable, and I'm digging the 1960s vibes.  Looking forward to hearing more from her!

3.  When You Were My Girl (Matt Cardle) - British X-Factor winner releases the follow-up to his hit "Loving You" (with Melanie C).  Personally I like this song better.  Spotify hasn't picked this one up yet, but you can see the video and hear the song on YouTube.  

4.  Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (Hunter Hayes) - As a general rule, I think covering Elton John is a risky proposition, because how could you improve on perfection?  For the 40th anniversary of the album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Hunter Hayes covers the title song.  Gotta say he nailed it.  Very true to the original, but the slightly Country vibe totally works here.  Great job!

5.  You Can't Make Old Friends (Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton) - Two Country legends pair up again and sound as great as ever!  Warm and comforting like hot cider.

6.  It's Only Love (Heather Nova) - Another Buffy song!  Whoever was choosing the music for "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" did a great job.  I've enjoyed reliving that era of music while catching the show on Netflix.  This is from Heather's 2001 album South.

7.  Cardiac Arrest (Bad Suns) - Groovy alt-rock from Southern California band.

8.  Nasty Thang (Sheila E and MC Lyte) - What the what?!?!  Two great 80s ladies pair up for some funky R&B.

9.  Himalayan (Band of Skulls) - I'm not gonna lie - I get Band of Skulls and Band of Horses mixed up sometimes.  This is the British skull band, not the American horse band, serving up some pulsating psychedelic rock.

10.  Me and My Broken Heart (Rixton) - Manchester, UK band sounds a little reggae, a lot like Maroon 5.

11.  Alison (Damon Fowler) - Bluesman that Crystal turned me on to is back and this is his cover of the Elvis Costello ballad!  He also does a great version of "Tightrope", which I featured on my January 2012 playlist.

12.  Good Suit and Tie Time /White Panda Mashup/ (Justin Timberlake vs. Chic) - I posted this on Facebook and NOBODY liked it!!!  So what?  It still makes me shake my groove thang.  Listen and download for free on Soundcloud HERE.

13.  Pass It On (Daley) - More goodness from Manchester!  This guy has to be channeling (dare I say it?) Michael Jackson.  Slick R&B from across the pond.

14.  Supernova (Ray LaMontagne) - I never paid much attention to this guy til Jill started putting him on some of her playlists.  This is his latest - kind of reminds me of George Harrison or some other happy 1960s dude!

15.  Blue Collar Jane (the Strypes) - Totally rad Irish lads with some garage rock that would make the guys from Jet ("Are You Gonna Be My Girl") smile!

16.  California/Cast Iron Soul (Jamestown Revival) - So these guys are from Texas, the EP is called Utah, and the song is called "California"!  No matter what state - it is Southern Rock at its finest!

17.  Stay with Me (Sam Smith) - I kept hearing about this guy on music blogs, etc, so decided to check him out.  British white guys do seem to do Soul Music pretty well!  Curious to hear the whole album once it's released.

18.  Nightlife /Moto Blanco Club Mix/ (Jody Watley) - Another unexpected comeback for an 80s diva!  Jody's voice sounds as strong as ever, and she's still ready to hit the dance floor.  The Moto Blanco team takes this dance tune to the next level with their excellent remix.

So that's April!  Hope everyone has a great Easter and I'll see you in May!

Put The Shame Where It Belongs

The more I read about Kim Novak, the more ashamed I am of myself for making fun of her at her recent Academy Awards appearance.  At the time, it seemed hugely ironic that someone presenting the award for Best Animated Feature Film had a face that was decidedly not animated due to Botox and I assumed other "cosmetic" procedures.  I did not know that she was an 81 year old breast cancer survivor who had also struggled with a bipolar disorder.

I usually take celebrities as "fair game" to mock, because ultimately they are the ones who have chosen to place themselves squarely in the public eye.  Lately it occurs to me though, that there is another party involved that thus far has stayed out of the line of fire - the plastic surgeons.

As a former health care provider - I can tell you one of the tenets of our profession is to "do no harm".  A health care provider is charged with taking care of his or her patients, sometimes against their wills.  I had many patients who came to me asking for tooth bleaching, crowns and veneers that ultimately were not in their best interest.  Many were opting to ignore gum disease or other issues in order to afford the cosmetic work they wanted.  Others had completely unrealistic ideas of what dentistry could achieve or how they should appear.  It was my job as a dentist to manage expectations, and educate patients about what was truly the best treatment plan for their situation.

I won't tell you I was universally successful in that endeavor.  I had patients leave my practice because I would not do the treatment THEY prescribed for themselves.  I heard the threat, "Well if you won't do it I'll find someone who will!"  I ultimately decided I was fine with that.  Let someone else worry about the deleterious effects they are ultimately having on their patient's health.  Or perhaps they didn't care and were just in it for the money.  Either way - it wasn't my problem any more.  I presented a treatment plan to a patient that I honestly felt was best for them, and did my best to explain my reasons to the patient.

At some point prior to the Academy Awards, Kim Novak saw a plastic surgeon (or multiple surgeons).  This surgeon listened to her and agreed to operate on her.  I am not a plastic surgeon and can't tell you at what point she should have stopped, but the plastic surgeon certainly could have.  At some point, her surgeon should have said, "You have had enough surgery.  If we keep going you will not look natural.  You are a beautiful woman at any age and I think we should feel good about where you are.  If you choose to go elsewhere, that is your decision but I won't perform any further work on you because it is not in your best interest."

If we are going to shame women (and some men) for overdoing it with the cosmetic surgery, shouldn't the doctors who performed this work ALSO shoulder some of the humiliation?  From what I'm reading online, reputable plastic surgeons (and there are many, many competent surgeons out there.  I certainly don't want to universally bash plastic surgeons!) agree that Kim Novak had "too much done".  It is a doctor's job to manage their patients - ESPECIALLY if that patient has a history of mental illness.  Clearly the ball was dropped in this case.

I'm certain it won't be long before another celebrity is called out for looking like "the Catwoman" or a freak.  But isn't shaming the celebrity "blaming the victim" in a way?  I submit that perhaps we should also shame the surgeon.  A patient just knows they want to look "younger".  A doctor is supposed to know better.