Make yourself happy, then kill yourself

A week or so ago, I was lamenting the fact that there hadn't been any good albums released this year. If I was to choose an Album of the Year, it probably would've been Fall Out Boy's Infinity on High, by default. But now, I have two excellent candidates.

Mika's Life in Cartoon Motion is a glorious ball of fun, with some of the poppiest songs and energetic falsetto I've heard in a while. This actually came out a couple months ago but I just got around to obtaining it. I highly recommend three of the crazy happy tracks: Lollipop, Grace Kelly, and Big Girl (You are Beautiful), plus two of the slower ones: Any Other World and Happy Ending.

This album now goes on my list of happiest pop albums of all time, with:
D-D-Don't Don't Stop the Beat, Junior Senior
Middle of Nowhere, Hanson
In Case We Die, Architecture in Helsinki
She Like Electric, Smoosh

In stark contrast is the lyrically depressing but musically interesting Eat Me, Drink Me by Marilyn Manson. It's his most accessible album ever. One of the tracks is pure dance-rock. The others are still dark and creepy but the guitars are catchy. Heart-Shaped Glasses and Putting Holes in Happiness are stellar. I've always been a big fan of Manson, because I love anything that subverts the mainstream. Wait a second - *checks title of blog...* Well, it's true, although I enjoy the mainstream, I also enjoy anything that challenges the status quo. I was on the fence about attending his Manson's upcoming concert in Cleveland, but now I'm sold.


YouTube videos:
Mika, Lollipop (live)


Marilyn Manson, Heart Shaped Glasses (music video, short version)