In a show of pure ineptitude, doctors from the UCLA psychiatric ward have decided to release Britney Spears into the wild, despite only four days of hospitalization, claiming that she is no longer in a state of harm to herself or others. The first thing she decided to do? Flock back to the Beverly Hills hotel (her old stomping grounds). While driving, she spoke in her usual manic British accent, flashed her pink underwear, and took pictures of the paparazzi. While inside the building, Adnan Ghalib soon joined her. The two quickly left en route to Britney’s lawyer’s office. Her parents are expected in court tomorrow to strengthen the role of the conservatorship.

If something doesn’t come out of the court case tomorrow, she will undoubtedly lead herself toward self-injury and/or death.

Good evening my lovely people! I hope everyone’s having a ravishing Super Tuesday! This is no political blog, but I hope everyone is taking the opportunity to watch the process unfold live on the television tonight. So while the delegates are counted and the winners are projected, I’m going to make my own projection: A “one to watch” for 2008, if you will.

If you close your eyes, you’ll know the voice. Or at least, you may think so. But it’s not Robyn. It’s Lykke Li, an emerging indie-pop artist from my favorite land of music, Sweden. Add a dash of Margaret Berger’s eclectic nature and subtract Robyn’s hip-hop swagger, and you’ve gotten something like Lykke Li plus a handful of quirk. Her voice is something straight from the 1960′s, as well as her swinging style, which already earns a special place in my heart. I’m quite digging her sound…simple and understated, yet richly textured.

She came onto the scene rather recently, due mainly to word-of-mouth via Myspace and blogs. Therefore, I am contributing to history. Her debut album Youth Novels was released on January 30th and produced by Peter Björn (creator of that whistle-y song that everyone knew over the summer, and you grew quite tired of but not quite because you still whistle it from time to time). I expect to listen to the entire album later tonight. Here’s a little tidbit to keep you intrigued…like a bare leg on the side of the highway. Well, a leg attached to an attractive woman. Otherwise that would be fairly horrifying to see just a bare leg sitting out alone on the side of the road. Here it is!

DL: Lykke Li – Little Bit

Additionally, I’m putting up one of the very first finished songs Lykke ever posted onto the web. She says it’s quite dear to her, and rightly so, as it’s just plain pretty.

DL: Lykke Li – Tonight
In the meantime, check out her live acoustic version of her song “I’m Good, I’m Gone,” featuring Robyn! There’s some strange bits at the beginning, but it builds perfectly. You can tell she doesn’t care for the megaphone’s feedback during the introduction. There are also moments in which I was positive that Robyn was secretly Amy Sedaris in disguise as a Swedish pop star. They look alike, I swear it!

I don’t consider myself to have any “guilty pleasures.” My loved ones have all come to the conclusion that such a barrier does not exist for one whose idols include Britney Spears, the Minogue sisters, and assorted Asian pop stars. One doesn’t appreciate the snarkiness, but one also understands the logic involved.

But if I had to choose an artist to be my “guilty pleasure,” it would undeniably be the one and only, Ashlee Simpson. Lip-synching, faux-punk rock, and unmerited cockiness are all the ingredients necessary for the creation of Ashlee’s persona…all this I already know. Yet there’s something about her music that is undeniably delicious. I mean, come on. “La La,” “L.O.V.E,” and now “Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)”? It’s hard not to secretly listen to them on a streaming website so that no one will ever know that you’ve heard it once or seventy four times. But me? Nope. I’m going to put myself out there and say that I went ahead and downloaded her “EP” of sorts, including the main single and B-Side, “Rule Breaker,” which I believe will be released with her new album. It’s an all-too sassy, knowing stomper about brawling and fighting, which of course the Orange County snot face would know nothing about. But at the same time, I just want to dance with her. And for the record, the track is incredibly Dragonette. I just compared Ashlee to a credible artist…forgive me. But it’s the truth.

Now go on and listen to the song. The download is anonymous, so don’t worry; this can be our little secret.

DL: Ashlee Simpson – Rule Breaker

Róisín Murphy! Just the person I need to shake off a case of the Mondays. That, and my accidental viewing of Heidi Montag’s “Higher” video, directed by what’s-his-face. …Someone’s got to put a magnetic strip on top of her breasts. I swear I’ve seen the nipples beaming intelligence reports to satellites above. Just look at the way they’re pointed, people! This is not just a bad boob job. It’s terrorism in progress. DO. SOMETHING.

ANYWAY. Back to Róisín, who’s name is apparently pronounced “ro-sheen.” Hmm. I’ve always thought it was “roy-sin.” I wonder who’s heard me say it like that. Oh dear. Credibility diminishing by the millisecond…

Murphy’s new single, “You Know Me Better” is due to be released March 31st, and is in sore need of attention. The track delivers a solid smack of synth applied directly to the face which, if felt directly, should result in some severe foot tapping and general shimmy-na-na’ing. A sassy finger wave or two may even be in order. If the longing chorus doesn’t get to you, the echoey aftermath will. The single should perform quite well overseas, and I am excited to hear the upcoming B-Sides and remixes. Heidi Montag, stop while everyone still knows your name.

DL : Róisín Murphy – You Know Me Better

Credit to I Don’t Want Your Life and ArjanWrites for images.

Let’s keep this one short and to the point, now shall we? Unlike her Korean albums, BoA’s past Japanese albums have a presence within my playlist for approximately three days. Unfortunately, This album is no exception. Her vocals are top notch, the production is ace, and the beats are certainly phat, if you will. But there’s something so agonizingly constructed about this type of music that immediately loses its appeal within a few plays. It’s formulaic, repetitive, and certainly unmemorable.

As far as the dance tracks are concerned, the major highlights include “AGGRESSIVE,” “Style,” and “Girl In The Mirror,” which is disappointingly not a cover of Britney’s ballad from the glory days of yesteryear (1998.) Don’t get me started with the ballads, which are all truly stereotypical, recycled material at their finest.

Don’t get me wrong; this album is far from flop. It’s better than MADE IN TWENTY (20), but I’m still not following. Maybe her heart is no longer into the music? It’s frustrating…I cannot put my finger on what’s wrong.

I initially wondered if I’m gradually breaking away from my J-Pop, but I don’t think that’s the answer (Case in point: Utada.) BoA and Ayumi are just disappointing me. Heavily. They’ve been fit into these specific song structures, and I cannot differentiate their music any longer. Go experimental, ladies…I know you can do it.

I’m posting two songs from her latest Japanese effort, THE FACE, and two random songs off of her latest Korean album, Girls On Top. J-/K-Pop enthusiasts and Non-J/Non-K-Pop-…too many hyphens, I’ve confused myself. Non-enthusiasts, listen to the tracks and tell me if you spot a difference in quality and/or groovability.

DL: BoA – AGGRESSIVE
DL: BoA – Girl In The Mirror

DL: BoA – Girls On Top
DL: BoA – Moto