In the News: Strokes Stream Angles + Who the **** is Rebecca Black?

Angles won't be hitting stores until next week, but NYC garage rockers The Strokes, have offered us a full stream of the album on their official site. I finally got through a full listen of the record and I can say I'm pretty pleased. With a more mature take on their debut Is This It, they manage to combine a lot of their classic sound with some fancier production work, spacier synth and the like. I'm diggin' “Taken For A Fool” and “Life Is Simple in the Moonlight” the most so far. Can't wait to actually have it in my hands next Tuesday! 'Til then, have a listen here.

Teen YouTube sensation, Rebecca Black, had her viral hit “Friday” released on iTunes on Tuesday. It sat as Number 69 out of 200 on its first day. Can someone please explain this to me? The monotone, auto-tuned track comprises some of the worst lyrics I've ever heard: “Fun fun fun fun. Looking forward to the weekend” and “Today it is Friday, we, we, we so excited.” On one hand I think people are probably purchasing the track as a novelty gag to mock her incredibly horrible video, which you can watch here. Yet, on the other hand, younger crowds buy into pop-teenies like Justin Bieber, what is stopping them from thinking there's some talent in this (I'm not hating on Bieber, just sayin'). Then on the other, other hand (yeah...) it is the iTunes chart; the top 10 is often heavily loaded with Glee covers. What has me the most annoyed is that someone who doesn't seem to have any musicality at all is sharing spots on the chart with worthy artists such as Florence & the Machine, The Black Keys, Kanye West, Adele, Lady Gaga and Mumford & Sons. Yes, there are quite a few songs on the chart that aren't of the greatest caliber, I know. I just don't find it fair that during a time when music sales are intensely diving, some teenager who I'm assuming coaxed her wealthy parents into making her singing dreams a reality, should have the slightest bit of fame and reap in the rewards so many talented artists rarely see. Maybe I'm being a tad harsh, but I'm confused. If people legitimately think this is a good song, I have completely lost faith in society.