the sound of music - or burn season, the band that will not leave me alone

So I'm back with my Issues in picking music. Which you know, means iTunes Genius and I bond. Genius follows a one percent rule for me--one percent of the music they rec I may eventually like. But I still have to listen to every song they rec, because it could be my One True Song and I don't want to miss it.

Yeah. I know.

However, there's a far more insidious thing that they do in the store--the Listeners Also Bought and the Genius Sidebar. That, my friends, is where I get screwed. Because following that along I end up in the circle of Hell that is Breaking Benjamin (I liked one song ftlog and now I can't get away), Shinedown, 32 Leaves, 10 Years, Evans Blue, Theory of a Deadman, and *shivers* Burn Season.

...to be fair, I have like, five Theory of a Deadman (Nickelback Lite) and three Shinedown, and I tried one from each of the others, except Burn Season. But that's not the point. The point is, all roads lead to Rome--they lead to Burn Season. For months. Goddamn Burn Season. Of which I liked nothing. And no matter how much American Idol, Britney Spears, or apparently, even Jesse McCartney cannot get me away from that album while link jumping, so honestly I'm really beginning to doubt myself.

Fast forward to today, where I found myself in the same cycle, then was surprised by the appearance of Hinter and One Less Reason. Everywhere. And no Burn Season!

Here is the thing--sometimes, I can be convinced I like something even if I'm lukewarm at first play. Okay, that's not working for Burn Season, but after like, fifty clicks and getting One Less Reason and Hinder like, every time, so I figured I was wrong about my own taste and started methodically listening to everything they did. Because it was cross-referencing with half of two of my active playlists. Obviously, I do not know myself as Genius does.

The life lesson I'm taking from this is twofold: 1.) I am the platonic idea of what corporate America is looking for in a customer, because if you just keep throwing the product in my face and tell me I like it, I'll believe you and 2.) Eventually, I am going to like Burn Season, and that makes me afraid.

Adding: I wish I had the patience to screencap. In a row--in a row--three reviews of three different bands mention how much they are like Burn Season as I click along Listeners Also Bought. Why? Why do they think I will like this?

*helpless* Maybe my initial loathing was mistaken? Two of them seem less horribly unpleasant than I remember.

ETA: Closer by Burn Season (youtube link) is suddenly far more listenable than I thought. Please see Life Lesson #2. This cannot end well.

eula lee and laura ling released from north korea

For the few people who haven't gotten a chance to see this:

On ONTD, pictures of the returning journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling at the reunion with their families, and video of the reunion and their statement.

Hands up--you are told you are going to a meeting, probably thinking you are about to find out what camp you will be living out teh next twelve years, and you see Bill fucking Clinton? I'm not sure I'd be verbal for a few months.

Yes, I cried three times looking at pictures, then again at the video. I have no shame.