Many of you will have heard me talk about my best friend Ben on the odd occasion on this here website. In recent months, every Friday night Ben joins me as a guest on my weekly radio program. In his guest spot, Ben compiles together a list of usually little-known facts about some of your favourite pop stars and cinematic celebrities. In a move that pleases me to no end, Ben has now opened up his very own blog to showcase these lists, which are of legendary status.

* LIST 1 * Janet Jackson: “Janet’s next tour will be a series of lectures about the joys of having your period.”

* LIST 2 * Alison Goldfrapp: “Ms. Goldfrapp once slapped a fan who said they loved her in the movie Cocoon.”

* LIST 3 * Robyn: “Right now, Robyn is thinking about how much more mileage she can get from her last album.”

Add this website to your bookmarks kiddies; the list entitled “Confessions of Madonna’s Cooch” is an absolute hoot and surely on its way…

As the Summer (or winter, depending on where you are geographically) season draws to a close, we inch closer and closer into the third month of 2008; it’s already going by so quickly.  It feels like just yesterday I was seeing in the New Year when in actual fact it was 55 days ago… oi vey!

I haven’t really popped up any sort of list containing the songs that have, thus far in, tickled my musical fancy, so I thought now was as good a time as ever.  In chart form, here are the 10 best songs 2008 - whether they be singles or album tracks - has brought us so far.

01.       Van She - Strangers
02.       Van She - Changes
03.       Axle Whitehead - I Don’t Do Surprises
04.       Róisín Murphy - You Know Me Better
05.       Pigeon Detectives - I’m Not Sorry
06.       Cut Copy - Lights & Music
07.       Ashlee Simpson - Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)
08.       Sam Sparro - Black & Gold
09.       Goldfrapp - Caravan Girl
10.       Duffy - Rockferry 

I cannot wait for people to hear Van She’s “Strangers” because it is so sublime.  The synths during the chorus are magnetic and fierce.  “Changes” is just as ace and is also single material (and now that I’ve realised how similar the words “strangers” and “changes” sound when said over the phone, I’m back to being unsure as to which of the two songs are going to be the NEXT Van She single. Boo!) - sounded exxxxcellent live on the weekend and the boys told me it was their favourite track from the new record.

Axle’s debut “I Don’t Do Surprises” still impresses me, as does the man himself.  I spoke to him on Friday afternoon and the interview will be online later this week; went really well and he was incredibly charming.  Miss Murphy’s “You Know Me Better” somehow manages to become a stronger song the more I listen to it; and I already loved it immensely.  I’m aware that the Pigeon Detectives song in my list was released in 2006 and then again last year, but I’ve only just discovered the guys in the last 2 months and that song is so brilliant, I just couldn’t leave it off.

Cut Copy’s new single is a delicious taste of what’s to come from their hotly anticipated sophomore album, and Ashlee Simpson’s bonkers “Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)” sounds like a stripped down homage to Madonna’s “Burning Up.”  I love it!  Both Sam Sparro’s “Black & Gold” and Duffy’s “Rockferry” were introduced to me by the lovely xolondon, who has just written a stellar review of the new Goldfrapp album, which the track “Caravan Girl” comes from.

Anyway, what are your favourite tracks of the year so far?

Here are numbers 11 - 20…

11.       Goldfrapp - A&E
12.       Van She - Talkin’
13.       Girls Aloud - Can’t Speak French (Jeremy Wheatley Radio Edit)
14.       Kylie Minogue - Carried Away
15.       Courtney Love - Never Go Hungry Again
16.       Duffy - Mercy
17.       Courtney Love - Happy Ending Story
18.       Lykke Li - Little Bit
19.       Utah Saints - Something Good ‘08 (Van She Radio Edit)
20.       Rihanna & Klaxons - Umbrella (Live @ The BRIT Awards)

I have no intention of reviewing the stunning new Goldfrapp album, Seventh Tree, before the dawn of 2008. But when I do review this Long Player next year, don’t be surprised if I tell you it’s their best album; I have done some serious bonding with this record over the last week, to the point I’ve decided were I to have a spirit animal, it would be an oversized Owl, hugging Alison Goldfrapp on a crisp winters day. I will share this with you though; Clowns, A&E and Caravan Girl are three of the greatest Goldfrapp songs of all time. In fact, could the latter be their actual best? Maybe…

Defamer Australia have quite the Australian Idol finale wrap-up online. I have video footage to upload to YouTube soon of Divinyls‘ first ever performance for an audience in over 10 years at this event, which I’ll share with you all soon. You can imagine my shrieks of horror and disbelief when, right before the climactic end to their hit Boys In Town, the live satellite footage cut out. In place of the amazing Ms. Chrissy Amphlett, I got a green - then black - fucking screen. I wanted to end my life. How could they do this to me on their first performance in so long? Just when the thought of carbon monoxide poisoning began to cross my mind, they - thankfully - got Chrissy & co. to sing the song again. Highlights? Chrissy asking Andrew G who he was, Andrew G announcing his actual surname to Chrissy on live television when asked (my respect for this man has tripled because of this, and the fact he quite obviously loves her as much as I do made him a whole lot more attractive to me too,) Chrissy endearingly parading about for the crowd - whilst holding onto Andrew’s hand whilst talking about “the art,” “now” and “your voice.” In exactly one week, I will be seeing this woman LIVE IN HER (AND MY!) HOMETOWN. I have no idea how to cope with the excitement.

Xolondon has some seriously exciting news regarding the 2008 album from Grace Jones, and is in the midst of reviewing tracks from Kylie’s new one, X, which you may remember I spoke of last week. Glenn over at Stale Popcorn also has some words on the matter, which - as always - are a brilliant read. Another brilliant review from the equally brilliant Pop Trash Addicts can be found here. Bit of an update as to where my ears stand with this album; I am warming to Sensitized, still not fussed by Heart Beat Rock, but now vehemently hating Spew-di-ty. It’s taken Sensitized’s earlier place of her stinkiest effort to date. What was she thinking, I mean really?

Xo also mentions the 10 year anniversary of Michael Hutchence’s untimely death. There’s a post I have in draft mode lingering about wordpress in his remembrance; I just haven’t been able to bring myself to finish it. There’s a lot of resentment on my part toward the remaining INXS crew for dragging the once godly band’s name through the dirt several times over the years since Michael’s death, so I haven’t gone back to writing the piece as I didn’t like how negative it had gotten, at least for a remembrance post. Maybe I’ll bring myself to pay respect for the eleventh year? I do think my INXS A.D. rant will appear in the new year however. Anyways, there is a gorgeous story about Michael on the third last page of the current copy of Inpress Magazine… I’ll try and get a scan up some time soon.

Paul’s zapping his way through Christmas in tres hot style. I almost want him to adopt John Waters‘ train of thought in that Christmas should be an all-year thing and keep the festive design 4 LYF. The new look also marks the beginning of The Zapping’s advent calendar, which I’ll be contributing to sometime soon…

The beautiful Poster Girl has some news on the upcoming Blake Lewis album, including excerpts from a review of the record from the L.A. Times, which has gotten me seriously hot under the collar. It should be noted that it is all your doing, dear Poster Girl, that I am now completely obsessed with this man…

The impeccable D’luv over at Chart Rigger has gone local politics on our arses, and congratulated us Aussie’s on our new leader, Kevin Rudd. Yay! This was the first election I’ve actually given a shit about in this country and am happy that the lesser of two evils will now run my home. The Kyoto Protocol is being signed, and an appetizing broadband plan is on the way; hopefully he will be abolishing the GST from Tampons and sanitary items which previous PM John Howard dared to label “luxury items.” Fingers crossed something is done about these ridiculous IR workplace agreement laws, which have already shafted me good and hard this year…

Dr. Hules throws a tic-tac down the Burnley Tunnel. Too good…

FUNBONGO - I IZ IN UR OFFICE, MAYKING U WRIGHT. COME BACK!!! Where for art thou, Funbongo? Meanwhile, the ace Pop Unlimited returns on December 1st, whilst Digital Technique return with some seriously ace musings.

Meanwhile, the Girls Aloud Mafia blog continues to deliver the goods in the greatest quality LOLCAT speak you will ever experience, and Kirkland Ciccone relaunches his Pop hell podcast home with a swish new look…

Robyn has RIGHTFULLY won DSTPop’s Female of 2007 award in the DSTP music awards. Have a read through all the other categories too…

One of my favourite music websites Ohh! Crap… have interviewed CAP10KURT, who I am loving very much. Read (and listen to) more…

Worrapolava; you know what he’s like!

Looking for a CD to pop on your iPod for the Gym? Pop Muse delivers. I can guarantee this is an exceptional download and one that had me slipping over in puddles of my own sweat (guk) at the gym today.

PHEW.