I'm still alive! Everything is fine. I just sorta stopped updating this journal a long while back once work became all consuming (stop me if you've heard this one before). I may start up blogging again or doing something with this site, so, you know, stay tuned.

In the meantime, read me weekly at Billboard Chart Alert and in the magazine's "Over the Counter" column.

I'm alive!

So says Mick Jagger: "One time you were my baby chicken, now you've grown into a fox. Once upon a time I was your little rooster, now am I just one of your cocks?" Buy the great new Rolling Stones single, "Rough Justice," at the Apple iTunes Music Store.

Tragically, everyone's favorite Parlour Club is closing. It was evidently purchased by hetero investors looking to turn it into a hipster straight night spot. Good luck with that kids. Unless they knock a few walls down, I can't see how the hole-in-the-wall can possibly be turned into anything remotely chi-chi.

In the meantime, celebrate Parlour and go visit Hotdog on Saturdays before they move to a new location.

Listen to Annie's "Anniemal." The Norwegian singer's super fun pop album will be released in the U.S. on June 7 via Big Beat/Atlantic. Whoo. Chew that gum girl!

Another Billboard review, this time for Mariah Carey's new album "The Emancipation of Mimi" --

"The Emancipation of Mimi" is Mariah Carey's most satisfying album since her 1997 collection, "Butterfly." The latter disc spawned multiple hits and has sold 3.7 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Mimi" has already notched a hit with "It's Like That," and a second single -- the midtempo ballad "We Belong Together" -- is ascending the charts. Carey's emancipation is drenched in hip-hop and old-school R&B ballads, and it smartly focuses on her strengths. While her voice has lost some of its power through the years, "Mimi" deftly showcases her still-considerable pipes with strong lyrics and slick production. In addition to the aforementioned singles, highlights include the Snoop Dogg-spiced thump of "Say Somethin'," the gorgeous ballads "Mine Again" and "Circles," the bouncy silliness of "Get Your Number" and gospel closer "Fly Like a Bird."

... and one more, for Garbage's new CD, "Bleed Like Me" --

Garbage returns with the very rocking "Bleed Like Me," its first album since 2001's "beautifulgarbage." The new CD is already off to a promising start: Lead single "Why Do You Love Me" went top 10 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The set contains a number of other radio-ready cuts, including the straight-ahead rock crunch of "Run Baby Run" and the empowering anthem "Right Between the Eyes." Also of note are the hard-driving "Bad Boyfriend" (featuring Dave Grohl on drums) and the blistering "Why Don't You Come Over," which lyrically reference (of all things) Foreigner's "Hot Blooded" and Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It," respectively. On "Bad Boyfriend," frontwoman Shirley Manson coos about how she wants a "bad boyfriend" that's so hot she has to "keep him on ice." Sales are bound to be more notable than that of the band's last album -- which has yet to sell half a million.

My latest Billboard review, for Fantasia's single "Free Yourself" --

Fantasia has already notched four R&B/hip-hop hits from her platinum debut, "Free Yourself." Now the album's title track gets a proper release from J. "Free Yourself" is a slow-burning Missy Elliott-produced ballad, where we find Fantasia wailing, "If you don't want me, then don't talk to me." The single may never cross over to mainstream top 40 radioit's a straight-ahead R&B ballad sans a hip-hop beat. But that's probably the game plan, as J has seemingly positioned Fantasia as a core R&B artist and has not worked her at top 40 (where she has yet to chart any singles). R&B radio moved quick on this oneit's rapidly growing in audienceso expect a quick rise up the charts.

My latest Billboard review, for the Dead 60s' single "Riot Radio" --

U.K. band the Dead 60s serves up its first American single, the Clash-inspired "Riot Radio." The peppy track already has a foothold at some influential modern rock stations. It has been one of the most-played cuts at KDLD Los Angeles since December, and KROQ Los Angeles and KEDJ Phoenix are also spinning it. With modern rock taking more chances on quirky, dance-y, retro songs, "Riot Radio" has a fair shot of breaking onto the format tally. The Dead 60s opened for Garbage on its recent trek and will take part in the Vans Warped tour this summer.

Don't you just love those pleas for help coming from random people on the Web? I sure do!

We're going to Disneyland at the end of May, and staying two nights at the Grand Californian Hotel. We already made reservations and have got park hopper tickets, but we wanted to, ahem, reach out to our friends and see if we can snag any pixie dust. That is -- can anyone hook us up with some fun perks? LOL. VIP passes? Don't-Wait-In-Line-Passes?" Yes, I know, total long shot -- but it can't hurt to ask, right?

My latest Billboard review:

Fischerspooner's new album "Odyssey" -- Fischerspooner is out to prove that it is not a one-hit wonder. On its debut album, "#1," the duo (Casey Spooner and Warren Fischer) came across as a performance art troupe in search of a song. While it did have one mind-blowing single the anthemic "Emerge"the rest of the album was a synth-heavy letdown. With Fischerspooner's new set, "Odyssey," there aresurprise!big fat hooks, live drums and guitars, melodies, springy beats and catchy choruses. Standout cuts include the soaring rocker "Happy" (written with Linda Perry) and the stomping guitar funk of "Never Win" (with production by Mirwais Ahmadzai). Either track would be a solid radio single. This isn't a perfect album, but it is a great pop leap for Fischerspooner

My latest Billboard Magazine review:

Mariah Carey's latest single "We Belong Together" -- Mariah Carey is on the comeback trail. With new single "We Belong Together," she builds on the momentum of recent hit "It's Like That." The latter track was her biggest success on the Mainstream Top 40 chart since 1997 (discounting her featured role on Busta Rhymes' "I Know What You Want"). On "We Belong Together," Carey delivers a return-to-form R&B groove ballad. It's a stellar I-shoulda-known-better-please-come-back-to-me song, with her vocals taking center stage: A "foolish" Carey sings about how she desperately wants her baby back. Radio and fans have been asking for a classic Carey ballad for a long time. "We Belong Together" is the kind of track that makes the wait worth it. Her new album, "The Emancipation of Mimi," arrives April 12.

My latest Billboard Magazine reviews:

Kelly Osbourne's (!) new single "One Word" -- Forget everything you think you know about Kelly Osbourne's music. On "One Word"the first single from her forthcoming album, "Sleeping in the Nothing" (due June 7)she glides through the space-age number like she's the princess of the new wave dancefloor. It is absolutely nothing like any of her previous material, which was grounded in screechy punky-pop. Songwriter/producer Linda Perry frames Osbourne as a come-hither synth-pop goddess. And the ultra-catchy chorus layers processed vocals. "One Word" doesn't easily fit into any radio format, and with top 40 overrun with hip-hop, Osbourne could have a hard time getting play. She'll very likely have the easiest go at dance radio and in clubs.

The Killers' "Smile Like You Mean It" -- "Sure, New York and London are established epicenters of the dance-rock scene. But Las Vegas may not be far behind. With 'Smile Like You Mean It' on the verge of debuting on the Modern Rock Tracks chart ..." (continues at Billboard.com).

Margaret Cho is on tour, again.