In Defense of Faking Orgasms

I’ve heard it from both sides of the aisle: Grown adults should never fake it. I’ve had female friends explain to me that “I shouldn’t have to fake it just to make my man happy” and have had to bite my tongue at the scores of male friends I’ve encountered who remain convinced that they are the special unicorn with whom no woman has ever engaged in a bedroom acting exercise. The reality is, of course, that faking it happens. I know because I am one of the 60 percent of women who openly admits to faking it from time to time. Yes, yes, yes! Sometimes I fake it, and I’m more than fine with that. Here's why.

I happen to be a woman who can actually orgasm from intercourse. My vagina is a star player, but that doesn’t mean it bats a hundred. Some nights, an orgasm just isn’t in the cards. This isn’t my boyfriend’s fault. It’s not mine either. It might kind of be our dog’s. No matter how many times I explain to him that we’re not “wrestling,” he still occasionally tries to join in. Just because it’s not going to happen doesn’t mean I want the whole affair to unfold in awkward silence, though. As a stand-up comedian, I’ve been on the giving and receiving end of many a courtesy chuckle, and I look at faking orgasms the same way. Sure, you may not actually be making me slap my knee with that joke or have my eyes rolling in the back of my head with that maneuver, but it will be more fun and less awkward for everyone involved if I just kind of pretend like you are. 

Just because I am a woman who sometimes fakes it (a.k.a. a woman) doesn’t mean I’m not communicating to my man what I actually want in bed. Trust me. I can give direction that would put Scorsese to shame, and I've been known to say things that would make Jenna Jameson blush after a glass of red wine. Faking it and being vocal are not at all mutually exclusive.  In fact, even my phony orgasms are a kind of direction. When things feel really good, so does my impression of “girl actually having a real orgasm.”

“Fake it till you make it” is more than just good business advice. For me, it can be the key to experiencing actual bliss. Like many women, I’m a busy lady with a constantly occupied mind. So sometimes, I think I’m ready for sexy time, only to learn that my brain is more in the mood for another game of “Who do I have to e-mail tomorrow?”  Faking it is an immediate and effective way of getting my head in the game. The more I act like I’m in the throes of pleasure, the more quickly my brain realizes that orgasming actually sounds like a lot more fun than figuring out tomorrow’s grocery list. Faking it puts me in the mindset of actually enjoying sex, and before I know it, those theatrical moans are often turning into unscripted screams.

Real talk: There are few things I enjoy less than trying to revive a half-limp penis. If the man I’m with “gets a flat tire” halfway through getting it on, I’m not upset, but I’m also not interested in doing emergency resuscitation. The pit of dread I get when I realize something is going wrong down there is not about worrying that the sex is over—it’s because I know I’m going to have to spend the next 10 minutes pretending to be excited to manhandle some flaccid flesh. When he’s done, I’m done. If there was an equipment error, I just want him to phone in a moan so that I can get to the activity that is always on my one-track mind—sleep.

Source: http://www.womenshealthmag.com

5 Small Changes That Can Improve Your Health in Your 20s, 30s, and Beyond

1. ACTUALLY Eat Healthy
You’ve heard this one time and time again. So what’s stopping you? There are tons of recipes, cooking tips, and meal plans (with shopping lists!) to choose from. You can even get the kids on board. In your 20s? Now’s the time to get in the habit of healthy eating. Learning to eat well now will make it a lot easier to keep eating well throughout your life.

2. Get Active, No Matter Where You Are
You know you need to work out, but it doesn’t have to be in a gym. Spend a little more time doing the things you love. For example, walk the dog a little bit faster, for a little bit longer every day. Little steps can lead to big changes. If you love dancing, take a dance class. Or if you enjoy socializing, join a tennis team, or start a running group. In your 30s? It’s not too late to fit exercise into your life and develop a routine. The exercise will help with stress, too.

3. Pay Attention to Your Mental Health
This one can be tough, especially for women who juggle work and family. After all, if it was easy to lessen stress, wouldn’t we all be doing it? When you’re feeling stressed, try stretching, deep breathing, or talking it out with a friend. If one thing doesn’t work, try something else. (Here are some ideas to get you started.)  In your 40s? Perimenopause might affect your sleep, moods, and sex life. Talk to your provider about how to deal with your symptoms.

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4. Get Regular Checkups and Preventive Screenings
One of the best ways to reduce your risk for illness and disease is to see your health care provider regularly—before you get sick. In your 50s? Ask your provider about which cancer screenings you need and how often.

5. Use Smart Judgement
Every time you text while driving or ride a bike without a helmet, you’re making a dangerous choice that can have a big impact. Choose healthier options instead! Take time to enjoy your drive, and make your phone call or send your text message when you safely reach your destination. Grab your bike helmet when going on a ride and take solace knowing that you will get to your destination safely. Your decisions can help keep you healthy. No matter your age, quitting smoking is the one of the best things you can do for your health.
This National Women’s Health Week, I challenge you to say yes—to a healthier you, at any age!

Surfer Blood return to DIY roots on new album

Surfer Blood are back with a new album and new label: 1000 Palms out May 12, 2015 on Joyful Noise.

The band's third full-length and first release with the acclaimed indie imprint, 1000 Palms marks a return to the band's DIY ethos. Abandoning the big time studio, the band decided to head back home to self-record and self-produce their third album. Free of major-label-influence, Surfer Blood has delivered a uniquely compelling album, unlike anything in their catalog.

Frontman John Paul Pitts describes the song Dorian as the album's central point, saying "This song has everything from classic 80's synth patches to fucked-up vocoder sound collages, embracing a series of left-turns that make it one of the most unique songs in our catalogue.It makes use of almost every sonic element we had available, and embraces the anything goes spirit this record represents."

The story of 1000 Palms began on January 1st 2014, after playing a New Year's show in Portland, OR, the band decided to stick around for the rest of the month, renting a practice space and sorting through a backlog of ideas. By February, as their lease ran out, Surfer Blood had recorded demos for most of the tracks that now feature on their third LP.

After a frustrating time at previous home Warner Brothers, the quartet were beyond ready to return to a more DIY recording process, completely void of the middlemen scrutinizing every bar of previous LP Pythons. With the band self-recording, it was in the glamourous setting of an attic studio above a doctor's office where drums were committed to tape. Of the work, frontman John Paul Pitts states "fortunately none of us are strangers to DIY recording, so it was a challenge well-suited to our band".

The making of 1000 Palms also owes a lot to the kindness of friends and family, with the remaining instrument sessions taking place at the home of drummer Tyler Schwartz's parents while they were on vacation. Following a few days of very little sleep and after the band pooled resources and called in favors, the band had managed to craft everything you now hear on the upcoming record.

1000 Palms tracklisting

Grand Inquisitor
Island
I Can't Explain
Feast/Famine
Point of No Return
Sabre-Tooth and Bone
Covered Wagons
Dorian
Into Catacombs
Other Desert Cities
NW Passage

Summer-y rockers Tennis now on tour

"Their dreamy, nostalgic pop laps and recedes like waves hitting the shore."—New York Times
"The best record Tennis has done so far."—NPR "All Things Considered"
"Their new album Ritual in Repeat is a triumph not because it conveys fandom but because it makes a sprightly pop style from 50 years ago fresh and ready for new fans now."—NPR "Fresh Air"
"The LP blends catchy classic rock riffs with an indie pop sensibility and a dreamy lo-fi disco sound."—TIME
"Their new record, Ritual in Repeat, finds Tennis continuing to mature and highlight their strengths
—Moore's growing voice, an ear for melody."—Pitchfork

"…a fantastic listen, with song after song jam-packed full of catchy hooks."—Paste

"Haim fans, take note: Alaina Moore's delicate voice drives buoyant guitar pop on this release."—New York Magazine
"The new disc is as summery as ever, but there's a sultrier kick, a hot-blooded sway in songs like 'I'm Callin'."
—The Boston Globe
"…artful, breezy, R&B influenced pop."—KCRW

"…a refreshing sense of comfort and warmth."—Glamour
Tennis is heading out on a North American spring tour in support of their critically-acclaimed album Ritual in Repeat, out now on Communion Records. The band begins their headlining tour in their hometown of Denver, CO on April 25. Please see full dates below.

Tennis worked in three separate cities with three well-known producers on the new album. They returned to Nashville to work with Pat Carney (The Black Keys) on five of the album's tracks including "Never Work For Free."  They also worked with Jim Eno (Spoon) in his Austin Studio on "Bad Girls"and lastly Richard Swift (The Shins) in Portland, who collaborated with the band on four songs including "Timothy."

Tennis is Denver couple Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley. The duo began writing music together as a way to document the history of their time living aboard a sailboat. The result was their first release, Cape Dory. Moore and Riley followed Cape Dory with Young and Old, which The New Yorker described as "winsome as it is ebullient," and debuted #1 on Billboard's Heatseeker Chart and #1 on CMJ Top 200, where it remained for three straight weeks. The album also debuted on Soundscan's "New Artist Chart" at #1 remaining there for nine consecutive weeks. The band performed on "The Late Show with David Letterman," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Conan" and "Last Call with Carson Daly." Twenty thirteen brought Small Sound EP and the band's Spring tour with Haim.

TENNIS TOUR DATES
April 25                                                        Denver, CO                                          Bluebird Theater
April 28                                                  Salt Lake City, UT                                        Urban Lounge
April 30                                                  San Francisco, CA                                     The Independent
May 1                                                   West Hollywood, CA                                          Troubadour
May 2                                                        San Diego, CA                                                  The Irenic
May 5                                                           Austin, TX                                                    The Parish
May 6                                                      New Orleans, LA                                               Gasa Gasa
May 8                                                           Atlanta, GA                                   Shaky Knees Festival
May 9                                                         Nashville, TN                                           The High Watt
May 10                                                       Asheville, NC                                          The Grey Eagle
May 12                                                    Washington, DC                                 U Street Music Hall
May 13                                                       Brooklyn, NY                      Music Hall of Williamsburg
May 15                                                     Philadelphia, PA                                                   Milkboy
May 16                                                      New York, NY                                        Mercury Lounge
May 17                                                        Allston, MA                                                   Great Scott
May 19                                                        Toronto, ON                            Virgin Mobile Mod Club
May 20                                                        Ferndale, MI                                       The Loving Touch
May 21                                                     Indianapolis, IN                                              Radio Radio   

Built To Spill tour behind new album Untethered Moon

Built to Spill announces they are hitting the road for a spring headlining tour that kicks off on May 10th in Carrboro, NC, and runs through the end of May.

BTS is touring in support of their eighth studio album, Untethered Moon.
Untethered Moon is the first BTS album recorded with new band members Steve Gere (drums) and Jason Albertini (bass), who join vocalist/guitarist Doug Martsch. Untethered Moon was produced by Martsch and Sam Coomes (from the band Quasi).

BTS will continue to tour as the three-guitar army that they have always been with Jim Roth and Brent Netson filling out the line-up.

Built to Spill's upcoming tour dates:
05/09   Atlanta, GA                               Shaky Knees Music Fest
05/10   Carrboro, NC                           Cat's Cradle
05/11   Charleston, SC                        Music Farm
05/12   Jacksonville, FL                       Jack Rabbits
05/13   Ft. Lauderdale, FL                   Culture Room
05/14   St. Petersburg, FL                    The State Theatre
05/15   Orlando, FL                              The Social
05/16   Tallahassee, FL                        Sidebar Theater
05/17   New Orleans, LA                      Howlin' Wolf
05/18   Houston, TX                              Warehouse Live
05/19   Austin, TX                                 Stubbs BBQ
05/20   Dallas, TX                                 Granada Theater
05/21   Oklahoma City, OK                   ACM Performance Lab @ UCO
05/22   St. Louis, MO                            The Ready Room
05/23   Omaha, NE                               Slowdown
05/24   Minneapolis, MN                       Varsity Theater
05/26   Madison, WI                              High Noon Saloon
05/27   Indianapolis, IN                         The Vogue
05/28   Detroit, MI                                 St. Andrews Hall
05/30   Chicago, IL                                Metro
05/31   Grand Rapids, MI                      Founders Brewing Co.

Supporting Death Cab For Cutie:
07/08   Troutdale, OR                         Edgefield Amphitheater
07/09   Bend, OR                                 Les Schwab Amphitheatre
07/11   Berkeley, CA                            Greek Theatre Berkeley

Sepultura to celebrate 30th anniversary with North American tour

Do legacies ever fade?  Not when Brazilian blood is involved.
Celebrating their 30th year of existence, Brazil's most esteemed metal band SEPULTURA will be headlining a Metal Injection-sponsored tour that includes German thrashers DESTRUCTION as direct support and American melodic tech-deathsters ARSIS as openers.  We can already sense the frenzy in mosh pits across the U.S. and Canada, too.
"It's going to be an amazing experience to celebrate a 30-year career with the strongest album we've ever made in our history," states SEPULTURA guitarist & songwriter Andreas Kisser about the upcoming 33-show trek and their latest album, The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart.  "We are coming back to America and Canada with full force and with a hunger to destroy everything!  Can't wait to perform the songs from the new album on stage!  See you all on the road!"
The mayhem begins in Phoenix, Arizona on May 10th and ends on June 14th in Grand Junction, Colorado.  SEPULTURAwill be performing one solo show on May 9th.
Confirmed "SEPULTURA – 30 Years" tour dates are:
05/09/15   Rock In Rio – Las Vegas, NV*
05/10/15   Joe's Grotto – Phoenix, AZ
05/11/15   The Whisky – West Hollywood, CA
05/12/15   Ace of Spades – Sacramento, CA
05/13/15   Bossonova Ballroom – Portland, OR
05/14/15   Studio Seven – Seattle, WA
05/15/15   Rickshaw Theater – Vancouver, B.C. – CANADA
05/16/15   Starlite Room – Edmonton, AB – CANADA
05/17/15   Pub Station – Billings, MT
05/19/15   Zoo Cabaret – Winnipeg, MB – CANADA
05/20/15   The Amsterdam – Minneapolis, MN
05/21/15   High Noon Saloon – Madison, WI
05/22/15   Reggie's – Chicago, IL
05/23/15   Expo Five – Louisville, KY
05/24/15   Centerstage Bar & Grill – Kokomo, IN
05/26/15   The Pyramid Scheme – Grand Rapids, MI
05/28/15   Opera House – Toronto, ON – CANADA
05/29/15   Club Soda – Montreal, QC – CANADA
05/30/15   Webster Hall – New York, NY
05/31/15   Jewel Nightclub – Manchester, NH
06/01/15   Ottobar – Baltimore, MD
06/02/15   The NorVA – Norfolk, VA
06/03/15   Holligans Music Hall – Jacksonville, NC
06/04/15   The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
06/05/15   Culture Room – Fort Lauderdale, FL
06/06/15   Publiq House – New Orleans, LA
06/07/15   BFE Rock Club – Houston, TX
06/08/15   The Rail Club – Fort Worth, TX
06/10/15   Empire Garage – Austin, TX
06/11/15   Cine El Rey – McAllen, TX
06/12/15   Sunshine Theater – Albuquerque, NM
06/13/15   Summit Music Hall – Denver, CO
06/14/15   Mesa Theater – Grand Junction, CO
*SEPULTURA only
The Mediator Between Head And Hands Must Be The Heart was recorded with renowned producer Ross Robinson(KORN, MACHINE HEAD, FEAR FACTORY), who worked with SEPULTURA on their landmark 1996 release Roots,and was co-produced by Steve Evetts (THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN, SYMPHONY X, INCANTATION), who previously worked on SEPULTURA's Roorback (2003), the Revolusongs EP (2002), and Nation (2001).

My Morning Jacket return with The Waterfall

On May 4th, 2015 My Morning Jacket are set to return with their seventh full-length album, The Waterfall via ATO Records/Capitol Records. This release will mark the band's first on Capitol Records. Recorded in Stinson Beach CA, The Waterfall is the follow-up to the GRAMMY®-nominated Circuital, which was ranked among 2011's best albums by publications such as Rolling Stone, Paste, MOJO, and Uncut.

My Morning Jacket also announce an extensive United States tour in support of the new album, which will see them headline Governors Ball and Bonnaroo before embarking on a nationwide headlining tour in mid-May, followed by dates in Europe.
My Morning Jacket arrived at Northern California's Stinson Beach in late 2013 thinking only about making an album. The band was not prepared to be seduced. But within a couple of days, Jim James, Tom Blankenship, Patrick Hallahan, Carl Broemel and Bo Kosterwere in love with Panoramic House, a studio perched on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The natural beauty of the surrounding landscape, located only about a half hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge, combined with the almost mystical serenity flooded them with a charged sense of possibilities.
"For me, every record has the spirit of where we made it," explains singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter Jim James. "Stinson Beach was so psychedelic and focused. It was almost like we lived on our own little moon out there. It feels like you're up in the sky."
On the new release there are moments that reach back to early albums such as 2001's At Dawn and 2003's It Still Moves, the record that gave the band a much broader audience. But the experimentation that marked 2004's Z, 2008's Evil Urges and James' 2013 solo album, Regions of Light and Sound of God is clearly in effect.
The Waterfall sounds like history and decades colliding, like a record made by fervent music fans in search of that tingle up the spine. Inveterate music geeks will hear echoes of vintage rock and pop as MMJ continues to honor its influences without aping any of them; The Waterfall sounds like nothing else but also warmly familiar.
 "That's kind of the sound of this record, and my life, the sound of the page turning and not being sure what's coming next," said James.
 "The freedom we went into this record with took a lot of the pressure off, as far as what to do and how to do it," Hallahan added. "The mantra was anything goes, no stone unturned, it'll be done when it's done."
The band recorded The Waterfall by teaming up again with producer/engineer Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Modest Mouse, Neko Case), who also worked with My Morning Jacket on Circuital. In addition to the Stinson Beach sessions, they recorded at Martine's Portland, OR studio Flora and at Ratterman's La La Land studio in Louisville.
But in the end, it all circled back to Stinson Beach.
"Out of all the places we've recorded, I think that place might have informed the record on a spiritual level more than any other," adds Koster. "If you listen to 'Like A River,' it just sounds like Stinson Beach."
The Waterfall is the latest in a career-spanning string of success beginning with the band's 1999 debut album The Tennessee Fire and including 2008's Evil Urges and 2011's Circuital which each received GRAMMY ® nominations - the latter debuting at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart.

The Waterfall - Track Listing

Believe (Nobody Knows)
Compound Fracture
Like A River
In Its Infancy (The Waterfall)
Get The Point
Spring (Among the Living)
Thin Line
Big Decisions
Tropics (Erase Traces)
Only Memories Remain

My Morning Jacket Tour Dates

May 15 at Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA
May 16 at Tennessee Theatre in Knoxville, TN
May 17 at Hangout Festival in Gulf Shores, AL
May 23 at Boston Calling Festival in Boston, MA
June 3 at State Theatre in Cleveland, OH w/ Floating Action
June 4 at Stage AE in Pittsburgh, PA w/ Floating Action
June 5 at Governors Ball Music Festival in New York, NY
June 7 at Field Trip Festival in Toronto, ON
June 9 at Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
June 10 at Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
June 11 at Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
June 12-14 at Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN
June 16 at The Fillmore in Detroit, MI w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
June 17 at The Fillmore in Detroit, MI w/ Hiss Golden Messenger
June 19 at Gentlemen of the Road Stopover in Waverly, IA
June 20 at Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, WI w/ Floating Action
June 23 at Palace Theatre in Columbus, OH w/ Floating Action
June 24 at Palace Theatre in Columbus, OH w/ Floating Action
June 26 at Northrup Auditorium in Minneapolis, MN w/ Hippo Campus
June 27 at Northrup Auditorium in Minneapolis, MN w/ Lizzo
July 17-19 at Forecastle Festival in Louisville, KY
July 21 at nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Charlottesville, VA w/ Lizzo
July 22 at Artpark Series in Lewiston, NY w/ Lizzo
July 26 at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD w/ Jason Isbell
July 28 at Red Hat Amphitheatre in Raleigh, NC w/ Lucius
July 29 at Uptown Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC w/ Lucius
July 31 at Champions Square in New Orleans, LA w/ Lucius
August 1 at Amphitheatre in St. Augustine, FL w/ Mini Mansions
August 3 at The Fillmore in Miami, FL w/ Mini Mansions
August 4 at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL w/ Mini Mansions
August 7 at Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA w/ Mini Mansions
August 8 at Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA w/ Mini Mansions
August 10 at BJCC Concert Hall in Birmingham, AL w/ Mini Mansions
August 12 at The Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, MO w/ Hippo Campus
August 13 at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, MO w/ Hippo Campus
August 14 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, CO w/ Sylvan Esso
August 28-30 at Rock en Seine Festival in Paris, FR
September 1 at Rivierenhof Amphitheatre in Antwerp, BEL
September 2 at Gloria in Koln, GER
September 4 at Electric Picnic Festival in Dublin, IRE
September 5 at End of the Road Festival in Larmer Tree Gardens, UK
September 6 at The Ritz in Manchester, UK
September 8 at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, UK
September 10 at Paradiso in Amsterdam, HOL
September 12 at Take Root Festival in Groningen, HOL
September 13 at Lollapalooza in Berlin, GER