The announcement of Monster of Folk’s debut album this year instinctively drew a knee-jerk reaction of dread from me, despite its pristine indie pedigree. After Tinted Windows defined the term “novelty supergroup” yet again for the year 2009, I was just a little worried that ego and the sense of “fun” that routinely leads artists to ill-advised collaborations would cause the sum of talent here to be considerably less than its individual parts. Luckily for me and fans of the people on display here, Monsters of Folk works more like a well-oiled, cohesive “best-of” collection of each, rather than a clash of styles or a neutered effort of bland, mutually masturbatory jam sessions. Made up of Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes, Mystic Valley Band), M. Ward (She & Him), Jim James (My Morning Jacket), and Mike Mogis (producer extraordinaire), Monsters of Folk’s terrible title belies its eminently accessible nature.

To express my feelings about what I saw, I must begin with the basics. The fabric is nauseating. It is basically wash-and-throw away, unworthy of even a Forever 21 rack. The lacking of quality in the fibers is a damn shame. Considering that Walmart can get basically anything at a discounted price, it surprises me that they would commit their name to buying these products. Notwithstanding the poor threads, the designs are so simple and uninspired I am also very surprised that Max Azria would lend his name to this charade. See, before this forsaken line, Walmart sold Miley t-shirts and pants, and even those were okay. They were for kids, for simple girls who worshipped her. But now, for young adults or teenagers, it seems rather appalling that they are expected to think this is fashionable. Target’s Gossip Girl inspired line is infinitely better (and believe me, that’s saying a lot) and it has been more cared for and closely watched by someone who knows about the fashion industry. Here, basically two celebrities lent their voices and personalities to sell a completely irrelevant product.

Ever wondered what you’re doing wrong on a highly anticipated date? Or why that cute girl won’t call you back after your one night of wonder? Have you found yourself sitting around with a group of girlfriends, passing around a bottle of wine and contemplating whether or not he’s into you? Here at THE POP FIX we aspire to learn from the best! We asked dating success coach DeAnna Lorraine for tips on dating for guys and girls. She’s been on TV, she’s been all over the internet and now she’s on THE POP FIX and you might be surprised on what she had to say! Read on for our Q&A with dating guru DeAnna Lorraine…